I can't believe it!

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It's finally here! After four months of planning, we are launching Future American Dream tonight on Kickstarter.com.

Starting at 7:30 pm PST we will make a live announcement and push the START button on our Kickstarter page.

I'm inviting you to watch it LIVE on Periscope as Angela Bassett and a host of friends help me launch a project that will inspire the world.

 

LAUNCHING TODAY

7:30 PM PST

KICKSTARTER.COM

UNDER FUTURE AMERICAN DREAM

 

 

Click the link to make your copy: http://kck.st/1UOLOn0

 

Always dream big


Come celebrate with me on Periscope

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For anything amazing to happen in life there has to be a team. To learn how to become a great photographer, you need a team. For a child to grow up and accomplish great things they have to have a team behind them. Team stands for, Together Each Achieves More. 

I am inviting you to join me to become part of the team, to become part of the community that will inspire the next generation to become great. 

You can watch it LIVE on Periscope at 7:30 pm by following me at Matthew_JordanS

 

FUTURE AMERICAN DREAM

ON 

KICKSTARTER.COM

A PERSONAL WAY TO INSPIRE YOUR CHILD


T.E.A.M.

in

For anything amazing to happen in life there has to be a team. To learn how to become a great photographer, you need a team. For a child to grow up and accomplish great things they have to have a team behind them. Team stands for, Together Each Achieves More.

In two days, I am inviting you to join me to become part of the team, part of the community that will inspire the next generation to become great. 

FUTURE AMERICAN DREAM

ON 

KICKSTARTER.COM

A PERSONAL WAY TO INSPIRE YOUR CHILD

 


Launch in 3 days!

After working till 5:00 am my body has finally crashed. Who knew it was so much work in preparing to launch a Kickstarter campaign.

 

Future American Dream

Launching September 12, 2015

7:30 pm PST

Hosted by Angela Bassett

You are going to love this game!

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 In  5 days, we will do something that has never been done before. We would like to invite you to play a brand new game called,

The Future American Map Game.

 

The objective of the game: To inspire families and their children in an exciting new way. 

The Characters: Mr. Havens & Mrs. Havens, Raine Havens - 11 years old, Jayden Havens - 7 years old (main character)

How to play the game: The game can ONLY be played on Kickstarter.com/FutureAmericanDream starting on Saturday,  September 12th at  7:30 pm PST. The game only lasts for 30 days.

To play the game make a pledge of $10 or more and you'll receive the American Map Game, which includes the map and cut-out figures of the Havens family. Use the map to answer one question per day for 30 days. Questions will be posted once a day and viewable only to pledgers.  To play the game, go to the Future American Dream page on Kickstarter.com

The game is played through a story and told by the youngest child in the Havens family. Over the course of the game, the Havens family travels to every state in America and has a variety of interesting adventures. During their journey, they meet some of the real-life children featured in the book Future American President.

The Family Journey: The Havens family is going on their first family vacation across America. Little Jayden Havens, seven, tells the story as his family drives from state-to-state and at the end of each day asks a question. Help Jayden answer the questions each day as his family travels across America.

 

Seven-year-old Jayden Havens is about to leave on the adventure of a lifetime and he'd like you to join him. 

 

Future American Dream - Only on Kickstarter - Starting Saturday, September 12th, 7:30 PM PST

Hosted by Angela Bassett, Nicole Ari Parker, Felicia D. Henderson and Dr. Pearl E. Grimes

Introducing the Havens Family

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On Monday, I'd like to introduce you to a very special family. A week from today I will introduce the family in person during my  launch of my event at 7:30 pm PST, and then we will leave the next morning on an incredible adventure for 30 days.

Many of you know that I  shoot with Nikon camera's now. This week  I  learned that Mr. and Mrs. Havens are also  fans of Nikon camera's and has exactly the same gear as me. This week, to prepare for the trip, I added three new Lowepro cases and I'll get to break them in on this journey. The Echelon Line of Lowepro bags and roller cases are really amazing and I'm looking forward to using them on this trip. The Lowepro Echelon roller is just what I've been looking for and in one roller. It's going to make my travel with camera gear much better.

