Update on my Print-on-Demand Magazine

Well, I received the proof of my first print-on-demand magazine today and I must say I’m impressed!  The print quality is excellent, the paper is a nice weight, and the color matching is exactly what I expected.  (I used MagCloud’s provided ICC profile for soft proofing on my calibrated monitor).  The entire operation is just really slick!

I’m working on my daughter’s Senior magazine now, and hopefully it will go a little faster.  (Always a few bumps the first time around). 

Here’s one image that we shot the other evening.  Turned into a family affair as in addition to my lovely daughter / model, my wife and son provided support as voice-activated light stands.

My First Foray into Print-on-Demand Publishing

A fellow photographer recently turned me on to the concept of print on demand magazines when he asked me to contribute a couple of articles to a new photography magazine he’s starting.  (I’ll post the link when it’s actually available in the next couple of weeks). 

Having completed my contribution to the photography magazine, I thought I’d give it a go with one of my own as a proof-of-concept. Hence, the premier issue of “Senior Portraits Magazine. ” Click on the cover photo at right to preview the issue.

My devious master plan is to use these 12-16 page glossy magazines as a marketing tool for Senior (high school) Portraiture.  Much cooler than the traditional wallet size prints that kids have made to pass around to family and friends. It also has great potential for wedding clients. What family member, bridesmaid or groomsman wouldn’t spend $20-25 for an up to 60 page custom-designed magazine of engagement, rehearsal and wedding photos? (Okay, maybe I’m reaching with the groomsmen…)

My premiere issue of Senior Portrait Magazine is a 12 page glossy piece with custom layouts of photos taken over a period of about 2 weeks this past summer.  I’m also working on one of my daughter’s senior portraits, and an engagement version for a couple whose wedding I’m photographing next spring.

I’ll keep you posted!

Thanks for visiting!

Jon

Environmental Portraiture: Meter for the Background First

I’m endeavoring to build my portfolio of “corporate portraits”: photographs of people in their workplace environment. So far, I’ve not yet had an opportunity actually shoot in a true corporate setting, but I’ve taken a few images of folks in their workplace that I’m pretty happy with.

Our church has a beautifully lit, simple cross at the front of the sanctuary. I wanted to photograph Pastor Craig in the sanctuary and feature the cross as a key background element.

Typically, flash portraiture in this type of setting would have rendered a very dark background…probably to the extent that the cross, which is about 75 feet behind Pastor Craig, would have been lost. However, following my standard operating procedure, I metered for the cross first, and determined that at ISO 200, a shutter speed of 1/40s was just enough to give me a beautiful, ambient glow. I added a Nikon SB-800 with a shoot thru umbrella (my favorite location lighting rig) to light Pastor Craig. Starting at about 1/4 power, I made a test shot, and then and made a quick adjustment on the flash power to nail the final balance of ambient and flash.

Cat Senior Portraits: Part I

 

Hi Friends,

I was honored when my daughter asked me recently to shoot her senior portraits. She had her “official” yearbook photo done a week or so ago at a local studio as required by her school, but eschewed the full studio package in favor of having her dear old dad do her “real” senior photos.

We’re using a variety of lighting techniques, but so far, all have been done with remote hot shoe flash units (Nikon SB-800 Speedlights). 

In this series, we shot in an empty parking garage. I used one SB-800 with a DIY beauty dish modifier as the key light, and a second on the floor behind Cat, shooting through a homemade cookie (black cardstock with a bunch of slits cut in it) to give a little interest to the background.