5 Ways to Get You Noticed as a Photographer (Notice Me Senpai!)

Notice me Senpai! That's probably what you said the first time you went out there and start your own photography brand. Getting your worked out there could be a challenge if you don't know which step to take.

There are 5 main steps to take and I can assure you, if you pour your hearth into it you will be notice in no time.

1. Have you ever been to World Wide Web?

Yup, you betcha. The internet is a magical source which you can use as a tool to get you notice, well you probably already know this, but let me just remind you that the internet is full of things. You can start off small by using Facebook and Instagram, and continue to photography forum and Reddit.

2. I want to be the very best! 

Enter photography contest, no matter what it is, you need to at least try. There are several benefits of joining a contest. You can get noticed, make new friends and challenge yourself to take a different kind of photos. So contact your local newspaper, magazine or simply search the internet if there's any photo contest near you.

3. Have a Website.. or a blog.. 

Creating a website for your work is a must, you can't skip this step. With a website, you can showcase your work easily with a click. Every time you meet with your client, you can just open your website with a tablet or laptop and let them browse around. It's also good if you write in your blog and share it to your Social Media.

4. Think outside of the box

Creativity is your strongest weapon in surviving the industry. Think outside of the box, you might find idea on Google images or Pinterest, but never ever copy that idea 100%. Always try as best as you can to be original.

5. Be good at what you're doing.. duhhh..

This goes without saying, but being a good photographer is the number one key to achieve your dream. Never satisfy with your work, technology gets newer each day, so does the camera. From time to time, new camera is invented, which mean you can't never stop learning and those who never stop learning will be the best at doing what they love.

                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like a holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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Barrack Obama Love Pete Souza and so Will You

Have you ever seen beautiful photos of our beloved Mr.President? Do you know who is the artist behind it? Yup, his name is Pete Souza. During Barrack Obama time in the office, Pete Souza has taken an amazing amount of two million pictures of  Mr. Barrack Obama.

Today I want to show you how a photographer such as Pete Souza could deliver his message across the world by doing what he love. Let's take a look at some of his best art of the number one man in the USA.

Rainbow beam

First time meeting with Ken Doll aka Prince George

Till death do us part

We are not impressed

Peek a boo

Chillin

Pete Souza can tell us how the President is feeling without saying a word, we can all understand what he wants us to know from his photograph. That my friend, is what you want to achieve in your images. Try to go outside the box and write every idea that you have and be sure to do your best to make it true. 

You can also see more pictures of Pete Souza in his website, go to http://www.petesouza.com/ and prepare to be amazed by his photograph.

                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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Facing The Demon: How Being a Model Photographer Taught Me How To Survive inside The Model Industry

*Illustration only 

The very first time I started my path as a photographer, I found a lot of connections in the model industry. Since it seems to be the fastest one to get my name out there, I decided to try it.

The model industry is very unique, I seem to find a lot of people from different area. One time I met  magicians and some other time I met dancers, there's a lot of professions and we labeled them as 'Talent'. The model agency I get into the first time is more like a community, I started by taking photos of their runaway session and some of their events.

Everything is great, too great I say. Until someday, one of the photographer contact me to help him do his photo project in a private villa, without any hesitation I said yes. I went to this villa in Ubud area, and get everything set up, lighting, camera and all that. My job is to only hold the reflector or the light, but at this point I'm starting to question myself, who or what am I reflecting the light too?

After waiting for 15 minutes, the model came. She wears a black tank top and a jeans, hot pant, typical. My friend came in and introduce us, she's about my age, around 17 or 18 I think, she said that she just finished high school and want to get in the model industry.

We started with a basic photo session, close up, full body, portrait, etc. My friend is really calm, he touches her head and tilt it to the left or sometime push her leg with his hand to the right position. After around 30 minutes of all that, my friend told her to strip. I am shocked and ask him "Seriously?". He tells me to relax and just go on with the program, so I did.

She just strip. Right there in front of my eyes, without feeling shy and all. I am starting to feel suspicious if she really is a new model. So we carry on with the session for around 15 minutes only. I grab a towel for her and she took it. I tried my best not to look at her, it just feels weird seeing someone so reluctantly take off all their clothes in front of two male stranger.

As soon as I took all my things with me, my friend gives me my payment, 500.000 rupiah. Huge money back than for me since I am starting from nothing. I take it and he asked me if I want some more, "It's enough. " I said, he stopped me and shook his head, and tilting his head toward the model. I was confused, until I realize what he meant. I am nervous as the devil flies over my head, but I refuse the offer. No kidding, totally refuse it. I told him that, I am in a serious relationship and I don't want to ruin it. He nods his head and smiled at me and then showed me the way out.

Around two months after that, I met the girl again in another model agency. We talked about a lot of things, models, photographer, techniques, and other stuff. I asked her about my friend if everything is fine between them. She started this long talk on how my friend trick her into doing a nude photo shoot. He told her that she will be a huge model once he finished editing the photo. But instead all the fame and popularity she wants, she keeps getting another nude photo session offer. That offer keeps coming for one month until she changed all her contact and going to other model agency.

