surfidaho

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>If you have a clause in your contract that allows for a substitute should you be unable to attend the wedding due to illness or other obligation, you can subcontract the wedding to somebody else who might not mind a difficult MOB so much. Just be up front about the situation with the new shooter.</p>

<p>Since you're sick of working with the MOB already, I would claim illness.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>While it's true that Stanley Kubrick was a great innovator, he also had the luxury of being able to reshoot most of his scenes if they didn't turn out the way he wanted them to. </p>

<p>One point that rarely gets mentioned is that innovation requires experimentation, and experimentation means risk. You can always play with stuff beforehand, but sometimes the particular challenges of a wedding may make unproven tools unworkable.</p>

<p>In order to manage risk at a wedding, my associate photographer and I agree that one of us will stick to tried and true methods, and the other will experiment with doing things a bit differently, perhaps with a new piece of equipment, or perhaps using old equipment in new ways. That way if things don't go as planned, we can fall back on the images produce with the tried and true methods.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>Marc, I think a better way to look at it might be that most serious professional wedding photographers should have a minimum set of tools, including a quality camera body and medium zoom. I use a 17-55mm f2.8 IS on a crop frame as my "go to" lens, which is pretty much the same thing as a 24-70 on a full frame. I also use a 70-200mm f2.8 IS, because it what it lacks in wide open full zoom sharpness and portability is more than offset by its versatility.</p>

<p>The thing that separates the technician from the artist is not which gear they have, but whether or not it is used creatively. And quite frankly, the gear that makes the top of the survey is ideally suited to a technician doing formulaic and predictable cookie cutter wedding photography, or an artist capturing the romance of a once in a lifetime moment.</p>

<p>Tuppence,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<strong>"Grasping at things can only yield one of two results: <br /> Either the thing you are grasping at disappears, or you yourself disappear. <br /> It is only a matter of which occurs first." </strong><br /> <em>Goenka</em>

 

<em><br /></em>

<em><br /></em>

Obviously this guy never picked up a camera. I use double hard drives linked together with RAID, plus additional hard drives which are powered down in a secure location.

 

 

Consider me grasping.

 

 

Later,

 

Paulsky

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>I'm an engineer, so I'm used to looking at data in order to improve my processes. Trial and error by others saves me time and money. And in photography, good tools don't come cheap.</p>

<p>I think this survey is more or less perfect, because I either own, or want to own, all the gear that made the top of these lists. ;^<)></p>

<p>I also think it's significant that the proportion of people who use full frame cameras is much higher among people who do more than 11 weddings per year. And it's no surprise to me that Canon is tops, because they continue to deliver the best combination of value and performance that I have seen. Also, they were first out with an affordable CMOS sensor camera. A lot of people invested in Canon lenses back then to fit those CMOS cameras, and don't want to switch now.</p>

<p>The only potential downside to this survey is that some newbies will follow the survey recommendations, dump a lot of money on the most widely used equipment, and still botch their first wedding. But if they have talent, drive, and a willingness to learn from others mistakes, having the right tools can only help.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>FWIW, I botched my first wedding. But I didn't charge them anything, they knew I was a beginner, and they didn't care. Plus, they got some lovely engagement pictures in the park, where I actually knew what I was doing.</p>

<p>The most likely outcome is that after you botch your first wedding you will be stuck on a boat with many dissatisfied customers, including the MOB who paid your way.</p>

<p>I can't think of a more hellish scenario. Go on a cruise with the B&G later someday when you can afford to pay your own way, and bid them Bon Voyage for now. It beats walking the plank.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>As an engineer, I would caution against putting too much stock in anecdotal evidence. Just because none of the responders (so far) has ever had a problem doesn't mean you won't. The number of responders do not constitute a significant statistical sample.</p>

<p>I have been to many countries, including Mexico, and walked in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods on the planet. The advice is always the same. Don't look like a tourist, and carry your money where pickpockets can't get to it.</p>

<p>That said, cameras are one of the least favorite targets of experienced thieves for a number of reasons:</p>

 

<ul>

<li>They are easily damaged in a heist, making the effort worthless.</li>

<li>They are easily traced by serial number, thus making them hard to fence.</li>

<li>They are not easily concealed after a heist, so they tend to mark a criminal in a poorer area as they are fleeing.</li>

