helen_horsley1

Mary,

Use servo mode. Go with #3, AE/AF, no AE lock and hold down the * on the back of

your camera firmly and start tracking your subject. Press the shutter when ready to

take the photo, and you should find you have a lot more keepers. Someone shared

this with me today, and it worked very well at a track meet. I could look at the pics and

tell exactly when I started shooting with this custom function!

Josh, Talk to the parents beforehand. Find out if the little girl loves princesses (in which

case I am usually asking which one is her favorite and carrying on about ball gowns and

pretending to have Tinkerbell fly by my head. Then again, I have 3 daughters, so I am well

versed in this!). Who is their best friend? What's their favorite sport? Football? Talk about

the Super Bowl. Make them the quarter back who scores the winning touchdown. What

would they do if they were head of their school for a day? Pets are a good thing to talk

about. Talk about cuddling with your dog (or maybe the smell the dog makes if your

subject is a boy!) If you are shooting teens, give them a dream scenario...your parents are

away and you have the house to yourself the whole weekend. You can make your little

sister mop the floor and give you breakfast in bed. You have just been given your own

credit card and it has no limit. What kind of sports car would you buy? What concert

would you want front row tickets to? You get the jist...get on their level and connect. Put

them at ease and shoot a bunch. Get the little hands and feet, the big eyes and the curl of

hair on the back of the neck...the things that change so quickly. Oh, I also have a Big Bird

that laughs a lot and a couple of toys that light up. Happy Shooting! Kids are awesome.

Hello Juergen and Chris. Juergen, I always shoot in Raw. Thanks for the good tip about

NoiseNinja. Will check that out. If I get an 85mm 1.8 and use it with my 1.4 extender, I

will lose a stop and get 2.8 for the highest F stop, right? If I shoot with an 85mm F1.2

with a 1.4 extender, I'll get F1.8? What will the focal length be with the extender? (Math

is not my strength...) I love my 5D and don't want to invest in another camera yet. Would

rather invest in another lens. Chris, I "test drove" the 300mm f2.8, last year when I

started shooting outdoor sports. It's a beautiful lens that works like a dream and I felt like

a Sports Illustrated photographer, which was so very cool! But that lens is cumbersome. I

disliked the monopod and the weight. That's why I went with the zoom and extender.

Ya'll are very helpful. Maybe I'll get a 50mm 1.4 if they are so reasonable (I'm thinking

this is the one for squash) and rent a second for the other sports.

Arron, Tony has a good answer. Here's another idea. If you have made your prices high

enough to ensure that each job is profitable, why not charge a flat fee plus your cost and

have the 4x6s printed for her? I use a local lab and tag $50 to my costs. It's a courtesy not

to gouge your client for their holiday cards. I do not want to sell the digital file because I

want to be the one picking the images up from the lab and making sure they look darn good.

Chuck, that's a fun shot. Thank for posting, and to both of you for replying. Zack, I

appreciate the specific lens recommendations. It has been a long time since I shot with a

prime. Would the 85mmf/1.8 and the 135mmf/2 weigh about the same and be equally

good for hand held shooting? If you had to pick one focal length to shoot the sports I

described, which would it be? Wouldn't the 135mm be more limiting? I feel like you can

always crop into a good sharp image to get a closer view. They will want full body (diving

is the one I am most interested to tackle) shots as well as faces only. I would also be

interested if anyone can tell me how to reduce grain in Photoshop. I have CS2 and tried

"less noise" and "despeckle" today. Didn't see a whole lot of difference between the two

commands.

Happy Friday!

Christian, I think it's a great shot. Like the intensity and the angles. The color looks good. I

like the areas of sharpness and how they pop. Very nice. I just posted a question about

lenses. I can appreciate shooting in high school gyms. What lens were you using when you

shot this? It looks grainy. I experimented in Photoshop (CS2) today and couldn't figure out

if "reduce noise" or "despeckle" helped more. Anyone have luck with either of these reducing

grain? Thanks for sharing your image.

