A bit ago, Seth Godin and Nic Askew collaborated on a short film that really inspired me. I was just about to go shoot a wedding with my friends Chris and Katie Humphreys and it occurred to me that I had an opportunity.

What if I intentionally chose to make curiosity the focus of my day … committing myself to forget what I was used to and instead discover new ways to consider the familiar? I’m not sure I was successful, but I do know that I was moved by the experience.

Thankfully, Chris and Katie are both gracious and enormously skilled, so my going on a curiosity safari didn’t impact Wendy and Bergt’s amazing wedding too badly :-) . Here are some of the results …

Some details …

Wendy’s final touches …

Bergt pointing out the Hollywood sign with his new Rolex from Wendy …

Fun wall fountain I would have normally just walked right past …

This was an angle that Chris was setting up on the roof of the hotel …

So I decided to walk around and get curious about other angles to consider …

Here was another brilliant Humphrey’s setting he created …

Then, I remembered the hearth in the background and thought it might look interesting to highlight the fire from a different angle, adding some colorful accents to Wendy’s gorgeous face …

Wendy’s girls in a candid moment between formals …

A stunning dead-pan from the bride …

Shoes and flowers …

Waiting for communion …

The kiss from behind the alter …

And Chris and Katie enjoying a good chimp together …

How might curiosity inspire you to find new territory and take new ground?

Keep it curious.
-Dane

PS … Thanks again Chris and Katie. Again, you are a gift.

The medium is often the only message people remember.

This is why I’m pretty picky when it comes to where I let my services be on display. Wouldn’t it be a bummer if my potential clients measured me not by the brand I’ve created but by an unattractive vehicle it is riding on?

There are a handful of online sites that I think raise the bar from your standard wedding directory. The first is Photographik. They just came out with version 2.0 and I really like their interface. I also like how they organize into intuitive categories (wedding, destination, portrait) and how they enable conversation between the brides, the photographer and the site with their blurbits.

Another directory that has an authentic and intimate feel that I like is Marcus Sark’s Wedding Party. His site feels very accessible with his no-nonsense way of communicating and both websites feel clean of clutter and give the impression that my brides can get to where they want quickly and painlessly. Sites that serve your brides while they serve your brand are partners that I think make sense.

I’m curious what you think though … Doesn’t it bug you when stores force you to go a certain way for their benefit and not necessarily yours? I think this IKEA maze-model might sell more stuff in the short term, but doesn’t it leave clients who know what they want resentful that they were forced to walk the whole store when they were only looking for one perfect fit?

Keep it about the one you’re serving.
-Dane

I’m convinced that the trick to creativity is to capture your inner chaos. Make sense of it and you’re a genius. Be ruled by it and you’re stuck indefinitely. I hate feeling stuck.

A week or so ago I recommended Basecamp for organizing group projects. This is especially great for photography staffs or for coordinating with companies you outsource with. It is the absolute best online collaboration application I have ever found and I highly recommend it.

I’m using right it now with the Fast Track Founders and we are loving it! It’s so fun to dive deep into the philosophy and practicality of the book together and really build intimate community in the process. BTW, one of the perks of being a Founder is you get the inside scoop on all things Fast Track (including the book itself) before it goes to wide release … just a heads up!

Since that blog post, I’ve been playing a lot with another application from the same people who made Basecamp. It’s called Backpack and I can’t believe how remarkable it is too. It is elegantly simple yet enormously powerful. It’s literally a virtual backpack where I can throw in all my digital assets that I collect and use all the time. It’s given me a lot of life back. I just feel less weighed down with data.

Now, I basically get to collect stuff without feeling cluttered … things like common messages I send out to people, basic html code that I am always looking for, contracts I work from, portfolio’s too … having everything in one place is so helpful especially when I’m needing to just find a place for some information somewhere that I’ll want to retrieve later. It’s almost like a junk drawer that organizes my stuff for me. It’s also a fantastic way to keep all my iCal calendars online and fully integrated with my desktop application so friends I work and connect with (even on PC’s) can know what’s up. Needless, to say, I’m impressed with it.

You gotta check it out.

Keep it organized.
-Dane

PS … The response to the Introduction to Fast Track has been overwhelming. Your comments have been so encouraging! Thank you thank you thank you. Keep ‘em coming :-) !

When I got the call from Nicole a few months back that she wanted me to shoot her wedding to Jeff, I knew I was being invited in to something pretty special.

I have known Nicole for a while now. She was one of my students when I taught at Westmont and from the moment I met her I was convinced that she would be Governor, Senator, President … whatever. She’s the kind of person who’ll probably just choose. She’s that good.

Currently, she’s getting her law degree in DC and is working for Ted Poe (R - Texas). Jeff is equally impressive. If any of you had a chance to see Bella, you probably did because of Jeff’s work getting it out to the masses. They’re both world changers and hell bent on making this place better for everyone. They are just beautiful people.

The wedding itself was gorgeous. In addition to the great location …

Susanne Duffy of Crown Weddings just did an unbelievable job with every little detail.

Dawn Stone of Embellishmint Decor and Floral made the room absolutely majestic and Drew Miller from Unity Sounds was a total class act. It is such a treat to work with such remarkable professionals.

Wanna see some more? Check out the slideshow and when you fall in love with the song, go check out the rest of Heather Featherstone’s music! She’s amazing.

PS … Big shout out to my former (and future :-) ) clients who were at Nicole and Jeff’s wedding. It totally felt like a reunion to hang out with all you guys! Thank you for inviting me into your lives!!

PPS … I’m so stoked because I get to shoot a fun wedding with my buddy Chris up in Marina del Rey tomorrow. Can’t wait!

PPPS … Thanks again to Jeff Youngren and Micah Gilmore. You two founders were amazing. For a sneak peek on what the future holds for the wedding industry, check out their pictures from this wedding. Just fantastic!