photographer » Raji Barbir Photography

I'm a Photographer...

Sep 242010

Not a terrorist! hahaha

I am a Photographer. Not a terrorist.

This may be a repeat for my Facebook friends, but the T-Shirt made me laugh so hard and cheer so much that I decided almost instantly to buy it. It’ll be here in a couple weeks

Photographers have been receiving increasing pressure from over-zealous security guards and police officers not to take photographs in public places, despite it being perfectly legal. I’ve been confronted by this on just a few, though pretty intimidating occasions and it’s left a mark.

But more than that, I like to joke that I’m a terrorist. Why? Because nothing, and I mean NOTHING, could be further from the truth.

The notion that I’m a terrorist is so far beyond absurd that casting myself as one always gets me a laugh. It also tends to break down the uneasiness many might feel (especially in Utah where there’s not very many of us Arabs) when I tell them I’m from the Middle-East.

Them: “Where are you from?”
Me: “I’m from Lebanon. It’s in the Middle-East”
Them: “Oh… Cool…”
Me: “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna blow you up.”

Laughs all around, followed by great conversation.

Just call me the "Arab Communist Photographer"

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Aug 062010

WARNING: PHOTOGRAPHER’S RANT! This is aimed primarily at other photographers, but of course all are welcome.

First of all, the title will explain itself as you read, but good luck labeling another photographer as Arab AND a communist. That combo doesn’t come along very often. Must be the end of the world.

Second…

Look, photographers; I get it.

We’re all fighting really hard just to stay afloat, let alone make it anywhere. We’re all fighting over the same slice of pie in our respective markets, not to mention the slice isn’t even looking so good anymore (Newsweek was sold for an unbelievable $1 recently – yes there’s much more to it than that, but it’s still an indication of the times).

On top of that, EVERYONE is a photographer now. We feel this especially on the wedding side of the business for those of us who shoot them. I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen guests with a $2,000 lens (just like mine) hooked onto a camera body for another $4,000 (just like mine).

Convincing brides that the difference between them and me is experience has become a tough sell, although more often than not I seem to be losing work to the photographer who has a grand total of $800 worth of equipment. And brides, if you’re reading this, I don’t care if your guests take pictures; let them take more than I do!

But even with all this…

I do not get why photographers choose to hoard whatever they know.

How insecure do you feel about your work that you think the first schmuck to come along and do what you do will take away all your business?!

Location scouting is the first thing that comes to my mind, and just yesterday, I was out securing a cemetery location in Ogden for an upcoming shoot, so I decided that it would be a good time to check out Union Station a bit more closely than I had before. After all, I rarely make it up to Ogden.

So I wander around and yeah it’s great, but then I came across this:

And I realized that I’d finally found the location that another photographer, about a year ago, sternly refused to tell me anything about… BUT! I’m not gonna share the location to spite that photographer.

I’m gonna share the location because I’m not worried about what it’ll do to my business or to the body of my work.

I’m told this is a popular spot for photography, so this may be old news for many living in Ogden, but for those who may be starting out or those who just don’t get up to Ogden that often, it’s right by Union Station, on the north-west side, across from the bus station platforms. All of that is on the corner of 23rd Street and Wall Avenue.

There.

But hey, as long as I’m ranting about some photographers NOT sharing, how about I put my money where my mouth is and DO share some locations that help make my work stand out a bit?

Well here you go. Here’s some work I’ve done along with their locations (I’m purposefully leaving out locations that I gained access to as a favor, or happens to be someone’s house, etc., but you’re welcome to email me and ask if you’re curious – photographers, clients, I don’t care):

Hill Aerospace Museum: 7961 Wardleigh Rd., Hill AFB, UT. You have to take care not to expose any of the surroundings or it’ll kill the illusion of being by real planes:

Clear Vista Circle, off of 5400 S., past the train tracks headed west. There’s a lot of industrial crap all around there, which is why I was shooting towards the sky on both shoots:

