Alex Marcus Roob

Alex Marcus Roob is Take Your Pic 'FPI Photography Club's first photo contest winner. He entered his “Fog in Grand Marais” photograph for our April 2012 photo cover contest. Alex was inspired to take the photograph while he was walking along the beach in Grand Marais with his fiancée, Betsy, when a thick fog rolled in. “The way the fog softened the light and gave the whole bay a watercolor appearance really struck me.”

           Born January 27, 1986 in Milwaukee, WI, Alex attended school at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Hamline University where he is currently working toward his Masters of Arts in Teaching Math. Alex, his fiancé, and their friends enjoy adventure—hiking, rock climbing, outdoor sports, and other activities that often lead to some very fascinating stories.

Alex, a 3^rd generation Roob photographer, feels photography was chosen for him as a medium as it runs in his veins.  His grandfather, grandmother, uncle, and father are all professional photographers with longtime Master Photographer titles. Through the decades, most of his family has run family, portrait, and wedding studios, except for his grandmother who was more of a fine art photographer. Both of his grandparents studied with Ansel Adams.

What are Alex’s future photography plans? He has been investigating that for the last three years and will continue to explore. He’s been photographing everything from events to weddings to dance parties to headshots, but has yet to decide on a niche. Alex is currently working on a public art project with his fiancé, who is also an artist, that will involve photography and video to tell the stories of a multi-racial, ethnic, and religious retirement community. His passion truly is Documentary work: “Photography that celebrates the inherent beauty within communities—but also calls viewers to social action.”

Alex, like most artists, is trying to find the balance between his work as an artist and a job that pays the bills. He wants both worlds, to some extent belonging to the Roob legacy and family trade, but also because photography has become his reflective process. “It is how I record and respond to the world around me and try to make sense of life. I’m not really willing to give that up as I continue to pursue jobs that pay the bills.”

Thanks Alex Marcus Roob for inspiring us and sharing your passion.

For more information about Alex Marcus Roob and his photography you may visit his web site: http://www.alexroob.com/

8 Tips to Capturing Your Holiday Memories

Do you ever look at someone else’s photo albums and think they are so creative, why can’t mine look like that? Photo albums all start with the photos taken.

1) Take a few quality photos not a massive amount of so what. The amount you take will very on the occasion and opportunities.

2) Keep in mind what you want to use your photographs for and how you want to display them. If you would not display the photograph in your home or in your album don’t waste your time taking it.

This is a good example of creating a story in a photograph. This would be a great end photo at the end of a photo album Taken by: Callie Ewell

3) Create a story within a photo. Pictures are worth a thousand words make each word count and limit the verbal vomit.

4) Don’t worry about posing subjects; take what is readily available. This will help assist in developing a story with in the photograph, though stories and scenarios can be set-up.

Kids are the easiest to catch being natural, they are intrigued by the world. Taken by: Callie Ewell

5) Take images of the décor, like the dinner table full of food or your plate before you start eating. These are great accents with in the memory book, and help create atmosphere of the memories.

Beautiful decorations and
was used for the background
in the wedding album.
By: Mandy S. Chenoweth

Great way to remember an occasion.
By: Mandy S. Chenoweth

6) Editing duplicates right away will save time and stress when choosing pictures for your memory book.

7) Change your camera settings for each room’s lighting situation, when you enter so your camera is ready for the perfect candid.

Great example of opening presents and being ready for it. Taken by: Mandy S. Chenoweth

8) Developing your photo album on line and having it printed for you is a fun way to save time and organizational issues. It also is an easy way to share your pictures with friends and family.
Shutterfly is an easy to use place to get photo products printed and to share photos with friends and family.
Lulu.com is a great self-publishing tool for photo books and albums.
Blurb is another self-publishing tool for photo books and albums. It is easy and fun to use.
Walgreens is easy enough to use and local almost everywhere, though I would prefer the other places sometimes this is just easier to get your one hour photos here.

Have fun this holiday season and enjoy your memories....
Written By: Mandy S. Chenoweth, BFA www.focalpointimaging.org 

Seven Steps to Finding the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Craig and Lori McMeeken

Over the years I am finding brides are overwhelmed when it comes to preserving the special moments of their wedding. So I thought I would give out some advice to all of you who maybe looking for the perfect wedding photographer that will fit your wedding budget.

Step One: Deiced what you want for your wedding photography. For example a deal breaker is getting all the images on a disk, or that the pictures are fully edited and they do wedding albums. Answer the following questions to help decide what it is you want when it comes to wedding photography.

