jon jacobson

<img src="http://www.picturemichigan.com/bateson/bateson/images/221-3305.jpg">

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<img src="http://www.picturemichigan.com/ridley/ridley/images/231-5514.jpg">

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<a href="http://www.grand-rapids-wedding-photography.com"><img src="http://www.picturemichigan.com/rainey/rainey/images/323-6886.jpg"></a>

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I believe you're on the right track by setting them up in a way to accentuate their personalities. Be more inspired by their personalities and less by our examples.

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- Jon

<i>...I load their images on a Lacie portable drive which I give to them.</i>

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Excellent and awesome idea Marc!! Does the OS ever become an issue (Mac to PC)?

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I transfer at home with a couple of CF card readers. The new Bridge CS3 has a handy utility to transfer all files from a card used on the 20Ds (instead of 100 at a time in different folders, it transfers all at once). Unfortunately, it works on only one card at a time.

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Destination weddings are different. I'll transfer at the hotel (CF card reader), then burn DVDs and mail the DVDs home.

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I think transfering directly from your camera is undue stress on the camera. Use it to take pictures. Use a card reader for transfer.

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Immediate wireless on-site transfer AS A BACKUP is an interesting option, but seems a little involved. I'm not fond of the idea of leaving computer equipment unattended. Now if you could rig a Pelican case with a power cord, proper ventilation and lock it down, you may be on to something. :)

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- Jon

Two types of rechargables:

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NiCd<br>

NiMH

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You want the NiMH.

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The batteries have a rating based on "current." It's the mAh. Don't go any lower than 2500 mAh.

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I personally buy the Energizer NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) 2500 mAh. I get them at Target.

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- Jon

Hi John.

As far as I know (I hope) Graphi still offers what you're describing.

I get the two mixed up, but it's either Art Leather or Leather Craftsman..., doesn't one of these companies offer something similar?

No luck on the infamous albums thread on DWF?

- Jon

I know of a pro that shoots film and carries a P&S digital, but his primary gear is all film, including proper film backups.

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<i>I liken it to shooting an event like this with 1 SLR and 1 RF or small P&S back in the film days - which I also thought about doing as well. :-)</i>

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"Back in the film days," you would still have pro 35mm film (or even 120 depending on your bodies) in your backups.

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The digital comparison you pose is more like bringing a pro 35mm or 120 film camera and then one of those old pocket cameras with the tiny film (was it 110 film in a cartridge?) as a backup.

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- Jon

Shared Ink has a secret professional membership. E-mail customer service to set it up.

You can design your own custom layouts (in PhotoShop or In Design etc) for full page bleeds.

They are much better than the likes of My Publisher, but fall a little short of Asuka quality.

No seriously bad horror stories, but I did have a few panic moments:

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- 20d shutter locked during the processional. Fortunately, I had a 5d at the ready. Quick swap of lens and flash for Bride and FOB. Either way, Bride wasn't happy about the missed processional.<br>

- I'm not sure how it happened, but over half of the rechargable AAs for the strobes were dead. Fortunately, we made it with the few that were charged.<br>

- An interesting moment was while we were doing a "location" shoot between ceremony and reception, the groom received a phone call saying the guests had already emptied the bar. This is while we were all huddled under a gazebo during the pouring rain. But the true disaster here, is that we were under a tornado warning and unaware of it. No sirens. Nothing. It touched down only a few miles away, and I'm certain we missed a killer photo op!<br>

- My wife hit a deer on her way to a wedding. Fortunately, we drive separately (for this reason) to local gigs. In the end, the car was still drivable.<br>

- And for the ultimate deer-in-headlights moment (unrelated to the previous deer), a groomsman in one wedding approached me about his picture I posted on P/net from HIS wedding a few months prior. At least I hope I didn't show panic. Turned out he was flattered by it. :)

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- Jon

A.) Shutter drag w/o flash<br>

B.) Shutter drag w/ flash<br>

C.) Shutter in drag<br>

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<img src="http://www.picturemichigan.com/dwf/004.jpg">

Looks like Kubota's LOTR action. At the very least, not much more than selective softening of the highlights and contrast adjustments.

