If you’re looking for a good and reliable photo editing tool, Fotophire has you covered. It provides you with a host of interesting features that help you turn your photos into beautiful works of art. Fotophire is simple and easy to use. It has an intuitive user interface packed with functionalities both beginner and pro users can draw on to Continue Reading
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As more camera harnesses and holsters hit the market, it seems that traditional camera straps are becoming a thing of the past. The latest takes the form of the Cotton Carrier G3 Strapshot Holster.
Designed by professional landscape photographer Andy Cotton, this holster is made for the active photographer. The compact carrying system attaches your camera to any bag for easy access while keeping your hands free and your gear safe. The G3 Strapshot launched in October 2017 and I tested it out to see if it was a viable camera holster option. Here’s what I found.
The G3 Strapshot Holster is available in two color choices: Charcoal Grey and Realtree Xtra Camouflage. The latter color is intended for wildlife photographers wishing to blend in with a variety of habitats.
I opted for the neutral Charcoal Grey option and appreciated its tough yet stylish synthetic canvas material. The product arrives in an accessory-laden box. Here’s what you get:
Given all of the accessories in the box, one of the best inclusions was a visual setup guide. You should absolutely read the instructions at least twice as the initial setup can take some time.
One thing to note is that you don’t necessarily need to use all of the accessories in the box. For example, the hand strap seems optional as you could use the holster just fine without it.
Initiate set up the system by attaching the Velcro-wrap holster to your bag or belt of choice. Big Velcro flaps make it quick and easy to attach to straps or belts of just about any thickness. You’ll notice a long strap up top known as the Top Tether, which is adjustable and can be looped through the top handle of your bag for extra security.
Next, attach the aluminum camera hub and rubber washer to your camera’s tripod mount. This is when you can also add the hand strap as part of it attaches to the camera in the same area. Secure everything using the included screw and Allen key.
If you added the hand strap, finish attaching it by looping the velcro through your camera’s built-in metal loop (where you would normally attach a neck strap).
Finally, the camera is secured one last time via the bottom quick release camera tether. This strap attaches to your camera using the included High Impact split ring. You can also secure the tether through your camera’s built-in metal loops if they are big enough.
Now you’re ready to secure the camera to the G3 Strapshot Holster. Simply slide the camera in at 90 degrees and twist to lock it into place. Your camera is now secured to the holster.
First off, I greatly appreciate the extra security build-ins factored into the G3 Strapshot Holster. Having used many other “alternative” camera holding systems, I’ve had my fair share of them fail, resulting in broken cameras and lenses. The G3 Strapshot gives you not one but several extra tethers to make you feel like your camera is ultra secure.
The inclusion of the hand strap was a nice surprise. Even though it doesn’t seem absolutely necessary in order to use the G3 Strapshot it’s a compact, well-built accessory that you can use on its own.
The hand strap in action.
Finally, the overall construction of the G3 Strapshot Holster is very solid and feels like it would hold up well over time. The Velcro-Wrap holster is made of durable canvas, and the big flaps make it very easy to add and remove from a bag.
Compare that to other holsters that might be smaller, but require tedious fiddling with small screws and knobs just to secure it to your bag.
As you can probably tell from the summarized setup instructions above, there are lots of pieces to the G3 Strapshot Holster. This can be initially very overwhelming and a potential problem if you ever wish to use your camera without the holster. The same problem of having too much stuff also applies to the extra straps and tethers included with the holster. Yes, they give you added security, but at the cost of a more bulky rig.
Initially, I tried the G3 Strapshot on a Sony a6300 with the kit lens attached. Even after following the instructions, the camera didn’t securely lock into place. That is, it felt locked into the G3 Strapshot’s proper mount and wouldn’t fall out, but the camera itself freely spun around in circles. After calling Cotton Carrier directly to see if this was an issue, they insist it is part of their design.
Small cameras such as the Sony a6300 with 16-50mm kit lens tend to sit at an awkward angle, probably due to not enough weight to hold them in place properly.
Once I tried the G3 Strapshot on my bigger, heavier Canon 5D Mark III with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens attached, it felt like a more secure connection. While it was still possible to spin the camera around even when in the mount, the weight of the camera held in place.
Conclusion: the G3 Strapshot seems to work better with DSLRs or heavier cameras. It’s not necessarily a good option for small point and shoots or really compact mirrorless cameras with small lenses attached. Also on that note, the hand strap also feels too big when attached to smaller cameras, but it fits my DSLR perfectly.
Cotton Carrier’s website claims that the G3 Strapshot Holster will “fasten to the strap of a backpack, sling style bag, or even your belt.” While it’s entirely true that the holster can fasten to all of those straps, it isn’t necessarily comfortable in each scenario.
I tried attaching the holster to my Think Tank TurnStyle Sling Bag. Everything secured properly, but it was very uncomfortable to wear the bag with the holster attached to a strap running diagonally across my body. I also found it challenging to remove my camera from the holster since it has to line up in a certain way that is hard to do from a diagonal angle.
Overall, it’s tough to give the Cotton Carrier G3 Strapshot Holster a conclusive rating. On one hand, it seems perfect if you’re shooting with a heavy DSLR and wearing a backpack. But if you’re attempting a more compact setup such as a small mirrorless camera and a bag other than a backpack, it leaves much to be desired.
Overall rating: 7/10 – It would be a 9/10 if I was still shooting primarily with a DSLR and a backpack, but a 7/10 when using a mirrorless with a sling bag (my current go-to setup).
The post Review of the New Cotton Carrier G3 Strapshot Holster appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Where should I start when talking about Lightroom presets? The subject has been covered so many different ways by so many different writers that at times even I think there’s nothing left to say. Or is there?
Most of us already know that using presets in our photo editing workflow speeds up processing. I mean, who couldn’t use a little help now and again especially when you’re attempting to wade through six or seven hundred images from that last wedding where the groom couldn’t stop blinking.
Not only that, but perhaps my favorite part about using presets is the creative jumpstart they can give my work.
Like I said, you already know all this, right? So instead of droning on about how to make presets or export them or download them, we’re going to discuss a seldom mentioned topic; how to get the most out of the presets you already have and use.
Lightroom presets are surprisingly versatile and can be applied to some extent literally during every phase of your processing in Lightroom. One of the most underutilized applications for Develop Presets happens at the very first phase of editing, importing the image.
Any Develop Preset you might have in your processing treasure chest can be applied with the click of the mouse to each image you import.
