Category Archives: photography

How to succeed as a photographer – Part III

This is part three on succeeding as a professional photographer. The question that I am always getting asked is what equipment and tools should I buy. “Canon, Nikon or Sony is coming out with a new whiz-bang gizmo, should I buy it?” In short, probably not. I am not going to recommend brands, because as long as you stick to the major manufacturers it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference in the long run.

First lets look at cameras. The body you choose depends a lot on what you will actually be shooting. If you are shooting action sports a camera with decent frame rate should be considered. Also read up on focus speed and focus tracking. Portraits are your primary business, then low light might be important, so look at noise levels for these images. In the end a lot of photographers choose a camera which does well in both areas, but isn’t the best at any. Another option is two cameras, one suited for each style.

Eventually you are going to need to have two cameras. As a professional you need to have a back-up available for emergency. In the beginning it may make sense to rent your back-up camera until revenues justify owning a second. Also remember your back-up does not need to be the same model as your primary. A lower end camera can work fine. Typically I rotate cameras from primary to back-up to sold. Last year’s model is often a great way to save.

Which brand of camera should you be using? If you know other photographers, using the same brand may be beneficial. You may have the ability to borrow a lens for flash in an emergency if you use the same gear. Also you will have someone to ask questions.

Lenses are another area of debate among photographers. A prime vs. a zoom is the one of the biggest questions. Primes will almost always give better results than zooms. But in the real world, it can be very difficult to tell the difference in a final print if you have good zooms. The most important thing is to buy good lenses. You will have them for a long time, whereas camera bodies in the digital world have become consumables unfortunately. Again, rent the specialty lenses as you need them. Owning a seldom used lens is a waste of precious money.

Lighting is the last key piece of equipment. Reflectors and bounce cards are your friend. Learn to use them and you will need fewer lights, saving money. If you are shooting outside the studio you need a good on camera flash. Lots of modifiers are available read reviews and get one you like, or make one. The ability to use your flash off of the camera will come in handy, so consider this as a future upgrade – brackets with cords or wireless remotes for longer distances.

In studio you can do a lot with as few as two lights, especially with the use of reflectors and a few good modifiers. Umbrellas are the lowest cost modifier, but softboxes tend to be the favorites among the pros. Get some decent stands and some sandbags to keep the lights from falling over. Once again look at wireless remotes, you can use cords to save some dollars, just be careful about tripping. Some lights have them built-in. This equipment can be rented too as needed when you are starting out.

Renting a whole studio for your shoots is a good idea when starting. A studio is a huge overhead with rent, utilities, alarms, insurance… Many studios rent to other photographers, and some cities have studios that only exist for rental purposes. Some rent equipment too making it every easier, albeit a bit more expensive.

Insurance is probably one of the most important areas that photographers will overlook. You need to not only insure all your equipment but also have general liability insurance protection. This can help you when you need financial assistance if any damage claims are alleged against you while working from your home studio. You may be able to add it to your home owner’s policy when you start out. Check as if you use your equipment for business, it is often excluded or requires a special rider.

The biggest equipment area to watch is spending. Don’t buy until you can justify with revenue. It is so easy to want the latest and greatest. Manufactures love to push this, but buy with caution. If you don’t manage your money, there will be no money to manage.

Next week I will continue this discussion and talk about computers, software and organizations.

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix

Studio Rental in Phoenix


How to succeed as a Photographer – part II

Last week’s article I wrote about providing the clients what they want.  Today I am going to spend some time in this article going over another key area – working with your clients during the shoot.  If you are shy and want to hide behind your camera when around clients, then shooting people is most likely not where you should be.  But you may very well succeed photographing products, nature or architecture as area for you to specialize.

Unless you are photographing professional models, most people (and some models) need direction to create a photograph that they will love.  You will often hear your client say “I’m not very photogenic” or  “I hate having my photo taken.”   Learning what causes these thoughts will help you create the photographs desired.

I will go for the direct approach by simply asking “Why do you hate having your photo taken?” or “What makes you feel that you are not photogenic?”  So very often their answers will be easily addressed during the photography session.   Sometimes it just creative posing/ligthing and other times it is going for the less staged portrait.   The key is to understand their concern and find a way to show them you are confident that you will solve this.

