wow. Last post May14, 2010. Today August 10, 2010. So much for keeping up a consistent post every week or so! I just looked at my favorite fashion photography blog by photographer Melissa Rodwell and she too is slow to post on her blog. Her take is this: " do you want a frequent post by a photographer who is not busy or an infrequent post by a very busy photographer who has something to actually share?' not her exact words but you get the point. I have been busy planning and executing my very first on site event photo printing project which I plan to write about when my wedding series is done. Soon I hope.
OK. We left off with me shooting my first wedding and I talked about the equipment used and what I took away from that first experience. I don't care who you are or think you are, you are human therefore infallible and you must embrace your mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. If your ego won't allow this basic acceptance than you are destined to be miserable, difficult to work with or both and people don't hire or recommend miserable and difficult people.
For my first wedding there were not many expectations but it was a great opportunity to focus on my shooting skills outside and to start to hone some all important business skills. Running a photography business is 10% pressing the shutter and 90% business. By business I mean: creating a logo, creating marketing materials from that logo, creating a business plan, creating a web presence, creating contracts specific to each facet of your business, accounting, and the constant monitoring and upgrading of the aforementioned. Oh and finding new clients is important too. Just because you print out business cards, even hand some out or take out an ad in the yellow pages you will die of starvation waiting for the phone to ring. It rarely will in the beginning so you need to be networking!!!
Regardless of the size of my first wedding and the low expectations I needed to have a contract signed by both myself and the client which outlined the event date, location(s) and time(s), the exact nature of my responsibilities, and any liabilities or limitations that might affect my ability to deliver on my responsibilities.
There are several contract templates and ideas available online for free or a nominal fee or you can get the
book Business and Legal Forms for Photographers which contains a variety of contracts and negotiation checklists for many of the situations you will find yourself in. I am not a lawyer and the materials available in this book and online should be used as a starting point only. It is wise to confer with an attorney who specializes in contracts in the specific state in which you reside and do business as each state differs on its laws and regulations.
As you can see going from shooting landscapes to taking on your first wedding involves much planning both in terms of equipment and exposure, to some business knowledge. Next installment I will discuss my second wedding in terms of the adjustments i needed to make in equipment, contract, and now commercial liability insurance and a price list for my services and prints. until then...
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Wedding Photography-My Process Part 5- Progress Not Perfection
So, welcome back. I shot my first wedding in Part 4 and I described the limited gear I owned at that point and for the location, time of day, and abundant light that was offered my gear proved adequate for the task. One thing I was remiss in mentioning was that in addition to researching the equipment I needed, lighting techniques for outdoor wedding photography, and wedding photography basics in general I found helpful a "shot list" as an aid to work from. In reading several posts on Photo.net in the wedding forum I found a link to a site that offered a free download of a sample shot list. I assume we have all been to at least one wedding and myself have been to several albeit as a guest/usher/bestman and one not paying any attention to anything but the "festivities" of the day. A wedding, for the photographer, consists of a pre-ceremony time period, the ceremony, the recessional and greeting line, the post ceremony formals, and the reception. These specific time periods can be further broken down into subcategories to which I will give more attention to in a future post. For my first wedding it was simply the ceremony on the water followed by a formals session and then a reception at a relatives home nearby.
I arrived an hour early. I always try to arrive early. Not only is it profesional in my opinion but it also helps to mitigate any unforeseen obstacles that may arise in the form of weather, traffic, controlling venue employees or family members and/ or uninvited interlopers and undesirables.
My first plan of action was to find a convenient spot for my pack so my gear would be handy but out of the way. Next I assembled my gear and made sure it was all working properly. Note: the week preceding any gig I make a list of all the gear I need, assemble it on a work table, recharge batteries as needed, format cards, and setup the menus for the specific job. I give the glass a once over and give myself plenty of time to acquire any last minute items or replacements if needed.
I also put together an itinerary for the day with maps and directions to the various locales. In my mind I walk through the day anticipating any problem areas and points of concern. One can never be too prepared.
Secondly, I took my trusty D50 and shot some scenics of the gazebo, the chairs, arriving guests, decorations, and surroundings. Shooting a wedding is to tell a story of the day with images. You can never have too many images and since I am shooting digital I have the option to save or delete images on the spot and to make exposure corrections as needed. The story is everything pertaining to the event. Since the bride and groom were on a small budget no doubt the family had put time and effort into making the decorations etc and it would be insulting not to capture these images. Despite the budget I like to capture everything and then piece it together later or offer the couple all the "information" so they can conceive their day in the manner they see fit.
As the guests started arriving I had my D80 out with the SB600 hot shoe flash attached and was making adjustments to the exposure settings and flash output settings. The main ceremony was to be held in a small gazebo with little light. It would be the bride and groom, the officiant, a maid of honor and best man in the gazebo. The backside of the gazebo was on the water (south) and blocked with seagrass and other shrubs. The sun was high and coming from the SE moving south.
The most important relationship, however shortlived, is the one between you and the officiant be it a justice of the peace, deacon, or priest. They dictate how the ceremony is conducted and they dictate whether you can use flash or not or how much. I made it a point to seek out the JP in this case and politley introduced myself and asked her what her "rules and conditions" were. She made it abundantly clear I was not to enter the gazebo nor was I to use flash that would be directed in her direction as this would be distracting to her.
