Do You Need Amazing Advice?

I can truly say this is some of the best advice I have ever heard!

Unfair Advantage

     What is your unfair advantage? This is a question you need to ask yourself in your photography and video business! Yes, for me it is access to the medical field since I have worked in it for 15 years and understand my way around it. I have access to places a lot of people can not get to so I use that to my advantage in my stock work. Now think about who you may know or the places you have access to that others do not. You need to sit down and make a list of the people and places you know. Once you have a working list then make a strong shot list. If you work in a bakery then make amazing images of baking with good light and unique angles. All of us have access to something unique if we stop and think about it. If you don't then I bet someone in your family dose, so work with them. The only reason I call this an unfair advantage is that others don't have the same access as you. No matter if it's people or places or things you can have your advantage! You might be a stay at home mom, well I bet you talk to a lot of other moms! so kids are a tremendous asset to your video or photography! Keep in mind the only thing that is holding you back from true success is usually you!

Finding Models

     If you want to do photography for a living, there is a good chance you will need to get comfortable taking pictures of people. From weddings to babies and everything in between that is where the majority of the market is. So how do you get comfortable directing and photographing people? Simple you start with family. This picture is of my little boy who is a very challenging model because a 3 year old just can't sit still that well! I did a photo session with him and the practice was well worth the time. Don't be afraid to ask family to pose for you! People will usually be willing to help you out if they can. After the family seems to wear out try your friends! they will be happy to help you as well.
     Another way is to look for ways to use your photography to help others. You might know of someone who is getting married and has no money for any photography. Theses situations are priceless as they allow you to help someone and gain a lot of experience. Don't charge money and tell them you would just like to get a few shots. Then do the best work you can, like you were being paid six figures to shoot this wedding and over deliver to them. This is how you will build a name for yourself. This method applies to all kinds of events and people will be surprised and happy then you give them memories of a life-time. This will not hurt your business! When you do decided you are comfortable enough to charge then there is a good chance you will already have a base to start with!
     For stock video or photography you will need a model release for any people in your shot. Being up front and honest about the use is very important! I tell people the photo can be used for just about anything and here are the restrictions on the release. If they still don't want to sign after you have explained it to them then move on! Do not pressure people to sign a model release ever! Having your picture on Facebook is more dangerous than a stock site! Stock sites have to play by certain rules that Facebook dose not. I am not saying Facebook is bad for pictures but people need to be educated on digital images online. I often find models for stock from Model Mayhem there are other sites like this as well. I have used college students and retired people and the list goes on. The key to success is how you approach a person. Like I said before people will usually want to help you out so if you approach them like "I need a modle for my stock video and I think you would be great! would you be willing to help me out?" They will usually say yes and have some questions, answer them honestly and you usually have a model to work with!
 Now get out there and start practicing and giving value to people with your skill! It's fun!

Event Memories

     Chances are you have been to a graduation or are going to one soon. Most of these events are held indoors and can be a nightmare for taking pictures. This little list for DSLR's can go for any important indoor event so you might want to make a note of it. There is nothing like getting great pictures of important memories for you family to share for a lifetime!

1. Rent a good lens! LensRental Nothing will make your pictures better then a fast lens!

2. Rent a good flash and practice before the event.

3. Pick you spots to shoot from before the event.

3. Increase your ISO, You can clean up the pictures in post.

4. Don't let your shutter speed drop below 1/80th unless you have amazing steady hands!

5. If camera is hunting for focus in low light, switch to manual focus. It's easier than you think.

6. Once your camera is set, then focus on telling a story with your images.

7. Since your pictures will be better than everyone else's, sell them for money :-)

    Most people don't think about renting a lens but I feel its the best thing you can do for events you really want great pictures from. It is well worth the cost and if you rent it so you have a few days to practice with it you will be happy you did. I would say get a lens that can at least go to 2.8 Aperture  and if it is a zoom lens make sure that aperture is constant through the zoom. The same can be said about flash but to make you pictures look natural with flash takes a bit more work, a fast lens and a little higher ISO will probably be a better bet for you. If you have any more tips you can leave them in the comments. Happy shooting!

Telling A Story

     Often times I hear people talk about what gear they have. It always seems it's the gear that tells the story. Nothing could be further from the truth! Take 10 minutes and watch a great little story that will warm your heart. While watching it I never once thought, what are they shooting this with? You see someone had a passion to share a story, of course they had some skill as well but they were focused on telling the story. This is how great imagery is made! for stills and video. When you are starting out its all about the gear, but if you never get passed that then you have missed the boat. A film shot with a cheap camera but with a great story will trump a great camera and a poor story. Here is a little list to help you succeed in your art. If you are not comfortable with your gear then keep practicing and take a class or two.

1. Learn to work well with people
2. Start with your interest or passion
3. Be social with you and your work
4. Learn to take advice and criticism
5. Read books on directing and acting
6. Worry about lighting before a new camera
7. Ask people besides your family their opinion
8. Love what you do!

    This list is not comprehensive but gives you a good starting point for photo and video. One of my favorite books is Directing Actors   I have found this very helpful in working with people on my stock video shoots.

Save On Your Health!

     One of the most challenging things when going from a 9 to 5 job is losing health benefits. Now before I go any further I want all to know this is not for everyone, but it is working well for me and my family. Theses plans, as with all health plans, don't fit everyone, having worked in healthcare for 15 years I have learned a few things on how the system works, so I hope everyone can benefit from the tips in this post.
     We use Samaritain Ministries another simular one is Medi-Share These are still legal under Obama Care which is good news. I won't go into depth as to how they work as you can click on the link and read that for yourself. I have found them to be as advertised. A couple of points, you don't have a deductible. Anything below $300.00 comes out of your pocket and anything over $300.00 is usually covered 100%. Now and then they have to pro-rate between 80 to 100%. Thats really not a big deal and here is why. If you walk into a hospital and say you don't have insurance there is almost a 50% deduction on the cost of your procedure some places can be even more. Now since this is not quotes "Insurance" that is what you do. Now lets say you have a regular insurance plan with a $1500.00 deductible and you are covered to 80%. You just paid $1500.00 plus you owe the 20% on your whopping bill. Under my old BlueCross plan I had my gallbladder taken out. With the deductible and 20% my bill was a bit over 5k. With Samaritan Ministries I would have paid $300.00 and maybe another $1000.00. So if you take the difference I would have saved $3700.00! My whole family is covered for $350.00 per month which I find is affordable.
      Now what about those meds! yes medicine can cost you a lot of cash. I am a Sam's Club business member which gives you a 40% discount on most meds. I needed antibiotics for a sinus infection so with the discount it cost me $13.00. Now be aware that you have to ask for the discount, it is not automatic! Now for more expensive meds we use GetCanadianDrugs  My child needed Prevacid which for a three month supply was going to cost me $400.00. I ordered a three month supply from the Canadian store for $80.00. I checked the medication when it arrived to be sure it was what they said it was and all was good. This site can cover those expensive meds you may need. There are a lot of other decent discount prescription cards on the market you can use, just Google it. You can check medications with this smartphone app and I highly recommend this app for your general health knowledge! Don't be afraid to ask for discounts! people and especially your doctor will usually want to help you. Look for free health screenings in your area in the news paper and check your local hospital website for them. Of course try to stay healthy. If at all possible Do Not go to the emergency room for minor things! This will cost you a fortune. If it can wait until you can see your family doctor then you need to wait. If you feel your bill is to high then challenge it. Most hospitals will work with you on this matter.
     Be a smart consumer, when getting anything done for health reasons treat it as if you are trying to get the best deal on a car, just try to be a little nicer. I know of people who fly to Costa Rica for dental work and have saved thousands plus got a vacation out of it. I have been to Costa Rica and would not hesitate to do the same! Be smart and don't let health cost take all of your income! One last late tip here, sorry its out of order. While at Sam's I was picking up a med that the doctor said was on their $4.00 list, well it was $22.00. The assistant said a lot of doctors assume if it is a generic med it is automatically on the list. They provide the list at the counter so you can see what the $4 and $10 meds are. She suggested taking this list with you if you go to the doctor or take you children to the doctor. There is a %90 chance they will find something that works from the list. Here is what the list looks like.

     If you have any further tips please leave them in the comments I am not affiliated with any of these sites but if you want to sign up with Samaritan Ministries I would appreciate you letting them know I sent you. I think I get something for that. Please pass this information along to anyone who it may help. I am grateful that other people shared this with me!!

Best Video Plug-in

One of the most useful tools I use almost on a daily basis is Magic Bullet Looks It's not just a set of preset looks, as good as those are. You can do so much more with the tools provided in this software to create your own looks and image effects. Most video editors out there know all about this plug-in so if you are on the fence about the price I say don't hesitate! I can say with comfort this has paid for itself 10 times over in my video work. Now the little secret that most people overlook is on the photo side. This will also work with photos and they make a plug-in for LightRoom and Aperture as well. This software has taken my photos to the next level as well. It has increased my acceptance rate at iStockphoto and the images have sold well. I have not affiliation with this company but strongly feel it is one of the best pieces of software on the market. The image below is from a video clips that got accepted at iStock that would have otherwise been impossible to get accepted without the right tools.

100 Years of Video

Favorite Video/photo App

If you are like me you have a lot of different apps on your smart phone you hardly use. After a few years you seem to stick with certain apps for certain jobs. This app is on iPhone and Android as well, I have found it very useful for my video work. Often when scouting I wish I could see the sun's path especially on a cloudy day. I have found this to be a joy to use and help me plan my shoot for just the right light outdoors. This is critical for photography especially if you are a nature photographer! I was looking for a location to shoot family fishing outdoors and this was just perfect while I was in Florida.

Since the sun is the most powerful light source we have I figured its time for me to learn how to use it! I hope you find this little tool useful. I am not the creator of it and have not connection with them but I like to share what works for me.

Live Free!

Since its Friday today I thought I would share my freedom thoughts. In a prior post I wrote on how shooting stock was a job, but today its about freedom. For almost three years now I have not set my alarm clock. The most valuable commodity to me is time. We all have a limited amount of time to live and sometimes that time is cut short. Some people feel that they need money to be happy but for me its freedom of my time! Now we all need money to live and pay the bills but how much above that do you need? I can take a picnic on a Monday afternoon, go swimming with my boys and live my life around what I feel is important in life. When my job was gone I knew that if I never took the chance to see if I could work for myself that one day I would look back and regret it. I enjoy working with people don't mind having a boss and liked my work BUT they controlled almost all of my time. I have never been happier because now I have full control over what I cherish most. To see and be with my two young boys as they grow up is priceless. Having worked in cancer care only made me realize how short and important time with my family really is. Making a little less money to be with my family is more than worth the price of admission. Having a passion for what I do has also increased the joy in my limited time. I want to challenge you to stop focusing on just getting rich and look at the opportunities around you! Find your niche, passion and joy. Being a full-time stock video producer has been that for me. People may think your crazy, or even get mad at you, but never fear things have a way of working out. I didn't do this on my own, I have a supportive wife, family and friends to help me get to where I am today. Don't let fear control you, if things don't work out the first time keep at it. Live your life free!

Biggest Teahupoo Ever, Shot on the PHANTOM CAMERA. [Original 720p video]

Passive Income?

