Professional Photographer April 2010

©Brianna Graham

APRIL 2010 | WWW.PPMAG.COM | $4.95

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EDITORIAL

director of publications

There’s no place like home PROS ARE MAKING IT BIG ON THEIR HOME TURF Go big or go home—quintessentially American advice. But PPA’s latest Studio Financial Benchmark Survey illustrates that going home isn’t so shabby. In fact, it could be highly profitable. The Benchmark analysis, a financial assessment conducted by PPA’s Studio Management Services department, compared the profitability of retail location and home-based studios. Across the board, home studios are making incredible strides in net profit. Conventional wisdom used to be that because retail location studios carry higher overhead than home studios, they would charge more than home studios for every product and service to keep the cost of sales in line. Well, the home studios PPA surveyed didn’t get that memo. They’ve been spending less or charging more than their retail counterparts—maybe both—but they’re changing the industry’s thinking about successful home-based operations. A preponderance of home studios in the survey are either close to or already surpassing the more challenging 25 percent cost of sales level required of retail studios, which the majority of retail studios in the survey were unable to achieve. What this means is that these home studios are either charging more for their products than most retail studios in this survey, and/or they are doing a better job of controlling their production costs. —From the 2010 PPA Business Handbook If you know how to manage your costs and pricing, suddenly running a studio out of your home becomes a very attractive option. But don’t start selling wedding albums from the kitchen table. The setting has to be a clearly defined business space that says professional at work, no matter the square footage you’ve been dealt. We found some beautifully designed in-home studios to show you, all as different from one another as they can be, and all working splendidly for their owners. Turn to p. 74 to see these professional, stylish and affordable studios. If you’re looking homeward, may you find the inspiration to create a professional “storefront” on your very own home turf. � Cameron Bishopp Director of Publications [email protected]

Find us on facebook.com/PPmagazine

4 • www.ppmag.com

Follow us on twitter.com/PPmagazine

CAMERON BISHOPP [email protected] senior editor

art director/production manager

JOAN SHERWOOD [email protected]

DEBBIE TODD [email protected]

features editor

manager, publications and sales/strategic alliances

LESLIE HUNT [email protected]

KARISA GILMER [email protected]

editor-at-large

sales/strategic alliances assistant

JEFF KENT [email protected]

CHERYL PEARSON [email protected]

technical editors

circulation

ANDREW RODNEY, ELLIS VENER, DON CHICK

MOLLIE O’SHEA [email protected]

director of sales and strategic alliances

SCOTT HERSH 610-966-2466; [email protected] western region ad manager

northeast region ad manager

BART ENGELS 847-854-8182; [email protected]

SHELLIE JOHNSON 404-522-8600, x279; [email protected]

southeast region ad manager

BILL KELLY 404-522-8600, x248; [email protected] editorial offices

Professional Photographer 229 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303-1608 U.S.A. 404-522-8600; FAX: 404-614-6406 Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly subscriptions

Professional Photographer P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606; 800-742-7468; FAX 847-291-4816; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.com member services

PPA - Professional Photographer 800-786-6277; FAX 404-641-6400; e-mail: [email protected]; www.ppa.com Send all advertising materials to: Debbie Todd, Professional Photographer, 5431 E. Garnet, Mesa, AZ 85206; 480-807-4391 Subscription rates/information: U.S.: $27, one year; $45, two years; $66, three years. Canada: $43, one year; $73, two years; $108, three years. International: $19.95 one year digital subscription. Back issues/Single copies $7 U.S.; $10 Canada; $15 International. PPA membership includes $13.50 annual subscription. Subscription orders/changes: Send to Professional Photographer, Attn: Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606; 800-742-7468; FAX 847-291-4816; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.com. Periodicals postage paid in Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Professional Photographer magazine, P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606 Copyright 2010, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinator at Wright’s Reprints; 1-877-652-5295. Microfilm copies: University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly for $27 per year by PPA Publications and Events, Inc., 229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2200, International Tower, Atlanta, GA 30303-1608. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. Acceptance of advertising does not carry with it endorsement by the publisher. Opinions expressed by Professional Photographer or any of its authors do not necessarily reflect positions of Professional Photographers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, official journal of the Professional Photographers of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professional photographic publication in the Western Hemisphere (founded 1907 by Charles Abel, Hon.M.Photog.), incorporating Abel’s Photographic Weekly, St. Louis & Canadian Photographer, The Commercial Photographer, The National Photographer, Professional Photographer, and Professional Photographer Storytellers. Circulation audited and verified by BPA Worldwide.

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CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER APRIL 2010

Features 100

KID CRAFT Dennis Craft builds an enduring career on relationships with clients, and an innate ability to think like a kid By Jeff Kent

110

COLOR THEORY How Brianna Graham bends the old rules about color and texture—and why it works By Stephanie Boozer

74

STUDIO DESIGN: HOMEWORK

Professional, stylish and affordable? Yes, you can! By Stephanie Boozer

84

POSING: WHAT’S YOUR BEST SELLER?

Photographers reveal the children’s poses parents flip over

88

CHILDREN: GIVING SPIRIT

The best times are found moments for Rachel Devine By Stephanie Boozer

94

CHILDREN: HIGH JINKS

Part fun, part curious with Barb Uil By Lorna Gentry IMAGE BY DENNIS CRAFT

CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | APRIL 2010 | WWW.PPMAG.COM

16

FOLIO

120 SCHOOL CALENDAR 123

PPA TODAY

138

GOOD WORKS

©Barb Uil/JinkyArt

Departments C O N TA C T S H E E T 22 Boza Ivanovic: Animal therapy 24 Stacy Pearsall: Onward and upward 28 Kelley Walker Chance: A quirk of fate 30 Meet the Rodgers/PPA Tour: 2010 30 Home studios: Are you in the

(business) zone?

PROFIT CENTER 35 What I think: Dennis Craft 38 Hustle: An interview with

Gary Vaynerchuk by Sarah Petty 42 Ask the experts 44 How I did it: Michelle Lindsay 46 A promotion worth having by Bruce Berg

THE GOODS 51 What I like: Barb Uil 52 Pro review: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

by Ellis Vener 56 Lighting: Butterfly, split and

monster light patterns by Don Chick 60 Product roundup: From the lab by Dyana Bagby 64 Product review: Datacolor Spyder3Studio SR by Ellis Vener 68 Product review: Photodex ProShow Producer 4.1 by Betsy Finn

94

Australian photographer Barb Uil turned her love of children into a profitable brand called

Jinky Art. “I can go anywhere and be happy as long as there is a kid there to photograph,” says Uil.

8 • www.ppmag.com

ON THE COVER: Brianna Graham took this image while giving instruction on studio lighting during one of her travel workshops. Her lighting setup included Profoto ComPact 300R lighting with the main light modified by a Photoflex Medium 5-foot OcotoDome3. “The children were able to relax and to allow me to stay true to my style—using bold colors, texture rich scenery and authentic expressions—without even the slightest notion that there was a crowd of photographers watching,” says Graham. Taken with a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L lens; exposed for 1/200 second at f/8, ISO 100.

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Increase Senior Sales White House Custom Colour, Your Professional Photographic and Press Printing Partner

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Folded Bookmarks

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“On all of our “extended” or longer high school senior sessions, we pre-select the images, do a quick retouch, and create a custom-designed Press Printed Book that we present to the senior at the selection appointment. The percentage of high school seniors who buy the book because it is literally in their hands at this appointment is approximately 90%. Remember, people are visual; show them a book with their images in it and they go nuts!” Tim & Bev Walden, Walden Photography, Lexington, KY

Visit pro.whcc.com/go/Start today to open your WHCC account.

White House Custom Colour is a full service, professional photographic lab and press printer. In addition to the showcased products on these pages, we offer a full line of products and services to make a positive impact on your goals for continued success in building your photographic business. For more information visit our website, www.whcc.com

Make Virtual Cards

Offer Unique Products

show your client in the actual product

a product competitors may not offer

Press Printed Cards “When we first started selling Press Printed Cards a few years ago, we didn’t have much success until we realized that people are visual and actually needed to see themselves in the cards, not just other people’s samples. They really didn’t catch on and start purchasing them until I started creating “virtual” note cards of each client to show them in the sale. With this simple idea, our sales went from a dismal 20% who bought to 80%.” Tim & Bev Walden, Walden Photography, Lexington, KY

Mounted Prints “We sell a 12x20 inch mounted image with a collage of many images from the Senior’s session. We call them Proof Boards at our studio. It takes the place of the old matted folios and is much more accommodating. Proof Boards can be framed and displayed on the wall. They can be a collection of many ideas or a special theme from the session. They also make a great add-on sale and are a bargain clients don’t want to pass up. They are happy with the variety of images the Proof Board gives them.” Carl Caylor Photo Images by Carl, Iron Mountain, MI

White House Custom Colour - www.whcc.com - 800-252-5234 - [email protected]

CONSTANCE S. RAWLINS M.Photog.Cr., CPP [email protected]

Professional Photographers of America 229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200 Atlanta, GA 30303-1608 404-522-8600; 800-786-6277 FAX: 404-614-6400; www.ppa.com

2010-2011 PPA board president *LOUIS F. TONSMEIRE JR. Cr.Photog., API [email protected] vice president *DONALD DICKSON M.Photog.Cr., CPP [email protected] treasurer *TIMOTHY WALDEN M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP [email protected] chairman of the board *RON NICHOLS M.Photog.Cr. Hon.M.Photog., API [email protected] directors SANDY “SAM” PUC’ M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI [email protected] RALPH ROMAGUERA SR. M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP [email protected] CAROL ANDREWS JENSEN M.Photog.Cr, ABI [email protected] SUSAN MICHAL M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI [email protected]

12 • www.ppmag.com

industry advisor KEVIN CASEY [email protected] PPA staff DAVID TRUST Chief Executive Officer [email protected] SCOTT KURKIAN Chief Financial Officer [email protected] THERESE ALEMAN Director, Marketing and Communications [email protected] CHRISTEL APRIGLIANO Director of Member Value & Experience [email protected] CAMERON BISHOPP Director of Publications [email protected] SCOTT HERSH Director of Sales & Strategic Alliances [email protected] WILDA OKEN Director of Administration [email protected] COREY B. SHELTON Director, Web Strategy & Development [email protected] LENORE TAFFEL Director of Events [email protected]

DOUG BOX M.Photog.Cr., API [email protected]

BING ZENG PPA China Managing Director [email protected]

DON MACGREGOR M.Photog.Cr., API [email protected]

SANDRA LANG Executive Assistant [email protected]

MICHAEL GAN M.Photog.Cr., CPP [email protected]

*Executive Committee of the Board

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Professional Photographers of America 800-786-6277 | [email protected]

EDUCATION IN EXCELLENCE:

ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION BY APRIL 30TH.

Your clients probably don’t know what makes an award-winning photograph. But you can bet they recognize quality when they see it. Competition will help you refine that quality in every photograph you produce. ENTER BY APRIL 30, 2010, FOR AN EDUCATION IN EXCELLENCE. Rules, entry details, resources and more: www.ppa.com/competitions/international.php

Tomas Munoz , M.Photog.Cr. { www.munozphotography.com }

© Andrew Jenkins, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

© Randy Fraley, M.Photog.Cr.

A professional photographer who approaches every client engagement as if it’s an entry for the International Photographic Competition will consistently produce better images…and that will translate into more clients.

LEARN FROM THE INSIDE OUT:

ATTEND THE 2010 JUDGES WORKSHOP June 13-16, 2010 | Atlanta, GA | www.ppa.com/education-events/judgesworkshop.php | 800.786.6277 It’s the next step in photographic competition…learning how the judges judge. But it’s much more. Held in conjunction with the International Photographic Competition in Atlanta, Georgia, this class will allow you to do the following: Explore the ins and outs of what

Feel confident in your ability

Fulfill one of the requirements

makes an image “merit worthy.”

to identify merit images.

for becoming a PPA-

Observe competition

PPA members earn two

approved affiliate juror.*

process and protocol.

merits for attending.

Attend for invaluable knowledge to use in your own image making—for competition and for customers. *PPA members with ten print exhibition merits will receive PEC credit for attending the workshop.

folio|

Comprising images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sample of award-winning photography by PPA members. The Loan Collection is a select group of some 500 photographs chosen annually by the PPA print judges from more than 5,000 entries.

©Robin Ritenour

ROBIN RITENOUR “My friends and I went out together for fun and with the intent to create competition images,” says Robin Ritenour, of Robin Michelle Photography in Bradenton, Fla. “My friends were working in another room when I saw this laundry basket sitting on the bed—the light was beautiful.” With a Canon EOS 30D and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 SP AF Macro IF XR Di LD lens, Ritenour exposed “Fresh Linens” for 1/30 second at f/6.3, ISO 160. “It’s important to take time to play,” she says. “Create something beautiful just for the pure joy of it.” robinmichellephoto.com

What the judge thought:

“Simplicity and storytelling are the

strengths of this image. The open bedroom window enhances the feeling of a warm summer day. The delicate highlights allow the viewer to experience the texture and comfort of the duvet. This is a wonderful example of an ordinary object photographed in an extraordinary way.” —Jon Allyn, M.Photog.MEI.Cr., CPP and PEC Committee member

16 • www.ppmag.com

OUR TEAM IS

YOUR TEAM

What makes the Collages.net product team smile? Gorgeous metallic prints. Handcrafted Italian leather albums. Vibrant press printed books. Custom album designs. Press printed cards on watercolor paper. Stunning gallery wraps. We are the faces behind Collages.net’s product line. We spend our days and nights thinking about innovative and elegant ways to display your images. What makes you smile? Call Collages.net today (877) 638-7468 and receive $50 toward your first product purchase.

Albums | Books | Professional Printing | Cards | Custom Design Services | Online Posting | Gallery Wraps For pricing and information on Collages.net’s complete product line, visit www.collages.net/pricing ©2010 Collages.net Inc. Photo ©Robert & Kathleen Photographers. All rights reserved.

©Jackelyn Haggerty

JACKELYN HAGGERTY Jackelyn Haggerty, Cr.Photog., CPP, of Studio J Photography, Inc. in Bloomington, Ill., created “Pretty Please” for an in-studio contest to benefit a local non-profit organization. She captured it with a Canon EOS 5D camera with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM EF lens. The main light, an AlienBees B400 flash with an AlienBees 47-inch Octabox, was bounced by a silver reflector to serve as fill. She used a second B400 with a 14x18-inch Larson Soft Strip as a hair light. Haggerty performed minor retouching in Adobe Photoshop. studiojphotography.net

HARRY SPILLMAN While documenting the interaction between college students and the staff of a 1850s-era farm in western Kentucky, Harry Spillman, M.Photog., CPP, of Spillman Photography in Glasgow, Ky., captured “The Old Way.” With a Canon EOS 5D and Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM EF lens, Spillman exposed the shot for 1/400 second at f/10, ISO 400. He intensified the saturation and tonal contrast only slightly in Adobe Photoshop for the final image. spillmanphotography.com

18 • www.ppmag.com

©Harry Spillman

OUR TEAM IS

YOUR TEAM

Is your studio working smarter or just harder? Collages.net’s product and workflow consultants talk to hundreds of professional photographers every week. Whether 2010 is your first or twenty-first year in business, our team can share insights on what’s working and what’s not in today’s wedding and portrait market. We can help streamline your workflow and customize the right mix of products for your specific market. Ready to work smarter in 2010? Call Collages.net today (877) 638-7468 and receive $50 toward your first product purchase.

Albums | Books | Professional Printing | Cards | Custom Design Services | Online Posting | Gallery Wraps For pricing and information on Collages.net’s complete product line, visit www.collages.net/pricing ©2010 Collages.net Inc. Photo ©Robert & Kathleen Photographers. All rights reserved.

CLAYTON SPANGLER Clayton Spangler, of Photographic Design in Charleston, W.Va., created “Winter’s Mill” at Babcock Mill, one of the state’s most photographed landmarks, though typically in the summer and fall. “I had this winter idea visualized for almost two years,” says Spangler. “Overcoming the challenges of winter to get there [6 inches of new snow and a steep hill], and being the only person around to see this scene was a very personal experience.” Spangler used a Canon 17-40mm f/4 L USM EF lens on a Canon EOS 5D camera, exposing the image for 1/8 second, f/19, ISO 100. He combined two exposures, one overexposed and slightly soft, the other sharp at normal exposure, to mimic the effect of sandwiched film slides. spanglerstudio.com

©Clayton Spangler

DURWARD NARRAMORE During a standard portrait session, Durward Narramore, III, CPP, of Narramore Photography in Whitesburg, Ky., captured “Just a Mess.” With a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM EF lens, Narramore exposed the image for 1/125 second at f/7.1, ISO 100. A Profoto ComPact 600 flash, the main lighting, was framed by a Larson Soft Strip at the back, a 4x6-foot Larson Soft Box to the side, and a 72-inch Larson panel reflector opposite. A second ComPact 600 metered at f/2.8 served as hair light, and the background was lit by a third ComPact 600, metered at f/8 with a Larson 10-degree grid. narramorephotography.com

20 • www.ppmag.com

©Durward Narramore

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CONTACT SHEET What’s New, Cool Events, Interesting People, Great Ideas, Etc.

