Blu's Daily Blog: Louisiana's Tim Schooler

www.bludomain.com

"Renovation" launches on Friday August 18th. Everyday this week we will preview visuals of this sophisticated and heavenly interface.

Interface 25 has 6 text sections. Text sections can be used for either text or as external links. 2 text sections will be on the main menu and 4 text sections will be within a drop down menu off the main menu. Images within the text sections can be any width you choose.

Ouch this site is smokin hot!

Interface 25 will on SALE for $600.00 for 2 days only when it launches!

Photo of the Day taken by Lesley Dykes

** "Jack" the gnome is on his way to Kentucky to live with the Schmidt's for a week. Today I took him to the UPS for his departure. He will travel all over the world, he already has friends in the UK, India, Japan, Italy, Phillippines, Australia and more... If you would like Jack to visit you e-mail me at kailee@bludomain.com

** Yesterday was no fun at BluDomain. We all drank 5 shots of tequila when the work clock said "Go Home" One of our servers had been acting up for days now intermittenly and today it went kaplunk for way too long. What happened? Cpanels were upgraded last week and for some reason one server did not take well to the upgrade. After 24 hours of working with 7 different technical guys the issue has been resolved.

When technology fails it's no fun for anyone. We assure everyone that some Blu team members pulled all nighters and didn't go home or too sleep to keep an eye over the server and those working on it. If only you could see how digently the team at BluDomain works you would have a new appreciation for the labor beyond the creativity.

** NEW NEWS BluDomain are having all servers audited starting today to ensure top performance it will not affect any websites.

** Did you know that their are so many children who don't have school supplies, new back-packs and shoes for their first day of school. Join BluDomain in giving back. We would like you to donate $5.00 to $10.00 (that's all) We will collect all the money, shop at Wal-Mart and donate all school supplies to schools and children in low income neighborhoods. We will post pictures of the day! BluDomain will be making a HUGE contribution and the more children the better. If you would like to donate send a check to 17919 E. Dorado Drive Centennial CO 80015 or you can use PayPal at info@bludomain.com BluDomain has collected over $1000.00 dollars thus far, thank you to those who believe in giving back.

Photographer of the Year 2006

** BluDomain has collected a years worth of data. Anytime someone mentioned another photographer in a "good way" we put a star next to their name. We finalized the list and it was obvious who other photographers admired, were inspired by, looked up to, and bragged about. Now just because you didn't make this years list doesn't mean you weren't on our "Stardom Map" The map was continuous and lit up our office, we used metallic stars. We had to cut the list and that is always hard however we are very happy with the results.

Now it's your turn to be inspired as I interviewed each one of them. Same interview different day. At the end.. you will VOTE BluDomain's 2006 Photographer of the Year. That photographer will win a $500.00 cash prize and more but most importantly the prestigious title of being Blu's Photographer of the Year 2006 and of course the trophy will be presented.

Every day join us on the Blu carpet as we unveil our next nominee!! Today's "superstar" is Tim Schooler

My name: Tim Schooler

How long you have been a photographer... I was 10 when I got my first camera, a Polaroid Swinger. That was all it took, I had the bug. But as far as a career path, I've been doing it professionally for about 20 years.

Where I live: Lafayette LA

A piece of equipment that I could never part with.. I think if I absolutely had to, I could do without pratically anything I use daily on a regular basis with the exception of a camera and lens. A lot of tools are for convenience and many can be substitued for. But if I had to pick one I would hate to part with it would be my 70-200 2.8 L lens. It's my favorite for most of the work I do.

My advice for photographers who are just getting started.. is to take things slowly, not to be in a great rush to go into business. Immerse yourself in the craft, learn as much as you can. Those who do this will ultimately be far more successful I think than those who rush into it and aren't doing top notch work. I worked at it part time for many years until I felt I was ready. Even today I still think it is not so much a destination but a journey.

Something that is overrated... emphasis on brands. i think Ansel Adams would have created art no matter what medium he chose to work in. I see so many discussions, and arguments on some of the photography forums about this brand or that brand. We all have preferences. But cameras and lenses are tools just as a brush is to a painter. When you find a combination that works well, it doesn't matter what name is on it if it works well for you and gets the job done.

What I know.. we can never achieve perfection, but only work at doing the best we can.

What I know now that I didn't know then.. It's an old saying, but my grandfather used to always say, "Do what you love, and love what you do" Even though you love something with a passion, I learned you still have to work very hard at it. It's an ever changing business and the only real constant is change.

