[Lovelife]

March 16, 2011 at 12:41 am

I recently received two sets of 500 business cards and two different sets of 250 cards from Vistaprint and was very happy with the result. I will admit that i had to write to them in regards to their customer service but they were very helpful – when they eventually replied.

I was quite happy with the result. Sorry yours where not up to standard DanB!

[Lovelife]

March 12, 2011 at 1:55 pm

Thanks for the answer The Fine Print. I came across a scanner lately that does negatives. The Canon 9000F i have seen the scans it has done on negatives and they have turned out fantastically accurate. It has also got great reviews, the chap i buy all my equipment off has one in store and though its dear enough for a scanner when i only just purchased a canon printer come scanner i may just have a look :)

[Lovelife]

March 12, 2011 at 1:53 pm

Welcome Taco, the site is full of information to help so always keep browsing. :)

[Lovelife]

March 12, 2011 at 1:47 pm

Hey Majorkate

I am newish to PI and not really sure what way it works, but i had a look at your photos i hope you dont mind :) And for someone who is teaching photography to herself you are doing well. I especially like the newborn photos and the baby wearing the princess items sitting in a box. The newborn photos in the cocoon are good.

I will say one thing though dont take it bad :) The photos of the two older girls wearing the same clothes are good, but watch in some of the images the sky is pure white and in others there is a blue with the clouds. I know not your fault as that is the way that the sky was on the day, but perhaps try not to show as much of the sky when it is just plain white as it gives a lot of blown highlights to the images and the photo itself is good. Also a bright plain white sky can be a bit distracting and you want the girls to be the main focus. You can always try to underexpose the image and then try brightening it a bit later, the underexposure might let you carpture clouds – if any and when you brighten it after you may be able to save lost detail in the sky by tweaking contrast – but not too much.

Photos are good though – keep up the good work :)

[Lovelife]

March 12, 2011 at 1:37 pm

Thanks Damiend for the tips. I understand what you meant by seeing the portfolio and the website, i have finally got my website up and running so i think that i will include the website in the CV. I know the CV pretty much seems like nothing in the photography business if you dont have the rest that you mentioned but i do feel that it would be a good idea for myself to send it in. With the website listed at the bottom, at least that way they have my information to put on file if they have no places open at the moment but might have in the future, they have my information on hand and the CV allows them to know a bit about me as a person – not much but a taste :)

I know it is hard to make decent money. :) Dont have to say that twice :D

I registered my business name with the CRO the other day, it is just a simple name with my first initials – but it rhymes so i think it will be remembered, i sent off the money yesterday with the signed paper work and will hopefully have my certificate soon and be able to work under that name :) Got business cards printed a good while ago also which are taking their time arriving in the post but hopefully they will also be here soon and i can get them circulating.

Thanks for the tips and thanks for actually replying :D

[Lovelife]

March 6, 2011 at 8:12 pm

Thanks Brianmcl! That is actually something I could try! Ill have to do some more research now and get registered!

Any tips on what to do to get into that and how to advertise that?

Thanks,

[Lovelife]

March 6, 2011 at 11:13 am

“A CV really means nothing in the photographic world what you need is a portfolio or website. My own opinions on portfolio/websites is very simple, unless you have them wont be taken into account for any job no matter how small it seems , They are so cheap it’s almost expected that you would have both and there is no reason why you should not. “

Thanks for the tips Damiend, but i have a portfolio and a website so im doing ok in that respect :) I thought that you went in with your CV and then if they needed anybody they would ask to see your portfolio – that was my idea of it all. But ill just keep working on it.

As for you Brianmacl, thanks for getting back to me, sorry that it doesnt seem worth your while, but i understand that you cant risk your business, especially if you are thriving at the moment.

