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Can I get some advice on next steps?
I'm looking for some advice on how to improve my photography in some upcoming shoots. I have an idea of where I want to go, but don't have a mentor or instructor to help with the next step. I have always been passionate about traditional B&W reportage photography, but my current lifestyle doesn't leave me time to explore as much as I would like. I have been trying to apply what I like about traditional reportage work to photojournalistic wedding photography, lifestyle portraits, and location based fashion photography (note I said trying). I have also realized that I have little interest in studio glamour work in the style of FHM/Maxim/Stuff magazines. When I look at my current work, it seems more interesting than your basic senior portraits... but just barely. Can anyone offer advice on how to push myself to the next level or what would make my work more interesting to you? Thanks in advance for your time and insight you may be able to offer! Sep 14 05 08:27 am Link Dude, the photos of the girl in the green dress are fabulous...stay with some color. If you look at my port, I think you will see a common theme. I don't really even know what it is. It's like playing guitar, you can hear a sound in your head, and you are trying to make it, but you never really get there, but you get closer. All I know is that most of the images in my port taken over a 2 year period have a "common" look to them, regardless of what lens, lights or post process I add, as I am apparently trying to get somewhere that is in my head. I would suggest spending some time making a collection of images that really move you and then disecting them and figuing out just what exactly it is that was done. I, like many, save images I see on the web to a folder that I review for education. If you browse that folder, you start to see common trends. It's not that you are "stealing" someone elses idea, but you are trying to target what moves you. Only then, can you try to hit your mark. How can you know where you want to go, if you can't first define it. Mark Sep 14 05 09:30 am Link FIRST - Congrats on being able to eloquently state your goals and understand your limitations. Also kudos to you for understanding that you are lacking a mentor. I'm in the same boat. Your B&W work is spot on. Esp this... https://modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pic_id=430a6af91d06a Your studio shot here.... https://modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pic_id=430a6af91d06a .... is, well, rather lacking. Ditch the studio. Maxim has enough photographers.  I'll tell you something you could go after. Take the quality of what you have done with the girl in the water and go out and shoot a 5 image story telling spread. Set your goal to be 5 images that have a common theme that would be worth to illustrate a fashion article. I think this might be one of many "next" levels that you are looking for. Cheers, Zack Sep 14 05 10:45 am Link David, We're in remarkably similar situations. I'm on my way out right now, but will write more later... J Sep 14 05 12:09 pm Link I'll jump on this boat as well... I'd love to get to the next step... Sep 14 05 12:18 pm Link me too. my photos aren't even remotely similar to the work i set out to do, and i imagine i'll be continuously evolving. Sep 14 05 12:45 pm Link Gunfitr wrote: I agree with this greatly. Sep 14 05 07:17 pm Link Taking a stab in the dark here..... When i was lost for a while I took a step back. I studied the poeple whos images i adored and repsected. I desected them and broke them down to elements. These elements became my lesson plan. For example you can look at an image and see that the compostion is the strongest element. The way the figure related to the background and how the arms and legs direct the eye in the piece. That way of looking at the photo and breaking it apart and understanding why it works is a lesson that you are learning. From there go out and creat interesting compositions in yoour work for the next 3-4 shoots. Work on composition and play around with it. Find out what works and what does not. You can do thsi with books as well. Books on topics can teach you soooooo much. Then you take those ideas and mesh them into what you like. Use the elements to strengthen your style of shooting. Personally I see images with great lighting and figure out how they did it. Then I see how I would change it to make it better or more me. I get a model with a completely different look and concept from the source image and then make my photo with my lighting changes. I most notably do it with the sunglasses shots. They can be tough to light the challange is fun and creative. Plus I try and make the image in a style that I want too see. Sorry I was rambling... Take your lifestyle shooting and dress a girl ina brides' maid dress from the salvation army and do a lifestyle/wedding image. You can learn great wedding techniques without screwing up someones wedding. Plus you can add a twist to the lifestyle shots. The same thing with portraits. Image your friend is an actor or musician and havem "play the part" for your portraits. It can add a depth that normal portrait does not have. Plus is pushes the boundry of the classification of portrait and gives it new life. Basically what I am droning on about for way too long i s that you need to see things differently from what they are catagorized as. Give what you are shooting a spin that only your mind could think of. Anothher of my 2 cents. Spend it how you like... Sep 14 05 07:36 pm Link I get over my "photo-block" in much the same method they taught me in writing. I grab my camera, go outside someplace, and force myself to take 200 photos (this is a much cheaper solution now that I shoot so much digital!!) Usually, by the 100th photo, I'm no longer in my shooting blah and having a much better time finding the perfect composition. The fall color lake shot in my profile is one I took on one of these outings, and its among my favorite landscape type photos that I've ever taken. I'm not as good a photographer as many folks on here, though I strive to be. I also lack a true mentor, though I do have some photographers that I really look up to that I can occasionally get to critique my work. (which they typically tear to shreds.) Mostly, I wanted to echo that I REALLY feel what someone above said about having the image in my head that i'm trying to get to. Sep 14 05 08:23 pm Link usedfilm wrote: I think you were probably trying to link to this studio shot, but I agree it's rather lacking. I was at a workshop organized by Jay and it was my first attempt with studio light. By the end of the evening I had turned the strobes off and was simply working with two incandescent light bulbs... I definitely has some learning to do in that area. Sep 15 05 07:42 am Link You've got wonderful work showing. An idea might be to get a sympathetic model to spend the day wandering around with you. Carry your lightest camera with a standard lens only and Tri-X (or any faster B&W film). No clothes changes, no location cleaning, no crew, nothing formal. Shoot when you see something. It's an idea I tried with disastrous results once. I have no idea if it worked because a shooter I'd loaned my darkroom to screwed up the chem and the film was clear - all five rolls. -Don Sep 15 05 07:50 am Link My biggest challenge right now isn't coming up with the ideas, in fact it's almost the opposite. I have a stack of ideas but I want to to improve the overall quality of my work before I before I attempt some of them. I think the approach many of you have recommended is still the right one.... shoot through it. I'll also spin in usedfilm's thoughts and focus on a more specific goal rather than running around the location clicking away like a maniac. I have Katie lined up for tomorrow morning. If you have any thoughts on how to improve my work with her, feel free to offer an opinion. My goal is to improve and I really appreciate the advice that's been offered already. (And I'll get Katie posting to Model Mayhem) Sep 15 05 08:14 am Link Sep 15 05 02:16 pm Link Bill Hudson wrote: That is a very useful 'how to' article!! Sep 15 05 02:51 pm Link Bill Hudson wrote: HOLY CRAP, REQUIRED READING!! Sep 15 05 08:26 pm Link David Nusbaum wrote: while not all that original she'd look good in b&w wearing a way too big biker jacket in an urban water setting. Don't hate me for loving a classic look! Sep 15 05 08:59 pm Link |
