Mar 30

Jim Garner's Photography Boot Camp

BIG Folio is excited to announce an upcoming workshop with renowned photographer, Jim Garner.

WHEN: June 8-11, 2009

WHERE: Various, Beautiful Seattle, WA locations

WHAT: This four-day event will address how to be a better artist through better business practices. Jim's focus will be placed on how you can shoot more effectively while providing a superior experience for your client, which will ultimately lead to higher sales. This includes managing your studio to its highest potential. You will learn how to be a better artist and a better business person. For more information, CLICK HERE.

PRESENTED BY: GoBODA

DETAILS: This class is limited to 15 students, so BOOK NOW!

Please contact katarina{at}jgarnerphoto{dot}com with any queries.

Mar 27

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: jeff ascough

BIG Folio presents an interview with acclaimed photographer Jeff Ascough, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions and include a few of his brilliant images. We think the photos will speak for themselves, so without any further introduction: Jeff Ascough. 

BF: You are based in the UK? Do you ever travel for work? And where are some of your favorite places to go?

JA: I used to cover around 20,000 miles a year traveling to weddings all over the UK. These days I try and keep my business pretty local to me, as it's becoming harder and harder to travel to weddings now as our roads are slowly being choked to death. I also only cover one overseas assignment a year. My favourite place to go is France. I love the light there, it has a magical quality to it. No wonder so many artists and painters were inspired by it.

BF: Did you have any other occupation before becoming a professional photographer?

JA: I became a photographer at 21, so I didn't really experience another occupation. Apart from a couple of dead end jobs that I took on to earn some beer money.

BF: So when did you realize that you could make a living shooting pictures?

JA: When my first client bought a couple of 40" black and white prints!! The hardest bit was printing them, as we only had a basic enlarger. I seem to remember that we had to set it up on a shelf and project it across the darkroom to the wall on the opposite side to get enough distance to make a 40" print. He was thrilled with them, which gave me the confidence to see if I could make a living from photography.

BF: Was there a photographer (or anyone else) that inspired or influenced you?

JA: Henri Cartier-Bresson. His work still inspires me. He is the reason why I am a photographer.

BF: How would you best describe your style?

JA: Photojournalistic and voyeuristic, with a strong emphasis on composition and natural light.

BF: What is your favorite story from shooting a wedding?

JA: I have lots of stories and don't really have a favourite. At least not any that I can share in the public domain!! One of the most interesting things that happened to me was during the meal at one wedding; we were due to get fed by the caterers. After a while the food wasn't forthcoming, so we chased it up. Still nothing. Eventually the caterers came to us with a plate of food. However, we were sitting outside in the pitch black and couldn't see what they had given us. So I got a small torch out of my bag and looked at the plate of food. The caterers had simply scraped all the finished plates from the guests onto this big platter, and gave it to us!! Just shows how important people think wedding photographers are!!

BF: Do you ever do any photography just for fun? If so, what are your favorite things to shoot?

JA: I take landscapes for my own enjoyment. It's a release from weddings. I live right next to the coast, so nothing pleases me more than to walk along a beach with my camera at sunset taking pictures. I utilise the same approach to my landscapes as I do for my wedding work. I just walk about looking for pictures. I don't use a tripod, or wait in one position for the light to change like many landscape photographers. I see a picture and just take it.

BF: Any predictions on the next big trend in the wedding photo industry?

JA: The integration of video and stills into a multimedia package, possibly given as an alternative to the wedding album. Some are making this happen already.

BF: What type of local publications or resources do you advertise in? What about international publications?

JA: I advertise in one high end national magazine. That's pretty much it. I haven't any interest in working overseas, so I don't worry about international publications. I get asked to do interviews for different mags in the UK, mainly dealing with photography, and we've been asked to comment for some of the other bridal mags, but it's not something that we rely on for marketing.

BF: What are you working on next?

JA: At the moment I'm working hard to complete my latest Photoshop Action set. I think I've finally achieved a realistic film-like black and white conversion, and this is really the backbone of the Action set. I've also updated a lot of my older actions to work effectively with the higher resolutions that we are using now. After that, I'm hoping to start a project photographing the North West coast in England. I'd love to do a book on the landscape and characters of this region.


