Category: Nikon D4

The love of photography can cloud your judgment.

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

There are two things I love to shoot more than anything else: Sports & Humanitarian subjects.

Both of these subjects are like an adrenaline rush for me to cover.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 1400, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

I am not alone and find that both of these subjects have photographers lining up in a row to shoot them for free to have the chance to do so.

Here is a big clue to your brain cells–ANYTHING that people are willing to do for free requires you to be the very best to make a living at it.

The odds of being a professional sports photographer earning all your living doing this full-time may be more complex than playing the sport professionally. The reason is that so many people want to stand on the sidelines and do whatever it takes, even for free.

In sports, we call these jock sniffers. That may sound crude, but they want to be close to the action.

Not sure what we call them if they are willing to do whatever it takes to do humanitarian photography for free, but there are so many of these folks out there that it is scary.

In a Facebook group, there was a comment/question about covering missionaries for church organizations. Here is a small snippet:

The missions organization pays you little or in some cases NOTHING for your work after all is said and done. There are some of us who can walk away with photos worthy of National Geographic. I ask you, is it fair and right for missions groups to get all the benefits of having talented photographers shooting for them while the photographers get little or nothing to show for it? 

Here is my response


There are three types of mission organizations. 

 

1. The William Carey model of mission societies where people give to the society and then the society hires missionaries and pays them as a staff is one model.
2. Each person raises their funds. They have their supporters give to the organizations that endorse them, and they take a percentage [usually 10%], but this gives people a tax write-off. So the entire organization raises their support. Campus Crusade works this way for the most part.
3. There is often a blending of the two models where a small support staff might be staff, but the majority raise their support.

So if the person who hired you to work on the project is raising their support, then I think you don’t have a case in the traditional sense in their eyes.

The problem in missions is when everyone is not operating on the same model.

I have a capitalistic freelance business. I find clients who I charge for my services. I either must make enough to subsidize my mission’s photography, or I must charge to cover my costs.

In My Humble Opinion

Many unqualified “missionaries” can convince people to give to their cause. However, they are great fundraisers and not necessarily great “missionaries.”

I think the movement away from the William Carey Mission Societies to each person crowdfunding is funding those who are fundraisers and not missionaries by skill set.

The problem also has been that many “missionaries” in the William Carey Mission Societies were not good at communicating their work when people visited them on the mission field. As a result, many seeing the missionary would think they were not doing enough. On the other hand, often, the visitor would think they did as much good as these seminary-trained missionaries. In some cases, this was true, but the lack of understanding of cultural differences often played into the equation.

You cannot change these models, but you must be aware of them and decide how you will respond. For example, you can create your own 501c nonprofit and crowdsource and have people give to the communications efforts of missions worldwide.

You can go and be a tentmaker who makes most of their money like Paul, one of the first missionaries and author of much of the New Testament, did as a tentmaker/missionary.

You can find those organizations that have set aside a budget to hire you because they value true expertise and understand how this will help their mission objectives.

After more comments where people still felt like organizations should be paying them who often are all raising their funds, I needed to add some more thoughts. So here they are for you.

I don’t think you will get very far with the feeling people should pay you when they are raising all their funds.

If you cannot cover your costs, state that, and they will find a way if they want to work with you. Suppose they don’t, then move on. Not paying is true with clients who offer you money, but it is below your cost of doing business–you must walk away.

There is another aspect to the discussion other than pay versus fundraising.

RESULTS

Photographers who can tell stories effectively and organizations that raise funds due to their work will be in demand.

Too many who want to do “missions” or “humanitarian” are more in love with themselves traveling and getting paid to take photos. They do not believe in a cause. Their work is average and not what people will want to share on social media. They don’t have the followings. They are irrelevant with their work, but in their minds, they are legends.

MORE THAN A STORYTELLER

You cannot just be a great storyteller these days alone. It would help if you also connected with the audience. For example, some photographers say that when they “Tweet,” they communicate with more than 100,000 followers. They are a media outlet themselves. They have so many followers because they share in a way that appeals to the audience.

