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Linda Hawkins
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PROFESSIONAL PRINTS
4 www.ppmag.com
PROFESSIONAL
Senior EditorJOAN SHERWOODjsherwood@ppa.com
Associate EditorAMANDA ARNOLDaarnold@ppa.com
Editor-at-LargeJEFF KENT
jkent@ppa.com
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EDITORIAL
Director of PublicationsJANE GABOURY
jgaboury@ppa.com
Love springs eternalA TIME TO BLOSSOM
Every year the earth shrugs off winters quiet mantle and gathers the
energy to throw on a dazzling cape of color. All these years of
watching spring burst forth, and still it enters my conscious as a
delightful surprise. (Look at that: daffodils!) Im thankful thats the
case. It reminds me what a rich life this is to enjoy. Astonishing
transformations paired with rock-solid certitudes.
Longer days, warmer evenings, and the
burst of tender blooms. If spring hasnt found
your corner of the world just yet, itll be there
soon. What better way to celebrate vernal
renewal than to revel in young love? Not for
youth alone, young love is a period of abun-
dant joy. A time when the heart beats with
the excitement of having found its true
complement. When we cant bear to be sepa -
rated from our beloved for even a day. When
all our waking thoughts are spoken for. Its
a fleeting experience that poets, artists, and
writers have tried to capture and convey for
millennia. Because who wouldnt want to be
able to uncork a bottle of that effervescent bliss every now and then?
With the entrance of spring, betrothals are on our minds. This
month, were sharing the lovely engagement portraiture of Linda
Hawkins (Keeping it Real, p. 56). Hawkins has witnessed the
transformation in this business from simple portraiture that was
considered an add-on to the big-day wedding planning to whats
become an event in its own right for many couples. Just because
snapshots are ubiquitous doesnt mean that many people arent
looking for the photography experiencenot just the photograph
that only a professional can give them.
March also marks the start of a new PPA Board of Directors, with
Susan Michal, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI, taking the helm as president.
She shares thoughts about what that means, and we introduce the
new Board in PPA Today (p. 97). Theres no professional association
with more dedicated, cohesive, and forward-thinking leadership
than PPA. This diverse group of longtime members has been there,
seen that, and photographed it. Theyve weathered the storms
typically encountered by entrepreneurs, and they have experience
aplenty to share. Never pass up an opportunity to speak with one of
them when you get the opportunity.
Editorial OfficesProfessional Photographer
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Advertising materials contact: Debbie Todd, dtodd@ppa.comSubscription rates/information: U.S. Print: $27, one year; $45, two years; $66,
three years. U.S. Print and Digital Combo: $37, one year; $65, two years; $96, threeyears. Canadian Print: $43, one year; $73, two years; $108, three years. Canadian
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Back issue/Single copies: $10 U.S.; $15 Canada; $20 International.PPA membership includes: Domestic $17.50, Non-Domestic $42 annual subscription. Subscription orders/changes: Send to Professional Photographer, Attn: Circulation
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Periodicals postage paid in Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Professional Photographer magazine,
P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606Copyright 2014, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly for $27 per year by PPAPublica tions and Events, Inc., 229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2200, International Tower, Atlanta,GA 30303-1608. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices.
Acceptance of advertising does not carry with it endorsement by the publisher. Opinionsexpressed by Professional Photographer or any of its authors do not necessarily reflectpositions of Professional Pho tog raphers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, officialjournal of the Professional Photog raphers of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professionalphotographic publication in the Western Hemisphere (founded 1907 by Charles Abel,Hon.M.Photog.), incorporating Abels Photo graphic Weekly, St. Louis & CanadianPhotographer, The Commercial Pho tog rapher, The National Photographer,Professional Photographer, and Pro fes sional Photographer Storytellers.Circulation audited and verified by BPA Worldwide.
Contributing EditorsDON CHICK & ELLIS VENER
JANE GABOURY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
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successware
KEEPING IT REALLinda Hawkins finds a groove increative engagement sessions by Jeff Kent
BEHIND THE MASK John David Pittman seeks an inner truthin commercial and editorial portraitureby Jeff Kent
COMMERCIAL: CAKE WALK
Joe Glyda makes commercial work look like a picnicby Pete Wright
EDITORIAL: COOL CUSTOMER
Layne Kennedy treks the world with amateur photographers in towby Robert Kiener
ENGAGEMENTS: WILD AND WONDERFUL
Tracey Buyce captures some of her best engagement work in the company of animalsby Stephanie Boozer
IMAGE BY TRACEY BUYCE
84
76
90
56
66
Features
CONTENTSMARCH 2014
DEPARTMENTS16 Folio
97 PPA today
106 Good works
C O N TA C T S H E E T22 Making the most of Burning Man
24 Processing raw files in Lightroom
24 Giveaway of the month
26 Picturesque travels
PROFIT CENTER29 What I think:
Joe Glyda
30 Ask the experts
34 Start at Square Oneby Bridget Jackson
36 Give to getby Angela Pointon
38 Playing it upby Michael Barton
42 An education of merit by Kristin Hartman
THE GOODS45 What I like: John David Pittman
46 Pro review: Epson ExhibitionWatercolor Paper Texturedby Andrew Darlow
48 Roundup: Baby set pieces by Joan Sherwood
50 Technique: 7 tips for rocking the wedding rings shot by Steven Jamroz
52 Pro review: Zoom H6 and Capsule Mics by Ron Dawson
ONLINEppmag.com/tryeduVideo: Processing raw filesin Lightroomby Prem Mukherjee
ppmag.com/winEnter to win this months giveaway
ppmag.com/profit-center25 ideas: Giveaways that entice clientsby Angela Pointon
8 www.ppmag.com
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | MARCH 2014 | WWW.PPMAG.COM
CONTENTS76
IMAGE BY JOE GLYDA PHOTOGRAPHY INC.
ON THE COVERLinda Hawkins created the merited image Things WeLove in the fall of 2012. It was made during a 1940sstyled engagement session, photographed in natural lightin the late afternoon. She captured it with a Canon EOS 5D camera using a 70-200mm f/2.8L lens, exposedfor 1/500 second at f/3.5, ISO 160. The bride helpedselect the location and props involved in the shoot. Wewent all out shooting at a farm located in Milford,Mass., complete with barns, a grist mill, antique cars,antique typewriters, vintage Coke machine, chickens, andeven an old bull who was trying to get into the shoot,says Hawkins. There were so many vintage propsavailable to us that we could have spent days there!
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Professional Photographers of America
229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200Atlanta, GA 30303-1608404-522-8600, 800-786-6277www.ppa.com
2014-2015 PPA boardPresident*SUSAN MICHALM.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABIsmichal@ppa.com
Vice President*MICHAEL E. TIMMONSM.Photog.M.Artist.Cr., CPP, F-ASPmtimmons@ppa.com
Treasurer*LORI CRAFTCr.Photog.lcraft@ppa.com
Chairman of the Board*RALPH ROMAGUERA SR.M.Photog.Hon.M.Photog.Cr.,CPP, API, F-ASPrromaguera@ppa.com
DirectorsROB BEHM, M.Photog.Cr, CPPrbehm@ppa.com
STEPHEN THETFORDM.Photog.Cr., CPPsthetford@ppa.com
AUDREY L. WANCKETM.Photog.Cr., CPPawancket@ppa.com
MIKE FULTONCr.Photog.mfulton@ppa.com
GREG DANIELM.Photog.Cr., CPP, F-ASPgdaniel@ppa.com
MARY FISK-TAYLORM.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI, APImfisktaylor@ppa.com
BARBARA BOVATCr.Photog.bbovat@ppa.com
STEVE KOZAKM.Photog.Cr., CPPskozak@ppa.com
Industry AdvisorLOU GEORGElgeorge@ppa.com
PPA StaffDAVID TRUST, CAE Chief Executive Officer trustd@ppa.com
SCOTT KURKIAN, CAEChief Financial OfficerChief Operating Officerskurkian@ppa.com
JULIA BOYDSenior Manager ofCertificationjboyd@ppa.com
JANE GABOURYDirector of Publicationsjgaboury@ppa.com
KRISTEN HARTMAN Director of Membershipkhartman@ppa.com
FIONA HENDRICKSDirector of Eventsfhendricks@ppa.com
WAYNE JONESDirector of Sales & Strategic Allianceswjones@ppa.com
ANGELA KURKIAN,M.Photog.Cr. Director of Educationakurkian@ppa.com
SCOTT MORGAN Director of InformationTechnologysmorgan@ppa.com
WILDA OKEN Director of Administrationwoken@ppa.com
CARLA PLOUIN Director of Marketingand Communicationscplouin@ppa.com
SANDRA LANGExecutive Assistantslang@ppa.com
*Executive Committeeof the Board
Discover more online at XXXCMBDLSJWFSJNBHJOHDPNt
Mosaicalbums
Mosaic Leather AlbumsAvailable in 8x8, 10x10 and 12x12, our Mosaic Albums are handmade
with one and two-leather covers with cameos available in most
designs. Images are flush to the edge of the album, and the lay-flat
binding makes panoramas appear seamless.
