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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2013-03 4/1484 • www.ppmag.com

PROFESSIONAL

senior editor

JOAN SHERWOOD

[email protected]

features editor

LESLIE HUNT

[email protected]

editor-at-large

JEFF KENT

[email protected]

art director/production ma

DEBBIE TODD

[email protected]

creative services manag

publications & SSACHERYL PEARSON

[email protected]

creative services coordin

VALENCIA JACKSON

[email protected]

eastern region ad manager

TARA TRUITT

404-522-8600, X230, [email protected]

central region ad manag

MARINA ANDERSON

937-902-8217, manderson@p

western region ad managerAMY WALLS

404-522-8600, X279, [email protected]

publications sales staff

director of sales & strategic alliances

WAYNE JONES

404-522-8600, x248, [email protected]

EDITORIAL

director of publications

JANE GABOURY

[email protected]

Experience countsMAKING EVERY CLIENT A VIP

Reality TV, before-and-after glamour transformations of the gal

next door, the worldwide platform afforded by the World Wide

Web—these and other cultural phenomena are leading many an

American to crave a sliver of limelight as never before. While most

people don’t expect to be celebrities, more of us desire the feeling

that, at least momentarily, it is all about us. We want to be the

center of attention and adoration, if only briefly.

A stroll through any shopping mall illustrates how this craving is

being cultivated and leveraged at every juncture. Tween-age girls

years away from earning their first minimum-wage paycheck are

routinely treated to high-end pampering at the nail salon and made

to feel like princesses. The teddy bear store roils with exuberant young

birthday party guests building plush toys in their own likeness. It’s

not just the end result that counts, it’s the experience of feeling like

the star of your own show that brings ultimate satisfaction.

Increasingly, I’m hearing from photographers who are delighting

their clients—and consequently finding greater business opportunities—

by delivering value beyond fantastic images. They’re giving clients

the experience of a lifetime. OK, maybe not a lifetime, but definitely

a shimmering highlight in a workaday year. And an experience

those clients will no doubt want to have again.

This month’s cover photographers, Michelle and Justin Stevens,

foster both drama and glamour in their wedding coverage

(“Glamour: Always in Fashion,” page 84). Is that not a delicious

experience for a bride? To be expertly lit and deftly posed and

lovingly doted over is flattering and exciting. It’s an experience she’ll

remember fondly whenever she views her wedding images through

the years. Great imagery is great. Great imagery that calls to mind

your ephemeral stardom is even better.

Jane Gaboury

Director of Publications

[email protected]

facebook.com/ppmagazine

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editorial offices

Professional Photographer229 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303-1608 U.S

404-522-8600, fax: 404-614-6406Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthl

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Professional PhotographerP.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606, 800-742-7468;

fax 847-291-4816; [email protected]; www.ppmag.com

member services

PPA - Professional Photographer800-786-6277, fax 404-641-6400, [email protected], www.ppa.com

Advertising materials contact: Debbie Todd at [email protected] rates/information: U.S. Print: $27, one year; $45, two yea

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Postmaster: Send address changes to Professional Photographer magP.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606

Copyright 2013, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A

Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinatoWright’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 yePublications and Events, Inc., 229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2200, International Tow

GA 30303-1608. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offic

Acceptance of advertising does not carry with it endorsement by the publisher. Opinions ex

Professional Photographeror any of its authors do not necessarily reflect positions of Profess

tographers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, official journal of the Professional Pho

of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professional photographic publication in the Western H

(founded 1907 by Charles Abel, Hon.M.Photog.), incorporating Abel’s Photographic W

Louis & Canadian Photographer, The Commercial Photographer, The National Photographer, P

Photographer,and Professional Photographer Storytellers. Circulation audited

and verified by BPA Worldwide.

contributing editors

DON CHICK, ROBYN L. POLLMAN, ELLIS VENER



GLAMOUR: ALWAYS

IN FASHIONJustin & Michelle Stevens play up

their brides’ flair for the dramaticby Stephanie Boozer

FUN-LOVING AFFECTIONHappiness and energy are naturalmarketing tactics for Tony & Amy Hofferby Eric Minton

ONE WITH THE CROWDTravel photographer Eric Lindberg earnsaccolades by knowing how to blend in

by Erin Quinn O’Briant

WEDDINGS: FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC

Kevin Jairaj brings a fashion-forward flavor to wedding and portrait photography

by Will Pollock

WEDDINGS: LOVING PEOPLE

Steve Nissle learned the weddingphotography business at his father’s side

by Eric Minton

PORTRAITS: FREEDOM TO LET GO

Limiting the bookings enhancesJulie Klaasmeyer’s exclusivity by Stephanie Boozer

IMAGE BY: KEVIN JAIRAJ

112

104

120

128

84

94

Features

CONTENT



DepartmentsCONTACT SHEE T

30 Walking on water: Kos Evans

32 PP ’s giveaway of the month

32 PP asks: What’s the oddest thia client ever asked you to do?

34 Chasing the action: Jim Edds

36 The fearless photographer:Marc Pagani

PROFIT CENTER

39 What I think: Eric Lindberg

40 Ask the experts

42 A beacon shinesby Kalen Henderson

44 Starting at the endby Bridget Jackson

46 Differentiating your businessby Angela Pointon

48 Handing out memoriesby Jeff Kent

50 A business niche in Mauiby Tim Cotroneo

54 Whatever happened to qualityby Thomas Fallon

56 My studio: D.B. Walton

by D. Brent Walton

THE GOODS

59 What I like: Kevin Jairaj

60 Roundup: Wow your wedding cby Robyn L. Pollman

62 Pro Review: Sekonic LiteMastPro L-478DRby Stan Sholik

66 Lighting: Location lightingby Stan Sholik

76 Pro review: Tamron SP 90mmf/2.8 Di VC USD Macro 1:1 len

by Cate Scaglione80 Pro review: Adorama Flashpo

by Ellis Vener

ON THE COVER: The image is part of a Loan Ction album created by Artistique of PortlandIt was made with a Nikon D3 camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens at a focal length of 1201/125 second at f/3.5, ISO 400, in availableMichelle Stevens of Artistique found bride agroom Thanh and Huan particularly engaging

8 • www.ppmag.com

16 FEEDBACK

24 FOLIO

133 PPA TODAY

142 AFFILIATE SCHOOL DA

146 GOOD WORKSPROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | MARCH 2013 | WWW.PPMAG.COM

By narrowing her photographic niche and limiting her studio’s

bookings, Julie Klaasmeyer was able to slow down while maintaining a booming business.

IMAGE BY: JULIE KLAASMEYER

CONTENTS

128



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"In my studio we do everything with

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Photoshop was not

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Professional Photographersof America229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200

Atlanta, GA 30303-1608

404-522-8600, 800-786-6277

FAX: 404-614-6400,

www.ppa.com

2013-2014 PPA board

president

*RALPH ROMAGUERA SR.

M.Photog.Cr., CPP,

API, F-ASP

[email protected]

vice president

*SUSAN MICHAL

M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI

[email protected]

treasurer

*MICHAEL GAN

M.Photog.Cr., CPP

[email protected]

chairman of the board

*TIMOTHY WALDEN

M.Photog.Cr.,

Hon.M.Photog, F-ASP

[email protected]

directors

DON MACGREGOR

M.Photog.Cr., API

[email protected]

ROB BEHM, M.Photog., [email protected]

LORI CRAFT, Cr.Photog.

[email protected]

MICHAEL TIMMONS

M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP

[email protected]

RICHARD NEWELL

M.Photog.Cr.

[email protected]

STEPHEN THETFORD

M.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

AUDREY L. WANCKET

M.Photog.Cr., CPP

[email protected]

MIKE FULTON

Cr.Photog.

[email protected]

industry advisor

LOU GEORGE

[email protected]

PPA staff

DAVID TRUST, CAE

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

SCOTT KURKIAN, CAE

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Operating Officer

[email protected]

JANE GABOURY

Director of Publications

[email protected]

KRISTEN HARTMAN

Director of Member

Value and Experience

[email protected]

WAYNE JONES

Director of Sales &

Strategic Alliances

[email protected]

ANGELA KURKIAN,

M.Photog.Cr.

Director of Education

[email protected]

SCOTT MORGAN

Director of Information

Technology

[email protected]

WILDA OKEN

Director of [email protected]

CARLA PLOUIN

Director of Marketing

and Communications

[email protected]

LENORE TAFFEL

Director of Events

[email protected]

SANDRA LANG

Executive Assistant

[email protected]

*Executive Committee

of the Board

12 • www.ppmag.com



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EMAIL • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • THE LOOP

SEEKING FEEDBACK

If Professional Photographer is on your mi

us what you’re thinking. Send your questioand comments via these channels:

feed back|

[email protected]

facebook.com/ppmagazine

twitter.com/ppmagazine

theloop.ppa.com

PAPER PUNCH

A lot of people enjoy reading with their iPads,

Nooks and so on. I got my Professional Photographer magazine in the

mail today and I still enjoy flipping through the pages. Am I just a weird minori

Karl Mullings, KFM Designs

•

I also read quite a few magazines on my iPad, and I consider myself a huge tech

but there is still something about holding a book or magazine in your hands and

it that I prefer unless I need the convenience of traveling light. When i

comes to Professional Photographer magazine, I rarely read the online vers

(although it is very well done) because I simply prefer paging through th

magazine physically; I find it more rewarding.

Robert Zimmerlich, CPP, ClickChick Photography

•I love the print version as well and keep back copies to

loan out to student interns all the time.

Tara Patty, Tara C. Patty Photography

BANG-UP DIGITAL

Spark names top 10 best digital prod-

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Zach Prez

Finally got to download the December digi-

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including me!

Carrie Wildes

Carrie Wildes Photography, Art, Design

POWER OF NUMBERS

Just wanted to drop you a note about

Bridget Jackson’s column in Professional

Photographer (“Making Money”). I was

one of those kids in high school who

absolutely hated math. Her articles on cost

of sales and strategic pricing are making me

like it! My dad

would be

proud. I’m

looking forward to her insightful articles in

upcoming issues.

Clark Sanders, CPP

Clark Sanders Photography Inc.

VALUING CHANGE

ORDERS

One of the questions in the

Ask the Experts column in the

December issue related to

something I learned as a project

manager in high tech: Evaluate

each change the client requests.

Changes have impacts on time

and money, and it is only fair

that clients know what they are

letting themselves in for.

For example, adding four more

people to a set of individual por-

traits has significant impacts on the photog-

rapher’s time on site, image processing, and

output. The details should be worked out so

the customer knows that significant addi-

tional cost and time will be incurred to c

with specific requests. That gives them option to rethink their ideas in the light

new cost and time information. If they a

to the additional cost and time, then so

the better! I

Paul Mc

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f olio| Showcasing images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sampleof award-winning photography from the most recent International Photographic Competition (IPC),which is open to non-PPA members. The current Loan Collection is a select group of more than400 photographs chosen for distinction by the IPC jurors. ppa.com/IPC

GET A GRIPThe Labrador puppy in “Get a Grip” by Aileen Harding, CPP, is just 4 weeks

old. Harding, who specializes in fine-art portraiture, captured the image in

her studio, A. Harding Photography, in Baytown, Texas. “I lay down on my

stomach to get an eye level perspective and shot at f/8 to get detail from the

pup’s nose to his ears,” says Harding. “This perspective placed the image’s

focus on his sharp little puppy claws, his stubby puppy ears and wrinkly

puppy face.” aharding.net

CAMERA & LENS: Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, Canon 70-200mm

f/2.8 IS II lensEXPOSURE: f/8 for 1/125 second, ISO 100

LIGHTING: Typical high-key setup with a white paper background; two

White Lightning Ultra 1600 monolights feathered across the backgroun

metered at f/8; one White Lightning Ultra 3200 with a 4x6 Larson soft

camera left, metered at f/8; one White Lightning Ultra 1600 with umbr

bounced light behind the camera and slightly to right for fill, metered to

SOFTWARE: Adobe Lightroom to adjust white balance and increased

then Adobe Photoshop CS5 to remove puppy dandruff, clean up the floo

retouch the catch lights in the eyes.

©Aileen Harding



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©Steve Jessee

GOLDEN ARCHES (left)Steve Jessee, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, specializes in landscape art photography

senior portraits at his studio, Associated Photography, in Princeton, W.V., and

also a Photoshop instructor at Concord University. He captured “Golden Arch

while exploring shooting locations in Washington, D.C. “I stepped into thi

beautiful hallway [part of the U.S. Postal Service building] to get out of th

rain,” says Jessee. “The leading lines and the arches woke up my senses to

capture the moment.” associatedphotography.ifp3.com

CAMERA & LENS: Nikon D7000 camera, Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17

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filter to bring out the full color range. Jessee applied a glow to the hangin

lights, and that’s when the title of the image came to him.

SUNRISE AT MESA ARCH (below)Randy Van Duinen captured “Sunrise at Mesa Arch” while he was leading

photographic workshop in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. At his busineRandy Van Duinen Photography, in St. Petersburg, Fla., he specializes in

architectural, landscape, and HDR photography in addition to being a

photography instructor. Because Mesa Arch has been much photographed

Duinen looked for a fresh take. “In order to capture as much detail as I wa

shot a nine-stop bracket series to merge into an HDR image.”

rvdphotography.com

CAMERA & LENS: Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, Canon EF 16-35mm

II USM lens shot at 16mm

EXPOSURE: f/22 for 1/40 second

LIGHTING: Natural available light

SOFTWARE: Lightroom 4, PhotoMatix 4.2, and Adobe Photoshop

©R an

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

All images ©Kos Evans

“The most important

thing is to believe in

yourself. Sometimes

your ideas can be

ahead of the vision at

the time, but if you

continue chipping

away, people catch

up and come on board.”

—KOS EVANS

Walking on

water The daredevil photography

of Kos Evans

BY JEFF KENT



I t’s hard to imagine that one of the

world’s foremost marine photog-

raphers stumbled into the field—

or surf, as the case may be—but

that’s the reality. While still in

school, Kos Evans, who has made a profes-

sional name for herself as simply “Kos,”

lucked into an opportunity to photograph

powerboat and water skiing competitions.

A year after graduating from college, for-

tune again brought a major opportunity,

this time to shoot the 1982-83 America’s

Cup yacht races.

Kos has built a career in marine photog-

raphy, both artistically and commercially.

She’s pioneered innovative techniques and

aced challenging commercial assignments

for some of the world’s most recognizable

brands. Kos runs her own photo agency, Kos

Picture Source, a worldwide source of yacht-

ing photography, and is a player in new

communications technology with the recent

release of an interactive publishing platform

for the iPad called Boyd.

“I decided to specialize in marine photog-

raphy because I felt there was a lot more work

to be done with the imagery of yachting,”says Kos. “I also liked that there was a lot of

organization involved before you take a pic-

ture. It’s not like sitting on a [playing

field’s] touchline and catching the action

that’s laid out in front of you. With marine

photography, you have to create your shots.

You have to instruct a boat driver or helicop-

ter pilot where you want to be. You have to

observe weather conditions, even wind shifts,

and you have to hope the large waves in front

of you don’t obliterate the shot as it starts to

be created. There’s a lot involved.”

Kos does her best work when the client

lets her interpret the image in the way she

feels will hold the strongest marketing value.

Yet some of Kos’ best-known images are not

highly commercial. Years ago, she developed

a method for photographing yachts from

perch on the mast. Those distinctive ima

have become her trademark and helped

her a reputation as a daredevil willing t

push the limits artistically and physical

These photos and others are feature

the new book, “Walking on Water: The devil Acrobatics of a Pioneering Photogra

(Bloomsbury). The book lends insights

how Kos perceives her images and wha

experiences to capture a particular shot

not about f/stops,” she says, “because wh

are hanging out of a helicopter at 100 mp

up a 200-foot swaying mast, those techni

ties are just a very small part of the pic

Most of all, the book demonstrates how

innovative approach has set her apart i

highly competitive business. “The most im

tant thing is to believe in yourself,” she

“Sometimes your ideas can be ahead of

vision at the time, but if you continue ch

away, people catch up and come on board

See more from Kos at kosphotos.com.

March 2013 • Professional Photograph



CONTACT SHEET

PP Asks …Facebook is where the happyhappens. LIKE our page(facebook.com/ppmagazine),and take part in tear-inducingdiscussions like the following:

YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?!

WHAT’S THE ODDEST THING A

CLIENT EVER ASKED YOU TO D

A lady came into my studio with a photoher sister. She wanted me to copy the pfor enlargements and when I did, turn hter around so she could see her face. Afshe had the negative.

Bruce Cen

A wrestler came into my studio with lotprops for his promo ads that I was photgraphing for. He wanted to be photogra

in fairy wings, in a garden of flowers, wiHanson CD … . It was an extremely fun s

Erin

A lady brought me an old B&W snapshofrom when she was little. She wanted mreproduce it in color so that she could swhat color her dress was. She argued wwhen I told her that I couldn’t tell what her dress was. She said they did it to “TWizard of Oz,” so she knew it could be d

Melissa

Following a business shoot, a client ask

that I completely redesign her eyebrowslips in Photoshop.

