|
|
Photographer Questions: How do I carry my lenses?
|
|
I got home from Atlanta late last night. And by the way...I lost my phone while I was there. If you have called me since Sunday, please call again after I have a chance to get a new phone this afternoon because I don't think I will be able to get your message.
It has been a while since I answered a photography question. I guess I should start copying and pasting them when I receive questions by email. Today I decided to answer Melissa's question - I will get to the rest later.
Melissa Akridge: I saw on your questions for photographers section that you have a lot of lenses. Do you take them all to weddings with you? If so how do you carry them all? Thanks! (07/08/09, 04:54)
I do usually take all of my lenses to weddings with me. Many photographers carry two cameras, but because I use so many lenses and switch often, that just doesn't work well for me. I use a great bag called a Shootsac. The images below are by Jessica Claire - the photographer who designed the Shootsac.
It conveniently holds my lenses, memory cards, batteries, etc. One of the best things is that you can also buy LOTS of cute covers for it. Check them out on the Shootsac website.
Because I have a lot of lenses, I use two shootsacs. I usually carry one myself and have my assistant carry the second bag.
I hope that helps! I highly recommend the shootsac.
:)
I have a fun engagement session coming up this weekend, so check back for those images next week.
|
|
|
 |
| 4 people commented on this post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For Photographers: What kind of equipment do you need?
|
|
It has been a while since I posted a "for photographers" post, so I thought I would do so before I head out of town for the weekend. I am often asked about equipment.
Hope asked the following...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I am just beginning my photography business. Have done five weddings and a handful of on location portraits. I have been compared in my work to a veteran in our small town of Thomasville, however I don´t charge his prices. I am unsure really how to market myself. I do not yet have an SLR and am trying to save. Before trying to market myself to higher end clientele should I save for better equipment? The photography I have produced has been good and I have some beautiful shots. I am perplexed. Is my passion, eye, and creative flair enough to cater to all clientele without worrying about what camera I have as of yet?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, it sounds like you are off to a good start. Passion, eye, and creative flair are great - but you definitely owe it to your clients to have proper equipment. You don't have to have the most expensive equipment to produce good photos - but you do need to have the basics. Weddings are (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime event for the couple, and you should not take a chance on ruining it because of lack of equipment.
Cameras: You definitely need an SLR camera. In fact, you need two before you photograph a wedding. Cameras malfunction, and all wedding photographers should be prepared for that in case it happens in the middle of a wedding.
A good camera offers creativity and control. Without it, you are depending on your camera to make all of the decisions for you. A good photographer knows how (and has the proper equipment to allow them) to make adjustments as needed.
When shopping for a camera, all megapixels are not created equally. :D Look for a camera with a large image sensor for higher quality images. I shoot with a Canon 5D. Can you get by with a less expensive camera - absolutely. I started off with Canon 20Ds and 30Ds. But...as I moved up in price range...my clients deserved more.
Lenses: Purchasing a good camera is just a good starting point. Your lenses will set you apart. Cheap lenses are usually worthless in low light situations. Invest in good lenses as you can afford them rather than starting off with a larger collection of poor quality lenses.
I use:
1. 70-200 2.8 IS lens: I prefer to be unobtrusive when possible, and this lens allows me to do so. I always use it when couples see each other before the wedding, during the ceremony, and at the reception when I don't want people to be aware that I am photographing them. I also love the bokeh I get with it!
2. Canon 24-70 2.8L: This is my most "vanilla" lens so I don't enjoy using it much, but it is my most versatile lens. I could shoot an entire wedding with it if I had to.
3. Canon 85mm 1.8: This is my very favorite portrait lens. It produces nice, crispy images with great bokeh.
4. Canon 24mm 1.4L: This is my newest lens, and I love it. It is a great wide angle lens that I use when I want to get up close and personal or provide a more interesting perspective.
5. Canon 15mm 2.8: I love my fisheye lens, but I don't use it often. I pull it out a few times at a wedding to get a few fun and unique images.
6. Canon 100mm 2.8: This macro lens is awesome for many purposes - but I love it for killer ring shots.
7. Canon 50mm 1.4: I don't use this lens as much as the others, but I love it. I probably use it most for details.
8. Lensbaby Composer: This is a fun lens. It is like the fisheye lens in that I don't use it a lot - but you can do some cool things with it in the right place.
So...a photographer with $10,000+ in just cameras and lenses is clearly going to charge more than a photographer with a camera and fixed lens that costs under $500. And likewise, clients who spend more expect more.
If you have any questions you would like me to answer feel free to post them below or send me an email.
|
|
|
|
| 10 people commented on this post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Should the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony?
|
|
It has been a while since I answered a photography related question, so I thought it was about time to answer another one.
Amy posted the following question:
"In one of your posts you mentioned that nearly all of your brides and grooms are willing to see each other before the ceremony. My couples (all pretty Southern and traditional!) rarely want to do this, even though the resulting images are so powerful. How do you convince them to defy tradition?"
Great question Amy!
I found this information on how the tradition came to be:
"In Medieval times, a bride and groom were not even allowed to meet each other until the actual wedding ceremony. This was so neither one could back out if, when they saw the person, they would not want to be married to them! This ancient custom has carried forth to the present where now people feel it is bad luck to see each other before the ceremony. In fact, there is no basis to the success or longevity of a marriage if the bride and groom wait to see each other until the ceremony."
Seeing is believing. Most of my clients have seen proof that seeing each other beforehand is better by viewing images on my website or blog that show just how special the time before the ceremony can be. You are right – the images are powerful, and they definitely speak for themselves. In addition, my clients tell me that they know that I have been to hundreds of weddings, and they trust me to do what is best for them.