Soon after four months of being immobilized due to a motorcycle accident, Boza Ivanovic

animal photos that were just as dramatic. “Sometimes it would be impossible for

spent four days at the zoo with his digital

everything to come together: the animal in

camera trained on a sleeping lion, awaiting the

the spot where the light was right doing

right moment. The background and the light-

something interesting, and then holding it

ing were ideal, but the big cat slept on. As he

long enough for me to react and get it,” he

waited, he complained via cell phone to his

explains. “You see why it took a long time.”

wife and friends, who told him he was crazy,

Yes, Ivanovic waited for all those elements

to go home and forget about it. He stubbornly

to align naturally. He used no manipulation,

remained. Finally, a helicopter flew over and

save the occasional boost of contrast in

the lion sat up to look. Ivanovic fired off just

Photoshop. “I am a photojournalist, so to

six frames before the cat slumped over and

me it doesn’t matter if I’m taking pictures of

dozed off, but Ivanovic had what he was after.

people or animals; it has to be [exactly]

Ivanovic patiently repeated this tedious

what I saw,” says the Serbia-born Ivanovic,

process over the last couple of years—every

who now lives in St. Louis and freelances

single day of 2009—and bagged photographs

for the Associated Press.

of dozens of animals in 11 zoos in five countries.

Ivanovic worked without the aid of a tripod,

He estimates he took about 3,000 images

despite using long lenses, primarily a 100-

altogether with his 35mm Leica film

400mm f/4.5-5.6 with a 1.4 extender. Typically

camera and Canon EOS-1D Mark III; only

he would expose for about 1/1,000 second at

150 of them he deems print-worthy.

f/5.6 or f/8. “I’ve yet to get a blurry picture,” he

The concept for the project came to

says, crediting lens stabilizers and good natural

Ivanovic years ago when he took his then 6-

light. He worked in black and white because,

year-old to the San Diego Zoo and captured

he explains, “Color shows you everything so

a haunting image of a tiger. As a form of

your imagination cannot work. Black and white

therapy, while his recuperating body lay

makes people think and lets their emotions fly.”

motionless, he focused his restless mind on

To see more of Boza Ivanovic’s photography, visit bozaivanovic.com.

that image, plotting how to capture more

Pounce

All images ©Boza Ivanovic

Using photography as therapy, Boza Ivanovic creates a captivating body of work BY LORNA GENTRY

CONTACT SHEET

Onward and upward

photographers. Many are closing studios to

Stacy Pearsall exits the battlefield, camera in hand l

meeting room, complete with a photo

BY LORNA GENTRY

cut costs,” says Pearsall. Out of the center’s 5,600 square feet, Pearsall carved a cozy software-loaded Mac workstation. “The

Every morning Retired Air Force Staff Sgt.

Charleston, S.C., has been Pearsall’s

hardest part for a photographer is creating a

Stacy Pearsall sets her sites on a point in the

home since joining the 1st Combat Camera

name for yourself, but these days we need to

mid-distance and starts toward it. She won’t

Squadron at the Charleston Air Force several

let ego go and help each other. Everything I

dwell on the past or what might have been,

years ago, and it was natural for her to settle

learned was graciously given to me by other

just move forward. Every day she gets a little

there after retirement. She launched a free-

professionals. I hope to continue giving back.”

closer to knowing who she is.

lance commercial and editorial business and

Pearsall is at work on a photo memoir

For more than 12 years Pearsall was an

became manager of the Charleston Center

that includes images that twice won her the

Air Force combat photographer deployed

for Photography, which offers professional

Military Photographer of the Year award

worldwide, including three tours in Iraq. Her

and amateur photographers education, a

from the National Press Photographers

bravery under fire during one of those TODs

black-and-white film lab, a guest lecturer

Association; she’s one of only two women to

won her the Bronze Star and Medal Com-

series and gallery exhibitions. Last spring,

win the award, and the only woman to win

mendation with Valor. Her military career

Pearsall bought the center, stabilized its shaky

it twice. Her behind-the-photo stories are a

came to an end in 2008 when an IED attack

finances, and began to make improvements,

window into the world of combat pho-

left her with severe neck injuries. During

such as the addition of a space for professional

tography from a woman’s perspective.

Pearsall’s 18-month recovery she could not

photographers to meet with their clients.

hold a camera, but she never doubted she’d return to photography. ©Stacy Pearsall

“Everyone has had to change how they do business, especially wedding and portrait

To see more of Stacy Pearsall’s work visit f8pj.com and ccforp.org.

Matt Lucas | Lucas Photography 2009 PPA National Photographer of the Year Diamond Level | 2009 We Are Miller’s Ad Contest Winner!

I am Matt Lucas I Am Always Learning I went to college and graduated with a BS in Photography. Shortly after, I met my mentor whose teaching sent me light years ahead of the learning curve. Photography is changing every day, and at Lucas Photography, we feel that we always need to know more. We are very active in Missouri Professional Photography Association and the national PPA convention.This is where I learn hands-on how to do what I do, as well as meet other photographers who become friends for life. I Am A Senior Photographer I love to photograph high school seniors! I feel like I can relate to seniors and create timeless pieces of art for them and their parents. Most of our clients love color and saturation and that is one of the reasons they choose Lucas Photography, driving sometimes from other states – they want something different. I am most passionate about making our clients see that they are beautiful, leaving more confident than when they came in. I Am On Facebook Facebook has been huge for us! After every session, I tag my client so that their friends will see one of the images. I have people booking this year because they saw images of clients on Facebook and visited our Lucas Photography Fan Club page to see more. We have photographed more seniors from a larger variety of schools than ever before – schools we’ve never even targeted. I Am Second Generation I grew up in photography. My parents started Lucas Photography 37 years ago; my dad was my role model. I started printing black and white photographs when I was eight and photographed my first wedding at age 16. My parents began working with Miller’s right after opening and have been loyal customers ever since. Without Miller’s customer service and quality, Lucas Photography wouldn’t be where we are today. I am Miller’s. My lab is Miller’s Professional Imaging because I Expect More.

Expect More

To see how Matt uses Miller’s to grow his studio, please visit www.millerslab.com/MattLucas. To view more of Matt’s work check out www.lucasphotography.com or visit www.facebook.com/lucasphotography.

CONTACT SHEET

A quirk of fate

©Kelley Photo & Design

When Kansas City photographer Kelley Walker Chance launched an online magazine, she couldn’t know just how fast it would take off. The mission Walker Chance and business partner Ashlee Matthews planned for Quirk was to spotlight local designers, businesses and high school students doing creative things. Walker Chance’s business, Kelley Photo & Design, targets young women ages 13 to 30, so an online magazine would appeal to her audience and enhance her brand. In the process of producing the first issue, Fall 2009, the partners saw the project’s scope and potential snowball into something far greater than they’d envisioned. As they met with fellow creatives, business people and entrepreneurs, they wanted to help bring them all together in the Kansas City market, and Quirk grew into a medium for connecting the city’s young movers and shakers. Freelance contributors wanted in, and the editorial content in that first issue filled more than 50 pages, with items on fashion, events, music, art, local philanthropic projects and fascinating people. The virtual publication drew thousands of readers from all over the world. What had begun as a modest promotional tool has become a vehicle for initiating new collaborations, ventures and friendships. “I’m shocked at what a great response we’ve had,” says Walker Chance. “From the first online issue, we’ve gotten a tremendous amount of feedback from around the Kansas City area and beyond. We’ve gotten e-mails from photographers and designers in New York, London and all over.” Quirk’s second issue will appear this month. Most of the promotion comes from the online grapevine, which Walker Chance and Matthews spur through regular blog posts, tweets and Facebook postings. To check out the magazine and see all the latest developments from the world of Quirk, visit quirkthemagazine.com.

28 • www.ppmag.com

CONTACT SHEET

©Jake Morrow, Studio J Photography

PPA TOUR: 2010 Meet Allison and Jeff

Are you in the zone? Make sure your home studio stays within the law. As the PPA Studio Financial Benchmark

nesses. You can also find information on

Surveys reveal, it’s usually wiser for profes-

licenses, permits and usage rights with a search

sional photographers to start out in a home-

tool on Business.gov, the U.S. Government’s

based business rather than taking a retail

business development website:

space. Because of the lower overhead, home-

http://search.business.gov/start.html.

based studios can afford a higher cost of sales

We recently had a word with Allison and Jeff Rodgers, of Allison Rodgers Photography in Olive Branch, Miss., the headliners of PPA Tour: 2010, a 10-stop educational event for professional photographers, now through May 12.

What one thing do you wish you’d known when you were starting out in the photography business? That sometimes good is good enough. —Allison

MAP IT. Refer to local zoning maps to

and can be profitable with smaller gross sales.

figure out your property’s designation.

(See our home studios feature on p. 74.)

Based on your property lines, and the

But there are residential zoning restrictions to be aware of. In most areas, property is zoned for agricultural, commercial, indus-

location of your residence on the property, it might fit into more than one zone. BE FLEXIBLE. If the rules restrict part

trial or residential use. Residential zones

of your business plan, can you alter your

have the greatest number of restrictions on

plan to maintain compliancy and operate a

business use; the stringency of the con-

healthy business? Neighbors are most

straints varies from area to area, and in

likely to be bothered by the business’s affect

some areas, businesses are prohibited

on issues like traffic, parking and the

altogether. Many zoning laws are primarily

changes to the physical appearance of the

What’s the best thing about your job? It doesn’t feel like a job, and I get to work with my best friend every day. —Jeff

concerned with nuisance issues like traffic,

neighborhood. If you can run your studio

noise and odors. Laws also exists to protect

in a way that fits in with the overall

the physical appearance of the neighbor-

community, you’re likely to avoid conflicts.

What is it that you most dislike about the photography market today? The struggle I see with new photographers who think they can just pick up a camera and start a business. When it doesn’t work, they’re in a hole financially and at a loss trying to figure out where to take their business. The whole build it and they will come mentality doesn’t work. Yes, it’s a business that involves a creative talent, but it’s still a business. —Allison

hood, banning certain kinds of signage and

laws aside, you and your neighbors might

it could affect them. If you can convince

What time is your alarm set for? Our alarm clocks are named Fable and Ever— our children—who wake us up just before 7 a.m. One usually wants to snuggle, and the other wants yogurt. —Allison

be bound to abide by certain covenants, or

them that they won’t be bothered by your

standards, in your neighborhood. High-end

business, they might be willing to back

communities, planned developments and

your application for a variance and generally

condominiums usually have them.

offer support for your studio. As a small

What’s your motto? Your life is an occasion —rise to it, courtesy the movie, “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” —Allison; There’s no free lunch. My high school coach told me that, and it’s so true. —Jeff Go to ppa.com/ppatour to register for the PPA Tour 2010 in a city near you.

BECOME THE EXCEPTION. If you

structure alteration. Luckily, most pho-

think your studio can operate in a low-

tography studios don’t raise concerns in any

impact manner that won’t disturb your

of these categories, but it’s still best to do

neighbors, yet the ordinances ban home

your homework on zoning before investing

businesses, consider filing a variance. A

in your home studio.

variance is a specific and official exemption

Below, we’ve listed a few suggestions to get you started. CHECK FOR COVENANTS. Zoning

INTERNET. Many municipalities post

to the zoning laws. LOBBY THE LOCALS. Explain to your neighbors what you’re doing and how

business, you want good community

their zoning ordinances online, and even

relations anyway, so talking to your

specific information about home-based busi-

neighbors is a good idea in any case.

If you can run your studio to fit in with the community, you're likely to avoid conflicts.

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Professional Photographer

P R E S E N T S

Business, Marketing and Sales Strategies

What I think Dennis Craft emphasizes strong relationships and high quality What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out? The importance of building relationships with clients. I didn’t do it very well early on, and it’s so critical in this business. What advice would you give to someone just starting out? Learn as much about the craft of photography as you can, and use it as a foundation as you create images from the heart. All photography should come from heart, but we need to hone those technical skills. What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken? Buying our studio property 10 years ago. It was just beautiful—13 acres, stone walls, rivers running through—but it had a hefty price tag. Has it worked out? Well, I’m still here! What’s your deal breaker? Photographically, I will never push a child beyond what I think he or she can handle, even if parents ask for it. … Ultimately, parents appreciate that you’re looking out for their child. In business, I won’t compromise my prices. I’ve offered discounts, but there’s a point beyond which I will not go. If you want me to work for you, you need to pay my prices. What’s the secret to running a successful photography business? One, establish strong relationships with your clients. Two, use quality products. Three, understand your numbers well enough to know when a venture is profitable or not. IMAGE BY DENNIS CRAFT CRAFTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 35

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PROFIT CENTER

I

f you haven’t read Gary Vaynerchuk’s

Sarah Petty gets the inside scoop from someone who inspires her, Gary Vaynerchuk, who took his passion online and turned it into a multimillion-dollar business.

new book, “Crush It! Why Now Is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion” (HarperCollins), I recommend you find time to read it cover to cover. Every time I read this book, I get excited about my business all over

again. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Vaynerchuk about how one can use passion, hard work and social media to build a business. Vaynerchuk built a multimillion-dollar business after creating a video blog called WineLibraryTV.com, a daily webcast on his passion, wine. He is unafraid to reveal his personality and feelings, even though it’s brought some criticism. He will yell, get rowdy, curse occasionally, and is always undeniably real. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Vaynerchuk knows how to harness his passion to propel him to success.

Sarah Petty: Do you hear this a lot: Okay, my ducks are in a row and I’ve got a business. I’m on Facebook and Twitter and more, so why aren’t things happening now? How do you respond? Gary Vaynerchuk: Those are tools, not tactics. They’re not marketing strategies or employees. Facebook and Twitter are a marker and a pen, a fax machine, a cell phone and a laptop. It’s how you use them—that’s the game.

Hustle

Do you recommend being everywhere? Everywhere you can physically handle. Everyone’s threshold is different. Some people can only manage Facebook and they’re tapped out. Some can do Facebook and Twitter. Some can do YouTube,

PASSION, THE INTERNET AND SUPERHUMAN EFFORT

Facebook and Twitter. I recommend working harder, and I’m not joking. If you’re

I N T E R V I E W B Y S A R A H P E T T Y, M . P H O T O G .C R . , C P P ©Getty Images

38 • www.ppmag.com

trying to build a business and make a living

“I want to accomplish superhuman things. Not everyone has to go insane Gary V. style, but I hope people recognize that if you do 10 push-ups you get 10 push-up results, and if you do 500 push-ups you get 500 push-up results, right?” Vaynerchuk, right, built a multimillion-dollar business with his video blog, WineLibraryTV.com.

ARE YOU READY TO OPEN? Here’s Gary Vaynerchuk’s checklist for building your brand 1. Identify your passion. 2. Make sure you can think of at least 50 awesome blog topics to ensure stickiness. 3. Answer the following questions: Am I sure my passion is what I think it is? Can I talk about it better than anyone else? 4. Name your personal brand. You don’t have to refer to it anywhere in your content, but you should have a clear idea of what it is. For example, “The no[bologna] real-estate agent,” “The connoisseur of cookware,” “The cool guide to young-adult books boys will love to read.” 5. Buy your user name—.com and .tv, if possible—at GoDaddy.com. 6. Choose your medium: video, audio, written word. 7. Start a Wordpress or Tumblr account. 8. Hire a designer.

9. Include a Facebook Connect link, call-to-action buttons, share functions, and a button that invites people to do business with you in a prominent place on your blog. 10. Create a Facebook fan page. 11. Sign up for Ping.fm or TubeMogul and select all of the platforms to which you want to distribute your content. Choosing Twitter and Facebook is imperative; the others you can select according to your needs and preferences. 12. Post your content. 13. Start creating community by leaving comments on other people’s blogs and forums and replying to comments to your own comment. 14. Use Twitter Search (or Search.Twitter) to find as many people as possible talking about your topic, and communicate with them.

15. Use Blogsearch.Google.com to find more blogs that are relevant to your subject. 16. Join as many active Facebook fan pages and groups relating to your blog topic as possible. 17. Repeat steps 12 through 16 over and over and over and over and over. 18. Do it again. 19. And again. 20. When you feel your personal brand has gained sufficient attention and stickiness, start reaching out to advertisers and begin monetizing. 21. Enjoy the ride.

From Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, “Crush It! Why Now Is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion” (HarperCollins)

PROFIT CENTER GET YOUR LIGHT RIGHT. … are you trying to do this working 9 to 5?

Even if you do B2B. … Last time I checked,

People have families and all that, and I get

human beings make [business-to-

it, but you’ll have to debate long and hard

business] decisions.

with me on what happens between 10 p.m. and 2 in the morning.