They have an audience, and when they share, people get involved, and those who are blessed to have them work for their benefit. Many organizations will hire them just for access to their audience.

TRUE SUCCESS

It would be best if you had outstanding work today. That is a given. But it would help if you so had so much more. You must understand the entire process of a crisis needing people to get involved. You know what it takes to engage that audience, and you are part of a team helping them to understand all that must take place with your work to make it successful.

Photographers running successful businesses are more likely to help missions or humanitarian agencies than photographers struggling to get by. The reason is simple–they know you must make sound business decisions for something to be successful.

SUMMARY

IN ANY PROFESSION, where people are willing to do something for FREE, there will always be those who can earn a living at the very pinnacle of that profession. Here are some careers you find many people doing for free all the time:

  • Music
  • Theater
  • Sports
  • Humanitarian 
  • Photography
To get paid and earn a living, you must not just be the best technically. Many amateur golfers can outdrive many on tour. Many musicians are technical wizards with an instrument. 
 
Those who get paid are the total package. In photography, that means you understand better than your client how you can best help them. You also understand everything that needs to happen for your ideas to create a real impact for the client. Then, you can communicate and work with a client to achieve those goals. 
 
You also understand the business of the profession and know what you need to charge to make a living. Therefore, you can convince people you are the solution to their problems and that they need to pay you to help them achieve their goals.
 
You are also a person that exudes confidence that makes people know you have their back and are on their team.
 
You can own all the very best gear available. You can have the best portfolio there is in the profession. But if you don’t know what business you are in and what problems you are solving for others, you will never make it.
 
Don’t fall in love with what you get to do in a profession; fall in love with how you love to solve other people’s problems, and it just happens that photography is part of the solution.

Perspective changes the view of the game.

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

I am in the end zone on my knees to get this photo, shooting down the field with a 600mm lens. I am shooting up to the player’s face.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600

What is evident in the comparison is I am no longer on the sideline shooting the game. Instead, I moved to the press box, where many TV cameras covered the game.

The perspective changes how the players appear to the audience. I believe when you are down low and shooting up at the players, you give them the sense they are like the Roman gods, where they tower over men.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

I think shooting from the lower angle is much better most of the time, but there are times that the different perspective helps.

On those close calls, the TV will go to multiple angles to see which one the angles gives a better angle on the play. Having different angles covered is why most major news services have many photographers covering the game. They will have a better chance of having the play covered in case one angle doesn’t show the gameplay or is needed to help the audience understand the call.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/4.5, 1/1250

This photo is one of those plays from the game where you want to see another angle to verify the touchdown.

When I shot the game from different perspectives, I wanted to capture the branding of Chick-fil-A from different views. While the shooting from down low on the players from the field is a great perspective, I would have missed this photo if I had stayed with that angle only.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

This top-down view is a great scene setter. It tells you this is the Chick-fil-A kickoff game and who is playing.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

I suggest always getting down low when shooting sports as one of your central angles, but always mix in some other angles to help give your audience a different perspective of the game.

Shooting the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game with Nikon D4 and Sigma 120-300mm w/ 2X converter

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

I wanted to share some photos I captured from the Chick-fil-A Kickoff this year, where Auburn defeated Louisville 31 to 24.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600

There are a couple of things that helped me get some of what I thought were lovely moments.

