Take & Talk Pics

Never Wrong - episode 192 Photo World "You are never wrong to do the right thing." - Mark Twain I searched and searched for the photographer who captured this portrait of the great writer, but to no avail. Props to the large format camera man who shot this stunning portrait. If anyone knows or finds out I would love to know. Thanks That seems like a straight forward quote that wouldn't require much explaining. Come on Photo World what kind of podcaster would I be if I couldn't fill up at least 15 minutes over one seemingly simple quote. I can tell you it is the little things that count, therefore the most meaningful things come to us in a simple way; such as a 9 word phrase. In this episode I pull off of my experience as of today. That's right what I know and the many times I have been wrong to find and understand how to be right. Right is a hard word to understand sometimes and so many hot topics are blown out of proportion over the idea of "right". I like to say: logic will never fail me, so long as I

Jay Dickman - The Electricity My words would do little to introduce this man. I have seen many of his images over the years and hadn't know his name til recently. Photo World this is the episode to listen to... It will not disappoint. On a more personal note: This opportunity to speak to Jay as well as so many other great photographers I have interviewed is the reason I continue to do what I do, and bring a part of their stories to you Photo World! Jay Dickman A Pulitzer-Prize winner and National Geographic Photographer, Jay’s career has spanned a multitude of experiences, including three months living in a stone-age village in Papua New Guinea, a week under the Arctic ice in a nuclear attack sub (both these for National Geographic), and aboard a sinking boat on the Amazon. With more than twenty-five assignments for the National Geographic Society, Jay has taught workshops for Santa Fe Workshops, the Maine Media Workshops, Photography at the Summit and American Photo Mentor Series. Jay and his wife, Becky, ar

Battery Power I sometime talk about gear like I had with the what's in my bag series and I even got specific about the AA and AAA batteries I prefer. Well camera batteries seem like a conversation most people just don't have all that much. I was thinking back over the cameras I had and currently have and looked over my choices for batteries. Name brand Nikon or third party like a trusted Promaster, or even the no name brand that fits and powers. This episode is not in depth on the tech side because I haven't done that much research on the subject other than for my own use. So that is the episode you get today; my experience and my thoughts as I reflect on this  quiet subject. Ultimately, this topic comes down to preference, reliability, price, and trial 'n' error. As I grow in my own career I find price becomes less of a deciding factor and reliability mixed with preference take the forefront of the decision making process. When I talked about the AA and AAA I mentioned there are too many options camera batte

Think Before You Speak Picture by wallsneedlove.com Life's a little easier when you Think Before You Speak... Photography is much better when you Think Before You Shoot. Basically I am saying Don't "RUN & GUN"! So many photographers new and seasoned over shoot and aim carelessly. Now I know I am not always capturing an amazing work of art every time I release the shutter but I can say with some confidence that I take that split second where a picture is made very seriously. I want my frame to be meaningful and thought out, regardless of the meter's suggestion I want my exposure to really count, and I want the moment I am capturing to matter. Some days I feel my brain on overload working hard to continually care about each image. However, this is totally worth it. So many photogs out there say "I can fix it in Photoshop"; isn't that just a waste of time? Fixing it in Photoshop is not a great solution. Spend the time (you already have) in creating a great image so you don't have to waste time "fixing"

Shoot Some Video We have such advanced tools in our hands and most of the photographers out there only use about 1/3 the amount of functions their cameras have. You could double your use if you just add some video work into the mix. Okay maybe not double because you wouldn't really use this function at 50% as our skill for stills is the main priority within our businesses. However, what if you could increase your business revenue by 10% with only adding 3-5% more work to your usual gigs? You would do that in a heart beat right? I know I would and now I do. By informing your clients why they need some B-roll video capture you can up-sell your products fast. I am not a videographer and I am not really interested in becoming one but if I can do just a tad more on a wedding day and squeeze another 10% that's not a bad day. Also it is a way for he client to save a bit because they may be satisfied with just some video and not the whole days worth. Besides Videograpohers are always stepping into my frame and bumpin

