Official Publication of the Texas Professional Photographers Association, Inc.
VOLUME 51 - #2 Feb/Mar 2016
Magazine Editor
Bill Hedrick, M.Photog.Cr. 1506 E. Leach St. Kilgore, TX 75662 903-985-1080 Editor@cablelynx.com
Executive Director
Doug Box, M.Photog.Cr P.O. Box 1120 Caldwell, TX 77836 979-272-5200 dougbox@aol.com
Printing by
Complete Printing & Publishing 1501 W. Panola Carthage, TX 75633 800-964-9521 www.CompletePrinting.com
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ON THE COVER
“Simran” was a senior portrait created by Marta Gulbe of Austin, Texas. Simran’s mom wanted portraits to share with grandparents and extended family and as they worked together, the mom came to the realization that the portraits of Simran are actually for future generations. The image earned Marta her first merit at IPC. Marta has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Sam Houston State and works at Evergreen Studios in Austin with Susan Hoermann. Marta is a Certified Professional Photographer and was inspired to enter print competition after attending the TPPA Summer Roundup in 2014.
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The Way I See It
6
In the Air with Vincent Laforet
A Message from TPPA President, Steve Kozak
His Nighttime Aerial Photos by Bill Hedrick
13
Texas 10 Workshops
17
Spotlight: Elena Hernandez
18
Bare Bulb Photography
22
Your Pathway to Success
25
Tribute to Roy Madearis
26
Photographing Interiors
33
Texas School 2016
36
Spotlight: Melanie Hall
41
Guild News
42
Memory Card Data Loss
13
Spring Workshops by Steve Kozak
“Toxic Canary”
The Naked Truth by Aboud Dweck
What TPPA Has To Offer
Past President TPPA 1978 by Doug Box
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The Fine Art Details by Ron Castle
Don’t Miss Out! by Don Dickson
“The Fleet at Dusk”
What’s Happening Around the State
How to Prevent It by Mark McCall
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The Texas Professional Photographer is the official publication of the Texas Professional Photographers Association, Inc. Acceptance of advertising or publishing of press releases does not imply endorsement of any product or service by this association, publisher, or editor. Permission is granted to similar publications of the photographic industry to reprint contents of this publication, provided that the author and this publication are credited as the source. Articles, with or without photographs, are welcomed for review for inclusion. However, the editor reserves the right to refuse publication, or if accepted, the right to edit as necessary. For more information, visit www.TexasProPhotoMagazine.com. Send all communications, articles, or advertising to: Texas Professional Photographer, 1506 E. Leach St., Kilgore, TX 75662. Phone (903) 985-1080, or Editor@cablelynx.com.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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2016 TPPA Executive Council President Steve Kozak l
Steve@stevekozak.com
5323 Fig Tree Ln., Grand Prairie, TX 75052 (972) 601-9070
Vice-President Trey Homan l
Trey@ehoman.com
Vision Test “An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” - James McNeill Whistler -
17222 Classen Rd., San Antonio, TX 78247 (210) 497-3809
Treasurer Tammy Graham l
Tammy@locationsphotography.com
3300 Joyce Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76116 (817) 300-0780
Secretary Ross Benton l
Ross@StudioBenton.com
1876 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 804-1188
Councilman-at-Large Jenny Rhea Eisenhauer l
photographybyjennyrhea@hotmail.com
12218 Old Stage Trail, Austin, TX 78750 (512) 626-3309
Councilman-at-Large Randy Pollard l
Randy@1-annimaging.com
54 Superior St., Victoria, TX 77905 (361) 570-8326
Chairman of the Board Stephanie Ludlow l
Stephanielonghorn@yahoo.com
205 N. Mays, Round Rock, TX 78644 (512) 246-0063
Executive Director Doug Box
I’m not sure if ol’ James was right about this, but it does help explain some things that some photographers might want to address. It has been my casual observation that the price of professional photography might be in decline. I see this primarily through social media where it seems every other person is a photographer. While I know this is not the case, you would have to agree that there are a lot more “photographers” out there today than there were 5 or 10 years ago. With so many people with cameras out there, it could stand to reason that competition may be the reason for the price decline. I suspect the natural tendency in a high competition marketplace is to lower prices. Now, before you think I am sounding the alarm, hang in there and let’s examine the situation. If I needed someone to mow my lawn at my home, I would not need to look too far to find someone who could do this for me...and who is willing to do it cheap! I get a ton of door hangers on my front door from individuals and small businesses who all want to mow my lawn. Because there are so many, it really is cheaper for me to let someone else do it - instead of mowing it myself. It is cheap because there are a ton of folks simply willing to be paid for their labor. So, if we look at what James says, we can understand that there are lots of people with cameras who are simply willing to be paid for their labor. These are the folks who are working in the realm of competition at the lowest common denominator...price! When businesses desire to get work by competing only with price, the result is almost always that the quality will go down and prices will plummet since there is so much competition.
l
DougBox@aol.com
P.O. Box 1120, Caldwell, TX 77836 (979) 272-5200
Texas School Director Don Dickson l
Don@DonDickson.com
1501 West 5th, Plainview, TX 79072 (806) 296-2276
Magazine Editor Bill Hedrick l
Editor@cablelynx.com
1506 E. Leach St., Kilgore, TX 75662 (903) 985-1080
PPA Councilors Gabriel Alonso (Ft. Worth), Doug Box (Caldwell), Don Dickson (Plainview), Walter Eagleton (Denton), Elizabeth Homan (San Antonio), Trey Homan (San Antonio), Steve Kozak (Grand Prairie), Dwayne Lee (Arlington), Stephanie Ludlow (Round Rock), Mark McCall (Lubbock), Cliff Ranson (McAllen), Richard Sturdevant (Garland), Judy Dumas (Early). To contact any of your PPA Councilors, you may obtain their phone numbers from the TPPA Membership Directory or visit the TPPA website at www.tppa.org Complete financial information on Texas Professional Photographers Association is available to any TPPA member by contacting Doug Box, Executive Director, P.O. 1120, Caldwell, TX 77836 dougbox@aol.com.
