Use even more props

If you got time (and who are we kidding, you probably got time around the date of this post) then tinker around in your stuff and find props. Towels, blankets, bins, all those things you put up to store and never really ever use - grab those and put something together to use as a prop.

In the case of this photo I grabbed a galvanized wash bin, some towels and sheets, a curtain hanger, and of course duct tape and put together a boat to use in my shoot. A good rule of thumb is if you think you could throw it in a garden for decoration then you can probably throw it in a photo to use as a prop.

And I really could have grabbed anything, old books, old clothing, pots, etc. The trick is to just figure out what sort of photo you are going for and play to that. Don’t know what sort of photo you are going for? Then start by considering who the photos are for and play to those people (in this case I had grand parents in mind).

Don’t be afraid to explore and try new things.

Last night, I got out some $5 string lights from target, got my models, and headed outside after dark. I don’t typically do night photography but I had the time (most of us have an abundance of time with this pandemic) and wanted to try something new. When all was said and done, I ended up with some photos I was happy with but more importantly a better understanding of light and some kindling for other potential ideas I have in mind.

In photography, it is important you explore and try new things. Even if you really just want to photograph your kids, I’d suggest experimenting as this will always lead to a better understanding to photography and unconsciously you will start to apply what you learn from your experiments to your regular photo sessions. Experimentation broadens your skillset and leaves you with more options when you go to do your typical photoshoot.

And it does not have to be string lights or some off the wall sort of photo session. If you typically photograph people, then try nature photography and vice versa. Limit yourself, if you like to zoom in then try not touching the zoom feature at all. Go on a photo walk and only take 10 photos.

Who knows, maybe you will discover a whole other type of photography that you enjoy.

Try to get a better understanding of human emotions.

The “Too long, didn’t read version”:

-        Strive to better understand human emotion

-        It is easier to understand the why if you understand the what.

-        Example: Angry can be more clearly expressed as frustration, annoyance, fear, or a combination of all three.

-        The more clearly can describe an emotion the easier it is to photograph it.

-        People want pictures that tell stories, tell the story of emotions by better understanding them.

Photographers play the part of a wannabe psychologist in that we try to get into our subject’s head so we can best represent them in our photos. The catch is, we can only get into our subject’s head as we understand them. We don’t usually have a whole plethora of psychological studies we are pulling from as we do this. Now I am not recommending you go and get a PhD in Psychology, but I do recommend you try to understand human emotions better.

What and why are good places to start. What emotion are they feeling? Why are they feeling that emotion? With kids this can be easier, though not always. As we get older we figure out a whole set of psychological tricks we use to not only mislead others on our feelings but also to mislead ourselves. So obviously there is a “who” in this and I’d argue the first who to start with is yourself.

Try and figure out some of the psychological games you play. Find something that makes you angry and try to explain to yourself why it makes you angry.

If you succeeded with that bravo but I really do not believe you. We all know what people do in anger, but the word itself is vague. Most times when it is used it likely refers to frustration, fear, annoyance, or a combination of all three and it sure would be a lot easier to deal with “angry” people if they’d use any of those words as opposed to “angry.”

And that is part of the trick as a photographer – to identify what the emotions really are and tell the story of them. You don’t take a picture of a family; you want a picture of a family that tells the story of their love for each other. You don’t want a picture of your wedding day; you want a picture of your wedding that tells the emotions of that day. People don’t want pictures of their kids or pets, they pictures that capture who and what their kids and pets are – that includes emotions.

The better you understand emotion the easier it will be to photograph them.

Juggling to glory

Yesterday, a young girl beamed with pride as she managed a viictory over gravity. After weeks of hard practice she earned the title of juggler. It’s moments like these that make life and photography the amazing experiences they can be.

It’s also moments like these that remind me what glory there is to be found in application and hard work.

Happy New Year!

We think it is going to be a good year, we hope you do too!

How to get good at photography.

Sunday I was out photographing an amazing school dress rehearsal of She Kills Monsters when a student approached me and asked me a very good question: how do you get good at photography? And I answered with the truth: Go out and do photography.

I intend to write posts that offer advice on how to improve your photography on this blog (in addition to small business advice, and posts on fine arts here and there), but this post will skip 95% of that and tell you the ultimate secret. If you want to get good at photography then you have to go out and photograph things.

Imagine a book about history that is sitting on your desk. Now there are lots of things you can do with that book – use it as a door stop, a paperweight, use it to balance out an uneven table, maybe combat a mosquito with it, etc. But the only way you will ever acquire the knowledge that is written in that book is if you actually sit down and read the book.

