Draper Blog

Chico State Girls Basketball Shoot: Guards

2011-11-26T16:32:00.001-08:00

Working at the Orion, (Chico State's Newspaper) has been a learning experience. Most of the things I'd normally shoot involve some type of lighting and is very deliberate. Having to wait and watch for something that might never happen frustrates the hell out of me. At least with weddings you know there is going to BE a first kiss. With photojournalism, it could never happen. And when it does, it seldom matches the shot you had imagined in your head.

The above is a shoot for the women's basketball team. It was a shot I was allowed to set up. I found this great lighting diagram online and it is really cool. You can find it here:http://www.lightingdiagram.com/

I put the sun behind the subjects just to add some more separation due to the darkened trees. I'm going to be shooting some more of these for the school. Only the ones I'll be shooting next will be action shots. For this effect, (i.e. to stop motion) you need a short flash duration. I'll be using Einstein's and a 5ft parabolic with some Einstein rim lights as well. As you can see, for this shot I used speed lights for rims and a beauty dish for my key (main).

Night Shot in Fall

2011-11-22T14:04:00.001-08:00

Back story: Jacqueline Klo and I met about seven years agowhen she was helping her friend pick out a wedding photographer. Since thattime, I have photographed many of her friends and she has even come to assistme on weddings. Her ceremony began at 4:00 p.m. and ended at 5:30 p.m. It wasdark when we began pictures with the newly-married bride and groom. For thisshot, in front of their reception site, we had about 10 minutes to get someshots before they were announced.

Philosophy:Night shots are probably some of the most difficult to balance. The problem isthat there is very little ambient light. How do you balance your light when theambient light is almost non existent? I look for light spilling anywhere. Goodsources to look for are floodlights, landscape lighting, street lamps, carheadlights and sometimes spots from church ceilings work well.

Vision:Once I saw the warm glow on the fall leaves I was hooked. I knew they werehigher up than the couple so I’d have to pick a low camera angle. A low cameraangle from afar has the added effect of elongating the couple. If I placed thecouple so that the street light spilled on their backs it would provide a warmseparation light.

Technique:I purposefully brought the couple about five yards from the light so the lightwould spill down their back and not be on their face. Why not let some hittheir face you might ask? Well, the color temperature worked fine for theleaves in the background but it would be too warm for skin tones. I didn’t wantthis light mixing with the daylight-balanced flash I introduce into the shot.The couple is lit from camera left by a 580ex speedlight modified by a 12x12softbox. The main light is above the couple’s head and to a 45 degree angle. Inorder to bring out the groom, I used another 580ex ii inside another 12x12softbox to provide a separation light on the back of his black tux jacket.Without this light, he would have blended into the background shadows.

Numbers:Canon 5d mark ii, 135 mm. f2.0 at f2.8, 1/60 and ISO 800. All flashes setmanually.

Vision

2011-04-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Helen Keller

"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision."

I had the honor of speaking to a group of fellow photographers last night in Chico, California. They had originally asked me to speak on weddings but as I prepared notes for what would be a two and a half lecture, I realized that my mind continued to return to a single concept - personal artistic vision. I decided to use an object lesson to illustrate how important vision is to our craft and how important it is to each of us individually to distinguish ourselves. I thought of a beautiful scene. There was a castle, a waterfall cascading onto rocks and there was a grassy hill. There was a bride and groom and a horse, of course. It was night and there was some fog coming in. That summed up the elements of the scene. I instructed each of the photographers to draw these elements as they see them in their mind's eye. After about 20 minutes I went around and checked on all the renditions. To the photographer, every one was succinctly different. We discussed their placement of the bride and groom in the shot and then I asked the question: "If you all have such distinct artistic visions, why is it that much of the work we see in photography these days looks exactly the same?" Silence.

Some of us lack the technique
to realize our vision.

If you browse the internet like I do, you might just come upon the same conclusion. A dash of similar posing, a pinch of available light coupled with a pair of over processed eyes and a heaping of texture overlays. To me this is a recipe for disaster. Are we all envisioning the exact same thing? The object lesson the other night would be proof against that idea. Some of it is a heavy reliance on post processing. Some of it is photographers actually think this looks good. And some of it, and what I think is most at fault, is lack of technique to produce the image that the photographer has in their head. If everyone had the technique to produce the vision they see in their head portfolios would look as different as our dreams. And the net would be inundated with originality from one photographer to the next, each having a discernibly different look than the previous. Instead we have the opposite, a homogenized industry where software is sold to bandage the wound of inability.

The professional photographer associations are accountable for this failure to train new and emerging amateurs. The proportion of educational workshops to marketing workshops is staggeringly in favor of the latter. Indeed, this has produced thousands of mediocre photographers that are amazing at marketing. The gears of the organization's priorities began to shift about 5 years ago when membership started to swell and so did the revenues provided by hungry members. Instead of teaching them the fundamentals necessary to be photographers (i.e. lighting, good composition, color balance, posing, fstops/apertures/iso's) they provided lectures that all followed a standard formula: charismatic speaker shows epic images set to emotional music (but doesn't really teach the techniques for achieving such images) which would be followed by talking about work experience (usually exotic places and exotic people) and then would conclude with the charismatic speaker reminding the audience that they too could be photography rock stars. It all starts with purchasing the actions for sale now at the back of the room. Unfortunately, the only thing that would help the audience produce images akin to those of the speaker is technical knowledge. And at these types of "photography rock star" concerts, knowledge was in short supply.

These photography association retreats are designed to allow photographers to gain ideas and shop for items that will make them better photographers. Not surprisingly, sound photography fundamentals are not for sale anywhere. In fact, it is in the retailer and lecturer's best interest to keep photographers ignorant and reliant on software for their look. The less they ultimately know, the more they'll be convinced there's got to be some sort of product they can buy to fix their photography. And as long as they keep shooting poorly they'll continue to need software. Film photographers who could expose correctly didn't rely on a 1/100 of the software that's out there today and generated award-winning work long before digital came about.

I don't fault the speakers. After all, they are just making a living like the rest of us. But when I hear that there will be actions on sale at the back after the lecture, I head for the door.

A return to basics is in order. Many photographers haven't ever been exposed to the basics of photography. There are many amazing teachers out there who have done much to educate those striving to gain knowledge. Carl Caylor is an amazing photographer and even better educator. Recently Sandy Puc started a certification program to help members of the PPA become certified. This is a great step toward helping to educate those who are seeking knowledge. The only problem with certification (yes, I am certified) is that there are no benefits whatsoever through PPA. You receive a certificate. Your clients don't care about this certificate and it doesn't entitle you to any benefits through the PPA.

Without proper technique, our individual artistic visions will never be realized. And until technique is prized over marketing by professional organizations, we'll continue to see children with glowing eyes and seniors with plastic skin and subjects cropped at the wrist and ankle.

Obviously I'm no artist. Here's MY vision. Bride and groom,
with a horse, grass and a waterfall and castle in the back.
The dark splotches are mist.

Duh. LOSING!

2011-04-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me right now! I haven't updated my blog in months. There are a slew of excuses for this but I think I'll just use the main one: I had to close my studio in Modesto of 11 years due to health issues. This has been an enormous undertaking and still isn't finished. When you have employees and tax forms and city forms and county forms, credit card machines, bank accounts, s corps, utilities, leases, etc... the paperwork begins to add up. And this doesn't even include the 500+ brides we tried to contact so that we could send them high resolution disks of everything we'd ever shot for them.

Enough about that.

I've gone back to school at Chico State and I'll have a 4.0 this semester. If you hadn't guessed, one of the classes I am taking IS Advanced Fine Art Photography taught by Professor Tom Patton. I really need to describe the difference between the academia world of photography and the private sector of photography. There's much to be learned from a balance of the two. In any case, I will be finishing my degree in English with a minor in art and linguistics shortly.

Many photographers who specialize in on location photography and available light use have often criticized the use of artificial light. The upshot of the discussion with some of my peers revealed that they believed it didn't have any place on wedding day. They asserted that available light is what you get on that day and you aren't making something appear as it is not. According to them, available light is more realistic. I agree with that as long as you can't see the sky.
If the sky is in your shot however, I don't think available light will adequately replicate what the eye sees. While outside with a friend, look at their face. It's crazy how your eyes can expose that face so quickly right? They eyes are the coolest lenses ever made. Now, look at the blue sky with beautiful dramatic clouds. Your eye can also discern all the detail in that as well, even though it must be several stops different in exposure. Finally, look at your friend's face with the blue sky background behind them.

Notice that both the subject's face is perfectly exposed AND the bright sky is perfectly exposed. THIS is what the human eye sees. It sees both the subject and the background. A camera can see either or. If it exposes for the face, the sky is blown (as are the skies in many of the photographs of weddings) and if it exposes for the sky, the subjects become silhouettes. I love available light photography BUT it isn't representative of what the eye sees, especially when shooting against the background of a beautifully dramatic sky. To most, the subject is more important and they rightly expose to capture it. When the photographer does this, and blows the sky out, it eliminates all depth from the image. A blown sky is just like a brick wall - the eye has NOWHERE left to travel. It's a photograph with one layer.

I advocate that adding a little light so that you can expose for both the subject and the sky. After all, isn't that what the subjects are seeing on that day? They are seeing people and a glorious sky on their wedding day. They will have noticed the beautiful sky but won't have any evidence that it looked like that if you blow it out. I understand that misuse of artificial light or using it in ways that seem unnatural is common. Don't let this misuse deter you. More and more I am trying to 1.) use the artificial light in harmony with available and ensure that both are coming from the same direction and 2.) use artificial light so that it creates a little more contrast and drama and 3.) to create a lighting pattern on the face that shapes the face and is flattering for the subjects.

Lighting: 580ex flash to camera right. Lighting pattern: Rembrandt.

Lighting: 580ex ii from camera left through the windshield.

Lighting: 580ex flash from top.

I use a very small light source because I want to illuminate what is important and what will force the viewer to consider important. Lighting the faces but letting this light fall off to other non interesting things will force viewers to keep their eyes on the brightest part of the image. For those of you who are interested, the wedding dress isn't lit because the light on the face is sufficient enough to spill down this huge reflector. The dress needs much less light that the skin in order to show up. So illuminating the faces and letting the spill fall onto the dress seems to work. I usually light the bride's face and use her dress to reflect light back into the shadows of the groom's face. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. It all depends on the pose and how far away the bride's dress (reflector) is from the groom's face.

Casa Real Photography Critique

2011-01-31T13:27:00.000-08:00

50mm f1.4, f5.6, 1/125, 800 ISO

This is an image that I captured at Casa Real in Livermore, California on Jan 29th, 2011. The background patterns on the wall were provided by a lighting company (I'll have to find their name because they did and exceptional job) in case you're wondering.

For starters, I'll begin with saying that this IS the image I had in mind when I set this shot up. I usually start with an image I think would be beautiful and then use my tools to duplicate the image I have already in my head. Sometimes beautiful accidents happen and I'm very grateful for those as well. Most times my shots are deliberate as I'm trying to use everything in my arsenal to ensure that the bride and surroundings look their best.

Before I go into improvements that I could have made in the execution of this shot, I'll remind you that many times we're working under many people telling us to hurry up on wedding day. :) Notice how I'm excusing myself before I even start? C'mon Draper, buck up, take your licking! Ok, here goes:

For starters, I should have had some kind of separation light on the groom. I would have liked a small light to rim his back, head and add some detail to the dark suit he was wearing. This would have required another light source or reflector and I was rushing to get this shot against this epic background. One light (Canon speedlight housed in a 12x12 softbox) was used to illuminate both subjects.

His face, especially chin and mouth (the connection between both subjects) should have been illuminated more. I should have told the groom to bring his face a little closer to me. The connection between the two IS a major part of the narrative and should be illuminated. I use light to tell WHAT the viewer is supposed to find important in an image. This is why I didn't gel the light on the flash. I wanted the light to be slightly cooler (toward blue) than the surroundings (which were super warm).

I would also like to see the bride's arm bent. Fashion photographer Patrick DeMarchelier once said, "Anything on a woman that can bend, should bend." I've always liked that philosophy. Distracting elements are the speaker behind the bride and the accompanying white outlet. I would also like to see the other light up top. There are two on the left side of the mantel, I'd like to see two on the right side. I'm just saying, I shouldn't cut one in half. Either keep it, or lose it. I also think I could have had them turn the fire back on, that would have been super to give me some separation for the bride and groom, as well as provide a little more light in the dark areas of the photo. I think it might have lightened the floor a bit as well. The floor was beautiful but tough to illuminate with one light placed so high about the couple.

I'm sure I'll find more things that could have been improved upon as I continue to revisit this shot, but this will do for starters.

Draper.

Draper Photography 1999-2011

2010-11-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

I never dreamt I’d be a photographer. Especially not in Modesto.

It was always artist, writer, or linguist. Yet, my entire existence here in the Central Valley has been defined by this profession.

I moved down to Modesto after I got married and was determined to leave after a couple of years. I was without friends. And without family. I began work in the valley as a writer for the Tracy Press and then decided that the commute and working conditions didn’t fit my personality. I would have died of road rage.

I worked at La Parrilla restaurant and began photography on the side. I had photographed my sister Mia’s wedding and was encouraged by the results. In retrospect, I realize that a waiter makes an excellent wedding photographer. They can balance well, have a polite tone, multi-task well, remember details, are service oriented, work quickly, try to anticipate the needs of the client, and do this with a smile.

Since my days at La Parrilla I’ve photographed approximately 450 couples here in the Central Valley. My philosophy on photography shifted from that of a wedding photographer to that of a photographer that photographs people. When people ask how I learned photography, my response has always been “trial and error.” My early clients might be interested to know that I would love to go back and photograph their weddings again now that I have more knowledge. I still feel guilty that I could have done a better job.

The couple of years I planned on spending in Modesto turned into eleven.

Friendly faces are now everywhere. I can’t go out to a local restaurant without seeing a bride or groom. In fact, several nights ago I went out to eat at Sushi Garden and counted 4 clients in the restaurant. I can’t go to the store without seeing a senior whose picture I’ve taken. On a daily basis, seeing the faces of my clients has made Modesto feel more like home. More like family.

