Pictures of People Doing Things = Lifestyle Photography

It seems as though the commercial category for "photos of people doing things that they would normally do" is called lifestyle photography. For a long time i've been struggling with categorizing my photos and figuring out the best way to display them as sets. Using PhotoShelter is a blessing and a curse because of the flexibility I have with creating new galleries, or 'sets' of images. Sometimes I look at images and think......should this be in the people set, the entertainment set, the portrait set, or all of them? For instance, an image that has a particular commercial appeal might not have that same appeal in a gallery labeled "Travel: Italy" like this image. Knowing that most people don't last beyond the first few images of a gallery, especially ones that house hundreds of photos. Ive recently created a new gallery titled Lifestyle Gallery, which showcases some of the works that might not get as much credit because they're lumped in travel or event galleries with tons of other images. I guess at this point, I want to make my website as visitor friendly as possible and keep switching up the images on my homepage to make people view more and more of my photos. Is it better to show tons of photos from a variety of categories on my site or limit the scope so it seems as though i specialize in one area? Any insight from my followers?

Yummy Delicious Dense Baked Goods

In an earlier posting I mentioned some recent food shoots, including the beer shots I needed to take for a new magazine being published "Edible New Orleans." On a recent trip to Duong Phuong Bakery with Shai, who is writing an article on their delicious french bread, I was asked to capture some of the other yummy baked goods they bake on site. Because its my first real foray into food photographery I figured Id post some pics for my wonderful followers to see. Many more food shots will be included in the first winter issue of the publication as well as some portrait shots taken of magzine contributors. Stay posted for more info on the publication date.

Help...me pick pleeease

Please help me pick your four favorite event images. I am way overdue in submitting an application and simply cant pick my favorite"event" images. I've made a cut already and posted the images in this post, feel free to choose one of these or one from your favorite gallery, linked here. If no one responds to this I am definitely going to assume that no one ever reads this blog :)

Beer: in studio vs. in bar

In an anxious attempt to use my new studio lights I set up my beer shoot (for local magazine) in the spare bedroom of my house. My editor mentioned she wanted an isolated shot of "a beer" using a Nola Brewery pint glass, so I figured a studio setting would work best. Never having used my lights before and/or shooting glass (a tricky feat) I set up my lights and began shooting. Because I don't have a true studio with a proper background and table I tried a few different shots to make the beer look frothy and cold. The beers looked good but the whole image was super boring, so I decided to hit the bar thinking that my editor would change her mind about an isolated beer and go for the more natural bar setting for the background. I went over to Balcony Bar (closest bar to my house) and used their vast beer tap collection as a backdrop. I've attached one shot from each series to the post. Wonder which setting my editor will prefer. What'ya think?

I have a day off of work today due to the incoming storm, and im planning on busting my alien bee strobe lights out of their case and trying to do this beer shoot at the house. Im not really sure how it will turn out being as though its not really a proper studio, but Ill give it a try.

I also really want to try and figure out how to customize my PhotoShelter website by editing the html code. I have very very limited html skills but realize that I could probably achieve what I want to if I do a bit of research. If you look on my website powered by PS you'll notice that the top navigation bar on the upper right has 7 links. I want to try to add an 8th link "home" this way people can navigate back to the home PS page.

Last night I messed around with my real "ericastavisphotography.com" homepage designed in Dreamweaver and added two links so people can either enter the site or the blog. More on the trials of PS html coding later.

Live music in NOLA

Took some fun live music shots this weekend and spent the day editing a bit. Shot King Khan @ Spellcaster Lodge and Debauche & Zydepunks @ Circle Bar. I have a big week ahead of me and hope the storm doesn't hit too hard because I have an outdoor shoot planned for Tuesday. I featured the 2 new galleries on the home page of my website. Check em out at www.ericastavisphotography.com

Pick you favorite Event Picture....

So this is something that happens often when Im submitting work for contests, shows, etc. I am charged with the very difficult task of selecting my "best" images in a specific category, and quite often its a ridiculously small number of images Im able to submit. So this year I am applying to photograph Jazz Fest again and was asked to select my best 4 events images. How is this even possible.

HELP ME!

Any comments/contributions of your favorite "event shots" would be appreciated. They don't necessarily need to be from prvious Jazz Fest's. They can be from any event covered.

Just learned how to create a 'collection' in PS so click here to access my event photography and give me your top 4.

Spellcaster Party Freaks vs. Pretty Pic of Italy

In an obsessive compulsive fit I've attempted to begin to organize and upload some older photos taken while traveling. You can see some of the sets in the gallery section of my PS site. I've compiled them in sets based on location but am skeptical because I feel like some of them are a bit too postcard'y but then again who knows what people really like. As for SEO, photo descriptions and labeling I'm in major procrastination mode. Definitely should be doing this before I export out of Lightroom for all those travel pics I recently uploaded to PS but Im so lazy. Not good. Web-wise I re-designed my website to simply re-route to my Photoshelter site for now until i have more time to actually integrate my personal site with my archive galleries on PS.

I have been working on an assignment for a new food/culture magazine coming out in New Orleans and did a food shoot for an article my husband is writing about the bakery at Dong Phoung, a vietnamese restaurant in New Orleans East. Cant show you photos till the mag comes out but some are delicious looking. My PS site has been very instrumental in allowing my editor to view and select photos. This weekend I am shooting a pic of Richard McCarthy, the Executive Director of Market Umbrella, the orgnaization that runs Crecent City Farmers Market for a different article, as well as a beer shoot for an article on craft beer in NOLA. These magazine assignments are great expereince and they actually pay me $ so....

Besides work photos there is a Spellcaster party Friday night, one of my favs to shoot. See some amazingly weird Spellcaster photos posted here. Then there's the mirliton festival this weekend. Yes, Ill be busy runnin round town with my camera.

Definitely keep posted for some interesting photos after this weekend.

Janes Addiction and other assorted pics from Voodoo Festival

Too beat to blog after this long and late weekend but check out some photos from Voodoo Festival this past weekend. Got some fun shots in the pit at Gogol Bordello and some great shots of Janes Addiction.