Some Random Thoughts from Joe Farace
… But baby, I’m for real
I’m as real, as real can get
If what you’re looking for is real loving
Then what you see, is what you get…—The Dramatics
But first, two stories:
Story #1: Several years ago, I conducted a private workshop* with a student who was interested in learning how I photographed glamour models. As part of the workshop, I was lucky enough to be able to obtain the talents of the extraordinary Dawn Clifford to pose for us and we shot in several locations, including her daylight-filled living room where the featured image was made.
Both the student and I were shooting with the same Canon DSLR, the identical Canon EF 28-105mm f./3.5-4.5 lens, and even using the same speedlights! In the above right image that I made during the workshop, one of those flashes were placed below her scarf to add some detail to the portrait and was tripped using Canon’s ST-E2 controller mounted on our camera’s hot shoe. Yet none of our images looked the same and all were radically different. For example. I shot the featured photograph at 88mm, while most of his photographs were made using the 28mm focal length end of the lens. Consequently, none of his images looked even similar to those I made but he was happy with the images he captured and the experience and that was all that mattered.
Story #2: I haven’t judged any “live” photo contests in some time for lots of reasons but mostly becausethese days I don’t have the time. But there was a time when I did and one time when I judged a statewide camera club contest I was surprised how different people see the world.
After being asked for several years to judge another particular club’s annual contest—I was often out-of-town when they held them—I finally was able to do it. But things turned out differently than they or I expected: I assumed that they wanted me to say what I liked and didn’t like about about the images being judged. But that turned out not to be the case. Many of the photographs were, I thought, quite good but some others weren’t. So while I praised the ones whose excellence stood out, I did not do the same thing for those that weren’t all that impressive. On the other hand, the other judges praised and gave every image a high score. After that one year, they never invited me back.
In my post Eight Easy Ways for Improving Your Photography, I suggest that you read a book. Most photo books are well written but even the most basic or even a coffee table book that’s filled with really great photographs can improve how you make better photographs. You don’t have to copy a photographer’s work or style but I think it’s OK to start that way but then use those homages—and you know that I love homages—as a jumping off point to evolve your own style. It boils down to my philosophy for this blog: Have fun with your photography!
*If you’re interested in participating in a private glamour photography workshop that will be held in my in-home studio, click the CONTACT tab and let’s talk.
If you enjoyed today’s blog post and would like to buy Joe a cup of Earl Grey tea ($2.50), click here. And if you do, thanks so much.
Joe Farace’s Glamour Photography is full of tips, tools and techniques for glamour and boudoir photography with new copies available from Amazon for $31.73, as I write this. Used copies of the book start around nice bucks. The Kindle version is $19.99 for those who prefer a digital format.