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
So when James says, “An artist is not paid for his labor, but for his vision.” he is providing us with the keys to a photographer’s success. It is the creative “vision” of the artist that sets that artist in demand. It is also educating clients about your unique approach in providing a deeply personal experience. It is your ability to inspire clients to demand more and expect higher standards for their photography. It is your ability to create timeless works of art for your clients.It is showing clients properly printed and displayed images which sets us apart from the hungry crowd. Finally, it is consistently providing outstanding customer service. If you are reading this message and you are currently not a member of TPPA, chances are you are competing in that crowded mass of humanity who is struggling to have a photography business. If you are not making the kind of money you would like to make, or if you are not finding a deep satisfaction in the quality of your work, you owe it to yourself to join TPPA and let us show you how to build a business with “vision.” Go to TPPA.org right now and join TPPA. Then, send me an email at steve@tppa.org and I will be happy to share how TPPA can help you get where you want to go! This is important because if you are only paid for your labor, you won’t be in this business long. I think James got this one right. What do you think?
If you are not a member of Texas PPA, this is my personal invitation to you to join! Email me personally at Steve@SteveKozak.com or call 972-601-9070.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
V
incent Laforet is at the height of his career... literally! This Pulitzer Prize winning photographer spent much of this past year harnessed in the door of a helicopter at 11,000 feet taking breathtaking nighttime aerial photographs of iconic cities around the world. He describes his experience as “magical.”
Born in Switzerland and growing up in France, Vincent has always had a passion for photography. His father was a press photographer and the family was constantly “on the move” throughout the world. “Throughout my career,” says Vincent, “I have been fortunate to witness extraordinary news events, the evolution of story-telling technologies and work alongside many people who have inspired me. I’ve experienced and adjusted to new ways SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
by Bill Hedrick NEW YORK CITY
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
of life which have allowed me to collaborate across the arts, media, technology and communication fields while feeding my own curiosity and sharing what I’ve learned.” In the weeks following 9/11, Vincent was sent to Pakistan as a staff photographer for The New York Times to photograph post 9/11 events that captured “the pain and perseverance of people enduring protracted conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” He even spent a month onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the gulf during the start of the second Gulf War. He has also directed four short films and numerous commercials and has worked with numerous people in the film and commercial industries. However, it seems that this excitement was not quite enough for Laforet. During his world travels, he had always been fascinated with the city scape images he saw outside his airliner window, especially at night. Even though he admits to having a fear of heights, Vincent embarked on a personal project that is truly “magical” and has caught the attention of worldwide media. “I think when you’re in the middle of Fifth Avenue, you feel pretty small and insignificant... you see all of our differences. But when you’re
up there, the world feels much smaller. Even the most bustling cities seem hauntingly peaceful and intimate.” In his new book, “AIR,” Laforet features stunning nighttime aerial photographs of ten of the most iconic cities in the world including New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Barcelona (Spain), Berlin (Germany), Sydney (Australia), and more. But what makes these photographs especially unique is the timing. “A lot of these cities are changing their grid patterns to more LED lighting that are bluer and you can see the different tones in the photographs,” he told CBS. According to Laforet, these photographs would not have been possible a few years ago for a couple of reasons. First, the camera technology wasn’t quite there and, secondly, all the cities would have looked yellow. “It’s kind of the perfect storm right now to do it,” he says. A possible fear of heights is just one of the challenges faced by photographers who might want to try shooting nighttime aerials. Night exposures from a moving platform is a significant technological hurdle and Laforet prefers a helicopter over an airplane. “You can’t hover in a plane and I find that I miss more shots than I get if I’m shooting from a plane,” he explains. Even so, Laforet often has to use shutter speeds as low as 1/20 of a second while shooting “wide open” at ISO speeds of around 3200. To help stabilize the camera at such slow shutter speeds, Laforet utilizes a Kenyon Gyro Stabilizing system. (continued, page 11)
MIAMI, FLORIDA
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
These systems can cost several thousand dollars but is a necessary cost for anyone doing nighttime aerial photography. “I would not dare try this without a gyro stabilizer,” says Laforet. Flying over metropolitan areas in the United States, especially in controlled air space around major airports, requires extensive planning and clearances. Flying over major cities in other parts of the world can be even more challenging, especially in European countries. One of Laforet’s missions to photograph Paris was cancelled at the last minute. But it is often the pilots themselves, who may have already flown over the same city many times before, who are the most amazed by what Laforet sees through the camera lens. “To have a pilot say ‘Wow!’ was one of the biggest surprises to me,” he adds. His new book, “Air,” is a personal project that Laforet has been thinking about for some time now and has gained worldwide attention to Laforet’s new art form. The images are different from anything done in the past and the world is taking notice of Vincent Laforet. It’s the type of thing that sets Vincent apart from the rest. “Everyone has a camera on their phone so it’s really hard to find an image that no one has seen before,” he explains. But that is why these images are so unique. “It is a genuine sense of discovery for me and my pilots as well,” says Laforet. “Even though they’ve flown over these places before, their jaws will drop. Seeing their reactions is amazing.”
“Air” is a beautifully illustrated, 228 page, hardback book that sells for $59.95 plus shipping. For more information on Vincent Laforet or to order your own copy of “Air,” go to www.LaforetAir.com TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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A Full Day of Fun for just $89
($99 for Non-TPPA Members)
u Register Online at www.TPPA.org while space is available u CLASS SIZES LIMITED Confirm Your Spot by Registering Today!
The “Texas 10” is a group of photographers who support TPPA and educating photographers of all skill levels, holding workshops throughout the state in September and October. These volunteer instructors are willing to share and to promote the success of all photographers throughout Texas and beyond. You do not have to be a member of TPPA to attend. Because many of the workshops are hosted in the photographer’s own studio, class size is very limited to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to work with the instructor and to ask questions. Take one workshop or take them all! Secure your spot today!