Photos courtesy of Elise Ellis, Melissa DeWitt and Kelly Broyles.
Finish strong.
3ULFHVDUH0DQXIDFWXUHU6XJJHVWHG5HWDLO3ULFH(3621(SVRQ6W\OXV(SVRQ8,WUD&KURPH.DQG0LFUR3LH]RDUHUHJLVWHUHGWUDGHPDUNVDQG(3621([FHHG
Exhibition-quality prints from 13 to 17 wide Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta, used by the worlds leading
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epson.com/finishstrongEpson Stylus Pro 3880 $1,295* Epson Stylus Photo R2880 $599.99*
16 www.ppmag.com
folio| Showcasing images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sample ofaward-winning photography from the most recent International Photographic Competition (IPC), which is open to all professional photographers. The current Loan Collection is a select group of morethan 600 photographs chosen for distinction by the IPC jurors. ppa.com/IPC
SIMBASimba is the work of Kelly Willis of Modello Fine Portraits in Deer Park, Texas.I had the wonderful experience of going behind the scenes with these wildcats/kittens but only had a point-and-shoot camera, notes Willis. I wantedto document life for big cats when they arent allowed to be in their naturalhabitat. Willis specializes in conceptual and pet portraiture, nature andwildlife photography, and infrared photography. modellofineportraits.com
CAMERA: Canon PowerShot camera with built-in lensEXPOSURE: f/2.7, 1/100 second, ISO 80LIGHTING: Available lightPOST-CAPTURE: In Photoshop, the image was prepped and abackground was added. It was then painted in Corel Painter 12.
Kelly Willis
Michael R. Anderson
WIND POWERMichael R. Anderson of West Linn, Ore., was driving through the Columbia RiverGorge when the lighting drew his attention. I couldnt resist the temptation andpulled off the freeway, he says. He drove several miles on frontage roads tocapture Wind Power, photographing across the Columbia River from Oregoninto Washington. Andersons studio, Artistic Photo Expression, specializes infine-art, landscape, travel, and infrared photography. artisticphotoexpression.com
CAMERA & LENS: Nikon D700, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II lensEXPOSURE: f/11, 1/200 second, ISO 400 LIGHTING: Natural Light POST-CAPTURE: The image was captured in one file and processed withPhotomatix Pro using the Detail Enhancer feature. The resulting file wasprocessed and enhanced using Nikon Capture NX2 and Nik Color Efex Profilters. Borders, cropping, and digital matting were done with Photoshop CS5.
THE PRAYER NOOKThe subject of The Prayer Nook caught the eye of Nancy
Bailey-Pratt, M.Photog.Cr., while she was traveling in India.Bailey-Pratt does portrait work as well as travel photography
through Nancys Photography in Anderson, Ind. She simplyasked the subject to step back into the door opening to
eliminate the harsh sunlight that was bouncing all over theplace, she says. nancysphotography.com
CAMERA & LENS: Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens
EXPOSURE: f/4, 1/50 second, ISO 400LIGHTING: Natural light. The cement below the
subject reflected light onto his face.POST-CAPTURE: All processing was done in Adobe Bridge
and Photoshop. The image was cropped and parts of thedoorframe were copied and pasted on either side of the whiteentryway to keep the viewers eye on the subject rather than
following the light edges out of the image.
18 www.ppmag.com
Nancy Bailey-Pratt
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CONTACT SHEETWhats New, Cool Events, Interesting People, Great Ideas, Etc.
In a remote desert
location 100 miles
north of Reno, Nev.,
68,000 people gather
for a week-long art
festival like no other.
Burning Man enables
a unique culture of
friendship, acceptance, giving, and creativ-
ity. As a photographer, it was an adventure
beyond my wildest dreams. I spent eight
days in the desert with a camera in my hand
for most of it, and I captured only a small
amount of the dramatic art created for
the event and the unique people who make
it. Spanning about 3 square miles, the festi-
val presents images worth capturing at
every turn.
Photographing at Burning Man comes
with very strict rules, particularly with regard
to who and what you photograph and how
the images are used. If you plan to attend for
that purpose, do your research prior to going,
and register with event organizers.
Everyone at Burning Man is there to have
fun and express themselves. For photogra-
phers, this means exceptional opportunities.
Just honor the rules, and you will be
rewarded with incredible images.
Ask permission and obtain a model
release from anyone you would like to photo-
graph. I found it handy to carry books of 3x5-
inch cards with a model release printed on
them. Include the frame number on each
model release, along with a space for the per-
sons email address. This helps you figure out
whos who and allows you to share the images
with your subjects.
Dust is a constant. Dont take the lens off
your camera except in a clean, covered space,
like an RV or car, and then only after youve
completely cleaned the camera and lens.
The festival is huge. I got around on a
bicycle and carried my camera in a small case
to protect it from the elements.
Much of Burning Man takes place at
night. Bring a sturdy, lightweight tripod for
those limited-light situations. I also carried
my Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight with a Gary
Fong diffuser for use at night or as a daytime
fill flash.
See more from David Bever at dblaphoto.com.All images David Bever
Burning ManMaking the most of
BY DAVID BEVER, CPP
22 www.ppmag.com
March 2014 Professional Photographer 23
You'll be amazedby the art atBurning Man aswell as theexpressiveness of festival goers.Keep an openmind. You'll berewarded withunique and dramatic images.
CONTACT SHEET
Processing raw les in LightroomAdobe Photoshop Lightroom users have so
many options at their fingertips
that its easy to become over-
whelmed. In the video tuto-
rial Processing Raw Files in
Lightroom, Prem
Mukherjee breaks the
process down into bite-size,
step-by-step pieces. Mukherjee
approaches Lightroom based on the types
of images youre working with, demonstrat-
ing tools and tricks as he discusses wed-
dings, portraits, and landscapes. He also
shows how to manage and back up files.
Some of Mukherjees top tips:
Make a new catalog for every job and
place it in the clients folder. By doing this
you can back up the catalog along with the
job, keeping everything together and mak-
ing it easier to find later.
When using multiple cameras, such as
at a wedding, go to the metadata and change
one of the fields to each cameras serial num-
ber. Then you can sort images by camera.
Looking at your images in sets that are similar
allows you to make adjustments more quickly.
Using the adjustment brush, make selec-
tive adjustments on images. You can use your
favorite presets and paint the effect on or off.
Create presets. Using your favorite
actions as presets will help you work
quickly and define your style.
Got a color balance issue? In the HSL
tab, grab the target tool, click on the color
youd like to diminish (think blue window
light), and change the color saturation. Its a
quick way to remove unwanted color tints.
Watch the video for free during the month
of March: ppmag.com/tryedu.
