I just received my new Nikon lens. It's the AFS 70-200 f/2.8 IF-ED VR. That's a long name, but it's a long lens too. I rented this lens for a recent wedding and I loved it so much, it became a to-me/from-me Christmas gift this year. I love to-me/from-me gifts.... I always get exactly what I want! This thing has shallow depth of field with a large f-stop, which I really love. You just can't beat pro-level glass.
Ok, here's a very clearly wedding-oriented post. I find myself speaking with brides who are looking for the services of a wedding photographer. I photograph weddings. This should be a good mix, right? Well, maybe/maybe not. Some brides are doing their homework and some are not. The ones that are not seem to simply ask their friends who did their wedding and, if they like the images, call the photog and ask the price. If the price is within their budget for photography, they make a deal. Now, don't get me wrong: word of mouth advertising is the best, but this method of hiring someone to document one of the most important days in your life? Hmmm....not so much. I frequently find myself encouraging the client to look around, do some homework, see what's available, then talk to me again. ASK QUESTIONS!!! LOTS OF QUESTIONS! To that end, I'm in the process of constructing a short list of questions every bride should be asking prospective photographers prior to hiring them. I'm even asking for help from former clients who, in my opinion, did their homework before hiring me. I'll eventually make this list available as a downloadable PDF which any bride or groom can grab from my website for their personal use in making informed choices about the photographer they hire. Anyone who would like to have input on this list is hereby invited to comment on my blog. I reserve the right to agree or disagree (which translates to us/not use) your comments. :) This is gonna be fun!
Ed
OK, today, I'm going to answer questions. I don't do photography as a full-time job, but rather as a profession adjuvant to another profession. One thing I'm frequently asked is, would I like to do photography full-time and nothing else? The true answer is: yes and no. I love my "real" job. I also love photography. The problem, however, lays in several layers. First of all, if I start doing photography as a full time job and my sole source of income, I'd probably have to do whatever jobs come my way and/or move to a bigger centre. I really like the autonomy I get with not needing to accept every job I'm offered. In fact, I often joke that my sales pitch is, "I don't need the money, so hire me because I'm doing what I love to do". Additionally, I might have to put my prices up because the equipment and technology is always changing and the big camera makers, like Nikon (my fav) don't give away their stuff. I currently show up at a shoot with several thousand dollars worth of equipment, and I'm holding it in just one hand! My beloved wife is not too keen on my even spending more time on the computer (although, this might become an excuse to get a new machine, but I digress). More pics mean more processing, more bandwidth, more more more. More fun too, though! On the up side, right now I seem to be travelling quite a bit to do what I do, and that's pretty cool! I don't mind travelling, but I guess I'm not much of a businessman because I hate having to charge extra for all the expenses this incurs. I'd like to go for free, but this just isn't possible.
If anyone IS looking for a free photographer, Chase Jarvis is looking for an interesting idea that he can shoot. He'll go anywhere in the world. Look him up at www.chasejarvis.com . He does some awesome stuff.
Feel free to post some more questions here in the comments section, and I'll try to answer what I can.
OK, I admit it: I actually like sushi. And if you're in Moncton, go to Pink Sushi. Their service is great, and it's some of the best sushi I've eaten (warning: my experience is limited). Anyway, I'm happy so I'm giving them a plug.
Ed
Funny, how I always seem to be "volun-told" that I'm going to be taking pics at home before all the little kiddies go out for their Christmas Formal at school. Oh well, more chance to play with my new studio lights. Heh heh.
Ed
