Photography Questionnaire.

[Aegea]

Originally Posted by andyw

What do you think you need help with ?
Understanding quantum physics.

Yeah, I've always had a problem with that. Just can't find a good textbook.

[Niresangwa]

What did you do before photography ?

Physiologist, when I tired of academia, professional swimming coach, and I still do personal training at a high end facility on a part time basis.

Did you start off doing photography, then gave up and why ?

On going.

Why did you want to be a photographer ?

I didn't particularly want to be one. I just slid into it without really noticing. Before I knew it, I was up to my neck.

How have you progressed over the years ?

I make decisions faster, and fly less by the seat of my pants. It's more a degree of experience thing than a general time thing. The more jobs you work, the faster you improve.

Is being a photographer your dream job ?

No. I would love to have been a historian and author, a route I denied myself by going the route of science, even though I don't enjoy it at all.

Have you been successful ?

Yes.

What photography do you specialize in (Or your favourite thing to shoot) ?

Primarily a wedding photographer. I've stopped shooting for fun unfortunately.

Who is/are other photographers you admire ?

This list dwindles as I figure out how they did what they do. There are a couple of them that continue to make me envious with their creativity however, and I keep tabs on their work.

What were you charging when you first started ?

Approx $300 an hour.

What are you charging now ?

The same, but I've stopped discounting full coverage and throwing in freebies because I felt bad charging such huge chunks of money in the beginning. Now I don't feel as badly and charge for everything. The dawning point for this was when I realised people are willing to pay it happily.

What do you find is the hardest technical thing about photography ?

I don't know that anything really sticks out right now. In the beginning it was being able to make a quick assessment of settings without chimping to get it right. Now I can ball park it without taking a half dozen test shots.

What do you find is the easiest ?

Composition and framing & processing.

What's your least/most favourite thing about photography ?

Working with people is the least favourite. I'm always incredulous of photographers who genuinely get excited to go to weddings. In fact, I'm dreading today's so much I'm filling out a vanity questionnaire to distract myself.

Favourite thing is probably processing the images and creating the portfolio. I have to say that the money is also very nice. Having the autonomy of running my own business is nice too.

Are you Nikon/Canon/Etc.. and why, and, if you've switched brands in the past, why so ?

Pentax. I enjoy the feel of the system. It's a compact and light system which is something you appreciate when you're carting around so much gear for 12 hours at a time.

Where did you learn about photography?

A lot of trial and error, DPS. I don't own a single photography book, nor have I been on courses or workshops.

Do you think you have your own style of photography, if so, what is it about your photos that stand out ?

Within my local market I certainly do. I don't spend a lot of time shooting the subject out of context and focus on the environment. I hate to use the word artistic, but if that conveys the abstract approach, then so be it. Lots of weird stuff that by conventional expectations has no place in a wedding set. Also, again in my market, I use a lot of off-camera lighting which isn't easy to do in the fast pace of weddings.

What do you think makes a good photographer?

I'm completely detached from the romantic side of things, and it's a personal thing. I'm not shooting for the client, I'm shooting for me. By that I mean I'm not shooting to please someone else, which can be a short cut to compromising myself. Clients are told right from the outset its my way or no way.

What was your worst client experience?

Haven't had any, touch wood.

What was your best client experience?

None that stand out, but it's nice to see them so happy and excited about what they received.

The best feelings come from unsolicited peer recognition. A long while ago I got a message through my website from Jim Bryant which was unlooked for, back when I was a noob here and not posting much. That behind-the-scenes encouragement had a lot of impact on how I felt about my work, and something I try to do for others.

What goes through your head right before you snap a picture?

Gosh, who knows? It all depends.

How do you handle family/friends asking for discounts (If applicable)?

I follow the maxim I learned from someone here, either do it for free or do it for full price. The only discount I offer is a Uniformed Services discount.

How do you think that you can improve?

Take more time for myself, so I don't feel so down-trodden. It's not conducive to being creative.

Do you think you'll be doing photography for the rest of your working life (if applicable) ?

Maybe, I would assume at some point I can't lay claim to being young, hip and on the cutting edge of creativity. No one wants a 60 year old photographer limping around trying to act cool. So I'll just make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.

If you had to pick one photo to look at for the rest of your life, what would it be ?

Kind of a weird question.

What is your best photo ?

This changes periodically. Though it's usually something surprising I didn't intend to do.

What do you think you need help with ?

Dealing with anxiety before shoots. It's a very negative experience. My wife is a psychologist, and though I've dealt with performance anxiety my whole life as an athlete, and helping others with it as a coach at a high level, it gets no easier.

[UrbanSophistic]

What did you do before photography ? Writing. Lots of writing

Did you start off doing photography, then gave up and why ? I have been learning slowly about photography since I started about 2 years ago.

Why did you want to be a photographer ? I started to realize how powerful true life can be when it’s frozen in an image. And since I’m a writer, I wanted to shoot the images to go with my words.

