August Contest

So I think winning went to my head and I needed to do just one more contest before the summer's end. However, now I am scrounging for photos to enter and don't want to enter crap - I mean I have a rep to protect. People don't want to see garbage by Megan Stearman right? Right.

I still want my dang lightning shot - a good one with multiple streaks of lightning coming down. I can see the picture in my head it's just all a matter of time before it happens. And well a good lightning storm.

Hopefully I can get some good beach shots or aerial shots on the plane to and from Cali where it'll be worthy to enter. For the August contest I'd like to at least have 5 images. Eh, we'll see what happens. Just keep spreading the word and voting!

Printed

Ahem, attention followers. I have a very important announcement to make... and you may want to sit down and read this in a safe area where you’ll have plenty of room to jump up and celebrate after.

I, Megan Stearman, have accomplished something I believed was intangible, reached a goal I never dreamed of achieving, hurdled an obstacle I believed was set too high – I have received high scores from the online community and was selected to be printed and sold. Not just one picture but TWO!

While sitting at work I figured that I would avoid doing anything productive at all costs and just check my mail on my phone where I saw that I had received an email from Exposed Posters entitled Printed.

The email goes on to say ‘Your images have been selected by the online community and Exposed Posters as the contest’s top submissions. You should be proud, as this was a competitive competition. We received many quality submissions from around the world. The fact that yours ended at the front of the pack is praiseworthy. Please accept our congratulations and help us spread the word about your accomplishments by telling all your friends and family about your win.’

So I wanted to do just that, I am sharing with you friends – all 6 of you.

I am very proud of myself and have not been able to stop smiling since I read the email. Also, I wanted to send out my sincerest gratitude to you all for supporting me and voting for me as much as you did. I highly doubt it would have been possible without you all.

Exposed Posters is something that came into my life by chance and while I have done more than I thought I would ever be able to my first contest – I am still looking to do work with this website in the future and hopefully continually get my name and work out there. Winning will not always be an outcome but it will continue to be my motivation.

KY State A's

“Is it light outside at 5 am?”

Nothing like waking up at the butt crack of dawn to illegally drive at 6 in the am to follow someone who has decided going five over the speed limit isn’t enough and wants to push it to 20 over and go 90 mph – I mean sure why not?

Now why would anyone want to be up before the rooster crows on a Saturday… for swimming of course!

We packed the car with camera equipment, two muffins and one Georgia to travel north to Elizabethtown, KY. The day included much more than I ever thought it would have including a way too tan for her age woman yelling at me that swimmers were not swimming in their given lanes and have crossed into the member’s swimming area.

Heaven forbid.

I think the day this woman learned sharing at school she must not have been a fan of it because she gave me an earful at all the swimmer’s wrong doing. I guess it was the purple beads I had around my neck that she insinuated was a fancy life guard’s whistle because as such I was doing a terrible job at keeping the swimmers where they were suppose to be. Needless to say the woman was on crack, and sadly she didn’t travel alone. Soon her one woman posse over heard her jabbering at me and decided she wanted to talk my other ear off at how upset she was at it all.

Stupid swimmers, how dare you ever cross the red and white lane ropes of doom and get into water that is clearly not yours. I want you to know that you took up these kind, considerate, and aging women’s water and all the space they needed to float on their noodles. You probably caused them severe psychological damage because they had to share their pool with you hoodlums!

After all that fun was over I went back to my real job of why I was there and continued to take pictures of the WKU Swimmers. Got a few good ones and got an opportunity to play around with the new camera - I was very tempted to break out the 300 lens since it is still in my possession but I did not yet again. Fail on my part because that was my chance to play around on it before Cali.

Pictures from the meet are posted on my website.
Direct link:
http://mnstearman.smugmug.com/WKU-Swimming/KY-State-As/13086194_LeNpW#948397088_J6xWF

AH HA!

Ask you shall finally receive!

This week's life lesson is being a wee bit more aggressive in the corporate PJ world can pay off. After I vented yesterday, I wrote the unnamed head of office for the paper again and apologized for my persistence but I wanted to follow up and even see if he got my email in the first place or if he just chose to ignore me by will.

He wrote me back informing me that I needed to write the sports editor blah blah blah to tell him what I was going to be doing and see if he was interested in running it in the school paper. I smell a publication...a nice wonderful picture with a little caption underneath that reads "PHOTO BY MEGAN STEARMAN"

Anyways, that unnamed sports editor has yet to write me back BUT today in my possession I hold a letter that states:

"Megan Stearman will be shooting and reporting for the College Heights Herald, the Western Kentucky University student newspaper, at the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships during the week, August 3-7th in Irvine, California..."

Did anyone happen to catch a keyword of interest? Reporting?! Me? Ha ha I don't think so... I have never worked on a school publication of any type and I haven't written a sports story since I had my intermediate news reporting class. I mean sure Mr. Highland said I should work with the sports section for the paper because he liked my writing - but that doesn't mean that I can really impress everyone else as I did him. I think I am a terrible writer and it absolutely scares me that I may have to do this.

