Archive for beginners
How to Become a Photographer
Posted by: | CommentsAre you ready to turn an interest into a passion, a hobby into a career? Photography is about accurately recording reflected light. Record an image properly, use interesting composition, and tell a story using a camera–that is photography.
What kind of photographer do you want to be?
Knowing what style of photography you like best is probably the first choice you will make. Different types of photography require different kinds of equipment and knowledge. A few areas of emphasis are landscape, portrait, wildlife, commercial, industrial, photojournalism, wedding, fashion, sports, documentary, events, architectural, and stock photography, just to name a few.
What kind of photography education will you choose?
Education in the area of your interest can be found in a variety of magazines, schools, and associations.
Dig into print and digital magazines.
You will find many magazines at your local bookstore. The magazines geared toward professionals will probably not be found on the magazine rack.
The Professional Photographer by Professional Photographers of America www.PPA.com is a terrific magazine included in a PPA membership.
Rangefinder, The Magazine for Professional Photographers has a free subscription for applications meeting the qualification criteria for the magazine. AfterCapture is also part of the family of magazines and I am just guessing it is automatically available with signing up for RangeFinder, mine is.
Photoshop User http://www.photoshopuser.com/ is a magazine that comes with a membership to NAPP, National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
Schools. Many local community colleges offer credited photography classes or adult education as part of their curriculum.
If you are interested in a photography degree or certificate, there are accredited professional photography schools. Although there are many, I am personally aware of three.
Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa (where I went) is accredited with Professional Photographers of America. This is a two year Associate of Applied Arts degree. http://www.hawkeyecollege.edu/academics/programs/arts/professional-photography/default.aspx
Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls, Massachusetts has a ten month program. http://hallmark.edu
Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California http://www.brooks.edu/
Mid-America Institute of Professional Photography http://maipp.com/ is also an affiliated school of the Professional Photographers of America held on theUniversity ofNorthern Iowa campus inCedar Falls,Iowa for one week each year. I have attended this program a number of times.
Before spending your money, I would suggest asking a working professional in the field of emphasis you are interested in for their recommendations.
Join professional photography associations that have conventions, seminars, and trade shows.
The educational opportunities as well as the networking opportunities are endless at a seminar, convention, or a trade show. This is a great way to jump start a career. I remember I got my first job leads from a well connected photography supply salesman. Start by asking around. Be prepared with a resume and/or business cards.
Professional Photographers of America www.PPA.com is the industry’s leading international organization. They have a yearly convention, trade show, a monthly printed and digital magazine, as well as other educational opportunities.
Each state also has an affiliate state organization of PPA as well. Contact PPA.com to locate your state association or Google “[your state] state photography association”.
Photo Marketing Association International, http://www.pmai.org
Wedding Photographers International at http://www.wppionline.com/
Photoshop User http://www.photoshopuser.com/ is the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) also has a print or digital magazine.
Join a Camera Club.
There are hundreds of camera clubs of all kinds. Many large companies host their own clubs. Camera clubs often hold contests, bring in speakers, and go on field trips. This is a very affordable option.
Watch tutorials.
You Tube has become a source for all kinds of informational videos.
Get on-line.
There is a multitude of on-line and home study courses, forums, and groups.
What kind of equipment do you need?
Purchase the best photography equipment you can afford. At the bare minimum you need a camera, a computer to down load your image files to, and software to manage those files. Adobe Photoshop is the industry’s leading software.
I can get you a started with some information about choosing cameras with my article “What Camera do I Buy” which is also free on my website at http://barbgordonphotocoach.com/blog/free-articles.
Getting to know a local camera equipment sales person you can trust for advice is a great idea since most of us can’t possibly keep up on all of the latest technology and brands.
Do you want to start a photography business?
Download my free report where I discuss nineteen important steps of starting a photography business. It is called “Making Photography More than a Hobby, planning for success before you take the leap”. You can get if for free on my website at http://barbgordonphotocoach.com/blog/free-articles. Sign up in the box on the right, you will also get my e-newsletter.
