300 million are photos taken each day generating over 100 billion a year.
While 20 years ago 10% of photographs made were printed, today less than 1/10 of 1% are ever printed!
Historically, what’s printed lasts; what’s not, doesn’t. Has this changed?
Find out about my digital prints here.
Find out more about printing in my free Digital Printing Lessons.
It’s that time of year again, when the temperatures start to get cooler and the trees begin to put on their color show. Of course this is followed immediately by the sound of leaf blowers and rakes. Right now, at least in my neck of the woods, the colors are entering their peak so I thought I would offer a few suggestions for getting maximum color in your images without having to result to moving a saturation slider.
Shoot in good light -
Just like any subject that you are going to photograph outdoors, you will get better results by not shooting in the mid-day sun. My favorite time to shoot fall color is either late afternoon, preferably a few minutes after the sun goes down. Another favorite time for me is during overcast conditions. I find that I get softer shadows, and more importantly, better color saturation.
Don’t rely on Auto White Balance -
I’m not sure exactly why but whenever I have tried auto white balance with fall colors, everything seems to come out just a little too cool. As a general rule, I usually shoot a couple of test frames to select the balance that will give me the best results. Depending on the light conditions I find that Sunny or Shady usually does the trick.
Turn down the D-Lighting/Auto Lighting Optimizer -
If you have a Nikon or Canon you might want to check your settings to ensure that you have the D-Lighting (Nikon) or Auto Lighting Optimizer (Canon) turned down. The function of this option is to brighten the shadows but in doing so it can also lighten the highlights too much. It can be a great feature but I prefer to have it turned off when shooting. In most of the camera models you can add this with in-camera editing if you so choose.
Turn on the Landscape Control/Style -
If you want more vibrant yellows and greens you should have your Picture Control (Nikon) or Picture Style (Canon) set to Landscape. This will automatically improve your fall color shots. I know that it won’t show up in your image if you are shooting RAW but it will give you an idea of how the photo will look on the LCD screen. You can then apply it back to the image in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw using the Camera Calibration function. If you are shooting JPEGs the Landscape style/control will be applied to your image in-camera.
Don’t be afraid to underexpose a little -
Actually, it’s not underexposing, more like finding the right exposure for the highlights. To really get the most from the bright colors I find that I need to dial in about -1/3 to -2/3 of a stop of exposure compensation. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your exposure to get just the right look.
Here’s a look at a shot in my back yard. I had the white balance set to auto, the picture style on Standard, and no exposure compensation dialed in.
Now check out the same scene after I turned the white balance to Daylight, changed the Picture Style to Landscape, and dialed in about -1/3 of a stop of exposure compensation.
Probably the most important piece of advice I can give you is to simply enjoy the spectacular display of color because it will only last until the next strong breeze comes along and you have to dig your rake out of the tool shed.
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For Rich Harley 6 years of studying photography the transition from hobbyist to professional was both simple, and very complicated. Suddenly, all the little things matter a lot more, and I quickly had to learn to run a business alongside just taking photographs. These tips are the most important things I’ve learned during my transition. They all seem simple on the surface, but they quickly become integral to turning from keen hobbyist to full professional.”
This has been said before, but is worth repeating! Having expensive equipment isn’t the key here, but knowing exactly what your camera can do, how it does it and how you can customise it, is the key. Some allow to change how quickly they change their focusing in AI Servo, how they prioritise focusing or taking the frame etc, tweak the camera to suit the situation it’s going to be needed in. If renting equipment, hire it a day early to get to know it beforehand. Turning up to a job with a specialised lens with no experience generally doesn’t end too well.
This may sound odd, but having an assistant/second shooter is so important, even if it’s just someone to send photos to and ask their opinion before making prints. Paid or unpaid, working with someone is a fantastic aid. Get to know what they can and can’t shoot, their style and how they work. They don’t need to be your best friend, but someone who can get the job done. If you can have a laugh on the job, it’s nice, but it’s not why they’re there at the end of the day.
Draw up invoices, rates, contracts in case if late payment etc. Organise a folder system for invoices, by client or by month, as long as it’s easy to use and so that nothing can go missing. Keep a record of all the expenses used on a job as well, never through away any receipts whilst at work.
If a friend of a client asks for a couple of frames, send a couple of frames over. For example, if they ask for more, it can become chargeable. Doing something for free is a nice gesture and people appreciate it. There are lots of ways of doing little things for free that make a big difference to the client experience, without costing a penny.