Do you have a lot of photos from that Blinker wedding I mentioned earlier? Try making a preset that works exclusively for each sequence of photos. Do you find yourself using similar contrast or clarity all the time? Apply the appropriate preset upon import to save time later. It’s almost too easy not to do.
And import presets aren’t limited to the just the develop variety either. Perhaps even more useful are metadata and keyword presets that can be applied at the same time. You can do that directly below the develop preset drop-down on the import screen.
When I’m not off making photographs on some remote mountaintop you can generally find me sitting at the computer making presets. As the lead developer of presets for Contrastly.com I’ve single-handedly manufactured over 1,200 presets for Lightroom.
Even after making so many I still sometimes run into the hair-rippingly frustrating situation, when one of my presets overrides edits that I’ve already made to a photo. What usually causes this is when I forget to uncheck an edit box I didn’t adjust in the “Save Preset” window when saving my new preset.
In order to save yourself a little grief, always – and I mean always – remember that when you make a new preset only save (check off) the edits you’ve actually made. NEVER (requisite shouting) leave a box checked even if the value is zero.
The reason for this is that even if an adjustment slider is set to zero checking the box will save that slider to zero in your preset. This means that if you have a preset that only affects the tone curve and you leave all the boxes checked all the other edits you’ve made will be reset to default by the Lightroom Preset. Sad times.
Like I said earlier…I’ve made a lot of presets and I hope that they help people get the most out of their photos. Yet if there’s one thing that I sincerely hope my presets don’t do is become an endpoint.
Presets are a ladder. Don’t simply apply a preset and hope for the best. Most presets are intended to be post-processing workhorses and/or springboards for your creativity. In either case, don’t stop at the preset. Even though the stars sometimes align and a preset might hit the bullseye with a single click, don’t be afraid to change things around.
As you test out presets feel free to update the settings or create a brand new mutant preset based on the edits you see before you. Some of my personal favorites the ones I’ve engineered to simulate expired film and vintage cinema.
Almost every time I narcissistically employ one of my own presets I find myself adjusting and tweaking until I have something completely new that I end up saving as a fresh preset. The process becomes cyclic. This is how great presets are born.
Lightroom presets are an old standby in the post-processing world. Oddly enough, not everyone uses them to their full potential. Making, saving or downloading Lightroom presets is only the first act in a great play.
Remember the value of import presets for speeding up your editing from the beginning. When making your own presets always remember to select only the aspects of the development that you’ve adjusted and not any zeroed out sliders. Don’t be afraid to change presets, especially the ones you’ve paid good money for, in order for them to better fit your own creative vision.
And most importantly, never allow yourself to simply stop at the presets…well, most of the time. Get the most out your presets by making them your own. Allow your presets do most of the heavy lifting if need be, while always following your own direction.
The post How to Get the Most from Lightroom Presets appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Late March on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area near Fort Collins. The lake was ice free for about two weeks. No green colors yet. Geese are still swimming, but starting to settle down on two islands. Muskrats are […]
paddling with a camera
“Don’t shoot at midday!” How many times have you heard that advice? And that you should only shoot during the Golden Hour?
While it is true the grandest landscape vistas prefer the sun lower on the horizon, there is no reason to pack up your camera and take a nap just because the sun is high. Midday may not be ideal for some types of landscape photography, but there are plenty of high-quality photos to be shot.
NOTE: All photos in this article were taken between 10 am and 3 pm.
Details, details, details. Getting in close and ignoring the wide panoramas during midday will open a new world of possibilities.
Close-up prayer wheels – Nepal – shot at midday under cover so the light was coming from the side.
It’s a great time for macro photography as there is ample light for the smaller subjects (and the lenses used to capture them). Beyond macro, look for snippets of a scene that will help describe your subject alongside the Golden Hour shots.
Detail of mosaic tiles with metal door close-up – Morocco.
Close-up of sailing yacht rope and winch – USA – Washington – Bellingham
Plumeria flowers shot outdoors.
Skimmer and strainer – India.
Barring the grand vista, looks for patterns in your landscapes. Or in any subject, for that matter.
In my opinion, looking for patterns changes something in your mind. While patterns are certainly artistic in nature, for me they switch on my analytical side and help me to see a scene differently.
Rippled sand in desert – Oman.
Bridge railing – Bhutan.
Kayaks kept in a row – USA – Colorado.
A diffuser will work wonders for those harsh shadows found at midday. You don’t have to drop a fortune on the coolest model as even tracing paper can be used to defuse the light falling on small objects.
The best diffuser is one I like to call, “passing clouds”. I love to have some light clouds in the middle of the day as it brings an even light to subjects.
Close-up of a whale swimming in the sea – USA – Alaska
View of people visiting Harmandir Sahib temple – India.
Here’s an example of some rather large diffusers (used for the next image, with the help of some flash).
Whether it is the flash that is built into your camera or an external unit (on the hotshoe or off), adding even more light to a scene might seem counterintuitive at first. Yet adding that light can balance the existing light and remove shadows.
For one thing, the extra light your strobe puts out is probably not going to outshine the sun, I hope. This means the highlights in a scene will hold steady while that extra light gets up under hat brims, eye sockets or any other areas with shadows.
You may need to play around with your strobe’s power (either directly in manual mode or by using your camera’s flash exposure compensation) to get the balance just right.
Have you ever seen those shots with the sun high in the sky and half a dozen (or more) rays emitting from the center of it? Have you wondered how to get such a shot?
It’s really quite easy. Switch to Aperture Priority mode and close down your aperture. That’s it! The more closed the aperture, the more those rays are accentuated, Now all you have to do is frame an interesting composition.
Here are a few more tips on starbursts and sun flares.
Some people believe that once the sun is high in the sky, directly overhead, the light is all the same. This is not true.
While there may be a 15-minute span of time when the light really is the same from any angle, the rest of the time you can find better light by slightly changing your camera angle or position.
Take a look at these sun-dried peppers from Bhutan. Coming upon the peppers I noticed their vibrant red color, giving a clear warning about the spices within. But the first shot was not the best.
When I moved around to the other side of the peppers, that slight change in the sun’s angle (or, more accurately, my relation to the sun’s angle) made all the difference in a capturing the essence of the peppers.
If the sun is coming in from high overhead, why not get up higher and shoot with it at your back? All these shots are from a third story hotel window looking down on street life in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Photography is certainly not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. While many landscape photographers will tell you there is nothing good to shoot in the middle of the day, there are areas of the planet which lend themselves nicely to wide landscapes in bright light.
