Intro by Skip Cohen Every now and then I run across an image posted on Facebook that leaves me speechless. Sometimes it's the technique involved. Sometimes it's the location or degree of difficulty in capturing the image. The image below is about the true meaning of photography - it's about emotion, love and a certain sadness that's explained in Tamara Lackey's comments. I wanted to share it for several reasons. First, it's an amazing image, captured by Tamara's daughter while in Ethiopia at an orphanage. Second, it's a great way to make you aware of a special fund-raiser Tamara and her family are doing. Last but not least, I couldn't be more proud of my friendship with Tamara. We all talk about wanting to make a difference in the world, but here's a family who's really doing it. There's also something amazing about the image. Love is intangible, yet her daughter managed to capture all the emotion between a mother and son. Looking at the image you feel the love, the pain and even the hope. Tamara and her family are raising money to safeguard this orphanage and while she might be over her goal, let's help her blow the doors off her original target. It's not like this is the only funding these children will need. Just click the link below. Follow more of the story on Tamara's Facebook page. More images and information is just a click away. by Tamara Lackey My oldest daughter took this candid shot of me and our 5 1/2 year old son, who we have spent every day with while we've been here for the last two weeks, much time spent around meals and wash up and managing projects and outings and practicing English and play. And a whole lot of time spent just like this : ) I was taken aback when she showed me this. It exactly, perfectly, shows how I feel for him. The fact that it has been over 13 months since we started this adoption process, the fact that we are all closer to him than ever before, and the fact that we must leave this country *without* him - at least for now - just does not add up in any way for any of us. It feels incredible unnatural, frustrating and so very sad. I know there are optimistic views about all of this that I will make an effort to move to, for the sake of all of us, soon. But, for right now, the thought of having to leave him here just feels all kinds of wrong.
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In late July I wrote a post about the value of images. We all take for granted the true power behind so many of the photographs we capture. Stephen Hoff wrote the following comment: In 2009, I shot a small wedding and the groom's parents didn't want to pose for 'pictures'. I respectfully asked if they would allow me to take a few with their grandson. They agreed and ended up loving the images. About a month later, the father/grandfather died in a freak accident while at work. The mother of the bride asked if I was able to provide a framed image to the family for the memorial service, and I was happy to be able to do so. I recently shot the bride's sister's wedding and the groom, whose father died, said that they are so happy they have the images of the family together. At the time I took it, I didn't realize how important that particular image would be to them. To this day, every time I look in the viewfinder, I realize the importance of the people and images we capture and the responsibilities we have as photographers. Thanks Stephen, your story makes such a strong point about the value of every image. You never know how it's going to be used or its value later on. Intro by Skip Cohen I've written before about social media making the world a smaller space. Here's a prime example. I've never met Kristina Sherk, but caught some examples of her work as a retoucher after she posted on Twitter. I checked out the link she shared and then picked up the phone and called her. During the conversation I asked if her if she had an interest in doing a guest post and here we are. I love her approach, because retouching certainly isn't just for beauty photographers. More to the point, so many of you spend hours on your computer cleaning up images when your true value to the business is in marketing. Jeff Jochum coined an expression years ago with "right-sourcing". It's like outsourcing, but more to the point. So, when it comes to your images, work to get great shots right out of the can. Get to know your gear and fine-tune your skill set, so you're not having to spend hours cleaning things up. Next, when you get an image that really requires additional work, things you couldn't have resolved before hitting the shutter button, consider enlisting the help of somebody with a great skill set, a retoucher like Kristina. Interested in seeing more of Kristina's work? Check out her website. She's based in Bethesda, MD, but with the click of a mouse she can be right next to you anywhere in the world. by Kristina Sherk While I do have to admit, the majority of retouching inquiries I get are about beauty retouching, I’m always excited by inquiries from photographers outside the fashion and beauty fields. Sometimes (if I’m lucky) the request is something I’ve never done before, so I get to challenge myself! I’ve heard it all; from “Can you remove this person?” to “Can you change the background?” and even… “We need to create a group photo from a bunch of individual portraits.” So, as you can see; retouching is not just for the fashion photographer anymore! A long time mentor of mine; John Harrington once told me, “The amount of time you have with your client is reversely correlated to how much money you should be charging them.” To translate; when you’re photographing executives in the corporate realm, their time is exceptionally valuable, and the less time you take to capture a good portrait, the better