Tip of the Day: Photoshop - The Choice is Yours

A classic example of choice

Photoshop is amazing. I remember the first time I opened Photoshop as a photographer. It was like looking at a canvass with a bunch of pastels and being told, "Here you go. Now go and paint me a Picasso"

Umm. What am I even looking at?

Years later, I love Photoshop like you'd love a redheaded stepchild. Just when you think you've seen all her tricks. Bam! She'll pull out a shovel and f- you in your ass while you're sleeping.

Tip of the Day: Add Value II

Neither in focus, nor necessarily properly exposed... and wtf is going on with the bottom image???

The following question stems from a discussion on the Facebook LUCIMA Workshops page about this particular blog post.

One thing you've pointed out, but should elaborate on more, is the "quality" of the photographer. Some businesses that pay their photographers are still struggling with photographers that can't deliver. While beauty is in the eye of beholder a quality photographer must deliver sharp, well-exposed, properly contrasted, white balanced pictures if shooting catalogue/website. Because these clients need to post these images online within 24 hours or their sales will suffer. And if you don't budget enough time to finish the shoot the client might have to overpay just to complete the project. So there is much more to a qualified professional photographer than what appears in the portfolio.

If heaven forbid you find yourself shooting a catalogue then I certainly hope you know your fundamentals. Otherwise you'll lose out on that particular minimum wage job. Or was it TF? Is that sarcasm you hear in my voice? :)

Tip of the Day: Don't be a Bonehead

This is a rant.

I posted an opportunity for retouching on Facebook today as a service to the community. Basically a headhunter called me up and asked me if I wanted to retouch for FOX Sports. I declined the offer but mentioned that I'd pass the opportunity along.

Verbatim, this is what my Facebook status update said,

"Came across a retouching opportunity for FOX Sports if anyone is interested. Pays $20+/hr.

Email me charles@lucima.com and I'll forward you the details! :)"

And suddenly I get 3 FB messages about the retouch job. One of them actually says, "Can you give me your email?"

No joke.

Tip of the Day: Add Value

My most recent angle of adding value for my clients. Fashion (or in this case lack thereof) videos.

It simply isn't good enough to be a photographer. As photographers around the world have demonstrated, taking pictures is the easy part. Every week I get a forwarded email from my mom that contains a set of amazing images ranging from landscapes to animals to portraits. And the more I see, the less impressed I become.

And that is the fundamental problem with images (and music too).

Frames from the Edge - Helmut Newton

I watched this a while ago and I thought I posted this video/link here but for whatever reason I can't find it. It's a great documentary about Helmut Newton that I will be referencing in a post. Forgive me if I've already posted this here.

Ironman NYC

A little over a year ago, my wife and I were vacationing on the big island of Hawai'i. During our stay, there was a half Ironman event hosted at our resort. Lots of excitement surrounded the event as I watched participants wheel in their multi-thousand dollar bikes. The idea crossed my mind that I should do a full Ironman triathlon, but it didn't stick. All it did was get me to run a few miles... and those few miles exhibited exactly why I shouldn't run an Ironman triathlon. During a mere 4-mile run, I wound up walking about 2 miles. I was terribly out of shape.

Less than a week later I was talking to a buddy of mine. He had done IM Louisville and he can run 7:30/mile pace for an entire marathon. I mentioned that I would like to one day do an Ironman and he said, "If you sign up, I'll do it too"

And that was all it took to sign up for IM NYC.

Sony NEX-7 Review: Mythbuster

Summers. NEX-7 with kit lens.

Y'all cray cray if you think that the NEX-7 can take the place of your D700 or 5DMII.

I've been running some conversations over at the LUCIMA Workshop FB page and I want to dispel some myths that seem to run amuck regarding the NEX-7.

L U C I M A | Condition One