7 Tips to Help You Start and Grow a Photography Business

By: Karthika Gupta 

I have been a Digital Photography School writer for the past three years and I have to say, I absolutely love writing and sharing my photography experiences and knowledge. Every time one of my articles get published, my Facebook page and my website get a lot of visitors. I know this is because I use google analytics for my website which tracks visitors on any given day and shows where they spend most of their time (I highly recommend using Google Analytics for your website). I also get a ton of questions on my Facebook business page and the recurring theme of the questions is always something like this, “I love photography, but can you advise me on how to start my photography business and make money from it?”
So I decided to address that burning question in the hopes that it resonates with so many other photographers, who are thinking the same thing and are perhaps a little nervous to write in for the fear of showing their vulnerability. If you are, please don’t be, because everyone, including me, started somewhere and we all had similar thoughts.

#1 – Just Start

If you are thinking about starting a photography business to such a large extent that you cannot think about doing anything else, then just start. Go ahead and take that first step towards making your passion your career. Remember that “done” is so much better than “perfect”.
We, photographers, are always learning new things every day, be it in business, technology or photography skills. If you wait to be a perfect photographer, you will be waiting a long time. Now, I am not saying that you should not invest time and effort in understanding and practice. Skill is very important. But if you are considering learning the craft and the art of photography, then there is no better time than now!

My lovely friend and fellow photographer during a casual meet up where we exchanged headshots and talked shop over coffee and cupcakes!

# 2 – Use Social Media

Social media has exploded over the past few years in terms of the number of people who are using it for business, no matter what business they are in. Because so much of social media is both visual and text, photographers and writers have a slight advantage in terms of creating and sharing quality content.
So as a photographer, it behooves you to take advantage of the channel at your disposal. But be aware that the whole point of social media is to be social online, showcase your work, show who you are as a photographer and a person. Network, connect and interact online. It is one of the relatively inexpensive ways to make yourself know and recognized.

I love Instagram and think it is one of the best tools out there, especially for photographers. It is so 

visual and by engaging the right way, you can get a loyal following, new clients, and industry 

contacts. But like anything else it takes time and a concentrated, thoughtful approach.

# 3 – Practice, Learn and Practice Some More

Photography is an art form with many different nuances. Each aspect of photography has many different interpretations and to really excel in photography, you have to know and understand the basics.
Light, color, composition, emotion, and movement are all critical aspects of a good photograph. You have to learn them, practice them, and then put your own spin on them to make your own photographs go from good to great. There is no time limit for learning photography. The only way you can get better is to keep at it and photograph every chance you can get.
I carry my camera everywhere I go. I have been doing this for so long that it’s second nature now and I don’t think twice about it. Sometimes I will only shoot ten to twelve frames and sometimes I will shoot several hundred. But what I tell myself every time I bring the camera to my face is that this time I have to try something different and create something I have not created before.

I always give myself permission and time to play – sometimes it’s with florals from my neighbor’s 

backyard.

Whereas other times it is a quick click while hiking in the mountains around Boulder. The snow 

and the clear blue sky made for a pretty backdrop for this ranger outpost!

#4 – Market Your Work

Marketing is crucial to any business but so few of us really put much into it. Most of us have the mindset that if you produce quality work, then your photography will speak for itself and clients will line up outside your studio for all eternity.
But sadly, that is far from the truth. Like any good product or service, we have to take the time and the effort to educate our clients and our potential clients on why working with us is a great idea. The more you think about promoting your work on a daily basis, the more effort and heart you will put into your marketing. And remember, marketing takes a lot of time. Very rarely does a marketing effort pay off immediately.

One of my marketing pieces for a show that I am participating in – the show is aimed towards 

other businesses as well as creative women entrepreneurs!

#5 – Use Your Network

Unless you live in a personal bubble, you have a network. Networks can be social (i.e. friends and family), professional (peers or work colleagues), or industry related (other businesses that support photography).
So I challenge you to do a network analysis (sorry, I am a computer science major from my previous life so I love all this technical jargon!) and figure out who are all the people that you can reach out to and tap into for work. They might not be your direct clients but they may know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who is looking for a photographer. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth marketing.

Word-of-mouth and referrals are the best kind of marketing you can ever invest in and they are 

free (for the most part). Your only expenses – making genuine connections and friends among 

your networks!

#6 – Hustle

You have probably heard this adage before – there is no such thing as a free lunch. There are no shortcuts to anything in life, so what makes you think that there are shortcuts to photography?
Photography, like any other profession, is extremely competitive with a relatively low barrier to entry. This means you have to hustle that much harder and longer to make an impression and to have an impact on your business bottom line. If you are starting out, try many genres of photography.
If you are starting out, try many genres of photography. Use any opportunity you can to improve your skills. Make friends with others in the industry and share experiences. Give it your all and eventually, you will reap the benefits.

I met these two local creatives via social media. We really hit it off well and collaborated on a 

beautiful spring tablescape inspiration shoot.

I also routinely go out for shootouts with many other photographers. It is a chance to make friends 

in the industry and geek out on all things photography!

