If you missed the show, please enjoy the presentation here:

Please take a moment to read Trudy’s entire article and then come back here for my discussion of a few key points.

“Many photographers turn to older and/or more experienced photographers for help in understanding the business of photography. Many face insults, closed doors or guidance on everything except business.”

Sorry for the photographers that don’t help. I can’t speak for them, but I have always considered it both an honor and a responsibility to help startup photographers. The question I would ask is how they came to ask the established photographer? Was the shooter being asked the right one to ask? Was there research done to find out if the questions would be appropriate for that specific photographer? Was it a request for a favor or a demand… I get both. Requests do get answered, demands not so much.

I have also had the occasional “hey, you are really busy, but can you take a few minutes and tell me how to be successful? Can you give specific things to do and review my portfolio and give me some advice on where to show the work and who would be interested in what I do and … …?”

Well, no. No I can’t.
No one can.

However, there are different associations established for the very real agenda of teaching the younger shooters how to survive, negotiate, and learn the business ups and downs. They are more than happy to have the opportunity to help a young shooter understand how not to undercut themselves and the industry, and be more professional in the industry.

The ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and the APA (Advertising Photographers of America) are two that I am familiar with for the commercial side of the business. The direct to consumer shooters have the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) The Phoenix chapter has monthly meetings in my town. At least half of the meetings I am aware of are business related.

From dealing with clients to marketing on a regional scope, these organizations offer guidance, mentors, bidding strategies, pricing guidelines, tax planning and more.

The truly sad thing is how low the attendance is. Workshops on business are not as much ‘fun’ as workshops on shooting ‘hafnekkidchicks’ and ‘fashun’. Sorry for the attitude, but it is what it is. I would love to be proved wrong.

“A great business person with average work will always do better than a poor business person with stellar work. And who makes the decision that the work is good enough to be a business? Other photographers?”

Nope. The market decides. The clients who see the work decide. Other photographers have no point of influence in the decision of who is worthy and who is not.

Seeking validation from Flickr, or Facebook is not as conducive to your career boost as getting validation from the industry itself. Once the industry acknowledges you, there will be less problems with the validation from other photographers.

If you are getting work, you are a photographer. If you are growing and challenging yourself, you are a photographer. If you are trying things and failing once in a while (although, not on a gig) you are a photographer.

There seems to be a lot of angst on the interwebs about the terminology of ‘professional photographer’ and what that means. I think it means nearly nothing… you can be a weekend warrior and behave and act far more ‘professional’ than some full time photographers I know. Legally… you make money, you are a professional. I am simply not that into ‘terminology’.

More after the jump here:

“The truth is there is a certain point where every photographer (who wants to be more than a hobbyist) feels they are of the level to move their passion towards passion and profession.”

Yes, but “feeling” and knowing are two separate things. “Feeling” is subjective – “Knowing” is objective. And it takes a lot of work and self exploration to become educated. It takes asking questions that have uncomfortable answers. It is facing the fact that there is more to do, and then doing it, that makes the difference – and becomes the challenge.

Feelings cannot be measured, or confirmed. ‘Feeling’ that I am ready can be a truth or a delusion… it hasn’t been challenged, proofed, measured or controlled… it is an emotional decision that may be a totally different reality.

Knowing means I have measured, challenged, compared, contrasted, done the research, and found some (not all, but some) solutions and wins. I take that knowledge and filter it through what I already know about myself and the business. Then I KNOW what I can and cannot do… at that particular moment in time. Growth is easier when we know where to grow.

Way too many people make decisions based on what they ‘feel’ and that can be a terrible mistake.

“We can argue that some photographers aren’t “good enough” to be making money or to be successful, but the truth is business is about business. And if this business was one where only the most talented with the best images were the most successful, the need for the personal brand might be a completely mute one.”

Well, probably.

Maybe.

There is simply a lot of great work out there. There are more wonderfully talented photographers than there has ever been. They are everywhere. Many of them are part-timers, weekend warriors and such. Some of them are making great money and have a real part-time business.

And there are many many talented photographers who rock photographically but who aren’t making a single penny. And that is generally because they are not good at the other parts of this multi-faceted crazy business. They believe the work should speak for itself. And they are wrong.

But the really interesting group are the ones who are not terribly great, in fact, not good at all. And making money. Lots of money. They are the ones that are marketing harder, making more buzz than the other shooters. They do all the crap that no one wants to do. They shoot the little jobs and turn them into big jobs. They ‘sell’ whenever they are in a group of people. They can be obnoxious, grating and boorish.

But they are remembered.

Personal brand may be that deciding factor… if all else is considered the same. I think it is one of the most important assets a photographer can have. It can open doors, catch the eye, find more access, and define the work when one is not available. One of the most powerful tools – and one of the least understood.

“So a business degree helps, but isn’t the total answer. Even traditional education in other areas help, but isn’t the total answer.”

No, but then there is no total answer. Looking for one is frustrating and full of dead ends.

Photography is a business built on an art that can be at different levels of value. We tend to throw it all in the pot of “photography” and that pot actually doesn’t exist as a single receptacle.

There are levels and genres and demographics and perceived value and the ability of the photographer to control that perception.

And throwing in all the different regions, neighborhoods, levels of income, regional differences and personalities.

There can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to marketing. There are so many personal challenges that can get in the way.

I know one photographer who does 30 cold calls a week – another who has NEVER done a cold call, but sends out direct mail like crazy. There is nothing similar in their approaches, but both are keeping head above water in tough markets. Actually doing a bit better than head above water.

I have worked with a lot of photographers, and nearly every one who was in ‘trouble’ had issues that went beyond the images. They wouldn’t market with consistency. They had poor social skills, or egos that were not quite in line with the talent they believed they had. Some would proclaim there was no time, but they had no gigs… soooo, how does that work? And others were in the ‘blame game’ mode of believing there was some great conspiracy that had been in play to keep them from getting the work they deserved.

There isn’t a conspiracy, and there is no silver bullet. As well, there is no answer other than to keep looking for the authentic ways that make you stand out.

Yes, I know it sounds too simplistic… and hard, but it is simply such a personal thing to work on.

My friend Selina works with photographers one on one. She has her ways of drawing out the best in a photographer. There are many good personal coaches, consultants and photographers groups that can help a shooter develop a style and a marketing plan that makes sense.

“So how do photographers learn the business, which for the most part involves the four components of: sales, marketing, communication and management? From what I have observed and experienced it involves various cycles of learning, trial, error, failure, reinvention, success, complacency, stagnation, failure, learning, trial, error, reinvention, success.”

Well, that is true to a point. It can be terribly frustrating if there is no plan. And the plan has to make sense for the photographer. And that is tricky too.

But there are paths that have been carved into the marketing landscape. There are methods that work. There are ways to create buzz that are defined – at least with a soft edge of definition. It takes the individual to add the clarity. Others have had similar challenges and met them with success. So it can be done.

The challenges of the market, the perceived ‘anyone-can-do-it’ syndrome, and the reality of a very tight economy are some of the most formidable of recent memory. It will take a sustained effort and very focused personal attention to create a value that people want to spend their hard earned money on.

And that is the million dollar proposition. If I had the answer to it all, I would certainly share it with everyone. But I don’t… no one does. I believe there are ways to go, things to try, methods for testing, and people to ‘model’ for success.

It isn’t sexy, it isn’t easy, and it isn’t guaranteed. But it can be done.

One final point: Expectations.

To be a hair cutter in this state costs between $4K and $10K. Learning refrigeration repair, auto repair, computer repair, and other trades can cost $8K – $12K. Becoming a dental assistant, or para legal can cost about $12K – $15K. And all of them produce a competent professional who will be looking at a mid or maybe higher mid 5 figure salary.

Photographers can easily be in the mid to high 5 figure salary range, but most photographers I know balk at spending any money on training or consulting or coaching. There is no end to the money they want to spend on lenses and strobes, but going to a weekend “Learning how to Market” workshop for $500 is considered outrageous on the forums and the boards… “you can learn that on your own…” – “that is just someone wanting to get rich off of your laziness…”

Sure. Whatever. I have two friends who are professional photographer coaches. With track records. With serious credentials. Their fees are not even a quarter that to learn how to cut hair… and photographers balk at the costs. They want it all, now, and without any pain or cost.