I am the proud owner of a photography studio in Roseburg Square. I have two employees that are fun to be with and enjoy their jobs. I couldn’t ask for a better scenario. We are blessed with more work than we can handle, even in a down economy when you wouldn’t expect customers to be calling. And especially with the prevailing mentality that anyone can shoot good pictures as long as they have a good camera.

Four years ago, I contracted a respiratory problem. This mystery disease kept me coughing all through the night so that I rarely slept. For a solid year, my doctor gave me cough syrup with codeine so that I could sleep at night. When the cough didn’t go away I was referred to another doctor who gave me my first chest x-ray. I was diagnosed with bronchitis and then put on antibiotics. The next couple of years were progressively worse with numerous visits to local allergists, a visit with an ENT, a pulmonologist and acupuncturist. They all had differing diagnosis but the one constant was pharmaceuticals. The worst treatment was antibiotics and steroids. At one point I was taking six different medications. My medicine bill sometimes reached $600 a month. I know the employees at the Walgreens pharmacy on McHenry on a first name basis.

Last year I was hospitalized for eight days at Memorial Hospital because I couldn’t breathe. They didn’t know what was wrong with me and I ended up voluntarily discharging myself. Frustrated with the lack of progress here locally, I went to UCSF and met with an ENT there. He suggested sinus surgery and that was performed last year. A couple of months after the surgery, I went right back to the super congestion and difficulty breathing. It’s been four years now and my local pulmonologist (who was convinced I had asthma) referred me to Stanford. My experience with Stanford has been quite different. In fact, my ENT found mistakes made during my procedure at UCSF. My doctor thinks I have a fungal infection. He also believes that the air pollution here in the valley is one of the triggers for my respiratory problems. He doesn’t believe I’ll get better unless I leave the area. I have tried everything from natural herbs to acupuncture to prednisone. Nothing has worked.

In their 2010 annual report, The National Lung Association listed seven of the valley’s cities in the top 25 most ozone-polluted cities. Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia, Sacramento, Merced, Modesto and Chico all made the list. I have worked in these cities religiously for the past eleven years. I have no allergies to anything organic. There are inorganic pollutants that form a powerful cocktail that affect my respiratory system. According to the lung association, respiratory problems will become a real threat for valley residents in the upcoming years.

It’s been four long years of struggling with respiratory problems and sleepless nights. I love my clients and have done everything to stay here in Modesto. But I can’t stay here any longer. My ENT at Stanford is sure that if I’m to breathe again and become healthy, I have to leave my studio and the area. I don’t want to leave my studio. And I don’t want to leave my clients. If there were any other way, I would stay here in the place I call home.

As of December 31, 2010 the studio will be closed. We will stop taking shoots as of December 1^st of this year. This will give us the next several weeks to handle existing orders and to finalize all projects we’ve been working on. All clients will be able to purchase their files and brides and grooms (who have not used their print/album credit) will receive their digital files at no cost. All files/negatives will be given with a signed copyright release that will enable clients to order their own prints, design their own online albums and print their images in any form they see fit.

I will still work as a photographer and continue to take jobs here in the valley including weddings and select other jobs depending on the assignment.

I appreciate all the support that my clients have given my employees and me the last eleven years. I believe our relationships have superseded that of professional and client. At weddings I always felt like an invited guest and would usually end up receiving a good-bye kiss from the mother of the bride. I can’t put into words the feelings I have for all of you, my subjects. I feel that I shared a piece of myself with each of you during our photo sessions. And I will be leaving behind tiny pieces of myself everywhere. It’s been breaking my heart the last couple of days to hear people say that they can’t wait for me to photograph them in the future, only to know that I won’t be.

A dream I never knew I wanted was fulfilled in a place I never wanted to be. That dream would have never been realized, and Modesto would have never been my home without all of you.

Martinelli Event Center, Pleasanton, CA: Justin and Tran

2010-09-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

I recently shot a wedding at the Martinelli Event Center in Pleasanton. This venue is set back in vineyards and seriously looks like it should be in Europe somewhere. There is a little cobblestone "piazza" with a fountain in the center and the arched hallways offer some fun with light. Here are some shots from the wedding. :)

Fluffy Bunnies and Butterflies

2010-09-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

So I recently posted a blog about discounts and how they affect the perceived value of services. While the article was positively received on FaceBook, it did not fare the same on a popular "wedding photographer" blog. The general consensus was to NEVER show your clients anything but pretty pictures and rave about how perfect weddings are. They didn't say this in so many words, but it was evident by their blogs that clients should only be shown paradise. :) I'm not sure why a client wouldn't want to hear about things that go on behind the scenes, in fact, I thought they would find it informative and refreshing. Always seeing perfect weddings displayed on sites teaches nothing except makes you feel bad if a couple of things went wrong at your own. It's the same with marriage. When everyone around you tells you how perfect and great their marriage is, it makes you wonder about small conflicts that arise in your own. I think it would be helpful to know that not every wedding goes off perfectly and that there are things we can learn from them that could help in planning our own wedding. You can't learn from a perfect wedding but you can learn from mistakes. However, to sympathize with my peers, I won't be posting anything more controversial or real on this blog. I will only post pretty pictures (like fluffy bunnies and butterflies: see below) with a positive tag line of how perfect everything was.

Underwater Maternity: Impressionistic this time

2010-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

I did another underwater shoot yesterday evening for one of my brides. (She was married a couple of years ago). Instead of the realism that I usually try to portray when photographing underwater (I was struggling with my ambient/flash light balance) I decided to do something a little different. I thought it might be interesting to make the mother appear more like in a sonogram state as well. I wanted a feel of fluid, soft, movement and the whole shot to be very gestural. The shot was taken at 1 second, f16, 1600 ISO with a 20mm f2.8. Color balance was set to flash setting.

And another version:

Let the Surgeon do the Cutting.

2010-07-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

In the news yesterday a well-known surgeon was interrupted during a procedure by a man wielding a scalpel and dressed in scrubs. The man snuck into the operating room and unbeknownst to the professionals there, began sawing back and forth on the patient's leg. When detained by hospital security and asked what his motivation was, he replied, "I was only acting as a backup for the surgeon - just in case he missed anything." The United States Department of Health Services sent out a press release stating, "We are seeing this scenario more and more. People are watching too much reality television. They are under the incorrect impression that if they purchase the tools, they can do the job. This is definitely not the case. Not with the medical profession, or any profession for that matter."

The above is purely an analogy I wrote to give you a feel for how intrusive it is to have someone unexperienced try to work on a professional's job site. It would be the same if someone arrived at a shop with wrenches in an attempt to help a mechanic do their job. The same could be said of someone who purchased a 10 key machine and sat down alongside an accountant in an attempt to help their customers with taxes. While these cases might seem extreme, this same scenario repeats itself every weekend at weddings for professional photographers. Like the surgeon these artists train for years to make split second decisions in timing and exposure only to be thwarted by someone jumping in the aisle to get their perfect shot.

Many guests these days show up to a wedding armed with an arsenal of cameras, flashes and tripods so that they can practice. My advice to these wedding guests with a passion for photography is this: honor the religious nature of the wedding ceremony and don't turn it into a spectacle. (Practice on a birthday party instead). It's highly irreverent to have dozens of guests walking around churches, synagogues and other sanctuaries popping their flashes at everything that moves. This is a sacred ceremony for two people that they've hired a professional to document. When the couple invited their guests, the assumed that they would pay attention to their vows, enjoy the serenity of the synagogue and try to tune the world out and focus on something more spiritual. The reason they hired a professional was so that the guests could be guests.

I'm not sure if the guests don't trust the hired professionals or if they think that a wedding ceremony is a good place to practice. Maybe people who attend weddings have become desensitized to the feelings that can be felt during a beautiful ceremony. The true reason people bring their cameras to weddings is a selfish one; they want to take the pictures themselves. Their need for pictures overrides the request for reverence. If it's a gift they are looking to deliver, then purchase something where the couple has registered. The best gift they could give the couple would be to tune their hearts into the words of the vows and ceremony and be the witnesses whom the bride and groom invited to share this momentous occasion.

Wedding guests are probably the most benign professional obstacle at weddings. (They usually don't purposely get in the way, it's usually by accident). Other wedding professionals are bringing their cameras to photograph the event as well. A couple of years ago a DJ brought his camera and shot pictures of the ceremony and stood behind me while I worked. I had no idea why a DJ would be doing this so I didn't think to say anything. It wasn't until the reception when a surprise wedding video began playing that I understood what he'd been doing. The couple had no idea the DJ had planned this. I wasn't happy because as I listened to guests talk about the slideshow before them I heard many of them think the work was mine. The DJ didn't put his name on it and there was no way I could tell guests that this wasn't my work.

I haven't forgotten that DJ. When I showed up to Ironstone last Saturday for a wedding I walked down to the ceremony site and saw that the DJ was set up right behind where the ceremony would take place. (Picture 1.) Another DJ, Ryan Scheller, usually works there and knows where to set up his gear so as not to be in all the photos. Because this DJ was unfamiliar with the site, I introduced myself and told him that he will probably be in all the ceremony photos because he'll be directly behind the couple. His response was that he was already set up and it was too late now. He showed me how he could hide behind the tree and that way he'd be out of the way (Picture 2). I told him I'd try to shoot from a lower angle so as to crop him and his gear out. Things were already going worse than normal for a wedding at Ironstone.

It got worse when I saw that he brought 5 people with him to DJ this event. For those of you who don't attend weddings often, 1 DJ is usually sufficient with maybe a helper for heavy lifting. Again, Ryan Scheller is able to do everything on his own and he's a slight fellow. I was about to question what did he bring this large crew up here for all the way from the Bay Area when I saw two of his employees with camera bags and flashes. They had professional L series Canon lenses and flash modifiers and looked like they were ready to photograph a wedding. My stomach turned. I approached the couple and asked them what they were doing here with such nice cameras. Before they could reply I told them that in impedes my work when they are moving around the ceremony. They listened. Then the looked at each other. Then the guy spoke. They were only here to photograph landscape pictures. "What are the flash modifiers (Fong brand) doing on your flashes for landscapes?" I asked. Their response was it made the colors pop. Inside I was dying. Right. A flash that size is going to light your landscape. "Well, have fun with those landscapes."

The two henchmen reporter to their boss at the turntable who shot me a glare and looked visibly aggravated. I shrugged and decided I'd let the groom handle it from here. I don't appreciate having to fight to be able to do my job. I communicated my concerns to the client. I didn't want anyone at the ceremony thinking these two were with me just because they had nice gear and were dressed in black. I always feel it important to be upfront with clients and let them know if there are obstacles that might impede me from performing magic for them. The groom was bothered and understood entirely my point of view. He instructed the wedding coordinator, Michelle, that the DJ's were to stick to their sound and nothing else. The coordinator relayed this message to the DJ and all was set. The ceremony went fine and I tried my best to shoot at angles that made the DJ and his gear all but invisible. The DJ's photography team had little to do during the ceremony (Picture 3). The sight of them all on their cell phones while holding cameras and sitting on their butts was something I did NOT want future clients to see and think they represented me. You never know how many people are watching the smallest things you do and deciding whether your actions merit you photographing their event.

When the reception began, one of the DJ's photographers got his gear out again and mounted a long lens to a tripod just behind the guests. While he was out of the way, I was really bothered that he didn't care about the groom's wishes. He set his camera up right when the groom began to speak and toasts began so there was no way he could be reprimanded. I was about to speak to the coordinator but she was already on her way over. He told her that he wasn't doing photo, he was doing video. And he was using it to check for sound. She came back to me and repeated his excuse. I asked her if she'd ever seen Ryan bring a camera to check his sound equipment. (Sort of like using a flash with modifier for landscapes). She rolled her eyes, headed back over to the "sound guy" and told him to take his gear down and put it away (Picture 4). If you think I got glares from the gang of 5 at the turntable before, they were seething now. In a quiet moment I approached the groom and told him that he needed to remind the DJ that they were there for sound. He viewed the picture on the back of my LCD screen (Picture 4) and very sternly told the DJ that he had hired a professional and that his photographic services weren't needed. This was a DJ that dropped sound and had feedback during the ceremony and played the wrong song for the wedding party entrance. I would think that with 5 people in their team they'd be able to perform their duties. Maybe if they spent less time trying to do my job they could do theirs better.

The next time you attend a wedding think about the professional whose job site you are entering. Don't use someone's wedding as a practice session for your hobby. Respect the job site of the professional who's been hired to work for the couple. Just because you can buy the scalpel doesn't mean you can do the job.

Wedding Photographer River Mill, French Camp: Shannon and Paul

2010-06-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

I had a great time with Shannon and Paul at the River Mill in French Camp this last Saturday. The highlight of the evening was being able to photograph the couple and then being treated to The Nines, a live cover band they had play at the reception. They were amazing! I put a clip here for you to enjoy!

Wedding Photography Turlock, CA: Christina and Luis Machado

2010-05-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday I was able to participate in the wedding celebration of Christina Costa and Luis Machado. I arrived at the bride's home about 45 minutes early to scout the place a little and look for light. Her mother let me know that the only place she wanted pictures to be taken was in their living room. At first, I was a little nervous, I didn't see many options for her bridals. My assistant Eddy and I went down to the park and found a spot where we brought her for some and then returned back to the house to finish formals on the bride's side. The ceremony was a traditional Catholic ceremony at the Our Lady of Assumption church in Turlock, California. Like I said in a FaceBook post recently, I enjoy photographing couples from our area. When I walk around town, go out to dinner, go shopping and just live life, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't see my clients living right along here with me. While it might seem exotic to be constantly going to the Bay Area to work or other places, I don't like a constant commute. I also enjoy building my network where I live. I like feeling part of a community. I love seeing my brides and grooms drop in and say hi at the studio. I would never want to build up this following outside where I consider home. Indeed, some of the places where we photograph are challenges. But the personal reward far outweighs an exotic background. Indeed, I would call this seeing the forest but not the trees. Photographers get so caught up in the high end venues and backgrounds that they miss the people they're photographing. I've been trying to be more open these days and listen to the couple and attempt to photograph them based on who they are, and not who I am. Anyone can take a picture and run their favorite Photoshop actions on it and homogenize that client into their stylistic milk. I am attempting to use the same photography style but treat every client differently, even photograph them differently.

