professional photographer 2012 06

7/27/2019 Professional Photographer 2012 06

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2012-06 1/132



When Amber McAdoo opened McAdoo Photo

Artistry in Benton, Ark., in 2005, her business

took o immediately. She had so many clients,

though, she couldn’t keep up. Instinctively,

she hired help. Then she hired another per-

son, then another. By 2006 she had three

sta ers, but when she inally made time to

do the bookkeeping, she saw that despite all

the orders, her business wasn’t pro itable.

“For every session I photographed, I real-

ized I was losing money,” says McAdoo. “

hired employees because I was really busy

not because the money I made justi ied it.

paid them, but in the end I couldn’t a ordpay mysel .”

The manager o PPA Studio Manage-

ment Services, Bridget Jackson, says

McAdoo’s circumstances are not unusual.

“For whatever reason, when photographer

get busy, they panic, and they hire some-

one, but they tend to pay others be ore

they pay themselves,” she says. “That’s ju

not good business.”

Jackson, a certi ied public accountant

has been helping studio owners break this

bad habit. Be ore you can hire anyone, y

need to be realistic about what it costs.

“There’s the health insurance, the payroll

taxes, the unemployment insurance—the

list goes on and on,” said Jill Liebhaber,

who runs jookie, A Portrait Boutique, in

Chicago. “You’re not paying just salaries.

I wish everyone knew just what an invest-

ment this is.”

Jackson says the cost o a studio’s empees alls into one o two categories, pro-

duction or non-production (o ice work,

sales). I you hire someone to do tasks

such as Photoshop retouching, color cor-

recting or raming, his or her wages woul

be accounted or under the cost o produ

ing the products you sell.

According to the PPA Studio Financia

Benchmark Survey, a studio needs to

achieve annual gross sales o $100,000

be ore it can a ord to hire some one ev

part time or non-production duties. Citin

the survey, Jackson says at that point, a

home studio could a ord to spend 4 to 6

percent o their gross sales ($4,000 to

$6,000) on a non-production employee.

Studios located in a retail space can alloca

42 • www.ppmag.com

Employee review

BY JEN CHRISTENSENPROFIT CENTER

How to know i you can aford hired help

©Veer



10 percent of their gross sales ($10,000) for

a non-production employee. That roughly

equates to hiring a part-time employee to

help during the studio’s busy season. “Most

photographers overspend in this category,”

Jackson says, and for a variety of reasons:

“They don’t like to answer phones. They

aren’t good with

e-mail. One woman told me she was lonely,

so she hired someone,” she says. “Can you

believe she paid someone to distract her

from her work? That’s crazy!”Even if you work in a city with a high cost

of living, the percentage shouldn’t change.

“Sometimes I will get people in California

who argue that they won’t be able to hire

someone for that salary, but I remind them

that a person working at J. Crew in Atlanta

makes about the same salary as one at

J. Crew store in Los Angeles. Even the high-

est grossing studios pay non-production

employees no more than $15 an hour.”

With costs in mind, Liebhaber employs

only part-time help. “That means I spend

only about 20 percent of my work time on

the actual photography,” she says. “This

week I also mopped the studio’s hardwood

floors, did the laundry for my newborn

sessions, and tried to assess one of my

lenses that needs work. These things all

take time.”

When Liebhaber did hire a part timer in

2010, she brought him in as a paid intern.

“It is a great arrangement, because he gets

to learn the profession while being paid. If,

for some reason, I decide he isn’t a good fit,

I can say, ‘Thanks for the great internship,’

and let him go without having to fire him.”

Before looking for help, Jackson advises

studio owners to write out a clear, detailed

job description and your expectations of theemployee’s productivity or performance. If

your employee meets or exceeds expecta-

tions, you can reward him with time off, a

gift certificate, or a bonus tied directly to

your profits rather than a raise. “Just remem -

ber, no one is going to work as hard for your

business as you do,” Jackson says.

Jen Basford, who runs 3 Girls Photogra-

phy in Edmond, Okla., used the PPA bench-

marks when she hired her three employees.

“At first, I hired production staff because

I was overwhelmed, and it’s easy and quick

to train in that area,” says Basford. “I didn’t

add a non-production employee until a few

years ago, when I was sure I could afford it.”

Basford is doing a booming business. “Some -

times I think I’d like more employees, but

managing people takes up so much time,

time I’d much rather spend working on

other aspects of my business,” she says.

After McAdoo looked at her finances with Jackson, she realized she couldn’t ke

three people on staff. The big picture also

showed her prices were far too low. “So I

nearly doubled my pricing,” she says, althou

she was anxious about what her clients

would think. She did end up doing less wo

that year, dropping from 211 sessions in

2007 to 107 sessions in 2008. But with the

higher prices, she made more money wi

half the sessions. “I felt almost bored in th

beginning, but Bridget kept telling me I w

fine,” says McAdoo.

What wasn’t fine was that with fewer s

sions, the staff wasn’t nearly as busy. By th

end of 2009, she decided to hire people on

as needed. Outsourcing—a less expensive

alternative—worked best for her. She out-

sourced mainly bookkeeping and some pro

duction work. “The other good thing about

outsourcing versus hiring employees is tha

they do exactly what you want them to, an you aren’t stuck with them,” McAdoo say

“And you don’t have to find something for

them to do in your off-season.”

During that off-season, Jackson recom-

mends evaluating your workflow and stem

ming inefficiencies. “Often, photographers

take this time to collapse after all the work

they’ve done, but make sure you look at th

big picture,” she says. “If you can take ma

adjustments, you can work smarter rather

than harder and be very successful.” n

Jen Christensen, [email protected] a Peabody Award-winning producer who worked for several years in the CNN Special Investigations and DocumentarieUnit in Atlanta. She is a freelance speechcoach and writer.


PROFIT CENTER

“For every session I photographed, I realized

I was losing money . I hired employees because I was really busy , not because the money

I made justified it. I paid them , but in the

end I couldn’t afford to pay myself.”—AMBER MCADOO



www.tamron-usa.com

Drawing on the beauty of light

Focal length: 70mm Exposure: F/8 1/125 sec ISO100

Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD(Model A007)

The world’s rst F/2.8 full-frame standard zoom lens with image stabilization. Explore the subtleaspects of beauty with Tamron’s all new, high-speed standard zoom that gives you top in classoptical quality while featuring VC anti-shake mechanism, fast, accurate and quiet USD AF systemwith full-time manual focus, and rounded 9-blade diaphragm for beautiful bokeh. Di design for

use with full-frame DSLR cameras for excellent format versatility.For Canon, Nikon and Sony* mount.*Sony mount without VC



A well-edited slideshow can be rouse the

emotions of the audience. The transition

from one engaging image to the next builds

anticipation as a story unfolds. Slideshows

can enhance wedding receptions, anniversary

parties and other events, and can be used as

a customer bonus or a lucrative add-on, and

they’re especially effective in sales sessions.

But before you create slideshows for clients

or promotion, know your legal responsibilities

regarding the images and the music you use.

For example, if your client supplies images

that are not your own, you have a duty to

obtain the necessary permissions to use

those images. If you set the show to music,

you must obtain the proper license from the

representatives of the artists who created it.

DISCOVER THE WORK’S ORIGINS.

Ask your client a couple of important questions about the images’ origins: Are they

family photos taken by a friend or relative,

or were they made by a professional photog-

rapher? If they were, you need to get a writ-

ten licensing agreement signed by the

photographer, even if that person is also a

friend or relative of your client.

The client might not be accurate about

the origin of an image. Use your instincts in

assessing the image quality and composi-

tion. If your hunch is that it’s a profession-

ally made image but the client says

otherwise, it might be prudent not to use it.

If the client can’t produce a licensing

agreement, or the photographer denies the

request, simply ask the client to select another

image that you can use. Let her know that

you are respectful of works created by a fel-

low professional, and you hope others will

be equally responsible with your work.

If the client does present a licensing

agree ment, call the studio or photographer

to verify the accuracy of the document,

particularly if the document is not printed

on a business letterhead or if you doubt it’s

a binding agree ment. You could find your-

self in the middle of an infringement dis-

pute if you don’t verify that you have

permission to use it.

LICENSED TO ORCHESTRATE. If you

plan to use music in any aspect of your busi-

ness, you need the proper licenses. When you

purchase music for personal use, be it MP3

or CD, you have only an end user license,

and you may not use the music in any other

application. If you want to use mainstreammusic for business purposes, even during

sessions, you need a license. There are three

kinds of licenses you might need to legally

use music in the studio or in a slideshow.

A performance license allows you or your

client to play song(s) in other than a social

setting. In general, this is the kind of license

you need to play a CD or digital music in a

session or on your website. Even a private place

of business is considered public under copy-

right law, so if you play music for employees

or customers, it’s considered a public per-

formance. You can purchase a performance

license through ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC

(ascap.com, bmi.com, sesac.com). Each

agency represents different songwriters and

publishers, so you may need licenses from all

three to cover the musical spectrum.

A synchronization license is necessa

you want to use music in your slideshows

This license allows you to manipulate thesong(s) to create a compelling slideshow

much in the same way a sound editor on a

movie will time a chase scene to a heart

pounding or exciting song.

A master use or mechanical use licen

gives you the right to copy or reproduce a

sound recording or “master.” You can use

the original sound recording of song (voc

and instrumentals), but you may still need

a synchronization and/or performance

license to lawfully use the piece of music

Master use licenses are necessary if you

plan to copy or make multiple reproduc-

tions of a recording.

Both mechanical and synch licenses ca

be purchased from two main sources: the

music publisher and the record label. Sync

licenses are most often secured directly fro

the music publisher, while mechanical

licenses are typically purchased through th

record label. Unlike performance licenses, which are easily secured by a business of

size, for small-scale businesses, a master o

mechanical use license is likely too difficu

and cost prohibitive to get just to license a

single song for one-time use.

If you don’t want to hassle with the lice

ing red tape associated with mainstream

music, try royalty-free music. These songs

are purchased from a music library and

come with varying licensing terms for a sin

fee. Royalty-free music is often an originacomposition that can be used to create the

effect you want in your slideshow.

Whether you’re using music with

slideshows as a promotional tool on your

website or as a product to entice a client in

buying, legally protect yourself first. n


Pay to play

BY MARIA MATTHEWSPROFIT CENTER

The ground rules of slideshows



PPA Has Got YouCovered .

$15,000of equipment insurance...

now included in yourPPA membership.

PPA helps you protect what matters and, as a pro photographer,that includes your photographic equipment. With PhotoCare,PPA covers your premium* for$15,000 of equipment insurance.It’s just one more way that membership in PPA pays.

*PhotoCare Equipment Insurance is available to U.S.-based PPA Professional Active and Life membersonly. Policy is provided by PPA as a part of membership and includes equipment coverage up to$15,000 per year. Restrictions apply. Additional coverage is available for purchase. Insurance providedby Lockton Afnity. PPA members must opt in and maintain active membership to receive coverage.

WWW.PPA.COM/INSURANCE

OPT IN TODAY!


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2012-06 49/132June 2012 • Professional Photographer • 49

Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Products, Technology and Services

What I like Laura Tillinghast trusts gear that’s wash ‘n’ go reliable

What makes your workflow flow? I’m a big

fan of the onOne Perfect Photo Suite. This

portrait retouching software saves me tons of

time. And I don’t know what I’d do without

my amazing website provider, Zenfolio. I love

the clean and elegant display, and my clients

love the ease of use and digital delivery system.

The final step is my lab, MpixPro. They have

the fastest turnaround of any lab I’ve ever

used, and the quality is always spot on.

Little thing, big difference … Reflectors! I

can’t live without them. I have a number of

pieces I made myself, but the one I use the

most is a five-in-one Photoflex MultiDisc.

When you’re on the move, what’s your most valuable piece of gear? I always have pock-

etfuls of SanDisk CompactFlash cards.

They’re the most reliable memory cards

available. I had one go through the washing

machine, and it still did not fail.

Has a piece of equipment ever changed your

approach to photography? My Canon 70-

200mm f/2.8 lens opened up a new world. I

can shoot wide open and keep my subject

tack sharp. Once I realized I could use the lens compression to turn a boring back-

ground into a lovely, blurred atmosphere, I

never put it down.

IMAGE BY LAURA TILLINGHAST

LAURATILLINGHAST . COM



GOODS ROUNDUP BY ROBYN L. POLLMAN

Try thes e tools and tips for clothingand li gh ting to make high style a bree ze

Flair for fashion

Whatever the shoot, clients are lookingfor your guidance in what to wear.Help them select wisely, then light formaximum impact.


OFFERED BY: JOYCE SMITHThe Joyce Smith WHAT TO WEAR guide is 13 pages of

wardrobe suggestions for maternity, newborn, children and

family shoots. It comes in printed and eco-friendly PDF

formats. It has a section on finding your own style, plus

shopping website links. A separate guide for high schoolseniors is also available. PRICE: $75.

wordsmith-for-photographers.myshopify.com

OFFERED BY: DIVAS AND DREAMS“The Posing Guide” is a professional 66-page guide for fashion-inspired

posing. It’s available as a downloadable PDF. It includes the video, “The

Top 10 Things Christina Does to Every Portrait in Photoshop.” PRICE: $148.

divasanddreamsblog.com



NO PHOTOSHOPNO PROBLE

Download your free copy today!onOneSoftware.com/layers

PERFECT LAYERNOW FR

© 2012 onOne Software, Inc. All rights reserved. onOne Software is a registered trademark of onOne Software, Inc.The onOne Software logo and Perfect Layers are trademarks of onOne Software

TOO LIGHT

TOO DARK

BLENDEDJUST RIGHT


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2012-06 52/13252 • www.ppmag.com

GOODS

OFFERED BY: TOTALLY RADAMPED PRESETS for Lightroom 4 crank up the spectrum

of color. It’s a perfect instrument to help your photos rock a

contemporary style with a fashion-forward edge. PRICE: $49.

gettotallyrad.com

OFFERED BY: TAoPaNThe MAMA THREDZ line includes the Single Mama and

Ruffled Mama gowns from designer/photographer Ana Brandt.

These are flattering outfits for maternity and just-afterportraits. Both gowns are available in multiple colors and styles;

one size fits most. PRICE: $70 and $75.

theartofpregnancyandnewborn.com

OFFERED BY: GRASLONThe Graslon INSIGHT DOME FLASH DIFFUSER fits securely on

most external flash units with non-adhesive sliding and locking mounting

brackets for quick removal. The optical reflector system redistributes and

diffuses your lighting for natural-looking portraits. PRICE: $69.95.

graslon.com



OFFERED BY: GARY FONGThe POWERSNOOT is a long chrome-plated snoot with a grid that

turns your strobe into a spotlight, helping you to achieve dramatic

lighting effects with your speedlight equipment. PRICE: $70.15.

garyfongestore.com

OFFERED BY: DESIGN AGLOWDesign Aglow’s THE STYLE GUIDE: FAMILIES includes tips from several po

photographers for fall and winter sessions. The picture-perfect wardrobe selections

can be printed on flat cards, spiral-bound, or presented online in a PDF. PRICE:designaglow.com

Read more from Robyn L. Pollman at paperieboutique.com andbuttonsandbowsphotography.com

S-PRwww.schneideroptics.com

DIGITAL! Made in Germany

New

premiumMRC Nanocoating!

Revolutionary B+W XS-PRO Digital Filters featureextra-slim mounting rings, especially suited to

DSLRs with wide-angle and zoom lenses. Thesuper-thin design prevents vignetting in even

the widest shots. Plus, convenient front threadsfacilitate mounting of additional filters, screw-on

shades & lens covers. Available in UV, Clear andnow Kaesemann Circular Polarizer.

!gnitaoconaNCRM muimerp

weN

-+ByranoituloveR

-taefsretliFlatigiDORP-SXW

sulP.stohstsediwehteru

-sdaerhttnorftneinevnoc,

hcs.www

!LATIGID

isedniht-repus diwhtiwsRLSD

moc.scitporedie

ynamreGnieda

enignittengivstneverpn .sesnelmoozdnaelgna-e

,

ucriCnnameseaKwon .srevocsnel&sedahsne eh

.reziraloPral dnaraelCUnielbaliavA

,

June 2012 • Professional Photographer • 53



In this era of camera releases for small niche

markets, Nikon counters the trend with the

new D800. This breakthrough camera is the

one to own if you’re a professional portrait,

wedding, event, school, still life, landscape,

fine art or any other kind of pro photogra-pher who doesn’t shoot action sports or in

extreme weather. You should reassign the

digital camera you currently own to your

backup. The D800 really is that good.

Much is being made of the video capabil-

ities of the D800; we’ll look at those in the

July issue, as well as the D800E body when

it’s released. This article centers on the still

capture capabilities of the D800.

With an effective 36.3-megapixel sensor

and most of the technology of the Nikon D4,

the D800 delivers. Housed in a magnesium

alloy body similar to the D700’s, the sensor

captures detail to rival all but the highest

resolu tion Phase One medium-format backs

such as the iQ180, with which I’m very familiar from shooting in-studio still life.

