MOVING ON

It’s a familiar story, moving from a normal point and shoot camera, to a bridge model plus a few fun cameras along the way like lomo and holga, before finally making the leap to the DSLR of your dreams. The collection starts to build up. It’s difficult to know what to do with the old cameras once you realise that they haven’t been taken out of the cupboard for quite some time.

RECYCLE

Old electrical items can be difficult to get rid of in an environmentally friendly fashion. There are environmentally dangerous toxins in every camera, particularly in the batteries and there are also rare earth materials in every one so they should never just be thrown in the bin. Rather than taking them to the recycling point, there are now several recycling firms specific to electricals like ecycling and simsrecycling.

REUSE

It might be that your old camera is still in perfect working order and as a result, a better solution might be to pass on the old camera to a friend or family member who is new to the game! A young niece or nephew might be delighted to receive an old 2MP point and shoot and perhaps their gratitude is the best value for you if the camera is old and lacking re-sell value.

RESELL

Since my appetite for new cameras was particularly voracious, the cameras I wanted to pass on retained value. Given that the industry releases radical new models every few months, I suspect many people are in the same position. There are many ways of reselling an old camera, from placing an advert in the supermarket or local newspaper to listing the product on craigslist or ebay. These are all viable options but there are other easy, simple solutions too. The camera exchange store offer great prices for unwanted cameras and have excellent efficient service.

THE NEW BABY

 After I generated some cash from selling some of my old cameras, it was time to look for something new. Digital SLR Photo has a lot of really useful information about what to look for and what’s available on the market. Photo sharing sites can also prove a source of inspiration, for example, flickr users tend to include the make and model of the camera used for each shot so it’s easy to build up an idea of what you like and what is possible with each camera. The new Canon EOS 6D or the Nikon D3x are heavy contenders for me!

Setting up my own studio was a real milestone for me. It seemed like a pretty big step taking on business premises – especially at this time when many businesses on the high street seem to be closing down. In fact that did me a favour somewhat – the studio I rent had been vacant for nearly a year after the previous business had folded. The landlord was pretty desperate to let it out again and so gave me a deal that I’ll find hard to keep when the lease renewal comes up!

My main source of income comes from portrait photography in the studio and wedding photography. For leisure and pleasure I like to get out in the Lake District, which is just a few miles away from my home. I love to get out walking and of course taking photographs of the stunning landscapes. These photographs have made it into exhibitions and have also made me some money since I put them for sale as framed prints in my studio window.

Although not exactly a new technology, I’ve noticed something of a return to popularity of photo CDs for wedding couples. I had often included photographs on CD for couples when marrying and for models building their portfolios. Recently though, two of my wedding couples had requested photo CDs for their whole wedding party. In one case that was 120 copies of the photo CD!

The other CDs I had given to couples, being a complimentary item, only had a CD with a label printed on my inkjet printer to identify it. Burning 120 CDs on my home computer would have taken an age to do, and wouldn’t have been up to the professional standard required. After some searching around online I found the website of VDC Group who specialise in CD duplication, on disc printing and even packaging. The CDs they have made for me look great and have got me lots of positive feedback from my customers.

I’m finding that with professional photography, I’m always adding a new string to my bow to meet the needs of my customers. I’m currently experimenting with HDR photography which is producing some stunning landscape photography. If you don’t know what HDR is or want to find out more, I’d recommend reading this great tutorial on the Photography Life website.

Other interesting work I have been asked to do recently was some specialist artwork photography for a student at the local college. He wanted 3D photography of his sculptures – I didn’t have the required lens for this and had to hire one in from the brilliant Lens Locker online hire service. The photographs look really great – though they need to be displayed via a 3D television to get the benefit of the 3D effect.

There are many photographers out there competing for the same business so it pays to be flexible and offer exactly what the customer requires.

