Christmas is, without a doubt, one of the most fun times of the year for photographers. Family and friends gather together, the streets are aglow with lights and decorations, and some of you may even be lucky enough to have snow on the ground during this time of year. But… out of all of those glorious photographic opportunities, have any of you ever tried to photograph the elusive Santa Claus? If you want to catch Santa in the act of gift-giving this year, here are some things you need to know:

To deliver presents to all of the good boys and girls of the world, Santa must travel roughly 122 million kilometers on Christmas Eve. Given the time zone changes, that leaves him with approximately 31 hours to get the job done. That puts his speed in the neighbourhood of 1047 km per second. Factoring in the number of families who celebrate Christmas throughout the globe, and the number of kids who made the “Nice” vs “Naughty” list, that means Santa has to make 823 visits per second. This means he’s got about 1/1000th of a second to come down your chimney, put the gifts under your tree, grab some milk and cookies, and head back up to the reindeer.

How to Photograph Santa:

What does all this mean as a photographer? Well, he’ll be coming during the night, so your lighting is going to be low – you’ll want to use a wide aperture. Crank your Christmas tree lights up to their fullest intensity to add enough light. Your shutter speed will need to be at least 1/2000 sec since he’ll be moving about during his 1/1000th sec visit to your home. It’s all going to happen very quickly, so you may wish to have a shutter release cable and a tripod handy to avoid fatigue. Try not to blink if possible.

In all seriousness folks, myself and the whole team at PhotographyBB would like to thank you for choosing to spend a part of your day with us, reading our magazine, and participating in the forums. It’s YOU who makes this a great photographic community! I wish you all a fun, safe, warm, and very Merry Christmas!

The subject of backing up your digital photos has come up many times over the years. With changes in storage mediums, the ever increasing need to come up with a diligent backup strategy should be on every digital photography enthusiast’s mind. While backing up your images can seem like a time consuming task (and there are ways to automate a lot of it), it’s one of those things you will be so thankful you did should you ever experience data loss.

Part 1…

I’ve been asked the question of how I backup my photos, and while mine is not the only strategy, it works for me and for the most part I believe it works for protecting my data. As you’ve no doubt noticed from the title of this posting, there are going to be several parts in this mini-series. I thought I would start by sharing my backup strategy first; we’ll get into the how’s and why’s in future posts.

Before Your Begin – Organize Your Drive!

Before I jump into my step-by-step backup strategy, I should note that some preparation and organization was required. Prior to starting this “backup plan”, I created a folder on my hard drive called “Photos” – one folder for all of my finished images. Inside this folder are year folders (2010, 2009, 2008, etc…) and inside those are subfolders by date and shoot (eg. 2009-12-25-Christmas-Day). I also keep a “Plugins” and “Actions” folder inside my main Photos folder so that when I upgrade to new versions of Lightroom and Photoshop, my Plugins, Actions, and Presets are easy to reinstall and they are all in one place. I also create a folder on a completely separate hard drive which I called “Photo Imports Backup.” I basically use this folder to backup every photo upon import, which I’ll then clear at a later time.

The only other thing I do in the way of keeping organized, is that I make sure to shoot with a freshly formatted memory card each time, and subsequently I make sure to transfer all of the photos off that memory card after each shoot. This way I don’t end up with the odd image here or there which I am not sure if I had copied to the computer yet or not. A fresh card for each shoot, and a complete export of the images on that card after the shoot ensure that I don’t lose any precious photos.

My Strategy

While mine is certainly not the only backup strategy, here’s the method I use. It works great for me and protects my data to the extent of my satisfaction:

1. Copy All to Backup Folder: After a photo shoot, I transfer all of my photos from the memory card into my “Photo Imports Backup” folder. Although the word “backup” in this folder title may imply that it’s a secondary copy, I start with this folder since the photos here will not be used in my processing workflow. They will simply sit here as a backup while I work on other copies of them in processing.
2. Import with Lightroom: My processing tool of choice is Adobe’s Lightroom. I load up Lightroom and “Import” the photos from my memory card into my main “Photos” folder, sorted into a new and appropriate subfolder, named by date and title of the shoot. These will serve as my working images for processing.
3. Delete the Junk! In Lightroom, I’ll go through each and every photo and delete the “junk” photos. Images that were blurry or had camera shake, poor composition, etc… Photos which I know I will never use get completely deleted right away. I don’t need them, and I’m not coming back to them!
4. Process the Keepers: With the images I know I’m going to keep, I’ll process them to my heart’s content, then if necessary, I’ll export copies of them as JPEGS into the same subfolder.
5. Backup to Portable: With all of my “keeper’s” processed and finished, I’ll manually copy that subfolder onto a portable hard drive which is organized similarly to the “Photos” folder on my computer.
6. Auto Backup AGAIN: On yet another portable drive (or you could use an external), I have my system set to run an automated backup of all of my important files (photos, documents, music, etc…). This is something that only needs to be setup once, and serves as redundant protection should your computer hard drive ever fail.
7. Format Memory Card: With all of the images backed up and safe, it’s time to wipe that memory card clean for the next shoot!
8. Delete from “Photo Imports Backup”: Now that I have several backed up copies of the images I am going to be keeping, I can delete the original backup of the memory card which I made in step one. I only keep those images during the processing period (which may span several days or weeks!), and clear them off the drive when processing and backups of the competed images are done.
9. Stash the Portable Drive: With my images backed up onto a portable drive, I stash it in a firebox in my home. You could keep one off site if you want to be extra cautious, but this gives me enough peace of mind.

What This Leaves Me With

Just to recap, now I am left with my fully processed images on my computer, a copy on my portable drive, and a backup on another drive. Short of printing them out, 3 digital copies in separate places is enough for my satisfaction that my data is going to be as safe as I can keep it!

Of course, there are additional ways to further protect your data such as remote backup services and off site storage. We’ll cover those options as this series continues, but for now, this is the method which I find effective for me. For those of you who are just getting started in digital photography, this may seem daunting or even overwhelming, however, the importance of some type of backup strategy in something you should give some serious thought to. Besides the people in your lives, can you think of anything else in your home which is so precious and irreplaceable?

I’d like to know what strategies you all currently use, please share with us in the comments section so we can all pick up some tips from your strategies!

So, you’re interested in getting your feet wet in the stock photography game? I say good for you! Many photographers will tell you that stock photography is too competitive to be profitable, and sometimes they are correct. It all comes down to being a smart photographer, as opposed to being the best photographer. Personally I say, “GO FOR IT!” The only thing worst than not succeeding is not trying. We learn from our experiences, both good and bad. If stock photography is something you would like to do, then arm yourself with some good knowledge and jump right in. While the stock photography marketplace is extremely competitive, the following few tips will help you to have an advantage over the competition, and jumpstart your success in the stock photo industry.

Know Yourself

Ultimately, you’ll have to choose the stock photo site which best suits your type of photography. For example, even though stock sites all usually have a wide range of categories, different stock agencies tend to cater more towards certain markets. Perhaps you can start by asking yourself if your intended photographic style is mainly commercial, journalistic, artistic, portraiture, etc… and move forwards from there. Once you have decided on your photographic discipline, you will be able to make an educated choice as to which stock agency or agencies you should register with.

Know Your Market

Ask yourself, “Who are my intended customers? Are they magazines, newspapers, manufacturers, bloggers?” Once you’ve defined your customer, it might be helpful seek out and research which stock agencies they tend to purchase their images from. It will also give you a good idea of the prices they are willing to pay (generally), which can also be helpful when selecting a stock agency.

Narrowing Your Focus Widens Your Market

Once you’ve found your specialty (portraits, products, photo-art, etc…), narrow down your specialty even further. If you take portraits, find your personal style and make them distinct. If you shoot photo-art, pick a style and perfect it completely. It’s a tried and true fact in business that the more you narrow down your specialty, the more customers you will gain.

If that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from your point of view, flip it around and think of it from your consumer’s point of view. For example, let’s say you are a client looking for a photographer to take some professional shots of your vintage automobile. When you open the phonebook (do people still do that?), I mean, when you Google the local photographers, you are going to find a lot of results for all types of photographers. Would you choose the photographer who advertises they shoot weddings, baby photos, architecture, landscapes, and cars? Or would you rather choose the photographer who advertises their specialty is Automobile and/or Auto Show photography? When working in a specific field, you begin to understand the extra care which goes along with photographing your subject. Things such as lighting considerations, space, time of day, product care, etc… are all things that your client will expect you to know when shooting for them. Having a refined specialty makes you an expert in your field, builds your reputation, and keeps repeat clients coming back for more (VERY important in the stock photo business).

How Many Agencies to Work For?

