[Photography] The Canon 1D X Mark III Will Debut With 20 FPS and Enhanced Autofocus

The post The Canon 1D X Mark III Will Debut With 20 FPS and Enhanced Autofocus appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

 

Just last week, Canon announced the long-awaited 1D X Mark III, a flagship DSLR tailored to action and wildlife photographers. The new camera comes as a successor to the Canon 1D X Mark II, which set the tone for sports photographers everywhere.

But what can you expect from the Canon 1D X Mark III? Is it a camera worth purchasing?

First, the Canon 1D X Mark III is a professional action photographer’s camera. So while it will undoubtedly offer the latest and greatest technology, this will come at a price that most enthusiast photographers will be unwilling to pay. The Canon 1D X Mark II debuted at an MSRP of $5999, so you can expect something similar (if not more) for the Canon 1D X Mark III.

That said, for those who can afford it, the Canon 1D X Mark III is looking to be one of the best action cameras money can buy. Let’s check out its specifications:

Specifications

According to the Canon press release, the 1D X Mark III will offer incredible autofocus capabilities. This includes “exceptional precision, reliability, high-performance…and subject tracking.” For any photographer who shoots moving subjects, the Canon 1D X Mark III’s tracking is bound to be better than any previous Canon DSLR.

And these capabilities extend into Live View, where the 1D X Mark III’s Dual Pixel autofocus features 525 AF areas for lightning-fast focusing and accuracy.

Of course, no action camera is complete without a high continuous shooting rate. Here, the Canon 1D X Mark III won’t disappoint; using the optical viewfinder, you can expect up to 16 frames per second of continuous shooting. In Live View, you can shoot up to an incredible 20 frames per second.

Also, the 1D X Mark III promises “more than five times the RAW burst depth of its predecessor,” thanks to a new DIGIC processor and dual CFexpress card slots. Considering the deep buffer of the 1D X Mark II, you can expect extraordinary capabilities that will please any action photographer.

Unfortunately, Canon has not yet announced the sensor details on the Canon 1D X Mark III. We don’t know its resolution (though rumors indicate it may be around 28 megapixels). However, Canon has announced the addition of the HEIF file format, which should allow for better colors and enhanced dynamic range over JPEGs.

Finally, the Canon 1D X Mark III is designed for high-speed transfers and flexibility in the field. The camera features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, as well as a built-in Ethernet connection and an optional wireless file transmitter. This is a nice set of features for pros who need to quickly transfer photos.

There is currently no set release date for the Canon 1D X Mark III. However, you can expect it sometime before mid-2020, and possibly as early as February (if it mirrors the path of the Canon 1D X Mark II, which debuted in February of 2016).

That should give you plenty of time to decide if the camera is right for you.

What do you think about the Canon 1D X Mark III? Does it meet your expectations? Will you be purchasing it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post The Canon 1D X Mark III Will Debut With 20 FPS and Enhanced Autofocus appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] Lens Hoods: What Are They Really For, and Do You Need Them?

The post Lens Hoods: What Are They Really For, and Do You Need Them? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Most camera lenses come with something called a Lens Hood, which looks like a short circular tube that attaches to the front. These diminutive devices seem a little strange, but they can serve several very useful purposes. While some people might be tempted to toss them on the shelf and never give them a second thought, knowing what lens hoods are and how to use them can have a significant impact on your photography.

Why use Lens Hoods?

Imagine this: it’s a bright, sunny day and you are outside for a stroll. The sun is beating down hard and you’re having a bit of trouble seeing clearly, so you hold your hand up to your forehead in an effort to block the light. Congratulations, you’ve just made your very own lens hood for your face! I know this is a bit of an oversimplification, but the lens hood on a camera is about the same as using your hand or a ball cap to block a bit of light when it’s bright out.

It’s kind of like putting a ball cap on your camera, but a lot more effective.

Why would this be beneficial for photography? Since you need light to make photographs, wouldn’t blocking the sunlight be counterproductive? It might seem so, but in reality, you aren’t making the scene any darker just as putting a cap on your head doesn’t make the sun any less potent.

Indeed, the primary reason to embrace your lens hood as an essential photographic companion is that it makes your pictures look better. Its purpose is to prevent your photos from developing a washed-out appearance that tends to happen under certain lighting conditions. They also offer other benefits mostly related to the protection of your camera gear.

