Moving to a New Blog Address

After the long break, I've decided to move the blog to Albumshowcase.net/blog.

I'll leave this log in place, and all of the videos will still play. New posts will be made on the new blog, but you can still reach me through the email contact link on this page.

One of the reasons for moving is that the new blog will allow me to display larger images, so I will begin show more of my own photography, as well as provide tipsand lessons to fellow photographers. Come on over and let me know what you think.

Paul

http://www.albumshowcase.net/blog/

Taking a Break

As you might have noticed, I have been taking a break from blogging. No worries -- I will be back with a new blog, in the Fall. This one will still be available, but updates will be on the new version.

You can still 'follow' me.

First, check out my Facebook page: http://tiny.cc/lkCqS

I don't Tweet very much, but you can follow me at: http://twitter.com/socalcamerapro

Of course, you can always find me in the b school. If you aren't a member, but you are a professional photographer, you should join: www.thebschool.com

For those of you in the Southern California area, I am conducting an Album Design class, at the Calumet store, in Santa Ana, next Saturday -- Aug. 1st.: http://bit.ly/1rKatl

Finally, we have had over 260,000 viewers of our youtube videos. Check them out. http://www.youtube.com/user/socalcamerapro

You can always email me with questions. Depending on the question, I may write a blog post, email an answer, or even call you. If you are in North America, or Western Europe, include a phone number and the best times to call. Give me the times in GMT (I am GMT -8 hours).

Rock & Roll and Tattooed Ladies

Last weekend, I had a chance to shoot a couple of Roller Derby games, in Huntington Beach, CA. Not having seen Roller Derby sine I was a kid (black & white TV days), I had no idea how popular it is.

I Can't Say It Any Better

Yesterday, I went with some friends -- all photographers -- for a mental health day -- just shooting for fun. Joe Photo led us on a 50 miles hike (OK, maybe it was only 5 miles) down a box canyon in Anza-Borrego State Park -- in California.

Here is a long distance shot of one of the big-horn sheep who live in the area -- and yes, I wish I would have had something longer than a 200mm lens -- now that I am home. Of course, if I had to carry it, I might have left it there. Realize, some of my companions where less than half my age, and I'm just happy that they didn't have to carry ME :-)

Oh -- the part about "I Can't Say It Any Better" -- read Joe's blog.

On Joe's blog, your learn that he got down on his belly, to shot a caterpillar. Here, you'll see that Matt Seville likes to shot from a different angle.


Speaking of Matt, and a different angle, here he is, in the background, capturing an image of Hanssie Trainor. Why do this?

1. You can just never have too many photos of women laying in the middle of the road.

2. There where no railroad track to tie her to.

A Conversation About Flash

I saw this question in a discussion group on the [b] school, today. so I called Ashley -- this is the conversation that we had.

===
Flash is not my friend at the moment and I wondering if anyone has any tips about learning to use flash and making it look good when you have to use it. My problem is underexposure in low light settings. Last time I used it I shot on manual at an ISO 800 (I occasionally used AV), and tried to keep the shutter between 50 - 100. I'm not sure if it's the direction in which I pointed the flash or the fact that the location had high ceilings, but I tried to avoid pointing the flash forward bc I wanted to avoid that look. My husband had the same issues as well! Any suggestions?
-Ashley
===

Photographing Children

I first photographed Jayden two days before he was born. Actually, I did some maternity shots, for his mother, on a Friday, and Jayden was born on Sunday, a month early. Since them, I've had birthday party cake, taken family photos at the beach, made a Baptism album, and watched him grow. Yesterday, we just sort of hung out. We took a few pictures, in the house, then went to a little park where I got to answer "why" a thousand times :-)

Throughout the day, I was reminded of how old we both are getting -- I mean, Jayden will be 3 in May and I'll be 64 in July. Another thing I was reminded of is how easy it is to forget to get down on the child's level -- How often do we see pictures of kids from the adult's point-of-view. The best images come from when you get down into their 'world'.

This example was taken with a D700, and a 24-120mm lens. Lighting was with two Nikon Speedlights, on small light stands, with Gary Fong Lightsphers, for diffusion. Camera was on Manual and both flash units where on TTL. The aperture range for this lens in 3.5 to 5.6. I set the lens at it's widest -- 24mm, and the f-stop to 3.5. If you do this, the lens will automatically adjust to keep the aperture at it's widest available, as you zoom through the focal length range of the lens. In this case, I was at about 48mm and the aperture was 4.5. Shutter speed was 1/60 and ISO was 200. Both of us where on our tummy.

Answwers to Viewer Questions

This is a quick web cam video that I made to answer questions from viewers of a video that I posted in a Classroom, inside the [b] school. The video was called, "I might not be the photographer for you ... and I don't work for you."

You can see the trailer for the video, and get [b] school info here: http://thebschoolblog.com/index.cfm?postID=276

Sometimes It Doesn't Suck to Live in Southern California

I think that's Mt. San Gorgonio. The Camera is at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, in Huntington Beach. D700, 200mm, f2.8. 1/3200, ISO 200, on a tripod, timer.






... and across the street(Pacific Coast Highway), looking toward the Huntington Beach Pier. That spec in the upper left-hand corner is a helicopter -- not dust on the sensor!!

Nishi

On Tuesday, I had an opportunity to do some portfolio work for a Southern California model named Nishi. While I'm a Lakers fan, I sort of like this image.

The image is straight out of the camera - D700, 50mm, 1.8, 1/30, auto WB, ISO 200. Light is from two Nikon Speedlights - an SB-800 camera left, with a Gary Fong Lightsphere and an SB-900 to camera right, using the pull-up white bounce card into a large gold/white herringbone reflector.

It's a Six Pack!

Need I say more:-)

I do believe in the magic of the Terrible Towel, but in a tight game, I put my faith in Poncho Power!

GO STEELERS!

KISS One Package All Sizes

This is the third industrial espinage video. I'd better stop, before I get busted!!!!

KISS - Old vs. New Packaging

Another one of those 'secret' videos.

KISS Drop Test:

I don't think we are supposed to see this, but what the hell -- it's cool. Security at KISS and/or the Bui Brothers seems to be lacking :-)

Don't ask me how I got this!!!! I'd have to shoot you.

Photo-a-Day #5

D-700, 100mm, f2.8. 1/60, ISO200, WB = flash, backlit w/ SB-900, Gary Fong Whaletail w/ blue gel, triggered w/ CLS, water at 38 degrees :-)

Album Design Software

Occasionally, I get asked what software I use to design my albums. I've been using the Album Designer from Gary Fong, for five or six years. In November 2006, my daughter got married, in South America. Her mother warned me that if I showed up with a camera, they weren't going to let me in the church -- something about wanting me to actually be in some of the pictures!!

I was fortunate to have a very talented friend - someone who had shot many wedding with me and whom I trusted. Her name is Keats Elliott and she had a friend -- another talented photographer, Marisa Holmes. The two of the them spent 1o days in Ecuador, with my daughter, her fiancee, and our families.

I made two books - one covering the 10 days, and a second for the day of the ceremony.

Gary's Album Designer is a set of actions the run within Photoshop (CS, CS2, CS3, or CS4). There are no templates - but the actions really speed up the process. Without the actions, just using Photoshop, it used to take me about 45 minutes to lay out a two-page spread. Using the Album Designer with Autodrop, I average 3-4 minutes per spread.

Photo-a-Day #4

D-700, ISO 2200, 50mm f1.8 @2.8, 1/60

Photo-a-Day #3

Ok, so I missed a day -- yesterday, I shot three basketball games, and didn't get all the files copied to a had drive, until after midnight -- then, today, the Steelers where on, so.... anyway, this series of shots is called "Concentration".







D-700, 200mm, 2.8, 1/400, 3200 ISO

Photo-a-Day #2

The Kitchen Sink

D-700, 50mm @f8, 1/200, 3200 ISO, slight curves adjust and sepia tone applied in CS3.

Photo-a-Day

So, I've been thinking about posting a photo every day. I saw a lot of people deciding to do this at the beginning of the year. To be honest, I don't think I have enough free time to capture a new image, and post it, everyday. OK, maybe I do have the time, but doesn't doing that say that I have way too much free time? :-)

Well, this is my plan -- I'm going to capture an image and post it, each day, for a month -- or until I get bored, or forget. Here are the rules: 1. The photo has to be posted within one day of being taken -- no shooting 30 images in one day, and then just uploading them. 2. The images have to be candid -- what I mean is there is no pre-production staging -- I just see it and shot it as I see it. 3. The subject has to be within, or visible from, my apartment or patio. (This may be flexible if I shoot something interesting, outside the home). 4. No flash -- available light, only.

Here's the first one -- my sofa, taken yesterday morning. D-700, 50mm 1.8 lens @4.5, ISO 200, 1/200. Converted to b&w via CS3, Channel Mixer method (70, 15, 15).

Post-Production and Outsourcing

I love it when I don’t have to come up with ideas for my blog. Sometimes, they just fall into my lap.

Here is an abridged thread from a discussion currently taking place on the [b] school.

The original question: “Ok do any of you guys outsource your photoshop work? If so who do you use? Do you like, love or hate them? …”

Some responses:

“I do not outsource anything, I do not feel ok with it...I want to do everything, I want creative control over it and when you out source I believe that you lose that control.

I know a lot of photographers who outsource the processing and the album design...if you want to do that, they should just get in touch with many of the affiliate/assiociate studios and just do shoot and burns for them, get a decent amount of money and not have to worry about anything else...

