Dang, yo! It’s about time I catch up here with some photos. So here it goes….

First are some weddings to grab onto, complete with my sweet Beacon Studio slideshow. Once again Andy V, thank you. I’m blessed to have you on my team.

Erich & Alicia at the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh. I always stress to the couples I work with, “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE RAIN!!!” The rain makes for incredibly classy photos! Trust me on this one.. And with the September rainfall, Alicia decided the show must go on!

VIEW THE SLIDESHOW HERE!

Jessica & Nate. This was a very last minute booking. I had to do some clever scheduling work to get this one in, but I’m glad I did! When Nate’s mom got ahold of me, I couldn’t pass it up! What an awesome beach wedding!!

VIEW THE SLIDESHOW HERE!

Here are a few recent seniors I shot. I have the “niche market” with these here in WI, and I love it!

Katie. Matt even showed up for a few minutes before leaving for England. He brought me a box of Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real cigars, so I got a tad distracted.. Nonetheless, awesome photos.

Mary Grace and Andrew. They drove all the way to Appleton from my second home in Dubuque, Iowa for the shoot.

I even found the time to head up to Crivitz for Drew and Garrett’s engagement shoot. We shot these on their families property, complete with their own private lake. The fall colors were killer. I can’t wait to shoot their wedding in August! this was the very first shoot with my new back-up camera, a Canon 40D! It rocks. Now if I could just fix the focusing problem with the 70-200mm IS 2.8L lens….

For those photographers that snoop on my blog, I’m selling my Canon 1D Mark II. I’ll be replacing it for a Canon 1D Mark III, as my main camera body. Details below.

Canon 1D Mark II

$1650.00

Camera is good condition, with some minor scratches and brassing on body (photos below). It has 50,137 shutter actuations. I was the second owner of the camera, but bought it with under 200 actuations on it. Two batteries, software and all original accessories included in box. Sensor has NO hot pixels, however needs a routine cleaning to remove a few dust spots. I am able to provide the very last RAW file I shot fropm the camera for further inspection and actuation verification.

All inquiries can be directed to dave@davidejackson.com and by phone at 920.470.6170

Both LCD screens are in MINT condition and they’ve been covered with plastic since the date of purchase!

Hot shoe brassing

Scratches on bottom grip

Accessories

Minor chip out of one of the batteries. Fully functioning, just chipped. The second battery is BRAND NEW!

Sensor dust. This is a RAW file, straight out of the camera. No color correction.

Thanks!
~dave

376. Never drive a really expensive car too fast near curves and cornfields, during the very first week you own it.

2008 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster ($375,000.00)

NOT a good idea.

Photos from my iPhone.

Sleep well tonight friends,
~dave

So much has been happening in the hurricane inspired realm, that is all things David Jackson. With that analogy, I’ve decided to take a break from my never-ending editing schedule to give you an update on the things spinning inside my head.

A WITHERING DAY JOB AND SOME LONG HOURS

As many know, I currently work a “day job.” Due to a rapidly failing system at the aforementioned, overtime is running rampant at “da shop” and as a result, I have been working some long “paycheck” hours. Gotta love 50+ hour weeks there. No, not so much. It has taken a huge toll on my family, personal relationships and much needed sleep as of late. I have taken a great deal of pride in my profession and love all those I work with, but it’s time for me to move on. I can no longer work with so much negativity and look to the future with great hope and optimism! More on that topic in December…

In between all that, I have actually managed to keep my business thriving with great health. To some degree, I can’t help but think that I have over-extended myself this year. I always have this problem of saying no. And when it comes to my amazing clients, it’s even worse. Melanie and I have come to nearly triple our goals for the year. Which motivates me more than ever. I have never in my life had such a passion for a fresh career, as I have for being a small business owner and a photographer. With the amount of clients I have worked with this year, I have made the upcoming transition between careers far easier for my wife and girls, financially speaking.

I never would have thought my business would have exploded like it has over the past 10 months. For that, I’m truly grateful! But it came at a cost. Lost time with those I love and hold dear. I have somehow kept the focus on making a better life throughout the past year though. I can only thank Melanie, my girl’s smiles, my brother Larry, my parents, Mel’s family, my clients and God for giving me the strength and patience to bring this whole thing together, once and for all.

Yes, the light is at the end of the tunnel. I leave my day job on December 18th of this year. I’m so stoked, it’s kinda gross. I plan on taking a well deserved month long hiatus from everything over the holidays.

Oh trust me… We’re gonna throw a party!