The lack of a lens hood gave this picture a washed-out appearance.

These types of pictures happen because harsh, intense light enters the camera lens and gets scattered across a portion of the image as a result. Lens hoods can mitigate much of this problem by acting as a shade over the front glass element.

Attaching a lens hood gave the shot much more contrast and vibrance. Shadows can be brought up in post-production, but if a picture is too washed-out, it can be much more difficult to fix.

When I first got into digital photography many years ago, I didn’t understand the point of lens hoods. I kept them on a shelf at home because they mostly just got in the way and made my camera take up a lot more space in my bag than it needed to.

Or so I thought.

The nice thing about lens hoods is that they are a low-tech solution to what can often be a fairly major problem. Once you start to see the benefits of having a hood on your lens, you won’t see them as a useless waste of space, but essential components of your camera kit.

I always use my lens hoods for portraits. I never know when I will be shooting a backlit scene, and if it happens, it’s good to have the hood to shade the lens.

One thing I have realized over the years is that you need to be prepared to meet the demands of whatever situation you are photographing. Few things are more frustrating than realizing you messed up a picture because of something you could have easily solved with a little pre-planning.

Lens hoods can indeed be a little awkward. However, it’s better to have one on your lens than realize afterward that many shots appear hazy and poorly-lit because you didn’t shade your lens properly.

Lens hoods are particularly useful when shooting into the sun.

Additional benefits

Aside from protecting your pictures from harsh light, lens hoods can physically protect your camera gear too. This is one of the reasons I leave mine on at all times since I often bump and bang my camera. Having a hood protruding from your lens means it will absorb the brunt of most impacts.

If it does get broken, it’s far cheaper to replace than your lens.

After years of use, my lens hoods are full of scratches and scuffs. I’d rather have these easily-replaceable plastic parts bear the brunt of any impacts instead of my actual camera lenses!

I try to be careful with my camera gear and I don’t intentionally abuse it, and I think the same is true of most photographers. But despite my best efforts, accidents certainly can happen. In the normal course of a photoshoot, my camera gets picked up, set down, bounced around, tossed into a bag, put in the trunk of my car, used, and maybe even abused just a little.

A protruding plastic ring isn’t going to save my camera if it gets run over by a dump truck, but it has helped avoid countless bumps and bruises over the years. Is it inconvenient to have the hood always sticking out of my lens? A little, but it’s a lot less inconvenient than having to buy new gear!

I had to follow this cat for a little while and practically lay flat on the ground, to get this shot. Having a hood on my zoom lens was a little extra peace of mind knowing that it wasn’t going to get scratched or dinged in the process.

If you do feel like your lens hood is a little too much to deal with, most of them have a simple solution. Reverse the hood and screw it on your lens backward. This might cover some of the knobs and switches on your lens, but it will keep the hood handy while simultaneously storing it in a convenient and easy-to-access location.

You can attach most lens hoods backward for easy storage. This helps protect the barrel of your lens but can leave some controls covered up.

Drawbacks

There are a couple things to note about lens hoods that could be a factor in helping you decide whether to use them. The first and most important issue involves vignetting. Some lenses, particularly wide-angle lenses, can result in photos with darker corners with the lens hood attached. This isn’t a huge issue and can often be fixed on your computer, especially if you shoot in RAW, but it is something to keep in mind.

Additionally, there’s no getting around the fact that the added length of a lens with a hood attached can be inconvenient. This is especially noticeable on telephoto lenses and it can be annoying if you’re not used to it.

My solution has been to treat the hood as a normal part of any lens in my kit. If it means I need to find a larger camera bag or be a little uncomfortable shooting in tight spaces, so be it. For me, the tradeoff is worth it, but your opinion might be different. Regardless, it is something to keep in mind.

Hoods on telephoto lenses can stick out quite far, but I have just come to accept this as a normal part of my kit. I don’t see it as an inconvenience in the same way that I don’t treat a seat belt in my car as an inconvenience.

Conclusion

Despite a few downsides, lens hoods can be an important part of your camera collection. I recommend using one at all times, even if you’re not entirely sure you will need it. I have found myself in more than a few frustrating situations where I know I would have gotten the shot if only I had a lens hood. As such, I rarely take them off my lenses now.

