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Some Ideas for Inspiring Photographers

Are you struggling for new ideas? Do your creative batteries feel as flat and lifeless as a skunk in the fast lane?

Here are 60 ways to breathe new life into your love of photography and re-energize your inspiration.
[update — we wrote a book “inspired” by this blog post — Inspired Photography: 189 Sources of Inspiration For Better Photos]

1. Play with Photoshop
So much of photography these days happens after the shutter release has been pressed. There’s probably a ton of things that you don’t know how to do in Photoshop. Learn something new and see what that does for your photography potential.

2. Read the Manual
It’s not just Photoshop that can do all sorts of things that you don’t know about. Your camera probably has more settings and functions than you know… or know what to do with. You might find a lot of new ideas in the middle of your camera manual.

3. Watch a Movie
Manuals are all well and good, but movies have cinematographers too. There’s not much you can’t learn about landscape photography by sitting back and watching an old Sergio Leone film.

4. Read a Newspaper
Or you can be a little more intellectual and read a newspaper. The Sunday magazines have the best photos but the work by the staff photographers can be great models for creating striking images for amateurs as well as for photojournalists.

5. Visit a Flea Market
Strange objects mean strange shapes, odd shadows and plenty of potential for unique compositions. And you don’t even have to buy anything.

6. Shop at a Farmer’s Market
You never know what you might find at a flea market. At a farmer’s market, you know you can find colors, spheres, people and displays. And dinner too.

7. Check out Some Wedding Photojournalism
It might not be the sort of thing that your clients expect, but the images on display at the Wedding Photojournalist Association’s website might get you thinking about brides and grooms in a whole new way. Instead of the posing and the tripod, you’ll get to blend into the crowd and document the scene. It’s a whole new skill and it could give your wedding photography a whole new lease of life.

8. Hit the Water
You don’t have to be a scuba diver to shoot underwater images. You just need waterproof housing and access to the sea, a swimming pool or even a pond. And once you’re wet, don’t forget to look up as well as down. Some of the most inspiring images can be taken at the point where the light hits the surface of the water.

9. Hit the Streets
There’s a good reason that street photography is so popular: there are so many good things to shoot there. If you haven’t been photographing roads and crowds, give it a go. And if you have, try a different road.

10. Join a Demonstration
Demonstrations are full of flags, banners, placards and crowds. You can lose people in the mass or pick out expressions in the crowd. The only cause you have to support is photography.

11. Watch a Sports Event
The pros have it easiest at sports events with prime positions and lenses longer than your arm. But you can still try something new at your park on a Saturday afternoon.

12. Visit the Zoo
It might not be as thrilling as a Kenyan safari, but a zoo still has the sort of photographic subjects you can’t find anywhere else. Of course, you don’t have to try to squeeze your lens between the bars. Shooting the kids in awe at the monkeys can create some interesting images too.

13. Shoot Fast at a Race Track

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Photography: joel.weismann

Race tracks also give you an opportunity to use a new technique: speed. Fast cars and a faster shutter speed can make for some inspired shooting.

14. Visit an Exhibition
Obvious, really. And yet so often overlooked. Any decent-sized town is likely to have at least one photographic exhibition on at any one time. Take in yours and see what the top photographers did to get on the wall.

15. Browse Google Images
You don’t even have to leave the house to find inspiring images though. Toss keywords into Google Images, admire the good photos that turn up and ask how you would have improved the poor ones.

16. Join Flickr Groups
The pictures in Flickr Groups are great places to see what other people are doing with a theme; the discussions are great places to find out how they did it. And you’ll probably find that the feedback you get on your own photos will give you plenty to think about too.

17. Just Step Back and Watch
For children’s photographers in particular, there can be a temptation to just dive in and get the photos. Sometimes though, lowering the lens, stepping back and watching the subject can reveal whole new sides. That’s true for portrait photographers, wedding photographers, animal photographers… in fact just about any photographer!

18. Roam the World with Flickr Maps
Flickr Maps might be a bit slower than Google Maps, but it comes with Flickr Images built-in. Choose a part of the world with interesting topography and see what photographers have done with it.

19. Change your Angle
Most people shoot an object by placing the lens right in front of it. When David Rubinger lay on the floor to shoot up at paratroopers in front of Jerusalem’s Western Wall during Israel’s Six Day War, he created an iconic image. What would you create?

20. Change your Time
Find yourself shooting at the same time of day each weekend? So break a habit. Discover what the light at dusk, mid-afternoon or early morning can do for your ideas. And it’s not just the light that can make the difference here. Just breaking your routine can often be enough to give you a new perspective and a whole new way photography habit.

21. Browse Stock Sites
You don’t have to be a buyer to check out the images on stock sites. You can be a professional photographer looking for ideas too… especially ideas for commercial images. And the searching is simple. Looking at the top-sellers will give you a good idea of what the market is buying, and browsing by category will show what other photographers are doing with their themes.

22. Write a Blog
Darren Rowse, over at Digital Photography School, mentions how much just writing about photography has helped to improve his picture-taking. It doesn’t matter if no one reads it; just putting your thoughts on the page could give you some new ones.

23. Read a Blog
Of course, reading a photography blog is even more inspiring thing than writing one. Not only can you learn what went into a photo and where the idea came from, you can also discover how to sell it. But then we would say that, wouldn’t we?

