Updates & Snapshots

It's been a busy summer with a few projects in the pipeline. Thought I'd take an opportunity to post a few creative items I've been working on in my down time. Feels like summer is quickly drawing to a close with fall and the holidays around the corner. 

It's been a busy engagement season, congratulations to all those lovebirds out there! I've been seeing a lot of people also sprucing up their headshots for career changes or updates. I've been excited to be working on a big project that should be announced pretty soon. 

In the meantime I've been hitting the streets, capturing and documenting the people and places that make me excited to live in such a dynamic and interesting city. Love you, Chicago. Here's a few examples....

Film and Analog Photography

It's been a little while since I've posted anything on my blog, so it's time to do some sprucing up. 

I was wistfully thinking about my old camera collection I had when I was a kid and realized that I hadn't shot any film in ages. After doing a ton of research and seeing what was out there I decided to take the leap and get a film camera. I am now using a Hasselblad 500cm camera in addition to digital photography and I'll be incorporating it into my client workflow from here on out as an option for anyone who likes the analog look. 

The Hasselblad 500cm is one of the best medium format cameras ever made. If you aren't familiar with medium format, it simply refers to the size of the film. Most film cameras people are used to use the 35mm format. The Hasselblad uses 120 film which shoots at a 56x56mm size which allows more visual information to imprint on the film which allows for richer more detailed photographs and allows greater flexibility. It's a very high quality camera with superb lenses, rivaling some of the photos I've taken on my Canon 5d Mark IV. 

If you are ever interested in booking services and are enthusiastic about trying out film, please notify me in your email and we can incorporate it into your project. It can be easily scanned and digitized into a jpeg for any online uses you may need. 

I've included some recent work I've done along with the camera itself. Thanks for reading and keep shooting! -rw

Patio Pictures in Red Eye Chicago

It's the start of patio and rooftop season in Chicago! We were happy to take some patio photos for Park & Field in Logan Square. If you haven't been yet, I highly recommend it. You can check out the article and pictures here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/restaurants/ct-redeye-chicago-new-rooftops-patios-2017-20170406-story.html

When Paying for a Photographer Makes Sense

I thought today I'd write about what commercial photographers bring to the table, and why one would and should hire one in the age of smartphones.

I'm sure right off the bat you're thinking: "Of course you want me to hire a photographer, you are one!" And that's correct, although not entirely my point. I'm not the first to tackle this topic and I won't be the last, but there's something to be said about the value of photos, the quality of photos, and what it means to have a "professional" do it for you.

First, I'd say that smartphones do an adequate job for everyday situations and casual moments. In fact it's incredible that we have such easy access to an amazing device that captures whatever we see fit in our day to day experiences. The world is knee deep in photos, pictures, videos, and they're constantly shared at light speed on social media and the internet. There has never been another time where images have been more prevalent, more available, and more accessible.

That ubiquitousness, however, has lowered the expectations of what the quality of a photo should look like and what the acceptable skill level of the photographer should be. Using your phone is fine for posting a photo of a pair of shoes you just bought on your Facebook page, but probably not fine for your half-drunk uncle to be using his phone to take pictures at your wedding, or to risk taking the casual product snapshot for your restaurant, headshot, or online store - for example. In a world awash in photographic data, competing for eyeballs to set you apart from everyone else is more crucial than ever.

If you've ever seen an amazing photo on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or whichever photography websites you like to visit, I can guarantee that a vast majority of the time that photo was taken by somebody with skill, education, practice, technique, and top notch equipment. Even with filters and tools you find online, it's still pretty easy to tell a professional photo from an amateur one.

Let's look at the difference real quick, shall we? 

Cloud Gate. Shot on iPhone.

Cloud Gate. Shot on Canon and touched up in post-processing.

This is a simple example but look at the top photo, the tones are flat, the cropping is crooked, the colors muted, and it feels hazy and unclear. Not a terrible picture but not great either. Now look at the bottom picture. The colors pop out, the picture feels vibrant, clear, with a wide difference in tonal range, and a cropping that is straight and brings you into the picture. 

Let's look at another example.

Baby Elliot. Shot on Canon. Untouched.

Baby Elliot. Shot on Canon. Processed in post.

Here's another example of how having a professional photographer can make a huge difference in your photos. Today's digital cameras, no matter how good, still require post-processing in the end, just like film. I showed these to my client and they were amazed by the difference, even though I used the same camera. The 2nd picture is much more vibrant and adds more detail than the top picture which looks a little flat, slightly over exposed, and not nearly as rich. The poor guy also came in with a considerable rash on his face that I was able to touch up later.

A lot people then respond, "Ok, great, but why should I trust you and why are photographers so expensive?". These are very fair and understandable questions. Trust is all about the portfolio and about the interaction. If you like the portfolio and the photographer is quick to understand your needs, communicate effectively, and provide a fun experience then pick that person. It's a pretty subjective experience. But you should never feel uncomfortable and if you're unhappy with the initial product then you shouldn't settle and the product should make you feel happy in the end.

Before I became a photographer myself, I remember asking a photographer friend of mine for a quote for some family photos I wanted taken. I remember getting the email and it started out, "Look, this is always the awkward part, especially because you're a friend, but this is how much it's going to cost." I had initial sticker shock, not fully understanding how much goes into being a photographer. 

So why is it so expensive? First off, equipment. Professional grade lenses, camera bodies, lighting, are all very expensive. High-end lenses can easily cost $5,000, and a professional camera can cost anywhere from $3,000-$20,000. Not to mention overhead costs like rent, marketing, travel, dues, insurance, studio equipment, utilities, payroll, etc. Secondly, education, time, experience, and knowledge. Someone has to also price in their talent and past investments in their trade. It all adds up quickly. So when you see a $600 quote for a few pictures and your initial response is "They're just pictures! Why is this so expensive?!" This is why. 

This is my two cents. I've had it bouncing around in my head for awhile and thought it might be helpful to those who have never hired a photographer or maybe even had a bad experience or felt confused. In the end, if you want top notch, quality photographs for whatever reason, it's worth it to spend the money and have your specific needs catered to, rather than leaving it to inferior products and talent. Questions, thoughts, experiences you'd like to share? Sound off in the comments section! Thanks for reading! - Rick

Open Studio Friday 2/17/17

It's my first blog post, yay! 

SZ has been busy busy getting our new digs set up. We are happy to announce our new location in the Bridgeport Arts Center! We will be having open studios in the building this Friday from 7pm-10pm and we will have a few fun things going on including some polaroids, a raffle, and some refreshments. We hope to see you all there! -rw