The advertisement is very important in photography industry. Another way to advertise myself as a photographer and make my name more visible in this industry is by signing up for competitions where it is possible to win prices as well. These are competitions from 2019 that usually happen every year :https://expertphotography.com/best-photography-contests/

https://photocontestdeadlines.com/photo-contest-list/17https://expertphotography.com/best-photography-contests/th-annual-smithsonian-com-photo-contest-2019/

This competition caught my eye as it is on this month and it has quite broad styles of photography. I like the category called “3. People: Portraits and photos of groups or individuals.” where I could send my current project portraits and stories of immigrants that moved to NI.

More specific information on: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/faq/#category

What does cash inflow and cash outflow mean?

“Cash inflow is the money going into a business. That could be from sales, investments or financing. It’s the opposite of cash outflow, which is the money leaving the business. A business is considered healthy if its cash inflow is greater than its cash outflow.” -Google search

“Such cash inflows include payments to the company by customers and banks and the contribution of equity by investors who purchase the company’s stock or partial ownership in a company. Cash outflows include the transfer of funds by a company to another party.” – google search

How does cash out work?

“Cash out allows you to get money back on your bet before the event you are betting on is over. The amount of money you get back is determined at the time of cashing out and will depend upon the current likelihood of the bet winning – so it could be greater or less than the initial stake.”- Google search

• Cash flows in and out by selling and buying
• For business it is important to keep the track of receipts coming out and in
• Cash in includes loans, grants, inverters etc.
• They receive interest on their payback

https://learn.marsdd.com/article/cash-flow-how-money-enters-and-leaves-a-company/

Example of the cash flow form:

From my understanding Cash in and Cash flow is another important paper work that must be included and done within legal purposes in business especially if I would work as self-employed I would have to include cash flow every year. I also see it as good workflow of seeing if the business is making enough money at the end of the day.

–These are forms of commercial transactions

-B2C selling products directly to consumers (products or services for personal use)

-B2B selling products or services to other businesses. (products or services for use in their companies)

-B2C, consumers who buy products from you pay the same price as other consumers.

– B2B, price may vary by customer (negotiate)

-B2C transactions, consumers select products and pay for them

-B2B transactions require a more complex business system

    -Customers select products, place an order and arrange delivery

    – Don’t pay at the time of the order, but receive an invoice which they settle within agreed payment terms

B2C E-commerce Processes (Electronic Commerce)

– process for selling products directly to consumers from a website

B2B E-commerce Processes

-Normally require a more complex business system

       -The system must be capable of accepting orders in different formats such as email, documents or electronic orders

B2B Commerce Infrastructure

-More advanced

-Offer groups of products customized to different customers

     -system selects the appropriate products to display when a customer logs in

More information on: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/differences-between-b2c-b2b-business-systems-39922.html

As a portrait photographer I think it is essential to have own studio as the weather conditions in Northern Ireland are not always very pleasing but also to get certain types of photographs studio is needed.

Obviously professional studio at the begining needs a lot of time and especially money so I thought before I would be able create own studio another option would be to hire studio which already has equipment and wide space with all that is needed for the photo-shoot.

Here, I founded studio that is available to rent out in the Belfast that is available to hire at very accessible hours for example during the week but also the weekends. It is possible to book it online through their website https://www.betweenpictures.co.uk/studio-hire which also includes price list and equipment they are able to provide.

The prices can be high, but everything depends on what is needed to hire for the photo-shoot. I think it is a good option for photographers that are on budget and are not able to afford their own studio with full equipment or photographers that would not focus mainly on studio work but for example more on natural light etc. but need studio from time to time.

(Needed for the Future)

For my future carer I will have to purchase more technical equipment to be less limited on what I can do and provide for my future clients but also to look as a photographer that takes the work seriously.

Here I have I gathered up some links to equipment that is essential that I would like to purchase in the future to produce professional quality work.

I didn’t include equipment as lenses, reflectors, constant light, SD cards etc. as I already have this equipment and I guess I couldn’t do photography without them anyway.

This equipment is the most important part for the studio work same as for outdoors especially for the area of portrait photography industry I want to move around in the future, but will also give me opportunity to photographs in other categories such as the product, food or fashion industry which I enjoy as well.

