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Photographers, Branch Out Your Learning Material

by Dan Bailey on November 30, 2011 · 5 comments

Practicing with the SB-900s. Learning.

Face it, being a better photographer means being a more diverse and well-rounded photographer. You knew that, though didn’t you. That’s one of the reasons you come here, right? You’re always seeking to improve your craft, learn new tips, techniques and methods, and expand the boundaries of what you’re ultimately capable and comfortable shooting.

As someone who used to shoot only adventure and extreme sport-type subjects and who seriously shied away from inside photography jobs, I’ve certainly diversified my style of photography. Not only has this allowed me to get a wider variety of assignment work and increased income from stock, it’s also contributed to my own personal fulfillment in photography.

Whereas I rarely used to shoot people, except in the context of the sport in which they were currently engaged, now I find myself quite driven by the challenge of shooting environmental and location portraits and focusing on lighting, framing, and expression instead of just action.

To develop this part of my craft, I’ve used the regular learning methods that most of us tend to use: books, instructional videos, workshops, etc… However, I’ve also turned to methods that I wouldn’t have previously thought of. Sometimes I get books to review, and they’re not always titles that I think are relevant to my style of photography. That said, after taking a look at some of them, namely Light and Shoot: 50 Fashion Photos by Chris Gatcum, it occurred to me that there is something to learn from just about every resource, even if you don’t think there is.

For the record, I’m not a fashion shooter. Never will be. That said, fashion shooters use some of the most creative and experimental lighting techniques and styles known to man and I realized that I might be able to learn a few things from this book that I might not have thought of. In fact, I took it with me on the plane while traveling to a recent location assignment where I knew I’d be shooting people, just to browse through and get ideas.

I can’t say that I used any of the exact techniques that were in the book, but by exploring and expanding my scope of learning material, I know that I’ll slowly push my creative boundaries over time. Try it. Get some books you wouldn’t normally get and see what you can learn from them. I promise, you’ll learning something and at least find some new creative inspiration. And remember, you can always write them off.

Happy (diverse) learning.

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Senior contributor Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska.

 

 

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Highlights from the 2011 PhotoPlus Expo

by Dan Bailey on November 4, 2011 · 9 comments

Ken Kaminesky and me at PhotoPlus Expo. Photo by John Shafer: AKA @Photo_John

Well, another PhotoPlus Expo has come and gone and wow, what a show it was! I got to see so much cool gear that I’ve already filled out my Christmas list. (I live in Alaska, so I’ll just hand deliver the list when I get back.)

I finally met a handful of my Twitter friends in person, like @photojack, @Photo_John, @PicSeshu and @KenKaminesky. (I need to talk to him about changing his Twitter handle—maybe something catchy like @Photo_Ken.)

And I learned so much in some of the awesome seminars, that I now know how to fix everything that I’m doing wrong in my photography business.

If you never been to a big photo trade show, let me tell you, you’re missing out big time! To let you relive some of the magic I experienced during the past few days, here’s what a typical day looked like for me. Of course, this is in addition to my regular coverage of posting show tidbits on Facebook and Twitter for The Photoletariat.

7:30 AM Wake up bleary-eyed from staying up late watching bad hotel TV.

8:45AM Dodge raindrops and taxi cabs on my way over to the Javits Center and catch another seminar on photography and social media.

10:38 Head to the Nikon booth to see what it’s like to look through a $12,000 lens.

11:22AM Pass a guy in the hall who looks like he’s probably Zack Arias.

12:16PM Stop Joe McNally and do a 48-second video interview with him for The Photoletariat. Then after he’s gone, realize I messed up and accidentally double-tapped the record button. Decide that a one-second clip of him holding a cup of coffee probably won’t make for a very good blog post.

12:45PM Hand out coupons for my new off-camera flash eBook, “Going Fast With Light,” and inform people that everyone who buys it in the next two weeks is automatically entered to win a $500 gift card from B&H Photo. (This is still going on. Download your copy here and get in on the contest!)

1:02PM Suddenly remember that I forgot to eat breakfast, woof down a Clif Bar, get really busy again and then forget to eat anything else for the rest of the afternoon.

1:35PM Walk past the Midwest Photo Exchange booth and get caught up in a crowd of 750 Strobist readers who are all blocking the aisle, probably hoping to catch a glimpse of David Hobby.

2:11PM Approach a camera equipment manufacturer, introduce myself as the Senior Contributor to The Photoletariat, and ask for free gear to try out and review.

2:15PM Approach another camera equipment manufacturer, introduce myself as pro Alaska adventure photographer and blogger Dan Bailey and ask for free gear to try out and review.

3:18PM Stuff another product catalog into my bag that’s already so full that it’s starting to hurt my back.

3:30PM Run into someone else that I follow on Twitter.

3:46PM Walk past the room where Superstar Dane Sanders just finished his Fast Track coaching seminar and suddenly find myself surrounded by 475 of his wedding photographer groupies.

4:05PM Pass a guy in the hall who’s I think is probably the real Zack Arias.

