Steven McConnell is a professional photographer based in Sydney, Australia. He currently specialises in family photography and is passionate about creating photographs which tell real stories and businesses which deliver real value. You can connect with him on Google+
I’ve been working as a photographer for almost 2 years now. And looking back at this time, I can see a number of stages I’ve grown through.
Each stage is characterised by what I believed is the most important element of great photography. And in this post I decided to analyse them and come to a conclusion on the benefits and dangers of each stage.
… Continue reading Developing Your Photographic Style: Adding Power And Impact To Your Photography
Have you ever opened up a photography magazine, saw a photo you liked and spotted the little blurb which reveals the camera settings?
The conclusion you might be tempted to make is that the aperture, focal length, shutter speed, ISO and flash settings you see there somehow “made” that photo.
And worse, you might try to remember those settings as “the right settings” to use the next time you want to take an environmental group portrait of a family “because I once saw a similar photo with those settings and I really liked it”.
“Most of my pictures are grounded in people. I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. I try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape that I guess you’d call the human condition.”
It’s by Steve McCurry, whom I didn’t know much about until recently. I stumbled across him when a link called Behind The Scenes Of Photographing 2013 Pirelli Calendar showed up in one of my social media feeds.
I went to the movies to see Skyfall recently. As I sat amongst strangers, throwing popcorn into my mouth, it suddenly dawned upon me that what a movie, at its simplest, is just a big collection of photographs.
Consider this: a movie’s sole purpose is to tell a story. So the movie-maker’s job is to position his cameras, subjects and lights to create compositions, angles and look/feel in a way which powerfully communicates his story – moment, by moment, by moment.
Frame, by frame, by frame. Photograph, by photograph, by photograph.
You want to improve your photography? Forget about photography courses – go watch a movie! But first…
… Continue reading How To Become A Better Photographer By Watching Movies
A degree in fine art with a major in photography has been one of the long-standing pathways of entering a photography career.
At the end of your degree, you’ll end up with a good-looking portfolio, as well as skills that enable you to translate ideas into photographic art.
Is it a good idea? Is studying 3-4 years going to get you a job? What other skills do you need?
… Continue reading 3 Reasons You Don’t Need A Photography Degree
Growth is a direct result of being outside your comfort zone. But being outside your comfort zone can be wonderful thing and it can also be your worst nightmare.
The trick is in striking the perfect balance between doing what you know how to do well and doing what you have no idea about.
Let’s say someone asks you to photograph their wedding. You are pretty handy with your DSLR, but you’ve never shot a wedding before.
… Continue reading How To Experience Rapid Growth As A Photographer
Most articles which talk about improving your photography business will tell you about how to become a better photographer.
Some will tell you about the need to improve your business skills.
Sure, those are important. But I think they’re missing something. And it’s ironic that they’re missing the most obvious and most important part of your business – you.
… Continue reading Grow Your Photography Business By Growing As A Human Being
There are a lot of photographers out there selling photos, which are well … rubbish.
And there are many people out there who regard photography as an unpaid hobby, and yet produce shots which could be sold.
How do you know if your photography is suitable for the commercial world?
It’s not an easy question to answer, and I don’t claim to have an outright answer for you. I don’t think anyone does.
… Continue reading Are Your Photos “Good Enough” For You To Be A Professional Photographer?
I see more and more magazine articles and blog posts where disillusioned photographers advise aspiring young passionate artists not to enter this career.
A few weeks ago, for example, I picked up a popular photography magazine and was left depressed because just about every article talked about photography being a dying profession and the inadequacy of it to pay bills.
The feature article of the magazine in question had an interview with an industry hotshot, and her golden piece of advice in that article was not to consider photography as a full-time career, but to limit it to “weekend-warrior” type of gig.
Really?
… Continue reading How To Become A Professional Photographer. Now.