I am thinking specifically of the higher places, like Nepal, Bhutan and the Andes, to name a few. The same applies to landscapes as to those peppers mentioned above. Sometimes all it takes is turning around to notice the sun is slightly better in one direction than another. Here are some examples of midday light from around the world.
Yellowstone National Park
Seljalandfoss, Iceland
Mission Ridge Ski Area, Washington, USA
Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal
Washington State Ferry, USA
Mani stones and the Himalayas – Nepal
The time of year can also help. In places like Iceland in the winter, the midday sun is still very low in the sky as compared to the summer.
I agree that grand landscapes with amazing light are usually not found at midday. The Golden Hour holds its name for good reason. But that doesn’t mean you need to hide inside and stop shooting when the clock approaches noon!
Get out there and look for the type of subjects you like, but in midday light. Experiment and see what you can make come alive while other photographers wait for sunset.
The post Tips for What to Shoot at Midday appeared first on Digital Photography School.
A little creativity at home can be a lot of fun in photography. In this article, you’ll see how you can make some miniature worlds with some water droplets and a piece of glass!
The process is straightforward enough, you just need some magic sauce. We’ll get to the magic sauce, and why that works in a moment. So let’s take a look at this how-to guide for photographing water droplets.
Who can resist photographing the club badge of their favorite sports team?
With the exception of the camera equipment, all the items you’ll need for this can be found around the home. The following is a guide to that equipment, but you may have other alternatives as well:
Here is some of the equipment needed for photographing water droplets on glass. The most important product to get is Rain X.
The above equipment now needs to be set up ready to photograph water droplets. This is an easy process, so just follow these steps:
***The repellent is flammable, so again, please take care handling this liquid.***
This is the main setup I used for taking these photos. The strobe is not in the right position yet, it should be aimed at the striped background.
With the setup complete, you’re now ready to take the photos. The following is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:
The demonstration photos I took for this article didn’t quite work. In Korea, I was unable to buy Rain X, and the brand I did buy, didn’t work in the same way.
This, of course, is a form of refraction photography, and not the only way to photograph water droplets.
Have you tried this method, or something similar? How about showing the community your work in the comments section, either past or new images. This is an easy technique to try out at home, and anyone can do it. So why not have a go!?
Here Rain X was used, and the difference is clear. In the background are some colored pencils.
At the time these photos were taken I was living in Malaysia, so this is the Malaysian flag.
This was my first attempt at this style of photo, at this point I wasn’t using Rain X.
The post How to Photograph Water Droplets on Glass appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Have you ever wished that you could take better photographs of your friends and family? Do you love looking at portraits taken by professional photographers, but just aren’t sure how to replicate similar results for yourself? Have you ever felt totally overwhelmed by all the options for photography gear and need someone to help you understand what’s essential for photographing people and what isn’t?
If you found yourself nodding along to any of those questions, this guide is for you! In this dPS Ultimate Guide, we’ll walk through everything from equipment to post-processing, and give you the tools you need to photograph people with confidence!
When it comes to photography, the best camera to use is the one you already have. Whether you’re using your cell phone, a point-and-shoot camera, a mirrorless camera, a cropped sensor camera, a full-frame camera, or an old film camera, you can take beautiful photographs of your friends and family. Essentially, don’t let the lack of “ideal equipment” get in your way. In almost every circumstance, you can combine the equipment that you already have with this guide to improve your people photography and portraits.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, in addition to your camera body and basic photography essentials like memory cards, there are a few key pieces of equipment that make photographing people much easier.
If you’re using a DSLR camera, lenses can make a huge difference in the quality of your photos. Most photographers prefer prime lenses for people photography. Although you do have to zoom with your feet, they tend to produce images that are sharper and more vibrant overall.
That said, whether you’re at a wedding or a soccer game, there are times when your subject’s distance from the camera is going to change frequently and quickly. In those instances, a zoom lens may be the best choice for photographing the special people in your life. Here are a few of the most frequently used lenses for portrait and people photography.
35 mm lens: This focal length is not great for traditional head-and-shoulders portraits, but it really shines when it comes to capturing people in the context of their surroundings.
The 35mm lens (on a crop or APS-C size sensor) is most similar to the angle of view of human eyes. So it’s a great lens to use when you want to capture what’s happening around you just as you see it. For this reason, the 35mm lens is an especially great choice for street photography as well.
50mm lens: For many photographers, the first lens they purchase after their kit lens is some variety of a 50mm lens. The price and versatility of a 50mm lens just can’t be beaten, and for a lot of photographers, having the ability to shoot at f/1.8 (or f/1.4, or f/1.2) is a huge upgrade from their kit lens.
If you’re shooting with a full-frame camera body, the 50mm lens is great for photographing families and sibling groups. If you’re shooting with a 50mm lens on a cropped sensor camera, it’s a focal length that’s great for portraits and photographing couples.
85mm lens: Most 85mm lenses are extremely versatile, allowing you to fill the entire frame with the subject’s face or backup to include their entire body without distortion. In fact, 85-105mm is known as being the ideal focal length range for portraiture because images captured within those focal lengths tend to be more flattering and have less distortion than images of people captured at other focal lengths.
Additionally, the lens compression with an 85mm lens makes it appear that the background is being pulled closer to your subject, which results in beautiful and dramatic portrait images.
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art Lens: Designed for cropped sensor cameras, this lens has a range that includes many of the most popular focal lengths for photographing people. In addition, the ability to shoot at f/1.8 across all focal lengths makes this lens a powerhouse for both portraits and people photography.
70-200mm: This lens is considered to be one of the standards when it comes to wedding and event photography because of its versatility in capturing people across a variety of focal lengths. The 70-200mm focal range is especially helpful in situations where you’d like to be able to capture genuine emotion without being physically close to the people you’re photographing.
As you’re looking at different lenses for portrait and people photography, keep in mind that to achieve a nice blurred background in your portraits, you’ll often want a lens that’s capable of shooting somewhere between f/1.2 and f/2.8. You’ll notice that lenses capable of shooting at those apertures are more expensive, but this is one instance when the payoff is worth the increase in cost.
If you’re shooting on a cropped sensor camera, remember that you need to multiply the focal length of the lens you’re using by the crop factor (this number is often something like 1.5 or 1.6) to discover the functioning focal length of your lens. So, if you put a 35mm lens on a cropped sensor camera, it actually functions more like a 50mm lens.