This is important as it gives you a sense of their demeanor and mood and this in turn gives you an idea what you can try to get away with and what your lighting limitations are. This is also an important line item to be put into your contract which we will discuss in a later post.
In Part 6 I will post some images from this first wedding and discuss the limitations in lighting I faced in terms of my equipment, the natural lighting offered, and the limitations of the gazebo and officiant rules.
until then......
I arrived an hour early. I always try to arrive early. Not only is it profesional in my opinion but it also helps to mitigate any unforeseen obstacles that may arise in the form of weather, traffic, controlling venue employees or family members and/ or uninvited interlopers and undesirables.
My first plan of action was to find a convenient spot for my pack so my gear would be handy but out of the way. Next I assembled my gear and made sure it was all working properly. Note: the week preceding any gig I make a list of all the gear I need, assemble it on a work table, recharge batteries as needed, format cards, and setup the menus for the specific job. I give the glass a once over and give myself plenty of time to acquire any last minute items or replacements if needed.
I also put together an itinerary for the day with maps and directions to the various locales. In my mind I walk through the day anticipating any problem areas and points of concern. One can never be too prepared.
Secondly, I took my trusty D50 and shot some scenics of the gazebo, the chairs, arriving guests, decorations, and surroundings. Shooting a wedding is to tell a story of the day with images. You can never have too many images and since I am shooting digital I have the option to save or delete images on the spot and to make exposure corrections as needed. The story is everything pertaining to the event. Since the bride and groom were on a small budget no doubt the family had put time and effort into making the decorations etc and it would be insulting not to capture these images. Despite the budget I like to capture everything and then piece it together later or offer the couple all the "information" so they can conceive their day in the manner they see fit.
As the guests started arriving I had my D80 out with the SB600 hot shoe flash attached and was making adjustments to the exposure settings and flash output settings. The main ceremony was to be held in a small gazebo with little light. It would be the bride and groom, the officiant, a maid of honor and best man in the gazebo. The backside of the gazebo was on the water (south) and blocked with seagrass and other shrubs. The sun was high and coming from the SE moving south.
The most important relationship, however shortlived, is the one between you and the officiant be it a justice of the peace, deacon, or priest. They dictate how the ceremony is conducted and they dictate whether you can use flash or not or how much. I made it a point to seek out the JP in this case and politley introduced myself and asked her what her "rules and conditions" were. She made it abundantly clear I was not to enter the gazebo nor was I to use flash that would be directed in her direction as this would be distracting to her.
This is important as it gives you a sense of their demeanor and mood and this in turn gives you an idea what you can try to get away with and what your lighting limitations are. This is also an important line item to be put into your contract which we will discuss in a later post.
In Part 6 I will post some images from this first wedding and discuss the limitations in lighting I faced in terms of my equipment, the natural lighting offered, and the limitations of the gazebo and officiant rules.
until then......
Friday, May 14, 2010
Wedding Photography-My Process Part 4- Camera Gear for Weddings.
Part 4 in this series is the continuation of my attempt at explaining my process as a novice photographer getting started in wedding photography. Like many, I started out shooting subjects I liked while learning the particulars of my DSLR du jour which at that time was a Nikon D50. I bought it at the end of its run. It had a 6MP digital sensor and it came with the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens. After several weeks of trial and error I found that the subjects I liked to shoot: botanicals, abstracts, and night scenes required a tripod and, more importantly, lenses that were better suited to low light photography and close up (macro) photography. I purchased a fixed or prime lens, Nikon 50mm 1.8 and a Tokina 100mm 2.8 Macro lens. I then decided I needed a telephoto lens with a higher focal length range and the Nikon 55-200mm and later the VR(vibration reduction) version of the same lens was my choice. Unfortunately, while both good lenses for the budding novice, the 4/5.6 minimum aperture of the 18-55mm and 55-200mm even with VR are not suited for low light or handheld photography especially in a wedding setting. Neither is the 6MP D50 for that matter. I do still use the D50 for scenic shots, still lifes, and other wedding images that are probably not going to be enlarged more than 8x10.While I have captured some great images with that body and printed them to 16x20 with great clarity and quality it is not conducive to the low light demands of the wedding arena.
As I grew more competent I bought the then newly introduced Nikon D80 10 MP DSLR body and a Tokina 12-24mm wide angle lens and the new Nikon 70-300mm VR telephoto lens. I bought the 3rd party Tokina lenses because they offered good glass at 50-75% the cost of similar Nikon lenses. I now know that buying the best lenses is priority over the best camera body as quality lenses are more important and retain their value longer than the quickly obsolete digital bodies which are "improved upon" every two years or so.
I mentioned in earlier posts that at some point people will comment on how nice your images of a sunset or flowers are and automatically make the leap to you shooting their wedding. I set out to practice photography as a serious hobbyist and after some intense field training and experience would then figure out where to go from there. I chose at that point to be a "generalist" learning all I could about varied subjects while offering me the opportunity to strenghten my knowledge of composition, lighting, and post production. At this time I was doing some headshots and portraits and was asked to shoot not 1 but 2 weddings. I politely declined both. My reasoning was that it was too important a day to trust to a novice. I knew in my heart at some point I would have to accept an offer but that was not the time and I am better for it as are the 2 couples who married.
