The Pro Photo Business Forum

Wedding Day Game Plan
by: Bryan Lindsey
Visit us on the web: Houston Wedding Photographer
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Some brides are super organized and come up with an itinerary for their wedding day. We like those brides. Those brides show up on time. They don’t leave early. They know who is going to be where, and when. Some brides have a wedding planner who has an itinerary – even better.

But what about those brides who don’t seem as organized? What about the ones who don’t have a plan? What about the ones unconcerned about when things have to start and end? It is a very good idea to establish a few things before the wedding day. Of course our contract stipulates our start and end times, but we also want to know (1) When will the bride arrive? (2) When will the groom arrive? (3) Will there be opportunity to shoot groups before the wedding, either formal or informal? (4) How much time is there to shoot formals after the ceremony, and can formals reasonably be completed in that time frame? (5) How long does it take to get from the ceremony to the reception? (6) What is the game plan for the reception? Eat first? Dance first? (7) Are there any special events or “surprises” planned? When? Bouquet, garter, and cake-cut don’t need to be planned to the minute, but (8) will there be a big send-off, and does it look like it will happen before our contracted stop-time?

Hopefully the bride has designated someone to help run the show and we can ask THAT person these questions if there is a need for clarity. I’ve never been a bride myself, but I imagine that I would not be too happy with a photographer who asked me all 8 questions above, regardless of the circumstances.

If we know “the plan,” we can make sure that we fit perfectly into that plan and we can tactfully speak up if we see any time constraints that we will be unable to work with. Of course, the time for this is BEFORE the wedding, not during. It may help to contact the bride a week before the wedding (I do this anyway to triple-check the time/place) and include some of these questions. Not all brides will appreciate the need for this type of planning, so we may need to take it upon ourselves to bring up the subject. Believe me, it will be a lot easier on us if we do.

Bryan Lindsey: Houston Wedding Photographer

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Have Fun! (whether you like it or not…)
by: Bryan Lindsey
Visit us on the web: Houston Wedding Photographer
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Ah, the roller coaster ride that is professional photography. One day you are on top of the world, taking the best images you ever have – the next you are buried under a pile of editing, phone calls, and general business un-fun-ness.

It’s a common business goal to make as much money/profit as possible. Allow me to propose another goal: To have as much fun as possible. Now, these two goals are sometimes opposed to each other, and our “have as much fun as possible” goal cannot exist in a vacuum. So how do we maximize our fun while staying within the bounds of profitability?

The answer will be different for each person since we are each turned on by different aspects of photography. So take a moment of self-introspection and ask yourself – what do I enjoy doing? What do I love about photography? If I were independently wealthy, what would I be doing simply for the love of doing it? I’ll go first: I love (1) the interaction with people as I photograph them, and (2) the personal gratification of viewing a picture that I took, that I love, and that the client loves. So, knowing this, how do I maximize my fun?

1. Interaction: I need to be more confident in my interactions with people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a person who lacks confidence, but I think I often come across as very go-with-the-flow as opposed to someone capable of directing the creation of fine art. So I believe that I can have more fun if I bring more “focused enthusiasm” to my shoots. That is, I want to set the tone of the shoot regardless of the initial enthusiasm of the subject(s). You know the rapport that’s there by the end of the shoot? I want to get to there as soon as possible. Maximize fun time.

2. Take great pictures: My strategy for this is to lean more toward KISS (keep it simple, stupid). Lately I’ve been hung up on creating stuff that is cool and different to me (sometimes it works, sometimes not). I need to get back to basics and create images that the clients love. Sure, I’VE seen the wedding-party-jump pose a million times, I’M not a fan of the “shoes” shot, etc. But it’s not about me trying new stuff all the time. I’ve got to keep in mind that some of these standard images have great value to the client, and making them happy makes me happy – it’s fun. However, I need to stay balanced and fresh because, as Scott brought out earlier, you don’t want to get stale either. Fresh also equals fun.

There will be plenty of boring stuff to do later. Remind yourself of why you enjoy photography and HAVE FUN!

Bryan Lindsey: Houston Wedding Photographer

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F/8 and Be There
by: Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer
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Photojournalists have an expression, “f/8 and be there,” meaning that getting the shot is more important than dialing in the absolute correct exposure.

