How about this for street shooting?

Think you can pull this style off with a camera and a couple flashes?  Well, OK... and a couple monopods/poles, and a couple assistants, and an art director, and...  

link to strobist.blogspot.com

One for the videographer...

This is a great little piece on what to carry with you as a pro videographer:  

Link to newsletter interview on www.bhphotovideo.com

Am I confused?!?

Maybe I'm just not a good enough photographer to tell a good photo from a very dull, average one, but the sample shots in this video just seem very blah and bland to me:  

pocketwizard.wordpress.com David Guy Maynard Link  

Usually, I'll find some killer tutorials on these MAC Group blogs (MAC owns Pocket Wizard, Mamiya, Tenba, Profoto, etc), but this guy just doesn't seem to cut it.  His idea is good, but his execution seems to fall way short of its potential.  I bet this technique could be used with dramatic effect.  It just wasn't here...

Video...

I'll be doing a bit more video documentary work in the future, with the next event happening this weekend.  I'll be sure to post a link when it is up.  I'm excited to be branching out some.  I love still photography, but find video to be a very dynamic form of communication.  Keep your eyes peeled, and I'd love feedback on each new video link!

Everyone's a photographer...

Just a quick thought...  I hear a lot of complaining these days about the profession of photography.  Technology has made it easier for amateurs to get decent pictures.  It has become so easy that many pros are worried about their client base disappearing.  "If my client can take the image, why should they pay me?"  

Here's the deal, in a nutshell.  Sure, more people are able to take great pictures on their own.  More marketing departments are buying a good digital camera and shooting their own PR events.  More families are shooting their own children and making portraits for family and friends.  More newspapers, magazines, and buyers of stock images are turning to Flickr for free content.  So what?!?  

Did restaurants start crying foul when the TV dinner was invented?  If they did, they were short-sighted.  I can cook at home, and often do.  But guess what...  I also eat out.  There are certain times that I want something I just can't make at home.  There are certain times that I could've made my meal at home, but just didn't want to.  There are certain times when the occasion is special enough that I WANT to eat at an expensive restaurant.  

People will continue paying for professional pictures, even though technology is closing the gap between the pro and the amateur.  There will still be plenty of jobs out there for us.  We might have to point out the reason why we are different/better than the do-it-yourself picture, but that ties in with my previous blog post.  Get proactive.  Go out and SHOW people why you are worth the money.

A simple phrase to live by...

I've been saying this lately, and I've been hearing others say it, too.  It applies to your photography business, but it also applies to any business and to life in general:  

Be Proactive, Not Reactive  

I'll leave it at that for now.  It's up to you to figure out what it means.  If you can apply this to your business, you will see an increase in sales.  I've applied it to Janik Photography and have gained a couple new clients just this month alone.  

Have you ever checked out www.shootsmarter.com before?  You should.  The advice is decent and plentiful. It applies to a wide variety of photo subjects.  And it's free.  I'll admit that much of it is common knowledge for a veteran shooter, but even I find good info there...

www.shootsmarter.com

How hard is it?!?

So, I recently did all the album artwork and all the promotions artwork for Rhett Miller's upcoming album.  I didn't specifically put in my contract that all photos must have MY name on it, and not the label or promotions company.  Many labels will do it if you just ask.  I should've...  

link to story and photo about Rhett on www.sfgate.com  

As you can see by the story above, new promo pics are being used, but my name is not.  At least it will show up in the album itself.  Speaking of which, I was in a Denton book and music store called Recycled Records, CD's, and Books yesterday.  By chance, I ran across one of the first albums I ever did photos for.  I think it was the second one ever, put out in 1997 by some Christian metal band named Spittin' Jonah.  

I glanced through it and noticed they never bothered to put a photo credit in the liner notes.  It is standard practice to put all credits in the album's liner notes...  photos, any illustrations, art direction, recording, production, mastering, etc...  Oh well.  Those things happen I guess.  

Would you like cheese with that?!?

Why are there so many cheesy backgrounds out there?  It's like Olan Mills (or Glamour Shots, depending on which one you hate more) exploded all over the place...  I saw an advertisement for $99 muslin backgrounds, so I clicked on it:  

www.backdropoutlet.com  

The ad had a nice, basic background in the shot, but that's not what I found when I went to the website.  I was bombarded with page after page of cheesy, stupid looking backgrounds.  Who buys these things?  Who uses them?  What kind of client would want them???  

Hasselblad for free?!?

