NOT ME

I admire those who create an idea in their mind, lay it out and make it happen.

This being said… That’s not me.

I show up to a shoot, hang out, try to make the subjects happy and in a good mood and figure out what is going to work for them.

I think a major part of this is that 99% of my subjects are not models… they are who they are and they come to me to get pictures of who they are.

Working with the light as it happens

Also it seems to work for me because I usually try brand new spots and random times of the day and have no idea what the lighting is going to be. So If i see the lighting is bad I avoid that shot and if it is awesome I do a shot I might not have tried before.

I might as well stick to what I’m good at… and in most cases that means bringing out the best of who people are. At least that’s the compliment I usually enjoy the most when people say it.

Wouldn’t mind, at all

On the other side, I’d love to have the ability to set things up and create like many other photographers out there… if nothing else just to have that as another weapon in my arsenal.

How I roll

But I totally love just walking around and a picture just jumping out at me… take this one. So I stop the couple snap a few pictures and bang I’m done. Rinse and repeat.

Most of my favorite shots have come while walking to the intended location… not at the location.

The one featured on the post was taken while walking to a pond and some trees… which I didn’t really get that many great shots at.

But here’s one of the final destination, not bad… but not as dramatic.

Particular Details

On the shoot on the hill, I must mention that it did take a lot of work and several trial shots to get the light to work. Luckily I had someone shadowing and helping to hold an off camera flash to light the subjects up to match with the scenery.

Low-Key

I think one of my strengths is my low-key attitude letting all those who are scared of the camera to feel very comefortable. And that fits perfectly with wedding photography and Family Life-style photography which I’ll be switching more into next year.

My style does instill me with confidence that even if i have one idea in mind and it doesn’t work out… that I’ll always come up with something else and the customer will always be happy.

How about you?

So are you a lay-it-out photographer or a by-the-seat-of-your-pants photographer?

And how does it work or not work for you?

Where it might fall short for me

I can tell you one way my style doesn’t work for me… instilling confidence on propable comercial shoots of products and whatnot. Yes sir… I don’t have in mind what I want to do to get a great shot of your product… I’m just gonna come and shoot.

Doesn’t work as well. I guess that’s why I don’t even try to do those types of shoots.
But who knows… maybe I would rock at commercial shoots even with this attitude.
Maybe one day I’ll find out… stir things up a little.

Documentive vs Creative??

I guess in the end I make sure to call myself a documentive photographer, so the more artistic creative photographers don’t get mad at me for claiming to be like them.
I just see good shots and take them… I’m not into creating them. But wouldn’t mind getting better… if I weren’t so darn LAZY