Tampa Photography Blog

Astronomers have figured out how to photograph the entire universe using a telescope millions of miles from Earth. The end product is quite beautiful.

To learn what exactly it is that we see in this amazing photo, please take a look at this article. It will blow your mind!

*Photo by the European Space Agency.*

If I had a dollar for every time I encountered an article about a “Photoshop-altered image”, well, I’d have some extra spending cash which I would probably use to by the newest version of Photoshop.

BP has yet again become a big blog topic due to three photos that were released of their cleanup efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. The photos were clearly altered and whoever did it, used a cut and paste technique that did not make the new versions realistic.

I’ve ranted on my blog many a time about altering digital photos and what it can do to my profession and the credibility of all photographers. It cannot become the norm for anyone—photographers, editors, designers or even CEOs.

The reason this particular incident upsets me is because BP is in enough trouble already—they have tarnished their image this year, possibly forever. How would this kind of stunt help? Someone always finds out…thank God for the photo geeks who find these problems. Plus, BP’s reaction to it is that they are now blaming the contract photographer for altering the image and claiming no responsibility of their own.

The photographer may have done this on their own (and for that they should be punished) but BP is forgetting the one lesson they should have learned in the last three months: one mistake can take an entire company down.

View the before and after images here.

*Photo courtesy of BP via Flickr.*

One of the most powerful and in-depth photo stories I have ever viewed won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography.

Denver Post photographer Craig F. Walker received the award to bring the Post’s Pulitzer total to six.

For more than two years, Walker documented a “boy” named Ian Fisher as he graduated from high school, joined the Army and was deployed to Iraq. Walker’s access and creativity to make every frame different after years covering the same subject is inspiring. Through his images, you can see his passion to tell this story in particular. He didn’t have a model soldier as a subject. He didn’t just want the typical “war images” from Iraq that we have all become numb to after seeing so many of them.

The story is called “Ian Fisher: American Soldier” and I highly recommend you take time out of your day to see what really happens when young men are asked to take on more responsibility than they can handle.

There are so few storytellers left in photojournalism that are given the time and resources to pursue a story and finish it. My thanks go to the Denver Post for giving Walker what he needed to make this an award-winning piece of art.

*Photo by Craig F. Walker*

A 25-year-old U.K. mother recently checked out the Google Street View and was surprised to find an image of her 3-year-old son naked, with only his shoes on. A license plate on a nearby car was blurred out but not the naked boy. The mother wants to know why the images aren’t reviewed well before being posted online.

Google later replaced the image with one that blurred out the child from the waist down.

When I first read this story, I thought that the mother was probably somewhere she shouldn’t have been, letting her son run wild with no pants on. (I’ve seen weirder things happen.) I assumed she would cry “invasion of privacy” and sue Google for millions. Then I read that this happened in her garden, I assume in the privacy of her own backyard.

Now I understand why she is so upset and why she feels sick to her stomach about finding this photo. I don’t have a child but if this happened to my husband or me, I would be outraged. I can’t think of a reason why we’d be naked in our garden but you never know!

Where do we draw the line when it comes to technology and our privacy?

This year’s recipient of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) Emerging Vision Incentive award is truly exposing a way of life that is bizarre, intriguing and sad.

Photographer James Chance will continue to document his project called “Living with the Dead: Manila’s North Cemetery.” Through his project he is exposing a community of 2,000 people who have made their home the North Cemetery, among hundreds of thousands of Filipino presidents, celebrities and Catholics.

These families have literally built lives on top of tombs and graves. They live and work there instead of in the city slums, where many of the city’s poverty stricken people reside. Approximately 40 percent of Manila’s population lives below the poverty line.

According to Chance, 80 funerals can occur each day in the North Cemetery.

Chance’s goal is to explore the lives of the people that live among the dead. The most interesting aspect of his plan is to understand the cycle of life in this community—“babies are born as bodies are laid to rest.”

It’s rare these days to see classic storytellers receiving money to do what they do best. I’m excited to see the POYi grant awarded to Chance and I can’t wait to see what he does with the project.

*Photo by James Chance*

John and Robin are entertaining, to say the least.

My favorite part about shooting family portraits or engagement portraits is what people are willing to do, if I ask.

We traveled to Philippe Park in Safety Harbor for their photo session on a beautiful, sunny Florida afternoon. It had been a long eight years since they had professional photos taken and that was at their wedding! So, I was excited to update their photo albums and picture frames for them.

John and Robin could not be more different, in my opinion, but they have one of the most harmonious relationships I’ve ever witnessed. They laugh a ton, tease each other and seem to know what the other is thinking most of the time.

I guess that’s what eight years of marriage will do—you really get to know each other!

They were really fun to photograph, doing everything I asked. I told them, “As a professional, I think you should get on this purple dinosaur.” It works every time.

It was a pleasure photographing them and I hope it won’t be another eight years before I have the pleasure of taking their family portraits again.

