We are excited to launch Burkeshops - Photography Workshops. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love to teach and am so encouraged by the number of aspiring photographers in this world, that want to create better images!
Next Monday, 6/29/2009 I am pleased to have Heather Lahtinen (http://weddingsbyheather.com) joining me for a One Day Workshop. Heather and I will be teaching about Equipment, Exposure, Composition, Lighting and Post-Processing. This will be an intimate workshop open to 6 participants. We are really looking forward to having you here and learning together. It is going to be a great day packed with tons of information! Our goal is to equip you with a great foundation, so you can move forward with confidence.
Click the image below and contact us if you are interested in attending.
I want to share my Pre Wedding Checklist with you. This is a great habit to get into when preparing for any shoot. If you have anything else to add, please leave some comments for the rest of us. At the very least, hopefully it will help you to get a little more organized. I can't function without reminders and checklists!
Dane Sanders is a good friend of mine, who has spread nothing but love to our industry. Dane is a model example of a giver. If you have not picked up a copy of his book, Fast Track Photographer, do so today. You can get the paperback, pdf or audio version. This should be a staple in any photographer's library.
Dane also has the Fast Track Forum, Fast Track Coaching and AskDane.com. All of these are wonderful resources that are filled with a tight group of photographers with one common goal. Helping each other.
Here is a little taste of AskDane.com. Do yourself a favor and check out all that Dane has to offer.
I love Dane's take on this topic. Please share this with those who may benefit. Who are you going to give to today?
I get asked some questions time and time again. It makes sense to start compiling a public list of answers. Here is the start.
Q. What kind of camera should I buy? A. The BEST you can AFFORD. If you want to take photography seriously do what you can to purchase the best digital SLR you can. For simplicity a Digital SLR is a camera body that enables you to change lenses. My advice is to NOT go into debt to make the purchase. If you are just getting your feet wet, eBay has lots of 2-3 year old models of Digital SLR's to choose from. Just because they are older technology does not mean that they make bad photographs.
Q. What type of lense should I use? A. Type of lense to use depends on a number of situations. Again, buy the BEST you can AFFORD. You can also find decent deals on used lenses, however I recommend buying new to secure the warranty. The more you shoot the more wear and tear to your gear. Camera bodies come and go, but good Glass lasts a lifetime. Save, Save, Save to buy Great Glass. 2.8 Lenses or faster. Preferably from the manufacturer of your camera body (Nikon or Canon)
Q. What kind of equipment do you use? A. Nikon Professional Equipment. I have been shooting Nikon since I first took photography seriously. I started with a film body called the Nikon N70 and never looked back. I love the way Nikon feels in my hands and their reliability. They are built like tanks and just work. I love my Nikons. All of my camera bodies and lenses are Nikon Brand.
Q. Are you Mac or PC? A. Mac. Like my Nikons, they just work. They are beautiful, intuitive and fun to use.
Q. How much money can I make as a photographer? A. This can range greatly! First I would ask myself these questions. Am I passionate about this?, Do I have the skills and discipline? Am I ready to WORK HARD? What type of photography do I want to pursue and why?
IMHO Money $$ without Meaning is pointless.
Q. What do you love most about being a photographer? A. I get to see people at their best and happiest most often. I get to spend time building relationships and enriching others lives. I also am blessed to have this passion that I continually get to improve upon, learning new things Everyday.
My good friends Justin and Mary Marantz do a series of posts on their blog called 'Pancake Session' where they answer the many questions they receive, publicly. Mary is a talented writer and has a huge heart to help others. Yes, Justin too! J&M are a wonderful couple and fantastic photographers. I learn something everytime I am around them. Check out their Pancake Posts and check back often.
PS - I had the pleasure of working with J&M last week on Block Island for an Engagement session. It was fantastic! Here is a snap that Mary grabbed of Justin and me in Action. I felt like Lloyd Christmas for sure! LOL.
Welcome to my Blog for Photographers, 'David Burke's Shoot N Learn'. We will call it SNL for short :-). I am so excited to start posting here! I think of photography, gear, tech, stories and life constantly so I want to share with all of you. We will post videos, thoughts, techniques, tutorials, etc... I encourage you all to share as well. If you have an idea/video to share, please send and we will post.
About a year ago I decided to start a group in Pittsburgh, affectionately called 'Shoot N Learn'. This great group of people has inspired me to be a better photographer, but more importantly a better person.
I always look forward to our get togethers because we get to reconnect in person instead of cyberworld. I always learn something new and typically make a new friend in the process. I can't say enough good things about this group. Thank you all!
This year I have not been able to organize the gatherings as much as I would like, because some other priorities needed to be addressed. This has left a void for me. I cannot wait to get together again!
Because our group is pretty large, it is hard to actually go out and "Shoot n Learn" each time we are together. I have been thinking about better ways to stay in touch and keep this going more consistently and globally. I thought it would be a great idea to start this blog to post video tips, resources, links, etc... so that we can continue to share with each other and anyone else that is interested.
I still want to get together at least bi-monthly so that we can talk shop, have guest speakers, and continue to build our community for the better.
I treasure you all and look forward to seeing you soon. I am planning a June GTG so please stay tuned.
Without further adieu, I want to share a video for our inaugural post. This video shows my typical wedding equipment setup. It is not a complete 'What's in the Bag?' (this will come), rather a summary of my most used equipment that I carry with me throughout the day.
Hope you enjoy! Please share with anyone that may benefit.
