Professional Photographer UK January 2008

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JANUARY 2008 | WWW.PPMAG.COM | $4.95

Faithful color. Incredible latitude. An effortless workflow. Even the photographers will be throwing bouquets. Jose Villa

©2007 Jose Villa

©2007 FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc.

Fujifilm Pro 400H 220 Format

In a digital age, is it possible to have a renaissance in film? After using Fujicolor Pro 400H for the shot above, Jose Villa emphatically says, yes. “I love the soft tones that this film provides. Even though the lighting is flat in this image, Pro 400H allowed me to capture smooth, soft gradations from highlight to shadow and keep the skin tones natural as well." What’s more, since Fujicolor Pro 400H is designed for ultimate compatibility in today's digital workflow, it offers ease of use after the shoot. For a wedding photographer as busy as Jose, that’s a proposal that’s difficult to resist.

CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | JANUARY 2008

Features 112

SENSE & SENSIBILITY For Kevin Kubota success came by listening to both head and heart by Jeff Kent

122

OUT ON THE TABLE John Harrington shares everything he has learned about business—and leaves nothing out by Jeff Kent

132

A MASTER’S MASTER PPA’s 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award honors Frank E. Cricchio by Don Dickson

144

POOLS OF LIGHT Howard Schatz and his remarkable life aquatic by Stephanie Boozer

74

WEDDINGS: RISING STARS

JB & DeEtte Sallee soar into the wedding photography stratosphere by Jeff Kent

80

PORTRAITS: ONE STEP AHEAD

Frank Donnino changes with the times by Jeff Kent

88

WEDDINGS: FRONT PAGE NEWS

Cliff Mautner is hot on the trail of blushing brides by Stephanie Boozer

96

NATURE: CHILLING EFFECT

James Balog documents the accelerating glacial pace by Jeff Kent

104

WEDDINGS: BUILDING BACK

In post-Katrina New Orleans, John-Michael Hannan builds anew by Lorna Gentry IMAGE BY HOWARD SCHATZ

CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | JANUARY 2008 | WWW.PPMAG.COM

14 FOLIO 156

CALENDAR

163

PPA TODAY

186

GOOD WORKS

©Cliff Maunter

Departments C O N TA C T S H E E T 18 PIX Digital Imaging Contest 22 PPA & SEP sweepstakes winner 27 Candid camera 29 New photo books 32 What makes a photography

Web site great?

PROFIT CENTER 37 What I think: Frank Cricchio 38 The joy of marketing

by Sarah Petty 42 Finding the boutique client

by Sara Frances 46 Raising the bar: Blake Discher

by Jeff Kent

THE GOODS 51 What I like: Frank Donnino 52 Pro review: Olympus E-3

by Joe Farace 58 Workflow: Freestyle shooting

by David Jay 66 Print finishing: Grand finale

by Bryan Linden 70 Tutorial: Time-saving

88

Lightroom presets by Kevin Kubota

During his tenure with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cliff Mautner learned

to judge the moment and find the light. He captures the essence of who the couple is, allowing it to come out naturally, but rendered through his artistic interpretation.

6 • www.ppmag.com

ON THE COVER: Taken in a pool custom designed for underwater photography, in crystal clear water regulated for chemistry and temperature, Howard Schatz's images mesmerize the viewer with dancers' ethereal expression in a weightless world. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson loaned this fanciful dress for “Underwater Study 2615,” one of the images from Schatz's newest book, “H2O.” Exposure: 1/125 second at f/4.0, ISO 50.

Mind. Body.

Photography. A Picture-Perfect Relationship :PVSLFFOFZFBOEDSFBUJWFWJTJPOUSBOTGPSNFMFNFOUTJOUPCFBVUJGVM POFPG BLJOEQIPUPHSBQIJDJNBHFT8IJUF)PVTF$VTUPN$PMPVSCSJOHTZPVSJNBHFT UPMJGFXJUIBEFWPUJPOUPTJNQMJDJUZUIBUIFMQTZPVBDIJFWFNPSF BOEB SFQVUBUJPOGPSRVBMJUZBOETFSWJDFUIBUEFMJWFSTQFBDFPGNJOE8IFOZPV TVDDFFE XFTVDDFFE*UµTUIBUTJNQMF

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P ROF E S S I ONA L

EDITORIAL

director of publications

CAMERON BISHOPP [email protected]

The master

senior editor

art director/production manager

JOAN SHERWOOD [email protected]

DEBBIE TODD [email protected]

We’re honored this month to feature in our pages the “master’s

features editor

manager, publications and sales/strategic alliances

master,” Frank E. Cricchio, M.Photog.Cr., Hon.M.Photog., CPP,

LESLIE HUNT [email protected]

EARNING THE ULTIMATE MERIT BADGE

KARISA GILMER [email protected]

F-ASP, Hon.F-ASP, a member of the Cameracraftsmen of America. Cricchio, a past president of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) as well as the American Society of Photographers, took his first image in 1944 with a Sparta box camera, and opened his first studio of photography in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1958. Cricchio also holds a record that many have tried, but so far failed, to top. Through the PPA Merit and Degree Program, launched in 1937, member photographers earn merits toward PPA degrees for their professional achievements and their contributions to furthering the photographic education of others. Merits are awarded when a member takes PPA-sanctioned classes to advance his skills and business acumen, creates images that become part of the PPA Loan Collection, has images and/or articles published in Professional Photographer magazine, and educates other photographers through speaking and presenting seminars at PPA and affiliated events. In 1998, Cricchio became the first person to earn more than 1,000 merits—1,192 of them to date—and he continues to make tremendous contributions not only to the association, but the whole of the photographic industry. This year, the PPA Board of Directors confers the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award on Frank Cricchio, honoring a career of creative image-making, his professionalism and tireless contribution to educating and enriching fellow photographers. Turn to p. 132 for our interview with Cricchio.

BIG TIME Finally, a nod to this issue, our Imaging USA show special, and our biggest magazine ever. We hope you enjoy it, and please pass it on to anyone you know who’s just starting out in professional photography. We hope it will serve as a useful introduction for the photographers coming into our ever-growing industry. I Cameron Bishopp, Director of Publications [email protected]

10 • www.ppmag.com

editor-at-large

sales and marketing assistant

JEFF KENT [email protected]

CHERYL PEARSON [email protected] technical editors

ANDREW RODNEY, ELLIS VENER director of sales and strategic alliances

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

BART ENGELS, 847-854-8182, [email protected] eastern region ad manager

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

MOLLIE O’SHEA, [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 2035, Skokie, IL 60076; 800-742-7468; FAX 404-614-6406; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.com member services

PPA - Professional Photographer 800-786-6277; FAX 301-953-2838; 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; FAX: 480-807-4509 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: $39.95, 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 2035, Skokie, IL 60076; 800-742-7468; FAX 404-614-6406; 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 2035, Skokie, IL 60076 Copyright 2008, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinator at Wrights’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

CAROL ANDREWS M.Photog.Cr., ABI [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

2007-2008 PPA board president *JACK REZNICKI Cr.Photog., API [email protected] president-elect *DENNIS CRAFT M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP [email protected] vice-president/treasurer *RONALD NICHOLS M.Photog.Cr., API [email protected] chairman of the board *MICHAEL GLEN TAYLOR M.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog., API, F-ASP [email protected]

We bring the

h i g h s c h o o l market into focus

American Student List has been providing High School Student lists to hundreds of satisfied portrait photographers since 1971. High School Seniors and Juniors are available on pressure-sensitive labels, diskette or via electronic delivery.Additionally,our list of Families with Children is ideal for marketing family and holiday portraits. See us at the Imaging USA Convention (Booth 1404) for a chance to win a $100 AMEX Gift Card.

NY: 888-462-5600 — FL: 888-550-8548 — www.studentlist.com The most trusted name in youth marketing. 12 • www.ppmag.com

directors RONNIE NORTON ABI, Qualified European Photographer, Associate of the Irish PPA [email protected] LOUIS TONSMEIRE Cr.Photog., API [email protected] DON DICKSON M.Photog.Cr., CPP [email protected] SANDY PUC’ M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI [email protected] RALPH ROMAGUERA, SR. M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP [email protected]

SUSAN MICHAL M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI [email protected] TIMOTHY WALDEN M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP [email protected] industry advisor MICHAEL GREEN [email protected] legal counsel Howe and Hutton, Chicago PPA staff DAVID TRUST Chief Executive Officer [email protected] SCOTT KURKIAN Chief Financial Officer [email protected] CAMERON BISHOPP Director of Publications [email protected] DANA GROVES Director of Marketing & Communications [email protected] SCOTT HERSH Director of Sales & Strategic Alliances [email protected] J. ALEXANDER HOPPER Director of Membership, Copyright and Government Affairs [email protected] WILDA OKEN Director of Administration [email protected] LENORE TAFFEL Director of Events/Education [email protected] *Executive Committee of the Board

Proof Books

Parent Albums

Finished Albums

Vendor Sample Books

Studio Sell Books

Favors and Gifts And…

Collages.net press printed books are made from the highest quality materials and provide the industry’s finest presentation. They are available in a wide variety of convenient sizes and creative color and border options, for any of your studio needs. For more information, visit www.collages.net/books or contact Customer Service at (877) 638-7468 or [email protected].

Albums | High-End Cards | Press Printed Books | Gallery Wraps | Professional Printing | Online Presentation Check out Collages.net’s comprehensive product line at www.collages.net/products. ©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photo ©2008 More Than An Image Photography.

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.

©Stan Jones

STAN JONES While visiting Babcock State Park in West Virginia, Stan Jones, M.Photog., of S&N Photography in Cave City, Ky., fulfilled a longtime wish to photograph this unique spot. Taking advantage of the early morning light, Jones exposed “Glade Creek Falls” for 4 seconds at f/16, ISO 100, with a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II digital SLR and 24-70mm Canon f/2.8 L EF lens with a circular polarizer. He used Adobe Photoshop to perform minor color correction.


BOB HAWKINS “Anyone who knows my work knows I love character studies,” says Bob Hawkins, M.Photog.MEI.Cr., CPP, of Bob Hawkins Studio in Newton, Iowa. “I like to get their story, where the journey of life has taken them.” Using nothing but a Larson 4x6-foot silver reflector to bounce light from a window, Hawkins captured “Etched by Time” with a Canon EOS-1Ds digital SLR and 70200mm Canon f/2.8 L USM EF lens. He converted the image to black and white in Adobe Photoshop, adjusted the contrast and density, and applied a weathered wood overlay to add texture.

