don_hill

Jon - your resonse had me rolling...</p>All I could think was - The <em>

SOUL</em> Proprietor! (with a little train chugging across the screen and doing a little train

boogie).</p>And on a serious note, yes. If you are in business, you have to protect yourself

and your personal assets. We live in a very litigious time, and therefore cannot screw up a

wedding. However, accidents do happen, so always use contracts and legally separate

yourself from your business.

Yes we do the work, but it is the clients album. <em>Please</em> think in terms of the

clients perspective, I for one would <em>not</em> want the photographer's goofy

information in my wedding album. Besides, if the viewer loves the work (and they will love

the work, won't they), the bride will more than likely sell the viewer on your services. On

the flip-side, what if the work was only so-so and the viewer is unimpressed. Do you

really want that as a stain on your "permanent record"?</p>Many years ago, I had my

senior portraits done by one of the better known photographers in town. My mom was

pretty pleased with the outcome and ordered a mounted 11x14 print. The print turned

out great, but he signed the corner with a gold paint marker in a large cheesy way.

Needless to say, I was pretty pissed and persuaded her to not hang it until we could have

it framed with the stupid signature covered up by a mat. Signing prints and album

advertising are the mark of a primadonna and not the actions of a professional. These are

their memories, if you do a good job they will refer you.</p><a href="http://

www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

They are both fairly inexpensive - why not purchase both? I would be lost without the 50, as

it is one of the best lenses in Canon's line and perfect for wedding work. </p><a

href="http://donhillstudio.blogspot.com">Don</a>

As a 5D shooter, I would say either will get the job done, but I will have to agree with Brent in

that the dual card writing capability of the 1D MkIIN is indispensable and the most

distinguishing feature. However, the low light ability of the 5d is pretty amazing

(understatement).

I had similar situation through the US repair department on a m6ttl. The one tech who works

on the M6TTL was on vacation for a month - they did not tell me this when I sent the camera

in, so I was stuck for a month. However, the work was very good when completed and the

camera was perfect when returned.</p>That being said, my M3 went to Sherry Krauter,

super fast repair and quick ship back. She's a goddess.</p><a href="http://

www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

Your suggestions may be a bit overboard to the point of paranoia. The photographer let

her clients down and is completely irresponsible. One lost event could be understandable

- but three?

</p>It is silly to make one or more backups at the event. Suppose you formatted the

cards before you burned them to CD - are you then going to go back and stage the

ceremony, the preparations, & the father crying as he walks his only daughter down the

aisle? Of course not. What are you missing photographically when you are burning these

copies? Should we chimp every image before moving on?</p>You must possess certain

skills to be effective in this field. Talent notwithstanding, you have to have the minimum

amount of digital skills, equipment, and <em>personal responsibility</em> when dealing

with clients irreplaceable work.</p>I'll say it so Al does not have to, this would not have

happened with film.

The 5d is an <em>exceptional</em> low light camera. That being said, I normally have

one

of two lenses on it for weddings. My favorite lens is the 50 1.4 - and it is probably

the

best lens I've used with the 5D. When the 50mm 1.2 is released I'll most likely upgrade

and

use the 1.4 on my 10d.</p>The second lens that I absolutely love is the 100 f2. I do have

a 24-70 on my 10d and occasionally

use it on the 5 - but I like to stay with the 50 or 100 on the 5D. My next purchase will be

the 35 1.4 - but I need to try it out first (and sell the 24-70).

Zooms

are convenient, but I prefer the speed, lower weight, and image quality of primes. A

dream lens would be the 200 1.8 - but I'd rather use the cash and buy a house on the

beach...</p><a

href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

Edward,

</p>You are more ready than many so-called "professional" photographers who are making

a killing doing the "shoot to burn" shuffle. Your portfolio is good and should turn more than

a few prospective clients heads. That is the next step - you have to get your work in front of

the paying audience (how you do that is up to you). Set up your pricing structure and get

your name out there.</p><a href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

I purchased a 5d a while back as my primary camera. Backing it up is a 10d - which I prefer

over the 20d. I needed to use it last week and I forgot how nice of a shooter it is - great

color and a very quiet camera. If it wasn't for the low noise at high ISO's - I'd return the 5D

over the 10D in a heartbeat.