Camera Settings:  To see these go to the blog post on them here 

  • Custom White Balance with ExpoDisc
  • AUTO ISO
    • ISO range 100 – 12800 on Nikon D4
    • Minimum Shutter Speed 1/2000 – The shutter will drop below 1/2000 once the ISO maxes out at ISO 12800
  • Continuous High Shutter Release
  • Focus
    • Continuous
    • Focus Point Selection – 21-point dynamic-area AF
    • Focus Tracking with Lock On set to 4
    • AF activation and choose “AF-ON only.” This setting will not focus on the lens when I press the shutter. Instead, it will only fire the camera. 
    • To focus, I am using the AF-ON button on the back of the Nikon D4.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
A few other photographers used to shooting night games at the Georgia Dome were using their teleconverters since this was a daytime game. The arena has a large white sheet over the dome, giving a diffused daylight across the field.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1000
The lights they use for night games were also on for the game. So my White Balance was 4250º Kelvin and +29 Magenta.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600
I enjoy shooting from the end zone as much as possible, so using the Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S with the Sigma TC-2001 2x gave me a 240-600mm ƒ/5.6 lens.
 
It was ultra quick to lock in on focus and track players as they moved across the field.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250
In the photos you are seeing, I was tracking the play and would start shooting just about the time, say a pass was to hit their hands, and motor drive through in case anything like a missed catch could happen.
 
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Here is the take on that particular image above. Every one of the images was sharp and usable.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1000

Before the “Big Game,” shoot the “Small Game.”

 
I recommend going to the community recreation center in your town or local high school, shooting with the same gear, and getting used to it. Then, if you rent a camera or lens, pick it up so maybe you can squeeze in a Friday night game before the “Big Game” on Saturday or Sunday.
 
Missed shots are more related to how well you know your gear than anything else. Be sure you are getting all you can out of the equipment. Please don’t blame the equipment when it might be your knowledge of how to use your gear that is the problem.
 

Football Tips

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 7200, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here are a few tips to help you get better football pictures this fall.

First, arrive early and set up your gear for shooting sports. I recommend using the AUTO ISO setting the shutter speed to 1/2000, and having the range of the ISO from the lowest to the highest that your camera recommends.

The Nikon D4 recommends ISO 100 – 12800, and if you need to for a specific situation, you can push this ISO as high as 204800, but anything above 12800, you will notice significant noise levels. But sometimes, that is all you can do on some High School football fields.

I didn’t have the newest Nikon Z9 when I took these photos, but the Z9 native sensitivity of ISO 64-25,600, with expansion to ISO 32-102,400, makes it even easier today to get those moments.

I would also use Custom White Balance using the ExpoDisc. I recommend setting the white balance with your shutter speed below 1/100 to get a more accurate reading. Then select your shutter speed to 1/2000. The Sodium Vapor lights used at many venues have the same problem as fluorescent lights–they are pulsing rather than a constant light source.

Nikon D4: Sports Camera Setting

Nikon D5: Sports Camera Settings

My Nikon Z9 Sports Settings

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

With the cameras all set, you next need to pick a team to feature for the moment. It isn’t easy to cover both teams at the same time. When you choose a group, try to stay in front of the direction they are facing when they line up.

I love to use longer lenses like the 600mm and shoot from an end zone.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600

I have captured the Titan’s defense pursuing the quarterback in this photo. So the caption works well for this photo.

St. Pius X Golden Lions #18 QB Reed Egan looks for an open man downfield while Blessed Trinity Titans #74 Matthew Castner and #16 JD Bertrand pursue him Friday night, August 28, 2015, in Roswell, GA.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Blessed Trinity Titans #16 JD Bertrand outruns St. Pius X Golden Lions #8 Cameron Fannon for the first touchdown Friday night, August 28, 2015, in Roswell, GA.

I got this break-away play because I was in front of where they were going and not where they had been.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

The other thing about being downfield is the background, for the most part is a lot cleaner than the sidelines.

For this last photo: Blessed Trinity Titans #13 Conor Davis looks for some running room while being pursued by St. Pius X Golden Lions #2 Winston O’Striker Friday night August 28, 2015, in Roswell, GA.

Position yourself where you see the faces of your team rather than the backs of their helmets.

Best Advice for Football

Learn all you can about the game, the team, and the plays they like to run. It would help if you were as prepared as the visiting team coaches are for the game to anticipate the plays so you can be in a position to capture the play as it unfolds. You cannot get consistently good photos from constantly reacting to what is happening. You get great results from anticipating.

