Photography Success Without School
What I learned from a mentor that enabled me to go from an amateur photographer to a professional portrait photographer in very specific steps is something I like to pass on. Rather than spending countless hours in classes learning every possible detail, I learned just the necessary specifics and now I work out of my home full time and have been in business for over 17 years, but I started out with practically nothing; just an interest in photography and the need to earn more money. For one thing, my mentor taught me the Three Classic Elements to produce "salable portraits." "Salable" is an industry term every photographer quickly becomes familiar with to distinguish between the everyday reality of making money versus creating those "artistic competition" or "award winning prints" which don't earn the money. I've been in the business for over 17 years now and I'm still amazed that: People don't buy the award winning prints that you see wearing many of the ribbons at professional photography conventions. When my clients are faced with the choice of buying an artistic pose of their child being demure and not looking directly into the camera or buying a pose smiling close-up straight into the camera, they buy the smiling close-up every time. Not very original, but I'm telling you now so take note: Happy people whose faces you can readily see are the most salable prints. They'll never tell you this at a photography workshop, seminar, Annual Convention or at a photography institute because their job is to create award winning photo artists rather than people whom simply make a living, but... if you haven't learned all the fancy lighting techniques, then you've saved time because the most important thing about light is having enough to keep the face out of the shadows. People prefer any kind of light, as long as there is enough of it to light the face and eyes so you can get a good look at the person! The quality of light people prefer for portraits is soft light, whether it be from an artificial source like a flash umbrella or a natural source from the sky at sunset, but other than a soft quality of light they want enough of it to SEE the face of the person you're photographing, even if it is a flat almost straight on technique. You may not win any competitions or awards this way, but if you get plenty of light on the faces you'll create salable prints. This leads me to talk about fill flash. There are times outdoors when you'll need a flash on your camera to fill in dark shadow areas mostly in the eye sockets. Just use one f stop less flash than the existing ambient light calls for. That's enough light to fill the shadows and don't worry about not lugging around a portable umbrella to get the perfect modeling technique. My mentor is right again: there is no change in the sale. The customer pays for well lit faces, not perfect modeling. I've tried it both ways and the customer buys the same amount of pictures in the same sizes no matter what you do. Element number Two: Body Positioning. This is a little more detailed area, but it is important, believe me. My basic education from my mentor began with the same advice I'll pass on to you: You should rarely photograph anyone straight on. The exception to this rule will be for family and large groups, which for reasons of body placement will often break this rule. But for individuals or smaller groups of people this rule applies. Now, when you're not just photographing a head and shoulders close- up you'll have to understand other aspects of body positioning that makes people want to buy their pictures. Hands. They should always be turned slightly so they are seen from the edge with fingers together, or hide the hands altogether behind your subject or somebody else next to them. Never position hands straight on with open fingers. Simply put, anything that minimizes how much hand you see works to make it a better portrait. This is always more flattering in a portrait and you'll see they are the ones people buy. Crossing legs at the ankles refines the pose and minimizes this area of the body making it more appealing. Look at it this way, what's less of a distraction: two legs leading to two ankles leading to two feet -- or two legs blending into one ankle section with blended feet? Surely it's the latter. When standing, one cannot simply cross their ankles unless they have something to lean against, so I will have one foot in front of the other in such a way that they taper into one general unit. Have them place their weight on the back leg (remember, they are at a slight 3/4 angle) and bring the front leg forward and slightly tilt the foot to face out toward the camera. Whenever I'd show my mentor my portraits that I was just unsure of, it was these recurring themes that he patiently pointed out to me. As I began to look for these simple things during my portrait sessions, my pictures got better! I can't stress enough how basic, but important, it is to watch for these details. I have people come to me who went to the contract photographer for their High School Senior yearbook portrait and disliked their picture. They want me to take one that they can proudly give out to friends and family. Usually