If the situation allows for it, get to know the client. When replying to an email, ask them how they are. If a client doesn’t acknowledge the remark, then don’t push on with being over friendly and keep the relationship to pure business. If they mention their dogs name, remember it. The client is the most important person in the relationship, and that needs to be remembered.
And then, make sure it’s legal. Ignoring the fact it’s illegal to pirate software to begin with, clients won’t appreciate work being done on hacked software, if they find out it’s potentially curtains for the relationship. Photography is no different to any other business, everything needs to be legal and above board.
What is the point of market entry? How are you going to build up a client base? How will image delivery be handled? This is all very dull, but it’s important.
If it’s not fun, then maybe photography isn’t the dream career after all. It’s demanding, it’s sometimes frustrating, but a pro will always find it fun. The drive to keep pushing for the shot in the worst conditions needs to be very strong, and that comes with the fun side of it. Giving up only happens when something isn’t fun, so make sure that it’s as much fun as possible!
“I’ve been shooting professionally for 2 years. After 6 years studying photography the transition from hobbyist to professional was both simple, and very complicated. Suddenly, all the little things matter a lot more, and I quickly had to learn to run a business alongside just taking photographs.
These tips are the most important things I’ve learned during my transition. They all seem simple on the surface, but they quickly become integral to turning from keen hobbyist to full professional.”
7×5 profile: http://www.sevenbyfive.net/photos/photo-profile-rich-harley/
Website: http://richharley.com
Tumblr: http://richhrly.tumblr.com/
and my (again, mostly work related) twitter http://twitter.com/richhrly
I’ve been shooting weddings for 18 years and while I do not claim to be a know-it-all, I will say I’ve seen a wide range of the glamorous, and not so glamorous, sides of the business. Many people see the money wedding photographers charge for a day of shooting and think, “I can do that no problem!” While this may be the case, I want to point out some things the glamour side of the business doesn’t tell you about.
Do you know how to position corsages and boutonnieres? Are you good with make-up and hair dressing? Do you carry safety pins in your pocket just in case you need to adjust a pleat or tuck some fabric back?
If your wedding party has a coordinator or highly motivated individual, these items won’t come up for you. But a number of first time weddings will be casting about for someone with experience to help out. Think about it. The bride and groom have probably attended a number of weddings, but who pays attention to all the details all the time? For most, it’s a glaringly new experience and look at you, over there with your camera and notches on your camera strap. You must know what to do in all these situations? Who walks in first? Where do the flower girls go when they get to the end of the aisle? Do I hold my bouquet down low or higher like this? Should I face him or look at the audience? You’ll be amazed at the number of questions coming your way as the de facto wedding expert.
Wow! You nailed that shoot! The Kiss. The First Dance. Mom starting to cry a little. You got it all. All 800 photos of it. 800? Really? Eh, get to it in the morning.
Editing a wedding shoot takes a bit more work than your average holiday trip. It’s by no means impossible, but it is one of the reasons you are charging more for a wedding than photos of a car to be sold on eBay. You can tighten things up a bit by not shooting so much. Back in the film days this was the default choice because more time was involved in setting up the shot and really making sure it was worth capturing. But, as we all know, digital removes that barrier and adds in extra time to the edits. I estimate about 20-40 hours of editing time per wedding shoot.
Stress levels are up on a wedding day, to say the least. Even the debonair appearing groom is fidgety under that rental tux. If you’re nervous, or unsure of your job, it will only feed the fire. Jitters during your first few weddings are normal as you’re still learning. And getting a little amped up before any wedding is fine. But when it’s show time, you need to be on, calm and in control of your aspect in the day. If you’re calm and self assured, it has a big effect on those in front of the camera. Looking clueless only flusters most brides. Get to know the wedding procedures, what comes next, who goes where, so that you can be of assistance in a “it’s ok, I’ve done this before” type of way.
You’re going to have to deal with them; drunk people. Sooner or later. For the most part it’s not that big of a deal, really. But trying to gather folks for a requested shot during the reception, when several party members may have started the festivities around 9am, can be exasperating. This is when you need to be a pillar of calm. But firm. Call in for backup (a likely relative of the less than helpful photo subject) if need be. At times it can be no different than the scene in any bar on a Friday night, except for the fact that you’re trying to work in that bar.
