Perfectly Symmetrical.

Symmetry can be found all around us at all times; it can be fleetingly noticed in man-made architecture, or gazed at with wonder in nature, upon the wings of a butterfly. Noticed or not, symmetry can and is used as a subject in photography often as it can create beautiful and incredicle imagery. Thus, this weekend’s focus will be symmetry.

"Symmetrical." by smartybarty.

"Symmetrical." by groz.

"Symmetrical stairway." by rubbersun.

"Symmetry of darkness." by angelreich.

"Symmetry." by yondus.

"june 1st." by dreaca7cher.

"Minimalist melbourne buildings." by cubagallery.

"Symmetry is what we see at a glance.” by risphotography.

"New York - Brooklyn Bridge sunset." by dcdead.

Each Friday we will post a Weekend Photo Focus (also hash tagged on Twitter as #weekendphotofocus) on a certain subject, something to spark your creativity. An empty weekend for a photographer, is like an empty canvas, we could always use something to do when we have nothing planned right? So with this in mind we created this series, one that will get you out doing what you love. The premise is simple: snap some photos over the weekend dealing with the weekends focus, and if you send them to us, or Tweet them to us, we will post them for others to see. Having a focus will help us as artists & photographers see things that we might not always see, make us take a shot at something we might otherwise have not. In seeing other photogs chase after the same focus, it can only breed even more creativity in our own work.

At the weekends close, we will follow up our weekend focus, with what we found on the Web (including some of the photos sent from you) that falls in line with our focus. We hope you join in the fun and help us spread the creativity.

example of a tweet to us:

@fuelphotography One more submission for this week’s #weekendphotofocus, New Life & Spring: http://bit.ly/aY1oC7

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Fuel Brand Network 2010 cc (creative commons license)

Photo by wilde108

One of my fondest childhood memories is the field trip. Not only did you get out of classes for the day, but nine out of ten times the destination was an interesting one. This month I invite you to take a field trip with me into the world of Black & White HDR photography.

Are you good enough?

There are many levels of expertise when it comes to photographic technique, and I am no exception. I do not consider myself an “expert” in anything, whether it be parenting or photography, as I am continually learning just like you. When I was thinking about what to write about this month, I decided to pick something I know very little about, and perhaps using the basic tools and techniques we can take this project on together.

Please, no pushing or shoving, and let’s board the HDR bus single file and be on our way!

Photo by Edinator

What is HDR, and why should I use it?

HDR or “High Dynamic Range Imaging,” is nothing more than another way to take a “flat” photo and bring it to life. Much like “Tilt Shifting,” which is gaining immense popularity, or Panography which are wide-angle pictures composed of several individual photos manually stitched together, it all comes down to manipulating a photograph to give it a unique look, and if done correctly, can result in images that take your breath away.

HDR in Color

Photo by va-guy

Color HDR photographs are stunning, but when you see a black and white HDR done correctly, it is downright amazing.

HDR in Black & White

Photo by holala830

I invite you to take a walk just down the road to the Flickr HDR black & white pool, in fact, I am making it a mandatory part of our field trip, trust me, you will see HDR in an entirely new light.

What tools will I need?

To create an HDR image, you will need special software, which some of you may already own. Below is a short list of the more popular programs, however, for those of you who like myself may be unemployed or just short on cash, I have included some free or “trial basis” programs as well.

1. Photomatix

2. Dynamic Photo – HDR

3. GIMP (FREE) and yes it does HDR ~ See Here!

4. PTgui

5. Adobe Photoshop CS5

Your Assignment, should you choose to accept

Photo by xTheSpaz

Now that we have learned a bit about what HDR is, have the tools, and have seen some examples of the possibilities, I invite you to join me in creating our first black and white HDR together. This is my first time using this technique, so consider this a field trip into a new realm of photographic technique.

Your assignment, as well as mine, is to begin uploading your HDR black & white photos as you feel comfortable, and continue uploading throughout the month, but do not take your originals down as that will defeat the purpose of progress. Remember, this is NOT a contest, but rather a timeline to learn from each other. I ask that you upload a minimum of one new black and white HDR photo every week regardless of the quality. Should you have questions or comments feel free to post them hear, or if you prefer one on one communication you can contact me via Twitter by direct message, or head over to my blog and drop me a line via my contact form.

For your convenience I have created a Flickr pool exclusively for the readers of Fuel your photography’s “Zero Saturation,” which can be accessed at this link. When uploading images I recommend using your initials or first name so, we can keep track of everyone. Lastly, if you are proficient with HDR, this group is not for you, and I would ask that you respect the group policies. Please Feel free to engage in the comments below, but please do not upload any photographs.

Remember we are ALL in this together, and I truly believe that we can help one another become better photographers in the end, and who knows,  you may just get out of a few classes.

I will see everyone back here next month for part two of this series.

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U-turn ©Photo-Fenix.com

Now that the World Cup is over, and I don’t know what to do with myself for the next four years, I have had a huge hankering for some action shots.  While the tournament had their own political and economical issues surrounding them, one thing that was not an issue was the photography and videography; with thousands of photographers/journalists/videographers in attendance, we are getting and should be getting some grandiose shots.

Action shots can be anything moving; while the majority of the time when we hear “action shots”, we think “sporting events”, there are other subjects that move quite quickly: concert photography (mosh pits, crowd surfing, the lead singer gyrating to thousands of fans), animal photography (the wings of a hummingbird, butterflies in a haphazard flight, a cheetah pouncing on a gazelle), and even the everyday things (dancing at a wedding, your toddler playing in puddles, macro shots of flowers in the wind).  Your kids keep getting faster, cars have more horsepower, and the world will not slow down because your lens cap is still on.

So before life passes us by, let’s go over some of the basics:

Challenges:

I love a good challenge.  I just moved a week ago and getting a sofa to fit in a space too small for it, definitely posed a doozey of a challenge (solution: power tools followed by a staple gun).  Besides the speed of your subject, you may run into one or all of the following obstacles:

Distance

Chances are you will not be allowed on the court, on the track, or in the middle of an animalistic struggle for survival.  Unless you are pro or hired to shoot the particular event, you will be further away than you like.  You must get a telephoto lens.  YOU MUST GET A TELEPHOTO LENS!  I made the font bigger to show you how much more impact things have when they seem to be closer, like with a telephoto lens!  Chances are if you are shooting action, there is some sort of risk involved to your person and insurance companies or your common sense will ensure you are way back.  For example, the Red Bull Crashed Ice downhill skating event in Quebec City would not let me stand on the track, but thanks to my zoom lens I got close to the action with a nice look at the skyline as well.  The activity you are shooting will determine what level of zoom you need.  If you are shooting indoor sports you might be able to get by with a 200mm.  This is really the lower end and I would encourage looking at a “bigger” lens.  For outdoor sports and nature photography, you will want to go up to 300mm, preferably 400mm.  If this is not in your price range, you may have to use your feet and get closer.  High school sports will allow you to get closer and practice your craft and can open up a few doors for you later.

