Sierra Studio's new website is finally done! It is temporarily living at http://www.sierrab2b.com and will soon replace the original sierrastudio.com site. For those who have not had the chance to work with me, Sierra Studio is where I do most of my work and have been the head photographer there for 14 years. While shooting is what I do primarily, I have developed other skills over the years. Building Sierra's new website as well as Sierra's food website ( http://www.sierrafood.com ) is just one of the skills that I have developed. Please feel free to browse through the sites and give me a call to schedule a shoot.
How to communicate with and get the most out of your photographer
1) Paint the overall picture of what you want-
Share your vision with the photographer on the overall expectations and vision you have for the final image or images. Both photographer and designers are creatives and clueing him into your vision early on will help you to get images that you envision and more importantly work.
2) Give the photographer the finer details-
Tell the photographer what style or mood you are looking for. Ex: Bright and airy or dark and moody. Show him or her sample photos, drawings and color palettes. But do not expect him to copy existing images that you find on-line or in print. This can be considered copyright infringement and should not be expected. But parts of several images can be used to express what you are looking for. Explain who your target market and demographic is. Use descriptive words that explain your goals for the shoot.
If you don't yet have a vision for the final image or images, be open and honest about it. Most photographers will be happy to work with you on collaborating ideas to help you mold and evolve ideas into a final vision.
3) Keep in mind why it is you chose this photographer-
If you found his or her website or saw their portfolio and really liked what you saw, then remember that you are also partly buying their vision and style. This is what attracted you to him or her in the first place, correct? If you chose this photographer based on price only then keep in mind that you often get what you pay for.
4) Make no assumptions on how long a creative or complex shot will take.
Often times, creative images takes longer than expected and sometimes it happens smoothly and quickly. Lighting usually takes time to evolve to be the best. Consult with the photographer on how much time he may need before-hand to work the lighting out. With models, assistants often stand-in while hair and make-up is happening with the model. In food photography, the food stylist will often put a stand-in dish very roughly styled to allow you to work out composition and lighting while the "hero" dish is being styled.
5) Be a part of the shoot-
Feel free to express what it is you like and don't like about the shots. You are part of a team trying to achieve a common goal and this should be everyones attitude at the shoot. Most importantly, don't forget to relax and have fun.