#7 – Share

Share your work, your knowledge, and your expertise. The more open and willing you are to share among your peers, your competitors, and your clients, the more satisfying the journey to photography business success will be.
People, especially clients, will understand that you are genuine in building professional and personal relationships and the next time they hear of any photography work, they will connect with you. Photography friends and peers will refer clients if they are booked, help you when you are in a pinch, and work with you on creative projects – all of which as so important for your personal growth and growth of your business.

If you have other tips on growing a photography business, feel free to share with the larger dPS community in the comments below.

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5 Tips for Goal Setting for You and Your Photography Business

By: Lynsey Mattingly 

Last December, no doubt thanks to data driven marketing, a little red ad with festive fireworks graphics kept popping up in my Facebook feed asking me: “WILL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS SUCCEED OR FAIL IN 2014?” Over and over it found its way to my eyeballs and dared me to click, and apparently peek into my very own crystal ball, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do it. In all caps screaming at me, it seemed to suggest more seriousness than I can handle this time of year.
And the fireworks secretly conveyed what it really was saying: “WILL YOU BE CELEBRATING OR GOING DOWN IN A BURNING VORTEX OF SHAME AND REGRET?”. For all I know, it was a dead link. Or when I click on it, I end up on that site for an indoor cycling class that Facebook seems to think I will enjoy even though taking an indoor cycling class sounds slightly less interesting than performing my own root canal with pliers and whiskey on my kitchen floor.

I’m not one for New Year resolutions, and not just because they often involve exercise. I have found that they easily end up being nothing more than petty promises you make to yourself that turn into guilt once it becomes evident they were unrealistic and therefore, unachievable. What I do love though, is goal setting and fresh starts; a new year is perfect for both. Specific goal setting is a very personal thing – one that no one, or any “How To” article, can help you write. I can however offer you some tips for what the most successful goal setting includes.

Tips for goal setting for your business

1) Be realistic

I know – realistic is boring. Realistic lacks that exotic appeal, that wild and crazy offer. But setting yourself up for disappointment and ending up in that burning vortex of shame and regret scenario, isn’t appealing either. I’m not likely to photograph a cover for Time Magazine this year. I’m not even likely to have a photograph on the front page of my local newspaper. Partly because I don’t work for either publication. Last year I had photographs published in one international magazine, two US-based publications, and a few images featured in a large gallery show. Every single one of those was a surprise – random opportunities that fell in my lap which I couldn’t have set as a goal because I didn’t know they were possibilities.
Practical goal setting should be flexible enough to accommodate opportunities you couldn’t have imagined and able to adapt and change as your business and your style does. Goals do not need to be small to be realistic. Shoot for the moon, but keep in mind that the idea of building a space shuttle sounds like a lot more fun on January 1st than it will in mid-July.

2) Treat it like a business

This is a goal I have every year; to not let it get so personal. I want to be able to hear constructive feedback about my images without feeling personally attacked, to not allow negative energy to kill my buzz, to not give away the farm, to keep office hours, to not edit with one hand and make dinner for my kids with the other. It’s a struggle. Possibly my biggest. Partly because it is personal.
I don’t know a single professional photographer who became one because they needed a job and photography was there and was easy. We get into this business because we love taking pictures. What a dreamy situation – to take an art, a hobby, and turn it into your career. It’s easy to keep dodging and burning the midnight Photoshop oil when you are having success doing something you love. To avoid burn-out and keep your basic love of photography intact, work at maintaining a life/work balance. If taking pictures is how you make a living, do the tasks that aren’t as fun creating images, during actual normal working hours. Commit to not taking on too much, or doing jobs for free or cheap just to be nice. Build your portfolio with intention so you are not just shooting everything that comes your way for no personal purpose. Hire out the tasks that keep you from being able to focus on the parts of your business only you can do.

3) Clean up your work space

Several years ago I was in a terrible funk and I couldn’t figure out exactly why. I was telling a close friend that every time I came home, I felt defeated and just wanted to crawl into my bed and ignore the world. She walked into my laundry room – the room I usually use to enter my house connecting my garage to my kitchen and said, “Of course you do. I imagine this being the first thing you see when you get home is very, very depressing.” My laundry room was a sad beige disaster of papers and junk, not to mention laundry for days. If you managed to shove the door all the way open, you were rewarded by something falling on you or having to do a complicated dance routine to step over whatever was on the floor. It took a candid friend to see that being welcomed home by that was enough to make me want to run away. It was the push I needed to organized the junk, paint the walls a cheery yellow, put in happy lighting, and install a shiny new floor. This was life changing and made coming home something I looked forward to, instead of dreading.
If I could, I would visit each of your work spaces and clean off your desk, dust your computer screen and throw away all of those scraps of paper you are saving in your top drawer that you just don’t need. I would make sure your chair was adjusted for optimal comfort and productivity, then place your favorite picture in a beautiful frame right next to you to make you smile and give you a little extra motivation when you need it most. I would untangle your electric cords and label your business folders and toss all of the nagging Post-It notes that remind you of what you haven’t done. I would go through your computer where I would first check out your music collection and judge you completely based on it and then send unneeded files, shortcuts, and applications to the trash bin. I would reformat all of your memory cards, charge all of your batteries, and carefully wipe down all of your lenses. I would send in the little elves to magically clean your camera sensor and careful wipe all of the grime and grunge off the viewfinder and buttons with the most gentle precision. I would even get you a big glass of ice water with a crazy straw and place it next to you so you could work productively for hours on end and never have to be thirsty.
Obviously, I can’t do any of these things for you – but you can. Give yourself the gift of working in a space that works for you. Whether it’s an office, a studio or tiny corner of a closet – take the time to make it a place where you actually want to spend time.

