Getting Spooked!

So you are in your first year of a four year bachelor of photography program and you keep hearing about how you have to be able to shoot interiors of buildings, news stories, portraits of business people, create window light when there isn't any, etc. The list can seem unending, and at times school will too. Do you allow yourself to get spooked away?

As I look back on my AIPOD experience, I can remember the hardest things, and the most discouraging as well. I didn't, however, get spooked off.

By far the hardest thing was finding models for all the different kinds of assignments. It is easy to ask family members, but as you advance, you will find that you are no longer allowed to use family. I found my best source was through church. Sometimes I could ask people directly, but several times I asked youth and adult leaders to help me. They led me to some of my best models. Another great source is contact a modeling agency and ask for new model candidates who need portfolio images. (You can trade the model's time for use of your images.)

Another difficult things was timing. Some classes start and immediately you have shooting assignments. Having to arrange quick shoots with no prior knowledge of what kind of models you'll need can be overwhelming. I suggest you build a list of people (not family) who like to model or at least be photographed. Then you have several people you can contact on short notice. Normally at least one person will be available. Another issue with timing is that life doesn't go on hold just because you are in school. Prioritize and ask for help. None of us are super-humans.

Learning lighting was difficult, especially in an online environment. I suggest you ask for video samples if they are not provided in your classroom. lynda.com has some tutorial videos. I love creativelive.com for online webinars. Another option is following examples from a good book. I love Glenn Rand and Tim Meyer's The Portrait Understand Portrait Photography put out by Brooks Institute Press Rocky Nook. Learn to quickly create a loop lighting pattern. If you get that down and can create it in 30 seconds, you will be in good standing for most portrait sessions!

After the newness of being in photography school wears off, you roll into the perseverance stage. One class just leads into another and another. It will seem unending at some point, but think about all the classes you have to complete to get your degree. When you started then were all on one side of the scale. By mid program, the scales are evening out, and soon there will be more completed than unfinished. Finally one day you will be completing that last class. If you have given everything to your learning experience, you will have not only done something wonderful for yourself, but for the world around you as now you are able to capture the beauty and amazing details that most people miss.

So remember, don't let the hard times spook you. Instead capture the emotions of those days in images that you can share with someone who needs to be encouraged also.

Have a Happy Halloween and a great Thursday!

My First Club & MM Shooting!

Hello again and welcome to another Terrific Tuesday!

We have talked in the past about becoming members of several organizations that are there to help us.  With some of us finishing our studies, we are looking for ways to keep our skills up to part and keep shooting after graduation.  Networking is always important in our field, meeting new people and interacting with them is vital to keep our presence fresh out there in the community and in the internet.

This last week I joined with a local Photography group in Killeen, TX just to see what it was all about.  The group meets every other week sometimes in the weekends and sometimes in the middle of the week.  This was a great way to meet other people that see photography as a passion while at the same time getting to know other professionals in the fields of make-up and hair styling.  They had two models that are listed on Model Mayhem coming over for some constructive criticism and for us to see and listen to their point of view when it came to posing them and taking their images.  After the presentation we had time to set up the studio equipment and practice some studio shooting.  Below are some of the images I took that day.

            

At the end of the meeting they signed some model release forms for us so we are able to use the images on out websites, the flip side was that we also gave her permission to use our images for her profile.

There were some Pro's as well as some Con's about doing all this, let me explain:

Pro's
1.  I met some people in my field of study and passion,that understood where I come from when dealing with photography.
2.  Networking and meeting hair stylist and MUA's that are part of the group.
3.  I use their equipment, Alien Bees and 48" Beauty dishes, their backgrounds and props.
4.  Membership for the group is free, we split the cost of the paid assignment for the model, the other model used TFP (time for prints).
5.  I got to practice with a new model that I have never met and got her critique about my techniques.
6.  I have new images that I can use on my website.

