Capturing Life Happening

Allison Senior 2012

2011-07-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

We've known Allison since she was 11. Sunday she came out for her Senior Pictures. She made a great model. We did some of her pics at the Natchez Hills Winery in Hampshire. Thanks to them for allowing us to use their beautiful grounds. Also pictured for the cirst time is Simon our 1975 Mini Cooper.

Senior Ambassador Program: Free Senior Session

2011-03-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Our Senior Ambassador Program is new this year. We're looking for one 2012 Senior to give a free Senior Session to. In return all you have to do is show off your free pics and give some cards to your friends. Every one who wants to apply can email me at jon@hampshirephotographyweb.com or call 931 285 0046. We'll set up a time to do an interview with you to ask you a few questions. Everyone who applies will get something free but only one Senior will be chosen. Look forward to working with you guys and gals.

My most emotional gig last year.

2011-03-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

Last February I had the privlege to take pictures as Columbia's 278 prepared to deploy to Iraq. This was particularly special to me as my best friend as deploying as part of this unit. These are some of the images I captured that day. On the field you'll see 3000 of the bravest and brightest Americans in the country. It was an honor to get to know these guys before they left to defend our freedom. I'm glad you all made it back safe.

Pheonix: The Power of Pictures

2011-03-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

I talk alot about the power of photography. I truly believe a good photographic image has value far beyond the printing cost. Hypothetically you often here , if my house was on fire the first thing I would grab would be the photos. Why, because photos are more than just images. They are snapshots in time. Refrains from a happy days gone by. Sign posts of your past.

This fact was illustrated to me, when I received a phone call from an old customer, Susan Johnson. Sadly Susan told me that her house had burned down in August. Fortunately, everyone was safe but they had lost everything in the fire. I sympathized greatly with Susan because one of my best friend's houses burned down when I was in college. There is no equating the sense of loss this tragedy can bring. Susan brought her three beautiful daughters for a sitting in 2004. Her question, of course, was do I still have copies of the photos she purchased in 2004. Luckily the one thing I am organized about is archiving my images. To my glee I quickly found the images from 2004. Calling her back and telling her I had the images was the happiest thing I've ever done as a photographer.

I look forward to Saturday when I get to meet with Susan and show her the images taken years ago. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes her lost images are safe. The power of photography is illustrated best by the smile on a mother's face. Susan and her family now have a new house and are trying to rebuild their life. I hope the images from back in 2004 will hang on the wall to serve to make that house a home. God Bless your family Susan.

Bridal Shows

2011-03-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

I've enjoyed two Bridal Shows in the past week. One at Cool Springs last Thursday and one at Maury Co Park this past Saturday. We won runner up at the Maury CO show for best booth. YEAH!!! I've included a pick of our booth and some of the sweetheart pics we took below. The brides and grooms really had some sweet and sassy messages to write to their sweetheart. Thanks, Brides and Grooms we had a great time meeting you.

D7000 Redux Review

2011-02-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have seen my review of the D7000 when it was announced last year. All I could offer at that point was the stats and my projection of what I thought this camera could do. Now that I own one I have some actual experiences to share about this incredible camera.
I purchased the D7000 in Dec 2010. I've used it for about 3 mos as a back up to my D700. I'm completely blown away by this little camera's performance. It is as good or better than the much more expensive D700.
Firstly, believe it or not the high ISO performance is actually as good or better than the already stellar D700. I can get outstanding images out of this camera at 1600 ISO and usable images at 3200 ISO. Incredible for a DX camera. I never really need to shoot more that 3200 ISO so I won't speak to the insane 6400 and above ISO's. The theory was that DX cameras would never be as good as FX at high ISO. But I'm here to tell you that the D7000 has busted that theory.
Secondly, its much lighter that the D700. I've toyed with the idea of just getting two D7000's and selling the D700 just due to the weight issue. Carrying two D7000's would sure make grueling wedding shots much easier.
Other things the D7000 does better than the D700 are a faster shutter and more mega pixels. I believe the D700 still has the advantage with a superior auto focus system having 53 focus points instead of 39 for the D7000. Also I like the more professional controls and dials on the D700. The D7000 has the consumer grade controls.
So am I going to sell my D700 buy another D7000 and pocket the $1000 worth of difference in the price. Tempting but no. Why you ask. Because the FX camera's allow me to use lens that aren't made for DX. Most professional glass is made for FX camera's. And good glass in my opinion is as important as a good camera. But who knows, after a few more summer wedding's lugging around the D700 I may change my tune. Or maybe I could just get in shape.

