David Ziser's Essential Secrets for Professional Photography

Lock n' Load

When you get in your car and head out of a long adventurous journey to a destination you've not been to before chances are you've planned your route. In the olden days we used these paper printed things called "roadmaps." Today, though some may still revert to that "old school" method, we have electronic gizmos to guide us through the asphalt cosmos.

When you head out to do a photographic assignment it would behoove you to plan that adventurous journey with a roadmaps as well. In this instance, I simple referring to locking in your needs and loading up all the necessary gear.

I use a pad of paper and a pen. Old fashion but extremely efficient. Sometimes I'll start listing what I need for job, adding the information to my load list, days or even weeks in advance.

Once I'm out on location I ready to go with everything I need. This simple approach to being organized for your projects is not only essential, but also can save you from tremendous stress or embarrassment.

Being prepared is just as important as all the other aspects that help you to be a well-rounded professional photographer.

Daisy Chain
by David Ziser

I made this image during a Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk. What a great time we had. We meandered our way through a beautiful little park which was decked out with all the lovely summer flowers. I was walking with my brand new Canon 50D fitted with my 18-200 IS lens - about the only "walk around" camera-combo you could ever need. The close focusing characteristics of this lens really let me get some cool shots of these cone flowers.

Canon 50D fitted with 18-200mm IS lens at 200mm, F5.6 @ 1/125 second, ISO 320.