What about you? Do you use lens hoods, or have you learned to live without them? What other advantages or disadvantages do they have that I might have missed? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Lens Hoods: What Are They Really For, and Do You Need Them? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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[Photography] Canon Reveals the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L and the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS Lenses

The post Canon Reveals the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L and the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS Lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

 

Canon has announced two new lenses for its mirrorless lineup:

The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS.

Let’s take a closer look:

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L Lens

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L offers a classic focal length that’s useful for pretty much everything.

You’ll find a 70-200mm in practically every landscape photographer’s bag for those tight shots that require a longer focal length. Portrait photographers like 70-200mm lenses for their headshot capabilities. Sports photographers love the focal length for powerful action shots. And event photographers appreciate the way a fast 70-200mm zoom lets them shoot without getting in the way.

Up until now, Canon hasn’t produced a lens in this focal length range, unless you count the RF 24-240mm, which is nowhere near as fast as the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L, nor does it have the ‘L’ lens designation. Therefore, many of Canon’s serious mirrorless shooters will jump at the chance to add such a powerful lens to their bags.

Note that the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L seems specially designed for low-light shooters: A combination of an ultra-wide f/2.8 aperture and Canon’s image stabilization technology makes this a formidable piece of kit for any low-light shooting scenario.

The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L will debut in November 2019 for $2699 USD.

The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS Lens

Canon already offers an RF 85mm f/1.2L lens, so what makes this lens stand apart?

The new RF 85mm lens is designed with a brand new DS coating, known as Defocus Smoothing. The DS coating promises a smoother bokeh effect when shooting at wide apertures by darkening the edges of lens elements. While this serves to create a beautiful background quality, it also decreases light transmittance, so you do lose a bit of the light-gathering capabilities that you generally expect from an f/1.2 lens.

That said, the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS is bound to be appreciated by portrait photographers. With the DS coating, you’ll be able to capture some of the creamiest bokeh you’ve ever seen, while the f/1.2 aperture is perfect for creating a beautiful shallow depth-of-field look.

The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS will debut in December 2019 for $2999 USD.

Do these lenses excite you? Will you add them to your line-up? Share with us in the comments below.

The post Canon Reveals the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L and the RF 85mm f/1.2L DS Lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] Set Up Your Own Cloud System and Avoid Using Commercial Services

The post Set Up Your Own Cloud System and Avoid Using Commercial Services appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

If you’re anything like me, you have taken way more photos than you can access at any given time, especially if you’re away from your home system. In this article, I’ll show you why you should set up your own cloud system so you can access your image files all the time, and avoid monthly fees with commercial providers.

Image storage

For most of us, home is where we maintain massive drives full of images, both edited and unedited. Most of which are only loosely cataloged or organized too. When I need to find a particular photo, I perform a pretty detailed metadata-based search spread over my multi-drive setup.

The operation is neither efficient nor pretty.

Particularly when the photo I’m looking for was taken years ago and could be anywhere on my system. It’s far from the tidy professional setup I would like it to be. I’ve been adding to this collection daily since the mid-1980s.

Now multiply this dilemma by being away from home much of my life, armed only with a laptop and maybe a thumb drive or small USB pocket drive. If I haven’t uploaded all my images to one of several cloud storage systems I use, this exercise is over before it starts.

Even if I can access my desktop system, the chances are slim that all those pesky permissions doorstops will let me search all my drives remotely.

Hard-drive mania. Repaving the parking lot

Recently, I counted more than a dozen hard drive carcasses stacked on shelves in my home office.

They have served as photo and file storage depots over the years. Some contain images taken twenty years ago that I didn’t transfer to my newest, latest, largest storage device.

There are some great images that I simply haven’t had the time to weed through and sort out. It’s all pretty discouraging.

For those files I have stored online, many times I have to “qualify” them with a password often deemed incorrect (aargh!). Perhaps I’m simply getting older, but there are too many passwords for too many storage sources for this to be fun anymore.

Frustration and anxiety sets in every time I leave the house with my laptop in hand. I know I’ll need to get to something that I won’t be able to access.

Two months ago, I faced the recurring problem of needing more file storage space. What to do? Yet another even larger hard drive? More online parking space? Where does this cycle end?

Flying the friendly skies

This time I took the time to seriously investigate the commercial cloud systems available.

If you think you’re not using cloud storage, think again.