Lighting

If you are shooting indoor sports you will have to deal with poor lighting.  As much as they want athletes to be able to see what they are doing, the lighting is rarely conducive to photography.  You will definitely be looking to bring “fast” lens (it’s all about the f stops).  Flash may also be another option, but chances are you will not be close enough to use it with any frequency and your shot may ruin the game winning layup at the buzzer.  Flash could have been an option on the shot above, but downhill longboarding at night tends to draw enough attention.  Though grainy, we get the feeing of movement in spite of hardly any available light.  Shooting outside during the day poses a different set of challenges as the lighting may be sufficient, but it also may be too much and constantly changing if it is partially cloudy.  It definitely would not hurt to take a couple of test shots and be very aware of the cloud cover.  You do not want poor exposure!

Accessibility

Point-and-shoot and iPhone users rejoice!  Many arenas or indoor venues will not allow you in with a “professional” looking camera.  There is no real way around this.  If you take good shots, that is money the arena or event could have made.  They don’t want you blowing their profit margin.  If this is an issue, invest in a non-professional looking model that is the crème de la crème; this will help you get the shots you need and not having to lose your memory card or dignity as they escort you out kicking and screaming.

Skills:

Anticipation

This is so important because you will be in the right position when the time comes.  If you know nothing about football and the concept of the line of scrimmage is too complicated, chances are you will miss big chunks of the action.  Take the time to study your event, be it wild animals or wild hockey players.  If you can accurately predict where they will be when something interesting happens you will get the shot you want.

Panning/Blur

If something is blurry you are either a poor photographer or something is going really fast.  Panning is following your subject with the camera as it moves, which creates a crisp, clean shot of your subject while blurring out the background giving the illusion of great speed.  The ability to pan is ridiculously important when it comes to action photography.  When panning, try and just rotate your body from the waist and limit the movement of your arms and therefore, your camera.  Keep as steady as possible in order to ensure your subject stays crisp and the background is nicely blurred (remember not all blur is bad); this will  make you a much happier photographer.

The photograph to the left is interesting as the pan comes at a 45 degree angle.  The backgroud is blurred, showing the speed of the subject, but his legs are also blurry, which shows his legs are moving faster than the rest of him.

The break dancer to the right is interesting because his shirt is catching up with the rest of his dance step, and the blurred shirt gives interest to the shot (in addition to disguising the message on his shirt).

Positioning

Finding the best place to shoot is tough as many other photographers may be trying to do the same thing.  If you are unsure of where to go, check out sporting events on TV to get an idea (Look for the photographers and not the cheerleaders.  This will help immensely.)  If you are shooting nature photography, finding a place where animals come to drink or cross bodies of water is a great place to start.  This requires a lot of patience as the wild is not governed by commercial sponsorships.  Remember to try and keep the sun at your back whenever possible so as to not have your subject in the dark.  Also don’t forget that you definitely don’t have to shoot straight on.  Try changing your level to create a more dramatic perspective.  You may even end up with shots that you never meant to take, but end up becoming favourites.  When taking a picture  (with a sufficient shutter speed) of someone coming straight on, there will not be a blurred background; different elements of the shot may show motion, but in general you will be freezing the action.

Like the athletes you may be shooting, it’s all about practice.  You won’t get it right the first time or maybe even the thousandth time.  But the harder you work, the better you get, the more you learn, and the more opportunities will fall into your lap.  Keep shooting, we have digital cameras for a reason.

On your marks, get set, Shoot!

Ed.Notes

Unmarked Photo Credits from top to bottom: Photo-Fenix

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Long Exposure Luminosity

This weeks focus is on taking advantage of long exposure, and nighttime lighting. Some of the most unique can come from photographing stylized neon signs. They are everywhere, and are art in their own right, but captured under a long exposure, they pop in a way that can make any photogs portfolio, that much cooler.That makes this weekend’s photo focus: Long Exposure Luminosity

by Curtis Perry

by Rick Elkins

by cocoip

by joiseyshowaa

by gtotiger68

by wirehead

Each Friday we will post a Weekend Photo Focus (also hash tagged on Twitter as #weekendphotofocus) on a certain subject, something to spark your creativity. An empty weekend for a photographer, is like an empty canvas, we could always use something to do when we have nothing planned right? So with this in mind we created this series, one that will get you out doing what you love. The premise is simple: snap some photos over the weekend dealing with the weekends focus, and if you send them to us, or Tweet them to us, we will post them for others to see. Having a focus will help us as artists & photographers see things that we might not always see, make us take a shot at something we might otherwise have not. In seeing other photogs chase after the same focus, it can only breed even more creativity in our own work.

At the weekends close, we will follow up our weekend focus, with what we found on the Web (including some of the photos sent from you) that falls in line with our focus. We hope you join in the fun and help us spread the creativity.

example of a tweet to us:

@fuelphotography One more submission for this week’s #weekendphotofocus, New Life & Spring: http://bit.ly/aY1oC7

Sponsored by

Advertise on Fuel Brand Network.
Fuel Brand Network 2010 cc (creative commons license)

Not many of us need help in spending money on gear, that comes naturally. However, what we do need help with is monetizing our art form. In this posting I will discuss interaction with one recent client and the different aspects of photography that one must be able to bring to the table in order to successfully close a deal.

One of the important aspects of our business is presentation skill in the respect that you should not only be able to talk about your work but how it can bring value to your clients project. Selling work to clients is a cross between a standard sales call and a job interview because you are selling both your product and your ability. Your presentation should exude the ability to be able to complete the task competently without being cocky and certainly not discount any other photographer’s work; you should be able to talk positively about your work without speaking negatively about another. Every photographer has a specialist skill set but at the same time you must be able to creditably represent yourself in many other photographic skill sets in addition to displaying an adroit business sense. If you are not comfortable with other aspects of photography them find a fellow photographer who you don’t traditionally compete with and arrange some cross tutelage. Learning new techniques with a colleague of your caliber is a good way to gain knowledge in new areas and refresh your knowledge in others. Alternatively, I suggest joining a local photographic club, while the members are likely to not all be professionals the talent and enthusiasm in such organizations is virtually boundless; I’ve found this as a member of the Barbados Photographic Society. Failing that there are many excellent photography podcast online that will definitely provide food for thought in addition to inspiration; a few of my favorites are: Tips from the Top Floor with Chris Marquardt, The Martin Baily Photography Podcast with his regular assignments, last but by no means least the eloquent publisher of Lensworks podcast – Brooks Jensen.

Foul Bay – Barbados

I recently got a new client in a roundabout way. An old friend and I reconnected on Facebook and a few weeks later he came to Barbados on business. On completion of the days business with his clients he called and asked me if I could pick him up; at the time I was on the beach relaxing. I immediately rushed home and did a Clark Kent – Superman transition; shaved and got into some more suitable attire. As you know, the best introduction is a personal introduction. I met the clients we got to chatting and I told them what I do and we exchanged cards. Over the next couple months, we met to discuss possible projects that I could contribute to. Recently the company, Albion Insurance Company Limited, wanted to upgrade their presence on the web, naturally they needed to have some photography of key personnel done. Here was my opportunity to sell my product and services. For the layman a photograph is a photograph as professionals we know that certain standards have to be met; especially when you are presenting these images as your ‘face’ to the world. As a photographer who also has an extensive background in aviation, management and IT of some 25 years it was time to roll out the cavalry.

