Always Be Squinching and Other Tricks From a Portrait Photographer for Taking Flattering Pictures

These days, everybody has a headshot. If you don’t know what you’re doing with your eyes, mouth, or jaw to make sure that yours look their best, Peter Hurley is here to instruct you.

• Dan Solomon

People pose for more pictures than ever these days, at their own and others’ hands. And since we basically live our entire lives online, those pictures are more important than ever–now, any old romantic prospect or potential empoyer who knows your name can find a photo of you to go with it.

With that in mind, we asked portrait photographer Peter Hurley, whose video on “squinching” (squinching: narrowing your eyes slightly to create a confident look. No, not too much–that’s squinting. Watch the video for more), went viral recently, to share with us tricks for how to look your very best when posing in front of the camera–even if you’re also the photographer.

Consider the Whole Face

I’ve got a slew of tips, but squinching and emphasizing the jawline are the first two I start with. The jawline is number one (see video below). The squinching is cool, believe me–if people can get people to squinch in front of their cameras, or if they’re doing selfies, they’re going to look way more confident and cooler–but if their jawline’s not out, then it doesn’t give them any definition around their face, so it doesn’t really help them out anyway. So you have to get the jawline first, then throw in the squinch.

You can only move your mouth, eyes, and eyebrows. Those are the three things you can move on your face. I like to engage eyebrows. That’s another thing that I’ll work on down the road. But you don’t necessarily have to. I’ve had clients say, “I can move my nostrils.” I don’t think it’s really going to help your picture-taking ability–you’re not going to get any more photogenic by flaring your left nostril slightly. Other than that it’s really subtleties. It’s really the subtle things that make the difference.

Seriously Do Say “Cheese”

Another tip is always adding a slight smile. If you don’t have it–if you don’t have a slight smile it doesn’t warm (the photo) up and you can appear really standoffish and mean. It’s not appealing. If you add that simple tiny little smile to it it really helps. I’m actually thinking about doing some sort of selfie video tutorial that incorporates these ideas.

It’s kind of like mental gymnastics. You’ve got to layer them all in. You’ve got to get the eyes going, the little smile, the forehead out. There’s a lot to think about. When I’m coaching people I stay on top of them and it’s funny. You really have to be aware that you’re going for this, or in a split second it’s gone. We don’t want to look blank. People are way more engaging when they look like something’s going on. When you squinch it makes (you) look more appealing and interested.

You Actually Do Have a “Good Side,” So Find It

People always talk about their side: Which side is their good side, so I was going to do a video explaining how to find your good side and how important it is to be on your good side and that sort of thing.

We’re all human. When we’re born things don’t necessarily come out symmetrical. It’s amazing–I feel that the human face is the most incredible thing to look at, let alone photograph. Each one’s so unique. I have identical twins and they look completely different to me. To other people, they can’t tell them apart. To me, it’s like they’re totally different. When I walk the streets of New York and I have all these different faces going by me, it’s just amazing, because that’s what I do every day. I’m photographing people’s faces and the intricacies of the human face are pretty amazing.

To find your good side, you either get in front of a photographer who knows what they’re doing to suss it out with you, or you have to wait till my video comes out where I go through all that. [laughs] It’s subjective, really. I’ve had people in here who I like one side of their face, and they’re like, “No, it’s definitely this side.” And I’m like, I think they’re wrong. Sometimes it’s minor, but it can be major. When it’s major, it’s just so intriguing to see. I don’t think being symmetrical makes you more attractive. I think one side of the face being more attractive than the other because it’s not symmetrical is a little different. Most of these tests that are out there are all looking at people straight-on, and I don’t agree with that because I shoot people on every angle. You need to shoot the person on both sides of their face to see it, not just straight-on. Straight-on is only giving you one perspective.

Squinching = Confidence

I’ve been coaching photographers on squinching for almost three years now. I was with one who is my associate who I work with all the time. And we were talking about this and he said, “You just let the cat out of the bag” and I said, “I know.” It’s my thing, and I’ve been working on it for 10 years, so for me it’s a teaching process, but I’m also feeling people out. I’m very intuitive in the way that I work and knowing how far to push people, or who to push and who not to push. I’m working with a prominent psychologist in the industry and we’ve teamed up to do something that we’re calling “Headshot.” It’s a leadership therapy-type move where I work with leaders in companies and kind of semi-profile them for their self-image for personal branding and that kind of thing, and it’s all based on this intuitive process that I have going on when people are in front of camera. It’s pretty interesting stuff.

Peter Hurley .

My job has always been to up people’s game. When I started, most of my work–and I still continue to shoot a lot of actors for their headshots–I became known as the kind of go-to guy in the industry. The reason being, I made people squinch. So casting directors want a confident actor in front of them. Most actors, if they’re good at their craft, are confident, but some are trying to get their foot in the door of this industry. Maybe they’re just not ready, but they walk in my door and they look in the camera and they look scared out of their mind. It just doesn’t fly for me. You can’t put that out there. Not only can you not to put it out there, if I photograph you, my name’s on it, so I’m not letting that go.

I’ve created a false sense of confidence for these people through the squinch, through coaching them and building them up so the confidence is there. Whether they carry that on into the audition is another thing, but that’s not my job. My job is just to get them that audition, so I do this with my clients and then let them go. But I know what I’m creating. I just did it this morning. The guy walked in. I have people in here every day, everybody’s got a different self-image, and when you are in front of the camera it’s probably the most vulnerable place you can be. And then all of a sudden it’s a career. I do it with CEOs. If someone is a CEO of a company, I’m going to think that they know what they’re doing. They’ve got their act together, they’re confident in their job. It doesn’t equate to when they get in front of a camera. All of a sudden you’re in front of a camera. It’s a totally different element and they’ll lose that sense of themselves, or they just might be self-conscious or self-aware, something like that, and their confidence goes away. So it just doesn’t match their personality or what they convey on a day-to-day basis, so I have to bring it back in and teach them how to do that. Since confidence always come from the eyes it’s always going to start with the squinch.

