Punk Rock and Paint Brushes, an awesome experience.

Group shot of the artists on-hand for the Punk Rock and Paint Brushes book signing on May 1, 2021 at Amplified Ales in downtown San Diego, CA.

San Diego, CA - It’s not often I get to work a gig involving Punk Rock and Skateboard legends, amazing art, dynamite atmosphere, delicious beverages, and live music. On Saturday, May 1, 2021 it was an absolute privilege to be hired to as photographer for the Punk Rock and Paint Brushes book signing and art exhibit at Amplified Ales in East Village. When I arrived at 3p, I was greeted by Emily Nielsen (PRPB co-founder, artist, organizer for event) as she was finalizing the to-dos. Once she filled me in on the goings-on for the evening, I began to roam around capturing shots of attendees experiencing the art hanging on the walls, the artists posing in front of their work and signing things for fans, and the staff having a blast. It was great seeing people coming together to share such a special evening. Present for the PRPB book signing was Steve Caballero, Christian Hosoi, Paul Korbriger, Mark DeSalvo, Matt Hensley, Soma Snakeoil, Warren Fitzgerald, Stacie Stevenson, and Brian Bent. Also in appearance signing his own collection of books was Brandon Novak. As I took photos of the artists greeting their fans and signing their swag, I just couldn’t help thinking how amazing of an opportunity this was. I grew up watching and listening to these guys play music and skate. Now I was here with them freezing memories one picture at a time. It was surreal in a sense, but I also had the overwhelming feeling of professionalism in my work. I mean, These are household names and I didn’t want to disappoint. So I did my thing, and when the signing was over we wrangled the artists together for a fantastic group shot to put the stamp on the day as a whole. Once we were done with the group stuff, Brian Bent walked over to his guitar with his drummer (I didn’t catch her name unfortunately) and they began to wail! I grabbed a bunch of shots of the duo having an absolute blast performing for their peers and fans alike. It was a great way to wrap the evening up for the event and send everyone off with such cool memories and stories. The entire experience was incredible and will never be forgotten. PRPB events happen several times a year around the southern CA region, as well as around the country. Emily and I have known each other for quite some time now, and it is always a pleasure working with her and her team. Please check out www.punkrockart.com for more info on them and to support.

Working as a creative professional during a pandemic

Hello, and thank you for stopping by the RZ Photography Blog. We have a lot to get into, so let’s get right to it…

Being a creative professional isn’t as easy as some people may think. Trying to hybrid the professional world with the creative mind is challenging enough during “normal” times, and even harder during a global pandemic. However, do not fret, for there are ways to stay busy and even get work during these uneasy times.

If you’re like me, work came to a screeching halt in March 2020. For my day job, I am a Director of Event Technology for a global audio visual provider that partners with hotels to handle the A/V (audio visual) needs for the clients. I am also a photographer that shoots events and portraits, a musician (drummer) in two active bands (Just In Case and Plane Without A Pilot), and I produce music. These careers demand in-person interaction and gatherings, so all my lines of work were essentially cut off simultaneously due to this pesky virus that won’t go away. Sound about right? Being creative takes a lot of energy on any given “normal” day, so we feel it extra during times like the current. Have no fear! We can get through this in much better shape than it appeared at the advent of the shut down. Let’s dive in deeper.

For the bands, it was a very different approach to our normal processes. We had to shift our live performances to live streaming, our recording process to virtual (recording separately and emailing the parts to each other), and also brought new ideas to the table. Change is good, and we had to embrace it! We decided to do a live stream via Zoom telling our our story along with some of our music to create a very intimate experience with the band from the viewer’s perspective. This was a good way to connect with our fans and friends while also driving attention to the band. Simple idea that anyone with a computer with Zoom and a webcam can do. We then started to develop some new ideas with plans to release new material as soon as we can get it complete and recorded. This will involve sending each other our parts we recorded on our own via email and then uploading them into a master session where they can be mixed, mastered, then released. Now we just adapt to the virtual concept and put out the best product we can. With the plans set in place for new music, we began developing our live streaming process so we can bring optimized content to the viewers. Thank goodness we are creative and tech savvy! On top of the technical stuff, we are getting creative with our branding and release plans. With the extra time on our hands we are able to start focusing more on how we want to market ourselves moving forward. This is a great opportunity to refine our designs, website, merchandise, etc etc. More to come on that… All of this will drive new traffic to our sites and hopefully generate some income.