One more tip from my friend Billy Calzada, Photo/Multimedia Journalist at San Antonio Express-News, “Do a little homework. My meat and potatoes in football are third down and long passing situations. So, before each game, I find out who the leading receiver is on each team, and on third and long, I anticipate a pass to that player. Also, I Sharpie those players’ numbers on my arm for quick reference.”

Photographing Hummingbirds with Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S & a High-Speed Sync Flash

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Nikon SB-900, Nikon SB-800, PocketWizard Transceiver TT5, PocketWizard Mini TT1, AC-3, ISO 6400, ƒ/10, 1/2000

The hummingbird bird feeder we have is close to the house. I have a door with many window panes where I put the two hot shoe flashes using TTL to control their output.

 
I kept the camera on a tripod, so I had very little to do except shoot when the hummingbirds came.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Nikon SB-900, Nikon SB-800, PocketWizard Transceiver TT5, PocketWizard Mini TT1, AC-3, ISO 6400, ƒ/10, 1/2000
 
The color is so much better than just available light.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Nikon SB-900, Nikon SB-800, PocketWizard Transceiver TT5, PocketWizard Mini TT1, AC-3, ISO 6400, ƒ/10, 1/2000
 
For comparison, this is the photo I posted yesterday with the Fuji X-E2 and the 55-200mm.
 
Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/6.4, 1/2000
You can’t shoot high-speed sync flash with the Fuji system I know how to use. Maybe later.

Shooting HS Football Look for Competition

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here are four photos from the same play. Which one would you choose to use if you were the editor for a publication?

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The runner is now further down the field. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

I think the first two are better than the last one because you can see the other team is just missing tackles. This photo gives you a sense of competition. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 3600, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Now, this last photo is the runner scoring. Is this as important as creating the tension of the actual play? You can say in the caption he scored. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here the defensive player is reaching for the ball, making you wonder if he will go down. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

Now, in this photo, you know the guy is going down. So not as much tension. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/800

Here this runner is going out of bounds. Not even the team is all that concerned in this photo because there is not much tension. 

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The offensive player may get by but watch the sidelines. Now you can’t make this happen, but you can position yourself to get more possibilities. I like to shoot from the endzone to capture more expressions and people running towards the goal, which is where I am. The players look like they are running in the direction of the audience.

Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S shooting Friday Night High School Football

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

My daughter’s high school had its first football pre-season game tonight. Roswell High School played cross-town rival Johns Creek high school.

In the first photo, Roswell High School’s #1 full back Sheldon Evans runs for a touchdown while being pursued by John’s Creek #3 defensive back Jack Somers and #36 defensive back Bryce McCain.

At 8:03 pm or about 20 minutes before sunset, I took the photo at the top. The Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S with the Sigma TC-2001 2x attached was locking in on focus quickly and holding steady with the Nikon D4.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 3600, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The coach on the sidelines was shot at 7:43 pm with the sun dipping behind trees, so indirect sunlight was hitting the players from the open sky.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 7200, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

As you can see, having the Sigma TC-2001 2X converter was helping me reach downfield. The converter gave me a 600mm, which worked well for the high school game. You can get much closer to the sidelines than in college or pro games.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here I am in the end zone, where the player crosses the 50-yard line. Again, I am shooting at 410mm on the zoom range.

I love shooting from the end zones because, as you see in the photos, I am more likely to see the players’ faces. After all, this is the direction the offense is going. If I cover the defense, I would be in the opposite end zone and getting the defensive players’ faces.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

You can see the expressions on the faces of the players and show the ball and the defense simultaneously. Here I captured a moment that I am sure the coaches will be talking to the offense about protecting that ball more than they are doing here.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

I love these photos where you see the defense doing all they can to stop the offense and also showing the players’ athleticism.

