I am REALLY inactive here on our blog, though we'll be starting a new one for our Thirst for More Tour Blog but anyway, if you'd like to be friends on facebook please request my friendship, clients, colleagues, friends, family, ALL are welcome! Just search Jim Davis-Hicks and let's be friends, also if your on Twitter my call is @jimdavishicks

Remember Jesus LOVES you deeply!

Jim

I was recently honored to be published in Rangefinder Magazine. This is the top honor for publishing in the wedding and portrait business and I give all credit to God for his blessings in our life! Check out the article and learn the story behind this image. The last two weddings I've booked came as a direct result of this image more than any other. It actually came to me as a vision while I was listening to fellow photographer Jesh De Rox, pretty cool to see what came of this shot. It also served as the inspiration behind the Tanzania Trip that Grace Ormonde published in Wedding Style Magazine.



I first processed this image using www.actionrunner.com using my D Matrix Action then hand tweaked to perfection.

READ OUR ARTICLE

Mike Colon and I are speaking at WPPI on "Cause Marketing, The Marriage of Higher Profits and Purpose" please check out this quick video with an invitation to attend by Mike Colon at the end! http://thirstrelief.jppiercephotography.com/

You can see a great article on "philanthropic photography" in this issue of Grace Ormonde, featuring the work of Thirst Relief.

You can bid on the mentor of your choice, including Thirst Founders Jim and Lara Davis-Hicks at this year's 2010 Thirst Relief Mentor Auction, February 16,17 with face time at WPPI in Vegas or over the phone. Go HERE to sign up!

ActionRunner 3.0 is going live at WPPI!

We are excited to have a booth this year at WPPI so we can demonstrate just how powerful a time saving tool this amazing product really is, stop by booth number 1567 to say hi and start saving time and money.

Also, stop by Midwest Photo Exchange's booth as they will be selling ActionRunner 3.0 also! If you haven't seen our new demo video and site go to www.actionrunner.com and check it out.

What others are saying:

Gary Fong: Brilliant!

Chip Gillespie of Blog Stomp wrote: "*****" I think Action Runner is a phenomenal PS tool! We use it often! The benefits of its artistic conversion capabilities are amazing, but don't forget its utilitarian functions, too! Need to resize 1000 .jpgs for an online gallery? Or flatten $ save album layouts? How about converting hundreds of images to black and white in seconds?? ActionRunner is definitely a tool I would not be without!

Elle Zober: Honesly, I cannot live without my actionrunner! This is the best invention since the camera itself!"

Sheye Rosemeyer of Eye Candy Actions wrote: Hi JimStraight up, I've fallen in love :) Your product is fantastic and I've had a blast this morning seeing what it can do. It really is so easy to use.

Shoot Q is donating $5 to Thirst Relief for everyone that signs up during the month of January!

Check it out HERE

Also, be on the lookout for the WPPI Mentor Auction, coming soon.

TWO GREAT ANNOUNCEMENTS!



ActionRunner 3.0 for PC is available online at www.actionrunner.com and it's completely amazing! If you use actions, even multi step one's you'll LOVE actionrunner.

Secondly, we are having a photography workshop at our home based studio on Oct. 19, 20 and it will be really amazing! Check it out at THIRST for MORE WORKSHOP!

so neat to see other people posting about our work on their blogs! This is a post from Humanitarian Photographer Matt Powell, read on:

Wedding Photographers Shooting Relief

20th July 2009

Comments (1)

As someone who shoots weddings on the side, I’ve started to believe that really good wedding photographers are some of the best shooters on the planet. Now here’s a project that just might prove me correct. 14 wedding photographers on assignment in Tanzania to document the relief projects of Thirst Relief. I’m excited to see the images that come from this. You can follow their blog here. Looks like they will also be doing a bridal fashion shoot on location, with images to be published in the Spring 2010 edition of Grace Ormonde|Wedding Style Magazine. What an innovative way to obtain high quality images and further a good cause!

Evidently Thirst Relief’s founder & president Jim Hicks is a wedding photographer himself, visit his website here.

We've been making some REALLY great changes to ActionRuner 3.0 that are well worth the wait. Hang on it's coming very soon!

I am so excited to soon be announcing, like in the next 24-48 hours the release of ActionRunner 3.0 for PC and very soon ETA 2 weeks for Mac! You can see and read about it already at www.actionrunner.com

Here is what one user say's about it's impact in her life!

Elle Zober

I am blessed to still be able to do photography AND spend time with my wonderful kids because I have Action Runner! That sounds all brown-nosy.... but a few years ago my son (then 2) came to me in the middle athe night while I was working a wedding - because that is when I could do it! And he said, "no more computer mommy...". With Action Runner - there is no more computer and alot more Mommy!!! :)

I sat next to Justin on the plane from Dar TZ to Dubai UAE. As we discussed our individual reasons for being in Dar the contrast of the Kingdoms became very evident. I was there to drill for (and filter) clean water, he was there for oil. I cared about the kids, he said let them "f-ing" die (his words not mine) both of us were married, had kids and are 34 years old. In the end I said "I live as though God is real, you do not." I sought understanding. In the end the suffering and pain of the world led him to believe there is no God! Awe, a sense of justice is in every man. Thus the need for the cross, justice that is. Anyway, I illustrated with 4 people, Justin, Me and two others. I share what I have, he lets them die. If we all live like Justin it appears there is no God, if we all love and care, God's is revealed!

