Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A hair cutting Academy{The Eric Fisher Academy} here in town has just given me approval to come and shoot a runway show this Friday.......I have not had a chance to shoot any thing runway for over 15 yrs and 911 did not help either!! Now I have one camera off being repaired so no good back up.....I be just a little nervous about this.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Wichita Visions
Received an email today from Thad Pickett (the Art Director for City Scapes books ) asking for a bio on me, myself.......damn what to write.......ok this means that at least one of photos are, is.....oh what the hell.....sounds like I am being published....or he would not have asked for the bio.......sound like a kid don't I ...... I damn near feel like one.......but I remembered yesterday that this is not my first time for being published in a book......I was published before on a cookbook......more on that later......ok.....now I gotta write a damn bio...........
I'll edit this later..............save for now as is.................
I'll edit this later..............save for now as is.................
Thursday, November 13, 2008
I LUV THE OUTDOORS ..............
I am an avid hunter and fisherman as well as photographer and there are times when one must a decision on what gets carried or not afield.
In the past 2 weekends I have been in the slight north and west area of Kansas....rolling plains and empty skies and lots of pheasants to shoot at.
Well for the past 2 months I have been having trouble with my lower back and knees....pain from hell....but force myself to stay active.
Here I am out in the field walking myself to death not seeing any pheasants and my pointing lab can't smell them due to the extremely dry and extremely windy conditions we are hunting in.
All of a sudden the sky starts darkening and clouds start moving in and then it hits me.......no freaking camera or tripod........
This massive dark cloud moving across the northern sky come to a some what pointed end to my right and that part of the cloud is awesome.....it looks like a very long slanted white rock / brick wall.......I beautiful azure blue below and above it with awesome white between and the shadow of the very dark ominous cloud on the green rolling prairie below.
I described it to fellow hunters as a plateau in the clouds as it did sort of look like a plateau and the rolling prairie below it had flat spots on top that looked like plateaus also.
I do not care if I have to hire a sherpa to carry my camera for me.....I will not be afield with out at least one......no matter what!!!!!!!!!!
In the past 2 weekends I have been in the slight north and west area of Kansas....rolling plains and empty skies and lots of pheasants to shoot at.
Well for the past 2 months I have been having trouble with my lower back and knees....pain from hell....but force myself to stay active.
Here I am out in the field walking myself to death not seeing any pheasants and my pointing lab can't smell them due to the extremely dry and extremely windy conditions we are hunting in.
All of a sudden the sky starts darkening and clouds start moving in and then it hits me.......no freaking camera or tripod........
This massive dark cloud moving across the northern sky come to a some what pointed end to my right and that part of the cloud is awesome.....it looks like a very long slanted white rock / brick wall.......I beautiful azure blue below and above it with awesome white between and the shadow of the very dark ominous cloud on the green rolling prairie below.
I described it to fellow hunters as a plateau in the clouds as it did sort of look like a plateau and the rolling prairie below it had flat spots on top that looked like plateaus also.
I do not care if I have to hire a sherpa to carry my camera for me.....I will not be afield with out at least one......no matter what!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
BACKDROPS / BACKGROUNDS INEXPENSIVELY
Backdrops / backgrounds.....What do you use? Home painted heavy canvas, expensive custom painted supposedly one of a kind purchased from a famous backdrop / background company.
So do you get tired of what is hanging from the Backdrop support.
Wouldn't it be great if you could have tons of flexibility and creativity in the backdrop department without the expense and storage of dozens of backdrops.
Many years ago I was just starting out and I had no room for more than 1 backdrop rolled on a homemade roller attached to a living room wall. So I was looking at all the Savage Paper rolls and also at the painted and dyed backdrops and I wanted to add color to them. I had seen color spots on photos in various Photo mags and went on a hunt to find out how it was done. What I found was these NY and LA photogs were using very strong floods (1K and up watts)and or strobes (1K wattseconds and up ) with colored gels taped over the front of the lamps.....Hmmmm but no one was telling what color backdrop......so I started asking at the local camera shops aboutr backdrops and coloring them and was told to use something like Thunder Grey and to buy from Threatrical Services Inc here in Wichita. So off to TSI and purchased a roll of Savage Thunder Grey.....a little darker than 18% grey and it did not hold the light like I wanted it to do but it was easy to burn it with my back lights to a very near pure white and a few pastel colors when I used dark colored gels......just did not have the punch I wanted.