4) Focus on one topic at a time

There is so much information out there for photographers. Some of it good, some of it opinion, some of it completely unnecessary. As a person who gets overwhelmed easily, I have to remember to not overindulge in the information I allow my brain to soak up. I like to pick one topic or area that I want to learn more about or focus on at a time. This way I read anything I find interesting, but if it’s not something I need to look into and not about my dedicated topic, I can let it go. Last year I learned as much as I could about copyright. If an article popped up about copyright, I would read it immediately. I spent time researching and finding ways to change and better my photography practices based on copyright laws. This year, I want to work on indoor natural light photography. This keeps me from overindulging in tips and ideas that will only drown me with information I’m not likely to need or use right now.

5) Invest in your business, your brand, and yourself

Starting any business takes time and money. The first couple of years are often about keeping afloat, and it’s easy to see basic needs as expenses that can be saved for later. Looking back, I wish I would have built a few things stronger the first time.
I wish I would have purchased a better camera body right from the get-go instead of trying to skimp where I thought I could save some money, only to end up needing a new one much sooner. I wish I would have taken the time to have my computer professionally fixed to accommodate running a large program like Photoshop all of the time. Then my editing would have been faster and I would have wasted less time waiting for large images to load. I wish I would have done my portfolio building based on the pictures I wanted to take, not the ones that people seemed to demand.
The little things I could have invested in would have saved me a lot of trouble, time, and often cash, down the line. Having the tools you need, the resources to use, and the abilities and desire to put it all together and work hard, is the difference between flirting with photography and making it a business.

Every January I have no idea what the year will bring, and every December I find myself in a place I couldn’t have even predicted, but often in a place I had hoped for. Goal setting is the closest you can come to actually (please forgive the corniness) writing your own destiny. This year I want to work on my personal photography project, write more, update my websites and blogs, and never, ever find myself in an indoor cycling class.
What do you hope to achieve this year in your photography?

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6 Tips for Doing a Successful 365 Photo Project

By: Karthika Gupta

Happy New Year! This is a great time to start new projects – be it losing weight, getting fit by regularly exercising, committing to eating right, or improving and growing your photography knowledge and skill.
We all have many different goals when it comes to our passion for photography. A great way to get started is by working on personal and professional photography projects. One simple yet effective way to work on your photography skills is to participate in a 365 Photo Project. Quite simply, a 365, as it is most often called, is a commitment to take a photo a day for 365 days straight. You can get as specific or as general as you like in terms of what you photograph, when you photograph, or even how you photograph. There are no set rules – the only requirement being you must take at least one photo each day, that counts towards your 365.

A small collage from my 365 project done in 2014.

That being said, there are some basic guidelines to successfully complete a 365 – a sort of dos and don’ts list, if you will.

#1 Be honest about why you want to do a 365

Talk to anyone, and you are bound to hear many different reasons why you should do a 365 photo project. Some people feel it improves your photography because you are consistently taking at least one picture a day. Others feel it is a fun way to document and record a year in your life. It is also a great way to experiment and learn about light, composition, subject, equipment, and develop and hone in on your observation skills.
Since you know you have to take at least one photo every day, you are constantly looking for good photo opportunities everywhere, and tend to become more observant of your environment. No matter what your reason, be very clear on exactly why you want to start a 365, and document that as part of the process. This will help clarify your goals, and make the process more enjoyable.

#2 Create a routine for your 365

Just like anything else in life, having a routine provides a sense of organization. Figure out when is your best time to photograph, and stick to that routine. For me, the best time is around 9:00-10:30 a.m. It is early enough in the morning when my brain is quite active, there are no distractions, and the morning light is quite clean and bright. Of course that is not to say that I don’t photograph at other times of the day, but when I am working on a project, or an assignment, that’s my go-to time. And yes, I do treat my 365 as an assignment. The only difference is that I am my own client!

My general task list for my 365 -generally, all it takes is 10 minutes of my time:

• Shoot 365 photo – five minutes
• Edit photo – two minutes
• Load to Dropbox – 30 seconds
• Post on Instagram – 30 seconds
• Write a caption and one line description for the image – one minute
• Add hashtags – one minute
• Total – 10 minutes approximately

#3 Set your own prompts or join a 365 group

In my opinion, this is the hardest part of doing a 365. The proverbial, “What do I photograph?”. Luckily there are so many of us doing 365 projects, that there are online groups you can join to get daily or weekly prompts sent to your inbox. Here are a few:

• Project 365 Flickr group
• 365 Project website
• The 365 Make 1 shot per day, for 1 year – Flickr group

The other option is to completely customize the project, and work from your own prompts, or inspirational triggers. You might only want to photograph your breakfast, your pet, or your children. You may want to focus on modes of transportation. No matter what the prompt, I recommend creating a list or a journal to document them. That way you know what you have already photographed, and what comes next.