My interest was peaked to be honest so I started doing what I always do when I am confronted with a subject I know nothing of: INTENSIVE RESEARCH! I hit the internet soaking up all the free knowledge it has to offer from all the successful wedding photographers out there. I read loads of books and studied bridal and wedding magazines. I still buy the annual issues to this day to keep current with trends and to keep my eye attuned to the subject especially when I have been away from it for a few months.
I compiled a list of equipment I already owned and then a list of equipment I might need to purchase. Digital photography is a dangerous venue for those who like to spend money and are easily attracted to the latest and "greatest" new gadgets.
My list of equipment owned at that point was what I listed above with the addition of a 3 monolight portrait lighting kit, backdrops in black, white and gray fabric and a backdrop stand. I also owned some reflectors, a light meter, Nikon SB600 and SB400 hot shoe flashes, and other assorted light modifiers. Aside from the Nikon D80, Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens, and the Nikon SB600 flash and maybe the Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro lens I was not really set up to shoot a wedding or so I thought. I was asked by a friend if I would shoot his cousin's wedding. They had zero budget for photography, 30 guests, and it was to be held outdoors in 2 locations. They knew I was a novice, expected nothing, and I set out to give them $2000.00 photography for $100.00. I added the Nikon 55-200 VR to my gear and I was good to go for a wedding at high noon on a bright sunny day. I got to the outdoor gazebo in West Haven, CToverlooking Long Island Sound one hour early, set up my equipment, put my camera in manual, took some test shots with the SB600 flash and prepared for the first of many weddings to come. I learned alot that day. I made alot of mistakes that day. I took some nice images that day. I was able to present enough usable quality proofs for a decent album. The married couple was very happy with the job I did and not because it only cost them $100.00 but because I showed up prepared, composed, and acted in a professional and calm manner despite the fact I was freaking out inside at times. The day offered some great opportunites for images and many obstacles. I took away several points for improvement from this wedding. I think I should walk away from every project with a sense of accomplishment and a job well done but also with a willingness to accept the errors and a desire to improve upon them.
In Part 5 I will walk you through the preparation for this first wedding upto the actual ceremony.
Until then......
As I grew more competent I bought the then newly introduced Nikon D80 10 MP DSLR body and a Tokina 12-24mm wide angle lens and the new Nikon 70-300mm VR telephoto lens. I bought the 3rd party Tokina lenses because they offered good glass at 50-75% the cost of similar Nikon lenses. I now know that buying the best lenses is priority over the best camera body as quality lenses are more important and retain their value longer than the quickly obsolete digital bodies which are "improved upon" every two years or so.
I mentioned in earlier posts that at some point people will comment on how nice your images of a sunset or flowers are and automatically make the leap to you shooting their wedding. I set out to practice photography as a serious hobbyist and after some intense field training and experience would then figure out where to go from there. I chose at that point to be a "generalist" learning all I could about varied subjects while offering me the opportunity to strenghten my knowledge of composition, lighting, and post production. At this time I was doing some headshots and portraits and was asked to shoot not 1 but 2 weddings. I politely declined both. My reasoning was that it was too important a day to trust to a novice. I knew in my heart at some point I would have to accept an offer but that was not the time and I am better for it as are the 2 couples who married.
My interest was peaked to be honest so I started doing what I always do when I am confronted with a subject I know nothing of: INTENSIVE RESEARCH! I hit the internet soaking up all the free knowledge it has to offer from all the successful wedding photographers out there. I read loads of books and studied bridal and wedding magazines. I still buy the annual issues to this day to keep current with trends and to keep my eye attuned to the subject especially when I have been away from it for a few months.
I compiled a list of equipment I already owned and then a list of equipment I might need to purchase. Digital photography is a dangerous venue for those who like to spend money and are easily attracted to the latest and "greatest" new gadgets.
My list of equipment owned at that point was what I listed above with the addition of a 3 monolight portrait lighting kit, backdrops in black, white and gray fabric and a backdrop stand. I also owned some reflectors, a light meter, Nikon SB600 and SB400 hot shoe flashes, and other assorted light modifiers. Aside from the Nikon D80, Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens, and the Nikon SB600 flash and maybe the Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro lens I was not really set up to shoot a wedding or so I thought. I was asked by a friend if I would shoot his cousin's wedding. They had zero budget for photography, 30 guests, and it was to be held outdoors in 2 locations. They knew I was a novice, expected nothing, and I set out to give them $2000.00 photography for $100.00. I added the Nikon 55-200 VR to my gear and I was good to go for a wedding at high noon on a bright sunny day. I got to the outdoor gazebo in West Haven, CToverlooking Long Island Sound one hour early, set up my equipment, put my camera in manual, took some test shots with the SB600 flash and prepared for the first of many weddings to come. I learned alot that day. I made alot of mistakes that day. I took some nice images that day. I was able to present enough usable quality proofs for a decent album. The married couple was very happy with the job I did and not because it only cost them $100.00 but because I showed up prepared, composed, and acted in a professional and calm manner despite the fact I was freaking out inside at times. The day offered some great opportunites for images and many obstacles. I took away several points for improvement from this wedding. I think I should walk away from every project with a sense of accomplishment and a job well done but also with a willingness to accept the errors and a desire to improve upon them.