the problem with the pictures I've seen is that the photography school graduate "intern" who works for the contract photographer took the photo without paying attention to some minor detail. I get it right and my reputation grows from "fixing" the contract photographer's mistake. The techniques for salable body positioning are what you look for in any pose you try whether close-up or full body. When photographing people full body standing, seated or reclining on the ground, noticing body angle, hands and feet is the way to "fine tune" your portrait and distinguish it from just a "snapshot". Lastly, I must share my favorite body positioning tool that makes it so easy to make a better portrait than someone who doesn't really know what they're doing: the head tilt. A woman alone tilts her head just slightly in either direction to make a more stunning portrait. A man's head can stay straight up or tilt slightly away in the opposite direction from his most forward shoulder but never back towards his most forward shoulder. Element number Three: Salable Composition There are many compositional techniques in many books, but it doesn't take all that knowledge to make portrait compositions that are what the typical consumer considers good enough to call professional. Once you know what the consumer considers salable, you will be able to reproduce it again and again for other clients. You also will thank me for saving you from thinking that in order to be good enough to sell portrait photography you have to create grand artistic images. You just have to know what works and be able to repeat it for the friends of your clients whom will be getting your business cards by way of referral. When photographing one individual person, it's so simple I don't think you need too much input for that. In fact, I believe you know the naive simplicity with which you thought "hey, I can do this for a living" after taking some portraits of a friend or family member. Yet it truly gets challenging when there is more than one person involved. I know of a local professional who has referred family portrait clients to me as she specializes in children outdoors. Do you know what that really means? It means she's intimidated by having to do groupings, but that's okay, most people are. So here's the rule of salable composition: Keep everybody's head at a different level. Like I told you, I didn't have a fancy College degree so my mentor had to keep it simple enough for me. In some cases, you will recognize that it's not possible, but if you do your best to stagger head height from individual to individual, you will be creating professional looking images. You will stand some people, seat some in chairs, seat some on the arms of chairs, seat some on the floor, kneel some, crouch some, lay some down, but you will achieve staggered head heights and salable compositions. Tip heads inward toward one another for unity when photographing a family group. Note that men are usually positioned higher than women. No, I'm not aware of being a chauvinist pig, but I am aware that this is what usually sells. Not the images where mom's higher than dad but where dad (even if he's actually shorter!) is positioned just a head or so above mom. Once you understand the rules, you can bend them where you need to in order to make a portrait work; but people will see that you know what you're doing as you position them for a good composition and especially when they see your finished work. My mentor critiqued my work time and time again over several years as I brought images and questions to him. It almost always boiled down to my understanding these most simple aspects that I've shared with you. I know it's not customary to learn photography on such simplistic terms, but trust me; I've had exposure over the years to many different photography educational venues such as classes, workshops, conventions, guest speakers, lectures, teaching videos and books but never have any of the teachers been willing to simply say "look, there are just a few rules to follow and people will be happy with their pictures". Never have I received more helpful advice than I received from my mentor. I guess if I could sum up the philosophy he embodied in word form I'd say it was rather like this: "Not everybody wants a masterpiece. Most people just want to remember their loved ones as happy. It's not hard to capture that with your camera, just don't stand them in hard sunlight, standing in a straight line facing straight toward the camera." Tom Ray is a Certified Professional Photographer through the Professional Photographers of America. If you are interested in his full story please go to: Professional Photography: Success Without School
