Hermes Creative Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), and is  one of the oldest and largest creative competitions in the world.  Winners range in size from individuals, to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies. The award recognizes creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media. Hermes Creative Awards recognizes outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals. 

I am proud that I can use my art to help spread the message about the great work that HALO Flight does for the community.   Through extensive collaboration with my client, I was able to plan and photograph unique images that showcase their service to south Texas. Especially in times like these, we need to recognize the dedicated flight crews and support personnel of HALO flight for the great work they do, as well as their tremendous capabilities and dedication to their mission.

I've been doing a lot of commercial/advertising work for clients, and it's starting to get recognized.  I appreciate the opportunity to help my great clients get the word out about their businesses!

Here's a shot of the statue i received and the winning photos.

Hermes award statue From the eyes of a child Another successful medical evacuation Around the clock -- ready to help in an emergency

Don’t make your subjects pose.  Many people feel uncomfortable in a posed photo, and it shows.  Candid shots are almost always better.

Tell a story.  Show the kids tearing open the presents and playing with them, or guests at your party interacting with each other.  A shot that tells a story will be remembered and cherished.  A posed shot of someone staring into the camera will be quickly forgotten. 

Get on the child’s level.  Instead of standing or sitting and snapping away, try kneeling to get on the child’s level as they are playing or tearing open presents.  You will usually get better photos from this angle.

Don’t be afraid of natural light.  A flash is often the default lighting answer for beginning photographers when shooting indoors, but it is rarely flattering.  Natural light will allow Christmas tree lights to show up, while a flash will usually overpower the lights, making it difficult to see they are lit.

Test the light.  If you are shooting without a flash, take a couple of test shots before the action starts to fine tune your exposure.

If you must use a flash, I recommend having an external flash that mounts on the top (hot shoe) of the camera.  This can bounce light off the ceiling to give a more flattering light than a typical pop-up flash found on most cameras.

I recently had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful ranch in Mathis.  23 breathtaking acres with an incredible house.  

For more info, contact the realtor, Beverly Garrett at [email protected].

Ranch corpus christi photographerRanch for sale in Mathis TX

Also, I'll be photographing the Miss Rock and Ride winners again this year.  Be sure to register for the preliminary competitions in the lead up to the grand event at the Concert on 29 August.  I'll update this with details as they become available.  There will be some terrific prizes for the winners!

In the mean time, here is a shot of two lovely ladies that you may see in the contest. Thanks to Martha Stough and Sarah Terencio!

http://www.crpmetroleader.com/news/local/ask-foto-dave-landscapes/

Or, here is the text:

Many people like to take photos of landscapes, be they out West, at the beach or in the mountains with changing leaves.  Landscape photos can make beautiful wall decorations, and are fun to shoot, too.

Here are a few tips to get better results in your landscape photos:

• If you're using a point and shoot camera, set your camera on the “landscape” mode.  This will automatically create the proper settings to give you the best chance of shooting a good landscape photo.  If using a DSLR, set your camera on 'aperture priority' mode and adjust your aperture to about f/16 or so.
• Use a wider angle setting on your lens.  This allows you to photograph more of the scenery and gives a much more majestic photo.  Of course, if you have a particular part of the scene you would like to emphasize, you can zoom in on it if you’d like.
• To get maximum sharpness in the photo, always use a tripod when shooting landscapes.  
• If your camera will accept filters, use a polarizing filter.  This will darken and saturate the sky so it will look bluer and not as washed out as it normally would.  Simply mount the filter and dial in the amount of the effect you want.
• Frequently, a landscape will look more interesting if there is something in the foreground, such as a horse in front of the mountains, or a bird flying through the photo.  This is all a matter of personal taste and style, so try with and without, and see which one you like better.
• Finally, consider shooting at different times of day.  High noon is seldom the best time, and you will often get better results early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
•  

Also, be sure to support the Rock and Ride event, as the proceeds support the South Texas USO.

Now potential customers can see how great you are from the comfort of their own home or mobile device when they are searching for businesses like yours.  

I am able to put a top quality 360 degree virtual tour of your business on Google! Customers can navigate through your business and see it as if they are really there.  

