The Photographer: June/July 2019

Official Publication of the Texas Professional Photographers Association, Inc.

VOLUME 54- #4 June/July 2019

Magazine Editor

Bill Hedrick, M.Photog.Cr. 1506 E. Leach St. Kilgore, TX 75662 903-985-1080 Editor@ThePhotographerOnline.com

Executive Director

Steve Kozak, M.Photog.Cr 5323 Fig Tree Lane Grand Prairie, TX 75052 972-601-9070 Steve@tppa.org

Printing by

Complete Printing & Publishing 1501 W. Panola Carthage, TX 75633 800-964-9521 www.CompletePrinting.com

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ON THE COVER “Made in America” was created by Mark McCall, of Lubbock, Texas. Mark attends a lot of air shows, especially those that permit him to get “up close” to the aircraft. Although vintage aircraft are his favorites, he also enjoys watching aerial teams like the Air Force Thunderbirds, who were performing at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. As Thunderbird #4 rolled by the crowd on his way to the flightline, Mark captured the aircraft from less than 50 feet away using a Canon 5D MkII with a 70-200 lens.

“Normally, I would not need this much resolution for a shot like this, but I didn’t expect to be able to get that close,” he says. In post-production, Mark removed the plane from the original background in Photoshop, retracted the landing gear, and replaced parts of the F16 that were hidden by the landing gear. Next, he cloned the F16 and placed it all against an image containing lots of clouds and blue sky, composing each plane in perfect formation. The image was placed in the PPA Loan Collection.

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Opportunities for Growth

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TPPA Summerfest ‘19

A Message from TPPA President, Ross Benton

June 30 - July 3 in Kerrville, Texas by Steve Kozak

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Natural Light

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Spotlight: Diana Waguespack

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The Making of a Magazine

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Getting Started with Light Modifiers

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A Musician’s Promo Illustration

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Switching Gears

Setting the Record Straight by Chelsea Williams

“Image Elegance”

Behind-The-Scene Look by Steve Kozak

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How Much Bang for Your Buck? by Guy T. Phillips

How To Create It by Daniel Fermaint

Camera Change for Wildlife Photos by Joe McDonald

31 THE 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.ThePhotographerOnline.com. Send all communications, articles, or advertising to: THE PHOTOGRAPHER, 1506 E. Leach St., Kilgore, TX 75662. Phone (903) 985-1080, or Editor@ThePhotographerOnline.com.

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2019 TPPA Executive Council President Ross Benton l

Ross@StudioBenton.com

10828 Gulfdale St., San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 804-1188

Vice-President Jenny Rhea Eisenhauer l

photographybyjennyrhea@hotmail.com

12218 Old Stage Trail, Austin, TX 78750 (512) 626-3309

Treasurer Cris Duncan

Opportunities for Growth

l

cjduncan@mac.com

2402 Slide Rd., Lubbock, TX 79407 (806) 781-2747

Secretary Doc List l

Doc@doclistphotography.com

6001 W. Parmer Ln., Austin, TX 78727 (512) 924-9248

Councilman-at-Large Teri Whittaker l

TeriW@teriwhittaker.com

5407 Girnigoe Dr., Houston, TX 77084 (713) 898-8017

Councilman-at-Large Robin Janson l

Robin@sockmonkeyphotography.com

227019 Sable Oaks Ln., Cypress, TX 77433 (281) 561-9816

Chairman of the Board Tammy Graham l

Tammy@locationsphotography.com

3300 Joyce Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76116 (817) 300-0780

Executive Director Steve Kozak l

Steve@tppa.org

5323 Fig Tree Ln., Grand Prairie, TX 75052 (972) 601-9070

Texas School Director Don Dickson l

Don@DonDickson.com

1501 West 5th, Plainview, TX 79072 (806) 296-2276

Magazine Editor Bill Hedrick l

Editor@ThePhotographerOnline.com

1506 E. Leach St., Kilgore, TX 75662 (903) 985-1080

PPA Councilors Brad Barton (Grand Prairie), Ross Benton (San Antonio), Cris Duncan (Lubbock), Jenny Rhea Eisenhauer (Austin), Tammy Graham (Fort Worth), Phaneendra Gudapati (Plano), Elizabeth Homan (San Antonio), Trey Homan (San Antonio), Robin Janson (Cypress), Mark McCall (Lubbock), Robert Norwood (Montgomery).

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f you’re anything like me, you probably have systems for just about everything you do. At my studio, we have a system for scheduling appointments, a system for reaching out to clients, a system for engaging new clients, and, of course, a system for delivering not only the best possible product to our clients, but for offering the best possible overall experience for our clients. Systems are critical to success!

There is a danger, however, inherent in our systems. Whenever we do the same things the same way each and every day, it’s all too easy for our systems to slip into ruts. We develop a system that works, so we stick with it because it works. But what works is often different from what’s best. Even if it’s not broken, it’s sometimes still worth fixing, because what we fix, we can also improve!

In the New Testament, a man named Peter invites us to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). I can’t think of two more important things in life than these. Being gracious to others – not only to the clients we serve, but to the family we love, to the friends we have, and even to those who have wronged us – is critical not only for the sake of our craft as photographers, but for the sake of our character as people. And the desire to grow in knowledge is critical if we hope to improve and remain competitive in the world of photography. It is critical in our personal lives as well. When was the last time you stopped to listen and to learn from your spouse, or to glean a new insight from your faith tradition? Every facet of our lives offers us an opportunity and a challenge to grow.

Ruts sap us of our graciousness and lure us into feeling comfortable with what we think we know instead of being curious about what we have yet to learn. My invitation to you, then, is this: Take intentional steps to identify ruts in your life and, then, step out of them. In everything we do, we want to be better today than we were yesterday!

At TPPA, we are devoted to your growth. This is why Summerfest is so important to us as photographers and our families. Save the date, June 30 through July 3, at the beautiful Inn of the Hills in Kerrville. This year’s event will feature world class presenters along with our annual photography competition, and, of course, plenty of social time so we can grow in our relationships with each other. For more information, and to register, visit tppa.org.

I hope to see you there!

All the best,

Ross Benton TPPA President

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 Steve Kozak, Executive Director, 5323 Fig Tree Ln., Grand Prairie, TX 75052 Steve@tppa.org

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If you are not a member of Texas PPA, this is my personal invitation to you to join!

Email Steve Kozak, TPPA Executive Director, at Steve@tppa.org or call 972-601-9070.

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“The Psychology of Color”

“Posing Strategies for Newborns”

“The Making of Merit Images”

“Seniors With Style”

“Environmental Business Portraits”

KEN BOVAT

AURORA DELUCA

PHYLLIS KUYKENDALL

LARRY LOURCEY

BRYAN WELSH

“Image Competition Boot Camp”

“Digital Marketing for Photographers” “Be Your Own Shark”

MARK MCCALL

ASHLEY SIEGERT

“Photography - Sales - Marketing: How to Have It All”

RUDI, RACHAEL, and CLARK MARTEN

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n an extraordinary turn of events, the Texas PPA Summerfest event has been moved to Kerrville, Texas, in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. While only weeks away from Summerfest ‘19 and after months of detailed planning, the folks at La Torretta Resort in Conroe, Texas, informed us that the facility had been sold to Margaritaville and would be closed before our event was to have taken place. They literally left us “wastin’ away” and facing the real possibility of cancelling the event altogether. For the officers and staff of TPPA, this simply was not an option!

However, with such short notice, our options were limited. That’s when we took another look at Kerrville, Texas... the original home of our summer seminar. The Inn of the Hills has a rich past with TPPA, long before La Torretta and long before the YO Ranch Resort.

Located near the picturesque Guadalupe River, the Inn of the Hills features lush landscaping in the courtyard and three swimming pools as well as casual dining and the Inn Pub. In many ways, the move to Kerrville is somewhat of a “homecoming” for many of our members.

Make plans to join us!

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Summerfest is Heading for the Hills!

Moved to Kerrville, Texas

Your Gateway to the Beautiful Texas Hill Country

Join Us in the Beautiful Texas Hill Country When you’re heading down the Texas highway and the scenery turns from flat pasture land to beautiful green, rolling hills and gorgeous limestone cliffs, then you know you have made it to the Texas Hill Country. Warm summer days on the Guadalupe River turn into comfortable summer nights by the pool. There is something special about Kerrville and we can’t wait to return!

Inn of the Hills in Kerrville The Inn of the Hills has a rich past with Texas PPA and was once the home of our summer event, long before Conroe and before the YO Ranch Resort. It is located near the banks of the scenic Guadalupe River and is convenient to downtown and plenty of restaurants and other outstanding destinations. The hotel features lush landscaping in the courtyard and three swimming pools as well as casual dining and the Inn Pub.

Summerfest is for You and Your Family As you look at our programing for Summerfest 2019, no doubt you will understand why we are presenting some of the most relevant information you need for growing your business. At the same time, there is no other photographic event that combines inspiration and education to photographers while creating a retreat atmosphere for families. All evening activities are designed to be able to spend time with family and friends. Poolside relaxation, an old fashioned fish fry and the Awards Presentation are all open to families. Even the kids get in on the awards as they earn their ribbons from the Kids Photo Kontest. We even have supervised activities for the kids while you are in programs at the TPPA Kid’s Kasa.

What to See and What to Do Kerrville is the gateway to all things Hill Country. Visit historic Fredericksburg for shopping and dining. Hike to the top of Enchanted Rock. Visit the James Avery foundry and showroom. Float the Guadalupe or head to the famous “Dam Slide” swimming hole.

By all means, don’t miss dining at Mamacita’s in Kerrville. Take a stroll through Gibson’s for a step back in time to an old fashioned “dime” store and hardware store. Visit Stonehenge II or take in the Museum of Western Art. And be sure to check out the YO Ranch - home to North America’s largest collection of over 50 different species of exotic wild animals. The YO features horseback riding and photo safaris.

Or, just sit by the pool and watch the clouds go by. A trip to the Hill Country is whatever you want it to be.

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exas PPA has three competitions which include the Photographic Open Competition, the Artist Competition, and the Wedding Competition. Entrants may now enter a maximum of 8 entries in each of the three competitions (up to 8 in Photographic Open... up to 8 in Artist... up to 8 in Wedding).

Photographic Open Competition serves those who compete with digital images created by traditional photographic processes as well as those captured electronically with a digital camera or scanner.

Master Artist Competition serves those who compete with their skills in the PPA Master Artist Category using digital files.

Special Pre-Order Price of Only

Wedding Competition allows photographers to enter digital files or digital albums to be judged against a standard of excellence using the 12 Elements of a Merit Image. Images and all elements of an image in the Wedding Competition must be created during the time constraints of the actual event.

plus tax/shipping

Presented by

The 2019 edition of the Annual TPPA Photographic Competition has undergone some changes in the rules and awards. Here are the important highlights:

MARK MCCALL

l New

for 2019: The Annual TPPA Photographic Competition will not be judging physical prints for 2019. Only digital entries will be accepted for this year’s judging.

