We talked about flash / Speedlite use as it relates to various forms of photography…..now we’ll move onto better controlling it’s less desirable effects. I’ve mentioned using a flash bracket, moving the flash further from the lens, as well as using a sync cord from the hot shoe to the flash, to bounce the flash off the ground / floor, wall, etc. and soften it as it lights the subject…..in a situation where there is ambient sunlight, maybe at an outdoor wedding, or portrait session, and you do not have studio lighting setup, direct use is ok, to kill shadows. In harsher times of day, it’s best to turn the subjects’ back towards the sun, and use the backlighting….but provide a fill with flash to light their faces. But nothing is more gross than blown out faces from flash exposure going wrong, it’s equally as bad as eye socket shadows. This is why control is the name of the game.

In a setting where there is a lot of shade, not enough to properly light the subjects, direct use of flash can be flat and separate the subject too much from any desired background mood……of course that isn’t always the goal. For example…..I went to a future wedding clients’ farm yesterday where I will be shooting their wedding. There is a creek, with banks and tree cover making it very shaded…..and not super easy access to get down there. The bride and groom will want photos wading in that creek…..it’s very pretty. I do want to light the subjects but also want to keep the background as a part of the photo….and avoid too harsh of a backlight. After studying the area, I think my best plan of attack is to bump up the ISO to maybe 600-800, and use a telephoto lens to create some distance, which in turn softens the flash but still provides the fill I want. Distance and bouncing / reflecting of light softens it from it’s direct source.

I know I know…..scoff if you must, LOL…..but this is a basic part of hygiene and it reduces the risk of skin cancer and skin disease, as well as aging. I have used products by Aveeno, EB5, and Kiehl’s…..which so far Kiehl’s is my favorite, all natural and there’s a Nashville store in the Green Hills Mall, upper level. Hey, I can visit them after the Apple Store, and maybe even bring a date and see a movie at the Green Hills theatre. The reason it’s better to use face specific products on your face, is soap is more harsh and drying to the skin, the skin on your face is more sensitive. Every skin type is different, so their experts can recommend products based on your needs.

Personally, while in the shower I use their Facial Fuel daily, for cleanser. Maybe twice a week, Facial Fuel Scrub, which is an exfoliator and removes deep ground in dirt and oil, and the outer layer or dead skin cells. When out of the shower and dried off, I use the skin moisturizer on my face, and a Abyssine eye area moisturizer for around the eye socket, where the skin is thinner and more sensitive than even other areas of the face. The facial skin moisturizer has SPF 15 sun protection which prevents skin cancer etc. It takes a whole one minute to do, makes you feel better and refreshed, and will cut down on Photoshop time when you are getting photographed for headshots or portraits! Less of those wrinkles and eye bags everyone hates about themselves. So, not only are these things good FOR you, but they help you become more photogenic and love being photographed more as well!!

Nashville, and Tennessee as a whole is very green…..and when shooting outdoor portraits, color spill, or bleed, is something outdoor portrait photographers and wedding photographers know all about. Color spill, or bleed, is when elements or objects, colors around the subject reflect light and bleed into the color of the photo itself. This also happens indoors, from wall and carpet colors bleeding into the subject area, but today we will stick to the outdoor realm of this. Whether utilizing natural light or flash, or studio lighting outdoors, light reflects off foliage and grass, that will cause some green cast to enter the subject area. In terms of color management, magenta is the opposite of green. Therefore, there are different ways to deal with this.

