Today’s featured guest is Tony Sweet.
I had a blast interviewing Tony and getting to bring his story to you Photo World. Living through the interview, editing the interview, and now listing to it... I am still inspired. Tony reminds me that persistence and forward motion is the best path. No matter the turns you take or the learning experiences you have if you Keep an Even Keel you can look back to see your success but not get hung up on any ups or downs throughout the journey.
"When the Student is ready the Teacher Appears." - Zen Buddhists - Tony Sweet
After successful careers as a jazz musician/educator, and professional magician, Tony settled on photography as his chosen means for personal expression. Tony has become an in-demand speaker throughout the United States and Canada on creativity in the digital age.
Tony and Susan Milestone conduct Visual Artistry photography location workshops in the United States, Canada, and Iceland. Tony maintains an active speaking schedule to photography organizations, industry trade shows and PPA schools across the continental United States and Canada. He also conducts an annual Visual Artistry Creativity Seminar series.
Tony’s photography is published worldwide in every medium and is represented by Getty Images. His iPhone photography is represented by Aurora Photos. Tony’s images are also used by Nikon, MacPhun, Singh Ray, Alien Skin, Topaz, Lensbaby and others for national ad campaigns.
An interview with Tony on macro photography was published in The New York Times.
Tony is a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens and a GuraGear Pro.
Tony has authored five books on the art of photography: Fine Art Nature Photography (’02), Fine Art Flower Photography (’05) Fine Art Nature Photography: Water, Ice, Fog (’07), Fine Art Digital Photography (’09) and HDR Photography (2011). He and Masterphoto Workshops have co-produced four photography DVDs: Visual Artistry, HDR Made Easy, Visual Literacy and Flower Photography Artistry, as well as an iPhone instructional video series. His Creativity Seminar lecture series and On Location-Cape Cod will be released for digital download, April 2015.
Recommended Resources:
Snapseed - ios
Snapseed - android
blog: tonysweet.com/blog/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/tonysweetphoto/likes
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2015 © Take&TalkPics
Hey Photo World! Like last week I'm discussing real networking options with your social media. It's no secret that success can come through the connections you make on social media mixed with the effort you put in in maintaining those relationships. Just like last week when I talked about networking through the use of Facebook; Facebook groups and making lists, I discuss the importance of Twitter in a few strategies on how to make your connections meaningful.
If you're not voicing what it is you'd like to discuss then there is no network to follow along in that discussion you have to know what you'd like to talk about so that others can see what it is you're saying.
Are you selective about who you follow? Are you selective about who follows you?
Most people would tell you it doesn't matter who's following you it's actually a benefit regardless of who they are and what it is they are doing with their network on Twitter. It's arguable that it is a good idea but I can see the reasons why it wouldn't be beneficial to have followers that you disagree with on many levels. The more important task here is who you select to follow. There are a few different strategies on that particular topic that I discuss in today's episode.
Why are you tweeting what are you saying is it important?
Who are you following are there specific people you look up to? Do you only follow anyone who follows you that more automated responses a follow back? When you follow someone do you tweet directly to them to start a conversation? When someone follows you do you engage with them as a new active follower of your account?
Few months ago I interviewed a photographer and ask them how do I get in touch with so and so? They suggested to me start retweeting what it is they have to say to show that you're interested in their topics then have something reasonable to discuss the question to ask and engage them directly.
Something that most of us forget about Twitter if we want to have a large amount of followers we want to appear to be a Rock Star. The problem with that is we become very secluded in our network thinking that it should be about us our pictures, ideas, quotes, things we find, and what we feel is worth sharing. (Retweeting) that solo act can only grow your network so far. Movie stars and music legends have no problem gaining followers but for the average user we need to put in the work for building a strong and relevant network.
Include your network tweet directly to them or tweet mentioning them. Building a strong relevant network is letting go of the idea that we are popular or above others. The reality is in business there's room for everyone and that means we're all in it together.
