30 gorgeous photos from #MinimalistPhotographyAwards that show the power of simplicity: https://zorz.it/qPonq
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30 gorgeous photos from #MinimalistPhotographyAwards that show the power of simplicity: https://zorz.it/qPonq
#SaumyaRatan #winners #ContemporaryMinimalistPhotography #images #creativity #ProfessionalPhotographers #PowerOfSimplicity #minimalism
Capture One 22 Brings Panoramic Stitching, HDR Merging, and More
Capture One has announced Capture One 22, which the company claims brings improved performance, support for the latest cameras, panoramic photo stitching, and HDR merging. The update also opens up the door for more features coming in 2022, such as the company's first cloud and tablet products.
Rafael Orta, CEO of Capture One, says that the latest update is "the culmination of months of technological innovation" and has been built upon the "software's DNA for 'true to life' image color that is both reliable and fast." Capture One 22 comes optimized for Apple M1, M1 Pro, M1 Pro Max, macOS Monterey, and Windows 11. It will officially support the newest three macOS versions at the time of release. As a note, macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) will not be supported.
The update introduces some highly requested features, such as Panorama Stitching and HDR Merging. For these features, users can only use RAW files and the output image cannot exceed 715 megapixels. However, the built-in scaling option in Panorama Stitching will help achieve this and the actual limit of files is largely dependent on hardware.
The new Panorama Stitching capability allows users to easily merge multiple photos into a singular perfect panorama. Capture One says it is a great way to create sweeping vistas and wide panoramic images, but it is also used to increase the megapixel count in your photographs and create imagery that simultaneously has a shallow depth of field and a wide-angle of view using the Brenizer Method.
Capture One HDR Merging allows users to quickly combine multiple shots taken with different exposure settings into one image to maximize dynamic range. This allows the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows to be captured and used in the photo, creating natural-looking high dynamic range images that are more true to how the human eye sees the scene.
Capture One 22 has also added Wireless Tethering for selected Canon cameras, such as Canon R5 and R3, and Auto Rotate which is the company's first AI feature. Canon R3 is also one of the newly added cameras supported in the software, alongside Sony Alpha 7 IV, the Nikon Z9, and several Canon lenses.
The new cameras also come with an added ProStandard color profile. For any older unsupported camera profiles, the company notes that if there are enough requests for a given camera, it will consider adding it.
With Capture One 22, the company says that Catalog performance on Windows has been heavily improved, making it significantly faster to browse, filter, and search albums and folders. The new software also has the ability to automatically rotate large image batches simultaneously.
Existing Capture One users can download the new version at no extra cost, while those new to the software can see all pricing options on the company's website.
#news #postprocessing #software #captureone #captureone22 #captureoneforfuji #captureonefornikon #captureoneforsony #editing #editingsoftware #photoediting #photoeditingsoftware #postproduction #professionalphotographers #update
Photographers Are Taken Advantage of, and Enough is Enough
Like chameleons, we photographers change with our environment to survive and thrive. It's inspiring to see the way we have risen to new and ever-evolving challenges in the industry. Yet, photographers are being taken advantage of now more than ever.
The photography industry constantly shifts as technology continuously advances. Photographers have shown resilience, creativity, and brilliance in adapting to changes in our industry. And yet our needs to feed our families and earn a livable wage have been neglected.
We are tired of being undervalued. We are tired of being treated like we're disposable. We are tired of being lied to, often by our so-called industry partners.
Below is a not-so-brief glimpse at what we have had to endure over the past few decades.
The Shift from Film to Digital
From the birth of photography in the 1840s, images were recorded on film. The process felt like magic, but it was science—fairly complex science involving light, chemicals, and chemical reactions. Cameras advanced over the years, but the process remained basically the same until the 1990s.
That's when digital technology emerged, forever changing the photography industry. Digital photography is faster and more convenient. It produces better quality images that don't require the use of sometimes toxic chemicals.
But for some photographers, the transition from film to digital wasn't easy.
Digital photography requires different skills. As a result, it can feel less creative, artistic, and meticulous. Unfortunately, it also makes the industry more accessible, which means more competition—and sometimes, less respect for the profession.