The primary purpose of any web presence is to inform and create interest in the product or service that is offered by the organization that the web presence represents. To this end the important things are not only to get people to your site and have content interesting enough to keep them engaged, but also to have a method to keep your name in front of them and also to keep them coming back to the site with a degree of frequency. Some sites have this ‘built in’ by their very nature, I.E. grocery store sites, retailers, social media sites; however, other sites need to create this through a variety of methods.

After discussions with Albion on methods of achieving the objective of keeping their name in front of people we decided to offer photographic desktop wallpapers of various scenes in Barbados available for free download. Why wallpapers you ask? For the simple reason that regardless what icons you have on your desktop your wallpaper is always there, the instant you minimize your programs and each time you boot your computer, voila! In addition to this users have to self opt to install their own wallpaper. It is not the undesirable situation where you are have to blanket the internet with offers to achieve your purpose. Since the advent of SPAM by two immigration attorneys in April 1994, Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) has buried many well intentioned companies and should be avoided like the plague. Use of the internet for marketing should by no means use UCE but instead should utilize a form of viral marketing, for Albion we choose a low key viral campaign. How is it viral you ask? Face it, the majority of people surfing the internet are deskbound either in an office or at home and enjoy an inspiring/fantasy picture that they can glance at from time to time. Providing attractive free tropical landscapes meets their needs and encourages browsers to add them as wallpaper , beaches and sunsets are big draws, as is cricket for Commonwealth countries.

Using viral marketing in this method is a distant cousin of product placement. If you don’t know this technique you haven’t visited a supermarket or watched a movie recently. Product placement is that art of subtly keeping your name/product in the mind of your customer so when they have a desire for products in the arena that you operate within, your product is the first that comes to mind.

As a photographer you must represent the value that your work can bring to your client and seek opportunities that you can place your work. To do this you must think outside the box, If you don’t someone else will! Inasmuch as this article is about my interaction and representation of my work with a client it is as much an article that we should read and look within our own operation to see how we can keep our name on the tip of potential clients tongues. The truth be told photography is as much about business as it is art. The question we need to ask ourselves is: “Is our art somebody’s business, or is our business somebody’s art?”. When you seek to make your work revenue positive You may find yourself gravitating towards photographing more saleable images and less artistic unless you have an established Fine Art clientele even then you may still focus on sales. We must remind ourselves through all this to look for new and unusual images and on occasion to go out there and indulge in our passion without a care about the business end of our profession!

Feel free to download the images for your own desktop wallpapers!

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©Photo-Fenix.com

About two years ago, a good friend of mine needed a change a pace and a change of perspective.  At the time I worked for an airline and I had won two free passes to anywhere they flew.  We looked at the flights and decided on a four day trip to Lima, Peru.  I know passable Spanish (Cerveza, por favor) and figured it would be different enough from my French Canadian joie de vivre. My friend is an avid photographer and we basically carried more camera gear than changes of clothes. We had a great time going to different parts of town, sleeping on a new found friend’s couch (thanks Couch Surfer!), and enjoy

the “occasional” pisco sour.  However, on one of our jaunts our cab driver got hopelessly lost and whether it was my poor communication skills or his lack of direction, we were zipping through the part of town we were told to avoid.  We were excited as we had decided to avoid this part of town because we would not likely come out with all our gear; so of course, out come our cameras as we discreetly as possible tried to shoot our environment.  Our taxi driver just about had a heart attack.  He told us to put the cameras away as he wagged his fingers feverishly.  And although I can’t be completely sure, I am sure he was indicating we were being followed.  For the first time during this perfect trip, I was concerned for my well being.  (Kindly note, Lima is one of my favourite cities in the world because of that trip and would move there in a heartbeat given the opportunity. Te amo, Lima!)

The camera gear between the two of us was probably worth at least 10 times the value of the car we were in.  The average monthly salary in Peru is $200 USD.  For the few people out there looking to improve their situation in a dishonest fashion, we would have been an easy mark.  I got to thinking about the privileged life I was born into.  While I am not sipping champagne on craving caviar, I might as well be compared to a large population of the world.   For example, I could work one wedding and clear the average yearly salary in Peru and still be giving a great deal.  We have an expensive hobby/passion/job and are fortunate to be able to partake in it.  And though it is a fictional web slinger’s who says, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” it is most certainly a truth that we consider in a non-fictional way.

So what can you do?  Glad you let me ask that for you.

Being aware

While we are just one in 7 billion humans to inhabit this planet, there are certainly things we can do.  I understand that it is a lot easier to care about what piece of equipment to buy or which cable package suits your needs best, than to think about oil spills, earthquakes, and floods.  If things don’t happen here and now, it’s hard to give it priority; there is a bigger world out there and it is even more beautiful than our small piece of it.  Photography is a huge vessel to bring awareness of the good and bad out there.  To see the pain of a family who have lost loved ones due to an earthquake helps us get one step closer to action.  To see the victory of a young child rescued from tons of rubble brought a worldwide smile and tears of joy.  Organizations such as Focus for Humanity’s mission entail “providing financial support, resources, and training for professional and amateur photographers who capture these stories of our shared humanity and to help fund their work with NGO’s.”  On a smaller scale Child Labor Photo Project focuses on “photographing individual children in their worlds – their families, communities, countries – hoping to see behind the child labor label.”  There are issues and problems that need to be addressed in your neighbourhoods and towns and using your gifts, talents, and equipment you can bring attention and draw others to a cause they may not know existed.  That’s the first step.

Take action

We know there are issues out there, globally and locally.  If you don’t you may as well continue on to another site for some celebrity gossip.  However, some aren’t necessarily issues, but ways that you can take action yourself.  There are probably friends and/or family in your circle that could never afford for a professional photo session for a pregnant mom, a newborn baby, or family portraits.  I know I couldn’t.  No matter what your level or equipment is have you thought of offering to spend an afternoon, an hour even, and giving them a red carpet treatment?  If you want an idea of professional already doing this, check out Help-Portrait; they are a “movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to give back to those who are less fortunate.”  Make sure you check out their videos.

It only gets bigger from there.  There are community groups, beginning artists, actors, and musicians trying to get a leg up and a head start; some great photos for a portfolio or website would be really handy!  There are probably festivals, churches, community events that would welcome a willing photographer with open arms.  Do you know how animated kids can get when in front of a camera?  Think of the schools with sports, arts, and other extra-curricular activities that could benefit from photographic encouragement.

You’re in need

Do you know that there are programs all over the world the puts cameras into the hands of kids, of the disabled, the less fortunate to boost their creativity, to further their development, and to give hope?  Do you know that there is an emerging field within art therapy that encourages participants to take pictures as a way of expressing themselves and confronting their issues?  There is another side of it where clients look at pictures as part of their healing process? Now imagine, we get to do this all the time.  We can pick up our camera and express ourselves.  We can delve into a feeling, emotion, or subject like no other medium out there.  I can promise you, you will grow.  You will grow as a person and as a photographer.  Check out “Born into Brothels.” Get your creative juices going.