This Catholic church has phenomenal light. I've wanted to be able to photograph couples in there for years but the head diocese has never allowed me the chance. Once we finish with formals, he makes sure everyone leaves. Luis and Christina asked the Father before we started and told them that the church plays a large part in their lives and they wanted that incorporated into their wedding day. He agreed and I got my 15 minutes to photograph them. Here is an image from the shoot.

LensFriend: Patent Pending

2010-05-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

So as I've worked with small children these past years I've always found it a challenge to get them to look directly into my camera lens. Parents would jump up and down behind me directly the child's gaze upward. I could direct the child's face toward me but the second I put my camera to my face I'd lose the expression of the child. One day a couple of months ago, I held a small monkey in my hand and got the child's attention. His face was priceless. I wanted to capture THAT expression so I put the monkey on top of my lens. It worked perfectly. The toy held his attention for a good 5 minutes and I captured all kinds of expressions. The parents were thrilled. And so was I. I designed a bracket that would attach to your lens, allow for manual focusing and not obstruct the hotshoe all while giving a child something to look at. The LensFriend is the product of years of photographing and months of tweaking. If you'd like to purchase one, simply send me an email draperstudios1@yahoo.com and we'll send one out to you. Or you can purchase one on Etsy. LensFriend on Etsy

Wedding Photography Modesto, CA: Amber and Todd

2010-05-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

I had a great time this weekend with Amber and Todd. The wedding was in Waterford at a place called Majestic Oaks. Amber found me through a couple of friend's at work and I had photographed the groom's sister 7 years ago. I love when you continue to service the same friends and family - makes you think you're doing something right! For some reason, the weather got super cold for this time of year. I was freezing and my knuckles were tight from holding my camera. We did manage to grab some great shots of the couple!

Senior Pictures Modesto: Beyer High School Alice Anderson

2010-05-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

These images are from a shoot I did yesterday of the talented Ms. Alice Anderson. We agreed that we'd be working together some more in the future. She wanted something whimsical and fun. We picked out about 10 outfits and headed out on location with her hair sidekick Paige at the wheel. Paige was super helpful with hair and she's one heck of a driver as well. Alice is sort of a free spirit type and also slightly hmm.. awkward? She's like one of those leggy little colts that still hasn't figured out how to walk around nimbly yet! She was a trooper through the shoot though and basically laid in fox tiles and got a trillion stickers in her boots. Here are a couple of my favorite images from the shoot.

Stockton Wedding Photographer: Rachel and Tyson

2010-05-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is a sample from a wedding near Stockton that I just photographed. The couple, Rachel and Tyson were UNREAL when it comes to their adventurous spirit. They basically told me they were fine doing whatever it took to get great photographs, including booking 8 hours of time to ensure this. This shot is in a meadow that sits below the estate where the couple was married. We took a golf cart down to here and the couple ran out into the field. I photographed them running and playing available light with a f1.4 aperture for kicks then asked them if they'd like something a little more cinematic. They posed and I had my assistant (to camera right) blast them with a speedlight so that I could ensure the sky was exposed correctly. It's not often that we have dramatic skies here in the valley, in fact, during the summers they are usually nasty grey. After some burning and dodging and removing the softbox out of the shot I showed the couple their shot. The bride's reaction was precious! Believe me, I promise not to get a big head, I'm just happy she liked the shot.

Teresa Sinclair Senior Pictures Manteca High School

2010-05-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is Teresa Sinclair from Manteca High School. We wanted sort of a Twilight look to her images and she brought all the right outfits. She and her mother both treated the shoot like a fashion shoot and we storyboarded the looks we were going to attempt. We drove all over Modesto matching color of outfits to textures and colors in the background. Unfortunately, the wind began right as our shoot did and was probably roaring about 40 mph as we shot. It was great to add some drama to her hair but crappy for my light stands that kept blowing over. Note to self, always bring sandbags. This location was the last that we hit right as the sun was going down. It's the parking garage by the Double Tree in downtown Modesto. Teresa was a trooper! She had goosebumps but didn't complain once. There were a pack of little boys on BMX bikes that found us and kept asking her for her autograph. LOL!

Technique + Intuition Workshop

2010-05-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

This workshop is a fundamental lighting workshop. Since good photography is based on good light, the workshop is geared to help define the process from seeing the light to using it to light a human subject. We'll discuss the elements of good light: quality, color, direction, distance from subject, foreground and background light, catchlights, and chiaro/scuro. For the chiaro/scuro we'll use screenshots from the movie The Spirit. We'll also talk about diagnostic lighting using traditional lighting patterns: broad, short, Rembrandt, split, butterfly and loop. Photographers shouldn't photograph every subject in the same way because every face is different. A good photographer will have solid fundamentals and continue to refine his/her technique. This refining process leads many to be more and more intuitive because the fundamentals become like instinct. In fact, many photographers are so experienced that they forget why they do certain things and have a hard time explaining their reasons for their compositions and lighting to students and amateurs. I've continued to be introspective when I shoot for the sole purpose of understanding. I want to know why I choose the light I do and the compositions I do so that I can articulate this better for educating because being good at something doesn't always mean you can teach it.

Wedding at the Viaggio, Acampo, California (Laura and Bryan)

2010-03-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I was grateful to photograph Laura and Bryan as they were married at the Villagio in Acampo, California. The Villagio is a beautiful idea to form a small Italian-like grounds within a large estate. Vast expanses of grass with white marble staircases running down into them, a flowing river, rows of Walnut trees and beautiful sunsets are all super photo ops. Everything from the tiled courtyard to the hanging lights and down to bathroom fixtures was chosen with exquisite taste. The staff was incredibly courteous and acted as if they were delighted to have other professionals as guests at their venue. A storm had just come in and soaked everything and continued to drizzle as I shot some of the bride's formals. Everything else at the venue was so easy that the storm, and where to put the bride without getting her wet, became much easier to deal with.

Arie DenDulk of Ripon Christian High School Senior Pictures

2010-03-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

I have been photographing the DenDulk family for a couple of years now. It started with their daughter Natalie's wedding, then on to Danielle's senior pictures on their property and finally to Arie. I think he picked out two shirts for his senior pictures. It was sort of the typical guy shoot where he wanted his pictures by his truck (mom wanted them in the almond blossoms) and then he said we could shoot some at the mill that his father owned where he worked. The reason we're shooting on such a stormy day is that mom wanted him shot in the almond blossoms and was afraid they were all going to blow away. :) So after we shot there, I took advantage of the stormy sky and Arie and I climbed through a dusty labyrinth to the top of the mill where we took this image. Lit from camera right by a Nikon sb800 flash in a small softbox.

Expensive scalpels don't make a surgeon

2010-01-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

I was visiting on FaceBook the other day with a local photographer named Chris Leonard. He'd asked me if I was going to attend the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) conference this year. I told him that I probably wasn't, due to the fact that the last couple of times I'd gone to both that and the PPA annual convention I'd had the same experience. While it was nice to chat with some of the top professionals in the field, I was inundated with their CD's and gadgets for sale - all with the promise of making my photography better. The workshops or lectures on lighting, composition and fundamentals were few and far between and often taught by someone lacking charisma and speaking ability. It seemed the high profile speakers didn't want something that dealt with fundamentals. After all, what would you sell if you were teaching photographers how to light? Chris and I went back and forth about changes in the industry and lack of standards. The last standard was dropped by the PPA ("Professional" Photographers of America) just recently. The organization's new stance on membership is that to be considered professional you no longer have to have a business license. This basically leaves it up to each and every person to determine if they are professional or not. The PPA used to be the only organization on which professionals could count on for standards. It is my opinion that if there are no standards then the bar of photographic excellence will be lowered and no photographer will be left behind. It's the demotion of skills of the photographer and promotion of cameras and fixit software. I mentioned to Chris that what if we accepted self appointment enough for other professions? If you could use a 10-key, you could pronounce yourself an accountant and open up for business. Or, worse yet, if one could hold and use a scalpel then why not call him/her a surgeon. Chris replied, "I would rather have a surgeon with a butter knife than joe blow with the most expensive scalpel." Amen.

Westley Kirkpatrick Senior Pictures Modesto

2010-01-31T16:01:00.000-08:00

This is Westley Kirkpatrick. He's a senior at Beyer High School in Modesto and is in the class of 2010. He had a good luck and we had fun shooting on some unorthodox backgrounds downtown Modesto.

A Resolution that Needs more Resolve

2010-01-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Friday weddings always throw me in a funk.

It's not that I don't enjoy doing them. I think photographing weddings can be fun any day of the week. But since most weddings happen on the weekend, my schedule is altered. My shirt wasn't ironed. For some that don't rely on routine like I do, this could seem as a small forgettable detail. It was foreshadowing. Much like athletes, I rely on routine to keep me sharp and in the proper mindset for a wedding. While technique plays an important part of each wedding, intuition is just as important. And intuition sounds a little like superstition which is why I mentioned athletes. When Karl Malone, the famous forward for the Utah Jazz, would attempt a free throw, his routine never changed. He did the exact same thing every single time to ensure that his years of experience came to bear on that one basket. If he was having an off game, this routine would bring him back to a consistency that only his experience could ensure. Once Karl Malone bounced the ball three times instead of his usual four - the ball bricked off the front of the rim. My unironed shirt was that third bounce.

Not only was my shirt not ironed, but my lame washing machine had decided to leave mustard-colored marks across the shoulder and down the front. It's been doing this for a while but never had the designs been so dramatic or visible. I realized the stains as I was hurrying to iron my shirt, while I was at the studio waiting for my assistant Kara to arrive. I couldn't wear this shirt to the wedding. I looked through the clothing rack in the dressing room and found a cream shirt I had left months ago. It would have to do.

I packed up all the remaining gear (this includes Kara) into the 4Runner and sped off down Hwy. 99 South. My instructions said to head to 120 but I thought the Merced route might be faster. I like to arrive an hour before shooting time so I can get my bearings, double check gear and look around for light. By speeding down 99 I was already breaking a New Year's Resolution I had made the night before : "Don't dive like an ass." Anyone who has ever ridden with me would know that this is a huge deal for me. I justified the fact that I was heading to a wedding to start my resolution on the 2nd day of the year. The trip went smoothly and Kara and I rocked out to Lady Gaga to get into the mood.

We pulled in to Mariposa to get a couple packs of batteries for flashes and transceivers at a small outpost. As I stood in line, the lady behind the counter mentioned to the man in front of me that he'd need to show proof of chains in order to enter the park. "You don't have to have them mounted on your vehicle, but you have to show proof that you're carrying them." I pulled out my iPhone to collaborate her story with the park's website but could not get service. Since the park was an hour and a half away, I'd be late if I had to turn around and come back. "How much are the chains to rent," I asked. "They're $25 for a small car and $50 for a large one." I thought that if I just had to show that I had the chains, it didn't really matter what size I got. I wouldn't be putting them on. "I'll take the small set please."

"What size are your tires?" she asked over her glasses.

"I'm not sure, but I'm sure small will be fine."

"Helen! Can you run out and give me the numbers off his tires please?" She called into the back room. "Can I help the next in line?" I stood there and waited for Helen to find the magic number on my tire. "They look like 16's." She said.

"Perfect. That must be large." Their scheme was perfect - take advantage of unsuspecting tourists who can't get service on their phones. I put the chains in the back of the car and tore off up the road toward Yosemite.

I hadn't anticipated a delay at the "chain gang" and was feeling like I wouldn't get my hour to scope the lay of the land. Yosemite is a massive landscape and I wanted a chance to shoot some creative stuff in the snow. After swerving back and forth on the mountain road for about 45 minutes we arrived at a red light that hung over a one-lane bridge. Posted were the words, "Stop on Red. Wait can be 15 minutes."

"I am so not waiting 15 minutes." I craned my head over the wheel to see around the bridge. Nobody was coming. I waited. The light shone red. Nobody came. I waited some more. And then I was done waiting. I pulled around the light and approached the bridge. No sooner than I did but two cars came toward me. I squeezed off the side of the road onto a little piece of shoulder and let the cars pass. "That has to be the last of them." I crossed the bridge and on the other side was a one lane mountain road with rock walls for sides and no shoulder anywhere. "Dude, if someone comes this will not be good." I said to myself. "Uh, no." Kara answered. I began honking my horn to alert oncoming traffic that I was coming. I was still holding my breath when we exited the corridor to a waiting line of law abiding drivers who where waiting on a red light.

The rest of the way to Yosemite was uneventful as I swerved the 4Runner around tight corners built for avalanches. This wasn't lost on Kara who pointed out several signs saying that landslides were common. She didn't speak much at that point, just pointed. As I approached the entry to the park I slowed down and caught my breath. I think Kara was still holding hers. She was waiting for my confrontation with the park ranger. I had been rehearsing out loud what I would say to them when I arrived ever since I had to rent chains. "I used to be pro parks, but now I'm going to vote on every piece of legislation that takes money from you," or "I hope nobody comes here anymore and you all have to lower your fees or allow people without chains to enter."

"How are you doing today?" asked the ranger. "Oh, I'm fine," as I handed him the entry fee. I lost no time, "By the way Mr. Ranger, I noticed you didn't ask me to see proof of my chains."

"Oh, we rarely require chains and haven't required them for at least five days." I felt my face heat up. "Really. Are you sure? Because there is a lady at a store in Mariposa that is telling all her customers that are coming this way that they need chains."

"You don't say," said the Ranger. "Yeah."

"Well, we don't require them so you really didn't have to get them." My only thought now was how on earth I was going to get back to that store and return my chains after the wedding reception. My coverage finished at 7 p.m. and it was a good hour and a half back to her store. I hoped that I could make it back before she closed. And if she were closed? Then what would I do? Pay for them another day? Drive back down just to return the chains? I was pissed. I would think about what I would do if she were closed the rest of the wedding. They were not pleasant thoughts. One was slinging the chains through her window with a nice note on them. The other, and a little less violent, was hiding them behind her store somewhere and then calling her in the morning to let her know where I had stashed them. That's what I finally settled on.

