April 24, 2008

sunset wedding coupole

Dropping this tip a little late today but happy W.T.W. everybody! With it being Earth Day yesterday, I thought I’d involve the object that swings us around once a year into this weeks tip. That’s right the Sun. Which, as the They Might Be Giants song goes, is “a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furness,” and obviously very important to us “light writers.” More specifically, when it sets.

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April 22, 2008

how to be a wedidng photographerSo, you’re going shoot your first wedding. Maybe you’ve been hired, or maybe your doing it for a friend on a budget. Either way you want to get great results, have good referrals for the future, and make the clients super happy!

So what do you look for? What about wedding photography is so intimidating, and how should you take on this challenging but rewarding type of photography?

1. Don’t Oversell Yourself.
If your just getting started with weddings don’t pretend to be something your not. Chances are the reason your shooting their day, is because it’s not in the budget to hire someone who’s experienced with weddings! That’s OK, and an opportunity for you. If you feel it’s too much, then let them know and maybe get someone else to help. Chances are however that your thinking “I can handle it fine” That’s cool, but be realistic, and remember you can’t do a retake of a wedding.

2. Do your Homework
If you lack experience with weddings do some research. Take the time to read a few books and get a feel for what is expected of you at the wedding. A couple books you might check out are Digital Wedding Photography, The Complete Guide to Professional Wedding Photography, and The Wedding Photographers Handbook. There’s many more, just search around on Amazon.

If it makes you more comfortable, have the bride give you a list of shots she really wants, but don’t expect the couple to know everything you need to shoot. Once you know your way around you’ll probably outgrow lists for the most part, since you’ll already know what to shoot and when. Also take the time to look at great wedding pictures from other photographers and note what you like and dislike about their images.

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April 16, 2008

I get sick of lousy work being called art. “Look ma I’m an artist”

art-not.jpg

So what is art, and what is trash? I’m not just talking photography here,I’m talking about all art. Some will say I’m being harsh here, but sometimes a little crankinesses helps us be more realistic. The above image took me longer to save an upload than it did to convert it from photo to funky! Am I a better artist now?

Ever looked at a piece that was touted as art and said “That’s Really Stupid”? If not stop by a gallery some time. You’ve probably also seen other so called artists gather round and say “WOW that’s so moving” All this time guys like us look on and think… “Am I Missing Something Here”

Anyone can say their an artist, but that doesn’t make them one. There is some truth to the statement that “Beauty in is the eye of the beholder” but it can easily be noted that art is sometimes an excuse for shotty workmanship.

VIEWER… “what’s with this pictures where half the guys head is out of the frame, and he’s sucking on his big toe, or is that a coke bottle! PHOTOGRAPHER/PAINTER… That’s my artistic interpretation.

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April 16, 2008

nikon d3

Ya I know the D3 is barely on the shelves and into your hot hands and here I am talking about the next rev. This is seriously a RUMOR ONLY so don’t get you Visa out yet.

Engadgets reporting on this 24 megapixel Nikon D3X. Supposedly some hackers found a reference to it in the firmware of the current D3

Not super surprising, but it will be a powerhouse. I think the real question is DO WE NEED 24MP? I mean sure is had it purpose, but how often are we printing that big. I’ve made a beautiful 30×40 from an 8MP file. Printer are going to need to grow to meet the megapixels!

Personally I think the megapixel battle is becoming far less important than the ISO noise battle. What do you say?

 

Gavin Seim

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April 9, 2008

 

Windows On MN

For those of you who caught the latest PPS Roundtable #6, you heard us touch on the topic of inspiration. Now it’s easy to get really deep into the whole “finding inspiration” topic. Some inspirational techniques usually recommended are visiting your local art museum or sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking a picturesque location while the sunrises. That’s nice and all but not where I’m going with this tip.

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