Flatterer

As stated above, communication is crucial for achieving those really special shots, the ones where the model looks like she really owns the frame. The first step was outlining how the shoot would go. I had asked a make-up artist friend of mine to help with outfits a few days before, and she and Sophia had picked out some luxury underwear from Sheer Bliss here. She had settled on the Fauve Emmanuelle Short as well as a mixture of her own wardrobe, and I talked her through the process while she got her make-up done. We had decided to do a mix of both edgy and softer shots altering the lighting accordingly, and it afforded the opportunity to be fun and flirtatious. Lingerie shoots are set apart in that they are designed to be larger than life: every motion is vivid and theatrical. If you take a look at some of these lingerie shoot ideas you can see the varying positions and poses are elaborately struck.

Suits You

 I had done some prior research on colour schemes by looking at other photographers’ work like Jon Hall Photo here. The photo provided is one example I really liked of dark clothing and dark background: it shows off the skin tone and helps little details like eyelashes stand out. I used a black backdrop to emphasise Sophia’s frame, and advised on stand-out colours like white and red for lipstick and heels etc. As for the camera, I used my 135mm lens with a longer focal length as long portrait shots tend to be the favourite for shoots like this. A longer focal length isolates the subject and blurs the background so your client really stands out.

Set the Scene

One other thing to bear in mind is location. Lingerie shoots should reflect intimacy as well as feistiness, so ideally you want a boudoir setting or something that feels close. These top 8 boudoir-shoot tips from Aisle Dash should give you a better idea of how to plan your shoot, and what to discuss with your photographer. As I said, we were both very pleased with the results, and Sophia said she felt much more confident in herself as a result, which is always a gratifying thing to hear!

I hope these tips prove useful, and remember to relax and have fun with it; the better the relationship between client and photographer, the more it will show in your photos.

It seems to be rare that people will actually print off photographs (If you want to I would recommend online printing services such as Snapfish) anymore or do anything more with them. Of course this can sometimes be a bonus for those drunken exploits…

You will take some nice pictures though (Sometimes, hopefully), which don’t deserve to just be kept locked away in their magnetic prison on your computer. You can easily show them off for people to see much easier than passing a photo album around. Simply by using your television you can see your pictures easily or have them in the background as a more personal screensaver for your television.

It is very easy too and can be done through a variety of ways:

• If you have your photos on a memory card, you may be able to put it directly into your television set and simply scrolled through with your remote.
• The USB cable which was provided with your camera can be plugged directly into your TV so that your photos and movies can be viewed in the same way as putting in a memory card.
• Some newer cameras and smart phones come equipped with mini HDMI slots which let you connect directly to the HD channel on your TV via a HDMI cable. This provides the best quality picture, but can have the downside of being too sharp if you had a touch of the shakes when you took the picture!
• In addition to these direct methods, you can probably connect a separate hard drive with your pictures and other media on to easily view your photos. Of course, you will have to get them off the camera first, but you will inevitably have to do this to free up some space on your camera anyway.

Hopefully these methods will give you more usage out of your pictures and let them be enjoyed as fully as they should be. Just be careful if you set it to change the pictures randomly and you have some… “embarrassing” photos.

Business seems to be booming for even semi-professional photographers these days, mostly due to the interest in social media images like profile pictures and online company portfolios. My good friend Dean has a photography business that he set up within the last two years, and already he is very much in demand. He made the decision after his camera cut out at a wedding shortly after capturing some remarkable images. He decided to sell his used Nikon camera to Camera Exchange in order to afford a more up to date model, and returned one day with a Nikon D800. I’m by no means an expert, but I recognised straight away that Dean had improved his knowledge of photography dramatically after the incident at the wedding.Not long after, he was working part time as an extra hand/lighting guy at weddings, and his knowledge increased with every event. After showing me some photography basics, he explained to me that while most wedding photographers start off with something like a Nikon D300, or similar DX model, as you get great features for the price. However, despite being cheaper, they have a much lower ISO sensitivity compared to the more expensive FX models, like the D800. Not only do the FX models have features like adjustable apertures and better sensors, owning a 35mm FX means that your shots will resemble those of original film style: perfect for weddings. Check out this article on DX vs FX for more detail on the advantages of splashing out on a decent camera.

