Spring Break Photography Tips

You can almost hear the squeals of glee coming from kids and adults alike when Spring Break arrives. After plodding through winter weather, school, work and family commitments, the promise of a few days of freedom is enough to boost anyone’s spirits. If you’re one of those lucky souls with a getaway planned during Spring Break week, here are a few tips to help you prepare to return with some fantastic photographs:

Pack the Right Gear: Make sure you’ve got the right equipment for your trip. If you want to travel light, you may find it best to choose your compact camera in lieu of your DSLR; however, if your destination includes some amazing scenery and landscapes, you may find it’s well worth taking your DSLR to ensure you are prepared to capture the grandeur of your location. And remember to pack the battery charger, a lens cleaning cloth and an extra memory card. It will only take a few minutes to properly prepare and it will be time very well spent. If you need to pick up a memory card for your trip, we carry some of the best on the market.

See the Signs: While on your travels, make sure to photograph any interesting signs that display the uniqueness for your location. Clever street names, signs displaying unusual warnings (Javalina crossings, anyone?) and mile markers can add a very local and interesting element to your vacation library of photographs.

Define the Essence: Each location has its own personality, its own attributes and distinctive markers. While on vacation, think about what words you’d use to describe your vacation spot. Having that clarity will help you with your storytelling and assist in identifying those sights that articulate your vision.

A New Twist on Famous Landmarks: If you’re traveling to a well-known landmark, park or destination, take the opportunity to photograph it in a new and interesting way. Look at corresponding architecture, foliage and surroundings to see how to take a familiar sight and uncover a new way of viewing it. Experiment with zoom, distance, angle and lighting to unearth an interesting new perspective.

Why Photography is Good for Women's Health...

Today’s women find themselves with more tasks than time and juggling multiple roles that each have a long to-do list attached. For those ladies who say they don’t have the time to explore their love of photography, we’d like to share some good news. It turns out that a photography hobby can improve your health.

Dr. Elizabeth Weidmer-Mikhail, director of the women’s psychiatry program at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, stresses the importance of actively engaging in a hobby to deal with the tangible physical and emotional stresses that women manage during days filled with caring for others.

"Women need to do things that are soul-feeding that aren’t aimed at gratifying others,” Weidmer-Mikhail said. "Women need to take care of things, to do things that promote emotional growth. Find a satisfying hobby that doesn’t involve making money or drawing attention to yourself. It will increase your sense of self-worth, which leads to better health all around.”

Many medical professionals point to the benefits of a hobby to help with stress-reduction and related ailments. Photography is a wonderful choice because of the flexibility, low-cost of entry and creativity that can be explored.

So, the next time we send you an announcement about an upcoming event or workshop and you automatically think, “I wish I could go but I just can’t get away,” please reconsider. You do so much for those around you, and by enjoying your photography hobby and making time for yourself, you will also benefit your loved ones.

Turning Your Photography Hobby into a Business

Many a business guru will attest to the importance of following your passions when it comes to starting a business. If you love photography and have entertained the notion of turning your hobby into a side business, here are a few tips:

What is Your Specialty? Are you interested in shooting weddings, seniors or other portrait-related venues? Are you hoping to expand into commercial photography for real estate developers and similar interests? While you may want to do all of it, consider specializing in one niche arena until you have built up a reputation and client list. You can expand into new areas once you get your footing.

Get Notable: You’ll want to start brainstorming in a notebook to explore your ideas and possible obstacles to getting your business off the ground. Keep it with you and write down ideas as inspiration strikes. The written process can also help you uncover new avenues that may not reveal themselves otherwise.

Start Local: Think about who might be in need of your services? Many small businesses have digital cameras but not the discerning eye to create a compelling image for their brochures, websites and sales materials.

Sharpen Your Business Skills: A thriving photography business is as much about powerful marketing as it is about high quality photography. If you don’t feel you have the marketing and promotion savvy needed, enlist a partner or someone who can assist you in building the ‘business’ part of your new venture.

