15May

Over-Promising, Over-Selling, Half-Truths

Went Salsa dancing last night. It was a cold Tuesday night so I had my doubts about the crowd. Especially in San Francisco. Weather gets a little cold, women stay home.

There were enough cars parked at the venue. Good sign. Walked in. $10. Reasonable cover. The music I was hearing from the band was very good. Also good.

But, there were about 30 EXTRA guys standing around and no women to dance with. I thought “Hey, let’s see when a new song comes on and I can ask someone to dance?” No. Each time the women would go back to the groups they came with when a song ended and was going to dance with someone else.

So a message was sent out over facebook by the DJ who organized it: Another great night of dancing and great jamz!

Well yes, for those who came in a group….

I experience this all the time.  You want to pump yourself up or the event you did so you’ll get people to talk and have people buy your service.  Unfortunately, the people who actually used your service know the truth.  And the ones standing around are going to talk too.  The seller will then have their integrity questioned.  Their words will lessen in truthfulness.

This is business 101 folks.  And why many dance/party organizers fail after a year or so.  No amount of advertising and selling is going to bring back people you’ve lied to.  Sure you’ll get new people who haven’t tried your service come in and check you out…  But that group will get smaller and smaller and eventually, your business will die.

A better message they could’ve made that could’ve worked:  GREAT music and dancing!  It was cold out ladies, but there were lots of men to dance with!  Come on out next time!

Not being truthful and positive is about as bad as competing on price.  VALUE is EVERYTHING  in business.  Both in your word and services.

05Apr

Thinking Inside the Box… Transporting my Phottix Odin Gear

  • By RicardoAuthor /
  • April 5, 2013 /
  • In Gear /
  • Last Update April 5, 2013 /
  • No Comments

So I was trying to figure out how to transport my Phottix Odin TCU and receivers…  I simply didn’t want them dump them in   any of my carrying cases so they get knocked around and the lack of organization is just not professional to me.  The units are just to small to have sitting in their own slot.

So I thought I would find a case of some kind to carry them.  I thought Phottix would have a case for them.  Nope.  PocketWizard does…  But this is PHOTTIX gear!  I don’t want to be a PW advertisement.  Asked on some forums and got some tips here and there…  But nothing seemed very realistic.

Phottix Odin transmitter and receivers next to Caselogic camera case.

Phottix Odin transmitter and receivers next to Caselogic camera case.

Then I read someone stuffing gear into small camera cases…  Hmm..  I have a couple of old point and shoot cases laying around…  The Phottix TCU itself is quite large so I didn’t think it would fit along with the two receivers.  But I have a fairly large Caselogic case that could work.  I bought the big point and shoot case to carry little extras with the camera…  I removed the really long and thin camera strap the case came with…  And here’s how it all worked out…

Phottix Odin transmitter and receivers inside Caselogic camera case.

Phottix Odin transmitter and receivers inside Caselogic camera case.

Perfect!!!  It’s snug without being tight.  None of the sharp pieces are scratching anything interesting.  The display on the controller is totally safe.

I know I will get at least two more receivers in the near future but for now, this completely works.  It doesn’t add too much weight and keeps things organized.  Now when I look in my camera case and see this little box, I know all my Phottix gear should be in there.

No money spent…  Fiiiinally and THANK YOU!

04Apr

Zeiss – The new nifty 50.. Or is it 55?

  • By RicardoAuthor /
  • April 4, 2013 /
  • In Gear /
  • Last Update April 4, 2013 /
  • No Comments

So you read my previous posting on my Zeiss 50mm and my history with Zeiss lenses.  Ever get that feeling when you try something that it’s a match for you?  That’s how I felt with Zeiss lenses.  It wasn’t about being expensive lenses and the build-quality..  When I was using them, I just think how natural it feels using these lenses.  That’s why my eyes just roll whenever someone starts talking about how this gear is better than that gear.  And it happens a lot in photography.  ”Just use what you like!” is what I tell people.

So I’m a big fan of my 50mm…  But it could be better.  Possibly a lot better…  And now Zeiss is coming out with a super high-end 55mm lens this year!  From what I’ve been reading, it seems like this is a lens that is not only an upgrade to the current 50mm, but will bring a whole other level of performance for lenses!  I’ve heard from other parties that this 55mm is THE highest performing DSLR lens ever!

When I read about prototype-testing and such, I always take it with a grain of salt.  But there are two things that are leading me to believe that these reports are true:  size and PRICE!

