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Rangefinder Magazine
October 2003

Problems & Solutions by Bill Hurter

Please accompany your questions with a self-addressed stamped envelope if you wish an immediate reply. Alternatively, you can e-mail me at: bhurter@rfpublishing.com.

From: Richard Perkins
Southern Exposure
SouthernEx@aol.com
[To Fran Reisner, profiled in the July 2003 Rangefinder]
I am just finishing building a new home and studio and hopefully will be moving in within the next few months. I don’t want to bother you with a lot of details, but since you have gone through this recently, I was just wondering what is the one piece of advice you might pass on to me so I don’t make a common mistake I would live to regret?

I saw a reference to you in the Rangefinder’s Problems and Solutions column. Thanks for any help you might provide.

Sounds like you may be beyond this point, but the first thing I’d focus on is the size of the camera room. I love having 10-foot ceilings, and enough depth in the room to shoot with a long lens. My camera room is about 20x32 feet. The entire back wall is painted as a background, which is wonderful for full-length bridals and large groups because I’m not limited to the size of my hanging backgrounds. (The only thing I wish I had not done in the entire design is the two electrical outlets, which I did not think to leave off that wall. I periodically have to retouch them out of my images.) The floor works well with the background wall. It’s a light wood look (Wilsonart). It’s almost indestructible and easy to clean.

I strongly recommend projecting your proofs, so I would suggest thinking hard about the layout of your sales room as well. Make sure you have enough depth for a comfortable viewing distance. Keep in mind that from a close distance a 16x20 would look large, but from a more “typical viewing distance” it would likely look small, giving you the opportunity to sell larger sizes.

Also think about the future—your work/storage area. Mine was built with a lightbox in the counter, space for carding negs and lots of space for storing negatives. With the digital transition I’m having to think more about storing digital files and where I’m going to put my next computer. You also want to think about resale. Each of these rooms should be easily converted to something else if you were ever to sell your home.

From: Steve Jordan
Jordan Photography
Sleev.30@insightbb.com
I’m currently shooting with a Canon EOS 10D. I’ve experimented with the color saturation levels and contrast levels as controlled by the camera settings. My question is this: How do I set the camera to get the same effect on film when using a polarizer? I used to use a circular polarizer for specific applications, but when I use it on my 10D, I don’t really see any effect. I understand when in auto white balance how the camera would correct automatically, but I guess I’m just confused. I haven’t used any other filters yet, because I feel that I may be wasting my time.

I find your magazine very informative every month with the best quality photos and articles in the business. John Rettie will have me chuckling a long time over the “chimping” term as I work upcoming sporting events, and we all look at our cameras like chimps. Thanks.

I asked our resident digital expert, Claude Jodoin your question, and this is what he had to say: “I have not tried using a circular polarizer or a linear one with the 10D. However, most filter effects can be done afterwards using Nik Color Efex Pro, a software plug-in for Photoshop.”

He goes on to further suggest that for any filter used over the lens, you should white balance first, before placing the filter in front of the lens, then adjust for exposure.

Thanks for the kind words about the magazine.

From: aviviani1@yahoo.com
We were recently married and our “professional” photographer had on display at his show, some beautiful photography. When we hired him, he assured us we would receive the same level of professionally “finished” photography. So we hired him with the confidence that he would work to make us look our best. It didn’t happen. He delivered unretouched 8x10s and missed a great many “must take” shots. The lighting in many of the shots was horrible. Are there any industry standards for wedding photographers?

There are no industry standards, per se, but organizations like WPPI spend a lot of time and effort educating their members on everything from good business practices to technique. As a consumer you most certainly can challenge the results of this photographer, but you should examine your wedding contract first to see what was specified. Most people, when they hire a wedding photographer, ask to see a few recent weddings. That way you can evaluate the quality of several weddings he or she has photographed. Also, a standard wedding contract should spell out what, exactly, you will receive for your money, including print finishing and retouching.