Con's
1.  Shooting time was limited, we did three rounds with 3 minutes of shooting every time.
2.  Concept was somewhat missing as we all shot a standard setting, the model selected the poses.
3.  No variations in the set up and the lights since they had to be done in a way that minimized preparation time between shooters.
4.  No control over the lighting.
5.  The membership is open with amateurs, new photographers, hobbyist, professionals all being in the same group when shooting began.

As you can see there were some good points as well as others that could be addressed to the coordinator.  But the overall point is very simple; networking helps you!

Do not sit still and just do what your studies require you to do, go out there and meet people and be part of something!  Do some research and see what is offered around your community when it comes to photography groups or clubs, they can offer some interesting options for you,and who knows, you might end up expanding your area of operations!

Go out and see what you can find, it doesn't have to be a big organization, this group only has 40 members and the shootings are first come first served with variety in the subject matter.  You can share what you are learning and see how it is done out there in the real world (more or less).

Have a great and fantastic Tuesday!

How Dedicated are You?

Saturday Ambassador

Stop and consider for a moment, "how dedicated are you?" If you are pursuing a degree, it is a costly endeavor in a variety of ways: Financially, of course; but the rigorous schedule also exacts a toll on your stamina, your ability to pursue other interests, even your sanity. Is it worth it? The answer to that is a personal matter, as each individual possesses a different set of priorities. However, if you decide that your destiny lies in the vastly competitive arena of photography, consider arranging your priorities accordingly.

For me, this is a life-changing career move in an uncertain economy, so it is very important that I succeed. I have set aside much of my personal life and made some drastic changes in my spending habits to make this feasible. Pursuing an education is so very important to me that I have cut the amount of hours I work in order to do both my job and my school work well. In turn, this negatively affects my income. It is a delicate balance, as I have only the one income and a host of financial responsibilities. However, this situation won't last forever – there is light at the end of the tunnel, as I have one class remaining next term.

I currently have a class which is totally incompatible with my job as an OTR truck driver; I am required to shoot a number of residential interiors and other assignments I simply cannot complete while on the road. I planned far in advance for this class and scheduled appointments with owners of all the structures I needed to photograph. I obtained a guaranteed time-at-home from my employer, so I could shoot six week's worth of assignments in 4 days. I do not recommend this to anyone, because, in order to do it well, you must also research extensively to master the required techniques for each shoot. In four years, I've had to do this 3 or 4 times, and I've always been successful because I possess a phenomenal amount of will power and determination. I strive for excellence in everything I do, and I do not believe that anything is impossible.

 

To exacerbate the situation, I fell off a ladder and injured my leg rather severely earlier in the week. My foot and leg swelled, there was significant bruising and a large hematoma formed on the shin (not to mention that it hurt a lot). Still, I had to conduct these shoots, for when else could I complete the assignments? In 4 days, I put 413 miles on my vehicle, walked around downtown Phoenix and several other locations, climbed ladders, knelt on the ground and carried equipment. I worked from before dawn until long after dusk and slept a few hours in the interim.

I don't recommend this either, but it got the job done, and admirably at that. You don't have to hobble about with an injury or shoot assignments weeks in advance; in fact you shouldn't. However, when extreme circumstances intervene on your road to success, rise to the occasion. You will gain valuable skills and a reputation for excellence.

~Saturday Ambassador

Meet Ted, the Head.

The other day I had to go into the bank and met with an account representative. In the process of discussing my account issue, he asked what kind of business I was in. I told him I was a professional photographer. One of the first things he asked was, “Do you use manual?” I was so surprised by his questions that it took a second to register what he was talking about. “Absolutely, “ I replied. “Shooting with auto allows the camera to make decisions for me, instead of letting me choose the results.”

There is something else that determines the results in our images also. That is the lighting. You need great lighting to have a really great image. Whether you are photographing architecture, landscape or people, great light will make the difference between nice and awesome.

