One of the methods we often employ is making the most of the natural light around you.  This is especially important when photographing large objects such as cars.  Although we can correct some lighting issues with the addition of flash, for most outdoor editorial shots we have time and cost limits to bear in mind.  We have used as many as 10 heads before shooting cars for advertising however generally we are making do with 2 or 3 heads and portable lighting.  Getting the car into the right type of light and positioning it so you can see the shape of the car, or to create the impact you want is essential.  In the above photo we wanted to emphasise how aggressive the car looked from the front and also wanted to make a big deal out of the Audi corporate grill.  The shot, with a wide angle lens did everything we wanted … and being shot towards last light we were able to keep it low key and use flash as necessary to highlight the details on the front.  if you are unhappy with the lighting when you are taking a shot … stop, and change it, move the car, move yourself … but don’t settle for second best!

I’m not going to say anything else.  I just want you to go to the site, download some of them, load them into your brushes palette and use them!  You might be stuck at first coming up with ideas as to how to make them work but keep at it and you will find it relatively easy to start making creative changes to come of your work.  Of course being able to use the pen tool and creating multiple layers will help you to make the most of using brushes in Photoshop however I just want to spark some creativity in those who are perhaps first time users of brushes.  If you’ve used them before and discarded them previously because they didn’t fit into your style then go back and have another go.  Chances are you are now much more competent than you were when you last used them!  Feel free to email me your initial attempts!

http://www.pbrushes.com/category/photoshop-brushes/

Audi TT Roadster shot using Broncolor Mobil head and A2R powerpack. The single light was moved around the car and then the layers were blended in Photoshop beforea little post processing work to make the image fit the nature of the article we are writing to accompany it.

I have been shooting the new Audi TT Roadster yesterday, and reviewing the vehicle for a road test feature.  Here is the first image from the shoot.  I filmed a short video post too which explains that this was shot using just one light!  We worked around the car and then blended the exposures together in photoshop to give the finished image.  For the purposes of demonstration we shot this using a Broncolor Mobil kit and a Bron Mobil head.  We also shot a number of shots using a lastolite ezybox and Canon Speedlite to show that you can still find workaround solutions when using small flash units too.

The raised hands and material give a celebratory feel to the shot, and the processing is a little different. It's about giving choice without compromising on quality and style and this image does just that. The composition is simple and shot wider gives a real sense of space to the shot, fully capitalising on the scenery.

Thanks to Mark Tierney for writing this post for the blog: http://www.tierneyphotography.co.uk/ I’ve added comments with a few of the images to explain why these are particular favourites.

This is Joanna having a trash the dress shoot in her red wedding dress, taken at various locations on the Sheffield side of the Peak District.  The first location was shot at the base of the massive dam wall at Derwent Reservoir. This is the reservoir where the famous  http://www.dambusters.org.uk/index.htm Dambusters trained during World War II. As we walking up to the dam a RAF Hercules transport plane flew in between the towers and I had my camera in my bag – aaarrgghh! What a great sight though! The second location was further down the Derwent Valley at the Ladybower overspill hole. The last location was high up on a windswept Baslow Edge. The conditions were perfect with some nice moody clouds over the valley.  I must say Joanna was great to work with and it was quite cold up there and she never complained once. Thanks for being a great model Joanna

Mark has used strong composition, great use of colour again with the red dress, and a real sense of movement to make a striking shot. Plenty of flash power helps freeze the motion of the dress in this image, revealing the sensuous curves and folds.

There are so many different terms for these type of shoots, trash the dress, rock my dress, love my dress,  http://www.chrishanleyphotography.com/ cherish my dress and even shoot my dress, take your pick.  The idea behind Rock the Dress is simple – instead of packing your beautiful dress away in the loft never to be seen again, choose a location and end up with some distinctive photographs that are a world away from traditional wedding portraits. What Rock my Dress  gives you is the opportunity to get some very different images, taken in locations that you normally wouldn’t go to, to take formal photographs. You don’t have to trash the dress; Joanna’s dress looked like new after the shoot, apart from the champagne stains from her wedding day

Another stunning shot that any bride would cherish. The location provides a real sense of freedom and remoteness, and again the graphical red colour adds real drama to this scene

Shooting from a low angle just gives another POV. Isolating the bride against the sky and making for a cleaner shot. Don't be afraid to work different angles to create shots which stand out from the crowd.

Using the wind to billow the dress out is a sign of good thinking! It pays to be opportunistic as a photographer and once again you've a real sense of motion and isolation here in this shot. Not to mention there's plenty of space for text in the image should Mark want to use the shot for advertising at some stage in the future!

No matter … I’d like to hear from you.  You can contact me in any number of ways including by emailing dan@pearsonevansmedia.com

Text has to be well written, and appropriate for the audience.  We get around 600 to 1000 photographers reading this blog currently every week.  My aim is to grow this number and bring even more information to the existing audience.  The only thing that I ask in return for posting here is that a link is made back from your facebook, website, twitter accounts etc  I will equally provide a link to you as part of your article post on here.  Maybe some of you will become regular writers on here and that really would be a cool thing!  I don’t expect an immediate take up but the offer is there and hopefully you have the motivation to do it!

You may not like this fact and you may have plenty of excuses but believe me … Its still fact!

So what have I done this morning? Well I’ve checked my emails … My business pages on twitter, facebook and a couple of my blogs. I’ve emailed a client … Read the news .. Visited a couple of photography blogs … And I’m not yet out of bed!

As it happens I’ve forgot to bring a couple of files home from the office too. No real issue as I can connect to the hard drive they are stored on from my laptop .. No matter where I am … Saving me an hours round trip!

