The Snappy Snapper

I must be a good photographer - I have a Good Camera!

2012-01-14T18:53:00.001Z

I had a brief stint as a wedding photographer, in the mid 1980's, and I was recently reminded of something that happened at that time...

I was photographing the bride and groom in a church garden, in Liverpool, with low afternoon sunlight behind the couple, using a fairly inexpensive TLR (twin lens reflex) with a reasonably good lens. There was basically nothing else to the camera, and so I was using a hand held meter to take a reading close from the bride.

When I got back to the tripod, a guest (a cousin of the bride) was snapping away at the happy couple with a 35mm camera, and so I thought I'd be helpful and said "by the way, have you compensated for that backlight?"

He turned to me with a conptemptuous look on his face and, in a thick "Scouse" accent said "compensated for the backlight mate? You're joking aren't ya - it's a f***ing Nikon!"

The moral of the story is that when I took the album to the bride and asked about the photographs that the cousin had taken, the reply I got was - "they all came out black!"

Lots of so-called photographers out there today have managed to rake enouugh cash together to buy a high-end camera, set up a website and hand out a few hundred business cards. But what business do they really have selling themselves as professional photographers, with training or experience.

Have a look at this blog that spells out the dire consequences of hiring a "photographer" with no experience or training, to do a professional job (a wedding). Scroll down to the photos - they speak for themselves - and be warned. You get what you pay for!

Rejection? What Rejection?

2011-12-23T11:34:00.007Z

Rejection is something that we photographers come cross on a regular basis - some would say far too regulary. And in all sorts of different guises.

You may come across rejection when contributing to a stock agency that fails your submission due to technical errors or another that declines your submission simply because they have too many images of the Eiffel Tower, or just because they don't think it's a good enough photograph.

Or, perhaps you're a student on a photography course getting grades that are lower than you would like or expect?

Or maybe, like me on this occasion, you were submitting proposals to book publishers in the hope of getting a contract for a new book.

Well, whatever the reason that you may be feeling rejected the correct response is to keep at it. Take on board the feedback you may get (if any) and use it to further your dream. Looking for sympathy doesn't usually help, nor does attacking a doll fashioned in the image of the rejecter with a long pin. The only thing that really helps is that you get back in the proverbial saddle and try again - IF you think that the project is still worth trying for, and adjust your approach to suit the buyer, if you think it needs it.

I recently spent 3 months changing the proposal for a book project, which was constantly being reviewed and changed by the potential publisher. The proposal began life as 1600 words and ended up as 8000 words (none of which will actually be in the book itself) and it was reviewed by 5 different people on a panel that the publisher set up. I got the contract last week, and the publisher expects that the book will be one of their better sellers, when it is published next year.

As a final bit of positivism; here is an email that I received, today, from a publisher in London. It refers to a book proposal I sent them in April 2011. The positive bit is in my reply, below it.

Dear Stephen Power,

Thank you for sending your proposal for Traditional Notes, which was read with interest.

Unfortunately, after some consideration, our editors have decided that it is not suitable for our current list.

You will appreciate that we cannot publish every interesting proposal we receive. We would like to thank you for considering ******** when sending your proposal, and we hope that this disappointing response will not deter you from seeking publication elsewhere.

I apologise for the length delay in responding to your proposal.

My Reply

Hi *******

Thank you very much for your interesting email. My book "Traditional Notes: A Celebration of Irish Music and Musicians" was published by the Liffey Press (Dublin) in November 2011. It was launched at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in the University of Limerick on 16th November.

Sales are quite buoyant, at the moment, and it has received several very good reviews in the national and international Press - as recently as yesterday, with an excellent review in the Irish Post newspaper (published in London).

I am sorry that ********** was not able to publish it, but I have to say that some things work out for the best, as I am very happy with the publisher that I did find, quite soon after submitting my proposal to you. Please see the link below my signature for full details of the book.

I am currently working on new proposals, and I would be interested to know if you might like to see them.

Best wishes,

Stephen Power

Self Published Books

2011-05-03T09:31:00.003+01:00

I finally got around to self-publishing a book via Blurb.com It took me several months to finally make up my mind about the photographs that I wanted to include; and even now I feel that I would like a second attempt to stream-line the theme a bit more.

I have so many photographs on my hard drive (many thousands) that it was difficult to chose a topic for the book initially. I eventually decided to use images taken over 2 years in County Kerry, Ireland. I'm now planning a series of books on a very specific theme, which could be taken all over Ireland (and elsewhere).

Ironically, since finishing the Blurb book, I now have a publisher interested in an idea I have for another one.

You can see the preview of "A Small Window on Kerry" below, and the book is available for purchase via Blurb (just click the "buy" icon or the hypertext link below the preview window to g to the purchase page on Blurb).

A Small Window on Kerry by Stephen Power | Make Your Own Book

Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial 1

2010-08-11T16:54:00.004+01:00

Lightroom 3 - Lens Profile Corrections Panel

I've been on several learning curves since my last post at Christmas 2009 - is it August already? - and making regular blog posts has become increasing difficult as my time has become more scarce. But, I'm back with a bang, and my first video tutorial - as part of series looking at my favourite tools in Lightroom 3 is below.

I'll probably be blogging more by video from now on - and I'd like to know what you think of my screen debut - so don't be shy. The quality of the first video is a bit "clunky" to say the least, basically the sound is the only thing that's half-decent - I'm still on that particular learning curve - and I hope to improve things as I go along.

This video tutorial covers a new tool in Lightroom 3 - The Lens Corrections Panel - and in particular, Lens Profile Corrections.

I'll be going back to basics - and the Basic Panel - in other videos, but do let me know if you'd like to see a tutorial on a particular aspect of Lightroom, and I'll do my best Alfred Hitchcock impression - for anyone under 50 reading this, he was an old British film director!

For slightly higher picture quality you can also watch this video on YouTube by clicking here.

Theatrical & Stage Photography Assignment

2009-11-27T12:11:00.009Z

All the World's a (Photographic) Stage

I got a call late on Friday evening from the marketing manager of a professional Irish theatre company - Druid Theatre in Galway - who asked if I would be interested in photographing some of the cast in their current play.

The only thing was that the play was moving to Dublin in a few days time, from it's current run in Siamsa Tire theatre (the National Folk Theatre of Ireland) in Tralee, County Kerry. They needed the shots for press and PR syndication before the play opened in Dublin. So, I had to be there on Saturday evening, and I would have about 30 minutes to photograph 3 members of the cast, both singly and in 2 different pairings, in scenes from the play - "The Gigli Concert", by Irish playwright Tom Murphy.

There's something about photographing live theatre or music that really appeals to me. Maybe I'm a frustrated thespian, or something. But I really am in my element in a theatre or a concert hall with a camera - and better still, official permission to be there, which brings with it (sometimes) the cooperation of the venue officials. So I was, quite literally, thrilled to be taking that call.

I was also quite anxious about it. Not only was I teaching portrait photography class until 90 minutes before the shoot, and the drive would take 70 minutes; the weather had been appalling and many of the roads along the route where likely to been flooded, if passable at all. So, just getting there on time would be a task in itself. Not to mention the difficulties inherent in taking the shots themselves.

Theatre photography is one of the most demanding of all the photographic genres. Actors, singer and dancers move quite fast and unpredictably, light levels can be quite low and constantly changing. So, it's important to be able to focus accurately and quickly, and use shutter speeds and ISO ratings that will give sharp, blur free images that are not too "noisy". Colour balance is also a consideration - as the stage lights are seldom white (or colour balanced) although I've never really worried about this for music photography (especially rock) as it can add to the style of the image. It also helps to shoot if black and white - if appropriate - but that's something of a "cop out".

This commission though, required well colour balanced images of the cast in scenes from the play and in portrait-style poses for publicity shots. I was very fortunate to have the assistance of the stage lighting person, Pat, who boosted the lights to a workable f5.6 (while I took light readings reflected from my assistant, Marisol, who stood in for the actors at different areas of the stage). I decided to focus manually, and although this is slightly more time consuming - and only works if you don't panic from trying to rush the operation - and I set the ISO at 400, to avoid any semblance of noise and improve the definition of the images (I was using my trusty EOS 1Ds II - which will cope with higher ISO but I prefer to say as low as possible).

The real asset in getting these shot right, though, was the generous cooperation of the actors themselves. Although time was tight - from arriving onto the stage after we had arranged the lighting, they had about an hour before "curtain up" - but they stayed as long as I needed them to, and went into lots of different poses and scenes from the play to give me as much variety in the shots as possible. So, all-in-all I was very lucky. But it was important to for to be clear with them in terms of what I needed, and the purpose of the shots. Communication is everything in photography, especially when photographing people.

I also found it helpful to ask the actors a bit about the nature of their characters and that helped us to decide on the poses - when we were shooting the PR portraits.

The 2 shots above show (in descending order) Derbhle Crotty (as Mona), Denis Conway (as The Irishman) and Mark Lambert (as JPW King).

There are many more images from the shoot on a special web gallery here.

How Not to be a Wedding Photographer

2009-11-10T11:51:00.014Z

The Scary Truth About Wedding Photography

Question (edited version):

Hello Stephen, hope you are doing well. Firstly let me say, I am a huge fan of your work. It's so beautiful and fresh.

Secondly, I am emailing you in regards to one of your posts about scams. Recently, I was looking through different photographers' sites with my friend, who is getting married, and stumbled upon a somewhat shady-looking (ie. unprofessional-looking site).

I found the following red-flag rising facts:

None of the photographers/owners are professionals. I found out that they have only done a handful of weddings and therefore, are charging people $300 dollars per hour essentially for practice.

Neither have any solid credentials in photography. On their photography site, they don't disclose this and don't inform anyone that they've just started and have done only a few weddings. Also, they don't put any professional credentials in photography. They just said, in an email, they've done workshops.

Answer:

Thank you very much for your email and your very kind comments about my work.

I can’t advise you on whether to report a website, or a photographer, as that has to be a decision that you make yourself. What I will say, though, is that the wedding photography market probably has the largest percentage of non-professional (and often very inexperienced) photographers working in it, than any other sector of the photographic profession.

This is due to a number of factors including:

a) Low start-up costs

Wedding photographers don’t need to have a studio, or a lot of expensive camera and lighting equipment. They just need a reasonable camera (and many underestimate this, and buy what they think is a good camera, but actually it’s not nearly good enough in terms of the reproduction quality of the image) and a flash gun – and again, many beginning photographers don’t even know what fill-in flash is, or why they might need a flash gun – and how to use it properly.

b) Previous Experience

If I want to get a job as a magazine photographer, or a commercial photographer for a large company or a press photographer for a newspaper, or a travel photographer for a guide book – all of those potential employers will ask to see examples of my previous work. If I don’t have the work to show, I probably won’t get the job.

Also, some particular work, like press photography, will (sometimes) require me to hold membership of an appropriate organisation – like The National Union of Journalists (UK & Ireland) or the Association of Photographers. This is because many employers won’t consider a photographer without those credentials.

Wedding photography doesn’t work like that, though.

All you have to do is find someone who is getting married and convince them that you are the best wedding photographer in town. A few shots from the wedding you took of a friend, when you attended as a guest, might be enough to convince them – as a lot of people wouldn’t appreciate the skills involved to separate a snap shot from a great photograph.

They might also be swayed by the cost element, so if you’re less expensive (and by that I DO mean “cheap”) you might get the job.

c) Regulation Against Sham Wedding Photographers

It doesn’t exist. Anyone can set up as a wedding photographer – and the market is flooded with part-timers trying to supplement their income by working on weddings at the weekends. There are certainly more part timers than full-timers out there. Some are actually quite good at what they do – and some that I have seen are criminally bad.

Occasionally, the Law comes into play and Brides & Grooms sue their wedding photographers for poor work and a ruined day – there is an example of that happening in the UK here.

Also, I've found that on forums where wedding photographers show their work to each other, they are often supporting each other from a base of misinformation. By that, I mean that some wedding photographers are not as experienced or skilled as they should be and examples of poor work - or at least "mediocre" work is being complimented and praised instead of being criticized.

The result of that, is that the standards never get any higher - and those photographers keep on producing the same low standard work as before.

d) Should you report a wedding photographer?

Well, maybe after the event (admittedly a bit late), because people are entitled to set themselves up in business as a photographer, if they want to do so – even (unfortunately) if they are incompetent!

Before the event, you should ask to see a lot of their work, in person, not on a website – and also ask for the names and phone numbers of the last 3 (or more) couples whose wedding they photographed.

Because, the decision to book them is yours.

As with most things in life, you get what you pay for – and experience always counts. And the old Latin phrase “Caveat Emptor” – Let the Buyer Beware – still holds as true today as when it was first coined.

Rock Concert Photography

2009-10-02T00:41:00.004+01:00

Dusting Off Old Images

I've been getting my head around building flash web galleries via Lightroom 2.

I now have 3 galleries up and running via a page called latest images on my main website - Adare Images.

The latest one Rock of the Eighties is a small collection of 6 B/W and 1 colour print of rock concert photography that I took in the early 1980's. All of the images were taken at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, UK which, for a few years, became a regular venue for rock music - and especially 'heavy metal'.

The two great passions in my life have always been music and photography. I got to be a slightly better photographer than musician - and so the opportunity to photograph truly great musicians has always been a labour of love for me. I still photograph live music today - and welcome every opportunity I get to do so. That time at the Royal Court theatre was extra special though. I was well known to the theatre management, and usually had freedom to go backstage and into the (empty) orchestra "pit" and lean on the stage at times! I met a large number of famous - if not legendary performers, too.

Extremely memorable was the visit to Liverpool by the Rock 'n Roll icon Carl Perkins (see Rock of the Eighties Web Gallery) who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes", but another singer - someone called Elvis Presley - went on to have a much bigger hit (and career) than his own. Mr Perkins and his management were extremely helpful to me - and I found myself shooting from every conceivable angle - including from behind the stage backcloth!

My most successful image of that period was probably the one of Bif Byford (above) vocalist with the British rock band Saxon. This shot appeared as full page spread in the 1983 Photography Year Book and also on television - including an appearance on Top of the Pops.

I have moved house about 8 times since I took those images - and the other many hundreds I shot at the Royal Court and somewhere along the way, the original negatives and transparencies got lost! All I have left are these 7 prints - from over 4 years of regular rock concert photography work.

So, let that be a lesson to you. Don't lose your originals! In this digital age it's important to backup your files at least once, and then to make sure that your storage facilities (most people prefer external hard drives to CD disks) are safe.

I hope you like the images and I'd welcome your comments. They haven't seen the light of day for a while!

Rock on!

How to Take Great Portrait Photographs

2009-08-30T22:32:00.010+01:00

Wonderful Weekend Workshop

My "How to Take Great Portrait Photographs" workshop ran as scheduled, yesterday. We had 6 enthusiastic photographers participating (4 men and 2 women) and a beautiful model on which they could practice their new-found skills of portraiture.

It was a long and intensive day - peppered with plenty of coffee breaks and a lunch of sandwiches and cakes that I lovingly prepared myself early in the morning (actually, I bought the cakes - but I did butter all the bread and carefully craft all of the ham and cheese sandwiches!) but also very relaxed and greatly enjoyed by all.

I gave an hour's refresher course on the theory of portraiture photography - lenses; aperture; compositional rules - all that good stuff, which doesn't have to be boring or as much fun as root canal work - using examples of my own work. I followed this with an explanation of basic lighting theory - basically the differences between direct light, bounced light, reflected light and diffused light - using my assistant as the victim (sorry Sarah, I mean...model ) to show the affects of all those lighting techniques on the model's features.

After a quick lunch (with everyone now starting to get the buzz and chatting animatedly amongst each other) our beautiful model Allise had arrived, and I arranged a low key-lighting setup, with two lights and a black background, and recreated a "Rembrandt Lighting effect", which stunned a lot of people with how simple and beautiful it can be - and the shutters were clicking while everyone took turns to shoot Allise - using a remote transmitter to fire my lights while they roamed around the large studio.

After that, I took everyone outside to a yard next to my studio, where I demonstrated the use of apertures and fill-in flash with outdoor portraiture. You can see part of the unusual set that we used in one of the shots here! Many people thought that this was the best part of the day.

But the best was yet to come, as I arranged a high-key setup back in the studio, using a large Octagonal softbox, another large rectangular soft-box, two background lights and a hair light with a white background. I added a wind machine for good measure - you can see the result of one of my shots from that setup, above.

Seven hours after we started many of the group were still sitting and chatting about the day. And, I was very happy that everyone got what they came for - and more besides, from what I was told!

This workshop will run again Next Month. See here for details.

Practical Photo Walks

2009-08-16T01:10:00.004+01:00

Thinking Outside the Boxed-In

A friend came over to the house yesterday evening, to show me his new camera. He nearly didn't get there at all, because I put him off so vehemently when he first tried, in the morning.

It was very odd. I had woken up remembering something I'd said to a group when I was teaching Lightroom 2, a few days earlier: "When your Hard Drive crashes, you'll regret not using Lightroom's back-up on import option. It may not crash today, or even next year - but, trust me, it will crash eventually." I probably remembered it because it was, for me, such a bold (and not entirely factual) statement.

No sooner had I brushed my teeth, I began to wonder about my powers of clairvoyance. My hard drive had crashed!! Well, actually, the local profile directory had become corrupted, and I was left with a cleaned-out desktop: no emails, or addresses, no web browser bookmarks and dozens of files vanished into thin air! I was in the middle of a blue fit when my friend called and asked if I'd like to see his new G10 and some other amazing gizmos with which he was down-laden - they don't call him "Gadget Mike" for nothing!! I put him off and set about following the instructions I'd somehow managed to find and copy from the Microsoft website on how to fix my ailing computer. Two and a half long hours later - they worked and I sent Mike a text to tell him I was genius - and several years older than when he last called.

So, he brought the G10 over at the end of the day. When I say Mike is a friend - he is most definitely that - but he's also a photography student of mine, and my accountant. That makes our conversations interesting, if not a little complex: "You get manual focus by pressing this...so, am I on the 21% VAT rate or 13.5%...did I tell you about my new teaching idea...I've always wanted that spirit level thing that sits on the hot-shoe - no Mike, I can't take it...oh, thanks very much...etc."

I got to telling Mike that I was going to run some "Photo Walks", where I would teach a small group of photographers as we walked around a local Irish location (to start with Adare Village in County Limerick) but, I was stuck as to how to make them interesting.

In some ways, I was stuck inside my own "box" - thinking that nothing I did would be appealing, or have good value for money.

Mike, in his usual helpful and considerate manner was telling me that I'd already said a few things to him about the G10 (which I'd never held in my hand before today) that were worth a few of anybody's hard earned - and increasingly scarce - Euros. "What you need to do" he offered "is to tell them what it really is - not just a Photo Walk, but a Practical Photo Walk".

In that one sentence was all I needed to know about marketing and thinking outside the box. Tell it like it is. Give the customers what they want - or what they would buy.

See the right-hand column for the fruits of Mike's lateral thinking.

Reflecting on my Photography Business

2009-08-01T15:09:00.008+01:00

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's my birthday today (all say "ahhh") and It's almost exactly a year since I made my first blog post. So, I thought it was an opportune moment to reflect briefly on where I was going with the blog, my photography business - and indeed my life (but I won't bore you by dwelling too much on that aspect here).

There's a been a bit of a hiatus (of nearly 2 months) since my last blog post and there's a reason for that - well several really. I wasn't sure of what else to say here - too many blogs are nothing more than free advertising space for a photographer's latest wedding shots (I don't do weddings, or else I might have joined in) - or just a place to deposit pointless, badly-written ramblings and not-so-great images. I set out to write something of interest and useful, in a lively and informative style - but I think I lost my way in that endeavour, so I gave up for a while.

I lost the muse really. Or perhaps I started to wonder if anyone was even reading my recalcitrant rantings. I don't suppose I'm alone with those thoughts either - there must be hundreds of thousands of bloggers out there putting font to screen in the vain hope that at least one person will see it and perhaps leave a comment.

So, I suppose blogging is about laying it down without worrying too much about whether your audience is there or not. Just doing it because you want to do it. I might try that!

Which brings me to my business. I opened a brand new photography studio and teaching facility in the middle of May 2009 and in the middle of a world recession. This is a bit different from doing something for the sake of it, and not worrying if the general public like or care about what you're doing. There was a large capital outlay - on the refurbishment and the equipment for the studio; there is monthly rent to find; advertising bills to pay; and food to put on the table.

So this is not "if you build it - who cares if they come" - it's "When you build it you'd better make damn sure that they come!"

The teaching work is picking up - and have a very enthusiastic core band of students who take every opportunity they can to pass their kind thoughts about my teaching skills - word-of-mouth is by far the best marketing tool, and it works very here in Ireland (just be sure it's good things they are saying!) I've even been doing other kinds of marketing: like sending out posters and brochures to advertising agencies; businesses, magazines and PR companies, and also running some events without payment. I was heavily involved in Scott Kelby's World Wide PhotoWalk which took up at least 2 weeks of my time, with one thing and another, for no payment but the feedback from the participants and the interest in my own work and photography teaching was payment enough. Self promotion is one of the keys to success.

What I'm learning, though, is that I can't be a Jack-of-all-trades and there's not enough time in my day to be a photographer, a teacher, a marketing manager, an accountant, a chef (I have to eat) and a blogger. Something has to go!

But, I have to find the work before I can do it. Catch 22. (I think it's Catch 22 - I definitely have no time to READ BOOKS).

Yesterday, a young woman who was looking to do a photography course with me (she was highly recommended to me by word of mouth) came to the studio. She has a background in marketing. She is currently unemployed and doesn't have enough money to pay for the course. I need a marketing manager and don;t have enough money to pay for one. A business arrangement made in heaven - or sent by the Gods. Anyway it wasn't long before I found her a place on my next course - on Saturday - and she agreed to work one day a week for free for a while.

I'll keep you posted - the urge to blog again has suddenly resurfaced!

(Thanks to G. for the wonderful Birthday cake!)

Scott Kelby & NAPP World PhotoWalk 2009 (Ireland)

2009-06-03T16:14:00.009+01:00

Adare Here We Come!

Scott Kelby - the world's best selling author of digital imaging books, and President of the American National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) has announced the second annual world-wide Photo-Walk to be held on Saturday July 18th 2009. The event is to launch his upcoming new book: The Digital Photography Book, Vol. 3.

Basically, groups of photographers (up to 50 people per walk) will gather together in desiginated locations and spend 2 hours or so, walking, chatting and snapping. Usually the walks end at a bar or restaurant where walkers will share their images - presumably by swapping cameras!

Registration is free to all participants - and there is no charge to join any of the walks. Last year’s PhotoWalk was a huge success with more than 6000 participants in 241 cities in 43 countries. There are prizes to win - the walk leader will award a copy of Scott Kelby's new book to the best photo taken on each walk - and there is a grand prize, for the best photo taken on all of the walks, wordwide. This is also a fun social event where photographers get together to shoot photos and connect with other photographers.

As a NAPP Guru Award winner, I have been asked to lead a walk in Ireland.

I have chosen Adare Village in County Limerick. It is one of Ireland’s oldest, and “prettiest” villages. A two-hour circular walk around the village, and along the river will take in some very special scenery including a medieval castle, a 17th century manor house (now a famous hotel – Bill Clinton stayed there and Tiger Woods played on the golf course); rows of quaint thatched cottages; two ancient churches; a ruined monastery and a walk along the River Maigue, made famous by poets and writers – not to mention several authentic Irish pubs!

The walk starts at 5pm, when the light will still be strong, but not too high in the sky. As we near the end of the walk, the shadows will have lengthened adding colour and shape to the already majestic buildings that we will visit along the short, but very scenic circular route.

We will end our walk at the very authentic Irish “Pat Collins Bar”, where the larger-than-life landlord serves the best Guinness in Town and, if you’re hungry (and why wouldn’t you be?) there is a wide array of mouth-watering dishes on the menu, to enjoy while we review the photographic fruits of our walk.

If you are interested in participating, go to the PhotoWalk home page to sign up and to search for a walk in your area.

If you would like to join my walk please go to my walk page - by clicking here. Three of my recent shots of Adare Village are above. Hope to see you on the walk!

Studio for Hire - Ireland

2009-05-05T16:39:00.005+01:00

The Deception Area

How was your weekend (for those of you in Ireland and the UK - read "long weekend, due to the public holiday). Mine was incredibly busy. It was a nice idea, building the studio - but ideas have a tendency to become reality (well, sometimes) and the reality is that a new business means very hard work!

My "long weekend" was spent travelling up and down County Limerick looking for office furniture. Once found (and that wasn't easy, as the office furniture shop that I was heading for decided to close over the holiday weekend), it had to be assembled, and positioned, in the newly built reception area - or as a friend of mine put it "oh, I see you have a deception area". I pointed out that those are only found in banks and firms selling double-glazing, but he wasn't entirely convinced.

I then decided to frame and hang some pictures of mine on the walls - some of which scratched the newly painted walls as I clumsily hung them - and so I then had to re-paint the walls.

I then thought of telling the world about the finally finished studio, with a posted mail-shot, to some local business, schools and colleges. And 70 envelopes later - not to mention dozens of printed information sheets - I awoke to find that the long weekend was over.

And now the real work begins!

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

New Studio Images

2009-04-26T17:37:00.009+01:00

My new photography studio is now open and ready for business.

I've taught two photography classes in there, to date, and had one photo-shoot, mainly to test the lighting set-up. The reception area (not shown above) needs a desk and some more pictures on the wall, and the printing room and changing room needs a coat of paint on the wall (same quite large room - also not shown). I hope to get photos of those areas - and the nice new sign on the wall outside - posted very soon.

What is shown, is one shot of the very spacious teaching area - complete with screen, laptop and LCD projector - and two shots of the main "people shooting" (or, more formally, the portrait photography area - one angle has the teaching area in the background). This area has 3 Elinchrom 500Ws wireless flash heads, which can be fired and adjusted from a remote unit, the size of a matchbook, plus another 400Ws head, on a boom stand, for back-lighting. Isn't technology wonderful!

The heavy-duty wall-mounted background roll holder has white and black 9ft wide (2.7m) background paper rolls and a cloth roll for more formal portraits. There is also a large selection of soft-boxes, umbrellas and reflectors - including a very large (6ft tall) silver and gold reflector panel, and an 135cm octagonal soft-box - certainly the largest I've ever used - which is ideal for beauty portraits. I have a large assortment of other accessories and I'll be picking up more as I go along, no doubt.

I need to get a better assortment of tables and chairs - especially for the reception area, and to put up some nice shots on the wall. But, I'm certainly happy with what I've managed to do in four short weeks.

Now, those customers...where are they?

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

First Studio Shoot

2009-04-22T20:39:00.009+01:00

Well, it's been a while. And a lot has happened in the month or so since I last posted. For example, the day after I last posted here, I sent my favourite lens (Canon 24-105mm L zoom) to a Dublin-based "agency" for Canon Cameras, so that they could forward it to Canon in the UK, for calibration. I was told - no, I was assured - that it would be away from me for not more than 10 days. Well, I'm still waiting for it to come back, nearly 1 month later! I am also assured that I will have on Friday. I'll believe that when I see it.

Just to show what can be done in less than a month, I have made huge changes to the empty space that I leased a few days after I sent my camera for calibration. I have had a reception area built. I have had a toilet built. I have had a kitchen area built with wash basin, cupboard space sink and appliances (well, sockets for a kettle and microwave). I have created a teaching area complete with carpet, LCD projector, screen and chairs. I have created a "people shooting" area, with wall mounted backgrounds, lights, reflectors, fans and wireless and tethered shooting to a laptop. I have had a letterbox cut into the door and ordered a sign for the wall outside. I have taught my first class in the teaching area. And, today, I took my first shots in the shooting area.

Without the wide zoom, I can't, yet, take any photos of the inside of the studio. But, I have some shots taken in it, on a Canon 70-200mm zoom, of model Diana Storozuk, this afternoon (above).

I still need to build the "product shooting area" and the reception area needs a desk, a carpet and pictures on the wall. I also need some customers. But they will come, with time.

He said, hopefully!

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New Photography Studio

2009-03-25T17:53:00.005Z

If You Build It - Will They Come?

People starting a new business in the midst of a recession might be likened to firefighters. They run into a burning building, when everyone else is running out! The big difference being, of course, that firefighters know what they are doing, and carefully consider their actions - and the risks - before making a move.

Earlier this week, I signed a lease agreement on an 800 square foot premises in The Old Creamery Business Centre, in the small village of Ardagh (I say arr-dah), County Limerick, close to where I live. The village is probably best known for the the discovery, in 1868, of The Ardagh Chalice, which is thought to have been made in the 8th Century, and is one of the finest examples of Celtic art ever discovered. I can't swear that what will be found in my studio will equate with the Ardagh Chalice, in terms of its artistic value, but I am hoping that it will be deemed valuable - to some degree!

It's a strange feeling signing a contract to rent a commercial premises. There is no guarantee that the business will succeed - and some pundits claim that only about 1 in 3 start-up businesses turn a profit. And, that's based on figures taken when the economy was a lot healthier than it is nowadays. So, I'm feeling very nervous - but I'm also feeling very excited. And, I've never been one to shy away from a challenge - well, hardly ever!

The photograph above, which I took today, shows work in progress on the reception, toilet and kitchen areas being built inside the main studio. My basic plan for the remaining floor space is to divide it up into "People Photography", "Product Photography" and "teaching areas".

I'll keep you posted with new progress photos in the next week or so. I should be ready to open by early April 2009 - and if you're on my email list, I'll be sending you an invitation to the studio-warming party! If you'd like to come - send me an email and I'll add you to the mailing list, just to be on the safe side!

Oh, I don't have a name for the studio as yet. A friend suggested "Chalice Studios & Photography School" (after the Ardagh Chalice). But, if you have any other suggestions - let me know. I'm even considering offering a prize to anyone who suggests a name I use - if I didn't think of it already! (hints: my surname is Power; it's a photography and teaching establishment; it's in Ardagh, County Limerick, Ireland).

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Working for Photography Magazines

2009-03-17T09:42:00.009Z

Blogger Hits the Jackpot

When I was 16, and on the verge of leaving school - with very few exam qualifications to my name - a friend spotted an advert in the local paper for a business that was recruiting for an apprentice. I went for an interview, mainly because I didn't really see myself as having any other options.

The decision to employ me or not was probably made after the first question: "What are your ambitions?" and my reply: "I want to be a journalist". I doubt that went over well in the office of a firm that made false teeth - and my glorious career as a dental technician was over before it began.

And, so in some ways, was my career as a journalist (it was only later I realised that what I really meant was "photo-journalist"). I tried working freelance for a while, and even joined the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) in the late 1970's. But, My lack of academic qualifications meant that local newspapers wouldn't even interview me, and the "freelance" option wasn't something that my mother would consider "a steady job". So, for many years, I followed a different career path that provided a PPP (permanent, pensionable position) - and even the qualifications that would have got me the local newspaper interview.

But, by then, it was too late to change horses in mid-stream. I climbed the clinical and academic ladders of my steady job - and pursued my photographic "hobby" when I had the time. This included working for local newspapers, magazines and picture agencies during my days off "work" - and I found myself doing the sort of work that full-time professionals are offered and wearing more "access all areas" passes than a part-timer should expect.

In the last few years, my personal and financial circumstances were such that I could jump off the PPP wagon and finally try to fulfill the ambition that I proudly declared to the false-teeth maker when I was a lad. I've had some success - and I'm slowly starting to feel like a real photographer. Of course, the economic downturn hasn't exactly helped - but I'm just seeing that as bad timing, rather than a bad decision.

Yesterday, I got an email from Ian Farrell the editor of Professional Photographer Magazine, in the UK. He offered me 3 writing jobs for the May 2009 issue, a promise of a bigger feature in June and a regular Blog spot, the first of which appeared this morning, at this link. It's an edited version of my previous post on The Snappy Snapper - but in future I intend to vary the content of both blogs, where possible.

I've been emailing Ian Farrell, his publisher and the web editor since the middle of last year, telling them that I can take a photograph and write and that I'd like to work for them. Not very much happened until yesterday. Normally I would have given up ages ago, a bit like I did shortly after my visit to the tooth factory.

There's a lesson there somewhere. The tooth fairy won't make ambitions come true. But maybe persistence and holding on to the dream, will.

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Spotting Photography Scams

2009-03-09T11:24:00.009Z

Beware Laurence Smith

I got a message, yesterday, directly from my photography website - which read as follows.

Hello,
I am Laurence Smith, UK. I have a Fashion job (Assignment) for you. My client wants to update her Catalog with her monthly release Fashion outfits and i am interested in you for the shooting. I am a Model Agent by profession with about a few years experience. Find all details of the job,once you mail me with your interest ..
Regards
Laurence Smith
laurencesmih@yahoo.co.uk

Even at first reading, it seems a bit "odd". The grammatical structure of some of the sentences is a bit strange - "I am Laurence Smith, UK", (and not, based in the UK - or WHERE in the UK); "catalog" is the American-English spelling, rather than English-English ("catalogue"); the "i" in the 3rd sentence is lower case; "for the shooting" is not an English turn of phrase and "with about a few years experience" is not exactly "the Queen's English" , either. I could go on, and you may spot a few other oddities for yourself.

My alarm bells were ringing fairly loudly - so I sent off an email to a professional photographer's group to which I belong, NVJ Photo which is an off-shoot of the now-closed mailing list for the National Union of Journalists.

It wasn't long before I got a number of very informative replies. It would seem that Laurence Smith (obviously not his real name) is already well-known to the professional photography community, as an "advanced payment scam" monger. The widely-acclaimed Scottish Press & PR photographer Nick McGowan-Lowe sent me a link to the "Fraud Watchers" website, where there is a forum thread entirely dedicated to Laurence Smith and his nefarious activities.

It would appear that the basis of this particular "overpayment scam" is that Laurence Smith will agree a fee for the Fashion Assignment (which doesn't exist) - of usually €6000 - and agree to pay you in advance. He then sends you a cheque for MORE than the agreed fee, and asks you to send the difference on to a third party (him, in another guise, I presume). The original cheque bounces and you have sent several thousand euros to a confidence trickster than you'll never hear from again.

From reading messages on that forum, it would seem that the hoax is quite elaborate. Laurence Smith will reply if you respond to the first email, even telling you about his client (in one message I read, he refers to his client as a wedding dress shop in county Tipperary, which I found on the web - although the phone number was out of order). He even talks about the shoot being in Connolly, Dublin (which is an area of the city and the name of a railway station).

My guess is that the scam would be modified according to the location in which you are based. Because it was relayed to my email address from the website, it must have been submitted by a real live person, rather than an email robot of some sort, which is equally disturbing.

So, be on the look out for Laurence Smith (or whatever he may call himself) when a too-good-to-be-true job offer lands in your email box.

And watch out, generally, for the tell-tell signs of a scam. If it feels "fishy" - it probably IS fishy!

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Golden Rules of Photography #2

2009-02-28T12:53:00.009Z

Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions

Here are two shots of model Rosie O'Connell in my newly-refurbished photography studio. Well, that's a joke - it's not my new studio, but my new studio is up and running now, and you can read more about it by clicking here.

Does the top shot of Rosie look odd in any way? In theory it should, because full length photographs of people that are cropped between the knee and the foot (usually around the shin bone) tend to give a "disembodied limb" look, which can appearing jarring to the viewer. Sometimes, the reason for the shot not looking right to the viewer might not be obvious - they might not notice the missing feet, but it won't have a pleasing effect on them.

If the theory works, the second shot should have a more pleasing effect on the eye. When I cropped the second shot, I used today's Golden Rule of Photography:

If You've Lost the Feet - Lose the Knees

Following the Golden rule, I cropped above the knee halfway along the thigh, turning the shot into a "three-quarter" length crop, rather than a full-length shot with the feet missing.

This rule also applies to hands that have been cropped off at the wrist - giving that weird disembodied look. Although in the case of arms with missing hands, it might be harder to make a pleasing new crop without taking the crop to chest level - cropping between the elbow and the shoulder, turning what might have started out as a half length or three-quarter length shot, into a head and shoulders.

Try looking at your own shots with missing body parts and see if a bit of judicious cropping would improve the picture.

Golden Rules of Photography #1

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Photography Copyright Theft - Part II

2009-02-24T09:30:00.007Z

The Plot Thickens

I got a telephone call at 8.40am, this morning, from the comedian whose photograph was appearing on her agent's website, without my permission, accreditation or payment (see here for back-story). I say was appearing, because it had been taken down by the company the day after I emailed them. I have had, to date, no contact from the management company themselves, no request to use the photograph in the first place, no apology for its illegal usage and no offer of payment.

What I got this morning was, at least to begin with, a fairly pleasant conversation in which the comedian told me that I had actually given her permission to give that image (and others) to her agent for free use on his website.

I told her that I did not remember that conversation at all. I only remembered a conversation where I agreed that she could have the photographs for private use - including in her own portfolio (if she had one - which she doesn't apparently). This did not include usage by a third party, who were using the image to make money for themselves (and her). I explained to her that I made a living, in part, by charging people for the secondary use of images that had been taken for another purpose. Editorial photographers, generally, get so little money for a job that third party use (and payment for that use) is a very important income stream.

While I was saying all of this to her, the thought "I'll drop this matter - reluctantly" was definitely in my head.

But the conversation suddenly became less pleasant. She started swearing and telling me (amongst other things) that I had "f***** up the relationship" between herself and her agent; that I had "frightened" her agent, that she didn't get anything from the magazine shoot for which the photos were originally taken and that she had to suffer 4 days working with certain people on that shoot; and that "this fri***** issue" was causing her all sorts of problems. I told her (not very calmly, I have to admit) that she had no rights to speak to me in that way and although I was just about to drop the whole matter, I was now giving it more thought. And then I hung up.

It never ceases to amaze me how tables that seem to be laden with all of the odds stacked in my favour can suddenly be turned over - making me the villain of the piece. I had genuinely been ready to let this matter drop, but now, I'm really not so sure. I have just telephoned the agent, and left a phone message telling him about the abuse I received from his client and seeking an apology from both of them.

More importantly, for me - at least right now - I'm wondering about my place in a business where people feel that not only do they have the right to take your work and use it for free, but then abuse you when you stand up for yourself against it.

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Stolen Photographs - Battling Copyright Theft

2009-02-22T13:33:00.006Z

Get Your Money Back

About 20 years ago, when I lived in the UK, I came home in the middle of the day to find that my house had been burgled. A few items had been taken, along with some cash, glass had been broken in a kitchen window and the house was in some disarray. The biggest problem, though, was the complete sense of violation that I was left with - and this seems to be a dominant theme amongst victims of this particular crime.

How dare they come into my home and help themselves to my property! What gives them the right to think that they can treat me this way? These were just a few of the things I said about it - and by and large, they served no real purpose, other than to help me vent my rage. I never got my items back and the thieves were never caught - even though I voiced my view to the Police that they may have been living across the street from me.

