5 Tips for Using Risk Taking as a Tool for Better Photography

By: Christopher Scotti 

With the rising tide of enthusiast photographers and the ubiquitous camera phone, there is more competition for eyeballs than ever before in the photo industry. How can you ever stand out from the crowd to be noticed? The trick is both deceptively simple and incredibly complicated: take more risks. Great photographers rarely play it safe, but before you head into the world with reckless abandon, let’s dive into what kinds of risk taking is productive.

1 – Your camera is a tool, not a pet

You’ve received your very first, very shiny, very expensive DSLR kit. Your instincts are to cradle and protect the expensive piece of equipment. Don’t. While you shouldn’t fully submerge your camera, or throw it off the balcony and expect good results, coddling it like your newborn child won’t do you any good either. It’s a tool and is meant to be used out in the world. It should get a few scratches in the paint and some wear and tear on the grip. Take a look at the following images and ask yourself where the camera is.



For the first two, the camera is sitting on the bow of a kayak roughly four inches above the water. For the third image, the camera is a half inch off the muddy ground. Water is often a camera’s worst enemy, but without the risk of the camera getting wet, these images would not be possible. Water is not your camera’s only enemy though. Dings and scrapes, dust, and even wild animals pose a threat.
That said, there are ways to be smart about risk taking and mitigating potential problems. For example, when kayaking you could store the equipment in a dry bag, so it is only exposed when you stop to take a photograph. You could have a friend kayak with you and help stabilize your kayak, or warn you when a large wave is coming. (It is recommended to do outdoor activities with a buddy anyway for general safety). You can use various coverings, coatings, and cases as well to protect your gear.

You don’t even have to be in the water to expose your camera to harsh elements. The spray from
Wli falls in Ghana was strong enough to reach me 300 meters away. I kept a light jacket in front of my camera until the right moment.

2 – Know your tools

In order to take risks in a smart fashion, it helps to know the limitations of your tools. Does your camera have dust or weather sealing? Does the lens? Did you remember to put a clear (UV) filter on the front of the lens to protect against the basic threats? Is the body primarily plastic? Does it have a metal frame? A quick visit to the manufacturer’s website or a websearch for your equipment’s user manuals should get you the information you need.
There are many more things to consider, but the point is to learn as much as possible about your kit. Your DSLR and lens may be weather sealed and can handle light rain but the audio recorder may not be and may wind up being the weak link.
It’s wise to know how to use your camera well. Often in risky situations you will want to expose your equipment to that risk for the least amount of time possible. The better you know your camera, the less time you’ll spend fiddling with settings. Be sure to practice using your equipment in a low-stress environment, before exposing yourself to a risky situation. Digital Photography School is a great resource for articles on the nitty-gritty workings of your camera, so you don’t have to travel far to get started mastering your gear.

3 – Do your homework on your subjects too

Let’s say you have been given an assignment that involves getting into an occupied cage at the zoo. How do you prepare? It isn’t enough in this situation to know your gear alone. You need to learn about the animals you are interacting with, some basics on their behavioural cues, and what potential stressors may be present. Luckily in this situation you are likely to get help from the zoo’s staff; in fact, they are required to enter the enclosure with you. But be sure to meet with them prior, and take some time online or in a library to supplement your knowledge. Be sure to ask questions specific to your situation as well.

Photo courtesy of Clare Hancock.

In this case, what do you do if an animal approaches you and grabs, bites, or otherwise latches onto the camera? It turns out in the case of lemurs, just hold still and they’ll lose interest pretty quickly. The point is don’t panic and don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they sound far-fetched.

What would you do in this situation? Photo courtesy of Clare Hancock.

In the same vein as asking questions to be prepared, don’t be afraid to ask questions during a shoot either. You are only expected to be an expert photographer. In this particular example, the zoo staff are there to help everything go smoothly. Don’t let pride prevent you from tapping into their expertise. Consider the photo above, I had no idea what to do when a wallaby and her baby decided I made a comfy resting place. I checked with the keepers to make sure there wasn’t any risk to myself or the wallabies. There wasn’t, so I continued to shoot from that position until she eventually hopped away.
Being informed is the best way to enter a potentially risky situation. The zoo session may seem specific, but consider what would go into photographing a tall ship setting sail, or snowboarders screaming down slopes, or even your own dog in your backyard. Snapping good images often involves getting in close, or shooting from a unique angle that could involve having a camera accidentally knocked out of your hands on a crowded ship deck, having snow sprayed onto your camera, or even having an excited dog slobber all over your equipment or tackle you. Do some homework, be aware of your surroundings, ask questions and you will have mitigated most of the riskiness.