Flashlights Bowens Gemini GM500R  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bowens-Gemini-GM500R-Full-Two-Head-Flash-Outfit-Stands-Softbox-Brolly-Case/202813297208?hash=item2f389d5238%3Ag%3A5c0AAOSwdbRdvZr5&LH_BIN=1

Sekonic FLASHMATE L-308X – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sekonic-FLASHMATE-L-308X-Photographers-Exposure/dp/B079R9GNJ3/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=54890921218&gclid=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OYFOAdwFQfRcEjGgX9d9uinjYN9KCMys2sgsxF-dc69T7tZvskyqkRoCo2EQAvD_BwE&hvadid=259049735915&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9045202&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1142057669428665556&hvtargid=kwd-303431284238&hydadcr=3955_1711755&keywords=sekonic+l308s&qid=1573216656&sr=8-1

Backdrops to studio –https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Colorama-ARCTIC-WHITE-Photography-Background-Paper-Roll-1-35m-Wide-x-11m-long/132936651667?epid=1004350117&hash=item1ef3a45393:g:PYkAAOSwQupXXR54

Speed Light: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Neewer-TTL-Speedlite-Flash-Kit-for-Nikon-D7200-D7100-D7000-D5500-DSLR-Cameras/312822272308?epid=5022020945&hash=item48d5a91134:g:uKUAAOSw-v5dt~Xt

To manage getting more session booked and grow as a photographer being signed under photography agencies is another way to get commissions and clients. Here I found two different agencies where one of them is local and only wedding photography based the other one is more open with opportunities but more distant.

Aurora Agency

Home

However, another way to find a job as a photography is through photography agencies. Here is a photography agency that I found in the Belfast called Aurora Agency. The agency has two main establishing photographers called John Murphy & Paul Moane.

They are local wedding photographers based in the Antrim offering wedding photography events around Ireland and beyond. They explain that they like to work with simplicity and natural lighting to capture every emotion and moment of the wedding which could be a good idea for the start of my career as photographer maybe by assisting in their shoots.

The work is not only based on portraiture but still works around people which is perfectly fine with me. I already have experience with photographing evening events so I guess that would benefit me to get into wedding photography same as my portfolio based on portraiture as most of my photographs that I usually shoot naturally. Wedding photography is another very popular option to get into “commercial” side of photography which can have easier flow into.

Morgan Lockyer Agency based in the London

https://www.morganlockyer.com/

“Morgan Lockyer is a photography agency specializing in advertising photography and covers all aspects of production. We have 13 photographers across the board from animals to lifestyle and still life to portraiture.”

Another agencie that has bigger variety of options for photographers in any genres of photography. The agency is called Morgan Lockyer Photographers Agents which is a “private limited company”  based in London that would be more harder to reach because of the distance and their options being more limited.

They have hundreds of photographer’s work that is shown on the website including photographer’s biography. Everything is well organized and easily find, I could contact them right through their website.

Personally I think that this agency looks more pleasing obviously because of the ability of having for me more options as a photographer where I could work as a commercial photographer but I could combine the photography with fine art aspect and style.

Product designer (a student of Ulster university in the 3^rd yr)

-designs door handles

-we will shoot in her class where she usually does her designs and then in wood workshop studio where she produces the final outcomes

-Book equipment and bring flashlight, light meter, reflector and camera

-Studio has constant ambient light but natural light shouldn’t be too strong as we are meeting after 5pm

Contact sheet

• 

We ended up photographing Oriana just in the wood studio as the environment was much more interesting than a class with desks. Her work was wooden and metal, so it fitted the aesthetics of the space. Oriana brought some props but also some finished pieces around which we intended to take pictures whit. At the I had to improvise with lighting as I didn’t realise during collection of the equipment that some parts were missing so Oriana took it really friendly and helped me to tape some things together and we were able to move on. However I was more comfortable with lights which led to photo-shoot being much faster/ professional too and photographs came out well light.

Final Portraits

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

In final edit I discover that I have range of images that I choose from which are technically correct, fit the brief but also model looks great. Overall, I am satisfied with the shoot. Some photographs are stronger than other but I think the best ones are where Oriana is laughing properly as I believe that describes her personality the most and it happened when she was more comfortable with the camera.

In this shoot I used only one flash lights with umbrella and reflector which balanced other side of the face that created more balanced natural lighting.

We also tried different positions around to room which allowed me to practice with measuring and lighting correctly which I achieved quickly after couple of test shoots.

I feel that some shots from distance are very interesting angles but Oriana is a little bit lost behind all the work so probably more successful photograph that would be on magazine would be one of the midshots.

Fashion editorial, Drink and food studio so his kitchen in the studio where everything move to be more flexible and can school and record around. Before his PHD he had experience commercial so after university 2 he was unemployed and then he started his white cloud. Now he does local brands and big commercial work firstly get to know what the brand is about with taking with client to find the style the brand has which is longer process to create better results , works slow as possible better quality but more expensive but they try to work as best as they can. Usually to cost depends on how much control he gets from client. Bottom line £400top £2000 depends on how often client comes in a year. Working commercially, you have to be fully flexible. Photographers usually end self-employed as he works on weekends and evenings. He manages everything by himself and has to be prepared to do more but has compacity to be a boss by himself. They create props paint textures etc. Imports to research about client’s competitors to know how to make it special

Believes into sharing what they do so he shares stories on white cloud Instagram and shows the tips. Keep posting Instagram photographs almost every day to keep it open with audience but specializes with behind the scenes of the studio or in the environment he is.

It is important to have trust from client so usually first shoot is crap following onto their brief and when then what he needs freedom and then starts to be creative. There’s difference for camera food and for video. Likes to focus on more anonymous food as people are more opened for experiments .Some work is dry but keeps the business going  but these photographs should speak for them self but himself he likes to cook so it’s easier to him to understand the work he does.

Focus less on finished dish so combinations with what is behind it. Everything in a shot has a meaning and usually doesn’t accept it from chef as they usually prepare it for people where photographer sleeves for the camera to make it pretty for the camera. Usually everything sharp and in control with f16 and above so usually he doesn’t rely on natural light

Client ties to give you most explicit ideas but it’s up to photographers to bring better ideas and say what’s available. If models hands are needed usually person with nicest hands ends up in the shot as there is budget with no place for models .Client sometimes don’t like the outcome that creative might like .Usually shots 1000 photos and client gets perfect 12 final ones that ale well thought through.

White Cloud

• 

• 

The best way I founded some environmental portraits made by Lange in the book called Dorothea Lange. Elliot. The museum of modern art. I got to know Lange’s work last year when I see her well known photograph of Migrant Mother where Lange traveled around migrant camps and photographed individuals.  It’s interesting to see her photographs that has been done years ago are still currently on market basically as commercial work. Lange also included text under some images explaining what is on the photograph. They are all black and white and shoot on the film, but they perfectly show who is on the photograph and their profession same as the environment they work in. is probably the way to push yourself out of comfort zone to not recreate same images which is boring .The meanings are sometimes hard to explain to client that don’t understand the difference .Clients usually likes more obvious messages than abstract as is. But it’s important to hate the “boring” shot with my work which later on are catalogues for other work in future and drives the business toward.

Sasha McVey Visual Diary:

Limitations:

-the space is very limited

-outside studio so weather conditions

-very hard to get to Glenarm as bus goes only twice a day

Potentials:

-young open-minded artist

-studio is surrounded by landscapes

-a lot of work to show off

-already worked with Sasha

Bring:

-Flash lights

-Light Meter

-Reflector

-Camera with external battery and SD cards

Contact Sheets

• 

• 

When I arrived to studio we had to clean the space out as it also works as a store so all boxes had to be moved so there is space for lighting which was necessary as there was no natural light and ambient light was very poor as well. I used one flashlight and a reflector on the other side of the room. We decided that mostly we will focus to shoot beside her kiln which was full of her products that she created which I thought it will at the same time work as effective backdrop.  The photo shoot was quite quick as I had to be very fast because  the studio is basically outside without heating so model does not freeze down.

Final Photographs

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

These are some final portraits that I have chosen and edited. I feel they are quite successful and this time the ambient light with flash was well balanced so full photograph is well light and it is not as dramatic. Sasha loved the outcome as well and decided to use these portraits on her website as well. I feel that the photographs perfectly captured the sense of her studio and created friendly atmosphere. Some photographs are stronger than other especially because of the framing but I was certainly able to choose from wider range of good photographs.