Styled Photo Shoots with Suppliers: How, Why and What You Get

By: Carl Spring  

When it comes to business, the word-of-mouth referral is still king (or queen). Obviously, your past clients will be a great source of referrals, but one of the best sources of leads for a working photographer is to get referrals from other suppliers. But what can you do to make sure that you are the first business on the lips of local suppliers? The simple answer is to work with them. The best way to do this is with styled photo shoots.

This is the result of a group of talented suppliers coming together. When you see the results, any 

issues melt away.

Now, as I mainly work in wedding photography, I will base this article on wedding suppliers. However, this can easily transfer over to portraits and, with a little imagination, various other fields of photography.

How do I begin?

Well the first stage is a portfolio – this is key to working with suppliers. They will want to know that you can deliver the images and that they aren’t wasting their time (and in many cases money) working with you.
What do I mean by their money?
Well, a wedding dress will generally need dry cleaning after a shoot, a florist will have to prepare flowers for the shoot that will die pretty soon afterward. Also, a venue will have to turn down bookings for the day that you hold the shoot there.
Obviously, there are time factors involved for everyone (including you), so bear this in mind. You will tend to work after the shoot on editing, whereas others will be working in the lead up to the day.
If you don’t have a portfolio, you can use friends and family to create your own styled photo shoots. Use a venue you have access to, and minimize your outlay in other ways too. Use supermarket flowers instead of paying for styled bouquets, for example. It’s a hard reality, but without work that you can show people, you won’t get very far.
You have to remember that these people are professionals. Most people do not have time to risk on a styled photo shoot with somebody with no portfolio. It takes time to build, but it is not a stage you can skip.

This totally unplanned styled photo shoot took place at a wedding fair. Having your gear and simply

 asking the question can get you great results.

The contact

Next is the hard part for some, contact a supplier you want to work with. I generally find email works best. Politely offer to meet up (I also bribe them with cake) and discuss an idea you have for a styled photo shoot. Make sure you compliment them on their work and be charming and polite.
Be prepared for a lot of “thanks, but no thanks” or sometimes no reply at all. By all means, follow up with a short, polite email a few days later, but that’s it. Some people don’t have time, some have people they already work with, and some simply don’t like your style.
Grow a thick skin, accept it, and move on. Eventually, though, you will find someone willing to chat. Just be patient and try not to get down in the dumps with rejections. It’s nothing personal; it’s business.

The initial meeting

Congrats, you have someone interested. The next step is meeting up.
The important thing here is to go with ideas, but be flexible. Always send a courtesy text or email the day before. A little tip is to call them when you are nearby and see if they want a coffee bringing in, or turn up with some treats. It’s just a nice thing to do, and, personally, I always remember people who give me free treats!
You will probably be nervous, but remember, they wouldn’t have come if they didn’t want to be involved. Talk over ideas and develop an outline plan. If they agree, you are on your way! Always follow meetings up with an email so that everyone is clear about what the idea is.
If you are starting out, a great way to expand your network is to ask the person you’re meeting if they have other suppliers they work with, people who model for them before, etc. Not only does this save you some hassle, but it expands your network as the other suppliers are being introduced to you by someone they trust.
Reading that last sentence back, it sounds like the wedding industry equivalent of the mafia.

Not Exactly the Mafia, but a great group of people to work with.

Once you have one…

Once you have one supplier on board, it always seems to get easier. Your initial supplier may recommend some other people to involve. Alternatively, you can now email people telling them “Brand X and I are planning a styled photo shoot…”. 
Pretty soon, things will come together and you will have a team of people on board. Now comes the hard parts.

Co-ordination

Having a group of people wanting to work on a project is great. But, now comes the hard part – coordinating them all!
This can be a nightmare.
My advice is to set up a chat on your social media of choice, where everyone can chime in.
The most important part of the coordination is sorting out a date that works for everyone, which can be a nightmare in itself. There is no advice I can give here. You simply need to throw out dates until you can all agree.
There can be a case for swapping out a supplier if one person cannot make a date. But it is hard to tell people who have committed that you need to look for someone else who is more available.
Patience is key. Be prepared to keep working until you get the date.