4 – Taking risks in your career

Using risk as a tool in your career is not specific to photography, but it is especially important in this field. If you always use the same tried and true portrait poses, and standard three point lighting that you learned in your high school photo course, you are likely going to be stuck at a studio in the mall holding a stuffed giraffe in one hand and a remote trigger in the other, praying that baby Jesse stops crying. (If you work at one of these and enjoy your job, that is awesome and you are honestly a much more patient person than I). Most photographers I know have bigger dreams than this, whether it is running their own mall studio or becoming a successful commercial photographer. Unless you run into some magnificent stroke of luck and were born with real talent, this is going to a lot of time, more effort, and a few risks.
I am no Warren Buffett when it comes to business sense, but I can say the biggest jumps in my own career came from taking big risks. When former Ghanaian President John Atta Mills passed away in July of 2012, I was just coming out of graduate school and interning at the Daily Guide newspaper in Accra. President Mills was the first Ghanaian president to die in office and his state funeral was considered one of the most important stories in the region. I had just arrived in country, knew only what I had read about the culture and only had two weeks to convince my new, sceptical editor to let me be a part of the team covering the story. I worked very hard with my new coworkers, contributing to as many stories as possible, and hanging out with the reporters to learn about Ghanaian politics, history and culture.

Two days before the funeral, I convinced my editor to let me go on the assignment. Going in I was scared. I felt like I could never be prepared enough, and doubted every decision I made during the assignment. Regardless, I took the risk of screwing up an important assignment, and managed to rise to a challenge. The images ran front page and an entire centrefold was dedicated to my images of the event. Moments like these demand taking risks. If you have ambitions beyond photography as a hobby, you will need to get used to going in over your head. Risk will always force you to be a better photographer.

However, the risks you can take regarding your career can be mitigated to some extent as well. The key, as you already know, is being prepared. This is a much more abstract process compared to mitigating risks related to camera equipment. While some things are the same, – knowing your tools and subjects well enough to work efficiently – others go a little beyond the act of photography itself. They involve politics in your particular branch of the profession, and knowing just how far you can push yourself.

As I eluded to earlier, I am not the kind of guy you will see doing family portraits or weddings. I am horrible at convincing the average person to smile or look natural. I simply am no good at those kind of portraits. That said, after I won my first photo award I ran out and bought a Vivitar flash, cloth backdrop and three hot lamps. I was convinced I was going to quit my job waiting tables and pay for my impending college career with my photographic talent. I was wrong… very wrong. I managed to perform poorly on three portrait sessions before realizing that my foray may have been a mistake, and I was out a few hundred dollars in studio gear.
I knew nothing about the family portraiture business. I didn’t do any research aside from reading a couple of gear reviews and really burned myself in the process. Worst of all I didn’t know my equipment very well. I had a total of one lesson in studio lighting under my belt at the time and may have purchased a book, that to this day, I have read a total of three pages of. I took a dumb risk and hurt my confidence and disappointed people in the process.

An example of a failed attempt at portraiture in my early career.

5 – When things go wrong

There is one catch to risk taking. What if it doesn’t pan out. You may end up with broken equipment, angry customers, or bodily injury. What now?
Broken equipment is relatively easy to deal with: mourn the loss of your trusted tool, then buy a new one. If you are worried about not being able to afford replacing equipment, talk to your insurance company about whether your homeowners or renters insurance will cover your gear outside your home. Specific camera (and commercial) insurance policies are available as well. Be sure to find out what is covered and how they handle claims.
Smoothing customer relations or repairing a career are tougher issues. Patience and good customer service skills will go a long way, but every case has to be approached individually. Giving a discount for a mediocre portrait shoot might work in one case, but blowing an expensive commercial shoot is going to take a whole different approach. I have been lucky enough that I haven’t had to do this in my own career, but I encourage joining professional associations and talking to other professional photographers to learn what consequences there might be, and how to recover from them.
Bodily injury is the worst on this list. If you are risking your life or serious injury for a photograph, STOP! No photograph is worth getting hurt or dying for. There has been a recent rash of people dying while taking selfies or trying to capture memories from crazy angles over the edge of a skyscraper. It doesn’t matter if it could be the best photo ever taken, this kind of risk is never worth taking in the first place. Broken cameras can be replaced, careers rebuilt, and customer relations smoothed over, but the best photo of your career is worthless if you die or are maimed in the process. Just don’t do it.