24. Buy a Photography Book
You can never own too many photography books, and each one you buy should give you a bunch of new ideas. Although that’s true of both books of photographs and books about taking pictures, you might find that photography guides give you more inspiration than a collection of images. The former will give you techniques to try out, while the latter will show you the techniques the greats have used. Stil, if you’re really stuck, go shopping.

25. Browse a Bookstore
Or save your cash, take a pile of book to the store’s café and sit and enjoy yourself. In fact, you don’t even have to take the photography books with you. Even the dust jackets of the hardbacks can give you ideas for shots, especially commercial images.

26. Step Away from the Magazine Racks
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Photography: cathyse97

And if book covers can give you ideas, just think what magazine covers can do. These are designed to be eye-catching and stand out on a shelf. They could make your next photo stand out too.

27. Make Friends in the Photography World
Some photographers find it easiest to shoot alone. Others like to shoot as a group. Everyone can benefit from the feedback, discussions and habits of other photographers.

28. Join Photography Organizations
If you’re a professional and you’re not a member of a professional photography organization, you should be. Not only can organizations help with insurance and legal matters, their news, contests, and profiles of other photographers can inspire to make your own splash among your peers.

29. Shoot Yourselfeye3.jpg
Photography: hen power

When you’re stuck for a subject, always remember that there’s an interesting one behind the lens too. Be brave. Put yourself in the shot for a change.

30. Revisit Your Past
You probably have a stack of old images that you rarely review, including many that you can’t bring yourself to look at. Give them another chance. A shot that failed a few years ago might well be achievable today — and give you ideas for more.

31. Revisit Places You’ve Been Before
And the same is true of locations. Even if you’ve taken a photograph in one location, it doesn’t follow that you’ll take exactly the same image a few days, months or years later. The light will be different, your skills will be different… and so will you.

32. Ask “What if…?”
Some of the greatest artistic answers have come from asking the right questions. A good one to start with is always “What if…?” What if you focused on the foreground instead of the background? What if you changed the ISO? What if you got a flash of inspiration?

33. Leave Constructive Comments
We’ve mentioned that writing blogs can help to give you new ideas, but so can writing comments on other people’s images. Just make sure the comments are constructive. Praise the photographer’s use of shadow, for example, and you’ll be telling yourself how to get similar praise.

34. Join Photo Contests
Everyone and their uncle these days seems to be running a photography competition. And for good reason. They’re a great way to motivate photographers to shoot outside their boxes.

35. Choose a Theme
Photo contests are helpful because in addition to prizes, they also give subjects to shoot. But you don’t have to actually enter a contest to win one of those. You can pick your own theme. You could even use the categories on stock sites as inspiration for subjects.

36. Check out the Big Winners
And of course, taking a look at images shot by the winners of big photo contests, such as the Pictures of the Year, can show how far your image are from those at the top of the profession… and what you need to do to join them.

37. Go Back to the Rules
You probably know the rules of photography. And you probably know how to bend them and when to break them too. So maybe go back to when you were first learning techniques and try working strictly to rule for a while.

38. Just Shoot Anyway
There are always times when you lift the camera, look at the screen and think, “No.” But what would happen if you did it anyway? At worst, you’d waste a bit of disk space. At best, you might surprise yourself and find a new kind of composition.

39. Get a Cause
Few people are more motivated than those who believe they’re working for the common good. So join them. Pick a cause, offer it your photography skills and the end will help inspire the means. You could find yourself shooting all sorts of things from campaign posters to t-shirt images to angry demonstrations. The variety should be as satisfying as the campaigning.

40. Play with Textures
While photographers often pay attention to light and composition, the texture of the materials in the subject can be left behind. Try focusing on touch rather than vision for a few shots and see what happens…

41. Play with Colors
Or be traditional and paint your pictures with bold colors and sharp contrasts. Or try using different tones of just one or two colors and see what that does for yourt results. It might not be original but if you haven’t done it before, it could be time to give experimenting with colors a try.

42. Drop Color Altogether

blackandwhite2.jpg
Photography: cayusa

Of course, you could also be super-traditional and focus on practicing your skills in black-and-white. Do you know which shots would look best without color?

43. Play with Settings
Chances are, once you’ve found a camera setting that works for you, you don’t stray from it too far. So start straying. Play with the exposure, change the ISO, switch the shutter speed. And build on the results.

44. Play with a Point-and-Shoot
When you shoot with a DSLR, you can get used to all the bells, whistles and options that come with an expensive camera. So lay it aside, pick up an instant and shoot on the cheap. You’ll be amazed at what downgrading can do for your creativity.

45. Just Play
The beauty of digital photography is that there’s no penalty for making mistakes. That gives you a free ticket to stop worrying about whether a picture will turn out well or be an embarrassing flop, and just shoot. So try just enjoy taking photographs without thinking too much about the results.

46. Try a Different Specialty
Whether you specialize in wedding, portraits or anything else, try a niche you’ve never done before. You don’t have to do it professionally but just doing it for a while could give you a whole new bag of techniques and inspire new ways of creating your images.

47. Read Forums
We’ve mentioned that Flickr Groups can be good places to find inspiration but so can photography forums. Often, photographers use them to pose questions, but even those questions can get you thinking. The answers can get you shooting. (That can include your answers too. Tossing in your own two cents’ worth can get you thinking about all things you’re not doing — or haven’t been doing yet.)

