Thanksgiving Photo Tips from Debbie Riggs of Pure Photography

Debbie Riggs, owner of Pure Photography in Abilene, Texas, is a professional photographer specializing in children and family portraits.  We felt her expertise made her the perfect person to turn to for advice regarding family photos.  We asked Debbie for a few tips to make the most of this year’s Thanksgiving gathering.  Here are a few of her favorite quick tips:

If there’s time to coordinate clothing, send out a message for ideas of what to wear.   

“Notify everyone ahead of time and give them three colors to choose from for their outfits such as berry red, brown, gold and jeans. Let each family show their own style/personality in what they choose and yet you're not having to match exactly."   This technique is helpful because it gives members a range of possibilities and keeps everyone from looking exactly the same.

“Plan on taking the family portrait outside about an hour or so before sunset,” she says.  Photographers know that the ‘golden hour’ is ideal for most shooting situations so it’s worth the effort to gather your loved ones outdoors for a quick family photo. 

Her final recommendation?  “Hire a professional photographer!”  In all seriousness, if you have family traveling from a fair distance, having a professional come to shoot a family photo would be a gift to share with all your loved ones.  It can also take the pressure off of the host family, allowing them to simply enjoy capturing the moment.

To learn more about Debbie Riggs, visit http://www.pure-photography.com

Kickstarter 101: What it Takes to Fund a Photography Project

by Laura Oles

When Sarah and Eric were planning their upcoming honeymoon, they decided to mix business and pleasure.  While other newlyweds might jet away to tropical locales to spend time on the beach, Sarah and Eric decided to opt for a road trip, taking Polaroid photos all along Route 66 – a trip that is being funded by a small group of supporters who have been promised photos in return for their micro investment. Sara and Eric love the nostalgia of documenting their road trip with this vintage but still very viable medium.

How did they come to the idea to combine their honeymoon trip with a photography-related business proposition?  It all comes down to Kickstarter.

Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com) helps fund creative projects by connecting artists and inventors with investors.  Since the site went live in 2009, over four million people have pledged more than $609 million dollars toward 41,000 creative projects. Each creator remains in charge of all aspects of her project and anyone can launch a project as long as it meets Kickstarter’s basic guidelines.  Funding requests can range from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands.  A select few have even been successfully funded at a million dollars or more.

In the case of Sarah and Eric, their first Kickstarter project is a modest one as they only asked for pledges totaling $1,000, but pledges totaled five times that amount.  Eric is a photography buff with an arsenal of vintage 120 cameras, including a 1914 Kodak and a German-made 1939 Twin Lens Reflex.  Sarah shoots with her Canon T21 DSLR and also likes experimenting with her Diana mini.  Both Sara and Eric enjoy the nostalgia of traditional shooting and the feel of experiencing a printed Polaroid print within minutes of capturing an image. 

Sarah and Eric have followed and backed several other Kickstarter projects over the last year and learned a great deal from the process. When asked what made them choose the idea of traveling on Route 66 with a Polaroid camera in hand, Sarah said, “I think it's a bit of nostalgia and a bit of a tangible result. I can be impatient and I love that I can have my photo in front of me in just a few minutes.” Their backers seem to share their enthusiasm and are looking forward to receiving Polaroid prints in the mail of their travels along Route 66.   For the trip, they will be using a few different Polaroid ColorPack Land Cameras, such as the 100 and the 250.

Even though Sarah and Eric are young in years, they are old school when it comes to photography.  Sarah enjoys shooting digital, but her love for film and the older format cameras remains strong.  It is their love for these vintage shooting experiences that really spurred them into creating this Route 66 Kickstarter project.  Sara says, “We hope that our Kickstarter project inspires others to take up film photography! We want to show people how accessible film cameras still are in today’s environment.”

