by Jason Eldridge: Have you ever thought, ‘if I could just travel to exotic locations I could produce great images’? Has that ever stopped you from getting off the couch to go shoot? It is a way of thinking that will stagnate your growth as a photographer. This haunted me for over two years.
I moved from the majestic mountains of East Tennessee to the flat swampland of the Florida Everglades (specifically just south of Miami, FL) and at this time I considered myself a nature/landscape photographer. My photography suffered as I spent a couple of years complaining about the lack of shooting locations and about how I lost the mountains. The next trip back to Tennessee is all that would spark my photographic interest. One day I was sitting on the couch next to my wife who looked at me and simply said “why don’t you just go photograph where we live? After all we may not be here forever”. I stuttered a bit trying to find a good counter but to no avail. The following week I took a trip to Miami for some nighttime photos.
I started doing real research about photographic opportunities in my area. I was shocked at all the viable locations in my own back yard. I discovered the right times of year to go into the Everglades and what weather conditions worked for both city and nature photography. I began expanding my focus (no pun intended). Portraiture and wedding photography became an interest. Before I knew it I was fully engaged into photography again.
On this years annual Christmas bash we we have fun talking about light, 2012, lots of great gadgets and gifts, and even avalanches… If you listen to the after show.
So after shooting the clips for the promo, Ken just say down with me and chatted on various topics I prompted him on. I’ve pretty much removed myself from this video and what remains is about 17 minutes of gold, as this renowned portrait photographer talks about out craft and how he see’s it.
Ken’s a really neat guy with more photographic awards than you want to count. But he’s always eager to learn new things and share ideas. It’s really cool. You can also view the HD version HERE.
Note: This post was copy-edited and re-shared in MAy of 2018. Ken passed away in November of 2016, but I left the tense and language as it was when this was originally written.
Today Gavin goes in depth on light, zones, meters and making images come out the way we want them, every time. Foregoing long errata and going straight to analysis of using light and Zone to control the results of our images. Lets jump in.
They have just not gotten to know me. Truth is, I’m just a guy in my late twenties, and it was not that long ago that I was starting out. I know what it’s like. I study a lot, know a lot of the hassles that can be avoided, and I see what’s happening in photography today. So I won’t simply play the part of a feel-good guy who says everything is great no matter what. We all deserve honesty.
Encouragement is a valuable thing, but there’s a lot of patting on the back going on because people don’t have the guts to be honest with their peers. In the end, the truth often comes out in the fact that they can’t make it in business. I say going bankrupt is terrible way to realize how hard photography is. Best to get to the hard truths right off, so you can make a business plan that works.
So that said, here are some thoughts–some observed, some learned the hard way–for newer and aspiring photographers. I’m going to be a little blunt, so don’t take it personally. It’s OK to be starting out. But you deserve honesty, and that’s exactly what you’ll get today.
It’s not like it was. Let’s face it. The standard of excellence is higher than ever. Everyone is doing photography. Yes, you can learn to take “good” photos pretty quickly. But so can everyone else. And with so many people doing just that, nearly as many trying to go into business, and a lot of those working for next to nothing, the market is totally saturated, and the value of photography has been driven to an all time low. But don’t lose heart. There is a market, but you need a brand and something with unique value to offer. You’ll need quality, personalty, and business skill to boot, or you’ll just be working for peanuts producing the same stuff everyone else is.
1. Take the Time.
You won’t be Ansel overnight. Don’t stress about it. Becoming a really experienced photographer takes training–a lot of it. It will not happen overnight. It probably won’t even happen in two or three years. Not that you won’t be taking good photos in that time, but don’t expect them to be the most amazing things every time. If you want to rise above just keep getting better. Keep training. Because you can, and you’ll feel great about that progress.
2. Don’t Rush Into It.
Make a clean, simple site where you can show your work and get feedback. Then keep at it, but take it easy. Don’t feel like you have to rush out and book gigs. It’s OK to be a photographer for the sheer joy of it, just learning, sharing, and having fun. As soon as you start hiring out, you’ll have to spend more time managing a business than making great photos. A lot more. In many ways, it’s actually less enjoyable when it becomes a job, even if you still love it.
