The Weekly Wrap-up compiles interesting articles published this week on Photofocus. This Wrap-Up has articles about opportunity, winter architecture, exploring your self, long exposures and writing. Enjoy!
Photography Marketing: 10 client gift ideas to cap off the year - This year was the first year I’ve done client gifts for the holidays. For me, it was a chance to say “thanks” and have them remember me as they head into their holiday season, and most importantly, into the new year. Holiday gifts can be a great marketing tool, no matter what you choose to give. Beyond the holiday card that you send in the mail, think of giving your most appreciated clients something a little special. Here are 10 ideas to get you started: Playing cards This is the route I went with because I often have multiple contacts at a company. Perfect for groups, playing cards allow you to encourage socialization between co-workers. And by putting a collage of custom photos on the back with your logo, you’ll be thought of any time the group wants to have a little fun…or battle it out over a game of Texas Hold ‘Em. I ordered my playing cards through Zazzle.com and was pretty impressed with the quality. Coasters Coasters are great because they have a wide variety of uses. They can hold your coffee in the morning, or your Happy Hour beers and cocktails. Gift a pack of coasters, complete with a different photo for each one, and your logo in the corner. No one can ever have enough coasters. If you’re feeling crafty, check out this tutorial from darkroomanddearly.com. Mugs We all know everyone with a 9-5 job undoubtedly drinks coffee. And a lot of companies have a wide assortment of coffee mugs in their cabinets. So why not add to this collection? Plop on a few photos and your logo and you’ll have something completely custom for your client to enjoy first thing in the morning. Ornaments It is the holiday season after all! An ornament lets you put a winter-themed photo that will make your clients remember you every time they look at the Christmas tree. Gift Basket This is the obvious one, but it’s one that’s always appreciated (as long as it’s filled with some yummy treats!). If you have a few clients with multiple people you engage with, this is a great option. Think of some local shops you can fill a basket from (variety is key), or look at a place like American Spoon or Zingerman’s to get some tasty goodness. Photographic print This goes without saying — giving the gift of a custom print is special. Print out an 8×10 or regular US Letter sized photograph and drop it in a frame for your client to put on their desk or hang on the wall. It’ll make them remember you, and become a topic of conversation anytime anyone stops by their office. Puzzle Just like the playing cards, puzzles can create camaraderie between a group. It’ll give them a fun way to end their day, especially with that great long exposure photograph you created especially for the project. Image cubes No matter what kind of photographer you are, image cubes are a great way to remind the client of your work for them and showcase their family, wedding ceremony, senior photos, etc. all at the same time. Perfect for anyone with a desk, as they can flip it around and see different photos depending on their mood. Check these out from WHCC. Calendar Here’s another chance for you to showcase your photographs. Produce a custom calendar for your clients, featuring one striking photograph each month. Step it up a notch by printing out the 12 months and putting them on a clipboard. It’s a simple yet unique gift that will suit any personality. Smartphone lenses You can’t be there to capture every moment, but that doesn’t mean your client has to suffer! Get them a lens or lens kit for their smartphone. Not all smartphone lenses have to be pricey — this kit by Bower is great because it comes with three lenses and LED lights. No more harsh flash,and your clients let their creativity shine! For more on Photography Marketing, see my weekly column.
