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Now that the World Cup is over, and I don’t know what to do with myself for the next four years, I have had a huge hankering for some action shots.  While the tournament had their own political and economical issues surrounding them, one thing that was not an issue was the photography and videography; with thousands of photographers/journalists/videographers in attendance, we are getting and should be getting some grandiose shots.

Action shots can be anything moving; while the majority of the time when we hear “action shots”, we think “sporting events”, there are other subjects that move quite quickly: concert photography (mosh pits, crowd surfing, the lead singer gyrating to thousands of fans), animal photography (the wings of a hummingbird, butterflies in a haphazard flight, a cheetah pouncing on a gazelle), and even the everyday things (dancing at a wedding, your toddler playing in puddles, macro shots of flowers in the wind).  Your kids keep getting faster, cars have more horsepower, and the world will not slow down because your lens cap is still on.

So before life passes us by, let’s go over some of the basics:

Challenges:

I love a good challenge.  I just moved a week ago and getting a sofa to fit in a space too small for it, definitely posed a doozey of a challenge (solution: power tools followed by a staple gun).  Besides the speed of your subject, you may run into one or all of the following obstacles:

Distance

Chances are you will not be allowed on the court, on the track, or in the middle of an animalistic struggle for survival.  Unless you are pro or hired to shoot the particular event, you will be further away than you like.  You must get a telephoto lens.  YOU MUST GET A TELEPHOTO LENS!  I made the font bigger to show you how much more impact things have when they seem to be closer, like with a telephoto lens!  Chances are if you are shooting action, there is some sort of risk involved to your person and insurance companies or your common sense will ensure you are way back.  For example, the Red Bull Crashed Ice downhill skating event in Quebec City would not let me stand on the track, but thanks to my zoom lens I got close to the action with a nice look at the skyline as well.  The activity you are shooting will determine what level of zoom you need.  If you are shooting indoor sports you might be able to get by with a 200mm.  This is really the lower end and I would encourage looking at a “bigger” lens.  For outdoor sports and nature photography, you will want to go up to 300mm, preferably 400mm.  If this is not in your price range, you may have to use your feet and get closer.  High school sports will allow you to get closer and practice your craft and can open up a few doors for you later.

Lighting

If you are shooting indoor sports you will have to deal with poor lighting.  As much as they want athletes to be able to see what they are doing, the lighting is rarely conducive to photography.  You will definitely be looking to bring “fast” lens (it’s all about the f stops).  Flash may also be another option, but chances are you will not be close enough to use it with any frequency and your shot may ruin the game winning layup at the buzzer.  Flash could have been an option on the shot above, but downhill longboarding at night tends to draw enough attention.  Though grainy, we get the feeing of movement in spite of hardly any available light.  Shooting outside during the day poses a different set of challenges as the lighting may be sufficient, but it also may be too much and constantly changing if it is partially cloudy.  It definitely would not hurt to take a couple of test shots and be very aware of the cloud cover.  You do not want poor exposure!

Accessibility

Point-and-shoot and iPhone users rejoice!  Many arenas or indoor venues will not allow you in with a “professional” looking camera.  There is no real way around this.  If you take good shots, that is money the arena or event could have made.  They don’t want you blowing their profit margin.  If this is an issue, invest in a non-professional looking model that is the crème de la crème; this will help you get the shots you need and not having to lose your memory card or dignity as they escort you out kicking and screaming.

Skills:

Anticipation

This is so important because you will be in the right position when the time comes.  If you know nothing about football and the concept of the line of scrimmage is too complicated, chances are you will miss big chunks of the action.  Take the time to study your event, be it wild animals or wild hockey players.  If you can accurately predict where they will be when something interesting happens you will get the shot you want.

Panning/Blur

If something is blurry you are either a poor photographer or something is going really fast.  Panning is following your subject with the camera as it moves, which creates a crisp, clean shot of your subject while blurring out the background giving the illusion of great speed.  The ability to pan is ridiculously important when it comes to action photography.  When panning, try and just rotate your body from the waist and limit the movement of your arms and therefore, your camera.  Keep as steady as possible in order to ensure your subject stays crisp and the background is nicely blurred (remember not all blur is bad); this will  make you a much happier photographer.

The photograph to the left is interesting as the pan comes at a 45 degree angle.  The backgroud is blurred, showing the speed of the subject, but his legs are also blurry, which shows his legs are moving faster than the rest of him.

The break dancer to the right is interesting because his shirt is catching up with the rest of his dance step, and the blurred shirt gives interest to the shot (in addition to disguising the message on his shirt).

Positioning

Finding the best place to shoot is tough as many other photographers may be trying to do the same thing.  If you are unsure of where to go, check out sporting events on TV to get an idea (Look for the photographers and not the cheerleaders.  This will help immensely.)  If you are shooting nature photography, finding a place where animals come to drink or cross bodies of water is a great place to start.  This requires a lot of patience as the wild is not governed by commercial sponsorships.  Remember to try and keep the sun at your back whenever possible so as to not have your subject in the dark.  Also don’t forget that you definitely don’t have to shoot straight on.  Try changing your level to create a more dramatic perspective.  You may even end up with shots that you never meant to take, but end up becoming favourites.  When taking a picture  (with a sufficient shutter speed) of someone coming straight on, there will not be a blurred background; different elements of the shot may show motion, but in general you will be freezing the action.

Like the athletes you may be shooting, it’s all about practice.  You won’t get it right the first time or maybe even the thousandth time.  But the harder you work, the better you get, the more you learn, and the more opportunities will fall into your lap.  Keep shooting, we have digital cameras for a reason.

On your marks, get set, Shoot!

Ed.Notes

Unmarked Photo Credits from top to bottom: Photo-Fenix

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Not many of us need help in spending money on gear, that comes naturally. However, what we do need help with is monetizing our art form. In this posting I will discuss interaction with one recent client and the different aspects of photography that one must be able to bring to the table in order to successfully close a deal.

One of the important aspects of our business is presentation skill in the respect that you should not only be able to talk about your work but how it can bring value to your clients project. Selling work to clients is a cross between a standard sales call and a job interview because you are selling both your product and your ability. Your presentation should exude the ability to be able to complete the task competently without being cocky and certainly not discount any other photographer’s work; you should be able to talk positively about your work without speaking negatively about another. Every photographer has a specialist skill set but at the same time you must be able to creditably represent yourself in many other photographic skill sets in addition to displaying an adroit business sense. If you are not comfortable with other aspects of photography them find a fellow photographer who you don’t traditionally compete with and arrange some cross tutelage. Learning new techniques with a colleague of your caliber is a good way to gain knowledge in new areas and refresh your knowledge in others. Alternatively, I suggest joining a local photographic club, while the members are likely to not all be professionals the talent and enthusiasm in such organizations is virtually boundless; I’ve found this as a member of the Barbados Photographic Society. Failing that there are many excellent photography podcast online that will definitely provide food for thought in addition to inspiration; a few of my favorites are: Tips from the Top Floor with Chris Marquardt, The Martin Baily Photography Podcast with his regular assignments, last but by no means least the eloquent publisher of Lensworks podcast – Brooks Jensen.

Foul Bay – Barbados

I recently got a new client in a roundabout way. An old friend and I reconnected on Facebook and a few weeks later he came to Barbados on business. On completion of the days business with his clients he called and asked me if I could pick him up; at the time I was on the beach relaxing. I immediately rushed home and did a Clark Kent – Superman transition; shaved and got into some more suitable attire. As you know, the best introduction is a personal introduction. I met the clients we got to chatting and I told them what I do and we exchanged cards. Over the next couple months, we met to discuss possible projects that I could contribute to. Recently the company, Albion Insurance Company Limited, wanted to upgrade their presence on the web, naturally they needed to have some photography of key personnel done. Here was my opportunity to sell my product and services. For the layman a photograph is a photograph as professionals we know that certain standards have to be met; especially when you are presenting these images as your ‘face’ to the world. As a photographer who also has an extensive background in aviation, management and IT of some 25 years it was time to roll out the cavalry.

