Late next month, registration starts for PPA’s International Photographic Competition – a chance for photographers to enter their best images and see how they stack up against the best photographers in the world.  Will you be entering?   You might be surprised to find out why it is so critical to your success.

THE CONCEPT

Art competitions are nothing new.  The concept is actually very closely based on the Paris Salon.  During the 1700s, the Paris Salon was what every artist aspired to do.  If your work was accepted by the Salon, and displayed in the Louvre, you had truly made it!  Print competition works in much the same way.  A group of masters judge your work and if it meets a certain standard, it is accepted into the show.

Why PPA?

There are hundreds- probably thousands- of photographic competitions every year, but the one sponsored by Professional Photographers of America is the gold standard.  The judges are put through a rigorous training system that ensures a fair, consistent judging from year to year.  Trust me – I’ve gone through this process and it is no easy task.  Because of these high standards, the PPA competition attracts the best of the best.  The winning images are amazing artistic achievements.

SO WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME?

Good question.  You don’t win expensive prizes in this competition.  What you win is photographic skill.  Competition will force you to become a better photographer.  Even if you enter and don’t do so well-it doesn’t mean you didn’t grow as a photographer.  I can assure you this:   by pushing yourself creatively every year in print competition, you WILL become a better photographer.  No doubt about it.  It just takes a willingness to put yourself out there and maybe fail a little bit.  Everyone fails at competition every now and then.  The winners are the ones who keep trying.

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”  ~Woody Allen

WHAT NOW?

Here is a LINK to PPA’s site  and everything you need to know about the upcoming competition.  Give it a try and see how you do.  I even put together a DVD on Print Competition that explains how the system works and strategies for success.   It is everything that I wish I knew back when I started competing.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Has print competition helped you grow as a photographer?  Any advice for competition newbies?  If so, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

]]> http://lourceyphoto.com/when-enter-photography-competitions/feed/ 12 http://lourceyphoto.com/smiles-for-everyone/ http://lourceyphoto.com/smiles-for-everyone/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:57:13 +0000 Larry http://lourceyphoto.com/?p=2046 Wow- what a weekend!

On Saturday, we put together a charity photo session to benefit Operation Smile.  We set out to raise money to pay for kids to have corrective surgery and it was a great success.  If you are unfamiliar with the program, you can read about it in my last blog post.  It really is a great cause.

SMILE!

Several people showed up to flash their wonderful smiles and help a child fix their smile.

I was thrilled that we had so many generous people show up to help.  In all, we raised enough money for three surgeries!  How great to spend a few hours of your time and truly impact three lives like that?!

NEXT YEAR

Now that we’ve got the hang of this whole thing, we will really take it up a notch next year and raise even more money.  If you missed out this year, I hope you will join us next time!

On April 21st, we will be participating in the 2012 Celebration of Smiles, a fundraiser to benefit Operation Smiles. Founded in 1982, Operation Smile treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. Every year, more than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity in Operation Smile’s 26 partner countries. I couldn’t believe that!

On Saturday the 21st, I will be setting up at The Westwood School’s high school campus to photograph friends, clients or anyone else who wants to help.

Here’s how it works…

For a minimum donation of $24, I will create a fun headshot of you and your fabulous smile! I’ll give you a retouched file that you can share on Facebook, email or whatever you want. It costs Operation Smile $240 to perform one surgery, so for every ten people we photograph, we can fix one smile. How cool is that?

If this sounds like fun, please put it on your calendar and stop by on Saturday. You can even RSVP at: FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

Spread The Word

I would really appreciate it if you would spread the word to any of your friends in the DFW area.  The more the merrier!

The Westwood School
High School Campus
14240 Midway
Dallas, Texas

Saturday, April 21 from noon to 2:00

Minimum donation:  $24

If you are only drawing inspiration from other photographers, you are really missing the boat.  Creativity is all around us – everything from movies to music.  If you keep an open eye and an open mind, there is a lot to be taken in.

