Posts for: Photographer Jim
Jan 27, 2020 13:53:09 #
I always carry:
Extra batteries and memory cards
Remote shutter release cable
Tripod
I never carry:
A grudge
A tune
The weight of the world on my shoulders
Extra batteries and memory cards
Remote shutter release cable
Tripod
I never carry:
A grudge
A tune
The weight of the world on my shoulders
Jan 23, 2020 12:17:39 #
Sue, just a little side comment. When I was doing shows I often made a swing over to Sheridan for the art festival at the local community college. It was always a great time. Every evening after closing up our booth, we’d sit around and have a few beers and listen to the bands with the locals. Great little community.
Jan 23, 2020 10:07:07 #
IDguy wrote:
Pricing need not relate to cost.
The question is, “ Do you want to sell it?” If so, price it competitively with the competition. If “not really” then price it several times the local competition. You might visit some local Galleries.
The question is, “ Do you want to sell it?” If so, price it competitively with the competition. If “not really” then price it several times the local competition. You might visit some local Galleries.
Keep in mind that most galleries charge 40-50% of the selling price as their commission. Thus, gallery prices tend to be much higher than many other art show prices. In a case like this, where it is a one-off event, smarter to price closer to what people see at weekend festivals.
Jan 22, 2020 22:44:39 #
A common formula used by may on the art show circuit is your cost (printing, matting, framing) times four.
Jan 21, 2020 12:15:34 #
I shoot off of a tripod 95% of the time. I NEVER use a traditional around the neck style strap. I do have a hand grip strap attached to the L bracket for those rare times when I am not using the tripod. If I am carrying my camera where I want quicker access than my pack, I use a Cotton Carrier chest harness. With this setup I never have to be concerned about attaching or detaching a strap, and I never worry about accidentally getting tangled in a dangling strap and toppling the tripod. While this might not work for others it suits my needs and shooting style perfectly.
Jan 16, 2020 15:19:00 #
User ID wrote:
While agreeing with your whole post, I would br m... (show quote)
In a number of ways you and I are in agreement; we are both advocating approaching our shooting from a position of (my term - mindfulness). Where we diverge (in a minor way really) is in the idea of when to pick up the camera. I go to mine fairly early in the process. When I encounter a scene that interests me, I start moving around, snapping off frames from many angles, heights, different zooms, etc. i don’t think too much about composition at this point, nor do I have much of a well developed idea as to what the final composition will turn out to be. From there, I start “chimping” or reviewing these quick shots, looking for one that catches my eye as having interest and potential. I do this to help myself move from my total view in the three dimensional world to seeing possibilities in a two dimensional world with a constraining frame. If one of these “pre-shots” intrigues my, I will set up my tripod and start refining the shot into a final composition. This is when I might purposefully think about the “rules” and “guidelines” (compositional structures) and how they can be used or adapted to a final vision.
This may not be how many think about “pre-visualizing”, but it is a routine that works to help me build a composition that I feel good about. I don’t claim it to be the right way, or the best way, or the only way to approach pre-visualizing, but it works well for me (and possibly for others who might try it).
Jan 16, 2020 10:49:55 #
Bill P wrote:
I'm sorry to report that you haven't, but still, I also haven't seen anyone explain exactly why we, in photography, need any rules at all.
I mean i understand rules like thou shalt not kill, or how to go through a 4 way stop or a traffic circle, but in photography? As I have said, the rule of turds is the direction to the road of mediocrity. There are others that are of no particular benefit.
I mean i understand rules like thou shalt not kill, or how to go through a 4 way stop or a traffic circle, but in photography? As I have said, the rule of turds is the direction to the road of mediocrity. There are others that are of no particular benefit.
Again, I think people get hung up on the terminology rather than looking at the content and how it can be used to help one be “mindful” when composing a shot. The Rule of Thirds is not a “rule” that must be followed slavishly, but what it says can be helpful in moving towards strong compositions if it is consciously considered, evaluated as to its relevance in the shot, and then utilized, modified, or ignored as seems best.
It’s not really a matter of there being “rules” in photography. It’s more a case of there being a set of knowledge summaries that are easily called up and which, when used mindfully, can aid a photographer in creating good work.
Jan 16, 2020 10:27:22 #
A calibrated monitor, knowledge of how to proof using the proper ICC profile can make a world of difference! 😀
Jan 16, 2020 10:14:34 #
Longshadow wrote:
How so?
