Let's do SXSW (even if we can't go)

Photography news that's fit to blog (this week)
by Kerry Raminiak

Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to this week’s industry insight blog. If you are new to reading the ExpressDigital dialog, here’s how it goes: We start off with a educational spotlight of a topic we have been requested to dig up (often by the comments section). After that, we post four or five hot industry topics that have come from wire sources. What’s left is weekly reading you can subscribe to (via RSS or simply watching for post announcements via Twitter) that gives you a little ammunition for fun projects or ice breaking topics for you to illustrate how in the know you are. Please enjoy -- if you are here, this is for you!

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This week’s spotlight is on: Concert Photography
Let’s pretend that we can all attend and shoot SXSW this week with this fun project

Have you defrosted yet? The weather is Austin these past couple of days has been amazing which makes us sad to hear about all the cold still in the north east U.S. of A. I suppose it all comes with a trade-off, in a strange sense in that, with the great weather (finally!) comes 2 million or so tourists to our fare city to celebrate the South By Southwest film, interactive and music festivals.

Now, don’t get me wrong, working and living in Austin has its perks. A lot of perks. But if you believe in schadenfreude, I think it would please you to read that those of us with desk jobs and little vacation time in Austin, Texas, this time of year, can only be a part of SXSW by avoiding the extra traffic, watching the local news and feeling the vibrations in our desks this upcoming Thursday during the first round of sound-checks and live performances just yards away.

To make me feel better, behind my little desk, I went on the hunt for great tips and tutorials on how to take great concert shots. I have (not so) secret hopes that with some extra skills to put on my resume, my boss would let me sneak out early this week to take some pictures and call it “work.”

So, without further ado, here are some pretty useful tips I found online on taking great concert shots. (Note: The very best and most elaborate article has been written by Steve Mirarchi and published on Photo.net. Haje Jan Kamps also writes on the topic successfully on Photocritic.org.)

• Getting credentials is tough but not impossible. Building a solid portfolio of 20 perfect concert shots is often enough for you to contact a national or local media outlet and let them know of your availability and time. Your beginners portfolio does not need to be of the super famous, by the way, especially if you are asking for a credential in exchange for free work (which is one tactic described here on how to get started developing your portfolio).
  


• Remember the rules! No flash photography! You will only be able to shoot the first three songs! Show security will ultimately dictate your success (so try to get in good)! Also remember that you are heavily outnumbered by paying fans that want to watch the show, not see the back of your head.
  


• Your equipment is key. Using a compact point and shoot will make you look foolish and the quality of the photos will be bad. Because you have only ten minutes to pull this off be sure to know how to quickly swap lenses so that you can take key, stage and close ups. When you can perfect the pace, you should practice doing this all in very low light as well.
  


• Think about technique, especially when considering your equipment. There’s nothing wrong with practicing with your meter reading and ISO ratings. Mirarchi discusses the implications of your settings to what types of shots you can take in his article, and if you are ready to take your concert photography to the “next level” you will have to do your homework.
  


• Never forget concert images are not only the hardest to get they most often go un-rewarded. But that’s not to discourage you, it’s to remind you that despite how horrible it can be, its still a fantasy and favorite line of work for many commercial photographers (… because it's awesome and fun).

Of course, there is inspiration out there. A quick Google search would point you in the right direction. I found Andrew Kendall’s site to be well designed with brilliant photography.

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More photography goodies (numbered for my sanity, but ranked in no particular order):

1. The FBI's most wanted list is 60 years old yesterday. Talk about the power of pictures! 94% of the 494 people who have appeared on the list have been caught or located.

2. Congrats go out to many as Canon USA gives us a very nice shout-out in their press release of their new studio software solution. As they put it, the "simple-to-learn software solution is made possible by combining ExpressDigital's technology and workflow along with Canon's prove image processing expertise."

3. WPPI has come and gone. To the left is a picture of the Print Comp winner's exhibition. Although we did not exhibit during the tradeshow our team still had a great time meeting many PhotoReflect.com users with nothing but nice things to say. And while there is nothing particularly special to report, other than Canon's release, mentioned above, it was, as always a great show to hobnob and enjoy Vegas with other photogs.