And life… she no worka thata way… (thanks, Grandma – you were right.)

Thanks so much for coming along on this fun discussion. I hope you visit Trudy’s excellent blog – and say hi. And special thanks for Trudy for allowing me to take some of her points and fleshing them out a bit.
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I am terribly sorry to have just learned that the “Share/Save” thing on my site is actually screwed up. Therefor, I will be adding this to the bottom of each post. It is a place for you to share the stories you read here easier… and sign up for the RSS feed.

For more information on our Learn to Light workshops and to follow me on twitter, just click the links I just provided. And, if you see this post in its full length on any other site, please let me know. Quoting and linking back is fine… sucking the whole thing into another site is not.

Sure. Yeah, that’s the way it always is. Except when, you know, it’s not.

Before we start down that path, there are a few posts out there in the interwebs I want to make sure you see:

- Smashing Magazine had a great post on excellent product photography (thanks guys!).

- “Flashing the Middle Finger to the Dreaded Middle” by Bruce DeBoer.

- Kirk Tuck’s wonderful article on street shooting. Worth the read, so do it.

- Seth has something to say about hiring professionals – and amateurs that can meet the level of professionalism.

- And if you are not aware of what is in store for us photographers, take a look at this via A Photo Editor.

Now on to some myths that get related to me often at the workshops. If you have any you would like to bust as well, add them in the comments and I will make another post.

1. Professionals all have the best, most modern gear:
Well… no, not really. Some do, and many have top-of-the-line stuff mixed with old stand-by’s. And some only replace when needed. And most have what they have and it still works and they keep it working as long as possible.

My suite-mate Ken Howie still shoots the original Leaf back on his view cameras. 6MP backs… and he has a stash of them from EBay and anywhere he can find them. They are cooled by refrigeration units when shooting and all of them are about 20 years old… so having a stash of usable backs is important. His first one cost about $35K, and he is getting them off of EBay for around $300 in working condition these days.

But the point is – they work. Beautifully.

His clients are some of the most demanding; advertising agencies, art museums, and custom automotive. He has 30″ x 60″ prints in the lobby that are amazing. He knows his craft and delivers a wonderful product. From a 20 year old back. He also owns a fill 1DSMKIII system as well, because there are times when he needs that format. He has what he needs, not simply for the ‘new’ factor.

Of all the working shooters I know, most have a mix of good gear and ‘it works’ gear. Clients don’t really care if your stands are a bit older, or whether you have the newest and greatest softbox. The images don’t care if you use a $600 photo scrim or a $12 Shower curtain – as long as the image rocks, it’s all good.

I recently spoke with an editorial portraitist who has 2 bodies, 2 lenses and a small portable lighting kit (all total less than $15K) and he is working pretty regularly. His style of image doesn’t require that much stuff. And his clients love his work, not his gear.

Get what you need. Make sure it works. Shoot more pictures.

2. Professional photographers need lots of staff.
Well, that looks cool on video doesn’t it? Whole gaggles of 20 somethings running around and being ‘involved.’ And I am sure that situation plays itself out in many studios. But in most, there are the minimal staff needed to create the work. I know many shooters who rarely use assistants unless they really need the help. Carrying 20 packs of gear up three floors is a gonna trip getting an assistant for me… heh. And there is nothing better than working with a great assistant when the shoot calls for having a second pair of hands and eyes.

Working outside with umbrellas and softboxes when there is a breeze can be quite a challenge, for sure. So great folks willing to help hold stands can be a blessing.

However, in most working studios staff is rare. Staff is expensive. And if you aren’t making the money you need, paying staff for sitting around can be a drain of resources. Be judicious when you hire – make sure you need and will be able to use them. Be fair to them, as well as yourself.

For me, freelance assistants are the way to go. And when you need them, they are worth every dollar. So get to know who they are so you can find them when you need them. For most of us though, working alone is probably the reality for most of our gigs.

More after the jump…

Recent posts:
10 Website Strategies for Photographers
10 More Website Strategies for Photographers
Five Things To Do To Land Assignment Photography

3. Every shot is portfolio worthy.
Yeah. Heh.

Actually most of the work is not portfolio quality for most of us. They are work-a-day shots of people, places and things that are used for commerce and for illustration.

A six day shoot of garage opener doors and parts for a catalog may be a real kick to the bottom line that month, but probably not gonna be stuff you share in your portfolio -with the possible exception of trying to get another catalog of garage door openers… and then, only if asked.

Commercial photographers do a lot of commercial gigs that are not going to ultimately end up in the portfolio. It is simply a part of what we do. A big part.

Most shooters in smaller to mid markets are going to find it that way. The portfolio work is much harder to come by as you start to build your careers. And choose those pieces carefully.

4. Too much competition:
Well, if there is that much competition, there must be work to go after.

I cannot think of a single endeavor worth doing that doesn’t have competition. Can you? Why would I want to do something that no one else has proven they can make a living doing? (Of course there are entrepreneurs who do that all the time, but we are talking photographers here.)

You want competition? Try being a bank president. Or a top attorney. Or a prize winning jockey. Now there is competition. There are very damn few of them… there are lots of photographers. That’s a good thing.

And with the internet I can see what they do. And make my stuff better.

Hard to make your stuff better than the other guys? Hell yeah, it is. Did you expect it to be easy? Really?

Sorry. It isn’t easy, it is simply what you have to do.

5. Too expensive:
Nope. It isn’t.

You can start a photographers business on less than $15K. And you can make it thrive.

Tell me any other businesses that can be started up for under $20K and see revenues in mid 5 figures in a year or two.

You think cameras are expensive, check out what a pizza oven goes for. Those mom & pop pizza places have a hell of a lot of money in those pizza ovens.

Stop telling yourself that it is too expensive and get your work out there.

6. It’s shooting every day:
Oh, sure it is.

Except for those days when you are editing, packing, unpacking, traveling, scouting, marketing, cold-calling, marketing, working on the portfolio, gathering receipts, marketing, making bids, filling out RFP’s, marketing, going to meetings, returning calls and emails and marketing.

Yeah, except for when you are doing that stuff, it’s shooting every day. Yep.

7. Your art will ultimately win out.
If you are really, REALLY good, you don’t have to market your self. The work will speak for itself and the phone will ring.

Sure.

Good luck with that.

8. You can get rich.
A. If you got into photography to get rich, you should quickly get used to disappointment.
B. If you do manage to get rich (and there are most definitely some very rich photographers) try to manage your money and stay rich.
C. But most of us will not. Just the way it is.

9. Working for yourself is a blast.
Except for of course the boss. He/She is a slave driver who will make you work instead of watching the game, fooling around on Facebook, hanging out with the guys, having a weekend without work… I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Being self employed has a lot of perks. It is also one of the most demanding endeavors you will ever take on. It takes discipline, self motivation, perseverance and sheer guts to do it. You are the only one that can make the decision whether it is right for you. But please be sure you take a very strong self-audit to find out if you are ready for the challenge.

10. You never shoot “for free”:
Yes. You do.

On occasion.

Anyone who says they haven’t or don’t are not being straight or parsing the terms.

There are times when the gift of photography, the goodwill of images, the ability to help a friend who can in turn then help you is too compelling. Just be sure you know what you are doing and what will come of it.

Be judicious, be careful and be aware that you MAY be getting taken advantage of… but you can take advantage of situations yourself.

Thanks for coming along on this little rant. I hope that I may have helped to put a hole in some of these “myths” or whatever you would refer to them as being.

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Follow me on Twitter, visit the Learn to Light Workshop page for information on the workshops, and have a great shoot this week.

NOTICE: Because of a late plane schedule today, there will not be a Lighting Essentials LIVE show tonight. I will still be in the air at 6PM, and doing it later will mean it is too late on the East Coast. There will be a LE LIVE this Wednesday evening at 6PM. Sorry for this, but schedules were changed at the last minute.

Tonight finds me in Seattle, one of my favorite destinations. I am staying a bit north of the city, and the weather is outstanding. Heading out to make some shots soon, then into the city for a meeting of the SmugMug Users Group. Special thanks to Markham and Earnie for putting this together and inviting me up to speak. I am looking forward to it. (Even though I feel as cold as Kim above – and she was seriously cold – I still love it here. Thanks Seattle folks.)