If you are the partying type, this one might be tough on you. A lot of weddings turn into full blown parties during the reception (certainly not all of them, but many). If alcohol is involved, you can almost be assured it will go that route. But above all else, I believe it’s very important to remain professional in this situation. You’re there to do a job and capture the revelry, not get lost in it. I almost always abstain from drinking during a shoot (unless the hosts are so heavy handed as to make my not having a sip come across as highly offensive) and I feel it helps with my results. It doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, just don’t get carried away.
“Are they ready yet?” “Not yet, the deadline is not for another three weeks.” Then, a day later, “I know I just asked, but we’re anxious to see the photos. Sorry!”
I have yet to come across a bride who just says, “Eh, get them to me when you can, it’s not important.” The photos ARE important and even more so after the wedding. You’re it, there’s no one else to bug. Before the wedding, the happy couple is juggling caterers, flowers, tux rentals, family, etc… But after the fact, all eyes are on you.
And even before the event, you will need to help calm the bride and groom with increased contacts as needed. They may be totally relaxed and just send an email two weeks before, letting you know the check will be in the mail today and we’ll see you at the wedding. Or you may get a call a day asking if they can add shots to the family list, or if a long lost cousin, who really wants to get into photography, can ghost you. Either way, be ready for the extra contact that tends to come along with wedding shoots.
Part of your job as a wedding photographer is being a good sleuth. You need to find out, in short order, how the families work together and within themselves. Are there certain people you don’t want to be placing close to each other in a photo? Are there photos from the dance floor that shouldn’t be posted because, “those two shouldn’t have been dancing that close”? And is anyone in the witness protection program (no, this hasn’t happened to me, yet)? It seems most families have some quirks that keep things interesting and you get thrust right into it. Personally, I try to ask the couple as many questions as possible beforehand and, if it works out well, invite myself to the rehearsal to get a feel for how people interact under stress. It can help a lot to smooth things on the big day.
Not to make the whole experience sound like it is a death march, far from it! There are some benefits that also aren’t widely advertised.
I’m always happy to take on a wedding ceremony I’ve never done. Being it a different religion, custom or just the couple’s own quirky way of celebrating, it’s a chance to learn something new. For the most part, I will ask for a layout of the ceremony and any ancillary events surrounding it and then it’s off to the internet to learn what I can. Friends, too, are a great source of information on customs and ceremony. I love the variety and it helps me grow as a photographer.
This is one of the best parts of the job, the people. For me, I enjoy the chance to chat here and there with those attending the wedding. If nothing else, it gives me a personal connection to the event and does improve my photography. Plus, the sheer variety of folks I meet from wedding to wedding is very enjoyable. One weekend I met an iron sculpturer who built the decorative trellis the couple got married in front of. Two weeks later I met a couple who had spent the last five years visiting over 40 countries around the world. And the great thing is you can skip over a certain amount of small talk because you’re obviously the photographer so people already know what you do for a living and how you know the bride and groom.
I avoided getting paid for my first few years of weddings, choosing instead to only take photos for friends and family as a gift to them, because I thought I didn’t want to somehow soil that which I loved; taking photos. That was a mistake. It turns out I love shooting weddings for pay. It’s a happy occasion, everyone (almost) is in a great mood, smiles are rampant and I’m honored for the opportunity to preserve that feeling on paper. I will still shoot an occasional wedding pro bono for those I know well, especially if I know they are struggling financially, because I really enjoy the activity, pageantry, colors and joy of it all.
And if someone wants to pay me well for doing what I love when I’m willing to do for free, how can that not be the best job in the world?
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Improve your photos with our expert help. Here are 10 quick portrait photography tips to help you give your pictures personality…
Whether you're new to digital photography or just searching for some inspiration, our quick and easy photography tips will help you take better pictures with the minimum of fuss.
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My name is John McWade. Because this is my first post, here’s a quick history.
I’m a designer, not a photographer. Early in 1985, I was the first person in the world to lay down my T-square and become a full-time “desktop publisher.” That meant that I was doing my design work entirely on a computer — a 9″-screen Macintosh — with a test version of Aldus PageMaker.
I’d been at it for months when, that summer in New York, Apple rolled out its “Macintosh Office,” a networked suite consisting of the Apple LaserWriter, Adobe PostScript, and Aldus PageMaker. All three were revolutionary. The press, impressed, said, “Yeah, this looks good, but is anyone actually using it?” To which Apple said, “Well, there’s this guy out in California . . .”
And my phone started to ring.
Things have not been the same since.