The primary purpose of any web presence is to inform and create interest in the product or service that is offered by the organization that the web presence represents. To this end the important things are not only to get people to your site and have content interesting enough to keep them engaged, but also to have a method to keep your name in front of them and also to keep them coming back to the site with a degree of frequency. Some sites have this ‘built in’ by their very nature, I.E. grocery store sites, retailers, social media sites; however, other sites need to create this through a variety of methods.

After discussions with Albion on methods of achieving the objective of keeping their name in front of people we decided to offer photographic desktop wallpapers of various scenes in Barbados available for free download. Why wallpapers you ask? For the simple reason that regardless what icons you have on your desktop your wallpaper is always there, the instant you minimize your programs and each time you boot your computer, voila! In addition to this users have to self opt to install their own wallpaper. It is not the undesirable situation where you are have to blanket the internet with offers to achieve your purpose. Since the advent of SPAM by two immigration attorneys in April 1994, Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) has buried many well intentioned companies and should be avoided like the plague. Use of the internet for marketing should by no means use UCE but instead should utilize a form of viral marketing, for Albion we choose a low key viral campaign. How is it viral you ask? Face it, the majority of people surfing the internet are deskbound either in an office or at home and enjoy an inspiring/fantasy picture that they can glance at from time to time. Providing attractive free tropical landscapes meets their needs and encourages browsers to add them as wallpaper , beaches and sunsets are big draws, as is cricket for Commonwealth countries.

Using viral marketing in this method is a distant cousin of product placement. If you don’t know this technique you haven’t visited a supermarket or watched a movie recently. Product placement is that art of subtly keeping your name/product in the mind of your customer so when they have a desire for products in the arena that you operate within, your product is the first that comes to mind.

As a photographer you must represent the value that your work can bring to your client and seek opportunities that you can place your work. To do this you must think outside the box, If you don’t someone else will! Inasmuch as this article is about my interaction and representation of my work with a client it is as much an article that we should read and look within our own operation to see how we can keep our name on the tip of potential clients tongues. The truth be told photography is as much about business as it is art. The question we need to ask ourselves is: “Is our art somebody’s business, or is our business somebody’s art?”. When you seek to make your work revenue positive You may find yourself gravitating towards photographing more saleable images and less artistic unless you have an established Fine Art clientele even then you may still focus on sales. We must remind ourselves through all this to look for new and unusual images and on occasion to go out there and indulge in our passion without a care about the business end of our profession!

Feel free to download the images for your own desktop wallpapers!

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©Photo-Fenix.com

About two years ago, a good friend of mine needed a change a pace and a change of perspective.  At the time I worked for an airline and I had won two free passes to anywhere they flew.  We looked at the flights and decided on a four day trip to Lima, Peru.  I know passable Spanish (Cerveza, por favor) and figured it would be different enough from my French Canadian joie de vivre. My friend is an avid photographer and we basically carried more camera gear than changes of clothes. We had a great time going to different parts of town, sleeping on a new found friend’s couch (thanks Couch Surfer!), and enjoy

the “occasional” pisco sour.  However, on one of our jaunts our cab driver got hopelessly lost and whether it was my poor communication skills or his lack of direction, we were zipping through the part of town we were told to avoid.  We were excited as we had decided to avoid this part of town because we would not likely come out with all our gear; so of course, out come our cameras as we discreetly as possible tried to shoot our environment.  Our taxi driver just about had a heart attack.  He told us to put the cameras away as he wagged his fingers feverishly.  And although I can’t be completely sure, I am sure he was indicating we were being followed.  For the first time during this perfect trip, I was concerned for my well being.  (Kindly note, Lima is one of my favourite cities in the world because of that trip and would move there in a heartbeat given the opportunity. Te amo, Lima!)

The camera gear between the two of us was probably worth at least 10 times the value of the car we were in.  The average monthly salary in Peru is $200 USD.  For the few people out there looking to improve their situation in a dishonest fashion, we would have been an easy mark.  I got to thinking about the privileged life I was born into.  While I am not sipping champagne on craving caviar, I might as well be compared to a large population of the world.   For example, I could work one wedding and clear the average yearly salary in Peru and still be giving a great deal.  We have an expensive hobby/passion/job and are fortunate to be able to partake in it.  And though it is a fictional web slinger’s who says, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” it is most certainly a truth that we consider in a non-fictional way.

So what can you do?  Glad you let me ask that for you.

Being aware

While we are just one in 7 billion humans to inhabit this planet, there are certainly things we can do.  I understand that it is a lot easier to care about what piece of equipment to buy or which cable package suits your needs best, than to think about oil spills, earthquakes, and floods.  If things don’t happen here and now, it’s hard to give it priority; there is a bigger world out there and it is even more beautiful than our small piece of it.  Photography is a huge vessel to bring awareness of the good and bad out there.  To see the pain of a family who have lost loved ones due to an earthquake helps us get one step closer to action.  To see the victory of a young child rescued from tons of rubble brought a worldwide smile and tears of joy.  Organizations such as Focus for Humanity’s mission entail “providing financial support, resources, and training for professional and amateur photographers who capture these stories of our shared humanity and to help fund their work with NGO’s.”  On a smaller scale Child Labor Photo Project focuses on “photographing individual children in their worlds – their families, communities, countries – hoping to see behind the child labor label.”  There are issues and problems that need to be addressed in your neighbourhoods and towns and using your gifts, talents, and equipment you can bring attention and draw others to a cause they may not know existed.  That’s the first step.

Take action

We know there are issues out there, globally and locally.  If you don’t you may as well continue on to another site for some celebrity gossip.  However, some aren’t necessarily issues, but ways that you can take action yourself.  There are probably friends and/or family in your circle that could never afford for a professional photo session for a pregnant mom, a newborn baby, or family portraits.  I know I couldn’t.  No matter what your level or equipment is have you thought of offering to spend an afternoon, an hour even, and giving them a red carpet treatment?  If you want an idea of professional already doing this, check out Help-Portrait; they are a “movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to give back to those who are less fortunate.”  Make sure you check out their videos.

It only gets bigger from there.  There are community groups, beginning artists, actors, and musicians trying to get a leg up and a head start; some great photos for a portfolio or website would be really handy!  There are probably festivals, churches, community events that would welcome a willing photographer with open arms.  Do you know how animated kids can get when in front of a camera?  Think of the schools with sports, arts, and other extra-curricular activities that could benefit from photographic encouragement.

You’re in need

Do you know that there are programs all over the world the puts cameras into the hands of kids, of the disabled, the less fortunate to boost their creativity, to further their development, and to give hope?  Do you know that there is an emerging field within art therapy that encourages participants to take pictures as a way of expressing themselves and confronting their issues?  There is another side of it where clients look at pictures as part of their healing process? Now imagine, we get to do this all the time.  We can pick up our camera and express ourselves.  We can delve into a feeling, emotion, or subject like no other medium out there.  I can promise you, you will grow.  You will grow as a person and as a photographer.  Check out “Born into Brothels.” Get your creative juices going.

©Photo-Fenix.com

The tone of this post may seem aggressive at spots, but that’s only because I am wrestling with this personally.  I have to go out and do this.  I can make people aware of important issues; I can help.  I have friends and family I can serve by doing a free shoot.  If you have other ideas, I and others would love to hear them.   If you have given of your photography share your stories with us.  Let’s help each other out.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Ed.Notes

Photo Credits from top to bottom

Photo 2: Photo-Fenix

Photo 5: Danny C. Jackson

Photo 6: Nyúl Dániel’s

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Capturing the moment.

