I shoot a lot of exteriors of restaurants. I cover these locations because they are often in a new market. My job is to capture that they are in a unique need.
Chick-fil-A opened a new restaurant in downtown Chicago by Loyola University. I wanted to capture they were in a significant downtown location. So I shot up to show the skyscrapers.
Nikon D3, 14-24mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/60
Later in the day, I would shoot a similar photograph. I think the best time most of time for architectural shoots is at dusk or dawn. I prefer dusk rather than getting up early. However, I shoot both most of the time. It had been overcast and raining earlier that evening, close to midnight in downtown Chicago.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 160, ƒ/7.1, 1/100
Later I was to return to Chicago and capture a new Chick-fil-A at an iconic location at the corner of State and Lake. I went up on the train tracks above to get this photo. I was doing everything I could to show that the most photographed location in Chicago–was due to the Chicago Theater sign being next door to our new restaurant.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 125, ƒ/11, 1/100
I was shooting this from every place I could on the street. The problem with daylight when doing these photos is that everything is equally lighted. Therefore the lighting doesn’t help you emphasize anything. So you are limited to the composition graphics to make the photo work.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/100
Notice how shooting at dusk now, the Chick-fil-A signage and the Chicago Theater signage pop.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/80
However vast the composition, due to the red in the Chick-fil-A sign, your eye draws to it. Compare that to this one below; even tho they are from different angles, you can see how the daylight overpowers the Chick-fil-A sign.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 100, ƒ/7.1, 1/200
My eye goes to the Chicago Theater, but I must work to notice the Chick-fil-A. For a reason, Chick-fil-A sent me to Chicago, and this photo failed.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/6.3, 1/80
One of my favorite images from my time in Chicago was capturing this image here. I like the nighttime because the Chick-fil-A sign shows up, but now I can see inside the restaurant. I can see the customer chilling and just enjoying being inside the restaurant.
My tip is to plan your coverage to be at a location at dusk or dawn to get these photos that pop due to the lighting values changing from artificial light to sunlight. Remember that the word “Photography” means to write with light–so do it.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm, ISO 12800, ƒ/4.5, 1/60 [President of Honduras talks with Maria Saporta]
Do you feel like you are working hard but are not getting any traction? You might even feel adrift in this world.
Here is a good indicator you are struggling and not getting traction to move forward in your life. Look at your calendar and see if you can see things on it that you put there that are different than what you had on your calendar last week, last month, or even last year. If things look the same all the time, you are in a rut.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 5000, ƒ/6.3, 1/30 [Vince Dooley talks with the President of Honduras. They are building a soccer field in the Agalta Valley that will be named Vince Dooley field]
Once you are in motion on a bicycle, the wheel’s spinning helps stabilize you due to angular momentum. You may remember a physics teacher taking a bicycle wheel and then spinning it at high speed and maybe sitting in a chair and having a student move it and watch how it impacted them.
Using this principle of angular momentum, you must change to move. For example, if the bicycle wheel spins and you do not turn the handlebars, you will remain going straight.
Change
The most significant obstacle to improving your life is your willingness to change your routine.
While I do not recommend doing something different today than you have in the past, it will change your life. So why not just do anything other? Well, that will likely result in you turning your bicycle into a ditch.
The other day I was in the Delta Airlines corporate offices board room. This room was magnificent and where the airline’s board meets. This room is where change happens for Delta.
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/500
While my board room is our kitchen table, changes around here affect our family just as much as discussions around the board room tables change.
Here are a few tips to help you steer your life in a new direction:
Brainstorm–Take some time and dream.
Pick the best ideas
Be SMART
S–Specific
M–Measurable
A–Achievable
R–Relevant
T–Trackable over time
Since many who read my blog are photographers, you might have goals in several areas:
Portfolio–You may want to grow artistically and add new images to your present portfolio or even completely change it
Financial/Career–You may want to achieve working for certain media or corporations. You may also want to have a certain income.
Lifestyle–This can be family goals of marriage, children, or moving to a new place
Attitude–You may want to be more positive and not as negative
Health–Maybe you want to lose weight or get into better shape
Volunteer–Maybe you want to give back and find an organization you can plug into to do more public service
I can tell you from my own life two types of changes have had profound effects on my life.
First are those accidents or things that were from more outside forces. For example, car wrecks, layoffs, health emergencies, and you get the idea, but all of these dramatically impacted my life.
