Why do photo colors look different on my iPhone?

Have you ever seen an image and the colors just don’t look right?

One of the aspects of photography I spend a considerable amount of time on is color! It is one of the main reasons my clients book me.

When I look at a photo, I want to see natural, vibrant, and authentic colors. You might think that a camera should automatically take natural colors when you click the button, but believe it or not, accurate color grading is surprisingly hard to achieve! Each step in creating, sharing, and ultimately viewing a photo has the potential to change the colors.

Steps of an image being created:

1. Light is bent through a camera lens

2. Light data is recorded by a camera sensor

3. Image data is processed into a raw image file by the camera’s processor and saved to a memory card.

4. The raw image file is saved to a computer and viewed on a monitor.

5. The raw image data is read and interpreted by photo editing software that uses code to interpret it so the image can be edited. I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

6. The raw image is edited by yours truly (me!)

7. The image is exported and compressed to a readily viewable photo (usually a .jpg)

8. The finished photo is then shared with you (the client) and viewed on your phone’s screen (most often).

9. You might post the photo to social media where the file is compressed to a smaller version and it is then seen on any number of different screens or digital displays.

10. You might print out the photo

Color can change at every step of the process above. Every camera sensor (the image capturing device that works like a digital eye) sees color a little differently and every camera lens bends and filters light differently as well. So before you even see the photo you just took on your camera, the colors have already changed twice! Human eyes don’t even see colors all the same (try taking a color accuracy test some time).

So how does Jeff make sure colors are authentic?

Well, while I cannot control the color settings of the screens my photos are being viewed on, the compression that might occur when images are moved between devices or posted to different apps, I can control the color of my images between steps 4-7 above.

When I am taking photos, I do my best to make sure that the colors I am seeing on the camera itself are as close as possible to the way I want them to look before I take the image.

Then, later when I upload those image files to my computer for editing, I make sure my editing software is up to date, and my editing monitor is calibrated. Monitor calibration happens once every month and I feel is the most important step in this entire process. I use a dedicated calibration tool. You wont believe how much the color of a large monitor can shifts over time. I want to make sure that when I edit the image, I am seeing the changes in color accurately.

When I edit the images using my creative style, I focus on first and foremost on color, paying special attention to skin tones. My artistic eye settles on something that is true to the person, but flattering. People most often prefer warmer skin tones. Sometimes the lighting in a room casts unflattering colors onto a person, and I usually try to correct that back to natural, unless it adds to the feel of the photo. Creative choices are being made at every step with the goal of a final photo that looks natural, vibrant, candid, and timeless. Photography truly is a form of art.

So, how do I make sure my screen is showing me accurate colors?

If color is as important to you as it is to me, there are ways to adjust the color, brightness of most screens and monitors. Sometimes those settings (like on iPhone) change often and when you update your software things can change in unexpected ways:

if you have an iPhone, try turning off “True Tone” which tints your screen constantly to adjust for current light environment.

Always assume that most screens are not calibrated often, or ever. Google search for the screen control settings for your specific device and you might be shocked by how different things might look!

• iPhone settings

• Mac settings

• Professional monitor calibration
  

I Was Named #1 Portrait Photographer in Buffalo!

Hey everyone. I wanted to share with this you all! What an honor! I am extremely grateful and I work hard every day to produce the highest quality work that I can. Thank you Peerspace!

Overcome Your Fears

Recently, I had the pleasure of shooting with both Chuckey and Brianna. Chuckey is a reptile handler, animal lover, educator, and advocate (@madbioreptiles on Instagram). Brianna is talented model and makeup artist (@briannamruiz and @briannaruizmakeup on Instagram), and they both work out of Orlando Florida. While on our photo shoot, I had an opportunity to talk with them about their experiences together with the incredible animals they both call friends:

What kind of snakes are these?

Chuckey:  Two Ball Pythons, a pied ball python and a bananna ball python

What makes you love your animals so much?

Chuckey:  I like that they are something different than humans.  I feel like I can trust an animal more than a human and when it comes to reptiles they are easier to keep than any other animal.  But I like all animals equally.

So how do you share your passion?