Helen Horsley

I have a Canon 5D and 2 lenses, the 28-105 F4, the 70-210 F2.8. I have the Canon 1.4 extender. My

lenses have image stabilization. I shoot portraits, landscapes and an occasional interior. I have a client

who I have shot a variety of outdoor sports for. It's turning into a long term relationship, and I am loving

shooting sports! They now want me to shoot indoor basketball, swimming, track and squash. I have shot

volleyball in the location where they play basketball, using the 28-105 and shooting at 5.6. I usually have

to increase the exposure in Photoshop, but I get a sharp image. If it's dark outside, I am usually shooting

at the max ISO, which gives me grainy images. If there is good outdoor light, I can shoot at 1600. I think

I am fine for the basketball shots, as they are on the same court as volleyball. Bottom line, if I were to try

a lens that was not a zoom ( is this called a prime?) what focal length would ya'll recommend? Should I try

a 1.4 or a 2.8? I am more used to hand holding than using a monopod. I do not think my present

equipment will work in these high school facilities. The light's too low. The job's in January, and I want

to figure out what to rent. If I like it, it might be my 3rd lens. Many thanks to all who take time to

respond!

Helen Horsley

David, Michael took the lovely black and whites. Photographers, I could use a tip on how to

post these. Sorry for my big images. I am cropping to 4x6 and saving as jpegs with a file

size approximating 100 kb. Michael, your images are stunning. Any help you could offer on

how to post the right size image? Am feeling pretty silly.

Hi David. Here goes. These were saved for the web already. I can give you full frame

images if you are interested.

Thank you,

Helen Horsley<div></div>

Tony has a good point about your copyright on the back of the card being seen as tacky.

We,

however, receive a few pro photo cards every year that are truly lovely and outstanding.

The

entire card is produced by the photographer or with the photographer's direction. They

have

their copyright or studio name in small scale on the back, and I always enjoy seeing who

took the photo. If you just provide the photo, it would be tacky to have your name on the

card. If you go the extra mile and create an entire card, the card could be credited you.

Even

though some people will look at the photo and call to ask who took it, a lot more will flip it

over and see your studio name (hopefully printed in a small type design that compliments

the card)

immediately.

Hi Jim. I charge my clients $50 plus my expenses to print their Christmas cards (4x6s they

affix to their own card). It is great publicity, and most clients go for it. If someone has

already paid a substantial sitting fee and bought a lot of custom images, I think $50 is a very

fair price for sharing an image on a holiday card. If you are interested in taking it a step

further and designing the card and having it printed for your client, you should certainly

charge more and be able to have a photo credit on the back of the card.

Why would you shoot for $200 a day, relinquishing all rights? You are "basically

relinquishing" the value of photography. Join ASMP. Educate yourself. "The gig" sounds

cool and adventurous, but there must be some way for you to retain rights if you are going to

shoot for such a low rate. Especially for a "resort/hotel" client. How about trying to forge an

alliance with a non profit that needs images? There have to be other clients out there who

would benefit from your help, offer you the ability to travel, and agree to give you usage.

Helen H

Hi Maria. I think Matt had a good suggestion about a the length of time your images are

posted.

I have had a few clients who receive their contacts and never order, but I honestly believe

that's human nature. There will always be some people who will, for whatever reason, not

place an order. It is frustrating. I give my clients contacts from the sitting that are

included in the sitting fee. Clients must then make an appointment with me to see the

images on my computer and order images. If I have not heard from them 2 weeks after

they receive their contacts, I follow up with a phone call. Most clients usually are quick to

make an appointment and see the images on the screen. Some take a bit longer, but

eventualy come through with an order. I tell clients upfront that the images are off my

computer if they do not order in 6 months. (I have discs of their raw files, but I don't

always tell them this). It is extremely rare that I need to make a follow up phone call at the

6 month mark, but even when I do, those clients are not likely to order. It does not bother

me because 1) I feel confident that I have done my best for them 2) My sitting fee does

not include any packages and I feel I am compensated well for the time spent on the client

3) There are procrastinaters, or just weren't thrilled with my images. I cannot change

them, only try to do my best.

I don't think you need to be offering free prints, as this is just 1)soaking up your profits

and 2) is time consuming. Maybe you need to rethink you pricing so that, no matter what

the outcome, you feel compensated for the work you have done.

Hope this was of some help to you. Having never offered packages, this is my advice.

Helen H.

You have been given great answers, but you you also might want to consider supporting your

local camera shop. I live in a town with limited suppliers, and, although I have purchased

equipment from Calumet and KEH in the past, I like to support the local shop when feasible.

It's nice to have a relationship with someone. You drop by if you have any questions or

problems. You know you are supporting your own backyard.