Taking a Selfie is a Special Opportunity

I think there’s a ton of things you can do to take better, more interesting pictures, but they all boil down to one thing: What are you doing with your face? And what’s your thought process? Most of the time, we can’t see our face–but if you’re doing a selfie with the camera turned toward you, you can look right at it and adjust, which makes it really like looking in a mirror and adjusting. That’s pretty easy and most people can do that, so definitely take advantage of that. But if you’re taking a picture, and somebody’s taking a picture of you, you have no idea what your face looks like. Nine times out of 10 what you think it looks like is not what it looks like at all. You’re just guessing. Think about your face right now. I’m thinking about my face. I have no mirror. I have no idea what my face looks like. I hope I’m okay. Your brain has it under control for you. You don’t walk around thinking about your face all day long, until that moment the camera goes up, and then you have to think about it. Then you have to take control of something you never control, and when you’re not in control of it, it looks fine and then you control it and it gets weird. That’s why a lot of people–and I’m sure you’ve had this if you’ve taken a picture of somebody–they look at it and they go, “That doesn’t look like me.” They say that all the time. There’s a couple reasons for that. The answer to that when people say it to me, is, “Well, there wasn’t anybody else in there.” The camera doesn’t lie. I’m sorry. You were the one the photo was taken of. But most of that is people have a mirror relationship with themselves. We look in mirrors a lot more than we look into cameras.

HOW I LEARNED PHOTOGRAPHY - Tips & Advice For Beginners

5 Tips for Location Scouting Before a Photo Session

By: Karthika Gupta 

 

Maybe by a show of virtual hands, how many of us have ever been in a situation where we have gone to a location for a photoshoot only to find out that something unexpected like a marathon, construction or worse demolition, is going on that prevents you from using the space as you intended? And I am being very serious in the demolition example!
One of my favorite local parks went through a complete revamp a couple of years ago and for months the only thing I could see was demolition equipment all around. The dirt paths that I loved so much had all gone and tar biking paths took their place!

The dirt path with the cover of trees in the background was one of my favorite spots in this local park. 

The light would filter through the trees and the dirt path would act as a natural reflector and bounce 

golden light back to my subjects! – now this whole area is a parking lot that leads up to the trees!

I am a natural light outdoor photographer for the most part. Hence, I rely on outdoor locations for 75% of my photoshoots including the weddings I photograph. More often than not, my clients, the bride and groom, look to me for suggestions on natural outdoor locations for their bridal portraits and family formals. Even my lifestyle family photo shoot clients love suggestions on the best locations for beautiful family photos especially in the fall when the leaves all change colors. To that end, I am always on the look out for clean, beautiful and unique outdoor locations for my photoshoots.
Here are a few tips on how to scout and find the perfect location for your next photo shoot.

#1 Know your clients

Every client is different and every photoshoot is unique. It behooves us photographers to really get to know our clients so we can tailor the photo shoot to fit their personality. This not only ensures that they will have a good time but also that they will be more relaxed and happy during their photoshoot. This means you will get pictures that they are bound to love and hence recommend you to all their friends and family. It’s a win-win for everyone.
For my wedding clients, I have a formal questionnaire that they fill out to describe their style and that of their wedding. This helps me plan out locations and poses that will reflect their style and personality. For my family photos, I have a conversation with the family to see what type of photos they gravitate towards. Do they want to have fun outside in a park? Or do they want to hang out at home with each other? The family photo session is tailored around their needs.

My lovely clients wanted a location in nature among the trees. She told me her outfit choices ahead of 

time so I chose this park with a small waterfall. It seemed to fit their personality and the theme of the 

shoot ‘The quiet before the storm” quite well.

This session, on the other hand, took place at my client’s home. During our consultation, she

 mentioned that she wanted to use her 2.5-acre backyard for photos. I knew the green of the grass 

and the trees would add a lot of color cast to my subjects so I recommended neutral colored clothing. 

We also waited until the sun passed behind some clouds to take some of these shots to prevent too 

much color cast on their faces.

#2 – Scout at different times of the day

When I look at potential locations for my photo shoots, I always try and visit the place at multiple times during the day. This gives me an idea of the lighting at different times. Does the location get direct sunlight or is it shaded and hence gets only directional light? Is it a busy street and with potentially lots of people that might be walking around and getting in my shots? What are the traffic patterns to get to the location? All these little details are really important for me to be able to plan my day and photoshoot so that I can get the best possible pictures in the time I have at the location with my clients.
Tip: If you cannot get to a location ahead of time, use Google maps and sunset/sunrise times to figure out where the sun will be at the time of day you are photographing. This will help you be a little prepared when you get to your location.

For a bridal editorial shoot at a beautiful historic location, I scouted the location a few days ahead of 

time and realized that the area where I wanted to photograph was full sun at 2:00pm (on the left)). So 

I knew that if I moved the photo shoot to the morning, this area would be in the shade and be evenly
lit. Sure enough, the light was gorgeous for my editorial photo shoot! Had I not scouted the location,
I would have been  scrambling to find the right spot in the afternoon.

#3 Pay attention to details

One of the biggest problems that most photographers face is related to light. Not all light is equal and photographing in different lighting conditions will lead to different results.
Early morning light is generally soft and subtle. The afternoon light is often harsh, especially if you place your subject in full sun. Evening light tends to be more warm and golden hue. Post-sunset light is blue. You can photograph in each of these lighting conditions provided you know how to position, pose, and light your subject in each of instance.

