Blog

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Wanna shoot macro?

If you want to shoot macro, but don’t know much about it, there are plenty of websites devoted to the process.  here is one of many guides to getting started, provided by our friends at Adorama:  

I’ve done some basic macro in the past, but would love to invest in some better specialty lenses.  The macro world is a whole new world to explore…
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Great work, great ideas, great help…

I’m always on the lookout for great work.  It helps inspire me.  It helps me know where trends are headed.  It helps me keep tabs on who the hot and/or up and coming photogs are.  I also like to keep an eye out for other industry people, like stylists, art directors, etc.  You never know when you’ll need some help on  shoot, and you want to work with people who will make you look better.  

One group I’m keeping my eye on can be found here:  
They seem to have some pretty good people.  Take a look at this image – a promo for Rey Medrano: 
 
Isn’t that a great image?  I’d love to work with all the people who had a hand in it.  The make-up, styling, and art direction are all great!  I hope/wish people look at my work the same way.  Hopefully they are inspired by some of my images, moved to create better work themselves.  I don’t really need/want to be famous, but I do want people to get something from my work.  I want them to look at my art and be moved.
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Books…

Has anyone used one of the growing number of custom book making companies out there today?  I’ve seen advertisements for a bunch of companies over the last couple years, and the prices keep dropping.  It’s basically just a POD (print on demand) service, that allows you to create a photo book… a real book, bound and all.  

I’ve never heard of this company before today, but their prices look pretty darn good:  
I wonder if the quality is any good.  For those prices, I have to ask myself if it seems too good to be true?!?  A 7×7″ softcover book with up to forty pages for about fifteen dollars?  I might just try doing one, just to see.  It would be easier than my hand-bound portfolios, and might look better.  So, has anyone used one of the POD book companies yet?  A company besides the consumer-level ones… I forget some of the consumer-level brands, but they’ll make a book from your iphoto images  or direct from a cd or cf/sd card (though, I’ve heard they look pretty bad).  
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Goodbye, old friend…

This article predicts the demise of several more large newspapers (Denver just lost one of its icons – The Rocky Mountain News):  

news.yahoo.com link  

As a newspaper shooter myself, this is not good to hear…  Or, maybe I should use the pun “this is not good news”.  Luckily, I have a few magazines, some corporate clients, and commercial/advertising gigs that will keep me afloat through this hard time for photojournalism.  I can’t say all those staff photographers will be as lucky.  
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Canon user?

If you shoot professionally, you should become a member of CPS.  No, it’s not Child Protective Services…  It’s Canon Professional Services.  They provide help for Canon shooters.  The official Canon invite states:  


“The long awaited CPS web site is live and available to accept memberships into the New CPS Program.  The CPS program is available to full-time working professional photographers that meet the membership level requirements of equipment ownership and business. This program offers three levels of membership – Silver, Gold and Platinum – to qualifying members, with each level receiving better and more extensive benefits.”

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Sometimes you’ll get lucky!

Sometimes it can be hard to photograph a subject.  Sometimes you’ll get lucky.  I always try to make the photos for this feature very fun/goofy/light-hearted.  I want it to match the feeling of the text, and the questions and answers are usually so much fun…  

I was especially lucky to get such a willing subject on this one.  When you think of someone who performs with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, you think stuffy and serious.  I was expecting to get a real conservative shot.  As we started talking, I realized that I had someone pretty cool in front of the lens.  
I got a few “safe” shots, then asked my subject if she’d mind holding the horn in a fun and/or goofy way, maybe over her head.  She immediately put it on like a hat.  We both laughed, then I shot.  I think it works well…  
I guess the reason I decided to blog on this, is that not every subject is willing to work with you.  Some people just won’t feel comfortable getting silly in front of the camera.  However, it doesn’t hurt to ask, because sometimes you’ll get lucky!
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State sales tax?!?

We just did our taxes, and it made me think of a few things that every self-employed photographer should be doing.  I’ll try blogging about several of these things over the next few days, starting with a VERY important one right now…

If you are charging other people for your efforts, you need to be doing this, too:  

www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/  

Of course, this form is for businesses in Texas, but the basic idea is the same for all states.  If you are selling something, you should be collecting sales tax.  If you are collecting sales tax, you had better be giving it to the government!  
To make a long story short, this is completely different from the federal IRS stuff that you see H&R Block for every year (or maybe you are lucky enough to be filling out a 1040ez form on your own).  This has to do with state sales tax, just like when you buy a dvd or a bottle of shampoo.  The price of the item is ten dollars, but you leave the store in Dallas paying $10.82 (each state will have a slightly different percentage of sales tax).  
The store doesn’t keep that eighty two cents.  They give it to the state.  I also collect sales tax on any business transaction that doesn’t have a valid reason to exempt it (certain charities, businesses, and other situations allow for the tax to be waived).  I send the money to Austin every January.  This keeps everything I do on the straight and narrow.  I don’t need any government employees knocking on my door over something so simple to do.  
Sure, if you are only doing a couple paying gigs per year, you can slide under the radar and not get caught, but anybody making a part-time living or better NEEDS to be collecting and paying state sales tax.  There is no way around it, except the illegal way.  So, do it.
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A serious read for photogs…

I almost didn’t read all the way through this article.  It was pointed out to me, and I was told it was an “eye-opener” for self-employed photographers.  Well, the first half was a bit boring and pretty obvious.  It was late and I was close to calling this one done.  

I’m glad I kept going, though.  Page three and four really ARE eye-openers.  It details the reality of waiting for clients to call and taking assignment rates that sound good – until you really add up your expenses.  Read it for yourself (and stick with it to the end):  

www.rangefindermag.com/repository  

I’m dealing with much of this right now.  How do I keep moving in this tough market?  How do I make sure I’m bringing in enough work to make a difference?  How do I keep up to date with technology and competition without blowing my budget on new gear, computers, software, etc?!?  
There may not be many answers in the article, but it does raise enough questions to get you thinking…
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Victor…

The web is full of wonderful photography-related stuff.  For example, you can read Victor online: 

www.victorbyhasselblad.com  

Victor is a publication put out by the Hasselblad people, and it is filled with interesting images.  I’m sure the print version is even nicer, but I don’t have the $76 to waste on four issues.  I’d rather just register my email address and enjoy the online version for now.