CameraTalk » Matt Collins

Money Money Money

Matt Collins — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:37:43 +0000

I HEAR TOO OFTEN the stories of photographers underselling themselves — not charging for work or seriously undercharging their customers.

In fact, I’ve known photographers who’ve bought new lenses for shoots they’re not even being paid to do, costing them not only time but also money.

Amateurs are often more talented than they give themselves credit for.

If people ask you to photograph for them, it’s not because you cost nothing. Everyone has a mate with a camera. And they’re not overly concerned with how many photos you can fit on a disk.

What they’re looking for, and what their willing to pay for, is quality and skill.

If you fail to charge appropriately, the repercussions are rarely beneficial. Most likely is that the effort and its low cost will be expected of you in the future. And, if your quote goes down badly, following someone else’s undercharge, you’ll perhaps see the logic.

As a wedding photographer, I hear of photographers charging from as little as $200 for coverage. Here’s where that thought process breaks down: they mistakenly think digital photography is disposable, that it will cost them nothing, that they’re about to make $200 less the cost of a CD.

A profit of nearly $200 might indeed be possible, assuming their time is worth nothing, that they’re getting free insurance and free petrol, that they have a computer with Photoshop freely available, and assuming they chanced upon a bag full of free camera gear including batteries.

The reality: at $200, the photographer would make around $4 an hour — an average wedding takes around 50 hours to process.

So, you can see that undercharging can be a self-perpetuating drain on your services and ignoring the Bigger Picture can also have an impact on others in the business. Seeing the Bigger Picture and pricing more appropriately, however, will convey a sense of pride in your work that your clients have every reason to expect, as well as help you make better business decisions.

In my case, offering couples the option of a wedding album was one such decision. It meant a cost outlay, something of a learning curve, and a lot of extra work.

The upside is that a committed move to add a viable and well-matched product offering (such as albums to a wedding photography service) can stimulate demand and better position your business.

The Hare and the Tortoise

Matt Collins — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:58:37 +0000

WITH THE NEW CANON 1D MkIV and NIKON D3S just around the corner, I got to thinking about the real need for 10+ frames per second.

These machines have the ability to produce 100 images in 10 seconds, allowing users to burn through 4 gigabytes of data every 5 minutes.

Having been involved in sports photography, I could imagine that being guaranteed those elusive shots that somehow slip by the 5 frame /second cameras would be handy. But all I really seem to envisage is never-ending searches through thousands of JPEGs.

Isn’t technology meant to make us more time efficient? Shouldn’t the latest camera help us create better images and, in general, make life as photographer a little easier?

Consider this scenario: two freelance photojournalists ─ one has a 1DMkIV, the other a 50D. Both exit the media scrum at the same time, rushing to start downloading.

The 50D user finishes downloading, chooses the best images and uploads them for viewing by the editor. Thanks to the amount of images shot, along with their larger file sizes, the 1DmkIV user is still waiting for his download to complete.

Now newspapers and internet sites need images asap. Who do you think will get more exposure?

At the risk of sounding ungrateful for these two amazing pieces of equipment, as a photographer, I would love for someone to come up with a really solid DSLR… one that leaves out the dollar-grabber video bells and whistles, incorporates a battery grip, and simply excels at shooting still photos.

I’m not alone here. Not a day goes by without someone expressing to me their lack of enthusiasm for DSLR video functions. They just want to take great photos.

Technology is moving so fast in the world of digital photography, I just hope we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.

Wedding Tackle – What’s In The Bag?

Matt Collins — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:43:34 +0000

Collecting a camera kit versatile enough to document a wedding can be a long and expensive process. No matter how much research you do, it can always come over a bit daunting and confusing as to what you need.

I have been shooting weddings now for three years and still feel dissatisfied with my current equipment. Don’t get me wrong, it’s more than sufficient. I just want, and will always want, more.

I began shooting as a second photographer, packing the bare minimum — a Canon 30D, 70-200mm, 10-22mm, 100mm macro and a 580EX flash. This was a great way to gain experience while earning some coin to upgrade.

People starting out in the wedding photography business often ask: “What equipment will I need to photograph a wedding?” When you begin to take the reins of a lead photographer, there will be a few key items essential in creating comprehensive coverage. (Keep in mind this is the bare minimum in my opinion only, based on experience and discussion within the industry.)

2 DSLR camera bodies — these do not need to be “pro” bodies by any means, bearing in mind print size and ISO range.
A good range of quality lenses — this is where you should spend your money. Try not to compromise as colour and clarity should not be sacrificed.

Photos in this article, and more, can be viewed by cliicking the above image

Here are some suggestions:

70-200mm F2.8 — For the “photojournalist approach”, capturing moments between people while they’re unaware anyone is watching.

24-105mm F4 or 24-70mm F2.8 — These provide an excellent and versatile range, great for ceremonies, group shots and family.

50mm — Brilliant portrait lens available with large aperture options, meaning you will need to be careful with your focus points.

A flash — Necessary to fill in harsh shadows and balance your exposure between your subject and the sky. Also handy for dark ceremonies and receptions.

Extra batteries — Last thing you need is to run out of juice halfway through the day.

Memory cards — Usually around 16GB worth. I like to break mine into 4 x 4GB just for extra insurance in case one gets lost or damaged.

A comfy bag — It’s a big day, your gear is getting heavy… a good backpack makes life a little easier.

Above all a second shooter — Worth their weight in gold… someone to fetch and carry. And an extra set of eyes never goes astray.

- Matt

www.thearchedwindow.com.au