One final disclaimer

The nature of risk taking is that the result could be game changing good, or painfully bad. You can fail and fail hard. The advice given here is simply what I have learned over the course of my own career, and it may not apply to you at all. There is no guarantee that taking any kind of risk will result in a positive outcome. Ultimately, you must decide if the risks you take – if any – are worth taking. The outcomes of taking those risks will be entirely yours, so use your best judgment. If you do decide to take a risk, be smart about it and do everything in your power to lessen that risk. Best of luck out there.

My Portrait Gear Essentials

By: Gina Milicia 

What’s the best equipment for taking amazing portraits?

I’m often asked what the best equipment is for taking great portraits. Many people assume that a great camera will take great portraits. That is simply not true. A quick scan through Flickr, Instagram or any photo sharing site will reveal thousands of beautiful portraits, some taken on mobile phone cameras, and yet others using very basic entry level equipment.

A great photographer can take great photos using any kind of camera. A great camera in unskilled hands will still deliver mediocre photos. Before you invest the big bucks in high end gear take the time to learn the craft first.

I started out my professional career with a borrowed camera and very cheap lens. I worked this way for a few years and then invested in a high end second hand camera and lens. If I were starting out again now I would do exactly the same thing. My advice on buying a camera is always buy within your means and upgrade as your skills start to improve.
Most girls love buying shoes and handbags. I admit I’m a self-confessed gear-a-holic!
It’s taken me 25 years to accumulate this gear. My gear is subjected to punishing workouts, with my average shoot being approximately 2000-3000 images. I need gear that is built to last and won’t curl up and cry for its mama when I push it too far.

My portrait gear essentials – what’s in my bag

Cameras

• Canon 1Ds Mark III – this is a pro-level camera, so it’s more expensive and a lot heavier but it’s designed to survive heavy usage. I would say I use this camera for 80% of my shooting.
• Canon 5D Mark II – I’ll favour this camera body if I know I have to shoot with a high ISO (in very low light or on a night shoot). At 400-1600 ISO this camera is amazing.

Lenses

I like to work with a focal length between 70mm and 200mm. With a long lens, facial features are slightly compressed, which is really flattering for portraits.
The workhorse
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens – this lens is my workhorse and I use it for 70% of my shoots. It’s fast, sharp and consistently gives amazing results.
I like working with zoom lenses because they give me the luxury of zooming in to get tight head shots and mid-shots, or zooming out to get full length shots. All without moving my camera. As a result, I can stay out of my model’s personal space, which can be intimidating or confronting, and keep the momentum of the shoot flowing.
The traveller
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens – this is the lens I use for events, lifestyle and travel shoots. It’s light, compact and my go to lens when travelling.
Makes my heart skip a beat
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens – it’s expensive, heavy, and slow to focus but I quickly forget all of this when I see the gorgeous results. I love using this lens for head shots, beauty, portraits, and events.
This lens will give amazing results in very low light conditions and the shallow depth of field will eliminate any background clutter giving me the luxury to use it lens in any location.

Tripods

Most of my portraits are shot using tripods. I like to set up my shot, position my model and then focus on their expression. Keeping my camera fixed in one position allows me to do this and really suits my shooting style.
Having my camera on a tripod also allows me to focus 100% of my attention on my model and frees me up to gesture with my hands, or step away from the camera without breaking the shot.

I have four tripods:

• Manfrotto 190XPROB – small, light-weight tripod that I use when I travel
• Manfrotto 475B Pro – great sturdy tripod for location shoots
• Manfrotto 058B – heavy duty tripod for studio use
• Manfrotto 679B Monopod – for film, TV stills, and theatre

Remote flash triggers

PocketWizards
I have six PocketWizard remote flash triggers because I’ll often have three different sets running. I love the PocketWizards because they are reliable and rarely misfire.

