Mindful Photography Edu: Photography 101
Tips I Wish I Knew As A Photography Beginner Over 16 Years Ago
And they are all what you would think. Sure, classes to learn the technical things, that’s super helpfull. Back in 2008 when I began learning my camera, I watch everything on You tube. And then I went out and PRACTICED. I told EVERYONE I knew that I was a photographer and asked if they wanted photos. I was a super go getter. I was excited and so eager to practice and learn anywhere I could. Never imaging at that time that my photographer career would turn into all that it has including having an associate team of 25+ photographers, offering services all over the east coast from FL to Maine as well as out west in Colorado, California, Arizona, Utah and more. It also lead to making a business deal and opening a high end wedding venue in the Catskills which was later sold.
- Be Kind. Be Kind to Yourself and to others. And as simple as this sounds, it’s sometimes not practiced. It always amazing me to see how many times in my life I do something and immediately start judging myself because I didn’t do it “right,” or enough. I “should’ve” done it differently etc… But the truth is, I did it perfectly to open up the lesson of exactly what I was learning in that moment. And maybe I learned by doing what I Don’t want. Maybe I learned by what I thought was good in that moment. Or maybe I learned the lesson of how important it is to check your lens before and during all of your sessions… because I learned the “hard way” I like to think of it as I learned that one in a more smudged way… a way of making sure I keep my lens and glass clear so I can see more easily. This brings me into the next tip that I still share with people today!
- Wipe Your Lens The time I learned about how important it is to wipe and check your lens was during an engagement session at the Tuckahoe mansion in Jensen’s Beach.. (which I happen to be in Jensen’s beach at this very moment I am typing this. So interesting how it all aligns. ) I was SOOOO excited about these photos. This was my first year photographing weddings and engagements. I was looking forward to this location. It was beautiful. And I remember looking through the lens and thinking it looked a little unclear. But at that point, I didn’t have the awareness of what happens when you have fingerprints smudged on your glass. Yup, just as you guessed, when I loaded the photos and saw how in one particular area there was a haze – foggy look. That it was in fact finger prints that created that “soft” look. I was so so upset. I was really hard on myself about it. I thought I ruined the shoot and it was the end of my career. ( You know… Double Scorpio over hear, I may have in the past lived in the “extremes” of things and I am gratefully finding the balance within all things – this is some of my “biggest work” that I am continually refining and catching myself and my Madonna Ego – Yes my ego is named Madonna – She can get really really loud! ) I confirmed and saw that sure enough there was a finger print in the exact spot on the lens that it was showing up in the photos. That was the day I learned the importance of cleaning and wiping my lens, and continually checking it throughout your sessions. And especially if you change lenses a lot. It only takes a moment to check and wipe it clean.
Believe In Yourself – My goodness, if there is ONE thing – This is IT. Truly. Because YOU are creating all of this in every moment. The more you believe in YOU and know that you are worthy to have all that you desire in your life, the easier it will flow right into your life. Things will show up seeming out of no where. Opportunies will BE there for you because You are ready. The more You believe in Yourself, the better it feels.
