More portraits were added this morning to the hollakmedia stock library.

For example, this image is ready for print and / or digital use.

It is rights-managed, model released and can be licensed here.

Among other things, one of the biggest problems that faces the Central Valley of California is “brain drain.”

It is a term that describes the mass exudes of educated, talented, motivated, young creative talent that leaves the Valley for bigger, better, healthier, more lucrative, more metropolitan markets — never to return and taking their skills and disposable income with them.

Another term centered around this same topic is “boomerangs.”

This term describes the opposite affect. Boomerangs are individuals who grew up in the Central Valley and left to get a higher education, ultimately to return to the valley, bringing their skills and professionalism with them.

The Fresno Business Journal is tackling the boomerang concept in a specialty pub and they asked me to shoot it.

It was a real honor to work on this project.

First, I was able to meet some really caring people (Elliott, Tim and Allison) who have moved back to the Central Valley in order to make it a better place to live. The area is better off with them here.

Next, the staff at the FBJ (Melissa, Tracy, Jeanette, Dan, Kate and G-man) is awesome too — pure professionals. Looking forward to working with you again and seeing the finished product.

After a long day of shooting assignments it was good to end on a laugh.

It was my last assignment of the day and as I walked back to my truck I noticed the sign that was pointing towards the parking stall opposite my truck.

No, I’m not parked in the stall the sign is labeling, but it did make for a funny moment at the end of my long day out in the Fresno summer heat.

It’s probably not that funny, but I tell you the 100+ degree heat can really mess with your sense of humor.

Shooting a few assignments in Fresno’s Tower District.

I think it will hit 101 here today.

Even with the heat where it is, I can’t seem to focus on shooting.

Not having anything to do with the heat actually. Something a little more depressing.

McClatchy just laid off 1,400 employees today and there are rumors of more, including shutting the entire paper down in the next town over (Clovis Independent).

Two McClatchy photogs were axed here today (from the south valley bureau of the Fresno Bee).

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Only supposed to hit 100.

Ag / farming stock imagery is a large sub-category of the stock photo business. So much so, you might want to consider adding pieces to the library of images that you offer up to photo buyers.

Ag and farming imagery speaks on a lot of different levels. It’s technology heavy now, it’s big business, it’s Americana, it’s rural, it’s family, it can be green and organic (which is all the rage right now) and it can be profitable for the stock photographer.

If you’re looking for a few agencies to move images through, try these:

• ag stock usa
• farm stock photo
• county, farm & garden stock

Now I choose to continue to host my images on PhotoShelter, so I don’t use or endorse the above agencies but I do know that they get photo buyer traffic and might be an outlet for your ag / farm imagery — do your own due diligence and you should be fine.