Master Photography

Topic 1:  Social media for photographers… is facebook really where we should be?

Nick has noticed a sharp decline in likes and interactions with photos both on his personal and his photography page, He is getting more on instagram.. A lot more even with a smaller following.  And will Instagram go the same route?

What about sites like 500px, flicker, twitter, guru shots, pixoto, and others?

Topic 2: Branching out to do types of photography you don’t normally do.

Connor: I recently got married and took my honeymoon in Maui. While I was there I took the opportunity to practice some landscape photography which is something I pretty much NEVER do, and I had a GREAT time! I never thought I could find such inspiration and rejuvenate my love and passion for photography by trying something I have previously always been rather disinterested in doing. Have you guys ever gone and tried a new type of photography for the sake of getting out of your ruts?

Topic 3:  Microsoft’s Answer to the iMac.  Worth it?

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/10/26/13380462/microsoft-surface-studio-pc-computer-announced-features-price-release-date

Topic 4: STOP CALIBRATING!

Topic 5: Shooting Next Level sports

Nick has recently shot some college football and this week will be headed to new Orleans to shoot an NFL game.  As Brian McGuckin has said before, it really is all about networking and relationships when it comes to getting your foot in the door.

The nice part of shooting college and NFL is that the lighting is better, the backgrounds are better, and you just get better shots.   

Midroll: Blurb (Connor just ordered an album from them!)

Fracture

12 Minute Skill:  Photographing Lightning

Bulb–not 30 second timer

Darker exposure than you’d think

More difficult to put together multiple strikes than I’d imagined

White balance is almost never right

Doesn’t work IN the storm.  Wait until you’re just outside the storm.

Doodads of the Week!

Connor – Lost Luggage Ice-Nine Portfolios 

Nick – L bracket

Doorandom of the Week: Scotch Reclosable Fasteners

 

Topic 1:  Tripod failure alert!  Feisol 3472 is no longer a buy according to Nick

Topic 2: Beware the label “sunset cruise”  make sure its a photography tour, not just a tourist tour

Topic 3: Nikon’s new 19mm f/4 TS lens.  Sigma’s new 12-24 f/4 ART.  What’s the best wide angle lens for FF DSLRs these days?

Topic 4: Listener Question   

Alyce Bender asks

“Question for you all: what do you do when you are in a rut with your photography? I have been shooting quite a bit lately with very little to show. It's very discouraging.”

Topic 5: Destination weddings and shoots, How do you book them, quote them, and scout them

Midroll: Blurb

Topic 6: Fuji 10-24mm f/4 review

12 Minute Skill: YN560 Fix

Doodads of the Week!

Jim – Amazon Echo Dot

Nick – Tamron 90mm Macro 

Questions:

Jamie Hoff (IP+): Any advice on shooting a group of 5 women with 1 flash and an umbrella? I have a 43in umbrella and a 60 in? Can I make this work or do I NEED a 2nd flash?

Monty Craig (IP+) I am almost out of options here, I use a Fuji X Pro1, and I recently bought a Youngnuo 560 Tx along with three 660 flash units that were Nikon units. I finally got the trigger and flash to talk to each other, but it still won’t fire with the trigger on the camera. What can I do to get this rig to work? Anybody? I bought this kit from a guy who seemed credible, but when I presented the problem, he all but disappeared. He has offered a few suggestions on facebook, the last one being, scratch the paint off. Still no luck, and I’m starting to lose faith in this guy, so, once again I am turning to my friends at Improve Photography to see if I can find answers here. Please Help Jim!

Alan Combs: So I know my prices are going up next year for sure. I had someone ask about doing their wedding next June. Do I offer my current rate or my new rate? I imagine this is just opinion, but I’d love thoughts. Prices are going up 30% across the board.

Austen Swenson: I was asked by a local country club to do a “photos with santa” event in December and they wanted to know what my sitting fee is, and if I wanted to just share in profits…Should I just charge a flat fee and get more money up front, or lower my sitting fee and share in the profits from prints?

Jose Martinez: Hello IP friends, I entered a local photography contest a couple years ago and my photo was the winner, I just saw that picture on an a local attorney’s website, would it be wrong or inappropriate to contact the attorney and request at least that the picture be credited to me.

Laryssa:

How to build followers in Instagram.  Posting regularly in instagram is a way to build followers.  I don’t think the idea of following people just so that they follow you back.  That seems to be a way some people build followers.  The key to building followers is consistency.  The more you post the more followers you can get.  Now of course you have to have a catchy photo.   

https://displaypurposes.com/ brand new service

Midroll: Squarespace

Fracture

Jeff: Tips for shooting fall color:

Been doing a ton of this lately, can see my shots on instagram @harmonjeff (https://www.instagram.com/harmonjeff/)

Composition is a huge key.  Get off the beaten path if at all possible.  Especially getting something from a higher view.  Climbing up the ridgeline of the mountains here in Utah.

