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PHOTOGRAPHY THEORY & LITERATURE

PHOTOGRAPHY THEORY

(Trying to describe)

EXPOSURE

UNDER EXPOSED "first picture"

Which shows that position when taking a picture with a position like the one in the picture above will result in a dark picture "Under"

EXPOSED NORMAL "second image"

Which shows that position when taking a picture with a position like the one in the picture above will result in images that fit the same as that seen in the eyes of "Normal"

OVEREXPOSED "third image"

Which shows that position when taking a picture with a position like the one in the picture above will result in images that are too bright "Over"

APERTURE

The larger the aperture, the more space a little too sharp and vice versa, The smaller the aperture, the greater the sharpness space.

SHUTTER SPEED

The slower Shuter also cover the more light that goes "If it is not mengkait associated with the diaphragm, and the diaphragm because Shuter is a unity in the photo"

RULE OF THIRDS

my knowledge there have not been up to:
because my knowlege is important that the results saucy snap ...hhe
Just Fell your good feeling composition that the grid guide you to make good decision to capture picture

ISO

The smaller the value, the more the lack of iso noise in pictures denghan small iso consequences will not be effective if the lighting conditions are less

AS WELL AS

The greater the ISO value, the greater the noise in the photo with the consequences of the iso will be effective when in poor lighting conditions or low light

Basic Photography Theory
Zefanya Putra

Digital photography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Digital photography uses an array of electronic photodetectors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The captured image is then digitized and stored as a computer fileready for digital processing, viewing, digital publishing or printing.

Until the advent of such technology, photographs were made by exposing light sensitive photographic film, and used chemical photographic processing to develop and stabilize the image. By contrast, digital photographs can be displayed, printed, stored, manipulated, transmitted, and archived using digital and computer techniques, without chemical processing.

Digital photography is one of several forms of digital imaging. Digital images are also created by non-photographic equipment such as computer tomography scanners and radio telescopes. Digital images can also be made byscanning other photographic images.




The digital camera

History

Main article: History of the camera#Digital cameras

The first recorded attempt at building a digital camera was in 1975 by Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak.It used the then-new solid-state CCD image sensor chips developed by Fairchild Semiconductor in 1973. The camera weighed 8 pounds (3.6 kg), recorded black and white images to a cassette tape, had a resolution of 0.01 megapixels (10,000 pixels), and took 23 seconds to capture its first image in December 1975. The prototype camera was a technical exercise, not intended for production.

The first true digital camera that recorded images as a computerized file was likely the Fuji DS-1P of 1988, which recorded to a 16 MB internal memory card that used a battery to keep the data in memory. This camera was never marketed in the United States, and has not been confirmed to have shipped even in Japan.

The first commercially available digital camera was the 1990 Dycam Model 1; it also sold as the Logitech Fotoman. It used a CCD image sensor, stored pictures digitally, and connected directly to a computer for downloading images. The first flyby spacecraft image of Mars was taken from Mariner 4 on July 15, 1965 with a camera system designed by NASA/JPL. It used a video camera tube followed by a digitizer, rather than a mosaic of solid state sensor elements, so it was not what we usually define as a digital camera, but it produced a digital image that was stored on tape for later slow transmission back to earth.



Sensors and storage

Image sensors read the intensity of light, and digital memory devices store the digital image information as RGB color space or as raw data.

The two main types of sensors are charge-coupled devices (CCD), in which the photocharge is shifted to a central charge-to-voltage converter, and CMOS oractive pixel sensors.

Nearly all digital cameras use built-in and/or removable solid state flash memory. Digital tapeless camcorders that double as a digital still cameras use flash memory, discs and internal hard drives. Certain 20th century digital cameras such as the Sony Mavica range used floppy disks and mini-CDs.



Multifunctionality and connectivity

Except for some linear array type of cameras at the highest-end and simple web cams at the lowest-end, a digital memory device (usually a memory card;floppy disks and CD-RWs are less common) is used for storing images, which may be transferred to a computer later.

Digital cameras can take pictures, and may also record sound and video. Some can be used as webcams, some can use the PictBridge standard to connect to a printer without using a computer, and some can display pictures directly on a television set. Similarly, many camcorders can take still photographs, and store them on videotape or on flash memorycards with the same functionality as digital cameras.



Performance metrics

The quality of a digital image is a composite of various factors, many of which are similar to those of film cameras. Pixel count (typically listed in megapixels, millions of pixels) is only one of the major factors, though it is the most heavily marketed figure of merit. Digital camera manufacturers advertise this figure because consumers can use it to easily compare camera capabilities. It is not, however, the major factor in evaluating a digital camera for most applications. The processing system inside the camera that turns the raw data into a color-balanced and pleasing photograph is usually more critical, which is why some 4+ megapixel cameras perform better than higher-end cameras.



Image at left has a higher pixel count than the one to the right, but lower spatial resolution.

Resolution in pixels is not the only measure of image quality. A larger sensor with the same number of pixels generally produces a better image than a smaller one. One of the most important differences is an improvement in image noise. This is one of the advantages of digital SLR cameras, which have larger sensors than simpler cameras

(so called point and shoot cameras) of the same resolution.

