tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18114800803558810382024-03-13T00:49:03.147-05:00Zack Is FreelanceMy wanderings through the world of TV/Film production...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-54819188081351486852013-04-22T12:34:00.002-05:002013-04-22T12:38:07.179-05:00Oh Look... More TV MagicI got back from shooting a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Midwest-Regional-Ballet-Company-and-School/256111564407445" target="_blank">Midwest Regional Ballet</a> production of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=J---aiyznGQ" target="_blank">CATS</a> last night and realized that I missed five new episodes of the HPT had dropped a while back. Lucky you!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-41000451171122174382013-03-07T13:50:00.001-06:002013-03-07T13:50:31.687-06:00Quick Update...Before I hit the road for Colorado this weekend with the HPT, I just wanted to share a quick update. More of my work is popping up on YouTube for your viewing pleasure. I've posted them below so you don't have to go searching for them.<br />
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First we have two new episodes from the Heatland Poker Tour. These are from nearly the end of season eight when I joined the crew full time last year. We'll be shooting the second event of season nine this weekend.<br />
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We also have my most recent work for SPEED at the Sprint Center up in KC. I shot an Arenacross event which marked a few firsts for my career, most notably my first motosports event. I have to admit, it was tricky to keep up with at first because it's the fastest thing I've ever covered, but we had a few practice races to get acclimated and I was good to go when it counted.<br />
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Definitely more coming around the corner, so stay tuned.<br />
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Thanks!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com1Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.3960411 -94.70706159999997536.992145099999995 -95.352508599999979 37.7999371 -94.06161459999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-76214996700991687302013-02-20T10:20:00.001-06:002013-02-20T10:20:55.508-06:00That Time of Year...<br />
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Well, like the title says, it's that time of year again. Time to dust off the carry-on bag, grab some magazines, and get ready to hit the skies for another season with <a href="http://www.hptpoker.com/" target="_blank">The Heartland Poker Tour</a>. It's been 3 long months since I last worked with the crew, so I'm looking forward to making TV magic with them again. Speaking of the crew, the HPT was kind enough to add all our bios to their website. You can check them out at <a href="http://www.hptpoker.com/team.php" target="_blank">this link here</a>. Now, in hindsight, mine needs a new picture and to be reformatted, but that was because of a misunderstanding on my part, so know that going in.<br />
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We'll be starting off season nine with one of our biggest events on the tour, <a href="http://thegoldengatescasino.com/casino" target="_blank">Golden Gates Casino</a> in Black Hawk, Colorado. It's typically one of our largest prize pools, so we like for it to go smoothly. Of course, one of the reasons I love working in TV production is because of all the hidden factors that nobody ever sees in the final product. Of the many small challenges that come with setup at Golden Gates (and every venue big or small has their own), the biggest one has nothing to do with the venue or our equipment. What is it? Altitude sickness.<br />
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This was a minor problem for a couple other crew members and myself last year when I traveled to Black Hawk for the first time. Coming from an area of Kansas that sits at about 1000 ft above sea level and ending up around 10,000-14,000 ft above sea level over the course of about 5 hours doesn't exactly acclimate you gradually. You literally feel like you have a mild case of the flu and want to throw up. Luckily it does start to fade after being up there for a while, but you could imagine how much it might effect a production if the entire crew were still feeling the effects of it during setup or even when cameras started rolling. But you still have to end up with a good production every time, because that's television.<br />
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Thanks for reading, see you in Colorado!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0Pittsburg, KS, USA37.411007037330606 -94.70483000209958437.409430537330607 -94.707362002099586 37.412583537330605 -94.702298002099582tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-59802027291350089992012-09-13T11:52:00.002-05:002012-09-13T11:52:54.608-05:00The Times, They Are A Changin'...Well, for those of you that don't already know, things are changing quite abruptly for myself and the ZiF blog this weekend. Around the middle of August I was approached by one of my regular clients, The Heartland Poker Tour, and asked if I would be interested in working for them year-round instead of just two or three events a year. After a phone call to my wife where I begged like a 5 year old in the toy section of Walmart, I gladly accepted their offer. Why was I so excited? Well, allow me to explain what getting this position means to me.<br>