By now I was reading books by Famed Glamour Photographer Peter Gowland and one of the books had contact info in i to contact him with questions....Hmmm
So I called him and asked about this coloring of backdrops and was told that the best color to HOLD other colors was black, as it absorbed the color and would stay saturated with it....when other backdrop colors such as the greys and whites would reflect it off and the colors would be very muted.
Back off to TSI, I go to see about Muslin......at this time it was ~$2.50 a running yd.....so I bought 10 yards of 9 foot wide bleached muslin.......then I went to a damaged freight building materials store and bought 1 gallon of exterior black latex house paint.
Now the fun begins.....I tacked the muslin down on the front deck fo my rented house and started rolling the paint on after slightly diluting it with water, at first I was trying to be very cautious of doing my rolling in perfectly straight lines overlapping by no more than an inch or two..........but realized it looked terrible to me and then got a slightly haphazard motion going and when it was done it looked good....solid deep black.....took it 2 hot summer days to dry due to laying flat on a wooden deck.
Time to test it....laid it over a couch hit it with the light from a Paul C Buff White Lightning 5000 Strobe with a magent gel over it.....took about 3 shots with strobe approx 4 feet away at full, 1/2 and 1/3 power to see the difference and then ran the film to Wallys World for quik cheap processing.......
Eureka!!!!!!!!! It worked....fantastically saturated color fading off to black.
I could now say I had hundreds of available backdrops/ backgrounds by painting with lights.....this afforded me to be able to store the gels in a smaller place that what even 3 or 4 or more actual muslin backdrops could be stored in.....the main black drop cost me ~$30 for muslin and paint and the gels at the time were ~$2.50 (about 1/2 of todays price).
After using the gels for a while and having tape stuck to the relectors of the stobes, the strobes started looking like crap....then I ran across a really neat photographic accessory company called SPIRATONE (now out of business) and they had a really cool item called a "Z" frame.....a gel holder made to attach to a light stand just beneath the strobe.....this little gem holds the gel right against the front of the strobe using clips to hold the gels .....Awwwww no more duct or maksing tape adhearing it self to the painted surface of the strobe reflector......this is great.
Using gels like this can be quite creative if you allow your imagination to just run wild......Rosco gels( actually all gels brands can be taped topgether, Ijust happen to prefer Rosco) can be cut and taped together (using scotch tape) either in straight lines of designs to have multi colrs from one light and there is nearly no end to what can be done this way.
I almost forgot.......I like working with more than 1 back light....my minimum is 2......one for each side of the backdrop / background.
So do you get tired of what is hanging from the Backdrop support.
Wouldn't it be great if you could have tons of flexibility and creativity in the backdrop department without the expense and storage of dozens of backdrops.
Many years ago I was just starting out and I had no room for more than 1 backdrop rolled on a homemade roller attached to a living room wall. So I was looking at all the Savage Paper rolls and also at the painted and dyed backdrops and I wanted to add color to them. I had seen color spots on photos in various Photo mags and went on a hunt to find out how it was done. What I found was these NY and LA photogs were using very strong floods (1K and up watts)and or strobes (1K wattseconds and up ) with colored gels taped over the front of the lamps.....Hmmmm but no one was telling what color backdrop......so I started asking at the local camera shops aboutr backdrops and coloring them and was told to use something like Thunder Grey and to buy from Threatrical Services Inc here in Wichita. So off to TSI and purchased a roll of Savage Thunder Grey.....a little darker than 18% grey and it did not hold the light like I wanted it to do but it was easy to burn it with my back lights to a very near pure white and a few pastel colors when I used dark colored gels......just did not have the punch I wanted.