24 www.ppmag.com
FREEVIDEO
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Giveaway of the month
Praise from Pros
Featured in our November 2013 issue (A
Photographer Abroad), Jim Chamberlain,
M.Photog.MEI.Cr., API, is a photographic
artist who specializes in old world-style
landscapes. His works fetch top dollar as art
pieces for home and commercial dcor, and
theyve been licensed for media use around
the world. Creating the images is a process:
one that begins with an extended trip to
Europe. While abroad, Chamberlain
explores, photographs, and teaches work-
shops in Tuscany and Provence. To help his
students and others interested in journeying
abroad for photography, Chamberlain
shares these pointers:
BEFORE THE TRIPResearch. Dig deep into the places you want
to go. What are the typical weather patterns
and the light at that time of year?
Understand how sunrise, sunset, and the
daily pattern of life will affect your images.
Plan. Sort out accommodations and other
details ahead of time. Set a loose itinerary
and be open to serendipitous opportunities.
Gear up. Travel light with a short list of
essential gear. My travel bag includes two
Nikon D800 bodies and three Nikon lenses:
14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mm f/2.8
lenses, plus a 1.7X teleconverter. I use two
cameras when photographing on dusty
roads with a 2470mm zoom on one camera
and a 70-200 zoom on the other. This pre-
vents dirt from getting into the camera by
not having to switch lenses.
Pack light and tight. Secure your gear as
if youre checking bags even if you plan to
carry them on. I use a Pelican hard shell
rolling case and bring a collapsible Domke
F-2 for a day bag.
DURING THE TRIPStandardize your exposures. Once on loca-
tion, youll want to focus on the scenes
around you, not the camera settings. I shoot
90 percent of my travel and landscape work
with a shutter speed between 1/250 and
1/500 second, and an ISO between 400 and
800, though I may go up to ISO 1600 when
I use long lenses and a faster shutter speed
and for sunrise photography. This allows my
aperture to stay between f/8 to f/16 for
sharper images and great depth of field.
Most lenses are at peak performance for
sharpness in this range.
Turn around. In my classes, we often
walk through a scene for three or four blocks,
then stop, turn around, and retrace our steps.
Its amazing to see how the light and the
scene change from the different perspective.
Shoot all day. Many old villages are best
photographed when the high, mid-day sun
can get down to the street level between the
tall, tightly packed buildings. By 3 p.m.,
everything in an old village is in shadow. So
I do my village shooting at mid-day, saving
the mornings and evenings for landscapes.
Delay the download. I dont download
any camera files during a trip. I dont bring a
laptop or any external drives. Instead, I
bring about 250GB of solid-state media
cards, and I leave everything on them until I
get home. My files are safer on the solid-
state cards, which wont break if I drop
them. Also, at the end of a long day of shoot-
ing, the last thing I want to do is spend a
couple of hours downloading images.
To see more from Jim Chamberlain, go tochamberlainphoto.com.
26 www.ppmag.com
CONTACT SHEET
Picturesque travelsJim Chamberlains lessons for staging the ideal photography journey
All im
ages Jim
Chamberlain
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Celebration of Smiles is a nationwide fundraiser for Operation Smile, presented by PPA Charities in cooperation with Marathon Press. Participating photographers host an event where clients donate a minimum of $24 for a portrait mini
session and desk-sized portrait, and 100% of donations go to support Operation Smile.
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Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Business, Marketing, and Sales Strategies
What I thinkThe food looks great to Joe Glyda
Whats the biggest challenge your busi-
ness has faced in recent years? When I
moved from Chicago to Tulsa, Okla., I
needed to introduce myself to an area
not needing as much commercial pho-
tography, especially in my area of ex-
pertisefood. Once youre committed
to changing your business location and
environment, you need to have pa-
tience in re-establishing your name.
Greet everyone you meet with a firm
handshake and a smile, anticipating
that they could be your next client.
What is the most tedious business task
you do? The toughest is the expense
reports. Getting them done in a timely
fashion and organizing my receipts
has always been a daunting task. Since
much of my work is on location, ex-
pense reports are needed to recoup
travel costs.
Do you have any employees? I depend
on assistants and food stylists when
needed. Not using the proper freelancers
can result in re-shooting and doubling
the cost of doing the job. Having the
right people on the photography team
will produce exceptional results.
IMAGE BY JOE GLYDA PHOTOGRAPHY INC.
JGLYDA.COM
Q. Three new hotels are being built in thetown where my studio is located. I wouldlove to get some tips from you about howto get my work on the walls of these busi-nesses. Any suggestions would be greatlyappreciated. A. This is a great question given there aremany benefits that would come from havingyour work so visibly displayed. In looking to
see what type of work you do (as this wouldaffect my answer), I found that you workmostly with kids, families, and high schoolseniors. I imagine you are hoping to havesome of your favorite sessions framed as artfor the hotel.
There are many factors to consider in thisscenario. For instance, are these boutique orchain hotels? If they are boutique hotels,
youll have a much greater chance of devel-oping a relationship with someone who hasdecision-making authority, and your workcould really add to the boutique feel. If theyare chain hotels, youll have a lot more redtape to work through. Most chain hotelshave strict guidelines they must adhere to inorder to keep the corporate brand consistentacross all locations. They typically work withan art buying company that makes purchasesin bulk, so this would be a much more diffi-cult deal to strike.
Either way, there are questions you needto consider. Are you planning on footing thebill for the artwork or are you hoping to bereimbursed for some or all of it? How is thisrelationship going to be a win-win for thehotel and you? What are you going to offerto incentivize them to show your artwork?
Given that the work you do is very per-sonal, you need to imagine ways to involvethe hotel in this relationship beyond simplydisplaying your images. A few suggestions:You could use their grounds for portraits orphotograph some of their key personnel. Ifthey have a kids club, you could create aprogram to photograph children (for a fee)while theyre there. Another idea would be toease into the relationship and see if the hotelwould allow you to give their guests a cardwhen they arrive. It could, for example, wel-come them to the hotel and offer a discounton a session with you while theyre in town.This could be promoted as a thank-you giftfrom the hotel to the guest, which makes thehotel look good.
To get the ball rolling, find the decisionmaker at each hotel. Think everythingthrough so you have a clear plan to present.Whatever the deal is, it has to help make thehotel shine brighter in order to be attractiveto the decision maker. You just might landyourself a sweet deal. Good luck!
Kimberly Wylie, M.Photog.Cr., CPP
PPA Studio Management Services helps photog-raphers build more profitable businesses. Emailquestions to Jane Gaboury, jgaboury@ppa.com,to get answers from SMS mentors.
STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICESPROFIT CENTER
30 www.ppmag.com
Ask the expertsOpening up hotel deals
MENTORS FROM PPA STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES ANSWER YOUR BUSINESS,MARKETING, AND SALES QUESTIONS. FOR INFO ON WORKSHOPS, GO TO PPA.COM.
Veer
To get the ball rolling, find the decision maker at each hotel. Think everything through so you have
a clear plan to present. Whatever the deal is, it has to help make the hotel shine brighter in order
to be attractive to the decision maker.
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Ive reiterated Stephen Coveys advice many
times: To be successful, you must begin with
the end in mind. That holds true regardless
of your definition of success. Photography
business owners are as diverse as the images
they create. But the most successful studios
have at least one thing in commona clear
vision of where they want to go.
But beginning with the end in mind
demands that you define some parameters
before setting goals. In the case of photogra-
phy studio success, you need to know your
target net income, sales goals, average sale
per session, and the number of sessions you
want to photograph.
If this sounds a bit intimidating, fear not.
PPA has just introduced a tool to aid members
in reaching their goals. Its called Square One.
The tool provides studio owners with infor-
mation, and it will also generate more ques -
tions. Dont worry, thats part of the process.
To help you understand Square One, Ill
give you an example. I met with a PPA mem-
ber today who has several goals: work less,
earn more per session, and relocate from a
home-based to a retail studio. I directed her
to Square One to start the process. This tool
would help her see what her business could
look like in terms of sessions, sales averages,
and overall expenses to reach those goals.
