I guess there is more than one answer to this. The traditional sense would be as fashion models and commercial models are seen and used today, as in the past. They are represented by agencies and the agencies provide models to commercial clients who have a casting for models, to wear and showcase their product, clothing article. It becomes a professional modeling gig when there is a client, and the model is hired to be on set. In that context, the image is captured in such a way to draw attention to the product more so than the subject. And the models are paid for usage and their likeness being used. Commercial models are often more animated, and their mood helps represent the product, or service a company offers. That’s where expression matters. In either case, there are height and measurement guidelines. These professional agency models need to keep updated portfolios, by going to a professional model / commercial / fashion photographer and getting modeling or commercial headshots made, and sometimes full or 3/4 length body shots, depending on their local market and agency requirements.

A pretty girl posing in the mirror making a duckface, or having cute photos of her taken by a friend with a camera, for cool photos to put on Facebook, is not the definition of a model. Regardless of anyone’s opinion of Swimsuit calendars or Playboy type magazines, those are glamour models and they are indeed models as much as any other model, just different style. They are hired by the client, and it’s their ability to draw in the viewer, instead of marketing a product, that sells their image. So in this case, it’s about the subject. There are freelance markets like Model Mayhem, etc. and there are some on there who are professional traveling models and big city agency models….others are hobbyists and just enjoy being photographed, which is great if that’s what they enjoy! Or if their look or stats don’t meet agency requirements, this is their option. By technical definition, they are photo subjects, and those who are shooting for any client for commercial use, are models. This model was shooting with me for a new clothing brand, so there is a client and a commercial usage here. I encourage research and learning how things work before thinking, oh I wanna be a model. Due diligence with all things, and that saves wasted time and disappointment, and chasing after something that isn’t understood.

One way that professional photographers work efficiently, and look professional doing it, is through staying organized. I always recommend carrying as few items of equipment as possible loose, as it reduces trips to load and unload, as well as reduces the chances of losing or leaving any gear behind. I’m pretty sold on rolling cases, as it’s easier on the back than over shoulder bags, and trust me since I have made changes like that, I have not had back trouble since. One episode of it in my lifetime is enough, hopefully never again lol. I will also show some photos of my setup. My camera bag of choice is a Think Tank Airport Security 2.0 and it houses my 2 bodies, lenses, triggers, flashes, etc. and the pockets hold my memory cards, cords and cables, business cards, batteries in cases, etc. Really great use of space and consolidation to help stay organized. Notice, I can even put my reflector on the top and the lid still closes. A must have for any location outdoor photographer.

My Elinchrom Quadra is in my camera bag above, but the modifiers and accessories for it, are in a Pelican softcase I recently bought. It’s a PCS-283, rolling case. I would prefer the Think Tank for a camera bag, but this bag has an advantage for an accessory case, as it’s removable laptop case fits my flash bracket, an otherwise awkward and bulky item I sometimes need to bring, but carry separately, just one more potential casualty. This way it all fits. It also holds adapters and speed rings, Bogen 6′ mini stands, and my Photoflex softboxes 16×22. The Elinchrom Ranger battery and charger fits as well. I could fit a couple other things in there too. One really nice thing about this case, besides the laptop case within, is a side pocket and straps to hold a tripod or monopod, so in my case I use it for the monopod usually so my assistant can follow me off camera with the Quadra, or Speedlite, and everything in this case can accomplish that task.

Last but not least, this is not fancy, but it’s functional. It’s a Stanley tool case I bought from Lowe’s home improvement store, and I use it to house 2 strobes in a padded Interfit bag, and there are pockets for grids and gels, etc. I keep 2 stand weights (bricks in a military sack), power strip and extension cord, as well as 2 Vagabond batteries. The top closes and I can secure stands and umbrellas with bungee cords. Unless I need a C-stand or different modifiers for a shoot, everything I need to bring is in a case and not left loose! It pays to have an assistant who knows his or her way around any equipment cases, so any item can be had quickly. This setup helps reduce setup and teardown time dramatically. Most portrait photography sessions, not all those cases are needed, but for wedding and event photography I often need all of them. Organization and consolidation is a good thing, hope this is helpful to any other photographers trying to manage their gear and work most efficiently.

