A few years ago I spent some time racing vintage motorcycles. It was a great flashback to my youth, working on and riding a vintage 1974 Suzuki motocross bike. Motorcycles (and Steelers football) were the common ground my dad and I shared so it brought back wonderful memories, working in the garage with the same tools we used way back …

For quite a while I’ve been planning on shooting more personal work. No specific plans, I’ve just felt that I need to get out and shoot with a camera more, just for fun. That’s why we all got started in photography, isn’t it? The joy of taking photographs. Now, with the internet, there’s also the joy of sharing our passion …

It’s recognized that for every action there‘s an equal and opposite reaction. As the world of online publishing expands, the traditional world of print publishing (newspaper and magazine) appears to be contracting. While I enjoy the new technologies, it’s sometimes been hard for this traditionalist to watch as newspapers and magazines struggle. Until recently it’s seemed like the passing …

Before beginning to type this (is it still called typing?) I took a look back at the comments and some emails received after last week’s post on image rights. The plan for today was to talk about a few general pricing scenarios but I see now (and understand) that more than a few readers may have been “left at the …

Try as we might, it’s not always possible to capture what’s needed in a single photograph. Though I prefer to do as much as possible in the camera, digital tools now allow us to create most anything. The trick is pulling the elements together to make a quality photo and not a “Frankenshot”. Luckily, my business partner (Bob) is an …

Today’s around the ‘net is jam-packed with links to web solutions for photographers and an interesting Harry Benson interview.
The first mention I’d like to make is the beautifully presented website of Maria Angela Photography. Maria left a comment and I followed the link to her site and was really impressed. The home page automatically filled the screen and …

Today’s post deals with some frequently asked questions regarding pricing commercial photography. Here’s an excerpt from a comment left by Rick D. under random ramblings on pricing photography.
Hey Jim. I was just recently considering some pricing options. Living in LA at the moment, there seems to be an abundance of people willing to work for peanuts.
How does one calculate a …

When I first began in photography the square format was intriguing. My Nikon FE used 35mm film (a 3:2 ratio) but many of the admired professionals were shooting with Hasselblads and Rolleiflexes, capturing square images (1:1 ratio) on 120 film. Eventually I worked up to a Yashicamat 124G, a twin lens Japanese cousin of the Rolleiflex. The big negatives would …

The new studio is "box city".
It was easy to find links for this week’s around the ‘net, there’s a lot of great posting going on. Here are my favorite six for this week, ranging from pretty photos to the business of photography to some info for the tech junkies. Hopefully something for everyone:
National Geographic Photo Contest
Looking for inspiration? The results …

It’s no secret that consumer spending has slowed dramatically in America, right on the cusp of the holiday shopping season. Consumers are being more conservative with purchases and credit is tightening. This Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) is known as Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year and expectations are always high, despite the conditions.
While I would enjoy …