Photographers tend to like people. They like to please and they like the praise that comes when they complete a project. And they hate monsters.

What are the monsters photographers come up against?

1) Bridezilla. You know her. She has her own show on cable. Her appetite for human flesh is insatiable. Somehow, somewhere, she came to believe that her wedding day is only about her and everything she wants. There is no pleasing her.

2) Momzilla. Momzillas prowl in every area of photography. They are tough to work with. They tell you how to pose your subjects. They hover over your shoulder telling you what pictures to take. They nip like small dogs.

3) Petzilla. This pooch or feline is a well-dressed nightmare. Petzilla has no discipline, won’t respond to commands and pees on your studio floor.

4) Paparazzilla. With everything from cell phone cameras to point and shoots to amateur DSLRs, this monster swarms every time you have a group posed. They pull subjects’ eyes off your lens to their own, they stand in the way and the slow down the process wanting to get their own shot of every pose.

5) Videozilla. The aggressive videographer who covers the wedding like CNN at a disaster is everywhere. He moves fast and has his camera and glaring light about 3 feet from guests faces the entire wedding.

So what’s a photographer to do?

If you have your own methods for ripping the teeth out of these monsters, share them. None of us want to get eaten. I do have some ways I deal with monsters. Maybe they’ll help you.

1) Bridezilla. I offer each of my bridal packages a free engagement shoot. (They order prints and pay for those.) Why? It gives me a chance to spend a couple hours with the bride and groom. It gives me a chance to interact with the bride. If she’s a monster, depending on the package size and my bank account balance,  I refer her to some other photographer-psychologists I know telling her that I think their style is exactly what she’s searching for. Turn away business? Yes. If there’s no pleasing her, what are your chances of having her say good things about you after the wedding? RUN AWAY!

2) Momzilla. I run into momzilla mostly shooting senior portraits. Momzilla, much to the dismay of her kid, shows up at the shoot and starts directing. Thankfully, Momzilla is usually pretty easy to shake. On location, a senior and I will head up a hill, down over rocks or to places mom just doesn’t want to hike to. Then we ditch her and find her back at the car spouting and growling while my subject and I are laughing and talking about the next steps. “Mom, where’d ya go? We headed up the path and then we didn’t see you again when we looked?” (snicker, snicker) Momzilla isn’t very compliant. She orders few prints planning to scan them. I just order fine linen texture to make them scan lousy. I once had Momzilla get mad at me and go with a different photographer because I was hospitalized suddenly. GROWWWWWL!!!

3) Petzilla. “Oh, Muffy is so well-behaved! You’ll have no trouble with her.” Usually two questions help me determine if I will charge extra to photograph Muffy. “Can you walk her off leash with her obeying voice commands? Does she like people?” If the answer is no to either, I charge an additional fee. I keep treats in my pocket to make Petzilla my friend.

4) Paparazilla. This monster shows up at events and makes your job tougher. The throng of paparazzi comes to the front with their point and shoot cameras and 10-foot mini-flashes. While you are photographing the wedding party, people in group shots pick a camera and smile at it. You want them looking at your lens! They stand in your way, slow things down and are an overall nuisance. I have cards printed that I offer brides which say “Relax! Put your camera away!” They offer quests prints of the wedding for 40 cents each through my product fulfillment site. Most guests like that idea. Of course, I do still have to have a talk with a few over aggressive weekend shooters and explain that the bride and groom are paying me well and I need room to move. Sometimes I even ask them to hold a useless reflector. (insert evil laugh here)

5) Videozilla. I’ve seen videographers stand right next to the officiant, I’ve seen them walk in front of the bride and groom and I’ve seen them move bridal parties. Gee, everyone wants a photo album with the groom and best man separated by a guy with a video camera, right? Not so much. I strike up a conversation with the videographer early and exchange cards and talk about referring them. I sometimes tell a horror story of a past videographer getting in the middle of everything at a wedding I shot, just to make them think twice. And then, if during the reception they are consistently in the way and sticking their camera and light into guests faces, while always being directly across from you, you can always take the diffuser off and be ready to waste a few exposures blasting directly into his lens. That’s only in the most severe monster attacks though. Usually, videozilla can be tamed and you can work as a team for your clients.

And then, one final key: INDEMNITY INSURANCE. Know what it is? You better!

How do you deal with the monsters you face? Any hints? Any I have forgotten?

Dark eyes, bad crop, distracting background

1) Eyes! It has been said that eyes are the window to our soul. Are your eyes visible or dark in shadows?

2) Fill lighting. Backlit photos look cool at first but if they flatten the contrast in your face and leave you obscured, they are not good as portraits. Fill lighting lights up the foreground even though it might look strange seeing a flash or reflector on a bright day.