TIM MATHIESEN Tim Mathiesen, M.Photog.Cr., A-ASP, F-ASP, of Panoscenes.com in Laguna Niguel, Calif., couldn’t resist the urge to capture this breathtaking sunset over Moloki Island in Hawaii. Shooting with a Fujifilm Panorama GX617 Professional camera and 105mm Fujinon SW f/8 lens with a center filter, Mathiesen exposed Fujichrome Astia 100F film for 1/15 second at f/16 to create “Just Another Sunset in Paradise.” “Sunsets in Hawaii are legendary,” says Mathiesen. “This one looked like nothing would happen, then turned spectacular in just a few minutes.” ©Tim Mathiesen

©Bob Hawkins

Three new cameras designed to inspire.

Starting with the totally new EOS-1Ds Mark III. With a 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, dual “DiG!C III” Image Processors, and a 3-inch LCD monitor, it’s far and away the most remarkable camera Canon has ever created. The newly redesigned 10.1-megapixel EOS 40D lets photographers take the next leap

forward, with its DiG!C III Image Processor and 6.5 frames-per-second shooting. Along with the exceptional EOS-1D Mark III with its blazingly fast 10.5 frames-per-second shooting and 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon makes the creative process easy, rewarding and, most important, inspiring.

To get more inspired about the Canon EOS system, go to: www.usa.canon.com/dlc Enter the “Why Do You Love Football” Photo Contest at www.usa.canon.com/nfl for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl XLII. Contest ends 12/2/07. ©2007 Canon U.S.A., Inc. Canon, EOS and DiG!C are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States. IMAGEANYWARE is a trademark of Canon. All rights reserved.

CONTACT SHEET What’s New, Events, Hot Products, Great Ideas, Etc. ©Greg Sims

Let’s get

digital PIX Digital Imaging Contest Thirteen highlights 2007’s best ©Michel Tcherevkoff


©Sean Teegarden

Sponsored by Photo District News magazine, the annual PIX Digital Imaging Contest recognizes special achievement in digital photography in several categories. Winning images are determined not only by the technical proficiency they reflect, but also by such universal photographic principles as imagination, vision and collaborative effort. The PIX contest is an opportunity to acknowledge the digital techs, CGI artists, retouchers and other digital artists who labor behind the scenes. The first place winners of PIX Digital Imaging Contest Thirteen are, by category: Advertising Campaign: Hasnain Dattu and Stephen Cribben for their collaboration on “We See What Most Don’t,” a campaign for the Salvation Army. Portraits/Celebs/Music: Michael O’Brien for the “Tom Waits Series,” depicting the musician in a variety of scenes for his new album, “Orphans.” Travel/Lifestyle: Tony Gale for “Night,” nightscapes of public recreation spaces shot on film then scanned for digital editing. Fashion/Beauty: Michel Tcherevkoff for “Shoe Fleur,” a collection of shoes and accessories made entirely from botanical elements. Personal Work: Jim McHugh for the “Hotel Series,” a project inspired by the preservation of Los Angeles buildings. New Talent: Sean Teegarden for “True Character,” a portrait series in which Teegarden made the distinguishing characteristics—what some would call flaws—of his subjects vividly apparent. The PIX contest judges were Brian Storm of MediaStorm; Dave Lewis of Fallon Worldwide; Marin Preske of Surface magazine; Katrin Eismann, digital photography author and instructor at the School of Visual Arts; and Martin Bols of [zerone] Photo Retouching.

For more information on the awards, visit www.pdngallery.com/contests/pixdigital/2007.

Opposite page, top and left: Greg Sims' "Lemonade Stand," was merited in the Advertising category. Michel Tcherevkoff's "Shoe Fleur," was First in Fashion/Beauty. Above: Sean Teegarden's "True Character" series was first in New Talent.

January 2008 • Professional Photographer • 19

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CONTACT SHEET

Sweepstakes winner

equivalent of a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.

PPA and SEP members-only Sweepstakes Marketing Co-op pays off

stakes Marketing Cooperative member

Hicks Studio participated in the national sweepstakes by joining the PPA/SEP Sweepprogram. Along with the Graduate in the

Roman Cooper from Saginaw, Mich., is the first

Society of Sport & Event Photographers (SEP).

Driver’s Seat Sweepstakes, PPA and SEP

winner of the 2007 Graduate in the Driver’s

Cooper entered the sweepstakes at Hicks

also sponsored two more give-aways, the

Seat Sweepstakes, sponsored by Professional

Studio of Saginaw, owned by Randall

Family Destination: Disney Sweepstakes and

Photographers of America (PPA) and the

Tucker, CPP. He chose to take home the cash

Escape to Paradise Cruise Sweepstakes. The winners of both will be announced this month. This exclusive new member-only benefit enables photographers to participate in a profit-building sweepstakes promotion with high-value prizes that they couldn’t offer on their own. PPA and SEP members can still join the 2008 Sweepstakes Marketing co-op and give their own clients the chance to win fabulous prizes. Find out more at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8, or online at www.ImageSweepstakes.com.


2007

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No digital SLR on the planet could take this shot. So we built one.

©2007 Nikon Inc.

See more of Sandro’s awe-inspiring D3™ images at stunningnikon.com/challenge Brainerd Int’l Raceway. Dusk. Turn 8. 1/5000 of a sec. f/4 at 6400 ISO. NIKKOR® 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens. For more on the Nikon® D3, turn the page.

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CONTACT SHEET

©Gruber Photographers

Candid camera Capturing the moment she says, “Yes.”

BY LORNA GENTRY

Nearly every aspect of the digital generation’s

reaction. In a trend that’s picking up traction,

lives is online, in photographs, and fair game

photographers are documenting couples’

—even the typically private moment between

lives from “Will you marry me?” to “I do.”

couples when marriage is proposed. Would-be

New York wedding photographer Terry

grooms are hiring professional photographers

deRoy Gruber, who photographed the wedding

to secretly photograph them on bended knee

of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones,

popping the question to their unsuspecting girl-

is in the vanguard of pre-engagement photogra-

friends, who also have no idea a lens is trained

phy. Since 1999 Gruber has been all over

on their priceless (and, hopefully, positive)

Manhattan covertly photographing proposals from Central Park to rooftops and the Brooklyn

Photo by Casey Fatchett

Bridge. “Public places are often best, but there is always the chance that someone will walk in front of the camera at ‘the moment’ and obscure the view. We do the best we can, but when we’re in a public spot we can’t control everything.” It’s a bit easier to pull off paparazzi photography in a restaurant, he says. For outdoor proposals, Casey Fatchett, also a New York wedding photographer, recommends daylight or at least a well-lit area. “I once had a client who took his girlfriend to Columbus Circle to propose,” he says. “I text messaged him to move her

uses Rolleiflexes, 35mm film and digital

closer to the fountain where the light was

cameras with 200-400mm lenses, and

better. As we messaged back and forth, he

Widelux panoramic cameras “in order to

told her he was he was messaging for work,

give a sense of setting,” he says. If Casey

but afterward she said she was beginning to

Fatchett is trying to blend into a crowd, he

wonder if there was another woman.”

uses either a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens or a 28-

Price depends on the arrangements, which

105mm f/2.8 lens on his digital camera.

can range from a photographer simply dressed

One of Fatchett’s ruses is pretending to be a

as a tourist with a camera to elaborately con-

street photographer at a predetermined loca-

cocted pretexts. Terry Gruber has hired people

tion. “It helps that I came to New York to be

to pretend to pose with their dogs in Central

an actor,” he says. “This type of photography

Park for a photographer who is actually

let’s you live out a spy fantasy, following people

shooting over their shoulder to capture the

around paparazzi-esque, shooting out windows

proposal-in-progress behind them. “It’s a bit

and taxis. It’s fun and it’s always different.”

like a duck blind,” he says. For about an hour’s

To see more of Terry deRoy Gruber’s photography, visit www.gruberphotographers.com. To see more of Casey Fatchett’s photography visit www.fatchett.com.

time, Gruber charges $750 and up, and Casey Fatchett’s prices begin at $295. Each photographer books about a dozen a year. Equipment depends on the job. Gruber

Lorna Gentry is a freelance writer in Atlanta.


Pages

an enormously influential photographer and

1947, Magnum Photos has chronicled the

teacher, captures the jingoism of America in

major events and personalities that shape

A survey of photo books

the 1970s through a wide-angle lens.

our time. This massive tome of more than

Crowds of spectators at sporting events form

400 photographs marks Magnum’s sixtieth

eerie evidence of a nation embroiled in war.

anniversary. True to its cooperative heart,

Rob Gardiner, editor of the online PhotoBook Guide (www.photobookguide.com), cites five noteworthy books on photography rolling

“Magnum Magnum,” edited by Brigitte Lardinois (Thames and Hudson, $225). Since

each Magnum photographer has featured the work of another of its 69 members.

off the presses this month. “The Brown Sisters: Thirty-three Years,” by Nicholas Nixon (The Museum of Modern Art, $34.95). For each of the last 33 years

Diver rescues laptop from Amazon.

Nicholas Nixon has photographed a group portrait of his wife and her three sisters. This book

DriveSavers rescues data from laptop. Piranhas go hungry.

presents all 33 portraits, including eight taken since the out-of-print 1999 edition. To witness the progression of these portraits, through marriages and pregnancies, is to encounter the courage and dedication of family experience. “Vinter,” by Lars Tunbjörk (Steidl/ Swedish Books, $50). Lars Tunbjörk's latest fascinating exploits find him traveling through the cold, dark aura of a northern Scandinavian winter. These bittersweet scenes will echo with readers everywhere. “This is War!: Robert Capa Photographs 1936–1945 (Steidl, $74). Robert Capa captured photos of destruction and liberation that have become icons of war. This book takes a detailed look at many of those famous images, including the “Falling Soldier” and D-Day invasion, using historical documents to illustrate the stories behind both Capa and his photographs. “American Sports, 1970: Or How We Spent the War in Vietnam,” by Tod Papageorge (Aperture). This photo book by Tod Papageorge,

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Listening. Creating. Albums

High-End Cards

“Collages.net albums have superior print quality, the ordering process is effortless, and the customer service is above exceptional. However, the basis of my choice doesn’t do the product justice until seeing it first-hand. Plus, the feedback from my studios’ clients is phenomenal! With an abundance of attractive and vibrant leather color choices available for covers, my clients always find the perfect fit for their album. As the owner of three busy studios, I’d like to thank Collages.net albums for taking yet another product to the next level. ” Julie Madison Artistic Imaging Las Vegas

“Uniquely beautiful, high-class, and extremely professional are all phrases my clients use to describe Collages.net’s high-end cards. Adding this product to my studio’s line couldn’t have been a more profitable choice. Not only has it greatly increased my bookings, but it has increased the appreciation and the quality of my work. There isn’t another card product that comes close to this innovative, personal product line.” DeeDee Dallas D2 Photography Riverside, CA

Gallery Wraps “Extraordinary is the best way I can describe Collages.net’s gallery wrap line. I have several gallery wraps displayed at my studio, and my clients love them. Not only do these products sell themselves, but Collages.net’s lab turns them around quickly, their specialists go above and beyond to help you, and Collages.net’s print quality is first class. Collages.net has exceeded my clients and my expectations once again!” Dan Doke Daniel Doke Photography Boston

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Professional Printing “Competition is intense. I am always looking for tools to keep me one step ahead of the game, and collagesColorTM provides me with a total workflow solution that does just that. My clients are beyond pleased with the simple viewing and ordering process, and I know I can place total trust with Collages.net to handle my clients’ needs. collagesColorTM delivers unsurpassed results, freeing up my studio time to be more focused on the creative aspect of my business.”

