Winter Ice Abstracts

When December rolls in the cold weather here in the north I start getting excited to shoot abstracts in ice. The first ice is when these abstracts form. I find small streams in the woods where I live and follow the edges in search of this interesting artwork. It happens in the first ice formations at the edges of the streams. As the ice starts to thicken you lose the patterns. I shoot these using a longer focal length macro lens like the Tamron 180mm. You will be shooting from the bank and need the extra reach of the longer focal length. I shoot these in the highest f/stops to bring in all the details. Very cool stuff.

Once the stream ice thickens and I lose the cool patterns, I move to the lakes. Search out the edges of frozen lakes where fall leaves have blown into the lake and froze. On a warm sunny days you will get melted patterns in the ice above the leaves. You can shoot these with any macro lens  as you will be nice and close and you’ll be shooting a flat subject so just position your tripod directly over top of the leaf and shoot in the F/8 range.

Nik Viveza 2 is available

The lastest upgrade to Nik’s Viveza is out. It’s a great program for enhancing images, simple to use and effective. Anyone interested in purchasing this program use my promo code,  Moats  that will get you 15% off all Nik Software programs. Go to www.Niksoftware.com for details.

How Do You Price Your Prints

Being in the art show business and selling to art consultants I sell a lot of prints, and pricing is always a hot topic.  I’m going to look at different ideas on how prints are priced and give my opinion on how I price my own. 

I’m hoping to get opinions from other photographers on how they price their work and how it is working for them.  If you post I won’t debate anyone on their pricing as everyone has the right to sell at whatever price they want. This is just to open everyone eyes to different pricing structures, and who knows you may take a different approach to how you price your images when you hear what others say.

From what I see there is a huge range in pricing from one photographer to the next.  There are different schools of thought as some sell for less and in volume, some sell in the higher ranges and in smaller volumes and some price somewhere in between. 

I price my images in the lower range and there is a few reason why. 

One I feel that photos are to easily reproduced to have much value and the endless supply of great images doesn’t help raise the value. There are lots of good quaility photographers selling images and that large supply of images lowers its value. 

I believe that everyone should be able to afford to buy my prints and I don’t target the higher income customers.
With lower prices I have a much larger market I can reach.
One of the problems we have as photographers in business is getting our names known and how to get the word out that we’re alive and in business.  By selling in volume I sell to many more customers which means  many more people advertising for me. 

Ed V. mentioned about pricing in my last post that if I sell 200 prints at $10 equaling $2,000,  and he sells 20 prints at $200 he only has to make 20 sales to make the same $2,000.  Ed’s method is fine,  but my thought is I like having 200 customers spreading my name to Ed’s 20 customers.   My prints are hanging in 180 more homes than Ed, which exposes my art and name to more people.  

I also believe it’s always better starting out low and rasing your prices if sales get out of control.  You can always raise your prices easily, but if you price yourself to high and are not selling well, you look like a chump when you have to lower your prices to make more sales. You will have angry customers if they find out you lowered your prices after they bought.  So go lower and get a track record going before you go to high right off the bat.

I see guys at the art shows in this exact position that sold at high prices for years when the economy was strong and are now getting their lunch eaten by the guys selling at the lower prices at the art shows.  Hey lower prices will sell well in a good economy and a bad economy.   As I said it looks bad if these guys start lowering their prices as past customers may be upset to see they paid a higher price, and that the value of their art they bought just went down.

I was talking about my thoughts on pricing on a couple websites recently and a photographer brought to my attention that another photographer believes in what he calls “Real People Pricing”.   His name is Brooks Jenson and he is the publisher of LensWork magazine.  His website is http://www.brooksjensenarts.com/  With Brooks  permission I’ve copy this from his website, which explains his thought behind his pricing.

