As old leaves turn over and die ever so gracefully, leaving us with beautiful red & yellow leaves before they turn an ugly brown, I thought it would be fitting to turn over some of my old leaves and share how my work as a photographer has both grown and changed over the years!
Here’s a little depiction of what I went from over the past few years! ;)
The very first time I was asked to professionally take portraits was for my dear friend Sam for her 18th birthday debut. That same year, 2010, I was also asked to photograph my good friend Gail for some college graduation portraits. As time went by and I had more opportunity to take portraits, my editing style and photography methods have changed drastically.
Though it makes me cringe to see the poor quality of my camera I started off with, and how poorly I knew how to edit during my beginnings, it’s nice to see how much I’ve improved over the years, and how much I can continue to grow! This is for those other aspiring photographers that are nervous about starting out on their own! At the end of this post is a little encouragement to you all! :)
For my photographer readers who are just now starting out in the business , and in the craft, here are some tips & words of encouragement that I know I definitely needed at the start of my career!
From here on out, the top or left photo is one from my beginnings (around 2010), and the bottom or right photo is from three years later (now)! While my subjects are equally as beautiful, my editing style has changed so much as I’ve grown and learned how to use both my camera, and my editing program more professionally!
SHAKE OFF THOSE NERVES!
If you are anything like I was, then you are probably anxious about taking photography opportunities–whether it’s portraits or an event/wedding. Why? Because you’re scared that you won’t do well. I have definitely been there. But I encourage you to take opportunities and do your absolute best! If they’re asking you to take their photos, they must like your work (& if they’ve never seen your work, I urge you to show them!)! So shake off those nerves! Get out there and shoot! :)
GET OUT THERE & GET SHOOTING!
Shoot as much as you can! :) Work on composure, learn how to use your camera at different times of day, or with different light fixtures! Getting familiar with your camera and what you like to shoot is a huge plus!
GET CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!
Something that definitely helped me a lot was getting constructive criticism! I was blessed with a friend who gave me both my first wedding job as a second shooter, and also gave me criticism that helped shape my photography in great ways! Find a trusted friend with an eye for photography, or even better, another photographer friend who can look over your work and give you constructive criticism in a loving manner! :) Take what they say and work on it if you agree! :) Sometimes your style may be purposed differently, but if what they criticize you on isn’t something done intentionally, then take a listen! For me, at the beginning of my career, I was given the criticism of making sure that my framing is intentional–did I mean to crop out this, or that? A little help in these areas can go a long way! :)
PLAY WITH YOUR EDITING!
Don’t be scared of playing around with your editing style! See what you love best! :) At the beginning, I thought that I liked the higher contrasted/darker photos! But that drastically changed as my taste changed, and I grew older! :) It’ll change as you go by! But it never hurts to play around with things! One piece of advice that I give you: Make sure your photo sets are consistent in editing! It helps allow for the feel you’re looking to bring with your editing come fully to your viewer! :)
JOIN PHOTOGRAPHER GROUPS/COMMUNITIES!
It’s great hearing stories and learning from other photographers! Sometimes Photography groups help! One that I’m really grateful for is a Facebook Group called ReSTARt! It’s ran by one photographer that made a huge impact on my photography career, Jasmine Star! It is so incredibly helpful hearing and talking with photographers at all different levels of experience! :)
RESEARCH!
Something that helped me a lot in the beginning of my career was researching, and watching conferences and seminars that you can watch! CreativeLive.com is where I watched my first few video classes that helped me out in my growth as a photographer! :) Check it out!
LEARN FROM THE GOOD & BAD!
Don’t ever beat yourself up for things you could have or should have done! You will mess up here and there, but take what you have and do the best you can with it! Grow from your mistakes, and do your best to never do them again! You can’t change the past, but you can change what you do in the future! The most growth comes from the mistakes! :)
FOR MY FELLOW CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS, PRAY ABOUT IT!
For those of you who share the same faith as I do with Jesus Christ as my Savior, I urge you to to constantly be in prayer! Align your heart with His! Why do you want to do this? Do the best you can do and remember that the opportunities you get are opportunities God has given you! He gives and He takes! Do the best you can with what He gives you and be confident, knowing that He will guide you in everything! :) He has a plan for you to prosper in His kingdom, and whether it is or isn’t through blessing others in photography, He will be sure to guide you, and be with you through it all! :) Keep in prayer, friends! :)
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU CAN DO IT! :)
If there is something I’ve learned, it’s that you need someone to encourage you and tell you that you can do it! :) If you have a passion or eye for photography, then follow it! :) Whether it turns into a hobby or as a profession, I encourage you in the words of Nike to just do it! You can’t go anywhere without taking those first few steps! :)
Hope you all have a good Veterans Day weekend! :)
Happy Friday!!