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Return to Afghanistan and mono memories

November 21, 2013
Afghanistan
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I had a scary recollection today.  I was speaking with a colleague today who I served with out in Afghanistan and we were both a little surprised to realise that it was two years since we arrived there for a six month tour of duty.

Afghan faces B-A-P0009

In the time I have been back, apart from the odd quick scan through the images, I have not really given them too much thought.

Afghan troops conduct their first major operation with resounding success.

As we get closer to the end of combat operations I am regularly surprised by the lack of understanding of the job our soldier s are doing out there and in some cases, blatant conspiracy fantasies seem to be circulating.  It seems to me that there are people who are happy and willing to exploit ignorance.

Afghan troops conduct their first major operation with resounding success.

I have mixed feelings about my time in Afghanistan.  I won’t pretend that I bounced around the green zone of Helmand with a bayonet between my teeth and two GPMG’s, one under each arm killing insurgents without fear.  In fact quite the contrary, each and every time we went out on any patrol, I felt fear, the healthy kind, the kind that keeps you alert.

Afghan faces B-A-P0008

The people of Afghanistan are much like we are in many ways.  They eat, sleep, laugh, cry.  They have the same basic needs we do but have less to work with and because they do not experience our western ways are mostly happy with their existence.  I won’t pretend they don’t want their security, they do as do we.

1400 Afghan soldiers pass off after completing their training. 1400 Afghan soldiers pass off after completing their training.

It always amazes me how we (human beings) struggle to understand different cultures though.  Let’s face it there is a north – south divide in the UK and lets not get started on our nearest neighbours, the French! 😉

Afghan troops conduct their first major operation with resounding success. Afghan faces B-A-P0002

Anyway, looking back through the Afghan archive, memories came back and they are different from the experiences at the time, for there is no fear now, the memory of that has faded, now I focus on the experience.  Much of the emotion has gone.  The images bring back shadows and nothing much more.  I suppose this is the same as the nerves I felt and I remember feeling on my wedding day, but now when I see the photos, they don’t remind me of that fear, just the day.  Natural I suppose.

Afghan troops conduct their first major operation with resounding success.

I enjoyed my time in Afghanistan, I saw things I never thought I would.  It made me appreciate more what we have more. It did me some good.

Afghan troops conduct their first major operation with resounding success. Afghan faces B-A-P0007 1400 Afghan soldiers pass off after completing their training. 1400 Afghan soldiers pass off after completing their training. Afghan faces B-A-P0001

Autumnal Landscapes

October 24, 2013
Landscapes
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I don’t really get to take too many landscapes.  I feel you really need to be out looking for them constantly and the reality is I will see a potential but the weather is either wrong or it is the wrong time of day.  So I make a mental note and go about my business.

MRN-2013-059-064

I have been eyeing up this location for a while, the leaves are turning and in the evening light these colours will simply pop.

MRN-2013-059-084 MRN-2013-059-081 MRN-2013-059-074

On the way home today, I stopped…… and explored.

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There is not much more I can say about that.

MRN-2013-059-030 MRN-2013-059-039

The ‘SCURGE’ of photography and a client education

October 18, 2013
Opinion, Portraits
2 Comments

As I write this I have just discovered that another good friend of mine has been ‘ripped off’ by a so called professional photographer.  Why am I pissed off?  Simple, because every time this happens the effect is felt throughout the whole industry.  I have been a professional photographer for over ten years now and I do not know all there is about photography.  It has taken years to build a reputation, a style and a direction.  There is no short cuts for this,

There have always been con men and women, that is nothing new, but the recent progress in photography has made this a breeding ground for minimum risk chancers.  It is easy to set up a website, operate for a few weeks and then vanish.

Everyone is aware of the massive increase in photographers available and offering you their skills. This is both good and bad.  Good because it has removed much of the elitist attitudes and competition is always good.  Bad because most clients know little or nothing about the industry and how it should operate to be able to make an informed choice.

The papers are always telling stories of a bride and groom duped into giving away their hard earned money and being heart broken when the resulting images are not at all what they expected.

So how can I help?

I am going to give prospective clients 5 tips to reduce the risk.