I try to follow this general prompt weekly for my 365. Sometimes, I deviate from it, and for me that’s okay!

• Monday – Inspire
• Tuesday – Food
• Wednesday – Nature of the outdoors
• Thursday – Indoors
• Friday – Family
• Saturday – Personal
• Sunday – Fun day (anything goes)

#4 Choose the tools of the trade

Choose a camera – any camera! If you want to improve on your mobile camera skills go for it. Did you get a new camera for Christmas? Use a 365 photo project as a great way to learn the workings of your new toy. After all, practice makes perfect, and there is nothing like practicing everyday to get you comfortable with using that new camera.
Regardless of what tool you use, makes sure that it is something achievable. I find my DSLR to be cumbersome at times, and not easy to carry around with me for smaller errands in town. So instead, for my 365 photo project, I use a combination of iPhone and DSLR, which gives me the flexibility I need.
The other common question that most people want to know is how to document the project. My 365 medium of choice is Instagram. I love this platform, as it brings forth a great sense of community and creativity. By posting my images, and using the #365 hashtag, I am instantly part of a large group of people who are in the same project. It keeps me motivated and on track. I know a lot of people who post a collage of images on their social media channels, rather than a picture a day. This does not mean they don’t photograph one picture a day, but rather they just share their images once a week, or a month at a time.

These are the only two tools I use for my 365. When an image is from my DSLR, I can use 

the #dslr365 in Instagram to separate the two (not a required step but I like to do it just for my 

reference).

#5 Learn to forgive and move on

Who knew that doing a 365 can also be a great way to learn basic life lessons! The age old adage to forgive and forget is very relevant while participating in a 365. Sometimes things happen and you end up missing a day, or several days in a row. It is not the end of the world. Acknowledge it, accept it and move on. Either you can catch up, and post more than one picture the next day, or just mark it off as missed and go forward. The key here is to keep moving forward. Otherwise days turn into weeks, that turn into months, and before you know it, the 365 has long been forgotten and abandoned.

One of my favorites from my last 365. I did miss a few days here and there but the memories that 

I was able to capture still make me smile to this day!

#6 Success, completion, and what’s next

A 365 photo project is definitely a commitment. One that takes time and effort on your part, but the rewards are quite satisfying. To me, completing a 365 photo project provides a sense of achievement and accomplishment. In my mind it’s not an easy task, and I do celebrate my success!
Print all, or some of your best images, and create a collage of photos. Create a photo book specific to your 365. The possibilities are endless. My 365 photo project lives on my Instagram feed only, and I like printing my favorites. There are several companies that also provide the option of printing Instagram images. I have used Artifact Uprising in the past, but Blurb and Shutterfly are a few other companies that come to mind.
Note: If you use Lightroom you can create a Blurb book and order it directly from within the software, all right from your original camera files.
Once you have completed your 365 photo series, my recommendation would be to take a break. Jumping right in to another 365 can be a bit much. That’s not to say that people don’t do it, and be successful. Many people absolutely love doing 365 photo projects, and have consistently done it for several years at a stretch.
Personally, I like a variety of challenges in my photographic journey. After completing a 365 photo project in 2014, I took a break and focused on other things. Now I am ready to get back into the game and will be starting a 365 photo series on my Instagram. Join me if you want to and lets motivate each other to take a photo a day for 365 days!

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5 Ways to Invest in Your Photography Over the Next 365 Days

By: Karthika Gupta  

Happy New Year! I love the new year. It brings forth hope, aspirations, and positivity.
Metaphorically, it is like the slate has been wiped clean and you have a chance to chase some of your most amazing and lofty goals. So why not use this new year to invest in something that you really love as well – your photography. Here are some simple easy ways to invest in bettering your creativity and your craft over the next 365 days.

#1 – Create smart goals for your photography

Let’s drop the myth that only professional photographers who are in business are allowed to have photography goals. I don’t care if you are just beginning to learn photography or have been doing this for years, one of the best ways to improve at anything is to have realistic goals for what you aspire to and want to achieve.
Goals can be things like learning to photograph in manual mode, selling stock images or booking your first wedding client. No matter what your goals are, I encourage you to take it a step further and create SMART goals. A SMART goal is defined as one that is;

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Results-focused
• Time-sensitive

So for each of your goals, add additional parameters to convert them to SMART goals by figuring out how to measure them, how to achieve and execute them, and what specific timeframe you want them to be completed by.

A SMART goal to travel and explore my home country has lead to some amazing opportunities. 

All because I really thought through what I wanted to do, how I wanted to execute it, and what 

outcomes I wanted from those opportunities and really working towards those goals!

