ARCHIVED ARTICLES
Hey, They Want You In the Arena… Are You Ready?
Would it surprise you that what we think is more powerful than reality? That mere thoughts can be as powerfully uplifting or critically damaging as what we actually do? “I don’t think I am ready to get out there and show my book” he said to me. It didn’t matter that...
Perfume Shot To Layout
At Project 52 last week we had an assignment to shoot a specific image of a perfume bottle. You can see the assignment here. These are some of the great images the students shot for this assignment.
Environmental Portraits
The crew at Project 52 (2014) shot some environmental portraits last week. Thought I would share them here.
IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS
The US Forest Service is BANNING all Photography and Videography done with bent iPhone 6's and 6 Plus's. Plan accordingly.
The Internet Changed The Proposition of Value: Here is How to Fight Back
"Where photographers can succeed is if they abandon the consumers and editorial world who has been over-run by these value perception changes, and instead turn towards the same brands that still pay developers premium salaries for exclusive solutions. As Paul Melcher...
One Light Portraits: A Collection
The assignment was to shoot a portrait with one light. Studio Portrait: Clean background, Simple Light; Forceful, Expressive Portrait Specifics: A very clean portrait shot on a flat field background (wall, seamless, cyc, material, cloth, canvas…) Tightly focused and...
Read more“Here is a photographer that is infinitely patient, and interested in the stubborn core of things. Her images are captured in single exposures of up to half an hour, then painstakingly printed in her darkroom on large format, silver gelatin paper. The methodology is unapologetically old-fashioned, and the results extraordinary powerful.”
Photographing the Canary Islands.
"Here is a photographer that is infinitely patient, and interested in the stubborn core of things. Her images are captured in single exposures of up to half an hour, then painstakingly printed in her darkroom on large format, silver gelatin paper. The methodology is...
It’s A Numbers Game: Part Two
“The Numbers”: Part Two It’s a numbers game… part two of our series. Find Part One here. Last time we discussed the numbers of getting people to see your work, and how that is so important to build a business. It’s been two weeks since that post. How many of you: 1....
Ten Free Photographs for Bloggers/Marketers
PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE BY VIRGINIA SMITH: BRIANA AUSTIN AND DON GIANNATTI (NO LICENSE IS GRANTED FOR THE USE OF THIS IMAGE) Briana and I spent a lot of time making photographs all over the country. We have decided to give some of these away to creatives who may want to do...
It’s a Numbers Game, Part One
How to Play “The Numbers” Game Part One We have all heard the words, “It’s a numbers game” before. And most of us know what it means. In order to get to a certain level, more attempts than successes must be used. Selling door to door is a numbers game. The more people...
AWESOME Opportunity to be Exploited! Wow!
Crowdsourcing... that is the new name for spec work, but worse than spec work this involves an outlay by the ones being expected to be used for nothing. FORMER ADVOCATE OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS, Photo District News and Rangefinder have decided it is a great idea...
Off Topic Sunday…
Been reading a really interesting book this past couple of weeks... lots to digest. "The Power of Visual Storytelling" by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio is about how visuals are beginning to dominate not only our news and information channels, but the ways...
10 Instagram Photographers You Should Be Following But Aren’t
I love Instagram. I should use it more, but I get so caught up with writing and other things that it sometimes skips my mind. However, I love following good image makers there and I am surprised that some of the fun photographers I follow are not being followed by...
What About Critics?
Should We Listen To Critics or Show Them The Door? Ahhh… the world of the artist. A place where we can nurture our ideas and share our bountiful creativity to others who will accept it into their lives with open arms, and smiles of gratitude. Or… not. There seems to...
Read more“Since clients haven’t held me to the lowest bid, other things factor in such as how the photographer allots the budget. How much money is going into casting, scouting, model-making, travel? What kinds of fees are they looking for? What usage are they including?. The creative call/treatment are very important too. Are they connecting with the art director and how are they approaching the job? Are they (or their agent) flexible regarding any changes in usage or scope? Let’s be honest here, if I like working with their agent I am more likely to recommend them for the job.”
