Commercial Work

What is commercial work when it comes to photography? For me, it means anytime the work is used for advertising something. This may be a magazine, billboard, or maybe a web page. Since my start in photography, this is an area I have enjoyed. My style is more of a photojournalist like I do for weddings. I guess I like things that appear natural.

I was recently hired to take pictures for a company website. We sit down, and they tell me what they are interested in or have in mind. This could be done verbally, using Instagram pictures they have in mind. After I hear or see, I do what I think they are looking for. Let’s face it, competition is everywhere, and trying to get someone to buy from you may come from on professional picture. Your company is only as good as it looks, and I am sorry, the selfie will most likely not do it. Look at the picture below; what are they trying to sell?

Yes, if you said she was trying to sell her podcast, you would be correct, and I did my job by taking the vision of the podcast. She is not a professional actor, but by having her do what she was comfortable with (podcasting), I waited for moments and then took the pictures.

The reward (other than getting paid) is seeing your work in a magazine or on their web page. Maybe when you are driving and seeing your image on a billboard. That's the reward for me. I did my job, and hopefully, they are making money with the pictures they used. Over the years, I have done a lot of commercial work. I have done Medical, teaching, many products, Political campaigns, and companies. What's next? I don't know, but I look forward to whatever it will be. A boating campaign would be one that I would like to do sometime on my bucket list. I love water and boats or possibly do a vacation spot.

Product Photography

There is so much out there to get documented for someone needing a picture. This could be the high stress of a wedding, maybe a landscape or travel, and the list can go on. One advantage of product photography is that you get a chance to think and then take the picture

Product Photography

When your present employer finds out that you are a product photographer, you got it; they ask if you could take some pictures. So that is what I did above for an upcoming show.

My setup was using white paper on a roll for the background and then placing the rolls about 8 feet away from the back of the roll. This time, instead of flash, I used 4 continuous lights. The significant advantage of constant light is that I can see where the light is and make adjustments if necessary. The other benefit of this project was color. The color had to match. With my background in the printing industry, I do a process that we call ICC profile. What is that? Make it simple it's a process to make sure everything is calibrated from camera to post-processing to print. I use X-Rite Color check for this process.

Why 4 lights? I used two of them to light the back of the paper to make it white. With no light, it would have been dark gray. Two to light the back even. The other two, I used one for the backlight of the roll and the other to light the front.

After taking the pictures of the single rolls, it was time to put them together. The advantage of the single is that it gives the client multiple ideas and uses how they want. In this case, they are using both single rolls and various rolls. I know because I am working with them on an advertising project.

Videography?

I love all aspects of photography and now including videography. I felt like a commercial photographer; this was a must to learn and understand videoing. I have been playing with this last year on and off, but I am taking it to another level this year.

Just like photography, it takes practice and again more practice. First, I have been learning different camera moves for other effects. Next, understanding the light and now learning audio. Next, we learn post-processing and why something works, and something doesn’t work.

It starts with practice, and the following video is of that. I am an actor, director, producer, special effects, yes you guess it, I am doing everything, including filming. The idea was just to go for a walk in the woods in the winter. I like these woods and have taken a lot of pictures of family, seniors, and some wildlife in these woods near me.

It was fun playing with different camera views and thinking about A shoot and B shoots. Next was to put it together. Using Adobe Premiere, I was able to put it all together. The sounds you hear are all sound effects for interest. While this video was fun doing. It won’t make the Oscars, but you need to start somewhere.

2022 is going to be fun for me. I am looking forward to adding videography to my portfolio.

The Dermatology Group Parkview Health

My first blog of 2022. I have been blessed in my photography career to do work for the health community. This one was a special one for me. My assignment was to do individual headshots of this group and then a group photo for an advertisement ad on a BillBoard. Driving this Holiday season, we have about 4-5 Bill Boards on the highway. I noted that pictures that I have taken were on 3 of them, including this one.

Let me tell you; this group was so friendly and so much fun to be with that I felt at home. After the job was completed, I thought I would ask a question that I knew they could answer. That is, I have this thing growing above my lip that is not cosmetic pretty. Can I get this removed? She left and grabbed a magnifying glass, and said that you have Skin Cancer. The good news is that you have the good kind but need to be removed. Remember, I only ask for information. It was their time to play photographer and take a picture of it with that. With that, off it went to what was my Plastic Surgeon. In a few day’s I had my appointment to have this growth removed. This group did far more than I could expect. They were all great, but I want to give a special thank you to Hallie. This great woman did so much for a perfect stranger that most likely would not have gone through this if not for her. One thing that I noted threw this whole process was the team and how a team that likes what they do is not just a team, but a great team.

The procedure was done, and before I could even say thank you. They came in and had my appointment made for a complete skin checkup. They must have known that I would have waited. (LOL)

I am looking so forward to 2022. I have a list of things that I want to accomplish for my photography and videography. Yes, videography. More on this later, but I have been having fun learning all aspects of this.

2022 is upon us. The question is, what are you going to do with it? One last note, If you have some abnormal growth or mold on your skin. Get it checked out. You never know. Thank you, Parkview Health.

Learning is Fun

As my business continues to change, so does my learning. This time I wanted to learn more about being better with macro photography. I use this a lot for product and food shooting. I recently attended a workshop put on by Roberts Camera in Indianapolis, In. If you never went to a workshop and you are a photographer who wants to take it to the next level, you should. Not only the learning but other photographers that you will be interacting with. At this workshop, we had a 2-hour talk about idea settings and sharpness.

Next, we got a chance to work for 6 hours in about 20 different setups to practice what we learned. We learned about stack focusing, stack focusing software, using a tripod, which is a must for sharpness.

I took a lot of pictures this day, practicing what we learned. I filled up two cards of photos. I took pictures and retook pictures of a different composition of the subject. It was a day of fun. Oh yes, being a Midwestern, of course, I talked with other photographers that were there that day—so much fun to see and talk about once again. I am a big fan of education. Even when you think you know it, you can always learn. Who knows, you may make a new friend that does what you love.