Fundamental Fridays - Speedlights set on TTL talking Directional vs Bounce Light.
With all the choices we need to make for exposure, composition, framing, dept of field, etc. introducing flash, and in this case speedlights, adds a huge change to the mix. I want to take the next few Fundamental Friday's and break down little by little how we can use these tools to our advantage. Today I am walking through the TTL and a bit about how it works, what the flash is made to do and a couple tricks on how to override the functions for a more pleasing image. What does on camera directional flash do or look like? What are the benefits or disadvantages to bouncing your flash? Give this episode a listen and let's see what we figure out.
Happy Shooting!
Today’s featured guest is BJ Aguado (ag-wad-o)
BJ and his wife Jen run their photography business throughout the greater Chicago land area. As a family man BJ photographs families and weddings. He captures pure emotion through his photojournalistic and candid style. His business is definitely second to his family but understanding the business side led to his podcast Shutter Sidekick.
As a husband and wife team, our goal is to see how we can help you with your needs. Whether you are looking for a wedding photographer or you need to update the family photo hanging on the wall, we want to guide you in the right direction. Our passion is photography, specifically, weddings and family. We have been shooting for many years now and we are enjoying every minute of it. While we have experience in various genre's of photography such as newborn, club, family, wedding, events. our main focus is weddings and family photography. We have been married for fifteen years. We have three children, ranging in age from 15 down to 7. We live outside of Chicago, IL.
Recommended Resources:
HootSuite - App (free)
Latergramme – App (free)
W: http://www.bjaguadophotography.com/
Monday Message - Who is in my Network
Over the past 5 weeks I have gone over strategies on how to network. We have plenty of options on how to stay stuck behind a screen and I even mentioned ways to get in front of people. There is a problem with Networking though... Who is in my Network? Well...
In today's Monday Message I address this topic and share a brief story one small branch of my network in action. These small exchanges of information, tips, tricks, suggestions, and wisdom from real experiences all add up to being the reason for a vast Network. Think of your Network like a family tree. There are potentially endless branches all inadvertently connecting back to one root cause or starting point. That starting point for your Network is you but consider how many branches you must be on for those in your Network as they are a root to a different tree. This vast forest is the breeding ground for success. It is hardly who you know that will get you places but those who you know, know.
I'm wrapping up this 6th week of Monday Message Networking with an attempt at understanding "Who is in my Network?" Next week we will see a change of pace in the Monday Message topics.
Join the Take & Talk Pics facebook group here!
Happy Shooting!
TTL mode, Auto aperture flash, Non-TTL auto flash, Distance-priority manual flash, Manual mode, and Repeating flash. With so many options how do we know what to choose for each situation we are in? Before we even decide what mode to use we need to consider the need for speedlights at all. See this flash thing can become stressful very quickly when we aren't familiar with our gear. On a basic level, speedlights are an artificial light source and we need light for photography; it's a must! over the next few weeks I will be going over the modes on your speedlights and how to use them effectively. There are a few great take away's from today's, audio only, Fundamental Friday. I'll bring back the YouTube element next week!
Happy Shooting!
Today’s featured guest is Nat Coalson.
Nat runs his business here in the US based out of CO as well as a studio in Hinckley England. Nat starts with photography, both digital and traditional processes, but then woks with mixed media to finalize his art. Some works are embellished with paint, resin, or foil; while others are produced with a combination or a completely different material. His abstract work is sought after for private décor and commercial presentation. Beyond the mixed media photography Nat also has pictorial journeys where his location based fine art photography shines.
Nathaniel Coalson is an American visual artist living in England. Nat works primarily in fine art photography and abstract mixed media, with a business emphasis on creating custom decor for luxury hotels and private residences. He's also a well-known photography teacher and author, having written five books published by Wiley, including the series Lightroom: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process and Nature Photography Photo Workshop. To see Nat's work, visit NatCoalson.com and PictorialJourneys.com.
Meetup Groups
I have been talking about networking and several options for improving your network. Tools to building connections and strategies on forming habits to continue growth in this area.
Well Photo World this week I wrap up the how to better your network topic with Meetup Groups. I share a couple stories and the lessons I learned from Meetup Groups experiences.
Get out there Photo World and Network with Meetup.com
Happy Networking and Photo World… Happy Shooting!
Fundamental Fridays
Culling Your Photos
There are several tools for Culling Your Photos. I prefer to use Bridge and give a 1 star rating to the images I do not want to edit. More often than not they are a duplicate or variation of another image right next to it. The truth is we just don't have a need for every picture.
If you make the images smaller, not as small as the contact sheet style shown here, but smaller than even half the screen you will be able to quickly analyse the image and choose to keep or throw.
I rarely Cull my photos on the same day I shoot them. You need to give your eyes and mind a rest before reliving what you just did. We see differently every day, so why not see things one way and make great images and then view the images on a different day with fresh eyes.
Move fast each photo will be edited soon enough so move quickly through deciding one what to keep.
Happy Shooting!
Abe Robinson - Dark Glamor
Today’s featured guest is Abe Robinson.
Abe runs a photography studio called Blind 7 Photography. He is based out of Cleveland Ohio and specializes in dark glamor with a commercial fusion. Over the past 18 years Abe has been published in several magazines and these publications span across the world. With a Special effects makeup artist on staff Abe brings the depths of his imagination to life for a wide range of clientele.
Network with LinkedIn
Their slogan is “LinkedIn: World’s Largest Professional Network”
This is the one popular social media site that is mainly for networking.
Get out there Photo World and Network with Linkedin.
Happy Posting, Happy Networking, and Photo World… Happy Shooting!
