ella_swanson

<p>Thank you for all the responses. I'm sure everyone has had these moments where you mostly have made up your mind about a situation but wanted to gauge the public.</p>

<p>I realize now that my argument that I wouldn't want a client who would reject me based on one image is a moot point. I would probably never run into a situation where I would learn their political leanings, I'm not someone who talks about politics at all. It's just useful to get more varied opinions on the matter because after living in Chelsea (NYC) your ideas of what is the norm are considerably altered. It's such a bubble.</p>

<p>I'm not trying to stand on a soapbox here. Just asking for people's opinions. Thank you.</p>

<p>Also I realized my name is different, but I promise the website is mine... It's just a random name so clients won't see my really old dumb questions when searching for me.</p>

<p>I may be presumptuous in thinking the problem isn't at all my fault, but I've noticed a drastic fall in the number of people booking me for weddings after I posted a gay engagement shoot on my blog and website. I didn't ever think about the fact that people might be turned off by seeing gay people in my portfolio, I was mostly thinking about horror stories from gay couple getting turned down by photographers and I wanted to make sure everyone knows I'm equal opportunity. You know?</p>

<p>I'm not removing the images. If a client is going to not hire me based on that chances are we probably won't jive well together and do I really want to enter into that kind of contract with them? I'm sure you'll agree that it's so much easier to have a client who you really click with.</p>

<p>Like I said I'm probably just being cocky. I also don't want to pull the bigot card so quickly. I have photos of people covered in blood on both and a whole series on a <a href="http://mrmannequin.tumblr.com/">mannequin</a> so it's <em>prooobably</em> my fault. But I wanted to get someone else's opinion on this.</p>

<p><a href="http://weddings.ameliabeamish.com/html_gallery.cfm?menu_itemID=711518&load=html&parentID=711517">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="http://ameliabeamish.blogspot.com/2010/12/peter-mark.html">BLOG</a></p><div></div>

<p>When I shoot concerts I usually shoot with my 70-200mm f2.8 and I love it. I tend to lean towards tighter crops and more intimate portraits and usually the bands I shoot are folkier and slower so it allows me to shoot in this style.</p>

<p>However a few of the bands I work with regularly are ska or punk bands and their shows have a lot more movement to them so I need a wider lens so people can actually see the action. Right now I just have the 24-105mm f4 but I would love to find a f2.8 wide. I'm fine with a prime.</p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

<p><a title="She & Him by abeams, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4775500574_5b3350021a.jpg" alt="She & Him" width="500" height="333" /></a><br>

<a title="She & Him by abeams, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4775503712_8b340634a1.jpg" alt="She & Him" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>I was switching lenses and I dropped this little guy and it broke right in half and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations for anything fun I can do with the lens. I've had that lens for 5 years and I bought it for $70 so I wasn't even that upset when it happened, more embarrassed that I let a lens slip, but it seems like a waste of good glass. Now I finally have my excuse to buy the 1.4.</p>

<p>It still screws on fine to the body, it's just the front glass that is off so it obviously can't auto-focus.</p>

<p>Currently I shoot with a 5D Mark II and a 30D for backup. I need to get a newer backup to replace to 30D (<em>I'll still bring the 30D along for my backups backup</em>) and I'm wondering if I should save the money, give up the full sensor and go with the 7D, or if it's worth it to get another 5D. I don't think I want to go as far down to the rebels (<em>I feel like I'm going to swallow them up they're so tiny</em>), and I don't know much about the 60D.<br>

So really right now it's between the 60D, the 7D and the 5D Mark II.</p>

<p>Something was wrong internally because it sounded like it tried to charge but then couldn't finish. I opted out of repairing it and bought the ray flash adaptor instead. It works much better and I don't have to worry about another flash since it works off my 580 ex II. It's a pity though because that flash worked perfect with my bellows.</p>