You have been taking pictures for a while.  It’s turned from a passing fancy to a more serious hobby.  You have taken the time to learn your camera, what the various settings do, the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, and you’re feeling quite confident.  Your friends and family like your pictures and finally that moment comes, “I have an event coming up, could you photograph it for me?”

Before they could finish the question, you’re practically screaming “YES!”  It’s your chance to show the world you’re a photographer, mingling with the crowd, and capturing the images of the day.  Then it hits you.  This is no longer for fun, and people are expecting results.  Well have no fear, because we are going to give you a few hints to get you all set and ready to shoot that event.

1. Know Your Equipment

Sounds pretty simple, right?  But there is more to it than that.  Do you shoot with spot or matrix metering?  Aperture or shutter priority?  Flash or no flash?  Let’s break it down a bit.

Modern DSLR’s have amazing features that were no even possible back in the days of shooting film.  So take advantage of that.  Let the camera do the heavy lifting.  Does that mean shoot on “P” or program mode?  No.  While it may leave your net exposure pretty perfectly, your images will be either flat, or motion blurred or both.  I like to use aperture priority and matrix metering.  It controls the depth of field that makes an image pop, and the matrix metering does a good job at sampling the most important part of the photograph.  That being said, there’s no need to be rigid in your use of settings.  If you are composing a shot that has some tricky lighting, or something specific in the image you want perfectly exposed, a flick of the switch and you spot metering along with manual mode is your solution.

You also don’t need to bring every piece of equipment that you own.  Depending on the event, I will carry two  bodies, one flash, a wide angle prime, a wide to medium zoom and a long lens.  If the event is in a small space, it’s amazing what you can do with a 35MM prime or a mid zoom, say a 24-70MM.  That all depends on point number two.

2.  Know Your Event

In order to be prepared, you need to know your event.  This includes not only the event location, but also the attendees.  Is it outside in a big space, or in the back room of a bar?  Will there be 15 people or 500?  How long does the event last, and how long would you like me there?  Does the client want candids or formals or table-shots, or all three?  Don’t be shy about asking questions about the event.

Let’s say you’ve been asked to shoot a child’s birthday party.  Part of it will be indoors and part outside.  Since your modern DSLR has the ability to take a great picture of a black cat at night, you don’t need a flash, right?  Not so fast!  Just because you can, doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t.  Even outdoor photography can sometimes benefit from using a flash as fill light.  If the event is in a bar, it will most likely be quite dark.  So knowing how to use a flash is very important.  I prefer to bounce a flash whenever possible.  A nice ceiling is the ultimate diffuser.  If that’s not an option, I prefer to use an on flash modifier.  Again, let the camera do the heavy lifting and if you are using a light modifier, shoot TTL mode and adjust your exposure compensation accordingly.

Knowing all of the details of the event will set you up for having the right equipment with you.  You don’t need to carry everything you own!  If the event is being held in a large space, a long zoom is fantastic for capturing unobtrusive candids.  A wide angle lens is great for capturing the atmosphere of the entire event in one shot.  For smaller events, a mid-size zoom or even a 35MM prime lens could be all you need.

3.  Know What to Do (and What Not to Do)

First and foremost, keep in mind that you are capturing the images of the event.  You are not shooting for the cover of People magazine.  There is no need to barge through crowds and shove a huge lens in someones face for a shot.  Be kind, and smile, yet be confident.  You are there to photograph the event.  A simple “excuse me,” will get the job done and get you where you want to go.  If someone waves you off, just move on.  There are a lot of people who don’t like having their picture taken.  The flip side is if someone stops you and wants a particular photo taken, stop and do it right away!

People have a posing gene.  What I mean by that, is whenever they realize that they are about to have their picture taken, they stop whatever they were doing and strike a pose.  That isn’t always what you want as an event photographer.  When this happens, I tend to lower the camera, smile and say, “… just keep doing what you’re doing, pretend I’m not even here.”   Be quick.  If you see something you’d like a picture of but need to direct a little, a simple “Hey, can I get a quick one?” will do the trick.  Take a quick picture or two and move on to the next shot.  The second part of being quick is that you need to be ready for the unexpected shot.

Learn from each shot.  We all take a look at the LCD and see the shot we just took, but are you looking at it or learning from it?  The LCD is for composition only. Is someones eyes closed, or is it out of focus or did you accidentally chop someones head off?  The most important part of that little screen in the back is the histogram.  Know how to read one and learn from it on the fly.  The most basic premise of photography is capturing light, and the histogram tells you everything you need to know about the light you just captured.  It is the best tool you have to review the exposure of a picture.  I learned that the hard way once.  I shot an entire event off by at least full stop because I only looked at the histogram once.  So be sure to look at the histogram, review, learn, adjust and shoot again.  It will become instinctual.

Most importantly, have fun.  If you do not appear to enjoy what you are doing while you are out there, the guests will see it and you’ll be “the crabby photographer” that everyone hates.  All of the guests at these events are potential clients, so always be at your best!

Event photography can be rewarding and fun.  It opens the doors to potential future work.  By keeping in mind the three simple hints, you will be well on your way.

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I’m not ashamed to admit: I’m a huge fan of Project Runway (there, I said it).  Something about watching people putting fabrics and materials together to create amazing pieces of clothing intrigues me.  I blame it on my culinary background, where throwing semi-random ingredients together to create an amazing dish fascinates me.  So, when I was approached to do a fashion shoot, I wasn’t sure what to expect – it’s not like the food or product photography I’m accustomed to.  I did my homework and made sure I read every bit of literature to get my head around what I was in for.  With this being the first kind of shoot I’ve ever done to this magnitude, it was nerve-wracking, but through the challenges I experienced, I learned valuable lessons and experienced an end result I am beyond pleased about.

I met the Tranquilista, Kimberly Wilson, after doing a previous shoot for a company that is releasing a DC guidebook that will be coming out TBD, and after reuniting at an event that was being hosted by this company, she discussed the photography for a book launch fête she was hosting (yes, she also writes books) and we talked about the possibility of also working on her upcoming clothing line launch.  It wasn’t something I’ve done before, but I certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea!  She always has a sweet disposition, and every time I’ve left her vicinity, I’ve felt at peace and, well, tranquil.  The model, Allison, works out in San Francisco (I’m jealous) and met Kimberly on a yoga retreat.  She blew my mind in how natural of a model she was – she had never done modeling before!  I was completely spoiled to have a model like her to work with!  Kimberly’s assistant was a fellow yogi, Eden, who was also a great pair of eyes to have around, as she noticed certain things before I even got to them and made my workflow easy.  I figured her clothing line would be a great step in the right direction for my business, and one step closer to shooting Michael Kors… err, I mean Heidi Klum.

You can read all the articles and publications you can get your hands on, but nothing prepares you for the challenges you face in your first clothing shoot!  Especially when you’re starting out, it’s hard to obtain some of the things you need to get going, and one of my biggest challenges is studio space.  Simply put, I don’t have any.  There are a few photographers that rent out their studio space, but trying to coordinate your schedule with theirs gets hairy, and I wasn’t able to get anything concrete on such a limited timeline (as in, only one day to shoot).  Fortunately for me, the designer is a do-it-all, and not only does she design clothing and publish books, she also runs her own yoga studio.  She had a room that wasn’t being occupied, so we converted it for the shoot with my portable seamless.  Another challenge was trying to properly light the subject.  The lights in the studio were adequate, but my single umbrella was going to make lighting tricky.  Plus, lighting products or food is completely different from lighting people!  I have used it before this shoot, so I understood how the lighting was going to work along with natural light from outdoors.  The biggest challenge was post-production: it SUCKED!  Because of my lighting, the white background turned almost a pinkish-gray.  This required a LOT of converting the background to white, which was excruciatingly painful.  Add to that the numerous photos I had to work on, it was an enormous headache!  However, now I’ve got the rhythm and technique down to make future shoots not so tedious.