Just imagine carrying a bucket this size on your head with water in it. Fill up a bucket and try to lift it. Kids carry water from dirty shallow hand dug wells all the time, like this. But just imagine it making you sick after you drink it. For 1.1 billion in the world, this is life. But a Bio-Sand Filter changes everything for kids like this. Instead of the water they've worked so hard to get making them sick it actually hydrates and refreshes them! $5 makes a world of difference!
This bad boy got really close to our jeep and he was kinda angry, it was fun! So beautiful!

These are the working hands of a Bio-Sand Filter Technician! We are providing clean water and income to people that are in desperate need.
I never dreamed I'd be this close to a lion, without a cage in between us. I only had my 70-200 with me, as the converter didn't work. This gives you an idea of how close I was!

I miss everyone on the trip so much. We had such an amazing time!
When I opened it up for sharing at the end of the trip, there was barely a dry eye. You just don't realize what a difference $5 can make for someone until you see how people live in such poverty and then you see the filter in their homes and you hear their story of how it's transformed their lives, health and restored hope, productivity, joy and more!

Thank you to everyone who helps to make it possible!

I'll continue to post images from the trip, I just can't publish the gown images until Grace Ormonde Wedding Style features them. Also, we are gonna have a big shin ding at WPPI this year!

I am back from Tanzania! What a trip. Unbelievable group of photographers! We had such unity and joy on the team it was unbelievable. Such a privilege to participate in and lead such a great group of people! We can't publish images from the fashion shoot until Grace Ormonde does the feature in Wedding Style magazine, but I'll be posting other images from the trip until then!

Here is just one of my favorites! This is a little orphan girl in a village where we implemented a filter!

You can see other images and read more about the trip HERE too!

If you want to make a donation to take clean water to little one's like this one go to www.thirstrelief.org and become a recurring donor, it's crazy easy and every $5 donated provides a long term clean water solution to someone in need!

For those who would like to follow the trip to Tanzania where I'll be shooting designer gowns to benefit Thirst Relief you can go to HERE and see what posts we make as internet is available!

This trip has finally become a reality! It's amazing how much effort goes into coordinating 15 photographers, 2 videographers, 2 South African models from BOSS Capetown and turning it into a raffle and auction fundraiser all in one! And getting fair trade jewelry from Africa for the shoot from LEAKEY!

Keep us in your prayers for safety, depth and joy in the midst of some crazy days!


Blessings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE! You are loved!

We just returned from Las Vegas where we shot the wedding of Rachel and Chad! Such a great couple! The wedding was originally going to be in the Riviera Maya of Mexico but the violence and all turned it back north. We had such a blast staying at the Wynn and shooting all around Vegas and throughout the hotel grounds. Here are a couple of my favorite images. I'll be covering some of the editing and flash techniques I used for these images at our seminar coming August 10,11, 2009. Feel free to email me if you want more info about the seminar at info@davisphotographer.com and look for the details to soon be uploaded and updated at www.davistools.com Lastly, a big shout out to Kenny, our limo driver who did such an amazing job carting us around Vegas for all the shots. If your shooting in Vegas and you want to do it in style ask me for Kenny D Oh's info!

FOR DETAILS ON THE TRIP GO TO: http://thirstrelief.shootq.com

Join Mike Colon, Jim Davis-Hicks and twelve other amazing photographers on a once in a lifetime photo adventure! Shoot designer gowns on location in Tanzania to benefit Thirst Relief. Help build and deliver life saving Thirst Relief Bio-Sand Water Filters. See some of the most beautiful wildlife on the planet on an African Safari! Top it off with Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine featuring the whole trip in her Spring/Summer 2010 issue!

Two Seats, Two Ways to Win.

Trip Dates July 13-23, 2009.

Details and Dates for Auction and Raffle Coming Soon, VERY SOON!


VOID WHERE PROHIBITED
Federal and state laws restrict the online sale of Tanzanian Benefit Shoot raffle entries and the online Tanzanian Benefit Shoot auction to only those state or local residents who specifically meet the requirements as set forth in the applicable statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions that apply to the raffle and the auction and Thirst Relief does not currently allow raffle entry purchases or auction entries outside the scope of these restrictions. Raffle entries are reserved on a limited basis. Thirst Relief does not allow any illegal participation in the Tanzanian Benefit Shoot raffle nor the auction. Proceeds of the raffle and the auction benefit Thirst Relief International, Inc. Raffle winners will be selected by random drawing and all participants have an equal opportunity to win. Raffle winners will be notified by Thirst Relief at the address provided. Must be a U.S. resident and 18 years of age or older to participate and to win any raffle and/or auction prize. This is not a solicitation. This is for informational purposes only.

This pic represents 7000 drops of water, each one equals a life that has been impacted with the gift of sustainable, clean water and each for less than $5! To reach the 100,000 lives we've reach in the last 3 years you'd have to multiply this thing 14 times! That's alot of people! Thank you to everyone that gives so much to make it possible.! Right now we have a matching grant, if you give $5 it equals $10, $20 equals $40, $100 equals $200 etc. etc. go to www.thirstrelief.org and donate online!

I'm teaming up with Mike Colon on a trip to Tanzania in July with a group of very talented photographers to benefit Thirst Relief International. The very generous Grace Ormonde of Wedding Style Magazine will be featuring the images in a 10 page spread in her January 2010 issue. More details to follow!