Since I have kept a backup SLR camera body,  and probably how most photographers do it, is when you upgrade camera bodies, your old one becomes your backup, since you know it works well and know it’s history. When I bought my refurbished Canon 1d Mark II in 2005, I kept my 10D as my backup….there was nothing wrong with the 10D but I fell in love with the 1D focusing system! That situation was not ideal, but it served the purpose. The interfaces and overall operation of the 2 different cameras are nothing alike, completely different! Therefore, in case of failure of the primary camera, you have to adapt quickly, if it happens in the middle of a shoot…..which it will, every time LOL! I had my Mark II for about 2 years and the shutter curtain band broke while I was doing some model headshots, so I was glad to have the trusty 10D, which I used until the 1D came back from Canon’s repair facility. If I didn’t have that backup, that shoot, and other shoots would have been off for about 10 days.

There are different schools of thought on backup cameras…..some have one camera body that is strong in one area, and the other has another advantage they like…..for example, some shutters are quieter than other, for Catholic weddings, I can tell you from experience that makes a difference, as far as church officiants staying off your back. So, some photographers may find it handy to go back and forth depending on the occasion. I go to networking events sometimes talking with other Nashville wedding photographers, some who have studios as well, and I have heard both sides of it. It’s my personal preference to easily be able to go back and forth, meaning interfaces of my primary and backup bodies are similar enough to easily adapt when necessary. I bought my 1D Mark III this past Fall, and use it as my primary body…..my Mark II serves as my backup. The interface on the Mark III is a little less cumbersome, but overall not worlds different, so I can easily adapt. If shooting a wedding, it all moves so fast, there is no time for getting familiar…..you just have to DO, lol. You don’t have the breathing room for weddings or commercial shoots as you would for a portrait session. This situation feels ideal to me now…..either body is very capable, and neither take much getting used to for me.

For the hobbyist photographer, it’s not really needed. But when you start getting into the professional realms of photography, meaning that you get at least somewhat regular photography jobs, and your clients depend on you, then it’s time to consider it. Especially if what you do requires a lot of use of your camera…..sports and concert photographers know all about that. Deciding whether or not a backup camera body is a wise idea depends on the following factors…..amount of camera usage and frequency of shooting, if you shoot clients and events that cannot easily be done over, or cannot be done over period……or if the time spent getting your camera repaired in the event of failure, would be an inconvenience or cost you shooting opportunities. The more any of those factors increase, so should the importance of having a backup body.

Having a backup camera body is essential if you do wedding photography or commercial photography. Meaning you have no business pursuing this type of work if you do not have backup equipment. Weddings are a one time deal….and having backup equipment is a commitment to your customer that you are doing everything in your control to eliminate the possibility of disaster. Commercial or advertising photoshoots are similar, that you often have models and stylists booked, and have advertising deadlines. For the occasional portrait photographer, it’s not as much of a priority, but as business increases, it’s always a good goal to have.

As photographers, it’s our job to know our best images and what sells us best….as well as image quality control. I have always advocated taking time to notice details and call on peers for image critique, for an objective view of your work. BUT, some of the most valuable feedback about my photos on my website, the website itself, and the photos in my book, come from clients! They may not have schooling and background in photography and understand everything about the technical aspects about what makes a photograph successful, but they DO know if they like what they see enough to hire you……so really they have the final word LOL! I guess like the old saying goes, you don’t have to know how to cook a steak to know whether or not a steak tastes good.

When I meet with prospective brides about photographing their wedding, or wedding planners hiring the photographer on the bride’s behalf, I pay very special attention to what they have to say when they look at my book…..and study their reactions when they look at a certain photo. If they flip through past a certain photo quickly and don’t say anything about it, it means it didn’t capture their attention…..at that time I re evaluate the book, and study the reactions of the next people looking at it. This is often what helps me know which images to cull in my book, and replace with new. Naturally I like to see them go back to their favorites and I listen to what they have to say about it…..sometimes I take it a step further and ask them what they like about it most. That gets you directly inside the head of your audience, and helps you think like a bride when making your book, knowing what many of them like, over time. Customer feedback has been a huge help to me. The dumbest thing any photographer can do, especially a wedding photographer in this case, is to discount the opinions of people without a photography background. It’s been helpful for me to know what balance of bridal photos, bride and groom, family group portraits, details, etc. that brides like to see when shopping for a photographer.