Ultimately, many photographers adjusted to and even embraced the change. But new technology means new ways for photographers to get shortchanged and exploited.
Let's look at seven ways photographers are getting screwed over and what we can do about it.
Stock Sites
Stock sites started as a good option for photographers to earn extra income in the digital world. Today, they've become yet another place where photographers cannot make a solid living. Sure, big companies like Shutterstock are flush in cash. But the photographers who provide their content certainly aren't.
Every stock photo platform has its process. In general, the outlets sell the photos and collect most of the revenue. A photographer who submits their images does get a small percentage of the sale. On Shutterstock, for example, photographers can earn between 15 and 40 percent of the selling price. Shutterstock pockets the other 60 to 85 percent. You must sell 25,000 or more photos through the site before you get the "privilege" of earning 40 percent of the selling price for your images.
"In the last ten years, the prices have just dropped through the floor," says author and industry expert Jim Pickerel. "If you're not selling at volume, you're not going to make enough to make up for the low price."
Photographers on stock sites earn an average of $.02 a month per photo. Yes, two pennies. Let's say you price a full-time living at $4,000 per month. To earn a full-time living selling stock photos for two pennies monthly, you'd have to upload about 200,000 images. And you'd have to upload dozens or hundreds the next month—and the month after that.
How long would it take you to plan, shoot, and edit 200,000 photos? Then upload them and add titles, descriptions, and keywords? All for $4,000 gross revenue monthly (before expenses, taxes, insurance, etc.) while major companies line their pockets on your hard work. Here are our two cents: That's crap, and you deserve better.
Why Are Prices So Low?
You might wonder how stock photo sites get away with paying photographers so poorly. Wouldn't photographers leave the platform, forcing them to offer a better deal?
When you sell anything through the internet, you're not just competing with people in your area, you're competing with people around the globe. Cost of living differs by location, and some photographers can survive off much lower prices than others.
Plus, circumstances differ from person to person. Some people have other individual or household incomes, viewing photography as a side hustle or a fun hobby. So they're content with not getting paid much. This keeps prices low because, for every photographer who won't accept $.02 a month, there are dozens of photographers who will. (Our point here isn't to blame other photographers but to explain the difficulties of competing in a global marketplace.)
Additionally, there are several stock photo sites where photographers give away high-quality images for free. Obviously, this isn't great news for people who want to earn a living through stock photography. It's simply hard to compete with free.
Consumer Printing Sites
We've all heard of consumer printing sites like Shutterfly and Tinyprints. We even find them useful ourselves. Still, they take away (or at least shrink) another source of revenue for photographers.
In the past, many photographers made good money printing portraits or holiday cards for clients. Now, clients can print their photos online. Many printing sites also offer tools like cropping and retouching. Some consumers still recognize that photographers can provide better quality work than a printing site. Still, many more opt for the most affordable alternative.
So, with the advent of consumer printing sites, the photographer's business model had to shift a bit. And move it did. There are still full-service studios (known in the industry as in-person sales) that provide a high-end service along with high-end products. Meanwhile, other photographers decided to lean into the digital offerings and include digital products in their packages.
For a while, this worked, photographers could choose the style they preferred and earn a living either way. Those who went digital viewed digital options as another product and priced accordingly. As a result, they didn't have to spend as much time putting together albums or visiting clients' homes to measure for art, freeing up more time to shoot.
Photographers had adapted successfully. The crisis was averted…until social media burst onto the scene.
Social Media and the Rise of Bad Advice
As social media skyrocketed to popularity, spreading misinformation and lousy advice became more accessible than ever. The result was a race to the bottom in pricing.
New photographers gave pricing advice to other new photographers—particularly in Facebook groups—like, "My mini sessions are $35 for all the images." The dangers of using social media as a professional development tool are especially troubling in industries like photography. With no training or no certification needed to become a photographer, photographers are left to fend for themselves. It's easy to follow bad advice just because it's popular or sounds credible.
Established photographers tried to offer to mentor and by creating their own groups. They wanted to provide genuinely helpful advice to counter all the terrible advice floating around on social media. But it was like trying to patch a leaky boat with chewing gum.
Photographers don't have an easy way to calculate what to charge, and many severely underprice themselves. The prevalence of wrong information on social media certainly doesn't help. Social media also makes it easier for inexperienced photographers to steal work from others and claim it as their own. This practice sometimes lends false credibility to their uninformed opinions and advice.
Misinformation on the Web
On top of social media, the internet is full of misinformation about photography pricing.
Wedding Websites
Here's an example: WeddingWire has a "wedding photographer cost guide" on their website. The guide is based on couples who reported how much they paid for photography within their WeddingWire reviews.
This information is misleading for several reasons. The world is a vast place, and packages and budgets vary widely. Some people could have misreported data. Others could have received a discount from a photographer, friend, or family member. Not only does this guide provide inaccurate pricing expectations to engaged couples, but it also misleads new photographers on how to price themselves.
According to WeddingWire, the average photography cost for a wedding is $2,000. So, let's just see how much a photographer would earn. The average full-time wedding photographer shoots is between 21-28 weddings a year. So, if they charge $2,000 per shoot, let’s use 25 weddings as an average statistic - they will make a total of $50,000 in revenue annually. Given a higher profit margin of 25% in the photography industry, this means the wedding home photographer would take home a whopping $12,500 a year. And that's before taxes and health insurance. It's irresponsible and disappointing for non-experts like WeddingWire to circulate misleading information online.
Influencer Blogs
Influencers and blogs worsen the problem by providing "tips" on how to get cheaper rates. For instance, some even advise telling your photographer it's an event to get a more affordable rate on wedding photography. (This is unethical: Shooting a wedding is entirely different from shooting a birthday party.)
Another tip we've seen: "Get a free boudoir shoot from your photographer when you're getting ready for the big day!" (In reality, a boudoir shoot is entirely different from the five minutes allocated for getting ready photos.)
These tips create significant headaches for photographers, with clients angling for low prices using shady strategies they found online.
Photography Software Companies
Even photography software companies publish misinformation online. Many of these companies have photography blogs, but it's clearly not a photographer sitting behind the keyboard.
For instance, we recently saw a blog article on "how to price your photography services," quoting newborn photography between $250-$500. With those prices, with the amount of hours they work per hour of shooting and their expenses - the photographer would earn between $1.66-$3.33 an hour!
New photographers would expect photography software companies to be reliable sources for pricing their photos. It's a reasonable expectation, but it's not correct—and that's ludicrous. Some software companies do offer calculators that give a rough estimate of pricing. However, the calculators ask for information like how many sessions you can do, which a new photographer wouldn't know yet. There is no accurate, reliable guidance on how to price.
Constantly Let Down by Tech Companies
Photographers have had to adjust to the digital shift, work around consumer sites, and navigate a minefield of misinformation. On top of these challenges, they've also had to deal with software companies devaluing the industry or just plain letting them down.
Let's look at a few examples.
Pictage
Pictage was one of the earliest online storage and workflow management systems for professional photographers. Through Pictage, photographers could host, proof, print, and even deliver their images.
Unfortunately, the success of Pictage's business model was based on the high percentages they took from print sales. And as we know, photography went digital, and print's popularity faded. Eventually, Pictage majorly shifted its business model. It stopped offering print orders and even started deleting images defined as "not profitable."
Despite these changes, it was too late. Pictage went out of business. Changing the business model was understandable, and so was the decision to close shop. But instead of giving photographers advance warning, Pictage simply shut down its site. As a result, many photographers did not get a chance to download their images. In addition, it was an unbelievable nightmare for those photographers who used Pictage to store their final files, and they lost those images forever.
PASS
PASS is a web viewing platform for event photography. Photographers upload their photos, and the images are immediately available for clients to view, download, and share.
In 2013, PASS added a PASS Prints feature, which allowed clients to order prints of the images uploaded to the platform. Here's the problem: Photographers couldn't set their prices. Prices were fixed at $1 for a 4×6, $2 for a 5×7, and $4 for an 8×12. Photographers received 50% of each sale. Earning $.50 for a print is absurdly low for any photographer.