Oh, if only I lived near a Calumet store...  They have a chance to "test drive" the new Hasselblad H3DII for a couple days.  They do have an option for shipping a demo to you, but I'm not sure I need to have them ship a $20k camera to me right now.  Besides, I'm not in a position to buy one of these beauties at the moment, so I'd feel bad "borrowing" a demo without any serious intention of purchasing one.  But, man!!!  How cool would it be to sport around town with one of those for the weekend?!?  

You can view the special off here:  

Link to Free Hasselblad  

Sewer video...

Sounds gross?  Well, I was asked to shoot a video assignment about a group of "explorers" that trek through the Dallas storm drains.  See the video here:  

http://lakewood-now.net/view/article/9210  

Though Janik Photography is 99% still photography, there will be the occasional video pop up now and then.  And who knows?  With the video capabilities of the new Canon 5D MarkII, video may become a regular thing for me.  Of course, it will still be a few months before I even own the MarkII, so I'm getting a little ahead of myself there...  

The Disney Trifecta?!?

As far as performers go, I don't think any three stars could make a better trifecta than Justin, Britney, and Christina.  The three have been battling it out on the charts for years, and each has moved to the top spot at one point or another.  Their post-Disney careers have been interesting, to say the least.  

I've photographed most all of the pop idols from the Nineties and the current decade, including Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey, Mandy Moore, N'Sync, and on and on and on.  As far as the pop idol trifecta goes, I've shot Justin and I've shot Christina.  However, Britney has always eluded me.  

She's back in town this next week.  Will this be my big chance to finally compete my collection?  Will I develop some sort of super powers after I do so??  Will the world stop turning and a beam of light extend down from heaven???  OK, maybe not...  

Are you asking for it?

I've known this for a long time, but it always helps to hear it again.  You have to ask for it!  Yes, just remember those simple words when planning your marketing strategy.  Your professional photography business won't get clients if you don't ask them for their business.  This isn't Field of Dreams and they won't come just because you built it.  

I think the last person to say this was Hal Samples.  He was talking with my wife about the current state of the economy and how Dallas photographers are holding up through this tough time.  When she mentioned the conversation, it reminded me of just how important that one little phrase can be.  

I am currently marketing myself to more editorial clients, trying to expand my magazine and newspaper exposure.  I am also branching out into the commercial world, trying to get more advertising assignments.  I want to make sure these potential clients know that I want to work for them.  I don't leave any doubt in their minds that I consider shooting for them to be important.  

These clients see tons of photographers every week, and I bet most are too timid or scared to speak up and actually ask what it will take to shoot for them.  We all think that our work - our portfolio or tear sheets - will be enough to make us stand out.  I've noticed that the most successful people are the ones with the good work AND the guts to ask for more.  

So, are you asking for it?  When you see a potential client, do you mention that you'd love to shoot for them.  Do you ask what you need to do?  Do you let them know that they will be a valued client?  Next time you speak with someone about your business, make sure you do this...

Dropping like flies...

Seriously, do I have to say more?!?  

news.yahoo.com link  

Thank goodness the papers I shoot for are still around... for now.

Yet another one falls...

I think this will start happening at an alarming rate, now that a few newspapers have folded or gone to web-only daily editions:  

tech.yahoo.com/news link

ASMP, of course!!!

Where are you going to get the best info for starting and running a photography business?  The ASMP, of course!  And they now have a new blog, starting with some videos (for those of you that think reading is overrated).  Especially interesting is the video on Copyright:  

Link to www.asmp.org/strictlybusiness blog  

150 update...

I've had some people ask me about my last post, and if I was suggesting that social networking websites (like facebook) are a waste of time and effort.  That's not really what I was trying to say...  

Instead, I was pointing out that the average person is capable of maintaining and keeping tabs on one hundred and fifty friends, give or take a few.  These are the people that you can develop an ongoing relationship with.  These are the people that you can interact with on a regular basis.  

If you have a friend list of five hundred, one thousand, or more, you will find it very difficult to keep up any sort of constant, consistent, and sincere dialog with all of them.  Any of the "others" - the ones that don't get original posts or messages from you - are exactly that...  they are extras.  

These people may glance at your posts and bulletins, but will not necessarily feel compelled to attend your event or buy your product because of you.  They don't feel that same intimate connection that your core friends will.  So, any bulletin sent to them is just another advertisement.  If your offer is interesting enough, they may accept it (come to my concert, buy my new cd, vote for me in this contest, etc...), but don't expect them to act JUST because they are your "friend".  

That's what I meant by the previous post.  I DO think that social networks are very useful.  I was just trying to dispell the myth that they alone will bring you fame and fortune.  Instead, they alone will act as just one more tool - or avenue - for you to reach people.  However, the majority of those people will have to be swayed by the content of your comments, and not merely by the fact they are on your friend list.  Get it now?  

I spend time following up with friends and industry peers through website social networks (linkedin, facebook, myspace, industry forums, etc), but I also make phone calls, go to physical meetings, drop off my portfolio to be touched and thumbed through.  I talk to friends and ask them to refer me to their friends.  I go out an ask for work.  When you break it down, each item is effective, but is only one small part of a bigger marketing and networking picture...

150?

Read this link, then come back and tell me your thoughts.  I'll wait for you to finish...  

link to www.economist.com story 

It's pretty interesting to think about, really.  If I have five hundred friends on myspace or facebook or wherever, I still don't visit them all.  I make an effort to skim over the day's updates from everyone.  I try to reply to those posts that I find interesting.  But still, I don't ever get around to visiting ALL my "friends".  I have a few that I see there name and wonder how they even got onto my list of friends in the first place.  Now, how is THAT a friend?!?

I've got a close network of people that I routinely converse with, and an even closer network that I consider to be part of my inner circle.  Electronic social networking has not made me into some sort of mega-friend, and I am pretty sure that many of these "friends" rarely even notice my updates.  

So, what does this have to do with photography or Dallas or Jason Janik?  Not much... at least not directly.  But it DOES deal with the overall umbrella of your photography business and how you market it.  This is the deal:  

Just because you have five hundred or a thousand friends on your social network, it doesn't mean they are all going to be there for you.  Don't think you can send out some e-blast about your upcoming art show and all thousand will come running to buy prints.  Don't look at facebook as your salvation.  Don't expect a thing from it, and you won't be disappointed.  

Instead, consider any extra help from these networks to be a bonus. They give you one more tool in a fight to let people know about you, your photography, and your upcoming events.  A handful of new myspace friends came to my art show last year, thanks to my bulletins and emails.  People I had never met, except in the virtual world.  A few new jobs/photo shoots developed from connections made on myspace, but it didn't spawn a tidal wave of work, allowing me to retire early.  No matter how many times I can make a blog, bulletin, or email, some "friends" will not respond - or even bother to notice it.

However, I do see these networks as useful tools.  They make communication more efficient, and I have developed "real" friendships with a few of my virtual friends.  But, they are just one tool of many used for networking and not some sort of magic answer to all your networking problems.  Building up a large number of myspace friends can help you market your business, but I stress the word HELP.  It takes a lot more to actually succeed.

Leeson's Insight...

I've known David Leeson for almost a decade now.  I met him when I started doing freelance photography at the Dallas Morning News in December 1999.  In case you didn't know, he is a Pulitzer Prize winner, which makes him cooler than me and you.  He shoots still and video, and it looks like Canon has asked him to do some work with their new 5D Mark II...  

Link to Shooter's Insight: EOS 5D Mark II  

There's only the intro video up at the moment, so I suggest you bookmark this page and check it out for regular updates.  I'm guessing this film and video guru is going to give us some amazing insight into the newest Canon camera!

They are FREE!!!

In my modest 1100 sq ft photo studio space, I have a small fridge.  It is big enough to hold some water bottles, cokes/sodas, beers, etc, and stands about waist high.  I have it in the studio for clients more than for me.  Anything is the fridge is there for the taking when a client walks in, no need to even ask.  

Somehow, though, the fridge keeps growing dollar bills...  Yup, I opened it up one night and there was a dollar in there.  Then two.  Now three.  I don't understand why people feel the need to do that when I specifically tell them, "Feel free to take whatever you want."  

It would be different if I added, "Just be sure to leave a buck or two", but people do it anyway.  I'm not sure why, but they do.  Maybe I'm in the wrong business?  Maybe I need to open up a vending machine company?!?  

Lost in Liberia...

I plan on attending the Hal Samples Gallery opening of Lost In Liberia, a photography exhibit featuring photography by Justin Clemons.  I don't know much about Justin, but the promo images look pretty impressive...  

Saturday, March 28, 2009 

6pm - 10pm 

Hal Samples Gallery

 2814 Main Street 

Dallas, TX  75226  

Dallas professional photographers want to know...

So, I checked out what keywords people are using to find my blog, and one phrase keeps popping up:  State Sales Tax  

Yup, all you Texas photogs, reading about my tips, links, and photo stories seem to be interested in sales tax.  I can't blame you.  It's an important subject, and EVERY professional photographer should be collecting it and paying it in to the state!  That's why I wrote a blog about it already.  

