Knowing Your Rights As a Photographer

Knowing your rights as a photographer is key when shooting in public places. In today's scaremongering environment it is almost enevitable that at some point you will find yourself in some sort of confrontation if you photograph in public. I have found myself confronted by rent-a-cops, federal marshalls, business owners, and local police for shooting pictures in public places. Photographers across the country are facing increasing suspician and hostilty.

Most confrontations arise from the shear ignorance of public and even law enforcement. I have had the rent-o-cops from Symantech software tell me "you can't photograph our building". When you ask "really? Why not?". The general response is that it is illegal without their permision. I typically just say "you're absolutley wrong" hand them a copy of the flyer above and keep shooting.

The Federal Marshall's at the new courthouse in Eugene pulled the same crap. Even threatened to arrest me if I did not stop photographing. The funny thing is, they are talking about arresting me, but can't think of a charge. Again, I typically just hand them the flyer to read and go about my business. With one exception it has gotten them off my back.

Here is a link to a pdf version of the flyer http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf . It has saved me loads of grief having a couple of copies in my camera bag. Although I it does not work with agressive and boderline illiterate types. Also here is a link to a great website dealing with harrasment of photographers http://www.nycphotorights.com/wordpress/ .

Cricket Wireless Doesn't Suck After All

To my utter shock I actually got a live body with Cricket wireless on the phone. Not only an actual person but local to boot. It seems that Cricket's local corporate store actually has a person that has some contact and oversight of the Cricket wireless franchise stores. She even seemed to care about the damage being done to the company's reputation.

I am happy to report that we came to an agreement. I paid $60 ($5 more than I agreed to pay the franchise store to flash the LG8600), and they provided a Samsung flip phone (not as nice or as durable as the 8600). Again, not perfect, but acceptable.

Then this morning I got a call from Cricket's main office to chat about my issues with the Franchisee. He credited my account for 1 months free service on all three phones. In addition and more importantly to me, he is passing the the information down the line to the guy who handles the indirect dealers.

The lesson that I am taking away from this experience is that I will make sure that I am doing business with Cricket's "corporate" from now on. They have a vested interest in making sure you are treated properly. After all they are the ones shelling out millions in advertising to establish their brand.

Playfull Black & White Boudoir Shot

Cricket Wireless Customer Service Hell

The phone saga continues! Today I went back down to the 7th street store to see what they were going to do to solve the problem. The answer: less than nothing! The new manager refused to give any information at all. Like who the actual store owner is, company name, insurance carrier, contact information, or even a copy of the police report! UNBELIEVABLE!

On the corporate end things are no better. There seems to be no way out of Cricket's phone tree trap. One of the phone supervisors finally gave me an email address to use to complain. It came back no longer in service. It think I would rather have a tooth pulled than deal with this company. Now it's not even about the money (phone value), it's about getting screwed by the experts! More to come.

Cricket Wireless Sucks Rant!

Just thought I would put out the word to avoid Cricket Wireless like the plague! They have the worst customer service of any cell company I have ever dealt with. That is saying a lot considering I have had Sprint and AT&T!I just finished a 42 minute wait on hold to speak to an actual human in "customer service" (insert derisive eye rolling and chuckle here).

So here is the background. Around Christmas we opened an account for the wife and my two teenage girls. It seems like a decent deal for the unlimited everything plan. Never mind the nickle and diming nature of getting set up with Cricket, as well as the overpriced phones they offer.

Now my youngest damaged her phone. Totally her fault. Instead of shelling out a bunk of money for another new phone I decided that I would just take one of my LG 8600 phones from my business that I have as a backup in case my Blackberry goes down, and have it flashed for Cricket service. Well to start with I am told that to do it they are going to charge me $40 plus $15 line fee, for a total of $55. Sounded a little overpriced but I said fine. Well they can't do it right now, but I can leave it with them and when the manager returns with the proper cables, they will do it and then give me a call.

Three days later, no call. My wife stops in to pick up the phone and pay for the service. Oops, they can't locate the phone. Seems Ty (the fired employee) stole several phones. Now they said they would give my kid their cheapest refurb (garbage phone) and only charge us $20 plus the $15 activation fee. I am thinking no it should be a refurb of equal quality. Well now I have to talk to the manager, who, by chance is not there. Oh, and you can't call her because the location does not have a phone.

Tried to call Cricket and found out that despite the very prominent CRICKET WIRELESS sign, it is actually independently owned (franchise). However, unlike any other franchise, there is no one to take your case too in the event that the franchisee acts like a total "TOOL"! I am amazed that a company spending millions of dollars to build a brand has no mechanism to regulate and protect the brand from the actions of the franchisee.

So now I prepare to slep back down to the Cricket hovel on 7th street to again do battle! Do yourself a favor and avoid the drama. Avoid Cricket Wireless like the BLACK DEATH!