Chuckey:  I go to schools and I teach the kids about reptiles and not to fear animals.  I also used to go to downtown Orlando with George and some of my other snakes and I would charge people to take photos with them and I would use that as an opportunity to teach them right on the spot about the animals.

So what can you teach us about these two snakes?

Chuckey:  They are actually the same species, but two different colors.  George is a bananna ball python, and the other one is a pied. As a species there are 3-4,000 different color variations.  They aren’t dangerous at all because they are not big enough to choke you and they aren’t venomous or anything like that.

How did you train them to be so friendly?

Chuckey:  They are naturally friendly.  Even if you found one in the wild you could pick it up and he would be pretty chill about it. You just have to show respect for the animal.  If you respect the snake, then the snake will respect you.

What do you tell someone who is afraid of snakes?

Chuckey:  I first ask them why they are afraid of the snake.  I want to know where that fear is coming from. Sometimes they just don’t know about the snake and that causes fear.  People fear what they don’t understand. From there I have a conversation with them and get them to touch the snake to see he is not so scary. Some people have had bad experiences in the past and then we have a different conversation which usually ends up with them touching the snake as well. Some people just hear stories and they fear the snakes because of the stories they hear. I teach them what I know and it reduces their fear and we usually end up holding the snake by the end of it.

If someone encounters a snake in nature, what should they do?

Chuckey:  They should just let the snake be.  Snakes don’t go after people on their own.  They should not try to kill it because then it is going to defend itself. And if it is a venomous snake it will probably try to bite you and then you could possibly die.  You should just always leave snakes alone in the wild - they are just trying to live their life and don’t really want to come after you.

*Chuckey looks at Brianna*

She used to be TERRIFIED!

Brianna:  Oh my goodness hahaha. I just never have been a fan of snakes… I guess I am one of those that had the experience that he talks about.  My grandma is deathly afraid of snakes. So, when I met Chuckey, we were actually doing a photo shoot with a scorpion and we put it on my face.

WOW!  Tell us how you did that!

Brianna:  He had posted in his story with the scorpion and I just thought, yeah I’ll do it.  I didn’t really take it seriously until it was time and I had to tell myself “wow I really gotta do this now” and he put it in my hand before we started shooting.  The scorpion actually pinched my finger really bad and then I was like… Alright let’s put it on my face now!

WHAT?!?!  So it pinched your finger and it hurt and then your immediate reaction was to put it on your face?!

Brianna:  Yeah it left a little mark and I was like “Alright I can handle this… let’s go!”  What I was most scared of was the stinger and the scorpion didn’t use it. The pinch wasn’t so bad.

So is the stinger dangerous?

Chuckey:  No it is just like the sting of a bee.  If you are allergic to it then it is dangerous, but otherwise it is not a big deal.  This species knows that it is not venomous, so it would rather pinch you instead and try to open your skin.

So just tear you apart?  Nice… That’s a great image haha.  But I am sure he can’t do it right?  Because he is too small to break your skin?

Chuckey:  If he had enough time he could eventually start ripping you apart but it would take forever.

Brianna:  Actually right before he put it on my face, it pinched him so bad he bled.  And then he put it on my face right after!

Chuckey:  I didn’t tell her that happened until after the photo shoot!

Brianna:  He pinched my eyelashes, but my eyes were closed the whole time.  I just laid perfectly still and I did not play with it at all. He told me all the risks of what could happen ahead of time so I decided not to move AT ALL.

So how did you get over your fear of the snakes?

*Chuckey laughs*

Brianna:  Well, it was kind of against my will haha.  He told me by the end of the photo shoot I had to hold the snake!  After I was done with the scorpion he was like “by the end of today you are going to touch this snake” and I said no I am not.  Then he said “You just put a scorpion on your face, but you are scared of this snake that was held by a 2-year-old that same day?!”  While we were shooting a little two-year-old boy put it around his neck. Then he basically just put the snake around my neck and I guess that is how I got over it hahaha.

Wow!  So… when someone is hiking, or out in nature - how does that person make sure they are not going to find themselves in a dangerous situation with a snake?

Chuckey:  When you are walking around outside you have to keep your ears open and listen, because the snakes are on the ground where you might not be looking.  The snakes will make noise when you get close to them - a rattle snake will rattle at you and any other snake without a rattle will hiss at you before you even get too close to it.  As long as you are paying attention you should be fine.