There are so many stock agencies out there who are more than willing to accept your photos. Some agencies will allow you to submit the same photo to other agencies, and some will not. You may even wish to consider going with one agency rather than several. Why would you do this? While it may seem like you are limiting your potential market, by specializing in one stock site you will ultimately wind up being more sought after (should you build your sales numbers with that agency), and some agencies will pay you a higher price for being exclusive with them. With such a wide variety of agencies, it’s important to research their terms and conditions. Although this is the less glamorous side of getting started in stock photography, the decision of going with one agency vs several could wind up being the biggest decision and most crucial factor in your future success as a stock photographer.

Remember: Stock Photography is a BUSINESS

It’s important to keep in mind that stock photography is, in every way, a business. On of the biggest mistakes which many beginner stock photographers make is to start uploading every photo they’ve ever taken. While you will need hundreds (if not thousands) of photos, you actually wind up hurting your own reputation by submitting photos which are not suitable for sale.

How can you determine if your photos are suitable for sale? The easiest way is to spend some time looking at what photos sell well on a particular stock site. Many stock photography sites will show registered users how many times various photos have sold. This gives you a great idea of what the market (from this particular stock site) is demanding, which should then tell you exactly what types of photos you should be taking. Remember, the goal is to make money!

Give the market what they want and you’ll instantly have a leg up on the less experienced stock sellers. One of the key factors in being successful in stock photography is to research and photograph what your market is seeking, rather than what you like to shoot. Landscape photos are extremely popular among photographers, but not so much among buyers in the stock photo world. Many stock photo buyers also look photos which allow room for text placement (if shooting for ad material).

While stock photography is highly competitive and takes time to build both a portfolio and reputation, it can be a most fulfilling dream as a photographer. Do the research on yourself, your market, and the stock agencies; but most importantly, enjoy the process. By preparing yourself before you upload your first photo, you’ll put yourself on the track to becoming a successful stock photographer!

Let’s just get it out of the way and face the facts right off the bat. If you’re reading this, chances are you are already in love with photography (as are we!).

These types of posts are always fun to do, plus every now and then it’s nice to take a break from the seriousness of life and poke fun at ourselves as photographers. I’ve compiled a list of the top ten signs you are obsessed with photography for your entertainment. While these are not all mine, I’ve included the ones that I found to be most true (and therefore, most amusing). How many of these are true for you? Enjoy!

Top 10 Signs You Are Obsessed With Photography

10. You can actually tell what kind of camera someone is using from over 30 feet away.

9. You have tried to claim “Photoshop” as a medical expense because it’s good therapy.

8. When planning a vacation, your main concern is finding a hotel that offers wifi so you’ll be able to upload your photos to the web, daily.

7. You own more than one camera bag even though you only have one camera.

6. You refer to cleaning up after dinner as “post-processing the kitchen.”

5. You can’t remember the date of your best friend’s birthday, but you know all the specs of your camera and lenses by heart.

4. When attending a wedding, you are more interested in what the photographer is doing than what the bride and groom are doing.

3. When you see a photo of a model, you find yourself more interested in what lighting was used and how much processing may have been done.

2. You understand that 22 is actually smaller than 5.6

1. When gazing upon a beautiful landscape you think to yourself, “That’s lovely, but it could use just a bit more saturation!”

It’s no secret how I feel when it comes to new technology. Whether it’s cameras, cell phones, iPads, computers, or even new lenses, I am a techno-addict to say the least. I always want the latest and greatest gear, even when most of the time I don’t need it.

I was walking through a camera shop the other day, and noticed that the old (*wink wink*) Canon 50D was on sale at a spectacular discount, priced to clear. Next to it sat the brand new 60D, gleaming in all it’s glory. I swear there was a beam of light shining down on it from the sky, and I’m sure I could hear angels singing. I checked it out and compared it with the 50D, and upon looking over the 60D and doing a bit of research online, it got me to do some serious thinking about myself and my attitudes towards technology.

There are those people who absolutely have to have the newest gear, and others who are more content to use what they have until it is no longer useful. There are also people who are more than content to purchase “older” or used gear, and thereby pay a great price as opposed to buying new. I am one of the people who likes to purchase new equipment only, and up until my experience in the camera store with the 50D and 60D, I had never considered buying an “older” model, even if it was brand new (as opposed to used). I don’t need HD video recording on my digital SLR, and while there are a few upgraded features available on the newest models of cameras, many of them are features I didn’t know existed or never felt I needed to have. When you really think about it, a camera does what it has always done, take photos – and all I want to do is photography.