Light meter

I believe the light meter is an essential tool in good portrait photography and would never leave home without one. When you use a light meter you know you have most accurate readings.
Minolta IV (not available any more) – I’ve had this light meter for over 23 years now and I’ve grown rather fond of it. As a basic meter it’s excellent, reading ambient light or flash, and it’s perfect for most lighting conditions.

Lighting

Speedlights
I use a speedlight off camera for about 20%-30% of my photo shoots. Like any piece of gear, they have their pros and cons, but they can light you out of some tight spots (quite literally).
I use Canon 580EXii speedlights as my preferred lighting when I am travelling or need to work quickly or in tight locations. I will also use a Photoflex medium size softbox that folds flat, and is perfect for lighting one person and couples.

Portrait of Vito shot on location at my Sicily Photography workshop

My complete travel location portrait photography kit:

• One Canon 5D MKII (much lighter than the Canon 1Ds Mark III 
• Two Canon 580EXii speedlights
• Four PocketWizard remote flash triggers
• Six 8GB memory cards. I prefer smaller cards because I don’t like to have an entire day’s worth of images on one card. I’ve had several cards fail over the years ,and also lost one once.
• Minolta IV light meter (this model is no longer available, try one in the Sekonic line)
• Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens
• Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens  or Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens

Studio lighting

Elinchrom Lights
60% of my shoots require studio lighting, so I need heavy duty monolights with fast recycle times, and a high quality of light. When I’m working on location, I still need a great quality of light and I give my Elinchrom Rangers a work out in those situations.

Behind the scenes for Piperlane.com

Large Softboxes
If I could only pick one light modifier to take to a deserted island, it would have to be a softbox. Small, medium or large this little puppy is my go to light source for 80% of my shoots.
Why? The quality of light is soft, flattering and malleable. Changing the angle and proximity of the softbox to the subject, easily changes the quality and direction of light.
A softbox, I feel, recreates the effect of soft daylight through a window.
I think what I like most about softboxes is that they are subtle. Highlights gently merge to shadows.
If it’s a studio shoot I love using my Chimira Medium softbox, with white reflective interior. The white interior creates a softer light and this particular softbox has an extra layer of diffusion on the inside, adding even more softness to the light.
Rotalux Deep Octabox
Rotalux deep octabox would be the result if a softbox married a beauty dish and made babies. This, as far as I’m concerned, is a match made in heaven for lighting single person portraits.

Laptop

MacBookPro 15”

Shooting tethered to a computer has made my life as a photographer so much easier, because I can use my computer as a teaching tool. ?I can show my model a series of great images, with slightly different poses. We can talk about how the poses are different and what I want them to do in the next series. They can see what I mean and it makes more sense, straight away.

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How to Use Portrait Angles More Creatively: A Visual Guide

By: Meredith Clark 

When it comes to creating a successful portrait, there are a lot of moving parts! We talk often about finding the light, composition, and camera gear when it comes to portraits. While all three of those things are important in creating your final image, they aren’t the only variables at play.
Another important aspect in capturing portraits is angles. Understanding and making good use of angles in portrait photography, allows you to capture images of your subjects in the most flattering way, unique to each person you’re photographing.

Under the umbrella of “angles” are two different aspects – facial view, and camera angle. Facial view simply refers to how much of a person’s face is visible in the photograph. Whether or not you recognize the term facial view, you probably understand that there’s a visual difference between a photograph of someone looking directly into the camera, and a photograph of them in profile. These are examples of both ends of the facial view spectrum. In addition to facial view, you’ll also want to learn to utilize camera angle in portraiture. Camera angle refers to whether you’re holding the camera at eye level, or above or below the eye level of your subject.
The concepts themselves are pretty simple, right? However, the difficult part is learning how each of these variables interact with each other, and your subject. Let’s walk through some visual examples of different facial views and camera angles using the same gear, subject, location, and same time of day, while observing how different angles change the look and the feel of each image.

Camera Angles

Eye Level

One of the most common camera angles for portraits is to place the camera at the subject’s eye level. This camera angle results in a final image that is balanced, and proportionate between head and body. It also allows for the subject to look directly into the lens, which tends to create the feeling of connection in a portrait. This is a flattering camera angle for most people.