Second, are those things where I made conscious decisions. Marrying my wife was one of the most profound and life-changing things I could have ever done. Having a child was life-changing. Going to college and later to seminary changed my life.
Here is my challenge to you. Take some time, sit still, and ponder where you are and if this is where you want to be. Then, brainstorm what could be if things are not where you want to be.
Be realistic in your thoughts. Your plan that you come up with will be very similar to your planning a vacation abroad somewhere. First, you will have to have picked your destination and what you want to see and do. Then you will put aside the money and make all the plans to make it happen.
TIP
You can easily set a goal to retire at age 35, and many have done this. However, I recommend a plan that all those who reach that goal then put into place—setting a goal that gives your life meaning and purpose. This way, you are much happier every day than having a plan that you eventually realize was empty.
Reconnecting is one of the best things for photographers when they go to conferences. Here you see Robert Seale talking with Andy Dunaway, the Nikon Representative, while Gladys and Frances are busy cleaning and checking in the background.
The expressions that capture why I attend these events yearly are what I like about the photo. Now, do I connect with everyone like this? No. I wish all conferences were more about relationships than just how good you are, what gear you own, or even where you work.
Nikon D4, 85mm ƒ/.1.8, ISO 2000, ƒ/1.8, 1/250
The Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar has been running continuously since 1973. My uncle Knolan Benfield was one of the organizers in those early years. To this day, I am still close to some of the founders, like Ken Touchton.
Don Rutledge [photo by Ken Touchton]
I have heard the stories about getting Eugene Smith to come and speak. My mentor Don Rutledge has a piece of paper framed with a photo of him meeting Eugene Smith. Don also presented that same year as Eugene Smith, which was 1975.
Don Rutledge was one of the 20 Black Star Photographers back during this time. He had better connections and could call many big names and ask them to speak at the seminar. Don is how they would get Howard Chapnick and others to talk in those early years.
This photo is of Oliver Janney, a CNN photojournalist in the Washington bureau. His topic for his talk during the Friday workshops was “Shooting With Your Ears.”
He realized too many photographers who still add video/audio to their skills do not understand that audio is what drives a successful package. So he went over the gear and, more specifically, the audio equipment he uses daily in his work.
One of the tips I took from Oliver and a new technique to me was to “Lead with Audio.” You start the sound before you show the visual, which shows what is making that sound.
While some of what he said isn’t new to me, how he worded it was new. I loved his statement, “shooting audio without headphones will fail for the same reason when shooting video without looking at the screen.”
One last tip I might try as he would mic people with a wireless lavalier and then say he was going to shoot some b-roll for a moment. While shooting the b-roll, he was listening. If he heard them talk with good content, he would turn and shoot some more extended lens capture of the person but had great “real” audio of the person.
He also tries to interview people while they are working, if possible. Audio recording as they work tends to get them to be more natural.
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 25600, ƒ/4, 1/350
Here is Jamie Squires, a Kansas City-based staff photographer for Getty specializing in Sports. I remember him as a student at Emory University back in the 1990s.
I noticed with Jamie’s successful images that they were not about just reacting to a moment. Instead, he had often arrived early and set up a remote camera, sometimes as much as 10 hours earlier to capture one shot.
He first understood the story and then would break down the day to the big moments. For example, he would know that the World Series final game celebration was typically between home plate and the pitcher’s mound, so he had one remote just on that area.
He knows someone will often get in between his camera and the play, so he also sets up remotes to cover this. But with all the remotes, he reminded everyone that remotes fail, and the one camera you must depend on is the one in your hands.
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/20
“GoPro: Dos, Don’ts, and Drones” was Eric Seals’s topic during the Friday Workshop. Eric is a staff photographer for the Detroit Free Press.
Eric is a gearhead who showed us all his toys and reminded us our gear would not hold the audience’s attention. The Story Matters Most.
Eric uses a gear to help leave visual breadcrumbs for his viewers. However, he also warned about overusing equipment, and your package will become gimmicky and lose your audience.
One thing that I could not agree more with Eric was how he emphasized knowing your gear. Read the manual, he said. Know what it can do and then take chances with it.
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 25000, ƒ/4.8, 1/30
Miami photojournalist Al Diaz has been presented the Humanitarian Award by the National Press Photographers Association. He was given the award because of his actions to put the subject first and ensure a baby that had stopped breathing was taken care of before he picked up his cameras.
