Category: Nikon D4

Covering the oldest football rivalry in the south–The 125th Game

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 900, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The weather in Richmond for the football game was between 48º and 57º F and sunny, which was great fall football weather.

This was the 125th meeting between the University of Richmond and William and Mary making this the oldest football rivalry in the South.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 750, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The sun was so bright that on this pass play the receiver was looking straight into the sun and therefore missed this well thrown pass.

Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/125

While I wanted to surely capture some action shots of the historic game I also realized that photos like this with former Spiders Coach Dal Shealy with some former players and staff was just as important to commemorate the day.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 220, ƒ/2.8, 1/2000

Richmond’s #1 Jacobi Green leaps over his offensive lineman during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against William & Mary, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 in Richmond, Va. Jacobi Green ran for 217 yards on 36 carries with a touchdown to help lead Richmond to a 20-9 win over William & Mary on Saturday, clinching a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title in the process.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 250, ƒ/2.8, 1/2000

Jacobi Green’s third quarter touchdown gives him 15 rushing touchdowns on the season, which rank atop the CAA.  Green stands alone in third on the single-season rushing touchdown list.

Equipment I flew to Richmond to use for the game.

  • 2 Nikon D4 Camera Bodies
  • 1 Nikon D750
  • Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S
  • Sigma TC-2001 2x
  • Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens
I did take more gear that is always in my Thinktank Airport Security™ V2.0 rolling camera bag, but this is what I took onto the field throughout the game. 95% of the time I just shot with Nikon D4 and the Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S and the Sigma TC-2001 2x which gave me a 240-600mm lens.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
I kept the 2X converter on most of the time until the team would get past the 20 yard line and then I would take it off and shoot with the 120-300mm range.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 450, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
I was always facing the Richmond Spiders. Either I was covering their offense or defense where I could see their faces most of the time.
This way when they had those break away plays like this one of Jacobi Green I could capture it.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 360, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
By covering the game from the endzone I was able to capture the defensive play of the game where in the fourth quarter defensive back David Herlocker makes on interception. He returns it all the way back to the Richmond 30.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 360, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
Remember when covering sporting events they are much more than just the game action.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 640, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
Capture all you can from the sidelines to the stands.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
I even was able to catch a photo of Sports Illustrated’s rates top 15 college athletes of all time Brian Jordan.
So keep your eyes and ears open and you never know all you can capture. Just remember there is more than just the action during the play taking place at a college football game–especially one with a tradition of 125 years.

How a faith impacts the work of photographers

by Stanley LearyNikon D3 / Nikon D4
Nikon D3, Nikon 24-120mm ƒ/3.5-5.6, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/100

My faith has a lot to do with who I am. People often ask me what it means to be a “Christian Photographer?”

There is an assumption that my faith impacts my work in a way that makes me different than those who are not Christian.

I wish those of the Christian faith that are photographers were in some way able to outshine all others because our faith in God has illuminated us in some unique way that our work stands out from others, but that is not the case.

Martin Luther was one of the most influential priests in the Christian faith. He is one of the principal architects of the great reformation. When asked about being a “Christian tradesman,” he responded so well with

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

The more I think about Martin Luther’s words, the more I think of what it means to be a “Christian Photographer.”

The Proof is in the Pudding

The biggest thing that faith can do for someone is to give them the compass to use when making decisions. Of course, you could still make the right decisions in life without a compass, but it will not be as intentional and consistent as someone who has a compass.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. – Psalms 119:105

I think the advantage of people of faith versus those without a belief in God is our ability to hold a compass [scripture] in our hands and meet in a house of worship regularly, which helps shape our moral compass in life.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 12800, ƒ/2.8, 1/100

When I see people today taking “selfies” with their friends and sharing them, this is how I see people of faith with their God. They have a relationship with God and often share their best friend through social media, who helps guide them through this life.

How Studying Scripture Helps

One of the best things that scripture does for us gives us so many examples of characters just like us that also dealt with difficult situations in life. So people of faith will not only read these stories but gather in classes and study these stories. They learn to look at a problem and break it down.

Studying scripture is a skill that will help you explore your business and learn how to dissect the decisions that you will need to make and also predict outcomes based on moral laws.

“Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”

― Augustine of Hippo

“The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.”