A professional photographer produces consistent results that people are happy to pay them for. Generally they make their living strictly from photography.
A professional would also purse excellence in lighting, exposure, color management, posing, composition, and presentation.
Run a profitable business then you are a professional photographer.
Of course experience and on the job training is the best teacher.
Get a job in any area of photography you can. That can be a stepping stone to where you want to go. You never know who you will meet that might have a job opening or know someone who does. Everyone in any profession learns new things at their job and experience is the best teacher.
Being an intern can lead to bigger things. It is an opportunity to learn more about a future possible employer and get a stong foot in the door. Internships do not always pay but the education is valuable and your dedication will be impressive.
Show your work to people.
If you put any work on-line, like Facebook, be sure to use small, low resolution file sizes. The images are less likely to be enjoyed in print if the print quality is poor. Be sure to put your name or studio name on the front of the image rather boldly as well.
Start building a portfolio.
Print your best images no smaller than 8×10 and mat them neatly with a neutral color. If you are going for a job interview, it is best to find out what that studio is looking for so you can tweak your portfolio to their preferences. Some may prefer to see prints and others want a DVD.
So get out there, take photographs and network!
Remember to sign up in the upper right corner for my free reports and weekly e-newsletter!
New Product: Beyond the Photography Instruction Manual
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Beyond the Photography Instruction Manual – Get professional results using the manual settings on your camera.
Have you ever taken a picture that did not turn out? Do you know what went wrong? Do you want to know how to fix it?
This is the perfect beginner’s collection! This guide, along with four other articles, helps you get comfortable with the manual settings and features of your camera so you can take the pictures you want and get the results you desire.
Are you having trouble getting the right exposure while photographing in the snow? Can’t get the photo of the spider web glistening with dew to turn out?
From Boring to Awesome-Include an Item of Interest
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 11-Center of Interest
Many amateur images are not very interesting because there is not a center of interest, an item or subject that is the main focus of a beautiful scene. So often we just snap a picture with no thought to its lack of impact. Landscape images are a bit more difficult to find scenes with a center of interest available.
This beach scene on the left, although nice, is not a breathtaking image to start with but it will work to demonstrate a scene without a center of interest. The eye does not really know where it is supposed to look. I added a center of interest with this Hawaiian lea for the image on the right. The photograph is still not an award winning image, but it now demonstrates a complimentary and believable focal point in the scene.
I love this bridge (on the left of the pair above), but it is a boring photograph. As a primarily portrait photographer, I would have loved an appropriately dressed couple to pose in the scene. Place them on the right third and wa la! The railing becomes a leading line to the subjects.
Okay, the right bridge image above is more interesting than the previous one, as the bridge itself is an impressive one and the angle I shot it at is nice. But it is still missing a real center of interest.
Imagine how much stronger of an image yet, if there was a horse and buggy crossing the bridge or a large bird in the air-facing the correct way (into our image) and at the intersection of thirds. Getting all of those elements right is challenging and not always possible. That is why nature and wild animal photography is so challenging. Waiting for all of the pieces to come together at the right time of day as well.
This awesome place is the road to Hana, a town in Maui, Hawaii. There are many waterfalls on this drive. Some you can see and some you must hike for. Most of the bridges are one lane only and the roads are extremely winding. If you ever go, driving after dark is not a fun time.
Center of Interest is more challenging to make happen. If you add the item yourself, you run the risk of being too contrived and not very real. Try to find something that is natural to the scene and believable.
By including the surf board in the picture, the same scene becomes a little more interesting.
Remember that center of interest does not mean that you center the item. The item is just an interesting subject to compliment the landscape and makes the image more visually appealing.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
Texture is the Key
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 6-Using textures
I love texture. Texture creates subtle interest without detracting from the subject especially in portraiture. What exactly is texture? Texture is bumpy stuff like an oil canvas painting, the parts dust collects on, ribbing of a cable sweater, peeling paint, hair, grass, basically anything not smooth.