What is the difference between venomous and poisonous?

Chuckey:  Hahahaha I get this question a lot.  Venomous is injected into the blood and poisonous is something that you eat.  So there is no such thing as a “poisonous snake” actually. Snakes can be venomous though.  You can actually drink some snake venom - it’s like a kind of liquor because it is only dangerous when it gets into your bloodstream.

Have you ever had a snake venom shot?

Chuckey:  Nope! I haven’t tried it yet haha.

To see some great behind the scenes moments from this experience, please check Jeff’s Instagram story highlights from this photo shoot @jeffwelt

Want a unique and custom photo shoot to tell your story?

Contact Jeff to setup a shoot today:

Live Free

Jay, Outlandish Provokatör

Outlandish Provokatör is a clothing brand created by Jashon Miller (Jay) in Niagara Falls NY.  After being hired to create unique brand imagery for Outlandish in both Niagara Falls, and New York City, I wanted to know more about Jay, his passion for graphic design, fashion, and how it all came together.  As we walked the cities together, I knew Outlandish Provokatör was more than just business for Jay...

Tell us a little about Outlandish Provocatör:

Well, Outlandish Provokatör actually started about 4 years ago.  That is when I first got my idea for the initial design decided what I really wanted the brand to be.  I wanted to create a lifestyle more than a brand itself. Outlandish Provokatör is a symbol saying you can be yourself.. you can go out here and have fun, and do things without worrying about people judging you.  You can create your own career path.. and through these clothes I feel like I have the opportunity to show people that. You can set yourself apart and not be ashamed of it - you can be outlandish. Make yourself the example and not the follower.  People can make it from absolutely nothing.

How did you come up with the name?

I sat down and thought about the message I wanted to tell.  I always was a little carefree as a person and I have a wild imagination and I wanted an outrageous way of living.  I learned it was okay to be myself from other people I looked up to.

So you are the original Outlandish Provokatör?

Yup - the original.

How did you start the business?

I went to college to gain more business sense, but my school actually closed down so I had to learn mostly everything on my own.  I had to study the business, go places, network, and just always figure out what the next step was. I started with the designs.  Graphic design work was always the thing that I liked to do most, but when I was in college I took a fashion merchandising class where I learned how to sew fabric together and work with different materials.

What made you want to do graphic design and fashion merchandising?

Because I didn’t… have.  I grew up in a low income neighborhood with my cousins, my grandma, and my mom.  We couldn’t afford all of the stuff that we wanted to wear. We loved to see clothes and the way other people wore them.  I wanted that, but it wasn’t available to me. So I new one day that I wanted to make something that was also affordable for people who are just like me.  Of course we have high end items, but I want to keep my focus on making my designs available to people who can’t afford the expensive designs.

So, how do you make the clothing you sell?

I actually make all of it here, by myself.  I started off making designs on the computer and my phone.  I print and cut every last one of them out myself by hand, but I recently just got a machine to help with that.  And then I heat press all of the designs on myself. Whether it is an order of 50, 100, or more - I make every last one of them myself.  These clothes are made with love! My heart goes into every design.

Tell me about the jeans and the vest you designed that we shot with in NYC:

I have been wanting to make a vest for a very long time.  Sometimes I just sit down and think and visualize what I want to do.  For the vest - my message is to protect who you are. It is not to promote violence - it’s to live free and be an Outlandish Provocatör.  For the jeans I had a friend do the drawings and art as a collaboration. But the jeans actually tell a story. On the inside it tells where I am from, what I have been through, and certain places I have been to and seen.  All of my travels are written inside of the jeans. As more happens I add to them and it continues to tell a story.

What is the future of Outlandish Provokatör?

I really want to touch people’s lives.  I am not in it for myself or the money or anything - I want to make sure we can change peoples’ lives for the better like certain people did for me.  This year in Niagara Falls I want to plan some back to school events for the kids to show them that people actually care about them. I want to be there to promote the idea of being different.  Enjoy yourself and have fun - don’t try to change who you are.

What advice can you give to young entrepreneurs and designers?