You can read more about this on NPPA’s website by going to this [link].
The best part of Al’s presentation was giving us the story behind the story.
When photographers share their work, the best thing they can do is to share the events surrounding the photograph and how they happened to be in that place at that time.
The other good thing about Al’s sharing is that it is therapeutic for everyone. He shared more images of the baby today being healthy. We learned the baby had a cyst in the throat, which has now been removed.
We also learned that to get the images and tell the story required a lot of people skills from Al Diaz and patience. Some of his friends helped him because the woman was upset with him for taking the photos. She didn’t even know he was the first person on the scene to call 911 and get the EMS to the location. Days later, she would put this together with Al in a meeting they had.
What did I learn? First, connect with people and develop a genuine relationship. Care for them as human beings, and then the story will tell itself.
Nikon D4, 85mm ƒ/1.8, ISO 12800, ƒ/1.8, 1/60
Ken Lyons is Senior Photo Editor at The Denver Post. So why was he a speaker? Here is the text they used to promote him:
The Denver Post was recognized with the Angus McDougall Overall Excellence in Picture Editing Award in 2013. The Denver Post has recently been recognized with two feature photography Pulitzer Prizes. The staff received the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for coverage of the Aurora Theater shootings. Other honors for his picture editing work include first and second place picture editing portfolio in the POYi editing competition. The newspaper has also been awarded first place Best Use of Photography in the Best of Photojournalism competition.
One thing I liked that they are doing at his paper is a ‘Photo Night.’ Photo Night is where they invite the public in one evening to listen to their photographers talk about stories that the public votes on to hear. The first few to arrive will win a signed print. Often they invite the subjects covered in the report to be a part of the evening.
Ken is all about elevating photojournalism in your community. I am now thinking of ways I can help do this with even corporations that I work with daily.
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 25000, ƒ/3.8, 1/45
Scott Strazzante is a staff photographer at the San Francisco Chronicle, where he recently started working after a 13-year stint at the Chicago Tribune.
My favorite thing about Scott’s career is Common Ground–a personal project on transforming a piece of land in suburban Chicago from rural to suburban. He took photos of a farmer who lost his farm and then, years later, went back and showed those living on that land in a subdivision.
Here is a trailer that tells you a little about the project.
CBS News Sunday Morning just did a package on Scott this past Sunday.
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/17
Amy Toensing has been a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine for over a decade.
My takeaway from Amy is that we need to be curious. Her curiosity while shooting stories would lead to her discovering another story that she would then pitch to National Geographic Magazine and eventually shoot for them repeatedly.
She was shooting an assignment given to her in Australia when she asked herself who drew these stories on the rocks thousands of years ago. Then she met an aboriginal couple and realized they were a connection to the past. They had lived in the wilderness without clothing until World War II when the husband built a landing strip to help the Americans to fight the Japanese.
She also shared how this was an ongoing lifelong story for her.
Like Al Diaz, she put the subjects first. They even asked her to film a ceremony for them and not to publish it in the magazine. She honored their request and, because of it, deepened the relationship with the community.
My Tip To You
Go to conferences and take notes. Learn from others and get inspired. But remember most of all that it isn’t about the gear or you capturing images–it is about the relationships you develop with the subjects that you then share with your audience.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/50–Image stabilization on
Yesterday was a whirlwind for me and felt like a highlight reel. I was the official photographer for the President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, all day long.
This photo of him with former President Jimmy Carter was my favorite.
Maria Saporta interviewed the President of Honduras at the Georgia Chamber breakfast at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 9000, ƒ/5, 1/100–Image stabilization on
Edward H. Bastian, the president of Delta Airlines, met with the president in their board room. It was a complex picture to make of the meeting. I wanted to be sure to capture the warmth of the meeting. So I had to concentrate more on the individuals.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.6, 1/100–Image stabilization on
I think I got the expressions of open and transparent discussions. But this isn’t enough.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/250–Image stabilization on
As you can see, the table was huge and made them look far apart. But the dignitaries could sit across from one another and sit eye-to-eye.
I just continued looking for ways to make it look interesting after I covered the basics.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/50–Nikon SB900 off camera triggered using the PocketWizard Transceiver TT5, PocketWizard Mini TT1 and AC3 set for -3EV
While throughout the day, I had photos of the president speaking at podiums. Even here, I was looking for something different after a while.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 7200, ƒ/5.6, 1/250
I am shooting through plants on the corners of the room.
