I met up with local talent Jarrett last Thursday at Passe-a-grille beach for a quick shoot. I love hooking up with local models for quick test shoots as they are a great way to hone my skills and try new things and also a great way to meet local talent. Since I began test shooting models in February I have put together a great contact list of local talent that are happy to work with me. Having connections like this in your area is super valuable and something I hope every aspiring photographer is doing.
Dana and I met up for a quick shoot this past weekend in downtown St. Pete and had a blast minus the insane heat we had to deal with. I have to give props to Dana for being such a trooper despite the heat she kept a smile on her face even when I asked her to jog past me a million times just to make sure I got the shot.
I have been thinking about those two things a lot lately. They are possibly the two most important things a photographer needs to do in order to be successful in the photography business. First, your style is what defines you as a photographer and also allows you to differentiate yourself in a very crowded market. Second, by discovering what it is you truly love to shoot you can put all your energy and focus into that specific niche of photography.
I had no idea what types of photography really appealed to me when I first started shooting I just new that I loved taking pictures. Over time though, I slowly began to develop a certain fondnessess for lifestyle oriented commercial and editorial photography with a little bit of travel photography thrown in there.
My love for lifestyle imagery became apparent when I began getting bored shooting inanimate objects, I craved something more challenging and unpredictable i.e. people. In addition to figuring out what it is I wanted to shoot by getting out there and shooting to begin with I also found myself spending tons of time on the web and at Barnes and Noble looking at magazines and researching photography.
Through all of the countless hours I spent on the internet and pouring over magazines like GQ, Esquire, Details and many others I developed an eye for the type of photography I was drawn to and not to mention I became extremely motivated to shoot as much as possible. Now here I am a little over 18 months since picking up a camera seriously for the first time with a pretty decent body of work so far but still a ways to go.
Now I encourage you to get your asses out there and shoot as much as you possibly can! Also, become obsessed with photography to the point that it consumes your every thought because without that passion and desire you are not going to go far as a photographer.
