We had photographers from NY / FL  / WA / CA / KS / TX and other far flung areas… we covered North America pretty well.

More shots from that weekend coming when I get them all in from the folks… wow, it was fun.

The first portrait was of Briana and done as a demonstration for one of the photographers who wanted to understand the large fill card and main light approach.

Briana is lit from the side with a large, 60" umbrella on camera right, in close. To camera left is a very large white fill card. No other lighting mods were used.

I took some of the other dancers to the lobby for a short natural light session. Natural light was my first love in photography, and going back to it is a choice and a joy.

The light in the foyer area was coming through an open door, and filling the bright walls. I used a couple of pieces of fome core for the main light, and set my ISO up to allow a faster shutter speed.

Mikella is lit with two white cards: one directly to camera right and the other from camera left. The catch lights were offered by sunlight on a glass picture frame behind me.

Next up was  Danica. She had this incredible hair and I wanted to get something I was seeing in my head. I moved her quite close to the doorframe for this shot, and used a fome core bounce card for the main light.

The flare gave me the exact look I wanted. A bit on the dreamy side, yet punchy enough to work as a portrait. Yes, Danica has a beautiful smile, but this look just seems so right.

Miranda was sitting in the chairs on one of the walls of the foyer, and I simply loved the look. Placing her low in the frame gives the image some dynamic. At least, I like it and it is more a stylistic way I like to shoot these days.

Miranda was lit by only natural light - not even a fill card. I had to keep her head turned away from the door so there wouldn't be bright edges on her cheeks and nose.

It is always fun to get a chance to shoot some portraits. Between all the goings on that day, it was a welcome respite for me.

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And he is right.

It is.

You can see it in industry and media and design and art. You can see it in nearly every area of business.

Apple proved it. And Mercedes. And Braun. And Singapore Airlines. The list is pretty extensive.

To get to the top – the vaunted, rare, incredibly beautiful top – takes more than being average. In fact, simply being in any field at a sustainable level will take more than average. More than “good enough”.

Especially in commercial photography.

My bud Kirk thinks the whole photography thing may be totally over. At least for today.

Maybe he is right, but I am not buying it. I refuse to buy it.

If I did, I would have to simply do something else. Riding something dying to the end is not for me.

I love photography, and photographers. And I think they are here for a lot longer than some believe.

I hear how there are too many photographers. I hear how the prices are terrible. I hear how no one is making any money (except from those who are actually out there making money).

I hear all about how there are problems, but few seem to be addressing the reality that the context is changing, and the participants have varying degrees of ability to adapt.

Few will simply come out and say the basic truth because it is so hard to accept…

The ability to take a decent – actually even better than decent – photograph is not that big of a deal. Even the cheapest cameras are capable of ‘making a good picture’ – as long as your criteria does not include the actual content of the image. Color, exposure, sharpness… all good with even the most basic camera.

(Flickr will eat me alive… I will just leave it there…)

What used to be an average photographer took a lot of work. Now… not so much.

Not much at all.

Click…

But the subject, context, emotional connection, and the relationship of viewer to the image have not changed. Those things are still important, necessary, vital.

And as elusive as they ever were.

The photographers who understood those things, that ‘got it’ were always at the top. Penn, Avedon, Demarchelier, Elgort… the list is pretty extensive. Lots of  ’old guys’ who didn’t really sit around and talk shit about lenses and film speed and what the newest cool lighting was. Maybe they would have if they weren’t so damn busy making images, but – alas…

The most difficult thing to talk about is the image itself. It is open to interpretation and combined with a point of view, can be the most terrifying and mystical aspect of the art. What do we say about it? What do other people think? What do the ‘right people’ think? Will I spill to the world I am a simple luddite if I like this or not like that? What if what I say is – gulp – wrong?

The fear of not having anything to say about the photograph quickly fades when the discussion turns to pixel counts and the GN of some new Chinese made flash unit.

Those things are measurable. Quantifiable. Easy to understand and place in direct competition.

24 Megapixels is more than 18 Megapixels.

Fact. Done. Fini. Nanna nanna booboo.

It is the stuff that average photographers latch onto and make their own. This camera does that and that camera does this and then it is all about the camera. I have this new thing and that old thing simply doesn’t ‘measure up. We can quantify that by counting the pixels or checking for fringing at 6000%.

Photography = camera.

Except – when it isn’t.

Cameras are average. Cameras create average. Cameras encourage average.

BECAUSE they are quantifiable, measurable and easily comprehended.

They take the fun out of photography, the joy and pure emotional excitement of making an image, and move it into a realm of boringass technology and defined, finite abilities.

Resolution.

Average.

Over.

Why? Because art is none of those things. Vision has nothing to do with them. Style and personal viewpoint and expression and emotion and depth and the ability to move someone to tears or elation or to go to Staple and grab that thing cause they simply gotta have that thing cause the photograph made them WANT THAT THING… none of that is quantifiable, measurable in pixels, or has anything to do with maximum flash sync.

Cameras may be the very instruments of the death of photography. Killed that sucka dayd.

Or at least tried to – but missed.

Because there are so many terrific photographers out there that it would be simply impossible to begin listing them. By the time you got to the end of the list, you would have to go back and start again. The amount of times I am knocked out by new photographers work is tenfold what it used to be. This is the glorious age of the image, of the photograph, of the art.

How can that be?

Fact: the world of photography has moved a notch up. And many of us are scrambling up to see what it looks like from that rung.

The bar raised and didn’t automatically take us all along for the ride. We find ourselves again having to earn our position there. Some of us, I fear, will never again stand on the top rung where we hung out and got fat and lazy and belligerent and arrogant and slovenly and so set in our ways that we find anything that youth does to be abhorrent and inevitably evil. We owned it. We were there so long that we never noticed that it became… average.

Being pretty good with a camera is no longer good enough. Being able to shoot something in focus may not be enough. Simply making pretty pictures is not gonna work for long term sustainability.

Because it became simply too easy to do to have any kind of gate for filtering. No top of the line enlarger or killer ass strobe system gonna save our sorry asses now.

So what are the ‘average’ shooters doing these days?

Working hard to tread water… finding additional ways to shoot and make it through the next rent check? Yeah, probably.

And bitching… lots of bitching. And digging in… lots of that too.

It will not serve anyone well and in the end will prove to be a terrible barrier to success.

Devastating really.

And you know who is to blame? Well, besides ourselves…

Time.

There was a time when simply being able to work a view camera, take an exposure reading and make images on large format cameras with the subject in focus was enough. Lots of photographers started businesses with little talent, but a lot of technique.

There was a time when being “good enough” was, well, enough. All the client needed was an ‘average’ shot of a beer opener or a bag of nuts or a Cuisinart. Average was good, average we could do standing on our heads. Average was the result of the camera doing the heavy lifting and our expertise in manipulating the tool.

Technique is not enough to carry us through these days because, well, the techniques we learned are no longer important. New techniques must be learned.

Here, I’ll say it again. It is easier than it has ever been to be technically good. In fact… who cares anymore. Sharp and in focus and technically brilliant is a given. Even teenagers can do it in their garage with dad’s borrowed camera.

Some photographers get out there and learn the new ways and continue on, and some resist and feel it is imperative from a moral point deep in their guts to hold on to the ‘old ways’ in order to jab the metaphorical middle-finger to the “young’ns” who seem to be stealing their lunches. I am not into metaphorical middle fingers myself, I prefer the real thing. Much more natural and ‘organic’ and is so much fun to accompany with some pithy profane word-smithing.

But the bottom line is that the bar has been raised. Not a lot.

A HELL of a lot.

And to be in the more rarefied air above the new bar will take more and more effort.

And talent.

And vision, style, emotion, guts, pain, blood, laughter, failure, elation, and that tingly little spine thingy that happens when you do something and it just screams at you that you nailed it… you freeeeeeekin nailed it.

Yeah… more of that.

Average is gone. It is over. (Except in pop-culture and Hollywood, where mediocrity is a badge to be worn with courage and a jaunty, arrogant smile. Think Kanye West… got it?)

It is painful to realize that when we are looking in the mirror, we may be looking at someone who is not ‘dabomb’ that was once staring back. That all the hard work to get where you are meant something then – and nothing now. That instead of resting on our laurels, we have to once again put on the running gear and prepare for a marathon. We have to train and train and train again.

Again.

And some of us will do just that.

And some of us will not.

And some of us will simply metaphorically flip us all off and tell us that we are nuts and that there is no hope and who the fuck cares anyway.

And a few of us will continue to wonder why good enough sustained us before, but will no longer be, well, good enough.

Hey, I don’t have the answers for you. I only have the view from my seat. If I could tell you what the answer to it all was, I probably would be very rich.

I can tell you it ain’t about the camera or the lenses or the strobes or the triggers or the software

I can tell you that it will be a lot of work. And a lot of fun.

And sheer hell on some days.

So what?

You think it is better in other fields?

Sorry, you gotta get out more. There are actually businesses that are far worse off than commercial photography.

I will leave you with a video.

As many of you know, I am a drummer.

Wait – after seeing this kid, maybe I am a guy that used to be a drummer.

Sixteen years old, and he plays with the ability of a guy who has been playing for decades. There are other examples of sheer brilliance on the net, but this one really stuck out to me. NOTE: you must watch all the way to the end. To imagine the amount of practice that this kid has had to endure is mindboggling.

But there is one thing that we know for sure…

Average is no longer an option.

Just ask any drummer you know.

<h2>NOW WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?</h2>

EDIT:

Just after finishing this post (which was supposed to be about 600 words… sigh) I read this article about Annie Leibovitz.

I suggest you read it… I really do.

“This is an amazing time to be a photographer,” she said. “I discovered things about myself which were really comforting — that the work had a deep well, that it wasn’t going to go away.”

Sure beats sitting around and beating yourself up for things that are out of your control… ya know.

EDIT #2

So I am about to crash and I read this from Jake Stangle:

“You need to approach a photo editor with a preexisting body of work that does not speculate on the fact that you might take really good photographs if you were hired. Your portfolio needs to prove this. It can be 100% personal work. You just need to demonstrate that you can shoot. Your portfolio and website need to be a vehicle that high fives photo editors and wraps its arms around their shoulder and softly whispers in their ear, “hey girl, hop in my Hyundai Sonata, let’s do this, I got you”. 

Simplest sentence ever #1: If you’re not getting calls (or even meetings), your work isn’t there yet. You need to get your work there. You are the only one that can do this. Money won’t help. It could take a couple months, it could take years. When the work is there, the calls will start to come along. But not until you, and only you, get it there. This is a universal truth.

Simplest sentence ever #2: Any time you’re in a rut, you need to know and remind yourself and understand the ONLY way to get out of this rut is by making more work, pushing harder, did I say work harder? Nothing is gonna happen when you slump down. Just lost time and wasted days. So get your ass up and keep hammering, working hard infinitely. Behind every photographer is a really haggard guy or girl with a bad back.

Simplest sentence ever #3: The longer you bitch, the more you complain, the more inactive you are in getting to where you want to go, the longer, bitchier, harder, and more unpleasant it will be. This is the devastating truth. So sack up (disclaimer: I am a feminist), get in your F150, and get r’ done.”

I think, no – I KNOW – you should read this whole series at his site: Here is the link to the last one, you will navigate to the others from there.

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That creative people are weird?

That creativity is best created in a group?

That creative people are sloppy, messy and disorganized?

That creative people are always coming up with cool, but ultimately silly ideas?

That only “creative” people can have creative ideas?

Yeah… me too.

What a load of crappola on a piece of small, polished wood.

Creative People are Weird?

Creative people are no more weird than anyone else. They are not all prone to fits of anger or deep, sorrowful depression. That’s Hollyweird’s version of creativity.

And since I feel that everyone has the ability to be creative, it would be pretty terrible to think that everyone is weird.

Creative people, at least the ones we think of as creative, are a little more ready to share that creativity with others. We are not weird when we have a great idea – but we are often afraid of being thought weird by people who are not as brave or open about their ideas.

That little voice in your head that keeps telling you about how weird creative people are is a terrible little voice. Deport that voice to the backyard, or over against the fence where those weeds are starting to pop up. Yeah… there.

Creativity is best from a group?

Oh, really? Like who? Congress? Mobs. (Yes, that may seem a bit redundant… sorry.) How about all those crazy villagers chasing the kind and gentle zombie from Count Frankeshteen’s lovely castle? Creative? How about a cannon, you fools.

Creativity is best brought forward when alone – or maybe with people in a more virtual setting – phone, screen-sharing and such. Groups actually hinder creativity. Sure there are great and wonderful groups that nurture new ideas, but they are an anamoly, not the norm. Most groups are more affected by who said what and how different the power levels were and if that new account exec is really ‘hott’, and how the ideas I’m thinking will bring scorn, laughter and eventually loss of the bathroom key.

Groups suck. Usually.

Creatives are slobs with messy offices.

Hmmm. OK, so that may apply to some creatives with handles that begin with ‘wiz…’ but it is NOT a necessary evil of creativity. In fact, how can true creativity exist in a sloppy, unorganized environment. The disorganization may seem foreign to many, but it may be very organized to the individual.

Sometimes the heat of the moment overcomes the attention to putting that stapler back, but the act of the creative is what is really important. I have met many very creative people who have an extremely organized, incredibly clean office.

I hate those people.

But I recognize that we do not have to be a mess to be creative – and it is time to do away with that silly stereotype. My office is a bit disorganized, but my camera gear and studio are impeccably organized. Priorities.

Creative people are always coming up with useless ideas.

Really?

Like cellphones and smart devices and computers we can take with us… on airplanes… that fly.

Fly.

Creative people simply come up with MORE ideas – or at least expounds more ideas – and that may make them seem a bit off. And that is unfortunate, because many ideas that failed at first lead to incredible ideas that come to fruition.

Remember the LISA? It led to the Mac.

A failed search for a high powered glue gave us Post-It Notes.

And did I mention… flying?

Only “creative” people can come up with really creative stuff.

Nuts.

There are a lot of regular, normal people with impeccable offices who are able to come up with incredible ideas. Business changing. Culture changing.

Life changing.

What has this to do with photography?

Everything.

Stop telling yourself that you can’t be creative. Stop thinking that because you work in an environment that is more organized than most is somehow going to cancel out the ideas in your head. Stop thinking that you cannot possibly come up with a good idea if you cannot bounce it off someone first, or that it is a silly idea to begin with.

Stop saying no, and finding ways to not be creative and focus more on BEING creative.

Make photographs that are perfect examples of what you think YOU want to do. Seek no approval prior or after. We self censor way too often.

There are a lot of different paths to take to becoming a professional (even if only in attitude and approach) and it is OK to find the one you like. Grab the metaphorical walking stick and head on out down that path. Ideas are viral… and the more you come up with, the more you will come up with.

And the more creative ideas you have, the more creativity will become your partner.

The consequences of believing myths about creativity can inhibit and hinder your work. Don’t let reasons that do not exist stop you from making images you love.

Thanks for visiting with Essentials For Photographers today… I have to clean my office now.

Sigh.

——————-

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1. Get a hard edge to criticising your own work and make sure it is living up to your standards.

Getting a good critique for your work is one of the more difficult things to do. While it may be a progressive idea that ‘everyone’s opinion matters’ the truth is the opposite. Not everyone, but specific people with opinions based in knowledge and awareness and taste – those are the people you want to critique your work. Art directors and picture editors and helpful photographers who truly want to see you succeed are far more important arbiters of the value of your work than some anonymous Flickr follower.

Learn to ask for critiques, and take from them the knowledge that someone had an opinion. Change – or do not – but at least you got something strong to consider.

In this article, I look at different ways to get and use critiques of your work.

Be liberal in your pre-selection process… anything that even remotely resembles a possbile portfolio piece is added to the “maybe folder”. Be ruthless in the selection process after that… whittle it away edit by edit until you have only the best.

Then have someone you trust or a good photography consultant who KNOWS what the hell they are doing look at it and work the images a second time.

And a third.

Keep at it and when you are done, you just know it. Seriously… you feel it in your gut when you look at a killer portfolio sitting on the table or on the screen in front of you. Great… you have officially earned a night off.

Drink responsibly.

2. Competitions and contests may be able to shed some light on your work and its progress. Just remember to choose wisely.

Not every competition is right for you. And you are perfect for some competitions. KNOW what competition you are entering and how they judge by researching previous competitions and winner’s work. Communication Arts Annuals are far different styles of competitors than the “Hey Hot Shot” photographers. Which do you fit in with? Which will be a place for you to shine?

There are dozens of competitions out there, and finding the one that works for you takes some research… and, hey there’s this site named Google and …

Winning is good for the soul, but simply entering is a good thing to do. It is an admission to yourself that you are ready… at least to enter and start mixing it up. Join the fray… it isn’t expensive and like the actresses all say – “it’s just great to be here…”

But do not expect anything from the win. PR it for all the advantage you can, but in the long run it may not add much to your bottom line.

3. Peer reviews and industry insiders.

ASMP and APA offer peer reviews… other photographers who are there to mentor the new photographer. And surprisingly other people in the industry may want to help as well.

Yeah – that’s right. Not everyone is a schmuck.

Call an art director in your town and offer to buy them lunch if they look at your portfolio and give you a few tips. Sure, that whole cold call an AD and ask him/her to lunch is a totally scary – terrifying really – thing to do. So what? This business has terrified you before, and it will terrify you again down the road. One truamatic little terrifying moment in the middle hardly leaves a scar.

I once called an AD to tell him that I admired his work and would like to show him my book for personal growth only. We had sushi. We ended up being pretty good friends.

And we did considerable business together.

Do it. Most AD’s will not want to kill you with their bare hands after smearing your portfolio with Chipotle sauce. It just isn’t their thing.

You will learn a great deal for your lunch tab.

4. Have an excellent and modern website, and become engaged with clients on multiple levels.

I won’t rant on here, but seriously folks… there are some terrible websites out there with photographers names on them. Terrible. You don’t have to spend a lot, but you do have to spend a bit.

Get out of the damn Flash portfolio site and onto something more modern. Look at the two WordPress Theme ads I have running here and check out what a few bucks can get you. Add a few more for some customization and get a whole new site with a whole new level of respect from the people who visit it.

And if you think that image doesn’t matter… well… just think about it for a second. What business are you in again?

Regarding the question of whether social media plays or will play a big part in your marketing efforts the answer is yes.

It will and it does. I hate to use buzzwords like ‘engage’ – but dammit – involve yourself with your customers on the platforms they are engaging their customers on.

Yeah yeah, I know… its all a fad. It will blow over soon. Just the young people and techies playing with it now.

Like digital photography?

(This post has more information. Take a look)

5. Have an excellent print portfolio, as well as some great stuff on that iPad.

Print portfolios are not dead. They aren’t called in as much as they used to be. But when they are it is for a sizable gig – not a couple of catalog shots. Print books get called in for substantial gigs.