A vendor or product that has helped me grow.. so many but probably the one product that has had the most impact for my workflow is Capture One. There are many alternatives, but this product has really made the transition to digital easier to manage.

I'm in awe of.. God and his incredible Universe and of course my beautiful new grandson! He will be 6 months old next month.

The hardest part of photographing is.. trying to be consistently creative. Every day I have to push myself to try and do something a little different than the day before.

A single factor to my success.. my family.. I am fortunate to have a wife and two beautiful daughters, as well as two awesome son-in-laws who have been very supportive in this business. Not only in helping to build it but in encouragment during the high and lows.

" I have never thought of myself as famous. It is wonderful to have the respect and admiration of peers and there are so many I admire in return. But my goal has always been just to be the absolute best I can be at what I love. If I pick up a few friends and fans along the way, then that is more of a blessing than I deserve."

Tim's favorite image of recent

What I do to unwind.. I love music, especially blues. Movies are always a great way to unwind as well, I have a huge collection. I play guitar as well, although not as often as I would like to.

My weakness is.. Ahh, Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream! Hide it when I'm around!

Something I have never done.... sky diving. It is something I have always wanted to do.

Where you'll find me on a Thursday night at 7 p.m.... usually at dinner with my wife or family.. relaing or catching up on the events of the day
3 adjectives that describe me.. spontaneous, stubborn and sometimes I'm quite a procrastinator

I'm addicted to.. Cokes! I drink WAY too many. I like coffee on occasion but my daily caffeine fix is cola.

If you want to see more of Tim's work check out www.timschooler.com

Men are Drooling Everywhere!

The new Mac Pro is based around a pair of dual-core Intel processors. Apple has called it the fastest Mac ever.

They weren't joking the quad core machine can run at up to 3GHz The built-to-order Mac Pro should operate at up to twice the speed of a Power Mac G5, according to Apple, and includes eight FB-DIMM memory slots, support for nVidia and ATI graphics processors, along with space for four hard drives and a pair of optical drives.

Rumor is that this fancy gadget will start at $2499.00 and could be in stores as early as Saturday or Sunday. www.apple.com

** Is your body toxic? If you have acne, IBS, headaches, constipation, indigestion, bad breath, offensive body odor, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, anger, obesity, bloating, body aches/pains, gas, or lack of concentration then you are toxic.
A good way to get rid of toxicity is to do maintenance to your body with a whole body cleanse. A cleanse is very effective in giving you more energy, cleaning your blood, cleansing your colon, putting your kidneys through detox, liver detoxification and lung purification. It takes stress off the organ systems while eliminating old, toxic debris and residue from your tissues. The end result is a body unfit for disease, energy, clear-thinking and positive minds.

My recommendation is to cleanse 4 times a year. A cleanse I love is Whole Body Cleanse by Enzymatic Therapy www.drugstore.com

** Did you know that the liver and colon process most of the toxins the body produces. A good colon cleanse is by www.drnatura.com

Warning: The website is a little scary once you realize how much waste is in your body. The visuals and the testimonials leave you knowing one thing- that we can all benefit from a little cleansing.

What I'm listening to: Mama's Room by Under The Influence of Giants. Lyrics about everyday problems. An album that dares you to try sitting.

** An inexpensive accent item, I love these whirly hanging candleholders by CB2. Hang mulitple holders from your ceiling to create the right mood. These are truly to die for! Only $3.95 www.cb2.com

** These votive hanging candleholders remind me of the classic "bubble" chair by Finland's designer Eero Aarnio. A chair that hangs from the ceiling. Modernize your studio with a few transparent balls that allow light in from all directions. Only $2950.00 but so worth it if you want to be the studio everyone gossips about. www.plushpod.com

** Looking for unique hotels around the world? Check out www.tablethotels.com

Where you'll find me tonight... "World Trade Center" opens in theaters today starring Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello and Stephen Dorff.

The true story of Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin, two Port Authority police officers who rushed into the burning World Trade Center on 9/11 to help rescue people, but became trapped themselves when the tower collapsed.

** I'm a big fan of "So You Think You Can Dance". The reality show. Do you see a resemblence between final four contestant Benji Schwimmer and Tying the Knot's photographer Steve Bebb?? (I'm starting to feel like a gossip reporter for US Weekly)

Comments

Wow, I feel famous .... I should scan my old drivers licence, it's scary we look identical - minus Benji's crazy hair-do. Now if only I could get the attention he does........hmmmm?

Posted by: Stephen Bebb | August 10, 2006 at 01:42 PM