If you have an Adobe account, you are a member of the Creative Cloud. If you are a Mac user, you have an iCloud account. If you are on Google, you probably are a member of Google cloud. Most likely, you use Dropbox – yet another cloud system.

All these systems provide file access from remote locations, but you certainly don’t have all your files on a single cloud.

While these clouds are wonderful, to some extent, there’s a significant downside to each. There’s also a lot of common problems with each. The restrictions, privacy, cost, access, limitations, and vulnerability involved with each is significant when all the facts are in.

Enter the personal cloud system

What I have discovered is the surprise upside of installing my own personal NAS (network-attached storage) system, which is basically a full access file server.

A NAS is a standalone Linux or Windows processor (computer operating system) acting as a full-service librarian attached to host one or more hefty hard drives and providing a significant variety of server services. Each server is available only those to whom the server’s owner (typically known as Admin) gives permission, and accessible from virtually everywhere around the globe.

You can configure each personal multi-drive cloud server as either a single massive drive system or as one of several RAID configurations. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Drives and consists of two identical hard drives recording mirrored copies of your files. Each drive stores identical backups for near-bulletproof security.

These NAS RAID arrays provide from two to twelve terabytes of online storage and backup.

Cloudy skies and bumpy rides

But you should take great care to investigate ALL customer reviews of the various private cloud systems available.

Read beyond the marketing talking points and glitzy advertising and read the comments of current users.

The technology is proven, but not all products are quite as user-friendly as they seem. Lower-priced units sometimes indicate entry-level and basic features. Also, sometimes, the lower price indicates a lesser-quality product.

You can’t judge either books or NAS systems by their appearance OR brand popularity.

The system I originally purchased was manufactured by a highly-rated and respected hard drive company. It consisted of two four-terabyte drives set up as a RAID type 1 system that provided immediate access to virtually all my photos, videos, music, and files.

The server worked wonderfully, as long as I was on my home WiFi network. However, when I attempted to set up access away from home, some air escaped from the balloon. This lack of remote access led to me renaming my server “Fogbank” in protest.

After re-reading, reinstalling, and re-configuring the system as best as I could understand the ambiguous installation instructions, I first contacted customer support via email. Detailed explanations of my failed attempts were responded to by references to endless generic PDF documents in their “knowledge base” and forum discussions.

Unfortunately, my phone calls were handled by friendly technicians whose English was so challenged that I simply could not get a direct answer to my questions.

Multiple attempts to put this Humpty-Dumpty server back together failed over and over. Further reading on the company’s forums revealed hundreds of other frustrated users who had given up on the hardware. I will not name the product or the manufacturer. Instead, I’ll just encourage you to do your diligence and read the reviews of actual users before you buy.

Clear skies ahead

I believe totally in both the concept and the technology of NAS personal cloud servers and have since purchased a quality, value-based product. I’ve spent a bit more than I did for my initial system, but I am rewarded with the amazing freedom and power behind this amazing technology.

I now enjoy speedy access to all files in my vast image library. My personal cloud server system provides file sharing and syncing, and personal multimedia services for streaming video and TV shows. It has a bulletproof backup, home security system monitoring, and many more amazing features.

I can even upload images directly from a photo session (through the camera’s WiFi) to my personal server – no waiting to get home!

And best of all, this secure server system is fee-free. Once you own the equipment, your only cost is Internet access. If you have an Internet account, you’re good to go. Monthly fees and service restrictions are only distant memories.

You no longer have to rent the rare air on someone else’s cloud. You can collaborate with other users and photo club members, share and download huge files via FTP, all while being entertained. And they actually call this work!

Check into these devices, ask a lot of questions, and open up a whole new communications experience for as little as a $500 investment.

Have you set up your own personal cloud system? Share your thoughts on the process with us below!

The post Set Up Your Own Cloud System and Avoid Using Commercial Services appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

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[Photography] New Loupedeck Creative Tool: Smoother Editing for Creative Professionals

The post New Loupedeck Creative Tool: Smoother Editing for Creative Professionals appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Do you ever feel like you want more control over your photo editing?

If so, you’re in luck.

Because Loupedeck has just launched one of the most innovative editing products out there: a console that’s designed to speed up your editing workflow and give you a smooth editing experience.

It’s called the Loupedeck Creative Tool, and it’s truly unique.

How exactly does it work?