Again, I am looking for a different angle to make the viewer feel like they are there or pique their visual interest. I am shooting like someone leaves breadcrumbs to lure you into the story.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/200
My point is not to go and shoot all the artistic angles. My point is to do this in addition to the standard shots you would expect.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/250
Remember that the best photo I liked was the first one, a good expression and moment between the two presidents.
Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 12800, ƒ/1.8, 1/200
I returned to Swayze’s Venue in Marietta last night with my daughter and her friends to see Say We Can Fly.
I put one of his most famous songs here to hear his music. Braden Barrie is a singer who grew up in a small town and felt a sense of abandonment; he shows listeners that no matter our struggles, we always have the power to make it through.
Since I broke my foot less than a month ago, I wasn’t feeling like running around to set up lights. I decided to shoot the entire concert with available light.
A couple of things become a problem when there is very little light in the venue. The primary concern is that bands are moving so slow of shutter speed that they will be a blur.
Since Say We Can Fly was the headliner for the night, I took the opportunity to try a few things early on to see what I needed to capture all this with just the lights on the stage. By the way, only three household tungsten light bulbs were lighting the front, which seemed to be in the 60-watt range, with one as a backlight. I think the one in the back is for the drummer to see his drums.
I started shooting the Like Mike band at ISO 51200 and realized that would work, but I decided to continue to compare the different ISOs. But with the punk band Like Mike, I would have had to stay at ISO 51200 because they just bounced around the stage.
Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 25600, ƒ/1.8, 1/320
Later in the Say We Can Fly set, I would shoot some of the photos at ISO 25600 because I wanted to shoot faster than 1/200 shutter speed. Here you can see one of those photos.
Now the most important photos to my daughter will be the ones with her friends and Braden. One of the front bands got my daughter and friends’ attention, and that was Sanchez.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 12800, ƒ/4, 1/10–Nikon SB900 bounced with the soft dome, slow sync, and -1EV
Here they are with Sanchez.
While I was prepared to shoot low-light concert photos, I also had my flash for a moment just like this with my daughter and friends. There was no light on them, and the flash made this a moment to be held dear to her and her friends.
If I were covering this for a publication, the photos of my daughter with her friends most likely wouldn’t be included like this. Instead, I most likely would have shot a picture of someone taking an image like this to show how this is part of the event.
[NIKON D4, 85.0 mm f/1.4, Mode = Manual, ISO 200, 1/200, ƒ/8, (35mm = 85)]
These are the same young lady and shot in a couple of hours. Again, we changed the outfits, makeup, and lighting.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/160
Notice how much of a different personality comes through by changing backgrounds and lighting.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/160
Bangs vs. No Bangs changes her face.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/160
I think the bangs make her face look narrower than with the bangs. Also, changing the colors she wears helps change the mood.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/1.4, 1/80
All I did here to change the setup was not use the strobes inside the softbox but the modeling lights. I custom white balanced using the ExpoDisc. I also opened up the ƒ-stop to ƒ/1.4 to give that shallow depth-of-field, creating a silky smooth transition from front to back in the photo.
She became yet another personality when she put her hair in a ponytail.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 400, ƒ/1.4, 1/125
Shooting slightly down at her and then shooting more eye level also changes the mood she creates for the viewer.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 400, ƒ/1.4, 1/125
Backing up with the Nikon 85mm and showing her shoulders and more of her hair let a little more body language into the portrait.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 400, ƒ/1.4, 1/125
Taking her sultry look further, she played it up with outfit and lighting.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/200
Using a grid light on her face rather than the softbox created a harsher look, and adding red to the background helped me accentuate the red lipstick. I also brought the aperture back up to make her razor-sharp from front to back.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 800, ƒ/1.4, 1/125
Same outfit, lipstick, and by changing the background and using the softboxes without flash, I could soften up the same person and outfit.
Nikon D4, AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D, ISO 800, ƒ/1.4, 1/125
The lesson from all these photos is that you can do a lot if you have different outfits and mix up your lighting and lens choice.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/60—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800. The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the Flash.
Think Story
Too often see people going to concerts and just getting photos of the band playing. But, hey, I like doing this just as much.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/60—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800. The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the Flash.
I even work hard to get close so the viewer is with the band. You need to do this if you are shooting any stage performance of a band.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/60—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800. The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the Flash.
