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So whats a hard working photographer supposed to do this holiday season when you start looking for Christmas gifts for yourself? Ebay!! Its the best place to spend that hard earned cash for great items that are cheap and will help grow your photography business in 2009.

Some of my best lighting buys have come from Ebay in the past and I am continually on the look out for new items that pop up every day - from new to used equipment there is a ton of great deals to be had on just about anything photography related.

I've listed a few holiday gift ideas below for your special photographer (or yourself!)

197A LED Studio Video Light. 5500k Photography Light Panel Litepanel. From USA    US $179.99

197A LED Studio Video Light W/ Barndoors 5500k Photography Light Panel Litepanel    US $184.99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570 16.1 MP Digital Camera - Silver    US $105.00

Pp870 Light Green AB Czech Crystal Ture 925 Silver European Charms Bead 1P    US $6.98

55mm 28Pc UV MACRO DIFFUSER FILTER SET LENS KIT 4 CAMERA SONY ALPHA DSLR-A550L    US $66.00

Some of the most purchased office photography is fall foliage photos printed on nice canvas and mounted. Case in point, I was attending a meeting at a corporate office last week and had to wait in the conference room for a few minutes on my own. What I noticed was that along the hallway of this particular office was a large assortment of canvas mounted photography works. Most of the pieces were nature related, and at least half of them were fall foliage photography.

What does this mean to you as a semi pro photographer, or even amateur photographer? It means that there is a huge market out there for fall foliage photography that you can tap into. However you need to get out there and actually shoot the photos! Some of the best places to shoot are public areas that have easy access. A few examples of this would be cemeteries, public hiking paths, farm lands, or apple orchards.

If you happen to live in the northeast then this time of year is fantastic for fall foliage photography, but its not limited to just the north east. Take time to figure out when the best fall foliage photographs can be taken in your particular area and you could start making some extra income by selling you images to companies looking to spruce up the interior walls of their offices.

This particular photograph was done for a friend of mine for their engagement so obviously I'm a bit biased when it comes to picking out a favorite photo of my own, but still I think the image holds up well and carries some emotion with it.

The shot was directly into the sun at almost dusk which created the nice silloette for the shot, and was on a rocky beach which made the water in the background drop out nicely to pop the silloette even more.

If you've never tried shooting directly into the sun with an object in front of it I highly suggest you try some different things out - you might surprise yourself with what you get for an end product.

So get your thinking caps on and fire up the synapses! Leave your captions in the comments below!

Pre-shoot Model Checklist
Directions are obviously very important for the model to have because without a model, the shoot goes no where. Be sure to make the directions as simple as possible, and if they are not simple consider meeting the model somewhere easy and then have them follow you to the shoot location.

Phone numbers are also of a great import. With the prevalence of the cell phone, most people will have one with them which makes finding the studio easier if they end up getting lost. Be sure to give the model your number beforehand so that they have it in their phone. Also be sure to get their phone number so that you can confirm the shoot time and if they are canceling or not.

Outfits and clothing make the shoot, especially if it's a fashion shoot. I normally tell models to bring at least two different outfits, but not more then four. Unless you have specifically determined it to be a long half or full day shoot, the normal hour or two for a shoot will not allow you a time frame that indulges more then a couple different outfits. I normally suggest a model bring one classy outfit that has an upscale look, and a more sexy intimate outfit. Obviously this depends greatly on the type of shoot you are planning on doing, but where I typically work in the glamor categories this grouping of outfits works best. With a classy and sexier outfit you can normally mix and match to create a few additional looks without the need to bring a suitcase full of clothing.

Model Releases are extremely important, even for a portrait session. I generally never shoot a single shot without the model having signed a release form. This is good practice to get into due to the legalities involved if someone decides to pose questions about the usage rights of their photographs. A general release form normally acknowledges the photographer as the rights holder of all images created during the shoot, but if you are working with a model that has specific terms be sure to alter the release form so that both parties are satisfied with it.
Shoot payment and pricing is always something to be upfront and candid with the model about. No one will want a return visit if you spring all sorts of additional fees and hidden charges on them at time of payment. Be fair in your pricing, and if you are just starting out, consider shooting at a discounted rate until you can get yourself established some. If you have no idea on what to charge for a shoot, do a search for local photographers and see what they are charging for the same shoot. Chances are they will have a pretty high price for shoots, as they have been established much longer.

Camera Check List
The first place any good photographer will start when checking their equipment is with the batteries. Without power, you can't continue, and the last thing a model wants to do is wait around while your battery charges. For this reason I usually carry three different batteries with me at all times. I shoot Canon and the camera and backup camera I have use the same battery type which allows me a greater flexibility if I need to switch cameras for whatever reason. The three batteries allow me to have both cameras powered and a battery in reserve at all times. Generally I am only shooting with one camera at a time, so technically I have two backup batteries. If one happens to fail I will have a primary and backup battery still. This may seem redundant and over kill, but its completely worth it. I've been shooting several years straight with no down time due to batteries with this setup.

Along with a good battery plan, you should have a rapid charger available to you as well. This will lessen the impact of downtime if you do for whatever reason find yourself waiting on battery charging. The charger I have will completely charge a dead battery in roughly twenty minutes. This is the maximum time I want to be with a model and not shooting anything.

The same level of backup should also be applied to your lenses. Now I'm not saying to go out and buy two or three of the same lens, not that it would hurt, but you should at least always have two different lenses on you at all times. Lenses are temperamental beasts and can easily become unusable especially if you are shooting in a dusty or windy location such as a beach.

If you find yourself using a particular lens over and over again for a multitude of shoots, consider buying a secondary lens as backup. This will also allow you to rotate the lenses to prevent wearing them out. If you have a choice between two lenses or one really good lens that may cost a bit more for good glass, I recommend opting for the better glass personally.

Flash / Lighting is absolutely key if you are shooting studio setup portraits. If you are shooting outside its not as important, but still a crucial element, that you should have considered before leaving for the shoot to have the lighting you will need with you. Studio setups will obviously be easier to control as you have absolute control over your lighting. Outside setups are more difficult simply due to the weather and climate conditions you might find yourself shooting in. Plan ahead if you are going to be shooting outside, and know your location.

Location Setup
Studio setups should be flexible, but they should also have been tested out ahead of time. I normally keep a sketch pad handy for setups that I've used before, so that I can quickly and easily put the lights and settings back together again in short order. I highly recommend getting a test model (mannequin, neighbor, spouse, etc) to sit for a few different lighting setups. Be sure to draw out positions of the lights and there respective settings for future usage.

Depending on the type of shoot you will be doing with the model, you should have ready in advance whatever set might be most advantageous for that shoot. For example if you are shooting head shots, be sure to have a modeling stool handy. These can be as elaborate as you'd like, and I've seen them sell for upwards of $300. Personally I think a nice wooden stool that costs $10 works just fine!

Of course you will need to have thought out wardrobe changes before hand as well. The model will require a place to change for this, and most don't feel comfortable changing for the public! If you're working in the studio this isn't hard to accommodate, but if you are working outside it becomes a problem. Usually I inform the model ahead of time about the location we'll be shooting in, and make sure they wear something that can be a base layer underneath clothing that they don't mind changing out in the open with. Cars and walls can also be used as impromptu changing rooms, but are uncomfortable and should be avoided if possible.

Shooting outside can cause all sorts of issues with lighting, be sure to check the weather ahead of time! If it's a nice F16 day (with lots of sun) you'll have lots of light to play with. However, if its cloudy and overcast (not such a bad thing) you will have to work a bit harder to capture all the light. For this I always have a reflector in my bag. Reflectors are great for outside work since they can be propped up or held by an assistant to push some extra light in a subject.

For location shooting, its all about knowing the location ahead of time if at all possible. Sometimes you'll just see a site and have to stop and shoot which is good, but its always a good idea to have a sketch pad with you to record notes about the location for future use to help plan a photo shoot. Having a book full of locations with setup diagrams and notes is invaluable.

This concludes the first part of this posting, there will be more in the coming days. Future posts will include the shoot itself, and post shoot help. Be sure to check back often for updates on how to plan a photo shoot.

This can work both for and against you. If you are a studio photographer and have a lot of time to sit down and tweak individual images, you can take the time and make some more artisitic type of shots. If you are the type of photographer that is starting out and looking to make your break, I still suggest you do quantity over quality at this point in the game. That is not to say produce crap. You should always aim to have a high quality of image, but if you are looking to get more clients and make the big bucks you need to get out there and shoot shoot shoot.

If you're shooting in any system that is producing a lot of chunky dark spaces, instead of trying to hide it in post processing, why not work with it some and exploit it. Giving a photo some distress or artistic flavor can always be a good thing. Most clients are open to seeing different ideas and concepts of their images. One of the best ways I've found so far to create an interesting effect is to really play with the saturation and curves of the shadows within images. Now be careful with this tip, you can blow out the image in a hurry.

New photographers or those trying to get there work out to the public to generate some more sales, I would suggest postponing some of the more intense and time consuming artistic design photographs and concentrate on the more boring, yet usually more profitable portrait and session photography. Doing this will build up your portfolio more quickly and in turn hopefully give you some of that extra money that artists are always striving to have.

For now you can check out these outstanding images brought to you by www.dqstudios.com. If you are looking for a wedding photographer I HIGHLY recommend their work.

Direct from Strobist:

"Here's a trick: To cut the drywall, you score one side with a utility knife (using a straight edge as a guide) and gently snap it. Do this carefully, and you can preserve the paper on the opposite side to make a nice, joined temporary corner for a shoot."

Basically you need to go to Home Depot and get yourself some drywall. This lovely cheap material makes the perfect cheap studio backdrop. A backdrop can be anything from plain solid colors to large luscious patterns of color or textures. It all depends on what you'd like in your photo session backdrops.

After you've managed to heft some drywall onto your big orange shopping cart, head on over to the paint section. Here is the second crucial step for making a cheap studio backdrop. The drywall loves to be painted. Take a look through all the offerings that the store has, and pick out a few options you'd like to try. I personally like the faux brush patterns that you can pick up cheap and doesn't take that long to do once you're home.

So thats it, run out and grab some cheap studio backdrops right now. It will only take you roughly an hour or so to get it painted if you only plan on doing a couple panels worth. Then grab your favorite model and put him or her in front of it by a few feet, add a light source and snap away. You will have more dynamic photographs in no time, and you can do it all with cheap studio backdrops. Be sure to get photos of your setup, I want to see how creative you get!

Don't be shy trying new things either. Get all Jackson Paullock like and throw paint at the wall, do strange things like soak tshirts in paint and rub them against the wall to create some pattern etc. Cheap photo backdrops don't have to look cheap. The end photograph will not look like you used a four dollar drop cloth. Try various textured items like sponges, egg crates, corrugated cardboard and what not to get some interesting lines on the wall. Also try utilizing draped or hanging cloth of light weight and then painting over it directly onto the wall, and let it dry. You can leave the hanging cloth in place or rip it off to create some dynamic texture to the wall.

In the end just experiment, experiment, experiment. Remember its a cheap photography backdrop you can always create more if you screw up on one!

You can also try Ebay for some great cheap studio backdrops. I've listed a few auctions below for easy pickings!

3 INCH PHOTO STUDIO UNIVERSAL PAPER CANVAS MUSLIN CLAMP Free Shipping    US $4.49

10x10 FT CP (COMPUTER PRINTED) PHOTO SCENIC BACKGROUND BACKDROP Su706    US $39.99

SPRING OUTDOOR 10x10 FT CP SCENIC PHOTO BACKGROUND BACKDROP SW258    US $39.99

OUTDOOR SPRING 10x10 FT CP SCENIC PHOTO BACKGROUND BACKDROP SX053KK    US $39.99

XMAS 10x10 CP SCENIC PHOTO BACKGROUND BACKDROP SZ132    US $39.99

Green Screen Muslin Backdrop Photo Studio Photography Background 10x20 Chromakey    US $54.95

6 x 9 ft White Muslin Photography Studio Backdrops Background    US $33.45

DMK 9x12 Jet Black Backdrop - New Background    US $43.99

2.8mx3m Pro Photo Studio Background Support Stand + free White Backdrop    US $161.59

2mx1.5m Pro Photo Studio Background Support Stand + free White Backdrop    US $118.55