<p>I feel like an idiot for asking this but I have <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/515454-REG/Bower_SFDRL14C_SFDRL14C_Macro_Ringlight_Flash.html">this ringflash</a> and it's worked amazing up until today when I tried to use it. At first I just thought the batteries weren't charged enough but I put fresh batteries in and still no flash. I even unscrewed it to see if I could replace the bulb (<em>assuming they even sold the bulbs separately</em>) and the bulb is glued in. I don't shoot macro enough to merit spending $400 on a ring flash and because I use bellows instead of a macro lens I can't have a DIY lens or flash adapter. On B&H it says it lasts 100-200 flashes but I just assumed that was per battery charge, and even so, I rarely use it I can't imagine I've shot more than 100-200 flashes with it.<br /> Anyway, long story short, has anyone else had this problem? I've had it for a little over a year so I can't return it to B&H and if need be I will buy it again but I just feel like I'm in the dark here.<br>

<a href=" is an example of what I'm using it for. Nothing I do professionally, just something I find interesting.</p>

<p>Does anyone know of any sites that would allow passwords for clients to view their images? Senior portrait photographers tend to have passwords so not just anyone can view the photos.<br>

Selling the images isn't that big of an issue. I give clients a CD and usually tell them to get stuff printed at Adorama. Head shots are expensive enough without an online site charging $7 for a 5x7.</p>

<div></div>

<p>Make friends with the people at the zoo. E-mail their PR and see if they need any photos. I did on a whim and got myself a summer internship where I was able to go inside tons of exhibits and get better shots.</p>

<p>I used a 200-500mm lens for most of these. Widest it's only 5 so my ISO is usually pretty high, but the freedom of being able to zoom out quickly comes in handy with primates because they usually come right up to the glass.</p>

<p>Make sure you have a really wide aperture if you shoot any animals in front of those cheesy murals. Some zoos are just much better with their exhibits though. I hate most of the DC zoos inside exhibits because they just look tacky to me but the Bronx zoo has amazing inside exhibits.</p>

<p>You might look insane but a bottle of windex might save you if there are tons of finger prints on the glass from kids pressing up to it.<br>

<img src="http://fc96.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/218/5/7/Bald_Eagle__by_PuffDragon.jpg" alt="" width="368" height="550" /><br>

<img src="http://fc62.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/224/f/1/Lemur_IX__by_PuffDragon.jpg" alt="" width="368" height="552" /><br>

<img src="http://fc17.deviantart.com/fs38/f/2008/314/0/a/Meerkat__by_PuffDragon.jpg" alt="" width="368" height="552" /><br>

<img src="http://fc17.deviantart.com/fs28/f/2008/106/1/4/Gorilla__by_PuffDragon.jpg" alt="" width="368" height="550" /><br>

(<em>I shot the last two from outside the exhibits)</em></p>

<p>Thanks for all the answers. I agree on the Craigslist comment, haha. It's just so easy to post there so I always do just in case.<br>

I'm actually going to e-mail a few of my actor friends about the finders fee right now.</p>

<p>I've been doing headshots for free since August and now I think I have a pretty decent amount of good headshots to make a comp card exclusively for that, but I'm not sure where to post it. I posted a digital copy on craigslist but it got buried with the other hundred photographers selling headshots.<br>

Also I was researching how much actors expect to pay for headshots and most people told me $200 and up and anything drastically cheaper is just too sketchy so they stay away. I'm decent but not good enough to charge that much, but I need to make some money in order to get better equipment so that I can get more jobs. It's kind of a chicken and egg situation.<br>

One of the actors I photograph told me he would try and get me at least one client and tell them they had to get me another one, kind of a pay it forward thing, but I need something more substantial than a few hopeful clients.</p>

<p><em>Below is a sample of the comp card I'm using right now.</em><br>

<img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/Beamer1987/Ad.jpg?t=1234915595" alt="" width="485" height="485" /><br>

<strong>Where should I post this? Am I overcharging?<br /> </strong></p>

 

Thanks for the responses! Turns out I couldn't do it anyway because I will have left for school before she even gets her dress back.

I got an e-mail from a woman asking me to take some 'artsy' portraits of her for her parents as a gift. She's on

a tight budget, of course and I'm just wondering what a decent price to charge her would be. I really need the

money so I don't want to scare her off with too high a price but I also don't want to get ripped off.

I go to F.I.T. and although I'm not really big into fashion but I know plenty of people who are and who love it.

 

Here are some fashion students sites:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=118116216

http://www.josephmirisola.com/