Wednesday, May 21, 2008

a photographers shoes


Anyone who has put in the time into a career that requires one to stand for long hours knows the value in a great pair of shoes.  Hours and hours on your feet are challenging enough - adding aching feet can make it down right unbearable.  In May of 06 I went back to work for Best Buy.  After the first week I had blisters on my feet, my legs ached, and I wasn't sleeping well.  My wife works in the medical field and recommended a pair of shoes called danskos.  Instant transformation.  I consider these shoes to be the most important accessory I take to a wedding.  I have worn these shoes every day 8 hours a day working on a concrete slab, going up and down ladders and getting stepped all over by customers and my own clumsiness.  They look a bit rough; however, I guess it is like a Cowboy and his boots.  These shoes fit so well and at the end of a long day my feet don't hurt ... not sure there is much more to say.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much you sell a client before the wedding.  It doesn't matter what kind of product you deliver.  None of that matters if you are rude or short on the day of the wedding.  As a photographer, professionalism and patience are not optional.  No one feels like being civil when their feet hurt.  I am not saying that these shoes are for everyone - instead I want to communicate the unparalleled importance of a great pair of shoes.  Yes, they will cost you a decent amount of money, but look at my shoes.  Two years solid on a pair of shoes that cost me around $110.00!  That's about $50.00 a year and they are still going strong.
I recommend going to a local shoe shop - not a chain or a place that sells sneakers.  Find one of those places that have experienced shoe sales men who have the expertise to get you in the right pair of shoes.  The guys over at Knotts Shoes have always set me up with the right gear for my feet.  Find someone in your hometown who can do the same for you - your feet will thank you and your patience and professionalism will attain new heights.

SHOE PICTURE SIDE NOTE:  This was the first time I got to play around with using my shoot through umbrella setup.  I set it up on a tripod instead of a monopod and tethered it to my camera with a 25' PC cord - still waiting on my freeXwire system.  Canon 20D set to 1/40 @ f/5.6 with the 17-40mm f/4.0 USM L lens and tethered to a Canon 580 EX II at 1/2 power shooting through a translucent 34" shoot through umbrella.  I blurred the background a bit in photoshop and added the signature and logo but that is it.

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