Mileage When you run a small business every bit counts. It could be saving a buck on a few ting here and there or spotting a great deal on a new piece of gear. It is all about making money doing what we love and not spending too much trying to get there. Well there are many business tricks to consider for not spending as much as we could or saving once in a while. One way we get financial breaks it through our taxes. You and I can have very different views about taxes or the way the government performs taxation but the truth is there are options for us to save some money through tax breaks. One major saver is our Mileage. So many small business owners do not track their miles for every bit that goes into their small business. YOU NEED TO! Those miles add up. I did something like 12,000 miles last year for my business and the number climbs each year as more and more work comes my way. Just like almost everything else there is an app for that. Here are a few to look into: Auto Miles Mileage Log+ klicks Triplog

FAIL So the past few weeks have been focusing on acronyms such as: N.O. for Next Opportunity and E.N.D. for Effort Never Dies. This week is all about one of my favorite questions to ask in interviews and that is Fail! Now I did not come up with any of these three acronyms. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam; 11th president of India, is quoted for each of these three. In the spirit of Failing I share a big failing story where I almost ruined someones wedding in 2014. I can honestly say this was the biggest failure I have ever encountered in my professional career. If I discuss my personal live this episode would never end. That's not sad at all... There are enough horrible things going on in our lives and throughout the world that it is helpful to a shift your perspective form negative to positive and these acronyms have been a huge help to me over the past year or so. I know that even with all the failure I have plenty left to learn and I look forward to my future mistakes. Happy Shooting! Get your FREE business coac

Davin Lavikka - The Alternative Processes Davin is a Fine Art and Commercial Photographer based in Scottsdale Arizona. You may know Davin from his YouTube channel filled with instructional videos on all things photography. From understanding gear to learning on how to be better prepared on your next shoot. Davin Lavikka is a photographer and artist in Scottsdale Arizona. Photography is his primary tool and has been for the last fifteen years. He is known for his architectural and commercial work but has become known for his fine art photography first. He is influenced by early masters like Eugene Atget, W. Eugene Smith, Diane Arbus, Walker Evens, Ansel Adams, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Horst P. Horst, Ernst Haas, Herbert Bayer, Jacques Henri Lartigue and Edward Weston. From the very beginning Davin has been a visionary translating his ideas into a physical form through drawing, painting, illustrating and photography. Davin's ultimate goal is to fully explore the artistic side of photography through alternative pr

Mark Wallace - Change Humanity A friend of mine introduced me to Mark's YouTube channel and his work in 2010 or so and I have been wanting to get him on the show for a long time now. after a couple quick emails he was game and I am so glad. I could not be more pleased with the conversation, the value, and the inspiration Mark has shared with me and you Photo World. Give it a listen but definitely watch his videos for Adorama TV Mark Wallace is a photographer based in the United States. Best known for his web-based video series “Digital Photography One on One” and “Exploring Photography” sponsored by Adorama. Millions of people have watched Mark’s videos on YouTube, and the numbers continue to grow. Mark has a strong social media following on Facebook and Twitter, where he spends time interacting with viewers and workshop attendees. In 2014, Mark left the United States to embark on a 2 year worldwide adventure. He visited 28 countries and captured thousands of unique photographs across the globe. In 2016 Mark

Overcoming END! Job, relationships, projects, motivation, and power... thing end. Just like the ones listed here or maybe something you are thinking about, one way or another, there is an end to it. Sometimes and ending comes about when it is unexpected or inconvenient and we can feel lost or afraid about what we may need to do to overcome that end. It is amazing how our perspective can be a solution to most any problem and when we talk about the ends of things that same mind shift can be the help we are looking for. Rather than throwing in the towel and accepting the end, we can give the future a chance to thrive with the idea that E.N.D. is really "Effort Never Dies". There is something to be said about not giving up. However, before I get deep into this topic and the idea that we should always strive to keep going. Let me be clear that an ending may be the right solution to that job, relationship, project, motivation, etc. My real thought process here is that we can think positively and take our learning w

