Farewell To Fatty – A Personal Blog July 19, 2013

I was always the “Fat” kid.  I was perennially picked last for the teams at school and camp, frequently turned down for school dances and weekend dates, and we won’t even go into being the fat kid who was saddled with the initials BM.  Growing up was not a cakewalk.

But here’s the thing…I wasn’t fat!  I may have been “husky” but I wasn’t fat.

I may have been slightly pudgy, but never fat.

I was a big kid with a big build to be sure, but I wasn’t fat.

If you look at pictures of me in elementary school and high school…I wasn’t fat.  I just wasn’t “thin” and when you combine that with average looks, the “cool” kids pigeonhole you as “the fat kid”.

Awkardly dressed, but not fat.

Still awkwardly dressed, but not fat.

Now to be fair, I come from a long line of fat asses.  My mom my was fat, like her father before her and his father before him.  I come by it honestly.  So if I REALLY wanted to, I could say I was genetically enhanced to be fat.  Gaga would say I was just “born that way”.

I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately and I have to tell you, I don’t buy into it…I believe the weight I carry with me at age 41 is not just physical, but mental.

I was bullied at a young age into believing I was the “fat” kid.  I was cajoled and conditioned and eventually accepted the fact that I was the “fat” kid who was bad at sports and socially awkward.  I honed my sense of humor to quickly disarm those who would “attack” me.  Taking pot shots at myself would render my adolescent tormenters without ammunition, and ultimately I learned how to make my fat skin thick.

I discovered acting at a young age and fell in love.  For 2 hours, I didn’t have to be seen or known as “Brian The Fat” but “Brian The Actor” who played to perfection loudmouthed, slightly pudgy characters like Nathan Detroit, Daddy Warbucks, Psedulous and countless others!

I eventually became part of a high school rock band and sang…I was not “Brian The Fat” but “Brian The Singer”.  I played in other bands over the years as a drummer.  It helped that sitting behind a kit would also hide the increasingly larger “Brian The Fat”, that would show up soon as the last song was finished.

But unfortunately by that time, the damage was already done to my psyche.  “Brian The Fat” was not only large, but now in charge.

Now, this isn’t a sad story.  Those early years; for better or for worse, shaped and molded me to who I am today, which is pretty damn good.  I have an awesome marriage with my wife Michele, after realizing as an adult that bullies are always going to be bullies no matter what the age, we have a wonderful group of friends and after opening a business at the worst economic time possible, I have managed to increasingly grow it and watch it become successful.

For years, I embraced and to a point celebrated my increasing weight.  I changed my moniker from “Brian The Fat” to “Brian The Fat Ass” and joked about it openly.  I once embarrassed the crap out of my wife at a Dillard’s Department Store while we were on vacation in Florida.  We walked in and I asked the very nice salesperson where “The fat ass section” was.

But now I’m REALLY fat, weighing it at a hefty 315 pounds.  I’m the picture of health for a fat ass, and if there is such a thing, I wear my weight well.  I don’t look like I weigh as much as I do.

But any way I try and spin it, 315 pounds is morbidly obese and not the picture of health.  It has slowly taken a toll my knees and my back…it makes it difficult to shop for clothes and impedes my job as a photographer.

I remember for years talking to Mom about her weight and saying “just don’t eat this” or “eat less of that”.  She would always say that “it’s not that easy…” and I remember thinking “well, how hard could it be?”  I found out in the last 10 years…it’s pretty damned hard.

I, like my mother before me, have tried every diet out there.  Weight Watchers, Medifast, Atkins, etc.  They have all worked with varying degrees of success, but the weight ultimately came back.  For no other reason than “well, if I have just ONE…”  Sadly, it doesn’t end with just one.  Most of the time, it doesn’t end with two or three either.

People who’ve never struggled with weight don’t understand why “you can’t just eat less and exercise more”?  I never really had answer for them until recently when I started thinking long and hard about how I got here.

When it came to these “lose weight fast” diets, I always felt that if I can train my body to be happy with X amount of food, it would just learn how to do without; the same way I trained my body that it no longer needed nicotine. Eat less, stomach shrinks, EASY!

Except it’s not.

The problem is you’re constantly battling your memories and habits that have formed from them.

Had a bad day?  Nothing an ice cream cone or Tastykake can’t fix.  It’s only a small detour…I’ll start the diet again tomorrow.

Eating dinner out with friends…having a dinner roll or two, followed by an appetizer, meal and dessert has ALWAYS been the norm. I’ll just do it tonight and I’ll start the diet again tomorrow.

It all adds up.  The meals, the safe harbor foods, lack of exercise because you’re just not one of those people who enjoy anything but walking (and yes, I’ve tried!)… A lifetime of events and mental luggage that has now taken up residence around my midsection.

For the last couple of years, I have been investigating and considering bariatric surgery.  I have seen it do wonderful things for both family and friends and thought maybe it could do the for me.  But I wasn’t 100% sold on the bypass side of things, and I also had heard too many horror stories about the lap band.  I went to information sessions, did a lot of testing and met with Abington Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Gintaras Antanaviscus (don’t even try…just call him Dr. G).

