So, hang tight on that. I’m home now, so we’ll get that straightened out very soon.

Vegas. My wife and I went there for WPPI. It’s a convention for wedding and portrait photographers. 12,000 attended. Sometimes, it seems like there are that many wedding photographers here in Provo. Maybe there are that many. Who knows. And so, for the last few days, we’ve been meeting new people and saying hello to old friends. We got up early and stayed up late. Fun, yes, but also exhausting. It’s good to be home.

We were supposed to come home yesterday, but I was riding my son’s scooter, trying to chase him. He was on another scooter. I fell down on the cement, and on the way down, somehow jacked my foot. I think I smashed it into the scooter on the way down. In any case, I couldn’t walk on it, so we decided to stay another night in St. George. (Truth is, I find every excuse I can to stay as long as I can down there.) This morning I woke up and my foot was nearly as good as new.

So we packed up the car and drove back to Provo. We got here about 45 minutes before I had an engagement session scheduled. I’ll post them soon. Cute couple. You’ll like them. They’re in love and they can hardly stop smiling. Before I left St. George I sent out a Tweet and asked if anyone wanted to help me out on the shoot. To my great fortune, Mindy Gledhill said she could help me out. Great thing about that, is I’ve been wanting to meet Mindy, so it turned out just perfect. And just as I suspected, Mindy is charming, charming.

I’ve got a quite a few things to post on the blog over the next week, so stay tuned. Mostly, I just wanted to say I’m back from Vegas and I’ll get going on the 30 Strangers.

And now, Mindy Gledhill.

Suitcases are packed. I just need to put them in the car, right after I make this post. Then, I’m hitting the road.

Update on the 30 Strangers. If you haven’t already put your name on the list, you have until midnight tonight. Tomorrow morning we’ll randomly select the participants and send an email to confirm the date we’d like to photograph you. Thanks to everyone that expressed an interest.

And now, Vegas, baby.

Last year, it was first come, first served. This year, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post and we’ll be selecting people at random. You have until March 5, 2010, at midnight. If you are selected you must respond to my email within two days.

Please, please, read the following info before you leave a comment. We want to make sure you have all the details (which is to say, we want to make sure you know the parameters of the project) and that you have all the info you’ll need. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

What is 30 Strangers?
A Justin Hackworth Photography project. It works like this. For the entire month of April 2010 I will make a portrait of a mother and daughter every day. 30 portraits – 30 days.

Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! How do I get picked?
Hold on, tiger. I’d love to pick you so please leave a comment on this blog post and we’ll randomly select you. Keep in mind, there are some guidelines. Please read carefully.

It’s not called 30 Strangers for nothing. To participate, you and I must have never met.

Also, we’re looking for people that are age 6 to 108. Why not under the age of 6? Too fidgety. Why not over 108? There are some stairs to my office.

When you leave a comment on the blog, be sure to include your email address. Don’t worry. Your email won’t show up for all to see, but I’ll be able to see it and get a hold of you if (when!) you are selected. All portrait sessions will take place at 4:00pm each day. Remember, this is for April 2010. When you arrive, I’ll ask that you sign a model release (pretty standard stuff). In your blog comment, if you’d like to mention 3 days that will work best for you, that will really help me out.

Although we’ll be strangers when I photograph you, I certainly hope we don’t remain that way. Part of what makes this project great is the people I get to know.

Now, those are the essential details so feel free to post your comment. And if you’re dying to know more, keep reading.

What do I get out of it?
I’m glad you asked. You’ll be part of this historic project and donating to a good cause. You’ll experience an artistic, professional portrait session with the most important people in your life. I’ll create something personal and unique that will become more important to you over time.

Each session will receive one signed 8×10 fine art print and further prints will be available for purchase.

What’s this about donations to a worthy cause?
Great question. The thing you should know about the 30 Strangers project is that the $250 session fee is waived. Instead, we’ll be collecting a $45 donation per session for the Center for Women and Children in Crisis, in Provo.

Can I see what you’ve done in the past?
Go here to see portraits from 30 Strangers 2009, and here for 30 Strangers 2008. And here’s where you can see more of my portrait work.

What type of person are you looking for?
A mother and daughter combination. What would be even better than that would be a grandmother, mother and daughter. What would be even better than that would be a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, daughter. What would be even better than that would be any of those groups I just mentioned, but when they came to the studio, they brought me a pie or a Henry Wienhard’s vanilla creme soda.

I’m going to take my time and think about whether or not I want to participate.
Well, that’s up to you, but last year I filled all 30 spots in under 2 hours. This year, you have until March 5 at midnight to leave a comment on the blog. Participants will be randomly selected from those that leave a comment.

Where will the photographs be taken?
My studio in Provo, Utah.

Can I include more than one of my daughters?
You’re welcome to bring them and if there is time, we can photograph you all together. For this project, however, I am looking for one person from each generation. That is the focus of the project and I can’t guarantee that we’ll have time for anything beyond that. (But we’ll probably have time, and come on, what am I going to do, turn away your other two daughters? Look at them. All dressed up and that one is wearing make up. She never wears make up.)

How long do the portrait sessions last?
Usually about 1 hour. Sometimes less, sometimes a little more.