What about people who are feeling frustrated because they’re not making the

In your book, you give your e-mail several

progress they want?

times—are you encouraging people to e-mail

It’s about business, not photography. The

you? I tweeted you when I saw you on Fox

quicker people wrap their head around

and Friends, and you tweeted me right

that, the quicker they’ll understand they

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interacting with people to scale their

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I want to accomplish superhuman things.

business. The quality of photography is

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Not everyone has to go insane Gary V.

clearly something that matters. However, if

style, but I hope people recognize that if

you’re just taking pictures and you’re silent

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you do 10 push-ups you get 10 push-up

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500 push-up results, right?

your business. Too many people think it’s

2x3’ Micro Mini 3x4’ Mini 4x6’ Pro 6x8’ Big

I believe it’s hard to get involved in smaller

just about taking the pictures, and everything else will work itself out.

markets, but you’re out there talking to everyone in the world, and that’s got to be a

You’re honest, true to who you are. Is that

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realness something you see as changing in

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marketplace. In our industry, some people

all businesses?

think, Oh, this is fun. I’m going to open a

Yes, because the platforms are so much

business. They don’t define who they are

more real. There’s no filter, so there’s no

and what they’re good at. I feel you need to

editor who can save you. It’s not tape-

do that before jumping into the marketplace.

delayed. It’s so much harder to be filtered

I think you’re right. We’re going through a

in this transparent Web-authentic world

massive culture shift and people need to

we live in. It’s going to be a huge factor

recognize that you have to zone in on your

going forward.

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40 • www.ppmag.com

strengths. You need to be honest, to tell your story and be active in the community

Would people be crazy not to hop in and

to gain new customers—they’re there.

make it happen online? It’s the biggest mistake they could make

How do you think the whole online strategy

right now. �

works for a new business versus a mature business? Can they both use it successfully? It’s for everybody. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first day or your last. This is our world. This is where we now interact. This is where the world interacts—how is that not part of everybody’s business?

The best place to be inspired by Gary Vaynerchuk is Facebook.com/gary. Get free marketing inspiration from Sarah Petty at thejoyofmarketing.com/inspire.

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PROFIT CENTER

ST U D I O M A N AG E M E N T S E RV I C E S

From left to right: Julia Woods, M.Photog.Cr.; Bridget Jackson, manager of PPA Studio Management Services (SMS); Scott Kurkian, PPA chief financial officer and founder of SMS; Ann K. Monteith, M.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog., CPP, ABI; Carol Andrews, M.Photog.Cr., ABI.

GURUS FROM PPA'S STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES ANSWER YOUR BUSINESS, MARKETING AND SALES QUESTIONS. FOR INFO ON WORKSHOPS, GO TO PPA.COM.

Ask the experts Baby plan planning, packaging COS, gear depreciation Q: I would like to know how to create a baby portrait plan for my business. Do you have any suggestions and resources? A: First you have to identify your personal business model. Is it a high-volume, lowdollar package print model? Or salon style, low-volume, high sales average? Are you detail-oriented in your record keeping, or is simplicity your preference? Then gather information on various baby programs and see which ones would best serve your studio. What products will serve your clientele and be most profitable for your business—albums, wall portraits, folios, collections? Many studios have profitable baby plans built around photographing the child four to five times per year. I needed simple, so I plan to photograph the newborn at 2 to 3 months, and again on the first birthday or the first steps. This gives me higher sales opportunities, fewer headaches, and is better for the function of my business. Frank Donnino is the king of baby plan resources. If you missed him at Imaging USA in Nashville, check out the archived PPA Webinars On Demand (ppa.com/education-events/webinars/ baby_plan_new.php ) for information at a modest cost. Other great resources are Sandy Puc’ and Lori Nordstrom. A baby business plan makes a good foun-

dation for expanding your children and family product lines. Babies are born 365 days a year, so there’s no slow season. Just remember that patience and flexibility are virtues when dealing with babies and stressed new moms. Look around, gather info, then decide what works —Carol Andrews Q: I recently purchased new packaging for my products. My understanding is that packaging should be counted as a product expense in my cost of sales. How do I determine my cost of sales if the packaging will be different with every order? Do I take an average packaging cost and apply it in my calculations? A: Very good question. You need to make sure everything sold is profitable for your studio to sell, so if you price for your greatest costs, you’ll always be covered. As you run everything you sell through the cost-of-sales equation— add up all your costs and multiply by the proper factor—home-based or retail studio—consider the cost of each as though it’s the only thing the client will purchase. With an 8x10 print, for example, you have to price the packaging that you’ll use to hold one 8x10. If you’re pricing a collection of images that includes various print sizes, price the packaging that you’ll use

A baby business plan makes a good foundation for expanding your children and family product lines. Babies are born 365 days a year, so there’s no slow season. Just remember that patience and flexibility are virtues when dealing with babies and stressed new moms. 42 • www.ppmag.com

to package the whole collection. By pricing everything on your product list in this manner, you can rest easy they’ll be profitably priced no matter what else the client does or doesn’t order. —Julia Woods Q: I started my business this year and have a question about depreciating my camera gear. I read that I don’t need to depreciate the first $20,000 of camera gear I buy each year, and can write it off as a 179 deduction. If I am using QuickBooks for my accounting, does that mean that I don’t need to expense any depreciation under $20,000? That seems strange because then I also will not have assets on my books, right? A: Yes, you can write off camera gear as Sec. 179 deductions—up to $250,000 of tangible personal property used in a trade or business in the year purchased. The deduction is limited to the amount of property purchased and earned income. In the year purchased, you would record an asset for the purchase price and then an off-setting deduction for the allowable Sec. 179 deduction. The accounting for property subject to Sec. 179 is similar to a property not subject to Sec. 179 in that you capitalize both. The only difference is the period of time over which you write off the assets. Sec. 179 is the immediate write-off of the asset, whereas an asset subject to depreciation is expensed over time (5 to 39 years). � —Bridget Jackson Got a question? The SMS team wants to hear from you. E-mail our panel of experts via PP editor Cameron Bishopp at [email protected] and include “experts” in the subject line.

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Everything after the photography

PROFIT CENTER

BY JEFF KENT BY JEFF KENT

Michelle Lindsay learned how to price and sell wedding albums, and ended up boosting her overall sales.

Before opening a studio of her own, Michelle Lindsay was the director of marketing for a large family portrait operation. From 2005 to 2007, she was shooting some portraits and weddings on the side, and in 2008, picked up the pace with the goal of going solo by year’s end. Weddings would be the main source of income, with portrait sessions filling in the gaps. By July, she felt ready to take the plunge. She quit her day job and opened Michelle Lindsay Photography. The first year, Lindsay booked 22 weddings. She had that many booked at the beginning of the 2009 wedding season, and was convinced she could increase her sales. She went to a PPA Studio Management Services (SMS) workshop last June to learn how. Lindsay had a basic wedding fee that included her time and a disk of the images. Everything else was an add-on, including albums, prints, specialty products and wall art. Now she wanted to focus on album sales, which had been difficult in her fledgling business. She did the research, made a business arrangement with an album company, and was ready to offer clients premium albums. Still, album sales lagged, and in truth, so did sales of the other add-ons. Lindsay had a PickPic account for online print sales, but with the disk being part of her basic wedding package, print sales were almost nonexistent. The a-la-carte structure simply didn’t encourage after-wedding sales of any kind. With her SMS consultants, Lindsay looked at ideas for selling albums at the time of booking, and for bringing clients back in for

post-wedding sales. She decided not to include the disk in her basic package, and include it instead with the purchase and delivery of an album. Clients would have to wait four to five months after the wedding to get digital images they could share with the world. This served two purposes: the disk became an incentive for clients to buy an album, and if friends and family wanted to get prints after seeing them online soon after the event, they’d have to order and pay for them through the studio’s PickPic account. The change was critical for Lindsay’s cash flow and financial projecting. As an additional incentive, she offered a 10-page album upgrade as a gift to clients who included an album in the initial agreement. To support the cost, Lindsay priced her standard a-la-carte 20page album based on the production cost of a 30-page album, and clients would have to pay a-la-carte prices for any additional pages. “It works like a signing bonus,” Lindsay explains. “If you commit to the album early, you get an extra benefit. Clients really seem to like it.” Lindsay reinforces album sales during the pre-wedding consultation, displaying the selection of albums as she presents the options for upgrades. She explains how she designs the album in advance, and shows how the elements of the day will look in the 30page layout. “I ask if those 30 pages will be enough for them; when clients see there’s just one spread for bridal portraits or a couple of pages for family shots, they often want more. Using actual albums to illustrate the layout helps people visualize what they’ll actually

“I ask if those 30 pages will be enough for them; when clients see there’s just one spread for bridal portraits or a couple pages for family shots, they often want more. Using actual albums to illustrate the layout helps people visualize what they’ll actually want and need. Now most clients will upgrade to 40 pages.” 44 • www.ppmag.com

©Michelle Lindsay Photography

How I did it

Michelle Lindsay

want and need. Now most clients will upgrade to 40 pages.” New package structure and sales techniques in place, Lindsay wanted to enhance the client experience. She lives in a 900-foot condo outside Washington, D.C., and meeting clients in coffee shops. How she brought the client experience home is a whole other story, which you can read about in this month’s feature on home studios, beginning on p. 74. We’ll just say that in the months since the redesign, Lindsay’s gross sales from engagement portraits alone have roughly doubled. “It’s definitely easier to sell wall art with the new setup,” she says. “No one ever bought wall art before when I was showing options on a tiny laptop screen. Now I’m actually selling those bigger prints.” The results of Lindsay’s hard work are outstanding. She increased her average wedding sales by 16 percent for the rest of 2009, resulting in a 30-percent increase in projected sales for the year. Projected sales for the 2010 wedding season, based on her year-to-date bookings, are more than 30 percent higher than the average sales before she attended the SMS workshop and implemented the changes. Top off the increase with her low cost of sales—just 16.5 percent in 2009, nearly nineteen points better than the PPA Benchmark for home-based studios—and Lindsay is poised for a very successful future. �

To see more from Michelle Lindsay, visit michellelindsayphotography.com.

PROFIT CENTER

B Y B R U C E B E R G , M . P H O T O G .C R .

A promotion worth having

©Bruce Berg

3 Competing studios join forces to create a children’s contest More than 25 years ago in Oregon, someone

“It’s a financially welcome promotion this

came up with a marketing idea that would

time of year. With many traditional portrait

bring together three competing photography

studios struggling in a down economy, it’s a

studios to build their businesses during

great way to draw traffic to the studio,

seasonal slowdowns. Though the original

maintain cash flow in the slower portrait

studios have changed, the Lane County

season, and add to my client base,” he says.

Children’s Contest continues to thrive.

In the contest promo two years ago, I spent

I joined the program 11 years ago,

just 15 to 40 minutes per client, brought in

although I was hesitant—I didn’t want to do

87 entries in six weeks, and grossed over

formulaic portraits or attempt to be a high-

$37,000. Last year, with 12 percent

volume business. But I’ve been able to tweak

unemployment in our area, we drew 67

the approach and do the creative work I love,

clients for 91 entries and took in $23,000.

and the contest has been great for business.

My advertising cost was just $1,200. This

Richard May, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, of Richard May Photography in Eugene, Ore., now participating for the sixth year, agrees.

year, bookings are ahead of 2009. THE CONTEST. Unlike some contests, the Lane County Children’s Contest awards prizes for the best expression, not for how

©Bruce Berg

photogenic the children are. We have had winners who had Down syndrome or who were pouting, crying, laughing or showing

participating in the contest gives it legit-

an innocent look of wonder. It is a

imacy. “Sure we’re competitors, but we also

celebration of childhood as a whole.

want one another to be successful. Having

The contest features two divisions, Traditional and Storytelling, and is open to children

promotional to gather the community

3 months to 13 years old, and divided into

support we have,” May says.

six categories: 3 to12 months; 1 to 2 years, 2 to

PROMOTION. We advertise on the

3 years, 3 to 5 years, 6 to 12 years, and siblings.

local radio station most popular with women,

The Traditional portraits are judged pri-

ages 25 to 45. For $1,000, a part of the

marily on expression; mood, and photo-

sponsorship package, the station provides

graphic style are secondary. The Storytelling

two-for-one radio spots and the grand prize

portraits are judged on the intrigue of the

in both divisions—$200 gift certificates for

outfit, props, background and overall

a hotel or restaurant. A local bank sponsors

creativity in conveying the story; expression

the People’s Choice award, a $250 savings

is secondary. The highest and lowest scores

bond, and displays the entries for several

are tossed aside.

months in various branches. Our upscale

There are seven judges, only two of whom

46 • www.ppmag.com

just one photographer would be too self-

shopping mall sponsor displays the contest

are photographers, and none can be a con-

entries in a prominent location for three

test participant. Having three photographers

weeks, and charges us far less the normal fee.

We print 1,000 6x9-inch promo postcards,

become a fan of Bruce Berg Photography.

had, and it’s been a great experience.” ONE MORE WIN. Last year we used

which are distributed by 15 local businesses.

After one month, the photograph with the

These merchants—children’s clothing stores,

most votes wins, and the family of the

the contest as a fundraiser for Birth to 3, a

restaurants, play centers, ice rink, public

subject gets an array of prizes. I added 40

local non-profit that brings new parents

pool, toy store, candy store—provide $10 to

fans in three weeks.

together for support and education. We

$20 gift certificates totaling $100 to $250 for

Our clients love the contest. They get

donated $25 for each February session

secondary prizes. They make no cash outlay,

stunning images at a discounted rate, a

booked. Most clients tend to wait until the last

so they’re getting free advertising. The

chance to win prizes, and the excitement of

two weeks of the contest, and the donation

donations are noted in a sponsor section,

seeing their child’s portrait on display at the

spurs earlier entries. We raised $650 for Birth

along with the business’s logo and small ad.

mall and online. No one can buy fame, but

in 2009, and much more than that this year.

All contestants see the ads, and they’re

we sure can give it to them!

posted at the mall display as well. We photographers do our own marketing

The sponsors get great exposure, new

It truly is a feel-good event. Children are celebrated, businesses are supported,

customers, and an up-sale opportunity via

parents get gorgeous portraits, photog-

promos to clients. This year, in addition to

the gift certificates. For the photographers,

raphers fill up slow months, a non-profit

mailing notices to past entrants, I started a

the contest fills the slow month’s schedule, is

gets donations, and the community comes

Facebook contest on my fan page for each

highly profitable, and it’s fun! Says Joy

together. What could be better than that? �

month of the contest. I post all entries, and

Taubner, of Joy Photography in Eugene, of

every comment on a photograph counts as a

her first year with the contest, “My sales

vote. To be eligible to vote, you need to

have doubled. It’s the best February I’ve ever

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48 • www.ppmag.com

Bruce Berg has been a platform speaker for various PPA affiliates. See more of his work at BruceBerg.com.

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Professional Photographer

P R E S E N T S

Products, Technology and Services

What I like Barb Uil goes for great glass and lots of power What makes your workflow flow? Lots of hard disk space, lots of RAM (so very important), actions for Adobe Bridge, CS4 and Photoshop from IttyBitty (ittybittyactions.com). This system makes for smoother proofing altogether. What’s the best equipment investment you’ve ever made? My Eizo monitor. Every fine detail shows up, and I’ve finally been able to calibrate for print with great accuracy. What gear are you going out of your way to use? A recent purchase, a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM lens. It makes for gorgeous baby-part close-ups. Has a piece of equipment ever changed the way you approach photography? The 15mm Canon fisheye lens. It opened my eyes to perspective and I started to really understand the importance of equipment. What’s the one piece of gear they’d have to pry from your cold, dead fingers? The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM lens. Children do not keep still, and this zoom lens has saved me so many times. IMAGE BY BARB UIL JINKYART.COM

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 51

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

Geared for photojournalists and sports shooters, Canon’s newest camera boasts speed and autofocus flexibility, plus multiple capture sizes and formats. BY ELLIS VENER

On your mark CANON EOS-1D MARK IV

©Ellis Vener

No doubt about it: the newest in the Canon’s EOS 1D series is a seriously quick camera. It is quick at focusing, quick at rattling off long sequences of shots, and quick at writing files to fast media. It can produce raw files in three levels of resolution, JPEGs of various compression, and four tiers of video resolution up to 1,920x1,080 pixels. The camera is designed for photojournalists and sports photographers, but anyone who shoots subjects in motion will greatly appreciate it. It’s a big yet comfortable camera, with a sturdy magnesium alloy chassis and dust and weatherproofing seals throughout. Along with the 60-percent increase in resolution and the addition of the mRAW format, the major changes from the EOS-1D Mark III and the Mark IV are a new autofocus system, a much expanded range of ISO sensitivity, and the addition of video. The new AI Servo II AF focus tracking system still includes 45 manually set AF points, but 39 of them are cross-type sensors, 19 more than with the Mark III. Canon says the increase—along with new algorithms in the AF processing module that better predict and detect changes in subject-to-camera distance—boosts the

This portrait, taken at f/2.5 for 1/3,200 second, shows the range of exposure you can achieve at ISO 6400 and still have acceptable quality and limited noise.

52 • www.ppmag.com

camera’s ability to maintain crisp focus all

Correction (PIC), are new, others have a

photos, certain individual folders, photos by

the way up to 10 frames per second (fps).

new prominence. (PIC reduces the corner

date (selected via the info button), or preview

For the events and photojournalism work

darkening that occurs with certain lenses.)

your videos. You can set the duration from 1

I tested the camera on, the autofocus

A new slideshow feature has been added to

to 5 seconds per image, and have the images

proved reliable and accurate in all kinds of

the second playback control menu. With Slide-

loop continuously or appear only once

lighting conditions.

show, you can use the camera or an external

during the cycle.

The expanded sensitivity opens new

monitor, television or projector to preview all

The external Speedlight control that was

possibilities for available-light photography. Shooting at a business conference at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, I worked at everything from ISO 800 to the maximum H3 setting (ISO 102,400 equivalent) under various types of light. The portrait opposite was taken in diffused daylight at ISO 6400, at f/2.5 for 1/3,200 second with a

In the Movies the hero never runs out of ammo!

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 lens. According to tests at dxomark.com, a website that posts data from raw sensor results, the EOS-1D Mark IV’s dynamic range is best at the lowest standard setting, around 11.5 EV, ISO 100. It loses about two-thirds stop at ISO 800 and drops to about 10 EV at ISO 1600. At the low end of the Hail-Mary high ISO range (6400 to 102,400) it decreased to about 8.5 stops before bottoming out at 5 EV at the extreme top end. Given the recent improvements in noise reduction in the beta Adobe Lightroom 3 and Apple Aperture 3 raw processing programs, getting usable 11x14 prints from captures shot at up to ISO 6400 is entirely possible. For larger prints, use a good third-party noise reduction application or learn how to exploit the noise as an artistic effect. If you’re familiar with earlier 1D and 1Ds bodies, the 1D Mark IV will instantly feel comfortable. The weight and control layout are identical to the Mark III, and the viewfinder is comfortable even for eyeglass wearers. As you get into the nine

Now, in the Real World, you too can shoot as fast as you want, for as long as you want!

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color-coded function menus, the differences become more evident. Some options, like Peripheral Illumination

Call 631-656-7400 or your professional photo dealer for more information Quantum Instruments Inc. 10 Commerce Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 53

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW ©Ellis Vener

specs:

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

SENSOR: 18.6x27.9mm (APS-H size) RESOLUTION: 16.1 megapixels (4,896 x 3,264 pixels) VIDEO: Full 1080 HD video at 30p, 24p, 25p; 720 video at 60p, 50p; 480 video at 60p and 50p AUTOFOCUS: TTL-AREA-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS sensor; 45 AF points, 39 are cross-type, 19 cross-type AF points are used for automatic AF point selection ISO RANGE: ISO 100 to 12800 native, extended rates to H3 (ISO 102400 equiv.) CONTINUOUS SHOOTING: 10 fps up to 28 frames in RAW using UDMA CF card FILE FORMATS: JPEG, RAW (4,896 x 3,264 pixels), mRAW (3,672x2,448 pixels), sRAW (2,448x1,632 pixels) MEDIA: dual-slot, CF and SD PRICE: $4,999

is activated, pressing the FEL buttons near

Another significant advance with this

either shutter release turns the 1D Mark IV

model is improved TTL flash exposure.

into a high-quality HD movie camera.

Indoors and out, using single or multiple

HD video recording has four options: 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution at 30 progressive frames per second (fps) or 24p fps

Shooting with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens on the 1D Mark IV, it was a snap to stop action at f/5.6 for 1/1,000 second at ISO 12800.

580 EX II Speedlights, my exposures were more consistent. The electronically controlled vertical-

(30 fps is video standard, 24 fps conforms

travel mechanical shutter is rated for

to normal motion picture frame rates), or

300,000 cycles. The LP-E4 Lithium ion

720 or 480 videos at 60p fps. The 60 fps

battery is the same as in the EOS-1D Mark

options are not slow-motion modes; they

III and EOS-1Ds Mark III. When fully

smooth the rendering of motion, especially

charged, it’s good for a purported average

for computer applications.

of 1,350 shots over a normal temperature

Video AF has three modes: standard

range. If you use Live View liberally,

live mode, facial recognition live mode, and

though, battery life plummets to an

buried on the second custom functions menu

quick mode. Facial recognition does a fair

average of 250 frames.

is now on the Mark IV’s second camera

job of shifting the focus to the place in the

control menu. In the second custom func-

scene where the camera thinks the primary

is a worthy extension of the 1D series. It’s

tion menu, Live View is now the Live

person is, but sometimes with unexpected

not a full-frame camera, but that can be a

View/Movie function setting. A copyright

jumps. If you turn on facial recognition for

boon if you prefer long lenses and high

information setting has been added to the

video shooting and you switch to shooting

depth of field. The trade-off is losing some

third custom function menu.

stills, you’ll have to turn it off if you want

angle of view with your widest lenses (my

to zoom in to examine details. While

17-40mm f/4L effectively becomes a

able, still and movie settings. Disable extends

shooting video, you can take a still shot by

22-52mm f/4L). The EOS-1D Mark IV

battery life by preventing the camera from

simply pressing the shutter release, but it

has an MSRP of $4,999; Canon’s website

switching to LV mode if you accidentally

will interrupt the video recording for a

still lists the 10.1-megapixel 1D Mark III

press the set button. When the movie mode

couple of seconds.

for $3,999. �

The Live View/Movie mode offers dis-

54 • www.ppmag.com

All in all, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

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THE GOODS: LIGHTING

There's more to portrait light than short and broad lighting patterns. Revisit the principles, then learn why and when to move beyond the usual.

on the height of the light. The key factor in determining the proper height of the main light is the amount of light you want to reach the subject’s eyes. You want a strong

B Y D O N C H I C K , M . P H O T O G .C R . , C P P

catch light in the eyes to reflect the living

Portrait lighting patterns

energy of the subject. Light in the eyes also

PART 2: BUTTERFLY, SPLIT AND MONSTER LIGHT PATTERN

provides interest for the viewer, so you want the catch light to look beautiful. Butterfly light works best with symmetrical faces; overhead light draws attention to uneven features. Always have the subject smile while you’re positioning the main light to be sure the under-nose shadow doesn’t cross the upper lip. Checking this detail before returning to

In “Portrait Lighting Patterns: Part 1” (Profes-

series, we’ll discuss the butterfly, split and ghoul

sional Photographer, February) we noted

or monster (lit from beneath) lighting patterns.

camera position will save you many steps. Butterfly lighting is often associated with

that the lighting patterns used most often in

Butterfly light, characterized by the

studio portraiture are narrow, or short light,

shadow cast just under the nose, is created

traiture of the ’30s and ’40s, like those of the

and broad light. Other portrait lighting

by placing the main light above and directly

masterful George Hurrell. With the right

patterns have also played a significant role.

in front of the subject (Figures 1 and 2). The

subject and careful positioning of the main

In this conclusion to the portrait lighting

extent of the shadow the nose casts depends

light, you can create similarly beautiful por-

black-and-white Hollywood glamour por-

traits for your clients. Fashion photography All images ©Don Chick; Model: Erica Leslie

is often done with the technique of positioning the main light in front of and over the subject’s face, though in that industry the main light modifier is usually an umbrella, which produces a softer quality of light. With the split-light pattern, half the subject’s face is highlighted, and the other half is in shadow (Figures 3 and 4). Generally considered a masculine lighting pattern, it isn’t a good choice for bringing out the femininity of a bride, or any subject that calls for gentle treatment. However, if your client wants a bold, leather-jackettough style of portrait with a hard look, split light might be just right. Position the main light a bit lower than you would for short or broad light, letting the light fall in the eye closer to the main light; this brings out the eye color beautifully. Figures 1 and 2: Butterfly lighting works best with symmetrical faces. It’s a hallmark of the glamorous black-and-white Hollywood portraits of the mid 20th century.

56 • www.ppmag.com

Take care to prevent the light from illuminating the far cheek and eye. As with but-

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THE GOODS: LIGHTING

“To further your study of various lighting patterns, visit an art museum, or at least take some time to browse the art history and photography books at a library. Check out the painted portraits of Rembrandt and John Singer Sargent, and the photographs of Yousuf Karsh and Arnold Newman.” terfly lighting, split light will not work with every subject, but in certain applications, it’s a dramatic and powerful lighting pattern.

Figures 3 and 4: Split light creates a bold look that, in the right application, lends drama to the portrait.

Ghoul or monster lighting from beneath is an unusual pattern (Figures 5 and 6). In nature, light doesn’t come from beneath the subject, unless it’s reflecting off a surface below the subject. It looks unnatural, which is why it’s used in horror movies. Applied deliberately and in the right context, however, monster light can create tension in the mind of the viewer. To further your study of various lighting patterns, visit an art museum, or at least take some time to browse the art history and photography books at a library. Check out the painted portraits of Rembrandt and John Singer Sargent, and the photographs of Yousuf Karsh and Arnold Newman. When you look at a portrait, figure out which lighting pattern the artist used, and how it complements the mood the artist was trying to convey. Simple exercises like this will reinforce your ability to properly use all of the portrait lighting patterns and enhance your growth in the craft of portrait photography. �

58 • www.ppmag.com

Figures 5 and 6: Ghoul light is reserved for special circumstances. It looks unnatural partly because light in nature rarely comes from below the face.

THE GOODS

P R O D U C T R O U N D U P B Y DYA N A B A G B Y

The sheer number of lab offerings can be overwhelming, so dip into this sweet selection of products and services.

What’s cooking at the lab?

©Heidi Ann

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the board makes the artwork seem to Showcase your extraordinary images in prints on Fine Art Acrylics

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highlight vibrant color

Image courtesy of Mika Beth Edwards

©Alisha Brook

float from the wall. Optional easel

Your clients want to show off your portraits of their children wherever they go. Put those images on tour with the Accordion Mini Book from WHITE HOUSE CUSTOM COLOUR. Also ideal for mini promo folios, these books sport up to 14 customizable wallet panels, or in the the 3x3-inch square format, up to 10 panels. Your images are press-

and fine detail (sizes 16x16, 16x23.5, 19.5x19.5, 19.5x23.5). The included stainless steel mounts elevate the acrylic print 5/8

printed on semi-gloss, pearl or art watercolor paper for a personalized

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StudioShare from DIGILABS is a professional photo proofing

and $9.50. Minimum order, set of three of the same. whcc.com

and sales app for the iPhone. Share your Web galleries in an iPhone format and enable your clients to view and order photos anytime, from anywhere on their iPhone. Seamlessly tailor the look to your brand. StudioShare is free for iPhone users. Also try DigiLabs’ new all-in-one pro photographer platform and software to wed your workflow to your Web presence (full version release promised this month). Download StudioShare at digilabs.net/app. digilabs.net

60 • www.ppmag.com

THE GOODS

Freshen up your studio graphics with help from the designers at BURRELL COLOUR IMAGING. The Fresh team promises a polished, professional look with a scoop of the wow factor. Design services are available for branding, brochures, postcards and stationery, advertising, signage and more. fresh.burrellcolourimaging.com

Ensure your photographs make an impact by presenting them in Metals Float Frames from H&H COLOR LAB. Viewers are sure to take a second look when a special moment is captured in two layered metal prints to lend the illusion of depth. For maximum effect, the prints are housed in a deep-set silver and black frame. Attention guaranteed. hhcolorlab.com Images pop on prints from the Dimensional Art Series from For stunning black-and-white presentation of your digital photo-

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62 • www.ppmag.com

Dyana Bagby is a journalist, editor, photographer and freelance writer in Atlanta, Ga. You can reach her at [email protected].

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THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

History will likely judge our skills by the quality of our prints rather than digital files. Here’s an all-in-one kit you can use to optimize print quality. BY ELLIS VENER

Your color, your legacy DATACOLOR SPYDER3STUDIO SR

The SpyderCube and colorimeter are available separately, but if you sell prints and have been using generic profiles, you’ll see a marked improvement in print quality when you use the kit’s print module, thereby closing the loop in your color management workflow. The SpyderCube, a three-dimensional neutral target that helps you optimize the

The Datacolor Spyder3Studio SR kit is a

Spyder3Elite colorimeter for calibrating and

basic settings in a raw file converter app, will

soup-to-nuts calibration and profile package.

profiling displays, and the Spyder3Print SR

yield an ideal dynamic range in your captures

It has the SpyderCube to set the white

Spectrocolorimeter and related software for

in any lighting setup. Simply include the

balance and dynamic range for shooting, the

profiling printed output.

SpyderCube in the first shot in a particular

©Ellis Vener

The more brightly lit face of the SpyderCube indicates the main light. The gray surface of the facet should be used for white balance.

64 • www.ppmag.com

lighting environment, as you would a color

raw conversion application using the

other monitor calibration and profiling

chart or gray card. Two sides of the cube are

brighter of the two white faces, making sure

software. Datacolor says that compared to

split into white and middle gray, while a third

there’s no clipping in the white points in the

the Spyder2 system, the Spyder3 is 29

is black. In the middle of the black facet is a

individual red, green, and blue channels.

percent more accurate, reads an area nearly

black trap; a polished chrome ball tops the cube. The different aspects of the target allow

3. Adjust the brightness to make the

250 percent larger, and is faster and

values of the main-lit gray facet close to 50-

physically smaller. I’ve been using Spyder3

you to evaluate specular highlights, set your

percent luminance (128 on the 8-bit, 0-255

with both my Eizo CG222W and Apple

white values without losing highlight detail,

scale). This compensates for any lightening

iMac displays and getting excellent results,

balance color and set midtone values, and

or darkening of the midtones resulting from

especially in comparison with other

define deep shadows against the black clip-

the exposure adjustment.

colorimeters in its price range. If you’ve used

ping point. If you’re using more than one

4. Move the blacks slider until only the trap

other colorimeters, you’ll see a difference. It

light source, as in the sunflower still life

is clipping the black values and you see separa-

would be handy if the user could set both

(opposite page), the brighter of the two faces

tion between it and the surrounding black face.

the display gamma and the white point to

indicates which is the main light source so you can color balance to that light source. SpyderCube’s inventor, C. David Tobie, recommends the following workflow: 1. Set the white balance using the gray faces; be sure to use the side lit by the key light. 2. As needed, adjust the exposure in your

The SpyderCube is simple to use, easy to stash in your camera bag. It allows use of the full dynamic range your camera records. The Spyder3Elite Colorimeter can be

Native for an Apple Cinema Display, but otherwise it works fine. The heart of the Spyder3Print SR system is the print-profiling toolset. The Spyder3Print

used with Datacolor’s display profiling

wizard walks you through the process of

software, Eizo’s Color Navigator,

choosing targets, and reading and saving the

BasICColor, Color Eyes Display Pro, and

results. The software’s home page includes a

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 65

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

quick guide to color management, explaining

The images are grouped into four quadrants

key concepts and terms. The help index

for testing saturated colors, skin tones, land-

points you to a far more comprehensive list

scape and gradients, and black and white.

a fine job of helping me color manage my

of topics, everything from getting started to

The black-and-white quadrant also has

image workflow from capture to output,

color gamut and rendering intent to soft-

graphic elements to portray the smoothness

and it sells for a reasonable price— the

proofing, and workflows for both black-and-

of tonal gradations and the details in the

Spyder3Studio SR sells for $599. �

highlights, midtones and shadows. The Datacolor Spyder3Print SR kit does

white and toned printing. Particularly helpful is the illustrated in-depth section on why the media setting in your print driver is important and how to know if you have chosen the correct media setting for your paper. I created profiles for glossy Harman Gloss FB Al 320gsm and matte Moab Estrada Natural Rag 190 papers, printing with Canon Lucia inks on a Canon iPF6100 imagePROGRAF. I make both color and black-and-white prints, so I chose the EZ High Quality Target Plus Grays. It requires four 8.5x11-inch sheets to print 480 patches. With the 12-ink Canon iPF printers, you can print directly from Photoshop or Lightroom in 8-bit or 16-bit mode using your operating system drivers, or export from Photoshop using Canon’s Print PlugIn for Photoshop module. I made profiles

The printer description interface lets you record information relevant to particular profiles, such as the printer model, media, ink set, driver setting and the date the profile was created.

for both papers using both methods and, as a quality check, made another set of profiles using X-rite’s powerful ProfileMaker Pro 5 software, an EyeOne Pro spectrophotometer, and Bill Atkinson’s 1,728-patch targets. I examined the profiles using ColorThink 2.2 software, and through the ultimate test: the printed results. The individual patches are large, and I found it unnecessary to use the SpyderGuide to keep the Spectro on target during each reading. Reading all four targets and creating a profile takes about 15 minutes, start to finish. Datacolor even incorporates a profile test target with 16 color and black-and-white photos, shot by C. David Tobie and Christoph Gamper, that portray various subject matter and lighting conditions, and the controls to manipulate how these images are viewed.