By now I was reading books by Famed Glamour Photographer Peter Gowland and one of the books had contact info in i to contact him with questions....Hmmm
So I called him and asked about this coloring of backdrops and was told that the best color to HOLD other colors was black, as it absorbed the color and would stay saturated with it....when other backdrop colors such as the greys and whites would reflect it off and the colors would be very muted.
Back off to TSI, I go to see about Muslin......at this time it was ~$2.50 a running yd.....so I bought 10 yards of 9 foot wide bleached muslin.......then I went to a damaged freight building materials store and bought 1 gallon of exterior black latex house paint.
Now the fun begins.....I tacked the muslin down on the front deck fo my rented house and started rolling the paint on after slightly diluting it with water, at first I was trying to be very cautious of doing my rolling in perfectly straight lines overlapping by no more than an inch or two..........but realized it looked terrible to me and then got a slightly haphazard motion going and when it was done it looked good....solid deep black.....took it 2 hot summer days to dry due to laying flat on a wooden deck.
Time to test it....laid it over a couch hit it with the light from a Paul C Buff White Lightning 5000 Strobe with a magent gel over it.....took about 3 shots with strobe approx 4 feet away at full, 1/2 and 1/3 power to see the difference and then ran the film to Wallys World for quik cheap processing.......
Eureka!!!!!!!!! It worked....fantastically saturated color fading off to black.
I could now say I had hundreds of available backdrops/ backgrounds by painting with lights.....this afforded me to be able to store the gels in a smaller place that what even 3 or 4 or more actual muslin backdrops could be stored in.....the main black drop cost me ~$30 for muslin and paint and the gels at the time were ~$2.50 (about 1/2 of todays price).
After using the gels for a while and having tape stuck to the relectors of the stobes, the strobes started looking like crap....then I ran across a really neat photographic accessory company called SPIRATONE (now out of business) and they had a really cool item called a "Z" frame.....a gel holder made to attach to a light stand just beneath the strobe.....this little gem holds the gel right against the front of the strobe using clips to hold the gels .....Awwwww no more duct or maksing tape adhearing it self to the painted surface of the strobe reflector......this is great.
Using gels like this can be quite creative if you allow your imagination to just run wild......Rosco gels( actually all gels brands can be taped topgether, Ijust happen to prefer Rosco) can be cut and taped together (using scotch tape) either in straight lines of designs to have multi colrs from one light and there is nearly no end to what can be done this way.
I almost forgot.......I like working with more than 1 back light....my minimum is 2......one for each side of the backdrop / background.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
COPYRIGHT,,,,,,WE'RE TALKING YOURS
Copyright....that little notice you see on photos in books, well lets face it is the legal staement of ownership that tells you that you cannot use without the permission of the copyright owner....
However I see tons of improper copyright notices everyday, especially on photography sites.....yes there is a correct way to write a copyright noitice.........over 25 years ago I was at a local photo printer and a person brought in a photo to have a copy negative made of so they could get decent enlargements......the customer service rep told this person to return to the photog for this as the image was copyrighted.....there was a really nice gold stamp of the photogs signature (nope not the copyright) and on the back was an actual copyright notice.....In years past the simple or very elaborate gold stamp signature was enough to twart some processors from copying images...but not all.....some discount stores that would hire any tom, dick or mary to run the photo counter and not educate them on copyrights and such would still take the Olin MIlls and even a photo taken by famous photogs and send to their lab to be copied and printed.....as far as I know there was never a law suit placed agains the big nationwide discount houses for this....
Now to try to educate you on copyrights for photographic purposes......
so here is a sample of the types of copyright notices I have seen athat are almost worthless....I almost because it is known that YOU the photographer does own the copyrihgt to YOUR image from the moment the shutter cliks.........
HOWEVER..........unless you tell the world that you own said image it can and will be copied and used illegally andwhen you finally find out it could cost you more than it is worth to persue in a court of law........
So on to the sample types......Oh and I am using my own name in all of these samples........
