J Sandifer Photography

Please make your way over to my new BLOG!

2007-06-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

http://jbrides.wordpress.com/

Tip of the Week #4 : Custom Sign in book for Weddings.

2007-06-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

How do you make more money off your weddings?

Sell your clients more products! Yes, sell...they want you too and you should be! I know photographers who are supplementing their wedding photography income with invitations, frames and custom sign in books. Below is an image you can grab to make a custom sign in book. I have used it with Pictage's 7x7 proof book and it worked well. The idea is to put an image from the engagement session on one side and this image on the other...and so on.

This might be just the thing that separates you from your competition!

Feel free to grab the image and put it to use for your business...

OK...my mom sent me this on Slate!

2007-06-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

If you have a few minutes there are some pretty funny articles in this issue.
I particularly liked the one on Traditional Photography! :)

Thanks Mom!

RUN don't Walk!!!

2007-06-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

Get 0% financing for 24 months on new Mac systems and software.
Hurry — this offer ends June 30, 2007.*

The New York Times : Is This Any Way to Treat Vera Wang

2007-06-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

Trash The Dress has gone mainstream! NYT reported on the growing trend today featuring one of Alt F's images...and many more in the slideshow.

I really like what del Sol pulled off with their mayan trash the dress couple in Mexico. You can see the video on Cut Frame of that shoot below:

Mozy online backup

2007-06-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Unlimited Online Backup

Looking for an inexpensive way to store your files outside of your computer, office or general area? Mozy has a solutions for just $5 a month for unlimited online backups.

Elevate with Garrett and Joy

2007-06-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

So much fun to find this video and see all the amazing people that made it to Elevate! Sorry I missed it and will certainly be looking forward to getting down to the next one!! Go Garrett...

Tip of the Week #3 : Business Cards

2007-06-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

So for this weeks tip I have decided to let you in on a bit of my work flow for keeping track of other vendors information from a wedding. I simply shoot the business cards as they are handed to me and then throw them in a folder with the wedding. If I ever forget the name of the vendor I can always go back to the wedding.

BTW...KC of Vox DJ's was great! One of the best I have worked with in a while!

So for this weeks tip I have decided to let you in on a bit of my work flow for keeping track of other vendors information from a wedding. I simply shoot the business cards as they are handed to me and then throw them in a folder with the wedding. If I ever forget the name of the vendor I can always go back to the wedding.

Emilie Sommer : Photojournalist

2007-06-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Em received a call from a local reporter doing a story on young professionals in the Portland area. About an hour later the crew was at the house to shoot the segment. Destin and Dakota made guest appearances too! So proud of you sweets!

Click on the pic or the banner to see the video!

A little more info on EM'S BLOG.

Old, New, Borrowed, Green?

2007-06-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

A recent trend in society has been showing up and becoming more popular in the wedding industry--- Green Weddings. "Every day, about 6,000 couples tie the knot in the US, and some of them are taking the opportunity to say "I Do" to eco-friendly values. " Check out the article and links to green resources.

Fun New liveBooks Site

2007-06-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

CHRIS+LYNN PHOTOGRAPHERS went live with a new site through liveBooks. This was the customization they had asked for and I think it turned out pretty cool!

Code Name : Surface, TED, Milan

2007-06-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is some amazing innovation for our industry...can you imagine an album designer on this platform! :)

If you think is something that will affect our industry leave a comment on how!?

Michael Franti and Spearhead : Time To Go Home

2007-06-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Franti has been on the forefront of the political music scene for years...he's played in the streets of Baghdad, Palestine and puts on The Power to the Peaceful show every year in San Fran. I think his crew has done an excellent job with this video:

Webbed Bliss:Brides and Grooms Tell All Online

2007-06-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Lately Em and I have been doing some consulting...more on that later, but one of the photographers Sam at I Do Click has posted a cool article on her blog. This is a trend in the industry of B&G's having their own website for their wedding. A place to encapsulate the details of their wedding for friends and guests.

Check out the article on The Wall Street Journal Online.

How Come All Wedding Couples Aren't This Fun??

2007-05-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled across this on Stacy Cross's blog and thought I would share...it's pretty funny!

161 Billion Dollar Industry

2007-05-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Today I came across a radio interview done on NPR with Rebecca Mead about the wedding industry that was quite insightful and certainly worth the time to take a listen. From brides hiring personal trainers to new wedding traditions--monogrammed aisle runners??