Janine Campbell
Kellie Gann
April 16, 2016
February 28, 2016
Harlingen, Texas
Lufkin, Texas
Good to Great Portraiture
Family Portraiture
10 am - 5 pm
I
n portraiture, good posing and lighting can separate you from your competition. This workshop will showcase different lighting scenarios, indoors and outdoors for seniors, babies and family. Strobes, soft boxes, reflectors and Nikon TTL system will be shown. Posing concepts that can take you from good to great will also be shared and demonstrated. You are guaranteed to leave with fresh ideas to incorporate into your future sessions.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
8:30 am - 4 pm
J
oin Kellie Gann in Downtown Lufkin for a full day of outdoor and in-studio family posing and lighting, Lightroom workflow and in person sales using Pro Select and Animoto slide shows. Learn how to create beautiful heirloom artwork from start to finish and wow your clients. Topics will include studio and on-location lighting, timeless posing and a sales presentation designed to take your business to the next level. Set yourself up for success!
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Tammy Graham
Robin Janson
Kathy Norwood
Guy T. Phillips
March 19, 2016
March 21, 2016
April 18, 2016
February 27, 2016
Fort Worth, Texas
Cypress, Texas
College Station, Texas
Denton, Texas
How to Catch a Client
Volume Photography
Increase Your Profitability Through In Person Sales
Lightroom: The Basics
9 am - 4 pm
H
ave you been trying to land those great clients but feel like you are fishing with the wrong bait? Learn how Tammy lures in those big ones with simple but effective marketing techniques. Not only will she show you how to hook them, she will also show you how to keep them. Tammy specializes in using low cost techniques to land a client in any aspect of their portrait life cycle and keep them for life. You’ll be amazed at how easy and inexpensive it can be!
V
olume photography can mean a variety of things to a variety of photographers but one certain universal truth is…if it is done right it is very PROFITABLE! Photographing primarily Pre-Schools, Dance Schools, and Youth Sports Leagues, Robin will share: how to market your services, the checklist of being prepared for the day, different ways of proofing, how to handle commissions, equipment, software, hardware, and run through.
Doc List
Curley Marshall
March 5, 2016
March 6, 2016
Austin, Texas
Houston, Texas
Creating Composites
The Art Of
10 am - 5 pm
M
aybe you’ve tried creating composites but they just didn’t have that oomph, or they weren’t quite as believable as you hoped. If so, Doc can help you create more believable and compelling composites. The first step will be clarifying the story you want to tell. Next, you will extract the subject(s) and prepare them for compositing before preparing the background. Finally, you’ll do those subtle things that make it seem like it’s one thing. Bring your computer, a tablet, and some ideas.
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9 am - 5 pm
10 am - 5 pm
I
n person sales are a key part of the overall client experience, and also to achieving consistent high sales year after year that continue to grow. When your clients hire you they are not only investing in your artistic style of photography, they are also investing in your professional expertise and guidance through every part of the process. You are the expert, and your clients are looking to you for help to guide them through the process in selecting the best ways to display their images.
9:30 am - 4 pm
Portrait Lighting
T
his course is for seasoned photographers, beginners, or those who wants to boost their business. You’ll learn how to take control of any light and to use shadows and highlights to create stunning and dramatic portrait in studio and on locations. Curley will cover studio and off-camera equipment, light modifiers, light modifiers and ratios, lighting patterns and posing technique. Come and take your photography to the next level.
Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
9 am - 4 pm
J
oin Guy Phillips for a day of understanding the basics of using Lightroom. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to understand the elements of a productive workspace, effectively control the panels within each of the common modules, use key components to improve every image, identify keyboard shortcuts, develop your own workflow, and to locate additional resources to improve your skills. Bring your computer and an open mind, and you’ll leave with a big smile!
Randy &Erick Pollard
Debbie Riggs
March 21, 2016
Abilene, Texas
March 12, 2016 9 am - 4 pm
9 am - 4 pm
The Art & Business Of
Victoria, Texas
Sports Composites: Concept to Delivery
R
andy and Erick Pollard at On the Edge Photography will show you their process of creating sports composites that sell! Starting with developing the concept followed by a live shoot, methods and tips for extraction and compositing, you’ll learn everything you need to know to begin this lucrative sports market! Extremely hands-on, this is the class you’ve been looking for - and no Jedi mind tricks! You’ll want to bring your camera with a midfocal length lens, and your laptop with CC installed for creating the composite.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
Photographing Families & Seniors
D
ebbie Riggs has the philosophy that you can take great portraits anywhere if you have a handle on three key issues: good lighting, good composition and if you really know your client. Join Debbie as she shares her approach to taking family and senior portraits using natural lighting and solid posing techniques. Next, Debbie will turn her attention to the business of photography and share the importance of client consultations, setting yourself apart from the crowd, and the keys to success with in-person sales. This is a program that you will not want to miss.
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“Toxic Canary” - Elena Hernandez has taught impromptu classes on off-camera lighting to several members of Dallas PPA. While scouting for a good photo location, she found these doors that reminded her of a mine shaft. The model was Alex Gibbs who owned the vintage gas mask. Elena supplied the outfit.The image was made using two Nikon SB 800 flash units and a Nikon camera with an 85mm lens. Exposure was f8 at ISO 800. The image was featured in the 2015 TPPA Gallery Book after Summerfest ‘15.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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Ambient image after a good amount of curve adjustments might be acceptable...
