Reflection on a Good Photographers Journey

As I type this blog I am turning 50 in two days’ time. My journey has been a long hard good photographers journey with many deviations and hurdles along the way.

My main aim here is to assist new aspiring good photographers to cut the long arduous journey down substantially.

I initially started photography at the age of 10 taking primarily taking macro type photos of little flowers etc. At this time, my parents had their own photographic darkroom developing black & white photographs. I carried on a few years taking various type of photos, never been as satisfied as when I had taken my first amazing photos.

Late Teens

In my late teens, I had the opportunity of taking photos of a few weddings in the old traditional sense. Taking photos of weddings happened sporadically of the next few decades, never really making me satisfied with what I was doing.

In the meantime, I started having a lot of affinity towards abstract and texture type photography which made me love photography again.

Photographic Club

A few years ago, I joined a photographic club, which assisted me in reinforcing many photography principles that I had not really lost over those years. I also learned a few new concepts and principles.

In this time, I started doing extensive study on various techniques, technologies etc. to try advance my skills and give my photography a unique edge, to some success. I applied many different techniques to my photography, but they were never really accepted at club level.

During this time, I had a major affinity towards landscape photography, especially the seascape variety. Due to a lack of funds and staying in Gauteng where there are not many great scenes that can be photographed I started varying away from this form of photography.

Limited

I found that the club was very stoic in what type of photographic work they accepted. They loved very traditional or way over the top composite type photographs. I tested this via using off the shelf software on photos that were extremely bland and would not normally meet any grade, made that photos pop in 5 minutes and presented to the club, which duly gave me gold awards for those photo’s, other photos that I spent time and effort on only got Bronze awards.

Also, I found that the judges did not always understand the basic concepts of various everyday equipment, like to make an ultra-wide-angle lens create a heavy Bokeh is almost impossible.

I started doing a lot of alternative action sport Photography which I still do to this day, various forms of skateboarding, mountain biking, obstacle course and now for over two years paintball photography which I am now among the top paintball photographers in South Africa.

Post Photographic Club in my Good Photographers Journey

At this stage, I left the club but had this deep-seated agony that my skills etc. had hit a ceiling which I for the life of me could not overcome. This is when I decided to take the plunge and go for a number of subject focused theoretical / practical courses. The process of choosing the correct training institute was difficult due to many institutes just trying to make money and not having what I really required.

I eventually found an amazing institute that is passionate about what they do (Digital Photography Courses: DPC), and have done a number of advanced level courses through them. These courses have opened up my horizons to something with no boundaries. All the research I have done over the years has now become extremely useful and valuable towards the right direction. Doing courses assist greatly in becoming a good photographer in the good photographers journey.

Study Great Photographers Work

I also started looking at numerous excellent photographer’s work, to assist in making me a better photographer. I found that studying their work helps in defining my style and way of thinking. This also assisted me in developing a personal style and presentation which I am offering to my potential customers today.

A few years ago, I started to want to make the photography as a good photographer a full-time concern, but continued to hit brick walls in making any form of dent in the brick wall that continued to block my path. I offered numerous free shoots which were mainly turned done, or promises made if I donated my time with no positive exposure fruition.

I have been practicing on a very regular basis to always be consistently capturing good photos in camera with no, or if not minimal faults. This I have found extremely important to make editing a piece of cake, and that I don’t lose any important image captures due to faults of my own.

I truly believe in capturing the image as best as I can in camera, therefore minimal editing / post-processing required afterwards. I believe in keeping things as natural as possible, so I have developed a mindset, practice regime to make this a reality.

Sport

I have been sticking to speed ball paintball photography as a good photographer and am now being noticed in a big way. You need to do a number of things within this sport to get your photography noticed, take brilliant photos of the games, photos off the field of people enjoying themselves, getting ready for games etc. Also, you need to understand where the players are at in respect to finances and meet them there.

In recent times, I have re-kindled my love of people photography and have done a great deal to make it a reality. From doing weddings, engagement shoots, portraits, family shoots and even a baby shower recently.

This is when I realized that I have to spend money on advertising in the correct manner, within the correct realms, and am now starting to see fruit. Marketing by word of mouth etc. or by using old school methodologies does not work in the current modern environment, we have to switch to social media, websites, correct handling of these avenues etc.

Learn from Others

Recently I heard of a photographer that had a marketing degree that he obtained over ten years ago, but has found that what he learnt then has almost no application to good photographers journey like himself today. You have to continue to research and understand new methodologies to make things work.

I have developed a major affinity to a number of brilliant local as well as international photographers and have allowed their work to influence my style of photography: –

• Local – Ben Bergh, Craig Kolesky, Trompie van der Berg, Warren James, Greg Lumley, Danie Bester, Steve Castings, Hougaard Malan.
• International – Dave Black, Joe McNally, Steve McCurry, Clark Little, Aaron Feinberg, Ansel Adams.

These great photographer work have shaped what I am as a photographer today and what techniques that I apply to my photography especially in the realm of lighting, and I strongly believe that you need to develop a list of photographers that you love and look up to.

Assist Others in their Good Photographers Journey

I have always had an affinity towards helping people towards bettering themselves, maybe because most people in my life would rather use me at my expense to make themselves look good and not do what is required to make things happen for themselves.

In recent times, a dear colleague of mine pointed out a major point, in that I need to develop a brand that is recognizable, and easily found, which I now rigorously pursuing to make it happen.

My path has been a difficult and long road, but at the end of the day, I believe it has been all worth it. Due to the hard struggle, I can offer so much better and more, like how I give more and better to my current clients.

Conclusion

My conclusion of a good photographers journey success is the following: –

• Know your equipment extremely well.
• Know all the photographic principals well (be careful of making them rules – rules sometimes broken make for better images).
• Go for well-designed and presented courses / practical training sessions.
• Study well recognized great photographer work. If possible emulate some of their work.
• Keep practicing.
• Know the type of photography you are going to do extremely well. (I.e. know the sport you taking photographs of very well).
• Research new techniques and practice them constantly.
• Don’t be a gear head (use the gear you have – know its ins and outs – know how to get the max from the gear – know it’s short-comings and how to overcome the problem’s).
• Define what type of photography you want to do and are very good at.
• Make sure that your work is consistent – same excellent capture and same consistent look.
• Define your photography style.
• Define your editing style.
• Keep your social media running regularly.
• Use the social media’s advertising platforms (study on correct usage).
• Design a brilliant website.
• Make sure the SEO (search engine optimisation) is well formed and handled by a professional.
• Most of all develop a ‘BRAND’