Quick, how many white things can you name in the next minute? Don’t think about it. Just start counting it up in your head. Go.

OK, now, how many white things can you name sitting in your refrigerator? Go.

Welcome to tunnel vision. When asked these questions, most people will come up with about the same number of items for both. Now think about shooting. Ever had the same problem during a photoshoot? You know what I’m talking about – the tough couples. The ones who are stiff. Uncomfortable. Distracted. The ones who seem like they wish they were anywhere but there with the wrong balance of height and weight for what you’re after. Suddenly, every pose starts to feel … Read more...

Photo by Susan Nel
http://www.susannelphotography.com

Oh, deserts. You’ve gotta love deserts. It makes all the difference in the world. Walking on concrete side by side, not bad. But on sound. That’s just cool. Of course, I’m not all too familiar with the Namibian wedding photography scene, so maybe deserts feel normal over there, but to my eyes, I love them. Still, desert or not, the picture has the fundamentals. Good light, great flow, and genuine expressions. This is two people engaged in what they’re doing.

Now, some of you might know that I just put balloons on my kill list, so funny enough, as I clicked through Susan’s blog, I couldn’t help but notice a picture of the couple with … Read more...

It’s a New York thing to use those old cabs at a wedding instead of a limo. You know – the checker cabs – the type you see in the old movies. And, I’ve gotta say, they’re pretty cool the first time you see them. Here’s the funny thing, though. I’m looking at a picture of a couple a week ago, and they got in a regular cab to get to their reception. And it occurs to me that in 30 years, when they or their children look at those pictures, they won’t see a modern cab. They’ll see a vintage cab from 2011. “Hey, remember those old cabs they used to use back then?” For all I know, people … Read more...

You launch your site, you get things going, you do what you have to do. You’ve got hustle. And there’s no stopping you know, your very first booking comes in. I bet you remember that feeling. It was lighting in a bottle, and you felt good. I know I did. You go to a show and pick up some steam (I mean, how can you not – you’re only charging $1k), you’ve got this album and that, this pricing and that, and things are moving along. You’re on the go, when, the next thing you know, the time is gone – more years than I’d like to count. Where did it go? I don’t know. It went to business and … Read more...

It’s how you say it. We all know that. And isn’t the same true with pictures? It’s not what you show. It’s how you show it. The goal isn’t to dazzle people with the technique. That’s just showing off. The goal is use the technique to peel off the layers of distraction and reveal exactly what you see. What you feel. The goal is to clarify. But weddings are tricky stuff. If you start your life out as a photojournalist, you focus on the story. As a street photographer, context. As a portrait photographer, expression and body language. These become your tools. They let you speak, so you really learn how to use them.

Weddings, on the other hand, are … Read more...