Check out Collages.net’s comprehensive product line at www.collages.net/products. Contact Customer Service at (877) 638-7468 or [email protected].

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©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photos are ©2008 of their respective photographers.

CONTACT SHEET

What makes a photography Web site great? 5 important content and design basics

Your Web site is often a client's first impression. You need a distinct brand identity, as John Sibiliski's site illustrates (left).

BY TRICIA GELLMAN HOLMES

A great Web site is one that gets you the quality and quantity of work that you want. In the current age of technology, a high-quality portfolio Web site is essential for a professional photographer because in many cases, your Web site is also your potential clients’ first impression of you and your work. The first and arguably most important aspect of your site are the images—make sure they load quickly and are displayed large. Beyond your imagery, here are five key components: unique and consistent branding, easy to use navigation, updated content, search engine optimization and clear, easy to find contact information. All of these contribute to ensuring your Web site is working to market your business. 1. A distinct and consistent brand identity. Your Web site is a primary means to establish your brand and distinguish yourself. Through the selection of your images, use of color, typography, logos and graphics, and even music, you have the opportunity to create your own unique brand. Consistent branding throughout your site shows the attention to detail and the level of professionalism you bring to your business. In the worlds of portrait and wedding photography, your personality—and that of your brand—may be as important as your images to your potential client’s decision. Customers often look for a brand and images that they connect with on an emotional level. 2. Intuitive navigation. Navigating your site shouldn’t be a challenge. An intuitive navigation scheme helps visitors explore your site without experiencing frustration. With a glance they should understand how to navigate your site and access the content


they want to see. Your choice of readable

e-mail or a request for more information, so

the amount of business you generate while

fonts is also key to ease of navigation.

it’s easy for potential clients to get in touch

giving you more time and energy to spend

Ornate or highly stylized fonts should be

with you.

on your work.

used very selectively. Clearly identified menu

Features such as these add value to your

items enable visitors to quickly find the

site and make it a resource for clients and

pages they are most interested in. Easy-to-

potential clients. A well-designed and easy-

navigate portfolios make visitors want to

to-use Web site will dramatically increase

Tricia Gellman Holmes is vice president of marketing for liveBooks, a provider of customized portfolio Web sites and marketing software for professional photographers.

explore them fully. The right navigation makes your Web site inviting and will increase the amount of content potential clients view. 3. Updated content. Keep it fresh. A Web site that changes regularly provides an incentive for visitors to come back again. A site that is frequently refreshed tells prospective clients that you are actively working and also technically astute. And having a Web site solution that allows for easy updating without complicated programming is key to keeping your Web site current without taking away from your time to shoot. 4. Image size and download speed. Your Web site should showcase your work first and foremost, not distract people from it.

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Let your images take up most of the viewing area so the rest of your Web site design isn’t competing for attention. Faster download speed helps visitors have a better experience overall. Finding the right balance between high quality and low file size is essential. Too far in one direction and your photos will appear slowly on a visitors’ screen, and too far in the other gets you fast-loading photos that don’t reflect the quality of your work. 5. Clear contact information. A clear contact page is one of the easiest ways to increase business. Make sure that after visitors have explored your Web site they have an easy way to become your clients. Have a page where visitors can find out where you are located and access your contact information, including your address, phone number, and e-mail address. Make the page clickable with hot links to your Call 631-656-7400, visit www.qtm.com or your professional photo dealer for more information.


Photography by Gregory Heisler.

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Professional Photographer

P R E S E N T S

Business, Marketing and Sales Strategies

What I think Frank Cricchio prioritized professionalism for 50 years What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning in the photography business? Know the technical skills that enable you to give your client the best product in the industry. Having technical skills enables you to go further with your artistic vision. What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken? My biggest risk was embracing color photography when we had only black and white. Families wanted matching images of their children, and black and white mixed with color images was not acceptable. What do you consider your big break—the turning point? The introduction of color photography in 1958. Before color photography, the old masters kept their quality processes secret and did not share with others. When color photography was introduced, everyone was on a level playing field. All of us had to start from step one to learn color, from processing to the art of using color in an image. What’s the secret to running a successful photography business? The secret to any personal service business is to care more about your customers’ needs than your profits. You must become involved in your community. Your professional image should be impeccable. You should always dress professionally and behave professionally. When the phone rings, always answer it with a smile in your voice. IMAGE BY FRANK CRICCHIO WWW.FRANKCRICCHIO.COM


THE JOY OF MARKETING

TM

S A R A H P E T T Y, C P P

To be successful in business, you must do things that give you visibility and build your brand all year long. To be a leader in your

Successful studio events can generate buzz, heighten visibility and build brand for your business. Here are 12 tips for a great party.

Host with the most

12 IDEAS FOR THROWING AN ANNUAL EVENT

market requires doing even more, things that knock the socks off clients and prospects. Once a year, every business should throw an event that creates massive buzz. Think of it as a party to celebrate your clients. The event must be exciting, enticing and inspiring. People don’t want to come to your business to hear a sales pitch, they want to be stimulated. Now’s your opportunity to wow them with your creativity. One of the best reasons to host an event is to bring in people during a slow time, which often for photography studios is the first quarter of the year. You can use an event

All photos ©Vicki Taufer

not only to create buzz, but also to book sessions during typical lulls. When it comes to having successful events, Vicki Taufer, M.Photog., CPP, and husband Jed Taufer, owners of VGallery in Morton, Ill., are some of the best. VGallery has had a Girls Night Out event every winter for eight years. They invite vendors who appeal to women or who have a unique product to set up in their studio during the event. They give each attendee a gift bag stuffed full of goodies from these companies—really great goodies like product samples, not just coupons. Known for putting on events worth going to, the Taufers launched another successful event, Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer. Promoted solely with an e-mail blast, the event was fully booked in 24 hours. The 30 to 40 animals they’d planned to photograph grew to 120. The event’s sales were fantastic, and as part of the promotion, raised enough money to contribute 125 bags of pet food to

Vicki and Jed Taufer's Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer event generated a fantastic response and great press for Vgallery and animal charities.


animal charities. Three newspapers covered

time you can go crazy with fresh looks, but

the event, and one quoted Vicki Taufer: “We

the theme should be consistent with your

have run specials for children over the years

identity. Whatever the look, do not tamper

and have never seen a response like this.

with your logo.

People love their children, but they must

POLISH YOUR STUDIO like never before.

really love their pets.” The event generated

Repair any nicks and get rid of anything

both buzz and revenue, and positioned

unattractive or dated. Give the place a fresh

VGallery in a segment of the market they

coat of paint. When I worked at an advertising

had not yet tapped, pet photography.

agency, a client company rebuilt the front

Hosting an event can be stressful when

room displays in its hair salon and day spa

you’re new at it. I hope these tips from my

every six to eight weeks. Our clients knew it

own experience will help you create a

would increase sales of add-on products

smashing success.

because it was timed with the visiting cycle of

SELECT A THEME. Whether it’s a playful

the typical customer, so she’d see something

tagline or an extravagant design, your event

new every time she came, yet would still feel at

needs consistency. Use the same theme and

home there. Photographers should reenergize

design elements on the invitations, signage, nametags, packaging, ads and anything else you use to promote this event. This is one

A great goodie bag goes a long way in creating buzz.

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THE JOY OF MARKETING

TM

their studio at least once a year, and having

It’s a wonderful feeling to help others and it

an event with lots of “guests” is a great

creates goodwill in the community.

motivator to do it.

INTRODUCE SOMETHING NEW. People

PROVIDE A GUESTBOOK. Your database is one of your most important assets. Make sure you capture the names of everyone attending

TIE-IN WITH A CHARITABLE CAUSE.

look to you as a leader in style and design. They

your event and add the newcomers to your

We always find a way to generate funds for a

want to see what’s fabulous and new. Maybe

database. You can also collect new names

charity we believe in. For example, we can con-

it’s a canvas gallery wrap framed with stirring

and updates with register-to-win studio gift

tribute the event’s session fees to the charity

words, or a line of custom art books, or a

certificates. You could have people register

and say so in our promotions. Clients get both

new metallic media or a unique frame. New

to win a television set or other unrelated

a tangible product and emotional satisfaction.

products plant seeds for future session sales.

prizes, but you gain an opportunity for additional sales if the reward is a sitting. OFFER BEVERAGES AND ENTICING SNACKS. Pastries, hors d’oeuvres, soda and even adult beverages for evening events can stimulate conversations and make people comfortable in your setting. Make sure the time of your event accommodates different lifestyles. Stay-at-home moms are usually

Color scheme and design should be fresh and suit the theme, but still consistent with your studio's brand and identity.

