Daren Gray

My Hair Story Part 1

2011-10-13T06:16:00.002-04:00

So ole girls tell me I pay $400 for my hair, Divinity Ultra Premium http://divinityup.us cannot be as good. I give her a blank stare because I was not talking to her! So her friend who did make a purchase calls me on my cell at 3AM “ OMG Daren I love this thank you “ Then Ms. $400 calls me at 5:30AM hay can do you have more of the Brazilin Remy. I wanted to cuss because she called my cell and not the office. Then she wanted a discount! So for what you pay $400 Divinity Charges $268.00 so there is a 132.00 discount I then tell her to follow my twitter for the discount codes. Mrs. $400 tells me I don’t have a twitter account. Man am I really having this discussion at 5:30AM. I tell her go to the site and make it happen you still will save 132 dollars.

It called Ultra Premium for a reason

http://divinityup.us

Don’t cry now that your job is gone!

2011-08-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

Don’t cry now that your job is gone!

You came to work Thursday morning and you company notified you that today is the last day the doors are closing! You angry hurt and thinking about your future. You curse the business for closing, saying profits are all that matter and that people are important how could they do this to you?

What did you do for the business? Did you give 100% or in theses thought economic times did you give 110% ? The small things, did you do them showing up on time, not taking unnecessary time away when you were need. Did you stop the actions of other that were detrimental to the business? Did you actively promote the business or was this just a pay check.

Its true that the propose of a business it to make a profit for the owns or share holders. Those who invest n the business get to reap the reward. If you do not invest in your employer then you are owed nothing but you next pay check you are not owned a guaranteed of continued employment.

As an employee, to invest in the company go beyond and move your fellow employees to beyond. Act as if your livelihood depends on your employer staying business and to provide you with a pay check. Become an advocate for your employer when you’re not a work let the world know you have the best widget or the best service. Tell your social network to stop by the store for person attention.

I have been employee and a business own I have had failures and success. I have never regretted giving 110%

No image with this post just some thoughts

Here is my apology

2010-12-06T04:38:00.000-05:00

I love women for that matter I love beautiful people but it is women who are most often the focus of my camera. I find that I love the curves of a woman, the scent of a woman, the laughter of a woman, the tears and fears of a woman so I shoot them, no I make them glamour Goddess my assistant said and I quote “ You find the beauty in everybody

Here is my secret for all you wanna be photographers who think Photoshop is a must have. Your lighting should be an 7 so if you subject is butt ulgy a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 then if your lighting is a 7 and subject is an 1 the you already have an image that is an 8 if you do not know the technical side of photography your shit will always suck.

My work is some time referred to as soft porn but the people who say that are same who call me to spend $1000 for my fine art nudes. This it I love women I can find the beauty in anyone I have taken the time learn women, to know them. Do I know fashion yes do am I a make up artist yes.

I wont apologize for shooting beautiful women , here is a secret of my work its not what you see it what you don’t see When you expect to see something and it is not there your mind fills in the blank so if you see porn in my work that’s the porn in your mind. My work is actually not explicit but I don’t care what you think as long as you enjoy it

in the Comcast Rick James voice

2010-03-25T08:01:00.002-04:00

the Comcast Rick James voice

No no no no no no(im my Indian voice) you need to pass this post on to someone in management at Comcast. At house A I PREPAY my cable for a year. I move to house B before the year is up We call to move service no technician shows up the technician reports a lie ( you and I both know how I fell about my computes they were the first thing I moved so I could get to work) in his notes for over a week no technician, no supervisor not a thing. I hate apt b so I move back into the city 1 block from house A. I call for service at apt C I am told that building has never had cable now I am looking the cable distribution box on the side of the building with cable going into the apartments and my new neighbors have cable. Evan if it were true that the building never had cable why would you not hand me over to sales so that Comcast could sign up 12 new customers at my building? Instead Comcast tells me (in the Comcast Rick James voice) Fuck yo cable nigga.

Revenue lost !

Comcast had to give to back revenue that I already paid for apt A (it cost 10times more to get a new customer as to keep and old one but Comcast actually had to return revenue)

Comcast received no revenue from me while I was apt apt B.

