Portable Event Coverage Solutions

This topic will undoubtedly touch upon many facets of digital photography from creation to delivery of the final product.

I am hoping to get a dialog started on what to include in assembling all the required elements required to provide a comprehensive "On-location" portrait solution for special events such as Sporting Events, Senior Proms, School Portraits, Company Picnics, basically any event where people would benefit from the services of a professional photographer. By utilizing the digital equipment currently available, I hope to provide a high quality, personalized, timely and reasonably priced product to clients on location, while they wait.

To accomplish this objective, I will need the most reliable and high quality equipment and software available. There is so much to consider; Camera, lenses, lighting, props, “portable” computing equipment, software for capture, composting, digital overlay, cataloging, billing; and a portable printing system.

On the analog side I have a complete studio encompassing 35mm and 6x7 formats. My 35 mm system consists of a Nikon 801 camera with 3 zooms, Nikkor18-35 F3.5-4.5; Tamron 35-105 F2.8; Tamron 70-210 F2.8. I have a complete Mamiya RZ67system and White Lightning & Metz lighting solutions. I use Macintosh computers exclusively in my office.

In my first move to digital, I recently purchased the Nikkor 18-35 F3.5-4.5 lens. I had originally considered getting the 17-35mm F2.8 but I couldn’t justify the cost difference that amounted to $1750CAN.

For the camera, I am looking at getting either the Kodak 760 or the Nikon D1x and possibly the D1h for action photography at a future. (comments welcome). I have seen a compatability matrix for the Kodak Event Software and the 660 or 760 are not mentioned as usable? Does anyone know if this is true? Also it seems that the Kodak software is only compatible with DCS cameras.

I need to decide on what type of capture software I will require to get the images from the camera(s) into the computer for further processing. I understanf that the Kodak Event Software package is Windoze only, ( Kodak seems to be abandoning us Mac users in this field). If I decide on the Kodak solution I may either get a Windows compatablile laptop computer or run the software in emuation mode in Virtual PC4.0 on the Mac. I have been told about a company called Tri-Prism that does a similar job on the Mac platform. I also am looking for a MAC program to overlay decorative appropriate borders, corporate logos, personal information etc. I will also need a good cataloging program for all the images that will be produced. Finally a complete billing package.

To facillitate portable images editing etc, I will probably purchase a Macintosh Powerbook or a Cube with a 15” LCD screen. For those of you familiar with MACs this is an entire topic unto itself. Although sleek, lightweight the new powerbook G4 Ti 500 may not be the ideal solution. For $500 US less I can get a Cube system. The advantages of the Cube over the powerbook would be 60G HD vs. a 20G, a nVidia Geoforce 2 video card w. 32M RAM vs. an ATI RAGE PRO, w. 8M RAM, 2 firewire ports on the Cube vs. 1 on the Ti Powerbook. Of course the All-in-1 attraction of the powerbook., and the weight difference 19lb. Vs 6 lbs, are in the powerbooks favor. In my case however, since I will be requiring access to A.C. power for a printer, connecting the Cube to commercial power wouldn’t impose any additional restrictions. (comments welcome)

For the printing, I am looking for a high quality, high volume, and reasonable cost printer. I have heard a lot about the Kodak series of Dye-Sub printers as well as the Epson 2000, 3000, 5500 and Pictography series printers. I am squarely on the fence about which way to go and you comments would be very much appreciated.

Well hopefully I have started you thinking about the things that have been deliberating on for the past few months and you will add something to this discussion group.

I feel that the Portable Event Coverage opportunities will show a lucrative return while providing customers with the services and products that they want in this fast paced market-driven world.

Look forward to following this discussion group

Sincerely Gord Waldock

Excalibur Event Photo/Video
A division of
Camelot Photography
camelotphoto@telus.net

[petehalsted]

Gord,

I do event photography, mainly Youth Sports but do some other events to fill the calendar.

We use the Nikon D1. I like Nikon, the D1 was designed for photojournalism so its both its feature set and ruggedness work well for me. I use 3 lens. Sigma 28-70 EX 2.8, Sigma 70-200 EX 2.8 HSM, and Nikon 85 1.4D

We use a Sony UPD-50 Dye Sub for 5x7's and an Olympus P400 for 8x10's.

Computer wise we use a Sony Slimtop. Its a windows machine. The slimtop if your not familar with it is a very small footprint desktop machine, but have the power and convience of standard ports, drives, memory of a desktop machine and comes with an LCD screen. I use a second LCD screen for the clients, so thier not peering over my shoulder.

Software we use Express Photo pro from express digital. Expensive but fast and I can so someone everything they need to run it in under an hour.

We do not do any onsight touchup of photos other than what is available in Express Photo, which is White Balance, exposure and redumentry RGB. You will find for event photography you are going to lose to many sales from people waiting in line if you spend to much time on any one photo.