Soft and Seductive

Color Boudior Photo With Signature Edge Treatment

A Softer Version Of Yesterday's Photo

Boudoir Shot With Heavy Edge Treatment

Team Photography With A Little Flavor

My experience with team photos growing up was akin to a cattle call. Line up, look up, smile, NEXT! When I decided to offer team photography as a service I told myself that I would be "different". One night I had a epiphany: why not make the team photo, a team building experience? The shot above was done as a part of a "Photo Night" team function. This girl's team had a blast! With 13 players on the team participated the cost per person was nominal (less than most parents pay for the traditional cattle call shot). The girls got the chance to be "America's Next Top Model" for an evening in addition to the rampant sillines and teasing each other through their turn on the catwalk. Best of all they got all stiking and unusual images as well as lasting memories to match.

Player Shot From The Team Shoot

The More Traditional Team Photo

North Eugene U14 Girl's Team Photo

Soft Focus Shot From Boudior Session

High Contrast Filter Black & White

Body Art

Spring Flowers

Randy Pausch Lecture: Time Management

Depth Of Field In A Photograph

I have had a lot of questions about depth of field in a photograph. This video does a pretty good job of explaining the concept, and how to control it.

Crowbar Trailer #2 (they had issues with #1)

Crowbar Trailer

This trailer was put together by a friend of mine. Another example of a person following the dreams.

Dr. Pausch "the Last Lecture"

This is a great piece on achieving your childhood dreams. One of my dreams was to become a professional photographer.

Time Out For Spring's First Soccer Game

Well It's Not All About The Cake

It's All About the Cake!

A DIY Spot Grid

Here is one for the DIY types. It's a quickand cheap spot grid. Take the jump over to the good people at the Strobist for instructions http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/10/free-and-so-easy-diy-grid-spots-for.html

Two Little Love Birds Sitting In a Tree........

Another Revelation Card's Product Shot

Another Photoshop Retouching Video

Product Shot For Revelation Cards

Did some product shots for Revelation cards. We did a complete series of "propped" shots for their line of gargoyle greeting cards. The owner asked for shots of the cards together with "props" to give a feel for how the cards could be used. Not your typical "product" shot with neutral lighting on flat white background.

In the end the owner and I decided to keep the shots on a white background, but unlike the hero shots already in use, a textured background. You can check out Revelation cards website www.revelationcards.com.

Trevor Brucki Interviewed at F-Stop Beyond

Hit the jump to hear the interview at F-Stop Beyond http://fstopbeyond.tv/?p=409

Class of 2010 Senior Ambassador Program

C2 Photography is starting the selection process for Senior Ambassadors for the class of 2010. We will be selecting a maximum of three students for each of the following schools: North Eugene, South Eugene, Sheldon, Willamette, and Churchill

Qualifications to be a Senior Ambassador:

1. A full time student in high school, graduating in 2010

2. Extremely active with activities at school.

3. Extremely social and outgoing personality.

4. Confident person who is willing to share information about things they are excited about.

5. Permission from parent(s) to participate.

6. Willing to meet with us periodically throughout the year, at convenient times for all those involved, of course.

Our ambassadors will receive a 2-3 hour photo session at multiple locations of their choice. In addition they will receive the following:

1. 1 12x18 print

2. 5 8x10 or 8x12 prints

3. 10 5x7 prints

4. 16 wallets

5. 15 images resized for FaceBook & MySpace

6. Dvd slide show with music built from session images

7. Master image disk with personal use copyright release of completed images

8. Online gallery to share with friends and family

9. Online version of dvd slideshow to share with friends and family

10. Discount promotional cards to give away

The ambassador’s will only pay $300 for the entire package (that’s a $295 discount) In addition each ambassador will receive $25 cash for every referral that books a session with us.

The senior will receive an additional one hour fall session to refresh their images. Interested students should contact us to complete an application. chris@c2-photo.com 541-915-3410

Another Photoshop Eye Tutorial

Save The Pets Fund Raiser

Help support a great local non-profit. This is pretty easy, simply click on the flyer to bring it to full size, print it out, and take it to Papa's Pizza tonight! 1/2 of the dollars you spend on food go directly to the Save The Pets group. This flyer is only valid at the Coburg road location.

One More Of The Puppy

K9 Portrait

Lacrosse Player Portrait

Top Of The City

Leason Learned

I got this GREAT shot of Malia right before the Railroad Police showed up. Yep, they have their very own armed police force. Needless to say, this was the last shot we got on the tracks.

Gerlinger Hall At The University Of Oregon

Selective Eye Color

Boys: Getting The Most Out Of Your Senior Portraits

Colors:
Solid colors photograph best. Solid white or light pastels for a high key portrait and solid black for a black on black look great. Earth tones are perfect for outdoor portraits. Avoid large prints, stripes, plaids and patterns as they distract from your face. Shirts with logo’s or text are also distracting. Bring a variety of colors too.

Outfits:
Bring a selection of formal and casual outfits for a variety of looks. Keep in mind that we will be doing some full-length shots, so consider shoes and socks when putting your outfits together. Remember that some outfits that look cool today are going to look dated tomorrow, so bring some classic styles as well as trendy ones. Bring a few that your mom likes as well as your favorite outfit.