I was certainly glad for the experience, but more so, for the lessons that resulted from this shoot.  I now understand the amount of time that results in these kinds of shoots, and that all of the time spent editing what was only a four-hour shoot needs to be compensated for.  With that, you must make sure that all of the terms of the agreement for the shoot are established well in advance, so there isn’t any confusion for future shoots and everything gets handled in a timely manner.  Luckily for me, she and I have worked together previously and were able to come to a mutual understanding relatively quickly, so nothing got dragged out, and we have already established terms for the next shoot months in advance.  Aside from that, more equipment is always helpful, especially to get the images that you want, so don’t be afraid to rent or borrow from a photographer buddy.  I was still starting out, so I didn’t have the connections or the equipment back then like I do now, and I know that I’ll be better equipped for my next shoot.  I’ve upgraded my camera and speed light since the previous shoot, which should make things noticeably better.  I’m still dreaming about better strobes and a Pocket Wizard, which are still out of my budget (for now – if I starve myself long enough, I’ll be able to get them), but thankfully I’ve made friends and have the hook-ups.  It’s all about networking!

The shoot was fantastic, and thanks to Eden for the help and Allison for being such a natural and wonderful model.  Because of them, the shoot went without a hitch, and we were extremely productive with a lot of great shots.  Most of all, thanks to Kimberly Wilson, who has been such a great client of mine for these past months.  I’ve had a lot of great work as a result of her, and she’s always such a pleasure to work with!  You can view her yoga and lifestyle clothing line, as well as other photos of the resulting shoot at her website: tranquilit.com. I am always surprised when I have a shoot involving something I never believed I’d get into and enjoy it beyond belief – it didn’t involve photographing food, yet was one of the most fun shoots I’ve had to date!

Next stop: Vanity Fair.

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Model photography is an art, traveling and model photography is a whole different kettle of fish. Not being on your home ground may make you feel uneasy but with some careful planning you can overcome any obstacles real or perceived.

The Movement – a New York dance group shot in Federal Circle, New York City!

The Five W’s

Who, what, when, where, why and how? Answer these questions and you are well on the way to having a successful shoot. Planning is the most important part of any shoot. The old adage applies if you fail to plan you plan to fail, it really is true! I’ve seen many a shoot be bungled because simple obstacles have fouled up a shoot.

Model:  Irene shot in a room at the Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Who?

Who are you going to shoot? Choosing the appropriate models is key. You have a couple of choices, of course if you are working with an agency they will source and supply models for you to shoot. However,  if you are working on your own you have to source your own models with the resources on the Internet you can utilize a site such as Model Mayhem to source models. You have a couple of choices here also, you can either shoot Time For CD (TFCD) a common arrangement between photographers and models where you supply the model with copies of the images for their use as compensation for their services. Alternatively, you can pay the models for their services. In my experience if you are going to do a TFCD arrangement you should opt to source more than one model for a shoot as at times some models are not punctual or don’t show up.

Model releases are an important protection for photographers and should be executed prior to any shoot. A special model release should be executed for anyone under the age of majority. Model releases should generally, allow photographers to use the photos at their discretion, allow photographers to edit photographs and be non-rescindable. Model releases should also clearly state the compensation for the models services and have the signature of the model affixed along with their printed name and address.

Models:  Dennys and Paris – Holiday Inn, Saddlebrook, NJ USA

What?

You should have a concept of your shoot beforehand; this helps you to formulate the shoot in your mind so that you make sure to have all the necessary supplies to have a successful shoot. It is important to know what you are shooting so you have a suitable location. When you have your concept in mind you then shoot with a purpose instead of just randomly. Take your props along, ask models to bring shoot appropriate clothing.  Shooting a model just because they are attractive is a common fault as may gain you a reputation of being a Guy with a Camera (GWC).

Models:  Carla, Alexis, Mark and Paul – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA

When?

Shooting times are more important for outdoor shots than indoor shots, if you are using artificial lighting you are free to shoot at any time. If you are using natural lighting you must conform to Mother Nature. Use popular weather sites to find out what climate is like what time sunrise and sunset are so that you don’t  travel to a location to find unsuitable conditions. Choose suitable times that are conductive to models being able to make the shoot in addition to yourself if you have to travel to a location. If you are flying in to shoot be aware of possible travel delays you can check the reliability of any flight at FlightZoo.  Travel arrangements are important and you should have contingencies when flying, if you are driving you have more control of your own destiny, carefully check Google maps for commuting times between all locations. I highly recommend a GPS also, I program all my locations into mine before I leave home!

Member of The Movement dance group in Federal Circle, NYC USA

Where?

When you have a concept of the outcome of your shoot you can then select an appropriate location. Indoor shoots can be done in a studio or an adapted studio, outdoor shoots are best done outside instead of trying to simulate the effect. If you are shooting with an agency they will source a studio for indoor  shots or the location for outdoor shots. If you are shooting with your own personal concept this responsibility now becomes yours. In my own experience I’ve found that a hotel room makes an amazing studio and there are no travel problems in getting there as it is already your hotel room. Residence Inns or similar properties are great because you have your own bedroom and also a separate living room which makes a perfect studio, including a kitchen if you want to simulate shots in a home. If you don’t have this facility in your location, make sure you source a hotel room with 2 queen beds because when it comes to time to shoot you can literally flip one bed onto the other so that you have more space in your room to shoot. The curtain at the back of the room makes a perfect backdrop but more importantly it makes perfect place to hang your own background on with the application of a few clips or even hairpins. Contacting the hotel directly can also be very fruitful, I’ve done this for various hotels and properties such as the Hotel Diva in San Francisco gave me carte blanche for the entire property, they excel at rolling out the red carpet to accommodate virtually any guest request. For  lighting you should carry a couple flash heads, I carry 3 Nikon Speedlights and a SU-800 Remote Commander and they are sufficient to overcome any lighting situation (although I use Nikon primarily, I believe the best choice of equipment is the one that works for you, I also own Canons and Olympus and use them all). You can utilize these on backdrops or even using the armoire with a couple of translucent reflectors wedged between the ceiling and the top of the armoire at 90 degree angles with a remote activated flash placed on the inside to form your very own softbox. However, if you are shooting outdoors in a location that you are unfamiliar with be sure to do your research online, I’ve personally used Opacity, choose unusual sites, nothing ruins a shot like having a tourist like image as your background. Do you legwork on the internet before you even leave home for the shoot.

Models: Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA

Why?

Why are you shooting? Answer this question and it will help to make sure you have asked the model to  bring the correct clothing for the shoot (if this is not the responsibility of the Agency/Stylist) in addition to seeing if a Make Up Artist (MUA) is required. MUAs can also be source using online resources such as Model Mayhem.  Possible scenes you may shoot are: fashion, haute couture, swimwear, lifestyle to name a few. Swimwear models need to have a suitable body for other models you may be able to use a model that does not have an overused gym membership. For all models the face is important, source a model that is conductive to your purpose.

How!

Shooting persons is has it idiosyncrasies.  If you are shooting on location not only do you have to be a master of shooting the type of location but you must also be a master humorist and psychologist.  To get  the most captivating images you MUST engage the model, they must have not only the concept of your image but they must also get feedback from you as you are the only one that can see the viewfinder unless you are shooting tethered and displaying the images live on a PC.  You should look all around your viewfinder for spoilers in addition to making sure that the model has the ideal post and expression.  I’ve found that instead of telling models “smile” you should have a repertoire of humorous jokes to tell (avoid politics, religion and off color jokes).  You must do all this while having control of your camera so it is important to know your camera well.  Model photography is like a fine dance, you must have a symbiotic relationship with the model to evoke the best results.  It is like a fine dance and you will often have to mimic the pose you want to achieve while operating the camera.  Making that connection and giving feedback will improve your images tremendously.  Practice with a friend or a family member.