Over the last few months, I have been using Google Analytics to track visitors to both my main website and this blog. I can see how many visitors I get in a day (not nearly enough!), where they come from (all over the world) and what keywords they use to search Google - which results in a visit to either of my websites. One particular keyword - the name of a UK-based comedian whose photograph I took about 2 years ago and have on my main website - kept coming up over recent weeks. The first time it appeared, I took little notice but after 3 shows, my interested was aroused. So, I did my own Google (Images) search on the name - and right there in front of my eyes was a link to the website of a London-based theatrical management agency, with my photograph on it.

First things first: I own the copyright of that photograph. I have never been approached by anyone to seek permission for it's use on that website (or any other). It is being used on 3 separate pages - the home page, the "list of artists" page and the page appertaining to the person themselves. When I downloaded the image and looked at the metadata, I saw that all the information that I had included - my copyright info, my contact address and a statement that unauthorized usage was illegal - had been "stripped" out of the image.

This morning, I emailed the owner of the management agency, informing him that it is a criminal offence (in the UK) to do what he did, and enclosed a copy of my invoice for 1 year's usage (back-dated from January 1st 2008) for use of the image on 3 sections of his website. I used my photo agent's pricing calculator to arrive at a total amount owing of €2260 (about £2000 and $2900), to be paid in 7 days. I told him that if he didn't remove the illegally used images, I would send him another invoice for this year's usage (2009 - 2010) next week. I also copied the email to my union official (National Union of Journalists).

I then made screen shots of the places where my photo is shown on the management company website, and also copied the website page to my desktop. I made notes of the name and address of the company and the date that I saw the photographs displayed. Then, I printed all the screen shots out, with hard copies of my letter and invoice and, tomorrow, I will post them to the management company by registered post.

If anyone is interested in reading more about how to address this problem - David Hoffman has written an excellent article about how he recouped £27000 by tracking down the illegal use of just a small sample of his photography - with two night's work.

Unauthorized usage of copyrighted photography - no matter insignificant that usage may appear - is theft. Photography is my livelihood and I can't afford for anyone just to come along, take my property and use it for their own aims without so much as a "May I?" I feel as violated by this "theft" as I did when my house was burgled all those years ago.

Click here to read part II of this item

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Golden Rules of Photography #1

2009-02-18T14:50:00.007Z

Practice What You Preach

Interspersed with my usual ramblings, over the next few posts, I thought it would be interesting to remind you (or tell you - depending on your age) about a few old "adages", sayings or golden rules about photography that have certainly helped me to take better photographs over the years.

The first one is not, in fact Practice What You Preach, but it might as well be, because I frequently teach these "golden rules" to my photography workshop students - and then sometimes find that I inadvertently forget to apply them myself!

This photograph was taken on a photography workshop trip to the beautiful village of Adare, in County Limerick, Ireland with a group of my students. It's a shot of a stained glass window in the Roman Catholic church. I liked it so much, that I promptly sent it off to my agent, with some additional shots, and fully expected to see it on sale via their website in no seconds flat.

Except, it was rejected by my agent, because it failed their stringent QC (quality control) processes. The reason given for the fail was "Camera Shake". I was surprised, to say the least, because to the naked eye there doesn't appear to be any shakiness in it. Although I have a heavy camera, and I was using it with a long zoom lens (with a focal length of 200mm) I consider myself to be pretty good at holding it steady.

I used Adobe Lightroom software to look at the EXIF metadata about the image - which gives details of the exposure settings, and camera and lens used, and the "truth" unfolded in front of my eyes. The shutter speed I used was 1/60th sec (one sixtieth of a second). Not that slow, photographically speaking but perhaps too slow to hand hold a heavy camera with a long, heavy lens attached, pointed upwards at a window. And this is where I should have applied today's Golden Rule...

When hand-holding a camera, use a shutter speed that is faster than the focal length of the lens.

This is only a general "rule of thumb" which I break all the time -and sometimes get away with it. But, it can be a useful guide to help ensure that your images stay as crisp and sharp as possible. For my shot, with a zoom lens with a focal length of 200mm, I should have followed the rule and set at least 1/250th of a second as the shutter speed. This, in theory, would, have helped me keep the heavy camera steadier and avoided "camera shake".

By the way, I checked my image at 100% in photoshop - and I see a tiny bit of blur around the hands and face! Damn those eagle-eyed QC people!

Golden Rules of Photography #2

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Hidden Hazards of Travel Photography

2009-02-06T13:30:00.006Z

Off the Road Again

The spectacular Errigal Mountain, is situated in the Gweedore region of County Donegal, Ireland, and is the tallest peak in the Derryveagh mountain range.

I took this shot while photographing in the area, for a travel book, in September of 2008. The road looks serene and peaceful - with just the one solitary car on it. But don't let that fool you - I have found driving on some Irish roads less than "postcard perfect".

The day before, I had my first (albeit minor) traffic accident, while trying to navigate out of the narrow entrance to a B&B in Donegal Town. I scraped the front bumper to the tune of €1600. I paid the insurance excess of €250.

A week later, I was driving my (quite new) Toyota RAV 4 down a "back-road" in County Kilkenny, when a van, travelling in the opposite direction took my wing mirror clean off. The cost of that repair was €360, so I decided not to bother the insurance company and paid the lot myself.

Last weekend, I covered most of County Waterford (about 500 kilometers round trip) on the last stage of that particular photo shoot, and was dropping a companion off at her house, half an hour away from my home, when I reversed the trusty RAV into her garden wall. The car (I now prefer to think of it as The Devil's Own Vehicle) is in for repair as I write - the total cost, this time, a paltry €700. I'm paying the excess of €250 again.

The last time I had a car accident, before the last 3, was in 1990 - and I was hit from behind, while turning right, by an uninsured and unlicensed driver. Prior to that, my accident sheet was spotless. But since August 2008, I have had 3 accidents, 2 of which were my own fault - and, strangely, I was on the same photography job at the time. And yes, I did travel extensively in the car outside of that commission.

I told the guys in the garage that a) the RAV was jinxed and b) if I come back to see them again, I will demand a ticket to the staff Christmas party.

I have just put my final invoice in for the travel book shoot - and while it is a considerable sum of money, it's worth bearing in mind that I have spent €860 on vehicle damage repairs alone - which I can't claim back on the limited "expense account" (it barely covered my hotels, food and fuel costs).

So, when you're considering your next travel photography trip - consider the hidden expenses - and hire a car!

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Photographing Silver Objects

2009-01-31T09:39:00.006Z

The Hard Way!

These two photographs were taken yesterday, at Glin Castle Hotel, in County Limerick, Ireland. It is the ancestral home of Desmond Fitzgerald, the present Knight of Glin and I went there at his request to photograph some valuable silver objects bearing the family crest - and other important engravings, that he wanted to portray in a new book.

Photographing silver is one of the most difficult subjects a photographer can attempt - and a successful result often depends on having been able to control and adjust the conditions for the photography. This usually means taking the shots in a controlled environment - a studio - where the reflections and shadows can be eliminated and manipulated. If the objects are quite small - the problems can be more easily managed, and often, building a "light tent" is the best open for small silver or glass items. I didn't have that option, as I was photographing on location - due to the value of the peices - and I also had very limited time, as they had to go back to the bank that morning.

I started shooting at 8am, and had to be finished by 10.30am. I was also photographing in the main entrance hall of the Castle - that was my choice, as I wanted to set up against a window that let in very soft early morning light. I then erected a white projector screen opposite the window, and rolled out a length of black velvet cloth across the table, and attached it (by "blue tac") to a wall. I shot with available light and very long exposures (up to 10 seconds) at very small apertures (around f20 most of the time).

The large silver platter gave most problems, as it is about 2 feet in diameter and acted like a large mirror, that reflected everything above it, including the brown beams of the ceiling in the room. To counter that, I took it into the hotel kitchens, that have a white ceiling, and asked members of the staff to hold the background cloth up for me.

I did a lot of post production too, mainly in Adobe Lightroom. In the two shots above, I used the brush tool, to selectively brighten the engraving in the basket, and to add "clarity" to the engraving on the platter - which enhanced the detail. I also selectively reduced some of the colour in the shots, if they were reflected in the images. For example, in one shot, the red lines on my camera strap were showing in the object, so I just reduced the red colour channel to zero and it vanished! It was easier that cloning it out in Photoshop.

An interesting exercise, and one that made me realise that even when the most difficult photographic subject raises its head - there are ways around it, even in the most unsuitable conditions. With a bit of thought!

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Teaching Photography Classes at Home

2009-01-27T19:04:00.006Z

A Kitchen Sink Drama (Not)

I have been teaching adults for a very long time (always with my "other" (psychology-related) hat on. I have even managed university teaching departments, but, up until very recently, I had never taught photography. Nor have I been published on the subject outside this Blog - even though, to coin a phrase, "I could have written a bloomin' book on it". Actually, where I'm from, that phrase tends to mean "he never stops telling us how much he THINKS he knows!"

It occurred to me at the end of last year, that there is a good potential market for teaching photography; not only to beginners and enthusiastic hobbyists, but also as way to retrain and "upskill" people who may become unemployed, in order that they might seek new employment as a photographer or (more likely) set themselves up in a self-employed capacity (and certainly the Irish government - and many others are keen to encourage people down that particular avenue at the moment.

I can teach; I know my subject - and lo and behold, I found, buried in my hard drive, the outline of a photography training programme I wrote 4 years ago, when another organisation asked me to present a proposal for a course they were considering running (but later changed their focus - pun intended). BUT, I didn't have the premises in which to run the course - nor did I have the funds available to rent a facility. So, I did nothing. Until, a friend mentioned that I had a very large kitchen and access to extensive grounds - including a private wood and river - that were ideal locations for outdoor photography.

Why didn't I start a course in my kitchen? I could keep the numbers small (maximum 5 people) and use that as an advertising feature - small group sizes: increased personal attention. So, I did. I got the relevant insurance cover sorted out and then advertised the kitchen course in my local paper and on my website. I have now had 2 successful courses - evaluation feedback is extremely positive - plus I started another one last night (5 people); one this afternoon (lunchtimes - ideal for mothers who need to be home by 3pm to pick up the kids from school) and I have another evening class starting on Thursday.

These are all beginner's courses and there is a good deal of interest, with people phoning to book in advance classes starting next month. I've now also been to meet with the manager of a local government training organisation, and I've had phone discussions with academic accrediting bodies, to see how viable is my idea for an upskilling - and much longer - Photography For Business training course. The feedback is very encouraging. And now, as is often the way - I have an opportunity to rent a larger premises very close to home that I could convert into a training school and photography studio. Watch this space!

My kitchen set up is above: A screen, an LCD project, a laptop, handout packs, registration form, chairs and cups for tea and coffee (just out of shot). Everything but the kitchen sink. But, actually, that's there too!

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Promotion - Make the Most of Your Photography

2009-01-23T17:51:00.010Z

The Successful Photograph that Wasn't - Yet

This photograph was taken in 2007, as a publicity shot for a local theatre group. They were performing a play called "The Women", set in 1940's America. The shot was taken in the women's toilet of a Limerick restaurant, and I won the award of "brass neck of the week", for standing in there with them and not flinching as customer after customer frowned at my presence (I did leave the room several times, too, for decency's sake).

I didn't receive any other awards for the shot - and I didn't even get paid for it, as the theatre group didn't have a budget for the photography. I got model releases for the actors and a property release for the location - which allows me to try and sell the image through my agent. I saw that as more important than the €50 or so I might have been paid, had I pushed the fee issue.

There are several versions of the shot - it was taken in colour, and I have produced Sepia (like this one) and "aged photo" versions, as well as the original. It always receives a huge amount of interest whenever it is seen - either on my studio walls, or via my website or on the two occasions that it has been exhibited.

But, it has never sold, or won a prize or had any other success connected with it. And that niggles me, because I really think it "has something".

I suppose that every photographer in the world thinks that their favourite shots "have something" - and there is not necessarily anything special about my shot because I think that way about it. But, it got me wondering if I should just leave it there? Perhaps it is a shot worth "promoting", and maybe the fact that it hasn't reached a wider audience, or made any money is because I'm not doing anything about it.

It's like I'm expecting people to magically "find it", just because I think it is worth seeing. There must be hundreds of thousands of images out there that are worth seeing - but probably only a fraction of those really do get noticed, or have good things happen to them.

Promotion is the key. I should simply tell more people about it, email to editors that might use such an image, put it on my calling cards (most of mine are 8x6, so they'll be seen OK); enter it into competitions; make it bigger and more prominent on my website and post it to my bl...oh yeah, I just did that!

But what I really should not do is expect it to be seen without taking any action. And that applies to you, too. Get your good stuff out there - and make the most of it.

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Successful Photography in a Recession

2009-01-19T17:41:00.012Z

If at first you don't succeed - Diversify!

Things are difficult. Times are tough. Work is hard to come by. Good people are falling by the wayside. Clichés are easy to write - but we don't have to accept them as the truth.

So, rhetoric aside, what do you do if you're a professional photographer who is finding it hard to make a living with the work that you have always done?

Very recently, I have heard myself saying - in response to questions about my work - "No, I don't do weddings" and, "yes, I'm an editorial photographer, that's all do" and "studio pack shots are interesting, but it's not really my sort of photography" and plenty more reactionary statements of that sort.

When I was teaching myself photography (I started about 30 years ago and I have no intention of jumping off that particular learning-curve anytime soon) I came across the concept of the "niche photographer". The specialist photographer who only worked in a very tiny corner of the market honing their skills on very specific subjects. Maritime photography; Sports photography; Portrait photography; Music photography and Medical photography are all examples of genres of the profession that I never fully embraced - to the exclusion of all others, although I have "touched on" one or two of them.

What I have done, though, is become very clear about what sort of photography I don't do. A few months ago, I was sent an email from a woman who had visited my website - and who wanted to ask if I would photograph her wedding. I didn't see myself as a "wedding" photographer, so I did the old trick of pricing myself out of the market. I said I would be interested in photographing her wedding but at a fee that was well above what she might expect to pay. Guess what? I never heard from her again. And whose loss was that, I ask myself?

When money is tight and work is hard to find, it pays to be as flexible as possible about the work we can do - even though it might not be the work we would want to do. So, I've been thinking (again) about what sort of photographer I am - and also where else my skills may lie.

The photograph, above, was taken at the graduation ceremony of a group of adult learners - and I was there in my capacity as a lecturer, and not a photographer (no, that's not me with the disposable camera). There was a time when I would put myself in a neat "box", and limit my potential. Even though I was an experienced photographer at the time that photograph was taken, I didn't work as a photographer - because I was a teacher. More recently, when I have been a photographer, I didn't teach. One thing or the other - but not both at the same time. Now, it's time to think outside the box and consider everything that I do well, and the possibility of combining them, where appropriate. So, I'm now teaching photography well, it makes sense!

So what can you do that you might not want to do? What can you do that you might introduce into your working life that might enhance what you do already? Give it some thought.

Oh; today I got an email from a woman who had visited my website. She complimented me on my work and asked if I would be interested in photographing her wedding. I replied, saying:

I don’t photograph weddings as a general rule, and certainly haven’t undertaken them on a regular basis for many years. But, I do make exceptions, and I would be interested in discussing your requirements with you.

A step outside the box, is it not?

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

Freelance Photography Frustrations

2009-01-11T21:17:00.013Z

When Professional Photography is a Pain in the Aperture

The last few days were not the most progressive ones I’ve ever had, as a freelance photographer.

First of all, one of the additional jobs that came out of me offering free photography to a Limerick hotel, was postponed – as the manager is cutting back on “discretionary spending”, at the moment, due to the economic downturn. It was the sort of job that seemed like a good idea, but not essential work, so I’m still hopeful that “discretionary spending” does not include the photography of 10 rooms that were to be my reward for the free work. I’ll just have to wait and see, I suppose.

Secondly, I got an email telling me that my contact at a major UK publishing house – for whom I have been working on a travel book since July 2008 – had changed yet again. This is the fourth time that I’ve been given a new liaison person, and this time I got two at once – one for my writing work and one for my photography. It is confusing enough to be told “Stephen I’m leaving tomorrow, from now on please contact Jane Smith about your work” every couple of months, but this is more frustrating than ever as I am just about to finalize my submissions – and send in my invoices! It would be good to have someone who knew about my work and where I was up to with it, at this juncture.

Thirdly, during one of my small-group photography courses, this week, I praised a student for a really excellent photograph of a food hamper – that she had taken as a publicity shot for the supermarket that her family own. It was sharp, well-lit, had good colour saturation and perfectly composed. A fellow student (a German woman) promptly announced: “Oh, I think she is a better photographer than you are Stephen. You should find another job!”

Fourthly; I spent hours finding, editing and preparing images for entry into the World Press Photo Contest. I then spent some more hours filling in the application form, and waited 2 days for my approval and password to enter the competition. I then spent half a day (Saturday, my day off) uploading 10 images to the competition website – the upload link crashed at least 6 times! Only to be told, by the extremely intelligent automated system that my photographs were not taken in 2008, and so were not eligible for entry. Actually, that was a first for me – those pictures were taken in 2009. I’ve been too late for deadlines before – but never too early!

Hopefully the planets are aligned and moving forward this week!

Now, where did I hide that book about Positive Thinking?

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

Industrial Photography - Waterford Crystal

2009-01-09T22:52:00.013Z

The Road to Success is Crystal Clear

Last Sunday I made arrangements, by email, to visit the world-famous Waterford Crystal factory, to photograph the various production processes involved in manufacturing one of the country's most iconic products. Waterford Crystal began production in Ireland in 1783 and its visitors centre is one of the most popular attractions in the country, with around over 300 000 visitors every year.

On Monday I heard, on the radio, that the company had become yet another casualty of the economic downturn and called in the Official Receiver. At that point, I decided that my request to photograph the factory was the least of their concerns and considered cancelling my visit. But, then I decided that, as a photographer, 1) I had a duty (and possibly my one and only chance) to record the work of the company, and 2) I had a commission deadline to meet. So, I made a phone call to the Visitor' Centre manager, Mr Louis Flynn, and confirmed my visit.

One of the perks of my photographic life is that I meet so many generous, helpful and interesting people. Louis Flynn is no exception. Although the stress and strain of the bad news was apparent, he went out of his way to accommodate me, once I arrived at the factory, yesterday. I was offered coffee and cake - and then taken on a personal tour of the factory by Louis himself and given unfettered access to photograph every aspect of the manufacturing process.

The Waterford Crystal factory is a photographer's dream - there is so much to photograph, and it really tested my skills, as I had to work very fast. The real eye-opener, though was the attitude of the workers I met. Everyone of them had exactly the same open, friendly and accommodating attitude as Louis - and despite the possibility of impending closure, there was a good deal of friendly banter and everyone was smiling. Louis told me that working there was like being part of a large family. Although he had worked there most of his life, he was a "first generation" employee (no other members of his family had worked there before him). That was not the case with many of the other crafts people employed at the Crystal factory, who could cite two, three or more generations of family members who had honed their craft - whether it be glass blowing, cutting, engraving or mold making - before them. That, Louis told me, made for a very special atmosphere. And, I was quite sincere when I replied that I could genuinely feel it.

The latest news is that an American group is in the process of agreeing a deal to buy the company. I hope it succeeds - and I have a feeling that it will. There is a good vibe in that place - and, as mentioned in my last post - sometimes that is all it needs to turn a disaster into a success.

I took over 300 images - two of which can be seen here, and there are more on my main website Adare Images in the "commercial" section of the gallery. I'll talk more, on Monday, about the techniques involved in industrial photography.