THERE’S ALWAYS A REASON TO HAVE A PARTY If you’ve recently changed the name or logo of your business, an event is an opportunity to keep people attached to your brand. When you make major changes to your business, people want to know that they are positive changes. If you just opened your first retail studio space, have expanded or changed location, everybody is curious to see your new space. Make every detail perfect and celebrate with everyone you know. If you transition from proofs to projection, an event can help educate clients on how it benefits them. Set up a projector and show large images with music. It will give you a chance to explain how you can shoot more, how you can help them with


framing and in-home design and more. Events bring traffic during slow times. Planning an event allows you to be proactive and boosts the cash flow. Generating money for a favorite charity not only feels good, but also makes people feel good about you. It would be hard for many of us to donate $2,500 to a charity out of our own pocket, but if we can do it through our business, how wonderful is that! When you want to overcome objections, an event can be the solution. Have you ever heard, “We don’t want our home to be a shrine to our kids.”? Because my clients purchase large wall portraits, they sometimes have concerns that they’ll run out of space. I want them to come to my own home and

see how to decorate with artful portraits of one’s family. Right before Christmas, I hosted a holiday open house at my home. Welcoming my best clients into my home strengthened the bond between us. If you are expanding your services, an event can be a catalyst for growth. For example, if you are starting to offer senior photography, plan something exciting to get seniors to come see your cool space. Even if you don’t have a specific reason to stage an event, throw a fun party and hang out with the people who love your photography the most. Make hosting an event a goal for your business in the new year.

available until the kids get home from

but on the day of the event, take the time to

that might be taking place at the same time

school, and working parents like to come

make phone calls to the targeted reporters

as yours. Remember that events typically

right after work. Yes, 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. is

at the newspaper and television stations.

grow each year, so don’t get frustrated if you

a long time, but heck, you’ve done all the

One thing about events: there are no

don’t have a huge turnout for your first. On

work, the more the merrier.

guarantees, warns Vicki Taufer. “You can’t

the other hand, we know photographers who’ve

control things like weather or other events

had 400 people at their first event.” I

FREE GIFT FOR EVERYONE. I strongly advise studios to invest in an impressive promotional item. Coffee mugs and pens just don’t cut it anymore. I have given offsetprinted custom calendars housed in CD jewel cases. Twelve sheets of paper fit nicely; turn over the calendar and there’s a second year. Our art will be sitting in front of the client for two years after the event. At the Dog Days of Summer, VGallery gave visitors gift bags donated by a local bakery holding custom-made VGallery dog biscuits. BE GENEROUS. We produce hundreds more calendars than we’ll need for the event. I give several copies to everyone whose child was featured in it—we like to use some of our best clients as models—and they delight in passing them along to friends. PROSPECT FOR NEW CLIENTS. Target ads and announcements at select neighborhoods, groups or organizations to stir up new business. CONSIDER CO-MARKETING. For example, if you specialize in children’s photography, you could photograph select clients of children’s clothing shops in town and display them in a unique way during your event. Build goodwill with the store by inviting everyone on the clothing store’s mailing list. INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. It’s smart to invite the people who care about you. It helps fill your studio, which makes it seem more exciting, and because they want to see you succeed, they’re some of your best salespeople. GENERATE PUBLICITY AND MAXIMIZE EXPOSURE. Because you’re generating money for chairty, your event is newsworthy. Not only should you send a press release,


PROFIT CENTER

S A R A F R A N C E S , M . P H O T O G .C R .

The boutique photographer, a franchise of one

Finding the boutique client ©Eddie Tapp

The clients we desire want to know the spirit of the people they work with, so we post photos of ourselves on our Web site doing all kinds of jobs. The boutique model is an appearance business, and everything about us is critical as a sales tool.

This is the first in a year-long

for a valuable commercial relationship. The

series about the boutique studio business

budget was small, but the request for “nothing

model. The series will appear in the Web

special, just photos” looked easy and profitable.

Exclusives section at www.ppmag.com.

But it took 60 days to close the deal, the retainer check bounced, as did the final payment, and

Where can you find the clients for fine com-

a huge snowstorm almost doubled the time we

missioned photography who won’t be

spent on the job. Group photos for 20 disinte-

stricken with sticker shock? Demographic

grated into chaos, as some 50 people milled

information alone won’t help you. We’ve all

around with pre-dinner drinks, getting in the

experienced the low-income wedding client

way and distracting the subjects. These were

who pays cash for the most expensive package

not the clients for my studio. The boutique

and the Lexus-driving bride who values

photographer deals with relatively few clients

status more than high-quality photography.

a year, so he has to recognize and turn down

As for party consultants, an obvious referral

the uncommitted client.

source, they often expect a sizable commission and listing fees as well.


We recently had the privilege of photographing a couple at their country club wed-

A boutique cannot afford to work with

ding. All the decision-making parties came

unprofitable, time-consuming clients. The

to the studio for the first consultation. They

wrong client can even damage your business

judged the quality of our product based on

reputation. Last year, to fill a post-Christmas

their appreciation of fine arts and our willing-

lull, I took on a bat mitzvah hosted by the owner

ness to brainstorm special ways to approach

of a public relations firm. I saw the potential

their needs. It was unnecessary to educate them

on the fine points that make our studio differ-

and a word-for-word script to close the sale.

state who you are, what services and products

ent. They booked a $20,000 still and video

After the first few meetings, I began to get

you offer and how you want to limit jobs and

package on the spot. It’s been a joy to work

it. Within a structured guideline for building

services in the future, your goals in regard to

with them as the job progresses. It’s worth

a client relationship, there’s plenty of room to

your age and experience, your family life, and

the extra effort to find a handful of such clients!

be creative yet make high sales. It’s all about

whether you’re a long-time pro like me, or an

One way to simplify your search for the right

trust. Recently four different clients voiced that

eager newcomer. A startup boutique owner

client is to hire a professional coach or advisor,

exact word; they trusted me to design photo-

might have an easier time self-profiling

who can help you formulate a step-by-step

graphs and albums for them, for more than

because you can begin fresh. The demo-

playbook, a guide that defines the desired

$15,000 each. With that I knew my invest-

graphics of your area have a lot to do with

client, helps you find her, leads you through

ment in a professional coach had paid off.

the feasibility of your plan. Your coach

selling and contracts, and helps you close at

There’s a subtle difference between a busi-

least seven out of 10 prospects. A proficient

ness consultant, who helps to define a market,

coach is worth far more than the investment.

suggest operation and sales strategies, and a

needs to know the buying habits of the desired

After more than three decades in business,

business coach, who focuses on the principals

client, where she lives, her social pursuits, her

I didn’t think I needed a professional business

of the company and their personal goals and

family involvement. Analyze your best clients

consultant, even though I wasn’t reaching

strategies. I’m using the term “coach” to signify

and note what they have in common. When

enough of the right boutique clients. Then I

either one, but ask the professional you’re

you know what led them to select you, you

met Rick Skurla. He was the right person to

interviewing which one he considers himself

have a treasure map to lucrative clients. The

analyze my business from the outside, help

to be. When choosing, consider these factors:

more detailed the map, the better.

me develop a consistent sales presentation

Profile you and your market. First, honestly

should make sure you’re in the right arena. Profile your client. Your “franchise of one”

Attract and book prospects. For boutique


PROFIT CENTER

photographers, the right client is almost always

for a commitment and closing the deal are

measure your success with her answers to

a referral from a planner, a friend, a past client,

the last of the “offense” plays in your book.

your questions about how and why she

or anyone in a position to trust you enough to

Service after the sale. Score big when you

booked you, what she liked best, what could

refer others to you. You must consistently ask

demonstrate your superior technique, unique

have been done differently? You’re in a great

particular questions to ascertain that the

presentation and timely delivery. When you

position to ask for referrals, because the

prospect wants the top-tier product you

like your clients and there are but a select few

boutique photographer’s reward comes from

provide, is in position to finalize the decision,

of them, it’s easy to invent artistic new products,

exceeding expectations. I

and has the funds allocated. You can’t afford

keep in touch with progress reports on the

to invest time in prospects who don’t meet

job and write thank-you notes. Never

all three criteria. Your coach should help you

discount the importance of careful, trans-

script word-for-word qualifying questions

parent billing. I was amazed at clients’

phrased accurately and sensitively.

positive response when presented with a

Next, you get to show off your talent with

computerized, detailed invoice explaining

extravagant samples and offer creative ideas

every charge and the inevitable add-ons that

for the prospect’s particular needs. Your play-

come with any job. You will probably spend

book should include anecdotes of how you

serious time over a number of months to

solved similar problems in the past. If your

complete each job. Your billing can make a

prospect lives elsewhere and cannot meet in

lasting impression and fulfill the meaningful

person, your Web site becomes your credentials;

experience the boutique client desires.

the site in itself isn’t a direct sales tool. Asking


Now why not take a client to lunch, and

Sara Frances and her business partner and husband, cinematographer Karl Arndt, own Photo Mirage in Denver, Colo. (www.photomirage.com). For more info on Rick Skurla, professional business and sales coach of Skurla and Associates, e-mail [email protected]. Download a free copy of “The Business Owner’s Playbook,” a publication of The Hartford, at www.thehartford.com/businessowner. Sign up for a one-time consultation with Professional Photographers of America Studio Management Services, get info on upcoming business workshop at www.ppa.com.

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PROFIT CENTER

Blake Discher thinks new photographers shouldn't have to learn the business the hard way, like he did. He's happy to share what he's learned about being a success.

Blake Discher pursued professional development, reinvention and specialization. Starting out as an Associated Press stringer, he cut his teeth shooting sports and spot assignments. As his career

BY JEFF KENT

matured, Discher got into P.R. and corpor-

Raising the bar 7 VALUABLE LESSONS

For the last 18 years, Detroit photographer

FROM BLAKE DISCHER

ate photography. These days, he specializes in people-centered images, shooting for annual reports, brochures and editorial features. He’s one of the biggest names in corporate photography in Detroit. Discher is a strong believer in open

©Blake Discher

information sharing. He enthusiastically talks about his business to fellow professionals, going so far as to post a pricing structure on his Web site. He wants photographers everywhere to raise the bar so that everyone profits. We asked Discher to share some of the lessons he learned in running a successful photography business. SPECIALIZE. Everyone wants a specialist. If you do all types of photography, you’re a general practitioner. If you needed an operation on your brain, you’d go to a brain surgeon, not a general practitioner. Being in Detroit, my clientele is in the automotive industry. I’m a specialist in that field. I talk their lingo. I know their concerns. I have the relevant experience. That’s what clients like to hear. It’s what differentiates me from the competition. DIFFERENTIATE. One of the keys in this business is to stand out from the crowd. You need to express why the client should work with you and no other. If you can’t, it becomes a price game, and you’ll lose. One way to differentiate yourself is to be knowledgeable about your clients’ business, be


able to talk intelligently about it, ask

ideas we discuss. I create a partnership. If

BUDGET. Early in my conversation with a

pertinent questions. It instills confidence

you do this well, the client feels like you’re

prospective client, I ask, “Have you set a

that you’ve put time into the project, and

on the same team—his team. You want to

budget for this project?” I say I won’t be the

that makes you valuable.

build on the sense that you’re working

cheapest photographer around. In fact, I

together toward a common goal.