Fundamental Friday - Focal Length and Choosing a Lens
Zoom Lenses, Prime Lenses, Wide, Telephoto, Macro, Tilt Shift, Fish Eye, etc. With so many lens options what do we choose for our cameras and photography? Well I don't know if I have a sure fire answer to that question but I wanted to discuss focal length and a few things to think about when it comes to lens choice. In this episode I shed some light on focal lengths, zoom and prime lenses, and understanding the aperture's sweet spot. The video with the sample pictures on location are a great example on this topic and why this is definitely something to consider when choosing a lens for your photography.
Be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter!
2015 © Take&TalkPics
#HeyPhotoWorld
Today’s featured guest is Rebekah Nemethy - Pet and Product Photographer
Rebekah and her business Reflective Photos began as a photography career with weddings and after doing one she knew it wasn’t her calling for her photography. After some exploration in different areas of this visual art Rebekah found her stride in pet photography. Aside from her pet photography Rebekah has been with the photography department at Consumer Reports for the past 5 years.
Good take away's from this episode:
Transparency! be clear about the details with your clients. It is easy to be caught up in the big picture stuff.
"You're only as good as your last photo." - making new work will always lead to improvements and the lack of attempts for better work is only settling.
Small an manageable goal will be of great practice for the big ones but they will also be the building blocks for what you may one day call success.
My path to pet photography was definitely not on a straight, high-speed highway; I took the back roads and got lost several times along the way.
I think, in the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to be a photographer. In my junior year of high school I learned to shoot, develop, & process black and white film. Those were the days before Photoshop became my dark room of choice.
In college, I decided to major in the visual arts with a focus in photography, which went well until I started to think about what I would focus my career on. I thought that weddings would be the most lucrative and sensible career choice… actually I figured it would be my only choice because I knew everything at 19.
It was during my second year of college that a friend who was getting married asked me to shoot her wedding. It was the first wedding I ever attended, the last wedding I ever photographed, and the straw that broke the photographer’s back.
I switched my major to journalism within the year. I wrongly assumed that if I didn’t want to do weddings, I’d never make it as a successful photographer. Like I said, I was 19 and I knew everything!
After diligently studying the New York Times, I had my first news quiz in my Journalism I class. I think I got a 30 (yes out of 100), totally embarrassed myself by disputing one of the answers and revealing my total ignorance of common geography, went to my car after class, and cried.
Journalism was not for me. Nevertheless, I toughed it out for the next two years and got my degree. I tried to write for a while after college. I even started an online literary magazine with a friend of mine. Then I tried to make some money writing online articles, but the writing went painfully slow and I was still working as a waitress and bartender to pay the bills.
I became desperate to find a career that I would love to wake up to, but I knew I had to make money too. That’s when I found my camera again. I mean, it had been there all along, and had even evolved to a digital body… but this was when I started to look at it as an opportunity once again.
I printed up 50 fliers about my soon to come portfolio building month: free photo sessions in June only. Although the flier said I would shoot babies, kids, couples, families, and dogs, (everything but weddings) I found myself handing them out at dog parks.
Before I knew it my portfolio was barking at me! So I guess I can’t really say I decided to get into this line of work… but I decided I needed a job I could love… and this is where my heart took me.
I will continue to let it lead the way!
Recommended Resources:
Networking with Instagram
Have some fun with your personal Instagram live and your business life!
The mix will allow for a following to see the serious posts
We hear it in blogging, podcasts, at seminars, workshops, or in a classroom; content is key. Have relevant and current content or in this case popular current hashtags.
Being an active part of your Instagram community is important. Like I discussed for facebook groups and how you need to be an active listener and pro-active with critiques, it is the same here. Follow, favorite, and create buzz about the posts that interest or inspire you. Chances are, there are others waiting to be inspired by it too.
It’s no secret with video being standard on DSLR’s and Mirrorless systems that motion picture plays a pivotal role in our world. Instagram offers the same opportunity. One, for an additional way of delivering content and two, this helps in cultivating connections. Instagram has now been competing with Twitter in this arena and it can only help you to have two spaces to cash in from.
Hashtags are still important! They become the gateway for new followers and as visual people we can quickly determine if we would like to follow back. A quick glance at what they share and we can see if we are beating to the same drum or not.
Instagram is actually an incredible editing software. Yea there are limitations but for a small, mind you FREE, platform this app can set the mood for your work you may not have contrived at the time of capture.
Mix it up a bit. This filters and edit options are a tool. So try to change up what you use and how often. Having all the same look will only attract the same small audience. If we are Networking with Instagram then we need to play to a larger audience.
Those rare occasions where you meet someone face to face try to find them on the social sites and continue the conversation or exchange.
Take this one step further and incorporate Instagram Direct. It is similar to Snapchat where you send a photo or video privately.
The most valuable direction for growth in anything we do is due to constructive feedback. Instagram is a platform where the potential for critique is sometimes overwhelming. Think of it as Paying it Forward. Followers or others in the community should be sharing and educating others, just as we all should, for Instagram, Twitter, and facebook.
Lastly connect to your facebook. That is a free additional post without doing a thing!
Happy Posting, Happy Networking, and Photo World… Happy Shooting!
Fundamental Fridays - Metering
Metering for a proper exposure seems easy enough. However, should we follow the meter in our cameras? I say yes... well... no... kind of both. Use your meter. understand that your camera meter is always lying to you and learn the strategies to over come the issues of manual metering. Camera priority modes are great for learning but the offer an out from the education process of trial and error. Listen to today's Fundamental Fridays episode to understand how to meter your camera correctly under any lighting situation.
Happy Shooting!
Click here to register for the first ever Take & Talk Pics/Rob Krueger Photography FREE workshop!