lilypicketphotography

<p>so...it sounds to you like there actually IS something wrong with the power pack, and it's not just me? I HATE that I am so technically inept yet....I know it comes with experience, but am impatient! *sigh*</p>

 

<p>hi, everyone...I am STILL having problems with some aging Speedotron equipment that I was gifted a while back from a retiring photographer (...at least, at first I thought it was a gift...at this point, I'm beginning to think it's a curse!) Can anyone give me any hints as to what might be going on, here? I have a Speedotron blackline 2401A power supply, and 4 strobes. They are AT LEAST 30 years old. Maybe more. Here's the crux of the problem: I hook everything up, I shoot 6-8 shots, and they work just fine. Then everything stops firing. The ready light is on, and I'm not shooting rapid-fire, so I'm 99% sure it's not a recycle time issue. I am currently using a sync cord to my Nikon D80. It has been suggested that I turn the polarity of the household around, so I have tried that. No luck. I tried turning off the power supply, letting it sit a few seconds, and turning it back on. No luck. Today it happened (again) while I was doing a family mini-session. GRRRR! I ended up turning the whole thing off, and just using my hotshoe flash, which was the only other thing I had. I'll just have to edit out the shadows (I use them primarily for lighting the white backround, if it matters) later. As soon as the family left, I turned everything back on, put a teddy bear in a chair, and tried them again. Of course, they worked. What the *&^%$!? Additionally, and maddeningly, when I was using a radio-sync (before I got the sync cord), it did the same thing. Only, after about 10 totally black shots, all the lights went nuts and flashflashflashflashflashed. It was like somehow the box had saved up all the signals and spat them all out at once! Curiouser and curiouser....<br>

So...any ideas, anyone? And if not, does anyone want to buy this equipment, super-cheap?!?!? BTW, I also fully recognize that it could just be my lack of technical experience, but I just don't have the time or patience to fool with it. If I can't figure this out soon, I'm going to just buy a set of alien bees and chuck this stuff in the dumpster!</p>

Hi, everyone, Just wanted to update you. We did go to visit dear Uncle, and while he physically and mentally seemed ok, he looked very thin, and very ill. So I did only one shot, in silhouette in front of a window, of him, my son, and my husband. While it's probably not my best work, I think it's absolutely beautiful. He died a mere 3 weeks later. I did send his family the print, but considering the situation, I haven't heard back and it's ok that I haven't yet. I will eventually. Thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions.

Thank you, dear ones. I knew I would, as always, find good advice here. Felix, I would not have thought to give them the *only* copies, and to restrict my own access to them--but as soon as I read it, I knew it was right. Thank you for that.

Douglas, I cannot imagine such a profoundly wrenching experience. It surely changed you as a human being in ways that only someone else who has been there could understand. I spoke with Uncle on the phone for just a moment yesterday, and while the warmth was still there, he tired quickly, so I know that time is of the essence, but I am unsure as to what to expect otherwise. A dear friend, like a mother to me, over 10 years ago was also being ravaged by cancer. I was allowed in to say goodbye 2 days before her death, and she looked absolutely horrible--not at all the person I knew her to be--though her only concern was, still, making sure I knew how much she loved me. So typical of her. So, John and Brian, you have both touched on one of my main concerns--that is, not showing him to be sick, weak, and scary-looking. You are right, that would be undeniably unfair to both him and his family. Going now to research the work of those you have mentioned.

 

Thanks, all.

OK, so maybe this is a really...awkward...question, but I am truly trying to handle this with as much sensitivity as

possible, so anyone who has thoughts/experiences, please do share.

 

An uncle of my husband's is dying of cancer. Rapidly. I only met this man and his family about 3 years ago,

because they live across the country. (They are in MN, I am in SC). I deeply connected with and loved this family

immediately, and naturally we are heartbroken that he has taken such a rapid turn. We are making a hurried flight to

MN in 2 days, to try to see him while he is still himself, so to speak. I would love beyond words to be able to make

some images for them, that would somehow capture this dear man's spirit and vibrancy and love for his family, which

I have rarely seen elsewhere. I asked his wife if it was ok to bring my camera, and told her that I would NOT use it

without his and her permission, at any given moment, and she said that was more than fine--she was kind of

pleased, I think. I do not know if such a task is even possible, but I cannot help but want to try. So I guess the

question is simply, please advise me. What kinds of things should I look for? What kinds of things should I avoid?

Has anyone done this successfully that would be willing to share their images with me for inspiration? I'm sure it is a

very personal thing, but any thoughts would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks, everyone.

OK, first let me start by saying my website is WAY worse right now, and I am saving up to buy a real template so I can fix it. So, I realize I actually have NO RIGHT to say anything! ha,ha! however, that being said, yah, I agree with the others. Take out the boudoir and other portraits from the rotation, and just concentrate on the Pets....the other ones looked strange in the rotating mix. Maybe you could put them in a gallery like you have for dogs, cats, and birds? Just maybe make one called People?

