Depending on your learning style, you may find that you gravitate towards a certain type of medium. Some find written instructions most helpful while others prefer audible means. I’m mostly a visual learner, but I also find that doing the actual thing teaches me the best (kinesthetic.) While videos are a great way to learn many things, I find it hard to focus on the task at hand due to music, the voiceover, effects, and/or constant pausing if I get stuck. An alternative way to visually teach others is through photos laid out chronologically paired with informative text. This allows people to follow along at their own pace. Whether it is recipes, crafts, editing, or home repair, you can share how to do any of them with tutorial photography. Here are some tips on how I’d go about doing a given project. First, determine the project. You should know how to make it pretty well so that explaining the process to others won’t be difficult. You should also actually enjoy making it. That joy will come through in both your writing and in your photos which will get people even more excited to do the project. […]
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On occasion whether through work or other projects, you may be asked to shoot certain events. I thought I’d share some tips on what I’ve learned over the years & show a few recent shots for inspiration. Find out as much as you can about the venue beforehand. You want to know if the event will take place indoors, outdoors, or a combination of both. This will allow you to adequately gauge lighting, size of space, schedule, etc. Overpack. You don’t want to be mid-event with a dead battery and no backup. I’d suggest having extra memory cards & batteries to be safe. Make sure everything is charged the night before as well. Wear something comfortable yet appropriate. If this is a black tie event, dress up a bit. If it’s a casual get together, stay simple. You basically want to blend in with the crowd as much as possible. By doing so, guests will notice you less and be more genuine in your photos. Here are a few images that I feel communicate three big ideas in regards to events. The Emotions This is my favorite photo. Even though Barney is beyond blown […]
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I’ve written about travel photography, street photography, & lifestyle photography, but this post will be a little different. I’m still going to use the tips mentioned in those posts, but I wanted to have a specific assignment or prompt that my images had to address. For this go-round, I decided to pick my favorite color: red. Any & everything with that color was fair game, so my goal was to capture a variety of images. I was fortunate to be on vacation so I had even more reason to get out and explore. This prompt really challenged me to delve deeper into what I saw and find interesting shots vs typical touristy shots. Here are my favorite photos. A prompt can be anything you want–like people walking dogs, or sports cars—so really it’s up to you on how focused or generalized you want it to be. I hope you also try and give yourself an assignment challenge, whether on a trip or even in your own town. 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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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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Next to portraits, fashion (or more accurately style) is my favorite subject matter to shoot. Whether you’re shooting your own outfits or other peoples’ here are some tips! If you’re shooting yourself you’ll need… A tripod Camera with a self-timer or remote shutter 35mm-50mm lens (avoid wide angle because of distortion & telephotos because you’ll have to stand further away which will make previewing more difficult.) Patience It would be helpful (though not required) to have a camera that has an articulating screen or a way to connect it to a different screen so you can set up your composition quicker. Setup Once you’re at the location, set up your tripod facing your background. Many like to shoot in front of a wall because it makes focusing easier. Finding a wall that compliments or matches your outfit is usually recommended too. Turn your camera to portrait orientation & take a few test shots. Settings In order to get your entire outfit in focus, you’ll need to have a smaller aperture. 5.6-8.0 should be just about right. Due to this however, you will need to have adequate light. Keep your ISO low and make your shutter speed […]
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Continuing on with the shooting series, this week I want to discuss my favorite subject matter: portraits. Some may wonder why people are my favorite subject to shoot. Perhaps it’s because of their familiarity. Or it could be because they are so diverse (yet universally similar.) Whatever the reason, I love having them as subjects and want to share a couple tips with you! First you should identify what type of portrait you are going to take. Some different types are headshots, couples or groups, seniors, children, newborns, and the list goes on. I personally cater towards adults either looking for professional headshots, promotional images, or creative shoots. If you want tips on babies, children, or weddings, this may not be the article for you since those niches have specific challenges. Hopefully, I can share some universal tips with you that you may take with whatever your subject matter may be. Planning First you need to have a person in mind. Whether this is a paid shoot or not, planning some things ahead of time will make the whole shoot go smoother. Have your day, time, & location set ahead of time. If you are photographing a […]
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