I could completely impress someone and perhaps shed some more light on a sport that gets overshadowed by our other amazing athletic teams (sometimes I wish sarcasm could be a font option like italic or bolding so people could easily get it)

Ooh, maybe they just included the reporting part to make me sound more official and that way there would be no questions as to why I am even there with all the other high end media.

Yeah, lets go with that.

Ugh...PJs

Since I cannot write a novel as my status I figured that I would just vent here and say how annoying it is when all you hear is "check your email" "check your email" and you write professors or other heads of departments - or just for this example the head advisor at the Herald. And all your hopes and aspirations are awaiting on this man's response to whether or not he can get you a press pass for let's say "Cali" and it's been 3 days and there has NOT been an unopened email response from him in your inbox.

I'm just saying that it's annoying and perhaps yes I should be more patient. But for those of you who know me know that I am not patient at all when it comes to waiting on that I want. And to make it worse, I have to wait on someone I don't even know to come through for me.

Personally, I don't think that it should take this long but again that could just be my impatience speaking.

Senior Portraits

So I may be presented with an opportunity to shoot a girl's senior portraits - but I am really nervous about doing it because it is something that I have never done and I feel like it's a heavy amount of pressure to sink or swim.

However, on the up side she already has all the spots that she wants to do them and working with people posing them is a whole lot easier than trying to pan them in action. So how bad could it be? (No one answer that)

Plus, if it ends up with her liking some, any, or all - well then that's another sale and I will have went above and beyond my summer goal. And referrals usually come from word of mouth when it comes to senior portraits and cheaper prices than other high end competitors. Putting myself out there. Go get em champ!

With there being some good, it can't all be scary, right?

I think it's the editing part that's scaring me the most...

Up To Par

As of today, it is:

- the second to last day to vote on any or all my photos - and any other ones you think are cooler than mine. Good luck searching for those... just kidding!
- 12 days until the winner of the contest is announced

AND

- 16 days until California

WHEW, I feel like there is so much to do and it's all drawing near. I am really excited and anxious about the contest and I already wish I was in California. However with that I need to acquire a press pass and as we already know I am little to nothing in Western's photo world and I don't know the right people to make that happen. So we'll have to see what is up my sleeves here and see what I will be able to pull off. Pray for me.

Hey, Hi, How Are Ya?

Last night my friend asked me if I wanted to shoot one of his friend's bands and the band guy promised to pay and all that jazz. After inhaling my dinner, I went to find the place they were playing at - low and behold they're playing at Skull Alley. Knowing that I already feel like I am going to be out of my element. After debating heavily in my car if it was either worth staying, I got out and told the "muscle guard" at the front that I was the photographer for HHHAY and I was somehow let in for free and shown the way to the back.

Only drag to this place for picture taking was the terrible lighting and I was afraid to get on everyone's nerves using my flash. I attempted to shoot a little during mic tests before all the 'moshing' started and the shots were to horrible. However, when the show started I was forced to use my flash. I think I got somewhat decent shots with all things considered. All the members of the band were really nice and I really liked them. Let's just see if they like anything that I shot last night.

*Sighs*

I do believe since I have become such an avid blogger that it is only fitting that I need to tell you what happened today in Megan's world of photo for today.

Gavin ended up writing me an email to come meet in his office because he wanted to talk about a job that he had for which he said he'd be willing to pay me for. When I went into his office another coworker was sitting there and Gavin began to fill her in on all the things he has planned for me and then the girl interrupted him saying she has dibs. Ha ha, I have never felt so important being fought over for my special talents!

Anyways, she admitted that she was a major UofL fan and would probably be looking to buy something like what I have for her dad's office. Excitement rose. Things are continuing to fall into place and I am loving it! One of Gavin's homework assignments was to design a Green Bay Packer poster for one of his friend's that's a designer. So I need to put on my creative hat and begin thinking of something that will hopefully impress - again.

One Poster, Many Opportunities

I went into work today wanting to show this picture to the guy who said he could get me into sitting on the floor taking pictures for the Louisville basketball games. I didn't know he would love it so much - as soon as he saw it he pulled me into the next room and told his office buddy that he had to see this. Then we talked about how long it took me and where I got the idea from and then they said "you could make a lot of money of this.. we should talk!" "no I saw her first"...

Silly boys ...

Since the dawn of time have men fought over women but never did I think that men fighting over my photo and creative talent would make me feel so happy! Is that wrong? I feel that it is wrong that I enjoyed it but nonetheless it made me happy.

But David and Gavin wanted me to send the picture to them along with my website so they could pass it along to people and my heart just began to get so excited thinking about all the possibilities that could began to unravel.

I never ever thought I would say this, but YAY FOR PHOTO!

And I made another sale last night - but does my dad count?

Yay For Dentist Appointments

This was a picture that I took over the weekend in Tennessee / Virginia. It was on the patio at a pizza place called Bella's.