What a moron I said in my mind. She should have known better. But again, she's young and reckless, just a village girl who just got into town and think everyone is their friend. I tell her next time to never do any indoor photo session. That's the only thing I can tell her, she told me that I am such a sweet guy for not accepting my friend offer back then. I smiled and shake her hand and I find myself out of the building and carry on with my life.

Model industry could be a very dangerous area to get into if you don't know what you are facing. A lot of models are faced with stress that are too much for them to bear. They started smoking, free sex, alcohol and worse, drugs. Several models I know got OD'ed and that's it, they just gone, poof.. dead. Such a waste of life. I would recommend you and to anyone who is starting in the model industry, be it talent or photographer, to not let the devil possess you, you need to always have faith in yourself and know when to say no, because saying yes too often, might harm you.. badly.

*The images above are copyright of their respective owner

                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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5 Reason Why Shooting in RAW Will Save Your Life

*Copyright of MiB Pictures and Handoko Rama Photography

Some already knew about RAW and some don't. New photographer tend to shoot in JPEG, not realizing that there's a greater power inside the camera that they are using. If you go to photography forum a lot, you realize that almost all photographer shoot in RAW, the benefit we get from this is the key to survival inside the photography industry.

Today I will tell you 10 reason why you must shoot in RAW and after reading this, you will understand why RAW will save your life.

1. Quality 

This first point could be the only answer you need on why RAW is very beneficial. When you shoot in RAW, the camera will record all the data that came through the sensor and save it inside the photo file. This will give you the highest quality files that you can get with the setting you just used.

Trust me, this will save you a bunch of time in the editing process. But let me make this clear, when you press the shutter button, technically the photo you created is in RAW, but when you used JPEG setting in your camera, the RAW file will automatically compressed to a JPEG file, converting the RAW information into JPEG. Resulting in a much smaller file size but less information.

2. Arghh.. It's so bright!

What's the difference between JPEG and RAW level of brightness? Huge difference I tell you.
While JPEG records 256 levels of brightness, RAW records an enormous brightness level between 4,096 to 16,384 levels! Crazy right?

Brightness level play a huge part in black and white photography, resulting in a much smoother images.

3. I can see your pimple perfectly!

The time you are on the editing room, you will realize that with RAW you can control the sharpening and noise option in Adobe Lightroom. This option is way much better than the one inside your camera. With this you can always go back again and re-edit the images in a jiffy.

4. Can I undo that?

When you edit and later export your images, you have the power to go back and re-edit it again. You see, when you edit a RAW files, all the change that you make are actually save inside your hard drive and not actually on top of your RAW files.

After you finished editing and convert the file to TIFF or JPEG, the RAW files will remain with all the information it have. Say no more of copying your images because you afraid you might destroy it in the editing process.

5. I use it duhh..

Okay.. let see it this way. I consider myself as a professional photographer, meaning that I will always provide my clients with the best photo quality I can get. With RAW files all that is possible. Greater control when doing editing and also a greater quality when you print it.

So.. are you ready to step on the professional area with RAW files?

                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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5 Type of DSLR Lenses That You Really Need to Know Right Now

We all know that DSLR is a very complex machinery, But without lenses, DSLR is pretty much useless. A wise photographer once said to me "Always upgrade your lens first before your camera body.", he was right.

Today I will explain briefly about 5 lenses that you need to know. The lenses on this list is pretty much all the lens out there nowadays.

1. The Sniper Rifle

Telephoto lenses are the lens you see in sport event or Nat Geo Wild. Lenses with focal length more than 35mm on crop sensor camera or 50mm on full frame camera are considered as Telephoto lenses.

Telephoto lenses that you see in the store are usually around 70-200mm or 70-300mm, both are standard telephoto lens. There are more than 300mm with an enormous size. Sometime to hold this gigantic lenses, you need the help of a tripod to hold the lens rather than the body.

Telephoto lenses are good for shooting sport and wildlife without you getting to close to the action it self. I personally always carry my 70-200mm lens everywhere. Always prepare if anything interesting going to happened, especially if it's something that we can't really get too close to.

If you have the cash, I would recommend buying the one with Vibrate Reduction (or Image Stabilizer). As telephoto lenses is pretty heavy and your photo could get all blurry and shaky.

*Taken with Nikon D7100 + 70-300mm f4-5.6

2. Lenses that comes with the camera

Standard zoom lenses or Kit lenses, are the lenses that usually comes with your brand new DSLR. Offering the fantastic 18mm for landscape or for short telephoto from the 55mm side.

There's not much to explain about Kit lenses. Although you already have a cheap kit lens that comes out with your DSLR, I would suggest you to consider upgrading it to a slightly more expensive option. Of course with the upgrade you will get better color quality, picture quality, sharpness, contrast, and more.

*Taken with Nikon D7100 + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6


3. Ultra Kit Lenses 

Wide angle lenses are a wider choice rather than the standard zoom lenses. With and opening of 10-20mm or 12-24mm, are a very super lenses for landscape and architecture photography.

