A graduation picture holds a memory, a milestone, and a reminder of a chapter in our lives.  Due to the current situation, getting your graduation photo is not as easy as before.  Maybe you can try to do it on your own and at the comfort of your own home.

Here is a simple guide for your DIY graduation portrait

1. Background

• Look for a plain background (I.E. White wall, grey wall) and avoid strong patterns or clutter behind you.

2. Lighting

• Face should be well-lit. Light may come from room light or window (natural light).
• Do not stand directly under a light. Try to stand facing the light (as illustrated below).
• Early morning and late afternoon are the best time to shoot using sunlight.

Window light

Sunlight

Ring light

3. Camera

• Camera height should be around chest level. Do not use your flash.
• If you have a DSLR camera, it would be better. Set it to P mode then take a photo. If you have a kit lens, place the zoom at 55mm.
• If you have a phone, it can also be nice. Just make sure to use the back camera. Hold the phone steady to make sure no shake and the image is sharp. Take a shot.  You should not be too close to the subject; camera phones tend to be on the wider side so move back a little and just crop the image to your preferred crop.
• Remember that you must have enough light to make images look awesome. If you have a tripod, use it.

4. Framing

• Provide enough space on the side and above the head.

5. Clothes

• Clothes should be neatly pressed.
• Make sure your top fits you well. A poor fitting top will be obvious in the photos (especially around the neck).

6. General Grooming

• Check for stray nose hairs – trim as needed.
• Make-up should be clean and natural (Consult your school if make-up is allowed).
• Avoid shimmers or products with lots of sparkle or shine.
• Remove excess oil or shine by using a blotting paper (oil control film) or wash face prior to the shoot.
• Keep your hair out of your face.

7. Pose

• Upper part of your body is turned two-thirds away from the camera.
• For women, half turn to the camera and lower a shoulder a bit.

8. Face

• Camera is your friend. Imagine that your talking to your friend; to make your expression look natural and relaxed.

Hope this guide can help you have a decent graduation picture.  Even if you use your mobile phone, digital cam, DSLR or mirrorless camera, what matters most is the emotion you captured in those photos. Stay healthy and safe to all!

The post DIY Graduation Portrait at Home appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

A lot of small businesses nowadays are opting to sell their products online. People like it because of its convenience. Even I shop online these days too, and it seems online shopping is going to be the new norm during and after the Covid19 quarantine period.

So, have you tried it yet and took pictures of your products?

I’ll share with you a few things that can make your product photography awesome (and help you sell them too!) and perfect for your online shop.

1. Check your item

Before you begin shooting, check your product or item. It’s always best to get the item in tip-top condition. You wouldn’t want to add more work after the shoot.

Make sure it is clean, in perfect condition, and be careful in holding it. Make sure it doesn’t break while shooting!

2. Align properly

Align your product

Don’t shoot too near your product

One of the most common complaints of customers when they receive their items is when the item doesn’t look like how it looks in the photo.

So make sure to use a lens with minimal distortion (for cameras with replaceable lenses) or position the camera properly (for non-removable lens cameras or if you’re confident enough to use your camera phone).

So here’s a little story:

You’d think it’s trivial but getting your photos to look close enough (ex. color, size, look)  to the actual item is very important. I have a client from the US who emphasizes that because they get complaints or items can be returned if proven that they “don’t look the same.”

Well if you think about it, it’s just fair right? You want to get what you saw in the picture, and many buyers will base their decision either on what they saw on your post or how much it cost. Yes, the picture matters – a lot!

3. Light it nicely

It’s great if you have your own light setup at home. You can use flashes, or continuous light such as bulbs and LED panels. What’s important is to make sure the product is evenly lit, and avoid colored light. This ensures that customers can see how the product looks like with no bad shadows hiding features or discoloring the item.

Alternatively you can use daylight which is also FREE and combine it with reflectors like Styrofoam, white cloth, illustration board

4. Set up a white background (preferably)

You’re probably asking: why white?

Aside from providing soft reflected light from behind, white gives off a generally clean look that looks good on any page or social media picture album.