If you look at this lens…  It may be the biggest 50mm lens I’ve ever seen.  It’s AT LEAST twice as large as my current 50mm. It may be bigger than my Canon 28-135mm zoom lens when it’s in it’s short-range.  Part of the reason of this size increase is because of the number of glass elements in the lens.  The current lens has 7 glass elements.  The new lens has 12 elements.  Almost TWICE the number of the previous lens!

Now what we’re really waiting for…  How much?

Canon has been raising the pricing on all their updated lenses.  Sometimes by a small amount, and sometimes by a large amount.  Most would agree that the latter is more typical.  With all that I’ve been reading about this lens, I knew it would be expensive with the additional lens elements, size and technology.  After all, the newer 35mm and 85mm Zeiss lenses are much more expensive than their 50mm brother.  And while good, they look to be a match with this new lens…

$4,000….  That’s the number I’ve been mostly commonly hearing.  Which puts it out of reach for all but the top, full-time professional photographer, serious-amateur or latest dot-com millionaire newbie…  For a 50mm, it’s definitely one if not the most expensive 50mm lens for a SLR/DSLR ever.

The problem with this lens is that to get the most out of it, you need a sensor with tons of megapixels.  You’ll see improvements with it with your typical high-end DSLR for sure..  But let’s great honest here.  You can do an easy and quick improvement with images via Lightroom with a much lower-end lens.  Really, you need something like a Nikon D800 to get the most out of this lens.  And a Nikon D800 is not for me.

Canon’s previous professional flagship, high-resolution camera, the Canon 1Ds Mark III, was the go to camera for fashion, landscape and wildlife photography.  I would STILL consider getting this camera.  It’s a pro body, a decent 5fps and superior AF than my Canon 5D Mark II.  ISO is lousy but for my fashion work, I rarely go above ISO 400 anyway.  For what the camera does, it’s impressive for a 4-year old camera.  That’s what I love about Canon’s pro cameras..  They are certainly great cameras even with 4-year old technology.  I know pros using 8-year old pro Canon cameras as their main units..  8 megapixels!

There have been intensified reports of Canon releasing a new big megapixel camera in 2014.  I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.  This makes total sense to me and have been saying so in any forums that talk about this.  Canon really needs a camera that upgrades the 1Ds Mark III.  I LOVE the new Canon 1DX..  I got to play with it when all the camera manufacturer reps showed up at Keeble and Shuchat in Palo Alto one weekend.  Pro body, incredible ISO performance and an AF system that few can match…  And it’s WICKEDLY fast!  12FPS?  Nothing touches that!  But at 18MP, it simply isn’t enough for many photographers who need a high megapixels for print-size and detail.  Rumors have this new camera at either 38MP or 50MP.  My opinion is if you’re gonna go big, you REALLY gotta go big..  So I hope 50MP is what Canon goes for.

I got a feeling that Canon told Zeiss what they are up to and that was a motivating factor for them to produce the new 55mm.  Investing all this money into a lens for 1 camera doesn’t make sense.  And the Nikon while great, is NOT a pro camera.  Not really.  But two?  Sure.  And sensors are only going to get higher megapixel’d and better.  So Zeiss is simply investing in the future.

Would I get this lens?  That’s a tough call.  I know I won’t make any significant camera equipment purchases until 2014.  I guess the only reason, and I mean the ONLY one reason to purchase this lens, is if Canon does come out with this big megapixel camera and I manage to buy one of them.  I’ve heard that the new Canon big-MP camera will cost around $10,000.  Which is totally reasonable for what it will be able to do and the what Medium Format cameras cost.  The camera and lens would be a GREAT long-term investment for my business that’s for sure.

Inspiration for this and the last blog entries came from this video…  Enjoy!

 

02Apr

Zeiss

When I first started in photography and was deciding what gear I was going to get, a colleague and mentor Wayne Serrano told me that Zeiss was ‘it’ for fashion and beauty work.  ”But they are manual focus only and primes…” I responded.  ”Just give it a try…”  He responded with a grin I imagined on his face.

So when I got my DSLR I had an intermediate level zoom lens I bought with the camera.  I bought my Canon 50D used from a person and he gave me a huge discount on the zoom lens.  It would suffice for practice and learning purposes.  But when I did my portfolio-building work, I would rent premium lenses.  Thank God that a service like borrowlenses.com is only about a 20-minute drive from where I live and rental pricing is fairly reasonable.  My first try-out was the Canon 35mm f1.4L.    I think I went with the 35mm vs. the 85mm is because of the crop-factor of my camera which turns the 35mm into a 56mm lens.  The 85mm would take me out to about 136mm which I knew was way to far out for my taste.

