2013 Boston Marathon Bombings

I will never forget that call. The voice said that I had photographed Martin Richard ‘s First Communion photos and that they’d like to use them in a news report on him. It was a Canadian TV station calling and everything became a blur as I said, “yes, of course you may”.

Martin was just one of the 100 loud, laughing kids that I photographed at his church in May 2012. Things were moving so fast that day that (as much as I am sorry to say) I didn’t remember photographing Martin.

Martin died in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

I was a bit stunned. How could I have been so insensitive to have not remembered photographing him and all the other kids ?

A few weeks after the 2013 Marathon bombings (May 2013) I was back at Martin’s church photographing that year’s First Communion class. It was a different scene for me. I talked way too long with each child as I prepared to photograph them. But we all healed  and dealt with this in our own way.

Now each year on Marathon Monday I think how lucky I was to have met him, and to have had the great pleasure to have photographed him.

The moments of our lives pass so quickly, they soon blur and fade away, but a photographic print waits for us, until that time when we need it. To comfort us, to help us remember those moments that will never happen again, to make us laugh and to cry.

Martin Richard – May 2012

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Sometimes, You’re Just a Can of Peas on the Shelf

Of course your years of industry experience is your strongest asset. So word of mouth referrals from your best customers are still the best way to get new – quality clients.

But If your perfect potential client hasn’t spoken with  your best customers and they’re surfing the web looking for a vendor then we are a bit like cans of peas on the supermarket shelf. If your product or service requires direct face to face interaction (such as attorney , real estate agent, doctor or financial consultant) the shopper may just choose the peas they buy based on how they look on the can.

And you can’t misrepresent yourself with a picture from the 1980s. Even though you did look epic in those disco boots.  Clients will typically be unhappy when they meet you and find  that they are meeting with your older self. (sorry).

We live in a very visual world and your headshot is a part of your brand. Clients actually get a picture of who you are in their mind and see you as a bit of a star when they meet you after seeing a great photo of you on your website and business card.

Your headshot must speak for you and draw the potential client to feel a connection and call you.

I help business professionals create compelling headshots and portraits that will attract their target market.

Dan Busler is a full service Boston-based professional Portrait, Live Performance and Event photographer with studios located in the historic Hogie Bear Building – Walpole MA 02081    By the Artist, for the Artist.   781-352-4863   http://www.danbuslerphotography.com

Each Event Can be Spectacular

An Event by definition is an occurrence, a happening, a phenomenon. And it’s something that may only happen once.

I photograph family, corporate and charity events. Even though there are similarities they each take a different approach.

Family events might be a weddings, family reunions or when your Child becomes a bar or bat mitzvah. It’s a blur of lots of people running and in the case of weddings, tight scheduling and yes, tension! But after the formal part, it’s a party.

Corporate events are quite different. They’re typically formal affairs with people who may work together but really don’t know each other outside of the office trying to party, but if clients are there … then the employees are “still on the clock” … always be selling.

Charity events are often galas with speeches, awards and dancing. Although I do photograph charity hockey/baseball/golf games each year.  And then the food and fun.

Many people choose to hire a professional event photographer to capture their once in a lifetime events because they’re trained to see the important moments as they unfold and usually they’re not emotionally involved. Although it is true that we do cry at weddings. You would to if you were watching the Bride and Groom and all the emotion at the alter through a telephoto lens!

So when you’re tying to decide if you should have Uncle Charlie photograph your wedding or the kid from the mailroom to photograph your trade show and the Big Event Gala you’re holding in Las Vegas you may want to re-consider and let Uncle Charlie be a guest and enjoy the wedding.

 

 

Dan Busler is a full service Boston-based professional Portrait, Live Performance and Event photographer with studios located in the historic Hogie Bear Building – Walpole MA. By the Artist, for the Artist. 781-352-4863 http://www.danbuslerphotography.com

The Wedding Day is Unique

Each wedding is unique.

It such a honor for me to learn from the couple how they met, got engaged and now are marrying. And the family dynamics .. the Parents, children, siblings along with the friends who have been so important in their lives. They all play a key role in the tone of the day.

I so admire the couples as they join together on their wedding day. To say that I am honored to be there for their “first look” , getting ready, the first dance , Parents dances, the hugs, kisses, tears and laughter … and that crazy party … well I can’t even begin to tell you how epic is .. but it’s wicked epic!

The First Dance

The First Look

 

Click the link below to see even more !

The Wedding Day     A look at it from getting ready to that crazy reception !