First, she determined how much she
needed to make this year (net income before
owners compensation). Second, she counted
how many sessions shed photographed in
each product line over the past two years.
Third, she determined her sales averages
for each product line for the past two years.
With the collected data, we followed the
link on ppa.com/squareone.
To get started with the calculation on
Square One, she entered four variables: net
income goal, the product lines she wants to
offer, whether shes planning for a home-based
or retail studio, and whether she wanted to
enter her session count goal or sales average
goal. Since she was trying to figure out how
moving to a retail space would affect her ses-
sion and sales averages, she chose retail studio.
After reviewing her session history and know-
ing she wanted to cut back on the number,
she decided to see what reducing her sessions
by 20 percent would look like. She knew it
would change her required sales average and
wanted to see what that number would be.
The first aha moment came when she
saw that shed have to increase her sales
average from $800 to $1,200 to achieve her
goals of reducing the number of sessions she
photo graphed, earning a net income of
$42,000, and moving into a retail studio.
More revelations followed.
With some concrete information in front
of her, we were able to start creating a plan,
concentrating on her marketing strategy and
sales plan in particular since the main require-
ment for reaching her goal is to increase her
sales average from $800 to $1,200 per session.
After reviewing her price list and discussing
her overall sales strategy, we determined that
increasing prices was not the answer. Given her
market, modifying her collection offerings
and implementing a sales plan to achieve the
increase in sales was a more logical strategy.
Visit Square One (ppa.com/squareone)
and play with it. Get comfortable using the
tool, and then revisit it occasionally to track
your progress. You can achieve your goals if
you prepare for success.
Bridget Jackson is manager of PPA StudioManagement Services, which helps photog-raphers make their business profitable.Reach her at bjackson@ppa.com.
Start at Square OneArm yourself with a powerful new tool
34 www.ppmag.com
PROFIT CENTER: MAKING MONEY
BY BRIDGET JACKSON
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Continuing on the topic of new marketing
techniques, Im now going to convince you
to give something away for free.
No, not free photography. Im referring
to creating a piece of educational digital
content that future clients will find valuable.
The majority of your marketing is probably
done to an audience you dont own. If you
primarily promote offers through marketing
vehicles such as Facebook, print ads, and
partnerships with other vendors, you dont
own those contact names, addresses, or
emails. The party youre marketing with
does, and those contacts can be taken away
from you at any time.
By creating free content and requesting
website visitors contact information in
exchange for it, you can build your own con-
tact database.
FREE CONTENT WORKSA person who does an online search for
the type of photography you offer will typi-
cally visit a number of websites before
theyre ready to buy. This means that when
they visit your website, theyre likely to
exit the browser or continue researching
other photographers.
This doesnt mean your website was bad;
it might just mean the person isnt quite
ready to hire you (or another photographer).
If a website visitor exits the browser or
continues his research, theres no way for
you to keep in contact with him. And thats
where a piece of free content comes in.
Offering free content in exchange for a
users contact information is your ticket to
staying in touch with prospective clients.
Without that simple exchange of giving
valuable tidbits of helpful information in
return for contact information, your busi-
ness misses out on potential opportunities.
TOOLSMost email marketing software platforms let
you create Web forms for your website. Build-
ing it inside the email platform benefits you
because any time a user completes a form on
your site, that contact information is auto-
matically entered into your email software.
GetResponse is one such tool, and Profes-
sional Photographer magazine readers may sign
up for a free 30-day trial to see how it works
(getresponse.com/create_free_account.html).
Not only can you build a web form that inte-
grates with your email database, but autore-
sponders allow you set up the system to
email the contact whatever educational con-
tent they requested from you.
If you already own studio management or
email marketing software, check to see if what
you use offers similar functionality before
investing time or money in something new.
WHAT TO GIVE
Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography
specializes in weddings for tattooed brides
and grooms. He offers website visitors a
free PDF for tattooed brides titled Six
Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your
Wedding, geared to brides who will appre-
ciate his offbeat advice.
Wondering what kind of information
you should give for free? Download my
list of 25 ideas, grouped by different
types of photography disciplines, at
ppmag.com/profit-center.
Angela Pointon advises photographersthrough Steel Toe Images. Visit steeltoeimages.com and click to add her on Google+, Facebook, and Pinterest.
36 www.ppmag.com
Give to getLet potential clients take helpful tips from your website
PROFIT CENTER: MASTERING MARKETING
BY ANGELA POINTON
Courtesy Mike A
llebach
Photographer Mike Allebach offers a free PDF to visitors on his tattooedwedding.com website.
FREESoftware
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Like many of you, I didnt start out in pho-
tography. I began playing musical instru-
ments at the age of four and earned a
masters degree in music from the University
of North Texas. Then I became a full-time
working musician. Somewhere along the way,
my photography hobby turned into a big
challenge. Although I was only in my mid-
20s when my career as a professional photog-
rapher began, it was clear that a long road
stretched ahead of me. Its tough to think
about starting a new discipline, a new career
path, from scratch. Fortunately, as it turns
out, we dont.
The study of music offers a multitude of
parallels to the study of photography. It
seems absurd to imagine a musician who
doesnt practice, for example. Early on, stu-
dents are taught scales and exercises to help
them refine the fundamentals and build a
strong foundation of technique. The conse-
quence of poor practice habits is poor per-
formance ability.
THE MUSICAL PARADIGMAs a musician will be limited by poor technique,
so will a photographer. Let me offer a solution
that is not only productive but also fun. Its
something photographers at all levels can learn
from and one that brings us together: play.
Play is fun. Who doesnt like to play?
Imagine a job where you are not only
allowed to play, but you are rewarded for it.
Good news: You have that job!
None of us got into photography
because we thought it was a great business
venture. Many of us, perhaps most of us,
got hooked on it as an art and could no
longer think of doing anything else with
our lives. Photography seeped into our
bloodstream. This is a romantic vision, one
that sounds a lot like falling in love. And
truth be told, it is a type of falling in love.
Musicians thrive on trying new ideas and
working on new concepts. Many musicians
study a wide range of styles. Knowledge of
other genres is not only essential for great
musicianship, but its also a blast. The more
we understand, the more depth we are able
to express. Musicians are literally rewarded
for exploration and joy. Its even in the job
description: playing music.
BY MICHAEL BARTON, M.PHOTOG.MEI,CR., CPP, EA-ASP, F-ASPPROFIT CENTER: MASTER CLASS
Playing it upPhotography is work, but playtime is also essential
All im
ages M
ichael Barton
HOLDERS OF THE PPA MASTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY DEGREE SHARE ESSAYS AND IDEAS IN SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY
Photo by: Ann Naugher, M. Photog., CPP previous Sunset Award winner, Southeast PPA District
Recognized!GetThe Sunset Print AwardAwarded at select PPA events and other competitions with a national recipient chosen from among the winners.
Learn more at: sunsetprint.com
PEAK PERFORMANCETo me, photography is performance art. As
long as Ive had a camera in my hands Ive
been playing, practicing, refining, and work-
ing out ideas. Its an approach similar to my
music process. With that in mind, these are
some techniques I use to help stay sharp.
Self-assignments. If you want to rekindle
passion for your art, pick a new muse and
get lost in it. Select one day each week to
block out some time and shoot for the sheer
enjoyment of it. If your images arent differ-
ent from year to year, your odds of success
drop off dramatically. Make time for these
exercises because you cant afford not to.
Discomfort. The more constraints one
imposes, the more one frees ones self. And
the arbitrariness of the constraint serves only
to obtain precision of execution, said composer
Igor Stravinsky. To paraphrase: Photograph
things you know little about and learn how
to make it work. Youll make mistakes. Youll
also find beautiful images in places you could
never imagine. Henri Cartier-Bresson photo -
graphed using a 35mm camera and a fixed
50mm lens. He would frequently print images
with the edge of the film showing to display
that they werent croppeda self-imposed
restriction that changed the world.