48. Start a Project
Inspiration might come in a flash but you want it to hang around. Instead of thinking of an idea for one photograph, try thinking of an idea for a series of photographs. If you’d decided to take pictures of lightning for example, expand the concept to include extreme weather as a whole and add photographs of windswept trees and sun-bleached rooftops. That should keep you busy for a while…

49. Take a Photography Class
Photography classes make thinking up ideas very easy. You’ll even be given assignments so that you don’t have to think up subjects at all, just novel approaches to them.

50. Take any Class

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Photography: absolutwade

But you don’t have to limit yourself to a photography class. A cooking class will let you create photography subjects that you can eat. A flower-arranging class could give you new ideas for floral photography. Even an origami class could provide a pile of new ideas for images.

51. Define the Perfect Image
Do you know what the perfect image would look like? Bet you’re thinking about it now, right? Instead of thinking how good the next shoot would be, try thinking about what the best shot would look like… then find it.

52. Create a Shooting Schedule
One way to cut back on the regular head-scratching is to plan ahead. Pull out a calendar and decide in advance what sort of images you’ll be shooting each weekend for the next few months. And leave room for flexibility.

53. Pick a Different Model
If you always use the same models or models with similar looks go for something completely different: the opposite sex, a different height, a new age group. See what a different subject can for your ideas.

54. Ignore the Silly Criticism
This one won’t boost your inspiration but it might stop it being blocked. Ask people to comment on your photos and you’ll always get someone with something dumb to say. The challenge is to pick out the constructive comments and leave out the smartass ones that can make you think twice in the future.

55. Do Something Totally Outrageous
Ever told yourself “That would never work?” Well, here’s a “what if…” What if it did work? Go ahead, surprise yourself. Shoot what’s under the sofa. Snap the top of your head. Do something outrageously silly… and see if it works.

56. Give yourself Limits
Some of the greatest literature has been written under the strictest censorship. So limit yourself. Close the door and shoot only an object that you can find in the room. Or tell yourself that you have to produce a fantastic image within the next half hour. Take up the challenge

57. Tell a Story
Good pictures always tell a story. So try thinking of a story then go out and create the images that illustrate it. That could be the story of your street, a narrative describing a community or even the progression of a cub baseball team. Find where your story begins then use your camera to follow it through to the end.

58. Print your Pictures
It’s one thing to view your photos on a computer screen but printing them out and holding them in your hand can be something else altogether. Try printing a selection of your photos and see whether they still work on paper… and how you can improve them.

59. Take an Object, Any Object…
We started this list by pointing out that flea markets are full of strange objects to photograph. But there’s a limit to how you can photograph an individual object in a flea market. So take one home or pick something off the shelf and give yourself a whole new set of still lifes.

60. Buy New Equipment
And if all else fails, you can always use cash. A burst of new ideas always seems to come free with a new lens.

FASHION INSPIRATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND EVERYONE ELSE TOO

Sharing beautiful fashion photography for everyone to enjoy.

 

 

 

5 Tips for Protecting Your Digital Photos

The advent of the internet has provided endless opportunities for photographers; it has

5 Tips for Protecting Your Digital Photos

The advent of the internet has provided endless opportunities for photographers; it has


Source: Fashion Photography Blog

Getting it all together christopher kilkus photography

I’m a bit embarassed to admit that I have never really done any promotion to speak of.  I think the last time I did a promo mailer was about three years ago, just simple postcard.  And worse, I haven’t even really had a printed portfolio for the last year and a half!  I’ve been extremely fortunate to grow my business based on word of mouth, and the work I was doing and uploading to my website.  I wouldn’t ever recommend this as a way to do business to any new photographer…. but sometimes it can be hard to implement the things you know into your own business practices.  Over the last two, maybe even three years I’ve been so busy I haven’t had what I felt was enough time to really do promotion right, and whats more, I don’t think I could have even taken on anymore jobs even if the promotion worked!  The about our business is that the busier you are, the less time you have to devote to getting new clients.  Well, this month has been the first that I’ve had time to slow down a bit and really look at doing promotion.

I have also just signed up with a new agent, and she is very strict with her photographers about doing promotion.

First thing I needed, was to at least get some temporary materials in place to tide me over until I could do everything right.  That meant a portfolio and a leave behind promo.  I chose a blurb book because it was quick and easy.  I used to use standard portfolios from House of Portfolios with acetate pages, then print out my images on an Epson printer.  I never liked the quality of this presentation.  I using matte paper but the process was just so slow and expensive.  And in fashion, more than most other types of photography, the portfolio is constantly changing and it’s really hard to keep 8 portfolios updated.  With blurb I just uploaded a pdf of the new layout and ordered the updated book.

Equipment by chris kilkus

I am frequently asked what lgihting, grip and camera equipment I use, so I thought I would share about this.  You might be surprised to learn what my preferences are!

I am very far from being an equipment geek.  If something is inexpensive but does a good job, I’ll use that over an item that has a name.

