A photographer should take time to communicate with customers about the type of photos they are looking for. Formal posing is wonderful but may not be suitable for some people or families. On the other hand what if they appear to want formal photos and then suggest in some way that they have a sense of humor. If you begin taking candid photos of families acting goofy, let them be good and be sure to cull within the camera before showing them to your customer. The moment you think you have it all figured out, you may not. Keep the lines of communication open and clarify or ask even before hitting the shutter button. Employing lightheartedness is not an exception for bad photography. Continually researching new imagery will help with your photo sessions. Photos are abundant in the world we live in and never underestimate a trip to the library. The bottom line is be clear about what your intentions are for the session.  

Speaking of intentions, another thing to think about and communicate to your client prior to beginning the session is how much time they have. You know doubt originally thought through this issue when you booked the appointment. When your client arrives, your job is to serve them. Communicate once again what time they have allowed for the session. People are people and life is messy. What you thought you knew when you booked the session may no longer be true and you may find yourself in a bind. If your client suddenly becomes a control freak, this may be the reason why.  

This one is from the heart and it is for all of you out there with pets. My beloved cat Alley died yesterday. While I do have photos of him, there was something that I felt an urge to do and did not. Yes, you guessed it. I failed to get a formal photograph of myself with him and I now regret it, really regret it.

The truth about life that people don't realize is it is fleeting. One day every living thing whether animal, human or plant to name a few will die. It is the natural order of life to move on to higher grounds and go with God. I am not good with that all the time quite frankly. But we all must meet our maker.

I know photographers and I should have called upon their talents for the sake of a professional portrait of me with my beloved cat. I see that animal dancing on the wings of love in my heart, mind, body and soul, but let's face it, I can't lay my hand on that pretty head ever again. And it hurts. 

Don't put off what you can do for yourself today, you won't regret it.

Long live Alley!

Yes, it is true, the learning never stops and that's probably a good thing. After purchasing my lastest Canon and reading the instruction manual, I was amazed at what little information was included. The good news for me is that I kept the old guide and never threw it away. Call me old fashioned, but I like having the information at my fingertips if need be. 

The old guide goes into great detail about each creative mode, custom white balance setting, processing parameters, AF point selection, exposure compensation and more. The new instruction guide talks about none of this but has alot of detail on full auto techniques. Go figure.

While this information is available in a pdf format, which is better than nothing, problems exist in printing, and being able to bring it with to the field. On the other hand, it is not an insurmountable problem. Just cumbersome. The beauty of the instruction manuals is that they clearly are made to fit in ones camera case.

When hesitating on throwing things away, there is a reason. Listen quietly and the truth will reveal itself.