Find the interview HERE.

Hijack! Second Shooters

2007-05-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

I found this post on one of the blogs I frequent...Luke Walker's. I have had this conversation with a ton of people in the past and thought it was relevant. I enjoy having a 2nd shooter with me and I certainly enjoy 2nd shooting! I always learn something by shooting an event with a fellow photographer, sometimes it is a lighting technique and other times it may be just the way they communicate with the wedding participants. Second shooting can be beneficial to both photographers!

April 30, 2007
the value of a second shooter

I used to get asked the same question a lot when people were interested in my services.... "do you come with a second shooter?" It's now written into all my packages so people know upfront that they will without a doubt get a second shooter, but it still to this day surprises me that some photographers actually shoot weddings without another shooter. I don't want to seem like I'm putting that down, because everyone works differently, but I think a second shooter is extremely important to me. I used to explain to people that as much as they love my work, I can only be in one position at a time. I can only get one angle at a time. I'm still only one person, and because I am human I have to do things like go to the bathroom, eat eventually, talk to people at the wedding who have questions or want to see the cool cameras or who want cards, and sit down for a quick breather a couple times a day (even if it is only for 15 seconds). It's valuable to me knowing that someone has my back during these instances.

One of the responses I used to get from potential clients would be "yea I'm glad to hear that, because so and so says they don't use a shooter because no one else can see a wedding like him or her." My response would be that I agree, no one probably sees a wedding exactly like me either, but that's a very good thing :) I like having that other perspective, that different eye shooting with me. I've always liked it, and always placed importance on it, but even more so now that Alisha and I shoot together so much. We did a wedding together recently and pulled the couple outside for a couple cool night portraits. Alisha set up a few shots first, and then I set up the shot below. The shot on the left is my shot and the image on the right is Alisha's version. Both of these shots were taken at the same time. While I set it up for the final version on the left, Alisha saw something totally different and nailed a smokin image... an image that I never envisioned. When I saw it on the back of her camera later in the evening I was blown away, and it was just another one of the many times that we've shot the same couple, in the same light, in the same pose, and come out with images that look 110% different... but equally beautiful and unique.

There have been numerous occasions where I have wanted to blog about this, but once it happened the other night I finally told myself I'd do it. Another prime example of the same exact moment captured with 2 totally different views.

02:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Blog Delay

2007-05-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

OK...OK, sorry about the blog delay!

I have been traveling a ton and recently had a great time at the Pictage PartnerCon in Chicago. Everyone there was really receptive to what we had to say and were quite interested in the demos of liveBooks editSuite.

More to come soon!

Little Poker Information:

Hello Wedding Poker Stars,

Tomorrow nights game is all set up! So under Tournament tab, then Private, the ID is 18076959 and password jsandifer. The past two weeks laguanaalbums has taken the 1st prize...about time to have a new winner(sorry Tony). I will be doing my best to take him out and look forward to seeing everyone at the table!

Here is how how the series stands:
photoinla 20pts
laguanaalbums 20pts
term76 19pts
usadrill 7pts
cmphoto 7pts
Niiice 5pts
shadowrock 5pts

Please feel free to let anyone else know about the series. I spoke to a few people this week that will be joining us!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, email me at info@weddingpokerstars.com

See you at the table!

Shuffle up and deal...

David Jay Stokes us out with some Photography Textures!

2007-05-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

Found this today and thought it would be great to share. DJ is always coming up with great tools for the photography community!

Thanks DJ! See you in Chicago...

LightRoom

2007-04-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Lightroom blog with some killer tip! Check it out if you have been using Lightroom...

San Francisco!

2007-04-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

This week I will be in San Francisco with the liveBooks team. My time there always goes by so fast...it is such a beautiful city and the team is great! If you are going to be in town let me know, so we can grab a coffee or drink in the evening.

Cinco de Mayo wedding in Los Angeles! I am really looking forward to shooting Carrie and Patrick's wedding in LA. Carrie is the one person that I think I know that travels more than I do...she has been all over the country this year with auto shows. They are getting married in Redondo Beach, my old haunt, so I am looking forward to catching up with some old friends there.