In Part 5 I will walk you through the preparation for this first wedding upto the actual ceremony.
Until then......
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Learning Tools for the Aspiring Wedding Photographer
In this, Part 3 of my series on my process getting into the business of wedding photography, I wanted to share the sources from which I gleaned most of my "book" knowledge on the subject and continue to do so on a regular basis. There is no substitute for real world hands on experience but you have to show up with the knowledge base to be able to play.
I don't want to assume anything so I will first list some great sources for the fundamentals of camera operation, composition, lighting, etc. Your camera is a tool and you must have the right tool for the job and you must know it inside and out. Problems always occur because that is life but you must know how to troubleshoot on the fly. A wedding of all events is not the place to practice. It is where we put into practice all the hours of learning and honing of the fundamentals: aperture, shutterspeed, ISO, white balance, focus, off camera flash, and low light photography as well as composition and seeing creatively. Some days things just go smooth and on others they just hit the fan. The more knowledge and insight into your primary and backup equipment you have the better equipped you are to recognize the problem and arrive at a quick solution. So, here is a comprehensive, but by no means ,exhaustive list of resources I have found invaluable to me as a photographer in general and as they pertain to wedding photography.
Proprietary Camera Manual- yes, the manual that came in the box with your camera of choice and I highly suggest a digital slr(single lens reflex) camera body with 10 mp or better and several fast lenses of differing focal lengths. The manual is written specifically for your equipment and holds most of the information you need to comfortably operate said camera in most conditions. It will give you a basic education in aperture, shutterspeed and ISO and how they all work together to arrive at a great exposure. I assume you will already have this understanding but if not the manual is the first place to go. It will also explain in detail the myriad of functions, buttons, and settings available on your specific model. I suggest a comfortable working knowledge of Manual setting and at the very least Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority settings. The Program setting along with the other Auto functions are convenient at best and very limiting to the fast paced action and low light conditions a wedding presents. You will find yourself with too slow a shutter speed to capture action and you will end up with a blur or your aperture will be wide open and nothing important will be in focus or vice versa a small aperture will yield the same blur.
Other Sources for Photography Fundamentals
The Camera-the Negative- Ansel Adams
The Basic Book of Photography -Tom and Michele Gimms
Understanding Exposure- Bryan Peterson
Understanding Shutter Speed- Bryan Peterson
Learning to See Creatively- Bryan Peterson
Photographic Composition- Grill and Scanlon
The Elements of Photography-Focal Press ( also has loads of other gret books on photography)
Amherst Media Services-books and more books by professional photographers- I have several and they are all good. (google Amherst Media)
Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography- Brenda Tharp
John Shaw's Landscape Photography
Location Lighting Solutions- Jack Neubart
The Moment It Clicks and The hot Shoe Diaries- Joe Mcnally
Within the Frame and VisonMongers- David Duchemin
Advertising Photography-Lou Lesko
Wedding Photography- Steve Sint
http://www.strobist.com/- lighting instruction
http://www.digitalpgotographyschool.com/- good tutorials for camera basics and lighting
http://www.photo.net/- a great resource for all things photography
The Business of Photography- yes, photography is 10% clicking and 90% marketing and hard work
The Business of Studio Photography- Edward R. Lilley
Best Practices for Photographers- John Harrington
The Photographers Guide to Marketing and SelfPromotion-Piscopo
http://www.photo.net/- visit the forums on business and specific specialties
http://www.ndavidking.com/- go to Links tab and view a whole list of great resources.
The bottom line is to be a good photographer you require good solid skills which come from working with your camera, learning its capabilities, asking lots of questions, making lots of mistakes, and being humble enough to accept that this is an ongoing learning process and you can't learn enough.
These resources I have listed are the ones I use and there are more which I won't mention here as they do not pertain to wedding photography. These will help you get your feet wet, inpsire you, or make you realize shooting once and awhile on weekends is not such a bad way to go.
In Part 4, I will show what is in my bag , why its there, and how each component helps me to accomplish what I need to for your typical wedding.
unitl then......
I don't want to assume anything so I will first list some great sources for the fundamentals of camera operation, composition, lighting, etc. Your camera is a tool and you must have the right tool for the job and you must know it inside and out. Problems always occur because that is life but you must know how to troubleshoot on the fly. A wedding of all events is not the place to practice. It is where we put into practice all the hours of learning and honing of the fundamentals: aperture, shutterspeed, ISO, white balance, focus, off camera flash, and low light photography as well as composition and seeing creatively. Some days things just go smooth and on others they just hit the fan. The more knowledge and insight into your primary and backup equipment you have the better equipped you are to recognize the problem and arrive at a quick solution. So, here is a comprehensive, but by no means ,exhaustive list of resources I have found invaluable to me as a photographer in general and as they pertain to wedding photography.
