This opening chapter of our “Lighting Theory and Equipment” course covers the fundaments of light, equipping you with the knowledge you need to confidently work with studio light.
In a field where building relationships (often in a very limited period of time) is so important, knowing your kit, how it works and how to get the best from it is essential. This will allow you set up quickly and help ensure the session runs smoothly, which means you’ll be free to focus on getting the best shot.
To find out more about Tom and his work, watch the full interview. He shares some great advice on how to get the best from your subjects, why putting yourself out there is so important and why personal work is valuable (all told with his special brand of humour).
Since taking her first photograph at the age of 15, Russian fashion photographer Daria Belikova has had a dark, ethereal style throughout her imagery and it is this very style that makes her work so distinguishable.
Her tutors at the London College of Fashion were convinced it was just a ‘phase’, something she would grow out of, but Daria has in fact worked hard to stay true to herself and her style, something she feels every photographer should do.
This sometimes results in some give and take when it comes to commercial work, but the young fashion photographer is not about to change her look.
Daria shares more great advice and insight into the competitive fashion industry in her live interview. You can watch the full replay here.
In this new magazine style chat show Karl and Ashleigh focus on the topic of developing your photography style.
From the first moment you land on Jonathan Knowles's website, it's clear that his area of expertise is advertising and product photography. This very deliberate collection of images tells you exactly what Jonathan specialises in, and, by default, the kind of work he wants to do.
For example, if you’re interested in product photography but specialise in liquids, make sure to include a variety of splash images. This allows potential clients to see your work, what you are good at as well as your style.
The award-winning photographer and creator of the famous O2 bubbles acknowledged that building up this sort of portfolio doesn't happen over night, so he advised that it was worth starting with smaller clients first, or even shooting for yourself.
To learn more about Jonathan, his work and techniques, watch the full interview. You can also visit his website to see more of his work.
Renowned for his artistic studio portraits of animals, Tim Flach’s images are immediately recognisable. His eye-catching images, whether of birds in the studio or horses in the wild, have a distinctive stylisation that encourage us to reflect on how we connect to the natural world.
For Tim, one of the main objectives in his work is to take the viewer on a journey. To do this, he uses very deliberate post production techniques to guide the viewers eye.
Join world-renowned animal photographer Tim Flach and professional product photographer Karl Taylor for an exclusive four-day workshop in Guernsey.
“I borrow approaches to image management that have been around for a very long time,” he explained during his live show.
“It’s only tonal changes I’m making, but to say ‘only tonal changes’ is not giving it credit,” he said.
Tim explains more about how he guides the viewer’s eye through his images during his live talk show. He also shares stories from his travels and his advice for aspiring photographers. You can watch the full talk show here.
For more great advice from other professional photographers and to see future guests, make sure to take a look at our live shows page. From pricing your work to building contacts in a new location, these shows offer a chance to learn from professional photographers who are at the top of their game.
Commercial PhotographerIf you’re used to working with families and wedding events, you’ve surely come across a situation where you need to go though all the nitty gritty with your clients.
From which clothes to wear to what location is suitable for your specific need, going back and forth by email and then not remembering where to find that information can feel challenging for your clients.
Especially when many look forward for the photo shoot and want everything go as planned – and to know everything they need so they can plan ahead.
And what to add is really just dependent on you; what kind of photoshoot are you going to do with your client?
If you’re having a wedding photoshoot you might want to add information that applies to a bigger group of people, or with families you want to specify anything related to the smallest of the family.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
Anything you can think of that your client needs to know goes here. If you want them to bring accessories, moisturize their skin beforehand, or not to add any self-tanner (many people do this!), tell them that.
Anything you can think of that your client needs to know goes here. If you want them to bring accessories, moisturize their skin beforehand, or not to add any self-tanner (many people do this!), tell them that.
Colors, specific styles that you feel would be coherent for the photoshoot, add in this section. Some clients will always bring high heels, but if you’re photographing of a field and the shoes will not be visible, sneakers will do just fine. What colors should you wear for a photoshoot should be decided together with the rest of the people that will be a part of the photoshoot.
If you did decide on a color palette, inspiration images and lighting, it would be added in this section. Even if you went through with it with your client, putting everything in one place so the whole family can go through it will be more than helpful.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
The address, parking information and whether the are has a set of their own rules – important information not to be left out.
Whether to add this section or not is up to the photographer: sometimes you have already discussed the price points with the client, so you don’t want to repeat it and especially if you’re not sure about the pricing yourself (fe. starting photographers can check how to price their work here) and feel uneasy to bring it up once it has been decided on.
But if you offer extra services such as image editing, or additional image packages, you could add them in the guide, so that the client knows how much they cost if they decide to add more services.
A photography style guide may include more or less parameters, depending on the style of the photographer / designer or the client’s request.
Professional photographers send out photography style guides so the clients can prepare themselves for the photoshoot. Learn what to add to your client guide. Photography style guide
Once you’ve met with your clients once or twice, and all the details have been decided, you can finalize your communication by sending the guide and rest assured your client will know how to prepare before the photoshoot.