Plan B (and C and D)

Problems are par for the course on styled photo shoots, no matter how amazing the final images look across social media.
In my experience, models are most likely to drop out of shoots first, but it can be anyone at any time, for any reason. Try to plan for issues as best as you can. What will you do if it rains on the day you planned your outdoor shoot? Not a problem, you have 3 more dates locked in for such things. What happens if you turn up to your woodland location, and there is a cycle race? (This actually happened to me.) Not a problem, you have two other locations where you can shoot.
Problems can (and will) occur. Just plan for them and be prepared to change to plan B at a moment’s notice. Usually, you can overcome these problems, but only with planning. Speaking of…

This wasn’t the original model. She only came on board two days before the shoot. However, you 

could not have asked for a better model to work with.

Entertaining everyone’s ideas

You need to nail down the overarching theme for the shoot quickly. The person who organizes the shoot (i.e., you) will decide on the theme and its use when initially chatting about the plan.
Once decided, Pinterest is a godsend. Set up a shared board, then get everyone to add things to it. From here, you can all pick a favorite selection to become the final mood-board.
Things will need to be flexible, as everyone has a slightly different vision. Just make sure that everyone feels part of this process. By being invested in the planning stages, people tend to bring their A-game to the final shoot. Make sure everyone is on board, has had their say, and you have come to the final vision together.

Show them who’s boss (or know who is)

Somebody has to be the boss, and as the photographer, often people will look to you for guidance or to take charge. Be firm, but accommodating. You need to be the one to smooth things out when the stylist brings something floral she really wants in the shoot. Or the makeup artist tweaks the hair just a little. People can get stressed, and as the person in charge, your job is to keep everyone relaxed and keep the shoot rolling.
You are part teacher, part parent, part best friend to everyone on the shoot. Just be mindful of everyone’s feelings and try your best.
Now, this may not be your strong suit. You may agree that someone else takes needs to take the lead, but you do need to make sure someone is in charge of final decisions. Otherwise, the little issues can end up in an argument, and everything will go downhill from there.
One of the key things you need to do is get everyone’s details. You need a list of all suppliers, all their social media links, all websites, etc. because everyone who worked on the project should get be credited with any use of the images. Be sure that everyone agrees to this before they use the images.

This shot was solely for the makeup artist. Making a list of shots people want before the shoot is 

always helpful, especially when you’re starting out.

On the day

Hopefully, everyone turns up at the right time and the right location. Depending on your shoot, you may have all of the suppliers stay for the whole shoot or just a few of them. Obviously, it can be nerve-racking shooting with people around (especially when starting out), but it is something you need to get used to.
Remember, you are the expert (even if you don’t feel like it), and you will create images that everyone loves. Think positively, act positively, and believe in yourself. As a pessimistic introvert, I find this hard, but there is no alternative. Be charming, polite, helpful, and try not to let any panic show.
Once on the shoot, you need to work smoothly. You may be panicking, and the camera may be having a meltdown. Internalize it! No matter what happens, you need to come across with an air of calm and show that everything is fine. Even if you are not the person taking charge of the shoot, as the photographer, you are the person who is in charge of the final product.
Before you shoot, take your time and make sure you are happy with the lighting, etc. Lastly, make sure that you check the details. There is nothing worse than realizing somebody left a plastic bag in the background of the shot that you didn’t notice. Just check carefully and try not to get carried away.
Whilst I would not advise showing every shot to those on the shoot, I would advise to show them some that you nail. Especially early on. By doing this, it shows everyone you have got some great images, and it will relax everyone, yet make them work harder. Always check with the model too. Make sure they are happy with the photos. They may notice some things that you miss. They also tend to relax when they see the first photo of the shoot they like.

A public location can cause problems. Just out of shot are a couple of hecklers. On the plus side, 

the model did get a couple of marriage proposals.

After the event

Get the images to everyone for picks as soon as you can after the shoot. It is tempting to put all images up and let people choose, but if you are not careful, you can end up with people all choosing different shots and leaving you with a mammoth editing job.
Really trim the images down. I aim for around 40 maximum from a styled shoot. This way, I put out images that I love. If you add images you are not sure about, someone will choose it as a favorite, and you will regret adding it to the initial edit.
From here, get everyone to make some selections. The key is to ask people to choose 3-5 each that they love. That way, you are not left with a massive editing job. If you tell everyone to pick as many as they wish, you will generally end up having to edit about 90% of the images you show them.
When it comes to editing, start with the ones that multiple people have chosen, then work your way through the rest. Again, the key here is letting everyone know where you are up to.
Try to get a few out straight away, but if life or work stops you from being able to edit the rest quickly, just let everyone know. They will be understanding. But if you don’t let them know, they will begin to wonder. Communication is key in a styled photo shoot, from the first conversation to the delivery of the last image.
When you share images, make sure you credit everyone. Make sure you do exactly what you said you would and make sure that you check everyone is happy. That way, it leaves a good lasting impression, which is what you want.

What do you get?

There is a lot of time, effort, and occasional headaches involved in a styled photo shoot. Is it worth it? Yes.
The aim of this is to spread your name. If the dress shop has an appointment the next day, they may strike up a conversation about photography. If they do, they will likely speak of you. If you do a good job, your name will be the first one that comes up whenever they discuss photographers.
You will be seen on several companies’ social media, which again can turn into followers and customers.
Most importantly, you are putting your name out there as someone who takes great photos, is great to work with and you are widening your network. It may not count as money in the bank straight away, but it will eventually.
The more people who know your name, the more people will speak it. The more who speak it, the better known you become. Add in the fact that they will speak of you in high regard (if you delivered on the shoot), and you have a recipe for success.
Have you worked on styled photo shoots with others? What was your experience? Share with us in the comments section below.

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10 Ways to Make a Living from Photography

By: Kav Dadfar 

It has never been harder to make a living from photography than it is in this day and age. But that doesn’t mean the game is over for you as a photographer. There are still plenty of ways to make money from photography if you are willing to make the effort and have a well-thought-out plan. So here are 10 ways to make a living from photography.

Portrait photography

Portraits can be a great little money earner for any photographer. There is even more opportunity for those photographers in smaller towns. Yes, there may not be as many potential customers but the competition will also be much smaller. From the initial shoot fee to prints (digital or analog) and frames, there is an opportunity to make additional sales on top of just the portrait shoot. So any portrait photographer has a few potential steady income revenues.
The overheads to start with are also fairly minimal as you can offer location shoots or even set up a small studio in your home to keep you going until you can get a proper space to work.

Event photography

Event photography is another good genre of photography that offers great opportunities for earning money. Events can be anything from birthday parties to trade events or even company events like Christmas parties.
The advantage of this genre of photography is that there is always going to be a demand for it. So if you can get a good reputation, then word of mouth can spread and get you more and more work.

Photojournalism

Similar to other genres of photography, there is always a steady supply of work for a photojournalist. Being a photojournalist is hard work, both physically and, more importantly, emotionally. But it can also be one of the most rewarding genres of photography as it has the power to change the world.
If you are willing to make the sacrifices needed and are good at capturing photos that tell stories, then this genre of photography could be for you.

Wedding photography

A few years ago, weddings would have been one of the top earners in this list of 10 ways to make a living from photography. But like most genres of photography, things have changed.
Less than a decade ago, an average wedding photographer could command $2000 plus per wedding and easily shoot 30-40 weddings a year. Unfortunately, the influx of photographers who undercut each other in price has had a detrimental effect on wedding photography. There are photographers now offering to shoot weddings for a few hundred dollars.
Nevertheless, wedding photography is still a market that has lots of opportunities to make money.