PartnerCon Chicago! If you are going let me know...would love to hook up there. I have been to all the PartnerCon's and there is always terrific information being discussed. Looking forward to seeing Me Ra Koh, David Salomone, Davide Greene, Brody Dezember, Mike Colon and of course Mr. David Jay! I will be manning the liveBooks booth, so if you are thinking about buying a site I can show you what we have to offer.

Tip of the Week #2 : Photographer Chris Humphreys

2007-04-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

This weeks tip is taken from my photography buddy's blog...Chris Humphreys. He really does well to describe what we are looking for as wedding photographers. Sometimes you can't conceptualize it, but you know it when you see it...the Essence of the situation, person or day.
Thanks for your insights Chris!

April 26, 2007

Essence

Alright, I'll warn ya right now.... this is the artsy side of me coming out. Proceed at your own risk. :)

You've been warned. (but don't worry, no nudity!) :)

As I was editing today, I was thinking to myself about the different factors that go into making a great image. First, there are images that are just plain cool to look at-maybe they're kind of original, something we haven't seen before, so they catch our eye. Then, there are images that are fun to admire because of the technical aspects that went into getting the shot- maybe some funky off camera lighting or use of slow shutter speeds. There are also images where the post processing is really well crafted in a mature way and really adds to the impact of the image.

Yet, it seemed as I thought more about it, that these are sort of all after-thoughts, and while these factors certainly add to an image, they don't seem (to me at least) to be what really makes an oustanding image.

As I was thinking of those images that I've seen in both my own work and from other photographers that really pop out to me the most, I was trying to reflect on what it was that really turned me onto them. Suddenly, a word came to mind.

Essence.

It seems that the images I'm drawn to the most capture something beyond the surface-they capture some sort of deeper essence in either the person or the moment being captured.

Again, this isn't to say technical excellence or creative post processing isn't important, but rather, these things are the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

This is definitely a tricky subject to talk about, because I don't think there's an easy, magic forumla for capturing the "essence" of people or of moments. I'm certainly not going to venture to define what constitutes capturing essence or give a "3 easy steps" list, but here are a few things that you might consider....

1. Be Prepared. It's not just for boy scouts! :) Being ready and anticipating a certain moment before it happens is vital. It's tough to capture the essence of a moment while you're changing lenses or fidgeting with your exposure.

2. Be Receptive. Particularly when shooting portraits and when the subject is aware of your presence, it's critical that there is a certain amount of trust involved. If your subject doesn't trust you and isn't totally willing to let down their gaurd, it's unlikely you'll be able to really capture the essence of who they are.

3. Don't be in the way. There's so much to be said for being able to capture a moment without affecting the moment. It's one reason I shoot with available light as much as I can (and use flash as a last resort), and also why I shoot with long lenses. Allowing a moment to unfold as it will, without trying to influence or affect it, will almost always allow the essence of the moment to shine through.

"Essence" is a tough thing to put your finger on. It's subjective, for sure. One person may totally think an image communicates the essence of a person or a moment, while another person looking at the same image might yawn. The point probably shouldn't be to convince everyone you come in contact with of the "essence" you captured in your images. Rather, maybe the point should be to strive to find the people who naturally do connect with your art and your ability and allow them to preach your art for you. It's what just about every sucessful artist and photographer does so well.

Perhaps this post is somewhat of a call for photographers to bring this to the forefront of our consciousness at our next shoot. I know for myself, I can at times get lost in trying to create something cool, or original, or technically interesting or complicated, and at times I need to remind myself to put first things first. To focus my photography on capturing the heart of what is going on, either in the people I'm shooting or the moments they're existing in.

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4.25.05 Wedding Poker Series

2007-04-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Wedding Poker Stars

Fun game last night!

Winner and still leader in our series:

Photoinla with 10 pts
term76 with 7 pts
Niiiice with 5 pts

Series:

Photoinla with 20 pts
term76 with 12 pts
usadrill with 7 pts
Niiiice with 5 pts

Next week same time...same place! If you didn't make it this week, we look forward to seeing you at the table next week. Don't lose all your money online before then!

Shuffle up and deal....

The Coming Earthquake in Photography

2007-04-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

The Coming Earthquake in Photography

April 2007

by Dirck Halstead

If the change from film to digital was the equivalent of a magnitude 5 earthquake, the changes to photography in the next 10 years will be equivalent of a magnitude 10.