When you photograph people, more than any other photography probably, you need to be able to do it right fast. I can’t say it enough, learn lighting patterns and master setting up your lights correctly and getting the image on the first shot. Of course, unless you have a very patient and available model, this gets hard. ENTER: Ted, the Head.

Ted is great. He never gets impatient, never gets tired, poses however I position him, and will repeat the process over and over, if I want him to. Ted sits on a shelf in the corner of my studio. When I’m getting ready for clients, I can grab him and do a test shot before they arrive to make sure my lighting is killer ready for at least the first shots. Then since I have practiced multiple lighting setups over and over, I can make quick changes and nail the rest of my shots.

Below is an example of lighting on Ted. I created a loop lighting pattern and then shot a full face, 2/3s view and profile maintaining the same lighting. After this I moved or turned him for other lighting patterns.

      

Image 1: Ted in a full frontal position with loop lighting pattern and soft fill on loop side.

Image 2: Ted in almost 2/3 position (can’t see left ear) with same lighting. Camera moved, not Ted.

Image 3 and 4 have same light on Ted, loop pattern with soft fill. Shot from left, light is flat. Shot from right loop is visible and face is defined by the light. Camera moved to left then right side, Ted didn’t move.

Image 5: Ted in same position, camera moved to opposite position of image 2. Fill light off creating a split light effect.

Practicing like this on a weekly basis will build your confidence and your ability to set up and shoot great shots quickly. Once you learn the lighting patterns you can easily adapt your model's positions and still create the same lighting. This will garner you confidence from people you photograph…and word will start to get around!

By the way, Ted is available from Mid-States Beauty through Amazon.com for $14.69. There are other more realistic options if you want to spend more. You could even get a wig. I searched for “Modeling Head.”

Whatever you do, get something to practice on that will allow you freedom to try anything and give you a model who will not grow weary of your experimentation.

Have a GREAT Thursday!

Don't be afraid of Manual Mode

I was recently reminded of a website that I had seen some time ago regarding how to use your camera in manual mode.  There was a time (not that long ago) that the concept of setting the shutter and aperture all by myself was a very foreign, and scary concept.  After a lot of reading and experimentation I finally learned how shutter speed, aperture and ISO rating all effect the exposure of an image and what changes to the image can be seen with a change in each function.

While I could sit here and explain it all, I will save you what I'm sure would be the worst technical explanation ever and just point you towards the Canon Outside of Auto website.  It is a Canadian website, but I'm not going to hold that against them.  On the site you can adjust virtual camera settings and then take pictures of a scene with a moving object.  This gives you plenty of opportunities to see what each function of the camera does given the shooting situation.  There is even a challenge mode that tests your ability to shoot 6 specific shots.  I completed it 6 of 6 in 1:12.  See how good you can do...

Go on, get out of the green box....

now!

Cold Weather is Coming; Protect your Camera!

 

Good morning and welcome to another Terrific Tuesday!

Last week the temperature in Texas dropped to the 40’s several nights throughout the week, which I think is great because it gives us a break from the hot weather.  On this particular day I was taking pictures at a part just for fun and after packing my camera bag, I went back home but I forgot to take the bag inside the house after arriving there.  The next morning I went out to get the bag and take some inside images of my family but when I opened the bag and took out the camera, all the lenses were fogged and one of them had condensation drops on the lens!

Did I panicked?  Oh yes, I surely did!

Which brings me down to today’s topic of protecting your camera from cold weather.   

http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/how-to-protect-your-digital-camera-in-cold-weather

We all like to take images out in the cold weather, the snow, ice and the landscape is different and it gives us the opportunity for great images.  However, we need to remember that most of our DSLR cameras are geared to work in moderate temperatures and drastic changes in weather conditions and temperatures can affect them and even damage them permanently.  So, if you like the cold weather and like to be out there taking images, here are some tips and reminders about the cold weather and your camera equipment.