· Lens quality: resolution, distortion, dispersion (see Lens (optics))

· Capture medium: CMOS, CCD, negative film, reversal film etc.

· Capture format: pixel count, digital file type (RAW, TIFF, JPEG), film format (135 film, 120 film, 5x4, 10x8).

· Processing: digital and / or chemical processing of 'negative' and 'print'.



Pixel counts

The number of pixels n for a given maximum resolution (w horizontal pixels by h vertical pixels) is the product n = w × h. This yields e. g. 1.92 megapixels (1,920,000 pixels) for an image of 1600 × 1200. The majority of compact as well as some DSLR digital cameras have a 4:3 aspect ratio, i.e. w/h = 4/3. According to Digital Photography Review, the 4:3 ratio is because "computer monitors are 4:3 ratio, old CCD's always had a 4:3 ratio, and thus digital cameras inherited this aspect ratio.

The pixel count quoted by manufacturers can be misleading as it may not be the number of full-color pixels. For cameras using single-chip image sensors the number claimed is the total number of single-color-sensitive photosensors, whether they have different locations in the plane, as with the Bayer sensor, or in stacks of three co-located photosensors as in the Foveon X3 sensor. However, the images have different numbers of RGB pixels: Bayer-sensor cameras produce as many RGB pixels as photosensors via demosaicing (interpolation), while Foveon sensors produce uninterpolated image files with one-third as many RGB pixels as photosensors. It is difficult to compare the resolutions based on the megapixel ratings of these two types of sensors, and therefore sometimes a subject of dispute.

The relative increase in detail resulting from an increase in resolution is better compared by looking at the number of pixels across (or down) the picture, rather than the total number of pixels in the picture area. For example, a sensor of 2560 × 1600 sensor elements is described as "4 megapixels" (2560 × 1600 = 4,096,000). Increasing to 3200 × 2048 increases the pixels in the picture to 6,553,600 (6.5 megapixels), a factor of 1.6, but the pixels per cm in the picture (at the same image size) increases by only 1.25 times. A measure of the comparative increase in linear resolution is the square root of the increase in area resolution, i.e., megapixels in the entire image.



Dynamic range

Practical imaging systems both digital and film, have a limited "dynamic range": the range of luminosity that can be reproduced accurately. Highlights of the subject that are too bright are rendered as white, with no detail; shadows that are too dark are rendered as black. The loss of detail is not abrupt with film, or in dark shadows with digital sensors: some detail is retained as brightness moves out of the dynamic range. "Highlight burn-out" of digital sensors, however, can be abrupt, and highlight detail may be lost. And as the sensor elements for different colors saturate in turn, there can be gross hue or saturation shift in burnt-out highlights.

Some digital cameras can show these blown highlights in the image review, allowing the photographer to re-shoot the picture with a modified exposure. Others compensate for the total contrast of a scene by selectively exposing darker pixels longer. A third technique is used by Fujifilm in its FinePix S3 Prodigital SLR. The image sensor contains additional photodiodes of lower sensitivity than the main ones; these retain detail in parts of the image too bright for the main sensor.

High dynamic range imaging (HDR) addresses this problem by increasing the dynamic range of images by either

· increasing the dynamic range of the image sensor or

· by using exposure bracketing and post-processing the separate images to create a single image with a higher dynamic range.

HDR images curtail burn-outs and black-outs.



Storage

Many camera phones and most digital cameras use memory cards having flash memory to store image data. The majority of cards for separate cameras areSD format; many are CompactFlash and the other formats are rare. XQD card format was the last new form of card. Most modern digital cameras also useinternal memory for a limited capacity for pictures that can be transferred to or from the card or through the camera's connections; even without a memory card inserted into the camera.

Memory cards can hold vast numbers of photos, requiring attention only when the memory card is full. For most users, this means hundreds of quality photos stored on the same memory card. Images may be transferred to other media for archival or personal use.




Comparison with film photography

Consumer cameras

The primary advantage of consumer-level digital cameras is the low recurring cost, as users need not purchase photographic film. Processing costs may be reduced or even eliminated. The sensor size of most consumer-level digital cameras is significantly smaller than that of more expensive, "prosumer" or professional-level digital cameras, resulting in lower image quality than is produced by cameras with larger sensors.[citation needed]

Advantages of professional digital camera

· Immediate image review and deletion is possible; lighting and composition can be assessed immediately, which ultimately conserves storage space.

· High volume of images to medium ratio; allowing for extensive photography sessions without changing film rolls. To most users a single memory card is sufficient for the lifetime of the camera whereas film rolls are a re-incurring cost of film cameras.

· Faster workflow: Management (colour and file), manipulation and printing tools are more versatile than conventional film processes. However, batch processing of RAW files can be time consuming, even on a fast computer.

· Digital manipulation: A digital image can be modified and manipulated much easier and faster than with traditional negative and print methods. The digital image to the right was captured in RAW format, processed and output in 3 different ways from the source RAW file, then merged and further processed for color saturation and other special effects to produce a more dramatic result than was originally captured with the RAW image.


Manufacturers such as Nikon and Canon have promoted the adoption of digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs) by photojournalists. Images captured at 2+megapixels are deemed of sufficient quality for small images in newspaper or magazine reproduction. Eight to 24 megapixel images, found in modern digital SLRs, when combined with high-end lenses, can approximate the detail of film prints from 35 mm film based SLRs.



