Photography is an expensive hobby, so do yourself a big favour and make your own equipment. I usually get questions about backdrops and where I get them from. So, I'll let you in on that one...
I buy my backdrops everywhere... and I mean EVERYWHERE! How? Charity stores.... hundreds of the things just waiting to be picked up... and for just a few cents. Who knew that charity stores sold photography accessories eh? What are they? Sheets. Double, king size, queen size... for a few dollars only. You can also get large pieces of material too sometimes and muslin curtains. Easy to hang curtains because they've already got loops or whatever.
You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on pro backdrops, though I have do have a couple of those which I've bought online. You can also make one out of muslin, which I also use... yards and yards of the stuff. It's dirt cheap. There's a tut here on how to do that, though you're going to want to hang it. You can hang it from a wooden dowel and fix it to your ceiling and roll it up and down, or you can fix curtain eyelets into your sheet edge and hang from hooks in a beam or ceiling in your room, or make a frame for it, which is a great idea for portability. Ideally you need something 10 foot across if you're going to photograph a whole person, but much less if you're just doing head shots.
You can dye them any colour you like and it doesn't matter if they get wrecked because they cost so little. Buy white ones, chuck them in bleach to brighten them up and give them a good wash and you're good to go.
Dye one set black or dark grey. Tie dye is also good for a mottled effect and here's a different way of dying which isn't as fiddly as tie dye but I recommend you don't use a dryer to set the dye.. just hang it over your clothesline until it's dry. Another tut here with pics. I like those the best. ;)
Remember, the backdrop isn't going to be really in focus after you're done, it's just a backdrop. If you want block colours, then use a liquid dye rather than powder ones as the powder can sometimes leave little spots. One that you throw in the machine is the best, though follow instructions about rinsing the machine afterwards because you don't want any unpleasant surprises.
If you're planning on shooting down, you need lots of texture, so make sure there's enough material on the ground for this. The more material you can bunch up around your subject area, the better imo. Also, if you're lying your subject on the floor, put something comfortable underneath your backdrop.. camping mats or gym mats are a good idea. Be nice to your models!
I have several home made backdrops.. grey mottled, rust mottled, black and white.
Once you've set up your backdrops, place your models in (hire your kids), light it well and take some shots. Amazing how much more pro it looks even if you're not.
Have fun!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Planning a shoot
I'm very excited to have a boudoir shoot booked in for Monday. I love boudoir, so I'm going to talk you through the steps I take when I plan a shoot.
When a client contacts me about a shoot, I first ask them if they have anything in their head already about how they want to look and who the shoot is for. Usually they will have found shots on the internet and these are easily sent through by email. Other times, they may be cuttings from a magazine or a photograph they had done previously. Anything is good because if I can get inside your head and see what it is that you're thinking, this makes it 100x easier to do the shoot.
Boudoir shoots I've done have been for both the model and for partners - they make a great birthday present, which is why this client is doing hers.
I can see these things when I meet you for the first time and I'll open my client book and create a nice new page for you. I use a book because it's hard to clip magazine cuttings to a computer. ;)
My client today I've met before so that made the initial meeting easier. Sometimes, though a client may REALLY want to do this thing, they're still very nervous. It's perfectly natural because there's a trust thing here, especially when it involves doing something as intimate as this.
There are a few things I explain to my clients.
1. I may remove what I call 'distractions' such as a pimple which is bound to pop up on the day, but in general, I won't remove your laughter lines, airbrush the heck out of you and leave you looking bland. There's no point in having a bunch of shots which don't truly reflect who you are. Whilst some people request this and whilst it can be done, it's better if we don't. I can do it and you'll still agree that the shot where you look more natural is the better one.
2. I know you're probably worried about your wrinkles, your tum, you chin and all the other stuff that makes people insecure about their bodies, but this is where you're going to trust me to pose you to get the very best off your body. There are angles and techniques that I know that I will exploit to get the very best out of who you are. Not only that, but there are different exposures, lenses and processing which I can use which will minimise such detail. Trust your photographer.
3. Whilst you're seeing faults in yourself, I'm seeing curves, potential, angles, your eye colour, your jawline, your hands, whether you've got great legs/shoulders/neck/ankles/hips.... because these are the things I am going to aim for when we shoot. You don't have to look like a model to be sexy.
My client's got beautiful hair and fab legs. The rest I'll assess on location, but already, I'm seeing the shots in my head.
4. If you don't normally wear make-up, then don't wear it for the shoot. Don't be something you're not. Beauty is from within, not from within a mascara tube.
5. I don't shoot 'slutty'... ever. It's just not my thing. We're after beautiful, timeless, elegant, quiet quality... classic boudoir.
After I've got a good idea about how you want to look, we'll talk about how we're going to shoot you, talk through some ideas and styling and what you can expect of the time you've booked.
This client has sent me a couple of pics of Marilyn Monroe. It's not the model in them which is important here, it's what she's lying on and how she's posed which is what's grabbing my client's attention. Running with that theme, I then talk about the other things we can do and how we're going to do them.
I'm now thinking of yards of muslin, a very big chunky jumper a la Marilyn on the beach ... Client likes this idea.
The shoot is a present for her partner's birthday, so I've asked her to steal anything of his that we can use on the day as props. As luck has it, he has lots of hats.... I've suggested shirts and ties too. How much fun is this going to be?