1.  Do your research.  Visit the photographers website (no website should set alarms going), check their galleries.  Is their work of a quality you would be happy with?  Are the images of a similar style?  Are they creative images?  Visit their Blog (most have them now), do their blog entries match their website in quality and style?  Look for endorsements but don’t trust them out of hand, anyone can write a few words.  Be more trusting of personal recommendations although this is not always possible.

2.  Speak to the photographer and meet them before any booking.  Check the quality of their work on their walls, again, does it match the website for quality and style?  Ask to see any other imagery that they have done that is not on their website or blog.  Always ask to see a complete wedding if that is what you want to hire your photographer for.  That could be either a digital display or a copy of the wedding album.  Be cautious if they refuse, why would they?  

3.  Make sure the photographer has insurance.  This should mean that you are protected to some degree.  If your wedding photographs are ruined then this insurance will cover for this.

4.  Get an contract.  This should be an agreement like an email identifying what you should expect may suffice in many cases.  I have had instances as a photographer where a client has said to me ‘but I thought I was going to get A, B and C’, the contract is there to protect the photographer as well as the client.  Make sure you read and understand what is written.

5.  Be cautious with up front payments.  Most photographers will charge you some kind of sitting fee, this is to be expected.  Make sure you know what you are getting for that.   You should however expect to pay up front for a wedding (this is standard practice) so seeing as much evidence of the photographers work as possible is a must. 

These simple suggestions will not remove the risk completely, but may minimise it.  Photography is subjective and in any dispute, if the images are well composed and exposed correctly, you might find any judgement does not go in your favour.  Make sure you actually like the work you have been shown.

A photographers web site should only contain images that they have taken themselves or within a larger company, although there have been instances where photographers put stock imagery on their page, so their website has professional imagery.

These points are not an exhaustive list but a mere five suggestions that will help minimise your risk.

What IS Facebook and Social media all about?

May 7, 2013
Opinion
2 Comments

In this last week a friend on Facebook……. wait, a friend on Facebook or a friend who is on Facebook?  Good question.  How many real friends do you have in a lifetime anyway?

Social media confuses me.  At first it seemed quite exciting catching up with people whom I had had no contact with since leaving school.  What were they doing now?  It appeals to our natural voyeuristic appetite, and yet it feels somehow detached, like you are doing nothing wrong, effectively spying on them (even though by putting their information up there for all to see if their choice).

It started by looking through the friends list of a new contact looking for other lost connections and then moves on to looking through photographs of them and their lives.

Have we always had this fascination?

A few years down the line and I find I have been questioning the validity of social media.  Of course from a business perspective it works like a dream, I can post and tag my images and all their friends can see them.  More work comes my way.  Perfection.

But this can only happen if the public as a whole use the site.  Numbers on Facebook are dropping in the western world now, but is this because the realisation has hit that time spend on these sites is a waste of time or are there other better sites available now?

I hope not.  Most of the crap on Facebook seems to be more and more like a cry for help than anything else.  The motivational and relationship status banners that are popping up all the time simply cannot be a healthy process.  At the end of it all, who cares?  I worry that many people who read these statuses are emotional vampires who get a kick out of the fact you are feeling low.  There are so many people that enjoy watching the misery of others, do they not have anything better to do?

I decided long ago to keep personal details as far away from social media as I could.  Most of your friends are really unknown, even if you did know them as a kid.

One of the other really big problems with social media is the faux bravery it nurtures.  In the safety of your living room, you can spout all the vile poison in your head (we all have some), and yet feel safe from physical reprisals.  You can say things to people that you just would not in a face to face encounter and feel safe that there is unlikely to be any consequences.  This is a very worrying development for me, but also because mostly people try to believe all they read, in fact I am convinced that people in general are happy to believe what they are told because it is too difficult, sometimes, to question it.  OK possibly not the case but…..

So going back to my friend, then from the beginning.  A professional photographer who has decided to turn his back on the social media revolution.  Wow, I thought to myself, that is brave (or stupid).  Where are his clients going to come from?  I thought.  How strange to think that, although it does seem like it at times, social media is not everything.  There is a life beyond it.  My friend (maybe I will start to believe that this is the case), made some other very valid points with regards to the devaluing of the photographic image too.  I don’t know though, maybe the digitising of photography has sealed its own coffin.  Maybe the image will now be consigned to the disposable and temporary scrap heap.  The next amazing image on Facebook is only a couple of status updates away, after all.

