Are you still a photographer if you're not taking photos? 

I'd like to think that I am regardless of whether I am shooting or not. I watch tons of YouTube videos on what's happening in the still business as well as videos. Where photographers are shooting national tv commercials in their living rooms, bed rooms and kitchens. All of that is pretty inspirational. I am grateful for those YouTubers that graciously and generously share what they know.

We all need inspiration. Otherwise we'd never get out of bed. Covid has given us challenges to keep up, keep being inspired and keep taking pictures even if it's just for us. It's like a muscle. Exercise it and you'll have good results.

Being a commercial photographer in the Southeast USA, Birmingham Alabama and Atlanta Georgia in particular, has its challenges. Being a fashion photographer in this area is even more challenging. So even if clients haven't yet come back knocking on the studio door because of Covid, it's important to work for your self. Try a new style...a new light...a new place...a new/different lens...use strobes outside.  Expand your comfort zone. Hang out with your photographer friends and share ideas and new solutions

Like someone once said;  If you don't like the pictures you're taking, stand in a different place

Chuck St John

We don't need no stinkin Meter!

I am sure you've at least a time or two seen a light meter. I am also sure you went..."what in the world?

I had an interesting chat with a European photographer who has tons of experience and is very good. He claimed with out a shred of doubt that he doesn't use a light meter, and doesn't think anyone else should either. You know like...go on a road trip and paint your windshield black and leave your map or smart phone at home

He claims that the meter gets in the way of his creativity and that he can measure the light better on his computer than anyone with a meter. Of course this fellow shoots mostly in studio but my point is...how do you KNOW what your strobe is outputting unless you measure it? All he's done is exchange the meter for measuring it in the computer to 1/255 th of a stop. Never mind that science has proven that humans can almost never see a 1/10 of a stop difference much less 1/255

This is silly of course but the point is knowing what your light is doing is critical to getting the exposure right...or at least getting it where you want it. A meter does not tell you what to do. It tells you what is and as such is merely a guide...not a God.

Obviously I vote for using a meter. More so if you are just starting out.  One thing I know frustrates new shooters is understanding light and if you have no idea what it's doing, how can you progress when exposures are all over the lot. Use a meter. Don't guess

~Chuck St John

June 3, 2021

Setting up a new studio

When setting up a studio for the first time, I am often asked…What do I need?

 So here are is a list of what will help you get going if you shoot products. Some of these will definitely help even if photographing people.

 These items come from what I have in studio along with some items I’ve secured via hints from other photographers:

 Gaffer tape (black electrical tape too!)

 A-Clamps or Spring clamps (Home Depot!)

 Gels (Roscoe makes them and you can order online)

  Multiple colors and some ND (Neutral Density) come in quite handy

 Hot Glue gun (get the clear glue for it)

 Canned Air (blowing dust of sets or ‘subjects)

 Acrylic mirrors for setting items on for a nice reflection

 Tons of fill cards;  black, white, gold and silver)

 Rolled diffusion material (Savage Translum)

 Spray bottles (for spraying a water/glycerine mix so the drops stay put!)

 C-Stands and gobo arms and knuckles (Adorama or Amazon-Amazon is cheaper)

Now of course this won’t make you a killer photographer all alone but these goodiesWill definitely make your life easier and make creating images a lot easier if you have these helpers 

In future blog posts, I’ll show how some if these fun goodies are used.

~Chuck St John - June 10, 2021

Information in the Shadows

I follow quite a few other photographers on YouTube so when I saw a fellow pull an image out of what looked like the subject was D-max (yes I am old school), I was pretty surprised so...I decided to test out this procedure and see if he was right or just blowing smoke

I am attaching the before, the after and a screen shot of what my setting were to get the result

Your comments and observations are appreciated

Chuck St John - June 23, 2021

What not to say to a Photographer 

•Yes you're invited to the wedding! Can you bring your camera and take a few quickie snaps?

•Why don't you try this angle?

•Can my daughter/son shadow you for a few days? They want to learn what you know.

Well, of course these are pretty innocent sounding until you dig into them a little and you see how incendiary that they actually are.

First off, we don't do 'snaps'.  My cowboy shirt does though :-). Seriously, this makes what we do sound absolutely trivial. Few are aware

of just how much time and money it costs to do well in the commercial field.

  Rent 

  Insurance

  Cell phone

  Internet access

  Computer costs

  Archiving costs

  Software

  Subscription costs

  Vehicles

  Accounting/Legal costs

  Advertising

  Repairs to equipment

  Taxes and licensing

  Continuing education

  Quite a list isn't it?  

So to have someone want you to do something like 'snaps'  because they don't want to pay a photographer to cover their wedding or event is pretty insulting. Likewise to have someone tell you how to take and from where to compose a photo is also crapping on our craft. And having someone leech off you in hopes that you'll reveal the holy grail to you on how to basically 'take your job' is not anything we need to be ok with

There's never a really good response to questions like these. Those where folks want you to do something for free. Just smiling and looking stupid generally works for me

~Chuck St John - July 28, 2021