Now I backed up a little to show the band’s audience. Although at the same time, it is a small group, you can quickly see how an all-boy band will attract mainly young women.
I rounded out the coverage with detailed shots like the one of the management reminding everyone that bands must play their original music to be legit and not break the law. In addition, you must pay royalty fees to the songwriters who own the copyright if you perform their music.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.5, 1/60—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800. The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the Flash.
Now having people shopping and buying all the band’s T-Shirts, CDs, and armbands would have made a better photo by itself; I still need simple images to help. These detailed shots are required if I put this into a video.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/60—Off camera fill-flash using the Nikon SB-900 & SB800. The Flash is on the Pocketwizard TT5 and being triggered by the Mini TT1 on the Camera with the AC3 to control the output of the Flash.
While I would generally say this is more of a snapshot photo you take for yourself and not to tell a story, I think it communicates the small venue and how the young ladies enjoy being so close to their favorite bands.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/3.5, 1/100
We arrived early for a VIP time, where you get to hang out with the band before they perform. Selling VIP tickets is a way that the band can make a little extra money. But when you arrive early, you quickly see these bands all do the work themselves. They set up and take down without much help.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 4000, ƒ/4.2, 1/60–Bounce flash with SB900
Here you can see how the band members hang out with their fans during their VIP time.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/60–Bounce flash with SB900
The key to a successful package is ensuring you have a WIDE VARIETY of photos. Don’t just shoot the band on the stage.
My wife and daughter planned a fabulous 16th birthday party. My daughter invited her group of friends. Unfortunately, some couldn’t make it, so capturing moments to feel like they were there was key.
I shared a gallery of images for her to share with her friends and her proud parents with our friends.
I chose to shoot as many of the images with my AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm ƒ/2.8 lens because to fill the frame; you must get close. I think this helps pull the audience into moments much more than a longer telephoto lens.
Occasionally I cranked the aperture up to ƒ/9 to be sure everyone was in focus. I wanted to be sure I captured my wife, Dorie, in this photo of my daughter Chelle on the telephone. Dorie had arranged for some of my daughter’s favorite bands to call and wish her happy birthday. So here is Farewell My Love calling Chelle.
I wanted to capture how much fun all of Chelle’s friends were having as well. It was fantastic that they were all in on the surprise phone calls. What I was enjoying as much as Chelle’s reaction was her friends being excited for Chelle.
Knowing my daughter is loved by more than her family and has great friends makes you proud.
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/250
Chelle also had a phone call from Late Nite Reading early in the evening. However, we had set it up in our living room on the computer with Skype. So Late Nite Reading Skyped in and played three songs for Chelle and her friends. What is astonishing is even the band was excited for Chelle.
I put a lamp just behind the computer to be sure there was enough light on Chelle so that Late Nite Reading could see her and her friends. The lamp is just a tip if you decide to do this yourself.
I encourage anyone who wants to do storytelling to learn how to capture your family events and capture them so that those who were not there will know the story and capture the event’s emotions.
We also set up a video camera to capture the Skype call. The video camera was for her friends, who couldn’t be there but wanted to know what had happened. So here is that video in case you want to hear my daughter scream and the excitement of everyone.
Yesterday my AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR came back from Nikon Repair. It came back better than it was just before I fell and broke my foot and the lens.
I went outside to do some test shots to ensure everything was working fine.
Here is one of the first photos I took with the lens. I enjoyed the Fall colors and wanted to remind you it is about perspective to get those colors to “POP.”
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 220, ƒ/9, 1/250
Here are those same leaves, but instead of being backlit now, the sun is over my shoulder and directly on the leaves. Again, I prefer the first photo.
Your subject can remain still, and if you move around and explore it from all angles, you, too, will discover a “Sweet Spot” that makes the subject more exciting and captivating. The “Sweet Spot” is the surprise factor we are looking for when taking photos.
You may lie on your back, looking up through the trees to find that “WOW” photo.
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 250, ƒ/9, 1/250
Do you like the leaves backlit with the blue sky or the foliage in the background? When you edit, do you have any choices? If not, you are not shooting enough.
Get out there and capture the Fall colors and be sure to move around your subject–you might find a surprise.
I don’t think portraits tell stories but are part of the story. For the most part, most portraits are the nouns of a sentence. For a complete sentence, you need a verb.
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 280, ƒ/5.6, 1/250
Storytelling?
