Domke Camera Bags

Over the past fifteen years, I’ve used a few generics, and one Lowepro backpack (now a laptop storage bag) and with all things considered, the past fourteen years with Domke has been good ones. I like how they do not over pad things so and how much flexibility there is in arranging the padded inserts to be mission specific. These bags are built or so goes the claim with the highest quality of canvas and nylon, though I have found small holes forming at the seems of my F2 original, and threads unraveling on my F6 bag. The Velcro on my Photogs vest on one of the pockets have fallen apart.This sucks since the F2 and Photogs vest have had minimal use up until three years ago when the problems started. With all things considered wit this being the only complaints I have had with the brand in fifteen years, I’m doing pretty good. Still, I wished these issues did not exist. My history with Domke is still better than Lowepro. I have a single backpack of theirs and it is too small to hold my gear, with exception to the S2. Here’s a brief run down of my current Domke lineup. Look, ok, I’m light on material this week, and a bit worn out from Coast Guard stuff, so I needed filler material.

F1 Larger Shooter Bag: I brought this olive barrel bag into service early in 2008 to hold both my D1h and recently converted D1i in. Currently it holds my D1i and S2 and is used for studio work. I like this bag the most second to the F2 that is, but it resembles a barrel, and hence the nickname.F2 Original Shooter’s Bag: This was the very first bag I ever owned. I use it daily today as it holds all my gear fine. Best bag I ever owned. However, it does not hold my glass all too well if I include a long 80-200 or 70-200 f/2.8 to it. I use this bag currently for most of my weekend railroad photography. F3x Super Compact Bag: I bought black bag this for daily fast attack use, in 2007 but found it too small to hold my D1H and all three lenses, but later I did get a Fuji S2 Pro, and had dedicated this bag for that camera with its mated 24-70 f/2.8. However today it is used to hold my D1H. It’s mated 18-200 lens that I carry around in daily TASC service.

F4AF Professional AF Bag: I use this bag for Coast Guard Photo Corps work only. It however does not hold my gear assembled as well as hoped. As, I will be not being much Coast Guard photography in the future, I plan to withdraw this bag from service as it does not meet any other mission-specific uses.

F6 Little Bit Smaller Bag: My travel bag I use when traveling abroad, and locally some days. It is too small for daily use anymore, and is a tight fit. This was the second bag I ever bought, back in 2000, and shows the most signs of wear. It was also my first black Domke, which I regret now, as it has faded incredibly.

F803 Camera Satchel: No longer used as my D1/D1H are too big to fit, this was my urban bag. I may use it to store a small laptop in the future. It too is black and was bought in 2001, but despite the light usage it too shows heavy wear and fading. I think there are spare Domke inserts populated the bag at the moment.F804 Super Satchel: I replaced my F803 with this black bag, in early 2007, though I seldom use it. The problem with this satchel is that I can not fit a mounted camera in it very well, yet it is nearly twice the size as my F2 bag. It’s almost too big for street use. I may use it as a storage bag.

Photogs Vest: I bought this in the spring of 93, and have not worn it very much. I also have a black ranger vest with a hood that I like more, that cost half as much. My tan Photogs Vest started to show signs of wear and the Velcro started coming off shortly after I bought it. I honestly spend more time searching the pockets for lens caps than anything else

Clothing & Gear

Due to a gas crunch, (and being broke) shooting was very limited this week. However, I did take on some new photog attire in the form of a pair of black mil-spec boonie hats. I’ve come to love boonie hats for photography. For starters, they‘re crushable meaning easy storage. The brims allow for one to shoot with ease without removing the hat especially while shooting tall. Just roll up the brim, and you’re all set. Best of all, they look pretty good. For photojournalist, they look the part. The three I bought came from a military surplus store, and were sold in a pack of three for fifteen bucks.