Rodney said it best:</p>"Can't we all just get along?"</p>But seriously, if the videographer

is any good, they will be trying to occupy the same space that you are. Where I shoot, the

videos are going out of style - and I have not lost any sleep over their demise. I don't have

anything in the contract regarding videos or uncle Maurice. It is not my wedding, and I prefer

not to be remembered as a primadonna. I am easy to get along with, and I try to let them do

their jobs; but I do expect the same courtesy in return. However, if things start to get ugly -

I talk to the bride (she gets things done).</p><a href="http://

www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

One thought that will cause a bit of horror in the crowd. Depending on the client

(specifically graphic artists and photographers) I will often provide two separate sets of

discs if they purchase the CD's. </p>My workflow is this - Edit the images used for the

final proof prints, then color balance and convert images to black and white. Depending

on the wedding, I may start with 2000 + images (way too much anyway), and end up with

500 final images that are proofed as 4x6 prints. Most clients only receive those 500

images when the CD is purchased.

However, those who request all of the images can have them. It is their wedding, and they

know the guests better than I do. I have no idea who or what may be important to the

bride and groom. </p>Now the additional images are not color corrected, but they have

them for their records. Honestly speaking, I have only had people who are well versed in

Photoshop want all of the images so I am happy to provide them (warts and all). Besides,

this is a service business, and I not only want my clients happy, but my business depends

on their referrals. My CD / DVD's are not inexpensive, and are comparable to

purchasing my most expensive album. Remember that when you sell your images on CD,

you will <em>not</em> be receiving any additional orders for reprints or enlargements.

Therefore, your pricing should reflect an actual value for the images.</p><a

href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

You've received many opinions about this image - <em>and only three count</em>.

Yours and the bride and groom's. In my experience the most polarizing images are the

best images, and at least from this post, you have work that some like and some do not.

So congratulations.</p>You've captured an element of a wedding that was truly unique.

It is obvious that the bride loves this horse, so much that it was a planned moment in her

most special and private days in her life. From experience with horse owners, they are not

simply pets but members of the family, and there is a strong bond between them. Yours

is a simple photograph that captures more than just a foot in a stirup. You had the

opportuinity to take a chance, and any nay-sayers would not have even tried to do this

image; let alone include it in a final presentation. I only wish I could have been there.

</p>

<a href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

I had an older metal mount 1.8 that I used with a 10d until I purchased the 1.4. The main

reason I switched is that the 1.4 is USM while the 1.8 is EF (slower focus). Both lenses are

excellent for wedding use, and at the price it is a real bargain.

You ask a good question, but I'd offer another suggestion for your budget. If you do

pursue a new lens or body consider buying used, and use the remainder on advertising

and promotional materials for your business. As you are new to the wedding trade, you

will need as much exposure as possible and the payoff through advertising will be greater

than what a new body or lens can provide.</p>Regarding lenses, you may be able to get

away with adding a 100 f2, and just use the 28/50/100 combination for weddings. If your

rebel works well, and you have a film backup - you have the minimum gear needed for

this line of work. What you really need is exposure. </p>

<a href="http://donhillstudio.blogspot.com">Don</a>

I only wish our local library was up to date for a good perusal. However, it has wonderful

books on darkroom techniques and platinum printing.

Hi all,</p>

I've recently responded to a post pretty much blasting the process of purchasing canned actions for post-

production work in Photoshop. That being said, what is your lastest favorite book or reference of

contemporary Photoshop techniques?</p>I teach a course at the local community college, and I

desperately need to

update my course manual. The nearest large bookstore is about an hour drive, and Amazon just doesn't

give the detail that I need to make an informed decision about a new text. The course is an introductory

course in digital photography, but I would also like it to have enough information to use in an

intermediate course offering. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<a href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</a>

