Reposting an article I stumbled as a birthday present to myself 3 yrs ago! HOW TO BE AMONG THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS July 24, 2011 at 3:16pm 1: FACE YOUR FEARS Identify the photographic technique you’re least confident about and resolve to master it. For example, if your camera’s advanced flash modes fill you with fear, try spending just 15 or 20 minutes each day practicing how to use them. This way you’ll be able to build up your confidence bit by bit, without becoming overwhelmed. 2: ITS ALL ABOUT YOU Don’t get too hung up on equipment. Yes, it’s nice to have the best brands and the hottest technology, but ultimately a camera is just a device that captures and records light. You are the visionary. Only you make it happen. 3: GET IT RIGHT IN-CAMERA Always push yourself to achieve the perfect shot in-camera. A few extra minutes spent in the field tweaking exposures, fitting filters or refining compositions is always preferable to relying on Photoshop to bail you out. Software never produces such satisfying results. 4: BE A GOOD SPORT Give other photographers a break, particularly in restricted locations. Take your turn in a timely manner or offer to budge up to let someone set up alongside you. Hopefully someone will do the same for you one day. 5: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HANDS IN The longer you leave between shoots, the longer you’ll end up wasting re-familiarizing yourself with your camera and key techniques on your next shoot. By shooting regularly you’ll always be on a roll and ready to seize the moment whenever a photo opportunity presents itself. 6: ASK FOR FEEDBACK Regularly asking others for feedback on your photos is a great way to grow as a photographer. Friends, relatives and work colleagues, however, are unlikely to give you a true appraisal of your work. Instead, get your portfolio critiqued by unbiased people, including pro photographers. Upload a gallery and invite members of photo community to evaluate your work. 7: GET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT It’s crucial to pay attention to image quality issues such as noise and sharpness, but watch that you don’t over-prioritize them. The content and meaning of your photos are equally, if not more important considerations. 8: CHECK OUT YOU LOCAL CAMERA CLUB Many camera clubs have come a long way since pre-digital times. You might be pleasantly surprised by the variety of benefits on offer at your local club – lectures by renowned professional photographers, overseas trips, technical workshops, competitions, industry contacts and online gallery space. 9: LEARN TO BE OBJECTIVE When you’ve invested a great deal of emotion into a shoot, the process of reviewing and editing your pictures can prove tricky. Perhaps you can’t decide which picture in a series is best or you’re deliberating over white balance adjustments in Camera RAW. Try stepping back for a few days or even a week to help you view your pictures more dispassionately when you return to them. 10: BE PREPARED TO LOOK THE FOOL Whether you’re wielding odd-looking makeshift accessories or striking an undignified pose to get a better angle, don’t be afraid to look the fool for the sake of a photo. After all, you’ll be the one laughing when you bag a winning shot. 11: Believe in yourself Be inspired by the work of others, but always believe in your ability to raise the bar. Otherwise what’s the point? 12: GO SHOOT WITH FRIENDS Try going on photo shoots with a fellow photographer: you’ll be amazed at how much you spur each other on. You may even be able to share travel costs and exchange tips. 13: START A PERSONAL PROJECT Setting yourself a personal project is a great way to focus your mind, challenge your creativity and broaden your photographic skills. Topic-wise pretty much anything goes – shadows, flower abstracts, frames, street life – you name it. Just pick something that captures your imagination and is easily accessible. 14: TREAT YOURSELF TO A PROFESSIONAL PRINT Consider having a few of your best photos printed to A3 size or larger by a professional printer and then get them properly framed. The results are guaranteed to wow and inspire you! 15: DONT FORGET YOUR ROOTS If ever you’re feeling uninspired, think back to what it was that compelled you to buy a camera in the first place. Perhaps it was viewing an exhibition of awe-inspiring portraits by a legendary photographer, or longing to capture the spectacular landscapes in your local area. Going back to basics for a moment is often all it takes to re-ignite the spark. 16: SCRIBBLE DOWN YOUR IDEAS Keep a little notebook and pen in your camera bag for jotting down creative ideas and lessons learnt in the field. You could also make a note of your favourite exposure settings for a variety of different subjects in case you need to refresh your memory when you’re out in the field. 17: TAKE CALCULATED RISK There’s plenty of talk about ‘pushing the envelope’ in photography. Creativity comes into it, but more often than not it involves going where few people have gone before, taking more physical risks and/or tackling more controversial subjects. If you do go down this road be crystal clear where you draw the line. No photo is worth compromising your health or your values. 18: AVOID CREDIT DEALS Despite the current financial climate, many photographic shops are still offering all kinds of tempting credit deals. However, with high interest rates and late payment charges you might do better to save up and buy considered purchases as and when you can, building up your arsenal of kit more slowly. 19: SEE FAILURES AS OPPORTUNITIES You might feel like tearing your hair out when you foul up a shoot, but remember that you can convert any mistake into a valuable learning experience. By working out what went wrong and committing the solution to memory, you’ll be far better prepared next time you find yourself in a similar situation. 20: WORK ON YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS With any type of portrait photography, the greater the trust and rapport you can build up with your subject, the better the end result will be. It’s all about directing shoots with confidence and being able to get your subject to reveal his or her true personality. So if your area of photographic interest involves shooting people, make a conscious effort to work on your people skills. Don’t be afraid to ask models for feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. 