Mar 25

BIG NEWS FROM BIG FOLIO

BF announces Video Integration! We are stoked to be able to offer you this functional tool. And if you thought things could not get any better, the new Video Integrator will be coupled with our soon-to-be-released NEW DESIGN. This new design will be available within the next week, and we will also offer the Video Integration system on four more brand new designs by the end of April 2009.

Basically, anyone with one of our upcoming new designs can go into his or her personal admin and upload videos (just like he would with pictures). Videos are stored in the video bank, and each one gets a unique thumbnail image. Video categories and galleries can be created (just like the pictures again). The supported file types are mp4, m4v, mov and flv and all videos can be ordered (and re-ordered) with the standard "drag and drop".

Stay tuned for our NEW DESIGN announcement, and as always more great features brought to you by BIG Folio.

 

 

Mar 23

A Day in the Life of a Photog

From time to time, we at BIG Folio stumble across something addressing the day-to-day concerns of photographers everywhere. While browsing the WPPI newsletter a while back, we found a handy article about the issue of pricing points. We know that choosing appropriate pricing points can be tough for a photog just breaking into the business, as well as for someone whose career has taken him off to new levels of work.

So, with all that in mind, we would like to offer up this article by Pro Photographer Daniel Heller. He has some good advice- especially about not looking in the first place most photographer expect to find the answer to the ever-present pricing question. Check out the article here. And enjoy.

Mar 20

Artist Spotlight: Randy Kepple


BIG Folio is pleased to present a conversation with the talented Mr. Randy Kepple . Randy has kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions for another installment of the series we like to call "Artist Spotlights." So without further ado, the work and words of Randy Kepple.

1.  You are based in Vancouver, Wash., do you ever get to travel for work? If so, how often and where are some of your favorite places to go? 

Traveling was one of the reasons I wanted to become a photographer. I've been fortunate in my career to have traveled all over the country. Lately, it's up and down the West Coast for destination weddings. Last year I traveled to Vermont for an incredible wedding weekend and the year before that to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

 2. You were a musician before becoming a photographer. Do you find the two artistic fields have much in common?

As a society, we keep our memories in music and photographs. Both are a touchstone to a moment in time. As an art, there are many parallels. Both require a dedication to practicing the discipline of the art. This practice translates into a vocabulary, a set of tools that you reach for without thinking to express your vision. I find it interesting that so many photographers are inspired by music. Personally, I can't imagine a world without music. There is a magic to both arts that transcends the moment.



 3.  So when did you realize that you could make a living shooting pictures?

Ironically, when I was a musician, my day job was working as a custom printer. I printed black and white art prints, wall prints and even worked for an aerial photographer a few years. That inspired me to go back to college and get a degree in commercial advertising photography. I had been in so many bands over the years and they always ended up falling apart. I could see the writing on the wall, it was a natural progression for my artistic sensibility.

 4.  Was there a photographer (or anyone else) that inspired or influenced you?

When I started assisting, I was fortunate to work with some of the best photographers in the business. From Michael Grecco to Chris Cuffaro to Stephane Sednoui, all of them inspired and influenced me. In school, I found that I related to the work of Josef Sudek and Alfred Stieglitz. Recently, the photographer who has been a profound inspiration is David Williams from Australia. His dedication to the heart, soul and passion of photographing people has forever left it's mark on the way I shoot.



 5.  How would you best describe your style?

Style is always a tough one to describe. For me, it's a point of view. The voice of the artist. I watch a lot of movies and find inspiration in the way they frame the shots to the lenses used to create a feeling in the film. So many photographers come into the industry armed with an arsenal of actions and textures and camera gear, emulating everything they see that catches their eye. Somewhere along the way, you learn to trust your personal vision. This is the development of style. That point of view is always there, from the beginning. It just gets lost in the noise of inexperience. I'd like to think my style is cinematic, emotionally honest and intimate.



 6.  Any horror stories you'd like to share? Something bad that happened during a shoot?

I've heard some great horror stories that have happened to other photographers. If you do this long enough, you're going to have a horror story. It's just the way life is, no matter what you do. The challenge is to be prepared as much as anyone can and build in a system of checks and balances. From the way you pack your camera case to all the other rituals you develop. 