Spanish Fork Reservoir, all the way up Spanish Oaks Dr. You’ll have to Google it using Satellite View to see it. Crystal clear waters but relatively small:

“Toxic Barrels” as I like to call them. On 400 W. between 800 S. and 900 S. on the west side:

West of the Usana Amphitheater, the gated road just off curvy 6400 W. The road you’re looking at curves back towards the amphitheater (headed east):

Emigration Canyon Rd. You have to park your car where you’ve roughly reached the peak and are overlooking Little Dell Reservoir and hike up southbound past the power stations:

Right across my house! It looks different depending on the time of year. I’m about on the corner of 6115 W. and 7000 S. in West Jordan. At least stop by and say hello if you’re this close:

Willard Bay State Park. It’s north of Ogden, take the 750 N. exit and head west:

There. Done! Somebody come talk to me in a couple years. I’ll still be in business, hopefully with even some healthy growth to speak of.

And photographers, for cryin’ out loud, SHARE! Share what you know!

END OF RANT.

I’ll be posting some images later today of a recent wedding and then sometime this weekend I’m going to announce a new project that involves some major giving back to my community. Very excited about this one!

Fundraiser for Heidi

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Oct 292009

As I mentioned briefly yesterday, my very close friend Heidi was robbed of her camera bag and laptop yesterday.

Since then, many have come to her aid. In fact, Dustin Izatt setup a fundraising effort in the hopes of generating enough money that Heidi can at least get back on her feet.

As he says in his blog, every little bit helps. So if you can spare a couple bucks, a donation of any size would mean the world to her.

I’m going to be donating my own share right now.

Another

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Oct 282009

– BEFORE I BEGIN –

I want to mention something very quickly. I’m adding this after I wrote the blog, so that’s why it’s a bit out of place.

My close, close friend and amazingly talented photographer Heidi, from Heidi J Photography, was robbed of her livelihood today. Her photography bag, with all her camera gear, and her MacBook Pro, about $20k all in all, not to mention pictures she’d taken for clients that were on her Mac, were stolen today…

This comes at an already difficult and painful time in her life. Please go visit her blog and leave her a comment, lend her a hand, do what you can so she can get through this.

Heidi, you’re smart, talented and hardworking. Add persistence and determination to the mix, both of which you have in spades, and I’m convinced you’ll get through this.

I’ll leave you with a quote:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men of talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
- Calvin Coolidge

Back to the blog as I wrote it before getting the news from Heidi…

———-

I noticed I accidentally skipped a day, but the overall day numbering is still right. So I’ll pretend nothing happened.

Here we go.

Day 279/365

Ray & Crystal. These guys were a ton of fun to shoot with and I’m really happy with how some of those shots turned out. Thanks for letting me tag along again Heidi!

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Also, I just have to tell you the coolest thing Crystal said after wrapping the shoot.

We’re outside this abandoned house. It’s dark. I’m packing up my gear, Heidi and her assistant Kaity are helping me do so and Crystal is standing around making small talk with us.

And then Crystal says, “Can I just say something weird?” At this point, I’m still looking down, packing my gear, so I just kind of assumed she was going to say something to Heidi, Kaity and me. Just, you know, to the group.

“I really like your nose.”

And still not looking up, I remember my first thought being “That’s true, Heidi does have a nice nose.”

But then everyone went silent. I look up and everyone’s looking at me…

“Whu– Who me???????” They all laughed at my surprise. I couldn’t believe it! She was talking about ME????

That was, without question, the most flattering, even uplifting thing I’d ever heard about myself! I’m still giddy just thinking about it! Keep in mind, that compliment came from someone whose hair is naturally that curly. Yeah. Go back up and check out their pictures. She was made fun of in school for her hair like I was made fun of for my nose.

“They’re just jealous”, she said. “They don’t have anything that distinctive about themselves.”

And that knocked me out too. I came out of my past experiences with a negative image of myself because of my nose. She came out of hers with a magnificently positive attitude.

I love that. I think we can all learn from her.