©Photo-Fenix.com

The tone of this post may seem aggressive at spots, but that’s only because I am wrestling with this personally.  I have to go out and do this.  I can make people aware of important issues; I can help.  I have friends and family I can serve by doing a free shoot.  If you have other ideas, I and others would love to hear them.   If you have given of your photography share your stories with us.  Let’s help each other out.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Ed.Notes

Photo Credits from top to bottom

Photo 2: Photo-Fenix

Photo 5: Danny C. Jackson

Photo 6: Nyúl Dániel’s

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Capturing the moment.

You have been taking pictures for a while.  It’s turned from a passing fancy to a more serious hobby.  You have taken the time to learn your camera, what the various settings do, the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, and you’re feeling quite confident.  Your friends and family like your pictures and finally that moment comes, “I have an event coming up, could you photograph it for me?”

Before they could finish the question, you’re practically screaming “YES!”  It’s your chance to show the world you’re a photographer, mingling with the crowd, and capturing the images of the day.  Then it hits you.  This is no longer for fun, and people are expecting results.  Well have no fear, because we are going to give you a few hints to get you all set and ready to shoot that event.

1. Know Your Equipment

Sounds pretty simple, right?  But there is more to it than that.  Do you shoot with spot or matrix metering?  Aperture or shutter priority?  Flash or no flash?  Let’s break it down a bit.

Modern DSLR’s have amazing features that were no even possible back in the days of shooting film.  So take advantage of that.  Let the camera do the heavy lifting.  Does that mean shoot on “P” or program mode?  No.  While it may leave your net exposure pretty perfectly, your images will be either flat, or motion blurred or both.  I like to use aperture priority and matrix metering.  It controls the depth of field that makes an image pop, and the matrix metering does a good job at sampling the most important part of the photograph.  That being said, there’s no need to be rigid in your use of settings.  If you are composing a shot that has some tricky lighting, or something specific in the image you want perfectly exposed, a flick of the switch and you spot metering along with manual mode is your solution.

You also don’t need to bring every piece of equipment that you own.  Depending on the event, I will carry two  bodies, one flash, a wide angle prime, a wide to medium zoom and a long lens.  If the event is in a small space, it’s amazing what you can do with a 35MM prime or a mid zoom, say a 24-70MM.  That all depends on point number two.

2.  Know Your Event

In order to be prepared, you need to know your event.  This includes not only the event location, but also the attendees.  Is it outside in a big space, or in the back room of a bar?  Will there be 15 people or 500?  How long does the event last, and how long would you like me there?  Does the client want candids or formals or table-shots, or all three?  Don’t be shy about asking questions about the event.

Let’s say you’ve been asked to shoot a child’s birthday party.  Part of it will be indoors and part outside.  Since your modern DSLR has the ability to take a great picture of a black cat at night, you don’t need a flash, right?  Not so fast!  Just because you can, doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t.  Even outdoor photography can sometimes benefit from using a flash as fill light.  If the event is in a bar, it will most likely be quite dark.  So knowing how to use a flash is very important.  I prefer to bounce a flash whenever possible.  A nice ceiling is the ultimate diffuser.  If that’s not an option, I prefer to use an on flash modifier.  Again, let the camera do the heavy lifting and if you are using a light modifier, shoot TTL mode and adjust your exposure compensation accordingly.

Knowing all of the details of the event will set you up for having the right equipment with you.  You don’t need to carry everything you own!  If the event is being held in a large space, a long zoom is fantastic for capturing unobtrusive candids.  A wide angle lens is great for capturing the atmosphere of the entire event in one shot.  For smaller events, a mid-size zoom or even a 35MM prime lens could be all you need.

3.  Know What to Do (and What Not to Do)

First and foremost, keep in mind that you are capturing the images of the event.  You are not shooting for the cover of People magazine.  There is no need to barge through crowds and shove a huge lens in someones face for a shot.  Be kind, and smile, yet be confident.  You are there to photograph the event.  A simple “excuse me,” will get the job done and get you where you want to go.  If someone waves you off, just move on.  There are a lot of people who don’t like having their picture taken.  The flip side is if someone stops you and wants a particular photo taken, stop and do it right away!

People have a posing gene.  What I mean by that, is whenever they realize that they are about to have their picture taken, they stop whatever they were doing and strike a pose.  That isn’t always what you want as an event photographer.  When this happens, I tend to lower the camera, smile and say, “… just keep doing what you’re doing, pretend I’m not even here.”   Be quick.  If you see something you’d like a picture of but need to direct a little, a simple “Hey, can I get a quick one?” will do the trick.  Take a quick picture or two and move on to the next shot.  The second part of being quick is that you need to be ready for the unexpected shot.

Learn from each shot.  We all take a look at the LCD and see the shot we just took, but are you looking at it or learning from it?  The LCD is for composition only. Is someones eyes closed, or is it out of focus or did you accidentally chop someones head off?  The most important part of that little screen in the back is the histogram.  Know how to read one and learn from it on the fly.  The most basic premise of photography is capturing light, and the histogram tells you everything you need to know about the light you just captured.  It is the best tool you have to review the exposure of a picture.  I learned that the hard way once.  I shot an entire event off by at least full stop because I only looked at the histogram once.  So be sure to look at the histogram, review, learn, adjust and shoot again.  It will become instinctual.

Most importantly, have fun.  If you do not appear to enjoy what you are doing while you are out there, the guests will see it and you’ll be “the crabby photographer” that everyone hates.  All of the guests at these events are potential clients, so always be at your best!

Event photography can be rewarding and fun.  It opens the doors to potential future work.  By keeping in mind the three simple hints, you will be well on your way.

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Can you give us a little peek in on the person behind the camera?

I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was born in 1972. I’m a single man with two teenage children, who now live with their mother in Austin, Texas. I like to consider myself a semi-simple person. I’m lucky enough to get to travel the world doing what I love to do, and get to meet some amazing people and experience amazing cultures and places. I love my life.

Where did you grow up?

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah.

What influenced you into getting into photography?

In 2002, I borrowed my brothers SLR (film) camera and shot images of my children to give to family as presents for Christmas. We styled them out and had fun. The pictures turned out great, and the bug was planted.

Did you go to school for photography?

No schooling. I am not a patient person when it comes to learning. I’m much better at picking up a camera, fiddling around and learning at my own pace. The same applies to photoshop. I still only know some of the basic tools of photoshop because I haven’t focused long enough to learn about channels and some of these confusing things technical functions…haha. I believe by learning on my own, I was able to find my own style and recognizable look and feel.

What does your usual work-flow consist of?

- Pre-production is key – Finding the right locations, models, etc, is extremely important for a successful shoot. I rely on help from assistants, clients/ art directors , stylists, to help me find the best pieces for the desired shot.