Competition. Through PPA and other
organizations, there are many opportunities
to put your work out there. Competitions
enforce deadlines. They make you learn to
refine and present work with precision. They
offer an opportunity to try new things. The
rules and protocol of competition can serve
as your constraints and help you be freer in
your work. As an added bonus, competitions
let you celebrate your ideas and creativity
through accolades and awards. Competition
can be a great aid in growing your business.
Range. Clients enjoy seeing your range of
work and your interests. By displaying your
self-assignments, you give them an opportu-
nity to appreciate your unique vision. Never
underestimate the value of the time you set
aside for yourself.
New avenues. There are times we find a
hobby or career in unexpected places. Every-
thing we love today was once a first. There
are first times waiting for you out there. Go
find them. There will be more mistakes than
victories and more dead ends than beginnings.
I have made a career out of playing
around and wouldnt trade it for anything.
Care to join me?
Michael Barton is the 2013 recipient of thePPA Grand Imaging Award for his albumThe Curious World of Cone Flowers. Hewas awarded the ASP Bronze medallion forthe same work and was named a 2012 PPADiamond Photographer of the Year. michaelbartonart.com
40 www.ppmag.com
M.Photog. Cr. M.Artist. Youve seen the alpha-
bet soup that follows many a PPA members
name. Maybe youve wondered about these
acronyms. The designations are credentials
earned in PPAs degree program, the longest-
running professional degree program for pho-
tographers in the United States. Since 1937,
PPA has recognized professional photogra-
phers for sharing their knowledge, excelling
in photo graphic competitions, and volun-
teering their expertise to educate others
while elevating their own skills.
PPA offers three degrees representing
three types of expertise. Each degree is earned
by accumulating merits, which are like points.
Merits are received for accomplishments
that include succeeding in photographic
competition, attending workshops or semi-
nars, and sharing knowl edge as an instruc-
tor. Each degree is attained after amassing
a specific set of 25 merits. Photographers
must be PPA members to earn degrees.
Photographic Craftsman (Cr.Photog.)
The Photographic Craftsman degree is awarded
for service as an orator, author, or mentor.
This degree signifies that the recipient has
gone beyond the creation of images by dedi-
cating time to move the industry forward and
encourage the education of other professionals.
Requirements:
13 speaking merits
12 additional merits
Master of Photography (M.Photog.)
The M.Photog. is awarded for superior
photographic skills demonstrated through
the PPA International Photographic Com-
petition, advanced education, and service to
the industry.
Requirements:
13 exhibition merits
12 additional merits
Master Artist (M.Artist)
The Master Artist recognizes superior photo-
graphic skills demonstrated through the Artist
Exhibition category of the PPA Interna-
tional Photographic Competition (with
images evaluated for computer-applied
techniques and proficiency), advanced edu-
cation, and service to the industry.
Requirements:
13 artist exhibition merits
12 additional merits
In the coming months, well explore each
degree in greater detail.
EARNING MERITSMerits are awarded for completing various
activities. Speaking merits are granted to
instructors who contribute to the PPA and
PPA Affiliate photographic community.
PPA Affiliates are a rich training ground
for photographers who aspire to speak at a
national level. And because affiliates have a
recurring need for talented speakers in
their geographic area for conventions, sem-
inars, and workshops, the opportunities are
plentiful. Many PPA members begin earn-
ing merits toward their Craftsman degree
by taking advantage of these local opportu-
nities. Working as an instructor at the
Affiliate level sets the stage for photogra-
phers who would eventually like to be
speakers and educators at a national level,
perhaps to be invited as an Imaging USA
presenter or a PPAedu instructor.
Exhibition merits are earned by success-
fully competing in PPAs International
Photographic Competition. Images can
merit at the district level by earning a Seal
of Approval or at the international level by
ranking highly at the International Photo-
graphic Competition. As many as eight
exhibition merits can be earned each year.
BY KRISTIN HARTMANPROFIT CENTER: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
An education of meritProfessional degrees acknowledge skill and service
42 www.ppmag.com
(Next month, look for a complete explana-
tion of PPAs International Photographic
Competition.)
Artist exhibition merits are similar to
exhibition merits and are awarded to pho-
tographers who successfully compete in the
Master Artist competition category. Like
exhibition merits, artist exhibition merits
can be earned at both district and interna-
tional levels.
Service merits are granted by PPA and
PPA Affiliates. They are awarded for volun-
teering time to the organization by serving
on a committee, attending a workshop, or
taking a leadership role.
A complete list of opportunities to earn
merits can be found at ppa.com/degrees.
CREATIVE & BUSINESS BONUSDegrees are a way for professional photog-
raphers to improve their creative and pro-
fessional skills, and theyre also an aid in
promoting your business. Savvy profession-
als make the most of their degrees by edu-
cating potential clients about how their
commitment to the profession and their
continued education improves their skills.
Many degree holders report that theyre
able to more easily market their services
and show confidence in their prices because
theyve given clients a context they can
relate to for understanding professional
skill and commitment.
Pursuing my degrees has improved
my photography, says Mary Bortz,
M.Photog., CPP, of Fusion Edge Photogra-
phy in Robins, Iowa. You learn so much by
participating in print competitions. Ask the
judges for feedback on your prints no mat-
ter what the score was. It will push you to
be a better photographer. Your customers
will appreciate it, too.
Earning a degree isnt easy, but its never
too early or too late to start. In fact, you
could already have merits to your name by
virtue of maintaining your PPA member-
ship. Find out by logging in at ppa.com and
clicking My PPA.
Kristen Hartman is director of membervalue and experience at PPA.
March 2014 Professional Photographer 43
EVERY LOVE STORY IS EPIC. REALLY TELL IT.Photos + Story + MementosThe Photo Storybook.
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Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Products, Technology, and Services
What I likeJohn David Pittman loves his nifty 50
Whats the best equipment investment youve ever made?
Probably my Nikon D800. Im not a gear nerd at all, and I be-
lieve you can make great images regardless of the camera you
are using, but I do love the details Im able to capture in my
portraits with that camera.
Any new gear youve got your eye on? I am experiencing a little
bit of gear lust over the new Nikon Df. Im intrigued by it.
I couldnt get through the week without Talking to my
mom. She gets me.
Little thing, big difference White and black foam core from
my local art supply store. I have stacks of this stuff in all sizes.
So many uses.
Whats your go-to lens? I absolutely love my nifty 50. My Nikkor
50mm f/1.8D is my all-time favorite, and with a $150 price tag,
it cant be beat. I had a colleague laugh at my use of this lens
until I convinced him to try it. Now he uses it all the time.
Aside from Photoshop, whats your fave creative imaging soft-
ware? I recently began using Alien Skin Exposure 5,and I am
really enjoying it.
IMAGE BY JOHN DAVID PITTMAN
JOHNDAVIDPITTMAN.COM
Watercolor papers have been manufactured
and used by artists for more than 500 years.
Photographers have embraced printing on
specially coated watercolor papers because
they can transform a digital image into a long-
lasting work of art with the crispness and
hyper-realism that photography can provide.
Sometime in the 1990s, Epson introduced
a product called Textured Fine Art by Crane
that I loved. I used it for many projects, includ-
ing a series of brightly colored floral prints.
It was later discontinued, but in February
2009, Epson announced a line of fine-art
coated watercolor papers under the Signature
Worthy brand. The papers are still available,
and they include Hot Press Bright (smooth),
Cold Press Bright (textured), Hot Press Natural
(smooth), and Cold Press Natural (textured).
Ive found all of them to be outstanding
papers and very distinct from one another.