However, there was a wedding back when I was shooting film with a Hasselblad. The shutters were built into the lenses. They break. It happens, but you'd never know unless you were using a flash or shooting Polaroids. At this particular wedding, I was using a long lens for my formals. We were using natural light and a reflector to light them. For the rest of the wedding, I used my normal-wide lens. A week later when I picked up my film from the lab, I was told there were 10 rolls of blank film! The shutter broke on my long lens and many of the formals portraits were lost. We were able to put together a very nice set from the 35mm images my second shooter captured during the formals of the family. In the end the album was amazing, but that was one of those moments you never forget.

 7.  Do you ever do any photography just for fun? If so, what are your favorite things to shoot?

Photography for fun? I love being behind the camera! However, it's easy to lose sight of the reason you became a photographer in the first place, given all the demands of running a business and staying on top of constantly changing technology. Last year, I decided to start doing art walks. Taking a day and going out with my camera and photographing whatever inspired me. I used to do this when I was in photography school. It was a great exercise and very challenging. I was very happy with the body of work that I produced and would like to do this more often. I think it's a necessary part of practicing and developing your artistic vision. I posted three of these journeys on my blog last year.



 8.  Any predictions on the next big trend in the wedding photo industry?

Don't we all wish we could predict what the next trend was, especially in this economy? Obviously, things are very tough out there for everyone. During times of recession, people return to classic styles. Look at fashion magazines and you'll see trends in imagery that show up in wedding photography. Trends are cyclical. Eventually, everything come back in style. I think timeless black and white will make a big comeback and that's great. My roots are in black and white film and printing. I've been fortunate to have that background as it gives me a sensibility for how my black and white digital images should look to emulate that classic style. Trends keep the industry fresh and that's what makes being a wedding photographer so exciting.


 9.  What type of local publications or resources do you advertise in? What about international publications? 

I advertise regionally with a national wedding site and locally with ISPWP, which is an amazing group of talented wedding photographers. I have tried print advertising, but it never really works for me. Word of mouth from satisfied clients has always been the best form of advertising for me. 



10.  What are you working on next?

I'd like to work on a tan, and I may get that chance if the economy doesn't start picking up soon. I recently put together a collaborative blog project called My Portland Photographer. 24 photographers joining together and committing to post one new image every week showcasing our unique styles. It's a great resource for brides, wedding planners and a unique opportunity to drive traffic and bring exposure to our individual sites. Together, we are joining to elevate our profession. Other projects include a lighting workshop that I'm creating with Kevin Focht. 

This year I'm taking a step back and evaluating my business. It goes in cycles. I have 2-3 years of creative inspiration and then I spend a year working on the business. Updating the galleries on my Big Folio web site and evaluating my pricing, products and services are the next steps for my business. I'd like to travel to Germany with my father and explore our family genealogy. You never know what life has in store. Most important is trusting the process and continuing to strive for something.
Mar 18

BF FAVE: COLOR SCHEME DESIGNER 3

Every once and a while, one of us here at BIG Folio will stumble across something we all think is pretty cool. One of our most recent finds is this Color Scheme Designer.

It is not only user-friendly, but it's also designed to assist a person of any skill level. Another great feature is the associated web application (API). Folks like us can use it as a "color palette picker tool" for web design by simply integrating it into current development systems. And the best part- it's free. That's right. The use of the Color Scheme Designer and API are free to both commercial and non-commercial entities. Though, if you really like it, you can always make a donation by clicking the donate button in the bottom left corner of the CSD site. So, go ahead and check it out and then tell us what you think.

Mar 16

COFFEE FOR PHOTOS WINNER!

The race was tight, but in the end there could be only one winning photograph...

Congratulations to Jenni Lillie for her winning outdoor wedding shot. The BIG Folio team agreed your image was the most creative, fun and original shot we received in this competition. For your prize, we will be sending you a $100 Starbucks gift card.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our "Coffee for Photos" contest. We got a huge number of submissions, and we really enjoyed looking through all of them. We hope you will stay tuned to our blog for upcoming features and, of course, more contests!