If you are going to do it you have to put your heart into it.  You have to love what you do. Keep grinding and going hard and don’t ever let up.  It gets hard. It gets very hard. But you can’t quit - it will payoff if you keep a positive mindset.  You can get there. This is 24/7 and you have to love it.

You can find all of Jay’s designs on the official Outlandish Provokatör Website and various social media platforms linked below:

https://outlandishpclothing.com/

• Instagram:  @outlandishprovokator

• Facebook: Outlandish Provokator

• Snapchat: jashon1022

How To Make a Stunning Phone Wallpaper

Photography I do on a regular basis:

• Weddings

• Engagements

• Brand Images

• Families

• Cell phone Wallpapers

Wait… huh?  One of these things is definitely not like the others.  Traditional business and photography advice is simple: Share what you want to sell/book.  Makes sense. People want to generally see examples of what they are looking to purchase. Common wisdom is to bombard your audience with as many quality examples of your photography (that sells) as possible hoping that at some point your efforts convert into a… sale.  Makes sense.

I don’t focus on photo shoot sales actually. Obviously I need to book clients in order to support my family, but I care more about providing an enjoyable content experience for my followers than I do about the bottom line of my photography business.  Crazy right?! That is why I spend a considerable amount of time creating and sharing free photos that Buffalonians (and others) can screenshot and save as a backgrounds on their personal devices.

So - do you want to know how I do it?  I see a lot of other photographers and even big brands make wallpapers - and there are a two common mistakes you need to avoid:

1. Shoot with Intent.

Shoot your photographs with the intent of making it into a wallpaper later. This first step is the most critical by far. Most cell phone screens are 9x16, but no camera shoots that aspect ratio natively.  So if you aren’t shooting your initial photos with the intent to crop it to that size, you will likely have a composition that doesn’t look great as a background.  Do yourself a favor and take your best photo - and then crop it as a 9x16 photo and see what you can come up with. Generally you will find that unless you shoot with the intent of making your image into a 9x16 wallpaper, it doesn’t turn out that great. This little exercise should teach you all you need to know about composition except for one other big thing…

2. Make the time.

This is a double entendre haha.  Not only do you need to spend considerable time thinking about and planning for what subject matter would look wonderful on your lock screen, you also need to make the time look good in that composition.  What I am referring to is the time (and other info) that is displayed on top of the wallpaper on your phone! Often I see a stunning wallpaper I want to save that forgets to consider the time in its composition.  I am a massive Buffalo Sabres Fan and they have a section on their instagram account for wallpapers. On each one, the time displays right on top my favorite players’ heads or the team logo!! (see for yourself @buffalosabres). Phone brands each have a unique home screen and lock screen layout, however generally you need to leave the sections I highlighted above free of any distracting compositional elements that would clash with the user interface. I use Apple products, so all of my wallpapers are selfishly shot to look great on iPhone!

Good wallpapers are made from beautiful photos.  GREAT wallpapers also take into account the composition limitations of a cell phone.

I hope by sharing what people love and enjoy, and not just what sells, I will stay motivated to make a name for myself - all while brightening up your home screen in the process. Thank you to everyone who tunes into my instagram stories on Wednesdays!

This blog post was brought to you by Wallpaper Wednesday!  

Check my instagram story every Wednesday for a limited release of an original wallpaper collection.  Each is free for your personal enjoyment - just press and hold on your screen (to pause the story and remove all the user interface clutter), and then screenshot the images!  I make these just for you.

Inspiration

“A Modern Fairytale”

“Where do you get your inspiration from?” is a question I have been asked a lot recently.  I don’t think about where the inspiration comes from when it happens, so it was an interesting question to reflect on.  My latest styled photo shoot is an accomplishment for everyone who was involved, and the results are definitely unique. I found myself wondering why I wanted to create these images:

Waiting with anticipation

Together at last

Now and forever

Want to see more? Below is a link to the full gallery!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be Indiana Jones.  I wanted to find ancient treasures and travel the world.  I’ve watched The Goonies more times than I can count. Adventure and discovery have always driven me.  To this day whenever I go on a hike, my eyes are constantly scanning the ground for cool rocks to pick up and examine (I brought a few home from my last trip to Utah actually) - probably because when I was just learning to read my Mom bought me a book on King Tutankhamen - and we read it together every night for a long time.  I feel like anywhere I go I have a chance to find something incredible.

