So you want to be a photographer: Transform your skills and build a profitable photography business

Great backgrounds can make or break your photo. When doing portraits, we can sometimes be so focused on the person, what they’re wearing and how they’re posing, that we don’t pay enough attention to the background. Furthermore, there are often situations where the background of your shot is simply out of your control. The background you choose for your portrait shoot can make or break an image. The right background can isolate your model, making them the hero of the shot or give valuable information to help tell the story you want to tell. Great backgrounds have the power to elevate your portrait to look high end and expensive. The wrong background choice can make your portrait look low end or tacky. In this episode, you’ll discover how to make any background work and the simple hacks you can use to ensure that your portrait backgrounds appear perfect. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re taking portraits, great lighting is essential. But sometimes you’re not blessed with perfect conditions. So what can you do to “manufacture” the ideal light for what you want to achieve? In this episode, you’ll discover seven portrait lighting tricks to use with daylight or flash, whether you’re a beginner or a pro. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so many different camera lenses on the market, it can be daunting to determine where to invest your cash. What size should you get? Which lenses are suitable for what purposes? There are an endless list of questions but, in this episode, you’ll discover everything you need to know about lenses – no matter what level you’re at. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This excellent hack can transform your images in an instant. Creating a black background behind the subject in your shot can add drama, moodiness and a sense of theatricality to your image. You don’t even need a studio, you just need to know how to do it. That means you can create this black background anywhere whether you are photographing a person, a flower, a car - or anything in between. And you can do this without any backdrops of tricks, just smart use of exposure and lighting. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Product photography is even more popular and in demand than ever thanks to the exponential growth in online shopping and marketing. In this episode, you’ll discover a comprehensive introduction into the world of product photography, how you can get started and what you need to know about the different styles of shooting. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The foundation of good photography is good lighting. But where do you start? Discover how you can shape and control light to achieve the images you want. You’ll learn about how to diffuse light, what tools to use, how modifiers work and inexpensive hacks that will help you shape light in any situation. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re a photojournalist like Penny Stephens, you need to be ready to shoot at a moment’s notice, be able to capture the emotion and reality of the situation - and tell a story in a single image. Penny reveals her insights from her award-winning career including 22 years working for the respected newspaper, The Age. Penny discusses: how she prepares for a shoot to ensure she is ready to run out the door to capture a breaking story at a moment’s notice; her thought process for capturing images that tell a story; the transition from staff to freelance photographer; her experience being embedded with the Australian Defence Forces in Afghanistan; balancing work and family life and the importance of self care; the importance of personal projects; and much more. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re a photojournalist like Penny Stephens, you need to be ready to shoot at a moment’s notice, be able to capture the emotion and reality of the situation - and tell a story in a single image. Penny reveals her insights from her award-winning career including 22 years working for the respected newspaper, The Age. Penny discusses: how she prepares for a shoot to ensure she is ready to run out the door to capture a breaking story at a moment’s notice; her thought process for capturing images that tell a story; the transition from staff to freelance photographer; her experience being embedded with the Australian Defence Forces in Afghanistan; balancing work and family life and the importance of self care; the importance of personal projects; and much more. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Creativity might seem like an intangible quality but it’s the very thing that’s going to drive our photography. We can all do with being a bit more creative. But how do you tap into this elusive state? Well, it’s not hard. In this episode, Gina and Valerie discuss the key steps you should take so that you could boost your creativity so you can take your photography to the next level. Gina and Valerie reveal the five qualities of light every photographer must know. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Light is the essence of all photography. And once you “get it”, your images will take on a whole new … pardon the pun … light. So what do you need to know? Gina and Valerie reveal the five qualities of light every photographer must know. Gina and Valerie hope you enjoy the podcast. Sign up to the newsletter for great tips and free Lightroom presets. Join the dynamic Gold Membership in our Community which delivers monthly tutorials, live mastermind and lots of behind the scenes videos into the creative process. Find out more at ginamilicia.com. Read the show notes Email Gina and Valerie news@ginamilicia.com  Visit GinaMilicia.com | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.