Tomorrow I will be teaching a one day workshop on environmental portraits and the studio/location we have is amazing. Really looking forward to a great day tomorrow as well.

Below is the PowerPoint I will be using for this evenings presentation. It wont have my pithy and witty commentary, but I am fine with sharing it with you all.

Feel free to share this with folks you think may be interested. And thanks to the guys at Slideshare.net for a cool app that allows us to share presentations.

Here is another one of my favorite shots from Seattle.

I will post some images from tomorrows workshop… look for them. Behind the scenes, setups and final shots. We are taking the whole day!!

Lighting Essentials LIVE: Tonight we discuss pricing strategies for emerging photographers. Log in to ask questions.

Thanks all for joining us this evening.
This post from a year ago has some good information.

Yeah… that’s right. We can actually create an impression of more power with our speedlights by carefully thinking about the images we make, and planning ahead. Photoshop gives us the edge. We will look into how this can be done after the jump.

Contest Information.
Our Winner is Rasheid Scarlett (#11 at the gallery).

Congratulations to our winner, and thanks to all who entered. I am hoping Rasheid sees this post and sends me an email with contact information. We have a lot of goodies coming your way, Rasheid. And special thanks to our wonderful judges, Coni Bourin of Bourin Design, Ken Easley of Ken Easley Photography, and Scott Condray of Visualville. Thanks guys!

New Contest is based on this post and the technique applied here. It is a photo and Photoshop exercise that seemingly extends the reach of small strobes. I will have a contest page up by the end of the week, but you can certainly start to work on this idea now. Watch for a new Page here titled “Contests” and the prizes will be significant… including one of my semi-custom websites ready for you to fill up and get launched. We will even provide a years worth of hosting for you. More prizes will be listed as they become available. Deadline will be October 1, 2010.

As many of you know, I have been doing a LIVE broadcast twice a week for the past month. We try to make it at a time that makes sense for most of you. 6PM in Phoenix is the same as Pacific time (AZ doesn’t do DST) so that takes it to 9PM on the East Coast. I don’t want to run it any later, but I also recognize that it is a bit early for the folks on the West Coast. So we will continue with that, with the occasional changes in lineup that being busy could create… heh. I have not been recording them, as I am quite sure they are very valuable to those who attend and the exclusivity makes them even more valuable – and even more reason for you all to join us.

We discussed Blog Strategies last LIVE, and if you missed it, you missed something really fantastic. Great questions and input from our attendees and our special guest was John Ricard, NYC HipHop photographer. We also spoke at length about the changes, hits and misses, of shooting for the music industry. Here is the pre-discussion document with some good info on it.

This is a partial list of Photographers who have blogs that are written more for the clients and passionate photography fan than the amateur photographer. I think that serves photographers who are working toward getting more assignments well.

Will Steacy discusses the art of his art, as well as the things that catch his fancy. The blog features his art, and the musings of the artist as he creates.

Richard Renaldi discusses the world of photography with emphasis on large format work. He reviews shows and books and provides inspiration for the portrait work he loves. Not a how-to blog, but one of images and stories.

Jonathan Saunders (I Like to Tell Stories) the focus is on visual storytelling. A very popular blog for people who like using photographs to illustrate or define stories.

Kirk Tuck is the author of four books for photographers. His blog ranges from the practical uses of gear he loves, to dispatches of philosophy. The focus is on the thrill of photography, the nature of the business and what makes it all ‘tick’ for him.

Robert Wright, while not writing much these days, presented a wonderfully personal look into the New York editorial photography scene. His writing will make you think, and the focus is on the wonder of making images… and the difficulties of doing it for a living.

Jeff Singer shows work, discusses the business, and even chats a bit about gear in a fresh way that keeps him interesting to non-gear heads too.

Ben Huff discusses his work and how it is an integral part of his life. Lots to think about and lots to see.

John Loomis takes us through projects he is working on, shows new work and discusses recent assignments.

Now on to the discussion of using Photoshop to create a seemingly more powerful flash.

First we will look at the technique in action in the field. Our light is not nearly strong enough to light our subject at a distance that would allow the composition that the photographer wanted. This can happen a lot when using speedlights, as they are not powerful enough to light at great distance. Adding modifiers can kill two stops of light and that makes the need to have them even closer to the subject all the more imperative.

We could have used bare flashes, but we wanted a much smaller, more interesting light. We chose a portable beauty dish for our light source for its full coverage and quick fall off.

NOTE: using a tripod makes this way easier, folks. And make sure it is a good tripod.

Here we are in Mexico. The shooter is Frank Tuttle, Columbus, OH, who was attending the workshop. We had arisen quite early to catch the dawn light and explore a structure that we saw out in the middle of a pretty barren desert area. Our model this morning was Megan – also a photographer attending the workshop – and she did a great job for us. It was our goal to shoot each of the attendees (including me – sheesh), so this one is Frank’s portrait of Megan.

Our light is a SpeedLightProKit Beauty Dish with a 430EX attached to Pocket Wizards. We had the power turned up full for this shot as the bright morning sun called for exposures in the f-14-f16 range within the sync range. Frank positioned Megan in the pose he wanted and I moved in to the point that would provide f-16 with this strobe and modifier.

Frank made sure that the light in no way overlapped the area that would be retained in the finished work, and made his shots. Every three or four shots I would move out of the frame and he would shoot a frame without the light in it. The reason we did that with such frequency is that the clouds are moving behind her. If we had made a couple of dozen images without making our non-light shot, the clouds would have changed too much to match. Keep it quick, and make sure you keep your wits about you… There are issues beyond the shoot that are very important.

Shadows, clouds, vehicles in the background, light angle, camera angles…all must be diligently thought through as you shoot the photo. You cannot change the camera angle without making the non-light shot that would correspond. After you have processed the images, it is quite simple to select the non-light area and slide it over the lighted shot. If you hold the shift key down, the image should slide right into place.

Here is the finished shot by Frank Tuttle.

Careful blending and positioning will deliver the image as a perfectly lit photo, even though your light is not powerful enough to create it on its own.

Here is a setup shot I did of Bill Millios, a photographer from the Baltimore, MD. area. For this shot I used a different SpeedLight ProKit modifier, the ProKit small softbox. This is one of my favorite light modifiers for small strobes.

I wanted the statue to be a major force for the image, and to have Bill at the base of it. No interaction between Bill and the statue gives the portrait a kind of cinematic flavor.

This is the shot with the light unit in it, as well as the planned area for the replacement.

Frank Tuttle is holding the light and just after I made this exposure he stepped back and I made another image without him in it. Be very careful not to move the camera when doing this. It is really optimum to use a tripod for these shots.

For this next shot of a gentleman we found on the boardwalk in Puerto Penasco, I had Bill come in close with the flash (same modifier as the previous image) and give the portrait a more powerful look. I liked the way the strobe lit his face with a nice soft light. But again, because we are dealing with a bright, bright day, there is no way that I could have shot this with the flash far enough away to keep it out of the shot.

You can see how carefully keeping the light out of any difficult overlaps makes it easy to cut, drag and drop (holding the shift key down) and get it pretty close to exact, A tripod can make this nearly effortless.

One last image from West Palm Beach. I really wanted this shot of Alexandria on the rocks. There was no way to do it with speedlights. I used this technique to get the shot I wanted.

I hope this little exercise gives you some ideas for creating images that you may have believed you couldn’t make without a ton of gear. If you enjoyed the article, let us know.

As always, visit the Learn to Light page for information on the workshops and follow along on Twitter if you are of the mind to tweet!

Our next Lighting Essentials LIVE Broadcast, Sunday, Aug 22, 2010. Expanded edition (90 minutes). Here is the pre-show material you may want to read before the show.

Up first is a discussion on blogs for photographers: What is your strategy? Does it make sense for you? To ask questions, you must be logged in. Twitter tags #askwizwow, but they will be out of cue.

My feeling is that a lot of photographers are deeply invested in blogs that may not be the right direction for their business. Deciding a strategy and following through with content that makes the blog relevant to clients is the most important decision any blogger can make. In other words, what is the point of your blog? Get more clients? Teach photography? Write about pictures and cameras? Personal introspection.