Cross processing is a darkroom term -- emulsion swapping. Not easily emmulated digitally. This image is not "cross processed."

In the spirit of fair play, I would like to offer up an unsolicited recommendation. Take it for what it's worth.

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As a wedding professional, I recognize the value of each wedding vendor out there. Ya gotta admit, once you're spending tons of money on all of this other cool stuff, wouldn't you want to preserve the memories in the best way possible? (yes, another rhetorical question, but hopefully, one that does not cast stones)

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My central concern here is the irony of your aspirations of becoming a wedding professional in light of your request.

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To further qualify that, I would never recommend to a bride to cut back on the flowers or the cake, because I know the pictures will be of less value. That is, I would not say, "hire me to take awesome and excellent pictures of your budget fake flowers or your budget lopsided cake."

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Get a credit card. Get a good photographer.

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Personally, it pains me that you are having such a huge beautiful event, but willing to create a circus of photographers. As you say, amateur photographers. And a lot of them. An amateur photographer has greater things to worry about. Guests with cameras are difficult enough to deal with. You, by way of your request, will take on as many as possible amateur photographers. This will make things even worse. Way worse!

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Go into dept with photography. It will truly be an investment worth making. If two years from now you're still paying for it, at least after you mail the check to the bank you can pull out your album and enjoy that investment.

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By way of an example, recently we shot an outdoor wedding that was wet. Soaking wet was more like it. A tornado touched down less than ten miles away. A disaster? Maybe for the B&G it felt that way briefly during the day, but they will have amazingly beautiful and tangible memories of what turned out to be one of the most astonishing celebrations we've experienced all year!

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That particular day, I recall many times I had the foresight to snap a picture of things nobody else would have captured. That is, until after I snapped it. While the guests were huddled in the small basement, I took a picture of the TV screen indicating the tornado warning. After everybody saw me taking it, they all took a picture of the TV screen.

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I wouldn't recommend this debt for just anybody. At least for you, a future wedding professional, you can transfer this personal experience to your professional experience.

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Professional experience is worth paying for, whether it's an event coordinator or a photographer.

Stacy, there is definitely a market for that style of fine art portraiture. Maybe the Pacers! The pictures they just showed on Sports Center were pretty bad. :)

Thinking of Marc's suggestions, maybe consider getting an agent? This would boost the word of mouth.

That image is on the verge of gallery quality!

<img src="http://www.picturemichigan.com/blog/uploaded_images/0956328.jpg"><p>

5d - 24-105 4 // 60mm, 1/50, f4.0 //<br>speedlights setup as noted above<br>the glare and shadows make the placement obvious

If you know your crop is dead center on every image, seems like you could write an action using the Marq Select tool (M).

If each image will be different, record the action with a stop, manually adjust, and continue.

ACR would still be tons quicker though. :)

The ST-E2 is a little less reliable in a big room for what you'd want to set up. I'm certainly not saying you should't get one..., just not as practicle here.

This past weekend, I had a 580 pointed straight up as the master. Then I had 3 "butlers" set up (420, 550, 580). Two on stands about 15' out and 12' high on each side of me (one further back), and one more illuminating the background. The ST-E2 did not reach the butlers in this particular room (60's built church with steep a-frame wood ceilings and carpet floor).

Oh yeah, I've also found that an omnibounce on a master 580 has better reach for remote triggering.

(both computers are batching right now, so I cannot show an image)

<i>Sole proprietorship here...<br>

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Did I say <b><i>soul</i></b> proprietorship?<br>

DOH!<br>

hahahahahaha<br>

:)

Okay, I feel like I'm a lone duck (but certainly not a lame duck). I'm Jon Jacobson, and I approve of this message.

I'm glad you put that creek shot back in your portfolio Stacy!

:)

- Jon

<i>I'm wondering if I need to register a business before claiming a name, creating business cards, etc, etc</i>

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You don't need to for a soul proprietorship, but it's wise to do so. It will be needed for a business checking account. A tax ID will be a good idea too.

We just added a few months ago a "build your own package" (name your own package too!). :)

It's more expensive in the long run, but less money up front.

No shoot 'n burns allowed. No takers yet, but I anticipated that.