Product and food photography

As long as people are making things to sell or eat, they will need images of their products to help sell them. Product and food photography is a great source of income and a steady stream of work for any photographer.
It can be a little mundane for some, but I actually enjoy the process. I really like that I can shoot at my own pace and control every aspect of the shoot. This is not something anyone who works as an outdoor photographer gets to experience. From local restaurants to design companies, there is an endless amount of work available if you can find it.

Commercial photography

Commercial photography can consist of things like:

• Shooting lifestyle campaigns or adverts for tourist boards and companies.
• Photographing hotel rooms and venues.
• It can consist of both interior and exterior shots with or without people.

I find it works really well combined with my editorial work as I often find myself getting an audience with someone in a position of power in these areas through my various commissions.

Editorial photography

Editorial photography was a great source of revenue for photographers.
This changed with the introduction of digital photography all those years ago, which led to the slow demise of staff photographers. It is cheaper and easier to use stock images than it is to send a photographer out to photograph a feature. The other benefit of using stock photos for an editor is that they can see exactly what images they are purchasing.
There are still higher-end magazines like National Geographic and agencies that will commission a photographer for an editorial feature, but they are few and far between.

Stock photography

Gone are the good old days of being able to make a living solely from stock photography. But all is not lost.
Assuming you are getting work from one of the other aspects of photography on this list, you will be accumulating a body of images that you can more than likely put with a stock agency. Whilst this won’t make you rich, it could provide a nice additional income. Just make sure to get model release forms where possible, and find the right agency for your style of photography.

Prints

Selling prints is another good revenue stream, whatever your genre of photography is. Big names aside, most of us photographers are not going to be lucky enough to sell prints for thousands of dollars. But, again, like stock photography, if you have a body of work, you might as well try to earn an income from it.

Sports photography

Sports photographers will always be in demand as long as our love for the various sporting games continues. If you can get yourself in with a good agency or accreditation and get those awesome shots that are grace the pages of newspapers and websites worldwide the next morning you can make a very good and steady living. To get to that level will take time and a lot of hard work.
But there are also lots of opportunities at the local level of photographing such as school sports days or even local sporting events. These are much easier to get into and can provide a steady income to supplement your other photography work.

10 Ways to Make a Living from Photography:

Whilst many photographers specialize in one specific area of photography these days, most photographers have to be willing to offer a few of these services. I shoot a lot of editorial and food photography and some commercial projects. I then use stock and print sales to increase that revenue stream.
Whatever genre of photography you specialize in, it’s important to diversify your work. Not only because of the income but also because you might make contacts that will lead to other jobs within your chosen genre.
Remember to price yourself accordingly and try not to work for free. Always keep in mind that if you don’t respect your work enough to be paid for it, why should someone else?
Do you have any other ways to make a living from photography that you’d like to add to this list? Share with us in the comments!


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The Olympus TOUGH TG-6 Camera Review – A Perfect Adventure Companion?

By: Mat Coker 

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is the perfect camera for the adventurous soul.
Like a wilderness travel guide, the TG-6 pulls you into the micro world, under the water, and down deeper trails than you would ever take your clunky DSLR down. You can trust the Olympus Tough TG-6 out in the wild because it’s built strong and made for adventure. It’s even tough enough to let your kids use it.
Moreover, it’s really small, so it doesn’t hinder your adventure for even a moment. And it’s so capable it will inspire adventures you hadn’t planned.
This review is about what the Olympus Tough TG-6 will let you do as a photographer and how the pictures look.

An evening adventure used to mean hauling a heavy bag filled with gear. I never knew which gear I 

would need for sure, so I always brought too much. Eventually, I just stopped going on spontaneous 

adventures because it became too much of a chore. The Olympus Tough TG-6 replaces all that stuff 

I used to haul around. Gear is no longer the hindrance it used to be.

The technical specs

The reason why so many people are excited about the Olympus Tough TG-6 is the impressive list of technical specs.

• F2.0 wide-angle lens (the aperture narrows as you zoom)
• 20 frames per second
• Underwater modes
• Microscope mode
• In-camera focus stacking
• Scene selection
• Aperture mode
• RAW capture
• 4K video
• Waterproof
• Shockproof
• Dustproof
• Crushproof
• Freezeproof

Of course, the reason this list of specs is so exciting is because of what they’ll let you do with this camera as a photographer.

“No photographer is as good as the simplest camera.” – Edward Steichen

When you read camera reviews, you want to know what a camera is capable of and how great the picture quality will be.
Don’t forget that a camera only has to be so good and then the rest is up to you. The world’s greatest camera isn’t much good in the hands of a person that knows nothing about light, moment, or composition. Look for a camera that meets your general needs, then up your game as a photographer.
The most famous photographs were made with cameras that we would consider inferior by today’s standards. A beautiful photograph transcends the technology it was made with.
In the end, it’s not about the technical specs of a camera, but what those technical specs let us do as creative people and photographers.
The TG-6 has an impressive resume. Let’s see what it can help us do.

Aperture: f/2.0, Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec, ISO: 3200

When my first child was born I was just becoming the photographer I had always wanted to be. I couldn’t wait to take him on adventures with me as he grew. Ironically, it was a bag filled with too much gear and too many options that held me back from adventures with my kids. The TG-6 is everything I always wanted and fits in my pocket. It practically pushes us out the door and into the world.

“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” – Steve McCurry

What if you could shrink yourself?

It is captivating to suddenly see the world through a magnifying glass or microscope – to see tiny details blown up big. You may not be able to shrink yourself, but you can enter the micro world with the Olympus Tough TG-6.

Microscope mode

With the TG-6, you can get insanely close and discover the mystery and beauty in the fine details of everyday objects. You’ll be exploring the world in a way you haven’t done since science class.
The micro world offers you an infinite number of things to photograph. Look around you right now. There are so many things that you would never photograph on their own, but you can dive in microscopically to a new world and become enamored with the beauty of fine details.

If you’ve got the courage, the TG-6 will bring you up close and personal with insects.

The TG-6 can capture incredibly fine detail that the human eye overlooks.

F/3.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 800

The problem with close-up photography

One of the biggest problems you’re going to run into with close-up photography is a shallow depth of field. You may take a photo of a flower, and nothing more than the edge of a petal is in focus. This is frustrating when you want more of that tiny object to be in focus.

How “focus bracketing” solves the problem

One way to deal with this is to take a series of photos at different focus points (focus bracketing), and later combine them in Photoshop in a process called focus stacking. The end result is an image with more depth of field than is possible in a single photo. If you’re a serious macro photographer, this is an amazing option. But it’s a labor-intensive process and you’re not likely going to do it on a whim while on a nature hike.
But the amazing thing about the Olympus Tough TG-6 is that it can actually do both the focus bracketing and focus stacking for you – all in-camera!

Let the Olympus Tough TG-6 do the Photoshop work for you

The photos below illustrate the frustration of such a shallow depth of field in close-up or macro photography. But they also illustrate the power of the TG-6’s in-camera focus stacking.

The photo on the left is a single exposure with a shallow depth of field, while the photo on the right
is the result of several photos with varying focus points stacked together into one image.

On the left, only a small portion of the leaf is in focus. But using the focus stacking option on the
TG-6, the photo on the right is almost entirely in focus.

Normally, you need a dedicated macro lens if you want to take close-up, macro, or microscopic photos. That means a financial investment and another lens in your bag. But the TG-6 has this capability built-in. The close-up function is worth the cost of the camera.

Get in, the water’s nice!

You’re missing so much fun if you can’t take your camera into, or at least near, the water.
Generally, an underwater housing is expensive and might limit your access to camera settings. Best case scenario, you invest a lot of money to get your camera into the water. But this is a lot to invest and most people won’t do it on a whim. You’ve got to be sure you want to be in the water a lot to make it worth the investment.
With the Olympus Tough TG-6, you don’t need to think twice; just get in!
Having a camera that can get wet means you can get into the splash zone. Don’t photograph puddle-jumping-kids from a distance; get close and get wet!
Get underwater and explore fish from their world.
Don’t stand on the shore with dry feet to photograph the sunset; hit the waves.

