New Year, New Beginning

I’ve had it with my old job. I took vacation during the holidays and dreaded going back to work today. During my down time (which I didn’t even post much on the boards here), I took alot of time to think about what I want to do when I grow up….or since I’ll never really grow up, what I want to do with the rest of my life.

I desperately want to find a way to make a living with photography, but I’ve added a few new deminsions to this. The following is just my rambeling thoughts, but there are alot of smart people out there and I’d love a little feed back on this:

1. Complete the code for my online photo catelog and online sales: I think there is a potential for online sales and exposure, but I know that this will not allow me to quit my current job, more like just cover the hosting fees for my website (have figured out that I need to make 3 online sales and it will cover the hosting fees.)


2. Purchase the equipment to do inhouse large-format printing: I’ve been having a problem finding printers that will reproduce my work since some of it contains nudes or other adult related work. In some of the other photography forums that I belong to, this tends to be a common issue. Most printers who do short runs, will usually have a maximum size of 12 by 16 and even if they have larger formats available, they usually will not print nudes. Companies who will print nudes usually require 50 or more prints at a time and can run $500 at a minimum just to get started. I can invest about 10 grand into a 44 inch by 100 foot professional printer (looking at the Epson 9800 Pro) and the lamination machine to go with it. Since most of the printing will be for myself, any additional jobs that I do for others will go to help pay maintanance on the printer. I would be able to do canvas work, backlight vynals, large transparancies, and prints up to 44 inches wide all with professional grade quality and archival inks rated for up to 100 years under glass. I don’t want to make this my main business, but it could definately support my other projects.


3. I am currently going through a process of organizing all my digital photos. While there are software applications out there which can do this (I’m using AcdSee), the task of taking 20 Gigs of pictures and finding the originals, the spin-offs, and all the associated blend-pictures that I use is proving to be a huge headache. I’ve convinced one of my friends who has done this type of work for print film to help me out. This may be useful as a service that can be provided to other artist on a consultative approach. Still working out the details on how to do this one.


4. Expand my online catalog to include the works of other photographers for online sales. The friend that I mentioned earlier is also working with me on custom frames specific to the prints. I could sell prints for the other artist as just the image for a transaction charge, but then also offer the print in the frames that my studio creates where I wave the transaction charge to the original artist and keep my cost for the frame from the total transaction.


5. And lastly, I want to open a real store front. I’m looking at two places right now, Little 5 Points in Atlanta which is a very bohemian district of town, or in Las Olas wich is the main merchants drive in Fort Lauderdale. Of course this will be a few years off.

See more progress on: make a living doing photography

Another step closer

Well, I’ve just added a new gallery to the site. Thanks again to all of you who visited. I always look forward to your comments, each one helps me to become a better artist.

See more progress on: make a living doing photography

Looking for models, no experience prefered

Hi guys, I’ve finally hit a point where I’m ready to start working with other people for my pictures. Here’s the catch, I have no money, so I can’t pay. However, I will be able to give the models the full collection of pictures that we took as well as a couple of 8by10 prints of their choice. For some examples of my photo styles, go to HanaMoira Photo Studios and if you are over the age of 18, you can subscribe to my members section at Member’s Gallery

I am currently looking for people local to Atlanta, but since I do travel the US alot, I would be able to do shoots local to you.

Here is what I’m looking for:

Active Shots: Pictures of people of all ages doing things – running and playing in the park, playing with their pets, riding bikes, playing sports, dancing, any type of physical activity. Here is are some examples:

Unusual Shots: Pictures of people in period dress, Gothic settings, interesting lighting effects. Here is an example:

Artistic Nudes: Models must be over the age of 18. I am looking for both male and female. Remember, you don’t have to look like a model to be beautiful, I want real people who can express their inner-beauty. Here are some examples:

If you are interested Pleas email me

See more progress on: Find people wanting to model

Site is up but looking for contributors

I’m looking for people who have stories to share to become writers on the Foundation site. Please let me know if you are interested in doing this.

See more progress on: start a non-profit

Just added Member's Only

Well, I’ve finally done it. Finished the code to add a Member’s only section on my photo studio site. This is a link to the login page. Please check it out and let me know, but first make sure you read the message on the page. This section does contain nudes and until I get an age verifier, please noone under 18. And if you have small kids, please use Net Nanny (my sight is taged correctly for those types of applications so that entry will not be permitted.)