Models:  Alice and Chris – Foul Bay Beach, Barbados West Indies

Wrap up!

With all the above elements addressed the next most important thing is production of final photographs.  Models are always excited to see the final product and you should give them a date that you can   reasonable process the images in. Under no circumstances should you provide the RAW images to the model and only provide them to the agency if expressly requested. Providing RAW images to models shows that you have no pride in your work. You should edit the photographs and provide only those images that you truly feel show the quality of your work. Don’t feel overwhelmed, you’ll realize that the process of model photography provides a few more issues than any other type of photography, inanimate objects do not have egos/feeling so you need to be a capable photographer in addition to a psychologist. I’ll leave you with the 3 most important words in model photography: plan, plan, plan!

PHOTO CREDITS

Photos listed from top down.

3 “Model:  Edric Hunter’s Point, Queens, NY, USA”

6 “Model:  Carla – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA”

8 “Model: Manfred train depot near Saddlebrook, NJ USA”

9 “Models:  Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA”

11 “Model:  Alexis – The Radisson San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico”

13 “Model: Wilber – Train depot near the Davie Blvd Tri-Rail stop in Fort Lauderdale, FL USA”

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So last month I wrote up a bit of a review of the limitations I have come across with Adobe’s new content aware feature found within Photoshop CS5. And no, in one month my views haven’t necessarily changed. The problems I had found in trying to fill complex areas still plague me, however I have certainly found some new ways to take advantage of content aware fill that have sped up my daily work flow.  I had mentioned I would give you guys a post talking about where this new feature excelled so here we are, talking about CS5 one more time.

This month I had a quick afternoon shoot for Bad Boy Brands, an ultimate fighting clothing company. The shoot was basic but involved a lot of catalog shots against a white seamless. During post production I came across two instances where the new CS5 feature didn’t necessarily save my butt, however it did save me some time.

The first time I found content aware fill (lets call it CAF from now on to save some ink) useful came about when editing the hundreds of catalog shots we took. We shot fighters Xande Ribeiro and Demian Maia in just about every item of clothing the company had available. What we didn’t have available was a lot of room. Without a ton of space to work with we couldn’t unroll the seamless as far as I would normally like so we are left with a strip of cement visible in a number of the shots.

Obviously you can still get rid of this without the use of CAF but in this instance it saved me a ton of time considering how many images I needed to prep for the company. Instead of masking in or cloning out the cement I was happily surprised when I realized I was able to simply lasso the area, hit delete, and watch it disappear. Not only does it disappear but it leaves you with a natural continuation of the gradient found on the seamless.

The second part of the shoot involved producing some images that we could use to composite for a print ad we will be producing. The basic idea involved a few lifestyle shots and a few action shots. The action shots would later be pieced together into a sequence. The problem we ran into was that gyms are loaded with logos and the company obviously wants to only show their own logos in their ad.  Once again this is something completely possible without CAF but with the number of images I was working with it saved a lot of time. Have a peek below to see how just a few lasso selections and a couple pokes at the delete key rendered the background logo-less.

Notice all the logos in the background

Logos selected with regular lasso.

And finally.. no logos. Obviously this can be accomplished hundreds of ways but a quick lasso and delete saves a lot of time.

Ok, two months in a row spent on content aware fill… I think we’ve had enough. I can definitely reiterate that this feature will not be your new magical tool changing you into the photographer you have always hoped to become, but it will save you some precious time in the right circumstances. Questions?

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In my opinion this was the most successful campaign I have ever seen. It alone loosened a foothold that Microsoft had planted on the personal computer marked many years before. Now, Mac is a dominating force that threatens to overcome the market share that Microsoft once had.

What happened? Why was Microsoft’s campaign not nearly as successful? (See a poorly planned Windows 7 commercial here). I think it all comes down to what Mac was trying to sell: an identity, not a product. Apple convinced the world that becoming a Mac user was not just about the product, but by purchasing the products you became part of a prestigious club of Mac users with a poignant style and identity. Identity, not product.

So how does all this relate to your website? When I browse some photo websites, I can’t help but be reminded of the picture below. Why? Because from the beginning of my visit until the end, I am bombarded with a sales pitch. Every page is filled to the brim with reasons why my life would be ruined if I did not choose so and so.

However, as Dane Sanders says, what you ought to be selling is not your product, but you. When you try to sell your photos, you will inevitably have a lot of competition. However, when you sell you, there is no competition. There is only one you.

So how do you establish an identity and sell you? Here are some simple things you can do to change your website from a product-selling site, to a You-selling site.

Write to people, not to robots.

We have all likely encountered the SEO site, even if you didn’t know it. For those you who are unaware of SEO, it stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s a series of techniques that people use to increase their presence in the search results in Google. One of the techniques is filling your website with key words:

“Los Angeles wedding photographer John Joe, is based out of Los Angeles doing wedding photography. His Los Angeles wedding photography is so Los Angeles awesome, that even people not from Los Angeles will fly his Los Angeles hide out to a place that is not Los Angeles for their non-Los Angeles wedding photography pictures and wedding images and wedding photos and wedding portraits and wedding bridles.”

Sound familiar? This is SEO garbage. What has John Joe said? Nothing.  Often, in an attempt to attract the Google robots, people turn away the people that they are most interested in.

I am not against SEO. In fact, my own website has some SEO garbage in it (Yes…I do need to update it). However, it should be tastefully done. You should never write love letters to the Google robots while spewing nonsense to the people who will actually pay you the money.

Anecdotes are always good.

Back when we first started out, we had a testimonial page because that’s what everyone else did. However, I was so sick of reading the testimonials that sounded like they came from an infomercial. So, we decided to do testimonials a little bit differently. Rather than request a testimonial, we merely asked a client if we could “quote them.” We were already receiving testimonials via e-mails, handwritten notes, phone calls, or other spoken complements from our clients. In such cases, these compliments were sincere, genuine, and often involved some sort of anecdotal experience. Why not turn those into a valuable marketing tool? Here one of our testimonials that we once had on our website:

“I cannot begin to tell you how powerful of an impact Amber’s pictures had on me and my family. Shortly before my dad died, she took his portraits. Not long after her photo shoot, his cancer forced him to be bedridden. I was emotionally numb-neither happy nor sad. While he was on his deathbed, she sent us a complimentary picture of my dad. As soon as I opened the picture I wept. I wept because it captured so perfectly my dad’s personality-his impish grin, that ‘I got you again,’ look. Suddenly I could feel sorrow about my dad’s impending death, but I also felt joy at having known him and loved him. My siblings also wept when they saw the picture. It was requested by many and was put in his obituary, on his funeral program, and now hangs on the wall of all my brothers and sisters’ homes. His hospice nurse is even making a quilt with that picture on it. I’m so grateful she was my photographer. I will never have any other.”

This sort of story will stay with your visitors much longer and more poignantly than something like,

“Our entire wedding photography needs were taken care of in one very affordable package by Joe’s Photography, including our engagements, bridal portraits, and wedding day pictures. It was great!”

Rather than asking people to write testimonials for you, just ask your clients for permission to publish the praise they’re already giving you. Then, you can guarantee it doesn’t sound trite.

Make your bio about YOU, not your craft.

Your bio is not a sales pitch about your photography. Your portfolio should sell your photography, not your bio. I’ve heard so many bios that sound like this:

“Jim’s photography style is candid and genuine … My style is classy, elegant and artistic… Claire is passionate about recording every precious moment. With an artistic flare, her work stands out among her peers…Jack can capture every detail of your special day, including your genuine smile …”

If you need to tell people what your style is in your bio, then your portfolio sucks. What should Bio be about then? It should be about you. It should show your personality. You are introducing you as a person. They don’t need to know what kind of a photographer you are. Half the time they don’t even know the difference between artsy, photojournalistic, traditional, fashion, candid, or emo. And half the time, they can’t even tell the difference between good photography and bad photography! But they can tell when someone is being real.

