Safeguarding the Professional's Livelihood
Saturday, June 12th 2010 @ 10:07 AM
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a wedding - as a guest (well, mostly. I sang backup for the group who performed the music. Yep, in a past life, I sang a bit.) It was a non-traditional wedding, unique and filled with joy.
Before the paid photographer arrived, they asked me to take a few images. Well, since they asked so nicely... :)
In deference to the paid photographer, note that I did not take images of the wedding party, dressed bride/groom, ceremony etc. I will never undermine a fellow photographer, because our livelihood depends upon our ability to sell what we photograph, and we can't sell it if someone with solid skills gives it away for free.
I think this is an important consideration for us all, whether we are amateurs or professionals. We want to safeguard our art and also our ability to earn a living by it if we so choose.
Capturing the Essence
Thursday, June 10th 2010 @ 11:10 AM
I recently photographed a Celtic band, Bold Riley. For this type of photo shoot, I'm not just capturing the essence of the individuals, I'm trying to capture the corporate spirit - attempting, in images, to capture the flavor of their music. Imagine hard-driving and joyful, energetic and intense - now how do we 'catch' it in visual form?
The first step was to take them into an unusual setting. A local park worked well, because it screamed CELTIC - think Stonehenge and Druidry - it put the music into context in an almost subconscious way.
The next step was to catch them as they played, because the intensity and the joy shows on their faces when they perform.
I scouted out the location ahead of time, so I could choose the appropriate time of day for this session. I chose early evening, around 6 pm. The sun was low but the light wasn't yet flat.
I'm pleased with the results, and the band is THRILLED. Here's a link to their website, just in case you're local to the Pacific NW...