I try to always use natural light for shoots like this because I think natural light is the best. If it's going to be a lousy day, then we have lights but we'll try not to use them if we don't have to.
A few days before I shoot, I will set up everything and do a practice run to make sure it's all going to work. For this shoot, that involves backdrops, possible lighting and a ladder so I can shoot down. I'll pick my lenses, I'll shoot some practice shots and then we're all set for some fun.
Finally, a shoot is a fluid thing which can change direction. Try not to have a too fixed idea about what you want, because those things are our starting points of inspiration. We're not out to copy Ms Monroe and nor will you look like her once we're done, we're doing something unique for you. Without exception, all boudoir shoots I've done have morphed and developed into the end result which clients have always loved. We develop your style, your look and your images together and I promise that you'll love it as will your partner.
When a client contacts me about a shoot, I first ask them if they have anything in their head already about how they want to look and who the shoot is for. Usually they will have found shots on the internet and these are easily sent through by email. Other times, they may be cuttings from a magazine or a photograph they had done previously. Anything is good because if I can get inside your head and see what it is that you're thinking, this makes it 100x easier to do the shoot.
Boudoir shoots I've done have been for both the model and for partners - they make a great birthday present, which is why this client is doing hers.
I can see these things when I meet you for the first time and I'll open my client book and create a nice new page for you. I use a book because it's hard to clip magazine cuttings to a computer. ;)
My client today I've met before so that made the initial meeting easier. Sometimes, though a client may REALLY want to do this thing, they're still very nervous. It's perfectly natural because there's a trust thing here, especially when it involves doing something as intimate as this.
There are a few things I explain to my clients.
1. I may remove what I call 'distractions' such as a pimple which is bound to pop up on the day, but in general, I won't remove your laughter lines, airbrush the heck out of you and leave you looking bland. There's no point in having a bunch of shots which don't truly reflect who you are. Whilst some people request this and whilst it can be done, it's better if we don't. I can do it and you'll still agree that the shot where you look more natural is the better one.
2. I know you're probably worried about your wrinkles, your tum, you chin and all the other stuff that makes people insecure about their bodies, but this is where you're going to trust me to pose you to get the very best off your body. There are angles and techniques that I know that I will exploit to get the very best out of who you are. Not only that, but there are different exposures, lenses and processing which I can use which will minimise such detail. Trust your photographer.
3. Whilst you're seeing faults in yourself, I'm seeing curves, potential, angles, your eye colour, your jawline, your hands, whether you've got great legs/shoulders/neck/ankles/hips.... because these are the things I am going to aim for when we shoot. You don't have to look like a model to be sexy.
My client's got beautiful hair and fab legs. The rest I'll assess on location, but already, I'm seeing the shots in my head.
4. If you don't normally wear make-up, then don't wear it for the shoot. Don't be something you're not. Beauty is from within, not from within a mascara tube.
5. I don't shoot 'slutty'... ever. It's just not my thing. We're after beautiful, timeless, elegant, quiet quality... classic boudoir.
After I've got a good idea about how you want to look, we'll talk about how we're going to shoot you, talk through some ideas and styling and what you can expect of the time you've booked.
This client has sent me a couple of pics of Marilyn Monroe. It's not the model in them which is important here, it's what she's lying on and how she's posed which is what's grabbing my client's attention. Running with that theme, I then talk about the other things we can do and how we're going to do them.
I'm now thinking of yards of muslin, a very big chunky jumper a la Marilyn on the beach ... Client likes this idea.
The shoot is a present for her partner's birthday, so I've asked her to steal anything of his that we can use on the day as props. As luck has it, he has lots of hats.... I've suggested shirts and ties too. How much fun is this going to be?I try to always use natural light for shoots like this because I think natural light is the best. If it's going to be a lousy day, then we have lights but we'll try not to use them if we don't have to.
A few days before I shoot, I will set up everything and do a practice run to make sure it's all going to work. For this shoot, that involves backdrops, possible lighting and a ladder so I can shoot down. I'll pick my lenses, I'll shoot some practice shots and then we're all set for some fun.
Finally, a shoot is a fluid thing which can change direction. Try not to have a too fixed idea about what you want, because those things are our starting points of inspiration. We're not out to copy Ms Monroe and nor will you look like her once we're done, we're doing something unique for you. Without exception, all boudoir shoots I've done have morphed and developed into the end result which clients have always loved. We develop your style, your look and your images together and I promise that you'll love it as will your partner.
School Formal
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Dreaming of Chanel
Trying to catch up on blogging this week and realised I didn't blog about Charlotte Smith's beautiful Dreaming of Chanel book launch held at the Carrington, Katoomba some months back.
I loved this job... beautiful models, fabulous clothes and the Carrington, which is always a challenge to shoot in, primarily because it's got so many alcoves and little spaces that it's pretty hard to light. Not one to bump up my ISO and get grainy images, I try to light it properly. Mwahahaha. Easy.
Anyway, without boring you with all the technical stuff, here's some of the shots from it which I particularly love. Enjoy.
I loved this job... beautiful models, fabulous clothes and the Carrington, which is always a challenge to shoot in, primarily because it's got so many alcoves and little spaces that it's pretty hard to light. Not one to bump up my ISO and get grainy images, I try to light it properly. Mwahahaha. Easy.