Disadvantages of digital cameras

High ISO image noise may manifest as multicolored speckles in digital images, rather than the less-objectionable "grain" of high-ISO film. While this speckling can be removed by noise-reduction software, either in-camera or on a computer, this can have a detrimental effect on image quality as fine detail may be lost in the process.

· Aliasing may add patterns to images that do not exist and would not appear in film.

For many consumers, the advantages of digital cameras outweigh the disadvantages. Some professional photographers still prefer film. Concerns that have been raised by professional photographers include: editing and post-processing of RAW files can take longer than 35mm film, downloading a large number of images to a computer can be time-consuming, shooting in remote sites requires the photographer to carry a number of batteries and add to the load to carry, equipment failure—while all cameras may fail, some film camera problems (e.g., meter or rangefinder problems, failure of only some shutter speeds) can be worked around. As time passes, it is expected that more professional photographers will switch to digital.[12]

Medium Format digital cameras are available with image sensor sizes considerably larger than current "Full Frame" cameras but at a considerably higher cost. These are often used by High Fashion photographers or when very high resolution images are required.



Equivalent features

Image noise / grain

Noise in a digital camera's image is remarkably similar to film grain in a film camera. At high ISO levels (film speed) the grain/noise becomes more apparent in the final image. Although film ISO levels can be lower than digital ISO levels (25 and 50 respectively), digital settings can be changed quickly according to requirements, while film must be physically replaced and protected from all light during such replacement. Additionally, image noise reduction techniques can be used to remove noise from digital images and film grain is fixed. From an artistic point of view, film grain and image noise may be desirable when creating a specific mood for an image. Modern digital cameras have comparable noise/grain at the same ISO as film cameras. Some digital cameras though, do exhibit a pattern in the digital noise that is not found on film.

Speed of use

Previously digital cameras had a longer start-up delay compared to film cameras, i.e., the delay from when they are turned on until they are ready to take the first shot, but this is no longer the case for modern digital cameras with start-up times under 1/4 second (0.15 seconds for the Nikon D90).[13] Similarly, the amount of time needed to write the data for a digital picture to the memory card is now comparable to the amount of time it takes to wind the film on a film camera, at least with modern digital cameras and modern fast memory cards. Both digital cameras and film cameras have a small delaybetween when the shutter button is pressed and when the picture is taken – this is the time necessary to autofocus the lens and compute and set the exposure. (This shutter delay is practically zero for SLR and the best DSLR cameras.)

Frame rate

While some film cameras could reach up to 10 fps, like the Canon EOS-1V HS, professional digital SLR cameras can take still photographs at highestframe rates. While the Sony SLT technology allows rates of up to 12 fps, the Canon EOS-1Dx can take stills at a 14fps rate. The Nikon F5 is limited to 36 continuous frames (the length of the film) while the Canon EOS-1D Mark III is able to take about 110 high definition JPEG images before its buffer must be cleared and the remaining space on the storage media can be used. Even Bridge camera such as Fujifilm FinePix HS10 has burst mode 10 frame/s and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 has 11 frame/s. Moreover FinePix HS10 can take movies at 1000 frame/s at 224x64 pixels with no sound.

Image longevity

Film and prints can fade, but digital images can potentially last unchanged forever. However, the media on which the digital images are stored can decay or become corrupt, leading to a loss of image integrity. Film and digital media should be stored under archival conditions for maximum longevity. Without backup it is easier to lose huge amounts of digital data, for example by accidental deletion of folders, or by failure of a mass storage device. In comparison, each generation of copies of film negatives and transparencies is degraded compared to its parent. Film images can easily be converted to digital (by using a digital film scanner for example) with some possible loss of quality.

Colour reproduction

Colour reproduction (gamut) is dependent on the type and quality of film or sensor used and the quality of the optical system and film processing. Different films and sensors have different color sensitivity; the photographer needs to understand his equipment, the light conditions, and the media used to ensure accurate colour reproduction. Many digital cameras offer RAW format (sensor data), which makes it possible to choose color space in the development stage regardless of camera settings. In effect, the scene is stored as far as the sensor allows, and can to some extent be "rephotographed" with different color balance, exposure, etc.

Even in RAW format, however, the sensor and the camera's dynamics can only capture in the GAMUT that the system supports. When that image is transferred for reproduction on any device, the best possible gamut is the gamut that the end device supports. For a monitor, it is the screen's gamut—for a photographic print, it is the gamut of the device that prints the image on the paper. Color gamut or Color space is an abstract term that describes an area where points of color fit in a three dimensional space. Picture this as different shaped boxes, where one box may not fit into another—so what does not fit gets clipped off.

Professional photographers often use high end monitors that are regularly calibrated to reproduce color/highlights/ shadows etc consistently.