There is always a need for change in any business, and keeping up with the times. Complacency is never good, though it is still important to leave the foundation principles of doing business intact. In this context, I agree with the term adapt or die. The photography business is changing, sure. From the time I have been in the business, I have changed gear, software, website designs, rotated out a lot of photo content, changed my marketing plans, divided different bodies of work, become a writer and social networker, local business networker, continued my education, etc. A good part of what I do for this business strangely does not involve taking photos, lol. But with the expanding advertising and networking opportunities and medias out there, it’s necessary I keep up with it and do what I have to do to stay in business. I have upgraded and expanded equipment and updated software programs to better serve my customers and make my time spent more efficiently. That’s part of doing business. But there is a fine line between getting what you need to do the job, and buying yourself into the poor house or debt, which is counter productive. I am talking about the balance between getting the necessary goods but keeping your overhead manageable, not being a gadget junkie and buying every new thing that enters the consumer market. Changing habits and reaching new markets in different ways is good change.

Unfortunately, whether we’re talking about photojournalists, wedding photographers, portrait photographers, commercial photographers, etc. the economy has hurt the business and budgets of some clients. Plus we are dealing with more saturation in the market. There are still plenty of qualified photographers out there, and there are also some who got a camera for Christmas and one day grew a wild hair and decided to try to make easy money at this. Yeaaaaa……sure, go ahead, lol. We’ve discussed this before, that person will get a few clients based on low price, and are really not competition for the professionals that clients hire for their work and reputation. And will soon figure out there’s no easy way in, and probably either go broke or have a nervous breakdown and exit as quick as they went in…….unless they are really serious about it, and are willing to learn and better themselves.

So, how does the last paragraph relate to professional photographers? There’s an influx of people doing $50.00 headshots and $75.00 portrait sessions with a disc of photos, so yea, that’s becoming a trend. That doesn’t mean that professionals have to behave that way just because some Johnny come lately’s are doing it (and who really don’t know the business). That just isn’t smart adaptation. And the numbers don’t add up when you figure the cost of doing business, etc. Same with portrait mills doing cheap crap sessions to sell expensive print packages, and crank out numbers to make their money…..their clients and portrait photographers’ clients are often different clients, because the two businesses are not the same. I’m sure this speaks for many other professional Nashville photographers when I say that people come to me through referral and word of mouth, and for the personalized service they get…..and for the style of work I deliver. Sure, I work with my customers the best I can, but they also understand that I can’t give my services away just because a bunch of people on Craigslist are doing it. I guess it all depends, adapt to exactly what?

I treat it like any other genre of doing business. If you book through an agency, you call them. I’m a firm believer that business is done over the phone and in person…..though using other mediums in addition to that can also save time and be refreshing. For freelance models and model photographers, online castings are sometimes used, where initial contact is often electronic / email. I think that serves well to pan out details about the project and gauge interest before talking further. Many people like having written reference of the shoot and project details, which is fine…..but I have found that since I have required a phone contact number and brief conversation before officially booking the photoshoot, I have had more committed people, less flakes. Because those I weeded out, I saved myself a headache because of that.

