Journal

Travel. Uggh.

2011-11-15T15:04:12Z

Ok, so I'm a bit of a homebody. And apparently I haven't flown in a while. I did notice some strange things while on our trip to Ohio.

First, I seriously think security is just a little bit overdone. Lets put this in perspective.

Every day in the US, there are about 134 carjackings. There are 255,917,664 cars in the US (US Census Bureau information). That equates to 1 carjacking per day per 1.9 million cars or so. That's horrible, but.... as statistics go, you're nearly as likely to win a lottery of some sort as to get carjacked. Comforting thought, right?

Now, cars are allowed on the road with very little "checks", meaning, how does anyone really know what is in that car? As in, dangerous, or could be dangerous type items? Getting my meaning? How do you know that car next to you or behind you in traffic isn't up to something sinister? How does anyone know?

Now on to planes.

In any given year in the US, there are approximately 9,971,000 airline flights. Whoah!

Now, airlines have been operating for about 97 years, ever since Tony Jannus's flight January 1, 1914 for the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat line. The first airline hijacking happened in 1939. Worldwide from 1948 to 1957 there were 15 hijackings. Today, the average number per year is 18 worldwide. In the US, between 1950 and today, there have been 75.

See where this is going?

On any given day, your odds of carjacking are 1 in 1.9 million in the US. Whereas your odds of an airline hijacking are 1 in 8.1 million on any given day in the US. That means you are more than 4 times more likely to get carjacked. Yet.....

Security...... O M G !!

Its a bit ridiculous. Nevermind demeaning, silly, grossly overdone and just.... well, at times, dumb.

For instance: We had a tube of toothpaste in our bag, and were forced to throw it away right there before we could board the plane. Now, that alone is silly, but.... if it were truly dangerous, why put it in a trash receptacle with hundreds of people around? Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose?

Here's another good example: Did you know nail clippers can be a deadly weapon? Seriously, you can't bring them on a plane? Who knew hangnails were so bad? Yet... we ate dinner at a restaurant and rolled up in a napkin, was this:

That would be a quick shot of a PLASTIC knife and a METAL fork. Now, I'm pretty sure even a plastic knife is a bit more dangerous than nail clippers, but I am quite positive a metal fork is. It's silly.... just silly.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that security is necessary, but.... I think its gone a bit overboard. When I went throught the full body scanner thingy, it beeped and the TSA agent said I must have something on the top of my head. Now.... my hair is short, as in maybe a half inch long on top of my head. I wasn't wearing a hat either. So I lowered my head to show him and his response, "Says there's something there, but, go ahead anyway." Wow.... what a truly reliable system they have.

Oh! Get this! I had to throw away toothpaste, but I have heard from two independant sources within the last two weeks of people who (mistakenly and innocently) went right through security with, believe it or not, FULL SIZED SCISSORS! Yet.... nail clippers are forbidden.

Funny world we live in.

But wait! There's more!

People are weird. You knew that though, didn't you?

Here's what I mean. Why is it that if a person has to wait even 5 minutes at an airport or on a plane, they can't seem to survive without doing something? Lets face it, waiting is a fact of life. The busier our lives get the more time we spend waiting for others, normally in lines. Yet, most times, its no big deal. A few minutes here, and there, its all part of the daily grind. Yet, put those same people on an airplane and the second their butt hits the all-too-small seat, they're scrambling for their Cell Phone, iPad, or any of a myriad of electronic devices, like a crack junky looking for their pipe. Weird huh?

Also, apparently there are a lot of "special" people in the world. You know, people who operate beyond the rules? As if they don't apply to them? I got to sit across the aisle from one of these people last night. She sat in her seat playing solitaire on her ipad, furiously at that, as if trying to get in as many moves as possible before the plane took off. I thought it was funny actually. Then, right after we were all told to put all electronic devices to the "off" position, she decided that was the perfect time to make a couple phone calls. Yep, a real winner of a human being. I guess she's special. She was told no less than three times during our flight to shut off her devices, each time, she acted as if she had no idea. Then, upon landing, I think in perfect synchronicity with the Captain turning off the "fasten seatbelt" sign, she stands, proceeds to pull out her two, not one, but two, larger than acceptable carry-ons and places them in the aisle, blocking everyone around her, and stands there. She actually leaned on the seat in front of me displaying her umm, posterior slightly too close to my face, as I was still seated. Not that I had a choice, Miss Special took up all the space. Then she whips out her cell phone and begins making calls. Notice I didn't say she turned it on, I don't think it was ever put in the "off position".