A
s photographers, light is often our best friend and sometimes our worst enemy. In our quest for the perfect image, we want light in the right quantity, from the right angle, and with the proper amount of diffusion or contrast. Good luck with that. In the mid-1800’s pioneer photographers used flash powder to shorten exposures during daylight. Consider that the first omni-directional portable light source, open flash as it were, now available to us as bare-bulb flash, without those nasty explosive characteristics. If you are a user of supplemental light sources, you should get familiar with bare bulb, the techniques for using it and some of the equipment available to you. Bare bulb is available in both studio strobes and speed lights, power output and portability being the determining factor as to which to choose. Most of my work is architectural. I shoot in situations with multiple light sources, from florescent to halogen to incandescent. I also work in layers, compositing my final images. Having a small, portable non-directional daylight light source is a necessity. Bare bulb flash can be used by all kinds of shooters; event, portrait, interior and product to name a few. Its primary characteristic is the ability to provide the simulation of a main light source
...but after adding two bare bulb heads, one bounced into a silver reflecting panel and the other off the ceiling, a much better image can be obtained. TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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Ambient Light Only
Direct Flash On Camera
and fill simultaneously. Placing the flash head close to the intersection of the wall and ceiling you will get more definition and direction in the light, unlike bouncing it off the ceiling which gives a flat light effect. Be aware of colored surfaces in the room. Bounced light will be affected. While some color correction can be done in post processing, it is better to avoid it while shooting. To that end, I carry a large foldable reflector, silver on one side, white on the other to position next to the flash head when color variance is an issue. The photograph of the bar offers up a good example of the challenges of interior photography. It is a veneer with wood-variated surface, dark marble top, chairs with chrome rings which can be a source of unwanted spectral highlights, halogen light sources and tinted walls, not to mention the daylight being filtered by the sheer curtains. As you can see, there are several f/stops of variance between the light and dark areas of the image. The ambient light image, after a good amount of curve adjustments might be acceptable... unless you want something much better. To demonstrate, I set up two bare bulb heads, one bounced into the silver reflecting panel, the other off the ceiling. In this particular case I used a shutter speed of 1/45 sec. @ F16, ISO was 160. The “before” version was done with ambient light and a curve adjustment. The bare bulb image had a minor curve adjustment and some retouching to eliminate unwanted shadows and holes in the wall. The reflections in the wine bottles and glasses look natural. Any highlights caused by the flash can be easily be removed. As previously mentioned, bare bulb can be used for all types of photography. For this product shot of a bare bulb unit, I took a series of photos using another one as the light source. You can see the varying quality of light in ambient, direct on camera flash, on camera flash bounced into the built-in white card and of course the bare bulb positioned on a light stand about 45 degrees off the subject. This is a good demonstration of the ability of bare bulb light to wrap around the subject and act as both main and fill light. I am not an expert on everything that is available in the bare bulb category. Nor am I a gear geek. All I care about is real-world application and if I can get what I need at a cost I can justify with my work. If your need or cash for bare-bulb is limited, you might consider the Bolt or Cheetah brands, manufactured by Godox in China. Bolt is sold through B&H and Cheetah is sold online at www.cheetahstand.com. B&H sells the Bolt VB-11 bare bulb kit (around 160 watt seconds) with the flash head, battery pack, wireless transmitter and receiver along with a plethora of light modifiers for about $600. The wireless transmitter allows you to control the light output on several heads from your camera. The
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Bounced On-Camera Flash
Bare Bulb Flash
Cheetah CL-180 is identical to the Bolt and I use two of them. Cheetah currently has the more powerful CL-360 with head and reflector, battery and wireless remote set for $459 which is a great deal for 360 watt seconds of power output and less than I paid for my CL-180s a couple of years ago. B&H sells the twin sister Volt VB-22 head, reflector and battery without the wireless remote set for $725. The Cadillac of bare-bulb is the made in the U.S.A Quantum T5D-R, capable of wired and wireless control and camera specific TTL, the kit will set you back $1500 for a 160 WS unit. If you want bare-bulb TTL, and if you are an event or wedding photographer you probably will, you gotta pay the piper. If you don’t need the TTL, the Cheetah is the obvious pick if price is the deciding factor. I should make it clear that I have not used or handled Quantum so I cannot give you an evaluation of the product itself, only a price and feature comparison. I have used the Cheetah for a couple of years now. Overall, I am very happy with it. The construction could probably be more robust, but it has never failed me and the ability to control the the flash heads from the camera is a sweet feature. My kit consists of two Cheetah CL-180s, the wireless bits, reflectors and an octabox and a beauty dish for the heads. Cheetah offers about two dozen light modifiers and dozens of other accessories for the heads. They work on all of the brands; Cheetah, Bolt, and Quantum. Cheetah shows a lot more of the toys than B&H on their web site.
Aboud Dweck’s career in photography has spanned 44 years. For the first eight years, he was a portrait photographer, then made the transition to commercial work. His work grew more diverse as he took on more advertising and corporate clients, shooting everything from exploding soda bottles to a stunt pilot doing barrel rolls over treetops in Pennsylvania. Dweck has always had a strong interest in structure and space. Over the past six years he has been shooting class-A office buildings and apartments for developers and architects. His most recent project for tourism combined architectural, people and aerial photographing wineries, recreational venues and craft breweries in Virginia. Dweck splits his time between Washington, D.C. and Boca Raton, Florida. Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
What Photographers Are Saying
About the Texas Professional Photographers Association “My membership in TPPA has given me the confidence to grow, not only in the business world, but also as an artist. I joined because I wanted to be taken seriously. It keeps me excited about my photography and earning a living at what I am driven to do” Dawn Ratliff
“There’s the yearly convention, Summerfest for the entire family, the TPPA Magazine, and Texas School. Access to all of these events start with your dues, which are less than $100 a year - truly one of your best investments!” John Barnhart
Texas PPA
2016 Calendar of Events Feb. 27 - April 18
Texas 10 Spring Workshops
Various Locations throughout Texas Taught by photographers in Texas who are anxious to share their experetise with others, these workshops cover a variety of subjects. Find one near you. See page 13 in this issue for details.
Professional Active $95 - Open to photographers and employees of photographers who sell photographic services as a business and photographers employed by a firm whose main business is selling photographs. State Law requires that all such individuals hold a Texas Limited Sales Tax permit.