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<a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-times-they-are-changin.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0301-399 N Locust St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.410527994607271 -94.70352172851562537.309638994607269 -94.861450228515622 37.511416994607274 -94.545593228515628tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-81654084038190051052012-07-16T14:34:00.000-05:002012-07-16T14:40:00.555-05:00Seniors, Seniors, and... Seniors?I'll be completely honest, when I switched to doing portrait work instead of just shooting for myself, there was one thing I feared shooting above all others... Seniors. In my opinion, senior sessions are just one step below wedding photos on the photo pyramid. Most people are only a high school senior once, and if they aren't their parents probably aren't celebrating it with photos. So, it's a once in a lifetime photo session for the senior. That's a lot of pressure to get it right.So, having this fear, I was assured of one thing my first year of doing portrait work... I would end up doing more seniors than anything. :(
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Lucky for me, I've been able to work with some great seniors this year, not to mention some great senior moms as well. They have definitely helped me conquer my fear a little bit. Also, I'm starting to understand how shooting seniors helps you become a better photographer. When you truly make an effort to personalize the images to the senior, you find yourself being more creative out of necessity instead of trying to force it. You can't get away with posing every kid the same because it just won't fit them.<br />
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I think I had also forgotten that I am going to perpetually be a goofy high school kid. Thus, I think it's actually easier for me to work with seniors instead of adults. We'll see about that 10 years in the future, but for now, I get them and it seems to be making things go easier.<br />
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Recently, however, there has been one 'senior' session that meant a lot more to me than all the rest combined. That was the session I shot with my grandparents for their upcoming anniversary. I love them very much and I was happy to be able to give them their pictures as their gift.<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-26592398658912420622012-03-29T16:40:00.000-05:002012-03-29T16:40:51.809-05:00A Trip To Vegas and The Return of Howard Photography...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow! Way too long without a post, but it's not without good reason. I landed a cool gig the week before last, but it came with a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), so I couldn't talk details. I'm pretty sure that I can say I worked for the production company that shoots <a href="http://www.mtv.com/" target="_blank">MTV's</a> Teen Mom. However, I think I'll leave it at that until the show comes out. I think the NDA applies mostly to show content and I would be fine talking about my work, but I don't need any legal grief at the moment and the show is still in production so I don't want to jeopardize future work over the coming months.<br />
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Moving on to something I CAN talk about, I'm excited to be picking up another shoot with the <a href="http://www.hptpoker.com/" target="_blank">HPT</a>. I found out earlier this week that they'll be flying me out to Las Vegas for their tournament at the <a href="http://www.palms.com/" target="_blank">Palms Casino</a>. Yes, it's cool to be flown out for a job, and yes, it's cool to be going to Vegas, but this job means a little more than that to me. This job culminates four years of building a working relationship with a company and earning their trust as a freelance employee. In the last year, it has evolved from me only working a local casino, to me traveling on my own to St. Louis, to them flying me out to Vegas. Not bad for something that started with a cold-contact email to the co-owner of the production company. It's been awesome getting here, but I'd be even happier if it lasted a great deal beyond this point.<br />
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Lastly, you've probably noticed that I haven't been doing much on the photography front lately. That is because I have been fortunate enough to be busy with production work so far this year. Should things start to slow down, or on the less likely chance someone requests photos out of the blue (since I'm not advertising), I doubt that will change for the time being.<br />
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<i>OK. I left that above paragraph in this post because up until the point where I typed the last period, it was true. My phone rang before I could start another sentence and now I am booked for a senior photo session. Just more proof I have no idea what I'm talking about. :)</i><br />
