Become a Better Photographer the Easy Way!

A Photography Course for the Beginner/Semi-Pro starting in April 2010. Are you someone who wants to either learn to become a stronger photographer or someone just starting out? Maybe you just want to take better pictures or maybe make a little money on the side. Wouldn’t it be great to pursue this field with an experienced knowledgeable photographer to guide you? If college is out of the question, or online courses are too expensive or too demanding of your time; and bookstores have far too many books and know one with the proper knowledge to help.The free internet sites tell you what certain things do but not how to do it.
How about a course that is self paced, affordable with step-by step instruction. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone explain the language of photography in simple, understandable terms? Every week you will receive information covering the basics of different areas of photography, equipment and techniques and a photography assignment. This way you receive book knowledge and on hands training. This will be a 6 month (24 week) course that will only be offered to the first 1,000 people who sign up. By the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of the world of photography that will lay a foundation to build upon.
Before you pursue any specialized Photography Course or Genre’s such as Wedding or Family, you need to learn the basics and lay a solid foundation. The first course will be “A Beginners Course” which will be available this April 2010.
http://www.learnphotographyathome.com/

Beginner Course In Photography Will be Available April 2010!

This is a perfect course for anyone who wants to improve their photography skills. The first course will be available in April 2010. This course is taught by a professional photographer with over twenty year’s experience. It will be a simple way to learn photography with step-by-step easy to follow instructions and assignments. So whether you prefer books or on hands training, this course will offer you the best of both worlds. There will be a limited number of students accepted, and I will be posting when the “Beginners Course” starts and the number of students being accepted.

http://www.learnphotographyathome.com/

Learn Photography at Home from a Professional Photographer.

Learn Photography at Home from a Professional Photographer. You may subscribe and receive course(s) sent directly to your email. You will learn about photography equipment, different Genre’s of photography, styles, some history and much more. Learn from someone who has been a professional photographer for over 20 years. You will receive photo assignments so you can actually learn hands on. This is a self- paced affordable membership for people who want to learn photography the easy way. It's perfect for anyone who is limited on time, money, or both. You will receive step- by- step instructions explained in simple understandable terms for the beginner and challenging for the semi-pro. If you want to take better pictures with film or digital this is definitely the course for you. The web page will be ready within the next few weeks at: http://www.learnphotographyathome.com/
Until then, join me on
Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?
Twitter at: http://twitter.com/LearnPhotoHome
YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LearnPhotographyHome

Contact: info@learnphotographyathome.com
learnphotograhyathome@yahoo.com
PS look forward to teaching you the wonderful world of photography.

10 Tips to Picking a Wedding Photographer

With all the pressures of planning your perfect Wedding the last thing you need is a photographer who doesn't know what they are doing. This person will be documenting your Wedding Day, and they better know what they are doing. Don't ever trust this day to anyone. If you’re serious about this day, you need to be serious about hiring a pro. Here are 10 suggestions to help make your decision easier.

• Some of the best Wedding Photographers free lance. They don't have a studio for you to walk around. Most photography today is done at a location. So don't be thrown off if they work from their home. The main thing they should have is experience and top quality work.
• Ask to see their work, and you want to see a lot of it. They will show you hard copies or may show you on a computer. Many people meet at a coffee shop or their home to view the work.
• Make sure you are comfortable with the photographer. They should care about your day and ask you questions regarding the location, number of attendants, colors, whether you would like and engagement and bridal session, and so on.
• They should ask you questions regarding the events of the day. They will need to know the timing of the event. This is where you will discuss the details of the day and anything else you require.
• Ask them what services they will provide that day. In other words, the photographer will usually help with guiding you if a wedding planner is not involved. They will let you know what is coming next; for example, group shots, cutting the cake, and so on. There will be the traditional photographs and any pictures you requested. Check with the photographer on the style of Portrait, Journalistic, or both
• Find out if they will be staying until the end of the event. Many photographers leave after all the events at the reception are completed. If you would like the images of your departure, make sure you make this request.
• The conversation with the photographer should flow easy. The work may be beautiful, but if you feel uncomfortable with them. This is a sign that it will not be a good fit. You will have enough on your mind that day. You don't need to feel pressure from the photographer.
• Get it in writing. An experienced photographer will have a contract that protects both parties. It will outline the coverage and package chosen. They may sell print packages or a copyright release. If you don't see a package you like, ask them if you can alter it. Most photographers will are accustomed to making changes.
• Make sure you let them know of any special pictures you want taken. The photographer will be at your disposal that day. An experienced photographer will take whatever pictures you need that day. If a photographer put limits on the number of pictures they will take- move on.
• Remember, the photographer should arrive early. They should be at the first location at least 30- 45 minutes early. They should not charge you for this time. This is their time to get their gear and everything ready.