Distortion with such lenses is quite severe, some cheaper one could also have a problem with vignetting (dark edges) and chromatic aberration (purple fringing with high contrast edges).

*Taken with Nikon D7100 + 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6

4. It's a bird.. No, It's a plane.. No, It's Superzooms!

Superzooms lenses are the best of the both, you get wide angle and telephoto in one package. With a fantastic zoom range (usually around 18-200/300mm), it could cover both landscape and telephoto for sport and action. Great choice for travel photographer.

Even though superzooms sounds like the answer for everything, there's also a major drawback or what I usually revered as kryptonite. To achieve this fantastic lenses, some optical compromises are made in the design, reducing the image quality and sometime slower auto focus.



5. Optimus Prime

Prime lenses are the type of lenses that will make photographer dance. Fix focal length and no ability to zoom, prime lenses could deliver the top quality photo you want with maximum aperture of f/1.4 to f/2.8.

However, prime lenses are much harder to use as you need to move around so much to get right angle, but I can assure you that prime lenses will make you a better photographer once you master the art of using prime lenses as your main lenses.

I always bring my prime lenses whenever I need to do model photo shoot or some documentary shoot. Prime lenses are the best way to master the are of photography.

*Taken with Nikon D7100 + 50mm f/1.8

                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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Top 3 Lenses That You Need Before Doing a Model Photo-Shoot

So.. You are thinking about getting into model or fashion photography. You have your camera body and now what? Model photo-shoot is different compared to other area. Working with model will need a balance of chemistry between the Photographer and Model(s) to create the perfect poses for your photo.

Today, I will give you 3 must have lenses that you need to before you get into your model photo-shoot.

1. The Nifty-Fifty

The Nifty Fifty or the 50mm f/1.8 lens is the number one must have lens. Not just for model photo shoot, but also for all kind of photo session.

50mm lens has been a must have lens since they came out. All photographer must at least have this lens. With their wide opening of f/1.8, you can shoot better in low light area. Reducing the use of external flash.

I myself always use my 50mm lens for model photo-shoot. It's create a very great bokeh effect for your model, resulting smashing result.

You can also try to use a wider lens below 50mm. But I can assure you that you always need a 50mm lens. It's cheap, reliable and easy to carry.

2. Kit on The Blocks 

Whoever said that Kit Lens are for amateur is probably are an amateur them self. Kit Lens or you usually called 'your first lens ever' is the most reliable lens you will ever use.

The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.2 lens is on of the lens that I always carry as a back up lens, if I need to shoot different object in a very short time. I can go from Model photo shoot to architecture in no time.

With a wide opening of 18mm, you can use this to take portrait picture of your model or maybe go as a semi telephoto zoom on the 55mm part. If you are short on cash, than kit lens is definitely a perfect choice for you.

A lot of model photographer now days still bring their kit lens to shoot, I myself have exchange my Nikon kit lens to a Tamron 17-55mm f/2.8 lens also for Nikon. Tamron have a good quality lens with a wide opening of f/2.8. Sadly this lens have a very noisy motor.

3. All Hail the King

The lens of all photographer dreamed about. The one and only 24-70mm f/2,8 lens. Some said that if you already have this lens, than you won't need another lens to bring for your model photo-shoot.

The downside of this lens is it can only work with Full Frame camera. This lens might be the ultimate lens for your model photo shoot, but it doesn't come with a cheap price. I would recommend getting this lens and a full frame camera if you are really getting into model and fashion photography.

My personal favorite when using this lens is the combination of Nikon D3s + Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens.

     *Photography by MiBPictures copyright of Handoko Ramawidjaya Bumi

Are you ready to get into the model industry? Because I already did and I love it!

*all images are copyright of their respective owner

                                                                                                                                                                   


About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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The World Most Fastest Micro SD Card Claimed by Sandisk

Everyone know SanDisk right? SanDisk just announced their two new micro SD card that they claimed to be the fastest micro sd card in the world. Such a big claim I must say.

The newly acclaim micro sd card are a pair of new 256GB microSD cards: the SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card and the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card. This two monster are suitable to use for action camera, drone, smartphone and alike.

The 256 GB Extreme card are the Flash compare to the other one. With 100mb/sec speed and write speed of up to 90mb/sec! SanDisk also claim that this bad boy can record 4K video for 14 hours! What a beast we got here!

SanDisk really knows their costumer well, this Micro SD card can withstand extreme temperature, waterproof, shock-proof and x-ray-proof. Both memory will launch around august with estimated price of $149.99 and $199.99.

Now you guys know where my money is going to next,

*all images are property of their respective owner
*Source website: http://www.dpreview.com/news/8921035088/sandisk-says-its-two-new-microsd-cards-are-the-world-s-fastest
                                                                                                                                                                   

About the Author:
Handoko Rama is a freelance photographer and cinematographer. Living in the island of paradise, Bali. Where everyday feels like holiday for him. Currently pursuing his dream job with Nat Geo and also reaching maximum level for his World of Warcraft Character.
portfolio: www.mibpictures.com

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