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That's all for now. Thanks for reading.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-66661409247057715602012-03-07T10:35:00.001-06:002012-03-07T10:35:48.342-06:00A Little Drama Before St. Louis...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, now that we've had our first tornado (depending on who you ask), I suppose winter is over and spring has sprung. That typically means business is about to pick up. In fact, I've already been talking to my friend Bogac with <a href="http://digitalodeon.net/">Digital Odeon Productions</a> about some jobs. The first of those jobs is actually very soon... as in tomorrow. That's right, tomorrow night I'll be headed to my alma mater Pittsburg High School to shoot their rendition of <i>Legally Blonde The Musical</i>.<br />
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While I may not be thrilled with the play they've selected, I'm actually looking forward to this job. The last two plays that I have taped for them have been excellent and I'm sure this one will follow suit. This job actually represents everything I love about event videography. While anywhere from dozens to hundreds of people are paying to come see an event, I not only am getting paid to be there, but I sometimes get the best view in the house. While a local high school play might not be the most illustrious example of this, I still enjoy every minute of it.<br />
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Of course, taking in a bit of theater isn't the only thing on my agenda this weekend. Saturday I'll be heading to St. Louis for my second stop this year with the <a href="http://www.hptpoker.com/">Heartland Poker Tour</a>. The first stop was at <a href="http://www.downstreamcasino.com/">Downstream Casino</a> just across the Oklahoma border. I've been working that location for the last couple years, but this will be my first time working another city with them. However, I'm especially excited because this shoot will mark the HPT's 100th event. That's a pretty huge milestone, so naturally, it's looking to be a quite a party. There are six poker pros already slated to attend including <a href="http://www.philhellmuth.com/">Phil Hellmuth</a> and <a href="http://www.chrismoneymaker.com/">Chris Moneymaker</a>. If you aren't familiar with poker celebs, let me just paraphrase a little <a href="http://youtu.be/NnkYndycWno">Ron Burgundy</a> for you. They're kind of a big deal. As if that wasn't enough, we'll also be shooting at not one, but two locations this weekend. I'll only be shooting the final table, but qualifiers and the main event will be taking place at both the Lumiere Place and River City casinos. I'm sure it's going to be a crazy weekend, I just hope it stays on the good side of crazy.<br />
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Thanks for reading.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com01300-1498 S Pine St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.3960411 -94.707061637.194206099999995 -95.0229186 37.5978761 -94.391204600000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-36192939965314426062012-02-16T00:06:00.000-06:002012-02-16T12:10:36.734-06:00On The Cheap: Yongnuo YN-467 Speedlite Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I suppose, in the name of full disclosure, I should start out saying that I am wary about writing this review. This is mostly because I'm not deeply versed in flash photography. By that, I mean that I studied the technical aspects of flash photography while in school and I used a variety of flashes and setups as well, but in all honesty it was something that I didn't master and mostly fudged around with until I got it right. I was spoiled and shot mostly with strobes in a studio setting, but still used a speedlight, just not many times. So, if you are looking for a laboratory test/technical review where someone goes in-depth about verifying the guide number, measures the color temperature of the light, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=l69Vi5IDc0g">whether or not it will blend</a>... this is not it. </div>
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</div><a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2012/02/on-cheap-yongnuo-yn-467-speedlite.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com21300-1498 S Pine St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.3960411 -94.707061637.194206099999995 -95.0229186 37.5978761 -94.391204600000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-67882253879695607072012-02-01T11:41:00.000-06:002012-02-01T11:41:24.648-06:00Just When You Thought You Were Rid of Me...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Like a phoenix rising from the ashes... OK, more like a grumpy, half-asleep bear waking up from hibernation. The blog is alive once more. I don't typically do much work in December and January. It's not that I don't want to, but between the holidays and the winter slowdown it just happens. However, now that I'm starting to add jobs to the calendar, it's time to dust things off and get back into the groove of posting on a regular basis.<br />