Shooting at maximum resolution, those

36.3 megapixels translate into a 7,360x4,912-

pixel image file; that’s a 103.4MB, 8-bit TIFF

file and, without interpolation, a 30.7x20.5

inkjet print at 240 pixels per inch. Other

resolutions are available: a 1.2X crop, an 8x10

proportion crop, and a 1.5X DX crop. The

DX crop delivers an image of 15 megapixels

(4,800x3,200 pixels), which should be popular

for photographing wildlife and non-professional sports, especially since the autofocu

array covers nearly the entire DX crop are

Unlike the D3S and the D4, however, the

viewfinder does not “gray out” to the edge

of the crop areas. Instead, the crops are ind

cated only by a darker black outline that ca

become invisible in certain lighting situation

Because I’m accustomed to using a

Nikon D3X and its predecessors and a D3

it took me some time to become comfortab

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

Nikon’s new DSLR rivals medium-format cameras infine detail and resolution. It’s that good.BY STAN SHOLIK

New best NIKON D800

A

m

©


This is a full-frame capture, left, from the D800with the 17-35mm f/2.8 Nikkor, handheld at1/60 second, ISO 6400, set fully automatic.Above is a 1:1 crop with no noise reduction andonly slight sharpening. Noise is visible, butI don’t find it objectionable. Resolution is highenough that you can see I didn’t hold thecamera completely steady.



www.chimeralighting.com / 888.444.1812 / Made in the USA

© P e

t e r S c h a f r i c k

lightbanks / birdcages / lanterns / systems / speed rings / essentials / accessorie

CHIMERA KNOWS GREAT STUDIO SHOT A GREAT STUDIO.(Our studio just happens to be collapsportable and totally cool, too.)Those innovators at Chimera have done it again! Our designers have created a portablestudio that makes it super easy for you create headshots and more. You can:

t .BLF )FBETIPU #PPUIt $POUSPM TQJMM MJHIU XJUI 7 nBUTt $SFBUF B GVMM MFOHUI GFF TUBOEJOH TUSJQ MJHIUt .BLF B MBSHF PWFSIFBE MJHIU GPS TUJMM MJGF TIPUTt "OE NPSF

5IF OFX $IJNFSB 4UVEJP 4ZTUFN ,JU JT QFSGFDU GPS B TNBMM IPNJU T DPMMBQTJCMF BOE FBTZ UP BTTFNCMF ZPV DBO UBLF JU X4UVEJP 4ZTUFN ,JU PS $IJNFSB 4UVEJP 4ZTUFN ,JU 1-64 *U T KVTUlighting experts at Chimera.

Want one?Check out the details at www.facebook.com/chimeralighting.com and register for yourDIBODF UP XJO ZPVS WFSZ PXO DPMMBQTJCMF $IJNFSB 4UVEJP 4ZT



with the location of the controls on the

D800. I prefer to have access to ISO, qual-

ity, and white balance on the back of the

camera rather than on the top deck’s release

mode dial, where they are on the D800, but

I’ll learn to live with it. The rest of the back

of the camera has a familiar look and feel.

The recommended ISO sensitivity of the

D800 ranges from 100 to 6400 in 1/3, 1/2

or 1 EV increments. I welcome the return of

native ISO 100 to a professional Nikon

camera. ISO settings of 50 and as high as

25600 are also available. With the wide

dynamic range of the D800, I found little

quality loss at ISO 50.

At the other end of the ISO range, image

quality is far better than you’d expect. Nikon

is the leader in in-camera noise reduction,

and the D800 is excellent proof. While noise

begins to be visible at 1:1 at ISO 400, I found

ISO 6400 to be perfectly usable and far better

than with my D2X, even without post-pro-

duction noise reduction. With noise reduction

applied in Lightroom 4 or other third-party

software, noise is not an issue until well beyond

ISO 6400, and even then I found it accept-

able for any size print short of 16x20 inches.

What turned out to be the biggest issue

for me lies in my collection of older manual-

focus Nikkors, such as my beloved 24mm

f/2, 35mm f/1.4 and 105mm f/2.5 lenses.

These lenses are all usable on the D800, but

you get obvious color fringing in images at

1:1 in high-contrast transitions, even near the

center of the frame. I was really disappointed

until I realized I was viewing images at nearly

three times the resolution I was accustomed

to with my D3S. When I down-sampled the

images to 12 megapixels, the fringing was no

worse than I was accustomed to.

To get the most out of the D800, using

the latest Nikkors is essential. Nikon sent

the new AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 G and

AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED lenses

with the D800 for my review. No color

fringing with these lenses. The 85mm was

superb in a portrait session. The 24-70mm

is one of the very best lenses that Nikon pro-

duces and better than ever on the D800.

Good photo technique is also essential to

get the most out of the D800, as it is with a

medium-format digital back. I found that

mounting the camera on a tripod and using

the mirror-up mode with a remote release

delivered far better results than handheld

shooting, even at the fastest shutter speeds

could use at ISO 100.

Accurate focus is also essential and anoth

reason to use a solid camera support, parti

ularly with large apertures and long lenses

Focusing inaccuracies that might go unnotic

in cameras with lower pixel counts are

painfully obvious in D800 images at 1:1. I

found the autofocus system in the D800 to

be very accurate when I was careful to pla

the focus position exactly where I wanted

hold the AE/AF lock button on the back of

the camera with my thumb, and recompos

This care is mandatory if you plan on mak

ing large prints from the captures.

I did feel that the warm tones were ove

saturated, even with the Picture Control set t

Neutral. I first noticed it when photograph

ing artwork, and I had to lower the saturatio

in post production. It was the same when I



Color accuracy is excellent, but I did have to backoff on the saturation of the red and orange hues.Even so, they are well saturated.



We’ve all heard tales about how great those really,really expensive European lights are supposed tobe – super accurate, fast, consistent color, digitalcontrols and all that. Fact is , most mono ashunits now on the market are outgrowths of Paul

Buff’s game-changing 1986 White Lightning™Ultra design. Digital controls and packagingchanges were added, but the core technology isfundamentally the same.

Recently, Paul set about to create all new,next generation technology that will surely be thestandard against which future mono ash units willbe judged.

The core of Einstein™ lies in its IGBT ashtubecontrol (in place of more primitive analog methods),true digital control, and tightly integrated radioremote control with full color LCD display system.

Einstein™ features plug-and-play global

powering, absolutely constant color over an ex-traordinarily wide nine f-stop power variabilityrange, ultra-fast t.1 ash durations for razor sharpaction stopping, fan cooling, and a bright, voltage-regulated 250W quartz modeling lamp preciselylocated in a frosted Pyrex dome for smooth-as-silklighting patterns. Adjustable in exact digital 1/10fstops, its accuracy is unsurpassed by any otherlight on earth.

But that’s just the start...the brilliant color LCDdisplay is fully integrated with our 2.4GHz CyberCommander™ to display and control virtuallyevery aspect of the system - ash durations,color temperatures, Wattseconds, EU Numbers,model-to- ash ratios and more, either from therear panel or from your camera. With the CyberCommander™ (CyberSync™ system componentssold separately), you can control and meter up to16 lights, bracket in camera f-stops, create in nitegroups and more. No more calculating WS and lightratios – you can do it all in actual camera f-stopsand even store complete setups on the suppliedMicro SD Card.

Of course, you can turn the recycle beeper andslave eye on or off, and meter, control and examineevery parameter of each light (up to 16 lights) fromthe palm of your hand. Fast 0.08 to 1.7 secondrecycle and crash proof power supplies allow upto 12 fps shooting and reliable operation from our

brand new 3.5lb Vagabond Mini TM Lithium batterysupplies.

In short, no mono ash on earth even beginsto come close to the All American Einstein™ 640.You’ll truly be singing:

“What The World Needs Now is Einstein™,Sweet Einstein™”

EINSTEIN™ E640Self-Contained Studio Flash(re ector not included)$499.95 ***

• 9f Variability (2.5 to 640WS)• Global Voltage• 0.08 to 1.7 Sec. Recycle• 1/1700 to 1/27000 Second

t.5 Flash Duration(1/580 to 1/13500 Sec. t.1)

• Constant 5600° Color atany power setting

• Color LCD Display • 12 fps Capability • 250W Modeling Lamp• Pyrex Diffusing Dome

• Fan-Cooled• Audible Recycle Beeper• Optional CyberSync™

Plug-in Radio Remote• Ultra Compact - 4.25lbs• Rugged Lexan Housing*** Factory-Direct Price

from Paul C. Buff, Inc.



shot portraits, but changing the Picture

Control setting to Portrait helped. As with

all Nikon digital SLRs, there is an abundance

of settings and custom settings available to

cover more photographic situations than I

can imagine. It has the multiple exposure

control I often use in my other bodies and

the full range of auto bracketing I appreci-

ate for my HDR landscape and architec-

tural images.

It has a USB 3.0 interface, which should

move 41.3MB, lossless compressed, 14-bit

raw files from camera to computer quickly

enough. Unfortunately, neither Nikon

Camera Control nor Lightroom 4 supports

direct connection of the D800 for imagecapture yet, so I couldn’t test it. Both Light-

room 4 and the version of Nikon View sup-

plied with the D800 allow you to view the

captured images. The D800 is compatible

with Eye-Fi cards and I was able to trans-

mit images with an Eye-Fi Connect X2.

I was a little disappointed in the battery

life, especially compared to the D3S. With

this much data to store and display and a

modest capacity, it’s no surprise that battery

life is limited to four to six hours in the stu-

dio. An optional MB-D12 multi-power bat-

tery pack is available.

I found nothing else seriously lacking in

the D800 other than a high frame rate.

My studio strobes don’t recycle at 4 frames

per second and I don’t shoot professional

sports, so this isn’t an issue for me. After

I test the D800E, I’ll decide whether to

buy the $2999.95 D800 or the $3299.95

D800E. n

Stan Sholik is a commercial and advertis-ing photographer in Santa Ana, Calif.,specializing in still life and macro photography. His new book on Lightroom 4 for Wiley Publishing will be available this summer.


Specs Nikon D800

EFFECTIVE PIXELS: 36.3 millionIMAGE SENSOR: 35.9x24mm CMOSsensor (Nikon FX format)TOTAL PIXELS: 36.8 millionDUST-REDUCTION SYSTEM:Image sensor cleaningIMAGE SIZE: FX image area,7,360 x 4,912 pixels; DX image area,4,800 x 3,200

FILE FORMATS: NEF (RAW) 12 or 14 bit;lossless compressed, compressed, or

uncompressed TIFFPICTURE CONTROL SYSTEM: Standard,Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait,Landscape, all modifiable, custom savableMEDIA: SD and UHS-I compliant SDHCand SDXC; Type I CompactFlash (UDMAcompliant), dual card slotsSHUTTER: Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter Speed 1/8,000 to 30seconds in 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV stops, bulb, X250FLASH SYNC SPEED: X = 1/250 seconds;synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 secondsor slower (flash range drops at speedsbetween 1/250 and 1/320 second)DIMENSIONS: Approx. 146 x 123 x 81.5mm(5.7 x 4.8 x 3.2 inches)WEIGHT: Approximately 1,000g (2 pounds,3.3 ounces) with battery and SD memorycard but without lens or body cap.STREET PRICE: $2,999.95, body only

Coupled with the new 80mm f/1.8 Nikkor, theD800 becomes the perfect studio portrait sys-tem. For this photo I set the D800 for a 4:5 pro-portion crop so that I could compose for 8x10s inthe camera. Above, cropped to 100 percent, theunretouched portrait has enough resolution to showskin pores and flyaway hairs. Careful focusing isrequired with the D800 or the eyes will not besharp in the final output. Model: Amelia.




PocketWizard is virtually synonymous with

wire less triggering. The venerable Pocket -

Wizard Plus II has been a staple in photog-

raphy for years for its reliability and versatility.

But the competition has been growing in

recent years, and most are taking shots atPocketWizard’s premium price. In response,

now comes the PocketWizard Plus III with

significant upgrades and a lower price tag.

That’s right, it’s both better and cheaper. Sweet .

The unit is clearly a descendent of the

Plus II in design, with a few notable differ-

ences. The antenna is now enclosed, which

will come as a relief to every photographer

who ever had to bend the Plus II’s flexible

antenna to cram it into the little remaining

space in his camera bag. The Plus III sits in

side profile on the camera, a departure from

the face-on orientation of the Plus II, which

lessens the visual obstruction for the user.

The Plus III is jam-packed with features.

The available channels have increased fromfour to 32 (mimicking the Multi-Max). That

allows more photographers in the same area

to simultaneously use PocketWizard wireless

triggering without interfering with one

another, a welcome improvement. Now single

channels can accommodate multiple zones,

affording the flexibility to activate or deacti-

vate flashes or remote cameras from the

camera position. For example, by pressing a

single button, you can activate a kicker or a

camera that’s mounted in a church balcony

while you are shooting near the altar.

The user interface is intuitive and well

designed, providing easy control of the unit.

The backlit LCD screen displays a visual

confirmation of the mode, active channel,

active zones within the channel and battery

charge, a long-needed addition. With no

battery life indicator, you might discover

that a bank of lights had stopped firing in

the middle of a session. Now it’s simple to

tell which batteries need to be replaced before

the session. Thank you, PocketWizard. The

backlit display also deserves special mention,

as it really helps in low-light environments.

The versatility of the Plus III is enhanced

by the many modes of operation. The nor-

mal mode is TxRx, in which the unit auto-

matically senses whether it should transmi

or receive. You can also choose transmit-

only or receive-only modes, which are

advantageous in certain situations, such as

when multiple photographers are working

in close proximity. Auto-relay mode allow

you to trigger a remote camera and sync it

with a remote flash by automatically retran

mitting a received signal on the next highe

channel. If you set your handheld radio an

the radio controlling the camera to channe

1, the radio controlling the camera would

reissue the command to fire on channel 2.

The receiver for your strobes would be set

channel 2, completing the sequence.

Long-range modes dramatically increa

the range of the system. Long-range mode

(LR) can nearly double the effective range

Repeater mode (RP) is similar to auto-rela

mode, except the command to fire is issued

on the same channel rather than the next

channel up. Placing a radio in repeater mod


Major improvements and a lower price make thisnew PocketWizard model extremely desirable.BY MARK LEVESQUE, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

Raising the bar POCKETWIZARD PLUS III


New features of the PocketWizard Plus III trans-ceiver include an internal antenna, backlit LCDscreen and large buttons. Two AA batteries willpower up to 50 hours of use.

©M

k L v

qu



between the transmitter and receiver greatly

increases the range, with a slight impact on

x-sync speed.

PocketWizard Plus IIIs are typically pow -

ered by two AA batteries, which provides up

to 50 hours of use. For economy, rechargeable

AAs work well. A compatible AC adapter that

plugs into the Mini-B USB interface on the

unit can power long-term use, eliminating

the hassle of changing batteries. The USB

interface also enables firmware upgrades with -

out having to send off the unit for servicing.

The new design seems even more robust

than its predecessor, which set the standard.

The new battery door is sturdier and easier

to operate. The enclosed antenna reduces its vulnerability. All the buttons work easily

and feel like they’ll stand up to longtime use.

The triggering performance is terrific. Each

mode I tested worked as promised, and it

was easy to set up the radios. With an ACC

pre-trigger cable, it’s simple to control a

camera remotely. The two-stage test button

works the same way as the shutter release on

your camera: half-press to wake up the cam-

era, focus, and meter, and fully depress the

button to release the shutter and trigger the

lights. Same with the multi-zone shooting.

Set up is a snap, and it just

works. The only limitation is

that multi-zone operation is

available only for channel 17

and above.

The PocketWizard Plus III

marries unmatched versatility

with high reliability in a well-designed package that

addresses virtually any need for

syncing strobes and remote cameras. A

lower price than its predecessor makes it

especially attractive for

both photographers

wanting to upgrade and

those new to wireless

triggering of remote

flashes. n

The new mounting orientation reduces visualobstruction.



There are several important factors in choos -

ing lighting equipment among the many avail -

able options. For one, you want to invest in

lighting equipment that will last for years. When you’re evaluating the various lines,

look beyond the initial investment you’ll

make in the lights themselves. Find out the

variety of the available accessories in each

line, and how expensive they are. The initial

investment in the lights might be reasonable,

but then a simple compatible accessory like

a honeycomb grid could cost you more than

$100. The material and construction of the

equipment is important too. Will you be taking it on the road? Traveling can take a

toll on inexpensive equipment, but on the

other hand, more costly and robustly built

equipment might be harder to lug around.

I recently had the opportunity to check out

a Speedotron DM402 CC 3-Light System,

which sells for $1,240. From the Speedotr

Brown line, this kit consists of a 400-watt

power pack, three lights, two with fixed-

mounted, 8.5-inch parabolic reflectors and

one with a 5.5-inch parabolic reflector, and

some accessories: three light stands, two

8.5-foot air-cushion stands and one 4-foot

air-cushion light stand, a snoot for the 5.5-inc

head and a carrying case. The equipment

seems well constructed; the parabolic refle

tors are made of heavy gauge metal that

shouldn’t easily dent or deform. Air-cush-

ioned light stands are desirable, as they hel

prevent accidental damage if you lose you

grip while adjusting the height of the standCompact, the kit fits nicely into the supplie

soft case (too bad it doesn’t have wheels).

