The Camera Comes Home

When my wife and I got married in June of 2012, we got the chance to reminisce with many friends and family. It was a wonderful time to see our loved ones, and we enjoyed catching up with relatives we haven't seen in years. One of the best gifts we received was something that I wasn't aware actually existed. My aunt and uncle from New Jersey told us that they had something special they would like to give us on wedding day, and that something special turned out to be my grandfather's camera. Apparently, my grandfather had given this camera to my uncle years ago, and they figured that the camera should "come home". I have to admit that I was truly blown away to open up the box for the first time and see this camera. It's a Bee Bee Model B camera, produced by the German camera maker Certo. The Bee Bee was made in the 1930s, and was distributed in the United States by Burleigh Brooks (hence the name 'Bee Bee'). The shutter is a Deckel Munchen Compur, and features 10 shutter speeds, ranging from 1/200 second to 1 second, and also Timer and Bulb. After a little research I was able to find some additional specs on the camera. One article I found showed an advertisement from 1939 for the Bee Bee. The body, without lens, originally sold for $70.00! It appears that I can still get film for this guy, so I can't wait to try it out!

One last thing. We needed some inspiration for our new Kaufman Photography logo, and where better to look than my grandfather. Paying homage to the man that inspired my photography, his camera is a fitting reminder of the stories we all cherish. The camera is home, and I couldn't be more honored to continue creating stories with it.

8 Years of Storytelling

This past December marked 8 years of photography for me. It has been such a wonderful experience to work with such amazing clients. I've gotten a chance to travel to some beautiful cities, meet extraordinary people, and develop an even deeper passion for photography. As I started looking through the collection of photos from over the years, I was curious as to just how many photos we had taken. I think even I was surprised to learn that we have created over a half million photographs! Our average wedding produces close to 5,000 images, and if you combine that with an engagement session, we're close to 6,000. It has been an honor to capture the stories of my clients, and here's to creating photos for many years to come!

-Steve

A New Year

It has been a huge undertaking, but it's finally here. I am so excited to share some of the latest happenings. After a busy Fall season and talking to some wonderful graphic designers, we had decided to move forward with rebranding the company. I was a bit hesitant to make this change, more for sentimental reasons than anything else, but it's a new year, and now is a great time to refresh everything. As many of you know, the old gang from Kaufman Kramer has moved to various parts of the country. Chris is now in Austin, Texas. Brad is in now in the D.C. area. They are also celebrating the birth of their baby girl!  2013 was a year that brought many life changes, new directions, and promising opportunities.

As for me, it's been an amazing year. Rebecca and I are settling into married life, and we've gotten involved with a church that we love. We're meeting people all around town and really exploring and enjoying the area. I never thought that I would like the process of planting roots in a town as much as I have. Between home improvement projects, keeping busy with photography, and keeping up with family, it's been a whirlwind year.

These past few months have been focused on just reconnecting with what I love about photography. I wanted to rekindle the excitement that I have for storytelling. So, this new look and redesign came at just the right time.

I do have to acknowledge something moving forward. The fact remains that I am so thankful to Brad and Chris for helping build a legacy centered on people and delivering images that truly capture our client's stories. It was a great experience to create something from nothing, to build a company on hard work and dedication. I plan to keep that tradition alive and I really couldn't have done it without them.

So, we're back! We've got some great clients coming up in 2014 and I am looking forward to sharing some brand new stories with all of you.

-Steve