The speed at which technology moves is dizzying, and photography always seems to riding that giant wave. With ridiculous mega pixel counts and rigs like the Canon 5D Mark II which shoots cinematic quality video, it can be easy to forget from whence we came. As often as I can, I like to take a minute to step back and look at just how far we’ve come.
One of my favorite photographers from the old school is Richard Avedon. The photo here is from his In the American West series. He essentially traveled the country, found normal everyday people, threw up a white back drop, and took their picture. His documentation of how the average person lives strikes a blow to your heart. His images are moving, and manage to capture a person’s story in that one little frame.
Whenever you fill overwhelmed by all the techno babble, take a minute to look back to how it used to be done. You might just learn a thing or two.
Another weekend brought some more work on the book. The deadline is looming and I still have a whole lot of work left to do. Right now I am work on finding a printer. Everything I find just seems too expensive. I would like to keep the thing fairly affordable, but we’ll just have to see how that part works out.
I love this pair of shoes. They raise so many questions. They raised a lot of challenges as well. I have long known just how difficult it is to shoot shiny objects, but putting a mirror below them really ups the difficulty. What stories do you think this pair tells? Let me know in the comments. I’m sure they have a few.
In other news, they Kickstarter fund raising campaign for the American Photo Project is off to a crawl. Two backers and $30 so far. Only 1%. I need to pick up the pace if I am ever going to make it. Just click on the widget to the right to learn more.
There is also only two days left in the typo contest. Send in the photos of those typos to claim your prize.
I have officially kicked off my fund raising campaign for the American Photo Project. It’s going to be a long haul. Anyone interested in learning more about it can go here. To donate, you can go to the Kicstarter page or just click on the widget off to the right here.
As always, if you, or any friends, would like to take part as subject in the project, please let me know.
On a final note, don’t forget the challenge to send in a picture of your best public typo.
It’s been a year. I haven’t always been consistent, but I still feel accomplished. I don’t always have the best follow through when it comes to my own projects, and I feel like keeping this blog moving, be it slow and deliberate, is an accomplishment worth celebrating. I think I’ll celebrate by working harder on this site and finding freelance clients.
I feel like I should be doing a recap, or making resolutions for the future, but I think I’ll save that for the end of the calendar year.
I am cranking away on my book. I don’t have a title yet. Maybe I’ll make that another contest (have you sent in your picture of a typo yet?). I haven’t said a whole lot about this project yet. Primarily, because the concept has only recently solidified. Now that I know where I’m going, I can talk a little more about it.
I think shoes are incredible. They are horribly taken for granted. Every pair of shoes have a story to them. With this book, I want to tease the story out of a few of them. What story do you think these boots have to tell?
I think I’m about a quarter of the way through it right now. Still a lot of work to do before my deadline, which is the Artwalk on October 9th. You are coming, right? Wish me luck. It’s starting to look like it may be a bit of a lofty goal. Regardless, you should come by and say hi.
Don’t forget about the contest this month. Send me a picture of the best typo you can find in a public space. My favorite is the winner.
I know I am not the worlds best wedding photographer. There are a lot of things I will do differently, if I ever shoot another wedding. I, however, never fell in the water. Even with the ceremony was across the pool. At least his assistant was on top of it, and went for the camera first.
Apparently J.D. Salinger’s toilet is a big ticket item. Check out this piece at Newobserver. Hipsters rejoice, this is your chance to own the throne that most contributed to Salinger’s work.
Wow. There is no respect left for the venerable camera. They will cram one into anything these days. As you can see, there is still no comparison for a good high quality camera. Looks like Barbie will need to step up her game if she wants to play in the big leagues. Thanks to Brandon Bloch for bringing this to everyone’s attention. Be sure to check out his other videos.
Last year I had the honor of shooting a couple of weddings. They are fun, yet exhausting, events to work. You are on your feet for hours. You have to deal with brides, parents, planners, D.J.’s and guests. Lucky for me, the two I shot went off seamlessly. Nothing arose I couldn’t take care of; nothing got lost or broken and everyone was happy. The two weddings I worked were both people with whom I was familiar, which didn’t do much for the stress. If it were a regular client that was unhappy, I wouldn’t risk losing a friend as well.
Recently, a friend announced that he and his fiance were getting married. I thought I was going to be hit up for a free-bee, which I would have gladly provided, but instead he asked that I help him find a good wedding photographer. Then it hit me, most people know very little about what makes a good photographer. After helping him locate someone I decided I would offer my sage advice to others. So, following are my suggestions to make sure you’re happy with the photos of your big day.
Word of mouth is a great place to start. Photographers’ reputations are built on word of mouth. Ask your friends if they know of anybody, most likely one of them will have a name or two to start with.
Check out their previous work. Everybody today has a website (even me). Any good wedding photographer will have pictures somewhere out there on the web for you to look at. If not, just ask. Any professional worth talking to will be more than happy to provide samples.
Check the references. Even if your best friend loved their photographer, it does not always mean everybody is happy with them. Ask for some references, and check up on them.
Meet with them well in advance. It can take a while to find a photographer that you are comfortable with. Start early to make sure that you can find one that you like and can offer what you are looking for. Which brings me to my next point:
Do not be afraid to say no. Just because your father’s, best-friend’s, uncle is a photographer, does not mean that you have to hire him. If you have any misgivings: you feel uncomfortable, he seems unreliable, you don’t like his cologne. What ever it is remember, you are stuck with him all day. At your wedding.
Schedule a shoot ahead of time. Many photographers offer an engagement session as part of their packages. Some even for free. Some apply the cost towards the wedding if you book with them. Do it. Even if you don’t want engagement pictures. This will give you a chance to see if you like his personality, his style of working with clients. Pay attention to how he handles his gear. Is he clumsy? Does he drop stuff a lot. You don’t a photographer that is going to miss the kiss because he is looking for that memory card he dropped.
Some studios employ a number of photographers. Make sure you get to meet with the one that will actually be shooting your wedding.
Your photographer will likely require a deposit to hold your wedding date. Never agree to pay the entire fee up front. The balance of the fee should only be paid after the wedding, once you have seen and received your proofs.
Get it in writing. When booking your photographer, always make sure to get everything in writing. A written agreement or contract with your photographer, itemizing all of the important details, will protect you and help prevent potential misunderstandings. It should be signed and dated in duplicate by both you and the photographer; and you should each retain a copy. It should list all fees, taxes, and extra charges, as well as what the photographer is to provide (number of hours of coverage, number of proofs, number of photos in the package, sizes of photos, etc.) The agreement should explain when deposits and balances are due. It should also clearly list the date of the wedding, the location or locations the photographer will be required at, and the times at which he or she is to be there.
A word about style. Be sure you like the photographer’s style. He may be an excellent photographer, but if you don’t like the style his previous work is done it, you may not like you wedding photos.
Just as important, make sure you like him. If you clash with his personality, it might make your wedding miserable.
There it is. I hope this has helps some one out there? Any other questions about hiring a wedding photographer? Just ask.
Jonathon Miller is a writer and photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jonathon has been both writer and photographer for The Deli SF and the now defunct Fringe Magazine covering topics ranging from band interviews and reviews of live performances to art openings. Jonathon has written bio’s and press releases for multiple Bay Area [...]more →
