Carry That Weight; A Rally For Women Everywhere

On Wednesday, I made sure to get out and photograph a rally being held at Columbia University, as well as many other college campuses around the country, protesting for an end to sexual and domestic assault at universities. The protest and movement were inspired by Emma Sulkowicz, a senior at Columbia University who, as a performance art piece, has decided to carry her dorm room mattress with her until her rapist is expelled from the school, as a symbol of the weight she always carries with her after the assault that occurred in her dorm room. What started out as an individual protest quickly grew into a motivated movement as fellow students began to help carry Emma's mattress with her, and has continued to grow from there. 

I decided to approach the post production for this project in a way very different from my typical method, as I felt the color tones needed to emphasize the vibrant red that the rally seemed to adopt, while recognizing the communal emotions felt by all who attended. I thought muted colors emphasized not only the reality of what the day was like, but also the feelings many throughout the crowd expressed while protesting the collegiate system's lack of appropriate handling of sexual assault cases. It was inspiring to see so many students, both women and men, coming out on such a dreary day to support the need for change in how colleges treat the sexual violence that occurs on their campuses, and I hope that inspiration comes through with these images.

People's Climate March!

Yesterday marked a momentous occasion; over 400,000 people marched collectively to raise awareness about climate change in NYC. Not only was I proud to be part of such an important and large movement, but I tried to capture the feel of the march as best I could with my camera. From protesting fracking, to shifting to solar energy, to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, many positive words were promoted at this rally, and I hope it inspires some genuine and much-needed change from the steps of wall street to the doorsteps of our own homes. Our planet needs protecting, and this was a tremendous event that spoke mountains of truth.

Secret Cinema: Robin Williams Tribute

Over the weekend, a wonderful organization called Secret Cinema put together a beautiful tribute in honor of Robin Williams by screening Dead Poets Society at the South Street Seaport. There are not many comedians that have touched the lives of so many in such a positive way, and I know I am not the only one mourning the loss of such a beautiful soul. His charisma and character will be greatly missed, and while most of us did not know him, we loved his sense of humor and his inherent ability to make us laugh. 

What I found truly special about this event was feeling the collective grief and support of the community, and how everyone who came out to support had a special place in their heart for Robin. I was most touched by the reaction at the end of the film, where everyone in the audience stood with the students on the desk, in a last respectful moment to one of the world's best comedians and kindest human beings. In a strange way, going to this screening was like attending a funeral, and provided me with a small sense of closure, which I'm sure most of us in attendance felt at the closing scene. May we always remember his large heart and tremendous talent, and the deepest sympathy to his family.

Jersey Shore Massacre Premiere!

Last night was a brand new experience: shooting a red carpet premiere! I was fortunate enough to be the in-house photographer at last night's unveiling of Jersey Shore Massacre, a horror & comedy rolled into one, with Jennifer "JWoww" Farley as the executive producer! Written and directed by Paul Tarnopol, this film takes the Jersey Shore stereotypes we love to hate and adds in a deranged killer, where no amount of GTL can save them from some pretty gruesome fates.

I had so much fun working at this premiere, and met some pretty wonderful people. Here's looking forward to doing another red carpet event soon!

FAQ #1: Wedding Photography!

©2013 A. Meadows Photography

Lately, as more and more of my friends have been getting those beautiful engagement rings, I've found myself answering one of the most frequent questions I encounter: "Why is wedding photography so expensive!?" I'm sure I'm not the first to try and tackle the subject, but as it seems to be a consistent question, I thought I would give some insights into what drives photography prices so high when it comes to a wedding. 

One of the most pressing aspects of pricing comes from the basic essential; the cost of equipment. To be a good photographer (as in, well-prepared with a backup body should something dreadful happen to your primary camera), the minimum amount of equipment ranges between $3,000-$10,000, depending on the level of quality you want to achieve. And that isn't a one-time fixed cost; a photographer has to continually upgrade their camera body every few years to keep up with the competition of other wedding photographers, as well as replace damaged/broken equipment (because trust me, accidents happen, batteries corrode metal contact plates, and lenses get dropped). Then there's the cost of bags, batteries, memory cards; you know, all the "inexpensive" stuff! 