a photographer you are. And thus, you should be compensated accordingly. After all, time is money, people! So when photographers feel the need to call in a retoucher, it’s usually after a shoot didn’t go according to plan, or the client wasn’t happy. And sometimes, it’s a direct effect of how much time the photographer had with the client. Having a professional retoucher on call who can fix problems if the shoot goes awry is imperative if you choose not to devote the time to learning photoshop. But please don’t take this statement the wrong way! It’s ultimately your choice to decide how your time is best spent. If you do decide to devote time to learning photoshop, plenty of photographers become exceptionally proficient in the program over time. I recommend photographers take one new menu item a day and research how to use it. It only takes 30 minutes or so, and over time, as your knowledge of the program grows, you’ll be able to save yourself tons of hours of work because you’ll know how to work smarter, not harder! Here are a couple examples of corporate images I’ve retouched. Stephen Voss called me to see if I could replace the table cloth and cutlery on the table, with a natural wood table top because “the editors thought it didn’t look organic enough.” Isaac Oboka’s clients decided after the portrait, that while they liked the wife in the image, the husband didn’t look that great. So I recreated the shutters behind the woman and removed the husband. Jamie Rose: In this image for a housing ad about moving into a new apartment, I got to play stylist and wardrobe staff, while I added a shirt to the boy in the shot. Whether you decide to retouch your images yourself, or outsource the work, retouching is still an integral step in the photography process. You owe your clients the best representation of themselves in the image you provide to them. If you do it right, your clients will stick with you over the years since “they always look so good in the photos you take of them.”
Can someone say client retention? Cha-CHING! Intro by Skip Cohen It should be pretty obvious by now that I'm a Sallee fan and that includes both DeEtte and JB. Our friendship goes back a lot of years, but that's not the point of sharing this image and what DeEtte wrote below. First, there's no danger of that old expression, "the shoemaker's kids always need shoes" ever describing the Sallee's personal family photography. They put the same effort into their own family portraits they do with every client. Second, I love what DeEtte wrote and wanted to share it beyond her Facebook page. She's as poignant in what she's written as she is creative with her and JB's images. There aren't too many photographers who can express themselves as well with a pen as they can with a camera. So, congrats to DeEtte and JB; a big thanks for sharing the image and the news, and an even bigger thanks for never compromising on anything you believe in. by DeEtte Sallee
Some of you already know…WE ARE PREGNANT!!! We found out yesterday that it will be Fabulous GIRL #3!!! I was VERY sick for quite awhile so I knew it would be a girl deep down, but to be honest I am still in shock! Coming from a family where I had two brothers, I never imagined myself to have ALL girls. I was never super girly…lol. So here are a few of my wishes as we raise these three beauties: Wishes... * They will NOT be mean girls * They will be well rounded * They will be athletic…they will know how to throw a ball, kick a ball, swing a bat and generally know how to hang with any boy wink emoticon * They will value education * They will know how to look "cute" but not rely on that Ultimately, I hope they will LOVE each other and cherish the special relationship they will have as sisters! I never had a sister and always longed for that bond…So...Here's to sisters!!! {Wish us luck} Intro by Skip Cohen I've spent my entire life in the photographic industry. There's no other career field I can imagine I would have ever had the experiences and the pure joy every day than imaging. However, in this guest post from Joan Whitman Hoff, she hits on a topic I've seen come up over and again, and it ties into a major frustration. We all have events in our lives that change our direction. Too often something changes in somebody's life and they need to step back from their "journey". Suddenly the grape vine cranks up, and the rumors start. I've seen rumors of companies going out of business because somebody puts out a message they're in trouble. I've had calls from people who heard mutual friends were ill because they've dropped some weight. I've even been asked if one photographer had a nervous breakdown because they'd gone off the grid for a few days. People assume the worst. My frustration is the way people draw the wrong conclusions. It's a spin-off of my good pal, Joan Whitman Hoff's theme in this guest post. What I love about Joan's approach is her suggestion we all learn to take the high road and be better friends to everybody who falls and just needs a little help and time getting back up. We're always talking about "giving back" and Joan's final suggestion is perfect for all of us. Let's take giving back to a new level and not just apply it to the charities and larger scale projects we support, but individuals who simply need help. by Joan Whitman Hoff A friend of mine once told me she wouldn’t mind being rich; but she didn’t want to be famous. I have thought about this over the years and I understand what she meant. Being rich enables us to live the life we choose; being famous doesn’t necessarily do so. Whether it is fame in the larger world or fame in the community of photography, it is clear the more we do, and the more we become leaders, the more accountable we are to others, and the