Archive for the ‘For Photographers’ Category

Film vs. Digital Part 4 // Making The Switch

March 6

If you’ve been following my blog this year, you’ve noticed I’ve been chatting about film photography more and more. The more I’ve explored this medium, the more I’ve fallen head over heels in love with it. I love trying different cameras and I love slowing down to enjoy a new photographic process. It’s a welcome change of pace, and it’s no secret that one of my goals is to switch to film photography by 2014.

However, the question at hand is, how? How will I make this transition smart, smooth, and sensible for my business and my clients?  I feel like there are a handful of photographers who are also asking this question–ready to switch, but aren’t sure how to go about changing things up so drastically. Resources for starting a photography business are readily available–but there’s not much on the topic of transitioning an already established business. I also feel like it’s important to share this journey with my current and future clients.

Today, I want to share my switch-to-film process, how it’s going, and where I am in the process.

 

Step 1: EXPLORE // For me, this happened last summer. I got my hands on a medium format film camera (specifically, a Mamiya 645) and I quietly began trying film, reading about film, and comparing film to digital. The point of this step was to see if I even liked working with film. If it wasn’t fun or fulfilling to me, I knew I’d just stick with digital. However, I fell in love with film! Bring on step 2.

Step 2: ANALYZE THE COST // Late last year, I began working out the cost of shooting and developing film for weddings. Honestly? It was an overwhelming number. Film is expensive, y’all. I realized it was time to get real about how film fits into my business. From this information, I decided that it’s best if I take a blended approach, 3/4 film +  1/4 digital. This brought the cost to a realistic place, and from there, I drew up a new business budget and new pricing. Since weddings are usually booked 6-12 months in advance, it was vital that I have this pricing guide ready to send as those 2014 inquiries start coming in.

Step 3: PRACTICE WITH FILM // This is where I’ve been since January (although steps 3-5 are pretty much all happening at the same time). I’m currently dedicating time to learning, reading, practicing, and honing my technique. There’s so much to explore! Lighting situations, different films, different cameras, etc. I’ve decided to spend about a year on this step, so that I can have a super strong foundation underneath me. I’m photographing lots of wedding styled shoots, personal work, and friends–and having so much fun doing it! SUPER IMPORTANT: A client’s session or wedding is NOT the time to experiment. However, this brings us to step 4…

Step 4: SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH CLIENTS // This may seem to contradict my last sentence, but I love bringing my clients into my creative process as much as possible, and sharing that excitement with them. Once I got basic film technique down, I started asking permission to shoot just a roll or two of film throughout their session. I started doing this at the end of last month, and it’s been so fun! Of course, I’m treating the film images as bonus photos–not the main product. And while I’m incorporating a little bit of film into their experience, my clients can still feel secure, knowing that they’ll get the digital service they booked me for. No way would I just spring something new on them after a contract was signed.

Step 5: CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THE SWITCH // As I mentioned before, I wouldn’t even dream of switching things up on a client who has already signed a contract. That’s just not right. So, it’s really important that future inquiries know what to expect from me–without a shadow of a doubt. I’ve simplified it down to this: 2013 = digital, 2014 = film. I’ve made sure there’s a clear line defining when digital ends and film begins, and I’m communicating it clearly, based on the date of each wedding inquiry. So now you know what to expect too, here on the blog! I’ll be posting more film images as the year goes on, but for the most part, the images you’ll see on the blog will be digital until 2014. :)

I hope this glimpse into my process has helped answer some questions you may have had. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to start discussing in the comments section. Thanks for coming on this journey with me! :)

 

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers | 6 Comments »
Film vs. Digital // Part 3: Image Comparison

February 27

Disclaimer: The title of this series is a bit misleading. To me, it’s not a competition of which is better, but simply an exploration of the quality/cost/experience of shooting film vs digital. The conclusions are based on my personal opinions, preferences, and taste. 

I’m about to get all kinds of geeky, y’all! Today, we’ll be exploring the difference in images shot with film and images shot digitally–AND I COULDN’T BE MORE EXCITED! Now, we’ll be looking at just one image, but dissecting it beyond all recognition, so stick with me. Not to worry, I’ll be posting more image comparisons, but to me, the info is more digestible (and easier for me to share) when presented in bite size pieces.