(Cover of Last Year’s Gallery Book)

Sunday 10:00 am - 5:30 pm

l New

Wedding Competition: TPPA proudly follows the lead of PPA by offering a new Wedding Competition for images and albums that were created within the time constraints of an actual wedding.

l New

for 2019: A new Creative Open category under the Photographic Open Competition was created to allow images that have additional elements not created by the maker. Note: all elements NOT created by the maker must be shown as a guide image.

l New

for 2019: Entries of the same subject in multiple images will be allowed, as long as the images are entirely different.

(Background, location, clothing, and concept).

l Multiple Albums

may be entered: In the past, only one album entry was allowed. We now allow multiple albums to be entered in the Photographic Open or the Wedding Competitions. Each album counting as “one entry” in its respective competition.

l New

for 2019: Entrants can now enter a maximum of eight entries in each of our Competitions: Photographic Open, Artist, or Wedding. This will give members a chance to gain feedback on additional images and to compete for newly created awards.

l New

for 2019: We have moved to an entry fee of only $15 “per entry.”

COMPETITION AWARD PINS We offer Competition Award pins to recognize photographers who have entries scoring 80 or above based on the following: ♦ Bronze – 4 entries scoring 80 or above in a single competition (Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding) ♦ Silver – 5 entries scoring 80 or above in a single competition (Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding) ♦ Gold – 6 entries scoring 80 or above in a single competition (Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding) ♦ Platinum – 7 entries scoring 80 or above in a single competition (Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding) ♦ Diamond – 8 entries scoring 80 or above in a single competition (Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding) Three new Competition Awards have been added ♦ Top Photographic Open Entries Award (Highest scoring average with a minimum of 4 entries in the PO Competition) ♦ Top Artist Entries Award (Highest scoring average with a minimum of 4 entries in the Artist Competition) ♦ Top Wedding Entries Award (Highest scoring average with a minimum of 4 entries in the Wedding Competition) New “Top 10” Awards ♦ Top 10 in Texas Award (Top 10 scoring averages from the overall competition. Requires a minimum of 4 entries in at least one of the three competitions: Photographic Open, Artist or Wedding)

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veryone wants to know “what the Judges are looking for” when entering image competition and Mark McCall has those answers for you plus much more. Follow Mark’s journey into the often scary world of Image Competition. Learn the tricks that have brought him success in TPPA and PPA Competition. Mark rearranges the 12 Elements into the order that the human brain reacts to those elements, shaking up everything you’ve been taught so far. This is real life, not just words on paper!

By the end of the day, you will leave with the knowledge and confidence to get those image merits... and get them regularly.

Key points of the workshop are: the one type of image that almost always merits, how two subjects are usually better than one, Mark’s “secret weapon” he uses in almost every competition entry, the one thing that drives down scores and how to avoid it, how to squeeze an extra point or two by paying attention to an overlooked area (the mat), the different levels of competition, the Juror’s Charge, how “storytelling” goes a long way, how to find inspiration, entering client work vs. shooting for competition, prints vs. digital entries, and many of his funny stories on print competitions.

T

here is no better way to cap off your Summerfest ‘19 experience than to have your own TPPA Gallery Collection Book for a special “pre-order” price of $30 plus tax and shipping (save $9).

Each of these attractive, paper bound books includes over 50 pages of all of the trophy winners and distinguished print winners from the Summerfest Image Competition, as well as images scoring 80 or above!

Plus, when you “pre-order” your 2019 Gallery Collection Book, you will save $9 per book. But you must place your order (online) before the end of the show, Wednesday, July 3, 2019. After that, each book will be $39 plus tax and shipping.

You can even order your Gallery Collection Book online NOW at: www.

ThePhotographerOnline.com/gallery-book or, simply scan the code below with your smart phone and reserve your copy today!

When you do so, note that past copies of the Gallery Collection Book are also available and that same $30 special applies to them as well if you order by the deadline of July 3, 2019.

Mark McCall has been teaching this most informative and popular workshop for several years. He is a Past President of Texas PPA and is famous for his abundant energy and his knowledge of photography and image competition.

This Image Competition Boot Camp is FREE with your registration to Summerfest. But space is limited, so be sure to register early!

Scan this code with your smart phone and reserve your copy today!

Entering the Competitions – Entry Deadline is 9:00 pm CST, June 29, 2019.

– Entry Fee is $15 per entry. (Entries include any combination of digital entries and digital album entries.)

Check out the entire list of awards from the TPPA Annual Photographic Competition.

Recorded Critiques You can now order a recorded judge’s critique for $10 per image requested. This is a great way to get personal feedback for your images.

For complete rules and eligibility & Details for Summerfest, please log in at www.TPPA.org/summerfest 10

June/July 2019

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2015 Gallery Book

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

June/July 2019

2016 Gallery Book

2017 Gallery Book

2018 Gallery Book

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or years, I have noticed some professional photographers making negative comments about natural light photographers. Recently, I was reminded of this when a meme started circulating around the photography forums saying, “Just say you don’t know how to use flash!” Many people saw it as hysterical, but as a natural light photographer, I took it with a grain of salt. Sadly, I soon saw well respected instructors also sharing the same meme. I could only think OOPS; someone needs to set the story straight for natural light photographers.

