There is one piece of photographic advice that is guaranteed to change your images. It is rooted in Robert Capa’s famous quote, “If your pictures are not good enough you are not close enough.” Simply put, conquer your fear of getting closer to your subject. I first learned this lesson from a college professor who was looking at my photographs and asked why I was so far away from the subjects? I replied that I didn’t have a telephoto lens. Which of course was the wrong answer. He asked if I had feet! Confused, I replied YES. He fired back by pointing at my feet, saying “There’s your telephoto lens. Get off you’re a$& and go make the picture!” Lesson learned. Fifteen years later, I
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Making the Move from Second Photographer to Primary Photographer
I am an earnest beginner. Just starting out. A weekend warrior. A never-been-to-art-or-journalism-school-photographer. A business owner who never imagined owning a business. As I wade more deeply into the wedding photography world, I am making the switch from second shooting to shooting weddings as a primary photographer. Along the way, I’ve focused on three things: craft, confidence, and clients. 1) Craft I don’t know about you, but I got into this business because I wanted to make beautiful, meaningful images for couples in love. If I can’t consistently deliver those, then I have no basis for being in business. Given this belief, my first step was to build a technical and artistic foundation for my business honing the craft of photography. Read. There are so many
Best Business Practices – Part 4
Spring is here, so we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn tips and tricks that will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they are masters of time management. When building your business systems, use these time management tips: 1) Automate: Don’t waste time on monotonous tasks! Automation is as simple as creating template email responses to FAQs, automating invoice reminders, or setting up a standard workflow that you follow for each shoot. If you’re wondering how to start automating your studio, ShootQ is a great tool to help! It automates client correspondence, aspects of your workflow, and your other administrative processes. 2) Create a
Best Business Practices: Part 2
Since Spring is here, we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn how their tips and tricks will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, the reality is you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they begin with a clear vision for their business. Start by asking “Why?” The most valuable question you’ll ask throughout the lifetime of your business is “Why?” When you’ve established a clear purpose and goals for your business, frequently asking yourself why you do what you do will hold you accountable to your overall vision and keep your business on track for success! So, why do you do what you do? First identify
The Art of Automation
There was a time when every automobile was built by hand. Today, there are only a handful of manufacturers that put their cars together one at a time, but those cars are so ridiculously expensive that few of us will ever sit in one, much less own one. The reason we can all afford a car today is because of automation. Automation is also the reason that there is incredible consistency in the quality of any line of cars. There are too many wedding photographers who want to build their photos one at a time, the old fashioned way. They want to create perfection in each one, but that kind of old-fashioned thinking leads to either unsustainably high prices, or unacceptably long turn around and absolutely no
Let There Be Light: Part 1
Join Jared Platt’s next free Lightroom Webinar from The Photo Life: Check the calendar and RSVP! At PartnerCon in San Diego, California, I gave a lecture called “Let There Be Light.” This lecture was an academic, aesthetic and philosophical discussion on light, what it means and how we use it to communicate. This was my opening slideshow. Stay tuned for more installments from the lecture in the weeks to come. A Quick Challenge By the way, I chose the song on this slideshow with care. Pay close attention to the resolution at the end, there is a hidden treasure in this song that is not only interesting trivia, but is sheer brilliance on the part of the musician, Kevin Burdick. “In Too Deep” is a
People Without People
The tiniest things tell us the most about people. A locket on a bride’s bouquet contains a black-and-white photograph of her grandparents, a hand-stitched handkerchief is embroidered with a groom’s monogram, ornate hats are testaments to traditional British wedding culture. Seasoned photojournalist Alan Berner calls these details “people without people.” He explains, “For me it is the sense of people without them being there. It’s the part representing the whole. It’s the significant detail giving instant insight into the person, organization, the culture.” Sounds strange, but it’s a powerful concept. Details reveal key traits about people without actually showing them. These photographs are often tight, close-up shots that give our eyes a chance to linger longer on objects. As photographers, we have a responsibility to
Top Ten Galleries Every Photographer Should Visit
Call me old school. Go ahead, it’s true. I love seeing photographs in galleries. Not the galleries confined to a computer. I’m talking about the ones with walls. There’s just something magical about stepping into a gallery and approaching large photographs hanging around you. It’s like meeting a kindred spirit for the first time; by standing face-to-face, you have a chance to savor their subtle nuances, to get lost in the rich hues of their eyes. Above all, you feel comfortable exploring, discovering and learning. Sometimes, my palms sweat as I walk into a favorite gallery and glimpse a new exhibit. Rounding the corner of Canal and Chartres in New Orleans, I instinctively look up, toward the worn wooden sign and bold red door marking
10 Things I Learned Shooting Corporate Events
I’ll never forget the day I shot my first corporate event. I rented a Nikon D2h and an 80-200 2.8 lens. An hour into the shoot my neck was already killing me and the client had already told me to stand in the back because my camera was “making too much noise.” It was there, at some Economist Conferences Event, that my life as an event photographer began. In a sense, I “cut my teeth” in wedding photography by shooting corporate events. Corporate functions such as a “lecture style” event can be very difficult to shoot because of the limited aesthetic range and the rigid situation. Finding an artful way of representing them with the camera can be a real challenge. By taking the time
Explore Photojournalism, Gain Confidence.
Every young photographer who wants to throw his or her hat in the ring as a professional should spend time as a photojournalist. It’s not easy- the money sucks, the work day is never ending, and you spend long stretches of time smelling funky because a shower is a luxury- but after it’s over, you feel like you can accomplish anything. That confidence can carry you through any situation you encounter in your commercial or wedding photography career. If you’ve never shot an editorial story in your life, I highly recommend it. The mere process will sharpen your vision immeasurably. Getting started is as easy as choosing an assignment and incinerating your preconceived notions about everything. Working on the assignment is an exhausting and maddening journey that