Hello Delta

I don’t even know where to start. What a day.

The other night I was hanging with friends in downtown Nashville and caught a glimpse of Printer’s Alley. I thought it was unique and funky and awesome and would make for some great photographs. So I set out this evening to snap a few before sunset. Sounds pretty simple.

I got downtown and couldn’t find a parking spot close to Printer’s Alley or any of the other bars and buildings I wanted to photograph. Not that shocking but still, I was hoping to get lucky.

That’s what he said.

Sorry, I had to.

I was at the Ryman catching a Grace Potter show on Sunday night–which was incredible BTdubs, and Lindsey had shown me a great place for parking downtown that was free-ninety-free. I was so proud that I remembered where it was. When you move to a new city, you always feel a little insecure when you drive. You have know idea where you are going and even if you do know what restaurant, salon or office you are headed to, you have no clue how to actually get there and where to park. The fact that I knew where to park for free in downtown Nashville and got there without getting lost was a miracle.

Unfortunately, that is where my luck ended for the evening. I hopped out of my car, camera in hand and just started walking. I found Printer’s Alley, took a thousand photos and felt soooooooooooooooo gosh darn inspired. Nothing could stop me. I would roam the streets of downtown Nashville and take so many photos that my index finger would be calloused the next morning. And even if the sun went down and I wasn’t finished, I would practice night photography and meet people in the streets and enjoy this beautiful city as I roamed alone.

HA.

YEAH RIGHT.

I got super tired. Like, super duper tired. Nashville is super hilly, ya heard? The Delta flatland is way better for fatty photographers that love putting butter and cheese on everything. Just saying.

I had attempted to walk from Printer’s Alley to The Stage, a place I had been a thousand times, but somehow never found it. I got turned around and was walking in the wrong direction for 30 minutes. Genius. And when I finally did find the main downtown strip where I wanted to take some seriously cool pictures of all the big signs and lights and country music bars, feeling extremely winded and tired but happy to have reached my final destination and get on with the photography, I turned on my camera and it was flashing low battery.

Snapped one photo of one bar sign and it went dead.

I was so annoyed. Frustrated and tired from getting lost, I decided to walk back to my car and call it a night. I could always come back and photograph the downtown strip later on that week. No biggie. But of course, I got lost again.

Couldn’t find the car. Nope. Not anywhere. I looked and looked and looked and turned and turned and turned and the more I turned the more I got turned around and next thing you know I’m panicking at the thought of never ever ever ever seeing Luke and the farm and the dogs again.

Ha. Maybe not that panicked. But I was super tired and a little uneasy about being lost in downtown Nashville as the sun was going down, all alone with fancy camera equipment. Not the best scenario for a caucasian female with no background in Taekwondo.

I called Lindsey’s boyfriend Dominick. He was born and raised in Nashville. He could get help me find my car.

“DOMINICK, UM, I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE I AM AND I LOST MY CAR AND I’M ALONE AND KINDA SCARED BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF DARK ALLEYWAYS AND I’M A GIRL AND I JUST DIDN’T KNOW WHO TO CALL AND LINDSEY ISN’T ANSWERING HER PHONE.”

::::::::::::::::::::silence::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

“DOM?????”

“Yeah I’m here. I’m not sure where you are. Where did you park?”–he says calmly.

“UM THE SAME PLACE LINDSEY PARKS FOR FREE. YA KNOW THAT SPOT?”

“Hmm that doesn’t really help. But I’m on the other line with Lindsey and I will get her to call you right now.”

“YES! THANKS!”

Lindsey calls and in the exact moment the phone is ringing, I make one more left turn and bam, I know exactly where I am and I’m so close to my car. I tell her I’m fine and proceed to climb in the car and get home in one piece. Success!

I was so happy to get home, look at my photos and at least feel proud that I went out and photographed Printer’s Alley and enjoyed–to some extent–my evening in downtown Nashville. My favorite shots came from this one bar called The Brass Stables.

I loved how the lights were strung across the alleyway, the shape of the sign and the angle I could take on the photograph. I probably took 400 photos of The Brass Stables. I couldn’t wait to see how they all turned out.

I got home and googled “Printer’s Alley” to find out more about its history so I could post my photos and write one of those really informative blogs where people learn something knew and say things like “Oh I didn’t know that! Really? Wow, Kallie! That is so interesting!”

Turns out, The Brass Stables is a strip club.

So now I have all of these amazing photos of a strip club? I saw that it said Play and Dance Theatre but I literally thought this was Nashville and people were just playing and dancing! I’m so dadgum naive sometimes. Naive or dumb? Don’t answer that.

Enjoy these pictures and for anyone who loves strip clubs, please purchase a Brass Stables photo so that one good thing can come from this ridiculous evening.

The End.

Photography tip: I like photographing signs and buildings with a wide angle lense. It lets you get the entire building even though you are standing within five or ten feet from the front door. You could get your toes, the entire building and the sky and clouds, all in the same picture. Wide angle lenses rock. I bought this one HERE. (and I’m still paying it off!)