I share my excitement for my new Lowepro bags with Mr. and Mrs. Havens and they were super excited as well to see the new line. Mr.Havens said he was in need of new camera bags and was curious to see the line.

Until Monday, have a great weekend and I look forward to sharing what I believe will be an incredible week with you all next week.

Always dream big!

Have you heard about the Havens Family?

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What an amazing family! In 8 days, they are leaving on an incredible journey and they have invited everyone in America to come along with them.

I'm excited to say I have decided to go with them and document the journey. Yesterday I met the entire family, and the son, Jayden, who is seven years old, is very curious about life and is hooked on Minecraft. All he talked about was Minecraft and just wanted my attention so I could watch him play. I asked him was this his favorite game and he said, "Yes, but I also like this new game called Plants vs Zombies and Paceman championship edition deluxe. It has the most ghosts ever. Instead of just four, there can be any amount." I laughed and loved seeing the world through his eyes. It made me remember being his age where nothing else mattered but playing with my friends.

His sister, Raine, was more reserved but also excited about the journey their family is preparing to take. I hope you can join us as this is going to be something we will all remember forever.

Always dream big!

Master Your Lens Class & LA Fashion Workshop

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Today is the fifth class for the Master Your Lens course. The course is  a six-week photography master class created to teach students how to stand out from the crowd and truly master their photography. 

Earlier in the week I asked a question on social media and received a huge response on Facebook. The question was, what are you struggling with in photography? I was very surprised to learn that most of the areas people are struggling with are taught in the Master Your Lens course. People struggle with creativity, posing, lighting, marketing and fighting to enjoy the business and remember why they got into photography. Today in class I will share the comments with my students so they can see how far they have come in five weeks, and show them the advantage they have now because of the course. If you are interested in taking the next course subscribe to our mailing list for updates on the next course.

We will also announce dates very soon or our Fashion and Beauty workshop  taking place in Los Angeles, California. Stay tuned for more information

 

Always dream big!

The Journey Begins in..

It will all begin in only 10 days!

The announcement will be made at 7:30 pm PST and broadcast LIVE on Periscope with the help of Angela Bassett, Nicole Ari Parker and more.

One amazing family  is inviting you to come along on an incredible journey, so pack your bags. We are about to leave  in only 10 days!

 


What are you struggling with?

Today, I asked my listeners to my new Podcast, MASTER YOUR LENS, and my Facebook followers what they were struggling with in photography? 

I have received an interesting list of responses, but I'd like to know more from you. In photography, what are you struggling with the most from day to day?

Leave your response in the comments section of this blog. I look forward to helping you answer the questions via my podcast. 

Drink & Click Tokyo

Went to my first Drink & Click in Tokyo, Japan the other night. The Drink & Click groups are popping up all over the world. I'm be speaking at the Austin Texas chapter in October along with the New Jersey Chapter. If you have one in your city, check it out. It's a fun way to connect with other photographers and build your body or work.

What does Vine star Nash Grier have in common with Angela Bassett?

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Angela Bassett, Nash Grier, Zendaya Coleman, Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker, all have somethign in common, they all have their own copy of Future American President. Now you can have your own special edition version of Future American President too. Starting September 12th, 2015 at 7:30 pm PST, you'll be able to make your very own special edition book with your child on the cover.  

KICKSTARTER ONLY!  under FUTURE AMERICAN DREAM

September 12th, 2015

Launch time: 7:30 pm PST

Hosts: Angela Bassett, Nicole Ari Parker, Felicia Henderson and Dr. Pearl Grimes

Watch LIVE on Periscrope!

