19 October 2011

Time for Snapshots

As a professional photographer, I often have to remind myself over and over again that snap shots are an important part of life, and just because I know an image isn't sellable doesn't mean that I shouldn't take it.

My business is two-fold : I shoot product photography for clients, and between jobs or while I am waiting to hear back on proofs I shoot stock photography in my studio.  In a nutshell the stock photography that I shoot goes to my agencies who sell the images for me where they are used in anything from blogs to billboards.  This keeps my photography on a very practical useful level, and allows me to earn a living.

Although 99% of my stock photography is shot in the studio I will often bring my camera on weekend outings in case I see something sellable.  The best example I have of this is an image I caught of a shrimp boat on a walk on the beach just before dusk.  There is nothing too special about the image.  It is exposed properly, and the light is okay not spectacular, but it sells over and over again making that few minutes of work on my time off well worth my while month after month.

The problem that I find is that when my professional camera is on hand I find myself not taking a shot of my husband next to whatever we may have found it the light is not just right or if I won't be able to later sell the image.  This is something I have struggled with since getting professional photography training in 2003.

To make sure that I am capturing memories, and not just making money I started carrying around a smaller point and shoot digital camera and it has made a big difference.  When out with my husband he often carries the "little camera" and I carry the "big camera" and with our powers combined we have created some fantastic memories.  Now when I think that the lighting is not quite right I take the image anyway and file it away in our private scrapbook because in life the moments you want to remember don't always happen under perfect photographic conditions.

Today I am also participating in a Blog Hop.  Here is a link for you to learn more.

9 comments:

  1. Hi Brooke! Glad you found me, so that i could hop on over and follow you back!! So nice to "meet" you! Great blog!! If you leave a comment on my page telling me what your favorite candles or fall scents are, I can enter you in my giveaway!! Hop on over!! Many blessings to you!!

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  2. Good to see you here! I went with Mulled Cider ... good scent and warm cozy feeling too.

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  3. Thanks for following! I would love to get into photography. We need a great camera to capture all the fun moments!!

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  4. Anonymous10/19/2011

    Great blog...thanks for following..I am following you back....Kathi

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  5. Anonymous10/19/2011

    I never considered it, but I bet a lot of professional photographers have a hard time NOT staging photos of their friends and family... Hi! New follower from Welcome Wednesday! I hope you'll stop by my blog and follow back! Thanks :) Through the Eyes of a Tiger

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  6. Thank you everyone from the blog hop for stopping by! I am following your blogs and looking forward to reading more.

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  7. Thanks for following hope u enjoy reading mommy2nanny3doggy1.com

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  8. Love the shrimp boat. What a fun job to have.

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  9. @Jessica the shrimp boats of my job are fun shots taken on the weekend, I mostly do catalog photography which is fun for me, but lots of work too! :)

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