Anyway, without boring you with all the technical stuff, here's some of the shots from it which I particularly love. Enjoy.
 |
| Charlotte's beautiful hair style |
 | |
| Love this lady's face. Great style too. |
 |
| Tara Moss... what a nice lady she is. |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
'Liking'...
'Liking' every other photographer's artwork on Facebook will not only waste your time, but it will hamper your creativity.
You think it's giving you good ideas to see what other people are doing but really, it's limiting you to what other people are creating, and removing the focus from what you are creating.
Not only that, if they're being hyper creative, it will merely point the finger at your lack and you'll feel bad.
Then you're on the Ultimate Photographer's Spiral of Doom...
'Oh no, their work is so much better than mine. I'm rubbish. I'm not doing what they're doing. Boo hoo me.'
Do you WANT to be on the Ultimate Photographer's Spiral of Doom? (The UPSD for short, because I like FLA's)
There comes a point where it's a good idea to stop looking at other people's art, pick up your camera, your paintbrush, or your pencils and let out what is inside you without giving a damn what other people are doing. Their work is no 'better' than yours. There is no 'better'... there is only 'different'.
Release your creativity. Stop embracing theirs.
There, I said it. So shoot me.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Don't give it all away...
Recently I quoted for a commercial job. I love commercial work.. it's an opportunity to be extremely creative and present something really dynamic and exciting to the client. After all, we all know that good images can make or break a product.
Previously, someone had done some photographic work for this person for very little money. The reason for this was because that person was employed full time in another job and didn't need the money. He was just doing it as a favour.
On the phone the client and I talked about how photography could really bring his site alive, how we could inject a lot of fun into his site, how we could promote the fashionable side of his business, how also we might also expand other ideas to the buyer through photography... He was keen until...
He said he wasn't sure where the value was I was offering... and could I show him how spending money on hiring me would give him what he wanted. I asked what he did before he entered retail and he said he was an accountant. I asked if people asked him to prove his worth before they gave him their accounts and he laughed and said no. So what makes me so different I asked?
Well, how come the other guy could do it for him so cheaply and I was more expensive? I explained... this was my day job, not just a part time thing. The other guy was just a pal doing a favour, which was nice...but I'm running a business, with expenses, and insurance, and equipment...
I ran off some quick test shots as he'd requested and emailed them through to him that afternoon.
Then I called to follow up the next day and it was then he said he'd decided to find someone else who charged less, even though he loved my shots. In fact he really liked them so much, that he'd really like me to do the job, but he couldn't really afford me.
He waited for me to drop my rate to not much at all, but I didn't. I let the job go.
The problem is that many people do photography for 'not much money'. It's ok when you're starting out to offer low prices if you are portfolio building. That's fine. But you have to make that much clear.
The reason people can't see the worth in photography is due to a few issues...
...whether you 'Shoot and Burn' or whether you print your shots.
And that given you're 'digital', then you don't have to buy film and pay for processing.
In the olden days before digital cameras came out, photographers used film and it was normal to have shots printed and paid for by the client.
Then digital came along and the client now thinks that as you're doing this 'cheap' thing, then you can burn all your images to a disc and give it to them.
That's all well and good and who wouldn't want all their shots on a disc, ready to print?
But are you completely comfortable with that as a photographer? You have no control over how they're printed, the print quality or their presentation. That's your reputation on the line right there in the misrepresentation of your work. Are you happy with that?
Recently someone requested I just 'send through the unedited file' so they could do their own edit on it. I don't personally ever send out unedited work because then all the control that I have and the style I work hard to achieve is taken by someone else, and changed. Do I want my work being used in that way? Do I want my name on something I haven't edited? Nope.
Secondly, let's make it clear. Whilst digital photography has 'cheapened' things, a digital camera has a shelf life. It needs to be upgraded once that processor has taken so many shots. Digital cameras come with their own issues. Upgrading firmware on them, cleaning, maintenance, upgrading lenses, insurance, software to process etc costs hundreds of dollars. It's not cheap! Even as a hobby, it's one of the most expensive ever! Making earrings is much cheaper I found recently. And as creative. ; )
It's a quandary for all pro photographers how they handle this issue.
Some shoot and burn for a low price. Others charge for the rights of the CD by putting a package price on it. (Smart!) Others put it into the price of the package they offer.
There's truly no right and wrong of it in the end and you have to try to strike a balance between giving everything away but still maintaining the worth that you put into your art work.
Love to hear your comments.
: )
Previously, someone had done some photographic work for this person for very little money. The reason for this was because that person was employed full time in another job and didn't need the money. He was just doing it as a favour.
On the phone the client and I talked about how photography could really bring his site alive, how we could inject a lot of fun into his site, how we could promote the fashionable side of his business, how also we might also expand other ideas to the buyer through photography... He was keen until...
He said he wasn't sure where the value was I was offering... and could I show him how spending money on hiring me would give him what he wanted. I asked what he did before he entered retail and he said he was an accountant. I asked if people asked him to prove his worth before they gave him their accounts and he laughed and said no. So what makes me so different I asked?
Well, how come the other guy could do it for him so cheaply and I was more expensive? I explained... this was my day job, not just a part time thing. The other guy was just a pal doing a favour, which was nice...but I'm running a business, with expenses, and insurance, and equipment...
I ran off some quick test shots as he'd requested and emailed them through to him that afternoon.
Then I called to follow up the next day and it was then he said he'd decided to find someone else who charged less, even though he loved my shots. In fact he really liked them so much, that he'd really like me to do the job, but he couldn't really afford me.
He waited for me to drop my rate to not much at all, but I didn't. I let the job go.
The problem is that many people do photography for 'not much money'. It's ok when you're starting out to offer low prices if you are portfolio building. That's fine. But you have to make that much clear.
The reason people can't see the worth in photography is due to a few issues...
...whether you 'Shoot and Burn' or whether you print your shots.
And that given you're 'digital', then you don't have to buy film and pay for processing.
In the olden days before digital cameras came out, photographers used film and it was normal to have shots printed and paid for by the client.
Then digital came along and the client now thinks that as you're doing this 'cheap' thing, then you can burn all your images to a disc and give it to them.
That's all well and good and who wouldn't want all their shots on a disc, ready to print?
But are you completely comfortable with that as a photographer? You have no control over how they're printed, the print quality or their presentation. That's your reputation on the line right there in the misrepresentation of your work. Are you happy with that?
Recently someone requested I just 'send through the unedited file' so they could do their own edit on it. I don't personally ever send out unedited work because then all the control that I have and the style I work hard to achieve is taken by someone else, and changed. Do I want my work being used in that way? Do I want my name on something I haven't edited? Nope.
Secondly, let's make it clear. Whilst digital photography has 'cheapened' things, a digital camera has a shelf life. It needs to be upgraded once that processor has taken so many shots. Digital cameras come with their own issues. Upgrading firmware on them, cleaning, maintenance, upgrading lenses, insurance, software to process etc costs hundreds of dollars. It's not cheap! Even as a hobby, it's one of the most expensive ever! Making earrings is much cheaper I found recently. And as creative. ; )
It's a quandary for all pro photographers how they handle this issue.
Some shoot and burn for a low price. Others charge for the rights of the CD by putting a package price on it. (Smart!) Others put it into the price of the package they offer.
There's truly no right and wrong of it in the end and you have to try to strike a balance between giving everything away but still maintaining the worth that you put into your art work.
Love to hear your comments.
: )
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
So You Want to Be A Photographer? Part II
So, you've decided you're going to set yourself up as a photographer.
Great!
So now you're a photographer... you say you're a photographer and you have a website that makes you look like a photographer. So now you need to market yourself.
So how are you going to do that exactly?
At this point, you should be referring to your business plan because you'd be crazy to go into business without a business plan, right?
I've got mine sitting in this basket besides my desk (It's not the rubbish basket, it's my 'on hand' filing system) Where do you keep yours?
What, you didn't write one? Are you serious?
Doh!
Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
See that question I asked up there... the 'How are you going to do that exactly' question?
That's the question you need to have answered in your business plan.
Not only the how but the why and where and when of your business. If you haven't written one, you're 'winging' it. Chancing your arm, (I don't know why we say that in England but I'm sure someone will enlighten me) and hoping for the best.
Basically you don't have any direction, you have no idea how you're going to grow and market your business and you have nothing to show a bank manager should you want a loan but not only that, you have nothing to refer to which will keep you on track.
You may be a creative artist, but if you don't have a clue what you're doing and how you're going to do it, then you deserve to fail.
Truly. And I'm sorry if that's harsh, but it's for your own good.
Find a business plan template on the web NOW and download it. Banks have them for free, and there are plenty out there. Now fill it in and then we'll talk further about building a portfolio.
Have fun!
Great!
So now you're a photographer... you say you're a photographer and you have a website that makes you look like a photographer. So now you need to market yourself.
So how are you going to do that exactly?
At this point, you should be referring to your business plan because you'd be crazy to go into business without a business plan, right?
I've got mine sitting in this basket besides my desk (It's not the rubbish basket, it's my 'on hand' filing system) Where do you keep yours?
What, you didn't write one? Are you serious?
Doh!
Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
See that question I asked up there... the 'How are you going to do that exactly' question?
That's the question you need to have answered in your business plan.
Not only the how but the why and where and when of your business. If you haven't written one, you're 'winging' it. Chancing your arm, (I don't know why we say that in England but I'm sure someone will enlighten me) and hoping for the best.
Basically you don't have any direction, you have no idea how you're going to grow and market your business and you have nothing to show a bank manager should you want a loan but not only that, you have nothing to refer to which will keep you on track.
You may be a creative artist, but if you don't have a clue what you're doing and how you're going to do it, then you deserve to fail.
Truly. And I'm sorry if that's harsh, but it's for your own good.
Find a business plan template on the web NOW and download it. Banks have them for free, and there are plenty out there. Now fill it in and then we'll talk further about building a portfolio.
Have fun!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
How NOT to buy an engagement ring...
I thought I'd put this out there because lots of people get engaged and we wanted to share our experience with you.
There are ways to choose an engagement ring and ways not to. I'm going to share our experience with you. Grab a cuppa because this is going to be a long one.
One day last year, we were in Leura in the Blue Mountains and wandered into 'Von Ander and Cook Fine Jewellery' in an arcade there in the village.