66 • www.ppmag.com

The EZ High Quality Target Plus Grays is appropriate for profiles for both color and black-and-white printing. It gives you 480 patches printed on four 8.5x11-inch sheets of the media you’re profiling.

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THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

The new version of ProShow Producer brings more artistic and timesaving features to this already popular application.

Today’s clients expect more than a simple slideshow set to music—they want pizzazz, want to feel like they’re in a music video. Designed

BY BETSY FINN, CR.PHOTOG., CPP

to help photographers create Hollywood-style

Crowd pleaser

video productions, ProShow Producer 4.1 com-

PHOTODEX PROSHOW PRODUCER 4.1

bines photos, music and video clips to fulfill your clients’ expectations. You can deliver your slideshow on a disk, or upload it to Facebook. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the ProShow interface, you’ll find the new version easy to learn and navigate. You can drag-and-drop images and music files into your show, or browse the file list provided. Photodex has squeezed in over 180 changes to v. 4.1. I’ll run-down a few of my favorite features here; for a complete list, view the revision history at Photodex.com. New with v. 4.1 is the ability to add selected files to a single slide as multiple layers with a right-click option. Version 4.1 allows unlimited captions for any individual slide, and the improved layers list makes it easier to recognize the components of the slides. It’s easier to add and manage slide captions, too, because they are displayed in the font you designate. I enjoyed playing with the numerous caption controls to create neat effects. I enjoyed using Producer’s built-in slide styles feature, which was new to me. The built-in content can be downloaded through the Download Extras feature. Just choose the masks, backgrounds, borders and other elements you’d like to install. I

ProShow Producer’s interface (top, left) includes a slide preview area, folder and file lists, and the slide list. This screenshot shows a project containing three different shows: Introduction, Wedding and Engagement. Those will appear as menu items on the main menu of the DVD. Captions can add a unique touch to your slideshows (left). You can tweak the captions and their motion to suit the style of your show, and even preview the caption effect from this options panel.

68 • www.ppmag.com

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THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

loved the convenience of creating quick and easy animated montages without having to make them myself. I also liked how I could preview the slide style animations during the selection process. If the built-in 75 slide styles aren’t enough for you, you can purchase additional style packs for $19.95 each. Record Slide Timing allows you to customize the length of the slide and the transition. The interface even allows onthe-fly selection of various transitions. For rendering your videos, Producer gives you more than 40 output options, including CD, DVD, Blu-ray, AVI and mp4, and direct output to Facebook, Twitter and other websites. There’s even a plug-in for mobile device output ($19.95) on an Apple iPhone, The slide settings interface allows you to manage and apply Slide Styles, adjust image and mask layers, and preview the finalized slide effects before clicking OK.

iPod, Apple TV, various smart phones, even Playstation 3. The plug-in is worth the price if you want to render shows for your clients’ devices. I compared two ProShow videos, a low-res one I custom rendered for the Web, the other rendered for an Apple iPod Touch; the difference was stunning. On my iPod Touch, the plug-in-generated video was crisp, while my own Web-size attempt was pixilated and sub-par. Producer can also help streamline your workflow. With its template feature, you don’t have build from scratch every time. Just load the template, drop in the images, and you’re ready to render the final show. A few templates are included to get you started, and you can easily create and save your own. My jaw dropped when I used a template for the first time. All I had to do was select the images, right-click, and select “add to template.” I like to begin and

The Record Slide Timing panel is for setting the timing of every slide and transition. After hitting start, you choose the keys corresponding to the desired transition; this allows you to review a show on the fly.

end my slideshows with a series of studiobranded images, and not having to recreate the series for each slideshow saves me quite a bit of time and grunt work.

70 • www.ppmag.com

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

“For rendering your videos, Producer gives you more than 40 output options, including CD, DVD, Blu-ray, AVI and mp4, and direct output to Facebook, Twitter and other websites.” If you’re a fan of Adobe Lightroom, you’ll be happy to know there’s a free ProShow Lightroom plug-in to help streamline your workflow. It allows you to quickly create shows and save your own settings. You can always Producer allows you to output in various formats with an easy-to-use output panel. It also indicates which types of output allow HD rendering.

export the show to Producer (or ProShow Gold) for further customization. And Producer can create an ordering and proofing DVD with an expiration date. I’ve even used Producer to create promotional DVDs. My clients love my ProShows. Regardless of the session type, the feedback is always positive. ProShow has a variety of training opportunities, from online classes to workshops on DVD. Go to Web Exclusives at ppmag.com for a review of the training DVD, “Photo Video Fusion.” ProShow Producer retails at $249.95; the scaled-down version, ProShow Gold, retails for $69.95. ProShow Gold can be upgraded to Producer through the Photodex customer loyalty program, which could save you up to $100 (photodex.com/store/loyalty). Download a free 15-day trial of ProShow Producer at photodex.com. �

You can load show templates in Producer to save time. Each template includes a description and details such as number of slides and show duration.

72 • www.ppmag.com

Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP, has a portrait studio in Dexter, Mich. (betsysphotography.com). Read her tips for photographers at learnwithbetsy.com.

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Think you have to spend a fortune to create a home studio that generates great sales? Think again. These cleverly designed home studios rival any snazzy retail space, and the owners save a bundle on overhead expense. STUDIO DESIGN

By Stephanie Boozer

Homework

I

Professional, stylish and affordable? Yes, you can!

old house in the historic district of Siloam Springs, Ark. They’d been living in an apartment and meeting clients in coffee shops. They were hungry for more living space, and desperate for a dedicated studio

f you’ve read over the PPA Studio Financial

NEW SPACE, NEW OPPORTUNITY

Benchmark Survey, you’ve learned that a

Matt and Meghan Feyerabend

home-based photography business done

Aus10 Photoartists, Siloam Springs, Ark.

because of costs,” says Matt. “We also wanted

right keeps overhead expenses down and

aus10.com

to keep our personal life from spilling into

profits up. The trick is to pull together a

space clients would take seriously. “We wanted to live where we worked

our business, so we designated the front

home studio that doesn’t feel like a home.

Matt and Meghan Feyerabend were sold the

three rooms of the house for business use

We asked four home-based studio owners

moment they peeked through the front

only.” When people walk in, nothing

to tell us how they’re making it work.

window of the newly renovated, 100-year-

suggests the owners are living there, too.

©Aus10 Photoartists

©Aus10 Photoartists

The grand old floor plan features a spacious front entrance, which the Feyerabends fashioned into a reception area, front desk and all. Presentation and shooting rooms flank the converted foyer. Doorways leading to the living area are cleverly concealed from clients; a door behind the backdrop in the shooting room leads to the bedroom. “We’re very clear about making this feel like a business, not like you’re walking into someone’s house,” says Matt. “This wasn’t a step toward having a retail studio, but a true commitment to live and work in our home.” The Feyerabends had to make only a few adjustments to the house, such as replacing a chandelier with ceiling outlets for strobes, pulling up carpeting here and there, and wiring speakers to play music in every room, even the bathroom. “We want to catch all of the client’s senses when he walks in,” says Matt. “We have fresh flowers everywhere. We never cook for lunch, to avoid the odor. We really thought about the psychology of our clients’ seeing and feeling that we’re fully vested in this working studio.” Clients do have to walk through the kitchen and past the laundry room to get to the bathroom, but the Feyerabends keep the tone fairly professional with music and décor. “On one wall is a 40x60 fine-art piece we took in New York City,” says Meghan. “On another wall in the kitchen, we painted a large shape and had our clients sign it at our open house. It’s a little more personal back there, but still comfortable.” The Feyerabends’ commitment and planning got results fast. “We’d never made a portrait sale before,” says Matt. “But our very first session here was with a high school senior, and we made a $5,000 sale. We couldn’t believe it. We’ve been averaging about $2,000 for seniors since then, which is pretty good in our market. We got quick affirmation that we’d done the right thing.”

©Aus10 Photoartists

clear about making this feel like a business, not like you’re walking into someone’s house. This wasn’t a step toward having a retail studio, but a true commitment to live and work in our home.” “We’re very

—MATT FEYERABEND

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 75

STUDIO DESIGN HER OWN BACKYARD Lisa Maksoudian Photography San Luis Obispo, Calif. lisamaksoudian.com Surveying her property in the fall of 2007, Lisa Maksoudian studied the drab, outdated detached building on her property and envisioned it as a photography studio. Previously used as rental space, it would need some cosmetic work. She’d had an eye on some attractive retail locations downtown, but as a working mother, Maksoudian wanted to work close to home without being in her home. The outbuilding just might provide the freedom to work uninterrupted, without the high overhead and commute. She divided the project into two phases,

All images ©Lisa Maksoudian Photography

“For me, it was

important to separate my family living space from the client space. My family

remain my family life, and my business life

life can

can be all business. It’s

perfect solution.” been a

—LISA MAKSOUDIAN

the complete overhaul of the building itself,

the move, she’s seen a definite uptick in sales.

then a sprucing up of the landscaping. For

“My sales were at least 35 percent higher the

about $15,000, the first phase included

first year because clients could see that a

pulling out the carpeting and resurfacing the

40x40 canvas isn’t as scary-big as they think.

concrete floors, replacing the windows and

They walk in and immediately have

trim, and completely replacing the bathroom

confidence in what I do.”

fixtures and doing away with the tub.

For furnishings, Maksoudian bought

Maksoudian vowed to pay off the debt within

Ikea office furniture, and filled the rest of

12 months, and she did. The landscaping

the space with found objects and furniture

came next, to the tune of $7,000, which she

that reflects her brand and personality. The

paid off within a year.

effect is a modern vintage look that’s clean,

“I didn’t have a lot of extra income, but the purpose was that from that point on, I

airy and comfortable. “For me, it was important to separate my

would have no monthly [rent or mortgage]

family living space from the client space,” she

payments,” says Maksoudian. Currently, the

says. “My family life can remain my family

overhead comes to just $300 a month for

life, and my business life can be all business.

utilities and the security system. And since

It’s been a perfect solution.”

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 77

STUDIO DESIGN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

her gallery-styled living room. “Once I got

of separation between the main living

Jessica Claire Studio

married, I didn’t want to send my husband

space and the business space. It was

Ladera Ranch, Calif.

out of the house so I could meet with a

almost perfect.

jessicaclaire.net

client,” she says. “That could get awkward.”

The previous owners had a home office,

Claire had her eye on a neighborhood

but with nubby brown industrial carpeting

For Jessica Claire, of Orange County, Calif.,

zoned for dual residential and commercial

and dated cubicles and shelving that had to

a home studio was always the ideal. Married

use. A suitable place became available,

go. One month and $5,000 later, Claire had

last October, Claire had been working out of

complete with a rear entrance and a bit

her dream studio space. The largest expense

All of the furniture I bought from Ikea and HomeGoods— the white tables were just $7 each! I wasn’t willing to go into debt, and I didn’t buy anything that wasn’t on sale.” “

—JESSICA CLAIRE

All images ©Jessica Claire Studio

was replacing the carpet with laminate flooring, which is durable and easy to clean. The rest of the makeover involved lots of painting and about three days of painstaking installation of custom molding in the Greek key pattern. “My great friend Jared Nuzman put it together,” says Claire. “All of the furniture I bought from Ikea and HomeGoods—the white tables were just $7 each! I wasn’t willing to go into debt, and I didn’t buy anything that wasn’t on sale.” Keeping the design minimal, modern and open was Claire’s target. All of the furniture can be easily moved to accommodate her needs. For example, clients typically come in and sit facing what she calls “the crazy wall,” but if she’s hosting a workshop, she can easily flip the setup so that the photographers won’t be looking at the busy pattern for hours on end. The patterned wall also makes a fun, funky backdrop for portraits. For paint colors, Claire stuck with her signature green, black and white tones she uses on her website and printed materials. “When you create a space, no matter how small it is, it’s important to reinforce the look and feel of your brand,” she says. “It doesn’t have to match the rest of the house, nothing except what you want your clients to see.” Just months into her new space, Claire can’t yet put a dollar amount on how the new studio has influenced sales, but she does see a definite impact on bookings. “I live in a very competitive area, and it’s not unusual for a client to meet with four or five photographers in one day,” she says. “But people walk in here and know exactly what I’m about. I do know that I’ve booked more jobs in a shorter time than in my old home studio, so this is definitely my ideal setup.”

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 79

STUDIO DESIGN LARGE SALES, SMALL SPACE Michelle Lindsay Photography Alexandria, Va. michellelindsayphotography.com A 13x12-foot living room in a 900-square-foot condo just outside of Washington, D.C., would seem unlikely to house a financial powerhouse, but Michelle Lindsay makes it work. She’d once been dependent on Internet commerce,

everything at once, so I thought about the elements that would help me make the most money, and figured it would be a comfortable space and a good presentation system. “I couldn’t do

doing everything from sales to presentation

—MICHELLE LINDSAY

online, and meeting with clients in coffee shops. She gained a new perspective in a PPA Studio Management Services workshop last fall. After scrutinizing her surroundings, Lindsay gave her mismatched college furni-

All images ©Michelle Lindsay Photography

ture and outdated television set the heave-

panel television at an after-Thanksgiving

ho. She invested $1,500 in new furniture,

sale. As she could afford it, she hung large

and a few weeks later scored a 46-inch flat-

canvas prints on the walls and incorporated

well-placed product displays. “I couldn’t do everything at once, so I thought about the elements that would help me make the most money, and figured it would be a comfortable space and a good presentation system,” says Lindsay, who had improvised with her 30-inch Apple display pre-flat screen arrival. “All in all, my décor isn’t going to make me more money than having the 40x60 print on the wall and giving controlled presentations.” Though the makeover came at the end of Lindsay’s big wedding season, she’s already seen a tremendous impact on her engagement sales and bookings. “Previously, I might get an order for a couple of 5x7s after an engagement session. Those sales have more than doubled, and I sell more wall art,” she says. “This has changed everything, including the way that people book packages. I’ve had couples come in wanting only digital files, but by the time they leave, they’re convinced they need to have a wedding album.” Many of Lindsay’s clients live in condos similar to hers, so seeing the scale of the artwork on her walls practically does the selling for her. Because she can invite a couple into the comfortable space for an album design session, she’s also seeing album upgrades. She can’t wait to see what happens in the upcoming wedding season. “It definitely changes my clients’ perception of me,” she says. “Now they can see how beautiful a canvas wrap is, which they couldn’t tell from a little photo online.” Lindsay plans to add track lighting, curtains, pillows and more artwork as she finds the perfect pieces for her style and can afford them. “I have a very specific idea of what I want,” she says, “I want it to feel like my brand, my world, my space.” � Stephanie Boozer is a freelance writer and photographer in Charleston, S.C. stephanieboozer.com.

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 81

STUDIO DESIGN

HOME STUDIO MAKEOVER Lessons from a DIY renovation and reality TV BY BETSY FINN, CR.PHOTOG., CPP

My husband, Steven, and I have always enjoyed watching renovation shows on television. On a whim, I set out to find a show that would be interested in covering the renovation of a home studio of photography. Soon we were submitting to a home video casting call for DIY Network’s “Renovation Realities.” The producer loved the idea and thought we’d be a great fit. Steven and I spent hours considering floorplans, ways to maximize the ceiling height, and how to create an open, spacious feel in our basement studio space. We came up with a layout that would function efficiently as a studio and, if we moved to a retail space later on, could be turned into a living space without massive overhaul. Then we tackled the budget. We took the measurements of the space to a lumberyard, where the staff helped us choose the materials we’d need. The estimate for the materials to transform ©Betsy Finn

I wanted the consultation room to have a more family-oriented setting, so it’s more of a sitting room than a reception area. A dressing room is off to the side, and near the bottom of the stairs, a doorway leads into the camera room. The open layout comes in handy when I’m working with larger groups, as I can back the camera into the office if I need to. Past the camera room, through an archway, is the office/editing room.

the poured cement walls and exposed overhead joists into a beautiful new home studio came to about $10,000. The DIY crew would record the first six days of the project, then we’d finish up alone. The crew wasn’t allowed to help us at all. They simply documented the progress and captured the “reality” of a homeowner renovation. It was interesting to see how the videographer posed, lit, and staged the scenes, even though all the stagesetting clips and mini-interviews took time away from our project. We suffered a number of setbacks in those first six days. We lost power, needed help, and lost our patience. But small disputes aside, we didn’t generate an overabundance of drama for the show. Despite the holdups, we fitted the entire 900square-foot space with rigid foam insulation, installed the framing, even laid the subfloor, all in just six days. The TV crew left, and for the next few weekends, Steven and I ran wiring, placed lights, installed insulation, and hung drywall. Then we primed and painted the walls, installed a wood laminate floating floor, and finished the trim and stairs with natural oak for a clean look. As we finished each stage, we sent

Betsy Finn’s portrait studio is in Dexter, Mich. (betsysphotography.com). Finn shares tips and ideas for photographers at learnwithbetsy.com.

