marta3eciak

<p>Hi everyone, <br>

It's been a while and thought I would just give you an update. I've dumped the idea of free low res images but With a print purchase a client gets a small watermarked image for facebook use. <br>

A lot of my clients want either high res images or a cd (I do provide that now for a prcie I'm happy with and so they are) Although I state in my contract and verbally to be careful where they go to get them printed.<br>

The younger crowd isn't really interested in prints, they just want a cd with the photos from the session to put it up on facebook. I charge for that!<br>

That's it<br>

Now I have a new challenge, my work has turned completely towards events, commercial and promotional work and my eyes hurt form reading so much<br>

All the best in 2011!<br>

marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Good morning, Thank you All for your comments. See, this is why i love this forum so much, because I nearly took it to my solicitor, but now my problems have been narrowed down and i can clearly see what you are all talking about. What i'm going to do is get myslef the book, read more on this matter, put a draft together and then take it to have it reviewed. You are very clever guys and thanks for your help. <br>

Best of luck to everyone<br>

cheerio<br>

marta</p>

<p>Hi John,<br>

Ok I'm not gonna lie, but I'm slightly confused. Are you saying that 2 should be different? a services and its terms contract and a model release? I though putting 2 in one would save the hassle. Any suggestions of how I should go about this? I actually found a sample of very similar contract, I believe from here but not sure now. </p>

<p>Hello everyone. <br>

I had to rewrite my model release and I just need you guys to have a look at it please. I want to be as clear as I can but without having to write a huge essay. Is it too much? not enough. Thanx in advance. <br>

cheerio<br>

marta</p>

<p>hi Que, <br>

Have you done anything like this before? Have you photographed events/birthdays/parties?<br>

If you have experience than i suggest use what works for you, but of course, consult with, whoever hired you and find out what they're looking for. You might need some additional equipment for indoor but that depends on what the client is looking for. <br>

It's difficult to say what you might need if you don't know what to expect. I recently photographed a 40th bday party and decided to purchase 80/20 Lumiqest but it sisn't arrive in time. I did ok without it but ish I had it. The more you do it, the more you will learn from your mistakes and you will figure out what you need. Sorry can't help you much, but go out and do a couple of mock shots to see what you might need.<br>

Good luck,<br>

marta </p>

<p>Hi Benjamin, <br>

Paw prints is definitely a cathcy name, but you're right it is taken. Here is a photographer I admire greatly. He's based in Dublin, Ireland and here is his website if you're looking for inspiration. He's really something and the name he goes by is shoot my dog! brilliant!<br>

www.shootmydog.ie<br>

how about paws and prints?<br>

cheerio<br>

marta</p>

 

<p>Hi MIchael, <br>

I've prepared all my financial projections along with marketing plan and operating budget. I know how much I need to bring in order to run my business. I guess I got carried away in my first entry bur my main issue is still the free cd with the photo shoot. I was feeling good about it unti like I said the comment the photographer made, which made me think twice. I suppose once I'm up and running I'll be able to figure it out myself, although I wouldn't want be changing my price terms as if it might affect my reputation in the future. <br>

Thank you for your input.<br>

marta</p>

<p>Jeff, <br>

So what would you recommend. Your answer is so short it leaves me hanging. <br>

Should i go pixels per cm then? What is the best way to prepare images for the web.?</p>

<p>Oh and and I like your father's saying David.</p>

<p>Thank you guys, <br>

Matt, 640 pixels wide at 72ppi<br>

David, I always try to get feedback from my customers and everyone so far is happy with the qaulity, the experience and the pricing. I don't want be living off doing photo sessions only, what I mean is 100 euro for 2 hrs in not all I want to earn. I haven't sold that many prints yet but i know I will. Many photographers here, offer very cheap photo sessions to catch the public's eye, but they're excellent at upselling and therefore, make their money on prints. <br>

My question still is, should I be dumping the free cd idea? Just upload them to website? My intuition tells me not, but still can't get my head around the comment and the fact that with a little selling confidence and experience I can afford to provide my client with a cd. <br>

cheerio</p>

 

