Friday, April 29, 2011

Why get the same ol' same ol'

Been doing some thinking lately as I have been doing senior photographs for some wonderful kids and families.  A few weeks ago I went looking for studio space.  As I looked around I realized why some photography is outrageously expensive.  In order to keep the studio lights on you have to really charge in order to pay the bills.  Now I am not a lazy guy, but I have a lot of interests and a lot of passions.  Shooting one kind of picture.. the head shot against the marbled background isn't one of them.

I would infinately rather do location shots of great people doing what they want to do dressed how they want to dress than tell the senior to bring the senior gown and cap along with a change of clothes that will ususally be a suit. 

I would much rather do a shoot of a senior in his or her environment doing his or her thing dressed the way he or she wants to dress as long as too much stuff isn't hanging out. LOL.... I would rather work with the kid and the dog, the kid and the horse, the kid and the gerbil than anything else.  I would rather that it be on the farm, with the kids truck, out by the fishing pond behind the computer screen or anything else that really turns the kid on.  I don't care about smiles, not smiling and couldn't care less about the traditional art pose or glamour pose.  I want to shoot the natural kid in the natural habitat.  Be that in or out, up or down, sideways or whatever way...

Things are hot an moving here in the spring.  If you try to get me for a photographic assignment use my cell... 281 413 9479.... Don't hide your number.  I rarely answer calls from unknown individuals because it is usually an advertiser for whom I have no time.  And I always have my calendar with me.  Remember if I don't pick up I will check your message.  It's busy out there folks..  God bless and have a wonderful day.  I know I will. 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Learning your camera

Cameras being made today are extremely complicated computers for all practical purposes.  The have programs that will do any number of things that  make your photography better and easier.  However on the newer DSLR's the learning curve is going to be steep.  There can be literally hundred's of settings that must be mastered.  

How is one to do this feat of mastering all the settings offered by your new camera?  Simple... divide and conquer the complications.  Start off in full auto for your first photographic endeavors.  Chances are that you will get excellent results.  As you become more comfortable with the camera start with a common technique such as depth of field.  Since digital photography costs nothing to make images, try  hundreds of images at various settings until you are comfortable at that setting.  Then move on, I would suggest, working through the manual, to go from one skill to the other until you have mastered the camera.   After a short while  you will be the master of your camera instead of the other way around.

There is no substitute for practice.  It does lead to perfection or at least mastery and, additionally, much better photography.  

Great images, 

John