#2 – Plan to do at least 4 personal photography projects

I really believe that personal projects are the cornerstone to helping you improve your photography. Once you take the pressures of working with clients out of the equation, you are free to explore, get creative, and challenge yourself. This creative freedom is bound to reflect positively on your work.
Personal projects can be short exercises directed to help you improve in some area of your photography or extended self-assigned projects that really take you completely out of your comfort zone to try something different. You can choose to space out your personal projects throughout the year – perhaps even commit to doing one per quarter.
No matter what you choose, have SMART goals on what, when, and how you are going to execute your personal projects. You can see more details on the importance of personal projects in this previous article.

One of my ongoing personal projects to learn and master film photography because it provides so 

much more room for learning and improving my photography in general. I even went so far as only 

taking a 35mm film camera on vacation to the Caribbean.

#3 – Practice photography every day

One of the easiest ways to practice photography every day is by signing up for a 365 series. Quite simply put, a 365 series is a commitment to creating one photo every day for 365 days. You can use a DSLR, a point and shoot camera, or even a smartphone to work on this series.
You can even take this a step further by joining one of the many online groups available. They are created solely for the purpose of encouraging you to photograph and post a single photo every day for 365 days straight. They even provide photo prompts to help you stay on track so you are constantly thinking of what to photograph every day.

A picture a day is literally just that – a photo a day. Get as creative as you want with this exercise. Use it as a way to get out of the house, meet fellow photographers, or just as some quiet time to reflect on who you are as a photographer and what motivates you.

#4 – Share your work online and offline

Join online groups or even local camera clubs to meet and socialize with other photographers. Many clubs have critique nights where members submit photos and comment on each other’s work. This is a great way to not only have your work be seen by others but also to get unbiased feedback on your work, which can be used for improvement and growth.
Many times we are our own worst critic and downplay our talents and skills because we are afraid or maybe lack the confidence in our photography. And you know what’s the best part? Having a group of like-minded people that you can talk photography about with all day long without them tuning you out within the first five minutes of any conversation (Can you tell this is how my family is when I start to talk photography!?).

I have made some amazing friends via online communities – we have collaborated together, referred 

work to each other and bounced life and business challenges off one another. But most importantly, 

I have made some incredible friends who I know have my best interests at heart.

#5 – Attend a photography workshop, conference or take an online course

Like most other professions, the photography industry is continually evolving and changing. New products, techniques, and styles are constantly being introduced. So attending a photography workshop or conference is a great idea.
Plus you never know who you might meet there in terms of future friends, potential clients, or even referral opportunities. There are numerous workshops, seminars, and even free online events and tutorials to keep you busy learning new things.
Keeping abreast of the latest in any business is a good thing. It shows your clients, both present, and future, that you value your business and skill, enough to invest in it.

Workshops, and conferences are another great way to expand your professional circle, make 

industry friends and learn new skills/techniques. Make sure you do your research prior to 

committing funds to attend an event/workshop or conference.

What will you do with the next 365 days?

I hope these tips were helpful to you as you plan out the year. Remember, getting your photography to a level that you are proud of takes time and a lot of hard work. Make this your year to shine with your photography.

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Interview with Rosie Hardy

By: Darren Rowse 

Today I’d like to introduce you to the photography of Rosie Hardy. A 19 year old photographer I stumbled across at Flickr (on the recommendation of some of our readers on facebook). You can see her Flickr stream here. Rosie agreed to answer a few questions about her photography – I hope you enjoy this short interview and accompanying image.

How did you first get into photography?

I first got into photography when I was around 16 years old (I’m now 19). I would always flickr through magazines and wonder why pictures I took never looked like they did, I was slightly confused and intrigued by it all. Like any teenager, I wanted to feel pretty, so I started taking random snaps of myself and playing around with them in photoshop and posting them to my old myspace.
After a while, I joined flickr, and I was around 17 when I decided to take up the 365days Project (1 self portrait every day for a year) to really improve my photography and post processing skills. I didn’t start taking it seriously until a few months in, and I saw how passionate about it that I was. I started shooting in new locations, with props and lighting, and then moved onto shooting with models and clients. Self portraits are something which are nice for me to do occasionally, but they really gave me that first initial leg up into the world of photography.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?

I wish I’d known how important it is to have patience with yourself and keep going. I think with the internet in all it’s glory it can be easy to get disheartened, especially when you get negative feedback, but what is important to keep in mind is that every amazing photographer was once a horrible photographer who took awful photos. We all start somewhere, I look back on my early work and cringe! And I’m sure next year I’ll look back on the stuff I’ve yet to do and cringe at that, too! Point is, I wish I’d not been put off by all the other talented photographers out there.
You don’t need to worry about what you have to offer if you enjoy what you are doing – I’m still not entirely sure what i want to say with my photography, but I know eventually I want to say something, and I’m happy working with what I enjoy until I figure that out.

What type of camera do you use most?

I use the Canon 5d Mark II right now, but for the first year and 1/2 I used a Canon 400D, so very basic with no other equipment except the kit lens and a tripod.

What is your favourite lens?

I LOVE the 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens, and I’m saving up for an 85mm 1.2 lens. I also reccomend the 50mm 1.4/50mm 1.2 lens, and the 24-70mm 2.8 has served me well.