“Whirlpool”

This sense of discovery has lead me outside… a lot.  As a young boy, I would go on “expeditions” with my friends.  We would load up our radio flyer wagons and walk to the park with all of our “equipment” and build forts, dig for treasure, and make maps.  As I got older, this turned into hiking and camping, and when I was stuck indoors I worked on landscape paintings. I studied classic works of art and photography in school and fell in love with the adventures they depicted.  I was especially fond of Bob Ross - who I always watched on TV when I went to visit at my grandma’s house. “Happy Trees” left a permanent mark on my soul.

In my adult life, I think I found the perfect way to evolve from my childhood inspirations into something that satisfies me at a very deep level - and that is photography.  To get inspired, I go for a walk in a new (or beloved) place. Just me and my camera, and sometimes my wife joins me. As I walk, two things happen - my mind wanders, and my eyes scan my surroundings.  I love it when my mind wanders - I never know where it will take me. And while my eyes scan - looking for compositional treasure for my next photo shoot, my imagination fills in the blanks with my favorite movie characters and scenes - a wonderful conglomerate of all of the fun memories I have stuffed into my brain over the last 30 years.  So I wander and scan. It doesn’t take long before I think of a story I want to tell.

But stories aren’t just told - they are experienced.  Which brings me to my ultimate source of inspiration: people.  I just love listening to or reading about other people's experiences in life.  These are the best stories to tell. The great story of the life we live.

“Far gone” Featuring Cupcake @cuppycake1717

“Brotherly Love”

“Warmth” Featuring Keara @kearaschaser

So from King Tut to Bob Ross I cannot help but blend adventure with nature as I tell stories with my camera. If you are looking to get inspired for 2019 - I encourage you to give my methodology a shot:  Go for a walk somewhere you can let your mind wander. Remove the distractions from your life temporarily. Soon enough your experiences will begin to paint the canvas.

“A Modern Fairytale”

Shoutout to my fantastic collaborators & sponsors on “A Modern Fairytale”

• Bride: Jessica Smith, @iBlondie123

• Groom: O’Neil Jones, @alter_ego6

• Photography, Set Design, Concept & Direction: Jeff Welt, @jeffwelt

• Photography Assistant: Zack Wintrob

• Makeup Artist: Amoon Layth, @beautymark_art

• Hair Styling: Nikki Morales @nicolemorales_hair

• Jewelry: Ben Garelick Jewelers @bengarelickjewelers

The #1 Mistake Wedding Photographers Make

There’s nothing worse than waiting several months for your wedding photos to arrive only to be disappointed. You spent thousands of dollars and had high expectations - so what went wrong? Many couples don’t realize the lasting impact booking the wrong photographer can have on their wedding.

Sadly, some photographers view the wedding day as nothing more than a checklist of events that needs to be documented. Once they pose the couple (the same way they always do) and get the shot that is on the list, they move on to the next one. This robotic experience takes away from your special day and the results often look fake.

The number one mistake photographers make is failing to capture the real and authentic emotions felt by the bride and groom on their wedding day.

Whenever you look at your photos, the magic moments of that day should be felt and not just remembered. This is the biggest difference between photographers that capture true emotions and those that simply stuck to the list.

Choosing a photographer who captures those moments as their main goal should be your objective. Look at their portfolio to make sure you feel an emotional connection with the images. Be sure to get exact details on the turnaround time for when to expect your pictures. Waiting three to six months takes a lot of the fun out of the experience.

As a photographer, it is my job to put clients at ease and give them space for their natural expressions to be captured organically. I highlight the emotional moments during the wedding and I always provide photos to share within 48 hours.