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

The Secret to Successful Photography

2009-01-05T00:12:00.004Z

A friend, who visited over the holiday period, left me a book to read. It’s called “Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting” by Lynn Grabhorn. It has 308 pages of densely-typed text, but really only one thing to say: “Feel good about yourself and you will get good things in return”.

Her basic premise is based on “The Law of Attraction” – a theory (if we can use a scientific epithet) that is as simple as it is profound – “like attracts like: feel like a winner to become a winner”. This theory was given a wider audience than even Ms Grabhorn acquired, although she got there first, through the multi-million selling book and DVD “The Secret”. In chapter 2, of her book, Lynn Grabhorn writes:

“You can take every book ever written on the subject of feelings and emotions, every class every taught on the dark Freudian mysteries of the mind, every counselling group that has ever attempted to get us in touch with that obscure inner child, and anyone else trying to show us how to emancipate those frightening things we call feelings, and boil all the fancy techniques down to one simple remedy for creating an abundant and fulfilling life: Learn to identify a good feeling from a bad feeling. That’s it. Learn to do that and you’ve got the course made. You can create anything your heart desires."

Now, this is something of a personal challenge for me. Not least, because in that one paragraph Ms Grabhorn attacks and all-but destroys the cornerstone of what was my life’s work (or at least 25 years of it). Not only did I study and practice Freudian analytic psychotherapy, but I taught the subject at universities for many years, and I have facilitated untold numbers of counselling groups and helped to train hundreds of people to become counsellors and psychotherapists. So how do I feel about her supposition that the secret to a happy life is simply to know when you’re giving off a bad “vibe” and to give off a good one instead?

But anyway, Let’s talk about photography. No, that’s not as much of a cop-out as it might seem. Because, for me, a big question these days is: How do I know when I have taken a great photograph?

Sadly, Lynn Grabhorn died not long after her best-selling book on the Law of Attraction was published, so I can’t ask her that question. But, the truth is that I discovered the answer to my question some time ago – and long before I had heard about “The Secret” or the “Law of Attraction”.

The answer is: A good photograph is one that makes me feel good when I look at it. Sometimes, it makes me feel good at the moment I am taking it, too.

I often talk about “not getting into my stride” when I’m on a photo shoot, for perhaps the first 20, 50 or even 100 shots – and then, suddenly, something “clicks” (pun intended). Things start to feel right. In Lynn Grabhorn’s language: I start to vibrate at a higher frequency. I feel good and excited about my work - it feels thrilling!

In the case of the image above, I felt good at the split-second that the model bent toward her foot and I pressed the shutter (after I had said “there’s something on your foot Jane” – there wasn’t) and I feel good every time I see it. I have sold that photo twice, via exhibitions – and over the holidays, I got an email from a potential buyer, who said: “This is the most beautiful photograph I have ever seen in my life...I would love to purchase a copy of this photograph to place it in my general counsel (lawyer) office in Kansas.”

So far, the image hasn't done as well as I might have liked. But I do have high hopes for that photograph; I expect that it will do well, eventually. I don’t know how, or when. I just have a good feeling about it – and maybe that good feeling will encourage me to do things that will introduce it to a wider audience - including posting it here - and maybe, just maybe good things will come of it - and to it.

And that, really, is the Secret. Have a good feeling about your work. Believe in it. Believe in yourself. And perhaps you will make it come good. But if you don't feel good about yourself and your work, you'll do nothing at all - and then nothing will definitely happen!

A Happy (and Attractive) New Year to you.

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

Morality Play

2008-12-30T20:46:00.006Z

The Photographer's Christmas - Present

(The Blog equivalent of a hidden track on a CD).

The scene: Prescot, Merseyside, UK. Christmas Eve. A photographer and his father (a non photographer, but nonetheless a fairly decent sort of chap) are in "Boots" (a retail pharmacy chain and purveyors of all things "lifestyle"). The photographer is looking for gifts for his daughter-in-law and an elderly aunt. He quickly buys a handbag gift set for the "out-law", and then speaks aloud his dilemma of what to buy his aunt and is overheard by a lady of about the same age.

Elderly Lady: She might like those chocolate biscuits, they look lovely, I would like them myself.

Photographer: Would you really? (For a nano-second, the photographer actually considers buying her the biscuits, but reflects on his not-so-bulging wallet and picks up the tin and heads towards the store counter). (To the elderly lady) Thanks for the suggestion - I think she'll like them.

Store Assistant: (taking the handbag set and biscuits from the photographer). You do know that these items are in our "three for two" range?

Photographer:No, I didn't know that. So, I can get another tin of biscuits for free?

Store Assistant: Yes, or any other item in the offer.

Photographer: Right. (He goes back to the shelf, collects another tin of chocolate biscuits and returns to the assistant). Could I have a separate carry-bag for those biscuits, please?

Young Woman: (Standing behind Photographer in the store Line - muttering to herself): I wish people would decide what they want before they come to the check-out.

Photographer: (turning to his father): Keep your eye on that old woman.

Store Assistant: twenty seven pounds and sixty five pence please.

Photographer's Father: She's just gone out onto the street.

Photographer: (picking up two bags) Thank you (to store assistant). Merry Christmas (to young woman).

Young Woman: (stern-faced) Merry Christmas.

(The photographer and his father leave the shop and find the elderly lady standing on the main street. The photographer approaches her, and offers her the bag with the biscuits inside).

Photographer: Merry Christmas.

Elderly Lady: (aghast) Oh, no! You shouldn't have done that, it's not necessary.

Photographer: No, it's not necessary, it's Christmas and people are nice to me - so I'm returning the favour. Besides, it was three for the price of two!

(The Elderly Lady kisses the photographer and his father on the cheek, thanks them, shakes their hands and wishes them Merry Christmas. The photographer and his father walk away to their car.)

Photographer's Father: She'll remember that. I'd better warn you that I didn't buy you a Christmas present!

Photographer: Damn. I should have kept the biscuits!

**************************************************

The photo shows my grandson, Terry, demonstrating that it's not the cost of the gift that is important - but the pleasure it brings to the recipient.

Happy New Year.

stock photography photography freelance photography Life

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-12-21T18:52:00.013Z

Over 25 years ago, way back in 1982, I was sent, by a picture agency, to cover the launch of a British TV 'soap' called "Brookside", at the modern, Liverpool housing estate in which it was set and filmed. I was, in every sense of the phrase, a "fledgling" freelance photographer and felt totally out of my depth, surrounded, as I was, by photographers from almost all of the British national daily papers and large circulation magazines.

At one point, during the day, I turned up a bit late, to photograph actors Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston (who, incidentally was brought up in the small town - Prescot - in which I was born and raised) who were posing as "man and wife" outside the house their characters "owned" on Brookside Close. I was fumbling with my camera so much that all of the other photographers in the press pack had finished shooting Ricky and Sue, before I had even taken my first photograph. I stood there, forlornly watching the stars walk away from the set, when (I'm not sure how) Ricky Tomlinson noticed me, and called across to his co-star "hey Sue, this lad hasn't got his pictures, come back and pose again for him, please" which she did, most graciously.

I've never forgotten that small, random act of kindness from Ricky Tomlinson. I didn't really thank him properly at the time, but I do make sure I mention it to friends, whenever I see him on TV - usually in the hit show The Royle Family (which also features Sue Johnston).

The Chinese have a saying: "may you live in interesting times", which is meant to be a curse - with "interesting" being a euphemism for "not good". This year, as a professional photographer, was very interesting indeed. But not all of it was bad. New friends were found, and some were lost. New work was found - including the opportunity to fulfill a life-long ambition as a travel book photographer - but not all of it was as glamorous as I might have dreamed. Some people treated me extremely well and others were downright rude, didn't pay me or even bother to return emails or phone (occasionally, the same person did all of those nice things!) All-in-all an interesting year. A mixed bag of surprises (good and not-so-good), triumphs and tribulations.

Amongst the (modest) triumphs is this blog - which I began in August 2008, as a means of killing time while holed-up alone in hotel rooms, during travel book shoots. I've now made 74 posts, and almost kept my promise of writing a new post three times each week (which is harder than you might imagine!)

I am thrilled that even though it has not (yet) made the top 100 of most-subscribed-to- photography-blogs (I'm working on that) it does have subscribers and gets about 100 hits a day - sometimes many more - and I've had comments and emails from new friends all over the world. Now that is incredibly interesting - and in some ways, very kind. So thank you all for your support for my first year of blogging. I hope you'll stick around for 2009.

The thing I remember most about 2008, though, are the small acts of random kindness that people still bestow on me. A encouraging email, a text message inviting me for coffee, and sometimes even bigger gestures. I know who you are, and I'm very grateful, thank you.

I'm off to my small home-town of Prescot for Christmas - and I hope I can offer a few RAOK's myself, or at least make a decent roast turkey for my father!

I'll be back on January 5th - and I look forward to your company for the professional rollercoaster that 2009 will (no doubt) be.

Nollaig Shonasach agus athbhliain shuaimhneach

Merry Christmas - and a Happy and Peaceful New Year

p.s. If you could encourage your friends to visit - so that I can break the 5000 "unique visitors" target before Jan 1, 2009 - I would consider it a serious RAOK on your part! Thank you in advance!

Stephen

stock photography photography freelance photography

How to Know when You've Been Published

2008-12-15T22:58:00.010Z

Publication Information Deprecation

Last Monday in this post I mentioned that a travel feature I produced on Santa Fe, and Native American Pueblos, was about to be published, after languishing in the offices of the Irish Times newspaper since April 2008.

I was told of the imminent publication by a sub-editor, who was preparing the article for the press and was looking for the accompanying photographs because the disk I had sent with the text, had been mislaid. Although the "sub" couldn't give me a confirmed date, he felt sure that it would be published before Christmas. When I called back to confirm that he had received my disk with copies of the 20 photographs, he was pretty sure that publication was scheduled for Saturday 20th December.

The issue here is simple. If I don't know when the article will be published, I can't invoice the newspaper for it. Being told the estimated date by a sub-editor is useful, but it is really the job of the Travel section editor (where the feature would be printed) to let me know when and if the piece is being published, and how much she intends to pay me for it.

The last time I had a travel feature published in the Irish Times, I was told 2 weeks in advance of publication and the editor asked me for my invoice. The section editor has changed in the last few weeks, and the new one didn't answer my email, sent a week ago, asking her to confirm the publication date.

This sort of thing shouldn't be left to chance. After all, this is my livelihood we're talking about, and I was professional enough to give them a feature they want to publish (the "sub" was very complimentary about the photographs) so, the least they can do is let me know that I can invoice them.

So, what I'm going to do next is:
1) Look up the NUJ (National Union of Journalists - I'm a member) rates for 2000 words and at least two photographs across a two page spread on the inside pages (the "sub" told me that much) of a national newspaper with a large circulation.
2) Email the travel section editor again - this time with a copy to NUJ HQ.
3) Make sure I get the paper on Saturday.
4) And, if the feature is published; email my invoice (again copied to NUJ HQ) for the full recommended NUJ rate.

Usually, editors offer less than the NUJ rates, which are often thought to be higher than the "norm". Last time, I took a good fee but not one as high as the NUJ would have suggested.

But this time, with advance notification and only good luck to ensure that I knew it was being published - what if the photos had not been lost - would I have been told anything at all - I think they deserve the full NUJ invoice.

Of course, if I am told before I send the email - I'll take my hat off to the Irish Times!

stock photography photography freelance photography

Photographer's Agents

2008-12-12T23:22:00.007Z

Special, or Just a Secret?

I think it's about time that I found myself an agent. Or, to give them their correct epithet: a Photographer's Representative.

It would put paid to a lot of my problems as a jobbing, self-employed photographer. Well, not all of my problems, but it might it increase my flow of work, somewhat. The big problem with being a one-person-band, as a freelance photographer, is that you have to be, not only a good photographer, but also a good marketing manager and booking agent.

I think I'm a good photographer. No, scratch that: I know I'm a good photographer (it took many, many long years of self-hypnosis for me to be able to write that, but I got there in the end). But that's only half the battle - in fact getting the job done well is only a third of the battle. The other two thirds are finding the job and then getting well paid for it at the end - and in my book they are much bigger thirds (don't tell my Maths teacher I said that).

I have always felt that having an agent would enhance my kudos and standing (even if it is only a superficial perception) but much, much more importantly (for me) they would point me towards the work. Then, I'd just turn up and do it - and do it well. I'm convinced that I'd be much more effective when I've harnessed 100% of my photography skills into taking (or making) photographs, than having it dissipated by trying to be a marketer and job-finder. OK, that might sound like a cop-out (as they say where I'm from: replace with "lame", "wimpy" or "gauche", to suit) but it's something I genuinely believe would work for me.

I've never been a great seller - especially of myself - and so I think a photography agent (not to be confused with a a picture agent or stock agency - I have two of those) would be perfect for me. I'm also a terrible fee negotiator. I often become almost too embarrassed to ask for a fee that I know I would more than earn - especially when I'm working in the commercial sector - and I'm convinced that an agent would get me a bigger slice of that "cake" even after they have taken their 25% fee.

But finding one is easier said than done. Most of the photographer's agents that I have been in contact with say that they have very small lists of photographers, for whom they are working flat out or that my work doesn't "fit" with their existing portfolios.

In a recent Professional Photographer magazine article, Adele Rider the Director of Photographer's Agency Shoot said that she gets an average of two approaches a day, from photographers looking for representation. She says:

"Most of the time it's either a case of them being completely wrong and not having really looked at our website, or the pictures are nice but nothing special. And I think you need a lot more that nice pictures now it has to be the compete package. Personality, luck, hard work, and the skill is actually quite a small part of it..."

Well, apart from the personality, luck and skill - I think I have what you're looking for Adele (or any other Photographer's Representative out there.) I certainly work hard. And I can take "quirky" shots. One day I might also get lucky.

stock photography photography freelance photography

How to License Your Photography

2008-12-10T09:56:00.013Z

The (Big) Sale That Flew Away

A feeling of great excitement struck me, late last night. I had been chatting with a friend and came into my study to find a book to show her, and glanced at my emails as I passed the computer (go on, try not doing that - looking at emails every five minutes is an addiction many of us have but might find hard to acknowledge).

Sitting there, on the screen, was something I hadn't seen before - but which I knew a lot about - as it is close to a legendary event in the online circles of one of the photography agencies I use (Alamy). It was an email from their sales department, which read:

Hi Stephen, I hope you are well. One of our clients is interested in an image of yours (Alamy ref: AA4K00). The client would like to have a look at the copy of the property release. Could you please get back to us ASAP with a copy of the release as our client is working towards a very tight deadline? I look forward to hearing from you.

Such an email is very sought after because most clients will buy an image directly from the agent's website, without asking for property or model release forms. If the sales department is contacted, then it can often imply (but not always) that the image is being used for commercial use (advertising purposes), rather than for editorial use (publishing in newspapers, magazines and books).

And what, generally is the difference between commercial and editorial use? Money. Often lots of money. Don't ask me why, but commercial photography always pays more than editorial - whether it's commissioned work or stock photography.

So, I was very excited to see that email. Then I panicked. Had I got the property release? While it's something that photographers should do routinely, how many of us really do carry pieces of paper around that we ask the owners of property to sign, to allow images of them to be used commercially? I'd be surprised if many photographers do that for people shots (in that case the paper is called a "model release" form) let alone houses, or gardens or - in my case - helicopters. But, no, there it was - much to my amazement - in my folder marked model releases (I am one of those photographers who rarely ask for "property releases", so a separate folder is unwarranted - but I may change my ways!) So, all I had to do was go to bed and dream of what I would buy with the bundles of hard cash coming my way from this undoubtedly lucrative sale.

The shot sold this morning, and the fee is showing in my online account on the agent's website. It made $300. Yes, not bad for one shot. But not what I was expecting for a commercial sale - especially one that had generated the legendary email from the sales team!

So, what went wrong? Well nothing, actually. The reason that the fee was lower than it definitely could have been, was to do with the way in which the photograph had been licensed. When I first submitted that image to the agent, I had to decide on the type of license it would be assigned - declaring the way in which the image was to be "sold".

Licensing of stock photography is a complex issue - and it's a decision that only the photographer can make. The two "basic" licenses are "Royalty Free" and "Rights Managed". In general terms, a "Rights Managed" license means that each specific and single use - what the image is used for, where it will be used and for how long - has to be specified each time and paid for accordingly. It often results in quite high fees (known as "royalties") that are determined by the way the photograph is used. This can result in big money for for commercial images or photographs plastered over two pages of a national newspaper, for example.

"Royalty Free" images, are precisely that. The copyright owner (the photographer) allows the image to be purchased as a one-off sale, with the understanding that the image can be used in anyway the purchaser decides, for as long as they want. The upside is that a single purchase can command a reasonably high fee, but the (serious) downside is that the price does not fluctuate, depending on the use - and no additional fee applies if the image is used for another purpose, time and time again.

So, what saw alongside my sale figure was that I had assigned the image as "royalty free" when I submitted it to the agent - and that can't be changed.

More on how to decide on license types in another post!

stock photography photography freelance photography

How to Talk Yourself Out of a Photography Job

2008-12-08T16:29:00.012Z

© Stephen Power 2008

Being an old-fashioned Lancashire Lad (it's the county of my birth, in the North West of England) I was brought up on the expression "there's nowt so queer as folk", at a time when "queer" usually meant strange and "nowt" meant (as it still does in Lancashire), nothing.

Having spent many years working and teaching in the fields of psychiatry and psychology, I should, by now, have come to fully appreciate the truth in that old adage and not be side-swiped by the queer antics of some of the folk I know. But, there are still times when the behaviour of my fellow human beings can be so surprising as to leave me totally gobsmacked - another good old Lancashire expression; which I am using, here, to convey a sense of being totally stunned and completely exasperated!

Late on Friday evening, with the complimentary hotel conference room shot (see Free Photography - Does it Pay?) almost finished after a good 8 hours work at the computer - there was a lot of "Photoshopping" (not a Lancashire word), as well as regular processing involved - I got a call from the stylist whom I had invited to work with me on the shoot. She told me that she had been talking to the General Manager at the hotel, and discussing the cost of styling the Christmas tree (an additional job that she had been offered simply for turning up to assess the room shot work.

She told him that it would take 2 full days; that she needed to bring along 2 assistants and that material costs would be at least €1000. Total cost of the job: €1950 - maybe more depending on material costs. To dress a Christmas tree. "He wouldn't go for it" she told me, to which I replied "I don't blame him, because it sounds ridiculous". Whether it is ridiculous or not, is hardly the issue. To my mind, given I'm on the West of Ireland, and there is a recession on - or at least a severe belt-tightening process is occurring in the commercial sector - to talk about assistants, excessive amounts of time, and very large sums of money for a job that should take one person with a good eye (which she undoubtedly has) a few hours on their own, will definitely appear to be ridiculous to a cost-conscious hotel manager.

At the end of that phone call - which, it has to be said, I curtailed fairly snappily - I felt angrier and more disappointed than I had, with anyone, for a long time. Not only had she quoted figures that I knew would not be acceptable, she had reneged on our agreement that I would handle all of the discussions regarding costs and fees, with the manager. I spent the entire weekend convinced that all of the ground work we had done - and the good photography and styling we had produced - would come to nothing because of one needless phone call.

Today, I turned up to show my work to the hotel manager. I had made 4 A3 prints, 4 A4 prints, and 3 pages of large-size "proofs" of all the shots taken. Plus, I had saved everything to disk both in printable and website-use formats. It had been my intention, all along, to give this material free of charge. A good friend had also reasoned that any cost could be recouped in new work. I decided that I could afford the paper and ink, and the disk. It didn't add up to much in material costs, but could be invaluable in terms of goodwill.