Now a customer has given Comcast a 3rd opportunity to generate revenue and Comcast said in (the Comcast Rick James voice) Fuck yo cable nigga.

Lets see Comcast could generate about $10,000 annually off of 12 supposedly new customers or generate $0 from pissed off customers.

Stupid nigga tricks or I bet your ass did not expect that!

2010-02-25T20:46:00.002-05:00

I was on the way to the hood Taco bell and guess what the line is out the wazoo so I changed my mind and I go to leave. Some Dumb Ass wanna be gangster has the entranced blocked with his car while he talks to someone on the street. I blow my horn so I can pass and Mr. Dumbass gives me a dirty look and I drive off , this dumb ass is not even on my radar. I am on the phone with my homeboy as I left my credit card at the 12 last night after Sushi. So I jump on I-20 headed toward downtown as I hit the ramp to I-75 this ass hole pulls up next to me. I hit the gas and move on as I am on the phone trying to locate my homeboy. Then Mr. Dumb ass wanna be gangster pulls up next to me rolls his passenger side window down and points a gun at me.

I have to admit Mr. Dumb Ass wannabe gangster has me scared at this point, I am on a crowded highway with some lil nigga who wants to proved his manhood. What happens next his ass did not expect. ! I bough my car along the US Mexico border from a guy who was paranoid about security so he had the car armored. As I stated in my post about the red neck cop I will never be passive again when some points a gun at me. I don’t like the felling I am not going to stand for it.

So back to Mr. Dumb Ass after pointing the gun at me I tap the breaks on my car and let him get just ahead of me so his weapon is not pointing at me. Then I hit his car in the rear quarter panel turning in to his car and guess what – now I have hiss ass going sideways on 75 and I hit the accelerator for all its worth ( I have watched way to many episodes of cops) Now Mr. Dumb ass has to make a decision drop the gun and grab the steering wheel and try to get away from me as I push him towards the concrete barrier or still try to be gangster with me. Along with the other bad choices he made today he chose to turn the wheel in the wrong direction and we are flying toward the concrete barrier I stop just as his car is pushed in to the wall. Now Mr. Dumb Ass wannbe gangster’s car flips up and hits wall and is all fucked up. (that pit maneuver works)> I wanted him to step out so I could park my benz on his ass but he did not he just had this what the F__k just happened look on his face and why is my car all crumpled up.

He cuts across the highway to university going toward Stewart ave (metropolitan for you new folks). SO I dial 911 give a description of Mr. Dumb Ass and they roll up on him on steward ave.

Now Mr. Dumb ass your car is done and you are going to jail.

Now the next part Mr. Dumbass is freebe from me. I am a diabetic so I have pee frequently and I just had a big drink before you started this crap so while the police were taking you away and they were waiting for the tow truck I had nowhere to pee so I just eased up to your car and peed through the window -enjoy. Since you scared the pee out of me I figured I would give it too you.

In closing Mr Dumb Ass when you started out this did you expect your car would be totaled, you would be in jail and some great big old black man would be peeing in your car,

You are not sitting your ghetto ass in my car

2010-01-09T12:16:00.001-05:00

NMA _ Negative Mental Attitude

Last week I let myself be controlled by a negative situation and I feel like a nut its not my actions that I am not happy with as I am a professional is was the way a felt. My goal is to provide outstanding images and service.

Customer called on the phone wanted to book a shoot I go through my sales pitch which involves me asking the customer a bunch of questions to get an understanding of what they want, it works well to make sure I meet the customers expectations. The next sep is to explain the requirements for a shoot, which is that customer, leaves a deposit and reads the emails I send. The deposit shows a comment to make it to the shoot happen. The emails answer most questions that the customer forgot to ask while we were on the phone.

This potential customer does not want to leave a deposit and wants a discount. Well the deposit is not an option we have multiple options for the despots credit or debit card on line or western union. So I told her without the deposit I could not work with her. She got pissed off said that “she don’t do that “ I said that I understood and that she should try to find someone else to work with She the goes into the ghetto tirade about how bad my customer service is I ignore her because it doesn’t not bother because me I do involve myself with ghetto situations and I hang up the phone.