Epson Exhibition Watercolor Paper Tex-
tured is the latest addition to the Signature
Worthy line and differs from the other
papers in a few ways. Apart from its texture,
which is considerably stronger than Epsons
Cold Press offerings (thanks in part to a
mold-made process), its base color is more
neutral in tone than Epson Hot Press Natural
and Epson Cold Press Natural. Like Epson
Hot Press Natural and Epson Cold Press
Natural, Exhibition Watercolor Paper Textured
is OBA-free (that is, it contains no optical
brightening agents). Thats an important
feature for many artists who prefer non-
brightened papers. The more neutral tone
means that colors will generally be a bit
brighter than prints made on a warmer paper,
and black-and-white images will have fewer
warm tones in the highlights and non-printed
areas than warmer OBA-free fine-art papers.
The papers feel reminds me of ultra-fine
sandpaper, with a visible, random texture.
The surface stands out visually from virtually
all other papers in its class, both in the printed
and non-printed areas of the sheet. Its weight
is substantial but not so heavy that it wont
fit through the standard feed tray of many
desktop printers. It moved easily through the
standard feed of an Epson Stylus Pro 3880
and an Epson Stylus Photo R3000. (The rear
manual feed is another option on these and
other printers.) The paper was also extremely
flat right out of the box, which is another big
plus because that helps to avoid small or large
head strikes, which can result in ink splatter
on the sides or other areas of a sheet.
I printed from both Photoshop CC and
Lightroom 5 using Epsons ICC profile from
epson.com. I started with a standard cali-
bration image and then printed a few other
types of both color and black-and-white
photographs, including flowers, pet por-
traits, and people. The color saturation,
sharpness, and black density with the sup-
plied profile were exceptional in all the color
prints. For the black-and-white prints, the
overall look and feel was fantastic, with deep
shadows, excellent sharpness, and notably
smooth transitions. The comparatively
cooler base helped keep the image looking
close to neutral from highlight to shadow
with no adjustments to the images.
Pet portraits looked great overall, but
portraits of people showed too much tex-
ture in the skin for my taste. If youd like to
use a textured paper for images that
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
Epsons Signature Worthy watercolor paper brings a distinct new look to the line
BY ANDREW DARLOW
Distinguished exhibitionEPSON EXHIBITION WATERCOLOR PAPER TEXTURED
A 13x19-inch print on Exhibition Watercolor Paper Textured in the output tray of an Epson Stylus Pro3880 after being printed via the top-loading feeder.
All im
ages A
ndrew D
arlow
46 www.ppmag.com
include peoples faces, consider the two
Epson Cold Press papers instead.
When I brushed my finger across the
printed paper, there was no flaking off of the
coating. This is a huge plus. Some other tex-
tured papers on the market suffer from this
issue, which can manifest as tiny spots. This
is especially an issue for papers that will be
bound in books or used in portfolios that will
be handled a lot. Still, do not stack multiple
prints of this paper or any matte watercolor
paper and travel with them in a portfolio box.
Use an interleaving paper between them
instead. Something smooth, lightweight,
and acid-free like Acid-Free Permalife
Buffered Paper (Watermarked) from uni-
versityproducts.com will work well.
One side of the paper is indicated for print-
ing, but I was happy to find that the non-print
side also reproduced images beautifully. In
fact, the other side shows a bit less texture,
so you essentially have two papers in one
(see Get the Most from Textured Paper).
Smaller prints may benefit from this more
subtle texture, which you can clearly see if
you compare the darkest areas of a print.
Also, be aware that an online search for the
words Epson watercolor paper will probably
bring up results for a different paper called
Epson Watercolor Paper Radiant White.
Epson has hit a home run with its Exhi-
bition Watercolor Paper Textured. It is not for
every type of image, but when paired with
the right photographs, it will definitely stand
out in a crowded field. The MSRP for a 25-
sheet box of 13x19-inch paper is $129. Mul-
tiple sizes and rolls are available.
Andrew Darlow is a photographer, author,and consultant based in the New York Cityarea. imagingbuffet.com
1. Brush the paper before printing. Allwatercolor papers are susceptible to lint-ing or dusting, which means that pieces oflint or dust can shed off the paper before,during, or after printing. To help reducethis potential problem, lightly brush thesurface of each sheet with an artist brush(aka dusting brush). Ive had success with apopular soft horsehair brush called theAlvin Draftsman Duster. Look for one withtufts that are about 2 to 3 inches long andwith a 7- to 12-inch-wide brushing area.
2. Adjust the platen gap (paper thick-ness adjustment). Many printers have asetting that allows you to raise the heightbetween the print head and the paper toaccommodate thick papers. It not onlyreduces the chance of head strikes, but italso helps optimize sharpness. On the3880, I used the top-loading feeder (themain paper feed), then selectedAdvanced Media Control and typed 5 inthe Paper Thickness box because thethickness of the paper is 22 mil. A Googlesearch for 22 mil in mm returned an
answer of .558 mm, which means that 5or 6 would both be fine to use.
3. Test multiple print resolutions. Eventhough a print driver may have a Superresolution option such as 5,760 dpi, itsbest to do a few tests of a small image atmultiple resolution settings because alower print resolution such as 1,440 willoften produce results indistinguishablefrom prints made at higher resolutionswhen viewed with the naked eye. You candownload a sample image for free atandrewdarlow.com/calib.html.
4. Try printing on the other side ofthe paper. Even though Epson ExhibitionWatercolor Paper Textured is not mar-keted as a two-sided paper, I found thatboth sides can reproduce imagesextremely well. When youre testing thenon-printable side of a paper, printonly on a small area initially, just in casethe ink runs (very possible with someglossy or semi-gloss papers). There area number of advantages to having apaper that can be printed on both sides,
including more surface area for printtesting as well as double-sided printingfor books, art cards, etc.
March 2014 Professional Photographer 47
This image shows the differences in paper tex-tures among Exhibition Watercolor Paper Tex-tured (Top), Epson Cold Press Natural (Middle),and Epson Hot Press Bright (Bottom). For scale,the height of the white margin of the top paper isslightly broader than a nickel.
The Advanced Media Control section of theEpson driver (Mac OSX, in this case) allows youto adjust a number of parameters. I set the paperthickness to 5 because I found it best to selectUltra Premium Presentation Paper Matte as themedia type, which is a thinner paper (there is noWatercolor Paper Textured media type). By set-ting this number properly based on paper thick-ness, sharpness will be optimized and head strikescan almost always be avoided (see Tip #2).
GET THE MOST FROM TEXTURED PAPER (AND SIMILAR FINE-ART PAPERS)
THE GOODS: ROUNDUP
Adorable infant embellishments
BY JOAN SHERWOOD
Take a look at some irresistible elements for
your newborn and baby settings. We found
all of them at Imaging USA 2014.
COM-FUR-TABLEThis soft, custom-made Faux Fur line was
named The Baby Whisperer by Custom
Photo Props clients. It comes in multiple
colors and sizes and is machine washable.
Its perfect for newborn photo shoots and
looks spectacular in layers. Priced by size
from $13.75 to $80. customphotoprops.com
HEY SAILORThis adorable Hudson anchor hat is just one
of the fabulous creative clothing designs at
The Blueberry Hill. Its hand knit in soft
navy 100 percent Icelandic acrylic yarn with
an embroidered white anchor. Sizes range
from extra-small for newborns to medium.
$28. theblueberryhill.com
GET SETThe Spring Harper Set from Intuition Back-
grounds is the perfect little scene for spring.
The versatile backdrop can be used for any
gender or age. The handmade stump is
crafted from aspen. Plus you get a flokati
rug, ivory wrap, and headband. Prices vary
with backdrop size, starting at $384.
www.intuitionbackgrounds.com
1
2
3
Spring sweetness BABY SET PIECES1
3
48 www.ppmag.com
2
Shannon Bower Photography
UrbanAlli Photography
Jennifer Nace
Profoto US | 220 Park Avenue, Florham Park NJ 07932 | PHONE (973) 822-1300, profoto.com/us
THE PROFOTO B1 WITH TTLWITHOUT CORDS The new Profoto B1 makes it easier than ever to use your ash off camera.
