Plumbing tape (TEFLON etc) is safe and will work. I have used it in similar situations. It will hold well and come undone when you need it to.

Avoid any liquid, lacquer, adhesives, Locktight (etc). These things migrate, won't come off, and likely will cause damage.

Yup! Sometimes it's the SOFTNESS that does the trick! My other point is, that nowadays, "IQ" is optical talk, not aesthetics. Or...is I.Q. stahd for intelligence quotient- forget about it!

This thread stopped being about photography many posts ago. Like many othere protracted threads on UHH, it has turned into an etymological argument about off-topic subjects like the meaning of the word "plagiarism". The "aperture blade" issue got lost in the chaos.

If some ot y'all want to get into definitions and photographic terminology, think about it. "Image quality" has little to do with effects like "bokeh"n or so-called star effects. They are artistic or creative components of some images but they are the antithesis of good image quality because they are the effects of out-of-focus areas of the image and some are brought on by various aberrations, flare, and light path interference.

At the end of the day, if you are hung up on "bokeh" and don't like waht you are getting with your present lenses, waht are you gonna do- take your lens apart and rip out the diaphragm and replace it, or go a buy a new lens? Why not, if you can afford it?

Another alternative is to shoot everyth at f/.95 and complainabout poor lens performance at the edges or shoot everything at f/32, 64, or 128 and gripe about diffraction. Makes for some interesting threads!

Yup!

Much ado about nothing or somethg- depens on how you look at it.

For Me, ths "bokeh" thing has gone crazy- folks get obsessed with it- they say the good bokeh, bad bokeh, great bokeh, no bokeh- whatever. It's not that I do like the many background effects that are obtainable with various selective focus techniques.

Without all the technical jargon, the out-of-focus blobs of light in an out-of-focus background will take on the shape of the aperture. Nice! however, I don't think I would go out a buy an expensive lens strictly based on the shape of the aperture blades.

Especially in outdoor portraiture, any lens that is the appropriate focal length for portrait work will usually produce decent "bokeh". If you know how to manage your background as to, depth of field and lack thereof, existing lighihg, the distance between the subject and the background, exposure, and choice of f/stop you should land well. It's even easier to do in macro work, distant telephoto shots of birds, etc.

If you want to alter the look, rhythm, or intensity of the effect, that can be easily accomplished by placing some interference right in front of the lens. A piecof black thin tape- like automotive pinstriping materl. applied to an old filter will give you all kinds of variations. Shoot wot twigs, and/or blades of grass right in for of the lenswill work too- experiment.

If you want something very exotic, adapt an old Rodenstock Imagon lens with H/stops to your digital camera- they look like drain strainers and produce some incredible "bokeh". Experiment with your favorite lenses that you already have.

My advice to the OP: It's good that want to share your research with others. You can post a link to any online article and then relate YOUR own opinions, experiences, results, and how you applied the tutorial you are recommending.

The feet may give you a litt more surface grip in certain terrane but it is NOT meant to convert your monopod to a stand-alone tripod.

If you need more stability when usg a monopod, check out his link- it is a detailed tutorial on maximizing monopod usage- it's all in the technique.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Monopod

Photoshop

I have been photographing PEOPLE for a very long time and for a good percentage of my professional experience, portraiture accounts for half of my business and still is a significant part of my work. I did a stint as a press photographer so I photographed people in all kinds of circumstances- happy, sad, tragic, elegant awkward. , in peace and combat- as is! Most of my career, however, is as a "hired gun" which means I have customers- clients who always want to look good in their images. I always joke that am a professional photographer and an amateur psychologist. I have to find out waht folks want- how they perceive their self-image. I do not stereotype people. Years ago, executive portraits, used to be stern, and authoritative in character. Nowadays some folks and their ad agencies, account executives and art directors want them to look casual and approachable. Brides want their wedding photographs to look elegant even if the reception takes place in a "junkyard"- yoy gotta be creative.

At the end of the day, you have to know waht you are doing and bea able to work quickly and efficiently to capture expressions and attitudes, however, all the technical skills in the world won't do you any good if you don't like photographing PEOPLE and have good people skills. Some folks do very nicely in front of a camera- they are relaxed and natural. Some folks would rather have the appendix removed without anesthesia than pose for a portrait- they as much as tell me so. And...there is every other kind of personality in between. I have to contend with all of them and come up with something acceptable to them and/or their publicity people.