For a long time I thought the only thing to do with Twitter is favorite, tag, and retweet what are you have to say. Twitter is way more intense as far as the work involved to engage conversations with others. Perhaps there's an article you read or maybe a post on Facebook you related to. Tweet about that specific information and LINK BACK! The truth is information is vast and accessible. We're crazy if we think we have some sort of knowledge that others do not or could not acquire.
The purpose of Twitter is to: within 140 characters; express an idea, connect to others, or share what you have.
You can use that in building your network or build others networks. Playing middle man has always been a lucrative business. With Twitter a wealth of connections could be that income you are seeking. Use your network to be a stepping stone for others to connect with fellow business owners and photographers. I began Take & Talk Pics by cold calling for interviews. Now, because of my network, I build the chain of people I am introduced to. Same thing on Twitter. Build your network and expand by searching your network's network.
On a daily basis have invoking post that can engage others with questions, comments, or debate.
Happy Shooting & Happy Networking!
Click HERE to register for the next Take&TalkPics.com webinar!
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2015 © Take&TalkPics
#HeyPhotoWorld
We set our exposure, compose our frame, and release the shutter. Sounds easy enough. However, the complexities of making a great photograph are not so easy. There are dozens of things to consider in making such an image. One of those things to think about is the White Balance.
The White Balance ultimately controls the color temperature based on the lighting conditions. In reality it is correcting the difference in color temperatures to deliver correct color exposure to better match what you see with your eye.
A nice little problem photography will always have is the subject of the way you see with your eyes. Each person will interpret color a little differently from the next. What this means is when I see green you may not quite see the same green but you can look at or be a little bit more yellow or slightly cooler. Typically we don't find such severities in the difference of how we see colors however, in a minute but measurable difference there is a change from person to person.
Same story goes from camera to camera. Not just the maker but the camera models as well. As technology advances we find better specifications to automate the corrections for color temperature versus what is available due to the light situations.
In this episode I discuss white balance and how to custom white balance can make all the difference. Although many photographers would argue that auto white balance is the best choice and corrections later will make up the difference I strongly disagree. Many situations do well with auto White Balance but when you have the time I urge you to receive the gift that is "getting it right in camera" - enjoy!
Next week I will go in depth on the power of the gray card.
Starting Monday September 28th I will be offering a FREE Download on 3 exposure metering tricks to use anywhere any time!
Happy Shooting!
Click here to register for the first ever Take & Talk Pics/Rob Krueger Photography FREE workshop!
Today’s featured guest is Kathleen Clemons.
Kathleen is a photographer based out of Harpswell Maine. She is represented worldwide by Corbis and Getty Images. Lensbaby.com has named her a “Lensbaby Guru” and describe her as the “Geogia O’Keeffe of Flower Photography”. Kathleen is a photography instructor at The Bryan Peterson School of Photography where she teaches five online classes. She is also an instructor for the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and CreativeLive.com.
Kathleen Clemons is a photographer from the coast of Maine. Primarily a nature photographer, Kathleen is known for her creative use of natural light and unique compositions. Her work is represented worldwide by Corbis and Getty Images. Lensbaby recently named her the "Georgia O' Keeffe of Flower Photography". She is an instructor at The Bryan Peterson School of Photography and also teaches for the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. She recently filmed classes forCreativeLive.com and Craftsy.com. With a degree in education, and a passion for both photography and teaching, she loves to teach others how to improve their photography skills. Kathleen's photos may be viewed at www.kathleenclemons.com.
Recommended Resources:
w: kathleenclemonsphotography.com
blog: kathleenclemons.blogspot.com
Instruction: kathleenclemonsphotography.com/instruction
Click here to register for the first ever Take & Talk Pics/Rob Krueger Photography FREE workshop!
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2015 © Take&TalkPics
Today's Monday Message addresses the Networking topic. More specifically: How to Network With Facebook!
I say it on the show often enough or a guest will bring it up during an interview question and we all know a bit about Networking and the importance of doing so for our businesses and our work. I am breaking down How to Network With Facebook on today's show because with a small amount of direction we can achieve greatness. Rather than simply suggesting to "go out and Network", I am laying out a few steps to take to improve your Facebook Networking skills.
