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The blur is motion blur coming from a shutter speed that is too low. Try setting your shutter speed above 1/200 which will allow for the capture of moving hair much more effectively. I think you'll be on the right path then!
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I actually wondered if writing that would be confusing :-P When I teach classes on compositing or levitation or something like that, two things happen: I have to rush through the shooting part so that others have a chance to shoot, and I often do something very simple in order to teach the technique. With underwater photography, the complicated part is with the setup of the camera and settings, and then when it comes time to shoot, it is rather simple to direct the model and get the shot. It is so naturally beautiful in camera and everyone can direct the model in a different way, so I feel more comfortable using those pictures that I get in my portfolio whereas the other classes I do are strictly for teaching purposes.
The pool was not black, but we sunk a big black piece of fabric so make it black :-) -
I try to shoot them with a shutter speed of at least 1/100 so that I can catch motion if they are in flight, and I try often for a higher shutter speed. That is really my only stipulation though! Thanks for your kind words about the Mother Goose image! I had so much fun with that one :) As for stock imagery, I personally don't like the idea of it just because I find it very rewarding to shoot my own stock. This is why I want to get out of using other textures so much and start creating more of my own (I only have 10 of my own right now). In general, I like the control of using my own stock (clouds, birds, etc) and wouldn't trade that feeling for anything. I have no qualms with someone else using a stock image that isn't theirs, but I like knowing that my photograph is totally my photograph.
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On average, about $325 for a full day workshop on image compositing and storytelling :-) I hope to see you at one! :-D
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Aww thank you!! I get my textures from here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesbrumes and I also make my own, one of which you can download here: http://shadenproductions.com/blog/2011/12/05/texture-giveaway/
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I think that the thing to remember is that they asked YOU because of what YOU do! So go back through your work and look at locations you have previously used, lighting setups you've used, wardrobe, etc...and then ask the client what they like in your portfolio. The client is just as interested in getting a good picture as you are, so make sure you communicate with them thoroughly before shooting. Ask them what type of location they would prefer, what colors, what light...ask them to pick images from your portfolio that they are drawn to in order to create a type of mood board for the shoot. If I am ever shooting someone I ask them to look through my portfolio and pick out what they like, that way I have a sense of where their mind is at. It helps every time. Just because it is a celebrity doesn't mean you have to change your process - there is no "right" process to go through to shoot anyone, so do you! And big congrats to you! How exciting!
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That is truly a wonderful thing to hear. I am so happy that you're looking to take things to the next level early on, though of course anyone can do it if they try! I'm in a bit of a different situation because I don't seek clients and I don't do shoots on request, however, the principle is the same. Get your name out there! If I were going to start doing senior portraits, I would start by shooting a good amount of seniors and putting together a book of examples of what you do - maybe even have some postcards printed to leave in various places, like the hot spots where people hang out so that the clients directly see your work. I might do a few shoots for free and then ask those people to spread the word. Ask that they put their pictures on facebook that way all of their friends see (ex: I'll do these for free if you make it your profile picture - nothing that demanding necessarily but a gentle hint). If you can get the person's friends to see, and if they like the pics, they will likely ask how they can get theirs done.
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Ugh that is heartbreaking. We all have our own journeys and just because someone finds their footing faster does not mean that their journey is better. I used to think that I wish I had gotten into photography sooner, but if I had, I wouldn't be the photographer I am today, and I am really happy with where things have gone. I bet the same is true for you - you might not have had your first exhibition yet, but maybe by waiting it will be even bigger and better than you can imagine....or at the least, more fulfilling to you. To try and break down someone's dream by comparing it to another, that is the worst thing anyone can do. You are living YOUR dream, not anyone else's dream. Your dream will take you on a path so unique and so special that no one can predict the treasures it will bring you. Learning is one of those treasures, revel in it, love it. Always grow, always expand. Even though it is the most wonderful thing to have support from those who love you, it is just as wonderful to believe in yourself. Let that be enough to guide you - I don't even know you and I believe in you for the simple reason that you care enough to keep going.
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Absolutely that makes sense, and a great question! I always quote how much the actual ink takes up, so in other words, the print and not the border. If someone buys my 10x10 inch size, they are getting a 10 inch print with a 1 inch border all around the print. I sign in that border. I think that is standard. If someone indicates that they already have a frame, I will let them know that there is a 1" border so that they can make sure it will fit their frame, but usually people wait to get the print and then have it framed custom. Hope that helps!
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The main differences would be how much extra texture do you want your print to have. I use a thick fine art matte paper which gives a lot of texture, though there are certain prints of mine that I want to have a slightly smoother look and I've printed those with more of a satin finish. I think it is best to meet with your printer, if you have that option, and ask his/her opinion since they deal with this all the time. I bet they can at least guide you in the right direction. Ask yourself what kind of a finish you want the print to have - should it be glossy and shiny, or matte..should it be clean and smooth or rough and textured, etc.
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Hehehe well, I know pretty much nothing about Australia, but what I do know is that many people from those two locations have asked me to come for a workshop. Maybe I can hit three places, I have no idea yet :-) I will go wherever I have the most interest, and I'm guessing I'll love every little spec of Australia either way :-D
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Aww thank you!!! I always layer them in separately, adjust may different factors like contrast and opacity, and then always leave them separate as well. I never combine them into my image by merging layers or something like that, I like to keep the textures separate in case I need to lessen them due to being too harsh when printing. :)
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Hi! I was 21, we had been together for 5 years at that point and we've been together for over 8 now! :-D This might be the blog post that you're talking about: http://shadenproductions.com/blog/2011/08/27/a-happy-life-means-a-passionate-lifestyle/
but if not it has to be in there somewhere, under essays: http://shadenproductions.com/blog/category/essays/
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Absolutely! Here is the Berlin signup page :)
http://shadenproductions.com/blog/events/storytelling-compositing-workshop-berlin-germany-july-29/ -
When I went into college I thought I was going to do something with filmmaking, and the two most popular places to be (and find a job) are New York City and Los Angeles. I knew I did not want to be in New York (love the people, dislike cities) so I moved to Los Angeles, which is still a city but it is also laced with nature and far more spread out. I love warm weather too, and had lived in Pennsylvania my whole life, so it seemed like a good change. Exactly one month after graduating from college I moved, but it wasn't a spur of the moment kind of thing. My husband and I had been packing and prepping for a long time, and our families drove a lot to transport our furniture. We only took what we could fit in our car.
There was a lot of pressure to land a job and make it work because we literally took off and left with no job prospects, but I had done an internship out there so I was hoping they could help me. We drove in to LA late one night and the next morning, around 6am, I was so nervous about getting a job that I dressed up and went in to where I used to intern at. I was there 2 hours before everyone else, so when they started arriving I got some hugs and explained that I was looking for a job. I don't use the word luck very often, but as luck would have it, they were hiring that day for a receptionist. I stuck around for another couple hours, had my interview, and found out I got the job a few days later! It was wonderful timing and I am still so grateful for that job.
If I had to do it again though I would have tried harder before I left to secure a job of some sort, or at least make connections....but on the flip side, things often work out in some way, and I was very confident I would make something work even if I wasn't working in my field right away. I know how scary it is to get out of college and start fresh, but just remember that if you are determined, you can make it work! -
Woohoo! I will likely travel to Sydney and Perth :) I will definitely announce on my website/facebook/blog, but will have to wait until about September to announce them. I am rather overloaded with workshop announcements right now and it is a struggle to keep up with it :-P hehe! I will announce at the end of summer though and couldn't be more excited about it. Australia here I come!!!
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Sure! First thing is first....this helped me IMMENSELY when I first started....try your darndest to understand that everyone messes up, and not just once, a lot. If you aren't messing up, then you aren't pushing yourself hard enough. Even artists out there who you greatly look up to don't create masterpieces every time, they have to work at it to keep pushing themselves, and the only way to push yourself is to try new things, mess up, and then eventually succeed.
What always helps me is to brainstorm heavily beforehand. This may seem obvious, but take it to an extreme. Start with a sketch, or a paragraph written about the photo. Now break it down into categories: color, location, wardrobe, props, time of day, lighting, etc....Once you have those categories, make sure you have each detail figured out within those categories. For example, do you want to shoot it in direct sunlight or indirect? Indoors or outdors? Noon or 7pm? Morning or night? Do you want to use the color red? Blue? Purple? Do you want your location to be dark or bright, old or new? Once you start to break down your photograph into each element, you can plan each element so that you know it is how you want it. In my opinion it is often as simple as that.
Certainly it doesn't always work, but a lot of the time it does, and in the end you have a picture that you can truly say is how you envisioned it. And feel free to write in again describing an idea you have and I'll do my best to advise if it is something you're having trouble figuring out how to do! -
Jpeg is a smaller file size, which means that it doesn't have as much information in it. Raw is bigger and has a lot more information. When I say "information" I mean detail. So, if you put a Jpg and a Raw file next to each other, they might look exactly the same; however, if you put them in Photoshop and start to, say, raise the brightness, you will be able to see more details in the shadows of the Raw file and there won't be any detail to pull out of the Jpg (that is kind of extreme, but hopefully gets the point across). With a Raw file you can open it in Camera Raw and make adjustments to the actual uncompressed Raw file that has not yet been opened in Photoshop. This allows the file to be preserved, and you can always open that Raw file and adjust the sliders to be back to normal, or more extreme. Jpgs are already compressed and therefore they just don't have as much to offer. My advice is to always shoot in Raw as long as you have a plugin that can open Raw files.
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Hmm! I only know of bags starting at about $100, so maybe save up just a little more because I wouldn't want you to buy anything that will sink your camera. That expense will not be worth saving $50 in the long run. I'd just wait it out a little bit and then look on amazon.com to get a good deal on an underwater camera bag. It depends on what camera you have of course, but for my Nikon I had a DiCaPac underwater camera bag....it was definitely subject to human error tremendously, so you have to be mega careful, but it did work for a long time for me. I have, however, known people that it didn't work for...most unfortunately. I now use Equinox underwater housing - much more reliable than a ziplock bag, but I understand the price point and that is why I use the bag for 2 years. Just be uber careful and you should be fine! :-)
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I do 700X700, I'd say up to 1,000 would probably be okay but I try to keep it on the low side. I chose a number that I thought was big enough that you can see detail and still be accommodated on most computer sizes and also small enough that it can't be printed. I hope that helps!
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Brooke Shaden’s Bio
Fine art photographer | Creator of worlds | Promoting passion, vision & growth