You can do a custom white balance, which will neutralize the spill…..assuming the area you are shooting in and it’s light stays the same…..if you are mobile, like shooting candids at a wedding reception, conditions will change. Or if your camera has white balance compensation, you can bump up magenta a tad, if you know you will get green spill…..you can look at your RGB histogram and tell. Expodisc is another product which neutralizes mixed light temperatures and sources, as well as sources of color spill, but re reading willbe necessary with changing conditions. I however do not have one. I will show an example, before and after. I do believe in getting things as right as possible in camera, to reduce Photoshop time…..I get paid to shoot, not fix careless lazy mistakes. I was under a tent, white overhead ceiling and white table cloths in spots…..but grass floor. So there would be some color spill in spots. Therefore making custom white balance not a perfect solution….I set my kelvin white balance to 5200 and shot in RAW for easier repair if needed…..though a very slight tweak in color balance also works since it wasn’t far gone. I used a flash, and a lightsphere and the light bounced off the ceiling, and off the floor of course, which was grass……which did cause some green spill. As seen here.

And a slight tweak of magenta in camera RAW neutralized his skin tone as seen here. Easy fix, but I made an effort to get it close to start with, which reduced my desk time.

I’m definitely so SEO expert but have become more accustomed to adding keywords and tags, and blogging, etc. to help with my search engine ranking. I have even added text to the bottom of my landing page and a site map to the HTML side. For search phrase Nashville wedding photographers, I have been bouncing back and forth between page 4 and 1…..have enjoyed my time on page 1…..I have an organic listing as opposed to a pay per click or Google ad. For the past 3 weeks for that phrase, I have been on page one, but now suddenly jumped back to page 10 which has never happened…..I re submitted my site map to Google webmaster tools, as well as Yahoo and Bing, hopefully that helps.

I was towards the top of page 2 for Nashville headshots and Nashville headshot photographers, and fluctuating between pages 2 and 4 for Nashville portrait photographers, but am afraid to look now, lol…..my key words and tags even reverse all phrases, use words together and alone. I can understand some fluctuation but this is a nightmare, LOL……with some work I don’t think it will take long to get back where I was, but this sucks in the meantime…..this drastic of a range does not seem normal. Anyone who has search engine knowledge is welcome to chime in. I would value any insight. I have gotten great reader response both through this blog itself, as well as through social networks this is streamed to, and I really appreciate those who enjoy this blog and find it useful.

My own Photoshop skills are good in certain areas and I do careful work, am conscious not to leave traces or over-do it, but I have strengths and weaknesses. My own skills are best with color management and contrasts, skin repair, re proportioning if needed, whether body or teeth, etc., toning and black and white work, etc. I’m not a designer, or good with background manipulation or re shaping hair…..if I spent long enough on an image that needed that type of work, such as objects removed in background, I could probably do it eventually, but it’s not what I usually do…..so here comes the debates. Yes, I could take advantage of tutorials or get more lessons from Stu, who I have had Photoshop training from before, as far as touching on trouble areas.

But…..how much time do I really want to spend behind the desk? I do a good percentage of my own post work for clients’ images, my particular photography style doesn’t rely on obvious Photoshop effects so it works out that way. However, I do have a tier 2 photo retoucher who I do sub some work out to, for more labor intensive photos, where above mentioned changes are wanted. She helps with the selection / culling process sometimes, and we discuss what needs to be done with that image, when it’s done it’s FTP’d back to me. Some would argue that it’s no longer your work when someone else retouches it…..I would have to disagree with that because we discuss what will be done, it’s not like the whole premise of the image is changed, just enhanced. And she’s a qualified retoucher, not some random person practicing or butchering on my image. It’s done all the time…..and many photographers don’t do any of their own post work.

That particular arrangement works out well for me, because I do what I can do efficiently, and leave the others to her. That way we are both doing what we are best at, and I can use more of my time doing photoshoots (I am a photographer, so how fitting, LOL) as well as marketing, blogging, networking, etc., all of which help grow my business. That is why this makes sense…..if I have to spend way more time in Photoshop than I do working my business, or shooting, that cuts back on how efficiently I can run my business, which is dumb I think. In fact as time goes, I’d like to incorporate this concept in more of my shoots as the demand increases,  provide more work for my retoucher, and leave myself more time to do my thing. And retouching time is billed to the client, whether I do it, or she does it. The below image is one that my retoucher finished for me. There were a couple of people and a tree in the background that she removed. It’s still my work, and it’s not cheating. To me, it’s just smart business and time management. Her work is here. www.g-tou.com