We will be discussing this and other challenges of blogging on Sunday evening, 6PM to 6:30PM, Pacific (9 Eastern). Please visit this page Sunday morning for more information. Also, we will announce the winner of our first big Contest here at Lighting Essentials. We will announce right at 6:30PM and will tweet/blog the winner’s name.

After the discussion, we will do some chatting with John Ricard, a music photographer in New York City. Johns work as a professional music photographer takes him from stage-side to big studio shoots. See the interview here, then join us Sunday evening right here for Lighting Essentials LIVE and ask John questions about his photography, and how the NY music scene is for photographers.

I do hope that you visit my LearntoLight page if you are considering a workshop this year. I really do try make the workshops the best you have attended (see the testimonials there), and keep the information relevant to the work you do. We learn by doing at the workshops, so be ready for an intensely exciting weekend with heavy emphasis on making sure you can do this stuff AFTER I leave.

Now – on to the interview with John Ricard.

How long have you been in business? Was it a slow transition or did you just open shop?

I have been shooting full time since 2000. Prior to that I taught high school English while I photographed concerts and music artists part time. I first started getting published in small magazines around 1990. 1n 1999 I changed from being an English teacher to being a Dean -(a kind of school disciplinarian). I really loved being a Dean but the job became so draining that I felt my photography hobby was slipping away. I was getting no photography work at that time. I did it the opposite of the way you’re “supposed” to do it. I quit my day job when my when my photography hobby was at its worst point.

Terence J and Rocsi. I cover BET's 106 & Park all the time. You can shoot for months without capturing something genuine like this.

I started off shooting concerts without permission. It was mostly heavy metal concerts at L’amour in Brooklyn in the mid 80′s. I hooked up with underground music publications that needed photos of these bands. Eventually I made contacts that enabled me to get paid jobs shooting music artists. The only sort of mentoring I had was Popular Photography magazine. I subscribed to it for over 10 years and it taught me a lot.

50 Cent, Kanye West, Diddy and Jay-Z onstage at MSG. This was a once in a lifetime moment where hip hops biggest stars all were onstage together.

Describe an average week at your studio.

An average week at my studio can be pretty dead sometimes so its better if I describe a good week A good week would have a record label bring an artist to me for a “fanzine” shoot. This means the label isn’t paying me for the shoot but they aren’t getting any of the images either. I’m shooting the artist for the purposes of “servicing” them to media outlets. I retain all ownership of the images. It’s one of my favorite ways to shoot. In the same good week I might have a shoot for a hair magazine like Hype Hair. This is assignment work where I have a specific set of shots I need to create. Its great because its paid work and it gets published. It often makes my portfolio as well. I’m also fond of testing with new models. The trick is to actually shoot with a purpose though. Sometimes you’re having so much fun on a model shoot that you’re just taking good images, but you aren’t breaking new ground. Sometimes I do these shoots with a full crew of hair, makeup and styling. It takes all day and that can be a drag. For that reason, sometimes its just me and the model and I often find that more enjoyable.

I also shoot a lot of You Tube videos. When I have downtime in the studio I’ll bring in a model and do a video about something like how to use a Beauty Dish or how to use a Ring Flash. It doesn’t lead to any money in my pocket but I get a lot of views on the videos and I love the comments people make. Sometimes its an intelligent debate and other times its insulting. If the insults are well written or humorous I tend to leave them up.

Why New York? Have you considered anywhere else?

I love NYC and its a great place to be for artist photography. I think I could make a living in LA though. It’s much like NY, but with better weather.

Eddie Bravo. I shot this just last month. ISO 4000 with 24mm 2.8l Nikon. Its a shot you simply couldn't have taken 2 years ago without adding light.

What motivates you, or gets you going? What do you use for inspiration?

I’ve never had a problem being motivated to shoot. I’ve always liked playing with gadgets and to this day there’s always new gear that I want and that keeps me motivated. I love shooting with my iPhone. I love shooting at extreme high ISO on my D3s. I’m taking images today that I couldn’t shoot 2 years ago and that is incredibly inspiring. A lot of photographers say the gear doesn’t matter, but to me it matters greatly.

What is it you like the most about being a photographer? Do you do anything else for a hobby or avocation?

My second favorite hobby is martial arts. I studied Karate for 12 years, attaining the rank of Black Belt 3rd degree. I quit when my daughter was born because I was training in both Karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I knew I couldn’t do both and have time for her, so I chose to leave the art I was good at (karate) and stay in the one I wasn’t good at. I’m still training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my current instructor is Marcelo Garcia who is literally the best in the world in his weight class. I’ve shot a ton of images of him at the academy although most of them haven’t seen the light of day yet.

I'm most proud of the fact that I've been married for over 10 years. Balancing career and family is difficult but I've been successful at it.

Are there any downsides to being a commercial photographer that you would like to change? How would you change them?

There are many downsides to being a music photographer. Foremost is that more and more gigs are going to companies like Wireimage and Getty rather than to individual photographers. Companies like VH1 will hire Getty rather than a specific photographer to cover events today. The guys shooting aren’t making a ton of money covering the events and some of them don’t retain ownership of what they shoot. They are getting to shoot really cool stuff like the VMAs, but it would be better if they were getting those gigs on their own rather than through a company. The companies who hire photographers are learning the lesson that photographers are interchangeable.

The proliferation of amateurs giving away images to websites is another drag. Often the photos suck, but since so many websites don’t want to pay, they end up with the crappy amateur photos. It’s hard to get some of these websites to care about quality. I see a lot of websites doing stuff on their own and that can be a beautiful thing…I do like the idea of some guy running a website and creating content on a Flip camera, but if he’s not going to take the time to just learn the basics of shooting video, then he should hire a professional to ensure that his website is high quality.

Curren$y. Every photographer enjoys shooting this type of “fly on the wall” image and I'm fortunate to shoot it just about every month for a feature in Smooth magazine.

What was your most memorable assignment?

Memorable assignments including shooting Toni Braxton. I kept thinking, what I am going to bring to the table here? She has taken so many great shots, what can I add to that? She put me at ease the moment I met her and we had a great shoot. We shot for about 90 minutes and I ended up selling one image to the record label for inside album packaging (Libra album). Just last month I went to California and I shot Eddie Bravo, who is my favorite jiu jitsu practitioner. I took one of his classes and introduced myself. We hit it off right away and I shot a bunch of stuff for him in the next couple of weeks.

Shooting Ashanti with her song “Baby” playing in my studio was surreal. That is one of my go-to songs for shooting a model. I’ve played it a million times in the studio and shooting the artist herself to that very record was the coolest thing ever. When I put it on I told her, “You have no idea how many times this song has been played in this room.”

Any ‘war’ stories you would like to share? You know, the ones that always start with “There was this one job where….”

I hate war stories… I call them “Helicopter Stories”. There’s nothing worse than going to a seminar and the presenter is going, “…and at that point I turn to my assistant and I say, at midnight we need to be directly above that volcano. So 2 hours later I’m hanging off a helicopter with one hand and holding on to a Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 AF-S second generation stabilized lens in the other…” Ugh…

I’ll say this instead, I find photography as much fun today as I did when I first started. I love shooting established artists that I am a fan of. I love shooting brand new artists who have no idea what they are doing in front of the camera. It’s still exciting when someone says, “I’ve got this new model you just have to shoot.” And I remember drooling of the Minolta Maxxum 9000 camera almost 20 years ago. I used to look at the brochure and dream of owning one. Today I do the same thing with the Leica M9.

Danity Kane. This is my favorite way to shoot. Artist portrait on white seamless. It's so much harder than people think. Posing people in the studio is much more difficult than just shooting them actually doing something. But when you nail the pose and lighting, the results can be beautiful.

What would be your ideal assignment?

My favorite assignments are the ones where I get to travel. I’ve been flown to Jamaica to shoot calendars on several occasions. It’s a blast. I also shoot a piece for Smooth Magazine called, “Can I Live” where I follow an artist around in his hometown for a day or two. I love stepping off the plane with the attitude, “OK, I’m here. I guess nobody in this entire state could shoot this job so they had to fly me in to do it ”

I’ve been practicing doing music videos. I’ve shot 2 so far. It’s hard for me to judge if they are any good. My ideal assignment would be getting paid to create a music video for an artist and have the video be really good when it was finished.

Future plans for John Ricard and his photography?

