For this month’s challenge, I went through my archives of more interesting geometric shapes. This was captured on the top floor of the Royal Ontario Museum (which is just an architectural gem overall!) May the light be with you. Follow
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There are different types of promotions you may find yourself asked to shoot. A business could want to show their new menu item, a performer could want some shots of them on stage, or a perfume brand just released a new scent. Basically these images are shot with the purpose of having the audience respond in some way. They should be inspired to visit the place, try the product, browse the website, call the number, donate the money, etc. So all the photography you see used in advertising would be promotional photography. Here are a few pointers to think about when you tackle this subject. Client Is this a single person or a whole company? Learn as much as you can about the client before and during the initial meeting. Questions are your best friend! You need to know what the project is, exactly what they’re looking for, the time frame, deliverables, & payment. During this meeting you should bring your contract so it can be signed as well. Style More often than not, you will not be able to use the full extent of your style. The client will want what most appeals to their […]
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Lindsay Adler She. Is. Everything. I love her ability to do conceptual shoots and seamlessly blend her ideas into her commercial work. Brooke Shaden Her work is very painterly and her style is undeniable. You can really see all the thought that goes into her manipulations. Alex Stoddard Another conceptual shoot master, his work is just awe-inspiring. Susan Kae Grant Unique in that she builds all of her sets before shooting. She uses a multitude of props, mannequins, & the occasional model to help bring her vision to life. Steve McCurry One of the most renowned modern day photographers. His portraits & journalistic ability to tell a story from a single image is incomparable. May the light be with you. Follow
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Speaking as an introvert who loves alone time almost as much as chocolate chip cookies, I really enjoy being around others in this field too. Though many of us get along swimmingly as the “lone wolf” type because we know what we want and how to shoot it, sometimes we may wish for comradery. Here are a few benefits I’ve noticed. You are humbled. On occasion, we get big heads about our skill level. But there is always someone who is more skilled in your craft, and there always will be. Realizing that you aren’t a master and can continue to learn helps bring that ego back down to manageable proportions. You learn from others. As said before, you can learn more. By exposing yourself to other photographers of different backgrounds & styles, you may pick up on a new process or editing technique. You can be inspired. If you get the chance to be around a person you admire, you can see their whole shooting process. Depending on the club, you may get to see the brainstorming session and later their editing workflow. The difference between taking a required class for your program and […]
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For this month I wanted to try my hand at a more minimal composition. I chose “Unusual angle” as the prompt and found that looking at objects in a different way really encourages my creativity. This is an overview (slightly angled) of a ping pong table. I really enjoy how the top of the net contrasts from the dark table with its bold white color. I also enjoy the subtle mid-line that is further up on the image itself. Try to shoot more than the typical “eye-level” shot of your subject. Getting up really high or low or angling yourself differently can really change the photos you make. May the light be with you. Follow
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It’s easy to fall into the thought that 1 of something is “limiting” or “not enough” when that simply isn’t the case. You can achieve many different looks with only 1 light and possibly the addition of a reflector. Here are 5 setups to give you some ideas for your own shoots. Sunlight is one major light source, but I won’t be talking about it today. Check out this post to learn more about the different ways to use natural light. The type of light I’ll be using is a small LED on a light stand. You may try these techniques with other artificial light sources as well. Check out my softbox & flash posts for even more tips. Center Front The most basic and probably instinctual way to light a subject. Place your light right in the center of your subject, typically above your camera. This produces an even light and diminishes all shadows on their face. Side Front The most common way to light a subject (even in multiple lighting setups.) Place your light slightly above your subject to mimic our natural view. Side This can provide very dramatic results. Because only one side […]
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Richard Avedon Even non-photographers know him. His classic work helped inspire me in my other passion; fashion. Vivian Maier The fact that she had her passion aside from her profession is really interesting. I bet because she didn’t have the pressure of others critiquing her work, she felt even more freedom when shooting. Philippe Halsman He was able to capture not only classical headshots of celebrities, he planned fun, surrealist shoots as well. Claude Cahun She identified as what we would call “gender neutral/fluid” today, and helped stir the pot in terms of gender norms. I love that she used her work to show the world who she was, despite living in a rigid society. Edward S. Curtis His niche was in the amazing culture of Native Americans & was able to shoot them in a time where they were still a marginalized group in the country. May the light be with you. Follow
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This may contradict my why finding your niche is important post, but I’ve realized over the years there is a definite benefit to variety. Shooting things you don’t usually shoot results in the following benefits: Practice The age old saying “practice makes perfect” rings true. Though no one should be striving for that unreachable precipice, we can all strive to be better than we were before. Whether that improvement is in technical skill or conceptual prowess, we can gain some good from extra shooting. Volunteer Sometimes there are projects or organizations that really speak to you. What if instead of donating money, you donate your time & skill? A few photos of their work in the community that they could post online or put on a sign could really help bring awareness to their cause. Remember I love to travel. On every trip, I never leave home without my camera. I of course snap a few with my phone, but even the most advanced ones to date don’t offer the versatility & performance that my DSLR does. I love going to a new place and capturing a different culture. Instead of clamoring by all the stores […]
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Another year, another challenge. I’m going to continue to modify Lindsay Adler’s 52 week challenge because there are still prompts in it that intrigue me. With that said, I am making a change though. Instead of doing random shoots based off of various challenges, I’m going to shoot all of these with the intention of adding them to 1 cohesive series. My hope for the end of the year is to have enough content to feature the work in a gallery for the first time. Just another thing to cross off the bucket list. 🙂 The series title is “Chiaroscuro” which literally means light & dark, but is broadly defined as using light & shadow to define 3 dimensional objects in space. I wanted to focus on other aspects of design such as line, texture, & shape and not rely on color like I do for most of my work. Though I appreciate the timelessness of pure black & white, I’m not so much a fan of how overused it is. I decided to apply a burgundy color overlay on the images, which gives them a sepia-esque quality that I love even more. Another tenant […]
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Types: 1) Standard (with seamless white background) This is great for selling or providing space to write different descriptions on parts of the product. Some tips: instead of trying to get the whitest of white backgrounds in camera, just knock it out in post. It’s so much quicker & more consistent removing the background when you edit it. Also, because the product is taking center stage, it needs to look pristine. Retouch any lint, fuzz, or imperfections. 2) Flat on an interesting background This provides a more lifestyle approach to the product. The background can vary, but it should always match your branding. Sticking with 1-3 that you can change out depending on the color of the product will be the simplest way to have variety. 3) Being worn/used This is my personal favorite way to see a product, especially clothes & accessories. Use yourself, or find models to really show the item in action. It helps prospective customers to have context to where the product will be used. It will also make them more likely to buy. I hope these three tips on displaying your products help! May the light be with you. […]
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