chris_whitcomb1

<p>Being photojournalistic and PS'ing the females to look their best can both live in the same realm. Regardless of what name you call your style, your still an artist and your going to want to express to the world how you see it. I do the same thing with both the males and females, but only to our portfolio pieces, album picks, and print orders. Everything else stays in proof mode so I'm not spending the rest of my life making 800 images from 1 wedding look perfect. Plus, the more you do it the faster and better you get at your pp, just make sure your only doing it to the right images.</p>

<p>My father was a amatuer photographer when I was born so I have always been around it. One of my first memories is being in a room with a red light and the smell of "something funky." Ever since then I could always be found with a camera up to my eye and hands that smelled like D-76/Deltol/Stop Bath/Fixer, yep, all mixed into one. At least they didn't smell like sepia toner, you digital only people have NO idea how lucky we have it today!!!!</p>

<p>Something that has not been considered here is all the advice that brides get from the magazines and websites. Giving away the images didn't really start with the "moms with camera' club, it actually started with magazines telling brides to demand "their" images. Just like everything else, wedding photography is/has turned into a commodity to be traded/sold based on everything except artistic content and vision. During these tough economic times, more and more adivce will be given to look for the up-n-coming photographers or even your uncle bob/aunt sally with the big black camera as way to get your wedding photography requirement. We really don't have a voice advocating for quality to counter the photography "cheap as possible" message. If we are going to educate the brides of today, we have to use the medium of today and that means getting photographers involved in journalism and starting websites for brides based on everything else but price. Just my $.02.</p>

<p>Eat - Regroup - Download small jpeg's for the slideshow - Edit images for slideshow - Talk w/ assistants about the rest of the nights goals - Plan alone time with b/g</p>

<p>Since we are a husband and wife team, things go so much smoother during this time as we each have our designated jobs that we focus on....nothing is left to chance. If we see the b/g move, we're on it and since we're usually sitting pretty close to them, we can still get some of the "congratulations" shots if requested.</p>

<p>Enough b/g's have specified "no images during dinner", that fighting this is not productive to our relationship with them or their families. Since we are billing our selves as their family historian, we look forward to a long relationship with each of our familes.</p>

<p>Copyrights - Good topic! The Photoshop Guys over at photoshopusertv did 3 or 4 episodes with copyright attorney Ed Greenberg. Very good stuff for all of us, because even if you don't care right now who uses your images for whatever, there may come a day when you realize that one image "sold" to the right company could completly change your families financial future for the better. The interviews start with episode 168</p>

<p>I'm sorry, I must have missed that paycheck remark. Some of us use our photography to feed and clothe our family. Some of us are actually trying to run a profitable business that hopefully will stimulate the economy by our purchasing power and maybe, just maybe provide jobs to others because we need the help. I have nothing more to say about this because its obvious that there are photographers who just happen to have a business and business people who make their money from photography on here and the two really never see things the same way.</p>

<p>Betty - Have you not been paying attention to what the music industry has already been doing? And now they are targeting the ISP's to help enforce their draconian world view. As far as going website by website, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but not out of the realm of possibilities, you at least must admit that. And stealing is stealing, no matter the personal feelings. YES! Support those who give their music out for free, they need the exposure and some of them make damn fine music. This isn't a question of supporting free musicians, this is about doing what is right, for everyone.</p>

<p>You have about 30 seconds to grab the attention of most people surfing the web, if your site is still loading music or a flash slideshow at about the 20 second mark, you are loosing potential clients, period.</p>

<p>As far as pricing goes, she is doing the right thing. If your not raising the bar every 3 to 6 months, your doing your business a diservice. Her 5 digit package maybe her Wopper Package, designed to draw more attention to the middle packages she really needs/wants to sell. And who knows, maybe she just might actually sell some of the whopper packages because you can't sell what you don't have listed. Try it for yourselves right now, create a gigantic package that has everything in it including a day at the spa for the ladies and a round of golf for the gentlemen. Then price it high, really high, then start your selling with that package and work your way down, you might be surprised how many more of your current top packages you start selling.</p>

<p>The music thing isn't just a Candice problem, she's a professional wedding photographer and brings us all into the problem. Do we really want the music industry to start going website by website to catch wedding photographers using unlicensed music? Can you imagine what the headlines would say about the wedding photography industry? And now, even those who don't use unlicesened music or who don't use music at all are now a part of the issue. So for those of you who do use music because you have "different feelings" about copyright, please think of the industry before thinking of just yourself.</p>