I know the way a model communicates and manages a product has no effect on her on camera presence…..but it does indeed effect how smoothly the project runs…..or doesn’t run! The phone number does 2 things. It allows me to hear inflection in their voice as pertaining to our project…..I can more accurately tell if that person will be a team player or a waste of time to deal with. I stick to the topic at hand and keep it brief. Many models complain that people ramble on and waste their time, or try to build a personal connection…..weak and pathetic and it wastes their time, as well as phone minutes. Stick to the point and be efficient. There is time for friendly banter and fun at the shoot, while shooting a model portfolio or headshots, etc. The other thing that the phone number does is allows for another immediate method of contact, especially as the shoot draws near. For confirmations etc. and following up if they are late or lost, it helps avoid wasted time and scheduling. And if you don’t get a response to confirmations, you know to write it off and get someone else. It’s a form of accountability, that comes in handy. I’m not crazy about texting, though it is ok for brief things…..though when doing business or setting up a project for the first time, that’s not my preference. Inflection makes a difference in how you read things and leaves less room for error.

If the project where a model is needed, is commercial, it’s usually best to go through an agency, where there is more accountability. For some projects, freelance models can be great too, and that networking is done mostly online. When researching freelance models, I look at their look and their portfolio…..if they haven’t updated for long periods of time, or they are difficult to communicate with, there’s your red flag right there. Diligence is king on both sides….their work tells you a lot, and so does the communication exchange. If I read a bio that is chock full of demands, and I will not do’s, loaded with caps…..or demanding RAW files or disc of images on the spot, demanding the allowing of their stupid escort, or schmuck they met at the club last weekend, whatever, no deal….goodbye.

Seeing black lists that out a particular person on a bio, is one sided and a turn off. Letting your audience see negativity and ranting before communication begins will limit people that will want to work with them. Because that raises the risk of them being a drama queen. I’ve seen these black lists that address their dissatisfaction. For a model, their gripe about a photographer might be they didn’t like the photos, they got too flirty, or never provided images or pay, etc. The most common gripes a photographer might have about a model are being late or not showing up or calling, not looking like their photos, being tired or hungover, etc. Or just overall attitude problem. Unfortunately, it can happen on either end…..if you are consistently getting bad shoots or negative experiences, it’s time to look in the mirror and realize part of the problem is you, and your screening process! I would probably not work with someone who has black lists because I don’t want to end up there myself and they are obviously problematic if that list is extensive.

It’s sometimes human nature for someone to want to rant and build up an audience when they feel wronged, but in this case, even if you have a legitimate complaint, it makes you look unprofessional. Even if you are right. Plus you don’t know the other person’s side of the story, there may not always be one. These black lists are useless because often these conflicts are caused by poor project management or someone not paying attention to what they agree to. Bad communication. I communicate well with people before doing a project, and they know what to expect…..that doesn’t mean they all listen. I could have models starting these things about me, if I choose 3-4 or so images to retouch and provide to them…..which takes a lot of time in it’s own right. Yet some might be hard headed and think they are getting cheated by not getting all that we shot. I don’t work that way, and they may have developed selective hearing. Providing anything less than the best isn’t in my professional interest or useful to either party. Boom…..I get on a black list. Those who see the value of working with me know better…….and the person slandering people looks bad no matter who is right. Stupid idea. Sure, I have been disappointed with a few models here and there. But I’m not out to slander them. I will however privately tell people in my circle who might hire or work with them, what my experiences were and leave it at that.

I’ve mentioned that I am fond of prime lenses. Lenses are not cheap, at least most good ones aren’t…..but as I have said before, lenses are a permanent choice and it’s worth doing your research first. I have a previous article about avoiding variable fstop lenses, as they do not have the same speed, or fstop capability in every focal length. Basically useless for shallow depth of field or low light shooting…..Surprisingly, there are some of those that aren’t even that cheap. Another thing to make sure of, is full frame compatibility. I have seen Sigmas that are not compatible with full frame bodies, not a very good choice IMO, lenses are to keep and you never know what body you will one day upgrade to. I shoot Canon, and trust their lenses, and certain Tamron lenses. I have not seen that issue with any of those.