Reflectors: A 5-in-1 reflector kit will help you tackle a huge variety of lighting situations that you might encounter when photographing people. Not only is it helpful for bouncing warm or cool light on your subject, it also gives you the ability to absorb light and to fix dappled light issues when photographing one to three people.
Alternate light source: Even if you think you’ll only be photographing people outdoors in natural light, it’s a good idea to have some form of an alternative light source at your disposal, whether it’s a speedlight, ring light, or studio lights. We’ll talk more about when and how you might want to utilize different lighting sources a bit later in this guide. For now, just know that having some form of a light source will dramatically improve your versatility as a photographer.
Photography is often described as “painting with light”. As such, it’s very important to have a good understanding of the different light sources that you may experience as a photographer and how to best use them to your advantage.
The most basic of all lighting types is natural light. This is as simple as it sounds – all of the light in your photograph is coming from the sun. No additional light source (like a flash) is used.
Photographing using natural light (sometimes also called available light) can mean that you’re shooting outdoors, or it can also mean that you’re shooting indoors near a large window. It can mean that you’re shooting when the sun is high in the sky, or that you’re shooting backlit portraits near sunset.
If you’re new to photography and are struggling with lighting even in natural light situations, grab a friend and try the circle trick, which is a quick and easy way to help teach yourself how to see different natural lighting situations.
Another option when it comes to lighting is to utilize studio lighting. This sounds more intimidating than it really is—studio lighting just means that you’re using a flash, stand lighting, and other artificial light sources as your primary source of light for your image.
Professional headshots are often photographed with studio lighting, as are many newborn photography sessions. The major benefit of studio lighting is that you can easily control what the light looks like and ensure consistent lighting regardless of external factors like weather. Studio lighting can also be helpful in creating high-key images with dynamic lighting and lots of contrast.
Using studio lighting does involve a different learning curve than natural light photography, and many photographers feel intimidated by it. However, learning studio lighting is a great way to achieve a solid understanding of a variety of lighting situations, and it’s absolutely worth taking a class or workshop to learn more about it.
Even if you don’t ultimately end up using studio lighting very often, it’s a valuable tool to have in your arsenal.
Many photographers utilize a combination of natural light and studio lighting—using available light when possible, and sometimes supplementing with another light source. The most common light source for beginning and intermediate photographers is probably the speedlight.
Using a speedlight in combination with a diffuser is a great way to photograph people indoors in situations where you may not always be able to pose them near a window (think birthday parties, wedding receptions, holiday gatherings, etc.). Another way to use combination lighting is to take your speedlight outdoors and use it as a fill flash for outdoor portraits.
When it comes to photographing people, the location and the background that is behind your subject are extremely important. Your backdrop will either enhance your final image or detract from it, so here are a few tips to help you find and choose the best possible locations to compliment your photography.
When I’m shooting portraits, I’m most often using a 50mm or 85mm lens, and shooting with a fairly wide aperture (usually somewhere between f/1.8 and f/2.5). Typically, I’m looking for the person that I’m photographing to be in focus, with a nice creamy bokeh background behind them. Because the background is softly blurred, sometimes the color of the background can be more important than what it actually looks like to the naked eye.
A parking garage can look like a less than inspired backdrop through a 35mm lens. But if you transition to an 85mm lens, suddenly the details of the background disappear, and you’re left with a backdrop that appears to be a nice neutral gray tone in portraits. Similarly, a field of weeds can look terrible in person but translates as a creamy golden yellow background in a photograph.
As such, training yourself to consider color in addition to content when looking for potential photography locations is a great trick to have up your sleeve as a photographer.
One of my favorite ways to choose a photography location is to ask the person you’re photographing to share a location that’s particularly meaningful to them.
Is there a park that their family walks to on Friday nights in the summer? Go there. Does the high school senior you’re photographing have fun memories of picking peaches at a local farm with her parents every summer? Check out that orchard. Is a family bringing home their first baby? Consider shooting at their home instead of a studio.
Choosing locations that have special meaning to the people you’re photographing is a great way to ensure that they’ll be as comfortable in front of the camera as possible, and it’s also a great way to invoke genuine positive emotion. Hearing a song on the radio can take you right back to a specific memory in your life, and so can revisiting locations that have happy memories associated with them!
Don’t be afraid to ask the person you’re photographing if there’s somewhere particularly meaningful to them that could act as the backdrop of your photo session. From the public library to grandma’s famous dahlia garden, to a family friend’s lake house, you might be surprised at what they come up with!
Several popular websites for photography allow you to search images that have been geotagged by zip code, city, and other identifying factors. Flickr Map is one such resource, and although it can be a real mixed bag in terms of the quantity and quality of images to sort through, it’s a great tool for visualizing what different parts of your area look like at different times of the day and different times of the year.
I wouldn’t recommend choosing a location sight unseen, but it’s a great tool for narrowing down areas that you might want to check out in person. Another option that’s just beginning to gain in popularity is Shootipedia, a location scouting website, and app that allows photographers to post images and share details about their favorite locations to shoot. Some parts of the world have lots of locations cataloged while others have very few. That said, it’s always worth a look!
One of the best ways to discover photography locations near you is simply to get out and explore your area. Go for a hike. Hop in the car and drive around. Print off a listing of all the local public parks, and swing by at different times of the day.
Don’t discount familiar locations either. Chances are that as you begin to look through the lens of photography, you’ll find that there are countless appropriate locations and backdrops right in your own neighborhood.
Most people can benefit from some sort of direction regarding what to wear when being photographed. However, whether or not you (as the photographer) will be able to offer direction in terms of what to wear will vary based on lots of different factors including the type of people photography you’re doing.
For example, if you’re photographing the attendees at a birthday party or doing street photography, you won’t have as much input into clothing choices as you would if you are shooting portraits.
In situations where you do have some influence over what the people you’re photographing are wearing, that level of “direction” can range from you purchasing specific pieces of clothing to be worn to simply giving general advice regarding colors and patterns that are flattering on most people.
The level of your direction as a photographer will also be dependent on your personal photography style and whether you offer styled sessions or not. However, regardless of your personal style, there are a few rules of thumb that generally hold true in most instances when photographing people:
Most people genuinely appreciate tips and/or feedback from their photographer about what to wear. It helps them relax and feel confident in front of the camera.
