January/February 2002
TomBalks.com www
Digital
– Say Yes!
(and Work it out later)
Can’t
afford your own digital
Kit? Don’t worry, just do what
Hamish Ta-me does – hire an
operator with the whole kit –
and caboodle.
Sydney-based
editorial/advertising
Photographer, Hamish Ta-me, has
been shooting a lot of digital
lately, “but as I’m such a tight-
arse I haven’t bought the gear,”
he admits. Instead I hire Tom
Balks. He’s brilliant. He turns up
with a D1 (or D1X for a bit more
$) a Mac laptop and CD burner
and lenses. Basically he does all
the Technical bits for you and, at the
end of the shoot, burns a CD
of all the shots. He also helps out
with assistant style stuff, I’ve
used him for several shoots now,
and my clients are happy, as they get
a really quick turn-around and
don’t have to pay for scanning.
I’m happy because he only
charges $330 a day!”
Ta-me Believes that, with
services like these, digital is now a
viable alternative to film – especially
for photographers running
commercial studios, which are,
inevitably,
profit-based,
conservative businesses focussed
heavily on the bottom line’.
“It’s exactly this economic
conservatism that has been one
of the stumbling blocks to going
digital,” say Ta-me, adding:” to
get a good result you need
decent lenses and flexibility. This
rules out fixed lens cameras like
the coolpix, so the only real
option is a Nikon or Canon digital
body which enables you to use
your existing pro lenses. This puts
the price up around $11,500
for the Nikon D1X and around
$14,000 for Canon EOS 1D.
to justify that kind of expense, I’d
have to be shooting far more
35mm than I do now.
“My client base is mostly
editorial and advertising for
companies like Westpac, Westfield
and Andronicus, so I tend to shoot
a mix of 35mm, 120 and 5X4.
Catalogue work is the kind of
turnover that could certainly justify
The expense.”
Ta-me say a lot of clients are
asking: “can you shoot digital?”
And recently, one put him on the
spot. ”the age old rule in the
case was to say “yes” then work it
out later.’ He says. “fortunately,
an old mate, Tom Balks, has been
showing off his Nikon D1,his
laptop and the software to use it
on location. A quick call confirmed
digital techinician , Tom Balks, services. the job required a mix of still life (shot on the D1),
fashion and interiors (120 film)
hard drive via Firewire with a big
enough file to satisfy the client, so
I booked him as my “technical
assistant’ for the shoot, and the
rest is history!
“ Tom’s gear was a revolution
for both the client and I. The
shoot happened two days later,
start at 10am, and by 2pm the
client was able to leave with the
CD in her bag. This shoot also
Business as a digital technician.
More and more shoots followed,
As a few of my photogrpher
Mates asked about digital, and
Start using him too. Tom turns
Up with a Nikon D1 or D1X, a
Powerful Mac laptop and CD
Burner. He acts s a traditional
assistant (moving lights and sets
etc) but also takes care of all the
technical/digital stuff.
“This is great as it allows me
to concentrate on the important
worked out that with the $350
Tom charges, it’s cheaper for me
to shoot digital if .I’m shooting
More than five roll of 35mm film.
I still charge the client as if I was
Shooting film though. My standard
rate for a roll of 35mm or 120
film is $65. I would normally
shoot a three-shot bracket on film,
so for every 12 shots on the D1 I
charge $65, and for every three
shots on the D1X I charge $65.
Tom charges slightly more for the
D1X, which has a much larger file
Size (similar to 120 film).
“Charging this way I cover
myself if next time the same client
wants me to shoot film.”
Contact: Hamish Ta-me on
0428 294569 or E-Mail:
hamish@doofdoofdoof.com
Contact: Tom Balks, Digital
Technician, E-Mail;
tombalks@csi.com
Written permission is required.