<p>Hi All, <br /> For the past 7 months I have been working very hard on building my portfolio and clientelle. Most of the work has been done through either approaching people I know and know would be an asset in referring me, a lot of volunteer work for community organizations, as well as word of mouth. I am getting busier and busier and finally am ready to offically launch my business. I am a member of the local camera club, Women in Business Network, as well am working on becoming a member of the Irish Association. I also try to work with local small businesses and cross-promote each other. <br /> But, I must admit, I'm stuck on something that can't get my mind around. PRICING. <br /> I photograph mainly women, maternity, family, newborns, fashion/hair art, but recently have been getting alot of event and corporate projects. Weddings are something I plan on getting into next year.<br /> Up untill now, I was offering newborn/meternity package, family package, and individual/promo/makeover package. (i'm a make-up artist and work with a very talented canadian hair stylist/best friend)<br /> Because of lack of space in my home, I was going to people's houses and most of my pictures had, for example, things that shouldn't have been there like pictures hanging on their walls, or my background didn't cover the stands, etc. So I decided to choosy my favourite photos, quikly clean them up and provide them with a cd with small resolution (around 350kb) pictures. <br /> I had coffee with one of the local photographers yesterday morning and he made a comment that I can't get rid of my head. He said, 'I can take a small picture and make it into a big and still print it you know'<br /> I noticed that the images I was providing, although were small still had prinitng quality, very confused here (i use Lightroom to Export, small jpg, watermarked etc. )<br /> I am working with people 20-40 years of age and I know that these people religiously use facebook, bebo, twitter and love to put up their pictures as profile, etc and we all know how powerful Facebook is! This is why I thought provinding a cd with small reesolution images as part of their photo session was a good idea. Now I don't know. <br /> Am I hurting myself by reducing my chance of making profit off prints becuase people know how to use Photoshhop! <br /> Just to give you an idea of what my pricing is. <br /> Family session (2 hrs., with equipment set-up, quick adjustments in lightroom and one finished small image to show what it will look like on a cd -FREE) Later, they can order prints. But I want be digitally accessible as well for internet use.<br /> I want to be in full control of printing because I despise people going to kiosks and having rubbish hanging on their walls. <br /> Please please help me get a bit clearer and thank you for posting<br /> HERE IS MY WEBISTE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT I DO<br /><a href="http://www.callmartafoto.com"> www.callmartafoto.com</a><br /> Sincerely Yours, <br /> marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Hi Christophe. I wouldn't know much about Zenfolio because I decided to go down the difficult road and built my own website. But, In my opinion the site looks clean and to the point. I like how you've included your services. The only thing stuck out for me is All My Photos. If it's a company Creative Shot then I would change it to something simpler like Photos, Galleries, Portfolio. When I shpped around for websites a year ago, I really liked the simplicity of Photium.com. I don't like flash websites. Photium has a password protected feature and I believ now a shopping cart and you don't have to create an account or anything. They're also very reasonable with pricing. You have a 30-day trial with them as well. Good Luck!<br>

cheerio<br>

marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Hi Marie,<br /> Sit down, think about what your vision is, then your mission. Every vision has to have a mission. What do you want to do, in details then how you're going to achieve it. Write it down, study it. Identify your product. What are you selling.? is it quality photographs, competitive prices, experience? Believe in your product. Before you can walk in another person's shoes, you must take off your own. And that goes for the best book I've read in a long tme. "the one minute sales person", Spencer Johnson. It only cost me £0.99 on ebay and I read it every night. Sell your vision and feel good about it and yourself. Don't forget to praise yourself. <br /> marta 3eciak</p>

<p>p.s I purchased the 17-40 f4/ L and here is (untouched) what I was talking about earlier. small kitchen and I fit them all.. plus! very happy so far. And the distortion adds a nice effect. Thank you all for your responses. Happy Easter<br>

cheerio<br>

marta 3eciak</p><div></div>

<p>Jack, absolutely love the water and the wall, Robert I agree with you, I would leave the model as is and put more shadows on the model's face, maybe diffuse glow the dress? something dreamy then. My brother's tattoo shop likes it a lot, but I feel I can bring a lot more to it. The cut off dress is not a problem as I have a couple of other shots I could use to combine, although with Jack's manipulation, I don't mind. Jack, could you give me a quick tip on how to get the water/wall effect? is it a combination of artistic filters? I never got into digital art except for college but that was in 2000. I have been sitting at this computer for nearly 10 days working on beauty retouching for another photo from this shoot. Any tutorials on stuff like that? Guys I cannot stress enough how much this forum means to me. <br>

cheerio<br>

marta</p>

<p>lol, no, but i dodnt think i lit the hair correctly, ill try fixing that with dodging/burning via 50% grey fill. </p>