To get natural smiles I have a running dialog during the shoot, telling some really bad jokes and just generally being a bit silly.  Sometimes I talk about movies or television.  You need to find an interest of theirs and talk about it.  This will take them away from thinking about their photo taken and get them relaxed enough to create some great photographs.

You have probably seen the commercial where the dad says “I know all the songs from High School Musical.”  The daughter is very embarrassed by the singing and dancing dad.  Be that singing and dancing dad.  By being aware of the world of your subject you can relax them.   Shoot younger kids know Sponge Bob and his friend Patrick.   You get the idea.

Consider shooting with background music.  Having clients bring in their mp3 player of their favorite songs to patch into the sound system.  If they don’t bring one, ask which station they want on the radio.  Music usually elevates the mood and adds a comfort level. 

And of course, getting feedback as soon as possible helps both you and the client.   Some photographers hate showing the clients the LCD.  I find that limited use can be a huge benefit.  Nothing works more to put a client at ease then showing them a great shot on the LCD.  And on the rate occassion they don’t like what they see, you can address it before you take all the shots that way

A running commentary on what you are shooting helps too.   I am always saying ““Beautiful!” or “Wow!” or “Amazing!” or “This is a great shot” etc.  Your positive chatter boosts your client.  And the best part is, you should being telling the truth.  These are great shots of the client.  Just be sure to choose your words carefully.  Using words like sexy and hot can make a client very uncomfortable very quickly.

What it really comes down to is making the client feel comfortable and relaxed.  Remove the stress and make the photography session a very fun experience.  By quickly developing a relationship with the client, you will know how to bring out their very best.  I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with a lot of very successful photographers and these thoughts are common across the group.

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix


How to succeed as a Photographer

How can I be a successful as a photographer is a question that I am frequently asked. Typically aspiring photographers want to know what brand of camera they need, or what cool Photoshop tools to use to make their photos look amazing. The answer which I give very often surprises them.

Obviously the first thing you to learn is how to take a good photograph. The take read some art books or bettr yet take an art class and learn about composition and color. Notice how I say art class and not photography as the rules in art apply to photography. A camera is just a tool for acting upon these ideas.

Then get a basic understanding of how to control light. Control of light is what give photographs “the look” the photographers always seem to want to do in photoshop. Proper light is where it all starts.

Finally learn how to use your camera in manual mode, apeture mode (Av) and shutter mode (Tv). Now you can take photographs, but this will not make you successful, merely qualified to be a photographer.

If you want to be a successful photographer you must learn how to work with your clients. You must be able to read what their needs and desires for a photography session actually are. If you simply meet their needs (a photograph), they won’t leave happy. You want your customers to be happy, as they come back and they also send you referrals.

Being successful is not about being to sell your client huge portraits to hang on their wall. Sure you make a profit, but you don’t build confidence. Sell a client what they really want, not necessarily what they initially ask for, and they will be very happy and they will be back. How many times do you hear “I want Austin family portraits to hanging in the family rooms.”

For example when a client comes for a portrait session I will ask what they plan to do with the photograph. Are they going to want to have prints for their family and friends? Where in the home will they be displaying their portrait, how large is the space. This allows me to suggest the proper size for the space, typically this will be larger than they thought, but on occasion smaller. Clients sometimes don’t consider that matting and framing can often make the final product much larger than they thought.

For the prints for friends and family I discuss with them the option of acquiring digital files to print themselves, or if they prefer the convenence, I can do the prints and quality control. Most clients will want to get the “important” prints done by my studio and use the digital files for email and secondary prints they will create as needed.

Providing the client with what they want is only a very small part of becoming a successful photographer. Next week I will continue with part II on this topic.

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix


Motorcycles and Automobiles in the Studio

Automotive or motorcycle photography in the studio presents some interesting challenges. This week I will take a look at some of the options for dealing with these details.

Motorcycle Photography Phoenix Orcatek

First of all they are big and don’t move easily to “adjust their pose”. Motorcycles are a bit easier to photograph as they can move easier, but cars or trucks are just a lot of work. Careful planning is required.

The first thing you need is a studio with enough space to hold the car and allow the photographer to get far enough away to shoot it. If you are too close you will need to use your wide angle lens leading to shots where the vehicle will have a huge front end for example. Sometimes this look can be desired, but more often than not, it is problematic. I prefer to be a good 20 or more feet to keep proportions correct.

For moving the car around, car wheel dollies are great. One goes under each tire and you can jack it up then basically push the car in any direction you want, even spin it in a circle. They are not a cheap tool, but if you shoot a lot of cars, they are well worth the investment.

The other most difficult thing to deal with is reflections. The whole automobile is one great big mirror. Chrome on motorcycles can be even worse. And of course the classic black hot rod looks great, but shows everything. A very clean studio area is critical. Anything that must remain should be pushed as far away as possible from the car. This includes yourself and your assistants.

I actually have my assistants step off set behind a wall in my studio. I wear black to help hide my reflection. Another reason for keeping the photographer to automobile distance large during the shoot, is that it makes the reflections much smaller and easier to deal with in post.

Lighting is another key. You need a large soft light from above for most automotive work. Since I shoot on white, I have painted my light stands and cords white to hide them in reflections. Nothing more annoying than a beautiful white highlight on a car with a light stand jumping out at you.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. And if you are in the Phoenix area, I do rent my studio to other photographers.

Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography


Couples fine art nudes enter the boudoir

When a couple comes to my studio for their boudoir photo session, they often don’t really know exactly what type of photographs they want, other than they would like to pose together as a nude couple.  So one of the first things I like to show them, as a photographer, is some of my couple’s fine art nude work.

I find often the fine art nude style is something they had not even considered, but are very interested in doing some once they have seen the samples.  They will describe these types of photographs as “classy and tasteful”, something they would actually display in their home for others to see without feeling embarassed.

The are of creating complimenting shapes with couples does present some extra challenges.  You now have two bodies that the photographer needs to protect modesty.   Additionally they both may have some physical attributes which they would prefer to be managed or concealed.  With careful posing and lighting, the photographer can create photographs which anybody would be proud to display in their home.

One of the methods photographers like is to intertwine the bodies of the man and women, wrapping arms and legs into a twisted puzzle.  When I use this technique, I like to shoot tight, often making in a challenge to identify the body part owner’s in the photograph. 

BunsAnother great technique it to compare or contrast the same body part.  Chests, backs and rears are all great choices for this style of photograph.  He likes her rear, she like his, and a great photograph is just waiting to happen.

Even though fine art nudes are not typically thought of as boudoir by most, adding them to the styles available to boudoir photography clients provides another an opportunity for couples to create photographs that are tasteful and beautiful. 

Orcatek Boudoir and Glamour Photography – Phoenix, Arizona


Photography Challenge, Motorcycle on the Beach

This week presented a challenge, off to the beach for to photograph a motorcycle. Shooting a motorcycle or car at a beach is typically very difficult. The biggest challenge is the motorcycle will sink into the soft sand of the beach. On a soft sandy beach I would need bury a layer or two of plywood just below the surface of the beach and then smooth it out after placing the bike.

Next challenge is timing as the tide will be moving either in or out, and depending on the location this can be a foot or two, to hundreds of feet if the slope of the beach is very gradual. One of my favorite beaches the low and high tide lines are tyically 200-300 feet apart. The smallest tide swings on at the half moon phases.

And of course waves will also present a challenge as they roll in and out. Salt water is very bad for vehicles, so keeping them dry is a priority. I would recommend wearing a helmet before you try this out so make sure you read motorcycle helmet reviews online.

Of course, no one likes to think too much about getting involved in an accident while on their motorbike, but mistakes can happen and therefore it is crucial that you take steps to ride safely. A friend of mine recently went on a motorcycle trip to Las Vegas and he told me that in las vegas motorcycle accidents are unfortunately very common. He also said that these incidents sometimes lead to lawsuits and personal injury cases. Consequently, please do as much as possible to avoid getting into difficulty when on your bike. Especially during a photoshoot.

In this case the beach had a hard area that was not sandy at all in this area. Being hard and dry the bike could stand on its own. The area was sheltered enough and the sea was very calm, usually mornings are the best time to find this calmness.

Motorcycle Photography

In the end, everything came together. When things were set-up, I liked where the sun was, creating a good shadow, the tide was moving in slowly to position and the sea was calm. With the addition of some supplemental lighting to fill in and create some sparkle, it came together as I had imagined.

Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography – Phoenix


Maternity Photography for the whole Family

Your pregnancy is a very special time for the entire family.   And a great way to show this is to involve the entire family in the maternity photographs.  The sample here shows a future big sister posing with her future little sister.

Sister with Baby

Everyone in the family is looking forward to the new baby’s arrival.  Featuring them in the photo session makes the day fun and special for everyone.  Children always seem to come alive whenever they are asked to pose with their future sibling.  They often have their own ideas of what they want to do, so I always take a few minutes to shoot a few of those frames to keep the enthusiasm going. 

A proud father always makes for a special photographic moment.  The love that you see when the father and mother pose together makes for an amazing photograph.  Capturing this emotional time for the couple creates heirlooms that will be remembered forever.

So consider bringing the family for part of your maternity photography session.   Or maybe do two session, one with the family and one to feature just you.

Orcatek Maternity and Pregnancy Photography – Phoenix


Sassy Sarongs Product Photography

This week the most fun I had was as the photographer of product shots for Sassy Sarongs.  A great company which produces an amazing variety of sarongs.  Lisa is always great fun to work with on her projects.  Each time she gets a new batch of sarongs in, she calls her favorite photographer – me.

We started the day with some photography of Lisa for her marketing materials.  Her sarongs made for some very colorful and interesting shots.  She was a great sport about trying various things to get a large variety of photographs to work.  As usual, my photographers eye saw some great opportunites to create some amazing photographs.

After the headshots were done, we moved on to the product photographs.  The shots were targeted for her website catalog along with some printed materials.  Once again there was a large variety of sarongs to shoot.  The colors and quality of these sarongs is amazing.

We ended the day by shooting the full body promotional materials.  These photographs will featured a beautiful model posing in a gentle breeze.  Getting the sarongs to behave in the breeze to was a challenge, but as a photographer I’ve learned a few tricks to get it to work.  The final photographs will be used in magazine, posters and other marketing materials.

I look forward to working with Lisa and Sassy Sarongs again on their next project.

Orcatek Photography Phoenix


Bodyscapes for Fine Art Maternity

This week I had one of my most enjoyable shoots, a maternity photography session.  A woman’s pregnancy is such a special time that it really needs to be captured in a way that will create a lasting memory.  I have found that using non-traditional techniques for pregnancy photography gives my clients something different.

Bodyscapes are a style that I find is very effective for capturing maternity photographs.  Traditionally this style is reserved for the fine art nude community, it makes an excellent way to capture the magic of pregnancy.  My favorite technique is to use a rim light to really show off the shape of the belly. 

Baby Belly Bodyscape

I have an elevated table for the mothers-to-be to lie on so they won’t have to face the challenge of getting up from a low bed or casper mattress or worse,  the floor.  A single step up and they can easily lie down on the padded table or return to standing.

When I mention I would like to shoot some bodyscapes to my clients they often have no idea what I mean.  But once they see some sample photographs they are sold.

 Orcatek Maternity Photography – Phoenix


Boudoir Photography – Chicken Soup for the Soul?

This week I received an unexpected e-mail from Ellen, a woman that had a boudoir photography session a few months ago. She talked about how much she her husband still loved the book we created, but she also wrote about something else the book had done for her.  Something she had not expected, but it was something she could not thank me enough for.

Ellen was my typical client, a real woman – in her late thirties who didn’t live in a gym.    She only did the book as her husband had been raving about how much his friend loved the one he got from his wife. 

She said I could quote part of her very personal letter here:

“I never really saw myself as beautiful.  I always felt plain or average.  Whenever I would look in the mirror I would focus on what I saw as my flaws.

But now my life has changed.  The boudoir photographs you took brought out all my best features and made me look more beautiful than I had ever imagined.  I have found a new confidence that came from seeing myself they way Dave has seen me.  He has always told me that he loved the way I looked and now I see it too. 

I just didn’t know where to look for my own beauty before the session.  I was blinded by my own point of view.  Now when I look in the mirror I give myself a quick look and do a little turn and there I am, SEXY Ellen.  It sets my mood for the entire day, confident and proud.

Thank you so much for finding the real me.  Dave says thanks too!”

It made me feel good to get this letter and know that I had an impact on someone life.   Good luck Ellen, you deserve the best!

Orcatek Boudoir and Glamour Photography – Scottsdale


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