All that said, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. If you’re photographing a toddler that desperately wants to leave her fairy wings on for the photos, you might want to consider giving it a try, even if it goes against your “vision” for the photo. Clothing choice can help enhance a photo, but in most cases, genuine expression in a photo will trump clothing choice any day.
This section is especially for beginning photographers. If you have been using your camera’s auto mode, and aren’t even sure where to begin in terms of photographing people it’s designed to give you some ideas to help you start taking more control over your photography and to elevate your photos of people from mere snapshots to intentionally crafted images.
Two of the most frequently used camera modes for photographing people are Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority.
When selecting the Aperture Priority mode on your camera, essentially you select the camera’s aperture, and you’re asking your camera to select the rest of your settings. You can still select your ISO if you wish, or leave it set to auto if you’d prefer that your camera choose that too.
When you select a small aperture number (f/1.8), less of your image will be in focus. When you select a large aperture number (f/8), more of your image will be in focus. If you’re wondering how to create a portrait with a nice blurry background, shooting with a very wide aperture (f/1.8) is one way to achieve that effect.
However, as you add additional people to the image, it becomes trickier to nail the focus on everyone. So one good rule of thumb when photographing small groups is to set your aperture no smaller than the number of people you’re photographing – if you’re photographing two siblings, set your aperture at f/2.0 (or higher). If you’re photographing a family of three, you may want to consider setting your aperture at f/3.0 (or higher), especially if not everyone is on the same plane.
Aperture Priority mode is a great choice for shooting portraits or small groups, wherein the people you’re photographing are not moving too much.
Where Aperture Priority mode is great for photographing people who are largely stationary, Shutter Priority mode is great for photographing people that are on the go.
Whether you’re photographing a soccer game and want to freeze the action, capturing a family mid-tickle, or practicing street photography and want to show the blur of people bustling about, Shutter Priority is a great way to either stop action or emphasize movement in people photography!
Photographer, aul Caponigro once said, “It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”
Indeed, there’s a difference between taking a snapshot of a person and creating a portrait that captures the essence of who they are and what they’re about. Often, the difference comes down to the interaction between the photographer and the person being photographed.
We’ve already talked about how location and clothing are two factors that can help the people you’re photographing relax in front of the camera. In addition to those two factors, coupling gentle posing with prompts and questions designed to help the person you’re photographing relax and evoke emotion during the session can be very helpful in capturing images that look and feel genuine.
If the idea of gently posing the person that you’re photographing feels overwhelming, you may be interested in purchasing the Posing App. This particular app includes over 300 illustrations of various photography poses for men, women, children, and groups, and can be a great starting point when trying to describe to the people you’re photographing what you’d like them to do.
Keep in mind that resources like Posing App are just starting places. Don’t be afraid to modify poses, changing them slightly for variety or to better flatter the person you’re photographing.
Also look here for more posing help:
Once you’ve got the person you’re photographing situated in terms of posing, the next technique in evoking emotion is to prompt them with questions or statements.
When photographing a child, this might be saying, “Show me your best lion roar!” As the photographer, you’re less interested in the roar itself and more interested in the fits of giggles that usually follow, so be ready with your camera to capture the moment!
If you’re photographing a high school senior, this might mean asking them about their plans following graduation and what they’re excited about. If you’re photographing a newly engaged couple, this might mean asking them to tell you the proposal story. When you’re photographing a wedding, this might mean asking them to practice their first dance for you.
Prompts can be sentimental, but they can also be silly. Ask a groom to whisper his favorite vegetable into his bride’s ear, and watch them both laugh hysterically. These prompting techniques allow you to connect with the person you’re photographing on a deeper level and also help evoke genuine emotion that translates to a stronger photograph.
After you’ve snapped the actual photographs, you’ll want to weed out the best images and apply some sort of post-processing to them, even if only sharpening to print. If you shoot in RAW format, you’ll need some sort of software (such as Lightroom or Adobe Bridge) that can recognize RAW file types before you’ll be ready to start culling or editing your images.
Regardless of the software, most photographers use a process that either amounts to “Editing Out” or “Editing In” for culling images. If following an “Editing Out” process, you go through and deletes all the images that you do not want to edit, and processes the rest. If following an “Editing In” process, you go through and flag all the photos that you’re most interested in editing, and edit only those. This is largely a matter of preference, and neither method is better than the other.
When culling, keep in mind that no one needs 10 images with exactly the same expression, focal length, and camera angle. However, do be aware of micro-expressions, or particular mannerisms that the person you’re photographing may display, and consider including some of those images into your final cut as well. Sometimes, those are the images that capture the essence of a person, even if their eyes are squinty or their nose is a little scrunched.
Whether or not to post-process images in digital photography is always the subject of much debate. Personally, as someone who started with black and white film photography, I find the debate to be a bit silly. There was little controversy about dodging and burning in the black and white darkroom to enhance a portrait, so I see little problem with doing the same in the digital medium.
There are many options available for post-processing, but the most common still seems to be Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography package, which includes Lightroom, Photoshop, and a whole collection of mobile apps to download.
Many photographers batch edit their images, using either a preset in Lightroom or an action in Photoshop. If you’re brand new to post-processing, there are a whole host of actions and presets available to purchase, including several great sets from Digital Photography School.
Keep in mind that most actions and presets are not designed to be one-click wonders. They do require tweaks and adjustments for best success, which means that having a basic understanding of Photoshop and/or Lightroom is definitely necessary when it comes to post-processing. This is one area where it’s absolutely worthwhile to check out an online course or eBook in order to understand the basics of post-processing so that you know what the actions and presets are doing, how to tweak them to your advantage, and how to eventually make your own to help you stand out from the crowd.
So, you’ve photographed a bunch of friends and family, and now people are starting to tell you that you should start your own photography business! If that’s something you’re interested in pursuing on a full-time or semi-professional basis, we’ll walk through a couple of things that can help make that happen.
Laws regarding small businesses vary drastically from location to location. Some places require you to have a business license and insurance before getting started. Some require you to register your business name. Others only require that you declare any income received so that you can pay appropriate taxes on it.
Because dPS has readers all over the world, the best suggestion I can give is to contact your local Small Business Association regarding what you need to do to keep your budding business on the up and up. Even if you aren’t ready to officially start your business quite yet, it’s still important to research the requirements (and whether your prospective business name is actually available) before you begin any of these other steps!