This got me thinking about the rest of my field gear. I have a Domke photogs vest that I have had for nearly fifteen years, yet seldom wear it because it looks like a fishing vest. While the kaki keeps you cool in the summer, it makes one look way too much like an old man. But the black ranger vest I have looks mil, and it has a hood inside the collar. That hood when inside the collar also provides a lot of padding for longs days with a camera around the neck. Shame, I can’t combine the two vests, but then again, I always hate wearing my vests for one other reason because I can never find where I put anything—especially lens caps. (Not that I can find them regardless of what I’m wearing!) Ciao.

Portfolio 101

I wa talking to a few college kids last year who asked for advice on creating thier first portfolio so I deicded to write this article. This write-up is meant for someone making their portfolio for the very first time. More seasoned professionals who have made several portfolios such as myself may find this to be very basic, but remember this is for the newbie just out of high school, or college, or someone making a mid-life career switch to photography.

So you’re taken many pretty pictures and are in need to select the best shots for presentation? The leap from photos in a three ring binder from high school or college class to preparing your best work for presentation may vary from what potential clients such as Gallery Representation, a commercial job, modeling shoot, or many other types of job opportunities may be expecting. Example, you are fresh out of college, looking for your first big break. You’re three ring binder of 8×10 darkroom prints and notes may work for your instructor, but I assure you this, the photo editor of the New York Times won’t. Proper time and effort must be made to assure you work. Just having good photos are not enough, the presentation and preparation is everything. It is the difference between working for a client or working at Long John Silver’s.I have had many a student ask about how to prepare their portfolio, and this is never an easy question to answer as there are many variables involved which you need to ask yourself.

· Who is the client?
· What do I want to include?
· How much can I spend?
All of which need to be considered when creating a portfolio. When any of the three criteria above fail, the portfolio can fail.

Who is the Client?
You have chosen your best shots, and you know what your cost limitations or lack therefore of is. We need to understand what the client is looking for. This is not too hard really. If you are a wedding photographer, you will want wedding shots, a portrait photographer needs headshots, body shots, etc… Choosing the type of shots to use go hand in hand.

What do I Want to Include?
There are many different ways and considerations you need to prepare for in order to prepare a portfolio for construction. The first thing one must do before all else, and that is to choose what photos are to go into their portfolio. This usually is the single most critical pitfall, first time portfolio makers tend to bias their personal favorite work over their best work, usually resulting in a sub par portfolio. More times than not, a photographer’s favorite shots are seldom the best of his or hers work often lacking in many of the technical or emotion value to the viewer’s eye. Remember, it is more important for the person who will be reviewing your portfolio to see what your total potential and ability are than your personal picks.

Most of the time, the photographer is at the mercy of what the client wishes and not left much space for personal tastes and creativity. This is especially true on industrial and commercial jobs where an art director is involved. This is not to say, that you should not include personal shots, just to keep them to a minimal. Possible clients do more often than not like to see an image that reflects the photographer’s heart, just not too much of it. Creating a portfolio of a fashion shoot will not get you a job working as an industrial photographer.

The only example of something that breaks this rule might be for some gallery presentation, but even then, the gallery is interesting in selling, and most people rather buy the best the photographer has to offer, as it represents the most valuable works created.

Choosing a Case
This is a fairly touch one at times as a case represents personal style. Here are a few suggestions:

For weddings I suggest placing wedding shots in a wedding albums, that way the client usually the bride and groom get a good idea of what they will get after the wedding is complete.

When doing press-photojournalism (or commercial-industrial) using a zippered 8×10, or 11×14 portfolio case with unmatted prints works well here, as you can include both prints and tear sheets into the sleeves.

And for Gallery Representation and Art one can buy 1×14 or 16×20 portfolio boxes that open flat and can hold matted prints. The portfolio box can be placed in a zippered leather or nylon transport case for movement.

There are many options available for portfolio-presentation cases out there. I personally use a vendor, Light Impressions who supplies museum quality presentation items, as well as achieve grade matting, and storage supplies. The US Library of Congress uses them! They can now be found on the World Wide Web at www.lightimpressionsdirect.com and are priced pretty well.