The Wedding Book

2011-02-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

Our albums are something I've never talked about on the blog. Which is ashamed because I believe we offer the finest wedding album on the market. Graphi Studios produce our books and they are stunning.
Love at first sight is the only way to describe how you'll feel about these albums. Combining the uniqueness of the handmade binding, the most advanced digital technologies and the creativity of professional designers; this is the finest wedding book on the market. It’s designed by our staff and printed in Italy then shipped right to your front door. Have European elegance right on your coffee table. You will enjoy these product for years to come because they are printed on durable,
archival materials. Words aren’t enough to describe the beauty of this album.
Make an appointment with us and see for yourself.

Kara Hord Senior Pics

2011-02-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

OMG first Senior of the year in February. Now that's never happened before. Actually Kara came in the Fall for the bulk of her senior pics but forgot her Cheer Leading and Volleyball gear. So she popped by the other day to finish up. She's a sweet kid and I think we made some good pics that day. Hope you enjoy.

Cool Graduation Invitations

2011-01-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

Lets face it, most graduation invitations are not cool, they say nothing about your personality and they're expensive. Heck they're using the same graduation invitations they sold when I graduated 100 yrs ago. That's why Hampshire Photography is now offering the coolest invitations on the planet. See examples, Prices and Details below.

How it Works: Pick out your five favorite pics from your Senior Shoot. We'll design a totally unique personal invitation for you. Better still add any text you want, and preview the invitations before your order. Have an invitation that reflects who your are.
And best of all our invitations are literally hundreds of dollars cheaper than those boring invitations.
What it costs:You get 50 invitations with envelopes for only $150 or 100 invitations for only $250. Order by February 15th and get 10 invitations completely free when you order 50 and 25 invitations completely free when you order 100.
Save money on Postage with Digital E-vitations: Think mailing invitations is so outdated. Want to save money on postage. Ask about our E-vitations. With E-vitations we send you a digital file of your custom designed invitations. Then you can send them to your friends and family thru email, Facebook or texting. Your E-vitation design and digital delivery is only $80. With a purchase of 100 invitations get your E-vitations free!!!
What if you haven't had your Senior pictures made yet? No problem. For only $120 we'll shoot your session and give you a free E-vitations. You can also buy regular invitations to send via mail.
Call now 931-285-0257 or email us at jon@hampshirephotographyweb.com.

Last Senior of 2010

2010-12-20T11:45:00.000-08:00

2010 has been a banner year for Seniors. We've had more Seniors than ever and had more fun than ever. Thanks to all of you.
Our last Senior of the year , Marissa Goad, came this weekend. She was great to work. She had some great ideas of her own. I always love that. Thanks for coming Marissa and rounding out year.

2010-11-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

David and Tori Ray came on consecutive weekends for their senior pics. Tori graduated last year and David this year. I had a great time with these siblings. Best wishes guys.

Wedding Photography: 2 Minute Drill

2010-11-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

The best way I've come up with to describe the job of being a wedding photographer is Football's two minute drill. You know, Peyton Manning takes the field, down by 6 with only 2 minutes in the game. He calmly calls the plays, and takes his shots. He better be dead on accurate or a defensive back will take him for a pick 6. If he does well his reward is the touchdown and roar of the crowd. He's got just two minutes and he'd better be brilliant. Alot of pressure right.
Compare this to my job. In Wedding Photography the photographer is the quarterback. The time between the ceremony and reception are your two minutes. You have this short time to take pictures of the wedding party , family members and most importantly the couple. I usually have less than ten minutes with the couple per wedding. You've got to call your shots, expose accurately and be dead on with their and your vision of the perfect pics. You better be brilliant , you better make it memorable or your next job could be shooting a birthday party a Chuckee Cheese. Bride's today demand unique, beautiful and artistic shots. And you've got very little time to deliver that. A groomsmen headed to the wet bar early, a bratty child, or broken equipment could all steal precious time from the most important pictures of your client's life. Alot of pressure right. But if you pull it you'll here the applause. In this case the applause is the next job you could get from this wedding party or a kind word said about your work. Or better yet a large purchase from a pleased relative.
So if you want to be a wedding photographer you better have your zen strapped on. A cross word could loose your next job as quickly as a bad shoot. You must be calm but direct. Patient but in charge. Move quickly but don't hurry. Be brilliant but still get them to the reception before the appetizers are done. Channel your inner Peyton. He's the best , the zen master and you must be too. So go forth little grass hopper and score your touch down. Combining sports, eastern religious analogies and photography. What other blog gives you that. Signing off , Jon Amonette

2010-11-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Matt Hall came as a spectator to his brother Alex's Senior Pictures two years ago. This year it was his turn. Matt and his mother Suzzanne came out to shoot his pics this October. Good to see you guys again. I had fun.

Maury Hills Halloween

2010-10-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

We had such a good time at the Maury Hills Halloween Party. My two favorite were BUZZ Lightyear and the Princess below (aka Jacob and Maddie my kids) . There were alot of cute kids in costume and some adults that got into the mix too. Notable notables that attend were as follows and pictured below. President and Mrs. Obama arrived with a contingent of Secret Service men. Lady Gaga arrived with Barbie. Both were dressed appropriately for the family event. Thank you ladies. And finally my favorite Eli and Peyton Manning showed up. They were able to still be friends even after the drubbing the Colts gave the Giants just weeks ago. Proof of God's loving spirit of forgiveness.

