Articles by Lisa Redfern

COLOR MANAGEMENT - WHAT IS IT?


Before and after Redfern color management.

We're all involved in color management every day. What colors do you wear, how about your car, fingernails...hair...what's the color scheme of your house / room?

Much of our perception of color is intuitive. You just know automatically whether you like a color or not. In professional photography, color management mostly has to do with skin tones and print quality.

We're all familiar with color blindness, but did you know that there is a wide color spectrum that people perceive? Some people see yellows well and others are stronger in magenta or cyan. Usually where you are strong in one area, you are weak in the opposite.

"I have a basic 'recipe' that I use when adjusting colors. Mostly it has to do with yellows and reds in the highlights and shadows. I also like bold and bright colors - this color style is evident in the prints we output. My biggest challenge is when people wear white. Since most of our portraiture is outside, the reflections and light bouncing off the elements is most evident on white fabric," comments Lisa

Fortunately, when people hire a professional photographer, they never have to think about color management. All they need to know is that they love their portraits!

 

 

 CHOOSING A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
 

Whether it is for a wedding, publicity shots, family portraiture, high school graduation or any kind of professional photography - documenting the important times of your life should involve careful consideration of who you hire for the job.

Several ways to do your research are;

- view a photographers portfolio / images,
- talk to people who have used that photographer,
- conduct an interview.

An image does speak a thousand words...if you know what to look for. Is the expression natural or forced? Is the body position slimming or widening (for females) - thinning or bulking (for males)? Do the light and shadows look good to you?

It always tickles us at Redfern when a customer comes in who notices these fine details. Lilla Szakas, a Nevada Union Senior spent a lot of time scrutinizing her friends portraits. Upon picking up her final order, she said, "You guys are so awesome! I'm so glad I picked Redfern for my Senior Portraits - I just love them!"

Word of mouth is a valuable research tool. If your friends were happy with the service they received, chances are you will have a similar experience. How was the photo session? What types of things did the photographer do in regard to posing? Did he or she make you feel comfortable and relaxed? Did the photographer and his or her staff make the ordering process easy to understand? Would your friends use that photographer again?

Conduct an interview. When and how they answer their phone leaves an impression. Do you feel comfortable with the people and how they respond to you? Will you look forward to spending your time in their company? It's always a good idea to jot down any lingering questions and ask them at this time. It is pleasing for a photographer to speak to potential clients who have done their research ahead of time.

Although we all have to be concerned about the cost of our goods and services, it's disheartening when the first question people ask is the cost of something. Usually this means that the person has not done any research at all."I like to think of our portrait work comparable to an engagement ring or a luxury vacation you've looked forward to all your life. Portraits are important things that preserve our precious memories...it's the first thing people think about when disasters strike our homes and something we regret if a loved ones passes out of this existence and there was a missed portrait opportunity. Cost should be a consideration, but it should factor in lower than portrait quality," says Lisa Redfern.

It takes decades of experience to develop the technical and personal skills necessary to make portrait photography seem easy. The clues to how good your photographer is shows in his or her body of work...if you know what to look for.