The manager was delighted with the large printed work ("a good big 'un will always beat a good little 'un - as they also say in Lancashire"). He was also delightfully surprised when I told him that he could keep it.

The manager told me about the call with the stylist and that she had lowered her fee when he declined the first one. What was apparent, though, was that he had decided to try and work without a stylist - or at least to see if that was possible. And, I couldn't help wondering at which point, precisely, that modus operandus had occurred to him - as it was mainly his idea to use a stylist, in the first place. I suggested a much lower day rate, for her, than she had discussed on the phone - and while he didn't say no, neither did he say yes.

He did, however, offer me the job of photographing another 10 conference rooms. He asked me what it would cost - and I gave him my day rate (twice as high as the stylist's) and said it could take 5 days. He agreed on the spot and took me on a tour of the rooms.

He then offered me another 4 jobs - photographing the gardens in the winter with frost (I even went as far as suggesting he could call me early on the next frosty morning); coffee machines; garden water feature with a bride - and the 'bridal suite' once totally refurbished - rather than "styled, which had been the original plan. He also asked if I did "video work", as he needed a short video of a wedding reception for the website.

I got the feeling that I had forged a very strong and potentially very lucrative link with that particular hotel. I hope to be able to restore equilibrium with the stylist - but if not, so be it. Sometimes it pays to give your work away and say nowt.

life photography freelance photography

Free Photography - Does it Pay? Part Deux

2008-12-05T17:32:00.006Z

So, yesterday, the fateful day for the free commercial shoot at a large Limerick hotel, arrived (see Free Photography Does it Pay for the background story).

Armed with a newly-found stylist, and warding off all thoughts that the person whom I had originally asked to work as a stylist on the free shoot might have a point - I turned up to shoot the conference room. Actually, that's not true. The previous day (Tuesday) the stylist and I went to view the conference room - I took some light readings, and she looked at the available furniture and decorations.

We did that for 20 minutes, and then the general manager (a true gentleman) approached us with another manager, and asked if they could take us to see the Bridal Suite, as they felt it was in need a styling and shooting for a new brochure. We looked at it, agreed that it could do with making "more romantic" and there and then the stylist was asked to do the job - and a budget (quite a hefty one in my mind) was agreed on the spot. I will be shooting it for the brochure when the re-style is finished.

One the way back into the lobby, the general manager asked the stylist if she could "do something about the Christmas Tree decorations" as he felt they also needed a face lift and he also wanted to shoot them, for a new brochure. That job was quickly agreed, and then the manager telephone his counterpart at the "sister" hotel (a 5 star hotel, part of a famous world-wide chain) and arranged for the stylist to visit, to see if she could do something about their decorations too. (I drove her over, later and that job was agreed, too.)

As we were standing in the lobby, the manager pointed outside to a water feature in the garden, saying that he wanted to encourage brides to use it more for wedding photographs. Within 5 minutes, I had agreed to photograph it, with a model bride - with styling, of course.

That adds up to 3 jobs for me, and 4 for the stylist, and we hadn't even photographed the conference room at that point. Not to mention the additional promised 7 conference rooms, should that shoot go well.

We shot the conference room the following day. it took over 5 hours to set up, style and shoot, and then we shot half of the Christmas decorations - the tree will be styled next week and I'll go back and shoot it then. I'll not post the room shot because it hasn't been seen and approved. But here's a glimpse of one of the Christmas decoration shots - a gingerbread house specially made by the hotel kitchen for the shoot.

So, it looks like free work might pay after all. I'll keep you posted.

photography freelance photography

Getting Travel Features Published

2008-12-01T11:00:00.014Z

I’ve just had a strange thing happen with a travel feature I produced after a a trip to Santa Fe, in New Mexico. I sent it into the Irish Times newspaper in March and they were going to publish it shortly after another feature of mine on Seattle, which was published in June. But, nothing happened with it. And, as the months passed, I completely gave up on the idea that it would be published at all. So, I re-wrote a section of it and submitted to an online travel magazine, who said that they might use it in December, but weren’t sure about it.

Then, on Thursday, I got a call from a sub-editor at the Irish Times saying that he was putting the Santa Fe feature together for publication - in the printed Travel Supplement (and probably online, too) - before Christmas, and the disk with 20 photographs had been mislaid, so could I resend them – which I did the next day.

Last night, I got an email from the editor of the online magazine, Travel Post Monthly saying that they had published my article, and wanted my address to send me a cheque – but she didn’t say for how much! If you follow the link to the online magazine (above), You’ll see another link to my article (The Pueblos of New Mexico) at the bottom of the page. There are 2 of my photos on the home page and 4 (including those 2) on the article page. They also made a link to my email address, so that editors of other magazines can contact authors, if they want to re-publish their work. This morning, 12 hours after the article was published online, I got an email from Vic Foster, the editor Travelling Tales another online magazine, telling me that he would like to re-publish my article.

There are a number of 'learning curves' that arise out of this for me. The first is that editors can take a very long time to publish your work - so be patient with them, don't pester them - I didn't contact the Irish Times at all since my first article was publishes, asking about the second one - but also consider other options for publication and even consider formally withdrawing your article if time drags on without a firm commitment to publish.

Other lessons to learn concern the fees being offered. I made a mistake not finding out what was being offered, and my article appeared published before a fee was agreed. That's not a wise move, and I have emailed to ask what I'm being paid. But, I really should have been told beforehand - as it's my work and I should have control - or at least some say - over what I get paid for it.

Also, most online magazines will only pay a fraction of what national newspapers and large circulation magazines will pay for an article - and some don't pay anything at all. So, in such instances, you need to consider if you would rather be published and paid a pittance. "Travelling Tales", for example, offers only $25 Canadian - about €15 - per article, and I will definitely be engaging in a discussion with the editor before I accept such a small amount for an article and photographs.

I'll keep you posted.

photography freelance photography Travel

When Email Photography Forums Fail

2008-11-28T20:10:00.007Z

Friday Faux Pas

A member of an email photography forum, to which I subscribe, asked a question, today, about whether it was possible to manually adjust the "auto" tone control in Lightroom. - it was an interesting question, and I was sure that someone out there in Digital-imaging land would know - and so I sat back and waited for what I was sure would be an equally interesting answer.

And, sure enough, someone did know. But, the answer never came. What did come through, on the email, was a very polite "thank you" to the forum member who had (wait for it...) telephoned the answer to the original poster.

Telephoned! Actually called and spoke to him. What is the world coming to when we are no longer satisfied with the impersonal and often anonymous communication methods of email and internet forums that we have to resort to actually speaking to someone else - live! It's all beyond me.

And, I didn't get the answer - I bet it was good one!
photography

Free Photography - Does it Pay?

2008-11-26T11:56:00.014Z

A Bird I'th Hand...

A few miles from where I was born and raised, in Lancashire, UK, was a pub called "A Bird I'th Hand" - a phrase intended to be heard in a Lancashire dialect (as in...eh up lad, get thy clogs on, there's trouble at mill) and which translates to the first part of the old proverb: "A Bird in the Hand..is worth two in the bush".

Those wise words advise us to be satisfied with what we have, rather than to dream of what we might get. The "birds" of our hopes and aspirations fly away all too easily, so holding onto what we have, even though it's not as much as we might want, is better than having nothing at all.

I having been trying, for some time now, to "break into" a particularly lucrative sector of the commercial market, involving hotel room photography and I recently had an opportunity to discuss business with a very important client in that sector.

Because this client did not know me, and had only seen a small sample of my work (including my image of the "Flying Staircase" at Glin Castle Hotel, County Limerick, above) I decided to make an offer he couldn't refuse. I suggested that I photograph one room for free. The agreement was that, should the image I produce be regarded as similar in quality to that of previous work he had purchased (for substantial fees), I would be offered a contract to photograph another 7 rooms, in one of his premises. I would also speculate that the possibilities of further work for that client, beyond the next 7 rooms, would be very strong.

The client asked if I would bring a room stylist with me. This was a service that previous photographers had provided, and it was an important "value-added" aspect of the work that the client appreciated. By chance, I had been talking to a room stylist, a few days earlier, and had mentioned the prospect of teaming up with her on room photography projects - and she seemed very keen on the idea.

So, last evening I called her to talk about the new assignment. At first, she was very interested. But, as soon as I mentioned the words "free sample", she became less interested, and then suddenly found that she was too busy to even consider it. She was, however, honest enough to say that she didn't work for free and it was a long way for her to travel (about 70km one way) - and work for a day for free (I had considered paying her expenses myself - but we didn't get far enough into the conversation for me to offer). She knew of the client, and she had some idea of what the paid commission would be worth (the bird in the bush) but she couldn't be convinced that it was worth the risk.

So, now I'm looking for a room stylist that believes in birds in the bush - and who can see the possibilities that working for free might hold.

I'll let you know if my birds fly away - or if I'm the one who is "crowing" at the end of the day.

UPDATE 17.30pm 26th November

Well, that didn't take long. Not two hours hours after making the original post (above) I telephoned a women who owns a room furnishings shop and who has a great "eye" for style and design. We met over coffee and she is totally enthused by the assignment, and was practically telling me what the advantages were of offering to do a free sample. I'm hoping to arrange the job for next week - and I'll update after that.

photography Business

How to Make Contact with Photography Clients

2008-11-24T00:12:00.008Z

Is Email the new Cold-Call?

I'd been having a few problems telephoning my father in the UK. We speak on the phone about twice a week, and I have a good idea of when he will be at home. But, just lately, my calls weren't being answered.

With some persistence I managed to get through to him, and he told me that he had been avoiding answering his telephone to "international calls". There was a time when he saw "international" flash up on his phone screen, he knew it was me calling. But, in recent months, he had been getting a series of what sounded like the latest cold-calling phenomenon "robocalls" which are still being used by UK telemarketers (some based overseas).

My father was being sent the same message, two or three times a week, and he found it particularly upsetting as it made mention to "...you and your wife" - he is still mourning the loss of my mother 6 years after her death. So, rather than have to put up with this intrusive and insensitive form of advertising, he decided not to take any international calls at all. We quickly devised a system by which he would know it was me calling, which overcame my concern about not getting through to him; and not answering the robcall seems to have made it go away (at least for the time being).

All of which got me wondering about how I contact new clients - and which contact methods might work better than others.

I've always had an aversion to cold-calling. Not least because I'm not comfortable with the notion of being "intrusive". I regularly respond to friendly invitations to dinner or drinks, or a coffee at friends homes with "I wouldn't want to intrude" (and no, it's just a polite way of not talking to them - I genuinely can feel like I'm an interloper). And, I had a fairly bad stutter until I was into my late teens, and talking on the phone hugely exacerbated the problem - so I avoided making phone calls.

I honed out a pretty successful (former) career that involved speaking at high-powered meetings, in public and in lecture halls to large groups of people - and also with individuals on an often very intense level, and I have completely overcome any hang-ups (pun intended) about talking anywhere, including on the phone. But, I do wonder what a prospective client might feel about the "cold-call" - and I have never been comfortable with the idea of selling myself on the telephone.

As an alternative, I have taken to sending out emails. Often quite detailed, personal messages written specifically for the recipient, and including a few sample images. They sometimes get a good response - in that, at best, I get a "yes please" or even a personally written "no thank you - but my success rate is probably down at the 20% level (that is: 1 reply for every 5 emails sent - and often less). I do wonder what happens to the other 80% or more of my non-robot missives. Do they find their way to the client's junk folder? Does the client think "oh not another photographer!" or worse, "oh not another robo-photographer!"?

As professional photographers we need to contact clients. But I'm beginning to wonder just how we can do that in a way that isn't to be regarded as robotic, impersonal, irrelevant and cold.

stock photography photography freelance photography

Unleash Your Photographic Creativity

2008-11-21T10:32:00.010Z

Plan to be Spontaneous

I like this photograph. It works, for me, on several different levels. I have used it in photography workshops to talk about "The Rule of Thirds", and the use of colour, and backgrounds, and posing techniques, and the use of "space" in an image and humour in photography. It's a shot of Limerick-born actress and comedienne Frances Healy taken in her home City, and I like to think that it shows something of where she started and where she is now.

But that's not really why I like it. I like it because I had no idea that I was going to take it 15 seconds before I pressed the shutter. And, had someone suggested the idea to me, and I'd thought about it for a while, I would have probably not done it. It's not really my type of shot. Generally, I prefer my portrait shots to have the subject big in the frame, and with a balanced, symmetrical feel to the composition. Given the time to consider a shot of a woman in an expensive dress and a fabulous hair-do, I doubt I would have come up with graffiti as a suitable back-drop. Plus, I definitely wouldn't have thought about asking her to pull a funny face.

I was on a shoot - of Frances, in Limerick City - for a popular lifestyle magazine, with an entourage of 4 other people (art director, make-up artist, clothes stylist and set dresser) and we were walking from one carefully scouted location to the next one, when we took a detour along an alley way and I saw the graffiti-covered wall.

"Oh, I like that wall", I muttered to the art director, and kept on walking. Frances stood against the wall saying "quick shot then" and I lined up the camera (making sure I put the wall in the first two-thirds of the frame - but not thinking about why I was doing that) and said "lets do something different to the others; pull a funny face." There it was; done. No make up artist to tidy the make up, no clothes stylist to "joosh" the dress, no set dresser to add extra graffiti or paint out some of it, no tripod to steady the camera. And, especially, no time to think about it, realize that it was not my "usual" way of doing things and change my mind back to how it should be done.

Coming out of my comfort zone and being spontaneous is probably the most difficult thing for me to do. It's much safer to stay where I usually stay - doing what I usually do.

But I'm now beginning to wonder just how many times I have thought long and hard about a situation - or a prospective situation - and formulated a careful plan. Have they always worked? And, how many times have I said at the end of all that configuring: "No, that would never work", and ditched the carefully considered idea, lock stock and barrel.

I wonder though, just how many good results have come from actions I have taken spontaneously. Or how many good photographs I have taken by doing the opposite of what I would usually do?

More than I realize, probably.

photography

The Best Way to Start A Photography Business

2008-11-19T18:14:00.013Z

Pick Up the Ball - And RUN with it!

Interesting juxtaposition of events and issues today. I went back to a small town, where I once lived, for coffee with a good friend - in a café a few yards away from a building in which I had run a business (a music shop), for four years. Just as the business was bordering on profitability, the lease on the premises was revoked. I lost €35000 in retail value stock (I gave some away to schools and other worthy causes - and sold some at cost on eBay) not to mention probably losing about 3 years of my life from the stress.

My good friend was talking about starting a new business of his own. Naturally, he had mixed feelings about it, including excitement and trepidation. But, I was quite sure of my view on the matter. If you're excited, and passionate about it (which he definitely is) and have some knowledge and skill in your chosen area (which he definitely does) PLUS, you have assessed the risks and still think it's doable - Start the business!

My position is based on my own experiences of starting risky businesses - including Irish music - which I knew nothing about when I began (but on which topic I'm now a virtual expert) - and, of course, freelance photography. You'll never know what will happen, and you might not forgive yourself for not trying. What can you afford to risk to start the venture? Then risk that.

I also have a long background in practicing and teaching counselling psychology - and I have met too many people who are waiting until they are sure that all the conditions are in perfect order, before they proceed to do anything. This could be getting married; getting divorced; leaving their partner; having children; changing jobs; starting a new career; ending an old one - or whatever. Most of those people are probably still waiting, because the conditions are never perfect, the time is never really right - to do anything. Sometimes it's really wrong, but that's not the same thing.

Usually, the best time to start a new venture is when most of the conditions seem right. Waiting for all of the pieces to fall into place is like Waiting for Godot (he never arrives - and some scholars think that Samuel Beckett derived the name Godot from an old French word for life).

On the way out of the café we bumped into an old counselling student of mine, who is now the owner of an art gallery housed in - you guessed it - the building from which my business was evicted. After some coaxing, we went in (remember; I hadn't crossed that threshold in more than 4 years, and I never thought I would again) to meet Artist Geraldine O'Riordan who was preparing for a forthcoming exhibition. Her excitement and passion for her work was palpable - and her work is stunning. Quite bizarrely, it turned out that in a former life Geraldine was a interior designer and had decorated the house in which I now live. Ain't life strange.

I was encouraged to hear that Geraldine had a very similar view to my own on the matter of starting a new career, namely: if you have the drive and passion, go for it, life is too short to miss your opportunity to start. That was good to hear. I also discovered that laying ghosts is a bit like starting out on a new career path - you just have to DO it. The conditions to cross the threshold will never be perfect - and the reality is probably not going to be as bad as the fantasy.

Later, I read a post on a photography forum saying: " Can anyone recommend any good resources (e.g. books and web sites) that cover the business side of photography?"

So, I thought I'd offer my "Complete Beginner's Guide to Starting a Photography Business." It's all you need to know (assuming you can take a salable photograph and are able to keep your accounts in order - or at worst, can afford to employ an accountant).

Q. When is the best time for me to start a new photography business?

A. Now.

Q. When will the conditions be perfect to ensure a good outcome?

A. Never.

Q. How will I know if I am making the right decision to start a photography (or any other business)?

A. You won't, at least not at the start. But, with time, you may come to believe that you did make the right choice - and that's all that counts.

Q. What do I do if I start a business and it fails.

A. Start again. (But only if your If you're heart is really in it - and you have the passion and belief in yourself).

stock photography photography freelance photography

Be a "Professional" Photographer - Learn to Share

2008-11-17T00:17:00.006Z

I got a surprise phone call, quite early the other morning. "Stephen", a voice I didn't recognize said, "it's Barry Murphy, I'm a photographer based in County Kerry. "

Still a bit bemused as to why a photographer I didn't know was calling me at 9 O'Clock on a Saturday morning, I listened as Barry went on to explain. He had been contacted by a prestigious hotel in a town about 20 minutes drive from where I'm currently based, who wanted him to photograph the local "hunt" (ladies and gents in red jackets, mounted on horses with a pack of hound dogs) outside the hotel early on Sunday morning. The shot was to be used in a forthcoming advertising brochure for the hotel; and as it constituted a commercial shot, the job was going to pay very well.

Barry is a well-established specialist in interior photography, and had worked for the hotel previously, and he was their first choice for the job. Unfortunately, he had another commitment and couldn't do it. He knew of me from communications of mine he had seen on the Prodig email list and after taking a good look at my own website - Adare Images - he felt satisfied, he told me, that I seemed "savvy enough" (his words) to do the job to a good standard. Although, he confided, there were a few "wedding and freelance press photographers" in the area that he wouldn't want to risk with the work. He was calling me early so that he could look for another photographer if I wasn't available, and then let his client know, in good time, that he had made alternative arrangements.

Not only was I flattered that a complete stranger had plucked me out of the pile to trust me to do a good job for one of his top clients; I was also very impressed by the level of generosity that his action displayed. It's not often that you get independent photographers passing on well-paid work to any Tom, Dick or Stephen. In fact, some of the possessiveness and back-stabbing I've witnessed in some photography forums and with certain "professionals" I've met had me wondering if magnanimity was long since dead. Plus, the current economic downturn might lead the more cynical amongst us to assuming that the law of dog-eat-dog was in full swing.

That phone call taught me something about human nature. Namely; you can't always be sure about it - even when the current climate and the circumstances lead you to feel certain that you can predict how people will respond. It also showed me that when you are confident and secure enough in your abilities and your situation - it is possible to feel safe enough to share your work (and your hard-won clients) with others.

And an important business lesson wasn't lost on me either - do the right thing by your clients, and quickly, if you want to keep them for longer.

stock photography photography freelance photography

Find Your Place in the Photography Market

2008-11-14T09:45:00.006Z

And Don't Get Squeezed Out!