21: KEEP AN OPEN MIND Before important shoots it can sometimes help to visualize the kinds of results you want to achieve. But always keep an open mind and be prepared to change creative tack if things don’t work out or an unexpected opportunity arises. 22: DEVELOP A PROFESSIONAL WORKFLOW Whether photography is a hobby or a professional concern, it pays to establish a proper workflow early on. With efficient browsing, cataloguing, editing, backup and storage systems in place you’ll save countless hours on image management and ensure that your precious photos stay safe. 23: DONT BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF Regularly appraise your own work as honestly as possible, but don’t beat yourself up unduly. Keep your criticisms constructive and objective, just as you would if you were appraising someone else’s work. 24: DONT FORGET TO RESET YOUR CAMERA We’ve all done it – accidentally started the day using exposure settings from a previous shoot. Make a habit of always resetting all your camera settings back to the defaults at the end of every shoot to avoid disappointment. 25: INVEST IN A BACK-UP CAMERA Consider investing in a back-up DSLR in case yours fails. Camera repair departments are frequently swamped with jobs, plus out-of-stock parts often need shipping from overseas, so you may end up without your camera for three weeks or more. Consider getting a decent high-resolution compact as a budget alternative to a second DSLR. 26: PICK YOUR BATTLES WISELY High-profile photography competitions dangle the carrot of fame and fortune, but do watch out for inflated entry fees and always calculate the total cost in advance. Enter a couple of categories and factor in the cost of producing and shipping top quality prints for judging and you may have to stump up as much as $100 just for the privilege of entering. Entry to some Photo competition is free, so make sure it’s on your list! 27: ATTEND A PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW Consider attending a big photography trade show for the chance to test out the hottest new hardware and software, attend seminars by professional photographers, quiz key industry experts and buy discounted kit. 28: NEVER TAKE GREAT LIGHT FOR GRANTED Great light is a magic ingredient with the power to elevate an average picture into an exceptional one. Unfortunately outdoor photographers will find their shooting schedule is almost entirely at the mercy of the elements. That’s why it’s so important to make the most of great light whenever you can, particularly if the weather where you live is changeable. When a week or more of rain scuppers your plans you’ll be thankful you did. 29: NEVER REST ON YOUR LAURELS No matter how good a photographer you become, there are always new subjects and techniques to try, each of which will present a new set of challenges. Remember, you’re only as good as your last picture! 30: BEWARE OF ONLINE FORUMS The Photo community is a tremendous source of support and inspiration. The forums are a useful resource within the community, but you need to be savvy to get the best out of them. Be on your guard for technical misinformation posted by unknown users and avoid getting sucked into futile discussions that fritter away valuable shooting time. 31: THINK BEFORE YOU TRIP THE SHUTTER Large capacity memory cards are now cheaper than ever, but don’t fall into the trap of taking hundreds of pictures on each shoot just because you’ve got room. Adopt a scattergun approach to taking shots and the quality of your images will take an instant nosedive, never mind the image-management nightmare you’ll generate. A good exercise to try is to imagine that you’re limited to shooting with an old 24-exposure roll of film and make every single frame count. 32: LEARN FROM THE PROS It’s well worth reading interviews with professional photographers whenever you get the chance. Even if you’ve heard most of it all before or the photographer specializes in a different area to you, there are usually one or two telling tips that make it well worth your time. 33: WORK AT CALIBRATED MONITOR Calibrate your monitor regularly so that if you ever want to sell or have any of your photos printed professionally, you can be sure the colors will be reproduced just as you saw them onscreen. 34: TAKE CRITICISM ON THE CHIN Don’t be precious about your pictures and keep yourself open to accepting criticism, even if it hurts. If things go according to plan you should be continually improving over time anyway, so you’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking onboard what your peers have to say. 35: BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE Don’t be afraid to share helpful tips and advice with other photographers you meet while out on location; you never know what they might tell you in return! 36: KNOW WHEN TO WORK ALONE While outings and holidays with friends or family are great for grab shots, you should go it alone if you’re serious about getting the best results. That way you’ll have zero distractions and be free to take your time without worrying about keeping others waiting. 37: DONT WEIGH YOURSELF DOWN Empty your camera bag of all non-essential gear before each shoot. Weighing yourself down with every lens, filter, battery and accessory you own ‘just in case’ will make you far less agile and could even lead to serious injuries. 38: RESPECT PEOPLES WISHES Always seek permission before photographing anyone. If they’re not happy, be courteous and focus on the next opportunity instead. They may have a face that tells a thousand tales, but if they’re reluctant it’s unlikely to translate into a great portrait in any case. 39: SIGN-UP FOR A PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE Attending a structured photography course can really help to accelerate your learning. Try local colleges for courses on the basics or more advanced qualifications such as A-Levels. Alternatively, you may find a practical workshop on a specific topic such as studio photography more beneficial. 40: DONT GIVE UP There are no short cuts to becoming a great photographer. It takes years of hard work and perseverance to gain the right skills and experience, but don’t get down if you find yourself struggling to move forward. As long as you keep plugging away, the breakthrough will come one day.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 13:46:06 +0000
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