 

FROM B&H

As a working photographer, the center of the universe is your camera bag and its contents. Your cameras and lenses are the tools of your trade. As you may have noted, both are mentioned in plural because just as you wouldn’t jump out of an airplane without a backup parachute, you shouldn’t attempt to photograph an emotionally spiked, non-repeatable event armed with only one camera. The same applies to lenses, too. The many aspects that comprise shooting weddings—portraits, the ceremony, dimly lit environs, tight, crowded quarters and bright outdoor settings—can push both the creative and practical limitations of the most experienced photographers.

Cameras and lenses aside (see our separate sections on Cameras and Lenses) there are a number of other items that should be part of all wedding photographers’ war chests. Having these items on hand and knowing how to use them can make the difference between a great wedding album and one that’s mundane.

Tripods

It is essential to have a sturdy tripod at your disposal when you are photographing a wedding, for situations in low light, or when you have to compose formal group shots. If you place a remote-triggered camera in the chapel balcony, you’ll need to mount it on a tripod, or perhaps use a Super clamp or similarly adjustable clamp, with 1/4″-20 or 3/8″-16 camera threads. It’s a great idea to have a small tabletop tripod with you as well, which can help you steady a shot atop a table or other horizontal surface. One of these can also help when you need to brace the camera vertically against a wall or other architectural element to obtain images free of the blur associated with operator movement.

For more information about choosing a tripod, please refer to our Tripod and Tripod Heads Buying Guide.

Flash Meters

For ambient light readings, the meter in your camera can be quite sufficient. Flash metering is another story, especially if you are using flash to fill backlit subjects or darken background areas to place more emphasis on the subjects in the foreground. You can always shoot test exposures and review them on your camera’s LCD, but a more professional and certainly more precise method of establishing accurate flash exposures is by using a flash meter.

One consistent characteristic of flash meters is that even the least expensive of them can establish both ambient and flash exposures—reflective or incident—down to 1/10-stop in accuracy, wirelessly or tethered. When you are dealing with the broad contrast range presented by men’s and women’s wedding clothes, it is important to consider the benefits of taking incident readings with a handheld light meter. Incident readings measure the amount of light falling on the subject, rather than the amount of light reflected from the subject. In most cases, incident readings, which read the light in terms of neutral, 18% gray values, will provide you with accurate average exposures regardless of whether your subjects are wearing white gowns, black tuxedos or brightly colored bridesmaid dresses.

Sekonic goes one step further by offering the option of incorporating PocketWizard wireless triggers into many of their flash meters, which enables you to “walk the set” in order to establish flash and ambient exposure readings from any position within the frame. At B&H, we stock a variety of flash meters from companies including Sekonic, Gossen, Shepherd/Polaris, Interfit, Wein and Kenko.

Wireless Remote Triggers

When it comes to taking pictures in crowded environments, the fewer cables you have strewn about the floor, the better. Every cable you can eliminate is one less worry about a guest tripping and falling. Wireless remotes can be used to trigger your main and fill flashes and your cameras. Many wireless remotes feature multiple channels or frequencies, which is a valuable feature if you’re shooting in close proximity to other photographers using wireless triggers or when you need to trigger different groups of your own lights.  By coordinating channel selections, everybody can perform their duties without interfering with the other photographers’ agenda.

For shooting in “photographer-rich” environments such as catering halls hosting simultaneous weddings, each with its own photographer—or such as when you and your assistant are capturing alternate views of the same wedding with two cameras—the PocketWizard MultiMax offers a choice of 32 channels, while the Pearstone Wireless Shutterboss Remote Timer offers 99 channels. You can also use the multiple-channel feature to trigger multiple sets of electronic flash units independently from each other, which is particularly handy when those setups are being used simultaneously. Available individually or in sets, radio transmitters, receivers and transceivers are available from PocketWizardQuantum and Elinchrom. Keep in mind that a remote trigger can become almost as useful as an assistant when used to trigger a tripod-mounted remote camera with a wide-angle lens in the church balcony, for example, capturing the  aerial views of the ceremony.

In addition to the radio-slave offering from Elinchrom, Quantum and Pocket Wizard, we also stock the Impact PowerSync 16 DC Radio Slave System, a very affordable battery-powered (AC optional) wireless trigger system that offers a choice of 16 channels and a range of up to 590′ (180 m) indoors and up to 200′ (60 m) outdoors.

Dedicated and generic wireless camera triggers are also available from Hahnel and Dot Line, and many of these remotes are also available in multi-channel models. Dedicated wired and wireless remote controls are also available from Nikon and Canon.

Battery Grips

Battery grips are advantageous for several reasons, but are primarily valuable because they sport secondary shutter release buttons and command dials, which make it ergonomically easier to orient your camera vertically. Battery grips also add an extra measure of grip-ability, which is an especially welcome feature for ensuring a positive hold on your camera. Because battery grips hold dual batteries, you can expect to make twice as many exposures before having to replace your camera’s batteries. Depending on the make and model, many battery grips also offer the option of powering with standard AA batteries, which can prove to be a lifesaver when the party is still raging on and all your rechargeable batteries are spent. Vello offers a range of battery grips to suit a number of popular DSLRs, such as the Canon 5D Mark II and 7D, as well as Nikon’s D7000 and D5100.

