Today I had to take a drive down the Ards Penninsula. The wind was blowing a gale and the waves were spelling over the sea walls. I managed a couple of shots with the Hueless App to record the situation.
A day-off trip in the train to the town of Coleraine, Co. Londonderry – a town I haven’t visited for a few years. The town was always bustling with shoppers, and busy retail outlets but the economic slump seems to have taken its toll, for lots of shops are vacant. Still the big department stores are still trading and still serving great lunches. Here’s my rainy-day shot of the town centre. Taken using the Hueless App, looking towards the Diamond from St Patrick’s Church. 
The principle of ‘Caveat Emptor’ is well established in most business transactions. Let the buyer beware! It’s so easy to be defrauded by someone who pretends he is something he isn’t – or who delivers second rate goods or services. This is certainly the case in ‘professional’ photography where a charlatan can set up a ‘photography business’ with no experience, no training or qualifications, no insurance and still get clients by offering prices that wouldn’t stand up financially.
The end result of this is that the person who thinks they are getting a good deal are just being ripped off, used as someone’s Guinea pig or exploited. It would be tempting to conclude that they deserve it, for demanding work at an unrealistic price, if it wasn’t for the collateral damage that is caused to the whole industry in ruined reputations and overall suspicion. A client who has been deceived by a ‘photographer’ can demonstrate their resentment by smearing all photographers with the vitriol usually reserved for estate agents and second hand car salesmen.
Here’s a case in point. I noticed a post on a photography discussion page, on which a woman was asking advice about a camera. She was starting a photography business so a relative had given a camera. She didn’t know whether the camera was any good for professional photos and was seeking advice from others.
The camera in question was an old, Nishika 3D, ‘point and shoot’ fixed focus, 35mm film camera. Totally unsuitable, even when new, for producing professional images, yet she didn’t seem to know what it was, how to use it or how to make images.
Just imagine what a total disaster it will be for her unsuspecting clients, who book her on some price comparison website.
As with any other transaction, when booking a photographer – Caveat Emptor.
Let the buyer beware!
Thanks to everyone who entered the November baby of the Month Competition. The judging and voting is now complete, and we’ll know the winners of our national competition in a week our so.
Why not enter the January competition? Bookings are already coming in, so book your studio session today!
Here’s a reminder of our NOVEMBER Baby-Stars…
It’s here!
My new Nikon Df has arrived! The ‘f’ (apparently) is for ‘fusion’ and this camera is a perfect fusion between the old Nikon FM cameras and the Nikon Professional Digital range. It has the same sensor as the top of the range D4 but, designed for ‘pure photography’ it has no video capability. Which suits me just fine.
The big advantage for me is the manually operated knobs. No more fiddling with digital controls! 
Wiki:
Today was another step forward in our preparations for a busy 2016.
Today Janette and I have extended the studio area length by two feet and extended the chroma key backdrop right across the room – now 12 ft wide – to allow us to accommodate larger groups – perhaps up to 8 or ten adults for group portraits – so our 2016 Groupon offerings will include Family Portraits as well as babies. 
We look forward to welcoming you and your family in 2016!
Don’t forget to place your vote in November’s competition! 5 winners will each receive a £100 Mothercare Voucher and 5 runners-up will also receive prize from SwimKidz!
Vote now at bit.ly/nov15bom
Excitement! Just in time for the Christmas Gift Season, Bob has introduced a series of Black and White Giclee Prints, high quality, Black and White Images featuring iconic but lesser known Irish Scenes and Landscapes – available as Mounted Prints – ideal for shipping abroad – or as Framed Prints.
Limited Editions – there are only 120 of each of these prints available for sale, each one signed, numbered and dated by the photographer. Check out the order page here:
http://www.BobMcEvoy.co.uk/irish-art-limited-edition-prints/
Someone once told me that when a baby turns two that marks the beginning of the ‘terrible twos’ – when all restraints are off, and baby does what she likes, when she likes, and learns to complain loudly when he or she doesn’t get her own way! But not always! Today for my single family portrait photography session at Dundonald, (I was at a wedding this afternoon) I had this really delightful little two-year old, whose activities were more than enough to provide fun for the camera! Including a great desire to carry a chair around with her! (A small Ikea child’s chair – I hasten to add!)
Here she is on the sheepskin rug in the studio..
Shot in the studio, Nikon D700, f/11@1/125th Sec on ISO200
An advantage of digital photography is the spontaneity that it allows, which makes family portrait photography so much fun,and so full of unexpected opportunities. One of yesterday’s family photo sessions at Dundonald featured a little girl who reached upwards, just as the camera was on her. What a great pose – totally unplanned, and so a great opportunity to show her reaching for the moon!
Shot on the Nikon D700, ISO200, f/10 at 1/125th sec, with studio lighting, against Chromakey ‘Greenscreen’ Backdrop.
Portraits2Go.co.uk 