world. As leaders, people pay more attention to us and we become role models to them. Whether we are educators, photographers, marketing specialists, or an association or corporation, people expect great things from us, and rightfully so. Yet, as humans, we make mistakes; as humans, things befall us. Loved ones die, relationships end, illnesses threaten to take our lives, accidents occur, and all we can do is respond to those events in the best way possible. Unfortunately, during those times, we tend to judge and even abandon the ‘fallen’. We take their ‘falls’ as a betrayal of what they promised and who they are, not being aware of their circumstances. Instead of remaining vigilant and quiet - reminding ourselves that if we can’t say something good about someone, then it is better to say nothing at all - we abandon those who have taught us and shared their wisdom with us when they need our support the most. Most people I know have endured some type of traumatic hardship, and some have had to dig themselves out from underground, peel themselves out of bed in the morning, and, once they do, wonder if they will make it through the day. We might not know that, unless they share their stories with us, which I have found many people eventually do; so, perhaps we can find a way to suspend our judgment and view their uncharacteristic ‘fall’ as a call for help. Maybe as good followers and students we can demonstrate what we have learned; not technique or aesthetic sensibility alone – but the qualities of a good leader… and not abandon ‘ship’. We don’t know what has occurred in another person’s life. Unless that person tells us the details, we will never know the truth. Even then, we might never know it fully. So, if someone we have admired fails, let’s be good followers; let’s not ask more for what they can do for us. Let’s ask what we can now do for them. Maybe it can be our way of giving back to them what they have given to us. Ever had a friend who may not have been around that long, but you can't remember when he/she wasn't in your life? Well, meet Levi Sim. He's a photographer, a writer, an educator, a Dad, husband and friend. If you've been to any major photographic show in the last few years, then you probably saw him in his signature fedora and always with a camera. Levi redefines passion when it comes to imaging. In fact, the collage below is a collection of images by Levi, friends and family that I lifted off his Facebook page, because they really help show who he is. In fact, if you were at the Bay Photo party at WPPI, then you caught Levi capturing his trademark "Steve Jobs" pose of many of the guests that night. He even got me to stand still at the party. He's got an interesting point about Facebook in today's guest post. Levi is a great photographer to follow and the easiest way to keep track of him is just link to his Facebook page. And, if you're at a conference or trade show and catch him on the floor, just walk up and introduce yourself. There's isn't a more approachable artist in the industry. by Levi Sim
Do you know what I love? Photography conferences. They are the best place to meet like-minded people and make new friends. For example, I'm really looking forward to Photoshop World in a few weeks where I'll not only meet new people, but I'll also meet up with my pals from around the world. It's awesome, and I'll do everything I can to reaffirm relationships with people and companies. But do you know what I won't do? I won't ask any of my industry friends to "like" my Facebook page, and you shouldn't, either. Photographers Cost Me Money on Facebook Facebook can be beneficial for small businesses. Most photographers I know have a business page on Facebook--which is good since clients probably hang out on Facebook-- and most have invited me to "like" it. I understand this-I want my photography peers to see my work, too, and my Facebook page might be a good place to share my latest work. But it costs me money to have photographers "like" my page. Facebook is paid for by advertisers, and one catch is that only a certain percentage of your business page audience will see a post unless you pay for promotion;I think it's as little as 6% will even see it in their time lines. If you're paying for exposure, you want results by reaching your clients (you know, those people who will give you money to do your work). Chances are, photographers aren't your potential clients, but they are a part of the impressions you paid to make. Facebook doesn't distinguish who your post will reach: impressions are impressions. I love to have kudos from my industry friends, but I'm not willing to pay for that privilege, and I don't think you should, either. If you want to spend money on photographers, buy them lunch instead. See you on Instagram. Intro by Skip Cohen This guest post is a testimonial to two different realities. First, the power of social media. Chris Corradino and I met on line, then via the phone and now several times over the last couple of years, we've caught up to each other at various trade shows and conventions, usually PPE in New York. He's a passionate photographer, writer and educator. In fact, he wrote a great guest post on mirrorless technology last year. Second is that old expression, "great minds think alike." In a podcast with Mary Ellen Mark, who the industry lost just a short time ago, she talked about making her students cover up the display on their digital cameras. Why? Because so often they're looking to chimp and think they got the shot. However, the real image, the one with all the power may not have happened yet. It's the whole reason why she loved shooting analog vs digital. As she put it, when you don't know if you got the shot you stay with the scene longer. Interested in keep track of Chris? He needs to be on your radar. Here's a link to his most recent newsletter which is where I found the great little tip below. You'll find a lot more helpful content on his website. Featured Tip: Study the Subject not the Camera
