The name Strawberry Road is an amalgam.  It’s a blending of Abbey Road and Strawberry Fields.  Pretty simple, but it means a lot to us.  We don’t know the etymology of how a storied racehorse from Australia got the same name, but we were thrilled at the potential of the cross-branding of our work with the successes of this equine wunderkind!

When the first google alert for ‘Strawberry Road’ revealed the existence of this fabulous horse, we immediately booked a flight (Qantas of course) for Australia to meet with the horse’s owner.

We jetted out to LAX to pick up our Qantas connection.  We got on the luxurious 747 and strapped in for the umpteen hour flight over the pacific.  Somewhere between Hawaii and Australia, our plane crashed into an island.  There was a whole cast of characters on the plane with us and a bunch already on the island:

Ben

This dude was crazy on nerd power.  Jennie and I could tell he spent many-a-day jammed in a locker in grade school.  He was shooting people, telling everybody what to do (although we suspect he really didn’t know much of anything).  He was like a hall monitor drunk on power.  Strangely, he claimed to have been on the island long before we crashed… and he wasn’t even tan.

Then there was this guy Dan:

Daniel Faraday

He was a nice enough guy but really flighty.  Every time I saw him I’d say, ‘Loved ya in Saving Private Ryan!’  He’d flip out and get in my face yelling, ‘I don’t even know what that is, I’m from the past!’ or some nonsense.  Whatever dude.

Everybody was constantly trying to get off the island.  It was like Gilligan’s Island with guns.  Jennie and I found a nice little Motel 6 type place about a quarter mile down the beach.  Her room was ocean side near the ice machine while mine was poolside but a little bigger.  The trade off was fine by me as this allowed me to sleep in and she could enjoy the sunrise.

Every morning this guy Hurley would drive down in a VW micro bus and raid the continental breakfast.

Hurley

Heck of a nice guy and just sweet as can be.  He occasionally gave us rides if we needed and in return we would give him an assortment of hostess products.

Every once in awhile Jennie and I would venture up the beach to see all the folks from the crash and the ‘others.’  Nice enough group to hang out with but after awhile the drama would get to be too much and we’d head back to the private beach at the hotel.

Speaking of drama, there were also these two:

Jack and Kate

It’s like high school with these two!  Fighting and kissing, on again, off again, we just washed our hands of them by the end of third day or so.

So with Lord of the Flies still playing out on the other side of the island, Jennie and I were please to receive free tickets from Quantas and a flight that left at a reasonable hour.  I think had the other folks on the island known it was this easy to leave they would have.  However seeing as they all seem to be a bunch of raging co-dependents they’re probably happier there.

Upon landing in Australia Jennie and I made our trek over to the farm of the magnificent Strawberry Road.  When we arrived at the stable a delightful young woman took us on a tour of the premises while she gently explained to us that Strawberry Road the horse, had passed away some years ago.  Jennie and I looked at each other and after the moment of shock had worn off, we realized that something had happened to the time space continuum.  Our opportunity for cross branding had passed.  At the same time, in the same whispered tone, we both uttered, “the island…”

So another model shoot in North Providence.  This time I went at it with the idea of shooting a movie poster.  A lot of different light styles and punch up in Photoshop.  The experience was great and we really pushed to not use the space the same way we did last time we shot at this location.  So without further adieu, so pics for you…

Wow.  Mystic 5.  It’s over, it was amazing.  When my partner Jennie mentioned the conference months ago, I read through the itinerary and saw only one name, Joe McNally.  He was the reason I had signed on to go.  He’s been a hero of mine for quite awhile.  A veteran who’s shot the world and done it beautifully.  Now I’m ashamed to say that he was the only real reason I signed up.  The list of photographers that spoke at the event were a veritable who’s who of wedding photography.  I hesitate to list any of their names here because I would be remiss if I were to accidentally omit even a single one.  So instead of singing the praises of each individual photographer or company, I will convey to you what the broad brush stroke of the event left indelibly etched into my soul…

Each photographer or photography team got up and spoke masterfully in each of their own unique styles.  They poured their heart and message through the microphone and splashed amazing images upon the silver screen (and for those of you who were there, the HDTV’s   I listened, I agreed with a lot of things and disagreed with a few, too.  I learned a tremendous amount about off camera flash, fearless available light photography and gizmos that can save time and money.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that there was a message being put out by every voice.  A simple message that, were you not listening with your heart, you may have missed it.  I have a theory about shows like Mystic 5.  If you go to a show of that ilk, whatever the trade or service you provide, over the three or four days of the seminar, you should shoot to walk away with at least 3 or 4 great ideas or inspirations.  I may have gotten those from this event, but I am still processing the data so the verdict is still out.  But I will say, those ideas or inspirations are vastly overshadowed by the ONE message I know I received.  Here it is, the simple message, the one that I hope know will change my outlook on Jennie and my business… be brave.

My last blog post was honest, it was real… and it caused a firestorm of debate.  After going to Mystic 5 I no longer have any trepidations about that post.  I wrote from the heart, the same way Jennie and I make images.  We believe in what we do and we believe that our customers are smart, savvy and when they read a post like that from us, they know that their wedding photographers are honest.  You see, every photographer that was standing on that stage was able to convey their message about their art and business because they believed in their work.  By the end of the conference having seen all the presenters it dawned on me that for them to get there, they didn’t just have to be great photographers.  For a long time they were just photographers.  How did they get there… by being brave.  They took that leap of belief in themselves that helped them transcend mediocrity and become someone that hundreds of us would want to hear from.  So that’s it, I’m being brave…  Walter, you can save Jennie and me a slot for Mystic 7

In this economy everybody is looking for two things, a deal, and a paycheck.  I was talking with a fellow photographer recently.  We were going over the ins and outs of the sales process and he said, “you know what makes the whole sales process really hard,” about fifty thoughts leapt to mind and after his pensive pause he said, “I put my prices on the web, and customers will call me having seen them and their first or second question is always, ‘can you do it for less?”  I know the feeling all too well.  Here’s the deal: I don’t have a problem with reducing services in return for lower prices, that makes sense, its reasonable.  Where I, and a lot of my fellow photographers have a problem, is the customer that wants ten to twelve hours of wedding coverage with two shooters, an engagement shoot, an album and great images for less than a photographer thinks knows they are worth.