I remember the first time I was going to photograph a wedding. Was the bride smoking crack?? I photographed barns and horses and tractors but never a gorgeous woman on the biggest day of her life! Why did I even say yes? I was having a nervous breakdown. I frantically began googling “How in the Sam Hill do you photograph a wedding?”

The ending to this story is a happy one. I did a great job, the bride was pleased and more requests to photograph weddings poured in. Even though I don’t have time to photograph weddings anymore, I learned so many things from that experience that I have applied to my photography career over the past year.

Here are the four things I recommend practicing to find inspiration and ideas for your photographs. Not just wedding photos– but portraits, music, documentary and more…

1. BOOKMARK YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHERS.

If you find a photographer that you love, immediately bookmark them! Trust me, you won’t remember their name or their website name and you’ll be slapping your forehead at midnight trying to remember where you saw that amazing photo a few weeks ago! Make yourself a folder and keep adding. Why you are there, add me!  Here are a few to start: Wiljax.com, akvogel.com, srtphotography.com, marycarolinemann.com

2. CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY FOR NEW IDEAS AND MATERIAL.

Always surf the internet and look for new ideas. Go into your bookmark folder once a week and see if those photographers have taken any new photos. Always check their blogs! Find inspiration in looking at the different angles, settings and props that other photographers use. For instance, when you photograph a wedding or even children, you need to have all of your ideas down on paper before you go. For my first wedding, I searched the internet looking for cool poses and artsy ways to make a great wedding photo. One shot that I found had the bride and groom holding hands where you could see their rings. I loved that shot and wrote the idea down to try and mimic later on!

I’m so glad I did. It was one of their favorite photos…

3. TAKE AN IDEA AND RUN WITH IT…..FULL SPEED AHEAD

One time I saw a photograph of a guy in the middle of a field laying on a couch. I loved it! A year later, I was assigned to oversee a photo shoot for the music feature in Delta Magazine. I remembered the couch idea, committed to the idea and went FULL SPEED AHEAD. I called everyone I knew trying to find the perfect vintage couch and once I found it, I borrowed my husband’s truck and called a friend to help me load it up. It would have been much easier to just say “I don’t have a couch, I don’t have a truck and I don’t have anyone to help me load the couch up!” But if you want to get the best shot, you have to commit to an idea and MAKE IT HAPPEN.

4. COPYING IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY. 

Don’t be afraid to copy what someone else has already done. In this world, it is hard to find original ideas anymore. If you think you have an original idea, I DARE you to google it. How original is it now?? Yep. Creative minds think alike. Just remember: YOU are the person taking the photograph, YOU are the person editing the photograph, so at the end of the day it is YOUR photograph. You should still be creative and use original thoughts, but to find inspiration and ideas you need to look at other photographers and try to mimic what they do.

Today I was inspired my music photography as I roam the streets of music city. I spent 45 minutes on www.marycarolinemann.com and oooooh’d and ahhhhh’d over all of her amazing music photography! Here are some of my favorites that I hope will inspire you too!

Harvest is here and corn is being cut! I got to the farm 10 minutes too late and missed the “action” shots, but I still like the way this photo turned out. It has a real “I-am-combine-hear-me-roar” feel to it.  ”A job well done!”–you could say.

Luke got side-tracked with a combine malfunction (do they make combines that actually work? I’m just curious…) and so I hopped in the truck and took a cruise on some backroads I had yet to explore. That’s what is sooo great about Luke’s new farm.

UNKNOWN TERRITORY.

I can drive and drive and drive and drive just like I used to do when I first moved to Benoit! And at every corner there is a surprise waiting for me…

Well this was my surprise– The perfect Delta shack. Awwwww snap!

*don’t forget that all Hello Delta photos seen on this website are for sale. mmhmmm that’s right!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their reflection photos. This was fun!

Centennial Olympic Park reflection in downtown Atlanta by Bradley Ward

Love this shot. I think I need to visit this park too!

Bird bath reflection by Martha White

I was so focused on that one yellow bird on the left and then later, realized there are two yellow birds on the left! Great shot.

Cypress Preserve in Greenville, MS by Kim Copell

Gorgeoussss reflections. I love love love cypress trees and haven’t photographed many! Hope you don’t mind if I copy you! Amazing.

I am a princess. by Katherine Wingate, Michigan

This is Katherine’s German shepherd, Gilly. You know I have a soft spot for all pups. The reflection is of her acorn lamp in the window! If you are anything like me, you stared at Gilly going “awwww” for so long that you forgot to look for the reflection. Cute!

Katie’s Face Reflection by Brian Hough, Kansas

One of my favorites! Double reflection. Very cooooooooooool. And, how is she not falling face-first into the mud puddle? I’m pretty sure that is what would happen if I tried this at home!

CONGRATS to KIM! You are the winner!

 The reflections of the cypress tree trunks are amazing!  I think it is gorgeous!

Email kallie@hellodelta.net to claim your photo and thanks to everyone who submitted a reflection! They were all great.