Photo School Guy - Bill Gratton

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April 9, 2012 by Bill Gratton

Make Your Voice Heard- and Discover the Trends in Photographic Education

We are again conducting a national survey of post secondary photography educators and we are hoping that you will take a few minutes to complete it for us. It is designed to take a snap shot of photographic education and its trends, and to see how things have changed over the last few years, so that we can all understand how to better serve you and your students.

Please take a couple of minutes to visit to complete the survey:

Simply Click Here

While it is rather thorough, it is mostly multiple choice and should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete.

Please know that any and all personal information will be kept strictly confidential and will not be sold or shared.

Some of you may recall that we conducted a very similar survey a couple of years ago and were thrilled to get nearly 600 responses and lots of good information. The results of that survey were shared with the participating educators and the Society of Photographic Education, and the Photographic Imaging Education Association. That information was then shared with fellow educators, instructors, and administrators to get a feel for how their programs matched up and in many cases to initiate change. If you would like to get a copy of the previous survey and it results, please email me @ billg@macgroupus.com and I will be more than happy to send it to you.

We are hoping for an even greater response to this year’s survey. We’ve tried to make this year’s survey a little more scientific, and tried to expand upon the previous survey. Our plan is to collect the responses, analyze and summarize them, compare them to the previous survey and generate a report that we would again share with the photo educational community. We hope to have a panel discussion at the 50th Annual SPE Conference in Chicago where would reveal and discuss the results of the survey.

As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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January 16, 2012 by Bill Gratton

Capture One Pro 6- A fabulous tool for professional photographers and educators alike

So recently I began using Phase One’s Capture One Pro 6 RAW converter and image editing software, and while I’m certainly nowhere near being an expert at it yet, I have to say, that it seems to me that it contains all the essential tools and high-end performance in one package to enable you to capture, organize, edit, share and print images in a fast, flexible and efficient workflow.

While it has long been a favorite (some might even argue a “standard”) amongst commercial and fashion photographers, Capture One Pro Software is quickly becoming a preferred software amongst photographers of all sorts. This is one of “THE” software packages that students will encounter upon graduation when they go to work for catalog houses, commercial photographers, or fashion photographers.

It’s compatibility with Canon, Nikon, Mamiya, Leaf, Phase digital backs and other DSLR cameras make it a natural tool for schools and students as well. So now, a school can teach/use a single software, rather than instructors having to be experts in the all of the proprietary software from each of the camera manufacturers.

Capture One Pro has a “street” price of approximately $400. However, students can now buy Capture One Pro (with two licenses- laptop & desktop) for $129 from MAC-On-Campus and its dealers. Of course we also have educational pricing for schools looking to purchase multiple site licenses for the schools’ computer labs and or studios (or for distribution to your students). Schools or educators interested in doing so should contact their regional MAC Group rep. Of course I can help direct you to the right person as well.

Below are just of some of the tools and features of latest version of Capture One Pro: Continue reading →

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January 10, 2012 by Bill Gratton

New MAC-On-Campus Digital Catalog- TOUCH IT, TURN IT, WATCH IT!

January 2012 MAC-On-Campus Digital Flipbook

We just released a new version of our MAC-On-Campus Catalog. It is more of a digital magazine format that is perfectly suited for your laptop, tablet computer, or smart phone!

Check it out! It is a fun way to learn about some of the most prevalent the tools of professional photography.

Watch educational videos and learn more about products from some of your favorite brands.

Whether you experience it on your computer, iPad or smart phone, we promise it’ll be a great experience.

Click. Swipe. Turn. Play. Or, just have fun. May take 30 seconds to load the first time. Promise it will be worth the wait.

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December 9, 2011 by Bill Gratton

Top Ten Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas For The Photo Student In Your Life

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a total gear junkie and tech weenie, and that I already own waaaaay too much photo gear! As a photographer, “gear-head,” an employee of the premiere photo distributor in the US, and someone who spends 200+ days a year visiting with college photography programs, I would like to think that I know what photography students want and need.

