This Anakin is BETTER than Skywalker...

Why?  Because he has the cutest dimple and is such a happy kid, that's why!

I had the joy of shooting Anakin right before his 5th Birthday last week, and he is the type of kid that makes my job easy.  Happy-go-lucky, grinning from ear to ear, and bouncing off the walls.

Watch out ladies...  Anakin is someone you'll see on the red carpet in a few years.

Happy 5th Birthday, Anakin!

NILMDTS

NILMDTS (Click here for the website) is quite possibly one of the greatest, and yet the worst things I've ever seen.  And by worst I mean it is horrible that such a group even has to exist, because no one should have to lose a child.  No one.  I suppose the word "worst" isn't the right word.... I think saddest is the appropriate word.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is a website that links devoted photographers together.  Photographers who, for a few moments, are willing to put aside their need to make a living with their love and passion for photography, and who are willing to help those in need.  There are other groups of photographers that are willing to help, but many may not be willing to close off their own emotions to help those who are in such pain - that of losing a child.

I was talking to one of my friends who is a fellow photographer, and he mentioned that he didn't think he'd be able to shoot such a scenario.  I honestly don't know if I could do it either but it's a good thing that my camera body is water resistant, because I think the tears might cover my gear as I was taking photos to help such a family.  To help them remember the good, albeit short, time with their beloved child who now resides with the ultimate Creator.

Normally, I'd pass over a website such as this without a second thought.  But my wife's dear friend lost her baby boy not long ago, and this kinda' hits home.

Please check out their website and keep it in mind for those who may be in need.

Website...

Oh man.  CSS, HTML, JAVA. I'm lost when it comes to these terms.  Had you asked me about 4-5 years ago, I'd have been a near HTML master, coding and recoding my MySpace page (yes, I used MySpace... and must say I'm embarrassed to admit that did).  But these days, it all seems to be gone.  Well, at least it was until a few days ago.

My "new" website - same web address - is up and running.  Gallery features, contact button, Navbar.  All the things I wanted my page to have but didn't have time to do.  Guess I've been too busy taking pictures.  :-)

Anyway, it's up and running. I bring to you the new, the improved, Michael James Photography - Established 2010.

More editing to come...

Click here:   Michael James Photography

Second shooting...

...and just generally helping is of better help than all of my countless hours spent online, and all of my time attempting to butch through a book on photography. Seeing how other photographers work and how they do what they do helps more than I can mention.

Tomorrow is another wedding that I'm second shooting. Couldn't be happier. Learning, learning, learning...

Venturing into a career in photography...

Business taxes, sole proprietorships, corporations, share holders, fictitious business names, tax write offs... What's it all about?

There are reasons why I had no clue what I wanted to do when I was 18. It forced me, by default, into a "jack-of-all-trades" type of degree program - Business Management and Administration. Consequently, this left me floating for a while. Floating, not sure what I was going to be doing, but knowing that I loved to ride bikes, and knowing that I loved to take pictures. Well, I'm almost 28, and becoming a pro-mountain biker just isn't in the cards for me. I have a family to care for, and traveling the world breaking bones on a bicycle isn't a move I'm willing to make, nor is it a move that I even want to make. So, what to do? Photography? YES.

Starting a business is scary, especially with 10 years in the legal field backing me up. All I see everyday are lawsuits. Frivolous and sensible. It's insane the shear amount of them. But I'm going to do it, and here is going to be the motivational picture I keep in the back of my head, along with the even more important motivational words of the late, great, Bruce Lee: