Photography News
Presenting Your Portfolio for Review
Portfolio reviews may be used as a showcase to prospective clients, and as appraisals that offer photographers an invaluable mechanism to receive feedback on their work. They can also form a critical step for photographers who are looking to monetise their work through art or digital enterprises. One of the first steps a photographer needs to acknowledge however, is whether they are ready to showcase their work for evaluation – be it by peers, partners or clients. After all, it is in our nature to create a lasting impression from our first encounters, so you want to be sure your work is a representation of your true abilities. At the same time, you also need to be prepared to discuss your work and create a strong bond with the other person. It goes without saying that you should put in the necessary preparation. But what exactly does this… | Read the full article
Why are my Photography Leads not Converting into Clients?
Despite our best efforts, sometimes we’re left scratching our heads pondering why our leads didn’t convert into clients. While this isn’t an issue restricted to the photography industry, the sheer volume of competition out there exacerbates this problem, particularly for new photographers who are yet to fill their books with clients. With this in mind, we consider three of the common reasons that photography leads don’t convert into clients. Too Many Options Ever been in a situation where you’re presented with so many options, you have difficulty making a decision? You haven’t? Well, perhaps surprisingly then, it’s worth knowing that too many options can confuse or overwhelm prospective clients. Contrary to what you might think, trying to cater for too many possibilities can be detrimental. This is most evident when clients are relying on you for your expert judgement. Consider simplifying your core offerings and pricing structure based on… | Read the full article
Controversial Photography Is Sometimes a Necessary Evil
Last month, the Word Press Photo of the Year was engulfed in controversy surrounding the selection of the winning entry. Voters were torn between advocating for an image that they believed gave publicity to martyrdom, whereas those who voted for the picture were taken aback by its impact and the photographer’s poise under significant duress. If you’re not familiar with the photo in question, Turkish photographer Burhan Ozbilici was on hand to witness and capture the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey by a local off-duty police officer. Photos depicting assassinations are nothing new to the World Press Photo Awards. In fact, several similar pictures previously featuring in the competition have taken out the top prize. While there is nothing comforting about the photo – which depicts the abhorrent actions some will undertake to further their own beliefs and causes – there are several aspects to consider beyond… | Read the full article
Shooting in Black and White
While at times some might question the purpose of black and white shots when one has a full colour spectrum to utilise, there can be no denying the impact that can be created when shooting in this style. In part this can be attributed to the finer details of a photo that are allowed to shine through. In broader consideration however, removing colour is better means to draw attention to focal points. You can take note of these key aspects to make the most of your black and white photography. Select your shots carefully Just like certain settings or lighting conditions favour some type of work, it’s important to ensure your work fits in with a black and white style. The biggest attribute of monochromatic photos is the texture and shape they take on from their appearance. This won’t be appropriate in every situation, particularly instances where you… | Read the full article
Natural Lighting vs Artificial Lighting
It’s an inevitable decision for just about every photographer at some point, particularly portrait photographers – should they use natural lighting, or artificial lighting? Of course, this is often a personal decision and one that photographers would choose for a variety of reasons depending on their circumstances. With that said, what exactly are the differences when shooting with the two different sources of lighting? Natural lighting that offered by way of the sun and the moon, is a readily available, free and accessible source for photographers to work with. There is no requirement to purchase significant gear or equipment. The exception to this might be diffusers and reflectors, which are designed to distort or enhance natural lighting – these are considerably cheaper than actual sources of lighting like strobes, LEDs and the like. Using natural light is also a great starting point for photographers looking to gauge and comprehend… | Read the full article
The Magnetism of Film
Despite being down and out for the best part of more than a decade, film photography and its ardent supporters refuse to roll over and let the format become a footnote in the chapters of history. In fact, we’ve seen a resurgence from the format in recent times, despite the fact film accounts for only a fraction of the market it once occupied. Even some of the industry’s heavyweights have moved to back film again, with the likes of Kodak announcing a return for film to its line-up. Whereas once upon a time film was born out of necessity rather than choice, an emerging trend has been for younger photographers, who never had exposure to the format, to experiment with it and the associated manual processes as a way to adjust their style and spark their creativity. Therefore, with effectively a new target audience, film is finding a foothold… | Read the full article
Balancing Photography with Your Personal Life
We previously touched on the difficulties some photographers face when their passion for photography becomes a monotonous grind leading to potential burnout. One of the facets we noted concerned not overthinking things, and occupying your mind with other interests, pursuits, hobbies and those around us who we care about. When it comes to managing one’s personal life, how can one strike the right balance with their photography career? Administrative Block-outs With our constant connection to technology via smartphones, we’re often tempted to feel as though we need to monitor and reply to every email that comes our way as soon as it is received. This might seem like a logical approach, but it’s not necessarily the most efficient – particularly when you are in the middle of something else and trying to manage multiple tasks at the one time. What’s more, it can also creep into your personal life… | Read the full article
Common Mistakes Beginner Photographers Make
We’ve all been there before when starting a career in photography, making more mistakes than we thought were even possible. Some beginners however, purchase their camera and automatically assume that it will be easy work from there on in. They soon find out though, that the industry isn’t quite as forgiving. What’s more, many of these mistakes repeat themselves such that they become common within the industry. We take a look at the common mistakes beginner photographers make. Overemphasising the Importance of Gear Beginners often place their blame on the gear they are using. First thing off the bat, new photographers should dismiss this line of thought, as there’s simply little merit associated with it. A photographer’s time is better spent focusing on how they can convey their message through the equipment available to them. Something which is achievable with even the most basic of equipment. Relying on… | Read the full article
4 Tips to Help You Grow Your Photography Business
It’s not always easy for photographers to maintain the momentum behind the growth of their business. On the one hand, while focusing on the technical aspect of one’s career is an obvious necessity, the same emphasis isn’t always paid to the underlying business. Here are four ways to help you grow your photography business. Manage Your Time Carefully It might seem like the right thing to do by taking on as many clients as you can, but there is another side of the story to consider. When you fill your schedule with shoot after shoot, particularly those that might not align with your particular vision, you are diverting your attention away from your core clients. As such, you may not able to reach as many of them as possible. Time which you would otherwise spend shooting a non-core client, could instead be used to tighten up or improve… | Read the full article
Taking Risks with Your Photography
There’s a mantra held by some that in life taking risks results in great rewards. There’s certainly many examples out there to consider, without even including those risks defined as detrimental to one’s health and safety which are NEVER worth attempting. The subtle nuance lies with calculated risks – risks which have been carefully assessed to establish the likely outcome. Rather than taking death-defying risks to land the perfect shot, calculated risks are what can help photographers improve their business. Allow Yourself to Feel Anxious or Uncomfortable When it comes to complacency, we can sometimes be our own worst enemy. As we’ve detailed previously, a feeling of self-doubt or anxiety allows a photographer to analyse their own work in a new light. This feeling also encapsulates insecurity, which prompts us to ask ourselves – what is our rationale for a particular shoot or project? What does it actually mean… | Read the full article
