If you see an ass, ride it! by Dominic Lee, AMPA. The beautifully framed family portrait is sadly now a thing of the past. Back in the day when the average Professional photographer sold a framed 20x16 inch portrait for €500 and two framed 10x8s for Grandparents @ €250 each, total €1000. Now the photographer can save a lot of hassle by offering the file on a USB flash drive for half the price - €500 - eh, no chance. Unfortunately, no member of the  public will pay €500 for digital files which they regularly treat like crumbs on a plate after eating a scone. So what would they expect to

Photography - Public V's Private Property and who owns the Copyright.If you can see it from a public place it's all yours to photograph. This beautiful thatched cottage in Donegal was taken from a public road. Even if the owner was standing at the door, he or she would have no right to object as they are visible from a public place. However, if I climbed over the fence to get the shot, I would be breaking the law and I could be prosecuted for invasion of privacy and or trespassing.  It's in Donegal so I expect the owners would have been happy to pose in front of their gorgeous house.While

The 10 Commandments of a Successful Wedding Photographer: by Dominic Lee, AMPA. 1. Never ever take a booking without a booking fee (average 10%). A deposit is refundable while a booking fee is non refundable and explain that on your booking form. 2. Never ever smoke or drink alcohol while working and always dress as if you are a guest at the wedding. If you want to dress like “an artist” then take up wildlife photography. 3. Don't give printable files without a printed album which shows what the quality is really like. Customers will use a cheap one hour photo service and stick them in

Silly Things Customers Have Said to Photographers: by Dominic Lee and Friends Can you take people out and touch them up? (from Paul Cooper). Pointing to the 20×16 in the price list for 500 Euro, customer asks “how much is it for one? I don’t need 20!” In the middle of a family session, the Dad steps forward and hands me his own digital camera, “take one with this I’d like to email it to all our relations”. Customer: How much is it? Photog: The sitting fee is 65 Euro. Customer: Would it be any cheaper if we stand? (from Richie Gavin). I’d like a disc of high

Five Year Old Vouchers. Can you imagine asking a plumber or a painter to spend a day working on your house and then handing him a 5 year old voucher? You wouldn't do it unless you were as mean as a snake. A new Irish law came into effect on Monday 2nd Dec 2019 which states that gift vouchers must be legally valid for at least 5 years. As a photographer I traditionally accepted vouchers no matter how old they were but I always put a one year expiry date on them as most people left it till the last minute before using it. I expect many people will now wait the full 5 years before getting