Quality of light matters

When scouting a location, pay attention to details around the quality of light at different times of the day. Another thing to keep in mind is color casts from surrounding objects. This is quite prominent around trees, colorful buildings and graffiti walls. Try and find natural reflectors (eg. a white wall) that will bounce light back onto your subjects or use reflectors that do the same thing and balance off the color cast. You can always fix it in post-processing if all else fails.

A location in historic prairie preserve is a photographer’s favorite in my town. But I find that 

photographing inside the front patio adds a color cast from the yellow ceilings and directional 

light (photo on right). Yes, in a pinch I will take the shot and fix it in post-processing. But I prefer 

to either photograph my clients sitting at the edge of the patio on the steps where they are still in the 

shade of the patio arch but don’t have any color cast.

So instead of dealing with the color cast from the porch, I took my client outside along the dirt path by 

the house and photographed her there. The concrete and the dirt path acted as natural yet neutral 

reflectors and bounced soft white light back onto her face, eliminating any color casts.

#4 – Tap into other resources

I belong to several photographer groups online and offline and we constantly share tips/tricks and location ideas amongst the groups. These groups exist to help each other out and everyone is open and welcoming. If you are photographing in an area that you are not familiar with, try finding a local photographer group for that region and ask around. Be friendly and genuine in your requests, and you may find some unique and off-the-beaten-path locations from the locals in the area.

#5 – Take a road trip

I love road trips! It is the best way to explore new areas and scout potential photography locations that will suit you and your specific needs. I generally take my family along so it is a fun-for-all experience. In a pinch, my kids will also act as models helping me test the light and background ahead of my client photo shoots.
A few years back I had a high school senior’s photo session and her mom wanted to find a unique spot where we could see the fall colors. I drove around my area for a few hours but was not finding anything that I really liked. I stopped by a local farm to pick up some fresh fruits and realized that the farm had everything I was seeking for my photo shoot. So I walked up to the owner and got permission to photograph there the next day. The senior’s mom got the photos she wanted and I found a unique location for my fall photos.

The red of the trees does add a little color cast to my subject’s face but she really wanted the backdrop 

of the fall colors.

What are your tips to find the perfect location for your photos?

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Photography Basics for Noobs | Beginner Guide

How I Use Inspiration Shots From Other Photographers

By: Elizabeth Halford  

jfdupuis.com

How do you gather ideas for your photography? It would be impossible for anyone to say that they don’t gather inspiration and ideas from the imagery around them. I’d love to share with you the process with which I gather ideas for my sessions and how I use other photographers’ work to inspire my own.
I’ve always sung the praises of Flickr. I logon every day (even if only for a moment) to check what my contacts have uploaded and grab a couple glimpses at Flickr’s ‘interestingness’ of the day. I also love to Stumble and find new photographers around the web whose work I can appreciate. So what’s a photographer to do when they find something they’d like to keep in their mind for their next date with the camera?
I keep a file on my computer called ‘inspiration’. It’s divided into subfolders for all different categories I feel they best belong to. When I’m preparing for a session, I go into the folders and pic a couple (and ONLY a couple:) shots which inspire me. It used to be that I would pick shots I’d like to try to copy verbatim but I soon realised that I was spending all my time worrying about the exact pose in the photo that I was missing out on other shots. Now, I use my inspiration to guide me in a general direction. Sometimes, I’m able to rip off the whole thing which looks good, but doesn’t exactly feel magical. Other times, something completely different comes out of it and that’s the most rockin’ thing of all.
So here are a few inspiration vs. end result shots and what I was thinking when I took them.
1.} This is quite a common concept for couples, but this image (left) was the first time I’d ever seen it done. And mine (right) was my first photo taken in my first ‘real’ photo shoot as a ‘professional’. I was so nervous about the session that I made a file of images on my ipod and copied them verbatim. Although lacking in inspiration of my own accord, it was an excellent first experience.

2.} This is an excellent example of how my Flickr browsing has changed from copying concepts to being deeply inspired by them. It wasn’t until I was browsing my inspiration folder to write this post that I realised that the image (left) felt strikingly similar to the image I took last week of this couple. When you soak in great photography and squeeze yourself once in a while, great photography will come out!

How do you utilise other photographers’ work to inspire your own?

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Viral video - Inspiration for all you videographers and your next video project. 44,836,375 Facebook views.

How to Overcome Photo Envy and Become a Better Photographer

By: Mat Coker 

You’ve got a goal to become a better photographer. Along the way, you’re going to have to confront your weaknesses. Photo envy is one of the greatest weaknesses a photographer can face because it is a weakness that hurts other people.
If you regularly feel jealous when you see another photographer’s good photos then you probably suffer from photo envy.
Photo envy will make you bitter and pessimistic. When envy takes root, it leaves you feeling inferior and resentful at other people’s success.
I’ll show you how to overcome photo envy so that you can get on with becoming a great photographer.

The one time I forget all about photo envy at a photo session. That’s because my only concern is for 

my subject.

How do you know for sure that you have photo envy?

Admiring another photographer’s work and aspiring to be as good as them is not envy. It’s natural to be captivated and inspired by other people who are better than you.
You’ll know photo envy by its tell-tale effect on your emotions.
The test is simple: if you take an immediate emotional turn for the worst when you see other people’s good photography, then you suffer from photo envy.
You probably first noticed your photo envy while scrolling through social media. A really good photo posted by a friend or another photographer took you by surprise. You felt a terrible sinking feeling in your gut and chest. You’re jealous.
Perhaps you regularly have beaten up by thoughts of inferiority, or even felt hopeless or like crying? You wonder how they can be so skilled, and why they’re getting all the attention. You think, “when will I finally get noticed.” What does it take?