On August 1^st, I am undergoing a type of bariatric surgery called a Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.  You can view more about it HERE.  In short they cut out a lot of my stomach, but DO NOT bypass anything.  I’m in and out of the hospital in 24-36 hours, and back on my feet in a week.

I retain all the vitamins and calories from food.  But now, I’ll be eating very small portions and there are consequences if I eat too much.  I don’t enjoy throwing up, so I’m pretty sure my habits will have no choice but to be amended, quickly!

While yes, it will help me lose weight and keep it off…there is an entire mental side that needs to be dealt with as well.  I’ve spent a lifetime being “Brian The Fat.”  It’s so much a part of who I am…so it’s going to be a long road to not look in the mirror and see him looking back.  It’s going to be an interesting ride to say the least.  Luckily there are support groups for people who have had this surgery, and I have a very loving wife and family who are there to support me as well.

Exercise is going to have to be part of the life in this new body.  The nice thing is that I’ll be able to walk more than 2 miles without my knees and back hurting.  Hell, I may even be able to do more than 1 pushup without feeling like I’m ready to pass out.  I truly enjoy walking, and I’m excited that I’ll be able to do more of it.  I won’t be doing a couch to 5k or anything like close to that.  I’ve never enjoyed running and never will.  You people who do it are just nuts 😀

There is no such thing as a “happily ever after” when it comes to something like this.  I know there will be days I’ll be frustrated that I won’t be able to fully enjoy a meal at Capital Grille, but the tradeoff for that is not having to worry if I need to buy a second seat on an airplane.  Sure, I won’t be able to eat but a few bites of an ice cream cone anymore, but the tradeoff for that is that I can shop in any clothing store now, and wear clothes that I actually like…rather than just buying something because it fits.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice one slice of happy for another.

So…that’s the story.  I don’t know what the next year to 18 months will bring…but I know that at the very least I’ll have added time to live (provided I don’t get hit by a bus) the life I’ve made with Michele.

That alone is worth the price of admission.

About the author: Brian Miller an accredited photojournalist and the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia.  He currently is fat.

5 Easy Steps To Avoid Losing Your Pictures, PART II July 1, 2013

THIS IS AN UPDATED VERSION OF A BLOG WE PUT OUT AT EVERY HOLIDAY…WITH SOME NEW INFORMATION!

I have the tendency to reblog this before every major holiday. The reason I do it is because it’s always right before or right after, I get a rush of phone calls that sound like this…”I lost all my pictures Brian…I don’t know what to do!” “I thought format meant the style in which I wanted them to look” or my personal favorite “I washed the SD card doing laundry…”


As a photographer (and ultimately a historian) it stabs me in the heart to hear. Pictures of birthdays, holidays, vacations and all the stuff that happens in between (everyday life) are gone in an instant. Your family history captured in those images are now nothing more than stories…watered down with each telling because your memory isn’t quite what it used to be.


While digital cameras and smart phones have definitely made photography easier for everyone, they have also managed to put those images in peril more than in the past. Life has become digital. There was a time when you took a roll of film, shot it, took it to the local Fotomat, and got it back a few days later. You’d look at them once or twice…make some notations on the back and they’d end up in a box for posterity.


Nowadays, with phone apps like Camera+, Instagram, etc. etc. etc…pictures are taken on the fly (and normally with some type of a filter that oddly enough, makes them look like pictures from your youth), and forgotten about until you need to clear off your card, or you must make room on your phone for the latest version of “Candy Crush“. Never before has an accidental swipe of a button, or a pair of clumsy hands (or “fat fingers”) had such a devastating effect on family photos. How many times have you heard of your friends throwing their phone into a bag of rice, because it made an unfortunate journey into the toilet? (I for one don’t care HOW dried out it gets, there is no way in hell a “toilet phone” is ever going anywhere near my ears or mouth!)


But I’m here to tell you there are a few easy steps to prevent this from happening to you! I want to help ensure those pictures are there for your future generations.


#1 – DUMP DOESN’T MEAN WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS!

When was the last time you actually transferred the pictures from your camera to your computer? Dump your cards regularly! “Dumping cards” is an industry term for transferring them to your computer. You should be doing this every time you shoot new pictures with your camera. I’m SHOCKED to hear from friends and clients that they’ve never done this! It only takes a few minutes at most, and ensures the safety of your images. IMPORTANT NOTE: When you do this, make sure you reformat your card. This too only takes a minute out of your time, and lessens the chance of card failure. It is also a good idea to have more than one card. There is nothing worse than having a card fail…especially when you’re on vacation!


#2 – CHARGE!

Recharge or change your batteries regularly. I personally use the Ray-O-Vac Hybird rechargeable batteries, and they’re fantastic. I’ve also been using the Sanyo Eneloops lately as well. Charge them up before your big event, and throw them in your camera bag. There is NOTHING worse than being in the middle of a big day, and having your batteries crap out on you. If you’re using a higher end DSLR, PLEASE make sure to buy and charge an extra battery that you keep in your camera bag. It’s not uncommon for you to go and charge your battery before a day trip, and forget said battery in the charger in your hotel room. DOH!