Proprietary Camera Manual- yes, the manual that came in the box with your camera of choice and I highly suggest a digital slr(single lens reflex) camera body with 10 mp or better and several fast lenses of differing focal lengths. The manual is written specifically for your equipment and holds most of the information you need to comfortably operate said camera in most conditions. It will give you a basic education in aperture, shutterspeed and ISO and how they all work together to arrive at a great exposure. I assume you will already have this understanding but if not the manual is the first place to go. It will also explain in detail the myriad of functions, buttons, and settings available on your specific model. I suggest a comfortable working knowledge of Manual setting and at the very least Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority settings. The Program setting along with the other Auto functions are convenient at best and very limiting to the fast paced action and low light conditions a wedding presents. You will find yourself with too slow a shutter speed to capture action and you will end up with a blur or your aperture will be wide open and nothing important will be in focus or vice versa a small aperture will yield the same blur.
Other Sources for Photography Fundamentals
The Camera-the Negative- Ansel Adams
The Basic Book of Photography -Tom and Michele Gimms
Understanding Exposure- Bryan Peterson
Understanding Shutter Speed- Bryan Peterson
Learning to See Creatively- Bryan Peterson
Photographic Composition- Grill and Scanlon
The Elements of Photography-Focal Press ( also has loads of other gret books on photography)
Amherst Media Services-books and more books by professional photographers- I have several and they are all good. (google Amherst Media)
Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography- Brenda Tharp
John Shaw's Landscape Photography
Location Lighting Solutions- Jack Neubart
The Moment It Clicks and The hot Shoe Diaries- Joe Mcnally
Within the Frame and VisonMongers- David Duchemin
Advertising Photography-Lou Lesko
Wedding Photography- Steve Sint
http://www.strobist.com/- lighting instruction
http://www.digitalpgotographyschool.com/- good tutorials for camera basics and lighting
http://www.photo.net/- a great resource for all things photography
The Business of Photography- yes, photography is 10% clicking and 90% marketing and hard work
The Business of Studio Photography- Edward R. Lilley
Best Practices for Photographers- John Harrington
The Photographers Guide to Marketing and SelfPromotion-Piscopo
http://www.photo.net/- visit the forums on business and specific specialties
http://www.ndavidking.com/- go to Links tab and view a whole list of great resources.
The bottom line is to be a good photographer you require good solid skills which come from working with your camera, learning its capabilities, asking lots of questions, making lots of mistakes, and being humble enough to accept that this is an ongoing learning process and you can't learn enough.
These resources I have listed are the ones I use and there are more which I won't mention here as they do not pertain to wedding photography. These will help you get your feet wet, inpsire you, or make you realize shooting once and awhile on weekends is not such a bad way to go.
In Part 4, I will show what is in my bag , why its there, and how each component helps me to accomplish what I need to for your typical wedding.
unitl then......
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wedding Photography-My Process Part 2
Here is the long awaited Part 2 of my series on Wedding Photography. I am attempting to explain my process to clarify it for myself and to aid any interested parties who are contemplating moving into this arena. My process is the result of hundreds of hours of research, practice, and successes and failures which I continue to hone on a daily basis.
I left off in Part 1 at the point where most hobbyists will inevitably find themselves. Content with enjoying photography as a hobby, slowly building on the craft, and producing some nice images via web or in printed form. They are then approached by a friend, relative or co-worker who ask "would you be interested in shooting my wedding?"
The road splits in two directions here.
Left- this path is for those that enjoy photography as a hobby only. Those who use a point and shoot, or any model of consumer, prosumer, or even pro SLR system who shoot in auto or program mode and have limited or no understanding of off-camera flash and lighting should follow this path as well. For those who want no responsibility for the outcome of the images that will capture one of the most important days in a bride and groom's life should run for the hills as well.
Right- this path is for the seasoned photographer who has a prosumer or, better yet, professional DSLR kit and a backup kit. This is for the one who is confident in their knowledge and mastery of their camera system especially in Manual mode. This is for the person who understands light and the use of it off camera whether in natural or artificial form. Also, this person should have an understanding of Digital Asset Management and a consistent workflow they adhere to. An understanding of Photoshop and /or Adobe Bridge/Lightroom is a bonus.
Having the newest Nikon or Canon or whatever makes you a Nikon or Canon or whatever owner, only. It does not designate you a photographer let alone a semi-professional or professional one. The camera is only the mechanism through which you, the photographer, create and capture the image. You must do the thinking. Wedding photography requires a firm grasp of the principles of photography, lighting, posing, and troubleshooting on the fly. If this hasn't deterred you then you may be ready for wedding photography.
This is work and alot of it in the building stages, and well into the future. You have no business taking on this responsibility if you have not put in the hard foot work first. Certainly, all first weddings and the next few are practice runs for sure but you must go into it being a good photographer and a better "on your feet" problem solver. There are no "redos" on the wedding day.
In Part 3 of my series I will concoct a list of valuable resources: books, websites, and periodicals that will nicely cover the fundamentals of photography, wedding photography, and lighting. With that out of the way I can forge ahead in Part 4 with the equipment one will need to be prepared to successfully shoot a wedding.
Until then.... I would be remiss if I didn't thank my editor and main follower "suzy button collector".
I left off in Part 1 at the point where most hobbyists will inevitably find themselves. Content with enjoying photography as a hobby, slowly building on the craft, and producing some nice images via web or in printed form. They are then approached by a friend, relative or co-worker who ask "would you be interested in shooting my wedding?"