4. Photo District News has a lovely article on the treasure of mentorship. They called on their readership to nominate their mentors and the advice given during their time with these generous and kind people. Seven stories were selected from this piece and while it's a bit of a long read, there are tricks and tips contained within for anyone that has ever thought about sucking it up and asking someone to share their expertise.

5. And here's a quick head's up, our monthly newsletter is back in action this week (Wednesday) with a feature on improving your SEO and quick tips on how the internet can help your photography business. Newsletter subscribers get exclusive access to download PDFs of the sessions I conducted at PMA in Anaheim (during the school and sports photography class sessions). All are welcome to subscribe to the newsletter by clicking the link and following the instructions (you will need to click a link in an email verifying your address).

Iconic Images Remind Us to Tell the Story Twice

Photography news that's fit to blog (this week)
by Kerry Raminiak

I cannot believe it has been three weeks since my last post! Between IUSA, PPA and WPPI – the marketing manager’s national trifecta of industry tradeshows – the schedule has been a bit packed and my rants, raves, jeers, and cheers have been on hold.

With that said, there will not be a “photography goodie and news wrap up” this week, with one exception: News just in about Annie Leibovitz and Colony Capital has hit the wires. They reached an unspecified deal and the good news are reports indicating she is able to retain the rights to her archive, which was in jeopardy as collateral in substantial, defaulted loans. We blogged about her plight a couple of times (here is an example) and we’re glad that some faceless company doesn’t own some of the most notable celebrity images ever.

Next week, keep your eyes peeled. The industry news wrap up will be back. In addition, I will be highlighting aspects of the March newsletter which features quick tips on photography website SEO and online marketing. If you don’t get our newsletter, please sign up by clicking this link.

Not absent this week, said with a smile on my face, is this week’s photography spotlight…

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This week’s spotlight is on: Nostalgia!
Iconic photography tells two stories

The simplicity and magic of photography is that the photo, itself, tells a remarkable story. (The stories I can tell you about the beautiful shots my wedding photographer pulled off are, for example, craaaaaazy!) The thing about these iconic photo-journalist shots is that they tell two stories: (1) the originally stirring representation and (2) the interview taken twenty or so years later. Please enjoy these great stories made a second time around and, perhaps, learn a lesson about your photography; a great shot gives you the chance to promote yourself and your work more than once ...

National Geographic magazine’s ‘Afgan Girl’ was found 17 years later after an extensive search for her by the original photographer, Steve McCurry. The story goes: McCurry had been trying to find out what happened to the steely-eyed subject for years. After learning that the refugee camp that was the subject of the article was being razed for development, he went back before, he felt, it would be too late. After being “frustrated and disheartened” during their efforts, a man came forward that led the photographer’s team to the girl’s brother. They knew, despite several false leads, they found her because of the brother’s incredible resemblance in the eyes. All the facial recognition technology that was conducted to prove the 30-year old woman they met was "the girl" wasn’t necessary for McCurry; he knew immediately it was her. She is now the mother of three girls, lives in a remote area of Afhanistan and, because of McCurry and National Geographic has been offered education-assistance for her and her daughters.

*** NPR has a nice, short-but-sweet feature that can be read / heard here. ***

Edith Shain was the nurse swept up and kissed by the sailor celebrating the end of World War II in Times Square. Alfred Eisentaedt snapped four pictures before the couple scurried off in all the hubbub and he didn’t get their names. Thirty-five years later, in 1980, Ms. Shain wrote Eisentaedt a letter and asked him for a copy of the photograph. Days after receiving the letter, he personally delivered a signed 8x10 to her and learned the story of her V.J. Day. The story was sweet and surprising: She never knew the sailor that gave her the embrace. Upon hearing the great news, he walked up to her and planted one of the most famous smooches in history and walked off in all the jubilation. To this day, no one knows who the sailor is.

