From the mind of Ember

I haven’t been writing a whole lot lately, but started a new blog where I am going to force myself to post almost daily what you learn everyday.  It goes off of a saying I have, “learn something new every day and you’re doing great”.

http://onethingaday.journalspace.com/

Check it out, become a reader.

~Jessie

So I decided to take a different approach at my blog writing and use quotes.  This blog is about ‘best friends’  I will be addressing the questions: What is a best friend?  What makes them your ‘best’ friend?  How do you know if you’re a bestie?

Well, to kick this off, I wanted to use a dictionary definition of what a best friend is, thanks to Dictionary.com.. Best Friend: an intimate or close friend; see also Boon Companion.

So I’m sticking with this thought while we explore what other people consider a best friend.  I asked a few different forum’s I frequent what they think a best friend is.

Ben C:

There are many ways to best a critique, while either giving or receiving one.  This article will help you know what to look for, how to define it, and how to appropriately take a full-on constructive critique and make it work for you.

What to Look For:

In giving a good, fair critique, one must be able to know what makes a photograph good.  Most appropriate areas are to comment on lighting as well as composition.  This later leads to aesthetic feel and timing, among other fields of skill that go into a photograph.

How to define it:

There is a certain lingo and tone your photography critique should take on.  You should be using terms such as; depth of field, highlight, shadow, and composition.  Also, do not argue in a critique that “this sucks” or “this is good” without actually defining why you took that particular stance.  An appropriate argument would be “your highlight on the face are a little hot.”  This is more than acceptable with most photographers.  Do not be afraid to be harsh once in a while, as long as you can back up your claim you should be fine.

How to take a critique:

When receiving a critique, however, you should hake it how it  is.  Do not defend your work unless it is asked of you.   If you are worried that your message is not going to get across, then say a few words in the captions or comment to the critique(er)  before they begin.  Remember, you are getting their opinion and any advice you get can always help you.  Do no disregard anyone’s critique solely because of a bias (they’re younger, different type of photographer, graphic designer, they smell, their photos aren’t good).  Everyone’s opinion matters when it comes to critiques.  Even snapshot photographers, at some point in their lives, crave critique, even if not by the some established photographer.  Also, do not expect more out of a photographer than their skills show.  This makes for a very poor criqitue.

I hope this helps and don’t forget to keep shooting my little shutterbugs.

~Ember

This is just a post for myself, mostly because it’s been a while since I posted anything.  I figured I”d go away from the photography for a moment.  This is a bit more personal of a post, an update of me, if you will.

Love

Duncan and I are doing great together.  We’ve been living together for easily over a year, and we’ve got a few months before it’s 2 years of dating.  We’re both planning on moving to NJ, NY, Connecticut, area when I graduate.  Closer to the bigger cities and closer to his family, who can help us if we get in a jam.  Plus it’s fairly close to a beach that I can go diving at.  Granted it’ll be colder, but it’s a compromise I am willing to make.  I would love to move to CA and be warm all the time, but that probably wont happen.

School

School is going well.  I”m in my 11th quarter, which easily makes me a senior at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.  I just got past midterms and am working on final projects, which is taking a bit of a toll on me.  Especially since I’m a fairly social person, not as much often as before, but still social.  This is eating into my sleep time, which is fine, just the more challanging classes are pushing me to succeed and try even harder plus putting much more time into homework.  I’m struggling this quarter to get my grades up and keep them up, but at this point, passing is all that matters to me.

Work

As many of you know, I’m working at the cage/Cave in the basement of AiP.  I’m the Media Center Lead Tech soon to be senior lead tech once Erika graduates.  Luke is going to be the new junior lead tech, which I think is an amazing fit.  I’m working on helping all the new hires get settled into the cage and learn what they need to learn to succeed in this job.  All the time trying to make new friends with the ones there already outside of the cage.  I really have a lot in common with a lot of them that they don’t realize it sometimes.  It seems like I’m always working, even when I’m not on the clock, I’m going in off the clock to finish something I want to finish or going to just hang out at the cage because I’m bored.

Life

Life has been good.  I’ve been working out connsecutively with Ben from work.  I’m finally starting to see results, 5 weeks in.  The working out and walking up the mountain with Luke on an almost daily basis has improved my cardio impecably.  My muscles are becoming toned which is amazing.  Especially since summer is right around the corner.  I’m planning on taking my sister to NYC this summer, working around her band schedule, when dad’s goign to see her, and my volunteer schedule for the Three Rivers Arts Festival.  I’m planning my trip to Imaging USA this next year in Nashville, TN.  I’m very excited about this.

That’s all I have for right now,

Thanks for reading.

~Emberdragon

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Hello fellow artists and photographers, both professional and amateur,

I must first apologize for not posting in a while, finals and all that jazz. Here’s my new post:

Albums That Wow, notes from a session by Julie Cialone.

As most of you already know, I went to Imaging USA 2009 in Phoenix, AZ. While I was there I went to a bunch of classes and sessions. I honestly think that I learn more from the sessions I go to than I do when I go to my classes I’m paying for anymore. I suggest anyone serious about their art go to a session or class offered by a respected professional in the field at least once, you’ll fall in love with it just as much as I have.

