Photography Q&A! Natural Posing Tips, Running a Business and More!

Welcome to our blog where we delve into the fascinating world of photography. Whether you are a budding enthusiast or a seasoned professional, this blog is designed to provide you with valuable insights and answers to all your burning questions. From natural posing tips that will capture the essence of your subjects, to running a successful photography business, we’ve got you covered. Our team of experienced photographers will share their expertise, techniques, and industry secrets to help you elevate your skills and take your photography to the next level. So, grab your camera and join us on this exciting journey of exploration and learning.

Hey everyone, so I thought today I would film a Q&A video. A couple weeks ago I did a livestream and it was so much fun hanging out with you guys and talking to you and editing photos with you. I realized that you all had so many questions that you wanted answers to, whether it was about the business side of photography or what I prefer when it comes to portrait photography. So, I thought it would be the perfect time to film a Q&A.

Jumping straight into it, let’s start with the first question:

H2: Favorite Season to Shoot

For me, my favorite season to shoot would be autumn. Autumn in Australia has the best sunsets I’ve ever seen. I love the sunsets during autumn. The other great thing about autumn is that it’s not ridiculously hot like it is in summer, and it’s not too cold for the models like it is in winter.

H2: Effectiveness of Instagram and YouTube for Client Work

How effective has Instagram and YouTube been for me in getting client work for fashion and wedding photography? I find that posting on social media is more effective in getting fashion and portrait photography work compared to weddings. With fashion photography, posting on social media has helped me gain a bigger reach with my audience and has thus helped me book in more portrait photoshoots and fashion clients. With weddings, on the other hand, I find that it’s more important to create a good connection with your clients. The majority of work I get for weddings is actually via word of mouth from previous clients. While you can post on social media for weddings, I feel like the most important thing is to have a really great website that showcases your work and exactly what you do. This is very much “each to their own.” Some people do make a lot of wedding bookings via social media, while others like me just don’t. It’s all about experimenting and finding out what works best for you and your business.

H2: Natural Posing Tips

All your pictures and models seem so natural. How do you direct your models? I actually don’t really pose my models that much. If you’ve watched any of my behind-the-scenes videos, you’ll see that I like to get my models into the position and location that will work, but then I like to tell them to move around freely. I give them little instructions here and there of things that I like and things that they can do to improve the pose they’re already doing. I find that this way, it keeps things looking a lot more natural because the model can get into the zone of the shoot and kind of do her thing. The same thing goes for me.

H2: Importance of Editing

In regards to editing, do you think people normally don’t pay attention, but it makes a huge difference in the photo? Yes, definitely. Editing is what takes a photo from okay to being super amazing. Some people don’t edit their photos at all and have an amazing portfolio, but I think editing is where you can add the final touches to an image to really take it to the next level. This doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and add a ton of filters or retouch the skin to blurry perfection. I find that most subtle editing actually makes a big impact on the photo. Generally, my workflow is to edit the colors and tone of an image in Lightroom, and then I take it over to Photoshop where I do frequency separation retouching, which keeps the skin looking real and natural by retaining all the texture.

H2: Nikon vs Canon

I shoot with a Nikon on camera and wonder if you think there’s a difference between Nikon and Canon. So, I’ve been doing a few photoshoots recently using both a Canon camera and a Sony camera, and one big point I wanted you guys to take away from those behind-the-scenes videos is that it doesn’t really matter what brand of gear you’re shooting with. You can still create photos within your style and create photos of what you’re after. So, to answer your question, yes, there are some technical differences between the cameras and lenses of Nikon and Canon. However, you can still definitely create the same kind of photos.

H2: Inspirations

What photographers do you take as reference for your own work or find inspiring? When I first got into photography, I was absolutely inspired and adored the work of Tim Walker. If you don’t know who he is, you have to check him out because his work is amazing. But as I started growing as a photographer and my business, I found that I was more inspired by specific locations that I would do photoshoots at. I was inspired by a model’s look or a makeup artist’s idea, or the idea of a stylist for a photoshoot. So rather than being inspired by other photographers’ work, I am more inspired by the actual aspects of a photoshoot instead.

