Ron Galella - Jackie O

Throw yourself off a cliff

Sometimes the most effective way to learn something new is by doing. Even better is to do it under some kind of pressure, be it a deadline or other people waiting for you to deliver. How has your experimenting/practice time…

Fall in love

Photographers have a special capacity in that we create images that are more or less interpretations of the real world. We don’t alter that world (per say) in making the photos, but we do create a different way of seeing….

Jerry Uelsmann

Create your own universe

This is a bit of an odd one today, but I think perfectly valid as a tip. Consider for a moment photographers like Sally Mann, Weegee, Richard Avedon, Jerry Uelsmann or even Ansel Adams. All 5 of these photographers are…

Don’t worry about “going pro”

I often get lots of questions from students and sometimes others about wanting to “go pro”. In other words – quit the day job and dive into a career as a professional photographer. For most people I think this is…

Never think photography is easy

This is a quote from Magnum photographer Chris Steele-Perkins. I couldn’t agree more with this. Photography fundamentals are pretty easy really. A thorough understanding of how auto focus and metering work in a modern camera isn’t that difficult. There are…

Know the Direction of Light

This might seem a little obvious, but this is a common mistake for amateur photographers. Always pay attention to where the light is coming from. Use it to make your photographs beautiful. I can’t tell you how many times I…

Keep a Sketchbook

You don’t need to know how to draw. A sketchbook is only that if you’re an artist or an illustrator. A sketchbook is what keeps your sanity. It records your ideas. Its what makes it possible to remember things you…

Sticky: Do something difficult

In the last 15 years we have seen some amazing advances in photography – almost entirely in the digital and mobile spaces. Making images has become faster, easier and comes at a much higher quality than George Eastman ever dreamed…

Spend a few dollars on smartphone apps

Your smartphone is really the ultimate point and shoot camera. It’s ultra compact, it’s always with you, it has a built in processor that’s actually competitive with most computers and it’s connected to the Internet. Don’t forget that adding apps…

Get your work online

One of the easiest ways to promote your work is through your website. If you don’t have one there are a number of ways to easily get your photography portfolio online. The easiest are sites like flickr.com and 500px.com Both…