- Time of shoot. I like to keep things as simple as possible. My stylists are a big key to success. They are always amazing at what they do, and great at relaxing the models. I try to make the lighting as dramatic as possible, to fit the desired image, but I tend to just go with the flow and not over-think the process. Being flexible and being able to adapt to situations on the fly is a big key success. Listening to the clients need and executing is something I pride myself in.

- Post production – Post work is my favorite thing. I get to relax, put my headphones on and do what I love to do. Photoshop! What I do in photoshop is kind of like sculpting. I work a photo til it’s just right. I zoom in and out, go where my eye takes me. There is no simple process, it’s just a feel for me. I clean things up, adjust by dodging and burning, contrast, etc, and then do it again and again until the photo explodes with power. I truly get a natural high from editing photos!

What type of equipment are must haves for you at any shoot?

Good camera – I shoot Canon 5D mark ii’s with a few fantastic lenses – Canon 28-75, Canon 28-105, Canon 70-200, and a Canon Fisheye. Lighting – I try to use as little lighting as possilbe to keep it simple and dramatic. But I have around 8 lights. Profoto and Elinchrome monolights.

Name 3 types of equipment you can’t live without besides your camera and why?

Mac Computers… for obvious reasons. iPhone, so that I can show people my work anywhere I’m at… when asked. And my lights – Lighting is key.

I started in film, but I’ve been digitial only for 7 years. As much as I respect the art of film shooting, I simply like to photoshop my photos.

What are the main components you try to achieve when composing a shot?

I like to compose my shots as simple as possible, with no distractions, balance and a sense of movement or emotion to add the drama. Balance is key when composing a shot – The ability to see this at the time of the shot is absolutely necessary for any successful photographer. Minimizing distractions at the time of the shoot is something that I’ve become better at over time, with experience.

What are your top 5 sources of inspiration?

My source of inspiration simply comes from other photographers work, which I see in print ads, television, movies, etc. I also find inspiration in life itself. I’m always looking and observing, and I see shots all of the time. I wish I’d stop, get out of my car more often, and shoot these things that I see, but they are always in my mind for future shoots.

If you could photograph anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’ve shot in Kenya in the past, and would love to go back and explore more parts of Kenya, and other areas of Africa. The African people are the most amazing people to shoot and to be around. I plan on several trips back.

What has been your favorite location to shoot at so far?

Kenya

Do you shoot solo, or do you have an assistant?

I shoot solo about 50% of the time, and have an assistant on bigger shoots. I like help with setup and data transferring, but I really like to move my lights around myself, it’s my time to sculpt my lighting.

Post-Process and away from the lens

How have you gone about marketing yourself as a photographer and a business?

Marketing myself has been my week point. I’m not very agressive, and this shows with my marketing. I’ve been lucky enough to achieve success by simply having a website, social media, and word of mouth. I would never suggest following my path of marketing (minus having a nice, clean, website.)

My greatest challenges are always how to make a great shot with what you’re handed. In hind-site beautiful images make sense. But showing up on location, and being asked to make something great out of sometimes very little is a challenge. It’s not a cookie cutter process, and it takes a lot of creativity on the spot with others watching and expecting great things. It’s not easy, but I tend to relax in that situation and let “winging it” take over.

When you are not behind the camera, what do you do in your free time?

I’m a very social person. I like dinners and drinks. I also like to run, ski, boat (wake-surf), and watch baseball games.

Do you run any photography workshops?

I’ve never held a workshop, but I’ve considered it and am sure I will one day soon.

Mac or PC?

I switched to MAC about 4 years ago, and will never go back. PC’s seem clunky to me now and make me want to puke in my mouth a little.

What’s your usual post-process work-flow like?

Shot selection is first and foremost in my post production. Picking the right shot out of sometimes thousands of shots taken is half of the battle, and is an art-form in itself if you ask me. I do this in PS Bridge, it’s simple and to the point. Then as I mentioned above, it’s about working a photo in photoshop until it shines and pops.

Outside the box

Finish the sentence – “if I were not a photographer, I would be…”

…depressed and bored with life. Haha. If I wasn’t in a creative industry, I think I’d be a Psychologist. I’m a big fan of the human mind and cognitive therapy.

What would be the 1 piece of advice you would give to photographers just starting out?

Work hard to grow your style and skills and shoot as often as you can. Also, networking is just as important as the work itself. Make sure to utilize all forms of networking from physical networking to social networks such as Facebook.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a project for Sony Playstation Move. Images should be appearing in ads sometime in June. [Ed. Note: This interview was done prior to their release but you can see a great behind the scenes of the Playstation Move shoot on Justin's Blog.]

What are your goals 5 years from now?

My goals are simple – To continue sharpening my skills, and to grow as an person and an artist. The rest follows.

Editors Notes:

Justin Grant Photography can be found at :

Site: http://www.justingrantphotography.com/
Blog: http://justingrantphotography.com/blog/
Contact: http://www.justingrantphotography.com/#/contact/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justingrantphotography

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#WEEKENDPHOTOFOCUS SUBMISSIONS:

"Concrete wall drain" by RGMstudios.

by mike_dow.

"4 drops" by photo-fenix.com

"At the end of the day" by photo-fenix.com

"condensation" by ameena rojee.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impactmatt/4566678577/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impactmatt/54659716/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impactmatt/1046274617/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impactmatt/1415534452/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/impactmatt/54659720/

Other Links:

by cubagallery.

"Puddle" by vinyl-disco.

"Raining" by cancell.

"It was raining" by unquietspirit.

"Raining" by famiq8

"It's raining." by vanerich.

"Rainy day" by musicandphotography.

"One rainy day." by estellamestella.

"Rain dance" by curlytops.

How it works:

Weekend Photo Find is a weekly series, each Friday we will post a Weekend Photo Focus (also hash tagged on Twitter as #weekendphotofocus) on a certain subject, something to spark your creativity. An empty weekend for a photographer, is like an empty canvas, we could always use something to do when we have nothing planned right? So with this in mind we created this series, one that will get you out doing what you love. The premise is simple: snap some photos over the weekend dealing with the weekends focus, and if you send them to us, or Tweet them to us, we will post them for others to see. Having a focus will help us as artists & photographers see things that we might not always see, make us take a shot at something we might otherwise have not. In seeing other photogs chase after the same focus, it can only breed even more creativity in our own work.

At the weekends close, we will follow up our weekend focus, with what we found on Flickr (including some of the photos from you) that falls in line with our focus. We hope you join in the fun and help us spread the creativity. If you have any ideas for future Photo Focuses lets us know, we’ll give you credit!

example of a tweet to us:

@fuelphotography One more submission for this week’s #weekendphotofocus, New Life & Spring: http://bit.ly/aY1oC7

*If you have something to share but couldn’t get it to us, feel free to post it in the comments below*

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by Chris Park

Success & Saving Time with Content Aware Fill

Chris Park takes another go at making Adobes newest CS5 Photoshop feature, Content Aware Fill work for him and his workflow.