The bride and groom were super and gave me an hour to play with them in the park. It was fun driving around a snowy Yosemite but cold. I knelt and laid on my stomach often for different shot angles and by the time we were ready to head to the reception I was wet. The bride had told me that I could wear whatever I wanted but I still wore dress clothes. I was missing my jeans and boots in a bad way.

The reception was nicely decorated and the toasts were well articulated and sincere. I judge every wedding reception on this single criteria. The toasts set the tone for the entire reception and determine wether it's classy or not. Usually when groomsmen are using four letter words in their toasts it's not the most elite affair. I hugged the bride and groom on the way out and jumped in the car. The reception had run over about a half an hour and I was nervous about getting the chains back to the store. It didn't even feel like I was going very fast when I passed a tourist slothing along at 25 mph. "Dude, it's dark, there's nothing here to photograph," I mumbled as I passed. When the lights came on in my rear view a couple minutes later I was baffled. Where did that cop come from? The ranger approached me on the side and asked if I was in a hurry. I explained to him that I was trying to hurry back to Mariposa to return some chains. He raised an eyebrow. "Do you realize how fast you were going? We paced you and gunned you at 55 in a 35."

"Wow, it didn't seem that fast," I said. He didn't realize that my desire to return the chains would have pushed me to 85 had I thought I could handle it. He asked for my license, registration and proof of insurance. "Officer, I know my registration has expired, I just haven't gotten my tags yet." I said this as I pulled from the glovebox every non-auto related receipt a consumer could have. Costco. Target. Taco Bell. Kinkos. Mr. Pickles. Bank receipts. "I have to have it in here somewhere, I know I have insurance."

"Let me go run your license and I'll be back in a minute," said the ranger. His minute was exactly 47 minutes. Kara and I couldn't understand what he could be doing. I squinted into their headlights and exhaust and couldn't make anything out while I played tetris on my Iphone and waited. The ranger finally returned and leaned into my window as I rolled it down. Just as I did, a voice came from Kara's window, "What is THAT on the floor!" another ranger yelled. "It's my sandwich," said Kara, "I didn't eat all of it and this is what's left." The young ranger nodded his head up and down and scowled. During the lecture about my ticket I zoned out. "You could have hurt your friend here," he said. "I know, I should be more careful."

"Do you know how bad it could have been?" he asked, possible rhetorically. "Yes, actually I do. I worked as a deputy coroner for a couple of years and picked up several hundred bodies. So I probably know better than you what could have happened." I was tired of being nice. I'd already signed the tickets and it had been a full hour. I was furious that on top of the tickets, I probably wasn't going to get the chains back in time. Throwing them through the window was starting to look like a better option. Only now, I could attach my tickets to the nice note. "And not only that," the ranger continued his sermon, "you could have hurt the wildlife." Before that point, I hadn't see any wildlife at all on the road. Just as he said that a coyote crossed the road in front of my vehicle. "Did you see that?" he asked. "That was a coyote. Now imagine if you'd hit that." I nodded and closed my eyes. His sermon finished, the ranger stepped away from the pulpit with the usual 'now go my children and sin no more' look on his face. All the way out of the park I was hoping I'd hit a coyote going 35 mph. Coyotes are varmints. My uncle in Carson City shoots them because of all the livestock they kill. And I should probably watch out for rats too. Those are beautiful Yosemite creatures as well.

Once I left the park I sped along hoping I wasn't too late to return the chains. After a sullen ride with little conversation we pulled up to the country store where I'd rented them. I prepared my argument and stepped through the door. "Hello sir, how can I help you? Returning chains?" said the little 17-year-old from behind the counter. The woman who rented them to me had gone home. I told the girl that chains weren't required in Yosemite anymore and she thanked me for the info and assured me she'd pass it on to tourists heading that direction. I hopped back in the car and Kara gave me the raised eyebrows as if to say, "And?"

"The lady wasn't there."

The return home was more cheerful as I decided that my attitude could be positive or negative about this whole thing. After all, the ranger was only doing his job. And I was breaking the law. Put those two together and you get a ticket. Or in my case, multiple tickets. But that wasn't the worst part. It was Day 1 of my New Year's Resolutions. I had even written them down this year. Number 15: "Don't drive like an ass."

"SELF" Taught

2009-12-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

The studio gets slow this time every year and after the Christmas cards are designed and the families are all photographed I have time to reflect a little. This year has been a challenging year for me. As individuals that traverse this earth we are all accountable for our own choices. And this last year my choices have altered my reality in a significant way. Among the trials of this last year were hospitalization and surgery for an ongoing sinus problem, a break in at the studio that cost us 6 weeks of downtime in July and August and a divorce. While several of these challenges are what we face as humans in this earthly experience (and are NECESSARY for our growth) the last trial was one of my own making.
I was preparing to update my website this morning to take advantage of the lull and I began to review my bio. It was revealing. "Aaron is a self-taught photographer." I think initially I worded this sentence this way because I was just mimicking the other photographers' websites I'd seen. It sounded like a very arrogant and selfish statement standing on its own. It made me thing of what "self-taught" actually meant. It would mean that all at once, I was the professor AND the pupil. I was the journeyman and the apprentice. I was the Master and the young grasshopper. After chewing on this for a while something about it didn't taste good. Not only did I put self first in my bio and career but I put self first in my personal life. This had to have been an incredibly difficult burden for my spouse. Being self-taught would mean that I taught myself all that I know. This isn't necessarily the case. I learned all I know but I didn't teach it to myself.
As a photographer and a student of light and especially people, it has been mine clients who have taught me these past 10 years. In a vacuum with only books I would have learned only technique. And I might not have learned this because I am a person who learns by doing not just by reading it in a book. The results have to come through my camera and be tested time and time again for me to trust their accuracy and consistency. When I first arrived in Modesto, my portfolio consisted of a white album with rice paper pages that I tried to place 8x10's in. I had maybe 20 pictures inside. These pictures were of statues at the museum, landscapes, the Golden Gate bridge at night, my sister's wedding and my roommates engagement picture to a girl he didn't end up marrying. These early clients still booked me and I am grateful for that. They began my photography education and they paid for it. A decade later, I look back at those first weddings and pictures I shot and am embarrassed. I feel that those clients were shortchanged. They had no idea what potential I had and neither did I. While you can learn technique through shooting and experimentation, you can't learn intuition.
Lois Greenfield, who is the premiere photographer of dance and ballet in the U.S. if not the world, spoke recently at a seminar in San Francisco. She is known for stopping the action at a precise and beautiful moment as the dancers are airborne. Many male photographers in the audience peppered her with questions about technique and flash duration. She responded to them that she had never been a photographer with incredible knowledge of technique, she was more an intuitive photographer. They also asked why she didn't just use Photoshop because it was easier. She simply refused because she liked the way she achieved her results. To Greenfield, when she photographed the dancers, she became part of the dance. The dancer and photographer achieved a connection that Photoshop cannot imitate. She enjoyed the genuine feeling of capturing the moment, not creating it. She revealed many truths in her seminar that went against many of the attitudes in her audience. The arrogance of some of the photographers was unreal. They must have been self-taught. Because only someone who credited him or herself for all their knowledge would miss Greenfield's message.They had one of the most acclaimed photographers in the world in the room, and they were hung up on technique and Photoshop.
Again, I have been instructed by other photographers and my clients my entire career. I credit them with the images I am able to create today. My beautiful brides and grooms gave me confidence and taught me how to photograph and organize a wedding so that they could relax and enjoy their day. Countless seniors taught me what was cool and edgy and reminded me that honesty with their age is the best policy. They can sniff out a phony better than a hound on a coon trail. Parents have taught me how they like their children photographed. And photographers, both good and bad, have taught me what to do and what not to do. While many photographers are tight lipped about their "secrets," their work speaks volumes. I am grateful to them for posting so many images online so I can browse them for inspiration and ideas. Many times I get an idea from a piece another photographer did and expand on it. I have listened intently at seminars when Master photographers have spoken to understand how to shape and modify light. I have learned how to pose and clients were instrumental in this process.
A decade and more than 400 weddings later, I often act more on intuition and this is because the technique is now unconscious for many things. There are still some moments that I have to stop and think about which shutter speed and fstop I'd need to use to achieve the effect I'm looking for. But most often (and former clients will have noticed this) I'm "seeing" a shot in my head that I think would look epic. I'm thankful for all my clients that have shaped my technique so that I could be more intuitive. Without them and support from loved ones, I would not be who I am today. Like a patchwork quilt that is still growing, they each gave me a patch of experience. Unfortunately, it's taken the trials of this last year to realize and acknowledge this.
I am not self taught. I am only more self aware.

Dear John

2009-12-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

I found an email in my glove compartment today while rummaging around for something else. It was a request for wedding pricing dated last year, January 29 to be exact. This gentleman emailed in (as many prospective clients do) to set up a date to meet with us. He set up a time to come to the studio and meet with us and then a couple days later Christine received an email asking for prices. Apparently, pricing had been an afterthought. Christine sent her usual chirpy email along with our pricing packages back to John Iversen whose email address is "honestbme@yahoo.com." (The email address will be interesting later on.) Christine received the following email back: (The only thing I changed was to correct his misspelled words.)

"Hello:

I'm glad you sent me a price list and to be very honest with you, YOU ARE WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!! I'm not sure who you think you are, but demanding that kind of money for a few hours of work is crazy. I don't care how good you are, you are only taking pictures and almost anyone can do that. This is a notice to cancel our appointment, I cannot see wasting my time and yours."

I have never received an email like this after sending out pricing in my entire career. If the recipient understood that my services did not fit into their budget they usually replied and said so. Or they wouldn't reply at all. But to receive a nasty ill-tempered and misspelled email just because he didn't like my pricing demanded a response. As I'm sure you might guess, several of his sentences bothered me. The "anyone can do that" and "demanding that kind of money for a few hours work" topped the list. First of all, I don't believe anyone can take pictures. As a student of light, the more I understand about the subject, the more I realize the amount of knowledge I don't know. That's just about the photography aspect of shooting weddings. What's almost more important is the ability and subtle knack to be able to get large and small amounts of people to do what's best for the photo. This is also usually what's best for the client, albeit they are unaware of this at the time. Managing timelines, working with other professionals and photographing within the rules of the church or synagogue while still being reverent to the religious nature of the ceremony are all skills that one must possess to photograph a wedding. Engaging people so they give you their best and most relaxed look is another skill worth paying for. It must have been John's first wedding because most veteran bride and grooms understand much of what I explained already. And most of them don't understand it fully until after their wedding. Either they had a good photographer who organized an efficient photo shoot or they had a photographer who was less skilled and caused the day to be unorganized and stressful. The "few hours of work" are a cumulation and refining of 10 years worth of experience and hard work. It wasn't just the work at the wedding that John would have been paying me for but my experience of having shot more than 400 weddings that averaged 6 hours or more. That is roughly 2,400 hours of experience boiled down for his 6 hour wedding. This doesn't take into account the hours of work we spend dumping, organizing, resizing, retouching and printing his photographs. Nor the hours of laying out his album to his personal specifications. Most people also don't realize the 10's of thousands of dollars we professionals spend on lenses, flashes and cameras to record your images nor the computer software and hardware we purchase to be able to organize your images. Just because it is digital does not mean it's cheap. One Mac computer cost our studio 10k. And the ever-increasing file sizes of digital cameras require us to purchase terabytes of storage to back them up and house them. The "few hours of work" John referred to require years of experience and thousands of dollars to accomplish.

Here is my response to John:

"Hi there John,
I'm sorry you found my photography "WAY TOO EXPENSIVE." I understand you must be under some duress to put those letters in all caps and write a rude email. :) I sympathize with you. But to say a "few hours work" is all that goes into a wedding, shows that you don't understand the enormity (or the importance) of the job. You'll find most professionals in the valley charge right about what I do and most serious amateurs are close. "I'm only taking pictures, and almost anyone can do that." If you can't see the difference enough in my work to justify paying for it, then a family member with a point-and-shoot camera will be good enough for you. You can't make someone appreciate a Porsche if they can't tell the difference between it and a Pinto right? I'll be posting your email on my blog with a brief summary of what goes into a wedding behind the scenes. You can access it from out website. Should be fun! If they are JUST pictures, why even hire a photographer? I suggest heading back to the wedding shows. :)

Warmest,
Aaron Draper
Draper Studios"

John, who I'm sure is now married, wrote me back the following email in response:

"You POMPOUS fool. You take pictures, nothing more. You are not an artist. You ONLY take pictures, the only difference between you and a simple point and shoot camera is PRICE!!

I hope with today's economy that you end up having to get a real job, one that will pay you what you are worth, not what you think you're worth. You charge what you want not because you deserve it, but because you have people who not aware of what little you do. Your smallest package is for picture taking only, not for anything else. I can get that anywhere for a lot cheaper than hiring some idiot like you who will have nothing but an attitude. Get Real."

Now that I look back at this email I laugh (actually I still get a little pissed). I recently took a Lexus in for a tune up and the serviceman approached me and told me it would run $1800.00. I was pissed, but what could I do? Should I have said, "You fix cars, nothing more? You ONLY loosen and tighten bolts, the only difference between you and that wrench is PRICE!" No, actually the words never entered my head. This is because I acknowledge in all humility that I can not do what the mechanic can. It might cost $1800.00 for the tuneup but I'm positive the mechanic isn't making that money. The nice meeting area, shop, all the fancy tools and computer diagnostics and special training it takes to fix the Lexus are extremely expensive overhead. I went to the movies and watched Angelina Jolie. She is the top paid actress and earns $27 million for a film. I understand she's fun to watch but she gets paid a TON of money and only generates at most a 2-hour flick. So you head to the movies and watch Jennifer Aninston (my favorite) who makes 25 million a movie. After you leave the movie and go home you walk through the living room where a 20x30 of you and your husband hangs framed over the fireplace. All along the wall are photos of your newborn and Christmas cards from relatives and friend adorn your mantle. Most of these you'll keep because it's difficult to throw away a picture of loved ones. You turn on the television to find the Los Angeles Lakes playing the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James, one of Cleveland's young stars earned 40 million last year. How influential was he in your life? But wait, there's still Tiger Woods who earned 128 million last year. Isn't Lebron JUST a basketball player? And isn't Tiger JUST a golfer? I mean that with the most respect.

I understand John's thinking. With so many shutterbugs entering the photography field as the economy has flattened the market is flooded with "photographers." The creation of the "wedding photographer" these past couple of years has shed a seriously bad light on those of us who have chosen it as a profession and do consider it an art form. It's difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish between a "wedding photographer" and a "photographer who photographs weddings as part of their workflow." But I know there are discerning clients out there. We shoot for them regularly. They understand that photography is an art and something in which they lack training and expertise. Much like my experience with the Lexus mechanic. I still consider myself a student and study daily to be able to give the best possible return to my clients. I know I'm not Annie Liebovitz or Ansel Adams or any of the other genius talents that have recorded our world's and nation's history via photographs, but I DO consider myself an artist. And hope that many of you consider me that as well.

Anthony Salinas of Modesto High Senior Pictures.

2009-09-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

So, like most guys, Anthony was forced by his loving parents to come take senior pictures. And like most guys, his wardrobe consisted of a couple of skater shirts and some jerseys. Unlike most though, he brought his dad's new motorcycle. So with his sunglasses and dad's motorcycle we went behind the studio to a tiny walkway and played. This image is two lights. One behind the subject on the ground with a blue gel. The other is at a 45 right about Anthony's head. The rest of the shot is balanced by ambient light bouncing off the walls and entering the corridor.

Leon from Louisiana

2009-05-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is Leon. I was driving around past the taco trucks on 9th street looking for someone interesting to photograph. I saw a guy on a bike and I slowed down to get a better look. The man waved me over to him and approached my 4runner. "Hey, can you help a brother out with a little change?" he asked. "I'm just a photographer. Do you mind if I take your picture. You have a great face that's got a story."
"Aw, I guess," he replied. We walked over to a fence and he put his bike down with his plastic bag of aluminum cans. There were probably about 30 inside - probably around a buck when redeemed. I gave Leon directions and he told me he was from Louisiana where he worked as a cook. He came out to Modesto to see his brother and ran into some hard luck. The hard luck continued and before he knew it he was stuck here and homeless. He's been on the streets for more than two years. After about 15 minutes, as the shoot was wrapping up, I told Leon he earned $20 bucks for his time working with me. That is the smile that is in the shot posted here. He was all smiles after that. He even laughed out loud as I coaxed him with a "work it Leon, work that!" and an "own it Leon, own it! thrown in for good measure. After seeing his smile, I would have paid $100 for the image he gave me.

Jim Curtoni

2009-05-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

The clouds were amazing today. While driving around near Knights Ferry I spotted a rancher working on a fence. I really wanted to photograph someone against this dramatic sky. I've seen these clouds like this before here in the valley and I'd been itching to shoot someone against such a dramatic backdrop. Jim Curtoni has raised cattle on this land for several decades.
"I've been married 52 years," Jim said.
"Is that right? She must be a saint." I said.
"Oh, that she is!" Jim laughed. Jim grabbed the brim of his old hat and smiled. His blue eyes matched the vivid blue of his worn cotton shirt. Jim's eyes were blue and clear.
"I like your hat Jim."
"Oh, this old thing? My wife hates it." Jim laughed and his eyes crinkled and sparkled.
"Do you mind if I take your picture in that?" I asked.
"Oh, no, my wife would give me grief for a week," he said.
"How about I take a picture of you in your hat, and then we'll take a picture of you in the hat your wife likes?"
"You got yourself a deal." Jim smiled and leaned on the fence he was repairing. I stood back and with a 35mm. lens caught Jim in a laugh as I chatted him up. The image will be one I will send to his wife. It will also be one that I will treasure for myself.

Stephanie and John!

2009-03-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of photographing Stephanie Davis and John Acha's wedding yesterday at Gallettos in downtown Modesto. I absolutely love this couple. They were so fun to photograph I wanted to drag them all over downtown. The bride wore a Jim Helm dress, one of my favorites! And she wore it beautifully! The two were so easy to photograph and I can't say enough about their wedding. :) Here are a couple of pics. I would love to write about all my clients, but I just so happened to find a second today while prepping to go shoot senior pics in Hilmar. So I sat down and put a couple of their pics up. :)

Master Cleanse

2009-03-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Since I've made it a habit of eating at Carl's Jr. the last couple of years, (I've decimated their stock of Bacon Western Cheeseburgers) I've decided it was high time to start eating healthier, much as I don't want to. Since I'm a 6-pack-of Dr. Pepper- before-noon type of guy, I decided to do something to clean out the pipes before I start eating healthy. I chose the equivalent of Drano for the human body in the form of the Master Cleanse. Any of you who haven't heard about this can go to youtube and see many people who film their grueling attempts at this cleanse. They are entertaining and sometimes horrific, so if you're thinking about the cleanse, it might be a good idea to avoid other people's torture. You'll know soon enough their plight. Beyonce supposed dropped an ungodly amount of weight for her part in Showgirls. I'm not doing it for the weight loss, although at day 6, my face has slimmed down and the gut underneath my belly button is shrinking. Super Cool. The cleanse is a liquid only diet that consists of freshly squeezed lemons, a pinch of cayenne pepper, spring water and grade b maple syrup. The lemons and pepper act as the drano that clean the insides of your intestines, colon, etc. and the maple syrup regulates your sugar. As a type this I'm craving broccoli, asparagus, fresh beets and brussle sprouts. Crazy eh? My wife ate a pizza in front of me the other day and it didn't look good at all. This was while I watched herds of people that didn't fit into their pants stand in line at Starbucks to happily slurp down liquid deserts. So I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm thinking of eating less meat, especially the red meat I adore, and instead sticking to vegetables and fish. We'll see if this doesn't make me a leaner, meaner, photo machine. :)

Day of the Outlaw

2009-03-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

So I'm really diggin' the band photos. I really enjoy the different looks some of these musicians have. They are usually killer to photograph. And great subjects usual equal great photos. I photographed local Alyssa Poppin, then the band Evaline who just left on tour. My latest band shoot was with Day of the Outlaw from L.A. I was left to develop a concept based on the feel of the group's music and attitude. Because the music is a rock/country mix I decided on a desert location between L.A. and Vegas. I wanted a stark background, parched earth and joshua trees as silhouettes on the horizon. Many people ask me where I find the locations where I set up shoots and the truth is, when I drive, I watch my surroundings more than I watch the road. My wife will be the first to tell you this. :) She's experienced my swerving several times a trip. Very scary for her! I was on my way back from WPPI in Las Vegas and stopped to relieve myself of several Dr. Peppers and discovered it would be a great location for a shoot with an edgy cowboy feel. Point is, keep your eyes peeled when you drive around. I packed my stuff from the studio and rented a generator and grabbed Julie and we headed out to the desert. When we arrived I discovered that the wind was 20 mph. Anyone out there ever tried to shoot on location with soft boxes with a solid wind? I have never had that experience. But when I pulled the Larsen softbox out of my 4Runner and the wind ripped the fabric from the metal support I realized that softboxes were not going to be an option. I was RUINED. All this way to be defeated by wind? I was so pissed. I called the band and told them I wasn't very optimistic that I could get the results I was after with some modifiers on my light heads. I pulled my profotos off the softboxes and realized that I didn't even bring the reflectors. Bare bulbs? OMG. How impossible was it going to be to control the light? I was not happy to say the least. I had some backup White Lightnings which I DID have the reflectors for and figured I'd try to use those for side lights and then fill with a large hit from the barebulb Profoto boomed from up above the group as a slight fill. I backlit the group with the sun and let their long shadows drip toward camera. Since the goal of the shoot was to get some promotional posters for their upcoming appearances, I left space for copy at the bottom. I'll post some more of their pics soon, including some behind the scenes stuff my wife shot. Here is the group and lead singer Stewart Eastham.

Arrogance

2009-03-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have a photographer friend in Modesto who has been photographing for 35+ years and attended San Francisco Academy of Art. She had an assistant last week do something I found very strange. She was shooting a reception and the assistant came up to her and asked her what her exposure was. She explained to him that it was f5.6 and 1/15 of a second. When he heard this he raised his eyebrows. He asked her why she would shoot so low and she explained that the aperture setting corresponded to the flash (when shooting manually) and the shutter speed corresponded to the ambient light. Want more ambient light in your shot, drag your shutter. Want your subject brighter, open your lens or up your flash power. After hearing this explanation he said, "I've NEVER heard that!" Well, his experience his bartending. I'm not surprised he's never heard that. All day previous to this point he had dogged the photographer about how she shot and constantly questioned her reasoning for her choice of background, exposure, flash setting, use of flash etc. In very derogatory tones, he implied she didn't know what she was doing. All this from a bartender who is aspiring to start his photography business. This got me thinking. Why couldn't he just be grateful for the chance to watch a pro work and learn?? When I first started photography I had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge on this subject. This has never stopped being the case. In fact, I believe I will never know enough. I learn DAILY. It is an ongoing journey. I have come to realize that I will forever be insatiable and this fuels my drive. I might come off cocky because I write about things in photography I think are cliche. Don't misunderstand this for arrogance. I am merely trying to alert people to some of the cliches that are out there and once they're aware they might choose to adapt and be more unique. I think it's because they aren't exposed to truly good photography that they still think the colored rose on a black and white print is edgy. Arrogance is thinking you know everything. The danger in this is once you do know everything, there is nothing else to learn. You've stopped progressing. There is so much information to know about photography that I am humbled by the amount of it. I am confident in what I do know, but this too, is bitter sweet. The more knowledge I attain, the more I realize there is to attain. It's like a patchwork quilt that will never be finished. You just keep adding squares as you master a concept. And once you have a nice-sized quilt you realize that the quilt has no limits in its size. This is quite humbling. You can make the quilt as big or small as you like it. My advice, and personal mantra, don't let there be an end to your quilt.

Surgery can be fun!

2009-02-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

So I had surgery yesterday for an umbilical hernia that I've had since birth. I never knew that it was dangerous or could be repaired until my lovely doctor, Dr. Chan, saw it one day on a routine physical examination. "Wow, WHAT is this?" she asked me. Now, I had just taken it for granted that I had an "outtie." Since the first time I can remember, most notably at public swimming pools, I have been teased about my belly button. It was so bad that I used to hike my swim trunks up to my belly button so that it would be partially covered and look like an "innie." Apparently, in the belly button world, (stylistically and literally) Innies were in and Outties were out! The teasing followed me into high school P.E. where we all showered together and my outtie got a lot of exposure. So when, at age 36, Dr. Chan told me that it was also unhealthy and that my insurance would cover it, I jumped at the chance. She explained this after she asked permission to call her intern in to check out my belly button. It was like a, "Hey there is a bearded lady in here, come check her out" kind of moment. The intern came in briskly and with a mischievous smile asked me, "Can I touch it?" I nodded and she poked my belly button a little. It popped in an out with her pressure and then I yelled, "OUCH!" This startled her and by the look on my face she could tell I was just teasing. Freak show was over. ;) So I went to surgery yesterday and really didn't want them swapping my charts and digging around in another area men usually have hernias so I wrote a friendly note on my hand next to my i.d. tag. I was actually tempted to circle my belly button with a permanent marker but I didn't want to offend the guys who'd be cutting on me. ;) The procedure worked out great, they closed the hole between my abdominal muscles and now I'm taking it easy. :)

Lighting Consultant for HiTec Shoes

2009-02-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

I had the great pleasure of working with Mike Sai and the art department at Hi Tec Shoes for this shoot. Simon flew in from the UK to help with the shoot and supervise the look we were going for. We used a girl I recently tested with named Lacey who is out of Turlock. It's fun because the testing I do with girls on a weekly basis can sometimes lead to jobs for them. Lacey did such a good job that I think HiTec has other plans for her. We'll keep our fingers crossed for her! She is a sweet little girl from Tennessee and has some big aspirations. She is a joy to work with and she's just as pretty inside as she is on the out. The lighting we were trying to achieve was the look of the senior pictures and band stuff I've been shooting lately. In fact, samples of my seniors and band work were sent to Simon to review to see if he like the look of it. As this shoot was only a test, we'll see if the execs in Europe like the feel of it and want to run in that direction with their marketing campaign. You'll notice that there are no shoes in the shot. That's kind of because I was brought in for lighting only but my good friend (and former groom) was the photographer for the shoot and allowed me to bring my camera and shoot some as well. Hopefully, HiTec likes the feel of the shots and we'll bring me on to help with their international campaign. It will be my first job like this and I'm pretty stoked!

Lighting Consultant

2009-01-24T20:33:00.001-08:00

I was hired today as a lighting consultant on a job in Fresno for a book cover. I have never been the "techy" type guy and felt a little out of my element. A photographer named Demarkus found me on MySpace and liked some of my location work and so there I was! Demarkus and crew were super nice and it was very easy to work with them. We were totally worried about the rain hitting us but managed to set up some lights and get things rolling for the group of 7 we needed to shoot. I had been wanting to photograph with these cool brooding skies after since I saw Annie shoot the Queen and get a spectacular dramatic look. Because I wanted to test and needed to shoot something, I grabbed Demarkus and shot him! Here is the photographer in charge of the book cover shoot. I'm going to send him this as well as the candids I took of him working. Many of us don't have cool shots of ourselves working and I thought it might be nice for him to have some! I'll post them later, but first, here's Demarkus! :)

Romeo and Juliet

2009-01-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

I was recently commissioned to shoot for the Central West Ballet. I have had the opportunity to show up and photograph the dancers as they rehearse and their performances. It is both a challenging and enlightening experience. For starters, I didn't realize how utterly ignorant I was when it came to ballet and dance in general. I work closely with Leslie and Rene during the shoots and it is a creative mesh of minds that I'm not used to. How refreshing it is to work closely with other true visual professionals and bring together a finished piece. Our sum was definitely larger than our parts. Here is one of the images that we came up with last night. It was the last frame and Nicole and Joe did an amazing job holding their poses and working with us. Please visit their website http://www.centralwestballet.com/ and support them and take a night out to view their beautiful dancers. It will be a night you won't forget! Tomorrow, Ill go through and post the steps from capture to finished piece. I'll highlight light direction, dodging and burning and retouching as well as the "old paper" overlay I put on it to give it the weathered look.