I’m sure most photographers make do with the vehicle they have to do their job….and some photographers depending on the type of shooting they do, their selection of vehicle is more important than others. For a photographers who primarily shoots in the studio, it’s almost a non issue. But for portrait photographers who do a mix of studio photography and on location or outdoor portraits, wedding photographers, commercial photographer, and traveling photographers, their choice of vehicle can be very important. For me, the demand changes with the season sometimes, but as a whole, probably 3/4 of my photoshoots are on location, and as a general rule, mostly headshots and intimate sessions are done in the studio, in my case. So, for me, choice of vehicle was important. I live in the city, I don’t do a ton of driving, and try to combine my errands as much as possible. But fuel economy is still a concern, as well as having dependable transportation. But the biggest importance to me is having ample cargo room, and my gear being easy to load with respect to how the car is designed. So, for me it only made sense to get a compact hatchback, without wasted space, and with good visibility.

When I was buying this car, my 2008 Honda Fit Sport, I measured the distance between the corner of my dash and the inside of my back hatch. I wanted to make sure I could transport a 9 foot seamless paper roll (studio background) in my car and the rear hatch would still shut. If transported as I describe, there are 2 -3 inches of room left over with the hatch shut….and not many people would believe it without seeing it. The design of it makes it easy to load equipment in and out, quickly, which is important when on the go and shooting events. Ceiling height also plays a part. For hatchbacks, the rear hatch having too much of a slant also takes away valuable cargo space…..more randoms to think about. There have been plenty of times I have had this little car loaded down with equipment…..when I did an advertising shoot for a salon, I had my background stands, a seamless paper roll, my camera case and rollaround chest with studio lighting and stand weights, and 2 AC packs for my lights, a C stand, 3 other stands, as well as modifiers. There wasn’t a ton of room for my assistant to stretch about, but it did the job. I’m a little biased about the Fit being a great car for a photographer, but if you have the choice, mapping all this out based on your shooting needs, before buying, will really help you choose the right car that will get you to and from your jobs every time, or darn near close unless a much larger shoot than usual, but then transportation can always be budgeted in the quote to the client.

This was a wedding I have been waiting for, I was very excited to finally shoot a wedding at The Red House, and capture Josh and Brandi’s big day for them! Last article I focused on the venue and location details, lots of great details to see there! Today it’s all about them! They traveled from Illinois to get married here, and lots of people in the wedding, and guests did too. After having such great results with their engagement photos when they visited Nashville last, it made me all the more excited to photograph their wedding! After walking around the Red House inside and out, and photographing details of the venue, I went in and checked on the bridal party….it was then time for me to catch some getting ready and hair and makeup candid photos, using natural window light for the first part of it. Then had my assistant stand outside the window with the boom, off camera strobe and small softbox, with the radio trigger on my camera, as the sun moved. Brandi with her daughter was a sweet moment that I just had to capture, Shall we?

Next, I went outside after that, and photographing the beautiful wedding dress near a window in the front room….it was time for some bridal party photos and getting ready for the ceremony, gotta keep them hidden from the groom party who was arriving

Now it’s time to prepare for the ceremony, where the bridal party would walkaround the house next door, down the sidewalk of downtown Franklin, and up the garden sidewalk of the Red House, brides maids, maid of honor, and flower girl first. The groom party would exit the house onto the porch / ceremony area. Before any of this happened, I saw a young mother entertaining her baby before the ceremony, right when the tree lights came on. Good to get while waiting

Uh oh, here they come, better be ready!

Now we could do some of both parties, and the bride and groom together!

Reception time!

How about some dancing to liven this party up! Was definitely a fun bunch, thank you Josh and Brandi and congratulations!

The day I waited for, for quite a while finally came and went, Josh and Brandi’s wedding at The Red House! I will talk in depth about them and their wedding next article in a few days, as I still need time to prepare more images. Also, I wanted to dedicate this first blog post to the venue itself, because there were so many great photos I was able to capture of the house and the grounds, itself, so really this event needs 2 separate articles, LOL! Usually, when doing wedding photography, the first thing I do is location details, like I am about to show you. That’s one reason I arrive early, before people are waiting on me to photograph them, in groups or even before the candids / getting ready photos are due to be taken.

