All I want for Christmas is a mile long list of things

I’ve spent the day at home doing absolutely nothing as a result of being sick with this stupid double ear infection crap that seems to affect everything else. I’ve felt like crap all day and on top of that I took my car in for a $900 dollar (possibly more) repair today. So what do I do when I am about to drop a bunch of bills I dont have? I dream about all the things I WANT. My little wishlist. I actually have a little section of my Safari Bookmarks Bar with a drop down menu of bookmarks of things “To Buy.” Don’t believe me? Here’s a screenshot So as a result, I am going to share my wishlist with you. All the photo goodies and fun stuff I have been longing for that I just cant seem to afford because every time I save some money, something else comes up. A stupid bill, health insurance bills, loans, MORE CAR REPAIRS. I know, I know, I am just sitting here feeling sorry for myself but at least I can pretend I am online shopping and expecting lots of packaged goodies in the mail =)  So enjoy “window” shopping with me  if you will.

The itty bitty Zumi camera

It is so tiny and cute and gives the fun effects a toy camera but digital. I want it for my own artistic soul. It can fit anywhere and just feed my artistic needs.

http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/zumi-digital/

Nikon 70-200 2.8

Low light zoom goodness. I need this lens…just cause. All my photography buddies out there will understand. No explanation necessary.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&N=0&Q=&Ntt=NI7020028AFS&A=endecaSearch

Super Secret Spy Lens

Take true candids! People wont even know I am taking pics of them! I am a super sleuth.http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/candid-photography-spy-lens

Flip Video Camera

Simple video, tiny, cute, plus…you can design your own! So pretty!

http://www.theflip.com/en-us/

Wacom Cintiq Tablet

This is the big daddy of all the wacom tablets. Obviously I would LOVE one but they are hella expensive…

http://www.wacom.com/index2.php

Wacom Intuos 4 Tablet

But I will be looking at this one more seriously. Tis Love

http://www.wacom.com/index2.php

That’s all I’ve got for right now… I know they are all photo goodies but that’s what I have been lookin at lately. Should any of you want to contribute let me know! lol.

D

Ya’ll may think I’m crazy but I love tradition =)

So tonight we arrived home to find our house had been TP’d. Don’t panic, we actually knew it was going to happen.

See, here in our little town, when you are on the swimming and diving team at the local high school you are entitled to a senior week in your final year. The freshman-juniors have a different event planned for each night in the senior’s honor. Monday night they bake a cake for each senior, Tuesday night they make you a pasta dinner, Wednesday they TP your house, Thursday is the senior breakfast, and Friday they honor the seniors at the meet, make you a candy poster and then there’s the senior night after party.  My younger sister Jen is at that point. She has been on the diving team since her freshman year and spent the last three years honoring her upperclassmen. Now it’s her turn.  So we knew this was all happening and we were happy to allow it because of tradition. I love this time of year, it’s all in good fun so it really becomes about how WELL you can do the job.

You see, I was a swimmer in high school but stopped swimming in my senior year to go the way of doing my photography and being editor for the yearbook etc. I am happy to admit that I TP’d many a home in those first three years and we were GOOD. We use to fork the lawns, saran wrap the cars, all that good stuff on top of Tp-ing.  However I never got the right to be Tp’d in my senior year, I missed that right of passage. But tonight, those girls included a little something that gave me my senior night back, the senior night I never got.

SO while ya’ll may think I’m a little crazy for smiling when I see my house covered in toilet paper, I was happy about it, I like tradition =)

This is only half of it

Our little delinquents =)

They got our bedroom too lol

DHS Seniors ’10

 

D

PSW holds a special place in my heart =)

A few weeks ago I got to attend the annual Photoshop World Conference in Las Vegas. It’s run by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and I have to say they throw quite a shindig! Even though I spent my vacation taking classes and listening to keynote speakers I have to say I had the time of my life! I didn’t get out onto the strip much and while some may consider that a crime in Vegas I am totally OK with it. I cant even begin to tell you how much I learned and how awesome it was to meet some of the greats in my field.

