BW Project Week 1

ISO 100 | 160mm | f 2.8 | 1/3200 sec

I'm a fan of photo projects, not just because they're fun but because they force you to think creatively and to look for new subject manner constantly.  I've always been fascinated by Black and White photography but I've never really experimented with it.  I've used it on occasion to add variety to my work, but never used it exclusively.  So now I'm challenging myself to a 52 week project comprised of strictly Black and White photographs.  This should be interesting to say the least.

One of the beautiful aspects of B&W photography is that it capitalizes on light, shape, and texture.  It's not the color that defines these photographs, it's the raw content if you will.  Often times I find that the color in photographs can be rather distracting, and sometimes detrimental to the story trying to be portrayed.  I think that B&W forces the viewer to focus entirely on the subject and story at hand, at least, that's my theory anyway.

So stay tuned for next week's installment, and try to come up with some ideas for projects you could get started on.  I guarantee that you'll learn a lot!

Quick Tip For In-Studio Catchlights

Wishing you had an array of large windows so that you could capture the amazing catchlights created by the sunlight's reflection?  Turns out that you can create the same effect in-studio with a softbox and some duct tape.  Use the tape to mask off the softbox into multiple boxes of light (window panes) and you're all set (see image below).

The possibilities with this are almost endless.  Just imagine all the different shapes you could create and different effects you could achieve with this simple trick.  Hope you have as much fun with this as I did.

What I've Learned From The Lean Manufacturing Industry

Efficiency.  That's the word that comes to mind when trying to describe the mentality of the lean manufacturing industry.  How to deliver a quality product in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of wasted energy and investment, that is the question foremost in the minds of those that work in this industry.  Yet it's not a question specific to manufacturing, it's one that is pertinent to a multitude of other fields as well, even the field of photography.

I've only been working in the lean manufacturing field for a couple months, but what I've discovered from the onset is that there is a massive amount of thought and effort put into finding the quickest and most efficient way to accomplish each task in the manufacturing process.  Unnecessary steps are eliminated and techniques are refined in the unending struggle to reduce front-end costs and maximize invaluable time and resources.

If you work in the image production industry, you realize that there's quite a process involved in getting the photos from the camera to the client (and this is true for any other form of image production). That process can be quite long and tedious, especially if there hasn't been much thought given to making it efficient.  Many people (myself included) are stuck in the rut of what they've always done and are too afraid or hesitant to change their workflow, even if it could save them a bunch of time in the long run.  What I'm here to suggest to you is that you have probably not yet found the most efficient system to run your business.  I believe improvements can always be made to one's workflow, and what I'm here to present to you are a few suggestions for ways to approach maximizing your efficiency.

When getting started with this, you must realize a very important fact: Time is Money.  Your clients may not realize it, but most of what they are paying for is the process, not the images themselves.  Are you charging enough to make it worth your time?  If not, what needs to change in order to make your time investment worth what you're charging? 

And remember that it's not just the monetary aspect that is important, good stewardship of our allotted time is a Biblical principle ("Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17).  So take some time to consider how you're managing your time when it comes to running your business, and as you do, here are a few steps I've found to be helpful.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but hopefully you can glean some ideas from it.

1. Do An Initial Evaluation
The first step in the process of improving your efficiency is to ask yourself questions regarding your current processes and business practices.  Sit down and think about what your current workflow looks like and what are some of the pros and cons associated with it.  Ask yourself questions like:

• What processes in your workflow take the longest and why?
• What parts of your workflow do you dread doing the most and why?  What could you do to make them less painful?  (e.g. Backing up your hardrive because you have go through all your folders to see what's been copied and what hasn't.  Purchase some basic backup software that keeps track of what's been modified and copies only new or revised files)
• What parts of your workflow do you know aren't the most efficient but you haven't bothered to change?  (e.g. Manually placing your watermark on all the images you post online or flipping through all the images from your last wedding shoot 15 times trying to find the images you haven't edited yet)
• On what processes do you find yourself constantly re-inventing the wheel?  (e.g. Rewriting your wedding shot-list over and over because you haven't bothered to save it or trying to re-figure out how to create a frame around your images because you didn't create a preset the first time)
• What parts of your workflow could easily be automated?  (e.g. Image resizing actions, editing presets, email autoresponders, online print selling solutions, etc.)
• What would you like to see most of your energy focused on?  (e.g. Taking pictures, editing images, or answering emails?)

Once you've established a few areas in your workflow that need improvement, move onto step 2.