The Red House is a very classy and elegant antique Southern home, located in downtown Franklin, TN. near the square. It was built in 1877, and really has some rich features. I really liked the bead board ceilings on the outdoor porches, and light fixtures, the shape of the windows, nice textured brick work, hardwood floors, and colorful interior. Not to mention the nicely manicured gardens and flowers outside on the grounds! Bethe, the event coordinator was there, and was very welcoming to us, and very helpful. I have not had this experience with some other event / wedding venues at all. But spreading that positivity makes the vendors and the clients enjoy the whole experience more, so it’s win win. I really love older buildings, and this place has lots of charm. The first thing my assistant commented on, is that they could have easily made the decor country, but was glad they didn’t. I liked the merging of the old architecture with some modern furniture and classic rock and roll memorabilia to make the feel of the place more trendy. If you are looking for a place to have a wedding, or other type of event, I hope you will look them up! Their website is here www.ourredhouse.com Without further discussion, photos of the venue Next up, all about Brandi and Josh’s wedding!

Paying more does not necessarily guarantee better results, but there is a certain due diligence process that consumers have to do, in order to make the best informed choice in their selection of photographers. Whether it’s a company looking for a commercial / advertising photographer, a family looking for a portrait photographer, a couple looking for a wedding photographer, or a business professional looking for a headshot, it all applies. Most logical people understand that there is a difference between an experienced photographer and some snapshot artist with a camera. If they don’t, chances are they don’t want to learn, and price is their only concern, with whoever they hire to do anything for them, LOL. Either way, it takes all kinds to make up the world, and the good thing is those types of people aren’t meant to be my client, there is always someone cheaper. I’m not out to be the cheapest.

Most of the time when dealing with the cheapest photographers you can find, here is what you get. No business license, very little experience in their craft, very little track record and client history, may not be familiar with giving the client what they need, no backup equipment in case of failure, no insurance (which would disqualify them from getting into many wedding venues, possibly at last minute), just overall no guarantee of the final product or accountability to the customer. I didn’t even mention how they conduct themselves in front of your guests, if it’s a wedding. There is so much more to a photographer than the photos they shoot, or the camera they have. Like any craft. I’ve seen many bad headshots that were poorly lit and composed, that people paid for! Just because they saved money over hiring me, or any of my respected colleagues, that doesn’t mean they didn’t still waste good money on something they couldn’t even use. I’ve even had people who inquired about weddings and never hired me because of price, come back to me and complain about their wedding photos, and wanted to know if I could “fix” them. Which I really couldn’t do unfortunately. So I’ve definitely seen some blurry, out of focus shots, poor lighting and control of natural light, unflattering angles of the subjects, etc. Oh, I almost forgot to mention….what is their delivery method? Do they even do any post production work to make the images pop better, or do they shoot and burn a disc and send you on your way? Not many who care about their work would do that. I’m always sad to see that happen to someone, especially for something that can’t have a do-over. All for what, to save a few bucks?

I’ve done some pretty thorough market analysis. I don’t want to price myself out of peoples’ budgets or make all my money off one customer. The quality of work I offer, and the product and level of customer care I provide would be very hard to beat for the prices I do charge. So I am all about giving people a good value, but not to be cheap. In turn, my customers value me and my work, and they all feel like they invested wisely. Photographers charge based on their business expenses and equipment, insurance, studio expense, experience, and usage. That doesn’t come cheap. I’m all for being fair and competitive, but being among the cheapest doesn’t pan out when you have a legitimate business and skill. The “cheapest” people are generally short sighted and are out to win customers on low price alone, to make up for lack of experience and clientele. With an unprepared business model, don’t expect each one to be around long, when they see it’s not as easy as they thought, lol. Or to get service after the sale. When spending money, it’s important to have that benefit, with so many choices and so many coming and going, it’s smart to be extra careful. Good value for your money trumps cheap price alone.