This event really brings together all sorts of people from all different areas of the country (maybe even the world?) and for three days puts us all on the same level. Of course, not professionally, but socially. We all gather for a common interest and spend the weekend learning from each other. Instead of hoarding our ideas and being selfish with our skills we feed off each other and offer a helping hand.

So let me offer up what I learned at my first Photoshop World (PSW)

1.) The NAPP guys are really cool. As far as celebrities go, these guys are up there in our field and the best part is, they’re normal guys and they act like it too. I was invited to go out for burgers at In and Out Burger with them like we were long time buddies. I spent the night chowing down and talkin photo with them til almost 2 am…I felt so VIP =)

2.) You will not learn anything at Midnight Madness and it will be totally worth it. I didn’t believe them (whoever they are) when they said it but it’s true. We spent the night acting like crazies and eating food while Vanelli asked everyone what size shirt they wanted (they were all one size of course..) Corey has no sense of personal space, Matt is, unfortunately, rather good with a nerf gun, Terry has an app for that, there was a bucket of unmentionables that someone had to stick their hand in, and apparently the contestants were being incubated. Needless to say,it was awesome to wind down and just enjoy yourself, and if you looked stupid doing it, don’t worry, everyone else did too.

3.) The big names in the biz, like I said, the celebrities in this field, are walkin around like animals on the loose.(Maybe thats a bad example since they aren’t actually acting like animals..)  At any given time you could grab Joe McNally, Scott Bourne, you name it and have a conversation about anything from the weather to how to run a photo business. Like I mentioned before, these guys aren’t selfish with their tips and tricks. They know what it’s like to be out there and getting started. They are ready and willing to offer you some help as long as you ask for it. I think that is one of the reasons they are all so successful, they are always willing to pass on their passion. They believe that the only way for a field to flourish is to spread the joy!

4.) The Expo is like NERD HEAVEN. I was like a kid in a candy store. I stared open mouthed for a good long time while doing a slow walk across that glorious red carpet. (I also imagine this is how I would react if I walked into the B&H Store in NY…one day people…one day…) I perused the book section, I watched live demos, I PLAYED with TOYS! hehe There were freebies, sales (I picked up a lensbaby), and even more classes in the live studios.

5.)The classes are more important than you will ever realize and that workbook is like gold. I packed my schedule full of classes for every hour of each day. There is nothing like being taught in person. We are visual people, these classes indulge that side of us =) And since theres no possible way to cram all those classes in, you can always learn the rest from the encyclopedia sized workbook you get. That thing was actually so big I had to take it out of my luggage cause it put me over the fifty pound limit!

6.) The experience is worth every penny. I made great connections, learned more than I could even process in those three days and made some great friends. I got the VIP experience that every person gets and I can’t wait to go back.

In short, block out a long weekend and plan yourself a nice lil vaca to the next PSW location and have a digital media party in your hotel room cause it will be one of the best experiences you will ever have. That, I can promise you.

Now, for a mini photo journey through the weekend.

My b-e-a-utiful hotel room

I got to meet Dean, runner up from VH1′s “The Shot”, he was workin at the Expo

The head honcho, Scott Kelby

My new PSW bestie Kenani

My Fave- The Raining Trees at the Bellagio

Midnight Madness Goodness

Mmm..In and Out Burger. I love this pic. I think we confused everyone in the place when twenty or so people with giant cameras walked in and started takin pics of each other and their food.

We got free tickets to the tattoo convention next door which made for some great photo ops…everyone was real cool about it since they thought we were press =)

Nice guy, but if I saw him on the streets of Chicago I might be a tad scared.

Cosmetics!

I dont care if you dont like tattoos, you have to admit this is art. It takes some serious talent to do this stuff.

And my fave from the tattoo show…love this pic.

(same girl as above,this was on her side)

Hope to see you all there next year! Feel free to pull me aside and say hi and if you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email at dina@dsamprasphotography.com ! Happy shooting!