The road splits in two directions here.
Left- this path is for those that enjoy photography as a hobby only. Those who use a point and shoot, or any model of consumer, prosumer, or even pro SLR system who shoot in auto or program mode and have limited or no understanding of off-camera flash and lighting should follow this path as well. For those who want no responsibility for the outcome of the images that will capture one of the most important days in a bride and groom's life should run for the hills as well.
Right- this path is for the seasoned photographer who has a prosumer or, better yet, professional DSLR kit and a backup kit. This is for the one who is confident in their knowledge and mastery of their camera system especially in Manual mode. This is for the person who understands light and the use of it off camera whether in natural or artificial form. Also, this person should have an understanding of Digital Asset Management and a consistent workflow they adhere to. An understanding of Photoshop and /or Adobe Bridge/Lightroom is a bonus.
Having the newest Nikon or Canon or whatever makes you a Nikon or Canon or whatever owner, only. It does not designate you a photographer let alone a semi-professional or professional one. The camera is only the mechanism through which you, the photographer, create and capture the image. You must do the thinking. Wedding photography requires a firm grasp of the principles of photography, lighting, posing, and troubleshooting on the fly. If this hasn't deterred you then you may be ready for wedding photography.
This is work and alot of it in the building stages, and well into the future. You have no business taking on this responsibility if you have not put in the hard foot work first. Certainly, all first weddings and the next few are practice runs for sure but you must go into it being a good photographer and a better "on your feet" problem solver. There are no "redos" on the wedding day.
In Part 3 of my series I will concoct a list of valuable resources: books, websites, and periodicals that will nicely cover the fundamentals of photography, wedding photography, and lighting. With that out of the way I can forge ahead in Part 4 with the equipment one will need to be prepared to successfully shoot a wedding.
Until then.... I would be remiss if I didn't thank my editor and main follower "suzy button collector".
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wedding Photography-My Process
Yikes! Another few weeks have passed without any blogging. Admittedly,I am lazy and need to make a better effort at this.
It is April and it is wedding season. I am fortunate to have been hired by a friend to shoot his daughters wedding this coming Saturday and I have been thinking alot about how I got to this point in my young career as a photographer. I ventured into this medium mostly as a creative outlet but also in an attempt to make a modest living from it, if only part time. I figure, like anything else I attempt, I would end up going "all in" and if I stuck with it why not recoup some of my initial investment.
I put much effort into mastering my first Nikon digital cameras and reading and studying as much as I could get my hands on. I shot hundreds of images ( the blessing of digital) and was able to see rapid improvement over a short period of time. God blessed me with an eye and a creative bent so coupled with my love of technology and this medium I was able to produce some fairly decent prints.
Like alot of people in my shoes, and with the digital age there are a gazillion, I was asked the inevitable question, "would you want to shoot my wedding? I can't pay you much but I am sure we could both benefit from it." Something to that effect. I said sure! I ascribe to the Herbert Spencer notion of "contempt prior to investigation" as being a stumbling block to success so I decided early on to learn all aspects of photography and then narrow my focus to a few paths. I had no idea what I was in for!
Wedding photography offers a pressure all its own. It offers exhilaration, exhaustion, humility, and a sense of being in the midst of true love and joy if only for that moment. It is a demanding and unforgiving master.
Fortunately, I come from a background in the entertainment industry where "one chance is all you get" is the norm so I felt right at home in that respect. I also have been a guest at many a wedding so I am familiar with the format. The hardest part of approaching this avenue of photography is in the business end of it. It is this that I will attempt to explain, my process at least, in my next blog.
Until then......
It is April and it is wedding season. I am fortunate to have been hired by a friend to shoot his daughters wedding this coming Saturday and I have been thinking alot about how I got to this point in my young career as a photographer. I ventured into this medium mostly as a creative outlet but also in an attempt to make a modest living from it, if only part time. I figure, like anything else I attempt, I would end up going "all in" and if I stuck with it why not recoup some of my initial investment.
I put much effort into mastering my first Nikon digital cameras and reading and studying as much as I could get my hands on. I shot hundreds of images ( the blessing of digital) and was able to see rapid improvement over a short period of time. God blessed me with an eye and a creative bent so coupled with my love of technology and this medium I was able to produce some fairly decent prints.
Like alot of people in my shoes, and with the digital age there are a gazillion, I was asked the inevitable question, "would you want to shoot my wedding? I can't pay you much but I am sure we could both benefit from it." Something to that effect. I said sure! I ascribe to the Herbert Spencer notion of "contempt prior to investigation" as being a stumbling block to success so I decided early on to learn all aspects of photography and then narrow my focus to a few paths. I had no idea what I was in for!
Wedding photography offers a pressure all its own. It offers exhilaration, exhaustion, humility, and a sense of being in the midst of true love and joy if only for that moment. It is a demanding and unforgiving master.
Fortunately, I come from a background in the entertainment industry where "one chance is all you get" is the norm so I felt right at home in that respect. I also have been a guest at many a wedding so I am familiar with the format. The hardest part of approaching this avenue of photography is in the business end of it. It is this that I will attempt to explain, my process at least, in my next blog.