Limited Associate $85 - Open to individuals seriously interested in photography and are engaged in an occupation other than photography. Student $50 - Open to full-time students preparing for a career in photography, in a college or approved vocational/technical school. Service Firm $90 - Open to manufacturers, suppliers, laboratories and businesses supplying photographers; includes one person’s membership. Staff Associate $55 - Open to individuals employed by a Professional Active or Service Firm member or the spouse of a Professional Active member. Staff Associate membership may be accepted only if employer is current member. Out of State $65 - Note: Only Professional Active members have all membership rights. Spouses of Professional Active members are exempt from dues, unless they elect to become a Professional Active member in order to vote or exhibit prints. Limited Associate, Out of State, Student, Service or Staff Associate members may not vote, hold office or enter photographs in competition, unless a special category has been established for them.
Join Texas PPA NOW at www.TPPA.org (promo code: TexasProPhoto16)
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Dedicated to Serving Our Members Ross Benton
Randy Pollard
April 24-29
Membership Categories & Rates
2016 TPPA Officers
Secretary
Councilman-At-Large
Texas School of Professional Photography
Jenny Rhea Eisenhauer Councilman-At-Large
Tammy Graham
Intercontinental Hotel in Addison, Texas
Treasurer
Join 1,000 photographers for the biggest event of its kind in the country! It’s the best education value in the country with world-class instructors and plenty of fun. More info at www.TexasSchool.org.
June 26 - 29
Summerfest ‘16
La Torretta Lakeside Resort in Conroe, Texas Combine a vacation and a seminar at this beautiful resort on Lake Conroe. It’s for the entire family! Watch for more information in this publication or at www.TPPA.org.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2
Steve Kozak
PhotoGenesis ‘16
President
Embassy Suites in San Marcos, Texas Join us in San Marcos, Texas, at the beautiful Embassy Suites and spend some time rejuvenating your mind and exploring your roots in photography. Watch for more information in this publication.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
Stephanie Ludlow
Trey Homan
Vice-President
Chairman of the Board
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A Final Farewell To Roy Madearis by
Doug Box
O
n December 1, I lost my good friend, Roy Madearis, who was TPPA President in 1978. At a standing room only service at Bethel Methodist Church in Waxahachie, Texas, I realized that being a photographer is different than almost any other profession because that Church was packed with photographers. I met Roy and Debbie at a TPPA event and we soon became close friends with most of our conversation centered around photography and photographic events. Roy not only served as President of TPPA, but also served as President of the Fort Worth Guild and SWPPA, each one requiring six to ten years of commitment. He was a Master-Craftsman and TPPA Fellow, recipient of the National Award from Texas and SWPPA, and was quite proud of being in the Alpha Group of Kodak Mentors. Roy was a gifted wedding photographer and his albums won top honors 17 years in a row and was always a top contender in print competition. He and Debbie ran the print room for many years. Roy truly loved photography and photographers!
Roy Madearis (1945 - 2015)
TPPA President 1978
If you want to read what other photographers have said about Roy, go to Facebook Friends of Roy and Debbie Madearis. There you will read accounts from friends and clients alike. My favorite is a poem written Charlotte Rains:
Debbie and Roy had a very successful studio in Arlington, Texas. After they sold their building they moved their studio to Midlothian, Texas, near where they built their dream home. Like many photographers today, as business slowed down, Roy went to work at Lowe’s to get out of the house, make a little extra income and get some health insurance. I asked Roy one time how he felt about working at Lowe’s and he told me, “Old photographers don’t go away, they become grandfathers!” I know Roy’s nine grand children were the love of his life.
The Gift of Thee
What I learned from my friendship with Roy and Debbie is there is so much more to belonging to an association than attending meetings. Associations are about friends and friendships, lifelong friendships. I encourage you to get involved in your local, state and national associations, not just in attending events, but get involved, help out, work behind the scenes. That is where I met Roy and dozens of very special friends in photography!
With each tilt and turn of head And while you clicked as many wed You made the Hands of Time stand still Wondrous “light and shadow” skill
For more that 40 years, he captured special milestones through his camera lens in the Arlington and surrounding areas. His life was photography and his legacy was his love of his craft. Roy Madearis was a photographer until the last day he could hold his camera.
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
Oh! The tale your camera told Of so many faces young and old The Master’s Hand at work through you Every color, every hue
I did not realize it then how I cherish Those days “back when” But countless others, especially me Will always have the Gift of Thee
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My goal with this article is to lay down a few basics so you can adapt them into your own work flow. We’ll stick to the problems encountered with real estate photography since that’s most likely where you’ll start photographing interiors and start with the capture process before briefly discussing postprocessing. First, you’ll absolutely need a good tripod to photograph interiors. I’d go as far as to say, don’t even THINK about hand-holding your camera for interior shots if you’re serious about producing professional results! You’ll also need a good quality wide-angle lens. If you have deep pockets, a Tilt Shift lens would be ideal, because it’s specifically designed for doing architectural photography. I use a Canon L-series 17-40mm zoom lens for most of my interior work. Because I use Live-View mode on my Canon 5D MKIII or my Canon 5DSr for every shot, I always take at least one spare camera battery for each job. Live-View uses a lot of juice during a two-hour shoot (which is about the average amount of time I spend on a home). The reason I take that long for a shoot is that I use the new HDR feature in Adobe Lightroom CC for every setup, and I take a minimum of 3 exposures for each image. Just as I do for landscapes, I use the two-second delay feature on my camera, to avoid camera shake during the exposures. I always have the “Highlight Alert” feature on (the “blinkies”) so I can tell when I’ve captured as much detail as possible in the interior light fixtures and the outdoor portions of the images seen through windows. It’s really important that you have that detail to make the final image shine. To me it’s the one of the things that distinguishes a professional image from what you typically see on a real estate website taken by a realtor. There are times when supplemental lighting is absolutely necessary to get a great architectural image, but for real estate work I find the multiple exposures and using the “exposure fusion” functionality of the Lightroom HDR process saves a lot of time and yields very nice, acceptable results. I do carry a small bag with a few LED lights (daylight balanced) with me just in case, but I very rarely use them.