Future plans are to just stay in business. It’s a hard field and it gets harder all the time. I made a goal to work harder than I have been lately. I believe it will pay off.

Oh, and what is on the music box right now at your studio?

I used to shoot a ton of stock photography. I sold it to magazines like Today's Black Woman and to book publishers like Urban Books. Microstock killed that as a source of income for me. This image was used as a book cover.

For many years I prided myself on having the worlds greatest iPod. I would have music appropriate for when I’m shooting a 16 year old female R&B singer and I don’t want curses, and I would have music suited for shooting someone like Plies whose lyrics are obscene. Recently I switched over to using Rhapsody. I pay $10 a month and pretty much any song I want is instantly accessible. It saves me a ton of time since I don’t have to figure out what music to put on my iPod. Now its all there all the time.

My favorite shooting music for model shoots includes, Lil Kim “Crush on Your”, Pussycat Dolls “Sway” or pretty much anything from the first album, Ashanti “Baby” and Toni Braxton’s “The Heat” album. It’s impossible to take a bad photo with any of that playing. For artists I love shooting to 2Pac, but since I love it so much I play it very sparingly. I’m afraid it will be like KISS is for me today. I’ve played there records so many times over the years that I can’t listen to them today even though I know the songs are great.

Toni Braxton. One of my favorite sessions ever. I was so nervous, but I nailed the shots.

Visit John at his website and his blog.

Visit me here, at my site and the Learn to Light site (which is being redone as we speak). Oh, you can find me at Twitter dropping photo information and other fun 144 characters long nuggets.

A little over a year ago I posted “10 Web Site Strategies for Emerging Photographers.” I think the article holds up very well and is as relevant as it was when I posted it. So please read it if you haven’t done so, then come back to this article for 10 more web strategies for photographer’s websites.

NOTE: Meet Jan Klier, Seattle Photographer. He just recently made the jump. He will be here in my studio Wednesday evening at 6PM, Pacific. We will discuss his planning up to the day he left corporate world, and what he is doing now to build his business. Come join us and bring questions you may have. You will have to signup for an account to ask questions, but it is free and no spam, so nothing to lose.

First – interesting photo stuff from around the web:
Bruce DeBoer offers this great post on speaking about photography: WORD :: How Good Talk Makes Photography Better
Selina Maitreya has a six month challenge for photographers – Video Challenge #2 VISION
Kirk Tuck has a nice little post here: Are you showing off your skill or are you joining the conversation about art?
From Scott Kelby comes this post on ideas for Lightroom 4. If you are a Lightroom user, you should check it out.
And from A Photo Editor comes this article on dropping one’s agent, Ask Anything – Dropping Your Agent.

Three photographers that I really enjoyed this week:
Erik Almas
Dan Busta
John Midgley

This Wednesday (August 18, 2010) evening at 6PM Pacific (9PM Eastern) we will have another Lighting Essentials LIVE video cast from the secret Wizwow compound. The subject will be a surprise, but there will also be time for questions from you. Just visit this site on Wednesday to see the Livecast via VOKLE.

We just wrapped up the First BIG Photo Contest on Lighting Essentials. The contest page is here and the submissions are here at Carbonmade. The judges will be working on the judging this week and we will announce winner next weekend.

Now let’s get on to some strategies that you can use to up the game on your website. It may be an easy fix or it may require some ‘backend’ coding to make it happen, but work with what you have to get a little more punch from your online presence.

Hit the jump here:

1. Share what you have been doing.
Show the new work, and let the clients know what you are up to. Interaction not just for blogs anymore.

Whether it is a “New Work” gallery or attention to getting the recent work into a mini-gallery or vehicle to show that you are constantly creating, it is really a strong way to get people to come back. New Work or Recent Work will show huge activity… especially to returning visitors and that is huge. Tie the imagery to some tear sheets and it is a real credibility booster.

Showing new work also tells the prospective client that you are indeed busy. That you are engaged in the work, and keeping fresh. What you show could run from out-takes to tear sheets, but the fun part is that they are always changing. Every two weeks or every month would be a good time frame to change them out.

New Work Examples:
Jaime Hogg
Anna Wolf

2. Create and shoot projects.
Long form shoots that can bring the people back for more.

Whatever the ongoing project is, let it breathe and take life in front of the visitors. Add new images and keep the narrative strong. Ongoing projects build interest and also provide a glimpse of how you treat larger assignment work.

Choose something you are interested in and keep the gallery fresh with new and interesting images from the project. Don’t forget the people who work with you on the shoots and keep them in the scene as well.

Projects Examples:
Chase Jarvis
Phillipe Toldano

3. Behind the Scenes Videos
Not to train your competition, but to show how you work with clients and subject.

Yeah, everybody loves those behind the scenes shoots with all the glitz and all the glam… well, they don’t all have to be produced like a Hollywood epic. A little video of the shoot from a Flip would be fine… if it shows what clients want to see. How did you meet a challenge photographically – and beat it?

I’m not talking about shooting a business headshot against white, or a “Here’s how to use a boom stand” tutorial… I am talking about a 2 minute or so shoot of what was going on to get the shots. What was going on behind the scenes… was it fun, too stuffy… what?

The point is to have fun with it, show professional skills and engage the viewer by showing a glimpse of what it may be like to shoot with you… unless you are boring or crass… then, well… let’s lose the video.

Behind the Scenes Examples:
Kevin Winsler
Chris Stanford (stills)
Fashion Photography Blog

4. Work with a charity.
They need the help and you have the skills.

These days charities need help more than usual. Maybe there is a way for a win/win. Find a way to work with a charity that can also double as a long term project. The content will drive interest in the site and the work will show how you handle those types of projects.

I am very kind and very demanding when I do these kinds of projects. I am happy to shoot for the charity – IF I can get something for myself. If the work they want will NOT be usable as a project, then I may have to think about it. (Exceptions of course kids and domestic violence where secrecy may be very important. I have worked with those charities as well.)

It may take some doing and some extra heavy planning, but there are ways to involve your photography, creativity and a charity that would benefit you both. And having the work on your website is a ‘very good’ thing to do.

Charity Examples:
SoGo Photography
Viewpoint Photographers

5. Offers and Promotions
Mostly for wedding and portrait shooters.

Come on, get creative. What kind of monthly promotion can you run? What kind of premium can be used to lure the prospective buyers back to the site again and again? Free 11×14 month… (you know why we do 11×14′s… right?). Book one get one booking free in a year. Bring a friend month… come on. Be creative.

Work with a local establishment for some coop marketing. If you can work with someone’s mailing list and offer a discount, the access could be worth quite a lot. Creating value without destroying profits is a tried and true marketing strategy. Giving an 8×10 print for a solid lead from a client is totally worth it. Referrals are some of the strongest ways we know of to get new clients. Making your existing clients your de-facto marketers means more word of mouth than ever before.

Promotions Examples:
Shelley Shroyer
Fine Spun Photography

6. Sell prints.
Even if you don’t actually sell something, the fact is you have them for sale. Limited editions of course.

The fact that you sell prints says you are an artist. It may enhance your credibility. It may give you something to brag about or use as a leverage to get into see people that may be harder to see. It can be a wonderful source of ‘premiums’ for your business. “Shoot a maternity with us this month, and pick any photo from our gallery as a gift.” It is a great gift too, as it has a published price of $75.

Creating new and interesting work? A print gallery is one place to show it off. Showing that the work is used to decorate the world can be quite powerful as a perception point.

A commercial photographer can show a different side of their work in a sales gallery. Elevate the work to art. Make the images “limited editions” at nice, hefty prices. Value… increase yours. Don’t be stupid… $2500 8×10′s will make you look like a moron unless you are way more famous than .1% of the photographers out there, and are already getting that price elsewhere. And gifting someone a print after a long shoot or particular event can mean a lot if they know it has a value placed on it. From SmugMug to PayPal, there are many, many ways to sell your photographs online.

Print Sales Examples:
David Reesor
Sue Barr

7. Get testimonials or at least a kind word or two.
People like to know you are someone that other people want to work with.

Putting a nice note from someone who is in the business can be a powerful referral tool. I am reminded of Carl Furuta’s long time campaign in the Black Book from back in the day. 4 pages of AD’s names / Agencies and the headline: “Ask Me How I Liked Working With Carl Furuta?” Effective? Yeah, at the price it cost to put 4 pages in that book it had to be.