Could you share a favourite recent image and tell us a little of the back story behind it

This image (above) was done a few weeks ago at Stoke on Trent University studio. My boyfriend and I had recently broken up, and I was powering through the split, but still feeling an overwhelming feeling of sadness at the loss of a friend and a whole part of myself – I had moved over to America to be with him (I am from Manchester, UK) and I had to leave everything behind, including the incredible time I’d had over there.
I found these butterfly stickers in a shop one day, and wanted to portray this concept of all the butterflies you get when you love someone quietly fluttering away from you. It was heart wrenching when it happened. I wasn’t 100% sure I even wanted to let them go.
A while after the shoot, I actually saw that it could have a different meaning – that all the butterflies were coming to me to comfort me and surround me like something of a defence. I start to pick myself up and realize that life goes on and love will come again, and that there will always be butterflies and without trying to sound too soppy and melodramatic, sometimes you have to let them go. Photography is great for me like that, it’s like a little outlet I have to express myself and release any sadness/emotion that I might have.

Do you have a tip for beginner to intermediate photographers that will help them improve their photography?

Practice every day! I would definitely recommend taking up the 365 days project – even though it’s self-portraiture, you learn how to direct yourself and pose yourself (and then you can pose models a lot easier) and you get used to being on both sides of the camera.
Shooting every single day sped up my improvement by miles, and it also was nice to document my year and see how much my style has changed. Also – take every opportunity you get, however dull or small, because it opens up SO many new jobs and opportunities! I’ve had such an amazing 2 years and I wouldn’t give up photography for the world.

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Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay

By: Darren Rowse 

I first came across the photography of Anna Gay on her Flickr Account when doing some research for a post on self portraiture and the 365 project. I don’t remember which image first grabbed me but do remember surfing through the work in her 365 day challenge archives and being impressed by the quality of her photography, the dedication it must take to take self portraits every day for a year (twice) and being interested to learn more about her workflow.
So when Anna agreed to take part in an interview here on dPS – and to talk us through three of her shots – I was over the moon. I hope you enjoy hearing about how Anna approaches her photography.

How did you get into photography? how long have you been doing it?

I first picked up a camera in November of 2008. At the time, a family member was working on a 365 project of photos, and I thought it seemed like a really neat thing to do, so I decided to try my hand at taking a photo every day for a month as sort of an experiment to see if I would enjoy photography, and if I had the willpower to stick to something every day for a month.
I have always really loved to paint and draw, and I have an undergraduate degree in theatre, so the arts have always been an important part of my life. Photography was a new medium for me, so I was curious to explore it further. My first endeavors, though, were not self-portraits – I started off by shooting urban and rural decay, and pretty much anything that caught my eye or interested me. It wasn’t until I had been shooting for a couple of months that I thought, “I wonder what would happen if I photographed myself?”

Day 106: Descent

This shot was from my first 365, and I was still learning about composites, and using stock photos in my own work. In this case, I had an idea for a shot, but no clue how to execute said idea. So, I took my self-portrait in my bedroom, and then searched high and low for tutorials on how to add birds to a photo, and make them look realistic. The main thing I learned while working this shot was how to adjust the levels on the dove to match the light in my shot, and also how to add a drop shadow to the dove in CS4 so that the dove’s shadow would appear on my wall.
The more attention you pay to detail in your photo manipulations, the more realistic the shot will look. I also adjusted the color curves to bring out the green shadows on the wall behind me. The lighting in this shot is from my window, camera right. I also used the “dodge” tool in CS4 to bring out some of the highlights on my hair.

What kind of gear do you use? (cameras/lenses)

These days, I am shooting primarily with a Nikon D90 and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 without fail – I love that setup! When the natural light isn’t quite enough, I have a speedlight SB-600 with a small reflector umbrella. Those are my staples, and if I could only choose one lens and one lighting setup, those would be all I need. I try to keep things as simple as possible in terms of gear.

You are on your 2nd 365 challenge. What attracted you to this type of challenge?

Initially, I started my first 365 out of the desire to learn about photography, but also to learn about myself. However, when I started that first year, I had no clue how much my personal life was going to change, so I think I may have, emotionally, ended up getting way more than I bargained for!
I went through some very dark times, and being able to take and then process a photo every day gave me some sort of routine, a small amount of consistency in my life. The thing I really love about a 365 is that it is what you make of it, and for me, I love to learn new things, so for 365 days, I felt very fulfilled because, no matter what was going on in my personal life, I knew that I would learn something new about photography every single day.
When my first 365 ended, I felt like something was missing from my life without that pressing need to take at least one shot for the day. I started a second year on my birthday in March, and have been having a blast with year two! I post all of my shots on Flickr, and there is something really rewarding about taking a shot you’re proud of, and then sharing it with people around the world.

Day 209: Beach or Bust

Another shot taken during my first 365. When creating a self-portrait, I like to find elements to add to the photo that people will find relatable. I took this shot in a junkyard I found on the way to Hilton Head, SC. I was so excited about going on vacation, and I wanted other people to share that excitment with me.
I had such a feeling of freedom that day, and I knew that VW’s, the idea of the open road, cutoff jeans and bare feet would convey to my viewers that sense of reckless abandon I was feeling on that September day. Part of being a self-portrait artist, for me, is relating to people around me, so I love to find elements to add to a photo that are common ground for all of us.