Whats In My Bag part 17 I'm still on this kick of photo gear and breaking down my equipment list. I have to say it is amazing what you can do even when you do not have all the gear you dream of. I have wants of an 85mm f1.5 prime as well as a 200-400mm f4. If I had an extra 9k laying around I would get those lenses. I have had a dream list of gear since the day I realized I love photography. After 7 years I am happy to say that list is almost completely checked off. However, with the advances in technology I find myself always adding and updating the list. I am sure many of you have this process of wants and building up your gear and then wanting something new. Well today's Whats In My Bag episode features the gear that puts the gear envy to rest. LIGHTING! I'm talking about the Paul C. Buff AlienBees B1600. I have three of these studio strobes and a vagabond mini to give me power on the go. Having the right light will extend the life of any camera, automatically improve the possibility of any lens, and teach

Get It Right In Camera Photo World, this fast paced digital age we live in has really been a great advantage to beginning a photography careers. However, many newer photographers depend on the LCD screen as a way of knowing their exposure adjustments rather than understanding their camera meter and how to make creative and/or specific choices to better an image before the even begin. I am all for making adjustments because thing look off on the LCD but I am more for knowing how to meter, understanding what you want, adjust beyond the better judgement of your camera meter, and creating something that looks great rather than something that looks average. It is so much more fun raising the bar from great to awesome rather than average to better. As a wonderfully difficult test I would urge every new photographer to get a hold of a film SLR and shoot a 36 exposure roll and see what it is like to take a picture. Not practice a picture like digital but actually capture and see later if you got what you wanted to ta

Your Gifts as a Gift Fist off, yesterday was Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there. Do you ever approach a holiday or birthday thinking "Oh no... I have no idea what to get for them." This happens to me all the time. I found a simple and meaningful way around this annoying problem on what kind of gift to get for Mom or Dad, any friend on their birthday, a significant other, or when your a guest at a wedding. 1: know that this gift idea will not always be the perfect solution 2: understand that if this approach is over used you will look like a thoughtless idiot 3: this is not a work around to the traditional gift ideas that would fit "this" particular occasion in question It's you. or your abilities rather... I am talking about giving your gifts as a gift. Using your photography to create something special for someone. Maybe offering your photography service as a gift itself. I get that this is a business and we need to make money but giving the service you place value on is often more

Whats In My Bag part 16 Continuing, but winding down, on the Friday Whats In My Bag episodes is a phenomenal light I use at every wedding, every portrait, engagement session, and family portraits. It is the Flashpoint Streaklight 360. This light has the compact feel of a speedlight, though it is sufficiently larger, and the power of a studio strobe. Not quite the power of your average 400-600 Watts studio light but near that being a 360 Watt light. Compare that to a top of the line speedlight at about 60-90 Watts and you have a portable powerful light source to be implemented anywhere you need it as you need it. The specific version I purchased is a Manual function only. Although they do make a Nikon Compatible version, as well as, Canon and Sony versions. Those have the option for TTL (Through The Lens) metering function. I could see the benefit in TTL with this power house that is so mobile. However I am a manual kind of guy. I only shoot in full Manual (M) exposure so unsurprisingly I like the same level o

Exposed Photography Showcase There are countless ways to get out there and network or show your work to others. One local event is the Exposed Photography Showcase at the College of DuPage. It was held last night (05/03/2016) with approximately 500 people in attendance. The Exposed Photography Showcase is a juried contest for both college students as well as surrounding area high school students. We had 11 high schools submit work and I was on the panel of judges for them. The COD student's work was looked at by three local professional photographers. Some of the prizes were subscriptions to the Adobe CC, subscription to ASMP, and even a Canon 70D kit was awarded. This was only the second year for the Exposed Photography Showcase and it was a huge success. Networking was fluent throughout the evening and I even heard a couple students landed internships. Other students were able to sell some work and even book a few sessions. The reality is, when you attend a networking event, any networking possible eve