Frame aspect ratios

Most digital point & shoot cameras have an aspect ratio of 1.33 (4:3), the same as analog television or early movies. However, a 35 mm picture's aspect ratio is 1.5 (3:2). Several digital cameras take photos in either ratio, and nearly all digital SLRs take pictures in a 3:2 ratio, as most can use lenses designed for 35 mm film. Some photo labs print photos on 4:3 ratio paper, as well as the existing 3:2. In 2005 Panasonic launched the first consumer camera with a native aspect ratio of 16:9, matching HDTV. This is similar to a 7:4 aspect ratio, which was a common size for APS film. Different aspect ratios is one of the reasons consumers have issues when cropping photos. An aspect ratio of 4:3 translates to a size of 4.5" x 6.0". This loses half an inch when printing on the "standard" size of 4" x 6", an aspect ratio of 3:2. Similar cropping occurs when printing on other sizes, i.e., 5"x7", 8"x10", or 11"x14".




Market impact

In late 2002, 2 megapixel cameras were available in the United States for less than $100, with some 1 megapixel cameras for under $60. At the same time, many discount stores with photo labs introduced a "digital front end", allowing consumers to obtain true chemical prints (as opposed to ink-jet prints) in an hour. These prices were similar to those of prints made from film negatives. However, because digital images have a different aspect ratio than 35 mm film images, people have started to realize that 4x6 inch prints crop some of the image off the print. Some photofinishers have started offering prints with the same aspect ratio as the digital cameras record.

In July 2003, digital cameras entered the disposable camera market with the release of the Ritz Dakota Digital, a 1.2 megapixel (1280 x 960) CMOS-based digital camera costing only $11 (USD). Following the familiar single-use concept long in use with film cameras, Ritz intended the Dakota Digital for single use. When the pre-programmed 25 picture limit is reached, the camera is returned to the store, and the consumer receives back prints and a CD-ROM with their photos. The camera is then refurbished and resold.

Since the introduction of the Dakota Digital, a number of similar single-use digital cameras have appeared. Most single-use digital cameras are nearly identical to the original Dakota Digital in specifications and function, though a few include superior specifications and more advanced functions (such as higher image resolutions and LCD screens). Most, if not all these single-use digital cameras cost less than $20 (USD), not including processing. However, the huge demand for complex digital cameras at competitive prices has often caused manufacturing shortcuts, evidenced by a large increase in customer complaints over camera malfunctions, high parts prices, and short service life. Some digital cameras offer only a 90-day warranty.

Prices of 35mm compact cameras have dropped with manufacturers further outsourcing to countries such as China. Kodak announced in January 2004 that they would no longer sell Kodak-branded film cameras in the developed world.[18] In January 2006, Nikon followed suit and announced they would stop production of all but two models of their film cameras. They will continue to produce the low-end Nikon FM10, and the high-end Nikon F6. In the same month, Konica Minolta announced it was pulling out of the camera business altogether. The price of 35mm and APS compact cameras have dropped, probably due to direct competition from digital and the resulting growth of the offer of second-hand film cameras.[19] Pentax have reduced production of film cameras but not halted it.[20] The technology has improved so rapidly that one of Kodak's film cameras was discontinued before it was awarded a "camera of the year" award later in the year.

Since 2003, digital cameras have outsold film cameras.[21] However, the use of 35mm cameras is greater in developing countries.[22] In Guatemala, for example, extremely high import duties on all digital products serves to encourage sales and use of film cameras.

The decline in film camera sales has also led to a decline in purchases of film for such cameras. In November 2004, a German division of Agfa-Gevaert, AgfaPhoto, split off. Within six months it filed for bankruptcy . Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. ended production of Color film and paper worldwide by March 31, 2007. In addition, by 2005, Kodak employed less than a third of the employees it had twenty years earlier. It is not known if these job losses in the film industry have been offset in the digital image industry.

In addition, digital photography has resulted in some positive market impacts as well. The increasing popularity of products such as digital photo frames andcanvas prints is a direct result of the increasing popularity of digital photography.

Digital cameras have decimated the film photography industry through declining use of the expensive film rolls and development chemicals previously required to develop the photos. This has had a dramatic effect on companies such as Fuji, Kodak, and Agfa. Many stores that formerly offered photofinishing services or sold film no longer do, or have seen a tremendous decline. In 2012, Kodak filed for bankruptcy after struggling to adapt to the changing industry.




Social impact

Up until the advent of the digital camera, amateur photographers could either buy print or slide film for their cameras. If they purchased slide film, the resulting slides could be developed and viewed using a slide projector. Digital photography revolutionized the industry by eliminating the delay and cost. The ease of viewing, transferring and editing allowed consumers to manage their digital photos with ordinary home computers rather than specialized equipment.

Camera phones have arguably the largest impact. The user can set their Smartphones to upload their products to the Internet, preserving them even if the camera is destroyed or the images deleted. Some high street photography shops have self-service kiosks that allow images to be printed directly from smartphones via Bluetooth technology.

Archivists and historians have noticed the relative non-permanence or transitory nature of digital media. Unlike film and print, which are tangible and immediately accessible to a person, digital image storage is ever-changing, with old media and decoding software becoming obsolete or inaccessible by new technologies. Historians are concerned that we are creating a historical void where information and details about an era would have been lost within either failed or inaccessible digital media. They recommend that professional and amateur users develop strategies for digital preservation by migrating stored digital images from old technologies to new. Scrapbookers who may have used film for creating artistic and personal memoirs may need to modify their approach to digital photo books to personalize them and retain the special qualities of traditional photo albums.

