Take & Talk Pics

Fundamental Fridays  - Speedlights set on TTL talking Directional vs Bounce Light. With all the choices we need to make for exposure, composition, framing, dept of field, etc. introducing flash, and in this case speedlights, adds a huge change to the mix. I want to take the next few Fundamental Friday's and break down little by little how we can use these tools to our advantage. Today I am walking through the TTL and a bit about how it works, what the flash is made to do and a couple tricks on how to override the functions for a more pleasing image. What does on camera directional flash do or look like? What are the benefits or disadvantages to bouncing your flash? Give this episode a listen and let's see what we figure out. Happy Shooting!

Today’s featured guest is BJ Aguado (ag-wad-o) BJ and his wife Jen run their photography business throughout the greater Chicago land area. As a family man BJ photographs families and weddings. He captures pure emotion through his photojournalistic and candid style. His business is definitely second to his family but understanding the business side led to his podcast Shutter Sidekick. As a husband and wife team, our goal is to see how we can help you with your needs. Whether you are looking for a wedding photographer or you need to update the family photo hanging on the wall, we want to guide you in the right direction. Our passion is photography, specifically, weddings and family. We have been shooting for many years now and we are enjoying every minute of it. While we have experience in various genre's of photography such as newborn, club, family, wedding, events. our main focus is weddings and family photography. We have been married for fifteen years. We have three children, ranging in age from 15 down to

Monday Message - Who is in my Network Over the past 5 weeks I have gone over strategies on how to network. We have plenty of options on how to stay stuck behind a screen and I even mentioned ways to get in front of people. There is a problem with Networking though... Who is in my Network? Well... In today's Monday Message I address this topic and share a brief story one small branch of my network in action. These small exchanges of information, tips, tricks, suggestions, and wisdom from real experiences all add up to being the reason for a vast Network. Think of your Network like a family tree. There are potentially endless branches all inadvertently connecting back to one root cause or starting point. That starting point for your Network is you but consider how many branches you must be on for those in your Network as they are a root to a different tree. This vast forest is the breeding ground for success. It is hardly who you know that will get you places but those who you know, know.  I'm wrapping up this

TTL mode, Auto aperture flash, Non-TTL auto flash, Distance-priority manual flash, Manual mode, and Repeating flash. With so many options how do we know what to choose for each situation we are in? Before we even decide what mode to use we need to consider the need for speedlights at all. See this flash thing can become stressful very quickly when we aren't familiar with our gear. On a basic level, speedlights are an artificial light source and we need light for photography; it's a must! over the next few weeks I will be going over the modes on your speedlights and how to use them effectively. There are a few great take away's from today's, audio only, Fundamental Friday. I'll bring back the YouTube element next week! Happy Shooting!  

Today’s featured guest is Nat Coalson. Nat runs his business here in the US based out of CO as well as a studio in Hinckley England. Nat starts with photography, both digital and traditional processes, but then woks with mixed media to finalize his art. Some works are embellished with paint, resin, or foil; while others are produced with a combination or a completely different material. His abstract work is sought after for private décor and commercial presentation. Beyond the mixed media photography Nat also has pictorial journeys where his location based fine art photography shines. Nathaniel Coalson is an American visual artist living in England. Nat works primarily in fine art photography and abstract mixed media, with a business emphasis on creating custom decor for luxury hotels and private residences. He's also a well-known photography teacher and author, having written five books published by Wiley, including the series Lightroom: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process and Nature Photography Ph

Meetup Groups I have been talking about networking and several options for improving your network. Tools to building connections and strategies on forming habits to continue growth in this area. Well Photo World this week I wrap up the how to better your network topic with Meetup Groups. I share a couple stories and the lessons I learned from Meetup Groups experiences. Get out there Photo World and Network with Meetup.com Happy Networking and Photo World… Happy Shooting!

Fundamental Fridays Culling Your Photos There are several tools for Culling Your Photos. I prefer to use Bridge and give a 1 star rating to the images I do not want to edit. More often than not they are a duplicate or variation of another image right next to it. The truth is we just don't have a need for every picture. If you make the images smaller, not as small as the contact sheet style shown here, but smaller than even half the screen you will be able to quickly analyse the image and choose to keep or throw. I rarely Cull my photos on the same day I shoot them. You need to give your eyes and mind a rest before reliving what you just did. We see differently every day, so why not see things one way and make great images and then view the images on a different day with fresh eyes. Move fast each photo will be edited soon enough so move quickly through deciding one what to keep. Happy Shooting!

