Winter Traditions: Santacon

A premature holiday celebration, Santacon, is the annual spree of thousands of mischievous Santas throughout the boroughs of New York City. The celebrants start out in eleven different spots around the city and crowd the subways and the sidewalks in an effort to join each other in one secretive location. Participants dress in creative and colorful costumes, ranging from reindeer, to elves, to Christmas trees, to presents, and everything from ZZ Top Santas to Gangster Santas, surprising children and tourists alike. The event is really a "joyous" bar crawl, where Santas fill up in bars, sing dirty versions of classic carols, dance on strip poles (with clothes), give unconventional gifts, play wacky games, and party. This year the eleven different groups (each with hundreds of Santa participants) rendezvous at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. The locations are changed every year and are not unveiled until hours before in an attempt to avoid a police presence. Santacon is a must see spectacle, with a growing number of celebrants every year and cooler locations. And if you don't live in NYC  don't worry, it's an international event: http://santacon.info/.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:26 AM 0 comments

How to Put Together the Best Portfolio Possible (Five Tips)

If you've been following us on Facebook or Twitter you know, at this point, about me winning the Young Travel Photographer of the Year Award. Out of thirty-thousand participants from over seventy countries, I was chosen the winner for my age group. My winning images will be featured in a book, an exhibition in England, and as part of large scale press releases. If you're interested in the winning images, they were chosen from  my Guatemala portfolio seen in this past blog post: http://bit.ly/hcjXzv. Or you can see the winners' galleries here: http://bit.ly/gA5GUg. You may be asking, how is this all relevant to the title? Well, in order to be  successful in photography competitions, you must have a portfolio to start from.

These are my 5 tips to putting together the best possible overall portfolio-

1. To put it simply, edit down your images!  Portfolios ideally consist of 20-40 cohesive images that flow together, demonstrate your style and show range (if you're good at multiple niches you may want to consider creating multiple portfolios). To do so, often times you need to edit out thousands of images. I accomplish this by either recalling successful photo shoots to look through, or by quickly browsing through the large picture thumbnails of my library. A good rule of thumb for editing your images is looking from a customer's point of view. Think of your audience! Is your "worst" image in your portfolio still good enough to encourage potential clients who don't see anything else? Remember, a portfolio is only as good as its weakest link.

2. Look for unique and visually compelling photographs for your portfolio. Remember to not only show amazing shots, but ones that are hard to take and shows range.

3. When creating any type of portfolio, presentation is important. If the portfolio is intended for online use, I recommend having a clean background that doesn't detract from your shots. When creating a physical copy of your portfolio I suggest printing large copies of your work on glossy paper and using acid-free plastic sheets as covers. Your physical portfolio should be able to be adjusted and transported around. Remember outside presentation is also significant, so it may be worth it to invest in a cool case for your images as well.

4. Both online and physical portfolios should show-off accolades and publishing of your work.

5. When creating portfolios for clients, know what they want ahead of time: stylistically, artistically, or topically. If they haven't provided anything specific just bring your best work. For more on the client process, read a past post: http://bit.ly/fiLmkv

My suggestion for making online galleries of your work is SmugMug and Wix.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:57 PM 0 comments

Snowy Weather: Winter Photography

To celebrate the emergence of the holidays in all of its cold (and snowy) forms, we are giving you six simple tips to creating more powerful images that include snow.

1. In winter weather, to frame the best compositions look for single objects that contrast with the scene's otherwise monochromatic look. If this is hard to come by, look for man-made objects that fit into the scene and contribute to the warm feeling of the image. On dreary days, I would recommend removing the sky from your framing, unless the sky is required to tell the story.

2. As I mentioned in my tips to making your landscape shots special, blue hour is a great time to photograph. Blue hour is a short period of time after sunset where the sky is reliably blue (no matter what the day's weather was). The lighting during that time makes it easy to shoot decorations and displays, and furthermore helps to add a warm mystique to your image. If you're a morning person, winter photographs are just as spectacular in the morning. I suggest waking up early for the unique reflections and colors a sunrise has to offer.

3. If you're trying to capture the snow actually falling, shoot at a slow exposure to capture the motion, or simply flash the scene to freeze the moment and capture the crystals of the snow.

4. Include people! The cold winter weather means that people of all ages grab their colorful jacket that has been sitting in their closet for the past year. Use this to your advantage, by creating a contrast between the white snow and the red, yellow, blue, green and orange clothes.