 

Caption: Nash Grier with Future American President

Caption: Nash Grier with Future American President

Caption: Angela Bassett with Future American President

Caption: Angela Bassett with Future American President

Caption: Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker with Future American President

Caption: Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker with Future American President

Caption: Zendaya with Future American President

Caption: Zendaya with Future American President


Tokyo Interview

Yesterday I had an interview with a photography magazine in Tokyo. It was one of the more intensive interviews I've had in my career. The interview lasted more than two hours and we spoke about subjects ranging from how I began my career to what inspires me to create my personal projects. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the article when it comes out and i'm looking forward to meeting others in the photo community in Japan. Wish me luck.

Always dream big!

Editing with Mylio

Whenever I am out of the country I get requests for older images. I don't know what it is, but this happens all the time. Thanks to Mylio, it's not a problem anymore. I have all the images I want with me all the time and it's made my life much easier.

Today I worked on my Ipad at a local Starbucks in Tokyo, and it felt like I was working from my office computer. Now, my office is any where I want it to be.

The step-by-step way to create amazing pictures.

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The Step-by-Step Way To Create Amazing Pictures

Sometimes it's necessary to repeat valuable information. I've received a lot of comments on this post so I thought I'd update it a bit and share it again.  

 

Sometimes, taking the first step is the most difficult one to take when it comes to getting started in photography. Here are seven steps to help guide you through your journey in creating amazing pictures.

Step 1: The Idea

Everything starts with a big idea. As soon as the idea comes write it down right away. Computers and other devices are great, but I prefer putting pen to paper. Maybe I'm old fashion but this seems to work the best for me. Give it a try and see how it works for you. Start with the idea and define it by writing it down. For example, while photographing polar bears in Cape Churchill, I had the idea of photographing models in a way where I could use the images together. While on the trip, I wrote down my idea and by the time I was back in Los Angeles, I had the story together. Putting pen to paaper always helps you define your ideas.

Step 2: Research

Today, it's easier than ever before to do research. I used to keep countless books of tear sheets from old magazines as research material, but today, we have Pinterest to make our lives easier Use Pinterest to make inspirations boards and to conduct your research. After you write down your idea, dive into research. The research helped pull the idea together in a stronger way resulting in the bi-polar beauty story.

 

Step 3: The Sketch

I'm no Picasso, but I am a visual person. Sketching out my ideas after doing the research has always helped me in visualizing how I will bring my vision to life. In advertising assignments, one of the first things clients send sketches or some type of visual board. The sketch helps you see things in a clear way and visualize the image for the first time in a tangible manner. It also helps me when you need to share your idea with your team. I can share an idea with my team, but they may have a different visual in their mind. When I show and tell it helps my team come together as a unit to bring the vision to life.

Step 4:  Pre-Production

Pre-production is probably the most important aspects of any photo shoot, and the bigger the shoot, the more important pre-production is. Whenever I mention this in a seminar or workshop someone always says "what is pre-production?" Pre-production is the process of producing your photo shoot or putting the shot together. You have your idea, you've done your research, you have a sketch and now it's time to figure out all the elements come together to make your shoot a success. The big elements are easy to see, but it's the small details that can often become overlooked and make or break a photo shoot. Pre-production is the key to having a fantastic shoot, so make sure you go over every element and mentally walk through the steps to bring your vision to life. The more time you spend producing, the better things will be on your shoot day. If you're shooting a model, what color will her nails be? If you're shooting on a beach, how will you change lenses if it's windy? Try to think of every small detail you can and plan for your success. A key element to always have is a call sheet. No matter how big or small this will keep you from going crazy when you move to the next step.

Step 5: Taking Your Picture

This is the fun part, which is why so many people want to start here, but if you skip the steps before this and jump into taking a picture you will find yourself in the same place year after year. Great pictures are rarely a mistake. Yes, there are those times when something amazing takes place right in front of your camera, but it happens more often to the photographer who is trained to create great images.

To create amazing pictures, you must think like a movie director because great pictures often tell a story and have a hero. Sometimes the hero is very obvious, like in the image of the Japanese woman in the middle of the bamboo forest. The woman is the hero of the image but the bamboo forest is the supporting cast. In the image of the Washington Monument, the monument is the hero, but the sunrise sets the mood.