by
Ron Castle
W
hen most professional photographers think about photographing interiors, the word “boring” probably comes to mind along with the thought “No problem. Piece of cake!” At least those were dancing through my head last year when I was asked by a local realtor to do her a favor. The lady was a big fan of my portrait and landscape work, and she said she needed some “nice pictures” of our local country club. Well, long story short, I ended up spending a lot more time on that project than I thought I would, especially in post-production. BUT, it also taught me some valuable lessons, changed my mind about photographing interiors, and unlocked a new passion and a new direction for my photography career! One thing I came to appreciate very quickly about photographing interiors is that getting a professional-looking image of a room isn’t a lot different than doing a portrait of a person or shooting a landscape. You have to use your light in a dramatic way. Your images have to be properly color balanced, and you also have to come up with a compelling composition. In some ways it’s actually more difficult to do all that with something like a bedroom or bathroom because of the limitations imposed by the building and the fact that you often don’t have the luxury of deciding when to do the shoot. This is especially true with real estate photography. You’re usually given a time when the homeowner will be there, and you’ll have to do the best you can under those circumstances. At the time of your shoot, one room will likely have beautiful north facing window light, while the room across the hall has bright, high-contrast light blasting in. You’ll also face numerous mixed lighting situations that can be a nightmare to color balance in the final image. There’s no shortage of problems to solve when it comes to photographing interior spaces, but the rewards, at least for me, are very satisfying.
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Dealing with indoor (usually tungsten) lights and exterior sunlight coming through windows and doors is another difficult lighting issue. To help “average” the mixed light situations and provide a starting point for balancing the color, I always have my camera set to Auto white balance. I then deal with the mixed light problems during post processing. That’s one of many reasons I always shoot RAW! When I can, and when indoor lights don’t add a lot to the composition, I turn all the room lights off and use the daylight exclusively for my exposures (see image top-right). TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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try facing a corner at a 45 degree angle and make that vertical corner line as straight as you can. The others will fall into place. Even when it’s not necessary, this can often add some nice drama to your shot.
A few other tips for the capture process: Make sure all ceiling fans are OFF. Pay attention to details in the room and remove distractions. Don’t be afraid to move things around when practical, to help your compositions. If kitchen cabinets or appliances have interior or accent lights, turn them on to add drama to your image. Finally, one of the absolute necessities of a good interior image is having the room’s vertical lines straight! Some of this can be done in post-production in the Lightroom lens calibration module, but it starts with the doing the best you can in-camera. This is another reason I use Live-View. It’s so much easier to see and adjust the lines. To the extent you can, always try to have the picture plane on your camera parallel to the wall surface you’re facing. Visualize placing your camera’s lens surface flat against the wall you’re shooting, and then pulling it straight back without changing that angle. In order to gather in as much of the room as you want for the image without changing that surface angle, you’ll find that you need to reposition the height of your camera or, if you can, zoom your lens out. When you can’t get the shot you want using this technique (because of the room size or other factors)
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
For my interior work, the post-processing part of it is the most fun and rewarding, but it can be very time-consuming if you haven’t followed some of the capture tips outlined earlier. I try to limit my real estate image work flow to just two programs, Adobe Lightroom CC, and for the final dynamic contrast adjustments, OnOne’s Perfect Photo Suite 10. Topaz will work just as well. I very rarely take an image into Photoshop, but I will when I can’t get the results I want with my verticals or some extreme mixed light situations. I don’t have space in this article to get into all the post-processing techniques I use, but I do want to touch briefly on mixed lighting fixes. Until I started using the new HDR feature in Lightroom, I hadn’t been a fan of using it for any of my work. The HDR images I’d tried to make before had always taken too long to process, and the results just looked unnatural and overdone. What I love about the Lightroom HDR process is the fact that it’s fast, usually yields a very natural result, and it also leaves me with a DNG
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HDR raw file that I can still work with to non-destructively change color balance and further adjust tonality! (If you don’t convert your RAW files to DNG on import, the HDR process will take longer because that process includes converting to DNG.) The tools I use the most to balance out the mixed color temperatures are the local adjustment brush (and graduated filter) as well as the HSL panel (see before/after samples left). The adjustment brush (and graduated filter) has color temperature sliders that can be used to change local color temperatures. This requires some experimentation, but it can be effective. My favorite tool to remove the distracting blue color casts you see around window areas in a predominantly indoor lighting situation is the HSL panel. First, I select the “Saturation” tab, and place the targeting tool over the purest blue. Then I start sliding it downward, de-saturating it, until the blues disappear.
BEFORE
AFTER
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
Photographing interiors can be a rewarding experience and can test your photographic skills in the real world. Producing a final product that clearly sets you apart from less experienced photographers takes time and planning but can open doors for you and your career.
Ron Castle is from Del Rio, Texas, and has a BFA in Graphic Design and a Master of Science in Business. He recently earned a Diamond Photographer of the Year award at IPC 2015. Ron will be one of the speakers for PhotoGenesis ‘16, so plan to hear him then. Learn more about Ron at: www.RonCastlePhotos.com.
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The Texas School Experience...
Will Change Your Life!