About Commerce 

I have been, for a long time now, an advocate of the philosophy we use in the LensWork Special Editions, that is to sell Fine Art Photography at Real People Prices™. I believe this even more strongly in my personal work. It is a simple and fundamental idea that photography is the most democratic art and should be — deserves to be— affordable enough that everyone can own images and treasure them as a part of their everyday life and experience. I applaud the expensive and collectible artwork found in typical art galleries and in no way exclude photography from this category. I do, however, still believe there is a place for affordable images in the everyday lives of all of us who love images. Because of my experience as the publisher of the LensWork Special Editions, I am even more dedicated to “real people prices” than ever before. Since 1998, LensWork has sold over 20,000 gelatin silver prints about half of which were less than $50. My philosophy about bringing photography to a new level of affordability is not a theory; LensWork has defined a new marketing paradigm which we are pleased that others have chosen to follow. I carry this philosophy even farther with my personal work. I create artwork because I love to. I sell artwork so I can make room for more I am now creating. I am discouraged at the thought that some people would love a work of art — particularly an easily reproduced piece like photography — but would be separated from it because of a barrier of price. I price my work so everyone can buy as much as they are motivated to enjoy. If you are interested, here are my original two articles about pricing that led me to the ideas we used in the LensWork Special Editions. 

This is how I felt when I started pricing my prints that I wanted everyone to afford to buy them. So I’m not alone in this thought.

I guess by now you know my thoughts and I have to say that it’s working very well as my sales are doing great and my profits are also great.  I do work hard at keeping my overhead and material costs as low as possible.  I buy in volume on materials and watch for sales on paper, inks, etc. 

This is my way of selling and on the other hand there are photographers that are selling for very high prices and doing well at this method.  Peter Lik  who has three galleries in Las Vegas, Maui, and I forget where else, is reported on the web as sales in the thirty million dollar range.  Wildlife photographer Tom Magnelson’s Business I read does something like eleven million in sales a year. I’m sure there are many more out there doing well with this marketing system selling in the higher price ranges. 

So I’m not saying my system is the best or the right way it’s just what I believe in and does well for me.  I have had many photographers that tell me I sell to low at the shows, and all I can say is I like my prices and I’m making money, so I’m going to stay on that path.

One thing I will say is pricing is also based on where you’re selling.  If selling in galleries in touristy towns, or high-end markets, then that will affect how you price, in these markets you can sell in a higher range if you like.  You just need to know your market. 

Let’s us know what works for you.

 

Comparing Photography To Other Art Forms

I was at the movies the other day and while the previews were running I was thinking how cheap it was to go to the movies.  To me movies are a form of art just like photography.  I would consider actors as artist, the writers as artist, the directors that films the movie, all the set directors, lighting people, everything that goes into that movie in my opinion is  artistic.  The movie makers spend millions upon million of dollars and the product they produce is created by some incredibly talented artist.  So with hundreds of people and millions of dollars to produce this one piece of artwork why are they selling it for only $8.00 to view and when it comes out on DVD it may run $20.00.   photographers go out and capture an image, do a little processing, let a printer do the work to make the finished product and then they want to charge $500 to $600 for a 30X40 gallery wrap.  Photographers want more for an 11X14 print then the cost of buying the DVD of a movie.  This doesn’t make any sense to me, this is way out of balance.   Why don’t the movie companies do like the photographers and sell the DVD for $500 or $600 like the photographers are asking for when they sell that 30X40 gallery wrap.  It seems much more logical since the movie cost millions of dollars and tons of people to make it happen.  Why do photographers think their art has so much value for so little effort and a piece of photo paper.  How many people would buy that movie if it was 500 to 600 dollars.

I also looked at the music business. The musicians which I also consider artist have to take the time to write all the songs for their album, rehearse all the songs, go into the studio and record.  They need producers and techs to work the recording equipment to get that perfect sound.  The record companies spend huge bucks to pay all these people and to produce the CD’s.  What does it cost to you and me, about $16.00.  They would have every right to charge hundreds of dollars for this artistic product , but they don’t.  Would most pay hundreds of dollars for the latest CD, I doubt it.

If the movie people and the musicians charged what photographers charge for their art they would also become staving artist like most photographers.   Are staving artist starving because they charge too much for their art?

How much are nature photography prints worth?

I use many different ways to make a living as a nature photographer but the majority of my income is from selling prints, so pricing of nature photo prints is always a topic of interest to me.   There can be a huge price difference from one photographer to the next.  Some higher prices are of course based on the popularity of that photographer.  Sometimes I see some unknown photographers charging more for his or her prints then some of the well know photographers, and I wonder what that person is thinking. 

