Sometimes the best lessons are simple, one-sentence thoughts that often seem trivial at the time but turn out to be monumental. I came across one some eight years ago; it forever changed not only my photography but also my business. I was a student at the Foundation Workshop (FW2), an annual workshop held in Texas that shaped me not only as a photographer but also as a teacher. I was a student that year but have since been involved in every workshop since – all eight of them. The Foundation Workshop is for wedding photojournalists who have no photojournalism experience or those who want to learn the art of visual storytelling; it is run by some of the best wedding photojournalists in world. When I attended
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The Fear Every Photographer Must Conquer
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