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Special Framing Requests
— 01/07/2020 by Monika Wertman —About one year ago we met with a client who had a special request that involved framing a project in a rather special way using windows from childhood homes. I got really excited about doing something that was definitely outside of the box and would require a different approach in finishing images and mounting them for our client.
The request was simple: Capture photos of each childhood home, his own and that of his wife in the winter with snow on the ground and in the summer, and frame them in windows from each house.
I will take you through the process after they got printed. This was new to me and therefor exciting, but also took me on a journey of discovery on how best to make the images stay within the glass.
Please see below:
Arrival of images. the box was pretty battered and I was a wee bit worried, but all was well, as our lab packs everything extremely well. We had 16 images in total, 8 of each house for 4 windows of each house, so 4 per house of each season.
The frames and windows had been dropped off at the studio over the course of a few months and they were slightly different in size. they also required a bit of cleaning and goo removal.
As with any framing job, a photo should never touch the glass of a frame and in this case I also had to extend the size of the photo to fit the window space. The photos would have been matted anyway, but this ensured it.
Once the mat and image were inside the frame, I discovered that I had some space between the image and the frame, bumpers were needed to make up the difference.
Here is a stack of the bumpers to be added to the back of each image to even things out under the back paper.
Here is a stack of the matted images, covered by plastic to protect it while we assembled and took a break. 8 windows took us 2 days to finish.
Stacks of back boards and yet to be filled windows.
The first one was done. This one taught me exactly what I needed to prep for the next 7 and helped create a good workflow. I forgot to take a picture of the back, but it is finished with black, heavy duty paper. The very same paper we wrap big orders in:)
The stack of 4 windows from house number two. This was taken at the end of day two, about 20 minutes before our client came to pick up the finished product.
I loved this project as it stretched not only the artist side, creating artwork from the captured photos, but also the side of me that loves to think outside of the box and live by the motto of never saying no to a client, but rather coming up with a solution to a request, no matter how different it is.
Searching for Senior Reps: Class of 2021!
— 11/05/2019 by Monika Wertman —
Thesis Work with Dancers
— 04/16/2018 by Monika Wertman —Thesis Work with Dancers
As I am continuing to pursue my Masters degree in photography, I have entered the thesis zone.
I have been working with 4 young and talented young dancers for the last few months and as I gather more and more images that will eventually become a book about the life of dancers, exploring what it takes to be committed to this wonderful and challenging art form, I get to play with one of my favorite things of all time. Dance.
These were captured while I worked with the help of my wonderful parents to get the lights situated correctly behind the scrim.
In this latest shoot with 3 of my 4 dancers at the Maryland Theatre, we played with silhouettes (my 4th dancer had just had a change in schedule and could not join us that day, but luckily she is back to having that week day open again).
We all had fun. i always give these athletes and artists a chance to be creative with me and try new things, and give me their ideas.
It makes for a more interactive and fun shoot and the images always show that.
Then there are a few shots of jumps, and poses.
We also played with shadows which required me to climb into the rafters along the side of the stage.
And lastly and shot from above for the shadow, but creating a dilemma for me as I am not sure if I like the black and white version better or the soft color.
Networking with Venues and other Businesses
— 03/19/2018 by Monika Wertman —Networking with Venues and other Businesses
Once or twice a year I get in contact with JB Bridals in Chambersburg, PA, Bella Salon and Spa here in Hagerstown and a venue to create images that benefit us all. I reach out to models I have worked with before and love and add a few fresh faces into the mix. Sometimes these shoots are designed around something I really want to play with and have not had a chance to do, and other times they are designed around one of our business partner’s needs as was the case this year.
We have been allowed into the Miller house for a few bridal sessions, family photos and engagement sessions and have developed a great relationship with this local non-profit historical home that houses the historical society of Washington County. The governing board decided to begin promoting the house as a wedding venue and we helped out, not only by providing images from past “real” sessions but also from this styled shoot, specifically designed to highlight some areas of the house we had not worked in before.
I really enjoy the days during which I just get to play, everything connected to a styled shoot is fun. I love working with JB Bridals and picking out gowns and tuxes for the event. Jackie always pulls the most gorgeous gowns according to what my plans are and the models have a blast trying them on.
Bella Salon always sends me the best stylists and make up artists and they perform their magic turning my models into brides and brides maids as was the case this time. We work together for trade, and everyone benefits from the session. I love the pace I get to set on those days, there is no rush to get to the next stage of the day and I get to meticulously plan each shot.