Any Canon film cameras with EF lens mount, the lenses will work on today’s digital SLR’s. If you look, it’s definitely possible to find old film SLR’s with lenses, sold as a package, definitely an option to consider especially if you have a budget and want good prime lenses, which was common for back then especially. I am pretty certain it’s the same thing with Nikon’s interchangeability too. The only difference between previous generation lenses and today’s, are lack of UV coating, which may mean a stop or two exposure variance when using those lenses on digital, even if you meter your light. Some may only have manual focus too. But a good prime lens is a photographer’s dream, especially when hitting the jackpot on something used, where the person just thinks it’s antiquated and not worth much…..

Many people overlook prime lenses, because they just don’t relate to moving their feet instead of adjusting their focal length on their zoom lens…..but primes are very sharp and very fast! And generally more affordable.  I’ve talked to a couple different photographers lately who needed lenses but didn’t have a huge budget…..it’s a no brainer to me that it’s better to spend $100.00 for a 50 mm 1.8 than spending even more getting a cheap standard zoom with variable fstop, as a temporary solution. Sure, a 1.4 or 1.2 version of that lens is even better because of build quality and more aperture vains, but this is not the discussion for that lol. That particular lens should be in most every photographer’s bag….it’s very lightweight, and is very handy for low light settings. In fact I use that lens a lot when doing wedding photography, like the detail image below. Don’t rule out prime lenses. This one in particular cannot be beat for the price. There are several standard zoom lenses that cost 4 times as much that I wouldn’t trade it for.

I used to use an over the shoulder camera bag, but a few years ago when I experienced some minor back problems, that was a wake up call to get certain things right…..like my desk chair and ergonomics of my workstation, as well as how I travel with my gear. Carrying heavy gear will throw your pelvis out of joint, because you walk differently…..and it all affects your back. I ended up going with the Think Tank Airport security 2.0 camera bag, which is a rolling case, that can be made a back pack too for when working in rougher terrain. I also have 2 utility carts bought from Lowe’s, made by Stanley, with closing lids and eyelets for bungee tie downs, for strobe heads, stands, cords, sand bags, grids, etc. for when I goon location to shoot a wedding, event, or commercial shoot. This way everything is on wheels, and it’s much less strain on my back, and it reduces trips, and fatigue. Especially when there is no assistant!

I stress the importance of this, because it is very physical work, so you might as well take precautions to take care of yourself and prevent injury. I know many guys in their 20′s especially think they are Superman…..but don’t be fooled. I read a study that said 50% of men don’t make it out of their 30′s without back problems, whether disc slipping or inflamation, or sciatic never damage. Usually from improper form with lifting, bad posture, lack of core strength and flexibility, or even carrying around too much extra poundage. Keeping gear on wheels definitely saves time and wear and tear on your body…..over a period of time, this is especially crucial for wedding and event photographers, as well as commercial photographers. Any photographer who shoots away from their studio regularly.

The best way to plan a wedding and select vendors is through a good wedding planner, but that may not be in every bride’s budget. It isn’t uncommon to deal directly with the bride and groom when discussing wedding photography for their big day. It means a lot of work and planning, but it works fine if the bride is good at managing stress and project management…..as well as delegating responsibility to others. I will give a few basic tips for the brides who are planning their own wedding, and selecting their own vendors, especially photographers.

The key piece of advice I will offer here, is to have all your questions written down for the photographer, you may think you’ll remember it all, but at the consultation, it’s hard to think of all of it. It just makes a better organized and more diligent client which earns the respect of those you do business with, when you are detail oriented. I will tell you first hand, how real wedding clients have conducted themselves when meeting with me about being their wedding photographer. The most serious clients were organized. They had their questions written down. As I answered their questions, they wrote down that information as well. The most frequently asked questions I was asked was about specific styles for various parts of their wedding, insurance, years in the photography, and wedding photography business, backup equipment, assistants, and deposit policy. All necessary and very legitimate questions. I love dealing with thorough people, it makes for less potential headache later. This is one important thing to do, to not only weed out unqualified people, but to leave less room for error and have a better understanding of what you are getting. There are many Nashville wedding photographers (or whichever area you are in), those who can’t address your concerns and questions do not deserve your business. l much prefer to have everything out in the open.