Have you taken a long hard look at HOW you do business this week? Have you thought about the operation behind your revenue and looked at how slick it is … Can you see places you can make improvements? I’m pretty sure can … So go take that look. Be realistic and honest with yourself. Commit the time and energy to effecting a positive change. Taking on board new technology and putting the effort in across the board takes energy and commitment … Dig deep though and you’ll find you’ve got plenty!

Anyway its time for breakfast for me … So enjoy your sunday. I know I will

Sitting at your desk you email a couple of clients, and enquiries, pick up the phone to a few people, call a supplier, deal with the mail, and phone the couriers to figure out where a missing parcel is.  You’re still selling … in every one of these interactions.  So like it or not you had better accept that selling is part of your job.  Over the past few weeks a few people have mentioned to me that “they are not cut out for sale” or that “they don’t like selling”.  When they work for themselves they really don have any choice in the matter.

So .. if you are willing to accept that the above statement is true – it then figures that you might as well make the best of it!  In yesterdays post I talked a little bit about data management, and that too is part of your selling process.  The quality of your data can make or break your sales efforts that is for sure.  You may think that good sales people are great talkers … in fact generally they are good listeners.  An old adage goes “You have two ears, and one mouth, use them in that proportion” .. it’s wise advice and the grounding for a positive sales attitude.  The reason being that selling requires finding out what clients want, and then giving it to them at a price they are willing to pay, and at a price you can make a profit on.  Doesn’t sound too hard does it??  Good … because it isn’t.

It’s usually fear that stops people making sales though.  Fear of failing.  Fear of picking up the phone.  Fear of proving to themselves what they thought all along – that they couldn’t do it!  I bet you are now a much better photographer than when you first picked up a camera … would that be a fair thing to say?  How did you get better?  Did it just ‘happen’?  No … you worked at it .. you went on the internet, read books, got motivated, went out and practised, asked advice and listened and took it on board …. now you’re much better.  You may be good enough to be making a living already from it in fact!

It’s the same with sales … just repeat the formula.  Work at it, get on the internet, read books, get motivated, go out and practice .. stay in and practice for that matter .. ask advice .. listen, take it on board.  Do all of this and in time you may find that you are actually a GREAT sales person.  It’s maybe just your perspective that is wrong currently … I’m sure you tackle tricky photos these days with ease when once over they were hard … even as a beginner you are likely to be better this month than you were last month!

So .. there you go.  N0thing particularly technical in this post again, nothing instructional, just a few thoughts and ideas.  Pick up the phone on Monday morning and make 20 sales calls though … do it every Monday and promise to keep it up for a year.  See how much extra revenue it brings you in at the end of year … you might be surprised!!

Do you even have a plan for data capture?  If not then perhaps is now the time to be thinking about it.  Lets take a look at the most obvious group here.  Existing customers … they are the bread and butter of your living, however do you have the ability to send them all an email update at the same time?  If not, then why not?  If you can, then are you able to send them a nice well designed email? Or just some random text?  How often do you keep in touch with them?  Do you have their mobile numbers, landlines, and addresses?  Can you mailshot them all in one go?

Existing customers are one of the most positive sources of repeat business and it’s far cheaper to market to this group than it is to generate new business.  Yet many photographers are failing to take advantage of this set of people.  With the ever advancement of technology it has become easier and easier to target different customer groups and to really send a unique message.  There are plenty of choices when it comes to contact management.  From the like of Microsoft’s Outlook to Sage’s ACT software.  These are both very affordable entry level options that will give you the basics in terms of staying in touch with customers and helping to manage your data.  I’m not going to go into how often and the timings of sending your messages – I’m just looking to prompt you into thinking about it.

On another note what are you doing to generate new business?  Do you go to wedding fairs? do you advertise locally? do you run competitions in the local press? do you send press releases?  If so then how do you get data from customers?  Do you incentivise them into giving you their details?   What reason do you give them that makes it worthwhile them staying in touch with you or your brand?  Do you try to help them by giving them valuable free advice or free information that’s GENUINELY valuable to them?  Do you get their business cards? If so do you immediately put them into your database and send them an email straight away, so they have all your contact details????

In the era of the internet another company is just one click away.  Do you want them to drift off or have forgot about you by the time they come round to making a buying decision?  I doubt it … and that’s why this is important.  We stay in touch with customers on a regular basis … it’s one of the most important parts of our marketing plan.  We have email on all our phones, and multiple email accounts.  We have access to key staff email accounts and across all our different brands.  We make use of new technology where possible to make it easier to work … in fact we make it easier to work less – by working smart, as well as hard.

I actually like that slogan “Making it easier, to work less – by working smart, as well as hard”

It’s a timely message and one that I like to remember, because alongside those months where we have to put in the hours, we need to balance it out with months where we get extra time off.  Time for living and time for fun.  By taking control of your business, and being proactive you have a chance to achieve that.  If you let things happen around you, then you end up working more hours, as your data isn’t well managed, sorted, and utilised.  The result is that you have to put in a lot more hours to generate less business than you would if you were using your data effectively.

You may think that the technology is outside your budget .. but it’s unlikely.  I’ve just bought a few Blackberry Mobile phones … on T-Mobile (Even tho all our phone and comms kit is usually with Orange).  Unlimited phone, email, internet and a free Blackberry 9700 for £35+vat per month.  I can keep all my emails on there, contacts, social networking access and I’m connected no matter where I am – for £35 a month.  If you’re a photographer you will already have a computer … go out and invest in the software.  Google CRM .. google Outlook or ACT … look at the choices available and choose the one that best fits your needs.

Just writing this brief commentary I’ve thought of another great way to make use of the data we already have!  So thank you for helping me come up with a new idea   That’s exactly the thing that I’m talking about – through trying to give a little back to others, it appears I’ve benefited myself.  To use one of my least favourite phrases of the 90′s that’s definitely win/win!!!!