I can’t blame a bride and groom for wanting the best value for their dollar.  In fact, I’d be surprised if they didn’t.  Here’s where some education as to how the process works might make it easier for a couple to understand just what they’re paying for.  In this digital age, we all know that with the click of a shutter and an upload to the computer we can have images ready to go and fired off to social networking sites, friends, family, blogs, etc. in a matter of moments.  I think that mindset has distorted the worth of the photographer to the wedding photography consumer.  Photographers will often have images posted to facebook and up on their blog before the bride and groom wake the morning following the wedding.  Images will be up for preview in proofing catalogs by the end of the week and albums are being turned around at blazing speeds compared to even 5 years ago.

In the wedding photography industry we photographers are a little bit of everything.  We’re sales people, IT specialists, bookkeepers, digital archivers, advertising specialists, and…photographers.  Most of us do it because we love photography and people.  If you love those two things then what better way to combine them than by doing wedding photography.  The downside is we are being pushed harder and harder to offer more service for less money.  There are plenty of photographers out there.  Some cheap, some expensive.  Some of the cheap ones are fantastic and some of the expensive ones aren’t.  A lot of it boils down to your taste in photography and how much you like the actual photographer.

Jennie and I have taken the line at Strawberry Road that our price is our price.  Not only do we think we’re worth it, but we know what our time is worth.  That’s not to say we won’t work with a customer to find a product we’re happy to deliver and they are happy to receive!  But I can’t put a value on weekend time spent away from my kids.  I’m not going to lie, I love working weddings so it would be hypocritical of me to say that the work is drudgery.  But I can’t in good conscience leave my family to struggle to break even as a photographer.  I’ve seen plenty of wedding photographers that will do that and I’ve seen plenty that will burn out before the wedding day is over simply because they aren’t being compensated.  By the end of the wedding day they’re bitter for having to agreed to a price that will probably end up costing them money in the end.

In closing, we love our customers, we love our job but we’re not going to forget that we need to eat…

written by:
Dave Field
Co-Owner
www.strawberryrd.com

Strawberry road connects to everywhere!  That’s right, we don’t just do studio, we come to you.  We recently had the pleasure of working with the lovely Jess.  She opened her home to us so that we could work with her to capture some very intimate, tasteful and well…steamy images.  We had a blast and Jess was a joy to work with!

Take a look at the new templates!  We’ve been working hard on the blog and tickling up some of the aesthetics.  Oh and by we, I mean Jennie.  Kudos to you Jennie, a little message from the other half of the road:  it looks great!    Now, here’s Jess:

Jennie and I had the good fortune to meet with Kate Parker of Kate ParkerWeddings.  We had a great time going over the trials and tribulations of everything from wontons and bon bons to working your keister off in a faultering economy.  One thing I think she did for Jennie and me was to reaffirm the fact that hard work and a ‘chin up’ attitude can almost certainly insulate you from failure.  Thanks Kate!  No pics this post, but have no fear, something more colorful to follow!

Fox Run Vineyard, what else can I say… The heart of what New England wine making embodies.  Gorgeous colonial plantation style home, a vineyard in the back and fantastic, hospitable owners to boot!  What a fantastic place for us to shoot.  We were met by the owners with open arms; and they were pouring wine from the get go.  Our models for this shoot, Jay and Shannon, didn’t embibe until later in the shoot, but those on hand, runners and owners alike, all had a glass of Fox Run touched wine (Fox Run grows grapes that are added to other vineyard’s wine to enhance flavor) before the first slap of a shutter!  It was a fun shoot in the warmth and serenity of a true New England winery.  Thanks to all who participated.  Enjoy the images…

Boudoir.  Sexy, steamy, cheeky, call it what you will, but it’s all about fun.  Our model La was fantastic!  More than willing to let us shoot and capture some really great images.  We photographed her in a few different outfits and settings.  We went with classic boudoir, some campy high contrast stuff for fun and then back to classic with a well, not to repeat myself, a cheeky ending

We at Strawberry Road had decided long ago to try to be as carbon neutral a company as possible.  In doing so, we had investigated the possibility of solar, geothermal, even hydrogen power to run our studios.  It wasn’t until Jennie took a backpacking excursion through europe that culminated with tobagganing in the alps that she realized we could use tiny elephants on treadmills to power the studios.  (She was taken by Hannibal’s story and well, way to think outside the box Jennie!)  Anyhow, the tiny elephants have worked out very well for us.  However, in true Jurassic park fashion, chaos theory has reared its ugly head and caused major issues for us here at Strawberry Road…

In all seriousness, this is what we came up with for the ShootStyle photo assignment titled “the moment after.”  Nobody ever said we were normal…

If your french is rusty like mine, you can still recognize that the word cake isn’t in the post title.  So if you’d like to spoil another great phrase from history follow this link.  Now, if like me you are a huge fan of cake (breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert, snack, whenever!) you’ll agree that this great food is great anytime.  Now the only thing better than cake is cake done right.  Kristen and Jen at Sugarbelle Cakes and Confections do that and in my opinion, probably better than just ‘done right.’  It’s a whole new level of wow where taste and presentation take the art of confections to a new level…