TTL achieves your light in an instant. With battery-power/without cords and up to 10 times more power than a Speedlight, the B1 goes wherever you go. Combining performance and the legendary Profoto light shaping system the B1 makes great light easy.
To learn more go to www.profoto.com/us
K
arol
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Henk
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When it comes to photographing rings on
the wedding day, I enjoy the opportunity to
be creative and make an image that stands
out. Lighting ring photographs with either
flash or hot lights gives them greater impact.
Yes, available light is quick and easy, but
images will be more dynamic with some
simple preparation and an understanding of
off-camera lighting techniques. Here are a
few gear, lighting, and background tips to
take your ring photographs to the next level.
1. Use a macro lens. While many lenses
are suitable for photographing rings, I pre-
fer a 100mm f/2.8 macro. It enables me to
get in close, capture fine detail in the stones
and settings, and fill more of the frame
with my subject, which creates visual impact.
2. Stop down. Its difficult to get a tack-
sharp macro image when handholding the
camera, and you increase the challenge when
you try to use a large, wide-open aperture in
an attempt to achieve a shallow depth-of-
field with selective focus. In practice, a tighter
aperture like f/5.6 or f/8 generally yields
better results. Proper exposure will require a
higher ISO settinggenerally 1600with a
slower shutter speed around 1/125 second. If
you use a lens with image stabilizing tech-
nology, you can stop down even further for
greater sharpness while still making crisp
images with a slow shutter speed.
3. Make it shine. Lets face it, every bride
loves showing off her new ring. To make sure
I capture the shine, I carry a small set of lighting
tools in my camera bag that I use specifically
for ring shots. This includes a small, variable-
powered LED light, two small flashlights, and
a 12-inch white/silver reflector. For nearly
every ring shot, I use a combination of these
tools to achieve the depth that makes rings
look more three-dimensional and stunning.
4. Light from the side, rear, top, or bottom.
To give ring photographs greater punch, avoid
lighting from the front. Instead, light rings
from the rear or side with one or multiple con-
stant lights. You can also aim light from over-
head or underneath if you have a glass surface.
When I position the main light behind the
rings, I typically use the small reflector to
provide a subtle amount of fill to open the
shadows slightly and make the rings sparkle.
5. Dark is OK. There is an axiom in pho-
tography that if you want to make an image
more interesting, dont light all of it. This
principle guides my ring photographs, and I
rarely try to create an evenly lit image. High
contrast between bright shiny metal and a
dark background can help focus attention
right where you want iton the gemstones.
6. Watch the background. In addition to
the lighting style, the background surface you
select for the ring photograph plays a signifi-
cant factor in the success of the shot. When
scouting out a location to place the rings,
look for dark, natural surfaces like wood or
granite. Glass always offers additional creative
lighting opportunities that can be dramatic.
7. Go low. For maximum impact, posi-
THE GOODS: TECHNIQUE
Make the bling sing by using the right lens, lighting, and skills
BY STEVEN JAMROZ, CPP
7 Tips: Rock the ring
Strong backlight from a window makes this wooden surface more interesting. I used books as gobos (offcamera right) to create the black streaks that add contrast and impact. I placed an LED light at cameraleft to fill in the shadows and create dimension.
All images Steven Jamroz
50 www.ppmag.com
tion the camera at a very low angle to the
rings. This will create a heroic look. A low
camera angle enhances the reflection of the
rings on a glass surface, adding interest to
the image. Bringing the camera directly over
the top of the rings can also create an inter-
esting perspective, so dont automatically
assume that the best angle will be straight on
from the front. Experiment and give yourself
several choices to ensure that you deliver the
best possible result to the client. n
Steven Jamroz, CPP, of Bluewave Photo is awedding and engagement photographer inRaleigh, N.C.
Reflective surfaces such as glass and granite offer opportunities for creative ring photos. To maximizethe reflection, shoot from a very low camera position and light from the sides instead of the front. Thiscan be done with flashlights, an LED, or a speedlight triggered with a radio device.
PROFOTO RFi SOFTBOXES. ITS MORE THAN A SOFTBOX. ITS A LIGHT SHAPING TOOL.Photography is all about light about controlling and shaping light. Therefore, a photographers tools should be designed to do just that. This is where Profotos RFi softboxes enter the picture.
RFi softboxes come in all sizes and shapes, and are compatible with all major ash brands. To ensure full control for the photographer, they have a deeper shape, a recessed front, double-layered diffusers and a highly reective silver interior. Optional accessories are available for even more precise light shaping.
In short, an RFi softbox is more than just a softbox
Ab Se
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Profoto US220 Park Avenue, Florham Park NJ 07932PHONE (973) 822-1300, profoto.com/us
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An essential component of DSLR filmmaking
is high-grade audio capture. In addition to a
quality microphone, you need a digital audio
recorder. One of the most popular recorders
among DSLR filmmakers is the Zoom H4N
because of its compact body, relative ease of
use, flexibility, and comparatively affordable
cost. Zoom recently released the H6, and its
a huge improvement over its predecessor.
SIX INPUTS. Whereas the H4N allowed
for up to four channels, the H6 delivers (you
guessed it) six. Zoom advertises it as the worlds
first six-track portable recorder. You get four
XLR/TRS inputs on the side and a stereo
mic input at the top. The X/Y mic that comes
with the unit adds a 1/8-inch stereo line-in
input to the mix. The TRS combo allows you to
use 1/4-inch connectors for line level input.
Each of the inputs comes with its own
gain control, which is a physical knob. This
is one improvement on the H6 that I really
love. The H4N has a digital gain control that
uses buttons, which requires that you push
the button of the mic you want to adjust and
then use the side gain control button to
increase or decrease the audio. The knobs
make life so much easier.
Its also worth pointing out that each of
the four H6 inputs comes with a -20db pad.
This allows you to reduce that audio level
significantly if youre plugged into a system
with a really loud signal, which can often be
the case at weddings and events where you
have no control over the signal coming from
the DJs mixing board.
MODULARITY. While the H4N had a
built-in X/Y mic, the H6 has a modular capsule
system that lets you switch the kinds of mics
you attach. Just press the two small buttons
on either side to attach or remove the mic.
The main unit comes with an XYH-6
X/Y capsule mic, which feels sturdier than
the H4Ns built-in X/Y mic, and a mid-side
(MS) capsule.
The X/Y capsule is a unidirectional mic that
gives you the ability to record a cardioid polar
pattern at either a 90-degree or 120-degree
angle. Essentially that means the mic is less
sensitive to audio coming from the sides;
instead, its focused on audio directly
in front of it at either of the two angles.
This mic is great when you want to cap-
ture audio from a group of people directly
in front of you. I used it on a shoot where I
was recording audio during a discussion
between people sitting in a circle. It pre-
dominantly recorded whomever I aimed it
at and the one or two people who were also
in the line of sight.
The MSH-6 MS capsule mic, on the other
hand, captures audio directly in front of and
to the sides of the mic. There are two mics
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
The new Zoom H6 brings a volume of desirable features and improvements
BY RON DAWSON
Clear gains inaudio captureZOOM H6 AND CAPSULE MICS
The X/Y capsule mic features two matched high-quality unidirectional microphones that can be set at 90or 120 degrees. This covers a wide area but captures the sound sources in the center with clarity and definition.
52 www.ppmag.com
built into the unit: one unidirectional mid
mic capturing the audio in front, and a side
mic. So when I used the MS mic in the circle
discussion setting, it picked up more ambient
sound from the other people in the circle.
For the purposes of this review, I also
tried the SGH-6 Shotgun capsule (sold sepa-
rately). I love this shotgun mic. I used it on
an in-studio shoot along with a separate
shotgun mic on a boom pole and windscreen
(the Sennheiser MKH 416) connected to
one of the four XLR inputs and the modular
H6 shotgun. Using the 1/4-20 hole on the
bottom of the H6, I attached the mic to a
small tripod I could set directly beneath the
people speaking. I was able to position the
H6 Shotgun in such a way that the audio
from that H6 mic was more clear and
recorded less ambient sound than the shot-
gun mic on the boom.