I Love NO! No... There's a word we don't hear enough. Yeah right. Some times it feels like the only answer people know how to give. It can be upsetting hearing No over and over but maybe there is another way to look at it. In this episode I break down the word No and unfold a few ideas on how to handle hearing it. It isn't something we really ever get used to but most of us still seem to have a lot of trouble dealing with moving past No. In my personal life I have had a tough time moving past many NO's. However, I haven't really had much of an issue letting "No" go when it came to my work environments. Between the ages of 15-19 I had a dozen or so part time jobs. Two or Three at any given time to keep me overwhelmingly busy, though I had more opportunity than most learn and grow for all the No's in my life. On a personal note, I do find great value in looking back over the No's but I never spent much time indulging the idea of sadness or fear because of it. No is motivation. Happy Shooting! Get your FREE bu

Whats In My Bag part 15 The last couple weeks were all about speedlights or at least the two I have in my bag for just about every job I go to. With this portable lighting any time I want I need the best way to power them. First off I don't know if the batteries I choose to use are the best choice but I know they have worked really well for me. Secondly you may find something that works better for you and your lights. If that is the case I would love to know what you use for your setup. For me I go to the Eneloop AA and AAA batteries. They can withstand up to 2000+ charges and the hold their charge much longer than most other batteries. When they first came out they were developed by Sanyo however they were missing from shelves for a year or so after Panasonic bought them out and redeveloped them. It was a good thing too... when I first found out about the eneloop batteries they were $70 for 4 AA's and a charger. The price has come way down since then. Happy Shooting! Get your FREE business coaching call wit

What is HDR It seems like every time we go to capture an image we have to choose between the highlights and the shadows. Traditionally with film you would expose for the shadows and then develop for the highlights. With Digital we must expose for the highlights and bring up the shadows. The problem is images are limited by the extreme ends and they don't match what we had seen at the time of capture. This is where High Dynamic Range (HDR) comes in. HDR is a technique to create an image with details from the deep shadows through the bright highlights. True HDR is a set of multiple captures of the same scene at different exposures and using software to composite elements from each image and overlaying separate elements to create one photograph containing highly detailed information from 0-255 in all shadows and all highlights as long as that information was available from any of the original images. There are many HDR-like photos being made from singular RAW files where the highlights are brought down, the shad

Perfect Picture Every Time Henri Cartier Bresson Hey Photo World so toady's Monday Message is about creating a Perfect Picture Every Time. Now we could argue the idea of perfect forever. 1, I don't have the time and 2, I don't like confrontation so let's skip past this part of the discussion. Today's episode is more so an introduction for a free PDF I am giving away. If you haven't subscribed then brows my site and the popup will appear and then you have the chance to get this free PDF as a thank you for joining the Take & Talk Pics community. I don't send many emails but when I do you always have the option to unsubscribe if you would like. This is more of a theoretical discussion on a very hot topic and that is how do we know if a photograph we create is good or not, let alone perfect. There are many ideas about correct exposure and even more about proper composition, but we also have that "X" Factor (for lack of a better term) where you just like or dislike something and you can't quite place why.

Whats In My Bag Part 14 On to the big guns. Well... as far as speedlights go this is a big gun. The Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash is a power house of light in a compact system. A speedlight is a large flash unit that can be attached to the hot shoe of the camera or be used wirelessly. The biggest speedlight in my bag also has one of the biggest setbacks for a speedlight. The SB-900 has a tendency to overheat when used at high power for multiple shots and/or the zoom is at its widest of 17mm. Zoom that bad boy to 200mm and dial down the power and you have no overheat problem. I have a love hate relationship with this particular flash unit because it has a lot of power and then falls short for some shots needing a bit more; then it is too powerful for other shots where I wish I could bring it down to 1/256 power rather than the still awesomely low 1/128 power option. In the end though I do like the flash a whole lot. Happy Shooting! Get your FREE business coaching call with Rob! Sign up for