professional photographer 2008 01
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JANUARY 2008 | WWW.PPMAG.COM | $4.95
Faithful color. Incredible latitude. An effortless workflow. Even the photographers will be throwing bouquets.
In a digital age, is it possible to have a renaissance in film? After using Fujicolor Pro 400H for the shot above, Jose Villa emphatically says, yes. “I love the soft tones that this film provides. Even though the lighting is flat in this image, Pro 400H allowed me to capture smooth, soft gradations from highlight to shadow and keep the skin tones natural as well." What’s more, since Fujicolor Pro 400H is designed for ultimate compatibility in today's digital workflow, it offers ease of use after the shoot. For a wedding photographer as busy as Jose, that’s a proposal that’s difficult to resist.
Jose Villa
©2007 FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc.
©2007 Jose Villa Fujifilm Pro 400H 220 Format
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | JANUARY 2008
CONTENTSSENSE & SENSIBILITYFor Kevin Kubota success came bylistening to both head and heart
by Jeff Kent
OUT ON THE TABLE John Harrington shares everything he haslearned about business—and leaves nothing out
by Jeff Kent
A MASTER’S MASTER PPA’s 2008 Lifetime AchievementAward honors Frank E. Cricchio
by Don Dickson
POOLS OF LIGHT Howard Schatz and his remarkable life aquatic
by Stephanie Boozer
WEDDINGS: RISING STARS
JB & DeEtte Sallee soar into the wedding photography stratosphere
by Jeff Kent
PORTRAITS: ONE STEP AHEAD
Frank Donnino changes with the times
by Jeff Kent
WEDDINGS: FRONT PAGE NEWS
Cliff Mautner is hot on the trail of blushing brides
by Stephanie Boozer
NATURE: CHILLING EFFECT
James Balog documents the accelerating glacial pace
by Jeff Kent
WEDDINGS: BUILDING BACK
In post-Katrina New Orleans, John-Michael Hannanbuilds anew
by Lorna Gentry
IMAGE BY HOWARD SCHATZ
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Features
DepartmentsCONTACT SHEET
18 PIX Digital Imaging Contest
22 PPA & SEP sweepstakes winner
27 Candid camera
29 New photo books
32 What makes a photographyWeb site great?
PROFIT CENTER
37 What I think: Frank Cricchio
38 The joy of marketing by Sarah Petty
42 Finding the boutique clientby Sara Frances
46 Raising the bar: Blake Discherby Jeff Kent
THE GOODS
51 What I like: Frank Donnino
52 Pro review: Olympus E-3by Joe Farace
58 Workflow: Freestyle shootingby David Jay
66 Print finishing: Grand finaleby Bryan Linden
70 Tutorial: Time-saving Lightroom presetsby Kevin Kubota
ON THE COVER: Taken in a pool customdesigned for underwater photography, in crystal clear water regulated for chemistry andtemperature, Howard Schatz's images mesmerizethe viewer with dancers' ethereal expression in a weightless world. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson loaned this fanciful dress for“Underwater Study 2615,” one of the images fromSchatz's newest book, “H2O.” Exposure: 1/125second at f/4.0, ISO 50.
6 • www.ppmag.com
14 FOLIO
156 CALENDAR
163 PPA TODAY
186 GOOD WORKSPROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | JANUARY 2008 | WWW.PPMAG.COM
During his tenure with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cliff Mautner learned
to judge the moment and find the light. He captures the essence of who the couple is,
allowing it to come out naturally, but rendered through his artistic interpretation.
©C
liff Maunter
CONTENTS
88
Mind. Body.
whcc-1stspread.indd 2 11/30/07 2:44:39 PM
Photography.A Picture-Perfect Relationship
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circulation consultant MOLLIE O’SHEA, [email protected]
editorial officesProfessional Photographer
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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 2035, Skokie, IL 60076Copyright 2008, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinator at Wrights’s Reprints; 1-877-652-5295.
Microfilm copies: University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly for $27 per year by PPAPublications 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. Opinions expressedby Professional Photographer or any of its authors do not necessarily reflect positions ofProfessional Photographers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, official journal of theProfessional Photographers of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professional photographicpublication in the Western Hemisphere (founded 1907 by Charles Abel, Hon.M.Photog.), incorporatingAbel’s Photographic Weekly, St. Louis & Canadian Photographer, The Commercial Photographer,The National Photographer, Professional Photographer, andProfessional Photographer Storytellers. Circulation audited andverified by BPA Worldwide
10 • www.ppmag.com
PROFESSIONAL
senior editorJOAN [email protected]
features editorLESLIE HUNT
editor-at-largeJEFF KENT
art director/production managerDEBBIE TODD
manager, publications andsales/strategic alliances
KARISA [email protected]
sales and marketing assistantCHERYL [email protected]
EDITORIAL
The masterEARNING THE ULTIMATE MERIT BADGE
We’re honored this month to feature in our pages the “master’s
master,” Frank E. Cricchio, M.Photog.Cr., Hon.M.Photog., CPP,
F-ASP, Hon.F-ASP, a member of the Cameracraftsmen of America.
Cricchio, a past president of Professional Photographers of America
(PPA) as well as the American Society of Photographers, took his
first image in 1944 with a Sparta box camera, and opened his first
studio of photography in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1958.
Cricchio also holds a record that many have tried, but so far
failed, to top. Through the PPA Merit and Degree Program, launched
in 1937, member photographers earn merits toward PPA degrees for
their professional achievements and their contributions to furthering
the photographic education of others. Merits are awarded when a
member takes PPA-sanctioned classes to advance his skills and
business acumen, creates images that become part of the PPA Loan
Collection, has images and/or articles published in Professional
Photographer magazine, and educates other photographers through
speaking and presenting seminars at PPA and affiliated events.
In 1998, Cricchio became the first person to earn more than
1,000 merits—1,192 of them to date—and he continues to make
tremendous contributions not only to the association, but the whole
of the photographic industry.
This year, the PPA Board of Directors confers the 2008 Lifetime
Achievement Award on Frank Cricchio, honoring a career of creative
image-making, his professionalism and tireless contribution to
educating and enriching fellow photographers. Turn to p. 132 for
our interview with Cricchio.
BIG TIME
Finally, a nod to this issue, our Imaging USA show special, and our
biggest magazine ever. We hope you enjoy it, and please pass it on
to anyone you know who’s just starting out in professional
photography. We hope it will serve as a useful introduction for the
photographers coming into our ever-growing industry. �
Cameron Bishopp,
Director of Publications
technical editorsANDREW RODNEY, ELLIS VENER
director of publicationsCAMERON BISHOPP
Professional Photographers of America229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200Atlanta, GA 30303-1608404-522-8600; 800-786-6277FAX: 404-614-6400www.ppa.com
2007-2008 PPA board
president*JACK REZNICKICr.Photog., [email protected]
president-elect*DENNIS CRAFT M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, [email protected]
vice-president/treasurer*RONALD NICHOLSM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
chairman of the board*MICHAEL GLEN TAYLORM.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog.,API, [email protected]
directorsRONNIE NORTON ABI, Qualified EuropeanPhotographer, Associate of the Irish [email protected]
LOUIS TONSMEIRE Cr.Photog., [email protected]
DON DICKSONM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
SANDY PUC’ M.Photog.Cr., CPP, [email protected]
RALPH ROMAGUERA, SR.M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, [email protected]
CAROL ANDREWSM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
SUSAN MICHALM.Photog.Cr., CPP, [email protected]
TIMOTHY WALDENM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
industry advisorMICHAEL [email protected]
legal counselHowe and Hutton, Chicago
PPA staffDAVID TRUST Chief Executive Officer [email protected]
SCOTT KURKIANChief Financial [email protected]
CAMERON BISHOPP Director of [email protected]
DANA GROVES Director of Marketing &[email protected]
SCOTT HERSHDirector of Sales & Strategic [email protected]
J. ALEXANDER HOPPERDirector of Membership,Copyright and [email protected]
WILDA OKEN Director of [email protected]
LENORE TAFFEL Director of Events/[email protected]
*Executive Committee of the Board
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©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photo ©2008 More Than An Image Photography.
Collages.net press printed books are made from the highest quality materials and provide the industry’s fi nest presentation. They are available in a wide variety of convenient sizes and creative color and border options, for any of your studio needs.
For more information, visit www.collages.net/books or contact Customer Service at (877) 638-7468 or [email protected].
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folio| Comprising images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sample ofaward-winning photography by PPA members. The Loan Collection is a select group of some 500photographs chosen annually by the PPA print judges from more than 5,000 entries.
STAN JONESWhile visiting Babcock State Park in West Virginia, Stan Jones, M.Photog., of S&NPhotography in Cave City, Ky., fulfilled a longtime wish to photograph this unique spot.Taking advantage of the early morning light, Jones exposed “Glade Creek Falls” for 4 secondsat f/16, ISO 100, with a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II digital SLR and 24-70mm Canon f/2.8 L EFlens with a circular polarizer. He used Adobe Photoshop to perform minor color correction.
©Stan Jones
TIM MATHIESENTim Mathiesen, M.Photog.Cr., A-ASP, F-ASP, ofPanoscenes.com in Laguna Niguel, Calif., couldn’tresist the urge to capture this breathtakingsunset over Moloki Island in Hawaii. Shootingwith a Fujifilm Panorama GX617 Professionalcamera and 105mm Fujinon SW f/8 lens with acenter filter, Mathiesen exposed Fujichrome Astia100F film for 1/15 second at f/16 to create “JustAnother Sunset in Paradise.” “Sunsets in Hawaiiare legendary,” says Mathiesen. “This one lookedlike nothing would happen, then turnedspectacular in just a few minutes.”
BOB HAWKINS“Anyone who knows my work knows I love
character studies,” says Bob Hawkins,M.Photog.MEI.Cr., CPP, of Bob Hawkins Studio inNewton, Iowa. “I like to get their story, where thejourney of life has taken them.” Using nothing buta Larson 4x6-foot silver reflector to bounce light
from a window, Hawkins captured “Etched byTime” with a Canon EOS-1Ds digital SLR and 70-
200mm Canon f/2.8 L USM EF lens. Heconverted the image to black and white in Adobe
Photoshop, adjusted the contrast and density, andapplied a weathered wood overlay to add texture.
©Bob Hawkins
©Tim Mathiesen
Three new cameras designed to inspire. Starting with the totally new EOS-1Ds Mark III. With a 21.1-megapixel full-frame
CMOS sensor, dual “DiG!C III” Image Processors, and a 3-inch LCD monitor, it’s far and away the most remarkable camera Canon has
ever created. The newly redesigned 10.1-megapixel EOS 40D lets photographers take the next leap
forward, with its DiG!C III Image Processor and 6.5 frames-per-second shooting. Along with the
exceptional EOS-1D Mark III with its blazingly fast 10.5 frames-per-second shooting and 10.1-megapixel
CMOS sensor, Canon makes the creative process easy, rewarding and, most important, inspiring.
©2007 Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon, EOS and DiG!C are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States. IMAGEANYWARE is a trademark of Canon. All rights reserved.
To get more inspired about the Canon EOS system, go to: www.usa.canon.com/dlc
Enter the “Why Do You Love Football” Photo Contest at www.usa.canon.com/nfl for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl XLII. Contest ends 12/2/07.
CONTACT SHEETWhat’s New, Events, Hot Products, Great Ideas, Etc.
18 • www.ppmag.com
©Greg Sims
Let’s get
digitalPIX Digital Imaging Contest Thirteen highlights 2007’s best
©Michel Tcherevkoff
Sponsored by Photo District News magazine,
the annual PIX Digital Imaging Contest recog-
nizes special achievement in digital photogra-
phy in several categories. Winning images are
determined not only by the technical profi-
ciency they reflect, but also by such universal
photographic principles as imagination, vision
and collaborative effort. The PIX contest is
an opportunity to acknowledge the digital
techs, CGI artists, retouchers and other
digital artists who labor behind the scenes.
The first place winners of PIX Digital
Imaging Contest Thirteen are, by category:
Advertising Campaign: Hasnain Dattu
and Stephen Cribben for their collaboration
on “We See What Most Don’t,” a campaign
for the Salvation Army.
Portraits/Celebs/Music: Michael O’Brien
for the “Tom Waits Series,” depicting the
musician in a variety of scenes for his new
album, “Orphans.”
Travel/Lifestyle: Tony Gale for “Night,”
nightscapes of public recreation spaces shot
on film then scanned for digital editing.
Fashion/Beauty: Michel Tcherevkoff for
“Shoe Fleur,” a collection of shoes and acces-
sories made entirely from botanical elements.
Personal Work: Jim McHugh for the
“Hotel Series,” a project inspired by the
preservation of Los Angeles buildings.
New Talent: Sean Teegarden for “True
Character,” a portrait series in which
Teegarden made the distinguishing
characteristics—what some would call
flaws—of his subjects vividly apparent.
The PIX contest judges were Brian Storm
of MediaStorm; Dave Lewis of Fallon
Worldwide; Marin Preske of Surface magazine;
Katrin Eismann, digital photography author
and instructor at the School of Visual Arts;
and Martin Bols of [zerone] Photo Retouching.
For more information on the awards, visitwww.pdngallery.com/contests/pixdigital/2007.
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 19
©Sean Teegarden
Opposite page, top and left: Greg Sims' "Lemonade Stand," was merited in the Advertising category.Michel Tcherevkoff's "Shoe Fleur," was First in Fashion/Beauty. Above: Sean Teegarden's "TrueCharacter" series was first in New Talent.
Roman Cooper from Saginaw, Mich., is the first
winner of the 2007 Graduate in the Driver’s
Seat Sweepstakes, sponsored by Professional
Photographers of America (PPA) and the
Society of Sport & Event Photographers (SEP).
Cooper entered the sweepstakes at Hicks
Studio of Saginaw, owned by Randall
Tucker, CPP. He chose to take home the cash
equivalent of a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.
Hicks Studio participated in the national
sweepstakes by joining the PPA/SEP Sweep-
stakes Marketing Cooperative member
program. Along with the Graduate in the
Driver’s Seat Sweepstakes, PPA and SEP
also sponsored two more give-aways, the
Family Destination: Disney Sweepstakes and
Escape to Paradise Cruise Sweepstakes. The
winners of both will be announced this month.
This exclusive new member-only benefit
enables photographers to participate in a
profit-building sweepstakes promotion with
high-value prizes that they couldn’t offer on
their own.
PPA and SEP members can still join the
2008 Sweepstakes Marketing co-op and
give their own clients the chance to win
fabulous prizes. Find out more at Imaging
USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8, or online
at www.ImageSweepstakes.com.
CONTACT SHEET
22 • www.ppmag.com
Sweepstakes winnerPPA and SEP members-only Sweepstakes Marketing Co-op pays off
22 • www.ppmag.com
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Nearly every aspect of the digital generation’s
lives is online, in photographs, and fair game
—even the typically private moment between
couples when marriage is proposed. Would-be
grooms are hiring professional photographers
to secretly photograph them on bended knee
popping the question to their unsuspecting girl-
friends, who also have no idea a lens is trained
on their priceless (and, hopefully, positive)
reaction. In a trend that’s picking up traction,
photographers are documenting couples’
lives from “Will you marry me?” to “I do.”
New York wedding photographer Terry
deRoy Gruber, who photographed the wedding
of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones,
is in the vanguard of pre-engagement photogra-
phy. Since 1999 Gruber has been all over
Manhattan covertly photographing proposals
from Central Park to rooftops and the Brooklyn
Bridge. “Public places are often best, but there
is always the chance that someone will walk in
front of the camera at ‘the moment’ and obscure
the view. We do the best we can, but when we’re
in a public spot we can’t control everything.”
It’s a bit easier to pull off paparazzi
photography in a restaurant, he says. For
outdoor proposals, Casey Fatchett, also a
New York wedding photographer,
recommends daylight or at least a well-lit
area. “I once had a client who took his
girlfriend to Columbus Circle to propose,” he
says. “I text messaged him to move her
closer to the fountain where the light was
better. As we messaged back and forth, he
told her he was he was messaging for work,
but afterward she said she was beginning to
wonder if there was another woman.”
Price depends on the arrangements, which
can range from a photographer simply dressed
as a tourist with a camera to elaborately con-
cocted pretexts. Terry Gruber has hired people
to pretend to pose with their dogs in Central
Park for a photographer who is actually
shooting over their shoulder to capture the
proposal-in-progress behind them. “It’s a bit
like a duck blind,” he says. For about an hour’s
time, Gruber charges $750 and up, and
Casey Fatchett’s prices begin at $295. Each
photographer books about a dozen a year.
Equipment depends on the job. Gruber
uses Rolleiflexes, 35mm film and digital
cameras with 200-400mm lenses, and
Widelux panoramic cameras “in order to
give a sense of setting,” he says. If Casey
Fatchett is trying to blend into a crowd, he
uses either a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens or a 28-
105mm f/2.8 lens on his digital camera.
One of Fatchett’s ruses is pretending to be a
street photographer at a predetermined loca-
tion. “It helps that I came to New York to be
an actor,” he says. “This type of photography
let’s you live out a spy fantasy, following people
around paparazzi-esque, shooting out windows
and taxis. It’s fun and it’s always different.”
To see more of Terry deRoy Gruber’s photogra-phy, visit www.gruberphotographers.com. Tosee more of Casey Fatchett’s photographyvisit www.fatchett.com.
Lorna Gentry is a freelance writer in Atlanta.
CONTACT SHEET
©Gruber Photographers
Candid cameraCapturing the moment she says, “Yes.” BY LORNA GENTRY
Photo by Casey Fatchett
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 27
162 supermonday.indd 1 12/5/07 1:05:00 PM
PagesA survey of photo books
Rob Gardiner, editor of the online PhotoBook
Guide (www.photobookguide.com), cites five
noteworthy books on photography rolling
off the presses this month.
“The Brown Sisters: Thirty-three Years,”
by Nicholas Nixon (The Museum of Modern
Art, $34.95). For each of the last 33 years
Nicholas Nixon has photographed a group por-
trait of his wife and her three sisters. This book
presents all 33 portraits, including eight taken
since the out-of-print 1999 edition. To witness
the progression of these portraits, through
marriages and pregnancies, is to encounter the
courage and dedication of family experience.
“Vinter,” by Lars Tunbjörk (Steidl/ Swedish
Books, $50). Lars Tunbjörk's latest fascinating
exploits find him traveling through the cold,
dark aura of a northern Scandinavian winter.
These bittersweet scenes will echo with
readers everywhere.