Thanks for both of your time, also Damiend, thanks for clarifying that i shouldnt work for free, i read ina good few places that you should offer to work for free for experience, but i wasnt planning on it, especially not right now. I am doing a bit of freelancing work at the moment, have had a few offers, but the website is only new up and im still working on it and i built up a facebook page too but im still working on that so its not published, with a bit of luck i will get some more people when they are on the go. Other then that, looks like im stuck with what im doing right now!

[Lovelife]

February 22, 2011 at 1:31 pm

Keep updated (as your doing ;)) on the date, love to drop by.

[Lovelife]

February 22, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Also, if its at night time just set up your area in the section that has a few overhead lights aswell as your own small lights.

[Lovelife]

February 22, 2011 at 1:24 pm

Hey Nuala

First of all welcome, and good on you for your first post :)

Second, what you are after is possible.
The only thing you have to consider is whether or not the party is taking place during the day or at night. If its at night, you will need a few lights and not just one or two, if you want small ones you will need a few, in order to give proper lighting so that the image looks good.

If you take it during the day it would work out well, if you are setting up the mini backdrop inside a door you could have natural light coming through the entrance aswell as the fact that the area itself will be lit with natural lighting, the extra few small lights will help you to get the effect with the lighting you want.

It really depends on the lighting that will already be available on the day/night that will determin whether you can do the whole shoot of each person without a flash, but i would say it is possible, since your setting up an area you will have a tripod? So just set to a slow enough shutter speed and a low aperature, if its a bit hard with the lighting and you have no flash increase the ISO but be aware of grain in the image.

I hope this helps :)

[Lovelife]

February 16, 2011 at 11:40 pm

“Tell this to the sheriff when he is removing you TV..
Sorry to say this lads but passion or love for what you do never paid a bill, nor will it keep food on Johnny’s table. Johnny (sorry to say this but) I think you would be much better off getting a job flipping burgers in a local chip van, because if you only have 3000 after working 7 days a week for most of the year well need I say more. The figures tell you what you need to do, don’t let you heart tell you what to do in business.
At the moment you are on a hell of a lot less than the new minimum wage with all the responsibility and work load of a wedding photographer.
Do yourself a big favour and get that part-time job or even a full time job and start earning what your worth, then try and build again from there.”

What i meant Mark, was that if he has a true passion and love for what he is doing and wants to keep going it will all turn around if it is meant to be. I didnt mean that his love and passion would pay the bills, im aware of that.

Two of my family members own a business (neither of which photogaphy) and they are struggling now too. Its the times we are in, alot of people are struggling but you either get through it the best you can or give up. If you give up you may be stuck in the “give up” times for a long time as it can be very hard to come back around. Also… Think about the amount of unemployment at the moment, if you give up your work you may not find anything else and then you would be down the 3000 you are making – yes it may not be much but its more then you would make with no job, right?

Perhaps, like alot of people have said, take a look over your business with someone who has that sort of head or as Mark said about another job = but perhaps take on something part time while holding on to your business – just in case, you dont want to find a job, let go of your business and then be let go from the job.

Try and see which you would regret more also. When times turn around and everything goes back up, would you regret giving up your business or if you stayed with it, would you regret not giving it up?

Nobody can make this choice for you, and i know where Mark is coming from that you cant let your heart decide, but its hard to give up things that you love. Just think Logically :D

But i still think everything will turn around if its meant to be.

[Lovelife]

February 7, 2011 at 10:43 am

By the way Stev, i see you are from Swords? Where abouts? Im near enough to Swords.

[Lovelife]

February 7, 2011 at 10:42 am

Hey Taye, welcome to PI, hope you learn alot from the people here and can teach some of your thoughts too ;)

[Lovelife]

February 7, 2011 at 10:40 am

Hey Kevin, welcome to the site, im only newish on the site too and very happy with the help everyone gives so have a good time learning from everyone and i bet you will be teaching people some stuff too ;)

[Lovelife]

February 6, 2011 at 12:51 pm

Thanks for the information. Im still looking around for one that will do me for a good few years to come but will also do justice to the photos themselves.