Abe Robinson - Dark Glamor Today’s featured guest is Abe Robinson. Abe runs a photography studio called Blind 7 Photography. He is based out of Cleveland Ohio and specializes in dark glamor with a commercial fusion. Over the past 18 years Abe has been published in several magazines and these publications span across the world. With a Special effects makeup artist on staff Abe brings the depths of his imagination to life for a wide range of clientele.

Network with LinkedIn Their slogan is “LinkedIn: World’s Largest Professional Network” This is the one popular social media site that is mainly for networking. Start by completing your profile! So many people get it set up and never return to fill in all the blanks. You can be vague about your skill set or extremely detailed. – do yourself a favor and just make sure you complete everything that is valid. The little things matter! You have more experience than you might think. Volunteer work Work history Certificates Degrees Individual classes Seminars Publications Having a web site Running a regularly posting blog First sync up to your contacts you already have Connect with those in your email accounts Existing in a social space doesn’t do anything Having an account and setting up your page is useless until you personally connect with others. Find, Follow, & Lead. When on Linkedin are you really “In”? Join groups and follow organizations or associations that make sense for your business. Len

Fundamental Friday - Focal Length and Choosing a Lens Zoom Lenses, Prime Lenses, Wide, Telephoto, Macro, Tilt Shift, Fish Eye, etc. With so many lens options what do we choose for our cameras and photography? Well I don't know if I have a sure fire answer to that question but I wanted to discuss focal length and a few things to think about when it comes to lens choice. In this episode I shed some light on focal lengths, zoom and prime lenses, and understanding the aperture's sweet spot. The video with the sample pictures on location are a great example on this topic and why this is definitely something to consider when choosing a lens for your photography. Be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter! 2015 © Take&TalkPics #HeyPhotoWorld

Today’s featured guest is Rebekah Nemethy - Pet and Product Photographer Rebekah and her business Reflective Photos began as a photography career with weddings and after doing one she knew it wasn’t her calling for her photography. After some exploration in different areas of this visual art Rebekah found her stride in pet photography. Aside from her pet photography Rebekah has been with the photography department at Consumer Reports for the past 5 years. Good take away's from this episode: Transparency! be clear about the details with your clients. It is easy to be caught up in the big picture stuff. "You're only as good as your last photo." - making new work will always lead to improvements and the lack of attempts for better work is only settling. Small an manageable goal will be of great practice for the big ones but they will also be the building blocks for what you may one day call success.  My path to pet photography was definitely not on a straight, high-speed highway; I took the back roads and got lo

Networking with Instagram Have some fun with your personal Instagram live and your business life! The mix will allow for a following to see the serious posts We hear it in blogging, podcasts, at seminars, workshops, or in a classroom; content is key. Have relevant and current content or in this case popular current hashtags. Being an active part of your Instagram community is important. Like I discussed for facebook groups and how you need to be an active listener and pro-active with critiques, it is the same here. Follow, favorite, and create buzz about the posts that interest or inspire you. Chances are, there are others waiting to be inspired by it too. It’s no secret with video being standard on DSLR’s and Mirrorless systems that motion picture plays a pivotal role in our world. Instagram offers the same opportunity. One, for an additional way of delivering content and two, this helps in cultivating connections. Instagram has now been competing with Twitter in this arena and it can only help you to have t

Fundamental Fridays - Metering Metering for a proper exposure seems easy enough. However, should we follow the meter in our cameras? I say yes... well... no... kind of both. Use your meter. understand that your camera meter is always lying to you and learn the strategies to over come the issues  of manual metering. Camera priority modes are great for learning but the offer an out from the education process of trial and error. Listen to today's Fundamental Fridays episode to understand how to meter your camera correctly under any lighting situation. Happy Shooting! Click here to register for the first ever Take & Talk Pics/Rob Krueger Photography FREE workshop!