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Now, I don't believe in New Years resolutions, but I do believe in setting goals. So, I've set a couple goals for myself this year. The first is to write more product reviews. I only wrote one review of a product last year, but I found that out of all my posts, two were generating the most traffic on a regular basis. The first was linked to an ad I posted to Craigslist for photography services, and the second was my review of the <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/06/on-cheap-bower-pro-slr-backpack-review.html">Bower Camera Bag</a></span> I purchased. So not only is it a good way to bring more traffic to the blog, it's also a resource to other photogs at my buying level. Two perfect reasons to keep doing it. I've already purchased some new gear, so keep an eye out for reviews to start popping up.<br />
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My second goal for the year is a bit more challenging, for me anyway. I'd like to do more personal creative work. Whether it's shooting a short for the web, doing a photo series / working with models, or even getting back into nature/landscape photography. Being purely creative has always been one of my weaker areas. I've always considered myself a facilitator for the visions of others. However, I realize that if I'm going to continue to grow in a creative industry, I have to push myself to create my own work and not just sit back and wait for others to need me.<br />
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Well, that's pretty much it for this post. Like I said, there are jobs popping up on the calendar and there are already some interesting changes going on. It's shaping up to be a good year, even if a month of it is already gone.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-33166560120496380892011-12-16T09:37:00.003-06:002011-12-16T09:37:40.384-06:00Epic Christmas Is Coming...According to this video from the Weather Channel, Epic Christmas will begin airing episodes on Monday December 19th. I haven't found the exact date that the Joplin episode I worked on will air, but I assume it will be the last one of the three to air, since it was the last to be shot. It's always nice to see the end results of the shows you work on, so I'm definitely looking forward to it.<br />
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You can also see profiles on the Epic Christmas finalists and previews of the first episode on the <a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/on-tv-43/epic-christmas-455/epic-christmas-finalist-david-miller-22193#loc=43/455/22193">Weather Channel website</a>.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com01200-1298 Duquesne Rd, Joplin, MO 64801, USA37.0767273 -94.459390837.0513903 -94.4988728 37.1020643 -94.419908799999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-55112949769000118772011-12-11T10:10:00.001-06:002011-12-12T15:00:18.854-06:00New Photo Sessions: The Hutchisons and the McMastersIt's been a little crazy the last two weeks. Somehow I was able to finish up three projects in that amount of time and mix in some Christmas shopping as well. The first task was to finish the rest of Jake's session after the initial rush to get a picture to the school. After wrapping up his pics and slideshow it was on to my last two clients (presumably for the year).<br />
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The first was the Hutchison family. Unfortunately, we encountered one of the major predators of the "Natural Light/ Outdoor Photographer," wind... and lots of it. We did our best to find a place that might be shielded from the gusts, but it was next to impossible. Still, I think we ended up with enough good shots to make a decent session. Most likely we'll revisit this session in the spring... they are family after all. :)<br />
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The McMasters were the second family. They decided to brave the cold for their session. Thankfully for them, but to my disliking, the clouds parted for the last half of their shoot and warmed things up, but made lighting a bit tricky. They came ready with a lot of ideas and wanted a good amount of individual and couple/paired photos to go with their family pics, so it was a lot of fun and a nice challenge to come up with enough variety to keep the images interesting.<br />
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Like I said, these will most likely be my last photography jobs of the year. This first year has definitely been a learning process and I know I am starting to pick out what areas I am lacking in and need to improve on. I'm just hopeful that I will get more opportunities next year to do so. I've already got some equipment upgrades planned, so it should definitely be interesting to see what the future holds.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com01300-1498 S Pine St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.3960411 -94.707061637.194206099999995 -95.0229186 37.5978761 -94.391204600000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-6044503104381215172011-11-29T10:26:00.001-06:002011-11-29T10:42:20.836-06:001zero8 MMA - Danger ZoneLooks like another round of 1zero8 MMA videos have landed on YouTube. Be sure to check out the Ring Girl interviews this time around as well. I'm not sure if they'll turn into a regular part of those gigs, but I've got my fingers crossed they do... My wife, not so much. Enjoy!<br />
