Photography During the Pandemic

Like most everyone else, keeping things going during the pandemic has been a challenge to say the least. It’s part of why I haven’t posted anything in a while. It has been over a year now since all this COVID craziness started and presently, the new concern is the Delta Variant.

Fortunately, most of the great people of New Orleans have the common sense to do what’s best for everyone and GET THE VACCINE. Hey, if it looks like I’m going to need a booster, I’ll be there. Truth be told, I don’t understand why so many people in the US are so adverse to getting vaccinated. I guess it’s a general lack of trust, I don’t know. What I do know is, having done my share of international travel, getting any number of vaccines before going abroad is nothing out of the ordinary. I’ve had Yellow Fever Vaccine, Typhoid Vaccine, Hepatitis A&B vaccine, Meningitis vaccine, booster shot for Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis as well as Pneumonia. So again, I have to ask, “WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?”. I would rather get the vaccine than land in an ICU under a respirator, that’s for sure! Maybe other folks don’t see it that way. I’ll say this though, if some of these folks are afraid of “being tracked” :-) they may want to consider ditching their cell phones. Now THERE’S a tracking device. But really, who would want to track most folks anyway? “She’s leaving Walmart now and headed to the fabric shop and the husband is watching football at home….don’t worry, I’m on top of them”. It’s as silly as it sounds, believe me.

I’m not trying to make a political statement here by any means, I just have an opinion on the matter. I think having the COVID vaccine is better than not having it.

New Orleans is a fun city! It will be great to see people smiling and laughing again. For now though, let’s wear the mask as needed and get vaccinated if you’re not.

Meanwhile, I hope things continue to improve for everyone. That being said, “Stay safe and be well”.

The Reality of Product Photography

A lot of potential clients don’t realize what is involved with doing a professional product photography photo session. A surprising number of people will call and say things like, “I only need two photos, how much for that?” If only it were that simple! Right? There are quite a few important details that need to be considered which most potential clients simply are not aware of. Here are a few details that may be of interest to potential product photography clients.

In-Studio Product Photography - White Background

Most products featured in online commerce stores like Amazon, for example, are shown on an all white background to better feature the product itself without distraction. Depending on the size of the product, this can be accomplished with a small “igloo tent” which is made of opaque material or on a table using pure white, seamless backdrop paper to create a curved, cyclorama type backdrop,; the curve being where the backdrop meets the table and goes under the product setup.

Some shoots may work better to feature the product on a light gray backdrop. This can be advantageous when a portion of the product or product carton is white….again, the objective being to feature the product in the best way possible.

Unique, all Black Background with Black Plexiglass

Other products, may have specific ‘branding’ requirements…..usually ones that are often featured as an ad in magazines, find it necessary to use a totally unique set up. One example might involve something like an all black background with the product placement on a large piece of black, reflective plexiglass…which reflects the product almost like a mirror. When it comes to ads, the only limits are your own creativity.

A shot like the one to the right involved shooting the image on both white and black backgrounds, then creating a layered composite. By erasing the portion of the bottle that was shot on the black background to reveal the one shot on white, this allowed for the perfume to have a natural color and also appear to have an ‘internal glow’.

No matter what the background scheme may be, the next consideration is the lighting. With background selected and in place, the next consideration is lighting. In most cases, lighting is set and adjusted with a rough set up of the product in position. This helps identify any issues like ‘hot spots’ or glare on product surfaces as well as unwanted shadows….even though some shadows can give the image a certain amount of ‘depth’. Then, it becomes important to position the product that features it the best. Additionally, many product setups require images of all sides, front and back as well as individual shots of all components if the product includes more than one item or a set.

Clearly, this all takes time. That’s the one thing most potential clients aren’t aware of . With the advent of digital imaging technology in smart phones, many people think it’s as simple as taking a few shots and that’s it. I’m afraid it’s not. Most potential clients actually try to do that before calling a professional photographer to get it done correctly….and like most things, doing the job correctly takes time and the right equipment.. This is why I charge a two hour minimum and in most cases, the shoot ends up going over two hours.

