The Beginner Photography Podcast

#244 Scott Strazzate is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist with more than 30 years of experience shooting for publications like the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle. Scotts Book “Common Ground” is a 2 decades-long exploration of a piece of land that transitioned from Homestead Farm to Sprawling Suburbs. Today we talk about the long-term project, what to look out for, and ideas for you to start your own long-term project. Key Takeaways:Scott narrates his experience starting in photography, from his interest in childhood till he took up photography as a full-time job, rather than staying in the family business.Not having to face criticism in the early stages of his career was an advantage in a way, as Scott notes it may have discouraged him from pressing forward. On the other hand, less knowledgeable people appreciating his work kept him going.Studying the photography of other professionals also played a major role in keeping him motivated and inspired.The brightest spot of an image is usually where your eye goes first, and you can learn to control in a split second, how to compose an image that is pleasing to look at. Scott describes the importance of focusing on creating images after gaining in-depth knowledge about your gear, rather than always trying to get new gear hoping to become a better photographer.Having to overcome the fear of interacting with people became paramount, as this was a challenge that came with expanding from sports photography.Scott narrates in detail, events leading up to his "Common Ground" photography project, with no initial plan to create it, as well as the emotion and serendipity surrounding the project. He notes that to date, it is the major work he is known for, and was a personal project rather than a product of affiliation with any paper.I tell photographers that if they want to do a book that people would enjoy, they should take photographs of one block or storefronts, make prints of these, and put them away for years, when these come out later, they will be greatly appreciated.Repetition is something that I always look for in photography, I think it's fascinating, and a good way to make a compelling image. If you can have one of something, two is better.Three acts in a photo story: A beginning, a middle, and an end. When doing a photo story you want this: a cat climbs up a tree, someone shakes the tree, the cat gets out of the tree.Scott describes a major challenge with photojournalism being having to leave people's lives when the story is over especially because you may not be able to continue to just hang around, even if they would want you to. Resources:Scott Strazzante’s websiteScott’s Prints for saleScott Strazzante on InstagramScott Strazzante on TwitterJoin The Beginner PhoGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#243 In this episode of the podcast I break down the top 3 ways you can get to know your camera better to be best prepared for them the moment arises.In This Episode You'll Learn:Read the Manual - Learn things you never knew your camera was capable of!Spend a few hours with the camera shooting - Get to know the tool you use to capture the world and blur the line between visualization and capture!Ask WHY you feel limited - When you know the limitations of your camera you know how to best use your camera.Resources:Join The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook CommunityGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#242 Vanessa Joy is an award-winning wedding photographer with more than 20 years in business. In 2020 she was named one of Canons Explorers of Light. An exclusive position reserved for photographers who have dedicated their lives to the craft. Today she talks about how she almost chose a different career path and what it was that brought her back to photography.Episode Timeline:Vanessa describes her early interest in photography, and when she knew that photography was going to play a big role in her life.Vanessa shares personal shots from her early days in photography.What influenced your preference for portraits in photography?About Vanessa's plans to move to Texas.Vanessa was announced as one of Canon's Explorers of Light.Is there anything Vanessa thinks new photographers should know?Premium Members Also Learn:The marketing efforts that have worked for Vanessa in New York over the past 20 yearsWhat marketing efforts Vanessa is using now to build authority when she moves to TexasKey Takeaways: The passion had always been there for photography, the realization that it would be a full-time career much later.Highlighting the benefits of her photography career, Vanessa talks about the love for it and the freedom to plan her schedule.Vanessa describes the drive behind her preference for portraits. In a lot of ways, I think I enjoyed photographing people in how I felt, so photographing people is a little bit of photographing them but a lot of expressing who I am.Combining two styles of portrait photography, one where every aspect of the picture is controlled with one where things are allowed to be more natural is possible, and do not have to be mutually exclusive.When you first start in photography it is understandably necessary to try many styles and then hone in on a particular one, but as you get better in that aspect, you get bored and have enough control of your craft to try other things and expand your photography interests while maintaining your brand.Discussing Vanessa's move to Texas, she noted some key differences regarding the technique in her photography.Asides from her technical know-how with the camera, another point Vanessa attributes her Explorers of Light announcement to, was her ability to find simple uses for the camera for the average person, knowing that the company would need that kind of market to make sales on a large scale.To new photographers: Gear doesn't matter, and should not stop you from being a great photographer, and as gear gets more expensive it's good if there's a particular reason. Just keep going at it, you have to love photography for the work itself because that's the thing that's your daily life, not the results.Resources:Austin Texas Wedding Photographer Vanessa Joy’s WebsiteVanessa Joys Website for photographersVanessa Joy on YoutubeGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