Don't be the last one to the party on this!  Call me today to talk about how we can bring this great marketing tool to your business before your competition does! 

Here's a sample of a recent shoot for Aways in Bloom Florist in Corpus Christi:

I am surprised at how many people still use “selfies” or other cringe inducing photos as their headshot.  That tells the viewer that the person really doesn’t understand marketing or that they don’t care.

Remember, the photo you use on your website or social media is frequently the first impression a potential client will have of you.  Don't let it be the last.

Many of my clients use marketing to differentiate themselves from the competition, but in many cases, are not as successful as they would like.  Why?  One reason is companies in the same industry tend to look the same at first glance.  They attempt to use eye catching images to get customer's attention.  However, the effectiveness of these images fails when many within the industry use the same type of images for marketing.  You know the ones I’m talking about... a common one in the oil industry is the derrick with the dramatic sunset in the background.  I confess that I’ve done it too!  In fact, I’ve shot a lot of those very photos because people buy them.  But if you use them, understand that they are not really selling YOU, they are representing an industry.

So how can you differentiate YOURSELF from the rest? There are two things you can do immediately. 

The first is to use more video.  Video helps show off your capabilities and, according to many experts, will help increase the SEO results for your web site. As the official photographer for the East Texas, South Texas and Oklahoma City Oilfield Expos held by Texas Classic Productions, and as a participant in numerous other expos, I can say without a doubt that one of the best ways to capture someone’s attention is through the use of video. I have seen countless examples of people stopping to watch a video and then being engaged by the reps at the booth.  Why not integrate the power of video in your marketing as well?

The second step is stop using stock photos in marketing and web material.

The arguments in favor of using stock photos are compelling...they are easy to get, fast, and possibly most Importantly, cheap!  But let's think for a moment and determine if we are actually making a wise decision when using stock photos.

I found a study regarding the use of photos in web sites.  The results were intriguing, so I conducted an informal survey of my own.  Most of the consumers I surveyed disregarded the stock photos they saw on marketing material.  They realized the photos are not of the company or the people they would be doing business with and therefore the stock photos had no credibility.  In the most dramatic case, one individual actually felt the company was being deceptive by using a stock image, and lowered her opinion of the company.  

So, given this possible negative backlash, is it really a good decision to use stock photos?   

I would argue it is best to use a professional photo personalized to reflect your business, personnel, and culture.   A custom photo session will provide you images that will draw potential clients to your business, rather than potentially repel them.  Once you have caught the customer’s attention, you can describe what makes you better than the rest of your competitors.

Marketing budgets, big or small, are valuable resources, but trying to save a few dollars by using stock photos could seriously sabotage your entire effort and epitomize the old saying "Penny wise and Pound foolish!"  Go ahead and talk to a professional photographer and see what a professional shoot can do for your business.  You just might be pleasantly surprised! 

Each session will be 1.5 hours long and you will be able to choose what style of session you want.  Whether boudoir, glamour, oilfield glamour, military glamour, or anything else, we can do it for you!  

Remember, I request you at least consider bringing an escort.  She can help you with costume changes and help me make sure there are no problems with your wardrobe.

I've had a lot of ladies do this, and they all loved it.  Now it's your turn!

Call me on 361-944-3686 to book your session!  (If the 2d fills up, we will set up another day.)

I am proud to be working with Soma in La Palmera Mall in Corpus Christi to offer special Christmas and Valentine's Day photo shoots.

I will be at Soma's "Gift Gorgeously Shopping Event" from 4-9 PM on 12 December.  Come by and purchase anything from Soma's breathtaking collection and you will immediately save $50 off the cost of your photo session and first photo (normally $99, now just $49)!

Beautiful gifts from Soma and David Olds Fotografie... Something for you and that special someone!

Photo sessions will be held on special dates in December and January.  

Glamour / Pin-up / oilfield Glamour / Military Glamour…it's your choice!  From mild to wild...we make you look good!

David Olds Fotografie…now it's your turn!

I had a shoot out on the Island a couple of days ago and watched someone ruin his nice camera.  It happened so fast I was unable to stop him.

