Light Up The Snowstorm

Jeff Stanford

April 18, 2016

Last weekend, I went to Deep Creek Lake with several amazing people to film our next season of TheMooMoe. Check it out because it's ridiculous.

Because it's April now and the trees are blooming, it snowed the whole weekend. And I was finally able to to what I had been unable to do most of the winter - practice taking fun portraits of people in the snow.

Off-camera flash is an art of which I have wanted to develop greater mastery for some time now. Natural light portraiture is an adventure because one is constantly looking to find a great scene, a great story written in sunbeams and shadows. With off-camera flash, one can create whatever scene they dream up.

The past month has offered several chances to jump in and experiment. I'm quite happy with the results of the weekend, using the sun as one light source and my flash as another.

I finally have learned how to use my wireless radio triggers. It's been a lot of troubleshooting over the years because I'm one of those people who usually doesn't read the manual. Actually, I think I tried the manual, but the English translation of the original language made approximately zero sense. I digress. Lessons Learned:

Shutter speed: less than 1/250 of a second.
Batteries: charged and ready in the flash, the receiver, and the transmitter units (Finally got all three this weekend. Sheesh).
Light Stand: ballasted with a sandbag because the wind is going to knock the umbrella over. Even if there is no wind.

Get outside and practice your craft. Make mistakes. Learn from them. Repeat. Enjoy. Celebrate the successes. Eat a really large pizza at 4 AM. Sleep. Get up. Keep winning.

Jeff Stanford

April 11, 2016

Stop Sleeping and Start Winning

Jeff Stanford

April 11, 2016

Wherever you are is a great place to begin.  Full Steam Ahead. — Wherever you are is a great place to begin. Full Steam Ahead.

I'm reading Jon Acuff's Start. It's hilarious. And wonderfully helpful. Read it.

Get out of bed. Go to the library, and get the book. Or buy it at Barnes and Noble. I am sure Jon Acuff would rather you buy it. You'll be responsible for another delicious Acuff family dinner.

No, I am not an affiliate marketer, I just thoroughly enjoy the book.

Here are three thoughts/revelations/summarizations I have based on the first few chapters:

Be ruthlessly honest about your current circumstances. You want to go somewhere. You've dreamed about it for years. Maybe you have a notebook full of ideas and magazine clippings. But you have to know where you are to figure out the path to where you want to go. Don't lie to yourself. Perhaps you truly need to get some schooling and apprentice yourself. Perhaps you need to get out of debt. You need to face your obstacles. On the flip side, perhaps all the stuff you tell yourself is in the way is only in your mind. Tell the voices to shut up, because they're wrong. And start.
Ask the right questions. Acuff writes that we should be asking, "What brings me the most joy?" when searching for something amazing towards which to work. Money is a byproduct. What makes you joyful? What gives you purpose and meaning? Let happiness be the byproduct of meaningful pursuits. And dare to find something you love to do.
Today is always the best day to turn around. If the road you are walking is lonely and dark, you can turn around. It may take a long time to get back to sunnier skies, yes, but you can turn around today. Enlist the help of trusted friends. Carve out time to rest. Do the work to heal from the wounds you are carrying.

Take stock of your current circumstances. Cast a vision for a joyful future. Start moving.

I am hoping, as a follower of Jesus, to hear the words "well done" at the end of my lifetime. I've made a lot of mistakes, and I will make many more. But I want to move forward and chase down a life of joy and purpose and delight, whether at work or in my relationships or whatever else is going on in my life.

Don't settle. Run towards something grand. Fight through adversity. Get up and get going. You are far too valuable for anything less.

Jeff Stanford

April 4, 2016

#TogetherFilmmaking

Jeff Stanford

April 4, 2016

We need to tell stories.

Ron Newcomb and The Forge Studios are doing it their own way, using the backdrop of sci-fi and fantasy worlds. I was introduced to them way back in 2009 when a friend of mine starred in their film, Rise of the Fellowship. After years of hard work, they've got their own studio, a team of amazing editors and producers, and a whole bunch of new stories and content. Check them out on YouTube!

Their most recent flurry of storytelling comes in the form of a Star Wars fan film. A downed X-wing pilot carries precious information. Will the Rebel team rescue him, or will the Empire get to him first?

I had the opportunity to come alongside these amazing people to take some behind-the-scenes photos and some character shots for their promotional works. Ron and the studio are passionate about creating a professional atmosphere of learning and mentorship. Production Assistants can learn from professionals and then try their hand as camera operator; extras may develop their acting chops and end up with a bigger role further down the line. #TogetherFilmmaking. It was a great time to make some new friends, see faces I haven't seen since this time last year, and try some new lighting setups - strobing off-camera flash in the mid-day sun is something I had not yet tried!