j_madden

<p>@Jean - That's a great point. Mid day has very hard lighting and you're right about focusing on keepers vs. quantity of shots.</p>

<p>@Scott - T minus 3 days! :D</p>

<p>I'm thinking about taking my Canon 100-400 4.5-5.6 IS L over the 70-200 2.8 IS.<br /> The 100-400 isn't useful when it starts to get dark, but is great during the day when I'll do most of my shooting in Hawaii. Which of the two would you take?<br /> <br /> If you have any suggestions on the best places in Hawaii to shoot please share!<br /> <br /> I'm also taking:<br /> Canon 1.4x, 2x teleconverters<br /> Sigma 14mm F/3.5<br /> Canon 16-35 2.8 L<br /> Canon 24-70 2.8 L<br /> Tripod</p>

<p><br /> Can anyone suggest a good place that doesn't charge a monthly fee to host your images and sell them?<br /> <br /> I was looking at ZenFolio but the pricing model steers you towards the higher monthly plans. Their basic plan doesn't let you host much, and i doubt I'll be selling enough on a regular basis to justify $50-$100 a month in fees.<br /> <br /> Maybe a vendor that takes a % of your sale vs. a monthly fee? I doubt I'll be selling much but for now I'd like to have the store ready for an occasional sale I'd probably have.<br /> <br /> Thanks!</p>

<p><br /> I'm looking to improve my photoshop skills to support the services I offer as a photographer (weddings, event & portraits). I have always focused on taking the most properly exposed photo in camera so I don't have to rely on time consuming photoshop post processing.<br /> <br /> I use Lightroom 2.6 quite a bit in my workflow but mostly for management, only the basic exposure dials to adjust my photos. I feel I need to improve my photoshop skills to be able to do things that customers may want, and that can't be done in Lightroom.<br /> <br /> Two big things that come to mind are replacing the background of a photo that I took in studio with a black background to something more pleasing to the eye (I'd rather not buy & haul around dozens of nice muslin backgrounds when I can replace them in photoshop).<br /> Another would be to say remove facial imperfections (cold sores, acne, hair) on the face of a bride or groom.<br /> <br /> Does anyone have suggestions on books or websites that are tailored towards helping photographers learn these sort of essential skills?<br /> I don't want to become a PS guru, just someone who can use PS effectively as a tool when I need to.<br /> <br /> Thank you for your input!<br /></p>

<p><br /> I'm looking into getting some CTO gels for my Canon 580ex2 flashes. I found these strobist gel packs on ebay and they seem reasonable, but can get expensive if you need 4 or 5 packs. <br /> <br /> Anyone know of other options that would be durable yet still priced reasonably?<br /> Thanks!<br /> <br /> http://cgi.ebay.com/Strobist-Color-Correction-Flash-Photo-Gels-CTO-Rosco_W0QQitemZ300395161218QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Flash_Accessories?hash=item45f0f26682</p>

<p><br /> I love my 5D and the only reason I'd want the Mk2 is the better screen, and high ISO quality. I'd be more than happy with my 5D if I could improve the clarity & visibility of the LCD in bright light.<br /> <br /> Anyone know of a filter or way to improve it with a 3rd party screen filter or protector?<br /> <br /> Thanks!</p>

<p>Anyone have suggestions where to find good royalty free music for use on a wedding photography website?</p>

<p>I need a good way to protect my gear while shooting an event. I usually have one bag with a few lenses in it as i walk around and shoot, but would like to be able to bring more gear and not have to run back & forth to the car & possibly miss a great moment. I was thinking a medium sized storage "trunk" like case that I could bicycle lock to a fixture would work. I would need to protect my lenses, flashes, and some strobes & stands. A "trunk" like case on wheels sounds like a decent option but I figured I'd check to see what others do. Do you have a suggestion that works well for you? <br /> <br /> Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>I'm looking to capture a photo opporunity from a 2nd vantage point using a 2nd remotely triggered camera. Anyone have experience doing this with radio poppers? I have the older plus models (not the plus II) and would like to mix them with some plus II models to say remotely take 2 unique perspectives of a bride & groom saying "I do". Any experience you can share regarding doing this would be appreciated.<br /> <br /> Does it work well? Does it zap the battery of the 2nd camera fast?</p>

<br /> I'm trying to develop my photography business this year by shooting more weddings, corporate events, offering individual, family & couples portraiture, etc. I need some advice on how to promote my business services.<br /> <br /> What methods of advertising should I focus on? Advertising on the web? Trade shows? Bridal conventions? I know there are costs associated with attending each and I'd like to get your input on what's the best bang for the buck. What professional associations should I join to get access/exposure to new customers?

<br />

I've tried posting to Craigslist but have found that to be a very fickle group.<br />

<br />

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!<br /> Thanks in advance.<br />

 

<p>

<p >This is my first post to this site so I hope this is the correct place to post this:</p>

<p > </p>

<p >I shoot quite a bit but haven't printed much. I'm looking to start shooting more weddings this coming year and want to start printing some sample books. I've checked out the offerings on the websites of MPix & Publisher.com.</p>

<p >Can you guys recommend any other good publishers that do good work and offer great service? I don't want to go with a printer that isn't reputable especially if I'm going to rely on them to print work from paid events.</p>

<p >Any advice & input you can share would be greatly appreciated! I will comb this forum for advice too.</p>

</p>