One of the photographers showed up tonight with the new Sigma 150-600mm contemporary lens. I would love to see what she got and even more, which I could have tested. But, I think shooting Friday Night Lights on small community football fields is possible with today’s cameras and high ISOs.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S and Sigma TC-2001 2x combination. I also used the new 1.4X converter but preferred the 2X to get downfield.

The Organic Process Professional Photographer

by Stanley LearyNikon D2X / Nikon D4
 
Nikon D2X, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC, ISO 400, ƒ/2.8, 1/5000

This “Chicken Man” was on the road between Tenkodogo and Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, West Africa. These are “free range” chickens that tie their feet together to take them to market.

Instead of ordering “free range” chickens off the menu, they are called “bicycle chicken.” Of course, they get that name, as you can see in how they bring them to market.

We hear today the benefits of eating natural organic food. We think of organic as a natural process.

Nikon D2X, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC, ISO 400, ƒ/2.8, 1/400

Mergers and acquisitions, which are inorganic growth, are an aggressive approach to growing a business. While most photographers are too small to think of merging or acquisitions, the aggressive approach to business is hurting their growth.

When you start a small business, you must focus on growing your customer base, reinvesting profits in new assets for more significant income, and improving productivity to increase your bottom line. All of these efforts are examples of organic growth. In a nutshell, organic growth is focused on preplanning and preparing for the future.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 125, ƒ/14, 1/250

Photographers need to operate their business like a farmer. He prepares the ground, plants the seeds, weeds the fields, waters the crop, and does what they can to protect the crop when storms come. The percentage of the farmer’s time is in the preparation versus the harvest.

Advice for the photographer

  • Dream first of what you hope for
  • Think of all the steps necessary for you to reach that dream
  • Invest your time and energy in getting the things you need to make the dream a reality
  • Create your action plan
  • Execute the plan

There are a couple of significant insights for the photographer from the farmer. First, there is a season for planting and a season for harvesting. The farmer clears the fields when they first start. They may have to clear trees and brush and remove rocks and stones from their areas before plowing the fields to prepare the ground for the seeds.

In West Africa, farmers are so poor they cannot buy fertilizer. It costs more than they will get out of the harvest. Many of these farmers will plant two seeds in the field because if they get enough rain, one of the plants will thrive, but if it is a dry season, the other plant will do better.

Nikon D2X, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/500

This farmer here works the fields in Koudougou, Burkina Faso. He is part of the bible school where they not only teach theology but farming to help the pastors feed their families while they minister as bi-vocational pastors.

Photographers may need to be bi-vocational as well today.

Overnight Success

You will look like an overnight success only if you are ready. There are some things in your dream that you will try and force to happen. We all do this, and then we slowly learn that sometimes the problem was we have been planting seeds in the fall and not the spring, or we were trying to harvest in the spring rather than the fall.

Here are a few things to help you become that overnight success.

  1. Have an elevator speech ready [earlier blog on elevator speech]
  2. Have ideas prepared for clients – Don’t just show your portfolio, do some research and have some pictures you can pitch to them when that opportunity presents itself.
  3. Prepared replies – Think about those situations that a client may ask you to do something and how you should respond. The more you anticipate issues, the better you will come off when they arise.
You have heard of Natural Leaders–Well, they have invested much time on the front end. You may have also heard of those who are “Good Natured.” Well, most likely, they have thought about situations enough to know how to respond or to understand how a case isn’t a problem, to begin with anyway. You know how to go with the flow because you have thought enough about things before your response.
 
You are going with the flow is a critical thing to understand. You need to know enough about your industry to learn how to be very flexible and when to take those “organic moments” and speak into them.
 
A farmer who plans to put the seeds into the ground one week realizes that if they move it up a few days, they can take advantage of the rain.
 
The photographer has invested some thought into their business like the farmer. So the question is, how well prepared are you?