― Confucius

I know that my faith should be evident in not only my photos but all areas of my life and how I treat my fellow man. As a follower of Jesus, I seek to emulate his example and learn to serve others.

As a person of faith and a follower of Jesus, I believe my purpose is to live a life in which God touches people through me. So my goal is to get out of the way of God doing that through me.

I believe that faith in God helps shape us into better people. I think I would be very self-centered if not for my faith.

Your Plan B should be really your Plan A

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
Former Mayor Shirley Franklin is the keynote speaker at the Islamic Speakers Bureau “Building Bridges Awards Dinner” a the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta on Saturday, November 14, 2015. [Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2800, ƒ/5.6, 1/100]

I wrote this as a post on a forum for predominate journalists who are being laid off and having to find a new job. I just thought after writing this, it would make for a good blog post here.

Finding one purpose in life is figuring out your Plan for Life. For those of us growing up where our parents could follow a well-worn path of those before them that others clearly understood, you are thinking more about things as a Plan B episode.

However, if you grew up with your parents’ lives coming apart due to layoffs and job losses, you are not looking at those ruts in the road for a path to success. You are the generation that is not bound by the golden handcuffs of corporations that kept their promises, which kept you employed and taken care of like generations past.

You are the generation that understood that you were called to a profession, not an industry. Your age is not looking to be committed to a corporation but rather to the profession’s ideals. For example, you may pursue being a nurse rather than working at a local hospital.

Journalists are one of the professions that have followed what other industries like textiles, car manufacturing, and other trades went through in the 1970s and 1980s when factories shut down, and those jobs disappeared.

Many of those trades were very specific, and with some training, these people who were gifted in problem-solving found their core gifts and then learned how to apply them in a different industry.

I believe storytelling is at an all-time high and growing by leaps and bounds. Storytelling is the core skill of a journalist.

For many journalists, their “Plan A” was to be employed as a journalist, which meant being part of the journalism profession.

If you can examine those core gifts and discover you are a storyteller, then there are many industries where you can serve and offer your talent.

Here are some storytelling things I am doing for places other than my roots in photojournalism at a newspaper.

  • I am doing a series of “Getting to know you …” multimedia packages where we interview an employee of a company, and in 2 to 3 minutes, we capture what they do for the company and what is unique to them—a great example of all those feature packages I did for newspapers.
  • I have covered many natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy, Moore, Oklahoma, and Joplin Tornadoes for a company that goes to those communities and volunteers to help them rebuild. Very similar to those breaking news events I did in my newspaper days.
  • I have also covered multiple hurricanes and tornado destruction for nonprofits responding to disasters.
  • I have been covering sporting events for corporations for many years, just as I would have done for wire services and newspapers.

“Now, where do I find these nonprofits and corporations that will hire me?” is the question I am often asked.

Former President Jimmy Carter taught Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA, on August 23, 2015. Many are like Carter in that they needed to have a job for the ability to do their next job then. Many say Carter used the job as President of the United States as a stepping stone to more incredible things. [Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 7200, ƒ/5.6, 1/500]

The answer to this question is most likely your “Plan B” that you will need to pursue. If you are coming from working as a journalist, then you need to put on your investigative hat. This is where you are ASKING QUESTIONS. You are not TELLING PEOPLE WHAT YOU DO, AND PLEASE HIRE ME.

The most significant fault I see in many journalists is their tendency to think of their work as MY STORY. It never was your story. You just helped someone else tell THEIR story better than they could.

Ask questions about what a company is doing or what a nonprofit does. Ask them how they get their funds to run and who their audience is. What problems are they solving for our communities?

Then don’t ask them as much as ask yourself, “What can I do with storytelling to help them connect their solutions with their audience?”

Do the best journalists’ question for almost any organization you are used to asking is WHY?

Your Plan B should have been your Plan A, which is your ability to ask those questions and uncover the truth. You are a storyteller that continues to shape our communities. You will do it through another industry. Once you understand that your skills are still needed, but the problem has been that you focus too much on an industry rather than your core profession, you will start to see the possibilities around you.

The answer to Plan B is your ability to ask the question WHY?