Please share how you use Facebook to network in the comments below.
Happy Shooting!
Click HERE to register for the next Take&TalkPics.com webinar!
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2015 © Take&TalkPics
#HeyPhotoWorld
For today's Fundamental Friday I go over Compositional Elements in Photography.
There so many I am sure I am missing a ton. However these are a few worth...
Today’s featured guest is Lewis Kemper.
Lewis Is a Fine Art nature and wild life photographer and has been for over 30 years. His travels throughout 47 states from Alaska to Florida are the scenes for his subjects. Lewis still does color work with a 4x5 camera as well as digital work and is a Canon Explorer of Light Emeritus.
Lewis Kemper has been photographing the natural beauty of North America, and its parklands for over 30 years. During his extensive travels, he has been to 47 states from Alaska to Florida. His work has been exhibited and published in magazines, books, and calendars worldwide.
Lewis teaches photography for many organizations including Palm Beach Photographic Centre, Santa Fe Workshops, Light Photographic Workshops, Aspen Workshops and Betterphoto.com. He is the author of “The Yosemite Photographer’s Handbook”, and “The Yellowstone Photographer’s Handbook.” He was the photographer for, “Ancient Ancestors of the Southwest”, published by Graphic Arts Center Publishing. His monograph, “Capturing the Light” won the People’s Choice Awards in Fine Art in the 2009 Photography.Book.Now competition. His latest publication “Photographing Yosemite Digital Field Guide” was voted in the top 20 field guides. And he produces the acclaimed training DVD’s “The Photographer’s Toolbox for Photoshop®” and "The Photographer's Toolbox for Lightroom®".
Hey Photo World!
I have done over 200 weddings in my 6 years as a photographer and I get one common questions from people I end up sharing what I do with. "Oh I bet you have some stories... What was the craziest thing you've seen?"
The truth is, every wedding has some hick-up. Sometimes big but most are small. I have seen family drama where the cops have been called, The wrong DJ showing up, and even the florist never delivering the flowers at all. Thins happen and we need to adjust quickly. Every once in a while it is a situation where we as photographers need to make a choice on what to do or how to handle this situation. Those times where we are Walking a Fine Line. Those small fight or flight occurrences. In this episode I walk through a story from this past weekend and awesome wedding. Not a big deal situation but enough to feel this is worth talking about.
here is the image I was referring to. Shot at: f6.3, 1/200, ISO 100
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2015 © Take&TalkPics
#HeyPhotoWorld
Today’s featured guest is Lee Holt.
Lee is a Google trusted photographer based out of Jacksonville Florida with his company Holt Media Productions. While the application to become a Google verified business is simple, being selected is extremely difficult and it becomes even harder each day. The process is based on merit as well as location availability. Being unofficially backed by Google is a great accomplishment and will boost to any business. Lee has a range of work and covers many genres of photography due to his location. The work available is a bit less than a major city and that makes it tough to niche down to one area of photography. Having been a pro photographer for only 3 years Lee has a lot to share with you Photo World.
3 key things to be open about with your clients.
Who will be the photographer?
Depending on how your studio runs it may appear that you are the only photographer and not have any others available to shoot for you. This can also raise some concerns in certain industries, with the fear that you may be sick and therefore who will cover for you? The answer to this subject has come up in more than a dozen episodes here on Take & Talk Pics. Get those systems in place! If you aren't the photographer for your business, you must have friends and network option to call upon someone else that could, in a bind, help you out and take over that job. Be prepared to pass most if not all of the money involved on that job for taking on such a task with short notice.