Filters

Even though the White Balance controls are built into every digital camera, not to mention the fact that the post capture color-correction tools found in almost every photo editing program have reduced the need for color compensating (CC) filters, there are some filters that simply cannot be dialed in from the comfort of your camera’s menu selections. Included among these filters are PolarizingUV (ultraviolet reduction), Neutral Density (solidgraduated, or center ND) and diffusion filters.

Polarizing filters, which in terms of wedding photography are primarily used for outdoor scenes, are designed to eliminate glare, reflections in polished surfaces, glass and water and make clouds pop from darkened blue skies. They are great to use if your wedding party is posed beside a body of water or a glass-walled urban structrue. To eliminate stray light from striking your lens, always use a lens hood. Do take care when using a polarizing filter on a wide-angle lens; the amount of polarizing effect is directly influenced by the lens’s angle to the sun, and this combination of lens and filter can cause your sky to vary unnaturally from light to almost navy blue.

UV filters serve their purpose both indoors and out. Indoors, UV filters temper the degree of UV radiation that might be generated by your electronic flash tubes. Though invisible to the human eye, UV can leave a bluish cast in your images under certain types of lighting. Regardless of whether you are shooting indoors or out, using UV filters is an effective way to protect the front element of your lens. Another option for protecting the front elements of your lenses is to use clear protection filters such as the Hoya Clear Pro 1 Digital Multi-coated filters and Nikon’s NC Glass filters. There are a number of electronic filters on the market that allow you to layer filter effects to your photographs, post capture, and many of them work quite well. The exception are software-generated Polarizing filters, which only serve to saturate color, but cannot remove reflections and glare, which can only be achieved at the time of capture.

Neutral density (ND) filters are essentially neutrally tinted filters that enable you to reduce the amount of light entering your lens so you can alter your shutter or aperture settings in the same light. ND filters come in handy when you need to reduce the output of your lighting system beyond its existing low-power setting. ND filters are also an easy solution for shooting at wider apertures in bright light in order to take advantage of selective-focus effects.

ND filters can be handy for adding suggestions of movement in an otherwise static photograph. As an example, with a 3- or 4-stop ND filter in place, you can pose the newlyweds in front of a waterfall and turn the waterfall into a creamy blur by slowing your shutter speed, while the couple holds stock still and remains tack sharp. This technique can be used with any moving background or foreground, with striking results. This is also a handy way to eliminate otherwise distracting moving elements in a picture.

In addition to standard ND filters, Variable ND filters are also available, which allow you to change the degree of neutral density by 2-8 stops, simply by rotating the outer ring of the filter. This can be a huge time saver while shooting under the gun.

Diffusion filters should be part of every portrait and wedding photographer’s outfit. Designed to soften the skin tones and create a dreamy haze, diffusion filters are available in numerous degrees of textures and patterns, which can flatter the complexions of people who don’t resemble the high-fashion models we’re used to seeing on magazine covers. If you want to soften facial features, smooth lines and wrinkles without the dreamy haze-like effect, try a soft-focus filter. These are especially flattering for portraits. When using diffusion and soft-focus filters, it’s always a good idea to go easy on the amount of softening you employ, as too much diffusion can be as distracting as none at all. So be judicious. Tread softly.

Tiffen FX-series diffusion filters are available in a number of configurations including “black diffusion” filters, which soften the image without reducing the overall contrast levels of the photograph. Many Tiffen FX-series filters are also available in a choice of warm-tone and neutral tone.

Filters are available in a range of quality levels, and with the possible exception of diffusion filters, you should always use higher-quality filters on your lenses in order to maintain the sharpness levels of the lenses you paid hard-earned money for the pleasure of owning and using.

Batteries

When it comes to photography—especially digital photography—batteries make the world go round, and when you run out of juice, your world basically comes to a halt. This is not a good thing when you’re out on a job, wedding or otherwise. For this reason it’s obligatory that you have, at the very least, a complete set of back-up batteries for every item in your bag that uses batteries.

Although most cameras are powered by dedicated lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, accessories such as flashguns, transceivers, etc., still rely on AA, AAA, 9V, C, D and any number of button-type batteries. At the very least, you should always carry a minimum of one spare set of batteries for each of your battery-powered devices.

At B&H we stock an extensive assortment of dedicated rechargeable camera batteries for most popular cameras and dedicated flashguns. If your batteries are rechargeable, make sure the chargers are also packed and readily accessible. An appealing option for efficient charging is Pearstone’s Duo Battery Charger, which allows you to charge two batteries at a time and mix and match types or brands of batteries.

Easy access to AC power outlets is another big concern, and to ensure you’re never caught short, it’s highly recommended that you carry at least one AC extension power cord for each AC-powered device you will be using during the course of the day. Though available in a number of colors and lengths, it makes the most sense to stick to 25′ or 50′ lengths, many of which are available with triple outlets that enable you to tap up to three packs or devices into each cord.

Depending on your gear and the state of the electrical system you will be working with, it’s not a bad idea to include a few surge protectors, which are available in a number of configurations, as well as a few multi-voltage adapters/converters if your plans include shooting across international borders.

Gaffer Tape

Sometimes a simple strip of gaffer tape can make the difference between a minor hiccup and a total disaster. Available in a number of widths (3″, 2″, 1″ and ½”) and colors (black, white, gray, red, yellow, blue, fluorescent green, fluorescent orange, fluorescent pink, fluorescent yellow), gaffer tape can be used for taping cables securely along the floor, quick repairs of gear, securing cases for shipping and any number of other uses. Gaffer tape in colors can also be used to identify your gear quickly in terms of where it goes when packing up, or in the case of shooting with multi-channel lighting systems, color-coding individual channels and related gear for syncing purposes. Gaffer tape is a thinking photographer’s solution.