And if you don’t have one… well… You. Don’t. Have. One.

Get a Lost Luggage or a Pina Zingaro, get your prints together and have it at the ready.

Two things come to mind:
1. They aren’t expensive.
2. Having a book in your hand – a real portfolio – makes you feel a bit taller, or more desirable. You may even smell better, I don’t know. I know that having one in my hands makes me smile.

And if you are holding off on the iPad because you think that is a fad too, well get over yourself. It isn’t. And it is something you must consider as part of your marketing arsenal.

And this is rather sobering… carrying the same images on your iPad that are on your website seems a bit – well – redundantly redundant. They have already seen the pictures on your website bigger than they are on your iPad.

Better have that iPad filled with even more eye-candy.

(On the day of this post, I have just set up my wifes Kindle Fire and have to say that the images look fabulous on it. There are not many portfolio apps for it yet, but they are coming. You know they are.)

Here is an older post that has a lot of information on portfolio preparation.

6. Once you have a considerable amount of work, a ‘body of work’, seek a consultant to help you organize and find the gems.

It’s worth it. It really is.

We get too close to the work. We bring baggage from the shoot to the final image… remembering how hard it was to get the shot or how incredible the talent was that day.

Blah blah blah… no one cares. They are only interested in the image.

A good consultant can help you by being a disinterested third party that is highly interested in your success. (Successful photographers return to good consultants for more work after being successfully consulted at the first consultation. Did you follow that?)

If you can find someone in your town, great. If you have to jump a plane, do it.

This is your career we are talking about. Everyone is telling us how hard it is. Finding someone to lead you through at least the first mine-field is more important than that new lens you want.

Believe me – it is.

7. Develop a strong, and well designed email campaign. Well designed…

Did I mention that it should be well designed. It should be.

Well designed that is.

Sorry – it’s just that I get so damn many that suck the suck out of suck.

I recommend MailChimp (www.mailchimp.com). They have some nice, simple, well designed templates that are very easy to use and customize.

I suggest either using the simplest one and keeping the imagery to the fore, or hiring someone who knows how to customize it for you. Comic sans headers with Times New Roman text and some sort of cheapassbrushscript logo is not going to impress an AD who was reluctant to click your email anyway cause she’s BUSY!

And you just sent her some shitty piece of blah with terrible typography, terrible logo, and terrible design.

Attaboy, slugger… take the bench. (She never even saw the lovely photos.)

8. Know the market you are pursuing like the back of your hand. Know everything you can know about it.

If you are courting architects, find out everything you can about architects. Everything you can about architecture in your city. Everything you can about the jobs that are being bid (so you can both pitch the winners and actively discuss the project with prospective clients…). KNOW what you are wanting to do.

Inside and out.

Learn the many ways that the market you are pursuing are marketing themselves. Find out where the biggest players are and pitch them first.

Being involved in the industry you are marketing to is one of the smartest and easiest ways to get to know and be known by the real insiders (movers and shakers) of that industry.

People like people who are interested in the same things they are. They really do.

9. Create a blog. Keep it up. Add new work and let your personality shine… and talk to clients, art directors and art buyers… NOT other photographers. They ain’t never gonna hire you.

Yeah. It is true. I am telling you to have a blog.

I am sure you never heard that before.

Well do it. Share your thoughts on the industry you are shooting in and being involved with. (Note – if it is a bigasswhine about how this and that ain’t fair and how it was so much better before digital… then don’t even bother. You are probably a dead-man-walking in the business anyway.)

And no one wants to hear it, and it is annoying to those who are actually getting shit done.

Your blog should be about what cool stuff you are doing, and the cool stuff you are shooting and the cool clients you are shooting for and how cool it is to shoot with you.

We cool on that?

Read this older post on Six Photographer’s Who “Get It” with their blogging.

10. Consistency across all platforms. Message/look and feel/design/sensibilities…

If you have a ‘look’ let it shine everywhere. Having a cohesive presentation is very important. From the blog to the business card, website to the portfolio to the email campaign.

Consistency in message and consistency in presentation show a consistency in your approach to everything.

Consistency is a good thing when you are trying to convince someone to trust you with a $5 Thousand shoot. And it is a good thing for your client to help them feel a bit more warm and fuzzy about hiring you.

Take all of your stuff and put it in front of you. Does it all look like it came from the same photographer?

If yes, break out a cold one!

If no, find a designer and get to work.

Your competition already has.

Till next time…

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And if you like the articles here, LIKE them on FB or click the little G+ thingy. I appreciate your kindness.

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On many forums discussions range from what kind of lights do I need to the best prices on batteries. Others feature photographers discussing their 10 day assignments for big tech firms and how difficult it is to get 10 cases of gear through customs in places with names no one can pronounce.

And all that is fine, and fun, and definitely useful.

But I didn’t find very many places where photographers could learn all the stuff I learned when I was assisting, starting a business, opening a studio in a renovated flower shop, making the mistakes and having the wins of a small market photographer.

Sure we should specialize. But being able to do a competent job or better on a variety of subject matter is important as well.

Shooting to a layout. Taking an assignment and finishing it with success, delivering the images and billing the client is important stuff to learn.

Bidding. Now there is an entire truckload of worm cans ready to be opened.

So I had an idea. I do that a lot.

I would give an assignment each week.

Then the photographers would do the assignment, we would look at the assignment and I would offer my experience as both a photographer and a designer to critique the work from a commercial standpoint.

I didn’t charge for it. And the free version continues just as it did last year. There are some variations (last year I did not give one architectural or interior assignment – just overlooked it) and there are some more twists coming there.

The PRO version is something I thought about last year, but nixed it because I wanted to see how it went. To see how the appetite of photographers was in relationship to this real world experience.

We had a very successful year. Some of our photographers are shooting professionally, some full time.

Portfolios were created and the photographers were making appointments and showing what they learned.

But there is only so much you can do in a format like that.

I found as I went along that there was a lot of stuff that needed more attention and should be separated out from the original Project 52 as they are more for the serious, commercially focused, photographers.

So Project 52 PRO Edition is born.

It is a very tightly integrated approach to getting a business going in this calendar year. Full time or part time or just to make it real, we are focused on the exciting aspects of being in business, the mundane necessities that must be addressed, and the real world values that can make or break an entry into the world of commercial art.