With that said, I have heard good things bout ShootDotEdit …”

-- From Brandon Perron www.brandonperron.com

Another:

“Your business is like being the captain of your own ship. You have a variety of duties above and below the main deck. So if you are in the engine room or mopping floors you can't navigate your ship! Whoooo...that was deep. ;) Im a firm beliver in outsoucing to other professionals! People who are better then I am and like doing that stuff! You should work ON your business and not so much IN your business.
Of course you need to be comepletely comfortable with who you outsource to! It may take a while to "let go" of certain duties but it will be worth it in the end.

“Ive been using ShootDotEdit for 2 years now! Love them! Are are a bit pricey but believe they are worth it! I recently had a chance to sit down with one of the owners during my San Diego trip and chit chat. He is one hell of a guy and believes in what they are doing. “

-- from Rob Nicholson www.humbledeyes.com

OK, so we have two different views on whether to outsource post-production or not. In case you aren’t familiar with the [b] school, it is, among other things, a social network for professional photographers, at all different levels in their business careers, but primarily concentrating on weddings.

So, here’s my take – and since, I believe, the original question was asked in a business context, that’s how I will approach.

First, some personal history: My first paid job, in photography, was as a darkroom tech, back in 1970. From there, I began teaching the darkroom process (developing and printing). Over time, I added classes in basic photography – how to get the most out of your SLR.

For the first 30+ years, I rarely made a full-time job out of photography, but still managed to rack up about 600 weddings, all on film, prior to converting to digital, in the early 2000s.

Toward the end of the 1990s, I closed the small advertising agency where I was managing partner. The agency had a camera room/studio and I did a fair share of commercial photography, but it was not a full-time job.

Faced with, one more time, needing to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, I turned to my standard fall-back position: Wedding photography.

Wedding photography had several ‘advantages’, in my mind. First, I didn’t have to have the overhead of an office, conference room, studio – reasoning that very few people dream of getting married in a studio. Having a studio seemed to indicate that I’d need ‘business hours’ and that might mean having a full-time receptionist. OK, so that might not be valid, but coming from the ad agency world, that was my thinking. Second, working directly with brides seemed a lot simpler than dealing with corporate clients, account executives, art directors, stylists, etc.

At the same time as I was considering shooting weddings full-time, the world was changing – digital had arrived. Coffee table, art book style albums where getting very popular. The mat/print, thick leather album was taking a back seat, and many of the old standard album binderies had not caught up.

All of that meant the workflow was changing. No longer did I set the canister on the counter, go back the next day, and retrieve the work of the lab tech. Also, designing an album was not as simple as selecting mats and sending in the prints.

This was going to take a new business model. Wedding photography, if it wasn’t going to rule my life, was going to have to fit into a more streamlined process.

I began to think back to my first days in the ad agency. When we started, my partner handled sales – getting the accounts. I did the rest – accounting, design, copywriting. Then, one day, he ‘sold’ a TV commercial. Holy crap! I couldn’t even draw storyboards. We had to contract with a ‘producer’. I learned a lot from the producer – he hired and coordinated all the people that needed to be involved in the production.

As we grew, and got larger jobs and bigger contracts, I became a ‘producer’. We would have died, very early on, if my partner and I had to do everything – even if we knew how to cast actors, run cameras and editing suites, schedule TV commercials, blah, blah ….

What I learned was simple: If you want to be successful in business, do what you know and enjoy – but more importantly, do only those things that no one else can do for you – then outsource everything else.

When I was doing a dozen weddings a year, it was no big deal. By the time I was shooting 40 weddings a year, I would have had no life if I were still trying to do everything.

I couldn’t outsource the photography – that, I had to do. (Yes, I realize there are agencies like Bella Pictures, or Jim Kennedy in Huntington Beach – we’ll have an interview with Jim, next month).

I also enjoyed the Photoshop work and album design, so I tried to do that for a long time. Eventually, I realized that, if I was going to still enjoy the photography, I had to get some help with the post-production. We averaged 40 weddings a year, along with model portfolios, portraits, corporate events, and a smattering of commercials jobs. For a while, my wife was a big help, but her heart wasn’t in it, so that wasn’t a permanent option for me (I envy those husband & wife teams who can do this business, together).

After more than five years, I experienced several minor strokes – not from the workload – probably from bad wedding cake :-).

Fortunately, I had a couple really good interns and second shooters and we never missed a beat, but I decided to go into semi-retirement. Now, I shoot just a few wedding and do a lot more sunsets and little league baseball games (still love the model portfolios!!!).

I love having full creative control. However, as a business case decision, it is not so wise. Do what only you can do. Maybe add a few other things that you enjoy. After that, outsource the things that someone else can do. Otherwise, your business cannot grow – or your personal life will suffer.

For another opinion of this, check out Dane Sanders and Fast Track photographer (interview with Dane also coming in January).

If you'd like to see the full discussion, come join us at the [b] school.