#3 – BACK UP! BACK UP! BACK UP!

Redundancy is your friend. Once you transfer your images to your computer, back them up to an external hard drive or to a CD. And once those are backed up…do it again and put them in safe place. Either a safety deposit box, or a fireproof safe. You can even upload them to the cloud if you insist. This is a good method if you’re an iPhone user…make sure you have your images being uploaded to your Photo Stream…which brings me to the BEST form of backing up:


#4 – PRINT!!!!!

Remember 3.5 inch floppy discs? Got a drive on your current computer to put one in? Exactly! Digital Media is always changing, and who knows what the future holds. That’s why it’s important to print out all the GOOD pictures you want. Remember I said GOOD, not ALL. While the fine people at Kodak or Shutterfly may not agree with me…it’s true. You don’t have to print out every picture you take. But you DO want to print out the important ones and put them in a box, or some other safe place. You future self and your children will thank you in 20 years. I PROMISE!


#5 – TOO LATE! I was doing what you just told me and formatted by accident!!!

Don’t worry. Even formatting a card doesn’t always clear every image from there. Here are a couple of great software solutions you can use:


If you’re a PC User (such as myself) you can try Card Recovery. If you’re a MAC user, then I suggest Card Rescue. I’m not promising it works every time…but it’s ALWAYS worth a shot.


Accidents happen, digital media will fail from time to time. It happens to us pros all the time, and it will happen to you. But there are small things you can do to help prevent it.


Besides…if you do this for no other reason…it’s always important to have that one embarrassing picture of a friend you can share with the Facebook populace. If I hadn’t printed this picture out from when I was a teenager, would I be able to share it with you now?

The two on the left are now prominent doctors, and your humble author is on the far right.

I encourage you to share this post with your ALL of your friends and family…after all…knowledge is power!


Do you have a horror story you’d like to share? Make sure you email us or comment on this!


 

About the author: Brian Miller an accredited photojournalist and the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia. He has won awards in the past, but doesn’t dwell on them much. He also has forgotten to do almost EVERYTHING you just read, which is why it’s important to learn from his mistakes.

The Life That Happens Outside Of Your 4 Inch Touchscreen June 10, 2013

I am a proud Gen-Xer. I grew up learning how to play Zork on my TRS-80, and I would go over to my friend Michael’s house to play the better games on his Apple iiE.

I’ll even go so far as to say I’m an outright tech geek. My idea of an awesome week’s vacation would be going to CES in Vegas (although my wife doesn’t see eye to eye with me on that one).

I love tech, and while I may not run right out and get every piece that rolls down the pike (I’m looking at you Google Glass), I celebrate the catalog daily.

With that being said, I also hate tech. I hate that it’s changed our life in ways that are glaringly obvious daily, and in ways we haven’t even comprehended yet. In short, technology has come a long way in a VERY short amount of time, and I don’t think we mere mortals are fully equipped to handle that which we invented from dreams. CBS Sunday Morning actually did a fantastic piece on this just yesterday morning.

You may have heard recently about the ENTIRE photography staff of the Chicago Sun-Times being laid off in favor of teaching their reporters the finer points of iPhone Photography. I won’t even get into how ridiculous that is. I would have preferred the owner(s) to just come out and say “digital is killing us and while we saw this coming years ago, we did nothing, so we offer you these photographers as our sacrifice since our smart phones have this awesome app which allows us to change all our pictures to black and white.”

This got me thinking about weddings and other events we document every year. No doubt you’ve seen countless pictures of what we assume is a very happy bride and groom amid a sea of iPhone screens. Brings a tear to your eye just thinking about it, right? Recently, even those waiting for the new Pope to emerge mostly saw the event through the people holding up THEIR phones and tablets in front of them.

The newest fad which I highly endorse at events like these are called “Unplugged <insert name of lifecycle event here>”. It’s where you’re asked to “virtually” leave your smartphone at the door during all the important parts of the day.

“BLASPHEMY!” you cry out. “I want the world to see real time how happy you are…even if they really can’t see from my picture how happy you are!”

But it’s not blasphemy, and I’m going to tell you why.

Because when you’re doing that, you’re not attending the event as much as you’re reporting it, or even corresponding for it. But the question really becomes…for whom? (Unless you actually happen to be the brand new social columnist for the Chicago Sun Times with a bitchin’ new smartphone.)

Let’s walk through the lifecycle of a picture you take at a wedding:

7:30pm – The image you’ve taken of the officially new “Mr. & Mrs. BFF” is Instagrammed, filtered and released on Facebook, including all the obligatory #hashtagwhatevers.

7:31pm – The only people liking the pictures are your 3 BFFs sitting next to you, who are already on Facebook uploading THEIR pictures to share with the world, and the mutual friend or two who know these people, but not well enough to be invited to take their own pictures to upload to Facebook.

7:33pm – Your picture is now buried on your newly married BFF’s feed because the other 150+ people have uploaded THEIR pictures on Facebook and appropriately tagged the happy couple as well.

2 weeks later – The freshly honeymooned BFFs see the pictures for the first time after they’ve been home for a week, opening presents and commenting on THEIR OWN uploaded pictures of the various drinks and food from some fabulous location in the islands.

See what I’m talking about? Your picture was seen for about 10 minutes and then buried on Facebook, buried on Twitter, and eventually deleted because you need to make room on your smartphone for the fabulous tapas you’ve just ordered at El Vez.

What’s the problem you ask?

I want you to imagine sitting through your favorite movie on TV, but only if you’re watching it through your camera app. What would you miss with your field of vision only focused on a ¼ of the screen? Magicians have been doing this for years. When your mind and eyes are focused on whatever it is they’re drawing your eyes to, you don’t see what’s going on elsewhere.

What about that great show you saw on Broadway…would you have been able to enjoy watching Elphaba defy gravity and rise to her true wickedness if you were only watching it through an Instagram square? What if Book of Mormon was “Vine” of Mormon? You’d have to watch the show in 6 second increments!

My point is that there is so much more to what happens at a wedding that you miss by having your face glued to your screen. You miss the true emotion of what’s happening at that very moment because you’re too busy trying to focus in. Then you’re adding whatever filters and uploading so the world can see the love. Except, unless you’re in the first or second row…you really CAN’T!

At our wedding in 2006, the videographer knocked over the Candelabra next to us during our vows, spilling hot wax all over himself. Had you been staring through your phone looking at us, you never would have seen that happen. Your field of vision would have obscured it. You would have missed the moment.

I’m not telling you that technology has no place at an event. It absolutely does. But the memory of what your EYES can see vs. what your smartphone can see are two totally different things. Your memory of an event will far outlast any picture you take with your smartphone. And if you don’t believe me…think about this.

Your memory never needs to be put into a bag of rice after it was dropped in the toilet.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences – EMAIL US!

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the author: Brian Miller is a multiple award winning photographer and photojournalist. He is also the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia

Why Professional Photographers are called Professionals May 20, 2013

Anyone who knows me and has seen some of the pictures I’ve taken can attest to the fact that I will never make a living as a photographer.  While I can see what I want to capture in my head, something happens to it between my mind and the moment my finger hits the snap button. I’m pretty sure snap button is not the official term for it, but you know what I mean.

Usually what happens in the moment of disconnect from mind to snap, results in something very different from my actual intention.  Sometimes I get lucky and the image is not blurry or off-center.  Usually though, I am either too far away, my zoom is too far out, or I am too close, zoomed in.  Any of those scenarios create odd photos with results that leave a lot to be desired and are nothing like what actually happened.

In my hands, photography becomes a lethal weapon. I cannot tell you how many people I have beheaded through photography. Nor can I explain why so many of my friends do not have feet.  We won’t even discuss the number of people I have squelched or cut in half.  Oh and yes, that is my thumb on the edge of the picture.  And I absolutely meant to include that lampshade in the picture.  Yes, one of my friends only has half a face and that is the back half of our cat.  Get the picture? Yes, most of us have a phone that can take pictures and we use it all the time.  Many of those pictures are fun to share on Facebook or among our friends but they are certainly not ones I would frame and hang on the wall.

 

All of this and more is why I know it is worth every penny to hire a PROFESSIONAL photographer when there is an event that I want captured for eternity or however long photos last.  A professional photographer knows what all the parts of the camera are AND HOW to use them.  A professional photographer will create pictures that are gorgeous and capture the moments I want and as I remembered them.  They understand lighting composition, how to arrange everyone for formal shots, how to capture great informal photos and how to make sure we do not all have vampire red eyes.  (Another effect I am really good at – or, there are some serious things I do not know about my friends.)

A professional photographer knows how to frame a shot and will shoot hundreds and hundreds of pictures to make sure I have many great photos from which to choose the perfect ones.  A professional photographer will capture moments I may not have even known were happening.  The photos will be clear, sharp, focused and everyone will have all of their body parts. The details will be covered, and covered beautifully.

They will create pictures that we will hand down to family, friends and loved ones.  Pictures we will frame and hang on our walls. I believe a good photographer is an artist – an artist at capturing moments.  It is an art to look through a cameras lens and see the moment and capture it; capture its brilliance, spontaneity, the swirl of life and light and movement.  That is why some photos amaze us.  The photographer caught something we felt, saw or remembered.  We respond to a good photo.  We look at it, talk about it, and appreciate it.

So when I want a photograph to laugh at, shed a few tears over, or simply just hold onto and remember, I want the person who captures that image to feel the same emotion I did in that moment. And I’m sorry, but not everyone possesses those skills.

Think about that the next time you have something important you want to remember. Some moments really are priceless.

 

 

Sandy White is Chorus Photography’s studio manager, overall glue that keeps the company together and relentless task manager to Brian.

Chorus Photography – We’re More Than Just Weddings April 3, 2013

 

While we’re known for, and proud of the weddings, mitzvahs and family portraits we document week in and week out, Chorus Photography and Chorus Media Group work with a number of Delaware Valley organizations as well. Recently, we had the honor of working alongside Mandy Patinkin (seen conversing with Chorus owner Brian Miller, middle left) and Paul Ford during their concert with Philadelphia-based Intercultural Journeys. (image credits: Fernando Gaglianese/Brian Miller)

 

 

The Question We’re Asked The Most: What Kind Of Photographer Are You? April 2, 2013

Someone recently asked us what type of photographers we are, and oddly enough…it’s not the easiest answer to give without some explanation.

The terms “candid” and “photojournalistic” are thrown around a lot, and in most cases…lumped together as a single genre.  It is not.

In short, a “candid” photograph can be taken by anyone at any time.  People with iPhones and Droids are “candid” photographers.  Candid in its purest form is a picture that has not been posed.  All photographers shoot candid images at one point during a given work day, but not all images we shoot ARE candids.  Therefore we really can’t define ourselves as “candid” photographers.

Photojournalists tell a story through their images.  Waiting for the right moment to press the shutter, most times with the subject not realizing it’s happening.  Some days we’re photographing weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.  Others we’re covering news events/happenings and governmental affairs.  Some days we don’t know what we’re going to shoot until it happens!  Shooting a news story ultimately helps us learn body language and facial expressions.  We each have tiny “tells” we’re not even aware of when we’re about to laugh or cry.  It’s the raw emotion that we capture in either instance that allows us to create memorable images, and learn what to look for on other shoots that may not be news-oriented.

Our most tenured photographer Megan is an active member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association.  A distinction not easily attained.

Fernando & Brian are both active members of the American Society of Media Photographers, and Brian is an active member of The National Press Photographers Association.

Yes, we’re proud of those affiliations and have worked hard to attain and keep them.  With each comes a code of conduct that we all must adhere to.  We’re always attending seminars, workshops and submitting our images to our peers for critique.  Always striving for the next great image.  All of us are often asked if we have a favorite image we’ve taken, and we answer as most professional photographers do…we have yet to capture it.

But even with all that, it doesn’t define the type of photography we do.

Be it wedding, portrait, news, mitzvah, family or even pet…we are simply photographers.  We are the eyes of history, and the documentarians of everyday life.  We are storytellers.

And you’ll often hear me say…”That is what we do and who we are.”

About the author: Brian Miller is an award winning photographer and photojournalist covering the Pennsylvania Tri-State area.  He is also the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia.

Simple Tips For A Better Photo Shoot March 12, 2013

I was perusing our Twitter feed this morning and happened across a post by Donna Serdula.   Donna is well respected and published LinkedIn Guru, who had a posted an innocuous tweet about bringing multiple changes to a headshot session.

 

That got ME thinking about a prep email we send out to all of our clients when we confirm their upcoming photo session.  Seemed as good a time as any to share with our readers, followers, etc.
These are just typical, industry standard tricks and tips that most professional photographers will impart to you before a professional or family portrait session.

 

So thanks for the inspiration Donna!

On Clothing: Try and keep colors from getting too close to your natural skin tone!  That’s our biggest tip for you.

·           Avoid clothes that may take you back to the 70s’:  i.e. wild checks, stripes, and very busy patterns; especially if worn together!

·           Avoid clothing extremes. Generally, turtle necks and V-necks are good, as long as they don’t over-power the face. Dress to feel comfortable.

·           RELAX!! If you are feeling frazzled, it will come across in the portraits.

·           Opt for long-sleeve shirts rather than short-sleeve.

·           The color of the clothes:

• Avoid bright reds and orange (they battle your face for attention)
• Darker colors are generally better than light colors.
• Colors like white, yellow, and pink tend to over-power the face and can make you look too pale.
• In general, the best colors are medium shades of blue, green, burgundy, and rust.

·         Baggy pants, shorts, and slacks do not photograph well and are not recommended.  Well-fitting jeans are always a good call.

·         When doing a studio shoot, come to the studio in sweats or street clothes when or if possible.  It’s ok if you aren’t able to; but if you will be wearing multiple outfits, you can change here to keep them looking fresh.

·         These are just guidelines though, you should definitely show your personal style in your portraits and throw caution to the wind if it suits your personality.

 

For Makeup:  Not too heavy, not too light. If you “never wear makeup” you might want to at least use some for your photo session.

·         Accent the eyes using mascara and eyeliner

·         Eye shadow should be used sparingly.

·         A light foundation or base gives the complexion an even tone.

·         Use powder to eliminate shine.

·         A blusher gives the skin a healthy glow.

·         Coordinate lipstick with the outfit worn.

·         If dark circles are present under the eyes, use an erase that is close to the skin tone.

Shaving & Hair

·         Get a good shave if you have a heavy beard.

·         Don’t get a new hair cut just before the shoot. Give it a week. Consider having it styled for the shoot, but skip the cut. If you really want a cut, just don’t go radical.

·         If you get your eyebrows waxed or threaded, please do so at least 2-3 days prior to your headshot shoot.