I see a number of photographers who prepare well, do their research, and get in the right place at the right time only to miss the shot. Why? They got distracted and took their eye away from the viewfinder while their subject proceeded to do something amazing. This is most often a product of fixating on the LCD screen. While it's helpful to immediately see your results, be sure to watch the scene in front of you. By remaining present you'll be ready to capture the decisive moment. Intro by Skip Cohen This is a prime example of the fun of social media - making the world a smaller place. Just a few months ago French photographer, Pierre Lambert contacted me on an IM and we talked about ShutterFest. I asked him if he wanted to do a guest post. I love what he wrote. I've been involved in Shutter Magazine and ShutterFest from the very beginning and what Sal and Taylor Cincotta and their team built is far more than just a great magazine and convention. They built a community! They even created a troll-less Facebook group where photographers help each other and aren't afraid to share ideas on marketing, technique and ways to grow their business. ShutterFest 2016 is going to be pretty remarkable. As the team adds more great programs and components, it's becoming one of the most attendee-centric conventions in photography! See you in St. Louis in 2016...along with Pierre...and check out Pierre's site for more images and information about his photography in Europe. by Pierre T. Lambert Traveling has always been exciting to me and even more when it is for photography. About a year ago I fell into Sal Cincotta’s vortex after watching one of his Creative Live classes. Whether you like what he does or not, it is difficult to stay indifferent to him. In my case I really appreciated his very direct way of speaking. From there I discovered Shutter Magazine, attended one of his workshops in London and starting hearing about “ShutterFest”. All the way to Paris that event sounded really intriguing. They advertised that it was going to be like no other conference. The fact that there would be a lot of shooting involved & classes to attend made it really appealing to me, eager to learn more. So there I was getting a ticket months in advance, (which was really cheap at the time for Europeans with the exchange rate).but not totally sure I would actually be going. Since I had my ticket, I joined the ShutterFest Facebook group and then my mind was blown away… the community of people in this group was incredible! So many people were asking sound questions about every aspect of photography (business, technique…) and people were helping each other. In this little world of photographers there were actually people not trying to keep their success a secret recipe! The event has become THE event for photography. So much so, that I ended up extending my trip to shoot, visit friends in LA & Chicago and even discover Vegas. I was also one of the first two photographers to come from Europe, one from Germany & me from France. The event started blowing my mind as soon as I arrived. Photographers were already shooting with models everywhere and the event hadn’t officially started. People were coming from everywhere in the US, which surprised me, being European. I know how big the US really is. I mean if you were coming from California all the way to Saint Louis it was further than going from Paris to the other end of Europe in Istanbul. It was incredible being able to actually meet in person, photographers who I had only known through social media in the Facebook group. Apparently people could tell from my accent that I was from France and it ended up creating a lot of fun situations. To improve your skills and propose different things to your clients you have to step out of your comfort zone, learn more and be open to new experiences. ShutterFest was amazing in making that happen. Seeing what happens on the other side of the Atlantic was great. I've taken some ideas and brought them home to my own market. Education at the event was remarkable and what was even better was seeing the instructors having as much fun as the “students," often shooting outside of their classes with other photographers. I keep thinking how amazing that would be to have the event held in Paris and all the crazy shots that would come out of it. What really impressed me was seeing all those models at the event, allowing the photographers to be super creative. It was like a giant amusement park for photographers: renting lenses for free, shooting taking place everywhere, instructors and experienced photographers helping out others and quality vendors to make your life better. What Sal’s small team (8 people) pulled together is incredible. I've never experienced this sense of community and support to one another on this scale before. And, from some of the veterans I met, they confirmed my feelings. It was a long trip from Paris, but without regret I can say this was worth every cent. I came out of it with new photographer friends, killer shots, new techniques and more knowledge. I'll be there next year! By the way, just a side bar on the differences in our markets: One big thing I noticed is the huge discrepancy between the US market for weddings and the market in France - the average in the US is $24,000 spent overall on the wedding compared to the 12K euros ($13,000) here. I can't wait for the 2016 convention - See you at ShutterFest next April! All images copyright Pierre T. Lambert and taken during ShutterFest. All rights reserved.