Working with a recording artist Sydney Rhame

by Stanley Learyheadshots / Nikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, AC-9, AC-3, PocketWizard Mini TT1, TT5, Paul Buff Vagabond, Alienbees B1600, ISO 320, ƒ/2.8, 1/640

Today I was privileged to work with Sydney Rhame who was on The Voice this year. To get those chairs to turn as she did you have to be comfortable in front of the camera.

Sydney on iTunes.

Here is her Facebook fan page

Sydney needed little direction. I just needed to spend a little time before we started asking what she was looking for in her photos.

This is one of my favorite photos today. I used the high speed sync using he Pocketwizard TTL system with the Alienbees. This let me shoot at 1/640 shutter speed. Here is the lighting diagram.

The trick was to take a few test shots until I was able to get the rich colors in the background balanced with the flashes.

The photo on the left [ISO 100, ƒ/2.8, 1/500] and the right [ISO 320, ƒ/2.8, 1/400]. I also dialed the flash down in power on the right.

This is what I call experimenting to get the look you are wanting.

Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, AC-3, PocketWizard Mini TT1, TT5, Paul Buff Vagabond, Alienbees B1600, ISO 100, ƒ/1.8, 1/640

I also like to have subjects bring a variety of outfits and let us try a few looks.

This is the setup where I have main light on her face and separate light to just add a little kicker in the back.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, AC-9, AC-3, PocketWizard Mini TT1, TT5, Paul Buff Vagabond, Alienbees B1600, ISO 320, ƒ/2.8, 1/640

For this photo I took the white umbrella off the light behind Sydney to give a little more kick on the hair.

I also believe you really mix up the backgrounds and looks when you are helping someone with things like model portfolios, PR kits for musicians and actresses.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/200–Alienbees and Softboxes

Here is more of a traditional headshot.

Now to give a different look that this I just shot with the available light with the same setup.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 1250, ƒ/1.8, 1/200

I believe we were getting some variety throughout the photo shoot. As Sydney and I got more comfortable with each other the expressions just got better and better.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/160

While backing up and showing more of Sydney gave a different look, my favorites where up close where you can see her eyes.

 

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 1250, ƒ/1.8, 1/200

When shooting at ƒ/1.8 her eyelashes are not even in focus, just her eyes.

Now shooting at ƒ/4 gave a little bit more depth-of-field.

 

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/200

While the shallow depth-of-field looks great it is difficult to get all your photos in focus.

Going for “look” can sacrifice great “moments”

Because you choose to want that silky smooth BOKEH means that you will be tossing out photos just because they are not sharp where you need them to be. Therefore you may lose the best “moment” because the “look” is more important to you.

This is one of the reasons I am not shooting at wide open all the time. I prefer to stop down just a bit to get some leeway allowing me to more likely not to toss out the great “moment” because I missed the focus due to such a shallow depth-of-field.

Use flash outside

By using the strobes outside on an overcast day I was able to help the subject pop and not look flat due to the natural light.

Using high speed sync let me shoot at wide apertures and just crank the shutter speed up to control the available light.

Learning to manage expectations

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/250

The one thing that helps to calm my fears for an assignment is seeing what the client has gotten in the past from other photographers. I also love it when they tell me how they felt about that coverage.

The best thing you can do before you take on an assignment is to find out what the expectations are of the client for the project. I call this calibrating your creative juices.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/160

Before shooting this wedding the parents of the groom showed me the brides sister’s wedding coverage from two years ago. I knew after seeing the other photographer’s work what the standards for their wedding were for their photographer.

They were happy with the photos. I made mental note of the style and then decided to meet that and then to put my own touches onto the images. I was just adding icing to the cake.

Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G,  ISO 2800, ƒ/1.8, 1/100

My strength is finding moments like these here. Capturing the “True Love” of a bride and groom is what I loved doing with this wedding.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/5.6, 1/60–Pocketwizard AC9 to combine with my Pocketwizard TT5 and then using the phone cord plug into the back of the Alienbees B1600.

I also love making the light look better when needed.

Do you know the expectations of your client? Are you able to not just meet those expectations but give them some images that take the coverage up a notch or two?

Don’t just click the shutter – Learn to click with people

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 560, ƒ/8, 1/100

“It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter.”

– Alfred Eisenstaedt

Yesterday I talked with the family after the wedding and was told they were thrilled to have had me at their wedding. They said it felt right to have me there and thought I was just part of the family.