I have gone to my previous vet for years, and have always been happy with the care my dogs have received. But a few years ago another vet bought the clinic, he is an excellent vet but there has always been something about him that irked me. My older Boxer, Roxie has a small little lump on her back leg about the size of a pea, I saw it develop about a year ago, or longer. With Boxers, you have to be careful of that because they are prone to tumors. My dearly departed Cracker, has had several bouts of them which were mostly middle risk, and had to have several of them removed. Roxie has only ever had one, which was removed, but was low risk. Soon after I noticed this lump, I had my favorite vet at that clinic evaluate it, she advised me to do further testing if it changed in size, but she didn’t think it was anything to worry about. Next visit for Roxie’s annual vaccines, they did a needle sample of the lump, and when lab tests came back, there was nothing of risk, and the vet I liked told me unless it changed in size or appearance, not to worry about it, but now it’s been tested and they had a good sample. We were both on the same page that we don’t need to do unnecessary surgery, especially on a 10 year old dog, as the anesthesia and procedure is hard on them, especially as they get older. Of course the clinic owner told me it could spread and take over and it needed to be removed. Um, it’s been there for about 18 months and remained the size of a pea. About three years before, he examined her and tells me she had a heart murmur and advised meds and treatment, and asked if she was lethargic or overly lazy. Um, no, no one who has been around her would call Roxie a lethargic dog, at all, lol. Well, you guessed it, she’s still fine.

That was pretty much my wake up call this time. I know I like the other vets there, but the money goes to the owner who is an alarmist, and is just the type, that if you ask him what time it is, he’ll tell you how to build a watch. Now this gets down to basic customer relations when doing business. With me as the customer, especially if I am dealing with something I’m not an expert on, I want the people I’m paying to be competent at what they do, be able to explain it without a bunch of mumbo jumbo, and not make things complicated. Also if I think someone is trying to sell me something I don’t need or use scare tactics, they never get another chance. I would never treat my customers that way, nor do I like being treated that way. I will do anything for my dogs, and have never denied them the care they need…..but those two instances, I knew my own dog well enough to know I was being hard-sold.

So I took a friend’s recommendation and went to Five Points Animal Hospital, on Woodland near 11th, and was very happy with how the first visit went, when I had to admit Roxie for having diarrhea. It’s very close to where I live, and they seem to have an organic, common sense approach, which I can relate to well. They don’t claim to be the cheapest but they are good. I don’t want the cheapest, I want good. But I don’t want to get hoodwinked either, lol. Their website is http://5pointsanimalhospital.net/ They were very nice, and got her in promptly, and were really good with her. And trust me, she can be a handful. lol. I always like supporting East Nashville merchants, as I am one of them myself. I really believe that buying locally sustains our community for the long haul, and I recommend these good people.

I’m not wanting to sound like one of those anti digital people saying digital ruined photography, I don’t agree with that. There is a lot more saturation these days, this is true, but cream rises, and a discerning client knows the difference between a qualified professional photographer and a mom who bought a DSLR to photograph her kids, then decided to be one of those “professional photographers” and make a few extra dollars photographing others’ portraits, and even scarier, weddings, if they get brazen enough. I do feel that the standard for photography has gotten watered down, which is unfortunate, but there are lots of people who uphold it too. I’m not going to aggravate myself focusing too much on the negative, because I enjoy, and will continue to enjoy what I do and working with my customers. I embrace technology and new things that can be a valuable tool to us photographers. Though I’m not a gadget junkie, I believe you have to have the right tools but you have to know how to use them. So, where is the watering down coming from?

For starters, the politically correct movement. Many people can’t take a critique, and we’re all winners. Well, no. That’s not how it works. You can’t buy, or teach the eye. No matter how many groups of people who get together and try to make flaws and mistakes a “style”, well it’s still a mistake and a flaw. Under developed film or film with light leaks, to be made that way in Photoshop, eye socket shadows that only show lack of lighting c0ntrol, static composition in every image, etc. I am all in support of people learning, I still learn daily! But once you only hear what you want to hear, and not listen to critique, you are done learning, in a sense….then what is there to accomplish? Dull composition or expression, lack of emotional presence, or unclear concept of the shoot, overdone post production to cover up a lacking photo, bad lighting….all of it I am speaking of, can’t be successfully covered up by Photoshop if elements in the photograph are missing. Our skin needs to get thicker, or else you won’t make it far. Learning the craft is necessary, and so is learning the business. Going into business without knowing how the business operates doesn’t sound like a good plan. Yet some gotta try, because they think they’re special, lol. You almost have to enjoy critique, at least then you know a direction you can improve on….if coming from a qualified viewer. Use what you can, don’t use what doesn’t apply.