I am booking weddings for 2019 and beyond - spots are filling up! Contact me today to find out If I have your date available. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

A Star is Born

Jeff Welt Photography started in October 2017 - at that point I was sure I was going to make it as a landscape photographer selling prints.  While I still do that, I quickly learned it was not my true calling. You see, I am a people person. I was once a science teacher, a researcher, a philosophy student, a veterinary assistant, and much more.  All career paths that did not work out for me because my true calling is to be an artist (I just never thought it was a viable career option). Going into photography professionally was a decision made out of pure passion - un-calculated and raw at the beginning.  

my first “logo”

Until recently, I have always used my signature as my logo.  While I do like the way it looks, I have noticed that the “signature” logo has grown quite popular in the photography community.  At this point my brand means so much more to me than just an artist’s signature - and I want that to come across to clients and followers as well.  So I took to designing a new logo for my photography business about 6 months ago.

Designing a logo is a challenge.  How is it even possible to capture everything a company represents in a single design?  Well it is difficult - which is why it took me until now to come up with something I thought communicated my vision.  At first I thought “what symbol or animal represents my business?” This was the starting point. I quickly realized that I had to clearly define what my brand was before I could even attempt any design idea.  I had to figure out first the deep reasons why I made the leap to become a creative professional in the first place.

I think I did a pretty good job of defining what drives me to take photos of people in my last article.  Essentially - I want people to feel special when they are in front of my lens. I thrive on the honest and genuine connections I get to make with the people I have the pleasure of working with creatively.  In that article I talk about the first image of myself I was proud to share because it made me feel good about myself. Every photo shoot is an opportunity to help someone else see that in themselves.

Over the past year, I have defined my style as a photographer.  My work is vibrant, beautiful, and genuine. I help people see the good in themselves and I take them to stunning locations to capture them with my camera.

Nature is my first and largest creative inspiration.  As a biology nerd, I began as a nature photographer with the goal of capturing the epic views I would find on trips and while backpacking through the wilderness with friends.  I used to paint landscapes in school, and find myself obsessed with everything outside - especially the sky.

So my logo should represent vibrant beauty, nature, honesty, and genuine connections.  That was quite an undertaking! After a long time it finally hit me - a star! A star is vibrant, and represents cosmic beauty.  It is an inspiring emblem of the wonders of nature. A star is honest and genuine - the north star has guided us for generations. So once I settled on the concept, I went to work on the design idea.  I wanted the star to feel adventurous, classic, and “Buffalo.” So I came up with the following design, and with the help of a digital artist it was brought to life:

So this is my new logo - what do you think?  I realize this logo has my initials in it - but the idea is that you are the star! There are a bunch of little nuances about the design that add even more meaning - can you find them?  Let me know your thoughts by reaching out to me through my instagram account @JeffWelt.

Jeff Welt is a professional photographer in Buffalo, New York specializing in environmental portraits, headshots, engagement and wedding photography.  Please contact him to schedule your next photo shoot.

the World is my Studio

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Amoon Layth, owner of Beauty Mark Art Makeup - Photo by Jeff Welt

When I began as a photographer, I was inspired because I felt I could create and capture images as only I saw them.  We all have a unique lens through which we experience this beautiful world, and photography has been my way of sharing my vision with others.  Because of the opportunities around us, there has never been a better time to share our unique vision with the world.

I have a profound appreciation for nature and my first love in photography was landscape.  The last trip I went on was to Dansville NY, and I was most at peace when laying in my hammock - staring at the tops of the pines I was surrounded by.  Listening to how the wind navigated the forest and experiencing the smell of ten thousand pine needles allowed me to reflect on the nature of my creative pursuits (and much more).  

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The Na Pali Coast in Hawaii

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A brisk morning in Tobermory

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A sunrise over the Pacific

My favorite images have always been in natural settings - places worth traveling to.  I can’t help but photograph these scenes as I see them and bring the images home with me.  One image in particular stands out to me. On our very first Adirondack backpacking trip together, my incredibly talented friend Zack captured this image of me at the top of Dix Mountain:

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Sunset in the Adirondack Mountains, New York.  Photo by Zack Wintrob, using his cell phone. 

Now, as you can see, we had a long way to go climbing off of that mountain (in the darkness) to a safe place to camp for the night, but I remember the trip through the lens of this moment.  It was the pinnacle of our achievement - an emblem of success. Being captured in this way made me feel like the person I wanted to be during that trip - an explorer with his best friend on a journey to experience the natural beauty that New York has to offer.