Today’s featured guest is Tony Sweet. I had a blast interviewing Tony and getting to bring his story to you Photo World. Living through the interview, editing the interview, and now listing to it... I am still inspired. Tony reminds me that persistence and forward motion is the best path. No matter the turns you take or the learning experiences you have if you Keep an Even Keel you can look back to see your success but not get hung up on any ups or downs throughout the journey. "When the Student is ready the Teacher Appears." - Zen Buddhists - Tony Sweet After successful careers as a jazz musician/educator, and professional magician, Tony settled on photography as his chosen means for personal expression. Tony has become an in-demand speaker throughout the United States and Canada on creativity in the digital age. Tony and Susan Milestone conduct Visual Artistry photography location workshops in the United States, Canada, and Iceland. Tony maintains an active speaking schedule to photography organizations, in

Hey Photo World! Like last week I'm discussing real networking options with your social media. It's no secret that success can come through the connections you make on social media mixed with the effort you put in in maintaining those relationships. Just like last week when I talked about networking through the use of Facebook; Facebook groups and making lists, I discuss the importance of Twitter in a few strategies on how to make your connections meaningful. If you're not voicing what it is you'd like to discuss then there is no network to follow along in that discussion you have to know what you'd like to talk about so that others can see what it is you're saying. Are you selective about who you follow? Are you selective about who follows you? Most people would tell you it doesn't matter who's following you it's actually a benefit regardless of who they are and what it is they are doing with their network on Twitter. It's arguable that it is a good idea but I can see the reasons why it wouldn't be beneficia

We set our exposure, compose our frame, and release the shutter. Sounds easy enough. However, the complexities of making a great photograph are not so easy. There are dozens of things to consider in making such an image. One of those things to think about is the White Balance. The White Balance ultimately controls the color temperature based on the lighting conditions. In reality it is correcting the difference in color temperatures to deliver correct color exposure to better match what you see with your eye. A nice little problem photography will always have is the subject of the way you see with your eyes. Each person will interpret color a little differently from the next. What this means is when I see green you may not quite see the same green but you can look at or be a little bit more yellow or slightly cooler. Typically we don't find such severities in the difference of how we see colors however, in a minute but measurable difference there is a change from person to person. Same story goes from camera

Today’s featured guest is Kathleen Clemons. Kathleen is a photographer based out of Harpswell Maine. She is represented worldwide by Corbis and Getty Images. Lensbaby.com has named her a “Lensbaby Guru” and describe her as the “Geogia O’Keeffe  of Flower Photography”. Kathleen is a photography instructor at The Bryan Peterson School of Photography where she teaches five online classes. She is also an instructor for the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and CreativeLive.com. Kathleen Clemons is a photographer from the coast of Maine.  Primarily a nature photographer, Kathleen is known for her creative use of natural light and unique compositions. Her work is represented  worldwide by Corbis and Getty Images. Lensbaby recently named her the "Georgia O' Keeffe of Flower Photography". She is an instructor at The Bryan Peterson School of Photography and also teaches for the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. She recently filmed classes forCreativeLive.com and Craftsy.com. With a degree in education, and a passion for

Today's Monday Message addresses the Networking topic. More specifically: How to Network With Facebook! I say it on the show often enough or a guest will bring it up during an interview question and we all know a bit about Networking and the importance of doing so for our businesses and our work. I am breaking down How to Network With Facebook on today's show because with a small amount of direction we can achieve greatness. Rather than simply suggesting to "go out and Network", I am laying out a few steps to take to improve your Facebook Networking skills. Please share how you use Facebook to network in the comments below. Happy Shooting! Click HERE to register for the next Take&TalkPics.com webinar! Be sure to Subscribe to our newsletter! 2015 © Take&TalkPics #HeyPhotoWorld

For today's Fundamental Friday I go over Compositional Elements in Photography.  There so many I am sure I am missing a ton. However these are a few worth... Show Notes Page

Today’s featured guest is Lewis Kemper.   Lewis Is a Fine Art nature and wild life photographer and has been for over 30 years. His travels throughout 47 states from Alaska to Florida are the scenes for his subjects. Lewis still does color work with a 4x5 camera as well as digital work and is a Canon Explorer of Light Emeritus. Lewis Kemper has been photographing the natural beauty of North America, and its parklands for over 30 years. During his extensive travels, he has been to 47 states from Alaska to Florida.   His work has been exhibited and published in magazines, books, and calendars worldwide. Before moving west, he received a BA in Fine Art Photography from the George Washington University in 1976. The grandeur of the west beckoned and Lewis moved to Yosemite National Park, where he lived for 11 years. From 1978 until 1980, he worked at The Ansel Adams Gallery. Working at the gallery gave him the opportunity to meet, observe and learn from some of the greatest photographers of our time. “The experien