Podcast #63 – Conversation with Mark Robert Halper – Taking Great Portraits
In this episode I talk with Mark Robert Halper and discusses portrait shooting. During the show we talk about what goes into making a great portrait, working with the subject, lighting, and location issues.
During the show we look at some of the work Mark has done and you can follow along at:
If you are interested in any of Mark’s workshops, please visit:
http://studiomark.com/workshops.html
Show Hosts
Kerry Garrison
http://kerrygarrison.com Twitter Facebook FriendFeed
This podcast is also available on iTunes.
Popularity: 2%
Thank heaven for Mark Robert Halper. I am so glad to hear another photographer poor water on the fire that is intergration between Still and video. I have been so dis-heartened recently with “experts” telling us that we will “have” to take video as well as stills soon. They are totally different disciplines I hate moving images videography bores me to tears as photographers we keep bemoaning “amateurs” taking business away from professionals how about the videographers looking at us taking their busness? Lets just leave horses for courses and stop trying to be Jacks of all trades still cameras are for photographers video cameras are for those who can't capture the decisive moment.
Excellent interview. Podcasts are like movies in that if they are really interesting and done well, they can be long as they want. I'm glad this one went as long as it did. I enjoy hearing veterans of the industry that are current with technology because they have the foresight to adapt technology to their work but the experience to not overreact, jump or hype future trends.
I think many people new to the industry disregard veterans' advice, which is foolish. There's an old Cuban saying: “El diablo sabe mas por viejo, de por diablo” which translates into “the devil knows more because of his age than because he's the devil.”
Hi guys!
Another great show! 5***** Thanks Robert Halper for sharing your experience with us! And congratulations on your work! Love the light!
I agree with “wolf666″ when he talks about still & video being 2 different disciplines, speacially when we're talking weddings or portraits. If a photographer wants to do video he should learn the right techniques and became a proper videographer, however, like everyhting in life, to try to do all is going to reduce the quality of ones work. I think in a wedding either you shoot or you film, try to do all and you'rew asking for trouble.
What I think is happening is the possibility of with just one kind of equipment (like a 5D mark ll) to do both kind of work – still and video, but one at a time. A videographer and a photographer can now share the same equipment, reducing the costs, but one professional shouldn't try to do the others job. Instead of buyng video equipment & photographic equipment one can now buy 2 or more 5D Mk ll and each professional will carry one, sharing lenses, filters, tripods, etc. and this way reducing the costs. Maybe one can try to use one or two frames from the video if one miss a shot (and this is really good!) but techniques, plans, etc are so different. What works in still in not going to work in video and vice-versa. We must also keep in mind that there will always be the editing part and this means at least the double of the work and time.
However for a photojournalist this video & still is a great advance as one can take the shots and make a small video of a news and put online asap, and that's interesting and was already being made with smaller cameras all over the world, even with Iphones.
Considering Roberts' moving portraits I'm not so excited about them, I think they do not work, it's better to do a proper video than those “kinda creapy” shots. For me a portrait is a “still”, a “moving portrait” is just a video or a slideshow presentation, it's not photography. Nothing personal Robert, it's just my understanding of it.
Cheers and keep sharing!
Even Mark said he wasn't sure of the future of the moving portraits but it is a conversation starter for potential clients and an interesting experiment in combining stills and videos.
Hi Kerry, yes, I'm aware that he said that in the podcast and there might be a market for that type of “portraits”. I was just adding my thoughts on that subject.
As you know I'm not a native english speaker / writer and I sometimes have problems trying to express myself, so please do excuse if for any momment I've not been polite to Robert or any other of your guests as that was never or will be my intention. As I've writen in the past I think one should try everything, who am I to say that this is right or that is wrong.
Regards,
Tiago
Say what you think – my skin isn't that thin and the last thing I'd ever want is for somebody to censor themselves because I may be offended. I don't worry about who is offended by my ideas, and you certainly don't need to concern yourself with my feelings. When we speak publicly, we invite disagreement and criticism. This doesn't really even count.
Conversation is good – and well thought out debate is often even better.
Mark Robert Halper
Say what you think – my skin isn't that thin and the last thing I'd ever want is for somebody to censor themselves because I may be offended. I don't worry about who is offended by my ideas, and you certainly don't need to concern yourself with my feelings. When we speak publicly, we invite disagreement and criticism. This doesn't really even count.
Conversation is good – and well thought out debate is often even better.
Mark Robert Halper
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