Brittney Hodge Senior Pics : Amber Falls Winery

2010-10-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

Shooting on location around Hampshire has been my deal this year. I get so bored shooting the same things everyday. One of the new locations I use is Amber Falls Winery. If you haven't been there the grounds are absolutely gorgeous. And the wine is great to. Brittney Hodge and her parents accompanied me to Amber Falls Winery to shoot the pics seen here. Brittney was the Homecoming Queen from Mt. Pleasant TN if you couldn't tell that from the sash. Enjoy the pics.

Sara Reed Senior Pics

2010-10-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Sara and her mom came for her Senior Pics during our Fall Break Event. We did some at our studio and then did a shoot off site at a farm nearby. She was fun to shoot and looked natural in front of the camera.

Second Amendment Senior Shoot

2010-10-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

I dubbed this the Second Amendment Senior Shoot. Chelsie Crowell brought her mom , dad and cousin along for her shoot. Dad provided the revolver and rifle seen in the pics. Gotta love the country. The Crowell's are becoming like family. We've shot her brother Kyle's senior pics and her nephew Lucas during Easter and for his newborn pics.
Chelsie didn't want her Senior Pics to look just like her brother's so we went to a nearby farm to add some variety. I constantly try to find new locations to shoot so my work doesn't look all the same. I love getting out of the studio. The pics of the creek swing and the truck are however at our studio. The dog in the truck with Chelsie is Lula out new pup. No animals were harmed during this shoot but Chelsie did sustain a couple of scratches from Lula's puppy nails.
I enjoyed our shoot together and it was good to see the Crowell family again. Thanks guys .

Dalton and Nakiesha Papajeski

2010-09-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest compliments a customer can give you is return business. It tells me the customer was happy with our work. Last year Darla Helton brought her daughter Nakiesha for her senior pictures. We had a great time and took some great pics. This year Darla brought her son Dalton for his Senior pictures. Not wanting his pics to look just like Nakiesha's we went off site to a friends farm for some of his pics. We had a nice shoot with Dalton on the farm and then came back here for the rest. Nakiesha was the only girl to have her pics made with Melanie the Mustang pre paint job. Actually pre seats and interior too. Thanks Darla for trusting us with your kid's senior pics. It was so nice to meet you guys. Oh and by the way seniors. This farm and other farms I use are in Hampshire so there is not extra charge for these locations. We also use a pond nearby and we will soon be using the grounds of the Amber Falls Winery here in Hampshire.

Emily Thompson Senior Shoot

2010-09-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had a great time shooting with Emily Thompson from Santa Fe school. I also got to meet the whole family. Emily brought her mom, two aunts and grandmother. They were all very nice ladies indeed. The ladies in waiting for Emily. The two aunts did the hair and make-up. Mom made sure Emily's clothes were straight and grandmother supervised. We had a great time. Thanks ladies

.

Dustin and Beth

2010-09-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

Wedding's come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. And the flavor of Dustin and Beth's wedding was completely casual. No shoes, No tie, No Problem. Beth , my wife's cousin, has always been an individual so we knew their wedding would be unique. The super cool casual wedding dress was made by my wife's step- mom. This is the third family member's wedding I've done and they are always a blast. I love when family members trust me with their big day.
Dustin and Beth were great to work with. Very relaxed and ready to try anything. Thanks guys for helping me make some original images.
Oh by the way . The dog in their picture is like their child. He actually carried their ring down the isle for them.
He didn't wear a tie of shoes either.
Want to see more of their wedding. Friend me ( Jon Amonette) on Facebook. I've posted more there.

Nikon D7000

2010-09-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Nikon announces its first DSLR this decade. Ok so the decade is only 9 mos old. But in digital years that is a decade. Its like dog years squared. Many say the delay comes from Nikon's recent break with its sensor maker Sony. And presumably this is the Nikon's first DX camera ever with a Nikon made sensor. Brilliant!
A few stats.
-Its a 16 MP DX ( APS sized sensor, not full frame)camera.
- It has an aluminum alloy weather sealed body. First camera produced in this price range with a body that can resist moisture. Very important.
-39 points auto focus. Less than the 53 of my D700 but still pretty good for a dx camera.
-Dual card slots for data back up.
- Video mode 25fps 1920 resolution
-Shutter rated at 150,000 actuation's. Most of Nikon's cameras in this price range are rated at 100,000.

So who needs this camera. Buy this camera if you are an advanced amateur. If you're a beginner get the new Nikon d3100. If you're a pro or semi pro get the D700 . Don't buy the D3 because its the same camera as the D700 for $2000 more in a bigger body. And don't ever ever ever buy the D3x unless you shoot fashion or sports professionally. Don't get me wrong its a great camera but it cost more than my car. No bull. Instead if you need 24mp of resolution buy the Sony a850 or a900. Yes I did just recommend a non-Nikon. Have a great day.

Vacation Photography

2010-09-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

As promised here is my post on Vacation Photography. This is not a post about how to shoot travel photography professionally. This article is about how to shoot great pictures while on your vacation. With Fall Break coming up some of you may be traveling. Enjoy.

1. Shooting Famous Landmarks:
Famous land marks are hard to shoot in original ways. For instance everyone has seen thousands of images of the Statue of liberty. To make your images stand apart you've got to find a new perspective. If you hear, " Wow that looks like a Post Card" you know your image is good but not terribly original. Which isn't always bad. I've got some postcardish images below. But if you want unique images of iconic places try these tips. Look at the pictures I've shot of the statue of Liberty and the St.Louis Arch. They don't look like Post Cards I hope . What sets them apart is they are taken from different perspectives. How did I achieve this. First , resolve to shoot the landmark differently than what you've seen in the past. Picture in your mind how you've seen the subject photographed before and dare to be different. One good way to do this is to walk. Walking around the subject allows you to see it from different angles and perspectives. See where most tourists are shooting then walk away to look for a unique perspective. Walk up close and far away, squat, lay on the ground climb on something. Anything you can do to get a fresh look.
To sum it up your shot should be unique. People seeing the image should still be able to recognize the iconic subject but then say "Wow, I've never seen it shot like that before". Now that's a compliment.

2. Composing Your Image: A few tips on how to compose a good image.

First: Lead in lines. Notice the dock in the image of the lighthouse below. It leads your eye in to the main subject, the lighthouse. This is called a lead in line. Here I've used the dock as a lead in line but your lead in line can be whatever is available. A sidewalk, hand rail, RR tracks, road ect..

Second: Use the Rule of Thirds. Notice the Lighthouse is slightly off center in the right upper third of the photo. This leads your eye in allowing you to see all the details of the photo but emphasizing the subject. Putting your subject directly in the middle can cuse your eye to ignore important details in the photo.

Third: Putting something in the foreground gives the image depth. Look at the photo of Shay Stadium below. Notice in the foreground the fans doing the wave. This does a couple of things. First it gives perspective to the size and scope of the stadium. Also it adds some life to the photo. It allows you to feel the sense of revelry going on at the game. It gives it emotion.

3. Night and Sunset:
love to shoot at night. Nothing projects more intrigue or romance than a night image. And when it comes to romance nothing is more romantic the France's Eiffel Tower (see pic below). On our honeymoon my wife and I stayed just steps from the Eiffel Tower. On our way out one night we stopped and took this shot right after a light rain. Observe the small puddles on the path serving as a lead in line. Puddle hopping your eye right to the Eiffel tower in the upper 1/3 of the image.
This would have been a good shot in daylight, but at night its fantastic I think.
Next to night my next favorite time to shoot is sunset. Sunset gives God a chance to show off the beautiful array of colors he created. The sunset image below was shot from a boat on the Sea of Galilee. It was taken with a point and shoot Ricoh that cost maybe $100 bucks. This is my all time favorite image, that I've shot anyway. It hangs in my studio as a 20x30. Only sunset could produce such stunning color. In addition to the stunning color the most prominent mountain is slightly off center in the left upper part of the photo. Room for your eye to move.

A couple of notes of shooting at night and sunset. Obviously this is a low light situation, so it may be helpful to bring a tripod. But remember you're on vacation. Bring the smallest tripod you can. I have a tripod with telescoping legs that extended is 5 feet tall and collapsed is less than 1 foot. It easily fits in a camera bag or even a deep cargo pants pocket. I shot the pic of the Eiffel tower with it and the Pics of Big Ben below. Or buy a Nikon D700. The low light King. I recently took a night shot at ISO 6400 with no tripod and it looks stellar. Plug for Nikon.

3. Have fun and include your friends:
Remember you're on vacation. The shot of Big Ben (below) was taken 20 feet outside a pub my wife and I were patronizing. The night we shot this we planned to have dinner and drinks nearby. We scouted before dinner and waited in a pub until the sun went down. After dinner and a pint of Ale I was fresh relaxed and ready to take this shot. So have fun.

Include your friends and family. You don't corner the market on ideas. Chances are your friends have some pretty good ideas for shots. The shot of the Arch below was a suggested by my friend Aaron while we were crossing the street. It took two seconds to capture the image standing in the middle of the street. I wouldn't have noticed it but for his suggestion. Notice the lead in line and foreground provided by the flower beds. He's no photographer but his eye noticed that unconsciously. Thanks Aaron.

Another word on travel companions. Don't insist or hound your travel partners to spend the whole vacation chasing down shots. Chances are you're already planning to go alot of places where great shots are available. If you're already at these places they probably won't mind you walking around a few minutes finding perspective and a great shot.

Finally, don't pack tons of gear. Only take what you can carry comfortably to museums, ballgames or wherever you plan to go. I carry one DSLR with a 18-300 lens and a small tripod. The 18-300 provides you every focal length you could ever possibly need. And companies like Tamron and Sigma make them for about $300.

So I hope these suggestions help. This is far from a comprehensive article. I'm sure you can think of more suggestions. But if you follow these simple steps you can bring home the best souvenir ever. Great pics.

St Louis

2010-09-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

My first love in photography was travel photography. It's were I cut my teeth so to speak. Long before I shot people professionally I lugged 30 rolls of film to Europe to shoot architecture. These pics are fresh off the camera from my trip this weekend to St. Louis. If you've never been to St. Louis I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful friendly city with tons to do. I'm going to post tomorrow my philosophy of vacation photography. But for tonight just the pics. Hope you enjoy .

A Family Affair

2010-09-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

In 2009 I got the chance to be the wedding photographer for Jill Grooms and Aaron Barber. This year we shot Josh Grooms (Jill's brother) and Chelsea Craig's wedding. I love shooting the same family twice because you already know everyone. You feel like family. Thanks for trusting me with your big day guys. Here's a Mixture of their wedding days'.

Fall

2010-09-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Fall is a magical time of year. Its one of God's best creations. It makes an ordinary scene a work of art and this year promises to be no exception. Make your appointment soon to insure you get a spot. There is merit to waiting till this time of year for your Senior of family Portraits.

A Good Catch

2010-09-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is Candace and Galan's Engagement Pics. They are a super fun couple who's wedding I am doing in October at the Factory. I actually just met with them this evening at the Factory to plan their day. I look forward to working with them and shooting my first wedding at the Factory. The Blog Post title is obvious due to one of the pics. Galan is a big fisherman and thinks he's caught his best catch. He's right Candace.

Young Love

2010-09-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

This a couple from Forrest School in Marshall Co. Kimberly Rochester came first in July. We did part of her shoot at the studio and then hiked down to the waterfall for the rest. Her boyfriend Tyler Mckenzie came in August. I had such a great time meeting both of them. And check it out. They're making puppy dog eyes at each other in front of Melanie the Mustang. Ahh Young love.

5 Simple Tips to New Photographers

2010-09-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

5 Simple Tips to New Photographers

1. Prepare to run a business. Most people that are good at photography aren't good business people. Take some business courses or join the Professional Photographer Association for support and education.
2. Gear
Don't buy too much camera t first. Buy the cheapest thing you can while you learn. I was shooting great images back in 2003 with a 6mp D70. There is actually a guy in NYC selling 11x14's for thousands of dollars shot with a D70. Want to know more: Read this:http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm . When you do build up your skills and go pro. Buy two aluminium weather sealed bodies. Like the Nikon D700 or Nikon D300. Weather sealed aluminum bodies will hold up to the rigors of shooting in all types of weather and situations. You don't want your camera to break when its banged, dropped or rained on during a shoot.
More on gear. Always , always always show up to a shoot with no less than two cameras, two lens, and two flashes. Even good cameras break. You don't want to be embarrassed, loose a customer or possibly get sued if your gear fails. I've had a cameras, lens and a flash go bad while shooting. No sweat I had an extra.
Buy only cheap lights at first. I have an Adorama 150 watt strobe that cost $60. It's light, compact and great for in home shoots. I still use it today. Buy one of these with an umbrella to start out. Or a couple of JTL-160's. I bought two of these when I started and used them for 5 yrs until they broke. Now I have an expensive set of Interift's I carry to wedding's. But to start I bought cheap. And later you can use those cheap lights for kicker or hair lights.
4. Work for free: Do your first shoots for free. First of all everybody kinda sucks a first. I did. So shot hundreds of pics of your friends and family for free practice. Shoot atleast 2 weddings for free before you ask for money. And if you're still not up to par shoot more for free. Enjoy learning the art of photography. Read , look at other photographers work, work for a pro for free and don't go pro unless you're good. Not when you're mom tells you you're good but when complete strangers think you're good. If you jump in too soon you'll get a bad name. And then you'll go out of business. Your technical skills with the camera and lighting have to become second nature. A so called "Eye for Photography" will do you no good if you can't capture technically what your artistic eye sees. Once your technics are up to par then you can focus on important things like composure and framing. In other words putting your "Eye for photography" to work.
5. Loving photography is important but not enough. Lots of people love photography. I'm told everyday by people they'd love to do photography for a living. But what they don't see is all the time after the shoot. For every hour of shooting plan on, one hour of image editing, one hour of uploading or placing the order and one hour of working with the Customer. Likewise consider the cost. If you make $100 you'll keep about $30 of that. You have to pay for processing, 25% for Uncle Sam, 10% for local taxes, marketing, equipment maintenance, and on and on and on. Let me temper hat with this. Only shoot what you love. Don't just shoot what pays. For instance, team sports photography pays good but bore me to death. Why because if I don't like it I will suck at it and get a bad name. I don't do assembly line photography. I'm not wired that way. Again shoot waht you love and you'll excell.