Our goal? Build a Plan, Work the Plan, Get Clients, Shoot the Work, and Get Paid.

This year.

We are not wedding/baby/maternity/boudoir focused. We are fully committed to commercial photography. If you are a wedding shooter and want to break into the world of commercial, this may be a great project for you.

These are crazy times, and we want to smooth out the crazies a bit as we move forward.

For more information on the Project 52 PRO Edition, see this page.

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“First of all I would like to thank Don Giannatti (historically “WizWow”) for establishing Project 52 and taking the time to organize and critique the images. This was a major commitment on his part for which I am personally very grateful.

The fact that the assignments were modeled on “real world” assignments meant that there were parameters and expectations. I couldn’t just shoot what I wanted to (unless I could somehow shoehorn that into the assignment). And the quality had to be there. Don is very detail oriented, and picked out the little things (and sometimes to my embarrassment the big things) that I would not normally have noticed on my own. Peers during the critiques provided feedback as well – positive as well as the constructive negatives.”

More from Don and a look at some of his images after the break

“My paid work to date had always been images that I made on my own terms. This was the first time really that someone else set the conditions and I had to fulfill them. Invaluable experience.

What I took away from the whole experience was a more deliberate approach to photography on my part. I find I do a lot more planning than I used to. I am also more detail oriented – it is the little things in the photograph that I pay more attention to. I also feel that I have a new commitment to quality and to stretching myself and my abilities to increase the uniqueness of what I am offering.”

Don’s Work:

“My plans moving forward are to make more money with my camera. I now recognize that this is a necessary precondition to me being able to touch more people with my photography. I recently participa=”file”]ted in a charitable endeavor using my pictures to help them raise money. Not only are people willing to pay decent money for my work, but there is that expectation that quality means paying more for it. Rather than being taken aback by what we were asking, they instead were grateful for the opportunity. That was eye opening for me as photography had always been just a hobby to me.

I credit this project with upping the ante in terms of the quality that I am able to offer. I also don’t think I would have even taken that step in selling my work had it not been for Project 52.”

Don Fadel
kidona.com
Flickr
All Photographs copyright Don Fadel

Thanks Don… I am sure you will be involved in next years as well.

Twitter / Facebook / Workshops / About.Me / My Book, Lighting Essentials on Amazon

And if you like the articles here, LIKE them on FB or click the little G+ thingy. I appreciate your kindness.

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This sort of piggy-backs on my previous article, “Fear and Loathing in Photoville” in which I discuss some of the fear that is prevalent in some circles of photography. “Old guys” sometimes find change hard. They will sometimes hold on to previous patterns too long, after all, they worked for them in the past. And sometimes, they are so set in their ways that they refuse to even consider what is happening around them is real. How could it be changing that fast?

That fast… yes, it is changing that fast. And it shows no sign of slowing down. Not for the short run. Probably not for the long run either.

So we keep on doing what we are doing, and getting praise for it, and expecting it to be ongoing. Like any artist, we feel that what we are doing has merit and value. We keep moving confidently toward completing art that we feel, no, that we KNOW is what our calling creates.

But things are changing everyday. Generations are moving into play, and each has their own value system, their own way of working, their own heroes. And a lifetime of contribution from any artist is no guarantee that the younger demographics will much care about.

In fact, as we older guys hold on to the things that are important to us, the things that we surrounded ourselves with, the contemporaries that MADE us who we are, we move even farther away from the younger groups who have different contemporaries. Different heroes. Different influences.

And sure, we can be considered ‘an influence’ but few of us wake every morning thinking, “well, today I move from being a top-tier artist to someone who “influenced” a top-tier artist.” Few at the top want to be relegated to the “we are so glad you were able to come tonight, does the walker make it harder to drive” group.

I can try as much as I want to embrace hip-hop, or boy bands, or that insipid “Disney kid” singing, but I cannot. It has no relevance to me, or my time, or my experience. I’ll take Mitchell, or Ella, or Benatar, or Battle. (If you don’t know the first names, that is not surprising, and you are probably younger than I am. And that is the point.)

And even those artists had peaks in their own careers. Joni Mitchell has created lots of wonderful albums of music, but none were more revered than “Court and Spark”, “Hissing of Summer Lawns”, and “Hejira”. And none after those three ever achieved the acclaim, or sales of those three. They were nearly perfect, and stand as a tribute to the amazing music that she made.

Keith Jarret has released many solo albums since his first double record “Koln Concert”, yet none have reached nearly the sales of that piece. I listen to all of them, and still the Koln Concert gets play far more than some of the others.

Maybe that is the time that they had to reach their pinnacle? Alec Soth’s blog had a very contentious post on whether photography is a young person’s game.

“Reading this at the age of 40, I began to picture myself as Wile E. Coyote still running after he’s off the cliff. The decline seems inevitable.

But is it? From in-depth quantitative studies, University of Chicago economist David Galenson has proposed two kinds of artist greatness. One he calls Young Geniuses (conceptualists who do their best work early in their careers). The other group he calls Old Masters (those who work by trial and error and improve with age). According to Galenson, Picasso (Young Genius) peaked at age 26 whereas Cezanne (Old Master) peaked at 67.”

Yeah, I get that coyote running around with the dynamite strapped to the tail thing… I do.

But it also shows how we may begin to think about how we fit in, age wise. And how that will affect how we do what we do.

I recently watched Mick Jagger and the guys doing a concert… oh man, I thought they looked terrible… lame and silly. Jumping around like a nut case is a young person’s personae. It looks absolutely stupid on an old guy.

Have you ever watched videos of Peggy Fleming winning the Gold Medal at the Olympics a long time ago. She was beautiful, she was graceful, she was amazing. And she would be a rank amateur in today’s local rinks if she skated that skate today.

The bar moves, and people get better and better and better. It was widely believed at one time that no one could ever run a mile faster than 6 minutes, or that man would never be able to go to the moon, or that we would carry a phone with a camera and be linked to people all over the world to access information in real time.

All silly sounding now, right?

So what does an artist do? Do we try to stay ‘hip’ and ‘young’ and ‘ahead of the game’ and risk looking stupid and out of it? Watching Sammy Davis Jr, one of my most beloved heroes, on old Carson shows wearing Nehru Jackets and “love beads” makes me cringe. But at the same time, I am not gonna wear black socks and sandals while wearing the stupid beach hat.

OK, the beach hat maybe, but not the black socks and sandals.