To learn more about Sara and Eric’s Kickstarter project, visit:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goodstorysarah/route-66-polaroid-project

To learn how to create your own Kickstarter project, visit www.kickstarter.com

Chris Christensen, Founder of The Amateur Traveler

Chris Christensen has loved both traveling and photography since he was a child.  He recalls road trips with his parents, pulling a fourteen-foot trailer behind the family car, and exploring the national parks in the West.  Those early adventures have paved a path that has kept travel--and photography--an integral part of his life. 

Chris started his popular podcast, The Amateur Traveler, in the summer of 2005, and it has since grown into one of the most popular podcasts online.  Chris says, “The Amateur Traveler audio podcast is about travel destinations. It helps you decide where to go next. The show usually features an interview with a destination expert or with a traveler who has been to the destination recently.”  Chris, a self-proclaimed podcast junkie, really wanted to share his love of travel by helping others discover new destinations and evaluate which locations would be best for them based upon their family structure, schedules and interests. 

While the Amateur Traveler podcast has quite a following, Chris understands that sharing the many facets of exploration require imagery and photographs to showcase the depth and unique benefits each location has to offer. Chris’s site, http://amateurtraveler.com, contains a wealth of information about different destinations and photographs of the many places he has traveled.  The site covers various modes of travel including rail, bicycle, road trips, air travel and more.  Traveling on a budget, traveling to Disney, traveling for extreme adventure--it’s all here.

Chris keeps his trusty Canon EOS Rebel t1i on hand along with as many as three video cameras to document each trip.  When asked what advice he would give to travelers wanting to capture the beauty of a location, Chris offers, “When you get to your destination, check out the postcards.  You’ll be able to identify some popular areas and see how they were photographed.  This will help you examine the location and maybe come at it from a different perspective. Use it as guide to help you get started but spend some time in the location and photograph what speaks to you, what stands out as interesting or captivating.”

Chris employs a number of strategies to fit his passion for travel and photography around his full-time career.  Tight budgeting of his time and bringing his son in as an audio-editing expert for his podcasts are two successful strategies.  Sometimes, unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time to fit everything in and this means having to turn down trips.  “I turned down fee trips to Jamaica, Hong Kong and a two week Alaskan cruise last year. It was not that I didn’t want to go on these adventures, but just did not have the time.”   Still, Chris fits in an impressive number of trips in his schedule each year, often opting for longer weekend travels with his wife.  He also keeps himself to strict deadlines, which helps him make the most of his time.  He quips, “Oh, and did I mention it helps if you don’t need to sleep much?”

When asked about some of his favorite locations to photograph, Chris offers up several options.  “Antelope Canyon is a surreal environment where the force of water has carved a narrow (in some places just wide enough to squeeze through) slot canyon in the Navajo sandstone. The rock is left with the shape of rushing water. When the light catches the many different shades of the red rock it becomes a photographer's paradise.”

“For someone who loves history like I do, Egypt is a must see destination. I don't even think I grasped how old Egypt was until I learned that the first dynasty that built the pyramids fell to some unknown people who had a new technological innovation… the wheel. Yes, the pyramids pre-date the wheel.

Turkey has layer of civilization upon layer of civilization. Istanbul, in particular, is a colorful and delicious city with its monuments like Haigia Sophia, the walls of Theodosius and its Ottoman palaces.”

Chris also comments on the surprises one encounters when one’s expectations aren’t met.  Sometimes it can be a wonderful thing.  This was the case on a trip to Tanzania.  “I expected the treat of seeing the wildlife in Tanzania. Herds of zebras and wildebeests going off to the horizon is not something that a zoo prepares you for. But I did not expect the joys of meeting its people. I left with the belief that any three Tanzanians would sing a melody in four-part harmony.

Greece lured me with its ancient agoras and even more ancient Minoan ruins (the oldest European civilization). Then it wowed me with cities clinging to the lip of a volcano on Santorini and the beautiful seaside towns of Crete.”