If you haven’t already done so, you need to build a portfolio of your work that you can show to prospective clients to demonstrate your skill as a photographer. Many times, photographers initially build their portfolio by offering to take photos of their family and friends for free in exchange for permission to use them as part of their portfolio.
Another option for building your portfolio is to participate in workshops or photo walks that grant you permission to use the images that you take during the event as part of your portfolio. If you’re interested in photographing weddings, many photographers partner with vendors to photograph several styled sessions before they ever actually photograph a real wedding.
Once you have a portfolio that you’re ready to market, you need to have a brand! This step includes coming up with your business name, logo, watermark, a headshot of you, and often a color scheme that you’ll use throughout your online and print materials.
One of the next key steps to developing any level of a photography business is to build a web presence so that people can actually find you! This may include many different avenues, such as creating a website, a photography blog, a Facebook business page, and an Instagram account for your brand.
For lots of photographers, their business starts with friends and family and gradually expands out from there as those people recommend you to their friends and family. If you can encourage your friends and family to tag your photography pages on social media as they share your images online, this can be a really great way to expand your audience and reach. Some other easy ways to expand your audience include:
Whew! That was a whole lot of information about photographing people! Although it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the dos and don’ts of people photography, you don’t have to master everything at once!
Use the camera and the equipment you have, pick one tip from this guide, and try it out. At the end of the day, the most important part of photographing people is just to get out there and do it, as often as you can!
The post The dPS Ultimate Guide to Taking Portraits and Photographing People appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Can you think of the ideal camera flash which can fit in your pocket, has almost 3-times output or regular speedlights, and also features a modeling light? The Godox AD200 is one such pocket flash (not if you are wearing skinny fit jeans) which meets all three of those expectations. That is why this flash has been my personal favorite outdoor fashion shoot light source.
To give you a quick overview of some of the features of the Godox AD200 flash, it features TTL, HSS (high-speed sync) up to 1/8000th of a second, 60 guide number, multi-stroboscopic flash feature and second-curtain sync.
If these specifications make you interested in this Godox flash, let me share my personal views and experiences after using it for more than six months now.
When you hold the Godox AD200 flash in your hand your first reaction might be that it is too heavy, as it weighs about 1 kg (2 lbs). Although it is heavier than any flagship flash than you might have used to date, at the end of this review you may realize that it is still worth carrying along to a shoot.
The built quality seems and feels durable and strong, almost a par with Canon and Nikon speedlights.
Talking about the physical overview, the front side of Godox AD200 has an interchangeable flash head mount. This allows you to mount the standard Fresnel flash head or the bare bulb flash head.
The only difference between this flash as compared to a speedlight is that the head of the AD200 cannot be rotated. And, the AD200 cannot be mounted on a camera, it can only be used as an off-camera flash. This could be a concern for some, but actually, this flash is not built to be used on-camera anyway.
The Fresnel flash head is ideal for situations when you are shooting without a light modifier and want to use it as any other speedlight. But an additional feature that the AD200 has is two LED strips on this head, which can use used as a modeling or continuous light. The continuous light could help the camera to focus in low-light conditions, instantly.
The bare bulb flash head is ideal when while using this Godox flash with a light modifier, as the bulb is omnidirectional. I would choose to avoid using this head otherwise, as it is fragile and could easily be damaged shooting without a light modifier.
On the back side of the flash rests an AV display panel which is big enough for you to clearly see the various icons being displayed. There are five buttons dedicated to respective functions, a dial to adjust the flash exposure and the infrared sensor panel. The placement of the buttons, dial, and the screen is exactly what you as a photographer would desire in a flash.
On one side of this pocket flash, you will spot the Lithium battery slot, an unlock switch to change the flash head and a rubber cover which covers the 3.5mm sync cord jack and wireless control port. On the other side sits the ON/OFF switch, mini USB port, and a 1/4″ tripod/stand mounting hole.
This pocket flash by Godox features TTL metering, a technology which allows the flash to sync with the camera and automatically set the flash exposure based on the camera exposure. Using a flash in TTL mode is exactly the same as using the camera in automatic mode. The camera exposure helps the flash to set its own output value accordingly to correctly expose the frame or the subject.
The TTL mode performance on the Godox AD200 is precise in a majority of situations and it works perfectly in sync with the camera exposure to properly expose the subject. I rarely came across any instances where I got an underexposed or overexposed photo when shooting in TTL mode. Even if I did encounter exposure issues, I used the FEC (flash exposure compensation) feature to overcome it.
The Godox AD200 can sync up to 1/8000th while using its HSS functionality. This is ideal for situations where you want to freeze a fast-moving subject or shoot at an outdoor location where you need to control the light.
Using the rear-curtain (or second-curtain) sync feature of the Godox AD200, you can shoot some really creative and cool photos with long exposures.
Ideally, when you shoot using a flash, the light gets fired from the flash the moment the shutter opens. So if you are shooting a long exposure photo of two seconds, the flash will fire the moment you press the shutter release button and whatever happens after that does not get exposed properly.
But by using the second-curtain sync feature, you can instead make the flash fire right before the shutter closes. Considering the above example, the flash will now fire just before the 2-second exposure is completed and the shutter closes.
Using this feature might sound confusing, but trust me, once you practice you may fall in love with it.
Assume flash exposure compensation to be exactly like the exposure compensation feature of your DSLR camera. If you feel that you are not getting the desired exposure in your photo while using the flash in TTL, or if you plan to try something different, you can adjust the flash exposure compensation.
This amazing feature lets you reduce or increase the flash output as per your desire, all you have to do is adjust the exposure value to your requirements. This is basically like shooting in aperture priority or shutter priority mode, without getting into manual mode.
The AD200 has a guide number of 60 and the flash output that you get is almost three times of what any flagship speedlight can provide. I was able to expose my subject correctly while shooting outdoors in bright daylight conditions, and believe me when I say that the flash is powerful enough to overpower the background light.
Imagine using three speedlights at a time and on the other hand using just one Godox AD200 flash. The light output shall be almost same. For me, it has performed amazingly well even in low light conditions as I used the built-in LED light to ensure that the focus and flash exposure were correct.
The recycle time also plays an important role while deciding on the perfect flash, so here are some tests that I conducted to figure out the recycle time of this flash at various powers.
The recycle time on this flash at full power is quite impressive:
I mostly use a flash when I’m shooting fashion and portraits, and with this swift recycle time I hardly miss any shots. Even if you plan to buy this flash for wedding, action, or event photography, I am sure you will thank me later.
At $ 299, this pocket flash by Godox looks like an ideal choice for a fashion, wedding, event, or even sports photographer. This flash has almost all the features that you, as a hobbyist or as a professional photographer, would require to get the desired results, with almost three times the power of a regular speedlight.
I have been using this portable flash for almost 6 months now, and I do not have any major complaint about this beauty, except for the display panel which could be better for outdoor visibility.
The best part about the Godox AD200 is that there is a universal model of this pocket flash. This means that you can pair this flash with the compatible trigger (Canon, Nikon or Sony) and use it as an off-camera light source. So if you own multiple brand cameras, this is another reason you should consider investing your $ 299 in this Godox flash.
The post Review of the Godox AD200 Pocket Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School.
My wife can be very unkind about my photography. She’ll often flick through my edits and ask me where the good shots are… I don’t think she has cottoned on to the fact that us creative types are deeply sensitive.
She said to me recently:
Wouldn’t it be amazing to show people how many bad shots you take before you get any good ones?
She is most obviously not a photographer…
But then I started to think about how much time we photographers spend putting out our very best work, and only our best work – as we should!
I started to think that perhaps she was right. Maybe it would be good to show you the photos I took before I got the shot before I nailed it. Definitely a good teaching idea.
There’s a book I love by Magnum photographers who published a collection of their contact sheets. It shows all the mediocre shots of some of the great masters of the art. That is kind of reassuring, right? If even the masters can’t get it right with one shot, there’s hope for the rest of us!
But also shows the process of refining an interesting scene into a great shot.
Photographic composition is all about being able to see interesting elements out there in the world and arranging them in a pleasing, interesting way. That sounds easy enough, right?
Here are some examples of what kinds of things I notice – and how I work the shot from being a good to great composition.
I was in Hong Kong and I was totally awed by the density of skyscrapers, the busy port, intensely colorful lights and the tropical weather.
I am usually a great lover of capturing the emptiness of cities at first light – but for me, Hong Kong was all about evening and nighttime. The play of lights and finding intriguing moments to capture amongst the density of excitement of the city became my goal.
Walking around on my first evening in Hong Kong I saw a red sign in the blue twilight that caught my eye. It had a great contrast of colors. I noticed a nice shapely arrangement of skyscrapers in the distance that created an impressive background across the image.
I’d use a wide aperture to make them a bit soft and create more depth with my red sign. Good start, I’m thinking!
But this isn’t very interesting, right? So I tell myself, “Stop fixating on the red!” Red does tend to keep our attention longer than it really deserves. I start to look around for something else to add to the frame because the elements I have so far are not super-interesting.
I ask myself, “Where are the balance and harmony? Why did I cut my subject in half? Was I so drawn to the skyscrapers that my subject became a secondary thought?”
Yes, that is what I did. I fixated on the red sign and I took a rubbish shot because of it. Where was all my great compositional skill? The image could definitely be improved. So, I move around the scene and moved back.
Okay, this is getting better. Although – can you see in the top right-hand corner there is a little wedge of something. Now I know you can remove things in post-production – but I always aim to get the frame as perfect as possible in camera. It’s more fun for me that way. Plus, if you aren’t checking your corners you are not considering the whole frame, the whole composition.
There is one important point that is obvious here which I tell all of my students – check your corners! I am a believer that you will not create consistently great images if you do not practice total photography. Your subject is only one piece of the perfect puzzle you are attempting to create.
That image you have in your head needs to be constructed – all the pieces assembled with intent. This is a skill separate from camera skills that you must also practice. Just keep shooting with intent and it will come.
Getting back to my images, “Now I’m getting somewhere” I thought. These elements next to the sign, including the circular mirror (why didn’t I see that first? I blame the red!) and the orange light look very compelling to me. So I recompose ever so slightly…
That time though the orange light was off – it was blinking! It took me several frames to get the timing right and capture the orange light.
So after a few minutes of working the scene, I end up with this:
Bang! Now, this is the one. Can you see what’s different in this shot? What I got by moving a little more, and also by timing the shot just right?
You want to get the most impact with every element in your photo. And those details in the mirror are very cool. You can see how I made the reflection really pop in post-production by creating a circular mask just on the mirror and increasing the contrast, exposure, and clarity some. Sweet.
I was in a very industrial part of the city. There were shipping containers everywhere and signs of work around the port. It was an intriguing scene because the ubiquitous skyscrapers were looming in the background.
But the first shot I took, above, is not very interesting, even with decent composition (again it was me thinking that red is really good!) Can you see where I might have thought that there are some interesting elements here that I could work to juxtapose?
I walked up a little further and some vests caught my eye which could be juxtaposed with a backdrop of buildings. But the next shot is not right either.
I saw the work vests and the skyscrapers and thought of the disparity of wealth in this world, especially in cities like Hong Kong – it’s staggering! I got the idea to juxtapose these elements and work a narrative into the image (always a good idea).
I also like this contrast of imagery. You have the workers’ vests draped over the rails – almost like they are exhausted – with the strength and power of the vertical lined building next to them. There is lots of structure contrasted against the softness (weakness) of the workers’ vests.
Even if the narrative was coming together, the photo was not. So I moved around and see what else I could conjure up.
In the shot above I moved back and took in a wider view of the scene. I was really liking this now. The shape of the shipping containers shot at this angle, with the skyscrapers looming in the background works. I still had that strong structure but now with the addition of dynamic lines. Juicy!
I wasn’t totally happy yet – the balance was still not right between the foreground and the background. I needed balance to make the composition neutral and let the viewer pick a side, so to speak.
So I moved a bit more and then – bang – I got the shot.
I am proud of this shot because it displays some of my favourite techniques to compose with – line and form. These all help to construct a narrative.
I often see people on my workshops who will work a scene, but they stop before they have taken their very best shot because they are thinking “Oh, I can work this in post-production. I can crop it, etc.” Or they’re thinking that it’s “good enough”.
Working to find the very best composition definitely pays off. You will never regret spending those extra minutes just being still and looking at a scene for angles and new ideas. You need to make that kind of effort all of the time. And don’t forget to use your imagination. Make up a story. Open yourself to random crazy thoughts. You never know where they may take you creatively.
The cool thing is – you’re loving every moment because you’re out making images. What could be better right?
This last series of images was taken in Havana, Cuba. I was walking about with my assistant just absorbing some back streets when we came upon this scene with the factory smokestack over a residential neighborhood. Ouch! The light couldn’t have been better – it was just before sunset and the light was very warm.