·         A change in your hairstyle is not recommended. Arrange your hair normally and as you want it to appear in the portrait. Freshly shampooed hair photographs best.

·         No glitter make-up or sparkles in your hair.

Other Stuff

·         Increased water consumption will help clear your skin and give it a healthy glow.  It will also make you look younger and fresher.

·         Reducing consumption of coffee, teas and sodas will give your teeth a break from stains and discoloration too!

·         If at all possible, avoid alcohol for a day or two before your shoot.  It dehydrates the skin.

·         Try to get a good night’s rest before the day of your shoot.

For Children’s Photo Shoots

·         For children under the age of 6, one of the most important things to do is to make sure they’ve had a nap before the photo shoot.  Even if they don’t normally sleep during the day, in this case, make an exception.  A tired kid is usually an impatient and cranky kid.  Difficult enough for a parent to deal with; nearly impossible for us to try and work with when we’re trying to make them look like a rock star!

·         Feed your child first and have food ready in case they need a snack during the photo shoot.  For kids of any age (and lots of adults too), a full stomach makes a lot of difference to improving a mood and improving the ability to focus for more than a minute or two.

·         Don’t give your kid food or drinks that are proven hyper-energy boosters.  No sugar and no caffeine before or during the shoot!  This means no soda, nothing with ketchup, no sugary cereals, no cookies and so on.  Hyper kids are even more difficult to photograph than tired or cranky kids.

·         Be sure to explain clearly to your child about the photo shoot before you even meet up with us.  Tell them my name; explain what will be happening and why the pictures are being taken. Even more important to explain, is that they need to listen to what I’m asking them to do. (Such as how to pose, or to look at the camera or to hold still, etc.)

·         During the shoot, unless the photographer asks you to, try not to direct your child too much.  Although it’s instinctive that you’ll want to, it really is best to let us do what you hired us to do.  Plus they will get very confused and upset when they have two different people trying to tell them what to do.

·         If we’re shooting in our studio, be sure to take a few minutes to let your child wander the studio and check things out before our camera comes out.  It’s important that we establish a rapport with the little ones before starting the photo session.  Even just a few minutes of me talking to the child – or with very young children, just getting them used to the sound of a new voice – will make a big difference in the quality and tone of your child’s session.

·         Bring a few of their favorite small toys with you.  If you’ve booked more than half an hour (most sessions are 60 to 90 minutes at least), then take them for a 5 minute walk halfway through.  If we’re somewhere outdoors, let them run and play for a few minutes.  If we’re in your home, let them play in their room or in your yard for a short while.  Again, a happy child is much easier to take pictures of than an unhappy one.

·         A simple thing but sometimes an overlooked one, is to be sure your child has gone to the bathroom right before the shoot.   And if they haven’t, then be sure to take at least one washroom break – even if your child doesn’t ask for one – during your session.  Many children are too shy to ask to go to the bathroom if they’re around a stranger or in a strange situation.  If your child is still in diapers, make sure they’re clean and dry at all times during the shoot.  If they need a diaper change, don’t hesitate to take the time.  We expect this, so don’t worry about taking the time to do it.

·         If, despite all your best efforts, your child is in no mood for a photo shoot and is fussy, or crying non-stop or just won’t be still or calm, don’t try to force the situation.  Reschedule.  The sooner you decide it’s better to reschedule, the less time you’ll need to pay us for being in a situation where we’re unable to do our job.   Although it might end up costing you a bit more than you’d bargained for, if the photos of your child are important to you, rescheduling with us will be worth it.

About the author: Brian Miller is a multiple award winning photographer and photojournalist.  He is also the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia.

Formal Wedding Portraits. Beautiful Keepsakes or the Brink of Insanity? February 13, 2013

The day of your wedding is a whirlwind of fun, excitement, and lots of rushing around. And for whatever reason, one of the most dreaded parts of the day is often the family formal portraits. It feels like they take forever, at least one family member goes missing, and tensions can tend to rise. It doesn’t have to be this way! Your entire day should be stress-free and beautiful. And we assure you it can be done.

Here are some tips to help ensure your formal portraits go smoothly and quickly…and everyone has a good time in the process!

1. Appoint a family ambassador. Designate one person that knows your family well to assist your photographer with finding and corralling family members. The less time we spend seeking people out, the quicker the images will go.

2. Maintain focus. Fact. It’s your wedding day. Everyone wants to have a photograph of you…many, in fact. But please remind your guests to be respectful of the professional photographer you hired to document your day. Once we’re sure we’ve captured the image, we will be glad to step aside so others can use their own cameras. This way, everyone’s attention, and eyes are focused on us. Must we really point out that our camera equipment is of far higher quality than an iPhone?

3. Plan ahead. Make sure you have reached out to everyone that you would like to be in your photographs so they are aware and know the what, where, when, etc. This simple gesture will save time and headaches, and your photographer can help you put a schedule together to keep things moving.

4. Set realistic call times. If you know you have a relative that perpetually runs 15 minutes late, tell them to be there 15 minutes before the scheduled time. One late arrival can break the schedule and take away precious time with your guests.

5. Expect the unexpected. You’ve planned for months. You’ve covered every detail. And unfortunately, some things will still fall outside of your control. Don’t panic. Just plan for some added hiccups. 15-20 minutes of cushion should help in keeping your stress level down and make your portraits more enjoyable.

6. Know what you want. Have a formal shot list ready for your photographer at least one month prior to your wedding day. Having an easy to read shot list will make everyone’s day easier. The shot list should start with grandparents, then flow into each side’s extended family.

Example of the perfect shot list:

• Bride and Groom with both sides of their extended family
• Bride and Groom with grandmother grandfather (names)
• Bride with grandmother (name)
• Bride with grandfather (name)
• Bride and Groom with grandmother grandfather mother father (names)
• Bride and Groom with grandmother grandfather mother father sister brother (names)
• Bride with grandmother grandfather mother father sister brother (names)
• Bride and Groom with grandmother grandfather mother father sister brother aunts uncles (names)
• Bride with mother father sister brother (names)
• Bride with mother (name)
• Bride with father (name)
• Bride with sister and brother (names)
• Bride with sister (name)
• Bride with brother (name)

Repeat with the same combinations for the Groom’s side of the family. Including names will help to track people down and prepare in advance for the next set of shots.

If there are any special combinations of family members, let us know in advance so we can plan extra time. If your parents have remarried please inform us so we can accommodate for those combinations as well. Becoming familiar with the family dynamics helps your photographer to avoid awkward circumstances and make sure everyone is comfortable.

A little bit of organization can go a very long way in keeping your wedding portraits smooth and enjoyable. All you need to do is plan ahead. Your photographer will handle the rest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Megan Carrie has been the lead or second photographer on most weddings at Chorus Photography for the past two and a half years. She is a Maine College of Art graduate, loves to travel, is a brilliant boudoir photographer and in her off time loves to spend time making pancakes with her boyfriend Bill.

Should Your Memories Be A Victim Of The Delete Key September 23, 2012

About a week or so ago, I was transferring wedding images from my card to my computer, and I noticed something. I was rapidly running out of room on my internal hard drive.


Now, before we go any further I just want to give you a quick rundown on the amount of drives I currently have:

– (1) 500 GB Internal Hard Drive

– (2) 1 TB External Hard Drives

– (1) 2 TB External Hard Drive


It sounds like an excessive amount of room for anyone, but it’s really not. At least not for a photographer. You have to think about the following:


At an average event (Wedding, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, etc.) depending on the length of the day, we’ll shoot anywhere from 2500-5000 images. Each image (based on which camera it’s taken with) is anywhere from 16-24 MB per file. Multiply that by the amount of events we shoot every year, then add the various family portraits, birthday parties, headshots, business shoots, and so on. They fill up quickly.


“But Brian” you may be asking yourself…”You don’t use all the pictures you take, why don’t you just delete the ones you don’t use?”


EXCELLENT QUESTION!  You get a gold star!


The short answer is this.  For major events and business shoots, all the “bad shots” go into a “rejected” folder.  I keep them until I know with absolute certainty that the final images have been chosen and it’s safe to let them go into the etherafter.


I promise there’s a reason for all this seemingly boring tech-speak.  It’s because ultimately images have to go bye-bye.  And that’s when I start to get all deep and introspective.


Most photographers will keep a client’s images for X amount of time after they’ve taken possession of their final deliverables.  I keep them for 2 years. When the time comes, I’ll fire off an email or make a phone call asking if they’re interested in purchasing all of their high resolution images.  Some people say yes, some people say no, and some people don’t answer at all.  As long as I feel I’ve reached out, and given them ample time to respond…the purging begins.


But here’s where the internal dialogue with me begins.  It actually starts WAY back to just after the event when I first begin to cull the images.  Besides taking out the double shots and out of focus shots, I have to decide which shots won’t make the cut.  Which shots aren’t worthy of the client seeing.  But my inner self says: “Who the hell are you to choose? What gives you the right to delete a moment forever because there’s something about it you personally don’t like?”


It gets internally ugly sometimes.  Feelings gets hurt, and I don’t talk to myself for weeks at a time.


But this takes it to a whole new level.  I’m removing from my computer a boy or girl’s foray into the adult ranks.  I am deleting the months and years of planning that went into a Bride’s dream wedding.  I am deleting all record of it, because those images start and end with me.  I’m the doucmentarian!  If the client loses the images, there’s no coming back to me later for them.  They’re gone forever with a simple click of a button.  It’s cold, and it leaves me a little depressed sometimes.  Because at the end of the day, I’m deleting one person’s big day for someone else’s. Those memories have to be taken out because I need room.  It’s my own (exaggerated) version of “Sophie’s Choice.”


“Brian,” you’re now saying yourself…”this is depressing…why are you telling us this?”  Another gold star.


After a shoot last weekend, I was culling the images to send the proofs to the client, and came across this picture…

the almost lost forever image…

Now, I automatically tagged this one for deletion and kept going.  From MY perspective his feet were cut off, and it just wasn’t a great image in my mind.  Too many cons, not enough pros.