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Timeless Collection

Professional images by Blair Phillips, blairphillipsphotography.com.

the producer pictures of our progress. Our episode of “Renovation Realities” aired last December. I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing in the weeks beforehand, especially after reading the description of the episode, with the words, “The setbacks become a recurring theme as the couple battles scheduling conflicts, unfamiliar tools, and hunger-fueled blowups throughout the renovation.” To our amusement, Steven was portrayed as a bageleating fanatic in need of a snack every five minutes, and me as an angry photographer who was annoyed to have to reschedule her “one” client. Friends and clients who saw the episode would exclaim, “Betsy, I’ve never seen you looking so sad! You’re always smiling!” My behind-the-scenes explanation? The videographer had to keep doing retakes because I couldn’t stop laughing. In the end, we survived the TV show, and my clients still like me. Today, the studio space looks better than ever. I’ve learned a lot about taking on a big project. Even when you’re designing on a dime, you might find this advice helpful: • Know when to compromise the budget. We wanted to budget about $10,000, but we went $5,000 over because we took care of some heating and plumbing problems that would have to be done sometime. In the long run, it was a money saver. • Some things are worth the cost of hiring out. If you contract just one task, make it the drywall mudding and taping. A good mud and tape job can make even shoddily done drywall look perfect. • Separate your needs from wants. For instance, we budgeted for additional HVAC vents because I need my studio to be warm and cozy when clients come in from those Michigan snowstorms. I wanted glass French doors between the consultation room from the studio, but at $2,400, I nixed that dream. • It’s OK to ask for help. Whether it’s advice from your neighbor or the guy at the hardware shop, or borrowing tools, all you have to do is ask. And after a long day’s work, there’s no better way to relax than to provide pizza and cold beverages for your unpaid labor—believe me, they will thank you. All in all, my home studio is amazing. I enjoy spending time there, whether I’m working with clients or alone on the computer. The space is cozy yet open, and somehow it seems twice as big as it did before.

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April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 83

The question was posed: What’s your favorite kid’s pose? It may not be a pose as much as an angle or approach that reveals a child’s personality and creates a portrait parents can’t resist. POSING

What’s your best seller? Photographers reveal the children’s poses parents flip over

W

e asked a group of child

express themselves. The photographer will

alongside the pint-sized subject, ready

portrait photographers to tell

place the child in a photogenic environ-

to capture that certain expression that

us how they get the shots parents

ment, adjust the lighting and make the

says it all.

can’t resist. It seems kids portraits

now are about letting the tykes

camera settings, then let the kids be kids. Often the photographer is in motion

©Connie Groah

Seven portrait artists from around the country discuss how they get the great shot.

©Cynthia Graham

CONNIE GROAH

CYNTHIA GRAHAM

Barefoot Photography, Annapolis, Md., barefoot-photo.com My clients love close-ups of their children—tight head crops with the child looking into the camera—and they always buy at least one. The expression might be a natural smile, a laugh or a pensive, soulful look. With babies, many clients go for full-body shots, but I sell more close-ups, head and shoulders shots, and three-quarter images as the children get older. The more the image looks as though we’re playing, which we usually are, the more likely the parents are to recall the moment as fun. When they see that projected in the image, they want to buy it. When I look through my images, I can see which factors prompt parents to buy. While I do set up my shots and sometimes even loosely pose children, I interact with them so much that I’m getting real expressions, and we can push past the fake smiles.

Cynthia Graham Photography, Orlando, Fla., cynthiagraham.com I’m not a photographer who poses children too much. I believe the things they do naturally make the most beautiful portraits—provided they’re in good light and I’m patient enough to wait for the magical moments. What I’m selling is something genuine, something with feeling. Those are the elements my clients respond to, even if they can’t put it into words. There is, though, a particular look I strive to capture because parents find it irresistible. I get very close and focus on the child’s large, soulful eyes. Often the eyes are slightly upturned for drama. The shot usually has a landscape orientation. It’s a simple portrait, but it sells every time. When it comes to child portraits for my clients, it’s all about the eyes.

84 • www.ppmag.com

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©Angela Crutcher

ANGELA CRUTCHER Angela Crutcher Photography, Nashville, Tenn. angelacrutcherphotography.com My clients always request a particular pose. They all love—and buy—the shot where the child looks up at me, and I’m photographing down at her. It lights up the child’s eyes so beautifully. There’s also a sibling pose my clients always request. I get the kids to lie down in a patch of lush green grass and shoot from above. It’s a neat perspective and a fresh look.

©Gina Maxine

©Dennis Craft

DENNIS CRAFT, M.PHOTOG.CR., HON.M.PHOTOG., CPP, API Craft Photography, Marshall, Mich., craftphotography.com I ask lots of questions during the pre-session consultation. I determine what parents are looking for, and use that concept as a starting point. I don’t work from a list of poses, but I know parents gravitate toward certain images. For us, it’s close-ups of the child’s face and eyes, whether the child is smiling or solemn. Whether it's a 16-year-old or a 6-monthold baby, I always do those close-up shots.

©Rebecca Mudrick

GINA MAXINE

REBECCA MUDRICK & DENA ROBLES

Gina Maxine Photography, Central Coast, Calif. ginamaxinephotography.com For my signature look, I get the child to look off to one side. I say, “Look over there. Look at the sky. Look at the ground. Look at that flower. Look anywhere except at me.” People connect with this pose because the child seems to be in his or her own world. The camera, the photographer, are not part of the equation. It’s about the innocence of the child.

Darling Art, Chapel Hill, N.C., darling-art.com My partner and I consider our slam-dunk portraits those that capture sibling groups having fun together. Put the kids on a bed together. Kids relax in this setting, and we often have them lie on their backs and photograph them from above. We play games and get completely silly. Things can get a little wild—especially with boys—but we can rein it in if we need to. —R.M.

86 • www.ppmag.com

Rachel Devine has worked for parenting magazines, and major brands like Target and The Little Gym. And now she’s landed a book deal, “Beyond Snapshots” (Amphoto/Random House). CHILDREN

E

By Stephanie Boozer

All images ©Rachel Devine

arly on, Rachel Devine got some

sound advice: Do what you love, then find a way to get paid for doing it. The youngest of five children, she became

an aunt when she was just 11 years old. “I remember photographing my twin nieces with a Kodak

Disc camera—remember those?” she laughs. “My dad saw that I really liked photography and he fostered that by giving me a really great 35mm camera. I was able to teach myself, and my brother had a darkroom. We were an artistic and scientific family.” Fast forward to Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., where Devine studied anthropology and fine art. She designed her own yearlong study-abroad program, photographing Icelandic artists. Those portraits were exhibited at the New Living Arts Museum in Reykjavik, and back home at the dA Center for the Arts in Pamona, Calif. (visit dacenter.org for the history of the unusual name). After college, Devine returned to Los Angeles, and, embracing her affinity for children, went to work for area parenting magazines. Her natural approach to child photography stood out, and Devine was given editorial assignments. From there, she landed assignments with national magazines, and began working with the kids division of Ford Models in Los Angeles. Then came children’s fashion shoots and ad campaigns for major brands like Target and The Little Gym. She was doing what she loved, and making a living at it.

Giving spirit The best times are found moments for Rachel Devine 88 • www.ppmag.com

Big changes came with the birth of her first child, a daughter. And, she did what came naturally—photographed it all. Having begun with film photography, she took time

digital SLR and just shooting on auto mode. I knew I could teach the basics, like where to find the light in their house, how to work with their kids, and how to get off auto mode.” Before long Devine was pregnant again, this time with twins. She and her Australianborn husband figured L.A. wasn’t the optimal place to raise children, and they moved to Melbourne, Australia, After a short maternity leave, Devine was behind the camera again, continuing to focus on commercial children’s photography and answering questions on her daily blog. It was through her photoblog that she met New Zealand kindred spirit and photographer Peta Mazey. The pair launched a new blog together, Beyond Snapshots (beyond-snapshots.com/blog).

to master digital imaging. She set up a photo blog, flickr.com/sesameellis, under the name Sesame Ellis, a playful combination of her first pet’s name and her mother’s last name, to be read by a new clientele. “I didn’t want my clients to see what I was doing because I was still learning and figuring out the differences in color and exposure between digital and film,” she says. “Then all of a sudden I realized I had this almost cultlike following. Now my stream has something like 12 million hits and I’m one of the top Flickr members.” Some of her biggest fans were other moms, who wanted to know how she was getting such beautiful, real images of her children. “First, it was 10 e-mails a week asking specific questions on how to do certain things,” she says. “Then I was getting more like 600 comments. And I thought, I can actually teach them something. Why can’t they take great pictures of their own kids? Everybody was getting a

CHILDREN The pair will host their first combined online workshop this month—it sold out almost immediately—and are finalizing the details on a book to be published next year. “It all just came together,” she says. “We found a literary agent, and we’re supersupported by bloggers and the industry.” Devine had been singled out a couple of years ago to appear in a two-page Nikon advertorial in American Photo. “It was funny to be called ‘an emerging photographer to watch’ 10 years after I started my career,” she laughs. “But it did generate a lot of buzz for me.” Book deals, online workshops, and blogs aside, Devine is still first and foremost a commercial children’s photographer, working in both Australia and the United

States, and is just as in love with the energy of children as ever. “To see what they think is beautiful, to celebrate their take on the world is just fun,” she says. “That realness, that quirk— I love sharing that.” At home, her camera is an ever-present fixture, and she continues to document her daily life online. “I love photographing life,” she says. “Things happen every day that are so awesome, and I love sharing that. And what I really love is when other pro photographers share that—I love following the lives of people. That may be the anthropologist in me.” � See more of Rachel Devine’s work at racheldevine.com, or racheldevine.com/blog.

images © Amelia Lyon Photography

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A nanny and kindergarten teacher before she became a photographer, Barb Uil turned her love of children into a profitable brand with Jinky Art. This year she’s teaching Americans how to emulate her vision. CHILDREN All images ©Barb Uil/JinkyArt

A

By Lorna Gentry

mischievous person has a certain glint in her eye that’s a tip-off you’re in for surprises. Can a logo, a branded line, and a website telegraph that impishness? Visit jinkyart.com and judge for yourself. Australian family and children photographer Barb “Jinky” Uil

sets a playful tone right from her site’s splash page; you see a jaunty logo done up in party colors atop images of kids rollicking in a landlocked rowboat and the compelling tag line, “Part fun, part curious.” Click “enter” and you feel like you’ve walked into a clubhouse—just the sort of feeling a photographer who aims to attract parents wants to elicit. The Jinky Art worldwide club includes clients and photographers who take Uil’s workshops or purchase creative software on her IttyBitty Actions website (ittybittyactions.com). For the first time, this year Uil is taking the Jinky Art workshop to four U.S. cities: Hamilton, Mont.; Pittsburg; Oxford, Ohio; and Los Angeles. Already well known in Australia, Uil’s workshop helps photographers define their style, gives tips on photographing children, and advice on practical matters, such as marketing and running a successful studio. Uil divides her time between her family and child photography business and commercial work, which includes photo shoots for magazines, shooting children’s clothing lines, and travel shoots to promote Australian

High jinks Part fun, part curious with Barb Uil 94 • www.ppmag.com

tourism. “Children and family photography makes my heart sing, but commercial work helps support my family,” she says. Uil lives in a rural area 30 minutes outside

Canberra in New South Wales with her husband, Art, a graphic designer and stay-at-home dad, and their three daughters, ages 9 years to 9 months. Although she always liked photography, Uil didn’t own a camera until her family bought her a Fujifilm model when her second daughter was born. She started a blog in 2002 where she posted her photos, and soon got a deluge of requests for photography services. By 2005 she’d turned pro and branded her business Jinky Art, a combination of her nickname and her husband’s name. Jinky Art photography has a distinct look: candid, uncluttered, spontaneous. Uil is a natural with children, a talent she credits to having been a nanny and a kindergarten teacher. When photographing kids, she says, “It’s helpful to know the stages they go through at various ages. The shy ones I leave alone and let them get used to me. Kids are so imaginative. If you let them take you into their world, you will get fantastic shots. They’re easy subjects in that way.”

SNUG-A-BUG Uil uses her studio for commercial work but prefers to photograph children and families in their homes or other locations. “I get stale shooting in a studio,” she says. “I even tend to get a little stale shooting in the same location twice. I can go anywhere and be happy as long as there is a kid there to photograph.” She likes to photograph children on their own turf because “kids are more comfortable with their own things,” she explains. She’s especially fond of photographing children in bed, with and without their parents, because beds make visually interesting and comfy playgrounds. “Every morning kids like to get into bed with their parents—we call it ‘snuga-bug’—and I try to capture that. Beds make kids feel comfortable and they’re a good prop.” For location shoots, says Uil, “I encourage

SMALL STEP, BIG SPLASH Barb Uil’s use of color, shading and tinting make her images sing. It’s no wonder people constantly ask her how she does it. Uil now offers Jinky Art effects through IttyBitty Actions (ittybittyactions.com). All these actions are adjustable so that you can go right back to the original file, which lets you select only certain areas and not affect the entire photo. Here are Uil’s favorite, can’t-livewithout actions: COLOR (FROM THE SWEET SET EDITION) • SUN RAYS: Makes colors glow with a splash of sunshine. • SLIGHT COLOR: Works great for editorial or any CMYK work because it subtly pumps up the color. It also has a sharpening feature that you can turn on and off. I tend to leave it off for my editorial photography. • LOVELY: The go-to for color. It makes colors pop off the page. • SWEET ROSE: Gives images a faded color for a slightly vintage feel, perfect for images with a retro look, such as a photograph of an old bike. BLACK AND WHITE Some photos are just made to be black and white. Lately I’ve been using the Light B&W (from the 52 Action Set), which does a very light overall treatment on a black-and-white image. And I love B&W Fade (from Sweet Set) because it gives a black-and-white image a gritty, grainy look.

96 • www.ppmag.com

“I will play with a child and then quickly pick up the camera, take a shot and put it down again. I do get a lot of camera shake working that way, but for me it’s more important to play with the child, not the camera.” clients to bring antiques if they have them, such as Teddy bears, trikes, capes or chairs. I tell them to pack their car and bring the kitchen sink, too. Some people turn up with a trailer [full], which is great. I’ve come to a place in my career where they’ll make that effort. Some clients just turn up with nothing but themselves, and I like that, too.” She prefers to shoot in natural light. “With technology these days you can really push the camera. I’d rather shoot using a wide aperture than use lights, but if the client wants a particular setup, such as making cupcakes in a dark kitchen, then I’ll use them. I listen to what the client wants and reflect it in my photography. I think that’s one of my strengths.” For Uil it’s all about being in the moment. That keeps her photos fresh and authentic, she says. Using a 35mm format gives her optimum mobility, especially important in photographing toddlers. “I usually get photos of toddler boys running away from me.” Uil

CHILDREN takes 500 to 600 photos during a shoot, which she distills to 45 finished images. She uses Canon EOS 5D cameras exclusively, along with nearly the entire L series of Canon lenses. Per session, she uses three camera bodies with different lenses. “My staple lens is the 24-70mm f/2.8L and I use at least one fixed focal. I change cameras and lenses to get different angles and because it’s less disruptive to the kids” than stopping frequently to change lenses on one camera body. Uil plays with the kids before and during the shoot. “I don’t have the camera up to my face all the time,” she says, which is key to keeping children relaxed. “I will play with a

child and then quickly pick up the camera, take a shot and put it down again. I do get a lot of camera shake working that way, but for me it’s more important to play with the child, not the camera. After awhile kids ignore the fact that I’m taking photos and then it’s really not a photo shoot. By the end of the shoot, they are over the camera. I push them to the extreme, but I don’t let them get annoyed. Once they give me the signal that they have completely had enough, I’ll stop. But if they are at the point where they just don’t want to do it anymore, I press forward. You have to get the photos, after all.” � See more of Barb Uil’s work at jinkyart.com.

“The business model has changed … We have to be more aggressive in our relationship building and establish a longterm clientele.” —DENNIS CRAFT

All images ©Dennis Craft

Dennis Craft builds an enduring career on relationships with clients, and an innate ability to think like a kid BY JEFF KENT

‘‘ ’’ What distinguishes good child portraiture is the ability to get into the subject’s head. If you ask my wife, she’ll tell you that I think like a child most of the time, so this is easy for me! Dennis Craft, M.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog.,

That’s when Craft discovered how little

and a term as association president. Oh, and

CPP, API, got into professional photography

he knew about photography. He knew even

in the early 1980s to avoid beginning a career

less about the business of photography.

in his college major, biomedical electronics.