Another style of photography dealing with the ‘theme’ of a product website, is called a “flat lay”. You’ll usually see these on landing pages for a product website. It involves shooting the products and often other elements related to the product from directly overhead, looking straight down at the display of items. By elements, I mean other items that are not necessarily sold but are usually “seen with” or compliment the product in some way. For example, if you sell all kinds of exotic, fragrance soaps, along with a sampling of the soaps you sell, you may also see a washcloth or other bath items. A chocolate confection may have the product surrounded by cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla bean, fresh cream and shelled pecans…..just as an example.

Shrimp Mango Salad

Food photography can get even more complicated for several reasons. First it’s often done on location in a restaurant instead of a studio environment. Most importantly, the shoot has to be done as efficiently as possible so the plate of food doesn’t lose it’s freshly made appearance waiting to be photographed. Sauces can separate or develop a dried out appearance around the edges as well as many other issues food can suffer if it is left to sit for an extended period of time. It’s a well known fact that when photographing ice cream, something else with a similar visual consistency, like mashed potatoes, is often used instead because it doesn’t melt like ice cream does. In most cases the Chef will act as ‘food stylist’ and in others, the food stylist may be hired by an ad agency to ensure the plate of food looks great.

No matter what product we may be photographing, getting it done correctly is what helps the client SELL the product.

Naturally, not all product shoots are the same. Larger products, like industrial equipment are usually done on location instead of in-studio. Shooting from different angles and the inclusion of close-ups become an important part of the shoot and again, takes time to accomplish.

I look forward to the opportunity to help you with your product photography. Take a look at some of our product work and call us to discuss your product photography needs.

Weekend Wedding in Audubon Park - New Orleans

Weddings are always a wonderful opportunity to take vibrant, exciting and often emotionally charged photos, but there’s nothing more wonderful to me than the pleasant, laid back vibe I get from doing intimate, private weddings in Audubon Park on a beautiful day.

I can remember a day when the weather wasn’t so cooperative, but it worked out to be a wonderfully unique shoot with all the participants holding umbrellas. I remember having to put my camera in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag to protect it from the drizzling rain. The photos were actually quite beautiful. Later I took that particular couple on a photo-walk in the French Quarter and with all the streets wet and a light fog hanging in the air, I converted a lot of those shots to B&W…..and the client fell in love with them.

Being the kind of photographer that enjoys taking the time necessary to get the best possible shots, doing the photography for smaller weddings makes it that much more enjoyable for me! Big weddings with 300+ guests can be total insanity….I’ve certainly done my share of those…..rush, rush, rush.

Diana and Kristopher were a lovely couple to work with as were their immediate family and friends. To top it all off, Sunday, October 20th was a beautiful day in Audubon Park for taking photos. Who could ask for more?

CONGRATULATIONS once again to Kristopher and Diana!

Diana and Kristopher saying, “I DO” in Audubon Park!

Our New Photography Website

Wonderful new photography portfolio

Hurricane Katrina Survivor - 35mm film - in studio

My first blog post here was a short bio about yours truly, the photographer and my work here in New Orleans.

Since then, I've been busy developing this new website and I must say, I am very happy with the way it has turned out. My previous website was "home made" if you will, using simple html code, and while it worked well ten years ago, it wasn't ready for 2018 or beyond. In fact, it was already way behind the need for mobile friendly websites.

There have been lots and lots of changes in web site coding, search engine technology and photography since I published my first photography website back in 2006. Staying ahead of the curve in these three different universes at the same time can be quite a task. As much as I like any new learning challenge, I often wish I could spend more time doing photography instead of designing my website and reading about Google's latest algorithms and how they affect me in the search engines.

A website is not just something that sits there on the internet. It is almost a living, breathing thing that needs constant attention. As I move forward, adding photos to my portfolio gallery and tweaking the new website you see here, I hope my future clients find the information and images helpful to them in choosing a photographer for their needs. There are lots of photographers to choose from in New Orleans....each with his or her own style. I hope my work inspires a phone call from you!

New Orleans Photographer Wayne Ferrara's Blog

My Work in New Orleans

My name is Wayne Ferrara.

I've been working as a professional photographer since 1993 and look forward to working with you. I'll help you accomplish your personal or commercial photography goals without breaking your photography budget. Whether you're planning a group headshot photography session, corporate event, product shoot, commercial event or a maternity shoot, I'm always eager to answer any questions you may have about my work as a photographer and here to help. So let's talk about your professional photography needs today. You can always contact me at 504-897-2333.
 