may be at the top end. But there’s a reason

PERSONALIZE. A large part of this busi-

for that. Never quote a price in the first

ness is people skills. If you call me from a

VIRTUALIZE. Photographers need to pay

phone call. Instead, take down all the

referral, the first thing I say is that I’d like

attention to Web marketing. The majority

specifics, ask plenty of questions, and then

to collaborate with you. Then I ask how

have a Web site, but don’t take full advantage

tell the client you’ll call him back. Then go

creative we can get on the project. Can we

of the Internet. Update your site often.

research the client’s business. Look at the

be a little different, or do we need to be

Add content. Make your site a dynamic

specifics of the job. When you call back with

conservative? You need to really engage the

experience for the visitor. About 65 percent

the price, you can drop in some talk about

client. Try to determine why this person

of my new clients come from Internet.

his company, show you know what you’re

called you. What did he see on your Web

The Internet is especially important for

doing when it comes to this job. Get him

site that he liked? What makes him think

emerging photographers without big

talking and engage him.

you might be the right person for the job? I

budgets. You can gain a real advantage with

also zero in on what makes this client click,

search engine optimizations, new content,

high, it’s equally bad to come in too low. I’m

find out exactly what he’s looking for up

updated material and other steps to keep

convinced that photographers who under-

front. I give him some ownership of the

your site fresh and interesting.

charge do so because, for the most part, they

In pricing, as bad as it is to come in too

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PROFIT CENTER

don’t know how much they could charge.

the survivors will be those who, at the end of

$1,500 and take pictures that are good

Take the time to not only research the client

the day, can say “I did everything I could to

enough. As a professional, if you take

but to research what other people are

market my business today.” Part of the

pictures that are only good enough, then

charging in your market.

challenge for professional photographers

that $1,500 camera just replaced you.

today is that the cost of entry is so low. MAXIMIZE. In today’s business climate,

Clients can buy high-end cameras for

REINVENT. It can be dangerous not to reinvent yourself every four or five years. Part of developing a style is looking at images, adapting to new tastes, and staying current. If you shoot long enough, you start to repeat certain elements. I’ve noticed my images have a lot of strong diagonal and vertical lines. The images are structured. The danger is that if I do it too much, it becomes standard, boring. The same goes for marketing. Examine what you are doing and don’t let your look get stale. Reinvent your marketing. I know I need to be more aggressive in my marketing. I’ve put my Web site out there, and it’s worked for the last five years. But I think that wave will start to settle down. It can’t be just about a Web site anymore. I need to get back to some traditional methods of getting clients. The way to make more money in this business is to get better clients. Once you have an established client, you’ll never be able to raise your prices dramatically with that client, so it’s important to keep getting better clients. That’s the way to progress in business. I To see more from Blake Discher, check out www.fireflystudios.com.

Blake Discher presents “Web Marketing” in the pre-convention program (January 3-5) at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.


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© Bambi Cantrell

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Professional Photographer

P R E S E N T S

Products, Technology and Services

What I like For Frank Donnino, toys are toys What makes your workflow flow? I have this dumb envelope system. We move the client envelope and order form from one area to another. It works well. Plus, I get exercise! What’s the best equipment investment you’ve ever made? My new GPS. Oh, you meant for photography? Hands down, our iMacs. Great, stable system. What hot new product are you going out of your way to use? Those plastic credit card type gift cards are getting our phone to ring off the hook. Has a piece of equipment ever changed the way you approach your photography? Yes. I love my 75-200mm Canon f/2.8 zoom lens. I photograph wide open outdoors and love the look I get. What’s the one piece of gear they’d have to pry from your cold, dead fingers? My iPhone, of course. Also, my Canon 5D with my zoom lens. Hey, toys are toys! IMAGE BY FRANK DONNINO WWW.FRANKTHEARTIST.COM


THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

The recently released Olympus E-3 digital SLR includes Live View, dust reduction, in-camera image stabilization and 10-megapixel image sensor. B Y J O E FA R A C E

Four-thirds for the pro OLYMPUS E-3

All images ©Joe Farace

In 2003, Olympus introduced the E-1, a professional digital SLR based on the four-thirds system; Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma followed suit (www.fourthirds.org). Olympus launched the Olympus E-3, its flagship, in Puerto Rico, which provided opportunities to test the camera’s capabilities under realworld pro shooter conditions. The E-2 got knocked off the design board when Olympus teamed with Panasonic for production of the Live MOS sensor. The E-3 includes live view and dust reduction, along with fast autofocus, incamera image stabilization, and a 10megapixel image sensor, all housed in a rugged dust and splash-proof magnesium alloy body. The 17.3x13mm Live MOS sensor yields a picture angle equivalent to a 2X focal length in 135mm format. Olympus says the E-3 has the fastest AF speed in the world. I couldn’t put a stopwatch

I made a series of photographs of Old San Juan’s Christ Chapel with the E-3 in Auto White Balance mode and got the kind of golden church photographs so beloved of wedding photographers in the days of film, but I wanted more. I shifted the E-3 into Live View mode so I could see color balance options and how they affected the image in real time. I captured this image using the Tungsten white balance preset that represented the chapel’s true colors. Exposure: 0.3 second, handheld at f/4.5, ISO 1600, 7-14mm Zuiko Digital ED f/4.0 lens at 7mm.

I used the 12-60mm lens along with the new EC20 2X Teleconverter at Castillo de Serralles to photograph these tiny—smaller than a dime— flowers. While the 2X teleconverter does not decrease the camera to subject distance, it does double the image size, producing superb macro results. Exposure: 1/200 second at f/11, ISO 100.

on the AF, but with the camera’s 11-point, biaxial cross type AF system, five framesper-second continuous shooting, and 1/8,000second top shutter speed, it was ready when I was to capture a decisive moment. The shutter has a life rating of 150,000 exposures, likely underrated, which should meet the demands of professional photographers. Olympus also announced three new Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) lenses, including the Zuiko ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 (24-120mm equivalent), my go-to lens in Puerto Rico. The E-3’s optical viewfinder provides a 100-percent view, and a 1.15X magnification for precise composition. The only cameras close to matching this big, beautiful view have full-frame sensors. The 2.5-inch swivel Live View LCD screen affords a 100-percent view and 170-degree viewing angle. The screen can be rotated freely so you can take Hail Mary shots with the camera held overhead, down low, or from unusual angles. Live View’s real advantage to pros is its real-time monitoring of white balance and exposure. When I was permitted to shoot inside Old San Juan’s Christ Chapel, I could confirm proper color balance through the live view image. Being quiet was essential, and the SWD lens focused quietly and accurately. Wedding photographers will find these features especially useful. The E-3’s built-in dust reduction system uses a supersonic wave filter to eliminate specks in captures. It can even remove spots that usually cannot be removed through vibration or discharging with static electricity.

DIGITAL ZUIKO Along with the E-3, Olympus announced three new Zuiko Digital ED lenses that use Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) autofocus motors: the 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD, 50200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD, and a 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD that will probably be available at PMA 2008. The lens’ two compact, high-powered Supersonic Wave Drives autofocus at high speed using elliptical oscillations, while an optical encoder detects and controls the lens drive position with direct rotation detection. What this means to you is quiet, fast autofocus lenses that accurately focus to 5 microns in 0.17 seconds. The 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD covers a zoom range equivalent to 24 to 120mm on a 35mm camera. It has special optical glass elements to correct aberrations, while its digital design ensures crisp edge-to-edge images even when shooting wide-open. This lens boasts impressive close-up capability, allowing you to shoot as close as 9.8 inches throughout the zoom range. At Castillo de Serralles in Ponce, I was able to shoot the 12-60mm lens along with the new EC-20 2X Teleconverter and it produced superb results in “normal” or macro shots. On the other end of the focal length spectrum, I used the same combination to double the focal length of the 60mm maximum focal length while photographing a model next to a waterfall in the El Yunque rain forest. Both close-up and fashion images were tack-sharp.



specs: Olympus E-3

I was walking past these boats and wondered what the E-3 could do—handheld—in the moonlight. Even handholding the shot is remarkably sharp due to the E-3’s mechanical image stabilization. Exposure: 0.4 second at f/3.5, ISO 2000, captured in Live View mode, 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 lens at 27mm.

The system really works. After three days

tion. If you know the general direction of

shooting on the beach and streets of San

the moving subject, the AF area will be

Juan and Ponce, where I was constantly

determined by the anticipated motion—a

changing lenses, my image files are squeaky

modern implementation of the pre-focusing

clean. The E-3’s sealed splash-proof, dust-

techniques used in the manual-focus days.

proof chassis proved itself during a rainstorm

Mechanical focusing is available, and there’s

in the El Yunque rainforest, even after I

a custom function to let you choose the

slipped on a wet rock and bloodied my

direction of the focus (clockwise or counter-

elbow, proving it’s more rugged than I am.

clockwise) that you find more natural.

The E-3 has a twin cross-type (biaxial),

The camera is fast from start-up to first

11-point AF sensor that responds on both

capture, but exposure compensation and

vertical and horizontal axis. Unlike systems

some other button controls seem stiff; you

that react at lower f-stops by boosting sensi-

have to really poke them to make them work.

tivity, the E-3’s sensor has a houndstooth

It’s easy to freeze sports action with the

pattern phase detection layout with micro-

E-3’s continuous frame rate of 5 frames per

lamination technology for fast, real-world

second (fps) and shutter speed up to 1/8,000

performance. The 11 AF target points can be

second. You don’t have to worry about blur

chosen individually or dynamically in combina-

caused by camera shake because the body’s


IMAGE PROCESSOR: TruePic III SENSOR: 4:3 aspect ratio, 17.3 x 13.0mm Live MOS sensor RESOLUTION: 10.1 effective megapixels (3,648 x 2,736) VIEWFINDER: 100% field of view, 1.15 magnification METERING: TTL open-aperture metering system, digital ESP metering (49-point multi pattern metering), centre weighted average, spot (about 2% of viewfinder); highlight/shadow bases are available SHOOTING SPEED: 5 frames per second up to 16 frames in RAW, up to card capacity in large/normal JPEG mode with SanDisk Extreme II or faster CF card ISO: 100-3200 EXPOSURE SETTINGS: Program AE (shiftable), aperture priority AE, shutter priority AE, manual SHUTTER SPEED: 1/8,000 second to 60 seconds (1/3, 1/2 or 1EV steps), bulb WHITE BALANCE: Hybrid detection system with high-speed Live MOS sensor and dedicated external sensor, 7 settings, custom from 2000 K - 14,000 K, white balance compensation available FOCUS MODES: Single AF (S-AF), continuous AF (C-AF), manual (MF), S-AF + MF, C-AF + MF LENSES: Four-Thirds mount Zuiko Digital lenses FLASH: Built-in retractable flash, GN=13 (ISO 100.m); compatible external flash FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-50, FL-36, FL-20, STF-22, SR-11; X-synch at 1/250 second or less, Super FP up to 1/8,000 second STORAGE: CompactFlash, xD PRICE: $1,699 (body only)