You might expect that someone who travels so extensively to have his system down pat and be prepared for anything. He admits an equipment mishap can happen.  “I have had a time or two that I have shot for hours and then discovered my memory card was back in my computer. It’s only funny in retrospect.”  This confession makes the rest of us feel a bit better about our own photographic foibles.

Chris’s approach to improving one’s travel photography doesn’t include detailed technical descriptions, but instead, simply encourages taking more photographs.  “Take a lot of pictures.  You can only develop your own eye with practice and experimentation.” 

To learn more about Chris Christensen and the Amateur Traveler, visit http://amateurtraveler.com.

The Working Photographer:

Laura Wooten on the Importance of Presentation, Timing & Connection

by Laura Oles

Laura Wooten is an award-winning professional photographer whose career path started as teen when she joined her high school yearbook staff and her father placed a completely manual Nikon FM2n in her hands. Under his care and guidance, Laura’s talent flourished and she soon found herself completing a photography degree in college and working as a photojournalist for major Texas newspapers and as a freelancer for the Associated Press.

Today, Laura has leveraged her considerable skills and has established a successful portrait studio specializing in wedding, portraiture and on-location photography. We asked her what she wished she had known when she was in the early stages of launching her portrait studio.

Laura was generous with her advice, happy to help others dreaming of one day becoming members of the profession. “I wish I had realized early on how important presentation is when working with clients. I started off with a ‘sell online’ strategy, in part, because it was easy and it made sense with the advent of digital technology. What I didn’t understand is that putting portraits online meant that the customer now owned the image in her mind. She was free to share my work--disabling the right-click function doesn’t protect your images--and could show friends and family the final product. I had invested a substantial amount of time and energy and the customer hadn’t invested a dime.”

Digital photography’s convenience can be a double-edged sword, especially for professionals working hard to be properly compensated for their craft. For Laura, the solution evolved from a sincere desire to properly showcase her work while providing a heightened quality experience for each client.

Laura explains, “I now offer a special viewing experience for my clients through projection sales, and my in-person sales have tripled since adopting this approach. My clients now see a movie-like presentation of their images, which are supported by music and special effects.”

How do her clients respond to this method of presentation? “I’d say ninety-five percent of my clients tear up or cry during the presentation. I’m able to connect with them emotionally this way, and they are far more satisfied with the overall experience than they were simply by viewing the proofs online. It also allows me to help counsel them on the best choices for their albums, gifts and for enlargements for hanging in their homes.”

Laura’s desire to provide a stellar customer experience and to separate her offerings from the plethora of ‘shoot and burn’ photographers have catapulted her studio to a new level of success as well as a steady stream of client referrals.

Laura still provides digital images but her strategy is stronger now, in part, because of presentation and timing. “Once the client has finished ordering, I’ll write a blog entry about their session and include a few images as well as place the same information and images from their portrait session on my Facebook page. This allows the client to share the images while also helping to drive traffic to my website. It’s a solution that benefits everyone involved, and the feedback I receive from clients is incredible.”

To learn more about Laura Wooten and her work, visitwww.thesmilehouse.com.

Halloween Photo Contest

The Holidays are the best time to put your photography skills to the test. Our next photo contest will be divided in to two categories: Part 1 is all about the decorations: We would like to see you use light to create a photograph that makes the spirit of Halloween come to life. It could be natural light, multiple flashes, creative studio lighting, or event the absence of light for a spooky moment. Part 2 of course is all about the costumes and the fun involved with Halloween. Start submit your images now, we will start showcasing them one Picture-a-Day. Voting will be open to the public 10/20 for Part 1 and 10/27 for Part 2.

Please submit your favorite Halloween images. E-mail your hi-rez file to fortworthcamera@gmail.com the winner will get a $25 gift certificate. Please submit by above deadlines. And keep in mind basic photography composition basics will be taken in to account. Good Luck.

P.S. We really just want to see how crazy you can get about Halloween!