Canon 50D with the Zeiss 35mm f1.4L

Canon 50D with the Zeiss 35mm f1.4L

I thought the lens was very good.  It was very sharp and colors looked very good.  It’s also a very ‘forgiving’ lens as well.  I used the Canon 35mm L for my first photoshoot under overcast conditions and well, lighting was amazing.  I shot it at a very wide aperture which created a fairly soft image.  For the photoshoot, it actually worked quite well.  I was certainly happy with the images I created.

My second photoshoot was with the Zeiss 35mm f1.4.  The photoshoot was going to be in the same garden as in the first photoshoot.  The difference was that it was a bright and sunny day.  The first thing I noticed about the lens was the weight of it.  It’s an all-metal construction which gives it a tank-like feel in terms of it’s ruggedness and weight.  It’s a beautiful looking lens!  You also know that this is a lens that is built to last!  20-years of life should be no problem.

Canon 50D with Zeiss 35mm f1.4

Canon 50D with Zeiss 35mm f1.4

During the shoot I was loving the images I saw on the back of my camera.  Images were sharp at even the wide apertures and colors were AMAZING!  Colors have a high-contrast look to them and the bokeh  was absolutely gorgeous.  Very creamy.  But the big surprise was when I got home…

Mind you…  Over time, a photographer’s eyes ‘develop’.  What this means is that the more you photograph, the more details your eyes will pick-up.  And I mean the smallest of details.  Especially specs of light…  Or in my case, the shadows that appeared on my model!  When I pulled images on my screen I was MORTIFIED at all the shadows that appeared on her face!  I managed to get some decent images out of it with LOTS of photoshop trickery..  But that was a big lesson…  The Zeiss FORCES you to be a better photographer.  Though the bright sun didn’t help, the Zeiss is not forgiving at all..  But it will reward you many times over with STUNNING images you can when you actually know what you’re doing!

Even though that second photoshoot using the Zeiss lens was almost a disaster, I knew I wanted Zeiss lenses as my primary work-lens.  The image characteristics are amazing.  I don’t miss auto-focus at all and there is more creative freedom by manual-focus.  Much more control.  You can choose how much you want to focus and exactly where.  This is my personal preference and I’m totally cool if you can’t live without AF… Especially for people with poor-eyesight..  I feel for ya…  It’s all about creating great images!

Canon 50D with Zeiss 50mm f1.4

Canon 50D with Zeiss 50mm f1.4

So when the opportunity came along to buy a Zeiss, I bought a used 50mm f1.4 from Craigslist.  It was in perfect shape but needed a lens hood..  A $100 accessory!!!  Yes expensive, but it too is made of metal.  I did buy a used one at about $70 from B&H Photo..  Still I saved about $200 from a new model.  I had previously rented this lens from borrowlenses.com and while I didn’t think it was as awesome as the amazing Zeiss 85mm f1.4, I thought it would do the job.  It doesn’t have the bokeh and some other qualities of the 35mm/85mm lenses, but I would say it’s about 85% of what those lenses are.  I bought my used 50mm for less than half of a new 85mm and a quarter the price of the 35mm.  So I thought it was a good trade-off. Zeiss is it for me!

Over the course of time, I’ve come to really love my Zeiss 50mm f1.4.  I’ve used it for DOZENS of photoshoots and really like the distance I have with my subjects as well as the background-area that is included with the shot.  I love the image characteristics I get from the Zeiss.  Great contrast and sharpness.  It’s a super street-photography lens as well.  With the qualities I just mentioned, street-images have a ‘real’ quality to them.  I’ve always said that Zeiss lenses have a 3-D quality to them.

Canon 5D Mark II with Zeiss 50mm f1.4

Canon 5D Mark II with Zeiss 50mm f1.4

And when I eventually bought my Canon 5D Mark II , my images went to a whole other level.  I was STUNNED by the colors and detail I was getting from the lens and camera combination.  But now that I was using a full-frame camera, my distance to my subject had changed.  I was expecting that but didn’t know how much I would like the distance change.  I always felt a bit disconnected at with my 50D/50mm connection.  With the crop factor, it turns the lens into a perfect 80mm.  It’s especially a little difficult when you’re in a small room.  So when I went with the 5D Mark II, I felt back home like the 50D/35mm combination.  Gosh, I have to get a good 10′ away from my subjects away at least and it feels really far.  If you didn’t know, most photographers are the shy/introverted type and I can see them liking the 85mm because of the distance.  Me, I’m very confident with what I want and directing models and people.  So getting in closer is not a problem for me or my subject.

Canon 5D Mark II with Zeiss 50mm f1.4mm using f3.5

Canon 5D Mark II with Zeiss 50mm f1.4mm using f3.5

Some people may think that the Zeiss 50mm has it’s issues.  It’s soft up until f4.  For me, that’s actually kinda cool.  From f1.4 – f2, it’s great for taking dreamy pictures of flowers and people.  There’s a surreal look to images with the softness.  From f2 – f2.8, it’s a fantastic beauty and portrait aperture.  A great combination of softness/sharpness.  The softness really compliments a person’s face sometimes while geting some good detail in there too.  From f4 – f8, it’s INCREDIBLY sharp and especially at f4.  You can still manage to get some very decent bokeh.  In fact, as old as this lens is, it’s still in the top-10 in resolution on some lists…  It competes with the best of them.  Even at f2.8, it’s still sharper than the best zoom lens I’ve tried.

For fashion and beauty, 85mm is the standard.  So I’m told.  Yes, I’ve seen great work at 85mm.  But I’ve also seen great work at 50mm and 35mm!!  A friend and colleague Michael Moore has shot with a Zeiss 35mm and I haven’t seen the distortion everyone talks about.  At least not to the point where it’s obvious.  In fact, one of my favorite photographers, Melissa Rodwell, who is very accomplished, uses 35mm!  She loves wide-angle!  If you shoot close-ups with them, the distortion would probably be more noticeable.  And probably cheaper wide-angles would make distortion more noticeable..  I couldn’t tell you exactly.

Supposedly 50mm supposedly imitates the eye best.  Which I like.  And I know the 85mm is flattering for portraits because of the compression.  And I know 135mm has it’s uses in fashion/beauty as well..  So I say:  use what you like and make the most of it!  It’s part of your style.  Don’t be like everyone else!

But you will either love or hate Zeiss lenses.  The lack of AF may be the biggest turn-off.  Except at events, I don’t miss it.  I bring my Canon 28-135mm lens to events for the AF and zoom…  But I STILL end-up using the 50mm most of the time!

So why the ‘Ode to Zeiss’ posting?  Well, Zeiss announced a new 55mm f1.4 is on the way.  When I saw it, I immediately knew it was going to be something special.  It’s at least twice as big as my 50mm and a HUGE jump in price.  But after looking at some of the images, I’m hot for it.  The sharpness and color-rendition is totally amazing.  50mm is my lens….  I’ll be posting a blog entry on the new Zeiss 55mm..  It’s the best display of the lens I’ve seen yet..  Stay tuned!

26Mar

Phottix Odin trigger system update. One word: Incredible!

  • By RicardoAuthor /
  • March 26, 2013 /
  • In Gear /
  • Last Update March 26, 2013 /
  • No Comments
Phottix Odin Flash Trigger for Cannon Twin Pack

Phottix Odin Flash Trigger for Cannon Twin Pack

After much research, I decided on the Phottix Odin TTL Flash Trigger for Canon system. I felt the Phottix system had the least number of CONS against it. Lets get the three negatives out of the way:

1) Can’t mount a flash on the camera when the controller is attached.

2) No real redundancy. If the controller doesn’t work, your entire system won’t work.

3) Plastics in construction should be better.

#3 is probably my biggest concern considering the pro-level features of the system. I would like the confidence in knowing that if one component fell down a flight of stairs, it would not be damaged. They are equal or better in build quality to other market-leaders. But that’s not saying much. Overall build-quality is excellent.

Mind you, these are VERY minor negatives and the least amount from other systems I researched. Now, onto the good stuff!

Simplicity. This is a professional-level system which when used, will be used intensly. The user-interface on the controller is incredibly easy to use. Adjusting functions is fast and intuitive. The digital controller is an absolute joy to use with a backlight if photographing in dark places. There is no guess-work when setting up the system or figuring out why your triggers aren’t firing. All switches and buttons are labeled and understandable.

Functionality. I don’t know any system that has as much functionality as the Odin system. Using channels in TTL, Manual or a combination of the two.. Turning off individual channels. HSS? Yes, that in there. All easily controllable.

Performance. No misfires. Great range. AMAZING battery life! I left a trigger on by accident and over 24-hours later, it was still blinking! This was after a half-day of good useage.

Future-Proof. The components all come with micro-USB ports for firmware upgrades. And Phottix regularly puts out updates to help with compatibility for cameras and bug fixes. And it’s really the former at this point as I haven’t had any issues in conjunction with my Canon 5D Mark II. Which is 4-year old technology. I know the 1DX and 5D Mark III needed updates as Canon changed the flash-programming with those cameras. At this point, both those cameras work fine with this system as far as I know.

Backing. As a professional, I don’t want to depend on on equipment that has poor support. That’s indicative of a company with a philosophy that doesn’t have long-term prospects either. I am a professional and I only work with professionals. In fact, I’d rather rent good equipment rather than buy junk if its cost-effective. And now that we are on the subject of costs.

Value. This is not the least-expensive system. Nor the most expensive. But it leans in that direction. However, when you take in all the positives of the system, it’s of incredible value. If you are a beginning to intermediate-level amateur that needs remote triggering once a month or so, this system may not be for you. But if you get paid in any way for your photography or want more control over your flashes remotely, then this is a simple decision. The 2-Receiver pack is nice as you are basically getting $50 off if purchased separately.

Improvements. The only way I can see this system improved is for Phottix to build devices to natively support Einstein and Profoto strobe systems. With their upgradable systems, I CAN’T see Phottix not doing this. While not a huge issue, it would add the tremendous convenience of controlling flash-power remotely. They would become a market-leader in no-time if they did.

I’m incredibly happy with the system and look forward to growing it with more triggers and other lighting gear from Phottix. Amazing.

Inside the Phottix Odin Flash Trigger for Cannon Twin Pack

Inside the Phottix Odin Flash Trigger for Cannon Twin Pack

21Mar

Customer Service – Why it’s Critical.

Customer Service.  Why don’t companies get it?

Earlier this week on my personal Facebook page I complained about some rather bad service I got while at a restaurant.  I had gone in there multiple times but I always felt that there was a bit of attitude whenever I ordered was served.  I thought it might have been my imagination until the final and undeniable insult came.  I won’t be going back and they deserve a negative review on Yelp.  I hate to do that but an obvious insult deserves it.

But it didn’t bring me down too much. The last few days I had experienced INCREDIBLE customer service from several other service providers.  They made me happy.

Earlier in the week I went to get my shoes shined.  If you have dress shoes, you REALLY need to get them waxed and shined.  The process greatly adds to the longevity of the shoes and it’s one of those services that makes you feel really good.  Shiny shoes is always a good thing!  Really, A Shine Company is where most professionals go to in San Francisco.  The people there are so pleasant and some nice chit-chat if you want is always welcomed.  Great service and they get a good tipping from me.

My Allen Edmond Shoes

My Allen Edmond Shoes

I’ve been a fan of Allen Edmond shoes for years.  Well, I needed shoe-strings for another pair of shoes, a non-Allen Edmond type on top of it, replaced.  So after I got my shoes shined, I went to the AE store located just a block away.  The salesperson said “There you go..” as he handed the laces to me.  I said “How much?”  He said “It’s no charge. It’s just something we do..”  I thanked him with a big smile and handshake.  They literally made my day for simply not charging me for a .25 cent item.  That’s all it took.  Yes, this company  has been around for 90 years for a reason and most importantly, will buy my next pair of shoes from.

And last but not least… Ed’s Diner in South San Francisco.  It’s a family-owned diner and I try to go there at least once a week.  While the food is very good, it’s their service and general vibe of the diner that I love so much.  I take them for granted because it’s what I expect from them.  Which is why I am saying it now and on Yelp.com where I have given them 5-stars.  Get enough communicative-regulars like me and business is literally handed to you…

It’s common knowledge that it’s a lot cheaper to keep a customer happy rather than spend money on getting new ones.  That’s how I operate my photography business and have always taken that viewpoint.  And really, if you enjoy what you do and value the relationship you have with your clients, good customer-service is not all that hard to achieve.

20Mar

Gmail vs. Outlook.com

Gmail:  I love you, but you’ve been letting yourself go over the years…

So I’ve been a Gmail user for years. It’s cheap for having a custom domain, reliable and accessible just about anywhere. Never let me down.

