The most challenging subjects stuff I have ever been asked to photograph is–oddly enough–wedding dresses. I haven’t many occasions to photograph wedding dresses, and although most of them in the setting of the wedding, in a past life I also used to do studio photography for a number of wedding dress manufacturers.
Perhaps one of my most favorite clients was Oleg Cassini, and although I was never privileged to work with the man himself, I was able to photograph his dresses on many occasions. If you’re interested in Oleg Cassini, this is his Wikipedia page:
Certain fashion designers seem to be able to capture that “Je ne sais quoi,” that other designers are incapable of capturing. Oleg Cassini has been written about many, many times, and here is a good example of site that has an interesting article about him:
He is probably not one of the more well-known designers outside of the fashion industry, I mean–everybody has heard of Ralph Lauren or Christian Dior, but I think he’s probably one of the most influential designers of the 20th and 21st century.
Obviously, that is just my personal opinion, but having experienced the opportunity to see his work up close and photograph it, I think that’s a reasonable opinion to hold. one of the main issues with photographing wedding dresses is lighting. Quite often the model will need a different light to the dress, because the dresses tend to be very light and reflective. So, it is crucial to have a large range of lights and reflectors available–and probably a few neutral density filters as well.
When I was working in this field, I was actually shooting with Hasselblad using regular film, although things have moved on since then, and most people now shoot using digital equipment. Including myself of course, because the one thing you need to do when you’re a professional photographer is move with the times. If a client asks you for digital results, you better be prepared to offer them.
I enjoy amateur photography, and having spent ten years or more honing my skills, I (now) like to think of myself as being a fairly competent one.
I started off with an old instant camera, back in college. I loved capturing life in the moment, ore so because it was also my way of capturing memories. I always did love posing for pictures as a kid, so I guess this was a natural progression for me. Fast forward to now and I remain as keen as ever to ‘capture the moment’, and take the best images that I can.
I generally take photographs for my own reasons, but I also ‘hire’ myself out to friends and family. I say ‘hire’ loosely – photography is my hobby and whilst I acknowledge that I possess some skill, I don’t claim to be a professional one, therefore I come free of charge
Recently I took on a little project for our local dieters club. I’d been a member there myself, along with a friend of mine. I’d spent maybe a year, week after week, going for a weigh-in, pep talks, advice and support. Basically I got to know the gang’.
They wanted to run a little campaign, so that more people in our local community knew about them, knew where they were and could join the club. They needed some photographs taken so that they could have them printed out onto flyers and booklets, which were to be handed out and posted around the town.
Having made quite a few friends whilst I was a member, and being a big fan of the weight watchers dieting plan, I was more than happy to agree. Needless to say we had a fun time capturing some of the members, with some of the images ending up being unsuitable for their intended use.
We got a little silly and started to parody what weight watchers is all about – i.e. I took a load of shots of some of the guys stuffing themselves with candy and cakes. Of course it was all in good fun, and the whole experience was a positive one.
With the increased popularity of smart phones, specifically the iPhone, a new generation of photographers has started to pop up. Nowadays, everyone has a camera on them wherever they go, allowing them to snap more pictures than ever before.
Improved Technology
A huge reason why the photography industry is changing is because of improved technology. The cameras that come standard on most cell phones these days have been steadily improving over the years. Now there is no need to take a digital camera with you when you want to take photographs, you can simply pull out your cell phone and snap a high quality picture.
Also, the success of smart phone apps, such as Instagram, has made it possible for people to create professional looking photographs at relatively low costs. These applications allow users to make artistic changes to their photos and share them with the world via their social media accounts. Never before has the photography industry had so many useful, quality tools readily available to anyone looking to take professional quality pictures.
Readily Accessible
A big allure of iPhone photography is that it is readily available. You never know when a good photo opportunity is going to arise. In the olden days of photography, you would need to have a camera with you if you wanted to take any pictures during your day. Now, you can simply pull out your iPhone and capture life’s precious moments.