Is shooting stock photography and video really passive income? This is a trick question as there is really no such thing as passive income, unless you win the lottery. Most people make the mistake of uploading a few pictures and expecting a check in the mail. Shooting stock video or photography is just plain work, the way to succeed is to have a passion for imagery instead of a desire to have more money. If you treat your work as a business and keep your passion alive then you can earn a decent income. You need good people skills, knowledge and skill with your camera, locations to shoot, good keywording skills, good post production skills, money to pay some models and you just might need an assistant. You need a good eye to capture images that will sell. Lighting oh what can I say about lighting! If you don't understand it at all then well lets just say its tough. Do you enjoy sitting at your computer for long hours as much as you do snapping the shutter? There are lots of times you have long hours in front of the computer to prep your images and then get them online. Ahh your not done because it might get rejected and you have to start all over! I am not saying all of this to discourage anyone but you need to know it's far from passive. So what are the benefits? First, like I said, if you have a passion is doesn't feel like work! The passive part comes in say for sick time and vacation time. You are still earning income while on vacation, this alone is one of the best benefits of the job. Of course I always have a camera in my hand on vacation until my wife threatens me. Sick days are nice because you don't have to worry about losing vacation days because of your sick days! I'm not going to go into the benefits of working for yourself here, so always keep in mind any job takes work and the same goes for shooting stock!

What Sells?

Everything has a market. The market may be small but there is a market for it. Now if you want to sell you have to pick a market where there are a good number of buyers. I focus a lot on healthcare as I have worked in this market for 15 years. I am comfortable in the O.R. or any other place in the hospital so this is my main niche. Yes I shoot lots of other stuff but not many people have the medical clips I do because of who I know and the access I can get. So if you want to sell think of your niche, who do you know? What do you have access to that many others do not? Always keep in mind that people like to see people. That is why it is so hard to make it as a nature photographer only. If you want to succeed in commercial stock you need people in your shots! If you are shy and don't like working with people then commercial stock will be a tough road for you to earn serious income! Since there is a market for everything then when you shoot focus on doing it better. Shoot in the morning and evening if outdoors. Think concepts and angles, tell a story and make sure your clips have a focus. Ask yourself if you would buy what you are shooting! Do I nail all of this every time? No, but i work towards it every time I go out to shoot.

DSLR VS. Video Camera

Having used both of these tools here are a few things I have learned. First for events and easy audio controls you can not beat a regular video camera. I find my video camera more useful than a DSLR for a lot of video projects. Take a lecture for example, you don't want to start and stop a DSLR in the middle of a lecture because it won't record long enough. A video camera can roll as long as you need depending on how long your tape or memory card is. Video cameras have a built-in zoom lens so you can frame on the fly along with auto focus. On board XLR plug-ins are perfect for audio and offer a lot better professional choices of mics to use on your camera. So why use a DSLR? Picture quality is the first thing, you can use amazing glass for wonderful shallow depth of field. You have amazing low light ability so you can be more artistic with a DSLR. I like to use a DSLR for my stock video work as I shoot no audio and have better creative control with my lens choice. When using a crane I still prefer my video camera because of the good auto focus on it. If I had the money for only one camera I would choose the video camera for the  XLR alone! Keep in mind for any video that needs audio you must not take short cuts, audio will make or break you as a video professional. If you are just shooting stock video or don't need audio then get a good DSLR. You need to keep in mind there is no auto focus as good as a regular video camera. You need to learn how to focus to eternity and be able to pull focus as well. You need good glass which is the most important for picture quality. If you buy cheap glass you are better off getting a high end regular video camera. An external monitor is a big help on a DSLR as well. Owning both has really been the best for what I do. I love shooting video with the 5D Mark II but I love the controls on my HMC 150 as well. Hope this helps you and whatever you choose, take the time to learn it well!

This blog will cover reviews, business tips and my life as a full-time media producer. People are always curious when you have a life outside of the so called norm. Well living a normal life is boring to me so I hope to add some spice to yours as well. I am going on my third year working for myself. I have learned so much and have a lot more to learn. If you are trying to live your dream I encourage you to press on. In 2004 I started selling microstock pictures for 25 cents. Everyone laughed at me but I pressed on and kept learning. When selling video online became available at iStockphoto I jumped at the chance and never looked back. When my job was cut in 2009 I had an income to keep food on the table and the bills paid. Was it easy? No but I wouldn't trade it for anything!