As we mentioned in the section above on wireless triggers, even though we live in an increasingly wireless universe, we still have to deal with cables. To ensure that nobody trips over them, we suggest that in addition to gaffer tape, you include a few rolls of Permacel/Shurtape Cable Path Gaffer Tape in your kit. Available in 4″ and 6″ widths (x 30 yards), this extra-wide yellow gaffer tape features a glue-free center channel that allows you to secure long runs of lighting and sound cables to the floor, without the hassle of wrestling the tape from the cables when you’re finished for the day.

A reusable alternative to taping cables to carpeted surfaces is the Safcord Cord & Cable Protector, which is available in a choice of 3″ x 6′ and 4″ x 30′. Made of industrial-grade Cordura Nylon, Safcord Cord & Cable Protectors use hook-and-loop touch fastener material instead of adhesive to securely hold cords and cables to carpeted surfaces. When you’re finished, all you have to do is pull the strips from the floor, roll them up and tuck them away until your next gig.

Memory Cards

You can never have enough of them, and the faster the read/write speed, the better. Hi-speed memory cards keep shrinking in price while growing in capacity. If the read/write speeds of the newest cards are faster than the read/write speed of your current camera, this only means it will be an ideal match for your next camera, which will undoubtedly outstrip the camera you currently own in terms of processing speed. The same school of thought goes for the storage capacities of your memory cards. Today’s cameras capture larger file sizes—and sometimes multiple files simultaneously—not to mention video, which eats up memory like there’s no tomorrow. So when contemplating your next card, remember it wasn’t all that long ago a 1GB card was a big deal. Make sure to use cards with as much memory as is compatible with your camera. If you are going to capture large RAW files and “process” them in some sort of post-production software such as Photoshop or Lightroom, it might be wise to research cameras that sport dual card slots and the ability to write to both cards, for backup.

With the exception of portraits, capturing rapid action photo sequences without missing a beat requires using cards that can process large image files as fast—or faster—than your camera can capture them. Some of the fastest CF cards we currently stock at B&H include SanDisk’s Extreme Pro-series CF memory cards and Lexar’s 400x and 600x Professional-series CompactFlash cards. For cameras using SD series memory cards, the fastest of the lot currently include Lexar’s Professional SDHC/XC memory cards and SanDisk’s Extreme Pro SDHC and SDXC memory cards.

JPEGs are fine for snapshots, but if you are going to present a finished portfolio of images with as much color, dynamic range and detail as possible, you’ll want to shoot and process RAW files, which take up a great deal more space and beg for larger-capacity memory cards. JPEGs, which don’t contain as much visual information, take up less space but leave off where RAW files begin, quality-wise.

Storage Devices

With the speed and storage capacities of memory cards steadily increasing, incessant card-swapping and data backup may not be as critical as it was not too long ago. It’s comforting to know your back is covered if anything should happen to your cards during or after the ceremony and reception. Once you fill your memory cards, you have to do something with the image files each one contains before you reformat a card and pop it back into your camera. For storing these image files you have several viable options, some of which require the use of a laptop, netbook or tablet containing a built-in card reader that’s compatible with the card format you are using (i.e. SD, CF, Memory Stick, etc.). You can also use a USB or FireWire port for attaching a storage drive or a receiver. You can even transmit image files to your drive or laptop wirelessly.

If you’d rather bypass a laptop, netbook, or tablet, there are also stock portable hard drives available with built-in card readers and LCD screens for reviewing your pictures, from companies including WolverineDigital Foci and Jobo.

USB and FireWire-enabled portable storage drives, which currently sell for as little as (or under) $100 for 1 terabyte of storage space, are quick and easy solutions for backing up or archiving images. Your files can also be stored temporarily on your laptop, netbook or tablet’s hard drive.

One company that’s been gaining attention in the world of on-the-fly data storage is Nexto DI, which manufactures a nice selection of high-performance portable storage drives in capacities of up to 750GB, many of which contain LCD screens for reviewing and editing image files downloaded from your memory cards. Depending on the model, Nexto DI storage devices are shock and drop resistant, can transfer data to other devices and burn data to Blu-ray Discs, recover bad sectors and support a number of memory-card formats including Panasonic P2/P2E cards, UDF and FAT32 memory cards.

If you think you are going to be really piling up the megabytes as you photograph the wedding, and your cameras of choice include certain Canon DSLRs, you also have the option of using Canon Wireless File Transfer transmitters, which enable you to upload image files to a notebook computer for backup and extra storage space, as you shoot. And if you’re shooting with another brand of camera, don’t forget about Eye-Fi cards, which can transmit your photos to your external hard drive or laptop wirelessly, allowing you to maintain open space on the card. Another option favored by wedding photographers is to upload captured image files to any number of cloud-based servers, which can be edited and made accessible to the clients for their enjoyment even before the festivities have ended.

