Was asked for a quote today to photograph a business park in the UK for a property company,a regular client.For web use only,but I have to shoot everything from events,weddings,corporate,celebs,a bit of video on the dslr to survive.But it occurred to me today that in all the obsessing about gear in these forums,that in the last 10 years,no client has ever asked me what camera I use or how many megapixels it has.Just curious to know if that unusual? I never shoot stuff in a studio by the way.
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I've never been asked how many MP or what camera I use.
- Thread starter baggy1
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for personal work like portraits and weddings I rarely get asked anything about equipment. for commercial work I get asked tons of questions print sizes resolution megapixels color profiles and of course do I get a copyright release and the digital files
PenguinPhotoCo
Veteran Member
I've had a groom or dad or two ask out of curiosity (hobbyists perhaps?) but no serious inquiries.
I've add DJ to my offerings and same there - nobody asks about gear, watts, speaker size, cd or mp3 or vinyl.
I got siding on my house last month - never asked the guy what tools, training or type of ladders or truck he planning on using.
I'm getting a new furnace and again, I didn't ask about tools or training or anything like that.
In both cases I got referrals and talked with them and used that as my guage as to whether to hire them or not. Turned down a few as my BS meter was off the charts at times.
I've add DJ to my offerings and same there - nobody asks about gear, watts, speaker size, cd or mp3 or vinyl.
I got siding on my house last month - never asked the guy what tools, training or type of ladders or truck he planning on using.
I'm getting a new furnace and again, I didn't ask about tools or training or anything like that.
In both cases I got referrals and talked with them and used that as my guage as to whether to hire them or not. Turned down a few as my BS meter was off the charts at times.
Les Berkley
Senior Member
I admit that I have not shot weddings in many years, but I never had a client ask about my camera. One did ask if I had a flash, and I answered that I bring three (Vivitar 285 but that was not mentioned). No bride ever mentioned "bokeh" or "Eye-Cue" either. Perhaps they were intimidated by the size of my--Koni-Omega Rapid?
OTOH, I have heard some working pros comment that they have to shoot DSLR or MF these days, because some clients think that small cameras aren't "pro".
Flickr: username "wogears"
OTOH, I have heard some working pros comment that they have to shoot DSLR or MF these days, because some clients think that small cameras aren't "pro".
Flickr: username "wogears"
Graham Snook
Senior Member
I've not been asked during the quoting process, most clients have seen my work in magazines, or I know them from working in magazines - so they know the quality of my work.
While shooting it's up there with "how did you get into photography?" Which I'm almost always asked.
I got chatting to a guy on the train yesterday, turned out he sailed, three or fours questions in when I said I was a photographer: what kit do I use?
I don't mind being asked, I like photography and I like talking about it.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Blog/news/tips from a professional yachting photographer http://grahamsnook.com/news
While shooting it's up there with "how did you get into photography?" Which I'm almost always asked.
I got chatting to a guy on the train yesterday, turned out he sailed, three or fours questions in when I said I was a photographer: what kit do I use?
I don't mind being asked, I like photography and I like talking about it.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Blog/news/tips from a professional yachting photographer http://grahamsnook.com/news
I can quite believe that.When I used to work as a news cameraman for an agency,my boss would sometimes get corporate jobs for which he would charge too much quite honestly.He would say "Bring the big camera for this one" which meant using the lumpy Sony ENG video,even though it could of been shot just as well on a smaller cam.
dwight3
Senior Member
I think that if you have never been asked those things about your camera when shooting in large groups of people, then your camera is definitely not large enough.
BrianYarvin
Leading Member
Small magazines that aspire to high quality ask me this stuff all the time. I've had some publishers send me profiles from their printers to include in my post-processing. It took me a while to learn what that was all about and now I've learned.
I had a battery grip on my first DSLR and one on the camera I use now, and every once in a great while someone will comment that it's a big camera. (It's a T1i)
Where I do play a game is with lighting.
If there's a fair size budget involved, and if some client person is going to need to get my invoice approved farther up the food chain, it is likely I'll bring the Dynalites and umbrellas and the softbox, or at least bring a light stand and umbrella and two speedlights.
(Over the years, I've used all kinds of fancy stuff that did get people talking about the equipment. RB67, C220 and C330, Mamiya 645, Linhof Technica, Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic, Nikon F4, Black M4-P and four lenses, etc.)
BAK
Where I do play a game is with lighting.
If there's a fair size budget involved, and if some client person is going to need to get my invoice approved farther up the food chain, it is likely I'll bring the Dynalites and umbrellas and the softbox, or at least bring a light stand and umbrella and two speedlights.
(Over the years, I've used all kinds of fancy stuff that did get people talking about the equipment. RB67, C220 and C330, Mamiya 645, Linhof Technica, Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic, Nikon F4, Black M4-P and four lenses, etc.)
BAK
K
Kirk Tuck
Guest
I just hide my iPhone inside my old, wooden 8x10 inch view camera, go under the dark cloth to shoot, and no one is the wiser.
M Charles Joseph
Senior Member
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Even some of the high end stock agencies who originally stressed they wouldn't consider ANY IMAGE less than 30 megs have now come to realize that with current technology a 6-8 meg file is sufficient for most publication / use.
And I agree with many here in that I have never been asked about my personal equipment. I've had a few clients stipulate that I must provide "high resolution images suitable for pubs." But thats about it
And I agree with many here in that I have never been asked about my personal equipment. I've had a few clients stipulate that I must provide "high resolution images suitable for pubs." But thats about it
DenWil
Senior Member
I would suggest that some clients know that small cameras may not offer all the potential advantages that premium DSLRs and many MF kits provide. So does everyone else - whether they care or the fact applies to their actual needs is something else.
MUTURI KANINI
Active member
BrianYarvin
Leading Member
There are so many variables in the printing process that can "enhance" softness! My own experience is that the biggest reason for this is sharpening. Images meant for large magazine or newspaper pages shouldn't be sharpened before delivery. I struggle to make sure that there's no sharpening added at any step of the way.
Did you shoot raw or jpg?
MUTURI KANINI
Active member
MUTURI KANINI
Active member
BrianYarvin
Leading Member
even my camera sharpness seeting are usually rather "medium"
It sounds like we're on the right track here. Your camera's sharpening should be completely turned off and you should be giving publication clients tiff or jpeg files that you processed yourself from the raw files.
It sounds like we're on the right track here. Your camera's sharpening should be completely turned off and you should be giving publication clients tiff or jpeg files that you processed yourself from the raw files.
Graham Snook
Senior Member
It sounds to me like the publication sent a low (screen) res pdf to the printers, rather than anything the photographer has done.
Concerning sharpening, I always sharpen my images whether it's an in camera jpg or RAW image. That way I know it's done, not all art editors know what they should be doing.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Blog/news/tips from a professional yachting photographer http://grahamsnook.com/news
Concerning sharpening, I always sharpen my images whether it's an in camera jpg or RAW image. That way I know it's done, not all art editors know what they should be doing.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Blog/news/tips from a professional yachting photographer http://grahamsnook.com/news
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People generally won't ask about cameras in the same way as a customer won't ask a carpenter what brand of mitre saw they have or how big the blade is.
The point is that professional photographers should use the equipment they know can get the job done in all ways, including image quality, reliability, etc. This is why I have a problem with professionals using high end consumer cameras that weren't designed for use day in day out instead of pro gear.
I know a photographer who uses a Panasonic micro four thirds camera and was shooting a number of chefs in action for a restaurant website. Every single photo was blurred. Somehow the shutter speed was lagging compared to the one selected by the photographer and 1/60 was more like 1/10, etc so there was motion blur, that wasn't visible on the rear screen, but was very apparent on a PC monitor.
Luckily he was able to go back the following evening, but if it was a non repeatable shoot he would have been in trouble. I question if he had a pro body DSLR like a Nikon D4 or Canon 1Dx, etc if the same malfunction would have occurred.
The point is that professional photographers should use the equipment they know can get the job done in all ways, including image quality, reliability, etc. This is why I have a problem with professionals using high end consumer cameras that weren't designed for use day in day out instead of pro gear.
I know a photographer who uses a Panasonic micro four thirds camera and was shooting a number of chefs in action for a restaurant website. Every single photo was blurred. Somehow the shutter speed was lagging compared to the one selected by the photographer and 1/60 was more like 1/10, etc so there was motion blur, that wasn't visible on the rear screen, but was very apparent on a PC monitor.
Luckily he was able to go back the following evening, but if it was a non repeatable shoot he would have been in trouble. I question if he had a pro body DSLR like a Nikon D4 or Canon 1Dx, etc if the same malfunction would have occurred.
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daddyo
Forum Pro
If your friend with the Panasonic had his camera set to 1/60 Sec, but instead got 1/10 Sec shutter speeds, that clearly is the result of a defective camera -- or a defective photographer.
The fact that it was a Micro Four Thirds cameras has absolutely nothing to do with incorrect shutter speeds -- that is a pretty silly assumption. Smaller cameras do not produce lagging shutter speeds because they can't keep up like big DSLR's can. :-D
1/60 Sec on m4/3's = 1/60 Sec on FF = 1/60 Sec on MF = 1/60 Sec on Large Format, etc.
The fact that it was a Micro Four Thirds cameras has absolutely nothing to do with incorrect shutter speeds -- that is a pretty silly assumption. Smaller cameras do not produce lagging shutter speeds because they can't keep up like big DSLR's can. :-D
1/60 Sec on m4/3's = 1/60 Sec on FF = 1/60 Sec on MF = 1/60 Sec on Large Format, etc.
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