The one problem with commercial actions is that your work begins to look like that of

everyone else who is also using that specific set of actions.</p>Regardless if the supplied

actions are good or not, you want your work to stand out, and not just fall in line with the

crowd. This is similar to the old days of Photoshop. Somebody would come out with a

new filter, then you would begin to see the effect everywhere in print and television, then

it would become cliche and disused.</p>It is by far a much more interesting and an

educational exercise to build your own set of actions through trial and error. You will not

only have a clearer understanding of Photoshop, but you will begin to develop your own

marketable style. It is obvious that you have a specific look that you wish to impart to

your images. For the cost of the various actions you can afford a good number of books

on Photoshop, and better yet peruse the local library for Photoshop instruction manuals

and DVD's. I would even go so far as to enroll in a local community college or weekend

workshop that deals with advanced color corrections. This is a much better use of your

money than purchasing canned actions.</p> Current wedding and portrait photography

has become much too hum-drum and boring recently. The homogenization of the

photojournalist and tradional posing styles is everywhere and much too common. Adding

to the problem is the use of similar techniques and actions in Photoshop with post-

production. If you want your work to stand out from the crowd, you cannot do what they

are doing. Skip the actions for now, and spend your money experimenting. A .19 proof

from Wal-Mart is much more informative and useful regarding color balance, glow, and

technique than stacks of $100 CD's that only contain actions that will be cliche in less

than one year.

That is one of the coolest venues that I have heard of in a while.</p>That being said, try to

get in beforehand and perform a few test shots with your system. It is hard to say without

being in the actual space what the lighting conditions will be. I'd try a few things with

dragging the shutter by placing the flash off camera, or utilize a remote flash. Another idea

would be to take two consecutive shots, one with flash and one without and combine them in

Photoshop. Have a model stand in and see what happens. Best of luck, and I hope you get

the gig.

</p>

<a href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">don</a>

Kari,</p>

I am actually from Grand Rapids and still do a majority of wedding work there. Our families

live in and around GR, and mom lives around the corner from the start line of the Byron

Center 5k (just past the huge chicken). It just so happened that the race coincided with a date

that I was hired to do a wedding in GR.</p>Currently, my wife and I live in Jamestown, NY

and as she is a college professor we have a large amount of travel time available during the

summer. That works out very well as I have a local photographer in GR that coordinates my

weddings through a freelance basis. I love this job.

Indeed, New York is a large place to reside in. We are south of Buffalo and closer to Erie, PA.

But if you know your TV history, this is Lucille Ball's hometown. That is an interesting fact

because I went to college about 10 minutes from James Dean's birthplace. For some reason I

am drawn to celebrity hometowns, as the festivals are just plain crazy. So, when visiting my

studio in Jamestown, don't forget to see all the Lucy stuff.

I forgot to mention that I do utilize multiple boxes for proofing. My wedding boxes are a

clamshell design (easy to remove prints) and hold 250 prints each. For smaller jobs, I have

smaller boxes - but I have not found an affordable clamshell box, so I wrap the proofs in

black ribbon to assist the client in removing the prints from the small standard box.

500 is a large amount of prints to look through. My packages allow for 250 - 700 proofs,

and I've used boxes for about 12 years now. They are not only convenient for us as the

photographer, but for the B&G as they can spread the images out on a large table for better

grouping and viewing. From the feedback I've received, the brides do love the convenience

of the box, and they like being able to share extra prints with friends and family. One tip,

make sure it is a nice box with high quality presentation (nice ribbon, outer packaging, etc)

because after all, it is still a box.</p><a href="http://www.donhillstudio.com">Don</

a><br><a href="http://donhillstudio.blogspot.com">blog</a>

According to Wilhelm Research, Epson Ultrachrome prints are expected to have a lifespan at

least equalling that of Fuji Crystal Archive. That being said, I absolutely love the look of

R2400 prints on fine art matte papers. Unfortunately, the cost per print exceeds the cost of

machine prints through my lab by about .50 per print, and that is not including the cost of

the printer. Ouch.

My partner and associate photographers use LS's and swear by them. I use the intregal clear

bounce card on my 550EX I get great light - I acutally prefer my images without the LS.

I'm excited about my new studio, and have planned an open house for next week. If any of you are near

the Jamestown, New York area, please stop by and introduce yourself.

</p>

Don - www.donhillstudio.com<div></div>