Craft immersed himself in learning. He

bread and butter and his passion is child

He realized he was a people person; designing

joined PPA and the local PPA affiliate, took

portraiture. When he started, most portraiture

hospital equipment just wouldn’t satisfy his

classes, collaborated with other photographers.

happened in a studio under controlled condi-

need to interact with other humans. So he

A couple decades later, his dedication would

tions and with certain expectations. Craft

bought a studio in Marshall, Mich.

land him a seat on PPA’s board of directors

wanted to do something a little different.

a robust business as well.

Craft does a little of everything, but his

“The most important thing I’ve learned during more than 30 years in business is that I’ll never be successful if this is just a job.” Inspired by photographers J. Michael

head. Think like a child and you can influence

McBride and Mark Garber, he developed a

what he’ll do. It’s not manipulation, it’s

storybook style of environmental portraiture.

collaboration, using gentle prompts to further

by his necessary evolution as a businessman.

the story they’re creating. (“If you ask my wife,”

Talking with thousands of PPA members

says Craft, “she’ll tell you that I think like a

during his time on the association’s board of

It was somewhat avant garde back then. If a child in Craft’s photograph was not looking directly at the camera, the portrait was usually a no-sale. The tides shifted. Now Craft’s clients say they don’t necessarily care where their child is looking in the portrait, as long as the little one’s personality shines out. The changing tastes have been good for Craft, have allowed his creativity to emerge. Where he once tried to create a certain situation to elicit certain emotions, he’s now comfortable with encouraging the child to express herself and finding a way to photograph that expression. “I let the kids create their own stories now, then I try to enter those stories. I watch the kids as I photograph them and we interact, and they start giving me different emotions,” says Craft. “They give them freely rather than having to be drawn out. So I capture what they give me, and in the process, try to create images that are not only good portraits, but tell something about the individual as well. Part of the challenge is looking for the unique habits and characteristics of each child. That’s why I photograph kids playing with their toes, drooling, pouting, because every child does distinctive things that his parents will recognize. Those unique features make each portrait personal.” This approach requires psychology as well as photographic skills. The photographic quality has to be there, of course, but on a deeper level, Craft says, what distinguishes good child portraiture is the photographer’s ability to get into the subject’s

child most of the time, so this is easy for me!” Craft’s evolution as an artist is mirrored

directors, he’s been aware of a definite change

photographer. We have to find new ways to

“The most important thing I’ve learned

in the portrait business over the last 15 years.

distinguish ourselves from our competition.

during more than 30 years in the business is

“The business model has changed,” he says.

So much of my business has revolved around

that I will never be successful if this is just a

“Fifteen years ago, I could put a sign outside

relationship building. The stronger those rela-

job,” says Craft. “This occupation is not

my door, and people would walk in and ask

tionships, the stronger our businesses will be.”

about creating images to make money. I

me to photograph their kids. Since the intro-

The focus on the business of photography

make images to fill a need in my life to be

duction of digital capture into marketplace,

in recent years is encouraging, says Craft,

creative and share what I think is important.

families have realized that they have access

but there is a caveat. The underlying talent,

At the same time, I am providing a service

to this tool to record those memories. So just

the skills and the inspiration still need to be

by preserving memories for parents,

hanging up a shingle isn’t good enough any-

there; it can’t just be about the money.

memories that stand the test of time in their

more. We have to be more aggressive in our

There needs to be dedication to the craft

families’ minds and hearts. That’s what this

relationship building and establish a long-

and a zeal for creating imagery. (Craft just

business is really about.” �

term clientele. We have to be communicative

recently took the reigns of PPA’s

about the advantages of hiring a professional

Photographic Exhibitions Committee.)

To see more from Dennis Craft, visit craftphotography.com.

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Page 2

042010

All images ©Brianna Graham

How Brianna Graham bends the old rules about color and texture—and why it works. BY STEPHANIE BOOZER

COLOR T H E O R Y

“I believe in working with the native colors in the image, not trying to force colors or saturate colors that aren’t actually there.”

hite shirts and blue jeans? Matchy-matchy families dressed in black? Buttoned-up miserable kids? “No way!” says Brianna Graham, of Grand Rapids, Mich. Graham’s portraits combine bold, vibrant colors and rich textures, and parents are flocking to her studio. And get this—kids love her, too. Professional Photographer: Brighter-than-

always looking at the scene in relation to

year, in which she shares her philosophy and

life color is such a strong element in your

the subject’s clothing and coloring, to

her strategy for her workflow. Professional

portraits. How do you achieve such vibrancy?

determine if it will Photoshop well in post-

Photographer caught up with Graham to

Brianna Graham: Color is important to

production. I envision the scene on my com-

find out a few of her secrets.

me, and very much part of my brand. I’m

puter screen before I click the shutter, and

Graham hosts about nine workshops a

‘‘ ’’ Texture is as important to my images as color. I’m constantly looking for texture-rich locations that will allow me to make the most of the images in post-production.

I know exactly how I’ll process it afterwards. But I do not paint with color. I use

Photoshop CS4 for 99 percent of my workflow. Much of my technique is doing burning and dodging and making contrast adjustments multiple times during the editing. I don’t

use layers or layer masking, and I edit the

original image only. People at my workshops are surprised by the simple to do yet effective results I get.

The eyes, for instance, if you want to

saturate a child’s blue eyes, don’t forget that the eyes aren’t just blue, but a mixture of

colors, and it’s easy to saturate the wrong

colors. I believe in working with the native

colors in the image, not trying to force colors or saturate colors that aren’t actually there. Equally prominent is your use of texture…

Texture is as important to my images as color. I’m constantly looking for texture-rich loca-

tions that will allow me to make the most of the images in post-production. I require a

consultation before the client even books a session. I emphasize clothing selection, telling the client that to get the look I offer, clothing is key. I explain the importance of texture, color and layers, so for the session, I can focus on the perfect location to take them to so I can blend their clothing with the surroundings that will make the best overall image, as well as give me the most potential in post-production. We have a printed clothing recommendation I send home with clients, and I show them examples of texture in the images hanging in the studio. I point out things like aging leather boots or frayed jeans—some people

need help with that. I emphasize it several times throughout the consultation. I’m always so glad when someone shows up with a suitcase full of hats, scarves and jewelry. Kids can be leery about photo shoots. How do you push past their defenses to get natural expressions? I try to stick to one philosophy, and that is showing the child that I expect nothing from him. I’m often asked how I connect with my subjects in such a short time, and I always refer to this rule. Subjects open up quickly when you treat the session as a mere meeting, where I’m simply asking about their interests—favorite color, friends, school, favorite TV shows. When children see you are actually interested in who they are, not what they can do for you, they’ll talk and open up in a natural way that allows you to capture their true selves. That rewards me with authentic expressions that the parents recognize, and ultimately better sales. I just sit down and have a conversation with them. I don’t even touch my camera. During the session, the posing comes so naturally, it’s not something I have to ask them to do. I prompt with a little gentle direction, then let them take over, and they just fall into it. To give the child a little

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spend more time on the final product. I believe my work should sell itself. I’ve never wanted to have to sell my style to anyone, but have people come to me seeking my particular style. And they do! �

See more of Brianna Graham’s work, find out about upcoming workshops, and read her blog at briannagraham.com/portraits. Stephanie Boozer is a writer and photographer in Charleston, S.C. Visit her online at stephanieboozer.com.

control, I instruct the parent to bring in something personal of the child’s, whether it’s favorite clothing or objects, and the child feels that this isn’t just about what the parent wants. How do you handle well-meaning, yet interfering parents? I do not believe in asking the parent to leave during the session. One thing that works consistently for me when faced with a parent saying things like, “smile, look at the photographer,” or “don’t make that face,” is to begin whispering to the child. The quieter you are, the more the child tries to focus on you and tune out the parent. Once the parent realizes that you’re whispering to her child, she quiets down as well because she wants to hear what you are saying. What about your approach do you think makes you so successful? I do not take the jack-of-all-trades approach. I try hard to focus on authentic expressions and bold, texture-heavy imagery. It’s always helped me stand apart from my competition to offer clients something very specific. My clients come to me for that look. I take a boutique approach, so I photograph fewer clients—120 to 150 a year on average—and

118 • www.ppmag.com

Affiliate Schools

Professional Photographers of America Members receive service merits and the best-published rates for registration. July 12-15 Lamarr Williamson School of Professional Photography, Columbia, S.C., www.ppofsc.com/school

April 11-16 New England Institute of Professional Photography, Hyannis, Mass., www.neipp.com

June 6-10 Mid-America Institute of Professional Photography, Cedar Falls, Iowa, www.maipp.com

May 2-7 Texas School of Professional Photography, Dallas, Texas, www.texasschool.org

June 13-16 Winona School of Photography, Nashville, Ind., ppofi.org

May 2-7 Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography, Cape May, N.J., www.marsschool.com

June 13-17 Illinois Workshops, Grafton, Ill., www.ilworkshops.com

July 18-23 PPSNYS Photo Workshop, Geneva, N.Y., www.ppsnysworkshop.com

May 3-7 Wisconsin Professional Photographers School at Treehaven, Tomahawk, Wis., www.wiprophotoschool.org

June 20-24 PP Oklahoma School, Shawnee, Okla., www.pposchool.com

August 1-4 Carolina Art & Photographic School, Creekside Park, N.C., www.capsartschool.com

May 16-20 Imaging Workshops of Colorado, Littleton, Colo., www.coloradoworkshops.com

June 20-25 West Coast School, San Diego, Calif., prophotoca.com/wcs

May 23-27 Florida School of Professional Photography, Daytona Beach, Fla., www.fpponline.org

June 21-24 Great Lakes Institute of Photography, Traverse City, Mich., www.glip.org

June 6-10 Kansas Professional Photographer School Newton, Kan., www.kpps.com

July 11-15 Image Explorations, Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada; www.imageexplorations.ca

July 17-22 East Coast School Photographic Workshops, Raleigh, N.C., www.eastcoastschool.com

August 1-6 Georgia School of Professional Photography, Clarksville, Ga., www.gppaschool.com August 2-5 Long Island Photo Workshop, Long Island, N.Y., liphotoworkshop.com Send all additions or corrections to: Affiliated Schools, Professional Photographers of America, 229 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303.

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Every little bit helps. That’s why we offer discounts from Apple® products to NIK Software, camera bags and credit card merchant services. With PPA, you can get everything you need…and indulge in a few treats along the way.

SATISFY YOUR CRAVINGS check out the list of benefits: WWW.PPA.COM/BENEFITS

© Candy Anderson, M.Photog., CPP

Professional Photographers of America

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE Louis Tonsmeire, Cr.Photog., API :: 2010-2011 PPA President

It’s

said that April showers bring May owers. That holds true as the International Photographic Competition deadline comes up…except those showers are made up of sweat from photographers feverously preparing their images. It’s time to put more oomph into your pixels! Whether it’s the chance for peer-to-peer recognition, to improve your image quality or to advance toward PPA degrees, there are many reasons to enter competition. It’s a challenge to better yourself and better your photography, and it only helps you with clients. As the photography industry changes, so does competition. Look at the new digital PPAEDUCATION www.PPA.com/Education entry option. A few categories are open to both print and digital submissions this year (Commercial and Electronic Imaging), but all categories will accept print and digital submissions in 2011. This change doesn’t mean the excellence in judging is compromised. PPA has the highest standards of quality in its long history of photographic competition and its degree program…and that will never change. So get your images ready—enter by April 30th at 5:00pm EST for a discounted price! (www.ppa.com/competitions/international.php) If you’re new to competition, don’t worry! Use it as an educational tool. Each time you compete, take the critiques and apply the pointers to your images. That is, after all, the point—bettering yourself! If you miss this year’s international competition, look for your regional competitions (soon-to-be “district” competitions). Check with Jim Dingwell for details ([email protected]).

INMEMORY Archie Elton McDearmid, M.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog., CPP Archie E. McDearmid, M.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog., CPP of Virginia Beach died January 27, 2010, in his home at the age of 81. Retired from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard as Head of the Photographic Arts/Video Production Department, Archie also owned and operated McDearmid Photography. His photographic passion and belief in the industry led him into service as a past president of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) in 1987, the Virginia Professional Photographers Association and the Southeastern Professional Photographers Association. Archie also held the PPA Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman and Honorary Master of Photography degrees and was a Certified Professional Photographer. A celebration of his life was held February 2, 2010. Please keep Archie’s wife Connie, his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time in their lives. Online Condolences: www.hdoliver.com

PPA TODAY | APRIL 2010

The Power of

ASSOCIATION JUMPINGIN Constance Rawlins, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

PPA Member since 1999 :: Location: McComb, MS

“I

© David Lloyd

jumped in with all fours and loved it!” That’s how Connie Rawlins, your new PPA board member, feels when she thinks about photography. How many of you feel the same? First exposed to the art in high school, Rawlins later shot for a newspaper and worked in their darkroom. After covering an event for the paper, she was asked to photograph a wedding…and became a weekend warrior. In 1997, a local retiring photographer contacted her to purchase his well-established studio, and she jumped at the chance. Rawlins turned to associations in 1998. “It’s amazing how much I’ve learned from PPA, SEPPA, Texas School, state and local associations,” she says. “One

PLUG INTO THE POWER OF PPA

big draw is the social network. It can really encourage referrals. If I’m booked, I have a pool of photographers who I can feel comfortable recommending.” Local and state groups might even help reduce overhead, important in a slower economy. Rawlins uses prop and background exchanges to get something new at great savings. She’s also considering a partnership with a non-competing photographer to share a retail space for less (such partners can be found at associations). “At regional and international levels, the knowledge pool and educational opportunities grow,” she adds. Take the upcoming International Photographic Competition, for example (deadline April 30, 2010). “Our clients aren’t going to know if an image could be improved. Photographic Exhibitions Committee (PEC) judges do know,” Rawlins comments. “I’ve become a better photographer from competing—the quality of my work has gone up because I’ve used competitions as educational tools to challenge myself. And if I cannot be present to hear the regional judging comments, it is denitely worth the small fee to pay for the international critiques to nd out why I did or did not make the ‘grade.’” Want to know a competition secret she learned the hard way? Don’t enter images of your own family… you can’t help but take critiques on them personally, and you have to think of competition as education. From bettering her photography to serving as a leader, Rawlins pushes her passion to new heights. She jumped in, and she’s in to stay. See Connie’s full prole on www.PPA.com.

—

WWW.PPA.COM

The Power of

INSPIRATION AN-NEAWARDSPOTLIGHT Sharon Reiley, Reiley Photography See Me Sprout Club

ing purpose. What to say in each piece was also planned. Reiley is adamant about the need to leave room for asking. For example, her mini-brochures are more like idea generators than catalogs. “You don’t have to say everything about your product or service,” she explains. “Give clients a taste, and they can get involved by asking for information.” And consider this tidbit: Reiley reviewed her business plan before nalizing her marketing plan, so she could determine effective pricing for the club. She used SuccessWare to calculate the number of sessions (and how much money she needed from each) to make a prot. “It puts me in control,” explains Reiley. “It gave me the goals I needed to hit, so I knew how to adjust my marketing, sessions and benet offerings…and I’m not just relying on my guts.” The same goes for her entire campaign. While the designs are beautiful, it is the control and focus that truly stands out. It’s a win-win for both her studio and her clients! PPA members can get more details about how she made this program a success by reading the full article at www.PPA.com/Resources (click on the AN-NE Marketing Awards Spotlight category).

HIRING A PROFESSIONAL COPYWRITER WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I DID— SHE BROUGHT A VOICE TO MY BRAND. To further promote the perks of the club and studio, Reiley designed a series of postcards to distribute through relationship marketing partners and during sessions. These aren’t just any old postcards—they are tangible, kidfriendly crafts! Along with the marketing message, the cards give instructions for turning it into a picture frame. The marketing continues after clients join the club, for every piece in the member folder has a market-

The AN-NE marketing awards program will be remodeled in 2010. We’ll have more information about the grand re-opening soon, which will offer more chances than ever for members to get involved. In the meantime, keep checking here for articles featuring the 2009 winners and all the inspiration their marketing programs provide.

© Cheryl Pearson

© Heather Chick

We

all have slow seasons. But Sharon Reiley of North Attleboro, Mass., has a slow season plan. She created the See Me Sprout Club… helping grow year-round business and winning the 2009 AN-NE Marketing Award for Best Family & Children Campaign. “I wanted a more stable income, plus something that could help clients stay involved,” explains Reiley. “With a monthly payment schedule, the See Me Sprout Club gives me a certain amount that I can count on, and it encourages more sessions, thanks to member benets.” The See Me Sprout Club is similar to baby plans… it simply goes a step beyond. Instead of ending at a child’s rst year, Reiley’s club helps parents “capture childhood without missing a beat,” as one of her promos reads. Clients join for a low monthly fee and enjoy perks, from half-price session fees to free “Picture Outings,” custom storybooks each year and so on.