Do you want the rehearsal photographed?

Do you want the pre-wedding getting dressed photographed?

Do you want the whole wedding reception photographed?

Do you want formals?

Do you want engagement pictures?

Dose the bride want personal picture for the groom of getting ready?

How many hours of photography are you looking to have covered from start to finish?

Do you want detail of the decorations and the wedding rings?

What kind of finished products do you want?

Do you want a wedding album or do you want to make your own?

What do you plan on do with your wedding photos?

How many can/will you display and in what sizes?

Who’s all getting the wedding pictures?

Do you want to use any of the wedding pictures in your “thank you”?

Step Two: Decide your photography budget. What can you afford? What are you willing to invest in memories you will have forever? Who is paying for the photographer? Who all is getting prints/ Albums/ CD’s and are they paying for their own copy?  On the low end getting the minimum is about $800 to $1000 for a decent photographer,  $500 for an amateur, but there is a larger unknown out come. For most wedding packages you are looking between $2500 and $5000 depending on what you want.

Morgan and Eric Gould

Step Three: Ask everyone you know who’s been married who their photographer was and what they thought of their photographer. Look at their wedding albums and if you like what you see get the photographer’s name and number. Call and make an appointment with the photographer. This appointment is to look at their portfolio, find out what they can do and how much they will charge for what you want. Do not make an appointment or sign any contracts at this point! Make sure you take good notes and right what you feel and your over all reaction to the photographer and their work.

Step Four: Go to the Internet and research wedding photographers. Look at all their websites and make a list and set-up meetings with the ones you like look at their portfolio, find out what they can do and how much they will charge for what you want. Do not make an appointment or sign any contracts at this point! Make sure you take good notes and right what you feel and your over all reaction to the photographer and their work.

Morgan & Eric Gould

Step Five: Here is the creative part. After you have looked at all your known wedding photographers and are very educated on what you want, like, and what is offered and at what cost, go to your local colleges and ask if they have a photo club and classes. If they do go to the professors and see if there would be any students interested in photographing a wedding. You will be amazed at how many talented and experienced photographers are students. Talk to them and look at their work. If you like what they are doing and if a couple of them can photograph, edit and produce your wedding pictures for less than the wedding photographers. Also check out other types of photographers, sport photographers are grate at taking reception photos.

Callie & Bob Wallenga

Step Six: Decision making time. Take all your notes and your budget and find the photographer you have the most chemistry with. The photographer walks through every step of your wedding day with you and captures the heart of your moment. You need to be comfortable and confident in your photographer.

Step Seven: Call and schedule your photographer for the wedding. They will have you sign a photo contract. It will say you will owe them money even if you end up canceling, and this is normal for all photographers. Make sure the contract holds the photographer responsible for photographing the wedding even if they cannot photograph it for whatever reason. 

Do not get discouraged you will find a photographer who will match your needs and budget, you just got to keep looking. Good luck and congratulations on the wedding and engagement.

T&J Alphabet Photography Pushes Success with Facebook

Think back to high school, what do you recall thinking about your classmates? “There’s the jock, wonder if he actually did his homework or did the teachers just pass him so he could play in Friday night’s game.” Or “There is miss know it all, wonder if any one will tell her she’s got toilet paper stuck to her shoe.” My ten-year reunion is in July and with all the social networking theses days I connected with some of my old classmates and find that their life path has taken them on quite a journey to places I never expected them to go.  One such classmate is Jessica Downing, who is now Jessica Allers. I have always admired Jessica, she’s very smart and one of the sweetest people. She has a joyous sprit that lights up the room with her laugh and smile.

            As of November 2010 Jessica and her best friend developed T&J Alphabet Photography. They developed the business as a way to be able to stay home with their kids and still make some money. They both love photography and crafts, and eventually developed signs they make from beautiful photographs that represent letters with in the English alphabet. They developed away to make theses beautiful works of art affordable and one way is to keep overhead cost low, which includes marketing.

             T&J Alphabet Photography utilizes social networking to get the word out about their business along side art and craft shows. They now have a couple local stores selling their art. Since December 2010 T&J Alphabet Photography has gained 138 likes on Facebook and many orders for their beautiful pieces. Their facebook site keeps their fans in the loop of what craft/art show they may be at and the latest letters they photographed, giving potential clients the ability to give their opinion on the pictures.

            The Facebook sight has definitely spiked an interest in me and I am now trying to decide which occasion to get what sign for whom. Like my mom’s wedding gift or for my dad’s father’s day gift, at $5 a letter I cannot go wrong.