Off position? My iPhone doesn't have one. Most people just say "turn it off", weird, but.... whatever.

Also, when we were landing, they actually said you could use a cell phone, but not a laptop. Huh? No idea what that's about.

By the way, here's another conundrum (love that word) for you. We're not allowed to use cell phones and other electronic devices on planes for fear that their pathetic little signal might interfere with the plane's heavy duty instruments and cause a crash. Seriously, that's why. I looked it up.

I'm a biiiig Mythbusters fan. They busted this every which way they could. No way, nuh uh, not gonna happen. Yet, we still can't use them on planes.

Whoah! Wait a minute! Nail clippers are a matter of utmost security on the off chance that you are a sociopath crazed suicidal killer looking to blow up the plane, which I would think is actually a rather small number of nail clipper carriers. Yet, innocently using a cell phone could crash the plane? And they let us keep them? And EVERYONE has one? Does TSA know about this? I mean, this is a matter of National Security I think!

Come on, its silly..... just silly.

Next time.... I'll drive.

-B

"High End", precisely what the heck does that mean?

2011-11-08T18:18:58Z

We've all heard the term, we all use it, but.... do we really know what that means?

First, let me explain how this came about. I do a LOT of research on wedding trends, mostly photography related (I AM a photographer after all!). In doing this, the term "High End" gets thrown around. Some friends were referring to me as a "High End Wedding Photographer". Believe it or not, that can be a bad thing. I like to appeal to a broad range of brides, not just the ones who have TONS of money to spend. Having everyone thinking I'm expensive is a BAD thing for business.

Ok, so what is High End after all?

Most of us would think "High End" simply means EXPENSIVE. In most cases, you'd be right!

Here's a definition by The Free Dictionary:

Sophisticated and discerning: books targeted to the high-end consumer.

Ummm.... why doesn't it mention price?

Here's why: HIGH END SIMPLY DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PRICE! (I'll stop yelling now)

Here's Google's definition of it:

high-end

adjective

Denoting the most expensive of a range of products

Shocker, right? pfft... I think Google has it wrong, but, that's just me.

You're probably thinking, Brian, what are you up to?

Hehe..... I can't let all the cats out of the bag now can I?

I actually found photographers touting themselves as High End! Now, if you truly are "High End", I doubt you need to remind people of that fact. Kinda silly if you ask me. Personally, I keep it personal. I'm a Wedding Photographer, and a damn good one. I should be! Years and years of experience, education, training, practice, and..... I LOVE being a Wedding Photographer.

Am I high end? YOU BETCHA! My work is sophisticated and appeals to the discerning client.

I just don't have a price tag on me the size of Texas.

-B

CLASSES! CLASSES, get your CLASSES here!

2011-10-30T17:57:02Z

Here's our December class lineup, call or email if you would like to reserve a spot.

"Just Photoshop it"

2011-10-30T14:07:40Z

Heard that one before?

I have.

Makes my skin crawl.

How is it that a commercial product like Photoshop became a verb?

And..... while we're at it, how in the heck is it so popular with, oh, everyone? It's a $600 program! Come on now, all these people can't possibly own a copy.

Anyway.....

I have a bit of proof that all these people DO NOT own Photoshop. Wanna know what it is?

Here it is: If they did, they'd know that you don't "Just Photoshop it"! Using Photoshop is a skill, takes a loooong time to learn to do it well, and is very obviously used when done poorly. Just look around, I see poorly edited images everywhere.

So, essentially, we have someone who has no idea what is involved spewing garbage about Photoshop when they obviously have no idea what they are talking about. And..... for some reason people seem to think its fast, easy and cheap.

**insert sound of a record needle screeching across a record here***

Ok now, hold on just a second. Fast? Umm.... no. Loading images into Photoshop is not fast. Editing them correctly is anything but fast. If someone claims they can fix anything in Photoshop in five minutes or less, send them to me, I want to hire them. Some things can be done quickly, but, stains on clothing, bruises, facial blemishes, ehh, not so much all the time.