2. Create Lists
This is an essential part of improving your workflow process.  Now that you've found some areas in your process than need some work, it's time to focus on what exactly needs to be improved.  First, walk through your entire workflow and take note of all the steps involved in each process (e.g. Day of Shoot Prep - Print model releases, pack gear, review shot list, confirm shoot location, format memory cards, etc.)  Don't be afraid to get specific.  Then, review your list and try to identify and eliminate any unnecessary steps.  Finally, write a new list implementing all your changes and modifications.  Here are some lists you should consider compiling:

• Client Interaction List (e.g. Initial inquiry email, mail brochure/info packet, call client to schedule shoot, mail thank-you after shoot, etc.)
• Prioritized Shot Lists (e.g. Wedding shot list - rings - B, bouquet - C, groomsmen walking up road - B, bride with parents - A, etc.)
• Editing Workflow List (e.g. Import images, rename images, prioritize editing, export images from lightroom, edit images in photoshop, sharpen images, resize images for web, etc.)
• Online Process List (e.g. Upload images to online gallery, post 5 images to FB, write blog post about shoot, etc.)

3. Get Organized
Don't waste time trying to find your gear, model releases, image files, or anything else for that matter.  Setup an organized system that has designated spots for the various aspects of your business.  Filing cabinets for contracts, lists, and releases.  Closet and shelves for camera and studio equipment.  And when it comes to organizing image files/.psd's/resized image files, find a system that makes sense to you, and is easy to navigate.  I've found that keeping files organized within individual folders under one date/event from a specific year works pretty well for me (see image below).  Obviously it may take some experimentation to find what system works best for you, but once it's established, you'll spend much less time looking for stuff and more time actually getting things done.

4. Be Consistent
Once you've discovered a more efficient way to do something, make it a permanent part of your workflow.  Repeat the new process over and over until it becomes a habit.  You'll discover that once you've established a step-by-step process that incorporates your modified processes, your workflow time will dramatically decrease.  Not only that, but you'll also find that your workflow becomes so much easier as you become familiar with each step in the process.

5. Re-Evaluate
This is an ongoing process.  Always be on the lookout for ways to improve and make your process more efficient.  Once you've tackled your weak spots, go back again and find other areas to strengthen.

Hopefully as you walk through each of these steps you'll see a dramatic increase in your workflow speed and you'll find yourself spending more time building your business and less time trying to maintain it.

Tych Panel: Ultimate Free Triptych Solution For CS5+ Users

I've always enjoyed a good triptych.  There's something about the compilation of multiple photos that tells so much of the story that's not conveyed by a single image.  It's something I've always wanted to incorporate into my workflow, but the lengthy process that one had to go to to put one together didn't seem worth the investment.  But Tych Panel has changed that for me, and now compiling diptychs, triptychs, and ntychs has become super slick, and it's FREE!

Tych Panel installs as an extension to Photoshop CS5+ and resides in the workflow window as an additional sidebar (seen below).

To start, click one of the row or column buttons.  Select the images you want to display in the first column/row, order them the way you want, and click ok.  The software automatically aligns the images according to your predetermined settings regardless of image orientation.  Once it's finished the first column/row, add another row or column based on the desired end location of the next set of images.  Continue the process until you're satisfied, there's no limit to the size or amount you can compile.

The other thing that makes Tych Panel so amazing is that it allows you to redefine its output according to your needs.  You can specify the inner and outer border colors and sizes, roundness of corners, total output size, and you can even choose to add a mask to each image or to convert each photo to a smart object.  Compiling images together has never been easier, and the additional plugin to adobe bridge even allows for combining images directly from the previews area.

Here's a preview of the options window:

And a preview of the result:

 
So, do you feel like you want to try your hand at creating beautiful triptychs?  You'll find that Tych Panel will go above and beyond your expectations, not to mention save you tons of time.

Many thanks to Reimund Trost for developing this amazing add-on.  Visit his site and download it for yourself:

http://lumens.se/tychpanel/

Be sure to watch the accompanying video where he explains the entire process.

Below are a few of the triptychs I've put together with this handy little tool.  Enjoy!

 

Illustrated Posing Guides

I came across these awesome illustrated poses over on Digital Photography School.  These illustrations have proved to be super helpful to me just for visualizing different poses before I go to do a shoot.  Coming to a shoot with predetermined poses in mind is a must, and these drawings have really helped me with that and have also given me new ideas for other poses I want to experiment with.  Check them out and see which poses you may want to use in the future.

• Poses for photographing weddings.
• Poses for photographing couples.
• Poses for photographing men.
• Poses for photographing women.
• Poses for photographing children.

Not Your Piano Teacher's Photographer

Today's inspiration comes from photographer Nikolaj Lund, an artist based in Denmark who is doing his best to change the cultural perception of the Classical Music genre.  Placing his subjects into environments that combine the absolutely absurd with completely off-the-wall perspectives (literally), his photos impart to  his viewers a sense of heightened reality and leaves them wondering what they really know about the world around them (and about Classical Music).

Check out his website here and his flickr page here.

From Their Perspective: Peter Mahar

I'm excited to be able to bring you another interview today.  Peter Mahar is a portrait/wedding photographer from the Portland, OR area.  I first discovered Peter's work on facebook and immediately became fascinated with one of his personal projects called the "Face Study", a project focused on capturing the true personalities of individuals through genuine facial expressions.  Peter talks about this and much more, so keep reading or click the link to listen to the entire interview.

Listen to the interview here.

