Honesty and lies in the photography world.

I have seen many photographer lie about techniques used when asked by a fan how they managed an effect.
I don't understand why any photographer feels the need to lie about how a technique is accomplished. No one will ever be able to achieve the same style or photo.
I get the "oh they are the competition" train of thought. We, as photographers, want all the possible clients to pick us and not the other guys. I get it. I want that as well.
But no one will ever have my style—they can't because they aren't me. They will have their own style.

Can they come close to one or two? Yes.  But honestly recreating most of another persons photos is unlikely and improbable.

Teaching others will not diminish our own skill.

I can't figure out why anyone would be so afraid of someone—who does not have the same type of clients due to price/style/etc as they do—to think of another camera owner as a threat.
The clients who pick other photographers still will not have chosen you. (Unless you are 50% of the photographer population, which you as an individual/company are not.)

Case in point about the lies photographers will tell fans of their work.

I follow a lot of photographers on my facebook page. Because I love taking photos but I also love to look at other peoples work as well. It's a habit I enjoy from photography school.

I was looking at my feed and saw an image. This image. (I cropped it.)

Now, it's a pretty neat image. Not the best, but not the worst. The point is: I read the comments. One fan asked how the photographer how they did it. Not because they are trying to learn all their secrets in order to take over their client base and put them out of business—but because they honestly loved it and were curious.
The photographer said they used "a low ISO and spun and MAYBE zoomed in and out."

No. No one "spins" in a perfect circle. Not the best dancers in the world can—and least of all while zooming in and out. It would be believable if it was a shot aimed upward rather than straight out. There would also be more lines and the lines wouldn't be so perfectly centered. (They were in the original uncropped image.)

So I googled an image of trees and got this. Clearly the starting images are different but the effects and lines of movement are the same. (Yes the light and dark are also different, but again, that's due to the different starting image.)

This image took me all of 30 seconds to recreate in photoshop. (Radial blur, and whatever other effects for color and definition you'd like to use.)
Here is another:

This is the first 100% obvious lie I have seen. I've seen many, but they were slightly more time consuming to prove.
Please, photographers, STOP lying to fans. Have the confidence in your work to know that it is unique and not simply one photoshop action away from being reproduced. You will not go out of business by sharing and teaching others.

People wanting to learn are not our enemies. They will not put us out of business or take money from our pockets.
Art does not belong to a select few. It belongs to everyone and if someone wants to learn a technique they will either find a way or go to someone else. There is a one in a million (Just an estimation to make a point.) chance they would hire you to recreate that effect for them. They will not impact your bank account either way.

So Stop being anything less than honest and start having the confidence in yourself to know you are irreplaceable to any and all clients who hire you and your work is yours, and yours alone.

Why photographers shouldn't give up their copyright.

I don't give up my copyright. I never have and I probably never will. I have had a few clients ask about it. I state that they get an unlimited print release. My clients can print their images for personal use until they use up the worlds supply of ink and paper for as long as they live, but I still own the copyright to the images.

Not a single client has ever complained. Why? Because that's all they want to do with the images anyway.

This article states the big reasons why much better than I could.

Why photographers should never giveaway their copyright.

How to get the images you want from your session!

People who hire photographers all want the same thing; to have images they love. It is very common for people to want images they love but have no idea what they want. I have talked to many photographers and people who have hired photographers and these are just a few of the issues they have talked about.

To ensure your happiness there are a few things you should look at before hiring a photographer.

1. Their style
Make sure you love their work and style of photography and editing. This may sound silly, but many people don't look at a photographers work and only what their price list looks like. Yes, price is important but it should not be the only factor.
This is especially important because if you hire a photographer who's work you've never really looked at and only want them for their price, you will not be satisfied with the final images. Both you and the photographer will end up frustrated and unhappy.

2. Their personality

If you don't know the photographer you want to hire, that's ok! You can almost always schedule a short meeting to discuss the session. The outfits, settings, what you want, what to expect, and talk over any questions you might have. Doing this helps you to get to know your photographer and make your session even better. It only takes a short 30 minute meeting to go over this info and get a feel for each other.

