by Jen Pennington
This little guide goes out to all photographers, designers, and clients. It is your chance to stand up and fight against the evil beige background that is often found behind so many uninviting corporate portraits. In the Rhizome world, beige walls are evil. They are subtle purveyors of sadness and a subliminal identification with the DMV (not a good experience normally). Mug shots at the police station at least have context and props! And for Pete’s sake, even the big department stores spice up their backgrounds (ok, the mottled texture is not so great either, but let’s not go there). So I invite all my fellow business people to stand with me and say, “Death to the beige wall!” (more…)
by Robert J. Pennington
Royalty-free pricing is based solely on the size (DPI) of the image you need, not the use. Once you purchase a royalty-free product, generally you may use it multiple times for multiple projects without paying additional fees. The downside of a royalty-free image is that there are no restrictions on its sale to others, so royalty-free images run the risk of being saturated in the marketplace. (more…)
by Robert J. Pennington
The rule of ownership is actually very simple. You only have the right to use material if you have paid for it or have written permission from the owner to use it. You may NOT download an image from the Internet and use it in any way, shape, or form unless that image is specifically identified as public domain, free or you have obtained permission from the owner. Even then, you do not own the copyright. While it is possible to obtain full and unrestricted use of images for a fee, it is rare that a client has the resources to purchase a copyright or that an “author” is willing to sell that copyright. What rights you do access, must be in writing.
by Robert J. Pennington
Post-production is the process whereby a photographer manipulates images to the client’s particular specifications. Often cleanup and a bit of color correction is involved. Images can be “composed” together from two or more separate shots, including photographing a subject in a studio and then “digitally” setting them against a different background. To achieve better lighting, often products are shot without a background and a background is added after the fact. All these changes can be readily handled in a digital workflow.
by Robert J. Pennington
Location shooting often means a photographer travels with an assistant, stylist, or art director, and brings all necessary equipment to complete the assignment. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to allow for a pre-production day prior to the shoot so the photographer, and his or her team, can clearly scope out location lighting, structure features, and identify any other elements native to the location site.
