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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Going through the archives again, I found this lighted wonder. It’s so cool to see how light can be captured & reflected on various surfaces. May the light be with you. Follow
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Before you begin experimenting with different color temperatures, you need to determine what you want to communicate. Romantic or feminine feelings are typically associated with very warm images whereas edgy and Avant-garde photos are usually on the cooler side. There are many ways you can alter the overall color in a scene. In the scene You decide what the backdrop is & what the subject wears which could wind up contrasting or complementing. You could pick a monochromatic scene with only 1 color feature like I did here: Light Modifiers A popular option a lot of photographers use are colored gels. These thin cellophane-like sheets can clip over their lighting set up and provide varying results with relative ease. I haven’t personally experimented with gels, but I know they provide some interesting results. Camera White balance In your menu there are options for auto, daylight, shade, etc. You can also do a custom WB by taking a picture of a plain sheet of paper and using that as a reference for the scene. Most recommend trying to get accurate white balance, especially if you are trying to show true color rendition. However, if you know you […]
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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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