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Another crazy extended weekend is in the books. Jake's senior pic was sent in to the school for his yearbook, and day three of 'Epic Christmas' wrapped on Tuesday. I even slipped in an impromptu family session for my Sister-In-Law. It seems like it has been non-stop since Friday, so finally having a day off on Wednesday really helped get me back up and going for the fights coming up on Saturday.<br>
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</div><a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/11/flip-switch.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-76037395235034739342011-11-10T12:25:00.002-06:002011-11-11T01:12:54.799-06:00Gettin' Busy...Whoa! Looks like I missed my once-every-two-weeks deadline for updates. Oh well, I'm sure the number of people who'll read this can fit into a minivan anyway. Anyway, that doesn't change the fact that things are getting busy again. Let's take a look at what's coming up over the next 9 days.<br />
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This Firday I'll be shooting some senior pics for Jake. He's already had a senior session with another pair of photogs, but says he didn't want them to shoot the "guy stuff." So, we'll be loading up his hunting gear and heading out to the pastures. His dog is also very important to him, so we should get some great shots of both of them together. Definitely looking forward to it.<br />
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Then, after a break to take my son BMX racing on Saturday, I'll start a 3 day production job with a show called <i>Epic Christmas</i> in Joplin, MO. I plan on doing a full post once it's finished or maybe daily updates, so I won't give away to many of the details now. If the title is any indication it should be a good time. Besides, who can say no to Xmas a month early? I know I can't, and since it's for a good cause, it makes it that much better.<br />
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Last, but not least, it's one of my favorite nights. FIGHT NIGHT! A week from this Saturday I'll be shooting MMA action in KC again. Working for 1zero8 is really turning into one of my favorite regular gigs. Is it a huge production, broadcast to thousands of people? No. But I'm always treated well and I get to see some great fights at every event. I also work solo, so I'm "The Show." If I screw up, it effects the final product because there's no safety net, no backup camera to cut to. I love the responsibility and the pressure to do a good job.<br />
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Well, that's what I got coming up over the next week or so. Like I mentioned, keep an eye out for updates on <i>Epic Christmas. </i>I also plan on updating my photography portfolio before the end of the year, so watch for that as well.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0603-799 E 21st St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.42664978250189 -94.69485282897949237.423497282501891 -94.6997883289795 37.429802282501889 -94.68991732897949tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-32392374540718678842011-10-28T20:16:00.000-05:002011-10-28T20:16:37.109-05:00A Day (And Night) With the HPT...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, now that I have retrieved yet another left-behind piece of camera equipment, I can tell you about my great weekend working with the <a href="http://www.hptpoker.com/">Heartland Poker Tour</a>. Yes, that's right, I let a HPT crew member take production pics with my camera and I didn't check that the SD card was still in it. I'm an idiot, I know. Anyway, that still didn't take away from another great work experience.<br>
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<a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/10/day-and-night-with-hpt.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com069300 E Nee Rd, Quapaw, OK 74363, USA36.99754871269527 -94.62537288665771536.994378212695267 -94.630308386657717 37.000719212695273 -94.620437386657713tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-87161745648403028832011-10-18T16:03:00.000-05:002011-10-18T16:03:13.877-05:00The Akins Family...Wow! It's been a busy month already and the busiest part of it is still around the corner. One of the things contributing to the extra busyness has been the small surge in photo work I have been doing. My latest session was with the Akins Family of Pittsburg. Football is a big part of their life, so getting some family shots and individual pics of the boys on the field was a must. Hopefully they enjoy their pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. You can check out their slideshow below.<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-28177209677147644122011-10-03T08:39:00.001-05:002011-10-06T23:41:14.596-05:00MMA Videos Are Up...A fresh batch of my MMA video work hit YouTube yesterday. You can check them out below. Also, if you're looking for some great live MMA action in the KC area, their next show is coming up on <a href="http://www.1zero8.com/DANGER%20ZONE.html">November 19th</a>. You can also keep an eye out for future events at <a href="http://www.1zero8.com/">1zero8.com</a>.<br />