PPA TODAY | APRIL 2010

The Power of

EDUCATION ALLSTARS Share Their Rookie Mistakes

If

someone gave you a “do-over” for your rst year in photography, what would you do? What changes would you make to how you marketed yourself and your business? That’s a question we recently put to six wellestablished professional photographers: Carol Andrews Jensen, Laura Novak, David Grupa, Kimberly Wylie, Mark Garber and Jennifer Gilman. Looking back, they offer up insightful advice from past experiences, including their biggest mistakes, most protable actions and best low-cost marketing ideas. After all, everyone starts somewhere and everyone makes mistakes. The path to success in any business is what you do with them.

Our Biggest Mistakes

Marketing blunders usually happen from a lack of understanding. For example, Jensen names a lack of consistency as her biggest mistake. She didn’t realize that inconsistent timing, messaging and offerings would have an unpleasant effect on her studio’s image. Novak, Grupa, Garber and Gilman also had a problem with consistency, but it was consistently spending money on the wrong things. “I spent money on marketing that didn’t really work, which had a lot to do with not understanding my customers,” notes Novak. “When photographers start out, it’s natural to believe your customer is anyone who shows up with a checkbook.” It took a few years, but Novak now knows the demographic (location, age) and psychographic (styles, beliefs) data that make up her ideal client. And she markets accordingly. Garber and Gilman’s spending mistakes stemmed more from not knowing their best marketing channels.

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—

“I would buy whatever sized ad the sales rep said I needed, according to the pie chart with my target demographic,” Garber explains. “We were throwing a lot of money away until we learned the importance of relationship marketing for photographers.” It’s relationships—with clients, photographers and businesses—that Grupa also wishes he had focused on more. He spent too much money buying “toys,” and not enough investing in himself with marketing education or networking. “I simply neglected things like staying in contact with my clients,” he adds. “With today’s e-mail and social marketing abilities, there’s no excuse.” The lack of understanding that fed into spending on the wrong things, also fed into selling at the wrong price point. As Grupa says, “I was selling an 8x10 for a few dollars over my perceived cost…not realizing that I was actually losing money with every sale.” Wylie felt the same pain. “When I did the math, I was barely making minimum wage. Photographers need to recognize that although they are passionate, they still need to account for and charge appropriately for their time to operate a viable business.” Whether marketing to the wrong people, through the wrong channels or with the wrong prices, these mistakes turned into hard-won knowledge. It’s what you do with it that counts. Get more advice and answers to four more questions with the full article on www.PPA.com/Resources. Click on the Marketing category in the Article Library to nd it.

WWW.PPA.COM

Carol Andrews Jensen, M.Photog.Cr., ABI

Laura Novak

David Grupa, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

Kimberly Wylie

Jennifer Gilman, M.Photog.Cr., CPP & Mark Garber, M.Photog.Cr.

WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES

LabTab

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 127

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128 • www.ppmag.com

WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 129

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WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 131

LabTab

WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES

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April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 135

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Classified rates: • $1.50 per word; • $2.00 per word/ words with all caps or bold face. • $10.00 per issue—Confidential Reply Box Ads (Optional)—$30 minimum per ad. Closing date is 20th of the second month proceeding issue date. Remittance must be received with order. NO ADS ACCEPTED BY PHONE. Remittance to: Professional Photographer Classified Ads, 229 Peachtree NE, Ste. 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303; 800339-5451, ext. 221; FAX 404-614-6405.

SUCCESSWARE®—Studio Management Software available for both Windows® and Macintosh®. Recommended by Ann Monteith, the nation’s foremost studio management consultant. Call today for a FREE SuccessWare® Tour 800593-3767 or visit our Web site www.SuccessWare.net. NEED HELP WITH PRICING? The Business Savvy Photographer can help! Easy to use software that can help with pricing your weddings and/or portraits, starting at $59.99. Instructional DVDs by Canon Explorer Ken Sklute also available. Visit our site at HowMuchDoICharge.com 602-546-7777.

EDUCATION/WORKSHOPS Visit WWW.PROPHOTOBUSINESSFORUM.COM—A private online community of business conscious wedding and portrait photographers just like you. YOU’LL NEVER BE THE SAME. YOU’LL BE BETTER!

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE ARTISTIC ENHANCEMENT A WORK OF ART - DIGITAL PORTRAIT PAINTING. Offer your clients the look of hand-painted oils on canvas and watch your print sales soar. Fast turnaround, work guaranteed. We have 5 years’ experience in Corel Painter, working exclusively with professional studios. Featured in PPA Magazine, August 2007. Starting at $125. 724-5189069; www.bobnolin.com

BACKGROUNDS THE DENNY MFG. CO., INC. is the World’s Largest Manufacture of Hand Painted Backgrounds, Computer Painted Backgrounds, Muslin Backgrounds, Studio Sets, Props, Lift Systems, and related Studio Accessories. Contact us today to receive our FREE 180 page color catalog filled with exquisite products and ideas to help you succeed in Photography. Write P.O. Box 7200 Mobile, AL 36670; Call 1-800-844-5616 or visit our Web site at www.dennymfg.com. STUDIO DYNAMICS’ muslin and canvas backdrops offer quality and value at outlet prices! Call 1-800-595-4273 for a catalog or visit www.studiodynamics.com CHICAGO CANVAS & SUPPLY—Wide Seamless Canvas and Muslin, Duvetyn, Commando Cloth, Theatrical Gauze, Velour, Sharkstooth Scrim, Leno Scrim, Gaffers Tape, Primed Canvas, Gesso, and Deka Fabric Dyes—Fabrication Available. Curtain Track & Hardware for Moveable Curtains and Backdrops—Easily installed. Quick turn around time. Our prices can’t be beat. Visit our website or call for a free catalog and samples. 773-478-5700; www.chicagocanvas.com; [email protected] BACKDROP OUTLET, We are the Largest supplier of Backgrounds, Props and Studio Accessories. We have it all…. Canvas from $99.00 Muslin Backgrounds from $69.00 Scenics, Flex outs, Faux tex. Your options are endless. We also offer roller systems and Light Rail systems. Lights, Soft boxes, Stands and equipment. We have a huge selection of props and set systems. REQUEST OUR FREE 164 PAGE CATALOG 1-800-466-1755 or you can order online at WWW.BACKDROPOUTLET.COM 3540 Seagate Way, Oceanside, CA 92056.

BLANK MEDIA $58 FOR 100 FULL COLOR PRINTED BLANK CD-RS, $64 for DVD-Rs, Quick 48 hour turnaround, NO SETUP FEES! Full Color printed and ready packaging available. www.onediscmore.com

CANVAS MOUNTING CANVAS MOUNTING, STRETCHING, FINISH LACQUERING. Original McDonald Method. Considered best AVAILABLE. Realistic canvas texture. Large sizes a specialty. WHITMIRE ASSOCIATES, YAKIMA, WA. 509248-6700. WWW.CANVASMOUNT.COM

136 • www.ppmag.com

DIGITAL PRINTERS; FUJI-NORITSU; MINILABS; NEW & USED, FACTORY AUTHORIZED. INSTALLATION AND TRAINING. FINANCING—$300 UP. DELIVERY—INSURED. WWW.DIRECT-RESOURCES.COM; 877-318-3015

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for contemporary photojournalistic wedding coverages in Orange County, CA area. Must have digital equipment. Email John at [email protected].

IMAGING SERVICES Let us do your PHOTOSHOP IMAGING. Save your valuable time to find new clients. We also build and host still photo music video. Email us at [email protected] to find out how.

Wallets to 6ftx14ft Goldencolor 9020 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211 310-274-3445 • www.goldencolor.com

PHOTO RESTORATION 1st PHOTO RESTORATION FREE! Try us, you’ll like us! Point & click easy. No sign up cost. 100% guarantee. Online leader since 1993. Wholesale only to professionals. www.hollywoodfotofix.com or call 888-700-3686.

PHOTOS WANTED VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS from 1860’s-1970’s: Movie Stills, Celebrity Candids, Music, Sports, Crime, War/Political, Wire Photos, Negatives, Glass Slides, and Transparencies. WILL BUY ENTIRE COLLECTIONS! FINDERS FEES PAID! Ralph 800-392-4050 or [email protected]

PRESENTATION BOXES BOXES—FREE SAMPLE PRESENTATION BOX—FROM THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFACTURE—Fast delivery, Finest quality 4"x5", 5"x5", 4"x6", 8"x10", 11"x14", 16"x20", 20"x24". AUFENGER BOX, 4800 COLLEY AVE., NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 757-4401147 (phone); 757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (toll free). www.aufengerbox.com PRESENTATION BOXES available for immediate shipment; 19 sizes—4 stock colors. For FREE catalog & samples call 800-969-2697 or fax request 800-861-4528. BUY DIRECT AND SAVE. NPD Box Company, 11760 Berea Rd., Cleveland, OH 44111. www.NPDBox.com

INCORPORATION SERVICES

H-B PHOTO professional photography packaging for your branding. Visit our e-store for the best quality at lower prices. Boxes, CD packaging, totes, tissue, ribbons, 18 COLOR CHOICES, add your logo. WW.H-BPHOTO.COM, H-B PACKAGING GROUP CENTRAL FALLS, RI; toll free 866-570-8915.

INCORPORATE OR FORM an LLC today! Your art is a business. Treat it like one. The Company Corporation can help you incorporate or form a limited liability company in as little as ten minutes. We are fast, accurate and affordable. Provide additional credibility to your photography studio or business at the fraction of the cost of using an attorney. Call 1-800-206-7276 or visit www.incorporate.com today!

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS You can retouch quickly with superior results. Guaranteed. WWW.3DLIGHTMASTER.COM

INSURANCE Instant Online Photography Insurance. Quotes. Tom C. Pickard Insurance. www.tcpinsurance.com 800-7263701, ext. 117. Lic. 0555411

LAB SERVICES HAND PAINTED OILS; Transparent, Deluxe, and Canvas Stretched up to 40x60. A complete photo art lab serving photographers since 1965. Traditional and Digital printing services. Fiber based B&W up to 30x40. Giclee Fine Art prints. Restoration. Free estimates & pricing guide. 800922-7459 Venetian Arts www.venetianarts.com ACADEMY PRODUCTIONS INC. INNOVATIVE PRINTING SOLUTION Complete Imaging Service for today’s professional photographer Processing—Proofing—Film—Digital Files —SOS— Self Ordering System powered by ROES • High Volume Packages—Kodak Products • Schools—Daycares—Sports—Proms—Seniors • Studios—Store Promotions—Fundraisers—Weddings • Composites—Collages—Other Unique Products • High Tech Printing Equipment—Scanning Services • Free Marketing Seminars—Expert Product Designers • Superior Customer Service—Detailed Technical Support • Competitive Pricing—Quick Turn Around CALL US TODAY: 800-421-3523 6100 ORR ROAD • CHARLOTTE, NC 28213 www.PicAcademy.com

RETOUCHING

WHEN YOUR NAME is on the line, nothing but the best will ever do. Our retouchers know what you need: fast service, a retouch that looks like the photo was never altered and the lowest prices in the industry. If you demand the best log onto www.retouchup.com and your first 10 retouches are free just to prove our claims—the best—the fastest and the least expensive or call 888-700-3686.

SALES AIDS BOXES—FROM THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFACTURE—FREE SAMPLE—Fast delivery, Finest quality 4”x5”, 5”x5”, 4”x6”, 8”x10”, 11”x14”, 16”x20”, 20”x24”. AUFENGER BOX, 4800 COLLEY AVENUE, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 757-440-1147 (phone); 757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (toll free). www.aufengerbox.com 5000 POSTCARDS $149 UV Coated 5,000 Business cards for $60.00 www.colorphotobusinesscards.com • $10 off /with ad

STUDIOS FOR SALE TURNKEY PORTRAIT STUDIO in South Florida. Est. 25 years. High traffic retail location. Affordable Lease. Very Profitable. $50k in weddings under deposit. Extensive props and equipment. $175,000. Call Ken at 772-220-4455. www.acquisitionexperts.net

ProductMall

SOMETHING HERE YOU NEED.

High quality portrait studio for sale in WESTERN NEBRASKA. Owner retiring after 33 years. You can buy with or without real estate. It has been an excellent business through the years. Gross is 200-250K per year. Call 308-762-1291 or e-mail: [email protected] for details. AWESOME DALLAS AREA PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO: A well established, newly remodeled, state of the art studio for sale. In business over 20 years with a great reputation and large client base. Big, spacious studio, with lots of equipment, backgrounds, props, specialty scenes, and big screen protection room. Owner wants to slow down. Will assist with the transition. Call 214-837-5823. A WELL-ESTABLISHED, SUCCESSFUL TURNKEY PHOTOGRAPHIC BUSINESS IN A HIGH VISIBILITY, FASHIONABLE AREA OF NORTH FLORIDA. OPEN FIFTEEN YEARS, NOW WITH FULL FILM AND DIGITAL PROCESSING, WIDE FORMAT PRINTING, LUCIDIOM AND FUJI KIOSKS, SPACIOUS-EQUIPPED STUDIO, LIGHTING, CAMERAS, BACKGROUNDS AND MUCH MORE. READY TO HAND OVER TO CONTINUE MAKING A PROFIT RIGHT AWAY. THE BUILDING, OVER 4000 SQ.FT., WITH LARGE PARKING LOT, IS AVAILABLE FOR LEASE OR PURCHASE. OWNERS ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE ON SITE. THE BUILDING WILL BE WORTH $1,000,000. NOW OFFERING BUILDING AND BUSINESS TOGETHER FOR 900K. OWNER AVAILABLE DURING TRANSITION. [email protected] OR CALL MON-FRI 904-399-3939 BEFORE 9 AM OR BETWEEN 5 AND 6PM.EST. LOS ANGELES PHOTOGRAPHY/Production Studio, located in the Artists District. Bldg. is 19,000 sq ft free standing on 22.000 sq ft of land. It is concrete tilt-up with dock high loading, built specifically for a photography and production studio in 1978. Exacta Photographers, Inc has been a successful business since 1970, grossing an average 1 million per year. Fully equipped w/hot lights for TV commercials and strobe equipment for fashion, etc. 7 air conditioned sets (10,000 sq.ft.) a fully equipped color lab/ computer stations/executive offices, huge inventory of backgrounds for sets, cameras, lens, etc. Owner retired. A great opportunity for the right person. For info call 626-445-7459.

STUDIOS WANTED COLUMBUS CAMERA GROUP, INC. buys whole studios or any part including cameras, film, darkroom, long roll, lighting, and misc. No quantities too small. Call 800-3257664. Ask for Eric.

April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 137

good works |

Images wield the power to effect change. In this monthly feature, Professional Photographer spotlights professional photographers using their talents to make a difference through charitable work.

©Rebecca Worple

the organization and her community was too critical a responsibility to ignore. Worple decided to take a positive angle on the work. “Some of LifeCenter’s past calendars were on the somber side,” she says. “I wanted to celebrate the lives of people who are here today because of what they had been given, and to honor the people who gave a part of themselves in death so others could live.” Worple took time to speak with each person featured in the calendar. She met with the donor families and learned about their loved ones. She talked to organ recipients, several of whom were deeply conflicted by the knowledge that someone had to die in order for them to live. “I was amazed by some of the organ

Life, pass it on

recipient children I met,” says Worple. “They

RAISING AWARENESS FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION NEEDS

take life for what it is without complaint.”

O

n average, the transplanted organs of one donor can save

are so strong, so positive. They are pleased with everything they have been given, and they The calendars with Worple’s images now hang in hospitals, schools and local busi-

inspire others to follow their example. Last year, photographer Rebecca Worple

nesses around the region. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the project has been increasing

the life of eight recipients.

of Cincinnati became one of the inspired.

awareness of the tremendous need for and

As many as 50 people can

She had been looking for ways to give back

value of organ donation.

benefit from one person’s

to her community when she encountered

tissue donation. The gift of bone

LifeCenter, a not-for-profit organization

Worple. “Before doing it, I had said yes to

marrow or blood can help sustain

“The whole project was uplifting,” says

that facilitates organ and tissue donations in

becoming an organ and tissue donor at my

critically ill patients and revitalize those with

her tri-state area. LifeCenter was designing a

local driver’s license bureau, but otherwise

debilitating diseases. The benefits of giving

calendar for outreach and educational pur-

barely thought about it. Until I was involved

of oneself, literally, are profound. Still, not

poses, and needed compelling images to tell

in this project, I didn’t truly appreciate the

enough Americans do.

the stories of its donors and the successes of

circle of life. It really is amazing.” �

To encourage more Americans to

the recipients. Worple realized the photogra-

become organ donors, April has been des-

phy would be an emotionally difficult proj-

ignated National Donate Life Month.

ect. She would meet with people suffering

Across the U.S., hospitals, blood banks and

chronic illness and speak to donors’ grieving

donation organizations are joining togeth-

families. But having the chance to produce

er to celebrate life-giving donors, and to

something that would have real benefits for

138 • www.ppmag.com

To learn more about LifeCenter, visit lifepassiton.org. To see more from Rebecca Worple, check out owenemma.com. Share your good works experience with us by e-mailing Cameron Bishopp at [email protected]

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