High Camera Angle – Above Eye Level

Shooting from a high camera angle (with the camera above the subject’s eye level) is another great option to try in your portrait photography. With this angle, the focus is on the face rather than the body and can be a very slimming angle for adults. I’m not at all concerned with making children seem slimmer than they really are, but find that I use this angle a lot when photographing children because I like the way that it emphasizes the childlike qualities of kiddos. I find that parents tend to really enjoy photographs of their children taken from a high camera angle, and I believe that’s because parents see their children from this angle quite often in their day-to-day life, so it feels very natural and candid.
As a bonus, shooting from a high angle makes it really easy to achieve good catch lights in their eyes, and can also help to camouflage a less than desirable background. On the other hand, this camera angle may not be to your advantage in some situations; if your subject is very thin, shooting from above can sometimes make your subject look like a bobble-head, which is very rarely flattering.

Low Camera Angle – Below Eye Level

Shooting from a low camera angle (with the camera placed below the subject’s eyes and tilted up) can make people seem tall and authoritative, but can also tend to make people (their body in particular) look larger than they really are, which is not very flattering for most people.
This is particularly important to keep in mind if you’re photographing someone who is taller than you. If you’re 5’2″, and the person you’re photographing is 6’4″, you may need to be creative to make sure that you’re not photographing the whole session from a low camera angle. Have your subject sit, crouch, or find something that you can climb on to create a more even plane, for at least some of the photos – it really will make a difference.
I’ve used this camera angle a handful of times with newly walking babies, and could envision using it with a wider angle lens (to capture more of the body) if I were photographing a politician, a football player, or someone who wished to appear particularly powerful. Overall though, this is usually not the most flattering angle for portraits.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try capturing the same image from two different camera angles. The image above demonstrates how the same subject and pose appears from eye level, as well as from a high camera angle. If you did a poll, I bet you’d find that some people prefer the eye level shot, and some prefer the high camera angle. This is largely a matter of taste and preferred aesthetic, so I frequently make a point to include both sorts of angles in my portrait sessions.

Facial Views

Photographing a subject full-face means that their face is pointing directly towards the camera lens – you can see both ears, and both sides of the face in equal amounts. Full-face portraits often convey a sense of confidence and assertiveness, especially when the person being photographed is looking directly into the camera with their eyes also.

Other facial views include 3/4 view, 2/3 view, and profile view. With 3/4 view, the subject has turned just enough so that one of their ears is no longer visible to the camera. With 2/3 view, the subject has continued to turn so that their nose is just about to break the plane of their back cheek. For a true profile portrait, the subject’s face is turned 90 degrees, and is perpendicular to the camera.
Shooting with the subject’s face turned to 2/3 view or 3/4 view tends to convey a more casual, and less assertive portrait. Images shot with a 3/4 facial view, and the subject looking just off camera, are often the most successful candid images, because the facial expressions are still easily visible to the viewer. Similarly, shooting in profile allows for portraits that feel unposed, while also being graceful and demure (particularly when shot in silhouette).

The best way to begin to learn, and really understand angles, is to grab a friend and go experiment. Take photos from every camera angle you can think of, including non-traditional angles like a bird’s eye or worm’s eye view. Then, take a photo with every facial view – full face, 3/4 view, 2/3 and profile. If you’re really feeling ambitious, try combining facial views and camera angles – does the feel of the portrait change if you shoot full-face from eye-level versus from a high camera angle?
Chime in below, do you find that you gravitate towards images with a particular facial view and/or camera angle? What tends to be your preference and why?

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4 Tips for Achieving Flattering Portraits

By: Lily Sawyer 

Flattering portraits rarely happen as a default. Some people are photogenic, yes, and look good at every angle. But often, we work hard to get flattering photos that the sitter loves. There is no one-trick as every person’s face, form, and shape are different. We have to tailor our angles to each portrait sitter. However, there are basic fundamental tools we can use that help us achieve flattering portraits.

1. Use the right lens

Having photographed people for a decade now, I have learned that there is no great all-around lens that can do the best job for everything. Sure there are good lenses that achieve good results, but I’d favor specialist lenses for specific purposes.

Let’s take portraits, for example. A basic kit lens that comes with a camera purchase is usually an 18mm – 55mm zoom. It is expected to be good for wide angles and normal-range views. Yes, it’s good for day-to-day standard snaps. But for portraits? A longer zoom, such as the 85mm, 105mm, and 200mm, are a much better choice for stunning portraits. These give a shallow depth of field, great compression to the background and produce flattering portraits. There is no distortion similar to what you would get when using wider lenses for portraits.
You can read more about choosing the best portrait lens on here.