Camera manufacturer’s these days walk a very fine line (as do most technology manufacturers). With all of the advancements in technologies and electronic parts becoming less and less expensive, manufacturers are able to deliver new models once a year. This is great because the world is now offered the newest technology more frequently, but it’s also a bad thing because they wind up making their own products virtually obsolete more quickly. This is by no means meant to encourage anyone seek out older gear or last-year camera models; there will always be early-adopters and those who need to have the latest gear, just as there will always be a market for those who prefer to buy used. However, all this got me thinking that the cost savings in buying a new, “last-year’s” model of camera is significant, especially when the new feature differences are either minimal or not necessary to me. When you think about it, how long would a brand new 50D last you if you bought it today? Most likely several years at least, so why not save a few hundred bucks over the newest model?

Now, I’ll probably always be the type of person who buys the newest gear, it’s just in my techno-nature. But now I’m at least open to the possibility of checking out the older models, particularly when the savings are significant and the new features just aren’t warranted (for me). It’s good food for thought, so I’d like to know… What type of “gearhead” are YOU?

I received a great question via email the other day regarding a situation that most of us have experienced at some point, but have either shrugged off or bottled it up inside of us. I’m talking about the photography naysayers out there. The people who, for some reason or another, feel the need to tell you that you aren’t doing something “right” and put you down as a photographer or even worse – as a learning photographer.

The Naysayer Effect

It is an unfortunate fact of life that when people (who don’t personally know) us see us taking photos, there is a tendency for them to think, “Look at this guy/girl taking photos… Who the heck to they think they are, some pro or something?”. Couple this with another unpleasant side of human nature that some people feel that their opinion is “expert” in anything and everything, and the result is an all too familiar situation not only as a photographer, but also in life. Believe it or not, there are negative elements in this world that compel some people to put down others, challenging our shooting technique, our gear, our creativity, etc… They like to tell us that we’re amateurs for not using manual mode, or that full frame cameras are better, or our lens is too cheap… What’s amazing to me is that 99% of the time, these people are not holding a camera of their own. They either claim that they “used to do photography” or they “have a friend who is a pro photographer” and that somehow entitles them to their baseless opinion.

Now, I’m not against opinions by any means; we all have them and we are all entitled to them. I expect people to share them (hint hint, leave your comment on this post below!) and I expect us to sometimes agree and disagree. However, I do have a big problem with people demeaning others when they are in no position to do so. Believe it or not, this happens a lot in photography.

How to Deal With Them

It’s probably crystal clear how I feel on this topic, so I’ll end the naysayer bashing here and move on to how I believe you can effectively deal with them. The one thing you can count on with complete certainty is that no matter how right you are, you cannot change someone else (or their opinion). What you do have complete control over, is how you choose to deal with the situation. Communication has become more of an art form than a means of delivering your sentiments.

Our mother’s all taught us never to stoop to someone’s lower level, and this couldn’t be more true in these types of situations. From personal experience I have learned that the “kill them with kindness” approach has been 100% effective for me. If someone has the nerve to approach you while you are shooting and give you an opinion which initially makes your blood boil, take a breath and introduce yourself to them in a friendly manner. Be polite and professional, and even if you KNOW they are wrong, don’t bother engaging in an argument with them. Of course it would be nice to tell them to mind their own business and just put them in their place, but why ruin your day or your shoot by having a heated debate with someone when ultimately the end result isn’t going to change anything? It just doesn’t serve any useful purpose and can stifle your creativity. Hand them a business card, invite them to your website, give them a smile and just move on. It can be rather disarming when people are expecting you to react strongly and you still treat them with respect. Present yourself professionally at all times because you never know who else is watching; your perception from others is important, but even more so is how your perception of yourself. Like I said, it’s an art form these days, but it works.

Knowing who you are is important here too. If you are just beginning and are in the learning process of photography, that’s absolutely fine! Everyone starts at square one when learning a new craft, hobby, and/or profession. There’s absolutely no shame in knowing that you are just starting out, knowing that more expensive gear is our there waiting for you someday, and knowing that you still have a lot of room for improvement. As long as you are self aware, negativity shouldn’t dissuade or discourage you; don’t even allow it to ruin your day. You have control over your emotions, your reactions, and your responses. If you are an experienced photographer, then you are fully aware that you know what you are doing and that is all that matters. Professional photographers, you already know you are successful. You’re living your dream and nobody can change that, especially not with an opinion. Stay positive and enjoy your photography experience. Focus on your craft and your own determination will help you to continuously improve and enjoy photography – which is the whole reason we do this in the first place!