To start off, where did the idea originate that natural light is a lesser form of light? Isn’t light, light? I think the main reason natural light is seen as lesser light as opposed to strobes or off-camera flash is that everyone started with natural light. Hence, some people only view it as a beginner’s tool. However, any tool only works at the level of the person using it. When everyone starts out in photography, they start learning the basics of the camera and basics of good light. I personally don’t know anyone who learned photography and studio lighting simultaneously. Everyone goes outside, learns aperture and depth of field. As you get better, you might add in a reflector or a scrim. Then you go to schools and workshops to learn about “advanced lighting.” Now that you can work with three to four lights at a time, why would you ever go back to the beginner’s source of lighting?

Lots of photographers use strobe lights and off camera flash amazingly well while others use them very badly. It all comes down to the fact that your light is a tool. You need to know the concepts.

Once you know the concepts, the tool that you use is just a detail of your style. Believe it or not, most photographers have very different styles and that is the way it should be.

So how did I land on a natural light style? Like most beginners, I learned my camera and the basics first. Next, I jumped into workshops early on in my portrait career and listened to instructors teach studio lighting... which I wanted to know and thankful that I learned. In 2009, I opened a retail studio that used studio lighting. However, to my surprise, it did not turn out as expected and it was not my best decision. Using a main light, a hair light, and a kicker was what I was told to do. However, what I should have done instead was to continue my education a little more and discover my own style of photography. Trying to be “the everything” photographer, I ended up loving nothing about what I was doing.

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To stay alive in the industry, I ran a Groupon in 2011. However, what I hoped would be a marketing miracle left me overworked and producing very low quality, something that I was not proud of. Something needed to change but what? That year, I took Gregory Daniels’ class at Texas school.

Gregory Daniels has always been natural light and not ashamed of it. Does he understand studio lighting? Of course, he is a master! His class taught me to see light in a new way. It was like a burden was lifted when Gregory Daniels taught me that I didn’t have to do things the way other people did it. Shortly after taking his class, my family was preparing to move out of state and I shut down my studio. However, all the wonderful Groupons had to be finished. So, I started shooting them outside in natural light and discovered in a really short period of time that I loved natural light and was taking better quality images.

Fast forward in 2017 at Imaging USA in San Antonio, I was taking a CPP Prep course and test. Being an expert in my field was something that I valued and wanted to pursue. At that same Imaging, I happened to catch a program by Megan DiPiero. Here again was a photographer making an excellent living working with natural light. No one would dare call her a lesser photographer because she produces quality results while shooting in a natural light studio. Megan’s program connected with me on such a huge level that I soon invested into private workshops with her and really found my values on the same level as hers. I soon rebranded my business and started shooting beauty portraits in a natural light studio, finding myself happier than ever before. Plus, I was putting out quality work. Shortly after, I also received my CPP with an all-natural light portfolio.

Today, no one can tell me that I don’t understand lighting because I know what works best for me, choosing to work with natural light because I truly love it! It is my style and my clients love it. So, what do I want instructors and photographers to take from this? If you are an instructor giving a negative attitude to any photographer about a style just because it does not work for you, you are doing that photographer a great injustice.

Just because it does not work for you, does not mean it won’t work for them.

If the person reading this is a beginner who has heard or read your comments, they are probably going to be too embarrassed to attend your lectures and further their education. For anyone else using studio lighting, we love you guys, your work rocks! We know we are different. Celebrate the differences in the community. Finally, no matter if you are a beginner or if you landed on natural light because it is your style, don’t be ashamed.

Learn your light, know it, love it, and own it!

Chelsea has quickly become the “go to” photographer for Headshots and Beauty Portraits in The Woodlands area. She has a bachelor’s degree in photography from Sam Houston State University and is an active member of the Professional Photographers of America and Texas Professional Photographers Association and taught a Texas 10 Workshop in March.

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“Image Elegance,” was created by Diana Waguespack of Houston, Texas, known nationally for her exquisite underwater art photography. She has set herself apart by offering work that is whimsical, has a fashion sense, and is timeless in its beauty. “When I begin an image, I first think of a concept that I want to portray. After making notes and thumbnail sketches of what the vision should be, I set out to create it,” explains Diana. Her vision of “Image Elegance” was a young woman dancing at an elegant ball as she flows through time and space. “I wanted a softness surrounding her, creating a desire for the viewer to want to meet her and to know her. Who is she looking for? Where is she going? Where has she been? It is a magical moment in time.”

Diana Waguespack attended the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education/Art All Level and taught art and photography through private classes, workshops, and public schools. Her work has been recognized in national competitions and is represented in art galleries and private collections. Diana had six of her images merit this year at Imaging USA with two of them accepted in the Loan Collection and two placed in Showcase.

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by

STEVE KOZAK

TPPA Executive Director

V

ery few state affiliates of the Professional Photographers of America still publish a printed magazine and even fewer can boast that they have one that serves a six state area and has repeatedly won first place in national competition. The reality of our ever-changing profession has made a printed magazine impractical and unaffordable for nearly everyone. In spite of it all, the Texas Professional Photographers Association long ago realized that a high-quality printed magazine can play a vital role in the association’s success.

If you look inside the covers of most magazines, you will often see the name of its editor(s) along with a production staff who put it all together. However, if you look inside the cover of “The Photographer” magazine, you will see a staff of only one person, Bill Hedrick. Since 1997, he has published this bi-monthly publication which has transformed from a “state” magazine into a “regional” magazine.

Before he became Texas PPA’s Magazine Editor in 1997, Bill Hedrick operated a studio in the small East Texas town of Kilgore.

He opened that business in 1978 with nothing more than some hopes and dreams and soon became one of the leading studios in his part of the state. With a college background in journalism, Bill soon began writing articles for the Texas Professional Photographer and people took notice. By 1993, he was President of the Texas Professional Photographers Association and was the first Master Photographer and Photographic Craftsman in the Kilgore-Longview area. When the previous editor, Walt Hawkins, announced his retirement, Bill was approached about filling Walt’s shoes and he soon sold his studio and took on the duties as TPPA’s Editor.