Well hope this helps photography dudes and dudets.

Sony A850 Evaluation

2010-09-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Warning this is a photo nerd article:

I recently bought a Sony a850. After 15 years of shooting Nikon this was a big adjustment (I still kept my Nikon D700). I evaluated this camera for about 3 weeks. There were times when I thought of selling and going with another Nikon . But after getting to know if I've decided its a wonderful camera and I'll keep it.

Compared to the D700:

1. Higher resolution allows bigger crops and enables to print billboard size prints if that's what you like to do. (Although resolution is not nearly as important as camera manufactures lead you to believe see:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm)

2. The most important thing a camera does is record color. This is far more important than resolution and even sharpness. The Sony a850 has pleasing colors that are very similar to the Nikon d700. Not surprising because Sony has been making Nikon's sensors for years.

3. Low Light, High ISO performance. This is also very important if you're a wedding or sports photographer. High ISO performance allows you to shoot images with relatively low noise in low light situation w/o a tripod. The Sony is ok at this giving good results up to 1600. The Nikon D700 blows the Sony away in this category. I regularly capture acceptable images at ISO 3200 with the Nikon. It is literally twice as good. But still the Sony is still pretty good at this.

4. Ergonomics: Nikon is the leader in the industry in ergonomics. Every Nikon Camera I've ever owned was easy to learn to use ( Excepting the ergonomics disaster that was the N70). Having said that the a850 isn't terrible in this category. The most annoying thing is adjusting the exposure compensation. You have to push the exposure comp button while simultaneously turning the the control dial with the same hand. Hard to do unless you happen to have a 6th finger. But despite this draw back overall is pretty good.

5. Image stabilization: The a850 has a sensor that provides image stabilization within the body. Most other camera manufactures, including Nikon, do not. Nikon and Cannon a few select lens that offer image stabilization. And even fewer lens if your shoot full frame. This limitation narrows your choice of lens and makes them more expensive. Meanwhile, any Sony/Minolta lens you buy will automatically have image stabilization in the Sony body. Which means you can buy a cheaper lens from 20 yrs ago and you're good. I have a 50mm 1.7 Minolta lens that cost $60 bucks. Sharpe as hell and image stabilized by Sony body. This is a huge advantage for the Sony.

6. Focusing system: The Nikon has 51 auto focus points in the view finder. It's accurate and fast so I rarely use manual selection of focus points. Actually never. The Sony only has 13 and isn't nearly as fast or accurate as the Nikon while in auto selection mode. So I almost always use the manual focus setting on the Sony. Which is fine if your subject is standing still. Not so good for sports, kids or wedding receptions. I only shoot the Nikon in those situations.

7. Shutter Speed: This is a clear advantage to the Nikon with 5 frames per second compared to the Sony at only 3 fps. Again the Nikon is better for moving things.

8. Build quality. Both have weather sealed aluminum bodies. Both feel rugged and heavy in your hand. Qualities you must have in professional photography. In the course of shooting a wedding or sporting event you will likely bang or even drop your camera. You don't want if falling to pieces on such occasions. Equally important is weather sealing. Don't shoot professionally without it. I've been rained on, fallen in creeks and been up to my chest in water shooting professionally. In each situation no sweat with a weather sealed body. Get one.

Conclusions: So which camera is best. Neither. Each is designed for different purposes. The Nikon D700 is designed to shoot low light fast moving situations where fast focusing and high ISO are possible. The Sony a850 is designed to shoot high resolution for portraits or landscapes when HUGE prints are needed. I use each respectively for these purposes. And don't be afraid to buy from two different camera manufactures. Its really not all that more expensive. And if you're married to one brand you may miss out on a great camera. Hope you enjoyed this terribly nerdy post.

FIRE!!!!!

2010-09-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

To be sure yo should never play with fire....unless you're a professional photographer. Fire can add drama to a shot. Check out these super HOT images of seniors from three different school. They weren't afraid of a little heat. Drum sticks and baseball bats ablaze. I haven't set a guitar on fire yet like The Who but I can always dream.

CA Senior: Saranda Mae

2010-09-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

It's fun to meet seniors from all over the state from different schools. Saranda, a CA senior , found us through a friend of my wife's. Check out her super cool shoot. If you look close the other girl in one photo is named, Melanie, my Mustang. Melanie, however, was out shined by Saranda's fierce eyes and glowing smile. Sorry Mel.

