Epic 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.



You can also see profiles on the Epic Christmas finalists and previews of the first episode on the Weather Channel website.

Thanks for reading!

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Flip The Switch...

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.

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Gettin' 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.

This... is obviously not Jake.

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.

Then, after a break to take my son BMX racing on Saturday, I'll start a 3 day production job with a show called Epic Christmas 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.

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.

Well, that's what I got coming up over the next week or so. Like I mentioned, keep an eye out for updates on Epic Christmas. I also plan on updating my photography portfolio before the end of the year, so watch for that as well.

Thanks for reading!

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Down 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 The Great Camera Scare of 2011. 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.

Speaking of my last job, the last week of July I spent a day working as a PA/Grip for a Paper Meat Productions 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.

Quite the setup...

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Knowing When To Say No...

The other day, I had to do something that makes my stomach twist into knots so painful that I want to vomit. I had to say no to a job offer. It's not something a poor guy like me likes to say very often, but sometimes I find it necessary. Just because a job pays, doesn't mean it is worth it.

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