October 30, 2010

3

Biz Sense, Editorial/Journalism, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow

5 Stock Photography Tips & Shooting the Mediterranean with a pocket Leica!

Bright lights of Monte Carlo. ISO 400, 2.5 sec. @ f4

by Lawrence Sawyer. First, let me thank Gavin Seim for the invitation to write a piece on my recent experience shooting stock photography in the Mediterranean. This was a dual-purpose trip: anniversary cruise, and a test of my theory that with the right choice, one could actually shoot salable stock with a point-and-shoot pocket camera. Now, a little background…

I’ve been shooting stock photography since my college days in the early 1980’s, and make a living doing it. I have several thousand images on file at four U.S. agencies and dozens of sub-agents worldwide. I have a new book out, entitled  See It, Shoot It, Sell It! -How to Earn a Great Second Income Taking and Shooting Photographs of Virtually Anything. That title embodies the way I work: I shoot “found images” more than anything else. I have learned over the years that there are countless opportunities to shoot highly marketable images all around us, every day… if we just learn to see them.

So when I’m shooting stock, here are the five main criteria I use in evaluating a scene:

1. Is there a message here? There needs to be either a solid piece of information in this shot, or a pure-magic artistic element to something mundane, like beautiful light on a cityscape.

2. Can I pull it off technically? An elk in a shaft of sunlight is killer if it’s 50 yards away and I have 300 f2.8 with me, but pointless if it’s 500 yards out.

3. Does it have enough appeal that it will sell to a broad audience? I worry about this one less and less, because all images are available now to the whole internet-connected world, and somewhere, there is a buyer for darn near anything.

4. Can I shoot it better than it’s likely already been done? If it’s a scenic shot, I’m careful not to be enamored by the place just because it’s my first visit. But if the light is phenomenal, I’ll roll the dice and shoot first, then ask questions later. The more famous the place, the more skeptical I am of my ability to make great stock on my first visit. I try to research how much a place has been shot before I go in with guns a-blazing.

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December 17, 2009

11

Editorial/Journalism, Gavin Seim, ProPhotoShow

What's With the Film Thing?

Learning is NOT about your equipment. It’s about you.

Film versus Digitalby Gavin Seim: There must be a romantic draw to film because some still love it. That’s OK with me, even though I can’t totally relate. When I started in photography I was using film and the day I went digital I never went back. That was the days when film may have actually been better. As a teenager I remember eagerly reading things like “digital will be as good as film once we hit eight megapixels.” Then it happened and they still didn’t acknowledge it. Now with digital we can shoot at huge resolutions and get ISO over 100,000 for less money than using film.  Sure it’s grainy, but show me a film that will shoot ISO 100,000.

Some photographers STILL tell newbies to learn film first. All the while I’m thinking. “Stop wasting their time and money. Do we learn to ride a hoarse so we can drive a car? Their both transportation.” Fans of learning on film say it makes you think more about the shot since you have less of them. I say if you want less shots get a 1 gig card, or better yet a 256 meg. With today’s cameras that will make you think twice before you shoot because you’ll fill it up in no time.

Some of you may remember in the film days we heard things like “digital is great for learning because you can see immediate results and respond accordingly.” I concur. But now that digital is the norm people say “it’s better to learn on film because you cannot see the results. It’s teaches you discipline.” Huh? Something not making sense here. All the essentials like shutter, fstop, composition, focus and the rest can be learned just as well on digital and for less money.

If you still like film that’s OK. I know people get hooked on things and retro can be cool. But can you actually give us a real factual argument that film is better? I’m not talking about a romantic feelings towards film, I’m talking about some proof. With digital. I can shoot faster, longer, with less light and less resulting grain, then manage and edit the resulting images faster and spend less money doing it. What does film give me.

Bottom line. If you find film interesting and useful then go for it as long as you can still find it. Personally I would suggest learning digital first and then trying film if you like. Otherwise you’ll spend a lot of money on so so images that you could be putting into better lenses, education and more. In the end I think we all need to remember that it’s not about the gear we use. It’s not Mac or PC, Canon or Nikon, film or digital. Being a great photographer is about taking the time to learn and master your passion. If you want to make it as a professional it’s that too, but even more it’s about learning to sell and market your image to the paying customer.

Then again, I am just a young punk and I’m not afraid to change my mind. For curiosity sake I’ll add a poll below to how many of you are actually using film.

You might also check out this article on Seim Effects talking about getting a feel of film tones in digital and where things are going in the future.

[poll id=”22″]

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August 18, 2009

1

Editorial/Journalism, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow

Basics of Freelance Editorial Photography

Chris Jordan Kings County first African American sheriff
Chris Jordan, Kings County Sheriff Candidate raises his arms in triumph, while supporters cheer after hearing polling results, at his headquarters, Tuesday night.

Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created.  It is a major force in explaining man to man.  ~Edward Steichen

By Ralph Berrett (Full Metal Photographer)

Ken Malloy, anchor for CBS 47 in Fresno
Ken Malloy, anchor for CBS 47 in Fresno

Editorial work can be extremely rewarding and is one of the great methods of gaining photographic access to sporting, concerts and news events.

With the depressed economy, it is a great opportunity for freelance editorial photography.  Unfortunately this is because newspapers, magazines and other publications have cut their photo staffs, but publications still need images. So what we are seeing is a rise in freelance editorial photography to fill the void.

Editorial photography refers to the images in magazines, newspapers and other publications, that aren’t ads. These are the photographs that go along with the articles – even the cover of a magazine. Photos in publications validate and illustrate the stories. So you need to think content, words and pictures.

There are some things you need to keep in mind when dealing with a publication. Look at the publication, and see what types of photos it runs. Does your work match the type of work seen in the publication? This sounds simple, but you will be surprised how many photographers send in portfolios that do not relate to the publication.

E-mailing alone is not an effective way to communicate with a publication. You need to create a relationship with different publications and editors. Pick up the phone, call them, and if you need to, meet them in person. Introduce yourself to the managing editor and ask who would be a good contact for submitting work and what their requirements are.

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