Kelly Shull

A client requested sand be brought in fooutdoor shoot so it would look like she the beach. We live in Illinois; I’m pretty the corn fields in the background wouldgiveaway that she was not at the beach

Rebecca Whitaker Do

I was asked to incorporate feathers fromfreshly killed turkey (with bits of skin stthem) into a newborn shoot.

Heather Lickliter

A neurologist who was doing research otiple sclerosis hired me to photograph sof his lab mice in various stages of the disea

Sharon Go

For more on that mouse photo shoot another unpublishable answers, see theFacebook discussion that began Jan. 10(facebook.com/ppmagazine).

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“In my line of work, the saying is that if

you’re not scared, you’re in the wrongplace,” laughs Jim Edds from his home

base in Pensacola, Fla. When everyone else

is evacuating the path of an impending

storm, Edds goes rushing in.

Edds is among that rare breed of photog-

raphers who make their living capturing the

drama of Mother Nature’s most destructive

forces: hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, tropi-

cal storms. After more than a decade chasing

storms around the globe, he’s published

“Hurricane Journey,” a digital book combin-

ing text, photography, and video (available

at the Apple iTunes Store). The compilation

is a fitting format for Edds’ work. It covers

everything from how a storm develops to how

forecasters track it to the proper precautions

to take before evacuating and how to survive

if you get stuck in a major storm. Edds

includes interviews with National Ocea

and Atmospheric Administration fligh

directors and technicians to create a we

rounded look at storms, highlighted by

own photos and videos.

“In the past 10 years, I think I’ve film

more storms than just about anybody,”

Edds, adding that the frenzied storm a

between 2003 and 2005 alone was enou

base a career on. “You need a way to do

you want and what you love with your era. I used to live for the weekends before

this; now I don’t. I’m being creative, tra

—sometimes I get a little vacation out

You can make a year’s salary off of one

if you do it right.”

That means Edds keeps a constant

the weather. When the Atlantic basin i

quiet, he watches the Pacific. The trick

judging when a storm is going to build

something worth hopping a plane for.

“Getting there is the fun part,” says

“The forecast track isn’t always right, so it

ting into the right place at the right tim

can get to a storm and be the only guy th

can feed out that footage to anyone. It’s go

Read more about Edds and see his wor

extremestorms.com.

CONTACT SHEET


A l l i ma g e s © J i m

E d d s

Into the eye of the storm withphotographer-videographer Jim Edds

Chasing the Action



Photo by Shelley Paulson | Zenfolio user since 2010

Zenfolio has everything you need to place yourphotography online and start selling

Start a free trial at zenfolio.com

See

every month. Stop by our booth at WPPI for more details a

check out our show special for new accounts.

S e e u s a tB o o t h #

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hy thousands of photographers switch to Zenf olio

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New Orleans-based photographer Marc

Pagani has taken his camera from the slopes

of Mt. Everest to the beaches of Cuba, docu-

menting life in Nepal, Tibet, Argentina,

Chile, Iceland, Mexico, France, and many

other destinations along the way. In a new

book released by Course Technology PTR,

Pagani talks about his experiences over more

than a dozen years of photo-centric travel.

“Fearless Photographer: Travel” presents sage

advice on the technical and tactical. Here,

Pagani gives six of his favorite travel tips.

1. Before you even think about the air-

fare, do your research. Decide on a location,

make a photographic goal, learn the visa

requirements and other logistics, and reach

out to friends and family members to find

contacts who live near your destination.

Knowing someone who is willing to help out

with logistics is immensely helpful to your

CONTACT SHEET

The fearless photographerMarc Pagani shares insights on travel photography

A l l i m

a g e s © Ma r c P a g a ni




overall experience and your photography.

2. Always learn the locale’s words for

“thank you,” “yes,” “no,” “please,” and as

many other basic words and phrases as pos-

sible. Simply making the effort to speak the

language goes a long way. At your destina-

tion, talk to the locals about the region. In

conjunction with a good guidebook, Pagani

says it’s always helped him piece togetherreliable information about where he should

shoot, what dangers to watch out for, and

where to go for nightlife and dining.

3. Especially in remote areas where there

are language barriers, take along a small

instant print camera like the Polaroid PIC-

300. Use it to give your portrait subjects a

quick photo memento as thanks for allowing

you to shoot them. “This really helped break

the ice when I was in Northeastern Vietnam,

Tibet, and Nepal,” says Pagani.

4. Back it up, reminds Pagani: “I’m talk-

ing about redundancy in your image backup

scheme while you travel, preferably includ-

ing a cloud-based server so that if all of your

gear is destroyed or stolen, the images are

still accessible.”

5. Shoot everything. When you’re in a new

location, photographing the transportation

modes, foods, architecture, people, animals,

nightlife, and religious icons and rituals will

help give the viewer an understanding of the

culture and overall feel for that area. Tell a

complete story with your images.

6. Make a photocopy of your passport

and keep it in a safe place apart from your

actual passport. If you’re carrying your pass-

port, keep the photocopy in a safe place in

your hotel room, and vice versa.

See more from Marc Pagani at marcpagani.com.




This new, private community (PPA members on

the above and more. And it makes it easier tha

to connect with your peers in a safe place. Fro

ideas to sensitive topics like dealing with dema

clients, share it all without fear of potential cus

seeing it. Log in and get in theLoop!

theLoop.PPA.com


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2013-03 39/148March 2013 • Professional Photograph

Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Business, Marketing, and Sales Strategie

What I think Eric Lindberg emphasizesbusiness fundamentals

What advice would you give to someone just

beginning in the business? Have another

source of income to carry you through the

startup phase. It could take a couple of years

or a lot longer depending on how hard you

hustle to build business.

What’s the greatest challenge your business

has faced in recent years? Semi-pros willing

to sell photos cheap or give them away. I

haven’t overcome this challenge, but I’ve

worked around it partly by finding smaller

markets that are interested in fresh imagery.

What’s the secret to running a successful photography business? Business fundamen-

tals are key. We may consider ourselves

artists, but if we aren’t also adept at plan-

ning, marketing, advertising, selling, and

accounting, most of us won’t get very far.

Many photographers diversify: Along with

shooting for clients, they teach, lead work-

shops, create successful blogs, sell how-to e-

books, do public speaking, offer their work

through galleries, sell at art fairs and festi-

vals, create lines of greeting cards, and pro-

mote their work through social marketing.

We need to adapt to changes in the market.

IMAGE BY ERIC LINDBERG

ERICLINDBERG.COM



Q. One of my clients hires me to do product

shots under a limited-use license. She uses

the photos online for her blog and her Etsy

store. She asked me recently if she could use

some of my photos in a wedding magazine.

Does this require a different license agreement

between us or do I deal directly with the

magazine publisher? Do I seek compensation

for the published photos or is it reasonable

to barter for an ad in the magazine?

A. Technically, the publishing company would

need a license agreement to use those images

in the magazine, so you could reach out to the

publisher about a license. However, you also

have to consider your client. You don’t want your

client’s story killed because you weren’t able

to reach a deal with the publisher. The maga-

zine could easily walk away from your request,

and you would have a very unhappy client.

I believe the best bet is to talk to the pub-

lisher and suggest a swap for an ad. If that

doesn’t work, my approach would be to let the

magazine use the client’s images for the story

without a fee. I wouldn’t want to lose a clientover this, and based on the fact that it’s a sup-

porting image (not the cover, for example), you

probably are not missing out on enough money

to risk the loss of future business. In any case,

you do need to ask for and expect a photo credit.

—Eric Doggett

Q. Does anyone have a workable high school

senior ambassador program that outlines

the basic steps needed to attract seniors?

A. The high school senior market is one of the

most competitive segments in the photogra-

phy industry, so getting in front of your target

market can be harder than ever. In the past,

ambassador programs were the key to gener-

ating active referrals and bringing in new

clients. But as the number of photographers

in the market has grown, so has the number

of these programs. The result is that they

don’t work like they used to.

Yet my studio’s model program is a key

piece of the marketing strategy that has

grown our senior business year after year. It

has set us apart as senior portrait expert.

How did we do it? We started by asking our-

selves this: In a market where everyone is a

photographer, what makes us different?

Once you answer that question for your-

self, you have to look at how to get target

seniors in the door. How do you create a

model program that says your studio is the

place for senior portraits? You create both an

experience and a relationship.

To understand how to do this, focus on

three key elements:1. Make your program exclusive. The tra-

ditional ambassador program offers no sense

of belonging or exclusivity. For current high

schoolers, these factors are critical. They all

want to stand out, be famous, and feel a part

of something that not everyone can be a part

of. Look at it this way: If you are doing an

open model call (seeking models online by

inviting anyone who wants to be a model),

then your target market realizes there is

nothing special about being a part of your

program because anyone can do it. Befo

exclaim But we want anyone who wants

a part of our studio to do it! realize I’m t

about how you market your program: Yo

need to build a degree of exclusivity into

becoming a model (or ambassador) for ystudio to drive your target to want it mo

Focus on students’ desire to feel unique

famous, and you will start to create valu

your program.

2. Do not require ambassadors to pr

your services. The current model program

too much emphasis on actively pushing

rals as opposed to focusing on the fun a

experience of being a model. I know, I kno

want referrals. I do too! But to reach this

eration, you must break down your curre

of thinking in relation to advertising. You

not simply photograph seniors and creat

sales pitch for them to go out and pimp

studio to their friends. You must create

and a relationship with your models to a

them the opportunity to be your represen

in the world. Create ways for your mode

market your studio year round whether

they actively refer individual clients to you

target market—their friends and peers—

see and hear about their experiences, an

will give you a more valuable platform th

having your model Madison tell her frien

Katelyn “Hey, go to this studio! Tell them

you and get eight free wallet prints.”

3. Don’t do it alone. To make your pgram successful, give the impression th

bigger than just your studio. Create bus

partnerships and get partners involved i

program. Create ways for them to intera

with your models, and create value for y

models with those relationships. Do not

these into direct sales pitches, but weave

into the model experience. Aligning you

dio with people who complement your b

will create mutually beneficial marketing

opportunities and drive long-term bene

Almost everyone has an ambassador

gram. To create one that grows your busyou must separate yourself from the pa

Focusing on ambassadors’ experience an

relationship with your studio will help you a

differentiation and a profitable senior busin

—Jen B

Got a question? Email our experts c/o Peditor Jane Gaboury at [email protected]


Ask the expertsLicensing agreements and senior ambassadors

STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICESPROFIT CENTER

The high school senior market is one of the

most competitive segments in the photography

industry, so getting in front of your target

market can be harder than ever.

GURUS FROM PPA STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES ANSWER YOUR BUSINESS,

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PROFIT CENTER: STARTING OVER

BY KALEN HENDERSON,

M.PHOTOG.MEI.CR., CPP, API

Is our industry crazy or what? I mean, really,

in how many industries are the professionals

expected to compete in an arena where the

engineers keep creating new devices weekly

for use by pros and amateurs alike?

Professional photographers deal with the

madness every day. Our bread and butter is

being plucked from our lunchboxes with the

aid of the very corporations that produce the

tools we use. They are creating “toys” for

amateurs who are deluded into thinking they

can make money as photographers in their

spare time. Well, I have yet to find a true pro-

fessional photographer who has any time to

spare in the midst of business marketing activ-

ities, community participation, client educa-

tion, continuing education, postproduction,

and, oh yes, photo shoots—all the while

deflecting the barrage of social media post-

ings made by the weekend warriors newly armed with the latest photo editing actions.

Take heart. I recently saw a beacon in the

darkness, when a bride arrived on my

doorstep with a flash drive in hand and a

horror story about how one of these “amaz-

ing” weekend artists failed to deliver on her

wedding. The images were—to use a techni-

cal term—awful. Her question to me was,

“What will you charge me to fix this?” I told

her it would have been much less expensive

to have hired me in the first place, but that

was a moot point. She was in tears. I had

sympathy for her and a lot of anger toward

that part-time wannabe for promising so

much more than he or she could deliver.

Now back to our bride and how we’re

going to spin this little problem to our advan-

tage. After all, those of us who have dedicated

our lives, not just our weekends, to this pro-

fession have both the knowledge and the desire

for knowledge that will enable us to make

lemonade from the lemons we’ve been handed.

If we quickly assess the cause of the problem,

we can perhaps provide a corrective solution so

that this young bride will have wedding images

to show her children and grandchildren.

We’re giving not just a sparkly marketing

campaign but a veritable educational show-down. We must lead with our experience,

our knowledge, and our education and then

explain to the potential client why those

things are important. I’ve seen the websites

of many photographers who think it’s

important that potential clients know what

kind of car they drive or how they feel

about recycling. Shouldn’t it be more

important that a client be assured of a

tographer’s knowledge of resolution s

color balancing, and how to make the mother-in-law look 20 pounds lighter

that tan dress? Of course it should.

Marketing is using various media to

vince people to become your customer

Education is the process of teaching th

why. What we’re encountering are con

sumers who didn’t know what to ask in

first place and are then wondering Why

when they receive an inferior product.

What the occasional photographer

actually doing is creating business for m

without even knowing it. Every sad sto

remedy is another testimonial for my p

sional skill. Collect enough testimonial

you “right” the rulebook. I

Kalen Henderson’s Studio K/Henderso Photography is located in Mt. Pleasant,

A beacon shinesShow clients the light through education


©Veer

In how many industries are the professionals

expected to compete in an arena where the

engineers are creating new devices weekly for use by pros and amateurs alike?



Begin with the end in mind, advised business

guru Stephen Covey. It is challenging to start

a journey without knowing where you’re going.

After covering managerial accounting,

portrait pricing, and wedding pricing, it’s time

to cut to the chase. Let’s figure out the bot-

tom line before we journey into the topics of

selling, marketing, branding, taxes, and all

the rest of the functions that require the

attention of the successful studio owner.

What is your bottom line? It might be

having enough money to replace the income

from your full-time job, it might be to con-

tribute a certain amount to your household

income, or it could be having the ability to pay

for your child’s college education. Regardless,

you are in business to make money. You should

have an idea of what you’d like your bottom

line to be. From there, you’ll be able to deter-

mine how many sessions you need to photo-

graph and the average sale from each of those

sessions that you need to reach your goal.

Let’s begin with the end in mind: How

much do you want to make?

Look at the table below. Here we’re

assuming you want to make $85,000. To do

that, you will need to gross more than

$200,000 in sales, average 25 percent cost

of sales (COS), and keep your production

workflow efficient. Fixed expenses can be no

more than 35 percent for a home studio (45

percent for a retail studio), and your time

management must be spot on.

Consider your time for a moment. In this

example, you spend 8 hours a week working

on your business (financial management, mar-

keting, relationship building, etc.). The rest

of your time is spent working in your business

(photographing sessions, postproduction,

designing albums, etc.). Given the seasonal

nature of the typical studio, those hours will

be concentrated into the seasons of your

specialties (wedding season, senior sea

portrait season, and so on). It is impera

that you create a workflow that provid

the most efficient use of your time.

Document your workflow from the

client contact through the delivery of p

ucts, and update that process periodica

based on technology advancements an

recognizing time-wasters in your produ

calendar. This bottom-line tool, along

other tools to help you assess your busi

from the PPA Financial Benchmark Su

is available at ppa.com.

Once you have made this assessment

see that you need to develop a marketing

that will attract clients who will spend an

average of $4,000 for wedding photog

and $1,500 on a portrait session and fin

products. This is the exciting part. You

what you need to do, having your goal

mind, as you plan and build your mark

calendar.

Just as important as getting those c

in the door is creating and perfecting y

sales strategy. For weddings, this strate

considers what you need your average

be, and using the good-better-best-and

it-all pricing strategy allows you to design

pricing in a way that will yield the resul

need to meet your bottom line. The mi

package should be at the price point that

like your average to be. For portraits, you

plan is a journey of education from the

tial contact to delivery of final product

are walking your client through a creat

process that leaves no room for doubt a

the value of their portrait. Look for mo

sales strategies in the coming months.

Bridget Jackson is the PPA Studio Manment Services manager. Contact her at [email protected].

Starting at the endLet’s get to the bottom of it

PROFIT CENTER: MAKING MONEY

BY BRIDGET JACKSON

TOTAL BOTTOM LINE BEFORE TAXES $85,000

SALES SESSIONS AVERAGE

Weddings 25 $4,000 $100,000

Portraits 75 $1,500 $112,500

Total sales $212,500

Cost of sales (25%) -$53,125

Gross profit $159,375

Total fixed costs (35%) -$74,375

Bottom line $85,000

WORK SESSIONS HOURS/SESSION TOTAL HOURS

Weddings 25 40 1,000

Portraits 75 8 600

Administrative 8/week 400

Total hours 2,000

Cost per hour $42.50




Portfolio Sites • BizSites • Stores • Blogs • Client Proofi

Web Styling Service • SEO Service • Social Media Se

With PhotoBiz it's like having two of me. I absolutely love thfact that we can update stuff so quickly. It makes our job a lot easier, and we have more time to do what we actually dowhich is shoot.

- Hiram TrilloGet more of my story at

PhotoBizLovesMe.com



PROFIT CENTER: MASTERING MARKETING

BY ANGELA POINTON

When you’re heading out to the drugstore,

do you get excited? Are you passionate about

shopping there? Does the experience leave

you wishing you could spend more o your

hard-earned dollars there?

Or is your drugstore like most any other

drugstore in America, with the same prod-

ucts, similar layout, and checkout people who,

honestly, would rather be anywhere but

there? None o the national drugstore chains

has been successul at dierentiating its

products or services. When one drugstore

chain started oering lu shots, all the others

were doing the same beore you could say

“lu shot.” Because there are no dierentia-

tions among the chains, they oten compete

on price, as evidenced by the repetitive cycle

o weekly circulars, which have ushered in a seasonal rotation o discount doom.

BEING DIFFERENT MATTERS

Dierentiation creates a space your business

lives in with ew, i any other, photography

businesses. I you can connect with the things

that can make your photo business unique,

you have the beginnings o dierentiation.

Unique businesses experience ew com-

petitive threats, get out rom under discount-

ing and price competition, and most important,

align themselves with the kinds o customers

they want to serve. There are consumers

looking or unique experiences. And there

are clients you’re dying to work with who are

just waiting or you to show your true colors.

DON’T BE A DRUGSTORE

KNOW WHO YOU ARE. One o the key

aspects o dierentiating your business is this

basic: It’s your business. The biggest mis-

take I see photographers make is comparing themselves to photographers they admire,

compete with, or hear about rom potential

clients. Measuring yoursel this way results

in one outcome: The insane act o making

business decisions based on someone e

business strategy. The result is that you

make your business more like theirs.

Wise photographers know what the

have to oer the world. They do not im

others. I they remain true to themselv

rather than look outside themselves, th

have the oundation or dierentiation

EXAMINE ALL ASPECTS. Exam

each little touch point that engages (or

bores) your customers. Challenge your

to brainstorm improvements to these

points in ways that are original to you.

like turning up the volume on a great s

Your customers’ experience today will

enriched by the sweet crescendos you i

going orward.

LISTEN AND IMPROVE CONT

OUSLY. I you ask customers how yo

could dierentiate your business, they’l

you exactly what you don’t need to hear.

because their rame o reerence is othe

photographers. It’s when you’re not ask the question that you really need to be

tening. Customers give us wonderul in

into ways we could truly be dierent. I

to you to turn the thought That will ne

work into How can I make that work?

Sometimes ideas will all on the cut

room loor. This challenge o being uni

about using scrutiny and having relent

passion toward dierentiation, all whil

inding the things that will create space

between you and your competition, de

the customers you want to work with,

create a truly unique photography busin

Angela Pointon is the founder of Steel T Images, which offers advice to photograp She blogs at steeltoeimages.com and twe@steeltoeimages.

Diferentiating your businessHow and why a competitive edge benefits you


Living in a space o litt le diferentiation. Living in a space that’s all your own.



Even though his studio, Abbey Photogra-

phers, has been around since his parents

started it in 1954, Neal Clipper, M.Photog.Cr.,

CPP, is always searching for new marketing

opportunities and ways to distinguish him-

self from the crowd.

One of Clipper’s most successful initiatives

has been bringing photo printers to weddings

and other events. Initially, he printed some

complimentary keepsake prints. As demand

grew, he started offering the service as a prepaid

product. Now, about half of his weddings and

bar and bat mitzvahs include onsite printing.

These events typically bring Clipper two

or three leads in addition to one or more book-

ings. But the visibility this service brings the

studio goes well beyond the additional book-

ings. “The second we hand someone a print,

he or she immediately turns around and shows

it to someone else. It’s instant marketing for

the studio,” he says. To maximize the oppor-

tunity, the studio’s website and ordering and

contact info go on the back of every print.

Clipper collects charges for the service in

advance of the event. For weddings, he sends

two photographers to shoot the event (one

for posed shots, the other for photojournalis-

tic coverage), and another two-person team

(photographer and assistant) to photograph

every couple upon entering the reception. He

prints some images taken by the first team as

keepsakes for the wedding party and the

images of the guests as wedding favors. For

corporate events and other gatherings, a

two-person team can photograph the atten-

dees and operate the printer.

The setup includes either the Mitsubishi

CP-9810DW or CP-70D printer (the CP9810

is bigger with a larger paper capacity, the

CP-70D is more portable), Nikon DSLRs,

Sony Vaio laptops, and a Dynalite 1000

power pack with two light heads modified by

Westcott soft boxes. Clipper and team

in both raw and JPEG formats, saving t

raw files for the archives and printing fr

the JPEGs. For some events, he project

images onto a large screen to increase in

est among the guests.

For photographers looking to brea the onsite printing market, Clipper su

gests doing the work gratis for a few c

to work out a system and build referra

your onsite printing goes over well, yo

got instant referral cards circulating in

marketplace.

“A lot of photographers are stuck in

mindset that they don’t want to hand

something out for free,” says Clipper.

have to get away from that way of thin

This is an opportunity to offer someth

different, to separate yourself from th

pack. And if you get paid a reasonable

up front for the service, it provides a g

revenue stream as well.” I

See more from Neal Clipper at abbeyphotographers.com.

Handing out memories

BY JEFF KENTPROFIT CENTER

Neal Clipper generates buzz, and biz, with onsite prints


Giving guests complimentary prints at the

generates excitement and maximizes refe

All images ©Abbey Photographers



Many of the oceanfront hotel properties on the

Hawaiian island of Maui are so beautiful that

guests find it hard to leave their cozy confines.

Maui-based photographer Brian Ross says it’s

a shame not to explore all the island has to offer.

For years, Ross had carved out a nice living

as a destination wedding photographer. Even

though his high-end photography received rave

reviews from clients, Ross felt an entrepreneur-

ial gnawing to launch another kind of busi-

ness. What did Maui need? he asked himself.

Ross came up with an idea for a brand

new niche in the tourism trade, and he

began canvassing his network of Maui hotel

concierges for feedback on the plan. Do it,

was the consensus. And with that encour-

agement, Ross launched Photo Safari

Hawaii and began offering tours in 2008.

ECO-PHOTO TOURS

Ross hit the ground running in the promo-

tion of his authentic eco-photo tours. “For

vacationers looking for something unique, I

show them the real Maui, the soul of Maui.

My goal is to create a nature experience

through photography,” Ross says.

In addition to making face-to-face sales

calls and launching a website, Ross hired

guides who exhibited the same passion he

had for both photography and nature. These

guides would lead tours of Maui as well as

all the major Hawaiian islands.

With inquiries from curious website visi-

tors and support from the concierge commu-

nity, Ross’ full-day, half-day, and multi-island

eco-photo tours began to look like a business

enterprise with staying power. Ross had dis-

covered an audience of vacationers hun

for photographic tips from a seasoned

fessional. These tourists would learn ph

graphic insights that would last a lifetim

they toured the state’s magnificent trov

volcanoes, tropical rain forests, waterfa

beaches, fishing villages, and sea caves

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

A tour with a Photo Safari tour guide b

with curbside pickup service at guests’ h

Ross or a team member arrives in a wh

SUV with Photo Safari’s palm tree logo

emblazoned on the side. This heavy-du

transportation is what’s needed for off-

trips to Maui’s hidden photographic ge

On a glorious 80-degree day in Nov

ber, two guests from Minnesota were g

by Ross and the sound of Hawaiian sin

Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo`ole playing on

car stereo. The song playing that morn

“Over the Rainbow,” would be prophet

what lay ahead.

This was the Photo Safari full-day R

Hana tour, a 140-mile roundtrip trek to M

eastern tip. Ross pulled back the curtaiMaui’s historical and geographical high

The 45-year-old native of Philadelphia

recounted chapters from his own photog

adventures, some of them in the music

industry, such as rubbing elbows with

Beyoncé, taking a portrait of Ray Char

a jazz festival, and composing images o

Taj Mahal on a trek astride a camel.

Spend any time with Ross and you’l

his passion for photography and Maui’

environment contagious. He says Haw

vowel-drenched vocabulary is somethi

can relate to. Take the name Hawaii: th

means breath, wai is water, and the fin

the unity of breath and water. One of R

first lessons for these guests began with

about the meaning of the word “photogr

A business niche in Maui

BY TIM COTRONEOPROFIT CENTER

Entrepreneur photographer Brian Ross goes on safari


©J ud

yG r und t ner

Brian Ross perches on the running board of a Photo

Safari Hawaii SUV as nature supplies a rainbow.



The third-grade teacher in the group was

correct when she said, “Writing with light.”

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS

If photography and nature rank first and

second in the Photo Safari priority list, then

food is third. For Ross’ guests, that trans-

lates into sampling fine local treats like

mango bread, passion fruit, and pineapple

coconut ice cream.

Among the unique food stops during that

day’s tour was Coconut Glen’s Island Reme-

dies stand, which Glen Simpkins operates

from a bamboo hut just outside Hana. Inside

the funky roadside hut is a New England

culinary-trained chef scooping original-

recipe coconut milk ice cream into freshly cut

coconut bowls. Meeting entrepreneurs like

Simpkins in the middle of seemingly nowhere

is part of the unique added-value formula Ross

envisioned when shaping his business plan.

WONDERFUL WORLD

More than once during the tour, Ross spoke

of his belief that life is more about the jour-

ney than the destination. This proved true

when he suddenly pulled the SUV onto the

shoreline of a volcanic rock beach.

Ross grabbed his Nikon D3 camera and

encouraged his guests to follow. On the hori-

zon a rainbow was beginning to form. The tour

guests got shots of the rugged beach landscape

as a second rainbow began paralleling the

first. Looking at his guests, Ross said, “This is

the best part of my job. Every day is different.”

As they all climbed back in the SUV to head

home, Iz sang his version of “It’s a Wonder-

ful World.” The lyrics connected organically

with the photographic moments that h

just transpired.

The tours are only the beginning of

Ross and his team anticipate for 2013.

will continue to conduct photography w

shops, and Ross is jazzed about his new

enterprise, Extraordinary Adventures

Hawaii, which will offer guests experie

such as dolphin encounters, surfing les

and volcano hikes.

If life is more about the journey, the

there is no end to what Ross’ beloved

Hawaiian Islands can offer tourists sea

ing to write with light and more. Louis

Armstrong may have been thinking ab

Hawaii when he sang, “What a wonde

ful world.” I

Tim Cotroneo is a freelance travel write from Lino Lakes, Minn.

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My wife has been through two expensive

toasters in two years. The first was a trusted

American brand. It was a four-slicer, but

after just a few months, it could toast only

two. Next she tried a well-known European

brand. Same song, second verse. Both

brands are now made in China. An online

search for toasters made in the U.S.A. pro-

duced the name of a man who rebuilds

toasters made decades ago and promises

years of trouble-free service. Without hesita-

tion, my wife paid a premium to get one.

What do toasters have to do with fine

portraits? Everything. Buyers are frustrated

with products that do not satisfy, do not

function, and do not last. This presents an

opportunity to distinguish yourself with por-

traits and service that don’t merely satisfybut

delight your clients for years and make them

loyal to your brand.

8 STEPS TOWARD QUALITY

Here are eight ways to appeal to clients who

are looking for quality.

1. Be an expert.Excellent portraits are cre-

ated in large part long before the click of the

shutter: The photographer has chosen the

location that best suits the subject, time of

day for the best light, style that fits the client’s

decor, and composition that lends itself to wall

display. These are key pre-session elements that

require communicating with clients to dis-

cover their taste and desires and then guiding

them in making the best choices. Insist on the

important things. Don’t take shortcuts. Your

expertise will show in the finished portrait.

2. Make your clients look good. It’s what’s

most important to them. Look for their best

features as well as those you should hide or

minimize. Use posing, lighting, and camera

angle to the best advantage for the subject. If

you have to tell clients you can “fix” some-

thing in Photoshop, they’ll lose confidence

in you and discount the value of your work.

3. Keep it classic. A trendy portrait with

the latest clothing styles and an edgyback-

ground will go out of style and become a

purchase that clients regret. They won’t invest

in your brand again. You canmake classic por-

traits vibrant and contemporary.

4. Emotions sell portraits. Donald Jack,

M.Photog.Cr., a fine portrait artist and

instructor, teaches ESP—expressions sell

portraits—and I’ve amended that slightly.

Your portrait will be cherished because it

captures the personalities of the subjects and

their relationships with each other. People

buy portraits of people they love. Capture

that love and you will capture their hearts.Put your clients at ease. Interact with them

and allow them to interact with one another.

5. Protect your brand. Fail to deliver high

quality in any area, and you’ll hurt your

brand. There’s an apt saying: Big things

make it, small things break it. You might

have a beautiful setting, gorgeous light, and

wonderful expressions, but the client might

see only the one small detail she doesn’t like.

Address that detail for her, and you will earn

her trust, her loyalty, and her referrals.

Months after their purchase, those broken

toasters were not under warranty. My por-

traits are. I will retouch, revise, or remake a

portrait for any reason at any time. It repre-

sents a small cost to me and allows my

clients to buy with confidence.

6. Details, details, details. Do you o

variety of attractive finishes and a prot

coating? Beautiful presentation option

Archival reproduction? How do you pa

your work for delivery? Elegant details

your work apart, increase the perceived

value of your work, and build your bra

Make these family keepsakes with the b

of everything.

7. Exceed expectations. The electric

pany is reliable. The gas station makes

available 24/7. These things do not ins

my praise or my referral because they are

I expect. Consumers expect photograp

to make images. What can you do beyo

making pictures? Plenty, and at every s

the transaction. You can provide expert

ning suggestions on your website; prod

guide on decorating with portraits; kno

best outdoor locations for portraits; acco

date those with special needs; provide ho

ality in your studio; shoot at the client’s h

give dynamic presentations of the imag

and so much more. A high-quality port

the sum of everything that leads to it.

8. Follow up. Shortly after clients bosession, they get a packet of helpful info

tion, examples of my work and design

and testimonials from previous clients

do I get those testimonials? I simply ask c

to tell me how everything looks. I get a

great testimonials, and if there’s a comp

I pursue a remedy until the client is mo

than satisfied. One of the best reasons

low up with your clients is simply that

businesses do not.

Quality is the sum of all your clients

ceptions about you and your product. S

the opportunity to provide something

businesses do not. A quality product be

quality client. I

Thomas Fallon Photography is in Southland, Maine (thomasfallonphotography

Whatever happened to quality?

BY THOMAS FALLONPROFIT CENTER

Superior products earn lifetime clients




D.B. Walton

Palmyra, N.Y.

PROFIT CENTER: MY STUDIO

BY D. BRENT WALTON, CR.PHOTOG., CPP

After having owned a studio in the San FranciscoBay area for eight years, I relocated to Palmyra,N.Y., in 2009. There, I bought a 1.8-acre estatealong with a commercial building a quartermile down the street that I intended to use asa studio. The estate has a historic 178-year oldcolonial mansion, large parking area, cottagewith greenhouse, a garden, stone walls, andmore than 50 mature trees. Frustrated becausethere were leases in the commercial buildingthat had to be honored, I turned the cottageinto an interim studio. The new studio workswell, perhaps better than the commercial building

would have. It’s separate from the house andyet close enough that I can quickly tend topersonal matters between clients.

The cottage was built around 1920 as acabana house to store swimming poolequipment. The estate is located in downtownPalmyra in the village’s historic district.

This part of the cottage camera roomhas a U-shaped track for muslin backdropsplus eight straight rails for scrims and otherbackdrops. Main and fill lights are on lightstands, and ceiling-mounted studio lightsprovide hair accents and light the backgrounds.The far wall and door retain their original colors

for a grungy, textured background option.

The mansion’s tavern room serves as aclassroom as well as our sales and projectionroom. People love the atmosphere of thisrecreated 19th-century public house.

Old doors, some with particularly interest-ing textures, are attached to the back wall of ourstorage building for use as backgrounds. Thebuilding is 10x14 feet and holds foam wall propsand wardrobe (which includes black shirts insizes up to 3X for clients who forget ouradvice during the wardrobe consultation).

Down the street from our studio is this

narrow pedestrian alley that I love. The sunnever makes it all the way down the walls sothere is always soft, warm light. There arelots of little areas like this within a fewhundred yards of my studio doors.

Here I am (and again and again!) in thecottage’s office, which was remodeled afterwe purchased the property.

1

2

3

4

5

6

©R ob er t S t eer e



3

5



Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Products, Technology, and Services

What I like Kevin Jairaj says out-source what you can

What makes your workflow flow?

One thing I learned while working o

my business degree was to outsourc

whenever it made financial sense. I

I expect to create a luxury brand

based on stellar images and cus-

tomer service, I cannot be behind t

computer 15 hours of every day. I

outsource my editing, specialty re-

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grow my business, meet with client

and network with vendors.

When you’re working on location, what’s your most valuable piece of

gear? My Profoto BatPac portable

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and power up lights, fans, and othe

accessories all day long.

Has a piece of equipment ever

changed the way you approach pho

tography? The Canon EOS-1DX

camera. I can shoot in some very low

light situations without having to a

flash. I recently shot part of a recep

tion at ISO 10,000 and was amaze

IMAGE BY KEVIN JAIRAJ

KJIMAGES.COM



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Image ©Marc Anthony Photography

Template ©Ashe Design



I admit that when I first heard about the

touch-screen Sekonic LiteMaster Pro L-

478DR meter for photographers and video-

graphers, I passed it off as a marketing

gimmick. Touch screen? What’s the point?

After using the L-478DR, I soon realized

how wrong I had been. The touch-screen

feature is nice, but more important, the

technology built into the meter is amazing.

The L-478 meters fall between the L-358

and the L-758 in the Sekonic lineup. There

are two meters in the L-478 series, the L-478D

and the L-478DR. The principal difference

between them is the PocketWizard transmit-

ter built into the L-478DR: The functional-

ity it enables with PocketWizard-compatible

flash units sets this meter apart from all others.

The L-478s are the first with touch-screen

controls. The 2.7-inch screen, although

and clear enough for information displ

too small for users to make sweeping fi

gestures. To change settings you tap or

and hold. The screen is responsive to li

pressure and the selections change qui

The screen’s brightest setting, the defau

good in the studio but is insufficient fo

outdoors in sunlight.

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

More than a touch-screen gimmick, the SekonicL-478DR meter gives you dynamic control.

BY STAN SHOLIK

Magic touchSEKONIC LITEMASTER PRO L-478DR


Once you set up a lighting ratio with the meter from the subject position, it takes only seconds to adjust the lighting ratio from the camera using the met

the first exposure I switched the fill light off by deselecting its zone in the power control screen (left). Turning the fill light zone on and setting the slider

fill light to one stop under the main light produced a 2:1 ratio (center). Moving the slider to set the fill light to the same exposure as the main light produc

1:1 ratio (right). The range of adjustment using the meter is +/-3 EV in either 1/2 or 1/3 EV increments.

A l l i mages©S tanS h ol i k



The brightness limitation might be a com-

promise made to extend the power of its two

AAA batteries. The use of small batteries con-

tributes to the meter’s compact size (2x5x1

inches), but I’d be OK with a larger unit if,

like the L-758 meters, it was powered by a

CR123A lithium battery and had a brighter

display. With the user-selectable display

dimming and the meter power downtimes, I

had no battery drain problems when I used

Energizer Ultimate lithium AAA batteries; a

battery power level icon is always visible dur-

ing metering. The meter takes a few seconds

to power back up after it shuts itself off, so I

set the display to remain on until I manually

powered off the meter. The Energizer bat-

teries lasted about four hours in this mode.

Both incident and reflected light readings

are available with the L-458 meters, but the

5-degree reflected light receptor is an

optional accessory, not built-in as it is with

the L-758 meters. The built-in incident light

lumisphere retracts into the top of the unit

for metering lighting ratios, copy work, or

illumination levels.

As with the L-758 meters, Sekonic rec-

ommends calibrating the L-458s to your

cameras with the free Sekonic DTS calibra-

tion software (See “Dynamic Ranger,” Pro-

fessional Photographer, October 2012). You

can calibrate without the reflected light attach-

ment by entering the incident light values into

both the incident and reflected light boxes in

the software. (An updated xRite ColorChecker

Passport for calibration is pending.)

The L-478D and L-478DR models have

three ambient light modes for both photog-

raphy and videography. The L-478D has

four flash measuring modes; the L-478DR

has six. The ambient light modes allow you

PROS

Touch-screen accessand navigation

Ability to measure everyimaginable ambient, flash,

and video situation

Wireless power controlfor all PocketWizard

ControlTL-compatibleflashes

Calibration to eachcamera’s dynamic range

Compact size

CONS

Screen difficult to readin bright light

Poor battery life if displayremains active




to set a shutter speed then meter for the

aperture, or set an aperture and meter for

the shutter speed. The third ambient light

option allows you to set both shutter speed

and aperture and meter for the ISO setting.

Videographers can choose from the HD

Cine mode, which displays f/stop value for

input shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and

frame rate (f/s); the Cine mode, which dis-

plays f/stop value for input f/s, ISO sensitiv-

ity, and shutter angle; or the Illuminance

mode, which displays the brightness value of

the incident light in lux or foot-candle units.

Custom settings allow input of custom shut-

ter angles and frame rates. The default shut-

ter angle setting is 180 degrees.

The four flash modes common to both

meters are cordless, cordless cumulative

(multiple flash), cord, and cord cumulative.

The sync socket is on the bottom of the meter.

The two additional modes in the L-478DR

allow you to remotely trigger PocketWizard-

equipped flash units in single or cumulative

flashes. What sets the L-478DR apart from

other meters and makes it worth the cost

over the L-478D is the ability to control the

power level of flash units connected to Pock-

etWizard ControlTL receivers.

The PocketWizard ControlTL system is

available for Canon and Nikon DSLR cam-

eras and their compatible hot shoe mount

flashes. With an AC9 AlienBees Adapter, it

is also available for Canon and Nikon with

all Paul C. Buff flash units with a remote ter-

minal, including the AlienBees and White

Lightning monolights and the Zeus power

packs, or with the PowerMC2 receiver

PCB Einstein flashes or with the Powe

receiver for all Elinchrom RX flashes.

I tested the L-478DR with my Nikon

and AlienBees, and it is amazing to be a

control your lighting and adjust ratios

metering. Setting up the meter and the

ControlTL units takes a little care, but

instructions with the ControlTL units an

L-478DR manual are easy to follow.

Once all your signals are set up, op

the Radio Triggering or Radio Trigge

Cumulative mode from the measuring

mode selection screen. The gear icon t

you to the power control screen, whic

allows you to control the radio signal

of the flash units in each of three zone

used a main light in zone A, a fill light



In the measuring mode selection screen (left), ambient light modes are in the left column and flash modes in the right. You can turn off the modes you don

to see. The Tool Box allows you to set filter compensation (center), set up the radio channels, and perform other functions. The power control screen is where

adjust flash output for the three zones (right). Tapping the + or - symbols for each slider gives more precise control than making selections by sweeping your



and a background light in C. From the sub-

ject position with the Lumisphere in its

recessed position, I turned off zones B and C

to meter the main light and then adjusted

the output to the aperture I wanted. After

turning off zones A and C, I adjusted the

fill light. Finally, turning off A and B, I

adjusted the background light level. Turning

on all three zones, I switched to the meas-

uring mode screen and made an average

exposure for the main and fill lights and

set this on my camera. I ended up adjust-

ing only the fill for different ratios, but I

could have adjusted any of the zones from

the camera using the meter. If I had any

doubt of the levels, I could move to the

subject and meter and adjust levels sepa-

rately as I did the first time. It doesn’t get

any easier or more precise than that.

The L-478DR and L-478D are packed

with other neat features. There are 24 filter-

compensation adjustments with additional

room for six of your own. Choosing a filter

automatically adjusts the meter reading for

the filter factor. There is an averaging func-

tion, a contrast function, a mid-tone function,

and the ability to record nine different read-

ings for later recall or averaging.

Despite my initial skepticism, I now

that L-478DR represents the state of th

in hand-held meters for its useful featu

and, aided by the touch-screen interfac

ease of use. I

Stan Sholik is a commercial/advertisin photographer in Santa Ana, Calif.

SpecsSekonic LiteMaster Pro L-478DR MeterTYPE: Digital exposure meter for ambient and flash light

RECEPTOR HEAD: Rotating domed head, retractable for contrast reading

LIGHT RECEIVING: Incident and reflected lightRECEPTOR INCIDENT LIGHT: Convertible to flat diffuser

RECEPTOR REFLECTED LIGHT: 5-degree viewfinder (separate accessory, $110)

STREET PRICE: $479; Sekonic L-478D is $309



On most location assignments, about the only

thing you can be sure of is that there will be

problems to solve, and many of the problems

will have to do with lighting. Your problem-

solving options are many, but electronic

flash units are the most popular solution.

Hot shoe-mount flash units, on-camera

or used remotely, are lightweight and com-

pact. They provide the versatility of auto-

mated exposure and remote triggering. But

when these flashes don’t have the power,

recycle speed, or battery life for your needs,

you must look elsewhere. The trick is to

choose a solution that also meets your

budget. Compiled below are location light-

ing solutions for such situations. They are

arranged in three groups: powerful on- and

off-camera flash units, portable monolights,

and portable power packs and inverters.

ON- AND OFF-CAMERA FLASH

These lights are similar to hot shoe flash

units but with enhanced features. They’re

especially popular with event, wedding, and

location portrait photographers, but their

light weight and excellent portability are

useful for fieldwork in other specialties.

Rather than attaching to the camera hot

shoe, most are recommended for use with a

camera bracket or light stand.

With the price marked down from

to $180, the Adorama Flashpoint 400

Battery Powered Flash Kit is the barga

this group. The flash is shaped like an old

flashbulb head with a handle—a large

tor over a cylindrical body—and is desi

to mount to a light stand. A separate p

holds the rechargeable 12-volt nickel m

hydride battery in a metal case. A radio

transmitter and receiver are available a

sories (adorama.com).

In 2012, Lumedyne celebrated its 2

year of providing location lighting for p

tographers, and the lineup is extensive

Signature Series flash heads are all me

while the Next Generation series is ligh

weight ABS plastic. Both series are ava

with either an 800 watt-second (Ws) o

2,400 Ws flash tube. Prices range from

$400 to $525 for the heads. Three seri

power packs are available, each with ou

of 200 Ws and 400 Ws. Prices range fr

$900 to $1,200 without batteries. Bat

are $200 to $700 (lumedyne.com).

Norman lighting products were firs

introduced 50 years ago, and the comp

line of rugged 200 Ws and 400 Ws poflash kits is still evolving. The latest add

are the A200CR and the A400BR-M,

include PocketWizard transceivers in the

Along with the compact stand or brack

mounted head and separate power pac

kit includes two batteries, a 5-inch refle

charger, and strap for the battery pack

Street price is about $1,500 for the 200

kit, $1,765 for the 400 Ws kit with a m

ing light in the head. Basic kits are also

available in both lines starting at $1,25

wide range of accessories is available fo

Norman portable flashes (normanlights

Photographers are familiar with ma

Photoflex products but may be surpris

learn of the TritonFlash kit. With a 30

power rating, the TritonFlash uses a lig

THE GOODS: LIGHTING

You can go far with the right location lighting,free of AC limitations and coils of cable.

BY STAN SHOLIK

The power to goLOCATION LIGHTING


Adorama Flashpoint400 w/s BatteryPowered Flash Kit



weight and environmentally friendlier lithium

ion battery rather than the more conventional

nickel metal hydride and lead acid batteries

found in other packs. The stand-mountable

head comes with a removable 7-inch reflec-

tor. The battery charger functions as an AC

power converter, allowing the unit to run

from 100-240 volt AC power when avail-

able. Street price for the kit is about $1,275.Other kits, some including Photoflex light

modifiers, are also available (photoflex.com).

Now in its 35th year serving photogra-

phers, Quantum Instruments produces three

lines of flash heads—the Qflash Trio QF8,

the Qflash Q5dR , and the Qflash X5dR — as

well as associated batteries, all manufac-

tured in the United States. These flash units

are compatible with nearly every camera’s

automatic exposure system and with many

TTL exposure systems, either on their own

or in combination with other Quantum acces-

sories. The hot shoe mount Trio includes

Quantum’s FreeXwire transmitter that pro-

vides control over any number of remote

Qflash units as well as Canon or Nikon

flashes with the appropriate Qlink accessory.

Street price of the 200 Ws Trio and Quantum

Turbo battery is about $1,350. The latest Qflash

X5dR delivers 400 Ws with a recycle time of

3.8 seconds when powered by the appropri-

ate Qpaq-X power module and battery or

Lumedyne and Norman portable packs. Street

price for the X5dR head is about $810, the

Qpaq-X power module is $280, and the high

performance battery is $685. Accessories from

reflectors and diffusers to Quantum’s Fre-

eXwire radio receiver are available (qtm.com).

MONOLIGHTS

Battery-powered monolights are ideal for

location assignments where mobility is not a

requirement, but there is a need to keep

equipment to a minimum and safe from

people tripping over cords. School photos,

group shots, team photos, and even portraits

and engagement photos fall in this category.

Monolights are at least as powerful as the

units above and some have modeling lights

that you can use with the battery power to

preview lighting, at least briefly. Radio

gers are available for all monolights, eit

from the monolight manufacturer or

through third-party sources.

The Flashpoint II series of monolig

from Adorama are designed for both A

DC power. The latest addition, the Flash

DG600 AC/DC Blue, is a 300 Ws mon

with a 7-watt LED modeling light that

can use with battery power. (See “True

page 80.) Stepless flash power is availa

from 1/32 to full power with recycle tim

1.5 to 4 seconds. The price of the head w

the separate portable battery pack dire

from Adorama is $300 (adorama.com

All Bowens monolights, from its 20

Gemini 200Rx to the 1,500 Ws Gemin

1500Pro, are compatible with the rece

restyled Bowens Travelpak control/bat

units. The Travelpak can power two Ge

heads and features a separate control p

and the choice of a small or large batte

This modular system allows you to swa

Norman A400B

Bowens Gemini 2



batteries during a long photo session. A car

charger and AC charger are available for the

batteries that can be charged outside the

control panel. Street prices of the Gemini

monolights range from $450 to $1,310. The

small Travelpak is available for $530 and

the large for $640. A wide range of acces-

sories is available (bowensusa.com).

All Paul C. Buff and AlienBees monolights

are compatible with the third-generation

Vagabond Mini Lithium portable power

pack. The monolights include the 640 Ws

Einstein E640, the AlienBees with maximum

power from 160 Ws to 640 Ws, and the

White Lightning models with maximum

power from 330 to 1,320 Ws. The

Vagabond Mini Lithium consists of a remov-

able lithium ion battery in a Vagabond pure

sine wave inverter, which supplies 120v

power to the monolights. Two outlets are

provided on the Vagabond, but adding a

control strip allows you to connect two addi-

tional monolights. Use of the modeling

lights is recommended for only a very brief

time, but 400 to 500 full-power flashes are

possible with a single 640 Ws monolight

connected. The Vagabond Mini Lithium is

available for $240. Monolights are available

from $225 to $550 (paulcbuff.com).

The Norman Allure DP320 monolight

powered by the lead acid BP320 Battery

Power Supply delivers 320 Ws of location

lighting. The included DC power cable also

allows the DP320 to be used with Quantum

Turbo and Turbo Z batteries. The control

panel allows you to set power to full, half, or

quarter settings. The BP320 supplies enough

power for about 115 full-power flashes. Street

price of the DP320 is about $370 and the

BP320 is about $162 (normanlights.com).

Three Photogenic Studiomax III mono-

lights—the 160 Ws AKC160B, and the 320

Ws AKC320B and AKC320BR—connect to

AC power or the Photogenic AKB-1 battery

pack. The 12-volt lead acid battery in th

AKB-1 provides more than 200 full-po

flashes to the AKC160B and more than

to the 320 Ws monolights. The battery

user-replaceable but can be charged on

the battery pack. The modeling light ci

is automatically disconnected on the m

lights when they are connected to the A

1. The monolights are compatible with

Photogenic accessories. Approximate s

price of the AKC160B is $290, the AKC

is $320, and the AKC320BR with bui

radio trigger is $350. The AKB-1 battery

including battery, battery case/charger

ing, soft case with belt clip for protection

unit, soft case shoulder strap, and wall ad

has a street price of about $165. Additi

batteries are $60 (photogenic.com).

PORTABLE POWER PACKS

AND INVERTERS

Major production assignments on loca

away from AC power require reliable e

ment with enough versatility to cover a

eventuality the client or art director ma

throw at you. Gas-powered AC generat

are an option if noise is not an issue, anexternal power inverters have a place a

but the more common solution is batte

powered packs connected to flash head

This solution is also an excellent option

location photographers who have the b

to invest in the equipment, the time to

up, and assistants to carry, look after, a

pack the equipment when done.

The Explorer 1500 from Bowens pr

vides two independent digitally contro

channels that you can adjust in 0.1 EV

The interchangeable 12 amp-hour batt

provides up to 150 flashes at the full 1,5

Ws, recycling in 3.8 seconds or 180 flas

at 1,200 Ws with 3-second recycling. T

Explorer is compatible with all Bowens

Quad heads and the Bowens Ringflash


THE GOODS: LIGHTING

Paul C. Buf Einstein E640



REDEFINING

VIDEO AUTO

FOCUS FOR

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Additionally, the unit features two Gemini

sockets, which allow connection of two

Gemini monolights. By connecting two

Quad heads and two Gemini 750 units, you

can achieve a total of 3,000 Ws from the

power pack. Street price of the Explorer with

one Quad 3KM head is about $2,795

(bowensusa.com).

Broncolor has recently unveiled a new

battery powered pack, the Move, which is

available in addition to the well-known

Mobil packs. The Move supplies 1,200 Ws

to two flash heads but weighs just over 13

pounds, including the plug-in lithium ion

battery. In recognition of the need for photog-

raphers to shoot video as well as stills on loca-

tion, the Move can supply the new MobiLED

lamphead with power for two hours of con-

tinuous light as well as power for flash expo-

sures when needed. Street price of the Move

is about $5,000, and the MobiLED head

with 30-watt LED modeling light is about

$1,330. The 1,200 Ws Mobil A2L power

pack is still available in two configurations,

with a lithium ion or lead acid battery. It

also powers the MobiLED head. Street price

is about $3,700 (bronimaging.com).

Manfrotto is the U.S. distributor of Swiss-

designed Elinchrom flash equipment. The

recently upgraded 1100 Ws Ranger RX packs

can now be operated by remote control,

either from a computer or the optional hand-

set. With outlets for two heads, the packs

deliver about 140 full-power flashes in fast

recycling mode or up to 3,800 low-power flashes

in slow recycling mode. The battery recharges

in three hours either within the pack or

externally. Street price of the Ranger RX

pack with battery and charger is about $1,725.

The Ranger RX Speed AS offers asymmetri-

cal power distribution, shorter recycling

time, and more flashes per charge at a street

price of $1,835. The standard Freelite S lamp

head has a street price of $600; the Freelite

A head provides a shorter flash duration

with a street price of $790 (elinchrom.us).

Germany’s Hensel Studiotechnik w

first company to introduce professiona

battery-powered power packs in 1996.

Porty name is still retained for the pack

Hensel has recently introduced new Po

packs with lithium ion batteries. The 60

Porty L 600 and the 1,200 Ws Porty L

deliver power to two heads symmetrica

asymmetrically. They weigh slightly m

than 13 pounds each, including the inte

radio receiver and battery. An optional

power unit is available to attach to the in place of the battery for studio use wh

AC is available. Compact EH Pro Mini

heads for the packs are compatible with

full range of Hensel light modifiers. Str

price of the Porty L 600 is $2,765, the

L 1,200 is $3,295, and the Pro Mini sta

dard head is $879 (henselusa.com).

With seven different packs ranging

power from 600 Ws to 1,200 Ws, Profo

the widest range of battery-powered offe

The newest pack is the 1,000 Ws Pro B

1000 Air . With maximum recycling tim

less than one second at full power and a

range of 1 to 1,000 Ws, the Pro B4 has

independent flash head outlets. Recharg

for the exchangeable battery is a mere

minutes, and if AC power is available, t


Bowens Explorer 1500

Broncolor

Mobil A2L

THE GOODS: LIGHTING



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unison. Tamron’s proprietary USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) combined with VC

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lens offers serious photographers the power to capture the moment from afar

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Model A009Di (Digitally Integrated) lens designed for digital APS-C andfull-size SLR cameras, with flower-shaped lens hood.Compatible mounts: Canon, Nikon, Sony*

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battery can be recharged while the pack is in

use. Features abound, including integrated

Profoto Air remote and sync, providing the

ability to control the pack from your camera,

your computer, or with a handheld remote.

Street price is $7,900. The 600 Ws packs

have their own head, the AcuteB, that sells

for $849. The other packs take the standard

Pro head that sells for $2,050. Hundreds of

accessories are available for Profoto equip-

ment (profoto.com/usa).

The Explorer 1500 Digital Portable

Power Supply is the latest power pack from

Speedotron. With two outlets and available

ratios of 1:1 or 2:1, the Explorer can deliver

up to 225 full-power flashes per charge.

Power is variable over 7+ EV, and maximum

recycle time is 3.5 seconds. It will power

modeling lights for 10 seconds at a time

before automatically switching them off.

Street price of the 25-pound pack is about

$1,770. The Explorer is compatible with sev-

eral Speedotron heads, including the $360

basic 103 CC model (speedotron.com).

There is another option for location pho-

tographers, particularly those who have

invested in AC-powered flash equipment

and then find themselves doing location

assignments without a studio. Power invert-

ers convert battery power to AC, and there

are several on the market designed for pho-

tographers. The Paul C. Buff inverter is

mentioned above but is recommended only

for Paul C. Buff/AlienBees monolights.

The Profoto BattPac has two AC ou

and can drive up to four Profoto D1 mo

lights (250, 500 and 1,000 Ws), two P

ComPact monolights (300, 600 and 1,

Ws), or one Profoto Acute2 generator (1

or 2,400 Ws). But Profoto also recomm

it for powering wind machines, charge

refrigerator boxes, and continuous ligh

Maximum continuous power output is

watts and pure sine wave. The street pr

$1,745 (profoto.com).

Although not a manufacturer of ph

graphic equipment, Goal Zero is know

respected among outdoor explorers for

battery packs, power inverters, and solar p

The Extreme 350 Kit includes the Extrempower pack, the Extreme Universal Inv

and a wall charger. The unit has an AC

that delivers 400 watts from the 350 watt

lead-acid battery. There are also 12-vo

USB power ports. Adorama sells the Ex

350 and inverter for about $425. Other

with capacities up to 1,250 watt-hours, m

which are available with solar panels fo

tion recharging, are available (goalzero.co

Stan Sholik is a commercial/advertisin photographer in Santa Ana, Calif.


THE GOODS: LIGHTING

Elinchrom 100 WsRanger RX

Speedotron Explorer 1500Digital Portable Power Supply



As your creative horizons expand, you will

find yourself contemplating your next lens

purchase. If a macro lens comes to mind but

you know you’d seldom use it, consider the

Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro.

It’s a razor-sharp macro lens that’s as afford-

able as it is portable.

As a portrait photographer, my need for

a heavy-hitting macro lens is limited to the

occasional wedding detail shot, for which

I’ve used Tamron 60mm and Canon 100mm

f/2.8 macro lenses. On a lifestyle shoot last

summer it occurred to me that I could bring

new depth to visual storytelling with a decent

macro lens. But would it be worth the large

investment in a prime Canon macro lens?

Not convinced, I decided to try the mod-

estly priced Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di lens.

With its lightweight plastic casing and rub-

berized focusing ring, it looked less robust

and aesthetically sophisticated than my

lenses. But I noticed that its lens elemen

deeply recessed for protection (if presum

less accessible for cleaning). The lens sh

with a padded drawstring lens pouch a

hood, which are sold separately with ot

lenses. With this lens’s deep recess, the

isn’t necessary in some environments, b

it’s good to have for outdoor shooting a

high-contrast interference. Its pinch-to

lens cap snaps on and off more easily th

others I’ve used. After a few shots, I beg

appreciate the rubber focusing ring, as

enormously helpful in manual focusing

If your macro subjects are primarily

this lens will absolutely deliver. At 90menables plenty of work space to execute

fortably. Its image stabilization, activat

when the shutter is pressed halfway, is

ful in dim lighting when the use of a fla

tripod isn’t practical.

In autofocus mode, the Tamron 90

f/2.8 macro lens is a little robotic and s

to find the focus point. When I’d lose m

patience I’d switch to manual mode, w

is best for optimal sharpness. While it’s

the best lens to capture moving subject

does beautifully with most still life and e

portrait subjects. Its impressive clarity is

attained with a bit of patience; the smo

movement of the focus ring allows you to

your macro focusing skills with practic

To achieve desirable depth of field w


Tamron delivers sharp and creamy images at a budget price.

BY CATE SCAGLIONE

Closer to fineTAMRON SP 90 MM F/2.8 DI VC USD MACRO 1:1

Though it’s not a glamorous image, this photo of an uncleaned ring on glass reflecting pearls demon-

strates how the lens can create an image that’s simultaneously sharp, creamy, and crisp .


ate Scaglione



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macro, you need to use a fairly small aper-

ture. With most macros, diffraction is the

main issue, as the captures get soft when

stopped down. It handles flare well unless

you’re shooting into the sun. Chromatic

aberration was not an issue. I saw no distor-

tion or vignetting at any working distance

with the lens on my full-frame Canon body.

I am not a tripod user in my portrait

work, but I did test the lens in a variety of

circumstances. I placed a well-worn engage-

ment ring on a highly textured background

so I could evaluate the lens’s depth of field

and bokeh capture, and more important, the

degree of sharpness it attained. It did not

disappoint; I saw the diamond’s scratches,

flaws, and even specks of dirt invisible to the

naked eye. I checked its performance in low-

light shooting at f/11, still relatively wide open

for a macro shot, evaluating focus, fall-off,

and overall softness. The reflective surface

allowed me to look for surface scratches (as a

measure of sharpness) and examine the

bokeh effect (from the pearls reflected onto

the glass). The image is by no means glam-

orous, but it demonstrates how this lens can

be sharp, creamy, and crisp all at once.

As sharp as the images are, the bokeh is

equally beautiful and buttery, so I tested the

Tamron as a portrait lens. Shooting in my

typical wide-open style, it achieved beautiful

results, but it required putting substantially

greater distance between photographer and

subject than when I use a prime portrait

lens (e.g., 85mm or 50mm). Stopped d

far, this lens is perhaps too sharp for so

complexions, but its versatility for port

was a delightful surprise.

FINAL EVALUATION

Is it sensible to invest in a third-party-m

lens? You could argue against it on the

that it could quickly become outdated

camera-maker changed the body’s elec

design. But then, Tamron offers a six-y

warranty on the SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC

macro lens, five years more than Canon

on a new macro lens. And while a third

party lens might not have the best resa

trade-in value, this lens’s price tag of $

(almost half the price of the new Canon

100mm macro) alleviates my concern.

Cate Scaglione is co-owner of Je Revele Fine Art Photography, a multi-service fine art studio she co-owns with busine partner Natalie Licini.


In a wide-open portrait shooting style, the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD macro lens yields b

tiful results. This image was captured at f/11 for 1/80 second. Stopped down too far, the lens coul

more sharp than you would like for most complexions.


PROS

Razor sharp

Functions well in low lightthanks to vibration control

Lightweight and portable;a perfect travel companion

Smooth manual focusing

Beautiful for portraits

CONS

Slow autofocus

Hunts for focus

Not great for macros offast-moving subjects

Deeply recessed for protection,lens could be hard to clean

©Cate Scaglione



You no doubt know Adorama as a retailer of

photographic gear but probably not as a

manufacturer of lighting equipment. Tech-

nically it isn’t, but its Flashpoint lighting

division has been part of the company since

the late 1980s. Originally a sales and rental

arm, it’s grown to become a distributor of

low-cost monolights and light modifiers sold

under the Flashpoint brand.

The Flashpoint DG600 300 W/S AC/DC

Blue Monolight is well suited for both indoor

and outdoor work. Slightly lighter and smaller

than the similarly powered Flashpoint

620M II monolight, it’s probably more

rugged due to the rubberized layer covering

its metal frame. The LED modeling array is

definitely more shock resistant than the

tungsten bulb modeling light of the 620M.

The handle on the back of the flash provides

a bit more room for large hands.

There are big differences in the con

layout as well. A large LED has been a

for viewing the power setting at a glan

tenth-stop increments on the EU scal

where 300 watt-seconds (Ws) equals

and stops are measured in whole num

(e.g., 5.6 yields a full stop less output t

6.6). Output levels are set with a rotat

knob, and the power setter (AC, Off, D

a rocker switch. All other controls are


Adorama releases an economical location light with consistent flash-to-flash performance.

BY ELLIS VENER

True blueADORAMA FLASHPOINT DG600

300 W/S/AC/DC BLUE MONOLIGHT

I used the accessory Flashpoint DG battery pack to power the single Adorama Flashpoint DG600 monolight to capture “Flight Instructor.” It was a dark a

stormy day with shafts of sunlight occasionally stabbing through the scudding clouds. To emulate that effect, I wanted a hard, crisp light, so I pointed it d

at the plane and used only the standard 8-inch reflector with no diffusion. I triggered the flash using PocketWizard MultiMax transceivers.


©Ellis Vener



membrane-covered push buttons labeled

with icons rather than words.

The sync cable connection is sized for

mini-phone jacks. On the front end, reflec-

tors and speed rings mount via locking bay-

onet. The combination stand and umbrella

mount is lightweight but serviceable for

soft boxes up to 36x48 inches.

Good news: At any given output set-

ting, the DG600 is consistent from flash

to flash in real-world use, which is not

necessarily true of all low-cost monolights.

Recycle times are mercifully short, even

at full power. The bad news is a little more

complicated.

Flashpoint claims the DG600 has a

six-stop power range, but in my tests the

actual range was 7.4 stops—both a good

thing and a bad thing. Having more range

means greater versatility, so that’s good.

But because of its EU scale, when you’re

setting the output, you’d expect that reduc-

ing the power from 6.0 to 5.0 would lower

the output by one full stop; nope, it reduces

power by 1.4 stops. On the other end of the

range, the change from minimum power,

1.0, to what should be one stop brighter is

also actually 1.4 stops brighter. In the mid-

dle range, a 1-stop change is actually 1.2

stops. You can create a cheat sheet, but my

advice is to use a flash meter, especially

when using multiple lights.

My tests over the entire output range

with the grayscale panels of a Datacolor

SpyderCheckr target showed a color shift

of -800 degrees, which is typical of many

flashes that reduce voltage to achieve dif-ferences lower than maximum output.

Reducing discharge voltage also length-

ens flash duration. While the claimed flash

dura tion range of 1/1,500 to 1/800 second

seems plausible, there’s no tool available

to verify it.

While these findings look dire on paper,

they’re fairly consistent with other low-cost

monolights and even some of the much

more expensive models. The problems are

rooted in the way the monolight reduces

output power. The DG600 reduces output

(watt-seconds) by lowering the voltage

(energy) of the electric current going to the

flashtube. The result is warmer light and

longer flash duration as the output is

dialed down.

The use of an LED array as a mode

light is interesting. LEDs are far more

cient, cooler to the touch, longer lastin

and less fragile than the conventionall

used tungsten and quartz-halogen bu

As there’s practically no heat generate

the modeling light array of the DG60

the end of the shoot it’s cool enough t

much sooner than most monolights. T

LED array occupies almost the entire

reflector plate behind the flashtube, so

accurately matches the flash’s beam p

tern. The downside is that once you fa

in soft boxes, umbrellas or other light ifiers, and typical light-to-subject dist

for portraits, at a 7-watt maximum (ab

equivalent to a 50-watt tungsten light

just isn’t bright enough to be anything

minimally useful.

It sounds like I’m pretty down on t

Flashpoint DG600 monolight but onl

comparison to the heavier duty, more

expensive lights I usually use. For som

just starting to use flash, they’re a goo

buy: rugged yet affordable, quick recy

fairly quiet, lightweight, and small.

Consider its ability to use either a ligh

weight rechargeable battery pack or 1

130 volts AC, and the DG600 is a fine

low-cost monolight for shooting both

inside and out. I



FLASH DURATION

There are two ISO standards for meas-

uring electronic flash duration: t0.5, the

most common, measures the length of

time a flash unit emits 50 percent or

greater of its peak output. If a flash

duration scale is not mentioned

in the flash’s marketing materials,

assume t0.5.

The more precise t0.1 standard meas-

ures all photographically relevant light—

everything above 10 percent peak output

at a given setting. If you are interested in

knowing how well your flash will stop

motion, that is the flash duration number

you are interested in. It is approximately

three times longer than the t0.5 time.

FOUR IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE FLASHPOINT DG

• The name has nothing to do with its maximum watt-second (Ws) rating:It tops out at 300 Ws.

• It’s blue. Not the light, the body. It’s a bright blue rubberized material overa metal chassis.

• The modeling light is a 7-watt LED array rather than the usual quartz-halogeor tungsten bulb.

• Like other Flashpoint M series monolights, it can be powered by AC or the opF3PPDG battery pack—great for location work.



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images ©Artistique

Justin and Michelle Stevens play up their brides’ flairfor the dramatic with lighting, posing,

and good old-fashioned sex appeal.

BY STEPHANIE BOOZER

G lamourALWAYS IN FASHION



Every wedding is a story, a novella of human drraphers Michelle and Justin Stevens are comm



truth of the event as well as their own

artistic expression. Their studio, Artistique,

in Portland, Ore., draws an upscale clien-

tele who seek the couple’s particular brand

of glamour and style.

Vintage-themed weddings are becom-

ing the rage in wedding counter-culture,

according to Michelle, and are hugely

popular in the Portland area. Capturing

the drama of a bygone era is what Artis-

tique is known for. One wedding might

feature groomsmen dressed in 1940s-stylezoot suits and fedoras, boldly poised with

tommy guns, the next a rockabilly bride

with full-sleeve tattoos and cat-eye makeup,

and another a roller derby jammer with

her team of bridesmaids posing rink side.

“Those are the types of clients we love—

the quirky ones,” says Michelle. The

Stevenses’ dramatic shooting style is what

attracted a themed wedding following ini-

tially. “We have a more dramatic look in

our normal work. Once we got some

unusual weddings, we just attracted more

clients who were looking for someone who

could capture the essence of their style.”

PRODUCING GLAMOUR

That dramatic look is the culmination of

the Stevenses’ shooting aesthetic—both

wield cameras—and their commitment to

off-camera lighting. The couple cites

Hollywood’s elegant past as inspiration,particularly the work of George Hurrell,

who is widely regarded as the master of

Hollywood glamour shots.

“His ability to simply capture the soul

is a dying art,” says Justin. “It’s beautiful.”

Michelle also draws on the look of old

black-and-white portraits of young s

lets with their thick-lashed eyes dow

managing to present themselves as b

demure and provocative. “Classic gla

our,” she calls it. She also notes a styl

ebrated in a more recent era: those

glamour portraits once popular at su

ban shopping malls. Though many p

tographers remember those images w

chuckle or a groan, Michelle says the

damental idea of it proved inspiratio

“I loved the fact that you could m woman who normally looks great lo

spectacular with the right lighting an

makeup,” she says. “Most girls are ra

with magazines full of beautiful wom

they wish they could look like. ... I w

our brides to have that feeling about

wedding photos, that they look abso

amazing, better than some thought t

could. That is achieved by controlled

lighting, flattering posing, and some

production magic.”

As you’d imagine, the Stevenses d

travel light. Natural lighting has its p

and they do take advantage of it, but

look to enhance what’s already there.

dings, especially, don’t just happen u

beautiful lighting conditions,” says Mi

“I believe that with so many new pho

raphers coming into the market, the

who stand out are going to be the one

can light beautifully and pose in a flat way—two things that seem to be gettin

Posing is an area where the Steven

grab attention. Their brides often esch

more demure poses for a bit of sex ap

a slight boudoir feel. “The sexier edge

we have in some of our photos defini


unfolding at a unique cadence. Wedding photogto telling that story in a way that illustrates the



reflects our philosophy,” says Michelle. “Lots

of girls want to look both beautiful and sexy

on their wedding day, and the guys too. We

love it when couples are comfortable and

want to do some spicier poses.”

Adds Justin, “It’s our job to create some-

thing for them that they can’t get from their

friend, uncle, or neighbor. Helping the bride

feel sexy and beautiful on her wedding day is

important to us.”

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Creating a look that’s dramatic, timeles

and classically glamorous is what fuels

Artistique. The studio’s tagline is “Love

Beauty. Glamour.”

Michelle is also passionate about te

ing and speaking, specifically about ad

lighting, and plans to do more of both

future. “One of my pet peeves in photog

today is young photographers who boa

they only shoot natural light, as if thos

use other forms of light are somehow in

rior,” she says, adding that sometimes

ral light just looks, well, bad. “One thin

learned from the very beginning in sch

that a real photographer controls light, wh

it is natural light, tungsten, or flash. You

to be proficient at all methods of lighti

really give the best service to your clien

Michelle’s photographic education b

when she enrolled in a photography pr

gram at the age of 17. By the time she w

18, she had opened her first retail studi

space and shot her first wedding. It wa

foolish, she admits: “I discovered that w

you learn in school is nothing compare

what you learn in life.”

A native of England, Michelle move with her parents to the Detroit area whe

father brought his robotics engineering

career to America. Due to differences in

countries’ education systems, Michelle

uated high school at age 16. She persev

in the photography program at Henne

Technical College in Minneapolis and c

tinued shooting part-time. After gradu

and a series of moves that took her to t

Pacific Northwest, Michelle met Justin

they moved to Portland in 2003. Justi

been fostering an interest in photograp

and with Michelle’s technical expertise

couple entered the wedding market ful

throttle.

“We shot 41 weddings in our first ye

says Michelle. “It was totally crazy and in



These days they aim to book 30 to 40

weddings a year, several of which are desti-

nation weddings. Michelle plans to make a

room for a new project, a sort of boudoir pho-

tography for dogs. The Stevenses are absolutely

smitten with their greyhound, Poopsie.

Building a dog portrait portfolio is just one

of the ways Michelle challenges her creativity.

She’s also discovered the thrill of competi-

tion. The Stevenses are members of Profes-

sional Photographers of Oregon, which has

named Michelle state or wedding photogra-

pher of the year multiple times. Last year, the

studio began competing at the national level.

“I love competition,” she says. “I go into

every wedding with the mentality that

we’re going to make a competition prod-

uct that day. It makes me be as creative

as possible. I’m always trying to do better



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at each wedding than I did the last one.”

The studio’s main area of competition is

also the one Michelle finds the most diffi-

cult: albums. “Albums are so much harder

than a single image because you have to

take a whole wedding and produce this

fluid story with stellar images at each point

in the event,” she says. “That’s really what

keeps me motivated.” Michelle is often a

state competition judge herself and loves

the feeling of being on both sides of the

judging table.

“We’ve won Album of the Year five years

in a row. Now the pressure is so much worse

because people expect a win. We have to be

that much more creative every year.”

Michelle credits her recent competition

entries with a dramatic increase in the album

quality that Artistique is able to delive

just keeps me reaching further, and sit

through the judging, you learn a ton,” sh

“It really helps keep your creativity up t

Though they admit that they would

mind slowing the pace a little, the Stev

say the allure of competition and the s

influx of eclectic brides keep them insp

and engaged.

“I will always want to do weddings,

Michelle. Themed weddings especially

unique brides have 100 percent confid

in what we do. … They come in and tel

do what we do and be as creative as we

want, which is always music to our ear

See more of Justin and Michelle’s work

artistique.com, and check out their destion weddings at artistiquedestination



images ©Hofer Photography



Happiness aenergy are natu

marketing tactics fTony and Amy Hoff

BY ERIC MINT

Fun-loving

affection



If you don’t believe you h

bragging rights, then maing your business can be

problematic—unless you

others brag for you.

Tony and Amy Hoffer

owners of Hoffer Photog

in Downingtown, Pa., on

western outskirts of Phil

phia, have been in the w

ding and portrait photog

business for six years. To

self-deprecating about an

inherent photographic ta

“I’m not naturally artisti

gifted. I have to work pre

hard at it,” he says.

What is natural for To

and Amy are easy-going

friendliness, fun-loving en

and adventurous spirit. “W



pretty affectionate and happy people,” Tony

says of himself and his wife, who shoot ses-

sions as a team. “That’s normal for us, so

we don’t have to market that.” Even though

the couple doesn’t set out to exploit these

personality traits, they are key ingredients

in their marketing. In the

six years since Tony shot

his first wedding, the busi-

ness is booking about 40 a

year in addition to doing

portrait and commercial

photography.

Beyond their website, the

Hoffers rely on word of mouth

for attracting business, Tony

says, and that starts with the

client’s experienceduring

photo shoots. “As much as

we want to take great pho-

tos, I think that’s secondary to our clients

having a great experience,” he says.

Share a little happiness, the Hoffers believe,

and your clients will pay it back. “When people

refer us they usually say, ‘Check out Hoffer

Photography—they’re really nice people, they

work quickly, and they make great pho

Tony says. That’s important for their bu

If they had to give up the photograp

business tomorrow and turn to, say, ser

air conditioners, their philosophy woul

the same, says Hoffer. “My goal is that

ple would trust us, that

see] we’re hard workin

care about quality, that

hire us for that. My sec

goal is to make great ph

raphy that people disco

our website.”

Their website’s port

speak for themselves,

although a good porti

of the site features clie

praising the Hoffers. A

professionally produc

4-minute video on the



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‘‘ ’’ As much as we want to take great photos, I think that’s

secondary to clients having a great experience.

splices interviews with footage of a photo

shoot in action. Hoffer says they originally

didn’t want to be in the video, but watching

the Hoffers work is a big part of the trailer’s

energy and fun.

Meanwhile, clients do all the talking.

“We invited people to the house and left the

room and didn’t give them any instruction.”

Straight-from-the-client testimony is

also the foundation of another page on their

site called Raves. The fact that the praise

there is unsolicited is part of the marketing

strategy. “If people leave a review, we put it

up on the site. That comes across as authen-

tic because we don’t ask people for feedback.”

Veracity is part of the Hoffer brand. “Things

coming across honestly is very important for

me,” whether he’s recounting his work on

his Facebook page, blog, or in direct contact

with potential clients. “You consciously need

to be appropriately excited and not act like

every wedding we’ve done was the best thing

ever. That’s something people can see through.”

The 30-year-old Tony started out as a

communications major concentrating in public

relations and advertising at Eastern Univer-

sity in Wayne, Pa., and his first real photog-

raphy experience was a class in college. Still, it

was graphic design that drew his interest,

and after teaching himself that craft he went

to work as a graphic designer. He bou

Canon Rebel camera to serve his needs

He worked his way into the photo b

ness gradually, first taking on senior p

and wedding commissions at the requ

his mother’s coworkers.

He ended up shooting nine weddin

2007. The next year he shot more than 2

left his graphic design job. Amy accomp

him on assignments, and he taught he

shoot. When she wasn’t available, he h

other professional photographers, but

work turned out to be better than anyb

else’s, and it was pretty much a race to get

quit her job,” Tony says. That she did in



Though now with better equipment

(they are an all-Canon operation, using the

5D Mark III bodies, “pretty much every

lens Canon sells,” and 600EX flash along

with Einstein studio flashes by Paul C.

Buff) and more experience, a sense of wide-

eyed wonder at being able to wield a cam-

era for a living is part and parcel of their

work. For Tony, no angle, perspective, or

composition is off limits. “We look at things

with a fresh pair of eyes,” he says. “Anything

that we’ve done that’s cool or interesting is

probably the result of us working to do it

rather than just a natural talent or skill

that we have.”

They travel for about a quarter of their

wedding shoots and immerse themselves in

the local culture as much as they can to com-

bine with the couples’ particular interests in

their pictures: a couple walking along the

beach in California with a bicycle prominent

in the foreground, a couple enjoying huge

mugs of beer in Munich, a couple cudd

as they drive a roadster down a country

near their lake house. “Where we are [

Philadelphia], there are spots where p

take wedding and engagement photos:

Art Museum, the Love statue,” Tony sa

“For me, the interesting thing is to do s

thing different. Otherwise, why do it? W

like to come and see things for the first

to capture the essence of where they are.”

Tony’s eye as a graphic designer and

understanding of composition help ma

the Hoffers’ work stand out. He won’t

that, but his clients will. One of the cou

in the video describes how Tony interr

them in their reception because the su

outside was perfect for a shot. They foll

him outside, and he got the image. Tha

trust. That’s their happy memory. I

See more of the Hoffer’s work at hofferphotography.com.

Eric Minton is a is a writer and editor Washington, D.C., with more than 35

years of experience.

ANATOMY OF A SHOOT

DATE : Sept. 8, 2012

LOCATION: Jordan, Ontario, Canada

SUBJECT: Nora Charette and her father

CIRCUMSTANCES: Wedding (photo by Tony)

TECH: Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera with a Can

24mm f/1.4 lens, shot in natural light at f/2.0 for

1/250 second, ISO 100

TONY’S TAKE: “Remnants of a hurricane were c

through, and we were nervous as the wedding was

what predicated on being outdoors. About 15 minut

before the ceremony, huge storm clouds started rol

through behind the small white chapel. Once all the

guests had entered and the groom was waiting, thebegan to walk toward the chapel. While Amy was in

church shooting photos of people walking down the

I decided to wait outside for the bride. It was a risk

because the clouds were moving so fast, and I didn’

know if it would actually work out. Then just before

bride walked down the path, she and her father stop

I love how he is looking up checking the weather and she is looking down thinking about the ceremony. I also love the composition of the chu

the added element of the storm clouds and the symbolism of it all. It’s definitely one of my favorite shots from 2012 simply because it all came toge

It’s rare when you see something, wait for it for 10 or 15 minutes, and then it actually materializes the way you had hoped. This was one of those ti




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One with the

CROWD



Travel photographer

Eric Lindberg earns

accolades—and steady

work assignments—by

knowing how to blend in

All im

BY ERIN QUINN O’BRIANT



PPhotographer Eric Lindberg, fresh from a

two-week Kenyan safari, claims it’s hard to

take a bad photo in Africa. His favorite shot

from this trip: a group of Maasai men com-

peting to see which warrior could jump high-

est. “I really like the photo not only because of

the image of the guy jumping, but the expres-

sion of the faces of the other guys watching

him,” says Lindberg. That keen eye for faces,

combined with a deep sense of responsibility

to the environment, sparks Lindberg’s

globe-spanning photography.

FASCINATION WITH FACES

People are Lindberg’s favorite subjects.

He’s especially compelled by the faces

of those in cultures different from his

own. One of the challenges, of course,

is getting the owners of those faces to

agree to be photographed.

Naturally shy, Lindberg didn’t find

task easy, but he’s adapted. “One thing

developed over the years is the ability t

walk up to strangers and get us on the

wavelength and then start photograph

them,” he says.

Sincerity and a bit of creativity go a

way. “Most of the time I don’t speak th

language, so I’ve gotten good at pantom

ing,” he explains. “If it’s a shopkeeper, I



might buy something from them and engage

in conversation.” After a couple of decades of

practice, Lindberg now routinely asks people

he’s never met before in every corner of the

world to smile, pose, and hold props.

Mostly, they’re happy to participate. Lind-

berg estimates that 10 percent to 15 percent

of those he approaches turn him down, but

that’s okay. He respects their decision, and

the world is full of fascinating faces.

ONE WITH THE CROWD

AND THE EARTH

The key to getting people shots is to become

part of the crowd so everyone forgets you’re

there, says Lindberg. “For a guy who’s 6-foot-

2 and blond, that isn’t easy. When I’m on the

street I like to look inconspicuous. I tend to

dress down, wear muted colors and used, worn

clothing. Usually I stay on the sidelines.”

When blending in just won’t work, Lindberg

lets people satisfy their curiosity about

instead. “I go right into the middle of th

marketplace and let everyone see me un

they lose interest,” he says. “Then I star

photographing.”

The human spirit captivates Lindbe

does the majesty of the natural world. “

have a strong conservation ethic, and I

passionate about the environment,” he

“Through my photography and writing



to convey the fragility and the delicate

nature of what’s left of our wild world.”

For him, that means showing others the

world through his lens. “I have always felt

like I see things in the world other people

don’t see. I see the world differently and I

find beauty in small things and big things—

so much beauty everywhere. I have almost

an addiction to portraying and conveying

the beauty that I see.”

WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER,

AWARD WINNER

Lindberg is a writer as well as a photogra-

pher, and both callings fuel his career. “I

have the soul of an artist but not the ability

to paint or sculpt or do some traditional

artistic mediums,” Lindberg laughs. “Writ-

ing and photography are two ways I can

express myself, interpret the world arou

and convey my vision of it to other peo

He worked part-time as a travel wri

and photographer for about 10 years, s

articles to magazines and newspapers

around the country. “As I became busie

busier, I honed my photography skills.

joined the Society for American Travel

ers, and that opened a lot of doors for m

met more people; my name got out the

Better than that: The Society of Ame

Travel Writers honored him as Photogr

of the Year in 2011, a title he was again

awarded in 2013. The 2011 award mar

major career change for Lindberg. He r

“I was hearing from people I hadn’t heard

before.” Reflecting on the years of work

went into his current successes, Lindberg

“I’ve hustled hard to make contacts, me

THE INSPIRED PHOTOGRAPHER

ERIC LINDBERG’S TOP 10

Ask Eric Lindberg about inspiration,

and he’s quick to point to the master

photographers who inspire him. “There

are times when I need to juice up my

creativity and the tank is empty and Idon’t have what I need to get out

there,” he says. These photographers,

many of whom shoot for National

Geographic , fill him with enthusiasm:

Annie Griffiths

Joel Sartore

Jodi Cobb

Steve McCurry

William Albert Allard

James Nachtwey

Ansel Adams

Edward Weston

Robert Frank

Henri Cartier-Bresson



W W W. M I L L E R

S LA B. C O M/ S P O R

T SA N D E V E N T

S/ O V E R V I E W

| 8 0 0. 8 3 5. 0 6

0

IMAGES SO CRISP YOU CAN ALMOST SEE SWEAT DRIP OFF THE PAGE. TURNAROUND SO FAST IT’S LIKE YOU’RE WATCHIN

INSTANT REPLAY. SUPERIOR SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT LEAVES THE REST IN THE DUST.

BECAUSE PRACTICE REALLY DOES MAKE PERFECTUNYIELDING

SPORTS & EVENTS



people, and develop relationships with editors.

Some of it is luck and some is marketing.”

UP NEXT: A PASSAGE TO INDIA

Most of Lindberg’s recent photographs,

including those from Kenya, have been

taken on assignment. After the interview for

this story, he’s headed from his home in

Denver to a dog sledding camping trip in

Canada. This year, says Lindberg, “I’d like to

take two to three months and just go o

with my cameras with no assignment a

free to shoot whatever I see.”

Probably in India. Lindberg has alr

spent eight months there all told, he rec

and he’s ready for more. “I’ve never fou

myself farther from home than in Ind

he says. “So much of what I see I don’t

understand: the languages, the religio

love getting lost in a culture that’s so c

ful and vibrant.”

That’s Lindberg’s idea of heaven. “I

feel more perfectly centered and grounde

when I’m on an assignment by myself

ing a culture or a people or a place,” he

“I feel so right in the moment that ever

thing else drops away.”

The rest is almost easy. I

See Eric Lindberg’s work at ericlindber

Writer Erin Quinn O’Briant lives in th Francisco Bay area. She is the author of“Glitter Girl: A Novel.”


EQUIPMENT FOR TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Whether he’s in Canada or Kenya, Lindberg carries as little as he can. His camera equipment is

all Canon: two EOS 7D bodies and additional items as needed.

FOR EVERY SHOOT: 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens; 24-105mm f/4 L lens

FOR WILDLIFE AND NATURE: 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens

IF ROOM ALLOWS: 100mm f/2.8 macro lens; 24mm f/2.8 lens; 50mm f/1.8 lens;70-300mm f/4-5.6 lens; Speedlite flash unit

NICE TO HAVE: Gitzo 1227 and 1550 tripods; Kirk Enterprises ball head; polarizing filter; split

neutral density filter; neutral density filter; 4- and 8GB memory cards; remote shutter release cord

TOP TIP: For travel photography, ditch the fancy camera bag at the hotel. Instead, Lindberg says,

stash photographic gear in a scuffed-up canvas bag, which helps you become one with the crowd.



BY WILL POLLOCK

If you sat in on a wedding sho

managed by Kevin Jairaj, yo

might think you were watch

Secret Service operation. On

assignment, Jairaj’s second

tographer and others on his team are

with wireless transmitters that includ

in-ear monitors and wrist microphon

The communication technology, he sa

helps facilitate complicated events.

“We’re usually talking on our wrist [ra

during the wedding,” he says. “The co

nators, the groom and all the grooms

think it’s the coolest thing ever. We ca

communicate without interfering. Sin

I’m a big believer in the team concept

always assign duties easily. I have my

ond shooter do certain tasks while my

assistants and I are doing something We make sure everything is covered.”

The body of the listening device the

clips to a belt and the wiring runs unde

shirt up to the earpiece. “At every even

coordinators want to know where to get t

says Jairaj. “To me it is invaluable. Some

the bride and groom will want to see each

for photos before the ceremony, but a l

times they won’t. They want to wait fo

walking-down-the-aisle moment. If tha

case, I usually have my second shooter w

guys and I am usually with the girls, and

simply radio to my second shooter to co

nicate what the bride needs. Clients see

professional you are and how neat every

is. It is under control. They love that. I

great added benefit.”

Flair for the dramaticKevin Jairaj brings a fashion-forward flavor to wedding and portrait photograph

All images ©Kevin Jairaj

W E D D I N G S



RIGHT PLACE

Radio comm isn’t the only buzz around KJ

Images Photography in Dallas. Kevin Jairaj

earned kudos last summer for his portraits

of Olympic athletes. A longtime sports fan,

Jairaj jumped when the opportunity arose

to photograph stars of soccer, swimming,

gymnastics, and other sports for “USA

Today,” producing portraits that made

Olympians and other pho tographers proud.

(See the ppmag.com Web-exclusive “A Gold

Medal Gig: Kevin Jairaj Scores an Olympic

Opportunity,” ppm.ag/?Xd.)

“It turned out well for me,” says Jairaj,

who gained a high profile from wide distri-

bution of the photographs. Jairaj’s Olympic

experience allowed him to dip into his



‘‘’’

I love when

people approach me and

say they saw an imageonline and they knew

immediately it was mine.

longtime passion for sports. “It has been

a nice change for me because it is totally

different than wedding photography. It

keeps me fresh. I use it to recharge and

energize myself.”

MAKING THE LEAP

In a sense, Jairaj picks up today where he

began, when the passion for photography

was a college sideline for capturing images

of friends, family, and the odd sports event.

After college, his corporate job as a Lucent

Technologies account manager paid the

bills while he grew his photography busi-

ness. Then it was time to make some

tough decisions.

“I continued to shoot even when I had a

corporate job,” Jairaj says. “I wanted to

learn more. I hooked up with a couple of

other photographers and second-shot wed-

dings for them and did a lot of fashion

work here in Dallas while I still had my

corporate job.

“One day I shot a wedding as a favor

for a friend,” he adds. “I loved it. I loved

everything about it. I loved the fact that

I could be creative, and I loved the reac-

tions of the family and the bride and

groom when I gave them their photos.



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They were so thankful, so happy. I got

hooked after that.”

That experience, along with a growing

client base of brides and grooms, led him to

quit his corporate job and make photogra-

phy a full-time career. “I never looked back,”

he says. “I’m in charge of my own success,

and I want to be my own boss.”

His business swelled to about 40 to 50

weddings per year, then he was able to scale

back to a volume of 20 to 25 and add bas-

ketball games and other sports events.

Enjoying a varied spectrum of projects

across multiple fields, Jairaj has been able to

develop a signature photographic look, and

he urges others to do the same. People can see

the difference, he says: “I love when p

approach me and say they saw an image

and they knew immediately it was mine.”

Kevin Jairaj’s online portfolio can be skjimages.com.

Will Pollock of Stone Four Media is a flance journalist and photographer basin Atlanta.



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105/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF VR Mic105/2.0 DC D with Hood (72ø180/2.8 D ED-IF (72ø)..........200/4 D ED-IF Micro w/Case 200/2 G AF-S ED-IF VR II (52ø300/4.0 D AF-S ED-IF (77ø) .14-24/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF .......16-35/4.0 G AF-S ED VR (7717-35/2.8 D AF-S ED-IF (77ø24-70/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF (77ø24-85/2.8-4.0 D IF (72ø) .....24-120 /4.0 G AF-S ED VR (77ø) .28-300 /3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR (7

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430EX II ................580EX II ................

600 EX-RT................................................

MR-14EX Ringlight ....................................MT-24EX Twin Flash ..................................

EF-S Lenses for Digital Only (USA)(Not compatible with full frame cameras)

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24/2.8 IS USM (58ø) .................................

28/2.8 IS USM (58ø) .................................35/2 (52ø) .............50/1.8 II (52ø) .......

50/1.4 USM (58ø) ..135/2.8 (52ø) ........

50/2.5 Macro (52ø)...................................85/1.8 USM (58ø) ............................... ......100/2 USM (58ø) ................................ ......100/2.8 USM Macro (58ø).........................28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM (72ø) ...................70-300/4-5.6 IS USM (58ø) ......................70-300 /4.5-5.6 DO IS USM (58ø) ....................

75-300/4.0-5.6 III (58ø) ............................75-300/4.0-5.6 III USM (58ø) ....................

TS-E MF Lenses (USA)17/4.0 L ................

45/2.8 ..................

24/3.5 L II .............

90/2.8 ..................

EF “L” Lenses (USA)14/2.8 USM II .................................. .........24/1.4 II (77ø) ..........................................35/1.4 USM (72ø) .................................. ...50/1.2 USM (72ø) .................................. ...85/1.2 USM II (72ø) ..................................100/2.8 IS USM Macro (67ø) .....................135/2.0 USM (72ø) ...................................180/3.5 USM Macro (72ø).........................200/2.0 IS USM (52ø) ...............................300/4.0 IS USM (77ø) ...............................300/2.8 IS USM II (52ø rear) ......................400/5.6 USM (77ø) ...................................8-15/4.0 Fish-eye USM.............................16-35/2.8 USM II (82ø) .............................17-40/4.0 USM (77ø) ...............................24-70/2.8 USM II (82ø) .............................24-105/4 IS USM (77ø) .............................28-300/3.5-5.6 IS USM (77ø) ...................70-200/4.0 IS USM (77ø) ..........................70-200/2.8 USM (77ø) .............................70-200/2.8 IS II USM (77ø) .......................70-300/4.0-5.6 IS USM (67ø) ...................100-400/4.5-5.6 IS USM (77ø) .............. ...1.4x III Tele ............ 2x III Tele ...............

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Body Only...................................................#CAE60D 18MegaPixels

EOS-5D Mark II D-SLR

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Kit with 24-105mm IS ......................#CAE5D224105

EOS-7D D-SLR

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Kit with 28-135mm IS ................... #CAE7D28135 18MegaPixels

EOS-5D Mark III D-SLR

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EOS-1Dx D-SLR

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Digital Rebel T4i DSLR

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Kit with 18-55mm IS.............................#CAEDRT4IK 18MegaPixels

Lumix DMC-G5 Mirrorless Digital C

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Kit with 14-42mm G Vario Lens ..... #PADMC G5KB

E-PL5 Mirrorless System Camera

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Kit with 14-42mm II Lens ....................#OLEPL51442* 16MegaPixels

18-200/3.5-5.6 DX GAF-S ED-IF VR II Digital Lens

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SB-910 Speedli-TTL Shoe Mount Flash

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Zuiko 4/3 System Digital Lenses

35/3.5 Macro ED (52ø) ............................................ 229.95

50/2.0 Macro ED (77ø) ............................................ 499.957-14/4.0 ED (72ø) ................................................ 1,799.9511-22/2.8-3.5 ED (72ø) ........................................... 799.9512-60/2.8-4 ED SWD (72ø) ...................................... 999.9514-42/3.5-5.6 ED (58ø) ........................................... 249.9518-180/3.5-6.3 ED (62ø) ............................... .......... 499.95EC-14 1.4x Teleconverter ............................... .......... 439.95

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50-135/2.8 ED IF SDM (67ø) ................................ ...............50-200/4-5.6 ED WR (52ø) .................................. ...............

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HVL-F20AM .............149.99HVL-F20S................149.99

HVL-F43AM.............349.99HVL-F58AM.............499.99

Digital Lenses

24/2 Carl Zeiss (72ø) ................................. ........... 1,399.99

50/1.4 (55ø) .................................. .......................... 449.99100/2.8 Macro (55ø)................................................ 799.9916-80/3.5-4.5 DT Carl Zeiss (62ø) ........................... 999.9911-18/4.5-5.6 DT (77ø) ........................................... 799.9918-200/3.5-6.3 DT (62ø) .................................. ....... 549.9970-200/2.8 G APO (77ø) ....................................... 1,999.9975-300/4.5-5.6 (55ø) ................................ .............. 249.99

D7000 DSLR

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Body Only #N ID7000 ........................... 1,196.95 16MegaPixels

D4 DSLR

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Body Only...................... #NID4 .................. 5,996.95 16MegaPixels

D800 D-SLR

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Body Only............................ #NID8 00 ........................ $2,996.95 36MegaPixels

Alpha SLT-A99 DSLR

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Body Only.........................................#SOSLTA99V* 24MegaPixels

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D3200 DSLR

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D3200 Kit Black w/18-55mm VR ...#NID32001855........696.95

D3100 Kit with 18-55mm VR ...........# NID31001855 ........646.95

D5100 ,JUXJUINN73 #NID51001855 .................796.95 24MegaPixels

D600 DSLR

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#PEZ0OMZ #NID600 ..................................................2,096.95

,JUXJUINN73-FOT #NID6002485 ................2,696.95 24MegaPixels

1 J2 Mirrorless Digital Camera

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1 J2 ,JUXJUINN73 #NI1J21030* .....................546.951 J2 ,JUXJUINN73 #NI1J21030K* ....796.951 J1 ,JUXJUINN73 #NI1J11030* ...846.95 10

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285HV ProessionalAuto 4IPF.PVOU'MBTI

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#VI285HV .....................................85.00

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58 AF-2 TTL4IPF.PVOU'MBTI

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.&"' .............................. 399.99

Octacool Light KitXJUI0DUPCPY

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BY ERIC MINTON

f all the wedding photo

phy masters he stud

under, Steve Nissle

M.Photog.Cr., CPP

found the most impor

lessons came from his father, Ken. From

tography mentors such as Rocky Gunn

Stockwell, Monte Zucker, Don Feltner,

Avila, and Denis Reggie, Nissle learned

refine his techniques and strategies. But

his father, Nissle learned the essential r

love in wedding day photography: the

between the bride and groom, the love

family and friends and, for the photogr

capturing that love and being part of it

“Our industry is loving people—it r

is,” says Nissle, proprietor of Nissle Ph

raphy in Mesa, Ariz. “When I’m photo

graphing a wedding, that’s what’s on mmind. I make sure I get the bride and g

alone and make sure they can touch ea

other and kiss and be themselves. I ma

sure I record their wedding day in their

For Nissle, doing that entails detail

preparation weeks before the event, ma

out the whole shoot with the formulas

formed over 40-some years of experien

Once he gets the assignment, Nissle

an engagement photo session at no ch

and starts planning with the couple. A

or two before the wedding, he meets wi

couple and their parents and writes ou

day’s timeline and details such as the of

vendors, and the names and relationsh

the wedding party and other special fr

and family who will be in attendance.

Loving peopleSteve Nissle learned the wedding photography business at his father’s side

l images ©Steve Nissle

O

W E D D I N G S



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‘‘’’

It could be the full church on the outside, the inside of the church

from the very back. It could be a location we’ve selected, like a

fountain. We find these locations and pick the right timeof day to put the bride and groom in that location.

“By the time we get to the reception, I’ve

memorized almost everybody’s name,” Nissle

says. “When you call people by their first

name, it makes a big difference.” It also helps

when navigating the family poses. “You have

to step into their lives and be a family mem-

ber, help them feel totally relaxed and enjoy-

ing the process while you get the pictures.”

His wife and business partner, Dianne,

an image consultant and relationship life

coach, helps him pinpoint the couple’s per-

sonalities, their likes and dislikes. “So we’re

not photographing everybody in the same

way,” Nissle says. In the Nissles’ playbook,

couples fall under four main categories

energetic, light; soft, flowing, relaxed,

blended; dynamic, sure, decision-mak

movers; and classic, stylized, tailored.

He encourages couples to bring in im

from any source to show him the look a

feel of pictures they prefer. “All we’re d



is building on who the couple is and what

they want,” Nissle says. “It’s not an ego-fest

for me to determine what we’re going to do.”

No matter the individuality of the wed-

ding, Nissle goes into every one with the same

long-established strategy. He divides the wed-

ding into four parts—pre-wedding pictures

of the wedding party and details of the clothes

and church, the ceremony, formal portraits,

the reception—and plans specifically for each.

“For me, it’s important to cover important

wedding basics, and I plan so I can do those

and intermingle the creative, expressionistic

photography outside that basic box.”

Somewhere in his timeline he will shoot

an establishing image: “It could be the full

church on the outside, the inside of the church

from the very back. It could be a location

we’ve selected, like a fountain. We find these

locations and pick the right time of day to

put the bride and groom in that location.” If

he is not familiar with the location, he scouts

it and checks sunset times. “I always sunset

my wedding days. I always do,” he says. He

recently shot a wedding at the Mormon

temple in San Diego scheduled for 9 a.m. on

a Saturday. With no viable sunset option on

the wedding day, Nissle met with the coupleat the temple the day before. “We got the

right kind of light and we got undisturbed

time with the bride and groom.”

In addition to the establishing image,

Nissle gets a medium shot, a close-up of the

bride and groom, and an extreme close-up,

such as details of the bride’s dress or the

groom’s boutonniere. The close-up of the

couple, which can be posed or candid, is essen-

tial, Nissle says. “My dad told me, ‘Get in and

get close-ups, get the feelings.’ So I move in,

get the expressions, get the personalities of the

people. I’ll do something to get them out of

their shell. With close-ups, the love comes out.”

After shooting at the temple, Nissle and

the couple headed to La Jolla Beach for sun-

set-on-the-sand poses. The bride was not

one for moving a lot, he says, so, “I put her

in one position, and I moved. I achieved the

scenery and look we wanted, but instead of

moving them I moved me.”

Within the four stages of the wedding

day, Nissle works the angles. “I’m high, I’m

low, I’m far away, I’m close. By doing that

diversity, you have a special wedding.” And

with his detailed attention to preparation,

he can more easily handle the unexpected,

from unscripted delights to hiccups in the

festivities. “A lot of photographers won’t do

weddings because they don’t want the stress.

