Happy New Year ! Felice Anno Nuovo!

Blog Post #74

I am wishing the best for everyone in the New Year!

Usually the New Year is a time to reflect and look back on the things you have accomplished throughout the year. So, I wanted to take a minute and reflect on how much my photography has improved from the first portraits I ever took; in a photo studio where I worked for some time, Carly is a beautiful friend who worked in a shop below us and designed amazing bags. (I had to go digging in the archives for these! Hehe)

Wind Blown

The Wind Blown Look
Apart from my horrible composition in my 2014, they are both shot in Manual Mode, the difference here is mostly due to shutter speed and proper lighting.

Composition

Composition
This is a clear example of how my composition skills have improved. In the 2017 photograph, she is off center but still well positioned in the frame, unlike in 2014 where there is far too much head room. (My thought being that the 2014 composition was very artistic. Hehe)

Posing

Posing
My mentor Sue Bryce has helped me immensely with my posing and connection, I could not be more happy with the results. Posing people is very difficult if you don’t know how to explain your vision. Using clear and concise words and phrases to explain what I want the client to do is what has helped me the most throughout my career. Natural poses are the key here.

Objects in front of the lens. 

Shooting Through Objects
When I took the photo in 2014 I was trying to recreate a look from another photographer that had a softer style of editing. My problem being, I like contrast in my black and whites. So although I still really like this image, I was trying too hard. In my opinion when shooting through an object, that object needs to have a purpose. It needs to already be part of the photo in some way. Like the leaves in the 2017 photo, they add depth and personality.