Many years ago, at an open-air Bruce Springsteen concert in the UK, an extremely large and overweight man, who had been standing very close to me and my companion, decided to make his way to the front of the stage - and then out to the bar. The crowd around me took up the free space he left in his wake, and we all settled in to being gently crushed again. Then he came back. I still have a vague memory of the intense pressure on my ribs as he forced himself into a space that no longer existed and I found myself with nowhere to go. Except - out to the side, just where he had come from.

It's not that easy working as a self-employed photographer (and writer) when some think that all it takes to be successful is a half-decent camera and a computer. It's difficult enough that there are a heck of a lot of very talented people out there - many of them vying for the same cramped space in the job market. But, it's worse when that space gets even more congested by people who really shouldn't be there at all. Despite plenty of opinion to the contrary - and some evidence to back it up - I'm not quite as full of my own "self importance" as I could be - nor am as as confident of my abilities as I should be (err...probably). And, I am often inclined to be the one who moves away to make room for others.

Yesterday, a prospective client - a tour operator - asked me to look at some photographs he had been sent by a freelance photographer, and offer a second opinion on whether they were good enough to be used on his website. I was flattered to be asked - and he was honest enough to say that although he liked them, his photographic expertise was minimal.

But, I was also getting mentally prepared to be squeezed out of the potential market. After all, this was a freelance photographer, so she had to be good, hadn't she? Immediately, in my head, I was sizing up the opposition, finding her to be 'bigger' than I am (certainly in terms o f talent and potential to succeed) and getting ready to move out of the arena.

The thing was; I didn't like most of the photographs. Not only did I not like them, I knew, in a very objective and totally non-partisan way, that they were not of a very good standard and would probably not benefit the client's standing as a well-respected tour operator should he use them.

So I told him, by email, that yes there were some that I quite liked, compositionally speaking, and one of them was, in my view, excellent. But most of the images were over-processed, and one had been so heavily manipulated that although it might work well as an art print, I didn't think that it would look right on a tour operator's website. There were others that had obvious technical problems - like wildly converging verticals on a shot of a church, and poor colour balance on some interior shots.

I told him all this, in what I hoped was a professional and objective manner - and I explained that I teach those subjects to photography students. And, I also emailed examples of my own landscapes, interior shots and architectural images that I hoped would show the differences I was writing about.

I don't have his response yet - but I felt good about what I did. I was being fair and as objective as possible, but I was also saying "some of us can do this better than others".

Move over, I told my unseen interloper - I'm claiming my place in the arena!

stock photography photography freelance photography

What to do About Cancelled Photo Shoots

2008-11-10T01:08:00.006Z

Win Your Cancellation Fee

A local newspaper that I have been working for over the last two years, called on Friday evening with 3 jobs for the weekend. Two were on Saturday evening (bang goes my social life - or it would had I got one) and the third was on Sunday morning (bang went my usual Sunday lie-in - not that I usually get one!)

The two evening jobs went quite smoothly: other than the fact that the paper booked me in at 8.15pm for a book launch shoot and then a sports club anniversary dinner at 8.30pm. Which gave me 15 minutes to take the book launch shots. Oh no it didn't! The jobs were 20 miles drive apart, it was dark and raining torrentially, and I was on back-roads of Ireland I had never seen before. Mind you, even if the jobs had been a street apart, 15 minutes was hardly time enough. As it was, I got the book job done fairly smartish, and my Sat Nav found my next location in 25 minutes, so I was only about half an hour late - which, in this part of Ireland is known as "being pretty punctual!"

I was in good time for the third job, which was scheduled for 11am on Sunday morning, a local league soccer match at a ground, about 30 minutes drive from my house. I just needed 2 actions shots of the match, and I'd be home in time for the Coronation Street repeats (blog readers outside of Ireland and the UK may want to follow the link or contact me for further details on precisely where Coronation Street is - and what you've been missing!)

The problem was the game was canceled. No one from the paper had contacted me to tell me, there was no notice on closed and securely locked gates of the soccer pitch, and there was no one to ask, either. I drove away thinking that I might have got the time wrong, and stopped a man in the street, to ask if he know anything about it. This being Ireland ("a small country" - meaning that everyone knows everyone else in the small towns; which is really something to be very thankful for, especially when you've experienced the anonymity of large cities) the man pointed to a corner shop and said: "someone wearing a red coat has just gone into that shop - and he will be able to tell you". I went into the shop, found the young man in the red coat and politely asked him about the game, to be told "all local matches are off due to the weather". I thanked him, and drove home, wondering about my fee for the job - which now looked to be in jeopardy.

It's not easy being a freelance photographer. The work doesn't come regularly, you have to take what you get - or not work at all - and sometimes, the work is canceled at short notice, or, like today, it just doesn't happen at all. Not that long ago, I would have written it off as one of those things.

But when I got home today, I emailed the paper and told them that the game was canceled and that I would be billing them for the full amount, given that I had to find out about it from a man in a red coat in a corner shop - and not from the picture desk!

Luckily - the National Union of Journalists fees guide is on my side (sporting pun) and it recommends that a minimum of 100% of the job fee is claimed if work is canceled within 1 - 7 days of the scheduled date. Other rates are on the website (follow the link for more details and their views on cancellation policy).

I just hope that the picture editor (who is a union member) agrees with his union's advice!

How to Develop A Photography Business (3)

2008-11-07T15:46:00.006Z

Find Free Advertising Space

Driving home from a meeting of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) - I'm Freelance Officer of the SW Ireland Branch - I noticed something odd about the view of my car's rear window.

There was an elliptical-shaped object on the bottom left hand corner of the window, that I hadn't noticed before - but which I immediately recognized as some sort of sticker.

When I got home, it didn't take me long to see that the sticker was an advertisement for the motor dealer from whom I'd bought my car, about a year ago. I had been so busy that I'd almost forgotten that I had taken my car in for its 25000km service, that day. The sequence of events was quite straightforward:

I took the car for a service. The dealer carried out the service. I paid the dealer for his work. The dealer used my car as free advertising space for his business.

Surely I have misunderstood something? I buy a car for €37000, and I pay for regular services and repairs. Then, the car dealer to whom I have paid all this money uses my property to advertise his business for nothing. No, I didn't misunderstand anything at all. And it happens all the time - go outside and check your car or your friend's car - or your T shirt, or your rucksack, or your phone or...need I continue?

So why don't I do the same to promote my business? I could do some work for a client and then find a way to use that work - or simply the fact that I did it - to promote myself further; having first been paid for the work, of course! Thus, getting two bites of the cherry.

But, what to do to avail of this fantastic free advertising scheme that motor dealers (to name but one of a thousand other astute businesses) have been exploiting for decades? More of that in another post.

But first, a competition. Use the comments link (below) to suggest ways to get free advertising for your photography business. For the best ones (that is, any original ideas that capture my imagination) I will offer free advertising for your business on this Blog (that is: a small "blurb" and a link to your own Blog or website) for 1 week.

How to Develop a Photography Business Part 2

How to Develop A Photography Business Part 1

stock photography photography freelance photography

How to Develop A Photography Business (2)

2008-11-03T00:04:00.015Z

Identify your Income Streams

If, like me, you’ve made the leap into full time freelance photography work – or you’re at least thinking about it, you will need to also think about where your income will come from.

(Cue Homer Simpson impression) DOH! From photography, stupid!

OK, well then, what kind of photography? What will you specialise in? Will you be a jack-of-all-trades (some might add…and master of none)? Or will you find your niche in the marketplace and become a specialist in a particular strand of photography?

But that’s not all I’m referring to here – there is a bigger picture (pun intended) to look at before deciding on what sort of photographs you will (and will not) take to make a living.

First of all, you need to consider where all of your money will come from – and that can mean being, as a photographer, more than someone who takes photographs. What would happen if your single source of income - taking photographs suddenly dried up? Say you had a bad month because no one was getting married (I know a wedding photographer whose work ceases every October 31st until the following April) or the newspaper you freelanced for went bust? If you'd put all your proverbial eggs into that one basket, where would your next omelette and fries come from?

It was only when a good friend, with many years of experience in corporate banking – and huge savvy with regard to writing business plans – sat me down to consider from where my total income would be derived, that I began to consider the notion of “income streams”.

It was then that I realised that photography per se, might only account for a proportion of my income as a photographer – and that work could be further divided into several income streams (more of that in a future post).

I gave a lot of thought (and, it has to be said, I’m still thinking) about where my skills lie, and how those skills can be utilised to form a series of income streams that come together to form the river that becomes my monthly salary as a freelance photographer.

This is what I've come up with (so far):

I can Take Photographs to a Professional Standard that People are Prepared to Buy

Possible income streams

1) Identify my photographic Specialisms and potential markets and sell my photographs directly to those markets

2) Contribute stock images to one or more reputable and effective photographic stock agencies and sell my photographs to other unidentified markets, indirectly

3) Hold Photography exhibitions and sell my framed prints directly to the public

4) Build a website and sell my unframed images (either as prints or downloadable digital files) directly to the public.

I am a qualified teacher in the adult education sector

Possible income stream

Developing and running evening classes and day workshops on various aspects of photography from beginner to advanced standards.

I can write

Possible income streams

1) Producing articles on ‘spec’ for magazines & Newspapers.

2) Seeking commissioned articles by producing salable proposals for editors

4) Writing a photography advice column for a local newspaper, magazine or webzine.

5) Writing a Blog for an existing magazine and/or commercially sponsored Blog.

6) Writing my own Blog and Monetizing it (including through advertising and sponsorship .

This is an unfinished work in progress, but it certainly gave me food for thought – and I have already made some headway into developing – and reaping an income from - a number of the income streams on the list.

I’ll come back to discuss each of these streams in greater detail, in future blogs. But for now, I'll be thinking hard about income streams to ensure I don't drown in the choppy waters of freelance photography.

How to Develop A Photography Business - Part 1

stock photography photography freelance photography

Finding Delight in the Little Things

2008-10-31T17:35:00.011Z

life photography

Friday Fun

I have just been editing more than 1000 images that had to be whittled down to 300 and couriered to a publisher, in London, by 4pm this afternoon. I was in a bit of flap, because I started work on them late (and far too late altogether) last night - and by the time my drooping eyelids finally gave up the ghost at 2am, I was still only halfway through the job. I started again at 8am and by 3pm, I was getting close to finishing - and mental exhaustion - but still needed to burn 6 more disks, and print a batch of contact sheets.

As I was browsing the finished shots, I noticed a photograph of the front wall of the famous "Johnny Fox's Pub" in Glencullen, County Dublin, Ireland. High up on the building was a stone, suspended by a chain, in front of white sign with red lettering. It was the first time I'd noticed that sign or the stone (I certainly don't remember seeing it when I took the shot), so I zoomed in for a closer look.

What I saw gave me a moment of pure joy, in the middle of a stressful Friday afternoon. It was Johnny Fox's Weather Forecasting Stone sign, that can be used - in correlation with the suspended stone - to predict the weather in the vicinity of the pub. It reads like this:

Condition / Forecast

Stone is wet - Rain

Stone is Dry - Not Raining

Shadow on Ground - Sunny

White on Top - Snowing

Can't See Stone - Foggy

Swinging Stone - Windy

Stone Jumping Up and Down - Earthquake

Stone Gone - Tornado

All very silly, but great Irish humour that gave me a good laugh in the middle of a stressful day. I got my package to the courier, and had a smile at the same time. Life can be good when we stop to notice the little things!

End of the line for Digital Railroad

2008-10-29T16:01:00.006Z

Earlier this year, I got a telephone call from a very "enthusiastic marketing executive" representing the photo-hosting website Digital Railroad, who was offering me an online image archive and marketplace, and a photographic agency service. He asked if I would like to avail of a trial membership - at a reduced start-up fee of $195 and a monthly subscription of $45 - but I said no thank you.

He asked me again, in another call the following week and in four emails in subsequent weeks. I still said no, because I couldn't see why I needed a photo-archiving and marketing service (I have my own website, and all my work is archived on my own external hard drives and CD disks) and I already have two photography agents neither of whom charge a fee for their services. But, by the time I'd received the fourth email, I was also saying no because the words "enthusiastic marketing executive" had morphed into "pushy salesman", in my head - and I was beginning to wonder just why I was being pushed so hard.

Yesterday (Tuesday 28th October 2008) the management of Digital Railroad issued the following press statement:

To our valued Members and Partners:

We deeply regret to inform you that Digital Railroad (DRR) has shut down.

On October 15th we reported that the company had reduced its staff and was aggressively pursuing additional financing and/or a strategic partner. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful. Therefore Digital Railroad has been forced to close all operations.

Digital Railroad has attracted a loyal set of customers and partners, and we regret this unfortunate outcome. Without sufficient long-term financial support, the business had become unsustainable.

Thank you for allowing us to serve the photographic community these past few years...

It's still not clear if subscribers will be reimbursed the fees that have been paid in advance or whether fees accrued from sales of photographs via the agency side of the business will be passed on to the photographers concerned.

There is a lot of gossip and speculation, on the internet, about why DRR has gone bust. But for me, it's a fairly simple puzzle to solve.

I learned, many years ago, that there is only so much sugar that you can put in a cup of coffee. After a certain number of spoonfuls, it reaches the "saturation point" and stops tasting any sweeter.

The online photography archiving market is far too overcrowded already (Photobucket, Flickr, Photoshelter, ad naseum) and the prices that many giants in the stock agency world (Getty, Corbis, Alamy) are being lowered on an almost daily basis to meet the competiton from the "micro-stock" agencies who can sell your best shot for99 cents a time.

I think that the photo archiving/agency market may be getting dangerously close to its saturation point.

When Not to Photograph in a Public Place

2008-10-28T00:11:00.004Z

or...Pap is a four-letter Word

World-renowned digital imaging Guru and best selling author Scott Kelby has been talking, on his Blog, about being prevented from photographing in the street, by a security guard working for the building he was snapping. Scott stood his ground (there’s a pun in there, somewhere) and told the security officer that he was within his rights to keep photographing, and if the security officer had a problem with that, she should go and call the cops (which didn’t happen). See my previous post on problems the UK press have faced from the UK Police.

Generally speaking, I think the biggest obstacles that photographers working in public places face are from lower-level security personnel, who don’t necessarily understand the laws that apply – and (more importantly) also feel that they are protecting the buildings and areas in their charge from unwanted attention. In certain cases, too, if those buildings or areas - shopping centres (malls), stately homes, sports complexes, for instance – are privately owned then the security personnel are within their rights to ask the photographer to stop taking pictures.

Just why we should be stopped is another matter entirely. Obviously, the climate of potential terrorist attack has heightened concerns about security – but it’s not enough to say “we have to make sure you’re not a potential terrorist, and we can’t be sure, so we stop everyone”. Personally, I think that reasoning is rash generalization in the extreme, and not necessarily a valid argument.

Maybe the issue is a lot simpler than that. Perhaps it’s got more to do with the overall bad name that photographers have in the mind of the general public?

Last week, I was photographing (with full permission of the management) inside the famous Curragh Race Course, in Kildare, Ireland. As two punters passed me, one said to the other “oh, there is a 'pap' here”. I could here the disdain in his voice, and I turned to them with a smile on my face and said “I doubt there’s a bigger insult you could pay me”. The man smiled back saying “yes, it’s a bit of dirty word, isn’t it?” I explained what I was doing there, that I had permission and that (unlike the true paparazzi) I do care if I tread on people’s toes. Actually, we ended up having a good old chinwag – but probably because I kept smiling as I made my points.

But it made me think. Does carrying a camera in the street say something to the public? And, is that something not necessarily a good message?

stock photography photography freelance photography

The Secret of Gaining Thousands of Blog Visitors

2008-10-27T22:58:00.010Z

Given that my Blog is relatively new - this is my 53rd post since I began about 2 months ago - I was delighted to see my hit rate increase astronomically today. I had so many unique visitors, in one day, that my hit counter overheated and finally gave up the ghost, completely disappearing from the Blog. I'm hoping it will be fully recovered after a trip to the Health Spa, and a quick spray with WD40. I also got more comments on a single post than ever, and the most "followers" in one single day.

I am under no illusions that I managed to generate all those visitors through the power of positive thought and intensive visualization (but, I do have a copy of "The Secret" on my study shelf).

No, there is one single reason why I got many of those hits. I emailed someone I have met once, a year ago, and told him about my Blog and my latest post. That person was considerate enough - without actually emailing me back, so it was a great surprise when I saw it - to say something nice about my Blog and post a link to it. It just so happens that he has one of the most successful photography-related Blogs on the 'net. Hey presto, thousands of hits in one day! It was also very intriguing for me to see, on the same day, a comment from a major figure in an important email group, that I had mentioned in another post - although I hadn't told him about it.

I hope to try and keep some of those new visitors by making subsequent post interesting enough that my "bounce rate" won't be too high and my hit rate doesn't fall too far tomorrow.

So an important blogging lesson for me: make influential friends and influence them enough (but not too often) so they will introduce you to a few thousand of their friends.

blogging life

The Problem with Photography Forums

2008-10-27T00:09:00.007Z

I learned a great deal about Photoshop from joining a forum on it. Actually, I joined an association, the NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) based, in the US. One of NAPP's leading lights is Scott Kelby, the worlds most successful author of computer-related books. Their forum, which is devoted to all things Photoshop, Lightroom and digital photography, generally, is full of people who are often working as professional graphic designers and photographers, and very skilled at using the tools of their trade. So, if you ask them a question - usually - those who know really know the answer will respond and those who don't will either not reply or say "I'm not the best one to ask about this - but you could try this or that".

I feel very safe in that forum, and my personal knowledge of Photoshop and especially Lightroom (my personal favourite digital photography software) has increased ten-fold in the few years I've been asking questions there (and now, I even offer advice - especially about digital photography).

Another excellent forum - technically speaking it's an email list - is Prodig. It was the brainchild of professional photographers Ed Horwich and Martin Evening (a hugely successful digital photographer and author) and is overseen by some of the most knowledgeable people in the digital imaging universe. Some big names in digial photography frequently respond to queries, and the amount of deadly accurate - and incredibly fast - help for a digital imaging problem, that can be gained from simply sending an email to that group is often nothing short of phenomenal. Although, I have to admit, a lot of the detailed technical information - and even the questions posed - can go right over my head.

One thing that those two groups have in common (and especially Prodig) is that subscribers generally use their own names to pose questions and offer solutions.

But there are other forums that are simply more trouble than they are worth. Too much of the time, the members hide behind psuedonyms like: "Flying Fish", "Mary's Dad", "ProPhotos" and "ShutterCrazy" - all meaningless but a false name allows those hiding behind it to say what they like, without taking responsibility or "ownership" of their words.

They offer opinion disguised as expert advice, that is often misinformed and frequently downright wrong. The forum then becomes a playground for the one-eyed "expert" to lead the partially sighted beginner. The problem with that, is there are people out there, who don't know any better being lead up the digital garden path by people who haven't got the intelligence to know that what they are spouting is gibberish - nor the good grace to know when to keep their mouths tightly zipped.

For me, it's one of the major failings of the internet - and some would say one of it's major advantages. Anyone can say whatever they like about whatever they want. But, please, if you're doing it on a forum where others might actually action your ideas - at least have the guts to sign your name to it. At least then, you might start to take some responsibility for what you write.

How to Develop A Photography Business (1)

2008-10-24T18:51:00.009+01:00

Break The "Glass Ceiling"**

I'm currently embarking on a campaign to further promote myself as a photographer and to develop a number of important income streams for my business. I invite you to come along on the ride, as I approach each avenue on the journey and meet the obstacles that may appear.