Supply and demand has always dictated what a products value is.  I have to wonder how much value photography prints have when you look at the volume that is out there.  Digital photography and the internet has had a huge impact on the business of photography.  Flickr lists 2 billion photos, facebook lists 850 million a month posted. Photo sites like Pbase, Better Photo, I-stock, Gettys, Nature Photographer.net, Bird Photographer.net, Naturescapes.net, Photo.net, tons of art related sites that carry photography, Canon, Nikon, and I know there are way more sites that I can’t think of right now.   This is just what’s present on the internet, that doesn’t include the billions that never get posted  online.  

Now I know that these are not all nature photos, but when you have billions and billions of images out there, I know there at least many, many millions of nature images floating around.   With this many images available to the buyers,  how much value can it really have.  Now a days with digital cameras and the great processing programs any good amateur can produce his or her own great images. 

What method do we even use to determine what our photography is worth. There are so many variables from one photographer to the next.  Being a macro photographer I don’t have to travel more than twenty minutes from my home for my images.  If you’re a landscape or wildlife photographer you have to spend a lot more for travel to get images.  I have a large format printer that prints at less cost because of the larger ink systems, and some  photographers are using 13X19 printers that cost more to print with due to the smaller ink systems.  So cost of materials and travel can vary for each photographer when setting price.

I’ve talked to many veterans of the art show business that have been around for twenty years or more.  The business was great back in the days when photography as art wasn’t available but at a few furinture stores and art shows.  Photographers made big bucks selling through the shows because the lack of supply.  Now people can go to stores like Ikea, Kirkland, and even Walmart and buy nature photography at much less then most photographers are able to sell for. 

I was at Kirkland the other day checking some of the prices and you can buy a print in a 24X36 inch frame under glass for $79.00.  I sell mine for $289.00 and I have photographers telling my I’m to cheap.  Gallery wraps in the 24X36 size at the shows could run $400.00 to $500.00 and I was at a Walmat looking at the pricing of their gallery wraps, and their 24X36 was $29.00, and they looked pretty darn good.  

We had the baby boomers that supported the arts but as they get older, most have purchaced all the art they need over the years, we need new young blood that needs art to fill their bare walls of their new homes.  We don’t see many young people at the shows, they seem to be going to the Ikeas, Kirklands, etc, for art.  I was at a young twenty somethings home and they had eight prints mounted on thin boards that hung in a stairway. They were photos of beach scenes that were 15X15 in.  They told me they bought them at Ikea and all eight cost $40.00.  The images looked great.

With photographers being able to print their own images rather then paying the price that labs charged back in the film days, the price of photography at the art shows has really dropped.  The guys at the shows selling for less are the ones making sales.  The guys that aren’t willing to drop their prices are having a tough time making sales, and I’ve seen some of them starting to lower their prices.    Now I’m talking about shows in the midwest, so can’t comment on sales of shows in other areas. 

At the shows a 30X40 gallery wrap will go for about $500.00 to $600.00 dollars, and this year there was a photographer that was selling some really nice landscape gallery wraps in 30X40 for $179.00.   Now needless to say the other photographers were all upset at this guy because he was so much cheaper then they were and he was making lots of sales.  I don’t sell gallery wraps so it wasn’t effecting me

Let me know if you have any stories of pricing in your areas and have you seen the big box store having any effect on your buyers.

More On The Business Of Nature Photography

A few weeks ago I wrote a post on my blog called So you want to be a nature a photographer.  I also posted it on two  online nature photography sites, NaturePhotographers.net and BirdPhotographers.net which I moderate the macro forums.  The view counter on the post has soared to almost 900 views while most posts attracted well less than five hundred views with a few highly controversial subjects that have reached this high or slightly more.  The amount of people commenting was also very high compared to the other posts.  The one thing I’ve learned in over twenty-five years in three different businesses  is you listen and pay attention to what going on in that business.  The attention and curiosity of this post made me think that there are a lot of photographers interested in the business side of nature photography.  I will post more on this subject and sometimes it will be subjective and controversial, but hopefully a learning experience.  So stop back and check it out and hopefully post your opinions.  It’s okay to disagree with my opinions as long as you do it in a civil way, if not I have the delete button.

