The title of this blog is very relevant to how I execute a majority of my photo shoots. Especially, when they involve people that I have never met before. Coffee shops are comfortable and social. The atmosphere begs for those that enter to connect or at least get some work done (or a combination of both actions).

This particular instance welcomed the opportunity for me to sit down and get to know Ryan Montez before we shot around the Atlantic Beach area. Ryan received his degree in graphic design and photography from Jacksonville University. His internship landed him a full-time position with Strata. He developed a line of exclusive shirts for the brand and then decided to make an advance upon his very own creative direction. That is when he founded Revelry. Sort of, anyhow. Revelry was developed while Ryan was still attending college. It wasn't until his life after Strata that he wanted to define Revelry and dedicate more time to its growth and progression.

Here's the thing that I like most about all of the above; Ryan took a risk on something he believed in due to the experience he gained from the opportunities he chased after and worked hard for. I think we all sometimes get caught up in the result of someone's efforts without knowing the list of steps that it took for them to get to their final outcome. Therefore, I enjoyed getting to know Ryan's background story and his vision since I have appreciated his work for quite some time.

Anyway, enough of all the talking. I was stoked to shoot with Ryan for Revelry. It was super chill and fun. I know from this shoot, and another project that I handled just recently, that I need to improve on shooting in low light settings with movement. It's a manual adjustment that I must spend more time focusing on and gaining a better understanding about. In due time ~