Don Dickson
T
he 2016 Texas School of Professional Photography will once again be held at the Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center in Addison, Texas. Classes will be held April 24-29, 2016. Over 1,000 photographers attend Texas School and we look forward to another great year in 2016. The hotel, located north of Dallas, just off the North Dallas Toll Road, is the setting for this event. (continued on page 34)
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Ross Benton
Doug Box
William Branson III
Carl Caylor
Tony Corbell
Bry Cox
David Edmonson
Hanson Fong
Beth Forester
Dan Frievalt
Joel Grimes
Jeff Gump
Russ Harrington
John Hartman
Julia L. Kelleher
Britney Kirby Fullgraf
Steve Kozak
Don MacGregor
Sandra Pearce
Sandy Puc
Thom Rouse
James Schmeizer
Marilyn Sholin
Richard Sturdevant
Woody Walters
Mike & Suzy Fulton
Trey & Elizabeth Homan
Gregory & Lesa Daniel
Laurie Klein & Kyle Klein Perler
John Wilson
Cris & Deanna Duncan
Steve Winslow & Sophie Lane
The 523 room Intercontinental Hotel has agreed to a room rate of only $121, so more people will be able to stay at the host hotel. More information is available on the Texas School website at www.texasschool.org. You might want to go ahead and book your room because they will sell out fast. Online registration for the 2016 Texas School began on January 3rd and many classes booked in only a few seconds. But the good news is that there are still some openings left in several classes, although they are going fast! If you’ve never experienced Texas School, you’ve missed out on one of the best learning experiences available to photographers in the world. There are 36 classes covering every topic imaginable and all are designed to help your business grow and be
Gary & Kathryn Meek
Billy Welliver & Mitch Daniels
Janice Wendt
Jamie Hayes & Mary Fisk-Taylor
successful. In addition, we are going to repeat the Big Texas Shootout where every student will be able to practice what you have learned in class and compete for prizes and cash. Last year, we gave away over $50,000 in prizes. As everyone knows, the photography industry is changing. You have to be on top of your game. Texas School offers everyone the best education in the country and at the most affordable prices. Along with classroom instruction, there is a fun and exciting social life at Texas School with parties, meal events, entertainment and an impressive trade show. Another good reason to attend is that all evening meals will be FREE, thanks to our many sponsors. Mark your calendar for April 24-29 and come and see what the “Texas School Experience” is all about.
Registration Form and More Texas School Information at
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
“The Fleet at Dusk” - Melanie Hall, M.Photog.Cr., CPP of Conroe, Texas, was approached by her client, Million Air, with an idea to photograph their fleet of jets which are available to charter at their Houston FBO. The client also wanted to showcase their new headquarters at Houston Hobby Airport that glowed their signature green at night. They discussed the basic design of the desired image ahead of time and spent the day, 9/11/14, moving their airplanes into position. When she arrived on location, the client asked if she was scared of heights, she responded with, “I can’t remember.” An hour before dusk, she scaled a 45-foot lift to see if any of the planes needed to be rearranged or more added. In using the ambient hangar lights to illuminate the airplanes, she knew there would be a very short window of about 10 minutes when both the sky and the aircraft would be exposed correctly so that her camera’s dynamic range could hold detail in the highlights and the shadows. Her goal was to capture the image in one shot, with very little post production needed. She knew she needed to shoot at least f16 to have the lights in the background create a starburst effect while maintaining the lowest ISO possible for a clean image, all while hoping the wind wouldn’t sway the lift too much. Luckily, she was able to capture this 2-second exposure between the bursts of wind. The image scored 82 at Summerfest ’15. In February 2015, the image placed 2nd at BVPPA. In March 2015, the image scored 82 and placed 3rd in the active division at PPGH. Hall is 2015 Brazos Valley Photographer of the Year.
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Schedule of Events Print Competition... March 31 - April 3, 2016 Friday: AM -
Kent Shirley........................ “Hands-On Photoshop” (extra fee) Chris Wunder .................... “Church Directories” (extra fee)
PM - Kent Shirley (cont.) Chris Wunder (cont.) Dixie Dixon ........................ “Fashion & Modeling” Evening - Jen Rozenbaum................. “Boudoir” David & Luke Edmonson.. “Weddings” Robert Trawick................... “Photo Walk Safari” (extra fee)
by
Mike Scalf
T
he Southwest Professional Photographers Association represents several states, including Texas. If you are a member of any of those affiliate states, you are automatically a member of SWPPA. So come and join them on April 1-4 in Frisco, Texas. The Regional Convention & Trade Show will be held at the luxurious Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center. With a host of exceptional program speakers, this promises to be both entertaining as well as educational. Come and learn the latest techniques on Photoshop, Church Directories, Fashion, Boudoir, Weddings, Workflow, Architectural & Commercial, Sports, Children, Business/Sales, Classic Portraiture, and much more. Browse through one of the largest Trade Shows in the region and party until the lights go out. It’s a time to recharge your inner battery and set the world on fire!
Chris Wunder
David & Luke Edmonson
Marathon Press
Jen Rozenbaum Sigma Lens
Thibault Roland Sony
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Drake Busath
Dixie Dixon
WHCC & Italy Workshops
Robert Trawick
Ron Jackson
Ted & Laura Unruh
Tim Kelly
Christie Kline
Gary & Pam Box
Jason & Rebecca Weaver
Michele Celentano
Kodak Alaris & WHCC
ACI
ACI
Mary Waters........................ “Workflow Hacking” Ron Jackson...................... “Architectural & Commercial” Drake Busath..................... “Family Portraiture” Thibault Roland................. “Fine Art Landscapes” Trade Show (open noon)
PM-
Jeff Gump........................... “Sports Photography” Christie Kline...................... “Photographing Children” Trade Show (closes 4pm) Party with Ice Cream Bar & Cash Bar SWPPA Inaugural Fellowship Award Program
Sunday:
Ted & Laura Unruh............. “Contemporary Children” Rebecca & Jason Weaver.. “Business & Sales” Robert Trawick................... “Photo Walk Safari” (extra fee) Tim Kelly............................. “Classic Portraiture”
AM -
PM - Gary & Pam Box................ “High School Seniors”
Monday:
AM -
Michele Celentano............ “Working with Groups - Weddings”
More Information www.SWPPA.com
H&H Color
Mary Waters Miller’s Lab
AM -
Jeff Gump
Nikon
Kent Shirley Full Color
Saturday:
H&H Color
Miller’s Lab
Canon USA
Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Feb/Mar 2016
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Contributors: Heart of Texas - Tom Sergent; Houston - Dixie Dobbins; Brazos Valley - Kathy Norwood
Brazos Valley Guild - In November, the Brazos Valley Guild hosted Karen Butts, of Natural Images. Her program was “Discovering Who You are as An Artist.” As photographers, our goal is to create something beautiful that will be cherished by our clients. Karen explained how to tap into your inner self to discover your own style and learn to develop it. She also discussed the 12 Elements of a Merit Image, with an emphasis on color balance and composition. In December, the Brazos Valley Guild held their Year End Awards Party and Festivities. Heart of Texas Guild - In October, the Heart of Texas Professional
Photographers Guild hosted their annual photography shoot-out. The winners of the shoot-out were announced at the November meeting. They were: Rhonda Williams, first place; Cecy Ayala, second place; and Jill Hubbert, third place. Dwayne Lee, of Southern Flair Photography, presented his program on “Guerrilla Marketing.” Lee introduced many creative and inexpensive ways in which a studio can make contact with potential clients. Winners of the November image competitions in the Professional category were: Rhonda Williams, first place; Cecy Ayala, second place; and Jill Hubbert, third place. Associate winners were: Billy Lauderdale, first place; Darrell Vickers, second place; and Rick Duhrkopf, third place. People’s Choice Award winners were: Cecy Ayala, first place; Luke Stokes, second place; and Billy Lauderdale, third place. The 2016 officers were also elected at this meeting: Luke Stokes, President; Rick Duhrkopf, VicePresident; and Darrell Vickers, Treasurer.