Why are you doing this?
There’s something about a project with structure and tight parameters that fuels the creation of an expressive body of work, in this case, exploring the relationship between mothers and daughters. I love being a portrait photographer. Making images that move people and offer a sense of the subject’s personality is deeply fulfilling.

I’m also looking forward to raising money and awareness for the Center for Women and Children in Crisis, an organization founded on protecting these vital relationships.

I can’t wait to see who walks through the door and the images we’ll make. This is my third year doing the 30 Strangers project and I have been looking forward to this ever since we finished last year’s project.

When can I see the photographs from my session?
In the studio, one to two weeks after your session. We’ll schedule an appointment and together we’ll view your images. Each session will recieve one signed 8×10 print and you’ll have the opportunity to purchase additional prints. I’ll also update the blog daily with favorites.

I wish you were doing a cool photography project related to weddings.
We are! It’s called Love’s First Year and you can read about it here.

I am extremely beautiful. Will you be intimidated by my good looks?
Probably not. I’m married to a very beautiful girl, so I’m used to being around lovely people.

Do you like cheese?
Well sure–who doesn’t, but what does that have to do with this project?

Do these pants make me look fat?
Are you kidding me? You look fabulous! I wish I had a picture of you.

Do you think it’s funny when a lot of clowns get out of a tiny car all at once?
Ok, enough with the questions. Just leave a comment on this blog post if you want to be a part of 30 Strangers.

From their site:
You will not want to skip this event.  We don’t even know you yet, but we know you’re out there, searching for something special, something to less run-of-the-mill, something sensational.  If we’re lucky enough to meet you at the SUPER trunk show next weekend, we just know you’ll find the one.

When Brigham Young entered the Salt Lake valley for the first time, he said, “This is the Place.” My guess is, you just might say the same thing when you visit Alta Moda.

They needed a picture of both of them for the Church News and gave me a call. Cindy showed me a sample of what they were looking for. Pretty straight forward. I said, sure, let’s get that picture, but then let’s do something a little more Justin Hackworthy. So this first image is what they need to send to the church, the others are because if you’ve got a few minutes with Steve and Cindy Clark, you might as well take that opportunity to make something special. After all, I won’t get a chance to photograph them for another three years.

No matter what level you are, if you care about getting better at photography, I’d suggest that being a part of an artists’ group will play a big part in your learning process. And it also helps when you have Utah’s finest documentary and portrait photographer, Kent Miles leading the group.

Kent Miles

It’s always good to carry your camera with you. That way, when you show up and your friends haven’t arrived yet, you can spend your time making pictures. And that’s just what happened here. This photograph was made a few days ago while I was waiting for my friends. Pretty good way to pass the time, if you ask me.

Ben Webster runs the show over there and Process Magazine is writing an article about him.  Then they called me because they need an accompanying portrait for the article.

I love going to Ben’s shop because they are always working on so many cool projects. It’s inspiring to see what they do and how many beautiful printed pieces they churn out on a daily basis, like business cards, wedding announcements, baby announcements, thank-you cards, birthday cards, holiday cards, and the like.

Let me just tell you that there is a mile-long list of photographers that get their business cards from Ben (like me!) including two wedding photographers I love, Max Wanger and Amelia Lyon.

If you want letterpress, it’s no secret that the Mandate Press is the place to go.

And now, Mister Ben Webster.

Willie lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. Attorney by day, blue-grass musician by night. Now, I’ve never seen him do any lawyer things. I’m just assuming he’s as good as they get.

But I have heard him sing and play his guitar and when that happens, you get a permanent smile that won’t fade for three days. More sensatives types, you just might cry. The girls swoon. The boys want to go buy their own guitar.

It’s good to know Willie DeFord.

Here’s a sample:

	Willie Deford – What You Want Me To Be
	Found at What You Want Me To Be on KOhit.net

Big thanks to Kelly King Anderson at the Startup Princess for lining this up.

Seth Godin

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Justin Hackworth photographs happy families and beautiful weddings and wants to photograph you.

Bill Jay, Occam’s Razor
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Rexburg, Idaho on New Years Day - 2010

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Sidenote – I love love love that second image. The one of Kent sitting on the chair. I had recently spent some time looking at Irving Penn’s book Passage and I think that influenced how I approached this session.

It’s called Love’s First Year, my latest photography project. I love to photograph weddings. I love recording authentic moments as they unfold. What I really love about this, and the thing that compels me to be a photographer, is the chance to record history. Record life. This project is about making those kinds of images I love, and creating a record of your happy beginning.

For the next 10 brides who choose Justin Hackworth Photography, I will photograph you and your spouse five times over the course of your first year. Think about the moments that will mark your first year of marriage–time at home, time with friends, out on the town–and imagine having stunning images of those events. At the end of your blissful first year, you’ll receive a fine art book with images from your five sessions. I dare say it may become a family treasure.

And the news keeps getting better. If you’re one of the next ten brides, not only will you have professional photos that document your life together, but Love’s First Year is included in your wedding package.

Brides of 2010, You’re Cordially Invited to Love’s First Year

• Who: You and the love of your life
• What: A one-year photography project by Justin Hackworth Photography
• When: Your first year of marriage
• Where: Wherever your life happens
• How: Contact Justin for details

Update: only 7 out of 10 still available
Fine print