T.A.P.P.A. Print Competition

I'm falling behind on my blog posting and I apologize for that.  I have a list of blog topics that I've been wanting to write about but we've just been so busy the last two months that I haven't had time.  I promise more is coming, including a new review of Lumapix FotoFusion software, which I consider to be essential to what I do.

So, without further ado, here are two more T.A.P.P.A. winners from this month:

I won 1st Place in the Weddings and Events category this month with my cute little starfish...

I won 3rd place with this couple portrait.

As is always the case, I have no idea what will get picked by my fellow photographers.  I'm always excited to place and frequently surprised when I do..  :)

Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.

Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!

Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!

How not to use a diffuser or Omnibounce...

Yesterday I was shooting a beach wedding and there were two other photographers working nearby.  Whenever I see another photographer, I can usually figure out where their skill level is at within a few seconds.  The one thing that is an instant tip-off is the way they use light motifiers when shooting outdoors.

Now, I know that a lot of folks who read my blog aren't photographers so I'm going to try to explain this in laymen's terms...

There is a light modifier called an Omni-Bounce.  It's a little white plastic cap that fits over the end of your flash.  Here's one for sale on Amazon.  I think that some Nikon flashes come with a free one.

The purpose of this little cap is to take the light that is shooting out from the flash and  make it go off in every direction.  The light hits the plastic and basically turns it into a lamp that shoots light everywhere, instead of just straight ahead.  The light then "bounces" off all the surface in the room (walls, ceilings, etc) and fills the room with light.  This is where the "bounce" comes from in the name.

When taking pictures outdoors, there are no walls or ceiling.  So, if you put an Omni-Bounce on your flash, all it does is take some of the light and divert it away from your subject where it is lost forever because there is nothing out there to bounce off.  Because you have "stolen" some of the light, the flash has to produce more light than usual to light the subject.  Sometime twice as much.  When you are working outdoors in bright sun, you are frequently squeezing every bit of power out of your flash because the shadows are so dark that you have to overcome.  The last thing you want to do is cut the flash's power in half.

Yet, I see photographers shooting outdoors with these diffusers all the time.

It wouldn't be so bad except that the internet is full of posts just like this one:  Professional photographers begging people to at least read the directions on the thing! 

Here, let me show you.  One of these picture was taken with the flash pointed at the subject and the other with an Omni-Bounce:

See the difference? No?  My point exactly.

But wait!  There's more!

Not only do I see people using these diffusers when they are outside, but (this is the best part) they use them wrong when they are inside!

Allow me to explain:

The Omni-Bounce and it's bretheren are designed to bounce light primarily off the ceiling, with the rest of the light bouncing around the room.  Some is also thrown forward.  If you read the directions it clearly tells you that your flash should be tilted at a 45 degree angle.  I see people with their flash pointed straight at the subject, with an Omni-Bounce, all the time.

These diffusers are good for one thing only:  Tilt your flash at 45 degrees, be indoors where there are surfaces to bounce the light, and you will get a wider, flatter light from your flash.  Outdoors they do nothing but reduce the power of your flash.

I own one but only use it with off-camera lighting when I want to light a room.  I never use it on my on-camera flash because it's never as good as true bounce flash, which is more directional and pleasing (I'm losing the non-photographers here... sorry  ).

I'm not saying you have to learn to use off-camera lighting, etc., to be a photographer but please stop using these indoor tools outdoors.  It makes you look like someone who doesn't care about their work.  If you've been a photographer for less than 6 months, fine but after that you should have learned how to use the thing properly.  There is no tool in photography that is an all-purpose, good no matter where you are, thing.  You have to study and train constantly to get the best results from the tools you have.  Start by learning how light works.

End of rant.  :)

Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.
Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!
Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!

Tampa Dance Pictures 2012

Tonight is the big dance recital for Karl & DiMarco Dance.  Last night we were at the theater for seven hours for dress rehearsal.  I was able to snap a few pictures of the Senior Dancers during the rehearsal (as well as about 200 pictures of my two daughters!  They're on Facebook...).  Here are a few of my favorites:

Tonight's the big show and I have to go get dressed so it's a quick blog post!  No camera's allowed during the performance so I get to relax for a change!