Guide To Macro Composition E-Book

This e-book is designed as a guide to help you with composition in your macro photography.  It will cover image placement,  how to use contrast, depth of field, light, visual weight, textures, lines, and color to enhance your images.  Tips on seeing the images in the field.  Cost only $9.95.  To purchase go to www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

Interview In Tamron’s Enewsletter

My interview for  Tamron’s View Finder Enewsletter,http://www.tamron.com/enews/archives/dec09_moats.asp

E-Books At Outdoor Photo Gear

Outdoor Photo Gear is now carrying my e-books for sale.  http://www.outdoorphotogear.com/blog/

Here’s some info about Outdoor Photo Gear http://www.outdoorphotogear.com/store/

Our goal at Outdoor Photo Gear is to provide you with the best selection of quality photo gear at the best prices, while giving you the very best customer service you will find online anywhere.

At Outdoor Photo Gear, we work right next to the products we sell and our shelves are always fully stocked. Having inventory in-stock, and close at hand gives us, and you, a real advantage. We can answer your questions while physically holding the product so you can get the answers to your most-important questions. Also, when you call or email us we can double-check stock-levels for you when delivery of a time-sensitive order is critical. At Outdoor Photo Gear we personally pick, pack, and ship the products to your door; according to your specifications.

We believe that running a great store is the same as taking a great photograph: you have to— “be there.”

To us, “outdoor” photography encompasses all types of photography: wildlife, nature, avian, landscape, travel, journalism, adventure and event photography. We want to bring you great products and advice that moves you outside and into the wide world of outdoor photography. We invite you to capture your world, and bring it inside to us all through your images.

How To Sell Though Art Galleries

My new e-book will teach you the process of selling your photography though art galleries. You will learn how to find the galleries, picking the right gallery, make contact, set prices, and more. After you purchase, I will send you an email within twenty four hours with the PDF for your computer download. Cost $9.95 

Go to  www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

Nik Software

I was doing a workshop in California and a photographer was doing some image processing with Viveza from Nik Software.  I was blown away by the effectiveness and simplicity of the program. Much easier to process select areas then photoshop.  Check them out at www.niksoftware.com  They also have some other great programs like Color Efex Pro, Difine, Sharpener Pro, Silver Efex Pro.  Check them out, and if you are interested in ordering any of the programs I can get you a fifteen percent discount.  Email me for the promo code and save 15% on your order. mgmoats@yahoo.com

So You Want To Be A Nature Photographer

I see many times people posting interest in taking their hobby of nature photographer to the pro level. Myself and I’m sure other pros have people that contact them asking for advice on what it takes to make a living in this field. My response is that from my experience it’s a seven day work week and can be tough on your family life. I work about forty weekends a year so any family birthdays, holidays, christenings, father and mothers days, sports, concerts, etc, are all missed. Nature photography is one of the toughest fields of photography to make a living in. I’ve found that for me being diversified is the key to making it. Having multiple streams of income keeps the money flowing. Those streams all take a lot of time to keep them flowing.

Marketing is number one, nobody knows you’re alive and in business unless you tell them. Shameless self promotion is something you have to get used to and you need to be the type of person that doesn’t mind this type of marketing as some would consider this bragging about yourself, but it’s just getting the word out that you’re in business and having some success at what you’re doing. I spend a lot of my time marketing, as I moderate on three photography sites, post images, post on Facebook and Twitter, and reply to photographers sending me emails with questions.

I display my images in about twenty five art shows a year. This takes up twenty five of my weekends, many away from home. The shows start in April and run until November and consume almost every weekend for those months. Some of the shows I’m gone on Friday and return on Monday, leaving me Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, to print, package, and pack for the next weekend. During the winter months I’m going though the process of applying to these shows, which is filling out applications, sending images for the jury process, writing out checks for show fees, etc, keeping it all organized so I have a show every weekend. Taking time to keep track of materials and doing all the ordering and always trying to find the best prices. During the winter when I apply to these shows the jury fees and booth fees run about seven thousand dollars, which I won’t see again for months.