Easy..... If Photoshop were so easy to use, why do lists of books like this exist? (courtesy of Amazon.com)

So, if it's sooooo easy, why are there soooo many books out there to teach us all how to use it?

Cheap.... Well, we know it's a $600 program, anything but cheap in my eyes. But, the really expensive part is the time needed. I have used Photoshop for, hmm, almost twenty years? Yet, when I need to do some serious editing on a photo, it takes me TIME to do it. I can't "Just Photoshop it." and get good or even usable results.

Disclaimer: When I say "good" or "usable" results, I mean Photoshop editing that is transparent, meaning: you can't tell anything was done. Anyone with five minutes and Photoshop can scribble or filter their way into something "edited", doesn't make it good or usable.

That brings me to an interesting point. Transparency. No, not the plastic sheets they put into projectors in high school. I mean good Photoshop Editing. The ability to make something appear that no editing was done under scrutiny. Yep, I actually look for Photoshop editing. Well, its sort of my job. From time to time I judge print competitions for Professional Photographers through organizations like Florida Professional Photographers (FPP). One thing we look for is evidence of Photoshop or image manipulation. Sometimes its VERY easy to see. That hurts the score for that image.

Ok so.... "Photoshopping" (I hate that term by the way) is not FAST, EASY, or CHEAP. Then why do people keep saying "Just Photoshop it."?

In most cases its because they see the finished product and not the actual work done. Also, the teenage kid next door or your cousin who uses Photoshop probably won't admit that they spend ten times as much time working on that image as they told you they did.

So.... what's the moral of the story?

Simple.... Good Photography skills. Get it right in the camera, lots less editing in Photoshop later.

-B

Umm....

2011-10-27T16:59:12Z

I've seen this one before, and today I checked it out for "legitimacy". Seems it can't be confirmed or denied. Its supposedly a clipping from a newspaper article, but no one can say for sure.

Why Barbie is all wrong for your wedding.

2011-10-22T15:45:00Z

Stay with me folks, this one is a biggie.

We've all seen Barbie, you know the obnoxious little dolls produced by Mattell since 1959? You know, the one who teases Ken all the time, but they never seem to actually.... well, you get the idea. Barbie has had a lot of facelifts over the years (quite literally), but the Barbie I remember doesn't look anything like the Barbie you see today. This is a good thing. Its a lesson learned I think. You see its like this: Barbie was an idealized version of feminine perfection. Yet, there were so many versions sold, that the idea of Barbie being "idealized" went away and she became, "what every girl should look like". I know lots of girls who grew up thinking that's how women should look.

Lets take a look at a photo of Barbie.

Note the features, and the body shape. VERY skinny, yet has an, ahem, ample bustline. Also, note just how plasticky that skin looks! Seriously though, with young girls playing with dolls like this and there being so many of them around.... is it any wonder how they got a fairly bad self image going?

Now, lets add insult to injury and give these girls even more reason to torture themselves: The US reports that 33.8% of its population is OBESE! Not just overweight, but OBESE! Whaaaa? Well, that's technically another article, but its all about the way they determine obesity. If you're X tall, you should be X pounds, its really a total load of crap. Back in the day when I was in shape, very good shape, I was 6"2" tall (still am, actually) and weighed about 225 pounds. I also had a 29 inch waistline. According to the US Government I was just a smidge away from being obese, yep, believe it. I actually had a doctor tell me I was overweight during a routine check-up. After asking him if he was kidding, I got a new doctor.

Soooo, getting back to Barbie and how this relates to your wedding.....

Who is to blame for this idea that all women should look like Barbie?

Mattel? Some, yes.

Parents? Ehh, I don't think so.

The little girls? Nope, not a chance.

Then who?

The MEDIA, yep, TV, Radio, Advertising, Magazines, Billboards, even cereal boxes. They all promoted the idea without saying they were. If all you ever see is the idealized and perfected, you come to believe that's how it should be and will begin to question anything that is less than that. We all do it, about many things.

Which brings me to the point of this article.

There are so many magazines, websites, and "experts" out there today showing off these amazing weddings. Weddings that A: cost a fortune, and B: are not the "norm". Yet, somehow, that seems to be all the weddings some sites cover. The term "real wedding" is being throw around now too. A "real wedding" is pretty much what EVERY wedding is, isn't it? I mean unless its a "fake" wedding. But to find the most overdecorated, overdone for the sake of being overdone, over the top stupid expensive wedding and plaster the words, "real wedding" on it doesn't really serve any good purpose, does it?

Hmmmm..... it does actually. Only how "good" that purpose is depends on what side of the Wedding Industry Fence you stand on. If you're a potential bride, this may not be the best thing for you.

However, if you're an advertiser in any of these magazines, or on these websites, well, its probably VERY good for you. Well for a little while anyway.

You see, there's a funny thing about human psychology. When we see something we want, but realize how VERY out of reach it could be, some of us will do the best we can to get as close as possible to that, while others will pretty much give up and not really try at all.

What I mean is this. Lets say we have two brides, Amber, and Jennifer (I just pulled those names out of my ..... I just made them up, alright?). They are both looking in magazines and reading on the internet about what they should do for the planning of their wedding. They are being bombarded with imagery and ideas. Much of what they see is over the top and out of their budged range. They both have average budgets, don't ask me what that number is, I don't know. In other words, they can spend some money, but having their wedding on a private island at a hand built castle of gold bricks made just for the occasion is pretty much out of the question.

Amber sees all these things and decides this is what she wants. After going back and forth with her hubby-to-be and parents and friends, she learns its just not going to happen. Instead of being heartbroken, Amber reads more and researches ways to get what she wants, cheaper and easier. She begins to compare something that cost her $10 to the photos she saw of something that cost $100. You see where this is going, right? She is not satisfied with anything. Nothing is good enough, and in her mind, the entire day is ruined. Now, why did this happen again?

Jennifer.... right, Jennifer does all the reading and research too. She realizes on her own that her wedding won't be like what she sees in the media. Instead of trying, she goes minimalist. She hires vendors and a venue, but apologizes to them about her "simple" wedding. She actually feels BAD that she can't do what she sees in the magazines, not for herself, but for her VENDORS!

Interesting that the whole point of these over the top, overdecorated displays in magazines and websites is intended to send more dollars to their advertisers, and I'm sure it does. Yet, in the long term, it will ruin the Wedding Industry. Weddings are supposed to be a happy day. MOST people plan average weddings. Now, when I say "average" wedding, I don't mean boring. I mean they don't overspend for the sake of overspending, they don't take pride in how much money was spent, and they don't compare their wedding decoration to celebrity weddings. You know, real people. The kind that hire me and I like to work with.

Ruin the Wedding Industry? Mhm.

What happens when only the rich and famous can have a "nice" wedding? The vendors and industry begin to cater to them, pushing out everything else. That means that the other 98% of weddings will have to "settle" for the "B" Team. That's a sad day for weddings. Every little girl dreams of her wedding day. The media will make that dream a nightmare.

We've actually had brides apologize to us for how "boring" their wedding will be for us. That's just sad. Its a by-product of these websites and magazines that act like they are helping brides. Say what? Oh, yeah, all those wedding websites and magazines "act" like they're helping brides. Truth is this: Weddings are a one-off kind of thing. Once you're done, you're done. If a website or magazine can get you to spend money with their advertisers, then their advertisers keep spending money with them. Capitalism... gotta love it. I'm not saying they are no help, just that their motivation is a little different than it appears.

Now, you can ask me, "What's your motivation? Why write all this stuff?"

Simple. I love weddings. I love seeing people happy. And I never want any woman (or man) to be ashamed of their wedding day or apologize for anything on it. They should be thinking about how amazing a thing it is to promise to spend their lives with another person, not if the decorations are up to snuff with the rest of the wedding world.

Just how I see it.

-B

If you have anything you'd like to say about this article, please feel free to leave a comment....

So I pulled out our video camera and.....

2011-10-21T20:51:36Z

Look what I found?

This is me speaking for Florida Professional Photographers at their Fall Seminar a couple years ago. Lots of fun. Oh, I'm the guy with the spiky blonde hair that's doing all the talking.

Public Service Announcement: Do not drive in Tampa on Sundays

2011-10-21T17:42:09Z

According to this article, Panhandling is now banned in Tampa 6 days a week. Good news for all you panhandlers out there, Sunday is still available!

What does that mean?

Uhh, I'm staying in on Sundays.

This word does not mean what you think it means.....

2011-10-21T16:50:15Z

This was previously posted on my business blog.... but I like it, so you get to see it again.

I have a favorite movie.... "The Princess Bride".