Easy sensor cleaning with Visible Dust’s Arctic Butterfly 724s - Ever since I switched to mirrorless with my Sony a7R II, I’ve been trying to figure out the easiest way to clean my sensor. As you might know, without the mirror to protect the sensor, mirrorless cameras can collect a lot of dust spots! I’ve gone through a lot of options — blowers, sensor swabs, etc. Most of them are ineffective, hard to use or both. I would be fine getting my cameras cleaned by a professional, but here in Toronto, for some reason, the only store who can clean Sony sensors takes two business days, which in most cases doesn’t work for me. But low and behold, I finally found a solution that I can use at home and that works: The Arctic Butterfly 724s Sensor Brush! Now before we go into details about how this works, I have a disclaimer: I am a full-time working photographer and I use this brush on a weekly basis on my mirrorless camera. It is an expensive item for what it is and I understand that it might not be for everyone. But if you need to clean your sensor regularly and can afford it, you will be happy. There’s also a cheaper version, the Arctic Butterfly SL 707 (no case and no LED lights). What is it and how does it work? It’s a brush that uses static electricity to remove dust from your sensor. Basically, it has a special brush and a motor that shakes the brush, cleaning it and charging its fibers. Once the brush is charged, it attracts dust when you swipe it across your sensor. All you have to do is turn on the motor for a few seconds, then turn it off. Turn on the lights to see what you’re doing and brush across your sensor a couple of times. That’s it. Tips to make sure you use it correctly This brush has a lot of bad reviews online from people who used it in the wrong way. DO NOT brush your sensor with the motor on — it will damage your sensor! Turn the motor off before you use the brush. Avoid brushing the camera’s chamber area, as it can smear the brush. Similarly, make sure you put the cover back on the brush as soon as you’re done. Pros and cons This brush works really well and it’s simple to use. I’ve been using for a few weeks now and it cleans my sensor well. It’s great for dust spots, but if you have anything worse (like any liquid), it probably won’t work. It’s light and compact but not quite enough to travel in my backpack. The case is a nice touch to keep it safe if you travel with it though. The brush is just too expensive for what it is. The build isn’t bad but it’s also not great. The lights and the case are a nice addition, but I’m not sure it’s worth the price difference with the SL 707 model, depending on your use.
Copyright In Focus: The leverage & origins of copyright - (Editor’s note: Copyright and all things related are as important to creators of images both moving and still. This guest post by intellectual property attorney, Barry Kaplan gives us all some insights into what copyright law is, where it came from and why it’s important to all of us.) You’re a photographer; a creator. If you’re anything like the other talented, invested, proud creators I know, I’ll bet that you want a few important concessions from others who view and want to use your work. Credit for and control of your work You probably want recognition that you are the photographer who made the picture. You probably want to have control over who can use your work; over how they use it; over where they use it; and, over how long they use it. You probably want to be paid a reasonable fee for all appropriate uses of your work that you are willing to allow. And, if things jump off the rails and you don’t get these important concessions, you probably want the ability to seek appropriate redress. I’ll bet, too, you’ll agree with me that you won’t get any of these things by pitching a temper tantrum or by throwing a pity party after someone else has abused your trust and good-will, and has taken your valuable work with no remorse or paying for your photos for that matter. Rather, what you need in order to ensure that you are treated fairly and respectfully and that you get those important things above — is leverage. The kind of leverage that people and companies around the world understand. Leverage in the form of rules that are well and universally understood. Rules that, when broken, have well understood and significant consequences. Consequences that can include a variety of penalties. Penalties of the kinds that sting, that can be enforced, that can put money in your pocket, and that can serve to deter future bad acts. Leverage like this can help you get the desirable professional outcomes you want. Leverage like this can help put your business in a far better economic position. Leverage like this can help you negotiate better, more appropriate agreements (contracts) with customers, clients, and users. Leverage like this can help capture the interest of a lawyer who can assist you when you need it. Leverage like this can help put a judge and jury in a position to make a decision in your favor if it ever comes to that. So, now you are thinking to yourself, “Where do I find this kind of leverage? Isn’t it only available for big, sophisticated companies? Isn’t it out of reach for a sole photographer like me or a small photography business like mine? Isn’t it so complicated and expensive that I can never hope to achieve the benefits I want and need? Leverage courtesy of our Founding Fathers Enter, now, our wise Founding Fathers; enter, now, the Constitution of the United States of America… This is a good time to put a name to those important things you want and need for your creative works, those important concessions you need from others, which we’ve been talking about so far. From the moment you take any photo, still or motion, those important things