It’s Kate & Jeff again! I shot their engagements a couple of weeks ago, and you met them on Monday. This was one of my favorite shots. I happened to take an almost identical shot with both film and digital, so it was the perfect photo to compare. Film is on the left, digital is on the right. The shot was taken at about 4 in the afternoon on a sunny day–not a cloud in the sky. No filters, reflectors, flash, etc. Just a camera and natural light.

LEFT: Shot with a Mamiya 645 + 80mm f/2.8 lens + Fuji Pro 400H film + Processed at Richard Photo Lab

RIGHT: Shot with a Canon 5D mkiii + 50mm f/1.2 lens

 

YOWZA! The differences are popping out like crazy! One of the first things to note, however, is that both images are exposed correctly–BUT notice the difference in the way they LOOK. Film is notorious for handling light beautifully, and IT DOES–be still my heart! To me, the digital image looks a bit muddy when compared to the brilliant colors and creamy skin tones of the film image.

Everything within me wants to hug the film image–it’s perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing (read: ZERO time spent in front of the computer editing). However, I’m noticing lots of things about the digital image that I’ll want to change. I want to correct the pink tones, I want to add contrast to make it pop, I want to brighten parts of the image, and I want to make the greens a bit more blue. Basically, I’m wanting to edit it so that it looks like film, which is what I always do.

So I did. And now you can compare the film image with the digital edited image:

 

I’m not too snobby to say it: they look pretty similar. So similar, in fact, that you may be thinking, “Who even cares about this whole film vs. digital thing.” And that’s just fine. Looking at those images above, it’s pretty apparent that you can create an almost-film look using digital. If that’s what you choose, more power to you!

For me though, I LOVE the fact that I can get a perfect image straight out of the camera using film. No editing. No hours spent in front of the computer. And…my eye still picks up on subtle, yet powerful differences between those two images up there. To me, the color in the film image is just stunning. The film photo has a richness and depth, and it’s beautifully saturated. There’s a quality difference between the two that I can’t seem to put into words. The it factor. Don’t get me wrong, both are pretty images. But personally, I prefer film. Not only for the final image, but I also appreciate the experience of shooting slowly and thoughtfully. Personal preference. :)

I’ve zoomed in even a little bit more below so you can really compare the two. Have a look. What do you think?

(Film image below)

 

(Digital image below)

 

Zooming in even more here, you can see the way the different mediums handle harsh light. You’ll notice that the film image, while bright and light, still retains most of the detail of Kate’s hair. However, the digital image, though exposed correctly, has a whole lot of blown out space, and all the detail there is lost.

This close up also sheds light on one of my biggest pet peeves about digital. You’ll notice the film image has little to no chromatic aberration, while the digital image has “fringes” of red on the brightest spots. Those fringes of color tend to show up in harsh light and intricate detail when shooting digital. I don’t like them one bit. Yes, I can minimize them when editing, but that’s just more time spent in front of the computer. Thumbs down.

(Film image below)

 

(Digital image below)

 

Finally, I just want to remind you that these are my personal preferences. Both film and digital have their strengths and weaknesses, and I’m just having a blast exploring and comparing them. As in, so much fun that I probably shouldn’t even admit it, because it’s just too geeky. Oh well, too late. :)

So, in conclusion, I was utterly blown away by the quality of the film image. YOWZA! I’m just loving it! But, the mere act of shooting film doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to start churning out the world’s most incredible photos. I’m realizing, film is only my friend if I know how to use it well. Believe me, plenty of my film images did not turn out well at all. Lots were underexposed or out of focus (oh, hello manual focus) and there’s not much you can do to salvage it in post processing. So in short, film image quality is unreal and beyond beautiful. But the only way you can achieve that quality is by knowing how to use it well.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the above images! Feel free to start chatting in the comments section. :)

Posted in For Photographers | 17 Comments »
Branches & Light Recap & Styled Shoot

February 18

Hooray, it’s recap time! :)

Nancy and I hosted our Branches & Light workshop just three weeks ago in Austin, Texas. What a beautiful day! We hosted B&L at The Winfield Inn (one of my favorite venues EVER!), and spent the day chatting about goal-setting, branding, studio organization, workflow, and overcoming fears.