5. Shoot multiple angles

Try taking pictures from various sides, with a maximum of probably 3. You can post all of them or use just one, it’s up to you. Variations make photo albums more lively compared to seeing the same kind of shot over and over.

6. Blur wisely

Depth of field blur or more popularly known as “bokeh” makes even objects look nice – if used correctly. When used wrongly, it ends up blurring what could be important details of items, such as engravings, patterns, textures, and more.

For online selling you’d want your photo to display the item in its full glory, so make it look very lifelike in the picture.

7. Study post-processing

Learn to enhance your photos with built-in apps for example in phones, and free tools such as GIMP for your laptop or desktop. Even free tools today carry a lot of features that can pretty enhance your images to create stunning results. Cropping photos can makes a big difference.

There you have it! Product photography isn’t as hard as you think. In conclusion, it boils down to knowing how to take better photographs. Practice makes perfect.

The post How to Make your Products Sell Online- Using the Right Photos appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

All of us at some point blames the camera for missed shots. Our cameras have shutter lag, not sharp enough, slow AF, misfocused, noisy ISO, aperture not wide enough, not fullframe, and a lot of other stuff… What if our cameras can talk back to us?

Here are some stuff I think our cameras will tell us.

1.  “READ THE F***ng MANUAL” –  When we get a new camera, we open the box, get the camera, load the batteries and forget about the manual.  It is there for a reason.. to help us use the camera to its best performance.  Read it before using google.
2. “CHECK YOUR SETTINGS” –  Cameras are made by engineers not Artists.  Don’t expect it to know how your photos will turn out.  
3. “HOLD ME RIGHT PLEASE” – We sometimes hold it to look cool not to take cool photos. Learn how to hold your camera properly.  It will make your photos avoid blurs or misfocus.
4. “STOP LOOKING AT THE SCREEN AND SHOOT!” – We should stop chimping.  Shoot more and stop analyzing your photos too much.  Learn to be confident with your shots.  You should try to have an idea of the final shot before taking one.
5. “SORRY BUT I CAN’T HELP YOU TAKE GREAT PHOTOS! LEARN SOME PHOTOGRAPHY YOU DUMBA**!” – The sad reality of all the advancement of camera technology… It will not make you a great photographer.  You should understand that photos are made by YOU and not your camera.  Filters don’t make stunning photos.  Expensive lenses don’t take sharp images on their own.  It is YOU.. Yes, YOU who are shooting.  The one looking at the camera.  The one who bought or borrowed it.  Cameras are just tools to help us take photos.
   

   AWESOME ONELIGHT FIELD GUIDE BY ZACK ARIAS and GREAT INSPIRATION FROM RINGO STARR PHOTOGRAPH BOOK

So, do you want your cameras to talk back to you?  Better improve your skills before it happens.

The post If only cameras can talk… appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

I never thought that galvanized iron can be used to make functional furnitures and at the same time becomes an art piece in your home or space.

Schema Furniture is a Philippine based company that makes hand-made furnitures by weaving metal wires.  Yes, you heard it right.  ALL HAND MADE. Their products ranges from lamps, chairs, and even tables.   We did a series of shoot for their new catalog and website.

Here are some photos of their awesome art pieces.

Quadretto Urban Pendant Lamp

Schema Dining Table

A Cote Coffee Tables, A Cote Chair and Quadretto Bullet Floor Lamp

A Cote Table Lamp

Octa Macarena Pendant

You should definitely check their website to know more about their awesome products.

www.schemaproduct.com

Some BTS during our shoot

The post Schema Furnitures appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

All of us need a portrait. We use it on our social media accounts. We pick our “best picture”, best expressing the image or status we want to project to our peers, relatives, friends, etc.  Some use it for their professional sites such as LinkedIn, or corporate website. But do you think your portrait sells?