2. Use the right angle for the person

Many women I have photographed do not like having their portrait taken. They are aware of various imperfections on their faces, angles they do not like, and features they are self-conscious about. This is normal and certainly rings true for me. I’m the worst portrait sitter.

In order to achieve portraits that women like, I usually shoot both sides and show them the first few photos I take on the LCD screen of the camera. They choose a preferred side, and we take a few more from that angle. The worst thoughts are usually just in their minds. When they see their photos, even on the back of the camera, they realize it’s not as bad as they thought and there is a better side. They usually relax more from then on.
Generally, I photograph at slightly higher than eye level for most women. This angle hides any unwanted necklines, slims down cheeks and tapers the face down a little for a more flattering portrait.
If I’m photographing from an even higher level than usual, I ask them to look up at me just ever so slightly, and that gives me a confident posture and stance too.
With men, it is usually quite the opposite. Most male portraits get taken within seconds. I find them less self-conscious with a “let’s get on with it, over and done with attitude” in a nice way. I ask them to stand as they usually do. If they slouch, I ask them to straighten their spines a bit, square their shoulders and look straight into the camera. Sometimes I get them to lean slightly against a wall. I generally photograph men at eye-level.

Children, on the other hand, I look best when photographed from waist high. That means I’m always a little lower than them – often sitting on the floor and looking up to them a bit. This means they don’t look too small, and they get a boost of confidence that they are being looked up at and not down to. Children often look down towards whatever they are holding or playing with. By shooting from a lower angle, I get to see their faces clearly too.

3. Use the right type of lighting

Simply put, short lighting is when the shadowed side of the face is closer to the camera. Being in the shadow, this side of the face is darker and therefore usually ‘shorter’ in terms of the span of the light hitting this side of the face. Broad lighting is the opposite when lit and the brighter side of the face is closer to the camera. Because it’s brighter, it appears much broader with more light reaching much of the area of the face.

Short lighting makes the face appear slimmer due to the shadows created on the face. This can also produce strong contrasts although you can soften the dark areas by using a reflector.
Broad lighting helps in making the face appear wider. Because this area is usually brightly lit compared to other areas, stronger contrast between dark and light is usually created.
Use these two lighting types to the advantage of the sitter for more flattering outcomes. You can read a more in-depth explanation of these two types of lighting on here.

4. Crop correctly

Because I always edit my photographs, I feel I can afford to change my composition in post-processing rather than always trying to get everything right in-camera. Don’t get me wrong, I strive to get my compositions right, but I have found I can always tweak it in post to improve it. I shoot fast and can’t always get the horizontals completely straight, so I correct this in post. This means I have to shoot a little wider than the final outcome.

I have no problems with cropping as long as it’s not too aggressive and there are ample pixels left in the image to produce great prints.
There are a few caveats in cropping though. For flattering portraits, never crop or compose your photos so that the edges and tangents are on body joints like elbows, knees, neck, wrist, shoulders and across the belly. These look odd and somewhat disturbing. Always crop in between or partway through the joints, so chest, arms, hips, leg, calves, forehead are acceptable. You can read more about tips on cropping to improve your image on here.
I have photographed many a woman who was very conscious of her body. For example, she was self-conscious of her arms, and yet she turns up in a sleeveless top. In those cases, I zoom in and crop the arms lengthways down so the photo only shows a third of the bare arm.

You can also crop to reposition your image and strengthen your composition as a result. I find using the rule of thirds as a very strong compositional tool and tend to lean towards it a lot. A symmetrical composition is also strong and effective. This is a good article on factors to consider when composing portraits.
I hope you found these four tips for flattering portraits helpful. If you have more tips to contribute, share them on here in the comments below.

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8 Tips to Avoid Becoming one of ‘Those’ Photographers

By: Kav Dadfar  

What type of photographer are you? A lazy one? A complacent one? Or maybe you are over confident? Here are eight types of photographers that you should avoid becoming.