You can tie this with the BTS videos idea as well. A short clip of you and the AD smiling and waving… and tie them all together for a little short with 20-30 AD’s all smiling and waving … be creative. Be marketing or planning your marketing all the time. I wish to hell I would have shot all those behind the scenes funny, incredible, insane and sometimes dangerous moments from back in the day. I really do.

Ask for referrals and ask them if their notes can be used on your site, of course. A few sprinkled in here and there could be a pretty nice way to subtly show that you are working with pros. And it may give them something to send their friends to see on your site… and maybe some of their friends are, I dunno, other AD’s? Yeah… you think?

8. Offer a newsletter on something you love.
Become the go-to source for information regarding photography in ____.

Your town. Your city. Your state. Your genre. Your interest group. Your passion.

What do you love to shoot? Motorcycles? Still Life? Fine Art? Food?

Let’s say you are a food shooter in a small market. Why couldn’t you also be a sort of food connoiseur of sorts. Have all the links to restaurants in your town. Have links to the top chef’s site. Create a little content about food in your town. Shoot something from every restaurant if you can. Ask – you may receive.

Yeah, you are a food shooter… and you love food… and here are some great places to eat great food… and ‘ohbytheway’ here are some photographs of the great food you are going to eat and if your restaurant needs great photographs… yeah, sorta like that. It can be very time consuming, but valuable. Cause you KNOW other restaurateurs will seek out your site if the content is compelling enough.

Newsletter Examples:
James Cowlin
Raymond Klass

9. Blur the lines between blog and site.
A website doesn’t have to be static anymore.

Blogs can be powerful dynamic tools to keep people informed. Websites have tended to be more static with almost an online ‘portfolio’ approach.

I say change it up. We can do things to blogs to add a more ‘portfolio’ like feel to them (and we will cover that in another post), and we can add content to websites to add a more dynamic feel to them.

I mentioned the “Project” approach above. It is one way you can treat content. For jobs, show out-takes and BTS shots, discuss the challenges of the shoot and how you met them head on. What were the desires of the client and how did you deliver. The style can certainly be your own, but keep it conversational and easy to read. Draw the reader, and possible client, into the shoot.

Add mini-galleries of things you like, or places you have been. Show the progress of something under construction. Add value to your site by keeping it current with current information that is aimed at your critical audience.

Examples of the blend:
Andrew Hethrington
ACME Photo (Adam Nollmeyer)

10. Promote something near and dear to you.
A book, a historical district, a group show… mentoring.

Get involved. Promote something good and while at it gain meaningful traffic and PR. Maybe it’s a kids choir, or a historical museum. Perhaps it could be something even more personal like the recovery of a wounded vet, or the vet hospital in your area. No, it doesn’t have to be a PJ approach. It can be portraits or architectural details or whatever it is that you do.

Promote the local chamber of commerce, or a book by a friend, or an artists work that you really admire. It doesn’t have to be tacky, and it can be worked in through the “projects” as well. And it doesn’t have to be a charity as discussed above. This is outright promotion of something/someone… be a mentor.

Helping others with our gifts is something to be very proud of. And it simply cannot hurt from a marketing standpoint. So find someone to promote on your site. Be involved.

Promotion Examples:
Janell Wood (the wonderful Veterans Project)
James Nachtway (through the organization of his images)

Stay “engaged” with the viewers… that is the new ‘buzzword’ and I like it better than most buzzwords.

You don’t have to do all that is presented here. You can do one or two, but these ideas are set forth to get you thinking about ways to promote yourself, do good things and engage your viewers. Get them to come back again and again.

Workshop NEWS is on the Learn to Light page, and as always, those wishing to follow my every idea can follow me on Twitter. See you next time.

This is the audio discussion to introduce Ed to you all.
A discussion with Ed Z, Philadelphia Photographer
You can visit his website at EdZStudios.com. We are working on creating his print portfolio in this discussion. I will have done a preliminary edit before we get into the final work on Sunday evening. It will be available on this page as a YouTube Sunday morning.

One of Ed’s images:

Ed Z, Philadelphia Photographer: Editing a Portfolio, Live: Sunday, August 15, 2010

You must “sign in” or create an account to be engaged with questions. Once logged in, click the “Ask a Question” button to deliver the question to us. There is a running “chat” available as well, but it goes by pretty fast.

The YouTube Movie below will stay on the site and will be available on Sunday morning. You may want to view it before we get going on the edit. Here are the videos for the initial edit. They will explain some things we did before the talk this evening. There will be three videos here soon.

I hope you join us with questions and insights into the editing process.

Meet Keith Taylor, a photographer out of the Atlanta area. Keith has done a bit of everything and his insights into getting started as a photographer are fantastic. Take a few minutes and view his work, and his words and meet this talented shooter. He will be live here Wednesday, August 11, 6PM Pacific. We will discuss the editorial work he does, what being a professional photographer is like in Atlanta, and the changing scene of commercial photography. You can ask questions of Keith and I during the interview. (NOTE: this interview was previously published in Lighting Essentials Magazine which is no longer being supported.)
(Announcement: Sunday Evening (August 15, 2010) we will be doing a portfolio edit with photographer Ed Z.6PM Pacific.)

Meet Keith Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 6PM Pacific. You must sign in and create a user account to be involved. PLEASE use the Question Box to ask questions, thank you.

SlideShow of Keith’s work for our discussion this evening.

I have finished the schedule out for the rest of the year, and am really excited about bringing the best workshop on lighting and professional techniques for photographers available to some markets that have been under served. I love working with photographers in smaller markets!

Now, on with the interview with Keith Taylor, Atlanta. Be sure to visit his site and blog. Their links are at the end of the article.

How long have you been in business? Was it a slow transition or did you just open shop?

I have been shooting on a professional level since 1999, which is when I started being paid to shoot weddings and portraits. I moved to Atlanta in 2001 and spent two years in the commercial photography program at The Creative Circus. After graduating I assisted for various commercial shooters here in Atlanta for about 2 1/2 years. In the fall of 2006 I was all set to move to Austin, Texas and really pursue things as a shooter. I was offered a full-time job as a staff shooter for a local marketing firm here in Atlanta while in the process of moving — the salary and benefits offered was enough to make me move all my stuff back. I spent a little over a year at that firm until going freelance again in March of this year.

How did you get started? Any mentors or great stories here?

My Dad had a camera around my neck by the time I was eight. My family and I moved to Germany when I was nine and traveled a lot while over there. My dad and a couple of his co-workers were very much into photography. Both of these guys my father worked with had worked on a professional level in photography in the past. Well, we would all get together when our slides got back from the lab and have slide shows. I would always sit and listen to them critique each other’s work as well as mine. They would look through my shots and compliment some of them and tell me how I could make others better. My father would get aggravated when I would do an abstract shot of something like moss growing on a rock — he saw it as a waste of film since he was more of a documentary-type photographer. Well, the other two guys would tell him that he should not discourage this and that it was great that I saw things that way. One of the two guys (Don Farra) gave my dad a Canon T70 with a 28mm F2.8 and 100 mm F2.8 prime lens as well as a Canon 277t dedicated flash that he had laying around. He told my dad to give it all to me as a Christmas gift when I was in fourth grade and mentioned that my father should encourage me if I ever decided to pursue photography as a profession.

I moved back stateside when I was fourteen and did not touch my camera for years until an ex-girlfriend needed headshots for a beauty pageant. She didn’t feel like paying a professional photographer at the time to do them, so I mentioned that I use to be a pretty good photographer. I took her out one day with my 100mm portrait lens and shot four rolls of film with her. Got them back from the lab and maybe 90% of them came out looking really nice. Nice enough that I had other professional photographers tell me that I should maybe look into photography as a profession. Before I knew it, I had people paying me to shoot weddings and portraits for them. Here I am — still at it almost ten years later. I have been lucky to have had a few great teachers and mentors since then.

More of the interview with Keith Taylor here.

Describe an average week at your studio.

95% of my work is location work, meaning that a studio space would be an unnecessary overhead expense at this point. When studio space is needed for a job I rent one out by the day.