How have you progressed over the years ? I progressed a lot in the first year because I was excited about improving. In the past year, my progress has slowed because I haven’t been taking as many pictures.

Is being a photographer your dream job ? Yes, being a photographer and getting into creating video content is my dream job.

Have you been successful ? No. I still work a 9 to 5.

What photography do you specialize in (Or your favorite thing to shoot) ? My favorite things to shoot are outdoor portraits and candid event photos

Who is/are other photographers you admire ? I really admire Elton Anderson. His style is so off-the-cuff and natural. He shoots nearly all his portraits using natural light. Instead of having his subjects engage the camera, he has them engage each other. Often his pictures look like the second, more natural photo you’d take. Those are usually perfect because they’re so unique.

What were you charging when you first started ? At first I was taking pictures for free.

What are you charging now ? Now I charge $75 an hour. And I book portrait shoots for a minimum of two hours. Weddings I book for a minimum of four hours and I created a package that includes a professionally printed wedding book and 8x10s.

What do you find is the hardest technical thing about photography ? The hardest technical thing for me is getting good exposure with low noise in indoor environments.

What do you find is the easiest ? I find framing and composing the shot easy and exciting.

What's your least/most favorite thing about photography ? That the equipment is so expensive

Are you Nikon/Canon/Etc.. and why, and, if you've switched brands in the past, why so ? I am Nikon because my first (and current) camera is a Nikon. I haven’t switched because I find the settings and lenses to be of superior quality. Also, the expense of switching.

Where did you learn about photography ? I have taught myself by perusing books and mostly by gleaning information from online blogs. Also, plenty of trial and error.

Do you think you have your own style of photography, if so, what is it about your photos that stand out ? My style is natural. I try to limit my editing to corrections only. I hate airbrushing and altering the photo I originally captured. Furthermore, I love candid, free posed shots. I like to capture a person in their honesty. They may be smiling at the camera, or they may be looking in the distance. I never have them prop their hands or legs in any rigid position.

What do you think makes a good photographer ? A good photographer understands the psychology of the subject. He learns how it (or they) moves. He makes them forget he is looking into their soul, but he still finds a way to capture it. A great photographer has a vision for what he wants, but can recognize when the vision finds him.

What was your worst client experience ? I once agreed to take pictures at an event for $200 for a friend of a friend. Huge mistake! The event started almost two hours late, ran an hour over and, to add insult to injury, the client’s check bounced and she wanted endless edits and physical prints (which she did not get). I had no contract or terms. After that, I set a rate, drafted a contract that specifically entitles me to compensation when events are delayed – and outlines that pictures are not released until I am paid.

What was your best client experience ? It was with a friend who booked me for an afternoon of portraits with his mother, grandmother and son. First of all, he had absolutely no problem paying my regular rate for the three hour session. We did three different looks with him; the first included the entire group, the second he did alone, the last he did with only his son. In the middle of the shoot with the son, serendipity hit. Instead of taking posed shots, I had my friend and his son interact playfully the way they normally would. I was able to capture them engaging each other instead of the camera. They played “rock-paper-scissors,” arm-wrestled and at the end, I had them do a 50-yard dash which provided some of my favorite action-filled shots ever. I grew more in that single shoot than all the ones I’d done before.

What goes through your head right before you snap a picture ? I usually am counting off. If I’m photographing a person, usually a stopwatch has gone off in my head to capture a natural moment of pause or action.

How do you handle family/friends asking for discounts (If applicable) ? I have used my closest friends as early models, so I don’t charge them for my services. Again, with family, I enjoy taking photos at gatherings and an occasional portrait here and there. However, I do not extend this luxury to their friends. If someone approaches me about doing photos at an event that I’m not invited to or attending for personal reason, they automatically are treating as a regular client. They pay the full rate and must sign an agreement.

Basically, if I approach a friend about using them as a subject in my photos, they don’t pay. If they approach me, they pay. I never charge my family unless they are asking for my services on behalf of someone else who would otherwise be paying.

How do you think that you can improve ? My weakest area is technical knowledge. Understanding my camera and the intricate settings is my biggest area for improvement.

Do you think you'll be doing photography for the rest of your working life (if applicable) ? I am certain I will be taking pictures for the rest of my life. I’m so intrigued by what my eyes see each day; photography is very rewarding to me. Since I began taking pictures, my eyes work differently. The world I see is much more vivid and alive; it’s more beautiful and devastating. My next conquest is to move into moving pictures and film.

If you had to pick one photo to look at for the rest of your life, what would it be ? I would look at a portrait of an anonymous person. Looking at a photo to me is like reading a book. Images can be so telling.

What is your best photo ? My best photo is yet to come. I’m always striving to top my personal best.

What do you think you need help with ? I need help with marketing myself and learning the best practices for a future working digital photographer.

Portfolio: www.UrbanSophistic.com
Twitter: @UrbanSophistic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theurbanintellectual