The day just wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for our absolutely incredible ladies who attended. Our attendees came from lots of different places—South Dakota, Georgia, Florida, New York, and of course, all over Texas—and we could not have been more honored to spend the day with them. To the insanely wonderful ladies who came to B&L this year, I love you all so much and I cherish the memories we made together! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being there, for opening up, for being authentic. Please, please let me know if you are ever in Austin because I will want to make a coffee date with you! :) 

We invited stylist & planner Stefanie Miles (from Lavender Joy Weddings) to be our guest speaker, and oh my goodness, she brought the love! Nancy and I just sat in the back of the room scribbling notes like crazy while Stefanie gave her insights on heartfelt networking. What a blessing it was to have you, Stefanie!

My proudest moment, as it has been for the past four years, was when I taught on overcoming fear. What a task it was to reach inside myself and be vulnerable about such a hard topic…but how rewarding it was. One of the quotes from the talk was, “As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.” (Marianne Williamson)

You can read more about my personal favorite moments of B&L here.

Prepare your eyes for some prettiness! Our styled shoot was TO DIE FOR! This shoot wouldn’t have been possible without hard work from THE BEST team ever. A big ol’ thank you to: Sweet Sunday Events (styling & florals), Juliet Jones (calligraphy & stationary), Amazing Kakes (cake design), Andrea Juarez (hair), Adrienne Pitkin (makeup), Claire Pettibone (wedding dress), Alice Moon (engagement dress), and of course our amazing models, Katie (plus husband Ross) and Stancy from Half Orange Photography. LOVE those girls! :)

 

 

A big ol’ thank you to Southern Weddings for featuring this shoot over the weekend! What an honor!

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers, Personal, Weddings | 4 Comments »
Six Favorite Moments of Branches & Light 2013

January 31

 

Nancy Ray and I hosted our fourth Branches & Light workshop this past Monday! (If you missed it, check out our instagram hashtag feed.) I have so many photos and stories to share with you, but for now, I wanted to share a little behind-the-scenes glimpse into my experience: the six moments that meant the most to me personally.

• Waking up at 5am the morning of the workshop. My sweet husband brought me coffee in bed and I sat under the warm blankets and started my morning with Psalm 16. “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken…You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” (v. 8 & 11)

• Driving to The Winfield Inn with Nancy, watching the sky lighten, and singing passionately to All Sons And Daughters (an amazing group from Nashville–do yourself a favor and check them out).

• Taking a deep breath and diving into my first talk of the day on the topic of fear, insecurity, and how it affects our lives and business. Whew, getting to that place of vulnerability with myself and with everyone in the room was quite a risk…but oh how rewarding it was!

• Looking around during our styled shoot, and seeing the attendees spread out around the grounds, totally engaged in the shoot. It can be overwhelming to photograph at a workshop, but these girls made me SO PROUD. Everyone was just jumping in, no hesitation, and giving it their all. They were extraordinary. At that moment, I was so grateful that we could provide this workshop for them.

• Furiously taking notes as our guest speaker, Stefanie Miles, changed our perspectives on business and networking. “Cultivate a grateful heart. Gratitude is the only short cut in life. Are you grateful for every time someone appreciates and values your art?”

• Standing up with Nancy at the end of the day, explaining, with great passion, the meaning behind the name Branches & Light. We were moved to tears, there in the bright sun porch where we held the workshop, literally surrounded by branches and light. It was an unforgettable ending to such a sweet time.

 

Posted in For Photographers, Personal | 3 Comments »
Starting A Workshop // The Story Behind Branches & Light

January 14

For the next two weeks, I’ll be neck deep in the final preparations for our 4th photography workshop, Branches & Light. There will be a whole lot of me, practicing my talks to myself in the bathroom mirror, while my husband pretends not to laugh in the other room when I mess up and consequently give myself a quick 7th grade self esteem pep talk. :) All this workshop prep, has me reminiscing about the early days of B&L, and I wanted to share our story of how we started Branches & Light.