Photography Boot Camp is a great way to learn photography

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 5000, ƒ/25, 1/40–off camera flash with Alienbees B1600 powered by Vagabond and triggered using the Pocketwizard system.

Many people will talk about being Baptized by Fire when they take on a new responsibility. New responsibility is when you sink or swim, as one might also say about a new job.

A new IT industry movement is called “Coder Boot Camp.” 12 Weeks To A 6-Figure Job was a piece first published in December 2014 but continues to get traction.

One fan of these programs is President Obama. In March, the White House announced the TechHire initiative to help communities recognize, and hire, boot camp graduates in order to close the famous “skills gap.”

“There’s a lot more we can do together to make sure that more Americans benefit from a 21st century economy,” Obama said to the nation’s mayors. “Folks can get the skills they need in newer, streamlined, faster training programs.”

According to a recent report on NPR:

These programs promise, for several thousand dollars, to take people and in a manner of weeks, turn them into job-ready Web developers.

Virtually unknown just four years ago, today at least 50 of these programs have sprung up around the country and overseas. Collectively, the sector has taken in an estimated $73 million in tuition since 2011.

And the top programs say they are placing the vast majority of their graduates into jobs earning just under six figures in a rapidly expanding field — filling a need for practical, hands-on skills that traditional college programs, in many cases, don’t.

Photo by Robin Nelson

Since 2006 I have been part of a Photography 12-week boot camp that provides similar training for those wanting to know photography.

The students in the course I work with each year in Kona, Hawaii, do nothing but this one class for 12 weeks. The more I heard about the “Coder Boot Camp” on NPR while driving, the more I realized this is what we have been doing in that class.

Patrick Murphy-Racey, Sony Artisan Associate, takes a moment to talk with Lily Wang at a workshop about the Sony mirrorless camera system. [Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/250]

I do not think a boot camp replaces a college degree. Multiple impact career advancement and promotions; however, having a bachelor’s degree can be a significant factor. Employers often view a college-educated employee as motivated to learn, able to meet deadlines, and have problem-solving and communication skills. In addition, many management and administrative positions require a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

What a boot camp does that a college degree doesn’t always do is train you in those efficient skills you need each day in the profession.

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

The multimedia workshops that I am now teaching have no tests and grading. No one cares in the industry if you graduated Magna Cum Laude; they want to see your portfolio. The boot camp experience is where you will spend a lot of time hands-on and producing, just like you would on a real job.

The difference between the job and the boot camp is the coaching and teaching that comes with the instructors. They will review your work and help guide you to help you produce a portfolio that, without the instruction, would have taken you a much longer time to do on your own.

Photography has very few Boot Camp Programs where in 12 weeks, you get the practical skills to start working as a professional. The School of Photography program that Dennis Fahringer runs in Kona, Hawaii, with the University of the Nations is the only one I know. We design it for Christians who want to use photography in ministry/missions to impact the world.

There are shorter workshops that will teach a specific skill, as I do with my Multimedia Workshop or Lighting Workshops, where you learn in a short period a skill.

+/- Photography Boot Camp

  • The most important key element about attending a Bootcamp was a COMMITMENT to and PASSION for learning the technology. You will get a great deal out of the program if you bring an insatiable desire for knowledge.
  • You realize that a portfolio will get you hired, not how many classes you have taken.
  • You take on all the projects with the desire to redo any part of the process until it is portfolio worthy.
  • If you are not carrying your camera around most of the time, this is a good clue you might not benefit from this program.
  • If you find spending 8+ hours a day doing nothing but photography too much, then you need to avoid this.
  • If you have trouble dealing with criticism, this isn’t your profession. While no one enjoys a fuss, the person with a passion realizes they need to get better and welcome the complaint rather than recoil.

I am a lifelong learner and realize that every few years, I must dive deeply into something new that I need to learn. The deep dive might be a class to learn new software or going to a workshop to learn about a new piece of gear. Whatever the case, I realized long ago that I will never know all there is to know about photography and that I can always learn something new.

