joe_rych

<p>A good portion of the people on here (at least in this section of the forum) won't know the answers to those questions without looking it up.</p>

<p>What Nadine said. Spot on!</p>

<p>Thank you everyone for your help. I placed a follow up call today and was able to secure the job with the information I gained here.<br>

Joe</p>

<p>Mr Bernardo, Thanks for the input. It wa very helpful. I think I am going to put some pricing together partially based on what you have suggested and my own research. With any luck my bid for this job will be one of the better ones.<br>

Regards,<br>

Joe</p>

<p>No, I like it the way it is. The bigger picture really tells the story (the wave). Good job!</p>

<p>Bob, I have been working for other people making thier fortunes for a number of years photographing for them. I also don't have a big "5" next to my name like you. The only numbers I ever really saw were the ones on my 1099. I've since gotten tired of doing great photography for someone else when I could be making my own name. A few years ago I got into doing weddings for myself. I know wht my time is worth but it's still hard for me to know all the markets as well as the people I worked with. They dont typically tell thier shooters all the details on the jobs because they don't want us to become thier competition. To complicate the problem we've got places like lifetouch to deal with, giving the schools huge kickbacks. All in all I still don't see how you think trying to expand a business into another market makes for a bad question. As I said the first time, I'm so sorry I don't "know it all" like you apparantly do.<br>

If your really out to dog a question why dont you go over to one of those post that reads something like: "I booked my first wedding and its tommorow, I dont have any gear yet or any experience, what should I do?"</p>

<p>Bob,<br />It's a vald question coming from someone who works in one market but is asking about pricing another. In a wedding market I am planning on making my money off of being hired for the event whereas in the graduation market I would be making my money off of many different people. Two totally different situations. I guess what I'm saying is, thanks for nothing. You post did not contribute in any way except to show people how ignorant you really are to people who are not "photography gods" like you.</p>

<p>I have to agree here. If you shot this in RAW and have a copy of Lightroom you should be able to bring this back somewhat. RAW buys you more in terms of adjustments later, than does jpeg. Always shoot RAW.</p>

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>As most of you may know. I am primarily a wedding photographer, however, just recently I got a call from local university wanting me to quote them for commencment photos. Seeing as how I dont usually do too much of that (though I would like to) I don't yet have a price structure for this sort of thing.<br>

She would like a quote back today. What should I tell her? She told me that I would be selling the photo's to the students (there are about 250 graduating). Do I charge them a small fee to photograph the event or should I offer the event for free while earning money on sales from the families?<br>

If I am to charge a fee, how much do you think? Also, what kinds of packages will I have for the families and students to purchase?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Joe</p>

<p>Steve, if you look closly at the proofs, the ones where you said I cut thier feet and knees. Its the same player as one with a full shot (look for the jersey numbers), I am giving the parents several shoices for thier childs individual. I have a full shot for each player. I shot this at 5.6, next time I'll shoot wider for more bokeh. Unfortunatly I to get the look I had to use the floor emblem from where I was, the silver was pretty much uavoidable.</p>

<p>Nathan,<br>

I used 2 Alien Bee 800 heads in shoot thru at 7' to camera right and left with PW triggers. Camera was a D300 with 17-55 2.8 on a Bogen carbon fiber tripod and a justrite bracket.</p>

<p>This was my First sports shoot, here's what I got while I ws there tell me that ya tink...</p>

<p><a href="http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/7667558_5GkBe#495021365_BHuHG">http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/7667558_5GkBe#495021365_BHuHG</a></p>

<p>I also have a just rite bracket. Gary is great to work with. His prodcut is well thought out and sturdy. I havent had to ywt, But I hear if I ever have a problem I can send it right back and he will take care of it. Great guy & the bracket does everything you could ask a bracket to do.</p>

<p>I'm gonna throw my 2 cent in here. Its not full frame but on his budget the D300 might be a better solution for him seeing as how hw only has 4k to work with. He can pick up 2 bodies and a few extra batteries and maybe even a sb800 head for that assuming he still has is pro lenses.</p>

<p>I keep a "Venue" folder on my pc. Each venue gets its own folder inside. I simply take 3-10 photos of the venue and place them inside that venues' folder. A quick search reveals to me just where I'll be and what it looks like. I am always adding to my folder but It has served to help me several times already. An Idea like he has is neat but I like maintaining my own system. It only ever takes me 3 minutes to grab the shots I need and another 2 to fils them for each location. Thats 5 minutes per venue location to know just where I'll be.</p>

I have the nikon 10.5mm Fisheye. Love it. What a fantastic little lens this is. once you go wide you'll never go back. There is a whole world inside my camera every time I put that lens on.