The Creative Tool is a photo editing console. It hooks up to your photo editing program of choice, and allows you to use many buttons, touchscreens, and more to achieve the photo editing workflow that you desire.

Note that the Creative Tool itself doesn’t work in place of a computer and monitor. Instead, it works alongside your computer to provide an efficient editing experience like the Loupedeck+, another Loupedeck product.

Currently, the Creative Tool is compatible with Adobe Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Ableton Live, Adobe Illustrator, and Final Cut Pro X. The company promises to integrate Autodesk Fusion 360 before the year is out, and you can certainly expect additional compatible programs as Loupedeck update the Creative Tool.

Here’s a video explaining how the product works with Lightroom Classic:

Who’s it for?

Now, while the Loupedeck Creative Tool seems like an intriguing option, who should actually consider the product?

First, I’d recommend beginner photographers stay away from the Loupedeck Creative Tool. It’s a lot to handle, and doesn’t offer much benefit to anyone who doesn’t have a consistent editing workflow and very specific needs.

On the other hand, for more serious photographers (including professionals), the Loupedeck is a great choice. You’ll use the Creative Tool to enhance your editing. And it’ll enable you to edit faster without compromising quality.

As explained by the Loupedeck CEO:

The rise in popularity of professional editing within the digital workspace has sparked a new generation of creative professionals who require absolute precision, versatility, portability and endless customization possibilities in the tools they use, which was considered in the design and development of the Loupedeck Creative Tool.

If you’re one of these serious creative professionals, then you should seriously consider the Loupedeck Creative Tool. It’s available for preorder on B&H Photo Video, and the company will begin shipping on November 11th.

Now I’d like to know your thoughts:

Would you be interested in a product like the Loupedeck Creative Tool? Are you looking for increased customization in your editing?

Let me know in the comments!

The post New Loupedeck Creative Tool: Smoother Editing for Creative Professionals appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option

The post How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

If traveling is not an option, a great way to enjoy your photography is to go out and shoot a project in your local environment. Your local patch provides a wonderful opportunity for photography and is a location often overlooked and taken for granted. To photograph a local project is a hugely satisfying undertaking, especially because you don’t have to go far to achieve it.

Staying near to home also provides ample time to visit a particular place, and means you can reach a location with ease. As travel is minimal, you will incur lower transport costs and you can go back to a particular location as often as you like. Shooting locally is also a great way to practice and improve your photography whilst getting you out with your camera. Have you ever thought about what local projects to photograph and how to go about it? Well, here are some of the best ways to achieve this goal.

Choose a subject that interests you

Blenheim Palace, Oxford

This may seem obvious, but the first thing I recommend doing is to consider and choose a subject that interests you for the project. This way, you will be more motivated to go out and shoot it.

Focus on one aspect such as a local landscape, a river, a local park, a zoo, a piece of coastline, a particular time of day, birds and wildlife in a wetland area, a particular season or even a famous building or local landmark.

Whilst finding and shooting a project close to where you live, photo opportunities can present themselves when least expected.

With a bit of luck, your timing can be greatly rewarding.

For instance, I recently shot some images of a local landmark ‘Blenheim Palace’ in Oxfordshire. It is a gorgeous historic building surrounded by wonderful parkland, manicured landscapes, and woodlands.

I planned to photograph the autumn colors during my visit and was fortunate to encounter a unique and unexpected exhibition of artworks by Maurizio Cattelan. The exhibition included these carpets of union jacks (pictured) which provided a unique point of interest in the images.

Once at your local destination consider the following:

Select a lens

Starling murmurations, England

The fun starts once you have found a subject for your local project and you are at your location.

Think about what it is you are photographing, and the best way to capture it. This will give you insight into the type of lens you should use. If, for example, you live in a city and have decided to do cityscapes at blue hour, you may opt for a wide-angle lens. That way, you can fit more of the city into one scene. It would also allow you to fit in large architectural buildings, or capture bustling street scenes.

Another scenario may be that you want to capture local markets where you live. In this scenario, you may opt for a wide-angle lens to capture the overall nature of the market, and a portrait lens, such as a 50mm or 85mm, to get some more intimate people shots or detail shots of things sold at the market.

You may also decide to challenge yourself by using just one fixed prime lens, such as a 50mm. You could capture a range of subjects that give insight into the area where you live.

