The New "Station 220"

Several weeks ago, I did a shoot for the new Station 220 restaurant which is the old Central Station in downtown Bloomington. I met Steffan Block who was returning to Central Station to help re-invent and re-brand the restaurant into Station 220.  A key to that rebranding was the acquisition of Executive Chef Rick Sipovic who brought in a new menu of exciting and very tasty dishes; this isn’t your old Central Station folks.   I was asked by Steffan to be part of that rebranding through what I could deliver with my camera and I was more than happy to help out. 

So I trotted over to Station 220 one late afternoon with my white satin shoot through umbrella, Alien Bees, Pocket Wizard and started shooting.   Shaista Hussain, another very capable photographer, helped me arrange my lighting, suggested angles, did some shooting herself and also helped sample some of the dishes after we were done.  The entire experience was very surreal for all of us as I shot tethered using that new feature in Adobe Lightroom 3 and a very loooong USB cable attached to my camera.  Shooting tethered allowed Steffan and Chef to see the pictures right as they were coming off the camera and provide me with immediate feedback.  At one point we had the staff from the restaurant and some of the guests engaged with the shoot as they wondered what we were doing.  It was an awesome experience for all of us and getting immediate feedback was also awesome. 

I just finished the job this week and you can see some of my pre-work on their new Station 220 website.  If you haven’t been to the new Station 220, I highly recommend it as they have and continue to make changes to the restaurants ambiance

as well as the menu.

Btw, you can wipe the drool off your computer screens now!!! J

got Inspiration, giving Inspiration

Two simple question to my blog readers domestic and abroad, onshore and offshore, PC or Mac, Adult or Child, Man or Woman; doesn’t matter if you populate this Big Blue Ball we call home than you’re included.  Very simply, 1) Where do you draw inspiration from?  2) Who do you inspire?  Respond in the context you feel most comfortable with, respond using your blogger profile, respond anonymously, I don’t care as long as you respond…..

For me, I draw my support and inspiration from above; first and foremost.  I’m never let down, disappointed and it gives me the conviction to do better in spite of myself.   I am a “giver” by nature and have been told that I can at times be inspiring and insightful.  I am drawn, by nature, to people that are inspiring and for me it’s people and things that make me “think”.  As I look around the planet with these new eyes of mine, I am intrigued and inspired by everything that has been placed here to meet our needs, dreams, hopes, etc.  It’s amazing when you realize how perfect it all works together once we get the right pieces and place them right where they belong.  Even when the wrong pieces collide it can be quite awesome and inspiring if we just open our mind…..  That’s the perspective I come from.  From a day job perspective it’s Malcolm Gladwell, Tom Peters, Rhonda Byrne, Marianne Williamson and FastCompany magazine and not necessarily in that order.  From my other day job perspective it’s Ross Oscar Knight, Carlos Baez, Zack Arias and Art Wolfe each of who have a specific gift for capturing “all the pieces” of the puzzle in their exquisiteness and getting them to make sense, “fit”, defy the odds, keep you wanting to see more and challenge your paradigms… 

Who do I inspire?  That’s a little trickier because sometimes I/we never really know.  It could be “all of you” or “none of you” who view my work on this Blog, my travel Blog or my website?  It could be all or none of the people I photograph for weddings, lifestyle sessions, family portraits, fashion, etc.  It could be all or none of the people I mentor at my “day job” on a monthly basis who provide me with just as much insight and drive as I hope I give back to them.  It could be all or none of the photographers I’ve opened up my mind to over the last 12 months as these photographic concepts are finally sinking in.   It could all of the above or none of the above which makes realize I have room to improve, “do more” and “do more better”.  Conditionally I’d like to stipulate a sincere ‘thank you” and “pay it forward” for the people I engage BUT a “gift” with conditions isn’t a gift and inspiration should be “free of charge” right?   

So, please respond from the context that makes sense for you.  Respond as  “you” or “anonymously “; I don’t care I just want to have a conversation with the Blog community on the topic.  Don’t wimp out on me U.S. as this Blog has been visited by each US State.  Offshore/abroad, I know you are reading as well as I’ve gotten hits from each country except Greenland, Central Africa and South Central Asia.   So read, reflect and respond…

Be blessed…..

No Place Like Home

I have returned from my travels back home to the East Coast to visit my family and shoot Mr. Kenneth Hitchens.  There are about 7-8 different and distinct stories to tell about my travels (NY/NJ/MD) of which I will be blogging about in the near future with the accompanying images.  I had a great time and the highlight of my visit was seeing my little (22yr. old) daughter Nichole.  I had a great time hanging with her and her boyfriend Kyle and I am hoping we can all see each other again real soon. 


David

Chris and Erica - Sweetest Somebody I Know

I met this couple a year ago at a wedding reception that I shot for Twyana and Darnell who will be celebrating their 1 year anniversary in a few days. I met Chris and Erica while walking around the reception hall taking pictures of couples while waiting on the bride and groom to arrive. After the wedding I connected with Erica to get their picture to them from the reception and found out that they were engaged and that the picture I took was the BEST picture they had taken together. It was at that moment that they decided that they wanted me to shoot their wedding which would take place in a little less than a year.

We all got busy as we do in our daily lives and we went back and forth with schedules trying to coordinate their engagement session. We finally got a date down and a beautiful house for their shoot and I took the first picture below which says a lot about the couple, their story and what would be the foundation  for their marriage ahead.  Well their wedding was this past Sunday at Kickapoo Creek Winery and as I was uploading their images to my computer, I came upon the second picture in this post which now becomes one of the best pictures I have even taken at a wedding. Enjoy this sneak peek for now.....  

Beas...