5. Remember that snow very easily tricks your automatic white balance and ISO settings. Make sure to look at your image histogram (if possible) or your image preview, and try to compensate for all errors through manual settings.

6. Protect your camera and protect yourself! Prepare all camera equipment in advance and try to bring extra batteries with you (cold weather can drain battery levels). Make sure that you are bundled up as well.

Now go out, be safe and enjoy the holiday season. 

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 8:22 PM 0 comments

Six Simple Tips to Help Make Your Pet Shots Stand Out

Tip #1- Pet photography is about capturing the essence and the personality of an animal in a snapshot. To be successful at this you must try to depict a day of their life. Whats their most characteristic action? The best way of going about this is doing nothing. You must let the animal be themselves. That means, go to their level and visit their comfort zone. Use perspective and zoom to capture a degree of intimacy.

Tip #2- Be patient. The most rewarding images usually come after waiting for a long period of time. Not every minute is a good time for pet photography. Your pet may be napping, there could be bad lighting, etc. In that case,  I suggest going about your regular routine until you see an image worth capturing. But, you must still be aware of what your pet is doing if you want to still capture something that's "picture perfect."

Tip #3- Take lots of pictures. Try shots at different angles, magnification, perspectives, composition, etc. because you'll never know what shot will end up being the best. Also don't overlook details, framing very tightly can make for an interesting scene. Consider the usage of certain lens', depending on whether your aim is to compact the environment or open it you must shoot at different focal lengths.

Tip #4- Avoid using flash and other distracting equipment. The use of objects that are distressing to an animal can result in unnatural images.

Tip #5- Usually, action images make a photograph stand out. So go for an image where the pet is doing an activity that it usually does. If you need to, use toys and balls to start it off.

Tip #6- For truly colorful images of your pet you must get environmental. That means bring your pet to a place where they can interact. This leads to more fun, candid images.

...and one more for safe keeping...

Tip #7-  Don't be afraid to let your pet get close. The more intimate the animal is with your camera, the more intimate it is with your viewer.

For further reading visit: http://www.lightstalking.com/7-tips-for-photographing-pets
Also if your interested in hiring a pet photographer or have questions on how to take your own, leave a comment or visit chaseguttman.com.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 12:41 PM 21 comments

Black Friday- 5 Tips for Buying a Camera

The ever-changing and growing market for cameras can make shopping for one a tedious task. Here are some tips to help you narrow down the field:

Photograph copyright PhotoRepetto

1. How much are you willing to spend on a camera? How often are you going to use the camera? What are you using it for? (does it need to be durable? Do you need a water proof camera? Do you need rain protection equipment, etc.) What/who is going to be your subject? How serious are you, or the person your buying for about photography? Are you going to buy another camera when the next big thing comes out? Do you already have another camera? (What did you like about it? What didn't you like about it?) Are you planning to get another camera?
2. What features or capabilities do you want it to have? Is there a certain lens or built in flash that you would like to come with it? What memory cards are you going to use with it and does it work with the camera your considering? Is shutter lag an issue?
3. What brand do you like or was recommended to you? Is there a specific camera you heard a lot about? Are you looking for a point and shoot, a SLR, a DSLR, or a film camera?
4. Does the size of the camera matter? What about the weight?
5. How easy is the camera to use? Is the amount of control you have on the camera important?

I suggest you write down your answers to these questions on a piece of paper before you shop, and even do some online research before hand. Try to avoid electronic shops for camera shopping because they may have less options to buy and are less likely to be able to answer all your questions in comparison to a photography store. My recommendation: B&H

If your interested I currently use and highly recommend the Nikon D50 (pictured below). The Nikon D50 is one of my favorite cameras because its durable, its fast, and it produces high-quality images. If your interested you can purchase the camera or read about it by clicking below.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 7:33 PM 0 comments

Fall Traditions: Cranberry Bogs

As the crisp cool fall air blows through the wetlands of New Jersey, it begins to paint the colorful fall foliage with it. In Chatsworth (a quaint little town and great escape from the city) this is their signal that summer is no more (at least until next year) and that it's time to start harvesting cranberries. The cranberry, one of the only fruits native to North America, was first farmed commercially in 1816. In preparation for the fall harvest, farmers grow the berries within a large dry ditch, one next to another, months before the cultivation. Then, as the fruits become ripe in the fall, the deep ditches are filled with water. To make the berries surface from under the water, large metal lawn mower-like devices spin their sharp rotors to shake the berries from their underwater vines. Workers then corral the berries into a small dense area using a yellow tube. To prep for the final step they place a conveyor belt device on the edge of the bog, and scoop the berries toward the belt, where they are delivered onto the top of awaiting trucks. To read more about the process of the cranberry bogs visit: http://www.uc-cranberries.com/berry.html. Also if you're in the region, the Wading River is a fun boating trip through the stunted pine forests, that's great to do with your friends and family. Just be sure not to let your friends capsize in the "swift" waters.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:59 AM 20 comments