The popularity of that blog made me revisit this topic again.  This time I'm going to make it simple and sweet.  There are three things to say, regarding this topic.  One, it is simple to do.  Two, it is the law, so don't break it.  Three, there is a government website that makes it VERY easy to get things started:  

Link to Sales Tax and Your New Business  

Go to the link, follow the directions, and you are done.  And don't forget the sales tax actually gets deducted from your income, so at least it's another deduction...  You don't have to pay taxes on your taxes!

I'm out to network...

I'm headed out the door right now.  Time to do a vital part of marketing myself and my business.  I am going to mingle and talk with my peers and potential employers at the monthly Press Club of Dallas happy hour event.  You should be using events like this to market yourself.  Networking is a HUGE part of a business.  Go find an event where your peers and potential clients will be.  Do it!

Speaking of assisting...

I met with a potential client today.  They liked my book, but I doubt I will be shooting for them.  I did my research going in.  I knew what types of photography they did and who their clients were.  They appeared to do mostly product and tabletop work, with some fashion and some lifestyle shots, too.  

Well, my editorial style fits into the lifestyle category, so I set up a time to meet and show my work.  When I got there, I discovered that they do a TON of product photography and a little lifestyle photography.  They also have staff photographers that handle most of the work, but do keep a list of contract/freelancers for overflow or to fill in on occasion.  

No big deal.  I might not get much - or any - work from them, but I DID make some new contacts.  Plus, I got to tour their beautiful studio space and facilities.  It was nice.  So nice that I started wishing I DID shoot product all day.  Well, maybe not.  I don't think ANY place could make me want to shoot product all the time.  

But, I'm getting off track here.  My point is that I was thinking ahead.  I knew that several of my connections in Dallas are photo assistants.  So, I asked what there need was, and I was told they are always looking.  Good news for my faithful Janikphoto blog readers!  

Now, he did make a point to tell me you MUST know the Capture One software, which I believe runs Phase One digital backs.  What, you don't know it inside and out?!?  Well, if you read my post below, you'd know that you still have hope.  Why not contact this company and ask if you can free assist a few times, until they feel comfortable enough with you on set.  You can learn how to use the software in the meantime...  

So, if this sounds interesting to you, contact me and I'll get you in touch with the studio.  And, I'll post other assisting and shooting opportunities here when they come along, so keep your eyes open for them.

Do you want to learn?

Are you still trying to learn all the ins and outs of professional photography?  Besides school and practice, the best thing you can do is assist.  I learned SOOOOOO much from assisting some great commercial, portrait, and editorial photographers.  

Did you know that you can make money as a professional assistant?  Maybe not enough to have a great life, but enough to scrape together a basic living while you build up your own career.  Here in Dallas, TX, an average assisting day rate is between $100 and $200.  Top assistants can make $250 to $350 for a day's work and brand new, fresh off the truck assistants will charge as little as $75 to move boxes/objects/stuff around a set.  

You can also do the intern equivalent to assisting, which is offer you services for free until the photog feels comfortable enough to hire you as a real assistant.  Or, if there is a shoot that you think you'll just learn a ton from, a free assisting gig may be worth it in the long run.  

How do you become an assistant?  A few ways...  One, contact a photographer directly.  I admired the editorial work of James Bland when I was still learning years ago.  Back in the Nineties, the internet was still new enough that it was standard practice to make a phonecall or mail out a postcard promo (what is this "mail" you talk about?  And phonecalls?!?  I thought phones were only used to text, AIM, and twitter???) introducing yourself and your services.  

Another way to find work is to contact a photo-based group like the ASMP or TPPA and ask how you can let their members know you are available.  The ASMP has a "find an assistant" list and you can often go to their monthly meetings and mingle with photogs.  Face to face meetings will work much better than emails will, I promise.  

The last way is to contact businesses that have a stable of photographers.  Over the years, companies like JC Penny and Neiman Marcus have used tons of photo assistants, including me.  I learned a lot from my years at those companies.  They have huge commercial studios (no, not the portrait studio in the store, but an actual commercial studio space for creating catalogs, advertisements, and POP/promotion stuff), and have several photographers on staff.  They often use contracted photographers and assistants.  You can contact their photo department and ask to come in and speak with them about assisting.  

So, go out and assist.  Now!!!  Assuming you want to learn as much about photography as you possibly can.  

Random photo story...

The following link has nothing to do with Dallas or Janik Photography, but I had to include it here.  It was just an interesting story about a photographer and her long lost photos:  

www.imaginginfo.com/web/online/News/Lost-Images-of-New-York-in-the-20s Link

Marketing on the web...