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

I work out of my home and when not shooting I spend a good bit of my time in front of the computer doing post-production work, and if I am lucky I will be either invoicing for past jobs or getting together estimates for future jobs. Following up with clients and looking for more work via phone or e-mail is another big part of things. Just trying to get your work in front of Art Directors and Designers can be a huge job in itself.

I think I am going to try and start setting aside one day per week to go out and scout for new locations for future shoots, and just shoot for fun. Leave the business side of it alone for the day and enjoy the creative side of things.

Why Atlanta? Have you considered anywhere else?

Well, as I mentioned above I had planned on really going after things in Austin due to the music industry there and having a couple of AD friends in Texas that really encouraged me to move out that way. Austin is just a great town, anyway.

Nashville has been another thought. Huge music industry and also a great town.

At this point, though, I am thinking I am going to stay here in Atlanta. It is a pretty happening place and I have made all kinds of contacts since moving here 7 years ago… I’m not sure at this point if I could afford to totally start over in a different place — especially with the economy being where it is at this point. It is also only a four-hour drive to my folks’ place in Florida from Atlanta. It’s nice being close to home and getting to see my family and old friends on a regular basis — moving further away would hinder this. I am just comfortable here, I guess. So I may relocate later in my career but Atlanta is good for now.

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

What motivates you, or gets you going? What do you use for inspiration?

What motivates me is seeing bill after bill come in the mail –
and then actually opening and reading them gets me going.

What do I use for inspiration? A number of things inspire me including (live) music, movies, and being around other creative people. Life in general can be a source of inspiration. There is no reason for not being able to find inspiration on a daily basis if that is what you seek… it’s all a matter of perception.

What is it you like the most about being a photographer?

I love the diversity that goes along with being a commercial photographer and being able to work with so many different types of people. Shooting a portrait of a doctor one day in an operating room and then a pilot on a tarmac the next. I never know what is coming next. You may get a boring job or difficult client to work with… but knowing that you are not going to have to work with them day after day all year long is nice. You just kind of suck it up and look forward to the next cool job.

One really cool job in ten makes the other nine boring jobs and/or difficult clients worth it in the long run.

Are there any downsides to being a commercial photographer that you would like to change? How would you change them?

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

Yes… but aren’t there downsides to any profession? The only thing I can do to change them is to try and educate people about them. Educate clients who think I make a few thousand dollars for few hours of work, like it appears to them. I try and let them know what all goes on behind the scenes in order to get that few hours’ worth of work and make them aware that this might be a couple weeks of planning and post-production when they are not around. I try and educate people and let them know that “digital” is not synonymous with “free” and that there are expenses that go along with shooting digital.

As great as digital photography can be, it seems to have destroyed the craft and perceived value of what we as professional photographers do. Digital is here to stay and I can’t change that –but I can wish that it wasn’t.

It think that there was a lot more appreciation for the work photographers did and a job well done by them in the film days.

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

What was your most memorable assignment?

Probably one of my most memorable and toughest assignments was a funeral. A close friend of my brother had his two-week-old daughter pass away in the hospital from a blood infection. The father of the little girl was a friend of mine as well. He and his wife asked me to do portraits of the little girl and actually cover the viewing and funeral like you would a wedding… only with more respect. My heart wept for them both so I agreed to do it. It was so heartbreaking seeing this tiny pink coffin when I went to do the portraits, and then having to try and document the viewing and funeral afterwards. The only thing that kept me from breaking down emotionally while covering it all was my camera and being focused on doing the best job I could for them.

I put all my heart into it… my camera just acted as a shield. I ended up having a handmade wedding-type album for the shots made for them, covered with a baby blanket just like the one she was wrapped in when she was buried. The parents seemed so appreciative when I gave it to them but it sure was the toughest job I have ever done. I have no desire to ever attend or photograph a baby’s funeral again if I can help it. The little girl’s name was Sara, by the way.

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

Any ‘war’ stories you would like to share? You know, the ones that always start with “There was this one job where….”

Well, when I was still assisting I worked a job for 24 hours straight. We were photographing large machinery in a dead-silent room all night long — just another assistant, the photographer, and me. Coming back the next day to finish up was not an option, so we had to get it done. Another job that comes to mind was a location shoot in NYC with the same photographer… multiple locations per day in the fashion district of the city over the course of a few days. I was the person responsible for driving the twelve-passenger van around in Manhattan — what a blast that was. At least I was working with fun people, though. We always had a great time on those trips but it was some very long days we would put it. That’s all part of the business though.

What would be your ideal assignment?

I would love to have somebody pay me well to travel around the world for maybe five or ten years and do portraits of the most interesting looking people I could find. It would be nice to try and make them feel special and interesting while doing so… people that may have never had anybody pay attention to them. Kind of like Avedon’s “In the American West” series… but not being confined to the American west. Maybe spending a year or so on each continent just traveling around, looking for and capturing different personalities. A translator for each area would be great too so I could include written info about each person I photographed.

The only other thing that comes to mind is a full-time position as a staff photographer for something like Rolling Stone, SPIN, Paste or Blender magazine.

Keith Taylor, Atlanta Editorial Photographer

To be as successful as possible while still enjoying life.

Tell us a little about your new work…

Over the past couple of years I have worked almost exclusively as a portrait photographer and don’t see this changing. I am always willing to shoot just about anything — but working with and shooting people is what I love. Shooting somebody and making him or her feel great about themselves is far more rewarding than photographing some inanimate object to me.

Oh, and what is on the music box right now at your studio?

Right now I have Massive Attack playing, but some other favorites while I am working are: Sonia Leigh, Pink Floyd, The Wood Brothers, Sean Costello, Dire Straits(and Mark Knopfler’s solo stuff), Corinne Bailey Rae, A Perfect Circle, Jack Johnson, The Decemberists, Miles Davis, Norah Jones, Beck’s “Sea Change” album, Bilie Holiday, The Black Keys… I can go on and on for a while, but you get the picture… I love music.

Visit Keith Here

Website: www.keithtaylorphotography.com
Blog: http://www.keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithtaylorphotography

Thanks so much for following along. You can stalk me hourly at Twitter and if you are interested in a workshop, visit Learn to Light.

OK… we got the gear and the portfolio is looking pretty good. So now we need to find clients to actually pay us for the images, and help us go from a part-time Pro-Am to a full time photographer. You see, clients may not seek you out – even if your portfolio is red-hot and rockin’. They don’t know who you are, and are kinda busy doing the things that they do 12 hours a day in their business.

And who ya gonna call, anyway?

This is one of the biggest questions I get asked at my ‘Going Pro’ portion of the workshops. Where do you find clients?

I don’t think it is necessarily a ‘finding’ as that implies the act of acquiring a client as some sort of serendipitous act… like ‘finding’ a $20 bill, or ‘finding’ a cool old camera at a garage sale.

Clients aren’t found… they are researched and explored and defined and identified. And that sounds like a situation for a process.

This requires work on your part, pushing off the throes of inaction and taking hold of the thrill of accomplishment.

I am embedding this show here. Last time we had some issues with questions not appearing here. If you are on this page and cannot see the questions, jump on over to this Vokle link. If that doesn’t work, use twitter with the tag #LELive.

NOTE: You have to sign in to get the full panel with questions and such. Easy and they don’t do anything with the info, but they have to have an id for everyone to keep the thing going smooth. Below is a slide show to accompany the presentation above.

Homework
Yep. Here are a few articles to be familiar with:

Seth Godin on “Choosing Your Clients”
Download and listen to Selina’s free first chapter here. Selina Maitreya is one of the top photography consultants in the business. (If you are interested in purchasing the whole thing, and you should be – use FOSLE at checkout and save 50% courtesy of LE.)
Read this article on “Marketability” at Heather Morton’s Blog.

That’s it. See you 6PM sharp for this vidcast discussion. If you have a video camera, you can ask your question by video.

You know, this stuff isn’t as ‘sexy’ as lighting beautiful girls with a softbox or whatever, but I do think it is at least as valuable. Maybe, just maybe a bit more.