H2: Choosing a Wide-Angle Lens

Would you recommend me to get a Sigma 24mm 1.4 for my Canon? I want something wide but not too wide. So, the 24mm and 35mm are both wide-angle lenses. If I had to pick one, it would definitely be a 35mm lens. This is because the 35mm is a wide-angle lens, but it doesn’t completely distort when you take a close-up portrait. The 24mm is a little bit too wide and can cause some crazy distortions in a close-up portrait. So, I find that the 35mm is more versatile. However, if you’re using a crop frame sensor camera, then I would recommend going for the 24mm as it would look more like a 35mm lens.

H2: Posing Tips for Natural Couple Shoots

How do you pose couples for natural couple shoots? Just like my fashion shoots, I try not to tell the couple to do too many things. I find that if you tell them to look down, put your shoulder here, keep your hand there, put your feet this way, and do this and that, it can become a bit overwhelming. They might become too self-aware of where each of their body parts are, and that can start coming through in their face. You might not be able to get such a natural photo of them. So, I prefer to tell couples to do general things, and every now and then, I will give them a little instruction. A couple of things I love to do is to get them to hold hands and walk away from me, then walk back. I’ll tell them to kiss while they’re walking, to talk to each other. I also love to get my couples to face each other with their arms around each other and get them to talk a little bit while I capture different angles, get them to kiss, and get them to touch foreheads. Little things like that. I really want to do a video on how to pose couples, as that’s something that I love taking photos of. I’m going to work on that really soon.

H2: Finding Your Photography Style

How did you find your photography style? For me, finding my photography style… [text ends]

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Frequently Asked Questions – Photography Q&A! Natural Posing Tips, Running a Business and More!

1. How can I achieve natural-looking poses in my photographs?

To achieve natural poses, it is important to create a relaxed and comfortable environment for your subjects. Encourage them to be themselves and interact naturally. Use prompts or activities that evoke genuine emotions, instead of asking them to pose rigidly. Focus on capturing candid moments that reflect their personality and emotions.

2. How do I start a photography business?

Starting a photography business involves several steps:

1. Research and planning: Identify your target market, study the competition, and create a business plan outlining your goals, services, and pricing.
2. Legal considerations: Register your business, obtain necessary permits or licenses, and ensure you have proper insurance coverage.
3. Building a portfolio: Create a strong portfolio showcasing your best work across various photography genres.
4. Marketing and promotion: Develop a marketing strategy to reach your target audience. Utilize social media, websites, and partnerships to promote your business.
5. Networking and collaboration: Connect with other professionals in the industry, collaborate on projects, and attend photography events to expand your network.

3. What are some essential camera settings for beginners?

For beginners, it is recommended to start with the following camera settings:

• Aperture priority mode: This allows you to control the depth of field, while the camera adjusts the shutter speed for proper exposure.
• ISO: Choose a low ISO setting for well-lit environments, and increase it gradually in low-light situations to avoid excessive noise.
• White balance: Select the appropriate white balance setting to ensure accurate color rendering.
• Focus mode: Begin with autofocus mode until you gain more experience, then experiment with manual focus if needed.
• Shoot in RAW: Capture images in RAW format to have more control during post-processing.

4. How can I improve my composition skills?

To enhance your composition skills:

• Rule of thirds: Imagine a grid of nine equal squares and position your main subject along the lines or at the intersections to create a more visually appealing composition.
• Leading lines: Utilize natural or man-made lines within your frame to guide the viewer’s eye towards the main subject.
• Foreground interest: Incorporate interesting foreground elements to add depth and make the image more engaging.
• Balance: Aim for a balanced distribution of visual weight within your frame, avoiding a cluttered or lopsided composition.

5. How can I effectively use natural light in my photography?

Using natural light effectively can greatly enhance your photographs:

• Golden hour: Capture images during the first and last hour of daylight for soft and warm lighting.
• Diffused light: Seek areas with indirect light or use a diffuser to soften harsh sunlight.
• Backlighting: Position your subject with the light source behind them to create a pleasing glow or silhouette effect.
• Reflections: Utilize reflective surfaces, such as water or glass, to introduce interesting light patterns and compositions.

Remember, these are just general guidelines, and experimentation and practice are key to developing your unique photography style!

I hope you find useful my article Photography Q&A! Natural Posing Tips, Running a Business and More!, I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.

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Best of luck! and follow your passion.

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