Thursday, May 24, 2007

Advice for aspiring photographers...

I was recently asked what advice I would give photographers just starting out. As you have probably figured out, I like lists, so here's a list of my advice!
  • Follow your passion. Shoot in a the way that you like and inspires you. Don't get caught in the trap of "the way things should be done."
  • Be yourself. No matter how much you like a particular website, a person's work, their choice in music, or the clever way they wrote their "About me" page, DON'T COPY IT. Being inspired to a better level is good, but be yourself.
  • Learn about light and learn how to see light.
  • Don't be afraid to screw up. I throw out 3 out of every 4 images I shoot. I make mistakes on purpose just to see if I might get something cool.
  • Learn the "rules" of composition. Sometimes they help to make things interesting. Other times, just throw them out the window to try something interesting.
  • Be a good business person. If you have trouble with some aspect of business - reading a profit and loss report, marketing, or anything else - figure out how to do it better. Whether that is by reading a book, finding a mentor, or hiring someone that does that well.
  • Show people what you want them to hire you to do. If you love to do traditional portraiture, show books and images that highlight that. If you don't care if you ever do another family group photo, why have an album filled with them?
  • Backup gear is important.
That's my list! If anyone has something to add to it, post it!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for creating blogs such as this. It has been so helpful for me as I am trying to start up my own wedding/portrait business. I am taking my time and am in no hurry and just reading all your articles has given me great inspiration and encouragement. I can't thank you enough.

I started my own blog to track my journey of starting my own business. http://blog.jaredrey.com

some people think it is a bad business idea to show potential clients of my inexperience. But that is the point of the blog and to be a helpful place for people wanting to watch a person start a business and the steps that person takes. I may d some things right and some things wrong but at least we can all learn from it.

just check it out and see what you think. say hello or offer any other advice you see fit. thanks again!

Sara Lil said...

Hi Cory,

I just came accross this blog of yours. I just wanted to tell you that your advice is great! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Sara

www.saralilphoto.com

Anonymous said...

Hey, just wanted to drop a quick note. Your stuff rocks! I love how informative your blog is, sweet! Keep it up, I look forward to seeing more of your work!