Gotta admit it- for me it's fun! When folks SEE that you are relaxed, enjoying the experience, and realize that you are workg on their behalf to produce something good- they will relax, cooperate, and forget about their self-consciousness or hangups. If you would rather be shooting wildlife, sports, landscapes, bugs, flowers, or inanimate objects- they will pick up and that as well and YOUR negative attitude or impatience will show up in their expressions and body language.

Adjust brightness, contrast, gamma, and sharpness in editing to produce a workable image. You can add a tint to a sepia tone and then comes the hard work of clonigout scratches and defects.

Both candid and posed images of PEOPLE can be well crafted, effective in content, and "natural" in appearance IF you know how to do these things.

If you are an event, wedding, or press photograher(photojournalist) you have to observe people. anticipate action, watch for various expressions, and shoot quickly in spontaneous situations.

If you are a portrait or fashion photograher or a shootg under controlled conditions you must be able to pose your subject or at least direct them effectively. If you are not dealing with experienced professional models or actors, you have to be able to direct folks to pose whereby they look natural and that can be quite a science and art form especially if you are trying to create a faltering interpretation of your subject. This has to do with emphasizing or de-emphasizing any aspect of a subject's face or body. It also has to do with avoiding distortion and creating leading lines. I can write dozens of pages about all the techniques. Just as an example, in a simple head and shoulders portrait or so-called headshot the position of the subject as to how they are seated or standing canbe critical. It might be difficult to believe but a good, natural, headshot portats stars with the position of the feet and legs regardless of the fact these limbs do not show in the image- it is a matter of body mechanics. Another little-known item is that a person can hold a pose longer and appear more comfortable and natural if they are in a good posture, that is, they are sitting or standing up straight with the spine at full extension. The more a person you show like in a full-length portat or including the heads and arms, etc., the more technicalities of the pose, you have to address. And... you have to pose or direct folks in such a way that they don't feel uncomfortable, awkward, or being put in a position that only a contortionist could assume. This all can be more critical in a group portrait weh you are working to get everyone positioned naturally and flattering manner with their positions relating to each other.

A good people photograher knows how to make effective and story-telling candid images and formal portat that look "candid' in pose, expression and statement.

I have had good results at restoring images for tintypes. A scanned image is a good start and it is not all that difficult to bring up the contest and correct minor damages in editing.

If you can, scan each of your tintypes and post them here, I might be able to give you a few tips.

The attaced image is for an origin tintype- scanned, edited, printed, and framed in an "antique" replica type case.

Comparing professional photographs to health, legal, and financial professionals and certain licused trades, specific affiliations, and licensing as a matter of health, safety, and public protection. If a photoghrpaer produces sub-standard work nobody gets sicker and dies, goes to prison, goes bankrupt, or has their house burned down due to shoddy workmanship. Of course, pro photograhers, all retailers, and all commercial entities are subject to consumer protection laws,
and civil lawsuits.

There are professional photographers' associations that have codes of ethics, and standards, and issue degrees a various levels of competence and performance, however, membership is voluntary and NOT mandatory.

In today's market environment, it is doubtful that a truly inferior photographer can sustain their business for a very long time. Neighborhood brick and morter walk-in studios are disappearing and pro photoghaers are depending on good word of mouth and referrals for business longevity. The hacks and charlatans will fall by the wayside in this environment. In the retail sector." buyer beware" still applies. If folks opt for an unknown quantity rather than a reputable professional they may be subject to disappointment. In the commercial sector, publishers, art directors, and ad agency account executives are more discerning and people producing poorly crafted work will not survive in this market.

Even if a photographer is artistically and technically talented, there is no guarantee they can be successful without business acumen. The concept, however, that a "lousey" or mediocre photoghaer can prosper if that is a "good salesperson" is becoming more of a myth every day. Most folks are not sight-impaired or stupid- they are exposed to good images every day on TV, in movies, magazines, posters, advertising, packaging, art museums, and galleries.