The web has been a popular medium for storing and sharing photos ever since the first photograph was published on the web by Tim Berners-Lee in 1992 (an image of the CERN house band Les Horribles Cernettes). Today photo sharing sites such as Flickr, Picasa and PhotoBucket, as well as social Web sites, are used by millions of people to share their pictures.




Recent research and innovation

Research and development continues to refine the lighting, optics, sensors, processing, storage, display, and software used in digital photography. Here are a few examples.

· 3D models can be created from collections of normal images. The resulting scene can be viewed from novel viewpoints, but creating the model is very computationally intensive. An example is Microsoft's Photosynth, which provides some models of famous places as examples.

· High dynamic range cameras and displays are commercially available. Sensors with dynamic range in excess of 1,000,000:1 are in development, and software is also available to combine multiple non-HDR images (shot with different exposures) into an HDR image.

· Motion blur can be dramatically removed by a flutter shutter (a flickering shutter that adds a signature to the blur, which postprocessing recognizes). It is not yet commercially available.

· An object's specular reflection can be captured using computer controlled lights and sensors. This is needed to create attractive images of oil paintings, for instance. It is not yet commercially available, but some museums are starting to use it.

· Dust reduction systems help keep dust off of image sensors, originally introduced only by a few cameras like Olympus DSLRs, have now become standard in most models and brands.

Other areas of progress include improved sensors, more powerful software, advanced camera processors (sometimes using more than one processor e.g. Canon 7d has 2 Digic 4 processors), enlarged-gamut displays, built in GPS & WiFi, and computer controlled lighting.

COLOR THEORY

Color Theory (Spanyol Language)

ILLUSION

WATCH THIS - ZEFANYA ILLUSION

EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR EXPERT

100 Photography Tips

zefanya putra Reference & Recomendation

HOW TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL COMMERCIAL

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

Wedding Photography - 21 Tips For Wedding Photographers

“Help me – I’m photographing my first Wedding!… Help me with some Wedding Photography Tips Please!”

It’s a question that’s been asked a few times in our forums over the last few months so while I’m not a Pro Wedding Photographer I thought it was time to share a few tips on the topic of Wedding Photography.

I’ll leave the technical tips of photographing a wedding to the pros – but as someone who has been asked to photograph numerous friends and family weddings – here are a few suggestions.

Wedding Photography Tips

1. Create a ‘Shot List’

One of the most helpful tips I’ve been given about Wedding Photography is to get the couple to think ahead about the shots that they’d like you to capture on the day and compile a list so that you can check them off. This is particularly helpful in the family shots. There’s nothing worse than getting the photos back and realizing you didn’t photograph the happy couple with grandma!

2. Wedding Photography Family Photo Coordinator

I find the family photo part of the day can be quite stressful. People are going everywhere, you’re unaware of the different family dynamics at play and people are in a ‘festive spirit’ (and have often been drinking a few spirits) to the point where it can be quite chaotic. Get the couple to nominate a family member (or one for each side of the family) who can be the ‘director’ of the shoot. They can round everyone up, help get them in the shot and keep things moving so that the couple can get back to the party.

3. Scout the Location

Visit the locations of the different places that you’ll be shooting before the big day. While I’m sure most Pros don’t do this – I find it really helpful to know where we’re going, have an idea of a few positions for shots and to know how the light might come into play. On one or two weddings I even visited locations with the couples and took a few test shots (these made nice ‘engagement photos’).

4. In Wedding Photography Preparation is Key

So much can go wrong on the day – so you need to be well prepared. Have a backup plan (in case of bad weather), have batteries charged, memory cards blank, think about routes and time to get to places and get an itinerary of the full day so you know what’s happening next. If you can, attend the rehearsal of the ceremony where you’ll gather a lot of great information about possible positions to shoot from, the lighting, the order of the ceremony etc

5. Set expectations with the Couple

Show them your work/style. Find out what they are wanting to achieve, how many shots they want, what key things they want to be recorded, how the shots will be used (print etc). If you’re charging them for the event, make sure you have the agreement of price in place up front.

6. Turn off the sound on your Camera

Beeps during speeches, the kiss and vows don’t add to the event. Switch off sound before hand and keep it off.

7. Shoot the small details

Photograph rings, backs of dresses, shoes, flowers, table settings, menus etc – these help give the end album an extra dimension. Flick through a wedding magazine in a news stand for a little inspiration.

8. Use Two Cameras

Beg, borrow, hire or steal an extra camera for the day – set it up with a different lens. I try to shoot with one wide angle lens (great for candid shots and in tight spaces (particularly before the ceremony in the preparation stage of the day) and one longer lens (it can be handy to have something as large as 200mm if you can get your hands on one – I use a 70-200mm).

9. Consider a Second Wedding Photographer

Having a second backup photographer can be a great strategy. It means less moving around during ceremony and speeches, allows for one to capture the formal shots and the other to get candid shots. It also takes a little pressure off you being ‘the one’ to have to get every shot!

