Cruise Photography

[MrsZee]

Another thread reminded me of a question I had about the photography on board. I think it is great that they take pictures will all these backdrops and they are fairly professional photographers with nice cameras. I am happy to buy an 8 x 10 for 20 bucks if I like it, because usually a sitting fee with a photographer at home would be more than 20 bucks. All that aside, though, I have one question... I really prefer a crisp, sharp image to these "dreamy" images they try to create. Can we ask the photographer to ease off on the "soften" feature in their edit program? Or is it just the thing to do with cruise ship photography and I pretty much have no choice?

 

I also disliked that they insisted I pose with a fake martini and a rose on a piano, seemed so cheeseball, but we had a good laugh about it, didn't have to buy it, right?

[*Mach*]

I have not looked closely at the cameras but I suspect that they can operate in a program mode that internally generates that soft, slightly fuzzy look.

Have a talk with the photographer and tell him/her what you're interested in...

:)

[Traveler353]

You can always ask anything. In my experience with Carnival if any request is reasonable they will try their best to make it happen.

[elcuchio24]

Have a fellow passenger stand behind the photographer and snap a picture with your own camera. Saves the $20.:)

[AZchieffan]

Have a fellow passenger stand behind the photographer and snap a picture with your own camera. Saves the $20.:)

 

LOL. I did that on my last cruise, and boy did he get mad. He kept yelling " dont do that". I was cracking up.:p

[CruizinMom2c]

Not all the photos have that "fuzzy" look...so you might just want to take a bunch of pictures and see which ones are worth the 20 bucks to buy.

[bcs819]

there are samples posted at each station so you will see what type of effect they use - you can make your decision then.

[brooklynfc]

I'm kinda new at photography, but apparently there is a lens that creates that effect. But they can also use a program to do it. Just ask, I'm sure they will shoot what you want if they want to sell the photo.

[Frank12]

LOL. I did that on my last cruise, and boy did he get mad. He kept yelling " dont do that". I was cracking up.:p

 

That's just wrong!

[elcuchio24]

Have a fellow passenger stand behind the photographer and snap a picture with your own camera. Saves the $20.:)

 

 

I did that with the fake pirate in Coz, he was mad. I thought he was going to try to stab me with his plastic cutlass!

[G&TQ]

You can also hit thier photo venues when they are taking a break between the First seating and before they get started on the second seating. That way thier feelings do not get hurt...

[seashinesunshine]

Haven't noticed that fuzzy look myself, but we don't ever buy the photos so we ask them not to take them, just a waste of mine and thier time. But I have noticed that they print on glossy paper which in my opinion looks softer, but that is just my opinion, not sure if it really does.

Doesn't hurt to ask them when they take the photo.

[texas greeneyes]

If I am not mistaken, and someone out there please correct me if this has changed...the photographers make a commission on the photos you purchase.

If you tell them in a friendly manner just before posing, briefly and to the point what style of photo(s) are the only ones you will considering purchasing, they will be much more likely to follow your suggestions. Has worked for me every time. :)

Patty in Houston

[BC Todd]

You can also hit thier photo venues when they are taking a break between the First seating and before they get started on the second seating. That way thier feelings do not get hurt...

Stealing is stealing. You can justify it in your mind anyway you want.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Another thread reminded me of a question I had about the photography on board. I think it is great that they take pictures will all these backdrops and they are fairly professional photographers with nice cameras. I am happy to buy an 8 x 10 for 20 bucks if I like it, because usually a sitting fee with a photographer at home would be more than 20 bucks. All that aside, though, I have one question... I really prefer a crisp, sharp image to these "dreamy" images they try to create. Can we ask the photographer to ease off on the "soften" feature in their edit program? Or is it just the thing to do with cruise ship photography and I pretty much have no choice?

 

I also disliked that they insisted I pose with a fake martini and a rose on a piano, seemed so cheeseball, but we had a good laugh about it, didn't have to buy it, right?

 

They will pretty much do what you want. They will "soften" or "unsoften" the focus as you wish. I've had them do both and let me decide when I see the pics. As far as the cheesy props, tell them you want a pic without them. They are very accommodating.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Have a fellow passenger stand behind the photographer and snap a picture with your own camera. Saves the $20.:)

You can also hit thier photo venues when they are taking a break between the First seating and before they get started on the second seating. That way thier feelings do not get hurt...

Yes! I'm sure that you both love it when people go into your place of business, take work from your roster and directly or indirectly steal part of your paychecks!

It's awesome. And so considerate of you.:rolleyes::p:D

[Fourseventeen]

The photographers do make comission off each photo they sell I was told.