I have a one-week Bootcamp in Multimedia Narrative Storytelling in Mexico with Coffee Growers. Click here to learn more.

 

Des Moines Skyline

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 1/1.7

I used a new function on the Nikon D750 for the Des Moines Skyline. One can use the optional ML-L3 remote control to reduce camera shake.

Choose the “Remote mirror-up” setting, which will let you lock the mirror up and take a photo. You press it once, and the mirror locks up, and then a second time to take the picture.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 160, ƒ/16, 1/100 and 2 Neewer T850 flashes triggered by the Neewer radio remote.

Here is a photo of me taken by Mary Smith with my camera while in the Art area of Des Moines.

Combating Portfolio Depression

by Stanley LearyNikon D2X / Nikon D3s / Nikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D2X, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Macro Lens, ISO 400, ƒ/2.8, 1/160

Most photographers grow despondent of their portfolios over time due to having little new work that can replace their best work. I call this Portfolio Depression.

There are times in life when we need some intervention. Sometimes this is medical, where we may even have to undergo surgery to get rid of something harmful to our body.

Photographers are like many other artists and find themselves under the knife trimming the fat to become more lean and effective in our craft.

My Workflow

After a shoot, I ingest my photos from the camera and do a rough edit in PhotoMechanic. All I am doing at this point is deciding if the images are OK. Out of focus, extremely harmful exposure, accidental frame shot, bad expressions, and other things that rule a photo from keeping it are what I am evaluating.

Usually, I am eliminating 50% to 75% of the images at this point.

Nikon D2X, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/2.8, 1/80

Consistency

A few weeks ago, one of my clients talked about my consistency. He said he could always count on solid professional work and people like working with me.

The hardest part of the edit is during the Lightroom phase, where I straighten horizons, maybe crop a little bit, and were correct for the lens profile and minor burning and dodging. I am often feeling left very flat emotionally.

It doesn’t take long, and I find myself sinking emotionally. But then, I look at my work and realize I do not see many grand slams.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 2.5 sec

Skyline

To compensate for my frustrations, I started planning skyline shots of some of the cities I was visiting. Here is the Seattle Skyline I did back in April.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 20 sec

What has been happening on my photo shoots that is making things more and more complex is clients sending me to locations with very little information about the area. It wasn’t something they could fix either. It just is what it is.

Kyle Petty’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 1986 Miller High Life 400 Richmond, Va. Here is where Bill Elliott ended up on the wall. After the race, Earnhardt had to pay a $3,000 fine ($6,454.46 when adjusted for inflation) plus a $10,000 security bond for an incident involving himself and the back end of Darrell Waltrip’s vehicle ($21,514.88 when adjusted for inflation).  

In the days of breaking news, it was difficult for you to plan. So the best I could do was position myself as I did here, covering the 1986 Miller High Life 400 at the Richmond Speedway to catch where many of the wrecks happened on that track.

ƒ/8 and Be There

Photojournalists have a saying, “ƒ/8 and be there”, meaning that being on the scene is more important than worrying about technical details. Practically, ƒ/8 allows the adequate depth of field and sufficient lens speed for a decent base exposure in most daylight situations.

It doesn’t take long in this profession to realize that the “ƒ/8 and Be There” attitude is concise.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/22, 25 sec

Google Photo Search

A few weeks ago, while in Bucharest, Romania, I went online and found some signature shots of the city before getting to Romania. While it felt good to get this photo like all of my other skyline shots, the part frustrating with these photos is the many photos other photographers have taken. I was more proud of the Bucharest photos since these particular angles didn’t show up right away on the Google searches when I was researching.

Nikon D3S, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/320

Perspective

I learned early on that if your photos are not very exciting, then change your perspective. So this is what my wife and I did one day by taking a balloon ride in the North Georgia mountains.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-120mm ƒ/3.5-5.6, ISO 720, ƒ/5.3, 1/1000

By just getting up in the air, I saw things from a different perspective than 6’2″, my height standing.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-120mm ƒ/3.5-5.6, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/30

While getting a different perspective by getting high or low and shooting late or early, I still need the essential content photos with most of my assignment work.

