Q for Matthew Saville and Heatherfeather (Newbie advice)

Demian

Hey guys! I've been taking photos for several years (for myself, and volunteering for a local nonprofit), and I think I'm still pretty bad at photography. And I've been mostly lurking on Dgrin for the past couple years, but I always followed Matthew Saville and heatherfeather. There are a lot of great photographers here, but in particular I have a ton of respect for you guys in both your consistency and quality of work. Your work is basically what I aspire to.

So I was hoping you could give a little help. To a relative newbie (with a grasp of technical basics), what advice would you give? Both direct tips on photography and general suggestions to direct my study would be greatly appreciated! I have no problem putting in a lot of work, but sometimes it feels like I'm butting my head against the wall (like reading a dozen tutorials on color correction or flash usage and walking away no better at it).


Obviously, anyone else is welcome to chime in as well. I just particularly wanted their opinion, and figured it was better to ask publicly so everyone can benefit

Matthew Saville

Hey Demian!

It sounds like you're looking for both technical input as well as general encouragement. On both fronts, I will highly recommend reading the article that I recently wrote for SLR Lounge:

http://www.slrlounge.com/are-copycat-photographers-getting-you-down

It says it's about copycat photographers, but really it's about improving your craft overall.

The biggest thing I can say, when it comes to "both direct tips and general study", is this: Become more aware of EVERYTHING. In other words, never let yourself feel disappointed for no reason, or for reasons you can't put your finger on. Track down exactly what it is that you want to accomplish, make yourself aware of all the small details involved in that goal, and then knock them down one by one. Any complex task, such as color correction using flash, can be broken down into a collection of basic questions and obstacles that you can tackle one at a time, and of course ask advice for one at a time.

One of the hardest things to do is to give advice on a subject without a specific goal. Having given TONS of advice over the past few years, (and SOUGHT tons myself!) ...I have found that the absolute most productive thing to do is to ask specific, targeted questions one at a time.

Then, experiment and get feedback. Become your own worst critic, but like I said in the article above, remember to know the difference between self-deprecation and self-motivation. One is good, one is worthless.

=Matt=

Demian

Thanks for the advice! In hindsight, I realize that simply "getting better" is a pretty ridiculous goal. And looking at my work, I can already pick out some of the flaws... so I suppose I should set smaller goals for now (and hopefully lean on my fellow dgrinners for more criticism :X)

Qarik

Demian wrote: »

Thanks for the advice! In hindsight, I realize that simply "getting better" is a pretty ridiculous goal. And looking at my work, I can already pick out some of the flaws... so I suppose I should set smaller goals for now (and hopefully lean on my fellow dgrinners for more criticism :X)

you want to get better at wedding/event photoggrpahy? do 2 things:

1) take your camera to every single social event and be THAT guy with the camera. this gives you exposure to different lighting conditions, settings, people, places, etc.

2) find a SINGLE shot you like from matt or heather and do your aboslute best to replicate it in every detail that is relevent. I mean do side by side after you are done and see if they pass muster..could Matt/Heather have taken this shot? If not then find out WHY.

heatherfeather

I have come to this thread a couple of times and haven't had a moment to respond. Thanks for the shout out. Had to laugh, though. I am on the ladder of learning just like all of us.

First off, realize photography is a combo of practice and art. The practice part you can acquire with time spent with camera in hand in all sorts of situations. Gain confidence with familiarity. Practice in the dark... practice in full sun. Flash on, flash off. (Yes, Daniel-son)

Hopefully the art part is already in you. But it can be nurtured by looking at work you admire and growing an understanding of what types of photos make YOU happy. If you aren't enjoying what you are creating, the photos will be lifeless and dull. Make sure it appeals to YOU.

Keep looking back at your work and watch for a pattern of growth. If your photos aren't getting better with time, you need to figure out what is holding you back. Instead of being embarrassed by the old, think of it as a measuring stick of your growth.

There you go! Its nothing you haven't heard before... but truth... is truth. And always worth revisiting.

studio1972

My advice would be that if you are looking to start out as a wedding photographer, comparing yourself to your photographic heroes is not a great idea at this stage.

Shooting a wedding is not about getting that one amazing shot to put on a web forum, not as a beginner. When you start off, you're just not going to be that good, you're at the start of a process.

But the good news is, not every client wants, appreciates, or can afford that sort of photography. They just want photographs that capture their big day, and are clear, well exposed, nicely composed and of printable quality.

They won't be upset if you fail to get pictures of Matt or Heather's standard, but they will be angry if you don't get a decent shot of her going up the aisle with her dad.

So what I'm saying is concentrate on getting the basics right.

First you need the basic gear. 2 bodies (at least one of those must be semi-pro or better), 2 standard zooms (one fast one and one cheap spare) plus maybe a 100mm f2. A couple of flashes. Plenty of batteries and memory cards (reliable ones). Those are the absolute minimum IMHO.

Next, practice your technique.

What is the minimum shutter speed you need to get a sharp image at various focal lengths. Get to know your camera, and change the settings very quickly from indoor to outdoor settings. Get used to the different focus modes and how to use them in different situations. Do not shoot in auto/P.

Learn how to bounce the flash. Better still, learn to use remote flash, but bounce will do initially.

See if you can get a gig as a second shooter and use your gear in anger. Once you are happy that your shots are acceptable, start looking for paid gigs on your own.

Once you've got to grips with all this, and it's starting to become natural to you, start looking for inspiration so you can make incremental improvements, but don't expect to become a master overnight.

Good Luck