The same is true about photography. Whether you have a top of the line brand new mirrorless camera or 2006 smartphone – if you want to get good at photography than I’d suggest you go out and do photography. Early on, it will fill clunky and awkward but as you start to take more and more pictures you start to become more comfortable with the process and your equipment. Eventually, you will get good enough that you will start to know what questions you want to ask to improve your own photography. Once you know what to ask, your research into improving your photography becomes a lot easier.

This is also true of the creative side of photography. I am a bit stronger on the technical side of photography and early on I struggled on the creative side. My advice: don’t view creativity as an all or nothing asset. Think of it more as muscle, the more you build it the easier it comes to you. Sure, when you start off it might look very simple, but few artists start with a flawless and limitless well of creativity. No, they usually build it up over time and you can too. It’s never too late to start and even if you are older when you do keep in mind that your creativity will have a much stronger base of lifetime experiences with which to build upon.

So, if you want to get good at photography then I’d suggest starting with actually photographing things with whatever camera you have access to. Don’t wait for the fancy $10,000 camera with the fancy $10,0000 lens falls in your lap. Just take what you have and go photograph. You won’t regret it.

Framing

Framing is a great way to put focus on the subject of your picture and adds intrigue to the overall photo. The best part of all, though, is that it often isn’t very difficult to do and if done successfully can really take a good subject and make it incredible.

Focused on play.

So how do you frame? You simply find something that will overlay around the subject of your photo. For example, in the photo here where the toddler is busy at play. I quietly took one of her toys with a hoop on it and positioned it and myself in such a way that she was in the center of it. Now the important thing to note here is more often then not you’ll have to position yourself and the frame around the subject. It is usually easier to have the subject stay put and you move rather than the other way around. If I moved this toddler, it would have disrupted her focus and good luck getting a toddler to focus on anything in exactly the same way.

See nothing around to frame with? Two solutions:

1) Bring something.

2) Think outside of the box.

Bring something – you don’t have to limit your photoshoots to just photography equipment. If you are familiar with an event, location, or even family you are going to be photographing you can bring items that compliment that shoot including items that might help you do some framing. For the toddler above, I could have brought a literal frame and had her hold it as I took the picture. It just takes some planning ahead, but you should be planning anyway.

 Think outside of the box – You are rarely photographing in a void. In the picture above there were toys. When I shoot weddings, I grab two wine glasses and position them in a way that they frame the subject. If I am outdoors, I grab some long grass and hold it close to my lens to great nature frame or use the branches of a short tree. The point is, there is always something to be used for framing. It just takes a little outside of the box thinking. Yes, it can be a challenge, but the good news is the more you challenge yourself to come up with things to frame with the better you get at thinking up things to frame with. So just keep trying.

A wonderful engagement photoshoot.

Just got home from shooting a surprise wedding engagement for an incredible couple on the Schooner Woodwind in Annapolis (if you haven’t been, check it out). The photos are downloading to the computer now and the processing of a few of the photos begins just after that. My pillow probably won’t feel my head until 3 or 4 in the morning. But it is totally worth it. The young happy couple are still out there celebrating with their wonderful family and amazing friends. If I do this right, then they likely will be seeing a few teaser photos just after the celebrations are done and hopefully, they will get to keep that joy for even longer.

The best part about photography is that there are so many ways to do it right that will result in someone else having more happiness.

Photos to come, but not until the happy couple sees them first.

Why photograph nature?

Why photograph nature?

Our services are mostly focused on people for the most part, and yet you see some of my travel and nature photos. Well I get this itch every day that can’t be relieved unless I photograph. Photographing people would be preferred but sometimes people just aren’t available. So nature it is. I’m thankful for that option though. So much can be learned about the craft of photography by doing forms you don’t normally do or even prefer to do.

You learn about ambient light, clouds, and animals. You learn about colors (lots of that green out there upon closer look is actually yellow!), patterns, and textures. But the most important of all is that you need to slow down and get a feel for the mechanics of your surroundings. By doing this, you can start to predict where wildlife will be and when plants will bloom.

But I’ve found this lesson carries over to photographing people very well. If I take a moment to understand the mechanics of the people around me, it helps me come up with how I will approach the photoshoot at hand which in turn will result in even better photos.

So, the lesson here is never be afraid to go out of your comfort zone in your craft. That’s how you will grow and improve as a photographer or artist.

Time to get this up and running!

Just need to finish the “About us” section and we will be live! We plan to post at least monthly with information about fine arts or photography, as well as what we are up to, so stay tuned! In the mean time, here is a picture of a really awesome dog! Enjoy!