As the digital age continues to evolve, we are constantly taking photos with our smartphones to share on social media, our websites, and other online platforms. While it is convenient to snap a quick photo with our phones, the reality is that these photos often need to catch up regarding professional quality. When it comes to taking a headshot, the quality of the image is even more critical. In this article, we will discuss why hiring a professional photographer for a headshot is better than using your iPhone and how professional lighting can make a big difference in the outcome of your headshot.
Continue Reading
What you should know about product photography
I’m amazed at the number of websites I look at that have very poor product shots. This is the primary reason I’m writing about what you should know about product photography.
Product images are important on a shopping website because they are the main way customers can see and evaluate the products they are interested in purchasing.
Additionally, well-organized and visually appealing product images can help to create a more engaging and user-friendly shopping experience for customers.
Continue Reading
The First Timer’s Guide to Professional Photography Equipment
If you’re venturing into professional photography, the very first thing you need to do is invest in the proper equipment. Tapan Sheth, a professional photographer who has been featured in National Geographic, states that having the right camera gear can make “a world of difference” in the field. He emphasizes that having these gears are foundational in the career because their settings can greatly affect the outcome of each picture.
However, camera equipment can be hefty investments for photographers that are starting out. So, make sure that you’re choosing equipment that will serve you well throughout your career by referring to this guide:
Camera
When choosing a camera, you need to consider the specs that will help you properly capture your preferred subject. Professional digital cameras, like the Nikon D850 DSLR, are ideal for landscape photography. This is because these types of cameras have a 45.7-megapixel resolution, a focus shift feature, and a shooting speed of 7 or 9 fps. Meanwhile, those with AI-controlled AF sensors, powerful DIGIC processing systems and high-speed camera communications are better for sports or wildlife photography. By considering these key features, you can get a reliable tool for your field of photography.
Protected: Oberon Electrical Safety Equipment
Business Head shots
Business Headshots have become a very popular request as of late. And I’m finding that although everyone has a cell phone capable of taking some pretty awesome photos, more and more clients are opting for professional shots.
Why professional photographs over selfies?
I’ve been digging into this, asking my clients why come to a professional when you could just as easily take a selfie? The answers make sense.
- Better overall lighting with a pro.
- The fact that your arm isn’t stretched (taking a selfie), the image is a little more natural looking.
- The overall expression is much better with a professional.
- Going to a pro usually means you pay more attention to grooming and dress.
- The cropping and sizing is much better when done by a pro.
- The background are generally much more appealing for business.
- A pro knows the files and sizes required to upload.
- The overall image looks much more professional.
What clothing is best for Business Headshots?
If your a professional, than you should dress like one. The best colors are medium to dark tones. I prefer blacks and blues, but other dark colors work well. I also recommend solid color shirts and blouses. Stay away from flashy jewelry. More can be learned from reading my photo shoot preparation page.
How to prepare for your photo session.
I’ll cliff note this section and point you to the same page link as above.
Men need to be cleanly shaved and hair should be groomed. Preferably an hour or so before the shoot. Women as a norm like to have their photo taken soon after having their hair done.
Again if your a professional be sure to dress as one. Women should wear long skirts, pants, or dark stockings with shorter skirts or dresses.
Avoid bright colors, such as reds and orange, they usually don’t work well when mixed with other colors. If you must you should inform the photographer before hand.
Headshots are not full bodied portraits.
As the name implies business headshots, are just that headshots. Usually from the chest up. Studio portraits are usually situational photographs showing a professional in his or her work environment. In most cases they show much more of one’s body, in some cases from head to toe. It really depends what the client is looking for.
You get what you pay for.
Isn’t this true? You’ve heard it before about first impressions. Same applies when someone looks up your LinkedIn profile. If they see a professional image of you then they will feel you took the time to look your best, you take your work seriously. And that’s exactly what you want them to think. So take your best shot!
For information contact me, and thank you for reading my post!
Or book a session!
Designing a brand 3 steps
Most people who write me already have a name in mind for their company, product or service… so their first question usually starts off with can you design a logo, website and business card for me ?
I should caution you to think very carefully about the name you intend to use, in designing a brand 3 steps I explain to use a name that it “fits” with your overall brand plan.
Designing a brand 3 steps
Use your imagination, intelligence and knowledge when building your brand.
Developing a brand idea can take some time- it’s a process that shouldn’t be rushed, in fact it’s the process which is as important as the development of your brand.
In her book Designing Brand Identity- by Alina Wheeler, Ann starts off by noting that ideals are essential to a responsible creative process regardless of the size of a company or the nature of a business. These ideals hold true whether creating a new product or service, re positioning a brand, working on a merger, or creating retail presence.
South Coast Travel Guide
The 2015 -16 South Coast Travel Guide is schedule for distribution on the first week of June. I’m reminded of the amount of work required in getting the guide to print every year.