Also, being able to share your photos immediately has increased the popularity of photography. Social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter make it possible to share your photos with the world immediately after you have taken your pictures. This can add to the enjoyment of photography and encourage you to take more pictures throughout your day. It can be very entertaining to see what your friends say about the funny sign you came across or the giant plate of food you are about to eat for dinner.
Mobile devicephotography has also enhanced the shopping experience. People who need advice from friends on purchasing a gift or a luxury bed, can easily snap it on their phone and send it via SMS or email to someone who can give their opinion on wether to buy or not to buy.
As cell phone photography technology continues to improve, so will the landscape if the photography industry. More novice photographers will become interested in taking photographs and participating in the art form. The instant gratification that comes with the approval of your peers when they comment on your photos via social media outlets will only further encourage people to take more pictures to share with the world.
A true photographer knows that technique is important, but the right subject is absolutely essential. You have to be interested in what you’re photographing in order for the passion to come through. Otherwise it just becomes a mechanical exercise where all of the fun is drained away. Whether you photograph professionally or as a hobby, it’s important to inspire yourself whenever possible. One of the most interesting subjects that doesn’t get as much attention as it should happens to be food.
Most photographers focus on people or places as and their subjects. While there’s nothing wrong with this, photographing art itself can be incredibly fun as well. After all, the human experience is intrinsic in art and there’s no better example than food. Food is an art after all because it’s an expression of love and personal creativity. Through food you see a person’s passion, interest, and history blended into one. No one prepares dishes the same way, and subtle nuances can make a tremendous amount of difference both in taste and presentation.
There are many aspects of food that can be appreciated, and obviously taste is number one. But let’s not forget that food be appreciated on a visual level as well. The way food looks and is presented plays an incredible role in the overall experience. And in essence, that’s exactly what photography is meant to capture. With food as your subject matter, you can get some great shots that affect people in so many ways. You can create excitement, hunger, desire, or trigger long-standing memories. You can also create a tremendous amount of interest in food that people have never even seen before.
One of the best things about using food as a photography subject is you can do everything yourself. You don’t have to rely on a model to show up on time or for the perfect lighting during the day. You can create your own food at any time you like, and you’ll have the perfect subject that will be there for you the whole time. So whether it’s a fresh desert prepared within ice cream maker, or a perfectly grilled burger off your barbecue, there’s no shortage of wonderful dishes you can shoot. With time and experienced you might be able to get people to see aspects of common food that they have never realized.
Often the pictures you take with your camera will reflect what interests you. Somebody can look at your photographs and will be able to tell what excites you, and captures your imagination. I believe this is one of the most important things about making photography enjoyable. Even children can take fantastic pictures if it is something that they like, such as a family pet, or favourite activity.
If you are capturing an image of something you really like, and have a passion about, it will not make too much difference whether you are taking that shot with a Fujifilm Finepix L55, or a really expensive digital camera. This is because when you are taking a photo of something you love, you know how to get the best out of it.
However photography lessons can teach you techniques that can help you. They can also give you ideas of things you may not have thought of, and introduce to aspects of photography that you did not realise there were.
It is like any other hobby that you take up, there is always something to learn, but it is important to have fun with it too. By trying different techniques you may stumble across a way of making those pictures you enjoy taking even better.
Do you like taking pictures? Do you own an expensive camera and love figuring out new ways to take more creative pictures? If so, have you ever thought about trying to make some money with your pictures? There are many passive income ideas that require big investments but with a photography business, cost can be minimal especially if you already have all of the equipment. So how exactly do you make money with your pictures?
One way is to place your pictures on websites that charge people money to use photos. The site gets a cut and you get a cut. The great thing is that since these sites are very popular, you won’t have to worry too much about getting exposure. Another way is to simply create your own website and sell the license to your photos that way. You’ll need to figure out a way to drive traffic to your site though.
Selling photos can be a good way to make money but it can also take a while before you find a certain niche that really sells. Another thing you can do is to do reviews on cameras and recommend the best ones to your visitors. You can join various affiliate programs in order to make a profit from those sales.
