Thought this was good to read... Especially right now as I embark on opening our studio doors in a couple weeks. ****************** MY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS By Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai 12 Mar 2008 I get asked all the time, during workshops, in e-mails, in private messages, what words of wisdom I would give to a new and aspiring photographer. Heres my answer. - Style is a voice, not a prop or an action. If you can buy it, borrow it, download it, or steal it, it is not a style. Dont look outward for your style; look inward. - Know your stuff. Luck is a nice thing, but a terrifying thing to rely on. Its like money; you only have it when you dont need it. - Never apologize for your own sense of beauty. Nobody can tell you what you should love. Do what you do brazenly and unapologetically. You cannot build your sense of aesthetics on a concensus. - Say no. Say it often. It may be difficult, but you owe it to yourself and your clients. Turn down jobs that dont fit you, say no to overbooking yourself. You are no good to anyone when youre stressed and anxious. - Learn to say Im a photographer out loud with a straight face. If you cant say it and believe it, you cant expect anyone else to, either. - You cannot specialize in everything. - You dont have to go into business just because people tell you you should! And you dont have to be full time and making an executive income to be successful. If you decide you want to be in business, set your limits before you begin. - Know your style before you hang out your shingle. If you dont, your clients will dictate your style to you. That makes you nothing more than a picture taker. Changing your style later will force you to start all over again, and thats tough. - Accept critique, but dont apply it blindly. Just because someone said it does not make it so. Critiques are opinions, nothing more. Consider the advice, consider the perspective of the advice giver, consider your style and what you want to convey in your work. Implement only what makes sense to implement. That doesnt make you ungrateful, it makes you independent. - Leave room for yourself to grow and evolve. It may seem like a good idea to call your business Precious Chubby Tootsies....but what happens when you decide you love to photograph seniors? Or boudoir? - Remember that if your work looks like everyone elses, theres no reason for a client to book you instead of someone else. Unless youre cheaper. And nobody wants to be known as the cheaper photographer. - Gimmicks and merchandise will come and go, but honest photography is never outdated. - Its easier to focus on buying that next piece of equipment than it is to accept that you should be able to create great work with what youve got. Buying stuff is a convenient and expensive distraction. You need a decent camera, a decent lens, and a light meter. Until you can use those tools consistently and masterfully, dont spend another dime. Spend money on equipment ONLY when youve outgrown your current equipment and youre being limited by it. There are no magic bullets. - Learn that people photography is about people, not about photography. Great portraits are a side effect of a strong human connection. - Never forget why you started taking pictures in the first place. Excellent technique is a great tool, but a terrible end product. The best thing your technique can do is not call attention to itself. Never let your technique upstage your subject. - Never compare your journey with someone elses. Its a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never arrive. No one ever does. - Embrace frustration. It pushes you to learn and grow, broadens your horizons, and lights a fire under you when your work has gone cold. Nothing is more dangerous to an artist than complacency.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 06:58:38 +0000
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