I have always enjoyed browsing Matt Christensen’s website. His slogan is,

“Not your average grumpy photographer.”

I love that. It’s immersed in personality. I think his by bio is worth mentioning:

“got to be honest… never really wanted a bio. I’m fine living my life behind the lens… yes, I like to have fun and tend to shoot very relaxed. I wear flip-flops and shorts to all non-formal events (e.g. engagements and bridles)…. I love to invite clients to a round of golf, barbecue, or just hang out after all is said and done some of my best friends started as clients.”

Doesn’t that sound like a guy you would love to get to know? I’ve never met the guy, but I am sold on his personality. But not only should your bio represent your personality, it should also be about you the person! Introduce your family, tell them your hobbies, if you have a side job, tell them about it. Let them know there’s a person behind the lens.

For our bio, we wanted to introduce potential clients to our family. After spending a few paragraphs introducing me and my wife, I introduced my oldest son:

“Corban McKay (born April 2007) began his career as a model in the hospital in Orem Utah. He mastered and patented various dashing expressions including ‘Blue Steel,’ ‘Magnum,’ and ‘That’s my Toy, Give it Back.’ As a child prodigy, he mastered his runway walk at the age of only 13 months. It has been said of him that he is ‘…arguably the most sought after and photographed child of this millennium.’ When asked what he tributes his success to, with humble conviction and with chocolate smeared on his face, he unequivocally states, ‘Momma! Daddies! High Chair!’”

I have had more comments on my bio, than on any of my pictures. Let your personality come out and you let yourself come out.

Frequently asked questions should be frequently asked questions.

I recently read a photographer’s frequently asked questions page and laughed out loud. I don’t remember who the photographer was, nor the FAQs that he showed, but it was obvious he was trying to promote himself. Every question seemed to be a question that was fashioned in such a way that would make him look good (and only him):

“Frequently asked questions….”

“are you a certified member of APA, PPA, IPA, ICRPA, MKAKJHGIC DOA, and IOU…PA?”

“Have you ever entered and won 7 print competitions within the last 6 months?”

“Do you shoot with a full frame camera that can withstand an atomic bomb in case something happens during our wedding day?”

These types of questions make you look egotistical. No bride goes to your FAQs page because they want to be pitched. They go to find out information. Make your FAQs page informative.

So think of the questions people tend to ask you, and put the answers to them there. As you find more that you are constantly answering, include those as well. Leave the sales pitch at home. It’s that simple.

As you are genuine, sincere and honest in your website, you will reach more people than any string of keywords and egotism can muster. Be comfortable being you, and let that come out in every aspect of your website.

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Colourful insects surrounded by beautiful and luscious greenery; Gorgeous, delicious fruits floating in water, covered in minuscule bubbles; A drop of water hovering over a pool of water, where colour is created by reflections. These images are what typically make up the macro photography genre nowadays. Of course, they are, among countless others, amazing photographs that are wonderful to look at, but what about them is new? Not much. Having looked through a couple of websites, there are only a small amount of photographs in the macro genre that are different and unusual.

I have challenged myself to attempt to take macro photography to another level, and find (and create) some photographs that are a little bit different to today’s typical macro photographs.

"The Traveller" by healzo.

"Blue" by chansie.

"Escape" by aurelia.

Abstraction is easy to create using a macro lens, but is not commonly found in macro photography.

The images that do exist, however, are of excellent quality, and more importantly, different.For example, below are a few images of this genre; as you can see, the subject is the same, but the way in which the photograph was executed, and the way the photographer has chosen to portray it, is unusual and much more appealing in my opinion.

"Abstract splash" by ilpavone2004

“Abstract splash” by ilpavone2004′ (above) is my favourite photograph on this page.

The simplicity of it , and the eye-catching, almost blinding red background works so well with the isolated droplet, splash and reflection. In my opinion, it is much better than the typical water droplet image.

"The Abstract" by missjessicajoy.

Again, “The Abstract” by missjessicajoy (above) consists of a typical subject, a flower, but the angle and the colouring are most definitely not typical. The thin, white, flowing strands make the flower look almost as if it were underwater, and the blueish tint also has this effect.

"Minimal" by deedeephoto.

Although more minimal than abstract, this macro photograph by deedeephoto (above) is quite unusual and a nice change.

Having spent my time looking at numerous macro photographs, I felt inspired and determined to take my own macro photographs, especially as I only just recently purchased my own macro lens (a Sigma 70-300mm).
Unfortunately it is not true macro and only has a ratio of 1:2, but it does the job excellently.

Below I have picked the best two of the photographs I took:

"Scratched" by Ameena Rojee.

This is a photograph of a plastic table top. Did you guess that when you first looked at it?

When taking this photo, I was certain that it would not come out well as I thought it was quite a boring subject matter; however, upon looking at the photo when it showed on the screen, I was surprised at how much detail there actually was in the table top that I had not noticed. In terms of post-processing, I used the ‘Curves’ and ‘Colour Balance’ tools in Photoshop CS3 to adjust the photograph. This turned out to be one of my favourite photos from the lot.

"Fur" by Ameena Rojee

This is my take on a extremely overused subject; a cat. This is actually my cat Jacko’s leg; as I was taking the photo, he turned around and lifted his paw slightly. What a poser.

I played around with the colours on this one in Photoshop using the ‘Colour balance’ tool (I also used the ‘Curves’ tool); I did an overall colour adjustment, then selected the background only and edited that to bring out and emphasise the variety of colours.

And this brings me to the end. Perhaps some of you will take some inspiration from today’s article, and go out there and be different!

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.

- Cecil Beaton.

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Your camera hates you. Well… maybe that is a little extreme but, he/she severely dislikes you.  Your wond rous machine is doing all the work for you and your photos are losing their creative flavor.   Your manual focus toggle is gathering dust and you have yet to venture out from the comfort of your camera’s “pre-sets.”  You have a nasty habit and in order to break it you are going to have to make it a point to grow a few more skill sets.

First things first:

If your setting knob/button/doohickey is set to a some sort of graphic or icon on the little wheel thing, change it right now.  Even if you are not taking pictures at this very moment or plan to in the near future, change it from the flower, mountain, or portrait silhouette!  What you are really looking at using are the M, Av, or Tv settings.  Here is a quick run-down of when you would use them.

Tv: if for Shutter Speed

This means the camera’s priority is the speed at which your photo is being taken, also known as shutter speed.  Once you have manually set the speed of at which you will be taking pictures, you camera will calculate the remainder of the variables needed for “correct exposure” (please take this with a grain of salt as your camera’s correct exposure may not necessarily be what you are looking for).  This setting is most effectively used when you are trying to freeze a particular motion and making sure your subject stays sharp.  When Tv is selected as your priority, you won’t have to worry about your camera switching the settings on you if there is a shadow.

Av: is for Aperture Prioity

The camera is now focusing on the aperture, or how much light you are letting into your picture.  As in Tv, your camera will adjust everything based on the aperture value you set.  I like using this setting for shooting street scenes inconspicuously; I remove the camera from my face and I shoot at chest level pretending that I am playing with the settings.  Since I am not looking at my subject, I can’t be sure what is in focus and what will be blurry.  So, the smaller the aperture (the bigger the number on the camera) creates a greater depth of field, which increases the chances my photo will not be a huge blur.

M: is for Manual

Manual mode is my favourite setting but, unfortunately, requires the most work.  This means you are in complete control of what is coming in through the lens.  You are going to have to adjust both of the previous variables.  I tend to use this setting when I have enough time to compose the shot and the lighting is not likely to change.  If you are shooting a wedding on a partially cloudy day and the clouds are constantly changing your natural light (this is as close to photographer’s hell as I can possibly think of), you will be forced to carry a light meter or be able to predict which settings will lead to the most eye-catching photograph (which is really the ideal way to capture images).