you want and need become vested legal rights — “Copyrights” — that belong to you. In fact, these specific rights are individual components of a larger bundle of legal rights, all of which find their genesis in the Constitution. Turns out that our Founding Fathers had your creative back even before you were born. That’s right, Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the Constitution says that Congress shall have power to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. So, how did Congress assert this power? It legislated. Congress created the Copyright Act of the United States. In the Copyright Act (which has changed significantly through the years), Congress established a sophisticated legal and administrative structure, process, and procedure. From that was born the Copyright Act’s enabling Rules and Regulations. (And, of course, the “progress of science and useful arts” language similarly led to the creation of the Patent Act of the United States. And that’s another story completely.) What does this mean to me? You now have and can claim a vested, bundle of legal rights covering your photographs and other creative works. The Constitution anticipates the invention of photography And, lest we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s put to bed the inevitable question, “Where does Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the Constitution talk about photographs (or music, or movies, or statues, or works of art, or … whatever)? Well, that’s where Congress, the Courts, and the Copyright Office, in their wisdom, have seen fit to interpret the word, “writings,” so broadly as to encompass all forms of creative works; including, of course, photographs, videos, movies, multimedia — all of the things that you create. Monopolies can be a good thing So what’s so special about a copyright? Well, you know that we have antitrust laws in this country that are intended to protect and to promote free competition over monopolies. But, did you know that copyrights (and patents) are actually limited monopolies, and the only such monopolies, granted by the U. S. Constitution? You might have noticed the “exclusive right” language in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8. This Constitutionally granted, “exclusive right” is the limited monopoly right we’re discussing. So, by extrapolation, this bundle of legal rights you own in your creative works are, in fact, limited monopoly rights that, by virtue of their Constitutional origins, are (mostly) jealously and zealously protected and enforced by the U. S. federal Courts. Summing up I want to be very clear in saying that the basics of the copyright system are easy enough for a layperson to understand and use; the costs are (relatively)
How to get your color spot-on with the Illuminati color/light meter - Having the ability to accurately capture an image’s color in-camera is a powerful one. How many times have you taken a photo and grown frustrated because your camera doesn’t capture it “the way you saw it?” Often we become resigned to shoot an image and fix it in post-processing later. Full disclosure: When I first started out years ago, this was my go-to strategy for images. Later, when I was forced to spend hours fixing image after image on my computer, I’d want to kick myself. Fast forward to today, and experience has taught me how to (usually) get a decent image in-camera. However, on occasion I still find myself overly-relying on my editing skills to fix my rushed images afterward. Deciding to give the Illuminati Meter a try was a game changer in terms of getting my image’s color spot on. While I’m generally hesitant to take on the task of learning how to use new equipment, this new light meter was an opportunity I couldn’t resist. Let’s see how it did with two test images taken indoors. Comparing the two images: Which image has better color? Okay, first of all, let’s clear the air. Yes, the plant in the photo is fake. Having a penchant for quickly killing plants despite my best efforts, plastic ones are amazingly handy for my indoor decor. They also serve as great photo test subjects. Let’s compare the two images. The first one I simply set my camera on Auto and did not use the Illuminati Meter. Frankly, I find the green tones a bit washed out compared to how it looked in real life. My camera automatically set the temperature to 4950k and bumped the ISO way up to 800, but no small wonder considering my living room had all the lights shut off. The only light source was our large window with the curtains open, revealing the overcast day. In my opinion, the overall effect seems to be simply “eh.” Now, let’s take a look at the next image. The camera was set on Manual and I broke out the Illuminati Meter. It advised me the room’s temperature was 5100k. I also wanted to use a more open aperture setting, so I plugged f/1.8 into the meter’s app on my Android phone. It suggested a shutter speed of 1/50s and an ISO of 200. Check out the result: Much better. The second image’s green tones are much richer and more true to the way my eye saw it. Note that the more accurate temperature reading was 5100k, and produced a better image when combined with the lower ISO and more sensitive aperture. Imagine the possibilities Considering it only took an extra 75 seconds to turn on the Illuminati meter and get an accurate reading for both exposure and color, it’s a no-brainer that I’ll be incorporating it into my future workflow. And here’s the fun part: The possibilities are endless. The cool thing about knowing how to quickly get an image’s color spot on in-camera is that it gives you the power to apply a style you want to the image later on. Knowing the rules is important so you can break them later as you define your own personal style as an artist!