Eung Ju Kim (Sean) has become a staple in the Beginner Photography Podcast community since buying his camera in early 2018. Since then he has been sharing his work and it continues to develop and advance. His landscapes and beach scenes are simple and relaxing. Today we talk about what photography means to him and his plans to progress is photography in the future. Key Takeaways:Starting his photography career with nature sceneries was associated with hiking, which he did more often following a distressing break up with his girlfriend.Sean describes 'finding the beauty of what's there, either in an ugly chaotic scene or in my stage of sadness was the key to finding the true beauty of my journey.Looking back, Sean explains how with experience, he started being able to identify things he could have done differently in a picture and how to look out for such things.Sean explains the motivation behind intentionally creating images with huge surroundings, landscape and people by noting that when we focus on something bigger, our problems seem to be small. His Christian faith also played a role in this preference.Sean explains that he is bored with taking pictures of people, and is trying to figure out what he can add to it.The inspiration for Sean's photography is his Christian faith.For new photographers: Go to a library, read a bunch of books and even if it doesn't make sense, consume it, even if you don't practice it, over time things will start to click. Once things start to click, you will have more questions and you can go and read it again, then it will make sense, and you will gain mastery. Resources:Follow Sean On InstagramFlash in a Flash - Flash photography for beginners courseJoin The Beginner Photography Podcast Facebook Group!Episode Timeline:[02:20] Introducing today's guest, Sean Kim as he narrates the events surrounding his entry into photography.[07:21] How did the relationship between your photography and nature sceneries come about?[14:10] Looking back, from a technical standpoint, when did you start to notice the things you were doing wrong.[17:04] What differences have you observed between street photography and photographing people after creating rapport.[23:34] How do you achieve the concept of comfort in an image that looks sad?[33:24] Sean discusses his editing method.[34:40] What are you currently struggling with, in photography?[39:05] About Sean's book on the year 2020.[41:09] What inspires you to take photos?[47:19] When it comes to the technical side of photography, what is it that you love?[48:38] Sean's advice for new photographers Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#241 James Patrick is a Phoenix AZ-based commercial and fitness photographer. He has shot more than 500 magazine covers and today we break down what makes a cover photo unique and how to capture the concept.Episode Timeline:James narrates how he began his photography career.What was the main source of your photography education?How do you handle the concern that someone may take your photography style and compete with you after teaching them?What is the job description of a Fitness Photographer and how did you get into it?From a technical standpoint, what are you looking out for, that's going to make a photo stand out above the rest to be a cover shot?How do you come up with ideas for the photos that you need to capture?Starting out, was there a point where you had to just make do with your equipment because you didn't have the things you have today?Key Takeaways:Starting as a journalist, James had some misapprehension about photography as it did not seem very sustainable as a career choice, he was however open to different options while trying to figure out his passion.James describes how he learned by testing constantly and working as an assistant photographer, even though he already had his own jobs. Key principles gained as an assistant included photography techniques, project bidding, client communication, the general business process, and most especially how to work with subjects onset.There are two extremes of types of photographers, the overly technical ones who focus on measurements and precision when shooting, and the ones who rather feel their way creatively through their imagery. The latter appealed to him more, shifting his focus from taking great pictures which can easily be learned and done, to making images that work, and this became his brandAsk for help, the more you ask, eventually, people will start to give you help.A popular misconception James shared earlier on was that he had to be involved in many niches in photography to have enough jobs, ironically during the recession, he started to lose jobs because many clients would rather hire a niche specialist than a Jack of all trades. This nearly made him give up.Following the decision to be intentional about photography, questions that started to arise include: what work do I need to create? Who do I need to be working with? What images do I need to be in my portfolio? Who do I need to be working for? James describes the importance of overcoming his fears so he could call companies to find people that would be interested in his work.Addressing a common mindset that you need to recreate your portfolio before contacting companies about your photography, it is critical to understand that there is no perfect portfolio. You get better only when you show your work to someone and get feedback, without which you're just in your head and consumer behavior determines everything.Shooting a cover is a construct. What I do with a cover is a commercially viable image. This is an image that is going to help sell the magazine, more often than not it is focusing on all the disGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#240 Ellie McKinney is a North Carolina based wedding photographer who in her first year full time earned six figures. She attributes much of her success to being open, vulnerable, and taking a stand for a cause she believes in. In this interview Ellie breaks down how she sees the world through her lens and the elements she sees and helping her achieve so much success.What You’ll Learn:Ellie describes how she got into photography.Looking back at old photos, what are the things you think you would do differently?Elements of an Ellie McKinney photo.How do you ensure that you're able to get the interactions that you're looking for between a couple?Why do you think you've made a quick rise and success both in photography and business?What are those actionable things that you did that you think skyrocketed your success?Ellie describes her transition into full-time photography.Grab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#239 Bryan Caporicci is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. In 2014, he was awarded his Masters of Photographic Arts (MPA) designation by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), making him one of the youngest Canadian photographers to receive this level of achievement.Bryan is the host of the  Business of Photography Podcast with over 2 million downloads. He teaches at workshops across North America, including industry-leading conventions and conferences such as WPPI, Shutterfest and Canada Photo Convention. Bryan is also the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio.In today’s interview, Bryan talks about the key aspects of photography to focus on when just getting started. In This Episode You'll Learn:What is Clubhouse for photographersWho Bryan is and how he got started in photographyHis earliest struggles and how he overcame themHow to avoid overwhelm when just learning photographyWhat Bryan hopes to achieve by shooting film for personal workPremium Members Also Learn:What to focus on now to build a business foundationHow to leverage local relationships to build bookingsThe 3 most important pillars of stating a photo businessThe paradox of the growing heap and how it will help you better understand bookingsResources:Bryan Caporicci Wedding Photography The Business of Photography PodcastSprout Studio - All in one studio management for photographersStandout Quotes:"It was my marketing skills, just the fact that I looked at what I did as an entrepreneur...that's what got me to where I was". - [Bryan]"Take it a step at a time, I think that's probably the biggest mistake that I see photographers make, especially in those early days". - [Bryan]"That's when you become a good wedding photographer when you can look at things and go beyond the technical". - [Bryan]"Every overnight success is an overnight success 10 years in the making". - [Bryan]"The future is cheap if you pay for it now". - [Raymond]"Everyone wants success, no one wants to put in the work that success requires". - [Bryan]"Whatever gear you have, is all that you need right now". - [Bryan] Key Takeaways:"Clubhouse" is an audio-only social media tool, that allows people to connect either as photographers or with other professionalsBryan shares he has always had a passion for the business side of photography.His experience knowing that most photographers aren't well equipped on the business side motivated the founding of Sprout Studios to offer strategies and tools to help photographers run their business.While most photographers start with an interest in photography aGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