During the art shows off season I’m presenting my workshops. I do about twenty five workshops which most are on weekends and some are during the week days. This take time promoting the workshops, adding them to my website and blog, sending out emails and post cards, posting them on nature photography websites, posting on Facebook, etc. I have to call and set dates and times with some of the hotels that I hold them in. I have a macro boot camp coming up next year, which is taking a lot of time contacting companies to help sponsor this program. Working with the hotel, finding other hotel options for those coming in from out of town if the room price is too high at the hotel where the workshop is held. Getting the doorprizes from the sponsors. Planning the workshops and how they will run. Shooting images for examples in what I’m teaching in the workshops.

Wow, I’m already tired and I haven’t scratched the surface on what I do. While all this craziness is going on with the art shows and workshops,

I have to maintain my moderater duties online.

I work with art consultants that buy images for their design projects, print the images, package, ship, and invoice them.

I contact companies that would be willing to sponsor me, work with them when they need images for ads, photo conventions, sometimes even go to photo convention for them. I send them promos for my workshops that they can list on their websites.

I do online workshops, which takes time again promoting, critiquing the participants shooting assignments.

I have a how to macro book that took time to write and have printed, I have to maintain stock at Amazon, maintain on my store front sales, packaging and shipping to customers.

I have three e-book completed and am working on more. Again more promotion, sales and sending the e-books online. I also make them into CDs to sell at the art shows.

I’m looking into doing how-to macro video for next year.

I travel and present programs for camera clubs, photo conventions, garden clubs for flower photography, have done some at REI stores.

Send submission to magazine with article ideas, and once accepted working with the mag to set-up the article and images. Invoice them. I’m working on one now for OP.

Send out information introducing myself to new art consultants, interior designers, calendar companies. etc. reply to their emails as they contact me asking questions about pricing, printing, etc.

I maintain a blog which I write and post as frequently as possible and I write when possible for Tamron’s blog. Post on facebook any updates on workshops, art shows, and any other happenings.

Maintain a website, posting new images updating art shows and workshop schedules.

I will visit and sell through art galleries, so time is spend traveling to the galleries maintaining stock.

I have companies that contact me for stock images, negotiate, send files, and invoice them.

I get to beta test new products for companies, and they always wait till the last minute to send you the product and need a response NOW! Take time to work with the product, Email back and forth with response.

I have charities that call and ask for print donations which I always do. Deal with emails, set-up time to make contact with prints.

Take care of all the accounting, sales, taxes, keeping track of cost of running the business.

Wow, all this work is making me tired, I need a nap.

Now are you starting to wonder why I haven’t mention anything about shooting. As you can see there is not much time left to shoot. It can be frustrating and hard to schedule time to shoot, as you have probably heard most pros say that the business takes up ninety percent of their time. I do make time to shoot but it has to be scheduled at the peak times which for me are the spring and fall. The summer I almost never get out to shoot as the art shows consume so much time, but I make the majority of my money selling prints at the shows.

I have to say I’m pretty sure there are a few more thing I do, but I think you’re getting the point. If I tried to make it on any one of these streams alone it would be tough, but with a little income coming from all these streams I do very well, but I sacrifice a lot of time and family life to maintain this business.

I have to say even with all the work I do I can’t wait to wake up in the morning at five o’clock and get to work. I wouldn’t trade what I do with anything else. I always tell people where can you work where people are complimenting you while handing you money, love it.

Good luck if you give it a shot.

Running A Succsessful Nature Photography Business
How to E-Book  
www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

Great American Photography Workshops

In April of 2010 I will be co-teaching with Jack Graham our “Macro and More” workshop for the Great American Photography Workshops.  I am honored to be part of one the countries leading companies offering workshops.  Well known photographer like Galen Rowell, John Shaw, Art Wolf, Bill Fortney have all taught workshops fo GAPW. They are Sponsored by Nikon, Fujifilm, Epson, Outdoor Photographer Magazine.  Here is the workshop Jack and I will be presenting, and to register go to GAPW website http://gaphotoworks.com

April 28-May 2, 2010 Marco and More Great Smoky Mtns

Jack Graham and Mike Moats

Dates: April 28-May 2, 2010
Limited To: 15
Faculty: Jack Graham and Mike Moats

Cost: $795
Nearest Airport: Knoxville, TN
Hotel Information:
Townsend, TN
Valley View Lodge
865-448-2237

Description: MACRO & MORE™ photographic workshops are much more than regular photographic workshops. We will me putting lots of time & effort into both landscapes as well as macro photography. Locations for MACRO & MORE™ workshops are carefully selected in order to not only offer great landscape opportunities, but also feature subject matter for the macro world as well. The GREAT SMOKIE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK is one such area.