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As always, thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-33360120971709343272011-09-20T23:00:00.000-05:002011-09-20T23:00:05.523-05:00Slaughter Pen Jam Video...I decided I've been letting the video I shot at my first XC Mountain Bike race sit around for too long. So, I decided to finally turn it into something. In hindsight, I wish I had <a href="http://gopro.com/">GoPro</a> or <a href="http://contour.com/">Contour</a> camera footage of my own ride to add to the mix and break up the third person perspective, but there's no point crying about what you don't have.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OcxlN11DTkc" width="640"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0Armadillo's Last Stand, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA36.407084698635245 -94.20909404754638736.405487198635242 -94.211561547546381 36.408682198635248 -94.206626547546392tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-50691963332693619202011-09-09T10:39:00.002-05:002011-09-09T10:43:31.679-05:00Braggin' On the HPT...On this blog, I usually get to brag about some of the cool production jobs I do from time to time, so it's probably a nice change of pace for my readers (yes, plural. My mom and my wife both follow it... sometimes) to hear me brag about someone else instead. One of my regular employers, The Heartland Poker Tour, have teamed up with actor and comedian Brad Garrett to raise money to benefit victims of the Joplin Tornado. The HPT will be making one of their regular stops at the <a href="http://www.downstreamcasino.com/">Downstream Casino</a> in October and Garrett will be traveling with them to perform in a benefit show with all proceeds being donated to Tornado relief efforts. You can see the promo video below.<br />
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The, "Over $50,000" that is mentioned came from an earlier <a href="http://www.federatedinc.com/our-companies/epic-poker-league/event-one-charity-partner">Epic Poker League event</a> held in Las Vegas in early August. The HPT, <a href="http://www.epicpoker.com/">EPL</a>, <a href="http://www.opusa.org/">Operation USA</a>, and Garrett all teamed up to put on a charity poker tournament.<br />
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With all the negatives that people sometimes associate with gambling and casinos, it's nice to see people in that community putting together a great fundraising effort for a community that has gone through so much. Props to HPT and Mr. Garrett! Be sure to keep an eye on the Downstream website for ticket information.<br />
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Thanks for reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-11520485375187350862011-09-02T11:00:00.002-05:002011-09-02T11:00:34.694-05:00The Month Ahead...Well, it seems September has finally arrived. It's a month I have been simultaneously dreading and looking forward to. Three out of the four weekends are already booked, two with business and one with pleasure (which sounds really bad now that I've typed it out). Let's start with the pleasure first, shall we? (too much?)<br>
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<a href="http://www.slaughterpenjam.com/"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://www.slaughterpenjam.com/images/Jam_8p5x11_wsponsors_03.png" width="320"></a></div>
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<a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/09/month-ahead.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com01300-1498 S Pine St, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA37.3960411 -94.707061637.194206099999995 -95.0229186 37.5978761 -94.391204600000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-46718798306493582782011-08-22T22:44:00.000-05:002011-08-22T22:44:30.796-05:00Another Wedding Weekend...Surprises aren't always nice, so when I come across a pleasant one, I always like to share. Once you've shot weddings for a couple years, you become able to notice when a couple has actually put their own personal touches on their wedding day and not just whipped out the 'Church-Reception Hall-90s Top 40 Music' cookie cutter wedding. So, when I got to the address for this weekend's wedding ceremony and I stepped out of the car and into some grungy Power and Light District back alley with no church in sight, I knew the day showed a bit of promise. Then, as I walked past the graffiti sprayed walls, stepping over cigarette butts and streams of water coming from who-knows-where, I rounded the corner to find this...<div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bergeventspace.com/mobile/img/big/44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://www.bergeventspace.com/mobile/img/big/44.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div><div>The reception area upstairs wasn't too shabby either. A mix of modern flair and rustic charm that really showed off the couples burlap, wood, and springtime flowers theme.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNETRJNesA3GHUFjPxFqw1foA6Wj_eWz8h8F13HFEO95X0K7e4XHQOjy-R1SSXdrcazu77RV8Mr7zvXnD9LMFQECNBwjyQ8bFB4fYRIVhpndF6zVljtfSEX2W0pgJNfWCdnmaTQ6EA6pc/s1600/_MG_3711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNETRJNesA3GHUFjPxFqw1foA6Wj_eWz8h8F13HFEO95X0K7e4XHQOjy-R1SSXdrcazu77RV8Mr7zvXnD9LMFQECNBwjyQ8bFB4fYRIVhpndF6zVljtfSEX2W0pgJNfWCdnmaTQ6EA6pc/s320/_MG_3711.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Wedding critiquing aside, it was nice to find myself behind the camera at a wedding again, even if it was just a short 5-6 hour shoot. It's been a slow wedding season this year and with a few more bookings to go, one of which is a double wedding and MMA shoot day, it felt good to get back in the groove of that type of shooting. Hopefully I can keep the momentum and good vibes going into the next gig and finish the year out strong.