Here are 4 tips to help you nail a portrait that sells:

1. Keep it simple – Photos do not have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to be full of props or in an Instagram-worthy location. A simple black, white or grey background is a great option. The focus should be on YOU, not your background.
2. Be yourself – It might sound easy but it is not.. not for all.. People tend to project a particular image they have of themselves but in reality, it is not actually their real identity. Just be honest and try to tell your story to your photographer. If you are feeling shy, talking to the photographer about yourself can help him or her ‘direct’ you.
3. Know your audience – Think of who you want to notice your portrait. Try to keep your target audience in mind before doing your portraits. For example, if you will use your portrait on LinkedIn, dress to impress. Your social media portraits can show some of your fun side.
4. Trust your photographer – This is one of the most important tip I can tell you.. Remember that the photographer’s camera and lenses are your windows to the world. He will help you tell your story to your viewers. Try to build rapport with the photographer and he will definitely make you look good.

Everybody deserves to have an amazing portrait.  Try out these tips on your next portrait session.

By the way, here is my self portrait.

Share your recent portraits with us on the comments section!

The post 4 Simple Tips on Nailing a Portrait that Sells appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

My wife and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Japan. It was my first time to go around Kyoto and Osaka so before our trip, I planned what camera to bring with me to take some nice photos.

My Pentax 645N medium format film camera with some films

My Gear

• Pentax 645N medium format film camera with FA645 75mm F2.8 lens
• Extra 120 film back
• Some expired Fuji 400H 120 film
• Some expired Kodak Ektar 100 120 film
• Fresh box of Kodak Portra 400 film, which I bought at Yodobashi Camera in Japan
• Fujifilm X100T for random shots

So why did I decide to bring this heavy, bulky film camera when I have my X100T? To be honest, I just had a feeling that it would be nice to shoot travel pictures with a film camera. I have been shooting mostly with digital and this trip presented an opportunity for me to explore in many different ways.

I also love the look of medium format shots and it helps that we don’t have to rush from one place to another. I had time to slow down, observe and imagine the shot in my head before actually clicking.

Which is better: digital or film?

None.. They are both great and it will depend on your purpose. Based on my experience, digital is good for anything that you need in an instant. If you are shooting for products, food, advertisements and the like, then shooting digital is your best option. But if you have the time and a lot of patience, shooting with film might work for you. I recommend film for personal projects.

Now, film cameras (even medium format ones) are now priced competitively, like wayyy cheaper than digital. Some medium format film cameras cost less than a prosumer point and shoot camera. But of course, you need to consider about film, processing, printing and scanning. If you are a trigger happy kind of photographer, I suggest you stick with digital.

Digital cameras also had a lot of improvement in the past 10 years. Sensors have become better. Cameras are becoming smaller and faster. Image quality is stunning. And a good digital camera won’t zero out your savings account.

Pentax 645N film camera

Fuji X100T

Pentax 645N Film camera

Fuji X100T

Tips on Shooting with Film

Know your ISO – Your film is your ISO. Whenever you use film, you cannot change your ISO on the fly. You have to finish the roll of film to change it.

Entrance to Nijo Castle
F11 @ 1/250 Fujifilm 400H

Snow fall around Nijo Castle area
F4.5 @ 1/60 Kodak Ektar 100

Know your composition. – Learn to imagine your composition before shooting. Unlike digital cameras, you can’t take test shots and see it right away… unless you’re using polaroids of course.

A view from Himeji Castle Pentax 645N FA645 75mm F2.8 lens

Know your exposure. – One of my habits when shooting digital, especially with EVF, is to use EV dial to adjust the exposure. However, when using film, you don’t have a preview of your shot. You have to analyze the lighting and exposure with your eyes and decide on the adjustment. Again, no instant test shots.

Himeji Castle

PRACTICE. – Read the manual! Practice, practice and more practice should be done before travelling with any camera. Don’t be lazy. You should understand how the camera meters, focuses, dials, controls and if there is any shutter lag. To get the best travel photos, you should be in sync with your gear. Stories are better told with pictures especially with great pictures. So, better practice before traveling.

Somewhere in Kyoto – A great photo if only I focused correctly.

A street around Gion.. Too bad I did not properly rolled the used film.

Do you know who should get better?

The one behind the camera. We should try to take better photos. It doesn’t matter if you are using film or digital. Practice, practice and more practice. At the end of the day, it’s all about the shot and not the medium format film camera or the Full frame DSLR or the APS-C mirrorless camera that you use.