            T&J Alphabet Photography has only been around for seven months I will be excited to see what they can do in five years.

Written by: Mandy S. Chenoweth, BFA owner of Focal Point Imaging www.focalpointimaging.org , and member of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) www.ppa.com

FPI-blog Quality Survey

What impact has digital marketing made on the Photography industry?

Digital marketing has its’ positives and negatives for the photography filed. The digital world is ideal for the freedom of speech but is also almost impossible to police, so media is easily stolen.

focalpointimaging.org

Portable Portfolio

It is a nascence to carry a bulky portfolio wherever an artist or photographer goes. It is also quite expensive to continually up date a printed portfolio. Using a website to and networking sites help photographers and other artist get their portfolios seen easily and allows them to keep up-to-date on their current works. Using the networking sties allows photographers to reach people that would other wise never seen their work, and in turn create opportunities they would never have considered before the digital age.

On The flip side however, many people see material on the Internet as free game and tended to take it for their own uses. Sure, the work is copyrighted and if the artist can actually track down who is taking their work they can sue for damages, but not every country has the same copyright laws and it’s expensive to go through all the legal procedures.

Easy access

The websites allow photographers to share the photographs with clients and have them pick-out their desired photos with little a nascence. Digital marketing also allows photographers to get current and up-to-date information on the latest products and techniques.

Photographers now have convent access to professional printers across the country and locally. This allows photographers and other artist to get the best possible products for their clients and photography needs.

Cheaper advertising

The World Wide Web has a multitude of access to thousands of possible cliental. The net working sites make it cheep and easy to come in contact and influence potential cliental. Unfortunately, it is also easy to be too casual with the networking and the lines between social and business become blurred.

More competition

With easy access and cheaper advertising there is also a much more competitive market. A photographer’s market is no longer the town they set-up shop in, but across the country. People are continuously pushing the envelope and if a photographer dose not stay-up with it and up to date, they become obsolete and lose business. Additionally photographers are also competing with the do it your-self types who use all the user-friendly sites like shutter fly.

Needless to say as great as digital marketing is, it has it’s own challenges photographers need to over come.

Who’s got the rights?

Photography is a fun hobby for most people and for some like me it is a way of life. Whether you are a random enthusiast playing with vacation pictures or a professional photographer, you need to be aware of who has the rights to your pictures and even if you have the rights to take it or use it once it’s been taken.

Doses one even have the right to take a picture? Anyone can take a picture on public property such as a street or sidewalk, but since September 11, 2001 places have been restricting camera use (Masoner, 2011). Places like the Milwaukee Art Museum require one to summit a request and review on a case-by-case basis, though their stated requirements are more geared toward larger and invasive productions. The building it’s self is copyrighted to the architect Santiago Calatrava, and much are the art work in the museum has copyrights owned by the artist so the use of the photographs once taken is still limited.

Buildings and structures that are copyrighted need a model release, especially if they are the subjects of the photograph. Like wise, a photographer and/or publisher need a model release for and person as a subject in a photograph. There are some loopholes and certain conditions where they are not necessary, but it is always best to be safe and get permission before any photograph is published or sold.

With all that hassle to make sure a photographer is not taking someone else’s work no wonder they flip when clients and internet users rip off their work. The photos taken can get the photographer in a lot of trouble. It can also cause blemishes to the photographer’s reputation and brake privacy laws between client and photographer. Though the photo copied may seem like the client saves a few buck, but it can cost the photographer thousands, as well as the thief who stole the photograph .Bet the $30 8X10 no longer seems too expensive compared to the $1000 fine a copy could cost. Bottom line be safe and get permission.

By: Mandy S. Chenoweth, BFA Owner of Focal Point Imaging http://focalpointimaging.org/ and Member of the Professional Photographers of America http://www.ppa.com/

Works sited

Biehl, Kathy. (2006, Febuary 7). Bloggers Beware: Debunking Nine Copyright Myths of the Online World. LLRX.com. Retrieved from http://www.llrx.com/features/bloggersbeware.htm

DSLRBlog Editors. (2009, April 6). Do you need a model release?. DSLRBlog. Retrieved http://dslrblog.com/do-you-need-a-model-release/

Masoner, Liz. (2011, April 15). Photographers Faced with Confusing Regulations. About.com. Retrieved from http://photography.about.com/b/2011/04/15/photographers-faced-with-confusing-regulations.htm.

Milwaukee Art Museum. Retrieved on 2011, May 7 from http://www.mam.org/info/policies/photo-film-permission.php