OK, this link is not really about photography, but it IS about marketing.  As a photographer, you are a business.  As a business, you need to market yourself.  And (to bring this thought process on home), many businesses thing that slapping together a website, putting up a myspace/facebook page, and starting to twitter will bring in the customers.  Right?  Not necessarily...  Read the link to see the reality of twittering as your company's golden goose:  

 

Link to heehawmarketing.typepad.com social-media myopia story  

You see, you can't just jump on the myspace bandwagon and expect people to flock to you.  But there's hope.  The story points out that the internet CAN be used to your advantage.  Look at their example of Google.  It started in a dorm room and went on to become an essential part of our virtual social fabric.  

I guess to sum it up, you can use the internet in a big way, but don't think it merely takes tossing up a website or a profile on a social network.  

Is Dallas awake at the moment?

I know there are other things gearing up this week around the state, like Austin's SXSW for example, but Dallas seems pretty quiet at the moment.  Does it seem a bit sleepy this week?  Not much in the news, clients all seem to have extra time for meetings (instead of working), local magazines are in a lull...  what is everyone doing right now?  

Am I missing something?  Visually, photographically speaking...  is Dallas taking a little siesta this week?!?

And more newspapers fall...

I hope you aren't going to school to become a newspaper photojournalist:  

tech.yahoo.com/news link  

I've seen a lot of changes over the eleven or twelve years that I've shot for Dallas area newspapers (even more changes, if you include the few years of college newspaper work before that).  I'd have to say that photojournalism isn't dead, but it will never be like it once was...

Read more about me...

So, you say you just can't get enough of your favorite Dallas, TX photographer, Jason Janik?!?  Well, now you can get even more (you can sense the heavy use of sarcasm as you read this, right?!?) of that super-adorable rock and roll music photographer  that all the girls have been screaming for:  

shoppingblog.dallasnews.com link  

I may be joking about the importance of me, but I'm not joking when I say that Christopher Wynn (the writer/interviewer of the linked story) is really cool.  I'm am very excited that he took the time to ask me a few questions, especially questions about Mr. Rockstar Rhett Miller!  

So, that's the first official photo that has leaked.  Keep watching for more photos.  There should be more features and press coming, leading up to his album release date in June...

Incase you missed it...

Incase you missed picking up the recent issue of D Magazine (a great Dallas magazine that covers all sorts of interesting local stuff) featuring my photos of tasty food, they also have an online version in their archive.  Not quite as fancy as the print version, but still looking real good:  

www.dmagazine.com link 

Just look for all the photos with the "photography by Jason Janik" under them.  And yes, all that food was very delicious!!!  Go find out for yourself.

More to come, soon...

I'll post some more here real soon, but it may be another day or two.  I have a lot to finish up right now.  I need to finish up two projects for two different clients, print an invoice, and do a few other misc things (including the completion of two more portfolios for upcoming meetings and another photo shoot).  

In other news, I did a follow-up shoot with Rhett for his upcoming album, and I think things are going to look and sound pretty amazing!  I got to see the initial comps from the label and their layout/design looks really nice.  They really did my photos justice.  Plus, the songs are possibly some of his best work to date!  Unfortunately, the general public has to wait until June to see and hear it...  

Anyway, back to work for me.  But, I promise there is more to come... real soon!

Short and sweet...

I'm going to make this post short and sweet.  Market yourself.  Network.  Make connections.  If you plan to actually make money from your photography, you NEED to get your name out there.  Don't sit around.  "Build it and they will come" only works if you plan to build a baseball field in the middle of a corn field.  It doesn't work for a career in photography.  

How do you do this?  We'll talk more about that later...

Archive your images...

Light Impressions may be expensive, they may be slow to deliver, but their products are the best around.  I use their archival storage boxes for all my cd's filled with photo files.  I use their archival products to keep my prints safe.  I use their linen tape when mounting my prints and sometimes order their mat board (I say sometimes, because Dallas already has some pretty good places to find archival mat board at decent prices).  

So, I figured I would share info about their free shipping sale:

  

Again, they are slow on delivery and their prices aren't cheap, but their products are top quality and can't be beat.  If you plan to keep your prints and photo files safe for a long time, you should consider investing in something like this.

Playing around with shape and color...

I was on a photo shoot tonight and there was this cool, bubbling, glowing sign.  When I got back home to the studio, I noticed how interesting the movement and color was.  I decided to crop out a small portion of the bubbles, then repeat the same shape and change the hue over and over.  I think it makes for a nice abstract piece... 

   

Of course, I think it will look much more interesting if it were printed at 20x24", but that will have to wait for now.  In the meantime, we'll have to enjoy the mini version!

What you missed...

So, I attended a CADD (the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas) event downtown earlier tonight.  It was worth attending.  As a Dallas photographer, it's important to keep track of any photography-related events happening around town.  Since this one was ALL photography, with contributions for numerous galleries, it seemed like a good event to check out.  