1.    Take spare batteries, they also get affected by changes in temperature.

2.    Protect your camera from condensation, let it adjust to temperature changes by leaving it in an environment that is somewhat in between from your house and where you are planning to go.  Put your camera in a zip lock bag and keep some silica gel bags in your camera bag to absorb moisture.

3.    Provide some padding for all the equipment.

4.    Stay warm and be sure to dress appropriately to the weather conditions.

Check out this article that talks a little more about protecting your camera and equipment:

 http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/how-to-protect-your-digital-camera-in-cold-weather

 There are other suggestions and several sites that will give you some information about protecting yourself and your equipment, here is another one for your reading pleasure:

http://www.adorama.com/alc/0008151/article/Winter-photography-tips

Well, that is all I have for now, just remember to be careful out there, not only protect your equipment but also protect yourself and your vehicle, you want to come back to download those images!

Until later, this is your Tuesday Ambassador!

Trouble with a capital “T”

Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble…..

Our high school is performing “The Music Man” and I have this song running through my head in the annoying, it will never go away sort of way.  But it does allude to something I want to talk about today.  In each and EVERY one of our classrooms, under EVERY week, just below the assignments, is a place few people go…..

But we all should!

I will be the first to raise my hand as “guilty” of not using this section as well as I could (or at all to be honest).  I did not really understand the purpose of it until recently and sadly I have been at this over two years and am nearly finished.  I want my loss to be your gain.

This is what I am talking about:

Problems and Solutions Discussion.  

For some reason I thought I had to have some big “issue” to post there.  I could not have been more wrong. 

Click under this section and this is what it says,

”This Problems and Solutions Discussion forum is where you can post information about any technical or assignment problems you're experiencing, and post any solutions, tips, tricks or other comments that would be of value to fellow students.”

My current Instructor adds this note,

“If you have any questions about this week's assignments that you think your classmates might also have, please post them here.  If you think you have an answer to a classmate's question, you are welcome to chime in - this is a community, let's welcome one another and support each other as we learn more about portraiture!”

This, ladies and gentlemen is a FABULOUS tool, a GREAT resource, a WONDERFUL arena for us to connect and help one another.  Remember that no question it too small or stupid.  I struggled all the way through Lighting PH136 not knowing if I should leave the modeling light on all the time when using strobes or shut it off.  It was not until I was taking Studio Photography PH212 and was having a phone conversation with the Instructor that it occurred to me to ask her and not feel ridiculous about it.  If I had posted a little note in the Problems and Solutions Discussion during week one of Lighting, then I would have known.  And it is entirely possible other students in the class had the same question.

This is a learning environment!  We are all here to LEARN.  To better foster that we need to simply ask questions when we have them. It may very well be that a classmate knows the answer.  We are all at different places in this journey. One of the beauties of the AiO set up is that because we are all at different points in our journey, we can and SHOULD help one another.  AiO has given us a platform in the Problems and Solutions Discussion where we can do just that.

Do you have a question that you have been too nervous, afraid, or did not think to just ask?  Well now is your chance!

You can always ask us questions here on the blog as well.  That is one part of what we are here for as Student Ambassadors.  We are all a bit further along in our journeys and have found ways to be successful and yet are still learning.  Let us all learn together.

It’s just another Manic Monday …

Monday Ambassador

Travel is Good for the Soul (and the portfolio)...

 

 

Saturday Ambassador

Travel is a remarkable teacher that enriches our lives by introducing new experiences and precipitating interaction with people, cultures and conditions that differ from what we encounter every day.

 

In 2008, I embarked upon a month-long excursion throughout China and Japan. The experience influenced my life in a number of ways: First, Asian cultures are very different from life in the United States. Rather than being a "rude American", I endeavored to learn some of the customs and even some of the language of the places to which I would travel, and respected that which is considered proper in those regions; I tried new foods and visited places where tourists rarely go in order to immerse myself in the culture; I photographed relentlessly and, subsequently, decided to pursue photography professionally.