Dina

Sin City for Shooters

ALright ya’ll, it’s been a bit since I blogged and this will be a short one since there is a HUGE expo with photonerdy goodies waiting for me.

I arrived in Vegas hella early yesterday for Photoshop World (which didnt start until today ) and got an early start to the day. All in all yesterday I won thirty bucks on a slot machine, lost 20 at roulette, and once I finally got the guts to sit down at a blackjack table I wont forty bucks only to in the end, lose 60 lol. Who ever is good with math  leave me a comment on my grand total loss although something tells me I dont actually wanna know.

I have taken two classes so far and one more tonight and then theres the expo that I am dying to get to  with all the exhibitors with the newest  stuff and freebies…talk about losing money… wait til u see what I spend there! lol

And whats a blog without photos? Here we go  (sorry but they are all cell photos)

First thing I saw when gettin off the plane :

My lovely room

dessert  bar with the cutest little desserts ever!

my hotel from the outside… HUUUGE isnt it!?

The opening Keynote was like a totally pumped up Macworld. It was AWESOME.

only HALF the buffet in the hotel. damn.

my badge holder. how cool. im such a nerd.

the back even has a space for biz cards and pens hehehe pretty slick huh

So in conclusion, I have learned that, the las vegas strip is frieking huge, you’ve never really eaten at a buffet until you’ve eaten at one in vegas, and blackjack is risky.

Stay tuned for more later !

Thanks loves!

D

Im in the zone

I have some bad news. Unfortunately, I will not be able to finish all the books I have rented from the library as promised. I know, I scared ya there for a second thinking somethin was really wrong huh all is good on the homefront here. I’m in a good place right now and this past week and coming few weeks seem to be photo focused. I finished a seminar yesterday called the Digital Wake Up Call tour by David A. Ziser which thankfully gave me some good business tips however the guy talked so damn fast and ran through things so quickly my head was spinning. I was quite disappointed by that. On September 30th I am off to good ‘ol sin city (Vegas) for Photoshop world ! I am so excited I had to hold back from typing about 60 bajillion exclamation points there .

For some good news, I have officially started up a new photoblog at www.dsamprasphoto.wordpress.com. I’ll be adding more as soon as I finish a few sittings and get some editing done I’m very excited about it. Now I just need to redo my website and that is alot to tackle but it’ll be the next big leap. I also need a custom watermark made… No time to design it. Any designers out there wanna help? I’ll make a shoutout for credit that’s for sure!

In the meantime my lunch is here as I’m on my break – soup and sandwhich anyone?

Let me know what ya’ll think of the new blog

D

hi again.

I figured I should probably update you all at some point so here goes.

*I have finished two of my seventeen billion books on my list of books to read. I finished reading Baggage and Kissing Kate. I would review ‘em but I’m just to lazy to and I’m not afraid to admit it.

* I have managed to teach a hundred thousand people what a “mouse” is and how to surf the internet. Of course this is not an exact figure, I just like to exaggerate. I am rounding up.

* I have started another diet of sorts. So far no good. Why? cause its a diet

* I paid $367 for a 6:20 am flight to vegas for photoshop world.

* Many coworkers have pointed out “oh she has another book again. look at her reading again” so many times that I want to hit the next person who does and slap them with a Captain Obvious badge.

* I have had the whole friends series playing non stop the past week in my house. I am currently watching the episode where they all imagine their lives if they had all gone different ways.

* Today I took my sister for a college visit at my Alma Mater which was kinda pointless since she knew everything about the campus from visiting me all the time but I learned something new. Four years and I never knew we had  this…

An olympic size swimming pool with both 1M and 3M diving boards. It was like my sanctuary and I never knew it was there until today.

* Fought with my girlfriend about her general dislike for going to the movies

*Ordered AWESOME new business cards. Stand by for a future post with pics.

*I’m a week and a half away from nerdin out at photoshop world.