I will never discount the importance of a test shoot, if it’s beneficial to my book, or for my own advertising, or for an ad campaign that I bartered with a vendor for…..as a whole, I don’t have a lot of time or need for them, but when I do, it’s going to be on my terms and will be fun, and no silly drama involved. Because if not, I will have an easy time replacing that person. That said, I’m easy to get along with and provide a valuable product for the model when I do it, and am respectful of them and their time….by me having an infrastructure in place, it brings out those who are more passionate about working with me and will do what it takes to get the job done, and weeds out those who would likely just waste my time. My resources and often expenses are associated with test shoots, so that’s a good reason not to take them lightly.

When setting this up, the first thing we discuss is what their needs are for this project, and we discuss all particulars. This gives both parties an opt out if our needs aren’t met. Also if their communication is choppy, spotty, or juvenile, I generally take that as a warning sign. I know sometimes models get gypped on test shoots, like not getting images from the photographers for whatever reason, and I know that sucks, I’m not unsympathetic to that. Diligence and researching reputation is important…..I know nothing is completely a failsafe method, but with anything, it’s better to go into something with both eyes open.

I have encountered some models trying to demand that photographers sign “their agreement” supposedly legally obligating them to provide images. Which is more worthless than the paper it was made from. That’s not how this works. Or those who demand their red rooster boyfriend be there as an escort. Another no go. I have access to my own assistants who are trained how to assist the shoot and handle the equipment, I’m insured. So, the my boyfriend will help ploy is a kind gesture, but not really a good thing for the shoot. Or demanding all the RAW files from the shoot, like in case I fail to provide. Another no go. First, most would have no clue what to do with that file format, and also I don’t release anything but the best of the shoot, it’s image and quality control. I understand the reasons for thinking this is a good idea, but it’s not the answer, and it will cost the model a shoot opportunity with almost any qualified photographer. If it’s happened sporadically, shame on them, tell your peers and don’t work with that person again…..if it happens regularly, it might just be you, and the choices you make. Choosing wisely is better than making everyone a villain.

All that said, as I accept tests, it’s with someone whose look I need, has a good positive attitude and is easy to work with, and has a common sense approach. If they understand why I do things how I do and are passionate about working with me, that’s a plus. I see a couple different trends that separate models with lacklustre portfolios, from those whose portfolios market them well. The lacklustre ones have many different images from the same shoot or look, with crappy or no retouching, and the intent to fill their portfolio in quantity. Then brag about how “many” images they got from that photographer…….the experienced models know it’s about how well a photo represents their look or skill, and they only have the best in their portfolio, with proper retouching. Lots of work goes into properly culling down the best images from the shoot…..as well as time consuming post production, so giving large quantities of images is not an option for me….. understand less is more and even very few quality images outshines the value of large quantities of ok images.

I’m not a huge user of flash guns for direct lighting use, but they do come in handy as an easily transportable method of providing outdoor fill flash to combat shadows, or to cover event photography or wedding photography, especially the reception where flash is often needed. Modern flash guns are ETTL. Meaning through the lens, working off your camera’s metering system and they have the capabilities to work wirelessly. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to control your light. Same concept as metering for a strobe or monolight in the studio, or on location. You can use them off camera with a radio trigger, like you can a strobe. Or use directly on your hot shoe….this way it will be a harsher light, which is why many photographers use a flash bracket to move the flash further above the lens, to soften the light. With many diffusers / light modifiers like Fong products,  brackets aren’t always necessary because the dispersion of light changes and eliminates the problems caused by direct flash use, which can be cold and harsh light, and cause the undesirable kind of shadowing. Another way to get more interesting or patterned light from your speedlite / flash unit is to use a cord and keep it off the hot shoe, and bounce it off a wall, floor, ceiling, etc. to make a less harsh and direct lighting pattern, slightly more directional.