Not getting to know your photographer is one of the biggest mistakes people can make!  It might seem silly to meet and talk for a half an hour but it will make a world of difference when it's time for your session.

3. Their Prices
Of course price is important, you want to make sure you can get what you want without breaking the bank. Just keep in mind that while price is important, it shouldn't be the only thing on your list. Go to their website and look for a list of prices before you hire them. Do not think a special deal/sale price written on a card from a year ago might still be valid. It will just make things awkward when they have to tell you the new rate. Along with this, also know your budget.

4.  Have an idea of the end results you want and let them know!
There are many times in our lives we want to have photos taken to remember a time in our lives. Each time we image exactly how it's going to be when we get the photos taken. Express that to your photographer, they have no way of knowing what you imagine unless you do. If it's a senior session and you haven't seen images for years and really have no idea of what you want, take a look on pinterist. Look up poses, backgrounds and settings,  etc. Even if it's just a general idea or pose, let them know.

Don't point your grip that way!

I was reading a list of 100 tips from a photographer, (other photographers lists of what is important always interests me) which included "chicks dig photographers" and "natural light is the best" and "Everyone with a camera thinks they are a photographer." I enjoyed this list until I got to one item on the list... 

"People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons."

I say, "Does it REALLY matter?" I don't care if you are new or a veteran to photography.  Shoot however you feel most comfortable. I am not interested in how goofy you may or may not look while taking a photograph, I am only interested in if you can get the exact photograph you were aiming for. What matters is which way is more steady to the individual. It could vary due to a hand injury or just whichever hand is the strongest, or the crazy pose you have to be in to get the angle you want.

I never paid attention to how I have held the camera by default until I read that recently. I point it up because I find it more natural to hold it that way. If it felt more natural to hold it the other way, you bet I would point my grip down!  I do know that there have been some situations where the lighting required a little extra support when I didn't have a tripod so when I rested an am on something it was to my left and others to my right which did effect what direction my grip pointed. I just went with whatever was the most comfortable in the moment to get the shot I wanted.

The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to do this. In the end the direction in which your grip is pointed has no effect on the end result of your image! So I am left wondering why some people feel the need to put others down because of something SO SIMPLE.

Ok maybe it might look awkward but if the person holding the camera prefers it that way,  but who is anyone else to judge? Why can't they enjoy what they are doing and focus on getting the image that has captured their imagination and not on how others feel they look when holding the camera? Why do some feel the need to put anyone down or feel that they are better than others simply for the fact that they hold their grip a certain way? Don't suck the joy of photography from someone by putting them down.

Lets stop judging others in how they go about making art and instead focusing on the important parts, the happiness creating gives them and the beauty that results from their efforts.

I say go photograph any way you want to and whatever feels more natural and comfortable to you as an individual! Whatever way makes it easiest to hold the camera steady, and above all, have fun and enjoy it!

3 Reasons why you should pay to have your portraits done for you.

You have a camera, sure we all do. So... why is it that you should have your portraits taken for you when you could just do it yourself?
There are countless reasons actually, but I'll just list the big ones.
With the summer only a few months away it's a good time to start thinking about senior photos and family portraits.


1. You CAN afford it!

Maybe you are saying "I can't afford it!" If you think you can't afford the photographer you want it never hurts to just talk with them. It really is that easy! They should be able to find something you want for a price you can afford. They might accept payments. It never hurts to ask, the worst thing that can happen is getting a "No." But they might say "Yes!" and all you had to do was ask. There are many GREAT photographers out there and their prices will and do vary from each other. You just have to look. If it's near a holiday or big event or when there is generally a bigger need for photographic services, many times photographers will often run specials.
Just don't let price alone determine who you go to. First decide on the style you like, get a list of photographers you like and then talk to them about any specials they might be running or if they accept payments and narrow it down from there. 

2. It's an experience for you and your loved ones you want to enjoy!

Maybe you don't want to spend the money because you have your own camera and want to do it all yourself. If all you want are a few photos and nothing else, then go for it. If you want the experience, the FULL experience. Why run back and forth from the camera and try to pose in less than 10 seconds? Oh, you have a wireless remote you'd prefer to use instead? Why would you want a remote in your hand in your photos.

