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Rangefinder
Magazine
November 2002
Things to Consider… by
Jeff and Kathleen Hawkins
Before Taking the Digital Plunge!
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| Digital files and access to sophisticated software
make creative layouts possible. |
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Ready to make the digital leap…not
sure where to begin? The three most important determining factors for
selecting cameras are: features, specifications, and pricing. Because
models and features are changing daily, it is beyond our scope to recommend
specific models or detail their individual features. However, based upon
our research and communication with other photographers throughout the
United States, the most popular cameras have many common characteristics:
they offer features to make shooting easier, accepting your existing lenses
(minimizing investment) and yield sharp, highest quality images. Below
you will find a list of important features you should consider:
• Burst Rate: The camera’s ability to shoot
images and process the information quickly. The number of shots per second
and the process rate varies from one camera to another. The ability to
work quickly is especially important in wedding photography! Because a
wedding is an uncontrollable event, one does not have time to wait to
capture a spontaneous image.
• Sensitivity/ISO Range: A film with a low ISO
is more effective in bright conditions; one with a high ISO is more sensitive
and therefore better in lower light situations. In digital photography
the sensitivity is determined by the sensor (called the CCD/CMOS). One
of the biggest advantages to digital photography is that you can alter
this at any time—meaning you don’t have to wait to complete
the roll of film before making the change. Note—often the higher
the ISO the more noise will appear in the image.
• Shutter Response Time: Shutter response time
is commonly referred to as “lag” time. This is the length
of time between when you press the shutter button and when the camera
actually fires. This will directly affect the photographer’s ability
to work quickly!
• LCD Panel: An LCD panel is used for immediate
image analysis. It should be large enough and sharp enough to allow you
to view the image clearly.
• Lens Capability and Accessories: Does the camera
accept the type of lenses you want to use? Are the accessories you like
available for it?
• Focal Length Magnification Factor: Since none
of the imaging chips available in digital SLRs is the full size of a 35mm
frame, there is a change in focal length as a result. Your teles get longer
and your wide-angles, unfortunately, get less wide. However, the full-frame
chip is on the way… and soon!
• Color Depth/Bit Depth: The higher the bit depth
the more color information. The more color, the better the image. In professional
cameras, Raw mode creates more color information then JPEG fine mode.
However, both modes are effective and many wedding photographers prefer
the speed of photographing digitally in JPEG fine mode.
• Memory Card/PC Card format: These are the devices
on which images are recorded and stored in the camera. Their capacity
and design will have great impact on the convenience of using the camera
and transferring your images.
• Dimensions/Weight: As with any camera, your digital
camera should be one you are comfortable working with.
• System Requirements: to take full advantage of
the potential of digital imaging, it is important that your camera (or
its storage devices) and your computer communicate efficiently.
• Price: Determine what you can reasonably afford
and stay within your budget. At the same time, get the most you possibly
can! Expect to grow, once you are more comfortable with the digital workflow
process!
• CCD/CMOS: The size of the image recording device
is a determining factor in the quality of your images. Currently, CCD/CMOS
sizes in the most popular cameras range from 2.74 to 5.47 megapixels—bigger
is better! The latest generation of digital SLRs will offer still larger
image sizes—up to 13 megapixel images.
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| Montage imaging with creative drop shadows is now
a commonplace element in digital wedding albums. |
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Photographing digital weddings
requires much more then camera equipment alone! It requires, accepting
the future and overcoming the fear of change. One you have stepped out
of your comfort zone and created an abundant mentality, selecting camera
equipment is the fun part!
Digital Workflow 101
You have just captured your first event digitally, now what do you do
with all these files? This is the dilemma many of us have faced and have
stressed over for many hours trying to perfect. Two years ago when we
made the choice to make the digital transition, there really weren’t
many experts to turn to. The technology was new and capturing a wedding
digitally was surely not being done… yet. Nevertheless, as recently
discovered at WPPI, the time is here and it is being done now!
Dilemma… you have this storage media and are wondering how do I
get these files into my computer and prepare them to view and finally
output to print. First, you will need a card reader. This is connected
to your USB or FIREWIRE input to you computer. This inexpensive device
will allow you to insert the media and transfer the files to you computer.
Once you have COPIED (do not use Move, always use the copy command) your
files to a selected client folder, the task of editing and numbering now
becomes the issue.
There are many great software programs in the industry that will allow
you to handle this process easily. One program we have selected is Thumb
Plus by Cerious software. (www.cerious.com). This makes the task of re-numbering
very simple and it’s easy to use. You will want to first decide
what numbering system you want to use. Do you start with 01, 001 or 0001?
Any numbering system will work. We developed a system using 4 numbers
starting with 1000. Our weddings will be divided into 4 separate sections.
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| Here’s what your newly organized file management
system looks like in Thumbs Plus Auto rename. |
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Thumbs Plus Auto rename
First, the pre-ceremony these will be our 1000 series. 2000 will contain
our ceremony images, 3000 will hold all the reception images and 4000
our formals. Using this type of system will make looking for a reception
image a lot easier. You would just scroll to the 3000 series and begin
your search. You want to make the system easy for clients to understand
and navigate as well. Furthermore, creating a system to allow you to easily
add another image without discombobulating the numbering system is important.
Now that you have the numbering figured out, you can sort the files. Using
Windows Explorer, find your client folder. Make sub folders titled 1000,
2000, 3000, and 4000. From your client folder select (PC ctl-click) all
the files you want to move to the pre-ceremony folder and move these files.
Repeat for the ceremony etc.
The next procedure is to organize the files. The goal is to chronologically
organize the files in the order you want them to appear. For example;
you have an image of the bride having the garter placed on her leg (image
number 50). But, there is an image of the garter you took while the garter
was laying on a table. Select the garter image, right click on the file
and select rename. Rename that image 49a.
When you resort the files it will fall in place before number 50, thereby
allowing you to piece together your story. You will be able to use this
method for all your files and save time by letting the software do the
work for you. I am sure you realize that there are many software programs
that will accomplish the same task. Experiment and you will find one that
will work best with your situation.
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| Digital puts the “up” in upscale wedding
photography. |
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There are many advantages to digital
wedding photography. However, these advantages may also be overwhelming
at first. Keeping your files organized is a crucial yet simple step to
avoid a digital disaster.
Jeff and Kathleen Hawkins will be presenting a MasterClass workshop at
WPPI 2003, which will be held at Bally’s Las Vegas, entitled “Marketing
in the Digital Age.”
Kathleen and Jeff Hawkins operate Jeff Hawkins Photography,
a thriving business in central Florida. Kathleen is the operations director
for the business. Jeff shoots all of his upscale weddings digitally. Together
the team has authored Professional Marketing & Selling Techniques
for Wedding Photographers and Digital Wedding Photography, both published
by Amherst Media.
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