Alternatively, you may choose a telephoto lens to zoom in closer to subjects such as distant wildlife or birds. A telephoto lens is a great way to compress perspective, bringing foreground subjects closer to the background like these starlings.

Experiment photographing your subject

Starling murmurations, England

One thing I recommend doing when you photograph a local project is to just experiment photographing your subject.

Try using different camera settings and techniques and see what works and what doesn’t. For example, if you want to achieve a faster shutter speed as I did to capture these birds in flight, you could raise the ISO.

You may also want to experiment with your aperture. Shooting in Aperture Mode (Aperture Priority) is a great way to do this (if you are not yet on Manual Mode) as the ISO and shutter speed automatically adapt when you change the aperture setting. I achieved a wider, more detailed field of view by reducing the aperture and increasing the f-number to around f/8.

You may prefer to make certain parts of your image sharp (rather than the whole scene) and throw the rest out of focus. You can achieve this by opting for a larger aperture (smaller f-number) such as f/4. This can give you some nice bokeh backgrounds too, especially if moving to an even smaller f-number like f/2.

Change your angle

Starling murmurations, England

Once you have taken some shots, try changing your perspective to get a different angle on your subject. You may find a different vantage point results in a better composition and image. Another way to change your angle besides repositioning yourself is to move your lens in closer and change your framing.

If you are working with a tripod, vary the height of its legs to give a fresh angle.

Reshoot

The great thing when you photograph a local project is that you can go back and re-shoot anytime. This would be much more expensive and time-consuming if you had to travel to capture your pictures.

Sometimes you won’t get the photo you desire the first time around, so a good option is to return and re-shoot. Unforeseen circumstances and factors out of your control that may warrant a reshoot include adverse changes in weather, building works in operation, too many people and wildlife that may not be present.

Blenheim Palace, Oxford

Going back to reshoot is a good exercise and a great chance to practice your skills too. It can help you improve your photography by learning from your mistakes and offers an opportunity to capture your project in various lighting conditions. Why not time your reshoot with a different time of day to capture some different images for your project. Alternatively, capture the same images just under different lighting conditions.

Each return visit can provide something new to photograph too. That’s because you are likely to see something different on your return in terms of your subject or pattern of light.

You may also decide to change lenses for the reshoot, or decide to focus on close up details on one visit and wide shots on another.

Summary

So go grab your gear and get out there to photograph a local project. It is a great way to capture a subject of interest that is on your doorstep and is a brilliant way to hone your skills.

Be sure to experiment with aperture, shutter speed and ISO, vary your angle of view and reshoot to improve your pictures.

What local project are you thinking of photographing? Share your thoughts and images with us below.

 

The post How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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[Photography] Why Branding Your Photography is Important

The post Why Branding Your Photography is Important appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

Being a photographer is awesome. You get to play with amazing equipment, capturing smiles and beauty. But if you want to do this for a living, your title of “photographer” gets hyphenated to become “Photographer-Business Owner.” No matter which way you spin it, if you want to be a photographer who doesn’t work under someone else, you become a small businessperson.  Businesses are made up of a variety of moving components, such as a business license, insurance, equipment, marketing, and… branding. It’s likely one of the most overlooked and forgotten-about aspects of a successful business. In this tutorial, you’ll learn why branding your photography is important to a successful photography business.

Business sense in photography

As much as I wish that photographers only had to worry about the picture-taking process, the reality is they need to develop a strong business sense to be successful. When it comes to the general running, management, and marketing of your business, it needs to be run a lot of the same ways you would run a clothing store, plumbing company, or any business.

You can think of your branding as your business’s DNA. It expresses your personality and who you are, and perfectly infuses it into your business. This helps attract the right customers and ward off the wrong ones.

As with any business, you will need to go with the flow and adapt to the tide of how society is expecting your small business to function. In the modern age of internet prevalence, society is looking towards businesses that have their aesthetics on-point.

Pleasing and striking imagery is reigning supreme when it concerns advertising your business and attracting new customers. You need to be recognizable to stand out from the sea of competition. This is where having a good brand is super important.

What is Branding? 

So, what is branding? I’ve heard so many people have different definitions for this one simple little word. 

In business, a brand is a name, term, design, symbol and/or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. As such, branding is a practice in which a company creates these features that identify their brand. Branding is what sets you apart from the other photographers in your area, in the nation, maybe even the world! 