Now then….whether you use manual mode or ETTL mode on your flash, you can experience inconsistent exposures with flashes. Assuming you are shooting with your camera on manual mode…..let’s look at something. You can adjust your flash output by 2-3 stops if you need more exposure to light your set. However, this will affect your flash duration / recycle time, and battery life. Also for event shooting or any other constant use, cheap batteries aren’t good either. A good 2500 milliamp battery is recommended…..the best I have found are Sanyo Eneloop’s. They hold their charge for long periods of time, charge and recycle fast, and are worth the price. It also helps to have a flash battery pack to increase recycle time and life of batteries….in a case like this, it’s important to have spare batteries for the camera itself, the flashes, as well as the battery pack. Bumping up ISO some is another way to increase ambient light and reduce power on your flash unit. Here is a random image I shot at a wedding reception using my 580 EXII, with a Fong Lightsphere…..provided nice fill and lighting contrast and I was able to control the backlighting with the use of the flash. It can be a good handy tool with some thought and preparation.

With the convenience of the internet, it’s been a joy to be able to order things online and not have to deal with shopping which I hate, LOL! But also there’s a down side to that….spending money locally helps the local economy. Certain things aren’t always available locally to every person, but I’m just making a general statement. Sometimes it’s easier and cheaper to get things online, and we all have to watch our money these days especially. But my hope is, as a small business myself, that more people will realize the power of a community coming together and supporting their own, at least letting local businesses in on the price shopping before ordering from an online giant.

In my business, B&H Photo is one of the giants and has an immensely successful business, selling audio, video, photographic gear and more. It may be easiest to sometimes click and order with no effort. I’ve done business with them, and they are good. However, I am lucky to have Dury’s Pro shop in my area, and if the prices are the same or anywhere close, it’s better for me to support them. They are a local small business,  they know me when I come in, and they have great customer service, in ways larger online outfits can’t match. The thing is, if everyone orders things online and neglects the local businesses, the local businesses in your own area will have a hard time surviving. There have been many times I’ve needed something in a pinch, or just wanted to put my hands on something before buying it…..I couldn’t imagine them not being there. We are all part of the equation as far as our economy goes.

A slight continuation of yesterday’s spiritual posting…..again, I’m not trying to convince anyone into a different thought process and way of life, you have to want it for yourself. Desiring this lifestyle usually starts with self evaluations, and realizing your old way hasn’t been working, and you believe you can accomplish a better life. It’s not a transformation, or drinking the special kool aid, but rather a commitment to yourself to stop making excuses, and create energy to change a situation. Let’s say it’s financial strain or debt. I know first hand, that will rob you of your life. The first thing you must do is to realize you made bad choices and accept responsibility for that…..when you roll up your sleeves, and are ready to make sacrifices to remedy the situation, here comes the positive aura, which makes it easier to make extra money, whether it’s through your current job, a different job, your own business, or a second source of income…..embracing the cutbacks as well. As you move closer, it’s a goal accomplished. It gets tiring, but keeping your eye glued on the bulls eye will help you get there. Most people just think they are ok, and are in denial about how out of control their finances are. They fall into the lies of the creditors. Ask those creditors how they are enjoying all the bad debt they have to settle. As I’ve made progress, I could tell my own attitude got better and I appreciated everything more…..and am feeling like I have better control of my life. Who wants the other way? ewwww.

Even if it’s a physical goal, whether cardio conditioning or weight loss, it also starts with excitement and following a plan. Regardless of all these gimmicks out there, the only healthy and effective way is a proper diet (not necessarily eating less, but eating better) and regular exercise. It’s just that it’s human nature to not like sacrifice, I say, WAH. LOL. It’s part of the process…..part of what can make it fun instead of painful is to imagine being where you have never been, and how much better your life can be. As you make progress, you have more energy, and that creates positivity. Then you become more creative with responsible food choices, and save money in the end…..no worries, it’s still ok to treat yourself sometimes. It’s just your daily regimen has changed. The body is the core of everything you do…..why not take care of it?