<p>However, I just took a look at the Chanel logo and I would be much more worried about them coming after me then the music industry.</p>

<p>If I'm not mistaken, it happens from time to time, the website is a ShowIt Site from David Jay. He has deals from bands and labels so that photographers can use their songs on the sites and ShowIt Web slideshows. If this is the case then Candie is doing nothing wrong legally, just hijacking my speakers which I find annoying.</p>

<p>So I'm a bit confused. I googled your name for your website and I am completely blown away with your creativity and photoshop skills. Most of what I posted before still stands but I would think you already know the answers to your questions based on your portfolio. However, being unsure of yourself is almost as bad as not knowing, seek local guidance from a pro.</p>

<p>Emilia - Why are you doing this? From the questions your asking, your knowledge of just basic photography is minimal at best. I DO NOT want to rain on your parade or demotivate you but this is a once in a lifetime event for this couple and you are now taking on the responsibility of recording it visually forever. Wedding photography, is probably the hardest type of photography to do but unfortunately one of the easiest to get into. Do you have friends who have basic photography skills that you could ask to assist you, or a local wedding photographer who would be willing to help you prepare?</p>

<p>As far as your question, if you already do not own the 50 1.8, at less then $100, its a no brainer. If your not completely sure what you'll need, try your local camera store rental department for lens'. Go to the venue and see what their restrictions are, you might be stuck shooting through the doors at the back of the church which would almost require the 70-200. There are lots to consider here and none should be taken lightly.</p>

<p>Please do not think I'm trying to kill your desire and love of photography. The quickest way to kill that buzz is to completely bomb when it counts the most and to have people who counted on your "expertise" to capture their memories become very upset that they are ruined.</p>

<p>Fin|ao and KISS Wedding Albums are actual albums and not what most would classify as a coffee table book. They are both outstanding albums, with KISS getting my vote for being better based on their customer service, including a phone call from Kevin Swan just to see if I had any questions regarding the ordering process.</p>

<p>I can't say anything about PICTO or GraphiStudio books, as I have not used them. However, the bad reviews that GraphiStudio has received will keep me from taking a chance.</p>

<p>Asuka, hands down, is the best coffee table book on the market and apparently this year will get a lot better. Coffee table books are all they do, and from day one they've made a professional product for professionals. We've ordered about 6 now and every one comes back perfect with quality unmatched by the Blurbs, Booksmarts, mypublishers, and snapfish products. No personal phone calls from Mr. Kubota but who cares, the product is just that good. As far as pictures go, the images on the Asuka website are as good as anything we could post</p>

<p>2008 was our first year shooting weddings professionaly. This our last wedding of the year, Dec 20th, and I loved the wall lights so much that I thought it would make a great photograph....I'm very pleased with the image as is the bride. Shot with a D300.</p>

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<p>Yes, this is a business...but it's a "people" business</p>

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<p>+1</p>

<p>Yep, in the contract that either we get fed at the reception when the b/g eat or we take a 1 hour break to get our own meals. The one hour break statement usually gets us a meal and a spot at one of the head tables.</p>

<p>Eliza- We used to operate that way as well....until a check didn't clear. Now we require a retainer of $xxx at the time of signing the contract with the balance due 30 days prior to the wedding. This gives the check time to clear the banks and enough time to react if something were to go wrong.</p>

<p>Are you doing albums for your clients? If so, use that company to make a best of 2008 album where you could put your individual fav's from the year or create a spread for each wedding. We're doing the spread for each wedding book so the client can get a feel for our consistency of quality from wedding to wedding.<br /> To actually try and answer your question, I have yet to find an album like the one your looking for that is professional enough to do our images the justice they deserve. Presentation of the product is just as important as the product itself.</p>

<p>I personally would pick up the 50 1.8 or 1.4, in that order bassed on your financial situation. However, your 17-85, when used properly, is a fantastic ceremony lens but the key point is knowing how to use it. David Ziser turned me on to this lens with his Gear Bag Friday posts on his blog http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-shifting-gears-gear-review-canon.html.</p>

<p>What I do for receptions is to "drag my shutter" so that I can freeze, for the most part, the subject and let most of the ambiant light into the image. I'm shooting at no higher than ISO 400, using a shutter speed at about 1/25th at usally f2.8-f3.5 depending how far from the subject I am. Play with the settings in your house or just go for it at the next social event, I promise you'll see a world of difference in noise and put a sense of "action" in your images.</p>