Also I don't know that the D1H is going to really pay off for sports. I rarely (if ever) use the motor drive, its still all comes down to anticipating the action and shooting for the peak. If you run a motor drive your going to end of with alot of similar shots, then when you get back to the computer you have to go through them and pick the best to print your proof sheets (at events time is factor #1) or your going to print proof sheets of all of them. If you print all of them you will be face with custmers doing the show me picture 1, now show me 2 again, I just can't decide. Meanwhile person behind them will walk off because they get tired of waiting.

The key to profitable sports event photography has more to do with your computer operator than it does the photographer ( I know that hurts ;-) ). Especialy if you work a venue with more than one game going on at a time. We shoot in the first half of the game, come out switch cards, and go shoot the other game. Meanwhile computer operator is printing proof sheets for the first game. Now the first game ends and your in sales mode, about the time it dies down your back out with the card from game 2, and the cycle starts all over. If your computer operator gets flustered or backed up sales walk out the door. I am considering a 2 computer network for events if they get much larger than what we are working now.

Thats my experience so far, I by no means have it all figured out and really welcome this new forum for those of us working in this realm to share tips.

[Matt_McMillan]

Here is what we use....

Cameras
2 Kodak 620s, 1 620x,

Printers
Kodak 8650 for proofs
Pictrography 3000 for final prints

Software:
Photoshop 6.0 for proofs and final output

Hardware:
2 G4's 500 512 mb ram etc..
Imac DVse
PB 400 scsi
airport network

We will replace the 620s with the 760s when they come out. Kodak upgrades have been well worth it each time(Starting with the 410, 420 then the 620) We looked at the D1 when it came out, for us it wasn't a big enough jump (if any) to justify switching our workflow. We will keep the 620x for those extra dark places.

Both printers are great workhorses. We use the 8650 w/ extralife because the proofs take alot of abuse. Both printers have traveled over 200,000 miles, if any of you have traveled I-40 or I-10 coast to coast you know the abuse these printers have taken. I've had moniters in cushioned boxes crack like eggs.

Our workflow, taken from film days, is that we show proofs, and have our home office print final prints. We now only print farm pictures, ads, and rush orders on the road.
Proofs are out 20 minutes or so after the class. I made actions in Photoshop for the proofs.

Teps did not work for us, we tried. It is an awesome program, but it was too hard to integrate it into our workflow. If your shooting where the subject will be there immediatly (sp) use teps, I think you'll love it.

Matt

I'll be without internet for a few days, but I will respond as quickly as I get it if you have any more questions.

[onlinedashpics]

We have been working with a couple of photographers to take a different approach to event.

Instead of printing proofs and having some one take the orders, we have been going to shows, loading the pictures to a computer network, and using some custom software to allow the customers to find the pictures and order the picture.

To date, we have have very good luck with this method at Horse Show. The last show, the photographer went with no addition support, took order to mail after the event and the bottom line is he did very well.

We also have started working with a photographer doing different sporting events and are adding several changes to support the Kodak formats and some other problems we had not seen at horse show.

The thing about our approach is that there is no cost until the order is in hand, and if what we are seeing, printing at the event is not that important, but not sure of that yet.

The photographers we have been working with are using different camera. The cameras being used so far are, an Olympus 2500c, Nikon 990, Cannon D30, and Kodak 520.

Acceptance of customers have been very good with only a few people concern with using computers.

Tim Chipman
Online Dash Pics

[NorbertBissinger]

Yes Kodak's Event works only with DCS cameras. Mac version is still available but no upgrades since about 2 years.

Teps is only for macs

Express Digital has only overlays but can use a blue screen mode.

All three programs allow to use several SCSI Dye sub printers at the same time, and allow continous printing. while one printer is printing the programs send the next picture to the next idle printer.

You will need a camera with interchangable lenses. This allows you the flexibility to cover all events. The type depents on what are you going to shoot. For sport action shots, Focus track, Shutter lag time etc is important. Here the Kodaks Excell. Formore or less stationary shots the D30 or similar are a good choice.

Dye subs are expensive 8x10 in the $5000 range, take about 2 min for an 8x10. The new Sony 5x7 $3.500 is fast 30-40 sec.

For this amount of money you can get a room full of Inkjets which are as fast and give you better pictures.The Epson 870 is a good choice. A HP with the CF card reader needs no computer you can print directly from the cards and select the pictures to print in the camera.

Do not forget Photoshop as a Special Events Program if you are familiar with it. It is by far the best it beats all other special event programs. You can Resize, color correct, sharpen, package printing, you name it all with actions and assigned short cuts to them.

Norbert

[Larry A]

Norbert:

I'm new at this and am a Mac user and unaware of "Teps". I searched on kodak.com without success. Can you point me to a web site where I can learn more about this?

TIA!

Hi Larry

TEPS is (The Event & Portrait System)offered by Tri Prism. This company offers a software package for the MAC platform that is similar to the Kodak Event software. I was checking out that site last night and followed a link to another company Desktop Darkroom that provides the template graphics for Magazine Covers, Special Events, Trading Cards, Calenders etc.
http://www.triprism.com. http://www.desktopdarkroom.com

Cheers

Gord