So Crystal, if you’re reading this, thank you thank you thank you!!! Not only for your compliment, but for displaying such a positive spirit. It’s contagious. And I hope everyone whose life you touch gets infected with it.

Day 280/365

My alarm system might someday turn against me… (iPhone photo)

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“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.” — HAL 9000

Day 281/365

Books that have been sitting on my desk… (iPhone photo)

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Day 282/365

Wandering around the neighborhood with my camera and long lens, trying to see the same old things with a fresh perspective.

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Day 283/365

Anthony & Rose’s formals. I just realized something. These types of shoots are basically bridals with the groom thrown in. So in the past I’ve jokingly called them groomials. But some people call them formals.

So I have an idea… How about froomials? Anybody? Anyone?

Froomials it is.

Here’s Anthony and Rose’s froomials:

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And here’s a quick shot I grabbed on my way home from said froomials (iPhone photo)

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Day 284/365

Ok, so earlier this year I shot this really beautiful muslim wedding. I’m at the reception and one of the bride’s maids walks right up to me with one of those and pins it on my chest. Someone objects, “Hey these are only for friends and family.” The bride’s maid responds:

“He’s our friend now!”

I love shooting weddings (iPhone photo)

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Day 285/365

On my way to the store, I look over and notice the colors of the clouds. In a rare vocal display, “Wow” slips right out of me. I pull over and snap this.

It doesn’t even remotely do it justice (iPhone photo)

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Day 286/365

The first day of snow came down hard this year! (iPhone photo)

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Day 287/365

These are the 4×6 postcards I send out to future brides. A lot of times, they come back to me. Maybe the bride forgot to include her apartment number, maybe there’s no forwarding address, who knows. But they bounce back to me.

So instead of chucking them, I usually blot out the names and addresses and slip the cards inside bridal magazines at the Walmart on 5600 West and 6200 South (just in case any of my readers live nearby and go to that Walmart too – in which case, HI!!).

I figure hey, if you’re looking at bridal magazines, you’re probably getting married. Here’s a postcard (iPhone photo)

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Shooting with a friend

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Mar 042009

Day 52/365

The last shooting buddy I had was Sabrina, with whom I went out and shot at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. It was a ton of fun and the photos turned out pretty good too.

But Sabrina left for Brazil… And believe it or not, arranging to shoot together from a continent away is friggin’ hard.

So it was back to just me, going out to random places and taking pictures.

It wasn’t until I did the Salt Palace Bridal Show in January that I met Natasha Roos, who was just a few booths down from where I was. We stayed in touch, talked about shooting together out in some random run-down area of town and finally settled on today to do just that.

Problem was, she couldn’t find a sitter for her girls… So we just took them with us, and before long, the shoot was much more about them than it was about anything else.

Rightly so.

Why take pictures of messed up alleys, dilapidated walls and stationary trains when you’ve got a couple of hyper kids around?

It was enormous fun.

Here are Natasha’s girls, Amelia & Lucie:

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Ladies and gentlemen, Tinaaaa Feeeyyyyy!!!!

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Oh man I love that shot…

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Lucie was upset her sister wouldn’t let her hold the stick…

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So to cheer her up, I chased her around.

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I love the message this conveys! NO TRESPASSING. “Oh yeah? Watch me!”

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Natasha wanders between the trains.

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This reminds me so much of the shot in Slumdog Millionaire where the kids are jumping between the moving train cars, I just had to show you.

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I love this. The focus is on Lucie in front, but the composition leads your eye to Amelia in the back. There’s a life to this shot that I love. Hard to describe but I feel strongly about this one.

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And finally, the view from just beside the trains.

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The other photographer

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Feb 062009

Day 26/365

I thought for sure I’d be blogging about my disastrous (in my mind at least) first day of shooting NURF Wars, but instead I’m gonna show you what my son does every now and then.

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I'm a Photographer...

Fundraiser for Heidi

Another

Shooting with a friend

The other photographer

Raji Barbir Photography

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