Until then......
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Too Much to Learn, Too Little Time!!!
Wow. I have failed at blogging 101. Be Consistent they say. I realized I had not posted anything since January . I got to thinking why and I actually have been busy. That is a good thing. Besides when I started this blog it was to be a journal of sorts to get my thoughts and notes down on virtual paper rather than be a profound spewing of ego driven drivel and delusions of grandeur with an eager audience hanging on my every word.
So this is what has been consuming my time and feeding my self importance:
-revamping my web presence with a fresh website and new portfolios
-revising my 2010 pricing for weddings, portraits, headshots, and restoration and retouching services.
-designing various sizes of coffee table style photo books to serve as my portfolios as well as marketing tools.
-awaiting the return of Kosal Eang, custom framer from Monroe, CT, with whom I have forged a professional alliance with. He recently dissolved his partnership with another framer and opened up a shop in the same locale under the moniker "Framed by Kosal". He offers competitive custom framing and he is really an artist.
I will be acting as his restoration and retouching person and helping out in his newly installed portrait studio.
-finishing up an intensive study of Katrin Eismann's Photoshop Restoration and Retouching book and the Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible.
-on the advice of LA Fashion Photographer Melissa Rodwell, I ordered several books on the subject of Fashion: history, icons of fashion, costume design, etc. Fashion photography is about the clothes and not the attractive people who model said clothes. I have logged countless hours learning and honing the craft of portrait lighting( a lifelong endeavor mind you) but have very little knowledge of fashion. For those who know me jeans and tshirts are my "haute couture".
-in that vein I also have been studying two books on makeup artistry by Kevin Aucoin and Bobbi Brown.
- I have also subscribed to Vogue, W, and Harpers Bazaar to keep up-to-date on current fashion trends and the way they are lit, photographed, retouched, and produced.
-watched the amazing documentary "The September Issue" which follows Anna Wintour, editor in chief, of Vogue as she prepares the 2007 September issue. An amazing behind the scenes look at the industry and at the process of a creative genius.
-joined Model Mayhem, a networking site for fashion professionals so I can network with photographers, models, make up artists, stylists, and retouchers alike. I have formed several relationships with a few models I will be working with in the near future and I am excited about this leap.
-booked a wedding, restoration work, and shot some new images for my port.
Coupled with my day job, my spiritual life, and the little time I have for family and friends I guess I have been busy.
I hope to start featuring some shoots I will doing in the future with some behind the scenes set up shots as well.
What I love about this craft of photography is the endless sources of information, learning opportunities, inspiring artists, and paths to go in. I never have a dull day. really!
So this is what has been consuming my time and feeding my self importance:
-revamping my web presence with a fresh website and new portfolios
-revising my 2010 pricing for weddings, portraits, headshots, and restoration and retouching services.
-designing various sizes of coffee table style photo books to serve as my portfolios as well as marketing tools.
-awaiting the return of Kosal Eang, custom framer from Monroe, CT, with whom I have forged a professional alliance with. He recently dissolved his partnership with another framer and opened up a shop in the same locale under the moniker "Framed by Kosal". He offers competitive custom framing and he is really an artist.
I will be acting as his restoration and retouching person and helping out in his newly installed portrait studio.
-finishing up an intensive study of Katrin Eismann's Photoshop Restoration and Retouching book and the Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible.
-on the advice of LA Fashion Photographer Melissa Rodwell, I ordered several books on the subject of Fashion: history, icons of fashion, costume design, etc. Fashion photography is about the clothes and not the attractive people who model said clothes. I have logged countless hours learning and honing the craft of portrait lighting( a lifelong endeavor mind you) but have very little knowledge of fashion. For those who know me jeans and tshirts are my "haute couture".
-in that vein I also have been studying two books on makeup artistry by Kevin Aucoin and Bobbi Brown.
- I have also subscribed to Vogue, W, and Harpers Bazaar to keep up-to-date on current fashion trends and the way they are lit, photographed, retouched, and produced.
-watched the amazing documentary "The September Issue" which follows Anna Wintour, editor in chief, of Vogue as she prepares the 2007 September issue. An amazing behind the scenes look at the industry and at the process of a creative genius.
-joined Model Mayhem, a networking site for fashion professionals so I can network with photographers, models, make up artists, stylists, and retouchers alike. I have formed several relationships with a few models I will be working with in the near future and I am excited about this leap.
-booked a wedding, restoration work, and shot some new images for my port.
Coupled with my day job, my spiritual life, and the little time I have for family and friends I guess I have been busy.
I hope to start featuring some shoots I will doing in the future with some behind the scenes set up shots as well.
What I love about this craft of photography is the endless sources of information, learning opportunities, inspiring artists, and paths to go in. I never have a dull day. really!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Get a Second Opinion!
Getting a second opinion in any situation is always prudent.
For this segment I will be referring to the solicitation of another's fresh eye and perspective concerning any aspect of your marketing or advertising.
Every year I spend the month of December updating my web presence by purchasing a new template, putting up new images and refining my content and message. Since this involves me ( my ideas, vision, and massive ego) I am very capable of missing simple spelling and grammatical errors. While I pride myself on being thorough in my research and planning I am human and,therefore fallable, and do some silly things that seemed like a good idea at the time but in reality could potentially diminish the positive experience I intend for anyone viewing my website or direct mail marketing pieces.