The photographer who should get better and his wife @ Plum Orchard around Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Here are some more photos from the rolls of film I took in Japan.

The post Travelling Japan with 6 rolls of film appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

About a couple of months ago, me and my friend Bob Cristuta, COO/Co-founder of Timebox Consulting, KroniklrPH and SlowMoManila, got a chance to talk to Diego Ramos, Co-founder of Horsepower.ph.  At that time, I was looking for new subjects to add to my portfolio.  Luckily, Diego allowed us to take some portraits for their team.  I started with one light and then added some more for the white background shots.  I used my Fujifilm X-pro1 for this shoot which was amazing as always. I had a nice conversation with each of the subject that made it easier to capture their best portrait. It was an amazing day of shoot with great people and an awesome company.

I think that every business should have great pictures not only for their products, but also for the team behind  the business.  It is always great to know who you are doing business with.  So it’s better to update the corporate portraits with a better one and drop those id pictures away.

By the way, Horsepower.ph is what we entrepreneurs, freelancers, and SMEs are waiting for.  Checkout their amazing website for more info and also checkout their team photos.  Click here for their site.

Here are some of the shots from our shoot.

Jojy Azurin – Co-Founder

Diego Jose Ramos – Co-Founder

Hannah Crisostomo – Co-Founder

The team of Horsepower.ph

a great candid moment captured during our shoot

And here are some BTS shots

Shooting and having a nice conversation with Diego

The post Horsepower.ph Corporate Shoot appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

I’ll just end this post with this line.

Everybody deserves to have a decent portrait.

Please checkout Watson Institute Philippines

Here are some of the photos I took after the workshop.

The post Self branding through photographs workshop at Watson Institute Philippines appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

I recently went for a vacation in Hong Kong with my wife.  I usually do portraits of people on the street.  I talk to them, ask some stuff about what they do then ask them if I can take a portrait of them.  It gives me more story to my images and learn more about the place.

A small used stuff store in Central, Hongkong. He was really nice to let me take a photo of him.

I always observe random people when travelling and I noticed that a lot of them are looking down.. looking down at their mobile phones.  So I thought of shooting people on their mobile phone.

Looking for her partner

MTR Subway

It became addictive for me.  I began shooting a lot of people on their mobile phones.  While browsing through my pictures, I saw photos that looks connected so I tried to combine them.

Why can’t we talk

Busy street at Causeway Bay

Inside the train

Selfie!

Today, we are too attached to our mobile devices. Sometimes we just have to look infront of us, on our side, or above us to appreciate life.

I am glad that I took these photos.  Of course, I did took some other photos.  We just have to look around to find something interesting to shoot.

Taco Loco

All photos are taken using my Fujifilm X100T which is the only camera I brought for this trip.  It is an amazing camera for candid photos. It is fast, silent and jpegs are great.  One thing I wish was a Fujifilm TCL-X100 for some closer shots.  The 23mm focal length can be too wide for some shots.  I also did minor adjustment in Lightroom for some of the photos.

Here are more photos.

The post People.. Don’t look down! appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.

Lately, I have been shooting a lot with my Fuji X100T.  After I got this camera, I started using it without reading the manual.  I just thought that it will be just like my Fuji X-Pro1.  I was wrong.

Here are some stuff I recently learned.

1. Controls are different – buttons are placed differently than my Xpro1.  Almost all of the buttons can be assigned to your preference.. AWESOME!
2. To enable Silent mode, you need to assign it first to the Q menu then you can turn it on and off there.  It is fine but I still prefer to just hold the disp/back button to enable it. It took me a couple of days to figure it out.
3. Q menu can also be configured to your preference.  You can set it depending on your needs.  For me, i added the silent mode on it.

Fujifilm did an awesome job on giving us an option to adjust the button configuration depending on your shooting style.  I still have to figure out the best configuration for me.  As of now, all I did was assign the ISO button instead of video recording and adding the silent mode on the Q menu.  You just have to keep on shooting to understand more about your gear.

The post Stuff about my Fujifilm X100T appeared first on Raymond Marquez Photography.