The stakes

You’ll be tempted to think that simply becoming a better photographer or getting more business is the solution to your photo envy. But it’s not.
Envy is a weakness within yourself and the only way to cure it is to face it directly. And you must overcome photo envy before you become a good photographer.
If you don’t overcome envy before you become a better photographer, you’ll simply become a good photographer with a harmful weakness. You’ll naturally take out your resentment on other photographers, not to mention your friends and family.

Even though I don’t think about photo envy during a session, I know the next time I’m on social 

media, I’ll see a photographer’s amazing photos and feel envious again. So I employ my regular 

tactics to defeat photo envy.

How do you overcome photo envy?

You don’t have to be jealous, inferior and resentful forever. Follow this plan, and you will overcome photo envy.
Envy is something that needs to be overcome in the moment. Remember, you’re good at spotting moments as a photographer!
Here is how to overcome photo envy.
The very second you feel envious of somebody’s photography, stop what you’re doing. Stop scrolling, stop clicking and stop thinking about yourself. Now get ready because you’re about to tell the photographer how much you love their photos.
Whether you’re envious of a friend or a competitor, you need to send them a personal message immediately. Do not put it off for later. Simply send them a message letting them know how much you enjoy their photos. After all, the reason you’re envious is that they’re so good.
If you’re not sure what to say then try something like this:

Hi there, I just wanted to tell you how amazing I think your photography is! Your images never fail to wow me. How long have you been into photography?

Overcoming photo envy is that simple.

I know that becoming a more skilled photographer isn’t enough to deal with my photo envy. 

Becoming a better photographer out of spite isn’t a good game plan.

Be a better person and a better photographer

Why does this method work so well? Because you’re retraining yourself to be a good person. Envy has become automatic when your response should have been admiration and encouragement.
When you tell the person how much you love their photography you will notice the feeling of envy leave your body and good feelings will flow in to replace it. Just wait until they write back and compliment you.
Every time you’re scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc and you feel envious, send a personal note right away telling them how much you like their photography. Pretty soon you’ll be an encouraging person rather than an envious one.
But you can take all this a step further.

With my photo envy under control, I’m free to pursue my goal of becoming a better photographer. 

When I go to a session, I have a toolbox of creative elements that I use. I’ve memorized them so I 

don’t have to overthink it. I can focus on my subject and know that I’ll get home with some good 

photos.

Lead the locker room

Telling the person (especially competitors) how much you love their photography is the key to overcome photo envy.
But you can do better than “not be envious.” You can become a generous leader among photographers.

Backlight is one of my favorite creative ingredients.

Let’s think about a locker room for a moment. You likely experienced a locker room or a change room in high school, so you know what a humiliating experience it can be. Inferiority and envy can run wild and then spill out beyond the locker room.
If you follow sports, then you hear about the rivalries in the locker room and how it can bring the whole team down.
But when somebody steps up to lead the locker room in a good direction, everything changes. When somebody is an encourager and a problem solver, then envy and rivalry burn out. If anyone chooses to remain miserable and envious, they quickly lose their place in the locker room, they’re ignored until they’re just gone.

I always look for some interesting gesture in the moment.

Now let’s get back to the world you’re a part of. Would you like to be an important part of your photography community rather than just sitting home and feeling jealous about how everyone else is doing? Then step up and lead the locker room.
Be the encourager in online forums and Facebook groups. Start an in-person group to help new photographers or unite photographers that act like competitors.
I don’t mean that you have to be a traditional leader. You just need to bring order to the chaos. Pump out positive energy and watch it chase envy and rivalry away. A simple compliment from you might be what helps another photographer overcome their photo envy.
By this point, there isn’t a shred of envy left in you. You are happy to see others do well. In fact, you even start making others look good.

Lower angles make everything look more dramatic.

Make another photographer look good

Be a shameless promoter of others. Look for good photographers and share them with the world.
It could be as simple as showcasing them through a guest post on your blog or social media.
But how can you make your competition look good and expect anyone to remember you? You simply have to trust that when you make others look good you will not be forgotten.
Envy can’t touch you when you do this.

Along with backlight and low angles, I love a photograph with texture. This helps your photo to pop.

Up your game every step of the way

We’ve almost forgotten about your real goal, which is to become a great photographer. That’s actually the easy part! You figure out what you wish you could do and learn it!
Find an ebook, course, or mentor who can show you. Learn, practice, refine, celebrate.
I used to be jealous of photographers who had beautiful light in their photos. I had no idea how to achieve that look and didn’t know what to do about it. Eventually, I had an opportunity to learn the skills I was surprised to see that there was no magic involved; all I had to do is learn.

When possible, look for a frame within a frame.

You’re on a journey of becoming a better photographer, but pay attention to who you become along the way. Becoming a better photographer will not make you less envious. You can let photo envy take root and bring you down. Or, you can overcome photo envy by being an encouragement to others. Lead the locker room and make a lot of other photographers look good.
Whenever you feel a twinge of jealousy, get in touch with that photographer and tell them how great their photos are. This is how you overcome photo envy.
Do you have any other tips to overcome photo envy? If so, share them with us in the comments!

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To Process or Not To Process? Let’s Discuss

By: Rick Berk 

Processing a RAW file can allow a photographer to bring out the full range of tones in an image.