GREAT SMOKIE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK lies between the Little Tennessee River and the Big Pigeon Fork River encompassing over 800square miles of some of the most interesting terrain in the country. We will be there in prime wild flower time in late April when carpets of spring wildflowers serve not only as subjects for our MACRO & MORE™ workshop, but add to the beautiful spring landscape, found only in the Smokies. Streams, trails and unique vistas are the palate for endless photographic opportunities. Subject matter for both landscape and macro photography is almost everywhere. Spider webs, wildflowers and other parts of a diverse ecosystem offer endless opportunities for both Macro photography. We will be based in Townsend, Tennessee, with locations such as Clingman’s Dome, Chimney Tops, and Newfound Gap and others close by.

This workshop is a very different workshop in that both landscape as well as macro photography are featured. You will come away with information and knowledge that will with out question make you a better photographer in both areas.

Both Mike Moats & Jack Graham bring their own special knowledge, style and expertise in photography to the GAPW in offering their MACRO & MORE™ workshop in the Smoke’s. This weekend is a truly unique experience and one you will truly never forget. Come join us!

Photoshop/Nik Software Workshop

I will be posting some of the new stuff for 2010 in the next few days.  First in the beginning of the year I will teach a Photoshop and Nik Software workshop.  This class will be for beginners to intermediates and those who would like to learn more about the incredible Nik Sofware programs like Viveza, Color Efex Pro, Dfine, Sharpener Pro, Silver Efex Pro. You will be amazed when you see the Nik Viveza work, simplicity and effectiveness at its best.  The workshop will run three hours and will be held on January 16th,2010 at the ConCorde Inn,   Rochester Hills,   Michigan.  Cost $39.00 contact me if would like more info. mgmoats@yahoo.  To register with credit card call me at (586)770-3992 or (586)264-7100.

Jpeg or Raw – Jpegs or Tiffs

I’ve never been good at learning from reading, so when I buy a product that  needs  assembling, I look at the picture on the box and put it together.  My wife always yells at me, get the instructions before you start messing with it.  Reading instructions is always frustrating as I have a hard time trying to figure out what they are telling me to do, so I get upset and just figure it out on my own. 

My learning process in macro photography has been much the same, as I have been totally self-taught in shooting, depth of field, composition, exposure, processing in photoshop, printing, and the business end of nature photography. 

In 2001  I bought my first 35mm SLR and a few lenses off eBay.  I went to the Barnes and Noble bookstore and purchased a few nature photography books.  Like the instructions that come with a new product, I had a hard time understanding what the books were teaching me, so I just went out on my own learning and having fun through trail and error. 

When I started shooting with my first Digital SLR I decided to shoot using the fine  jpeg format.  At the time I wasn’t interested in the RAW system as it seemed like it used to much file space, and my 512ram, slow processors took longer to work an image, so the jpeg format just seemed to make my experience with photography easier. 

I bought my first printer an Epson 1280  which printed to 13″X19″ .  I  processed  my jpegs through a free 2.0 Photoshop Elements program I got with the 1280 printer and then print them out.  I was amazed at the excellent quality of the images and the prints. 

Even though I wasn’t very knowledgable in the process of digital photography and printing, the system I was using  looked  every bit as good as anything I was seeing from the photographers at the local art shows or galleries.

Four years ago I enter the art show business and to date I do about twenty-five shows a year.  I also show in a few galleries, had tons of images published and have won numerous local and international awards. All with jpegs and my PS Elements program.

