Comments on: Branding Yourself As A Photographer http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/ Jason Christopher's fashion photography blog is an instructional and informative blog geared towards all levels of photographers. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:57:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jason Christopher http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1887 Jason Christopher Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:44:53 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1887 Hi Yaseen. Ya living that far away could pose a problem. However, I have had one person come from another country to take my workshop. Save , save , save :-) Hi Yaseen. Ya living that far away could pose a problem. However, I have had one person come from another country to take my workshop. Save , save , save :-)

]]> By: Yaseen Ameer http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1759 Yaseen Ameer Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:21:09 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1759 would absoloutely love to do a workshop with u. Only problem is that im in South Africa ( would absoloutely love to do a workshop with u. Only problem is that im in South Africa (

]]> By: Jason Christopher http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1745 Jason Christopher Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:32:06 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1745 Hi Michael, thank you so much for the compliments. If you are ever in LA I would love to have you take my private workshop. The best time to shoot photos like this is late afternoon when the sun is dropping fast. The sun literally needs to be right behind the model. You could achieve the same effect in the studio if you were to place a strobe right behind your model. And it really takes a whole lot of practice to get this right. I've been shooting this style for so long it just comes instinctively to me. However, I promise you that if you keep practicing this technique, you will master it. Hi Michael, thank you so much for the compliments. If you are ever in LA I would love to have you take my private workshop.

The best time to shoot photos like this is late afternoon when the sun is dropping fast. The sun literally needs to be right behind the model. You could achieve the same effect in the studio if you were to place a strobe right behind your model.
And it really takes a whole lot of practice to get this right. I’ve been shooting this style for so long it just comes instinctively to me. However, I promise you that if you keep practicing this technique, you will master it.

]]> By: Michael http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1732 Michael Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:21:31 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1732 Hi Jason! I love all of your pictures and these ones are awesome! Too bad i live in Europe and can not take part in one of your workshops :-( What kind of Weather is necessary to take such Backlightpictures and where should the sun be ( morning, noon or afternoon)? I tried to take some pictures with backlight, they were sharp but i didnt get this effect...I have a Nikon D90, my lenses are SIGMA 18-50 mm, 1:2.8-4,5 DC, SIGMA 50-200 mm, 1:4-5,6 DC and a NIKKOR MF-50 mm, 1:1,8. I also tried it out with a reflector and with the camera-flash and it didn't work. Kind regards :-) Michael Hi Jason!
I love all of your pictures and these ones are awesome! Too bad i live in Europe and can not take part in one of your workshops :-(
What kind of Weather is necessary to take such Backlightpictures and where should the sun be ( morning, noon or afternoon)? I tried to take some pictures with backlight, they were sharp but i didnt get this effect…I have a Nikon D90, my lenses are SIGMA 18-50 mm, 1:2.8-4,5 DC, SIGMA 50-200 mm, 1:4-5,6 DC and a NIKKOR MF-50 mm, 1:1,8. I also tried it out with a reflector and with the camera-flash and it didn’t work.

Kind regards :-)
Michael

]]> By: stephanie http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1487 stephanie Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:51:51 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1487 Hey Jason Thankyou so much for your reply!! You have some great ideas! some i considered and others i havent... I think i will shoot at low shutter speed of 1/30th @ f8 That way im still getting depth of field and still capturing the overall atmosphere And an ISO of 300 maybe 200 Thanks again!! you have been a great help! i will show you some photos once its done.. :) Hey Jason

Thankyou so much for your reply!!

You have some great ideas! some i considered and others i havent…

I think i will shoot at low shutter speed of 1/30th @ f8

That way im still getting depth of field and still capturing the overall atmosphere
And an ISO of 300 maybe 200

Thanks again!! you have been a great help! i will show you some photos once its done..

:)

]]> By: Jason Christopher http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1484 Jason Christopher Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:57:36 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1484 Hi Stephanie, Wow ! You've got a challenge on your hands. It's difficult for me to tell you exactly how to light this without seeing the location myself. If there are street lights that illuminate the theatre what I would do is put the camera on sticks and shoot at a very slow shutter speed so you will capture the beautiful ambient light from the street lights. You must remember to tell your models to be very still though. If you want your models to be moving in some way then what I would do without having a full set of lights, is use your sb600 and have an assistant bounce it off some white foam core. That way you won't get those harsh shadows on the building and the light will be softer. There are MANY ways to light this. You just gotta try several things. Let me know how it turns out. I am curious as to what you choose. Thanx for your question Stephanie. Hi Stephanie,
Wow ! You’ve got a challenge on your hands. It’s difficult for me to tell you exactly how to light this without seeing the location myself. If there are street lights that illuminate the theatre what I would do is put the camera on sticks and shoot at a very slow shutter speed so you will capture the beautiful ambient light from the street lights. You must remember to tell your models to be very still though. If you want your models to be moving in some way then what I would do without having a full set of lights, is use your sb600 and have an assistant bounce it off some white foam core. That way you won’t get those harsh shadows on the building and the light will be softer.

There are MANY ways to light this. You just gotta try several things.
Let me know how it turns out. I am curious as to what you choose.
Thanx for your question Stephanie.

]]> By: stephanie http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1477 stephanie Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:20:38 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1477 Your website is amazing thankyou so much for giving fellow photographers insight on tricks of the trade.. I have a question: Next week i will be shooting a high fashion/editorial style shoot in the heart of the city in front of a theatre at night. I will be having 2 agency models male and female who will be wearing designer clothes. The shoot is 60's inspired; last night i went to do a test shoot and it turned out not as i expected! So i am now in a panic! trying to analyze different ways of doing this....and i got nothing!! basically i want to create sharpness (no grain), some detail in the clothing and background and more importantly create the overall atmosphere of the theatre.. Now I'm working on a very small budget! and i cant hire any lighting equipment because its outside on the main street of the city, and the city council wont let me unless i pay them $1000's of dollars! which i dont have! lol Any idea how i can create this? I'm shooting with a nikon d80 and a 18-200 lens and i have a sb600 flash unit. PLEASE HELP!!!!!! Your website is amazing thankyou so much for giving fellow photographers insight on tricks of the trade..

I have a question:

Next week i will be shooting a high fashion/editorial style shoot in the heart of the city in front of a theatre at night. I will be having 2 agency models male and female who will be wearing designer clothes. The shoot is 60’s inspired; last night i went to do a test shoot and it turned out not as i expected! So i am now in a panic! trying to analyze different ways of doing this….and i got nothing!!

basically i want to create sharpness (no grain), some detail in the clothing and background and more importantly create the overall atmosphere of the theatre..
Now I’m working on a very small budget! and i cant hire any lighting equipment because its outside on the main street of the city, and the city council wont let me unless i pay them $1000’s of dollars! which i dont have! lol

Any idea how i can create this? I’m shooting with a nikon d80 and a 18-200 lens and i have a sb600 flash unit.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

]]> By: Tina Picard http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1220 Tina Picard Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:56:07 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1220 Very good advices. Thanks! Tina http://tinapicardphotography.blogspot.com Very good advices. Thanks!

Tina
http://tinapicardphotography.blogspot.com

]]> By: admin http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1207 admin Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:44:32 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1207 Hi Antonio, I'm confused on your first point. You say that having a brand is the thing that keeps most great photographers from ever having any monetary success. What do you mean by that ? Your second point I have to disagree with and this is why. In my post I say it can take years to develop and find your own style. So in the meantime why not at least make some side money with head shots and family portraits maybe ? It's MUCH easier to decide on a color scheme and logo to at least get some business cards made and start passing those out. You then apply those colors and logo to your website so now people start knowing you by your color scheme and logo and will follow your development as you make your way to discovering your own style which again takes years. We both make good points and it really comes down to the choice of the individual photographer. One thing we both agree on and I am sure others agree on as well is that you MUST develop your own style and be known for that because your style is what you will be hired for. Thank you for your comment Antonio and thank you for your participation with my blog :-) Hi Antonio,

I’m confused on your first point. You say that having a brand is the thing that keeps most great photographers from ever having any monetary success. What do you mean by that ?

Your second point I have to disagree with and this is why. In my post I say it can take years to develop and find your own style. So in the meantime why not at least make some side money with head shots and family portraits maybe ? It’s MUCH easier to decide on a color scheme and logo to at least get some business cards made and start passing those out. You then apply those colors and logo to your website so now people start knowing you by your color scheme and logo and will follow your development as you make your way to discovering your own style which again takes years.
We both make good points and it really comes down to the choice of the individual photographer. One thing we both agree on and I am sure others agree on as well is that you MUST develop your own style and be known for that because your style is what you will be hired for.
Thank you for your comment Antonio and thank you for your participation with my blog :-)

]]> By: antonio carrasco http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/2010/01/28/branding-yourself-as-a-photographer/comment-page-1/#comment-1204 antonio carrasco Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:22:52 +0000 http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=836#comment-1204 I agree with you that having a brand is the most important thing for a photographer but it's the thing that keeps a lot of GREAT photographers from ever having any monetary success. I think that #4 on your list should actually be number 1. Defining your style and not being all over the place is the most important thing for photographers to achieve in order to start bringing in money. Once the photographer has developed his/her style, things like logo design and business cards and what not should flow quite naturally and become more easy. Just my two cents. I agree with you that having a brand is the most important thing for a photographer but it’s the thing that keeps a lot of GREAT photographers from ever having any monetary success.

I think that #4 on your list should actually be number 1. Defining your style and not being all over the place is the most important thing for photographers to achieve in order to start bringing in money. Once the photographer has developed his/her style, things like logo design and business cards and what not should flow quite naturally and become more easy.

Just my two cents.

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