#1 – The Jack of All Trades Photographer

It always makes me chuckle to myself when I ask someone what type of photography they do or want to get into, and they reply with a long list that covers every branch of photography. Think about it, if you wanted to get your teeth looked at, you would go to a dentist, not an optician or a chiropractor. Even general practice doctors who have a wide knowledge of most ailments would still refer you to see a specialist. This carries across every industry including photography.
You won’t find any photographer who is an expert in every genre of photography as there is just too much to learn, experience and practice at in anyone’s lifetime. While it’s important to have an understanding of how to photograph anything well, even the greatest photographers will specialize in a few genres.
For example, as a travel photographer, I need to be able to photograph food as that is a big part of any destination, or possibly the local wildlife. But I’m not a wildlife or food photographer. When you are at the start of your photography journey it is important to try as many different genres as you can until you find your passion and see where your skills lie. But once you do, try to focus your time and energy to being able to do that brilliantly, rather than doing everything in a mediocre fashion.

#2 – Mr. Latest Gear

You have all seen them. You probably actually know someone who has all the latest camera equipment along with a host of lenses, accessories, and possibly the clothing to go with it. But does it make a difference to their photos?
There is no doubt that better and more expensive cameras give you better quality photos and allow you more control. But a poorly composed photo which doesn’t have an interesting subject will be a bad photo regardless of the camera that captured it. So, instead of fretting over whether you have the latest camera equipment, concentrate on improving your skills as a photographer and not as a collector of equipment.

#3 – The Whirlwind

One of the things I find most astonishing and frustrating when I’m at a location is watching other photographers turn up (usually with the latest gear), take a few photos quickly, and then move on to the next viewpoint or location. I even remember seeing one such photographer hold the camera up and take a photo while looking in a different direction! Why even bother?
Even if you are pressed for time, often the best way to capture a great photo from any location is to pause for a few minutes. Just look at and think about the scene, the composition, the light and even the settings that you may need on your camera. Once you have surveyed the scene or the subject then go ahead and take the photo.
Not only will this give you much better photos in the long run, but it’ll save you having to rush around snapping away and hoping that you get lucky with a few shots.

#4 – Lazy One

Every photographer has been guilty of being lazy at some point in their career. Whether that is in the effort needed to take a photo (like having to hike somewhere, or wait for the light to change), in the process of taking the photo (“I’ll just put it on auto”) or in the post-production stage.
But often, your best photos end up being the ones that require the most effort. So don’t be the “lazy one”. In those situations where you are feeling lazy try and just push through it because the effort will likely be worth it in the end.

#5 – The Safe One

One of the great benefits of digital photography is that you are able to take risks with your photos as it doesn’t end also meaning that you are wasting precious film and money. Nowadays you can take a photo and if you don’t like it, you can just delete it and try again. But for many people, this is a benefit that is often overlooked. Most photographers (pros and amateurs) still work at achieving the “conventional” photo for that particular subject.
For example, go to any landmark and you will usually see hordes of people all standing at the typical “viewpoint” photographing at eye level. While I would always advise any photographer to capture these shots as well, the key is to not settle for the standard photo and try a few that are completely different. The worst thing that could happen is that the shots don’t work and you delete them. However, once in a while you might find an interesting new technique or skill that gives you something different.

#6 – The Too Arrogant Photographer

While I think it’s important for every photographer to be confident in themselves and their work, there is a big difference between being confident and being too arrogant. Photography is subjective and everyone will have different views, but listening to people who are knowledgeable or that you respect can help you really improve your work.
So don’t be arrogant, listen to the advice you are given. If one person tells you that a photo doesn’t work it could just be personal opinion, but if 10 people tell you the same thing maybe you should take notice. Often you will learn more from the poor photos you have taken, than the good ones.

#7 – The Freebie

Digital photography has revolutionized the photography industry for the better. But one aspect that it has had a detrimental effect on is the fees and payments that photographers now receive for their work. It’s no secret that fees and prices have been falling for a few years for photographers and big stock agencies such as Getty and Shutter Stock haven’t helped with the prices at which they sell photos.
But for most photographers the main aspect that irks them the most is the phrase, “We don’t have a budget to pay you, but we’ll credit you on the site/publication”. This would be the same as you getting a builder to work on your house but instead of paying them for the work you put a sign on your lawn saying, “The work was done by Mr. X”. You won’t find any builders who would agree to that deal, so why do photographers do it?
Exposure is usually the answer. But all this does is create a vicious cycle whereby you might receive exposure from that one client, but other potential clients will want the same deal which means all photographers end up suffering. If you don’t respect your work enough for people to pay you for it, then others won’t respect your work enough to pay for it either.

