Salon competition at T.A.P.P.A.

Last night I participated in my first "Salon" as a member of the Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association.

First, let me tell you a little about the group.  T.A.P.P.A. is the largest affiliate guild in Florida of the Professional Photographers Association with over 100 members.  The P.P.A. is a great organization that publishes "Professional Photographer" magazine, provides insurance to guild members and sponsors schools and workshops around the country.  The people I have met since joining the guild have been great and it's really nice to have a network of fellow professionals who I can reach out to for support (and offer support in return)

Competition is a big deal in the PPA.  It starts with the "Salon" at our monthly meeting.  Then there's the yearly Salon for each guild chapter (that's what we did last night).  Next is regional and then national.  The ultimate goal is to receive a "merit" for your image.  A merit is awarded for a score of 80 or above in a regional competition.  Previous posts about monthly salon are here, here and here.

The idea is that the monthly salon, which is voted on by the members, is a way to see what images you have that might be worth moving up to the yearly salon (which is judged by three qualified judges.)  How you do in the yearly salon will help you decide if it's worth moving on to regional.  If you score 80 or above in the yearly salon, you receive a "Chapter Merit." 

Photographic Artistry The Hard Way

Whenever I talk to someone about the importance of hiring a good photographer, it seems that they always say, "You need someone who has the right artistic vision." While I tend to stress, "Someone who understands the technical side of photography."

I think that a person who is very artistic can still take lousy photographs because they lack the skill to realize their vision. But someone who has the technical skill can be lead to the artistic images simply by understanding posing, lighting, composure, etc.

I rarely envision a photograph before I arrive on location. Rather, I arrive at the location and then "see" the pictures as I look around. My artistry comes from a grounding in technical skill. The ability to look at a space and see elements that will make a good photograph and then compose and shoot that photograph is an artistry all to itself. Since, in my mind, it's mostly "technical" in nature... I tend to shy away from calling myself an "artist."

Captured by God Photography

I just received an email from someone informing me that one of my images is on someone else's website and facebook page.

The studio is called Captured by God Photography. Here's the links to my image on their pages:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=329396263741963&set=a.329395963741993.95992.232021380146119&type=3&theater

http://capturedbygodphotography.zenfolio.com/p602613442/h325b52f8#h325b52f8

Lytro camera just a gimmick?

Great article from PCMag about the new Lytro camera. Wedding photographers have been watching the development of this camera with great interest as it allows any consumer to focus after-the-fact. Some see it as a camera that will hurt the professional, others as a new weapon for our bag.

The article points out several glaring shortcomings with the camera, the most obvious being the poor resolution which makes images impossible to print. Take a look and see what you think...

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2401039,00.asp

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 Wedding Photography - A Short Story

I posted something on my Facebook page the other day about how sad it makes me when I talk to a potential client who is on a budget that is so tight, they can't afford me. I'm not that expensive and if you can't afford me then you are most likely going to have to hire a budget/part-time photographer. I just hate it when the bride really loves my work and has to settle for something else.

Anyway, here is one of the comments to my post:

Share my story with her! At the time of my wedding money was tight and I said I could not afford a professional photographer. My father was in remission from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for 10 years at my wedding and low and behold the cancer came back full force and we lost him within 2 years following my wedding. I was the only child of 6 that he walked down the aisle and gave away and I do not have any photos of this. I have no good photos of the two of us together. It's a decision that I regret everyday and if I had to do it all over again I would rather have a photographer than a DJ, cake, dress, big fancy meal or anything else.

I hear stories like this all the time.

The bottom line is this: Find a way to get the photographer that you love (even if it's not me!). You won't regret it. :)

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

Winners in the Monthly TAPPA Print Competition

I was shut out of first place last month at the Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association print competition but I managed to squeek in a 2nd and 3rd place finish for two of my images:

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 Weddings and Lighting

If you've ever wondered what "off-camera light" is and why it's important at your wedding or event, hop over to Diva with a Fork and read my guest blog post all about it!