At some point in every digital photographer’s journey there comes a point where we are faced with the question: To watermark, or not to watermark? The decision on whether to add a digital watermark over your beautiful photos is a personal one, but of course there are pros and cons (call them “consequences” if you will), regardless of which side of the fence you sit on. I have a very firm stance on my personal watermarking belief system, but I’ll get to in a little bit…

What is a Watermark?

For those of you who are beginners to digital photography, you have probably heard the term before, but perhaps some clarification is needed. A watermark is simply a graphical or text element which has been overlaid onto your image. You have probably seen a photographer’s name, website, or email address added to the bottom corner of an image before. This is a watermark! Or more accurately, this is a type of watermark as there are several ways to watermark your digital photos.

The Question of Watermarking

As I was saying, the decision to add a digital watermark to your photos is largely personal, but there are some real benefits to doing so. Watermarking an image is a digital process which should be one of the last steps in your processing workflow. Typically, you will only want to add a watermark to images which you are sharing online. If you are selling or making personal prints, there is little use for a watermark other than to add the effect of a “signature” similar to what painters do with their works. But for the average photographer shooting family portraits, weddings, or personal photography, keeping a watermark out of your prints is the most likely scenario for the majority of us. It’s when you share your images online with the world that you’ll want to be very “aware” of your watermarking strategy. Let’s have a look at the most popular reasons for this essential step in your digital post-processing.

Crediting Yourself
You have a beautiful portfolio of digital images and you want to share them online so the whole world can enjoy your photography. That’s great! When someone views your photo online (regardless of where you post it, be it a photo sharing site, a forum, or your own personal website), how are they going to know who the photographer was that took this amazing shot? Adding a simple watermark containing your name will instantly enable the viewer to know who you are, and if they enjoy your work they may even be prompted to do an online search of your name to find more of your photography or learn more about you. Every photo is a work of art in itself, and it’s up to you if you’d like to sign it or leave it anonymous.

Providing Contact Info
Now, you don’t want your watermark containing too much information such that it distracts from the photo, but if you are planning on selling your work it may be a good idea to give people an easy way to find you. You can do this in a variety of ways with your image’s metadata (we’ll cover this in a future post!), or you could have your email or website address appear in your watermark. People will be able to contact you, which may lead to sales or future job shoots if that is what you are seeking.

Protecting Your Images
This is one of the more controversial topics when it comes to watermarking. Here is the simple fact: You cannot protect your digital images from being “stolen” off the web, period. You can make it difficult for someone to steal your photo, but not impossible. As far as watermarks go, the only way to prevent someone from stealing your photo off the web is to add a very intrusive watermark which covers the majority of the image; similar to the first example photo in this posting. Personally, I don’t feel this adds any value to your photo. Some would beg to differ, but I would argue that in protecting your photos with a watermark, you are ruining your photo – which is what you are trying to display in the first place! I promise we’ll get into a deeper discussion on protecting your images on the web in another post. For now, we’ll focus on watermarking.

Types of Watermarks

By now, I’m hoping you all see the benefits in adding a watermark to your photos. I really feel it’s one of those steps which many folks who are just getting started, tend to neglect. Even if you are sharing your photos on Facebook with your friends or emailing them to family members, you may not know who else winds up seeing them. I say, if you have a digital image to share, add some sort of watermark to it! Now that my little watermarking sermon is out of the way, let’s have a look at the different types of watermarks you could add to your photography.

The Loud and Proud
As I mentioned before, for those who are really concerned about the image thieves of the world, you could go with the destructive full-image overlay type watermarks (see the first image at the top of this post). It covers enough of your photo that it would be too much work for any would-be image thief to spend time Photoshopping it out, but at the cost of being a major distraction from your photo.

Watermark Frame
I like this method, and it’s one I often use for my own work. This would be adding a frame to your image, and including the watermark within the frame itself. You can get as simple or as fancy as you like, but typically a thick border with some text inside it will do the trick. It doesn’t distract from the image, and often it draws attention to your name/contact info without taking anything away from your photo.