4:47PM Head back to the Gitzo booth for the third time, in the hopes that someone will give me a free tripod.

6:00PM Go out to dinner and grumble with fellow shooters about how tough it is to be a photographer in this economy. Drink a few more beers and revel in the fact that we’re all living the dream.

8:45PM Stroll through Times Square and see hundreds of tourists taking pictures with their telephones.

10:16PM Arrive back at the hotel. Write and upload Photoletariat blog posts on my iPad so that they can go live first thing in the morning. Then stay up way too late watching bad hotel TV.

Thanks for following along with all of this year’s PhotoPlus Expo coverage, and as always, thanks for reading and retweeting The Photoletariat.

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Senior contributor Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska.

 

 

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10 Tips On How to Build Your Photography Empire

by Dan Bailey on November 2, 2011 · 32 comments

With so much to see and hear at PhotoPlus Expo, it’s a real challenge to balance looking at new gear, networking, and making time for the seminars. It’s impossible to see every one, but I did manage to catch the seminar on Building Multiple Revenue Streams by Derrick Story.

You might recognize the name, Derrick is the social media face of @LowePro. He’s also a working photographer and writer, and he gave a great talk about how widening your net of photography-related income is key to succeeding in the business these days. Visit Derrick’s blog The Digital Story.

Here are 10 tips on how to build your photo empire in the new economy…

[click to continue…]

The Sad Truth about Vendor-Client Relationships

by Dan Bailey on October 20, 2011 · 19 comments

Go ahead, all you photographers, freelancers and self employed creative types: watch this video and laugh. Then, you have my permission to cry.

It’s great that someone actually took the time to make this video. I applaud them, although I have no idea how the any of the actors kept a straight face while making it. It’s totally over the top and yet it rings so true. It’s also a bit cathartic to watch because it reminds us that we’re not alone. We hear this stuff from our clients and customers all the time. Unfortunately, there’s an element of artistic and creative work that will always be treated this way by some people in the business world.

Will we ever be able to completely change this perception and get treated with the respect that we deserve? I doubt it. However, though continued education, carefully worded contracts, effective negotiation before a job, and through the advice, advocacy and information that is provided by organizations like ASMP, we can at least arm ourselves with the right counter arguments to these kinds of statements.

Of course, not every client is like this. Some gladly pay for services rendered and don’t grumble, haggle or try to split hairs or nickel and dime their way through the entire negotiating process. If you have clients like that, reward them. Work extra hard for them. Shower them with affection and presents and consider writing them into your will, because those are the clients that you never want to lose. They’re worth more than gold. No, platinum.

For help dealing with the not-so-easy clients, make sure you read our posts on pricing photography that I and some of the other contributors write about here on The Photoletariat.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear some of the “best’ ones” that you’ve heard. Post them in the comment section below. It will be like therapy.

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Senior contributor Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska.

 

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Photographers, Take Care of Your Arms!

by Dan Bailey on September 8, 2011 · 23 comments

Back in the good old days, we spent only spent a fraction of each workday at the computer. The rest of the time was divided up between the light table and that spot in your office or home where you packaged up slides and finished photographs to ship out to clients. Those days are over. Now, between editing images, updating web sites, emailing clients, uploading photos, writing blog posts and eBooks, and spending time on social media sites, we spend an enormous amount of time at the computer. Here it is, 7:59 AM on a Tuesday, and I’m furiously typing away. These days, if we’re not out on a shoot, there’s a good chance that we’re at the computer.

Unfortunately, all that mouse and keyboard time can lead to repetitive stress injuries, which is the last thing you want as a photographer. Imagine trying to hold your camera or external flash unit and having your forearm or elbow scream out at you, or — worse yet — give out on you. The phrase “no pain, no gain” does not apply here; physical in pain is not exactly a great creative motivator — take my word for it. [click to continue…]

4 Great Blog Posts to Read Today

by Dan Bailey on August 16, 2011 · 18 comments

Spend a few hours on the web on any given day and you’ll stumble across about fifty gajillion blog posts and Twitter links. Most will provide an unending amount of photography goodness and information; some can be applied to your own creative ventures. However, reading all those posts takes time and if you spend the majority of your day reading, that means that you’re not spending the majority if your day shooting and marketing. Believe me, I keep learning this the hard way. [click to continue…]

Take Charge of Your Photography Business Model

by Dan Bailey on July 26, 2011 · 20 comments

I keep hearing about how the photography industry has changed so much in the past few years. Apparently, it’s dying and near impossible to make a living at this type of work anymore. However, I’m having a hard time believing that, mostly because I’m doing better than I ever have before during my 15-year career. [click to continue…]

Another 5 Photos That I Saw On Flickr

by Dan Bailey on June 15, 2011 · 5 comments

LeavesAnother installment of 5 cool and inspiring photos I saw today on Flickr!

I’ve done this a couple times before and had lots of fun with it. If you’re a new reader, you can view my previous Flickr posts here and here. [click to continue…]

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