* My former college roommate got engaged and asked me to be her photographer. One point for me! woot. Gotta get my photo business pumpin.

* i. am. exhausted.

I made this easy reading in list form. I’ll try and get somethin more intense and interesting next time. Lately, things have been rather mellow-ish.

Anyone know where I can get some more readers? or at least some comments!?

I heart words on paper =)

I have a confession to make.

Teen fiction books are a guilty pleasure of mine.

I’m not quite sure why, I just like them. I tend to gravitate towards them in bookstores and libraries. Maybe it has to do with their bright covers or their crazy titles but they just seem more interesting to me. Or maybe I just haven’t found any in the adult section that have grabbed me enough to stick to my age range. The ones in the adult section just seem boring with bad titles like “The English Teacher ” of “The Tutor” , like bad Lifetime movies waiting to happen.

So I rediscovered my library card yesterday. You may recall the post I made yesterday about waiting for the brakes to get fixed on the car. Well, shortly after that I decided to bum around the  store “Half Price Books”  while I waited, which, if you have one near you and like reading, music, dvds, software, pretty much media in general I suggest you head on in there asap. Their prices are crazy low. and if you want to sell any media they buy it too. Anyway, so I am bumming around remembering how much I love reading when it hits me that I am supposed to be saving money. So I left, to my disappointment, with only one book and a goal to make it to the library on my way home. Upon arriving at the library I went a little crazy and left with 7, count ‘em, 7 books.

From top to bottom, I have three weeks to finish the following :

And Then There Were None -Agatha Christie

L.A. Candy – Lauren Conrad

Jacob’s Ladder – Brian Keaney

The Face on the Milk Carton- Caroline B. Cooney (an old fave I wanted to re-read)

Dreamrider- Barry Jonsberg

If the Witness Lied- Caroline B. Cooney

Kissing Kate- Lauren Myracle

I picked up a few at random because they looked interesting or I had recalled hearing about them but I also have a small stack waiting to be read at home…

Baggage- Emily Barr (the one I picked up at the store yesterday)

Paperquake- Kathryn Reiss (another re read)

Thinking Like your Editor- (which relates to point eleven in this post here )

Columbine- Dave Cullen (lent to my by a friend)

I also have  the complete collection of Harry Potter books which I meant to read in this whole summer but never finished the first one. These are a combo of re-reading and first time reads since I never got past the fourth Harry Potter book due to school. Then there’s the Twilight series which I have been draggin’ ass to get into. I’ve been tryin so hard to get into those and just cant seem to do it. The farthest I got is about 26 pages into the first one. Someone give me a good reason to keep going.

So I doubt, with my work schedule, that I will finish all of these but I’m gonna try. Guess the beauty of the library is I can always renew ‘em =)

As I go I fully intend on reviewing them here should any of you have an interest in teen fiction =) lol

I’ll also take book suggestions! I intend to start indulging my inner bookworm

D

“Just cause he owns a business doesnt mean he knows how to run it.”

I am writing to you from a Burger King where I am eating French fries while I wait for my moms brakes to be replaced. I’m listening to an audiobook on my iPod and ponderIng “what next”

I’ve neglected the blog lately and for that I apologize. I’ve been off playing adult and learning how to stand up for myself in the ” real world.” For those of you sitting in your seats goin ” wtf is she talking about?” let me explain.

Remember that great job I mentioned a few posts ago? Well it only lasted about two weeks due to the publisher’s inability to run a company properly. Long story short , he wanted to pay me a flat rate of two hundred dollars a week to work two days editing in office, and while that was very little pay (editors can ge 125 an hour plus or at least a larger salary) I would have been pretty ok with that because I would have credit and experience. Last minut he added that he wanted me shooting 2-3 social events a week and he wouldn’t pay me for those as that “wasn’t part of our agreement” whatever. He was very unproffessional and rude and even his own employees admitted that he ” tries to get anythin he can for free.” and ” he doesn’t like to let go of money” pretty sad that that’s how his own employees see him.

