All Forum Comments
here's an old image shot withthe same lens at 2.2:
Comment by Don posted on Best Bokeh Lens at 02/12/2009 - 01:41
Anvh wrote:
Don, will be looking forward to that!
Will your photo looks very nice and not just the bokeh!
I believe the older lenses have a better bokeh then the newer one because of the correction they do to make the lens sharper.
Didn't get a chance to go out and shoot like I hoped. but here's an ornament shot with the 85mm soft..Don, will be looking forward to that!
Will your photo looks very nice and not just the bokeh!
I believe the older lenses have a better bokeh then the newer one because of the correction they do to make the lens sharper.
at f4, so it's a little sharper, and the out of focus highlights show the shape of the aperture blades... looks a little nicer at f2.2 when the boke is round... but mabee I'll get the chance to shoot something interesting tommorow.
Comment by Don posted on Best Bokeh Lens at 02/12/2009 - 01:01
Dear Santa,
Please gimme that lens for x-mas... oh you might want to wrap it with Meagan Fox... I wouldn't want it to get damaged.
Signed, the (late if wife reads this) Don.
Please gimme that lens for x-mas... oh you might want to wrap it with Meagan Fox... I wouldn't want it to get damaged.
Signed, the (late if wife reads this) Don.
Comment by Don posted on Xmas Present at 01/12/2009 - 20:47
link
link
link
oops one of those links is only aboot drinkin...
anyways there are some cold weather tips if you try searching you'll find wayyyy more than you bargianed for ! stay warm!
link
link
oops one of those links is only aboot drinkin...
anyways there are some cold weather tips if you try searching you'll find wayyyy more than you bargianed for ! stay warm!
Comment by Don posted on Cold exposure tips (no pun intended) at 01/12/2009 - 20:34
pink wrote:
I think this is getting of subject a bit
I conducted myself with complete professionally and with out fuss I directed clients/wife friend in a professional manner at no time was my self or my assistants unprofessional.
The Clients/wife friends where very impressed with the way I worked and said "they would recommend me"
and more to the point they where impressed and delighted with their images
all i was asking for was help and advice with the sd card and stop the root of free
James
Glad to hear it!I think this is getting of subject a bit
I conducted myself with complete professionally and with out fuss I directed clients/wife friend in a professional manner at no time was my self or my assistants unprofessional.
The Clients/wife friends where very impressed with the way I worked and said "they would recommend me"
and more to the point they where impressed and delighted with their images
all i was asking for was help and advice with the sd card and stop the root of free
James
Please consider the off topic remarks as general advice for others out there that might find themselves being asked to do freebie. lot's of people use the 'search' function to research questions they have that may have already been asked and answered.
Comment by Don posted on how do I protect my self at 01/12/2009 - 20:05
ChrisA wrote:
In that respect it's clear what the dollar value of the gift is, although it's perhaps rubbing their nose in it a little to give them an actual gift certificate. If I give someone a present, I don't leave the price tag on it to show them how expensive it was.
But different strokes for different folks, I guess.
For an amateur the 'value', as such, is less clear. Giving up a weekend or two that you would otherwise have spent doing something else, has no dollar value as such, since it's your spare time that you've given freely.
I may be completely wrong, but somehow I sense that the OP is taking out his frustration with himself (for not making things clear up front) and with the guest that trashed his lens, (Edit: and with his wife, for stitching him up ) on the friends whose wedding he's shot for them as a gift.
Making the friends responsible, even in some 'token' way, for the damage to the lens, is just wrong, to my mind. It wasn't their fault, so suck it up, instead of trying to get them to pay for what they didn't break.
If it's a gift, perhaps it should be given a little more freely.
If it's not a gift, make it clear.
I agree for the most part... but I got a friend that runs a restaurant, and another that sells cars... I don't ask them for freebies.... most times when I do get asked it is for silent auction prizes...Don wrote:
I have given gift certificates ( with an actual dollar amount on them) to friends and when they see the dollar amount on the gift certificate, and the regular price list, they never ask for extra freebies and they appreciate the work I do for them.
I think perhaps it's a little different when you're a pro, giving for nothing what you normally charge for. When it's your living, and it's clear to the recipient of the gift that you spent time on them, that you could have been using to earn money for yourself. I have given gift certificates ( with an actual dollar amount on them) to friends and when they see the dollar amount on the gift certificate, and the regular price list, they never ask for extra freebies and they appreciate the work I do for them.
In that respect it's clear what the dollar value of the gift is, although it's perhaps rubbing their nose in it a little to give them an actual gift certificate. If I give someone a present, I don't leave the price tag on it to show them how expensive it was.
But different strokes for different folks, I guess.
For an amateur the 'value', as such, is less clear. Giving up a weekend or two that you would otherwise have spent doing something else, has no dollar value as such, since it's your spare time that you've given freely.
I may be completely wrong, but somehow I sense that the OP is taking out his frustration with himself (for not making things clear up front) and with the guest that trashed his lens, (Edit: and with his wife, for stitching him up ) on the friends whose wedding he's shot for them as a gift.
Making the friends responsible, even in some 'token' way, for the damage to the lens, is just wrong, to my mind. It wasn't their fault, so suck it up, instead of trying to get them to pay for what they didn't break.
If it's a gift, perhaps it should be given a little more freely.
If it's not a gift, make it clear.
the point was it is bad for business to have people thinking you'll work for nothing... the next bride never wants to pay more than the last bride, and if all your business comes word of mouth, She already knows what the last bride paid.