Two day later she calls again and says “ do you remember me “ my reply is “no I talk to a lot of people everyday so please tell me who you are” she says “I am the one who told you. you had a bad attitude” I ask her what can I do for you” she still want to book a shoot I tell her that I still require a deposit. Once again the same over the top tirade about who she is and who I am not, I ask why are you calling me and offer to give her the name of some other photographers who may be able to work with her. She doing some over the top ghetto stuff over the phone so I tell her I am busy and hang up the phone.

Two weeks later guess what she calls again she wants me to shoot her. This day I am cleaning the studio I tell her if she can get here before I leave I will shoot her (this was a very bad move) but I will wont wait . She says she will be there at 11:00 but shows up at 1:30. Well guess what she is a 6’3” GHETTO transsexual I don’t have a problem with buddy being a transsexual the problem its the over the top rude ass behavior that I have a problem with . But I need the money and every deserves a good picture so I do the shoot. Treating the customer as I do all my customers buddy also showed up with his mini me transsexual I do the shoot. When its time for payment and he is 12 dollars short. 12 dollars may not seem like much but tell your mortgage company you will short them 5% on your mortgage and see what happens.

I tell buddy that He will have his images in tomorrow and how would he like them FTP or FedEx then he starts with the over top yelling ghetto crap oh now “I want my pictures right now I do that I don’t pay for pictures without getting them the same day” Dude did not read the email and my rules. I don’t reward bad behavior so acting a fool with me wont get you anywhere it actually makes sure that you get what you want. Now I have somewhere to be so I burn the images with and send buddy on his way. Now the buddy call me 3 hours later and he cant read the CD who fault is that.

He his doing the ghetto flamo transsexual over the top shit again on the phone I tell him that the CD is good not sure what wrong with his PC but again I am giving good service no matter what. This dumb ass starts with the I am going to call the police and and I am calling the local news station and all sorts of stupidness then he goes to my studio beating neighbors doors screaming buddy murder. Talking about how he has to get home to her kids and the she is late for work at strokes ( a strip club). This guy thinks he fooling someone dude you don’t work at Stokers and two if you gave birth to any kids I am Elvis.

Later that day I give him a replace CD ( he lost the original because I asked him to bring it to me and he could not ). I meet him at the train station and hew wants to sit in my car to check the CD – No way the line ends there I drive a S Class Mercedes and you are not sitting your ghetto ass in my car I don’t care how cold it is.

This crap put me in a bad mood and messed up my Positive Mental Attitude New rules Pay before the shoot and No GHETTO customers.

I am pissed at myself because I let buddy have to much of my thought process for the day. My own fault for letting it happen some people are just off !

The images at the not is not the traany that I shot. Like I want his image on my blog.

The Crucifixion

2009-12-18T08:05:00.001-05:00

byCrystal Parker

In the dry heat of the day she is unaware of the commotion caused by her presence.
She walks unable to pass without whisper or longing.
Looking to the left oblivious of the envious eyes that search her for flaw or fault, she sets her sights on a daffodil that can no longer dance because the wind, awed, has ceased breathing.
As she draws nearer the daffodil it dances again delighted in the rhythm her feet make as they hit the ground confirming what others hope is a fantastical illusion.
Without effort she steals the glory of the day.
Abstract in her beauty she reaches the daffodil and allows it share her spotlight.
Whispers of dreams echo in the wind which refuses to breathe again.
They hope that beneath her flawless exterior lies a burdened, challenged soul.
Wishing that her beauty is some manifestation of an experiment in plastic surgeries and gallons of acidic make up, the wide mouthed women allow their tongues to touch the roofs of their mouths and utter words that speak death to perfection.
With their girlfriends they search her silky hair and unscathed skin for signs of a simple defect that will make her innocent.
The woman made guilty by her beauty.
Finding her unblemished they whisper, "crucify."
For beauty that pure can only exist in someone who has traded the purity of her soul for an adornment of beautiful flesh.
Crucify.
Beneath such perfection must lie deception and infection.
Crucify.
Dissecting her with their eyes they find nothing, so they create everything.
The gossiping mouths of the jealous, flawed women open and close creating deafening sounds that make horrific statements.
Crucify.
She is guilty.
She must pay for her transgressions and the transgressions of those like her.
In the broad daylight amidst accusation and a breathless wind she stands, enamored with her daffodil, and is crucified.
The woman made guilty by her beauty.

Game Up or Shut up

2009-12-14T08:01:00.003-05:00

One thing that manages to annoy me is people who like to have negative remarks about the model in an image. I take no issue with critiques but this is what commonly referred to as hate but I call it what it is jealousy and envy.

Generally these people have not the talent, drive or desire to create an image. While this is not rocket science it does require the desire to get off ones butt and make it happen. Generally these comments come in the form of I can do that or I look better than her. Well thats not true lets start with the I could do that, no you cannot! if you could you would. You would have to get off your butt call me, pay me, get to the shoot on time, get ready in a deliberate manner, interpret my directions to convey an emotion or felling. You would have to be confident in front of the camera. So in general those who say I can do that, have no idea what it takes to "do that”. It takes more than a thong and baby oil and if we are talking about fashion it takes way more. Funny thing is that all of these people “hollering from the side line” never seem to put there “Game up” Whenever I here " I can do that" I always put the challenge out and I have yet to be taken up on it. There always seem to be an excuse why they can not such as I don’t have the money, time, cloths, hair or whatever guess what then you can not do that for whatever reason you can not.

My favorite is the I looks as good or better than her – Girl stop ! no Seriously stop. Generally I hear this one from some one with a real self-image problem who sees someone else doing what they wish, and dreamed they could do. Last time I heard this from a woman who had a beard all I could say was “you do with those nappy hairs grown from you chin”. Ladies don’t play yourself with negative comments about anther woman if you can not speak well of her its speaks bad of you to spew that hate. It tells me you “can not do it”

In closing either game up get your money and call me (404 939 6371) or shut up !

Today’s beauty is Dretta

1 monolight 1 ring flash

Moving with out the Ball

2009-11-30T06:05:00.001-05:00

Things continue to be slow business wise but that happens this time of year. This is not a bad thing as I am working on my long-term projects. I just completed the next Spare Dime cover there are about 30 layers in that design but that’s the quality that set Spare Dime apart from other publications.

That’s one of the reasons why Ingram agreed to distribute Spare Dime our snap your neck graphics. I am working on our Double issue. The Girls of Spare dime and the tax season issue. Tax season means big ticket advertising. Tax refund = 24s on the ride.

Interesting call last week young lady call me about to a series of posters. Stated that she did not like images of the photographer she had been working with(he shoots for free). We spoke about the details of the project, I quoted her a price and then she told me that she does not pay for photo shoots. I had to ask why then is she calling me ? I kinda need to pay bills, eat and put gas in the Benzo so I cannot shoot you for free. We spoke about this I explained that if she wanted better images for her poster project that she would have to pay somebody or settle for the quality of the free images. She said she would get back to me so I put her on my follow up calendar, I call her on the follow up date and she says that she talked to her free photographer and that he will shoot the work for her. I thank her for considering me and move on. This is funny to me as she said his work sucked, she wants to sell some commercial quality posters but she will settle for sub standard work to save a couple bucks.

For me this was actually a successful interaction the outcome was not what I desired but the customer was able to say no quickly and I was able to move to the next customer. So I do thank her for making her decision quickly.

The attached images is Dretta look dor her at SpareDime.com

2 Mono lights

1 foam core reflector

1 Medium Soft box

Slow weekend

2009-11-24T03:53:00.004-05:00

What a weekend as in what a slow weekend but I did have the opportunity to shoot Stacey Garel we connected facebook some months ago exchanged numbers and stated that we would shoot someday in the future well almost a year later the future happened.

I realized that I a control freak when I comes to lighting. I had a lot of the light modifiers the I made myself and while I was away they were damaged or destroyed so it takes me a bit long to get what I want but I think I will take a week or so and make them again.

The lighting was simple on medium soft box on a moonlight The lens I wanted to use would have been 50MM 1.8 shooting it wide open. But I did not have it with me.

Today’s game plan sales.

2009-11-21T09:10:00.001-05:00

Today’s game plan sales. I truly believe that my target customers need an e commerce web site and that I am the best source for them to get it from. We take away all the pain and give them the joy of make it money. That sounds like the GIECO gecko easy money.
Today’s image is anther from the Forsh’e website. The image is Ann Brasfield from Americas Next top model Cycle 2.