10. Be Bold but Not Obtrusive

Timidity won’t get you ‘the shot’ – sometimes you need to be bold to capture a moment. However timing is everything and thinking ahead to get in the right position for key moments are important so as not to disrupt the event. In a ceremony I try to move around at least 4-5 times but try to time this to coincide with songs, sermons or longer readings. During the formal shots be bold, know what you want and ask for it from the couple and their party. You’re driving the show at this point of the day and need to keep things moving.

11. Learn how to Use Diffused Light

The ability to bounce a flash or to diffuse it is key. You’ll find that in many churches that light is very low. If you’re allowed to use a flash (and some churches don’t allow it) think about whether bouncing the flash will work (remember if you bounce off a colored surface it will add a colored cast to the picture) or whether you might want to buy a flash diffuser to soften the light. If you can’t use a flash you’ll need to either use a fast lens at wide apertures and/or bump up the ISO. A lens with image stabilization might also help. Learn more about Using Flash Diffusers and Reflectors.

12. Shoot in RAW

I know that many readers feel that they don’t have the time for shooting in RAW (due to extra processing) but a wedding is one time that it can be particularly useful as it gives so much more flexibility to manipulate shots after taking them. Weddings can present photographers with tricky lighting which result in the need to manipulate exposure and white balance after the fact – RAW will help with this considerably.

13. Display Your Shots at the Reception

One of the great things about digital photography is the immediacy of it as a medium. One of the fun things I’ve seen more and more photographers doing recently is taking a computer to the reception, uploading shots taken earlier in the day and letting them rotate as a slideshow during the evening. This adds a fun element to the night.

14. Consider Your Backgrounds

One of the challenges of weddings is that there are often people going everywhere – including the backgrounds of your shots. Particularly with the formal shots scope out the area where they’ll be taken ahead of time looking for good backgrounds. Ideally you’ll be wanting uncluttered areas and shaded spots out of direct sunlight where there’s unlikely to be a wandering great aunt wander into the back of the shot. Read more on getting backgrounds right.

15. Don’t Discard Your ‘Mistakes’

The temptation with digital is to check images as you go and to delete those that don’t work immediately. The problem with this is that you might just be getting rid of some of the more interesting and useable images. Keep in mind that images can be cropped or manipulated later to give you some more arty/abstract looking shots that can add real interest to the end album.

16. Change Your Perspective

Get a little creative with your shots. While the majority of the images in the end album will probably be fairly ‘normal’ or formal poses – make sure you mix things up a little by taking shots from down low, up high, at wide angles etc.

17. Wedding Group Shots

One thing that I’ve done at every wedding that I’ve photographed is attempt to photograph everyone who is in attendance in the one shot. The way I’ve done this is to arrange for a place that I can get up high above everyone straight after the ceremony. This might mean getting tall ladder, using a balcony or even climbing on a roof. The beauty of getting up high is that you get everyone’s face in it and can fit a lot of people in the one shot. The key is to be able to get everyone to the place you want them to stand quickly and to be ready to get the shot without having everyone stand around for too long. I found the best way to get everyone to the spot is to get the bride and groom there and to have a couple of helpers to herd everyone in that direction. Read more on how to take Group Photos.

18. Fill Flash

When shooting outside after a ceremony or during the posed shots you’ll probably want to keep your flash attached to give a little fill in flash. I tend to dial it back a little (a stop or two) so that shots are not blown out – but particularly in backlit or midday shooting conditions where there can be a lot of shadow, fill in flash is a must. Read more about using Fill Flash.

19. Continuous Shooting Mode

Having the ability to shoot a lot of images fast is very handy on a wedding day so switch your camera to continuous shooting mode and use it. Sometimes it’s the shot you take a second after the formal or posed shot when everyone is relaxing that really captures the moment!

20. Expect the Unexpected

One more piece of advice that someone gave me on my own wedding day. ‘Things will Go Wrong – But They Can be the Best Parts of the Day’. In every wedding that I’ve participated in something tends to go wrong with the day. The best man can’t find the ring, the rain pours down just as the ceremony ends, the groom forgets to do up his fly, the flower girl decides to sit down in the middle of the aisle or the bride can’t remember her vows….

These moments can feel a little panicky at the time – but it’s these moments that can actually make a day and give the bride and groom memories. Attempt to capture them and you could end up with some fun images that sum up the day really well.

I still remember the first wedding I photographed where the bride and grooms car crashed into a Tram on the way to the park where we were going to take photos. The bride was in tears, the groom stressed out – but after we’d all calmed down people began to see some of the funny side of the moment and we even took a couple of shots before driving on to the park. They were among everyone’s favorites.

21. Have Fun

Weddings are about celebrating – they should be fun. The more fun you have as the photographer the more relaxed those you are photographing will be. Perhaps the best way to loosen people up is to smile as the photographer (warning: I always come home from photographing weddings with sore jaws and cheeks because of of my smiling strategy).

Photography Marketing ideas for the professional photographer

• K.I.T. -  Low pressure marketing for the commercial photographer

If you’re an independent commercial photographer, you probably already know the importance of KIT. (keeping in touch) Nothing can replace being able to produce good photography, except possibly a close personal relationship with a few key clients. :+)  I’m not saying that you don’t need to keep improving you photographic skills, but you also need to improve your marketing and personal relationship skills too. 