These suggestions are just a starting point. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at tftphotography@sbcglobal.net.

Ten Things to Remember When Photographing a Wedding

1. Always stay calm and under control. If you freak out when Murphy comes to say hello, your Bride and Groom will pick up your tension and the end result will show in the images. You must always be professional. The Bride and Groom trust you, so you need to trust yourself. This is an event when tensions may be running into overdrive. Make sure you compliment without sounding phony and a little humor helps relieve emotions of mom, dad, and most of all the Bride and Groom.
2. Always check your equipment. Make sure everything is organized, power packs charged, batteries, memory cards, lenses clean, etcetera. It helps to have a check off list and keep everything in one area, so all you have to do is grab it and go. All things need to be organized and ready to go at least 2 days before the wedding.
3. Always bring an assistant. It helps to have someone help with the equipment, posing, and keeping the general flow going. They should also behave in a professional manner and demonstrate a level of confidence.
4. Always dress appropriately. Make sure you understand what the church or religion expects your attire to be. You may be expected to wear a suit and tie, and women might only be allowed to wear a dress or skirt and make sure it’s at a proper length.
5. Always bring a lighting system. The Group Shots should never be taken with a flash. Large groups of six or more should use a Lighting System like White Lightning or Photogenic. Arrive early and do a meter reading and prepare everything before the wedding starts. Place a very small piece of tape where the light(s) will go. Lower the light(s) and place in the back. Have your assistant set it back up as you assemble the groups. It is best to take the pictures with the priest, pastor, or minister first.
6. Always check on flash photography during the wedding. If the church or chapel doesn’t allow flash photography during the ceremony(most don’t), do some time exposures during the ceremony. Many of the digital professional cameras can handle a bump in the ISO without noise. If the church or chapel allows flash photography during the ceremony, be careful not to over due it. Step in for the shot and back away. You do not want to ever distract from the event.
7. Always capture more shots than you need. Get everything that you envisioned and then some. If they didn’t do a Bridal Session, now is the time to take those. Make sure you capture the love between the Bride and Groom. If you sell prints and not copy right release, these are money making shots. Table shots aren’t, but you need to capture all the festivities anyway.
8. Always expose for the highlights if you’re shooting with digital. You want to be able to capture all the detail in the Brides gown. You do not want any clipping. Remember, digital is like shooting with slide film. Pretty much what you see is what you get. If your unsure, and there could be a third or a half stop difference-Bracket exposures. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
9. Always bring plenty of business cards. If you do an excellent job, many people will ask you questions and want a card. Many weddings you get are based on referrals.
10. Always check the site(s) out before you go. Make an appointment if necessary to check out a site you have never photographed at. It’s important to be able to envision the wedding. It helps everything go smoother. You don’t want to get lost the day of the wedding or wonder where a power plug is.

Learn Photography at Home

Would you like to learn photography without the expense or time of college or seminars. A self-paced course that offers beginners the information and course study to become a better photographer. Maybe you would like to make extra money free lancing, or even pursue your dream to take professional photographs and turn it into a career. All things are possible if you apply yourself and go after your dreams. I'll keep you posted on the upcoming Web Page.

To Buy or Not to Buy

The million dollar question for any photographer is what gear do I buy? If you’re just starting out, you may be limited in the funds department, knowledge department, or both. The best step is to research and make sure you know exactly what you're buying. One of the great things about the gear in the world of photography, it is continually improving and offers amazing tools. It sometimes requires pros to spend hours, days or even weeks learning, and sends the beginners looking for their mommies. Your best bet is to take a photography course or work as an apprentice for a professional photographer. Otherwise, you may buy things you don't need, or you may over pay and end up with something totally inadequate. If you have the money and the knowledge, where do you go to purchase such items? Some great places to get gear are camera stores that sell new and used equipment, EBay, or Craigslist. Should you buy new or used? The best approach if you have limited funds is buy good used gear. Many professional photographers download gear every year or two. You may be able to land some great equipment. Most professionals are professionals because they don't abuse their gear. Test it out and make sure it's working and check to see if it's still under warranty. My Web page will be coming soon that will offer affordable courses, information; you may ask questions, share ideas, and even images.