You can bring as many outfits as you want and we will suggest the ones which will photograph the best. Please group the outfits you are going to wear together on hangers. Make sure they are properly pressed as wrinkled garments do not photograph well and are not retouchable. Outfits shoved into a bag generally do not come out looking as good.

Sports uniforms and letterman’s jackets are also great choices to highlight your activities. Be sure to bring along any props that go with your outfit.
Remember to bring black or dark tshirts to wear under dark shirts, white or light to wear under light shirts.

Hair:
Avoid a new cut, style or color right before your portrait. Make sure to have a clean shave before you arrive. Stubble is very difficult to retouch and does not look as good as a clean shave.

Props:
You can bring whatever props you would like to include in your portraits. These include things like a car or motorcycle, sports equipment, instruments, skis, trophies, or theatrical costumes. You can also bring a friend along to include in several shots. Pets are welcome too, so long as they are housetrained if they are going to be in the studio. Having another person along to care for the pet when they are not in pictures is an absolute must. Bringing a carrier for small pets is recommended

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Bringing Your Ideas:
If you have seen poses or shots that you really like, bring them along. These can be shots that you have seen of other seniors that you know, on websites, or even in magazines. You can always email ahead of time any websites that contain poses or looks that you like and we will work to recreate the look for you.

Retouching:
Normal retouching is included with all your finished portraits so don’t worry if you have a breakout before your session. Most tattoos can be removed from your pictures. Please tell us if you want your tattoos retouched or not. Sunburn and tan lines do not look good in portraits and are extremely difficult to retouch. Just be careful of your sun exposure and tanning in the weeks before your portrait.

Arriving for your portrait:
Our studio works by appointment only. We allow up to 2 hours for your senior portrait so you have our entire attention for you scheduled time. Please plan to arrive no more than 10 minutes early for your portrait. A very early arrival may overlap with a previous client leaving or we may be returning from a location shoot and not at the studio to receive you. A late arrival will shorten your shoot and you may not get as many outfits or clothing changes as usual. Keep in mind that while you can do as many outfit changes as you wish, taking a long time to change clothing and/or hairstyles will cut down on your shooting time.

Viewing and ordering your portraits:
Your portraits will be ready for viewing in 2-3 weeks, or sooner if we are close to your yearbook deadline. We post your portraits to our online gallery. You can review them and place your order online or directly with the studio depending on the package you choose. High quality digital files are also available, as are DVD slide shows

Father Daughter Moment

Team Photos and Team Building

Photography can also serve as a team building exercise for the athletes involved. This shot was done at a team "photo night". The girls got together as a "team" and after a team dinner had a slew of photos taken. They got flat silly! Making jokes and dogging whatever girl was in front of the camera. They had a blast teasing each other and at points seeing who could strike the best "America's Next Top Model" pose.

As a team your imagination is the limit when designing something like this. Likewise it could also be done as a destination type shoot as well. A road trip to some dramatic backdrop (Silver Falls, University of Oregon Campus, Skinners Butte, the Oregon Coast, etc.). They key is to keep it a team experience (just the team & the photographer).

Personal Touch To Sports Photos

We produced a series of magazine covers for this girls soccer team. There are some other studios that have templates for covers similar to this one. We like to take it a step further. The typical cover template just changes the name of the athlete and has pretty generic text in the body of the image. When I designed these covers, I asked the parents to give us three of four short blurbs about each of the girls. The result, is while the covers are all similar, they each speak to the individuality of each athlete. Again, just that little something extra that transforms it from a novelty, to a treasured keepsake.

Team Sports Photography

With spring soccer fast approaching I thought I put up an example of an individual player portrait we did for a girls soccer team in the fall. I really have never been a big fan of the chain studio team pictures. I have bad memories of the annual cattle call, production line photography I was subjected to in my youth. Not to mention the totally generic look of the pictures. We spent a little extra time with this team and created images the kids actually liked, and enjoyed posing for. With a 15 girl roster, the cost for a team session including 8x10 prints and MySpace and FaceBook ready jpeg files would be $20 per player. That is actually less than the comparable league photo package would be.

Photojournalism With An Oregon Connection

An Inhouse Set Of Actions For Photoshop

Purple Haze

Family Moment

Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider

I get a lot of questions about Photoshop processing and digital effects that I use in my projects. I get a lot of "where did you learn that". Inevitably I say either Scott Kelby or Kevin Kubota. So here is a link to Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider blog http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/.

Team Photo Options

Had another email asking if C2 did sports photography so I thought I would put up a team video we did for North Eugene Soccer Club.

Edge Treatment Process

Highpass Treatment Filter

Ineffectuals drummer Kris

Ineffectuals Lead Singer Wesley Curtis

Derek of the Eugene Band The Ineffectuals

The Ineffectuals CD Release Party @ The Wandering Goat

Quin on the guitar. The CD release party for the Origins album was great. The venue was quite small and provided limited sight lines for shooting.

Photoshop Retouching Makeup

Photoshop On Eyes

Little Ms. Blue Eyes

Soft Focus

Chase Jarvis Photo Shoot

Light Cage Shows You The Light

http://www.photoworkshop.com/static/lightcage/index.html will show you how moving your main light will effect you photo.