 

First up, a little background: Nancy Ray and I started B&L in 2011, as a business-focused workshop for lady photographers. We want to give ladies the tools and knowledge they needed to build a sustainable business that blesses their lives and their families. We open our hearts on practical strategies that work for us, but we also put our energy into honest conversations about fears, balance, and authenticity.

So how did we start this endeavor?

Nancy and I met in 2009 at a photography workshop in Atlanta called Love Affair. We had both been in business for a little over a year. Out of the 100+ ladies attending the workshop, Nancy and I gravitated towards each other because of our similar go-getter attitudes (and love of Anthropologie). I don’t remember the exact conversation we had, but at one point, we both shared our dreams for starting our own workshops one day.

Almost instantly, we were like, “LET’S START A WORKSHOP TOGETHER! YAYY!” And then I think we held hands and skipped around in a circle. Or we gave each other a professional handshake. Leaving it up to you.

 

After Love Affair, Nancy went back to North Carolina, I went back to Texas, and we started Skyping weekly to plan our ambiguous workshop. It was such a huge risk–the biggest leap either of us had taken before–and we honestly had no idea what we were doing at first. However, as we continued to brainstorm each week, our vision became clear as day. We realized there was a lacking in the workshop world: there was no one-stop-shop for all the practical knowledge needed to run a successful photography business. We’d seen lots of workshops focused on the art of photography, but nothing on the business of it all (like taxes, business entities, time management, and marketing). We both share a passion for smart business practices, and so we stepped in to fill that void excitedly (and nervously).

 

Ten months, and hundreds of Skype chats later, we found ourselves in Dallas, watching the Bachelor and putting together our attendee gift bags on the night before our first workshop. SUPER YIKES! I remember waking up the morning of the workshop being so excited and terrified–we’re actually doing this, there’s no way out of this now. BUT WE DID IT. We felt the fear, we did it anyway, and I can say with all my heart: committing to big things is WORTH IT. We taught our very first group with passion and love, and I had never experienced such fulfillment as a teacher, a leader, and an encourager. The very next week, we taught our second workshop in Raleigh. Then a year later, we taught our third workshop in Raleigh again.

 

This year, we’re teaching in Austin on January 28th. And I couldn’t be more excited. :)

Do you already lead a workshop? How did you get started? Would you ever want to lead a workshop? Next week, I’ll chat more about practical tips to start your own workshop. 

Posted in For Photographers | 3 Comments »
Workshop Update // Two Seats Left!

December 19

 

If you’ve ever considered coming to Branches & Light over the years, this is your last chance–we only have two seats left! 

Just two seats. Then they’re gone for good. If you want to take charge of your business and make 2013 your year, don’t wait–we want you to get one of these last two seats!

We can’t wait to devote a day to business strategy, honest discussions, and stylistic inspiration for ladies who desire to live a balanced life and run a profitable, sustainable business. Get the tools you need, overcome your fears, and take your business to the next level. Take charge of your business and your life—commit to growth in 2013. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with you!

We always pose one question at the beginning of Branches & Light:

Do you want to stay the same…Or do you want to grow and change?

——-

Register HERE.

See reviews from our past attendees HERE.

Get in-depth details on topics covered HERE.

Watch our recap video from 2012 HERE.

 

Posted in For Photographers | 1 Comment »
Film vs. Digital // Part 2: Cost Comparison

November 15

 

Disclaimer: The title of this series is a bit misleading. To me, it’s not a competition of which is better, but simply an exploration of the quality/cost/experience of shooting film vs digital. The conclusions are based on my personal opinions, preferences, and taste. As my awesome friend Chad Zellner commented, “Any avenue of creativity is a good one.” See Part 1: Introduction here.