To illustrate, Matt and Andrea chose to see each other in the lush, intimate setting of a nearby park:
Pros of seeing each other before:
The air is filled with an electric anticipation of the day’s events to come.
This moment is likely to be the last opportunity until the evening is over for private, romantic time alone.
Seeing each other for the first time before the ceremony is sweeter because it is private rather than “on a stage.”
Clients are usually more comfortable showing their feelings in private. Plus - they can actually talk to each other, hug, laugh, or whatever feels right!
The flowers, hair, make-up and clothes are all new and fresh. This can be particularly important on a hot and/or humid day.
It reduces stress when the couple sees each other before the ceremony.
Cons of waiting until after the ceremony:
People hug, People cry. Mascara runs, lipstick smears, and flowers wilt.
The bride and groom are usually thinking about getting to the reception and joining their friends and family.
Standing at the altar in front of lots of people - how can the groom be himself?
Stage fright is rampant, formality is generally the rule.
The groom can't kiss the bride or tell her how beautiful she is.
Tips to make the time sweeter:
The point of seeing each other beforehand is to allow the couple some quiet private time together. Choose a location that will allow a certain degree of privacy. Ask friends and family to respect the time that the couple will share together by staying away for this short time – it is much harder for the couple to be themselves if people are gawking. I usually ask a bridesmaid to “stand guard” close by to keep others away. :) Use a long lens and stay back in the distance until the couple is ready to do something different.
And that is about it. I hope this helps. I have never had a couple tell me that they regret seeing each other before (in fact they tell me the opposite) but I have had couples tell me they regret not seeing each other before.
If you have any photography related questions that you would like answered, feel free to post them below or email me. I will answer them on a future post.
Keywords: Wedding Photography Bride and Groom seeing each other before the ceremony
|
|
|
|
| 6 people commented on this post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What program do you use to enhance your photos?
|
|
I often get asked questions similar to Julie's question:
"Do you use any type of program to help enhance your photos? I am finding that with digital photography I have to adjust a good bit of my photos...the lighting doesn´t seem as good as when I used a 35mm. I have also found it makes a difference on who I choose to develop them as well...any suggestions on what company to use for developing?"
You are right - your photos will look different than they did when you used a 35mm camera. When you drop film (or digital images) off at a lab, the machines that they use automatically make color adjustments and corrections. With film, you didn't see your images before adjustments were made. When you see your digital images on your camera or computer - these corrections have not been made, and you may not be pleased with how they look.
With digital images, you have the opportunity to make your own adjustments on a computer so that they look just like you want them to. (Just be sure to tell the lab to turn color corrections off when you have prints made.) This is much better than relying on a machine to make a guess at how things should look. The down side is that the process is time intensive. Most people think that photographers make a lot of money for a day's work - but what they don't realize is that the hours put in on the wedding day are just a drop in the bucket compared to all of the behind the scenes hours that go into fulfilling the job. If you are going to be a photographer, be prepared to spend a lot of time in front of the computer unless you plan to outsource.
I like my processing to have a natural look so that images will not look dated in years to come. Here is a before shot that needed editing and an after example.
I use Adobe Photoshop. You will definitely need this or other similar software if you are planning to become a photographer. You can find a link to the software here at B&H which is where I buy almost all of my software and equipment. It is rather expensive, so be prepared to spend about $650. If you are just a hobbyist, you can get by with Photoshop Elements - you just won't be able to process raw files, use actions, etc.
I will post more about labs and how to choose them on a future post! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me an email for post them in the comment box below.
Keywords: Valdosta Tallahassee Thomasville Moultrie Homerville Photographer Photographers
|
|
|
|
| 6 people commented on this post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Question and Answer: How did you get started?
|
|
I get lots of emails from aspiring or beginning photographers wanting to know more about photography or the business. Since I end up repeating myself so much, I thought I would dedicate a category of my blog for those who are seeking more information. I will try to answer the questions that I receive most frequently. People often ask about intern positions, but due to the nature of my work (frequent travel), I am not in a position where internships are feasible. Hopefully this series of posts will help.
GETTING STARTED:
Learn your camera.
That my seem obvious, but people often don't take the time to do so. Your camera will work decently on automatic settings, but if you are going to do work for others, you need to know what to do when those settings don't work. You can also do lots of cool things manually with your camera that you can't do on basic settings. I shoot on manual at all times because I want complete control over my settings so that I can create images that look the way I want them to look - not the way the camera thinks they should look.
Just to give one example: When I am photographing a reception, I like to get a lot of shots that show motion in order to capture the energy and fun of the evening. I can control my camera so that I can show movement while keeping the faces pretty much in focus. This is something that you can't really acheive with basic settings. This is what I mean...
Where did I learn?
I took courses at the Center for Photography in Charleston. If you are not in Charleston or don't have access to a photography school, check your local university or technical college. Another good place to inquire about classes is at your local camera shop.
I learned a LOT from photography forums. There are some forums that are excellent for beginners who want to ask lots of questions. One forum you may want to check out is the Canon Photography Forum. Another popular forum is Better Photo Forum. They also offer online classes.
Study the work of photographers. I don't mean that you should copy them - but look around for inspiration. It is okay to get ideas from others as long as you find ways to make them your own. If you read the comments on my blog, you will see that many of them are from other photographers. We are always checking out each others blogs...mainly because we are friends and want to know what the other has been up to...but it is also great for inspiration. I use Bloglines to easily keep up with blogs that I check frequently. I can log in, and it tells me who has updated their blog.
Last but not least. Practice, practice, practice. Shoot every chance you get. Go to a forum where you know people will be honest and ask for feedback. It is a great way to grow!
Good luck! Check the "for photographers" category again - I will be adding more content. If there is anything you want to know, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. |
|
|
|
| 8 people commented on this post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
infos
| |
|
|
|
| |