 

Liz

I am just wondering how I should handle this....

 

A lady wants me to do a large family photograph for her--approx 10 adults and a couple of kids, she didn't say what

ages. How do you handle this? Do you charge extra for more people? If a photo (or several) would be better with

swapping, say, one of the kid's faces with another, do you just go ahead and do it and present it that way, or do you

let the client ask for it, or what? Are these possibilities figured in to your pricing structure ahead of time, or do you

charge extra for doing that, on an individual basis? Thanks in advance!

Karen, I looked at your site, and I can totally see why you would be inundated with questions. Your work is

incredible. I immediately found myself thinking, "how does she DO that?!" So much what I want to be. But I can

also completely understand why you don't want to just give out your hard-earned knowledge for free, not to mention

you don't have time for it (and you shouldn't feel guilty about that). However, pretty much as everyone has also said,

masters don't become masters just because they know the info, they become masters because of something they

have inside, that can't be so easily duplicated. Lots of people paint sunflowers, but nobody does sunflowers quite

like Van Gogh did sunflowers. Anyway, just my 1 1/2 cents. (I don't quite feel I'm qualified to give 2 cents, yet. Ha!)

Thank you for encouraging me in my journey. I hope that I can somehow be encouragement to you, as well,

someday.

Thanks for catching that, Ric! And thanks for the comment. : )

oh--I guess it helps if I put it in here, eh? www.lilypickelane.com

okay, so this may be putting the cart before the horse a bit (I seem to be good at that! ha!) but...I have always

disliked the logo I had done--but I am not sure, for the life of me, what to do instead. In my mind, this directly relates

to the marketing thing, so it's pretty important... The question is, HOW important, in relation to the other things I

need to do (as discussed in the other thread!). AND, for the women especially, since women do most of the child-

portrait-buying decisions (though all suggestions are welcome!) what do you "see" when you hear "Lilypicket

Photography"?

OR, as another poster suggested, should I change the name, too? With my last name being Steltzner, (which is

rather distinctive in the South and we are the only Steltzners in the phone book other than his parents) using my

name COULD be a good thing (i.e., Liz Steltzner Photography), BUT, it's also a real mouthful, and to me seems kind

of awkward.

My intention in using "Lilypicket" was that it's unusual, but hopefully kind of whimsical and fun. Which describes the

way I want my portraits to feel. Except, does it sound kinda goofy for a wedding photographer, or someone who

does things other than children's photography? Because at this point, who knows where I might end up. And by the

way, I got a call this morning from an acquaintence who is very involved in the parent advisory committe stuff at her

children's school--she wants to know if I will come take an "overhead" shot of all the kids at the school together, this

fall, in exchange for some free advertising. Um, TOTALLY! So, that's why the logo question is burning in my mind

right now. So....go with what I have for now and re-design later (MUCH later) or redesign now and go full force with

the new one? Keep in mind, I still have no money.

Thanks so much for your advice!

I am so grateful for everyone's comments. Thanks, and keep 'em coming! I didn't take anything as being harsh, just

realistic and truthful! And I agree with you, David, I am always a little suspicious of people who only tell you how

fantastic you are--I want to hear what I can do better! So, thank you for that. And for sharing your wisdom. I

recognize it was earned with sweat and time, and I am grateful for your willingness to share it.

As I have been reflecting on things, I have come to 2 realizations:

1. I am very, very lucky. I have a husband who makes enough for us to survive on, so I only need enough for now to

pay for my equipment/bills. Granted, we sacrifice a lot of "niceties" for me to be at home, which is why I absolutely

canNOT buy anything else until the business makes enough to afford it. My husband is happy to let me stay home,

but he's beginning to look a little askance at me, when I ask for MORE money to sink into some other aspect of this

very huge complicated thing I have gotten myself into!

 

2. In the past, I have consistently had extraordinary beginner's luck with things. I've tried lots of different artsy things,

from sculpture to furniture building, to jewelry making, to mosaic, and had amazingly good results. In almost every

instance, I got lucky and people asked to buy what I made, even my very first attempts. But, I usually got bored

fairly quickly, and moved on to something else, thus never really getting into the "meat" of the skill and developing

any. This, however, has been different. While I did have the same streak of beginner's luck, (and naiively

thought, "hey, this is an easy way to stay home AND make money!") I have stuck with it long enough to get into

the "meat" and realize how....naive and undertrained and ignorant I really am. That was a serious and unexpected

shock. Someone posted that a four-day-workshop does not a photographer make. BOY, you got that right! And

that's part of what overwhelms me. I am realizing that there is soooooo much to learn, and I am impatient. I want to

know it all NOW. : ) Beginner's luck can only carry one but so far. Now it's time to step it up a notch, and really

do some WORK, you know? But which direction to go in first? Theres so much! So, that's where I was. But you

guys have given me great advice, and the first order of business appears to me to be : FIX the website. Then get a

BUSINESS PLAN. Then get better SKILLS. Then, market myself.