 

Dan Busler is a full service Boston-based professional photographer who specializes in Portrait, Live Performance and Events. Studios located in Walpole MA. By the Artist, for the Artist. 781-352-4863 http://www.danbuslerphotography.com

Martin’s Photo Taught Me to Slow Down

 

Each May I photograph portraits of about 300 children on their First Communion Day. And each child’s picture is so important and even though I try, I often don’t get a chance to speak more than just a few words with each kid .

This is a photo of one of the 100+ goofy – loud – laughing kids that I photographed at St Ann Parish in Dorchester in May 2012.

Martin Richard – May 2012

This is Martin Richard. Martin died in the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. And until the day he died, this was probably just a nice photo of him that hung on the wall of the Richard’s home.

A few days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing I received a call from a TV station to ask if they could use the slideshow that i created from the 2012 St Ann Parish first communion pictures. I was honored and perplexed … why did they want the video?  And they they told me that I had photographed Martin.

A feeling of sadness … then anger came over me as I realized that in haste to “keep it moving” that day that I didn’t get to know Martin or any of the kids .

That May when I went to St Ann to photograph First Communion pictures, I spoke with Father Sean ( who was with the Richard family during their time of grief) and told him that I wanted to spend a few extra moments speaking with each child as I photographed them. Father Sean smiled, put his hand on my shoulder and said that would be just fine.

We all heal in different ways I guess. I’m not sure that the kids liked the extra conversation, but I did.

The moments of our lives pass so quickly, they soon blur and fade away.

But a photograph waits patiently for us until we need it – to comfort us, make us laugh and to help us remember.

I smile now when I look at this picture of Martin. How lucky I was to have met him.

 

Dan Busler is a full service Boston-based professional Portrait, Live Performance and Event photographer with studios located in the historic Hogie Bear Building – Walpole MA. By the Artist, for the Artist. 781-352-4863 http://www.danbuslerphotography.com

Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Bushel or Your Pictures in a Drawer

Since the beginning of photography … heck, since the beginning of visual art, the product that was produced was tangible. A cave drawing, a image drawn in the sand, a painting or a photograph.

And what did you do if you wanted another copy? You took a picture of it or had an artist create another one.

But digital photography changed all of that. Today we have gigabytes of pictures on our phones and terabytes of pictures on external hard drives in a safe or a desk drawer. And as a method of safe keeping for these precious memories it is an incredible bit of technology . It is now possible to share our pictures with millions of people, seconds after the event happens.

But is also possible that these precious memories will just remain in cyber space for ever. Like a Facebook or Twitter post to only be replaced by the next thing that comes along.

The walls of my home (and photography studio for that matter) are covered with photographic prints.  In wood, metal, acrylic, canvas and fine art papers. Some of the images are perfectly posed and others are just fun memories … snapshots.

And everyone of them is perfect. I can pass by them for a few days and barely notice them and then one day, an image will catch my eye and it just stops me in my tracks as I remember the day it was taken or the person it was taken of.

Photography is art and it belongs on your wall or desk. Albums of photographs make perfect gifts when placed open in an easel. Each day (or when we feel the need ) we turn the page in the album and have a whole new piece of art to display and help us remember and rejoice how much we have in our lives.

The people we love, the people we’ve lost and the people we see everyday .. our kid’s  concerts and sporting events, Grandma’s birthday party, the day you spent running and laughing together at the beach, the day you fell in love with that new baby of yours … along side those perfectly posed portraits make up the art gallery in our homes that will will last for generations.

But only if you make prints.

 

Dan Busler is a full service Boston-based professional photographer who specializes in Portrait, Live Performance and Events.  Studios located in the historic Hogie Bear Building – Walpole MA. By the Artist, for the Artist. 781-352-4863  www.danbuslerphotography.com

 

Don’t Dress for Dinner – The Walpole Footlighters – Dan Busler Photography

The Walpole Footlighters, a community theater located in Walpole MA is hard at work preparing rehearsing for their presentation of Don’t Dress for Dinner by Marc Camoletti
Adapted by Robin Hawdon  and  Directed by Dan Delaporta.

The cast includes a number of familiar faces and a few new ones.

I recently had the pleasure to photograph the cast’s headshots for the theater’s lobby gallery.

The show runs February 4 – 19, 2017

Dan Busler Photography is a professional photographer who specializes in Portrait, Performance and Event photography. With studios in Walpole MA.  781-352-4863 http://www.danbuslerphotography.com 02081