The start of the Dean Michaels Studio Best of Weddings 2015 Facebook Contest!

It's that time of year again. I always love this contest, as it gives me a chance to reach out to all of our clients throughout the year. Please be sure to check out the start of the newest Dean Michaels Studio Best of Weddings Facebook contest, and keep checking back every month to see our newest weddings :)

And if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the past year's competitions here and here and here :)

The death of black and white?

When I was in college, black and white photography was considered to be the pinnacle of the trade, with that perfect black and white photo being what you always wanted to achieve. Even with the introduction of digital practices, you were still expected to create a photo that would "last", so to speak. You're taught to think in black and white, even when you're shooting in color, which allows you to understand the basics of composition and light, among other things. Shooting/developing black and white processes has always spoken to me that way, and still does on a regular basis. I guess that's why I've been a little surprised (and a lot dismayed) at the current turn of events at the photography studio I work at lately.

In the last few months, I've been in charge of submitting the studio's images to different blogs and publications in the hopes of receiving a feature.
This is a normal practice for most successful photographers in the wedding industry - not only is it free advertising (usually), but in the age of Pinterest, Instagram, etc., today's engaged couples have millions of wedding planning blogs to turn to, and you want to get your name (and your work) out there. Popular sites such as Two Bright Lights make this a one step process (they allow the photographer to submit their images to multiple publications at once, but also allow them to notify other vendors who worked the wedding or event in the hopes that they may want professional images), but you can also go through the blogs directly, such as the submission process for Style Me Pretty.
After submitting, we get one of two emails. The first is the "Congratulations! We'll be sharing your images!" email, which is always lovely to get. The second is the "I'm sorry, your images will not be used at this time" email, which is always disappointing. It's the second email that's been nagging at me lately, and not just because of the no - it's more often the reason behind the no. Sometimes it has to do with the amount of effects the studio uses, which I understand, especially with recent trends going towards a softer, more film-like approach (more on this subject later this week). What I don't understand? Almost all of them include the same suggestion: "Try using less black and white images, and then resubmit". Some websites/blogs/publications are going a bit farther, by putting "No black and white images"/"Submissions featuring black and white images will be ignored" into their instructions before you even submit to them.

There is a part of me that understands; black and white photography, especially within the digital landscape, can sometimes be used as a way to make a bad photo look, if not good, better. And when it comes to a print publication that is used to printing color, having one image in a feature black and white can seem out of place from a design standpoint. But in the world of wedding blogs, which usually feature between ten to a hundred images from an event in one post, completely nixing a submission because they feature a few black and white photos... well, that seems rather heavy handed. Especially now that a digital photographer can choose to shoot in black and white (rather than editing it in later), just like their film predecessors did before them (which makes the argument that digital black and white photos aren't really "black and white" null and void).

During consults here at the studio, one of the most popular questions we get asked is whether or not the couple-to-be will be receiving images in black and white, to which we answer - "yes"! Most brides and grooms walk into a consult with an idea of what their wedding portrait will look like, and in most cases, when asked to describe it, it's in black and white. The black and white photo is both classic and modern, which is why I've been so upset to find that some blogs are shoving it to the side in favor of the more "real" color photo. The trend lately for wedding blogs is to post more photos of the details rather than of the couple - which arguably puts black and white photos at a disadvantage, because how will you know the bride matched her flowers to the antique jewelry that hung from the mason jars in her eighteenth century barn ceremony space IF IT ISN'T IN COLOR?!? And although I understand, the fact of the matter is that we've got couples asking for black and white photographs, and most wedding blogs/publications are missing out on sharing some beautiful photographs solely because of their color format.

In the end, I don't think I know what bothers me more - that black and white photography is seemingly being thrown to the wayside as something that bad photographers hide behind, or because bloggers are portraying it as a medium that isn't as popular as color. In either case, when it comes to photography, there's always more than one option.

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The newest Dean Michaels Studio contest...

It's that time of year again! After the success of both the 2012 and 2013 Facebook Contests for Dean Michaels Studio, today's the start of the 2014 contest. After three years of this promotion for the Facebook page, I've learned a few things regarding getting our customers both interested and involved. This means that I made a few changes this year regarding the overall design and feel of the samplers (based upon the past winners and their preferences/changes they've suggested), and how I collect information for the grand prize round at the end of the year.

Be sure to click here or on the photo below to check out the start of the 2014 contest!

Another year, another contest...

After the success of last year's Facebook contest for Dean Michaels Studio, we recently started our newest contest just in time for the start of the 2013 wedding season! The popularity of the 2012 contest not only allowed the overall likes for the studio's Facebook page to grow, but gave me some wonderful opportunities to reach out to other vendors to expand our reach throughout the New Jersey area. And just like last year, I'm also in charge of creating all of the samplers and artwork associated with the contest, which is always a lot of fun from a design perspective :D

Click here or on the photo below to check out the start of the 2013 contest!

New year, new look!

I know, it's been an extraordinary long time (even for me) since I've posted here, but 2012 was a busy year for me. In the interim days since I've been away (including having taken a break from art for a little while), work has been good (catch me daily over at Dean Michaels Studio's blog and Facebook page; I run both!), life in general has been positive, and I've been enjoying my post-collegiate life wholeheartedly.

With that said, I'm getting back to basics after some time away. I've got a couple of new projects I've recently started that I'm really jazzed about and can't wait to share. I've had an awesome blogging opportunity come at me from a good friend that I can't wait to start. And, the most important thing (at least when it comes to my website!) is that I'm in the process of doing a major overhaul. If you've been paying attention recently, you'll have noticed the basic changes in layout, links, and banner. As I type, I'm also in the process of reuploading and tweaking my portfolio/gallery space. Fingers crossed, I should have everything up to date in a few weeks.

So, if you've been missing a little bit of Rachel in your life, don't fret! Good things are coming your way soon.