Texture gives something for light to bounce over and around. A really light solid shirt reflects too much light back and becomes a hot spot and a solid black shirt sucks up all the light giving you a flat, lifeless black hole and a floating head. Although I love sci-fi and black holes are amazing, I do not want them in my photos.
For you beginning studio owners, get an actual cable knit sweater, or a waffled piece of fabric, anything to demonstrate to the client in person what texture is in addition to showing good images. I have found working with many clients over the years that if I don’t really explain it and use visuals, the customer really doesn’t get it, but they don’t know that they didn’t get it. They sometimes mistake a variety of colors as texture. Plaids and strips are not texture, save that for decorating.
Great texture is found in all of nature. I was so fascinated with this species of palm in Hawaii.
A cable knit sweater is great texture. Hair is texture also!
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
Add Interest to your images with the Foreground
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 5-Using the foreground
A strong and interesting image can be achieved by including a lot of foreground leading to the subject. For an environmental portrait use enough depth of field so your image is sharp front to back to tell the story.
This is not a riveting example but it is a good example of recomposing the image to include foreground interest. I wanted to show my family the cedar posts that my husband used for our front porch. Photographing just the posts up close was kind of boring. So I backed up to include some more of the hard work my husband has done in our driveway. The rock has now created an interesting foreground that leads to the cedar posts.
A picture of a bench alone would not be so interesting but with the grass foreground adding depth, space, and texture the subject matter is strengthened.
Notice the bench is placed at the intersection of thirds.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
Using the Background in Composition
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 4-Using the background
The background is what most people seem to comment on the most in portraiture -especially the high school seniors. They are impressed by backgrounds more than your skills. That is something to keep in mind though.
The background can make or break the success of an image. Always look past your subject and check what is behind them. The lines behind the cat are interesting and flow in the direction of her head angle.
Use a background as part of the story, it can detract or enhance your subject.
Cute picture of my horse but it is not a desirable background if I wanted to print it. The truck and fence post is just too ugly right by her rump. It’s okay for a scrapbook but definitely not suitable if I was shooting for a client.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
The Rule of Thirds
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 2-The Rule of Thirds or The Intersection of Thirds
This is my most used technique to create emphasis and interest. Almost every image I take has this compositional element to it.
The flower is in the right third and the lower third at the same time. This adds more interest than centering. I added the grid lines to demonstrate dividing an image up into horizontal and vertical thirds creating nine squares. Where the lines intersect are the strongest areas of subject placement.
How do you know what third to use? The lady in our next example is looking off in the distance to our left. In order to give her room to view we want to leave space for her on the left. If she was looking to the right I would reverse that and give her viewing room to the right.
When centering the above subject, she looks trapped. There is nothing to her back that is interesting and necessary to the story. When we recompose the image and she is moved to the right third, she has room to look outward. The element of space and the location itself with cool windows adds interest. If this was an advertisement for hair products, I probably would not crop out a lock of her hair, but since the attention is supposed to go to her face, I prefer placing her to the right at the 1/3 position.
This is Galet, a resident jewelry design artist I met at the Grand Wailea Hotel in Maui. I was so fascinated by her and her great hair, I really wanted to photograph her. The location adds to the story and part of my memories as it is the hotel where she displays her art, where I stayed while on vacation there, and where I met her. (Had I been able to get her in long sleeves to eliminate some of the skin distraction, I most certainly would have!)
Likewise, a moving subject, like a sports action photo, the subject won’t look quite right in the center of the image. It is not only for the balance of the image but to give the subject space to move, to throw the ball, to run, in the image.
Sometimes empty space is lonely isolation and the space is vital to the story.
Open space can also help emphasize scale of a subject or tell the importance of the subject’s story. Having other items in the photograph will also help with scale. This is particular good with children. You can see how tall they are getting when there are objects to compare their size to.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