But I just upgraded a hotmail.com account to outlook.com for free. Outlook.com is VERY impressive…. I love the interface so much that I have it run full-screen on my desktop monitor when using it. The advertising is a little more visible, but it’s actual ads that may pertain to me! A group-on for a big discount on Mel’s Diner? Yeah, that’s actually really helpful.

I’ve never really liked Gmail’s interface. It’s functional and simple. But not very touch-tablet friendly. So I use the Mac’s/iPad’s slightly better looking but still crappy mail programs to use Gmail. For the desktop, I need to buy Microsoft’s Outlook program to use something that is very functional on the desktop. But it doesn’t solve the iPad side.

Gmail has Google Apps which is rich with enhancements and plug-ins for other applications to use.  I’ve never felt the need, but maybe I should check this out.  Possibly there is a solution to make the interface prettier and useable for tablets.  The Outlook.com looks to have some apps coming and they look promising.

But with all the years I’ve used Microsoft products, I simply don’t trust them.  Pricing and ‘open-ness’.  There have been regular problems in the past and I’m afraid they could do this again with Outlook.com.  Plus Google allows anybody to develop plug-ins for them.  Microsoft is a closed system but that may be changing for their web-apps.

If I was Google, I’d be very concerned. Check it out.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-com/

04Mar

Love Phottix Odin Triggers and Powerex Batteries!

  • By RicardoAuthor /
  • March 4, 2013 /
  • In Gear /
  • Last Update March 4, 2013 /
  • No Comments

I was too exhausted to unload the car after yesterday’s photoshoot.  I just packed everything into whatever bag and case and left it for today.  Yesterday’s photoshoot just wiped me out!

So I’m going through my bag and found the trigger that I left attached to my flash.  It was still on and BLINKING!  It’s been over 24-hours since I turned it on!  Mind you, the flash was off.  Thank god.

I used the Phottix Odin triggers for the first time on a photoshoot yesterday and they worked like a charm.  No mis-fires and incredibly simple to use.

I’ve always been impressed with Powerex batteries though.  I put in a AA version into my electric toothbrush months ago and it’s still working fine.  As well as my bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I bought a few extras a few weeks ago at my local Batteries+ store in San Francisco.  Awesome store.

Getting quality is worthwhile.  It might cost a little more.  But you’ll never be stranded by it.

28Feb

A Professional’s Professional Photographer

I came upon this video that I thought was just the greatest to watch:  A professional photographer going through the process of a big photoshoot.  The video features David Thompson who is a British photographer who has photographed for several different Vogue and Marie Claire magazines in Europe.  If you look at his website, you’ll see that his work is AMAZING!!!

With this video I am posting, the photographer is very attentive to time and the schedule.  If you are going to make a profit on photography, or any business for that fact, you have to be efficient.  Take as little time as needed to get the product you want.  I like to know that I’m doing the right things by watching the big pros at work.  Talk to anyone I’ve worked with, you know I’m a stickler for sticking on a schedule.  A video like this helps assure us smaller-production guys like me to know if we’re doing the right things..

And he’s still having fun!

10Feb

Be nice. It makes a difference.

So I’m doing a model search for a project (models, if you fit the project, I would call you first!) and run into this model’s profile. I met her at a group photography session just a couple of months I started photographing models.

On her profile I’ve seen a picture as one of several I gave her for payment for the photoshoot. I thought it was cute that she posted the image and a sweet gesture. It’s a nice portrait, but I never considered it artistic in any way. She definitely has a great smile.

I had never looked at how many people liked the image and added to their own personal favorites. I’d just look at the image and move on. This time I stopped. I found out that the image actually is highly rated! I checked out other images of hers and there are some very good ones.. But this simple portrait does very well.

At these events, most photographers are all business and don’t talk much to the models. The photographers all just want to tell the models how to pose.  And that’s it.  Me, I like to chat here and there. And I think it’s even more important to establish a repertoire with the models since many are real beginners and are usually nervous. And to give you an idea of how geeky, shy and sometimes strange the photographers that show up are, I feel like the Alpha-Male when I show up..  I’m fairly social when I want to be..  But certainly not a social-butterfly.

Great models can always look the way you want them too.  But getting a model to feel safe and comfortable..  Can take a good picture and make it great.  Don’t you want to do a better job for someone who treats you well and respects you?

Be nice.  Remember your manners.  It makes a difference.