If you are printing for a sales inventory, as the OP said he was considering, the volume spreads the cost of the printer out until the cost contribution of the printer per print becomes negligible. As Gene pointed out, most people printing for sales will move to a larger format printer which use large ink tanks, so cost per ml of ink is way less than most people’s home printers. If you prefer high end papers, they can be purchased for home printing at prices that are far more economical than what most labs charge for prints using that same paper. ( example: I can print a 20x24 print on Hahnemühle baryta paper with pigment inks for about $14. The same print at a good lab like BayPhoto would be $72).
Jan 16, 2020 02:02:45 #
I try to avoid getting too hung up on the terminology used. Whether referred to as a rule, guideline, or technique, I focus on its content; what does it provide me with in terms of being “mindful” as a photographer? The Rule of Thirds, for example, is far from being an actual rule which must be followed lest I suffer dire consequences (a bad composition). However, in knowing it, and purposely considering it when composing, it is a compositional technique that is often helpful in moving toward a composition that works. The same is true for “guidelines” such as “use leading lines”, or “don’t crop off limbs”, or “check the corners and background before tripping the shutter”. In my opinion, the more one consistently refers to the content of these “rules”, and consciously evaluates their relevance to the composition we are constructing, the greater the chances of our being successful.
Rule of thirds, leading lines, use of symmetry, attention to corners
Jan 16, 2020 00:27:19 #
fantom wrote:
To quote Gold Hat:
"Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules."
"Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules."
Ah, Gold Hat. Won a few rounds of trivia with that one. Won a few more with the follow-up of who played him. 😀
Jan 15, 2020 23:56:08 #
Reconvic wrote:
My wife and I are wanting to print some of our bird photos. It could end up that we are printing numerous copies of one capture. I've searched the annals concerning this but can only find outdated topics. If we were to peddle our wares what grade/type of paper and size and what other land mines should we be aware of. Quality is a priority.
Could you recommend either a printer/establishment....Thank you, Vic
Could you recommend either a printer/establishment....Thank you, Vic
The cost effectiveness of printing yourself vs having a lab print for you depends a lot on the volume of prints you plan to produce. The more prints needed the cheaper it becomes to print your own. The cost of an individual print is usually less when you print yourself, however you have to figure in the initial cost of the printer, paper, and ink which makes labs more attractive to those who only print occasionally.
“ If we were to peddle our wares “ - this is a huge if. Most people who consider selling their photos find out quickly that it is a much bigger enterprise than they expected. Like any other business, it takes time, investment, and a great deal of hard work. There is much more too it than just making up a batch of prints and going out and selling them. if you decide on selling at art festivals, You’ll need to secure a resellers license, have display materials such as a canopy, display panels, a means of taking payment using your phone or tablet. You need to find and apply to shows, and if accepted pay the fees. You will need to be prepared for 5:00 AM set ups and late night tear downs. All this in addition to the time and work of printing, mounting, matting, and possibly framing your work. Galleries have their own demands and expenses.
If quality is a priority, printing yourself will be the best choice in the long run. This is not to say you can’t get quality from labs. Most do very competent jobs. Even Costco prints can be nicely done. However, if quality includes using pigment inks on top weight papers of a variety of finishes, you might find printing yourself gives you more options. Many hobbyists who never consider selling their work still prefer to have the ability to print on special papers. (A few labs do offer premium papers, but usually at a premium price).
Just a few things to think about.
Jan 12, 2020 20:55:51 #
A short answer would be that space images (like those taken from Hubble) are usually composites of exposures taken through a number of filters sensitive to certain wavelengths of light. At times the filters are used to enhance the differences between wavelengths close enough to each other that we might not easily see a difference but which would be important to distinguish for scientific purposes. Other filters may help visualize wavelengths that we would not normally be able to see. This invisible light is then assigned a color for purposes of making an image.
Agencies such as NASA are interested in images that meet their needs as scientific tools, not necessarily photos that are accurate as to what you and I might see looking out of the window of our spaceship! 🙂
Agencies such as NASA are interested in images that meet their needs as scientific tools, not necessarily photos that are accurate as to what you and I might see looking out of the window of our spaceship! 🙂
Jan 12, 2020 18:14:12 #
My mentor told me this story.
A young photographer was hiking into an area when he encountered an older photographer hiking out. The young guy asked, “Well, did you get the shot you wanted?” The old guy replied, “No. I got the shots I discovered.”
The point being that it’s important to not let our expectations prevent us from seeing what is actually there.
A young photographer was hiking into an area when he encountered an older photographer hiking out. The young guy asked, “Well, did you get the shot you wanted?” The old guy replied, “No. I got the shots I discovered.”
The point being that it’s important to not let our expectations prevent us from seeing what is actually there.
Jan 12, 2020 17:54:32 #
louparker wrote:
I didn't start anything -- that's exactly what you said!
You must be very short. His humor went clear over your head.