In it, one of the characters constantly and emphatically says, "Inconceivable!", whenever something happens that he didn't plan or expect. After several of these outbursts, another character, Inigo Montoya states to him, "I do not think this word means what you think it means..."

For the record, Inigo Montoya also has this legendary line, "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die."

I can hear you already...."What does this have to do with anything B?"

Plenty.

Two words I seem to hear and see a lot on photographer websites: Premier and Specialize

A couple of definitions....(courtesy of dictionary.com)

Premier:

The head of the cabinet in France or Italy or certain other countries; first minister' prime minister

A chief officer

First in rank; chief; leading.

First in time; earliest; oldest

Now, if you find a photographer who is also a governing official in France, I don't know how that makes them more qualified for your wedding. Chief officer? If they work for themselves, they are this, yes. First in rank, chief or leading? There is no rank system to private businesses. Oldest? Well, I doubt everyone can be the oldest business in town.

Soooo.... I do not this this word means what they think it means.

____

Specialize:

To pursue some special line of study, work, etc; have a specialty: "The doctor specializes in gastroenterology."

To be adapted to a special function or envirnment

To render special or specific; invest with a special character, function, etc.

To adapt to special conditions; restrict to specific limits

To restrict payment by endorsing over to a specific payee

To specify; particularize

As I understand it, to specialize means to choose one thing and do it well, or at least put your effort into that one thing and attempt to do it better than any other thing. If this is the case how can a photographer "specialize" in Weddings, Family Portraits, Beach Portraits, Architecture, Commercial, Seniors, Couples, Children, Babies, Travel Photography, Boudoir Photography, Stock Photography, Photojournalism, etc. etc.? I mean, these photographers really put all their effort into being the best at ALL these different types of photography? Wow, that's impressive.

Again though.... I do not think this word means what they think it means.

Some of you may think I'm being mean, but really, just truthful.

In summary: Anyone who calls themself "The Premier ____" is likely giving themself a false title, possibly to a European Government position. And anyone who specializes in EVERYTHING is simply a "Jack of all Trades, Master of none." Sorry, but its true.

Just how I see it....

-B

Copyright..... does it still actually exist?

2011-10-21T15:47:15Z

Copyright.... the dirty word that as a photographer we love to use and hate to use. I never want to tell a customer they broke the law, but yet, many people do just that.

Here's a fact for you: Anyone who takes a photograph OWNS that photograph. That means the pro you hire to the snapshot with your iPhone, all are protected under copyright laws.

Here's a link to an FAQ by our government about copyrights.

What does all this mean?

Well, recently I found some of my photos, that I put on an advertising site (name curiously omitted) being used somewhere else on the internet. Now, they did say "photo by Brian C Idocks Photographics via !@#$%" but, that's just not good enough really. Still illegal. Here's the rub, do I complain? Do I just let it go? I mean honestly, its just a photo of some cupcakes at a wedding, hardly something that will be the showcase of any of my galleries. But.... they acquired it illegally. Am I getting credit? Well, sort of. Normally if someone asked to use a photo in this way, I'd tell them to give a link to our website at the very least. If it's a company I don't know or will never likely work with (which is the case here), they'd have to PAY for usage of my photograph. Yeah, that's right, photos arent free, neither is the product they're selling.

But..... the plot thickens. Is it worth the trouble to hunt down every illegal usage? Probably not. However, some things are worth it. If another photographer uses my images..... well, they would likely help fund my retirement if I catch them. We do try to make it really hard for a customer to illegally use our images. Not in a bad way! We share most of the rights with our clients, therefore most usages are perfectly legit. Simple.

I had an arguement once with someone over copyright. It went something like this:

Me- I own every photo I create.
Them- I don't think that's right.
Me- Its true.
Them- I don't think that's right.
Me- Ok, here's the US Copyright law.
Them- No, if you sell me an 8"x10" Print of a photo that I paid you to make, I can do anything I want with it, including scanning it and reprinting it.
Me- Umm, no, read the law
Them- Well, I don't think that's right
Me- (throws hands up in frustration and claws at hair)

So you see.... what the law says and trying to actually enforce it are two different things. What do I do? Well, I usually just let it slide, better to not get a name as a pain in the ass. But, pick your battles, sometimes its worth going after it.

That's just how I see it!

-B