Philip Thomas Photography : Blog

Now I have to say, I’ve never really like small dogs. You know, the ones that yap yap yap all the time.
I’ve always been a Golden Retriever guy, or, simply a bigger family dog person. We sadly lost Sally when she was 15 years old. Even though it was over 10 years ago, such a terrible loss when it happens, is like a dagger in the heart, as they’re truly one of the family.
OK, so, here’s the picture. We inherited this little one from an Uncle back in January. He was moving or leaving town, so, while I was back in England, my wife to be, Marcie, was lonely, and perhaps the best antidote her mother thought was for some company of her own. You see, she lost her dog the previous summer and as you can imagine, she too was very cut up about it.
So, for a few weeks, like a trial period, she took him on. He’s quite the little rascal, and when I turned up on these shores for good back in January, well, we kinda bonded right away. There was just the small growl of ‘who the heck are you?’-and that was the last hint of aggression. My wife even gets jealous now Benito and I seem to hang out more than with each other (it’s not true I tell ya). I have to be careful here as I know she’s gonna read this eventually….and then I’ll be in trouble.
Well Benito, sorry, Bebito is just wonderful. So this little blog here is in debt to a little dog.
He’s quite the lap dog and very friendly with everyone, especially my father-in-law. And he’s not so friendly with my brother-in-law, Jason. I’ve become one of those owners who walk their dog, get greeted by children and adults alike and tell them with a big grin slapped across my face “He’s quite a ferocious dog”. I don’t know how many old ladies have told you that as they walk their little mutts, but usually they end up snapping back. Well, with Benito, most folks just laugh and can’t wait to pat him and say hello.
So, that’s it really, a non yapping, non biting Chiwawa called Benito or Bebito. Yes, sorry, we still can’t decide on what to call him. I prefer the slightly more macho name Benito. Poor confused animal. Just relieved he doesn’t blinkin’ well yap!

Share on Facebook

Lot’s going on during going this August 2006. If you’re getting married…good news. Read on…

Family Portraits on the Beach!

I’m setting up times for Family and Couples photography coming for a few days in late September. We’ll be on location portraits in Corpus Christi, Texas. The top ten families to registar will be on the special list to be photographed for this exclusive event.

Wedding Photography

My approach to wedding photography is to capture in a photo journalistic style, reacting rather than creating artificial moments. I find myself getting excited about taking pictures of the unposed moments-This after all is the Bride’s day, not the photographers and it’s better in my opinion not to interrupt the course of your day together. Your wedding day can go by so fast, you only have the photographs of those wonderful moments to cherish for the rest of your days together.

Originally from London, England, I now reside in San Antonio, Texas.

*You can now check your date availability live on the my website.
*The top two collections include the original digital negatives, issued 12 months after your wedding day.
*GraphiStudio and Zookbinder handmade albums are used to beautifully tell the story of your wedding.
*For a limited time, all collections include complimentary engagement or bridal sessions.
*Is your wedding date falling on a Friday or Sunday? As this has been so successful this year, the $200 gift certificate to spend on studio products has been extended through October 2006. You must book now until October to take advantage of this offer.
*Order the album and extra prints within 7 days of receiving the contact sheets, and all additional enlargements are priced 50% off the listed price.-Great for parents and friends.

Call (210) 833-1168 or send an email to info@philipphotography.com to book a viewing appointment and request my price collections. I’ll bring sample albums and my portfolio for you to see. And remember, my available dates are going quickly so I encourage you to check out my quality style at www.philipphotography.com and then arrange a one on one meeting.

Cheers, and if you’re engaged, then enjoy the planning of your wedding day! I look forward to hearing back from you. You can also find me in San Antonio Weddings online and the magazine, The Knot and The Wedding Channel.

Share on Facebook

To answer that question you need to consider what is photojournalism?
It’s the process of documenting events with a camera without controlling or affecting the situation.

Henri Cartier Bresson-one of the fathers of photojournalism coined the phrase “the decisive moment” and this essentially means capturing the peak moment within a situation.

History: Where did Photojournalism come from? Henri Cartier Bresson in the 1930’s began documenting European society with a Leica camera. The cool thing about the Leica unlike many cameras at the time was its small size was and it’s quietness. This allowed Henri to get in close without being noticed. Leica is world renowned and is used by many of the great photographers today. The results of this documentary photography; a beauty and integrity that is timeless and priceless to this day. So, that is where we are today. Wedding photojournalism takes the same skills and philosophy and applies it to today. This is in contrast to the traditional style of photography I was bought up on and trained under.

Rather than organizing people and fabricating situations the wedding photojournalist relies upon his skills to capture the moments that go unnoticed in an unobtrusive manner. The ability to see events and stories unfolding and capture those events in a unobtrusive manner come together to form a series of images that reveal seemingly simple yet complex images.

There are many great photojournalists. Among my favorite modern day photographers is George Trifunovic, a Melbourne, Australian photographer. He is the true modern day photojournalist.

Others from the last century are Robert Toussaint, Ronis and as we previously mentioned Bresson. Many of the current styles in the USA have been adopted from Europe and Australia, when many out of work news photojournalists in the 90s started shooting weddings on the weekends to supplement their income. Now, a new generation of photographers have grown up and many meet every March in Vegas at the WPPI-Wedding Portrait Photographers International. In recent years the Australians and the British have been recent top favorites.

Meeting the photographer/studio. First impressions are very important. Is the photographer your interviewing on time? Is he/she presented well?

Expect to pay a minimum of $1500 and up depending on the experience and quality of the photographer. Be wary of larger studios, as you may not have the photographer you want photographing the wedding-be sure it’s noted in the contract. Look through the different photographers work. The same applies for solo photographers-be sure that any assistants used if included will not be the only photographer. On that note, make sure you get a contract and read it. Every state is different, but usually sales tax is added on to the final payment-tax is applicable not just on the products but on the service as well-it’s the law. Look for qualifications or associated with organizations-are they members of Wedding Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) or Professional Photographers Association (PPA)? Ask to see their work, portfolios, and sample albums. Be wary of those who don’t have any. Ask for referrals. Referrals have and continue to be one of the single largest sources of revenue for photographers today.

So, this brings me to the conclusion of this article.

Above all, the couple can be themselves, forgetting about the camera and photography. They get to concentrate on their event, their families and friends. It’s not the photographer’s time but the bride and grooms. The images will have a timeless look to them. Documentary images retain their freshness forever. There are no misconceptions, the bride and groom are under no false pretensions and they know they will get a genuine representation of their day.

Philip Thomas is a photographer residing in San Antonio, Texas with his wife, Marcie. Philip, originally from London, UK is a wedding photojournalist and a model portfolio photographer. You can see more of his work here http://www.philipphotography.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Thomas

Share on Facebook

Calling all portrait and wedding photographers. If you missed out on this years WPPI Vegas convention, man, you really did miss out. Try and get there for next year, as the seminars were absolutely outstanding.
I traveled with Trevor Goldsmith (he’s a Brit) now living in Florida. You can check out his website Trevor Goldsmith Photography. Well, we had an awesome time.
If you were there this time round then you’ll already know it’s and exhausting four to five days of meeting and networking with some of the world’s best photographers, vendors and wall to wall fantastic seminars.
Check out WPPI You will come back charged and stimulated to reach a new plateau in your work.

Share on Facebook

The truth of the matter is if you’re an up and coming model or actor with aspiring hopes and dreams, you will need a comp card or zed card. It doesn’t matter who you are, you can be a top model who needs to update his/her portfolio or someone who just wants to break into the industry. Whatever your ambitions, going to any audition a comp/zed card is in dispensable. Without one, as it’s more likely you will get turned away or simply will not be successful. You cannot drive a car without wheels so make sure you have these basic marketing tools at your disposal.

Many models and actors, especially those just starting in their careers think photographers know exactly what you want. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s far more in your interest to do some research on the Internet and brings samples of your favorite headshots etc. Then the photographer and team can visualize what you have in mind, giving your photographer something to work with and how to achieve it.

Models and photographers use comp/zed cards. The normal size for this is approximately 5″x8.5″. Actors use headshots, usually 8″x10″’s.

A great comp card should include five completely different looks, four on the back and one on the front with basic stats on card stock or rigid paper. It’s a standard marketing tool around for many years and is essential to today’s market. Relatively inexpensive, it’s a great versatile sales tool.

Comp cards and actors headshots need to pop out at the casting director and can open doors. There are many ways now how you can make a comp or a headshot. Today’s computer software makes it relatively easy to produce one. Online, there are now many other options. Just google headshots and there will be a plethora of choices. If you go through an agency, then they will almost always prefer to use their own photographers with their own branded designs. However, this shouldn’t stop you from having your own stock of cards if you not exclusively signed with one agency.

Headshots should look like you do now. Keep it simple, minimum jewelry, no logos on clothes, generally speaking bright and non-jazzy colors. Choose wardrobe attire that will not look out of fashion any time soon (until you update again). Avoid black and white colors, although black works great on men. If you’re not comfortable doing your own hair or makeup, then hire a professional hair and make up artist.

There are many opinions over what makes a great headshot. A great headshot is something that stands out from the crowd. Importantly is the chemistry between a photographer and model while what most in the industry agree with is the eyes. They should be clear, alive and expressive.

Above all, have fun and relax. This will come through your final selections and really grab the casting director’s attention. You don’t have to spend allot of money on great headshot as there are many photographers who will do this for you. Find a photographer who is just starting out and will give you a good deal.

Start with friends and referrals. Prices vary with each photographer or agency, so shop around. Generally if you’re starting anew, or want a complete overhaul, expect to pay from $400 to $1000 for a comp card and headshot shoot. The marketing materials usually start from $1.00 -$2.50each. Some include the CD of images, yours to keep. Most will not include the final comp card design, only the original photographs, or just the final four or five images that you have chosen.

Feeling comfortable with the photographer is very important. If you feel pressured or uptight, it will show. You’ll get the vibe at the interview stage, so if you do not feel comfortable, move on to the next. Personality is key to any business, and there are so many choices out there. At the end of the day, there is no clear and cut choice of words that defines a great headshot. You can ask the opinion of your friends, family and co-workers. Some will say fantastic and some will disagree with the final choices.

Just be sure the final proofs are what you envisioned and good luck.

You can view more stuff here at my website PhilipPhotography

Share on Facebook