In the beginning, the “Texas Professional Photographer” magazine had little resemblance to what it is today. It averaged about 24 pages and most of those were in black-and-white. The printing company did the layout and design of the magazine and charged a hefty fee to do so. Within his first year on the job, Bill “computerized” the design of the magazine and took over much of the work previously done by the printing company, saving Texas PPA over $10,000 in production costs. Within a couple more years, he had doubled the advertising revenue and the magazine gradually became a 100% color publication that began winning first place in national competition with the Professional Photographers of America.

The biggest challenge to a publication like ours is its expense and most state affiliates of the Professional Photographers of America have long since abandoned their efforts to maintain one. Those who advertise today are much more selective in how they spend their advertising dollars and “state” magazines were low on their lists. A “regional” magazine would give advertisers more value and, when the Southwestern Photographers Association decided to cease production of their printed magazine, the Texas Professional Photographers Association decided to “go regional” and take up the slack. Today, state affiliate members of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado receive our magazine.

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Bill Hedrick, Editor of THE PHOTOGRAPHER Magazine Since 1997

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promote our association to them by mailing each one of them a complimentary copy of “The Photographer.”

While other state affiliates are experiencing a decline in membership, Texas PPA is actually growing because of this pro-active approach.

But the key to publishing a quality magazine like “The Photographer” is securing advertising dollars to help with the cost of it. Today’s advertisers are more demanding than ever and expect something in return for their investment. Because of this, Texas PPA goes beyond the printed pages to provide advertisers with the best return possible on their advertising dollars.

In addition to the printed version, “The Photographer” is published in a digital format. The digital version of the magazine reaches thousands more readers worldwide. “ThePhotographerOnline.com” was created to reach more readers and to give advertisers even more exposure. All magazine advertising is carried over in the digital version with links to each advertiser’s website.

In fact, this expanded readership has grown quite impressively, creating even more value for our magazine advertisers. In one year since placement on ISSUU.com, world-wide readers have viewed over 270,000 pages of the magazine. When readers access the magazine website, they also find archived issues of the magazine going back several years as well as links to advertisers’ websites. Vendors can also find advertising specs, rates, and deadline information. As a bonus, digital advertising is free to those who advertise in the magazine.

Bill Hedrick (center) confers with pressman, Scotty Foster (left), and Jim Holder (right), owner of Complete Printing & Publishing during a press run of one portion of the magazine.

A couple of years ago, Bill Hedrick proposed a way to make the magazine even more attractive to advertisers. First, the name of the publication would be changed to “The Photographer,” allowing it to truly be “regional” and to prove to advertisers that it is not simply a “state newsletter.” Next, Bill came up with an innovative way for other affiliates anywhere in the United States to adopt the magazine as their own “official” publication. By carefully designing the layout of an issue, the printer could simply change out eight pages so that each participating affiliate could have their own material. The rest of the magazine would be same for everyone. With a simple “turn-key” price, a printed magazine could be affordable to associations anywhere in the United States and would not cost Texas PPA any money.

Since the beginning, putting together each issue of “The Photographer” has been a one-man-show. While similar publications have a staff, Bill Hedrick does it all... gathering articles, writing others, selling and collecting the advertising. He designs the entire layout and sends a

The primary role of “The Photographer” magazine, as prescribed in the Texas PPA bylaws is “communicating with its members and promulgating technical information for educational purposes” and our magazine does an amazing job of doing just that. But the officers of Texas PPA also realized how useful it can be as a membership recruitment tool. In the State of Texas, there are a significant number of photographers who are not (yet) members of Texas PPA. Realizing that such individuals were excellent prospects for membership, TPPA staff members came up with a way to Pressman, Scotty Foster, double-checks calibration during a press run at Complete Printing. The $2.2 million Mitsubishi printer on the right is the only 6-color, 40 inch printer in the Ark-La-Tex area.

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finished file to Complete Printing & Publishing in Carthage, Texas. “This is a first-class facility and I deal directly with the owner of the company,” explains Bill. “We may not be their largest client, but they sure treat us as if we were.”

Complete Printing & Publishing has the only 6-color, 40 inch press in the Ark-La-Tex area, a Mitsubishi press costing a whopping $2.2 million. But the press is just one step of the process. “We typically send about a 100 megabyte portable document file (PDF) of the magazine to the printer who will digitally print a color “proof” of the magazine for final corrections.

Color calibration between Bill’s computer and the printer’s computer is constantly monitored for accuracy. When the proof is approved, printing plates are prepared and it is ready for press. “The concept of offset printing is different from what we’ve all been accustomed to when dealing with labs who print our photographs,” says Bill. “All of the colors we see in the pages of the magazine are actually a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and shades of those basic colors.”

Once the printing plates go to the press, there is a great deal of monitoring of registration and color, all of which is done by a computerized system operated by the pressman with the press making the necessary corrections throughout the entire process. “It’s all very high-tech,” explains Bill.

A typical magazine is actually several sections (called “signatures”) that are individually printed, folded, stacked together, stapled, and trimmed to make the final product we see each issue. Each signature is a sheet of paper, roughly 24 x 36 inches, with eight pages on one side and eight pages on the other. “You have to design the layout in increments of four pages. You can’t simply add or subtract one or two pages.”