Helen Horsley

Matt, clients are looking at edited raws coverted to lo res jpegs and numbered in folders

labeled with location and date. No one is having trouble now, but it's expensive, and the

client wants to see them on the web. We don't need bells and whistles, just a way to post

labeled folders for the group to view. We don't need to post comments, just to pull up

fulll screen images, not thumbnail size.

Dave and Ellis, do you both have Macs? Anyone done this who does not have their own

site or am I as outdated as my husband who still does not own a cell phone? I need a

website!

Thanks,

Helen H.

Thanks for the tips. I did try fatcow, set up an account for me, all of the project managers,

designers and president. Made all of my folders lo res jpegs, and then ran into trouble

uploading my folders. The tech suport guy said it was due to my Mac, and directed me to

fetchsoftworks.com. (Which was of course closed for the evening when I called). This day

has MOOved very slowly. I'm a bit bleary eyed, but one of ya'll asked how we have been

sharing images...by my sending dvds statewide, which is not cost or time effective. I do

not have a website. we need a space for all of us to view 300 lo res images after a 2 day

shoot. They have a ton that needs to be shot. The company I am working with hasn't

done a lot of marketing, and they are proving to be my first steady corporate client. The

blind are leading the blind...so anyone have luck with fetchsoftworks with Mac uploading?

Thanks.

Helen H

Matt, I will edit, convert the raws to lo res jpegs and number them. I just want to upload a

file and share the rough jpegs with the Project Managers, Designer, and President of the

company. They want to all have access to the images from a specific shoot so they can

discuss their favorites. Fatcow provides unlimited storage for as long as I leave them

online for $99 a year, and we would all share the same password, which sounds like a

sweet and easy deal. I believe just have to provide fatcow with the email addresses I want

to allow access to the folder. I don't have a website yet, so I think I'll steer (catch that

pun!) away from the domaine name option they offer. (Didn't completely understand that

part when I talked to the rep). It sounds private and safe to me. You have lost me with

the last part of your posting. I don't think I need "collaborative, editorial, or management

stuff". Not quite sure what you mean.

Thanks for responding.

Helen

Ellis, you must be on Photonet 24/7. Thanks for always giving me speedy feedback. I'll

check out fatcow right now.

Many thanks!

Helen

Hi everyone. I have a client and everyone working on their project is spread out across

Virginia. I have been burning CDs and DVDs and mailing them everywhere...not cost effective. Can

anyone recommend a site that offers unlimited web hosting for a reasonable rate? Millers was

recommended to me. When I called them, they told me I had to drag each image onto the site. That's way

too time consuming for sharing 300 plus images! Anyone have a recommendation of a site that I can

subscribe to monthly (or a reasonable rate for a year) and drag a folder of images for posting purposes?

Photos will never be purchased...just viewed by all involved in the project. Not that it matters, but I have a

Mac and high speed internet.

Happy Wednesday, and thanks a ton.

Helen H.

Thanks to both of you...nice to know I am on track.

Helen Horsley

Hi everyone. I have a new client that is giving me a steady stream of work. They are sending me to a city

about an hour away on a 2 day shoot. I will be shooting about 7 locations in different parts of a city. All

shots are outdoor and requiring great light. I am proposing that I come up there to scout the locations

the week before the shoot. How much to charge for the day of scouting? I am tempted to charge my half

day rate plus expenses, because this is looking like it's turning into a long term relationship. Any

feedback would be appreciated.

Happy Friday.

Helen Horsley

Hi. I leave early in tomorrow am and am wishing I had 2 more 2 gig Lexar memory cards. Can anyone

tell me about a good photo shop between Providence (where my plane lands) and New London, CT? Many

thanks to those of you who know the area.

Helen H

LaCie was recommended to me by at least 4 different commercial photographers who are

busy on a regular basis and have been in this business a long time. We had a power

surge while on vacation last summer. The APC surge protector melted (Have you ever

smelled melted plastic? Not a good smell to come home to when your house has been

sealed up for a week). There were black marks on the floor and wall. My Mac was

thoroughly checked out, as was my LaCie, and they both survived. I have been happy with

the LaCie so far, and I just bought another APC this week, after the alarm went off a few

times and an electrician gave me a clean check up for my outlets. They are cheap (a bit

over $50) and worth every penny! So, look into LaCie, and think about APC is you need a

new surge protector. I think both companies make excellent products. My LaCie has

160 GB storage.

Helen Horsley