The Digital Journalist, the monthly online magazine for visual journalism, has been predicting many of these changes for the past 10 years. In 1997 we stated that the days of the use of film were coming to an end. We also said that in the future photojournalists would no longer be shooting still pictures, but instead would be using video as their prime medium of acquisition.

All those things have already happened. Still cameras that shoot film have already been abandoned by most manufacturers. Increasingly, newspaper photographers are being asked to shoot video for Web sites.

These seismic shifts, as we are already witnessing, will literally change the way photographers take pictures and how they are displayed.

Of course, in the next 10 years there could be a third world war, in which case all bets are off, but certain evolutions are already too far along to make it unlikely they will be stopped.

First, most of the major camera manufacturers that are now associated with still photography will probably be out of business by 2016. Of the majors now selling cameras, I would put my money on only Canon to survive. That is because they have a farsighted video division, which will provide the research and development that will be a key to their survival. Already, Sony is moving to become the number one still-camera company. Their newest top-of-the line digital still cameras are based on designs from Konica, a company they absorbed.

However, it is video that will undoubtedly become the main means of acquisition in photography. Today, almost all the manufacturers of prosumer video cameras have moved to High Definition. These cameras, off the shelf, are capable of delivering a 2-megapixel still image. The Dallas Morning News is now equipping their still photographers with Sony Z1U video cameras, and they have created an algorithm that allows those frame grabs to be boosted to 16 megapixels, which only two years ago was the maximum you could get out of a professional 35mm camera. The Dallas Morning News is regularly running 4- and 5-column front-page pictures from these video grabs. Then, they put the streaming video on their Web site.

The financial imperative to newspapers is clear. Their salvation, in a time of plummeting ad revenues on their broadsheets, lies with their online versions. Online demands video. For this reason, we can comfortably say that in 10 years photojournalists will only be carrying video cameras.

Because video cameras now all feature a 16:9 "wide-screen" aspect ratio, the old 4:3 box that we used to associate with movies will be gone. This has enormous implications for how still photographs will be displayed in print. The standard 8x10 aspect ratio now commonly used will be dropped. Why waste all of that horizontal information in the pictures? Eventually, you can expect to see wide-screen pictures not only on your TV screen, but in print as well. We predict that magazines (those that still exist) in 10 years will be bound on the top or bottom, not on the sides as they now are. That will allow the magazine to be opened to display a horizontal rather than vertical layout. This will accommodate all those "wide-screen" photographs. However, it is more likely that paper printing will be long since gone, and instead newspapers, magazines and books will be delivered on "electronic" paper, in which case the visual presentation would most likely be video in the first place. Today, if you go to The New York Times online, you will notice that right on the front page is a box displaying video, not a still photograph.

Don Winslow, the editor of News Photographer magazine, has noted that vertical photographs have almost ceased to exist in the photography lexicon. It used to be a maxim of photojournalism that it was important to get as much information as possible into a small space. Verticals were the best way of doing that. However, for a generation of photographers who grew up watching television, and editors who wanted to display a photograph across a double-truck spread, the rules changed.

With video becoming the prime tool of acquisition, audio of course now enters into the picture. In fact, it becomes as important as the video. This means that a whole new set of skills must be developed by the photographer. Every photographer has already become a computer technician, spending more time on the "post" process, such as Photoshop, than on taking the picture. In the future, editing will be done in such programs as Final Cut Pro. All of this means that photographers will have to be smarter.

However, ultimately, the classic need for talent – the "eye of the photographer" – will never change.

Editor and Publisher of The Digital Journalist

Email Dirck Halstead

Dirck Halstead was Time magazine's Senior White House Photographer for 29 years. He now is the Publisher and Editor of The Digital Journalist, the monthly online magazine for visual journalism, and a Senior Fellow at the Center For American History at the University of Texas in Austin. His new book, MOMENTS IN TIME, published by Harry N. Abrams, is in bookstores, and available from Amazon.com.

This topic has been gaining traction and I have had this discussion with a few people in the past few years. Should we be preparing for this? If you want to stay ahead of the curve, do you have to buy a video camera?

Carolyn and Todd

2007-04-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting with Em this Saturday in New Hampshire. The bride's family was super nice and the whole event was terrific. Here are a few images that I made from the day.