steve_carless

<p>In general, you can use the images for "editorial use" on your website gallery/blog and samples you show to clients as a artist showing their work to potential clients. You cannot sell it or use it in a competition. Using it in printed material like flyers, cards, etc is usually not permitted without a release.</p>

<p>Charge them $2500 licence fee and ask them to list it as a donation. So you get no money, but you get a $2500 tax deduction. They will be very happy and you get a hefty deduction. Only if they are a 501c3 org.</p>

<p>Why fight it, ditch the Canon and get a Nikon. The specs on your battery say you should get 500-600 shots if you don't use the flash or live view. If you use the popup flash or live view you can drop that to 200 shots or less.</p>

<p >Scott, maybe I was a bit harsh. Every lab I've seen offers a couple levels of scanning providing different file sizes from 2mb to 75mb. The bigger the file the more expensive. Almost none of them print 6x6 from film anymore, all digital. Most labs package processing and low-res scanning for about $0.25 per neg, but the image size is usually less than 3mb and only good for proofs. Some labs like Millers offer 10mb scans for $0.25 when your order proofs too. That size is good for prints up to 8x10 or 11x14. Many labs, like Millers, also offer higher res scans 16-24mb during processing for $0.35-0.40 per neg. You may also be charged about $5 for the CD.</p>

<p>Be different. The easy way is to group them in a bunch, mount the flash on the camera for fill, climb an 8ft ladder or out a 2nd story window, and shoot down at them. If you need to be in the picture this is a little problem, but you may be able to have someone else take it or secure the camera to the ladder.</p>

<p >Be careful, I don't know who "they" are you speak of, but the photographer shooting the wedding may have exclusive rights to shoot the wedding. Whoever is hiring you may be violating the contract. Most wedding photographers shoot the reception details too. If you are a guest then fine, take some shots, but not for money. If you are not a guest, then check if you are really allowed to do this.</p>

<p >Scott, you scare me. Have you had a roll of 120 film processed in the last 5 years? If so, you never noticed that every lab offers to scan them on CD?</p>

<p>You get what you pay for. There have always been shoot and burn amateurs, even before digital.</p>

<p>I allow the videographer to take shots as long as they stay out of my way. I've never had a DJ do it. It's up to you to make the call. If he was selling the pics, I'd say no. If he's just putting up pic of people dancing, I'd allow it as long has he stays out of my way.</p>

<p>1800x1200 JPGs are large enough to make nice 8x10s. Watermark the JPGs with your studio logo to try and prevent them from violating the max 8x10 print size. My releast says they can't crop out the watermark. If Walmart see a watermark they usually ask for a release.</p>

<p >Your wedding pics are in the engagements gallery. The pics in engagements, I'm not sure where they belong, maybe a reception gallery? In general I think your pics are WAY WAY too photo-shopped for my liking. Your packages only vary by $600 from the bottom to top. 12 hours of coverage for every package is too much. Starting at 3-4 and go up to 12 in the biggest package is better. Ownership of images is misleading and the word should be changed for dropped all together. Read up on how to create packages, I'm not going into it here. Also, sell albums. I see nothing on your site about albums. If you have read this far, let me say that you photography is decent. Did I say too much photoshop? Maybe I did. :) Your color balance on some skin tones is too warm, orange. Other than that you should make most of your clients happy. Looking for the approval of others is possibly a very painful road to go down. Asking for critique a public forum like this is just asking for flames. If you want to improve your craft, join PPA and ask for advice in there forums for a critique. Here is the local affiliate in Winter Springs <a href="http://www.ppscf.com/">http://www.ppscf.com/</a>. WPPI and <a href="http://www.digitalweddingforum.com">www.digitalweddingforum.com</a> are also good resources. Good luck and happy shooting.</p>

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<p>Betty, check with the church to see if you can set up a unmaned radio remote camera in the alter. Also, go to the church at the same time you will be shooting the wedding and take some pictures with on tripod with VR on from the spots you are allowed to shoot at different high ISOs and see if your 18-200 will work with the lighting. Bring a friend to stand in for the couple and have them move so you can see the effect of the slow shutter speeds. D300's arn't too bad at ISO 3200 most of the time. If you can get 1/30 of a second at 200mm on a tripod, that should be okay. Make sure you ask what lighting is on for weddings, they may have spots on the alter, if so you many not have a problem. I shoot an old G type 300mm at F5.6 on a solid pod at ISO 3200 and get nice shots from the back of most churchs.</p>

<p >Doug, things NOT to do, shadow the pro taking pics of the same things from behind him. What to do, take candid's of guests that the pro is not. Take pics in the church from your seat using your 180mm f2.8 and a monopod, but be quite and turn off the focus assist light. Take the bride coming down the aisle from the front and passing by, the mom and dad looking at her coming, the groom watching her come, very few pics or none of the ceremony depending on noise and the church, take the kiss and going back up the aisle and receiving line if there is one. Above all, stay out of the way and don't shoot what he does or do it from a totally different angle.</p>

<p>You said the architect paid you for your time. If he hired you as a "work for hire" he may expect to own the copyrights. It all depends on what the contract said or what verbal agreement you had with the architect. Never give a CD to a client without a license agreement telling the client what they can and can't do with the images. Good luck!</p>

<p>Dittos on what John just said. When you took the shots and gave her the prints you knew it was for a Hooters contest. You gave her permission for use of the image for that explicit purpose. You get nothing. Sorry. Just be happy for your friend.</p>

<p>$100 a car with an agreed minimum of 20 per week, shoot 3 to 4 cars an hour. 10-25 cars, 2 times a week $2K-$5K per week. Sign me up! I'm betting they want to pay you $15 an hour as a part time employee. I'd stay home for that.</p>

<p>You can start with an email asking to meet with them about 2nd shooter positions. First you need to filter out the pros from the want-to-be's. Not everyone with a website is a pro. Another alternative is to join your local PPA affiliate and attend the meetings. This is a good place to meet the locals, learn, and network.</p>

<p>It's not the equipment as much as the skill of the person behind the camera. If you have never shot a wedding before you are not qualified to go solo. On the job training it not for not good for weddings.</p>

<p>You need at least 2 camera bodies and 2 flash units. A 200-300mm lens would also be nice. My general advice for starting out is to 2nd shoot for a pro to learn first, before you go solo. It is so easy to make a mess of a wedding is you've never done it before.</p>

<p>Most work like this you licensed use of the images. $750 + yearly fees for the images works for me.</p>

<p>Good luck getting any money from the student at Duke Univ., the Dr. on the other hand is a target. You can always send a letter to the Dr. requesting some licence fee for the use of the image or you will sue him for damages if he doesn't pay. If you ask for $300 to $500 for prior use without a license and a yearly fee of $20 to $30 for use, he may just pay you and it saves a lot of legal hassle.</p>

<p>I sell 20 wallet albums direct from the lab $125. 10 wallet folio for $84. Both are based on a multible of material cost.</p>

<p>Kel, I'm no lawyer, but I can say that that won't do. You don't state what the contract is for? Portraits, weddings, commercial? Each one requires a different contract. Send me an email and I'll send you what I have.</p>

<p>Charge $1 / mile (both ways), $100 / day for food & expenses (shooting & travel days), plus hotel. Never travel on the day of the event. You need time the day before to scout the area and get ready. So $620 for mileage, $300 expenses, + hotel.</p>

<p>Better yet, find a pro in your area that will shoot it and have you as a 2nd shooter. Then work with the pro to learn the business. It's easy to make a mess of a wedding if you've never done it before.</p>