I emphasize natural light a lot in my posts, especially about weddings, as it relates to my style of photography.  It can create such a nice mood, and it is liberating sometimes to shoot with less setup and equipment. Though it has challenges of it’s own……but when you achieve nice results, that makes it all the more rewarding. Obviously for the group photos I use strobes most of the time…..but it’s essential for wedding photographers to know how to work with natural / available light as well. If you do it right, the results can be beautiful. Capturing details, like a lone wedding dress, shoes, flowers, the venue or church’s architecture, food, etc. all do great with available light, if possible. One reason why wedding photographers have to be good at shooting with natural light and shooting on the fly, is the quickly changing conditions of light and color temperature….and also that it’s tacky and distracting to use flashes during a wedding ceremony. Not to mention many venues and churches / officiants  have a no flash policy. Due to distractions and an interruption of sacred time.

It’s just more professional for a photographer at an event or wedding to not make a spectacle of themselves, but rather be a chameleon of sorts. Sometimes you have good window light to work with, other times you may be limited to overhead lights, which means slower shutter speeds or higher ISO settings….and fast lenses are a must for fast focusing and wide apertures for letting the most light in. This was a candid shot of the audience at a very recent wedding I photographed. Was all available light, 2.8, 1/160 shutter, and 1600 ISO. Still pretty clean image, and I saw this toddler, and couldn’t pass it up.

It is a wonderful tool, especially when limited light is available, or you want the focal point on a particular subject or object, and want to avoid the background competing with that…..or taking away from the photo itself. The trick is using the light available, in relation to what or who you are photographing, and whether reflecting light is also necessary. Where there’s a window, there’s light. And one nice thing about natural light photography, is the mood created, often more intimate than direct or flash lighting. I photographed a wedding last week in Brentwood, just South of Nashville, and the reception was in a nice clubhouse room with windows all around, and I wanted to capture some details using natural light.

Brides love details captured at their wedding, especially when captured in an even more special way than others see it while there. Professional wedding photographers know this and capture it well. I shot these at f1.8, which was great for 2 reasons….to make better available light with wider lens opening, and to create better separation from the background….with fstops that wide, you just have to be careful to lock your focus point in exactly the right place, or use manual focus…..and also not move once you lock your focus. Fortunately there were windows behind me as well to help light the subject area, but if there weren’t, I’d have gotten on the other side of the table, to avoid backlighting from the window.

I mainly am talking about tighter framing which cuts off part of the top of the subject’s head, when doing headshots. It’s something that can create a dynamic effect and bring out other features…..or play down a tall forehead, etc. Unless I see something about that person’s features that this technique would enhance their headshot, I don’t shoot many, or any in camera like that…..there is always room to crop in post production if needed, but it’s harder to add what isn’t there, LOL! Also, without some explanation as to why this is done, it’s a practice some people don’t understand.

So, let me use this recent aspiring model’s headshot as an example. It was shot with natural light from a window, at f2.8, custom white balance, and a reflector opposite the window. This created a Rembrandt like lighting style, kept her fair skin from being overexposed, and kept enough detail in her dark hair. She has such amazing eyes that really capture the attention of the viewer, that I wanted to emphasize them more. I did not shoot all like this, with the top of the forehead lopped off…..but that was one of the reasons I liked this one, it just worked with the shape of her face and bangs, and eyes, as related to the overall composition of the photo. It creates an edginess (I hate that word but couldn’t think of a less cliche one, sorry, LOL) A headshot is about capturing the viewer’s attention, and bringing out the best feature(s).  There are hundreds of photographers in Nashville, but I want to be among the smaller percentile who stand out with attention to detail showing in my work.