Best Face Forward

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The California Institute of Technology (CalTech) just published a rather silly study under the catchy title of “Perspective Distortion from Interpersonal Distance Is an Implicit Visual Cue for Social Judgments of Faces”. The study claims to show that “the distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception.” The authors of the study even say they’ve broken new ground. (Yes, every photographer is laughing at this.)

Here’s the CalTech press release and the study. Feel free to read them but the study just duplicates what every experienced photographer, model and actor have known for +90 years:

(i) If someone takes your picture with a short lens, the closer they stand to you when taking the picture, the more distorted, or unflattering, the picture will be. (It’s just well-known physics.)

(ii) An unflattering portrait tends to create unfavourable opinions in people who view that portrait. (It’s just well-known human behaviour.)

This CalTech study certainly qualifies for a Captain Obvious award.
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Toronto Film Festival 2012

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With apologies for the length of this post, here’s my annual rant:

The 37th edition of the annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is underway. From a photographers’ point of view, TIFF has always been considered to be very poorly-run event. Although from a movie-goer’s point of view, the film festival might be heaven.

I’ve been covering the film festival since 1988 and little has changed over the years. Off hand, I can count only four positive changes over the past 24 years:

(i) A photo pit was covered to protect against rain;
(ii) Many steel barricades were covered;
(iii) A red carpet was relocated from the small east side of a theatre to the much larger west side;
(iv) The central hub of the film festival (TIFF’s new building) has fast wifi (which works about half of the time – perhaps it’s overloaded during the festival?).

Let’s look at a few things (in no particular order):

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Never Ending

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Learning about photography never ends.

Updating software never ends.

Updating your web site never ends.

Re-evaluating your business never ends.

Searching for new ideas never ends.

Buying new photo gear never ends.

Credit card payments never end.

The need for “just one more picture” never ends.

The thrill of having your photo on a magazine cover, a billboard, or just hanging on a wall, never ends.

Searching for new customers never ends.

Having to do your homework never ends.

Looking at something and thinking “24mm, 5.6 at 1/250” never ends.

Trying to produce better pictures never ends.

 

Precedent Setting

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Everyone knows the saying, “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” While this is true, it goes further than that.

As with any business, a professional photographer should remember that when dealing with a new customer, everything the photographer does sets the precedent for all future interactions with that customer.

For example:

  • how the photographer answers the first phone call
  • the number of spelling mistakes in the first e-mail
  • showing up late for the first assignment
  • improperly dressed for the assignment
  • missing the deadline on the first job
  • poor quality on the first job
  • pricing below cost or working for free

Each “first” interaction with a customer sets the standard for that customer’s future expectations.

Precedents are quick to set and slow to undo.

 

Batter Up

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During yesterday’s Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees game, (the Blue Jays won 8-5), the TV announcers were talking about the value of veteran pitchers.

One announcer explained that, although younger pitchers can often throw the ball faster than the older guys, veteran pitchers have more control and they understand the game better. This means that veteran pitchers can throw exactly the right pitch at the right time and win games. That’s why, the announcer continued, veteran pitchers cost more.

A similar explanation can be used to explain why experienced photographers cost more.

 

Trash the risk

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Last week, a Quebec woman drowned while being photographed in her bridal gown during a “trash the dress” photo shoot. A “trash the dress” is where a woman is photographed a few days, weeks, or maybe even months, after her wedding while wearing her bridal gown in a wet, dirty or otherwise unorthodox location. One would have thought that this fad disappeared after the 1970s but it became trendy again a few years ago.

The family of the victim released a statement which seemed to place blame on the photographer:

These character traits made [the victim] very trusting in others. … One thing we are certain about is that [the victim] would have never put her life at risk. Her love for life, for her husband and for her family would never allow it.
(…)
She trusted [the photographer’s] recommendation for the location and felt safe enough to attend the photo shoot alone with the photographers. She followed their directions and put trust in their professionalism.

While no lawsuit against the photographer has been launched, (the funeral has yet to be held), one might guess where this is heading.
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Smaller is bigger

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From my own anecdotal viewpoint, it seems that smaller companies often have bigger budgets for corporate photography than do larger companies. For examples:

• Last month, the world’s second largest car manufacturer asked about covering its Toronto press conference. It was apparently budgeting $250 for two hours of shooting, a couple hours of editing, and a disc of images to be used internally and for media handouts.

By comparison, a small publisher in Toronto, with a handful of employees, budgeted $650 to cover its 30-minute press conference with one picture for media handout and a handful of other photos for internal use.

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