“This is War!: Robert Capa Photographs
1936–1945 (Steidl, $74). Robert Capa captured
photos of destruction and liberation that have
become icons of war. This book takes a detailed
look at many of those famous images, including
the “Falling Soldier” and D-Day invasion,
using historical documents to illustrate the
stories behind both Capa and his photographs.
“American Sports, 1970: Or How We
Spent the War in Vietnam,” by Tod Papageorge
(Aperture). This photo book by Tod Papageorge,
an enormously influential photographer and
teacher, captures the jingoism of America in
the 1970s through a wide-angle lens.
Crowds of spectators at sporting events form
eerie evidence of a nation embroiled in war.
“Magnum Magnum,” edited by Brigitte
Lardinois (Thames and Hudson, $225). Since
1947, Magnum Photos has chronicled the
major events and personalities that shape
our time. This massive tome of more than
400 photographs marks Magnum’s sixtieth
anniversary. True to its cooperative heart,
each Magnum photographer has featured
the work of another of its 69 members.
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 29
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CONTACT SHEET
A great Web site is one that gets you the
quality and quantity of work that you
want. In the current age of technology, a
high-quality portfolio Web site is essential
for a professional photographer because in
many cases, your Web site is also your
potential clients’ first impression of you
and your work.
The first and arguably most important
aspect of your site are the images—make
sure they load quickly and are displayed
large. Beyond your imagery, here are five
key components: unique and consistent
branding, easy to use navigation, updated
content, search engine optimization and
clear, easy to find contact information. All
of these contribute to ensuring your Web
site is working to market your business.
1. A distinct and consistent brand
identity. Your Web site is a primary means
to establish your brand and distinguish
yourself. Through the selection of your
images, use of color, typography, logos and
graphics, and even music, you have the
opportunity to create your own unique
brand. Consistent branding throughout
your site shows the attention to detail and
the level of professionalism you bring to
your business.
In the worlds of portrait and wedding
photography, your personality—and that
of your brand—may be as important as
your images to your potential client’s
decision. Customers often look for a brand
and images that they connect with on an
emotional level.
2. Intuitive navigation. Navigating your
site shouldn’t be a challenge. An intuitive
navigation scheme helps visitors explore
your site without experiencing frustration.
With a glance they should understand how
to navigate your site and access the content
What makes a photography Web site great?5 important content and design basics BY TRICIA GELLMAN HOLMES
Your Web site is often a client's firstimpression. You need a distinct brand identity,as John Sibiliski's site illustrates (left).
32 • www.ppmag.com
they want to see. Your choice of readable
fonts is also key to ease of navigation.
Ornate or highly stylized fonts should be
used very selectively. Clearly identified menu
items enable visitors to quickly find the
pages they are most interested in. Easy-to-
navigate portfolios make visitors want to
explore them fully. The right navigation
makes your Web site inviting and will
increase the amount of content potential
clients view.
3. Updated content. Keep it fresh. A Web
site that changes regularly provides an
incentive for visitors to come back again. A
site that is frequently refreshed tells
prospective clients that you are actively
working and also technically astute. And
having a Web site solution that allows for
easy updating without complicated
programming is key to keeping your Web
site current without taking away from your
time to shoot.
4. Image size and download speed. Your
Web site should showcase your work first
and foremost, not distract people from it.
Let your images take up most of the viewing
area so the rest of your Web site design isn’t
competing for attention. Faster download
speed helps visitors have a better experience
overall. Finding the right balance between
high quality and low file size is essential.
Too far in one direction and your photos
will appear slowly on a visitors’ screen, and
too far in the other gets you fast-loading
photos that don’t reflect the quality of
your work.
5. Clear contact information. A clear
contact page is one of the easiest ways to
increase business. Make sure that after
visitors have explored your Web site they
have an easy way to become your clients.
Have a page where visitors can find out
where you are located and access your
contact information, including your address,
phone number, and e-mail address. Make
the page clickable with hot links to your
e-mail or a request for more information, so
it’s easy for potential clients to get in touch
with you.
Features such as these add value to your
site and make it a resource for clients and
potential clients. A well-designed and easy-
to-use Web site will dramatically increase
the amount of business you generate while
giving you more time and energy to spend
on your work.
Tricia Gellman Holmes is vice president ofmarketing for liveBooks, a provider of cus-tomized portfolio Web sites and marketingsoftware for professional photographers.
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 33
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36 benefits.indd 1 12/5/07 1:08:01 PM
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 37
Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Business, Marketing and Sales Strategies
What I thinkFrank Cricchio prioritizedprofessionalism for 50 years
What advice would you give to someone who is just
beginning in the photography business? Know the
technical skills that enable you to give your client the
best product in the industry. Having technical skills
enables you to go further with your artistic vision.
What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever
taken? My biggest risk was embracing color
photography when we had only black and white.
Families wanted matching images of their
children, and black and white mixed with color
images was not acceptable.
What do you consider your big break—the turning
point? The introduction of color photography in
1958. Before color photography, the old masters
kept their quality processes secret and did not share
with others. When color photography was introduced,
everyone was on a level playing field. All of us had
to start from step one to learn color, from
processing to the art of using color in an image.
What’s the secret to running a successful photogra-
phy business? The secret to any personal service
business is to care more about your customers’
needs than your profits. You must become involved
in your community. Your professional image should
be impeccable. You should always dress profes-
sionally and behave professionally. When the phone
rings, always answer it with a smile in your voice.
IMAGE BY FRANK CRICCHIO
WWW.FRANKCRICCHIO.COM
To be successful in business, you must do
things that give you visibility and build your
brand all year long. To be a leader in your
market requires doing even more, things
that knock the socks off clients and prospects.
Once a year, every business should throw an
event that creates massive buzz. Think of it
as a party to celebrate your clients.
The event must be exciting, enticing and
inspiring. People don’t want to come to your
business to hear a sales pitch, they want to
be stimulated. Now’s your opportunity to
wow them with your creativity.
One of the best reasons to host an event
is to bring in people during a slow time,
which often for photography studios is the
first quarter of the year. You can use an event
not only to create buzz, but also to book sessions
during typical lulls. When it comes to having
successful events, Vicki Taufer, M.Photog.,
CPP, and husband Jed Taufer, owners of
VGallery in Morton, Ill., are some of the
best. VGallery has had a Girls Night Out
event every winter for eight years. They
invite vendors who appeal to women or who
have a unique product to set up in their
studio during the event. They give each
attendee a gift bag stuffed full of goodies
from these companies—really great goodies
like product samples, not just coupons.
Known for putting on events worth going
to, the Taufers launched another successful
event, Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer.
Promoted solely with an e-mail blast, the
event was fully booked in 24 hours. The 30
to 40 animals they’d planned to photograph
grew to 120. The event’s sales were fantastic,
and as part of the promotion, raised enough
money to contribute 125 bags of pet food to
38 • www.ppmag.com
Successful studio events can generate buzz,heighten visibility and build brand for yourbusiness. Here are 12 tips for a great party.
Host with the most12 IDEAS FOR THROWING AN ANNUAL EVENT
SARAH PETTY, CPPTHE JOY OF MARKETINGTM
Vicki and Jed Taufer's Dog (and Cat) Days ofSummer event generated a fantastic response andgreat press for Vgallery and animal charities.
All photos ©
Vicki Taufer
animal charities. Three newspapers covered
the event, and one quoted Vicki Taufer: “We
have run specials for children over the years
and have never seen a response like this.
People love their children, but they must
really love their pets.” The event generated
both buzz and revenue, and positioned
VGallery in a segment of the market they
had not yet tapped, pet photography.
Hosting an event can be stressful when
you’re new at it. I hope these tips from my
own experience will help you create a
smashing success.
SELECT A THEME. Whether it’s a playful
tagline or an extravagant design, your event
needs consistency. Use the same theme and
design elements on the invitations, signage,
nametags, packaging, ads and anything else
you use to promote this event. This is one
time you can go crazy with fresh looks, but
the theme should be consistent with your
identity. Whatever the look, do not tamper
with your logo.
POLISH YOUR STUDIO like never before.
Repair any nicks and get rid of anything
unattractive or dated. Give the place a fresh
coat of paint. When I worked at an advertising
agency, a client company rebuilt the front
room displays in its hair salon and day spa
every six to eight weeks. Our clients knew it
would increase sales of add-on products
because it was timed with the visiting cycle of
the typical customer, so she’d see something
new every time she came, yet would still feel at
home there. Photographers should reenergize
A great goodie bag goes a long way in creating buzz.
Carbon Fiber + G-Lock Tripods Gitzo takes carbon fiber to the next level
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January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 39
their studio at least once a year, and having
an event with lots of “guests” is a great
motivator to do it.
TIE-IN WITH A CHARITABLE CAUSE.
We always find a way to generate funds for a
charity we believe in. For example, we can con-
tribute the event’s session fees to the charity
and say so in our promotions. Clients get both
a tangible product and emotional satisfaction.
It’s a wonderful feeling to help others and it
creates goodwill in the community.
INTRODUCE SOMETHING NEW. People
look to you as a leader in style and design. They
want to see what’s fabulous and new. Maybe
it’s a canvas gallery wrap framed with stirring
words, or a line of custom art books, or a
new metallic media or a unique frame. New
products plant seeds for future session sales.
PROVIDE A GUESTBOOK. Your database
is one of your most important assets. Make sure
you capture the names of everyone attending
your event and add the newcomers to your
database. You can also collect new names
and updates with register-to-win studio gift
certificates. You could have people register
to win a television set or other unrelated
prizes, but you gain an opportunity for
additional sales if the reward is a sitting.
OFFER BEVERAGES AND ENTICING
SNACKS. Pastries, hors d’oeuvres, soda and
even adult beverages for evening events can
stimulate conversations and make people
comfortable in your setting. Make sure the
time of your event accommodates different
lifestyles. Stay-at-home moms are usually
40 • www.ppmag.com
THE JOY OF MARKETINGTM
If you’ve recently changed the name or
logo of your business, an event is an
opportunity to keep people attached to
your brand. When you make major
changes to your business, people want to
know that they are positive changes.
If you just opened your first retail
studio space, have expanded or changed
location, everybody is curious to see your
new space. Make every detail perfect and
celebrate with everyone you know.
If you transition from proofs to projec-
tion, an event can help educate clients on
how it benefits them. Set up a projector
and show large images with music. It will
give you a chance to explain how you can
shoot more, how you can help them with
framing and in-home design and more.
Events bring traffic during slow times.
Planning an event allows you to be
proactive and boosts the cash flow.
Generating money for a favorite charity
not only feels good, but also makes people
feel good about you. It would be hard for
many of us to donate $2,500 to a charity
out of our own pocket, but if we can do it
through our business, how wonderful is that!
When you want to overcome objections,
an event can be the solution. Have you ever
heard, “We don’t want our home to be a
shrine to our kids.”? Because my clients
purchase large wall portraits, they sometimes
have concerns that they’ll run out of space.
I want them to come to my own home and
see how to decorate with artful portraits of
one’s family. Right before Christmas, I
hosted a holiday open house at my home.
Welcoming my best clients into my home
strengthened the bond between us.
If you are expanding your services,
an event can be a catalyst for growth.
For example, if you are starting to offer
senior photography, plan something
exciting to get seniors to come see
your cool space.
Even if you don’t have a specific
reason to stage an event, throw a fun
party and hang out with the people who
love your photography the most. Make
hosting an event a goal for your business
in the new year.
THERE’S ALWAYS A REASON TO HAVE A PARTY
Color scheme and design should be fresh andsuit the theme, but still consistent with yourstudio's brand and identity.
available until the kids get home from
school, and working parents like to come
right after work. Yes, 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. is
a long time, but heck, you’ve done all the
work, the more the merrier.
FREE GIFT FOR EVERYONE. I strongly
advise studios to invest in an impressive
promotional item. Coffee mugs and pens just
don’t cut it anymore. I have given offset-
printed custom calendars housed in CD
jewel cases. Twelve sheets of paper fit nicely;
turn over the calendar and there’s a second
year. Our art will be sitting in front of the
client for two years after the event. At the
Dog Days of Summer, VGallery gave visitors
gift bags donated by a local bakery holding
custom-made VGallery dog biscuits.
BE GENEROUS. We produce hundreds
more calendars than we’ll need for the event.
I give several copies to everyone whose child
was featured in it—we like to use some of
our best clients as models—and they delight
in passing them along to friends.
PROSPECT FOR NEW CLIENTS. Target
ads and announcements at select neighbor-
hoods, groups or organizations to stir up
new business.
CONSIDER CO-MARKETING. For example,
if you specialize in children’s photography,
you could photograph select clients of children’s
clothing shops in town and display them in
a unique way during your event. Build
goodwill with the store by inviting everyone
on the clothing store’s mailing list.
INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. It’s smart
to invite the people who care about you. It helps
fill your studio, which makes it seem more
exciting, and because they want to see you
succeed, they’re some of your best salespeople.
GENERATE PUBLICITY AND MAXIMIZE
EXPOSURE. Because you’re generating
money for chairty, your event is newsworthy.
Not only should you send a press release,
but on the day of the event, take the time to
make phone calls to the targeted reporters
at the newspaper and television stations.
One thing about events: there are no
guarantees, warns Vicki Taufer. “You can’t
control things like weather or other events
that might be taking place at the same time
as yours. Remember that events typically
grow each year, so don’t get frustrated if you
don’t have a huge turnout for your first. On
the other hand, we know photographers who’ve
had 400 people at their first event.” �
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 41
This is the first in a year-long
series about the boutique studio business
model. The series will appear in the Web
Exclusives section at www.ppmag.com.
Where can you find the clients for fine com-
missioned photography who won’t be
stricken with sticker shock? Demographic
information alone won’t help you. We’ve all
experienced the low-income wedding client
who pays cash for the most expensive package
and the Lexus-driving bride who values
status more than high-quality photography.
As for party consultants, an obvious referral
source, they often expect a sizable commis-
sion and listing fees as well.
A boutique cannot afford to work with
unprofitable, time-consuming clients. The
wrong client can even damage your business
reputation. Last year, to fill a post-Christmas
lull, I took on a bat mitzvah hosted by the owner
of a public relations firm. I saw the potential
for a valuable commercial relationship. The
budget was small, but the request for “nothing
special, just photos” looked easy and profitable.
But it took 60 days to close the deal, the retainer
check bounced, as did the final payment, and
a huge snowstorm almost doubled the time we
spent on the job. Group photos for 20 disinte-
grated into chaos, as some 50 people milled
around with pre-dinner drinks, getting in the
way and distracting the subjects. These were
not the clients for my studio. The boutique
photographer deals with relatively few clients
a year, so he has to recognize and turn down
the uncommitted client.
We recently had the privilege of photo-
graphing a couple at their country club wed-
ding. All the decision-making parties came
to the studio for the first consultation. They
judged the quality of our product based on
their appreciation of fine arts and our willing-
ness to brainstorm special ways to approach
their needs. It was unnecessary to educate them
PROFIT CENTER SARA FRANCES, M.PHOTOG.CR.
The boutique photographer, a franchise of one
Finding the boutique client
42 • www.ppmag.com
The clients we desire want to knowthe spirit of the people they workwith, so we post photos of ourselveson our Web site doing all kinds ofjobs. The boutique model is anappearance business, and everythingabout us is critical as a sales tool.
©Eddie Tapp
on the fine points that make our studio differ-
ent. They booked a $20,000 still and video
package on the spot. It’s been a joy to work
with them as the job progresses. It’s worth
the extra effort to find a handful of such clients!
One way to simplify your search for the right
client is to hire a professional coach or advisor,
who can help you formulate a step-by-step
playbook, a guide that defines the desired
client, helps you find her, leads you through
selling and contracts, and helps you close at
least seven out of 10 prospects. A proficient
coach is worth far more than the investment.
After more than three decades in business,
I didn’t think I needed a professional business
consultant, even though I wasn’t reaching
enough of the right boutique clients. Then I
met Rick Skurla. He was the right person to
analyze my business from the outside, help
me develop a consistent sales presentation
and a word-for-word script to close the sale.
After the first few meetings, I began to get
it. Within a structured guideline for building
a client relationship, there’s plenty of room to
be creative yet make high sales. It’s all about
trust. Recently four different clients voiced that
exact word; they trusted me to design photo-
graphs and albums for them, for more than
$15,000 each. With that I knew my invest-
ment in a professional coach had paid off.
There’s a subtle difference between a busi-
ness consultant, who helps to define a market,
suggest operation and sales strategies, and a
business coach, who focuses on the principals
of the company and their personal goals and
strategies. I’m using the term “coach” to signify
either one, but ask the professional you’re
interviewing which one he considers himself
to be. When choosing, consider these factors:
Profile you and your market. First, honestly
state who you are, what services and products
you offer and how you want to limit jobs and
services in the future, your goals in regard to
your age and experience, your family life, and
whether you’re a long-time pro like me, or an
eager newcomer. A startup boutique owner
might have an easier time self-profiling
because you can begin fresh. The demo-
graphics of your area have a lot to do with
the feasibility of your plan. Your coach
should make sure you’re in the right arena.
Profile your client. Your “franchise of one”
needs to know the buying habits of the desired
client, where she lives, her social pursuits, her
family involvement. Analyze your best clients
and note what they have in common. When
you know what led them to select you, you
have a treasure map to lucrative clients. The
more detailed the map, the better.
Attract and book prospects. For boutique
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 43
photographers, the right client is almost always
a referral from a planner, a friend, a past client,
or anyone in a position to trust you enough to
refer others to you. You must consistently ask
particular questions to ascertain that the
prospect wants the top-tier product you
provide, is in position to finalize the decision,
and has the funds allocated. You can’t afford
to invest time in prospects who don’t meet
all three criteria. Your coach should help you
script word-for-word qualifying questions
phrased accurately and sensitively.
Next, you get to show off your talent with
extravagant samples and offer creative ideas
for the prospect’s particular needs. Your play-
book should include anecdotes of how you
solved similar problems in the past. If your
prospect lives elsewhere and cannot meet in
person, your Web site becomes your credentials;
the site in itself isn’t a direct sales tool. Asking
for a commitment and closing the deal are
the last of the “offense” plays in your book.
Service after the sale. Score big when you
demonstrate your superior technique, unique
presentation and timely delivery. When you
like your clients and there are but a select few
of them, it’s easy to invent artistic new products,
keep in touch with progress reports on the
job and write thank-you notes. Never
discount the importance of careful, trans-
parent billing. I was amazed at clients’
positive response when presented with a
computerized, detailed invoice explaining
every charge and the inevitable add-ons that
come with any job. You will probably spend
serious time over a number of months to
complete each job. Your billing can make a
lasting impression and fulfill the meaningful
experience the boutique client desires.