Posing Stools

Posing stools are worth considering because they are less obtrusive and easier to use for posing purposes than the chairs you’re likely to find at the catering hall or the local VFW. Narrow in profile, swivel-based and adjustable in height, posing stools allow you to pose individuals and couples with a great degree of fluidity and flexibility. Most of these posing stools can be broken down for easy transport. Posing stools are available from ImpactPhotogenicNorman and  Delta 1.

Camera Lens/Sensor Cleaning Kits

The truly important guidelines of proper camera user maintenance involve keeping your camera’s lenses, imaging sensor and LCD smudge free, all of which involves checking your gear before, during and after every assignment. Happily, B&H is your source for both cleaning cloths and LCD screen protectors.

Maintaining smudge-free lenses—specifically the front and rear elements—is a relatively effortless affair. To remove incidental dust particles, a camel-hair brush is often sufficient, and assuming the brush is clean, camel-hair brushes don’t leave any residue behind. You can also use an air blower to remove dust particles and grit. Most lens smudges can be easily eliminated by simply breathing on the lens surface and wiping it clean with a microfiber cloth. Repeat the breathe-and-wipe process once or twice if needed, or if the smudges are more tenacious, go the heavier-duty route with a lens-cleaning kit. For more stubborn smudges, a good lens-cleaning kit can be a lifesaver. Apply the lens-cleaning solution to your cloth, not directly to the lens, and wipe in gentle, circular motions—never apply lens-cleaning solution directly to the lens surface. A few drops applied sparingly to a microfiber cloth should be more than sufficient to remove almost anything. Cleaning kits like these are indispensible for ensuring clean lenses and crisp image capture and are available from a number of manufacturers.

For cleaning smudges from the harder-to-reach edges of the lens elements, try applying a few drops of lens-safe cleaning solution to a cotton swab and gently swipe the dirt from its hiding place. Many kits also contain baster-like air blowers, which are also handy for clearing dust off your camera sensor. Never use canned compressed air to clean your sensor!

Even if your camera has a built-in dust-reduction system, inevitably a bit of dust or two will find its way onto your camera’s mirror or imaging sensor. If you see fuzzy dark spots when you peer through your camera’s viewfinder, the villains are on the mirror. These particles can usually be blown away easily by removing the lens and, with the camera pointed face-down, blowing the dust off the mirror’s surface with a few blasts from one of the baster-like air blowers we sell at B&H. Follow up by cleaning the particulate matter from your camera sensor—carefully—with any one of a number of comprehensive sensor-cleaning kits.

If you are going to use sensor-cleaning kits, it is imperative that you read the instructions thoroughly and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations in order to avoid damaging the camera’s imaging sensor. It’s a good idea to clean your gear after every event, followed by a quick check before the next job, because you have better things to do the day of the event. And don’t forget to hold your camera with the sensor pointing at the floor when you’re changing lenses. Dust tends to descend more often than it ascends. You should avoid touching the mirror surface with your fingers, cotton swabs, or anything else at all costs, because unlike the mirrors in which we admire ourselves when nobody’s looking, the mirrors in our cameras are surface-coated and as such can be easily scratched and otherwise permanently damaged. Keep fingers away from the camera sensor, too, which is sensitive to abrasion as well as the grease and oils on your skin.

Often overlooked, but important nonetheless, is cleaning the contacts of your memory cards. Grit and work-a-day greasy stuff can render your memory cards undependable, and when you’re shooting a one-time happening, you don’t want your cards to hang up on you. In order to minimize the chance of compromised data transmission between your camera and memory card, it’s a good idea to clean the card contacts regularly with a memory card cleaning kit, such as the Kinetronics Memory Card Contact Cleaning Kit.

Ladders and Stepladders

One of the tricks of grabbing successful photographs at crowded events such as weddings is to rise above the occasion, which is easily accomplished by climbing a few steps up a ladder or stepstool. B&H stocks a number of ladders, both single-sided and double-sided, in 4′, 6′, 8′, 10′ and 12′ heights that enable you to catch imagery you probably couldn’t get standing flat-footed on the floor.

Folding Reflectors

Folding reflectors for bounce lighting, which allow you to fill shadows and perform a variety of lighting effects using ambient or studio light, are invaluable indoors and out.  Available in a number of shapes and sizes (circular reflectors 12″ to 60″ and curved, rectangular reflectors measuring 24 x 36″, 36 x 48″, 41 x 74″,  42 x 72″ and 48 x 72″), folding reflectors are configured in a combination of gold/silver,  gold/white,  silver/white or gold/silver/white. Depending on the tone of the reflector, you can open up shadow details with soft-neutral, contrasty-neutral or warm-toned illumination.

For softening harsher, overhead midday light, try using a translucent diffuser panel (also available in circular and rectangular formats) between the sun and your subjects. Because folding reflectors and diffusers are extremely light and fold down to about a quarter of their full size, they’re easy to pack and transport. Don’t leave home without one… or two!

Reflectors and diffusers can be invaluable lighting tools on the big day, but there’s not always a spare set of hands available to hold them in place. An effective substitute for an assistant is a reflector holder. Available with and without an accompanying light stand, reflector holders are available in a number of designs from close to a dozen manufacturers. Two popular (and quite affordable) models are the Impact Telescopic Collapsible Reflector Holder (holder arm only) and the Impact Multiboom Light Stand/Reflector Holder, which includes a 13′ stand.

