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Featured Gallery
 © - Leslie McLain
Welcome to the 425th issue of SnapShot!
Hello,
We are thrilled to welcome two new additions to our talented BetterPhoto Instructors Team! Read about Lynne Eodice and her awesome new 4-week class - Learning to Shoot Inspiring Images. Also, read all about Deborah and her exciting new 4-week course - Digital Infrared Photography. Their classes will join our July school session of 4-week and 8-week courses. ... Also coming up next month is the photographic event of the season: BetterPhoto Summit. July is the best time to visit Seattle and we're thrilled to be holding the next BetterPhoto Summit there. Join us in Seattle, July 25th for a day of learning and inspiration and a special V.I.P. 1-Day Workshop, July 26th. Ask the pros questions and meet people who share your passion for photography. Learn more about the Summit... ... That's it for now. Enjoy your week of photography!
Jim Miotke
Where Is Jim?
Updates From BetterPhoto
Father's Day is coming right up - June 21st - and do we have some outstanding BetterPhoto gift suggestions. Check them out...
Check out the following awesome new 4-week courses that have joined our July lineup:
- Business to Business: Commercial Photography
- Elements For Nature Photographers
- The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Camera
- Learning to Shoot Inspiring Images
- Digital Infrared Photography
Check out our What's New page for links to photos, announcements, etc.
Photo Q&A
1: Lighting/Exposure Issues
I take lots of outdoor photos (with Nikon D300), such as the attached photo of my daughter at the beach. If I center-weight my exposure, she looks fine but the backgound is washed out. If I don't center-weight the exposure, the background looks fine and her features are dark, so I need to edit and "fill light" them picture. After that, my contrast and blacks are screwed up, so it takes some time to get the photo looking right. Aside from constantly using a fill flash (which I don't see much of with other outdoor D300 users), what settings can I use to get my daughter and the background to expose better?
- Celeste McWilliamsSee Sample Photo - Lighting Issue
ANSWER 1:
Celeste, you're on the right track to think of fill flash. Try expoisng for the background, even underexposing by a stop or so, then use fill flash at ttl and plus/minus flash exposure as needed. You might have to take one or two test shots to find the right balance, but your photos will be much improved with less editing. I recommend an off-camera flash for the most pleasing results.
- John Rhodes
Read this Q&A at BetterPhoto.com
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2: How To Convert From Color To B&W
I've tried several different ways to convert color images to black and white but the image always looks flat and blah! I want to make the image pop and look nice.
Any suggestions? Thank you!!!
- Tammy J. Russotto
ANSWER 1:
Hello Tammy,
Even though you have converted the original to B&W, the colors are still affecting the look of the image.
I use Photoshop and use the "convert to B&W" tool. I then will play with the color sliders and see how they affect the look of the photo. Contrast and the correct white balance will also affect the look as well as levels and curves.
Hope this helps!
- Carlton Ward
ANSWER 2:
Don't know if it makes a lot of difference, but before I convert, I run an action for enhancing the colors and also adjust for better saturation using the Variance tool or Curves. Then I convert. I feel like it gets the tones better represented and the contrasts amd details more enhanced.
- Jesse C. Plummer
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1: Photo Shoot - What to Charge?
Hello: I work for a manufacturing company, and they have asked me to submit a proposal to do a photo shoot of some equipment for advertising. They will be using images for a brochure and on their web site. Being new at this, I need some advice on how and what to charge? Should I charge for the session and then any individual images or a flat rate? Pleas if anyone could help me it would be of great gratitude Thank you. - Eric S. Rundle
ANSWER 1:
Hi Eric,
I can’t tell you what to charge. This depends on your market and on the perception of your talent that the client holds. Certainly, a potential client will not have the same perception of an unknown that they might have of an established professional.
What I can tell you is that doing business with a business is very different from working with a portrait wedding business. A portrait/wedding photographer will charge a lower fee for the shoot than would be appropriate for the time involved in the shoot. The photographer will make up for that by selling prints. So you might have a $75.00 sitting fee, and get an additional $300.00 from print sales. That doesn’t work with a business. There will be no significant after-money from the shoot. So I charge a client based on the time involved in the work.
When I do a job for a new company, the first thing I establish is when we will start. If they are not available at this agreed-upon time, I charge them anyway. The primary thing I am selling them is my time. If they try to change the time with less than a day before the start time, I charge them. Have respect for their budget, be on time, be ready to work, do not spend time on the phone. It is important to me to give a client precisely what they wanted. If that means an extra hour in Photoshop, to clean up my oversight, then I do this. I am not looking for a quick profit, but for a long-time business relationship. Currently, I have a client I work for more than once a month. The advantage of a long-term relationship with a client is more important than a few quick dollars.
I would also encourage you to give the client the files for the company to keep. If you have been asked to produce creative art of the company, I can understand licensing the images for a particular usage over a specific time. But if you made product shots, this is more craft than art. Remember, if your client doesn’t make money with your shots, they won’t come back.
Thanks,
- John H. Siskin
See John Siskin's Basic BetterPholio™:
http://www.betterphoto.com/mg.asp?id=158091
Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with John Siskin:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Business to Business: Commercial Photography
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
Read this Q&A at BetterPhoto.com
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