This is great to keep in mind for photographers who are shooting outside of a studio. Lighting conditions change, and we are constantly checking and re-checking our cameras, looking at test shots, and waiting for great moments to materialize so that we can capture them in the best way possible. But throughout all of this mental processing, we MUST be keeping our eye out for great shots. A perfect example of this my most recent engagement shoot – I was doing my best to keep things loose while still structuring the posing, composition and lighting that I wanted. The couple’s smiles were ok, but you could tell they were forced. At one point the guy said something to the girl, and she broke into a beautiful, natural smile. I was in the middle of something else, but I immediately turned and snapped few of just her, and those images are going to come out great.

So when you see that golden smile, when a romantic couple leans in for a kiss, when people are at their best, capture the moment – don’t worry about it being perfect. Chances are that the photo will be cherished and any technical imperfections will never even be noticed. F/8 and Be There.

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“Shoot Manual”
Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer
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I used to balk when photographers said they only shot on manual mode (as opposed to “A”, “S”, or “P”). Moving all of those variables around just seemed too difficult. Why make all the decisions yourself, when your camera can make some of them for you?

Last week I shot my first wedding almost entirely on manual mode, and I LOVED it! Sure, it look a little longer (and a few more test shots) to get what I wanted, but I didn’t feel dependent on the camera. I told the CAMERA what I wanted to see, instead of the camera telling ME what was there.

So how does one get to the point of shooting entirely on manual? Practice! It’s ok to start out shooting on “P” (programmed auto). But if your goal is to take better pictures and you are still shooting on “P” 6 months later, then it may be time to begin honing your skills and begin operating outside of your comfort zone.

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Photography – Hobby or Profession?
Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer
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I have loved photography for many years, and chances are that you have too. Not many objective entrepreneurs wake up one day and say “I think professional photography would be the greatest return on my investment” and pursue it like any other business. It is almost always quite the opposite – what starts as a hobby becomes intriguing as a business. And that may be why you are here in this forum in the first place – to expand your hobby into a business.

When asked the question “should I pursue professional photography,” I like to compare some of my other hobbies. For example, I like to sing. Lots of people like to sing. But how many professional singers do you know? I like to play the guitar. Lots of people play the guitar. But how many professional guitar players do you know?

The point is that parlaying a hobby into a business is difficult. It involves work that is unrelated to actual photography, such as accounting, marketing, and selling. Anyone can take a picture. A smaller percentage of people can take a GOOD picture. And an even smaller percentage can SELL a good picture. So, if your desire is to be part of the latter group, just go into this thing realizing that it will be a lot of work. The good news is that by being part of the PPBF, you’ve picked a great place to start!

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How Traditional Portraiture Can Help You
by Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography, Houston Wedding Photographer

Do you like traditional portraiture? Does the thought of moving four lights around in a studio get you revved up? If so, that makes one of us. In the past I have shied away from studio portraiture because I consider it boring. I would much rather get outside and shoot an awesome e-session, or go to a high-class venue and capture some great moments of the wedding day.

Recently, though, I found myself in-studio, now face-to-face with all the photographic principles I’ve read about and loosely applied outside of the studio. All the crutches were gone – the light, the pose, and the composition were all on me. I don’t mind telling you, I was quite intimidated. I think we did reasonably well that day, although the biggest lesson I learned is how much more I need to learn! (the more I know, the more I know I don’t know anything…)

There are at least five things wrong with this photo. Can you spot them?

The big benefit to studio portraiture (in my mind, anyway), is that it helps to quantify aspects of photography that may already come naturally to you. So when that outdoor scene unfolds, you can make the small adjustments in lighting and posing that make the difference between a good photo and a great photo. I’m learning “the rules” of traditional portraiture, and I invite you to do the same.

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Maintain Your Own Vision
by Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer

On your journey through photography (for fun and profit), you are going to get a lot of advice. That’s a good thing – it’s why you here on the Pro Photo Business Forum. But I would caution you against losing your vision.