Flashlights

Small, pocket-sized flashlights are essential for retrieving small accessories that inevitably find their way into hard-to-find creases in the corners of your camera bag. This is especially true in the bottom of a black bag when the lights are low, which at many weddings, is par for the course. Make sure everyone assisting you has a flashlight tucked away in easy reach. LED flashlights are extremely bright for their size, and drain batteries much more slowly than incandescent lights do.

Leatherman Tool

Stuff happens, and when it does it’s nice to have a tool handy that can help rectify the problem. Because it’s not practical to haul around a wheeled, four-drawer Craftsman tool chest, many on-site glitches can often be remedied with the aid of a Leatherman multitool. Available in a number of configurations, your investment will have paid for itself the first time you need it… and as any seasoned pro can tell you, sooner than later, you’re going to need one.

Two-Way Radios

When it comes to weddings it’s not unusual for two or more important photo ops to occur simultaneously, and often with little or no warning, which makes communicating with assistants extremely important. To make certain that one-time photo ops aren’t missed, it’s a good idea for everyone on the photo team to be issued a two-way radio in order to keep communication flowing, which at wedding speeds is a top priority.

Essential and Incidental

To complete your gear checklist and possibly even save the day, make sure you always pack other items in your bags, such as a sewing kit, a first-aid kit, a notepad and pen, safety pins, straight pins and bobby pins, snacks, water, umbrellas, even hairspray—should a windy day threaten a bride’s hairdo.

What are some of the essential items you pack in your kit? Feel free to let us know in the Comments section below.

Chris Kilkus Photography – Meet Kilkus the punk band

Check out the punk band that randomly chose Kilkus as their name:

Music Video – Pattern of Self Design

Music Video – A.O.C.

Interview with Waffle Magazine

It’s not fashion photography but music is always a close neighbor 🙂

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Fashion photography rules everything around us, whether we know it, like it, or choose to embrace it. At its start in 1839, it existed strictly to sell. .

Legends like Richard Avedon, Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, and Irving Penn paved the way for the greats of today, challenging the fashion world to accept new ideas of sexiness, femininity, and masculinity. It’s no secret that in the 21st century, photographers are as plentiful as they are powerful. Photographers like Steven Meisel and Terry Richardson have launched the careers of models, stylists, and make-up artists.

Others like Rankin and Nick Knight have created media platforms to take fashion photography and film in unanticipated yet important directions.

All of the fashion photographers on this list share an appetite for excellence and continually succeed at redefining visual culture, beauty, and art. We are thankful for them.

The 50 Greatest Fashion Photographers Right Now comprised of the subject(s), location, styling, make-up, hair, and photographer’s vision.

Legends like Richard Avedon, Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, and Irving Penn paved the way for the greats of today, challenging the fashion world to accept new ideas of sexiness, femininity, and masculinity. Most of the photographers on this list admit to or demonstra

Chris Kilkus Photography featured in www.dphclub.com

Here is some of my work featured in the www.dphclub.com blog.  I don’t remember putting some of these versions of the photos out there!  A couple of them I forgot how much I liked so it’s nice to be reminded….  and it’s always fun to see what other people respond to in my work 🙂

 

Photography by Christopher Kilkus

Photography by Christopher Kilkus

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Chris Kilkus Featured on the Hungry Ones

 

I was featured a while back on a food blog called The Hungry Ones.  It’s a blog that interviews creative and business types, from photographers like me to comedians to web developers and more, on the foods they like to eat…. or, as the blog says:

The Hungry Ones is a collection of interviews with creative/innovative/bad ass people and the food they love to eat. There’s nothing more inspiring than finding out the people you respect, enjoy the very same things as you do.

 

 

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1. Who are you what do you do?
I’m Chris Kilkus and I take pictures for a living. I’m based in Los Angeles and some of my clients include Forever21, bebe, BCBG, and other fashion companies.

2. Wheres you favorite place for lunch?
I’m not a big lunch person.  Usually save it for dinner.

3. Where’s your favorite place for dinner?
Toss up between Bazaar at the SLS or Melisse.  And I liked the Little Door too.  And Le Petite Cafe in Santa Monica.  Also Locanda Portofino on Montana in Santa Monica.  And Mozza. Okay, the list goes on…. I guess I have too many favorites and it just depends on my mood.  Dishes?  Best steak I ever had was at Mozza, which was a surprise.  Amazing uni past at Locanda Portofino. Bazaar had an uni dish that blew me away too… I need to go back there to be reminded of it.  At Melisse, everything was amazing.

4. Last meal would be?  
I could never choose just one.  I might be able to narrow it down to one each from french, italian, japanese, mexican, thai and vietnamese?  But hopefully I will never have a “last” meal!!

 

 

The Cult of Style Blog Post about Chris Kilkus Photography

Thank you to the folks at the Cult of Style blog for publishing a shoot a did a little while back in a sunny and warm Los Angeles.  This was a test shoot I did with the fashion stylist Kate Riney and hair & make up artist Maria Nguyen.  Our model for the day was Noora Laapi.  I wanted to keep this a pretty loose shoot… just go out and have fun, look for nice spots and nice light and take some simple photos.  I added a the color effect in post to also give it a slightly retro california vibe.

chris kilkus photography photographer

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography

chris christopher kilkus photographer photography