Welcome to my Blog!

I am a professional photographer located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. I work as a full-time photographer for a Fortune 100 corporation. My full-time job includes product photography, executive portraiture, editorial work for internal publications, advertising images as well as the occasional event.

In addition to the photography involved with my primary job, I have a successful personal studio that specializes in commercial, corporate, editorial, advertising and what I like to call "special day" photography.

I am extremely lucky in that I get to do what I love everyday - although at times it can get, believe it or not, pretty stressful - I cannot imagine doing anything other than photography.

There used to be a stigma attached with photographing weddings and I am trying to do my part to alleviate the notion that it is a lower form of photography.  On the contrary, wedding photography has come a long way in recent years. It has become more creative, and rivals most commercial, editorial or advertising photography out there today.

There are several reasons why I shoot weddings; the most obvious is having the opportunity to share such a special day with people who are genuinely happy. Is there a better situation to work in?

Most importantly, weddings provide me with a way to exercise my brain. They are also an opportunity to prevent me from becoming complacent. Even after 20 years, I am constantly learning and trying to improve my techniques and skills. Weddings keep you on your toes, you need to be able to react in a moments notice, and be prepared. That skill has come in handy more often than not in my daytime job, especially when it comes to photographing executives, celebrities, and just plain old busy people.

About 3 years ago I could not find an option that I liked for my online sales, so I started efotolab.com, a company created by photographic professionals to serve the online hosting, sales and lab needs of professional photographers across the country. The key difference between efotolab.com and other services is that we are truly a professional lab and understand the need to provide high-quality prints and other products that best represent your work. Check it out - www.efotolab.com

In my spare time I enjoy working closely with seasoned as well as new photographers by sharing experiences, ideas on style, technique, best business practices and ways to increase business overall.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog - if you have suggestions or would like to hire me , I can be reached at joel@plotkinphotography.com

If you are interested in efotolab.com services and how they can best serve your professional needs, contact sales@efotolab.com, and I will get right back to you.

Cheers, 
Joel

Olivia and Giovanni – What to do on a day with no plans.

Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 9:43am Posted in childrens photography, photography

So, I’m feeling better, my arm can function. Last Sunday was a beautiful day and I had no plans. Thank goodness for Facebook. I let everyone who is connected with me aware that I was interested in taking some photos. Although I did not give people much time, I had two immediate responses – My friends Paul and Tina and their beautiful daughter Olivia, and a person I had never met, Jen. She said she has a 6 year old boy who liked being photographed.

I knew that Olivia would be fine as I have been in her company and she is sweet little girl. I was the first photographer to ever take her photo professionally when she was a newborn. I did not know what to expect from little Gio (Reminds me of the old Billy Joel tune, Half a mile Away) – Well, he was as awesome to deal with as Olivia. If all kids were this easy, I’d consider photographing children more often.

Thank you Paul and Tina, and Jen. Your children are a photographers dream.