When Ellie asked me to write for the annual “Lighting” issue, she suggested “Lighting Patterns.” My first thought was dark, gloomy closeups with sad people and of course Rembrandt.
As someone who shoots with any kind of light available to me, I’m pretty resourceful when it comes to incorporating external lighting within my shoots. A lot of my photoshoots are spontaneous, so I don’t like to weigh myself down with heavy gear or props.
Photography is an expensive undertaking, whether it’s your hobby or your career. From the hardware (camera and lenses) to the software (Capture One/Lightroom/Photoshop) and all the little things in between, the costs add up.
We know that weddings can be extremely unpredictable. You can do all of the preparation in the world, but as the famed fighter Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Inspiration can come when you least expect it. As photographers, we are visual artists. We express ourselves through our camera and the images we create.
Over the years, some of my favorite tricks in Lightroom Classic have saved me seconds per image, minutes per job and hours in a week. Saving time is vital for my workflow and sanity when I have dozens of jobs piling up.
There is a distinct art to photographing men, one that I would even say has become a passion of mine. This is most likely because of my love for men’s fashion and styling, but also because I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like on wedding days because as the lead photographer I’m primarily with the bride.
In 2018, I was a single mom, a medically retired Airman, going to school full-time, working at Target and trying my hardest to make my dreams come true. The same vision I had for 11 years.
We pass many milestones in our lives, and when each new door opens, we grow in what we do. In photography, some of those moments include understanding how to use our cameras, the exposure triangle, and maybe even Bayer filters and circles of confusion.
As both a fashion and portrait photographer, I photograph a wide variety of posing styles. I photograph models in back-breaking avant garde positions and portrait clients who would prefer to remain seated, thank you very much (not that I let them). And it’s my job to coach them all.
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.