It was also important to them to tell me on the day of the events that my presence made them relax and enjoy the wedding. They knew I would get every photo they needed, which made them realize they could look back later and enjoy it.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 400, ƒ/3.5, 1/6

The wedding was for a client who has hired many photographers in their line of work through the years. They had hired some of the more famous photographers. The groom’s parents wanted it covered well, and at the same time, they wanted someone who would fit in with the two families coming together.

Over the past seven years, this person has watched me create teams of photographers covering events like the Chick-fil-A Bowls and Chick-fil-A Kickoffs. They watched me work and cover annual meetings for corporations. I continued covering events and strategizing about other coverage types to help with communication projects.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 200, ƒ/5.6, 1/200–2 Alienbees B1600 bouncing off the ceiling for lighting.

“If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.”

– Eve Arnold

I wish I had customers who told me nice things about myself or my work. You might also feel that getting said; this is why my photographs a much better than others.

TIP

I hear from many wanna-be photographers all the time. If they would send me that coverage, I could do it. The key is they believe in their minds they are capable, but they haven’t a portfolio that demonstrates they have already done this before.

People do not give you work before you show them you can. You must show us all you can do, and then they will provide you with work.

I demonstrated in every job that I always had their best interests.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 200, ƒ/5.6, 1/200–2 Alienbees B1600

I learned this very early in my life through my faith.

But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

– Romans 5:8

The best thing I can ever recommend to improve your photography and character so that more people want to hire you is finding a mentor that exemplifies all these characteristics. For me, that person is Jesus. 

A few years ago, a bracelet became very popular. It had WWJD on it. It was a simple reminder for those who follow Jesus to ask themselves, “What Would Jesus Do?”

Where is your true North pointing you?

Who’s your mentor, and if you had a bracelet on your arm that helped to remind you what to do in a situation, what would it say? 

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding. Weddings are about the commitment to loving someone for a lifetime. This principle is a cornerstone of Jesus’ message–we must love one another.

My goal for my business is to be known for my love and to bring joy into their lives.

You can never scout enough before the shoot

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 2000, ƒ/2.8, /100

I am in the suburbs of Chicago, IL, this weekend in the town of Homewood to photograph a wedding for my friends.

At the rehearsal, one of the people said you don’t see photographers at rehearsals.

That is very true. If you are familiar with the venues in your town, you might not need to go to a rehearsal.

However, if you are starting, you want to do what my friend and fellow photographer Randy Wilson does for his weddings and as I am doing here.

Randy and I discovered that by going to a rehearsal, everyone gets to know you and feels more comfortable on the wedding day. That is a HUGE!!! bonus for getting better moments.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 4000, ƒ/3.5, 1/250

By seeing everyone practice, I and my assistant Laura Deas Espeut, who also shoots weddings, could see what the sight-lines were for taking photos. We knew we had to be at certain places in the church even to get a picture.

At this rehearsal, we also noticed that the placement of the unity candle and where they planned to wash each other’s feet was not just bad for photos but for everyone to see. So, by being there, we were able not just to help them have better pictures but a better experience for those attending the wedding to see the symbolic moments they had chosen to do.

Why Scouting Helps

  • You get to see the location and take test shots
  • You find the best sight-lines to take photos
  • If there like a wedding rehearsal, you can plan for the timing so you are in the best location at the right time.
  • You get to speak at the event. If you see a problem that could impact the photos as we did, you can call attention to this with the event planners. Here they made changes, which improved the images.
  • You can plan to bring the right gear to get the best possible photos
I cannot stress enough how much preparation for anything you do will always impact your end product. 
 
We have all heard how 20/20 hindsight is always better than in the moment. While last-second things can change, you can come close to 20/20 with enough foresight. Unfortunately, just showing up and going with the flow means constantly reacting rather than anticipating.
 

The best photos you can take are the ones you anticipated–not those you reacted.

Pocketwizard AC9 a Game Changer with Alienbees High Speed Sync 1/8000

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 125, ƒ/1.8, 1/1250

Today, for the first time, I was shooting with my Alienbees outside with shutter speeds above 1/400. That is all I could sync before using my Pocketwizards and plugging into the Alienbees with a 1/8 plug.