Be Social: Let your Facebook friends and Twitter followers know that you’re now open for business. You never know where a new lead will come from, and your friends may help you spread the word about your new gig.

Stop in Our Store: We’d love to help you with your new venture. Let us help you determine if you need any additional equipment or evaluate the camera and accessories you already own. For example, we have a wide range of high quality studio lighting and much of it is clearance-priced to move!

Kirk Tuck's Perspective on Technology, Connections & Talent

Kirk Tuck is a highly-regarded professional photographer who calls Austin home and finds inspiration all around him. Tuck has captured some of our community’s most compelling portraits and landscapes and has written four acclaimed books on professional lighting techniques. He’s also one of the most approachable teachers in the field today. Putting people at ease is simply part of Tuck’s nature. He also shuns the notion that the newest technology will always produce superior results.

Tuck often tells his students that their equipment is probably newer, fancier and more expensive than his own gear. A quick show of hands usually confirms this, but Tuck is unfazed. In fact, it reinforces the point he’s trying to prove. “There’s a misconception that the latest cameras automatically mean better pictures,” Tuck offers. “Lighting and rapport trump technicality every time.”

Unlike many experts whose disposition may come across as stodgy and intimidating, Tuck is affable, enthusiastic and quick to offer support. It’s one of many reasons that Tuck’s professional workshops are always packed with people pining to hone their craft. Tuck’s resume is impressive to anyone who reads it; clients include Dell Computer, Tivoli, Time Warner, The Arts Council of Texas and countless advertising agencies, but his passion is people. Especially Austin people. He also says that shooting downtown Austin is another favorite endeavor. “I can spend an entire afternoon downtown with my camera,” he explains.

Tuck’s work displays a unique viewpoint and an intimate signature. “My first camera was a Polaroid Swinger that took close up portraits,” Tuck says. “That may have established my style early on.”

One of Kirk’s specialties is what he calls ‘Minimalist Lighting.’ He has published three books with the fourth one scheduled to be out in the spring. The latest course Tuck taught, sponsored by Precision Camera & Video, showed 43 attendees how to create a four-light portrait effect with a single main light and a few accessories. James Hicks, one of the attendees, said, “Kirk is a very personable guy and an excellent instructor. “

Isabel Garcia, another student of the course, says, “Kirk's lighting workshop was like watching a master in action, complete with his tips, tricks, and real world examples. I learned more from his one day class than I could by reading 10 photography books. Not only was it informative, it was inspiring.”

Tuck jokes that he loves photography accessories and gadgets, particularly ones related to lighting. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to invest thousands of dollars in various items.

Remember, Tuck is a minimalist.

When asked what Tuck considered to be three must-have accessories for every aspiring photographer, he named a tripod, a large diffuser (specifically a 6 ft. x 6 ft. model) and a portable flash with power ratio control. “You can do just about anything with those three tools.”

Tuck remains connected to a larger community of artists and friends; he says it’s important to keep his passions alive and to also help him stay connected to others when we find ourselves increasingly tied to our computers. Technology may increase connections in some ways, but when it comes to authentic relationships, Tuck maintains the importance of getting out from behind the computer.

In fact, one of his recent blog posts on the isolation that many freelance professionals experience these days resonated with many readers. “I’m still getting comments on that one. It really hit home with people,” he says. He also says that sometimes photographers hide behind their technology because they aren’t yet comfortable with their own vantage point and how to use the camera as a storytelling vehicle.

Tuck’s philosophy is one that encourages people to become comfortable with their own visions and the camera they’ve chosen but not to get so immersed in the technical aspects of today’s equipment that they can’t find confidence in their own unique perspective and abilities. “Some people buy equipment as a talisman of power. It’s really better to be comfortable with your own insights.”

Tuck shares his thoughts on his blog, which can be found at http://www.kirktuck.com/. You can pick up one of his books from your friends here at Precision Camera & Video. http://www.precision-camera.com/