Six Lies About Digital Photography

Rob Provencher: Hi, welcome everybody my name is Rob Provencher from No BS Photo Success. I’m actually one of the cofounders of No BS Photo Success. And way back in 2002 when my associate James Hodgins and myself started doing this live workshops in digital photography we realized a lot of things were coming out the industry that we weren’t too sure whether or not they were after it. So we created this based on that going to back to the fundamentals of good photography what it takes to be a successful photographer and we want to demystify some of the lies, some of the none truths that we’ve discovered so on with it here we go. Line number one. James Hodgins: Hi, everyone my name is James Hodgins, I’m also a cofounder of No BS Photo Success let me tell you about line number one the camera. Now this is a big issue back in the day where everybody said you have to have big digital back on your hustle about a medium for my camera, this isn’t true. The first digital camera is the DSLR is like the Canon D-30 3.24 mega pixel camera. We got 30-inch prints from there. You don’t have to have a big hunk and heavy system to be a good photographer. Remember it’s not the size of the file what you do with it account. Way number two computers, this is a bit of a sensitive issue because really when you get down to what were talking about MAC versus PC. Now here is where my stand sits, I’m a PC user but ultimately it’s all about your computer thing of tools. One system will not make a better image over the other system. So it’s always been like contention that it doesn’t matter what you're using MAC or PC they both work. One issue I do have though is with the altitude of some of the MAC users who feel that there are no options, there’s only MAC, there’s only MAC available. And it’s like a religion so, yeah, I mean but you know were splitting it hair as they are. So get down to it, it doesn’t matter what computer system you’re using, as a matter of fact I buy mine at Cosco, I purchase them out with a use of business card 2005 I have the same laptop now for three years but work is spectacularly well. Problem free, trouble free and I get beautiful images all the time. So it’s just the two of them that’s all it is. All right, line number three, RAW versus Jpeg, now and this is very sensitive issue but we do this all the time you have to shoot Raw, you have to shoot Raw. A 100% of our images are shoot Jpeg weddings, portraits families, high in commercial 100% Jpeg. The number excuse we hear from lot of photographers the reason they shoot Raw is that they can fix the white spots and they can fix they’re exposure. You know what our opinion on that is get it right at the first time. You should be capturing proper weight balance you should be capturing with proper exposure. There is a rudimentary skill as a photographer. You get those real in two things done wipe ounce exposure 99% of the battle is done. Our clients are happy, were happy, everything is Jpeg it works. Line number four, color correction. Now there is a word that is often misused, color correction assumes that you have problems, you have to correct it; there is a problem so let’s fix that. Well here’s what might take on them. If you're correcting all your images, you're probably going to make something for crazy. The solution don’t correct anything, get it right at the camera get a good exposure, good weight balance, do that and master that and you wont have to correct anything. Instead, what you want to do is work with file that is properly exposed and has a proper weight balance and you enhance it. So all you got to do is just put a few things you need to do besides retouching or soft on this effects there is just a few things you need to do to enhance your image. You're not correcting or advancing, no such thing is colored corrector. Line number five Softler and Toggens, now you hear this all the time coming by and open my file up in this software fix or enhance the color of this software and reduce the noise with this software. I sharpen it with this software, 90% of what we do with our work hold can all be done in Photoshop. It could all be done in Photoshop elements; you don’t have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars and have 40 different software’s. We proved time to time again that everything that we can do with our images could all be done in Photoshop. We are still using in Photoshop 7, why? Because the tools in there are all we need for chop the huge, huge program. We probably only use 20 not even 20 maybe 5% of it, so you don’t need all this different software in Toggens, so do the 40,000 different things you want to do a Photoshop we’ll do it all. Line number six, line number six is you don’t have to be good anymore a lot of people have this distorted idea that because of digital photography and because of all the processing power we have available to use and this is basically pointing and shooting. Your capturing image, you don’t have to be good anymore I think that that is dead rock. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is we are no longer magicians or wizards. Photography is no longer the mystery it use to be, so its become so common place that we as professionals it our duty or responsibility to take our skills and to make sure that we are as better or better than we’ve ever been. Better than anybody else, out there so that’s far more important now a day to capture the master, the basic fundamentals of photography. So you do have to be good, you do have to mater the basics of photography to more important now a days, more so than ever so let’s just recap real quick to six big lights, first of all camera. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on the camera; today’s cameras are more than powerful to get the job done. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, nor you need to a specific computer system it all worked there only two of those. Just like the carpenters have his tools, his hammers and saws and etc. that does not make him a better carpenter same with photography. It’s not the camera you own, it’s not the computer system you own. That will not make you a better photographer. Also shooting Jpeg versus Raw, your shooting Raw, well they think you’re a better photographer and Softler plug-in also color correction versus color enhancement. Remember this points we talked about they’re all very valid points, which all lead to the final conclusion at a light to make break out. And the world when a technological changes and advances, nothing seems to ever stay the same. Nothing seems to stay the same; the truth is the fundamentals are good photography will never change. Fundamentals ever change, creating with dramatic image will always depend on the inside planning and the ability of the photographer to recreate what he or she sees in his or her mind and heart. Composition, lighting, exposure and impact are all immune to technological changes. Fundamental is a good photography, they're priceless and timeless.