I will say that I loved some of the pieces and hated others.  I won't name names, since art is very subjective.  The piece I like, others may not.  My least favorites may be amazing works of art to others.  In any case, I was glad to see the art.  

I did notice that you can sponsor the CADD, and I would've done the $100 level if money weren't so tight right now.  But with the general economy tanking and the newspaper and magazine industry slashing budgets, I need to be a little more conservative with my money right now.  Right now I need to put that $100 into advertising/marketing for Janik Photography.  But enough about me and my money (or lack of it at the moment).  Let's see some art!

The following images were taken with my iphone, so please excuse the lack of quality:  

There was a decent crowd, but the event wasn't packed... at least not at 6:30pm.  More people started making their way in around 7pm.

There was a DJ at the gallery.  His name was DJ Juan Solo, if I remember correctly.  He was pretty decent, and his tunes/style matched the images well enough. 

Another view of the evening.  The space was nice and the art was interesting for the most part.  

Vanity Fair

I thought this video was interesting.  You don't see a ton of actual shooting, but you can get an idea for the amount of production involved in a big magazine cover shoot: 

www.vanityfair.com/video  

Where you can find me Thursday evening...

This looks like an interesting event (thanks to Dallas photographer Kate Mackley for bringing it to my attention)...

 
FLASH:
Photography from Dallas Galleries
Opening reception:
Thursday, March 12 5-8 p.m.

Featuring:

Robert Boland, Alain Gerard Clement, Kelli Connell, Arcangel Constantini, Wouter Deruytter, Cedric Delsaux, Dornith Doherty, David Gibson, Susan Kae Grant, Anna Krachey, William Lamson, Guthrie Lonergan, Margaret Meehan, Nic Nicosia, Andrew Ortiz, Mike Osborne, Joe Pflieger, Wendy Red Star, Tim Sullivan, Kevin Todora, Reinhard Ziegler, Jeff Zilm

On view March 12 - April 23  

For more info, contact Contemporary_Art_Dealers_of_Dall@mail.vresp.com

Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas :: CADD Art Lab
1608-C Main Street :: Dallas, TX 75201  

Are you a Dallas photographer or Dallas artist?  You should look at this...

Photopol.us Call For Artists: Announcing First Annual Oak Cliff Art Crawl!!!

Call for DFW Artists

Photopol.us and Bike Friendly Oak Cliff invite you to apply to exhibit and sell your artwork at the first annual Oak Cliff Art Crawl. Several Oak Cliff galleries will be open on April 25th from 4pm – 9pm, as well as the historic Texas Theater. Hundreds of visitors and art collectors will peruse and purchase art in the many participating venues that day. Exhibit will be open until May 10th.

ARTISTS:
There is no submission fee to apply. Simply email the following information to info@photopolus.com and attach 3 jpgs of your work. All entries must be received by March 27th. You will be notified if you have been selected by April 10th. All mediums are welcome:

Name:
Email Address:
City:
Phone Number:
Alt Phone Number:
Website:
Brief Bio (100 words or less):
Provide a size, media and description for each attachment:
Medium you plan to exhibit at the Oak Cliff Art Crawl:

Color management...

I haven't had time to sit down and watch this video, but it looks promising: 

www.mac-on-campus.com/classroom link  

Color management for a modern day photographer is vital, and any help you can get is a big bonus!  I'm betting this video (done in a power point presentation style) amy be a bit boring, but will be filled with easy to understand answers for a lot of our color correction questions...  It's amazing at how much cool stuff I find on - or linked to - the MAC Group website.

So much for Blurb...

I received this bit of info regarding Blurb (the on-demand book printing company I blogged about yesterday):  

Jason, Blurb is super easy to do. But the books are NOT impressive at all.  They truely look like something that maybe cost them 12 dollars to make.  I *might* try it out sometime again in the future...but it will be to make books for my kids.  Not for nothing else though.  And if this helps, i did choose the most expensive, one. heh.  

Well, so much for that option.  I kind of knew it would be too good to be true.  I'll continue printing out my portfolio one page at a time and hand-binding it.  It looks very nice (well-respected international photographer Stewart Cohen used the word "beautiful" when handling my portfolio), but takes SOOOO long to make.  No easy outs/shortcuts in this business, I guess.

Size matters...

It's a lot more money than your average 4 gig CF card, but it seems to be worth every penny:  

www.calumetphoto.com/item/IM18325/  

A nice, fast 16 gig card would surely make shooting go a little smoother.  The only downside is the whole "don't put all your eggs in one basket" mentality.  I subscribe to that way of life, preferring to use several small cards, just incase something happens.  Chances of one card going bad, getting lost, getting stolen?  Much higher than all four cards going bad, getting lost, getting stolen.  