As for outside influences, as it relates to your life and outlook….we are all different, so I can only tell you what I’ve found works for me. I’m pretty indifferent towards politics and news media. It’s negative, and garbage. Garbage in, garbage out. And looking at the corrupt ways of politicians and government will just make you mad if you think about it too long. It would me anyhow. I believe we have an obligation as citizens to stay in the loop and make the best voting decisions we can, I’m not suggesting we bury our heads in the sand……I just like the cliffs notes and don’t take a ton of time to analyze it, for those reasons.Obsessing is not healthy when it’s beyond our control. It sucks the life’s blood right out of you, and rather than expecting Washington to do responsible things for us….I focus on doing responsible things for me, and the people in my life, rather than wait for them to do it. That’s how I can make my life better. Maintaining a positive life boils down to these things…..choices, desiring positive change, believing you can do it, willingness to make sacrifices, where you emphasize your focus, and enjoying the progress and success you have.

Many people do not discuss these things that could tie their personal life and beliefs to their business or professional image…..but mine isn’t the ordinary business, and I enjoy a little controversy sometimes! But these principles are something that are not only what I believe, and have found true for my life, but it’s how I live my life and how I run my business. It is also an inspiration for me to create my work, and helps build the relationships I have with people. So I will share this with others and hope someone benefits from it besides me. Spirituality and personal philosophies can go along side or in place of other religious / theological beliefs. In my case, I am a believing Christian, but do not attend church. Reasons are quite simple. I’m not into the sanctimony and politics of the church and it’s people….but I’m not really here to talk about them, or that. These are principles I have applied to my life and put into practice.

Positivity and fighting off the negatives- Nobody is perfect, and I’m not saying we all need to be shiny happy all the time, but the key is to be thankful for what we have, and believe we can do more. There is always someone who has it worse, and often those who do, still find a reason to be happy. Positivity creates energy, and motion. It helps you move forward. Negativity hinders you and holds you back, and keeps you trapped in the past. People pick up on auras we put out…..why not make their day better rather than bring gloom and blase to their day, and perhaps spread it like a disease? Negativity makes excuses why we can’t. It’s those types of people I avoid, when I see they are rejecting my attempts to help them. Positivity finds ways to make upgrades and change to your life, even if starting with small steps. It means tenacity and dedication to get things done.

Integrity and accountability- The obligation to be honest with one another and help build each other up, and inspire others through our work and actions. To me, this means respecting other peoples’ time as well as our own. It’s right to have standards and be professional, and keep your obligations to others. I tend not to waste time on those who do not respect my time. It also means loyalty to our own family and friends, clients, everyone in our circle or strangers. Being open minded about peoples’ differences also helps create this bond. Treating others how you want to be treated is important as well, as karma does play a part in our lives, even if you don’t believe in karma as a religion. It also means admitting when we are wrong, and making our best attempts to be humble and resolve conflicts. When you try to do this with people who have the entitled mentality, or are into scapegoating, blaming their problems on others, etc. they often don’t get it. But by showing them you are different and trying to do the right thing may plant a seed in their lives. Being industrious and hustling, being resourceful, even with limited resources is another huge factor.