Where the South Coast Travel Guide is distributed
We supply the guide to small business on the South Coast from Fall River east to Wareham Mass. Businesses like coffee shops, restaurants, local small business, at local events, town halls and so on. There is no cost to the public for the 80 page guide.
What Makes it a challenge to produce
Not only relating to the photography, of which this year I shot most of it, including the cover. The work is in the all the details and content… especially the events and town sections. They require constant update and editing.
This South Coast Travel Guide publication is good for one year, so once the content is in edited and printed, it’s done, no changes until next publication! So as you might have guessed, it’s a little stressful hitting the deadline. No in fact it’s really stressful hitting the deadlines because there is a certain few people we are always waiting on for copy. Or should I say harassing for copy.
I should also mention that in order to make this publication possible it requires advertisers, and someone who’s job it is to sell advertisements to these people. Have you ever sold print, cold calling, business to business?
Then there’s the printing, shipping and 5 months of delivering to the nearly 275 locations.
What is the reward?
It’s a marathon, what makes it worth it though is all the calls, emails and such from people who really enjoy the travel guide as a resource.
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH DIAMONDS
Photographing Diamonds
I’ve shot a lot of products over the years but when it comes back to photographing jewelry, HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH DIAMONDS is always a tough one. Especially when there are 250 diamonds on one piece! Diamonds are NOT all the same color— meaning if you’re shooting a piece with 30 diamonds you’re going to see a difference in color. The more you blow it up the more you’ll see a color difference.
What are the variables? Well, I’m NOT a gemologist, but I would assume the cut and the natural color of the stone along with how it’s placed in the setting will make a difference. And I’m not even referring to “colored stones” or the color-treated diamonds. There you have to deal with all sorts of issues deep blues, light blues, reflections, etc.
The Light Setup I use
I’ve tried all types of light setups from LED’s to Florescent, tungsten, and strobes, I don’t lean to any one of them in particular. I suppose if I were looking for a warmer temperature maybe for gold or colored yellow diamonds I might shoot with Tungsten lamps, as that color temperature runs around 3000 — 3380 Kelvin.
Fluorescent Lights run anywhere from 3200 to 7000 but I shoot with 5000 Kelvin lamps in general. So it’s a little cooler. What I find more of an issue is keeping the glare off the diamonds, and trying to get a somewhat consistent color out of the piece. I find if you shoot straight into the piece you won’t get the surface glare that comes from shooting on a cross angle. A light diffuser is a must, however. I use the photo booth picture.
Light meters, gray cards, and custom white balance are all good things to have to lessen the variables. As you will have enough to deal with.
Diamond Facts
- The Diamond is the hardest natural substance found on Earth
- Diamonds are made of just one element – Carbon
- Most diamonds were formed 1 to 3 billion years ago
- If you picked up a diamond in the rough it would look just like a pebble
- The largest diamond ever found was 3,106 carats
- Diamonds come in a spectrum of colors, blue and pink are among the rarest
- Diamonds sales have grown three-fold in the past 25 years
- Arkansas is the world’s only diamond mine open to the public and is a dig-for-fee operation for tourists and rock enthusiasts. One out of 100 visitors finds a diamond.
Colored Diamonds
Out of 10,000 carats of diamonds mined, only 1 carat will be a fancy color. Out of Australia’s mine 30 million carats a year, less than 1/10th of 1% are pink diamonds
Color-treated Diamonds
Color-treated diamonds are regular natural diamonds that were color enhanced. The main methodology is called High-Pressure High Temperature or HPHT
Let me know if you have questions.
Lester Palifka talks about his ties to the Charles Morgan
Once on board the Morgan it’s hard for one not to notice the rigging, cords and cords of rope, nearly endless, and neat. The colors, texture and arrangement were amazing, I knew this was a highly managed system. But I left not learning the back story, until a couple of weeks later when I received a comment on this blog post from a very learned and passionate gentleman.
Lester Palifka found my blog site while searching the internet for photographs of the Morgan. In the comments he asked if he could have some of these photographs for his collection. He told me he had amassed some 9000 photos over his lifetime, and explained that he was on-board the Morgan and piloted her while on her 38th Voyage.
What impression does your Avatar make?
Admit it, we judge people by the way they look.
What if you ran an add looking for someone to fill a position, and you had 7 prospective candidates apply, they all came to the table with nearly identical skills sets. Out of the 7 you only need 3 or 4 to come in for an interview. Now the question comes down to who do you ask, how do you make the selection out of this group?
You’ve probably done this before. You pick the last two “on sale” items left in a store, let’s say it’s a shirt, and their black. Comparing them side by side and their an exact match, now you look for the smallest of details, a thread out of place, missing button, anything that helps you select the “better” of the two.