Mix it up between wide-angle and longer focal lengths.  Pano stitch if needed so that you don’t make molehills out of mountains.

More important than ever to not shoot during the middle of the day.  Had Columbus Day off from the day job, ran up to the Alpine Loop in Utah, but only had from about 11 am through 3 pm to be there and shoot.  Pictures are fine, but the light is so harsh and it just doesn’t match the fall feeling.

Shoot with a polarizer if you have one to reduce glare off of the leaves.  Been a while since I shot with my polarizer and I just couldn’t even find it and the highlights in my photos are too bright.  Adjusting them in post using HDR and luminosity masking, but would be much better if I had used the polarizer

Watch the saturation levels of the colors.  Seeing a lot of fall photo colors with saturation way too high.  Canon cameras tend to over saturate reds for example and I am seeing them just drowned in color so that you can’t see the detail.

Jim: IP is hiring a full-time employee

http://improvephotography.com/hiring

Sony a6500

Shooting in Arizona week after next

Doodads of the Week!

Pre-Roll:  Squarespace

This episode is brought to you by the Improve Photography Retreat in Phoenix, Arizona March 8-11, 2016.  (Mention that you’ll be there as well as the other hosts who will be there.  There are only 47 tickets left!

Questions:

Matthew Gavin (IP+): How do I set up export presets?  My photos are exporting HUGE!

Mark Connors(IP+): iPhone 7 raw camera and editor

Tracy Munson: I’m a couple of weeks into a photo trip in Quebec and have developed a severe case of “telephoto elbow”. I can barely lift my coffee mug this morning, let alone my camera (ok, it IS a giant Bubba mug, but still). Has anybody else experienced this? What did you do? Anti inflammatories? Heat? Cold? Brace?

Lyndsey Nelson Wright: I just started using Instagram for my business this year and almost everyday I have other photographers like or follow me, which is great but I feel like something is up. They are all way way better than I am and have lots of followers. I am not even sure how they are finding me. What am I missing? Is there some benefit for them to follow random people like me?

Chad: Photographing Cuba

Midroll: Squarespace

 

Nick: 5d iv final thoughts

Iso performance is excellent

Focusing system excellent

Duel pixel shift…. A joke

For video its great for the casual shooter

The wifi and app is actually quite good

Doodads of the Week!

Jim: Andoer 360 Camera (Sent for review by the company)

1. Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G4O9N62

     code: XDYYFPKD

2. Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D2ZTBPY

    code:  3EEVOPCE

Nick: acratech mavrick ballhead

Pre-Roll:  This episode is brought to you by the Improve Photography Retreat in Phoenix, Arizona March 8-11, 2016.  (Mention that you’ll be there as well as the other hosts who will be there.  There are only 47 tickets left!

Questions:

Katie Shipley (IP+) I’m importing about a 100 RAW photos with Standard previews and it’s been over an hour and the bar only gets to about a quarter of the way then stops and goes no further. I’ve rebooted. All the standard troubleshooting.

Brian Denslow (IP+) I have been working with my local hair salon, practice for me pics for them. I have spent 4 hrs taking photos, they would like wall art and a coffee table book. Besides the cost+ for the prints and book could someone give me an idea of what I could charge to do this.

Jeremiah Johnston – A Realtor edited my photos I took for them before posting on their listing. They said the were too bright. So they darkened them. Now they look really bad online and super splotchy. He signed the real estate photography contract I got from Jim Harmer? I offered to update the edit, but he said he was fine with the ones he edited. BTW, I calibrate my screen and use the histogram when editing. My watermark is not on these photos so should I even worry about it?

Laryssa:

Shooting in Harsh light.  

Try as we might sometimes our clients want to shoot in the middle of the day.  What are we to do.

I tend to have this problem a lot.  Especially during the summer time.  People don’t want to get up early or stay out late they want to shoot in the middle of the day.  One of the things I do is find shade if I can or bring my flash with me.  Also, face them away from the sun and put it at their backs.  Unless of course they want to shoot at noon on the east coast and want the beautiful beach behind them.  

Jim:

Quick tip for better photos on Facebook (SLR Lounge)

Settings > Photo and video > Upload photos in HD

Lightroom mobile shooting DNG

Part 107

Jeff:

JPEGMini vs. Lightroom Exports

Help Jeff out with a blind test by going to the bit.ly link below and following the instructions

http://bit.ly/lrvjmini

Lr CC 2015.7 / 6.7 thumbs up, don’t see any major issues and it is safe to upgrade

macOS Sierra only upgrade if you are using Lr CC 2015.7 / 6.7.  If you want to keep using an earlier version don’t upgrade yet

Doodads of the Week!

Jim: Bear spray

Laryssa: Power Bank 

Jeff: Energizer Recharge Universal 2000 mAh Rechargeable AA Batteries

Doorandom of the Week: AYL Bluetooth headphones