</ul>

<p>Of course, there's always the possibility that an inexperienced thief will see your camera and go for it anyway. Also, by wearing a camera around your neck, you mark yourself as a tourist, which is always a bad idea. Try to fit in as much as possible. I would carry my camera in a non-descript shoulder pack instead of around my neck, and I would never look at a map or GPS where anybody could see me.</p>

<p>Tuppence,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>I find this to be so improbable as to not be worth worrying about. It's far more probable that while a complete stranger is taking your picture, he keeps telling you to back up, you get hit by a bus, and he walks away with a new camera.</p>

<p>But if you're really worried about somebody making money off a casual snapshot (and I'm very concerned about you if you do) the solution is easy. As soon as the picture is taken, grab your camera back, say "Thank you very much!", do not exchange names, and move on. That's what you would do ordinarily anyway.</p>

<p>Anybody insisting on copyright would have to seize your camera or your flash card in order to enforce it. Then it becomes a mugging instead of a nice gesture to a stranger, for which the penalties far outweigh the benefits.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>As an engineer, I would advise you to expect a certain amount of failures no matter what platform you use. I don't know the exact statistics, but I suspect Nikon users have their headaches too.</p>

<p>If you are used to full frame as a professional, I suspect you will be unhappy with crop frame.</p>

<p>I'm a Canon guy because back in 2005, Nikon didn't have a good CMOS sensor platform. If I had it to do all over again, I might choose differently. But now that I know Canon systems, even if I won the lottery, I would probably stick with Canon. It may not be perfect, but it's what I know.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer, and bad word of mouth spreads ten times faster than good word of mouth.</p>

<p>It sounds like the OP is clinging to an outdated business model. People expect the digitals these days, partly because of Facebook and e-mail, but also because most reasonable photographers have started selling them, either directly or as part of the sitting fee.</p>

<p>At this point, the OP has blown it completely. The only possible way to save the situation is to give back the model release with a sincere and heartfelt apology, with an offer to sell the CD at a reduced rate. Personally, I would give them both the model release and the CD.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>I back up my files on a software RAID using MirrorFolder. I can set the options so that when I copy from card to disk, it automatically makes another copy on another drive that cannot be destroyed. When I modify the copy on the primary disk, I have it set to modify the backup, but you can control that as well.</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>In general, the 17-55 f2.8 IS is an awesome lens. I bought it when it first came out, and I have not been disappointed.</p>

<p>However, there are two problems with this lens that I and others have noticed:</p>

<ol>

<li>It's a dust magnet. The push pull action pulls dust inside the lens body. Unless you are skilled at removing the front element and cleaning the second element yourself, it's a trip to the factory for a cleaning if you use it in a dusty environment.</li>

<li>The IS feature is more prone to failure on this lens than other IS lenses. If you are relying on this lens for professional work, learn to recognize the failure mode. It starts vibrating in place, and you have to shut off IS to get the lens to focus reliably. Again, it's a trip to the factory to fix.</li>

</ol>

<p>Other than that, I have been very pleased. I used to have several nice primes to cover the 17-55 range, but I no longer use them, because this lens is almost as sharp, and much more convenient.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>If this is a posed shot, then this is a perfect example of how NOT to take a photograph. With a little more attention to exposure and posing, all the post processing stuff would not be necessary.</p>

<p>It would have worked much better to rotate the couple to a semi-profile rather than full profile. Also, the groom could have cradled the bride more effectively, without the distracting hand which makes him look like a Black Widower.</p>

<p>On the other paw, if the photographer was just following the couple and capturing the moment (highly unlikely given the awkward pose) then it's a great example of how to take a decent PJ shot, and make it a good to excellent shot with some post-processing.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>It cost about half of the current value of the lens to get fixed...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Bob, the Canon factory service center charges about a hundred bucks to fix the IS problem. If you took it anyplace else, you got ripped off. Lot's of places will charge a ton extra just to bubble wrap it and send it off to Canon.</p>

<p>In my experience, this lens has much better IQ than the 18-55mm, particularly at wide apertures. If you're interested in lab results, photozone.de has excellent lens reviews on just about anything out there.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>I own the lens, and it's my favorite. That said, there are some things you should know.</p>