Mar 13

Artist Spotlight: Chuck Arlund

BIG Folio is delighted to share our interview with Nashville-based photographer Chuck Arlund. His photographic philosophy is simple: capture the art and essence of the subject. When he shoots a wedding, his images tell the story of two people in love. In his own words, "at Arlund, photography is an art form. The Art of Being You." Without further ado, we present Chuck Arlund.

BF: You are based in Nashville and Kansas City- how does that work? Do you travel often? And where are some of your favorite places to go?

I am based out of Nashville but I am from KC and it is a very inexpensive flight back and forth. My whole family and a lot of my friends all live in KC. I had a pretty decent business when I left for Nashville so I wanted to hold on to that. I do not travel as much as I used to. With 2 pretty new kids I hate being away. When I go to KC, I bring them for the family to see. My favorite place I have traveled to is the Napa Valley area. I fell in love with it.

BF: Did you have any other occupation before becoming a professional photographer?

I was a professional Rock guitar player. I also did some web and graphic design part time for my Church.  I worked for a year as an Advertising photographer for some magazines and the Kansas City Star, while I lived in KC.



BF: So when did you realize that you could make a living shooting pictures?

Funny story, I was working in a Camera Pro store and kept getting asked questions about flash and lighting. The people who were asking me were making money shooting weddings.  The thought of shooting weddings had never crossed my mind, but I saw they were making a lot more than I was at the camera store and at the paper. I always said, "If I'm not on the cover of Rolling Stone then I am going to shoot the cover of Rolling Stone." I am still trying to shoot the cover, since I gave up trying to be on it four years ago. But in all seriousness, even back in 2001-2002 really before Digital was so common, there were still not very experienced photographers shooting weddings and making a decent income. We also processed film, and I swear half the time the negs were so badly underexposed. It was sad. I set aside my commercial attitude towards wedding and portrait photographers and became one of them.

BF: Was there a photographer (or anyone else) that inspired or influenced you?

The first photographer that I really identified with and made me start looking at photography as a real profession and not a hobby was Herb Ritts. He is still a huge inspiration.  Recently, I have been drawn into Santa D'Orazio, His images have soul. Norman Parkinson is another great influence.  



BF: How would you best describe your style?

I would like it to be something else, but I think my style is bold and a little dark. I hear the term "artistic" thrown around a lot, but I am personally still trying to find that. My style is constantly developing. I am hoping I get a little cleaner, airier images, but I have a feeling that I will end up making them look like my typical stuff. I like to push myself. I think I see my style differently than what others see it. So I think that it might all be correct. So, My style: Dark and artistic with lots of personality bordering on humorous. Retro Contemporary (there is an opposite for you, but what is old is new, right?)

BF: Any horror stories you'd like to share? Something bad that happened during a shoot?

This one is not much of a horror story but it is kind of funny. I'm at a wedding in January, and I start seeing a dark line across my images on the screen. It looks like really bad sync problems with a flash, but I am not shooting flash.  When I am shooting vertical the problem goes away. It was just strange. I pick up my backup but this church is REALLY dark and I really need my better camera for the high iso. I start thinking about it and try shooting the camera upside down. Sure enough the problem goes away. My camera's mirror was getting stuck. by turning the camera over, gravity was helping pull the mirror down and the images were fine.  The couple and guests just thought I was a little eccentric, which I probably am. So I shot the rest of the wedding with the camera upside down. I am trying to figure out how to tell them there album will have to be looked at in reverse in order for it to look correct. (That is a joke).



BF: Do you ever do any photography just for fun? If so, what are your favorite things to shoot?

Yes, I like to shoot buildings, the inside of bars during the daytime. It is interesting to see places that are only really seen by anyone when it is dark. There are some wonderful colors that you probably never pay attention to at your favorite pub or music cave.  I also love photographing women and models. I was drawn to fashion photography as an art form and that is what I love to photograph, every time I pick up the camera it is fun.

BF: Any predictions on the next big trend in the wedding photo industry?

I can't say because I don't want anyone to steal my idea. :) It involves video. And with that I can say, I think photographers will be shooting more video. I have been saying this for about 3 years now. It is kind of strange.

BF: What type of local publications or resources do you advertise in? What about international publications?

I advertise in only one local wedding magazine. They have been really good to me, although I do not think it really generates much business. As I pursue my commercial career, I am sure I will be looking at Black Book and publications like that.