So today, I had a dentist appointment - which I usually thoroughly enjoy because it gives me a time to get my pearly whites nice and clean and also a good time to think while I lay there in the magical chair. I began thinking about how much things have turned around for me in the last week or so.

I started to get really down on myself and think that nothing good was going to come to me with photo. All my classmates have such a lead on me when it comes to accomplishments and it's hard to keep your head up when all people do is just tear you down. I know my friends hear me complaining about photo a lot and how much I hate going to my classes, but I really wouldn't complain if it wasn't so hard on me. The people closest to me know how much it wears on me to go each week when all I am really doing is trying to create a valid excuse to skip class that week.

Anyways, all I could see was what wasn't happening for me and all the work I had been doing this summer wasn't really paying off like I thought it would be.

I set goals for myself this summer:
1) Shoot as much as possible - and have fun doing it
2) Make a sale
3) Join sportsshooter.com and attend one of their academies in Southern California

As of last Thursday, things changed. My pessimistic attitude saw a glimpse of hope - with a sale. One of my friends, and fellow follower of this blog, purchased one of my pictures and gave me nothing but compliments to how good my art is. Plus, all the votes and cheers I have received for the pictures that I have entered in the photo contest - my attitude has made a complete turnaround and it is here to stay. I don't want any of the Negative Nancys out there to get to me anymore. I have a large enough support system around me to not let that happen anymore.

OH! Another thing, at work today one of my coworkers told me that he has connections at UofL to get me on the floor to shoot basketball games - if I was ever interested - I had to hold back my excitement because I didn't want him to think I was completely nuts, but I am sure he could read it by how big my eyes got after he said it. He told me he went to high school with the people that could make that happen for me. The blessings are beginning to come in so much that I am having a hard time containing all my happiness.

I went out to eat after my dentist appointment, and picked up the coffee news to read as I was awaiting my food. My month's horoscope read: "This could be a harmonious and pleasant time for you, and one which may also bring some especially nice opportunities to you."

My horoscope has already come true. Thank you to all my friends who helped me make this 180. You all are my life savers and have pushed me more than I was already pushing myself. I love you all!

Some Say Love

This was my fifth submission into the contest and I am still trying to come up with 5 more decent pictures to enter into this contest just to have some good odds in my favor.

It is only 13 more days until "Submission Time" is over and the "Judging Period" begins. Judging Period will last from the 20th and end somewhere around the 24th and then the winner/winners will be announced on the 31st of July.

I am not going to lie. I am really nervous, yet excited, but definitely scared. I spent last night with some friends and realized I have so much work to do to continue to get better, or at least to a level that I am comfortable with saying "I am a decent photographer."

This contest does have stipulations on what type of photos you can enter. No brand names, logos, symbols, or slogans of third parties can be in your photo or design or you'll set yourself up for disqualification. Having most of my shots consist of sports and another logos it made it difficult in my search for pictures sooted for this contest.

With that being said, I have realized that I should carry my camera around more often and not just close myself off to sports. I could have pictures of gorgeous sunsets, or fluffy clouds in a blue sky, or other landscapes that are suitable for competitions like this.

I would love to continue doing the monthly contests put on by Exposed Posters, the question is when will people get tired of me asking for their votes. I'll just continue to hope for the best and we'll see what comes from it come the 31st.

Exposed Posters

So today has taken a turn for the better, after dealing with screaming children all day I came home, turned on my computer to initially watch a couple of episodes of Lost. However, I decided to write someone back on facebook first. After a couple of minutes of chatting I saw one of their advertisements in the right bottom corner. I noticed that it was a chance to win money for photographs entered.

Being nosy, I ventured further to just think it was going to be nothing and my hopes (which didn't even bother to get excited) would see they were right and this website would turn out to be nothing worth while.

I was wrong. Exposed Posters, presents an opportunity for photographers to enter their pictures to their contests (free of charge), and if your photo is selected to be printed on items you will receive either a prize of $20, or a single free print of your submission in a size selected by Exposed Posters.

Then to take it even a step further if your submission is determined by Exposed Posters to be the winning submission of the competition, this will earn you a prize of $130.

Now nothing would make me feel like an actual pj than to have some sort of title under my belt. I don't have any major interns, I haven't won any other contests - mainly because I can think of only one other contest I have ever entered - and I may have a good shot at this one.

So I am calling to you, fellow followers - yes, all 2 of you - to help me win this thing. Give me that opportunity to finally fit in with my peers and be able to hold my head up high when I walk into the classroom. I really feel good about this and I am totally stoked.

The winners will be determined at the end of the month and the winner or winners will be announced on or about July 31, 2010. Spread the word and help keep me in this thing. I can enter up to 10 images, so keep looking at facebook to see which ones are mine. Keep voting as much as possible!

I entered the July 2010 Contest, here's the direct link to the page

http://exposedposters.com/participate/index.php?action=showgal&cat=7

Thank you!