Peace with self- Getting swallowed up in the pop culture bullshit, or jealousy of others,  isn’t how to achieve this. People get lip injections, fake everything, etc. to like themselves, and often still don’t. There is a time and place for certain things, but the most important changes can come from within. This means frequent reflection and self assessment…..like how you can simplify your life and make it better, did I do the right thing in this situation type of scenarios, etc. Eliminating drama, or harmful situations from your life, frequent evaluation. Some people aren’t worth having for friends, especially if they hinder you rather than support you and you feed off each other. I have found that being more financially responsible and eliminating debt has helped me enjoy life more….also your body is your core. Eating correctly with some special treats is the best way, along with regular exercise, skin care etc. It all helps you be more productive in your life as well as feel better about yourself. Part of adulthood is of course having fun, but also being disciplined and willing to make sacrifices to carry out the plan you set for yourself. No goal, no destination. That self assessment is what helps you realize if you are a moron about certain things, and then to try to change that is possible if you are willing to make those sacrifices. Being open minded enough to accept critique is also good, for personal and professional realms of your life.

The role of an assistant for me is especially crucial when shooting on location or shooting a wedding party, bridal portraits, or wedding itself, more so than in my own studio. I rely on them for help with lugging lighting and equipment around, as well as setup and teardown. This reduces fatigue for me as well and I can stay better focused on my job, as well as saves wasted time. The quicker we can keep things moving, the easier it is to maintain subject interest. I find it handy to have someone to help with white balance setting, holding gray cards. Also on windy days weighing the light stands down isn’t always enough…..never hurts to have a little help preventing equipment casualties LOL! Watching the sun and how light changes, where to hold reflectors to bounce light, help take light meter readings if needed, etc. All covers the technical and physical aspects of an assistant.

Also the assistant interacts as much if not more than the photographer sometimes…..which is why it pays to be careful in choosing an assistant. Good friendly, positive personality is a must if they are around my clients and keep a positive vibe and energy going for our shoot……that will no doubt effect the outcome of the photos! I also rely on the assistant to gather people to the camera and help group / position them, and help look for details that I might miss. I had an alert assistant for a wedding party shoot outdoors, and he noticed the bride’s eyelash extension was coming off, and they were able to get that taken care of before resuming. Little details like that make a difference. They can also run interference and prevent overzealous shutterbugs that may impede our progress, or prevent injury or accidents, such as kids running near our equipment and tripping over cords, etc. Being alert, assertive, efficient, and polite are important for both the photographers’ and assistants’ roles.

I upgraded my ram in my Mac Pro tower from 4 gigs to 8 gigs, and took the recommendation of a colleague to go through www.otherworldcomputing.com  and his recommendation was spot on! Going through Apple will eat you alive. However, certain memory modules are not compatible with the factory ram, so watch that. The price was right, and ordering was easy…..standard shipping was cheap, and I got it in 2 business days….installed in a couple minutes and we’re up and running with more ram~!

Of course adding more memory does not make a computer system run faster……but not having enough ram will make it slower. So really, with any memory intensive program like Photoshop or video editing programs will utilize a bit of memory…..making having ample memory a good thing. I do notice some difference with opening multiple images in Photoshop, as far as speed….especially when working on RAW files, all open at once like when doing a batch retouch of wedding photos, or retouching a headshot and zooming way in. Which both of those situations will cause freezing, or lagging, if there isn’t enough memory to efficiently run the system and it’s programs. Of course when doing this, I have web browsers and Pandora running in other windows LOL!

I wanted to re post this here as a community service and to hopefully help a friend. Donations are still needed for the family to help with the baby, etc. after the tragic loss of his mother. Bowling Green, Kentucky area businesses are accepting donations and may be contacted with any questions, especially if not local contributions.

-Starbucks Coffee, 2808 Scottsville Rd., Bowling Green, KY. 42101

-Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, 145 River Ave, Bowling Green, KY. 42101

Baby supplies only can be donated here: Kaylee’s Closet, 9305 Russellville Rd. , Rockfield, KY. 42274

She deserves so much more than any of us can do, but every bit helps the baby and family, additional benefit events and possible concert is pending at this time. And she really loved photography, I believe she would have made a good wedding assistant for me, if only we had that chance…..but thankfully the baby is home from the hospital and we have great memories of Jamie.