If your studio includes more than one photographer be upfront about how things run. With additional photographers included in your brand you are stating that they are just as capable as you, including your skill set and personality when working with the client. Regardless of what you call your studio at the end of the day if you are the owner of that business, it is your name on every job that passes through. Honesty, be upfront and deliver correct information right out of the gate. I do my best to say as much about what they may be thinking as clients and the questions they might have for me so that way when I ask them: "do you have any questions?" They come back with "I'm pretty sure you answered everything we could have thought of." This approach shows you are transparent and willing to be completely honest with your client. It also shows your level of knowledge in your industry that you know the answers to every question they may be thinking before it's brought up. Getting to the point where it's comfortable and easy to state so much in a clean concise format is no simple task. It takes a lot of research and even more practice.
What they are going to end up paying? (total)
Photo World you know what your job is worth for you. Your clients may not know all the details. It is your duty to layout the expectations for your client and honestly inform them on the pricing. No hidden fees Photo World! It makes me sick when I sit down with a couple to discuss their wedding and after we get through everything they tell me about a photographer they recently met with and question after question from them unveiled a multitude of fees they did not have an understanding about until they asked. That approach may earn you a little bit more money per job, but it will have the opportunity to scare the hell out of 90 percent of the people you meet with. As people, we fear the unknown. Think about when a bill shows up that you were not expecting. It seems like everything changes in a bad way for a little while. Don't become a reason for your client to be stressed. Many relationships are lost over the whole financial discussion, so don't add that to a client who may be setting up their relationship for the rest of their lives (a wedding).
What is included with that fee?
Now that your client knows who the photographer is exactly how much they're going to be investing in this particular job. They are going to want to know what they get. Up until about 2003/2004 it was very easy to sell your time for a large amount. The client understanding for film photography the way light works and the inability to see the product until days later was largely respected in comparison to today's photographers. Not to say that people don't appreciate what we are capable of in the digital age, but to be realistic the format of photography has changed so much that we can't always or easily cash in on our time, our prints, usage rights, and storage. Perhaps the expectation today, now that we are in 94% digital throughout the world (by the way I made up the stat), is to be a shoot and burn photographer where your images are captured and the delivery of everything that was taken as a high res file with endless usage rights is the common expectation from the unknowing client. There are many photographers who combat this in an extremely effective way and that comes with education and expectation.
Not only is our job to be photographers, to understand light, to use the correct gear, take classes, attend seminars so we can learn what current and to date, have the appropriate post production software, and be able to deliver a pleasing product... (Take deep breath in and out) pause... We are now left with the task to educate these clients on the process. You must remember just about every client you have has been photographed digitally at some point. In those situations it is typically instantaneous for them, a quick selfie and the instant gratification that there we are in the still moment. To be honest in a client's mind a professional photographer should be as fast about delivering their images in an effective way.
Education is key and a saving grace for working with new clients. Photo World go out and inform your clients, make great work, and Happy Shooting!
Click HERE to register for the next Take&TalkPics.com webinar!
Fundamental Friday's - Equivalent Exposure
Today’s featured guest is Seth Lowe.
Seth is a lifestyle and portrait photographer in Peroria, IL. His portrait work always seems to host a unique perspective of his subjects.
His quote says it all. - "Get Shit Done."
It's about time we got blunt and got real for a change. If we can't get things done then what the heck are we doing. The 9-5 or part time job is honorable and there is no shame in it. If you want to go full time photographer do it right and do it gradually. Though, remember to get things done in all areas of your life to maintain order and a better end result by the end of each day. I can preach all day on shifting gear and moving forward but I think Seth expresses some great points in this interview. Listen to Seth Lowe on Take & Talk Pics and get the motivation to start or in some ways restart and crush your business.
I am a portrait and lifestyle photographer based in Peoria, IL.
I was born in farm town, and raised around people who work with their hands. My dad owned a construction company, and started taking me out on site from an early age. From that I learned what it meant to go the extra mile for people, to never give up, and how to creatively solve problems. I thrive on being challenged, finding new ways of accomplishing things, and connecting with people. Traveling, telling stories, and connecting with people are my passions.
On a personal note; my wife is English, and I wish I was a rally car driver. My dream is to own a breakfast cafe with a studio above it that has an after school program to teach kids photography and video.