Except it is not, you find some of the good image based pages and you will find that many of the fantastic images being displayed are old, some very old.  You see with all of this technology, I think we have started to miss the point about photography.  Great off camera flash is wonderful for the wedding client or those portraits in the hay field, and it is such a skill (no doubting that), but they are still gimmicky. A great image is still a great image, even if it was taken 100 years ago.  Digital means we can (and do) take more photographs, but we have always known that quality is better than quantity any day.  So by taking more images what are we missing?

I think that perhaps we are missing the connection, that is what it is all about.  A real connection and not a cyber one.

Getting known and trying to break the norm.

November 28, 2012
Development, Portraits, Promotion
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Any photographer will tell you that one of the biggest journeys for them to take is the attempt to do something new, so find their own USP (Unique Selling Point).  More often and not these days it is a certain look done in post production (after the photo has been taken).  An example of this is the Dragan effect (google it).  The thing is with PP is that it is quite easily replicated.  Once someone comes out with a catchy look, its just a matter of time before everyone is doing it.  That USP then becomes dull, it loses its impact.

I have decided to undertake a couple of projects over this Christmas period working at charity events  and a Christmas fayre.

Why?

Well simple, I decided I needed to do two things.  Firstly be seen for what I do (taking portraits) and secondly to capture something that makes people go wow, which is not that easy.  I also wanted to make people go, “I like that, can I book a family shoot or a portrait session from you?”

A standard set up for this kind of event is probably a two light set up, maybe three.  A main light, fill and either a background light or hair light.  The idea being that this set up is versatile as the sweet spot can be organised to be quite large.

Well I decided I didn’t want to do that as although you can get reasonable light it will not suit everyone.  There is not really any set up that will suit everyone, so decisions have to be made.  I chose to use a ‘clam shell’ set up which has the main light as a 1.2m Octobox directly above the subject, and very close.  The fill light is under my feet and I shoot through the gap in between.  The problem is that to get this really amazing soft light the subject is close to the light and the sweet spot is quite small.  I can only fit (carefully) two subjects.

Ultimately here lays the problem.  I do not directly make any money from this shoot which as a business I have to make money to survive.  There will always be people that want a certain shot and it is difficult to almost alienate yourself from anyone, but I have to look at the bigger picture.  I want you to see that I can get some amazing pictures of you guys and in a studio with all my kit at my disposal and a couple of hours to spare, we can come up with same really memorable shots that you will love.

Looking at it that way, its a bit of a no brainer really….  What I particularly love about this is the options that remain in PP, like in any lighting situation I suppose.

In the thick of it and always experimenting

November 19, 2012
Development, Portraits
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As a photographer one of the best parts of the job is the sheer volume of options.  I love the fact that I can always learn new techniques, be it composition, lighting, style or… well the options some times feel pretty limitless. #

The only limit to a photographer is their imagination.

I love playing with lighting, the studio is a great place when things are going well and the most frustrating place when they are not.

Lighting is, in essence quite simple, even the most complex of lighting set ups should look simple, but simple is great to look at and natural.

After setting up a stand at a recent charity fashion show, I thought it would make a great opportunity to try a simple clamshell setup.  I have to say I have never used this one before and I really have no idea why.  It is an amazing light and with post pro can suit men, women and children.

For this one I had a 1.2m Octabox as the key light, with a simple shoot through brolly as the fill from the floor.  The lights were no more than 1m from the subject so I used a wide lens for most of them.

Another set up in the bank.

Building books and the tangible truth

October 22, 2012
Afghanistan, Military work, Opinion, Portraits
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If there is one aspect of digital photography and the internet that I don’t like it is simply the lack of necessity to print your images.

There is nothing quite like a decent print, and trust me it is never simply a case of hitting the print button.  So in the last six months or so I have been responsible for producing 4 photographic books, and all I can say is wow.  Although the books have been limited run or one offs, the sense of achievement you get after all the work of putting them together and handling it is second to none.

I now have the printed book bug.

A reflective image is so different from a back lit image, that seeing your images feels like seeing it again for the first time.

