010 - 10 Things I've Learned in 10 Years of Photography
In episode 10 we are talking about 10 things Robert has learned in 10 years of photography. Robert has a long history in journalism and outdoor photography. There are some great nuggets of information here that can help advance your photography.
Tip 1: Be the Director
Don't just let people be ‘natural’ or do ‘what feels right.' You are going to need to give subjects a little bit of direction to feel more comfortable
Get your subject to relax by telling a few jokes or talking to them about the things they love
What your subject is thinking about will come across on their face in the image
Don’t ask your subjects to ‘say cheese’ get them to say something like ‘mocha’ that ends in an ‘uh’ sound because that leaves your face in a more natural position
Be ready to fail. Sometimes poses just don’t work for whatever reason
Tip 2: Capturing Authentic Smiles
This works way better once you’ve gotten your subject to relax as we talked about in tip 1
Firstly, get your subject to pose however you want
Next, get them to smile (remember, ‘uh’ sounds like mocha)
Take a couple of frames with this smile and then say something like, ‘ok that looks great’ take a few more frames right as you say this. Your subjects should relax a bit, giving them less tense smiles and more real smiles
Tip 3: The 3-shot method
This works well when you don't have a tripod
Fire off 3 frames. The first image will have some shake in it by pressing the shutter button, the middle frame will be the most stable because you won’t move anything, and the last frame will have shake in it by you removing your finger from the shutter.
You need to ensure you are standing in a stable way. Plant your feet, soften your knees, bring your elbows in against your torso (or brace them on an object in front of you), and take a couple of deep breaths to relax. Then take one big breath and hold it until after you have shot
Tip 4: Watch for Small Moments
Catching tiny moments comes from consistency.
Set habits include:
Planning for shots in advance
Being attentive
Not being afraid
Tip 5: Gear shouldn’t limit you
Yes, certain gear can make shots easier, but don’t let not having a fancy dSLR or mirrorless stop you from making great photos. You can create great work as long as you are will to explore and fail a bit.
Tip 6: Take Care of your Gear
Your gear takes care of you so do it a favour and take care of it. Clean your lenses and cameras regularly, along with your whole kit
Tip 7: Find a Community
Creative people build off each other and help each other to grow. They can help you see new places to take your photography and new ways to take images
Tip 8: Learn skills unrelated to Photography
This grows your mind and helps you to see the world in new ways. And you will likely find new fun things to photograph by doing this.
It will also help you avoid photography burnout. Because we all need multiple outlets and hobbies. Let your brain grow and expand in new ways
Tip 9: Take care of your mind, body and soul
We can only take images if our minds and bodies are working with us.
Fuel your body with nutritious meals
Focus on stretching and moving before heading out to shoot and end your day by stretching out and relaxing a bit
Get into the gym. We need to carry heavy loads for a very long time. Building up muscle, endurance, and some flexibility will really help you
Find some time to relax and breathe. Find a healthy balance for you
Tip 10: Photography is not as easy as it looks
Photography can look really easy from the outside. But to create truly excellent images takes time and dedication