Workshop NEWS:
Fall is nearly fully scheduled:
August 28 – SEATTLE
FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITURE – ONE DAY WKSHP. $225

September, 11, 12: Calgary
September, 25, 26, Boston
October 2, 3,Sacramento
October 9, 10, Dallas
October 16, 17, Savannah
October, 30, 31: Norfolk, VA
November 6, 7 Minneapolis
November 13, 14, Houston
November 20, 21 Raleigh, Durham

December 4, 5, 6 Anna Maria Island
Special 3 Day Portfolio Building Workshop

2011 Schedule up on Aug 15th, and we start in San Diego, Portland, and New Orleans

My goal is to bring a full, 2 day workshop for photographers to smaller markets. We keep the group small so we have plenty of opportunity for one-on-one and to make sure the student ‘gets it’. I want to help you make better photographs. Whether you are a weekend warrior with a great hobby experience or an emerging professional making their way into the world of pro-photography. Learn to Light is the Workshop page. And you can follow me on Twitter for photographic notes and tips daily.

———–
(NOTE) Tomorrow, August 8, 2010 we will have a live discussion on how to go about identifying clients who would be consumers for your work. This is for commercial photographers, we will not be discussing direct-to-consumer photography (wedding and portrait), however, everyone is welcome to join in. It will be one hour long and you will find it here: Lighting Essentials LIVE (Vokle). I will not be embedding this as we still can not figure out why the chat doesn’t work on the embed. So please head on over to the site and RSVP. This is a single event show, it will not be taped – miss it and it is gone. See you there… and be ready to get some great ideas.
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Let’s just look at some photographs.

These images are side-by-sides and have an old image from the vault next to an image made recently. Now the make-up and hair can date an image pretty well, but I still love these shots. For me, the transcend the time period they were taken in and become interesting photographs all their own.

I love to make photographs. And to look at photographs. They remind me of things lost, time between. I can’t always remember the subjects name (hell, I have problems with that now) but I can remember every detail of the shoot. Camera, lens, aperture, film, what we were talking about, where we were, how I lit it… I have a ‘snapshot’ in my mind of that tiny time frame, and the image is the thing that takes me back. Or simply exists as a reminder all its own.

The moments captured on film or sensor is but a tiny slice of time… and yet that moment is indelibly etched on our memory as well. And what about the images that we never caught on a camera? Aren’t there myriads of images stuck in our brain as tantalizing as any photograph could be. The moments that moved us, terrified us, engaged us or opened our hearts, are there – forever in our minds eye. Fleeting and blurred sometimes, and only a wisp of an image. Mom, at my 14th birthday party. Dad when he told me mom had passed… the look of shock on his face, and then the glance up at me that will forever be a part of me.

I had no camera that day I lost my mom, but my mind took care of that. I can remember and see scattered images of that day. And almost all of them are stills. The very first time I saw my babies… they are totally captured, and savored again and again in my head. It is those ‘moments’ that we see for a fleeting slice of time that I try to capture with a camera. The images presented here are similar in that attempt.

In the opening shots, we have a shot taken about 26 years ago in Chicago, and a shot taken last year in Mexico. They both feature very limited DOF, and a tight frame on the face. There is a bit of whimsy or mystery to both… the one on the left as she gazes off into areas unseen, and the one on the right confrontational and striking.

I used a Nikon F3 (180MM 2.8) with the newly released T-Max 3200 pushed one stop (ISO 6400) to catch her being lit by the ambient light outside the studio. It was a little after midnight when this shot was taken. There is a moon out, but most of the light is simply the ambient from scattered streetlights and shops. We are on the second floor, and the slight gauzy curtains became a large softbox. The tungsten light behind her is simply a lamp on a shade turned toward the back. The black and white print is multi-toned.

On the right is a shot taken in the shade in Mexico. I have white boards under her chin and on the right side of her. Close in. Camera is a Canon and the lens is a 80-200MM L at 200MM/2.8. MUA Lorri Mitchell did a very natural look and I had Laura look straight into my lens for a ‘direct’ intense look that captivates the viewer.

Diagram:

A pair of simple portraits:

I love the way these two pics go together. Both with soft, full frontal lighting and both are blond.

On the left, a shot that is also about 24 years old. Taken in my office when the studio was in Tempe, the subject is sitting on a chair with the open floor to ceiling windows behind me. No additional cards of fill. Nikon F3 with 180MM 2,8 Nikkor and T-Max. I worked with her in the soft light and made sure she kept her face up and into the wall of light behind me. We shot a roll in the office while waiting for the MUA, and the shots were not even processed for a few months. These seemingly candid shots were actually my favorites from the day.

On the right is a shot from last year… with a ringlight. I rarely use ringlights and I borrowed a lens from another shooter to do the image. The 24-70MM 2.8 Canon is a great lens. One that I will never purchase. I don’t really care that much for those focal lengths. Well, the 24 is nice, but the rest… meh. I have a lot of shots of Samantha looking at me, but this shot, looking away, seemed so soft and had such a mood to it.

I like the way the light on both seems to be coming from camera, has no fill and allows the shadows to ‘live’ as they fall away from arms and cheeks and hair.

Diagram:

More after the jump:

Yeah, I have been shooting a long time, but I have a style – a vision that is personal to me. I like my images to be accessible, emotional and feel more like a glimpse of a moment in time than something that I ‘created’. It has always been so with me.

The next duo:

On the left a shot about 28 years old of a great model friend of mine, Brooke. She is now an author and had her own TV show about animals for quite a while. But at this point she was a model getting her book together. We found some cool old clothes and went for a totally editorial look. I had her run down the little road as I chased her with Nikon and 180MM 2.8 Nikkor attached. She stopped and made a bunch of cool poses and I got every one of them. This is my favorite. The image is multiple toned. The sun is right on the horizon behind her and we simply opened up to get the exposure on her. That let the background blow out, which was the intention of it… I didn’t want the urban houses and power lines to show off in the distance. The blown out background sets her off nicely. The shot looks quite natural – as if you were there. The image is multi-toned.

On the right, a shot from two years ago in Detroit. Kimmy is in a doorway and I am using totally natural light to make the shot of her. However, the dark alcove she is standing in would have been way too dark. I put a small speedlight behind her at 1/32nd power and angled it slightly up. This opened up that back area a bit and gave her some definition. The sunlit area behind me – the ambient – was fine and neutral to bring her a soft, almost wrapped light. Another foot forward, and the sun would have lit the left side of her (from camera). Kimmy’s natural pose and smile really sell the shot as being something nearly candid.

I love natural light and often use a speedlight to open the shadow areas.

Diagram:

Our last duo:

The shot on the left is 25 years old and was shot on Polaroid Type 55PN of a lovely young lady who was also a friend. I am using a small softbox (home made fome core) right above and in front of her. The background is an old piece of canvas, and I have a light on it with a medium reflector to create a gradient and separate her from the background.

The lens on the camera was a 210MM Nikkor at 5.6, and the camera is slightly tilted to keep the focus through the entire image. The Type 55PN Negative is contact printed on a medium fiber paper and multi-toned. I wanted a shot that seemed candid, yet a bit classical as well. Her features were perfectly sculpted by the small box – 20×20 – and without fill the drama was increased.

On the right is a headshot from last year. A very large softbox with surrounding fill cards for the main, and then a bright silver umbrella is over the top of her and set 1/2 stop over the main for drama. I am a little over her position to shoot down a bit. The aperture is about f8 and the lens is an 80-200MM. I am as close as the lens will focus, and the flash is way down in power as it is very close to her. MUA: Lorri Mitchell.

Both shots show a variation of the headshot and both have a bit of mystery to them. The glamor on the right is offset by the aloofness of the model on the left. Her intense gaze outward is very similar to the gaze the model on the right bestows on us, the viewers. In both shots I am working a different angle to the face to bring something back to the viewer that is a little different than a straight on headshot.

Diagram:

Thanks for viewing a few of my shots here… some from decades ago and some recent, but I hope they also show a glimpse into the way a steady vision can maintain itself for a long time. I have always wanted my images to connect to the viewer, create a bit of mystery and draw the viewer into the shot, and hopefully impart a little of what I saw – beyond the surface of the image.

BTW… some recent posts:
Shooting Waverunners in Mexico – In the Ocean
Interview with David Giral, Montreal Photographer
Enough Negativity: Ten Things to Positively Affect Your Photography
Four Photographers on the Trek to the Top

Follow along on Twitter if you like, and if you are interested in a lighting workshop, check the information at Learn to Light