Small and Subtle
This is another method of watermarking which I also use. It involves adding a small watermark which could be either text based or a logo, and overlaying it on top of your photo in a subtle way. Usually I will position this type of watermark in one of the corners of the image so that it includes my “signature” or contact info without getting in the way of the image itself. I have even seen some highly effective uses of this type of watermark from some photographers, who cleverly incorporate their logo/text into their scene such that it becomes part of the image.

To me, watermarking a digital image is one of those essential steps in finishing an image intended for the web. It may not offer 100% protection, but it’s a way of signing your work and letting people (who are interested) find and contact you more easily. Now that we’ve looked at the reasons for watermarking, and the types of watermarks, I’ll continue our watermarking series with some tutorials on how you can easily add and automate the process of watermarking your photos. Stay tuned and until then, happy photographing!

Question: How can I find a photography agency to work for, who will get my work out there by representing me?

Answer: Great question! Actually, there are two equally important answers to this question. Finding a photography agency to represent you and your work requires both the skill of learning how to market and present yourself, as well as learning exactly how to source out the right agency for you. Naturally, the specifics on how to do all this will ultimately be different for each individual. We all have different strengths to play to, different genres of photography we enjoy shooting, and a wide range of geographic considerations. Hopefully the following tips can lead you in the right direction to finding the best agency suited for you.

How to market (sell) yourself

If you are interested in becoming a professional photographer, marketing yourself is going to be the most important skill you can have (even more important than the great quality of your photos). First, people have to be able to locate you easily. Second, they have to be able to effortlessly have access to viewing your work.

Should you have a website?

If you want to put yourself  “out there,” then the quickest and most cost effective way is to make sure you have your own website. Not only does it instill a sense of professional reputation for your potential agency, it also puts you on a more level playing field to all of the other professionals who have their web galleries going for them. If possible, I strongly recommend setting up your own web gallery with your name as the domain name. Sometimes this may not be possible if you have a popular name such as “John Smith,” and you’ll have to get creative in this case.

If you have no experience in creating websites, it really doesn’t have to be difficult. There are some great web hosting companies like 1and1, Bluehost, etc.. which offer pre-made photo gallery templates for your site; all you have to do is upload your photography. Also, if you are a Photoshop, Lightroom, or Photoshop Elements user, these programs now have built in photo-gallery website creation tools built-in. It’s become as easy as choosing a template and picking the photos you would like to showcase on your website. The software creates a folder containing all of the website code, structure, and files, then you simply upload it to your web hosting service.

At the very least, if you do not wish to have your own website (as an aspiring professional, I can’t imagine why not!), there are some great free services you can use such as free sites like Flickr for photo-sharing. However, you are going to present a more professional impression by having your own website.

Traditional Portfolio

One of the things which many people neglect these days is maintaining a traditional portfolio. “What’s that?” you say… Prints in a digital world?! There is a huge beneficial “wow” factor when presenting physical prints of your work in a nicely bound portfolio. Now days, most photographers direct potential employers to their website, which is good, but lacks a real personal touch. Giving a potential employer something tangible to see and feel will help you to leave a more lasting impression. It also demonstrates that you know what you are doing when it comes to both photography and PRESENTATION.

Remember, there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of aspiring professionals also looking to get hired. You can’t presume that your great work is any better than theirs, but you can give yourself a leg-up on them by not only selling your work, but also selling yourself. Before you can even do that much, you’ve got to find an agency to sell yourself to!

How to find an agency

This will be the most challenging step in getting hired. Agencies are typically highly competitive, but that shouldn’t discourage you. There is a need for photographers in all genres and at all levels of experience too. Some agencies may be after high-end, fine art photographers who’s work they can sell in the tens of thousands of dollars, while other agencies may need more affordable work such as shots for non-profit agency brochures.

Of course, you should keep an eye on the local job websites and places like Monster.com or Workopolis.com, but there is also something positive to be said for “pounding the pavement.” By that, I mean actually going out and making calls, or visiting the human resources departments of companies you would like to shoot for. I work with many photographers who do professional work for companies that they approached, and these were companies who were not even hiring at the time. Many organizations are happy to hire freelance photographers as jobs arise, especially if you are willing to do good work and prove your reliability to them. Always keep resumes on hand!

Ultimately, you can seek out and keep applying to agencies to hire you. Once you are hired, you will work for them when projects arise. However, if you are willing to try putting yourself out there and approaching the types of companies who would normally hire out from an agency, you may find that you are your own best agent!