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built-in image stabilization compensates for camera movement up to five stops. The stabilizing Supersonic Wave Drive motors collect information about movement from a gyro, which detects and analyzes vibrations, and moves the imaging sensor with a piezoelectric element. I predict in-body image stabilization will become standard in digital SLRs. The camera’s TruePic III Image Processor uses all of the pixel information in each image, to yield accurate color, natural flesh tones, and true blue skies. It also lowers noise in images shot at high ISO—surprisingly low, even at ISO 1600. Noise becomes noticeable at ISO 2000 and higher, and if that bothers you, better reach for noise-reduction software. The synergy between the mechanical image stabilization and TruePic III processing gave me remarkably sharp and colorful captures under pure moonlight at the Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club, hand-holding the camera and

The E-3’s fast AF and nimble response enabled me to get off a series of shots of this guy coming up a narrow street in Old San Juan on a scooter. I didn’t have time to put the camera in Continuous mode; I heard the scooter, turned around and just started snapping the shutter. All of the shots were sharp and well exposed. Exposure: 1/640 second at f/4.0, ISO 200, 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 lens at the 12mm setting.

at a shutter speed of 0.4 second. Image quality in both RAW and JPEG modes was high, but is 10 megapixels enough?

to switch between capture card types, you

For most studio, portrait and wedding pho-

still have to dive into Olympus’

be useful for wedding and senior photogra-

tographers, yes. If you disagree, remember

“kitchen–sink” menus, in which every

phers to add snap to available-light photo-

not so long ago when you happily delivered

possible combination of customization is

graphs without the flat flash-on-camera

images made with 6-megapixel cameras. If

listed. That will be intimidating for the new

look. The flash syncs with either the camera’s

clients liked those image files, they’re going

Olympus shooter, but once you’ve

pop-up flash or another FL-50R in the hot

to love the 3,648x2,736-pixel captures of the

customized the E-3, changes and menu

shoe. I used the pop-up flash to trigger two

E-3, especially captured in Olympus ORF

dives will be fewer and simpler.

FL-50Rs to photograph models on the streets

(RAW) format. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

I tested the E-3 with the optional HLD-4

The FL-50Rwireless flash accessory will

of Old San Juan and they always fired. (Price:

and Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw already

Power Battery Holder, which holds two

$499.99.) Olympus includes a Sto-Fen-like

support this format.

rechargeable BLM-1 lithium-ion batteries,

bounce adapter that works quite well but

and had power enough to shoot all day. The

doesn’t seem as sturdy as the real thing.

The E-3 accepts CompactFlash, including the fast Lexar UDMA cards and not-so-fast

HLD-4 has a vertical grip and shutter release

(they lack a built-in controller) xD Picture

with controls, including a programmable

infinitely customizable to any specialty. A

Cards, which I’ve called “mostly useless”

function (Fn) button. If you prefer big

clever combination of live view, mechanical

because they’re non-standard and so tiny

cameras, you’ll like it. If you need the

image stabilization, and dust reduction let

they’re easy to lose. Olympus makes this

additional power, you might use the grip

you deliver clean, publishable image files

annoying little format more palatable by

despite its bulk. My wife, Mary, who has

with little or no tweaking. I

letting you copy files from one memory card

small hands, found the HLD-4 grip

to another with a single push of the added

comfortable, although she didn’t like the

button next to the pentaprism. If you want

similar grip for the E-1. (Price: $199.99.)


The E-3 is a tough pro camera that’s

Joe Farace is the author of “Getting Started in Digital Imaging” (Focal Press), available where books are sold and at www.joefarace.com.

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THE GOODS

It’s a radical theory—trust your equipment, automate your post-capture workflow, and spend your energy on your clients.

DAVID JAY’S WEDDING WORKFLOW

B Y DAV I D J AY

Freestyle shooting BREAK FREE OF YOUR TECHNICAL BAGGAGE

Imagine you’re out celebrating with friends and

of ourselves, even if those photos weren’t badly

you want to remember this happy experience.

taken. We dislike seeing that frozen aspect of

You hand off your point-and-shoot to a

ourselves and we feel awkward all over again.

stranger, he counts off 1-2-3, and nothing

Now put yourself in your clients’ shoes.

happens. How long can you keep smiling for

Imagine how they’d feel on their wedding

the camera before you begin to feel

day if they had to keep smiling while the

awkward, like your smile has become forced

photographer fiddled with the white balance

and cheesy? About half a second!

to ensure getting spot-on color, setting and

We’ve all felt it and then hated the pictures

resetting the exposure, and readjusting the

All images ©David Jay

I believe the photographer’s workflow should be streamlined to include only the tasks we need to do every week. Here’s how my workflow goes: 1. Download images using four Lexar Professional CompactFlash readers— I can download four CF cards in the same amount of time as one. 2. Import images into the Lightroom Library. 3. Watch as Lightroom makes unique custom adjustments to each file with my Default Develop preset. I use my own Brilliant setting. 4. Correct with Find and Fix editing, finding the files that need extra adjusting and fixing them with presets to make batch adjustments. 5. Pick the keepers by pressing the P key (Flag as Pick). 6. Show only picked files. 7. Sort by date created, putting files in chronological order. 8. Export full-resolution JPEGs in the sRGB color space, naming them 00001_Filename.jpg, 00002_Filename.jpg, 00003_Filename.jpg 9. Organize into categories (Preparation, Ceremony, Formals, Reception, etc.) 10. Upload to Pictage and release to client.

By using his Brilliant preset as the default Develop preset (applied to images as they're imported), David Jay has most of his photos looking exactly the way he wants when he sees them for the first time in the Photoshop Lightroom Library.


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THE GOODS

rest of the technology. How would they like seeing themselves like that in your images? Our first job as wedding photographers is to provide a positive emotional experience to our clients even decades down the road. Step one is to make absolutely certain we do not cause them to feel awkward, posed or stiff on their wedding day. The second step is to preserve their joy in a way that invites them to relive it ever after. A recent article in Business Week pointed out that businesspeople should avoid confusing the business they’re in with how they conduct business. Photographers might confuse their business with being a lab or selling prints and albums, when in reality, that’s simply the way they’ve been

Four views of the Really Right Stuff flashrotating flash bracket.

conducting their business. Successful photographers realize that the intangible element of the service they provide and the environment they create on the wedding day is a huge part of what they sell. In the past year, some amazing tools have become available, tools that can free us from the technology of shooting and postprocessing so we can focus on engendering that emotional experience. I call it “freestyle shooting.” We can be free of the technical baggage that’s weighed down photographers for generations. My freestyle shooting tools include a Canon EOS-1D Mark III camera and its Safety Shift feature, which allows me to set a minimum shutter speed to prevent motion blur, set the camera on AV mode with Auto White Balance, then open up the aperture. Then the camera can adjust the shutter speed and the ISO for near-perfect exposure and color every time. As an artist, I sometimes struggle with near-perfect, so I need a tool to make a few global adjustments to nail it. The tool is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. The day after the wedding, I import all


David Jay's Brilliant preset (above) applies a certain signature look to his images. In cases where that preset isn't quite right, or he wants another look, he has a full selection of alternate presets (below) that he can apply for certain lighting situations or to create different image styles, all with one click.

THE GOODS

2,000 images to Lightroom, and then the

Sometimes I want to adjust the color. I

should be done. Adobe Photoshop Light-

software makes a unique, custom adjustment

like my pictures a bit warm, so I’ve made a

room helps you stay on track so you can

on every single file without my doing any-

preset that allows me to select and warm-up

process 2,000 wedding photos in a couple

thing further. I use my “Brilliant” preset, which

the cooler images with one click. Not long

of hours.

I’ve set as Lightroom’s Adobe Default Preset

ago we had to correct each file, but now we

(Develop > Set Default Settings). The magic

can color-correct in batches by lighting

of the Adobe Default Preset is that it analyzes

condition.

each file and custom corrects for exposure,

To create and save a preset in Lightroom,

brightness, contrast and other density

go to the Develop tab, make the necessary

settings. It will brighten some files a bit and

adjustments, select the AUTO settings, and

darken others, all while I’m out having

click the create-new-preset button (the +

lunch or serving a client.

icon at the top right corner of the Presets

Next, all I have to do is find-and-fix editing.

its effect on a selected image simply by

ones where people were blinking, and fix the

hovering over it. by their workflow for one reason: They

images, so I’ve created and saved another

spend too much time thinking about what

preset to apply to them with one easy click.

could be done to the image rather than what


You can find the presets that I use as well as free videos demonstrating the power of these presets at www.showitfast.com. I

Learn more about photographer and entrepreneur David Jay at www.davidjay.com.

I believe photographers get overwhelmed

on. The computer has trouble with backlit

To preview a preset, you can apply the preset and set the Develop window to a comparison mode with duplicate or split screens in a variety of configurations. For a quicker preview, move your cursor over a preset name and the Navigator window at the top left corner of the screen will show a preview.

to enjoy the wedding day.

panel). Preset saved, I can instantly preview

I skim through the images and delete the ones that the computer didn’t do a super job

These tools have freed my clients and me

David Jay presents "Creating Freedom" in the Wedding & Portrait track at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.

THE GOODS: PRINTS

You make flawless inkjet prints on top-quality media, so go one step further to protect your work.

storage, mounting and display, not necessarily

B Y B R YA N L I N D E N

mended by manufacturers to protect and ensure

Grand finale PRINT FINISHING

your clients’ environments. Coating prints with lacquer-based aerosol sprays is often recomprint longevity. Sprays also eliminate gloss differential on exceptionally high-gloss media. I protect prints on resin-coated (RC) or fine-art paper with Print Shield by Premier Imaging Products. It works on any surface without yellowing or influencing the natural characteristics of the paper, increasing

Many photographers with excellent pigment

oils on your hands, lint particles or scratches.

display life by as much as 100 percent, and

inkjet printers are uncompromising on print

The best advice: Look but don’t touch for 24

making prints scuff- and water-resistant.

quality, yet not when it comes to print finishing.

hours if possible. When the print has cured

Print Shield is available in aerosol cans or by

Perhaps they don’t know the available

(dried completely) and the glycerol in the

the gallon for use with high-volume, low-

options for protecting their prints.

inks has evaporated, it’s safe to handle and

pressure (HVLP) spray guns.