Christmas morning!

2008-12-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

I spent Christmas morning at my parent's house in Oroville. The entire family was there - all my nieces and nephews! Here is a small video clip from the new 5d Mark II in HD. Merry Christmas everyone! Unfortunately, the video loses quality when you compress it and post it on the web.

HD Film from Canon 5d Mark II

2008-12-23T10:38:00.001-08:00

I just finished testing the Canon 5d mark II. It's a new camera that I just upgraded to that happens to offer HD quality video as well as shoot stills. The files for the photographs are a whopping 21 mg. I was assisting my friend Angela at the wedding of Jason and Tiffany last Sunday and decided to try out the features. Here is a sample I made. The clips are pretty much straight from the camera. What I like is the fact that I can use all my low light lenses to film with (i.e. f1.2, f1.4) and I don't need a video light or any external light source that detracts from the beautiful available light. I had to compress it for the web so this isn't the high quality version. I'll try to find out how to post the HD version of it for you to look at. The clarity is BREATHTAKING. Let me know what you think. :)

Ballet

2008-12-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

I've found that photographing dancers ROCKS! If you happen to be a dancer and want to be photographed, give me a jingle. Or text me. Or myspace me. Whatever. Just get a hold of me because you all move so wonderfully, it is difficult to take a bad picture of you. In that vein, here's another picture of the Central Valley West Ballet that I've been hired to shoot. Anyone wanting to know the specs, here they are: 50mm f1.2, 800 ISO, 1/3 sec. f8, hand held.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (just a little bit)

2008-12-13T12:03:00.001-08:00

"Hi, this is *Marilyn (name changed to protect her) from your local wedding publication, is Aaron there?"
"This is he, how can I help you?"
"We heard you photographed *Brian and Michelle's wedding and we needed some images from you for our publication."
- Silence -
This is where I start to get bugged. I actually own a competing wedding publication. One that is LOCALLY owned and operated. Not some corporate giant that is super funded.
"Are you just asking me to GIVE you photographs for your publication for free?"
"Yes."
"Is there ANY compensation at all you're willing to give for the work?"
"No."
"I'm not sure how many photographers you've worked with, but usually we get paid or receive something for supplying the art that makes a publication what it is." Her reply made me cringe.
"We've worked with tons of photographers IN THE VALLEY and we've never had a SINGLE ONE ask for any compensation, ever. They are just grateful we put them in our publication." Really?
"Wow. I hate to be an ungrateful jerk, but I feel that if clients are willing to pay me and other magazines are willing, then I should be compensated for the work I do. (Laughing) Even the Tyra show paid me for images they wanted to use. You are ridiculous to call me up and ask me for something for free and act like I should be thrilled because of it. Magazines PAY their photographers to work for them. And yours should too."
"Wow, Mr. Draper, I never expected this from you? What will Brian and Michelle think when I tell them that you aren't willing to help them get featured?" So THAT was how she was going to play. Give me a guilt trip into giving up my photography for this corporate money-maker.
"Dude, they should know that I would love to see them featured, but not in a publication that employs these kinds of tactics to strong arm local photographers. They give it up to you for free so you don't feel like you should have to pay for it."
"First of all, I am NOT a dude. Second of all ..."
"This conversation is over hun. Have a good day."
Click!
Ok fellow photographers. What in the &*%$ is going on out here locally? Are we SO hungry for marketing and work that we'll shoot for this magazine for free without ANY compensation? Do you realize that this mag doesn't respect your work or you if you don't respect your work or yourself? It shocked me to know that I was the only one to demand some sort of payment for work I had done. Without us, they have no publication. ART is what drives these local publications, not COPY. It's ART driven. The girls look for pretty pictures for ideas for their weddings. Without you, they have NO local content and are forced to download stock images. THOSE photographers are actually making money. What bothered me most about the whole conversation is that the ad rep "Marilyn" felt entitled to my work. LOL. Seriously? The publication made a deal with a venue to do a wedding giveaway. The venue fronted the entire thing and the publication promoted it. The bride who won was my bride. The publication figured they could get some great photos and run this huge spread and in turn, scratch the back of the venue who donated everything. Then they called me. Now they don't look so hot with their obligation to their venue now do they? They banked on the fact that they would receive FREE art for their spread when they got the venue to pony up the wedding. That was a huge error in their judgement. Let's try to charge for our work fellow photographers. Do not be bullied and do not act so needy that these people take advantage of us. Most photographers who shoot the covers and art for publications get paid or receive some sort of compensation. If we stand up to that as a united front, they will have to offer us something. Or else, they will be forced to hire a photographer and shoot it themselves. But guess what? That still generates work for a photographer. And who knows that you might be the one to get called? Exposure does not pay the bills. Especially exposure on the cover or inside a publication with extremely poor circulation.

"I heard a rumor!'

2008-12-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while now. We have been slammed down here at the studio and I can barely keep my head above water. I've almost considered hiring another photographer to come in as well. In case you all didn't know, we moved from our industrial location down to Roseburg Square. We did so because we're looking at distinguishing our studio from the other 10 million photographers in our area by actually honing in our studio skills this year. We are still doing weddings, in fact we're almost entirely booked for 2009 and we've started to take bookings for 2010 already. We LOVE our brides and grooms. Because we stopped Bride Nouveau this year to focus more on starting our family, we also figured it would be nice if I didn't have to work 7 days a week all year long. (You sort of have to be home sometimes to start a family I've heard!) We are being highly selective with what weddings we're going to shoot. We average 50 inquiries a month and I only want to shoot about 30 a year. In the past we've shot 45-50 a year. Some professionals in the "wedding industry" thought we weren't shooting weddings anymore. We still are, but we've found the need to be more selective with our clientele so that I can have some time off. :)
The studio work has been fantastic and fun and we continue to dial in our lighting at the new location. My personal goal is to become just as skilled shooting indoors as I am outside. We've long thought we needed to add this other dimension to our business and now comes the push. We've even gone as far as to change our formal name from Draper Photography to Draper Studios. This will also allow us to play with some of the digital video that just came out with the new version of the Canon camera I use. :)

Central West Ballet

2008-10-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

This is a sample from the Central Valley West Ballet shoot. I'll talk more about this later... :)

A Senior Shoot from Hughson High

2008-09-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

How to Dress for Draper

2008-09-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

OK. So many of you gals have been coming in with the same issues so I'm going to lay it all down tonight on my blog and then you all can read it and come prepared. My wife watches "What Not To Wear," and you valley gals are prime candidates for the show. Why? You might ask. Because you're all dressing way too frumpy. Just because you live in the valley doesn't mean you have to dress like it. Seriously now, I understand if you are a dairy girl and you want to wear overalls because it's part of the job. But you do not arrive at my studio with 4 shirts all the exact same that are just different colors. I need around 20 outfits to go through before I start getting to some good wardrobe material. If you plan on bringing in 3 outfits then I think you should go to Shoob. That's not what I'm about. I treat EVERY shoot as if you were a model walking into my studio and we were trying to get something for GAP, Hollister or Buckle that they would post on their wall. With that being said, it doesn't hurt to go to some of these stores and check out what is posted on their walls. It might give you some idea on what to wear. I understand that some of you might think it's expensive to hit these places up. Don't BUY it there, shop for IDEAS there. Then, hit up the thrift shops or Marshalls and see what you can come up with. Now for my rules: 1.) If you bring someone to take pictures with you must understand this - my time with you is precious and if I were you I wouldn't share it for a second. If you want your boyfriend in it, pay $10 and go to the mall. (Besides, 99% of girls that bring their boys in here end up broken up within the month. Trust me. Don't risk it.) 2.) If you are under 6 feet tall then you need to bring some V neck cut tops. Button down ones are great too because they form a V. This is important because it visually increased your length. If you want to look FAT - bring a tube top or anything that cuts your body in half. 3.) Do NOT pull your shirt down to mid thigh. The reason for this is simple. You just made your legs look like you should be following Snow White around singing "Hi, Ho!" Pulling your shirt down this low makes your legs look shorter. You want your legs to look longer. This means your shirt should meet your pants at your waist. This helps define the waist as well. 4.) Do NOT wear triple shirts. Dudettes.... seriously. I am awful at math, BUT, I know that when I wear one shirt I look sorta thin. When I wear two, it makes me look thicker and so on. Every layered shirt/cami whatever that you put on your body gives you more and more thickness. Avoid thickness! These are just some pointers. Now, if you want to disregard all my warnings and think you know best, that's cool with me. Just remember that the camera DOES ADD weight so you better do your best to ensure you're not adding any either. This is the lovely Kelsee Reynolds. Even though she was a bit nervous to begin with, she warmed up nicely and simply rocked the heck out of our shoot. You better believe I had some words with her about wardrobe selection but when she shoots with me again she'll be prepared.

Mike and Lauren in Monterey

2008-09-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

The most nerve-racking thing in the world is to shoot for another photographer. My client (now friend) Mike Sai who is the photographer for Hi-Tec Shoes hired me for his wedding more than a year ago. Since he hired me I've been stressed about the wedding. Now, just because I'm a nice guy, I won't post his super anal email he sent me! (Love ya Mike and good luck Lauren). His bottom line, "Aaron, we don't really want anything conventional or traditional." OMG. Do you know how many different versions of a creative vision are out there??? Let's just say creative vision varies per each individual - so yeah, there are millions of interpretations. His words exactly, "I'd rather have two or three interesting/amazing shots than 50 standard portraits." So I experimented with slow exposures, natural light, mixing artificial with natural light and wider angle lenses than normal. Their wedding forced me to take the 70-200 off my camera and shoot things a little differently. Oh, ok, I have to mention this. We designated 45 minutes to photograph Lauren with her bridesmaids and family. Lauren arrived 40 minutes late. Dude. Brides, do not do this to me. I'll be smiling on the outside but not on the inside. You guys were great fun and so was your wedding party. Consider this a shout out to the creative team at Hi-Tec, the wonderful groomswoman Caitlin and to Matt's rockin' beard. Hope you guys like 2 or 3 of the shots I liked from your day.

Color the Skies 2008

2008-09-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

This is the Color of the Skies shoot. It is a SUPER place for families to head every year during the Labor Day Weekend. I was priviliged to be able to photograph for the organization and dedicate my time, as did many hundreds of volunteers, in helping the Children's Hospital of the Central Valley. Here are some of the experiences I caught on film and video. If you didn't get a chance to go this year, you should definitely head out and see it next year. And photographers, bring your gear out at dawn and shoot these beautiful colors against the rising sun. See you next year!

Hannah of Central Catholic

2008-09-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

I left her face a little bright when I lit her and I should probably go in and burn some of the highlights down. Other than that, I was satisifed with the shot.

Senior Picture Modesto

2008-08-30T20:36:00.001-07:00

This is a shot I did tonight of Rachel Bidlack of Modesto Christian High School. While light is an important part of every shot, wardrobe is paramount as well. Rachel went to Queen Mabs and bought a cute little ruffled dress with great texture and some shoes to match. She actually chose the location where we shot, which is something I normally don't do. I don't like being surprised by crappy lighting situations and usually prefer to pick the light and background I like. So seniors, go shopping and don't buy tops like tube tops that cut you in half horizontally. If your cami comes straight across your chest, it is NOT a good cut. V neck cuts are beautiful and lengthen the torso. For any photographers wondering about the specs on the shot, here they are: Canon 50 f1.4, 580 EX flash, 1/160, f4.0, 160 ISO. Post production: dodging and burning.

Balloons at 4 A.M. (Color the Skies)

2008-08-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

I was approached some weeks ago by Jessica Coleman of Color the Skies. She asked me to donate my services to her annual fundraising event for the Children's Hospital. I like children. I like balloons. What I realized is that I DO NOT like 4 a.m. This is when these people launch their balloons. The rest of the day I've been squinting at my monitor through burning eyes. Apparently, the regulars are all very used to launching at this obscene hour and were all Starbucky and friendly. This morning, Kat Country Radio Station, launched a promotional flight that I went and covered. These pictures are some of the shots I liked. I'm looking forward to tomorrow (at the same time!!) when 19 balloons will launch and there will be frolicking children and families. More photo ops.

Underwater Maternity

2008-08-28T19:08:00.001-07:00

I just grabbed a couple of shots of the underwater shoot I did this morning of a friend of mine. She is 7 months pregnant and wanted something a little different to document her first pregnancy. We setup the pool for the first hour and then went to her house and photographed her there in her own element! The shoot went smoothly and we headed to the pool for the underwater portion. Using two different backgrounds and experimenting by blending 2 strobes and daylight we got some images that I like. I'll post more later, but these are a couple that I thought came out like the vision I had in my head. Most of the time, I go into a shoot with a preconceived picture in my head. I use my camera to work toward this picture and make modifications with exposure, composition and depth of field until the image in the camera duplicates what I see in my head. Sometimes, I am not experienced enough to match the image in my head and sometimes I get something entirely different by accident. These images I'm posting here are similar to what I had in my head.

draper.