Welcome to part 2! We’re getting into the thick of it. No hiding now–we’re talking cost today, and I think you’ll find the conclusions interesting. None of the prices below include added costs, such as tax or shipping. Here are some estimates on the cost of shooting film vs the cost of shooting digital:

COST OF CAMERA & LENS  //  For simplicity’s sake, I’m generalizing two groups. Level 1 represents lower priced cameras that are used professionally but aren’t as high end as level 2. Level 2 represents higher priced cameras that are considered creme

de la creme by most. The two film cameras listed are not in production anymore, so they must be purchased used.

Level 1

FILM: Used Mamiya 645 Pro TL + 80mm // $789.00

DIGITAL: Canon 7D + 50mm 1.4 // $1,898.00

Level 2

FILM: Used Contax 645 + Carl Zeiss 80mm // $2,100.00

DIGITAL: Canon 5D mkiii + 50mm 1.2 // $5,118.00

CONCLUSION: Purchasing a digital camera + lens will cost you a little more than twice as much as a film camera + lens. Film wins.

COST TO SHOOT // We’re just talking about actually capturing pictures here. We’ll get to post processing in a moment.

FILM: Roll of Fuji 400H 120mm film ($4.99 per roll–16 shots) = $0.31 per photo.

DIGITAL: SanDisk 16gig CF card ($49.99). The 16gig CF card holds about 692 photos (when shooting medium sized RAW files or “MRAW” on the Canon 5d mkiii). However, the CF card can be reformatted and reused many times, meaning you can shoot thousands of images for a one time purchase of $49.00.

CONCLUSION: The most important thing to realize is film is a reoccurring expense. It’s hard to compare the two down to the penny, since CF cards can purchased once, then be reused. But let’s just limit the number of images to around 700, and leave out the fact that CF cards can be reused. Digital cost to shoot 700 images: $49.99 (for CF card). Film cost to shoot 700 images: $217.00 (remember, it’s $0.31 per image). Even leaving out the fact that CF cards can be reused, digital is still much less expensive to shoot than film. Digital wins.

COST TO EDIT // This is tricky to compare, because processing film is a reoccurring cost, whereas processing digital can be a one time cost if you edit yourself, or a reoccurring cost if you outsource. Again

, I’m using products/services that are personal favorites for the comparison.

FILM: Processing and scanning at Richard Photo Lab = $26.50 per roll (16 shots). To develop 700 shots (what you might develop for one wedding) would cost $1,162.

DIGITAL, DIY: Lightroom 4 ($149) + VSCO actions ($119) = $268. You’d have an upfront cost of $268 to purchase your processing software, but once you purchase it, you have it for a long time. You can edit tens of thousands of images with that one time purchase. Let’s pretend that in 3 years you edit 63,000 images–an estimate if you shot 30 weddings each year for 3 years, at 700 images per wedding. Your cost to process one image would be $0.004 per image.

DIGITAL, OUTSOURCED:

  • FotoFafa: $0.25 per image x 700 images = $175 per 700 images
  • Richard Photo Lab Digital Services: $0.50 per image x 700 images = $350 per 700 images

CONCLUSION: Digital DIY processing is by far the most economical.

 But even still, outsourcing your digital processing to the high end Richard Photo Lab costs about a third of the cost of processing film. Digital wins.
OVERALL CONCLUSIONS: Whew! If you stuck with me all the way to the end, you deserve a gold star! There are so many different avenues and options–it’s a bit messy to try and compare all methods equally. I think we all started this journey suspecting film was pricier than digital. My hope was to give some real life comparisons and numbers. While film equipment is about half the price of digital, film shooting & processing ends up being considerably more expensive than digital shooting & processing. If you’re planning on making a switch to film, make sure you’re in a place where your business is financially able, and make sure that your prices reflect the switch. Plan your switch to film with care, or else you may put unneeded financial stress on your business.


Posted in For Photographers | 4 Comments »
NEW Albums // Fine Art Wedding Albums // Linen Wedding Albums

September 6

Take a quick second to jump up and down with me–I’M SO EXCITED! Here’s why: I finally discovered a line of albums that makes me proud down to my toes. I’m so thrilled to carry these beauties.

Photography has always moved and inspired me, and coupling beautiful photos with extraordinary presentation is truly fulfilling. I find myself captivated by the beauty of an album, and the love story told through it’s pages.

