Hey Gang
for all of you who follow this blog I wanted to let you know that it is getting closed down. I have set up a NEW blog at my old web site www.vrbuzard.com You will need to go there and resubscribe to the RSS feed. Oh and NEW posts are coming soon, sorry about the delay.
I also have a NEW online gallery at http://pa.photoshelter.com/c/vonrbuzard this will be getting a NEW domain name…just as soon as I can decide on one
People often ask what I do for a living and I answer that I am a catalog photographer. Now the photographer part they understand but the catalog part sounds weird to most. Basically I photograph product that is meant for the sole purpose of selling that product. It’s kinda like shooting it for advertising except I need to be able to shoot 100 items a day and make them all look the same, but at the same time highlight each items selling points. Many times I have to figure out what to highlight and what not too on my own. Think of a catalog of car tires. Notice how all the tires are shown from the same angle, all the tire show the logos in the same place, all look the same size. Now throw in a steering wheel, same basic shape (round), still not so hard to light and pose the same. Now add in a can of oil, a cover for the steering wheel, a bottle of car wax. All of these items need to be shot with the same lighting and with a certain amount of continuity so they all look like they belong together. Now imagine photographing each item days, weeks, months or even a year apart from each other, sometimes done at multiple locations. Do you remember what you had for lunch a week ago? Try remembering a lighting set-up from 5 months ago at a location that doesn’t exist because the company has moved.
That’s what I do, it’s not glamorous but I love doing it
Not to long ago most companies would create a printed catalog once to a few times per year. These catalogs would show their newest product and carry over items from the previous catalog. An ordinary assignment would consist of setting up in a clients office or warehouse space where all of the product would be ready and shooting anywhere from 100 to 500 (upwards into a couple thousand), spending anywhere from a day to a week (maybe a month at most) shooting non-stop. These days, printed catalogs do not compete with the web. Clients will still do printed catalogs but they want it NOW for the web. Printed catalogs take time to design, layout, proof, print and distribute. The web, it goes live and is available for sale instantly. Direct mail campaigns are now done via email. A new product becomes available and a client wants to email a photo to their customer now. The photos are as important as ever and quality photos even more so. Years ago I may shoot 2,000 items for a client in any given year, but now instead of shooting 20 full days throughout the year it’s been broken up into a few hours here and there. I’m still shooting 2,000 items, just not all at once.
I spend most of my time going from one client to another. I shoot a few here, then a few there. It is a lot more economical if the clients were to send me the items and I could photograph one item after another, one client after another, quickly and without interruption. It can save clients a lot of money and save me a lot of time. There is only one problem. Clients are also now selling items without having the merchandise in their hands. They will get one sample piece and start selling before they even place the order with their supplier. Most do not want to let their only sample out of their sight even for a day or two. Today many companies will have their own in-house photo set-up and have an existing employee, assistant, IT guy or relative of the owner (whoever owns the best camera) do the picture taking (usually for no or very little money). For lack of a better description, that is my competition. When the company finally decides it’s time to step up (or because the guy with a camera is on vacation) they see the difference that quality photography can do and will never go back to what they used to get.
I’ve also heard folks saying that CGI (Computer Generated Images) are replacing product photography. Personally, I have yet to see any and most of what I photograph would be too expensive to do that way. The only evidence I have seen is when special effects are involved.
Most companies don’t realize that they will never be competitive in their marketplace if they don’t take the photography (and marketing) seriously. Next time you get a catalog or flyer in the mail take a close look at the photographs, count how many are used? Are they well lit? Is there a consistent uniformity?
Don’t get me wrong I love what I do, I love the challenges, I just wish companies would care as much about their photography as I do
Hey, it's a living
Previously I broke down all photographers into three categories. Professional, Amateur and Picture Takers. Now I would like to take it further. After deciding where you fall in the above three then we will take it down one are you a…?
Commercial Photographer: Is your work used by businesses to sell or promote it‘s product or services? Advertising, Marketing, Annual Reports, Catalog, etc…
Retail Photographer: Is your work being used for personal use? Portrait, Wedding, etc…
Fine Art: Do you show your work in a gallery setting? Craft/Art Fair?
Now lets take this another step and define by specialties (Forgive me if I accidentally miss some)
Commercial Photographers
Aerial, Animals, Architecture, Autos, Children, Corporate/Industrial, Entertainment, Event/PR, Fashion/Beauty, Food, Lifestyle, Medical, Photojournalism, Portrait, Product/Still-Life, Sports, Travel
Retail Photographers
Portrait Children, Babies, Families, Weddings/Events, Sports (Little League, Community Sporting events)
Fine Art
Landscape, Portrait, Conceptual, Avant Garde, Abstract, Classical, etc…There are way too many for me to try to list
Now you may have noticed that both Commercial and Retail and Fine Art all have Portrait listed. Remember it’s all in who is using the photo and how it is shown to the world
Finally, lets think about Style. What is YOUR style of photography? Personally my Product work has been described as “Clean” and “Straightforward”, While my Portrait work has been called “Soft” and “Alluring”
Pretty much all photography will fit into this, some will cross borders, but not that often
So think about what it is that you do. Me, I fit in like this
I am a Professional, Commercial Photographer who shoots Product for Catalogs in a Clean Straightforward style
Now what are you?
For those out there who have never heard the term TFP it stands for “Trade for Prints” (also sometimes called TFCD). This is a term photographers have used with models and other talents (Stylists & Make-up Artist). This is when a photographer wants to collaborate with another and that instead of payment printed photos or CDs are exchanged. The practice has been around for a long time and it’s a good way for all parties involved to get good images to be used for portfolios (print or web).