If you added an umbrella for each of th

two 8.5-inch parabolic reflectors, one for t

main light and one for a fill light, this kit

would be ideal for a photographer who neede

a simple portrait lighting setup, perhaps fo

school photography or location shoots. Th

5.5-inch head could be used to illuminate

the background and to delineate the subjec

from the background.

If you do more advanced creative portr

ture, the kit would serve only as a starting

point. For additional control over the lightin

you’d want a set of barn doors (two leaf ba

doors for 8.5-inch reflectors, $56). To use t

main light without an umbrella, you could

combine the barn doors with a clip-on Myl

diffuser ($14), and Mylar covering, which

would create a small but diffused light for

individual portraits with defined shadows.

Because the parabolic reflector is perm

nently mounted to the heads, the use of add

tional modifiers is limited to umbrellas or

mod ifiers that mount with a shaft like an

umbrella. You could control the spread of

light with a barn door, and soften it with a


This basic kit is a good starter for a portraitist. Just add two umbrellas, and you’ll have a setup to build on.BY DON CHICK, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

EssentialsSPEEDOTRON DM402 KIT


The Speedotron DM402 CC3-Light System kit includes a400-watt power pack, threelights, two with fixed-mounted,8.5-inch parabolic reflectorsand one with a 5.5-inch para-bolic reflector, and some acces-sories: three light stands, two8.5-foot air-cushion standsand one 4-foot air-cushionlight stand, a snoot for the 5.5-inch head and a carrying case.

m



panel between the light and subject. For

example, if you illuminate a 4x6-foot panel

as a main-light modifier, you’ll have a large

light source, and therefore soft light on the

subject. Panels take a bit of getting used to,

but they can function like soft boxes.

The strobe head cord length is fixed, limit-

ing the distance between the strobe and the

other heads. If you have a very large set, that

could be an important factor. If you can’t

achieve the desired f/stop (light output), and

the distance between the light and the sub-

ject cannot be changed, then to reduce the

light to the desired f/stop, you’d need to use

neutral density filters in a variety of densities.

The pack will accept up to four heads.

However, the output of each will decrease,

either symmetrically or asymmetrically,

depend ing on the switch setting on the power

pack. It’s important to know, too, that the

modeling lamps do not have individual on/off

switches. If you cannot isolate a single light,

it can be difficult to see where the light isstriking the subject. The workaround is to

turn the other lights away from the subject.

This pack has 400 watts of power, which

should be sufficient for a small studio setting of

individuals and small groups. For large groups

and large spaces, you may find the pack insuf -

ficient. If you want to add additional wattage

through multiple packs or invest in higher

wattage packs, note that the flash tubes su

plied with this pack will handle only 400

watt-seconds and cannot be used with a

higher rated pack.

Is the Speedotron D402 kit a good

invest ment for you? That depends on you

answers to several other questions: Do you

want a lightweight, portable system for

portraiture or small products? Do you like

working with umbrellas and panels? Do you work well using parabolic reflectors

with barn doors? If you answer yes to tho

questions, take a serious look at this kit.

If you prefer to use soft boxes, octoboxes

beauty dishes and other removable light

modifiers, or if you need to light a large

area or groups of people, this is not the

lighting kit for you. n



With non-removable parabolic reectors, your

on-light modiers will be limited to those that

mount with a shaf, like umbrellas. The 400-

watt pack, below right, is suitable to power

lighting or a small studio setting.

There are several important factors in choos ing lighting equipment among the many avail able options. For one, you want to invest in lighting equipment that will last for years.

©Don Chick

©Don Chick



The light modifier you choose is the decid-

ing factor in the quality of the light in your

photograph. When asked to review the new

Photogenic Glamour Reflector, I jumped at the opportunity. I literally wrote the book on

light modifiers, so I have experience with

many kinds, each with unique qualities

that are evident in the captured images.

The Glamour Reflector is compatible with

Photogenic and Norman Monolight systems. For the images shown here, I used a

Photogenic PowerLight PL1250 monolight

with a Quick Change speed ring adapter,

plus a 24-inch Glamour Reflector with a

brushed silver interior that yields a specula

hard-light quality. The project I was work-ing on required producing images with sev

eral different looks in a short period of tim


The brushed silver finish and broad surface area give the bounced light of this beauty dish a special character.

BY ALLISON EARNEST

Glam light PHOTOGENIC GLAMOUR REFLECTOR

Figure 1: The Photogenic Glamour Reflector’s brushed silver interior createsa hard light that’s pleasing in certain applications.

Figure 2: The Photogenic Light Sox, sold separately, softens and cools thereflector’s light.

A m

©A

nE

n

m

S h

y

K n h


Image courtesy of Photogenic



The photographs would be used in the port-

folio of aspiring model Shelby Knight.

I created the photo in Figure 1 in my stu-

dio. For the main light setup, I placed the

Photogenic Glamour Reflector above Shelby

to get nice butterfly lighting, also known as a

paramount lighting pattern. Because the

reflector’s interior has a brushed silver fin-

ish, the quality of the light it produces is quite

hard yet pleasing in this fashion image. I

placed a small white card under the subject’s

chin to softly fill the shadows. I gray-bal-

anced the image to get a pleasing, realistic

skin tone. I love the quality of the light.

The one drawback to the Glamour Reflector

is its size. I typically use a similar but smaller

reflector made by another manufacturer. The

24-inch reflector created a larger field of light

than is desirable for a head-and-shoulders

por trait, so I placed a black flag over a quarter

of the reflector to block or reduce the amount

of light spilling onto the background.

Without changing the position of the main

light, I placed the optional Photogenic Light

Sox over the reflector to soften and diffuse

the light, which created a softer shadow-to-

highlight edge transition ( Figure 2 ). The

Light Sox is made of a translucent white

material that fits snugly over the reflector

with a sturdy elastic band.

I highly recommend investing the addi-

tional $46.95 to get a Light Sox with the

Glamour Reflector. It will add versatility to the

reflector, and the soft quality of the light it deliv -

ers is quite pleasing for traditional portraiture.

I incorporated a silver reflector card under

Shelby’s chin to add sparkle to her eyes and

fill in the shadows.

For review purposes, I did not change the

gray balance for this image. Placing the

Light Sox over the Glamour Reflector pro-

duced a cooler light temperature. You can

see the difference between Figures 1 and 2.

It’s best to place a gray card on each lighting

setup to get accurate color. I was quite

happy with both studio images.

For my final test, I took the Glamour

Reflector on location. Here, the size of the

reflector worked to my advantage (Figures

3, 4 and 5).

Overall, I am pleased with the quality o

the light produced by the Photogenic Glamo

Reflector. I like the pop and contrast of the

brushed silver interior. If your style of ligh

ing is on the softer side, the Light Sox is a

solid investment. The only negative aspect

this reflector is its lack of portability. A pr

tective carrying case would be an ideal sol

tion for location shooting. n

Allison Earnest is the author of the Sculptiwith Light series of books, “Sculpting with Light: Techniques for Portrait Photographer“The Digital Photographer’s Guide to Ligh Modifiers,” and “Lighting for Product Photography,” available later this year. Seemore of her work at aearnestphoto.com.


Figure 3 Figure 5Figure 4

The large field of light that the Photogenic GlamourReflector puts out is suitable for full-body andthree-quarter shots.



What kind of a portrait could you create with

one light? What flexibility would you have if

you were limited to a single light? Actually, the

possibilities are limitless, with a little knowl-

edge and a lot of imagination. A single light

source used as a main or key light, dependingon the modifier attached to it, will provide

an abundance of light, which you can then

redirect or bounce onto the subject with

reflectors to create a magnificent portrait.

In this portrait of Phillip, I’m using a

strobe, but the principles readily apply to

window light. The main light source is a

Photogenic 1250DR strobe, and it’s modi-fied by a 48x72-inch Photogenic soft box.

The large soft box gives the light falling on

THE GOODS: TUTORIAL

What can you possibly do with one light?BY DON CHICK, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

One-light wowLIGHTING

©Wade Payne, thepurplelens.com

This is the setup (above) with the soft box tilteupward to feather the light across the model’s arand provide background light, and the reflectoplaced to provide fill and accent light. The po

trait (below) appears to have been lit with foulights to provide main, background, fill and accelight, but all were achieved with one poweredstrobe, a large soft box and two reflectors.

©D



my subject a pleasing soft quality, as well as

lots of extra light to reflect or bounce back.

On this occasion, I was teaching a class on

studio portraiture on a Destination Photo

Education cruise and had nothing on hand

to serve as a gobo between the subject’s right

arm and the main light. So to reduce the

light striking the arm, I feathered the light

by tilting the modifier upward. In using the

edge of the light from the soft box, I created

a natural falloff of light from Phillip’s face to

his arm. I could have chosen not to angle the

soft box, but then I’d have to do post-pro-

cessing work. I’d much rather capture the

image correctly with the camera.

With the main light positioned just a few feet in front of the background, there was

enough light to illuminate it without using

secondary lighting. Feathering, or turning

the soft box toward the background,

increases the brightness of the background;

and feathering it away from the background

decreases the brightness. In this way the

main light does the work of two lights.

Using a circular white reflector for the fill

light, I redirected light onto the subject’s

shadow side. Fill light is used primarily to

control the amount of contrast between

highlights and shadows. With a reflector

setup you can see how the light will look, so

you don’t have to meter the output of the

strobe to obtain a particular ratio—if you

like what you see, shoot it!

Note, however, that your camera will see

a bit more contrast than your eyes will. If

you’re going for a low-contrast look and thescene looks right to your eyes, move the

reflector in just a little to get the desired

result in your capture. The ability to see all

this comes with experience, so practice,

practice, practice the technique before usin

it with your clients.

I used a silver circular reflector to prov

accent lighting. Look carefully at the light

the left side of Phillip’s head, especially arou

the ear and temple. Just above the ear, you

can see the ear’s shadow on his head. That

accomplished with accent light. It provides

just a kiss of light. Done correctly, it is the

finishing touch of the portrait.

I’ve accomplished the look of a four-lig

setup with just one powered strobe, a soft

box and two reflectors. Beautiful portrait

lighting doesn’t have to be complicated or

difficult to achieve stunning results. What

you do need are knowledge, the right equiment and the determination to practice

until you get it right. n

Chick Photography is located in East Rochester, N.H. (chickphotography.net).





At last, dress slacks for working female photographers.BY BETSY FINN, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

Pants that workPHOTOPANTZ

Pocket A is big enough to hold a lens; zippered

Pocket B is sized well for memory cards or

money; Pockets C and D are for your cell phone

and business cards; Pocket E zips up and can

keep your lens caps secured.

A

B

CD

E

It’s been tough to find women’s dress pants

with the fit and appropriate pockets for the

working pho tographer. Unlike men’s slacks,

women’s pants tend to have tiny pockets that

serve solely as design elements. And forgetabout actually working in them; the cut and

fabric seldom provide the necessary coverage

and flexibility.

I was excited to test the new PhotoPantz,

slacks that every woman photographer should

own. They have lots of pockets, and I’m a pocket kind of person. I need them to stow

A

m

©B


A

B

E

C/D



my cell phone, wallet, keys and miscella-

neous items, such as my light meter and a

lens cap. PhotoPantz come in summer and

winter styles. For summer, the fabric is a

lightweight, rip-stop material, and the pants

sport five pockets. For winter, the fabric is a

heavyweight, two-way stretch material, and

there are nine pockets. Both have two frontpockets deep enough for a camera lens, and

a zippered pocket on the upper thigh for valu -

ables. I liked using that one for memory cards.

On the side of each leg are two more pockets,

one for a cell phone, the other for business

cards. The winter version has two roomy back

pockets, and at the inside of the calf, a zippered

pocket on both legs for items like lens covers.

For practicality and modesty, Photo Pantz

are designed to sit at the natural waistline.

In the back, the waistband is discreetly elas-

ticized to ease bending over and to prevent

gaping. The positioning of the back pockets

makes it look like you’re wearing low-rise

pants when you wear a standard length top.

There’s a side zipper and button closure.

(The very pretty buttons in the original pants

were made of shell, and one of them cracked

in the first washing. The problem has been

addressed, and all new PhotoPantz will have

durable matte black plastic buttons.) When you order a pair, your PhotoPantz

are custom hemmed to your specified

length. As circumstances would have it, I

acquired unhemmed pairs for review, but I

assured the owner I could hem them myself.

Due to my short stature, I had to shorten the

ankle pockets of the winter pants because they

extended further than my hemline. Good

news: there’s a line of petite PhotoPantz in

the works. PhotoPantz are machine wash-

able and dryer-safe, and they come out

wrinkle free. (I prefer to line dry some cloth-

ing to extend the life of the fabric.)

Over the course of a couple weeks, I wore both styles of PhotoPantz extensively, indoors

and out, and I enjoyed them immensely. The

winter version was comfortable even outside

on an unusually warm spring day. I enjoyed

using the many pockets, and it was nice to

concentrate on my clients instead of worry-

ing about what I was exposing when I bent

over. I’m not usually a high-rise waist fan,

but in this case I approve. In fact, I found

myself making excuses to wear the Photo -

Pantz even when I wasn’t working with

clients because they’re so comfortable. I did

find the summer fabric a bit noisy. Despite

my best efforts to be stealthy, they made a

faint swishing sound as I moved about.

My sole complaint is the design of the

cell phone pocket. It’s so easy to access, I

worried about my phone tumbling out. It

never did, but I think the PhotoPantz design

could be improved to perfection with the

added security of a closure of some kind.PhotoPantz are stylish, modest, comfortable

and highly utilitarian. Both styles look

dressy enough to suit any occasion. Photo -

Pantz come in misses sizes 4-20; a petite line

is forthcoming. Summer and winter styles

retail for $149.99. (photopantz.com) n

I wore both styles of PhotoPantz extensively, indoors and out,and I enjoyed them immensely. ... I enjoyed using the many

pockets, and it was nice to concentrate on my clients insteadof worrying about what I was exposing when I bent over.




or the past 19 years, Jamie Hayes, M.PhotoCr., ABI, API, of Hayes & Fisk

The Art of Photography in Rich

mond, Va., hasn’t changed a thing when it

comes to lighting. He found a simple syste

early on, and it hasn’t failed him yet.

“I can match any portrait I’ve ever cre-

ated because I do the same thing every tim

and use the same light every time,” says

Hayes. “It’s the only way to create a brand

and a recognizable style.”

Hayes has been in business long enoug

to have worked out the kinks. He shot his

first wedding when he was 15, having bee

dropped off around the corner so the bride

wouldn’t see he couldn’t even drive. A few

years into building a reputation and learn-

ing the business, he met Mary Fisk-Taylor

M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI, API, and a dream

partnership was launched.

“We really have the perfect day marriag

says Hayes. “We use each other’s strengthand weaknesses to create the perfect team,

business and photography.”

Because the majority of the portrait wo

the studio produces is traditional in style an

created to be framed and hung on a wall, it

makes perfect sense for Hayes to stick with

his proven lighting scheme. He’s changed

equipment over time, but not his approach

“It’s good, clean lighting,” he says. “I nee

a system that frees me from thinking abou

the technical part so I can concentrate on th

subject’s expressions and the client experi-

ence. That’s what it’s about, our relationsh

with our clients.”

Hayes worked out his lighting techniqu

back when he couldn’t make a large inves

ment in lighting equipment. “I only had

If Jamie Hayes has one opinion about lighting, it’s that additive lightingis a must for establishing your style and simplifying everything.His technique works in any environment and hasn’t failed him yet.

LIGHTING

FBy Stephanie Boozer

Light to build onBranding through consistency


mages ©Jamie Hayes



TOP LIGHTING TIPS

Hayes is a strong proponent of additive

which he says ensures consistent color b

ance and minimized retouching later. W

asked to boil down his top lighting tips f

photographers, Hayes dictated the follow

• Create a simple lighting concept tha

works in every situation, indoors and ou

and stick with it.

• Invest in the best equipment. You o

buy strobes, lenses and speedlights once

but cameras every three years. You will

more professional with amazing gear, an

perception is everything.

• Choose a lighting mentor and studyhim or her as much as you can.

• Work on your technique, learn to ge

right in the camera instead of planning t

it on the computer.

• Finally, never trust your camera’s m

Use a handheld light meter. I meter the l

falling on the subject instead of the light

reflect ing off the subject. Incident light

read ings are not influenced by the color

tonality or reflectivity of the subject, allo

you to pho tograph any color of skin w

exact same light.



LIGHTING

PHOTO CHALLENGE 1:

When available light needs a boost

SITUATION: A bridal shoot scheduled onlocation at a newly renovated train sta -tion. Hayes planned to use available light

spilling in from a second-floor balcony,but scaffolding surrounding the build -ing on the shoot day foiled his plans.

SOLUTION: Hayes opened the full-length doors all the way to bring in asmuch daylight as he could (Figure 1).

Next, he bounced daylight on theshad ows with a 42x72-inch LarsonReflectasol with Super Silver fabric(Figure 2).

He then placed a Profoto Acute 600Bstrobe and 3x4-foot Larson soft box inthe doorway, raised 3 feet higher thanthe railing, and added a final boost witha Profoto Compact 600 strobe and9x24-inch Larson Soft Strip slightlybehind the bride to give separation tothe veil and dress bodice (Figure 3).