 

Standing behind the photographer and snapping a photo of your own is just rude and very disrespectful to the guy who is there trying to make a living. Keep in mind these photographers make in one month what most of us probably make in a week. Let them do their job and make their money.

 

I have a normal job working with the County but I also currently own a photography business (since 1997) that my wife now runs most of the time. Our photo rates are $100-150.00(depending on if the shoot is in my studio or on location) an hour with a 2 hour minimum and that price doesnt include ANY prints...just a DVD with high resolution images. So 20 bucks for a photo isnt all that bad really. Only downside to the cruise photos is you dont have copyright release to reprint them. Of coarse you can always say screw it and have them scanned at a photo store and reprinted. Most home scanners the quality just isnt there to scan and reproduce these images.

 

Their could be 2 likely reasons for the photos with that "fuzziness". Reason 1 would be a softening filter attached to the lens which could easily be removed or applied for each photo. The 2nd most logical reason is because they use whats called a Gaussian blur tool in Photoshop to soften the photos. Most people have imperfections on their skin such as wrinkles...this Gaussian blur tool softens that. If using a high end digital SLR (which is what they are using) the photo would be VERY crisp and show every little wrinkle and blimmish on your face. Most people dont find that to appealing. Now if your a 21 year old woman with perfect skin then I would think she would prefer the crisp photo but if your 40+ chances are you have some wrinkles and from a photographers stand point wrinkles being nice and crisp in a photo just doesnt look good. Of coarse those can be removed in photoshop while keeping the photo crisp BUT that takes time to do. The Gaussian blur tool they have set up as a default action so anytime they load the photos it automatically does this blur action. For every person the amount of blur is the same. If they need to remove wrinkles (which they wont do) they need to physically touch up each photo individually which would take 5-10 mins+ per photo as apposed to 1/2 a second for the Gaussion blur.

Make sense? :D

[RWolver672]

They will pretty much do what you want. They will "soften" or "unsoften" the focus as you wish. I've had them do both and let me decide when I see the pics. As far as the cheesy props, tell them you want a pic without them. They are very accommodating.

 

We had one that wasn't. He wanted me to put my hand in my jacket pocket. I told him that I was taught to never put my hands in my pockets unless I was reaching for something. He was adamant about me doing it. I still didn't do it and he acted insulted. I saw some of his photos that were taken that way and they looked dumb.

[CruizinMom2c]

Yes! I'm sure that you both love it when people go into your place of business, take work from your roster and directly or indirectly steal part of your paychecks!

It's awesome. And so considerate of you.:rolleyes::p:D

 

 

Agree...and just have to say, I love your avatar ;) (Eric fan here!)

[*Mach*]

I'm kinda new at photography, but apparently there is a lens that creates that effect. But they can also use a program to do it. Just ask, I'm sure they will shoot what you want if they want to sell the photo.

 

 

As I mentioned a bit ago, many digital camera have presets and programs that allow a variety of effects. Even my relatively modest Canon has the same capability...

:)

[mom2boys97]

Just an FYI you can get a photo copy release from Carnival.com and take it to any Walmart or Sam's club and they will copy/reprint your pictures for u...

[texas greeneyes]

Just an FYI you can get a photo copy release from Carnival.com and take it to any Walmart or Sam's club and they will copy/reprint your pictures for u...

 

If this is true, why then, as previous posters have stated, is it "stealing" if you make your own copies? Does Sam's Club/Walmart give Carnival a cut? I do not know. From someone who has inside knowledge, I would like to hear!

[Fourseventeen]

I would like to see the link on Carnivals site that gives full copyright release of the photos because all of their photos have copyright logos on the lower corner of the photos. Now if you wanted to by pass that of coarse you can cut it off the photo and no one would know BUT technically your breaking copyright laws if you take that photo to have it reprinted without written consent from Carnival. Since they offer you options to buy additional photos in many sizes while on board I dont see them giving a copyright release to people so they can reproduce the image they purchased. If they do thats great but I doubt they do this...so if they do lets see the link, im curious :confused:

[DocF]

I do not want a portrait shot with the crisp precision look I used for news photos. You need to soften the image just a bit to achieve maximum flattery. This conceals many flaws, both facial and body. It needs different lights, not flat, but either high key or low key. The Carnival photographers do get the lighting right more often than the department store photographers. A lot of the effect work is mass produced settings in the lab. I have been satisfied with most of the formal night photos, well at least enough to purchase them.

 

As to copyright release, it seems to me that I actually got one from a photographer onboard.

 

Doc

[nurseone]

I have the address for one for Azamara, Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, NCL, Royal Caribbean but not Carnival. I would love to have one from Carnival. Anyone out there have one.

 

thanks