Often when I’m looking at photos in forums online, or interacting with photographers in person, inevitably someone will proudly claim that the image in questions is “Straight out of the camera”. Almost without fail, this leads to a huge discussion as to the merits of post-processing images, with those on the side of straight-out-of-the-camera images acting as if those photographers who process their images are somehow in the wrong, or are being deceptive.
There are merits to both sides, to be sure, but what’s amazing is how staunchly both sides defend their positions. At times the discussion becomes more heated than “Mac versus PC” or “Canon versus Nikon”. Having been on both sides of the debate, due to the nature of the work I’ve done in the past, I can understand both sides. However, I can also say that both sides can be somewhat misguided in their arguments at times.

Processing? NO!

Photojournalists covering sports or other news are often advised not to process images, and some 

news agencies outright forbid it.

Those who oppose any post-processing sometimes argue that it is a crutch, that they don’t need post-production to fix their images, because they get it right in camera. That said, there are plenty of reasons why you might not want to process your images, purity of the image aside.
In the photojournalism world, image manipulation beyond dodging and burning, contrast, and color correction, is a big no-no. Every few months a story shows up in the photo industry news websites that tell the sad tale of another photojournalist who lost his job or a contest because he or she removed or added an element from an image. In the photojournalism arena, this is understandable. Your job is to tell the story visually, and removing or adding elements in an image changes that story. So in that case, it’s best to keep the manipulation to a minimum. Some news agencies have forbidden their photographers from using the RAW format at this point, to reduce the chances that the images have been drastically altered. The goal here is truth, and while the photographer has already added their spin to it by making important compositional and exposure decisions at the time of capture, that’s where it should end.
Editor’s note: long time National Geographic and Magnum photographer Steve McCurry is under fire for this very issue right now. What are your thoughts on that, is he in the wrong or is it a witch hunt? 

Event photographers who shoot thousands of images in the course of a few hours often choose not to process images due to the amount of time it takes.

Another time where processing images is probably not a great idea is when you are covering large events. For instance, in a past life, I owned a studio that specialized in covering youth sports events, such as soccer and baseball tournaments. On the average Saturday afternoon, it was quite common for me to capture several thousand images on my own, and I often had a team of three or more photographers working for me! Speed is the key at these events, so it’s important that the images be sellable to the participants and their parents as soon as they are shot. This means exposure, white balance, contrast, and saturation must all be good straight from the camera. As soon as a game ended, those images were loaded immediately onto our server to be previewed by customers and participants. There was no time to adjust that many images individually.
Finally, there are those who simply prefer not to do that much work on a computer with their images. The act of capture satisfies their creative urges, and they are happy with their images.  There is nothing wrong with that. Some might say that working in this manner ensures their exposures are correct in every way when the image is made, which is certainly an admirable way of practicing the art of photography. This philosophy of course, also allows you to go out and do more photography, and spend less time on a computer.
Those who choose not to process get their images correct in camera, because to them there is no post-processing option. It helps them be better photographers at the time of capture, because they must pay attention to the details of the exposure, check their histogram, adjust white balance, and apply the correct picture style.

Post-Processing is Part of the Photographic Process

Landscape photographers process RAW files in order to pull as many tones as possible out of the 

image, preserving shadow and highlight detail.

Often, when I hear the words “I get it right in camera,” it often sounds to me like “I don’t know how to use Photoshop.” True or not, for those on the side of post-processing, the photographic process doesn’t end at the press of the shutter button, in the same way it didn’t end for those of us who once shot film, then ventured into the darkroom to develop film and make prints. Those who have never been in the darkroom will likely never understand exactly how much manipulation could be achieved in the darkroom, from color and contrast adjustments, dodging and burning, to masking and photo compositing.

The truth is, there has NEVER been such a  thing as a “straight out of the camera” image.

(With possibly the exception of slides, but they can still be altered in the printing stage.)
Even for those today, who choose to not use Photoshop or other image processing applications, the image is far from being straight out of the camera. You’re simply letting your camera do the processing for you. When you choose a picture style, you’re telling your camera how to handle color, contrast, tone, and sharpness. You can create your own styles as well, manipulating color and contrast in camera to your own liking. Simply because the image wasn’t touched on a computer doesn’t mean it wasn’t processed, or manipulated. Knowing all of this, doesn’t it sound foolish to say that an image straight from the camera hasn’t been processed?
Let’s get this out of the way quickly: Post-processing is not a crutch. If I look at an image on the back of my camera and say “I’ll fix it later”, then it’s already a bad image, and no amount of processing is going to correct it. I am a staunch proponent of shooting RAW, for many reasons. As an avid landscape photographer, I know full well that the camera can have problems handling a scene with a lot of dynamic range, such as a sunset. I use optical filters on my lens to help with that, but there are still times when the image out of the camera fails to capture the image I saw with my eyes.
Close attention to the histogram is essential, ensuring that I have all of the tones I need to work with, careful not to clip highlights and shadows. This is very similar to Ansel Adams’ zone system. I know where objects in my scene should register on the histogram, and I adjust my exposure to ensure that’s what I get when I open Photoshop. As Ansel Adams once said, “Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships.” The same is true for color correction.

This side-by-side comparison shows what is possible when processing a RAW file. On the left is the
image straight from the camera, using the Standard picture style. On the right, the same image
processed in Adobe Camera RAW.

As a landscape photo artist, I do not consider myself a documentarian. While I’m not personally a fan of compositing images together to create the finished piece, I do believe that all darkroom tools are on the table. This starts with RAW processing, and continues into Photoshop, where I will use adjustment layers, filters, and masks to bring the most out of my image. My intent is to bring out what I felt when I was at the scene, capturing the image. Very rarely, for me, does a camera do that without a little help from me.

This is the tool palette in Adobe Camera RAW. Each slider is a separate control over the image, and each tab across the top represents another set of controls, enabling you to get the most out of the image.

