I love nothing more than a new challenge. When we present ourselves with new challenges, we improve. We grow creatively, and technically. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities, that we often forget to look for opportunities to not only improve in our craft, but to ENJOY our craft! So when I come across challenges or contests, I get all giddy, because it’s an opportunity to do what I love, just because I love it. Today, as I was planted at my computer retouching some images, my phone buzzed with such an opportunity. Scott Kelby announced over at his blog an “Old School Photo Challenge” that sounded way too fun to pass up. Then, as I thought more about it, I decided it would be even more fun to do with all of you! So I invite you to watch the video over at Scott’s blog, then continue reading about the contest we’re holding here.

So to summarize the rules, this weekend:

(1) You have to turn off, or black out the LCD monitor on the back of your camera. You can’t see the shots after you take them.

(2) You can only shoot 24 to 36 shots total

(3) You can’t import the photos or even look at them until 24 hours AFTER you shoot them.

(4) You have to make a print

(5) Scott has invited all who participate to take the $$$ they would have spent on film and processing and donate it to the Springs of Hope Orphanage in Kenya. This is step totally optional (but I’ll bet you feel all warm and fuzzy inside if you do it You can donate by clicking HERE.

Now for the contest part…I’m currently reading a great book by David DuChemin called Vision Mongers. I’ll be giving one copy away to the winner. So how do you win? Upload your favorite image by the end of Tuesday, June 1st to the Boka Studios Facebook Page, and make a note on your submission that it is for the Old School Photo Challenge. I’ll be picking my favorite image from the submissions. Thanks and good luck!

As a parting gift, I’ll leave you with my rock eating monster…the dude can insert rocks into that pie hole faster than I could get them out, as I was pulling one rock out, he had two more fists ready to stuff…needless to say, the beach time quickly turned to grass time!

Well this marks the end of the 3 week giveaways. I want to shout out a HUGE THANKS to all those who have participated. This final week’s contest was for a free editorial photo shoot for anybody wanting to showcase a talent: actors, singers, bands, athletes…you get the idea. After some fierce competition, I’d like to congratulate the winners listed below.

Grand Prize (Free editorial shoot with the disc of high resolution images)

Sherene Buffa

Consolation Prizes ($50 gift card for each time the name was drawn, good for prints or session fee with Boka Studios)

Jennifer Campbell Oconnor – $200
Cara Ruetz – $50
Kim Fuller Howe – $50

Winners, please email me at travis@bokastudios.com to give me your email address and claim your winnings. Thanks again to everybody for all your participation and for helping to spread the word about Boka Studios!

Again, I want to give a big thanks to all those who have participated in the contest this week and helped to spread the word about Boka Studios! As explained in the original blog post, the contest last week was for a free high school senior  session. In addition to the grand prize, we have also drawn consolation prizes for every 1 out of 10 entries…

And the winners are:

The Grand Prize (High School Senior Portrait Session, including the disc of all retouched images):

Congratulations Lisa Amico!

Consolation prize winners ($50 for each time the name was drawn):

Debbie Dunham – $100
Julie Owens Morris – $50
Lindsay Stairs – $250
Nancy Herchman Johnson – $50
Pamela Tesarz – $50

In order to claim your gift certificates, please email me at travis@bokastudios.com. Thanks again to all those who participated and congratulations to the winners!

First, a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE thanks to all those who have participated in the first week of the contest! We have been overwhelmed at the response, and thank you all for both your contribution and for all your kind words. Now, as explained in the original blog post, the contest this past week was for a free engagement (or I’m so freaking in love with the person next to me) session. In addition to the grand prize, we promised to draw consolation prizes for every 1 out of 10 entries…the good news is we had over 300 hundred entries! The bad news is I had to stay up waaaayyy past my bedtime to compile the entries (procrastination is a b#@%!)

So, let’s get down to brass tacks!

The Grand Prize (Engagement Session, including the disc of all retouched images):

Congratulations Nicole Beaulieu!

Consolation prize winners ($50 for each time the name was drawn):

Abby Polando – $250
Allan Garcia – $50
Anna Brooks – $50
Anthony Sottile – $50
Charlie Warford – $100
Crystal Croffe – $50
Crystal King – $50
Crystal Warford – $150
Jennifer Bully – $50
Joe Brady – $50
Joey Lucchesi – $50
John Durkee – $50
Kaitlin Stacia Ufolla – $100
Kate Julia Bailey – $50
Katelyn Brackney – $50
Katy Crippen – $50
Kristin Martin – $50
Laura Jones – $50
Susan Reynolds – $50
Vaughn Bradley – $50
Yom Odamtten – $50

In order to claim your gift certificates, please email me at travis@bokastudios.com. Thanks again to all those who participated and congratulations to the winners!

So sorry about the crickets as of late…I’ve been spending every living second getting my new website and shopping cart up…but alas, I think we’re there! Check it out by clicking HERE. In order to celebrate, I think it only appropriate to have a little contest…check out the site and either comment or email me with the name of somebody you recognize and your name will be entered to receive one of three $10 iTunes gift cards. Good luck!