After I got into digital I started to play on the internet at some of the nature photography sites, www.naturephotographers.net and www.birdphotographers.net (it ain’t just for birds) I began reading posts in the photography forums talking about the digital process like jpegs versus raw, processing images, saving in jpegs, tiff, or PSD files, and all the technical stuff.  What I was reading said that basically everything I was doing was wrong.  I’m shooting jpegs when I should be shooting raw files, I was saving the images as jpegs when I should have been saving them as tiffs or PSDs.

I was scratching my head as my prints look as good as everybody elses and I’m doing it all wrongs according to the experts. 

I’m not saying I’m right and everyone else is wrong, but as my photographer friend Jack Graham says the proof is in the print, and I agree with that, whatever process you use that produces a great print go with it. 

The other day a  photographer friend and I were talking about all this stuff about shooting jegs, compression issues, and saving images as tiffs rather than jpeg.  Now I know all about the compression of a jpeg and that when it saves an image the compression throws out information in details, color, etc.  All I can say it must be throwing out all the crap because it leaves my jpegs with plenty enough good stuff to produce and excellent image when printed even up to the largest I can now print 24″ X 36″.  I also understand that the raw file is easier to adjust exposure for the landscape people with the problems of high dynamic range, but in macro I don’t run into this issue very often, and I can usually correct it in the field. 

My friend says to me, well what about when you have to do some reprocessing work on the image, you lose file quality every time you open and resave the image.  He says that isn’t a problem when you use a tiff file, you can open, do some tweaks and close without any damage to the file.  I don’t know about that, but when I process an image and get it where I what it for print I save it one time and I’m done.  I don’t go back over and over redoing the image.  He says but everytime you open it to print do you resave it.  I said no after I print I just click don’t save and it revents back to what it was before I opened it. 

Have you ever seen the  TV program called myth busters, I decided to do my own myth busters and test my method of how I process and print my images against all the info I read on the forums and what every photog tells me.  I need to at least investigate to see if maybe my images could somehow look better saving in tiffs and also wanted to see if I opened, reworked and resaved a file would it cause a noticable difference in the final print.

I’m printing this test on a Epson 7880 large format 24″ printer, so  no one can say well you’re using a crappy printer so the test is flawed.   

I picked an image that has been my best seller over the last four years, and it will be my test image.  I took the original jpeg and did my normal processing in PS Elements and saved it as a jpeg.  Took the original again and did the exact same processing and saved as a Tiif file.   I then open the jpeg and sized it to 18″ X 24″ at 300 dpi and printed it.    I did the same for the tiff file and printed.    The jpeg file when saved at this size came out at 21 megs. and the tiff file at this size was a whopping 130 megs.  I guess you would think with all those extra megs the tiff would kick the jpegs butt.  Because you remember the jpeg compression throws out all that details, color,etc. info.  

Well listen up people!  the prints look identical.  I can’t tell any difference from the over bloated tiff file from the puny jpeg file. I even went back and lowered the DPI to 200 on the jpeg image to see if there would be quality differences and when printed it looked the same as the others.  So with this test why would I ever save as a tiff and deal with clogging up hard drives, slowing processing when I’m not getting any improvements.

The second issue, if I open a jpeg, do a little tweak and resave it will it show a decrease in quality in the print.  I figured why just open and resave it one time, I’ll do it five times, that should show a difference if there is any.  I open the jpeg, went into Nik Softwares Viveza and did a little tweak to a leaf in the image.  I then resaved and closed the image.  I reopened it and did another tweak and resaved and close it again.  I did this process five times and figured that should be enough to show some degrading if any.   I made the print still at the 18″ X 24″ size and printed.

Listen up people!  It looked identical to the others, couldn’t tell any difference. 

So now you say well it’s an 18″ X 24″ print maybe you’ll see the difference when you go bigger.  So I resized the jpeg and the tiff files to 24″ X 36″  and printed.  Guess what they look the same, NO difference. 

That tiff image eats up four times the hard drive space,  and doesn’t offer me any better quality.

Now if someone says I open and reprocess my image more than five times, why are you having to reprocess an image that many times, I do it once and I’m done, and even if I had to reprocess an image my test shows it’s not a problem at least up to five times. 

I don’t care when someone  says, but what about the statistic or mathematical equations or lets blow it up to 200 percent and look at it, I only care about how the print looks when it comes out of the printer.  That’s how I make my money from the print so I don’t care about all the other BS.

