Hi Everyone
Today I am going to have a look at some new developments for the creative infrared photographer and to discuss the AI issue a bit. As a professional event and conference photographer in Scotland, I enjoy the completely different genre of infrared photography and the diversion from conventional corporate and event photography that I pursue in and around Scotland. Infrared photography has changed dramatically in the last 10 years or so with the introduction of digital and converted cameras. There are many options with the photographer having the ability to chose their filter depending on the type of infrared photography they prefer ie black and white or different strengths of filters which render certain colours better - this will be the subject of another blog where I can expand on this subject. You can also go full spectrum which is just a clear filter giving you the option to add infrared filters to your camera according to your needs and if you take this road you can also use an Aerochrome filter which will mimic the original Aerochrome film of the past. All these advancements are terribly exciting for photographers.
However, this brings us to a new topic of AI, now the opinion is divided. I think that if you create an entire image from scratch without the need for a camera then this is stage too far. I even have some problems with replacing skies. It is a matter of opinion mind you but I think most of us would agree it would be sad day to completely lose the art and craft aspect of photography, so I will continue to pursue my infrared photography and landscape photography in Scotland the conventional way.
Anyway, until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
I thought I would do a little blog on a recent trip to Loch Lomond for the day. I drove to Rowerdennan in Loch Lomond for some infrared photography. As a busy corporate, event and conference photographer in Edinburgh Glasgow and Scotland, it is a good diversion to do something completely different and I manged some chill time also. The weather was fairly good for infrared photography, lots of sunshine and blue skies, although I could have done with a bit more cloud, I know that is a strange thing to say in Scotland, but it makes the sky a bit more interesting, however it is a fantastic spot. Although most of the trees were not yet fully developed, there were still a few and some excellent reflections in the water. I was looking for a combination of detailed black and white images and also some colourful photos showing the foliage at its best. I am looking for some foreground focal points, in addition to some examples of framing an image, using the trees, statues etc to add interest to the photograph. It is the same principle for infrared photography as it is for conference photography in Edinburgh, or as an event photographer in Glasgow, composition is everything and that and light are by far the most important aspects for successful photography.
On the same subject, I am looking to exhibit some of my photographs soon and to add to my infrared photography Scotland collection. Having moved house just under 2 years ago, I now have a whole new collection of photographs from the Campsies, Loch Lomond, Strathblane, city photos from Glasgow and more. In a couple of weeks I will be photographing a wedding in Perth, so I am looking forward to that.
Anyway, until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
In todays blog we are going to look at editing for professional corporate and event photographers Edinburgh and where to stop. I will also look at my main workflow as a conference photographer in Edinburgh, in addition to how much editing I do for infrared photography in Scotland.
So how much editing is the right amount, well that depends on what you are editing and how much time you have. When I was working as a newspaper photographer in Scotland, I had to send the images to the paper as soon as I could, some right away. If I was sending the photos from a day shoot on Saturday I may have had a bit more time, but not much, so the only real editing I would do would involve cropping if necessary and maybe adjusting the exposure. If you are looking at hundreds of photos that need to be sent quickly, then that's about it. For a conference or event in Edinburgh, Glasgow or around Scotland, then I have a bit more time but time is money and you don't want to be spending days on the computer. Work out according to the job just how much time you have for editing and stick to it. For a conference, I will adjust exposure, crop, possibly remove any distracting objects, maybe convert some images to black and white, give them an artistic angle by using the Silver FX Nik filters by DXO. Then I may use the levels a bit and sharpen the image but not much more than that, to be honest. If I am doing wedding photos, then I may pick a few special images and work for longer on them, bringing out the detail on the dress, enhancing the eyes and possibly smoothing the photo a bit, but not too much editing. I will then re-size for print if appropriate and sort the images for the client. For infrared photography images, then I may spend more time on one or two photos to prepare them for print, with cropping, using the channel mixer, adjusting the tone, colour and saturation and possibly using Silver Efex pro filters or HDR software.
So that is a brief look at editing, hope it helps. More on this subject soon.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
Today I am going to look at how event and conference photographers in Edinburgh can effectively market themselves to the wider public and to Communications Departments in Scotland and throughout the UK.
First of all you have to make up your mind who your target market is. Are you doing weddings, then Facebook is a good source for you, also Instagram, whereas if you are marketing as a conference photographer in Edinburgh, then you will want to use LinkedIn and probably Instagram, as Facebook tends to be used more for the general public, so for instance if you are a dog photographer in Scotland then you should use Facebook, whereas a newspaper and event photographer Glasgow you would be advised to use LinkedIn. There are a wide range of other social media platforms and I am far from an expert in this area but that gives you a rough idea where to start.
Other areas for consideration, are obviously your website, make sure it showcases your best work and is professional looking. There are a number of platforms to consider such as Square Space, Zenfolio and Wix, or you may wish to build it up through Word Press. The main thing is it demonstrates your experience and shows you are a bespoke photographer working in Scotland. You will need to ensure you are featured on Google Business and that you do all you can to improve your SEO for your website. Keep doing your blogs, link to other organisations and link your social media accounts to your website. Another effective source of improving your business is through networking groups, where you can increase your exposure locally and nationally with other businesses. Having other photographer friends is also a good idea, especially if you do weddings or other event photography commissions in Scotland, as they may be able to assist you in big jobs, or act as a back up if you are ever I’ll. it’s also a good idea to keep updating your training, especially in photoshop and other software. Keep up to date with the new equipment on the go and keep checking your own gear regularly, but only buy new equipment if you think it will help you on a commission. Keep updating your website and communicate regularly with your potential customers on social media. If you are ever invited to talk about your photography, then always do so, everyone is a potential customer of the future, you may also enjoy it.
So I hope all that helps to get you started on your way to being a professional photographer in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
Today I am going to look at which lenses are best for which situation. As an event photographer in Edinburgh and someone who photographs conferences around Scotland, I have to make sure I have the right lenses for the occasion. If I photograph sport, I need longer lenses but not necessary beyond 200-300mm, although it’s good to have up to 400mm, hoewever you may want a shorter length if you are photographing football behind the goals, same with rugby. Also do you need fast expensive lenses for sport, not necessarily unless you are working in Low light or floodlit areas.
For wedding and conference photographers in Edinburgh, which are the best lenses, well that depends again on the light, you will however benefit from a zoom lens say 24-70mm for instance, also something a bit longer up to 200mm but probably not more. If you want to do some macro work at weddings then a macro lens may be useful, but overall you are best to minimise it, as you don’t want to be dragging a whole load of gear around all day, weddings are tiring enough without that. Should you go prime or zoom, well that depends again on the light, prime lenses are better in low light and you tend to get a faster lens for your money, however you lose that versatility that you have with zooms. I like prime lenses when I am photographing conferences in Edinburgh, as I can use them to good effect when someone is speaking on the podium, then use my zoom for the candid photos. Usually an 80mm prime lens is ideal for conferences. Also you can often take more lenses if you are shooting mirrorless due to the smaller size of the new lenses. For landscapes you want a wide angle such as 24 or 28mm at least, or even less ie 16-18mm. If you want to get all arty a fish eye or 10mm lens may be ideal for these whacky photos.
So I hope all this helps, happy photo shooting.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk