ARCHIVED ARTICLES
What I’ve Learned So Far: Two; Partners Maybe – Maybe Not
There is nothing better than a great partner. Finding someone who fills in those blanks in your business acumen can be a life saver. Whether it is a rep, or a second shooter/first assistant, or a full business partner, working with someone who helps you stay focused...
What I’ve Learned So Far: One; Photography Ain’t Easy
Starting today and for the duration of December 2014, I will be making one post per day on ideas and thoughts I have had about this business of photography. And it is directed toward the professional practice of commercial photography. I have been kicking around in...
Thinning Down, Weeding Out… Hopefully
Gettin’ Skinny and Lovin’ It I bet you're wondering if this will be about a new diet program, and how I am slimming down and getting to be a lean mean fighting machine. And it is… sorta. It’s a diet of all things photography. I am moved out of the big studio I share...
Industrial Assignment: Project 52 Pros
One of the most under-rated and least mentioned genre of commercial photography is Industrial/Corporate. It isn't sexy, and models don't flock to the studio after hours. The travel is usually not to some awesome resort or fancy hotel, but rather to out of the way...
Photographing Mundane Subjects
I have always been a ‘commercial’ photographer. While that included some wonderful editorial and fashion along the way, the bulk of my income was from good old commercial photography. Photographs made for advertisements, brochures, product sheets, illustrative uses...
The Summer 2013 Project 52 Yearbook (Free Download)
Proud to announce the arrival of the Summer 2013 Project 52 Pro Yearbook. If you would like to purchase a hard copy, it is available at cost at Blurb. PROJECT 52 PROS SUMMER 2013 YEARBOOKbyDon Giannatti | Make Your Own Book If you would like to download a free screen...
What If The Problem Is That You Suck?
Photo of the author by Mike Eller Even More Advice for the Aspiring Professional Photographer. These days a lot of people seem to be offering advice in the area of becoming a full time professional photographer. Some of those folks like Greg Heisler, Jay Meisel, Gail...
“Money, Money, Money” A Difficult Subject
The subject was money. And the assignment was for a brochure cover for a financial services company. Layout was included, but optional. The important thing was to not be totally cliche' about the image, and also not to succumb to a boring shot. This is a most...
Are We Clear About What We Do as Photographers?
Are We? Two things recently formed today’s article. One was a note from a commercial shooter who was being setup to fail, and the other from a consumer shooter angry that the client kept wanting more and more retouching… and feeling trapped that it must be done. To...
It is Election Day in America… Vote
Two Lenses: A Day in the North Country
Yesterday I spent the morning wandering around an area north of Phoenix for a few hours. Joined by photographers Dennis Mong and Miachelle DePiano, we took a loop through a beautiful part of central / north Arizona. I had no expectations other than hoping I could...
Great Reads: November Books 2014
"A Road Through Shore Pine focuses on a series of 18 never-before-seen photographs by Robert Adams (born 1937), taken in Nehalem Bay State Park, Oregon, in the fall of 2013. Adams documents a contemplative journey, made first by automobile, then by foot, along an...
Halloween Shoot: Project 52 Members
The assignment was to illustrate a double truck (2 page spread) magazine story on the Origins of Halloween. Layout was furnished as a layered PSD file and the P52 students had to shoot TO that layout - reversed copy and all. The assignment was a great example of how...
Basic Systems for Commercial Photographers
My recent Lighting Essentials post on "Systems" (Don't Be Afraid of Systems) was an overview of some simple checklists that I use to keep focused and create content in an overwhelmingly busy world. The amount of people, information, education, entertainment and sheer...
Project 52 “The Catalog”
In this assignment, the photographers had to jump through a few hoops. The previous week they had to submit a "Creative Direction" shoot showing at least two different approaches to doing the fictitious catalog. Those approaches had to meet some criteria. First is...
Off Topic Sunday, October 26, 2014
An absolutely astoundingly hectic week. My daughter got married Friday night, and Saturday was spent on a hundred different unrelated errands. Now, Sunday is going to be for catching up and getting ready for next week. Check out this amazing commercial. And please...
Inspiration Friday: October 24, 2014
Kyle Johnson | William Cohea
Too %$#*@ Much Freedom
Last week I railed against too many rules. Now I am asking if there is too much freedom? Could I be off my meds, or a little daffy? To complain about too many rules and then question if there may be too much freedom too… OMG, I am turning into a …. no, I won’t go...
Help a Singer Go To Argentina, and Get Four Hours Consulting
Hi everyone. My daughter, Alissa, is going to Argentina with the Phoenix Children's Chorus summer, 2015. We are all pretty excited. You can hear them sing here. However, it costs a bit to send her, and we are looking for some ways to help her get there (along with...
Off Topic Sunday: October 20
Yesterday I was asked to shoot one of the new choirs at Phoenix Children's Chorus. This is an elite group of singers that are available for gigs in the valley. This is one of my favorites from the shoot. ON SIMPLIFICATION I am going through a simplification...
Great Reads: October 2014 Releases
I don't know very many photographers who do not have a large collection of photo books. Mine fills an entire double walled shelve system and is still growing. I love books. I love photographs. Nothing better than to grab an old book, a cup of tea and peruse the...
Inspiration Friday 10/17
Irene Liebler / Jessica Edler
Photography: Too Many #%*#$ Rules!
I was talking with a couple of photographers this week and we were discussing their output… or lack thereof, and I was commiserating a bit with them. I have been mired deep to the elbows in stuff that doesn’t involve cameras for the last six weeks. Very little...
ATTENTION ALL PROJECT 52 MEMBER AND ALUMNI – 2015 Trip to the Canyons is ON
As we do every year, the meetup / party is scheduled for February 6-8 and the trip north is from February 8 - 15. There are no creative or workshop fees attached. Only a per person share for van rentals, gas and a few consumables. We will have information on local...
Josh Ross on Marketing and the Life Cycle of a Product Shoot
My friend Josh Ross and I got a chance to talk a bit about marketing and project life cycle of a product shoot. This was an invite only (Project 52 members) and you will hear some questions at the end of the webinar. This is NOT a flashy look at photographs webinar,...
Inspiration Friday 10/10
Eric Muetterties / Scott Toepfer
New Directions, Multiple Channels
A few things have caught my attention lately. I mean really caught my attention. One was the great chat we had with my friend Rosh Sillars on how to price a gig in the new economy, and the other was his discussion we had off mic about photographers being able to do...
Dennis Dunbar: Retouching Secrets of the Pros
In Charlotte, NC, October 25 Presented by APA Charlotte If you are in the area, you should check it out. Dennis is an excellent retoucher. "Dennis Dunbar is a Digital Artist with extensive experience in digital issues and techniques. Since 1991, he has been working...
Inspiration Friday
A new feature idea I thought would be cool. Each Friday we will look at a couple of images from famous and not so famous photographers. Hiram Chee / Nick Onken
Building A WordPress Photography Site (Santino)
My friend Bob Knill wanted a bit of a hand on building his site. He chose the them Santino, and I did these videos for him, and you, to see how to build and maintain a Wordpress website for photographers. We will add additional movies as we go through SEO, but this...