My first employer and mentor in this business told me an important philosophy on day one. There are "photoghreers" who TALK a good job and photographers to DO a good job- they are seldom the same "photograher"!

Any of y'all can get into the entomology of the word "professional" all day long. For me, "gettg paid" is not the definition of true professionalism. Money is the reward for good work.

Hi Jo!

I wrote something earlier in this thread:

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/tpr?p=14431937&t=798696

Yes, for sure, there are many extremely talented amateurs who could produce a caliber of work that would qualify as "professional" quality. Some are "retired" pros but most of the lifelong pros that I knew and know, including myself, never completely retired. They may cut down on the workload and continue on in the business, or do their photogahy for art's sake. Many of my teachers and successful photograher who I studied with or admired as a "rookie' worked well into their old age. It sounds morbid but they continued shooting, of one kind or another. 'till the day they died. This may sound lkie a cliché but if it's in your blood and your heart, you can't just walk away from it.

Talent, art, and enthusiasm aside, the BUSIESS of photography is "rough stuff. Many talented photoghers fail in business. Oftentimes
"artists" do not deal well with the demands and tedium of business. Psychologocally, professional photograhers can't always satisfy their own artistic perceptions and needs. Even if you are self-employed you are not always the boss. You meet "NEW BOSSES" every day, they are called clients, art directors, editors, let alone bank managers, accountants, and government folks. You need to satisfy THEIR requriemets, needs, and perceptions. Luckly, I can satisfy my individual artistic leanings every now and again. Some of the work is creatively and artistical challangng and some of it is mundane. You just try to do the latter as artfully as possible.

Competition, promoting the business, managing the business- some days it is a rat race and a s**t-show (excuse the language), and some days it is pure fun. It ain't for the faint of heart!

Nothing stays the same. Besides the technology, so many aspects of the buses change with the times- the challenges, the good stuff, and the market environment. You gotta be flexible and possess even more people skills than photographic skills.

Unless a person suffers from multiple personality disorder, it is hard to be an artist, tough business person, promoter, manager, chief cook, and bottle washer all the time. It's been 62 years in and I am still trying!

I ain't complaining! I love the work and the business is exciting but it certainly is not all glamour, fun, and big checks. Some days it is fun, once in a while we get some glamour, and the big cheques show up intermittently but they are hard-earned!

As they say in Brooklyn, "Dats My Take"! Best regards and thanks for asking!

Filters are great! Especially when it comes to swimming pools- you never what's is in the water! Folks used to think that FILTERS were needed, for health reasons, on cigarettes but they discovered smoking causes cancer, heart, and respiratory disease anyway! I used to have filtered on the plumbing in my darkroom- cuts down on stains caused by minerals reacting with chemistry, and mitigates some chemical oxidation but I won't digital and don't have a darkroom anymore. My kidneys are having some issues but my liver is intact- so MY filters are still working. Oh, on my camera lenses??? Sometimes!- CPL, ND, and some protection hazardous environments. Not as many and often as in the old days- the white balance has repaid all those color correct and conversion filters. I have enough in the mothball collection to make a good-sized stand-glass window- maybe a Bif Tiffiny lampshade! That reminds me, I gotta change the AC and furnace FILTER! You, The car is due for a new OIL filter.

Common y'all- find a NEW topic to argue about.

My definition of PROFESSIONALISM is having a high level of skill and talent, being consistent and reliable, treating your clients with respect and honesty, and operating your business ethically. If you possess these attributes are capabilities AND do this for the major percentage of your income, you are a WORKING PROFESSIONAL. If you decide to retire, close your business, or whatever, you do not lose your skills, talents knowledge. You will be a professional to the day you die and will be remembered as such after you are dead!

That is the philosophical part of the equation. Legalities? different jurisdictions have different laws as to taxation etc. In some instances, if you are incorporated, you have to officially close down (dissolve) your company and surrender the charter. As for the revenue folks, as far as I know, they don't care how you derive your income as long as you file your tax return accurately and on time.

As for professionalism again. The argument for some is if you get paid for your services you are a "professional". My admittedly cynical view is that there are lots of "hacks" out there getting paid who are no true professionals as per the aforementioned definition. The are many amateurs who do first-class work. Y'all know what you are so why worry about LABELS?