I can only offer my humble opinion.

We do what we do best, and keep doing what is authentically ours. We find ways to do it that may help cross the gorges of demographics, but we don’t go automatically to change our selves to match their values, we bring our values to them within a context of growth.

When I hear a photographer complaining about the business, I always ask a few questions:

1. What are you doing to get your work out there? How does your marketing plan work?
2. How are you staying current with your work? Is there something you can do to create something new?
3. What is your current plan for changing it up, and creating buzz?

I cannot tell you how many ‘deer in the headlights’ looks I get. I hear about how they will NEVER do a Facebook page, or tweet, or blog or… well, you have heard it all too. Lots of ‘old timers’ and ‘seasoned pros’ react with hostility to things that are new. Different.

While Facebook and Twitter are a very new thing to us older folks, the young people grew up with them. The digital age is NOT new to them, it is THEIR influence, and THEIR normal, and we can either accept and adapt or simply do the ‘old guy’ thing and mumble about ‘kids’ and their toys… < fart, scratch… belch >

But instead of blocking the new, I suggest the acceptance of it. Have fun with it. Embrace it as some new way of working. A way we never have.

And one more thing, and this one is important. And probably the most difficult to do.

Listen to the younger artists. Listen to what they have to say. Listen to how they perceive the world, the art, the business and the technology. Being a master means that you have been a student. Become one again, and embrace the new ways of working – not to try to become somehow ‘young’ and a total phony with hair implants, nipped and tucked into fake youth, and listening to kids music as you spew kid speak.

Listen to them to understand the new world. It is there all around us, and it is never ever going to be 1994 again. Or 1978.

Becoming the student when you are a master is no fail, it is instead an acknowledgment of the true master belief; that all of us have new things to learn, new ideas to think about, and new ways of approaching the work we love.

Twitter / Facebook / Workshops / About.Me / My Book, Lighting Essentials on Amazon

And if you like the articles here, LIKE them on FB or click the little G+ thingy. I appreciate your kindness.

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I am not a ‘normal’ lens kind of guy. Never have been. My Hasselblad has two lenses – the 250MM and the 50MM. Yeah, I’d like an 80 Planar for it someday, but there are a lot of things ahead of that. My favorite 8×10 lens is my 375MM, and when working with 4×5 you would find a 75MM or a 210MM before a 150MM. Actually, I don’t own a 150 – sold it decades ago.

In my 35MM Film days it was mostly the 24MM f2.0 or the 180MM f2.8 Nikkors that lived on my camera. I probably made half a million bucks with that 180MM over a couple of decades.

I didn’t own a 50 for a long time, but ended up getting a nice used one on a camera deal.

Didn’t use it much at all. Gave it to an assistant a long time ago

So now I have a beautiful 50MM 1.4 Canon that sits in the bag for months at a time, I decided it and I should become friends. This was a challenge for me. Getting the most out of a lens means knowing all about how it works within your vision. Sure, I have used it on occasion, but I really wanted to take it out into an element that would also challenge me as a photographer.

I used my trips to the zoo this week to help bring me and the 50 closer together. My daughter is taking horsemanship lessons at the Phoenix Zoo and dad got to take her three times last week. I thought that the zoo would be an element I am not familiar with and provide a challenging place to make photographs with the 50.

Usually when I go to the zoo it is Telephoto land. Not this time. These treks found me working with no kit… only the 50 and the camera. This camera is a crop sensor so the lens is a little tighter than it would be on the full-frame cameras, but that is of no consequence. It is still a 50MM and I rarely use it.

Alissa and I got there at 7:45 each day and she went off to groom horses and I took to the pathways of the zoo. The first day began slowly. I saw too many images that I would have shot with a wide or tele. I started looking through the viewfinder to find those shots that this little lens would appreciate.

And there they were. As I became more and more involved with the lens’ ability to isolate and frame the photograph, it was becoming easier to find the shots I wanted.

I try to turn the filters off in my mind. The “no one will get that photo” and the “oh, that shot again” and the ever present “what will you do with that… it won’t be a ‘book’ shot” crap. Turned off and put away.

I have some shots to share, but before we hit the jump I have a few things to go over.

First: Kirk and I have had to reschedule the workshop planned for August to October 1, 2, 3. Better hotel rates, better weather, and better access to locations.

Second: Please take time to read the interview with Kurt Markus that Rob did over at APE. It is a wonderful discussion by a consummate photographer and an intelligent interviewer. Part One and Part Two. You wont be disappointed in the read.

Third: I would like to take this moment to tell you all that my book is now available at Amazon. I am pretty proud of it, and excited that it is finally hitting the marketplace. You can find it here.

This Agave Plant was being lit with some subtle sunlight coming through the trees above me and to the right. I love patterns and shapes, so I found some patterns and made the exposure at a very wide aperture. Look – I paid extra for the damn f1.4 so I try to use that aspect as much as possible. In this image, the razor sharp DOF allowed me to pick the pattern and present it against an abstract background.

(click it to see it larger.)
They are doing some contruction on one of the walkways and these two piles of ‘assets’ were side by side. I shot them as individual and then put them side by side. It is very interesting to see how the light works differently on the round rocks than it dows on the squared off bricks. Same light, different result. Almost like the subject has something to do with the rendering of light… sort of “subject Centric”. Someone should write a book about that.

I liked the arms and shadows that this tree presented. The 50MM allowed me to get the shot without the flattening that a longer lens would have provided, and without the distortion of the wider lenses. It was a simple crop for a simple subject. Light, shadow and form.

The peeling sign on rusting siding was a chance to play textures off of each other. The fifty allowed me to get in close and make a shot of the part of the sign that was most interesting to me. When I shoot this kind of detail, I like to make a composition that will be interesting to others. Scale is difficult to determine, so it brings the viewer into the image in order to decipher the subject. A diffuse sunlight provided a welcome ‘softbox’ to the shot.

The morning sun provided a nice, sculpting backlight to these palm fronds. Shape and texture and light – all that I need to make a photograph. This time the 50 gave me a working distance that allowed the image to not be overly flattened, and the angle of view presents pretty much what I saw at the moment.

The umbrellas at the snack bar were pretty un-interesting until one stepped under one. The warm, soft, diffused light presented an opportunity to make something from nothing. I used the flat color and the wooden rods to create a design – a light painting so to speak. I love the highlight running along the wood, and the overall softness of the orange canvas. A wide aperture on the 50 allowed me to compose the DOF into being an integral part of the image.