How Much Do I Need to Spend?
There can be another pitfall, but this is very easily something that can be overcome, and that is price. Creating a portfolio can cost money, a lot of money. So picking the portfolio style that meets your budget is critical, as a portfolio that will cost more to create than funds available will lead to an incomplete and unusable portfolio. Create a portfolio within not just your needs, but budget.

My main portfolio has ten hand printed 8×10 by a master of the darkroom, one with fifty years of enlarging, a master, and all professionally matted. The case was a portfolio box, and padded portfolio case. Total cost of this gallery worthy presentation? Six hundred dollars! And that’s for only ten prints!

But don’t fret. I have made many portfolios in my day. My most recent portfolio I did for next to nothing, and it looks great. I ordered 8×10 zippered portfolio case with 10 archival grade sleeves for thirty bucks, and had ten 8×10 prints made on a Fuji Frontier machine at Wal-Mart for two-fifty each. That’s fifty-five dollars total for a small portfolio. I use this one when traveling light to show off to friends and family. So pick a style that fits your budget, there are always ways to make a portfolio as cheap or as expensive as needed.

Closing
Don’t get overwhelmed by the dozens of books the size of a boogie board about intricate ways to create a professional portfolio. They usually require much money, and years worth of work in the field. In time, once you have gotten your foot in the door, and have the money and experience to build the five thousand dollar portfolio. Well that’s it. If anyone has any question feel free to post them In the portfolio forum of this web site.

Off to Japan

The studio and galleries will be closed for a few weeks in early April as the syndicate leader aka Shashinka Ichiban himself will be away in Tokyo, for several days before heading off to Miyazaki City. As a result, I will be unable to answer emails. Gomen. Will return around the middle of the month.

New Gear

One of the most exciting days for any photographer is the day they get to test new gear. There is always a certain sense of surprise that comes with learning to use new gear. This holds equality true when using specialize photographic tools. In this came, I brought a new Nikon D2Hs in to service for high speed action photography. At the same time, the newly refitted D1 IR returned from service. After many years of faithful sue, I chose to send my trusty Nikon D1 to LifePixels Infrared Conversion Services of Seattle Washington.

The results, new life for an old friend. And after my initial test shoots have concluded that this was really the only viable path to go. For anyone who has ever shot with an IR, you know the creative artistic results. For those of you who haven’t, all I can say is, it’s wild. I hope to post some sample images soon.

Marketing Is Key

The tough part of making a living in photography is selling yourself and your work. The problem with that is most people feel they have to sell themselves through their work exclusively. This however is why that way of thinking does not work. No matter how great one’s images are, the average layman can’t tell your work from the next persons. If I held up ten shots, by ten different photographers, the layman can’t tell them apart.

Furthermore the average Joe does not know what a technically good yet alone acceptable picture is. Of course pros can and do, the problem therein lies that the average client, including those in the publication business can’t. This is where marketing is absolutely essential.

One could be an absolute novice who couldn’t separate a technically good picture from an image that they like full of flaws. Of course this is the mentality of the average consumer as well. They are unable to distinguish a good photo from a photo they like. However the average client will remember the photographer by how big or much gear they have, a client list, or even a marketing slogan. Just think about it, corporations spend millions to design logos, mottos and even jingles so the average consumer will distinguish them from the competition.

So to the aspiring photographer, remember while your images may lock in a deal, you need to sell yourself, by standing out from the competition, and that may mean methods other than those in your portfolio.

Good luck, it’s a jungle out here.

Busy New Years

January 2008 represents both the start of the new year and finally a chance to catch my breath. Aside from several new camera bodies that have come online in the past thirty days, and an older camera being sent out to Life Pixel for IR conversion, I have added a third studio light to the set.

With three Alien Bees B400 lights, the studio will now be able to function fully under the most difficult of situations. The addition of some support gear will also increase available options for new projects.

Tenative Site Is Up & Running

The tentative site is up and running, I am not pleased that blog integration does not reflect page layout. More updates and info as they come in. Ciao..