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Photographers are as addicted as anyone to equipment. However, after a minimum standard is met, it is EVERYTHING BUT THE CAMERA that determines the result. Hence my "90%" headline statement.
Put the other way, a camera on its own is only 10% of the solution.
Take a look at the images on this webste, a few were recorded on film (remember that?), then on a 5mp camera which is now used as a paperweight, then on a 6mp camera, and now most on 10 and 14mp cameras. I challange anyone to tell me which image comes from which camera!
The 90% includes a lot of things, such as:
- portable flash lighting equipment
- studio flash lighting equipment
- light shaping tools
- KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
- ability to work with the client and both understand what they want and need, and deliver images accordingly - this is very important!
When delivering on a brief the differences can be subtle. For example, an image of a finance professional must instantly convey "glad I can rely on them" whereas a nearly identical image of a model must instantly make you ask "where do I buy that outfit!"
- a computer with a good monitor (any monitor that costs less than about $1000 is not suitable)
- calibraton system (tunes monitors similarly to tuning a guitar)
- lots of imaging software including of RAW conversion software
- knowing the software and the requirements of different output devices - understanding what a printing press needs, what a website needs
- visual training to be able to see what is right or wrong with an image (similar to musical training to hear when something is in or out of tune)
- AND an "EYE" for composition and what works in an image which is partially innate and partially learned (I once tried to learn guitar and thought my tune that consisted entirely of 7th chords was great).
Did you know that the JPG image format discards at least 75% of image data recorded by professional digital cameras?
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After photography, Image mastering is the complete 38 stage process that transforms a RAW camera image into a finished image that is the basis for creating all copies and derivatives. It is similar to to a record company's master recording.
Mouse-over to see image before final retouch
The work done on the above image included:
- Skin tone smoothing, cleaning, colour balancing (eg: peoples noses are commonly redder than the rest of their face, especially in summer)
- Matching image to other images from the same or previous photoshoots
- Retouching of unwanted elements in photo: (eg lint, lose threads)
- Sharpening, noise reduction, blurring as needed
- Visually checking every pixel of every image and retouching them as necessary.
When you engage me to produce images for you, you are getting access to the 90% - what I have learned since I started taking photos at the age of 8!
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