The H6 shotgun mic is best used when
you can hold it in your hand or place it on a
tripod, as I did. Youre not going to put it
on a boom. It would be a great mic for wed-
dings and bar mitzvahs.
But lets say youre recording a small
band and you need more XLR connections.
Theres also an optional XLR/TRS capsule
for two additional XLR connections. Like
the other capsules, it too has the gain control
knobs and the -20b pad.
PROFOTO UMBRELLAS 12 MODELS. 2 SHAPES. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.Available in 12 unique models and made with high-quality fabrics and surface-treated metallic elements, Profoto Umbrellas will provide a superior light for years to come.
Available in a deeper shape for photo-graphers who want a broader range of possibilities, and in shallower shape for those who value portability and ease-to-use.
For further information go to www.profoto.com/us/umbrellas
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Profoto US220 Park Avenue, Florham Park NJ 07932PHONE (973) 822-1300, profoto.com/us
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Though it looks like a single mic, the mid-side (MS) capsule mic contains two elements: one unidirec-tional mic and one bi-directional. Because the bi-directional element is separate, you can adjust thewidth of the stereo image after it has been recorded, giving you variable room sound.
The Shotgun capsule mic, sold separately, givesyou a hyper-directional microphone, useful whenyou cannot position a microphone directly infront of your sound source.
POWER. If youve used the H4N, youre
going to love how the H6 handles power,
especially the improvement in how long it
takes to power on. One of the most frustrat-
ing aspects of the H4N is how long it takes
to power on completely. Ive never timed it,
but I would conservatively guess it takes 15
to 20 seconds, which seems like forever
when time is of the essence. The H6 powers
on in roughly 4 seconds.
The H6 does take four AA batteries com-
pared to the H4Ns two, but you can get up
to 20 hours of recording time. I found it odd
that the H6 does not come with an AC
adapter while the H4N did, but it can be
purchased separately with the accessory
pack. Given the battery life of the H6, you
may never need an adapter, but be prepared.
If your batteries die or you lose power in the
middle of a recording, you lose that audio
file. So if youre not using an AC adapter,
make sure you have plenty of battery power
left before recording a long presentation.
Last, if you connect mics that require power,
you can supply +12, +24 or +48v of phan-
tom power to selected inputs on all of them.
RECORDING. Heres another H6 fea-
ture that H4N users will love. When you hit
record, it starts recording. On the H4N,
when you hit record, it goes into standby
mode. You have to hit record again to start
recording. But because you can hear the
audio in standby mode, its easy to forget to
hit it again to start recording. I know many
a videographer (myself included) who has
missed recording audio because he or she
forgot to hit record that second time.
Both units can record to SD cards, and the
Zoom H6 can also record to the newer SDHC
or SDXC cards. Another odd aspect of the H6
is that it ships with a micro-SD card and SD
adapter. My guess is that this was done so
you could use the H6 interchangeably with
the companys H1, a smaller two-channel
mini-recorder that takes only microSD cards.
DISPLAY. The H6 has a full-color LCD
display that can be read in low light and
even dark environments. During playback,
the light above the respective track displays
green. When recording, the respective track
lights show red, making it easy to monitor.
USB CONNECTION. The H6 has a
USB output, allowing you to offload clips
directly from the unit to a computer. The
last menu is the USB menu. Select SD Card
Reader, then plug it into your computer. It
will mount as if you were attaching a card
reader. Make sure you eject the device before
you exit the SD card reader mode.
Using the USB connection, you can also
use the H6 to record directly to your computer.
In the USB menu, select Audio Interface
instead of SD Card Reader. Then select
PC/Mac, as opposed to PC/Mac using bat-
tery power. This will conserve your batteries
by powering the unit with the computer.
When I tested this feature using WireTap
Studio and Skype, it was recognized as one
of the microphone options.
54 www.ppmag.com
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
The H6 with X/Y capsule mounted and (left to right) the XLR/TRS, MS, and Shotgun capsules
Skype preferences window
Once youve connected the H6, be sure to
hit the button of the mic youre using (the
L/R button if youre using one of the cap-
sules or one of the four buttons if youre
using another attached mic).
FILE STRUCTURE. The last thing I
want to address is the file structure. This is
one aspect of the H6 I did not like.
Like the H4N, you can select one of 10
different folders to which you record your files.
On the H4N, each folder on the card contains
only the audio files. On the H6, however,
each audio file itself has a separate folder.
Within each of those folders is both the
audio file and a corresponding metadata file.
I dont know why they did this. When the
files are copied to your computer, you now
have to navigate through all those subfolders.
This can be a pain if you want to batch rename
the files or if youre in an editing program
and want to import the audio files. Its an
annoying feature of the H6. Im hoping they
get rid of it in a future firmware upgrade.
SO MUCH MORE. As was the case
when I reviewed the Zoom H4N a few years
ago (http://ppm.ag/r), there are far more
features than I can discuss here. For instance,
you can record in all the popular audio for-
mats (44.1k to 48k, 16-bit to 24-bit, mp3 or
WAV); you can also add compressors or lim-
iters while recording (to cut out a low-level
noise such as a refrigerator, for example).
What I love most about the H6 is the
fidelity and clarity of the sound (particularly
when I got a feed from a sound board), the
new display, the gain control knobs, and the
modularity. The shotgun mic is a strong rec-
ommendation if youre doing any kind of
event or electronic news gathering work.
The retail price is $399 (the H4N is
$299), and its well worth the investment.
Search for other Zoom H6 reviews and youll
find a plethora of filmmakers as ecstatic over
this recorder as I am.
Ron Dawson is producer and creative director at Dare Dreamer Media, daredreamer.net.
My one disappointment with the H6 is its file structure. The recorder pairs each audio file into its own folderalong with a metadata file within one of up to 10 parent folders. As you can see, these are all in Folder 02.
SHAPE SUNLIGHT WITH PROFOTOSCOLLAPSIBLE REFLECTORSThe latest addition to our assortment of Light Shaping Tools is a powerful and cordless continuous light source the sun.
Shape its light with one of ten collapsible reectors, each equipped with two ergonomically shaped handles, to make them easy to hold and fold. Available in two sizes and six surfaces for any lighting challenge.
For more information go to www.profoto.com/us
F
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Mar
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Profoto US220 Park Avenue, Florham Park NJ 07932PHONE (973) 822-1300, profoto.com/us
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ff
Keeping it realLinda Hawkins finds a groove
in creative engagement sessions
BY JEFF KENT
All images Linda Hawkins
ngagement photography
has changed dramatically.
Once a basic add-on used for
announcements, engagement
portraits have evolved into
a significant part of the wedding experience.
In some cases, they take on a life of their own.
Linda Hawkins initiation into profes-
sional photography came at a time when
these changes were starting to take place.
About 10 years ago, her longtime photogra-
phy hobby became something more. People
started to notice her work and asked her to
make portraits or photograph their wed-
dings. As she picked up more jobs,
Hawkins got serious about photography.
She went back to school at the Rhode
Island School of Design to study photogra-
phy and hone her skills. Within a couple
years, she was ready to launch a photo stu-
dio in Greenville, R.I., though she would
keep her day job for several more years to
ease the financial transition.
With a focus on wedding photography,
E
engagement sessions were a natural adjunct.
Since that type of work was evolving at the
same time Hawkins was initiating her busi-
ness, she needed to evolve as well, keeping
pace with the demands of her clients and the
most recent trends in the field. The end
result, a decade later, is an approach that
treats the engagement sitting as a distinct
production, a full session that is related to
the wedding but often quite different in
theme and style. It is an opportunity to cre-
ate unique images without the pressures of
the wedding day bearing down on everyone.
It affords a chance to have fun, to craft
something that is as creative and
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