 

Xi'an Dance-2, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yangshuo, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2008 (left); Guilin (Li Jiang),

Deva Mayorga-Malone  2008 (right)

 

While travel abroad is exciting and exotic, it is also expensive. Domestic travel can be every bit as interesting and educational, and it is far more convenient.

 

As a photographer, regardless of your chosen genre, it is imperative that step outside your comfortable living space so that you might better understand the people with whom you will be conducting business. Experience does not come from a book or a website, and certainly not from television. Rather, it comes from acting, doing, being and interacting within an unfamiliar environment.

 

As I have previously mentioned, I am an OTR truck driver; travel is my job. This country is home to some truly remarkable and unusual places, and I explore them at every opportunity.
 

South Rim Grand Canyon, Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2011

Lower LaBarge Box Trail (Arizona), Deva Mayorga-Malone, 2009

Take the time to travel to make your assignment submissions unique, to broaden your horizons and to achieve enlightenment. It will make you a more knowledgeable, creditable person, as well as a better photographer.

 

~Saturday Ambassador





Final Project!

Final projects can strike terror in our heart, or bring us a lot of satisfaction. Even getting an “A” on a final projects does not mean that we have learn everything about the subject matter of the class, but it does mean we have made a substantial step in the right direction.

Yesterday I turned in my final Final Project! Yep, as of today I am a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division with a Bachelor of Science degree in Photography. Let me get back to the final project though.

Tuesday’s blog was about Adobe Premiere Pro. I love it, now. I’m sharing with you an example of its use. You see, my final class was DFV120 Video I, which is a lot easier than Time Based Media I and II. It is an elective, so you could actually take it before TBM I and II to help you get acclimated to the world of video. When I started TBM I, I thought video would never be part of my photography career. Now I can’t wait to be good at it! DFV120 Video I is not a class just for photographers, so the standards are not as high, but mine were. If I was going to make a video, it must be worthwhile. I created a promo video for my wedding photography business. I was thankful that I had learned how to create titles, blend sound levels, and a myriad of other details in Time Based Media classes. Another clue, get to be friends with Lynda.com (for any Adobe related questions). You can access inside the school site. Click on the “+CLICK HERE TO ACCESS Tutoring Services, Help Forums & Tutorials” box above each assignment. The link to Lynda.com is on right side.

Now I have two promo videos, one for my children’s photography and one for my wedding. I suggest you gear as many of your final projects toward your chosen genre and goal in photography as possible. I created the children’s promo video in Time Based Media I, and this is what I created in Video I.  

Click here to see video.

This video does a great job of showing several areas that my education at AI made me a better photographer. I put a lot into my education, and I got a lot out of it. I was a pretty good amateur photographer before I started. Now when people who have known me for more than three years see my work, they see a drastic improvement. And not only is my photographic ability better, my confidence level is higher, my business sense is better, and I am much more valuable to my clients.

Get all you can out of your education at the Art Institute. When you graduate, you will be as excited about your future as I am!

I wish the best to all of you! For the final time, HAVE A GREAT THURSDAY!

Your Thursday Former Student Ambassador

P.S. If you want to continue to follow my blogs, I’ll be writing them now for my own blog, reflectionsbyrohne.com/blog. Just in case the link on the photo does not work, you can get to it through my website, reflectionsbyrohne.com. Click on the wedding services page and click on intro video near the bottom left. Oh, by the way, I redesigned my website for E-Folio class. What do you think?

Know your (copy) Rights!

Dark Beauty - Mike Krogemann

Recently I entered a Photo Competition in a neighboring county.  I was fortunate to have 3 of my images selected for exhibition.  I was also lucky enough to have one of my images selected to be part of the Press Release for the exhibition.  Thankfully, the organizer of the show understands copyrights and when I was ASKED if they could use my image for the release, the terms were very specific.  Given the narrow scope of the usage rights, I readily agreed to allowing the use of my image to help promote the show (and one of my images ended up in a small town newspaper to promote the show).

