David offers both in studio and outdoor child headshot services.  All the details that you will find on David’s headshot page apply to child headshot sessions as well.  David will spend more time with your child than the photographer for the classic school picture where they line the children up and snap, snap, snap.  Although sometimes you may get lucky with a school picture, don’t rely on luck and get it done right the first time.

You will find that David’s easy to understand pricing model is not outrageous.  The easiest way to learn more is to call David at 919.723.8453 or fill out the online contact form.

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Images are Uncompressed

Many lower-end digital cameras only capture images directly to JPEG format. The problem with JPEG images is that they use “lossy” compression. In plain English, this means that the processor lowers image quality to make the file smaller. Each time you edit and save a JPEG image, the quality is further degraded (although only a tiny bit). By saving the RAW image, you preserve the highest level of image integrity throughout the editing process.

Ability to Correct Brightness and White Balance

One thing that you can’t do with a JPEG image after the fact is adjust exposure levels of images. Sure, you can use Photoshop filters, but RAW images allow you to make finer adjustments because of the information stored in the file. This gives you a wider margin of error when it comes to over- and under-exposed images.

Improved Color Quality

In addition to brightness and lighting, the RAW format records better color profile data than the JPEG format does. The technical details of how this works are a bit involved—but the bottom line is that shooting in the RAW format improves the quality of the end product by capturing more accurate and precise colors.

Because RAW files are unprocessed, you can’t post them to the web or print them directly from your camera like you can with a JPEG file. They also take up a lot more space. I buy huge memory cards and drives for the extra space because I know that I’ll need it. But I know that things happen fast at live events and I don’t always have a lot of time to maneuver. That’s why I consider it vital to capture lots of images and keep them in a format where I know I’ll be able to make the adjustments I need.

The bottom line is that while RAW format may not be vital for amateur or hobbyist photographers, I believe it is a must for anyone who shoots professionally.  I also know that not all professionals will agree with that for logical reasons.

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Canon 100mm Macro

Use a Macro Lens

Phones are not always good with close-up shots, but many inexpensive standalone digital cameras have macro zoom functions. A macro lens allows you to get a lot more detail on the product itself. As an alternative, if you do not have a macro lens, take a shot of the product as close as possible without blurring the image and use the highest resolution setting possible.

Set Up a Backdrop

A consistent background is important for product photography. Depending on the nature and layout of your facility, you may want to include your business in the product images. For example, for a restaurant, you might want to show a popular dish next to a bottle of wine on one of your dining room tables. If you decide to go this route, think about whether it makes more sense to pick different locations and angles for different products or to shoot all of the images from one spot.

There are two easy and inexpensive ways to create a backdrop that I use regularly. One option is to get a lightbox for small product images. Lightboxes are compact and portable, and you can buy them for as little as $25 for a basic model. You can even build your own lightbox. Alternatively, you can buy a roll of butcher paper or equivalent white paper. This is an easy route to go, especially if you are planning to take pictures of something too large for a lightbox.

Most types of product photography require the expertise of a professional, but even on your own you can significantly improve the quality of your images using these techniques.

The post Taking Product Photography Images: Simple Tips for Using a Camera NOT a Phone first appeared on .

When composing a photo, a leading line is any straight edge or surface that creates a visual pathway. For example, take a look at this photo that I shot for Children’s Flight of Hope (CFOH) below. CFOH is a local charity in Raleigh that provides air transportation to children who need specialized medical care. There are two points of focus in this photo: the sign in the background and the airplane in the foreground. But in particular, if you look at the wing on the plane, you will notice that the edge of the wing creates a natural visual path, almost like an arrow pointing back toward the center of the photo. The wing forms a leading line.

When you’re shooting a photo, look for opportunities to use leading lines to your advantage. Here are a few common places to find them in background scenes:

• Walls or edges of buildings
• Doorways and window frames
• Pictures hanging on walls
• Tables and other furniture
• Power lines
• Train tracks

When you use the effect of leading lines correctly, you can even sometimes create the illusion of motion. To find the best way to use leading lines, try shooting from different angles and see how the effect changes. When you look at your photos, notice the first thing your eye is drawn to look at—and notice where your eye ends up. Pay attention to the visual path that you follow when looking at the image. As you play around with this, you’ll start to notice more leading lines that may give you better ideas for places to use as background scenes.

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Image from Lomography.com

I was on a phone call the other day with a photographer that said he would like to photograph a few weddings a year but has no desire to be a big time wedding photographer.  He mentioned how stressful it is photographing a wedding which brought back memories of shooting in manual, on film and not knowing what I had until the film was processed.  The stress level of shooting weddings on film is a little higher in my opinion than on digital.

I have never photographed a wedding with a digital camera.  Although I no longer do wedding photography and now focus on corporate photography services, I did photograph my first wedding in June 1982 on film.  I was a teenager then, but I did get paid for it.  I have photographed numerous weddings on film in my consumer photography days.

Most of the weddings that I shot in the 80’s were on a completely manual medium format camera.  The Mamiya C330 pictured to the right is one of the cameras that I used.  It was a square negative, so there was no need to turn it horizontal.  I also used a manual flash.  I knew what my various f/stops were at certain distances based on the film speed that I was using.

Although I no longer photograph weddings, I do know two wedding photographers in the Raleigh area  that I keep in touch with.  They are at two different price points and I would be happy to put you or someone you know in touch with either of them:  Just fill out my ONLINE CONTACT FORM.

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The post Photographing A Wedding In Digital Might Be Stressful But Try Photographing A Wedding With Film first appeared on .