My kids and I discovered a stream filled with salmon. I knew it was the perfect chance to try out 

the TG-6 underwater.

A couple of years ago, I stepped into a river with one camera in my hand and one around my neck. I was photographing people back on the shore and kept crouching a little to go for a lower angle. Every time that I crouched down for a great low angle, I was unknowingly dunking the camera around my neck into the water. Goodbye, Fuji x100s.
The irony is that I had an underwater case for my x100s. But it’s so clumsy to use in the case that it hinders my photography.
You no longer need to be nervous around the water with your camera – the TG-6 is completely waterproof and pulls you right in.

A good motivator

If it hasn’t happened yet, the day will come when you lose your drive and inspiration as a photographer.
At first, the thought of packing up all your gear and lugging it around will overwhelm you. Especially because you know you won’t even be happy with the pictures you take.
Then, even just the thought of picking up your camera will depress you.
You lose your drive, your inspiration, and eventually your will as a photographer.
You’ve already learned that new gear is not the answer to this depressing dry period you’re going through. But that’s because most gear is the wrong gear for you.
The TG-6 isn’t just a new camera, it’s a passport to new lands. It’s like slinging on a backpack and heading out to discover the world. It sits there looking at you, hoping you will take it out to play. Photography doesn’t have to feel like a burden anymore.

“It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ~ Bilbo Baggins

Leave the Olympus TG-6 laying around

When my camera is in the bag, it never gets used. I prefer to leave it out with the lens cap off and the power button left on so that I’m ready to make a photograph at a moment’s notice.
But when I leave my cameras lying around, my wife doesn’t like the clutter (even though she loves the photos that result from the clutter).
Not to mention that leaving expensive cameras around is a hazard with a house full of kids and their rowdy friends.
The TG-6 has become our dedicated “leave it laying around the house” camera. It’s so small that it doesn’t bother my wife. It’s there when we need it. And, it’s so tough we don’t mind the kids using it.
I’m capturing many more moments now that I’ve got a dedicated “everyday life camera.”

So tough I let the kids use it

One of the things that first attracted me to the Olympus Tough cameras is that I can let my kids use them. The TG-6 is waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, crushproof and freezeproof. Which means it’s also kid-proof.

I love to look at the photos my kids have taken. It’s inspiring to see what captures their attention 

enough to take a picture.

When my kids ask to use the camera while they explore sand dunes and lakes, I have no problem 

handing them the TG-6 to use.

Essential modes

After using the Olympus Tough TG-6 for about a month, I’ve figured out my favorite combination of settings for everyday use; P mode.
I want a certain amount of control over ISO, aperture and shutter speed because I understand how they affect my photo. But I don’t want to overthink these settings and miss the beauty of the moment.
In P mode, the camera will choose the shutter speed and aperture for you. All you have to think about is ISO (but you can select auto ISO if you wish).
With a few minor adjustments in P mode, I can make the TG-6 do exactly what I want it to.
In the menu, I set the minimum shutter speed to 1/125th. I want the camera to set the shutter speed for me, but I don’t want it to go any slower than this.
I select auto ISO, but I set the maximum ISO to 1600. I don’t want the ISO to go any higher than that because of the noise issues.
While it’s balancing the settings out, the TG-6 will always favor a lower ISO and only raise it if it needs to. Eventually, if it’s dark enough, it will go below your minimum shutter speed in order to achieve a good exposure.
Here’s the best part; in P mode, you have direct access to exposure compensation with the camera dial. Your camera will hardly ever get the exposure just as you want it. So use the exposure compensation feature to brighten or darken the photo before you take the picture.
There is no full-manual mode on this camera. But if you know what you’re doing, you can still take full control.