FREE WEDDING CONTEST

2008-08-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

My sweet wife thought it would be fun to have a Draper Photography Wedding Contest. She thought it would be nice if I photographed one wedding a year for free. My studio manager and I both were a little skeptical, but for the good of my lovely brides, I figured I'd do it. So here it is. We, er.. I am giving a 6 hour wedding coverage ($ 3,500 value) to the bride and groom who send me the most creative video on why they should get it. This package will include travel anywhere in California. Here's what you have to do: Submit a video to me that I can post on my blog. The video has to be under 3 minutes in length and has to explain (in a supremely creative way) why you and your groom deserve free wedding photography. You can post it on youtube and email me the embedded url that youtube gives you. Or you can put your video on disk and mail it to us at the studio: Draper Photography 503 Bangs Ave. Suite C, Modesto CA 95356. Winners will be announced on Christmas Eve, December 24th. (One heck of a Christmas present.) Winners will be based on our staff's decision and on the quality and comments on the blog for each contestant. If you happen to be one of my current brides, you are ineligible. :) Sorry gals! So start making your videos and get them to me ASAP. Let the contest begin!

draper.

Selective Burning Vs. Vignetting

2008-08-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

Why do professionals and amateurs feel the need to constantly vignette every single shot they show? I know the Holga does a really nifty vignette that is often not symmetrical and creates an interesting nostalgic look. When I first was discovering photography I used a Lindahl bellows with my Hasselblad and I vingetted EVERYTHING. "Ew, how romantic!" I'd slap in the plastic "dreamy" filter. Or, "Gee, how moody!" In would go the dark mesh vingetter. This phase lasted about as long as the style that Kim Henderson made popular in the early 90's with her cards and calendars. (And if another bride asks me if I can make the picture black and white and leave the bouquet in color I'll vomit in my mouth - a lot.) So yea, I did vignette. But honestly, it was because I didn't know any better. My idols at the time were all local photographers and THEY all vignetted. So who can blame me? Eight years later, editorial photographers and others put their portfolios online for all to admire. Look at their work closely. Show me the vignette. Annie Liebovitz, Jeff Ascough, Jerry Ghionnis, Gene Martin and Gary Land shoot very clean. They rely less on gimmicks and more on the things that matter in photography. In fact, the things that matter most in photography are the things that you can do "in-camera." There is such hype about what you can do in post prodcution. So much so, that it overshadows what is possible in camera. Do you know that you can naturally vignette in camera? Crazy eh? I bet you think it's easier to grab the square selection tool, make a selection, feather that selection 250 pixels, hold down Control+Shift+I to select that inverse, then hit Control+L to bring up your levels and then drag the midtones to a shade darker. Leave the vignetting for the newbies who just discovered it. Be much more selective in your darkening and lightening. Watch for highlights and shadows that are pronounced and work on them individually. It will yield an image with far more impact. Don't try to vignette an image that is higher key. Meaning, if the image is white, don't make a black smoke ring around the edge. It just looks like a black smoke ring. I understand that most times we're trying to focus the attention of the viewer onto the subject when we vignette. Why not do it with composition: leading lines and angles. Or better yet, why not through a shallow depth of field? Shoot the subject at f1.4 and I swear there won't be anything else in your shot to look at but the subject. The biggest abusers of vignetting are PS geeks who still don't understand their cameras and try to compensate with software. They lack all the fundamental tools and instead go for a quick fix. I posted two samples of work. One is the vignette I hate, the other, while not the best shot, shows a more selective darkening strategy. I googled vignetting in Photoshop and came to the Photoshop User Magazine site. There they had a message board that went on for days asking questions about how to vignette with elements and various versions of PS. One guy mentioned that in CS it has a handy tool that allows you to do it when you open your file. Seriously? Seriously. Let's aim higher.

Heather Sinclair

2008-08-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

So today I brought my profoto stuff and a "twinkie" flash down to the girl's gym at Modesto High School. I wanted to shoot something different and didn't want to do the traditional, "here, stand in my studio and hold the ball," shot. The gym was pretty nice with big open windows near the ceiling. A huge fan was used to keep the students from dying of heat stroke because there is no AC. Heather was great to work with and the whole series turned out pretty fun. Here is one shot I'll share, I might post some of the others later after the second part of her shoot this evening. :)

Ariel Jacobsen: Background light

2008-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I've been watching light and its pattern on a subject's face so much in the last couple of years that I've forgotten about another important light element: light falling on your background. Or, when using a flash, the light that's determined by your shutter speed. From Rembrandt to butterfly and loop lighting I've focused too much on that. More than just how much light is present, I've been trying to observe (hard to do when I'm trying to knock a senior out in under 2 hours) the direction, quality and color of light that's lighting everything in the background. I've actually had to tell myself, "Self, stop looking at Ariel's face and expression and light and take a look behind her." You can pick up really cool patterns on the wall, deep shadows, orange, blue, and green light coming from sun, sky and outdoor flourescents. Here is the shoot of Ariel Jocobsen a senior at Modesto High School.

Joey and Stephanie's Wedding

2008-08-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is my lovely bride who did her pinup shoot with us. She married a heck of a man named Joey. This morning the two of them got married under the blistering heat of the sun and these two did everything I asked of them. Stephanie wore a beautiful dress that fit her as if it were silk. She trudged out into a pasture with her new husband Joey and didn't flinch when I asked her to do things with her dress that would have left other brides shaking their head. I've been thinking about the question, "What makes some brides worry so much about the dress that they avoid scrumptous photo ops?" and on the flip side, "What makes brides throw all caution to the wind and do everything for photos?" TRUST. I believe it was because brides who have worked with me in the past, know that I'm not there to damage them or their dress. But, let's address the brides that suffer from DDD (Dirty Dress Disorder) and put their minds at ease. #1. You are NOT wearing your mother's dress. Your daughter will NOT wear yours. #2. You will NEVER wear this dress again. Even if you get divorced and married again, you will NEVER wear this dress to your next wedding. #3. You will have the dress professionally cleaned (because you're going to wear it again... yeah.) and put into a cyber sealed box so that it will be preserved for your daughter (because she's going to wear it.. uh. yeah). Going back to TRUST. If your bride trusts that what you're doing is in her best interest, she will roll with your ideas. I had the pleasure of shooting Stephanie in a couple shoots before the day of her wedding. During the couple's engagement shoot I used the time to see what the couple liked (you can tell this by what the purchase from their session) shooting a variety of different angles and looks. I also used this time to see how the couple interacted together. Did the bump into each other awkwardly every time the touched? Did they do the weird "beak kiss?" Was he super tall and she 4'11"? All these things you can observe during your engagement session. I also like to see if they are a couple who can interact comfortably in front of the camera. Stephanie and I also did a retro pinup session like those of the 1950's and 1960's that a guy named Vargas made popular. And the "it" thing then has become the "it" thing now. By the day of the wedding, it was the 3rd time that Stephanie and I had worked together. We turned an intimate back yard wedding into a smokin' photo shoot for the two of them. And I know that they are going to dig their pictures because they listened to the photographer and trusted the suggestions they were given. TRUST ladies and gents. All about TRUST.

Quote I Love!

2008-08-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

"Complimenting a photographer's work by saying 'You must have a great camera' is like telling an award-winning chef 'You must have great pots and pans'." - David Humphrey

Heather Hicks

2008-08-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

When Heather first walked in the studio I was struck by her porcelain complexion, red frekcles and redder hair. I picked a setting for her that would compliment this rust-colored pullover she has on. She didn't bring this with her initially. I thought she might look good in a color like this and we sent her aunt home to retrieve it! :) I was really digging the rust colors and blue tones in this shot. Here eyes and the back wall are blue and the red compliments were her sweater, her red hair and the rust-colored bins behind her. I think she hit this shot out of the park. Nice job Heather! Too bad we didn't use your fur hat eh? :)

Senior Night Shot

2008-08-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've had a hard time doing since the digital revolution was effectively balancing a flash while shooting at sunset. Most times, my sky was completely blown out or the subject looked "flashy" or I would get these jacked up gradations across the back sky. It seemed to me that the digital medium was WAY more sensitive than the film. I kept my senior last night a little longer and decided I would use her as a test. She didn't care and seemed to be enjoying her session. :)

Here are the measurements that seemed to work: First of all it was 8:05 p.m. so the sun was really low. I was on MANUAL exposure (all those who think that manual shooting is for losers, I'd love to see the results your camera gave you.) set at f4.0 at 1/60. While I shoot Canon, I was using a Nikon SB 800 for a flash linked with pocket wizards. Her mother, Diana, was holding this flash inside a 12x12" softbox about 5 feet off the subject and at a 45 degree angle (just skimming across her face with the corner of the box). My lens for the shoot was a f2.8 70-200 IS and I was out at 180 mm.

Post processing: I adjusted curves, used the patch tool to take out some wrinkles and acne. Dodged and burned her eyes, used the clone tool to take out some stray hairs and then added 2% noise. Let me know what you all think! Good luck and try shooting at night, it rocks!

Peace.

EXPERIMENT

2008-07-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

Just got down with this senior tonight. I'm trying out this new look, a lil' more contrasty and a lil' less traditional. Sort of diggin' it though. Greg actually does list TP'ing as one of his past times and loves his jeep. I saw this house this morning on the way to the studio and immediately thought of my senior boy I was going to shoot this evening. I don't have many males as clients, but the ones I do have usually turn out pretty cool. Thoughts?

DVD Tutorial Release

2008-07-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

I NEVER in a million years would have thought that I would ever know enough about photography to teach. I still feel that I'm miles away. But, I'm being emailed more and more frequently by shutterbugs jumping into the profession that I decided to design something to help them out. I would have loved to have had something like this when I was just getting my feet wet. Unfortunately, the locals weren't too friendly, and I relied on trial and error. VERY expensive and heartbreaking when you are mostly error! LOL!

There will be two separate DVD's.

Disk one will be a Virtual Studio Assistant. This disk will have tutorial movies that show every step of our workflow from image import to retouching to album design. Everything we do daily in our studio will also be talked about. From booking clients to order forms. All forms will also be included on the disk with places to plug in your own logo. Contracts, order forms, price lists, etc. There are currently 10 lessons with a couple more coming. This disk will hope to address the numerous queries I've received on why we do certain things around here and how we retouch quickly and efficiently so as not to lose money.

Disk two will be a Virtual Wedding Assistant. When bringing individuals on weddings with me there is really no time to explain what I'm doing and give the reasons behind subject placement, exposure and shot selection. I often wonder what the photographers got out of shooting with me since there is seldom time to chat. I will have a movie of an entire wedding with me narrating why I'm choosing certain locations, how I'm staying on the time frame, shots I have to make up on the back end, why I set my schedule the way I do, etc. I'll talk about exposure, flash settings, equipment, the whole deal. The narrative will cover from checking my bag and pre planning for the wedding to dumping and backing up when I return.

Both disks should be ready by the beginning of December. Email me if you're interested!

We will be also hosting a workshop: Our subject will be a bride where we'll be doing a "trash the dress" style shoot. I supply generators, lighting, model, makeup, hair, pocket wizards, catered lunch and assistants. You supply camera, cards and creativity. Duration of workshop: 5 hours. 4 hours shooting. 1 hour post production/rap session.

Aseltine Perkins Wedding

2008-07-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

This will be brief, I'll talk more about this wedding later. Suffice it to say, we had a spectacular time. Thanks to Galetto ristorante, Tasty Taco and the McHenry Mansion for letting us play. :) Here are some of the highlights with more to come! I just added another shot to the top of this. Leah works at Galetto Ristorante and helps with weddings they host there. She was VERY particular, and with good reason, she's seen a TON of weddings. Leah was very into pictures and she and Rob decided to meet before their ceremony at McHenry Mansion. Now, I could care less whether a couple see each other in advance or not. BUT, when they do, and give me time, we tend to create more images with different looks. Here is a rundown of how Leah organized her wedding. She left me an entire hour (and she was still late! Love you, Leah) for her and Rob's pictures. Here is her itinerary:

3:00 - 4:00 Rob and Leah pictures

4:00 - 4:30 Leah and bridesmaids

4:30 - 5:00 Robert and groomsmen

5:00 - 5:30 Bridal party

5:30 - 5:50 Leah's family

5:50 - 6:00 Rob's family

6:30 - 7:00 Ceremony

7:15 - 11:00 Reception

If you notice the time we spent with the bride and groom, it was CRAZY! We had so much time I was freaking out a little thinking that I would run out out ideas. I'm used to shooting my bride and groom for like 20 minutes and then basta! I'm not advocating the bride and groom see each other beforehand, but if you leave time for pictures when you're fresh, you get way better results.

Jessica Bowman and Thorsten Lindstrom

2008-07-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

These guys were GREAT! I had so much fun with them in such a short time. I'll write and post more later this next week. But for now, here's a sample. :) I enclosed a small vintage film of their wedding I shot while I was shooting stills. :) I was the only professional invited to the event so I figured I'd film some stuff on my Costco Cam.

The landscape photographs were done with a Canon D60 converted to infrared. I shot them out the window while we were heading toward the exit. :) If any of you have any questions about infrared conversion of your cameras, drop me a line. I don't like the results I've received from Photoshop.

NCPP Members

2008-07-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

I presented a marketing presentation last night to the Northern California Professional Photographers in Walnut Creek. What an amazing group of professionals! It turned out that Tim Meyer, the new president of the Professional Photographers of California, was there as well. How nerve racking can you get. Besides being peppered by questions from him throughout the lecture, it wasn't that bad. :) I couldn't have lucked out with a better group to do my first marketing lecture. They applauded. The laughed. They cried... (j/k) After the lecture I was asked to stay and judge. Wow, they have all kinds of talent going on. If you are a bride reading this and living in that area, you are blessed to have some huge talent to choose from! Tamee was an amazing "tech support" geek who Cantrell Studios is lucky to have. :) She worked out all the bugs in my laptop and ensured a smooth slideshow presentation! She even acted as my remote control. We had a great connection. (wink, wink!) Thanks again to everyone who attended, asked questions and became a part of our "think tank" for the night. I hope you all enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed all of you!

Draper.

Photoshop Vs. Photography

2008-07-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

I was reading a popular fashion magazine the other day browsing the maternity pictures of Christina Aguilera. As I looked for the photographer's credits I noticed something that finally acknowledges something that has been troubling me since Photoshop CS3 was released. The photographer was given credit. And just below his name, the graphic artist was given credit. This is one image we're talking about. And it didn't look like there was that much manipulation to the shot. But the graphic artist got just as much credit as the photographer, leaving the viewer to wonder who was the true artist behind the image itself.