I’m proud to offer heirloom, hand-crafted albums. They are made with fine Fuji archive paper (lending a sweet, understated feel to your album), lay-flat binding, and an array of cover options that make my heart just melt. Natural linens (shown below, my fav!), Japanese silks (shown in pistachio green, below), and Italian leathers. Swoon.

You can further customize your album cover with a square photo cameo or simple debossing.

 

Want more? Watch the video. I take you through an entire album, from cover to cover. :)

 

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Brides, For Photographers, Personal | 10 Comments »
Film vs. Digital {Part I: Introduction}

August 29

Disclaimer: The title of this series is a bit misleading. To me, it’s not a competition of which is better, but simply an exploration of the quality/cost/experience of shooting film vs digital. The conclusions are based on my personal opinions, preferences, and taste.

That said I’m SUPER excited to begin this little experiment, and bring all of you curious photographers along this journey. I recently brought home a Mamiya 645 and have slowly been learning to incorporate it into my work. However, I also recently upgraded from a mkii to a Canon 5d mkiii. I am, in a sense, moving forward AND moving back. :)

And I love them both. After shooting for just a couple of weeks on each camera, I’d like to share my 3 initial impressions of shooting both:

Mamiya 645

  1. I’m so glad I started my film exploration with this camera. The Contax 645 is the darling of medium format cameras, but the Mamiya allowed me to enter into the film scene with half the investment, but similar quality.
  2. I’m loving how photographing with film slows me down, and makes me breathe. Since I know I have limited shots on a roll of film, I want to create something that matters. I’m thoughtful. I take my time. I savor the composition and light. It brings me closer to my work, which helps me be a better artist. Swoon.
  3. Just from initial glances at my film scans, I’m realizing how film is a perfect fit for wedding photographers because it’s so forgiving with white tones (aka wedding dresses). You can achieve luminous skin tone AND a perfectly exposed dress–no more blown out whites. Happy thought.

Canon 5D mkiii

  1. I was truly on the fence about ever upgrading to the mkiii. Canon let me down with the release of the mkii, so I was skeptical. But oh my gooooodness. I’ve never fallen head over heels in love with a camera. Never. Hello mkiii–you win my heart with your dual card slots (that create instant backups), focus that actually works (no seriously, it really works this time guys!), and incredible low light capabilities (we’re talking, using a flash is basically a thing of the past for me).
  2. Anytime I upgrade cameras, I know I’m making a substantial investment beyond just the camera body. Of course, not only do I need the body, but the new battery grip (the mkii or 7D grip doesn’t fit due to a pin placement), an upgrade to Lightroom 4 (LR3 doesn’t read the mkiii files unless you get a file converter), and other little things. Buy only when you can afford it all, but also know, IT’S 100% WORTH IT.
  3. Pre-mkiii, there was a tiny voice in the back of my mind that knew losing the images due to my card failing was a risk. Thankfully, I never lost a card or a single image from a wedding. But I cannot even express the warm-fuzzies I get from knowing that the mkiii is automatically backing up my images while I shoot. Thank you sweet dual card slots. Thank you.

What do you want to see covered next in our little Film vs. Digital series? Cost? Experience? Image quality?

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers | 9 Comments »
2013 Workshop Dates Announced!

August 13

 

Do you tend to compare yourself to others, even though you don’t want to? Are you frustrated because your business seems to hog all your time? Do you have trouble sticking to the goals you set for yourself?  Do you want a strong brand, but don’t know where to start (or how to do it on a budget)? Do you ever wish someone would just let you in on their secrets?

We did too.

Nancy Ray and I started Branches & Light in 2011 after struggling through these issues in very personal ways. Now, we have a deep passion to help ladies in similar situations find their way to the light–and we are overjoyed to do it! Join us for our fourth Branches & Light workshop retreat, and prepare to say goodbye to your fears and embrace the good life.

Watch a recap video of our 2012 workshop

Read reviews from past workshop attendees

Get the in-depth details about our 2013 workshop

Register to reserve your seat now

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Posted in For Photographers | 2 Comments »