Photography - Have Fun

Just a little piece of advice - Have Fun!!! Photography should be fun. When you get comfortable with you and what you do, your clients should have a fun journey with you. Remember, you are not a camera you are a unique individual. Let your personality shine and your work will shine. If you love photography, than you need to enjoy photography.
I have photographed many different Genres from Weddings to High School Seniors. Those relationships built on enjoyment of their memories become your memories. These relationships literally build your business. I’m excited about my upcoming WEB page. It will have all kinds of information to help the beginner, semi-pro, and even the professional. There will be a lot of free advice, a chance to really understand photography, communicate ideas, share thoughts, and most of all- Images.

Need Some Photography Help- A Guide-A Mentor

I will be starting a course for the Beginner Photographer. Are you someone who wants to either learn to become a stronger photographer or someone just starting out? Maybe you just want to take better pictures, or maybe you would like to make a little money on the side. Wouldn’t it be great to pursue this field with an experience and knowledgeable photographer to guide you? If college is out of the question, or online courses are too expensive and are too demanding of your time, and bookstores have too many books and no one to ask questions, maybe a course that is self paced would be a perfect fit. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone explain the language of photography in simple, understandable terms? Someone you can contact and ask questions. Every week you will receive information covering the basics of different areas of photography and their Genres. This will be a 12 month course and will be offered to a limited number of people. By the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of the world of photography. This photography course will be coming very soon, if you have any ideas please post them to this blog. Until then…

Flexicard Holder

Flexicard Holder

The Flexicard Holder is made of a durable flexible black material that easily fits into a pocket, hangs from a camera, tripod or, light stand. The Flexicard Holder can be worn on a belt or camera strap. No more searching for camera memory cards since the memory cards will all be in one location for easy to access and storage. The Flexicard Holder will accommodate SD memory cards, Compact memory cards, and even batteries. It is designed for the professional, semi-pro, and novice photographer. It is offered in two sizes and is available with either closes with a Velcro strip or a Snap.
Contact and Order info:
www.simplestideas.com
OR
simplestideas@gmail.com

Bridal Shows

We are now in Wedding, Bridal, Engagement season and it’s time to get everything in order. If you haven’t booked for a local Bridal Show, you will need to move quickly. If booths haven’t filled already, they will be very soon -the clock is ticking. With today’s economic climate you may want to vendor up. In other words, share a booth. A photographer can share a booth with a florist or a caterer- anyone besides their competition. This helps split the costs and is also a beneficial angle for networking. If you have missed the opportunity for the Spring and Summer Bridal/Wedding season, the local Bridal Shows fires back up in July and August for the winter Fall and Winter season. Before you start looking to share a booth with another vendor make sure to check with the Bridal Show to see if it’s allowed. If it’s not, they might want to add it on as an option considering the current economy. It might help them sell more booths. It can’t hurt to ask.

Scott Markewitz Gallery

Scott Markewitz is one of the best Ski Photographers in the business. And from February 4-7, he's teaching the inaugural Scott Markewitz Photography Workshop at Snowbird, Utah. It's a three-day instructional workshop for all levels of photographers who want to learn to take better action and scenic shots. Here is a gallery of Markewitz's work and more info on the workshop.
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related tags: Photos and Movies, Fondue Party, Scott Markewitz, Utah, Southern Rockies, Snowbird The Big Snow

“Whether you’ve just purchased an SLR camera or have years of experience behind the lens, this workshop will dramatically improve your ski photography skills,” Markewitz says. “Snowbird has been my home mountain for more than 30 years and is an ideal venue for epic ski photography thanks to its dramatic scenery, legendary snow and incredible terrain.”

The Scott Markewitz Photography Workshop includes three days of uninterrupted instruction both on the mountain and in the classroom as well as three nights at the Cliff Lodge, lift tickets, early Trams and breakfast. The workshop costs $1,250 and interested parties can register by calling Snowbird Central Reservations at (800) 453-3000.
http://www.skinet.com/skiing/fondue-party/photos-and-movies/2009/12/scott-markewitz-gallery?cmpid=enews010410

Breaking into Wedding Photography & What Do You Charge

If you’re just starting out in the Wedding Photography Business, one of the first questions people will ask you-what do you charge? Yikes! Pros know what to charge and are very familiar answering this question and they have an extensive portfolio to prove their worth. If you’re just starting out, you have neither. The main thing to remember is whether they’re family, friend, or foe- Breathe. Ask questions about their big day, what their needs are, and let them feel comfortable with you. If you’re just starting out and you don't have a lot of work, so you will need to be extremely reasonable. Ask what they were planning to spend on photography services and discuss whether they want photos, CD copyright release, Bride and Groom books, etc. Once you establish this information - under quote. Basically, give them more with no large profit margin. As time goes on you will be able to increase your prices, but know your market especially in this economic climate.