Business to Business Catalog Shoots

The recession has affected all of us, in all industries across the board. But with summer we’re seeing more movement and optimism than we’ve seen since before Obama’s inauguration. Girls are shopping, designers are calling, and photographers are clicking. Fall is coming and with a season change, there are inevitably catalog requests coming in.

There are so many ways to approach a catalog shoot. With a large budget, you often see location and stylized images along the likes of Victoria Secret, Pottery Barn, J Crew, etc. With large brands, the lifestyle of who is buying their garments is just as important to convey in their catalog as it is in their editorial images.

However, with start-ups and wholesale designers, there is the business to business catalog model. When a designer is ‘young’ to the industry, and the brand is not a household name, then there is more of a call for detail images that show the soup to nuts of the designs, and less of the lifestyle and location you imagine your clothing used in. These type of catalog shoots are more technical and leave less to the viewers imaginiative faculties.

One of my favorite local brands, 3Free, is preparing a new website launch. They have graciously lent me clothes on many a photo shoot and helped out with styling and dressing many models. Naturally I was thrilled when they approached me to work on their catalog images for their new site.

Take a look at some examples of what to expect in a ’soup to nuts’ catalog shoot. We have the overall image of the dress followed by the details the designer wishes to showcase. **note** all images not retouched

Example #1:

Overall

Detail 2

Detail 3

Example #2:

Overall 2

Pocket

Sleeve

Until their website is complete, you can find these dresses and slew of other fabulous designs at the designers store in Manhattan. Apt. 141, located on 13th between 3rd and 4th Avenues. Happy shopping!

Using real lens-flare

Yesterday we were doing a test in the studio to experiment with a concept I’ve been mulling over using tons of lens-flare. As is the nature of the game, something is always different than you expect, but often-times that’s the magic factor. We had the model put her hair in perm curlers the night before to get an ‘afro’ effect. The curls ended up much tighter than I had anticipated, so we were only able to do one of the lighting set-ups I had pre-planned.

When I get the opportunity to re-shoot this, I will go with more pastel make-up to give some irridescent color pops to it. But overall, the lighting turned out in camera how I wanted it to.

The beauty with lens-flare is that it really eliminates your post processing work if you nail the exposure properly. No need for retouching skin, because the combination of make-up and the lens-flare itself gives the illusion of smooth pores.

Our basic lighting diagram was two flash heads at f/22 on the background, one hairlight with snoot at f/22 pointed slightly above the model’s head and down, and one fill light about 20 degrees camera right at f/11.5. In order to maximize flare to camera, only one black card was used to cut light, in between the hair light and the fill light, about 1 foot from the model.

Portrait Classes and Seminars

Lately I’ve been approached by friends and associates who want to learn to photograph people. The transition from art photos or landscapes to photographing people is not an easy jump to make. Photographers who take gorgeous landscapes or scenic shots do not necessarily translate their gift as easily to photographing people, and vice versa.

And so I am developing a series of seminars and also an 8 week portrait class for people who want to break down the ‘art’ of photographing people into a science they can more easily manage. Now that the outlines are complete, I am awaiting a confirmation of the dates and times. When it is finalized, I’ll hope to see some of you in class!

The Un-Cyber Self

Now that I have launched my new site and brand, I am in the process of reviewing and revising my hard-copy portfolio. It’s challenging to decide what is going to be the new look for the next year ahead. I have to find something easy to duplicate, light weight for mailing, and attractive and compatible enough with my new logo and website. My inclination is to resist tradition and go for a smaller 8.5×11 book so that it is easier to carry around town and to mail. I’ll stick with tradition and go with a portrait style rather than landscape.

When the process is complete, I’ll post a picture of the completed book here!

We’re Live!

Today the new design of www.wyomingtelford.com is live! This has been a long project, with a lot of talented people involved.

The photography business is very much a business in the art of relationship and people. I’m extremely blessed to have the opportunity to see the beauty and generosity in people on a daily basis. Countless friends, family, models, stylists, and professionals offered insight, opinions and use of their talents over the past few months. Thank you very much, you know who you are!

However, two people in particular really contributed to making this re-design and branding process a reality. For my logo design, the very talented Jennifer Springman really knocked it out of the park – providing a perfect image for what was in my head. Check her out for your graphic design needs, or better yet, become a fan of her incredible and unique art!

And last but most definitely not least, Beck Henderer-Pena created my lovely new site, and has in general fielded tons of questions, offered countless advice, put up with my total web ignorance and impatience and made the whole thing possible. Thanks Beck, you are more than awesome!

Please take a look at our new site. I’m extremely pleased with it.

Wyoming Telford Photography

Our new web re-design is almost complete!