MORE RESOURCES: HIPA’s Photography Appreciation Award : James Philip Nelson The Eye of Photography The Banal Evil of Atrocity Photography Hyperallergic Photography student named fall 2024 student marshal for Arts and Architecture Penn State University The questionable ethics of street photography The Michigan Daily Broadfield Distributing Case Study: Advanced Image Robotics Remote Production Bundle Modified for Still Photography at UFC 309 Sports Video Group The Photography of Michael Chriszt Cobb County Photography pop-up in Kingston celebrates the beauty of ice Hudson Valley One Eye on Small Business : Ann Charles Photography, Ridgefield Westfair Online Miami Advice: Marie Vickles on the independent photography organisation that offers an invaluable open platform Art Newspaper Exhibition Pairs the Unlikely – Photography, Physical Therapy - to Help Those with Parkinson’s University of Connecticut Photography Exhibition - David Guiraud Gallery: American Physical Photography - 1930/1960 The Eye of Photography Weekend Update: Celebrating shellfish, photography exhibits, winter cheer and more North Fork fun Northforker 6 tips for taking better photos Futurity: Research News All Around Towne Photography — pups and Santa pictures The Jolt News Level up your portrait photography with these five tips DIY Photography Tennessee Top 25 | Titans at Commanders Photography Tennessee Titans The Grind Will Change What You Think of Street Photography The Phoblographer APPARATUS Artistic Director Gabriel Hendifar Underscores the Importance of Lighting With a One-of-a-Kind Photographic Experiment Cultured Magazine Photography exhibit Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Clark County 4-H adds Shutterbugs Photography Club Arkadelphian Starved Rock Photography Show Open at Visitor Center Through Dec. 31 Starved Rock Media Can This Metalens Revolutionize Photography? I Sure Hope So The Phoblographer Missing photographer Hannah Kobayashi possibly caught up in ‘scam marriage’ before disappearance: report New York Post I quit my job and in three years I’m killing it as a commercial photographer - there's no better time to start than now! DIY Photography Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary is Seeking Photography and Artwork for Exhibit River Journal Staff New photography exhibit by UTSA students highlights 'compassion' in architecture San Antonio Current Capturing Israel's pain and hope: a photographer's journey with hostage families – opinion The Jerusalem Post Adobe predicts surrealism will trend in 2025, but can photographers join in without AI? Digital Camera World Best cameras for wildlife photography 2024 Livescience.com Learn new methods in landscape photography Community Advocate Sands China Hosts University of Saint Joseph’s Wetland Biodiversity Photography Exhibition at The Venetian Macao PlataformaMedia English After secret recordings, woman speaks out against boyfriend charged with unlawful photography News Channel 5 Nashville Anderman Photography Lecture: Conversation with Dawoud Bey Denver Art Museum “World Unseen” – inclusive photography exhibition Romania Journal Vanishing world of European high society is preserved in Tina Barney’s photographs - Financial Times LAX shuttle bus passenger blames racist tirade aimed at wedding photographer on brain injury: ‘Agitated very easily’ New York Post “Ruins are not the past, but the future”: ‘Ruins’ exhibition of celebrated photographer Josef Koudelka opens in Prague Radio Prague International Follow these storytelling rules to improve your photography DIY Photography Ancestor Worship: Sarah Sense’s Woven Photographs by Donald Kuspit whitehotmagazine.com I’m jealous of MFT photographers because these Cyber Monday Micro Four Thirds lens deals are insane (and they are still on sale) Digital Camera World "The Garden That Rita Grew" An Art and Photography Exhibit Honoring the Legacy of Rita Marley Opens In NYC The Source Magazine Would You Pay $1,000 for a Family Photo? The Atlantic Events, photography venue planned near U.S. 60 Lynchburg News and Advance Dramatic photo captures moment giant bird closes hidden 3rd eyelid while snatching locust from mid-air Livescience.com How I Fell Back in Love with iPhone Photography The New Yorker The New Art: American Photography, 1839–1910 The Metropolitan Museum of Art 10×10 Photobooks : Flashpoint! Protest Photography in Print, 1950–Present The Eye of Photography Interview with Monica Allende, Chair of the Jury World Photography Organisation | SHARP Introduces the AQUOS R9 pro, Revolutionising Mobile Photography with Pro-Grade Imaging Capabilities Media OutReach What our photographers saw on Wednesday, December 4 The Philadelphia Inquirer |
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Create a Great Video - a Simple Guide on How to Shoot Home Movies with a Camcorder So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some footage, but truthfully you don't much like the results. Maybe I can help. Diffusion & Softening of Digital Photography Images Like many people who've made the switch from film cameras to digital, I've discovered that the lens tools I once used so effectively on my cameras to soften, diffuse and vignette my images for quality "finished" professional results won't do for digital what they did for film.I'm sure it's arguable by some that their diffusers still work fine, and I too have discovered that some tools still work okay under some circumstances; my Ziess Softar #1 seemed to offer decent results when photographing a single subject in the studio but I knew that the black netting diffuser that I used with my Lindahl Bell-o-shade no longer worked on the Nikon D70 zoom lens at the wider angles without showing lines in the image. Buying the Best Digital