Getting Started

Hello friends, foes and visitors!

I often get asked what's a good way to get into photography. 2 things come to mind quickly:

1. You must love photography. Photography isn't easy to learn, the equipment is expensive and it takes lots of time, effort and yes money lots of money. Photography just like anything else worth the while is something extremely satisfying but also not easy to master. That is why you should LOVE photography and not only see it as going for a walk in the park. That's if you passionate about it of course, as a hobby, photography is just awesome but the learning curve is pretty much the same.

2. Find out what you would love to take pictures of. You can usually tell by the images you truly enjoy looking at. Once you realize what it is you would love to photograph the rest becomes way easier because you have something specific to focus on. I learned very early in my career that people is what I truly enjoy photographing and that's my main focus these days. Let it be landscapes, portraiture, architectural or product photography or even a combination of two. The main thing is to know what it is you want to take pictures of.

I'm an open book. I love sharing the knowledge and experience I have in photography so if you have any questions please reach out, I'm only a message away.

Be passionate, be brave and focus.

Your friendly neighborhood photographer.

Julio Knapp
Knapp Photography

Baby Fever

Hello and good Wednesday, everyone!

After being married for almost five years (time freaking flies!) my wife and I still don't have any children. I have 2 precious teens from a previous marriage but none with my wonderful wife.

That being said, we get "the question" very often as to when we will have babies. While we don't mind answering and sometimes even explaining why we haven't gotten knocked up yet I'm pretty sure some couples feel that sometimes it is a little frustrating and here is why.

When the question goes from when to why haven't you. That alone should raise a flag.

I think this will help you whether you're the person asking a couple that same question or a couple being asked.

Asking that question to a couple that has been married for at least a year may be inappropriate, may be insensitive and rude and you should not ask unless it's at the very beginning of their long term relationship. Although I'm sure the interest is truly appreciated you have to know when to ask certain things.

Maybe couples don't have kids from pure pleasure. The pleasure of being able to get up and leave whenever they feel like. Get home late, drunk or not get home at all. To get up and go on vacation whenever they want or can.

Maybe they feel they're not mentally or financially ready. Maybe they haven't situated themselves with a job, appropriate place to live, city or even country yet.

Here's the tough and probably the most important reason why it's inappropriate to ask. What if they just CANNOT have babies. Why if they have tried over and over and have not being able to. What if either partner has a medical condition that prevents it. What if they're under medical treatment to try to but have not been successful after years of trying yet here you are digging it in. Why do they need the constant reminder and pain? Have you ever thought about that? Well, now you have and hopefully will be a lot more mindful of all these things before deciding to ask =D

Here's the kicker of all reasons. What if they just don't want kids, period. Do they have to explain to anyone over and over their reasons? No, right? Then let's just leave the subject alone! Ask once in the beginning of their marriage and leave it alone! That will make you the best friend EVER!

I'm not saying all couples feel the same and I'm sure some may even enjoy getting the question but I also think it's worth taking things into consideration before asking.

I truly hope I'm not offending anyone and I can't stress enough how lucky and thankful we are to have  friends that are truly excited for us, it shows you care. We love you all.

Have an amazing day, week, weekend, month and make sure to live each and every single one in the best of possible ways.

Smile often, love hard and eat your greens.

Sincerely,

Julio Knapp
Knapp Photography

P.S.

Here's a picture from a baby session I had this past weekend. Hope you all like it!

Love is in the air

Hello everyone and happy Valentine's Day!

It was recently mentioned to me how I had posted on my wife's wall expressing my love to her and was asked if it was because Valentine's day was around the corner of it was because I was really in love with her. That got me thinking about how people express their love in so many different ways and times. I personally don't need a day or time in the year to publicly express how much in love I am with my beautiful wife. I do that on regular basis because that's who and how I am.

Many people don't even have to say or write the words to let their significant others how much they love them. And many of them don't express it enough. My point to this post is to encourage everyone to express their love and gratitude to their significant other more than once a year and in more than one way. The benefits are endless!

Small details count so much and make a huge impact on people's lives. My wife is currently out of the country for the whole week and when I came back from dropping her off at the airport and throughout the day I found sticky notes all over the house from her telling me how much she loves me. Words can't express the feeling!

So go on and celebrate Valentine's Day but also express  your love every single day the rest of the year. I've always said love it's like a plant, you must water it constantly and take care of it in order to stay alive and they day you stop poor plant will dry up and turn into dust and make all the other plants sad which reminds me, I have to water my bamboo or it'll die and... what was I talking about? oh yeah, love, show it, important, do it!

Hope everyone has an amazing Valentine's Day in company of the one that deserves to be celebrated with.

Love sincerely and love plenty.

Best wishes.

Julio Knapp
Knapp Photography

Ever wonder?

Have you ever wondered what would've happened if you had taken that leap of faith or made the decision to pursuit what you love doing? For most of my adult life that thought never crossed my mind. I was focused on making a living and providing and nothing else. I used to think that it was the way of living and that it couldn't get any better until my lovely wife brought photography back into my life (which you can read in my previous blog entry Three years strong) It was then that my eyes were open to a world of possibilities and I realized how much time I had wasted.

But that's the thing, SOMETIMES it takes someone to give you that push in the right direction. Just like we can't wait for one of our friends to come up with a plan for the weekend to go out and have fun. Sometimes you are the friend that comes up with the plan and goes out to blow out steam and have fun. Well, maybe you can come up with your own plan or maybe you can listen to the one person telling you that you could do something that will make you happy.

Sometimes our main focus is making money and make lots of it even if what you're doing isn't exactly what makes you the happiest and if that's your drive then that's perfectly fine! much power to you. But I think there are people out there that can earn as much or close to what they're earning now doing something they truly love or at least enjoy. The question is. WHAT STOPS THEM? Sometimes it's fear sometimes it's not knowing they can actually do it sometimes it's self doubt and sometimes it's just plain laziness and being complacent.

That takes me back to the main question. Have you ever wondered? Have you ever thought about what it is you could be doing and be happy and truly enjoy it. Have you even put any thought into it? If you have thought about it then what's stopping you? Are you afraid to fail? Do you think it'll be too hard?

You have the answer to all those questions and whatever the answer is don't turn it into and excuse! Go for it! If you fail then you can at least said you tried your best. If you think it's hard then guess what, the hardest things to accomplish are the ones that are actually worth everything in life. Go out and try. Are you a musician, actor, make up artist, hair stylist, photographer, model. What is it that puts a smile in your face when you think about doing it for a living?

I'm a photographer. I am far from being accomplished or even successful. But I try every day because I love what I do. I never go to work; instead, I get paid for doing what I truly enjoy and love doing and I will continue to learn to become better at what I do, try harder to be successful and I will always stay humble and be ready to help whoever I can help build their dreams.

I hope this rambling of mine helps you see things that sometimes are not very clear to us. And if there's anything I can do to achieve your goals then please reach to me and I will be more than happy to do it. Just don't ask me for money. I don't have much of that lol.

Check out this guy. He has a talent and he's possibly making a living out of it. No boss breathing down his neck. Gotta love it.