Have you ever heard the phrase “out of sight, out of mind?” That is oh so true in the world of commercial photography.  Let’s face it. There are plenty of jobs out there that many photographers could handle.  If your time is in such high demand that you only want the jobs that only you are capable of doing, read no farther. 

But if you’re like me and you would like to be shooting more than you currently are now, being at the right place at the right time, can mean thousands of dollars to your bottom line each year.

There are many jobs each month that cross the desk of an Art Director or Graphic Designer that could be done by a number of photographers in your town.  If you’re like me, you want that Art Director or Designer to think of you when that job lands on his desk. I’m not that proud. I’ll be glad to do that mundane job.  I can always find something to do with the money…  The twenty-four thousand dollar question is…  How do you make that happen?  How do we get the Client to think of us when that job hits his desk?

The best way I know to increase the odds of having that creative think of you when that job comes up, is to be fresh in his memory.  That’s why keeping in touch is so important.  The more you keep in touch, the more you are on the mind of the client, the greater your chance of getting the photography project.  It’s a numbers game.

I’ve listed a few ways that I use to KIT with my potential clients.  Here they are.

• Ways to KIT for the professional commercial photographe Phone call 

If you have an excuse to call, that’s great.  The trouble is, it’s hard sometimes to think of a reason to call someone you don’t know very well, just to chat.  And you can’t really call and just say that you want them to send you some work.  Remember, your goal is to just be on their mind in case something “photographic” should pop up.  This isn’t hard sell.  As a matter of fact, you want this to be just the opposite.  You want it to be a little on the social side.  You want to build a relationship, make a friend.  And whatever you do, don’t overdue it.  If anything, underdueit. (how come overdue is a word and underdue isn’t?)

• Direct mail postcards 

Post card mailers are great.  Maybe a little formal, but they have their place.  You don’t want to over due them though.  Personally, I feel that 2-4 mailers a year is enough,  Again… If you mailer happens to land on someone’s desk near the same time as a project, you might get a shot.   The reason I say that 2-4 is enough, is because I remember clients talking about one of my competitors and saying how they just dreaded this guy’s next mailer.  You can definitely overdue it with mailers or anything else.  And of course, the mailer better be the best that you can due and appropriate to the client too.  Don’t send your food shots to the healthcare client.

• Web page update 

Actually, updating your web page doesn’t directly help you keep in touch, but what it does do is to give you a great excuse to KIT.

• Lunch dates 

Expensive but effective.  Personally, I have to enjoy the person to have lunch with them.  It has to be good time, or you’re wasting your time and money.

• Portfolio interviews

Even with the Internet, you still need to have a three-dimensional portfolio and you have to show it around.  Clients will use your web page. But many of them still want to “see your book”.  And the more people you can get to see your book, the more work you will most likely end up getting.  When you first start out, everything seems easy.  Everyone is willing to see you because you’re new.  The problem begins when you want to see them again and you don’t really have that much new work in your book.  You feel as though you can’t show them the same stuff.  It’s really a dilemma 

• Photography Portfolio drop offs

I have a few portfolios that I have made up for the purpose of messengering around town. People seem to be a little more receptive to accepting a portfolio if there is no rush and no pressure from the photographer.  It’s sort of like a mega mailer.  The great thing about this is that you can do this even when you’re busy.  All it takes is a few phone calls and you can move your books book around town.  Your assistant can do that when they get a little down time.  The trick is to have predetermined list of people you want to see the book.  I usually create a list of agencies, design firms, and even web design firms that have very few people.  I like to see the larger agencies in person.  The personal interview is always better than the drop off, but the drop-off is always better that doing nothing.

  So pick the low percentage possibilities and send your book there.  If you can update the book significantly enough, you can send the book to the same place about once a year without making a nuisance of yourself. 

• Kit Emailers

I find emailers to be one of the best ways to KIT .  They don’t take much time, they’re personal (make sure they’re personal) and they’re FREE! All you need to do is think of an excuse to email someone.  Here are some of my favorite excuses to contact someone:  Let them know that I’ve updated my Web page.  I send them one of my latest images and ask them what they think.  I send them a really good joke.  I ask them “how’s it going?  As a follow up to a post card.  You can email more often than you can other forms of communication, especially if your relatively good friends with the contact.  Just a couple of lines are all it takes. 

• Parties and Trade Association meetings

ersonally, I can’t bring myself to attend these kind of events very often.  I guess that I’m just not a social kind of guy.  I bet they’re effective though…

The thing to remember when you’re developing your kit plan is to contact people as often as you can without being a pain or looking as though you’re desperate.  The more you talk with someone, the more they get to know you.  The more they get to know you, the more likely they are to give you a shot at a project. 

I like to have a plan of my KIT or marketing plan for the year.  Don’t get me wrong.  I never follow the plan, but it’s fun to make on up anyway.  It give me a benchmark to feel guilty about later…

The really big challenge of keeping in touch is to NOT overdue everything and damage the relationship.  Always be sensitive to the vibes. If you sense that maybe you’re overdoing it a little, back off and let things simmer for a while. Do your best.  That’s all anyone can ask.

10 Fundamental Ways to Market Your Photography

When working professionally as a photographer, taking the photos can seem like the easiest part of the process. It’s the business side of things that photographers often find difficult. Being able to market your services to attract customers is an absolutely key part part of any business. the process is no different from professional and freelance photographers, so here are a few key ways in which to reach out to the vast number of potential clients.