Growing

2010-09-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most gratifying things about being a photographer is looking back at your work to see how you've grown. Equally gratifying is seeing how your customer's families have grown . In July I got the chance to do both. In 2008 I had the opportunity to do Senior Pictures for Andrew Arledge. This year the Arledge family brought their daughter Ashley for her Senior Pictures. So in this blog post I thought I'd highlight the Arledge family. Look closely in Andrew's pic to see his reflection beside the bowtie. And see Ashley's contrast from a thoughtful Cowgirl to an exuberant leap from the bed of her truck.

Barber Wedding

2009-10-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do as a photographer is to shoot weddings. Especially when your bride and groom are easy going and great to work with like Aaron and Jill. On October 3rd I had the fortune to photograph Aaron and Jill Barber's wedding. The small church in Mt Pleasant TN was packed with friendly guest and family. I was pleased to have a wedding so close to home. Most of my weddings are more than an hour away. The reception was at Park Place in Columbia which has some of the best catering around. Served and prepared by owner and caterer Cheryl Craig she make some of the best italian food on the planet. The Wine was provided by Keg Springs winery from Hampshire. The best man Brian owns the winery. Friendship has its perks. We wish Jill and Aaron the best.

Jason and Meredith

2009-09-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasure to serve as Jason and Meredith's wedding photographer in August. It was truly a heart warming ceremony. There were 4 musical performances during the ceremony including: a guitar and vocal performance by Meredith's sisters, a pianist, a flautist and violin ( that's fiddle and flute for all you folks) and a vocal duet from the bride and groom.
Jason is a surgical resident at Vanderbilt Hospital and Meredith works at Vandy as an RN. As remarkable as those careers are its not the most memorable thing about these two. Foremost, in their lives is a love for Christ that calls them both to medical missions. This devotion to Christ was shown and felt by the two during their wedding day. Good luck to Meredith and Jason in marriage and there future missions work.

Senior Of the Week: Allyson

2009-07-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

Allyson a senior from Central High actually came a couple of weeks ago but I have not been able to blog since then. I enjoyed working with Allyson and her mom who works as a teacher at Hampshire School. As you can see we had a full day starting at our studio and then going to the rail road tracks and the waterfall. Allyson was a good subject who brought some beautiful clothes to where. She even made it to the bottom of the waterfall without messing up her outfit. Sadly her mom was not so lucky blowing out her flip flop half way down. Bummer. But we improvised rigging her flip flop with a lens cleaning cloth and a rubber band seen below worn by Allsyson. Photographer and Cobbler my business card should read. Thanks alot guys for the fun day.

2009-07-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Allyson is my first Central High Senior of the year. When she turned 18 she got a tatoo on the back of her neck which we worked into one of the pictures. She was a natural infront of the camera and was fun to shoot. One thing I always find challenging is comming up with new ways to shoot my same outdoor props. I get so bored shooting the same thing, the same way. I've been trying to see my old props from different angles and use different techniques. Also we've added our 1966 Mustang shown in another post and brought back the Iron Fountain after some much needed repairs. Inside we have a new rock wall as a seen and we've added some antique furniture for more formal pics. And of course in the studio I'm always experimenting. Hopefully, with these things I can keep my work fresh and avoid redundancy. Enjoy Allyson's pics.

Morning shoot 7/10/2009

2009-07-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

My morning shoot today were two cousins, Addison and Carter. They were 15mos and 18mos which could turned into disastorious cry fest. Fortunately, they were both in a good mood and we had a wonderful morning shoot.

People think that camera's that shoot 5 frames a second were made for sports shooters. Rubbish!! Super fast cameras were made for shooting two kids under 2 at the same time. Hold the trigger down and shoot shoot shoot. Take 300 pics and use 100. You'll look like a genius. Sports shooters subjects are relatively predictable compared to toddlers. Guess where Koby is going...that's right to the hoop. Guess what the two year old will do? God only knows.

2009-07-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hannah and her mom came out for her ten year pictures today. She was a good girl who was very easy to work with. She said she loved having her picture made. The only thing she liked more was playing in our creek after her session. She proudly found a crab claw to carry home. She was smart too, she asked,

"Did you buy this house because it had alot of good places for pictures." I answered no, but that was the first child to make that observation.

2009-07-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

Kirstin's father was formerly stationed at Ft Campbell but the family was recenlty transfered to MO. She had kept in touch with her friend Samantha and she wanted her senior pics made in TN so Samantha could be in them. So while visiting Samantha they came down from Clarksville for some pics. We did some at the studio then went down to Still House Hollow Falls. It was a fun day. Her mother and Grandmother hiked with us. Hope I'm still able to make that hike when I have a 17 yr old grand daughter. Its about a 25 minute strenoues Hike. Good kids too. This summer their going to Nicaragua to build a church. Good luck girls and God Bless. And I was flattered that they came all the way from MO and respectively Clarksville to have their pics made here. Thanks guys. ( I'm also pleased I spelled Nicaragua right wihout looking it up.)