I will say that I have been recently working with the NIK Software programs and they are amazing.  I will post some info on this in the future.  Even with my jpegs the NIk programs have no problem making the adjustments I need.

In closing I will say that I’ have  never had a magizine editor, art consultant, contest judge, gallery owner, art show customer, workshop partisipant, ever tell me my images suffered from the lack of using raw  or tiffs files.

I’ll stay with my jpegs. 

Nature’s Best – Windland Smith Rice International Competition.

I had an image that won “Highly Honored” in the 2009 Nature’s Best Magazines  Windland Smith Rice International competition.  The mag should be out soon, they just posted press releases and the winners on their blog.   They pick from over twenty thousand images from all over the world.  You can see the winners from the different catagories at www.naturesbestblog.com  Here’s mine that won “Highly Honored”

Macro Boot Camp

Macro Boot Camp

 
Presented by Mike Moats, an award-winning, published nature photographer specializing in macro photography. www.tinylandscapes.com

 

    Sponsored by

Tamron –  Lensbaby – Photoflex – Hunt’s Photo – Helicon Focus - Nik Software – Outdoor Photo Gear

  

This will be an in depth unique three days of learning, fun, and entertainment.  It is for the beginner to the advanced photographer wanting to learn more about the macro world in nature.

Where;  The Embassy Suites Hotel,  Livonia,  Michigan (just outside Detroit)

Dates and Times :
March 26th  5:00pm – 8:00pm
March 27th  9:00am – 5:00pm
March 28th  9:00am – 2:00pm

Mike will cover macro lenses, Lensbabies, the best tripods and heads for macro, special macro accessories, stacking images with Helicon Focus, reversing lenses. Composing, and learning how to see the artwork in nature.  Learn how to control depth of field. See how to build a collapsible enclosed plexiglas wind shield for shooting flowers.  Camera positioning for that perfect background. When and how to use reflectors, diffusers, plamps, focusing rails, and more.  Mike shows his image processing using Photoshop and Nik Software.

Bring your camera because Tamron and Lensbaby will be providing lens for you to try out. Mike will have subjects set up for you to shoot.

You will have a chance to win door prizes from our sponsors.

Sales on many of the products you see at the workshop will be offered in a Hunt’s Photo flyer.

Each participant is encouraged to bring five prints of their best macro shots to share

The Embassy Hotel will offer special room rates for this event.

Lunch on Saturday and Sunday included in the price of workshop.

Limited to forty participants,  so don’t wait to register or you may miss out.

If you register and pay before January 1^st, you will receive a free PDF of Mike’s e-book, “Running A Successful Nature Photography Business” ( $39.00 value).

For more information or to register by credit card, call Mike at (586)770-3992 or (586)264-7100
Or register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

 

Do You Like Murder Mystery Books

Any of you out there into murder mystery novels.  My brother Bob has written a great series of seven books and is working on the eigth right now.  The series is based on a senior citizen sleuth Jim Richardson.  Check out the books at, MurderNovels.com

Macro Boot Camp Update

I would like to thank those that took the time to take the survey for the three-day ”Macro Bootcamp”.  It was good to find out a few things I needed to know to set this event up. 

I’m honored to have Tamron, Lensbaby, Photoflex, and Hunt’s Photo so far as sponsors that will provide macro lenses for the participates to try out, and  door prizes.  With the help of the sponsors I was able to lower the price off this event from $189.00 down to $149.00. 

I have  set a tentative date as March 26,27,28 and will be held at the Embassy Hotel in Livonia Michigan,  (a beautiful hotel just outside Detroit). I’m still contacting companies to sponsor for door prizes. 

It will be a great learning experience, fun and entertaining.   I will have  more details about the workshop and will be taking registrations hopefully by the end of the week. 

This workshop will be limited to forty participates, so don’t wait long when it comes time to register.

Click here for Macro Bootcamp

First Good Frost

This morning we had a good frost with the leaves at a perfect stage for group shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check back as the “Three Day Macro Bootcamp” in March is almost ready to announce a date and Sponsors.

To see more frosty group shots go to, www.tinylandscapes.com