It was windy and sand was blowing around so he decided to clean some sand off the front of his lens with his shirt (which was also sandy).  All he succeeded in doing was grinding very nice scratches into his glass. Within about 5 seconds a nice lens was turned into a paper weight.

What did we learn from this?  

1. Always use a UV filter on your lens if you are in a harsh environment like the beach.  The cheap filter will get sandblasted instead of the expensive lens.

2.  Never use a kleenex or paper towel to clean your lens.  These are rough paper and could easily scratch your lens, even without the sand and grit helping.

3.  Only use a proper lens cleaning kit.  Blow off dirt, gently brush the remainder away, then use the solution and lens cleaning cloth.  

I am pleased to be working with TVV MediSpa in Corpus Christi to offer you a special “Pamper Yourself” package for the holidays!

Book your package and receive a custom photo session and print as well as a selection of services from the spa.

Choose three fantastic spa services from the following options:

• 20 units of Botox
• Hydrafacial
• Air Brush Tan
• Obagi Blue Peel

Once you have pampered yourself, we will do a custom photo shoot and give you a free 5x7 photo of your choice!  The photos can be the style of your choice, from beauty, to glamour or pin-up!  Photo sessions will be on 15 and 16 November.

Be sure to check out the TVV MediSpa web page or their facebook.  They are really great and you will be sure to enjoy yourself there.

This is a $500 package, but we are offering it for only $225!  How can you go wrong! 

There are a limited number of sessions available, so be sure to book yours today by calling TVV  MediSpa at (361) 994-7500.

DSC_0866

One of the highlights was watching long drive pro Joshua Crews.  His record drive is 547 yards, which is only about 500 yard longer than my best.  

DSC_9413

DSC_9500

Congratulations to Marimar and el Bagre on their upcoming first anniversary of their show!

A portion of the proceeds will go toward funding art programs sponsored by the Art Center.

This is a great opportunity to get your family photos taken in time for Christmas and support a worthy organization.

To reserve your session, call the Art Center on 361-884-6406.

All photos will be available on an "A la Carte" basis, so you are not forced to purchase pre-defined packages.  Prices start at only $30 for a 5x7 print, and there is no sitting fee!

Be sure to book your session early, as there are limited slots available!

http://youtu.be/iCVEVZpwj74

I frequently get questions about how to do makeup and dress for good portraits.  

Take a look at this info sheet we worked up to give you some quick answers...

Of course, if you have more questions about your shoot, be sure to call me on 361-944-3686 and we can get them all answered for you.tips-David Olds Fotografie

We wish her lots of luck and hope to see her advance to the Miss USA competition!

Here's a shot for the session.  I think you'll agree that she is a lovely young lady.

DSC_8466 - Version 4

I'm happy to say we are now offering two exciting new classes in addition to the long favorite basic photo class.

The first one is cell phone photography.  Even though it is not as powerful as a normal camera, your cell phone camera is more likely to be with you when something interesting happens.. This class will teach you the basics of what the cell phone camera can do as well as some tips and tricks to get better shots.

The next class is Photo Sense Walkabout class.  This is designed for those with a little experience who feel the basic class may be too...basic.  In this class, we will walk around an interesting area in town and practice certain techniques that you will run into frequently in photography.  You will learn how to manage focus, depth of field, motion, and much more.

We will be offering these classes over the coming months in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Austin.  

Just give us a call on 361-944-3686 and we will get you in the appropriate class.

Good light, and good luck... David

One of the most common mistakes I see is failure to hold the camera correctly, which leads to blurry photos.  

Most people hold it like the image on the left.  The problem is that the thumb is trying to support most of the weight of the camera, and that's very unstable, especially with a long lens.  

Instead, make a shelf with your palm and rest the camera on it.  You can still reach around and turn the zoom dial, but the camera will be much more stable and you will get a sharper photo.

Also, remember not to lean forward and throw your balance off.  Stand erect to take the shot and it will be more stable.  If you need to get lower, kneel down.

Untitled-1

We are donating a corporate photography package that will help growing businesses establish themselves with top quality photography of their establishment and /or products.  It will also help more established companies with great marketing photos or for corporate head shots or to illustrate annual reports.  The possibilities are (almost) endless!

Be sure to check out the KEDT website for details.