The cover of the magazine is printed on a heavier stock paper than the rest of the magazine and gets a special UV coating for that unique and classy gloss look. It is also shipped directly from the printer who has their own in-house mail service. “We provide them with the mailing lists and they put address labels on the dust covers of each magazine before taking them to the Post Office.” Incidentally, the six state distribution of our magazine is a key part of our TPPA membership drive.

In addition to “The Photographer” Magazine itself, Complete Printing & Publishing also prints other promotional material for Texas PPA, including the Summerfest booklet and the Texas School Course Guide. Their service is fast yet thorough and a tremendous amount of personal attention to

One section, or “Signature” of the February-March 2019 issue of “The Photographer” magazine is printed and heading to the folding and binding department at Complete Printing & Publishing.

detail goes into each publication. “It is a large enough operation to provide unparalleled quality yet small enough to where staff and employees know me on a first name basis,” says Bill Articles in “The Photographer” Magazine come from contributors around the United States and abroad. One contributor from Africa read the magazine online and submitted an article that was published a little over a year ago. Others come from writers in England and Canada.

But there is a lot of talent right here in Texas and our own members write many of the articles. “You don’t have to be a professional writer, either,” Bill explains. “Many times someone will come to me with a general concept and I’ll work with them closely on it. By the time it is done, it is a wellwritten and informative article.” That’s what makes our magazine so unique... a personal connection with our own members.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER Magazine... in both Printed and Digital format

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It is all a well-organized operation run by one man who makes it all look so easy. The truth is that Bill Hedrick puts his heart into every issue that goes out on-time, every time. The officers of Texas PPA approve a budget for the magazine each year and it is his job to provide the best possible publication while working within those budget guidelines. In his 22 years as TPPA Editor, he’s never let us down and has always made us proud.

June/July 2019

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Profoto D2 500

Profoto D1 250

LIGHT QUANTITY HOW DO YOU KNOW? How Much Bang for My Buck?

Canon Speedlites 270EX II

430EX III-RT

470EX-AI

600EX II-RT

89 (27M)

141 (43M)

154 (47M)

196 (60M)

Nikon Speedlights SB300

SB500

SB700

SB5000

59 (18M)

78 (24M)

92 (28M)

113 (34.5M)

Of course, the high-end flash units will have not just a power advantage, but also additional features that can add to your flexibility, like the ability to automatically zoom the flash head as your lens zooms, a greater ability to pivot to bounce flash, radio control and more.

by

Guy T. Phillips Texas School Instructor

For Studio or Strobe lights, the standard of measurement is the quantity of electrical energy, measured in watt seconds (Ws). This rating defines the amount of electrical power discharged with each flash. While the actual amount of light produced for a given number of watt seconds varies, depending on the unit’s design, the term provides a reasonable guide to comparative light output, as long as real/true watt seconds are specified. Here is how some of the more popular models compare.

B

y now you’ve heard that the effective use of light comes down to the quantity of light, the quality of light and the light direction. That same line of thought can also come into play when acquiring lighting tools. For example, how do you know if the light you are about to purchase will provide a sufficient quantity of light? If you go with the least expensive model, will you need more than one? Would you have been better off investing in the top of the line? How can you tell which is the better deal? Here are a few tips when comparing makes and models, starting with flash.

Flashes, like Canon’s Speedlites and Nikon’s Speedlights, are a very popular type of lighting. You can use a guide number (GN) as a reference to help you decide. With ISO 100 as the constant, a guide number is a measure photographers can use to calculate either the required f-stop for any given flash-to-subject distance, or the required distance for any given f-stop. To solve for either of these two variables, one merely divides a device’s guide number by the other.

For example, if guide number = f-number × distance, a guide number of 113 (Nikon’s SB5000) would be ideal for f/11 at 10 feet from the subject.

If the guide number were 59 (Nikon’s SB300), f/5.6 would be ideal at 10 feet from the subject. That’s a full 2 stop difference from one model to another. Can your style of photography afford the difference? Wanting to use gels? Remember that even a ¼ Color Temperature Orange (CTO) gel will cost you ½ stop.

Most manufacturers provide the guide number online or in their brochures and manuals. Here are a few of the most popular models from Canon and Nikon. The bold number indicates the guide number in feet, used in most domestic specifications, with the metric equivalent shown in parentheses ( ).

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Buff Einstein

June/July 2019

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Buff Digi-Bee / DB800

Buff Alien Bee / B400 Digi-Bee / DB800 160

320

Einstein 640

Profoto D1 250

D2 500

D2 1000

250

500

1000

Regardless of brand, using guide numbers (GN) when comparing flash models, or using watt seconds (Ws) when comparing studio or strobe models can lead to a more informed buying decision, and one that could lead to long-term satisfaction, both from you and from your clients!

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

June/July 2019

Buff Alien Bee / B400

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I

have spent a lifetime wishing I could be a “rock star guitarist” touring the world stage. Though I’ve had some unique opportunities and flirted with stardom, it became clear that life as a touring musician wasn’t in the cards for me. I didn’t give up on my passion of playing the guitar, but over the years, I have developed a skill set behind the camera that allows me to merge my skills in photography with my passion for the performing arts, creating illustrations for local performing artists. Over the course of the past ten years, I’ve created promotional illustrations for dancers, musicians, and thespians. Many were for professional publication, while others were personal projects for websites and CD productions.

Recently, I was approached by a working professional musician, to create a promotional illustration for his sponsor, a custom bass instrument manufacturer.

The image was needed for the sponsor’s website to highlight the bass and artist. The opportunity to create a promotional illustration can be enjoyable as long as you don’t put the cart before the horse and go straight to the camera. Planning is key and will allow your vision to come across while gaining the trust of the artist. I’d like to share a repeatable process I’ve used to create these illustrations.