Camera for Your Needs Choosing a digital camera can be a daunting task with the wide number of choices available in today's market place. There are lots and lots of things that you need to keep in mind while going to choose a camera for yourself. Selecting Your First Digital Camera Purchasing a digital camera is a wise decision, particularly if you take a lot of pictures and you want to control how they are developed. Camera prices continue to plummet and Americans are exchanging their 35mm cameras for digital devices at a record pace. Is Film Better than Digital for Weddings? As a professional wedding photographer I get this question asked more than anything else. Rarely will somebody ask me about my wedding photography education, awards, or professional memberships. The Well-Dressed Photographer - Summer Outdoor photographers shoot year round. That includes the hot summer. Kodak Digital Cameras - The Giant Comes To Digital George Eastman, founder of Kodak is world renowned today. Digital cameras or cinematography, Kodak has excelled in all fields. How to Buy the Right Digital Camera When buying a digital camera there are many things you should consider. First you should understand how a digital camera works. Choosing the Right Digital Camera Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be more challenging than actually taking a good picture. Like all things technical, digital cameras come in a vast array of styles, sizes and abilities. Making Money With Digital Photography And Live Events A few years ago I became interested in digital photography, mainly for web publishing and personal reasons. You know, how nice is it now to NOT have to deal with film, scanning pictures, and the costs of developing all of those "not great" photos that you didn't know were so bad until you paid to have them developed!So, at the time I got my first digital camera a friend of mine was playing in a rock band, and needed pictures for their web pages and promotional printings and ads. How to Photograph Your Baby Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph. They are the best for two reasons, people are more tolerant at looking at baby photos, as well as the fact that babies are not aware their image is being captured, and therefore they do not tend to put on the "camera face" so typically used by elder children and adults. Tips for Taking Better Vacation Photos Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences with family and friends. Here are a few suggestions to help you capture vacation memories you will treasure for years to come. Photography Contest - a fun and rewarding experience Do you like to take photos? Are you always standing by with your camera waiting for that moment that is meant to be captured on camera? You may even be taking photography classes or maybe you have already completed a photography course and you want to share your photos with others. You may want to get into photography as a career and winning a photography contest will help you get recognized. 8 Simple Tips for Taking Great Baby Photos Taking pictures of your new baby is a great way to preserve life long memories. Baby pictures can also make great postcards, keepsakes, or baby shower gifts. How to Shoot Video of Your Kids Sports Team So That Anyone Else Will Watch It! Break out that video camera, there is a game this weekend! 1. You bought a video camera 2. A Guide to Disposable Digital Cameras Disposable Cameras (also called single-use cameras) first came on the market as film cameras. You would take the entire camera back where you bought it and they would crack it open, take out the film and process it, resulting in photos that were virtually indistinguishable from photos taken with a more conventional camera. Using Film Speed Effectively (Black & White Film Thoughts) It's hard to find sometimes but it's making a resurgence, black and white film. If you've never used this film now is the time to try it out. Have You Read Your Digital Camera Manual? Have you read the manual that came with your digital camera? If not you are in good company, the majority of digital camera owners never get past the *Basic Operations* section.If you didn*t read the manual why not? Was it the obscure photographic terms? The numerous cross references ? The complicated diagrams? The myriad uses for each dial and button? The convoluted English? Maybe all of the above. Digital Image Files - Megapixels, Megabytes, or DPI? When I promised readers that I was going to do an article on this topic I was scared. For two reasons - firstly, it's a HUGE subject. What Should You Look for in a New Camera? These parameters are discussed at 2 levels: -Based on degree of functional use of available features -Based on the type of photography you want to attempt -->Based on degree of functional use of available features A person who is happy with his or her camera model usually responds with the following words of praise. 'Incredible ease of use' 'User-friendly controls' 'Intelligently and thoughtfully designed' 'Excellent value for money' 'Light and compact' These are the kind of terms that you will come across from camera owners who are satisfied with their camera models. |
home | site map |
© 2006 KeralaClick.com |