I bought the Pocketwizard AC9 to combine with my Pocketwizard TT5 and then used the phone cord to plug into the back of the Alienbees B1600.

With this combination, I could shoot up to 1/4000 on my Nikon D750 and up to 1/8000 on my Nikon D4.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 1000, ƒ/1.8, 1/4000

As you can see, here is the D750 with Flash @ 1/4000.

Nikon D750, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 1000, ƒ/1.8, 1/4000

This photo is with no flash outside. So you can see how much the flash helps.

 

Now with the AC3 on top of the Pocketwizard Mini TT1, you can control the power of the Alienbees.

Here is the chart of how that would work:

  • +3 = Full Power
  • +2 = 1/2 Power
  • +1 = 1/4 Power
  • 0 = 1/8 Power
  • -1 = 1/16 Power
  • -2 = 1/32 Power
  • -3 = 1/32 Power
You also have the 1/3 increments to use in between. 
 
 
So here is the basic setup I was using. Here is the list of gear:
  • 2 – Alienbee B1600s
  • 2 – Vagabond Mini
  • 2 – Cowboystudio 7’ 4 Section Portable Adjustable Stand
  • 2 – Westcott 2001 43” Optical White Satin Collapsible Umbrella
  • 2 – Pocketwizard AC9
  • 2 – Pocketwizard TT5
  • 1 – Pocketwizard Mini TT1
  • 1 – Pocketwizard AC3
  • Nikon D4
  • Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8
 
I pack the lighting gear all into this Seahorse SE-920 with padded dividers. This technique is a super basic kit that I can fly with to jobs where I need something a little more powerful and now capable of still shooting at ƒ/1.8 to get that great BOKEH.
 
 

Dear Humanitarian photographer asking for money to complete your project

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/100

We all love to have incredible experiences. I am an adrenaline junky with a compulsive desire for excitement and adventure. I can tell you early in my life; they said, “a bit of an adrenaline junkie, he appears to have no regard for his safety,” about how I lived life.

Numerous trips to the hospital as a young boy where I was getting stitched up regularly or having a cast put on a limb that I broke. I even broke my neck and had to wear a body cast.

Today, like many who have learned a lesson from being an adrenaline junky, I enjoy the adventure too. I love to travel, see different places, and encounter new cultures.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 100, ƒ/7.1, 1/500, off-camera flash with Nikon SB-900 triggered with the Pocketwizard TT1, ACS, and TT5.

If you have sufficient funds to do traveling, then enjoy yourself. I also try to give my children these experiences because it helps them navigate this world much better than without those experiences.

Asking me to fund your experiences

I continue to come across many people who think they are doing something for a good cause, and in reality, it is a disguise for just them having someone else pay for “THEIR EXPERIENCE.”

Don’t be that person.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 900, ƒ/14, 1/250

Too many are that person that is doing missions and nonprofit work. I think we need a TV Show like Shark Tank but for those wanting funding for their nonprofit. This process would help educate how many people are coming up with lame ideas.

What is very popular these days is for people to put up requests for money through things like gofundme.com. Some excellent ideas do need funding, and I am not slamming everyone asking for money.

Even others have written about how lame this is for many photo projects. Here is one blog post on it.

Point us to Why?

The key to having something that others will fully fund and something that will not is most likely to do with the purpose of the funding. Too many people are asking us to support them in shooting and having fun. People who are looking for a vacation should never give these projects money.

Which of these two statements for a GoFundMe project would you support?

  1. Help us wipe out poverty in North Georgia
  2. Please help us with the film where we are raising awareness of poverty in North Georgia
You’re why is stating the problem you are helping to solve.
 

Tell us your solution

 
The next important thing missing in many GoFundMe projects is the action plan for the audience. For storytellers using their skills to help inform people about a problem and then pointing them to the solution most of the time you will tell them to an organization. This storytelling will help them see how for example, a food program for school-age children during the summer when they no longer have access to the free breakfast or lunches they have in school can make a difference in their health and help them get out of poverty.
 

A vetted solution

As a storyteller, using your skills to help point the audience to how they can get involved, you must be done your homework and suggest a viable solution. Too many are having people give directly to the people who do not have the skills to take that money and make wise choices. You might as well hand the guy on the corner begging a $20 bill and let them go and buy alcohol or drugs.
 