Processing RAW files

Using Lightroom 6, I am unable to edit the RAW files from the TG-6. However, Olympus provides free editing software called, Olympus Workspace.
Because of this camera’s smaller sensor size (and difficulty capturing extreme dynamic range), I am not putting much hope in the RAW files. RAW + JPG capture is a great option. Get the best exposure you can in order to have the highest quality JPG file, and keep the RAW file in case of an emergency.

Even heroes have a weakness

There are three main weaknesses that I have discovered with the Olympus Tough TG-6.

Lens Flare

I love playing with lens flare and I quickly discovered that is almost impossible to do with the TG-6. This is the strangest lens flare that I have ever seen. It’s discouraging, but I’ll have to learn to make compelling photographers without lens flare.

Noise

The Olympus Tough TG-6 produces a lot of noise in high ISO, low light photos.
The following photos are lit with a small-screen TV and/or a lamp.

This photo was lit with a lamp. you can see the grainy discoloration in the white blanket. The ISO is 

3200.

This is a close-up of the white blanket in the previous photo.

This photo is lit with the light from a TV and a small light in the next room over. The ISO was 3200.

You can see the grain and discoloration in his skin.

The following photos are backlit with dim light from a living room window.

Again, the ISO was set at 3200. Because the light is brighter, there isn’t as much noise and 

discoloration. But there is a lack of crispness to the photo.

But I was shocked to capture this photo with lots of movement at ISO 3200 because it looks so crisp.

Sharp in bright light

You’ll have to get used to keeping your ISO at 1600 or lower (you’ll need a steady hand for the slow shutter speed that results).
But in bright light, with a low ISO, the TG-6 is nice and sharp.

So the Olympus Tough TG-6 is weak under extreme lighting conditions, but so are many other cameras. For many of us, high ISO with low noise is the last frontier on the technological side of photography.
We can strengthen the TG-6 by post-processing the photo with a program such as Lightroom. Keep your ISO to 1600 or lower when possible, and convert to black and white when suitable.

No control over shutter speed

At first, I thought it was a problem that there was no shutter speed mode on the TG-6. But then I realized that it wasn’t really necessary. You just have to know how to work around it.
If you want a quick shutter speed to freeze the action, use sports mode.
If you want a slow shutter speed to capture motion blur then you need to understand how to force the camera to produce a slow shutter speed.
Suppose you want to capture a silky waterfall photo. Normally, you need control over your shutter speed to make it go slow enough to capture the motion. But with the TG-6 you don’t have control over the shutter speed.
Or, do you?
When you understand ISO and aperture then you do have control over the shutter speed.

In order to get silky waterfalls, you need a slow shutter speed. You can force your camera to choose a slow shutter speed by lowering your ISO and closing your aperture.
Choose an ISO of 100. Choose an aperture of f18. This will effectively choke out the light and force the TG-6 to slow down the shutter speed to let more light in. The slow shutter speed will produce a silky waterfall.
So the lack of control over shutter speed isn’t a big problem.

The greatest weakness

As photographers, we can find moments so powerful that lens flare isn’t necessary. And, we can look for moments so strong that the viewer will overlook high ISO noise in the photo. Whatever the shortcomings of our cameras, we as photographers always fall shorter. Whatever their weaknesses, our cameras are just fine. We need to increase our skills and know that, even if there was a perfect camera, it could only be used by an imperfect photographer.
The power of the Olympus Tough TG-6 is not merely in its technology. The power is in what that technology allows us to do. This is a camera that will nudge you every time you walk by. It’s like a kid who wants to be played with or a dog that wants to be taken out for a run. Come on, just a quick adventure?
A countless number of moments pass us every day. They become almost infinite in size when we consider their range from wide-angle to microscopic. When you’ve got a camera like the TG-6 in your pocket, it’s not so hard to make those moments hold still.
Have you used the Olympus Tough TG-6 camera? Would a camera like this make you take more photos? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

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