Finally, and this is my biggest reason for shooting RAW when it is feasible, is the purity of the data. If you are capturing JPEGs straight out of the camera, the camera has already decided to throw away a good portion of the data you’ve captured. JPEGs are 8-bit files, across three color channels. For each of the three color channels (RGB) the camera is converting your image, at the time of capture, to 256 shades of gray per color, leaving your image with 16.7 million total possible colors. In addition, the image is compressed, and redundant data is discarded. This compression is lossy compression, and every time you open and do anything to your image, such as removing a dust spot, and then save it again, you are throwing away more data. Eventually, artifacts will appear in the image, ruining it and making it unusable.
Today’s RAW files are 14-bit files, meaning each color channel contains 16,384 shades of gray. This means 4 trillion total colors are available in the image. Issues such as banding and artifacting, which can arise when using JPEGS, are nearly nonexistent issues when editing a RAW file. I’ve seen JPEG banding in portraits where the skin tones change, and I’ve seen it happen in landscape images where the sky transitions from a vibrant blue to a pale orange at sunset. It can happen to any image. So even if I plan to do nothing to my image but remove a dust spot, it’s worth starting with a RAW file that requires some processing. Even if you oppose post-processing, it’s quite easy to apply a picture style the same way the camera does, and export a JPEG.

Portrait photographers often choose to process images to allow them to create a feeling about their subject, in addition to allowing them to retouch the image, and make their subject look their best.

Honestly, there’s no right or wrong way to work with your images. After all, a photographer’s work is very personal to them, and everyone chooses to work in their own way. When I can, I prefer processing my images and getting the most from the file. When the situation calls for it, I will shoot JPEG, knowing full well I won’t be able to make adjustments later, so I make sure it’s right when I push the shutter button.
What do you prefer, and why? Do you process or not?

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Cartier-Bresson and Stieglitz – Study the Masters of Photography to Become a Better Photographer

By: Adam Welch

There is an unnervingly common trait among photographers, image makers, picture people, etc. Sometimes we forget that the reason we have access to such awesome gear and techniques, is because those who came before us in our trade figured them out, practiced them, advance them, and then left us a legacy of knowledge. The further we go back through the history of photography, the more prevalent this apathy becomes. What do you have to learn from someone who used a camera less advanced than a garage door opener? Well, as it turns out, we stand to learn a lot. Maybe not from a technological standpoint, but rather in a more intangible way that’s more difficult to appreciate, and easy to miss.
This is not to say that you can’t improve your photography from studying the methods of some of the masters. Their gear was varied and less advanced, but that only makes their work more extraordinary, and their skill even more humbling.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Image by Gertrude Käsebier

Even if the name doesn’t ring some little bell in your memory, chances are you most likely have viewed his work at some point. He was literally the inventor of the photojournalistic style… let that sink in for a minute or three. Before Cartier-Bresson, proper street photography as we know it and “still life reportage” as he called it was not a well practiced, or validated form of photography.
Born into a relatively well placed upper-class French family in 1908, Cartier-Bresson, like so many well known photographers, didn’t start out intending to be such. Painting was his major pursuit before picking up a camera. That all changed in 1931 when he set his eyes upon a photograph made by Hungarian photographer Martin Munkacsi. It was an image of three young boys in the surf of a lake in Africa. Cartier-Bresson said that he “couldn’t believe such a thing could be caught with a camera” and that he “suddenly understood that a photograph could fix eternity in an instant.” The photograph drove him to relinquish painting, and start making photographs. He was thoroughly a recorder of the spontaneity of human experience. There is much you can learn from Henri Cartier-Bresson to improve all aspects of your photo making.

Lessons you can learn from Henri Cartier-Bresson:

Strive to be invisible

When you’re working as a photographer it doesn’t take long to understand that humans tend to drastically change once they realize they are being photographed. Their mannerisms, expressions, and appearances all become noticeably different. Conspicuousness steals away realism very quickly if you are not careful. Cartier-Bresson understood this and moulded himself into somewhat of a photographic ninja. He shot with relatively small cameras, usually Leica 35mm Rangefinders. You have to understand that most photographers of his time were using larger format cameras which practically screamed “Hey, I’m making a photograph of you!!!” Anonymity allowed him to capture the essence of any scene in a way that was raw and unobtrusive.
Cartier-Bresson went so far as to conceal all the shiny surfaces of his gear with black paint to further decrease his footprint as a photographer. You might not want to go that far, but it will help you to capture better images if you blend into your surroundings. Plan for your sessions in a practical way. Don’t take more gear than you need, and keep a low profile. Try to wait until you’re ready to make an exposure before you raise your camera. Practice using your camera’s controls and memorize their placement. Also, avoid using a flash if it will likely interfere with your subject. Cartier-Bresson supposedly never used a flash for his images as he saw them as impolite and distracting. Photography, especially photojournalism, depends on the earnest capture of life in all its beauty, and regrettably, its occasional misery. Try to keep it real, literally.

Compose in camera

I know, I know. You’ve probably heard this before, and are most likely tired of having that phrase hurled at you. I feel your pain. I would always roll my eyes any time a seasoned photographer or well intentioned writer would talk about the importance of getting things right in-camera. Let’s be real here. It’s so easy to crop an image on the computer instead of using the camera’s viewfinder. It’s so much more convenient to salvage a less than correctly exposed image than to think through your aperture and shutter combinations.
Post-processing photographs is a wonderful thing. Completely changing a photograph, however, is not always ideal. Cartier-Bresson was absolutely anti photo manipulation and believed any photograph should be cropped in the viewfinder before it was captured. Nearly all of his photographs were printed full-frame and even included about one millimeter of the unexposed negative so that his finished prints sported a thin black border to further prove the absence of cropping.
Any image is only as good as the ingredients put into its making. So try to put the best possible ingredients into your work so that your finished product will be something you will be proud to display and say “I made this”.