Yes, this photo has a subject and a verb that makes it storytelling. However, one image often lacks all the elements in a complete story. This is where caption can help make up the missing parts.
Most storytellers agree you need five elements for a story—five main elements of a story: setting, plot, characters, conflict, and theme.
Subject vs. Author
Great storytelling is when you never notice the author/photographer. However, today I would say too many people think they are doing storytelling. It is all about the author/photographer.
I love this photo of my wife and me with the founder of Chick-fil-A, Truett Cathy. I love telling the story of how Truett’s son Bubba asked me to give him my camera to take the photo.
Too often, the photo is what I think our generation over-emphasizes as storytellers. As a result, the story becomes more about looking at who I am with and what I am doing. Don’t you wish you were here?
Sure take these photos and even share them on your social media, but don’t let these replace storytelling where you tell the subject’s story.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 10000, ƒ/5, 1/100
This young lady is peaking in and seeing does she want to be a part of this brand new Young Life club at the Rancho el Paraíso located in the Agalta Valley of Honduras. Inside the room, Daniela Tereza Perez is talking to the other youth. HOI helped bring Young Life to their campus to help reach the child in the area.
If I do my job just right, I had you clicking on HOI to learn more. So I am pulling you into the story.
Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 450, ƒ/8, 1/250–off-camera flash using the Neewer TT850 flash & Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel Flash Remote Trigger
In my opinion–Don’t confuse a lovely portrait with storytelling. It is a noun that needs help to make a story.
Think of it this way: if you are telling a good story, everyone who sees it will take away the same story. The story impacts audiences differently, but they will be able to tell the story. Likewise, looking at a person’s portrait allows each person to make up what they think the story is about.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, Sigma 2x EX DG APO Autofocus Teleconverter, ISO 640, f/5/6, 1/2000
The other night on the TV show Shark Tank, Robert Herjavec talked about the worst thing for a startup: too much cash.
After he said this almost immediately, Mark Cuban jumped in to agree. They talked about when you have a new idea; you assume you know what you are doing and will throw millions into a bad idea, assuming you are successful and have the cash to make it happen.
Winning football coaches are hard to get their attention, but a losing one is interested in changing their situation.
Best Clients
Your best clients are the ones that can afford your skills and pay you what you are worth. But, unfortunately, the reason they are your potentially best client is also why it is so hard to get their attention.
They are highly successful already. The best clients are not in a crisis and are looking for someone to help turn their company around. Because they are so successful often, they are experts on anything they do in their minds.
Be desirable. Just like Steve Jobs created the tablet before we knew we wanted one, we, too, must create work that makes people want to use us and have us on their team.
A personal project is the best way to get people to notice your skills. Go and do what you do best and then show it around. If your work is not just on par with everyone else but genuinely different, you have a great chance of getting people’s attention–even if they don’t “NEED” you, they will “WANT” you.
Be Authentic. If your only reason for treating someone nice is the hope of getting something from them, this is just the opposite of being authentic. Instead, be genuinely interested in them and treat them with honor, dignity, and respect.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, Sigma 2x EX DG APO Autofocus Teleconverter, ISO 900, f/5/6, 1/2000
Be a friend. Try and become good friends with your clients. Listen to them and support them. Congratulate them on their success.
First, before you can decide on what to listen for when dealing with a client, you must tune in your listening skills.
These listening skills are not just in your ears but your eyes as well.
You will listen for more than just words. For example, you listen to their tone while reading people’s body language. You pay attention to all the small details.
A great example is an above photo. You may see different things by observing each girl’s body language.
Avoid the first mistake of listening, forgetting to clarify. I might ask the girl at the board if she needs any help or if I may help. She may not need me at all and is just thinking, or she may be stuck.
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/250
What to Listen for
As a service provider of specific skills, I listen to how I can assist the person.
But more importantly, I must first listen to their crisis. This is where the subject needs some help with something.
Take the time to explore with clarifying questions to be sure you are correct that this is their problem.
Learn to not just listen for what you can fix but also think of your network. Can you give the subject the names of people that could help them?
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 125, ƒ/14, 1/200
One of my favorite scriptures is the passage where Jesus washes his disciple’s feet. To me, this is so important in relationship building–Do for others the most menial jobs. Serve one another. The more you practice this, the better your listening skills will become.
Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples 13 It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end. 2 Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,[a] decide to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing. 6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied. “If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.” 9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.” 12 After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again.[b] Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. 14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16 I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.