CAMERA: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

LENS: Canon 35-350mm f/3.5-5.6 L EFEXPOSURE: 1/40 second at f/9,ISO 800

enough money for four lights,” he says. “After

messing around with them, I found a method

that works every time, in a studio of any size.”

The simplicity of the system is its beauty.

In a moment of experimentation, Hayes bounced light off the white ceiling rather

than aiming it directly at the subject and

background, which is the more common

approach. That was the eureka moment.

“It turns the ceiling into a big soft box,”

he explains. “It’s so simple. We bounce twostrobes off the ceiling, and it makes the

background light so smooth and clean. Th

gets the biggest ‘wow’ of anything we teac

in our workshops.”

Hayes says the biggest challenge photo

raphers are facing today is the volume of information readily available on the Intern

Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4: Additive light setup




NEW RELEASESIGMA LENS for DIGITAL

50-500 mm

F4.5-6.3DG OS HSM

APO

Lens Hood and Lens Case supplied

High ratio ultra telephoto zoom lecovering from standard range of flengths to telephoto and incorporSigma’s original OS function

This lens is equipped with Sigma’s unique OS(Optical Stabilizer) function. This system enableshand held photography for many types. Four SLD(Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provideexcellent correction of color aberration throughoutthe entire zoom range. Incorporation of HSM (HyperSonic Motor) ensures quiet and high speed AF,while allowing full-time manual focus override. Theaddition of the optional APO TELECONVERTERproduces a 1000mm ultra telephoto zoom lens.

SIGMA CORPORATION OF AMERICA 15 Fleetwood Court, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779, U.S.A. | Tel: (631) 585-1144 | Fax: (631) 585-1895 | www.sigmaphoto.comFollow us on Twitter.com/Sigma_Photo and Facebook.com/sigmacorporationofamerica

USA 3 Year Service Protection



LIGHTING

PHOTO CHALLENGE 2:

April showers bring problems

SITUATION: Hayes needed to matchlighting in a sibling’s portrait to the originalportrait of the client’s first child, whichwas taken on a sunny morning outdoors.On the shoot day, cloudy skies and rainyweather presented a challenge (Figure 1).

SOLUTION: First, Hayes set up thesame main light he used in the previousportrait, matching the same soft boxand strobe to match the contrast andshape of the subject’s face. Next, heplaced a 3x4-foot soft box and Profotostrobe behind and slightly left of thesubject at one stop brighter than the

main light to create the highlight on theback wall and separate the subject,matching the sunlight in the originalportrait (Figure 2).

For the hair light, Hayes used a zoomreflector on a Profoto 600R, coveredwith a warm Amber Rosco gel to addwarmth and detail to the hair, plantsand flowers. Later, in post processing,he used Nik Viveza 2 and applied ColorEfex Pro White Neutralizer and Skylightfilters to add more warmth (Figure 3).

CAMERA:Mamiya 645AFD with Kodak645M digital backLENS: Mamiya 105-210mm f/4.5EXPOSURE: 1/90 second at f/8,ISO 400

Figure 1

Figure 2 Figure 3


with a mere click or two. With so many

philosophies on lighting to ponder, photog-

raphers can go into overload and make it

more complicated than it needs to be.

“I learned by doing. Today, many new

photographers learn by listening to someone

else or from the Internet,” says Hayes. “I can’t

tell you how many times a photographer has

come up to me after a seminar to tell me

how simple I make lighting.”

Catch Jamie Hayes and Mary Fisk-Taylor athe East Coast Photographic Workshops in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., July 29-Aug. 2,eastcoastschool.com. Visit hayesandfisk.c

Find Stephanie Boozer at stephanieboozer.co

Figure 1: The final portrait of the older sibling (right)compared to the available light on the day scheduled tophotograph her sister (above).



hese days there are too many good photographers out there,” says Bill Gekas.

“The key is to be in the smaller bucket o

extraordinary photographers.”

Since teaching himself photography on

the 35mm film format in the 1990s, Gekas h

become a respected portrait artist with admir

ers around the globe. Based in Melbourne

Australia, the photographer has accumu-

lated a cache of photography awards. The

way to earn such awards, he says, is to ded

cate yourself to the craft, enter competition

regularly, and produce work that makes th

good photographers look twice. “In most

cases, if it impresses your peers, it’s bound

impress your potential clients,” says Geka

Gekas’ style changed in 2005, when he

switched from film to digital, and he could

experiment with his capture techniques in

completely new ways. It was also about th

time he began to seriously study the portra

ture of Diane Arbus, Yousuf Karsh, IrvingPenn, Cecil Beaton and other greats of pho

tography. He’d been shooting a bit of ever

thing up to then, but portraiture, not so much

Inspired anew, Gekas began to focus on po

traiture with a fine art aesthetic.

Gekas relies heavily on visualization.

Everything is scripted in advance, includin

the lighting, the setting, the composition, th

clothing and the way the colors and tones w

interact in the frame. “I take the photo befo

I execute the shot,” he says. “I picture the f

ished shot in my mind days or hours befor

click the shutter. The process is thought ou

from the technical to the artistic. When it’s tim

to shoot, I know exactly how to set the scen

Gekas keeps a scrapbook of ideas and rou

sketches that inspire him to create new setup

It may be true that there’s nothing new under the sun, but innovativephotographers like Bill Gekas who dare to push the boundariescan find their signature style. Next step up: Extraordinary.

LIGHTING

TBy Jef Kent

Look twiceSelf-taught portrait photographer Bill Gekas


mages ©Bill Gekas



It’s critical for him to figure out every tech-

nical detail in advance so he can create

freely. “I’ve always believed that once you

have the technical side of photography

under your belt, that’s when the fun really starts. Then the strength of your imagina-

tion becomes the only limiting factor.”

The lighting, of course, is central to Gekas’

careful composition. For indoor sessions, he

prefers to modify the light with soft boxes. He

often affixes gaffer’s tape in a cross pattern on

the external diffuser of the main light to mimic

sunlight streaming through window panes.

He takes advantage of the inverse square law

(an object positioned twice as far from a light

source will receive one quarter of the illumi-

nation) as a lighting control. He uses two

lights and a large circular bounce reflector.

One light serves as the main light, and it’s

usually modified by a 28-inch soft box. He

places the bounce reflector on the opposite

side of the composition to reflect a bit of fill

light onto the subject. He often modifies the

second light with a grid spot and aims it at

the background, or he places it on the back-

ground axis to create a shaft of light. With a slightly larger set, he forgoes the bounce reflec-

tor and uses another light for fill, typically plac -

ing it on the camera axis and bouncing the

light off the ceiling. He finds this a more pre-

cise method of controlling the amount of detail

in the shadow areas. Typically, he shoots at

the max sync speed to make sure the ambient

light doesn’t contaminate the studio lighting.

In contrast, ambient light plays a promi-

nent role in Gekas’ outdoor shoots. He employs

a single artificial light source, usually in tan-

dem with a circular modifier, such as an

umbrella, and sometimes with a mid-size

octabox to give the impression of direct sun-

light falling on the subject. He harnesses the

ambient light for fill by selecting a shutter

speed just slow enough to admit a soupçon

“I’ve always believed that once you have the technical side of photography under your belt, that’s when the fun really

starts. Then the strength of your imagi-nation becomes the only limiting factor.”



of natural light without overexposing the

image or blurring the subject.

Though he’s enjoyed his current stylistic

approach, Gekas is always looking to

evolve. “As artists, I don’t believe we canstay in a stagnant state producing the same

style of work continuously,” he asserts. “In

order to evolve, we have to get out of our

comfort zones whether we like it or not,

and push the boundary further each time.

Otherwise our work starts sounding like a

LIGHTING



Try PhotoShelter’swebsites & toolsfor FREE!

TIME TOSHAKEUP

YOURWEBSIT

Customizable website templates

Powerful sales & marketing tools

Private client access & easy online deliv

A true online archive for your photos

Plus live phone support!p one support!

us om za

owerful sa

r va e c e

true onli

s v

P

SPECIAL OFFERTry PhotoShelter by July 1, 2012

and get a free guide: “10 Branding Secrets for

Photographers”photoshelter.com/freeguide

ee Carli Da vidson ’s Sha kega er y a ca r av so n.com



broken record, constantly repeating itself.”

The ideal in portraiture is to go for a look

that’s unique, appealing and interesting, says

Gekas. That style will define you as a photog -

rapher. Keep your eyes open, analyze images

that move you and images that don’t, he

recommends. “Don’t be scared of taking

certain elements from different works and

molding them into something to call your

own. You might like the lighting from a

photo you saw somewhere, a prop from

another photo, colors from another. The key

is not to limit yourself with the excuse, ‘It’s

all been done before.’ Yes, many things have

been done before, but with some careful

thought you can adjust a concept to give it

your signature. Experiment! ”

Looking at other photographers’ work,

trying to one-up your peers with new

approaches—these are important parts of the

processes in Gekas’ mind. “As in any other

industry, competition is a healthy thing,” he

says. “It pushes the boundaries. Pro photog-

raphers need to differentiate themselves

from the rest, to find new ground.” Standing

out from the crowd gets you noticed. In a

field full of practitioners doing good work,

only the extraordinary will stand out. n

See more from Bill Gekas at billgekas.com.




© I m a g e c o u r t e s y o

f M c C

l a n a h a n

S t u d i o

WWW.MILLERSLAB.COM/SPORTSANDEVENTS/OVERVIEW | 800.835.0603

IMAGES SO CRISP YOUR SUBJECTS COULD RUN OFF THE PAGE. TURNAROUND TIME SO FAST IT’S LIKE A SPRINT INSTEADOF A MARATHON. PLUS SUPERIOR SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT LEAVES THE REST IN THE DUST.

WE’RE NOT JUST HERE TO WIN BUT TO SET THE RECORD.

UNBEATABLE

S P O R T S & E V E N



ixie Dixon’s father was a photrapher, and so was her grand-

father, but not professionally.

Those practical gents didn’t beli

there was a career in taking pictures

they went into more traditional fields.

But Dixon grew up in a different gener

tion, one with perhaps a less risk-averse

world view, one that embraces creative en

preneur ship. When the photography bug

her in high school, she embraced it, and

built a career with it.

Dixon is no hapless artist. A one-time

member of the PPA Student Photographic

Society and a full PPA member now, she

always understood that making a living in

photography requires business knowledge

Rather than majoring in art or photography a

Texas Christian University, she chose to maj

in entrepreneurship—with a minor in pho-

tography. On weekends, she’d assist vario

photographers to accrue experience in the fieStill in school, Dixon shot portraits of

friends, experimenting with lighting and

posing styles, honing her skills. She continu

after graduation, and earned her first wage

as a professional photographer doing high

end portraits in a rented studio in Dallas.

One of her subjects was a model, and Dixo

made a variety of stylized portraits for her

portfolio. Those images were a big hit wit

the modeling agency, which hired Dixon t

photograph all their new faces.

“That series of shoots opened the door

fashion photography,” says Dixon. “They

gave me free range to shoot whatever I want

with these new models. I would create dif-

ferent concepts and storylines for the shoo

building a fashion-oriented portfolio in the

Give it time. With the right preparation you can create a businessniche out of practically anything you have a passion for. You justhave to put a strategy in place for making that work pay.

FASHION

DBy Jef Kent

Fashion forwardDixie Dixon shows entrepreneurship is always in vogue


mages ©Dixie Dixon



process. Those images led to more work for

more modeling agencies, for boutiques, apparel

companies and a range of commercial clients.”

Dixon’s career began to snowball into big-

ger, more involved jobs. A referral from a videoeditor friend led to commissions to photograph

two modeling reality shows, “Doheny Models”

and “Get Out.” Dixon was jet-setting from

Miami to Vancouver to Ibiza, picking up

substantial advertising jobs back home, not

to mention catalog photography, designer

look books, brochures, magazine editorials

and the occasional high-end portrait session.

One of the catalysts Dixon cites for the

rapid growth of her career is a tight focus on

her personal brand and a chosen specialty.

At first, while she shot lots of portraits and

weddings, she promoted only her fashion

work. “It’s important to relate yourself and

your brand with the kind of work you want,”

she explains. The tricky part is getting to do

that kind of work in the first place. Dixon

would stage portfolio-building shoots on her

own dime, assembling a small production

team, and then shooting fashion-oriented

products in a commercial advertising style.She continues to do such projects even now,

to demonstrate her ability to work in a par-

ticular style or brand.

“A lot of fashion photography is story-

telling,” she says. “You tell a story about

how it feels to wear the product. What is the

story behind the brand? What image does

the client want to portray with the products

and adver tising? Your job is to tell that

story in the images. It doesn’t have to be a

complicated story; it could be about the

movement of the clothes, the color, the

interactions of the models—as long as the

story represents the brand well.”

Before every shoot, Dixon creates a vision

board with inspirations for the images.

Sometimes the clients come up with their

own inspirations, and sometimes Dixon is

left to find her motivation, often through

movies, magazines and art. She collects pic-

tures and ideas for hair, makeup, posing and

styling, and then shares them with both the

client and her production team. “This process

helps the whole team get on the same page

before the shoot,” she says. “It’s a very visu-

ally oriented industry, and I’ve found that it

helps to show rather than just tell.”

The personal interactions Dixon had wi

the subjects in portrait sessions helped her

relate to the models and to direct them effec

tively in fashion shoots. And the process o

developing storylines for fashion shoots help

her expand her portrait style. She began to off

hair and makeup services for her portraits,

and scripting basic storylines to guide the

FASHION



FASHION

subject during the session. She would Google

search her clients and friend them on Fa ce-

book to learn more about them and their

personal tast es. That information helped her

create customized experie nces. All of this work went into furthering her brand a s a

fashion-fo cused photographer with an eye

for bringing out the m ost in each subject.

“You can make a niche out of wh atever

you want, as long as you focus on what you

want to do,” she says. “There’s not hing wrong

with shooting the work that pays, but make

sure to keep doing the work you love. If you’re

not passionate about it, you ge t burned out.

If you are passionate about it, there’s almos t

no limit to where it could take you.” n

See more from Di xie Dixon at dixiedixon.com.



PhotoshopUser.com/Special-Off800.738.8513

The World’Photoshop ®

A d o

b e a n

d P h o t o s

h o p a r e r e g

i s t e r e

d t r a

d e m a r k s o

f A d o

b e

S y s t e m s

I n c o r p o r a t e

d .

I m a g e s c o u r t e s y o

f i S t o c

k p

h o t o

. c o m

.

There’s no faster, easier or more affoway to get really good at Photoshop

NAPP. Our members receive 10 issue

Photoshop User magazine, 24/7 acce

to thousands of exclusive video tutor

three online Help Desks , plus moneydiscounts with their annual members

Join Today & Get a Bonus Gift.



or photographer Susan Teare, architec-

ture is about light. The shifting of natural

light throughout the day can change the

aesthetics of a room in subtle and dramatic

ways. Whenever possible, Teare sits in a house

or commercial building she’s been hired to

photograph and observes the light for hours.

“Many of the houses I photograph are vacation

homes, so I can go and stay there,” she says

on the phone from her home office in Essex

Junction, Vt., a charming village outside

Burlington. “I’ll take my laptop so I can work

and watch the light. Architects typically design

to bring natural light into a house, and I

want to capture it in the best possible lightNatural light is an important feature of

the photographs in her first book, “Salvage

Secrets” (W.W. Norton), on which she col

laborated with designer Joanne Palmisano

The book is a practical guide to retrofitting

and re-purposing salvaged and recycled

materials into furniture, lighting fixtures

and architectural accents. Most of the book

photographs illustrate how repurposed

materials look in practical applications,

mostly in homes. The two are at work on a

sequel to be published in 2013.

Susan Teare brought her observation and vision to documenting theartistry of reuse in Salvage Secrets . Now she’s at work on a second book and happily ensconced in light-filled buildings, Hasselblad in hand.

LIGHTING By Lorna Gentry

Drawn to lightIn architecture, light brings design to life

Fmages ©Susan Teare



‘‘Teare’s mesmerizing lighting throughout

makes everything look fresh and natural.

“Almost all of the pictures in the book were

photographed in natural light. I looked for the

right time of day to shoot.” Occasionally she

used a diffuser and fill lights, she says, “But Ialways try to have the luxury of time to learn

what time of day is best to photograph.”

She works in medium format with a Has-

selblad H3D-31 camera, and in 35mm for-

mat with Nikon D700 and D200 digital

SLRs. On the Hassselblad, Teare uses 28mm

and 80mm lenses, and on the D700 a tilt-

shift lens to help correct distortion and a 70-

300mm lens to shoot architectural details.

“The nice thing about using the medium-

format system is that there is so much infor-

mation in shadows and highlights. It allows

us to take some risks using natural light and

still have beautiful, detailed images.”

Teare works with architectural design

firms, builders and craftsmen nationwide.

She shoots for DIY Network, is a contribut-

ing photographer to houzz.com, and shoots

stock for Getty Images. Her work has been

published in Better Homes and Gardens ,

This Old House, Fine Homebuilding , and SKI magazine, among others.

She got into photography through a bit

of cunning and good fortune, she says. An

undergraduate in art history at Bowdoin

College in Brunswick, Maine, she wanted to

take a photo course but couldn’t get in. So

she snuck in. A family member gave her a

camera for graduation and later she inher-

ited her grand father’s Hassleblad. Although

the camera had been stowed in a closet for

16 years, it was in perfect condition, and she

used it to shoot some architectural jobs,

launching her career.