Focus as much on the art as the science

What we do as photographers would have been considered magic in an earlier time. Even at the basic level it is an amazing science. We record light that is completely unique and fleeting. You will never make the exact same photograph twice. The science of image making is an essential part of our creative process, but it must never be viewed as the only part.

Surprisingly, Cartier-Bresson expressed, on multiple occasions, his almost complete lack of interest in the more technical portion of making photographs. The developing and printing of his negatives, actions so carefully controlled and guarded by most serious photographers of the time, were valid only to him in the cases where they allowed more effective expression of his vision. He saw the camera as a tool, and development and printing as merely a means to a much anticipated end. He said “people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing”.
You can lose your direction during the of making an image. Sometimes we let technical perfectionism overshadow our initial vision. Thorough knowledge of your gear is essential to grow as a photographer. However, like Cartier-Bresson tells us, don’t allow yourself to become so focused on your tools that you forget your craft.

Alfred Stieglitz

Alfred Stieglitz was born into this world on January 1, 1864 and left it on July 13, 1946. Anything else that I can tell you about the impact of man’s life upon the world of photography and creative art will fall unbelievably short of the full measure of gratitude we owe him as photographers. That’s not hyperbole. Before Stieglitz, photography was not considered a form of artistic expression. There were no real schools of photography, and it certainly was not considered high art on the level of painting and sculpture. Stieglitz gave artists an outlet to show their work to the public, and was the catalyst that helped begin the careers of many celebrated artists including the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, and the legendary photographs of the great Ansel Adams. Stieglitz was always open to new techniques and innovative thinking towards art.
His work is removed from our time by nearly a century, and many of the technical mechanisms he used are now obsolete. Still, there is much insight to be gained from Alfred Stieglitz, and his contributions. We can learn from his approach to the art world as a whole, to better ourselves as photographers.

Lessons you can learn from Alfred Stieglitz:

Express yourself when you can

Stieglitz created a series of images called “Equivalents”. It is a collection of photographs that show a variety of different cloud formations. Each image was a self-reflection of the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that he was feeling at the time the frame was exposed. That made each image unique to only him. He was the only person who truly understood how he felt during each release of the shutter. So go out and photograph something that makes you happy. Share it with others if you want, or just keep it for yourself. Go and make photos of something that is only beautiful, or meaningful to you. The act in itself is very freeing.

This spot has special meaning only to me. I made this photo for myself and no one else.

You might be thinking “I express myself with all my work”, but really think about it for a moment. Do you ever make a photograph and immediately consider how it might be accepted or rejected by other people? Do you sometimes share an image that you personally think is outstanding but no one else seems to care about? We have all done it more often than we might comfortably admit.

Break the rules if you want

Simply put, any photograph that has ever been produced, resulted from of a combination of the following variables: size of aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, focal length, image receptor sensitivity and composition (film, digital sensor, ect) and that’s all. The key to making a great image is putting all those pieces together in such a way that they convert what was only visible within your own mind, into a photograph. Those are the only iron clad rules in photography. In the end it’s you who make the choices and operate the camera.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!

Some really great work has resulted from stepping outside the mainstream. There are many stunning images that completely ignore the rule of thirds, leading lines, horizons, and so forth. Never completely cast aside guidelines, but don’t convince yourself that you are permanently tied to them either. Learning, and practicing, the tested and proven building blocks of strong photography will help you greatly. Just remember that ground breaking work often arises from the bending of rules.

Look for inspiration everywhere

Stieglitz promoted all art forms. He opened galleries to display the works of painters, sculptors, and of course photographers. He didn’t limit himself to only photography, or painting or to works fashioned from stone and clay. Instead, he drank it all in. He recognized that it was all tangled together and intertwined.
As photographers we are able to almost instantly project what sometimes takes other artists days or weeks, or even months to create. However, this relative ease of creation can gradually place blinders on our creative thinking. We can reach a point when we only look at other photographs for inspiration. That kind of thinking limits our scope as artists. This mindset is especially dangerous for new photographers and can lead to frustration, disappointment and even worse, emulation that festers into plagiarism.
Don’t let yourself have artistic tunnel vision. Begin to look for inspiration everywhere to fuel your photography. Black and white sketches, paintings, wood carvings, architecture, kids finger-painting – everything has the potential to give you a smack of creativity that you can mould into photographic inspiration. The truth is that you really never know what will inspire you.
Please share your questions and comments below. Have you heard of these two masters before? Have they influenced your photography?

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Lessons from the Masters: Sally Mann

By: Adam Welch

Photography can be mischaracterized as a “safe” medium. More often than not, photographs are geared towards improving the way we view the world and ourselves. Generally speaking, photography appeals to the lighter side of our senses. Whether it’s the calm aesthetics of a serene landscape or a hauntingly sublime portrait of an elegant model, when we think of photography, we immediately think about all the ways it can make the world seem more beautiful and more safe.

But the world isn’t always beautiful. The world isn’t always the safe and secure menagerie of perfection we often see displayed in the photographs on social media and other corners of the internet. For all its effectual nature, photography, which displays only the conventionally pristine faces of our world, is at best, a blissful half-truth and at worse, blatant hypocrisy. We are surrounded by uncomfortable realities that are easier ignored than embraced or even acknowledged.
This leads me to the work and life of a photographer who is surrounded by as much controversy as she is by her works enigmatic magnetism. In this edition of “Lessons from the Masters,” we take a close look at the photography of Sally Mann. We see why and how she has become such an oddly iconic herald of the merits of unconventional photographic content.
Mann’s photographs epitomize the harsh internal conflicts we all face in our work and our lives as we walk the fine line between tactful self-expression and creative freedom. We’re going to find out what lessons we can learn and apply (or avoid) to grow as photographers.