What’s the most challenging thing about a 365 challenge and how do you manage to keep up with it?

Let’s face it, time is valuable, and none of us seem to have enough of it these days. So, it can be really tough to find that moment with myself to take a shot. Sometimes there are distractions. Other times, I’m tired, or sick, or both. But, I always make the time. I don’t watch much TV, I don’t play computer games, and when I read, it is usually photography related, so in my down time, I am able to really focus my energy on creating an image every day. It is all about priorities, and creating images daily for myself and others is pretty high on my list.

What tips would you give other aspiring self portrait enthusiasts? What kind of process do you go through in setting up and taking your shots?

First, gain an understanding of the basic principles of photography – composition, lighting, balance, perspective, etc. Then, get to know your camera. Make an effort to shoot in Manual mode at all times, and develop a foundation in understanding shutter speed and aperture. If you can get a grasp on those two things (and they’re quite easy to grasp with just a little bit of practice and patience) then the sky is the limit for you not only in your self-portraits, but as a photographer in general.
Invest in a remote – there is nothing more tiring than running back and forth when your camera is on a timer! Find other people who are interested in self-portraits, and get to know them and their work. You will learn so much from sharing your work with other photographers, and you will also find a lot of moral support in them, and that is really important, I think.
Most of all, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re going to have some self-portraits that you love more than others, and some of your self-portraits may be a little embarrassing, but that’s really okay, because all of us are, hopefully, constantly on a learning curve. Always push yourself to get better, but never push yourself to the point of being discouraged. You always want expand your horizons as an artist, but try not to lose sight of the idea that self-portraiture is supposed to be something that is good for you – a healthy exploration of self. As much as you can, be yourself in front of the camera, because that is what is so beautiful about self-portraits – they show everyone else who you really are as an individual. Self-portraits have the potential to be truthful, and all of us appreciate truth.

Day 115: Go With It

This shot is from my current 365, though, I started rotating my shots in year one. One day, I found that if I rotated my shot, it added a completely new dimension to the overall feel of the photo. However, as a general rule of thumb, I never rotate my photos as an afterthought – I always compose the shot with the final rotation in mind. So, for this shot, I tossed my scarf straight up in the air, the rotated the shot counter clockwise so that it would convey that sense of movement to the right.
Playing with rotations has been very enjoyable for me, and I find that it can add a surreal element to an otherwise very simple composition.

I’m also interested in your approach to post production – could you give us some insight into your workflow and processes in this area?

My process varies a lot from day to day! I try to make each shot fresh and new, even if I am building on a previous theme – I try not to do the same thing twice. Most of the time, I will wake up with an idea in mind for a shot, but sometimes I will let the shot present itself to me on its own. My camera is always on a tripod, and I always use a remote. In most cases, I take around 10 shots, load them to my computer, and pick 2-3 favorites. Then, I process the shots in Lightroom and CS4, and choose my final edit from those 3.
For the majority of my shots, I adjust the exposure and white balance in Lightroom, and will use presets to adjust the tones and color curves to fit the overall mood of the look I am going for. If I feel the shot still needs work, I will sometimes add a texture in CS4, and will do any necessary skin retouching. Sometimes, I like to process my shot, then walk away from it for a few hours before posting it online.
I find that putting a shot away for a moment, then returning to it with fresh eyes before making the final touches, can help me see the shot more objectively. Everything I know I have learned from either reading tutorials online, or from talking shop with other photographers, and have found that my process becomes more free-flowing the more technical knowledge I gain. I have reached a point where I tailor my workflow to the shot at hand.

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5 Tips for Staying Infatuated With Photography

By: Lynsey Mattingly 

It takes a lot to hold my interest.  Scratch that—it takes a lot to get my interest, then hold it, and finally (and especially) to keep it.  This makes my dating life quite hard.  And sometimes my relationship with photography even harder.  And with less Happy Hours and coffee dates.
One bad shoot and I’m ready to sell my equipment and call it good.  And go work at Starbucks, where there are benefits and free coffee and cool mandatory aprons.  In my career that has spanned a decade, I have quit, retired, and ran away more times than Brett Farve.  (This comparison really only makes sense if you live in the States, but if you don’t just imagine David Beckham retiring a bunch of times, changing his mind and coming back, and you get the general idea.)
I always come crawling back to photography.  Like a moth to a flame.  Or a crazy ex-girlfriend to your doorstep in the middle of the night, begging for another chance.  Since I’m trying not to do that anymore (both the faux retirement and the crazy ex-girlfriend thing), I have come up with a couple of things that allow a little reset to my photography passion.  Or a jolting wake-up call to remind me of exactly what I love about photography.  Here are 5 of my favorites.  My 6th favorite: completely freak-out and skip town in the middle of the night never to be heard from again, is pretty self-explanatory.

