I’d like to share a few experiences that I believe helped me become a stronger travel photographer. I hope that by the end of this piece, you’ll be searching online for plane tickets for a trip you’ve been putting off. But first, allow me to tell you a little about myself in my first-ever contribution to Shutter.
The majority of my corporate shoots are in locations I’ve never been before. We average five to 10 destination weddings a year. They require working out of suitcases, taxis and hotel rooms with limited time and resources. Filming at home in a studio is one thing, but bringing your filmmaking productions to Hawaii, Mexico, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, England, Canada and everywhere in between is another. Over the past decade, I’ve made many traveling mistakes in my destination filmmaking. I’m going to try to help you avoid those mistakes.
There are several factors that play a part in creating a great image. Location is often one of the most important. Location sessions have become very popular. Being able to travel to tropical locations to photograph weddings sounds like a dream job. While it can be both fun and rewarding, it can bring a ton of liabilities that most photographers overlook. Locations have helped keep my interest in my portrait business. If you shoot in the same camera room day after day, you are sure to become bored at some point. But there is more to finding a location than just riding around and hopping out and shooting.
Why are millions of people mesmerized by the Humans of New York project? For me, it’s the connection photographer Brandon Stanton quickly makes with his subjects to enable a life story to be told in a single portrait. Photographer and subject are both participants, resulting in a different kind of “decisive moment” than the classic street photography of a photographer like Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose subjects often aren’t aware that their moment has been captured. Viewed together, the HONY portraits tell the story of a city, revealing a true sense of place through its inhabitants. Street portraits are my favorite type of travel photographs, my favorite way to tell the story of the places I visit. They are also the most challenging for me to capture.
I used to think of a day when I was taking a flight as a day off. I couldn’t plan anything that day because I was flying. Traveling would take all the energy out of me, and being midair meant I was free from contact with the outside world. Not anymore.
When our businesses are run well, we have the ability to give of our time and even our money to people and causes that are important to us. If you’ve never gotten involved with a charitable organization, I challenge you to seek out something that speaks to you. There are so many different causes to get involved in, and I promise that you will be blessed through your giving. If you aren’t financially able to give money, give of your time, talent and service.
Use a quality tripod. Nothing can ruin the perfect shot like a weak tripod or, even worse, no tripod at all. This is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your gear bag. Just as important as a steady set of legs is the head you put on it. Especially when you start shooting with a longer, heavier lens. Nobody wants to be in the middle of a long exposure only to have the ball head fail. I use Really Right Stuff carbon-fiber tripods. They’re incredibly sturdy, unbelievably light and easy to use. Cared for properly, they will last you a lifetime.
It’s travel month at Shutter Magazine. When most people think of travel, they think of sweeping landscapes or larger-than-life architecture. But travel photography can mean so much more to portrait shooters. Every time I travel, I have my gear and a shoot of some sort lined up.
One of the main dilemmas faced by newer shooters is deciding which type of artificial light to invest in with a limited budget. The basic question is: What is the best bang for the buck that will help you grow the most? This month, I talk about the pros and cons about the two most common solutions to OCF shooting: speedlights versus mono strobe lights.
Many of the ShutterFest faithful have been telling me loud and clear that they need help with the basics of off-camera lighting. I’ve spent years cultivating studio and location skills ranging from simple one-light setups to complex multiple-light, large-crew productions, so I often assume everyone understands the basics. Clearly this isn’t the case. This month, let’s dig into the foundations and some basic techniques.
In today’s competitive landscape, quality online photography training and education is priceless to your growth. Unfortunately, most publications contain a ton of fluff. No real meat to their content. Not at Behind the Shutter. We are committed to the photography community and improving professional photography by providing current, insightful, and in-depth educational content.
Training topics include photography lighting techniques, photography off-camera flash tips, photography posing guides, photography business concepts and marketing strategies, Facebook for photographers, boudoir and glamour photography training, high-school senior photography concepts, IPS (In-Person Sales) strategies, family photography, Lightroom tutorials, Photoshop how-tos, and much, much more.