Narrow usage rights are not always the case, especially with many of the online photo contests.

By entering, you grant the Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty

-free license to edit, publish, promote, republish at any time in the future and 

otherwise use your submission, along with your name and likeness, in any and all 

media for any purpose, without further permission, notice or compensation (except 

where prohibited by law) ("2013 Popular Photography").

This is part of the terms if you submit a photo to the 2013 Popular Photography photo contest.  Let's break this down, shall we...

Non-exclusive - You get to sell your photograph to other people

worldwide - the entire planet (as if you needed me to tell you that)

royalty-free - they will not give you any money

license to edit - change your photograph in anyway they see fit

publish - as in in their magazine, or website

name and likeness - commonly known as "photo credit" and does not pay the bills

HERE'S THE BIG ONE (FOOT STOMP)

in any and all media - anywhere they like

for any purpose - like an advertisement

without further permission - they don't have to ask you if they can

notice - they don't have to let you know they did it

or compensation - you'll never see a dime for it

So basically, just be entering their photo competition, all the entrants have given the publishers a giant, fresh library of content to choose from for magazine content and advertising material that they don't even have to pay for.  As a matter of fact, you have to pay them to look at your photos.  $10 each image.

Doesn't sound right does it?  Its not, and it sucks for YOU, the photographer.

If you are looking to get into competitions, read the terms of service and see what rights you are giving up.  There are competitions out there that are not all inclusive rights grabs.  Check out I-Shot-It, a competition sponsored by Leica.  The only rights they ask for is the right to use your image in the competition.  Period.  

Oh and for the record, I did not win the contest that I entered, but it was a great experience and my images are still on display until the end of the month.  The winning image was submitted by Lucien Knuteson who is a very talented freelance photographer from Seattle.  His image was FANTASTIC.  Check it out...his website is Lucienknuteson.com

Haircut - Lucien Knuteson

Video and PH350

Good Morning Everyone and welcome to another Terrific Tuesday!

If you are wondering what I am doing talking about video when this is supposed to be a blog about photography, then you are not the only one.  Down the road if you continue your studies in the BS program for photography you will take a class called Time Based Media where you will be using video editing software from Adobe.  Remember a few blogs back I talked about the need to have a camera that is able to record movies?  Well, this is the class that meets that requirement!

 Adobe Premier Pro CC video screen

The video editing program you will be using is called Adobe Premiere Pro CC.  You can access this program through the Adobe Creative Cloud umbrella or you can download the trial version straight to your computer and use it for 30 days.  Things you might want to take into consideration is that the program only works on Windows 7 or higher, it will not work on XP or Vista (trust me I know!).  There are tutorials in Lynda.com that will guide you through everything you need to know about the program, the combined time necessary to watch all the tutorials is about 29 hours!

When you open the program for the first time, it might look similar to Lightroom, don’t be fool, it is not the same process.  In this program you will be dealing with videos, audio, still images (photos), adding music, titles, motion graphics for both videos and still images.  To complete the assignments you will be dealing with WB for video and images, recording interviews and audio with different equipment and also dealing with continuous light in the form of a hot shoe mount LED light.  Of course you might be using your tungsten light set when doing the interviews because you will not be using your flash or strobes unless is for still images.

 

Adobe Premier Pro CC audio + video screen

So, my point is simple: be prepared before you get to the class!  I was not, and I struggled getting all the necessary equipment, learning how to use it while at the same time trying to get the homework posted on time.  The final project is to be about 60-90 seconds long, but you will have hours of work to get to that small amount of time!

I know that this is a different post than usual, but I felt I needed to post the warning out there.

Check out Adobe Premier Pro, if you have never used it, it is going to be an eye opener.

If you have any questions about it, the class, or what equipment you will need, drop me a line, I will guide you to where you can get all the information.

Until then, this is your Tuesday Ambassador wishing a great and wonderful, fun-filled, picture-taking day for all of you!

 Tuesday Ambassador