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Peter House
Toronto, ON, CA

Articles written by Peter House

Woman Sues For Commercial Use of Her "Hot" Police Mugshot

Perhaps police stations should consider issuing model release forms along with standard booking procedure, as it appears a mother of four who was arrested for a DUI back in 2010 is now suing a background check website for illegally using her mugshot. The woman claims countless websites have branded her a "hot convict" and have destroyed her peace of mind.

The Funniest Client Request I Will Have All Year. I Hope.

They are out there. Lurking in the shadows and deep recesses of the internet where common sense is not welcome and logic has yet to be invented. I am speaking of course about every small business owner’s worst nightmare. The potential client that has no potential. Nothing I had encountered before could prepare me for the hilarious email I received one fine Monday morning.

The New Pentax 645D Medium Format Is Coming!

As far as digital products from Pentax go, the 645D Medium Format has always been the king of the hill for the company. Fans of Pentax, such as myself, have been anxiously awaiting an update to the original digital medium format offering from Pentax which was released nearly 4 years ago in 2010. Nipping at the heels of the recent Hasselblad and Phase One CMOS Medium Format announcements it appears Pentax finally has its own Medium Format announcement to make... and a 50MP CMOS no less.

Become A Better Director With These 6 Tips

I recently came upon an exhibit entitled “Faces In The Crowd” by photographer Alex Prager and it really got me thinking. Not about the creativity, the concept, or the message. I wasn’t even thinking about any of the technical aspects that would have gone into creating these images. As my eyes wandered across the sea of people represented in her images I had but one thought in my mind; it took one amazing director to pull this off.

Photographer Simulates Vintage Lenses Through Modern DSLR

A while ago we wrote about the Kickstarter project aimed at bringing the historic Petzval Lens to modern day 35mm DSLRs. Shortly after another Kickstarter was launched to bring this Petzval to the medium format crowd. While off the shelf options such as these can appeal to the masses there remain a few inventive photographers such as Dr. Dirk HR Spennemann who prefer to mix their passion for photography and history with some good old ingenuity to bring us a project simply called "The Antique Camera Simulator".

Marketing Tip: Demand Social Responsibility

Demanding anything is a scary notion but the trend towards social and global responsibility is growing in 2014, and having the right voice and attitude can result in elevating your brand. As we enter the New Year it is no longer enough to make separate personal and professional goals. The distinction between the two is blurring for many businesses as the global marketplace looks towards feel good solutions. How can you be part of the change?

7 Penny Pinching Locations When Shooting On A Budget!

There are many hurdles that a new photographer tries to overcome early in his or her career, one of which is simply that we don’t have the funding and massive budgets that some of our more well established peers might have. When it comes to choosing a location for our photo shoots we often find ourselves restricted. Here are 7 places you can shoot on a budget!

Selfie Olympics: Let The Games Begin!

The "Selfie", love it or hate it, had a pretty great year. Within a decade the term has gone from drunk forum ramblings to being accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary as of November 2013. Scrabble players rejoice! This meteoric rise to fame for the simple word has garnered the attention of celebrities and it has even spawned customized cappuccino machines that turn your morning cup of joe into a literal cup of Joe...or Frank...or Bobby.

100 Year Old Negatives Found In The Antarctic

A group of conservators restoring one of the century old supply depots established by Robert Falcon Scott during his expedition to the South Pole found more than they bargained for. In the corner of one of the huts lay a solid block of ice containing 22 negatives that have been quite well preserved for an entire century.

Incredible Set Design In A Small Studio Space

Artist JeeYoung Lee will be presenting an amazing body of work titled "Stage Of Mind" which features intricate and visually stunning sets all created in the same 3.6m x 4.1m x 2.4m studio space. Completely Photoshop free these sets took weeks and months to create. You won't believe the scale of complexity JeeYoung Lee was able to achieve from her confined studio space in Seoul Korea.

Rare Vintage Swimsuit Photos Of Geisha

Rob Oechsle, a photographer and researcher, has compiled a series of photographs from the late 19th and early 20th century featuring Geishas. What makes these photos all the more striking is the fact that they feature these women in swimwear and against themed backdrops. It goes against our traditional views of how these women lived and dressed and gives us a deeper insight into the extent of Geisha influence on Japanese culture.

It's Not All About The Money

Tired of hunting for budgets as if they were unicorns? A few weeks ago I wrapped up our commercial pricing guide which is a great reference IF you can get a paying client. As many of us know, sadly, that can be a pretty big IF. Here are a few strategies to help you turn a client with no budget into a winner!

[NSFW] Tyson Beckford & Transgender Model Ines Rau Bare All!

Photographer Rodolfo Martinez creates a stunning set of images for France's OOB Magazine with Tyson Beckford and model Ines Rau. What makes these images all the more powerful is the fact that Ines Rau is an absolutely gorgeous transgender model.

Can Average Models Result In Above Average Sales?

UK retailer Debenhams is on a mission to prove that we don't need to be sold a Photoshop fantasy every time we shop for clothing. Save the perfect smiles and slim figures for their competitors; Debenhams is opting to use average every day people to appeal to the masses. Is this a breath of fresh air, or a clever marketing ploy?

The Guide To Pricing Commercial Photography Part 4: License Fees

In the last segment of our commercial pricing guide we will tackle the least talked about and most misunderstood portion of your invoice; the licensing fees. I will go over what they are, why you should be using them, and my preferred method for calculating them no matter who my client is!

The Guide To Pricing Commercial Photography Part 3: What Are You Worth?

What am I worth? This is a question every new photographer ultimately asks himself. If you’ve ever wondered what you should be charging your clients and what the best way to go about it would be, keep on reading. I will go over how to determine your personal creative fee and how to present it to your client in a way that makes sense.

The Guide To Pricing Commercial Photography Part 2: Production Costs

Welcome back to our series on pricing your commercial photography. A few weeks ago we released Part 1 of the series which explored the benefits and pitfalls of working for free. As we explored the topic it became evident that working for free has its place but in order to create a sustainable and professional industry we must educate our community on the importance of properly pricing their work. Thus in Part 2 we will begin by showing you my personal approach to laying out a commercial invoice and the thought process behind the layout.

Grow Your Photography Business With A Little Focus

Focus is a word we are all familiar with in photography, but is the same true in business? The purpose of focus as it relates to photography is to keep what we want to see, and to draw attention away from the things that might otherwise distract us. The concept is almost second nature to many photographers, yet seems so foreign when you see how they run their business.

The $15 That Got Me Organized...And Saved My Sanity

There are an endless amount of options to help organize your daily tasks. Whether you are a working professional or simply a procrastinator, we have all felt the suffocating feeling of projects as they slowly begin to pile up. Some folks might be lucky enough to inherit a photographic memory or super human organizational skills, but if you are like me, you possess neither of those. Here is the best $15 I have ever spent to help keep myself organized.

"Free"lance: How To Work For Free

Over the coming weeks I will be releasing a series of articles that will guide you step by step through the process of pricing your photography for commercial work. I will show you how to structure an invoice as well as go in depth to discuss the different parts of the invoice itself. I will show you how and why you should be using license agreements on all your work. I will even explain how you should calculate your own rates in the commercial marketplace.