My first instinct when I come upon something that strikes me is to take a shot. I think we all do it. But it is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you accept that there is more to be done.
So I took the reactionary shot above. Dull and uninspired I thought. After looking at the scene a little more I felt motivated to get something, anything else.
I had a dedicated flash on my camera for some other types of images I was making so took this next shot, with the idea of getting a great image with the smoke. But this too was more of a reaction to the young man in the frame – maybe if I timed it right I would get a good pose.
Nope.
I realized at that point that I was shooting way too wide for what I saw in my head as a vision for this scene. It wasn’t totally clear what that was yet but I knew those first two shots were not it. No way.
I kept moving towards the smoke (at that point our eyes started to itch and our mouths had the taste of bad oil). Next, I took this image:
The man on the fourth floor stands out to me but not to my lens. Way too wide for that – still, this is somewhat better than the previous two shots. I didn’t really want to take an image of the old man sitting at the bottom left of the frame. It is really not my style to be invasive without being social to people first and I was interested in the smoke (fixated really).
At that point, though (a good 3-4 minutes since the first frame shot), I was after a great image. So I took one of the old guy sitting down (I said hello first):
Better. This is a very good image but I wanted one where the smoke was more prominent. I knew I could create that image in my head if I just kept looking for it. So I walked a bit more. I still had my 17-40mm on the camera (I believe it or not, that was all I had with me) and got really close to the smokestack, regardless of my burning eyes and itchy skin.
But right underneath the smokestack, it became substantially more ominous and horrible and I instantly knew how I felt about it – confused and frightened. So I took this last shot and was really pleased with it.
It is an odd composition without a lot of “rules”, which I feel is reflected well in the chaotic nature of the wires and the industrialness of the location, even though there were children practically under my feet. Finally, I got my smoke!
I hope you enjoyed that little meander through my shots. I like to think that turning my head inside out can give you a bit of insight into the creative process.
Here are the key ideas points covered in this article:
I would love to know if you found this process I go through to capture my shots useful? Does it help to see that we all take a bunch of boring shots? Taking photos is more than just pressing a shutter (anyone can do that), but an artist is something we all are inside and photography is our journey/path in finding that inner artist.
Please comment below and let me know what you have learned or how this might have helped you. Thanks!
The post Tips for Working the Scene to Take Your Image from Good to Great appeared first on Digital Photography School.
You can market your photography business in hundreds of different ways — some incredible effective, and some a total waste of your time. Here are four marketing mistakes or wrong ways to promote your photography business and what you should be doing instead.
By no means does this mean you should act or present yourself unprofessionally in your photography business — but often we hide behind a front of professionalism. If being a professional means a headshot on your website holding your camera (or no headshot at all) and a story about how you love love, and love photographing weddings, it’s unremarkable. Every other photographer does and believes those things.
Through trying to be perceived as a professional, you’ve becoming boring! Yes, you need to conduct your business professionally – but add some zest to your brand. What makes you unique as a human, and therefore, a photographer?
What 5-10 things could you talk about all day? Which things make you excited? What 5-10 things do you dislike? What are 5-10 ways you could describe your personality and your images?
Brainstorm the list of you! Get clear on your interests, personality, photography style, brand, and voice and consistently communicate this uniqueness to your clients.
It’s simple to do a brand audit of your website, blog, and social media accounts. Within 30 seconds, would a new client know what makes you different? What facts will they remember? This is the key to non-boring, but still professional marketing.
In the name of honesty, I have never paid to advertise my photography business. But I’m not against advertising in magazines, wedding shows, or placing Facebook ads. However, advertising without intention is a big marketing mistake many photographers make.
Before you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for an ad, ask yourself this question, “Is my ideal client hanging out here?”
If you’re not clear on who your ideal client is, that will be the first step! Think back to some of your favorite clients and scribble a list of describing words about their personalities, wedding day, and photos. After you’ve reviewed at least 10 of your past couples, circle any common themes that occur.
Testimonials are a gold mine for sketching out your ideal client. If you don’t have one already, start a document with feedback from your clients and look for themes. What are clients most excited about after working with you? A few more details to include in your client profile include their age, location, career, income bracket, and hobbies.
Once you get clear on who your ideal client is, then you can filter every advertising opportunity through your client profile. Would your ideal client be looking for a wedding photographer in that magazine, at the bridal show, through Facebook ads? If so, wonderful but if not, perhaps your marketing efforts and dollars are best spent elsewhere.
You have a limited amount of time to market your photography business, and you have to make your moments count. Before you get involved on Google Plus, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Instagram, etc. – pause.
Is your ideal client finding their wedding photographer on that platform? If you’re not sure — a good place to start would be surveying your past clients and asking “Where did you find me?”
Chances are that a few social media platforms (2-3 maximum) are bringing in most of your inquiries. The other platforms are a waste of your time. For photographers, I have found Instagram and Facebook to be front-runners, perhaps with Pinterest as a third. But you’ll have to investigate the stats for your business.
Once you’ve narrowed down the platforms you want to pursue, let go of the ones that aren’t working! On your chosen platforms, engage consistently with a mix of personal and business posts – sharing your face regularly, sharing work you love and calling prospective clients to action.
One of the best ways to market your photography business is building a strong network within your own industry. By this, I mean connecting with other photographers as well as wedding vendors and venues. However, sending cold impersonal emails is the wrong way to market your business.
If you want to send emails that not only get read but receive a reply back, make sure you do your research. Before you send an email, follow their accounts on social media, leave comments on their blog — so do that at least a week in advance of emailing. When you email, keep it short and to the point. Genuinely compliment their work. Share who you are, what you want and how you can help that person achieve their business goals.
Practically, this may mean helping a vendor by providing free headshots of their staff, photos of their storefront, or offering to help them improve their website or blog one afternoon. Most industry leaders want to help, they were new once as well – but not at a disadvantage to their own time.
If you want to connect with a fellow photographer, asking them for coffee for “tips” is a terrible way to get an email response. Instead, focus on relationship building, helping them in their business, sending a gift in the mail and asking to take them out to their favorite lunch spot. I guarantee your “cold emailing” success rate will increase if you follow these tips
What other mistakes have you make marketing your photography business, or seen others make? Please share your ideas in the comments below.
All the best to you as you work to market your photography business!
The post 4 Marketing Mistakes – How NOT to Promote Your Photography Business appeared first on Digital Photography School.