Experience has been an amazing teacher. However, at the risk of being labeled sexist, photographing men and women are two completely different experiences. I find it’s exponentially more important to be empathetic to women. In general, women tend to be considerably more self critical than men. I recognize this isn’t
When starting out as a family photographer, it’s important to photograph lots of families to build your experience and confidence. Most of us start out photographing our own families: Nieces and nephews, our own kids or our friends’ families. But at some point, you have to start working with strangers,
When you’ve got some space between wedding bookings (or, I don’t know, a global pandemic cancels every wedding in your calendar), a styled photoshoot is a great strategy for connecting with local wedding vendors, growing your portfolio and keeping your skills fresh. A styled wedding shoot can run from a
If you find yourself in a creative slump, consider building a creative team. When you can bounce ideas around and build off of each other, photoshoots tend to be more creative and fun and less time is spent retouching makeup. Most people who don’t work with a team don’t because
I recently had a young lady who’s new to the modeling scene tell me about a photoshoot where a male photographer was completely inappropriate. Now, before I continue and the haters start to comment let me say this … I firmly believe both male and female photographers can be creepers.
One of the biggest challenges for photographers in working with subjects is to replicate natural-looking expressions. In the above video, full-time photographer and author Nicole Young discusses how encouraging your subjects to say “hey” and “yes” will keep them from looking stiff. She also gives photo examples from when she
If your goal is to shoot beauty portraits, you must understand that not only does the model want to feel flawless, but the hair and makeup artists want their work to look beautiful in the final image as well. You might know a lot of various lighting setups but when
If you haven’t checked out part one, click here. Best practices and breaks Several strategies can be used when performing photoshoots outside. This includes both technical advice and techniques for making the session more comfortable. Some of these may seem too evident, but most people tend to forget them. Keep
Many photoshoots take place inside or in a studio, but occasionally an outside shoot is required. So, how do we keep our models, crew and cameras warm and comfortable when heading outside? Why you should photograph outside The world around us provides some of the best backdrops and stages for
There has been a long-standing debate on if photographers should give all of their images to a client. In most cases, the debate had leaned toward “No.” But what if you agree to trade a model your photography experience for their modeling? Here is my personal point of view when
Last December, while in the middle of a shoot and half way thru the models, I tripped on my tether cord and shattered my Nikon body and the lens attached to it. Needless to say, it wasn’t my happiest moment in 2017 but it was my most valued. What Is
You gotta join us live for our next Live Webinar, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We’ll