Who is Sally Mann?

Photo: Michelle Hood [CC BY-SA 3.0]

In 1951, the girl who becomes Sally Mann was born in the small southern town of Lexington, Virginia where she still lives today. Her path to photography was first facilitated through her physician father (also an artist) with whom Sally would have an admittedly complex relationship throughout her life. She holds a BA and an MA in creative writing from Hollins University in Virginia. It is remarkable to note that Sally Mann has never formally trained in the craft of photography.
Although she has produced work across all photographic mediums, she gravitates toward photographing things closest to her home in the southern United States. The large body of her photographs centers around the investigation of death, sensuality, history, childhood, and the visceral (often painful) realities of life.
Many of her most known photos are products of antiquated photographic techniques such as wet plate collodion. She captures these using an antique 8×10 view camera with equally-aged lenses. Incidentally, this type of photography plays an enormous role in one of the most important lessons we will learn from Mann.
Sally Mann has published numerous books of her photographs as well as produced multiple major exhibitions and is a Guggenheim fellow. She has been the subject of two documentary films with one nominated for an Academy Award and the other an Emmy.
In 2001, Mann was named “America’s Best Photographer” by Times magazine.

Now, let’s look at some lessons we can learn from Sally Mann.

Photographic opportunities are everywhere

We are fortunate today as photographers in that we can make photographs at literally any time. Through the progression of photographic techniques, our cameras have become smaller, cheaper, and generally more qualitative than ever before.
And yet, we sometimes find ourselves at a loss for what to photograph.

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this mental photo block myself. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we need to “go somewhere” to make photos. It’s easy to forget that it’s not necessarily the location or the subject matter that makes for a great photo. Instead, it’s how we inject our own creativity into the making of the photo that truly matters.
In the case of Sally Mann, the majority of her work takes place on and around her property, with concentrations on simple subject matter.

The lesson:

The next time you feel like there’s nothing to photograph, remember to look a little deeper at the things surrounding you at any given moment. Light transforms textures and can produce incredibly dynamic compositions from even the most common subjects.
As a measure of solidarity, I made three photos using my cell phone here in the room where I’m currently writing. They are incredibly basic objects: my hand, a spoon, and a book, with the entire process only consuming about ten minutes. I made all of these using available window light and then quickly processed them in Adobe Lightroom Mobile.



Much like Ed Weston and his simplistic photos of common objects, Sally Mann teaches us that it can pay to look deeper at the things we encounter every day.

Embrace the flaws

Nothing is or ever will be perfect, especially our photographs. Coming to terms with the truth that perfection is unattainable is a constant difficulty that we all must face as photographers. Sally Mann takes this one step further by actively welcoming flaws and imperfections into her work.
Many of Mann’s most iconic works carry a measure of impurity, which somehow lends itself to completing the total impact of the photo.

From one of my own photo projects. A sheet of 4×5 film shot in the Mojave desert and developed 

from the back of my car. Complete with dirt, scratches and water spots.

Sally Mann refers to this mercurial facet of her work as the “angel of uncertainty” in reference to the somewhat unpredictable nature of the photographic processes she employs. It’s this complete surrender to the happenstances of the work that gives Sally Mann’s photos their unique qualities.

The lesson:

Try to strike a balance between proficiency and cautioned spontaneity when you make your photographs. Keep in mind that a “perfect” photo doesn’t exist and try not to become so preoccupied with your technique that the creative nature of your work suffers.
Allow yourself to be yourself, and that will shine through in your photos. Welcome all the little intricacies and glitches, which come along with making photographs, and you will likely find more enjoyment from the images you make.

Recognize the power of photography

As much as Sally Mann’s work is revered by some it is reviled by others. Her expressions of death, decay and especially her highly controversial images of her children have made here somewhat of a polarized figure. It speaks to the incredible power held within photographs which can move people in a multitude of directions.

Photo by Adam Welch

The lesson:

Photography is not just a two-dimensional art form. The power of photography can transcend the medium itself with many legendary photos serving as a model for social and environmental change.
To that end, we must always remember that our work can affect our viewers on levels we might not fully comprehend.
It’s true that we can impact the lives of those who see our photos in a positive way. Yet, it is also true that our photos can have the opposite effect and can potentially cause pain. In the case of Sally Mann, the public reception may include entirely different attitudes than was originally intended.

In closing…

No matter if you’re a professional or hobbyist, being a photographer today means constant reminders that our photographs could always be better. If we only had this or that piece of gear, or maybe if we travel to this place or that, our images will somehow finally reach that magical Nirvana we always hoped they could achieve.
And then we have Sally Mann – a photographer that has managed to become arguably one of the most influential photo makers of the last fifty years.
She seems to defy the conventions of today’s photographic climate by shooting close to and in her home using tools and techniques that are more than a century old.
Her work is famous – and at times, infamous.
In fact, many of her more notable works can’t even be shown within this article. Yet, the work of Sally Mann reminds us all that we are making photographs with similar intentions; to express ourselves using whatever means satisfy us most.
Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from Sally Mann is that we all share a common complexity best translated through photographs in the absence of words. That somehow we find perfection through imperfection, and that we are all mortal.

You may also like:

• Lessons you can learn from master photographers – Minor White, Ansel Adams, and Syl Arena
• More Lessons from the Photography Masters: David Burnett and Vivian Maier
• Lessons from the Masters: Robert Capa and Jerry Uelsmann
• Lessons from the Masters: Morley Baer
• Lessons from the Masters: Imogen Cunningham 

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