I myself do TFP from time to time and would like to do them more often but am held back due to lack of funds or time available. “But wait a minute; didn’t you say that you exchange images instead of money? So how can a lack of funds be a reason for not doing TFP?” Well, even though no money exchanges hands for the Model, Stylist or Make-Up Artist, I myself still have expenses putting together one of these sessions. First, just because I may have a TFP agreement with the model, doesn’t mean that the Make-up artist is working for prints, that person also has expenses and may need to be financially compensated. Second, there can be either travel expenses or studio rental time involved. And third, the time that I am shooting for free is time I could be shooting for a paying client. These costs go both ways, we all need to eat after all.
So why do TFP sessions? Well, sometimes the costs are worth the effort. Clients aren’t always interested in paying for us to create works of art. Sometime we have a vision that we are just itching to let loose. And sometimes, sometimes…it’s Fun.
In fact I would like to change what TFP stands for…from now on how about we call it…
THE FUN PHOTOS
I mean, why not? These photos are supposed to be about US, about OUR vision, about photos the WE want to make.
But, at the same time, you know what isn’t very much fun? Models that show up late or unprepared or don’t show up at all (same goes for photographers who stand up models). Studio time costs money and wasting money is never fun. Personally, I don’t find it fun spending time trying to decide what the model should wear. Did you ever notice a guy shopping with his wife/girlfriend as they decide what looks good; do they look like they are having fun? No. When I schedule a TFP session I tell the model what I want them to bring for my vision and anything else is up to them for their vision. You know what else is fun? Talking, I enjoy discussing what the session will be about and how to achieve that goal.
So, with that in mind, let’s have some fun making Great Photographs
Von Buzard
www.vrbuzard.com
Model Mayhem Profile
http://twitter.com/VonRBuzard
I have been thinking that maybe I should write an eBook about some of the lighting techniques I have used over the years.
I recently downloaded HDR software from PhotoMatrix and am upset that there isn’t any good material out there about how to make HDR images using the software. They do have a video tutorial, but isn’t not very good and really only scrtaches the surface.
That got me thinking about eBooks and why I haven’t written one myself about something that most folks think I do very well….lighting
Anyway, it’s on my to-do list
Recently I was reading a blog posting about how Annie Leibovitz is in financial trouble, something like she owes 24 million. Now mind you, I wouldn’t wish this upon my worse enemy and I hope she can pull out of this mess.
I proceeded to leave a comment that I’m not a fan of her work, it’s a personal opinion, but I find her work uninspired and unoriginal. I wasn’t the only one leaving comments like this, but for some reason I got a ton of replies saying that I don’t know anything about what she does. Now mind you, I did not say that I thought I was better then her, merely that I think there are a lot of other photographers out there who deserve more praise. From what I’ve seen of her work (and I even stated that maybe I hadn’t seen enought of her work and that maybe someone could show me some of her work that may enlighten me) I find it to be nothing special.
I have always said, if I’m wrong then show me why. Show me the proof
I stopped replying to that other blog because it was getting me no where
If you are a fan of Ms Leibovitz, please post a link to some of her work that will make me say “Dammn that’s great work” till then I will admire the work of Steiglitz, Stiechen, Breeson, Newton, Avedon, Man Ray, etc….
The other day I was walking by Quimby’s bookstore and saw this in the window. Sexy women with what I hope are movie corpse props. Anyway I guess it just goes to show that there is something out there for everyone.
Also, for those who think the photo market is shrinking. Think about this, if there is a niche market for Girls and Corpses there is a market for anything
Every now and then I hear someone making the statement that they are a PROFESSIONAL photographer and shortly after that someone else gets in a huff about, “How can that person call themselves a Pro?” “They don’t have a studio”
used in store at K-Mart for jewelry display
“So and So bout that camera and now they think they are a Pro”
I would like to add my two cents in as what I think defines a Pro and what doesn’t
My teacher in college, Bob White, used to say there are three types of photographers in this world…
Professional: They know what they are doing and they make a living at it.
Amateur: They know what they are doing, they just don’t make money doing it
Picture Shooters: Everyone else
I always like this analogy
Some folks say that they have professional ethics so that makes them pro…but think about it. How many business people act unethically? Not all, but I think we can all think of a few (Banking comes to mind). Professional ethics are great,, but they are the icing on the Professional Cake and not line in the sand
I like to think that professionals without ethics/standards don’t earning a living for very long, but there are the occasional snake oil salesmen
If you are in business then you know to get references and to check them out, that’s part of your ethics/standards. Don’t expect less from a photographer/business then you would from yourself
Just because you have an expensive camera does not make you a pro or give you justification to try becoming a pro photographer. Same is you bought expensive golf clubs, you wouldn’t try to justify it by trying to get into the PGA. Would you?
Oh and here is a recent What the Duck comic strip I think is fitting.
What the Duck
Thank you Aaron Johnson for letting me posting your work
I wanted to take a second and let you know about two really excellent links available from the ASMP
and
I’ve recently added a Search function to my web site (located in the upper right corner of each page) this will give users the ability to find any image I have via Photoshelter. This is the first step I am taking to making my site totally dynamic and more user friendly
Thank You
Von R Buzard
www.vrbuzard.com
also remember you can follow my exploits via Twitter at…twitter.com/VonRBuzard
Von R Buzard @ Photoshelter
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