The joy of toy photography is fun & learning too - Toy photography allows us to be creative in so many ways. It also allows us to have fun and learn along the way. Humans are creative creatures. Ever since the first finger painting on the wall of a cave, humans have endeavored to express themselves thru imagery. From those first cave paintings, the imagery improved over time to the hyper-realistic Renaissance painters. Later, when cameras were invented, the desire to express and create with photography soon followed. Learning photography takes time and resources In our modern age, the tools to express ourselves have never been more abundant. Some methods are more accessible than others. Finding the time and resources required to learn new styles and techniques with our cameras can be significant stumbling blocks. Beth This is Beth. I took this photo of her this past summer in Newmarket, Ontario. To get this shot I had to drive 14 hours from my home in North Carolina. Studio time had to be arranged. The model had to be booked. Props had to be gathered. Lights had to be placed. The background had to be set up. Only after all of that time, expense, and energy had been invested was I able to pick up my camera and start to craft an image that fit my vision. I had to do all that within the time Beth was willing to stay in the studio, so time was short and I had to work quickly. Now, full disclaimer, I made this shot during some free time at a portrait workshop. The posing was mine. The time required to hire the model, get the props, and set up the lights, was taken care of for me. It would be possible to get a similar shot without having to travel the 14 hours from home and pay the workshop tuition fee, but I would still need studio time, access to lights, locate and hire a model, source the props, etc. All of that said, I would still be at the mercy of the model’s time in order to get the shot. Hulk I set the scene up in the morning and then spent a relaxing afternoon getting the shot. Part of that time was spent playing with my kids. Another part of that time was also spent experimenting with a new smoke generator that I used to get the fog effects. Through it all, Hulk was patient and willing to wait as long as required for me to make the shot I wanted. The difference between the two experiences is as different as night and day. The results — an action shot of a model and one of the Hulk doing something interesting, are very similar. Toy photography as a learning tool I am a firm believer that creating pictures of toys is an excellent learning exercise for photographers. Every beginning photographer I know has expressed frustration at not being able to practice the craft. The reasons are varied. Normally they breakdown into: They can’t find, or afford, models When they do find models, there is not enough time to experiment and learn They don’t have time to work with models because of their jobs or their responsibilities to their family Toys solve all of these problems Can’t find, or afford, models One can get highly poseable and accurate action figures for less than $20 in any toy store and hundreds of places online. Finding suitable action figure toys to shoot is easy. If you are a parent, your kids’ toybox likely has something in it you can shoot. If not, take your kid to your local Walmart, Target, or toy store, and pick up one for you, and one for them. For less than a restaurant meal you can have a happy kid, and a model of your own that you can shoot freely for the rest of your life. Not a bad deal. Not enough time to practice Toys are infinitely patient, so you can feel free to take all the time you need to get the shots you want. Need to tend to your kids, or rush to work, between setting up a shot, and clicking the shutter? No problem! The toys will wait for you. For my own work with toys, it is not uncommon to play with poses one day, lighting the next, shooting another and finish the shot on the fourth day. Not able to get out Most people I know in this situation have some time throughout the day to dedicate to photography, but they don’t have the flexibility to get out and shoot at preordained times. Either they have small amounts of time throughout the day, or they have to be home for child care, and can’t leave the house. The best sunlight may be at golden hour, but if the kids are asleep and one can’t leave the house, it’s hard to take advantage of that light. Toys are small and can be shot anywhere. This means you don’t need a dedicated studio space. Studio lights can be flashlights or speedlights. If you want to practice natural light you can fake it with a desk lamp. This means that for most people toys provide the flexibility to practice no matter where they are. Even the busiest of folks have 10-15 minutes of time throughout the day of free time It is not enough to get out and shoot things in the real world. It is easy to use those 10-15 minute blocks of free time throughout the day to practice toy photography. It’s not perfect Of course, shooting toys isn’t a complete solution. For example, while one can pose some action figures in almost any way they want, action figures don’t provide one the practice of guiding a live model into those poses. Photographing toys does allow for one to play with angles of light. It doesn’t allow one to play with full-scale studio lights. Toys will allow the practice of many techniques allowing one