Making matters worse, PASS marketed itself by contrasting its "shoot and share" photographers with "photographers who mark up their prints and make as much money as they can off them." In other words, PASS villainized photographers trying to earn a living while enabling the race to the bottom. Thus, the platform actively worked against the best interest of its customers (photographers) to "make as much money as they [could] off them." The hypocrisy!
ShootProof
ShootProof is a photographer platform offering galleries, contracts, invoicing, lab orders, and digital downloads. For years, ShootProof photographers have asked for more products to sell to their clients.
Finally, ShootProof responded by launching a print store for photographers to add to their galleries. It sounds good in theory, but they completely ignored the real needs of their photographers. ShootProof photographers wanted a decent website to sell quality professional products to their clients. They wanted to earn a profit for these products because their session fees alone DO NOT cut it.
The consumer printing company now offered through ShootProof is called Collage. With Collage, like what happened with Pass, photographers can't even pick the products, pricing, or profit margins. In addition, they receive 20% of the profits and have to give away their client's contact info to Collage. 20% of the profit is not much, but it's even worse when Collage offers first-time users 60% off, prints sell for a whopping 7 cents on top of offering products for free.
This is yet another example of a company not understanding (or not caring about) the needs of photographers. If they did, they sure wouldn't think that 20% of nothing would let us 'earn money while we sleep.' It's false advertising and genuinely taking advantage of those newer photographers. They are already unprofitable and simply need ways to make a living. Surely they can make money while we make money too?
Gig Work
Another change in the photography industry is the rise of gig work. Gig work often sounds appealing at first, but it doesn't benefit most photographers when you look behind the curtain. Photographers are misled by companies saying they do all the marketing and you get a hefty portion of the (really cheap) session fee.
However, when you analyze what photographers take home, it's close to $12 per hour. You don't get additional money for travel, editing, or any expenses incurred, such as providing your equipment. There are no benefits and no copyright to your images.
With these conditions, it's better to have an hourly job in a department store studio. Then, you wouldn't have to use your camera or computer, and you wouldn't have to pay for insurance and travel. Plus, you'd have regular hours and benefits. But, no matter how good gig work sounds, it's another empty promise to photographers. Instead, it's yet another way to take advantage of your talent and hard work to boost someone else's bank account.
Little Industry Support
The COVID-19 pandemic was an eye-opening experience for photographers. While industries like haircare had training, guidance, and support on reopening, photographers had very little support.
Occasionally, software companies sent emails informing photographers that they had launched a community on their websites to help. But, again, the real needs of photographers were ignored. They didn't need a community on a software site; they needed assistance.
Companies sent "ways to make money when you've shut down" blogs with useless tips like "edit other people's photos." They ignored the easy solutions at their fingertips, like holding subscription fees, getting photographer product sales, offering reopening guidance, or providing free COVID contracts. But, of course, that's because it was never really about the photographers. It was about the big companies' bottom lines.
As with many industries, the photography industry was hit hard during the pandemic. Not only did photographers not make any money, but they also had to send refund after refund. No one needed a newborn shoot anymore. Wedding photographers lost a whole year of income. Their clients didn't know if they would have a job or what would happen, so they wanted their money back. This meant negative revenue (and negative income) for our photographers.
Added to the complication is the lack of support for the self-employed and there was very little help in navigating small business loans, EIDL, PPP, or pandemic unemployment.
The gaps in the photography industry were glaring. Over and over, it seems that people and organizations aim to take advantage of photographers. They devalue photographers' work or use it to earn their profits at the photographers' expense.
Why is the photography industry so unsupported? Is it because we are artists? Does the passion tax apply here too? Is it because we let them?
It's Not All Bad…
This post is not an anti-technology rant. Instead, we want to raise awareness about some of the issues and shady practices harming the photography industry. But we also want to mention that technology can be a force for good.
Sure, everyone can take decent pictures with their smartphone cameras now. People are consuming more content than ever, and they still want to see high-quality, artistic images. So it's not a bad thing that parents can easily document their kid's first steps or take candid photos of their children laughing and playing.
After all, owning a pen doesn't make you a writer. Having a pair of scissors doesn't make you a hairdresser. And access to a camera doesn't make people photographers—and it certainly doesn't make them professional photographers.
We have embraced technology and its benefits, but we are now hyper-aware of the challenges it presents for our industry. With awareness comes the opportunity to work together toward positive change.
Final Thoughts
It's time to change the photography industry again but this time on our terms. As photographers, we deserve to feel joy and pride in our craft. We deserve to earn a livable wage again. We deserve support and guidance, not people trying to take advantage.
As an industry, we must collectively work together to create necessary change. Don’t you agree?
_About the author: Jane Goodrich is an award-winning photographer whose underlying mission is to support and empower other photographers in reaching new levels of profitable success. With a background in business and marketing, vast industry experience running two successful photography businesses, and building The Photography Business brand, Jane is one of the most respected photographers in the industry when it comes to running a successful business. Jane took her knowledge and experience and poured it into Picsello -- a platform that will genuinely support photographers in setting their pricing, running their business effectively, and marketing and monetizing their services. In addition, we'll help photographers navigate the challenges and cut through the misinformation. Picsello launches in January 2022.
The opinions expressed above are solely those of the author. This article was also published here._
#culture #opinion #community #gigeconomy #industry #janegoodrich #professionalphotographer #professionalphotographers #socialmedia #stock #tech
Capture One Update Brings Back the Exporter, Adds More Capabilities
Capture one has announced update 14.4 which it says brings new capabilities, updates, and camera and lens support. More than that though, it updates the exporter workflow experience that is based on user feedback.
On July 22, Capture One released an update that made a fundamental change to how some users were working with the application. Digital techs, in particular, were affected and reported that the changes "broke" their workflow. Specifically, the "output" tab as well as "batch output" were replaced by the exporter, and the tokens "job name" and "sub name" were removed, making it so that final file naming would have to be process specific.
Capture One admits that during the last release (14.3.0) in July, the Capture One team changed the Exporter, and redesigned the experience to "increase functionality and reduce complexity across varied workflows."
"This adjustment required alterations to the workflows of certain users who preferred and relied upon the original formula," Capture One says in an emailed statement. "As Capture One stands committed to ensuring our software develops in a way that includes the functionality critical to the workflow of many professional photographers, we are pleased to restore that functionality that many asked to return."
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The company says that user feedback is important to it, and as a result has brought all the tools from the Exporter to the main window of Capture One.
"They can be added as a pre-made Export Tool Tab by right-clicking the Tool Tab bar and selecting Add Tool Tab and then Export," Capture One says. "All Export tools can also be individually added to any Tool Tab or dragged out as floating tools, allowing a fully flexible workspace. Further details on the Exporter changes can be found in the attached document below. Please note that the Export Tool Tab is not default and must be added manually."
A full description of the changes can be read in the PDF below:
In addition to this change, Capture One now supports the Fujifilm GFX 50S II, Nikon Z fc, Olympus Pen E-P7, and curiously the Pentax 645Z, a camera that was originally released in 2014. The application also supports three new Sigma lenses and the new Canon 70-200mm f/2.8.
There are also a host of bug fixes and workflow enhancements that have been made, the full details of which can be read in the Capture One 14.4 release notes.
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Latest Capture One Update Upsets Workflows and Angers Digital Techs
On July 22, Capture One released a new update (version 14.3.0) that made a fundamental change to how some users were working with the application. It removed the Output Tab and replaced it with the Exporter, which has broken the workflows for many pro photographers and digital technicians.
The change sparked outrage among some Capture One users who claimed that it was done not to advance the functionality of the app, but instead simply to appeal to a wider user base. One anonymous photographer who reached out to PetaPixel said that the "vibe" the company was giving off with the change was an attempt to appeal to more casual photographers rather than the professionals that had been the core of the user base since the application was created.
"Capture One is essentially a processing engine, so any change specifically to the Output function will at the very least be inconvenient, and at the most cause lots of extra work, especially if there are lots of hi-res files to process in a short amount of time," the photographer said. "I can't see why they would take it upon themselves to reimagine such a basic feature."