And be sure to check out more of Peter's work over on his website.
Also check out more of the fun photos from the Face Study here.

_______

GHS: How did you get started in photography?
PM: I didn't initially have dreams of becoming a photographer.  I didn't touch a camera until I was 16 years old.  It wasn't until I saw another photographer's work and how it caused me to feel an emotion (joy, sadness, etc.) that I became truly interested in photography.  That's really what got me started, the desire to cause an emotion in somebody else.

GHS: What would you say drives you as a photographer?
PM: We all see very visually as people.  The saying is very true, an image speaks louder than a thousand words.  You can cause true sorrow or true happiness with a simple image.  So what I'm documenting really drives me to capture a person's true essence and really cause an emotion in viewers who may or may not know that person.

GHS: Did you start out taking portraits?
PM: I originally started with landscapes.  When I realized that my trees and plants wouldn't react or add impact to my pictures like people would, I decided I didn't like that.  So I started taking photos of friends, and as time went on I started shooting more photos of people, shot a few weddings, and my business just started from there.

GHS: What are you looking for in your portraits?
PM: I'm a big fan of simplifying the image, taking things out in order to focus on one or two elements.  With portraits it's very simple: you have a white backdrop, basic makeup, basic clothing, and you're really focusing on the person, their story, what they're trying to convey.  Because of that, I feel that you can get a more precise message and feeling from that image.

GHS: What gear do you use in a portrait session?
PM: I use a Nikon D300s with a 50mm 1.4 for all my portraits.  I usually have my lens set between 1.8-2.0 because of the sharpness it produces.

GHS: What was your reason for starting the Face Study Project?
PM: My main hypothesis is that everybody is able to get a good picture taken of themselves.  A lot of people that I get to photograph hate getting their picture taken or they have a reservation with getting their picture taken because they don't think they look good.  But nobody looks in the mirror and says, "That's a horrible looking person."  Everybody has some unique or interesting feature about them, and I love that.  And so I want to show and teach people that you really can look good in an image, you just have to be taught how.  So that was kind of the whole idea behind the project, to learn how to teach people, and help them open up, and help them look better in pictures.

GHS: What are some things you've learned as you've worked through this project?
PM: A big thing I've learned is to communicate.  I think a lot of photographers will hide behind the camera and not give any form of direction.  And I find that the subject often will trail off and get lost.  And they start to get frustrated because they're not a trained model or actor and they don't know what to do.  They don't know what to do with their hands or their eyes or their mouth.  And so the first step is the simple "Hello, how are you?" and just building from there to make the model more relaxed.

GHS: And how do you break that barrier of communication?
PM: Everybody is different, and because of that, the topics of your conversation are never guaranteed to be the same.  But having a genuine interest in that person is important.  I really love getting to know people and knowing about their past, what they're doing, what are their goals and aspirations, just simple things like that.  Asking them questions that get them thinking about good things and good memories, that's kind of key because it puts their mind in a good place and it starts to show that true emotion.  Just simple things like that really get people to open up.

GHS: What are some other techniques you use to get people to open up and relax?
PM: One technique I use a lot is having them do these outrageous and crazy faces.  Now, I'm not necessarily going to keep or use those pictures, but if they can forget that the camera is there, or forget that it's not that big of a deal, then it's successful.  The goal is for them to realize that they're in a low-stress, free environment, and they can be themselves and they can open up.  When I get them to give me an angry face or start yelling in my studio, they really open up and you get a great picture afterwards.  One of my favorite things to do is to have them make a face that uses the most muscles at one time.  They're thinking of this face that's just outlandish and crazy, then I count to three and they make this face that's crazy and absurd and they just bust up laughing and you get this great smile; and so much pent up stress and anxiety leaves at this point and they're a completely different person.  From that point I just get them to play along and I am able to capture so much emotion through that.
 
GHS: What is the purpose of your personal projects?
PM: The purpose of all my portrait projects is to really help me with on-location and with big groups like at weddings.  Being able to get people to open up quickly and on the fly, and get a great genuine smile out of them.  That's hard to do, so portraits are a great way for me to learn and kind of expound on that.

GHS: What would you say is the purpose then of photography?
PM: I really want to say that it's to cause an emotion, it's in place of words.  If I had two words to describe it, I'd have to say "Sheer Impact".  Because whether it's for advertising or whether it's for your 20 year old son who just graduated, whether it's your grandma's pictures from when she was a child, all of that has so much meaning and so much impact for people whether it's personal or editorial or whatever.

GHS: Is there any advice you could give to aspiring portrait photographers?

PM: The biggest thing would be to not get discouraged, just keep shooting.  A lot of times our eye is a lot more developed than our skill at taking pictures.  You know, the reason we get into photography is that we know what we like, we have a good eye for art or for design, but we're not there; we technically can't create it yet.  So keep blazing the trail, do different creative things to keep shooting.  It's so important to just keep shooting and to keep flushing out ideas and being creative.  If you're really passionate about what you do, then just keep pushing on.