Find a great spot, frame up and …. wait for someone to walk by. Typically a shutter speed of 1/200 or 1/250 should be fine to stop people walking fast becoming a blur (unless you want that blur?)
Don’t be afraid to use the crop tool to get rid of anything in the frame you don’t like and/or to make the image neater and more powerful. (‘Before image’ above & ‘after image’ below)
If we look at my photo of Roue de Paris below in a two-dimensional sense it looks rather flat. I’ll explain: The image has been framed so everything sits on various horizontal strips.
Along the bottom of the frame are the chairs and a few people dotted about. Above that is the pond, then some more people and trees and then the wheel and sky. In reality, you are actually looking at an area about 50m deep, but my framing makes the area seem reasonably flat. I often create images like this as I find it pretty pleasing.
To do this yourself, look out for patterns in the photos and perhaps even get down on your knees (or lower) to create that perspective.
All cities have a rich history with many stories to find. Understanding those stories and adding your own spin is a great way to create images. I shot this image at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial. I spun around and noticed a woman looking like she had just stepped out of war-time Europe; black coat, headscarf – really timeless, a ghost from the past. I quickly raised my camera, filled the frame with those concrete slabs, and pressed the shutter. I managed one single frame before she was gone.
Nine times out of ten, your travel photos will be taken using available light (i.e. you won’t be adding any flash) so use The Sun to your advantage.
You don’t always have to put your back to it, turn towards it a little and get some cool lens flare. Real lens flare is infinitely better looking than the fake stuff added in post.
Not really no – only a version of the truth. So with that in mind, get extreme. This statue base already had some graffiti sprayed on it so I went full comic book punk by using the Split Toning feature in Adobe Lightroom (See below).
The split toning feature allows you to add colour/tone individually to the highlight and shadows. For this image, I chose a pinky/red colour for the highlights and a blue-ish colour for the shadows.
Add depth to your frame by shooting through things. You’re showing a narrative and/or an environment with one single image, so do so by having multiple things in your shot but find a creative way to do it. This image is super symmetrical – I levelled it by eye on the day.
I used Split Toning to add some teal to the shadows and some light orange/slight tan to the highlights. I also dropped the blacks giving the image a very subtle cinematic look.
The image above is f3.5 1/125. It was a particularly dull, overcast day in Barcelona when I visited so there wasn’t a super great amount of light to worry about flooding into my camera which could cause overexposure.
But if it had been a bright summers day, I definitely would have had to increase the speed of the shutter to above 1/250.
Using Split Toning, I added teal to the shadows and a very subtle orange to the highlights. I also dropped the blacks
There are no right or wrong answers. Experiment. Play around. Have fun and find your own style. You don’t need lots of fancy equipment. Remember: every cool and iconic image taken in the past was created using equipment that is less technically superior than the camera you hold in your hands. It’s imagination and individuality that counts, so have the confidence to create your own images in the way you want to.
Photography can be more than just a passion, it can be a profession! This complete guide on how to become a professional photographer will answer every question you’ve ever had about professional photography and starting a career as a professional photogr
The advent of digital photography has led to an explosion in photography, both as a creative art form and as a career choice as well. The basics of becoming a photographer are incredibly easy now; You can buy a camera and some equipment, learn photography from a multitude of free online photography courses, practice your photography skills, find a niche that you can focus on. You can indeed find your own answers to the question - how to become a professional photographer.
However, though it sounds easy, the truth is not that simple. Photography is an extremely competitive field that requires you to have talent, skills, marketing acumen and discipline to make your mark as a professional photographer. To be successful, professional photographers need to not just be talented; they also need the tenacity to put in long hours, compete hard due to supply-demand imbalance and manage their business as an entrepreneur. Here is an extensive collection of great photography website templates for your reference.
Brand PhotographerWhile you can earn much more as a photographer, based on your talent, skills, portfolio, and business acumen, it would be wise to make sure that it's your passion and love for photography that's driving your decision to go down the path of becoming a professional photographer.
Once you have figured out what motivates you and decided on taking up photography as a career, it's time to start looking into the big question of 'how to become a professional photographer.'
