Take Risks, but Always Play it Safe!

When it comes to improving your photography, you're going to need to take risks. Sometimes that will mean climbing to a higher vantage point, and other times simply stepping out of your comfort zone. It is imperative, though, that you always keep the safety of yourself and your clients in mind when planning each shot. Follow a photography news blog or two and you will hear of photo shoots gone terribly wrong because the parties involved did not take proper precautions. Following are examples of times that necessitate extra caution, and I would love to hear your additional safety tips in the comments!

Location Photography
When on location, it is important to be aware of your surroundings at all times. For my very first wedding I was second shooter, which allowed me to learn quite a bit and observe how the lead handled each location differently. To capture the below image, we had everyone who wasn't a member of the bridal party help us monitor and control traffic. We first planned out the scene, explained where each person would stand, and then waited for a break in traffic. It was not a very busy area, but we still had plenty of people to line up and briefly stop any cars while we quickly got our shots. It took only a minute to get what we needed since each person knew his or her position. Advance planning for each location will help you get the shot faster and keep those around you safe. Railroad tracks are a whole other ballgame - see this article for more information.

Newborn Photography
There are so many safety considerations to keep in mind if newborn photography interests you. If you see a sweet pose of a baby with his head in his hands and want to recreate it, know that those images are composites. A spotter (Mom or Dad are your best bets) should be gently holding baby's head upright so that it does not tip to one side. The image of baby Carmella, below, was taken with her on a couch with Mom just off camera ready to step in if Carmella shifted in the slightest. Before you take the leap into newborn photography, do tons of research to ensure you're ready to capture beautiful images safely. There are plenty of resources out there like this one to get you started.

Street Photography
The genre of street photography is especially intriguing to me because I love to observe people. However, it can seem out of my comfort zone because I am terrified of confrontation and dislike the idea of annoying others by photographing them when they are unaware. Esteemed photographer Bruce Davidson has discussed this topic at length, and Eric Kim has collected some of Davidson's best advice on his blog. Being aware of your surroundings and anyone who is eyeing your gear will help keep you safe, and asking for permission to take a photo or to use it after you've already taken it will keep you in people's goodwill. I loved seeing the below scene unfolded with the pigeons following the woman who fed them daily while the businessman continued chatting on his phone as if there were no birds flapping in his face. I spoke with the woman after capturing a set of images and sent her a link to the final product so she could see it through my eyes. This kind of photography can result in all kinds of new connections!

Happy Friday, and Happy Independence Day (be sure to stay safe around fireworks and sparklers)!

-Friday Ambassador

Works Cited:

Darcy - Life with My 3 Boybarians. "Recognize Composites & Safety First. "Life with My 3 Boybarians. Darcy - Life with My 3 Boybarians, 2012. Web. 3 July 2014.

Kim, Eric. "15 Lessons Bruce Davidson Can Teach You About Street Photography." Eric Kim Street Photography Blog. Eric Kim Street Photography, 9 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 July 2014.

Peterson, Lori. "Railroad Safety for Photographers - Digital Photography School." Digital Photography School. Digital Photography School, 2014. Web. 03 July 2014.

Beat Your Cold Weather Woes: Bundle Up with a Book!

Subzero temperatures do not make for the best shooting weather, even with electronic hand warmers keeping the camera battery nice and toasty and plenty of layers between us and the elements.  When it’s this cold out, there are plenty of ways to keep honing your skills.  If I feel like cooking or baking, I play around with food styling and photography (next week’s post will focus on food photography, so stay tuned!).  This weekend I’d rather curl up with a good book or two.  From my first instructional photo book purchase on concert photography to the wacky photograph collections my mom finds for me, I’ve amassed a bit of a collection and would love to share my favorites with you.

Books make great props, too!

My Top 5 Photography Books

1. Street Photography Now showcases photographers with eyes for the unusual like Raghu Rai and one of my favorites, Matt Stuart (the cover image is one of his).  The hours they spent scouting the streets for interesting compositions and moments that just scream to be photographed result in memorable and often humorous images.  Even if you’re not into the genre, you will appreciate the work that went into this collection.

2. My mother found Believing is Seeing (Observations on the Mysteries of Photography) for me and it immediately landed on my list of favorites!  Taking on issues of ethics in photojournalism, the filmmaker discusses some famous controversial photographs as well as how our beliefs affect what we see in an image.  It is a great combination of philosophy and non-fiction writing that includes informative interviews. 

3. I’m a sucker for biographies of people I admire, so it’s no surprise that Henri Cartier-Bresson: A Biography is on my list.  From his family life to his professional success, the book provides insight into how he became the father of photojournalism and how his down-to-earth approach to photography brought us so many iconic images. 

4. Learning how our gear works helps us make sure we can face any problems that may arise on the job.  If you’re like me, you may not love learning the science of it all, but books like Camera: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital make it more fun and put our modern gear into historical context.  You may even find that you want to give an old Mamiya or vintage Kodak Brownie a go for the fun of it! 

5. National Geographic’s Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures contains everything from compositional techniques to photographers' anecdotes and explanations of how their images were captured.  There are also a variety of other field guides, including topics like travel and portraiture.

Honorable mention: Scott Kelby’s instructional books are so easy to understand and provide incredible insight into photography and specific post-production programs.  The Digital Photography Book almost made it onto my top 5, and I swear by my Lightroom book! 

Has a photography-related book inspired you, or is there an instructional book you can't live without?  I would love your suggestions in the comments below.  Happy reading!

-Friday Ambassador

Works Cited:

Assouline, Pierre. Henri Cartier-Bresson: A Biography. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2005. Print.

Burian, Peter K., and Robert Caputo. National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2003. Print.

Gustavson, Todd. Camera: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital. New York: Sterling Innovation, 2009. Print.

Howarth, Sophie, and Stephen McLaren. Street Photography Now. London: Thames & Hudson, 2010. Print.

Kelby Media Group, Inc., Scott. "Featured Books." KelbyOne, Online Education for Creative People. KelbyOne, LLC, 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. <http://kelbyone.com/books/>.

Morris, Errol. Believing Is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography. New York: Penguin, 2011. Print.