Thanks all

See more progress on: make a living doing photography

Make a living doing Photography

I’ve been learning photography for many years and have finally gotten online with it….http://hanamoira.com

I would love to quit my current job and start a studio, but am afraid of not making the same kind of money I am right now.

Any ideas on how to ensure success?

See more progress on: make a living doing photography

Just added Member's Only

Well, I’ve finally done it. Finished the code to add a Member’s only section on my photo studio site. This is a link to the login page. Please check it out and let me know, but first make sure you read the message on the page. This section does contain nudes and until I get an age verifier, please noone under 18. And if you have small kids, please use Net Nanny (my sight is taged correctly for those types of applications so that entry will not be permitted.)

Thanks all

See more progress on: make a living doing photography

From babybear

Wether you like him or not, it’s just funny:

image originally posted by babybear

See more progress on: List Pictures that make me laugh on 43things

See this little guy?

See this little guy here, that’s my son. I woke from home but have to travel due to the type of work I do. He’s only 4, but he knows what it meens when daddy gets on MARTA (Atlanta Transit). It meens that daddy is going to the airport and will be gone for awhile. From the back seat, I hear, “No airport daddy” and my heart crumbles.

The problem is that no office job pays as much as those that require travel. So instead, I’m going to have to find a way to tighten up the budget and make a 9 to 5 job work. Seeing him two or three times a week when I’m on the road alot is really getting to me and it is putting alot of stress on my wife. She and I always help each other out when I’m home; sharing the load has really made life easier for us. But when I’m gone, she has to do it all and I hate that.

I’m going to keep looking and hopefully will find something which will let me spend more time with my family, but until then…...I’ll make the most of the time I have.

See more progress on: Find a job that doesn't require me to travel

Why are people like this

Man what a night. To start off with, my neighbor caught me as my wife and I were coming in from lunch today and told us that she saw a couple of teens lurking around our other neighbor’s house. Our other neighbor is an Indian couple which spends most of their time in their other home in NJ and have been away for about three months so far. I told Nina, the one that spoke with us, that when her husband got home, we’d call the police and have them check it out.

A couple of hours later, I went to take the trash out and saw Nina and Ron (her husband) as they were leaving and flagged them down. While Ron and I talked, we both saw a teenager standing at the other neighbors car (which had been in the same spot for the past three months) and that the car had been moved. The kid noticed that we were watching him and he walked to the corner of the house and just stood there watching us. Ron and Nina drove off and I went in side to get another bag of trash and when I came back out, the kid was gone, but the trunk of the car was open.
At that point, I called the police. They showed up about 10 minutes later and investigated. They found that the backdoor of the house had been busted out, there were gang tags sprayed on the back of the house, and the house was trashed.

The police asked if we had any contact information for the owners, but all we had was an address in NJ. So a friend of mine and a couple of the neighbors and I got together to board up the house. I got a high powered halogen light and set it up on my garage roof to shine on the backyard to help deter any further attempts of someone getting. We don’t know if the cops have contacted the owners yet, but all the neighborhood is VERY concerned.

Everyone keeps looking out their windows when someone walks by.
It was obviously kids and have been going in and out of the house for a while now. It scares me because I have to travel for work and my wife and 4 year old stay at home while I’m gone. I want to move, but can’t afford to right now and can’t afford to not travel.
Burn a candle for us and hope that these guys are caught soon.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Troy

See more progress on: start a team called 43Beliefs

Why are people like this

Man what a night. To start off with, my neighbor caught me as my wife and I were coming in from lunch today and told us that she saw a couple of teens lurking around our other neighbor’s house. Our other neighbor is an Indian couple which spends most of their time in their other home in NJ and have been away for about three months so far. I told Nina, the one that spoke with us, that when her husband got home, we’d call the police and have them check it out.