 

Both images were planned. For the model image, I scouted a model from a Japanese agency in Osaka, Japan and had her come to Kyoto, Japan for the shoot. I talked to the makeup artist while I was still in America so we were all clear about the concept before the shoot

. For the image of the monument, I looked up the time for sunrise, went to the location the day before to find my angle and then got up and 4:00 a.m. to take my place and wait for the perfect moment. 

Step 6: Image Selection

I rarely hear people talk about how to select your images these days, but it is a very important step for the photographer looking to advance his or her career. You can take a thousand images, but it takes a trained eye to be able to select the perfect shot to show the world. Here's the tricky part. Sometimes the best image to show is not the best image from your shoot. I know, this sounds confusing, but you only want to show images to fit your brand. This took a long time for me to grasp, but it made the most significant difference in my work.

Step 7: Post Production

Another question I am asked all the time is, "do you retouch your own images?" There are a lot of great photographers who love doing their own retouching, but I am not one of them. The less time in front of a computer means the more time I can spend with a camera in my hands. Knowing when to delegate is an important part of making a great image. Like a great director, you need a great team. The best retouchers are those who spend every waking moment retouching. I send my images to a retoucher with instructions on how I'd like to make adjustments and we go back and forth until I have exactly what I want.

 

Oh, by the way, if you want to really take your photography to the next level, the Master Your Lens digital Course launches today for a limited time. The course is broken down into six lessons and offered one at a time. The first lesson goes on sale today and is only available until August 31st. Orders close at midnight, PST on 8/31/2015.

 ORDER TODAY: Master Your Lens: Lesson One

 The great things about having the course broken down by lessons, vs committing to the entire course all at once, is that it gives you a chance to try the course out and see if you like it. Each lesson is only $197.00 so the financial commitment is not as difficult as the entire course would be all at once. I believe once you start the journey by taking the first lesson you will want to continue as this course is designed to really give you step-by-step instructions and help in taking your photography to an incredible new place.  Lesson one is all about self-discovery! 

Always dream big!


 

How do you master the art of photography?

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I can't really explain how incredible it feels, but there is nothing quite like it when you see a student start to grow right in front of your eyes and begin the process of mastering the art of photography.

Last week was a ground-breaking week for all of my students and I'm excited to see how they will perform in this week's class. Almost all of them have emailed me with questions and I love to see them start to come alive and grow. I never knew it before, but I love teaching others the art of photography.

 

I am currently in my fourth week of teaching an online photography class, and all of my students are really starting to take off. The class was only offered for five days initially, and there has been a lot of interest since registration ended, but I won't be able to teach the class in this manner again for a while.

Because of the interest and email from those who missed signing up for the Master Your Lens Course I have decided to offer the class digitally starting today. The class is a six-week course devoted to helping students master the art of photography. A different lesson is taught each week and there are assignments that must be completed. Offering the class digitally will give people the chance to tackle the assignments at their own pace and without the pressure of making sure they are free for  the class based on my schedule.

The first lesson is the foundation for the entire class, and it is a very intense lesson to start the course, but it is necessary. Each student is required to keep a journal so they can see their growth week by week. The course is a step by step approach and I'm their every step of the way to guide my students through the process.

If you'd like to begin the journey with me, downloads of the first lesson are available starting today and closes at midnight on August 31st, 2015 at midnight PST. Each lesson is priced at $197.00 per lesson but, you are under no obligation to continue if you feel the entire class is not right for you. However, I believe after the first class you will want to continue as this class is like no other photography class that I have ever seen, but don't take my word for it. Try out the first class today by downloading lesson one, of the Master Your Lens Course.

Benefits include: anytime email access to me to guide you along your journey and a monthly Google hangout for Q&A with all the students taking the course.

Master Your Lens Course: Lesson One - ENROLL TODAY

 

Always dream big.


Joy!

How do you express a word in photography?

 

Look for the person doing what they love most and capture the moment.