I don’t worry about it because I’ve solved all

the problems before I get there,” he says. “It’s

all knowledge, preparation, planning, and hav-

ing the right equipment. Keeping it simple.”

Nissle, who cut his photographer’s teeth

on twin lens Mamiya cameras while working

for his father and switched to Hasselblad

when he took over the studio in 1978, has

been using the Nikon D300 DSLR for

past three years. He uses three f/2.8 Ni

zoom lenses: an 18-55mm, a 28-70mm

a 70-200mm. “If I could do an entire w

ding with available lighting, I woulddo i

says. For receptions he generally uses a

SB800 Nikon flash and sometimes his

year-old Norman 200B: “A workhorse

tough and powerful,” he says. “I’m still

school. I still use my SB800 and I’ll use

tle slave unit and plug it into my Norm

200B. I don’t have a radio-controlled u

On rare occasions, with a large wedding

large church, he will bring his White L

ning studio lights and umbrellas for th

mal portraits.

Ken Nissle started a photography st

in a large Los Angeles restaurant in 194

and met his future wife, Dorothy, when

hired her as a camera girl to photograp

people at the tables. After they married




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formed Belle n’ Beau, a banquet center and

photography studio in Monterey Park,

Calif. “I grew up in that environment,”

Steve Nissle says. After he graduated from

Brigham Young University in 1977 with a

degree in youth leadership/business, he

took over running the photography studio

the next year and purchased it in 1979,

diversifying into other types of photogra-

phy. After his father retired, Nissle moved

the studio to Arcadia, Calif., in 1986, and

then moved to Arizona in 1992. He bought

commercial property there for the studio 13

years ago, and in December 2011 with the

downturn of the economy, he moved the

studio back into his home. “The children

are gone, it’s a big home, and it’s paid for,

so I work out of my home.” He leases the

commercial property and uses its half-acre

of grass and trees for many of his portraits.

His son Nolan and daughter Shari are

photographers with their own businesses.

One or the other assists Nissle in his w

ding shoots, and he assists them in th

Nolan, whom Nissle calls a “Photosho

guru,” builds the wedding albums for

Nissle’s clients.

Nissle currently shoots about 15 we

dings a year, down from 50 to 60. Par

the drop is due to the economy, he say

advertising costs have “become kind o

prohibitive.” Now, he relies totally on

of mouth. He keeps busy with family a

other portraits, commercial assignme

and events.

When he does get a wedding assign

he brings two generations—now three

erations—of experience and a whole lo

love to the event. I

Steve Nissle’s portfolio is at nisslephoto

Eric Minton is a writer and editor withthan 35 years of experience.




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BY STEPHANIE BOOZER

Though she’s been in b

ness for 14 years, Julie

Klaasmeyer, M.Photo

of Kansas City, Kan.,

some ways a photogra

just coming into her own. She ran a thr

studio all those years, with a distinctiv

style and smiling determination that

brought in a full clientele. Yet her non

drive and energy actually punished he

little. She landed practically every pot

client who crossed her path, but her li

zoomed past in a blur. Waking from w

she calls a “photo coma,” Klaasmeyer

now focused, poised, and in control.

“I was doing everything everyone as

me to do,” she says. “I was moving in th

same direction as everyone else. That w

how I wanted to work—I wasn’t being to myself. Now, I can think more clearl

I ever have in my life. I’ve learned a val

lesson by doing things the wrong way.

What Klaasmeyer calls “the wrong

looks very right on paper. She’d pulled

enough sales to move from a 1,000-sq

foot home studio to a 9,000-square-foo

space with three bays of 16x20-foot win

and a remote-controlled turntable of e

photo sets she calls her “rotating dollho

She was sought after by peers for advic

teaching, and after answering countles

inquiries from other photographers ab

her props, fabrics, and backdrops, she

off another successful business, Design

olution, which sells elements of her sig

ture look. Sales weren’t her problem.

All images ©Julie Klaasmeyer

Freedom to let goLimiting bookings enhanced Julie Klaasmeyer’s exclusivity

T

P O R T R A I T S



With four children between the ages of 7

and 21 (the youngest was her husband’s ploy

to slow her down, she jokes), Klaasmeyer felt

she was missing out on a few important

things, like her life. Last year she made

the decision to limit herself, not in terms of

sales, but in precious time.

NARROWING THE NICHE

“It was kind of like ripping off a Band-Aid,”

says Klaasmeyer, who narrowed her niche to

babies and children and jettisoned the fam-

ily and senior sessions that were bogging her

down creatively. “We did it in one month. We

didn’t want our schedules filling up with things

we weren’t happy doing, so we took action.”

First, Klaasmeyer raised the fees for her

family and senior sessions and the mini-

mum purchase amounts, which made the

few sessions she agreed to do worth her

time. She viewed the measure as a floodgate:

If she reached the new maximum bookings

for the week, family portrait seekers would

find that the only sessions available carried

higher prices. If she was under-booked for

the week, she could make the originally

priced sessions available.

“That is what saved me,” says Klaasmeyer.

“The simple realization that I don’t ne

to photograph everyone. I need this m

sessions per week at this minimum,

period. We can open and close the flo

gate as needed.”

Dialing in control over bookings al

enhanced her perceived value to poten

clients. She’d successfully built up her

brand, and now her new focus adds an

aura of exclusivity.

“We tell them all of the pricing up fr

I don’t want them to have any surprise

they have qualms with that, it’s taken c

right then,” says Klaasmeyer. “And it tells



there’s a difference between me and every-

one else. It says we’ll do a great family por-

trait, not one they could get just anywhere.”

In another strategic change, Klaasmeyer

partnered with photographer and former

employee Missy Gharst to share her studio

space and overhead. Gharst continues to

market herself independently and is Klaas-

meyer’s prime referral for wedding, senior,

and family photography. “We don’t work for

each other, and we don’t owe each other

anything,” notes Klaasmeyer, who says the

new arrangement is working out splendidly.

SUCCESS TRAP

Like many photographers starting out,

Klaasmeyer fell into a system of working

ever harder to be successful. But the momen-

tum of the constant push became a trap. She

felt she needed to maintain a breakneck

pace just to hold her stake in the market. It’s

an issue she addresses when she’s teaching

classes to other photographers.

“You can be good at a lot of things, but

you can’t be great at everything,” she says.

“It’s so easy these days to make a website

and throw up a Facebook page. But I hear it

all the time, people finding out that this

[emphasis on doing it all] is not for them.

The people who live and breathe this, the

people who really care about this, those are

the people I’m trying to educate, to remind

that you have to be passionate about some-

thing else, too, or you’ll be consumed.”

Recharged and refocused, Klaasmey

finally has the balance she sought. She

able to take Mondays off in the summe

be with her kids, for example, and her

life feels like it’s under control.

“I thought being that busy made me

happy, but it didn’t,” says Klaasmeyer.

was scary at first, but I’m digging the w

things are going right now. We got rid

lot of anxiety, and I know now it’s OK

that something isn’t my specialty. That

me back my control.” I

See more of Julie Klaasmeyer’s work at jklaasmeyer.com.

Stephanie Boozer is a writer in Charleston



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health and prosperity in this new year. Keep smiling!

PPATODAYMARCH 2013

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGERalph Romaguera Sr., M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP. :: 2013-2014 PPA President

FRP

“To be and remain successful,we must not only prepare ourselves for such change, we must embrace it!”

YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR BUSINESS



TO OWN A BUSINESSOR NOT TO OWNHOW TO MAKESMART CHOICES

FOR YOUR SUCCESSBy Angela Wijesinghe

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Michelle Tibbils owns and operatesBugs and Butterflies Photography inCampbell, Calif.bugsandbutterfliesphotography.com

Jennifer Englert-Francis, M.Photog., isthe production manager at EssenzaStudio in Milford, Ohio.essenzaseniors.com

FLIP THEPAGE TOMEETOUR NEWBOARD O

DIRECTOR



WELCOME TO THENEW BOARD2013-2014 BOARDOF DIRECTORSBy Angela Wijesinghe

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the daily challenges of being a professional photographer

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FRP

Ralph Romaguera Sr.

PresidentM.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP

Susan MichalVice PresidentM.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI

Michael GanTreasurerM.Photog.Cr., CPP

Tim WaldenChairman o the BoardM.Photog.Cr.Hon.M.Photog.,F-ASP

Don MacGregorM.Photog.Cr., API

Stephen Thetord

M.Photog.Cr., CPP

Michael TimmonsM.Photog.Cr., F-ASP

Lori Craf

Cr.Photog.

Rob BehmM.Photog., CPP

Audrey WancketM.Photog.Cr., CPP

Richard NewellM.Photog.Cr.

Mike FultonCr.Photog.

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Lou GeorgeIndustry AdvisorBWC Photo Imaging

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YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR BUSINESS

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PPA.com/ppabod



Strengthen your business and boost those numbers when you turn to PPA’s Studio

Management Services (SMS). Our industry leading business workshops will help you

make sense of your numbers, make more money…and take back your life.

PPA.COM/SMS | 888.851.040

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Business Basics – Get up to speedon building a successful studio.

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LabTab


WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES

LabTab 2013 ad rates:

• AD SIZE: 31⁄2 X 21⁄2

• 12X RATE: $510 PER MONTH

• 6X RATE: $650 PER MONTHSign a 12x contract and receive a double size feature ad tduring your contract year at no extra charge.

For more information, contact your advertising representa

TARA TRUITT, Eastern Region

404-522-8600, x230; [email protected]

MARINA ANDERSON, Central Region937-902-8217; [email protected]

AMY WALLS, Western Region ,

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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2013-03 139/148March 2013 • Professional Photographe



LabTab WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES



http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/professional-photographer-2013-03 141/148March 2013 • Professional Photographe



WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICES LabTab

2013 Affiliate Schools Schedule PPA members receive bothand the best published pric

April 28-May 3

Texas School of Professional

Photography, Dallas, texasschool.org

May 5-10

Mid-Atlantic Regional School of

Photography, Cape May, N.J.,

marsschool.com

June 2-6

Florida School of Photography, Daytona

Beach, Fla., fpponline.org

June 2-6

Mid-America Institute of Professional

Photography, Cedar Falls, Iowa,

maipp.com

June 16-19

Winona School of Photography,

Nashville, Ind., winonaschool.org

June 16-21

West Coast School, San Diego, Calif.,

www.westcoastschool.com

July 21-25

Image Explorations, Shawnigan Lak

British Columbia, imageexploration

July 21-26

PPSNYS Photo Workshop, Geneva

N.Y., ppsnysworkshop.com

Send additions to [email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGPlace a classified ad in the next issue oProfessional Photographer to reach ove

55,000 qualified buyers.For information contact:

Professional Photog rapher Classified Ads

229 Peachtree NE, Ste. 2200Atlanta, GA 30303

800-339-5451, ext. 221

PROFESSIONAL



Buyer’sGallery

THIS SECTION IS

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March 2013 • Professional Photographe



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BACKGROUNDS

DENNY MANUFACTURING revolutionized the photo-graphic industry with the introduction of “Freedom Cloth”Wrinkle-Free Colorfast backdrops! Hundreds of innovativeand timeless designs are available. Complete the setwith a Roll Up Floor which is printed on a neoprenenon-skid backed material with edges that do not curlup. Visit www.dennymfg.com to view our vast arrayof photographic props and accessories, too!

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ALBA BACKGROUNDS the leader in stock and custom back-drops for event photography—PROMS • HOMECOMINGS• THEMED DANCES • SPORTS • CORPORATE •WEDDINGS & CUSTOM DESIGN. 8.5f t x 9ft back -grounds starting at only $210. Over 500 from which tochoose. www.albabackgrounds.com • 888-666-4616.

CANVAS MOUNTING

CANVAS MOUNTING, STRETCHING, FINISH LAC-QUERING. Original McDonald Method. Considered bestAVAILABLE. Realistic canvas texture. Large sizes aspecialty. WHITMIRE ASSOCIATES, YAKIMA, WA. 509-248-6700. WWW.CANVASMOUNT.COM

COMPUTER/SOFTWARE

SUCCESSWARE®—Studio Management Software

available for both Windows® and Macintosh®.Recommended by Ann Monteith, the nation’s foremoststudio management consultant. Call today for a FREESuccessWare® Tour 800-593-3767 or visit our Web sitewww.SuccessWare.net.

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for contem-porary photojournalistic wedding coverages in OrangeCounty, CA area. Must have digital equipment. Email Johnat [email protected].

INCORPORATION SERVICES

INCORPORATE OR FORM an LLC today! Yourart is a business. Treat it like one. The Company Corporationcan help you incorporate or form a limited liability company inas little as ten minutes. We are fast, accurate and affordable.Provide additional credibility to your photography studio or

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LOOKING TO SELL SOMETHING? Then look no fartherthen the classified advertising section of Professional

Photographer magazine to get your service or productsold. For just a few cents per word you can reach 55,000+potential customers each month in our printed and digitialissues. Closing for the April issue is February 25th.For more information, or to submit your classifiedadvertisement, contact Monique Martin [email protected] or 404-522-8600, ext 221. All adsmust be prepaid. Rates: $1.50 per word; $2.00 per wordfor caps and bold face. Confidential reply box ads(optional) $10.00 per issue. Minimum $30.00 per ad.

PACKAGE CHOICE Insurance Program for photoby Hill & Usher. Available Natonwide. Completquestionnaire, receive customized insurance pAccidental Breakage, Theft, Rented GeaReplacement, Errors & Omissions, Free Certwww.PackageChoice.com; 866.977.4725.

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PHOTO RESTORATION

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PRESENTATION BOXES

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ClassifiedAdvertisinClassified rates: • $1.50 per word; • $2.00 perword/words with all caps or bold face. • $10.00 perissue—Confidential Reply Box Ads (Optional)—$30minimum per ad. Contact: Pro fessional Photog -rapher Classified Ads, 229 Peachtree NE, Ste. 2200,Atlanta, GA 30303; 800-339-5451.

March 2013 • Professional Photographe



On Oct. 29, 2012, Hurri-cane Sandy made land-

fall near Atlantic City,

N.J., and the south

shore of Long Island,

N.Y., whipping ashore as a Category 1 hurri-

cane with wind speed up to about 94 miles per

hour. As massive flooding, fires, and billions

of dollars in storm-borne destruction spread

across the Eastern seaboard, more than 50

people lost their lives. Countless others were

forced to flee their homes, leaving behind all

their earthly possessions and mementos.

In the aftermath of what many meteorol-

ogists dubbed a “superstorm,” residents of

the affected areas began picking up, drying

out, and reassembling their lives. Among the

first things people searched the sodden

wreckage for were their priceless family photographs. Unfortunately, the storm had done

many of those photos irreparable damage. For

people who lost their only prints, this was dev-

astating. Could any of the images be salvaged?

Some members of the Professional Pho-

tographers Society of New York State (PPSNYS)

began receiving calls about photo restoration.

As the volume of inquiries ticked up, PPSNYS

president Owen Kassimir, M.Photog.Cr.,

CPP, was tapped by members to launch a

society-wide initiative to help restore and pre-

serve these keepsakes. Kassimir loved the idea

and put in motion a program to offer com-

plimentary photo scanning and restoration for

people with storm-damaged photographs.

“It was the right thing to do,” says Kassimir.

“Many of these images would be lost forever

without some restoration. We’ve seen

prints with curled edges, torn prints. O

woman brought in an old album with

images still in the sleeves, but the prin

were soaked and already growing mol

in addition to scanning and restoratio

we’re providing people with advice on

to protect their images.”

Participating PPSNYS members sc

and restore up to 10 images per perso

free. So far, those with brick-and-mor

studios have received the most work in

project due to their physical presence.

spread out the workload, Kassimir an

others are using Dropbox, which allow

photographers to scan and upload ph

to a shared folder for other participati

photographers to download and resto

Participating members have also held

eral scanning events, during which pe

from the community bring in photos f

scanning and preservation.

To help the efforts, a company calle

Preserve has hosted multiple scanning

events, offering free scans of 100 photo

are then directed to PPSNYS members

restoration. Local labs Alkit and Fine A

Albums have chipped in to donate prin

to 8x10 inches to help people replace th

damaged family heirlooms.

PPSNYS originally set the deadline

the project in February, but organizers

extended the work to help those who w

able to take advantage of the services in

immediate aftermath of the storm.

To learn more about the project and

efforts of PPSNYS or to volunteer your

ices, visit ppsnys.com. I


goodworks | Images wield the power to efect change. In this monthly eature,Professional Photographer spotlights proessional photographersusing their talents to make a diference through charitable work.

After the stormPPSNYS MEMBERS CHIP IN TO PRESERVE PRICELESS MEMORIES

Share your good works experience witby emailing Joan Sherwood at

[email protected].

A amily photo damaged in the storm The photo afer restoration by a PPSNYS volunteer



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