There are some amazing companies out there that can produce these books and some of the software you can use to complete the books are very straight forward.  All I would say is don’t feel the need to over complicate the layout.

Photo books should ideally, in my humble opinion, be about an image at a time, although that is not always possible.  There is certainly a skill in putting a book together and I feel myself getting better each time.  There is a lot of work, in particular when you are trying to include other contributors.

Another important effort is to do your best to create a narrative, to make the images inter connect and flow from one to the other and at times, even if you have a cracking image that misses the narrative, do not shoehorn it into the book just out of hand.  If you need to add another section to the book to fit it in, then try but be your own worst critic.

The end result is worth it though.

Finding the time, a photographers lot

October 19, 2012
Development, Portraits
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Well many of you may be aware the last few weeks have been a blur, but a happy one.  Now I am starting to move on and as a photographer, there is always a difficulty balancing the work with real life.  Any working photographer lives and breathes photography, and I find it gets worse the longer I go on.  Understanding light is probably the hardest thing with photography and it takes time.  There are no shortcuts here and learning to identify and use light is something every photographer constantly works with.

As I understand light more and more, I see opportunity and inspiration.  I suppose it feels a little bit like staring at the screen on ‘The Matrix’, you just start to see photographs everywhere.  That said seeing images and capturing images are two completely different things though the more I see light and its subtleties I base it on images I have taken.

Now I like working in the studio with controlled light.  There is a sense that anything is possible, if you can just control it as you need.  I really love photographing people but the most difficult part is ‘the people’, getting them to do what you want, no, need them to do.  A sitter does not have any idea what is going on in my head (probably a good thing), and I am working towards an end product that nestles in the outer reaches of my muddled head.

There is no substitute for working with people, it really is the only way you get to know the craft of lighting.  I can play with new ideas on an inanimate object but translating that to people is something that can only be done with people……

….and no two people are the same.

So there we have it, this post is no more than a plug, I need you to improve and you need me to take your portrait, so there you go, no excuses any more…

And here is to the weekend, all good in moderation.

 

Territorials are dead, long live the reservists

October 5, 2012
Military work
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The Territorial Army or TA, have been around for longer than I can remember, and since I joined the British Army ‘Regulars’ they have taken the brunt of the jokes.

These part timers or weekend warriors have over the last decade had a resurgence fueled by an ever increasing involvement in Afghanistan.

The name ‘Territorial Army’ is no more, replaced by the simple ‘Reservists’, many of their numbers have now served more operational tours than some of their regular counterparts.  Probably a minority but this fact is one aspect that has transformed reputations.

There are still ways to go, but the momentum is there and with more and more ambitious training exercises going on, I feel the reputation will improve.

As the government places more and more emphasis onto the reservists, the future looks bright for these soldiers and their future looks assured.

Viable and sustainable?  Well really only time will tell, but with so much being laid on their shoulders, can they afford to fail?

 

Any opinions or points of view expressed in this blog are not the views of the British Army or the Ministry of Defence, but of myself and should not be viewed as official comment.

Should you wish to follow us, you can find is on http://www.Facebook.com/LIMEfotos

Still playing catch up

October 4, 2012
Military work
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One of the best parts of this job is the diversity of the tasks that come in.  One of the more interesting that has come in recently is the funeral and re-internment of a soldier from Operation Market Garden from World War 2.

Not one for being known as a historian, but basically Operation Market Garden was the momentous assault by the allies of Arnhem in the Netherlands and more specifically the bridge in Arnhem.

The operation was known for a number of reasons, mostly for its audacity and the scale as an airborne operation made famous by the old film ‘a bridge too far’.

 

Not all the soldiers involved were Para’s or airborne and due to the intensity and ferocity of the fighting many soldiers lost their lives, many being buried in field graves and marked accordingly with the intention of burying properly after the battle.

As part of the battle though, the German military burst dykes and flooded part of the land as a defensive measure which also washed away many of the grave markers meaning so many soldiers were never found.

 

Occasionally remains of soldiers are found and the difficult task of identification ensues.  With no DNA records on file, the investigations are usually based on artifacts found on the bodies and dental records which do take an inordinate amount of time.

