richardhobsonphotography.co.uk

I’ve come across a variety of Wedding Planners whilst working with Bride and Groom’s to photograph their Wedding Day. I like to keep up to date with all aspects of a Wedding and the Wedding business as it helps to keep an eye on current style and design and in turn that influences my photography.

One of the best resources I’ve found on the internet is The Wedding Genie. The advice is great, the articles on the site are very useful and rare an easy read.

Indeed the advice on how to find a great photographer was an interesting read and I found myself ticking off each point to check I was doing the right thing for my clients. I’m happy to say tat Richard Hobson Photography scored full marks!

I’m always looking to build up relationships with planners and event managers across South Wales so if you want to get in touch feel free to drop me a line or give me a call.

Watch out watch out there’s a rights grab about.

When something looks too good to be true it usually is.

A rights grab is when a company or publication tempts you to submit your images – usually in the form of a competition – for their use.

But watch out – the T+C’s may mean they can use and PROFIT from your image FOREVER !!

Just imagine if you submitted an image that became world famous and you received ZILCH.

Check out the blog at this link!

Great British Life

A quick excerpt……….

Recently I received an email from Great British Life asking me to "Share my best photos". Having my suspicions I checked out their website. You can upload images to their site and…
"Some photos could be printed in some of the Archant Life magazines and there is even a chance that your photograph could become a magazine front cover."
So, time to read the small print in the Terms and Conditions, and surprise, surprise:
"By submitting any material to Archant, You automatically grant Archant the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, edit, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such material (in whole or part) worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content."

When it comes to providing traditional prints or albums the quality of the print is paramount.

That’s why Richard Hobson photography uses a local printer who adds the personal touch to all the prints that we send them.

Caerphilly Colour Labs checks each file to ensure we have the right colour balance and that they look their very best.

Being able to use a local business is essential for us. We are able to be 100% confident of the results when we deliver them to our customers.

That means our Wedding Albums look exactly how they are meant to look. Our portraits capture the essence of the person.

Contact Caerphilly colour labs on 029 2088 8712

http://www.caerphillycolour labs.com

I’ve been placing a lot of focus on my stock portfolio over the last few days. The admin is up to date and the Wedding season has not yet begun so it’s a perfect time to build up the stock portfolio.

The following images have been uploaded and approved onto istockphoto recently.

My favourite models – Matthew and Jakob (my two sons) were eager to help!

If you want to join in the fun I often offer FREE photo sessions if I can use the photographs in my istockphoto portfolio. I get great photo’s and you get – great photo’s!

The viewing system I use at events ranging from Wedding Receptions to  Equestrian to allow customer to see photographs as they are taken uses a PC and viewing stations.

The PC acts as a server and I use Wyse units as the clients.

Wyse units are basically stripped down computers. They utilise Flash memory instead of a hard drive. They are much smaller than standard pc’s and take less power – a useful consideration if you’re running off a generator.

The disadvantages can be that they can be difficult to configure for the novice.

A big advantage is price. Because all they need to do is deliver up proof images to a monitor you don’t need an all singing up to date unit. I use Wyse 3125se units. They can be picked up from around £20 upwards on ebay quite easily.

There are a couple of things to watch out for though

• Do they come with a power supply?
• How are they configured – do they need “re-flashing”?

If you’re lucky you’ll get a unit which is all ready to go and you simply have to switch it on and set the IP address of your unit to fit in with your current network settings. If you’re not lucky you may need to reflash your unit.

Reflashing a wyse series 3000 unit.

There are some great resources on the net to help you do this.

One of the best I’ve found is Freewysemonkeys – www.freewysemonkeys.com

You’ll need to download a copy of the program called “netxfer” which is used to transfer a new image to your wyse unit.

Link to the netxfer instructions – Click Here

Link to the netxfer program – Click Here To Download Netxfer

You’ll also need an image file which is available from the main wyse site. www.wyse.com in their support>downloads section.

A link to the news story about the BBC staff photographer who was stopped by police whilst taking photographs in Westminster.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8384972.stm

Have you seen the recent press coverage of Photographers being stopped, searched, even arrested for taking photographs in public places?

In the UK it is NOT against the law to take photographs in public places. It is probably unwise to travel to a military installation and take photographs of that for instance but what we’re talking about here is simply taking regular photo’s. A BBC staff photographer was recently stopped for taking photographs of St Pauls Cathedral. An award winning architectural photographer was searched under section 44 of the terrorism act for photographing architecture.

Do the police really think a terrorist on a reccy would be carrying pro gear and be so visible?

I don’t have any issues with vigilance. Yes, I’m happy that our police are vigilant but they shouldnot be over stepping the mark. They have no right in law to demand erasure of images. They have no right in law to detail without due cause.

http://photographernotaterrorist.org/2009/12/mass-photo-gathering/

We’ll see what happens on Saturday 23rd January when a demonstration against this is being held in London. See the link above for the full details.

There is also a facebook event page for it at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=217508295848

Well, actually I hope it’s the real Santa, but it may be one of his helpers.

Come see for yourself on 29th November 2009 at Llancaiach Fawr!

Have you ever seen a Sushi Wedding cake?

Well now you have!

A guest book at a Wedding is great. But take a look at this idea 
I found it on http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=17947

but I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to find something similar in the UK.

I’m also thinking how great it would look a little larger with a photography s a centre piece and the surround for the notes. Just the sort of thing you could use your engagement photo session for!

See the full link at http://ow.ly/zTHH
All the best
Richard

www.richardhobsonphotography.co.uk