Planning

Vision: I always begin with the end in mind. Like most clients, artists usually have an idea of how they want to be portrayed, but they don’t quite know how to make it happen. That’s when I start asking questions about their vision for the illustration. Are they looking for a studio portrait, an image performing “live,” or something in-between? What equipment and what type of environment should be in the overall image? The answers are usually all over the place, but invariably, as long as the performer is “wowed”, the end product will “win” every time.

Scouting: While a composite image is always an option, the idea with this particular assignment was to create something in camera and be as realistic as possible, so it was important to find a location that would work for the illustration. Though this musician plays up to ten gigs a month, he can also be found serving each week at his church playing bass. I felt his church was the perfect backdrop for this project. It was “home” and his church was a location we could explore and have the freedom to create. I chose to create the image in the backstage area with the 1,700 seat auditorium peering visibly through an opening of the stage curtains.

Posing and Lighting: It’s always a good idea to research comparable images. Seeing other images can provide inspiration on how you would want to pose and light your subject.

Sketching: To facilitate the process, rough sketches of the concept go a long way in visualizing what we are working toward. I usually draft three or four sketches so my ideas are at least on paper, and it gives me something I can share with the artist.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

June/July 2019

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(Left) Camera was metered for ambient light with a speedlight setting at 1/64 power.

Camera Settings Camera Canon MKIII Lens Canon 24-70 II 2.8 f/stop 4.0 ISO 1600 Shutter 1/125 Main Light Canon 580 EXII (1/64 power) with a snoot Background Light Canon 580 EXII (128 power) with a colored gel

The Capture

I like to create “mood” in my images to help tell the story, so I opted to use two speedlights: one with a modifier for the subject and one for the background. To ensure the main speedlight didn’t spread across the area, a Rogue FlashBender was converted into a snoot and placed on the speedlight to provide directional light. A larger-than-needed image was taken to see how the light from the speedlight was falling on the subject.

As you can see in figure 1, the subject was placed in the stage opening at a 45-degree angle toward the speedlight, and the snoot contained the radius of the light beam to the subject.

With the camera metered and subject in place, a second speedlight with a blue gel at 1/128 power was placed in front of a secondary stage curtain, just behind the musician. This covered the primary stage curtain and the wall behind the musician to create some depth.

Looking through the lens, the final was going to be a horizontal orientation, and cropping could cut off part of the headstock of the instrument. So, the camera was tilted approximately 25 degrees to emphasize the leading line of the neck. I also wanted the neck to point outward toward the auditorium, so the musician was asked to pivot to his left until the desired line was visible while still being able to see his face and the front of the bass. The adjustment in the musician’s angle provided a great view of the instrument, musician, and the auditorium.

Also, the height of the camera was about waist high, and this perspective allowed a capture that showed off the bass which was the point of the session. Time to finish the job.

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(Above) Photoshop and Topaz were used as editing tools. Adding a light beam and the artist’s name and sponsor completed the final presentation.

(Right) Diagram of stage area. A Rogue FlashBender was converted into a snoot and placed on the Speedlight to provide directional light. A larger-than-needed image was taken to see how the light from the Speedlight was falling on the subject.

Final Approach

Having done most of the work in camera, the job of editing made it easier to cross the finish line. Photoshop and Topaz Adjust were the two image editing tools used. Topaz Adjust was used to sharpen the image so the details in the bridge, frets on the neck, knobs, and detailed inlays on the instrument stood out. Usually, two layers (the original and the Topaz processed layer) are used to create a blended look that is not overly processed using the blending modes and opacity options for the processed layer.

Photoshop adjustment layers were then applied for the coloring and shading, which lends itself to my style of color grading. The Photoshop sponge tool in the saturation mode was used to bring out the ornate painted design on the bass. A light beam was also added to lead the eyes toward the fretboard and body of the bass. The final step was to add the artist’s name and sponsor to the illustration.

Through some planning, scouting, and sketching, creating this particular illustration resulted in a great experience for the artist. The artist was “wowed” in the way he was portrayed so professionally and proud to have this displayed on his sponsor’s artist website.

Daniel Fermaint, Cr.Photog., CPP, is a portrait and commercial photographer, capturing high school seniors, the performing arts, and corporate photography. Together with his wife, Jennifer, Daniel runs a successful home-based studio in Plano, Texas. When he’s not writing about himself in third person, Daniel enjoys writing music, playing his guitar, and dreaming of vacationing in the Caribbean.

June/July 2019

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Little Bee-eater – ProCapture caught this bird in multiple poses as it took off from its perch.

by

Joe McDonald

S

omewhere around 1965, not yet in high school and enamored with turtles and snakes, I got my first 35mm rangefinder camera, planning on documenting reptiles as I envisioned my life as a herpetologist. Then I made a mistake – I snapped a picture of a groundhog, a beagle-sized rodent that often fed in the far reaches of my parents’ backyard. That shot changed everything for me, as that big groundhog was merely a speck on the 3x5 print I reviewed days later. I was disappointed, but that disappointment didn’t lead to discouragement. Instead, I was motivated to learn more, to discover singlelens-reflex cameras and telephoto lenses. Not long afterward, my life as a wildlife photographer really began.