In 2007, she switched to a digital Hassel-

blad and hired a consultant to help with work -

flow. “I have an amazing editing person and

an equally amazing photo manager. Between

’ Architecture appears for the first time

when the sunlight hits a wall. The sunlight di

not know what it was before it hit a wall .—LOUIS KAHN, AMERICAN ARCHITECT (1901-



the three of us, we get the job done well and

on time. This hasn’t always been easy, par-

ticularly with the transition from film to dig-

ital. We developed a successful workflow

that took years to figure out. I am extremely

grateful to these women who work with

me. Workflow in the digital age of photogra-

phy is key and it’s different for everyone.”

Before the switch, she had maintained a

darkroom, also inherited from her grandfa-

ther. He was an English teacher who took

up photography in his later years. Discover-

ing his basement darkroom as an adult was

emotional for Teare. “On the darkroom wall

were his handwritten notes and test shots of

me when I was little.” In a way, her becom-

ing an architectural photographer fulfills the

natural progression of her heritage: Her

great grandfather was an architect. “We’ve

come full circle in an eerie way.”

For Teare, architectural photography is

spiritual. “Documenting a house is capturin

its spirit. When I take great photos I feelcomplete. It’s a very satisfying way to live

When I’ve been in a house all day and seen

it sunrise to sunset, I have a full experience

of it. I love hearing from architects their

abstract thoughts about a house because I

can bring those ideas out in my photos.

Photos are usually all an archi tect or bu

has to share and keep of his or her artistic

creation. Whenever I hear, ‘We trust you,’

from a client, that’s terrific, and more so

when I bring back photos of things that the

maybe didn’t see. One architect told me, ‘It

your craft on our craft.’ These images show

their legacy. Sometimes it’s only one or tw

shots that capture the essence of the design,

but for them that’s everything.” n

To see more of Susan Teare’s work visit susanteare.com.


LIGHTING



SOMEONE’SNOT

HAPPY

Sometimes things just go wrong, things considered the photographer’snegligence (like equipment malfunctions or even missing the event).>OLU [OH[ OHWWLUZ [OL 0UKLTUPÄJH[PVU ;Y\Z[ PZ [OLYL [V WYV[LJ^VYZ[ JHZL ZJLUHYPVZ 6US` 77( WYV]PKLZ [OPZ WYVNYHT RLLWPUWYLWHYLK HZ WVZZPISL MVY ^OH[ SPML VY )YPKLaPSSH [OYV^Z H

“I WOULD NEVER PHOTOGRAPH AWEDDING WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OFTHE INDEMNIFICATION TRUST.”Daniel Doke, Cr.Photog.

PPA.COM/INSURANCE



All images ©Laura Tillinghast

Sublime



Fashion and beauty photographerLaura Tillinghast talks abouther love of playing with light.

BY STEPHANIE BOOZER



n any given day, Laura Tillinghast could be trying to makea smoothie look sexy, draping a model wearing a delicatesilk dress over a prickly tree limb, or finding the perfect sparkle on a diamond poised

next to a nearly flawless fa ce. As a fashion and beauty commercial photographer,Tillinghast is a specialist in defeating challenges.

“No matter what I shoot, I’m never bored,”

says Tillinghast. “I really like problem solving,and just about every shoot has something. A lot

of the clothes on fashion shoots aren’t very prac-

tical, so there’s always a challenge in that.”

Based in San Francisco, Tillinghast has been

producing art in one form or another for as long

as she can remember. She’d touched on paint-

ing, sculpture, even jewelry-making before find-

ing her groove in photography in college. After

finishing her degree, Tillinghast shopped her

portfolio in the real world and found her work

didn’t quite fit any given mode.

“Galleries would say my work was too

commercial,” says Tillinghast. “I’d try the

commercial avenue, and they’d say my work

was too artsy.”

Clearly, she needed to learn all about the

busi ness of photography and to find a fulfilling

niche that would be suitable as a career. So

Tillinghast moved to the opposite side of the

country to attend an intensive two-year pro-

gram at the Miami Ad School. The experiencepaid off. It wasn’t long before she was landing

clients and joining the network of photogra-

phers in the Miami area. Fashion photography

came naturally for her, and the South Beach

scene was a perfect venue.

“One reason I love shooting fashion is that I



can tell a story,” she says. “It can be com-

pletely outlandish. I’m always thinking

about an adven ture, and the models are my

characters. Sometimes it’s an interpretation

of some thing literal, and sometimes it’s more

abstract, loosely inspired by a play or something I read.”

Besides, Tillinghast admits, it’s kind of

cool to be among the first people to see and

handle a pair of $3,000 Dior sandals or a

hot-off-the-runway Prada handbag.

“I’m not really a fashionista myself, but

it’s so fun to get these incredible bags andshoes and dresses to play with,” says Tilling-

hast. “Like these sandals no one had yet, an

my model is biting them.”

Tillinghast is also fond of playing with

lighting. “It’s the most important tool at m

disposal,” she says. “I love that I can create

something out of nothing, just by putting the light anywhere I want.” Her signature

look is high-key, with the highlights pushe

until they’re on the verge of blowing out.

“My images tend to be bright and

clean—still with shadows and depth—but

always polished and clear,” she says. “I u

light to communicate the feeling of an

image. If I want a soft and feminine feelin

I’ll go dreamy with the lighting, maybe

overexpose a small amount. If I’m workin

with a male subject and want an edgier fe

I may add a rim light or use a ring flash

and turn up the contrast. Versatility with

lighting is very important.”

For close-up beauty images, usually focus

on make-up, hair or jewelry, Tillinghast

overexposes by a half stop, which she feels

gives the skin tones a creamier look, while

minimizing the imperfections that are so

evident in digital images. Since she keeps

the image capture in raw mode, she canalways dial back the exposure later if neede

“I enjoy working in the studio, but I als

love the challenge of shooting on location wi

natural light—so many elements to conten

with,” she says. “I’ve done some of my favo

work on days when I didn’t really have a pl

I just headed out with the model and my

camera to see how we could make it work.

On location, Tillinghast uses shade to h

advantage. She often positions the model o

the very edge of a shady patch, with a little

the light spilling into the frame. If there isn

any shade, she’ll create the effect by raisin

scrim, especially early in the day when the su

too bright. When using strobes in the field

she will often add light to the foreground

and underexpose for the background.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2012-06 101/132June 2012 • Professional Photographer • 101’‘‘“One reason I love shooting fashionis that I can tell a story . It can be a completel

fantastical one. I’m always thinking about an

adven ture, and the models are my characters

“This can create a dramatic background

when you need one,” she says. “It also does

wonderful things to the sky, making the col-

ors richer and more saturated. If I’m stuck

with having to shoot in the middle of the

day, this technique allows me to get the look

I want. Making sure the key light on the

model is nice and strong minimizes any

unflattering shadows.”

Tillinghast cites Profoto as her current

favorite lighting system; indoors she uses

Profoto lights with a beauty dish and lots of

soft boxes. Outdoors, she prefers the Profoto

Acute B portable lighting line. She shoots

with Canon EOS 5D and EOS 5D Mark III

cameras, pre ferring the EOS 5D for portrait

and beauty shots because it’s a little softer in

the details. She doesn’t like to spend much

time retouching, and that streamlines the

workflow.

“I don’t want every single pore and the

peach fuzz,” she says. “When I retouch, I pull

back so that real skin and cheek bones are

all there. I never change someone so much

that they’re unrecognizable; I just want the

best version of that person.” n

See the rest of Tillinghast’s portfolio at lauratillinghast.com.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2012-06 102/132Prices, specifcations, and images are subject to change without notice. Manu acturer rebates are subject to the terms and conditions (including expiration dates) printed on the manu acturers’ rebate orm

When in New York, Visit our SuperStore

420 Ninth Ave.Corner of 34th Street

New York, N.Y. 10001

Over 70,000 square feetof the latest gear

The most knowledgeableSales Professionals

Hands-on demos

Convenient free parkingavailable

The Professional’s Source ™

scr i e to ou r Cat log

ndH.com/catalog2-444-6633

Page 1

EOS-60D DSLR

t Y )% 7JEFP $BQUVSFt %*(*$ *NBHF 1SPDFTTPSt 4% 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPUt 8PSLT XJUI BMM $BOPO &' &' 4 -FOTFTt 7BSJ "OHMF $MFBS 7JFX 'MJQ 0VU -$%t GQT $POUJOVPVT 4IPPUJOHt *40 &YQBOEBCMF UPt )%.* 0VUQVU UP )%57

Body Only...................................................#CAE60D 18 MegaPixels

EOS-5D Mark II % 4-3t 3FDPSE )% 7JEFP t Q .PWJF .PEFt .FHBQJYFM 'VMM 'SBNF 4FOTPS t )JHI

3FT -$% t 4-3 WJFXGJOEFS t -JWF 7JFX .PEFt 6TFT $BOPO &' -FOTFT t $' .% $BSE 4MPUt %VTU 8FBUIFS 3FTJTUBOU t64#t 4FMG $MFBOJOH 4FOTPS t GQT #VSTU .PEFt QPJOU "' 4FOTPS "SSBZ t *40

Body Only..................................................#CAE5D2 Kit with 24-105mm IS ......................#CAE5D224105

EOS-7D % 4-3t 3FDPSE )% 7JEFP t .FHBQJYFM 4FOTPSt -$% t 7JFXGJOEFSt 6TFT $BOPO &' -FOTFT t $' .% $BSE 4MPUt %VTU 8FBUIFS 3FTJTUBOU t GQT #VSTU .PEFt 4FMFDUBCMF 7JEFP &YQPTVSF BOE 'SBNF 3BUFTt /FX 1PJOU "MM $SPTT 5ZQF "' 4ZTUFNt *40 FYQBOEBCMF UP

Body Only.................................. ............. #CAE7D Kit with 28-135mm IS ................... #CAE7D28135 18 Mega

Pixels

Digital Rebel T3i DSLR

t w $MFBS 7JFX 7BSJ "OHMF -$%t 6TFT $BOPO &' -FOTFT Y GBDUPSt 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPU

t GQT $POUJOVPVT 4IPPUJOHt *40 t 3"8 +1&( 'JMFTt 'VMM )% .PWJF .PEF XJUI .BOVBM &YQPTVSFt ;POF %VBM -BZFS 4ZTUFN 1PJOU "'

Body Only...............................................#CAEDRT3I Kit with 18-55mm IS.............................#CAEDRT3IK 18 Mega

Pixels

Lumix DMC-GX1 .JSSPSMFTTt J )% 7JEFP $BQUVSF t 5PVDI

&OBCMFE -$% t .JDSP -FOT .PVOUt #VJMU *O 'MBTI )PU 4IPF BOE .PEF %JBMt 4% 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPU t .PWJF J" BOE

$SFBUJWF .PWJF t -VNJY -JHIU4QFFE 'PDVTJOHt 4VQFS 0 * 4 0QUJDBM *NBHF 4UBCJMJ[FSt "WBJMBCMF JO #MBDL PS 4JMWFS

Kit with 14-42mm G Vario Lens .. #PADMC GX1XK*

AF Flashes4#4# 326.95

4#4# 546.95

3 8JSFMFTT 5XJO 'MBTI3 $ 8JSFMFTT 5XJO 'MBTI 4ZTUFN

DX ED-IF Lenses for Digital Only'JTI &ZF

( "' 4 196.95( "' 4 .JDSP 276.95( &% 73 .JDSP

( "' 4( "' 4

( "' 4 73( "' 4

( "' 4 **( "' 4 73 196.95( "' 4 73 396.95

( "' 4 73 ** 846.95( "' 4( "' 4 73 246.95

( "' 4 73 396.95

D-Type AF Lenses% &%%% XJUI )PPE% &% 1$ &%

%% &% 1$ & .JDSP

D-Type AF Lens%( "' 4( "' 4% .JDSP( "' 4 &% .JDS% XJUI( "' 4

% *' ( "' 4 &% *'%$ % XJUI )% &% *'

% &% *' .JDSP( "' 4 &% *' 73

% "' 4 &% *'( "' 4 &%( "' 4 &%% "' 4 &%( "' 4 &%

% *' ( "' 4 &% 73 ( "' 4 &% ( "' 4 &% *' 7

( "' 4% XJUI $P

% 73( "' 4 &%

5$ & ** Y 5FM

5$ & ** Y 5FM5$ & *** Y 5FM

EOS Flash System (USA)&9 **&9

&9 **&9 **

&9 35.3 &9 3JOHMJHIU

.5 &9 5XJO 'MBTIEF-S Lenses for Digital Only (USA)

/PU DPNQBUJCMF XJUI GVMM GSBNF DBNFSBT64. .BDSP

64.*4 64.

*4 64.*4 64.

*4*4*4 64.

EF Lenses (USA)64.

**

64..BDSP64.

64.64. .BDSP

*4 64.*4 64.

%0 *4 64.

****** 64.

TS-E MF Lenses (USA)- - **

EF “L” Lenses (USA)64. ****64.64.64. **

*4 64. .BDSP64.64. .BDSP*4 64.*4 64.*4 64. ** SFBS64.

'JTI FZF 64.64. **64.64.

*4 64.*4 64.

*4 64.64.*4 ** 64.

*4 64.*4 64.

Y ** 5FMF Y *** 5FMFY *** 5FMF

18-200/3.5-5.6 DX GAF-S ED-IF VR II%JHJUBM -FOTt &YDMVTJWFMZ EFTJHOFE GPS %JHJUBM 4-3T t NN FRVJW

NNt 73 ** 7JCSBUJPO 3FEVDUJPOt 48. 4JMFOU

8BWF .PUPSt G 4UPQ 3BOHFt 'PDVT h UP *OýOJUZt 8FJHIU P[

SB-910 Speedli-TTL4IPF .PVOU 'MBt 5VOHTUFO 'MVPSFt (VJEF /P ht 4JNQMJýFE (SBQIJD

6TFS *OUFSGBDF (6t #PVODF 4XJWFM

;PPN )FBENN

t 8JSFMFTT $POUSPMMt 8FJHIU P[

10-22/3.5-4.5EF-S USM%JHJUBM -FOTt &YDMVTJWFMZ EFTJHOFE GPS %JHJUBM 4-3T t NN FRVJW

NNt BTQIFSJDBM

MFOT FMFNFOUTt G 4UPQ 3BOHFt .JOJNVN GPDVTt NN ýMUFS EJBNFUFSt 8FJHIU P[

600 EX-RT4IPF .PVOU 'MBTIt %VTU BOE XBUFS SFTJTUBODFt (VJEF /P ht 8JSFMFTT 3BEJP

.VMUJ 'MBTI 4ZTUFNt #PVODF BOE

4XJWFM )FBEt ;PPN )FBE NNt $VTUPN 'VODUJPOTt 8FJHIU P[

Lumix DMC-GH2 .JSSPSMFTT 4ZTUFN $BNFSBt Y J )% 7JEFP t 'SFF "OHMF -$%t .JDSP -FOT .PVOU t %VTU 3FEVDUJPO

4ZTUFN t 4% 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPUt 5PVDI 4DSFFO $POUSPM GPS 4UJMMT 7JEFPt %PMCZ 4UFSFP 4PVOE XJUI 7JEFPt 'BTUFTU -FWFM PG -JHIU 4QFFE "'t .&(" 0 * 4 0QUJDBM *NBHF 4UBCJMJ[FS

Kit with 14-42mm G Vario Lens ... #PADMC GH2K1 16 MegaPixels

on Select Bodies, Lenses and Flashes!

on Select Bodies, Lenses and Flashes!

EOS-5D Mark III % 4-3t $MFBS 7JFX )JHI 3FTPMVUJPO -$%t %*(*$ *NBHF 1SPDFTTPS t 1PJOU

)JHI %FOTJUZ "' t 6TFT $BOPO &' -FOTFTt %VBM $' 4% $BSE 4MPUT t 6Q UP '14t %VSBCMF .BHOFTJVN "MMPZ $POTUSVDUJPOt 'VMM )% Q BOE Q 'PSNBUTt #VJMU *O )%3 BOE .VMUJQMF &YQPTVSF .PEFT

Body Only..............................................#CAE5D3* Kit with 24-105mm L IS ................ #CAE5D324105

EOS-1Dx DSLR

t %VBM %*(*$ *NBHF 1SPDFTTPSTt .BHOFTJVN "MMPZ #PEZ t -$% .POJUPSt &ZF -FWFM 1FOUBQSJTN 7JFXGJOEFSt 6TFT $BOPO &' -FOTFTt %VBM $' DBSE TMPUTt Y )% 7JEFP $BQUVSFt -JWF 7JFX 4UJMM BOE 7JEFP 3FDPSEJOHt 1PJOU )JHI %FOTJUZ "VUP 'PDVT

Body Only............................................#CAE1DX*



The Professional’s S

800-947-996

212-444-6664

Fax212-239-777

Store & Mail Ord

Sunday 10-5 t MFriday 9-1 ES

Saturday

Over 300,000 pat your le

www. Ban

We Buy,

NYC DCA Electronics Store Lic. #0906712; NYC DCA Electronics & Home Appliance Service Dealer Lic. #0907905; NYC DCA Secondhand Dealer – General Lic. #0907906

Flash SystemFL-300R Flash .........169.95 FL-36R Flash ...........229.95FL-50R Flash ...........499.95 RF-11 Ring Flash .....249.95

Zuiko 4/3 System Digital Lenses35/3.5 Macro ED (52ø) ............................................229.95

50/2.0 Macro ED (77ø) ............................................499.957-14/4.0 ED (72ø) ................................................1,799.9511-22/2.8-3.5 ED (72ø) ...........................................799.9512-60/2.8-4 ED SWD (72ø) ......................................999.9514-42/3.5-5.6 ED (58ø) ...........................................249.9518-180/3.5-6.3 ED (62ø) ............................... ..........499.95EC-14 1.4x Teleconverter ..................................... ....439.95

AF Flash System AF-360FGZ ........................ AF-540FGZ ........................

SMCP-DA Digital AF Lenses21/3.2 AL Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ......................................40/2.8 Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ...........................................70/2.4 Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ...........................................10-17/3.5-4.5 ED IF (77ø) ................................. .................16-50/2.8 ED AL IF SDM (77ø) ............................................18-55/3.5-5.6 AL II (52ø) ................................... .................50-135/2.8 ED IF SDM (67ø) ...............................................50-200/4-5.6 ED WR (52ø) .................................................

Flash SystemHVL-F20AM............. 149.99 HVL-F20S ................149.99HVL-F43AM............. 349.99 HVL-F58AM .............499.99

Digital Lenses24/2 Carl Zeiss (72ø) ............................................1,299.99

50/1.4 (55ø) .................................... ........................ 399.99100/2.8 Macro (55ø).................................... ............749.9916-80/3.5-4.5 DT Carl Zeiss (62ø) ...........................849.9911-18/4.5-5.6 DT (77ø) ...........................................699.9918-200/3.5-6.3 DT (62ø) .................................. .......549.9970-200/2.8 G APO (77ø) .......................................1,999.9975-300/4.5-5.6 (55ø) ............................... ............... 249.99

58 AF-2 TTLShoe Mount Flasht (VJEF /P ht 'VMM 55- .PEFt ;PPN )FBEt #PVODF 4XJWFM )FBEt 6QEBUF WJB 64# 1PSUt 8FJHIU P[

#ME58AF2* ..............................399.99

285HV Pro essionalAuto Shoe Mount Flasht (VJEF /P ht "VUPNBUJD FYQPTVSF

SBOHF UP ht BVUP G TUPQ TFUUJOHTt 3FNPWBCMF TFOTPSt #PVODF )FBEt ;PPN )FBE t 8FJHIU P[

#VI285HV .....................................89.95

Qfash TRIO1BSBCPMJD 3FþFDUPS 'MBTIt (VJEF /P ht #PVODF BOE

4XJWFM )FBEt #VJMU *O 'SFF9XJSFt 3BEJP 8JSFMFTT 55-t )JHI 4QFFE 4ZODt 64# 1PSU t 55- DPNQBUJCMF

262' ....................................875.00

622 Super Pro TTLHandle Mount Flasht 3FRVJSFT )FBEt 55- XJUI BQQSPQSJBUF NPEVMFt (VJEF /Pt #PVODF TXJWFMt "VUP G 4UPQT G

t 7BSJ 1PXFS

46 4 .................................. 196.95

D3100 DSLRt )% Q 7JEFP X 4PVOE "VUPGPDVTt w -$% t -JWF 7JFX t 4FMG $MFBOJOH 4FOTPSt 6TFT /JLPO "' -FOTFT Y GBDUPSt 4% 4%)$ $BSE 4MPU t QPJOU "VUPGPDVTt *40 UP &YQBOE UP )Jt 'SBNFT QFS 4FDPOE 4IPPUJOHt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

Kit with 18-55mm VR #NID31001855 ...$646.95 14 MegaPixels

D7000 DSLRt &91&&% *NBHF 1SPDFTTPS t -$% .POJUPSt Q )% 7JEFP $BQUVSF t QPJOU "' 4ZTUFNt 3"8 +1&( 4UJMM *NBHF $BQUVSF

t "DDFQUT /JLPO " ' -FOTFT Y GBDUPSt 5XJO 4% 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPUTt 3(# % .BUSJY .FUFSJOH 4ZTUFNt J 55- 'MBTI 4QFFEMJHIU $PNQBUJCJMJUZt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

Body Only # NID7000 ...........................1,199.95 16 MegaPixels

Octacool Light KitXJUI 0DUPCPY

t 0DUBDPPM PS-BNQ 'JYUVSF

t 3FNPWBCMF Aluminum3FþFDUPS

t X -BNQTt *OUFSOBM %JGGVTJPO #BGþF

Octacool-6 *.0$ 4#........................................ 199.95Octacool-9 *.0$ 4#........................................ 259.00

Tota Light 2-Light Kitt 'VMM 3PUBUJPOt "EKVTUBCMF %PPSTt .VMUJ 8BUUBHF

Multi-Voltaget 5PUB -JHIUTt h -JHIU 4UBOETt 5PUB #SFMMBT 8IJUFt *NQBDU -JHIU ,JU #BH

-05-, ................................. 367.95X P DBTF -05-,2...............349.95

Background SystemBackground Stands

&DPOPNZ.............................. 79.95Port-A-Stand ....................109.95*Multi 3 Polevault ..............239.95

Paper BackgroundsAvailable in 48 Colors

Y ZET.........................25.00Y ZET X $PSF...........45.95

Octacool-6Front

Octacool-9#BDL

Alpha SLT-A77 DSLRt 6QHSBEFE #*0/; *NBHF 1SPDFTTPSt OE (FO 5SBOTMVDFOU .JSSPS %FTJHOt 0-&% &MFDUSPOJD 7JFXGJOEFSt 4XJWFM 5JMU -$% 4DSFFOt 6TFT 4POZ "MQIB -FOTFT Y GBDUPSt #VJMU *O (14 t %VBM .FEJB 4MPUTt Q )% .PWJF $BQUVSFt 4UFBEZ4IPU */4*%& 4UBCJMJ[BUJPO

Body Only................................. ........ #SOSLTA77V* 24 MegaPixels

D5100 DSLRt Q )% .PWJFT XJUI 'VMM 5JNF "VUPGPDVTt w 7BSJ BOHMF -$% t 4% 4%)$ $BSE 4MPUt 6TFT /JLPO "' -FOTFT Y GBDUPSt *O $BNFSB 4QFDJBM &GGFDUT .PEFt *O $BNFSB )%3 )JHI %ZOBNJD 3BOHFt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

Body Only # NID5100 ...........................$746.95Kit with 18-55mm VR #NID51001855 ..$846.95 16 Mega

Pixels

1 J1 Mirrorless Digital Camerat &91&&% %VBM *NBHF 1SPDFTTPSt *OUFSDIBOHFBCMF /*,,03 -FOT 4ZTUFNt "OUJ (MBSF -$% t 4%)$ 4%9$ $BSE 4MPUt 'VMM )% Q .PWJF 3FDPSE .PEFt "WBJMBCMF JO #MBDL 3FE 4JMWFS PS 8IJUFt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

,JU XJUI NN 73#NI1J1* .....................$646.95,JU XJUI NN NN 73#NI1J110* .......$896.95,JU XJUI NN 73#NI1J11030* .$896.95 10 Mega

Pixels

#MBDL POMZ BWBJMBCMFin 10-30mm kit

D4 DSLRt 3"8 5*'' +1&( 3"8 +1&( 'JMFT t -$%

XJUI -JWF 7JFX t '9 GPSNBU GVMM GSBNF $.044FOTPS t Q )% #SPBEDBTU 2VBMJUZ 7JEFP

t &91&&% *NBHF 1SPDFTTPS t *40t $PNQBUJCMF XJUI .PTU /JLLPS 0QUJDTt .BUSJY $FOUFS 8FJHIUFE 4QPU .FUFSJOHt $' 5ZQF 92% $PNQBUJCMFt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

Body Only......................#NID4 ................$5,999.95 16 MegaPixels

* FREE!

Roll ofWhite Paper

w/ Purchase

PEN E-P3 Mirrorless Digital Camerat 5PVDI 4DSFFO 0-&%t 5SVF1JD 7* *NBHF 1SPDFTTPSt 'VMM 'SBNF ;VJLP -FOTFTt 4%)$ 4%9$ 6)4 $BSE 4MPUt .PEF *NBHF 4UBCJMJ[BUJPOt J )% .PWJF $BQUVSFt "WBJMBCMF JO #MBDL 4JMWFS PS 8IJUF

Kit with 17mm Zuiko Lens .................. #OLEP317* Kit with 14-42mm Zuiko Lens ......... #OLEP31442* 12 Mega

Pixels

D800 D-SLRt Y NN $.04 '9 'PSNBU 4FOTPSt -$% . POJUPS t /JLPO ' .PVOU -FOT .PVOUt $' 4% %VBM $BSE 4MPUT t 0QUJDBM -PX 1BTT 'JMUFSt &ZF -FWFM 1FOUBQSJTN 7JFXGJOEFSt Y Q )% 7JEFP $BQUVSFt .BUSJY $FOUFS 8FJHIUFE 4QPU .FUFSJOHt #VJMU *O 'MBTI J 55- 'MBTI $POUSPMt /JLPO *OD MJNJUFE XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE

Body Only............................ #NID8 00 ........................$2,999.95 36 MegaPixels



Brian Smith photographs superstars formagazines and ad agencies.

In a new book, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographershares his secrets for taking successful portraits.

BY LORNA GENTRYAll images ©Brian Smith

Taraji P. Henson



Soulful PORTRAITS

Ta



here’s a smile in his voice when Miami Beachportrait photographer Brian Smith recalls a day he spent in New York City a couple of years ago. “It was a magical day. We

photographed Anne Hathaway in the morning then headed over to Tony

Bennett’s apartment in the afternoon to photograph him in his art studio.Hathaway and Bennett were among the 123 celebri -

ties Smith photographed for “Art & Soul” (Filipacchi

Publishing, 2011), his first book and the brain child of

The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit social and political

advocacy organization backed by prominent enter

tainers, including Alec Baldwin, Tim Daly and Robin

Williams. With support from Sony, Art & Soul p

ect leaders asked celebrities to be photographed and

Jack & Elaine LaLanne



Tony B



share their thoughts on art. In the coffee

table book, the celebrities’ handwritten notes

are paired with Smith’s portraits. A portion

of the proceeds from book sales—and the

sales have been brisk, according to Smith—

go to The Creative Coalition to help support

advocacy for arts funding and education.

“Originally the shoot was scheduled for

three days only in Los Angeles during Oscars

week in 2009,” says Smith. “But we were

only a few portraits into it when we realize

we had to keep it going because we got su

a great response” from the artists, he says.

Soon afterward, Smith and project leaders

flew to New York to photograph entertain-

ers who didn’t attend the Oscars. Two yearand 25,000 photographs later, the project

was complete.

For consistency, Smith used a classic

black background and a key light. “It was

elegant lighting but simple. If I had five

minutes with a celebrity, I didn’t want to

spend four minutes on the lights. I wanted

to concentrate on interacting with them.”

Smith typically keeps lighting simple and

strongly advises others to do the same.

“Sometimes emerging photographers g

bogged down with lighting diagrams and s

up a lot of lights all over the place. Not to s

that I don’t sometimes have complicated

lighting, but I always start with a key light

and get everything I can out of that before

adding more light. You make a mistake if

you have too many variables; you miss wh

you need to do. For a lot of environmental

portraits I start with daylight and blend in

one artificial light, whether it’s a big bank something smaller. If at that point I see I

need to add I will, but there’s an awful lot

you can do with a single light.

“One of the good things about having o

main source of light on the subject is that i

enables you to move very quickly,” Smith

continues. “Sometimes I’m photographing

someone who is uncomfortable in front of

the camera so I need to reposition them. B

a lot of the time I’m photographing someo

who moves very well and the last thing I

want to do is interrupt the flow because I

have to move six lights. That’s one of the l

sons I learned early on, knowing when to

give myself enough room to move.”

This strategy worked beautifully with

Tony Bennett, who isn’t very comfortable


Don King



STROBE Flashpoint IIMonolights Adorama’shouse-brand strobes fea-[\YL HSS PU VUL KLZPNU·ÅHZOhead, power source, andcontrols are incorporatedinto a single, metal-sheathed unit. You can plug

them into awall socketfor studio

work or run themoff the FlashpointDC battery packin locations withoutelectricity. The FlashpointII 320M Monolight costs

just $99.95.

TUNGSTEN FlashpointBright Beam The adjust-able Flashpoint BrightBeam 1000 TungstenQuartz Hot Light ($99.85)can be used by itself in[OL Z[\KPV TVKPÄLK ^P[OFlashpoint umbrellas, soft-boxes, and other attach-ments. Or it can serve as acolor-matched complement toexisting interior light.

FLUORESCENT Flashpoint Cool Lights

Adorama’s daylight balancedÅ\VYLZJLU[ ZV\YJLZ HYLÅPJRLY

free, generate virtuallyno heat, and yield four timesmore light per watt thantungsten. The Flashpoint

Cool Light 4 ($73.95)houses four 55-watt lampsthat produce the equivalenof nearly 900 watts oftungsten, plenty for creatiJVU[YVS VM KLW[O Vshutter speed.

LED Flashpoint LED<ZPUN [OL TVZ[ LMÄtechnology of all, theFlashpoint 312 LED Light($139.95) runs for hourson two batteries, yet isthe equivalent of carrying

around a 100-watt bulb.It’s dimmable—and twintungsten/daylight LEDarrays mean you can dialin any color temperature tmatch the ambient light!

Flashpoint lighting products are available exclusively from Adorama. Orders can be placedonline at Adorama.com , by calling (800) 223-2500, or by visiting the Adorama superstore at42 West 18th Street in New York City’s Chelsea district.

Scan and you can win $100!

Adoramaoffers acompleterange of

light-modify- ing attachments

for all its Flashpointunits. These includeumbrellas, beauty dishes,and Flashpoint PZsoftboxes , which comein square, rectangular,and octagonal shapesand set up in secondsthanks to an exclusivezippered design .

H ot, cold, ash, uo-rescent, and now

LED—photographic lightsources are as variedas they are confusing. If

you’re in the market butnot sure what to get,

Adorama offers an unex-pected resource. You’llnd primers on studioand location lightingat Adorama.com/learn,and Adorama’s ownFlashpoint line featuresevery kind of lightsource in the businessat prices far lower thancompeting brands.

L IGHTBRIGADE Adorama’s Flashpoint lighting

line now offers a source forevery photographic purpose

Flashpoint 312 LED Light

Flashpoint Cool Light 4

Flashpoint Bright Beam 1000

Flashpoint II 320M Monolight

Right, aFlashpoint II

620MMonolight with

DC batterypack; left,the unit’s

control panel

Adorama recentlywon the Photo

District News 2011“Lighting Gear

of the Year”award for its

Flashpoint II 620MPortrait Wedding

Monolight Kit.



front of a camera, he says. Yet in Smith’s por-

trait Bennett looks calm and happy. “The key

was to find a way to get him to relax. We

talked about a lot of things to take his mind

off photo directions, and I tried to give him

minimal direction. I wanted to capture the warmth I felt from him. We took a break

and I asked if we could take a picture of him

standing next to one his paintings. It was a

painting he had done of his daughter. His eyes

lit up. I asked if we could do one more for the

book and he said, ‘Absolutely.’ Finding the

spot that makes your subject glow is the key.”

Smith is a natural teacher. A Sony

Artisan of Imagery, he is often asked to Jef Gordon

Dwayne Wade



42 West 18th StreetNew York, NY 10011888-270-6151www.adorama.com

If it’s not in the store,

GUARANTEEIN STOCK!

SHIP FOR

FREE!6FDQ DQG \RX FDQ ZLQ

Visit our new Pro Imaging Shop in New York City’s stylish Chelsea!

Take advantageof one-stop shopping

with our pro lab

and rental department

Get hands-onexperience with the most

exciting new

photo and video gear

Get expert,one-on-one advice

from our staff

of professionals



speak at seminars and shows. He decided

to use his lectures as a launching point for a

new book, “Secrets of Great Portrait Pho-

tography: Photographs of the Famous

and Infamous,” which will be published in

the fall by New Riders, an imprint of Peachpit. “I talk about all the things that go

into a successful portrait,” Smith says.

“There are so many decisions you make

that set you up for success or failure even

before you get out a single light. This book

is about all the shoots we’ve done and the

process behind them all.”

Smith’s body of work spans three decades.He has photographed executives, athletes

and artists for magazines and advertising

agencies. He sold his first magazine photo

to Life when he was a 20-year-old journa

ism student at the University of Missouri.

Five years later he won the Pulitzer Prize

for Spot News Photography with his phot

graphs of the Los Angeles Olympic Game Although he continued to win awards,

Smith changed his mind about the course

of his career. He wanted to photograph

celebrities, and he found a clever way to

break into the market.

A TV interview with Dixie Evans, a

burlesque performer of a certain age, inspir

him to photographer her. He contacted her

she agreed and Smith and his wife drove

to Evans’ home in Helendale, Calif. After

spending an afternoon taking pictures,

Evans mentioned a reunion of burlesque

friends she was hosting. Smith returned to

photograph them and continued to return

until he had amassed an impressive portfo-

lio of portraits that opened doors with mag

azine photo editors.

“It started as a way to showcase how I

could work with celebrities, but it made me

realize that for some, fame is tossed around

freely and for others, the spotlight fades prmaturely. It seemed to me that burlesque

was a part of Americana that was dying ou

This was a chance for me to document it.

The goal has always been to have a book. I

have a few more things to shoot yet, but w

get there.” n

To see more of Brian Smith’s work visit briansmith.com.

BRIAN SMITH’S CAMERA BAG

Camera: Sony a900 DSLR

Lenses: Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Zeiss

zoom; Sony Zeiss 85mm f/1.4; and the

Sony 135mm f/1.8 telephoto

Dixie Evans



Easy-Shoot Solutions

16” x 16”Deshadow BoxPortable still life studio-in-a-bag with 16” x 16” soft lightbox, halogen lamps, bluebackground sweep, a custom

carrier and camera stand. An easy on-the- go lightingsolution

“Q” Series LightModier KitFor shoe-mount strobes,great for on-location pho-

tography or work in a smallstudio. Includes a BeautyDish Reector, Snoot, DiffuserDome, and accessory pack.Each also available for pur-chase seperately,

Background Support System

PortableStand

10’ Stand 13’ Stand

The background standcomes withinterlocking 4 sectioncrossbar. and a handycarrying bag withcompartments.

The top of the standmeets the crossbarthere is a screw andwing nut to keep thecrossbars secured tothe stands.

5-in-1 Collapsible DisReector Translucent, white, black silvand gold surfaces. Perfect foreducing contrast, warmingskin tones, eliminating shad-

ows or just softening light.Can be held by hand or lightstand. Available in three size

Allows you to useyour ash withBowens lightmodiers, Beautydish & softboxes,Sold Separately

Speedlight To Bowens Adapter

$29.95

$129.95

STARTING AT

$16.95

$24.95

FPBS13B

$64.95FPBS10

$99.95FPBS13

$129.95

for a fullline ofMuslinbackgrounds

PZ SOFTBOXESThere’s a simple reason our PZ So tboxes and Octaboxes are better thanany others you can buy: a zipper. When you slip their support rods into the aptly-namedspeed ring, you needn’t wrench your wrists bending them to pop the so tbox into shape.That’s because one side o the Flashpoint so tbox has a zipper running down the middle—and all you have to do is zip it up to ex the rods.

Patented zipper design allows aster, hassle- ree setupRecessed ront panel attached with Velcro or easy removal;inner difusion panel held in place with tethered clips or

quick attachmentAccessory PZ Speed Rings allow use with most strobe brandsAvailable in eight standard sizes plus two Octaboxes

You might think you’d pay extra or that ingenious design. You’d be wrong. Made o rugged,pro-quality materials, our PZ line sells or between one-third and one-hal the price o comparably-sized, name-brand so tboxes. Let there be light—so t, attering light!

SOFT LIGHT WITHOUT THE STRUGGLE

F R O M

$ 6 4 . 9 5 !



A s a teenagerfollowing in mydad’s footsteps by

learning the craft of photog-raphy, I was encouraged toenter my work in our statephotographic competi-tion every year. I always

asked my dad’s opinion,and after a few discussions,we would decide togetherwhat to enter. Side by side,we’d labor over the images,perfecting them as much aswe could and then, sealing

the case, we’d sent them off! Yet as each competition datedrew closer and closer, my nerves would start to increase.:RXOG ZKDW , HQWHUHG VFRUH ZHOO RU ʐRS"

And the nerves only increase as you sit in a dark, quietroom, watching the judges score and critique the otherprints. When mine would come spinning around, I remem-ber how it felt like my heart was going to jump out of myFKHVW (YHQ WRGD\ WKRVH VDPH IHHOLQJV FRPH ʐRRGLQJ EDFNwhen I enter my images in competition and watch thembeing judged.

+RZHYHU ZKHQ , WKLQN EDFN RQ WKH WRS ʏYH WKLQJV

that have made me the photographer I am today, I wouldput photographic competitions near the top. I compare itto being a marathon runner. If that runner sleeps in everymorning and never goes out to run, he gets out of shapevery quickly. Instead, he must exert himself, be disciplinedand work out every day to improve his pace in order to beable to run the race (and run it well). We must do the samething in our industry.

Photographic competitions are how we perfect ourcraft and become stronger. Not only does competing helpus, it helps our clients as we start to produce better work forthem. The things that I learned as I listened to the judgestalk about my early images were invaluable to me. Theypointed out both strengths and weaknesses that I didn’t seein myself, and I grew from each experience.

Plus, by staying with competition, I earned meritsneeded for my Master of Photography and PhotographicCraftsman degrees from PPA. Wearing those degree ribbonsaround my neck still gives me a great sense of pride.

My philosophy has always been to be the best I canbe—to excel at my craft and to give my clients 110 percent.Entering PPA’s International Photographic Competition(IPC) continues to help me accomplish all of my goals. So,I encourage you to compete if you never have before or tocontinue on if you have in the past: www.ppa.com/IPC . Tobe at our best, we can’t stop striving for excellence!

PPA TODAYJUNE 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGETim Walden, M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP - 2012-2013 PPA President

© M o n

i c a

C u

b b e r l y - E a r l y

www.ppa.com

Andie Goodman, Cr.Photog.Andrea (Andie) Goodman, Cr.Photog. , of Lancaster, Pa.,

passed away April 7 at the age of 67. The wife of F. Ed-ward McCue for 26 years, she was a well-known photogra-pher, jewelry maker and owner of Goodman & Associates.She was very active in the professional photography com-

munity with memberships in PPA and more local associa-tions like the Delaware Professional Photographers. In

fact, she and her husband were the 14th husband-and-wifeWHDP WR EHFRPH &HUWLʏHG 3URIHVVLRQDO 3Khearts go out to her family, friends and all the lives she hastouched.

IN MEMORY



www.ppa.com

MM

W

IS THE MASTER ARTISTCOMPETITIONRIGHT FOR YOU?

Did you know that there’s a special competitionIRU WKRVH LPDJHV WKDW DUH PRUH DUWLVWLF LQ QDWXUH"Whether submitting original artwork or an exten-

sively manipulated digital image, the best place to enteris the Master Artist competition category of the upcomingInternational Photographic Competition (IPC).

Art Is the Name of the GameNo, this isn’t a new competition. The Master Artist compe-tition was formerly known as the Electronic Imagingcompetition, but as time went on, people were confused

about what exactly to enter. “Members were combin-ing traditional art techniques and digital manipulation tocreate their images, and were then unsure of where thosecompetition images should go,” explains Randy McNeilly,

M.Photog.MEI.Cr., API , a PPA Photographic ExhibitionCommittee member.

The “Master Artist” name change was made in answer

to that confusion. The goal is to better connect this competi-tion category to its entries and the PPA merits* you can earnWKURXJK LW ZKLFK DUH HDUQHG WKURXJK Stechniques (and not necessarily just digital ones).

Make the Right Choice6R LV WKLV WKH ULJKW SODFH IRU \RXU LPDJH

are straight-up photography (with some retouching)…prob-ably not. But it IS the perfect place to submit images withphoto restoration, digital manipulation (like swapping outpeople), or that demonstrate fabulous retouching skills.It’s also for graphic illustrations and images with acrylics,watercolor, or surface treatments added.

It’s important to make the right category choicebecause the Master Artist entries are judged using differ-ent criteria than the “regular” photographic competitions

ZKHUH MXVW WKH ʏQDO LPDJH UHVXOW LV FR-LQJ D VFRUH :LWK WKLV VSHFLDO FRPSHWLWL

a factor, but the execution of artistic technique and degreeRI GLIʏFXOW\ DUH DOVR FRQVLGHUHG ,Q D VHmuch “art”-work you did.

In fact, an image that may be worthy of a merit inregular competition, may not be so in the Master ArtistFRPSHWLWLRQ LI WKH ʏQDO LPDJH GLG QRW UHartistic expertise to accomplish. As McNeilly notes, an

Sandra Pearce, M.Photog.MEI.Cr.

Sandra Pearce’s “Easy Prey”—in what will now be known as the Master Artist competition category—

became part of the 2012 Loan Collection and won second-place in its category for the 2012 Grand

,PDJLQJ $ZDUGV 7KH ʏQDO LPDJH ZDV FUHDWHG IURP IRXU RULJLQDO JXLGH SKRWRJ



Ansel Adams image would probably score 100 in theUHJXODU 3KRWRJUDSKLF 2SHQ FDWHJRU\ EXW ZRXOG QRW HYHQmerit in the Master Artist category. “It wouldn’t show theskills that we try to showcase in that category.”

That’s why guide images are encouraged—to help the judges understand the process used and techniques involvedLQ FUHDWLQJ WKH ʏQDO LPDJH *XLGH LPDJHV DUH WKH VHW RIoriginal photographs the entry is created from.) They areespecially important for images where judges might beunaware of the work you put in and the skills it took.

Prepare for the Competition$UH \RX UHDG\ WR PDNH \RXU FRPSHWLWLRQ FKRLFH" <RX FDQenter in both the Master Artist competition category and thePRUH UHJXODU 3KRWRJUDSKLF 2SHQ FRPSHWLWLRQ DW ,3& 'RLQJso will test different skill sets, put you on the path towardtwo PPA degrees, and double your outlet for creativity! Tohelp you prepare, Sandra Pearce, M.Photog.MEI.Cr. , shares

tips she’s learned from creating her award-winning entriesfor both categories:

Keep a le of “Competition Maybes” all year long. It willsave you time in deciding what images to focus on.Be as creative as possible. “There really are no limits now,”Pearce says. So, wow the Master Artist jurors with a mar-riage of creativity and technique.Don’t rush. Pearce likes to work on a Master Artist com-petition image, leave it for a few days, and come back to itagain, which allows her to see it in a new light. “Be patientand ideas will come,” she adds.Go for complexity & show the guide images. Jurors lookIRU DQG IDFWRU LQ WKH GHJUHH RI GLIʏFXOW\ LQ \RXU DUWZRUN DQGtechniques, and they often need those guide images to doso.Seek advice & take it openly. “Everyone needs advice,”says Pearce. “You don’t have to do what they say, but listenwith an open mind. And remember that the judges aren’tthere to hurt you; they give opinions on what could makeyour image better.”

You have until July 2 to enter the IPC in either (or both)

categories. All the rules, registrations and details can befound at www.ppa.com/IPC .

COMPETITION HERWASandra Pearce, M.Photog.MEI.Cr., has been photography business full time for 18 years, but sstarted competing about ve years ago. What tooklong to start?

“It frightened me,” she says simply. “I didn’t knto do, how to enter, how to mat. Even if I had an im

enter, the question was…’now what?’ And whendon’t know, they don’t compete because they donto look like idiots.”

In fact, the rst year she competed, she addedinside her print case, telling the print handler thaher very rst time competing and to take pity on even gave her phone number and asked them to she could try to x any registration mistakes!

Obviously, Pearce made it through thcompetition just ne (if a little nervous) and hasn’tShe quickly earned her Master of Photography with the photography she does for her clients aMaster of Electronic Imaging degree (what would the Master Artist degree) with her composites anpaintings. She’s also earned rst- and second-placeImaging Awards for such art pieces!

“Competing gives photographers those credentials,” Pearce says. “Clients can read an about your awards and—though they may not undwhat the awards are—it shows that other people thwork is great, too. “

In addition, Pearce knows that the standacompetition judging have made her a better photog“I implement how I paint in Adobe Photoshop my everyday images better,” she explains. And ishe consistently gets better and quicker with “airbrushing and repairs, thanks to the work shto make such techniques seamless in her Mastecompetition images.

Plus, competing and posting her award-Master Artist entries on Facebook and on her webpeople know that she does paintings. She’s evencommission artwork out of it. Still, she would paishe didn’t get paid. She photographs for her clienpaints for love.

For Pearce, competing with the work shepassionate about is the only way to go. And that, shis why her artwork has done so well in competitiobecause I love what I do. And even if I don’t win,ruin my life or make me stop competing. I do it tobetter.”

Learn more about Sandra Pearce and her ahere: www.sandrapearcephotography.net

*The Master of Electronic Imaging degree name has also changed to the

Master Artist degree. All exhibition merits awarded in the Master Artist

competition are credited toward the Master Artist degree.



W

www.ppa.com

WHY HE STILL COMPETES

M ichael Timmons, M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP , hasbeen entering photographic competitions forover 20 years now. He’s a PPA board member, a

PPA-Approved Juror and has already won many awards forhis work. So, what keeps him coming back to competition\HDU DIWHU \HDU"

“It keeps me current and energized,” Timmons says.“I think if I quit competing, I’d become lethargic about myphotography and wouldn’t strive for excellence.”

Push for Excellence in Different Ways7LPPRQV HQWHUHG KLV ʏUVW 33$ SKRWRJUDSKLF FRPSHWLWLRQbecause the photographers he looked up to were entering.“I thought it must be a great way to put my best images infront of my peers to see where I stood and where I couldimprove,” he explains. “And it turns out that if you just

listen to the judges’ comments, you can’t help but learn!”To him, the best education still comes from sitting in

on the judgings to hear discussions on composition, posing,lighting—all the attributes that make images merit-worthy.“We can read about the 12 elements of a merit image, butlistening to judges discuss an image in those terms makesit more real,” notes Timmons. He then takes what he hearsinto his everyday photography. For example, he might bein the middle of a portrait session and remember a judge’scomment about the tilt of the subject’s head or the positionof the main light.

Competition also helps Timmons earn more cred-ibility as a professional. The International PhotographicCompetition (IPC) is, as the name states, an internationalcompetition. If you do well (merit, have your imageaccepted into the Loan Collection, etc.), you can marketyourself as an “internationally award-winning photogra-pher.” And since Timmons also sells his landscape andscenic images to commercial businesses, he ups his cred-ibility with those clients by discussing the awards he’s won.

ȍ8VH \RXU VXFFHVVHV DQG UHDS WKH EHQHʏWV RI DOO WKDWhard work you put into competition,” he advises.

Prepare YourselfFrom polishing photographic skills to improving market-ability, all of Timmons’ competition reasons involvepreparing himself to do better every day. Want to make thePRVW RI FRPSHWLWLRQ \RXUVHOI" +HUH DUH VRPH RI KLV WLSV

Enter Multiple Levels of Competition. Timmons always triesto enter his state and district PPA competitions because he

ends up with about 10 tested images from which to choosehis IPC submissions.Learn the Rules. This may seem an obvious piece of advice,yet Timmons says that the most common mistake they seein the IPC is people entering in the wrong category! ReadWKH RQOLQH UXOHV IRU ERWK WKH ȍUHJXODUȎcompetition AND the Master Artist competition to ensure\RX NQRZ WKH TXDOLʏFDWLRQV IRU HDFK *RLForums to ask questions can also help: ppa.com/commu-nity/forums/)Watch Your Presentation. Presentation is one of the 12HOHPHQWV WKDW 33$ MXURUV MXGJH E\ DQGthe impact of the image (another of those elements). “Evenif entering digitally, think about your presentation—will itLQFOXGH ERUGHUV NH\OLQHV HWF"Ȏ UHPLQGV

just let it be a ‘full bleed’ on the monitor because that oftenJLYHV WKH DSSHDUDQFH RI EHLQJ XQʏQLVKHG Ȏ

Don’t Get Discouraged. “Very few start out doing well incompetition,” Timmons says. “If your image scores a 77 ina district competition, listen to what the judges are saying:It’s above average—not a bad place to be, considering that

judges may look at up to 5,000 images a year!” And even ifyou don’t end up meriting at the IPC, treat it as a learning

process.

“The more you learn, the more you understand…and thebetter your results,” sums up Timmons. By the way, he’sFRPSHWLQJ LQ WKH ,3& DJDLQ WKLV \HDU :LOO



SMS HAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT,CHANGED BOTH THE QUALITYOF MY BUSINESS AND THEQUALITY OF MY LIFE.– AMBER MCADOO, CPP / MCADOO PHOTO ARTISTRY

ADD STRENGTH TO YOUR BUSINESS &STABILITY TO YOUR LIFE. Amber is just one of hundreds of photographers who have turned to PPA’s StudioManagement Services (SMS) for help reaching their potential. In fact, SMS is the653@ WSHJL `V\ JHU NL[ H WLYZVUHSPaLK ÄUHUJPHS HUHS`ZPZ HUK ^LSSmarketing plans to get you where you dream to go. And with our industry leadingeducation and consultations, your dream can become a reality.

CALL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.WWW.PPA.COM/SMS | 888.851.0405

© M



A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The Tether Tools Wallee iPad Connect is part of a complete modular sysfor mounting and positioning the iPad in various ways. And with theversatile Wallee iPad Accessories, it’s easy to take the iPad from a locaphoto shoot to the studio, client meetings, presentations and more.tethertools.com/ipad

Keep your loved ones close to your heart! Check out Planet Jill’s sterlingsilver, waterproof and heirloom-quality photo necklaces, bracelets andcharms, as well as letter coins, birthstones and more! 10% off yourorder with discount code SHOPPP.planetjill.com

PROFESSIONAL

FIND new products. SHARE your favorites. JOIN the commShop with a simple click at PPmag.com/shop .