1- copyright arthur scott
2-copyright arthur scott 2008
3-copywrite arthur scott
4-copywrite arthur scott 2008
5- arthur scott©
6-arthur scott © 2008
I have seen many more that I willn ot waste OUR time listing....here is the correct way to write your copyright notice.
copyright © 2008 your name .........................this is the format used on Nolo.com also on the bottom of all wesites I have been to...........
A last thought on this issue.....just be cause you, the photographer, creator of a work is the rightful copyright owner, YOU STILL NEED TO DO A FORMAL COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION WITH THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE FOR ALL YOUR PAST WORK and FUTURE WORKS AS THEY ARE DONE. This way there is no doubt if you have to take someone to court for copyright infringement.
However I see tons of improper copyright notices everyday, especially on photography sites.....yes there is a correct way to write a copyright noitice.........over 25 years ago I was at a local photo printer and a person brought in a photo to have a copy negative made of so they could get decent enlargements......the customer service rep told this person to return to the photog for this as the image was copyrighted.....there was a really nice gold stamp of the photogs signature (nope not the copyright) and on the back was an actual copyright notice.....In years past the simple or very elaborate gold stamp signature was enough to twart some processors from copying images...but not all.....some discount stores that would hire any tom, dick or mary to run the photo counter and not educate them on copyrights and such would still take the Olin MIlls and even a photo taken by famous photogs and send to their lab to be copied and printed.....as far as I know there was never a law suit placed agains the big nationwide discount houses for this....
Now to try to educate you on copyrights for photographic purposes......
so here is a sample of the types of copyright notices I have seen athat are almost worthless....I almost because it is known that YOU the photographer does own the copyrihgt to YOUR image from the moment the shutter cliks.........
HOWEVER..........unless you tell the world that you own said image it can and will be copied and used illegally andwhen you finally find out it could cost you more than it is worth to persue in a court of law........
So on to the sample types......Oh and I am using my own name in all of these samples........
1- copyright arthur scott
2-copyright arthur scott 2008
3-copywrite arthur scott
4-copywrite arthur scott 2008
5- arthur scott©
6-arthur scott © 2008
I have seen many more that I willn ot waste OUR time listing....here is the correct way to write your copyright notice.
copyright © 2008 your name .........................this is the format used on Nolo.com also on the bottom of all wesites I have been to...........
A last thought on this issue.....just be cause you, the photographer, creator of a work is the rightful copyright owner, YOU STILL NEED TO DO A FORMAL COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION WITH THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE FOR ALL YOUR PAST WORK and FUTURE WORKS AS THEY ARE DONE. This way there is no doubt if you have to take someone to court for copyright infringement.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Just a Slight Rant...
I visit several photography forums during the coarse of each week....some I am actually a member of and do sign in, others i just remain in the background LURKING, reading and not posting.
Hre is my rant..............................................there seems to be a rash of photo enthusiast that are too damn LAZY to read their instruction books.....yes them there little paper books that came with their cameras when they purchased them new.
How do I know this to be true....because every where you turn there are people asking things like how do I get my camera into such and such mode....if it a mode on the camera it is in the menus somewhere or you get there by turning a dial or pushing a button.....if it is available on the model they own it is in the instruction booklet......and a lot pf these people are asking these questions just prior to going out on a PAID job, wedding, portrait shoot, motorcycle and auto races.
This is a problem I have noticed in other areas of society also.....no one wants to take the hard road so to speak and actually read and learn to do ANYTHING, no just photography.....literally anything................................................................................no one wants to do their homework any more....it just isn't fun...........................OR IS IT AND THEY JUST KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MISSING :-}}}
Namaste.
Hre is my rant..............................................there seems to be a rash of photo enthusiast that are too damn LAZY to read their instruction books.....yes them there little paper books that came with their cameras when they purchased them new.
How do I know this to be true....because every where you turn there are people asking things like how do I get my camera into such and such mode....if it a mode on the camera it is in the menus somewhere or you get there by turning a dial or pushing a button.....if it is available on the model they own it is in the instruction booklet......and a lot pf these people are asking these questions just prior to going out on a PAID job, wedding, portrait shoot, motorcycle and auto races.