Several years ago I gave a photographer friend of mine a set of PocketWizards radio slaves for Christmas. At the time she was a graduate student at one of the premiere photo schools in the country. Upon opening them she burst into tears of happiness and nearly tackled me with a bear hug that I thought would land me in traction!

Anyways, this year I decide that I would come up with a top ten list of photo gear that any photo student would be happy to get. Given the state of economy, I also decided to keep the selections to under $200. I can’t guarantee you that these items will bring tears of joy, but I’m reasonably certain that these items will bring a hearty smile to just about any photo student’s face, without putting a huge hole in your wallet.

So, here they are, in no particular order. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

#1 Sekonic L-308S Flashmate- Limited Edition- Sekonic is celebrating their 60th Anniversary. For this they have come out with a limited edition version of their very popular compact L-308s Meter @ a very special price. This shirt pocket-sized Sekonic L-308S Flashmate is the smallest and lightest digital light meter in the Sekonic line-up. It is designed to read ambient or flash exposures in either reflected or incident modes, and it displays accurate exposure readings in full, half, or third-stop increments to mirror the exposure settings of today’s DSLR and film cameras. They are available in Red (my personal favorite) Light Green, and Pale Blue @ a student price of $165.

#2 X-Rite ColorChecker Passport- The ColorChecker Passport allows you to quickly and easily capture accurate color, instantly enhance portraits and landscapes, and maintain color control and consistency from capture to edit. It fits easily into your workflow to reduce your image processing time and improve quality control in your Raw workflow by working behind the scenes with Adobe’s Photoshop and Lightroom. Student Priced @ $79

#3 Benro Transfunctional Travel Angel- This is the most “usable” tripod I’ve ever used! It is an ultra compact tripod that also allows you to remove one of its leg for use as a monopod. The tripod folds down to under 19″ and weighs only 3.6 lbs, so it isn’t a drag to take this tripod anywhere! It includes a precision ball head and opens up to a maximum height of 63″ (5.25 ft) and will comfortable hold camera and lenses weighing up to 18 lbs. It includes many features and Includes carry case and shoulder strap. Student Priced @ only $189

#4 Tenba Messenger Medium Camera Bag- The Tenba Messenger Camera Bag is my personal favorite. It easily handles a pro type body, at least 2-3 lenses, speedlight, and a LOT of accessories! It is a classic, fast-moving, and body hugging design preferred by the world’s best photojournalists for years. Lightweight yet protective, everything within fast, easy reach. Customizable interior, loads of accessory pockets, and exclusive, innovative features geared to the real-world needs of the working pro. Available in Black, Burnt Orange, and Olive. Student priced @ $105.50

#5 Capture One Software- Capture One Pro 6 is a professional RAW converter and image editing software. Its powerful and intuitive toolset is used by professional photographers to achieve world-class image quality with excellent color and detail. It is extremely versatile- working with Canon, Nikon, Leaf, Mamiya, Phase One and more! It contains all the essential tools and high-end performance in one package to enable you to capture, organize, edit, share and print images in a fast, flexible and efficient workflow. It also allows you to plug in and shoot “tethered” with many Canon and Nikon Cameras and most digital backs. Capture One Pro 6’s powerful and intuitive toolset is used by professional photographers to achieve world-class image quality with excellent color and detail. Student Priced @ $129. Continue reading →

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November 11, 2011 by Bill Gratton

ILFORD Galerie Inkjet. Try it…You’ll Love it! Plus you’ll save 50% OFF!