A couple of hours later, I went to take the trash out and saw Nina and Ron (her husband) as they were leaving and flagged them down. While Ron and I talked, we both saw a teenager standing at the other neighbors car (which had been in the same spot for the past three months) and that the car had been moved. The kid noticed that we were watching him and he walked to the corner of the house and just stood there watching us. Ron and Nina drove off and I went in side to get another bag of trash and when I came back out, the kid was gone, but the trunk of the car was open.
At that point, I called the police. They showed up about 10 minutes later and investigated. They found that the backdoor of the house had been busted out, there were gang tags sprayed on the back of the house, and the house was trashed.

The police asked if we had any contact information for the owners, but all we had was an address in NJ. So a friend of mine and a couple of the neighbors and I got together to board up the house. I got a high powered halogen light and set it up on my garage roof to shine on the backyard to help deter any further attempts of someone getting. We don’t know if the cops have contacted the owners yet, but all the neighborhood is VERY concerned.

Everyone keeps looking out their windows when someone walks by.
It was obviously kids and have been going in and out of the house for a while now. It scares me because I have to travel for work and my wife and 4 year old stay at home while I’m gone. I want to move, but can’t afford to right now and can’t afford to not travel.
Burn a candle for us and hope that these guys are caught soon.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Troy

See more progress on: start a team called 43Beliefs

These are the web locations I can be found at

HanaMoira Photo Studios This is my online Photo Studio

Hana Moira Foundation This is a foundation my wife and I are working on

Photo Studio Blog Spot Some of the same details from 43things will be listed here along with updates on my photo studio

Flickr Some of my photos, for more go to my HanaMoira Photo Studio website.

Yahoo360 A more personal Blog site about me

See more progress on: Share where I'm at on the web

These are the web locations I can be found at

HanaMoira Photo Studios This is my online Photo Studio

Hana Moira Foundation This is a foundation my wife and I are working on

Photo Studio Blog Spot Some of the same details from 43things will be listed here along with updates on my photo studio

Flickr Some of my photos, for more go to my HanaMoira Photo Studio website.

See more progress on: Share where I'm at on the web

I've been thinking about setting one up sometime

For those of you who are interested, I’ve been kicking some ideas around about putting together an amateur photo exhibit in the southeast. I’ll keep posting here as I flesh out the idea, but if anyone has suggestions on how to get started and where to do it (I’m from Atlanta and thought that would be a good city to start in), please let me know.

See more progress on: be part of a group photo exhibit

As a child

My family was stationed in Central America when I was a child. During that time, we rented a hut for weekend excursions to the jungles and lagoons off of the Panama Canal. During one such trip, I had fallen asleep in a hammock beside the hut and found my self soaring through the tree line as if I were a bird. I could smell the onset of rain, that faint metallic and ozone scent filtering through a lush green jungle. As I flew through the trees, the colors were more vivid, sounds deaper and surreal. Eventually, I flew over the two trees where the hammock was strung and saw my sister sneaking up on me to scare me awake.
It was then that I woke up just before she reached out to shake me.

See more progress on: Have an out-of-body experience

Meet my higher-self

I can’t help beleaving that we all have a higher-self, an Id if you will. There is some part of us that lives outside of time, guiding us through all the lives we have. It’s the intuition that we have, the little voice in our heads, the prophetic dreams that give insight to our daily lives.
This being, the essence of our soul, has been with us since we first took a breath of air, wether that was 200 lives ago, or the day we were born in the here and now if this is our first life. This aspect of all we are has lived all our lives, seen the past, present, and future as if looking at a multi-faceted gem, holding it, pondering on it, and working it into a precious jewel.
What could we learn if we were to speak, what fears would be put to rest, what dreams would become reality, what truths would we have to face? For those reasons alone, I am terrified at the prospect but can’t help wondering what it would be like.
To learn what my true self is, who I really am, how many times I have had to learn the same lessons….so much of this we will never know.
Then the question of soul-mates; are they really a single soul split into two or more physical bodies? Is the higher-self an individual formed from that separation? Is the higher-self the complete entity made up of all those individuals?
Then I realize that these things may not be meant for us two know while we are bound to physical bodies. Could the individual and physical intellect comprehend what the higher-self has known since its beginning? If we could communicate and we could comprehend even a tenth of what it knows, what would we do with it, how would we use it, how could we help others with what we have learned?
These are the questions I ask in the dark of night when the sancitity of sleep is beyond my reach.

See more progress on: Meet my higher-self