We had a look round and then bumped into a friend in the shop so we got chatting. Shortly after that, Karl Cook (owner of the store) joined the conversation. We mentioned we were getting married and he asked us if we'd chosen rings yet. We said we hadn't and he invited us to sit down and discuss a design process with him.
He drew up a ring on some paper and then we discussed price. My partner gave him a sum for the ring, which he agreed he could do the work for.
A few days after this I was requested to come into the shop and 'choose a diamond'.
Mr Cook had two diamonds which he told me where 'pretty much the same'. I picked one.
Mr Cook said that the ring would be ready three weeks after the deposit was paid, so that week, we both went in to sort the deposit. I wanted to show my partner the diamond for the ring but Mr Cook couldn't locate it. He'd lost it.
He assured us that it was somewhere in the shop and that he'd locate it later.
At the time we thought that was pretty odd, but my partner still paid a deposit for what we were told was for two rings... engagement and wedding....because Mr Cook said that he couldn't start work without it.
He gave us a credit card receipt and my partner said 'Is that it?'.
Mr Cook asked us if we wanted a detailed receipt and we said that we did.
He said he'd 'sort it out later'.
A few days later Mr Cook told us that he'd found the diamond 'in a safe place'.... phew!
Now, as far as we were concerned, we'd entered into a contract with Mr Cook. (Do click on that and have a look at what a contract is under law. Everyone should read it.)
Then we went away and waited.... and waited and we waited some more.
The ring, which we'd wanted for my birthday on Sept 28th, never turned up. I approached Mr Cook by text and by his personal page on Facebook to ask whether the ring was going to be ready and was told that it was 'nearly ready for fitting' and that it was 'coming'.
I told him that my partner was making very unhappy noises about it. Mr Cook told me once again that it was coming.
My birthday came and went with no word from Von Ander and Cook, so we went into the shop on October 16 to find out what was happening. Mr Cook pulled out a 'master' ring which I had to try on. Bear in mind that we'd paid deposit on August 31.
According to the other jewellers I've approached, a master can take about a day to make. This master seemed to have taken from August 31 through to somewhere around October 10 we estimated.
Mr Cook said he'd left 'numerous messages' on my phone but oddly, there was no record of them in my call list. I asked him to show me on his call list, but he said his iPhone didn't keep that information. Even more to the point, he didn't call my partner once who was the one who had ordered and paid for the ring in the first place. There were no calls placed to our home telephone either or to my partner's mobile.
I tried the master ring on but it wouldn't even go past my knuckle. At this point, Mr Cook said my fingers had swollen up a size and that he'd have to remeasure my finger. He did this and he wrote the new size down.
We asked how much longer it would take to make our ring and were told another two and a half weeks! So far, this whole process had taken much, much longer than the three weeks that Mr Cook promised us. We paid deposit on 31 August and we were up to October 16 by now. Another two and a half weeks on top of this meant more waiting.
Unhappily we left the shop to decide what to do.
On my return home, I went to my jewellery and tried on a ring that I'd had for 20 years to see if my fingers had swollen and they hadn't. The ring fitted perfectly.
After discussion, we decided to ask for our money back. So the next morning off we went to the shop and tried to talk to Mr Cook about the situation.
We said that we were unhappy and Mr Cook repeated over and over in a loud voice 'What do you want? What do you want?'
So we said 'We'd like our money back please' to which he said that we couldn't because he'd 'spent it' - presumably on materials. He said that Fair Trading would back him up, that we had simply changed our minds and that he 'didn't do refunds'.
We made the point that he'd promised three weeks and that the three weeks had come and gone and that our engagement had been delayed because of it.
He said that we were 'having a go at him', which of course we weren't but when you want to get engaged, and someone says that you'll have a ring in three weeks, you tend to believe them and it's a bit annoying when they don't deliver.
He told us we had 'no choice' but to continue, so believing this we asked him to write out a 'guarantee' which he said would mean our ring was going to be ready in the time he specified - another two and a half weeks.
We left that Sunday afternoon for home. In the morning, we rung Fair Trading, which it seems was a mistake.
If you go to Fair Trading, then you don't actually have your case heard by a Magistrate. The 'Tribunal Member' as they're called are trained in the law but they're not Magistrates.
Fair Trading told us that we should ask for the ring work to be stopped as it seemed clear that Mr Cook had breached the contract we had with him. We agreed that yes, he had and this is what we did.
So the next day, Monday, we did this by email. We were told that in no uncertain terms, it was too late and that the ring had been taken for casting that day. (We later contacted the casting company through a contact and they told us the ring wasn't in casting until the Tuesday, so the ring wasn't in casting that Monday as we'd been told. We have that email.)
Not only that, but we were told that they were going to go ahead with the ring to 'recover their costs'. There were actually no costs, we'd covered them all in the deposit.
In fact, all costs bar $3 were recovered, and Von Ander and Cook offered us that $3 in a refund!
So you'll be thinking at this point, just as we were, that if we'd given them a couple of thousand dollars in deposit and they'd spent that deposit on materials and costs, then surely a $3 refund was a bit surreal given that we owned the materials. This wasn't a charitable donation to Von Ander and Cook, it was a deposit.
By now we were in full email contact with Von Ander and Cook's office manager, Elizabeth Ewell Cook, Mr Cook's wife.
She explained that delays were because they had been ill. Well we're not unreasonable people. Had someone come to us at any point and said 'We're sorry we're weeks late with your ring but we've both been in hospital' then we'd have been quite understanding. The fact was that no-one had come to us with that story and in fact, there was no communication at all from the jeweller to us about the delays in our ring. There was just total silence.
Apparently during a business meeting I attended on Oct 1st on an entirely different matter, Mr Cook says he told me that he'd been ill, but actually, the conversation went like this:
'Hi Karl. How's my ring going?'
'Er, I haven't actually started it yet.'
'You've what? You're kidding!' (horrified voice)
'Yeah sorry, we've been a bit busy'.
Me - too shocked to even say anything.
Afterwards I discussed it with an associate and said that I was no longer confident about Mr Cook's abilities and that I was not going to be involved in any further business meetings with him. Mr Cook later bought my non-attendance at further meetings up as some sort of evidence that I was somehow a bit slack , when in reality, I just didn't want to work with him on this other business matter. This other business matter had nothing to do with our contract so there was little point in him mentioning it at tribunal.
So there were a few emails back and forth where we insisted we would like our money back, or obviously be given the materials so that we could take them to another jeweller to be worked. They did belong to us after all.
But no. There was no other offer of refund other than $3.
Another issue that came to light was that the price seemed to have risen for the ring by $900. We asked how this could be so. Mr Cook enlightened us by letting us know that we'd picked the 'more expensive diamond'. Really? By $900? I contacted the diamond supplier but out of client confidentiality they couldn't tell me in truth how much the diamond had cost. Doing the maths, Mr Cook's 'other diamond' would have been around $540. The diamond supplier did tell us that they didn't sell diamonds for under $680.
Mr Cook also claimed that the price was clearly marked on the diamond package and that it was clear that I had picked the more expensive diamond, but after recovering a photograph that I'd taken on another camera of that packet, it appears there was no such price marked on the package.
Eventually, we took the case to Fair Trading expecting a fair hearing. During our hearing we made our points, the jeweller made theirs.
There are ways to choose an engagement ring and ways not to. I'm going to share our experience with you. Grab a cuppa because this is going to be a long one.
One day last year, we were in Leura in the Blue Mountains and wandered into 'Von Ander and Cook Fine Jewellery' in an arcade there in the village.
We had a look round and then bumped into a friend in the shop so we got chatting. Shortly after that, Karl Cook (owner of the store) joined the conversation. We mentioned we were getting married and he asked us if we'd chosen rings yet. We said we hadn't and he invited us to sit down and discuss a design process with him.
He drew up a ring on some paper and then we discussed price. My partner gave him a sum for the ring, which he agreed he could do the work for.
A few days after this I was requested to come into the shop and 'choose a diamond'.
Mr Cook had two diamonds which he told me where 'pretty much the same'. I picked one.
Mr Cook said that the ring would be ready three weeks after the deposit was paid, so that week, we both went in to sort the deposit. I wanted to show my partner the diamond for the ring but Mr Cook couldn't locate it. He'd lost it.
He assured us that it was somewhere in the shop and that he'd locate it later.
At the time we thought that was pretty odd, but my partner still paid a deposit for what we were told was for two rings... engagement and wedding....because Mr Cook said that he couldn't start work without it.
He gave us a credit card receipt and my partner said 'Is that it?'.
Mr Cook asked us if we wanted a detailed receipt and we said that we did.
He said he'd 'sort it out later'.
A few days later Mr Cook told us that he'd found the diamond 'in a safe place'.... phew!
Now, as far as we were concerned, we'd entered into a contract with Mr Cook. (Do click on that and have a look at what a contract is under law. Everyone should read it.)
Then we went away and waited.... and waited and we waited some more.
The ring, which we'd wanted for my birthday on Sept 28th, never turned up. I approached Mr Cook by text and by his personal page on Facebook to ask whether the ring was going to be ready and was told that it was 'nearly ready for fitting' and that it was 'coming'.
I told him that my partner was making very unhappy noises about it. Mr Cook told me once again that it was coming.
My birthday came and went with no word from Von Ander and Cook, so we went into the shop on October 16 to find out what was happening. Mr Cook pulled out a 'master' ring which I had to try on. Bear in mind that we'd paid deposit on August 31.
According to the other jewellers I've approached, a master can take about a day to make. This master seemed to have taken from August 31 through to somewhere around October 10 we estimated.
Mr Cook said he'd left 'numerous messages' on my phone but oddly, there was no record of them in my call list. I asked him to show me on his call list, but he said his iPhone didn't keep that information. Even more to the point, he didn't call my partner once who was the one who had ordered and paid for the ring in the first place. There were no calls placed to our home telephone either or to my partner's mobile.
I tried the master ring on but it wouldn't even go past my knuckle. At this point, Mr Cook said my fingers had swollen up a size and that he'd have to remeasure my finger. He did this and he wrote the new size down.
We asked how much longer it would take to make our ring and were told another two and a half weeks! So far, this whole process had taken much, much longer than the three weeks that Mr Cook promised us. We paid deposit on 31 August and we were up to October 16 by now. Another two and a half weeks on top of this meant more waiting.
Unhappily we left the shop to decide what to do.
On my return home, I went to my jewellery and tried on a ring that I'd had for 20 years to see if my fingers had swollen and they hadn't. The ring fitted perfectly.
After discussion, we decided to ask for our money back. So the next morning off we went to the shop and tried to talk to Mr Cook about the situation.
We said that we were unhappy and Mr Cook repeated over and over in a loud voice 'What do you want? What do you want?'
So we said 'We'd like our money back please' to which he said that we couldn't because he'd 'spent it' - presumably on materials. He said that Fair Trading would back him up, that we had simply changed our minds and that he 'didn't do refunds'.
We made the point that he'd promised three weeks and that the three weeks had come and gone and that our engagement had been delayed because of it.
He said that we were 'having a go at him', which of course we weren't but when you want to get engaged, and someone says that you'll have a ring in three weeks, you tend to believe them and it's a bit annoying when they don't deliver.
He told us we had 'no choice' but to continue, so believing this we asked him to write out a 'guarantee' which he said would mean our ring was going to be ready in the time he specified - another two and a half weeks.
We left that Sunday afternoon for home. In the morning, we rung Fair Trading, which it seems was a mistake.
If you go to Fair Trading, then you don't actually have your case heard by a Magistrate. The 'Tribunal Member' as they're called are trained in the law but they're not Magistrates.
Fair Trading told us that we should ask for the ring work to be stopped as it seemed clear that Mr Cook had breached the contract we had with him. We agreed that yes, he had and this is what we did.
So the next day, Monday, we did this by email. We were told that in no uncertain terms, it was too late and that the ring had been taken for casting that day. (We later contacted the casting company through a contact and they told us the ring wasn't in casting until the Tuesday, so the ring wasn't in casting that Monday as we'd been told. We have that email.)
Not only that, but we were told that they were going to go ahead with the ring to 'recover their costs'. There were actually no costs, we'd covered them all in the deposit.
In fact, all costs bar $3 were recovered, and Von Ander and Cook offered us that $3 in a refund!
So you'll be thinking at this point, just as we were, that if we'd given them a couple of thousand dollars in deposit and they'd spent that deposit on materials and costs, then surely a $3 refund was a bit surreal given that we owned the materials. This wasn't a charitable donation to Von Ander and Cook, it was a deposit.
By now we were in full email contact with Von Ander and Cook's office manager, Elizabeth Ewell Cook, Mr Cook's wife.
She explained that delays were because they had been ill. Well we're not unreasonable people. Had someone come to us at any point and said 'We're sorry we're weeks late with your ring but we've both been in hospital' then we'd have been quite understanding. The fact was that no-one had come to us with that story and in fact, there was no communication at all from the jeweller to us about the delays in our ring. There was just total silence.
Apparently during a business meeting I attended on Oct 1st on an entirely different matter, Mr Cook says he told me that he'd been ill, but actually, the conversation went like this:
'Hi Karl. How's my ring going?'
'Er, I haven't actually started it yet.'
'You've what? You're kidding!' (horrified voice)
'Yeah sorry, we've been a bit busy'.
Me - too shocked to even say anything.
Afterwards I discussed it with an associate and said that I was no longer confident about Mr Cook's abilities and that I was not going to be involved in any further business meetings with him. Mr Cook later bought my non-attendance at further meetings up as some sort of evidence that I was somehow a bit slack , when in reality, I just didn't want to work with him on this other business matter. This other business matter had nothing to do with our contract so there was little point in him mentioning it at tribunal.
So there were a few emails back and forth where we insisted we would like our money back, or obviously be given the materials so that we could take them to another jeweller to be worked. They did belong to us after all.
But no. There was no other offer of refund other than $3.
Another issue that came to light was that the price seemed to have risen for the ring by $900. We asked how this could be so. Mr Cook enlightened us by letting us know that we'd picked the 'more expensive diamond'. Really? By $900? I contacted the diamond supplier but out of client confidentiality they couldn't tell me in truth how much the diamond had cost. Doing the maths, Mr Cook's 'other diamond' would have been around $540. The diamond supplier did tell us that they didn't sell diamonds for under $680.
Mr Cook also claimed that the price was clearly marked on the diamond package and that it was clear that I had picked the more expensive diamond, but after recovering a photograph that I'd taken on another camera of that packet, it appears there was no such price marked on the package.
Eventually, we took the case to Fair Trading expecting a fair hearing. During our hearing we made our points, the jeweller made theirs.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
So You Want to Be A Photographer?
Really?
I've read a lot of stuff on being a photographer over the past few years of running my business and there's been none better than the text I'm about to share with you.
This is the bottom line in photography... it's kinda bleak, it's pretty depressing in its stark reality but also, it's up to you to make it work. You ARE the bottom line.
Read the rest of the article here.
With thanks to Ken Rockwell for the most down to earth, sanest post ever made in the world of photography.
I've read a lot of stuff on being a photographer over the past few years of running my business and there's been none better than the text I'm about to share with you.
This is the bottom line in photography... it's kinda bleak, it's pretty depressing in its stark reality but also, it's up to you to make it work. You ARE the bottom line.
Would you like to photograph anything you want, anywhere you want, anytime you want, any way you want, with a great professional camera system? Would you love to travel to luxury destinations and photograph whatever, whenever you want?
The only way to do this is to keep your real job and do photography on your own time.
If you want to photograph professionally you'll make less money, have to shoot the boring stuff in crappy locations for which you're hired, shoot it the way the client wants, and probably have to shoot everything as if it's some big emergency every time. You'll probably only be able to afford beat up old gear that's "good enough."Making a buck in photography is a lot tougher than keeping a real job. The photo jobs and locations that pay the most are the most boring. Think you're going to have people hiring you as a travel photographer? Guess again.It's exactly like golf or surfing. Golf is fun, and it's almost impossible to get people to pay you to do it. Only one guy in ten million makes lots of money in surfing, photography or acting. Everyone else who makes the money does it in something allied to the field, like making or selling product or the dream.
We all know the few actors who pull in $20 million per movie. Did you know the average annual income of the many SAG (Screen Actors' Guild) members, the majority of whom we've never heard, is something more like $20,000? The SAG website's FAQ page offers this advice on how to become a performer: "Develop another career to supplement your income." People pay photographers less than actors.A person who studied stage lighting in college and worked in Hollywood discovered that almost no one makes it in the fun job of lighting. The people who make more money more regularly are those who become lighting salesmen.Who makes more: an actor, or an agent who earns 10% from each of the 20 clients they represent?If you want to make money in photography, it's probably not by doing photography....
Read the rest of the article here.
With thanks to Ken Rockwell for the most down to earth, sanest post ever made in the world of photography.
Monday, March 7, 2011
It's not what you've got....
I am constantly asked what camera I have and then the next line 'It must be a really good one to produce what you do'... So, I'll let you into a secret... it's not what you've got, it's what you do with it.
I can guarantee you that there are not many people out there who know their camera inside and out to the point where they outgrow what their camera can do.
For example, I know of people (pro photographers) who always shoot in RAW so the shots can be 'fixed' in Photoshop afterwards if the shots are over or under exposed. Wouldn't it be better, you'd think, to learn how to use the camera properly so that doesn't happen?
I know of other people who are taking photographs for a living who don't really truly know what their camera can do and the camera rarely comes off 'Auto' mode.
I'm kidding, right?
Nope.
So I'm gonna say this once and once only. You can have a pin-hole camera or you can have an all singing, all dancing top of the range camera... but if you don't have a clue how it works, then you are limited by your own lack of knowledge.
Putting your camera on 'Auto' and hoping that will work will only take you so far. You have to have a good 'eye' if you're going to be a photographer, not just good equipment and you HAVE to know what that equipment can do for you.
Whilst I may shoot with a D700, one of my all time favourite cameras is still my first D80. True it's limited, but I know that camera so well, I can make it shoot anything I want. Not only is it smaller and lighter than most other cameras (meaning I can shoot for hours and still not get tired - very important when you're on your feet all day) but because I know what it can do for me, we work great together. Some of my most bought and viewed work has been come from that camera.
Team that with a few excellent Nikor lenses and we have lift-off.
Here's a slightly unnerving thing... Many people don't know what the 'White balance' thingamabob is in their menu on their camera. Tick the same box for ISO. Got any idea what that is and how it can work for you?
Most people don't even read the manual that comes with their camera. They 'work it out' as they go along.
There's nothing wrong with working it out as you go along... for sure I did that in the early days... but really really get to know your camera and what it can do for you before you spend mega bucks on something that you can't operate, simply because you feel you 'should upgrade'. You can take great photographs with a basic camera and you can take rubbish shots with a mega expensive top of the range camera. Save some cash and get to know your camera.
It's not what you've got, it's what you do with it.
I can guarantee you that there are not many people out there who know their camera inside and out to the point where they outgrow what their camera can do.
For example, I know of people (pro photographers) who always shoot in RAW so the shots can be 'fixed' in Photoshop afterwards if the shots are over or under exposed. Wouldn't it be better, you'd think, to learn how to use the camera properly so that doesn't happen?
I know of other people who are taking photographs for a living who don't really truly know what their camera can do and the camera rarely comes off 'Auto' mode.
I'm kidding, right?
Nope.
So I'm gonna say this once and once only. You can have a pin-hole camera or you can have an all singing, all dancing top of the range camera... but if you don't have a clue how it works, then you are limited by your own lack of knowledge.
Putting your camera on 'Auto' and hoping that will work will only take you so far. You have to have a good 'eye' if you're going to be a photographer, not just good equipment and you HAVE to know what that equipment can do for you.
Whilst I may shoot with a D700, one of my all time favourite cameras is still my first D80. True it's limited, but I know that camera so well, I can make it shoot anything I want. Not only is it smaller and lighter than most other cameras (meaning I can shoot for hours and still not get tired - very important when you're on your feet all day) but because I know what it can do for me, we work great together. Some of my most bought and viewed work has been come from that camera.
Team that with a few excellent Nikor lenses and we have lift-off.
Here's a slightly unnerving thing... Many people don't know what the 'White balance' thingamabob is in their menu on their camera. Tick the same box for ISO. Got any idea what that is and how it can work for you?
Most people don't even read the manual that comes with their camera. They 'work it out' as they go along.
There's nothing wrong with working it out as you go along... for sure I did that in the early days... but really really get to know your camera and what it can do for you before you spend mega bucks on something that you can't operate, simply because you feel you 'should upgrade'. You can take great photographs with a basic camera and you can take rubbish shots with a mega expensive top of the range camera. Save some cash and get to know your camera.
It's not what you've got, it's what you do with it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)