But then I went back to it before it got flushed.  There WAS something there, I just had to look a little deeper.


This family is a repeat customer.  Because I know them and have had the opportunity to watch the kids grow, I knew the story this image told, and I had almost deleted it.


The brother follows wherever his sister goes.  So, there’s her going up the steps “getting older and heading into the world (blue sky)” and he,  just starting to find his way in the world, but following closely behind “in the steps” of his big sister. It ended up not only being a favorite of the parents, but their friends as well.  It actually brought us in an additional booking.


I had nearly deleted it…because I looked at it from a professional standpoint, and not from an emotional one.


So I’ve made a decision.  No more deleting after 2 years.  When I’m running out of room on my computer, these images are now just going to be moved to a special external hard drive.  I may even start printing them out and putting them in a fireproof safe.  I don’t know.


I just feel I need to do something to preserve these special days that people have poured so much love and time into.   No matter what kind of event it is.


Because who am I to say “sorry…time’s up”?



As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences – EMAIL US!


About the author: Brian Miller is the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia.

Hit Me with Your Best Shot(s) August 27, 2012

We take our wedding clients out to dinner for our first meeting to get to know them, but more importantly, to hear their “story”.  And  once we know how it all began, we start discussing the personal details of the big day.  How the day will play out, where we’ll be doing formals, which family always runs late so we’ll have to tell them the call time starts 20 minutes earlier than it really does, etc. etc. etc.  The next words out of my mouth normally are, “I know we may be a while off, but you should start thinking about your shot list.”

And the look and corresponding response I get is typically a mix of confusion, fright and humor.  “Wait…we have to tell you what we want you to shoot?”


The answer is a little bit yes, and a little bit no.  But more on that later.


When you hire a professional photographer to document your wedding, or Bar/Bat Mitzavah, we bring with us the knowledge of weddings past.  Neat and interesting shots we may have gotten by accident that have since become staples for us on weddings days.  We know all the important shots to capture because the law of averages tells us so.  We know there’s going to be a ceremony and to get that first kiss.  We know that at the cake cutting, there’s a 50/50 chance that someone is going to be blowing icing from their nose for the rest of the evening.  We know that if there’s going to be a garter tossed, we have to don our helmet and pads and get in there to make sure we get the shot.


What we don’t know are the things YOU do.  Your history.  What makes you two…well, YOU!  Weddings are like snowflakes.  Same composition and effect…but no two are exactly alike.


Are your bridesmaids and groomsmen school friends?  Is the groom (or in some cases, bride) the kegstand champion 4 years in a row, and you’d like to recreate a particular part of that one crazy HISTORIC night that is STILL talked about?  Is it family tradition to slap the groom upside the head as he walks down the aisle?  And of course, nowadays…EVERYONE is dancing their way down the aisle.  These are all silly things that (while ALL true stories from former clients) should end up on your shot list.  It is part of your history, and unless you tell us…we’ll never know!


The shot list is also our roadmap for the day.  It ensures that we can roll through all your formal shots in short order because we know who is currently being photographed, and who is on deck.  The Bride & Groom basically get caught up in a tsunami of people getting shuffled around them.  If this is being done before the ceremony, we like to breeze through it so you have a chance to rest before the ceremony.  If it’s AFTER…then you’re going to be staring at your watch looking for the waiter with the cocktail weenies and drinks to roll in if we don’t have that list to follow.  If it takes even longer because we don’t know where people are, or who we’re supposed to be photographing…it can get ugly quick.  That’s not what your day is supposed to be about.





So…while you don’t have to write down every single part of the day that needs to be captured, there are certain things to keep in mind when putting your shot list together:


1)      If it’s important to you, then it should be important to us.  We’re there to capture your day, and we’d rather err on the side of caution beforehand than miss something entirely the day of.  If it’s important to you, then make sure it gets on your list.


2)      Don’t try and write your list all at once.  The two of you should write separate lists over time.  Keep a small notebook with you, or tell Siri.  Then about a month before the wedding, you want to sit down with your soon to be, compare lists, take out the overlapping names, make one big list and then send it to your photographer for their input and any questions. 


3)      Be as specific as possible when listing your formals for your photographer.  While we may know you may have a brother or sister…we’d much rather call them by their name than “Hey…you!!”


4)      Don’t worry if you miss something.  While it’s great to have as much as possible already written down prior to the wedding, there are pictures you’ll forget you want until you’re in the moment.  DON’T PANIC!  Just because it’s not on the list, doesn’t mean we’re not going to take it.


We’re aware you have plenty of things going on in the months and weeks leading up to your wedding.  Fittings, hair & makeup trials, cake tasting (our personal fave)…but in those spare moments you have, taking the time to help us help you will make sure that all the preparation that went in to making this day perfect, will be documented forever.


And let’s face it…it will be a lot less embarrassing than kegstand shots your friends just found and posted on Facebook.





 


As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences – EMAIL US!


About the author: Brian Miller is the owner of Chorus Photography in suburban Philadelphia.  To his knowledge, he is NOT the winner of any recent kegstand competitions.