The problems I had found in trying to fill complex areas still plague me, however I have certainly found some new ways to take advantage of content aware fill that have sped up my daily work flow.  I had mentioned I would give you guys a post talking about where this new feature excelled so here we are, talking about CS5 one more time

by Jeremy Greenidge

The 5 W’s of Location Model Photography

This post contains artistic nudity that some may consider, NSFW

Jeremy Greenidge discusses the 5 W’s and why they are important. The great thing is, they can be applied to photographers on any level

Model photography is an art, traveling and model photography is a whole different kettle of fish. Not being on your home ground may make you feel uneasy but with some careful planning you can overcome any obstacles real or perceived.

“Smokey Road” by Briarah

Indie Spotlight: Tina (Briarah)

Jesse Conklin highlights an emerging photographer, whose life changing moment put her on the path of creating some great art.

…Then she had one of those life changing moments that made her see everything differently. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Life seemed pretty bleak and she was feeling quite miserable…

by Patrick Onofre

Making It: Beyond Fabric – A Photographer’s First Clothing Line Shoot

Patrick Onofre lets us peek in on one of his most recent shoots, a first for him, a clothing line shoot. Discussing the challenges in doing something you are not used to, its a good read for those that aren’t that point and entertaining for those that have reached the “been there, done that” stage of their careers.

…You can read all the articles and publications you can get your hands on, but nothing prepares you for the challenges you face in your first clothing shoot!  Especially when you’re starting out, it’s hard to obtain some of the things you need to get going, and one of my biggest challenges is studio space…

“Rain” by bartoz.

Weekend Photo Focus: Water, Rain & Everything in Between

This Weekends Photo Focus #weekendphotofocus

by Navdog

The Best of, The Worst of: Internet Photography

Scott A. Miller, East Coast Surfing Photographer brings his own unique brand of criticism in our latest column. Producing a controversial (in the comments) debate on the tact of criticism, and the subjectivity of art. We invite you to join in on the discussion, and share your evaluation of the photos as well.

The End by Christolakis

Focus Contest: Sunrise. Sunset. A Case of the Diptych

Our first big contest at Fuel Your Photography. We take our normal weekly photo focus and turn it on its head for a month long focus challenge. The winner will receive a Lens Baby Composer.

Submit: into our Fuel Flickr Pool, link in the bottom of this post, or tweet us. Just use the tag#FYPcontest (see submission guidelines below for further details)

Deadline for Submissions: July 26, 2010 12 noon EST – follow submission guidelines at bottom of post.

Winners & Submitted Photos Follow up: July 28, 2010

Here are some that we’ve received so far:

by RGM Studios

by RGM Studios

Article of the Week: Life Lessons – Pictory

Pictory’s latest entry on the life lessons learned.

Photojournalist Develops Last Produced Roll of Kodachrome

For those of you still going analog, you may have shot on this film (ok even some of you that have transferred over to digital) Peta Pixel highlights Steve McCurry and his honor of being the one to develop the last produced roll.

Studioshare.org/

Ran across this during my surfing this week and thought not only is it a good share, its a GREAT idea.

App of the Week: PhotoPad by Zagg

Another iPad app, this one allows editing on a whole different level (cropping, fill, rotation, filter) shows what the iPad is on the cusp of as far as digital editing can do. Now if Adobe will wake up and do Photoshop for the iPad.

Podcast of the Week:

I have no Podcast recomendations for this week. Did you listen to something I should have? Let me know and I will check it out.

Photog of the Week: Steve McCurry

I happened upon Steve’s work after checking out the PetaPixel article above. His work is great. I sat for  a half hour going through his work, his attention to grabbing the reality of people and conveying that put a smile on my face. The color in his work is truly phenomenal, going to the ends of the earth to capture people in their own environment and documenting it for us to see.

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Water, Rain & Everything in Between

After what felt like a month of unusual hot, sunny weather, for the last few days the sun has been hiding behind typically English grey clouds, but the temperature has stayed the same. Today the rain came down in torrents, and the rain always makes interesting photographs. Since it may not rain everywhere this weekend, water effects and photos are acceptable as well. That makes this weekend’s photo focus: Water, Rain & Everything in Between

"The Rain" by ojosverde.

"Rain" by bartoz.

"Tears and rain" by ditya.

"Rain... rain..." by lonelypierot.

"Rain" by kle-m.

"The Rain" by menoevil.

"A hard rain's a-gonna fall." by ineedchemicalx

"Gilded rain" by wasureru.

"Heavy rain" by stamatisGR.

"Rain" by oblious.

"B-rain" by nikosalpha.

Each Friday we will post a Weekend Photo Focus (also hash tagged on Twitter as #weekendphotofocus) on a certain subject, something to spark your creativity. An empty weekend for a photographer, is like an empty canvas, we could always use something to do when we have nothing planned right? So with this in mind we created this series, one that will get you out doing what you love. The premise is simple: snap some photos over the weekend dealing with the weekends focus, and if you send them to us, or Tweet them to us, we will post them for others to see. Having a focus will help us as artists & photographers see things that we might not always see, make us take a shot at something we might otherwise have not. In seeing other photogs chase after the same focus, it can only breed even more creativity in our own work.

At the weekends close, we will follow up our weekend focus, with what we found on the Web (including some of the photos sent from you) that falls in line with our focus. We hope you join in the fun and help us spread the creativity.

example of a tweet to us:

@fuelphotography One more submission for this week’s #weekendphotofocus, New Life & Spring: http://bit.ly/aY1oC7

Sponsored by

Advertise on Fuel Brand Network.
Fuel Brand Network 2010 cc (creative commons license)

I’m not ashamed to admit: I’m a huge fan of Project Runway (there, I said it).  Something about watching people putting fabrics and materials together to create amazing pieces of clothing intrigues me.  I blame it on my culinary background, where throwing semi-random ingredients together to create an amazing dish fascinates me.  So, when I was approached to do a fashion shoot, I wasn’t sure what to expect – it’s not like the food or product photography I’m accustomed to.  I did my homework and made sure I read every bit of literature to get my head around what I was in for.  With this being the first kind of shoot I’ve ever done to this magnitude, it was nerve-wracking, but through the challenges I experienced, I learned valuable lessons and experienced an end result I am beyond pleased about.

I met the Tranquilista, Kimberly Wilson, after doing a previous shoot for a company that is releasing a DC guidebook that will be coming out TBD, and after reuniting at an event that was being hosted by this company, she discussed the photography for a book launch fête she was hosting (yes, she also writes books) and we talked about the possibility of also working on her upcoming clothing line launch.  It wasn’t something I’ve done before, but I certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea!  She always has a sweet disposition, and every time I’ve left her vicinity, I’ve felt at peace and, well, tranquil.  The model, Allison, works out in San Francisco (I’m jealous) and met Kimberly on a yoga retreat.  She blew my mind in how natural of a model she was – she had never done modeling before!  I was completely spoiled to have a model like her to work with!  Kimberly’s assistant was a fellow yogi, Eden, who was also a great pair of eyes to have around, as she noticed certain things before I even got to them and made my workflow easy.  I figured her clothing line would be a great step in the right direction for my business, and one step closer to shooting Michael Kors… err, I mean Heidi Klum.

You can read all the articles and publications you can get your hands on, but nothing prepares you for the challenges you face in your first clothing shoot!  Especially when you’re starting out, it’s hard to obtain some of the things you need to get going, and one of my biggest challenges is studio space.  Simply put, I don’t have any.  There are a few photographers that rent out their studio space, but trying to coordinate your schedule with theirs gets hairy, and I wasn’t able to get anything concrete on such a limited timeline (as in, only one day to shoot).  Fortunately for me, the designer is a do-it-all, and not only does she design clothing and publish books, she also runs her own yoga studio.  She had a room that wasn’t being occupied, so we converted it for the shoot with my portable seamless.  Another challenge was trying to properly light the subject.  The lights in the studio were adequate, but my single umbrella was going to make lighting tricky.  Plus, lighting products or food is completely different from lighting people!  I have used it before this shoot, so I understood how the lighting was going to work along with natural light from outdoors.  The biggest challenge was post-production: it SUCKED!  Because of my lighting, the white background turned almost a pinkish-gray.  This required a LOT of converting the background to white, which was excruciatingly painful.  Add to that the numerous photos I had to work on, it was an enormous headache!  However, now I’ve got the rhythm and technique down to make future shoots not so tedious.

I was certainly glad for the experience, but more so, for the lessons that resulted from this shoot.  I now understand the amount of time that results in these kinds of shoots, and that all of the time spent editing what was only a four-hour shoot needs to be compensated for.  With that, you must make sure that all of the terms of the agreement for the shoot are established well in advance, so there isn’t any confusion for future shoots and everything gets handled in a timely manner.  Luckily for me, she and I have worked together previously and were able to come to a mutual understanding relatively quickly, so nothing got dragged out, and we have already established terms for the next shoot months in advance.  Aside from that, more equipment is always helpful, especially to get the images that you want, so don’t be afraid to rent or borrow from a photographer buddy.  I was still starting out, so I didn’t have the connections or the equipment back then like I do now, and I know that I’ll be better equipped for my next shoot.  I’ve upgraded my camera and speed light since the previous shoot, which should make things noticeably better.  I’m still dreaming about better strobes and a Pocket Wizard, which are still out of my budget (for now – if I starve myself long enough, I’ll be able to get them), but thankfully I’ve made friends and have the hook-ups.  It’s all about networking!

The shoot was fantastic, and thanks to Eden for the help and Allison for being such a natural and wonderful model.  Because of them, the shoot went without a hitch, and we were extremely productive with a lot of great shots.  Most of all, thanks to Kimberly Wilson, who has been such a great client of mine for these past months.  I’ve had a lot of great work as a result of her, and she’s always such a pleasure to work with!  You can view her yoga and lifestyle clothing line, as well as other photos of the resulting shoot at her website: tranquilit.com. I am always surprised when I have a shoot involving something I never believed I’d get into and enjoy it beyond belief – it didn’t involve photographing food, yet was one of the most fun shoots I’ve had to date!

Next stop: Vanity Fair.

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"Smokey Road" by Briarah

This month we’re featuring Tina (Briarah), from Albany,Australia.  We were especially drawn to Tina’s beautiful landscape and flower pictures.  Her vision is as varied as the continent she calls home.  You can check out some of her beautiful wildflower pictures here.

Tina is 41 years old, and until about 18 months ago, she was just one of those crazy relatives that always had a camera. Having no pictures of herself or her siblings growing up, she was determined not to let her daughters’, nieces’ and nephews’ milestones go undocumented.  She never gave any thought about things such as composition, lighting or “rule of thirds”.  She would just point and shoot, hoping for at least a passable picture that would capture that special moment in time. Her photographs were always adequate and acceptable to share with family and friends.

Then she had one of those life changing moments that made her see everything differently. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Life seemed pretty bleak and she was feeling quite miserable. While driving to work one morning, she was having distracted from her own little pity party by this amazing golden light shining through a tree.

Tina doesn’t have a style of photography as such, simply shooting what she sees, but she admits to having a passion for Western Australian wildflowers. Totally self taught, she would say getting off ‘auto’ mode and reading her camera’s manual was the best thing she could have done. But the most important thing she learned, was that even the most average of people can achieve the most extraordinary things.  All you have to do is believe in yourself!

The photo that started it all:

"Country Morn" by Briarah

"Basement Level" by Briarah

"Full Moon Over Bay" by Briarah

"Magnificent Coneflower" by Briarah

"Wonky Willow" by Briarah

"Pelican Sunset" by Briarah

"Strike Two" by Briarah

"Butterfly Orchid" by Briarah

"Old Shearing Shed" by Briarah

"Bee On Blossom" by Briarah

"Kangaroo Paw" by Briarah

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Model photography is an art, traveling and model photography is a whole different kettle of fish. Not being on your home ground may make you feel uneasy but with some careful planning you can overcome any obstacles real or perceived.

The Movement – a New York dance group shot in Federal Circle, New York City!

The Five W’s

Who, what, when, where, why and how? Answer these questions and you are well on the way to having a successful shoot. Planning is the most important part of any shoot. The old adage applies if you fail to plan you plan to fail, it really is true! I’ve seen many a shoot be bungled because simple obstacles have fouled up a shoot.

Model:  Irene shot in a room at the Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Who?

Who are you going to shoot? Choosing the appropriate models is key. You have a couple of choices, of course if you are working with an agency they will source and supply models for you to shoot. However,  if you are working on your own you have to source your own models with the resources on the Internet you can utilize a site such as Model Mayhem to source models. You have a couple of choices here also, you can either shoot Time For CD (TFCD) a common arrangement between photographers and models where you supply the model with copies of the images for their use as compensation for their services. Alternatively, you can pay the models for their services. In my experience if you are going to do a TFCD arrangement you should opt to source more than one model for a shoot as at times some models are not punctual or don’t show up.

Model releases are an important protection for photographers and should be executed prior to any shoot. A special model release should be executed for anyone under the age of majority. Model releases should generally, allow photographers to use the photos at their discretion, allow photographers to edit photographs and be non-rescindable. Model releases should also clearly state the compensation for the models services and have the signature of the model affixed along with their printed name and address.

Models:  Dennys and Paris – Holiday Inn, Saddlebrook, NJ USA

What?

You should have a concept of your shoot beforehand; this helps you to formulate the shoot in your mind so that you make sure to have all the necessary supplies to have a successful shoot. It is important to know what you are shooting so you have a suitable location. When you have your concept in mind you then shoot with a purpose instead of just randomly. Take your props along, ask models to bring shoot appropriate clothing.  Shooting a model just because they are attractive is a common fault as may gain you a reputation of being a Guy with a Camera (GWC).

Models:  Carla, Alexis, Mark and Paul – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA

When?

Shooting times are more important for outdoor shots than indoor shots, if you are using artificial lighting you are free to shoot at any time. If you are using natural lighting you must conform to Mother Nature. Use popular weather sites to find out what climate is like what time sunrise and sunset are so that you don’t  travel to a location to find unsuitable conditions. Choose suitable times that are conductive to models being able to make the shoot in addition to yourself if you have to travel to a location. If you are flying in to shoot be aware of possible travel delays you can check the reliability of any flight at FlightZoo.  Travel arrangements are important and you should have contingencies when flying, if you are driving you have more control of your own destiny, carefully check Google maps for commuting times between all locations. I highly recommend a GPS also, I program all my locations into mine before I leave home!

