Chicago the City of Wind. Chicago is a very beautiful city as long as you take a step back from the hustle and bustle. This is only a partial of a skyline shot that was done for a commercial sub shop. The final print will be close to 14 feet wide, as soon as it is hung I encourage you to check it out.
Last time I discussed how passion for your camera can tie in to the passion of a photographer. In part 2 I am going to discuss your photographic passions and putting them to work.How does a photographer use their passion to make money?A lot of professionals become professionals because they have a passion for photography. However, not many professional photographers have a passion for the photography they do. (I know this sounds confusing but stick with me.) Most “professionals” do not have any passion for the field of photography they try and make money in. Have you ever seen a wedding photographer that can charge $5,000 + per wedding? (Yes) How about the photographer charging $500.00 to do weddings and giving all the photographs on a CD for their client? (yes) I can tell you that the average bride hiring a photographer would love to know why one photographer can charge 10x the amount than the other guy. The answer is fairly simple.A photographer charging 10X the amount has mastered something the other guys have not. The funny thing is, it is not all skill that makes the price increase. In fact the technical skill level between the two is not that big of a gap some times let alone a 10X price gap.
Just because a photographer is doing weddings or portraits or what ever their money making photography is, does not always mean they have a passion for that field . Does this mean that all photographers who do not have a passion for their field are bad photographers? (NO) What it means is some/(Most) photographers find an area to make money to support their passion.
Lets go back to the wedding photographer that charges 10X the amount and why this is justifiable. The first reason could be that their passion of photography is wedding photography. Another reason is they have managed to establish their passion and incorporate it into their wedding photography. The latter here is harder to find, however, they are a very skilled and diverse photographer.
Just because some one is passionate about photography does not mean that they are a successful photographer. On the contrary, most people who have a passion for photography ever become successful. Realistically most fail. It can become a stumbling block when all your focus is in an area of photography that you have no passion for. However, the photographers that are passionate and successful look at things in a different light.
I will use my self as an example to help illustrate what I am trying to say. I do a lot of portrait, life style and environmental photography to make my money. However, I am passionate about landscape scenery and in the moment people photography. The reason people hire me to do their portraits is not because I am a better portrait photographer per-say. The reason is I have to include my passions into all of my photography to be able to produce my best photography.Here is an example. This is an on location portrait.This is another taken on location.So what makes these photos special? It is the style. I am not only taking a portrait. If you look at the first photo I am taking a landscape photo that happens to have a portrait in it. Since landscape photography is one of my passions I always try and mix my passion with my business photography. If you look really closely to the very first photo in this article, to the family portrait, you will notice that this is the same location. This is also one of my favorite spots for wildlife trails and scenic photography. Most people who visit this location never see it the same way my photographs show it. The is because I am mixing my passion with my work. I am willing to shoot at dusk and dawn because I know at those times what kind of scene will come out.
One of the tricks to being a passionate and successful working photographer is to incorporate your photographic passion into your"work" photography. If you can not incorporate what you love about photography into the type of photography you make a living with; you should go out and shoot at least once a week just for yourself. Why shoot once a week for yourself? Simple, to keep doing what you love and to keep growing in the area of photography that you love. This in turn will make it easier for you to find a way to mix your passion with your work; making your photography natural and something you love to do. Your clients and future clients will see this and want to work with you just for those reasons.Thank you and God Bless,Corey Brown (Glory 2 Jesus 4 Photography)
Photography can be a Passionate art. However looking around at how many people have cameras and how many passionate photographers there are, the numbers do not even come close to matching. In today's world of photography I do not see very many photographers (Professionals included) that do have a passion for photography. So to start this series off I am going to go over a few different Passions in photography and the first one I am going to discuss is one that very few people know even if they rely on it. It isthe camera experience.
Now stay with me because some things may be revealed to you. What is the camera experience? Lets take a look at 1st how we use our cameras. It is hard if not impossible to use a camera that is uncomfortable in your hand as well as up to your eye. So how much conscience thought does one person put into how the camera feels. I think the more passionate photographer either puts a lot of time or very little.
Let me explain, If someone is upgrading to a different model they may dwell on the feel of the camera a very long time. If it is a purchase of a camera that has been designed to feel like an old friend then it is only a quick once in my hand I know you (the camera) and we have already been through a lot, before I even take a photograph with you. So the feel of a camera will make the difference between I always want you in my hand VS. were can I sit this down or it is always in my pocket. If you like having the camera in your hand you will take more photographs and in turn become a better photographer.
The next thing is sound. Sound you say? That is right, the sounds of a camera are part of your experiences with your camera. Lets start looking at a few examples. Take the Olympus E-1 for example, it is a 4 year old digital camera and by today's consumers standards the E-1 is obsolete. However the Olympus E-1 has a very strong following of people who have not and will not upgrade because they feel the upgraded models are not adequate updates. The first thing is the feel which I covered above. The next though is the sounds. If you ever hear an E-1 shutter it is very unique and very quiet, just a soft click whir. None of the Olympus models since have had a shutter as quiet or as short. The Olympus E-3 is different by feel and shutter sound it has a soft ca click however not as soft as the E-1. How do I know shutter sound is that important to a passionate photographer because when the Olympus E-3 came out many people were doing shutter comparisons for others to hear. This is one of many examples on the web if you just google the camera model you are interested in followed by shutter sound will usually bring up some audio as well as some video files for your enjoyment.
