Rhadee da de plop deee pooo, you lot come & see a photooooo....

....Well it kind of rhymed.

Not a lot to say apart from WHEN will my marketing work - WHAT am I doing wrong - WHO is going to book me for some jobs and - WHY am I not half as busy as i want to be. I have the passion, the fight and yet still I seem to be getting nowhere. At what point do you give up?!

I can take pics and not bad one's at that.

Am I utilizing my contacts as well as I should?

You lot out there - need some pics?

Donations of money, hugs, enthusiasm or connections welcome.

Oh, check out my site if you fancy. Its all new and shiny and has lots of new piccies on it.

(Pic courtesy of www.nataliedee.com)

"well can uncle John JUST tile my bathroom?!"

Weekly pic update here we come. Ok so thought I would write something useful or at least try. I am not feeling witty today (I blame the sun, I usually manage to muster up some wit at least) so onwards & upwards with a burst of knowledge to tell you lovely people. Naturally, we are going to be focusing on photography and a few odd bits and bobs really which I think you may find useful.

The most feared question by all photographers is "do you mind just taking a few pics if your there anyway." or ...."Oh can you just snap a pic of Uncle Ron."

This drives photographers (ok maybe just me) I-N-S-A-N-E!!!!!!!!! So, if your mum who just happens to be an accountant was at the party and I turned up and asked her to have a browse through my taxes would that be acceptable?! If your brother was a builder and I rocked up with a shelf that needed a bracket fixing or a load of bricks and cement asking him to knock me up a quick shed, would he do it....would you think I was insane?! If you get asked this question - KNOW your answer.

Basically you are your photos. EVERY photograph you EVER take you will be judged on. As a photographer that is what people do. And as a photographer why would you want to take a bad picture? Every pic you take you will try 100%, you will put all your effort into and want it to be good. So 'Just' taking a quick snap should not be an option for you.

It is a good idea to start with clear definitions. I have done the whole guest & photographer thing and it doesn't work, you are either one of the other. You bring all your equipment, wear your comfy shoes and get the picture you and the friend / client are after OR you put on your heels, wear your favorite skirt and have nothing in your handbag but some lippy & your i-phone.

QUICK TIPS......

1) Bounce your flash off white walls or corners to create a softer look and to avoid blinding your subject

2) Set your ISO to the lower value rather than the higher. Use as low as you can get away with to avoid noise. (If you are using the 5D Mark 2 you will not need to worry about this, that bad boy can go up to 1600 easily!)

3) Experiment with angles. Don't move your subject, you move! Stand somewhere it makes you feel uncomfortable and get a new view.

4) Use the history tool brush on Multiply (darker) or Screen (lighter) to adjust the shades and highlights on your image where you might usually dodge and burn. The effect is far more subtle and you have far more control over the exposure changes and colour.

More next week - if there is something you want to ask / want to rant about or want to know......give me a shout and i will post! carli@carli-art.co.uk.

PS: Competition to follow - win 'How to Photograph Almost Anything!' Details to follow in next few weeks.

Carli x

Working out.......

If you thought networking was easy....you must be joking! It takes A LOT of time and its none of this join 3000 websites then let the magic happen, oh no.  You have gotta go out there and get it.  Keep regular contacts with the groups, email or message the individuals that make those groups, post discussion topics, add images, keep your profile regularly updated and looking fresh....the list goes on.  It is hard work.

However it seriously is who you know not what you know in many cases.  

My first photography job was through a recommendation or rather an emergency!  A friends sister headed an events company and their photographer had dropped out, it was taking Pictures for the Lords Lunch charity gig in association with Special Olympics Britain, so it was a good gig.  Anyway, after a small heart murmur I did the job and ta da....more work from them.  Someone I met there then offered me further work, then my friends who also owned an events management company passed my details onto someone else.  I did that job and they loved it, so I did more work for them.  I met their web designers for this second job and we got on really well, so they then recommended me to one of their clients.  This is networking....this is who you know & not what you know.  Ok ok, if you were rubbish at your job or not good to work with naturally people would not pass on your name so I am in no way saying quality and customer service does not pay....it's just a good indicator as to how networking can make things happen.  

Now it is more important than ever to network....times are tough and in all honesty, I am feeling it baby!  So get your name on those sites and make the most of them; have a good business profile written, get testimonials or comments from companies or people you have worked with, add pictures or samples of the product / service you provide and make it easy as a big slice of apple pie for people to get hold of you.

Work it baby work it.......

Foto x

AUDITIONS!! AUDITIONS!! AUDITIONS!!

Start Time: Monday, January 12, 2009 at 12:00pm
End Time: Monday, February 9, 2009 at 5:00pm
Location: Farringdon
Street: 73 St John Street
City/Town: London, United Kingdom


Major Music are holding open auditions Starting from Monday 12th of January 2009, between 12 and 5pm If you think you have got what it takes, can strive through our development programme to become the next big UK sensation. Then Call us on 0207 490 2299 or email your details to info@majormusic.co.uk to be allocated an audition time and date.