Now why not take a client to lunch, and
measure your success with her answers to
your questions about how and why she
booked you, what she liked best, what could
have been done differently? You’re in a great
position to ask for referrals, because the
boutique photographer’s reward comes from
exceeding expectations. �
Sara Frances and her business partner andhusband, cinematographer Karl Arndt,own Photo Mirage in Denver, Colo.(www.photomirage.com).
For more info on Rick Skurla,professional business and sales coach ofSkurla and Associates, [email protected]. Downloada free copy of “The Business Owner’sPlaybook,” a publication of The Hartford,at www.thehartford.com/businessowner.
Sign up for a one-time consultation withProfessional Photographers of AmericaStudio Management Services, get info onupcoming business workshop atwww.ppa.com.
PROFIT CENTER
44 • www.ppmag.com
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For the last 18 years, Detroit photographer
Blake Discher pursued professional
development, reinvention and
specialization. Starting out as an Associated
Press stringer, he cut his teeth shooting
sports and spot assignments. As his career
matured, Discher got into P.R. and corpor-
ate photography. These days, he specializes
in people-centered images, shooting for
annual reports, brochures and editorial
features. He’s one of the biggest names in
corporate photography in Detroit.
Discher is a strong believer in open
information sharing. He enthusiastically
talks about his business to fellow profes-
sionals, going so far as to post a pricing
structure on his Web site. He wants
photographers everywhere to raise the
bar so that everyone profits. We asked
Discher to share some of the lessons he
learned in running a successful photog-
raphy business.
SPECIALIZE. Everyone wants a spe-
cialist. If you do all types of photography,
you’re a general practitioner. If you needed
an operation on your brain, you’d go to a
brain surgeon, not a general practitioner.
Being in Detroit, my clientele is in the
automotive industry. I’m a specialist in
that field. I talk their lingo. I know
their concerns. I have the relevant experi-
ence. That’s what clients like to hear.
It’s what differentiates me from the
competition.
DIFFERENTIATE. One of the keys in this
business is to stand out from the crowd.
You need to express why the client should
work with you and no other. If you can’t, it
becomes a price game, and you’ll lose. One
way to differentiate yourself is to be know-
ledgeable about your clients’ business, be
46 • www.ppmag.com
Blake Discher thinks new photographersshouldn't have to learn the business the hardway, like he did. He's happy to share what he'slearned about being a success.BY JEFF KENT
Raising the bar ©Blake Discher
7 VALUABLE LESSONS FROM BLAKE DISCHER
PROFIT CENTER
able to talk intelligently about it, ask
pertinent questions. It instills confidence
that you’ve put time into the project, and
that makes you valuable.
PERSONALIZE. A large part of this busi-
ness is people skills. If you call me from a
referral, the first thing I say is that I’d like
to collaborate with you. Then I ask how
creative we can get on the project. Can we
be a little different, or do we need to be
conservative? You need to really engage the
client. Try to determine why this person
called you. What did he see on your Web
site that he liked? What makes him think
you might be the right person for the job? I
also zero in on what makes this client click,
find out exactly what he’s looking for up
front. I give him some ownership of the
ideas we discuss. I create a partnership. If
you do this well, the client feels like you’re
on the same team—his team. You want to
build on the sense that you’re working
together toward a common goal.
VIRTUALIZE. Photographers need to pay
attention to Web marketing. The majority
have a Web site, but don’t take full advantage
of the Internet. Update your site often.
Add content. Make your site a dynamic
experience for the visitor. About 65 percent
of my new clients come from Internet.
The Internet is especially important for
emerging photographers without big
budgets. You can gain a real advantage with
search engine optimizations, new content,
updated material and other steps to keep
your site fresh and interesting.
BUDGET. Early in my conversation with a
prospective client, I ask, “Have you set a
budget for this project?” I say I won’t be the
cheapest photographer around. In fact, I
may be at the top end. But there’s a reason
for that. Never quote a price in the first
phone call. Instead, take down all the
specifics, ask plenty of questions, and then
tell the client you’ll call him back. Then go
research the client’s business. Look at the
specifics of the job. When you call back with
the price, you can drop in some talk about
his company, show you know what you’re
doing when it comes to this job. Get him
talking and engage him.
In pricing, as bad as it is to come in too
high, it’s equally bad to come in too low. I’m
convinced that photographers who under-
charge do so because, for the most part, they
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don’t know how much they could charge.
Take the time to not only research the client
but to research what other people are
charging in your market.
MAXIMIZE. In today’s business climate,
the survivors will be those who, at the end of
the day, can say “I did everything I could to
market my business today.” Part of the
challenge for professional photographers
today is that the cost of entry is so low.
Clients can buy high-end cameras for
$1,500 and take pictures that are good
enough. As a professional, if you take
pictures that are only good enough, then
that $1,500 camera just replaced you.
REINVENT. It can be dangerous not to
reinvent yourself every four or five years.
Part of developing a style is looking at
images, adapting to new tastes, and staying
current. If you shoot long enough, you start
to repeat certain elements. I’ve noticed my
images have a lot of strong diagonal and
vertical lines. The images are structured.
The danger is that if I do it too much, it
becomes standard, boring.
The same goes for marketing. Examine
what you are doing and don’t let your look
get stale. Reinvent your marketing. I
know I need to be more aggressive in my
marketing. I’ve put my Web site out there,
and it’s worked for the last five years. But I
think that wave will start to settle down. It
can’t be just about a Web site anymore. I
need to get back to some traditional
methods of getting clients.
The way to make more money in this
business is to get better clients. Once you
have an established client, you’ll never be
able to raise your prices dramatically with
that client, so it’s important to keep getting
better clients. That’s the way to progress
in business. �
To see more from Blake Discher, check outwww.fireflystudios.com.
48 • www.ppmag.com
Blake Discher presents “Web Marketing” in thepre-convention program (January 3-5) at ImagingUSA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
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January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 51
Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Products, Technology and Services
What I likeFor Frank Donnino,toys are toys
What makes your workflow flow? I
have this dumb envelope system. We
move the client envelope and order
form from one area to another. It
works well. Plus, I get exercise!
What’s the best equipment investment
you’ve ever made? My new GPS. Oh,
you meant for photography? Hands
down, our iMacs. Great, stable system.
What hot new product are you going
out of your way to use? Those plastic
credit card type gift cards are getting
our phone to ring off the hook.
Has a piece of equipment ever changed
the way you approach your photography?
Yes. I love my 75-200mm Canon f/2.8
zoom lens. I photograph wide open
outdoors and love the look I get.
What’s the one piece of gear they’d have
to pry from your cold, dead fingers?
My iPhone, of course. Also, my Canon
5D with my zoom lens. Hey, toys are toys!
IMAGE BY FRANK DONNINO
WWW.FRANKTHEARTIST.COM
In 2003, Olympus introduced the E-1, a pro-
fessional digital SLR based on the four-thirds
system; Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma followed
suit (www.fourthirds.org). Olympus
launched the Olympus E-3, its flagship, in
Puerto Rico, which provided opportunities
to test the camera’s capabilities under real-
world pro shooter conditions. The E-2 got
knocked off the design board when
Olympus teamed with Panasonic for
production of the Live MOS sensor.
The E-3 includes live view and dust
reduction, along with fast autofocus, in-
camera image stabilization, and a 10-
megapixel image sensor, all housed in a
rugged dust and splash-proof magnesium
alloy body. The 17.3x13mm Live MOS
sensor yields a picture angle equivalent to a
2X focal length in 135mm format.
Olympus says the E-3 has the fastest AF
speed in the world. I couldn’t put a stopwatch
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
I made a series of photographs of Old San Juan’sChrist Chapel with the E-3 in Auto White Balancemode and got the kind of golden church photo-graphs so beloved of wedding photographers inthe days of film, but I wanted more. I shifted theE-3 into Live View mode so I could see color balanceoptions and how they affected the image in real time.I captured this image using the Tungsten white bal-ance preset that represented the chapel’s true colors.Exposure: 0.3 second, handheld at f/4.5, ISO1600, 7-14mm Zuiko Digital ED f/4.0 lens at 7mm.
All images ©Joe Farace
The recently released Olympus E-3 digital SLRincludes Live View, dust reduction, in-cameraimage stabilization and 10-megapixel image sensor.BY JOE FARACE
Four-thirds forOLYMPUS E-3the pro
on the AF, but with the camera’s 11-point,
biaxial cross type AF system, five frames-
per-second continuous shooting, and 1/8,000-
second top shutter speed, it was ready when
I was to capture a decisive moment.
The shutter has a life rating of 150,000
exposures, likely underrated, which should
meet the demands of professional photogra-
phers. Olympus also announced three new
Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lenses, including
the Zuiko ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 (24-120mm
equivalent), my go-to lens in Puerto Rico.
The E-3’s optical viewfinder provides a
100-percent view, and a 1.15X magnification
for precise composition. The only cameras
close to matching this big, beautiful view
have full-frame sensors. The 2.5-inch swivel
Live View LCD screen affords a 100-percent
view and 170-degree viewing angle. The
screen can be rotated freely so you can take
Hail Mary shots with the camera held
overhead, down low, or from unusual
angles.
Live View’s real advantage to pros is its
real-time monitoring of white balance and
exposure. When I was permitted to shoot
inside Old San Juan’s Christ Chapel, I could
confirm proper color balance through the
live view image. Being quiet was essential,
and the SWD lens focused quietly and
accurately. Wedding photographers will find
these features especially useful.
The E-3’s built-in dust reduction system
uses a supersonic wave filter to eliminate
specks in captures. It can even remove spots
that usually cannot be removed through
vibration or discharging with static electricity.
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 53
I used the 12-60mm lens along with the new EC-20 2X Teleconverter at Castillo de Serralles tophotograph these tiny—smaller than a dime—
flowers. While the 2X teleconverter does notdecrease the camera to subject distance, it doesdouble the image size, producing superb macro
results. Exposure: 1/200 second at f/11, ISO 100.
DIGITAL ZUIKOAlong with the E-3, Olympus announced three new Zuiko Digital ED lenses that use
Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) autofocus motors: the 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD, 50-
200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD, and a 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD that will probably be available at
PMA 2008. The lens’ two compact, high-powered Supersonic Wave Drives autofocus
at high speed using elliptical oscillations, while an optical encoder
detects and controls the lens drive position with direct rotation
detection. What this means to you is quiet, fast autofocus lenses
that accurately focus to 5 microns in 0.17 seconds.
The 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD covers a zoom range
equivalent to 24 to 120mm on a 35mm camera. It has special
optical glass elements to correct aberrations, while its digital
design ensures crisp edge-to-edge images even when shooting
wide-open. This lens boasts impressive close-up capability,
allowing you to shoot as close as 9.8 inches throughout the zoom
range. At Castillo de Serralles in Ponce, I was able to shoot the
12-60mm lens along with the new EC-20 2X Teleconverter and it
produced superb results in “normal” or macro shots. On the other end of the focal
length spectrum, I used the same combination to double the focal length of the 60mm
maximum focal length while photographing a model next to a waterfall in the El Yunque
rain forest. Both close-up and fashion images were tack-sharp.
The system really works. After three days
shooting on the beach and streets of San
Juan and Ponce, where I was constantly
changing lenses, my image files are squeaky
clean. The E-3’s sealed splash-proof, dust-
proof chassis proved itself during a rainstorm
in the El Yunque rainforest, even after I
slipped on a wet rock and bloodied my
elbow, proving it’s more rugged than I am.
The E-3 has a twin cross-type (biaxial),
11-point AF sensor that responds on both
vertical and horizontal axis. Unlike systems
that react at lower f-stops by boosting sensi-
tivity, the E-3’s sensor has a houndstooth
pattern phase detection layout with micro-
lamination technology for fast, real-world
performance. The 11 AF target points can be
chosen individually or dynamically in combina-
tion. If you know the general direction of
the moving subject, the AF area will be
determined by the anticipated motion—a
modern implementation of the pre-focusing
techniques used in the manual-focus days.
Mechanical focusing is available, and there’s
a custom function to let you choose the
direction of the focus (clockwise or counter-
clockwise) that you find more natural.
The camera is fast from start-up to first
capture, but exposure compensation and
some other button controls seem stiff; you
have to really poke them to make them work.
It’s easy to freeze sports action with the
E-3’s continuous frame rate of 5 frames per
second (fps) and shutter speed up to 1/8,000
second. You don’t have to worry about blur
caused by camera shake because the body’s
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
54 • www.ppmag.com
specs:Olympus E-3
IMAGE PROCESSOR: TruePic III
SENSOR: 4:3 aspect ratio, 17.3 x 13.0mm
Live MOS sensor
RESOLUTION: 10.1 effective megapixels
(3,648 x 2,736)
VIEWFINDER: 100% field of
view, 1.15 magnification
METERING: TTL open-aperture metering
system, digital ESP metering (49-point
multi pattern metering), centre weighted
average, spot (about 2% of viewfinder);
highlight/shadow bases are available
SHOOTING SPEED: 5 frames per
second up to 16 frames in RAW, up to
card capacity in large/normal JPEG mode
with SanDisk Extreme II or faster CF card
ISO: 100-3200
EXPOSURE SETTINGS: Program AE
(shiftable), aperture priority AE, shutter
priority AE, manual
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/8,000 second to
60 seconds (1/3, 1/2 or 1EV steps), bulb
WHITE BALANCE: Hybrid detection
system with high-speed Live MOS
sensor and dedicated external sensor, 7
settings, custom from 2000 K - 14,000
K, white balance compensation available
FOCUS MODES: Single AF (S-AF),
continuous AF (C-AF), manual (MF),
S-AF + MF, C-AF + MF
LENSES: Four-Thirds mount Zuiko
Digital lenses
FLASH: Built-in retractable flash, GN=13
(ISO 100.m); compatible external flash
FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-50, FL-36, FL-20,
STF-22, SR-11; X-synch at 1/250 second
or less, Super FP up to 1/8,000 second
STORAGE: CompactFlash, xD
PRICE: $1,699 (body only)
I was walking past these boats and wondered what the E-3 could do—handheld—in the moonlight. Evenhandholding the shot is remarkably sharp due to the E-3’s mechanical image stabilization. Exposure: 0.4second at f/3.5, ISO 2000, captured in Live View mode, 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 lens at 27mm.
Catch the creators of these images at booth #833 during IUSA! Sponsored by Miller’s, JB & DeEtte Sallee and Elizabeth & Trey Homanwill reveal their own successful tricks of the trade! www.millerslab.com
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built-in image stabilization compensates for
camera movement up to five stops. The stabi-
lizing Supersonic Wave Drive motors collect
information about movement from a gyro,
which detects and analyzes vibrations, and
moves the imaging sensor with a piezoelec-
tric element. I predict in-body image stabili-
zation will become standard in digital SLRs.
The camera’s TruePic III Image Processor
uses all of the pixel information in each image,
to yield accurate color, natural flesh tones,
and true blue skies. It also lowers noise in
images shot at high ISO—surprisingly low,
even at ISO 1600. Noise becomes noticeable
at ISO 2000 and higher, and if that bothers
you, better reach for noise-reduction software.
The synergy between the mechanical image
stabilization and TruePic III processing gave
me remarkably sharp and colorful captures
under pure moonlight at the Ponce Yacht &
Fishing Club, hand-holding the camera and
at a shutter speed of 0.4 second.
Image quality in both RAW and JPEG
modes was high, but is 10 megapixels enough?
For most studio, portrait and wedding pho-
tographers, yes. If you disagree, remember
not so long ago when you happily delivered
images made with 6-megapixel cameras. If
clients liked those image files, they’re going
to love the 3,648x2,736-pixel captures of the
E-3, especially captured in Olympus ORF
(RAW) format. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
and Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw already
support this format.
The E-3 accepts CompactFlash, including
the fast Lexar UDMA cards and not-so-fast
(they lack a built-in controller) xD Picture
Cards, which I’ve called “mostly useless”
because they’re non-standard and so tiny
they’re easy to lose. Olympus makes this
annoying little format more palatable by
letting you copy files from one memory card
to another with a single push of the added
button next to the pentaprism. If you want
to switch between capture card types, you
still have to dive into Olympus’
“kitchen–sink” menus, in which every
possible combination of customization is
listed. That will be intimidating for the new
Olympus shooter, but once you’ve
customized the E-3, changes and menu
dives will be fewer and simpler.
I tested the E-3 with the optional HLD-4
Power Battery Holder, which holds two
rechargeable BLM-1 lithium-ion batteries,
and had power enough to shoot all day. The
HLD-4 has a vertical grip and shutter release
with controls, including a programmable
function (Fn) button. If you prefer big
cameras, you’ll like it. If you need the
additional power, you might use the grip
despite its bulk. My wife, Mary, who has
small hands, found the HLD-4 grip
comfortable, although she didn’t like the
similar grip for the E-1. (Price: $199.99.)
The FL-50Rwireless flash accessory will
be useful for wedding and senior photogra-
phers to add snap to available-light photo-
graphs without the flat flash-on-camera
look. The flash syncs with either the camera’s
pop-up flash or another FL-50R in the hot
shoe. I used the pop-up flash to trigger two
FL-50Rs to photograph models on the streets
of Old San Juan and they always fired. (Price:
$499.99.) Olympus includes a Sto-Fen-like
bounce adapter that works quite well but
doesn’t seem as sturdy as the real thing.
The E-3 is a tough pro camera that’s
infinitely customizable to any specialty. A
clever combination of live view, mechanical
image stabilization, and dust reduction let
you deliver clean, publishable image files
with little or no tweaking. �
Joe Farace is the author of “Getting Startedin Digital Imaging” (Focal Press), availablewhere books are sold and at www.joefarace.com.
56 • www.ppmag.com
THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW
The E-3’s fast AF and nimble response enabled me to get off a series of shots of this guy coming up anarrow street in Old San Juan on a scooter. I didn’t have time to put the camera in Continuous mode; Iheard the scooter, turned around and just started snapping the shutter. All of the shots were sharp andwell exposed. Exposure: 1/640 second at f/4.0, ISO 200, 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 lens at the 12mm setting.
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Imagine you’re out celebrating with friends and
you want to remember this happy experience.
You hand off your point-and-shoot to a
stranger, he counts off 1-2-3, and nothing
happens. How long can you keep smiling for
the camera before you begin to feel
awkward, like your smile has become forced
and cheesy? About half a second!