#8 – Mr. Rude

Like all professions, there are probably a handful of people who feel that just because they are taking a photo it gives them the rights to the land. Everyone has to get out of the way or stop what they are doing so that they capture the shot they want. Well, if you are one of these types of photographers then you should take a good look at yourself – because it doesn’t work that way.
Being a photographer doesn’t give you any more rights anywhere than the average tourist or spectator. It also doesn’t give you a right to demand people to give up their time to model for you. Unless you have hired the venue or that person to model for you then you just have to work your way around other people. If you don’t want people to be in your way, get up early in the morning when you can often get the place to yourself. If you want a clean and unobstructed view of something then be patient and wait for a gap in the flow of traffic. This extends to respecting other photographers too. Just because someone is a professional photographer doesn’t mean they have more of a right than an amateur one.
Show other tourists and spectators the same curtesy and respect that you would want to receive.

While not everyone will fall into each of these, most photographers at some point have been guilty of one or more of these traits. The important thing is so evaluate yourself and make changes as needed to make sure you don’t repeat them.
Are you any of those photographers? Or can you think of any others? Share your thoughts and experiences below.

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Quick Tips for Getting Into Stock Photography

By: Kjell Leknes  

Getting accepted as a stock photographer can be a difficult and frustrating process. Especially when your best photos get rejected by photo reviewers. After helping many photographers trying to become accepted as Shutterstock contributors, I have discovered how the process can instead become a fun and educational experience.

Why become a stock photographer?

Earning money on your digital photography work is a great way to earn an extra income. But it is often not the main motivation for why many people try to become contributors. Being accepted, and being able to call yourself a stock photographer, means something. Similar to how many people develop their skills so they one day can become a professional in their field, being able to call yourself a stock photographer will for many mean more than saying you’re a professional photographer.
When someone presents themselves as a professional photographer, people tend to have different views of what that means. Some associate a professional photographer with someone that makes high quality photos. Others may think of the person they hired to photograph their wedding. Or perhaps someone that has their photos sold in a gallery. Some may think a professional photographer is only someone that has a diploma, or someone that works full-time and earns their main income from their photography.
Being able to say you’re a stock photographer says something about the level you have reached. Why? Because the stock photography industry is well known for its high quality requirements.
Furthermore, the best part of being a stock photographer is knowing your work is being purchased, appreciated, and used all around the world. With modern tools like Google image Search, you can back trace and find were and how your most popular photos are being used.

Are you qualified?

If you know how to make a manual exposure, get the focusing correct and have a good eye for correct white balance, you’re most likely qualified to become a stock photographer.

Expect to get rejected

It might take a few attempts. But once you’re accepted, as many existing stock photographers can testify, it made them an even better photographer. A rejection of your initial submission might feel like a disappointment at first. But take advantage of the feedback and suggestions provided. Your initial submission will most likely be more strictly evaluated than the general submissions you’ll make in the future after getting accepted.

Find the motivation to learn

Try to see your first submission as a homework assignment for reading the stock agency’s submission guidelines. Like any course or workshop, your first homework assignment is not expected to be flawless. There will most likely be room for improvement. With this attitude, learning about stock photography can be an educational, fun, and even motivating experience.

The first batch of photos is the hardest

For example, when signing up to one of the most popular stock photography sites like Shutterstock, you are asked to submit 10 samples of your best work. Seven of these must pass the strict inspection of their reviewers. But if rejected, you’re provided with great feedback to help you improve your photography.

It gets easier after getting accepted

As any existing stock photographer can testify, your initial batch of submitted work is much more strictly evaluated than the general submissions you will make in the future after getting accepted.

You’re closer to getting accepted than you might think

A submission that is not approved is often not completely rejected either. Many rejected photos can have only one minor issue that can sometimes even be fixed with a little editing. Even though it may feel like your entire batch of submitted work was rejected, you might only be a few adjustments away from getting accepted.

Try again. Many existing stock photographers did.

Many existing stock photographers did not get accepted on their first attempt. For every initial submission that is not approved, take good use of the feedback that is required. See it as a free portfolio review from experts in the field. Be inquisitive, study the material and try again!

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