They are given to an organization with a good track record and report its budget as required by all 501 c 3 organizations. For example, it lets people know how these organizations handle those resources.
 
 
One of the more successful programs that I have watched a few of my humanitarian friend photographers shoot for and help tell their story is Toms. Buy a pair of shoes for yourself, and you buy a pair for a kid in a country that needs them. Buy a pair of sunglasses for yourself and give a pair of glasses to someone worldwide in need—the simple tagline for what they do: One for One.
 
 
Check out Toms and study how they promote their idea and get people involved. They use a lot of videos and photography to tell their story. 

Notice how they have it in their menu how your purchases are helping and give you more ways to participate. They started with just shoes and now have expanded. The reason is simple; their concept was brilliant for nonprofits.

By buying their products with their logo prominently displayed, you showed you were supporting their cause and created more people finding out about them.

WORST CHARITIES

There are watchdog groups that monitor those who raise funds for a charity. The bottom line is that people say they are raising those funds for needs to primarily fund that since you are saying this is what you are doing. Take a look at these charities that are rated the worst charities.

* Watchdog groups say no more than 35 percent of donations should go to fundraising costs. However, there is no standard for how much should be spent on direct cash aid.

Fundraising costs are things like photography, multimedia, and video projects.

The END GAME

Don’t ask me to fund a process without you explaining the END GAME. The END GAME is the final stage of an extended process or course of events. For example, if you are a humanitarian photographer, you help tell stories, and in so doing, you help solve a problem by getting the audience involved.

 

If you cannot help me understand how your storytelling will help the people in the story, then GO FUND YOURSELF!

Unexpected moments

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/250

Sometimes you walk out the door, and you see this. Of course, everyone will grab a camera as these did at a recent The Carter Center in Atlanta event.

Everyone here is going for their smartphone camera.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/250

I could zoom in with the AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and get a much better shot than my phone’s camera.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/50

I had my camera at the RQN Subway in New York at 34 Street – Herald Sq Station. I loved the music, which made me stop and enjoy a minute.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/20, Nikon SB-900 -1EV

I also had a tremendous treat today. I visited with Brad Smith, the director of photography for Sports Illustrated. I dropped off some Chick-fil-A sandwiches from the Grand Opening this weekend in NYC. I also brought him a few of the Chick-fil-A Cows.

Since I had my cameras and the Nikon SB-900, I got a nice photo for Brad to keep and for me to have as well.

All this is to remind you some of the best photos are the unexpected moment. Will you be ready?

Using photography to build a brand

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 7200, ƒ/9, 1/100

This coming Saturday, October 3rd, Chick-fil-A is opening its first store in Manhattan, New York.

My job was to capture some of the inside and outside of the restaurant. The photos will help everyone who works for Chick-fil-A get a glimpse of the new location.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/250

Here I am trying to capture the street sign of W 37ST so people can understand where this is.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/200

I then tried to let you see the other side to show how this is a residential area of NYC.

No matter how hard I tried, the single image didn’t do justice. So I took some 360º Panoramic photos of the place. Here is one from the street.

I think the 360 is a lot more engaging and helps you get your bearings as to the location of the restaurant better than the single image alone does.

Patience Grasshopper: Patience Photographer

by Stanley LearyNikon D3s / Nikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D3S, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 200, ƒ/7.1, 1/100

Sunset Photos

Timing is crucial when shooting sunsets. The sun barely dipped below the horizon, and the sky is still getting light from the visible sun.

Nikon D3S, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 200, ƒ/7.1, 1/100

Nine minutes later, the sun has minimal impact on the sky.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/100

Here in Chicago, I just wanted a dark blue sky so that the city’s lights popped, but the edges of the building were still visible.

Nikon D750, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM, ISO 160, ƒ/7.1, 1/160

As the sun set, I took this photo in Seattle of the skyline. By just waiting seventy-eight minutes later, I captured this photo from the same spot.

Nikon D750, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 6.2 sec

Finally, the lights in the city are brighter than the sky, allowing them to create a more powerful photo.

Dusk Photo Tips

  • Pick your location an hour before sunset
  • Use tripod
  • Use low ISO
  • As the sun goes down, shoot lots of photos
  • Shoot good 20 to 30 minutes after the sun disappears below the horizon