We’ve all felt it and then hated the pictures
of ourselves, even if those photos weren’t badly
taken. We dislike seeing that frozen aspect of
ourselves and we feel awkward all over again.
Now put yourself in your clients’ shoes.
Imagine how they’d feel on their wedding
day if they had to keep smiling while the
photographer fiddled with the white balance
to ensure getting spot-on color, setting and
resetting the exposure, and readjusting the
THE GOODS
It’s a radical theory—trust your equipment,automate your post-capture workflow, andspend your energy on your clients.BY DAVID JAY
By using his Brilliant preset as the default Developpreset (applied to images as they're imported),David Jay has most of his photos looking exactlythe way he wants when he sees them for thefirst time in the Photoshop Lightroom Library.
FreestyleshootingBREAK FREE OF YOUR
TECHNICAL BAGGAGE
58 • www.ppmag.com
All im
ages ©D
avid Jay
DAVID JAY’SWEDDINGWORKFLOW
I believe the photographer’s workflow
should be streamlined to include only
the tasks we need to do every week.
Here’s how my workflow goes:
1. Download images using four Lexar
Professional CompactFlash readers—
I can download four CF cards in the
same amount of time as one.
2. Import images into the Lightroom
Library.
3. Watch as Lightroom makes unique
custom adjustments to each file with
my Default Develop preset. I use my
own Brilliant setting.
4. Correct with Find and Fix editing,
finding the files that need extra
adjusting and fixing them with presets
to make batch adjustments.
5. Pick the keepers by pressing the P
key (Flag as Pick).
6. Show only picked files.
7. Sort by date created, putting files
in chronological order.
8. Export full-resolution JPEGs in
the sRGB color space, naming them
00001_Filename.jpg,
00002_Filename.jpg,
00003_Filename.jpg
9. Organize into categories
(Preparation, Ceremony, Formals,
Reception, etc.)
10. Upload to Pictage and release
to client.
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rest of the technology. How would they like
seeing themselves like that in your images?
Our first job as wedding photographers
is to provide a positive emotional experience
to our clients even decades down the road.
Step one is to make absolutely certain we do
not cause them to feel awkward, posed or
stiff on their wedding day. The second step
is to preserve their joy in a way that invites
them to relive it ever after.
A recent article in Business Week pointed
out that businesspeople should avoid con-
fusing the business they’re in with how they
conduct business. Photographers might
confuse their business with being a lab or
selling prints and albums, when in reality,
that’s simply the way they’ve been
conducting their business. Successful
photographers realize that the intangible
element of the service they provide and the
environment they create on the wedding day
is a huge part of what they sell.
In the past year, some amazing tools have
become available, tools that can free us from
the technology of shooting and post-
processing so we can focus on engendering
that emotional experience. I call it “freestyle
shooting.” We can be free of the technical
baggage that’s weighed down photographers
for generations.
My freestyle shooting tools include a
Canon EOS-1D Mark III camera and its
Safety Shift feature, which allows me to set a
minimum shutter speed to prevent motion
blur, set the camera on AV mode with Auto
White Balance, then open up the aperture.
Then the camera can adjust the shutter
speed and the ISO for near-perfect exposure
and color every time. As an artist, I
sometimes struggle with near-perfect, so I
need a tool to make a few global
adjustments to nail it. The tool is Adobe
Photoshop Lightroom.
The day after the wedding, I import all
60 • www.ppmag.com
David Jay's Brilliant preset (above) applies a certain signature look to his images. In cases where thatpreset isn't quite right, or he wants another look, he has a full selection of alternate presets (below)that he can apply for certain lighting situations or to create different image styles, all with one click.
Four views of the Really Right Stuff flash-rotating flash bracket.
THE GOODS
colorvision.indd 1 11/30/07 1:44:07 PM
2,000 images to Lightroom, and then the
software makes a unique, custom adjustment
on every single file without my doing any-
thing further. I use my “Brilliant” preset, which
I’ve set as Lightroom’s Adobe Default Preset
(Develop > Set Default Settings). The magic
of the Adobe Default Preset is that it analyzes
each file and custom corrects for exposure,
brightness, contrast and other density
settings. It will brighten some files a bit and
darken others, all while I’m out having
lunch or serving a client.
Next, all I have to do is find-and-fix editing.
I skim through the images and delete the
ones where people were blinking, and fix the
ones that the computer didn’t do a super job
on. The computer has trouble with backlit
images, so I’ve created and saved another
preset to apply to them with one easy click.
Sometimes I want to adjust the color. I
like my pictures a bit warm, so I’ve made a
preset that allows me to select and warm-up
the cooler images with one click. Not long
ago we had to correct each file, but now we
can color-correct in batches by lighting
condition.
To create and save a preset in Lightroom,
go to the Develop tab, make the necessary
adjustments, select the AUTO settings, and
click the create-new-preset button (the +
icon at the top right corner of the Presets
panel). Preset saved, I can instantly preview
its effect on a selected image simply by
hovering over it.
I believe photographers get overwhelmed
by their workflow for one reason: They
spend too much time thinking about what
could be done to the image rather than what
should be done. Adobe Photoshop Light-
room helps you stay on track so you can
process 2,000 wedding photos in a couple
of hours.
These tools have freed my clients and me
to enjoy the wedding day.
You can find the presets that I use as well
as free videos demonstrating the power of
these presets at www.showitfast.com. �
Learn more about photographer andentrepreneur David Jay at www.davidjay.com.
62 • www.ppmag.com
THE GOODS
To preview apreset, you can
apply the presetand set the
Develop windowto a comparison
mode withduplicate or split
screens in avariety of
configurations.For a quicker
preview, moveyour cursor over a
preset name andthe Navigatorwindow at the
top left corner ofthe screen will
show a preview.
David Jay presents "Creating Freedom" in theWedding & Portrait track at Imaging USA inTampa, Fla., January 6-8.
Many photographers with excellent pigment
inkjet printers are uncompromising on print
quality, yet not when it comes to print finishing.
Perhaps they don’t know the available
options for protecting their prints.
Prints emerge from the printer dry to the
touch, but they’re not actually completely
dry. You may not get ink on your hands, but
it’s easy to permanently mar the print with the
oils on your hands, lint particles or scratches.
The best advice: Look but don’t touch for 24
hours if possible. When the print has cured
(dried completely) and the glycerol in the
inks has evaporated, it’s safe to handle and
you can add coatings to further protect it.
If you’re making several prints, do not stack
them until you place blank matte paper
between them to allow for proper glycerol
absorption. A telltale sign that the curing is
complete is the wavy appearance of the interleaf
papers, indicating that they have absorbed the
glycerol. Always let prints fully cure before
framing or otherwise finishing, because the
glycerol gas released can fog the print.
Manufacturers’ print longevity specifications
are typically based on the ideal conditions for
storage, mounting and display, not necessarily
your clients’ environments. Coating prints with
lacquer-based aerosol sprays is often recom-
mended by manufacturers to protect and ensure
print longevity. Sprays also eliminate gloss
differential on exceptionally high-gloss media.
I protect prints on resin-coated (RC) or
fine-art paper with Print Shield by Premier
Imaging Products. It works on any surface
without yellowing or influencing the natural
characteristics of the paper, increasing
display life by as much as 100 percent, and
making prints scuff- and water-resistant.
Print Shield is available in aerosol cans or by
the gallon for use with high-volume, low-
pressure (HVLP) spray guns.
There are also newer, more eco-friendly
products with different finish characteristics,
such as PremierArt Eco Print Shield. Water-
based rather than lacquer-based, they’re less
caustic. Available in gloss, satin and matte
finishes, they can give a matte surface a gloss
finish or a satin protective layer, and vice
versa. Eco Print Shield comes in quart bottles
or by the gallon, and can be rolled on or
sprayed on with an HVLP gun, and is com-
patible with canvas and fine-art or RC papers.
Eco products work well for gallery wraps
THE GOODS: PRINTS
You make flawless inkjet prints on top-qualitymedia, so go one step further to protect your work.BY BRYAN L INDEN
Grand finalePRINT FINISHING
66 • www.ppmag.com
FOR BEST RESULTSWhether you use an aerosol spray or an
HVLP spray gun, coating prints is quick
and easy. For consistent results, follow
these steps:
• Make sure prints and working
environment are free of dust and debris.
• Before spraying, mount prints
vertically so the spray doesn’t pool.
• Before finishing your print, spray an
empty area of the mounting surface from
a distance of 6 to 10 inches, so you can
see the diameter and pattern of the spray
and adjust as necessary.
• Spray at a consistent distance, using
a back-and-forth motion, overlapping
each pass by 50 percent.
Allow prints to dry 20 to 40 minutes,
depending on the requirements of the partic-
ular spray, then rotate the prints 90 degrees
and dry another 20 to 40 minutes.
©Premier Imaging Products
Albums | High-End Cards | Press Printed Books | Gallery Wraps | Professional Printing | Online Presentation
©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photos ©2008 Tracy Hicks Photography and TriCoast Photography.
Make 2008 the best year in your studio’s history. Close every client you meet by letting them touch and see studio samples
of your entire product line – albums, press printed books, gallery wraps, and high-end cards.
Check out Collages.net’s comprehensive product line at www.collages.net/products.
CODY AND MIKE ARE READY FOR 2008. ARE YOU?
Make Collages.net your business partner in 2008, and you’ll be ready.
CODY CLINTON AND MIKE FULTON | TRICOAST PHOTOGRAPHY | LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS
COLLAGES.NET CUSTOMERS SINCE 2005
collage-tricoast.indd 1 11/30/07 1:42:30 PM
because the water-based formula won’t
crack due to stretching and won’t become
brittle with time. Water-based formulas
protect prints from moisture, light, humidity,
atmospheric contaminants, scuffs and
fingerprints. The brand new embellishing
gel Eco Elegance can add impasto and
brush strokes to your prints.
Spraying prints is not difficult. It can be
done in a spray room or, if you wear a good
painter’s respirator (about $30 at hardware
stores), in well-ventilated areas. Ventilation
is critical; there are ventilation fans and
commercial spray booths available if you
don’t have a space with adequate air flow.
Hang plastic tarps to catch the overspray.
To prepare to spray, I mount my prints
vertically on a piece of black foam board. If
the print has a border that will be trimmed,
I mount it with clips, especially good with
prints made on roll paper, which curls. To
mount cut-sheet full-bleed prints, I use
loops of large strips of low-tack masking
tape on the back of the print.
Delicate, fine-art surfaces like velvet and
watercolor paper are easy to flake or scuff.
Always spray art surfaces and canvas prints
to protect them. It’s a good idea to spray
prints in albums as well. Many labs offer
this service, but doing it yourself is easy
enough with a little practice. �
Tips for using Eco Print Shield atwww.ecoprintshield.com.
Epson, HP and other manufacturersrecommend PremierArt Coatings for theirmedia (performance certified by WilhelmImaging Research). For specs and purchaseinfo on Premier Print Shield, Eco PrintShield and the HVLP spray gun, visitwww.premierimagingproducts.com.
Bryan Linden is a photographer and digitalimaging expert, who presents workshops ona variety of subjects (www.lindenphoto.net).Linden is the vice president of Marketingand Sales for Album DS album designsoftware (www.albumds.com).
68 • www.ppmag.com
Premier Imaging Products uses this photo to show how a print can benefit from spray coatings. Theimage was halved, then mirrored. The right half was sprayed with three light coats of PremierArt PrintShield. The image was cured for 24 hours before water testing. The image shows the effects of thefollowing water resistance tests: (top) three drops of water placed on the print for 45 seconds, thenwiped away with a sponge; (center) three passes with a moist sponge; and (bottom) three drops ofwater placed on the print for four minutes and then blotted with a paper towel.
THE GOODS: PRINTS
©Premier Imaging Products
PUREPROFESSIONAL
THE POWER IS INYOUR HANDSThe Nikon Digital Systemat Booth 1027
IMAGING USA January 6th-8th 2008
nikon-sponsorad.indd 1 11/30/07 2:28:20 PM
Editor’s note: Don’t miss Jeff Kent’s profile of Kevin Kubota on p. 112.
If you’re familiar with Photoshop actions, you know what a
valuable time-saver Adobe Photoshop Lightroom presets can be.
You can’t do everything you can do with an action, but presets are
still ultra-handy.
To create a preset in Lightroom, switch to Develop mode.
1. Adjust an image using any combination of settings from the
adjustment panels on the right (Figure 1).
2. On the Presets panel at the left, click the + button to create a
preset. You can select a folder first to save the preset into, or open
a new folder on the fly as you save the preset (Figure 2).
3. Check off only the settings that you used to create the
look, so you can combine the preset with presets with differ-
ent settings. Otherwise, when you apply a new preset that
contains the same adjustments, it will overwrite the previously
applied settings.
4. Apply the preset to another image by selecting the image
and clicking on the preset (Figure 3). You can preview the effect
by simply passing your mouse over the name of the preset. The
result appears in the navigator window. If you like it, simply click
the preset name to apply it to the image.
PRESETS POWER TIPS
Now let’s see how to put presets to use by creating a My Look
preset for import.
It’s a good idea to fine-tune settings to get a look you like,
then apply them automatically when you import images. It saves
time and gives you a starting point before doing any fine-tuning.
The following are settings we use for our basic look, which is
applied to all imported images by default; you can modify them
to your liking.
THE GOODS: TUTORIAL
Time-savingpresets
LIGHTROOM PRESETS MAKE YOUR LOOKPART OF YOUR AUTOMATED WORKFLOW
BY KEVIN KUBOTA, CR.PHOTOG.
70 • www.ppmag.com
All images ©Kevin Kubota
Figure 1
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
1. Add some Clarity, Vibrance,
and Saturation (Figure 4).
2. Set the tone curve to Linear to
have a predictable starting point for
future presets with a curve adjustment (Figure 5).
3. We love the look of a vignette on every image. If you do too, apply
it here. Remember, you can easily remove or adjust it later (Figure 6).
4. When you’ve finished modifying the settings, save the preset
as My Look, and click Check All to save all the settings. This gives
you a consistent starting point. We prefer to use Auto Tone as a
starting point, as it automatically sets the appropriate exposure,
recovery, fill light, black point, brightness, and contrast for each
image individually (Figure 7).
5. Use your My Look preset when you import images (Figure 8).
TURN ON AUTOSYNC MODE IN DEVELOP.
Here’s a secret trick. You can apply the same preset to multiple
images simultaneously in Develop mode by turning on the
AutoSync feature.
1. Switch to Develop and select two or more images.
2. Hold down the cmd/ctrl key. The Sync… button changes to
AutoSync (Figure 9). Click once on AutoSync
and it locks into AutoSync mode. Now, when
multiple images are selected, applying any
preset will affect every selected image at once,
helpful if you want to, for example, adjust the
color on several images at a time.
EXPORT AND SHARE
Once you’ve created all these cool presets, you’ll probably want to
reuse them on your other computers with Lightroom.
1. Select the preset in your list, right-click on it and hold to
bring up the contextual menu. Select Export… (Figure 10).
2. Save the preset to your desktop, copy it to the other computer,
and then use Import... on the other computer to bring it in. Easy!
There are many more great features that make Lightroom the
program of choice for a slick and sassy workflow. The more you
explore, the better it gets! �
Kevin Kubota of Bend, Ore., internationally recognized speaker andeducator, is the author of the popular “Digital PhotographyBootcamp.” The Lightroom tips printed here are from his latesttutorial DVD, “RAW Workflow for Lightroom,” available online atwww.kubotaimagetools.com.
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 71
Figure 6
Figure 5
Figure 7
Figure 10
Figure 9 Figure 8
Figure 4
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74 • www.ppmag.com
Sensing their Texas clients were looking askance at their young ages,the Sallees created a sophisticated and elegant studio environment forselling their high-quality wedding images. Sales soared.
Rising starsJB & DeEtte Sallee soar into the wedding photography stratosphere
hen they started dating in
college, JB and DeEtte Sallee
never anticipated opening a
studio of their own, much less
becoming near-overnight sensations
on the Dallas wedding photography
scene, or speaking in lecture halls packed
with eager pro photographers.
Yet four years after diving in head first,
the Sallees are among the brightest rising
stars in the pro-photo galaxy. They’re still a
bit baffled over how they got there.
Armed with a degree in photography, JB
started out as an assistant for Dallas wedding
photographer Fran Reisner. DeEtte, a psych
major with a photo minor, worked at David’s
Bridal. Toting a portfolio of images JB shot
while shadowing Reisner, the couple literally
went door-to-door calling on referred
prospects. Eager for experience, they said
yes to all manner of events, and soon had
nearly two-dozen weddings booked.
That first year, says JB, they weren’t yet
working with their ideal clients. “We were
just happy to be in business,” he says.
After struggling through the first year of
so-so wedding gigs, the Sallees began
asserting themselves about what they could
provide and showing their more innovative
work. The results were fantastic, almost
instantly bringing in higher-end wedding
bookings. They set up a home studio and
sought to attract sophisticated brides.
A couple of years later, the Sallees moved the
business into a storefront studio. They had
perceived that mothers of the bride looked
askance at paying a premium for such young
All images ©JB and DeEtte Sallee
WWEDDINGS By Jeff Kent
76 • www.ppmag.com
photographers—JB was 25, DeEtte just 22
when they began—who were working out of
their living room. In the stylish Las Colinas
area of Irving, Texas, they created an elegant
environment with a gallery, chandelier and
marble fireplace.
Within 18 months, bookings increased
dramatically and overall sales skyrocketed.
Bridal and engagement portrait sales
jumped by more than 500 percent. In Texas,
pre-wedding formal portraits are a big deal.
The Sallees’ elegant retail space was a
critical component in booking the full
package of portrait and wedding coverage.
Of course, fancy trappings only work when
the product is excellent. From the first, both
photographers focused on creating images
bursting with exuberance. The Sallees have
been able to invest in better equipment, and
their shooting techniques have naturally evolved.
They still create the kinds of images that speak
to them and to their clients, and that’s about
as far as they ponder the issue. “Clients have
always told us that what we do stands out
from other photographers,” says JB. “We
always listen to the client, especially when
she tells us she loves our style!”
In wedding photography, says JB,
“Personality is most important to the clients
we’re dealing with. We’re targeting people
our age, people like us, who go for an upbeat
personality. They want someone who will be
fun at the wedding, who will try different
things and give them something extra—
actually add something to the day.”
These days the Sallees’ youth is working
to their advantage. A few stuffy parents may
waver, but most brides and grooms fit squarely
into their peer group. They understand one
another and form immediate connections.
The rest follows naturally.
