The time has come.....and I am almost done!

It is hard to believe that this year has gone by so fast! "Exploring Photography" the name of my project has gone so very far! I have taken hudreds probably over thousands of pictures this year! Although I have been so busy all the time this year I really enjoyed it! I am not quite done yet though I have to send my Calendar off on Friday so still a little more work on that. Along with sending the calendar  Also I am working on my portfolio for Senior Project along with creating a different portfolio for SCSPA Journalist of the year. One thing I learned from this year is I have got to learn how to say no to people! I am only one person and I cannot do everything! I learned a lot about myself and a lot about photography this year. I was thankful to have such a great mentor like Mrs. Ledbetter she truly helped me out so so much and inspired me so very much I appreciate her so much! So I am sending the calendar off hoping to sell 200 calendars if not more! and To buy a Camera sometime soon when I get all of the calendar money. My goal is a Nikon D-5000 or 3100. I also learned a ton about time management this year! My pictures were used in the Yearboook Journalism as well as tons of Marketing pieces for Oakbrook. I took pictures of 8 families and raised almost $400 and will use that money and the calendar money to buy things for yearbook! I enjoyed this project but know for sure that I am not taking pictures. It is my passion and my love and I am not stooping here! Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support I hope the end of my project works out and that Yearbook gets ton of use our of my calendar for years to come.

Spring Break.....No break in my week!

It is spring break and I am still very busy! Next week Friday April 8 I am sending off my calendar! I need to sell 200 to make my budget. I have no purchased the camera yet because I plan on waiting to get almost all of the calendar money so I can get a great camera and maybe if I have enough money a video camera for Journalism or some flash drives and other things that the yearbook staff needs that they do not already have. On top of sending my calendar off next week I also am entering the SCSPA (south carolina scholastic press association) Mrs. Ledbetter is entering me as a journalist of the year which is huge but pretty sure my chances of winning are slim but we will see. I have to get several recomendation letters I have to make a huge portfolio and write an essay and also send that off by next Friday making  next week a VERY VERY BUSY WEEK FOR ME.

Goal for next week:
Plug in rest of pictures for Calendar and SEND IT OFF! (Add in school dates)
Get order forms out to all families via Email and Thursday Folders grades k4-5
Also giving every student in their english classes an order form!
Get yearbook staff to help make posters to put up around the school.
Make portfolio for SCSPA
Get recomendation letters and essay ready to be sent plus print GPA and other stuff needed for SCSPA.

Hopefully by Friday Afternoon= RELAX for the first time all year!

This has been my week!

To the left this picture has been pretty much what I have been doing all week. I am helping out.....(surprise) with the action and I had to take pictures of grades 6-12 and K-4.
I had to organize each grade at different locations around school. I also helped photograph auction items. These pictures of each grade will be auctioned off to make money for the school all I really hope people like them and want to buy them. Thanks go out to admistration for helping me take these pictures get people quiet and placing people!

Calendar is a full work in progress!

This is a picture of the the layout of my calendar this picture is where the front cover will be. I have started working full force on my calendar! Picking tons and tons of pictures out! I am using indesign to create my calendar which is the same program we use for yearbook it is very complex but I am pretty used to it! Lots of work ahead of me but feeling better now that I have all 12 months laid out I just have to add pictures! Since I live and breathe pictures hopefully this will not be too hard!

More Time.....Still not enough

I got more time because adventure week was cancelled...........adding another week for me to work on my calendar. I am working ALL next two weeks on nothing but the calendar! I am getting Mrs. Ledbetter to send an email stating basically to leave me alone for the next two weeks........in a nice way.

More photo projects!

This is a photo from Mrs. Thomas class this past week. I took pictures of their individual feet as well as this photo off the whole class. They are blowing it up on a canvas to auction off at the schools auction that is coming up soon. I think it turned out well but I hope others like it and that it makes the school some money. The verse they used is Romans 10:15. Other grades are soon to schedule their photo with me. Next week is key for working on my calendar taking the class of 2012 picture and working hard on calendar! This past week I was also on the news taking pictures of Rick Santourum.....it was pretty neat.

Calendar is moving along!

This week with the big help of Mrs. Ledbetter I finished layout of the Calendar now all that is  left to do is to take remaining pictures, plug them in, and get facts put in the calendar! I am very excited. I got a quote from the company JS printing. I plan on selling the Calendars for $12 each. I still have to decide how many Calendars I am going to order I am thinking of ordering 400-500 Mrs. Ledbetter suggested closer to 500 but I really hope they sell! I would like to buy a Nikon 3100 which is Nikons newest addition it would be a great camera for Yearbook Staff and the school and I hope that I get the opportunity to buy that camera!

Downtown.....Finally a break!!!!!

Two of my photos are downtown Spartanburg on main street on the Oakbrook banners! Kinda neat to see my pictures downtown for all to see if people only knew the photos were mine. On Thursday February 10, 2011 Is no picture Thursday! I am constantly busy taking photos for people being told what to do without people asking me, having people in yearbook and around Oakbrook always needing photos and needing me to take pictures and do things for them. Since I have been so busy I am tired and worn out sick of being up late editing photos or emailing them so on Thursday I am not doing anything with photos! I have covered so many events and done so much lately so I am planning on giving myself a break and not even bringing my camera to school. Making everyone else stop work around me and hold off until at least Friday so I can at least have a one day break!

And the calendar begins!

I started the calendar! I am very excited to get to work on the calendar. I have been asked to take pictures for annual fund things as well as events coming up. The banners with my photos are currently downtown Spartanburg on main stress. I am starting to wonder who is going to take pictures next year at Oakbrook? I have no idea! Working on calendar with Mrs. Ledbetter and soon working with different people around the school for facts about to put in the calendar. I have been very busy shooting yearbook photos and at times I get sick of taking pictures but I am still enjoying it just trying to learn how to handle stress. I picked out a company for my calendar JS printing is the compaines name and we use that company for Journalism.

Photo of the week: cannot add one this week they are all being used in the yearbook sorry!


Things complete:
Knightly News
Tour Brochure
Banners downtown
A few family portraits


more to come!


my website is:
taylerhelmsphotography.webs.com
check it out

You mean I can't get on the roof? Ah man.....

I am trying to plan the front picture of my calendar and I really wanted to put the school in the letters OPS but today I had the idea of if I can not get a helicopter out to the school which is quite the crazy idea then I would get on the roof but today I was told that because of insurance and liability I cannot get on the roof. Since I cannot get on the roof I am trying to think of different ideas for the front of my calendar. I also am scheduling  the pictures I was asked to take for the schools auction I am pretty excited but I am just very busy!

Timeline....there is no time I can put on this project!

This past week I had to make a timeline for my Senior Project although it will be helpful in keeping up with my own deadlines I found it almost impossible to write down all the times I take pictures and all the time I plan on taking pictures. I also talked to Mr. Hinds and other administration at school this week about my calendar. I looked at companies to print with and got a few quotes. I decided that I am going to sell my calendars for $15 and plan to order a minimum of 200 and maybe a few more so the school can use them for school tours and other things. I am looking forward to getting to work on my calendar!