Finding North

I haven't blogged about my goals in quite some time and I thought it would be a good time to get back to this practice. Although I am still learning Photoshop and didn't officially get published in 2009, it was still an outstanding year!!!!! I did 4 weddings and several other shoots that have really helped me grow as a photographer and in my ability to engage clients. I got a chance to travel and do a wedding in Negril-Jamaica, Spokane-Washington and a couple weddings closer to home. I met and photographed a two tour Vietnam Veteran, Ms. Island Mokihana 2010 and shot a slew of other people who graced my camera with their presence. It was a very good year and I am excited about what’s next for me and the business.


There are way to many professional photographers and other people to list here who have helped me along the journey. They all know who they are, I have already thanked them personally and will forever be in their debt. As you can see, I am back from my blogging hiatus trying to catch everyone up from the work I’ve done this year. Stay tuned for more; you can also find me and my fanpage on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davidnbeasleyjr


I’ll be Blogging you…


Beas..


1. Consistently pray before getting out of bed, starting any shoot and ending my day – In progress


2. Shoot two weddings (1- second shooter and 1 primary shooter or some derivative of the two) – Done; shot four wedding in 2009; one down and two more scheduled for 2010


3. Do a shoot with another professional photographer – Done; Bloomington Shootout and Macy’s Fashion Show


4. Streamline client meetings – Done


5. Identify someone with marketing and graphic design experience that can help me with plans, logo and designs for website, Blogs and print materials. – Done and still in progress.


6. Develop logo, branding and other marketing materials for business – Done


7. Develop new business cards with new logo and theme. – Done; rebranded my old one a bit


8. Develop theme for business – Done (“FOCUSing on what's most important!”)


9. Add new innovative and creative elements/offering to the Blog – Done but accomplished through my website. www.davidnbeasleyjr.com/flash


10. Identify opportunities for small impromptu shoots – Done and have leveraged to diversify my portfolio


11. Improve comfort level with on/off camera flashes, strobes and umbrellas. – Done; thanks Carlos Baez and Zack Arias


12. Refine my photo editing processes in Lightroom and Photoshop – Done and I am still growing


13. Refine process for managing (archiving/backing up)images – In progress but I am in good shape


14. Get work published in print (book or magazine) – In progress and I have had several pictures that are magazine quality right out of the camera


15. Make time to post to other photographers Blogs – Fell off the wagon on this one a bit.


16. Start new innovative project leveraging photography - Done “The Model in You – The Beauty in Diversity”


17. Start new Blog – Done  http://www.themodelinyou.blogspot.com/


18. Consistently “Thank God” for giving me the inspiration, ability, creativity, insight and strength to pursue photography and bless others through my work! – Done, he is present is all my accomplishments and carrying me through all my struggles.

Macy's Fashion Show - Sneak Peek

Did you get em off the hard drive???  My Best Friend/Frat Brother (Dr. Willis Lonzer III), and I have a long standing joke started by his wife about getting our work off the hard drive; but I won't go into that right now...  I just finished uploading all the photo's from all the Macy's Fashion Show practices and event to my computer and I have over 4,500 shots.  That's a lot of pictures to backup, edit and get "off the hard drive" to all the wonderful models.  Whew!!!  I am headed to rehersal and dinner for a wedding I am doing tomorrow but wanted to leave you guys with a picture from the show of one of our "still" models; the lovely Nickki O. 


Be blessed!!!

Beauty and Elegance Becomes Her!!!

This is one of my favorite shots from a wedding I recently finished editing. I tried something new with my editing which almost doubled my editing time but I learned from that experience and a little about double RAW processing photos to get detail back in a brides dress. Live and Learn!!!


David

Macy's Annual Fashion Show

This past weekend our Bloomington/Normal Macy's store hosted a fashion show for the local community.  I had the honor of being among three other photographers (Angel Sallade,Chris Sallade and Monte Holiday) to shoot the event which was coordinated by Mrs. Sofia Reed of Macy's.  It was an awesome fashion show and our professional models (Terrance McSwain and Isoken Uzamere) as well as the local models (kids and adults) did an outstanding job!!!

I was at almost all of the practices where I took over 2,000 pictures and have a lot of editing to do in the coming weeks.  As I was importing the photo's, I came across this one which I had to edit real quick and put on my blog.  The next few weeks are going to be a challenging as all the models want to see pics, I have a wedding to prepare for on Sunday and a trip back to the East Coast to see my family and do a shoot in Atlantic City.  For now, enjoy this picture from a practice the day before the show.

David

Relax, Play Games, Take Care of You

I paid a quick visit to Chicago this past weekend to do some shooting for my portfolio.  I always love seeing different parts of the city from different angles, etc.  I actually got a chance to see one of my favorite views from the other side and I LOVED it.  Sometimes we miss things in life because we pay too much attention to things from JUST our perspective...


While I was there I paid a trip to a park in one of the suburbs and took this picture.  I am fresh from seeing the movie Eat, Pray, Love and I when I looked at this picture I thought about the movie.  This summer has been busier than heck and it's easy to forget to just relax in the midst of everything going on in life. I also thought about the joy of playing games. Doesn't need to be anything special as the main ingredients are family and/or friends and FUN!!!  Sometimes the simplest games suffice. Last part is taking time for yourself.  We do and we do and we do and we often forget to "Take Care of YOU"... 


So with the summer ending soon and all the back to school stuff around the corner, taker time to "Relax, Play Games and Take Care of You". 


David

Who Dat?!? - Man Behind The Lens

If you know me, I am not one to take pictures of myself so why should I mess up a good thing at this point?!?! This past Fall, several of us "Pros" got together and did a "shoot out" here in Bloomington/Normal.  While we were just playing around and acting goofy; one of my favorite things to do, "Dr. Eric Codrington" took this picture of me.  It's a very cool pic and want to thank him for it from the bottom of my heart. 

Beas