In todays age of digital photography it seems like almost everyone who buys an entry level digital camera is instantly a photographer. While the ease of digital photography is nice for vacation photos, when it comes to professional photography it is often misleading for the consumer and creates disappointment in the final product.
In this blog I hope to give some insight into how to spot a fauxtographer, thus reducing the risk of the heartbreak of being the victim of bad photography.
First, what is a fauxtographer? From the Urban Dictionary:
Fauxtographer
1) A person who tries to jump on the photography band-wagon by "Pointing-and-shooting" hundreds of terrible pictures, which they will upload to myspace in an album titled "My Photography", "My Art", or "Critique My work". Always followed up by the person adding "Photography" to their General section, or adding "Photography is my life..." to their About Me.
2) A person that claims to be a good photographer when in reality they just set their camera to automatic mode a start shooting. This person also happens to fumble over photographic terms or has no knowledge of the terms or switches the color mode to monochrome and calls it artistic no matter what the hell is in in frame.
I will add the following:
Specialties: The fauxtographer will specialize in "newborns, maternity, children, weddings, families, seniors,..." and the list goes on. Realize that to specialize, one must choose a specialty and do that one thing exceptionally well.
Overstates themselves: When you see the words "I'm passionate about photography", what do you think? Many people mistakingly read this as someone who is qualified. Most professionals, however, know that they do not need to make this claim... their work shows it, not their words. Also be wary of the fauxtographer who claims more experience than their age would reasonably show. By this token I could claim over 40 years experience simply by going back to my first camera at age 6. Experience as a photographer goes far beyond how long one has been playing with cameras.
Often a fauxtographer will attempt to downplay professionalism and properly equipted professionals with misleading statements such as "Why have your photos made in a studio with a back drop when all of Mother Nature is available for that moment?"
Yes, why have your portraits done in a professional studio with proper lighting, thousands of dollars worth of professional backgrounds and proper equipment to control lighting to make you look your best when you can have a snapshot taken outdoors in unpredictable lighting, insects, wind, and other elements which can ruin your shot?
Now, I'm not saying that outdoors photography is a bad thing, but I will state that your choice of a photographer should be able to provide you with the choices and options of a comfortable studio with proper lighting and multiple backgrounds or location photography outdoors in nature, don't limit yourself to someone who can't provide these opportunities. Outdoor photography, or "location" photography as it is often called, can be very nice if done properly by a trained professional. There are limitations though as to when is the best time of the day to shoot for proper lighting and exposure and for the best results. Weather and temperature also play a large role in this type of photography.
They do not have professional resources. What if you want gallery-wrapped canvases to display in your home? Suppose you have an album of family images, and you’d love to find another similar album to put smaller images in. Imagine that your parents are crazy about watching slideshows of images and would love to have a CD slideshow of your family session to watch over and over. The Fauxtographer often has no knowledge or experience with vendors that provide professional quality photographic products.
Digital vs. film:
Your choice of a photographer should be experienced in each. If you don't see the option of film photography from your photographer, ask yourself how much experience does this person really have. Are they a fauxtographer who got a good deal on an entry level camera and is now a pro, or do they really have the ability to provide you withthe very best. A professional photographer will likely have no less than a half dozen good professional lens' for their camera. They will have backup equipment and be able to handle the misfortune of a cmera that suddenly stops working.
Let's face it, you wouldn't trust a surgeon who says "Why have someone operate on you in a sterile hospital with proper medical equipment, I'll take your appendix out in the park" so why trust someone who can't provide a studio with professional backgrounds and proper lighting. Odds are, if they don't actually have a studio, they aren't capable of producing the final image you really want.
In my opinion, and for the purposes of this blog, being a Professional Photographer is more about mastery of the photographic medium and quality of work produced, as well as the work ethics, business practices, and customer service standards adhered to, than about what someone charges – but you do tend to get what you pay for.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Some of my photography
I thought I would take a few moments to share some of my photographs with you, just to be different.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wedding? Choose the right photographer
The old adage of "You get what you pay for" couldn't be truer when selecting a wedding photographer. Don't let your special days memories be tarnished by choosing the wrong photographer for the job.
I'll try here to give a few basic tips on choosing the photographer who will best capture your precious moments for you.
First and foremost, fine photography is not cheap. When you see a $300 wedding photographer, don't walk away from them... run. The amount of work and talent involved in shooting a wedding and then editing and cropping afterwards is enormous. Your photographer will expect to be compensated for his or her time, talent, experience, and equipment. While the most expensive may not always be the right choice, one should be leery of the bargain basement photographers.
Ask to see examples of the photographers work. A competent photographer should have a portfolio that they are dying to show off. If your photographer doesn't have examples, it is a very good sign that they are inexperienced and won't perform to your satisfaction.
Look at their equipment. Does their camera say "Rebel"? While the Canon Rebel isn't a bad camera, remember that it is an entry-level camera. Same goes with the Nikon that you see for sale at many discount stores. While having an entry level camera doesn't mean that the photographer doesn't know what they are doing, it does have limitations over (or under) the more professional cameras.
Does your photographer have a second shooter (assistant), or do they work alone? If they work alone, how do they plan on capturing the shots from different angles? Will they be moving around the chapel a lot and distracting guests? Is your photographer willing to work within the guidelines set forth by clergy on shooting? If your clergy doesn’t allow flash during the ceremony, how does your photographer intend to capture the shot and have it properly exposed? Does your photographer have backup equipment in case of equipment failure? Is this equipment the same quality as the primary equipment? What time will they begin shooting and how late will they stay? What lenses do they have? Do they have telephoto and wide-angle lenses? Do they do their own processing or do they rely on others to process the prints?
