Equipment and process | Philadelphia commercial photographer

Equipment and Process (why it's so important)

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail”

Images are only as good as the weakest link that created them. (Unless the photographer got lucky.) This includes the quality and consistency of the lighting in addition to the quality of the cameras and lenses. It also includes the skills of the photographer: technical knowledge, mastery of lighting, attention to detail, compositional skills, problem-solving abilities, creativity, expertise and artistic ability with Photoshop and other post-production programs; and the interpersonal skills that are so necessary to evoke the desired expressions when people are photographed.

A sampling of some of the lights and modifiers in the studio. Having just the right tools for the job speeds up photo sessions and gives superior results. All of these lights are in addition to his more portable location lighting equipment. To do a job well you need the right tools.

Digital controls provide fast, precise control of the lighting.

Professional Hasselblad and Nikon digital cameras as well as a 39 megapixel Fujifilm GX 680III medium format camera system (providing creative perspective and focus controls generally associated with large format photography) deliver incredibly detailed images for starters. (But data capture is only the first step.)

Extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts

Below are just a few of behind the scene steps that are done to create more value for his clients.

The spectral output of the lighting is measured for complete control of color.

The best time of day for the sun position is calculated for architectural exteriors. Shoots are always planned to give the best results in the least amount of time.

All post-production is performed on a professional series, hardware calibrated Eizo monitor. This ensures that what Rich sees is what you’ll get. You can be sure that when your images go to print or on the web that they’ll look their best.

He uses many of the same scopes and tools that are used by Hollywood colorists for major motion pictures. This is a testament to the importance Rich places on using the best tools available for complete control of color in his images. This is one step that helps move images from good to great.

Rich utilizes advanced hardware-based control for primary color and tonal adjustments. This dramatically improves color grading efficiency by allowing multiple controls to be manipulated simultaneously; producing superior images, faster.

All enhancing and retouching is done with a stylus on a professional Wacom tablet. This both greatly increases quality and speeds up the retouching by at least 4X. Don’t believe it? Just try signing your name with a mouse.