This leaf in dappled sunlight seemed to call me for a photograph. The warm colors and interesting light drew me in, and that one leaf atop the chaos gave the 50MM something to focus in on. The limited DOF along with the classical ‘centered’ composition makes the solo leaf our hero. Again the angle of view is so similar to what I saw without the extraneous surroundings encroaching the quiet still life.

The carousel is somewhat new there, but not a new carousel. They have been working on it for quite some time. I love the colors and the designs of carousels and this detail really caught my eye. Light, color, graphics and a bit of whimsical fun make the shot for me. The 50 worked flawlessly to bring this shot, the one I was seeing in my head, to life. I finally was starting to see like the 50… and that is a good thing. I now have another tool in my arsenal, and not one I only go to for those low light situations.

Cactus and spider web present a mysterious look at at detail very likely overlooked by most. This tiny cactus had a bit of light being bounced into it from a bright area behind me. I moved in close and let a few strands of spider web go far out of focus. A razor thin DOF kept the focus on the single sharp spine, while the rest of the image became a soft, subtle pallete for the sharp cactus to sit above.

In all, I made 24 photographs that I liked over the 3 days I hiked around the zoo waiting for Alissa. I had fun, made some photographs and learned more about my seldom used lens. I don’t think it will be as neglected as it has been. We are good buds now.

As always, follow me on Twitter, visit the Facebook Page, learn more about the workshops at Learn to Light, and find out more About.Me here.

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Over at Project 52 we did an assignment to do a self portrait, or at least a portrait of ones self. An “About Me” page is such an important part of the website that it must be addressed in a professional and stylistic manner. Some statistics show that it is the most ‘hit’ page of the website.

Since the summer is a great time to get some things done, I am offering some links and a look at some of the shots we got for the Project 52 assignment. (For those of you who do not know, Project 52 is an ongoing 1-per-week assignment/critique site. Come on over and join in.)

As social media sites become more and more a part of our life, having an image of you that supports your ‘brand’ is important. Facebook Pages, Twitter backgrounds, About.Me pages, Blog Headers and Gravatars are all sites that make having an image of yourself important. And because we are photographers, that image should show a level of competence and style that helps us let our viewers know a bit more about us.

The shot I use for a lot of stuff was taken by Megan Abshire in Mexico. The class had decided they wanted to do a shot for Bill’s Rangefinder article. I grabbed a cigar and a chair and headed for the water. At the time I planted my self in the surf, it was swirling around me. By the time they got down with the lights and the booms and such, the tide had moved on out. And that worked pretty well.

To me it shows enough fun to get the message across (I am kind of a laid back, fun, politically incorrect kind of outspoken guy) and has a high level of interest and ‘brand’. It shows me as I like to see myself, and it represents me as being that kind of guy.

Take the time to create a shot that will tell your possible clients how you see yourself. And how important the imagery on your site is. Even a photography of you means doing the best job you can do. I rarely shoot self portraits, but would rather have someone else shoot it.

Your personal brand gets a lot of attention these days, and you should make sure your image presents it with the best possible solution.

How do you see yourself? What can you do to let people know a bit about you, your work and your style?

I wrote this post a few years ago, “It’s All About Me! Photographers ‘About Me’ Pages” – it has a lot of photographer’s about me pages to take a look at.

Here are some links to some galleries of “About Me” webpages. While they are not necessarily about photographers, the information is very much what we need to know.

Six Revisions has 30 Inspiring ‘about me’ pages.
“About me” pages have the ability to engage and inform your site visitors in a personal and friendly way. For web professionals, our “About me” page can be critical in establishing a true connection with potential clients, and it can set us apart from a sea of other designers and developers.”

Best Practices For Effective Design Of “About me” Pages at Smashing Magazine.

The Definitive Guide to About Me Pages at Web Design Ledger.

Showcase of Inspiring “About Me” Pages at Net Tuts.

Let’s take a look at some of the “About Me” portraits from the Project 52 members.


Wonderful feel and a whimsical approach to the image.

Chris looks intense, and the old film camera helps tell the story of craftsmanship that he brings to his imagery.

If you are going to do a camera shot, do it with this attention to style. Kyle brings a gritty look to a well known shot.

Nick’s avocation as a trucker was recently brought to a close. He is now a full time photographer.

Tucker presents a more ‘hip’ look with a bit of fun in his ‘about me’ photograph.

Eric brings a more formal approach to his image, which fits his target audience.

Charles presents a straight up shot for his consumer base.

Richard chose an interesting shot to create an image that showed his way of working with light.

Very moody, yet fun image of Perl_Monger. A very nice shot for an about me page.

Steve shows a great style and a bit of humor in his self portrait.

Kindred adds some warm, stylistic lighting to his portrait.

Rob D shows a very formal portrait in an informal environment. That is in keeping with his style.

A nice environmental by Pete.

A good about me photograph for your website is very important. These shots may give you a good idea for your photo.

As always, follow me on Twitter, learn more about the workshops, visit the Facebook page, or find out more About Me.

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We are all familiar with lists. Lists of gear for our insurance agencies and reporting. Lists of our clients. Lists of our images. Lists of all kinds of things.

When I talk about an asset list, I mean to also consider the assets that are not ‘tangible’. Sure that 70-200 is on your asset list. So should your supportive spouse be on it as well. And the fact that you own your car – no car payment. The intangibles can be more important than the tangibles in many cases.

We discussed asset lists a few weeks ago over at Project 52. I thought you may get some value out of our discussion as well. Here’s the assignment as given:

Everyone has assets, both tangible and intangible, that they can use to advantage while building their business. From supportive spouses to memberships in clubs to access to places where their kids are involved. Business acquaintances and introductions to people and associations that may allow access… all assets.

List them out for yourself – and us. Leave out particular names and personal identifiers, but make the list.

The list will of course cover the gear, but don’t get too granular. Cameras, lenses, lights, modifiers. Not necessary how many stands and widgets. However – include people who support your efforts, and the unique environment where you live. How about including your knowledge in stuff that most others don’t have (everyone has something).

Add anything that is an asset – a ballet school where your daughter dances, the car club you belong to… these are assets that can be used to pull your book into a tool that represents your vision. Are you a good cook, seamstress, mechanic? Those are assets.