This is a problem I have noticed in other areas of society also.....no one wants to take the hard road so to speak and actually read and learn to do ANYTHING, no just photography.....literally anything................................................................................no one wants to do their homework any more....it just isn't fun...........................OR IS IT AND THEY JUST KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MISSING :-}}}
Namaste.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Portfolios
I have seen several posts relating to what type and size of portfolio do I need....will a 4x6 work for me????
Let me begin by saying that if you trying to present yourself as a professional then NO a 4x6 size is out of the question.......4x6's are for snap shot's not really good for proofs but most of use them cause their cheap.....also a reason not to use a 4x6" port....makes you look very cheap, like you do not wish to truly invest in your future.....and that is what a portfolio is for to make your future as bright and wonderful as it can be....................so that being said.....here goes.
Smallest portfolio you should ever....I repeat ever show is 8x10, after a very long time in this business I still show portraits and weddings in 8 x 10 if the prospective client does not have access to the internet (oh yeah some people still do not have compouters at home or browse the internet with their cell phones).
I actuallyt suggest using a 16 x 20 if your having a pro lab print your port photos or maybe 14 x 17" if your printing yourself at home on your pro injet printer....
I have used various brands of black leatherette portfolio binders, my supplier currently offers Itoya and they are good....using acid free pages is a must (and Itoya does that).....
Now if you really want to make an impression with a gallery, do a coffee table book from Asuka books or Blurb or another online publisher that does very good reputable work. By reputable go on some forums and ask for recommendations from forum members see who they are actually using.
For the lack of better terminalogy, this is the one place that size truly does matter and there is no magick pill to make that portfolio grow.............so in the interest of your future.....Make that portfolio a little bit bigger than you think you can afford and that is where to begin also if you have the Galleries contact info wrtite or email them (for email it looks much better if it is not yahoo, hotmail, gmail or other such services as this cheapens your look also) but go to a doamin registrar, like GO DADDY and buy a commerical email addy for ~$10/yr....something as simple as yourname @yourname.com, looks much better than yourname@hotmail.com.....the first one makes your unique...the 2nd one makes you look just like any ordinary cheap person.
Let me begin by saying that if you trying to present yourself as a professional then NO a 4x6 size is out of the question.......4x6's are for snap shot's not really good for proofs but most of use them cause their cheap.....also a reason not to use a 4x6" port....makes you look very cheap, like you do not wish to truly invest in your future.....and that is what a portfolio is for to make your future as bright and wonderful as it can be....................so that being said.....here goes.
Smallest portfolio you should ever....I repeat ever show is 8x10, after a very long time in this business I still show portraits and weddings in 8 x 10 if the prospective client does not have access to the internet (oh yeah some people still do not have compouters at home or browse the internet with their cell phones).
I actuallyt suggest using a 16 x 20 if your having a pro lab print your port photos or maybe 14 x 17" if your printing yourself at home on your pro injet printer....
I have used various brands of black leatherette portfolio binders, my supplier currently offers Itoya and they are good....using acid free pages is a must (and Itoya does that).....
Now if you really want to make an impression with a gallery, do a coffee table book from Asuka books or Blurb or another online publisher that does very good reputable work. By reputable go on some forums and ask for recommendations from forum members see who they are actually using.
For the lack of better terminalogy, this is the one place that size truly does matter and there is no magick pill to make that portfolio grow.............so in the interest of your future.....Make that portfolio a little bit bigger than you think you can afford and that is where to begin also if you have the Galleries contact info wrtite or email them (for email it looks much better if it is not yahoo, hotmail, gmail or other such services as this cheapens your look also) but go to a doamin registrar, like GO DADDY and buy a commerical email addy for ~$10/yr....something as simple as yourname @yourname.com, looks much better than yourname@hotmail.com.....the first one makes your unique...the 2nd one makes you look just like any ordinary cheap person.
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