1. Take a Photography Vacation

Not the kind where you take your camera with you for beach sunsets and lively Main Street scenes of locals.  The kind where you go nowhere and your camera gets locked up safe and sound in a closet.  It may sound extreme, but a good week (or two…..or three) away may be just what the doctor ordered.  And what’s fair is fair: this means no Photoshop, no point and shoots, and no saying “if only I had my camera”.  Instead you get to think: how cool that I am seeing this with my own eyes this time and not through a lens.  I will permit an occasional cell phone photo, but only because if I make that off limits, you’ll just rebel anyway.  A week or two away and you’ll crave photography again with rested eyes and fresh ideas.

2. Donate your Services and Skills

This one is my go-to and not only recharges me, but almost always brings me back good energy in some form.  There is no wrong way to do it—compassionately and with great tact, offer up your services to a family that is going through a rough time and may not be able to afford to document their lives at this time.  Or call a non-profit service and brainstorm a way that you taking a few shots could help their efforts in marketing.  Contact a nursing facility and ask if they would like you to donate an hour of your time on their next family day to photograph loved ones with people they don’t get to see often for free.  Hospice organizations, humane societies and animal shelters, and wildlife rehabilitation centers are always thrilled when a photographer is willing and interested in donating their special skill set to their cause.
The photo above is an Executive Director of a homeless outreach program and one of her beloved clients.  It has been featured in gallery shows, used for marketing collateral for their organization, and been auctioned for donation.  I did not receive a penny in compensation for it, but what I did get out of it both personally and professionally is vast and grand and worth more than any fee I’ve ever charged.

3. Flip to the other Side

I am fascinated by this cell phone “selfie” phenomenon on social media right now.  And by “fascinated”, I mean terrified.  I’m not a fan of the other side of the lens in the first place, but you can darn well bet I sure don’t want to be on that other side, blindly taking a self-portrait with a bad camera phone in a bar or a car or whatever.  Not in a house, not with a mouse, not in a box, not with a fox.  However (and I hope you said that “however” with a big giant sigh like I wrote it), not only can it be helpful to getting back in a solid mindset but beneficial in many other ways.  I find that I seem to need a recent photo of myself often as a photographer.  And, let’s be fair here; if I’m not willing to have my picture taken once in a while how can I justify asking others to let me take theirs?  It’s a bit humbling, but also gives me new ideas to try when I’m on the other side.
The photo above (and also by my byline below) was taken by my 9 year old son.  He is darling and thoughtful and creative and perfect and takes after me.  Photography is just a basic part of our lives, so when I asked him to take a picture of me I could use professionally, it wasn’t that big of a deal to hand over two thousand dollars in equipment to a kid that had just used my hair dryer to try to power some Lego contraption he made.  I ended up with a couple of pictures that I like very much, but more than that, I got a bit of confidence and a lovely reminder of how great it feels to look at a picture of yourself you like.  I have the ability to do that for people.  And sometimes I need a little smack in the face to remind myself to stop being a whiney brat and be grateful for my abilities.  Or at the very least, to start renting out my kid.

4. Photograph something Different than you usually Do

This is a tough one for me, as I got into photography only because I like photographing people.  If you asked me how to take a great picture of a sunset, I would likely try to tell you a very long story about sunsets in hopes that you forgot what we were talking about in the first place.  I have zero interest in taking pictures that don’t involve people.  But I do have a pretty fancy camera and more editing knowledge stored in my brain than song lyrics and that’s saying something.  I also have a need to challenge myself.
For all I know, my best abilities lay in photographing bugs, but I’m never going to find that out if I don’t try.  (But let’s just assume I don’t have any abilities in bug photography and move on, you know?)  One time in a desperate attempt to detour a throwing-my-camera-out-the-window moment of frustration, I came across the picture above.  Taken on vacation a few years ago in Oregon.  And while the raw image is nothing that a true landscape photographer would even look twice at, a little editing and it’s become a photo I’m proud of.  It hangs in my home as the only non-people image allowed to grace the walls and I smile every time I walk past it.  It’s not fancy art.  But it serves as a great reminder that I have a good eye.

5. Get an Assignment

I’m not what you would call a “self motivator”.  I need things like deadlines and the promise of a cookie when I’m done to get me to actually finish a task.  I actually have to utilize an app that keeps my internet frozen for set times just so my mind doesn’t wander a bit while I’m waiting for a word to come to me and then BAM: I just blew an hour on Pinterest looking at pulled pork recipes and I don’t even eat pork.  When I find myself in a little photographic coma, I sometimes ask a friend to give me an assignment.
Maybe they need a picture of a yellow flower for their yellow flower bathroom.  Maybe they want a picture of their house for a keepsake.  Maybe they can’t think of anything either but know me well and are kind enough to lie to me and come up with something.  Either way, getting an assignment from someone else feels important.  It’s no longer about not feeling like shooting today; it’s about this friend needs this from me and I want to come through for them.  And usually what happens in this little scenario is that I realize I take terrible flower pictures and I need to get back out there and take the kind of pictures I’m good at.
And just like that, I’m recharged, ready, and back in the saddle.  Because to keep retiring gets exhausting.

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