2009-07-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

A cheerleader and gymnast Lewis County Senior Nakeshia was cofident infront of the camera and fun to shoot. A fellow Mustang driver she was the first person to pose with my 1966 Mustang. She's a good kid and we wish her luck in the future. Check out the pics and let me know what you think.

2009-06-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Okay after almost a month I finally have time to update some of my new weddign work. The below four weddings are from May and June 2009. This wedding is Paul and Amy Welsh who were married at St Stephens Catholic Church in Old Hickory. They were a blast to work for as you'll see from these pictures. Prayer garden out back was great to shoot in as you'll see from some of these pictures. These dress Amy was wearing was the same dress her mother wore only modified and modernized.

Nashville Wedding

2009-06-27T18:31:00.001-07:00

William and Shannon had their wedding at William's church and had the reception at Arial Nashville. Arial Nashville is a roof top reception hall that overlooks Broadway. As you can see from some of the pictures they were a fun couple to work with who weren't afraid to try new things.

Sandy Hook Wedding

2009-06-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Not many people who are "not from around here" will know will Sandy Hook is. Before three weeks ago I would have never been there. But after this fun wedding I hope I get to go back. Shannon Seagraves and Greg Glass had a wonderful wedding. the guest and family were great to work with and the cake was good. Plus they had one of the coolest props seen here in these photos. What more can you ask for.

Union Station Wedding

2009-06-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

I finally got to shoot a wedding at Union Station. Jesse Borrman and Matt Perrine were a great couple to work for and I think we got some great pics that day. They presently live in New Jersey but came to Nashville to get married because there parents live here. I wish them all the best luck in the world.

2009-05-19T06:58:00.001-07:00

My latest Senior has aspirations to be a photographer. Her mother even says she'll set up her camera and take pictures of herself. If I did that I'd be in need of a new camera. A photographer she may turn out to be but I think she's a natural in front of the camera. I had alot of fun with this shoot. A nice person and a good looking kid with ease in front of the lens. In these first shots I've continued with my recent theme of old fashion hollywood shots. The genre has me captures at the moment. Further down we have more relaxed country scenes and an ultra mod wind blowning in the hair shot. Tell me what you think .

Nick and Candace Brewer Wedding

2009-05-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

On May 3rd, 2009 we had the pleasure of shooting Nick and Candace Brewer's wedding. We've known the two for quite a while. Years ago Candace was my first paying customer with her girls Kaylee and Chloe. She been a loyal customer ever since and has sent me countless referals. Also as my wife's hairdresser she keeps my lady looking beautiful. Nick and his family go to church with us. He's a fun loving guy so we were excited to find out the two were going to tie the knot. Check out a few photos from their wedding and tell me what you think. May's Special: Refer any bride or groom to be and if they book a wedding get a free photo shoot for you and your family.

Photogenic

2009-04-28T18:38:00.001-07:00

Chances are you think you're really not photogenic. I don't and I'm a photographer. I prefer to be behind the camera.

The truth is being photogenic is all about confidence. Being relaxed in front of the camera is vital to making good photos. As photographer my job is to get people into that relaxed state and I'm pretty good at it. But sometimes you shoot a person who is just natrually relaxed and confident in front of the camera. Such was the case with Joe who I shot for his senior pictures on Friday. Check the natrual poses we were able to capture. Cool kid.

No Boring, Over Priced Prom Pics

2009-04-20T16:42:00.001-07:00

Kaitlyn and her mom didn't want to settle for boring overpriced prom pictures. You know the ones their taken between two white columns with the prom theme in the background. If I really wanted to entertain you in this blog I'd post my prom pics mullet and all. But I digress. So when Kaitlyn's mom contacted me I knew exactly the generic photography she wanted to avoid. She wanted something she could look back on in 20 years and be proud of. No columns no cheesy theme just a pretty girl in a beautiful dress. With Kaitlyn's pictures I was trying to portray the classic glamour shots of Hollywood. Later we did a few outside that were nore casual. Take a look and see if you think we acheived our goal.

Life Happening: Easter

2009-04-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest things about being a photographer is that daily you get to see life happen. I've been to countless wedding's, seen numerous seniors ready to enter the world and taken pics of more newborns that I can remember. This Easter Sunday was no different. I was fortunate enough to take nearly 100 kids pics at church with my live bunnies Max and Ruby. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive at first to tackle such a big undertaking. My fears were assuaged when the first kids came in and smiled from ear to ear holding the bunnies. I hope everybody had as good as time as I had. Hopefully Max and Ruby will be back next year. Until then enjoy the pics I've attached to this blog. Or log on to see them all at http://www.hampshirephotographyweb.com/ event code mauryhills.