WEDDINGS

I have, with the exception of Beth and Jeremy’s November 23rd wedding, come to the near end of the 17 weddings I shot this year. I have had some incredible experiences during this time! I’ve made so many new friends outside of my comfortable circle. And I thank all my wedding clients for this!

After a two month long run of back-to-back weddings, I have found myself behind in my post-production and editing of these shoots. I blame this on the long hours I have been keeping as of late. My clients have been very patient in the delivery of their images. I refuse to deliver images that are short of truly outstanding. And for this reason, I ask for continued patience. You have not been forgotten and will revisit your wedding day soon!

I currently have about 20 weddings booked for 2008. This is totally ridiculous. I plan on shooting 30 weddings in 2008. I only have a handful of available dates open in the prime wedding season for the upcoming year. Given my new schedule next year, I will be able to turn over wedding images to my clients in a weeks time. A lot can happen without that day job!

My wedding prices are going to chance in the next week. Expect three new packages, with far more options available, with prices starting at $1850 for basic coverage and ranging to $5500 for full-blown kick-ass packages. I will honor currently quoted prices at face-to-face meetings and with arranged consultations. I will also honor package add-ons to clients that I have already booked, at discounted rates. For currently booked clients, I will no-longer offer the 10×13 spiral bound proofbooks. Instead, I will deliver 4×6 black bordered prints. I plan on changing my online proofing and print ordering in the next few months, to a different company. More on that soon, so stay tuned!

Dang, that rhymed!

SENIOR PORTRAITS

What an awesome year for shooting seniors!!! I’ve worked with some really cool clients. Most of them come to me because I don’t shoot the same old cheesy images that everyone else seems to get plagued with. I shoot this stuff to have fun, make loud images that should look like a magazine cover and most importantly, to speak to who my clients actually are as individuals. It’s not about your brother’s senior pics from ’98 and leaning against trees! This is the new school, and I’m teaching the class!!! Yeah, I’m a nerd. So what?

Most suggestions for my seniors are as follows: First, DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO BOOK ME!!!!! I have a busy schedule and may not be able to meet the school’s deadline. Next, bring a friend along! Sure mom can tag along, but sometimes it can inhibit the results. Trust me. I never have a problem with parents hanging out! In fact it can be good, as long as they are not over-bearing and wanting teddy bear shots. OK… Let me me know what your yearbook shot requirements are right away! I can’t stress this enough! They all differ. We need to shoot those first!! Then we can have fun. and yes, bring a few changes of clothes and some nifty props. When it comes to props, it doesn’t matter. But if you wanna kneel on a soccer ball like the all the other kids do, it’s not gonna happen! By all means bring it, but we are gonna have some fun with it. And lastly, trust me that I’ll make amazing photos and we’ll have some fun! That’s what it boils down to.

For the remainder of the year, I am no longer shooting seniors. I’m booked well into November right now. I’ve literally had to fight the seniors off with mangled lightstands and broken umbrellas…. No lie! If you still want to book a shoot, we’ll look at dates after January 6th, 2008. We can make it work out!

UPCOMING SCHTUFF

I have been working with Andy at Beacon Studios to develop my new flash gallery for my wedding clients. It’s functioning now, but we still need to tweak it, which includes a media player. Andy and I are also in the preliminary stages of developing my my new website and SIMPLE+DIRTY, the adventures of my urban exploration body of work! He showed me a new mock-up of the cursor-less gallery today! RAD!!

I’m writing an article for my friend Zack’s OneLight Workshop website in the next month. I’ll be talking about taking calculated risks and making the transition from day job to photographer. Should be cool! Zack has been one of my biggest inspirations over the past few years and a HUGE mentor to my work. He never holds back in telling me how much I suck! He gives it up straight.

My work will be in the Real Wedding feature of the upcoming Spring/Summer edition of Wisconsin Bride Magazine! Many thanks to Marie Walter and Tina & Luke Griffin for making this happen! And be sure to vote for me in the ‘Best of WI Bride’ photography feature later next year! I’ll get more details up here in the coming months.

THE SMELL IN MY KITCHEN

After some considerable hunting, I discovered the source. Tobin left a rather fermented sippy cup of milk in one of our cupboards. Good times indeed! Thanks to all those that gave me words of encouragement this past week.

AND FINALLY, A FEW PHOTOS!

Ellison. They came all they way from Cincinnati, Ohio to get some promos done. They are signed to Carbon Copy Media (JT from Hawthorne Heights label). Expect to hear these dudes on the radio soon! Check them out at www.myspace.com/ellison

Maggie’s senior shoot

Robin’s senior shoot

The Rowe Family. SO awesome!

’til next time,
~dave, melanie, tobin and ‘lil zoee J!