The adjustments could be compared to recent changes in Photoshop that altered how the "Save As" function works, although it doesn't appear as though this change from Capture One was mandated by an operating system adjustment like Adobe claims its change was.
"The 'output' tab, as well as 'batch output' have been replaced by something now called 'Exporter,'" the photographer continues. "The tokens 'Job Name' and 'Sub Name' have also been removed, so final file naming will now be process-specific."
If a photographer or digital technician was using the "sub name" token, it is now harder to set up in the new, changed workflow. Now, naming for each recipe is recipe-specific, so if a photographer wanted to have a common dynamic Output name across all recipes, they would have to change each recipe. For example, if a photographer wanted to add a specific line of text to each file name that was being exported in TIFF and JPEG, the photographer would have to change both the TIFF export and the JPEG export recipe individually.
Honestly, @captureonepro what were you thinking removing the output tab? How is it at all efficient to be opening up a separate window for this export button? pic.twitter.com/1XDne5bETD
-- Daniel Bray (@danielbray) July 23, 2021
No you haven’t put the whole suite of export options. You’ve ruined the ability to pause, lobotomized the ability to export images in order, and made complex file/folder naming impossible where it was easy before. Bring the old stuff back as an option for those of us who need it.
-- Martin Knowles (@mkphotomedia) July 25, 2021
First.Digi, a company that supports pro digital technicians, published a scathing Instagram post denouncing the changes, claiming the removal of the Output Tab hurts high-end professionals as it was a crucial function for them and digital operators. It has even gone so far as to set up a Change.org petition to revert the changes.
"Over the years Capture One Pro developed into a great tool for digital operators to work with. Big and small shoots can be handled and everyone who uses this piece of software is recognizing its advantages over other tools like Lightroom. With this update Capture One is openly trying to please the average consumer and steers into the direction of its competitors to make more profit. Capture One is the only tool out there for professionals. Digital Operators rely on functions like the Output tab. Capture One claims to listen to their customers but with this change, it is clear that their only goal is to get more out of the consumer field and boost their profits," First.Digi writes.
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"This is just disappointing and a slap in the face for all the hardworking professionals out there who rely on this tool."
In response to the backlash, Capture One has published an apologetic note on its blog. In it, the company says that it hears the complaints and understands that it may have failed in its goal to provide for all members of its expanding user base.
"Designed to increase functionality and reduce complexity across the varied workflows, the update aimed to meet the evolving needs of the Capture One community – a community of professionals both rich and diverse in their needs," the company writes. "The last week has revealed to us that not all those needs were fulfilled."
Capture One admits that some of the long-established processes and tools that some of its users rely on were lost in this recent update, and the company says that the changes it made were not intended to do that.
I’ve only recently switched to CaptureOne. It was a bit confusing to me why we had both Export and Output that sound like they do similar things. This update makes more sense in that regard. I’m sympathetic for existing users with established workflows though
-- Justin Lin (@justinseinlin) July 25, 2021
"Given that the Output tab was particularly complex to understand and use, we tried to simplify it. As a critical tool, it remained imperative for us to maintain its original function for our users, but at the same time encourage new users to experience the perks of this feature," the company says.
"All tools related to Export are available in the Export dialog, which can be accessed through the Export toolbar item or the main menu. Currently, these tools are not available from the Main UI, but we are working on a solution. This solution will allow you to add the new tools to any tab in the Main UI."
While an export that has been initiated can still be canceled, changes to the system have made it impossible to pause and resume an ongoing export, but Capture One says that it will provide this functionality in an upcoming release. If such a feature is critical for workflows right now, the company recommends using version 14.2. Capture One did not provide a timeline for the new release, however.
"As we continue to listen to our community’s feedback, we hope that this will guide us in our future endeavors to deliver the best solutions to fulfil the needs of loyal customers. We hope that this feedback can evolve into a positive conversation – one that will allow us to better understand how to meet the multiple needs of our community – present and future," the company continues.
"For us to grow as a company, we need to work in tandem, as well as ensure that our software can meet the evolving needs of professional photographers while at the same time encouraging aspiring photographers to embark on their journey as image creators."
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