3) Good cropping. Acceptable crops are not at your joints. Midway down a thigh is better than at the knee. Otherwise, your portrait gives you the amputee look.

Hide n seek?

4) Setting. I beg you … don’t put your face up against a tree . Trees are a hard line in a photo that just segment it. You can do better than a tree.

Notice the blurred background?

5) Depth of field. Often times, pros take the clutter out of a busy background by using a wide aperture and neutral density filter. The blurred background makes the subject stand out more.

6) Skilled, experienced post-processing. Professional photographers know their craft. They know how to edit seamlessly, remove blemishes smoothly, whiten teeth and eyes, fix skin and make colors pop. Uncle Bob can take a decent picture but will he be able to turn it into a portrait worthy of the wall? (Linscott Photo uses Adobe Photoshop CS5)

backlit, titled and pole growth!

7) Background junk. This photo is backlit (strike 1), crooked horizon (strike 2) and the subject is positioned with a pole growing out of her head! (strike 3)

Seemed like a good idea at the time?

Timeless, no regrets. A good senior picture is not one you are going to be embarassed by in 10-15 years. (Sure, we all look back and laugh at hairstyles and fashion but be careful not to go over the edge.)

9) Professional photographers who work with hundreds of subjects in a variety of settings make the best senior photos. Experience, training and equipment matters. Sure, Uncle Bob has some nice camera equipment but he has a car too, right.?Does having a car make him a NASCAR driver? Of course not. No offense to Uncle Bob, but you’re not going to trust him to drive you around a track at 215 MPH. You have one shot at your senior portraits. Shouldn’t you do all you can to get the stunning results that will thrill you?

I’m a member of Professional Photographers of America and have had hundreds of hours of class time and hands-on learning to develop my craft.

Hey Nicole, that sure is a nice tree.

If your mom’s friend took your photos for free, how do they stack up to the above test? It’s not to late to schedule a shoot with a professional who makes his/her living doing nothing else but photography.

Or, just stick with that tree shot. Heck, it is a very nice tree.

www.linscottphoto.com

* Linscott Photo took none of the images on this page. No trees were harmed in the writing of this post.

Logan - South Portland High

Hannah - Falmouth High School

As the Class of 2012 heads back to school, it begins checking things off its list. The first check is their senior portrait for their yearbook. Most just see it as a photo session but parents see it as the beginning of the graduation right of passage. Portraits, final home games, last home-coming dance, last prom, college acceptance letters, senior assembly, gatherings and then the cap and gown materialize.

Annie - Falmouth High School

My schedule gets more hectic with each passing week until mid-October. By early summer, I photographer the planners. In September, my schedule fills with those who knew they had to have portraits but weren’t aware of the deadline until announcements began blaring over the intercom every day in home room.

The last week of September brings out the free spirits. They have never been concerned with deadlines and aren’t constrained by time.

In mid-October, I get the panic calls. “Oh no! If I don’t get my picture in this week, I won’t be in my yearbook!” We shoot fast and have a digital image for the editor within a day.

Mike - South Portland High School

So many different personalities and so many styles! From the artsy to the formal, from the glamorous to the tattered, I get to meet so many great young men and women. It’s my favorite part of being a photographer!

In the next weeks I will photograph seniors from Cheverus, Deering, South Portland, Falmouth, Cumberland and Scarborough to name a handful of the schools. I will be photographing fashionistas and athletes, artistic and urban, outgoing and introvert.

Nicole - Deering High School

It might sound melancholy or sentimental, but I can’t help but imagine what lies ahead for this Class of 2010. From what I have seen so far, I think the future looks bright!

-Scott
Linscott Photography

For booking: www.linscottphoto.com

We took a bunch of shots to goof around and help her get used to the lens. Then, in the gorgeous setting of Willard Beach in South Portland, Maine, Taylor’s eyes and smile came alive! Now she’s having a tough time picking her favorites. There are just too many to choose from. (Sorry, Tay!)

Next up is a family shoot and then a session with Hannah. I am really looking forward to shooting Hannah. She’s one of those girls who has natural, simple beauty. We won’t be spending time with makeup and brushes – Hannah doesn’t need them. I’m scouting settings looking for the perfect down-home scene. If I could get her a straw cowgirl hat, a piece of wheat in her mouth and maybe some cowgirl boots it would hang on my studio wall for sure.

Here’s a couple shots of Taylor…

Saturday morning I got to photograph a little angel. She was fascinated by the camera. I just love her pensive look, her sparkling eyes and her long lashes.

I can’t wait to shoot their wedding at the end of August! Fun for sure!

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Plus, it’s fun to get approved and see people buy your shots.

Photographers, Portland, ME

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Are you looking for a Wedding Photographer in Maine?

I’d love to have the chance to work with you and provide you with the stunning results you are hoping for!

Visit www.linscottphoto.com today.