Thanks for the question, and good luck in your search. Until next time, happy photographing!

Hi folks! As many of you have noticed by now, we have changed up our download procedure for the (always) free, PhotographyBB Online Magazine. I’ve done this for a number of reasons; to provide notifications to our readers when new releases are available, but namely to introduce and offer two new and exciting features to the PhotographyBB experience:

New Reader FAQ

One of the most important reasons why we’re making these great new changes is to reach out and connect more with our readers, and I want you all to reach back and connect with us too. That’s why we’re opening up a brand new “Reader FAQ” posting once a week, where we’ll be answering your specific questions. Magazine subscribers can simply email their questions to us, or submit them through the Contact link in our blog menu. Don’t be shy! You will be kept completely anonymous so feel free to ask any photography or processing related question, and we’ll make a selection of Q&A’s to post to the blog once a week.

Photo Journal

Next, we are introducing a weekly photo-journal to keep our readers up to date with all of the latest photography and post processing tutorials. Subscribers to our monthly magazine and photo-journal will receive a one-a-week email which can be archived so that you never miss out on great free information. I personally know how hard it is to keep up to date reading blogs and learning all of the latest techniques, that’s why I’ve created this option for our readers. We’ll be keeping the photo-journals short and sweet so that you can choose which articles and tutorials to click on and expand.

Prizes Prizes Prizes

Additionally, we have some generous sponsors on board who have provided us with super-cool prizes to give away, up to two times a month! Better yet, once you have confirmed your subscription by clicking on the special confirmation link we send you, you will automatically be eligible for each and every prize draw, with no further action needed. It’s just great info, super prizes, absolutely no spam, and if you ever want to stop receiving the journals, you can unsubscribe with one click anytime. You can subscribe right here with a valid email address (email confirmation is required).

Our first winner (who will be contacted by email today) of the Canon lens-style coffee mug has been selected, thanks to the fine folks from Kerrisdale Cameras who provided this prize. If you were one of the many folks who wanted one of these, then I have some great news for you…
We have more of these mugs to give away!

Lastly, thanks to your feedback and requests, we’re going to be running a new series of posts on watermarking digital images, how and when to do it, and also why you should or should not. If there are things you would like to learn more about or if you have any specific questions, please reach out and email your comments, requests, and/or suggestions to me. Afterall, we are a community! Happy photographing folks!

Social Media. It’s the latest buzz phrase in the world of the digitally connected, but there seems to be two extremely opposing views when it comes to the usefulness of social networking; and both sides are equally passionate about how they feel. It’s no secret which side of the fence I fall on. I’ve devoted a recurring article series in the PhotographyBB Online Magazine on how photographers are making productive use of the social media phenomenon (authored by Mike Frye – check him out!). There is a misconception (or maybe not!) that social networking is all garbage such as who’s eating what right now, who just watched what TV show, and who just bought a nice pair of shoes. Who cares right? While that is true to some extent, like life, social media is what you make of it. I started out a total newbie in social networking, and now it’s a HUGE part of my day because I have learned how to get the best out of it. Love it or hate it, social media is certainly here for the long haul so we might as well learn how to make proper and productive use of it. Before I dive into what I perceive to be the positive benefits of social media, let’s talk a bit about photographers…

The C Word

I’ve said it over and over, and I firmly believe this to be true: Photography is a form of communication. The vast majority of photographers (be it beginners or professionals) are interested in creating or capturing a moment and sharing it with others. It doesn’t matter what skill level the particular photographer is at; we are all trying to capture a mood, convey a feeling, or better still – tell a story. This applies to all types of photographers too, from nature to landscape, portraiture’s to pets, photographers of all disciplines are communicating to their views through their photos. The ability to communicate with our images comes with experience, knowing yourself, and knowing exactly who/what/when/where/and how to make photos which speak to our viewers. With all this communication going on, social media is the perfect fit for us photographers. Not only because it’s 100% free, here’s why…

Amateurs and Hobbyists

Here’s a group of photographers who I feel have the most to gain from social media. Some of you are in the learning stages, some of you are in the ‘finding yourself’ stages, and some of you are taking photos as your creative outlet as a hobby. While professionals and aspiring pros love photography, I believe it’s the hobbyists and beginners that enjoy photography the most at a more personal level – because you’re doing it for the enjoyment of it. Here are some of the ways that social networking can benefit you:

Share, Learn, Grow: Through sites like flickr, Facebook, MySpace, and forums like the PhotographyBB Forums (ok, a shameless plug), you as photographers are able to share your photography, ask questions, and receive feedback or constructive criticism. You become part of a community of friends who grow together. I love learning through books, but the personal interaction with peers offers a more interactive approach to learning and ultimately improving – or even just enjoying a nice chat with others about their photos.