After only four years, the couple has
WEDDINGS
WEDDINGS
become nationally known for their award-
winning albums and progressive shooting
style. JB attributes those awards to their
focus on delighting their clients. “Everything
we enter in competitions was originally done
for clients. We don’t make things specifically
for competition. Judges like that.”
Indeed. After scoring a perfect 100 on an
album in their first year of regional competi-
tion, the Sallees have been receiving invitations
to speak at industry events, including Imaging
USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8. At their
first presentation, JB and DeEtte looked out
over a standing-room-only audience. Every
appearance has followed suit.
It’s no real secret, though. It’s the talent,
the personality and the stringent commit-
ment to the work. “We put a lot of hours
and money back into the business,” says JB.
“We’re constantly buying new equipment,
advertising in magazines, learning new
techniques, and thinking of ways to improve
our work. Honestly, when we started, we
never had any desire to compete. We just
want to get better and better and better. We
never want to stop learning, and that has
made an enormous difference.” �
To see more from the Sallees, visit www.salleephotography.com.
Be sure to attend JB and DeEtte Sallee'spresentation "Weddings: Sallee Style" at ImagingUSA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
78 • www.ppmag.com
80 • www.ppmag.com
Frank Donnino’s studio has faced a number of challenges the past fewyears, but regardless of the roadblocks in his path, Donnino continuesto adapt and improve his business—and increase his profits each year.
One step aheadBusiness success means changing with the times
hen we last checked in with
photographer Frank Donnino
of Boynton Beach, Fla., he was
reaping a windfall with his first-
year baby portrait plan. His gross
sales had ramped up by more than 500 percent
in five years, profit margins were higher, and
cash flow was healthy, thanks to the plan’s
3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month-old sessions.
Life has a way of challenging success. Since
then, January 2004, Donnino was forced out
of his studio by difficult landlords. He worked
through Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne while
operating a temporary studio in his living
room. Then he built a new studio, moved
his entire business, and asked his clients to
follow. They did. Business is still booming.
Part of Donnino’s enduring success owes
to the relationships he builds with clients,
and part to his commitment to continuously
upgrade the business. After 28 years, Donnino
knows how to ride the highs and lows, how
to adapt to circumstances, like the current
economic downturn in South Florida. “Right
now in South Florida, as in other parts of
the country, we’re going through a terrible
time with the mortgage situation,” says
Donnino. “People are losing money in real
estate and it’s hurting the overall economy.”
With everyone feeling the crunch, he
adopted a new direct mail sales piece, created
by a member of Donnino’s personal Master-
mind online forum. The piece includes a gift
card with an assigned cash value of $250,
equal to the price of one portrait session and
one 5x7 gallery print. Clients can apply the
WPORTRAITS By Jeff Kent
All images ©Frank Donnino
{ }6
1
3
4
2
65
1-08 albumsinc-ID.indd 1 11/30/07 1:36:12 PM
gift card toward a collection of images, a baby
plan or any of Donnino’s other packages. So
far, the response rate has been 11 percent.
When we spoke, Donnino’s schedule was
full for the next two months. “The cards
have been very successful,” says Donnino.
“Because of the perceived value of the cards,
people don’t simply throw them away. We
are getting more people in the door, which
gives us an opportunity to sell them
something. It’s a play off the old free sample
thing; get them in the door and then sell.”
Donnino embraces the growing trend in
the boutique studio experience. “It’s the biggest
change I’ve seen in the portrait industry in
recent years,” he says. “Women are our
target market. They are typically the ones
making the buying decisions on child and
family portraits, so it makes sense to create
an experience that caters to women. It can
be done on any budget. You just have to sit
down and think about it.”
Donnino hired a design consultant to
“boutique” his studio, including an
investment of about $6,000 in new paint,
furniture and finishings. He’s also using
marketing materials created by Sarah Petty,
CPP, herself a successful boutique studio
owner (and PP marketing columnist, see
p. 38), and updating and coordinating his
packaging. He’s planning a high-end mailer
to target upper-income families, and raising
prices to rev up sales averages on children’s
sessions from about $600 to $1,000 per. He
anticipates making more top-end package
sales ($3,000 to $4,000), and getting an
ample return on his boutique investment.
“You have to up the prices when you
undertake a project like this,” says Donnino.
“The specific pricing will depend on your
market and your clientele. You have to price
PORTRAITS
buckeye.indd 1 11/30/07 1:41:16 PM
where you feel comfortable, but you have to
know how to sell the big-ticket item. If it
looks expensive, it should be expensive.”
Such an upward shift in pricing needs to
be made in increments, says Donnino, if you
want to maintain your current client base
while courting higher-end buyers. “It doesn’t
have to happen overnight. As you gain more
high-end clients, you can control your
business volume by raising prices. You will
lose some clients who’ve been with you for
the longest time, and that hurts. But the
returns will ultimately make up for those
losses. You need to be careful not to push
away your base too quickly. You can’t drop
what’s making you money until the new
product line is entrenched,” says Donnino.
One way he’s eased the transition for estab-
lished clients is by offering year-long package
pricing. Donnino sells his four-part baby plan
on a monthly payment plan with certain photo-
graphic products available at different times
84 • www.ppmag.com
PORTRAITS
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of the year. Clients get the multiple sessions,
a choice of prints and photo products, and
the option to pay the charges monthly. It
makes expensive products affordable, says
Donnino. “The plan is something people are
used to, like paying off credit card balances
in installments. Sure, some people default,
but the benefits far outweigh the risks. The
system has improved our cash flow because
we have payments coming in every month,
even during slow times.”
As the economy fluctuates, Donnino
continues to adapt, increasing his business
each year regardless of the situation. He
gives tremendous credit to the mentors he’s
found in other PPA member photogra-
phers and his webmasters Shirley Lund
and Stephen Denas.
“One of the most important lessons
I’ve learned from these pros is to act like
every client who comes through the door
is the last client I’ll ever have,” says
Donnino. “Treat everyone right. Give
them the best product you can. If you
do that, you’ll always be busy. You’ll always
be successful.” �
To see more from Frank Donnino, visit himonline at www.frandtheartist.com.
86 • www.ppmag.com
PORTRAITS
Frank Donnino presents "Diapers to Dollars,Profit in Baby Photography," at Imaging USA2008 in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
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88 • www.ppmag.com
Cliff Mautner spent the first part of his photographic career shootingnews assignments for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ten years ago, he branched into wedding photography and he never looked back.
Front page newsCliff Mautner is hot on the trail of blushing brides
fter a 15-year career as a photojournalist
for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cliff
Mautner, of Cliff Mautner Photography
in Hagenfield, N.J., found himself in
a role he thought he’d never play,
that of wedding photographer.
“I used to joke about shooting weddings,”
laughs Mautner, who shot over 6,000 assign-
ments for the Philadelphia Inquirer in just
about any location you can name. “Back in
the day, wedding photography was a very
stodgy form of the craft.”
Turned off by formal poses and forced
smiles of brides and grooms, Mautner pre-
ferred the excitement and spontaneity of photo
assignments. No matter how terrible the light-
ing or location, Mautner had to nail the image.
“My job was to go and make really good
environmental portraits,” Mautner says of
his early assignments. “Eventually I got to
where I could assess a situation in about 30
seconds and compose the image in my head.
It took hundreds of these to get my feet
under me, but I did develop a skill set that
enabled me to see things quickly.”
Beginning at the paper as a stringer,
Mautner got the assignments no one else
wanted, like photographing six newsworthy
Philadelphians a week for the “Neighbors in
the News” column. He earned $25 per picture,
plus mileage, but this was exactly the training
he needed to develop his eye for light.
“The only natural gift I have is my ability
to see and utilize light,” says Mautner.
“Photographers don’t get to choose the time
of day, the couples, the weather, none of the
conditions we perform under. I learned to
AWEDDINGS By Stephanie Boozer
All images ©Cliff Mautner
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make bad light into good light to create a
texture, a dimension and a mood.”
As a full-time Inquirer photographer,
Mautner’s first big assignments were a) a
meeting of the German American Police
Association, and b) a gathering of breast-
feeding La Leche League mothers. “My
editor had a great sense of humor,” he
laughs. He moved on to cover everything
from presidential campaign stops to
spelunking to heart-wrenching images for
the charity Operation Smile, whose
volunteer doctors perform corrective
surgery on underprivileged children with
facial defects (www.operationsmile.org).
He considers that assignment, which took
him to Liberia, one of the most meaningful
in his career.
WEDDINGS
“Photographers don’tget to choose the timeof day, the couples, theweather, none of theconditions we performunder. I learned tomake bad light intogood light to create atexture, a dimensionand a mood.”
marathon.indd 1 11/30/07 1:55:07 PM
“My career at the Philadelphia Inquirer
enabled me to meet people and see places and
things that the average person wouldn’t see
in a lifetime,” he says. “The social awareness I
gained through some of the brightest minds in
journalism helped me become well-rounded.”
After much coaxing, Mautner agreed to
photograph a wedding and was surprised at
how much he enjoyed it. “The moments
were there to be made, and that’s what I do.
Capturing moments is at the root of it all,”
he says. Realizing he had an edge with his
photojournalist’s eye, Mautner started shoot-
92 • www.ppmag.com
WEDDINGS
full color.indd 1 11/30/07 1:45:34 PM
ing weddings for an area photographer, and
eventually he went solo.
“I don’t pawn myself off as a photojour-
nalistic-style photographer,” says Mautner. “I
think it’s a silly buzzword, except for those
that truly do beautiful wedding photojour-
nalism. If I had to describe my work, I’d say
it’s an artistic interpretation of the day, with
the best of some traditional aspects mixed
in. I try to capture the essence of who the
couple is and allow that to come through
naturally.”
Ten years into his second career,
Mautner’s covered about 600 weddings,
averaging 55 to 60 yearly. In February 2006,
he bought a 90-year-old church and con-
verted it into a dream studio. The 2,000-
square-foot space has 14-foot ceilings, the
original beech hardwood flooring, and lots
of old brick. It boasts a 13x15-foot bay
window that bathes the studio in beautiful
natural light. Mautner added a two-zone
lighting system on rails and state-of-the-art
sound and projection systems.
He was the first wedding photographer
to test the Nikon D3 digital SLR, and his blog
commentary generated an impressive response,
getting 250,000 page views the first week it
was posted. In addition to shooting, Mautner
devotes time to speaking and teaching for
Nikon, and helping fellow photographers’
lighting and style development.
“With all the teaching and speaking and
representing,” says Mautner, “I’m still a
photographer who shoots each and every
weekend. I love what I do. It’s not just what
I do for a living, it’s in me.”
Despite his initial reluctance, Mautner
says now he’s exactly where he wants to be.
His photojournalism experience was the
perfect training for wedding photography,
and his style and demeanor attract brides
from all over. Above all, he wants to
continue creating beautiful images. “After
all,” he says, “you’re only as good as your
last wedding. �
Visit Cliff Mautner online atwww.cmphotography.com.
94 • www.ppmag.com
Cliff Mautner presents “Standing Out From the Crowd”at Imaging USA 2008 in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
WEDDINGS
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lobal warming is the environ-
mental issue of our lifetime.
The skeptics have conceded, the naysayers
quieted. The earth is heating up, dramatic
changes coming.
For James Balog, scientist
turned professional pho-
tographer, it’s impossible to
ignore the problem. His career began in
geomorphology, the study of landforms and
the processes that shape them, but he
realized his future would hold endless
statistical analysis, computer modeling and
number crunching, and that he’d rather
experience nature than tabulate it.
Balog’s affinity for photography began
during the climbing trips he took in the
White Mountains of New Hampshire, while
he was studying at Boston College. He would
go on to scale peaks in the Alps, the Himalaya
and the Rockies, all the while building his
skills in nature photography. When he
abandoned his career in science, Balog
began taking magazine assignments to
shoot documentary photographs. He moved
on to large-scale book projects on such
topics as big-game hunting, endangered
species and the rapidly disappearing old-
growth forests of North America.
96 • www.ppmag.com
The Extreme Ice Survey team is capturing changes on a global scale."I want to help people understand the reality of the moment we're in,"says James Balog. "Photographers are like the antennae of civilization."
Chilling effectJames Balog documents the accelerating glacial pace
By Jeff KentNATURE
All images ©James Balog
G
Balog sees his career as a braided river, its
channels crossing and re-crossing like the waters
of the shifting flood plains of Alaska. The
constants have been the disparate influences
of science, nature, mountain climbing and
photography. When they converged,
everything made sense. “Looking back, my
career has been one big organic outgrowth of
all these elements coming together.”
Balog’s current pursuit is the Extreme Ice
Survey (EIS), a project that began with a
couple of assignments to photograph glaciers.
He’d been studying the effects of retreating
glaciers for several years, and thinking about
how to cover the topic photographically. The
New Yorker asked him to ship out to Iceland
to capture glacier images, and he jumped at
the chance. “It completely transformed my
conception of how to photograph climate
change,” says Balog.
“I suddenly realized how you could photo-
graph [so as] to animate these glaciers. The
key was the termini of the glaciers. … In Iceland,
you get these huge tongues of ice, with intricate
shapes, and you can really feel the depth of
the ice,” he says. “Looking at the glaciers from
the bottom turned the paradigm around for
me. I went from the typical approach of photo-
graphing glaciers in their upper sections,
where they are scenic and beautiful, to
shooting at the bottom, where they are
changing, moving, melting and disappearing.
To me, this was a revolutionary change of view.”
Balog realized that the best way to
document the glaciers’ fading story was
through time-lapse photography. Here,
things get difficult. Balog and a team of
other professionals, including researchers
and volunteers, set out to place 25 elaborate
camera setups in glacial regions of
Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, the U.S. Rocky
Mountains and the Alps. They would
capture one image per camera, per every
hour of daylight, over this vast territory.
“Nobody who’s not working with satellites
has ever been so ridiculous as trying to
capture something of this scope,” says Balog.
In setting up the cameras, Balog and his
team have flown, trekked, dog sledded and
climbed into some of the most remote, forbid-
ding environments on the planet. Powered by
solar panels, the camera contraptions weigh
more than 70 pounds and require meticulous
(continued on p. 102)
98 • www.ppmag.com
NATURE
Professional Photographer: From a
photographic perspective, what have you
learned from your experiences working on
the Extreme Ice Survey?
James Balog: I’ve come to appreciate the
camera like I never have before. Sure, we
all know that cameras are a great way to
preserve memories. But this project has
given me a new appreciation. When I pull
out a flash card from one of the cameras,
I think this landscape is gone. The only
place it’s preserved is on that flash card.
That’s an amazing thing. They will never
be the same—at least not in our lifetime.
That is not hyperbole, it’s truth. Looking
through the camera has forced me to under-
stand that truth. For two years, I just shot
ice in cool shapes. Not until this summer
did I finally understand what I was seeing.
One of the most wonderful things
about photography is that it makes you
stop, be there, look, look some more, see
the thing, and feel it. Looking at blocks
of ice would be the last experience you’d
think would evoke some sort of feeling.
But they have really come alive for me
through the forced concentration of the
photographic process.
How do you see this project, and your
images, within the broader context of the
movement to reverse climate change?
We’re going to play a substantial role in
helping people understand the reality of
global warming. So much of the global
warming story has been told through
computer models and when hurricanes
hit or in miniscule changes to the sea
level. But when you see the changes in
front of you in pictures, it’s alive. The
camera makes all the difference.
What is the potential of photography to
influence decisions about the future of
our planet?
I’ve believed for a long time that photogra-
phers are like the antennae of civilization.
We are an integral part of the sensing
mechanism of the human animal. We’re
out there feeling in the darkness, trying
to see what’s around us and reveal what
hasn’t been revealed before. Not all pho-
tographers work that way, but to me
that’s one of the central elements of
photography. I would like to think that
passionate, involved photographers
would be looking at the world and trying
their hardest to speak about the
important things that are going on today.
What would be your message to other pho-
tographers who want to make a difference?
There’s no easy path. You have to take
tremendous risks. You have to wake up
in the morning and say, “I’m going to do
what needs to be done.” There are so
many environmental projects out there
today and no one is doing them. There
could be at least five major projects on
coal. There are lots of stories about climate
change. These can be portfolio stories.
Even if you can’t find a client who is
willing to pay for it, sometimes you just
have to do it anyway. I have never been
able to describe in advance to prospective
clients why they should fund these
things. You just have to say I’m going to
shoot the picture and get on with it.
NATURE
100 • www.ppmag.com
PROJECT TALK WITH JASON BALOG
©Extreme Ice Survey
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102 • www.ppmag.com
(continued from p. 98)
setup. Inside protective Pelican hard cases,
Nikon D200 digital SLRs on Bogen tripod
heads are mounted to a configuration of
aluminum and steel anchors that are
secured by stainless steel aircraft cable guy
wires. Electronic timers trigger the shutters
every daylight hour, factoring in the
seasonal changes. The images are recorded
on flash cards that are retrieved at certain
intervals. The camera rigs must endure
extreme cold—temperatures below minus-
40 degrees Fahrenheit in some locations—
brutal winds up to 170mph, tremendous
snowfall and frequent avalanches. If every-
thing works, Balog will collect more than
300,000 images, to be presented in a variety
of media that will vividly illustrate the
constant and irreparable retreat of the ice.
The first rigs were placed in March
2006. For the mostpart, the complicated
engineering has held up, and Balog is
thrilled with the results. “The cams are
capturing incredible things,” he says. “You
could look at the landscapes day after day
and have a sense that something has
changed, but your brain doesn’t really hold
the memory. The time-lapse recordings
show the changes in vivid detail, in a way
that the human mind can’t preserve.”
Funded by philanthropic and research
organizations, the Extreme Ice Survey is
one-half documentary of the globe’s
disappearing ice, one-half public outreach.
Balog has planned television shows, media
coverage, traveling museum exhibitions and
a lecture series. “One of the biggest tragedies
of this generation will come when our
children look back and ask, ‘What were you
thinking?’” says Balog. “So with the EIS
pictures, I would like to create the forensic
evidence that will let them know that
somebody at least was paying attention. I
want to help people understand the reality
of the moment we’re in, not stick their heads
in the sand and say they didn’t know.” �
To see more from James Balog, visitwww.jamesbalog.com. Learn more about theExtreme Ice Survey atwww.extremeicesurvey.org.
NATURE
104 • www.ppmag.com
After Hurricane Katrina, nearly all of John-Michael Hannan’s contactsin the New Orleans wedding industry were gone. He consideredmoving, then thought again. This is the place where he belongs.