Secondly, you have to be comfortable with adjusting your ISO.  Your ISO, in both film and digital mediums, adjusts the sensitivity to the amount of light being presented to your camera.  You cannot just leave it on whatever setting it was on when you bought it.  When I first started taking pictures, I was working with a film camera and always bought 800 ISO film.  I never understood why my photos captured those night scenes better than everyone else’s but my pictures always seemed to be grainiest.  When you are outside in bright daylight, you want to keep your ISO levels between 100 and 200 (anything higher is too much for outdoor sunlight and you risk washing out your picture).  For lower light situations you probably don’t want to drop below 400 and avoid going over 1000.  Once over 1000, on most entry level and some prosumer models your pictures will start to get pixelated, also known as noise.

Third thing: it is essential you free yourself of the auto-focus on your lens(es).  Most lenses auto-focus work quickly and well however, you are an aspiring artist and want to perfect your craft.  While your hand should be used to the zooming in and zooming out, your fine motor skills often need to go into overdrive for the minor adjustments needed for perfect focus.  There are many times when the autofocus does not zoom in on the area thatyou wish to highlight.  The last thing you want is to have a shot lined up only to be delayed or ruined as the camera tries to guess what you want to shoot.  Go on.  Move the button-thing to MF.  I dare you.

Finally, a great first step towards mastering your craft is being able to adjust the white balance.  Your camera is smart, but only to a certain point.  Like a clueless guy trying to figure out how he angered his girlfriend and how to fix it, your camera can be quite clueless and will not be able to figure out the light as you see it.  Neon lights have a different temperature from regular light bulbs.  Daylight at 8am has a different temperature than at noon and again at 6pm.  Each one of these lights will photograph differently and will have an impact of the outcome on your photo; that’s the reason when taking a picture of a candle you will get a soft yellowish glow.  Remember that in order to change the white balance on your camera, you usually have to be in manual mode, otherwise your camera takes on the decision making for you.

Hopefully, you are looking at continuing growth as a photographer and these Fuel Your Photography tips point you in the right direction.  One thing is for sure, your camera thanks you.  From what it tells me, a new found respect, love, and admiration are currently being nurtured and encouraged.  Your camera appreciates you pulling your weight and making use of all the buttons and features available to you; they hate it when they don’t live up to your potential.

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Anytime you stitch together a panorama you are going to be left with less than perfectly straight edges due to the distortion of your cameras lens. If you didn’t shoot the subject with enough room to spare above and below you are going to end up with a rather large project properly filling in the areas of sky or foreground that have been left out. If you have no clue what I am talking about have a look at the image below. This 360 degree panorama was stitched together from 12 different images using photoshop’s “photomerge” tool. The problem here is the images were shot too tight so after merging them it is impossible to crop away the leftover space without eliminating a few parts of the photo you would like to keep. (ie. tree tops or the roof of one building.

Here is where content aware fill could come in very handy. In the past you would have had to manually build a sky which is tougher to do than you would think. Matching the natural gradations of a blue sky is not an easy task if you want the image to look realistic.  With content aware fill you would hope you could just select the empty area and hit delete and the new tool would handle it all for you. Think again. Yes in some circumstances it will, however most of the time, like any other “automated tool”, it will just give you some sort of starting point and sometimes it wont even give you that. The next four images show exactly what happened if you were to just select your missing area and click delete. The new fill pane opens up allowing you to select content aware as your fill option.

Obviously our goal was not to create some random mountain tops in the sky… So we have hit our first problem. Content aware fill does not do a good job or much of any job when it comes to filling large areas, especially when there isn’t an existing pattern for it to copy. The only real work around for this issue is to attempt to do the same thing but select small areas of the sky at a time instead of trying to fill the entire missing area at once. Below is pretty much the best I was able to do with ONLY the content aware feature.

I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that at least for now this new feature will only enter my work flow on a limited basis. It does do a great job though at deleting small areas or objects. I’ll revisit this sometime soon so we can talk about the areas in which content aware does excel. Have a peek below to see how well a 1 step delete can erase pesky palm trees growing from a brides head.. This is a rather broad subject so let me know what you would be interested in seeing in regards to content aware fill or any other new cs5 features. Also stay tuned for a comparison of the ever popular Photomatix program and Adobe’s new HDR-Pro feature. Cheers!

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The Passive Client

​​The Passive Client says they’re interested in your services, but when the time comes to schedule or obtain details about the shoot, you’ve aged twenty years. Then, when you try to gain their input, they hardly contribute anything, taking a completely hands-off approach and leaving you without a concrete direction to take the shoot. The kicker comes when it’s time to collect payment – you probably won’t receive it in a timely manner. Fun!

The Solution: Patience is the key, since you’re going to want to violently shake anything coherent out of them. Do your best to look for the positives – if they’re not going to give you any direction, take it upon yourself to let the creative juices flow. That’s why we’re in this business, right? Most importantly, make sure contracts and check are in hand before you proceed. Based on your interactions with the Passive Client on the phone/via e-mail, you should be able to spot this type and take the proper precautions.

The Overly-Controlling Client

​To the creative types, the Overly-Controlling Client are the ones to suffocate the creative process. Any idea you come up with gets shot down and they only want to do it their way. They know better than you do about the image they want, so you’ll take a back seat. You’ll probably spend a good portion of your time envisioning yourself strangling these people.

The Solution: Remember how your mother would ask you if you’d like carrots or peas as a vegetable for your dinner? You felt so empowered because you got to choose (even though you’d rather have ice cream), but in reality, your parents created the illusion of “choice” – you were going to eat vegetables whether you wanted to or not! The same applies here – come up with a few creative ideas and let the client choose one of the ideas “you can do”. If the client doesn’t buy into this, it’s time to swallow your pride and smile and nod.

The Worrywart

​Everything has a doomsday scenario attached. They don’t look “right”, the shoot is running too long, the sky is falling, etc. Anytime you ask for their input, thinking you’re going to put them to ease, it only brings out their insecurity more. On top of that, they always schedule reshoots because they didn’t like some small detail about the last shoot, delaying the payment and wasting your time and theirs.

The Solution: These Debbie Downers will suck the life out of you, but a little ego stroking goes a long way with these people. They will need a lot of reassurance, and once they get a little confidence, the shoot will run much smoother. It’s important to stay calm, positive, and patient, since they will be feeding off of your attitude – if you’re upset, they’ll take it personally, and the insecurities will only get worse.

The Stingy Client

​To any photographer in the business, these are the worst types. They try to take any shortcut they can to “speed the process up”, and will always try to barter for a cheaper price – after all, you’re just “pushing a button”, right? This can result in not receiving payment in a timely manner and wanting to bash your head against the wall.

The Solution: Stand your ground and realize that your best friend is the word “no”. Don’t settle for a lesser price – you know how much it costs to do this shoot effectively, so anything that will make the photo what you want needs to be in there. They might continue to gripe about money, to which you can pass on the job and wait for the client that appreciates your services. If they’re “on such a tight budget”, maybe they shouldn’t have hired a professional in the first place?

The Dream Client

​These people are the rare gems you need to hold onto for dear life! They understand what you and your business are about, contribute positively to every shoot, and the two of you can bounce ideas off one another with ease. When it’s time for payment, they send it in a timely manner and talk non-stop about how great it was to work with you to friends and colleagues. They are the rays of hope in the world that you’d wish every client was like!

The Solution: Sit back and enjoy the ride! They’re like-minded and help the creative process with everything they say and do because they have such a clear and creative vision, as well as a “let’s get this done ASAP” attitude, knowing that your time is just as important as their own. I love these people, and I will go out of my way to spread the good word about their business just as they do about mine. Try to work something out with them about tweeting/talking them up on Facebook and make sure to stay in touch with them often.

