Joyce Smith Photography Blog

the blather continues

More Q&A and seemingly endless rambling from me! :)  Here we go.

Q: Hi, Joyce- I just recently discovered your photostream on FLICKR, and I just love your photographic eye! Since you are taking questions...:)... I was just wondering what particular camera you use and what your favorite lenses are for taking portraits? I'm just starting out so any info is must appreciated. Thanks! --Melanie

A: Thanks, Melanie!  I touched on this a bit below, I believe.  I love the 5D and use it almost exclusively now.  I still have my Nikon D200 as a back up but it is severely neglected.  I've been debating whether to buy another 5D (today, in fact, as the last write-off of 2007, LOL!) or wait for its successor.  As a natural light girl who loves shooting in clients' homes, I am all about great high ISO photos.  The 5D gave me considerably more possibilities, but I keep thinking the follow-up will be even better, of course!  For lenses, I am a prime girl all the way!  I actually don't own a zoom, although I hear wonderful things about the 24-70mm 2.8L and the 70-200mm 2.8L and was able to borrow them from a good friend for a wedding I shot.  I also shot some photos of a fabulous couple on the Atlantic City boardwalk with a rented 16-35mm 2.8L.  I'm debating between ordering that lens or a fisheye + 24mm 1.4L or 35mm1.4L. I've rented them all.  As for my day-to-day shooting, I use the 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.2L, and 100mm 2.8 macro for newborns.

Q: Thanks for taking on some Q&A! I also love your work and eye for composition. I find I am always fascinated by the story behind the photographer. What is it that got them started? How did they make the leap from avid hobbyist to being a career? Of course I have the standard questions of favorite tools and techniques as well.... Finally it might be fun to hear about a day in the life of Joyce Smith... i.e. work you do to prepare for a client, the time you take to interact with your subjects before you shoot, the work flow process that you follow, and the final packaging of products for your clients. Tons of questions I know.... --Kristine

A: Thanks, Kristine!  Okay, first of all I have to say that I got a good laugh that anyone would ask about a day in the life of Joyce Smith.  ha ha!!  That makes my life sound infinitely more exciting, somehow! :)  As for how I got started . . . I was always "the girl with the camera" growing up but never considered photography as a career path.  Instead, I wanted to be an English professor.  I finished college and continued right away to graduate school.  I completed my master's and all of my doctoral coursework and comprehensive exams and then realized, "Hey!  This is definitely not for me.  Surprise!" I then got a job teaching high school.  First at an all-girls school and then at an all-boys school. While I certainly enjoyed teaching literature in many ways, I knew inside that it was not an all-consuming, soul-stirring passion.  When my daughter was born, I took a break from teaching and always had in the back of my mind that I would determine precisely what WAS that soul-stirring passion, lest I have to return to teaching again.  ha ha!  I picked up my camera again and, this time, dedicated myself to learning everything I could.  When I was certain that I could provide beautiful images to clients, my business began.  While I realized I did not have it in me to write a dissertation on 19th-century British lit, I could write a hefty tome on all of the aspects I love about photography.  I know it will be a lifelong love affair.  But I digress . . .

Okay . . . I am going to come back tomorrow for the second part of your question.  I'm preparing for vacation (woo-hoo!) and not shooting this week, so if I don't leave some parts of the question for another day, this blog is going to be mighty neglected!

Thanks again for all of the great questions, everyone!  Feel free to send them anytime and I will get to them when I can. : )

I will add one more photo of a budding three-year-old equestrian on Christmas morning. : )

It's time for more Q&A!

Today's question is from Kendra, who asks the following:

Q: I absolutely love your work, and would love to ask you about a million questions, but since I can't do that...:) Here are mine...  What are the actions you use most often? Especially to achieve bright, vivid colours?  I love the skin tones of your portraits - how do you achieve these?  What are your best marketing ideas for a new photography business-emphasizing the fresh, modern approach your business reflects? Thanks...looking forward to your replies!

A: Thanks, Kendra! Well, I have to confess that I have a sordid past as an action junkie.  Maybe my desire for fun new actions will wane now that I've reviewed this year's expenditures for my taxes--LOL--but maybe not!  I will say, though, that 95% of the time for my color photos I just doodle myself in Photoshop.  Crazy with all those actions, but it's true.  I'll adjust to taste in levels, and then do a duplicate soft light layer and play with the opacity.  100% opacity on the soft light is always way too much for me.  A partial screen layer can lighten the effect of the soft light, but you'll have to watch for blown bits then.  Sometimes I'll do a curves layer instead of the soft light. For the skin tones, the quality of the light and proper exposure is the key; indeed, they are the key for creating great color period.  When I was a beginner, I was a chronic underexposer, and even when you lighten underexposed photos in PS you'll notice that they just don't have that same wow factor that a perfectly exposed photo does.  Now the quality of light is much harder to discern.  It will take lots of practice.  Remember that light is always reflecting and bouncing off of everything in the room you're in, or everything nearby if you are outside.  Near a gray wall or particularly shady area with no "clean" light around?  Well, the skin tones will reflect that and be murky or green.  It sounds like a non-answer answer, but it really is something that you need to learn over time.  You will always see things tomorrow in the photos you took today that horrify you!  That's part of learning and developing. : )  Finally, marketing ideas.  So far I've done everything 100% word of mouth and website.  I will diversify my marketing efforts this year, but truly it is "so far so good."  I find that the clients who come to me through the website are aware of my style and ready to book, whereas I would need to prequalify clients who, for instance, saw an ad of mine somewhere.  In other words, I would need to insure that they understood what I was about so that I could insure that they'd be satisfied.  I'd say the key is to have a great website.  I made sure I had a polished website from the second I opened my doors for business. Make sure you show what you want to shoot, and make sure the text on your site is clearly written and informative.  I'm always saying if I had enough time I would start a side business helping photographers brush up the wording on their sites.  I do think it makes a difference, although your images will always be at the forefront.  Hope that these answers were helpful!

2008 is just around the corner

. . . so let's take a look back at 2007!  I've been so blessed this year with wonderful clients--so much so that I had to relive it all. ha ha! Please check out the Joyce Smith Photography year-in-review SLIDESHOW . Keep an eye out for your own little ones and discover the 12 lessons they taught me this year.  Thank you again for an incredible year!

View the show HERE.

giddy(up)!

Just two quick photos for today . . . I should technically be on vacation here.  ha ha!  I may pop back in to do some more Q&As again soon, though!  I hope that everyone is enjoying the last few days of 2007.  Here's one little girl who most definitely is . . .

Christmas eve . . .

. . . and Christmas day!

Thank you!

Thanks so much for the fun questions that have been flooding my e-mail this week for Q&A.  I'm enjoying reading them (and a bit in shock that anyone wants to know how I do things--ha ha!) and will tackle one or two today just to get started. 

Here we go . . .

Q: I'm a photographer and a huge admirer of your work.  I've thought about contacting you many times to ask you questions, so thanks so much for doing the Q&A.  I would love to know 1) your favorite lens and 2) how long you've been in the photography business.  Thanks for sharing your work so openly.  I check your blog often and always feel inspired by your photographs. --Katie

A: Thank you, Katie!  Hmmm.  My favorite lens is a tough one.  I'd have to say the Canon 85mm 1.2L, which I got just a few months ago.  The clarity, sharpness, and bokeh of this lens are phenomenal.  With that said, most of the stuff you see on my website was taken with the 50mm 1.4 . It is my go-to lens for indoor work.  More about Canon vs Nikon in another answer, I am sure. ; )     I've been in the photography business since summer of last year, so a year and a half. 

Q:  Hi. I am interested in starting my own photography business focusing on families.  I have always taken pictures of friends and their children, and like yourself am completely taken with non-posed photographs. Right now I have a Canon Rebel XT. I know I need to upgrade to start my business and am looking at the Canon 40D or the Nikon 300.  Could you give me your opinion?  Could you give me your opinion on a couple of lenses?   Shari

A: Hi Shari.  I don't think you can go wrong with either the 40D or the D300.  From what I have heard, while both of these cameras are brand new, the Canon will give you the edge in noiseless files at high ISOs.  Now if you splurged for this baby you'd have the current tops in this area.  I started off with Nikon.  First the d70s and, once I started shooting professionally, my d200.  I used the 85 1.4, 50 1.4, and Sigma 30 1.4 (to fill that crazy Nikon void for a wide, fast lens).  I eventually switched to the Canon 5D because I prefer shooting with natural light only and wanted to give my clients the best files possible in varied lighting conditions.  For the Canon, I love the 50 1.4, 85 1.2L, 100 2.8 macro, 24 1.4L, 35 1.4L, 135 2.0L and 16-35 2.8L.  The most indispensible yet affordable choices for a new photographer, in my opinion, are the 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8, whether Canon or Nikon.  Remember--as I'm sure you know--ultimately the camera is just a tool.  It will no more make you a stunning photographer than All-Clad pots will make you Bobby Flay.  Now, are the All-Clads better than the Target pots and will they help you along?  Sure. : )

More Q&A coming soon.  Thanks for reading!!!

 

It's Q&A time--send in your questions!

Whew!!  Things are finally winding down for the year at Joyce Smith Photography.  Ahhh.  I have a few coffee table books to design and a few orders left to package and send on their way, but it's almost time to relax and enjoy the holidays. 

Because I am not shooting this weekend or next and have a little bit of downtime, I thought I'd respond to a request I receive often to hold a Q&A session on the blog.  So, photographers and clients alike, send in your questions to [email protected] and I will select a few to answer next week on the blog.  Anything at all . . . just ask. :) 

Here's a little snap that I took today of my girl, after what has become her usual non-nap nap.  She definitely still needs to sleep, but she just can't bring herself to do it anymore!  She rests in the crib (still says she doesn't want a "big girl" bed) for awhile and chats with her stuffed animals, and then the motionless chatter turns to sitting up and, ultimately, running back and forth in her crib whilst screaming, "Mommy!  Come up and open the door to my room, Mommy!"  Here's what I found when I opened the door today . . . lol. Now I ask you, is this not a child who needs a nap?

Until next time . . . .

A few recent favorites

I thought I would put up a few more sneak peeks for a mom patiently waiting for her gallery, and share a few more recent faves as well.  No time for more words . . . must keep working! :)

I don't think it gets much sweeter than this father-son moment.

This one cracks me up.  What could he be thinking?  ha ha!

A few more from recent sessions . . . Hope everyone is having a great week.  Check out the snow falling right now.  Ahhh!  I am already itching to get out there with my camera. :)

almost one

I had the pleasure of meeting the D. family this morning and having a wonderful "playdate" with soon-to-be-one little D.  He was such a busy guy and definitely on the move, but he slowed down for me--at least for a few 1/125ths of a second. ha ha! Here's a sneak peek for his adoring mom and dad.  It was lovely meeting you!

I love this one . . . you must click on it to see it larger.  As my daughter would say, "Tickle monster!"

Hanging out in his crib for a moment.

Trying his most serious face . . . but ultimately cracking. : )

And, finally, taking a brief, brisk walk with Mom and Dad to see the last of the fall color.