After a hugely enlightening discussion, about where I wanted to be in 10 years time, with a good friend of mine who spent 25 years in the commercial banking sector - and who took 10 minutes to draw up a comprehensive business plan - I realized that I might be setting my sights way too low.

So, before addressing the specific areas that I want to develop in my photography business, I decided that it would be best to have a good look at why I was saying (for example) that I wanted to earn €20 000 a year from developing and teaching photography workshops - and not €200 000 p.a. The figures are irrelevant, really, but my friend did point out that I was possibly devaluing myself by 10 times as much as I should.

Why wasn't it possible, he asked me, not to make €200 000 a year from teaching? After all, I have a Masters degree in education, I have been teaching adults up to degree level and beyond for 20 years (usually for a third-party employer on a fixed wage), I know the subject (photography) backwards and there is an eager and willing audience out there waiting to to be taught. That last point was brought home in spades, less than an hour after leaving his house - when I visited a local community centre to discuss the possibilty of running a 6 week beginners photography workshop there - if they agreed it would be my second course running in that area I had set up this month.

They not only agreed, but told me that since the meeting had been arranged, members of the committee and other locals had put themselves on a waiting list for the course, and I would probably need to diary-in a second day each week, to accommodate everyone.

The point I'm making is that, sometimes, when it comes to business we can be our won worst enemies. We can set ourselves unreasonably low goals, and then try to meet them, and probably fail because we don't believe that even those meager targets are attainable. So wouldn't it be better to set higher targets, and if we miss those, we might still hit something higher than the ridiculously low ones we first shot at?

**The term "glass ceiling" refers to an organizational barrier that prevents certain members of that organization from advancing as far up the corporate ladder as they might if their success was determined solely by their abilities. Originally, it was coined to refer to discrimination against women in certain organizations, and has recently been extended to include the limited advancement prospects of the disabled, deaf, blind and cultural and sexual minorities.

But I think that there is a potential for the individual to carry around his or her internal glass ceiling. It shows itself (is reflected, I suppose) in thoughts like "who would want me to do that?", "I don't feel good enough", "I doubt anyone would take me seriously" and so on.

So, my first job, before I can put a zero onto any of my financial expectations is to get a big mental hammer and smash that damn ceiling into tiny pieces.

stock photography photography freelance photography

Email from Bruce Gilden - Street Photographer

2008-10-22T01:33:00.010+01:00

photographyI sent a long, detailed email to Bruce Gilden, asking if he would consider being interviewed about street photography for my Blog. I also sent the questions in advance - basically asking about how he got interested in street photography, what excites him about it, and what he thinks his subjects feel about his style of photography (see here for a video of him at work).

I got a reply, today, from his wife, Sophie...

Dear Stephen,

My husband is away but he asked me to answer you this:

First of all when he read your first email in a hurry, he thought you were another Stephen that he knows from Ireland.

Then, when he read what you are asking him, he was a bit shocked by these nosy income questions, wondering what they have to do with his photography?

Third, he says that he doesn't see the need of these answers on a blog, especially someone's else's. Last, he is afraid that he will, like his friend Martin ****, "gracefully decline" answering any of them.

No hard feelings, Thank you.

Bruce/Sophie Gilden

There are absolutely NO questions in my questionnaire that relate to income, at all. I did not ask about Mr Gilden's income and I am not interested in it. All of the questions relate to his practice as a street photographer, why he started, what motivates him, and what his subjects feel about it.

Question 2, though, does have the word income in it...

2. Please give details of your main professional photographic specialisms (i.e. from what type(s) of photography do you earn most of your income).

This is not a question about how much money he earns. It is a question about the sort of work that he does. It's a given that Bruce Gilden (and anyone else I sent this to) makes money from photography. I was just asking HOW, not HOW MUCH. I merely wanted to know if the street photographer does other work to make a living.

As someone with a background in academic research, I am always careful to ask only relevant questions - and ones that are pertinent to the study. I had sent Mr Gilden a 16 point questionnaire that had a full page of explanation at the start. Maybe it was just too much for him to spend time on as a busy man. I have, though, invited other street photographers to help with my study. So, I'm hopeful that others maybe able to assist.

Choosing Photographs for an Exhibition

2008-10-20T01:54:00.015+01:00

My second photography exhibition, this year, will run for a week in the Library, Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland - from Wednesday October 29th 2008. I will be showing 20 framed prints, of varying sizes - and my friend and fellow John Meighan, from the pretty village of Adare, County Limerick, will be showing a similar number.

I see the whole process of exhibiting quite daunting. How many prints should I show? What size(s) should they be? Who do I invite to the opening night? How do I publicize it? Will anyone turn up? And, most daunting of all - out of the many thousands of digital images on my computer hard drives, which 20 should I show? I suppose that these are all questions that the serious exhibitionist (I chose that word very carefully) should ask.

But, I think that there is another, and probably more important question: " Why I am exhibiting my work at all?" Answering that question, first, may make it easier to answer all (or most of) the others.

In my case I am exhibiting my photography in order in increase my workload. Simply put, to get more work. So, that goes someway to answering the who to invite? Question. Anyone I see as a potential buyer of my work - and in this case I mean anyone who will commission the work that I want to do. In my case, I want to work, primarily, as an editorial and PR photographer, so the guest list should include editors, publishers, PR agents, captains of industry etc. How many is easy - at least 50% more than I expect to turn up.

Publicizing the exhibition is limited by my budget. So, I have used my contacts in the local press to arrange articles that will work as free publicity, I went on local radio, sent text messages to all my friends, colleagues and photography class students, and handed out special 8x6 comp cards, advertising the event to a chosen 50 or so.

Which images to choose for the show remains a dilemma. I have about half of the collection from the last exhibition still framed, so they will go up, with another 10 or so new prints. But Which ones?

A wise photographer with a business head once said (referring to selecting images for a portfolio) show the work that you want to do. So, if you want to be a wedding photographer, show your wedding work, or if you want to be a food photographer, show only food shots. So, because I am an editorial photographer, specialising in travel, environmental portraiture and music all I have to do now is choose another 10 shots from the images of those subjects on my hard drive - which, basically, is all of them!

Oh. For a minute or two there - I thought I was getting close to a decision!

stock photography photography freelance photography

My 15 Minutes of Fame**

2008-10-18T00:31:00.005+01:00

Not long after hearing about interview fatigue from a famous photographer, I was invited to be interviewed on video by students on a Media Studies course at Limerick Senior College. I'm actually hoping that it will the first of many such experiences, because I think that the first-hand experience of a new phenomenon far outweighs simply being told about it.

Anyway, I had a very pleasant "15 minutes" in the company of my young interviewer, Thomas Keane and his sound and vision crew, over at the college's recording studio. I was told we would make two takes of the questions - Tom explained that this was in case HE made any mistakes, and they could cut the better take into the recording. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that the real reason was to allow for MY mistakes, because when we finished the first take, no one seemed interested in doing take 2, and I insisted on it (well, no, I asked nicely - because I had enjoyed the first one so much).

Interestingly, I had watched the excellent movie "Factory Girl", only a few days before, and when they sat me on a chair with a powerful light aimed straight at me, and the crew all stood up behind the camera, with Tom talking, I was instantly reminded of the scenes of Andy Warhol filming Edie Sedgwick in his "Factory" studio. So much so, in fact that I asked Tom to interview me sitting down.

That said, everyone was extremely polite and I felt very welcomed. It's a long time since I have been treated with such deference, to be honest. Well, that was until I handed out an 8"x6" comp card of one of my award winning shots, and the camera guy asked if I would sign it. I was very flattered, and said I would when I got back from the loo.

On my return, still flushed with my own self-importance, I hunted for a pen, and offered to sign the card. "Oh,", he grinned "I was only joking!" "Well, I'll sign it anyway" I offered - which I did, and he put it in his bag without reading it. As he's only a slip of a lad, when he does get round to looking at it, he might wonder who the hell David Bailey is!

**"In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes" Andy Warhol

Photo shows interviewer Thomas Keane (right, seated) and his crew at Limerick Senior College, Media Studies Course.

Stolen Moments - Inappropriate Photography

2008-10-17T13:20:00.009+01:00

photography Growing up in the north of England, it was just a matter of semantics that I came to think of, and talk about, a photograph as being "taken". It was part of my everyday speech to say "I took a picture of my son...that mountain...those flowers", etc. I really didn't give the matter anymore thought than that, for a long time. It was just the language that we all used.

When I came to think more, and understand more, about the process of photography, the notion of the image being 'taken' - as in concepts such as: "freezing the moment"; "the decisive image"; "capturing the scene" - was consolidated in my mind.

Many years later, particularly after having become familiar with digital image manipulation, the concept of "making a photograph" became familiar. I also noticed on my travels to the USA (and in talking with American friends) that the phrase "making a photograph" was frequently used. I still have trouble with that concept - because for me it gets away from the idea of "capturing the moment", and taints what was always the essence of photography, for me - namely the pure and "unretouched" state of the captured image.

Now, photographer and stage magician David Thiel has introduced another concept into the mix - that of photographs being "stolen". David, owner of the excellent Blog "Photoshop Basics in 6 Hours" has been in contact with me about his experiences and thoughts since photographing a street person in New York, called "Red". (You can read the full article HERE).

David has this to say about it...

"I find my feelings about the whole notion of "stealing" pictures have changed significantly since the whole "Red" thing. I've taken TONS of images with my telephoto and have gone through my library and deleted the vast majority that show faces, or where the subject I stole the image from can be recognized. Walking down the street and sticking my camera in the faces of strangers is, to my mind, unforgivable. Simply because these people are living their lives doesn't give anyone the right to take their pictures. While I admit that the images certain street photographers get are outstanding, they are stolen nonetheless."

Strong views, and held with a conviction and sense of integrity that is hard to ignore.

But, is he right? When we do not seek permission to take (or make) a photograph - or are not granted permission - are we "stealing" those images?

stock photography photography freelance photography

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Photographer

2008-10-16T15:54:00.009+01:00

There is a section in the excellent book 'Travel Photography' by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz (first published in 1998) that addresses the issue of "Loneliness & Worse" for the dedicated Travel Photographer.

They write: The majority of travel photographers are either single, or have very understanding partners who are willing to put up with prolonged and erratic absences. Many relationships fail under the strain, the more so when the photographer comes home full of anecdotes and excitement, and the partner has been slaving away at a nine-to-five job.
(Hicks, R & Schultz, F, 1998: 4)

My own continuing travels for the sake of snapping have brought home to me (especially when I am away from home) just how isolating and lonely the business of travel photography can be. Walking into a hotel and reserving a room "for one", standing at the bar on my own while all round me are chatting away to each other, and (for me worst, of all) eating alone in a crowded restaurant all serve to emphasise the point that I am well and truly by myself.

At this time of year, when the nights are drawing in earlier, and I am away, the point is driven home even harder, as I don't have the opportunity (and evasive tactic) of shooting until late in the evening. It means that I have have more time to sit by myself and wallow in the misery of being the lonely long-distance snapper.

The real irony, is that I have always thought that one of the main benefits of travel is to share the excitement with someone else. But, unlike Hicks and Schultz, I don't have a "partner" either in the field or at home, at the moment.

So, there is an an opportunity, here, for a travel and photography orientated person who wants to see some of the world to team up with a travel photographer who wants to share the world that he is seeing. My email address is in the right hand column!

stock photography photography freelance photography

Interview Fatigue - Blight of the Famous

2008-10-14T23:50:00.005+01:00

life photographyI sent a long, detailed, carefully crafted and pathetically sycophantic email to a famous British photographer, asking if he would be interviewed about street photography for my blog and a possible magazine article and got this reply:

Dear Stephen
Apologies for slow response. I am suffering from interview fatigue and will therefore decline this invitation. Martin

It came shortly after I had watched a video of John Cleese describing Sarah Palin as being funnier than Michael Palin, and I was reminded of the Monty Python sketch, with Four Yorkshiremen out-doing each other about their poor upbringings....

Third Yorkshireman: "eh, you were lucky to have a room! We used to have to live in t'corridor!"

First Yorkshireman: "Oh, we used dream of living in a corridor - it would have been like a palace to us! We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woke up ever morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us. House? Huh!"

Well, I still dream of getting "Interview fatigue". It would be like "arriving" and gaining success, to me.

And, surely there must be worse things than being successful, to suffer from?

Shooting without Permission - An Agent's View

2008-10-13T17:21:00.008+01:00

I got an email, today, from Colin Finlay of "World Illustrated" owners of Photoshot Photographic Library (to which I have contributed images) and Publishers of Hotshoe International Magazine (for whom I have reviewed photographic equipment).

Colin offers me his views on photographing people - from the perspective of a Photographic Agent:

Hi Stephen

I read your blog. Interesting points about when you can and can not shoot people. For your interest, our policy at Photoshot is to always ask permission, irrespective of whether people are famous or not. However, I suspect that some of our overseas suppliers do not always adhere to this. We are not a pap agency, although we do not have a problem with famous people doing ordinary things as long as they are aware that they are being photographed and that the photographer is not being intrusive or prurient.

Best wishes,

Colin

More views from those with a professional interest in photographing people with or without permission are welcomed - and will be published without editing.

stock photography photography freelance photography

Street Photographers - Born Pachyderms?

2008-10-10T21:33:00.014+01:00

My continuing obsession with whether I should ask or not ask to take a photograph (SEE HERE) was piqued again today, when I saw a post on the Alamy forum from a fairly inexperienced non-professional photographer, who was despondent because his chosen subjects were refusing him permission to photograph them. He writes (all spelling is per original text):

"I'm getting tired of rejection and considering more desperate measures. Anyone would think that having your picture taken captures your sole**. I was in the local library and thought it would be good to get a picture of someone actually browsing a few books on the selves. I approached five people and they all refused to let me photograph them....In future, I'm not going to ask. I'll just start snapping away regardless."

Well, that disillusioned snapper could take a leaf out of the book (several published books, actually) of renowned New York street photographer Bruce Gilden. Not only does Mr Gilden - a full member of the highly prestigious and world famous Magnum Photo Agency - not ask for permission to photograph his subjects, he sticks not only his camera, but also his flash gun as close to their noses without literally getting up them as possible. Although, he does manage to get up a few people's noses metaphorically, now and then.

I'd welcome the chance to ask Bruce - and other photographers with similar modus operandus - how they think their subjects feel about this seemingly intrusive style of photography.

Bruce Gilden's photography is, to me, is reminiscent of the work of his fellow Magnum associate, British photographer Martin Parr. I have, for a very long time, looked at Parr's work with awe, fascination and dread, feeling almost sick at the thought of getting so close to another person and doing something of which they might not approve. I would certainly welcome the chance to ask if they mind if the subject doesn't like being photographed. And, did they have to grow a thick skin (that is; become a pachyderm) or were they born that way?

In the meantime, and while I'm still pondering where I stand on this issue, you might enjoy the You Tube video of Bruce Gilden in action - just click the start arrow, below.

** At this point, I was tempted to add - only if you lie on your back and stick your feet in the air.

stock photography photography freelance photography

Turning the Tables - Human Nature

2008-10-09T15:35:00.010+01:00

life photography(see: "Relax - The Cheque is in the Post" and "Recovering Bad Debt in Ireland" for background)

I wrote to the music management company that hasn't yet paid me - Milestone Management in Dublin - telling them that I was about to contact my union because the promised cheque failed to arrive. I got this reply from the Director Ciaran Conroy:

Hi Stephen,

The payment went out to you on Wednesday as confirmed.

If you haven’t received it yet it should be there by tomorrow. The normal way of approaching business is to pick up the phone in a circumstance like this before threatening to go down a legal route for an invoice that is not even two months overdue. Your photography is very good but we will certainly not be doing business or recommending the purchase of your photographs to any of the other main promoters or management companies in the country in the future.

Apologies again.

My reply:

Dear Ciaran

Thank you for the email. It’s always interesting to me how, as human beings, we can ignore our failings – you failed to act on your promise three times in my case - and turn the tables against others who have done nothing more than ask for what is due to them.

Although I can’t threaten to blacken your name within the music promotion circles, I can certainly put it on my blog.

Best wishes,

Stephen

Recovering Bad Debt in Ireland

2008-10-09T14:10:00.004+01:00

Well, the postman came but didn't bring my overdue cheque (see: "Relax - The Cheque is in the Post", below) which put me on another learning curve: namely, how do I make a claim for a small debt - in my case €250 - in Ireland?

I discovered, via the Citizens Information website that the Irish Small Claims system (which allows for recovery of debt up to €2000) is only available for Consumer Claims. That is: debt occurring from the purchase of goods and services, such as for faulty goods or bad workmanship. The goods or services must have been bought for private use, from someone selling them in the course of business. Claims cannot be made in the small claims court for debt, personal injuries or breach of leasing, or hire-purchase agreements.

And, most significantly for me: The procedure is not available for use by one business person against another.

Further inquiries, with the Citizens Information Service and the Small Claims Court, left me with the impression that recovering the €250 owed to me would involve the services of a solicitor (Lawyer, for my American readers) or a debt recovery service. Both of these options would be costly, for me, and time consuming, and in the case of the debt recovery agency, I doubt that anyone would take it on for 25% of €250 - and, as the nice woman at the Citizen's Information Service pointed out - even then there would be no guarantee of getting the debtor to pay up, and court action may have to ensue.

So, this has got me thinking, what does the small business person in Ireland do to recover small amounts of bad debt? Is there anything worth doing for such a small amount? In my case, I can't afford to write-off every debt under say €1000, but the cost of recovering it (in time and money) seems to render the effort pointless.

In my own case, there may be some good news. While I was pondering this conundrum, I remembered that I was a member of a Union (NUJ - National Union of Journalists) and I had a vague idea that they could offer assistance with debt recovery. I telephoned the Irish office (link in line above) and was told by Helen that indeed they could help with recovering bad debt - and all I had to do with email her with details and an officer of the union would look into it for me.

So, I'm going to email the Management Company again, and tell them the cheque did not arrive and tell them "you can't touch me, I'm part of the union" (they might know the song).

Watch this space.

Relax - The Cheque is in the Post

2008-10-09T00:47:00.002+01:00

Two months ago I emailed a client (a music management company) with my invoice for a photograph of one of their artists performing live on stage. The shot was to be used in Newspapers and magazines in the USA, where the artist was performing a few days after the photograph was ordered.

I immediately got a warm and friendly response from the director of the company: "thanks for the shot, I will organize to get payment out to you today." That was on the 14th August. Time passed. No payment arrived. I waited a full month, and sent another invoice, this time by post. No payment arrived.

On 29th September, I emailed another invoice and got the reply: "Apologies for the delay, we have been away a lot in the last month. I will make sure a cheque goes out to you by the end of this week" (which would have been 3rd October at the latest). No cheque arrived.

On 7th October I emailed again, sending an "overdue" invoice and the following email message:

"My invoice for a photograph of **** ******* is, once again, attached. The payment of this invoice is now almost two months overdue, despite several assurances from you that payment was imminent (of which I have kept copies).Should the payment remain due for a further 7 days, I will have no option other than to, reluctantly, pursue a more formal course of action in order to secure payment."

I got this reply:

Relax. I’ll actually post it myself in the morning once back in office. Sorry it hasn’t gone out. Just manic here a lot of the time.You’ll have it on Thursday. Cheers. ******

Personally, I think it's a bit much being told to "relax" when a payment is not only 2 months late, but I have also been given the "cheque is in the post" routine 3 times! If it's OK with you, Mr Director, I'll relax when the cheque is in my bank.

Well, it's Thursday....and I'm waiting for the postman....