<p>the next one up is my photo. </p>

<p>here is the picture</p><div></div>

<p>Hey Everyone, <br /> I did a photo shoot for a friend(hair stylist) last week and I'm kind of stuck. Usually I'll do my basic post production, color correction, curves, levels, but I feel this picture is well exposed, nice color tone (I havent touched it yet) and this is where I'm stuck. I haven't really got an idea of how to go about digitally enhancing it . I'd like to try something that would bring out the mood, dark, edgy but haven't a clue how to go about it. any ideas on what i culd try to make it stand out? digital manipulation is allowed and she would like that. any tutorials that you would like to share?<br /> thank you<br /> marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Hey All, <br>

Thanx so much for everyone's opinions. I love this forum. It gives you options and something to think about. I would love to own the 24-70L 2.8 , but I have to forget about it now. I'm leaning towards the 17-40L because I plan to own a ff body so I think it will be an investment for life. The 28mm 2.8 is cheap enough to buy now so I might just get that one to get me by and plan to get the 17-40L in the nearest future. I think that would be my best strategy. Thanx again for everything.<br>

cheerio<br>

marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Thanx guys for your input,<br>

So you think I should wait, save and treat myself? From the beginning I was very interested in the 24-70. But then I thought whether to get the body/lens kit (refurbished)? I guess my mind was made up awhile ago but I'm still not 100% sure if there is THAT lens that would just as good as my 50mm 1.8 but a 20mm? (fixed length). Just reading upon the 20mm 2.8. (again it's the space issue)<br>

Still searching..<br>

Please if you have hands on experience with any lenses you would consider, share with me.<br>

marta 3eciak</p>

<p>Hey G Dan, <br>

Speaking of the 17-40, If I were to shoot at F8 would I be ok? why do you say the non full-frame bodies gave you trouble,? because of the cropping issue? it's pricey.<br>

Yes, absolutely, you're right. The 50mm lens will act something like a 65mm on a non full-frame body, I just thought the extra 22mm would give me ability to move further back. The 17-55mm 2.8 sounds nice but if I'm going to invest that much money, wouldn't I be better off with a 24-70 L series since I long to have the 5D anyway. I have been told to get a second hand 5D with the lens as a kit but that's too much money for me to come up with at the moment and I have people who want to be photographed.<br>

i was thinking more like a fixed focal length lens, or maybe a Sigma lens, like 17-35? </p>

 

<p>sorry here is my portfolio with all the photography I've done so far.<br>

<a href="http://callmartafoto.com/portfolio.html">http://callmartafoto.com/portfolio.html</a></p>

 

<p>Hi All, <br>

Here's my dilemma. I've had my Canon 350D for about 4 years now. I recently purchsed the 50mm 1.8 marks II lens. I have invested most of my money in lighting equipment and accessories. I am very happy with my 50mm, and the photos I'm getting combined with my studio lightin but I'm stuck for sapce in my studio. I have a family to photograph in 2 weeks. I can fit them in my studio but I can't get far back enough to fit them in my camera:( I would love to get the 5D and the 24-70mm L or the 28-105 in the next year, but for now I need a sharp lens with a wide angle. I photographed with the 28-105 IS( i beieve it is) and it's a fine lens. But I'm seriously considering the 28mm 1.8. My question is what would you recommend to get so I can a family in, they're not going to be traditionaly posed photos, but rather experimental and "funky", so the distortion of the image (wide angle effect) isn't that much of a factor. I've also done some research on the 17-40L. . I'm attaching some ohotos just to show you what I've done so far using my kit lens and the 50mm. As you can see the newborn photos are barely fit in the frame. (This is becuase I have no room to move back) I hope I made myslef understood and your help is greatly apprecited because I must tell you I dint start my day without a coffee and photo.net<br>

p.s renting a lens for a day or two is not an option because I live too far away to get to a shop where I can rent one. </p>

 

<p>2 photographers that stuck with me since photography college and still are a great inspiration are Avedon and Mapplethorpe , Annie Leibovitz is my ultimate favourite .Oh and Cindy Sherman. Not sure if you've studied her yet, but she's definitely had an influence on me since then. <br /> cheerio<br /> marta 3eciak</p>