Save time and impress your clients with beautifully designed templatesby Check Art Studio. We have templates for all your studio needs, includingcollages, books, folios, cards, image blocks and more. Templates are fullylayered Photoshop files. Many designs now available with ProSelect files!checkartstudio.com

Design Aglow’s Essential Pre-Session Sales Kit is the key to guaranteethe sales you want with every session. The 25-page guide, studio templateprofessionally written content and consult script direct you through the entiprocess of client sales and education before your shoot ever takes placedesignaglow.com/store/the-essential-pre-session-consult-kit-p349.php



WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES Lab Tab




It’s NEW. It’s what’s NEXT. It’s happening NOW.It’s the new and improved ShopPP.

Shop with a simple click atppmag.com/shop




CLASSIFIED ADSCAN WORK FOR YOU!

Place a classified ad in the next issue ofProfessional Photographer

to reach over 55,000 qualified buyers.

For information contact:Professional Photog rapher / Classified Ads

229 Peach tree NE, Ste. 2200Atlanta, GA 30303800-339-5451, ext. 221



Lab Tab 2012 ad rates:• AD SIZE: 3 1⁄ 2 X 2 1⁄ 2

• 12X RATE: $490.00 • 6X RATE: $600.00 PER MONTHSign a 12x contract and receive a double size feature ad twice duringyour contract year at no extra charge.

For more information, contact your advertising representative:

BART ENGELS, Central Region ,847-854-8182; [email protected]

BILL KELLY, ,Eastern Region404-522-8600, x248; bkellyppa.com

AMY WALLS, Western Region ,404-522-8600, x279; [email protected]




Buyer’sGallery

THIS SECTION IS

THE MONTHLY

RESOURCE

PHOTOGRAPHERS

USE TO FIND

THE PRODUCTS

THEY NEED. PUT

YOUR MESSAGE

PROMINENTLY

IN FRONT OF

INDUSTRY PROS

AND START

TURNINGBROWSERS

INTO BUYERS.




2012 Affiliate Schools Schedule PPA members receive both merits and the best published prices.

June 3-7Florida School of Photography, DaytonaBeach, Marybeth Hamberger, 954.426.2562,[email protected], fpponline.org

June 3-7Mid-America Institute of ProfessionalPhotog raphy, University of Northern Iowa, CedarFalls, Iowa, Barb Grabill, 641.799.8957,[email protected], maipp.com

June 4-8Oklahoma School of Photography, Stillwater,Okla., Randy Taylor, 405.341.5088,[email protected], pposchool.com

June 10-14Illinois Workshops, Pere Marquette Lodge,

Grafton, Ill., Mike Voegele, 217.245.5418,[email protected],ilworkshops.com

June 17-20Winona School of Photography, Abe MartinLodge, Brown County St. Park, Nashville, Ind.,Judy Roberts, 574.849.7520,[email protected],winonaschool.org

June 17-22West Coast School of Professional Photography,University of San Diego, Kathy Metz,626.915.4449, [email protected], prophotoca.com

June 24-29Great Lakes Institute of Photography (GLIP),Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor,Mich., Gregory Ockerman, 248.946.1193,[email protected], glip.org

July 15-19The Lamarr School, University of SouthCarolina, Columbia, S.C., John Wrightenberry,803.238.2836, [email protected],thelamarrschool.com

July 15-19

Image Explorations, Shawnigan Lake, BritishColumbia, Don MacGregor, 604.731.7225,[email protected],imageexplorations.ca

July 15-20PPSNYS Photo Workshop, Hobart/WilliamSmith Colleges, Geneva, N.Y., Linda Hutchings,607.733.6563, [email protected],ppsnysworkshop.com

July 29 - August 2East Coast School Photographic WorkshopSheraton Downtown, Raleigh, N.C., LoretByrd, 919.796.4747, [email protected],eastcoastschool.com

August 6-9Long Island Photo Workshop, Sheraton LoIsland Hotel, Smithtown, N.Y., Jerry Small516.221.4058, [email protected],liphotoworkshop.com

August 12-16Evergreen School of Photography SummeSession, Ft. Worden, Port Townsend, WashRich Breshears, 509.586.6695,[email protected], www.ppw.org

August 26-31Georgia School of Professional PhotographNorth Georgia Technical College, ClarkesvGa., Kevin Jiminez, 706.854.8885,[email protected], gppaschool.com

Send all additions and corrections [email protected]

Buyer’sGallery

2012 ad rates:AD SIZE: 2 1/4” X 4 3/4”

12X RATE: $640.00

6X RATE: $690.00(Gross rate per month)

FOR MORE INFORMATION,CONTACT YOUR ADVERTISING

REPRESENTATIVE:

BART ENGELS, Central Region847.854.8182, [email protected]

BILL KELLY, Eastern Region404.522.8600, x248,

[email protected]

AMY WALLS, Western Region404.522.8600, x279,

[email protected]



BACKGROUNDS

THE DENNY MFG. CO., INC. is the World’s LargestManufacture of Hand Painted Backgrounds, ComputerPainted Back grounds, Muslin Backgrounds, Studio Sets,Props, Lift Systems, and related Studio Accessories.

Contact us today to receive our FREE 180 page colorcatalog filled with exquisite products and ideas to help yousucceed in Photography. Write P.O. Box 7200 Mobile, AL36670; Call 1-800-844-5616 or visit our Web site atwww.dennymfg.com.

CHICAGO CANVAS & SUPPLY—Wide Seamless Canvasand Muslin, Duvetyn, Commando Cloth, Theatrical Gauze,Velour, Sharks tooth Scrim, Leno Scrim, Gaffers Tape,Primed Canvas, Gesso, and Deka Fabric Dyes—FabricationAvailable. Curtain Track & Hardware for Moveable Cur-tains and Backdrops—Easily installed. Quick turn aroundtime. Our prices can’t be beat. Visit our website or callfor a free catalog and samples. 773-478-5700;www.chicagocanvas.com; [email protected]

BACKDROP OUTLET, We are the Largest supplier of Back -grounds, Props and Studio Accessories. We have it all…. Canvasfrom $99.00 Muslin Backgrounds from $69.00 Scenics, Flexouts. Your options are endless. We also offer roller systems

and Light Rail systems. Lights, Soft boxes, Stands andequipment. We have a huge selection of props and set systems.REQUEST OUR FREE 164 PAGE CATALOG 1-800-466-1755or you can order online at WWW.BACKDROPOUTLET.COM3540 Seagate Way, Oceanside, CA 92056.

CANVAS MOUNTING

CANVAS MOUNTING, STRETCHING, FINISH LAC-QUERING. Original McDonald Method. Considered bestAVAILABLE. Realistic canvas texture. Large sizes aspecialty. WHITMIRE ASSOCIATES, YAKIMA, WA. 509-248-6700. WWW.CANVASMOUNT.COM

INKJET PRINTS bonded to canvas McDonald method andfinish sprayed. Large sizes available. We also canvas bondany photographic paper. Gallery canvas wraps. Pleasecontact 818-726-9679.

COMPUTER/SOFTWARE

SUCCESSWARE®—Studio Management Softwareavailable for both Windows ® and Macintosh ®.Recommended by Ann Monteith, the nation’s foremoststudio manage ment con sultant. Call today for a FREESuccessWare ® Tour 800-593-3767 or visit our Web sitewww.SuccessWare.net.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

BEST L.E.D. PHOTO GALLERY LIGHTING, Bright warmwhite, 30-degree spot, 9W Low heat, no UV, 40,000 hourlife. SAVES $ GUARNATEED. Quantity discount for 10+.AvalonPortraits.com; 530.891.3442.

GREEN SCREEN SOFTWARE

New Photo Genie, GREEN SCREEN SOFTWARE, OneScreen Operation, Camera tethered, Auto MultiBackgrounds & Auto Layers, Batch Processing. Freetechnical support. PPA special starting at $87. To learnmore visit www.thegreengenie.com or call 562-381-2091.

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for con temporaryphotojournalistic wedding coverages in Orange County, CAarea. Must have digital equipment. Email John at

[email protected].

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY. Do you have the skills of aMaster of Photography and like to travel? Do best whenyou sell your own work? Or do you have a sales personwho will travel with you? Club Services of America canoffer you an outstanding opportunity if you can

photograph and sell spectacular family portraits to high-income country club members. Email us some examples ofyour group photography and, if you qualify, we can build aplan for your future income. Email [email protected] our website – www.clubservicesofamerica.com

INCORPORATION SERVICES

INCORPORATE OR FORM an LLC today! Your artis a business. Treat it like one. The Company Corpora-tion can help you incorporate or form a limited liabil-ity company in as little as ten minutes. We arefast, accurate and affordable. Provide additional credi-bility to your photography studio or business at thefraction of the cost of using an attorney. Call 1-800-206-7276 or visit www.incorporate.com today!

LOOKING TO SELL SOMETHING? Then look no fartherthen the classified ad section of Professional Photographer

magazine. For just a few cents per word you can reach55,000+ potential customers. Don’t delay ... Augustissue closes May 20th. For more information or tosubmit your ad contact Monique Martin [email protected] or 404-522-8600, ext 221. All adsmust be prepaid. Rates: $1.50 per word; $2.00 per wordfor caps and bold face. Confidential reply box ads(optional) $10.00 per issue. Minimum $30.00 per ad.

INSURANCE

Instant Online Photography Insurance. Quotes. Tom C.Pickard Insurance. www.tcpinsurance.com 800-726-3701, ext. 117. Lic. 0555411

PACKAGE CHOICEInsurance Program for photographersby Hill & Usher. Available Natonwide. Complete onlinequestionnaire, receive customized insurance proposal.Accidental Breakage, Theft, Rented Gear, FullReplacement, Errors & Omissions, Free Certificates.www.PackageChoice.com; 866.977.4725.

LAB SERVICES

BEST QUALITY OR FREE OF CHARGE. FREE 20X30with $50.00 order. Digitalcolor Beverly Hills Darkroom-FTP-Lifepics-Mail up to 4’x8’ Kodak Metallic-Matte-Glossy-Backlit film; www.digitalcolorbh.com; 310.274.3445.

CHECK OUT PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER’S LabTab section where the pro’s go for great reproductionservices.

ACADEMY PRODUCTIONS INC.INNOVATIVE PRINTING SOLUTIONComplete Imaging Service for today’s

professional photographerProcessing—Proofing—

Film—Digital Files—SOS—

Self Ordering System powered by ROES• High Volume Packages—Kodak Products

• Schools—Daycares—Sports—Proms—Senio• Studios—Store Promotions—Fundraisers—Wedd

• Composites—Collages—Other Unique Produc• High Tech Printing Equipment—Scanning Servi

• Free Marketing Seminars—Expert Product Desig• Superior Customer Service—Detailed Technical Su

• Competitive Pricing—Quick Turn AroundCALL US TODAY:

800-421-35236100 ORR ROAD

CHARLOTTE, NC 28213www.PicAcademy.com

PHOTO RESTORATION

1st PHOTO RESTORATION FREE! Try us, you’llPoint & click easy. No sign up cost. 100% guaraOnline leader since 1993. Wholesale only to pro fewww.hollywoodfotofix.com. Call 888-700-3686 or [email protected]

PRESENTATION BOXES

BOXES—FREE SAMPLE PRESENTATION BOX—THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFACTUdelivery, Finest quality 4"x5", 5"x5", 4"x6", 811"x14", 16"x20", 20"x24". AUFENGER BOXCOLLEY AVE., NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 751147 (phone); 757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (tofree). www.aufengerbox.com

PRESENTATION BOXES available for imm

shipment; 19 sizes—4 stock colors. For FREE c& samples call 800-969-2697 or fax request 800-864528. BUY DIRECT AND SAVE. NPD Boxpany, 11760 Berea Rd., Cleveland, OH 4www.NPDBox.com

SALES AIDS

BOXES—FROM THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOXFACTURE—FREE SAMPLE—Fast delivery, Finest 4”x5”, 5”x5”, 4”x6”, 8”x10”, 11”x14”, 120”x24”. AUFENGER BOX, 4807 COLLEY AVNORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 757-440-1147 (ph757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (toll freewww.aufengerbox.com

STUDIOS FOR SALE

PORTRAIT STUDIO, Sarasota County, Florida. Tuassets 23K. Cheap rent or buy the building. 941-928-

OLD TYME PHOTO 75 miles north of YellowNational Park. Ennis, MT. Quaint new facility. ORetiring. Asking $32,500. 406-209-3370.

STUDIOS WANTED

COLUMBUS CAMERA GROUP, INC. buys whole or any part including cameras, film, darkroom, lonlighting, and misc. No quantities too small. Call 800-7664. Ask for Eric.

Classified Advertising

Classified rates: • $1.50 per word; • $2.00per word/words with all caps or bold face. •$10.00 per issue—Con fiden tial Reply BoxAds (Optional)—$30 minimum per ad.Contact: Pro fessional Photog rapher Class -ified Ads, 229 Peach tree NE, Ste. 2200,Atlanta, GA 30303; 800-339-5451.




n the developing nations of Africa, the demandfor skilled labor is increasing, but due to wide -

spread poverty, many young people are not

getting the basic education that could enable

them to capitalize on the new opportunities.

Children in the poorest 60 percent of African

families are half as likely to attend school as

children of the wealthier 40 percent. Abundantly

clear in communities across the continent,

the problem is perhaps most evident in Likoni,

a poor urban suburb of Mombasa, Kenya.

To address the educational shortfall in

Likoni, a community-led nongovernmental

organization, Hatua Likoni, sprung up in

2007 under the leadership of American

Gabrielle Fondiller and Kenyan Peter

Kwame Mwakio. Hatua Likoni is dedicated

to helping young impoverished Kenyans

obtain the skills and credentials they need to build a brighter future for the region and

themselves. The organization provides schol-

arships, mentoring and career guidance, as

well as a community library and a youth soc-

cer league.

When New York-based photographer

Todd Shapera met Fondiller at an event a

couple of years ago, he was inspired by her

dedication. Fondiller had founded Hatua

Likoni straight out of college, and beginning

with almost nothing, had built the organiza-

tion into a vital community resource. “Through

her resourcefulness and passion, Gabrielle

was making a difference on a local level and

building something step by step,” says Shapera.

“As an independent photographer, I was

inspired because this was a cause to which I

felt I could contribute and raise awareness.

It was a small, community-based charity

that needed help, and every contribution

would have an impact.”

In February 2011, Shapera traveled toLikoni at his own expense to donate his tim

and his art over a two-week visit. He create

a series of images of the charity at work wi

the bene ficiaries in the community and

donated the photographs to Hatua Likoni to

use for promotional purposes. He also led

photography workshops for high school ch

dren who had never been exposed to photo

raphy, and gave them cameras that had bee

donated to the project. After returning to th

States, Shapera contributed 25 large prints

to a Hatua Likoni fundraising event in New

York, attended by Fondiller.

Months later, Shapera’s lab, Century Colo

informed him that Kodak was scouting for

images to display on its JumboTron in Tim

Square. Shapera sent in a photograph of a

Hatua Likoni scholarship recipient named

Masika Ali as she was studying by window

light in her modest home. He forgot about

the submission until a couple months later, when he learned that his image of Ali mad

the cut. It was displayed in December 2011

and remained in rotation for several months

The publicity generated by the Times Squa

display has not only helped Shapera’s busine

but also brought attention to the Hatua Likon

cause. “If an idea feels good, trust your instinct

and follow your passion, even if you don’t kno

where it might lead,” says Shapera. “Photogra

phy can be a passport to experiencing the worl

and giving back, in a special way.” n

To learn more about Hatua Likoni, visit hatualikoni.org. See more from Todd Shapera at toddshapera.com.


good works | Images wield the power to efect change. In this monthly eature,Professional Photographer spotlights pro essional photographersusing their talents to make a diference through charitable work.

Hatua LikoniKENYA PROJECT GOES FROM SMALL STEPS TO JUMBOTRON

Share your good works experience with usby e-mailing Joan Sherwood at

[email protected].

dd Shapera

I



SUCCESSWARE.NET | 800.593.3767

What do top studioowners use to manage?These owners have all chosen SuccessWare to help them manage theirbusinesses. Other software may track your business but they all fall shortwhen it comes to managing your business. SuccessWare is the only studiomanagement software that will assist you with; creating a business plan,pricing your products, preparing financial reports and tracking clientinformation. SuccessWare manages all your day-to-day operations giving

you the knowledge to make solid management decisions necessary toachieve your goals and take your studio to the next level. You can’t get thatwith just tracking software.

TRACK. PRICE. PLAN. PROFIT. MANAGE.

Don’t just take our word for it, see what Jed, Vickie and other successfulphotographers have to say at: www.successware.net/success_stories

“Having a nancial management program that lays everything out iof you so that you can get the information you need, when you needto make good business decisions is vital...the bottom line for us is thSuccessWare puts us in control.”

Jed & Vickie Taufer | VGallery | Morton, Illinois

professional photographer 2012 06

Documents