BTW: I am hoping for a big LE turn out for Selina’s next Clarion Call II for commercial photographers. This full day event will focus on the business and profitability of photography. It is far too valuable to even consider missing it. Profitability is the most discussed and important part of our work – and Selina will present a full day of discussions with experts who are there to help you. Invaluable and so much more important than a new piece of gear… seriously.

Hit the jump for more.

nickgphoto:
“Location; Between San Francisco and Gold rush country. 2 hrs from Yosemite. Lots of rural, Americana stuff, plus the big well known city of San Fran.

My Daughters intellect; Yup, the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree. She graduated Magna Cum Laude. Very artistic. I trust her opinion.”

The great mix of location and family support give Nick a good solid point for cultivating a style and an approach to business that will work for him.

Steve Collins adds this to his asset list:
“My wife has allowed me my mid-life crisis and am turning my town home walk-out basement into a complete studio including greeting area, office, kitchenette, full bath, 16x20x10 shooting area and spiral staircase. Yes, spiral staircase. I’ve always wanted one and my “SOB” HOA won’t allow me one if I build an exterior raised deck. The 10′ ceiling is not as bad as it sounds. My rafters are 14″ trusses, 16″ on center. I can get lights and heads tucked up pretty high. No, I won’t be able to shoot a basketball player standing up.

I work for the Coast Guard and have tapped that opportunity. I take some staff photos and was just invited back to shoot the Ceremonial Honor Guard’s Platoon photo. Last year was in front of George Washington’s Mt Vernon estate. I shoot entrance portraits at gala events and balls. With my military connections I intend to lead me towards capitol hill. I don’t know how he can keep up, but Pete Souza’s job? That’s cool!”

Yeah, Steve… with those assets the job may just be yours!

RobD3 notes a particularly important asset to his list… access to the music industry.
“My background is music. I’ve spent the past 10 years working in various aspects of the classical music/music education field and have many, many contacts and friends. In building a photo business, I want to focus on the classical music and music products industry. I’ve started using this to get a few gigs. I did a major shoot for the Pittsburgh Symphony last year, have done headshots for a few musician friends and am branching out to my wife’s firm and doing headshots for them. I’m starting to work my network, letting people know my plans; I need to get my act together with a lot of the business related items (insurance, pricing, etc.).

My current day job is with VH1 Save The Music Foundation and I’ve been working that angle as well. I shot our annual report this past year. Our creative department is the VH1 creative department and they were the AD for the production. Amazing experience and they were pleased. I’ve also shot a couple of events/concerts for the Foundation.”

gryphon1911 has an interesting location and situation to leverage…
“In Home Studio 12 x 16 feet

16 years experience in IT industry working various technologies including main frame and distributed systems. Vast knowledge of Japanese(can read hirigana, katakana and a large portion of kanji), Chinese and German(basic understanding of spoken German) cultures.”

Devil Dog notes no car payments and some interesting contacts.
“I have many connections with many business owners in Phoenix through personal friendship as well as access to many of Phoenix elites through my kids Montessori school. So when I am at a point to make a bigger move forward I have some good connections here in town. I have a major in at the #2 company on the Fortune 100, my father was the senior marketing executive their for 38 years. My father over the years hired many photographers to work on the companies projects and I have known them since I was a kid and they have been a great help to me over the years.

I have a Yukon and a Acura and no care payments thank goodness.”

rskoon notes his passion. I concur!
“I have two degrees: BA in Dramatic Art (with an emphasis in acting and set design) and an MS in Instructional Design

Is being obsessed an asset? I hope so.”

{michelle} notes unique location and being involved in non-profit fundraising. These will do her well.
“I have worked in non-profit fundraising for 18 years. This has given me plenty of contacts in the area — as Steve said in his post, his contact with Juvenile Diabetes led us to shooting their black tie event in the Fall, my contact at a Botanical Garden in Richmond led us to shooting their black tie event in November. We hope that my contacts in fundraising can lead us other places & special events.

Living in the DC/Northern VA area is beneficial in many ways – plenty of places to shoot – from historical to traditional. The mountains are a couple of hours west – the ocean is 3-4 hours to the east. We are close to MD, PA and WV. Rivers, lakes, meadows, farms – we have it all and the weather for the most part is pretty decent (although this spring has been wet and cold).”

Chris and Tricia notes being thrifty (by necessity) as an asset – along with the freedom to move.
“-COLLEGE DEBT equals we have to entertain ourselves while not spending cash aka we take a lot of photos! As road-warriors we drive instead of fly. Sleep in the car instead of hotels.

Self Assignment: Back to Our Roots. We started our photography journey with a cheap camera and the courage to trespass on countless abandon buildings. We will always have a love for Ruination.”

Ranger 9 notes his design ability and the access to artists as an asset. Excellent!
“Capabilities:
– I have a degree in publication design and have worked in the fields of writing/editing, graphic design, corporate communications, and nonprofit performing and visual arts.
– I can weld and fabricate metal, although not at a professional level. I can set up microcontrollers, sensors, servos etc. to do simple effects rigs.
Self-evaluation: I can communicate with people in several photo-using fields. If a shot idea requires a simple bracket, circuit, etc., I probably can make it.

Contacts:
– I know two food stylists, a makeup artist, and several wardrobe/costume designers.
– I know lots of dancers, choreographers, and theater technicians.
– Groups of which I’m a member are a church and the Sports Car Club of America.
Self-evaluation: If a shoot involved food, costumes, or renting a theater or a race car, I would have some idea of people to call. I probably should try to join some media-specific professional organizations.”

There are many more great lists there. I think you should take a few minutes to read them all.

Then sit down and make your own asset list. What do you have, and who do you know? How do you see your support system working for you? How can you leverage all the people in your life to get access to great photo opportunities? It isn’t ‘using’ people, it is making them aware of what YOU can bring to a photographic job.

I ask you to write it down because when we do, it helps to burn it into our brains and makes it easier to pull from at those times we need it. Print it and laminate it and post it on the wall in your office, or your shooting space, or your private area where the careful crafting of becoming the best photographer in the universe is being surreptitiously perfected. Read it every day. Read it when things are going great. Read it when things are sucking. It helps to know what you have when you feel you are losing out (and believe me, those days happen when you are self-employed or working hard for your own business).

Thanks for coming along on this one. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you take the time to make your own asset list. As always, follow me on Twitter, and visit the LE Facebook Page and click the “Like” button to keep up to date with all we are doing here on LE.

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