Event Photography

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Pictures and videos.

We started out doing mostly sports action oriented work but that led us into doing other events such as birthdays and weddings. Seems odd to some but being able to shoot in low light, fast moving targets and critical moments made doing other events easier. Sometimes kids move as fast as boxers around birthday cake!

Imagine seeing your child blow out candles on the cake in wide screen HD and stereo sound.

Now we are doing as much video work as pictures since we updated our post production center. We only shoot true HD video with the same gear used on some TV shows (24 and SNL). Recently businesses have scheduled us to do commercials for them and I will post some of the video material soon.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. First off, get a vibe for the person you are dealing with. If they have diva attitudes and won’t let you own your own pictures, tell them to take a hike.

Secondly, look at their pictures and video with a keen eye and have your friends give their opinion. This is the person/service that is going to represent you.

Lastly, look at their gear and demeanor because there are some out there that will show up with duct-taped inventions and silly appearances. Trust me, I have heard some scary stories from clients.

Whoever you pick please know that if they are truly a professional they have invested considerable amounts of time and money into their craft. Your moments are timeless and important so please record them with care.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. 1. How long have you been doing this?
2. What kind of gear do you use?
3. Are there copyrights on the pictures?
4. Do you have a female photographer for the bridal dress/make up side?
5. Can you bring the “studio” to us?

Experience is important but so is the actual product. The proof is evident but it is nice to know they have been doing this long enough to know how to interact with the client.

As a photographer I have seen some try to pawn off using low tech gear (point and shoots and camcorders) as professional gear. Completely unacceptable. Most pros spend at least 2-3K for their primary camera and the results don’t lie. Ask them about their gear and look it up.

Some photographers will not let you own your pictures and if you are ok with that then fine. However, there are some that will try to make extra money on the sly by charging you extra for more prints. We NEVER do this.

Not every photographer has a studio so it is a reasonable question to ask if they can bring the studio to you. Lighting, backgrounds and white balance are key to getting that perfect picture and pros know how to do this.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We never rest on our laurels and know that if you are not pursuing ways to better your service, it will become substandard.

I meet and work around a lot of competition and see some that do this and their results show.

By having a strong background in computers and systems software I have been able to research production techniques as well as building systems capable of doing post production. If you shoot 720p at 60fps and put another video of same caliber within the corner box, you need serious computer horsepower.

We constantly look to the pros (Spielberg, Howard, Lucas) for tips and how we can adapt those to our level. This is why we are such avid supporters of steady cams, camera cranes, and camera rails for getting that smooth, professional look.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love being able to capture those moments others love and know that they are in good hands. Having kids I see how fast they grow up and back in the early years I was always taking pictures despite the protests. Now we look back on those as treasures and that really sunk in with how I regard clients pictures.

My wife and I had a very modest wedding and relatives took snapshots and camcorder video from all kinds of angles. 20 years have passed and we still look back at those pictures with lots of love. This is why we take it so seriously when it comes to capturing those moments in the best way possible.

This is also why I get angry when I hear of botched photo shoots and people paying good money for lousy results. There are some clowns out there people so be careful.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. Yes!! 3D production is becoming a reality and with the market going towards buying 3DTVs it is only a matter of time. We will be there once we get a few requests for it so in the meantime we will keep researching and testing the waters.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Look at the standards out there such as pictures in Time magazine, ESPN, and headshots of celebrities. If you can afford it, buy pro gear only or start out with what you can afford and charge accordingly. NEVER tell clients you are a pro and show up with an amateur camera/gear. Be honest and humble and tell them you are just starting out and do the gigs for free/cheap to get the experience.

If you can afford pro gear, buy Canon or Nikon and look at spending around 2K for the camera alone and about the same for the lens. Add a speed light, tripod, gels, and affordable background and see about taking some local classes. Speed lights and good lighting are your friends.

Always be open to change and look to mentors out there who are doing better than you. Play nice with them and you will learn so much ( I sure have).

After you get good at this don’t make the mistake of doing gigs for cheap/free unless there is a reasonable return. Too many times people think this is an easy craft and not worth paying much for. A simple 2 hour shoot can easily involve 3 times the amount of time in travel, post production and delivery of product, not to mention the depreciation of investments. Not many realize you are shooting pictures with 4K in your hands and developing it on a high end computer with high end software. That’s about 10K.

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. Our greatest strength is listening to the client first and then allowing them the choice to choose what they really want.

In our minds, the client is the ultimate boss and we strive to exceed those expectations and get the WOW factor. Nothing is more satisfying then getting lots of thanks and happy referrals.

Q. What are you currently working on improving?

A. We are currently pushing beyond the parameters of DVD and moving into the higher definitions seen on Blu Ray. At the moment most of our audience is not on the Blu Ray market but when they do, we will have already perfected the process.

If you have a high definition TV, opt for the Blu ray. Pictures are so much more detailed and vivid!