Prints emerge from the printer dry to the touch, but they’re not actually completely

you can add coatings to further protect it. If you’re making several prints, do not stack

There are also newer, more eco-friendly products with different finish characteristics,

dry. You may not get ink on your hands, but

them until you place blank matte paper

such as PremierArt Eco Print Shield. Water-

it’s easy to permanently mar the print with the

between them to allow for proper glycerol

based rather than lacquer-based, they’re less

absorption. A telltale sign that the curing is

caustic. Available in gloss, satin and matte

complete is the wavy appearance of the interleaf

finishes, they can give a matte surface a gloss

papers, indicating that they have absorbed the

finish or a satin protective layer, and vice

glycerol. Always let prints fully cure before

versa. Eco Print Shield comes in quart bottles

framing or otherwise finishing, because the

or by the gallon, and can be rolled on or

glycerol gas released can fog the print.

sprayed on with an HVLP gun, and is com-

FOR BEST RESULTS Whether you use an aerosol spray or an HVLP spray gun, coating prints is quick and easy. For consistent results, follow these steps: • Make sure prints and working environment are free of dust and debris. • Before spraying, mount prints vertically so the spray doesn’t pool. • Before finishing your print, spray an empty area of the mounting surface from a distance of 6 to 10 inches, so you can see the diameter and pattern of the spray and adjust as necessary. • Spray at a consistent distance, using a back-and-forth motion, overlapping each pass by 50 percent. Allow prints to dry 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the requirements of the particular spray, then rotate the prints 90 degrees and dry another 20 to 40 minutes.

Manufacturers’ print longevity specifications are typically based on the ideal conditions for

patible with canvas and fine-art or RC papers. Eco products work well for gallery wraps

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CODY AND MIKE ARE READY FOR 2008. ARE YOU? CODY CLINTON AND MIKE FULTON | TRICOAST PHOTOGRAPHY | LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS COLLAGES.NET CUSTOMERS SINCE 2005

Make 2008 the best year in your studio’s history. Close every client you meet by letting them touch and see studio samples of your entire product line – albums, press printed books, gallery wraps, and high-end cards.

Make Collages.net your business partner in 2008, and you’ll be ready. Albums | High-End Cards | Press Printed Books | Gallery Wraps | Professional Printing | Online Presentation Check out Collages.net’s comprehensive product line at www.collages.net/products. ©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photos ©2008 Tracy Hicks Photography and TriCoast Photography.

THE GOODS: PRINTS ©Premier Imaging Products

because the water-based formula won’t crack due to stretching and won’t become brittle with time. Water-based formulas protect prints from moisture, light, humidity, atmospheric contaminants, scuffs and fingerprints. The brand new embellishing gel Eco Elegance can add impasto and brush strokes to your prints. Spraying prints is not difficult. It can be done in a spray room or, if you wear a good painter’s respirator (about $30 at hardware stores), in well-ventilated areas. Ventilation is critical; there are ventilation fans and commercial spray booths available if you don’t have a space with adequate air flow. Hang plastic tarps to catch the overspray. To prepare to spray, I mount my prints vertically on a piece of black foam board. If the print has a border that will be trimmed, I mount it with clips, especially good with prints made on roll paper, which curls. To mount cut-sheet full-bleed prints, I use loops of large strips of low-tack masking tape on the back of the print. Delicate, fine-art surfaces like velvet and watercolor paper are easy to flake or scuff. Always spray art surfaces and canvas prints to protect them. It’s a good idea to spray prints in albums as well. Many labs offer this service, but doing it yourself is easy enough with a little practice. I Tips for using Eco Print Shield at www.ecoprintshield.com. Epson, HP and other manufacturers recommend PremierArt Coatings for their media (performance certified by Wilhelm Imaging Research). For specs and purchase info on Premier Print Shield, Eco Print Shield and the HVLP spray gun, visit www.premierimagingproducts.com. Bryan Linden is a photographer and digital imaging expert, who presents workshops on a variety of subjects (www.lindenphoto.net). Linden is the vice president of Marketing and Sales for Album DS album design software (www.albumds.com).


Premier Imaging Products uses this photo to show how a print can benefit from spray coatings. The image was halved, then mirrored. The right half was sprayed with three light coats of PremierArt Print Shield. The image was cured for 24 hours before water testing. The image shows the effects of the following water resistance tests: (top) three drops of water placed on the print for 45 seconds, then wiped away with a sponge; (center) three passes with a moist sponge; and (bottom) three drops of water placed on the print for four minutes and then blotted with a paper towel.

PURE PROFESSIONAL

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS The Nikon Digital System at Booth 1027

IMAGING USA January 6th-8th 2008

THE GOODS: TUTORIAL All images ©Kevin Kubota

Time-saving presets LIGHTROOM PRESETS MAKE YOUR LOOK PART OF YOUR AUTOMATED WORKFLOW BY KEVIN KUBOTA, CR.PHOTOG.

Editor’s note: Don’t miss Jeff Kent’s profile of Kevin Kubota on p. 112. If you’re familiar with Photoshop actions, you know what a

Figure 1

valuable time-saver Adobe Photoshop Lightroom presets can be. You can’t do everything you can do with an action, but presets are still ultra-handy. To create a preset in Lightroom, switch to Develop mode. 1. Adjust an image using any combination of settings from the adjustment panels on the right (Figure 1). 2. On the Presets panel at the left, click the + button to create a preset. You can select a folder first to save the preset into, or open a new folder on the fly as you save the preset (Figure 2). 3. Check off only the settings that you used to create the look, so you can combine the preset with presets with different settings. Otherwise, when you apply a new preset that Figure 1

contains the same adjustments, it will overwrite the previously applied settings. 4. Apply the preset to another image by selecting the image and clicking on the preset (Figure 3). You can preview the effect

by simply passing your mouse over the name of the preset. The result appears in the navigator window. If you like it, simply click the preset name to apply it to the image.

PRESETS POWER TIPS Now let’s see how to put presets to use by creating a My Look preset for import. It’s a good idea to fine-tune settings to get a look you like, then apply them automatically when you import images. It saves time and gives you a starting point before doing any fine-tuning. The following are settings we use for our basic look, which is applied to all imported images by default; you can modify them to your liking.


Figure 2 Figure 3

1. Add some Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation (Figure 4). 2. Set the tone curve to Linear to Figure 4

have a predictable starting point for

future presets with a curve adjustment (Figure 5). 3. We love the look of a vignette on every image. If you do too, apply it here. Remember, you can easily remove or adjust it later (Figure 6). 4. When you’ve finished modifying the settings, save the preset

Figure 6

as My Look, and click Check All to save all the settings. This gives you a consistent starting point. We prefer to use Auto Tone as a starting point, as it automatically sets the appropriate exposure, recovery, fill light, black point, brightness, and contrast for each image individually (Figure 7). 5. Use your My Look preset when you import images (Figure 8). Figure 5

TURN ON AUTOSYNC MODE IN DEVELOP. Here’s a secret trick. You can apply the same preset to multiple images simultaneously in Develop mode by turning on the AutoSync feature. 1. Switch to Develop and select two or more images. 2. Hold down the cmd/ctrl key. The Sync… button changes to AutoSync (Figure 9). Click once on AutoSync and it locks into AutoSync mode. Now, when multiple images are selected, applying any preset will affect every selected image at once, helpful if you want to, for example, adjust the Figure 9

color on several images at a time.

EXPORT AND SHARE

Figure 8 Figure 7

Once you’ve created all these cool presets, you’ll probably want to reuse them on your other computers with Lightroom. 1. Select the preset in your list, right-click on it and hold to bring up the contextual menu. Select Export… (Figure 10). 2. Save the preset to your desktop, copy it to the other computer, and then use Import... on the other computer to bring it in. Easy! There are many more great features that make Lightroom the program of choice for a slick and sassy workflow. The more you explore, the better it gets! I

Kevin Kubota of Bend, Ore., internationally recognized speaker and educator, is the author of the popular “Digital Photography Bootcamp.” The Lightroom tips printed here are from his latest tutorial DVD, “RAW Workflow for Lightroom,” available online at www.kubotaimagetools.com.

Figure 10


Floating Frames

The next generation in gallery-wrapped canvas prints Simply Fabulous Floating Frames are a high end/low cost framing option for your clients who like the three dimensional look of gallery-wrapped canvas, but want the added style of a custom, solid wood frame. Our frames leave a 1/2” space between the canvas and the edge of the frame to preserve the three dimensional look of the canvas. Each hand made frame is available for prints from 8x10 to 40x100, and any size in between at no extra charge. Available in different styles and colors. Starting at $39.00 Visit

SimplyCanvas.com/frames for specials and details.

Visit us at Imaging USA booth #216

Sensing their Texas clients were looking askance at their young ages, the Sallees created a sophisticated and elegant studio environment for selling their high-quality wedding images. Sales soared. WEDDINGS All images ©JB and DeEtte Sallee

By Jeff Kent

W

hen they started dating in

college, JB and DeEtte Sallee

never anticipated opening a

studio of their own, much less

becoming near-overnight sensations

on the Dallas wedding photography

scene, or speaking in lecture halls packed with eager pro photographers. Yet four years after diving in head first, the Sallees are among the brightest rising stars in the pro-photo galaxy. They’re still a bit baffled over how they got there. Armed with a degree in photography, JB started out as an assistant for Dallas wedding photographer Fran Reisner. DeEtte, a psych major with a photo minor, worked at David’s Bridal. Toting a portfolio of images JB shot while shadowing Reisner, the couple literally went door-to-door calling on referred prospects. Eager for experience, they said yes to all manner of events, and soon had nearly two-dozen weddings booked. That first year, says JB, they weren’t yet working with their ideal clients. “We were just happy to be in business,” he says. After struggling through the first year of so-so wedding gigs, the Sallees began asserting themselves about what they could provide and showing their more innovative work. The results were fantastic, almost instantly bringing in higher-end wedding bookings. They set up a home studio and sought to attract sophisticated brides. A couple of years later, the Sallees moved the

Rising stars JB & DeEtte Sallee soar into the wedding photography stratosphere 74 • www.ppmag.com

business into a storefront studio. They had perceived that mothers of the bride looked askance at paying a premium for such young

WEDDINGS

photographers—JB was 25, DeEtte just 22

Of course, fancy trappings only work when

“Personality is most important to the clients

when they began—who were working out of

the product is excellent. From the first, both

we’re dealing with. We’re targeting people

their living room. In the stylish Las Colinas

photographers focused on creating images

our age, people like us, who go for an upbeat

area of Irving, Texas, they created an elegant

bursting with exuberance. The Sallees have

personality. They want someone who will be

environment with a gallery, chandelier and

been able to invest in better equipment, and

fun at the wedding, who will try different

marble fireplace.

their shooting techniques have naturally evolved.

things and give them something extra—

Within 18 months, bookings increased

They still create the kinds of images that speak

actually add something to the day.”

dramatically and overall sales skyrocketed.

to them and to their clients, and that’s about

Bridal and engagement portrait sales

as far as they ponder the issue. “Clients have

to their advantage. A few stuffy parents may

jumped by more than 500 percent. In Texas,

always told us that what we do stands out

waver, but most brides and grooms fit squarely

pre-wedding formal portraits are a big deal.

from other photographers,” says JB. “We

into their peer group. They understand one

The Sallees’ elegant retail space was a

always listen to the client, especially when

another and form immediate connections.

critical component in booking the full

she tells us she loves our style!”