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Sarah Jeanne and "Sophie" on a beautiful Saturday Afternoon in Buffalo, New York.  Photo by Jeff Welt

In much of my recent work, I have subconsciously defined my photographic style to reflect this experience and replicate it for my clients.  If you were to ask me why I gravitated towards capturing moments like the ones displayed below, I would have had a hard time defining my intent beyond saying “I want to capture something special for them.”  Because I have had time to reflect on my experiences, what drives me creatively, and why I am here - I can now define my purpose and style as a photographer much better.

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Theresa Christensen at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Buffalo New York.  Photo by Jeff Welt

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Tina Kestner at Whirlpool State Park in Niagara Falls New York.  Photo by Jeff Welt

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Sarah and Sophie together for sunset at Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo, New York.  Photo by Jeff Welt

I want my clients to feel as I did when I saw the photo Zack took of me at the peak of that mountain.  I want you to remember the moments in your life as they were - as vividly and passionately as you experienced them.  While it is possible to achieve this kind of artistic expression in a studio setting, I feel it is best out in the world - in places that inspire us.  Buffalo New York has so many places like this.  For this reason I invite you to meet me at my studio some time for a photo shoot - wherever that takes us!

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Katie Kriner loving every moment of summer in Niagara Falls, New York.  Photo by Jeff Welt

Jeff Welt is a professional photographer in Buffalo, New York specializing in environmental portraits, engagement and wedding photography.  Please contact me to schedule your next photo-shoot!

Coffee with Ken

There is nothing better than a fresh cup of coffee on a Saturday morning... right?  Saturday, because you have things to do, but not as much as you did Friday, but more than Sunday.  Saturday morning is a time when you need coffee, but have the time to sit down and appreciate a unique roast you just picked up at the market, your unique brewing process, and finally that savory bitterness on the back of your tongue.  Coffee is an excuse to experience people in a different way. Everyone makes a unique cup of coffee - whether it is with a Mr. Coffee machine, a French Press, or a patient Pour Over Device. How you make your coffee can say a lot about you.

This past weekend I made the decision to visit my friend Kenneth.  We grew up together, and he is a native Buffalonian who transplanted to NYC.  I met Ken at Sweet Home Middle School at a lunch table - we were trading Pokemon cards at the time.  Since then, Ken became a successful accountant in New York City, but our friendship never missed a step.  On Saturday, we chatted about what makes a cup of coffee so great, over coffee of course.

The Brooklyn Brewery was closed, but the Bowling Alley next door wasn't!

Ken & Bailey at home

It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful brick wall in Brooklyn!

"Coffee is a chance to make something you need every day, and make it better each time."

To many people, Coffee is just a daily chore - usually one of the first tasks of the day.  Ken sees it differently. To him, coffee is an opportunity to appreciate life at a deeper level.  Since I have known him, Ken has taken great interest in making daily tasks into passionate pursuits:  Coffee, Cooking, Shaving, and Wine. “It’s about enjoying the finer things every day - and being able to contribute that to your life.  Finer things are usually simpler things.”

Saturday morning coffee puts a smile on Ken's face

 

Ken’s top 5 tips to improving your morning coffee routine:

1. Store your coffee in an airtight container (Ken uses Evak containers).  Fresh coffee is good coffee.

2. Measure your coffee to water ratio.  You will be able to adjust your personal brew better to your tastes and then replicate it consistently.

3. Since water is the primary ingredient in coffee, use filtered water for better taste (bottled if you’re fancy).

4. Invest in a good burr grinder - being able to grind coffee yourself helps preserve freshness and prevent coffee from going stale too quickly.

5. Take a break from the standard house blend and try something new.

When you start your morning investing time into something you love, it will transcend through the rest of your day.  Even though we spent a few days wandering around Brooklyn and Queens, my experience felt like an extension of our coffee conversations - all that was changing was the scenery.  Check out some photos from our adventure below, and remember to start your day with something you love - whatever it may be!  And as always - capture each moment with great photography!

As we returned back to Queens from Brooklyn, the sky opened up and treated us to this. I couldn't believe it.

With Love from Brooklyn

An impressive Kyoto drip coffee device

Brooklyn Lager - straight from the source!