(why you shouldn’t use an image right out of the camera without prepping it)
I try to be clear with clients about how important it it to ‘Prep’ photo for publication, not to just run a shot right out of the camera. I think this makes a great side-by-side point of why…
When you only see the camera image with nothing to compare it to, it doesn’t look too bad, but when you see what it could be, it makes a huge difference. This image will be on the cover of an invitation, so they knew it would be important to have the photo prepped.
Cost this improvement… just $10.
Check out some more dramatic ‘Before & After’ examples I’ve posted HERE.
This was a series I shot for the YMCA Annual Report & File. Mary Kay Walrath at the Y is awesome, and lets me shoot tons of whatever takes my interest and then has some terrific designers that use the photos well. Look for my photos on a ‘Y’ Bus in Rochester soon!
1 Comment (from my old blog)
Lisa
Wow! What a difference. Great example.
I love shooting theatre in general and I really enjoy the chances I get to photograph students learning theatre. They are so into it, and you just can tell that some of them have the ‘it’ that could allow them to make it. It’s cool to see.
These shots are from the Geva Theatre Center (Rochester NY) Summer Showcase student program. The Geva education staff is awesome and the instructors would look framiliar to audiences, since they are working actors, muscians, etc. The whole program is first rate and this year
the student actors really had terrific professionalism and focus (that means not breaking into giggles, among other things 
My best to you guys!
I was talking a while back to two young photographers. One was very shy and polite, the other was a born actress and very outgoing.
Did they get different images?
You bet. All technical issues aside, the one thing that differentiated them was how close they were willing to get to their subject.
My polite student liked to stay back and not get in anyones way and the actress, well, she knew everyone loved having their photo taken (and talking to her as well!).
So, what’s the lesson?
For great images, you have to forget yourself a bit, get in close (without being a total jerk) and get the best shot. People can just feel how close you were when they see the image… and they love it.
1/4000th of a second Shutter Speed is pretty cool too!
These shots from the YMCA Rochester ‘Big Event’ @ Camp Arrowhead are a variation on that idea. Sometimes getting in close means getting wet. Good thing the D200 is pretty water-tight, but I did lose a few shots to spots on the lens…so remember to keep drying it off.
But that’s a whole lot of Summer splashing toward the viewer there, and it makes for a much better shot.
Mike Epstein, former Rochester Red Wing and Baltimore Oriole (2nd from RIght), along with Naomi Silver and friends.
