There is no doubt that there is no place like New York City.  And for someone from Arizona, it is a completely different planet.  I love visiting this city.

After a long day of traveling, I parked my car and carted my bags to my modest but clean hotel.  I checked in and called the elevator which was just big enough for two people.  I laughed.  They certainly have learned how to conserve space in this city.  And when I reached my room, I set my bags down, took off my shoes and went to the window to take in the view.  No view could have been more entertaining than the one I found.  Almost in defiance of my ridiculous view, I stood in front of the open curtains and took it in, as though I were at the top of the Empire States Building.  It was the perfect view.  To me, this is New York.  A strange, crowded world with completely different rules and expectations.  It fascinates me.

The crowds are never ending 24 hours a day.  I suppose living in this atmosphere is both invigorating and lonely.  There are simply so many people that everyone is lost in the crowd.  As I walk down the streets of New York, there are so many people dressed in every style imaginable, that it became harder and harder to place significance on any one person.  I think the same is true of imagery.  As photographers present more and more images, they create confusion for the viewer and make it harder for any one image to stand out.  The more crowded a portfolio becomes, the less impactful it becomes.  You may get someone’s attention by overwhelming them with the shear volume of work, but the impact  of the imagery is lost in a sea of visual noise that is almost impossible to break through.  I see this in many photographers’ portfolios, blog posts and client deliveries and I am convinced that it overwhelms the viewer to the point of shut down.  Less is more.

Of course, the architecture in New York is fantastic.  I particularly love the older buildings.  One of my favorites is the Flat Iron building and when it is shot from the right angle, it even looks more peculiar than it already is.  Every street in NYC is a visual feast.  It is a great backdrop, or it can be a great subject on its own.  I wish I had more time in the city…

And of course, when I think of New York, I think of the subway system, the under-world of the city.  And the fact that it was conceived and built so long ago, completely boggles my mind.  This photograph was taken late at night as I waited on my train.  I was struck by this scene as I compared the experience of the people in that car to my experience outside that car.  This image sums up my interest in New York City.  It is a city I love to observe, but I do enjoy being just an observer, because I think the sheer speed and density would eat me alive.

The New Math of Lightroom 3 (process versions) from Jared Platt on Vimeo.

I just posted this new podcast. For those of you using Lightroom 3, it is worth the watch. It is a tech topic, so if you are not a photographer, at least it has a photograph of a very cute kid! This little guy is a complete ham.

Lightroom 3 has a few great new features in it, but the best feature is the math behind the curtain. This is what Adobe calls a Process Version. It is essentially a new set of algorithms and other mathematic equations that I would never understand, that make our images look better. And all throughout high school, I thought math would never be useful to me. It turns out that it is very useful, as long as someone smart employes it in my photo software.

Lightroom 3 can employ the older math from 2003 (used in LR 2) or it can employ the new math inherent in LR3. The new math is beautiful and worth updating images that you are taking a second look at, but it is not advisable to update everything all at once. Check out this podcast to find out why.

The Phoenician is a beautiful place for a wedding.  Last week, I shot a small and intimate wedding there.  I enjoy them because they are very family oriented with only the closest of friends.  For most of the afternoon, the sun was bright and the sky was clear, but as the sun began to set, a massive dust and thunder storm from the south began to move in and provided us with a perfect backdrop.  But before the storm hit the Phoenician, we were safely inside at dinner, so it was the best of both worlds.

The Phoenician has opened up a new building and this wall and painting are in that new building.  I love the reflection of the bride in the wall.  I shot a fair number of images, looking for a way to best utilize that reflection as I worked with the bride on the image.

I was quite a ways away from the scene, so I did not hear what was being said, but something is being said and that makes the photo that much more intriguing.  What is being said here?  No that I look at the photo,  I wish I knew.

The rose on the napkin as a place setting was a fantastic idea.  It was simple and elegant.  I thought adding the rings was a nice touch.

And now for a slideshow from the wedding.  Enjoy.

Adam & Elizabeth’s Wedding in Paradise Valley, Arizona from Jared Platt on Vimeo.

October 2, 2010. Adam and Elizabeth were married at the Phoenician in Phoenix, Arizona. The wedding was a small intimate gathering of friends and family and because the party was small, they were able to have the wedding dinner in the wine cellar. It is a beautiful room.

Wedding Location: The Phoenician Resort, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Photography by Jared Platt, Platt Photography
Music by Kevin Burdick

It is pretty hard to top getting married at one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s like being married at the ocean’s edge, except that there is only one Grand Canyon. It was a perfect day for a wedding at the Grand Canyon. Shashone Point is a great location with almost no tourists and no guard rails. This is the way the canyon was intended to be seen. And what a great backdrop for a wedding.

Thank you, Eric and Alicia for allowing us to be a part of this great wedding. It was a truly one of a kind.

The Bailey / Kintner Wedding – The Grand Canyon, AZ from Jared Platt on Vimeo.

Alicia and Eric were married at the Grand Canyon. The ceremony was held at Shoshone Point, which is one of the most spectacular views in the canyon and is one of the most accessible and yet untouched areas on the canyon’s edge.

Photography by: Jared Platt
Wedding Designer: Kim Duncan
Location: The Grand Canyon
Music: Celtic Blessing by Lianna Klassen – Triple Scoop Music

www.triplescoopmusic.com

As you can see, we have just changed the blog.  It is all new and improved, except for one thing.  You can’t see the photos!  Which is a pretty big issue.  So we have our very best technicians looking into the problem.  We have hit everything with a hammer a few times and given every hard drive a good shaking and now we are unscrwewing every scew and bolt to see if we can find the photos.

Please be patient as we solve the problems.  We should be back up and running soon.

In the mean time, Platt Photography has lots of great images to look at and for more information about my workshops, go to Jared Platt Workshops.

Sincerely,

Jared Platt