Technical:
Lighting: Sunset
Medium Soft box on monolight camera right White foam core camera left.
Camera: Cannon
Lens

The Favor Bank

2009-11-20T08:20:00.002-05:00

Working on catalogs and e commerce web sites site for my customers The Forsh’e project is going well. The challenge is find good models that can pose that the customer is happy with and within budget. The budget is always concern but I seem to make something out of nothing and I do thank everyone who barters with me and helps make something out of nothing.

Since I stated the Forsh’e project it has bee interesting all of the people who have there hands out. I have preformed many favors for these same people making deposits in the favor bank So I don’t understand when I ask something of them they want to charge me full rate or charge me at all. I am not mad, just frustrated this is a business and a joy but I have to find a way to make it happen .

Today’s image is a Dress from the Forsh’e project www.forsheboutique.com

MUA Nrala S J Hair

Atlanta Super Shoot

2008-12-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

What a week I am excited as it looks like we will have 50 models for the Super Shoot. I have been reading the 7 habits of highly effective people. Which led me to try a new approach for this Super Shoot. My challenge was seeking a win -win opportunity for the models and the sponsors I think I we have found it so I am excited.

Since I did not give you some eye candy for the last post I am including it now !

My Win – Win solutions are getting me kicked it the head

2008-12-08T10:43:00.006-05:00

My Win – Win solutions are getting me kicked it the head( some are more like loose – win). But I will continue I am not looking at a behavior change but change it out look. The Super Shoot Atlanta is progressing well, but I tend to want all of the detail and contingencies worked out ahead of time (Expect the best but plan for the worst) I tend to build my projects around the lowest common dominator. For me that solution tends to elegant and simple, not ingenious but simple and working on all fronts.

The challenge and blessing of the Super Shoot is that I have people who are willing and eager to be part of the Daren Gray Super Shoot. Some have experience and some do not. The challenge is mold and motivating this team looking at skill sets and allowing them to manage the task they can and guiding them when they face a challenge.

I treat them all like volunteers because they are even the paid staff. I try to give them strategies that I learned from my business career that helped me to my successes in the corporate world . The best employers I ever had were ServiceMaster and General Electric. At ServiceMaster I learn no matter what business you think you are in you are in the people business and from General Electric I learned how to conduct business e.g. be fiscally responsible under promises and over deliver.

We have singed up over 60 models for the Super Shoot I am in the process of motivating and managing them to make this is a success, again the people business. The success of the event will be how well I motivate the 60 plus modes and coach my team.

Rules were not made to be broken

2008-11-29T11:40:00.004-05:00

Rules were not made to be broken. I have a simple rule when it comes to booking an appointment for a retail customer leave a deposit! Simple elegant and knuckle head proof. Yet me being the ultimate knuckle head I can always mess that up. I get a call from a customer needing to shoot on the Friday after thanksgiving at7:30pm. Being the people pleaser that I am agree we then discuss the shoot and all of its glorious details. I then tell the customer she must leave a deposit we accept all the cards. She states she can not but the knuckle heard in me still books it because she seems to have done her home work on local photographers…..

Friday 7:30PM rolls around no call no show but that’s okay as the previous shoot went a little long. Its Friday in Atlanta and traffic is bad. I call her at 8:00 she answers then tells me she is running late but she is on her way and will be here in a few ……… that’s the last time I hear from her. I would not be upset if she had said, I can make it, I can't afford it, or I just hate tall chocolate sexy brothers.

I placed two more calls then I move on .. I am not upset with her in the least bit its 100% my own fault because this rule was not made to be broken!

The image above is Jen Ms always on time. This was shot with 3 lights on a white seamless in my Atlanta Studio

darengray.com is down

2008-11-25T09:05:00.000-05:00

Well my website is down and I am deep into planning the Super Shoot and no visits my blog so read my blog for a week while I plan the Super Shoot.

Back on the Grind

2008-01-29T03:18:00.000-05:00

I have been away from my blog for way to long but now is the time to update it and my plan is to update it early in the morning. For some unknown reason I seem to raise daily at about 4am then lay awake with the tasks of the day on my mind. So I will debrief them in an attempt to clear my mind. Also working on my touch typing skills as I think I did not get a job once in my life due to my lack of typing skills.