Bob, I appriciate the insight on that. I was however able to confirm that the lights were firing as prescribed by the sb-900 via the tracking modeling light that goes out when it is recharging. Last night I switched the sb-900 to manual and set it all the way down and used it to fire the 2 slave alien bees. It works just as they said it would.

 

Thanks!

Nadine, Mark. You guys (and gals respectfully) are right on cue. The flash was in fact in the "on"position in the cookie cutter TTL or what have you mode. That is a new flash as well, so it's a little bit of a learning curve. The flash manual is as thick as the camera manual. yeesh. In any case I am looking forward to throwing the sb-900 into manual and trying out my luck that way. If you guyd are right (and I'd put money on it) then this should work right away; putting an end to using that nasty, clumbsy flash sync cable.

 

Those pre-flashes must be really fast, imperceptable even. It all looks one one flash to me.

 

Thanks for the help, I'm going to go try that out.

Ok so I'll give you a quick rundown of my equipment in use for this scenario and what my problem is. It is probably

something simple but this is my first time using monoblocks.

 

Picture this, I have a table set up with items, I have a d300 with a 17-55 (or a 70-200) on a tripod. To my left and right

I have an alien bee 800 flash unit with a umbrella mounted in shoot thru position on an 8ft stands set to about 7 ft.

 

On the camera I have an sb-900 flash unit attached to a quantum sc battery pack (yes it works).

 

The camera was set to take pictures ISO 100 f8 at 125th. The pictures were very dark constantly.

 

 

Here's my problem. When shooting with the alien bees as slaves to the sb900 (light, not radio slave) I was getting

pictures with hard shadows where there should be no shadows do to the location of the alien bees. After taking quite

a few frames I decided to try something else. I unplugged the sb-900 alltogether and tried firing the alien bee's on just

a remote cable from the plug on the camera.

 

This hardwired technique did in fact yeild pictures where I was capturing the light produced by the bees. The pictures

were much brighter and did not have the aformentioned shadows. What difference did removing the flash and going

hardwired make? I cant understand it. That is the only change that took place when the results changed.

 

Thanks for any help the photo.net group can offer!

 

Joe

Wow! I didn't know about this. I have a few D300's myself. I havent heard about the new firmware yet. Thanks! I'll go check it out.

For your business model, might it be possible for you to share with us how much the DVD of high res images is sold for?

Agreed on the business model thing. Bella doesnt actually have a vested interest in the final product, it just has to be "good enough". Lets pretent shall we... "I'm a bella exec. all I have to worry about is advertising then then to sign you up when you call; as far as the pictures go, well it doesnt matter to me as long as I charge you, I pay him (to show up) and then you get whatever we feel like giving you".

 

My 2 cents

Some really good advice on here. I would say the best thing is giving an accurate quote on how long it will be till the proofs are up for your particular situation. Other than that when they breathe down your neck after a week and you told them 4-6 (which I think is a pretty long time to wait, personally). You need to reiterate how long they would be as per your AGREEMENT. Of course you have a signed contract that states this; right?

To me a "standard lens" is whatever job is needed to get the job done right. There is no do all well, lens. If there was people would not walk around with entire bags of lenses.

WERD!

I am appauled at that comment. I mean; seriously? JUST A WEDDING? Who the h#$^ are these camera owning, know it all, fools? What kind of comment is that? A person like that needs a good rap in the mouth by "present photographer" if you ask me. If it's just a wedding, why then did they even bother to show up?

 

That is all.