Photo Mommies - Online Photography Training - Online Photography Workshop » digital photography workshop

Photoblogs-The Art of the Copycat

Tim Pannell — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:24:19 +0000

I’ve been looking around at some of the “photo blogs” that are out on the internet lately and there is one thing that has really surprised me. Why do so many of the blogs use the exact same template with almost identical images to other “photo blogs?” Heck…..even some of the verbage is word for word the same as other blogs. The images almost always look like they were shot by the same person as well.

I’m disappointed that so many just go out and copy the work of someone that is basically already copying the work of Anne Geddes. Not only is that plagiarism, but it is as far as one can get from true creativity.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting inspiration from someone’s work or vision and using that as a starting point or jumping off point…….but to do the same shot and then call it your own…..that’s not what photography should be about.

My advice……try harder. If you want to recreate someone else’s work as an assignment to learn a technique…..that’s great…..just don’t promote it as your own work. Any self respecting professional photographer knows there are laws in place to protect against that and would never do this.

There is a big difference between owning a professional digital camera and being a professional photographer. I’m a little taken aback by all of the misrepresentation going on of late. My niece is getting married in August and gave me a list of several “wedding” photographers’ websites to look at.

To my surprise….they were all just bloggers. All of them did something else for a living and did photography because it was their “passion.” Each of these blogs featured ” fully retouched or “edited” images” awash in posteriziation, clipped highlights and clipped shadows. Many of the images were very beautiful. Interesting crops, interesting use of available light (only available light) very limited scenarios because of their inability to do anything other than just point their camera and shoot.

This is a recipe for a wedding disaster. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer….don’t hire a blogger……get a professional that knows what they’re doing….it’s worth the extra money.

They initially wanted me to shoot their wedding, but I declined because even though I’m a professional in the biz for over 25 years….I don’t shoot weddings. It’s not what I’m good at and it wouldn’t be fair to them to misrepresent myself.

If you’re learning photography……admit it. If you’re still struggling with Photoshop……admit it. Don’t promote yourself as a professional baby, teenager, wedding photographer when you are consistently posterizing every one of your images that happens to have red in it. It’s not honest.

That being said……we all start somewhere….just be yourself…..not Anne Geddes, not your next door neighbor, not me.

Learn your craft so that you can try new things and experiment. It’s when you experiment that you come up with images that can look unique. Unique is a lofty goal to aim at since seemingly almost anything worth doing has already been done, but I think you get the point.

I spent a couple of days last week shooting with an art director friend of mine from New York. It was a blast to be working together again. It’s kind of like this intricately intertwined photography dance we have going. She knows me well and I know her well and consequently its a joy to shoot together….she brings out my best.

We spent several hours on a neighbors porch. She had so many wonderful knick knacks all over the place that made for wonderful props for my kids and families to use.

It felt a lot like play time for me as well as the models. We wanted the images to have kind of dreamy whimsical quality to them. We chose specific colors in the wardrobe and props to achieve that.

My personal opinion is…..it worked.

In any case…..don’t copy other people’s work or websites or text……it’s not ethical.

Sorry I got off on a rant there…..ooops…..I’ve just plagiarized Dennis Miller……ahhhh crap!

Just go out and play, have fun……..try something new and different………and most importantly…….be yourself!

Photo Mommies – Online Photography Workshop

Tim Pannell — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:36:16 +0000

Family picnic © Tim Pannell Photography

I’ve been a commercial photographer for over 24 years now, so It seems a little weird for me to be saying that I’m discovering the joys of photography all over again.

Over the course of my career I’ve worked with Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Phil Mickelson and shot all over Europe, Africa, South America, Greece, Canada and most of the states in the U.S.

I’ve worked on countless campaigns and with countless ad agencies and art directors. I have to say that I always have a ball when I’m working.

But, out of everything I’ve shot, the one subject that is my hands down favorite, is kids. They’re a blast! I love their energy, I love the challenge of keeping them interested. I love trying to understand what makes them tick.

I only started this blog a few weeks ago in the interest of sharing some of the things I’ve learned over the years with others. I didn’t realize how much I’d benefit from it.

So, while I’m trying to come up with ideas for the blog, I’m remembering how I used to feel all those years ago when I was just starting out in photography.

I used to pour through magazines and books, searching for great images and I would always look in awe when I stumbled onto an amazing photograph.

I ate, drank and slept photography. Writing this blog has reawakened those feelings inside me and it’s been a lot of fun reconnecting with that.

I have so many friends that are extremely interested in photography. Several of them are into scenics and nature shots, but the vast majority are mostly interested in shooting better photographs of their children.

The “Photo Mommies” blog focuses exclusively on taking better photos of your kids. It’s been fun sharing some portrait lighting ideas and photography tips, but I would like to get more in depth than I can in a “blog” format.