Conflict

OK, you are now reading my story of conflict. My photos are not exciting enough and lack the surprise factor that I want to get every time I go out. I remember watching my mentor Don Rutledge struggle with the same issue. Just one thing majorly different is my mentor was a lot better than I have been with photography.

I watched Don buy new camera systems to see if that would help give him some creative edge. Don bought new Singh-Ray filters for all his camera lenses, which helped give him a unique look.

Don shot Nikon, then shot Olympus, and then went on to Leica cameras before returning to the Nikon cameras. All these moves were to help him keep creative and get the very best out of a situation he was shooting.

The sad reality is that you can produce some very excellent professional photography, but you still need content that isn’t as visually interesting. Nevertheless, you have done just about all you can to make the very best photo you could have made.

Staying Truthful

The danger for the photojournalist is you don’t want to manufacture moments. A photojournalist is who I am most of the time. I want to stand flat-footed, find the angle, and then help tell the story as authentically as possible.

The number one thing that has helped the most with accomplishing a sense of satisfaction has been doing multimedia projects. I realize that the subject’s words often were missing in photos, and having them tell their own stories took my work to a different level. Are the images better? No. However, the stories are complete.

What often feels like depression after an assignment is me looking at the conflict in my story. Then usually, I will look at other photographers’ work on similar topics and see how they treated the story. In addition, I am finding other resources through photography magazines, online galleries, and, most important is through professional associations. Associations are where my colleagues publish, like NPPA’s News Photographer Magazine and ASMP’s Bulletin magazine, which help keep me updated on trends and gear.

The best advice to help combat this portfolio depression is to create your project. This way, you can plan and control more of the variables and allow you to show people what you can do.

Summary

  • If you love all your work, then you are not growing
  • If you are depressed after reviewing your latest work – that is normal
  • If you look to get better by studying other people’s work – you are smart
  • Do your special project
  • Take a Workshop

Shooting St Louis Skyline

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Nikon D750
 
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 20 sec

To get this photo, we need to go back a week. So I researched online to find the pictures I liked of the skyline. After digging a little, I found that the best place for skyline shots is 185 W. Trendley Ave., East St. Louis, IL 62201.

I knew I wanted to shoot the photo about 20 minutes after sunset. So I shot this top photo at 8:56 pm. Sunset was at 8:26 pm tonight.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/13, 1/250

This photo I took earlier in the day at 3:58 pm, which for me, was pretty flat and uninteresting. I came to scout the location. I noticed the powerlines and how flat the light was at this time of day.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/13, 1/320

We came back and started to shoot at 8:11 pm. Here I noticed we were getting a very orange skyline shot.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/10, 1/2

Notice that even at 8:11 pm, the light is much better than at 3:58 pm.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 1100, ƒ/8, 1/100

The sky was gorgeous, but I felt like the atmosphere overpowered the skyline of St. Louis.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 125, ƒ/2.8, 1/100

I also liked this photo, where I captured more about the Mississippi River than just the St. Louis skyline.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/10, 2 sec

We are moving from the ramp to see over the levee. Walking across the rain tracks up to the levee gave us the best view.

I was using a tripod to keep the camera still. With the Nikon D750, I used the Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control Infrared to trigger the camera. The best thing is to use the 2-second delay to minimize all the motion.

Tips:

  • Go online and research where you are going. You will find a lot of photos that are signatures for a city.
  • Find the locations where many of the photographers are shooting these photos.
  • Go during the daylight to be sure you can see all the landscape and see if there are some things like the powerlines that you need to work around.
  • Find the time for sunrise or sunset
  • Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise or sunset
  • Stay at least 20 to 30 minutes after sunrise or sunset.