<p>It's not sealed at all, and later models are just as dust prone as early ones. I took it backpacking once on the dusty Idaho mountain trails, and it got absolutely filthy inside. I had to send it back to the factory service center in Irvine for cleaning. In retrospect, if I had kept it (and the camera it was attached to) in a gallon Ziploc until ready to use, it probably wouldn't have gotten dirty at all.</p>

<p>I hate UV filters by the way. Unless you get a really expensive one, you will get back reflection off of strong lighting, which usually shows up as a green blotch on your photos. They're also usually a PITA to clean. I protect my lens with a hood, indoors or out, and nothing comes between my lens and my subject.</p>

<p>I also don't think that the filter will help that much with the seal on the lens. It's gonna pull in dust no matter what due to the concentric tubes.</p>

<p>The other major problem with the lens is that the image stabilization system tends to fail more often than it should, which makes the lens literally vibrate in place. After years of service, my lens exhibited this failure. Canon knows how to fix it, so a quick trip to the factory service center in Irvine (out of warranty of course) was all that it took.</p>

<p>On the other paw, the image quality is absolutely beautiful. If you own a fine lens, you should send it back to the factory once a year anyway for a cleaning, as well as to check adjustment and functionality. If you use it in reasonably clean environments, it's a wonderful lens. If you are into photographing sciroccos, black blizzards, or dust devils, use a sealed lens instead.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>Actually, it sounds quite plausible. I'd be up for taking their business, if I weren't already busy on that date photographing the Royal Nigerian Family on the occasion of their long overdue reinstatement to power, which I happily financed.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>Here is what I tell Uncle Bob's who shoot over my shoulder, or get in my way:</p>

<p>"If you are taking pictures at the same time as me, the people are going to look at you instead of me, because they love you, and I'm just some guy they found on the Internet. And that's going to ruin my shots, which will make everyone unhappy. So if you could please put your camera away during the formals, I'd really appreciate it".</p>

<p>By using this verbage, you make the person feel important, while at the same time tactfully and tastefully shutting him/her down. No drama, no conflict.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>I know I'm in for a really bad time when I show up at the Bride's dressing room to shoot the final preparations, and the place is littered with empty champagne bottles.</p>

<p>If they are not happy, and you feel like throwing in something extra to placate them, be careful. They may never stop asking for freebies. Make it clear that anything extra is a one time thing, and otherwise stick to the contract.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

 

<p>17-85mm. Chromatic distortion, barrel distortion, pincushion distortion, you name it, it distorted. Got rid of it and got a 17-55mm f2.8, which is an awesome lens. If I need the reach, I grab my second camera, which has a 70-200mm f2.8.</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>The pro should be contacted, but not by you.</p>

<p>The pro's contract is with the bride. Therefore the bride should contact the pro and explain the situation. The pro is much more likely to be cooperative and understanding if the request comes from the bride.</p>

<p>I remember several instances where brides contacted me and asked me if their semi-pro friends and/or relatives could take pictures. I was always happy to meet them at the event, and we spent some time talking photography. It was win-win all around.</p>

<p>I do not recall a single instance where a semi-pro contacted me on their own. I don't think I would have had a big problem with it, but I might have felt a little more awkward being cold-called by a stranger.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>I'm sorry, I should have said "alleged complete fraud" and "alleged image thief". One does not wish to be sued by a scoundrel.</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>I wonder if he ever actually delivers on a contract? Is he a complete fraud, or just an image thief?</p>

<p>Enquiring minds want to know...</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>One detail: When delivering images, make sure you batch rename them so the customer doesn't know that the crappy ones you deleted are missing. Otherwise, they will think they have been cheated, and ask for the "missing" images.</p>

<p>I always rename mine YYMMDD_HHMMSS_S, where S is a sequence number for resolving conflicts with my second shooter.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p><strong>I also highly recommend Drivesavers.</strong> They are not that expensive compared to other companies, and they do an awesome job. I lost everything several years ago on a striped drive (silly me) and they got it back within a week. They take the drive apart in a cleanroom if necessary, and read the individual platters on a different mechanism.</p>

<p>I wouldn't use the freezer. That could damage things. Electrical devices are designed around maximum and minimum temperatures.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>Oy, vay is mir! Az mir vill schlugen a hunt, gifintmin a schtecken!</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>