1. Advertising

When most people think about marketing, taking out ads would be one of their first considerations. However, most photographers I know seem reluctant to take out ads, as its hard to justify the cost, even though it’s a very good way of getting your name out there.


If you’ve already got a Facebook page up and running, you could try experimenting with the small costs of sponsored updates for which you can see stats and will be able to quantify whether you get any new enquiries.


You could also take out ads in print in local arts publications or newspapers, and it’s worth thinking about Google ads in order to ensure that when people are searching for you, they can find you on Google.

2. Social Networking

One of the key parts of marketing is reaching out to people on a level that they use, know and feel comfortable with and at the moment. The most vastly used examples of this would be Facebook and Twitter. I’ll concentrate on Facebook, but the ideas generally apply to both.


I would recommend building a profile specifically for your photography work. This allows you to have a presence that keeps people informed about your work without the interruption of personal updates. Be sure to include examples of your work in the image galleries and to regularly post images of the jobs that you’ve been working on to give your followers an impression of the type of work you do and what your capabilities are.


Once you’ve built profiles on Facebook and Twitter, make sure you use them. Be sure to have updates and links regarding the work that you’re doing, but also interact with other photographers, photography blogs, magazines, galleries, and local businesses. Twitter is one of the best ways to reach out to people that you would have otherwise never come across, so don’t be shy. Get out there and use the tools available to you!

3. Portfolio Website

It’s essential that you have a website that showcases the best of your work. It doesn’t need to be an extensive catalogue of all your images over the years, if anything, it needs to be a simple site that shows a balanced selection of your imagery.


With the addition of your contact details and links to other sites such as social network profiles, you’ve got yourself a platform which can act as the first port of call for potential clients. They’ll be able to search for you themselves, without needing any initial interaction.

4. Blogging

I find that keeping a blog works very well alongside my website, as it allows me to build a feed of the images and current projects that I’m working on. This works in contrast to the ‘best of’ selection in the portfolio sections of the site.


In a similar way to updating my social networks, blogging the latest photographs that I’ve taken will give a good impression to potential clients of the type of work that I can do. However on my blog, I’m able to present the images in a far more satisfying way!

5. Testimonials

Testimonials are a great way to hook new clients. For the most part, previous clients will make recommendations on their own terms, you can still take advantage of the power of personal recommendations by having a selection of testimonials on your website.


We are all now accustomed to looking for online reviews of products and services. So, once you’ve delivered work to a client, simply ask whether they can provide a few sentences regarding their experience or working with you.


Hopefully, some of them will be glowing reports from very satisfied customers that you can post on your site for potential future clients to read. This will reassure potential new customers that they’re making a good decision.


You may also find that some of these offer constructive criticism and allow you to make positive changes for future clients.

6. Networking

Over the years, I have found that nothing makes a stronger impression than meeting someone in person. Attend exhibit launches, photography events and meet ups, as well as visiting new businesses. Take the time to introduce yourself.


Undoubtedly one of the first questions that you’ll be asked is, “what do you do?” This gives you a great opportunity to explain that you’re a photographer, hand over a business card and offer your services!


When out with other photographers, look to build up relationships, you may think at first that you’re all in competition with each other, and to a certain extent you are, but there’s a great value in the support network of other local photographers who may end up passing work to you if they’re booked up!

7. Exhibit Your Work

This could turn out to be one of the more expensive marketing options, but from experience, I’ve found that exhibiting your work gives you a certain amount of status as a photographer that is otherwise hard to achieve.


Exhibitions build your name and profile and attract people towards your work, which will hopefully lead to future commissions. It doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if you’re selling the prints. You just need to find the right space to exhibit. Ask local art centers or small galleries whether they would consider working with you.


You then need to curate a body of work that has a unified theme to display. It gives you the chance to invite friends, family, local photographers, magazines and blogs and gives you the best reason to publicly declare yourself a photographer!

8. Online Arts Profiles

As well as having a presence online through your own site and social networks, there are a number of other art profile sites such as Behance, 500px and Flickr. On these sites, you can host your work and interact with other artists.


These prove most useful when you spend time using them and interacting with other creatives. You’ll not only make new friends, but also pick up advice, finding new work opportunities and get ideas for shoots.

9. Enter Competitions

I’ve written before about why its so useful to enter competitions and it may seem an odd marketing strategy, but marketing your work is about getting it seen and generating new opportunities. Entering competitions ticks those boxes.


Pick the contests that you enter wisely, ensuring that your style or subject matter is relevant to the theme, and don’t spend more than you’re comfortable with spending. Remember that more often than not, your work will be viewed by a panel of industry experts, and even if you don’t win the competition, making those connections can lead to future opportunities.

10. Putting All of It into Practice

Hopefully there are some marketing tips here that will prove useful at every stage of your photography career. For some, the business side of photography comes far easier than for others. If something doesn’t feel completely natural, work to find a tool that you feel comfortable using and get started on building a name for yourself. Once you get to a certain point, you’ll then feel ready to branch out and start building your profile in other areas and through other means.

GOOD LUCK