For Photographers

Retouching Business Headshot Selfies

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Before cellphone cameras, if you wanted a selfie, you had to use a real camera. This picture is from 1991 when bungee jumping without a second safety harness was thought to be safe. The camera was duct-taped to my hand so I couldn’t drop it.

This is another view-from-my-office photo.

Is it common for a company to require its employees to supply their own business headshots? Most of these self-supplied headshots are, of course, cellphone selfies.
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On Photography – 50 Years Later

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If you don’t like what you see in front of your camera, you can often wait a few minutes and a better picture might come along. These two skyline pictures were shot less than 20 minutes apart. In those few minutes, the wind blew in the clouds and the automatic lights in many buildings turned on.

This is another view-from-my-office photo.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the publication of US author Susan Sontag‘s essay Photography (link to PDF) which was later re-edited and renamed “In Plato’s Cave.” This renamed essay became the first of six essays in her book, “On Photography.” In Plato’s Cave is probably the most well known of the six essays.
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Washrooms and Photographers

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A big, clean washroom in a sports stadium an hour before the public arrives. A baby changing table, like the one on the far left wall, can be useful to photographers.

This is something they definitely don’t teach in photography school: how do you go to the washroom while shooting an event?
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Pragmatic Photography

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Pragmatic: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters. Practical as opposed to idealistic.

Acrobats have to be pragmatic. They may have planned for some fancy manoeuvres but it’s much more important to get the job done and not fall or drop anything.

Left: Gary Borstelmann, aka Gary Sladek, aka the Amazing Sladek, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.

Right: Rong Niu, aka Krystal Niu, aka Red Panda, performs at an NBA All-Star game in Toronto, 2016.

This is another view-from-my-office photo.

A pragmatic photographer is more concerned with getting the job done rather than making an artistic statement.

Many people who take pictures with their cellphone camera are pragmatic photographers. They want a photo without any fuss and without much thought.
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Reselling Editorial Photos

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This is another view-from-my-office photo.

The Toronto Raptors mascot was born 27 years ago on November 3, 1995. He wears jersey number 95.

Ryan Bonne, the guy inside the costume, got the job with the Raptors just a few months after graduating from university in 1995. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that he majored in theatre with a minor in sports studies.

It’s common for someone featured in an editorial photo to ask for a copy of the published. Usually the person just wants a souvenir photo of themselves.
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Camera Bag Security

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A photographer friend recently had their camera gear stolen while shooting a corporate event at a hotel. They put their fully loaded camera bag down for just a couple minutes . . .

We all know to never leave our gear unattended when in public. But that’s often easier said than done.

I use a wheeled case as much as possible not only because it takes the weight off my shoulders but also because it’s easier to secure a wheeled case than an over-the-shoulder bag. A Pelican case or similar is best because there are no zippers and you can lock the lid. Zippers are relatively easy to poke open with a screwdriver, a fork or even a ballpoint pen. Some zippers are made more puncture-resistant than others.

I have several homemade, plastic-coated steel cables of various lengths and matching padlocks. These cables are used on location, in my car trunk and in hotel rooms.
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