21 Tips On Shooting for Clients

When it comes to preparation...
1. Make sure your client wants to do the project with you. Do what you need to do to convince them that you're right for them.
2. Go over your client's goals and wants. This means ask whether they want you to try different angles, locations, times, lenses, etc.
3. Make sure you have multiple ways of contacting your client.
4. Write a proposal/contract for your client so everything is clear for both of you.
5. Review/confirm everything the night before.

When it comes to equipment...
6. It's ideal if you have a tripod, flash and polarizing lens.
7. Always have a lens cleaner, lens covers/protectors, extra batteries and memory cards.
8. Bring all of your equipment on an assignment no matter what.
9. Prepare your equipment 24 hours in advance and have everything packed and ready to go at least 15 minutes in advance.

When it comes to the actual shoot...
10. Take as many pictures as you can. More images is something that can be fixed, less images is something that cannot.
11. Try different angles, lenses, lighting, etc.- your goal is to give your client options.
12. Be kind and courteous to your client, make conversation and do what they ask.
13. Make post processing as easy as you can you for yourself.
14. Immediately after the shoot, tell your client where and when they will be able to see/use the images.

When it comes to the time after the shoot...
15. Impress your clients and finalize their images quickly.
16. Before you edit an image, make a copy so you'll always have the original.
17. In post processing make sure all digital re-enhancements look realsitic.
18. Edit out the images that neither match what they want nor are artistic.
19. After the unneeded images are separated (never actually delete them) create a final copy for the client (whether its online or a physical CD) that matches what they asked for. Do they prefer more options? Do they only want the best of the best?
20. Ask your client if they need anything else. Do they want specific changes to a shot? Would they like another CD? Are they interested in seeing more shots? Are there any images that they would like to be printed for them?
21. Stay in contact with the client. Are they fully satisfied? Do they need you again?

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 6:23 PM 0 comments

Young Travel Photographer of the Year

Two of my entries, the four pictures from my Morocco and Guatemala portfolio, were chosen to go into the final round of this year's Young Photographer of the Year Award by a group of recognized photographic authorities. Out of over 25,000 entries I had two of my portfolios sent to the final judging round. For more information on the competition go to http://www.tpoty.com/index.html. Here are my shortlisted images:

 

Guatemala

Morocco

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 12:12 AM 5 comments

The Battle of Fort Lee

A Revolutionary War era Fort Lee is nowadays hidden among apartment skyscrapers and the George Washington Bridge of New Jersey. Despite the constant changes of the neighborhoods that surround the old fort, on November 20th every year you can view a reenactment of the "turf war" of 1776. Hundreds of reenacters: British, Hessians, and Patriots bring along their muskets, bayonets, and cannons to fight over the two-story block house that's situated in the forests of the Palisades. Ironically, no battle ever occurred at the fort, but rather the patriots retreated from the thousands of invading troops of the British on that cold November. If you need to warm up, you should get there early for the chance to try some homemade British soup.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:43 PM 0 comments

A Thanksgiving Ritual: Fox Hunting

On Thanksgiving Day millions of people congregate on the streets of Manhattan to watch Spongebob mop up the floors of Central Park West for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. But over at Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey a more serene tradition occurs when an elite gathering of hundreds come together for an annual event that  started in the 1880's. The Essex Fox Hounds Organization has been keeping alive the fox hunting tradition ever since, organizing a unique spectacle every year. What happens is at the sound of a brass horn, dozens of fox hounds sprint out of their kennels and into the countryside, accompanied by a fleet of horseback riders dressed in colorful suits and top hats. The fox hounds run in erratic directions, in pursuit of foxes they may come across (but don't worry no fox is actually harmed), while the horseback riders try to manage the hounds. Spectators have the option of setting up shop at the starting point (where people often tailgate and socialize), or "road whipping," the process of tracking the hounds using their car. Although "road whipping" is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack, if you stumble across the group you're in for an amazing spectacle. If you're interested in fox hunting you can read more here: http://www.njskylands.com/odhuntfox.htm

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:10 PM 6 comments