A collection of Black & White Cityscapes and Skyline Photos by Photographer Jason Wilson.

So about a week and a half ago I was interviewed for the local Columbus Business First weekly newspaper. The interview was great, they wanted to know how I’ve been able to survive in the (for lack of a more accurate phrase) shitty economy we currently find ourselves. So I elaborated about how I’ve taken the time to completely re-design my website (metroscap.com) to be better optimized for the search phrases that are relevant to me. It’s a nice article, well-written, except that they didn’t just misspell my name, they got my name completely wrong (in the print edition, it has since been corrected in the online version). I mean I would have accepted Willson or even Williams (even though Williams is technically wrong its an easier one to understand). But to get it so completely wrong is baffling really. I mean, we were talking about my website, and my name, first and last are in the navigation header.

Columbus Business First Jason Lawson and Metroscap

Anyway, so I’m certain there are folks out there who are looking for my site, my guess is that there are a select few who would like to research me, and delve into my code and see what I did, and why its working for me, not to mention maybe check out my work and purchase product. But if they go searching for Jason Lawson, they won’t find me.

So, as the saying goes, when life give you lemons… Don’t just make lemonade, that’s the simplest thing to do. Go all out and make some kind of lemon pepper chicken, or tilapia. Make a blog post about it. And in the title use the incorrect name with any other keyword that was associated with the article. Also, make sure you have “How to” in the blog post title, because that’s all Mashable seems to do, right, and look at the traffic they get. Or maybe do a Top 10 list. Another simple yet cynical way to get web traffic.

Oh, I should mention, sometimes I’m a cynic.

Now, on with the countdown. (only because I put top ten ways in the title, most of these are going to be stupid)

1. Ask them to correct it.
2. Use twitter to instantly associate the incorrect name or spelling with your real name via your twitter account, or facebook account.
3. repeat step 2
4. repeat step 2
5. repeat step 2
6. repeat step 2
7. repeat step 2
8. repeat step 2
9. repeat step 2
10. Write a blog post that begins with the incorrect name, add a very significant keyword and then make a post, regardless of how incredibly lame it may be that address the issue.  The post doesn’t even have to be good really, all you’re looking for is to associate the name the press messed up in the article with your site, and you.  See: This actual post.

So that’s it.  Be cynical, write a lame blog post, but don’t get your own wrong name wrong in the post title, otherwise you’re triply screwed.

Front Page Columbus Business First

Jason Lawson / Wilson

An opening of the mind…

Ok, so I get asked the question all the time… “Will you shoot photos of our wedding?”

And my standard reply has usually been as follows (and its quite frankly, bluntly honest):

“I’m flattered, but I’m extremely passionate about shooting photos of cities, especially at night, and especially in black and white. That’s why i’m kinda good at it. I’m good or, at least you think I’m good at it because you’re seeing the finished pieces of something I’m extraordinarily passionate about.

I would suggest you find a photographer who is extraordinarily passionate about capturing phenomenal wedding photographs as I am as passionate about capturing night-time black and white cityscapes.”

With that as my formerly typical approach to Wedding Photography requests, it’s time I announce that while I wouldn’t consider my mind as completely changed. Rather, I’d consider it a little bit more open to the idea than previously. Allow me to explain…

If you’re looking for someone to do traditional wedding photos, y’know the kind that take pictures of everyone with the bride and groom with the family, extended family, 2nd cousins twice removed plus 1st cousins not removed with step uncle. I’m STILL not that guy. AND I’ll never be that guy. I’d say about 75% of my dislike for shooting wedding photos is having to deal with people on their wedding day, especially the Mothers. I’ve been successful as a photographer because I’ve always trusted my instincts of what I see as cool, or what I see as interesting or as an interesting composition. A wedding photographer still possesses that ability, I’m not saying they don’t, they just have 20 different people in their ear telling them what they aren’t doing correctly, or what someone without their gifting tells them what they (the person without the photography ability) tells them they’d like to see, or what they could do better, and I hate being micromanaged. Especially by inferior talent. I know that sounds extremely harsh. Probably because it is pretty harsh.

Well, I’m getting at something…

If, however, you’re looking for something that is just the Bride and Groom, want some shots in a cityscape style setting (preferably about an hour before dusk to a half hour after dusk), my mind is open. Why has my mind changed…

My little brother was married back in June 2007 at Northbank Park. After the ceremony, it was raining and that made it impossible to grab the photos He and his new wife Sarah wanted. To further complicate matters, he’s in the U.S. Navy and we couldn’t re-schedule a time to re-shoot on a clear night before he had to leave town again. Fast forward to this past weekend (April 2010) and we finally got that chance. Sure its been three years, but better late than never, right?

Anyway, a couple of more photos from the shoot. If you’re at all interested in a series of Wedding Photos in this style, or heck even just some Engagement Photos, drop me an email, or make a quick phone call [ (614) 207-0172 ]. I have an open mind. Heck, it might even be fun…

I know, I know, its only 11/14, but this was the only weekend I had coming up where I felt like I had the kind of time that I needed to get this thing set up. At least I’m not like Saks Fifth Avenue, who had their Christmas floor set going up at the end of September.

Anyway, here are the pics of the tree.  And your humble photog futzing with the tree. (And a special cameo appearance by a recently created classic Christmas character).

A photo is worth a thousand words, eh? Well all of my 1,000 words right now start with F, are a total of 4 letters and end with a very hard consonant sound after the short vowel following the F. Some of them include the suffix “-ing”. Some of them are a compound word, with either the aforementioned four letter word followed (or preceded) by other random nouns.

And, how the CONTENTS of the aforementioned package marked FRAGILE are delivered from UPS.