Bill Weaver Photographers

This past year I began thinking about what our clients where doing with their photos. I know many have done nothing and yet they paid us thousands of $$$ to photograph their weddings or their families. This got me to thinking about how I could help. the first thing I thought of was to begin the thought process early on in our working relationship with new clients. This way we could have some focus and direction while working, we could make sure we got some great photos that could be used in our client's homes.

The next thing I thought of was something I used to do when I was working as an architect. I would sketch designs using the context of their existing home. Nothing helps people visualize better than a sketch. So when one of our clients asked me last week for ideas as to how to use her wedding photos  I was more than ready. This first time I customized some templates from another photographer. Using photoshop I was able to quickly generate multiple variations using our client's photos.

This experience has prompted me to begin to develop a kit for our clients to help them visualize their photos on their walls.  As I re design our web presence I will be including downloadable copies of the kit.

Anyway...here are some examples using the templates.

Look for more to come!!

 

 

 

Lately I have been thinking about the nature of communications and how it has changed the way we live our lives. As a photographer I am especially interested in the increased use of imagery as tool of conversation. While we all know what "visual" implies  adding the term "conversation"  kind of complicates things since we are used to defining that word in terms of verbal communications either written or spoken. However, when we combine the words into the term visual conversation  we become confused and ask how can we visually have a conversation.

Well according to a number of sources the word conversation  means:

• A conversation is communication by two or more people, or sometimes with one's self, often on a particular topic. Conversations are the ideal form of communication in some respects, since they allow people with different views of a topic to learn from each other.   Wikipedia
• The spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings  Dictionary.com

Combining the two terms  to come up with a new one Visual Conversation and placing it in today's context of today's technology of imagery we can see that conversations are no longer limited to  verbal interchanges. Hence, we have inner conversations as we interpret and process imagery,we have both verb al and visual conversations with others as the imagery engages us and causes us to talk about what we are seeing. So a photograph  can be part of a visual conversation. In fact we might say that a photograph is the catalyst for combining visual and verbal interactions.

 

 

Whew that was kind of deep! And I think it is necessary as we as photographers/visual media makers begin to translate how we can improve what we do in the context of today's media. How can we initate visual conversations? How can we extend the conversation to others through ever emerging media possibilities?

In a nut shell by having visual conversations with our clients we can expand the ways in which we can identify and meet their needs far beyond just paper prints placed in a book or hung on a wall.

How do each of these images stimulate an interaction between you  and the image, you and yourself, or you and someone else?

 

 

 

 

This evening I'll be following Al Franken around as he does the final rounds of pre caucus campaigning that will eventually lead up to the State nominating convention. I have ben lucky to be able to cover Al as he grows his campaign.

If you have a skill that can be used by your favorite candidate make yourself available help them in their efforts.

So get out there and engage the democratic process!!