But, other than having all your shots on one disc, there's nothing but positives here.  So, who wants to buy me one?!?  Oh, and maybe a few more 1.5t hard drives to go with it.  You have to do something with those images, once you pull them off the CF card...  

And, from the same company that brought you that nice big CF card, comes an easy inkjet gallery wrap option:  

Link to vidego.multicastmedia.com gallery wrap video  

Looks pretty cool, huh?  Of course, Calumet sells all the supplies you need to make that gallery wrap happen.  And, if you aren't the big "do-it-yourself" type of person, there are companies that will do it all for you.  One that I've used before is www.canvasondemand.com, though other reputable companies can be found on the web...

Wanna shoot macro?

If you want to shoot macro, but don't know much about it, there are plenty of websites devoted to the process.  here is one of many guides to getting started, provided by our friends at Adorama:  

www.adorama.com macro link  

I've done some basic macro in the past, but would love to invest in some better specialty lenses.  The macro world is a whole new world to explore...

Great work, great ideas, great help...

I'm always on the lookout for great work.  It helps inspire me.  It helps me know where trends are headed.  It helps me keep tabs on who the hot and/or up and coming photogs are.  I also like to keep an eye out for other industry people, like stylists, art directors, etc.  You never know when you'll need some help on  shoot, and you want to work with people who will make you look better.  

One group I'm keeping my eye on can be found here:  

www.blueissue.com  

They seem to have some pretty good people.  Take a look at this image - a promo for Rey Medrano: 

 

Isn't that a great image?  I'd love to work with all the people who had a hand in it.  The make-up, styling, and art direction are all great!  I hope/wish people look at my work the same way.  Hopefully they are inspired by some of my images, moved to create better work themselves.  I don't really need/want to be famous, but I do want people to get something from my work.  I want them to look at my art and be moved.

Books...

Has anyone used one of the growing number of custom book making companies out there today?  I've seen advertisements for a bunch of companies over the last couple years, and the prices keep dropping.  It's basically just a POD (print on demand) service, that allows you to create a photo book... a real book, bound and all.  

I've never heard of this company before today, but their prices look pretty darn good:  

www.blurb.com  

I wonder if the quality is any good.  For those prices, I have to ask myself if it seems too good to be true?!?  A 7x7" softcover book with up to forty pages for about fifteen dollars?  I might just try doing one, just to see.  It would be easier than my hand-bound portfolios, and might look better.  So, has anyone used one of the POD book companies yet?  A company besides the consumer-level ones... I forget some of the consumer-level brands, but they'll make a book from your iphoto images  or direct from a cd or cf/sd card (though, I've heard they look pretty bad).  

Students, show them your best work!!!

Students, click here:  

www.mac-on-campus.com contest link  

MAC Group (the company that brings all the best photo gear, like Tenba, Profoto, and Mamiya to the USA) has a monthly contest for photography students.  If you have some work you're proud of, you should think about entering.

Goodbye, old friend...

This article predicts the demise of several more large newspapers (Denver just lost one of its icons - The Rocky Mountain News):  

news.yahoo.com link  

As a newspaper shooter myself, this is not good to hear...  Or, maybe I should use the pun "this is not good news".  Luckily, I have a few magazines, some corporate clients, and commercial/advertising gigs that will keep me afloat through this hard time for photojournalism.  I can't say all those staff photographers will be as lucky.  

Canon user?

If you shoot professionally, you should become a member of CPS.  No, it's not Child Protective Services...  It's Canon Professional Services.  They provide help for Canon shooters.  The official Canon invite states:  

"The long awaited CPS web site is live and available to accept memberships into the New CPS Program.  The CPS program is available to full-time working professional photographers that meet the membership level requirements of equipment ownership and business. This program offers three levels of membership - Silver, Gold and Platinum - to qualifying members, with each level receiving better and more extensive benefits."

www.usa.canon.com

Sometimes you'll get lucky!

Sometimes it can be hard to photograph a subject.  Sometimes you'll get lucky.  I always try to make the photos for this feature very fun/goofy/light-hearted.  I want it to match the feeling of the text, and the questions and answers are usually so much fun...  

I was especially lucky to get such a willing subject on this one.  When you think of someone who performs with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, you think stuffy and serious.  I was expecting to get a real conservative shot.  As we started talking, I realized that I had someone pretty cool in front of the lens.  