BF: What are you working on next?

Commercial. I have been shooting a lot of music industry type of stuff but have never really gone after it. We shot Hootie and the Blowfish last year and it was exciting to work with a bigger named artist. I also do family portraits for some country artists like Little Big Town and they have mentioned me getting into more commercial stuff. So that is what is next, I am working on my new Big Folio site specifically aimed at recording artist and editorial fashion. There is a buzz in Nashville that I need to grab a hold of. Hopefully next year, I can report that I am having some success. I think one of the first things is finding a good agent that is willing to represent me. If there are any takers please give me a call... www.chuckarlund.com should be live in 2 weeks.

 

Mar 11

COFFEE FOR PHOTOS

BIG Folio enthusiastically announces another rad contest for you photogs out there:

Send us your best outdoor wedding shot featuring either trees or water somewhere in the photo [see below John Michael Cooper photo as an example] for a chance to win a $100 Starbucks gift card.

We will choose our favorite photo over the weekend and post the winning image (and a nice tribute to its photographer) right here on our blog on Monday (3.16.09).

E-mail your submission image to lindi{at}bigfolio{dot}com. We will be accepting only ONE image per photographer, so make sure to send your best work :) And don't forget, all submissions must be received by Friday, March 13th at 10:00pm (PST). 

Mar 10

Bent in Bend update

Just a quick update for all those interested in coming to the Bent in Bend workshop in April– we are allowing a 'payment plan'. If you sign up this week (3.9-3. 15) you can break the payment up into 2– 1/2 now and 1/2 in one month from now. 

No more excuses, come on out and get the most bang for your buck at Bent in Bend 2009. 

Mar 09

THE BEST FROM THE BEST

The ladies of Junebug Weddings recently announced their selection of the "most stunning images of 2008." The best part is that five BIG Folio photogs made the list, and we are very excited to showcase their work. 

Congratulations are much in order for the ever-talented: 

Elizabeth Messina

Marcus Bell


Jose Villa


Jim Garner


Lisa Lefkowitz

Mar 06

Artist Spotlight: Erik Clausen

BIG Folio recently got the chance to interview Dallas/Fort Worth-based photographer Erik Clausen. Erik has shot his fair-share of weddings and is not afraid to admit he is a poser. What exactly does that mean? Check out the about page on his site for more information on his expressive approach to shooting. You can also get a glimpse of what he is all about by reading the interview below, which we think you will enjoy.  

BF: You are based in the D-FW area, but do you ever get to travel for work? If so, how often do you travel? And where are some of your favorite places to go? 

I travel for probably 50% of the weddings I currently shoot and am booked for.  I absolutely love to travel.  when I met my wife, I was getting prepared to go backpacking through Europe.  Although, things change when you fall in love ;)  Still haven't had the chance to go to Europe, but I'm betting I'll get the chance soon.  I am partial to beaches, so anytime i get to shoot on an island or a beach somewhere, I am very happy.  My favorite destination to shoot so far was definitely Bermuda- an unbelievably beautiful and clean place. 

BF: Did you have any other occupation before becoming a professional photographer?

The only thing I had ever really done before starting in this industry was serving and bar tending. I cannot tell you how excited I was to put in my two weeks notice when I started the business!

BF: So, when did you realize that you could make a living shooting pictures?

It was June of 2005.  I was making an iced tea and a girl named Autumn Krueger was to my side making some bread while I was working at the cheesecake factory.  I had just gotten back from a table and was showing them some photos of my family that I had in my waiters book.  She had seen me and made the comment, "I envy you."  I asked her why, and she said,  "because you can totally do that for a living."  Now I had been interested in photography for a few years at that point, but I didn't know what and SLR was, heck i had never even heard the terms "aperture" or "shutter speed",  but in that instant, I knew photography was exactly what God had in mind for me to do.  There is , of course, a very long story attached to that, but there is not enough space to go into that here :)  I would love to sit down and share a cup of coffee with any of you if I get the chance and tell you the entire story.  

BF: Was there a photographer (or anyone else) that inspired or influenced you?

First and foremost, I get my inspiration and influence from my Jesus- the Creator of creativity.  All things were created through Him, and so it only makes sense that I would go to Him for any inspiration.