There are other sounds that we can become attached to. If you look at Leica, they manufacture some of the most expensive cameras and lenses. They are also some of the most coveted cameras and lenses available today. So what all makes a Leica so sought after. It is not the general image quality, However Leica and their lenses have an ability for unique qualities in their images. Leica also tries very hard to keep each upgrade in a series familiar to the previous models. Leica's have a unique shutter sound as well as having other sounds the aperture is on the lens and has a soft yet solid click for every step in its range the focus is always looked at as class leading and is done by hand / one finger on the lens. Usually the owner of a Leica will only buy another Leica to replace it. So This is a video done by Wim Wenders that really shows the Passion of a photographer.So how does this relate to the average photographer. Well if you find a Camera the plays to your senses as much as to your image quality needs, you will find your self using it that much more. Keep in mind That not all cameras are developed with this aspect of the camera being a priority. Then there are other manufactures that spend 100,s of hours and a lot of money to ensure it. So next time you go to purchase a camera it could be something as small as the sound of the shutter or the lens having an aperture ring that improves your photography.
I hope you find this interesting, feel free to leave your feedback and comments.
Thank you and God Bless, Corey Brown (Glory 2 Jesus 4 Photography)
Hot-Shoe Go-To: The Godox TT600
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How best to put this?
The Godox TT600 is, objectively, a screaming bargain. It is a full-sized
manual-only speedlight with power comparable to OEM speedl...
Nikon V2 In My Bag
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I recently purchased a used Nikon V2 with two lenses on eBay for a great
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How does a photographer use their passion to make money?
A lot of professionals become professionals because they have a passion for photography. However, not many professional photographers have a passion for the photography they do. (I know this sounds confusing but stick with me.) Most “professionals” do not have any passion for the field of photography they try and make money in. Have you ever seen a wedding photographer that can charge $5,000 + per wedding? (Yes) How about the photographer charging $500.00 to do weddings and giving all the photographs on a CD for their client? (yes) I can tell you that the average bride hiring a photographer would love to know why one photographer can charge 10x the amount than the other guy. The answer is fairly simple.
A photographer charging 10X the amount has mastered something the other guys have not. The funny thing is, it is not all skill that makes the price increase. In fact the technical skill level between the two is not that big of a gap some times let alone a 10X price gap.
Just because a photographer is doing weddings or portraits or what ever their money making photography is, does not always mean they have a passion for that field . Does this mean that all photographers who do not have a passion for their field are bad photographers? (NO) What it means is some/(Most) photographers find an area to make money to support their passion.
Lets go back to the wedding photographer that charges 10X the amount and why this is justifiable. The first reason could be that their passion of photography is wedding photography. Another reason is they have managed to establish their passion and incorporate it into their wedding photography. The latter here is harder to find, however, they are a very skilled and diverse photographer.
Just because some one is passionate about photography does not mean that they are a successful photographer. On the contrary, most people who have a passion for photography ever become successful. Realistically most fail. It can become a stumbling block when all your focus is in an area of photography that you have no passion for. However, the photographers that are passionate and successful look at things in a different light.
I will use my self as an example to help illustrate what I am trying to say. I do a lot of portrait, life style and environmental photography to make my money. However, I am passionate about landscape scenery and in the moment people photography. The reason people hire me to do their portraits is not because I am a better portrait photographer per-say. The reason is I have to include my passions into all of my photography to be able to produce my best photography.
Here is an example. This is an on location portrait.
This is another taken on location.
So what makes these photos special? It is the style. I am not only taking a portrait. If you look at the first photo I am taking a landscape photo that happens to have a portrait in it. Since landscape photography is one of my passions I always try and mix my passion with my business photography. If you look really closely to the very first photo in this article, to the family portrait, you will notice that this is the same location. This is also one of my favorite spots for wildlife trails and scenic photography. Most people who visit this location never see it the same way my photographs show it. The is because I am mixing my passion with my work. I am willing to shoot at dusk and dawn because I know at those times what kind of scene will come out.
One of the tricks to being a passionate and successful working photographer is to incorporate your photographic passion into your"work" photography. If you can not incorporate what you love about photography into the type of photography you make a living with; you should go out and shoot at least once a week just for yourself. Why shoot once a week for yourself? Simple, to keep doing what you love and to keep growing in the area of photography that you love. This in turn will make it easier for you to find a way to mix your passion with your work; making your photography natural and something you love to do. Your clients and future clients will see this and want to work with you just for those reasons.
Thank you and God Bless,
Corey Brown (Glory 2 Jesus 4 Photography)
