A little history…
When I was encouraged, by my husband to go back to school, to take several courses in photography, it turned into far more than I expected. I slowly started to believe I could have a business…
The average wedding, in “film” was 30 rolls, (36 exposure), with an assortment of mainly Kodak Portra or Fuji Press 400 asa, (some 800 asa for the evening) and 25% Ilford b/w film in 400 and 3200 asa, all labeled on the canisters, in the order of shooting (while on the job) and then bagged to send to the lab, for development. I even ran a few rolls of 220 most of the time too. Once I got about a thousand 4×6 “bordered” proofs back, I would sit at a big table and “tell a story” with the proofs, in these vertical slip-in “3 up” books and deliver 2 of them, with about 700 pics total. I can’t believe I did this at all now! (and I’m sure what I did then, was still nothing, compared to others) I shot with beautiful, heavy, Minolta Film cameras called Maxum 9′s (look ‘em up!) while others had Nikon and Canon. I knew that some people didn’t respect me, but I was delivering solid work, from truly exceptional, professional systems. I saved every penny, I earned, to collect my lenses and flashes, etc., and always loved the very close portrait or candid and also the wide lens, when a wide is just important to tell the story. I had a few “fast” zooms, like the staple 70-200, f/2.8 and 24-75, f/2.8, a consistant 50m, f/1.4 and a fisheye. I also worked on very, very slow PC’s. No post processing. Just natural contrast and “chosen color or black and white.”
By the beginning of 2006, still a holdout, I finally bought a Canon 5D (“fullframe”), because the Minolta Co. fell apart and was no longer an option. The Canon felt best in my hands and more like what I was used to, plus they have really excellent support in Irvine, Ca., somewhat close to me. To go with it, I bought the “staple,” 70-200, f/2.8, another fast mid-range zoom, and another 50 and fisheye, for starters. I took that and one of my film cameras out with me, for a year, so I could “be in training.” When I was at the end of 2006, I bought another 5D, and let go of film……………… I also bought my first Macs….. yeah! progress!
Today, I shoot mostly “primes” or “fixed” non-zoom lenses, plus my “staple” workhorse, the 70-200, f/2.8. I love the freedom in shooting primes. There’s all kinds of stuff in my bag, including different lighting stuff, cords, pocket wizards, difusers, batteries, protein bars, water, and on and on…… and I work on 3 mac systems, in mostly Adobe Lightroom and PS CS4 and 5, for light touchup and album/press product design. I think? I’ve developed a style that attempts to bring out a certain mood in my clients. Something real and thought provoking I hope. I like stories behind their eyes, as silly as that might sound. There’s something there and it’s not about me.
I am waiting on the “second attempt” of the Canon 5d MkII, because I refuse to be in “beta-mode” and I watch this like a hawk. I believe in working with what you have for a long time, but I also believe that I have to move with digital — because it does move along FAST! I LOVE my cameras, like good old tennis rackets and it makes me sad I have to give them up eventually. That’s the digital world! I’ve never shot with a “cropped sensor” body, so it’s hard to give advice on lenses, without having to think a little harder! I have a simple post processing routine of “slight contrast bump,” white balance, if necessary, and a light vignette on a good percentage. I’m not a fan of extra color, with exception to a few (it’s overused these days), because I used to love “cross-processing” film and it’s just for a few images. I LOVE beautiful old looking, somewhat contrasty black and whites and drained vintage tones. I’m not a fan of “over-perfecting” skin. I never sharpen eyes (swear). I sometimes sharpen an entire image, pre-print. I don’t think you learn anything from copying others shooting style – but you can “learn technical things, then take how you see others shoot , flip it, twist it, put your flare on it, and make it your own.”
Shoot for the love of it first. Shoot for the experience. Give of yourself. It will pay off. The rest will follow.
by Deborah Tracey
show hide 3 comments