Since I want to share more and do more, I’ve decided to offer an online photography workshop to a select number of students.

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

The class will run 8 weeks. The first class will start in October

There will be a limited number of students allowed in each class so that I have enough time for each person on an individual basis. I will give everyone personalized feedback on their assignment images.

I’m having a website designed so there will be a forum specifically for these workshops. I will be able to post daily lessons, images, videos, and screen captures.

At the end of each week, there will be an assignment that covers the daily lessons studied during that week.

Students will be able to post questions and upload some of their photos for critiques and feedback. I haven’t settled on a fee just yet, but perhaps somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 – $400.

I do have a lot of questions at this time. I know what I would like to learn in a photography class, but I don’t know what any of you might prefer or enjoy.

What would you be looking for in an online photography class? What topics would interest you the most? What would your expectations be for an 8 week class?

If any of you have already taken an online photography course, what did you like about it, what didn’t you like about the workshop? What areas of child photography do you struggle with the most?

I’m open to any suggestions, no matter how big……or small they may be.

camping © Tim Pannell Photography

I’m really excited about teaching these workshops and I am looking forward to getting to know a lot of you better. By the end of the class, I’m sure I’ll have a pretty good feel for who your kids are as well.

There’s nothing as cool as getting a great, timeless shot of one of your kids that will last forever. Nothing is better at transporting us through time to a cherished moment or memory than a photograph.

Let me give you the photographic tools you need to capture the images of your kids that you already carry around in your heart.

Photographic Memories – Oldest Son Goes Back to College

Tim Pannell — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:45:06 +0000

Last week, my youngest daughter moved away from home to start her Sophomore year at college and ripped my heart out.

Today, my oldest son ended his summer visit and left home to begin his Junior year in college and stomped what was left of my heart into little squishy pieces.

What a week! He went to college right out of high school for a year, went to Cambodia for 2 years as a missionary, came back and finished his Sophomore year at college and came home this summer for 4 months.

Having everyone home for the summer one last time was a treat for all of us. I’m so glad we had this time together. (cue Carol Burnett)

It’s funny to watch the big changes in life as they come at you screaming at the top of their lungs. The 2 of them leaving for college within a week of each other signals a major shift in our lives and our family dynamic will never be the same.

I’m not saying it’s a bad “thing”, it’s clearly not. We’re thrilled our kids are heading out, growing up, setting goals and making plans. It’s just a different “thing”, a different stage.

Now we’re preparing to downsize out of our “dream home,” the home we raised all 5 of our kids in.

We only have 2 left at home and it’s just too big of a house for our needs. It’s been a great home in a wonderful neighborhood, with neighbors that are more like family members.

This has been one of the most difficult decisions we’ve had to make in our lives. Kids leaving home, starting a couple new businesses, continuing the old photography business, packing, de-cluttering, I’m exhausted just writing it all down.

Clearly, we have a lot on our plates at the moment and the emotions my wife and I are feeling are all over the board.

As part of the overall “clean up” I was going through countless boxes of transparencies from my 24 year career. Many of my best selling images over the years have been shots of my kids. One minute I’m helping my 22 year old son pack workout stuff, a guitar, design and art supplies and the next minute I’m looking at pictures of him when he was 4 years old playing basketball.

The beauty of photographs is the crispness of the memories they actually preserve. As I look at all these pictures of him tracing his growth from a baby to young man I can clearly remember so much of the events surrounding those images.

I can remember the stores we went to together shopping for props or wardrobe. I can remember the bribes I occasionally had to use to get some shots. I can remember almost complete conversations we had at the time.

I’m so glad we have all these photographs to remember all of our family’s adventures together.

My wife and I have quite a few friends that are in their 20′s and 30′s, starting their own little families and I’m envious of them. I would love to have another chance to document and make art out of a family’s journey together.

I guess that’s why I’m so excited about the Photo Mommies Workshop. It’ll give me a chance to help others get the same amount of joy that I’ve received over the years taking pictures of our kids.

There’s nothing quite as cool as catching that “perfect” moment with your baby or toddler or teenager. That shot that captures who they really are, you know, when you just nail it and can look at it forever.

Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to capture these moments. When our kids were little, we used film cameras and that got so expensive. The digital age has changed the entire landscape of family pictures.

Once you have a camera and a computer it doesn’t cost you a dime to shoot. Take advantage of that.

Shoot your kids like crazy. Take it from me, they don’t stay little forever. You may have a 2 year old today, but you’re going to blink one day and they will be driving off in a fully loaded car to another state, going away to college.

You’ll be so happy and excited for them, and yet at the same time it’ll be breaking your heart. The ultimate “bittersweet.”

I’ve written enough. Now I have to go and look through more of my “old school” transparencies and stroll through memory lane with my kids.