Comment by Don posted on how do I protect my self at 01/12/2009 - 19:50
pink wrote:
ken I'm sorry but i find your contribution to my plea for help offensive
James
Many pros would respond harsher. When amateurs step into a competitive business and market/price/conduct themselves in a manor that hurts/devalues the industry... it affects everyone in the industry.ken I'm sorry but i find your contribution to my plea for help offensive
James
I get people frequently arguing about my pricing, saying "I got a freind with a nice camera who will do this for free, a hundred bucks, half what you charge" etc...
The ones that hire us are the ones that believe us when we tell them all the things that can go wrong.
You are at least, one step over the cliched "friend with a nice camera", and you actually got some nice images for them. alot of those guys don't have back up gear...
but it's not good for professional wedding photography out there, the way you're doing things.
So please, consider that word of mouth thing I mentioned earlier, do what you must to make them happy, then if you want to work for free, call up some pros and offer to work as an assistant to gain some experience, learn the job, then ask them for a job, if no job, then start a business properly.
Please don't take offense when the kinds of pros you just undercut on a job they make their living at, try to be frank and honest with you.
Comment by Don posted on how do I protect my self at 01/12/2009 - 19:40
for studio work, my 50mm prime 16-45 zoom and 100mm macro rule the roost...
my advice: if you use zooms, pay for constant aperture zooms... the last thing you need is to have to "Fix" exposures every time you zoom the lens. which is what's gonna happen if your using studio lighting...
my advice: if you use zooms, pay for constant aperture zooms... the last thing you need is to have to "Fix" exposures every time you zoom the lens. which is what's gonna happen if your using studio lighting...
Comment by Don posted on Studio Setup at 01/12/2009 - 19:07
mikew wrote:
You set the value of your time when you agreed to do the shoot for nothing. Two times nothing is nothing.
I never work for nothing. I may give a reduction but they'll know the real cost and how generous I am in the reduction. I hasten to add this is not photographic work which I don't do but I am full time self employed.
Keep the friends and just do what they want! Friendship is valuable.
Mike
I hope chris a reads this post and understands that in tune with what I said earlier.Quote:
Don wrote:
Never work for free or for friends that want free....
That's not very nice if it's really the generalisation it seems.
What people don't pay for they don't respect. Since it's free it has no perceived value or cost in their eyes so that asking for more adds no more cost to you.Don wrote:
Never work for free or for friends that want free....
That's not very nice if it's really the generalisation it seems.
You set the value of your time when you agreed to do the shoot for nothing. Two times nothing is nothing.
I never work for nothing. I may give a reduction but they'll know the real cost and how generous I am in the reduction. I hasten to add this is not photographic work which I don't do but I am full time self employed.
Keep the friends and just do what they want! Friendship is valuable.
Mike
I have given gift certificates ( with an actual dollar amount on them) to friends and when they see the dollar amount on the gift certificate, and the regular price list, they never ask for extra freebies and they appreciate the work I do for them.
Comment by Don posted on how do I protect my self at 01/12/2009 - 19:02
time for some hard knocks learning:
chalk it up to a learning experience.
Then write a business plan, make up some contracts, get a business licence and some forms.
Get a proper gear bag and NEVER set your gear down anywhere.. if it comes out of the bag, get your shot, back in the bag it goes... I recommend a pelican case, a small backpack and a hip pack...
Never work for free or for friends that want free....
We pros charge what we do for good reasons...
I say sit down with them, explain what you'd like from them and what you are willing to give and see where they are at... be prepared to bend.
Good luck.
pink wrote:
ok you all have valuable points
How ever I really feel that I am been ripped off. Happens to those that don't do thier business planning. Written Contract
worked all those hours for free worked hard all day and not to mention the sleepless nights and all the hours getting the images right and on to discBusiness plan and experience, you have to know what you are doing when you write the quote.
with watermarks to stop people copying the images.
I also had a lens broken by one of the wedding guests ( they didn't even offer to have it replaced/repaired not even a sorry) unless it was done deliberately... looking after your gear is on you, you set it someplace? business insurance.
I'm even giving them a wedding book for free as this was what i said i would do as a wedding gift.
but their is only so much I want to give
as they have not paid for the event or final images do I retain copyrights can I refuse to release to imagesnow is not the best time to be negotiating fees... you aren't going to win if they go around bad mouthing you.
James
get out of this one as fast as you can, even if at a loss .ok you all have valuable points
How ever I really feel that I am been ripped off. Happens to those that don't do thier business planning. Written Contract
worked all those hours for free worked hard all day and not to mention the sleepless nights and all the hours getting the images right and on to discBusiness plan and experience, you have to know what you are doing when you write the quote.
with watermarks to stop people copying the images.
I also had a lens broken by one of the wedding guests ( they didn't even offer to have it replaced/repaired not even a sorry) unless it was done deliberately... looking after your gear is on you, you set it someplace? business insurance.
I'm even giving them a wedding book for free as this was what i said i would do as a wedding gift.
but their is only so much I want to give
as they have not paid for the event or final images do I retain copyrights can I refuse to release to imagesnow is not the best time to be negotiating fees... you aren't going to win if they go around bad mouthing you.
James
chalk it up to a learning experience.
Then write a business plan, make up some contracts, get a business licence and some forms.
Get a proper gear bag and NEVER set your gear down anywhere.. if it comes out of the bag, get your shot, back in the bag it goes... I recommend a pelican case, a small backpack and a hip pack...
Never work for free or for friends that want free....
We pros charge what we do for good reasons...
I say sit down with them, explain what you'd like from them and what you are willing to give and see where they are at... be prepared to bend.
Good luck.
Comment by Don posted on how do I protect my self at 01/12/2009 - 18:03