In this session, Julie Cialone and her partner were teaching how to make your albums wow for your clients. If you don’t know who she is visit her site http://www.imagestoinspire.org/ .

Now that you are familiar with her, let’s get started on my notes from the session.

Portrait Albums (things we’ll cover in today’s article)

1. Factors to consider before offering a portrait album to a client

2. Get your clients keen before shooting

3. How to shoot sessions and how to talk to clients while shooting

4. All of their sessions and how they run each session

5. Pricing

*One of the most important things to consider is, Make it difficult to say “No.”

Factors to consider while doing a session

~Do you think traditionally?

~What are your competitors offering?

~What Albums are out there in the market now?

~Are you thinking as a storyteller at every session?

~Importance in Details

~Are you prepared to change the mindset of your clients?

How to Influence your Clients

~Educate Them

~Show a variety of Albums

~Budget (trifold, acordion)

~High End

~High End Proof Albums

TALK, TALK, TALK!!

~Make your logo show up all over the album.

Remember: The more excited you are about a product, the more excited your client gets. It’s human nature.

Things to find out at a consultation:

~Ages of Kids

~Interest of Kids

~Family Interests

~Vacation home or vacation Plans

~Favorite Songs

Write this stuff down after they leave, remember as much information about the client as you can, this will help with your branding later!

Show your new clients a full session similar to that of one that they might want to have. (Also show the album that was produced by the session).

Order

Base, Interaction

*Always put the shy child in the middle, ring around the rosie is a great game to get a photograph of children who are shy, you get a shot of one child at a time as well as the rest playing with them, they are usually the happiest then because they think the game is silly to play in front of a photographer. Great opportunity to get true smilies.

~Place in your head, If you were a parent, which image would you erase?

Now it’s time to think about how you are shooting your sessions.

Shoot Diversity-different angles of the same scene

Shoot Groups- Break down the group photo with them still posed. Shoot each person seaperately in the position. (Head shots)

(Families are silly, catch that on your camera).

~Break down groups into lots of subgroupings (don’t forget the grandparents).

Shoot Action- Shoot series of actions

-Encourage interaction (Fact: Interaction shots are just more interesting then a single person standing alone)

Shoot Multiple Locations- Move your clients around, shoot them, then move them again.

Shoot details-like a wedding

Storytell-If you can

Session Options

Basic Portrait session

Is this going to be Studio or Loaction? (Always encourage Location)

-No deals or discounts for albums from these sessions

-Albums are always encouraged as gifts especially the smaller ones

-Family session=Bigger Album sales

-Bound Proof Albums

Engagement Sessions

-Given to all wedding clients at no extra charge.

-Album is designed immediately after session and they go on location for 85% of these sessions.

-Session is encouraged as a non pressure portrait day

-They design a portrait album and engagement singing album

A year in their life:

-Market to pregnant women

-Client gets 4 sessions and album priced as a package

-Client is the main image

-Pediatricians office is a great place to display these.

Life Volumes (A day in the life)

-Market aggressively to high end clients

-documentary heirloom

-followed by future volumes (Life Volumes)

-focus on each child in a family so you can do albums for each

-Special day or average day (Wedding)

-Include pets when possible

-Design control (client make ONLY subtle changes)

-Document a charity for a fundraiser

Senior Portrait Albums

-Marketed to all seniors

-Extensive sessions with personality and hobbies

-Produce a more glamorous album

Speciality Albums

-1 year old birthday party session

-children book sessions

Pricing and design

-3 factors in how this works out

1. How many images are going into it?

2. What external size is it? (3×3, 13×13)

3. Is it Imount or bound album (Life volumes are the exception)

Album Designing

1. Traditional 1 image per page (Imounts only)

2. Artistic-multiple images per page

Offer Online Album Presentation, this creates great client interaction.

While I was in Phoenix for the Imaging USA photography convention, I went to see Anne Geddes give a speech about her photography and give all of us photographers a peak into her mind.  I took notes while I was there.  I mean, come on, when am I going to meet Anne Geddes again?

Anyway, if you don’t know who Anne Geddes is here is a link to her works http://www.annegeddes.com/Modules/Anne/Galleries/index.aspx

You’ve probably seen her photography on gift/credit cards as well as online and even in magazines.  Now that you know who she is, maybe you’ll take this knowledge that I have gathered and study it as I have quite a bit.

She mentioned some facts about the photography industry.  For example, she mentioned that Nokia is currently the most camera producing company.

She also brought what she learned in her own adventures in photography.  She showed us that change is the only certainty that we can depend on in times of fruitfulness and times of hardship.  She asks the question, How do we build a career in an ever changing world? (which I will discuss in a later post).

-Originality is a visual signature and inherent secret.

-If something is considered art, it should have caused the viewer to have some sort of emotional impact.

-Don’t be afraid to bend the rules a bit.  Only when you know the rules can you begin to break and bend them for your photography.  They’re more like guidelines anyway.

-Photograph what you love, and love what you photograph.  Don’t just do it for the money, it will begin to show in your work.  Do something you love, if only for yourself.

-Have your own style.  This refers to the originality aspect that she mentioned earlier.  Make sure you are putting your own thoughts into photographs, and don’t forget to photograph from the heart.  After all, that is why you are a photographer right?

-Find your own creativity.  What is you muse?  It may be that special flower, or a beautiful sunset.  Or maybe it’s that girl at the supermarket.  Use that muse and make it your own.    Make sure you nurture your creativity.  When you make work to order, it tends to drain your will.  If you don’t dream, you don’t have the spine necessary to let your photography stand on it’s own.

-This one is for the faint of heart when it comes to pricing.  Practice telling yourself how much money you will charge for a job.  If you aren’t comfortable with your price, you will loose confidence, and diminish the value of your artwork.

-Make sure you place your purpose first.  Why are you doing this?  The big picture is what you should be looking at here.  Make sure you never loose sight to what you do.

-There can be no courage unless you can get scared.  If you aren’t afraid of something, then you can’t gain courage to face it.  Let yourself be intimidated and afraid, just a little.  This will give you the courage to face your fears.

-Maintain control-this includes both the camera and the contract.  Don’t hand over your business to your client.

*-Working for free undermines the value of your work.  Make sure you never become casual, always be positive and always, ALWAYS ask permission before doing something.  This goes with the saying don’t assume!

Copyright- be viligant, report ANY infringement, even the small ones.  If you don’t defend your copyright, who else will?

-Become a psychologist, break the self-barrier.  Put to your subject or client that you are trustworthy.  Show them that they are in great hands.

Why do we take photographs?

-To hold a moment and to relive that moment

-To reach for the future, photographer are always aiming for the future.  Predicting that one moment before it arrives.  Think of it this way, a photographer pushes the shutter the moment before the moment he or she want’s to capture.

Digital vs. Film

-this all depends on the person pressing the shutter.  With digital there is a great lack of thoughtfulness.  This type of person should be reverted to film until they are comfortable with it then introduced to digital again.

Photoshop

-everything in today’s society has been photoshopped even a tiny bit.  She coins the phrase “it is no more a photography competition than a photo’shop’ competition”.

And the last bit of advice she gives us;

Emotion is constant!

I hope you learned a bit from this.  It is a bit scattered but it’s copied almost ver-batim from my notes when I was there.  Such a great photographer with such great insights.  Be sure to visit her website http://www.annegeddes.com/

~Jessica

As spoken by Jon Lisbon:

1. Shoot RAW

2. Save as a dng (universal Raw Open-source)

3. Work in 16 bit as long as possible

4. Understand Color space

5. Use Metadata

6. Deploy a cross-platform file-naming convention

7. Keep best quality file for your archive

8. Process for your and your clients needs

9. Archive for eternity (3 backups)

10. Don’t forget to make pictures.

I think about how the world has evolved through photography.  Mostly because of the digital age.  We now create photos for memory of that moment in time.  We also have a bit of proof that we were there in that point in time and that place.  Though sometimes you can see it as using the camera to shield themselves from the people and places they are at.  It may just be because I’m a photographer that when I have the camera (anything other than a simple point and shoot) that I am a photographer, I concentrate on getting the shot and for the most part, forget to enjoy the situation in which I find myself.  The general public does this to an extent as well, but some other the others are always wanting to take photographs of themselves, they love being in front of the camera instead of behind it.  I’m not saying that  photographer can’t like getting his or her photograph taken either, but we mostly stay behind the camera.

In the digital age, which we are finding ourselves.  We are not as sensitive to photographs and pictures.  Imagine the world without photographs for 30 seconds.  You can’t really see it.  No images, no photograph, no paintings, no drawings.  The world would pretty much get close to crashing.  Images are everywhere.  With the consumer’s cameras everywhere, even in the phone’s nowadays, everyone thinks they are a photographer.  Which causes more competition for those of us who are making it a career, not a hobby.  Though another thing that comes to mind about it, is that a good photographer is always mindful of everything around him or her, no matter what format they are using.

So is this whole thing scientific or artistic?  I want your feedback and opinions on this controversial topic.

~Jessie

So I got back from Imaging USA a few days ago.  Imaging USA is the largest photographys convention of it’s kind in the world.  This past year it was held in Phoenix, AZ.  The group/club I’m in, called SPS (Student Photographic Society), is a branch of the nationally known non-profit orginization PPA or Professional Photographers of America.  They hold the Imaging USA and the members of SPS are aloud to attend for free if they agree to volunteer at least half a day each day they are there.  They must pay for thsir plane ticket there and transportation and food while they are there.  SPS pays for the hotel, the convention and a number of other freebies that you get.  On top of that you get the respect of the other photographers as well as a possibility to get your portfolio reviewed by 20 of the top photographers in the nation.  This is definatly an event I would suggest any photographer who is serious about their career go to at least once in their lives.  I can almost guarantee that you will want to go back every year as I plan on doing.  I will be following up with some reviews on some photographic equiptment and software that I have had a chance to view during the convention as well as some tips from some photographer including Anne Geddes herself.  I also have information from Dave Trust, CEO of PPA about branding.  So be sure to check back and see what I have to report on.
~Jess