I just received great news. I won a Telly Award for News/News Featrue for my mini documentary on the Friday Phil. 

The Friday Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating its 35th year of educating and entertaining Fresno Unified elementary students. The Friday Phil -- made up of current and retired Fresno Unified music teachers, retired Fresno State music educators, and other professional musicians -- has for more than three decades provided a 30-minute concert at a different Fresno Unified elementary school every Friday. Many Friday Phil members also perform with the Fresno Philharmonic, Tulare County Symphony, and various local swing, jazz, and string ensembles. For many students, the concert is their first introduction to a live musical performance. The Friday Phil performs for more than 20,000 students each year, with concerts featuring a variety of styles and selections and a demonstration of instruments. Students learn about classical music and the role of music in everyday life, and gain a greater understanding of music as an integral part of all human societies, past and present.

​Do you want your wedding to be special? I think all of us would say yes, but making it extra special is the key ingredient. There are many ways to make your wedding day extra special, but one way really stands out. Saying your own wedding vows can really make the ceremony stand out. We all love our partner, so why not tell them in your own words in front of everyone on how much you’re in love with them. Explain to them and your guest how head over heels you are over them, what things they do that make them so lovable. Check this video out I captured, where the couple said some really great words about each other. 

​​CARE is a supplemental program for EOPS. It was created to help single parents head of a welfare household with a child or children under the age of 14.
CARE is such a great program for those who want to go to college but face the difficulties of everyday life. After you listen to these stories you’ll be inspired. I had the opportunity to learn more about this wonderful program while producing this video. If you want to go to college and need financial support look into the CARE program and EOPS.
The counselors at Porterville College really do take the time to get to know their students and help guide them to the road to success.

​You impress the client with how fast and efficient you can work
As the editor and shooter, your memory of the shots are fresh
Clients can benefit from the video sooner, which allows them sooner than expected product exposure
Finishing jobs quick allows you to take on more work
You never know what lies around the corner….so start the job and finish the job

​Completing the job fast is only good if it is done right. The final product needs to be excellent so that your turnaround time can really impress the client.

​So you have your camera in hand and want to take a very creative photo. The only thing that is holding you back though is the automatic mode you have your camera set to. You can shoot in auto all day long, but what you are essentially doing is allowing the camera to make the decisions for you. What if you do not want a high aperture? Or a fast shutter? Turn your camera’s dial to manual. In manual you have many more options to play with. You are the creator in manual not the camera. Maybe you want a very shallow depth of field so that you have a blurry background (bokeh), you can achieve this certain look by shooting in manual. I know it can be strange and scary to get out of your comfort zone, but if you really want to take creative pictures this is the way to do it. Remember manual settings are your friend once you learn aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

​Walking down the street and taking photos of people, objects, or buildings can be quite enjoyable. It amazes me on what you can capture walking down a crowded street. You have the opportunity to be creative in a split second. Shooting street photography allows you to think differently when you are shooting, and it can take you out of your comfort zone. For example, if you normally shoot portraits the talent knows that you are taking a shot of them. When you are shooting street photography you usually do not warn people around you that you are taking their picture. You may see them doing a cool trick, or they may be doing something that can only be captured in the moment. It would not be beneficial to you if you asked them to pose. Street photography really allows the picture to speak the truth. What you capture are raw actions, and they should not be duplicated or staged. This is why street photography is so fun to shoot, it makes you think out of the norm, and in order to survive you can’t be shy. 

As a professional videographer, I have always had the utmost respect for photographers. They have to tell a story with one shot, one photograph, and in one moment in time. Photography can be a challenging task.
I shoot many of my mini documentaries, weddings and promotional spots on Canon dslrs. Because I am shooting video on a dslr, it gives me the opportunity to learn how the camera works. Because I use an instrument that was designed to capture photographs for video, I have gained a great appreciation for photography. Unlike video where you capture many still frames a second, photography gives you one chance. Think about it…one chance to make an impression, one chance to deliver, one chance (in some cases) to get your story correct.
I am now starting to explore photography. It is fun, creative, and challenging. What brings me great joy is the ability to photograph an ordinary object up close, something we take for granted. And while capturing that mundane everyday object, I try to tell a story. Whether it be the objects texture that you look at differently, or how the object melts with the bokeh that surrounds it. Portraits are also great to shoot. Right now I am exploring, who knows what tomorrow will bring.