As for photographers, I would definitely say that there are some influences.  I like to think that Ben Chrisman, Sean Flannigan and Jesh de Rox have had a significant influence in my current work.  I am ever finding new amazing imagery as inspiration.  One of my latest finds is a freaking-stud photog named Jeff Newsom.  I'm sure, judging by the traffic homes gets on his blog, that I am late to the party, but I am glad to have gotten on the bandwagon. 

BF: How would you best describe your style as a photographer?

I'm not really sure.  I suppose there is a fashion sense attributed to my work, but there is certainly some PJ as well.  Heck, even the poses I create are sometimes intended to look PJ.  As far as I'm concerned, there is no "style", I just shoot what looks good to me.  I haven't been formally trained, so honestly, I wouldn't even know what to call it if I did have a style.

BF: Any horror stories you'd like to share? Something bad that happened during a shoot?

The only moment that really made my heart fall into my stomach was when I handed my 50 1.2 L lens to my assistant, put a different lens on, turned to shoot, and heard "crack!"  he had dropped it on the hard parking lot concrete.  And he's a tall chap, so it had a ways to fall.  Worst part was, when I shoot portraits, I use that lens probably 85% of the time.  And that was within the first five minutes of the shoot!   It was only a few hundred bucks to get it fixed, and the shoot ended up awesome, so it turned out OK.

BF: Do you ever do any photography just for fun? If so, what are your favorite things to shoot?

ALL photography is fun to me.  I desperately enjoy every bit of what I do.  and I can say that, hands down, my favorite thing to shoot is weddings.  I love marriage.  I love being married.  I believe marriage is the best way God reflects and reveals His full presence here on earth (as all things, both feminine and masculine were created from Him, He must contain both qualities).  When a couple gets married, they become "one flesh".  To get to document that union, is the greatest thing I can imagine :)

BF: Any predictions on the next big trend in the wedding photo industry?

No idea.  Trends are one of those funny things.  It's "trendy" to do something that's not trendy.  So I just shoot/process what looks cool to me.  Sometimes I may be falling into a trendy category, sometimes not, but I will always love what I am doing because it's coming from me.

BF: What type of local publications or resources do you advertise in? What about international publications?

I just put an ad in Southern Weddings Magazine. I'm on the inside cover (thanks ladies!).  The only other publication where I am currently found is the knot.  That was the first place I ever advertised, and it has served me very well.  Probably 90% of all the weddings I have shot I booked from the knot.  But as my business has grown, I am getting more referrals and leads from other places, i.e. being published on blogs and magazines, I am scaling back on some of my paid advertising.

BF: What are you working on next?

Currently I have some extra time, as I am still in the off season, and I am going to try to actually work on some of my family's photos.  The cobblers son has no shoes ;)

Mar 04

BENT IN BEND 2009

Join BIG Folio at our headquarters in Bend, OR April 15-16, 2009 for a two-day Workshop featuring instruction and presentations by: Susan Stripling, Matt and Kristal Radlinski, and our very own Erik Dungan. We will cover topics from natural-light shooting to album design to search engine optimization (and almost everything in between). 

And it gets even better! Each of the attendees will also receive:

  • A BIG Folio Premium Website + 12 months of hosting (a $650 value)
  • A 6-month NextProof Basic account (a $144 value)
  • An SEO DVD created for professional photographers (a $79 value)

We will even throw in some Mt. Bachelor LIFT TICKETS if you join us early on April 13-14 for some excellent skiing/snowboarding. 

Space is LIMITED to only 20 people, so hurry and Sign Up today. We can't wait to see you in April for what we know is going to be an amazing event. 

 

Mar 02

Jose Villa Workshop Give-away

BF announces a NEW contest with a HUGE prize. Here is how it works: 

The first 30 people to sign up for a Premium BIG Folio site will be entered to win a seat at a one-day Jose Villa workshop, and we'll even throw in some travel money. The winner can choose to attend the workshop either in Santa Barbara, CA on Apr. 20, 2009 or in Boulder, CO on May 19, 2009 - the workshop alone is a $750 value. But like we said, we'll also toss the grand-prize winner $250 in air credit to help get you there in style. 

So hurry and sign up today to secure your spot in the running- we know you won't want to miss this amazing prize package.