© 2013 A. Meadows Photography

When you couple this base cost with the expenses associated with running a business, the high cost of wedding photography (as well as photography in general) becomes much more transparent to those outside of the photographic business bubble. Photographers (again, people who don't just buy a DSLR camera and think that makes them a photographer) have to invest in photo editing programs (such as Photoshop, $500; Lightroom, $100;  CaptureOne, $150; and/or Aperture, $80), which also have to be upgraded every few years to accommodate new file formats on new camera bodies. This also is not including the cost of storage, both in terms of additional hard drives and cloud storage, which range in costs depending on brand/provider, but are also not easy on a budget. And this is all in addition to the cost of an actual computer with which to use all of this equipment on. But this is only one portion of the business expenses.

Unfortunately, hosting a professional-grade website also costs a fair bit of money, both for the domain as well as the hosting, and can range from $50-$300, depending on how professional you choose to go. Add to this business cards, advertising, a studio or workspace, transportation, equipment insurance, and liability insurance, and it becomes quite apparent why there is such a price tag when it comes to running a photography business. And we still haven't gotten to actually paying the photographer for both their time and expertise!

© 2012 A. Meadows Photography

On average, a wedding is a 10-14 hr day, and an additional 1-2 weeks of editing time (because let me tell you, editing the images is 80% of the work when it comes to producing the beautiful images you want at the end of the day), and most photographers have a second shooter or an assistant that they also need to pay for the day of (which typically is anywhere from $100-400, depending on their experience/rate). Wedding photography is also seasonal, where the bulk of work occurs from Apr.-Oct., so a photographer needs to be sure they will make enough in those months to sustain themselves for the whole year. Even if a wedding photographer is booked for every single weekend, all year round, that only totals 104 days of the 365-day year, and typically there are very few, if any wedding bookings from Nov.-Mar., so pricing appropriately is essential to survive the slow season of winter.

So, if you're looking at a photographer that is charging what seems to be a fantastic deal, chances are they don't run a professional business, or have the proper equipment to deliver the quality of imagery you deserve to have on your big day. While you may save some money in the short run, chances are if you're booking something for $500-$1000 on craigslist, you're going to have sub-par pictures. In this particular industry, you really get what you pay for, and unfortunately, once your wedding day is over, the photos will be all you have left. So, my personal bias aside, if ever there was an aspect of your wedding to skimp on, the photography should not be it. And hopefully after reading this, you'll understand the high price tag of wedding photography, and perhaps even respect it!

© 2013 A. Meadows Photography


    

Focus Philadelphia Book Release!

A few days ago, I was able to attend the book release party for the Philadelphia chapter of ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers), to celebrate the new Focus Philadelphia book! An honor as always, I was one of the photographers who was selected to have an image in the book, and couldn't wait to see my photo in print!

My photograph, Strength, in this year's book!

My photograph, Strength, in this year's book!

With so many outstanding photographers (and over 400 individual photographs!) submitting to the competition, I wasn't sure if I my work would make the cut, but I'm happy to know that my images can compete with such a group of talented artists. To learn more about the competition/book, click here, and hopefully I'll have more good news for you all soon!

The cover of this year's book, straight from my Instagram.

The cover of this year's book, straight from my Instagram.

New Beginnings!

Last week, I had the lovely pleasure of shooting a baby shower for a lovely woman named Anita. Her sister inquired on whether I would be available to photograph the chic brunch they had planned, and of course I was more than happy to help them document such a special kind of celebration.

The baby, cutely coined "M" at the moment, is not expected to arrive until August, but the anticipation was undeniable! Both family and friends came to share wisdom, words of encouragement, and enthusiasm with this soon-to-be mom. 

I think my favorite part of the whole shower was the game they chose to play once the meal had commenced. They created the most adorable version of "Catch Phrase," which of course was baby themed. Overall it was a lovely event that seemed to bring everyone a little closer together, waiting for the arrival of their new family member. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day, hope you enjoy!

New Film Short: "Rules" Premiere!

I'm very excited to announce that "Rules," a short film from my wonderfully talented friend Brendan Steere will be premiering on June 11th at Indieworks in Manhattan, NYC! If you aren't busy (and if you are, you should really just cancel your plans because this will be undoubtedly more fun) please come out to support a great short that explores socially accepted norms in a culture deeply attuned to what is taboo (If that doesn't spark your interest, then I have no hopes for you!). 

 

The doors open at 6:30 pm, and the location is 163 Allen St, NY. And did I mention that it's free? So why not come out and enjoy a night of great films and drink specials while supporting your local artist friends and their most recent endeavors. I hope to see you there!

Poster for "Rules", a short film by Brendan Steere, Starring Jesse Turits & Shannon Spangler
© Photo by Alyssa Meadows