THINK YOU ARE CREATIVE?

One group of artists who take things to a whole new level is the band OK GO.  You probably saw the viral video of them doing a choreographed dance routine on a bunch of treadmills.  (If you missed it, here is the LINK.)  I recently came across the video for their song Needing/Getting.  If you think you are pretty creative, this will really put you in your place.

First off, how did someone come up with that idea?  Second, if you COULD come up with an idea like that – how on Earth do you figure out the logistics necessary to pull it off?  Calling these guys creative geniuses really feels like I am under-selling them.

PUSH YOURSELF

Maybe it is time that we all start thinking a little more like OKGO.  Figure out where the limits to your creativity are – then figure out a way to exceed them.  This might mean entering print competitions or taking on difficult self-assignments.  The important thing is to train your brain to start thinking outside the box, especially with your photography.

I’ve always loved the quote “What would you do if you were certain you wouldn’t fail?”  Next time you start on a photographic project, keep that in mind.  Oh sure, start out by getting the “money” shot and cover all the necessary bases.  Just make sure to save a little time at the end to try something a little different.  Do it every time.  It won’t work out every time.  In fact, if it IS working out most of the time, then you probably aren’t pushing things far enough.  Really force yourself to go for it.

If you end up with something that is a miserable failure, who cares?  Delete the file and move on.

BE INSPIRED

I’d like to leave you with one more video from OKGO.  This one is completely different, but no less fantastic.

Now go forth and create!

The first few days were spent judging the SEPPA district print competition, so I got to see a bunch of great images.  We had a great panel of judges and I had a blast.

Sunday morning was my Home Studio program.  Either I’m a great teacher or they are really smart in Georgia- because we flew through a lot of info fast!  I even got to meet an authentic 60s girl – or at least someone in a 60s costume.  So hard to tell…

Now that my big month of travel is over, I can finally settle back into the studio and get some work done.  I’ve been out of town so much that the blog has suffered a bit.  But fear not, there are more blog posts on the way.  I might even mix in another YouTube video or two.

We all carry our cell phones everywhere and they are slowly replacing the point and shoot for day to day photographs.  Luckily, there are tons of great apps that can really take your iphotography to the next level.  I’ll even give you a chance to get it for FREE!

True HDR

I came across True HDR sometime last year and love it.  It was created by the folks at Pictional and it really rocks!  They were even kind enough to give me a free copy of the app to give away -more on that in a sec.

What Is HDR

HDR stands for high dynamic range.  You basically combine several images- each with a different exposure- to create stunning and unusual photographs.  For a more in-depth explanation of HDR, you should check out Trey Ratcliff’s site and his HDR primer.

What does TrueHDR Do?

standard iphone photo

Ok, here’s how it works.  The app will basically take a series of pictures at different exposure levels, then merge them together.  All you have to do is compose the shot and hold the camera still while it is taking the pictures.

As an example, I’m going to photograph this tank, that just happens to be sitting at a park by my house.

TrueHDR screen

You have a few choices to make, including – how much control do you want to have?  You can go with Auto – where the camera does all the work- or Manual where you have a lot more control.  There is even a SemiAuto mode, if you just can’t decide between the two.  For this example, I will just go with Auto Capture, since the phone is probably smarter than me anyways.  :)

Merge Screen

From there, I compose the shot and hit the button.  The camera takes three shots and I am presented with this Merge Screen, which shows me the exposure range that has been captured.  I simply his “Merge” and the app goes to work!  A few seconds later, the HDR image is created and ready to go.  Well, almost…

Take It Further

The cool thing about TrueHDR is that it doesn’t stop there.  Once the basic image is created, you have a series of screens where you can tweak the image brightness, warmth, etc and shape the overall feel of the shot.

Then you can click the FX tab and apply one of the preset filters to the shot.

The resulting image can be quite different that where you started.

This shot doesn’t really even look like much of an HDR image anymore, but I really liked the punchy colors, so I went with it.  If you want a more traditional looking HDR look, you probably don’t want to do too much tweaking and filtering to the image.  Try it both ways and see which you like best!

Want A Free Copy?

The app is only a couple of bucks at the App Store, but you can win a free copy here.  I’ve setup a giveaway via Rafflecopter, which will give you several ways to enter and keep track of your entries for you.  Pretty cool, huh?

So get to it and enter, because the only thing better than a Cool App is a Free Cool App!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A travel photograph is a vacation keepsake. It tells a story, and it preserves dear memories of time spent with family. For commercial photographers, a few good images from a vacation can offset a portion of the trip costs.

Unfortunately most novice photographers return home from vacation with a memory card full of images which don’t look as interesting as they had expected. It doesn’t have to be that way. By making a few changes to the way you compose your photographs, and how you see the world around you, you can capture travel images on your vacation which mesmerize and captivate.

Have a Good Walking Lens

If I am traveling to a destination on my own for the sole purpose of photographing the area, I am willing to bring a camera bag full of lens and filter choices.

But when I am with my family, my main purpose is to enjoy my time with them. Capturing images still takes a high priority, but I don’t want to be encumbered by my photography. Having one versatile zoom lens is important, and allows me a multitude of crop and composition possibilities I would not have with a fixed focal.

Optimally I want the ability to shoot wide angle, and also to have a reasonable zoom length. My favorite walk around lens is the Canon 24-105 L-Series. It won’t get me a ton of reach like my 70-200, but it gives me a lot of versatility and it is lightweight.

Have a Shot List

Preparation is key to success in any endeavor. This is especially true for travel photographers. No matter how familiar you are with an area, you should do research ahead of time. What are the most important sights to photograph? Where does the sun rise and set in relation to each sight?

Advance preparation allows you the opportunity to contact local tourist information centers. They can inform you of important sights you might not be aware of. Will there be any local festivals or important events occurring during your visit?

Ask for guides and maps ahead of time. The guides usually contain some excellent photographic work, which also will give you ideas for locations to shoot and compositions to use.

Having composition ideas ahead of time will lead to more success. The best photographers I know plan their shots ahead of time. They know exactly what they will shoot, when they will shoot, and where they will shoot from.

There will be plenty of time for spontaneity. Just ensure that your first photography priority is capturing the images you envision.

Consider checking online for a photography club in the area you plan to visit. Touching base with local photographers can offer a treasure trove of shot ideas from artists familiar with the area. You might even consider hooking up for some shooting.

Personalize the Composition

I like to take several “safe” compositions which more or less document an area I am photographing. But the winning shots are generally when I personalize the composition.

Every photographer has a favorite method. Mine is to give a “You are Here” feel to my images. This can be as simple as crouching down to a level even with tall flowers or plant life, and shooting from their viewpoint toward points of interest.

When photographing your family, you should utilize tight compositions. Zoom in close to capture their bright expressions, leaving just a little room in the background to tell a story about the location. Most novices zoom back as far as possible when composing family images. This makes for terribly uninteresting photography. Always remember what the main subject is, and get close to it. In this case, it’s your family.

Take Notes Nightly

Every night download your images to your computer, and delete the ones which failed to meet expectations. At this point commercial photographers will want to add keywords to their images while the places visited are still fresh in their heads. You will be surprised how much you will forget about a location if you wait until you return home to slog through an entire vacation’s worth of images.

All photographers should make mental, or even physical notes after reviewing their shots. These should be in relation to things you wish you had done differently, or techniques which worked really well. Tomorrow will hold another day of shooting. Your goal should be to improve some aspect of your work each day.

Summary

Advance preparation is probably the most important task to shooting great images on a vacation. Know where and when to shoot ahead of time.

Use a versatile lens kit that allows you a decent amount of reach, while also giving you a wide angle option. Keep the lens kit of reasonable size so you can enjoy your vacation with your family. When photographing your family at sites, remember that your subject is your family. Crop in tight on them, leaving just a little glimpse of the area in the background to tell the story.

Enjoy your vacation, and bring back images which you will be proud of!

Daniel Padavona is the founder of Warmpicture Royalty-Free Images, which licenses vacation and travel photos. Daniel is an advocate for fair pay and commissions for artists, and regularly works with photographers wishing to diversify their earnings away from traditional stock agencies.

Authority or Guru

The first thing to clarify is the difference between an “authority” and a “guru.”  Basically, if you can tell someone more than they care to hear about a topic, you are probably an Authority on that topic.  It’s also possible that you are just boring – but lets try to keep things positive.  Being an authority implies a great deal of knowledge in that specific area.  It is pretty cut-and-dried.

A guru, on the other hand, is a little more complicated.  In addition to a great deal of knowledge, it also implies a willingness to help others.  In other words, a guru is a teacher.  In today’s society, it usually means someone who will teach you – for a price.

Guru Requirements

So how can you tell if YOU are a guru?  Well, it can be a little confusing – but there are a few unwritten rules.

1.  Know It All

To call yourself a guru, you need to either have a vast knowledge of a subject or at least claim to have a vast knowledge of a subject.  Who can really say when you officially become a Photoshop Guru or a Painting Guru.  At some point, you just start using the term.   If you can talk about a topic for 30 minutes – and still have people standing there when you finish- you might be a guru.

2.  Subject Matter

Unfortunately, you can’t be a guru in anything you want.  Certain subjects are off-limits.  Basically, a guru is generally an expert in a field of study that is considered good or helpful.  For example, you can’t be a Crime Guru – they are referred to as “criminal masterminds” or something like that.   You could, however, be a Crime Solving Guru.  See the difference?

There is no such thing as a Death Guru or Poverty Guru – they just don’t exist.   If your field of expertise is in one of these fields, you probably need to forget about being a guru.  Sorry.

3.  Stuff For Sale

As far as I can see, the final requirement for being a guru is that you have to have some sort of product for sale.  If you are an Kitchen Organization Guru, you better have a book-or even a utensil sorting tray- for sale.  People like to buy things from gurus.

Can you imagine meeting someone who claimed to be a Marketing Guru, but didn’t have a marketing book for sale?  You’ve got a better chance of stumbling across the Loch Ness Monster.

Make Sense?

Hopefully that will clarify things a bit for everyone.  If you read over the requirements and you have determined yourself to be an actual guru- congratulations!

If not, keep at it.  I didn’t just become a Guru Guru overnight – believe me.

This week, I’m continuing my “Ten Questions” series with internet traffic diva Ana Hoffman.  Ana’s Traffic Generation Cafe is an incredible website with lots of great content.  She was kind enough to answer my ten questions – so enjoy the post!

1. What made you choose traffic generation as a theme for your site?  Is it something you struggled with yourself?

Yes, I started Traffic Generation Cafe out of necessity. 

I needed to learn how to drive traffic to my then primary business site and had a hard time finding simple actionable information to help me with it.

2.  You went from modeling to blogging.  Which one is tougher?

Modeling is by far one of the most difficult things I’ve done in my life.

Even though it’s always nice to see your face on the cover of a magazine, there are many rejections that line the way.

Blogging is not easy, but my success is entirely under my control. If I fail along the way, there’s no one else to blame.

3.  You’ve obviously been photographed many times.  Which image best shows “the real Ana” ???
Out of all the question, this is the one that took a while to answer.

It seems like we spend our lives trying to present ourselves in a better light.

Sometimes even to the point where we forget who we really are.  However, this face can’t lie.

This is the best expression of the true me.

4.  Even your best friends would be surprised to learn that when you were younger, you _______________

I live in Arizona because I hate being cold.

I hear it over and over again from my friends and family “But you are from Russia! How can you be cold when it’s in the 80s outside?!”

Little they know I used to do ice swimming. lol

5.  If I had a friend who never heard of your site and I was going to send him a link to ONE post – the one that you are the most proud of – which post would it be?  

I think this post is the most useful one:
http://www.trafficgenerationcafe.com/popular-blogs-from-scratch/

6.  Mac or PC?

Mac all the way.

7.  Favorite TV show of all time?

I don’t watch much TV, but the one show that always made me close my computer (not an easy thing to do) was “24″ with Kiefer Sutherland.

8.  If you could only read ONE other person’s blog, which blog would it be?  And don’t feel like you have to pick mine to make me feel good!  :)

Alex Whalley http://alexwhalley.com/ always manages to make me laugh when I read his blog – as well as teach me a thing or two.

9.  What is the biggest goal you have set for yourself this year?

I am more of a goal-getter than goal-setter.

Life taught me not to make plans too far in advance, and I am fine with it.

10.  How long could you go without internet access?

I once almost had a breakdown when we got to a hotel in the Rockies and their Wi-Fi access wasn’t liking my computer.

I am a blogging junkie – there, I said it!

Want to learn how Ana generates web traffic?

Stop by her traffic generation blog or follow her on Twitter.  Trust me, she is very entertaining!

Who is next?

When was the last time YOU came across someone really interesting on the internet?  An entertaining Twitter friend or a photo blogger with incredible images?  I’m always on the lookout for more “Ten Questions” participants.  Leave me a few suggestions below and I’ll add them to my list!

Every portrait is ultimately judged by the expression on the subject.  It doesn’t matter if you are a photographer or a client- everyone hates fake smiles. Nothing spoils a session like a long, dramatic “CHEEEEEEEZZZEEEE!”.

So how do we avoid it?

First Things First
Like most projects, the planning is a critical part of the process. When you are scheduling a portrait session for your child, there is absolutely no need to prep your child in any way.

A good photographer will know how to work with your kids to get the expressions that they need.  Any coaching you do ahead of time will only make the photographer’s job harder.  Kids are pretty good at just going with the flow, so they don’t need a whole lot of build-up for the portrait session.

Clothing

One common snag that will derail a portrait session is when a child is forced to wear an outfit they don’t want to wear.   I was lucky to not ever have this issue with my boys – they would generally just put on the outfit and be done with it.  If your child isn’t so tollerant, try this:  Bring two outfits that you like and let them choose which one to wear.   That way, they feel like they are in control – but you are still choosing the clothing.  (Of course, you could make the same argument from the kid’s perspective)

Ease Into The Session

The first few minutes after a child arrives will set the tone for the session.  Don’t rush right into the studio.  Take a few minutes to let your kid get their bearings and let the photographer start building rapport with them.  Once the child is comfortable, they will head into the studio on their own.

Mom Pressure

When I am photographing a child, one of the biggest obstacles is often the mother.  It is human nature to try and guide your child -but it will drive the photographer crazy.  Every time you say, “Do a big smile” or “That’s not your real smile” you are adding more confusion to the situation.  Sometimes it is best if you just bring a magazine and sit in the next room.  Trust me, you will get better results.

Forget Smiles

From my standpoint – behind the camera- I’m not interested in kids making a smiling face.  I’m interested in actually making them laugh and then capturing it in the camera.  That is the only way to get an authentic expression.   The key is to have a whole bunch of tricks and strategies ready, since every kid is different.  A joke that makes one kid laugh might be totally lost on the next one.  Working with kids is truly an art, just like the actual photography.  If you don’t believe me, just ask any teacher.  The people who are best at interacting with children are almost always the best photographers.

Have Fun!

Honestly, the best advice is to have fun and enjoy the session.  If your child isn’t in the mood to smile that day, just go with it.  Some of my favorite portraits of my boys are ones where they are not smiling.  As long as the expression is authentic – smiling or not – it will have emotional impact.