Catie - Visiting model

If you're local or from out of town and planning a corporate event, be it a convention, trade show or a commercial photography project here in New Orleans....or perhaps a destination wedding in New Orleans, you've come to the right photographer. In fact, no matter what your professional photography objectives may be.....convention, conference, product photography, corporate headshots, commercial projects, promotional headshots, editorial photography, weddings, modeling or even family portraits, New Orleans is a great place for it. From the unique Saint Charles Avenue trolley cars, mansions, elegant hotels, Morial Convention Center and Audubon Park to the Warehouse District and down to the French Quarter, New Orleans has it all when it comes to beautiful backdrops.

Most photographers who live in New Orleans or visit New Orleans absolutely love all the things it has to offer in terms of creating beautiful, high energy photographs. It doesn't matter if you're into architecture or people, lifestyle photography or editorial photography, if you are a professional photographer, a semi-professional photographer or a tourist; the scenery in New Orleans is unique in every way. I guess you could easily say that New Orleans is definitely a "photographer friendly" city. We are different! You couldn't pick a better location for your wedding or your event photography!

New Orleans is a very special and magical city enjoyed by all who visit, get married here, live here or work as a photographer. As one of the most historic cities in the United States, New Orleans has a fabulous collection of photography-friendly and exceptionally beautiful locations to do your photo shoot, including the French Quarter and the Uptown area. The French Quarter and Audubon Park are perfect spots for wedding photography. The people in New Orleans are friendly too! 

As a photographer who likes to shoot in B&W, one of my favorite locations is the French Quarter. It provides wonderful contrast with it's historic buildings, wrought iron balconies and iconic locations. On the other hand, whenever I do formal wedding portraits, I prefer a lush, colorful, tropical environment, of Audubon Park uptown. Either way, it's wedding photography that's unique and beautiful. New Orleans is truly a photographer’s paradise. This is why so many commercial photographers including lifestyle and editorial photographers as well as wedding photographers love New Orleans as much as we do. In fact, these two locations alone will add unique elements to anyone's photography portfolio...including photographs of outdoor wedding ceremonies, actors headshots and modeling photography.

Even clients who live in the surrounding areas of Metairie, Kenner, Covington, Mandeville, LaPlace and even in Baton Rouge like to come to the city to take advantage of the scenery in the New Orleans French Quarter and Uptown. Imagine your wedding photography done in the surroundings of a beautiful, lushly planted French Quarter patio or Audubon Park among the Live Oak Trees.

Some of our work, like PRODUCT photography, requires the use of our studio with professional lighting and special seamless background paper to achieve the best images possible. If you are looking for a place in New Orleans to do product photography for your online commerce, store or catalog call us today. If you prefer to have your headshot or modeling photography work done in our Uptown New Orleans studio, we're minutes away from the downtown CBD, Tulane University and Audubon Park. We work by appointment only and we're located at 4437 Danneel Street near Napoleon and St. Charles Avenues in the historic Faubourg Bouligny area. 

Product or people, many clients have specific needs regarding backgrounds. A seamless, pure white background is often a necessity in order to facilitate additional graphic design work or ad copy needed to complete their advertising design. If your ad requires a pure white "infinity" background, let us know. We will have the photography studio set up in advance of your session appointment, allowing us to begin work immediately following your arrival. If your project requires "green screen" instead of white, please let us know at least one week in advance. 

Our photography work utilizes only professional photographer’s studio strobe lighting plus a variety of seamless paper or canvas backdrops that can perfectly compliment your product, portrait or portfolio. Whether you choose to have your photography done on location or in our studio, we specialize in creating beautiful, high quality photography at competitive prices! Best of all, our prints are meticulously processed by the photographer himself and printed using only premium, archival quality photographic materials. This is a particularly important consideration when it comes to wedding photography. Your wedding prints are guaranteed to last up to 50 years under normal conditions, without signs of color shift or fading. We use the best photo paper and materials because when it comes to preserving your memories, we know that our clients expect the best photography available.

All content is under copyright ©2021 by Photographer Wayne Ferrara and Ferrara Araujo Productions LLC. Unauthorized copy of any material on this website is in violation of copyright law.