Also, camera manufacturer commercials I feel are misleading. Ashton Kutcher shooting weddings just because someone handed him a Nikon SLR? Videotaping a skydiving jump with a phone? The manufacturers clearly sell more to consumers than pros. I get it. But making consumers believe that buying an SLR from them, will make them a photographer in the wave of a finger, LOL. The colleges and design institutes are doing the same thing. You too can be a photographer or a designer! Some can. But it is made to sound much easier than it actually is. The tactic used by those manufacturers and schools may draw more enrollments and purchases, but it creates a false image. Like everyone is entitled to success, which is not how it works. I was never entitled to make my first dime with photography. Hard work and dedication, and spending time on my craft, and learning the business are what paid off for me. Not overnight. If all that false hype were true, there wouldn’t be veteran photographers and designers feeling the pinch in today’s economic climate and saturated market. I imagine chefs would feel the same way if Williams Sonoma had commercials saying if I bought their pots and pans, that would make me a gourmet chef. I wouldn’t say that with a knife wielding chef in close quarters, unless he or she had a good sense of humor, lol. We can all do our part to make the craft we love better, or keep up the garbage in, garbage out. I hope more can find a way to do the former, I am happy to help do my part to make a positive impact on what I do, partly by helping others.

I decided to also try another wedding service providers’ portal site, www.mywedding.com so I now have a featured listing there, that can be found here, I hope you will stop by and show some love, as well as tell any friends or family who may need my services! http://www.mywedding.com/vendors/jay-farrell-photography-196252/services There are many of these sites, and I’d go broke if I advertised on all of them, lol. So I am here and on wedding wire. One thing about My wedding, is it’s simple to use and navigate, which I appreciate…..also it is supposed to cater more to the professional bride who isn’t looking for discount or do it yourself resources, which they do not offer. So, here’s to hoping my future clients are there looking for a photographer like me, who would be the right fit for them and for their wedding! Does the Jay Farrell Photography cheer…..wait, gotta create one of those first, next article, haha.

There are many different ones, for all professional and creative walks of life and fields. Like for professional photographers, there is PPA. Professional photographers’ association http://www.ppa.com/ and I have been to several seminars sponsored by them, and Dury’s, my local camera shop, and it’s been a good thing. I have never become an official member. No reason why or why not, I feel overwhelmed committing to meetings and what not, but also like to stay in the loop and meet new people. One distinct benefit is being eligible for business liability insurance discounts. There are also local camera clubs in most major cities. I do belong to www.twesa.com which is a Nashville based wedding professionals organization. Any vendor must prove they have been in business for 2 years, and be insured before being accepted…therefore endorsed by Twesa as a professional wedding service provider. It’s a free resource for brides, kindof a one stop resource to find trustworthy and reputable vendors. Meetings are monthly, and always really great food, and it’s at various venues which we would all enjoy working in. It’s nice to meet other people who are serious and passionate about their business. I have met many great Nashville area photographers, wedding planners, venue staff, florists, bakers, caterers, etc. Networking is great, it’s hard to succeed running a closed shop.

There have been times I’ve struggled with being a part of any organization, even this one. Clubs and organizations can feel cliquish and political, which is something I never liked. Maybe that’s why I don’t go to church LOL! I felt frustration with that for a while, and was hoping to be able to contribute to the effectiveness and communication of the group, but to no avail. My intent was to leave the group. But the last meeting I was at, that decision didn’t feel right, I knew at that time there would be more people than I thought, that I would miss seeing. And I’d miss meeting new people I otherwise may not have met. So, what conclusion can we draw from this? The bigger an organization gets, it can feel more political and less personal, and none out there are perfect. There are always bad things to deal with. There are people who spend most of their waking hours complaining about our government and their rights, sure, the government sucks! But we still live in a great country, stop being a negative Nancy. Or move elsewhere, lol. My point is you have to use these things for what you hope to get out of it most. In my case, as long as I enjoy fellowship with friends I have met in my organizations’ affiliation, and meet people in the business who we can benefit each other, and enjoy some good food while at the meetings, that’s all I need. Sometimes with organizations, you have to decide what your needs are, make sure it meets those needs, and pick your battles as to what you spend your resources worrying about or not.