3. You want a professional to make sure your photo session turns out exactly how you want!

You have your own camera and a friend who said they'd take the photos for you. For free. Does your friend know your camera inside and out? Do they know how to pose you? Do they know how to compose the shots? What kind of history do they have with photography or even editing photographs? Experience with the art is much more important than many people are willing to admit to themselves. Anyone can pick up a camera and start taking pictures, but they might not be able to capture your family exactly as you want. They might not know how to cull the less than great images or do basic edits. Heck they could even be into the super cheesy edits that no one really likes. (Want the entire photo softened for no reason? How about black and white with one random object in color?) So those cliche edits might work once in a blue moon but it almost never works. 

When you go in search of family photographs, ask yourself what you want. Don't think about price first. Price shouldn't be the biggest factor. Look for what you want. Quality, the ability to capture your family, your event, exactly as you want it to be. Then when you find what you want look at prices that fall into your budget.

Here is a short (very basic) list of what I look for and the order I would look for it.

1. Style - The way the photos are composed and edited.
2. Flexibility - in location(s), props, poses, outfits, ideas you have/ideas they have.
3. Price.

Photography captures small moments in time that will never happen again. My best advice is simple, do your research, know what you want before you go out booking your session.

Why I won't do a 365

For a long time I've thought of starting a 365 project. I went back and forth about it. "YES! I really want to do this!" and "No... it doesn't seem to be what I need or want right now."  There were many "I don't know! What part of the year would be best to start in?" and a few "But I'm so busy right now... I'll just wait a little bit longer to try..." So I sat down and REALLY thought about it, the why's of why I wanted to and the whys of my excuses not to. After much thought I decided against it. Sure there are many things about it that are worth doing it for.

I love the idea of forcing myself to create something every single day! To force myself to be creative, to share something I made every day with all of you, something to stick to for a year. I've seen several people do it for more than one or two years in a row even. Never (or very rarely ever missing a day.)

Ideas are a BIG part of this project. I knew if i tried I didn't want to be stuck with tons and tons of boring shots that could have been taken on the same day. I wanted each to be unique and have a story to it.

Coming up with ideas isn't the hard part, though at first it can be. The more ideas you think up the more ideas will come to you and more often. When I first thought about attempting a 365 I was hit with a lot of inspiration. I had so many ideas I typed them down as fast as I could before I could forget them, then I started sketching them out.
Drawing is not my strong suit. Many of my sketches involve stick figures. It's good enough that I can remember the details of what I wanted when I came up with the idea. I am able to add more depth to my ideas when i browse them looking for one to create.

In the end I decided What is the biggest thing I'd gain from all of this? Experience, learning and LOTS and LOTS of photos! But... What would I gain of just doing a photo when I had the time/props/inspiration of an idea I came up with and had sketched down in my little book?

Now what would I be gaining by NOT doing a 365? Experience and learning and each photo I created would be something I could be proud of. It would not be rushed. They may not come out often but when they do, I know I'll be able to dedicate the time and effort and resources in creating it so that each photo is the best it can be. I would be able to walk away from each photo for a day or even days at a time and then come back with fresh eyes. Fresh eyes... now THAT is something I've learned over the years to appreciate. For me, It can mean a world of difference between a "meh" photo and an amazing photo.

After looking at both of these, I knew what my final decision would be. I hate being rushed and I knew I didn't want to waste my time making tons of photos that weren't as good as they could be with an occasional pretty cool photo thrown in there. 

Either way there is experience and portfolio building to be had.

I guess it all came down to this question: Would you rather have 365 rushed mediocre photos or 20-50 photos you can be really REALLY proud of?

In the end I chose quality over quantity. (Because that is what it would be for me, I know some people wouldn't have a problem getting both quality and quantity.) While some people can spend the time to create a high quality conceptual photo in a day, with all of my jobs I just don't have the time to create one each and every day.

For others there may be different reasons to do it or not, this list is just how it is for me.

H. Anniversary session!

I had a wonderful (and VERY windy!) five year anniversary session a wonderful couple and some beautiful horses!

It really should be illegal for anyone to look that good on a day as windy as that was!