These past two weeks have been interesting to say the least. I had a customer to call and want to do a 12 month calendar please note we are in the second week of January. She called the right one as studio rent was due and I did not have it. So I agreed to shoot 14 looks in 36 hours edit the images. Design the calendar and print it. Well it took 5 days from start to finish. I am happy with the results but not overjoyed. Bellow is the cover images form the Calendar. If you can remember, this is a take off from the Ohio Players Honey album. It was the hottest thing around every prepubescent male I know tried to lick the album cover

This image was captured in my studio in Atlanta

2007-06-12T07:39:00.000-04:00

Well the Mississippi leg of the trip is done we were able to meet some cool people and shoot some new talent it was hot people got on my nerves but I learned a lot on scheduling and planing ... by things going wrong but here are some out take from the trip.

Here is a little eye candy from the trip ! Now I am off to CA

2007-06-01T00:36:00.000-04:00

Its after midnight just shoot new customer she took a while to warm up but I think we got some hot stuff

2007-05-31T20:16:00.001-04:00

Tired of last minute crap i still shoot to make extra money. I have a shoot tonight then I need head to sc in the am to shootr the next cover. Th

2007-05-31T20:16:00.000-04:00

Jackson ms for a shoot

2007-05-31T10:13:00.000-04:00

I am on the road 3 weeks a month building my empire . So this will be 100 percent mobile blong sent from my Treo ...

California Love

2006-08-26T07:52:00.000-04:00

California Love

This is interesting I need to Grow Spare Dime so I made a sales trip to northern California last week. By the time I got home the phone was ring off the hook with interest in advertising for online wheel shops, the problem is I made a commitment when I started this to be loyal to my local market, but my local market has said screw me with the exception of a few forward thinking advertisers.

This is how one exchange went, back in February 2005 when I started Spare Dime I approached a local tire and wheel company about advertising with us. The owner told me “well no one else is in the magazine so I don’t want to be the only one.” This is stupid reasoning why not be the first wheel shop in a new automotive magazine. Now fast forward a year and a half later there are 4 or 5 tire and wheel shops advertising in Spare Dime. I go back to the same place again (I see them every time a new issues is published) no we don’t want to advertise because there are too many other shops in the magazine (wtf). The salesman in me was ready to offer a discount to prove that we could deliver but screw that I have proved Spare Dime WE BUILD BRANDS and BRAND AWARENESS. Ask your self do you know who Ultimate Audio is or least have heard of them.

The quality of Spare Dime is better than or equal to the best automotive magazine out there. Yes we pride ourselves on the photography I don’t care who you are we will do it better with a smaller budget. Sorry for getting off subject. Bottom line is that my local market that I am loyal to does not have the vision to grow there business with advertising but the California guys see the value and understand to make money they must advertise. Funny this is we are about the Southeast and the California business want to get there products in front of my readers.

I am going to stay loyal but I will say I have to eat too

Outtakes from our First issue:
Photographer Rahmeek Rasoul
Model LaNia

Stuff I don’t get. (yo can you hook me up )

2006-08-26T05:37:00.000-04:00

This I don’t get wanabe rappers and models who don’t want to invest in themselves. This from my view as a publisher and photographer yes this is about money I get about 20 “yo I am trying to get some exposure for my music” okay fine we have and expanded entertainment section in Spare Dime . Spare Dime has the hottest entertainment writer in the Southeast in Randy Roper. When I ask for a media kit from the artist Iget a blank stare or oh I don’t have one. Dud this is business and you don’t have a calling card a packet of information about yourself but you have your bling on. You refuse to invest in yourself so that tells me your are not about business or nobody has told you how to conduct it. So rappers get a media kit yes we can do it for you we have of the top entertainment photographer in the Southeast, a top writer and the graphic designers to make it happen. Or you can just open your wallets and purchase a full page ad and we will take care of the rest.

I have met one

Media (Press kit) from Wikipedia

A Press kit is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials of a person or persons represented for promotional use. The kit will usually include a CD or demonstration along with reviews, photos, and background information on the person, team, band or group and is distributed among media sources, i.e., radio stations or journalists for publicity. They are often distributed to announce a release or for a news conference.