In this engaging discussion, Adam Taylor, a former BMX photographer turned real estate and architecture expert, shares insights on monetizing photography through licensing. He explains what licensing is, how to sell images to manufacturers, and the shift in mindset needed for success. Adam emphasizes the differences between real estate and product shots, effective strategies for cold emailing decision-makers, and the importance of protecting your work. Plus, he recounts an unexpected licensing win with a cityscape image. Perfect for aspiring photographers!

#237 The second week of February is when we struggle most to keep going with our new years resolutions. Completing a 365 project (photo a day) was at the top of the list for many photographers. So I wanted to provide some inspiration and motivational tips to help keep you going strong! 5 Ways to Practice Photography At Home In The Cold Winter MonthsCarry your camera with you everywhere: Get a light and a comfortable strap to carry your camera around with you everywhere. You don’t need to feel any pressure towards taking photos. Just carry it for now if you wish to become more comfortable with having a camera on you.Review old photographs: Look through your images of the past year or so and pick out your favorites. Take note of why you love them and focus on going deeper with that in future sessions.Do an Hourly Challenge: There’s a saying “No matter where you are, there is always a great photo within 5 steps of you” Set a timer on your phone to go off every hour for a whole day and whenever it goes off, find that great photo wherever you are.Try something new: If you need inspiration but don’t want to look through a thousand photos on Instagram, you can use Lightroom presets on your own work to see different possibilities. You can download my most popular 52 Lightroom Presets for free, below!Start a long term photo project: Your photography will get proportionally better to how much work you put into it. Create a long-term project as a form of accountability and motivation to keep shooting.Resources:Join the Beginner Photography Podcast Daily Photo Challenge Group Download 52 FREE Lightroom PresetsGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

#236 Jen Pierce is a Columbus GA based Wedding and Maternity photographer. In just a few short years she went from hobbyist to 6 figure business that just opened up a studio, and she attributes her success to one thing, Authenticity. Today she shares how she got started, the struggles she faced, and how to be more authentic with your own images.In This Episode You'll Learn:[03:20] Jen shares the story of how she got started in photography.[06:40] Birth Photography as a major part of her work.[21:45] Can you describe your editing style?[26:56] How Jen was able to open her first photography studio in such a short amount of time[28:34] What advice would you give to a new photographer?[31:35] How small or big are the changes that you're making to your photography?[39:00] How to contact JenPremium Members Also Learn:The reason why Jen was able to go from hobby photographers to bringing in 6 figuresJens Step by step Instagram strategy to booking more clientsWhat Jen is doing today to market her photography business to attract new clientsResources:Jen Pierce’s websiteJen Pierce on InstagramGrab your free 52 Lightroom Presets athttp://freephotographypresets.com/Connect with Raymond! Go from Confused to Confident behind the camera with The Ultimate Photography Education Bundle - https://beginnerphotopod.com/bundle Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group Grab your free camera setting cheatsheet - https://perfectcamerasettings.com/ Thanks for listening & keep shooting!