Building backIn post-Katrina New Orleans, John-Michael Hannan builds anew
t’s all about relationships for wedding and
portrait photographer John-Michael
Hannan of Metairie, La. In Hurricane
Katrina’s horrific wake, his house was
destroyed and his business ravaged.
Colleagues and friends beseeched the New
Orleans native to relocate to Texas, where the
photo industry hums with prosperity. Facing
the stark reality that nearly all his contacts
in the New Orleans wedding industry were
gone, Hannan considered moving, then
focused on his priorities: first, his family. He
chose to apply his boundless energy, fierce
determination and deep affection to rebuild
his house, his business and his community.
Two-and-a-half years after one of the
worst natural disasters to hit the nation,
Hannon’s business is picking up. It’s far
from normal, but then, these days in New
Orleans, normal is relative. Hannan has a
new house, with a 24x36-square-foot
camera room illuminated by a north-facing
7-foot window. Using the carpentry skills he
learned as a teenager, he rebuilt not only his
own house and studio, but the homes of
family and friends as well.
It was carpentry that got Hannan into
photography in the first place. In high
school, he’d help build a studio for a
wedding photographer. He peppered the
photographer with questions about the
equipment until he taught him lab work.
Before he was 18 years old, Hannan was
running the lab and shooting weddings.
Later, working in a professional photo lab
in New Orleans, Hannan realized he was at
least as good at photography as the professionals
IWEDDINGS By Lorna Gentry
All images ©John-Michael Hannan
whose film he was processing. He joined PPA
and gained enough confidence to open a
studio of his own, John-Michael Photography.
“I surrounded myself with mentors from
PPA,” he says. “I went to all the meetings and
attended the Texas School of Professional
Photography. They taught me everything,
from basic to advanced photography. Without
PPA I would have had to learn on my own
through books, and I can’t learn that way.”
The business grew through referrals and
relationship marketing, and getting to know
everyone in the wedding industry in New
Orleans, one of the most popular destina-
tion wedding locations in the country. For 15
years, Hannan averaged about 120 weddings
annually, shooting with two other photogra-
phers. Now he books about 40 weddings a
WEDDINGS
year, in part because of Katrina, but also
because it’s more manageable. “I scaled back
by steadily raising my prices.”
About 30 percent of his clients find Hannan
on the Web. “The phone does not ring a
fraction as much as it once did,” he says. “We
used to get 10 calls a day requesting bridal
consultations. Now it’s five to 10 a week.
Brides are doing their homework on the
Web now. Photographers all over the country
tell me they’re upset because they can’t get
brides in their doors. Last year I got 30
leads from two bridal shows I did, and was
lucky to get four of them in the door.”
Still honing his Internet skills, Hannan
admits his Web site could be stronger. But
he’s confident that solid photography trumps
Web wizardry in clinching contracts. “My
Web site guides brides to my online gallery.
I’m known for taking normal everyday
locations and situations and making them
extraordinary. Photographers with a couple
of years of experience tell me they think they
need to move to places like Hawaii, New
Orleans or big cities to get exceptional shots,
and that’s not true. They can do it in their
hometowns. It’s all technique. They need to
learn the skills to do it.”
Hannan teaches about a dozen wedding
and portrait photography classes a year at
PPA events and affiliated schools. He also
teaches photographers how to do what he
does best: build relationships. He has a knack
for holding onto bridal clients as their families
grow. After 27 years of wedding photography
in New Orleans, he’s now photographing his
clients’ children’s weddings, a new
generation of photo customers.
Hannan is a stickler for “old school” pho-
tography, basic techniques seemingly unknown
to the digital generation, he says. In Hannan’s
workshops, students don’t even open Photo-
shop on their laptops. “Today’s photogra-
phers shoot first and fix it later. But you
have to light, shoot and crop it properly
first,” Hannan instructs. “In my classes, we
meter properly and learn to do custom
white balance instead of relying on the
auto mode.” Photoshop is for fixing what
you can’t fix in-camera, like erasing under-
eye bags, he says. The difference in the
final prints is what separates the amateurs
from the professionals.
Hannan went digital five years ago.
After using medium-format Bronica
cameras for 20 years, he made the leap to
digital with the Canon EOS 5D and Canon
EOS-1D Mark II cameras. “Once I
understood that the same basic principles
applied it wasn’t hard. I was a precise
shooter with film, and it was second nature
108 • www.ppmag.com
WEDDINGS
graphicstudio.indd 1 11/30/07 1:51:58 PM
to me. It took a year before I was able to
achieve as good or better results with
digital. I got comfortable once I learned
how to make a one-step custom white
balance that gives me consistent results.”
Three Canon lenses—the 16-35mm
f/2.8L, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L, and EF 70-
200 f/4L—are indispensable, he says,
adding flatly, “I couldn’t live without them.”
As for lighting, Hannan uses Larson Soff
Boxes on Photogenic lights. And when he
does need Photoshop, he launches CS3 on
his Apple iMac with a 24-inch monitor.
When the New Orleans levee broke after
Katrina hit, Hannan’s home, located just a
mile away, took in 6 inches of water, destroying
much of the equipment in his studio. The
PPA Charities Katrina Relief Fund was a
lifesaver while he waited for woefully
inadequate insurance compensation.
Hannan is optimistic about the city,
although he knows it will take years for New
Orleans to be going strong. “I’m a firm
believer in not getting stuck in ruts. The
only difference between a rut and a grave are
the dimensions. Change is good.” �
See John-Michael Hannan’s gallery atwww.john-michaelphotography.com.
A freelance writer based in Atlanta, LornaGentry has covered the professionalphotography industry for 15 years.
110 • www.ppmag.com
John-Michael Hannan presents “Kick It Up aNotch,” a program in the Essentials track, atImaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
WEDDINGS
SENSE &SENSIBILITY
For Kevin Kubota,success came bylistening to bothhead and heart
BY JEFF KENT
All images ©Kevin Kubota
verything in my career has been guided by littleintuitive bursts. I just think, ‘This is going tobe the future,’ and I go for it.” So says Kevin Kubota, Cr.Photog., the well-
known wedding photographer, marketing expert, educator, and digital
imaging tools developer. He’s nearly ubiquitous at industry events, andis the U.S. rep for the popular AsukaBook
album company. You might assume Kubota’s
motivation is financial, but a closer look
reveals that he follows a path of inspiration.
Kubota entered professional photography
about 18 years ago. Living in Los Angeles at
the time, he shot actor and model portfolios
for about three years before moving into wed-
dings. The switch was instinctive, as so many
decisions would be over the years. Kubota
liked the photographer who shot his wedding,
so he asked if he could follow him on a job.
After that one gig, Kubota went solo,
developing his style as he went. He wasn’t
aware of PPA or any other trade organiza-
tions, and hadn’t taken any classes in wedding
photography. Without anyone to guide him,
Kubota created a style of his own. It caught
on. Kubota’s bookings increased and he
acquired more upscale clients.
About 11 years ago, again trusting his
instincts, Kubota moved to Bend, Ore. Going
from the showbiz capital of the world to a
town of 35,000 was an enormous transition.
Would he have a great enough client base
locally to support his business?
He concentrated on marketing and design-
ing a dynamic Web site. He built an online
image sales system with a shopping cart feature.
He promoted to clients’ wedding guests and
out-of-town visitors. Instead of shrinking in the
smaller environment, his business prospered.
Gaining recognition in the industry,
Kubota began teaching seminars, and Nikon
asked him to become a Nikon-sponsored
convention speaker. Students began asking
for further information, take-home lessons,
readymade tools. Kubota produced an
Adobe Photoshop training CD and began to
release a series of his own Photoshop actions.
Sold as Artistic Tools and Production Tools,
the actions are runaway best sellers.
These days, Kubota shoots about 15 to 20
weddings a year, and a few portrait sessions
and commercial jobs. The rest of the time
he’s on the lecture circuit or presenting his
products and AsukaBook at tradeshows.
The key, he says, is his ongoing love affair with
his work, deep respect for fellow professionals,
and the drive to continue to improve.
We caught up with Kubota to ask his
opinions on the creative and business sides
of professional photography today.
Professional Photographer: In today’s
market, how can photographers innovate in
ways that separate them from the masses?
Kevin Kubota: I think photographers tend
to find other photographers whose work
they admire, and then emulate their style. If
you want to have a unique style, you need to
step out of this model. It’s better to be inspired
by others than to emulate them.
116 • www.ppmag.com
When I give workshops, I discourage
people from standing over my shoulder and
copying what I’m doing. I encourage them
to push themselves to develop their own
styles. Look at the big picture of what the
instructor is saying. Look at concepts. Go
beyond writing down the f/stops and shutter
speeds the instructor uses.
How do you step out of your box and follow
your passion? Listen to your intuition when
you’re photographing. That has worked well
for me from day one. If an idea pops into my
head, I suggest it to the client. I don’t think
about it too much; I just try it. Your true
creativity comes from your intuitive side.
Once you find that unique style, how do
you market it?
I like to do an exercise in my classes called
key wording. Print seven images that best
represent what comes from your intuitive,
creative space. These are the kinds of images
you would always make if you could. Look
at them and come up with three key words,
then have others look at them and give you
three key words. See what the common
denominators are. People are often surprised
at what they learn. A light bulb goes off, and
they realize that they never thought of them-
selves in a certain way. Maybe that’s the
photographer they’ve really been all this time.
Use those key words in your marketing.
Everything you produce should support those
words, from the music you play during a session
to the studio décor to your marketing pieces.
Get those thoughts out there and then start
drawing the right kinds of clients to you.
What other ways can photographers accom-
plish that objective?
It takes a general honesty about who you
are as a photographer. Once you’ve
developed your business to a certain point,
you need to identify the clients that are
right for you. You need to be able to tell
‘‘’’
It takes a general honesty about whoyou are as a photographer. Once you’ve developed your business to acertain point, you need to identify the clients that are right for you.
people that maybe they’re not the right fit.
Have the guts to display the images that
support your key words, not just the images
you think will sell. The images you love
should be the images on your walls. If an
image is powerful to you, you shouldn’t
make excuses for it.
There’s a client out there for every
photographer and every type of style. The
challenge is convincing those clients that
you’re true to that style and a good match
for what they want.
What’s your prediction for the next major
issue pro photographers will face?
It’s going to come back to the core: customer
service. It’s going to come back to good
business practices. Good business and good
service will distinguish those who will be
successful and stay in the game. Photographers
who have gotten into this line of work for
the wrong reasons will fall off.
I believe we need to keep educating
ourselves on the creative side. How will we
push ourselves and expand our perspectives?
Overall, I think our focus will move increasingly
to the non-technical side of photography.
What keeps you inspired day in and day out?
Doing what I absolutely love and nothing
else. I love teaching. I love getting feedback
from photographers who say they used my
actions and they’re making better images
and more money. I love getting out there
and shooting. I love being able to give some-
body something valuable. I wish everyone
could derive the same kind of joy from their
work. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else
in the world. �
To see more from Kevin Kubota, visitwww.kkphoto-design.com orwww.kubotaimagetools.com.
Don't miss the presentation from Kevin Kubotaand Doug Gordon, "See It Happen, Make ItHappen: Two Approaches to WeddingPhotography," at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla.,January 6-8.
For more info on the premier conference andexpo, visit www.imagingusa.org.
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OUT ONTHE TABLE
John Harringtonshares everything
he has learnedabout business—
and leavesnothing out
BY JEFF KENT
All images ©John Harrington
When John Harrington started out in
freelance photography in the early 1990s, he
was lost in a sea of confusing business
issues. The Washington, D.C.-based
photographer had launched into editorial
shooting straight out of college, landing a
job as a staff photographer for The World
and I magazine. When the magazine went
through cost-cutting measures and
downgraded Harrington to part time, he
decided to start a freelance business doing
editorial and commercial images. But how?
The most disconcerting part of the mystery
was that no one would help him.
“There wasn’t a single photographer who
would talk about it,” says Harrington.
“Everyone told me I should figure it out on
my own. I decided that if I could figure it
“If you are not proud of your prices, and you don'tstand behind them, people will question them.”
out, I would tell every person who’d listen. I
would share with other photographers. I
would be as transparent as possible about
how I run my business.”
Harrington learned the business
through trial and error, and diligent study
in the school of hard knocks. He shared
what he learned. He talked openly about
pricing and licensing and hourly rates. At
first, photographers seemed to be taken
aback that he was divulging such prized
information, but he began to gain a
reputation as a business expert. Emerging
photographers would seek him out, and
before long, photographic organizations
asked him to give seminars.
Harrington’s business has expanded into
a full-service outfit offering everything from
editorial portraits to event coverage to wed-
ding photography. He continued to share
what he learned, and he wrote a book, “Best
Business Practices for Photographers”
(Thomson Course Technology, 2006). His
Web site features a pricing calculator so that
both clients and other photographers can
see his pricing structure.
Next he entered the blogosphere. Last
January, Harrington started to record his
observations on the Photo Business News &
Forum (photobusinessforum.blogspot.com).
Several times weekly, he posts comments,
videos and other info about finding success
in professional photography. By the end of
the year, the blog was getting about 40,000
page views per month and growing at a
10-percent clip.
The success of Photo Business prompted
Harrington to start a second blog, Assignment
Construct (www.assignmentconstruct.com),
backfilled with case studies of actual jobs.
He’s uploaded more than 100 of them so
far, including images, details on lighting,
pre-and post-production, and project
assessments.
(Continued on p. 130)
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John Harrington keeps the spiritof sharing alive with these lessons
1) Never underestimate the value you
bring to the project. Far too many people
negotiate themselves down. Don’t put
your price out there and then say, “If that’s
too high, let me know.” If you are not
proud of your prices, and you don’t stand
behind them, people will question them.
2) Never quote a price over the
phone. Verbal quotes sound negotiable.
If you tell someone that you’ll work up a
quote and send it on, the price seems
more legitimate. Get off the phone, think
about the job, and then prepare a real
estimate. Put the numbers in writing;
it says you put serious thought into
the project.
3) Recognize your strengths and
outsource the rest. You shouldn’t have
to learn all the legalese necessary to put
together a contract or the intricacies of
the tax system. Hire a lawyer to create a
basic contract that you can adapt, and
outsource your accounting as well. Focus
on making pictures, interacting with
clients and growing your business.
4) Don’t act like a know-it-all. Even
Tiger Woods gets coaching. Seek profes-
sional counsel when needed. If you don’t
know something, admit it and move forward.
5) Be professional in your commu-
nications. From e-mails to contracts to
thank-you notes to phone etiquette—
your clients’ first and lasting perception
of you is based almost exclusively on
how well you communicate.
6) Recognize the critical component
of family. It’s easy to put off domestic
relationships when making pictures is
what you love to do. Find the time to be
with your family and don’t let resentment
build. A successful business means
nothing if it destroys your home life.
6 CRUCIAL BUSINESS TIPS
“You shouldn't have to learnall the legalese necessaryto put together a contractor the intricacies of thetax system. … Focus onmaking pictures.”
128 • www.ppmag.com
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(Continued from p. 126)
“All of this has grown out of a desire to help
other photographers,” says Harrington. “I
enjoy doing the blogs, and I get a great deal
of feedback privately thanking me. That is
rewarding in itself. I am glad to know that
I’m helping.”
Even so, Harrington feels there are
many photographers in need of business
proficiency. “Many photographers don’t
take into consideration all the costs
associated with their business, and as a
result, are doomed to fail,” he says. “It’s not
just that they aren’t deducting enough
expenses on their taxes; they are basing
their rates on something that’s not a real
calculation. They are not factoring in such
costs as professional dues, insurance,
utilities, subscriptions and other things they
purchase to operate the studio. They don’t
charge enough, and they don’t save enough.
When tax time rolls around, they owe the
IRS more than they should, money that
they don’t have.”
Harrington is optimistic about the future
of professional photography, largely because
of the environment of sharing and collabora-
tion that exists today. “The Internet has pro-
vided a broadening of communication,” says
Harrington. “Plus, people are starting to
understand that for the long-term profitability
of the industry, it’s important to talk about
these issues. That bodes well for the future
of the profession. I only wish I had those
resources available when I started!” �
For more information on John Harrington, visithim online at www.johnharrington.com.
John Harrington presents ”The Business ofPhotography“ in a pre-convention program (Jan. 5)at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.
130 • www.ppmag.com
A master’s
All images ©Frank E. Cricchio
PPA’s 2008 LifetimeAchievementAward honors
Frank E. Cricchio
BY DON DICKSONmaster
At Imaging USA this month, Professional
Photographers of America presents The
Lifetime Achievement Award to Frank E.
Cricchio, M.Photog.Cr., Hon.M.Photog.,
CPP, F-ASP, Hon.F-ASP, a member of the
prestigious Cameracraftsmen of America
and recipient of the 2004 Leadership
Award, presented by the United Nations
Photographic Council.
Cricchio, a past president of PPA as well as
the American Society of Photographers, opened
his first studio of photography in Port Arthur,
Texas, in 1958 (www.frankcricchio.com). Since
then, the internationally lauded portrait artist
and author has garnered just about every award
and citation in professional photography. But
dearer to his heart is his reputation as a teacher,
mentor and friend to fellow photographers.
Cricchio has been a technical consultant
and instructor for Fujifilm USA for the last
10 years, and continues to conduct his own
seminars and workshops. Recently, Cricchio’s
long-time friend Don Dickson, M.Photog.Cr.,
CPP, of Don Dickson Photography in
Plainview, Texas; PPA Board Member and
director of the Texas School of Photography,
asked him to reflect on his career.
Don Dickson: When did your interest in
photography begin?
Frank E. Cricchio: It was 1944 when I took
my first image with a Sparta box camera. I
was 11 years old. With a Kodak ABC devel-
oping kit, I made my first print from this
“I took my first image with a Sparta box camera. I was 11 years old. I made my first print in the bathroom of my parent’s small home.”
camera in the bathroom of my parent’s small
home. The impact of seeing the image appear
in the developer remains with me today.
What was your first studio like?
It was 1958 and I can still see my first customer
walking into the front door of my studio.
That was an exciting moment. The studio
was small, 15x30 feet, which included the
reception area, work area, and camera room.
Whenever I had an appointment, I’d move
things out the back door to make room. When
it rained, I had to cancel the appointment.
What is the favorite portrait that you’ve
created and why?
This is going to be the hardest question to
answer. The images I’m partial to are those
taken in adverse weather or low lighting
conditions. These images have an unspoken
emotion attached. Although I do not consider
myself a figure study photographer, the two
I’m proudest of are images of the female form,
taken outdoors. One was taken in the sand
dunes with the sun setting low in the sky and
strong winds blowing the model’s hair back—
not ideal conditions to make photographs,
but of the three I was able to make, one was
perfect. She hit a perfect pose and the sun
rimmed her body with pencil highlight. The
impact of this image stays with you.