Meet ‘Real’ People: Did you know that by doing a simple search on any of the websites I just mentioned above, amateurs and hobbyists can find local photography clubs and associations to get involved with, local photo-walks, and meet like minded people who share the same interests you do. Through social media, we now have ways of connecting with others almost instantly both online and in the real world. These are some of the true benefits of how you can use social networking to gain more experience and enjoyment from your craft.

New or Aspiring Pros

This is probably the category I would place myself in at this stage. Social media has some HUGE benefits for people in this category, and using myself as an example, here’s how I have gotten the most out of social networking. I don’t shoot for money, but PhotographyBB is my business. Everyone who works with me on the magazine and website, I have met through social media (forums, Twitter, Facebook, and flickr). We work together as a team because we are like-minded and share the same passions. So here’s why the new or aspiring pros should embrace social media:

Form Partnerships: Social media gives us a platform for meeting each other. All it takes is a very short time investment, and regardless of which social networking site you use, you can quickly and easily find your peers and people who’s work you admire. Since the whole point of social media is to be social, connecting with others (even people you’ve never met) is acceptable and encouraged, and it’s how we all meet each other. From that stems deeper interaction, learning, and partnerships in professional projects. Opportunities are created rather than discovered.

Connecting with Industry Professionals: Since maintaining an active online social presence has become the in-thing to do (remember, not because it’s cool, but because there are lasting benefits), many professionals and companies are active in social media. It offers two-way communication between a large company and their end consumers. But, I’m going to let you in on a cool little secret here (for sticking with me this far). Since social media is a relatively new arena, the people who are hired to maintain an online social networking profile for their organization are often a company’s “head-office” or marketing staff. For aspiring and new professionals seeking future partnerships with larger companies, connecting with these ‘insiders’ is a more personal way (and sometimes the only way) to build a better relationship with a company whom you may see yourself working together with.

Self-Promotion and Reputation Building: If you haven’t quite caught on by now, social networking is the easiest way to put yourself and your work “out there.” Not only is it free, but it gives millions of people access to you and your photography, which simply wasn’t easy or even possible before the advent of social media. Through social networking, photographers are building their own reputations for their work and the type of person they are, which leads to partnerships with others, sales of their photography, and even being hired for freelance and contract work. How’s that for benefits!

The “Pros”

Why would professional photographers who already make a living at doing what they love, want to participate in social networking? What could they possibly have to gain? This puts professionals on the other end of the social networking interaction – it affords them an easy way for their clients, customers, and even fans to interact with them.

Keeping Customers In the Loop: They say that the word on the street travels faster than the news, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to social media. Now, things like firmware updates, product releases, conventions, tips and tutorials, viral videos, etc… spreads across the internet like wildfire. Professionals do what they do for a living, and the marketing potential of reaching millions instantly is too large a benefit to simply ignore.

Branching Out: Professionals who have been honing their craft as a business for years have already built their following and their reputations. Many pros are brilliant in their work; busy photographers who earn their living doing what they love to do. But photographers are creative people first, and photographers second. Social media allows professionals a chance to interact with their following to “test the waters” so to speak, for new products, workshops, and courses which they may consider creating. Many professionals have now taken to writing eBooks which have become widely popular, and are now part-time authors on the side!

It is what you want it to be…

In the end, social media is going to be exactly what you want it to be. If you see it as useless, it’s going to be nothing but that for you. If you choose to see the positive potential, then you are going to experience the benefits and growth that comes along with it. It takes only a small amount of effort to become involved and regardless of what stage photographer you are, the results of your involvement can be life changing. Just as photography is a form of communication between us and the viewers of our photos, social media offers a more literal way of communicating ourselves rather than just our images. If you are not already “socially active” on line, here’s my challenge to you:

Head on over to flickr.com and sign up an account. It’s free, requires minimal effort, and is extremely easy to use. Search the flickr groups for ” [Your City] Photo Club ” and see what comes up. Introduce yourself, post a couple of comments, and maybe even see when/where their next meetup is. You may just wind up meeting some nice people, learning something new, and having a great time in the process.