 

Private Curtis was only 19 when he fought and lost his life in battle with his unit  the 5th Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment.  His body was discovered almost ten years ago and then the difficulty began to try to identify him.

 

 

The family were there to see him buried with full military honours and the poignant thing was that a relative of Pte Curtis, Rifleman Edwards is now serving with 5 Rifles who are the current guise of the old regiment.

It’s a ‘Riskey Business’

August 12, 2012
Development, Music
2 Comments

As many of you are already aware, I really enjoy my job, to the point of feeling guilt at times.  How can I enjoy a job so much?  I think one of the primary reasons for this is the fact that no two days are the same.  This is such a challenging vocation at times, and sometimes so simple.  I enjoy photographing people, in the studio, on location, it’s just so much fun (although there are times when there is little fun to be had).

One of the things I particularly like is the opportunities there are to ‘try something new’.  Too many people see the skill of photography as a dying art, or simply a matter of a numbers game to capture the one required image.

Photography is a form of art, it can be creative but there is creation in every single image.  The camera operator has decisions to make every time the shutter release is pressed, composition, timing, exposure, aperture and shutter speed.  Then there is lighting, another discipline that is undervalued by viewers everywhere as the best lit shots out there generally look like they are naturally lit, so with very little skill.

The fact of the matter is that every time a photographer captures a moment, there are so many things to consider, that people just don’t see.

As a photographer and an aspiring photographer too, it is dangerous to get comfortable, you always look for the next image, the next project, so being asked to photograph a local hobby band for publicity shots was a challenge to look forward too.  At this point I feel I need to add that these musicians are brilliant and the term ‘Hobby’ is meant to show their motivations, they play for the love not the finance (although they are available for hire).

Due to the nature of most of their day jobs, the band line up does change constantly as members move on and new ones replace, but this adds to the difficulty of getting the photograph.

I shot the band the first time in 2011, not too long before I went to Afghanistan, a short time out of the bands religious rehearsals.  With a camera, a few flash guns against a brick wall, I managed to make a simple image, but after I felt it did not do the band justice as by their nature, their line up changes almost monthly.

Then back from Afghanistan, a new line up, with even more changes on the horizon, I wanted to do something that I felt suited their make up.

Individual portraits, all with the same identical lighting that have that connection, the images could then be brought together to make a band photo.

I did however make an image of the band all together too, call it the banker shot if you like…………..

Have courage in your convictions

June 23, 2012
Opinion
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Most people in our society will at some point in their life need (no, not need but want) a photographer, be it for their wedding, to photograph their new baby, their portrait, their pet. Their business products, the list goes on and on.

What do people look for?

Do you search for a photographer who captures something different or has a certain look you like?  A cheap photographer?  A friend who has a camera? Or nothing at all?

Where does the cost of a photographer come into it?  Should it enter the equation at all?

The photography industry is incredibly competitive at the moment and the industry can be very easy for anyone to access with the super high quality of even some of the budget cameras.  I wonder if this is a positive development, but regardless, this is where our industry is right now.  The client has never had so much choice.

What does that choice mean?

I think this depends on what your view of a photograph is.  Do you see a photograph as just a still image that simply records and reminds you of a memory?  Is a photograph a piece of art?  Can a single image really be that important?  Take a while to think about some famous images you can remember. It may be a war photograph from Vietnam or a celebrity portrait, but the chances are it will be a stunning image for one reason of another.

A photograph is history.  Although it is taken at the time the image is immediately assigned historic status.  I shows us what was.

When you are looking for a photographer, what is your main consideration?  I think there are two main perspectives.  Will I love the images or can I afford them?

Take a wedding for example.  This is for many people the most monumental day in their lives (although not for all).  I think it is fair to say that most couples will look for a look they like from their wedding photographer.  There is usually a budget but their first consideration in many cases is the look.  I have been asked if I can replicate someone else’s look for a wedding before………Mmmmm!

Each and every photographer is different, of course there are styles and fashions that you can find over and over, but you have to look at the image, see what has been captured, is there emotion, a certain use of light, a character in there or is it simple a flat image processed to a style?