An Act of Humility- Putting oneself "out there" artistically or creatively is a very scary proposition at best and you can find yourself in an extremely vulnerable position because by its very nature it opens up the door to criticism. My massive and fragile ego does not like criticism. I accept it is a part of life, a part of what I do and view it as a learning tool and not an assault on me personally. Nothing pains me more than
seeing the menu for a new restaurant or any business marketing that is peppered with misspellings. You took the time to research and design the marketing piece, then spent hard earned money to have it printed and delivered but did not take the precautionary measure of having someone else proof read it and now you are representing yourself as sloppy, someone who does not take pride in their work and lacks attention to detail. I am this person at times.
I recently asked someone whose opinion I value to take a look at my new web presence and give me some honest feedback on it. I opened the proverbial can of worms. I got a list of suggestions, which made sense to me, and I made immediate corrections. The bonus is that I forgot this person actually has a marketing degree and is a professional proofreader. I am grateful because I cannot see every error I make and my friend had some great insight and I feel my website is stronger as a result.
In short: work diligently, pour yourself into whatever your passion is, and then let someone else review your work. It is a humbling experience, an opportunity to learn and progress, and just might make the difference in keeping a potential client's attention and making a sale. Thanks Kathy!!!
For this segment I will be referring to the solicitation of another's fresh eye and perspective concerning any aspect of your marketing or advertising.
Every year I spend the month of December updating my web presence by purchasing a new template, putting up new images and refining my content and message. Since this involves me ( my ideas, vision, and massive ego) I am very capable of missing simple spelling and grammatical errors. While I pride myself on being thorough in my research and planning I am human and,therefore fallable, and do some silly things that seemed like a good idea at the time but in reality could potentially diminish the positive experience I intend for anyone viewing my website or direct mail marketing pieces.
An Act of Humility- Putting oneself "out there" artistically or creatively is a very scary proposition at best and you can find yourself in an extremely vulnerable position because by its very nature it opens up the door to criticism. My massive and fragile ego does not like criticism. I accept it is a part of life, a part of what I do and view it as a learning tool and not an assault on me personally. Nothing pains me more than
seeing the menu for a new restaurant or any business marketing that is peppered with misspellings. You took the time to research and design the marketing piece, then spent hard earned money to have it printed and delivered but did not take the precautionary measure of having someone else proof read it and now you are representing yourself as sloppy, someone who does not take pride in their work and lacks attention to detail. I am this person at times.
I recently asked someone whose opinion I value to take a look at my new web presence and give me some honest feedback on it. I opened the proverbial can of worms. I got a list of suggestions, which made sense to me, and I made immediate corrections. The bonus is that I forgot this person actually has a marketing degree and is a professional proofreader. I am grateful because I cannot see every error I make and my friend had some great insight and I feel my website is stronger as a result.
In short: work diligently, pour yourself into whatever your passion is, and then let someone else review your work. It is a humbling experience, an opportunity to learn and progress, and just might make the difference in keeping a potential client's attention and making a sale. Thanks Kathy!!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Happy New Year 2010!!!! Great Things on the Horizon
Hi there and Happy New Year to all! I managed to eke out some relaxtion time over the holidays and read some fantastic books by David duChemin and got caught up on Zack Arias's blog and I feel inspired and energized to hit the ground running this year. I feel it is important to constantly be reading and studying the works and thoughts of others as it pertains to Photography to keep the creative juices flowing and to maintain my enthusiasm which could be negatively effected by a slow economy and cold weather. I have nothing but realistic yet high hopes for this year. I have already had a session with my exuberant model Cindy and we got alot of great images captured in my small basement studio. She really brings it everytime she shows up and its hard not to be enthused and inspired. I have posted those images on Facebook and my PhotoReflect storefront. I have also set up a consultation for an April wedding and I hope it is the first of several. I really like small weddings as they are more intimate and a photographer can bond more with the clients and it shows in the resulting images.
Patty, my fearless assistant and right hand, has taken on various marketing and advertising ideas and is in the process of making them happen. She brings so much enthusiasm and energy to the table it is contagious. Not too say I am any kind of slouch. We are looking at doing some varied exhibiting around Fairfield County and we are outlining some new concepts(for us) this new year such as Portrait Parties, Canvas Gallery Wraps, Metal Prints, Storyboards, and an array of other image display options in addition to the traditional matting and framing which we extend a nice discount on. We look forward to working with all our former clients and all the new ones we haven't met yet in 2010!-john
Patty, my fearless assistant and right hand, has taken on various marketing and advertising ideas and is in the process of making them happen. She brings so much enthusiasm and energy to the table it is contagious. Not too say I am any kind of slouch. We are looking at doing some varied exhibiting around Fairfield County and we are outlining some new concepts(for us) this new year such as Portrait Parties, Canvas Gallery Wraps, Metal Prints, Storyboards, and an array of other image display options in addition to the traditional matting and framing which we extend a nice discount on. We look forward to working with all our former clients and all the new ones we haven't met yet in 2010!-john
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