As for the photography, I have been really focusing on marketing strategy and any opportunities to develop my skills, portfolio, and network. The problem is, everyone’s hurting right now. However, where there is a problem, there is a solution to solve it. Marketing is a deep subject and I suggest taking a Udemy class on it to polish up your skills. In a nut shell, I am honing in my SEO (Search Engine Optimization), keyword usage, writing blogs (like this one), clever video content that will hopefully help others while driving traffic to my website / other platforms, and other digital marketing strategies. I took marketing years ago in college, but I myself have been taking a digital marketing course to brush up on everything. The more tools you have in your tool box, the easier it is to build that foundation that is so important. I also started to network and establish some solid connections that could be mutually beneficial. Remember, how we take care of people in times like these will define our character for years to come. So I am being flexible, patient and accommodating. I have successfully teamed up with a regional event planner and other photographers in the area. I know that building these relationships will pay off plenty for all parties involved in the future. I’m envisioning a community of creative professionals working together to ensure everyone’s success, and it takes personal investment to create success. So this time away from the office has given me a better perspective on how to improve my own business and skillset, along with helping others with theirs.

As for music production, I have had so much more time to focus on personal music projects. So often as creatives we get caught up with so many projects going on at once that it’s hard to focus on any one of them at a time. During this pandemic, I have been able to sit down with my personal music projects a lot more and was actually able to digitally release two instrumental albums at the beginning of the outbreak. You see, it’s about seizing the opportunities provided and making the best of the situation. It does feel good to complete some lingering projects, doesn’t it!? Not only did I get the chance to finally work on my own stuff, I was able to let my creativity run wild since I didn’t have a time constraints or limitations of that nature. Being a creative demands time and patience more often than not. So extra time means extra creativity flow! So fortunately, I am able to do more with my audio production than I was prior to COVID-19.

So as I sit here on furlough from my day job in the event industry, I am utilizing my time to build my creative and professional skills in other areas of my life. It is important to note that we all are in far different situations and circumstances in our lives, but being creative is what makes us shine. So be the best you!

Some quick take-a-ways:

1. Capitalize on the opportunities brought forth, and create lasting solutions and/or connections

2. Use your creativity to build yourself a strong foundation for your endeavors. This is important so you have a solid base to allow your endeavor to grow and flourish.

3. Allow your creativity to flow. If you find yourself with some free-time, unleash your creative brain on some personal projects and shine!

I wish you well as we all navigate through these uneasy times. One thing’s for certain, us creatives can always think of something to do with our time. Have an awesome day and keep creating!!

Breaking out of the Photographer's Box!

So you’ve been shooting the same pictures of the same stuff/topics for what seems to be an eternity. It feels more like a routine task, rather than a fantastic adventure through art and life. The current status is uninspiring and kills your motivation. Well, we’ve ALL been there! We tend to get into a style or topic that feels like “the one” and we stick to it, because in the beginning it’s so rad! Over time, though, that flame burns out a bit and you feel that you’ve exasperated all your artistic angles pertaining to the topic and style you consistently shoot in.

So how does one get out of this “funk”? The easy answer is, go shoot something else. Go capture photos of something that you rarely focus on. Get out of that comfort zone and get your brain thinking in an entirely different way. We all like things to be smooth and flow without adversity, however we are limiting ourselves immensely by not letting our creativity and skillsets blossom! For example, if you are a wedding photographer that shoots every weekend and hasn’t taken a picture of anything other than brides/grooms and all that for like 10 years, go on a hike with your camera and shoot some landscapes and wildlife. Vice versa, if you are a nature photographer and only capture landscapes and wildlife, take your camera with you to the next event you attend (after COVID of course), or take some photos of friends/family for fun. Make yourself think outside of the box you’ve built for yourself. Not only will this be an awesome experience and get you feeling the tingglies all over, but it will also bring fresh perspectives and ideas to light (pun intended). It is challenging and fun. Most importantly, you will have new tools in your toolbox to use in your “normal” work setting. Some of my favorite pictures I have taken have been when I put myself into scenarios that I wasn’t familiar, nor comfortable with. The key is to be able to make the best of the situation, adapt a bit, and crush them photos!!

So get out there and cheer up. You love your craft! Change it up a bit and spark that passion again. Put yourself into those unusual settings and take the best pictures you can! Be the best, most creative you possible!