Thinking Outside the (Doug) Box:

The Professional Photographer Who Mentors Beginning Shooters

by Laura Oles

When it comes to being a working professional photographer, Doug Box has experience to spare. In addition to shooting countless weddings and portraits, he has taught photography in forty-eight states, in eight counties and on five cruise ships. Needless to say, Doug Box is busy. And he tells us that he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Each week is different for me,” Doug says. “I spent all last week teaching, but I still need to keep up with clients and return calls when I’m on the road. Now I’m back and getting ready to shoot a wedding. I like the variety. I like that I’m in a position to do a number of things.”

And according to Doug, being a professional photographer today—and being one that can make a living at it--requires the ability to handle a number of different tasks and projects. “Being a niche photographer is far more difficult today than it was twenty years ago. People’s expectations have changed and what they want has changed also.”

One of the things that Doug has embraced is being a teacher and mentor to new photographers who want to learn and become better behind the camera. “Today’s technology has made some things easier and other things more difficult. Learning things such as how to properly expose an image digitally is a skill that has mystified many people. My goal is go take the mystery out of it.” In fact, Doug is so passionate about teaching newbies that he recently purchased an online forum called Prophotogs.com. There are currently 700-800 photographers online searching for help and guidance. “One of the things I do is post quick video critiques to give people concrete feedback on the images they submit for review. Just telling someone that the image looks good isn’t helpful. They need specific direction on what works, what doesn’t, and why.”

Doug feels a real connection with beginning photographers because “all the pros were once beginners.” When asked what are the most important things beginning photographers need to know, Doug provided a few recommendations sure to take starting shooters to the next level:

Learn How ISO, F/Stop and Shutter Speed Work Together: These items are the three pillars of proper exposure. “This can be one of the most confusing things for beginners to learn but it is critical to have this foundation before tackling other subjects. The rest of your skill set is built upon this base.” Doug says that he and good friend (and fellow pro photographer) Randy Kerr realized that it was much easier for them to learn these basics when they were shooting film. “When we were getting started, all of these settings were shown on our camera lens and we could visually see the relationship between them because we looked at it every day. With digital, you just see the settings on the back of the LCD screen. You don’t see how one change affects the other settings. That’s part of what makes it more confusing today.”

It was this realization that led he and Randy to create the Exposure Calculator (which can be found at www.dougbox.com/shop/) This specialized card has dials that allow you to adjust one aspect of your image (F/stop, shutter speed or ISO) and see how this change affects the other settings. “I’ve seen the light go on with so many people after using this tool for a little bit. It jus helps them understand the relationship.”

Learn How to Set a Custom White Balance: Along with proper exposure, Doug feels this is important because it affects a fair percentage of total photographs taken. “Learning how to set a custom white balance for your photographs and learning how to use the presets on your camera will make a substantial impact on the quality of your photographs,” Doug offers. “Take a look at what light is on your subject. You need to be able to make adjustments.”

Learn about Metering: “So many people use their in camera metering and I think they really need to learn how to use an handheld meter. When a camera sees white, it’s trying to calibrate to grey, and when this happens, your images can end up underexposed and it can make the snow appear grey. Likewise, when your camera sees black, it thinks the color is grey and tries to correct it, which means your images can become overexposed. Learning how to spot meter and evaluative meter can help you overcome your camera’s assumptions. You have to be smarter than your camera.”

Inside the Life of a Working Photographer: Kirk Tuck Shares His Story

by Laura Oles

Don’t tell Kirk Tuck that it’s a bad time to be a professional photographer. Yes, the recession is impacting all of us, and yes, making a living in the craft you love isn’t easy, but Kirk says that’s nothing new. He contends that being a professional photographer--and excelling in that role--has never been simple. This Austin-based advertising and commercial photographer has a packed schedule and doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

So, what’s his secret?