Although this is argued on blogs and message boards with threads that could weave a million blankets, most of the writers go way off topic and miss the point. Photography has always been a medium that told the truth. It recorded history. It spoke of tragedies around the globe. It brought us the realities of war. It was a tool used at crime scenes to help convict the guilty or liberate the innocent. And for every manipulation that could have been done either in camera or in the darkrooom, it still had veracity.

With the advent of digital, this has changed. Clients don't want to look obese and so we liquify them and make them thinner. Journalists in the field couldn't get a shot of missles being fired on U.S. aircraft so they doctored it. Brides have a falling out with a member of their wedding party and so they are removed from the picture. The clients might think these are great improvements on the art of photography. As photographers and custodians of reality, we do a huge disservice to our clients when we alter their reality. The fat girl can browse her pictures and adore her new figure all while being one jog away from a heart attack. Obesity in the nation is at a staggering rate. If everyone were photographed as they are with no manipulation, they might hit the treadmill instead of Taco Bell. The Reuters scandal was so huge that they implemented new standards on what could and could not be done to an image. The photographer who doctored the missle picture was fired but not before creating political havoc between the two countries at odds. The bride who had her friend removed might look back at her wedding 40 years from now and not even know her friend was in attendance. If her friend wasn't in the picture, she probably didn't even attend the wedding.

From the fat girl to the old woman looking at her wedding photos, a reality has been altered. Now when a bride shows pictures to her friends and she looks incredibly beautiful there is an assumption that she couldn't have looked that good, she must have been manipulated. Some women DO look that good. You would be surprised would an excellent makeup artist and hair stylist can do these days.

Critics would say, "Well, there was this pole sticking out of her head in the shot." Chances are, the photographer shot many shots with the pole sticking out of her head. Instead of removing each pole, why not shoot correctly? Look before you shoot. It's easy to move the angle of your camera a couple of degrees and it takes 2 seconds. I am all for "finishing" a print in Photoshop with slight adjustments to exposure and/or some dodging and burning. But, I am a huge advocate of getting it right in camera. Pretend you are shooting film and your life depends on this shot. THAT is a good photographer. In fact, the better photographer, the less work you should have to do on the back end. A good photographer shouldn't need a graphic designer to rework their images.

You CAN be an excellent photographer today without knowing Photoshop just as you could have been an excellent photographer shooting film while not developing and printing. Joe Buissink has a hell of a printer who borders on magical in his ability in the darkroom. Joe is still an excellent photographer. And he doesn't do the darkroom stuff at all.

In a day when photographers reproduce faster than rabbits, competition for clients is steep. Photographers looking to distinguish themselves with their Photoshop ability will wage a losing battle against Generation Y who can be proficient in a week and be a ninja in a couple of months. This generation of clients will soon surpass the standard photographer with their expertise in software. If you rely on actions for your style, be afraid. I can spot a Monday morning action before the thumbnail has loaded. If you can buy these actions - don't you think your customers can? Sooner or later, they will be having their brother shoot average work for them and then taking the files home to run actions on their favorites.

A colleague of mine had his daughter's wedding shot by a big shot photographer who charged him a ton of cash. The group shots were shot at f2.8. Photographers will know this is a disaster that is irreparable. Graphic designers will blink. Which one are you?

As a photographer you must have knowledge of the tool you are using. Group shots at f2.8? His website must have looked pretty damned good. (For all those of you who don't know, group shots should be f8 - f11 to get the 2nd, 3rd row of people in focus. At f2.8, only the front row were in focus.) Be a photographer that tells the truth. Don't rely on cheesy actions that anyone can buy to dictate your style. Dictate your style with your camera. Let it be an extension of yourself. Promote your individuality. Rely on the elements of composition, depth of field, camera angle, lens selection, shutter speed, etc. When published, ensure that their is only one name on your work of art.

So keep ripping that shutter and make a ton of mistakes. They're what keep you learning.

Draper.

Internationally Award Winning

2008-07-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have never entered anything into any competition until last year. It's been 8 years since I first picked up a camera so I decided, what the heck! I chose the Annual Wedding & Portrait Professionals International show in Las Vegas as my first attempt. The show is held every year for a week in Las Vegas and photographers from all over the world showcase their work. Most notably Yervant and Jerry Ghionnis out of Australia take top honors every year in both the photography section and in wedding album design. These are both idols of mine, especially Jerry, who was named one of the top 10 wedding professionals in the world. He is sick and wrong. If you ever get a chance to see his work, it will BLOW your MIND. Anyway, above is one of my entries. The other, I won't post due to a conflict of interests. The above was titled "Catching Her Breath," and scored an 84. It was awarded an Award of Excellence and showcased the week of the show. I can now say very humbly, "I am an internationally award winning photographer." :) Ask to see my ribbons!

Upcoming Lecture

2008-07-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday I'll be giving a presentation to the Northern California Professional Photographer's Association in Walnut Creek. This is an affiliate of the Professional Photographers of America. I'm excited as this will be the second time I've spoken on marketing techniques specific to Gen X and Gen Y. I've always been interested in marketing and especially consumer psychology. The first time I gave this presentation, I did so locally at the Stanislaus Professional Photographers organization. I've always enjoyed speaking and I'm glad I can do so to help some of my peers not only understand the generation gap, but bridge it.

HACK photographers

2008-07-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

This post goes right along with the one I just posted. A couple just bought a camera at BestBuy, attended a wedding of a photographer friend of mine where they shot over his back the entire wedding. Several prospective brides since, have seen his work and told him, "Hey, I just booked the photographer who shot that wedding." It appears the "photographer" had posted the images he ripped off at the wedding and was masquerading as the official photographer. Tacky. I heard of the issue and went and reviewed their website where they claim to be "internationally award winning," (just puked in my mouth a little) "available for destination weddings worldwide" (omg wtf) and "serving the Bay Area, San Francisco, New York, etc. (running for the toilet). I'm not going to even address the nifty buzz words used to attract unsuspecting brides like moths to a light bulb. Instead, I'll address what they tell you is your investment. Under that heading, they mention that you're spending the money not for the photography shot on your day, but the hours and hours and hours they will (must) spend on your photography to adjust exposure (should be adjusted when you shoot) hue/saturation (same) contrast (same) cropping (same) etc., etc. Basically, you're not paying them to photograph your wedding, you're paying them to fix their photography errors. All of those things they said you're paying big bucks for should be shot correctly in camera. To ensure your photographer has skill as a photographer, ask to see some untouched proofs of their work. If these proofs are really close to the finished print, you know you have a skilled photographer. If they are radically different, the money you're paying might not be for photography but for a hack that's attempting to fix all their shoddy work. We give all clients a proof disk from which they can print 4x6-sized prints to their heart's content. We photograph so clean that these images are cropped, adjusted for color and saturation and are exposed correctly. The clients can take my raw work and print great stuff. This is because I am a photographer and because I can shoot correctly. Don't be fooled. If you want to spend a couple thousand dollars on someone who is not a photographer, do the following: Go buy a super nice digital slr camera. Loan it to your brother or sister. Have them shoot your entire wedding. Go and have a graphic designer fix the images you like. In the end, you will have images that were "fixed" shot by an amateur and YOU'LL GET TO KEEP THE CAMERA! Peace out.

DJ or Photographer?

2008-07-01T17:34:00.001-07:00

So I was at this wedding this last weekend. It was a venue at which I had worked before and the bride and groom were 10 clients. (Rated on a scale from 1 to 10). Now, I hate griping, well sometimes I enjoy it but when it comes to weddings I hate having to gripe. I am not a photographer who minds people shooting over my shoulder. As long as these shooters are not amateurs looking to retire from their day jobs and take up photography using my clients as samples. Here is the rub: More and more these days, amateurs are looking to get into the wedding photography business. Because they are not competent enough to wrangle their own clients, they feel inclined to shoot my clients behind my back. If any of you know me, you know my clients and I have a magical relationship that is more like a friendship than a business relationship. When I engage my clients, that special magic is relayed to me the photographer and I document this. The creepy guy behind me is getting the same reaction but it is not meant for him. If he were on his own his work would look very different. Portrait photography is based on the relationship between the person who photographs and the ones being photographed. For this person to now say that they are capable of shooting a wedding is foul. Stinko. Shameful. Ugh! Here is the scenario as it plays out in my head, "Excuse me sir, what do you do for a living?" Shameful shooter, "Uh, I'm a surgeon." "Oh, a surgeon. Wow, what an exciting job. You must get paid well to afford that professional gear you're shooting," I say. "Well, yes I do," he replies. "How would you like it sir, if I showed up at your operating room one day and decided to work right along side of you. After all, I can afford a scalpel. And your client would never be the wiser if I cut a little here and there just because I had the gear and an unknowing victim." He would look at me and totally get the point but I would have had to take time away from my bride and groom to teach him about courtesy. Because most professions consider mine easy to learn and gear-dependent they don't respect it. The truth is, to do my job well is very difficult. And to work creatively all the time at a breakneck pace is even more challenging. So why does that cog need to jump into my wheel? I never bring a camera to a wedding. Why? Because I am a guest. And guests should go sit down. If you are not a guest, then you need to leave. Brides and grooms have a hard enough time concentrating on one set of directions and on trying to be at ease and normal looking without a bunch of wannabe's standing around trying to get a shot around me. Out of respect for my job, please be a guest and do what guests do. Dance, mingle and eat. If not, you will find me at the medical distribution store looking for blades for my scalpel.

Enough ranting. Here are pictures of another problem I became aware of last wedding. The D.J. came up to me with his camera in hand and said he was going to be taking pictures for a slide show he was doing for the bride and groom. Because the bride liked him a lot I decided to bite my tongue. Truth is, he shot the ceremony and made it difficult for me to leave him out of shots. His slideshow was an amateur photographer's slideshow. I just hoped that the guests didn't think it was my work that was being shown. I could have died. So, with guests and now other vendors deciding to join the massive amounts of wedding photographers out there, it would be nice to be shown some respect for my craft that I take very seriously. I take it seriously because my brides and grooms put enormous amounts of trust in me to get "the shot." Even if I have to do so while avoiding the roaming wannabe's out there trying to learn the business on my watch.

Maternity Pictures

2008-05-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

Here is my thought on maternity pictures. You look WAY better pregnant than you do normally. This is the truth. Light falls more flattering on round objects than it does on a straight line. Why do you think all the old masters painted round women? Round is better. When your hormones are telling you that your fat and ugly we'll tell you that you belong on the cover of a magazine. Remember that you can NEVER go back and photograph the wonders of your first pregnancy. It's the one thing that you'll wish you had done but not be able to redo. So if you're pregnant and thinking about it, I suggest one famous footwear's motto, "Just do it!"

BAM!

2008-05-13T10:36:00.001-07:00

Now that I have a little time at my disposal I thought it would be fun to finally start blogging and posting pictures that represent what I see. The picture above was shot while I assisted on a local engagement shoot. The owner of the sagging pants will remain anonymous as well as will the couple. I always thought it was strange that when brides came in to meet with me they'd ask, "So what will you wear to the wedding?" My usual response was, "How about a Dolce & Gabbana suit, a tie from my collection I purchased while living in Milan and some trendy leather bottom shoes purchased in Florence." The bride would laugh (usually) and understand from my response that I would dress appropriately. Now I know most of you brides read magazines that tell you that you need to ask what your photographer will wear to the wedding. BUT what will your photographer wear to the engagement session. For starters, I would recommend underwear. :) So that was totally obnoxious, but when I saw this little girl bend over to shoot this couple, I couldn't control my shutter finger. It's like it suddenly had a mind of it's own. As a photographer, I walk around and visualize instances where I would shoot a photograph. This is always accompanied by a silent "BAM" that I say inside my head. Thus the title of this photograph.

Underwater in Cancun

2008-05-08T09:32:00.001-07:00

So I flew to Cancun and shot a wedding on May 3rd. I went with Julie (my wife) and Keri (my loyal assistant) to the land with beautiful beaches where 94 degrees is common as well as 50% humidity. While this wasn't my first "destination" wedding, it was my first out of the country. If any of you have ever seen an underwater housing for a camera then you'll know why I was stopped at every single security checkpoint on the way and back. If I had see that bundle of wires and batteries from an x-ray machine I would have stopped me and frisked me also. Needless to say, I was on a first name basis with everyone who ended up putting their paws on me. My spanish came in really handy as the wedding coordinator spoke little English and the staff videographer spoke none at all. The site, Dreams Tulum was absolutely magnificent. Todd and Rachelle were great as well and pretty much allowed me to do anything I pleased with them. In fact this shot that I posted was one that they graciously endured for me. I'll post more about the trip and the wedding later on. For now, just check this out.

2008-03-15T18:13:00.001-07:00

Hey guys and gals,
we've started shooting senior pictures this last month and the turnout has been great. We've had many standouts but one shoot in particular went very well. Jill Wilson did a great job with her pictures and had a great time. We'll post some of her work here but you can also check the website under featured.
On the wedding front... I'm excited and nervous about our scheduled wedding in Cancun, Mexico. Worried about my stuff getting ripped off but excited and anxious to produce some cool images. I can't stand it, I've got a ton of ideas and just want to rock Rachelle and Todd's wedding. These guys are camera candy! We're planning on shooting the day before, the day of and some the day after. I've been practicing some fun stuff and should be posting some of their images as soon as I get back.
Our Valentine special went great with 30-ish gals showing up to take advantage of our Victoria Secret set. We'll be doing this every year around February! If you haven't already added us to your MySpace friends list, make sure you do as we post bulletins and specials that you'll want to take advantage of. If ANY of you have pets, we'll be doing a pet shoot once a year. Animals are tough but are part of the family so we felt we'd kick it off with a picture of my Pommies. Stay tuned for a picture of Yogi that will be coming out on the announcement for our Pet shoot.
Be healthy, happy and take your picture often. :)
Draper.

New Blog

2008-03-04T13:44:00.001-08:00

We at Draper would like to thank you for visiting our Blog. Remember to check our website, myspace, and blog often as we will be updating constantly.

Thank you,
Draper Staff