There are, it has to be said a lot of photographers where I live ... whilst there is undeniably plenty of work to go around, it's fair to say that we are all fighting for a slice of the same pie.   Gander Photography Julian Knopf Over the last several years more and more photographers have popped up, by and large competition is a good thing.  The bad thing however is all of us trying to stand out in the market. So it's worth bearing in mind the following when pointing a camera in someone's direction For many this is one of the best days of their lives ... if not the best They are f ..read more

There is no doubt that life as a photographer is a competitive place to be ... I'm a member of a whole bunch of Facebook groups and on a frequent basis someone will request a recommendation for a photographer for a function, adding that they want a reasonable price, or for it not to cost the earth. Now I can assure you several things.  At the top of the list : Very very few people are making a fortune as photographers.  Trust me I know, I've been full time for nigh on 6 years now and survival is only for the fittest. Year on year it seems that new photographers are coming out of the woodwo ..read more

That's a great camera ... it takes great pictures  Art pencils and photographyI can't draw two straight lines with a ruler so why should buying expensive pencils make me an artist   I can't draw two straight lines with a ruler ... I'm actually in awe of the people who can take a pencil, some paper and depict what is infront of them.  After all they are creating something out of nothing.  If I go and buy the very best box of pencils money can buy, all of the colours and I mean all of them and a pad of paper am I suddenly a good artist ? Of course I'm not ... I still remain un ..read more

Photographs are priceless, treat them that way Gander Photography Money I see it all the time ...  looking for a photographer the doesn't charge the earth Or an advert that offers something like Full day wedding photography £399 Whilst I appreciate that everyone has a budget, there is also a need to be realistic and sensible about the costs of running a photography business. It is impossible to run any business at low rates even if you are supplementing the income from a different job Mon-Fri. The costs of running a business are just that Office Licenses ..read more

100 Bad Days Makes 100 Great Stories, 100 Great Stories Makes Me Interesting At Parties .. I Ain't Scared Of You No More ... AJR Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a loud, strong and confident person. I was brought up that way. Brought up to be unapologetically myself. You can thank my mother for that. Here's a truth ... underneath it all often I'm a little terrified. What if people don't like me, what if they don't like what I have to say, don't find me funny, don't like my work. In recent years I have left high stake jobs in the City, working for multinational banks and have ..read more

A-Z of Function Photography C There are lots of candidates for C  ... but let's start with  Chuppa A chuppah is the canopy that a Jewish couple stand under for their wedding ceremony.  Made of a cloth sheet supported by four poles.  A chuppah can be a portable structure held by attendants to the ceremony or more often a temporary structure erected where the ceremony takes place.  The chuppah represents a Jewish home symbolized by the cloth canopy and the four poles. Just as a chuppah is open on all four sides, so was the tent of Abraham open for hospitality. Thus, the chuppah represents ho ..read more

As many of you will know I entered my first photography competition at the end of last year. In typical style that was the Sony World Photography Awards, as I say Go Big or Go Home .. To be overall winner you need to win your own category of which there are 10 but then also be the best across all of the categories... this year over 327,000 images were submitted, more than ever before. Unfortunately this year, I have not won. Gander Photography London PortraitPortrait of man in balck tshirt Although my work is good, I had no expectation of shortlisting, let alone winning. It is as they sa ..read more

Last week I blogged about the lasting appeal of Black and White photography, this week I thought I'd give colour it's turn to fight back. There is no doubt that modern cameras, even the one's on phones are getting better and better.  One of the best advances has been in the way colours are captured and then printed. A vibrant photography has the ability to put you right back in the moment.  For weddings, barmitzvahs and batmitzvahs the selection of colour theme has often been a difficult choice and there are lots of articles on many blogs directing people how to choose colours.   Some pictur ..read more

151122Gold0796 FB C We live in a high definition, ultra bright, technicolour world.  Televisions have developed in a short number of years from a 14 inch square box on top of a sideboard into 60inches of flat screen beauty on the wall that deliver a picture that is better than looking through a window. Why is it then that in all of this hyper realism there is still a draw to black and white photography.  That hark back to history of monochrome.  In every set of images I deliver there is always a black and white or two.  These are the images that people comment on the most.   15103 ..read more

blog3 Picture the scene, it's the end of the night, the party is over and I'm packing away.  Somewhere in the corner of the room, the hobbyist shooter of the night is also packing his kit away  He comes over, asks the question .... So erm, on a night like that what are your camera settings ? I don't mind that he asks, in fact it reminds me of when I was the hobbyist in the corner watching the professional do his thing.  The thing is, I nearly always don't have a clue what my settings are.    Long ago I moved away from Automatic mode, frankly the camera can't make decisions for me tha ..read more