I got a few "safe" shots, then asked my subject if she'd mind holding the horn in a fun and/or goofy way, maybe over her head.  She immediately put it on like a hat.  We both laughed, then I shot.  I think it works well...  

I guess the reason I decided to blog on this, is that not every subject is willing to work with you.  Some people just won't feel comfortable getting silly in front of the camera.  However, it doesn't hurt to ask, because sometimes you'll get lucky!

State sales tax?!?

We just did our taxes, and it made me think of a few things that every self-employed photographer should be doing.  I'll try blogging about several of these things over the next few days, starting with a VERY important one right now...

If you are charging other people for your efforts, you need to be doing this, too:  

www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/  

Of course, this form is for businesses in Texas, but the basic idea is the same for all states.  If you are selling something, you should be collecting sales tax.  If you are collecting sales tax, you had better be giving it to the government!  

To make a long story short, this is completely different from the federal IRS stuff that you see H&R Block for every year (or maybe you are lucky enough to be filling out a 1040ez form on your own).  This has to do with state sales tax, just like when you buy a dvd or a bottle of shampoo.  The price of the item is ten dollars, but you leave the store in Dallas paying $10.82 (each state will have a slightly different percentage of sales tax).  

The store doesn't keep that eighty two cents.  They give it to the state.  I also collect sales tax on any business transaction that doesn't have a valid reason to exempt it (certain charities, businesses, and other situations allow for the tax to be waived).  I send the money to Austin every January.  This keeps everything I do on the straight and narrow.  I don't need any government employees knocking on my door over something so simple to do.  

Sure, if you are only doing a couple paying gigs per year, you can slide under the radar and not get caught, but anybody making a part-time living or better NEEDS to be collecting and paying state sales tax.  There is no way around it, except the illegal way.  So, do it.

A serious read for photogs...

I almost didn't read all the way through this article.  It was pointed out to me, and I was told it was an "eye-opener" for self-employed photographers.  Well, the first half was a bit boring and pretty obvious.  It was late and I was close to calling this one done.  

I'm glad I kept going, though.  Page three and four really ARE eye-openers.  It details the reality of waiting for clients to call and taking assignment rates that sound good - until you really add up your expenses.  Read it for yourself (and stick with it to the end):  

www.rangefindermag.com/repository  

I'm dealing with much of this right now.  How do I keep moving in this tough market?  How do I make sure I'm bringing in enough work to make a difference?  How do I keep up to date with technology and competition without blowing my budget on new gear, computers, software, etc?!?  

There may not be many answers in the article, but it does raise enough questions to get you thinking...

Victor...

The web is full of wonderful photography-related stuff.  For example, you can read Victor online: 

www.victorbyhasselblad.com  

Victor is a publication put out by the Hasselblad people, and it is filled with interesting images.  I'm sure the print version is even nicer, but I don't have the $76 to waste on four issues.  I'd rather just register my email address and enjoy the online version for now.  

More wisdom from someone smarter than me...

I've done a lot of successful shoots using only one or two lights.  I believe in the "less is more" philosophy.  There are several good tutorial videos located here, and a couple discuss one and two light scenarios:  

www.profoto-usa.com/products/d1/videos...  

Maybe I'll make a few tutorials one day.  But right now there's not much point.  This guy does such a nice job in teaching some basics.

Check this out...

A lot of useful info can be found here:  

http://www.updig.org/  

From the updig.org website:  

The UPDIG guidelines aim to clarify issues affecting accurate reproduction and management of digital images. These guidelines were created to establish photographic standards and practices for photographers, designers, printers, and image distributors. The guidelines cover Digital Asset Management, Color Profiling, Metadata, and Photography Workflow.

Judge, Jury, and Executioner...

I've been asked to be a judge for a corporation's employee photo competition.  I'm curious to see what type of work there is to judge.  I remember seeing the artwork up along a hall at the JC Penney corporate offices years ago and thinking there were some decent artists among their company.  

Of course, this company is an energy company, not exactly an artist's collective.  I picture energy companies as having a bunch of scientists and a bean counters.  I bet I'll be surprised and see some pretty good stuff, though. A few of those scientists may have a creative bug in them.  Heck, a few of those number crunchers may, too...  We'll find out soon enough.

Aligned?

Check this out:  

www.rawworkflow.com/lensalign  

I will definitely consider this, once I get a 5DmkII.  Have you ever noticed that your pics seem just an inch or two off focus from where you "thought" you had focused.  For the most part, an inch or two isn't a big deal, but it can make or break certain shots.  

This won't solve any user focusing issues (in other words, you still need to focus properly), but it will fix any minute discrepancy in the camera's set-up.  Now, I just need to get a 5DmkII.  One thing at a time...