– Posted by Mark
I’ve been working on a few simple things recently. In fact – you may have noticed that we really like simplicity. It’s one of the reasons that I haven’t done a specific ‘styled’ photoshoot in the last two years, and I pretty much give all of our models the same wardrobe instructions.
In my line of work (weddings, family portraits, events) – it is more important for me to be better at creating something out of whatever I’m given, than to spend time creating perfect shots with intricate, time consuming and often contrived styled photoshoots. Not that those are bad things – but the fact is that I’m constantly being dropped into a new city I’ve never seen before, and then asked to create something new. I have little to no control over what I’m given. And that’s okay.
Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. I cannot say it enough to our interns, or even our staff photographers.
I’m sure it gets a bit frustrating at times for our Interns – with me constantly just asking for models, giving a location (or not) and then telling them to start shooting. Because when you begin shooting and start having that inkling that you wanna be a photographer, you start to have all of these ideas about fantastic photoshoots with crazy makeup, and crazy hair, and crazy everything.
But the truth is that until you are good enough – you’re probably going to waste everyone’s time. You’re probably going to make so-so photos (or worse) of semi-interesting things, and that’s if you don’t make it a half-assed attempt and decide to go full on with hair, makeup, wardrobe, props, and location. Obviously we don’t shy away from big productions around here – we do work in a 5billion square foot studio space, and we do have 6million lights and other gear at our disposal – but we’re still constantly trying to simplify everything.
Most of the time you just need a model, a location, and the willingness to create something out of sometimes nothing.
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