It took only five years for desktop publishing to democratize design. Its early adopters, with exceptions, were not designers. They were writers, editors, marketers and others who had design to do — newsletters, brochures, business stationery, whatever — but lacked the time, budget, or need for a professional.
Most had an affinity for design, too. But most did not have the skills.
Books and periodicals taught point and click. How to draw a curve, make a shadow, put a glow on something. This was helpful. They called it design, but it wasn’t. It was effects.
No one outside of school was teaching design. Typography. Page layout. The art of making a visual message beautifully and simply and clearly.
So we jumped in. We launched a small magazine titled Before & After, How to design cool stuff in January, 1990, to help the novice — the non-design professional — with graphic design. It was an immediate hit.
I’ve been at it ever since. In print, in books, online, in video (just starting this), and in the occasional live class. I love my work. The surprise has been that our little five-year project would turn into a career that continues to this day.
From a designer’s standpoint, the great thing about being a photographer is that you have great images to work with. So how about how to get a photo and type to coexist in the same small space, like on a business card? There’s a universal way to do it, which I’ll show you here, and once you have it down, you can elaborate pretty easily if you want.
Before:
(Above) Jayne Kettner’s business card had a clip-arty logo, a slogan, a swashy, calligraphic signature, and her business information, all scattered into various corners and places. This is common, and there are several problems with it. One is the scattering, which puts similar kinds of information in different places, with nothing to connect it. Two is the visual complexity; that is, the unnecessary tangle of lines. Three is that we can’t see her photos; her biggest asset is absent.
Here’s how to fix it.
Size
(Below) The standard U.S. business card is 3.5″ x 2.” Set up an extra 1/16 inch all around. This is your “bleed” area, which will prevent white from showing around the edges of the card when it’s trimmed to final size.
Make the business name bold.
Add a half space—a whole space works as well—below it . . .
. . . then tint the type 60% (or so) gray; leave the business name black.
The result is a minimal, intentionally designed look that leaves the white space as the dominant element. You’ll be tempted to fill the space, but don’t.
. . . and bring your words to the front (below). On a dark image like this one, finish by coloring the business name white and the body light gray.
And that’s all there is to it. No disorganization, no distractions. It quietly places your photography and your name into the client’s hand, simply, clearly, beautifully.
Front:
Back:
. . . and fill the card behind the image. While you’re at it, you might eyedropper some pink from the flower . . .
and add it to the business name . . .
. . . which makes a beautifully soft connection.
A gradient on a layer mask is an easy way to do this . . .
A change of typeface
Below, a small change of typeface from Benton Sans to Didot—on only the business name—softens the name while retaining the look. Classy.
It’s tempting to move the words around, but don’t do it. The upper-left corner makes a clear, designed statement, especially if it’s consistent on all pieces. If an image won’t work with that position, use a different image.
(Above) Her asymmetrical position activates the layout.
(Below) You don’t want to lose a photo because it doesn’t fit the space. If you crop, we recommend making the image square, which looks intentional, not ambiguous.
(Above) The photo on white is classic. If it’s too stark . . .
(Below) Soften with color . . .
Her lips . . . Her hair . . .
Her dress . . . The background . . .
(Above) White space is the controlling element on these cards—note how your eye immediately registers the images, despite their small sizes. Small is important; if you make them big, the objects, not you, become the point of attention. Note, too, that although they’re predominantly black, the objects are in color, just like you’d see them in real life.
(Below) White space is not empty but has real force. Note (below, left) how it pushes your eye to the left, and (below, right) it creates a strong sense of depth behind the studio umbrella.
Make a grid . . .
. . . and add your photos. Square images are harder to crop but look designed, and they correspond to Web thumbnails and avatars, too. (Below) On white, gray and black.
That’s it. Simple, flexible, universal. It’s a clean look that’s easy to repeat on other documents — brochures, Web sites, etc. — so you’re consistent everywhere. Remember: 1) keep the type basic, and 2) keep it in one place.
Imagine standing before a dozen high-school yearbook students embarking on their school year with the goal of creating a great yearbook. Amateur shooters, consumer equipment, some phone cameras.
If you can give them only one tip for making great pictures, what is it?
What if you can give them six tips?
Leave a comment and let me know what tips you would give.
Web site: bamagazine.com
DesignTalk: mcwade.com/DesignTalk
YouTube: youtube.com/bamagazine
Facebook: facebook.com/beforeandaftermagazine