Photographers are observers, we look for things, we search for a representation.  Some are better than others, that’s just the way fo the world I am afraid.  As a photographer we should always be striving for the next image, that killer image that may not be the most asthetic but one that has that bit of magic.  Sometimes that is not obvious but invariably there will be something.

To look at a photographers images, look into them, try to identify what they were looking at.  You can do this for any photographer and ask the question, why?  I guarantee you at times you won’t be able to answer the question but you will still see something that you like.
My work may remind you of someone elses work but for sure that’s all it is.  Photographers are individuals, our work is unique, we all see things differently and if you hire us you are buying into that vision and experience.  All photographers draw inspiration from the world around us.

As a client you should never look at a photographers work and then wonder if you can get a cheaper alternative by going elsewhere.  Another photographer cannot just step into anothers head.  So if you need a photographer, look around, look for somthing that you like, an edge, a look, a style or a vision and hire them.

If budget is an issue then look for an alternative, but don’t expect the same, you are only setting yourself for disappointment.

Your choice of photographer may, in the end, cost a little more than you wanted to pay but in years to come, those photographs could have more value to you because you will know in yourself that you did not compromise.

Did I mention that I shoot weddings and portraits…………………………………………………………………………..?  😉

Time is my only enemy these days.

June 22, 2012
Development, Military work
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It now seems like such a long time since I was out in Afghanistan, in real terms it was.  Three months is such a long time.  We move on quickly, get back into the swing of things in our day to day jobs.  I am now (for those who have not been paying attention) back in Germany with my family.  Still working in the Army, yes we still have some of the Army based here (not for too much longer though).

This job does not seem like a job much really, it really is a shock to the system to enjoy my job as much as I do and in fact I have been known on many occasions to feel real guilt as I see people around me slumped and dejected as they struggle through the week to get to the weekend.

None of that for me, many weekends I am behind the camera enhancing my skills and keeping looking for a way of doing things I have not tried before.

One of the most exciting parts of this job is the variation.  This week has been a prime example, for three days I was chasing soldiers around a live range trying to capture images for their local press who had come out to visit.  Then there was the small matter of photographing a high brow event in Hannover city center to commemorate the Queen’s birthday and then today I spent the day photographing handicapped children as they climbed all over military helicopters.

 

All this work needs to be processed and dispatched to whoever wants it.  Not a five minute job.  So my long suffering wife has to watch me sitting at the laptop most of the evening.

Ah, a negative!  Perhaps the only one.  Sometimes there really is just never enough time in the day.  I need to get a new watch……………

One with a 27 hour day.

Herding cats and capturing character

May 13, 2012
Development, Portraits
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There is a popular phrase that we have all heard stating you should never work with children or animals, however as a photographer, you try that.  I recently came up with a promotion idea to get people into the studio, to see how we work and hopefully come away with plenty of workable images to wow the customers.

This became the ‘Pets win prizes’ competition.  The premise was for local people to bring their pets to our studio in order for us to try to capture some of their character.  The shoot was free and an image from their shoot was to be displayed on Facebook in a gallery for people to vote (like) their favorite.  The winner is the image that 7 days later has the most likes.  They then win a canvas wrap print of their pet (not necessarily the one used in the competition).

As with anything like this, the build up can be nervous as you find yourself asking the questions, like, did we promote this enough?  Will people turn up, have we explained the situation properly?  Has word got around?

I need not have worried because apart from a quiet hour at midday, the event was a success.  We got a variety of pets in from the expected cats and dogs to the more exotic Bearded Dragon and some tropical fish in a huge beer glass.

I like to put myself under pressure, and I limited each shoot to 15 minutes, which included the time to get to know the animal a little, try to find some of its character, decide on how to work with it and light it, and then execute (not the animal but the idea).  I could quite easily have set up a flat light setting and just gone for the safe option but I didn’t want a load of same images.  I wanted to be creative, to try to show off each animal as best I could in the time.

At the end of the day, I sit through the images and I have to be honest, I am happy with what we got.  There are a lovely range of shots, the customers went home happy and I now hope they like what they see.  I don’t photograph a lot of pets, so this was an ideal opportunity to try to broaden my horizons as a photographer.