*** Visalia Times-Delta has more including a picture of Edith today. Read it here. ***

Joan Bryant and a musician whom goes by Fantuzzi were the pair that represented, visually, the happenings at Woodstock in the 1969 issue of Life magazine, the 1994 issue of Newsweek, and CNN and AP dispatches in 2009. For more recent interviews, she digs up a photo of her and her old friend from a birthday party in 1994 (that can be found here). The story is short and simple. She went to Woodstock that year with friends but without a ticket. She was obviously able to get in and it was on the hill, amongst the hoards of people, that she ran into Fantuzzi, a friend at a time that she instantly recognized (since at that time “he only wore a loincloth”). Their dance was captured by Life photographer, James Marshall, and history was made. According to Ms. Bryant, she and Fantuzzi have recently reconnected on Facebook.

*** Allison Ford writing for DivineCaroline.com was the source for this research. ***

A couple of months ago we posted a link to the story about the Elvis and Nixon picture, but it’s worthy of another quick mention. Not only is the picture pretty awesome but some quick facts to be gleaned from the LA Times feature include: (1) Copies of this photo are requested more from the national archives than the U.S. Constitution; (2) The white jumpsuit worn by Elvis during his famous televised concert (not shown in the picture) had a name. It was called “Snowflake;” (3) We don’t know if the purple, caped jumpsuit worn in the photo had a name, but I like to think it was something magical; (4) On the plane to D.C., Elvis walked into coach class and gave a young soldier that had returned from the Vietnam War every dollar in his pocket; and (5) Upon meeting Nixon, Elvis persuaded the president to pony more souvenirs than he had originally wanted to give the King and his cronies.

*** There is a lot more to this story at the LA Times. Enjoy it here. ***

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Until next time my photog friends! Thanks for reading. XO.

Kaboooom! Photobombs will cure what ails you.

Photography news that's fit to blog (this week)
by Kerry Raminiak

What a funny time of year. The kid in me is still high from all the Super Bowl revelry. The professional marketer in me is responsible for pushing love love love – since Valentine’s Day is a mere six days away. That said, I have found a great article about neither (I’m taking a stand!).

You see, J.D. Salinger passed last week. He was 91. And along with humorous homage (the Onion has a great headline: Bunch of Phonies Morn J. D. Salinger), the Slate has published a very fine article written by the person that had the strange honor of replying to Mr. Salinger’s fan mail. If looking for a nice read, please enjoy it here.

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This week’s spotlight is on: PhotoBombs!
Let’s celebrate the phenomenon that afflicts all photographers

Photography (pro and amateur alike) captures a very specific moment in time. You take the picture with hopes to convey the mood and moment and preserve that moment however you see fit, most often in some sort of semi-sacred way (an album, book, frame, special box, etcetera). So what happens when that perfect moment is marred by overt and often intentional silliness? You publish it online, of course!

The Huffington Post got me started in this new fandom of mine with three photo slideshows: The best celebrity photobombs of all time (my favorite is Paul McCartney bombing George Harrison, but there’s a few close seconds in this selection); The best little kid photobombs (where tikes are the subject of grimaces and general goofballiness); And, the best animal photobombs (where you will find more clever Photoshopping than the others, but darn it, animals are really cute).

For more bomb action, I encourage a quick Google search. I used Bing to find these additional links that are safe for work: Photobomb.net and I-Am-Bored.com. Be warned when doing your own photobomb research, however: Sometimes the funniest stuff is not very clean.

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More photography goodies (numbered for my sanity, but ranked in no particular order):

1. Very interesting. Did you know that USA Today’s PhotoBlog is tied to advertising revenue? Is this a statement about how photojournalism is just as relevant as viral videos? Now, I, like you, I assume, dislikes the commercialization of the internet beyond the mundane, but I do like this trend if it means that such photography gets treated a little better.

2. PhotoPreneur writes Getting Your Photography Business in the News. It’s a nice guide, with good ideas, and a great primer on guerilla marketing.

3. I’m speaking at PMA. Not that it’s best personified in this little blog… but… I happen to be well versed on photography, free online tools and marketing. Hence, I am co-chairing two sessions on these topics (all together) Saturday, February 20th in Anaheim during the SPAA (Sports Photography) and PSPA (School Photography) education sessions. Use this link and search by speaker (using my name: Kerry Raminiak) to learn more.

4. WPPI is one month away. Download your free exhibition badge here. Use the Te!! A Friend field to tweet about it, email to others, and/or do however it is you do to get the word out.

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Until next time my photog friends! XO.