What did I learn from all this? Not to undersell myself. Not to let myself be treated badly. Value myself. Most importantly, have confidence in my skill that I can go elsewhere with it and to stand up for myself. This is not to say I didn’t already posess these qualities ( modest aren’t I? Lol) but it’s a really hard thing to stand up to an authority figure at a job and ask for what you deserve. How many of you have ever tried asking for a raise? It’s not easy. I guess If I didn’t have another job already I would be more worried about it but I’m ok and I learned that I don’t have to be in a huge rush to find that post grad job. I won’t settle I guess you could say. And I’m proud if myself for it =) let’s add another notch to my life experience belt.

I feel really good about all of this actually. =)

In the meantime. The frys are gone

And I feel it’s time to end this blog( mostly cause I also wanna see if my fry picture uploaded cause I can figure out how to insert pics on this new wordpress app. If not I’ll repost it later)

Stay tuned later for some Photoshop world info and opinions on the top model premier tonight! Yay! It’s like candy for photographers =)

D

Ready.Set.Schmooze. A tale of media managers and co-chairs.

Its been 24 hours and I’m thinking I may have jumped the gun just a little bit.

Let me start off by saying tonight I worked an event with another photographer for the magazine. It was  the American Craft Exposition (http://www.americancraftexpo.org/) which apparently is a pretty big deal. Anyway, tons of expensive, yet utterly amazing, artwork, lots of rich people, and a totally cute buffet complete with open bar. I got swept into a group of press photographers, media marketing managers with clipboards, and endless lists of  ”important people to know”  yet oddly enough the event was one of the most laid back events I have ever been to. I spent the night taking names and trying to determine who was important and who was in over their head, who was winning awards and who wasn’t even from Chicago, and of course who we were really supposed to be taking photos of. I was rubbin elbows with the rich and fortunately non famous people. I ever so quickly learned that press photography may not necessarily be my thing. I also learned that I wont be getting paid to shoot those events in the future. This job at the moment is paying me a flat rate weekly…which apparently doesnt include going out to shoot events since its minimal pay as is.

Now I was not impressed with the pay in general, but this just rubs salt in that wound. I mean, it is (already) really getting under my skin that I am not getting what I deserve for the work I do… and Ive just barely started there. I have a degree and the skill set for what I do and I feel like I am being taken advantage of a bit. I know THEY need ME. They need someone in my position, so why don’t they treat me like an asset rather than a cheap hire for quality work? Im not sure yet. I’m hoping I will be wrong.

Any advice?

In the meantime here are some pics of  the only thing I actually shot tonight (off my cell)…cute foods.

And the coolest thing to keep me occupied! it is what I call the Martini Tube Slide lol

Its actually a giant ice sculpture of a Ketel One bottle with a tube down the middle and they pour the alcohol through the top of the bottle and it comes out the other end into the martini glass!

I’d appreciate any advice offered.

Dina

Head First Dive into the Shallow End

So today is a pretty big day for me. See the past few weeks I have been undergoing a sort of trial/hiring process with a  magazine here in the North Shore of Chicago. They were in dire need of a photo editor for alot of retouching purposes and I was in need of a jumpstart in my field. Long story short, you are looking at the newest Photo Editor for Sheridan Road and Forest & Bluff magazines =)

Not too bad for 3.5 months out of college huh? I owe it all to my killer photoshop skills =) Its been years in the making.

On top of editing, I will also be shooting social events and eventually maybe some features. Now keep in mind, this magazine caters to the wealthier North Shore so the social events involve words like “gala” and  ”benefit” and the guests include botoxed trixies and their solid gold cufflink clad husbands.(Hence, the title of this blog) Not sure those are my ideal shooting situations but we’ll see how that goes. I’m more psyched about the editing although a published byline wouldn’t hurt. =)

More to come once I start next week =)

Dina

P.S. Did I mention I even get my own desk in the office and all? Ya, I’m excited about that too.