The second image was taken late in the day.
We were working in the forest and came across
a carved-out log with a golden burnt-orange
coloring inside. The model was lying on her
side in the log and the low light was coming
from above and highlighted her body to
accentuate her beauty. This image required
two additional exposure stops to compensate
for reciprocity and the low sensitivity of the
film to the blue light of late day.
What do you predict in the industry in the
next 50 years?
Who can say for sure? But looking back to
1839, the birth of photography with Louis
Daguerre’s Daguerreotype process at the
Academia des Beaux Arts et Science, Paris,
we’ll have the same excitement for an image
in some form of art.
It wasn’t true back in 1839 when people
said photography would make everyone an
instant artist, and it’s not true now. Fifty
years from now the capture technique will be
different, but the art will remain the same.
The one thing we can predict is that the style
will change with each generation.
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Who was or is your mentor in photography?
Leo Stern of Kansas City was the teacher
who inspired me the most. I was a student
at Winona School of Photography in Winona
Lake, Ind., where Leo was the lead instructor.
He took me under his wing and polished my
lighting for classical portraiture.
Paul Linwood Gittings studios would be
the second. I would drive 100 miles to Houston,
Texas, to look in the display windows of his
studio and study the lighting of his dye
transfer images.
Who do you admire and why?
I admire those who are quiet geniuses,
those who go about their everyday life
improving our profession and our society. It
is those who dare to dream who make a
difference in the world. They are
everywhere amongst us. Not all of them get
recognition for their accomplishments.
‘‘’’
What advice can you give the new
photographer just starting out?
A young photographer must remember that
greatness does not come from living in a
large city or having the greatest amount of
education. It comes from being dedicated to
your dream, making a plan to reach your
goals and never giving up.
I always tell my students to do three
things: Give credit to those who taught you;
teach someone else what you have learned;
become better than your teacher.
What projects are you currently working on?
Learning all there is to know about Photo-
shop. Now, to do it will take me another
lifetime. I’m presently challenged to teach with
my Photoshop mentor, Don Emmerich
[M.Photog.M.Artist.MEI.Cr., API, F-ASP]
at the Texas School of Professional Photog-
raphy, and I want to make him proud of me.
Any plans to retire?
I do not plan to retire. My dream is to be able
to teach someone something the last day of
my life. I admire Frank Christian from Canada.
I witnessed him teaching to a full auditorium
the week before his death. He had to sit and
rest between thoughts. But he was as brilliant
during his last lecture as he was at his first.
My dream is to follow in his footsteps and
those who have taken their time to teach me. �
Frank Cricchio will receive the LifetimeAchievement Award at the Awards and DegreeCeremony, Tuesday, January 8, at 6:45 p.m.,at Imaging USA. All are welcome to attend.
140 • www.ppmag.com
[My first] studiowas small, 15x30 feet,which included thereception area, workarea, and cameraroom. Whenever Ihad an appointment,I’d move things outthe back door tomake room. When itrained, I had to cancelthe appointment.
142-143 coop.indd 2 12/5/07 1:09:58 PM
142-143 coop.indd 3 12/5/07 1:10:13 PM
Howard Schatz and hisremarkable life aquatic
B Y S T E P H A N I E B O O Z E R
LightPools of
All images ©Howard Schatz
146 • www.ppmag.com
that Howard Schatz is willing to get to the
bottom of. To explore and perfect in front of
his lens. To dissect and understand, and
above all, to delight both himself and his
audience. Schatz has spent years studying
how various fabrics, textures and bodies
behave underwater. How light reflects and
refracts. How his camera translates beauty
through that simple combination of
elements that is so essential to our being.
Over his photographic career, Schatz has
published 17 books, each exploring various
elements of humanity, from a luminous
series on redheads to delicate first images of
newborns to his probing underwater work.
His latest release, “H20” (Bulfinch Press,
2007), is his third devoted to water, an
infatuation which began innocently enough
in 1992, while shooting hoops in his pool
back in Marin County, California.
“When the ball bounced on the water, it
splashed, and I learned I had to wear
goggles,” says Schatz. “Having on goggles
meant I could open my eyes and see
underwater, see a whole new world.”
The idea was born. For the next six
months, Schatz turned his indoor pool into
a lab, experimenting with exposure and
lighting, methodically noting what worked,
what didn’t, and what surprised him. Using
rangefinder cameras, he slowly worked out
the subtle details of composition, focus,
water clarity, color, film, subject, lighting,
and shadows, and how these elements
ilk gracefully rippling underwater. Tinybubbles clinging to submerged cheeks, lips and eyelashes. Hair curling and winding as water
ebbs and flows around it, over it, through it. These are things
worked with him or against him.
“My first pictures were blue, cloudy, out of
focus, underexposed, and awful,” says Schatz.
“But I slowly figured it out. I learned about
making the water look clear, controlling the
light, about focus and composition. I began
to make pictures that I had control over, the
pictures that I had in my mind.”
From there, Schatz discovered that he
needed a special kind of subject. Someone
who could move gracefully underwater, and
handle the challenges that water poses. Models
had to have more than an interesting look.
They had to understand buoyancy and control,
feel comfortable opening their eyes underwater,
and understand how to gracefully hold or
release air from their lungs. Immediately,
Schatz thought of dancers.
“The adversary for dancers is gravity,” says
Schatz. “They leap, and gravity pulls them
down. But underwater, they’re weightless.”
Katita Waldo, a prima ballerina with the
San Francisco Ballet who had been a
previous subject for “Seeing Red: The
Rapture of Redheads” (Pomegranate
ArtBooks, 1994), instantly sprang to mind.
“I called her up and asked if she could
swim,” says Schatz. “The first pictures I made
of Katita underwater literally took my breath
away and brought tears to my eyes. I came
up gasping. She could perform and express
motion slowly, beautifully, confidently, with
control, and not be pulled down by gravity.”
This early work evolved into the book
“Waterdance” (Graphis Press, 1995). Buoyed
by his success and consumed with the idea
of an underwater studio, Schatz took on
beauty and fashion underwater projects,
creating enough images for “Pool Light”
(Graphis Press, 1998), his ninth photography
book. Though he was quickly becoming a
master of his aquatic realm, Schatz increasingly
felt the confines of his pool. He needed a
pool designed not for recreation or parties,
but one with a single purpose as an under-
water studio. One he could light from any
angle, and use any equipment he needed.
With that concept in mind, he and his wife
and business partner, Beverly Ornstein,
moved to New York City in 2001, then pur-
chased a home in Connecticut, and imme-
diately set to work on the pool studio. It was
completed in 2002, and Schatz wasted no
time. He was in the pool at least one day a
week, sometimes two or three, often working
late into the night. His passion and curiosity
were insatiable.
“This pool wasn’t for swimming or
basketball, just pictures,” says Schatz. “I
started making all the images that I had in
my mind, images that I couldn’t make at the
pool back in Marin.”
To find models, Schatz and Ornstein
began casting. They looked at thousands of
potential bodies and faces. As part of their
evaluation, each model had to swim the
length of the pool underwater.
“That’s easy if you’re comfortable,” says
Schatz. “If someone went in and came up
right away, I knew it wouldn’t work. But
once I found the ones who were comfortable,
I trained them, taught them how to manage
their bodies, breathing, and eyes underwater.
There was a huge majority of people who
were not able to do this kind of work.”
After five years, Schatz had made close to
200,000 frames of subjects in the water.
He worked with models and dancers,
members of the cast of Cirque de Soleil’s
“O” from Las Vegas, and Olympic
synchronized swimmers. With his next
water-themed book in mind, Schatz edited
as he worked, narrowing down his list of
favorites and eliminating anything that
didn’t completely embody his vision.
“We got it down to about 1,000 pictures
and worked on them,” explains Schatz, who
enlisted the help of Ornstein and three
highly esteemed photo editors. “We worked
on composition, color, all sorts of things. I
wanted to make the pictures fulfill my
fantasy, to show what I wanted to say, what
was in my heart and mind.”
The result is “H20,” a multi-faceted
collection representing Schatz’s experi-
mentation. From the contortions of nudes
into letters of the alphabet, to playful beach
balls hovering in the water, to the pageantry
of the Cirque de Soleil, each turn of the
page reveals the artistry and ardor of
Schatz’s inquisitive mind.
“I like chance and the unexpected,” says
Schatz. “I photograph to surprise and delight’’‘‘I wanted tomake thepictures fulfillmy fantasy.
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napp-2.indd 1 11/30/07 2:03:21 PM
myself. That’s why I do what I do. When I
can do that, it makes my life rich and happy.
I experiment a lot. All of my work has to do
with finding new ways to see things.”
Schatz began his professional career as a
physician, specializing in retinal problems.
He spent years helping his patients see better,
writing textbooks, teaching and researching
breakthroughs in medicine.
“I had patients with serious problems, but
it was challenging, interesting, and rich,”
says Schatz. “I loved my patients and I loved
writing, and making new discoveries. But I
had this other part of me.”
Realizing his need for creative explora-
tion, Schatz took a sabbatical from his
practice and moved with Ornstein to New
York for a year. He never looked back.
“I believe medicine has given me many
tools,” say Schatz. “It’s allowed me to
understand methodology and testing, in a
scientific way. I also had a care for my
patients and learned to behave in such a way
that the patient felt better, felt they were with
the right person. That helps me with the
portraiture, knowing how to get the most
from [someone] and get them to relax.”
It’s clear that Schatz’s bedside manner sets
his subjects at ease. You can see it in his
work. Schatz’s boundless fascination with
people feeds his amazing ability to create
honest, true, emotional portraits of just
about anyone. The Works In Progress section
of his Web site shows just how diverse his
subjects are. From pregnant women splattered
in paint to studies in projected light bathing
nude bodies to showcasing the strange and
unusual in American counterculture, Schatz
doesn’t shy away from anyone. He follows his
curiosity wherever it leads, whether it’s put-
ting anti-gravity boots on gymnasts to study
motion or setting up a booth for portraits at
San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair.
“I think you can get inspiration from every-
where,” says Schatz, who never goes anywhere
without a pad of paper and a pencil. “When
something sparks, I write it down. Most of the
time, things don’t go anywhere, but some are
worth exploring. The studio is a laboratory and
anything is worth trying. Opposite of medicine,
where it’s important to behave perfectly, in
photography I try to make mistakes.”
As for the future, Schatz hopes to continue
to surprise and delight himself, whether in
the water or elsewhere. “I still have many
ideas I want to try, and so many things to
explore,” he says, not wanting to commit
himself to any one idea. “I want to climb this
creative tree and try a fruit on each branch.” �
To see more work by Howard Schatz, visitwww.howardschatz.com.
Don't miss Howard Schatz's dynamic SuperProgram presentation at Imaging USA in Tampa,Fla., January 6-8.
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158 • www.ppmag.com
PPA members receive both merits and the best-published prices.
February 10-14Evergreen State College, Olympia, Wash.; Sam Gardner;360-961-2887; [email protected];www.ppw.org
February 24-28Bahamas International School of Professional Photog-raphy, Nassau Beach Hotel, Nassau, Bahamas;Kenneth Love, 242-393-5683, [email protected];www.bispp.com; Rick English, 508-595-0075;[email protected]
March 30 - April 2International Photographic Arts School, Mariott Hotel& Conference Center, Indianapolis, Ind.; JanellSpencer, 812-384-3203; [email protected];www.apag.net/ipasschool.html
March 30 – April 4Triangle Institute, Greentree Radisson, Pittsburgh, Pa.;Samuel Pelaia, 724-869-5455; [email protected]; www.trianglephotographers.org
March 31 – April 4California Photographic Workshops, Fisherman’s Wharf,San Francisco, Calif.; James Inks, 888-422-6606;[email protected]; www.cpwschool.com
April 6-11New England Institute, Ocean Edge Resort, Brewster,Mass.; Sal Genuario, 401-738-3797;[email protected]; www.ppane.com
April 27 – May 2Texas School, Texas A&M University, College Station,Texas; Donald Dickson, 806-296-2276;[email protected]; www.tppa.org/school.htm
May 4-9Georgia School, N. Georgia Tech, Clarksville, Ga.; TomMcCollum, 888-272-3711; [email protected];www.gppa.com
May 4-9MARS (Mid-Atlantic Regional School), Grand Hotel,Cape May, N.J.; Adele Bastinck, 888-267-6277;[email protected]; www.marsschool.com
May 6-9 and May 11-14Wisconsin Professional Photographers School, UWStevens Point-Treehaven, Tomahawk, Wis.; PhilZiesemer, 715-536-4540, [email protected];www.wiprophotoschool.org
May 18-22Florida School of Photography, Daytona Beach Com-munity College, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Teri Crownover;[email protected]; 800-330-0532; MarybethJackson-Hamberger, [email protected];www.fppfloridaschool.com
May 18-23Imaging Workshops of Colorado, Breckenridge, Colo.;Jeff Johnson; 303-921-4454;[email protected]; www.coloradoworkshops.com
June 1-5Kansas Professional Photographer School, BethelCollege, Newton, Kan.; Ron Clevenger, 785-242-7710,[email protected]; www.kpps.com
June 1-5Mid-America Institute of Professional Photography,University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa;Charles Lee, 641-799-8957; [email protected];www.maipp.com; Al DeWild, [email protected]
June 8-12Illinois Workshops, Grafton, Ill.; Bret Wade, 217-245-5418; [email protected]; www.ilworkshops.com
June 8-13Great Lakes Institute of Photography, NorthwesternCollege, Traverse City, Mich.; Greg Ockerman, 313-318-4327; [email protected]; www.glip.org
June 15-20West Coast School, University of San DiegoSan Diego, Calif.; Kip Cothran, 951-696-9706; [email protected]; www.prophotoca.com
June 22-25Golden Gate School of Professional Photography, MillsCollege, Oakland, Calif.; Julie Olson, 650-548-0889;[email protected]; www.goldengateschool.com
June 22-26PP Oklahoma School, St. Gregory’s University,Shawnee, Okla.; Glenn Cope, 580-628-6438;[email protected]; www.ppok.org/school.html
July 13-17Image Explorations, Shawnigan Lake, BritishColumbia; Don MacGregor, 604-731-7225;[email protected]; www.imageexplorations.ca/
July 20-25PPSNY Photo Workshop, Hobart/William SmithColleges, Geneva, N.Y.; Linda Hutchings, 607-733-6563; [email protected]; www.ppsnysworkshop.com
August 4-7Long Island Photo Workshop, Sheraton Hotel,Smithtown, Long Island, N.Y.; Jerry Small, 516-221-4058; [email protected]; www.liphotoworkshop.com
2008 PPA-AFFILIATED SCHOOLS
April 12-15C: Heart of America, Mid America Center, CouncilBluffs, Iowa.; Stephen Harvey, 620-624-4102;[email protected]; www.hoappa.com
April 13-15C: Montana PPA, Billings, Montana; ScottFairbanks, 406-761-2059;[email protected]; montanappa.org
April 14S: Connecticut PPA, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cromwell,Conn.; Harvey Goldstein, 203-430-8276;[email protected]; www.ctppa.com
April 21S: PP of Massachusetts; Steve Meier, [email protected], www.ppam.com
April 26-29C: New Hampshire PPA; North Conway,N.H.; Lorraine Bedell, 603-743-5732; [email protected]; nppa.com
April 27-29C: PP of New Jersey, Bally’s Hotel & Casino,Altlantic City, N.J., Leslie Meltzer, 866-985-4300; [email protected]; wwwppanj.com
June 15-16C: PP of Oregon, Mt. Bachelor Resort Bend,Ore.; Arlene Welsh, 800-370-5657; [email protected]; www.pporegon.com
June 16S: PP of Massachusetts; Steve Meier, [email protected]; www.ppam.com
June 22-23S: Kentucky PPA; Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky.; Randy Fraley, 606-928-5333; [email protected]; www.kyppa.com
September 12-15C: PP of Oklahoma, Radisson Hotel, Tulsa,Okla.; Ted Newlin, [email protected];www.ppok.org
September 13-16C: PPA of New England, Sturbridge, Mass.;Roland Laramie, P.O. Box 316, Willimantic,Conn. 06226; [email protected]
October 3-7C: Southwest PPA, Sheraton Arlington Hotel,Arlington, Texas; Michael Scalf, Sr., Box 1779,Blanchard, OK 73010-1770; 405-485-3838;[email protected]; www.swppa.com
October 5-6S: Kentucky PPA; Hyatt Regency, Lexington,Ky.; Randy Fraley, 606-928-5333; [email protected]; www.kyppa.com
October 20S: PP of Massachusetts; Steve Meier, [email protected]; www.ppam.com
October 26-27C: PP of Iowa, Airport Holiday Inn, Des Moines,Iowa; Chris Brinkopf, P.O. Box 108, Sumner, IA50674; 563-578-1126; [email protected]
November 9-10C: PP of Ohio, Hilton Easton, Columbus,Ohio; Carol Worthington, [email protected]
Future EventsJanuary 31 - February 3, 2009C: PP of Iowa, Airport Holiday Inn, DesMoines, Iowa; Chris Brinkopf, P.O. Box 108,Sumner, IA 50674; 563-578-1126;[email protected]
February 20-23, 2009C: PP of Oregon, Mt. Bachelor Resort Bend,Ore.; Arlene Welsh, 800-370-5657; [email protected]; www.pporegon.com
February 26-March 4, 2009C: PP of North Carolina; Sheraton ImperialHotel, Durham, N.C.; Loretta Byrd, 888-404-7762; [email protected]; www.ppofnc.com
March 28-31, 2009C: Heart of America, KCI Expo Center, KansasCity, Mo.; Stephen Harvey, 620-624-4102;[email protected]; www.hoappa.com
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEJack Reznicki, Cr.Photog., API
2007-2008 PPA President
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Reading Newsweek to catch up with the week’s news, I came across a short obit for Alexandra Boulat, a 45-year-old French photojournalist contributor to Newsweek and Time and a founding member of the well-regarded photojournalism group “VII.” Suddenly, I felt a real loss—even though I can’t say I really knew her work. Why the sadness? Our profession lost a talent in her prime. She probably wouldn’t show up on most PPA members’ radars, and I feel more at a loss for that because I believe we are in the fraternity and sorority of F-stops, shutter speeds, and pixels. We are a community, a family of photographers.