Member of The Movement dance group in Federal Circle, NYC USA

Where?

When you have a concept of the outcome of your shoot you can then select an appropriate location. Indoor shoots can be done in a studio or an adapted studio, outdoor shoots are best done outside instead of trying to simulate the effect. If you are shooting with an agency they will source a studio for indoor  shots or the location for outdoor shots. If you are shooting with your own personal concept this responsibility now becomes yours. In my own experience I’ve found that a hotel room makes an amazing studio and there are no travel problems in getting there as it is already your hotel room. Residence Inns or similar properties are great because you have your own bedroom and also a separate living room which makes a perfect studio, including a kitchen if you want to simulate shots in a home. If you don’t have this facility in your location, make sure you source a hotel room with 2 queen beds because when it comes to time to shoot you can literally flip one bed onto the other so that you have more space in your room to shoot. The curtain at the back of the room makes a perfect backdrop but more importantly it makes perfect place to hang your own background on with the application of a few clips or even hairpins. Contacting the hotel directly can also be very fruitful, I’ve done this for various hotels and properties such as the Hotel Diva in San Francisco gave me carte blanche for the entire property, they excel at rolling out the red carpet to accommodate virtually any guest request. For  lighting you should carry a couple flash heads, I carry 3 Nikon Speedlights and a SU-800 Remote Commander and they are sufficient to overcome any lighting situation (although I use Nikon primarily, I believe the best choice of equipment is the one that works for you, I also own Canons and Olympus and use them all). You can utilize these on backdrops or even using the armoire with a couple of translucent reflectors wedged between the ceiling and the top of the armoire at 90 degree angles with a remote activated flash placed on the inside to form your very own softbox. However, if you are shooting outdoors in a location that you are unfamiliar with be sure to do your research online, I’ve personally used Opacity, choose unusual sites, nothing ruins a shot like having a tourist like image as your background. Do you legwork on the internet before you even leave home for the shoot.

Models: Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA

Why?

Why are you shooting? Answer this question and it will help to make sure you have asked the model to  bring the correct clothing for the shoot (if this is not the responsibility of the Agency/Stylist) in addition to seeing if a Make Up Artist (MUA) is required. MUAs can also be source using online resources such as Model Mayhem.  Possible scenes you may shoot are: fashion, haute couture, swimwear, lifestyle to name a few. Swimwear models need to have a suitable body for other models you may be able to use a model that does not have an overused gym membership. For all models the face is important, source a model that is conductive to your purpose.

How!

Shooting persons is has it idiosyncrasies.  If you are shooting on location not only do you have to be a master of shooting the type of location but you must also be a master humorist and psychologist.  To get  the most captivating images you MUST engage the model, they must have not only the concept of your image but they must also get feedback from you as you are the only one that can see the viewfinder unless you are shooting tethered and displaying the images live on a PC.  You should look all around your viewfinder for spoilers in addition to making sure that the model has the ideal post and expression.  I’ve found that instead of telling models “smile” you should have a repertoire of humorous jokes to tell (avoid politics, religion and off color jokes).  You must do all this while having control of your camera so it is important to know your camera well.  Model photography is like a fine dance, you must have a symbiotic relationship with the model to evoke the best results.  It is like a fine dance and you will often have to mimic the pose you want to achieve while operating the camera.  Making that connection and giving feedback will improve your images tremendously.  Practice with a friend or a family member.

Models:  Alice and Chris – Foul Bay Beach, Barbados West Indies

Wrap up!

With all the above elements addressed the next most important thing is production of final photographs.  Models are always excited to see the final product and you should give them a date that you can   reasonable process the images in. Under no circumstances should you provide the RAW images to the model and only provide them to the agency if expressly requested. Providing RAW images to models shows that you have no pride in your work. You should edit the photographs and provide only those images that you truly feel show the quality of your work. Don’t feel overwhelmed, you’ll realize that the process of model photography provides a few more issues than any other type of photography, inanimate objects do not have egos/feeling so you need to be a capable photographer in addition to a psychologist. I’ll leave you with the 3 most important words in model photography: plan, plan, plan!

PHOTO CREDITS

Photos listed from top down.

3 “Model:  Edric Hunter’s Point, Queens, NY, USA”

6 “Model:  Carla – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA”

8 “Model: Manfred train depot near Saddlebrook, NJ USA”

9 “Models:  Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA”

11 “Model:  Alexis – The Radisson San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico”

13 “Model: Wilber – Train depot near the Davie Blvd Tri-Rail stop in Fort Lauderdale, FL USA”

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So last month I wrote up a bit of a review of the limitations I have come across with Adobe’s new content aware feature found within Photoshop CS5. And no, in one month my views haven’t necessarily changed. The problems I had found in trying to fill complex areas still plague me, however I have certainly found some new ways to take advantage of content aware fill that have sped up my daily work flow.  I had mentioned I would give you guys a post talking about where this new feature excelled so here we are, talking about CS5 one more time.

This month I had a quick afternoon shoot for Bad Boy Brands, an ultimate fighting clothing company. The shoot was basic but involved a lot of catalog shots against a white seamless. During post production I came across two instances where the new CS5 feature didn’t necessarily save my butt, however it did save me some time.

The first time I found content aware fill (lets call it CAF from now on to save some ink) useful came about when editing the hundreds of catalog shots we took. We shot fighters Xande Ribeiro and Demian Maia in just about every item of clothing the company had available. What we didn’t have available was a lot of room. Without a ton of space to work with we couldn’t unroll the seamless as far as I would normally like so we are left with a strip of cement visible in a number of the shots.

Obviously you can still get rid of this without the use of CAF but in this instance it saved me a ton of time considering how many images I needed to prep for the company. Instead of masking in or cloning out the cement I was happily surprised when I realized I was able to simply lasso the area, hit delete, and watch it disappear. Not only does it disappear but it leaves you with a natural continuation of the gradient found on the seamless.

The second part of the shoot involved producing some images that we could use to composite for a print ad we will be producing. The basic idea involved a few lifestyle shots and a few action shots. The action shots would later be pieced together into a sequence. The problem we ran into was that gyms are loaded with logos and the company obviously wants to only show their own logos in their ad.  Once again this is something completely possible without CAF but with the number of images I was working with it saved a lot of time. Have a peek below to see how just a few lasso selections and a couple pokes at the delete key rendered the background logo-less.

Notice all the logos in the background

Logos selected with regular lasso.

And finally.. no logos. Obviously this can be accomplished hundreds of ways but a quick lasso and delete saves a lot of time.

Ok, two months in a row spent on content aware fill… I think we’ve had enough. I can definitely reiterate that this feature will not be your new magical tool changing you into the photographer you have always hoped to become, but it will save you some precious time in the right circumstances. Questions?

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