Intro by Skip Cohen Okay, so I know many of you, like me, might be intimidated by a guest post by a Doctor of Philosophy from the academic world, but trust me a little. In conversations over the phone with Joan, I've gotten to know her passion for our craft as well as education and philosophy. And, if you think about the three questions she's presenting in this guest post, she's further defined a statement I've made over the years. "With the exception of modern medicine, there is no other profession that's given the world more than photography. No matter what side of the business you're in, you've been a key part of an industry dedicated to capturing memories and stopping time for millions of people each year. You've helped to capture the beauty of the world and the disasters, both large and small. Think about what a wedding album might look like without photographs. Sketches, stick figures and a lot of text would describe the power of that tear in a father's eyes as he walks his daughter down the aisle. Or, what would a newspaper or magazine look like without the images?" Society trusts us to deliver, to capture those moments and with that trust comes a huge responsibility. Joan is only touching the tip of the iceberg in this first guest post, but I hope there are more coming. It's so important for us to define the parameters of our profession so we can better establish a code of ethics that also defines the true meaning of calling yourself a "professional". (Listen to Joan's podcast by clicking the link below.) by Joan Whitman Hoff
What does it mean to say that photography is a profession? As someone who has taught professional ethics for thirty plus years, and someone who also has a vested interest in photography, I have become interested in the ‘moral dimension’ of the profession. In order to reflect upon this, we must ask: In what sense is photography a profession? In what sense is there a moral dimension to that profession? What are some of the responsibilities a professional photographer has? Photography can be considered a profession, even though it might differ from the ‘historical’ professions, such as law, medicine, and education. Professionals have expertise in an area that provides service to society. There is a particular set of professional practices and principles that that one must follow, which have a moral dimension. As Thomas and Rosellen Garret and Harold Baillie note, the moral dimension of being a professional entails:
In what way does photography entail a dedication to a particular way of life? Photography requires a dedication to several things. First is that it requires education, both theoretical and practical. Camera functions, lighting, developing, printing, etc., require practice and as a professional, it requires helping to better the profession as much as it requires bettering/improving one’s knowledge, skills, etc. It also entails developing good business and human relation practices. In what sense does photography entail activities important to the functioning of society? The history of photography has taught us much about history itself, even though we know that photographs don’t always tell the truth. Photographs, and photographers, are powerful in that they aid in the advancement of our knowledge and understanding of the world, and of ourselves as individuals in the world. If we think about the way in which visual media has been used to convey information, etc., we can understand its importance. Likewise, a single photograph can change a person’s life; a portrait can help someone see themselves in a new way and foster confidence. So, as much as it has an impact on an individual’s life, it has a social impact, too. We change the world, and hopefully make it better, one person at a time. In what sense does photography (or being a photographer) require service to society? Photographers serve the world in a number of ways, whether photojournalists, portrait artists, or school photographers, to name but a few. They do so by capturing images, moments, events, of individuals and collectives that highlight moments in life that record history visually and help to define experiences. In terms of business, photographers provide services that are of the utmost importance to individuals and other businesses, and this is exemplified in the wide span of photographic activities that are undertaken for the sake of self and others in society and they fulfill a need. Summary While each of these can be elaborated upon, it is clear that photography is a profession that provides important services to society. Like other professions, photographers have codes of ethics outlined for them by professional associations, which provide guidelines for the activities of photographers and remind them of their responsibilities as photographers in society. Trust, truthfulness, and integrity are just a few of the concepts noted in many of these codes, all of which can help to foster good relationships and good business, which are key components of moral professionalism. Note: Interested in finding out more about Joan or contacting her directly? You can contact her through her Website, Facebook, LinkedIn So here's the short version of the back story on Russell Grace and Angela Kullmann. Two years ago Sheila and I met them at an art show here in Sarasota. A few months later Angie did a guest post and then we spent the next two years trying to find a time to catch up for dinner during one of the art shows in the area. We finally made it last month when they were here for a show in St. Petersburg. They're back on the road again and Russell sent me this shot from Chicago this morning that I just love. Russell and Angie are purists, shooting infrared film exclusively. Infrared is a kick and at this point, I think their "mind's eye" sees things in infrared...film, NOT a filter in Photoshop! Look for a guest post one of these days soon on anticipating the light and the decisive moment - it's definitely different when you're shooting infrared film. Meanwhile, enjoy one of Russell's newest images and one of my favorites! Check out more of Russell and Angie's work on their website!
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