As a photographer it is important to continuously push myself, and to take time to explore ideas and different ways to utilize a setting, light, and mood. During a wedding I am stuck with whatever the chosen venue has to offer and I am tied to the wedding day timeline. I know how to work within the confines of all that, but it is nice to be able to control each moment, which is one of the reasons I arrange for at least one styled shoot a year.
This year I am planning a second one and it will be fabulous 🙂
Within this post I am showing you a few of my favorites of the day and since we were working at a historical venue, several of them are in either muted tones or black and white. The gowns had gorgeous trains which I showed off in several of the shots. Enjoy 🙂
Will You Marry Me?
— 12/06/2017 by Monika Wertman —Will you Marry Me?
We are about to enter the season for proposals. All over the globe one half of a couple will decide to get down on one knee this holiday season and pop the question:
“Will you marry me?”
Here at Wertman Photography we love this season. Since the answer “yes” leads to new brides-to-be who we will get to meet with over the next few months, during bridal shows and consultations at our studio, I thought I would point out a few things a newly engaged couple should look for when interviewing a photographer.
- Do not focus on price alone. Some studios will have a low entry cost, but itemize every product, leading to a higher price tag in the end. Ask what is included.
- Look over several websites. Are the images consistent, do you notice a style? If you love the style, call to set up an appointment to talk to the photographer.
3. Set up an in person consultation with the photographer whose style you like. If they are not willing to meet in person, do not hire them over the phone. You should develop a relationship with the team you hire to capture one of the most important days of your lives. This relationship starts during the in person consultation.
4. Do not get scared of by a higher entry cost. If a starting price is listed and seems outside of your budget, call the photographer anyway to talk to them. You may find that many things are included in this cost and that they are willing to work with you in terms of payment plans and that the starting cost is lower as the overall cost at a studio that is not all inclusive.
5. Find out if your chosen studio works as a team or flies solo. A wedding is a big job and if you hire a photographer who works alone, he/she will likely miss something.
6. During the in person consultation you will get a sense of who you will be working with. It is important that you click with your photography team. They will record memories for you that are unretrievable. It is important that you feel that you can trust them.
We worked with some great couples this past year, both during weddings and engagement sessions. I have included some of our favorites from these sessions and we are looking forward to capturing the weddings of these engagement session over the next year and beyond.
Here is to a great Holiday Season, filled with Love and many who will answer “yes”.
Anatomy of Great Photography | Getting It Right In-Camera
— 09/21/2017 by Monika Wertman —
In a world where so many aspects of true art have been substituted by technology, Photography, real Photography is still performed by Photographers. A Photographer is someone who knows his/her camera & craft intimately. Light conditions, scenarios, venues, colors, etc. don’t take him/her by surprise. She/he is comfortable and in control and ready to serve and provide you with truly Great Photography.
Photography remains an art of the eye, camera, subject and surroundings. Editing softwares like, Photoshop have indeed done wonders for many parts of the process, but the images have got to be of a quality to be processed, before they get to Photoshop. That means, that the Photographer exercises his/her eye, has the camera properly set to best performance, the surroundings have been tamed for the shoot and the subjects are aware of what is going to occur. These factors all help to create the best images, in-camera, so that they are the most satisfying images at delivery! Editing softwares were made to effect small corrections on great pictures or to create scenes and change the entirety of the image as to add or subtract things that do not exist; not make bad photography good.
We have all seen people salvage poor images in editing software and make them OK images. Is that what we want to present; “OK images?” Of course not. As photographers, it’s our responsibility to capture the best possible picture, in-camera, so that the resulting image is stellar at the end of the process. The rule still holds true through any era; “Great images in, Great images out! Poor images in, poor images out…”
Insure that when your special moments happen, you have the right Photographer, with the right skills, education, eye and experience to capture them… this is another piece in the Anatomy of Great Photography!
Anatomy of Great Photography
— 08/16/2017 by Monika Wertman —Prelude
Life happens and it happens fast. We try to capture as much of it as we possibly can; from Mom snapping pics with her cell phone, to National Geographic Photographers capturing worldwide documentary quality images, fit for magazine print and awards among the best in the world.
Perusing photos throughout our lives, we will at some point, begin to see differences in style, composition, quality and so on. Our appreciation for great photography has been well noted, as so many marvel at truly wonderful pics. We hang them, post them, share them, comment on them and even sell them!
Some believe that the differences in quality of photography start with the camera. I’ve heard people say, “Wow! Those are great pictures… You must have a really good camera!” There are those who say that it’s in the education and experience of the photographer. (We stand by this one!)
Still others maintain that wonderful photography happens by chance or by luck. These ideas beg the question, “What does it really take to produce Great Photography?” We are going to pursue the answers in this series. Please join us and feel free to comment. Participation is always welcomed!
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