“People often have romantic notions of what it means to be a professional photographer,” says Kirk. “You have to be willing to do a number of different things to make a living in this business. “

In fact, Kirk doesn’t label himself a professional photographer. “I’m a creative content provider,” he says, his eyes smiling at the distinction. “I only spend about twenty percent of my time taking photographs.” Kirk says that his work today largely resembles his previous career when he was a creative director for an agency. “My clients need me to fill a number of roles. I write ad copy for client print projects, I create promotion videos for corporations, and I handle a number of other marketing-related tasks.” He delivers the difficult truth with the trademark Kirk Tuck smile. “If you only want to take pictures and do nothing else, you won’t make it in this business. “

Kirk concedes that the changes in the industry have caused disruption and made this profession more challenging in certain respects. “The market has definitely flattened. There aren’t many high-end shooting jobs anymore, but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t great opportunities for work. They’re out there.” And here Kirk makes an important point. “People don’t want the same things from photographers that they wanted twenty years ago. It’s your job to figure out how to deliver what they want NOW.”

For those who dream of taking a passion for photography and turning it into a career, here are a few tips from a man who has made photography his business for over two decades:

Get Over the Technology: Kirk’s contention is that many people--mostly men--spend too much time focusing on the technology they use for shooting. “I make a point to show my students that most of them probably have better equipment than I do. I want them to understand that it’s ME creating these images, not the latest flavor of digital camera. “ He holds up the 2004 model Canon EOS-1 he carried into our interview. “This camera does everything I need it to do.” Kirk calls the need to carry the latest gear the “talisman of power,” as if more expensive equipment automatically leads to superior products. He quips, “People don’t pay for the equipment. Seriously, how many clients ask you about your camera?”

Kirk goes a step further and states that technology is the easy part. “You can learn everything you need you to know with your camera’s owner’s manual and a handful of books. You can get the equivalent of a two-year BA degree in about three weeks of reading and then going out and experimenting with what you’ve learned. “

Many people worry that they have to have mastery knowledge of every aspect of photography, and Kirk says this isn’t true. “Some of the most talented photographers I know have a degree in something else and taught themselves photography. If you want to be a photographer, the best way to learn is by shooting.”

Dress the Part: Kirk has a bone to pick with freelance photographers who feel their role means they’ve earned the right to show up sporting concert T-shirts and flip-flops. “If you want quality clients, you have to dress as a peer. You want them to respect you and what you have to offer, and unfortunately, dressing like an aging college student is going to cost you jobs.” Kirk takes this particular topic seriously. “Potential clients are looking for people with a similar social milieu. They want you to mirror their social cues, and this includes dressing in a similar fashion.” This leads us to the next point…

Speak and Write Well: Photographers often spend so much time and energy perfecting and tweaking techniques that they lose sight of the fact that other skill sets are necessary for success in this business. Being well spoken, well read and possessing the ability to write well are all critical cornerstones of running a successful photography business. All of these skills are necessary to project the image of a qualified professional, one that can command a substantial fee because the work--all aspects of it--will be top tier.

Don’t be Too Sentimental: Kirk’s popular blog, The Visual Science Lab (http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/) is highly regarded, thoughtfully written and covers a variety of topics. Many assume that the blog is simply a natural extension of his love of the craft and his desire to teach. While that plays a role, he’s quite pragmatic about its purpose. “I write the blog to sell books, pure and simple.” He understands that the blog is an important marketing vehicle and one that can be effectively leveraged to help his business.

What’s Your Story? It is when we touch on this topic that Kirk becomes more animated and his eyes shine with enthusiasm. “It’s the quality of your story that matters, not the quality of your ink, pen and camera. You have to be able to share your unique viewpoint and also be able to tell your client’s story.” Storytelling is a skill that must be honed and improved through contemplation and practice.

“The industry feels a little like the Wild West today,” Kirk says, and many would agree. For those who want to do what they’ve always done, the well-paying jobs may be hard to come by. But for those who understand the rules of today’s playing field, which includes continuing to hone numerous skills outside of straight shooting, there may be plenty of work to go around.

To learn more about Kirk Tuck, his work, books and philosophy, visit www.kirktuck.com