Tom Bailey Passes Away- It was at press time that we learned of the passing of one of TPPA’s most beloved members from Houston, Tom Bailey. Tom was an active member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston as well at TPPA and, along with his wife, Bettie, was a familiar face at TPPA events for many years. Long time friend, Belinda Higgins, said it best, “Tom was bigger than life and never met a stranger. He was always the first to step up to serve and to help anywhere he was needed throughout the years. He shared his smiles with anyone, loved to dance, loved desserts, loved everyone... especially God. He touched the hearts of many with his infectious joy, enthusiasm, humor, kindness, and genuine love of people and will remain in the hearts and thoughts of all of us at PPGH.” In case you haven’t learned by now, members of the Texas Professional Photographers Association are one big family and the loss of any one of them is a loss to us all. We were all better for knowing Tom and will miss him.
In December, the Heart of Texas Professional Photographer’s Guild held its annual Christmas party and awards ceremony at Manny’s on the River in Waco. Awards for the 2015 competition season were then handed out by Tim Williams. The 2015 Professional Photographer of the year was Rhonda Williams and the Associate Photographer of the year was Darrell Vickers. Darrell also won the Black and White Artist of the Year award and Rhonda Williams also won the People’s choice award. In addition, Distinguished Photographer Awards were presented to our top competitors of 2015. Receiving the D.P.A. was Rhonda Williams, Cecy Ayala, Darrell Vickers and Billy Lauderdale.
Houston Guild - The Houston Professional Photographers guild hosted the multi talented husband and wife duo Jennifer and Ted Penland for an all day program on “Pin Up Photography.” The Penlands brought two models and taught us all sorts of great info on photographing Pin-Up style photography, including proper makeup, clothing, shoes, jewelry and props. They stressed the importance of keeping the style true to the era of 1940s and 50s style. Attendees also learned how to market and to attract clients and attracting paying clients as opposed to models who want free photography.
The print competition was also held during the evening program with the following results. Award winners in the Master division were: Cat Dybala, first place and second place; and Dixie Dobbins, third place. Winners in the Active division were: Francie Baltazar, first place; Teri Whittaker, second place; and Francie Baltazar, third place. The Houston Guild meets the third Tuesday of each month at various locations within the Houston area. TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
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Preventing
MEMORY CARD DATA LOSS Mark McCall
T
here are two types of digital photographers... those who have expereienced a corrupt memory card and those who will experience a corrupt memory card. Keeping your data secure and safe is crucial because there are so many things that can affect the precious images on your cards. First, let’s talk what causes truncation (corruption), then we’ll talk workflow to prevent it. Memory card corruption can be caused by several things including: removing the card during the image save process, turning the camera off during the save process, neglecting to format a card before a session, fluctuation of power during the save process, forgetting to digitally eject the card from a card reader (Macs), physical damage to the card, or deleting images in camera. The most common cause of corrupt cards is shooting with a low camera battery. The camera needs a steady flow of electricity to safely and securely put those images onto the card. A low battery cause the flow of electricity to fluctuate, causing truncation. It’s also possible to corrupt the card statically by keeping an unprotected card in your pocket or purse. Keep all cards in a static free container.
Corrupting or truncating your memory cards isn’t necessarily a death knell. Very often, images can be retrieved after a card is truncated, even formatted. The first step in reversing any damage is to stop using a card the minute you realize you have a problem. A corrupt card is often just a broken File Allocation Table or “roadmap” to your images. Your images could be still on the card, just unreadable because the FAT is broken. Using memory card recovery software, images can often be completely recovered.
Once you’re ready to download and back up your cards, Preventing image quarantine the cards. A simple and inexpensive idea is card corruption to place a Post-a-Note on each memory card and write starts in camera the name of the client or job on the note. and there are some simple precautions you can take to give you peace of mind. iFirst of all, use fresh batteries. If your camera model uses an external add-on battery pack, use it. It’ll allow you to shoot longer before the camera experiences a drop in voltage. iDo not try to save card space by deleting images in camera. Storage is cheap. Cards are reusable. Deleting images in camera can truncate the entire card. iDo not format the memory cards using a computer. Instead, format cards in the camera. iWhen cards are not in the camera, keep them in a static-free case. iGive your camera time to buffer and save each image after a capture and always protect camera and card case from shock. iOnce you’re ready to download and back up your cards, quarantine the cards. A simple and inexpensive idea is to place a Post-a-Note on each memory card and write the name of the client or job on the note. Then, put it away and do not use it again until the job is delivered to the client. If a computer or hard drive fails, you still have the initial camera images that can be worked up to complete the job.
Digital file corruption is more common than you might think. If you’ve not yet experienced memory card corruption... YOU WILL!
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Feb/Mar 2016 TEXAS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER