The screen doesn't bother me. The newer screens are nice for checking critical focus, it's the bright over contrasty look I don't like. I usually know when I nail focus as I am shooting, but it would be really nice to have higher resolution when double checking. However, I love shooting film, more than just about anything, and the LCD on my twin lens Yashica is just terrible ;)

that's great! full frame is so much better in every way than a crop-sensor.

yes, you do have to be careful with flashes... you don't want to fry anything. take a look here, and check yo flash before you wreck yo flash (or camera)

http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

i hear you... i feel you... try this :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IxWqx-P8rA0#!

#1 facebook image quality SUCKS. like, bad. like, 100 miles south of bad.

#2 when people post images you made for them and don't tag you or give credit. i don't cry myself to sleep over it, but you asked about pet peeves :)

#3 !@$@#!#$#$##!%#!@%#@#~!@$ TERRIBLE IMAGE QUALITY!!!!

#4 the way digital/facebook/technology has made us treat images as disposable. we're all guilty. almost no one prints images like they should. i bet if i went back and asked all of my past wedding clients if they had gotten around to making an album or prints, few of them would say yes. it's the nature of the times. we consume. it doesn't have to be this way... but it won't change until we all make it change.

for real, it's very true! pretty soon there won't be any senior to photograph because they will all be photographers :)

does it make it harder? oh, i don't know. maybe in that it has changed the idea of what many (not all) seniors expect to get for their money. meaning, "so-and-so will shoot my pics for $75 for 4 hours and i get a disc with every single picture..."

I suppose that makes it harder in some ways, but that isn't just the high school photographer who operates in that way, there are plenty of long since graduated photogs who charge very little and give very much. i know i have said this before, and i do NOT want to sound like a snob, however; the real key to the whole pricing game comes down to whether or not the photographer pays their bills with their camera. if they do not, and they have one camera, and a few ok lenses, and it is fun money, they can charge next to nothing and just enjoy making images and giving their time to people for next to free. how fun for them :)

for the photographer who pays bills and taxes and feeds themselves/families with their camera, they can NOT stay in business and charge what a high schooler or hobbyist does. you have to choose what your budget allows, and who makes the images you want to keep forever. do your homework, and choose that photographer.

i don't think i follow this question completely. are you saying if they can afford an iphone they can spend more money on the photography? if so... to play devil's advocate... you can get an iphone for FREE with a new contract, or, for a while it was $50, and now the starting price is $200. that's much cheaper than what i charge to shoot. and people have phones. so no, the sent from an iphone wouldn't bother me in that way. like i said, i'm not sure that's the question, but if it is, you're kind of fooling yourself that the person would have spent more on you if they didn't have an iphone :) that's just it how it works.

emailing and asking for a discount is another thing. it happens all the time, and i do think that can be a bit tacky. i would much rather have a conversation started over email, then have them talk to me in person or on the phone to explain they can't quite afford the full price. usually the people who come right out and say "hey i want a discount" are never going to hire me, because they are (often but not always) just out for the lowest price. i would hope people choose me for different reasons. fingers crossed ;)

oh i always do... and you have great timing to show off my finely tuned musical taste ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHzkICG47LU

Play

funny :) i didn't know that, but i bet it's old... we used to chat and i told him about freelensing back in the day, but it has been quite a while.

not sure what you have currently, but i would want a LONG and FAST lens, because you will likely be a ways back and not able to get into people's faces.

http://www.borrowlenses.com/product/canon_super_tele/Canon_300mm_f2.8_IS

http://www.borrowlenses.com/product/canon_super_tele/Canon_400mm_f2.8_IS

i did my best, yo

more opinions from jay! that and a nickel will get you a hot cup of jack squat!

1) the animated gif of you in the about me section is fun! but too short... it could use some more steps in it to feel less choppy. great idea though!

2) "absolutely" is absolutely used too many times in your writing :)

3) you have a LOT of categories on your site. it's hard to be really good at that many types of photography, especially starting out. pick a few and and focus

i'm certainly no expert... but from the 10 minutes i spent looking, here are some things to think about, or maybe answer and send another message. but before i write anything, remember, you ASKED for it ;) and i promise none of it is meant to be anything but food for thought. nothing but encouragement here!

1) after going through a few pages of the blog, i can't quite tell what it is "you do". IT ALMOST feels like more of a personal blog than a business blog. personal posts can be fantastic, but should probably be the exception, not the rule. i saw a senior, and a family, lots of personal stuff, another senior...

2) IMHO branding doesn't mean much until you know who you are marketing to, or what product you are marketing.

3) i'd pick a font/typeface that is easier to read, and more classic. you can dress it up with design, but make the words easier to immediately identify

4) for me, for photography, i am not a big fan of picking a name that isn't... your name :) in my mind, i want people to remember who i am, and not have to think to themselves "what was it that jay called his business again??" just my opinion.

it's a good camera, it really depends on if you need the weather sealing and sturdier build... and the price. if it were me, i'd go 5D and better glass

depends on what they want, if the 2nd has to travel, and how long they want them. i have some standard prices, but everything flexes with different situations

canon for me, both are good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OFHXmiZP38

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maybe not that much.... but i'm trying to be consistent. maybe 2x a week

old prices. they already booked you, i would think you had already discussed the pricing. but, you can be honest and tell them it may be tough to find a shooter last minute, and it may be a different cost