You’re going to meet a wide variety of people during your line of work, and patience is vital in all of these interactions. By looking at each case individually, you can be more effective in how you work with these clients, and they’ll be more than appreciative that you worked so well with their needs, possibly earning you repeat business.

What other kinds of clients have you worked with that I haven’t mentioned here? And what did you find was the best approach in working with them?

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So you’ve graduated. You walked up on stage and got that important piece of paper that certifies that you are filled with pure photo awesomeness. With a degree in hand, you are probably preparing for crowd control. After all, starting tomorrow, thousands of people will be banging down your door to hire you as their photographer. You may have already purchased parking cones, road flares, and a megaphone, and hired a slew of security guards in orange vests. Your road to fame starts tomorrow….or maybe after the weekend…..ok so maybe after this month…hmmmm……maybe when school starts up? Ok….so maybe after January when wedding planning starts. And yet, your phone is silent.

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I have tried many kinds of tabletop tripods and all have failed miserably for the average DSLR.  That is, until my brother got me the Ultra-Pod II.  For entry level and even prosumer DSLR’s, this three-legged wonder does exactly what you want it to do.

Its simple design allows a large base that is stable enough for all point and shoots and the majority of DSLR’s.  While extra tightening and some sagging may occur when using larger lenses,for less than $20 you can’t go wrong.  It’s ridiculously lightweight (.25 lbs or about 125 grams) and it folds down to next to nothing and can be put into your camera bag, pocket, or purse.  An extra feature that you will be sure to enjoy is a velcro strap that allows you to attach this trifecta ofawesomeness onto a pole or an irregular object.

This item is a staple in my camera bag but it does have some negatives: the plastic though light, is not the strongest out there and the head is a double ball clamp.  Which means, don’t throw this thing around or step on it and that getting it into the stable position you want will take a little bit of work and adjustment.  This type of attachment also makes it a little restrictive when it comes to taking portrait shots.

So if you are looking for a great tripod at a very reasonable price, I would definitely recommend it for any point and shoot and basic DSLR.  If you buy two of them, you can strap one to each forearm and pretend you are some sort of pixelated superhero.   Fight crime and get some spectacular point-of-view shots as you smash their evil plans and their noses!

To purchase, simply check out your local camera store, MEC, or online.

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So your Flickr pics are getting tons of hits and you are being asked to add your photos to every group out there.  Your friends ask you if you ever took any photography classes.  You have been drafted to shoot your cousin’s wedding. You decide that now is the time to take the leap, go for broke and try your luck by taking your hobby one step further and making it a side business.  You have a vague business plan, a catchy mission statement, and your trusty point and shoot!  What’s next?  SHOPPING for gear!  While it’s always fun to spend money on the gadgets you need, this can be a stress-inducing time as some of your choices can influence your photography future.

CHECK OUT THAT BODY

Let’s face it; your point and shoot will not cut it.  You may be a photography prodigy but if you show up to a paying job and pull a camera out of your back pocket, you will not be taken seriously.  You need a solid DSLR and you need one quick!  The good news is that now is the best time in photography history to get an advanced DSLR for an un-advanced price.  These new types of entry level cameras come loaded with all the features and then some; some of these even include the ability to record movies.  Do not be swayed by the number of megapixels, the sirens of digital camera world.  Unless you plan on making poster sized prints from the get-go, completely ignore this temptation.  You should be interested in things like RAW vs JPEG, frames per second, how quickly the autofocus works, the camera start up speed, noise levels at higher ISO levels, and the list goes on (it really does, I am not just saying that).  Most entry level DSLR’s nowadays have more than enough megapixels.  People write small books and/or really long articles on the subject of selecting a camera I won’t cover it all here.  I would recommend asking friends who already own DSLR’s and use them extensively.  They will have a better idea of what you need, what you are looking for, and will be a great resource when you have questions about your upcoming purchase! (www.fuelyourphotography.com will also continue to be a great source of inspiration and knowledge)  If you need a head-start look at Canon’s EOS series, T2i is a solid starter camera, and on the Nikon side, the D90 is a probably the best machine currently out there for your first DSLR but, will run you a couple hundred dollars more than its Canon counterpart.  All this being said, don’t throw out your point and shoot just yet.  It is still a great tool when you are going somewhere and a big SLR is not allowed or an option.

LENS ENVY

After the actual camera itself, your lens selection is the next important thing; many people will tell you that your lens selection is even more important than the camera itself.  The quality of your lens affects the quality of your pictures.  A good lens will be a blessing in poor conditions and will only enhance your natural eye and talent in ideal settings.  I can safely say that you will most likely sink more money into lenses than anything else; try not to be a scrooge when it comes to this purchase.  My first lens I bought was a 100-300mm telephoto because it was cheap.  In order to take the most basic of shots I had to stand at the back of a room or across the street; it was not ideal.   Normally when you buy a Canon or Nikon DSLR you will get a standard or “kit” lens as part of a package.  These are a good bet even though they are not the greatest lens.  Their resale value is higher than lesser-known brand are designed to work with the camera you are buying and you run less of a risk of complications in the future.  I recommend getting a wide-angled lens; 28mm – 70mm or 105mm.  This is not a dedicated wide angle lens and you will not get that fisheye effect, but you will be able to take some good shots in tight situations.  I love cranking my kit lens down to 18mm and shooting at crazy angles without even looking through the view finder.  I have gotten some great results and nice surprises!  Then you will want to get a telephoto lens to zoom in on the subjects just out of your reach.  Do not waste your time with a “telephoto” lens that only goes up to 200mm.  You just can’t get close enough to things in the distance and it will frustrate you; 300mm is the standard.  Once you have the basics covered, you can branch out to different lens for specific purposes based on your field of photography.  I highly recommend getting a fixed 50mm lens with an aperture of f1.8 or f1.4.  This is a life saver for portrait photography and is small, light, and easy to carry.

ACCESSORIZE

My wife tells me that it’s all about the accessories;  besides my yellow rubber  “LIVESTRONG” bracelet and my fondness for brightly colored footwear, I don’t accessorize.  However when it comes to extra for my camera, the sky is the limit (aka how much money is in my bank account).  Here is a quick list of what I consider to be the essentials for a good shot at success.

PHOTO EDITING PROGRAM

Photoshop is the standard, but there are a whole host of options.  If you don’t want to pay the big bucks for the latest version of Photoshop (drool), you have free online options.  Take a look, because after camera and lenses, your budget may be a bit short.

TRIPOD

I have owned some cheap tripods.  Imagine taking a picture in an old church during mass and then having a piece of metal slide out and clatter to the floor.  Purgatory, here I come!  Start with something simple, but you are looking to spend at least $75 for a cheap no-name brand at your local camera store.  There are some really fun table top models which are portable and practical.

EXTERNAL FLASH

This is a must.  You will come to curse that built in flash as it is not the friendliest feature on your camera; professional DSLR’s do not even offer it.  If it’s out of your budget, most camera stores will have some sort of flash diffuser which will dramatically increase you built-in flash flexibility until you can put aside some money.

CAMERA BAG

Your camera will spend quite a bit of time in here (hopefully not too much), so do not get a cheap bag.  Get one with comfortable and easily-adjustable straps and one that is waterproof or has a waterproof liner.

Other things you need to throw into your camera bag is extra memory cards, extra batteries, a bean bag (makes a great tripod you can use almost anywhere), a micro fiber lens cloth, and patch cords to link your camera to a tv or computer.

Once you have this taken care of, make sure you get involved in some sort of photo community.  Flickr is a good place to start as it is worldwide with countless numbers of groups where you can post and get critiqued and learn from some really inspiring artists.  Their price is reasonable, but make sure you check out a photo sharing site that works for you.

Happy shooting and make sure you remember me when you are shooting for National Geographic or Vogue; I’ll hold your light reflectors or something.

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