Office of Public (spanner in the) Works

2008-10-06T00:10:00.004+01:00

I was in Clonmel, County Tipperary today, still on the travel book shoot, and I went into the impressive "Main Guard" building, which was constructed in 1675, as a jail house. The building, like so many Heritage Sites in Ireland, is under the auspices of The Office of Public Works (OPW).

The OPW's own website explains that "On 1st January 2004 the operational functions of Ireland’ built heritage functions transferred to the Office of Public Works (OPW). In essence, the OPW now has responsibility for the day-to-day running of all National Monuments and Historic Properties. Many millions of Irish people and foreign visitors visit the heritage sites each year to learn something of Ireland’s history and heritage...With regard to Heritage Services, the primary concern of the OPW is to protect and maintain Ireland’s heritage for future generations."

For the 5th time in succession, on this travel book commission, and after explaining myself to the very polite gentleman behind the desk in the Main Guard, and showing him my press pass (which he asked to see) - I was refused permission to to take photographs inside the building itself. I was told that I needed to make prior arrangements to take the photographs, show my insurance certificate indemnifying the OPW against "public liability" damage, and confirm that I would not be using the photographs for commercial purposes (which was difficult as a travel book is a commercial purpose), and especially not making postcards out of the shots!

What makes it more galling for me is that I did contact the OPW right at the start of this project, over two months ago, but I was unable to give precise details of what I wanted to shoot and when. But, I did offer to send my insurance details. Another annoying facet is that I'm photographing for one of the world's leading travel guide book publishers - and it puzzles me as to why the OPW would not jump at the chance to see their Heritage Sites in those books.

Add to that the fact that several tourists with cameras passed me in the building - and many of the other OPW Heritage sites (such as Newgrange) that I was refused permission to photograph - and snapped away to their hearts content, and you might appreciate my sense of frustration.

Other important Irish national monuments and landmark sites - notably Powerscourt House and Gardens in County Wicklow - who welcomed me with open arms, last week, when I turned up unannounced and simply showed the staff a letter from the publisher. I was given free information leaflets - and postcards - and a member of the team spent ten minutes outlining the history of the house to me, and pointed out all the best vantage points from which to take photographs. They were warm, welcoming, open, friendly and not at all suspicious of my motives nor precious of the fact that photographs of their magnificent building and gardens may be used in a commercial venture (or at least, a world-class travel guide book).

My experience of the OPW, sadly, is quite the reverse. I have found them to be suspicious, unwelcoming and unnecessarily officious. Why, I have absolutely no idea. But if anyone from the OPW should see this: rest assured that you are losing important opportunities to promote your Heritage Sites - and the officiousness is very 1970's.

Déjà Vu in Tacumshin, County Wexford

2008-10-04T14:00:00.011+01:00

photography

Yesterday, I was trying to find the tiny hamlet of Tacumshin, in County Wexford, to photograph the old windmill there. It is the oldest surviving windmill in Ireland, and only one of two still intact. Built in 1846, the thatched windmill was used until 1936 and later renovated, in the 1950's, by the Office of Public Works, who keep it in good repair.

My GPS (or Sat. Nav., christened by a friend of mine as "Monica", for reasons best known to himself) took me from Wexford Town to Tacumshin village, with no problems. But once there, I had trouble finding the Windmill itself, because it is slightly hidden from the road, in a field behind the car park of the Millhouse Pub, and I drove past it at least three times. But, eventually, I drove through the car park (unfortunately the pub was shut - otherwise I would have borrowed a key to look inside the windmill) onto a graveled area, and walked up a grassy bank, to the field where the windmill stands.

Something strange struck me, immediately. The Position of the windmill itself, standing alongside a large tree looked extremely familiar. I am certain that I have never been there before - in fact I'm sure it was my first time ever in County Wexford - but there was something about it that made me think it wasn't the first time I had witnessed that scene. Of course, there are lots of postcards of the famous structure, and so I could have easily remembered one of them, and made myself think that I had seen it in real life (that would be the psychological way of explaining it - and I have a Masters degree in the subject!) But, there was also something odd about the whole place, just driving into the area at the back of the car park had a familiar feel about it, too.

There were two men (presumably from the OPW) high up on a hoist, working on the sails when I got there, and my heart sank, thinking that they would be there for the day, or that the hoist contraption was a semi-permanent fixture.

I strode over to the windmill and shouted up to them, in a slow, deliberate voice, that must have made me sound like Dr Quatermass adressing the aliens in the crater: "Hello...I have come from Limerick...I need to photograph this windmill...will you be here long..." all I needed to add was "take me to your leader" for the full "Quatermass" effect! One of the engineers looked down, held up his hand - showing me all four fingers and a thumb (making the figure 5, and proving at the same time that he wasn't an alien being) and, in a perfectly normal speaking voice said "we'll be gone in five minutes". "Oh", I said, still half-shouting, "thanks, I'll wait".

I took some shots of them working, but missed a really good one of them, back on the ground, pulling the sails back into position - as I had wandered off to get my tripod. Let that be a lesson to you, never leave the scene while still there might be something of interest to snap!

I spent at least 15 minutes longer at the windmill than I had planned. There was something very captivating about it, and I wanted to make sure I got enough good shots. Maybe too, it was because of that Déjà Vu feeling. It was made stronger, I suppose by finding out, only in the last few months that my father's grandfather was from County Wexford. Perhaps I was just feeling at home.

Back Packing in Ireland

2008-10-02T22:58:00.002+01:00

lifeI was driving along the South East Coast, today, between Bray (in County Wicklow) and Enniscorthy (in County Wexford) when I passed two backpackers hitch-hiking. I'm not one for stopping for hitch hikers, usually. I don't regard it as safe - both for me and also for the hitcher, depending on who picks them up - and, if it's a single female, I generally want to be sure that they are old enough and strong enough to be out on their own, let alone getting in a car heading away from where they came from, with a complete stranger! So, I usually carry on down the road, on my own.

This time, there were two people, a man of about 20 something and his girlfriend. The young woman was carrying a cardboard sign saying 'Wicklow'. Which made it even stranger that I stopped, because I wasn't heading for Wicklow at all, although it was along the road to where I was going (Avoca - where they made the hit British TV show "Ballykissangel", some years ago). But I did stop, albeit 150 or so metres past them, because I was mulling it over before braking. I think (but I can't be sure) it was because they were both carrying enormous backpacks and they both looked very cold and miserable!

They both also had the look of "hippies" (or whatever the "naughties" - 00 - expression is for "hippy".) Plus, I noticed on closer inspection, they both had rings through their lips. That made me wonder if it was the naughties equivlent of a wedding ring - but I didn't have the nerve to ask them.

They turned out to be Jimmy and Emma, two Australians, back packing around Europe (they had flown in to Dublin from Spain the previous day) before going back to college. Jimmy was studying - and working as an instructor in - outdoor activities, canoeing, climbing, sailing, cycling, absailing and all the other stuff that can make me feel tired just hearing the words. Emma (much to my relief) had chosen a more sedentry subject to study - that of Visual Arts, which included photography, but she was particulary interested in sculture, and working clay. I told her that I was always impressed by anyone who could produce art with just their hands (and not with a machine like a camera or computer) and that if I tried prodding a lump of clay about with my hands, it would still look like a lump of clay when I stopped prodding it.

When I dropped them in Wicklow, the weather had turned, and the promising bright light had vanished leaving forboding grey skies, and a chilling wind. I took them down to the harbour, because they wanted to pitch their tent for the night. I raised the subject of youth hostels, only to be told that the more they camped, the more money they had left for the rest of the trip. And, anyway, they had very warm sleeping bags.

I went and took a few shots of the harbour and met up with them again, on the grassy headland, on the way back to the car. "We've found somewhere good to sleep tonight" Emma said, beaming at me. I was delighted, assuming they had located a youth hostel or somewhere else, with a roof. "Where?", I asked, shivering in the wintery wind.

Emma, beamed again, and pointed behind me. "There", she said, "it'll be cosy sheltered up against that wall".

I took them back into the town, so they could go shopping, and they thanked me and I drove off - looking for my 4 star hotel in Enniscorthy, thinking that I had probably never been that young and adventurous. Even when I was young, and a bit adventurous.

Photographer Joke

2008-09-30T12:24:00.001+01:00

Two photographers were chatting at the camera club...

First Photographer: I saw a terrible sight the other day, a beggar was sitting on the steps of a church, wasted with hunger and his clothes all ragged and torn. He was holding out his hands, pleading for a few coins.

Second Photographer: What did you give him?

First Photographer: f8 at 1/125th of a second.

Shane MacGowan Snapped

2008-09-30T00:29:00.008+01:00

photography It's not an especially well-kept secret that, for four years I owned a small shop, in a very pretty Irish village, that sold traditional Irish musical instruments and Irish music on CD. I didn't really make any money from it, but a major perk of ownership was that I got to meet a lot of musicians - including some very well-known ones. That was great for me, as I'm a bit of a muso-groupie, and I was (and still am) a keen music-gig photographer.

And not just Irish musicians, either. Amongst others, American Country star George Hamilton IV visited the shop one summer, and came back a few days later, with his son George Hamilton V, who was carrying his small son George Hamilton VI. I kid you not! I nearly ran out of Roman Numerals!

On one memorable Autumn evening, about 5 years ago, we were holding a Bodhrán (bow-rawn) class, and I had brought in an expert to teach a group of people (about 10 on that occasion) to play the famous Irish drum. During the class, a raggedy, tall youngish man came into the shop and started playing some of my large collection of whistles and low-whistles (which play like a whistle but sound like a flute). I have never heard those instruments played in such a wonderfully melodic way as I heard him play them. It took me a while, but I finally realised I was in the presence of greatness, and it turned out to be Liam O Maonlai, singer, songwriter and actor - of The Hot House Flowers fame. He was on his way to play at the Fleadh Ceol in Listowel and I still have no idea why - or how - he manged to grace the shop with his presence. he even played along with some of the bodhrán players from the class - and made their nights, if not their year.

We got chatting and he told me that his wife had been talking to a very famous Irish female rock and pop star, who told her that Shane MacGowan, of the Pogues, was seriously ill, and may even be at death's door. Naturally, I was very concerned and stayed that way, expecting to hear the bad news on the radio or TV news for a few weeks.

A few months ago, I was coming out of a hotel in Portlaoise, Ireland, where I had collected a press pass to photograph The World Fleadh, when I nearly fell over a man giving a radio interview on the steps outside. It took me about 20 seconds to realise that it was none other than the great (and not at all late) Shane MacGowan. I hung around until the interview was over and asked Shane if I could take a few snaps. He graciously subjected himself to 5 minutes of posing against a wall of the hotel and I'm very proud of some of the shots. We also had a very pleasant chat afterwards. But I didn't mention talking to Liam!

How to Make a Living as a Stock Photographer

2008-09-29T16:12:00.007+01:00

Stock photography is one of the few areas of professional photography open to non-full time photographers and those with little experience (or even skill, it has to be said) in selling their images to professional markets.

Any salable photograph, that is technically adequate can be supplied to a Photography agency or library - such as Alamy - and it will be presented for sale, along with another 12 million or so images (in Alamy's Case and probably more with agencies like Gett y and Corbis) and could be sold to a wide variety of top-notch publications and corporate bodies that even some top full time photographers can only dream of working with. Once the image is sold, the agent takes their cut anywhere from 35% to 60% of the fee, sometimes plus other deductions, and you get your money (in due course).

But, there's a big difference between making a sale via a photo agency, and making a living from shooting only stock photography.

Some of the key elements in making that quantum leap seem to be:

Consistency Take a lot of photographs and supply them regularly.
Quality Supply the highest quality files possible taken with the best equipment that you can afford (or afford to go into debt for)
Niche Market There is no subject under the Sun that has not been photographed. But some subjects may in more demand by the agency than other. The easiest way to find this out is to decide what you are going to photograph and then do a search for the subject on the website of your chosen agency.
Good Keywording Before an agent's client can buy (or more correctly: purchase a license for the use of your image - because you never actually sell the photo outright, you only grant the use of it for a specific purpose and time) they have to find it. This is done through keywording. You Match the image with words (Ireland, Raining, Weather, Bad etc) that tell the client what the image is about. The more accurate and precise these keywords are, the more likely you are to have the image seen, and then sold.

I'll be adding to this list, so if you have any suggestions for it, please add them in a comment.

One of my most regularly licensed stock images is above left. It was a simple, quick snap, taken at a café in Rome, Italy. No fancy lighting or equipment, and it has earned enough to keep me comfortably in cappuchino's for many years to come! So, it just goes to show what can sell through an agent.

life stock photography photography freelance photography

Simple Color Popping Technique

2008-09-26T01:03:00.009+01:00

photography

A currently very popular digital imaging technique is that of Colour (or Color) Popping. A colour image is converted to monochrome (black and white) and then part of the colour is restored to the image. This can have a very powerful effect and convey more to the viewer than if the image had remained all colour, or was converted totally to monochrome.

My two images above, both demonstrate the effect, and actually use a similar dominant colour - but the techniques employed to create them were completely different - and one was far more complex, and time-consuming than the other.

The "Copper Kettle" shot (Winner of the 2007 Guru Award for Photoshop Excellence from the American NAPP organisation) was taken in the kitchen of a friend's house, in Tipperary, Ireland and the final image produced in Adobe Photoshop CS2. It took about 10 days to complete, with me spending about 2 hours a night on it.

The basic steps included: Adding a layer mask before converting a colour image to greyscale inside CS2. I then used the plug-in software "Exposure" to give the black and white image a 'look' of Ilford HP5 film, which gave those deep, rich blacks. I then tidied up the background, removing marks and spots on the wall, pipes coming from the back of the stove and blemished on the metal itself, using the clone and heal tools. This gave a nice, clean "studio" look to the background. I then painted away part of the layer mask, over the kettle, to bring back the 'copper' colour, which I then enhanced using levels, saturation and contrast. Removing the layer mask was the most time consuming and painstaking part of the process, especially over the very thin handle, and I had to restart the process several times.

The second shot (Jane Holding Foot) is a very successful exhibition print (in terms of sales) and was made in Adobe Lightroom. it took about 10 minutes to complete. I simply selected a "Preset" called Wow-c_HSL_ONLY_Brown, which instantly converts the colour image to black and white, but leaves the brown tones in place. Because Jane's Red hair is effectively in the "brown" colour space, it stayed pretty much as it was when I took the shot. I did enhance the saturation slightly, and increase the black tones to improve the monochrome look. I also slightly increased the red tones, to give Jane's skin some colour. It's a very easy and simple technique that requires very little skill other than knowing where to get the presets from, and where to find the selective colour sliders in Lightroom.

The selective colour sliders are about halfway down on the right-hand panel in the develop module of Lightroom.

WOW One-Click development presets for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom were created by Photoshop Hall of Famer and renowned Photoshop educator, author and photographer Jack Davis. These presets expand the creative control that photographers have when processing their images.

You can get a full range of WOW presets for Lightroom BY CLICKING HERE and they are free!

Adobe Photoshop CS4 Announced

2008-09-24T19:03:00.004+01:00

Adobe have announced details of their latest version of the ground-breaking digital manipulation software, Photoshop, in the form of version CS4 (Creative Suite 4). This is effectively Photoshop version 11 - as Adobe added the "Creative Suite" suffix after Photoshop 7, and increased the purchasing options - including "extended" version of the software package.

The previous version (CS3), was something of a disappointment, at least for me, in that it didn't offer as many innovative new tools as I would have hoped for, as a photographer, and it seemed to be aimed more at designers and graphic artists.

I didn't upgrade (from the excellent version CS2) partly for that reason, but also because Adobe simultaneously launched the photographer-specific Lightroom - which I believe is the best stand-alone digital photography-related software ever published. I am now on Lightroom version 2, and I haven't changed my mind about it. I do very little editing in Photoshop nowadays, and work (almost) exclusively in Lightroom, apart from the occasional noise reduction or "levels" in the "Mothership".

But, Adobe, being very clever, seem to have realised that they had put all their photographer eggs in one basket (Lightroom) and have worked hard to ensure that the new version of Photoshop includes some goodies to entice the snappers back to the fold.

Two very interesting tools for photographers, in the new version, are "Content-Aware Scaling" and Depth-of-Field Blending."

According to British photographer and Photoshop (and Lightroom) expert Martin Evening, Content-aware scaling is "probably the star feature of Photoshop CS4, yet also the most controversial since it invites Photoshop users to tamper with photographs in ways that are likely to raise the hackles of photography purists...." It basically allows an image to be dragged into a space where it would not ordinarily fit. For example, taking a square-shaped photograph and fitting it into a rectangular space, without affecting the proportions of the content. So a tall photo of a building, could be slotted into a shorter, fatter space without the building looking flattened or squashed.

Depth of field blending allows the photographer to "blend" together a series of images that may be sharper at different points, and produce one image that is sharp from front to back. Adobe's sample image is a film reel, with the film unwound and extending into the distance. Imagine photographing that subject, three times. In the first shot, you get the film reel sharp, but the middle and end of the unwound film is out of focus. So, you re-take the shot, making sure that the middle part of the film is sharp, but this time the reel goes out of focus, as well as the end of the film. Then you take a third shot, making sure that the end portion of the film is sharp, but the reel and the middle are now out of focus. Photoshop CS4 will blend all of those images together and produce one photograph that has all the parts sharp and perfectly stitched together, and properly colour balanced. You'll look like either a) a photographic genius or b) a photographic genius with a very expensive shift perspective lens.

If you would like to read more about what Martin Evening says about Photoshop CS4 you can CLICK HERE to read his excellent blog.

Homophobia

2008-09-21T21:40:00.010+01:00

A nun - in full habit - was selling trinkets, mainly knitted nick-knacks and small hand-made wooden crosses, out of the back of her car, as I passed through the car park at Donegal Town Quay, this morning. I went over and thumbed a few tea-cosys and knitted crosses (for hanging from the rear view mirror - apparently they are very popular in Donegal) and tried to strike up a conversation - leading, of course, to the dreaded "can I take a picture of you" question.

I quickly ascertained that the Sister, was from the Holy Order "Sisters of Grace" (that bit was easy, because it said so on the jars of jam and honey she was selling) she told me that there were 300 Sisters in the order, all over the world, but only one in Ireland, her good self.

Anyway, I got the question out fairly quickly, and timed it for just when the Sister was handing me my change and the jar of honey I bought. "Oh no" she said "I can't have a photo taken" it's against my religion". "What religion is that?", I inquired. "I'm a recluse, in fact I was a hermit for 20 years."

"A duck got loose in the car park last week", she told me, her tone becoming increasingly stressed, "and a photo of me trying to catch it, was taken by a press photographer and ended up in the local paper!" (I felt the urge to duck myself, just from the sheer venom with which she said the P words). "I'm still wondering what to do about it. I might sue the newspaper."

"Oh, that seems a bit drastic, surely there might be some good publicity in it, for the Order" I offered, at the same time wondering if I might have snapped her accidentally, previously, and if so, did she have my car registration number.

"No" she said firmly "we don't seek publicity. "In fact, I only come out at all to sell things."

I was beginning to see a slight flaw in that particular piece of logic, but I let the thought go and made my final bid to bail out my already sinking boat of a conversation, and sail out of the quay car park as unscuttled at possible.

"It must be interesting being a recluse" I said, "it reminds me of the book 'Ring of Bright Water', and how Gavin Maxwell took himself from London to live in a cottage on a remote beach in Scotland".

"Oh, that's not the same at all" she rebuffed, "anyway, Gavin Maxwell was seriously weird", she declared, firmly. "He was homosexual".

Wondering what my youngest brother would say to that (and feeling somewhat offended on his behalf) I did what all the best press people do (in the tabloids)....I made my excuses, and left.

life stock photography photography freelance photography