As I try to complete the job, my eyes are heavy, this was a challenge but like all challenges I am left in its wake feeling content.  This is the kind of project I think I should do more often and I urge others to also.  It is all to easy for a professional photographer to focus on revenue, but there is a kind of warm feeling when you undertake a project for no obvious gain, that said I did take a couple of bookings today which is nice but certainly not what this was all about.

If you have read this blog today, could I urge you to visit our Facebook page, and visit the gallery.  Please take a little time and like any images you like.  The winning pet owner will I am sure be most grateful.  Plus there are more images from the set to see.  As with any of my work I love to hear from people, feedback is important.

Pets win Prizes!

May 5, 2012
Development, From the Archive, Opinion, Portraits
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We at LIMEfotographic have arranged a special open day at our studio on Eichholtstrasse, in Bunde, near Herford in Germany on Sunday 13th May 2012.

You love your pets, of course you do!  Have you ever considered getting a professional pet portrait done?  Well here is your chance, and you can be in with the chance to WIN a canvas frame print of your special pet.

We are opening our studio for a special pet day, so between 10am and 4pm on the 13th May, bring your pets to the studio behind the Naafi in Bunde (near Herford).  We will photograph your beloved pet.

 

HOW THIS WORKS.  This is a promotion day, we will photograph your pet in our studio for a maximum of 15 minutes per pet.  Once the images are processed they will be posted on our Facebook page for voting.  You can invite who ever you can to vote for your pet and quite simply by the closing date, announced when the images are posted, the image with the most likes, will win a stunning canvas print worth €250.

There is no obligation to purchase anything, but of course you may decide that you would like to book a family shoot or some simple portraits…………

Just pop by on the day, and don’t forget to bring your favorite pet with you.

Promotion and give away’s

May 2, 2012
Development, From the Archive, Opinion, Portraits, Wedding
2 Comments

The technical side of photography is not a problem for me.  I know that may sound big-headed, it’s not meant to be.  My photographic training was, let’s say, comprehensive.  A seven month full-time course that in wider circles is well-respected, certainly gives you a grounding.  I look back at some of the work from back then and cringe at it, but I also accept it for what it is and am still striving.

A personal first from ten years ago, the use of many layers, taking days to do and really pushing the computers boundaries.

Having been presented with the subject ‘shopping’, it made sense to mimic some of the visual inspiration of the time.  Not great work now but it was a step.

When I graduated from the school, I felt a little bit like when I had just passed my driving test.  I knew how to take a photograph but that was just the mechanics, I now had to develop that knowledge into a style, to give my images some character.  This I think is where the real challenge of photography is.

I really enjoy shooting weddings, they are challenging and never easy, so you need your wits about you.

So ten years on, my photography has developed into its current manifestation and I now think I am a marketable commodity.  This is where my next hurdle lays.  All my training does not prepare me for self promotion.  Some of you who have been reading my blog or follow my Facebook page may be surprised to hear that, or maybe not.  I have in recent months been looking into the different ways to market yourself and mostly it is now down to the internet.

In the studio, you need to work hard to get the shots you want, you can never just turn up to a shoot.

Sometimes it is a shame that many elements used in the shot are hidden.

Inspiration is important to any photographer, we draw our inspiration from other image makers all the time.

Being in Germany does kind of limit my available market somewhat but this gives me the opportunities to try out marketing plans to get an idea about what works or doesn’t.  Mostly though I just want to stay busy, producing new work.  I have in the past organised a very successful studio open day where I allowed visitors to come in off the street into the studio, sample a micro shoot, see the product and as a result took bookings for bigger shoots.  My next project is similar, but based on the pets theme.  This one will be slightly different as it will be a kind of competition where people who have their pet photographed will then see their image on our Facebook page.  This is where they vote (by liking) their pets image and they then invite their family, friends, anyone who knows them to also like their image.  The winner will receive a canvas print of the winning image.  Votes can also be included by the general public, so there will be a need to really push the Facebook page.

Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet, a studio full of animals is a daunting thought.

The idea excites me, I am intrigued as to how the project will work out.  This does need loads of work to work, but it is just another step in the journey of building a client base and a reputation that is in this industry all important.

I don’t find self promotion easy, I find that at times I feel clumsy and awkward with it, I am always too critical of my own work, but I accept that in these times I have to get beyond that and just go for it.