What do we mean by that – “losing our vision?” Well, as you solicit opinions from others, do not necessarily take them at face value – consider the background of the person providing you with the opinion. We should ask ourselves why we care about their opinion in the first place: Are they a professional photographer from whom we are trying to learn? Are they a potential client? An existing client? Your average Joe? We can learn many things by soliciting the opinions of all these individuals – but should we let them dictate our photographic style? Our vision?

For example, I recently submitted some photos for review to a West-Coast photographer I admire, and some of his feedback included “too dark” and “too traditional.” Well, his work is sometimes a little “bright” for my taste, and he occasionally throws out some shots that seem…well, just weird (to me, at least). So, understanding his style and preferences helps me to interpret his feedback. Now I have the choice of (a) heeding his advice and modifying my style and artistic vision to be like his, or (b) take that specific feedback with a grain of salt and realize that not everyone will dig my style as much as I do.

This is not to say that we should discount ALL advice that we don’t agree with. When we ask for an opinion, we should be prepared to accept it – perhaps not agree with it, but understand it. And we must always be open to technical critique (as opposed to artistic critique). But don’t necssarily let other people dictate your style, your vision.

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Downtime? Shoot something!
by Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer

On our desk is a list of ten principles that we adhere to in the operation of our business. Number 8 is “Downtime? Shoot something!” When starting a business and building a portfolio, it means not taking your foot off the gas. There are two benefits to this.

First, by keeping our blog current we show potential clients that we are active photographers. Many modern clients want to see blogs and, more specifically, CURRENT blogs. By continually showing fresh images, potential clients see that we are moving forward (well, hopefully forward…) and passionate about our work. Think about it – if we come across, say, two car dealerships selling the exact same cars at the exact same prices. One dealership is devoid of customers, with salespeople hanging out at the entrance. The second dealership is buzzing with chatter and full of people moving here and there. Whose front door are we more likely to walk through?

Second, we build your skills and body of work. Our potential clients don’t know which shoots we were paid for and which were TFC. And if our quality is good enough, they’ll assume we are booking. It’s all part of “paying our dues” to build a portfolio that will attract people to our business and make them want us to take their picture (and pay us for it!).

So, do you have some downtime? Instead of flipping on the TV, consider finding a halfway attractive person and GO SHOOT!

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Things That Will Ruin a Great Photo
Bryan Lindsey
BCL Photography – Houston Wedding Photographer

You see the image in your head. You see it through the viewfinder. Time is of the essence. You actuate the shutter. Got it! Afterwards you get the image in post-processing and…crap! No, you didn’t get it. Below are three things to look out for as potential image-crashers. Simple reminders for the vets, pointers for the newbies.

Facial expression: Mainly for posed shots, smiles can look unnatural and your subject(s) can get tired. I have found the best way to keep people relaxed is to talk to them. Crack jokes. Reassure them that they look great. Positive positive positive. Do whatever you can to help them to act/interact naturally. Sometimes this can be very difficult if the subject is nervous or has something else on their mind. I like to use the old “close your eyes and imagine *pleasant experience*.” For unnatural-looking smiles, it often helps to have them look at a spot off-camera or, in the case of two people, at each other.

Over or under exposure: You’re on-location and you get done rattling off a set of 100 shots using 10 different poses, later to find that the images are all under-exposed or over-exposed. The easiest way to avoid this is to always chimp after the first shot (chimp = look at the image on the LCD and say “Ooooh! Ooooh!”). Once you’re confident of your camera settings, continue at that spot. I know this seems simple, but I personally tend to get in a groove and sometimes forget to chimp; this negates the LCD screen as one of the biggest advantages of digital photography.

Blur: Blur usually becomes a factor when you’re trying to catch an action shot or trying to shoot as wide open as possible. Knowledge of appropriate aperture/shutter/ISO/flash combinations is key. Blur can be tricky though, because it doesn’t always show up on the LCD screen – it is sometimes an unpleasant surprise when you get the image on the computer. Of course, the goal is always to get a well-exposed image, but my philosophy is that a slightly-dark-image is better than a slightly-blurry image. So I try to err on the side of a faster shutter speed.

No real revelations here, just some common sense to bear in mind and help keep our fingers off of the “delete” button in post-processing.

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