Just kidding, you can click it. :)

Hi, it's time for an update.

The Woods and the Sea is my new blog over on the tumblr platform. Cleaner, simpler. More photos, less junk.

But fear not, unicorn - this site will stay up for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to stop on over at http://blog.kamilbialous.com and say hi.

I recently took a road trip along the northern coast of Washington state upon the recommendation of a few people that it's an amazing place. True enough. I took a few photos along the way as we wound out way through Bellingham, Fairhaven, Skagit county and Samish Island, Edison, sprawling tulip fields along Chuckanut Drive, Anacortes, over to Whidbey Island - Langley in particular, then back to Mukilteo, Ballard, Seattle and the home to Vancouver. All in a three day weekend with plenty of time to drag our feet around.

Enjoy the photos.

This is a continuation of my previous post on this topic where I promised to put up some new stuff I've been shooting this spring/summer.

I've been visiting one location in particular and trying to learn to see it better. I find that each place has a way that it wants to be shown: its moods, colours (or lack thereof), contrasts, and little nuances like winds and clouds. I'm not trying to get all hippy on you and spoon feed you home made granola (nothing wrong with that, I love granola) but it's taken me almost 5 trips back to start realizing that I can't force my typical way of  shooting on this environment. I can bring some style and swagger, but too much and the pictures don't look authentic.

And if I don't have authentic - what do I have? Enjoy.

First off a big thanks to Heather for touring across Canada and bringing photographers and creatives together. As I mentioned to her after, I find her blog very very valuable and entertaining, and check it for updates often. So when you get a chance, drop her a line and say "thanks". There is a wealth of info on her blog for photographers.

On to what I found interesting, resonating, worthwhile:

1. Heather started with an hour-long presentation about risk and risky endeavours undertaken by photographers. She consulted with established photographers, photo reps and consultants via phone and skype and presented a very tightly put together talk about 9 aspects of Risk in photography.
2. Heather: What is your story as a photographer? Tell your story. It has to come through in your images.
3. Heather: Chase Jarvis said to her:  Take pictures no one else can take. That has to be part of your story.
4. Selina Maitreya via skype: It's a buyers' market, what are you going to do to add value?
5. Heather: Take risk in promos. Showed examples of photographer promos without images = Risk. Result = social media connections gained as a result of retweets/shares by the creatives who received them.
6. Heather: Use your personality as a competitive advantage.
7. Heather: Get in over your head. You need uncertainty, but don't work from fear. Don't chase trends. Don't be a deer caught in headlights.
8. Heather on Money: Revisit your expectation of how much money you want to make. Invest in making shoots more creative. Trim fat off bids.
9. Heather on DIY: Get involved in all areas of production. Be eager to get your hands dirty.
10. Heather: Create content everyday - shoot your lunch if you have to.
11. Eric on promos: He doesn't look at email promos. Keeps his spam filters high. Mailers much better way of getting through, although also limited viewing possibilities due to volume.
12. Eric on getting noticed: Call me. See if I have time to see your work.
13. Eric on being my Facebook friend: Don't be a creep. Be honest. Maybe share a tweet about what I've done with DARE. It has to be a natural.
14. Eric on blogs: I don't follow any local photographer's blogs. I follow APE and NYTimes Lens, and a few international photogs whose work I enjoy.
15. Eric said he would much sooner read a quarterly newsletter from a photog that was well presented and edited than look at a blog.
16. Eric on photog's facebook pages: I look at them.
17. Eric on following up: Vancouver photographers don't follow up.
18. Eric on photo/motion: North American video has a look. Prefer to source the look of European directors - it's fresher. Would hire a photog who also does motion for local clients with smaller budgets to achieve consistent look from print to motion.
19. Heather on photo+motion: The time right now allows for you to not be an expert, and to experiment. If you don't do it now, you'll get left behind by the cream of the crop in 5 years. Make a decision.
20. Nora on social media: Many many aspects. Don't do them all. Be selective with what works for you and do it well. They are like cutlery - find your butter knife if that's what you need.
21. Some photographers in audience said they don't have the time for social media. (yawn)
22. Someone asked about hiring a social media agency to do their social media work. (lazy = no personality) I think someone responded: you need to brush your own teeth, but I think I may have thought that in my own head.
23. Someone from audience said that they don't need social media because their portfolio work should speak for itself: all panelists disagreed and shook heads. Nora said don't be so naive.
24. Nora said the only risk is not taking any.
25. Nora likes tumblr and twitter.
26. Eric finds photographers by word of mouth, calling other creatives at agencies, and through award annuals.
27. Everyone agreed that snaps, personal work shared via blogs are what will sell your personality. Nora loves Instagram.
28. No one said they looked at source books.

My thoughts:

Valuable discussion, but the conversation got stuck too much by the questions of photogs on what social media they should and shouldn't be using. Too much complaining about how it's too much work, I don't have time to make a blog and should I go with flickr, tumbler, or the Meatmarket? Panelists were pro and didn't avoid any questions, but overall tone was that for me to see you and your work, you have to be out there. If you're not visible, I'm not hiring you. How you make yourself visible is up to you, but make it integrated.  Show me who you are and that you have passion in photos. Call me. Tell me my agency did great work on a campaign you saw. Make it genuine. Don't FakeFriend me on Fakebook. Invite me to see you work and I might.

Once again thanks to all photographers and creatives. I really enjoyed meeting and chatting with photographers Grant Harder and Art Zaratsyan as well as Rick Etkin. When I thanked Heather for coming, and especially for starting up her blog again, she was greatful, but jokingly said "No promises!" with a smile. So take a minute out of your day and write to her to thank her for the info she provides for you to read for free on her blog. Hopefully it will continue for a long time. Seriously. Do it.

For Nora:

Kamil

Everywhere I go, I'm shooting personal work. While travelling, visiting or entertaining friends, getting a pint at my favorite pub, or going for a mind-clearing hike in the mountains - I'm camera in-hand, or at least in-pack, and shooting scenes and people that really inspire me to see in new ways, and create work that I want to be shooting for clients. A location that never ceases to amaze and inspire me to create new work is the west coast of Vancouver Island - Tofino being one of the easiest places to get to, but not the only.

So while surfing there recently, I set up a quick sunrise yoga shoot along a secluded stretch of beach. I wanted it to be really simple and speak to solitude, comfort, reflection, sunshine, and health. So check this out and let me know what you think!

I'm sitting on much more summer work that I can't wait to share with you all, little by little, so keep stopping by and say hi if you feel like it!

Cheers,

Kamil

Here's the cover.

When you've got as talented an athlete as Paul is it always amazes me how far you can go together in creating authentic images. Everything right down to facial expressions was working, including the awesome afternoon light that we got. I really truly believe that to make authentic images you need talent in the true sense of the word, not just models. Talented models are a bonus, and models are great for lifestyle shoots, but for active stuff - there has to be passion and skill. And I think Paul has it. Here are some more images from that shoot:

For now, check out some of these images I made 2 years ago during my most memorable Easter ever. I was working on a documentary project in Peru and on the advice of friends, we travelled to Ayacucho for Semana Santa. I won't attempt to write about the experience because words won't be able to explain the emotions, excitement, adventure, and spontaneity of that trip. So for now, these photos will have to do. I was motivated to share these after checking out some images from Spain of Semana Santa, which reminded me of my great trip. This place is not to be missed. A must-do on your life list.

Enjoy.