To reintroduce the ILFORD Galerie Inkjet paper line to the educational market. MAC Group and MAC-On-Campus are introducing an exciting new offer. From November 1^st through November 30^thregistered Photo Students and Educators registered on MAC-On-Campus may receive 50% off of the three most popular ILFORD papers- limited to one of each of the products indicated below:

Eligible ILFORD Galerie Inkjet Papers Reg.Price Sale Price

Gold Fibre Silk 8.5×11 10-sheet pack (cat# 1154038) $16.53 $8.26

Smooth Gloss 8.5×11 25-sheet pack (cat# 1979293) $17.59 $8.79

Smooth Pearl 8.5×11 25-sheet pack (cat# 1979211) $17.59 $8.79

These are papers that I use all of the time. The Smooth Pearl is my “everyday” paper for printing most of my images. I love it. I use the Gold Fibre Silk for printing my black and white images. It is INCREDIBLE! It looks, feels, and smells like the B&W prints that I used to make in the darkroom…only better! These papers are extremely archival. Wilhem Imaging Research, Inc just rated them at 200+ years (read the report). This means that these papers will withstand the test of time and won’t fade or show signs of yellowing for more than 200 years, which should give you the confidence that your images will be enjoyed well into the future.

So here’s your chance to step up to another level of quality at an irresistible price.

You may either download a coupon to take into your favorite local participating dealer, or you can download a discount code to be used on the MAC-On-Campus.com store.

Your purchase also qualifies towards MAC-On-Campus’ new ILFORD Bucks Program, which earns you 20% of your purchase price towards future ILFORD purchases. Since this offer is based on the “full price” value of the paper, it’s like receiving double ILFORD Bucks on these products.

If you’re not yet enrolled in the ILFORD Bucks Program, sign up now at MAC-on-Campus.com/ILFORDBucks.

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November 7, 2011 by Bill Gratton

Seattle Central Creative Academy and The Port Townsend Experience

As you probably know by know I travel around to a great many schools doing countless events every year. The educators at photo programs and their students never cease to amaze me. Often I’m asked what my favorite event is. While I do enjoy them all, I do have one that always seems to stand out.

For the past ten years or so, we have worked with Robbie Milne and Alejandro Tomas on what has come to be called the “Port Townsend Shoot out”. These amazing educators from the two year commercial photography program at Seattle Central Community College (aka Seattle Central Creative Academy) shut down the department for a whole week at the end of April and move it out to Pt. Townsend, WA. There we all take over Ft. Flagler State Park (an old Navy base) and seemingly much of the Olympic Peninsula.

2011 Documentary of the Port Townsend Shoot-Out from Marc Salverda on Vimeo.

The second year students are there to do large productions shots, and to fill the “gaps” in their portfolios before they graduate. Their “shot-sheets” get reviewed by Robbie and Tomas long before they ever get to Pt. Townsed. For the most part, the shoots are very well planned out. Robbie and Tomas preach planning and being prepared. A big of this event is the students learning to problem solve and think on their feet to adjust to circumstances beyond their control- things that they will encounter in the “real world”. Every year there are the usual obstacles to overcome- the failure of models and/or bands to show up when they’ve committed to doing so, and lots of weather related issues causing schedules to be juggled. I remember a couple of years ago we had one day when we had sun, rain, snow, hail, and lighting all in within a few hours!

The first year students are there to do all of the cooking, cleaning, assisting, schlepping of gear, manning the equipment check out room, and to scout for locations for next year when it will be there turn. It is an amazing opportunity for them to learn in a real world application- learning things that they just can’t experience in the classroom Continue reading →

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November 1, 2011 by admin

Save up to $150 on Cinevate – Limited-time Fall Specials

Cinevate recently announced some fall rebates, and while normally education purchase (by students, educators, and institutions) aren’t eligible for consumer rebates these are. You can download a rebate form and check out these great savings you can get as a rebate form Cinevate’s Fall Specials in our interactive flipbook:

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October 19, 2011 by Bill Gratton

BIG Savings on Premium ILFORD Inkjet Papers

Recently MAC-On-Campus introduced our discount program for ILFORD Galerie premium inkjet papers- ILFORD Bucks. Coming up with a discount program for this “consumable” product posed a challenge. As you know, most of our products that we represent are relatively expensive professional tools that the student purchases in advance by ordering it at a local camera store, or via the MAC-On-Campus site. Either way it has to be ordered and they must wait for it. We realize that with a product like paper, this probably wouldn’t work. While some students will have the foresight to order their supplies in advance, it is more likely that they will realize at the last minute that they are out of paper and that they need it now! So whether they are “planners” and order in advance, or whether they make a mad dash down to the bookstore or the local photo dealer to buy their paper at the last minute, we’ve devised a discount program that allows them to earn a significant discount!

The ILFORD Bucks program allows eligible students and educators enrolled in the MAC-On-Campus (MOC) program to earn a 20% rebate of their Ilford Galerie Inkjet paper purchases in ILFORD Bucks. These ILFORD Bucks can be redeemed towards your next purchase of ILFORD Galerie Papers. Plus you continue to earn 20% of subsequent purchases too! So the more you buy, the more you save!

How it works

Step 1 Purchase ILFORD Galerie Inkjet paper at your favorite authorized ILFORD Dealer in the USA or at www.MAC-on-Campus.com.

Step 2 Provide Proof of Purchase - If the paper is purchased from the MAC-On-Campus (MOC) site we will obviously have a record of that transaction.

If it is purchased at a local store, simply Take a close-up photo or scan your receipt/bill-of-sale (must clearly indicate your name, the dealer name, date of purchase, and purchase prices) PLUS a scan or close-up photo of the UPC barcode on the Ilford Galerie packaging and email them both in a single email to IlfordBucks@MAC-On-Campus.com. Those still using “snail mail” could also print them out or provide us with copies of the invoice and barcode and mail them to us at:

MAC Group

Attn: ILFORD Bucks

8 Westchester Plaza

Elmsford, NY 10523

Upon confirming your purchase we will add your 20% rebate to your ILFORD Bucks account. Your available ILFORD Bucks balance will be added when your ILFORD Paper purchased from MAC-On-Campus is shipped, or your mailed/emailed submission of a purchase from an authorized Dealer is processed.

Now you are ready to save on your next purchase of Ilford Galerie Inkjet paper. The more you buy, the more you save!

Continue reading →

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October 7, 2011 by Bill Gratton

Learning the Business of Photography

This past spring MAC-On-Campus sponsored a series of seminars aimed at students and emerging professional photographers as part of the 2011 American Society of Media Photographers’ Strictly Business Conference. The workshops covered topics related to breaking into the industry, marketing your images, establishing a business, and staying on top of the financial and legal aspects of being a working photographer. I was lucky enough to attend all three of the conferences and got to see nearly all of the presentations.There were a lot of really good ones!

Well, now you can sit in on them too! ASMP recorded each of the presentations and has been kind enough to share them with us. Be sure to check them out. You’ll be glad you did.

While they were all very good, below are some of my favorites that I feel are particularly well suited for Photo students:

The Basics of Copyright, Licensing, and Pricing, with Susan Carr

Breaking into the Biz, with Judy Herrmann

Business Basics Primer, with Judy Herrmann and Richard Kelly

Multimedia and Digital Video Primer, with Jay Kinghorn

View More Amazing presentations from ASMP’s Strictly Business 3 Conference:

Continue reading →

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September 29, 2011 by Bill Gratton

Nikon lenses on a Canon Body???

Did you know that you can mount Nikon Nikkor lenses on to Canon Bodies? It’s true!!!

Cinevate’s custom-made Nikon to Canon EOS adapter ring will not only allow you to use all existing Nikon lenses on all cameras with the Canon EOS lens mount, but you can also now use the widely popular high-end Zeiss lenses (which have a Nikon lens mount) on the Canon 5Dmkll, while maintaining perfect infinity focus!

Cinevate Canon - Nikon Adapter

Now, the next question is why would you want to?

Well, there are many people who believe that Nikon lenses are better than Canon lenses. But that is personal preferences, and we all have our own strong opinion and I’ll leave you to yours. I’m not here to debate whose lenses are better than whose. However, there is an important physical distinction to make between the Canon and Nikon lenses. The newer Canon lenses lack an aperture ring and often have manual focus that feels like an afterthought. On the other hand, most Nikon lenses have a manual aperture ring and a large sturdy focus ring. More later on why this is important… Continue reading →

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