When I saw him later on he was showing off his latest prime lens. Prime lenses work by having a set focal length, usually about 50mm, but having no zoom option. While this limits you in not being able to zoom in, the picture quality is vastly superior to zoom cameras. Prime lenses are particularly useful for macro shots in getting all the tiny details crisp, something an automatic detection zoom camera would otherwise struggle with. For more information on how lenses and exposures work, visit this link by Cambridge in Colour.Strangely, Dean’s camera cutting out was the best thing that could have happened to him as his business is running very smoothly thanks to the ease of uploading his work online, after he has finished editing. If you are interested in photography and the potential employment opportunities, I advise you to look up any local night walk courses in your area. Before anything though, make sure your camera is as up to date as your knowledge!

By now I imagine you’ve been snapping away at all sorts, gathering together your albums and professional portfolios for potential clients. Check out these top 10 tips for building a portfolio, just in case you need a different perspective. Depending on what you enjoy doing you can really make a name for yourself these days just by uploading your work to the right places, i.e. Facebook and Twitter. The difference between a professional photography business, and a good photographer, is that the latter only earns commission per project, whereas a successful business takes on its own clients.

Click click

Setting up a Facebook profile for your photos is an absolute must, but it’s not the only way social networking can benefit your skills, all it takes is a few people to share your page and the target audience spreads dramatically.

‘Social Media Mini Shoots’ like this from jonhallphoto.co.uk is a prime example of how social networking and image-based businesses can benefit from one another.  Photography and the Information Age work so well together because one generates business for the other on a daily basis, and the coverage you get is astounding.

It’s a great idea to help you start thinking about ways to make a business out of your photos. You already have the means at your disposal. Again, the difference between getting business and running a business depends on how many people know about your services.

Development

Before you go signing up to any company formation sites like UK Company Registrations here, you should have a well organised plan first. Don’t forget that there is a lot of competition out there, so you’re going to need the best facilities you can find.

• Studios – Fashion, dance, music, media studios will be constantly looking for new interns. Find your nearest and best studio and ask if they can offer you a part time project.
• Equipped – Depending on how much you have already invested in your passion, you may require the use of a better camera, lighting stands, backdrops and other such tools. Studios may solve this problem which is why it’s definitely worth finding your local studios and asking around.
•  Consistency – Once you’ve started advertising your shots, maybe showing talent in a particular field, be sure to keep your website/portfolio/file updated and categorized. You cannot afford to be lazy with your images – each and every one must show the best of what you can do. Free editing software is available for starters, but I recommend buying a professional package if you are going to make a real commitment.

Shutter

Use these tips to start practising ways to advertise your shots, and if the notion takes your fancy, why not set up a business? It sounds like a monumental task, (and unless you are prepared for it, it will be), but making money from your talents is only a few clicks away.

Searching the internet is a brilliant way of finding a photographer that is perfect for you, your partner and wedding. All you need to do is smile for the camera and enjoy every last second of it because once it’s over the pictures will be there even if your memories fade. Your wedding photographer will just be like a guest at your wedding. They will just blend in and you won’t even notice that they are taking pictures.

Some people don’t like having their picture taken, but with the right photographer you won’t even need to think about them and they will just take natural candid shots that will capture your day perfectly without you even having to look at the camera. So get your dress on and relax!

My descent into the junkydom of the wide-angled lens began with cinematography, not actually photography. Wide-angled lenses are often used in movies to mock a supposed ‘reality’ or expose the fragile nature of reality. Hence, wide-angled lenses are often used in my kind of movies. The movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, adapted from Gonzo Journalist, Hunter.S.Thompson’s book by the same name, comes to mind instantly.

Later, what appealed to me about photography over cinematography (money and often the need to at least acknowledge the people staring in your films, not to mention the ‘acting’ aside) was the way through which a moment or emotion or idea could be captured in a photograph. My ‘stories’ may often seem strange; my favourite wide-angled shot this year depicts my friend’s kid grinning down into my camera, yet I am also trying to convey a message or express something.  In the photograph of my mate’s kid, the role of child and adult are visually and almost grotesquely subverted; the child becomes ‘the giant’ and the adult staring into the photograph on my mantelpiece is reduced to looking up at a force they have no power over. It’s a simple example, but that’s why I used it; a picture can tell a story in an instant. You do not need to be literate. It does not matter what languages you speak, or don’t.