Too often, though, we divide ourselves up into rigid specialties: “No, I don’t want to go to that lecture—it’s a wedding lecture. I only shoot portraits.” More’s the pity.
PPA stands for “Professional Photographers of America,” not just one or two photographic specialties. We all do the same thing—whether a war photojournalist, a wedding photographer, an advertising shooter, a family portrait specialist, a forensic specialist, etc. (Although war and wedding photographers could be grouped together, judging by the similar stories I’ve heard about “shooting under enemy re.”) We all capture what we see, making a permanent record of what is a eeting moment. We deal with emotion, and we capture that emotion in a xed image.
And as members of this photographic family, we should know our history…our
“ancestors,” so to speak. I used to tell assistants that the late Art Kane’s studio
was next door to mine and got blank stares of non-recognition. How can you not study your own profession’s history and the giants that went before us…not just in your specialty or area of interest? All photography history is worthy of study.
In the late ‘60s, I followed Larry Burrow’s images in Newsweek as he covered—and was himself killed in—Vietnam. I learned about and became friends with the late, great Monte Zucker. I’ll be giving an award at Imaging USA to Frank Cricchio, who’s contributed greatly to PPA and photography. And a friend of mine, commercial and ne art photographer Howard Schatz, will give the Super Program in Tampa. They are all different branches of the photographic tree. While it’s a very large and diverse tree, everything (including us) is connected and related.
I look forward this January to one of photography’s greatest events for gathering and sharing what we know—PPA’s Imaging USA. While many see it as just a convention, I see it as a coming together, a great gathering of the clan. And as Imaging USA has evolved, it is a true family gathering with all our various branches represented. We have added commercial programs for the CPI members and co-located with SEPCON for sport and event photographers. Another trade association, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) will also be providing speakers. The forensic photographers of EPIC will gather for the rst time under Imaging USA and learn about blood splatters. Adobe will have a digital track; Microsoft will have
a theater; and loads of photographers will be getting their hard-won ribbons and accolades at the awards presentation. There will be wonderful parties and a sold-out tradeshow where photographers from all corners of the world will be looking, learning, and sharing.
As for me, I’ll be right in the middle of it all, appreciating the different hues that make up this wonderful family. I’ll also say a small prayer for Alexandra Boulat, a distant cousin in a sense, a member of this family, a fellow photographer.
Jack Reznicki, Cr.Photog., API2007-2008 PPA President
TODAY JANUARY | 08
A PHOTOGRAPHY FAMILY© Rod Brown
© Dick Goodan
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2007 AN-NE AWARDS WINNERS
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The results are in…those who entered the 2007 AN-NE Marketing Awards competition have duked it out to produce winners and nalists. Judged on effectiveness, professionalism, and a host of other qualities, the AN-NE entries were tough to score. Sometimes less than a point separated the winners! Listed below are those who fought their way to the top:
BEST E-MAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNWinner: Wendy Rouleau Portraits by Wendy Buford, GA
Finalists: Sandy Puc’ Expressions Photography Littleton, CO Loreen Liberty TLM Studios Devens, MA
BEST FAMILY & CHILDREN CAMPAIGNWinner: Laura Novak Laura Novak Photography Wilmington, DE
Finalists: Sandy Puc’ Expressions Photography Littleton, CO
Dan Brody Dan Brody Photography Bryn Mawr, PA
BEST IMAGE MARKETING CAMPAIGNWinner: Sarah Petty Sarah Petty Photography Spring eld, IL
Finalists: Julia Woods Portrait Life Washington, IL
Ann Markley Ann Chase Photography Woodinville, WA
BEST USE OF MULTIMEDIAWinner: Paul Owen Paul Owen Photography New Berlin, WI
Finalists: Mona Kay Sadler Adrian Henson Photography Alliance, NC
BEST HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CAMPAIGNWinner: Sarah Petty Sarah Petty Photography Spring eld, IL
Finalists: Julia Woods Portrait Life Washington, IL
Jeffrey Richardson Richardson Studio Bloomington, IN
BEST WEB SITEWinners: Wendy Rouleau(tied) Portraits by Wendy Buford, GA Farrah Braniff Farrah Braniff Photographs Houston, TX
Finalist: Jeffrey Woods Portrait Life Washington, IL
BEST WEDDING CAMPAIGNWinner: Christa Hoffarth [studio] South Lake Tahoe, CA
Finalists: Albert Lewis Mulberry Photography Truckee, CA
Peter Holcombe Peter Holcombe Photography Lafayette, CO
BE A WINNER YOURSELF!
The 2008 AN-NEMarketing Awards are earlier this year, due July 1, 2008. Rules will be online in February, but you can start getting ready now.
Named in honor of AnnMonteith (AN) and Marvel Nelson (NE), both PPA past presidents and marketing gurus, this competition helps you take a closer look at what your customer sees before they see you: your marketing.
See how you stack up against your peers in 2008.
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Roman Cooper from Saginaw, Mich. was the lucky winner of the 2007 Graduate in the Driver’s Seat Sweepstakes, overcoming about 20,000 other entries. Thanks to entering the sweepstakes with Randall Tucker at Hicks Studio, Cooper received the cash equivalent of a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.
Hicks Studio offered the Graduate in the Driver’s Seat Sweepstakes as a member of the Sweepstakes Marketing
Cooperative, a member program produced by PPA and SEP. Along with the Graduate in the Driver’s Seat Sweepstakes, members also offered a Family Destination: Disney Sweepstakes and/or an Escape to Paradise Cruise Sweepstakes (the winners of these two sweepstakes will be announced in January 2008). This exclusive member-only bene t enabled photographers to conduct campaigns with prizes and a pro t-building strategy that they couldn’t offer on
their own. And it paid out for Randall Tucker and Roman Cooper!
In fact, PPA and SEP members can join the 2008 Sweepstakes Marketing Co-op to possibly see the smiles on their own clients’ faces if they win, too.
Visit www.ImageSweepstakes.com for more information and sign up before January 31, 2008.
GRADUATING WITH SMILES AND MONEY
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WHY SHOULD I BECOME CERTIFIED? David Mithofer
OUR FIRST SWEEPSTAKES WINNER
Most questions don’t have an easy answer, but this one does: to make more money. Certi cation is an excellent marketing tool and a great way to justify your prices. When a consumer opens the phone book or searches online, there are literally hundreds of photographers listed. You need a one-sentence reason for that consumer to consider you, and
“Certi ed Professional Photographer” is an excellent reason.
It’s true that you must sell your consumer on your prices, portfolio, and personality. But rst, you have to get them in the door…and certi cation can help. Independent studies indicate that certi cation is the most widely recognized credential. It makes sense, as certi cation programs can be found in many professions. If your prospective
client is a teacher, a technology professional, an accountant, etc., they are intimately familiar with certi cation and what it means about the quality of your work. And these are the types of clients you covet. Those that understand certi cation are usually professionals with disposable income! So while not every consumer understands the value of certi cation, most of your free-spending clients do.
Certi cation can also help justify prices. You have overhead, and you need to charge a certain amount to make the job worthwhile. Explaining to clients that you undertook a rigorous testing process, administered by an independent commission, may be the information that convinces them that you are more than worth it.
Consider this: Everyone knows that CPAs make more money than non-certi ed accountants, but it wasn’t always so. Accountants wisely explained the dif culty and importance of certi cation until consumers became conditioned to pay more for a certi ed professional. You can do the same.
So if you’re making enough money, I don’t recommend certi cation. Why pay the fee? If you want to increase your revenue, though, certi cation is one of the most important steps you can take.
AFFILIATE COMMUNICATORS GET RECOGNIZEDChances are, people stay connected to local and regional organizations thanks to a newsletter, magazine, or Web site. But these publications don’t produce themselves! Have you—the editors and Webmasters—been thanked?
If you are in charge of these publications, you should enter the 2008 Af liate Communications Competition.
All PPA Af liate editors and Webmasters are invited to participate in this competition, designed to encourage excellence in Af liate publications and to recognize the individuals who spend their time and energy editing, designing and maintaining these publications in order to keep their members informed. You’ll earn an achievement merit if your entry is accepted into the competition and an additional merit if you win!
Get the recognition you deserve. Entry forms are available at http://competitions.ppa.com. Entries must be received at PPA no later than Friday, February 22, 2008. If you have additional questions, please contact PPA at (800) 339-5451, ext. 226, or e-mail [email protected].
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CONVERSATIONS ON OURPPA.COMDo you have any money left after all the holiday presents? If so, how about buying your studio something nice? Create a shopping wish list. Then ask your peers on the Open Forum at OurPPA.com which item is the most important. That should help you narrow down your decisions at any time!
http://www.ourppa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8975
You have until the end of January to give even more to your clients…so don’t forget to sign up for the 2008 Sweepstakes Marketing Co-op at www.ImageSweepstakes.com.
• Join the 2008 Co-op for only $100 per sweepstakes/studio location (the only fee paid to PPA and SEP).
• Get the right to offer prospects a cruise, a car, and/or a Disney vacation (along with other prizes)…without buying the prizes outright.
• Presto—you have created an event, giving you something to talk about in promotions!
Just imagine the excitement and publicity your studio will receive if one of your clients or prospects wins. Join by January 31, 2008 to be eligible. Sign up at www.ImageSweepstakes.com.
ADD PRIZES TO YOUR PROMOTIONS
AFFILIATE SCHOOL SPOTLIGHTTEXAS SCHOOLApril 22 – May 2, 2008 | College Station, TexasContact: Don Dickson [email protected] 806-296-2276Web site: www.tppa.org/school.htmTuition: $435 PPA members (meals included) $520 non-PPA members (meals included)Course Information: We will have 34 classes—from Hanson Fong with Weddings to Helen Yancy with Painter—and over 1,000 photographers at this unbelievable school. Registration starts January 3 at 12:00am (midnight on the 2nd). Many classes ll up fast, so register early and come enjoy the fun and education in Texas. Check out the Web site listed above for course details.
M.A.R.S. (Mid Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography)May 4 - May 9, 2008 | The Grand Hotel, Cape May, New JerseyContact: Adele Bastinck [email protected] 888-267-MARSWeb site: www.marsschool.comTuition: $1025 (all inclusive, including hotel accommodations, meals, tradeshow, parties, etc.)Course Information: The Photoshop Edge You Need — Suzette Allen & Jon YoshinagaPortraiture - Seeing the Light — Carl Caylor Painter - Fundamentals for Photographers — Jane Connor Weddings - Mastering the Techniques — Hanson Fong Zen and the Art of Portrait Photography — Randy McNeilly Portraiture and Marketing - A Master Class — Michael Redford Creative Compositions with Nature — Tony Sweet Advanced Photoshop — Eddie Tapp
SUPER MONDAY MADE EASIERIt’s easier to search and easier to see up-to-date content...it’s Super Monday online! New in 2008, the Super Monday booklet will be located in the PPA Education Guide Online (www.ppaEdGuide.com). Now when
you want to nd the nearby April 2008 classes, all you have to do is visit the Web site and search via state, category, instructor, etc. No more page ipping, although you can print it out if you really want to.
Remember: classes are updated often, so keep checking back at the website to see what’s new.
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WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES LabTab
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WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICESLabTab
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERCLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES
• $1.50 per word• $2.00 per word/words with all caps or bold face. • $10.00 per issue—Confidential Reply Box Ads
(Optional)—$30 min. per ad• Closing date is 20th of the second month proceeding
issue date. • Remittance must be received with order.
NO ADS ACCEPTED BY PHONE.Remittance to:
Professional Photographer Classified Ads229 Peachtree NE, Ste. 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303
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Buyer’sGallery
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PROFESSIONAL
ProductMall SOMETHING HERE YOU NEED...
January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 183
184 • www.ppmag.com
ACCOUNTING
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ALBUMS
GP ALBUMS (formerly General Products L.L.C.) is focusedon flush mount and digital offset albums along with ourNEW extensive line of self-mount albums and folios. GP’sOptimus, Quick-Stick, Digital Vision, Tempus, and Eclipsealbums are the products that will help take your photographybusiness into the future. You will experience the same greatquality with a whole new look. As a manufacturer, GP Albumsalso has the ability to create custom photo packagingproducts upon request. GP Albums continues to offer varietyand flexibility allowing photographers to design the perfectproduct that will last a lifetime. For more information, pleasevisit us at www.gpalbums.com or call 1-800-888-1934.
BACKGROUNDS
THE DENNY MFG. CO., INC. is the World’s Largest Manufactureof Hand Painted Backgrounds, Computer Painted Backgrounds,Muslin Backgrounds, Studio Sets, Props, Lift Systems, andrelated Studio Accessories. Contact us today to receive ourFREE 180 page color catalog filled with exquisite productsand ideas to help you succeed in Photography. Write P.O.Box 7200 Mobile, AL 36670; Call 1-800-844-5616 or visitour Web site at www.dennymfg.com.
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COMPUTER/SOFTWARE
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DIGITAL
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EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
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HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for contemporaryphotojournalistic wedding coverages in Orange County, CAarea. Must have digital equipment. E-mail John [email protected].
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERNORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
Harmann Studios is a progressive portrait company withmultiple locations with emphasis in seniors, children,families, sport, and school photography. We have been inbusiness for more than 45 years and have unlimitedresources to make our portraits stand out. We are seekinga candidate with 5 years of portrait experience, goodorganizational skills, exceptional understanding of DSLRcameras, and most of all, a fun and adaptive personality.Health, vacation, and flexible scheduling are just some ofthe benefits we offer. Please send resumes and sampleimages and sample images to John Harmann [email protected].
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LAB SERVICES
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January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 185
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MARKETING
REVEALED: HOW TO GET MORE REFERRALS ANDREPEAT BUSINESS THAN EVER BEFORE! Studiesshow you can see a 10, 25, EVEN 100% INCREASE inreferrals and repeat business by ‘staying in touch’ with aclient newsletter. But who has the time? Photographersusing my unique, “DONE-FOR-YOU” NEWSLETTER systemreport spending only around 60 minutes on their newsletterand getting $750-$18,500 back every month! See foryourself… Request your FREE Special Report and SamplePackage at www.TheStudioNewsletter.com to learn more.
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RETOUCHING
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SALES AIDS
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STUDIO FOR SALE
IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVE, ARTISTIC PERSONOR COUPLE. Ten year old business grossing over$500,000 with increasing sales and high end clientele inLittle Rock, Arkansas. 4,000 square foot garden studio withupstairs apartment on over an acre of rapidly appreciatingland. Families, children, and senior portraits with no sports.Contract wedding photographers in place. Few or noweekends required. experiienced staff in place. Great realestate investment as well. Owner will train. Net $100,000+your first year. [email protected]
CHARMING, well respected NORTHERN CALIFORNIAfull service portrait studio in a cute country town whichhas always supported a photography studio. Originallyestablished in 1996 as strictly a wedding business,expanded based on consumer demand. PHENOMENALvisibility on primary Business Route in the downtown area.No competition for 25 miles. Recent recipient ofdowntown beautification award from Chamber ofCommerce. Growing high school senior, photo restorationand commercial markets. Successware, Roes and LLC inplace. Strong web presence (www.ricecreekphoto.com).Regional and national advertising in place. Selling due to death in family and relocation. Owner will assisttransition. 100% turn-key. $90K negotiable;[email protected].
Studio established in the PITTSBURGH PA area for over 20 years, with a great image and a very large client base. Owner is PPA Certified, Master Photographerand Photographic Craftsman. Wants to slow down. Will train and is willing to work for new owner to main-tain continuity during transition. For information call 724-789-7371
STUDIOS WANTED
COLUMBUS CAMERA GROUP, INC. buys whole studiosor any part including cameras, film, darkroom, long roll,lighting, and misc. No quantities too small. Call 800-325-7664. Ask for Eric.
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186 • www.ppmag.com
ive years ago, photographer Joan
Brady became a volunteer tutor for
foster children in a group home in
the Washington, D.C., area. Having no
children herself, she was surprised at having to
persuade the kids to do their homework.
One day she brought in a point-and-shoot
digital camera and dangled the promise of
taking pictures as an incentive. The children
not only did their homework, but took on
extra reading as well.
Brady quickly realized that photography
was a novel experience for these children. While
she had grown up being photographed by
loving parents, these children had no one to
make pictures of the significant moments of
their lives. “There is no photo album that
captures their first day of school, first lost
tooth, first report card,” says Brady. “The
pictures that help them remember mile-
stones and reinforce their sense of impor-
tance in the world simply don’t exist.”
Brady began producing small photo albums
for each child in the group home. She pho-
tographed them doing things they enjoyed,
and included pictures of the people who
were important to them. Every time she
added a picture, the kids got excited.
Brady’s work with foster children led to
an association with the Wednesday’s Child
program produced by NBC4, the NBC affili-
ate in Washington. Every Wednesday, local
newscaster Barbara Harrison introduces a
foster child or group of siblings to the TV
audience in hopes that a viewer will step for-
ward to adopt.
Sponsored by Freddie Mac, Wednesday’s
Child also gives the kids dream days with such
activities as visiting the National Zoo, taking
an ice skating lesson, visiting a theme park,
touring a CSI lab or shooting hoops with NBA
players. Brady goes along to photograph the
children throughout the day. Her intent to
provide keepsake albums soon expanded to
providing digital images and photo books to
social workers, who show them to adults
looking to adopt. “Last year, one adoptive parent
told me that when she saw the photo book,
she knew those were her children,” says Brady.
Brady says that getting involved is as easy
as offering your services. “Anyone who has
the time and the heart, I urge you to contact
your local family services agency and see if
there might be an opportunity for you to
make a child feel valued,” she says. “I have
met the most wonderful kids, photographed
the most moving adoption ceremonies, and
been witness to some heart-wrenching sto-
ries. People often ask me how I happened to
become the photographer for Wednesday’s
Child. My answer is simple: I offered.” �
To see more by Joan Brady, visit www.joan-bradyphotography.com. Learn more aboutthe Wednesday’s Child program atwww.adopt.org/wednesdayschild.
Images wield the power to effect change. In this monthly feature, Professional Photographer spotlights professional photographers using their talents to make a difference through charitable work.
Share your good works experience with us by e-mailing Cameron Bishopp at [email protected]
good works |
Fostering loveONE PHOTOGRAPHER’S MISSION TO HELP CHILDREN
©Joan Brady
F
914-347-3300Profoto-USA.com
“I’ve built my business on wedding and portraiture, but these days my
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subject and build good rapport. Profoto makes lighting so easy that it’s
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BAMB I CANTRELL
PASSION OF L IGHT
© Bambi Cantrell
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