Ask for referrals. Nothing says more than to actually be able to speak to previous clients who were satisfied with the results of their wedding photographer. When speaking to previous clients, ask questions... why did you choose this photographer? What did you really like about his or her work? Did the photographer spend time with you prior to the day of the wedding and discuss different options? In short, determine that the photographer wasn't chosen because they were someone's cousin, brother, sister, or other relative, but because of their qualifications.
Are they licensed? Are they a member of your local Chamber of Commerce? Check with the better business bureau to check on complaints. Does your prospective photographer have an independent website, or are they found only on a free social site like facebook? Is their email linked to a dedicated business site, or is it somebody@hotmail.com, nobodyspecial@yahoo.com, or some other public access free email? While I am not saying that these people don’t know what they’re doing or aren’t professional because they don’t have a website of their own, you will find that most professionals do have their own website, whereas many of the GWC’s (guys with camera/girls with camera) don’t.
Remember, your wedding, whether your first or not, will only happen once. If these treasured moments aren't captured properly, they are lost.
I wish you and your future spouse a lifetime of happiness and treasured memories.
Stan
A birth certificate shows we were born
A death certificate shows we died
Pictures show that we lived… ®
I'll try here to give a few basic tips on choosing the photographer who will best capture your precious moments for you.
First and foremost, fine photography is not cheap. When you see a $300 wedding photographer, don't walk away from them... run. The amount of work and talent involved in shooting a wedding and then editing and cropping afterwards is enormous. Your photographer will expect to be compensated for his or her time, talent, experience, and equipment. While the most expensive may not always be the right choice, one should be leery of the bargain basement photographers.
Ask to see examples of the photographers work. A competent photographer should have a portfolio that they are dying to show off. If your photographer doesn't have examples, it is a very good sign that they are inexperienced and won't perform to your satisfaction.
Look at their equipment. Does their camera say "Rebel"? While the Canon Rebel isn't a bad camera, remember that it is an entry-level camera. Same goes with the Nikon that you see for sale at many discount stores. While having an entry level camera doesn't mean that the photographer doesn't know what they are doing, it does have limitations over (or under) the more professional cameras.
Does your photographer have a second shooter (assistant), or do they work alone? If they work alone, how do they plan on capturing the shots from different angles? Will they be moving around the chapel a lot and distracting guests? Is your photographer willing to work within the guidelines set forth by clergy on shooting? If your clergy doesn’t allow flash during the ceremony, how does your photographer intend to capture the shot and have it properly exposed? Does your photographer have backup equipment in case of equipment failure? Is this equipment the same quality as the primary equipment? What time will they begin shooting and how late will they stay? What lenses do they have? Do they have telephoto and wide-angle lenses? Do they do their own processing or do they rely on others to process the prints?
Ask for referrals. Nothing says more than to actually be able to speak to previous clients who were satisfied with the results of their wedding photographer. When speaking to previous clients, ask questions... why did you choose this photographer? What did you really like about his or her work? Did the photographer spend time with you prior to the day of the wedding and discuss different options? In short, determine that the photographer wasn't chosen because they were someone's cousin, brother, sister, or other relative, but because of their qualifications.
Are they licensed? Are they a member of your local Chamber of Commerce? Check with the better business bureau to check on complaints. Does your prospective photographer have an independent website, or are they found only on a free social site like facebook? Is their email linked to a dedicated business site, or is it somebody@hotmail.com, nobodyspecial@yahoo.com, or some other public access free email? While I am not saying that these people don’t know what they’re doing or aren’t professional because they don’t have a website of their own, you will find that most professionals do have their own website, whereas many of the GWC’s (guys with camera/girls with camera) don’t.
Remember, your wedding, whether your first or not, will only happen once. If these treasured moments aren't captured properly, they are lost.
I wish you and your future spouse a lifetime of happiness and treasured memories.
Stan
A birth certificate shows we were born
A death certificate shows we died
Pictures show that we lived… ®
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Welcome
Welcome to the Stan Halstead Photography blog. Eastern Wyoming’s mobile photo studio.
As we move ahead in the 21st century, photographer Stan Halstead envisioned a studio capable of coming to you and serving your photographic needs.
Our unique mobile photo studio is specially designed to meet the needs of our clients. Through the advent of the digital age, we are now able to meet you at your location and photograph you or your event, process and print your pictures on site, and deliver to you fine photography at your convenience.
Ideal for class reunions and family gatherings, we are able to meet where you are, not in a stuffy studio. Our process allows us to photograph you, process those photos, and often deliver prints within the hour on fine professional stock using archival inks specially designed to give an average of 100 years of normal use without fading.
Based in Torrington Wyoming, we are available to travel with ease in SouthEast Wyoming and Western Nebraska.
http://stanhalsteadphotography.com/
In my blogs I will try to give you advice in choosing the right photographer and photographic equipment. Read and enjoy.
As we move ahead in the 21st century, photographer Stan Halstead envisioned a studio capable of coming to you and serving your photographic needs.
Our unique mobile photo studio is specially designed to meet the needs of our clients. Through the advent of the digital age, we are now able to meet you at your location and photograph you or your event, process and print your pictures on site, and deliver to you fine photography at your convenience.
Ideal for class reunions and family gatherings, we are able to meet where you are, not in a stuffy studio. Our process allows us to photograph you, process those photos, and often deliver prints within the hour on fine professional stock using archival inks specially designed to give an average of 100 years of normal use without fading.
Based in Torrington Wyoming, we are available to travel with ease in SouthEast Wyoming and Western Nebraska.
http://stanhalsteadphotography.com/
In my blogs I will try to give you advice in choosing the right photographer and photographic equipment. Read and enjoy.
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