The rest follows naturally.

package of portrait and wedding coverage.


In wedding photography, says JB,

These days the Sallees’ youth is working

After only four years, the couple has

WEDDINGS

become nationally known for their award-

It’s no real secret, though. It’s the talent,

winning albums and progressive shooting

the personality and the stringent commit-

style. JB attributes those awards to their

ment to the work. “We put a lot of hours

focus on delighting their clients. “Everything

and money back into the business,” says JB.

we enter in competitions was originally done

“We’re constantly buying new equipment,

for clients. We don’t make things specifically

advertising in magazines, learning new

for competition. Judges like that.”

techniques, and thinking of ways to improve

Indeed. After scoring a perfect 100 on an

our work. Honestly, when we started, we

album in their first year of regional competi-

never had any desire to compete. We just

tion, the Sallees have been receiving invitations

want to get better and better and better. We

to speak at industry events, including Imaging

never want to stop learning, and that has

USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8. At their

made an enormous difference.” I

first presentation, JB and DeEtte looked out over a standing-room-only audience. Every appearance has followed suit.

To see more from the Sallees, visit www.salleephotography.com.

Be sure to attend JB and DeEtte Sallee's presentation "Weddings: Sallee Style" at Imaging USA in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.


Frank Donnino’s studio has faced a number of challenges the past few years, but regardless of the roadblocks in his path, Donnino continues to adapt and improve his business—and increase his profits each year. PORTRAITS

By Jeff Kent

All images ©Frank Donnino

W

hen we last checked in with

photographer Frank Donnino

of Boynton Beach, Fla., he was

reaping a windfall with his first-

year baby portrait plan. His gross

sales had ramped up by more than 500 percent in five years, profit margins were higher, and cash flow was healthy, thanks to the plan’s 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month-old sessions. Life has a way of challenging success. Since then, January 2004, Donnino was forced out of his studio by difficult landlords. He worked through Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne while operating a temporary studio in his living room. Then he built a new studio, moved his entire business, and asked his clients to follow. They did. Business is still booming. Part of Donnino’s enduring success owes to the relationships he builds with clients, and part to his commitment to continuously upgrade the business. After 28 years, Donnino knows how to ride the highs and lows, how to adapt to circumstances, like the current economic downturn in South Florida. “Right now in South Florida, as in other parts of the country, we’re going through a terrible time with the mortgage situation,” says Donnino. “People are losing money in real estate and it’s hurting the overall economy.” With everyone feeling the crunch, he adopted a new direct mail sales piece, created by a member of Donnino’s personal Mastermind online forum. The piece includes a gift

One step ahead Business success means changing with the times 80 • www.ppmag.com

card with an assigned cash value of $250, equal to the price of one portrait session and one 5x7 gallery print. Clients can apply the

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PORTRAITS

gift card toward a collection of images, a baby plan or any of Donnino’s other packages. So far, the response rate has been 11 percent. When we spoke, Donnino’s schedule was full for the next two months. “The cards have been very successful,” says Donnino. “Because of the perceived value of the cards, people don’t simply throw them away. We are getting more people in the door, which gives us an opportunity to sell them something. It’s a play off the old free sample thing; get them in the door and then sell.” Donnino embraces the growing trend in the boutique studio experience. “It’s the biggest change I’ve seen in the portrait industry in recent years,” he says. “Women are our target market. They are typically the ones making the buying decisions on child and family portraits, so it makes sense to create an experience that caters to women. It can be done on any budget. You just have to sit down and think about it.”

Donnino hired a design consultant to “boutique” his studio, including an investment of about $6,000 in new paint, furniture and finishings. He’s also using marketing materials created by Sarah Petty, CPP, herself a successful boutique studio owner (and PP marketing columnist, see p. 38), and updating and coordinating his packaging. He’s planning a high-end mailer to target upper-income families, and raising prices to rev up sales averages on children’s sessions from about $600 to $1,000 per. He anticipates making more top-end package sales ($3,000 to $4,000), and getting an ample return on his boutique investment. “You have to up the prices when you undertake a project like this,” says Donnino. “The specific pricing will depend on your market and your clientele. You have to price

PORTRAITS

where you feel comfortable, but you have to know how to sell the big-ticket item. If it looks expensive, it should be expensive.” Such an upward shift in pricing needs to be made in increments, says Donnino, if you want to maintain your current client base while courting higher-end buyers. “It doesn’t have to happen overnight. As you gain more high-end clients, you can control your business volume by raising prices. You will lose some clients who’ve been with you for the longest time, and that hurts. But the returns will ultimately make up for those losses. You need to be careful not to push away your base too quickly. You can’t drop what’s making you money until the new product line is entrenched,” says Donnino. One way he’s eased the transition for established clients is by offering year-long package pricing. Donnino sells his four-part baby plan on a monthly payment plan with certain photographic products available at different times


At this speed, there are no second chances.

Chucke Walkden, Chief Photographer at Infineon Raceway, using a Nikon D2x and a Lexar Professional UDMA 300x CompactFlash® memory card.

©2007. Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Actual usable memory capacity may vary. IMB equals 1 million bytes; 1GB equals 1 billion bytes. The Lexar “x” speed rating describes minimum write speed capability where x=150KB/sec sustained write speed

Professional photographers know high speed performance and reliability when they see it. And at Lexar, so do we. With blazing speeds of 300x, Lexar Professional UDMA memory cards accelerate to the head of the pack, delivering optimal burst mode performance and industry leading transfer rate speed. You’re focused on catching the action. We’re focused on you. Lexar. Focused on photographers.

Learn more about the Lexar Professional UDMA line of memory cards at lexar.com/ppmag

PORTRAITS

of the year. Clients get the multiple sessions,

continues to adapt, increasing his business

do that, you’ll always be busy. You’ll always

a choice of prints and photo products, and

each year regardless of the situation. He

be successful.” I

the option to pay the charges monthly. It

gives tremendous credit to the mentors he’s

makes expensive products affordable, says

found in other PPA member photogra-

To see more from Frank Donnino, visit him online at www.frandtheartist.com.

Donnino. “The plan is something people are

phers and his webmasters Shirley Lund

used to, like paying off credit card balances

and Stephen Denas.

in installments. Sure, some people default,

“One of the most important lessons

but the benefits far outweigh the risks. The

I’ve learned from these pros is to act like

system has improved our cash flow because

every client who comes through the door

we have payments coming in every month,

is the last client I’ll ever have,” says

even during slow times.”

Donnino. “Treat everyone right. Give

As the economy fluctuates, Donnino


them the best product you can. If you

Frank Donnino presents "Diapers to Dollars, Profit in Baby Photography," at Imaging USA 2008 in Tampa, Fla., January 6-8.

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Cliff Mautner spent the first part of his photographic career shooting news assignments for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ten years ago, he branched into wedding photography and he never looked back. WEDDINGS

By Stephanie Boozer

All images ©Cliff Mautner

A

fter a 15-year career as a photojournalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cliff Mautner, of Cliff Mautner Photography in Hagenfield, N.J., found himself in a role he thought he’d never play, that of wedding photographer.

“I used to joke about shooting weddings,”

laughs Mautner, who shot over 6,000 assignments for the Philadelphia Inquirer in just about any location you can name. “Back in the day, wedding photography was a very stodgy form of the craft.” Turned off by formal poses and forced smiles of brides and grooms, Mautner preferred the excitement and spontaneity of photo assignments. No matter how terrible the lighting or location, Mautner had to nail the image. “My job was to go and make really good environmental portraits,” Mautner says of his early assignments. “Eventually I got to where I could assess a situation in about 30 seconds and compose the image in my head. It took hundreds of these to get my feet under me, but I did develop a skill set that enabled me to see things quickly.” Beginning at the paper as a stringer, Mautner got the assignments no one else wanted, like photographing six newsworthy Philadelphians a week for the “Neighbors in the News” column. He earned $25 per picture, plus mileage, but this was exactly the training he needed to develop his eye for light. “The only natural gift I have is my ability to see and utilize light,” says Mautner.

Front page news Cliff Mautner is hot on the trail of blushing brides 88 • www.ppmag.com

“Photographers don’t get to choose the time of day, the couples, the weather, none of the conditions we perform under. I learned to

© 2007 Cherie Steinberg Cote

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New filters like Bleach Bypass, Polaroid™ Transfer, Glamour Glow, and more let you truly take control of color, light and tonality in your images to create unique enhancements with easy yet professional results. The way you see photography will never be the same. Download the free, full-featured trial software at www.niksoftware.com/prophoto

WEDDINGS

make bad light into good light to create a texture, a dimension and a mood.” As a full-time Inquirer photographer, Mautner’s first big assignments were a) a meeting of the German American Police Association, and b) a gathering of breastfeeding La Leche League mothers. “My editor had a great sense of humor,” he laughs. He moved on to cover everything from presidential campaign stops to spelunking to heart-wrenching images for the charity Operation Smile, whose volunteer doctors perform corrective surgery on underprivileged children with facial defects (www.operationsmile.org). He considers that assignment, which took him to Liberia, one of the most meaningful in his career.

“Photographers don’t get to choose the time of day, the couples, the weather, none of the conditions we perform under. I learned to make bad light into good light to create a texture, a dimension and a mood.”

WEDDINGS

“My career at the Philadelphia Inquirer enabled me to meet people and see places and things that the average person wouldn’t see in a lifetime,” he says. “The social awareness I gained through some of the brightest minds in journalism helped me become well-rounded.” After much coaxing, Mautner agreed to photograph a wedding and was surprised at how much he enjoyed it. “The moments were there to be made, and that’s what I do. Capturing moments is at the root of it all,” he says. Realizing he had an edge with his photojournalist’s eye, Mautner started shoot-


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