Joe's Blog

After a period of mending, I’m starting to feel like my old self again. Sorry this has taken so long. I’m not much of a writer. I appreciate all the well wishes and suggestions posted on this blog. Thank you all!!

I am currently considering developing an educational plan for the beginning through advanced wedding photographer. It may come in the form of DVDs and/or day long seminars. My 3 day workshops will be ongoing as well (east coast, west coast, and the rest of the world). I have even toyed with the idea of an online school. What do you think?

One of my goals has been to produce a coffee table fine art wedding book. I am finally pulling out ALL the images I’ve created in the past 11 years. It may take me a while, but this project is definitely in the works. I’m very excited about the book!!

On another note, my wife and I are considering a move out of LA. Probably in a year or less. We’re hoping at this point in my career it may not matter where we live. I should still be able to get gigs in LA or SF and fly in for them. I currently shoot roughly 40 weddings a year. I’d like to shoot maybe 10 or so a year, and teach the rest of the time.

Thanks for letting me bend your ear. Keep the responses coming. I like them. You can even email me at joebuissink.com

Happy shooting,

Joe

Glad to still be here. For those of you that don’t know…... I had my 2nd heart attack on March 24 (my bday of all things, 55 years young). I’m absolutely thrilled to have access to modern medicine. Both main arteries have stents in them to keep them open. I’ve got enough metal in me to set off airport security alarms :0)

I started shooting weddings a week after I got out of the hospital, and I feel amazingly GREAT!! I’m about to head out to today’s wedding. It’s still very exiciting for me. Especially given the nature of recent events. Photography is my passion, and is 1 of the reasons that I won’t be going anytime soon.

I’ve been thinking lately of how I can reinvent myself so that I work smarter, not harder. Maybe I can limit the amount of hours I shoot at a wedding?? Maybe I can come up with an educational plan that will keep me busy?? Maybe I can come up with a product (like Gary Fong)?? Anyway, lots to chew on…. I’ll let ya know if I come up with something. If anybody has any ideas…...... feel free to chime in. What would you like to see from me??

I’ll try and blog more often. Sorry for the long breaks in between.

Joe

Well I’m Back!! What an incredible place. What an incredible people. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I never left the confines of the house…. only to speak. Marcus and I had to hammer out our seminar. This was to be the testing ground before we go to Vegas (we open the show at WPPI this year).

We worked very hard, and with the help from Penny (Marcus’s wife), Jason, and Ian we came up with a pretty good seminar. It was well received. It doesn’t appear that the Aussies & Kiwwies need to learn anything else in photography. As a lot, they are darn good photogs. But it looks like they came away with something. Everybody was happy.

As far as pics…... I shot Penny feeding the twins. That’s it. It was worth going to OZ just to see that. I will post soon. right after I process the RAW files.. Hehehehe.

Can ya tell, I’m not much of a writer? I’ve always found it difficult. I do have stuff to say, just a difficulty putting it on paper. I’m much more comfortable communicating visually (i.e. I’m a photographer).

OK. I’m off to the land of OZ in a couple of days. Just my luck…. a heat wave in Brisbane (where I’m headed) 111 degrees. My favorite, hot weather. NOT!! Anyway, I’m the keynote speaker at a convention along with Marcus Bell. Marcus and I also open the WPPI show in Vegas this year. We thought a practice run in OZ would be good.

Have you ever seen Marcus’s work?? When ya get a chance, take a peek. Here is another Aussie you should look at… Giorgio Karayiannis. While your at it…... Martin and Ryan Shembri, David Williams, Mercury Megaloudis, Jerry Ghionis, Peter Eastway, George Trifunovic, and I know you’ve heard of Yervant. Get this… there are more of them -

Be back with some photos!!

I’m baaaaack…... (for a few days). Then it’s off to OZ - Wow!! what an amazing workshop. Yervant’s work is incredible!! We had such a good time. From all the feed back so far…. everyone loved it!!

I’m going to sleep now…........

Post again tomorrow…....

OK, it’s Wednesday Jan 04 and I’m packing to go to Florida for a wedding (Friday & Saturday). After which I’ll be giving a 2 day workshop with Yervant. WoooHoooo!! Roughly a 100 photogs. Hopefully, I’ll meet some of you that are reading my blog -

All right, I’m off. I’ll try and post from Florida. Maybe even some pics…...

Thanks to those who have responded in my blog with respect to their thoughts and feelings. I appreciate it!!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’m feeding Sebastien, and it’s 5 am. I’m tired. I don’t know what day it is. I do know it’s 2006.

When I sit in the morning with Sebastien, it always seems to be a good time to reflect. Lately, I’ve been thinking of my business plans for the new year. In 2004, I shot 50 or so weddings. In 2005, maybe 40. I think the trend for ‘06 will be slightly less than ‘05. 30 ish? In part this is due to my teaching all over the world. In part, due to all the great new talent arriving in this industry.

2005 marks the first year that I taught abroad. Japan. What an honor. What beautiful people!! 2006 will start off with a bang. First, I’m of to Australia. Next, the UK (England, Ireland and Scotland), then back to Japan. Then another trip to OZ. Then there are the workshops I teach here in the U.S.. Needless to say, it cuts into “wedding” time. I love the opportunity to teach, to give back, to meet sooooo many talented people. It inspires me.

So, what I thought (to make 30 weddings work) was, to raise my prices. I haven’t done that in 4 years. I hope that’ll work (financially). I also plan on putting out a second DVD. Maxie (the dog project) should be coming in sometime this year. For those of you that don’t know….. Le Bulldog will be released this year world wide. Just look for anything with that brand on it. Look for the photos -

Heck, if it all works the way it’s supposed to…... maybe 10 weddings will be good enough. Then the word retire comes to mind…...........

Anyway, back to Sebastien and reflection.