Then, a wide-angled lens, for me, magnifies and reveals the essence often within a reality, rather than, as it can first appear, distorting a reality or subject. And that, most simply, is why I’ve been hooked on the wide-angled lens for so long now; for me, a photograph really is ‘worth a thousand words’, or in this instant, about 470.

Adverts are often one part of the media that are far behind the rest of society when it comes to progressive portrayals of non-standard images, such as the depiction of the family. The reason for this is fairly simple, if you are an advert you only have one image, or maybe 30 seconds of screen time to put across a complete narrative and to sell your product all in one fell swoop. This means that ‘ad men’ (itself an outdated term) rely on a form of shorthand so that their intentions are understood quickly, women clean, men drive cars e.t.c. e.t.c. But increasingly over the past few years, and even decades, this shorthand has started to shift slightly as we accept a more varied model of the standard family. The stepford family from the BT advert for example featuring a single mother and her romance with what eventually becomes her next husband. Rather than sticking to the husband, wife, two-point-five kids model, the campaign did something very different and was extremely popular as a result.

Attitudes towards women have also changed, crucially from commodity to legitimate demographic. Sexism in advertising is something that has been covered in countless essays, books and journals and it is still very much present. But women are now considered a legitimate demographic without the need to be patronised or exploited. This is particularly clear in the market of designer lingerie, a market sector which simply didn’t exist in our grandparents generation. These businesses see the benefit of portraying confident, powerful women to appeal to confident powerful women as a force for themselves. The message of these images isn’t to buy lingerie to please your man, or convincing men that their wives could look like this. Most lingerie is bought by women, and the adverts reflect this, showing that lingerie can make women feel sexy simply for the sake of feeling sexy and proud of their bodies.

It’s possible to carry on looking at this idea almost indefinitely with countless examples for and against the progress that advertising has made towards better reflecting the morals of our society. This is why there are many academics and writers who do exactly that as a job. But whether you believe that some of the false realities of advertising have been marginialised over the years, that adverts have got more progressive or that they still have a long way to go, it is reassuring to remember that these adverts and their creators are now under a greater scrutiny than they have ever been before. It is crucially important that we are asking these kind of questions, we can pursue satisfying answers and make progress with fair portrayal in the media. Our ability to self-reflect and question our environment is a natural human reflex and is one of the key components of social change throughout history.

Then came the rise of the digital SLR. Digital photography itself only started in 1975; this may seem like a long time ago, but the time that it takes for that technology to reach the mass market is considerable and particularly in a format that means it is portable and durable. But it has come to the point where professional still photographers and hobbyists are using largely the same equipment. There is even the trend for new digital cameras to be styled like the older, pre digital models for no reason other than the aesthetic quality. This can be seen with the popular Leica M9 range, which is a real throwback in terms of looks but is actually a high tech digital camera!

For a small history on the development of digital SLRs, the first commercially available model was from Kodak, but hardly aimed at the consumer market, that model would have cost you around $30,000 dollars. In fact it wasn’t until over 12 years later in 2003, when Canon announced the first truly commercially available digital SLR, the Digital Rebel, although still highly priced, if more reasonably so, at $999. After the popularity of this model, the market for DSLRs just grew and grew because of their easy to use functions and fantastic picture quality.

From here, hobbyists have all of the tools to create a portfolio and the artwork that they want to and then to carry on with all of the after effects and manipulation that it would have previously taken a studio of skilled technicians to do. A high quality SLR photo can very quickly be manipulated and changed in post production with the use of photoshop and plenty of other digital image editing software.

With the popularity of social media and photo sharing online, it has become increasingly more important for young people to understand a little bit about photography in order to communicate with their friends. This is not just in a vain self-portrait way, but by carrying an SLR young people can take snapshots of their favourite hobbies, surroundings or interesting finds and share this information with their friends. The way that we communicate is becoming more image focused and the SLR allows us to communicate this image in the best possible way.