On Preparing a Bid
3) We all know there are many reasons for a photographer not getting a project. Besides the obvious of price or creative, can you share some other reasons that they may not be awarded a project? "Since clients haven’t held me to the lowest bid, other things factor in...
One Layout – Many Solutions: The SANDWICH
The Project52 Pros knocked it out of the park with this assignment to shoot "The Infinitely Amazing, Always Tantalizing Sandwich". With layout provided, type in place on a layer, they had to shoot to the specs of the shot and keep it all perfect. That means the type...
From This to That
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALICIA BONTERRE One of the recent assignments at Project 52 PROS was to make the worst photograph they could make. The assignment was designed to make the students think about what makes a good photograph in order to negate that in order to make a...
Shooting Analog with Tomas Jansson
Some beautiful work by my friend Tomas Jansson in Sweden. Tomas began shooting film on our trip up to northern AZ last February. He's hooked.
The Romantic Portraits of Alicia Bonterre
Alicia Bonterre is a photographer in Trinidad. This post on making the romantic portrait is fun and informative. Alicia is a member of Project 52 Pros.
What Do You Charge For… Part Four
What is the value of a photograph? (What Do You Charge For... Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 /) Seriously... what IS the value of a photograph? If you need a calculator, go ahead and get it… I’ll wait. What’s that… you need more information to make that calculation? OK,...
Does the Best Photographer Make the Most Money?
Have you ever thought to yourself that as soon as you get to be the best photographer in your area, town, city, state, region, country, universe or whatever, you will be the highest paid? You may be in for a shock - but that ain't how the game is played, my friend....
Smartphone Camera Photography
“Every shift in photography has been linked to a shift in technology,” the exhibit’s curator, Henry Jacobson, told me. “But what makes smartphone photography so different is the instantaneous sharing that this device enables.” -- Henry Jacobson in The New...
“This Boring Old Photo…”
"In total, it took roughly two hours to get a single correct frame. I made every mistake you could make. I forgot to pull the dark slide out so I had at least one totally blank sheet of film. I forgot to dial the aperture back down after focusing so I significantly...
Steve Pamp: Tintypes of Gravestones: Colorado Front Range
Steve is a photographer in Colorado, and a Project 52 Alum. These photographs were taken during a summer project covering the Front Range of Colorado and the grave markers in the old cemeteries there. Steve chose to do these photographs on dry tin type, a very old...
What Do You Charge For… (Part Three)
Working and bidding for small businesses and entrepreneurial startups. (What Do You Charge For... Part One / Part Two) Mom and Pop businesses, self-employed artisans, service providers, entrepreneurs and all of the small businesses that are the lifeblood of the...
Are You a Commodity or a Brand?
Brooke from way back in the day... can you spot the 'brand' we were inspired by? Why Thinking of Yourself as a Brand is More Important Than You Know There are brands and there are commodities. A brand is something or someone that people choose because of what they...
Old Mama Dog – New Tricks…
"I am changing the direction of my photography as I shoot more film. Overall I hate my own results but I love the work itself. I've been all over the place trying to figure out what type of photographer I want to be when I grow up. As I get older I realize the small...
One Red Balloon… a Challenge
A recent assignment in my 2014 Project 52 group was to shoot one red balloon... but to stay away from cliche's as much as possible, while definitely creating an interesting photograph in which one red balloon features prominently. The students wee wonderful. Here are...
John Sharpe, Photographer: Calgary, Alberta
Meet John Sharpe, a commercial photographer in Calgary, Alberta. The great frozen north (at least in winter) has many roads to artistic and business success. John has been a photographer for 25 years and has shot for local, regional and national clients. I thought...
What Do You Charge For… (Part Two)
Part Two of our Thinking about our rates post. (Part One) Understanding what we are worth, and how to construct a pricing structure that we feel good about is quite challenging for many of us. But it is a necessary challenge for us to overcome - see previous...