</div><div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-11462380447544966732011-08-09T14:43:00.000-05:002011-08-09T14:43:22.679-05:00Down On The Farm...Wow! Another huge gap in between posts. What happened? Did Zack Die? Was he committed to an asylum? Did he move down South to pursue a new-found dream of becoming a radish farmer? Well, to answer your questions; No, No, and Why would you even ask that? Actually, I do have to blame part of the delay on what I am now referring to as <i>The Great Camera Scare of 2011. </i>I don't want to waste time with details, but let's just say it involves the last job I worked on, a hotel, FedEx, and me being separated from my camera gear for two weeks.<br>
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Speaking of my last job, the last week of July I spent a day working as a PA/Grip for a <a href="http://paperrouteproductions.com/projects/meatguy/">Paper Meat Productions</a> while they were shooting on location in Sedan, KS. The program we were shooting for was a food show tracing certain dishes back to their origins. Thus, we were on a farm looking at grass-fed cattle. It was your standard PA work, making runs, grabbing drinks for the crew, and setting up lunch. The Grip work was light, mostly C-stands, sand bags, and reflectors/diffusion. I even got to take some set stills when their camera's battery ran out. However, this time around there was one small twist. It was my first time working on a 3D shoot.<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipKjUJegty8xOJ5uPkHhTrcy_uF7G1aKtAGSbP4_bA6qY2SZW2sLWc8x4YfjSr2K_BUboHJEoN0_8kzvZ5JgBA3pQTAlVBequWR1o3P1KL85fbwF2VWNq3caaPglLBx5Xbzl3-O5NtxE/s1600/_MG_3598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipKjUJegty8xOJ5uPkHhTrcy_uF7G1aKtAGSbP4_bA6qY2SZW2sLWc8x4YfjSr2K_BUboHJEoN0_8kzvZ5JgBA3pQTAlVBequWR1o3P1KL85fbwF2VWNq3caaPglLBx5Xbzl3-O5NtxE/s320/_MG_3598.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite the setup...</td></tr>
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<a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/08/down-on-farm.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com0Sedan, KS 67361, USA37.1267196 -96.18693610000002537.120000600000004 -96.197838100000027 37.1334386 -96.176034100000024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-9626691225066495792011-07-11T11:34:00.000-05:002011-07-11T11:34:00.204-05:00Richard and Judy's 50th Anniversary...Awhile back I mentioned that <i>Howard Photography</i> was booked for it's first official portrait session. Now that the finished disks are in the mail, I figured I would share the results. Richard, Judy, and the entire family were great clients. They had ideas of what they wanted but were still open to my ideas and they were very patient considering how hot the weather was. It still amazes me that the entire session took less than 2 hours to complete, but like I said, this family was really helpful and organized.<br>
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</div><div>Here are their photos:</div><br>
<object height="400" width="625"><param name='movie' value='http://www.slideflickr.com/slide/OP0XWmiB'><param name='wmode' value='transparent'><embed src='http://www.slideflickr.com/slide/OP0XWmiB' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='transparent' width='625' height='400'></object><br>
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</div><a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/07/richard-and-judys-50th-anniversary.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1811480080355881038.post-24426070993884354412011-06-27T23:43:00.000-05:002011-06-27T23:43:59.758-05:00On The Cheap: Bower Pro SLR Backpack ReviewI've been kicking around the idea of writing equipment reviews for a long time now. However, I didn't want to be the millionth person to write a review for things like my T2i, especially since their are plenty of people who get those items before they are public. So, if big-ticket items are out, what's left? In all honesty... cheap, scary stuff. That's right, I'm talking 'you-get-what-you-pay-for' territory here. The reason I finally decided to write a review is simply because I was so frustrated trying to find one somewhere else and coming up empty. I just hope that these will help someone either save some money, or know when to turn and run. So... Here we go.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bower-SCB1350-Digital-Photography-Backpack/dp/B001JD3R7U/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41oFlralg4L.jpg" width="200"></a><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KDHTaWawL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KDHTaWawL.jpg" width="200"> </a><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KDHTaWawL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a href="http://zackisfreelance.blogspot.com/2011/06/on-cheap-bower-pro-slr-backpack-review.html#more">Check it out...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08773937676960902501noreply@blogger.com1Pittsburg, KS, USA37.410884 -94.70496000000002837.3613975 -94.742038000000022 37.4603705 -94.667882000000034