 

Does that sound about right?

Thank you, thank you, thank you. All of you. For taking your valuable time to read and respond. For sooo much

wise advice. It helps so much, just knowing I have found a compassionate, knowledgeable group of people who will

be encouraging and supportive! I no longer feel quite so alone. Thank you for that. I am digesting each and every

morsel, and cannot say enough how much I appreciate it! I look forward to reporting back on things as they

(hopefully) improve!

You're exactly right, Paul--at this point, I AM just another MWAC, and my struggle is how to distinguish myself from

the pack, and how to market to high-end clients, with NO marketing skills, and even less money! (and did I mention,

confidence circling the drain as we speak?!) I do have a nominal website, but I think it looks crappy.

www.lilypicketlane.com. I'm trying to do it myself, because again, no money. So, all advice (on ANY aspect of

things) is greatly appreciated.

 

I was soooo discouraged today, when I discovered that a chick that had scheduled an appt and then cancelled, used

another local MWAC whose work is (in my self-centered opinion) not as good as mine, and she charges MORE.

She was showing the pictures off on the mommies discussion board, and was thrilled with them. Sigh. Obviously, I

am CLEARLY doing something (or lots of things) wrong...

 

I have a Nikon D80, which was the most I could afford (and I am still paying for it) and I have a Nikon 24-120 f3.5/5.6

lens. I do have a small studio space in my husband's office, but no sign yet. (again, $)

 

I have been offering a free 8x10 for referrals, but that's only worked twice so far.

 

Am I too impatient? Am I expecting too much success too early in the game?

 

Thanks everyone, for your comments. They are very, very much appreciated.

I feel completely overwhelmed, and totally discouraged.

 

Here's the backstory:

 

I quit my teaching job when I got pregnant, so I could be a stay-at-home mom. I decided I would really like to do

photography to keep my brain active and explore the artsy part of me that has been dormant since college.

I took a 4-day workshop one year ago, for which I probably paid way too much, but it at least got me started in a

direction.

For a while, I was feeling pretty good about things, but I was still taking things pretty slowly, what with a newborn

and all.

Now, all of a sudden, it seems like our market has been flooded with other newbies (MWACs -Moms-with-a-camera--

another photographer friend calls them) who are direct competition with me, and my little business has dried up

almost completely....everyone is out to be cheaper than the next, etc. I have NO MONEY right now, because

everything has dried up.

 

So, what do I do? I need a direction. My stuff isn't all that great, I don't think--just average at best--but people who

are not even as good as me, are charging MORE, and getting business. So WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!

 

And more importantly, how do I FIX IT?

You know, Robert, I hadn't really thought of it that way...in part, I couldn't get past how embarrasingly old it looks! ha! There is actually more, that I hadn't listed, that I was planning on keeping (even though it's old), so getting rid of some of it would still leave me some...but now you have me thinking about it a little harder. I will go back and reassess...

Wow, Catherine, that's so generous of you! ; )

 

I have posted snapshots and descriptions, the best I can, here:

 

http://lilypicketphotography.smugmug.com

 

I would love any and all advice as to my pricing strategy....and if you know what some of the items are--there are a couple I didn't know! Please, educate me! I really want this stuff GONE....but I need to make at least a LITTLE bit of money off of it, if possible! I am just starting, after all, and my hubby wonders if I will *ever* be able to pay off my camera and various lenses, etc...!

Hi, all--I am new to photo.net so I don't know where this really should go--please forgive me if this isn't the right place,

but I need some help.

 

I was given a BUNCH of old studio equipment from a retiring photographer--which would be a FABULOUS problem to

have, except that it's all really old and I have NO FREAKIN IDEA what to do with it! I am a brand new (read:

completely ignorant) photographer, and my studio space is too small for most of it, even if I did know how to use it. I

really would like to sell it, but I honestly don't know if anyone would even buy it!

 

So I guess the real question is, where's the best place to sell this stuff, and how do I know how much it's even worth?

I am listing some of it on Ebay, but I am not holding out much hope.

 

I have 2 boom lights with stands and accessories, a portable Speedotron power pack with four speedotron lights, 2

umbrellas, 4 stands, and what I have been told are called "cans"...like, metal shades that go on the lights,

backdrops, and tons more. I don't know exactly how old they are, but I do know they were well cared for.

 

I'm more of a natural light photographer-wannabe, so I really don't have use for this stuff.

 

Anybody got any advice?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Liz