Blog:

February 22, 2006:  I've been given the assignment by a very successful photographer to start a blog. I have no idea why anyone would want to read this stuff, so I'd ignore his assignment if he were not so successful and insistant. So here goes.

Basic information is that I am 48 years old (that looks SO strange to me!), married for 20 years, and have a 16-yr-old son and a 14-yr-old daughter. I am involved in my church, mostly teaching parenting-related topics. I am a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do, hoping to make black belt in the next year.

My full-time profession is selling mechanical components for industrial machinery and fitness equipment. I grew up in NYC and NJ, graduating from Madison High School in 1975. I have a mechanical engineering degree from Lehigh University.

My photography hobby-turned-ministry/part-time profession is explained on the "About Us" page.

Well, that should do it for today. Not sure what kind of subjects I'll cover in the future.

March 7, 2006:  I've been told that I am not supposed to write about photography in my blog, but about my personal life. Again, I don't know why anyone would want to read that, but my other argument is that photography is much of my personal life. So, a little about photography and then onto other subjects.

I'm pretty excited about the upcoming wedding I'll be shooting. They are a great couple and fun to work with. I'll also have two of my friends shooting with me. One is a full-time photographer, and the other has never photographed a wedding before. So, we run the full gamit of experience. Between the three of us, I am sure we will get some great images, which excites me cause I know it will make the bride very happy. Which, is what it is all about.

Now onto other things. On April 2 I start teaching "From Boys to Men" at church. It is a compilation of material from several books which I will use to teach what it takes to do just that... raise a boy into a man. Not that I have this all down or anything. Just ask my son. But hopefully I can share some things that will give the parents who attend some tools with which to work. I am excited and just a bit nervous. I'm predicting an attendance for the 6 Sundays to average around 100.

My daughter just turned 15 and my son is a few weeks away from 17. Can it be? I know I'm not 17 years older than when he was born, so what's the deal?

Well, I need to fill-out some rebate forms and do my income taxes. Fun!

April 12, 2006:   Well, I survived the last few weeks since my last entry. At times I didn't think I would. The March 18 wedding went very well. The class at church is off to an excellent start. My son and I went to a Stockton Thunder hockey game for his birthday and had a great time. My regular job is also going very well. It was a wild ride, but it was fun.

The next two months look to be very busy as well. Again, it is photography that is adding to the schedule, but I'm not supposed to talk about photography here, so I'll leave the details out.

Oh, heck with that rule. I am so pumped that the March 18 wedding went so well. With Chris' and Greg's help, we captured the day and the bride and groom are very happy. Again, that is what really matters. I would hate to shoot a wedding and have the results be less than excellent, especially in the eyes of the new couple.

One thing I was trying to do was to have a virtual album on-line for them to view by the Tuesday after the Saturday wedding. Well, there was no way to do that unless I did not care how it looked. I finally uploaded it Sunday (8 days, not 1). I hope that next time I can have it ready a little sooner. This is likely  because I am now faster with the album-building software than I was. Still, Tuesday is a bit optimistic. Maybe Thursday? If you want to see the album, click on my Slideshow Link (top left of this page) and then on "Airielle & Jeremiah".

July 3, 2006: I just received the following anonymous email via my Contact Us page: "I have enjoyed veiwing your website I think it's great what you're doing.  Hoever I wish that you would keep your blog more up to date."

Hmmm. Who would send that. Well. It worked. Here I am. But what to write about?

One thing I have been thinking about and that this anonymous email touches on, is the "it's great what you're doing." part. I have recently been wondering if I am doing enough on the ministry side of my photography. I've given steep discounts to families who have foregone worldly wealth to serve in the ministry. And, I am still working on the images from SONdance Ministries, where I make few bucks, but nothing like what would be required if it were strictly a business venture. But am I doing enough on the charitable side of this?

As Jeff Bradshaw Photography has taken-off, I have become extremely busy. Of course, there is my day job, my family, and life's regular time consumers. Add in a blooming side-business. Where is there time for a photography ministry. Yet, if I don't build that in, I will have lost my original vision.

I recently requested and received the names of several contacts who minister to those who might benefit from my services. Now I need to take the next step and offer myself to them.

One thing that is helping is that my entire family is learning various skills needed in a photography business. My wife, Bobbi, is becoming a good wedding assistant and helps me keep perspective on all of this.

My son, Peter, has an eye for setting up great posed shots. More than once, he has stood behing me during a photo session and made valuable suggestions on how to make the composition better. He is learning the technical side and should be a solid second-shooter in the near future. He is also the master of the slideshow.

My daughter, Katherine, is becoming the Photoshop Princess. She not only is good a some of the technical aspects, like removing blemishes, but she has a great eye for what digital filter to use for that perfect mood.

Getting away from photography, my day job is going well. My results are good as we come to the end of the fiscal year. There has been, however, some talk that we are overstaffed in the west. (There are currently three positions covering the western US and Canada.) Given the geography, with me in the middle, it is clear that I would be the one to eliminate if one person needed to go.

I could have had more job security when, after my counterpart in Portland was fired, had I accepted the offer to move up there.  However, there is no way I would move right now. So now they are interviewing candidates to fill that position. It is important that I build the business here in the center slice of the west, making it clear that we need and want to maintain the Western Region staffing at three.

Speaking of this, I'd better get at it. We don't get July 3 off. And to the anonymous emailer, I hope this helps.