Branding doesn’t even hold exclusive to just your name, logo, and slogan. Branding is prevalent in all facets of the business experience, from customer acquisition, customer correspondence, and advertising. Even just creating a custom business header for all paper documents that your client receives (such as the contract and invoice) is a form of branding for your business. 

Patrik Michalicka

Why is branding your photography important? 

I’d argue that branding is extremely critical for businesses, despite being something that not all business owners concern themselves with. The legalities of running a business are very important to get squared right away, but branding should come pretty close after that. Without branding, your business won’t have a distinct voice, and that can cost you a lot in the end.

Branding your photography is important for these reasons:

Branding helps you gain recognition

Think of a brand as the face of your business. What do people recognize first when they see someone? Their face! Your brand – the combination of your business name, logo, and other identifying features – will ensure people recognize you, and your business stands out from the rest of the photography business tide. People tend to differentiate businesses by their logo first and foremost, and an appealing logo is a great way to garner attention.

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Increases your value

Did you know that branding can increase the value of your business? Branding can give a business more leverage in the industry and significantly improve client acquisition. The more clients you are able to acquire, the more valuable your photography becomes. As branding aids in recognition, which in turn leads to an establishment in the industry, your photography service becomes a more appealing investment for a client.

Can help you charge more for your services

I don’t think anyone has ever complained about making a little more money. Have you? Branding can help you when setting your prices. Having a beautifully tailored and professional brand can help vouch for your prices because you give a very professional impression. The amount you invest in your business can also justify the pricing set by you, and branding is a big part of that investment.

Creates trust

If customers see that you’ve invested the time, effort, and finances in making your business well branded and beautiful, they’re more likely to be convinced by the confidence you have in your own work. This generates deeper trust.

People are more likely to do business with a company that has aesthetically pleasing and well-polished branding. This gives an immediate impression of professionalism versus a lack of branding, which screams “amateur.”

Can create customer loyalty

Branding also helps with customer loyalty. Customer loyalty is the likelihood that the customer will keep coming back to you, referring you, and vouching for you versus going to someone else. 

Think of your own habits. How often do you go to either Coffee Bean, Starbucks, Joe’s Coffee, or some other coffee shop with a strong brand rather than going to a different coffee shop? This has to do with more than just the taste of the coffee and convenient proximity. It’s familiarity, and the familiarity is established with unique and recognizable branding the speaks very loudly.

Supports advertising efforts

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A big part of the business equation is advertising. If clients can’t find you or don’t know about you, how can they book you? Marketing is extremely important, especially in the social media age. Marketing is the act of spreading awareness about your business, whether it be through digital advertising, partnering with local businesses, or launching billboards!

Branding goes hand in hand with advertising, as your advertisements will portray your brand. Adding your business logo to all of your advertising material is fundamental, and that’s a part of branding!

Your brand can help you stay focused

Most of us have a crux of comparing ourselves to others within the industry. I know I’m guilty of looking at other photographers and wanting to do work similarly. Whether you’re a sunshine and rainbows photographer who is loving the moody, gothic look of another photography business and vice versa, sometimes we shift our work to match that of someone we like. However, this can sometimes be a bit bad from a business perspective. Having a brand helps you stay focused on the business you’ve created, and not stray to a business that really isn’t yours. 

Final thoughts

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Now that we’ve established that branding your photography is important, what now?

Review the brand you have and see what may need some improvement. Or, start thinking about creating your brand from scratch. A good place to start is your business name, logo, and slogan. Work with a professional designer to help you realize your vision for your brand. They will work with you to implement your logo across all of you print and digital collateral. This is their area of expertise, so utilize that.

It’s not a great idea to do your branding yourself, but if you have to do so, pick a font you love and then a color scheme. Be sure your font translates well across different mediums and reads well in both large and small formats as well as in print and on-screen. Don’t use too many fonts in your design either – this can look messy.

Your design should also translate in both color and black and white too because there will be times when your logo may be printed or used in black and white.

Then continue on to your website, marketing materials, price sheets, contracts, invoices, even email signature, and watermark!

It may seem overwhelming at first, but once you get going, you’ll find that branding your photography becomes quite easy!

Do you have any other tips for branding your photography that you’d like to share with us? Do so in the comments!

 

The post Why Branding Your Photography is Important appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

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