Tampa Dance Pictures at Karl and DiMarco Dance

I have two daughters and they are both dancers.  It started four years ago when they were just babies and now it's to the point that we spend most of our lives at the studio, at competitions, at recital... or at the store buying tights, shoes, etc.  :)

The first year that we joined dance, Sandy Karl, the owner, asked me if I would take over as photographer for the school.  There are photographers who market to the dance schools but I'm not really one of them.  However, I was happy to say yes because it would be a welcome break from my usual busy wedding and event schedule.

It's been four years now and I'm so glad I decided to take it on.  Every year I see a new crop of tots coming into dance for the first time with their little costumes.  Every year I see the older girls getting older and growing up before my eyes.

The Senior Company girls all know me by name as I have been photographing them since they were pre-teens.  Every year I try to remember to jump into a picture with the girls so I have a great momento of my time at the studio.  The girls are great about posing for me and giving there all for the camera!


I couldn't ask for a nicer group of girls.  It's always a pleasure to photograph them!

Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.
Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!
Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!

How to be a Great "Uncle Bob" at a Wedding.

Last weekend I had a great "Uncle Bob" experience.

If you don't already know, "Uncle Bob" is an industry term we photographers use for the person at the wedding who thinks they are a professional wedding photographer.  Not to be confused with the guests who bring cameras and snap photographs all day... Uncle Bob has an expensive DSLR and is determined to photograph the wedding like a pro.  What he ends up doing, is getting in the way of the actual hired photographer, spoiling shots and annoying people.

But not always.

Last weekend, my Uncle Bob was the sister of the groom.  She has a Nikon Camera, she loves to take a photograph, so don't take her Kodachrome away (Paul Simon FTW!)  But she was cooool.  In fact, she was the perfect example of how you should act if you bring your big camera to a wedding.

We photographers notice things.  We notice when you are about to take a bad picture, when you are about to take a good one and when you are about to take a good one and you know you are about to take a good one.  So, when I noticed a guest taking a picture of the flower girls before the ceremony, in a crouch with one foot holding open a door behind her to let in natural light... my ears perked up.  "Uncle Bob," I thought.  But I also thought, "Uncle Bob has some skills."

During the ceremony she never left her seat.  During the formals she never took a picture (that I noticed).  However, she did point out several details to her family members when they were posing.  Little things like a stray hair or a hand out of place.  Good things to notice.

She introduced herself to me, told me she was a serious hobbyist and said, "Please let me know if I get in your way at all."  Thank you!

She didn't bring a flash, just a 50mm f1.8 lens.  She stayed back and worked on low-light candid shots.

She never got in my way and was a complete joy.

We wedding photographers can get a bad rap sometimes.  Many of us have been accused of being grumpy and rude and there are some of us who are sometimes.  But most aren't... we are just under a lot of pressure and we don't always have time to explain why you shouldn't be on the dance floor during the couples first dance because you want to practice.  You are in our way and worse, you are in the shot. So when we come across someone who is passionate about photography and also conscious of the job we are doing and respectful of the boundaries, we love them.  :)

Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.
Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!
Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!

T.A.P.P.A. Picture Competition

This month's T.A.P.P.A. meeting was a good one.  We had a photographer come speak about his work with pets and he did a live demonstration.  Michael J. brought studio equipment and borrowed a dog from a member to photograph.

It's always great when a speaker does a "hands on" demonstration.  I felt bad for Michael because the dog, a little collie, just refused to look at him.  Michael was growling, barking, throwing towels and waving treats around and the collie just looked around like a bored Diva.  It's not his fault, of course, you don't usually have 40 people standing around when working with pets.  :)

Despite the challenges, Michael got some great shots.

I entered two images in the print competition this month.  I won third place in "Weddings and Events" for this images:

... and first place with this image:

I also entered an album (which I rarely do...) because they needed one to fill out the category.  Most photographers don't have a lot of albums sitting around so we go months without having anyone enter an album in the monthly salon.  Last night, one of the members posted on Facebook that he was bringing some albums so I brought one too.  I won second place. :)

Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.
Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!
Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!

A recent bride posted this on Facebook.  really made my day. :)

You know that you couldn't have made a better choice than Booray Perry Photography for your wedding, when you upload pics and the next morning you see that '31 friends made your photo their profile picture' :))


Booray Perry is an award-winning wedding photographer in Tampa Florida.
Getting married on the beach?  Here's how to have the Perfect Florida Beach Wedding!Nothing makes a party more fun than The Vogue Booth.  Tampa's Best Photobooth!