In this comprehensive guide, we have covered all the aspects and steps that you would need to take to complete your journey from a hobbyist/amateur photographer to becoming a professional photographer:
Professional photography can be an excellent choice for a career if you can manage the right balance between your creative passion and entrepreneurial instincts. Just like starting any other business, put together a list of questions that you need to answer for yourself before you begin your photography career, set goals and think about how to be a good photographer.
You would find the answers to most of your questions on how to become a good photographer through research, both online and offline. Go to photography talks, exhibitions, and seminars. You would meet a lot of photographers at these events, and you can get a lot of answers directly from them. There are a number of online photography communities that you can become a member of. Some of the answers that you seek will come from structured education, and some answers will only come with experience and time.
Tip: Find a professional photographer to mentor you. Help him out in his assignments and begin learning the basics of photography business from him.
Professional Photography is one of the very few fields where structured training is not a prerequisite. You can self-learn, practice, and improve your skills without going to a formal educational institute. However, it can add a lot of value to your career, skills, and experience as a professional photographer.
Professional Photography is one of the very few fields where structured training is not a prerequisite. You can self-learn, practice, and improve your skills without going to a formal educational institute. However, it can add a lot of value to your career, skills, and experience as a professional photographer.
A lot of professional photographers have taken photography courses at top photography schools, universities, or design institutes. Besides a formal course of instruction to develop their skill sets, a photographer should have a keen eye, oodles of creativity, and technical ability. We have listed a few simple steps to get you started.
The Certificate Photography programs can be completed in a few months. They help students learn essential skills and knowledge in photography. These programs cover the basics of:
The Associate Degree in Photography is offered in various Art Schools, Colleges, and Universities. The Associate Degree course typically lasts for two years. The curriculum is technical and prepares students to learn the different types of photography and use various techniques – from transparency and negative films to working in a natural setting. Students also learn to acquire skills for making photographs in a studio.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography is typically a four-year course available at a University or College. The course includes in-depth curricula and supporting coursework. It entails a study of the fundamentals of photography, digital and film photography, its narratives, history, and techniques. The course also teaches understanding imagery in Editorial, Advertising, and Fine art photography. And, this guide will walk you through some of the fruit-producing tips and tricks editorial photography.
The Master's Degree in Photography or Master of Fine Arts prepares students to explore theory and gain essential practical experience. The Master's Course is available for students who have completed the Bachelor's Program.
If you are currently employed full-time, you can choose from a range of Online Photography Courses that will give you a good understanding of the basics. While the really good ones are paid, there are several free online photography courses also available. You can take up these courses in your free time and improve your skills. You can also join photography workshops during weekends to build your portfolio, which would become a base in your journey as a professional photographer.
There is ample information available on photography blogs and podcasts to get an understanding of the basics of photography – composition, aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings, depth, white balance, etc... You can always learn additional skills in lighting, posing, equipment, flash, and improve your editing skills as you go along. Start small and then begin working on your images using photo editors. Gradually you will learn the art of perfecting your pictures using settings in professional editing software.
If you're a young, budding photographer, look out and network with other professional photographers and mentors. It is very important to develop your people skills. Good communication, flexibility, and a patient demeanor are as important as developing your technical skills as a professional photographer. Never shy away from getting feedback about your work. You are eventually going to make a living based on the quality of your working. Here is an example of best wedding & lifestyle website templates you can check.
Look out for vacancies and get a photography job as an intern or an Assistant to gain hands-on experience that no university or school can teach. The key is to get professional photography experience by applying the knowledge and skill-sets that you have learned in the real world. During your internship, focus on learning how a photography business is run and how to deal with clients.
If you’re having a wedding photoshoot you might want to add information that applies to a bigger group of people, or with families you want to specify anything related to the smallest of the family.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
Anything you can think of that your client needs to know goes here. If you want them to bring accessories, moisturize their skin beforehand, or not to add any self-tanner (many people do this!), tell them that.
Colors, specific styles that you feel would be coherent for the photoshoot, add in this section. Some clients will always bring high heels, but if you’re photographing of a field and the shoes will not be visible, sneakers will do just fine. What colors should you wear for a photoshoot should be decided together with the rest of the people that will be a part of the photoshoot.
If you did decide on a color palette, inspiration images and lighting, it would be added in this section. Even if you went through with it with your client, putting everything in one place so the whole family can go through it will be more than helpful.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
The address, parking information and whether the are has a set of their own rules – important information not to be left out.
Whether to add this section or not is up to the photographer: sometimes you have already discussed the price points with the client, so you don’t want to repeat it and especially if you’re not sure about the pricing yourself (fe. starting photographers can check how to price their work here) and feel uneasy to bring it up once it has been decided on.
But if you offer extra services such as image editing, or additional image packages, you could add them in the guide, so that the client knows how much they cost if they decide to add more services.
A photography style guide may include more or less parameters, depending on the style of the photographer / designer or the client’s request.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
Once you’ve met with your clients once or twice, and all the details have been decided, you can finalize your communication by sending the guide and rest assured your client will know how to prepare before the photoshoot.
Make sure you send it out at least a week before the date, so that if something needs to be changed or purchased, there is enough time for that.
Sounds good don’t you think? Where and how do you start? Well, you can download for our beautiful photography guide template, apply your branding, add you’re content and it’s ready to be shared. This template was created for professional photographers.
This template can be edited in Canva, so you will need the Free Canva Account to be able to access it.
Send out this professionally written style guide to your clients via email (embed into the body of your message or send as a PDF) or post on your blog.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
Here's a list of tips, advice, rules and just things to know about photography from Eric Kim, a street photographer who also holds photography workshop classes. I think the gist of it is to keep taking pictures always.
18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you "photoshop" your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the "digital darkroom".
Specialist Sports Photographer20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.
26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.
29. Don't be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.
39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.
64. You don't need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don't even own one).
71. You don't need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.
88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.
People pictures fall into two categories: portraits and candid. Either can be made with or without your subject's awareness and cooperation.
However near or far your subject, however intimate or distant the gaze your camera casts, you always need to keep in mind the elements of composition and the technique that will best help you communicate what you are trying to say.
The most common mistake made by photographers is that they are not physically close enough to their subjects. In some cases this means that the center of interest—the subject—is just a speck, too small to have any impact. Even when it is big enough to be decipherable, it usually carries little meaning. Viewers can sense when a subject is small because it was supposed to be and when it's small because the photographer was too shy to get close.
Don't be shy. If you approach people in the right way, they'll usually be happy to have their picture made. It's up to you to break the ice and get them to cooperate. Joke around with them. Tell them why you want to make the picture. Practice with people you know so that you are comfortable; people can sense when you aren't.
The settings in which you make pictures of people are important because they add to the viewer's understanding of your subject. The room in which a person lives or works, their house, the city street they walk, the place in which they seek relaxation—whatever it is, the setting provides information about people and tells us something about their lives. Seek balance between subject and environment. Include enough of the setting to aid your image, but not so much that the subject is lost in it.
You may want to make photographs of people going about their business—vendors in a market, a crowd at a sports event, the line at a theater. You don't want them to appear aware of the camera. Many times people will see you, then ignore you because they have to concentrate on what they are doing. You want the viewers of the image to feel that they are getting an unguarded, fly-on-the-wall glimpse into the scene.
There are several ways to be unobtrusive. The first thing, of course, is to determine what you want to photograph. Perhaps you see a stall in a market that is particularly colorful, a park bench in a beautiful setting—whatever has attracted you. Find a place to sit or stand that gives you a good view of the scene, take up residence there, and wait for the elements to come together in a way that will make your image.
If you're using a long lens and are some distance from your subject, it will probably be a while before the people in the scene notice you. You should be able to compose your image and get your shot before this happens. When they do notice you, smile and wave. There's a difference between being unobtrusive and unfriendly. Another way to be unobtrusive is to be there long enough so that people stop paying attention to you. If you are sitting at a café order some coffee and wait. As other patrons become engrossed in conversations or the paper, calmly lift the camera to your eye and make your exposure. In most cases, people either won't notice or won't mind. But be judicious. Don't keep firing away and become a nuisance. They will mind. You can also set the camera on the table with a wide-angle lens pointed at your subject and simply press the remote release when the time is right. Modern auto focus and auto exposure cameras make this easy to do as well.