“Never have I had a more comfortable photo session! Both my husband and I dislike having our photos taken; Tampa photographer Jessica Leigh managed to make the experience relaxing and enjoyable, resulting in some beautiful family portraits that captured our genuine personalities and relationship. We look forward to using her in the future for our family portraits.‎”

-Robin (Land O Lakes, Florida)

“It was eight years ago that my wife and I last had professional portraits taken of us (and that just happened to be from our wedding…), and we were finally ready to update them. We were turned onto Tampa photographer Jessica Leigh by a good friend of ours. Our ensuing hour and a half family portrait session with Jessica turned out to be an enjoyable, professional, and engaging experience - all traits I now respect and admire in a photographer. She truly took some beautiful, impressionable photographs of us that we are proud to showcase in our house. I would recommend her without any hesitation.”

-John (Land O Lakes, Florida)

When it comes to hiring a professional for a business head shot, most people go to a name they know like Sears or JCPenney because they think they’re saving money. I’m writing this article to map out the different options including hiring an independent professional photographer and going to studios in the mall.

First, let me start by stressing the importance of hiring a professional for your head shot. Asking a friend or family member to shoot your head shot with a point-and-shoot camera is not the same and it shows in the final product. The reason businesses hire professionals is that they know there’s a reason we exist. If you’re an accountant or a doctor or a lawyer, I would hire you for your services because I know you’ve been trained well to do your job and I cannot do it for you. Photography is no different.

Second, when you choose not to hire a professional photographer and use a head shot created by an amateur, it shows your client you don’t think it’s worth the money to invest in a real head shot. If you won’t invest in your business, why should anyone else?

Third, I did my research by calling or visiting these other studios in person so I got an accurate price list for Tampa head shots. I used the area of Carrollwood as my base since there is a JCPenney studio, a Sears studio and a Picture People location in Citrus Park Mall.

Let’s start with what I offer for my head shot package. For a group session (a minimum of five people), the rate is only $75 per person and I travel to your office. The best option is for me to set up my mobile studio in a conference room. The $75 head shot rate includes five final images that are retouched and ready to print. The client has full rights to reproduce these images in any way they see fit. It also includes an online gallery of raw images where the client can choose their favorite images.  I recommend a dark grey/black backdrop but I also have light gray, dark blue, red, white and black to choose from. The client may wear as many different tops as time permits.

I visited Picture People and the associate told me that for only three retouched images on CD, the rate is $90. At JCPenney Portrait Studio, the rate for three head shots on CD is $70. I called Sears Portrait Studio and after being on hold for ten minutes during normal business hours, I decided to look online for pricing information. The current sale offered on their website is one retouched business portrait on CD for $65.

The general public might think they are getting a great deal by going to a department store studio. I researched these options so others can see the difference. My rate compared to those studios is only a $5-$10 difference and, in one case, my rate is nearly 20% less expensive.

My other concern is that if you want your head shot or business portrait to look creative, it is sometimes hard to find that in a department store setting. The employee photographing you usually has a part-time position with little to no real world experience outside of the mall as a professional photographer and more importantly,  he or she may not be there if you come back with any problems or questions.

I always tell clients to do their own research. I believe in what I do and if your only concern is cost – not quality or service, then sometimes the best option is Wal-Mart. When you’re ready for a professional set of images to set your business apart from the others – I’m ready and I’ll be here to help before, during and after any session.

Have you attended a networking meeting and felt like everyone was trying to force their product or service on you?

I’ve been to plenty of them around the Tampa Bay area and Networking Girlfriends is one of the best with no hard-core sales pitching. It’s organized by my boot camp trainer, Carrie Kukuda (The Someday Coach), and the information I’ve gathered from it is worth the cost alone. We meet once each month and it’s only $40 per year.

This week I had the pleasure of shooting business head shots for ladies before and after the meeting at Piccadilly in Tampa. And because it’s summer time and so many people are on vacation (and trying to figure out what to do with their children), we had a small turnout. So, about 8 or 10 fabulous females attended compared to the usual 20 to 30 women.

The smaller group was nice for a change and we were able to discuss networking marketing topics and each other’s businesses like we never have before. We talked about social media, discounts, referrals and helping others first.

In this economic climate of everyone trying to “Sell, Sell, Sell”, it was nice to be in the company of quality women who know their businesses speak for themselves.

Working with Taylor Albertson Pinke at the University of Tampa is the best assignment a photographer could ask for.

Taylor is the Annual Fund Director in the Development and University Relations Department and she does it well. Not only is she organized, punctual and professional but she makes my job even more fun than it already is!

From reserving a golf cart so I’m not carrying my loads of camera equipment across campus in 95 degree heat to keeping a relaxed attitude about unexpected changes in the schedule, Taylor is a delight to work for. She also makes sure I see how my photos are used in publication, even if it’s months later.

I’ve included some Homecoming photos I shot for Development and I could not have gotten through all those events without staff members like Taylor. Thank you!

"I have used Tampa photographer Jessica Leigh dozens of times for various events and marketing needs. She always finds a way to capture the spirit of an event and the emotions of an individual. Her technical skills are excellent, and she has a great eye for the 'artistic' shot. Jessica is also extremely personable making even the most camera-shy person feel right at home in front of the lens. When I hire Jessica Leigh, I know I can count on her to be on time, and produce amazing images that are delivered quickly. I am very thankful to be one of her clients!‎"

-Taylor Albertson Pinke (University of Tampa)