Steve is right about algorithms, and that is "links to you." Reciprocal is the key here. when two sites link to each other, even more stronger.

BUT, you have a google ranking of 3/10. Very good! That's not the issue really.

You did a Google search on KANSAS WEDDING PHOTOGRAHY. If those are the key words you suspect your customers will use, then those words need to be used heavily in your main page, especially in that order in the title.

Google will sub out photographer and photographers for photography, but the preference is exact wording.

In the body of the text, also include the exact words in the exact order "Kansas Wedding Photography." Google robots like when they are headers, such as <h1>Kansas Wedding Photography</h1>.

Also put this term in the ALT text for your image header too.

Plus you're not limited to just those three words. Be clever, such as <title>Kansas Wedding Photography for Kansas City Missouri by Roberto Barrero Studio</title>

Wedding photography is tough to get a good google position because of all the directories. And even though WEDJ links back to you, it is not indexed -- unless you pay them. (very smart of them to do it that way too!)

Best way to improve this reciprocal linking, is to get vendors to link back to you. And make sure you link back to them. Make certain your "links" page is not called "links." Get rid of that word from your website (if it's there). If possible, encourage your vendors to get rid of "links" also. Call it something else, like "resources."

There is tons of information out there for this stuff. It just takes time to invest. And when it's all said and done, will it have been time well spent? It should be such a small microcosm of your overall marketing efforts. The relationship you build with those vendors will be better than the links back to you. :)

Mr Jones, I agree with you about your points, but I believe we are of differing views of "value." I think if we were in the bar drinking, I would explain what I believe "value" to be, and you would say, "exactly, that's what price is."

I do not like to hear when people say, "price your services based on what it costs you, plus extra profit." I strongly disagree with this point of view. I believe that if your service is in demand, value comes from what those are willing to pay. If you're good enough, the price should far exceed what you require to stay in business.

But that's, um, quite the exegetical analysis of my post. Perhaps we should go out drinking sometime, and you can explain to me what it is I'm talking about. :)

<i>I don't discuss my value as an 'artist' creating some unique and special day for them and them alone. I won't search for differentiators that make me a better 'value' or 'better deal' than my competitors.

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Why not? Because when I do, I open myself up for that argument that I can only lose - the client 'proves' that it only costs me X to have a print made, so why am I charging them Y for it? The client 'proves' that I am technically making X per hour, so why not settle for Y per hour? No, I will not go there - ever.

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I have a price that I charge for an 8x10 print. It is not the Walmart price. I will not discuss with the client what I pay to have the print made, the time or effort I put into it, my amortized costs for equipment, wear and tear on my car, none of that. It is not relevant to the discussion or negotiation. I am not a car dealer, I won't 'show them the invoice'.

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What I sell is a package of products and services under the terms of a contract, with options for more products. There is nothing wrong with this, it is how business is done in every part of the free enterprise world.

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I will negotiate prices. I will not negotiate value.

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I generally like what you're saying, but taking some of your individual statements, I'm not sure I understand, mostly because of what you say about the car salesman.

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There's really no negotiating value. BUT, as I see the world through my eyes, negotiating price <b>is</b> negotiating value.

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I'm imagining you're saying, "my calendar is going to fill up anyway, so there's not need to sell this."

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If this is the case, then yes, not talking about value works. But let's face it. Turn on the TV, value is being sold. Whether it's a Lexus, toenail funguss medicine, or Miller Lite.

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They don't talk about value as it pertains to R&D and marketing and healthcare expense for employees. They display the value that driving the car everybody else wishes they had, or how the hot women will make breakfast for the barfly.

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I dunno, I don't quite follow what you're saying there Mr Jones. Perhaps we're just not on the same road that leads to value. :)

I prefer to avoid burying anything in the spine, but I've done it time to time. I don't have an overall issue with it, unless important parts are buried, like a nose or an eye. Depends on the the image and layout.

I really don't like moving them to the side either, but I tend to do this more often.

The example you give, such as a background low opacity image, sure, I'd even bury the couple in the spine if NEEDED.

Page through some magazines. It's done all the time. I'm not crazy about it when I see it, but it seems to be widely accepted.