I’m sure every photographer has a similar ‘ah ha!’ moment that hooks you, that draws you in to the world of photography, but over time, that initial enchantment or excitement might get lost, as the size and weight of your equipment has you second guessing, ‘is that shot worth the effort?’ Don’t worry, I’m still excited about making photographs, but I must admit that as I’ve gotten older I’ve often had those second thoughts about hiking up a mountainside or ploughing along through sand or snow, wearing a heavy backpack and lugging a heavy telephoto and tripod over my shoulder.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

June/July 2019

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Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Be honest – all of you have hesitated at times, or even passed on a shooting opportunity, because the effort was too much or the gear too heavy to justify the effort. Don’t be ashamed, almost every photographer over 50 has had similar thoughts. When you begin to wonder if the effort to make a photograph is worth the reward, it might be time for a change.

Before we started using the gear we had some concerns about image quality, and ISO and noise. We’d heard that the small sensor size was problematic and noise would be an issue at higher ISOs. We discovered that wasn’t a problem. Now we usually shoot at ISO 800 and, when needed, ISO 1600 and 2000. We’re very happy with the images.

So I made a change. I switched camera systems and went to the Olympus micro 4/3rds mirrorless system. I shaved tons of weight and, quite unexpectedly, got very excited about photography again. That’s saying a lot as anyone who knows me would ever think I wasn’t very excited already.

So perhaps that excitement has just been racketed up, big time!

More importantly to us, photography has become fun again and that’s because shooting is almost effortless now. Recently a friend and I hiked the sandy beaches on the New Jersey coast as we searched for wintering Snowy Owls. Soft sand is not your friend, especially when you are dressed for freezing temperatures and you are carrying heavy gear. My friend was carrying an 800mm pro camera and heavy tripod, and he was suffering. Me, well, I was carrying the 5 pound Olympus system mounted on a monopod and I was ready to go for miles while my friend, after several hikes, was ready for CPR!

I didn’t expect this. I hadn’t intended to switch from a traditional DSLR to a mirrorless system, but my wife Mary Ann and I had the chance to try the Olympus system on a loan. We decided to give it a try, though somewhat reluctant to do so. I didn’t know much about mirrorless but we were about to do a photo tour that we’ve done for years, and I wasn’t too worried that we might miss the shot of a life-time as we experimented with a new system.

That first experiment had us intrigued enough for us to take the gear to Kenya for a real field test and that trip almost had us convinced. So we took the gear to Chile, one of our more arduous trips as we photographed wild Pumas, and after that trip we were hooked.

We were hooked for a number of reasons. Our initial attraction, and probably also the source of some skepticism we had about a micro 4/3rds system, was the size and weight. The Olympus OM-D-E Mark II and 300mm f4 lens, coupled with a 1.4X tele-converter, gave me the focal length equivalent of 840mm and weighed around 5 pounds. My Canon 1DX Mark II and 800mm f5.6 lens weighs 15 pounds and occupies about three times the space that the Olympus rig did in my backpack. That was a big plus.

Leaf-cutter Ant – I used Phottix flashes with the Olympus for this manual exposure flash photograph.

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June/July 2019

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

In Chile, while we searched for Pumas we’d also find foxes and condors and guanacos as we drove the dusty roads. I could drive with my rig resting in my lap. If I found something interesting, I’d stop and shoot out the window or get out and handhold the camera and lens. Because I had the gear literally in my lap, I was capturing images that I had missed on previous trips. I was fast and physically unstressed. I kept thinking, there’d be no way I could have shot so easily and effortlessly with my previous system.

Photography was fun for another reason, too. We were capturing images that we never had before, and that’s because of a real game-changing feature, ProCapture. This is one of the drive options and I am not exaggerating when I say it is a game changer. In ProCapture, when the camera shutter is depressed half-way, images are recorded in the camera buffer in a continuous loop but not to the SD card until the shutter button is fully depressed, firing the camera. Then, that shot and the 14 images recorded previously write to the card. Now imagine a bird taking off from a limb. If you’re like me, you usually record only a bare limb, as your reaction time and the camera’s mechanical delay results in Harpy Eagle – At ISO 1000, this shot sustained a very significant crop. lost microseconds. With ProCapture, my last frame – the one that I shot pressing down on the shutter button isn’t important. The 14 shots preceding that frame are, and I’m likely to have the bird in 14 different poses as it begins carrying light-weight gear. I couldn’t help myself and had to ask folks its take-off. Now that’s fun! (Note: The newest Olympus, of M1X, records carrying big lenses to pick up my light weight rig and see what I was 35 images in ProCapture). shooting with ProCapture and just hand-holding 840mm with an efficient image stabilization system. One commented, “Well, I’m not ready to make I’ve become a real advocate. On our last three trips Mary and I were the a change yet,” while they begrudged the heavy gear they were lugging only photographers using mirrorless cameras, and thus the only ones about and marveling at the shots we were getting with ProCapture.

I was just like them just a few months ago, and now, my wife and I feel like we’re ahead of the curve, but we know that a lot of folks will soon be following behind. And when they do, they’ll be having more fun, too, and not wondering how long they can keep up their hobby or profession, or how long are they going to be capable of carrying their heavy gear. For us, the micro 4/3rds system has rejuvenated us and it will you, too.

Joe McDonald has been photographing wildlife and nature since he was a high school freshman and was selling his photos to the National Wildlife Federation. He has been published in every natural history publication in the U.S., including Audubon, Bird Watcher’s Digest, Birder’s World, Defenders, Living Bird, Natural History, National and International Wildlife, Ranger Rick, Smithsonian, Wildlife Conservation, and more. Joe is especially well known for his expertise in electronic flash and using equipment for high speed flash and for remote, unmanned photography. For more information, go to: www.hoothollow.com.

Puma – Carrying light-weight gear on long hikes was the clincher for us.

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June/July 2019

THE PHOTOGRAPHER