Need help reaching the next level

[helen_tran1]

<p>A little bit about me first: I'm 20, I graduated from school with a Graphic Design diploma but I'm in an awkward area of my life where I don't want a full-time job and I want to explore other career directions. I have access to a studio and can do as much shooting as I like for the next year.<br>

This is where I am now:<br />http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/DemonessMW/best.jpg<br />http://www.modelmayhem.com/pics.php?id=660994<br>

I'm having trouble getting "over the hump" of what I currently know. I find that I'm learning very slowly which isn't typical of me. I have an interview with NEXT on Friday to discuss my work and shooting tests but I really want to impress them (and maybe a couple of other agencies) over the next year.<br>

Can anyone suggest some lighting books, photographers I can study, or anything that will help?<br>

Most of my best work has been in portraiture & nudes with only one light. :(</p>

[gsphotoguy]

<p>There is certainly nothing bad about using only one light. I took a workshop recently where a good part of the time was spent on that technique.<br>

You should look to shoot as much as possible and concentrate on your strengths and passions. If portraits and nudes are your thing then do them. There is another youung woman on photo.net who works at a Sears Studio to pay the bills then does her own work outside.</p>

[nathan_stiles]

<p>Helen, your work looks great. The only thing I'd suggest is to go outside the box. Your work looks like most of the grads work from the local design school here. Take what you know, and make it your own. You also need to learn to help yourself.</p>

<p>You asked for some photographers work to look at, but only about 6 posts down is a thread called "My favorite photographers", with several great names. They could be reposted here, but I personally believe that unless you get the "get up and go", it won't matter how many great pictures you look at, or how many classes you take.</p>

<p>The book everyone... everyone will recommend is Lighting Science and Magic.</p>

[charlesheckel]

<p>You're technically competent and your design skills are up to snuff, so it isn't surprising that you don't feel you're learning much. Your work is about models, attire, accessories, and makeup, and the background is the standard studio blank, so your work is not likely to stand out particularly.</p>

<p>You need to ask yourself what you want to do with your technical skills and design sense. In the '50s it was quite avant garde to reduce model and fashion to minimal forms using a soot-and whitewash tonality, and the pictures were about pure shapes and about tonality. You could choose to explore pastels, or iridescence, or work in a particular location, or to composite florals into your work, for example. The underlying question would still be the particular feeling, atmosphere, or psychology you'd be eliciting thereby.</p>

<p>Your objective is apparently to come up with a portfolio that doesn't appear derivative. You won't get there by studying lighting books or the styles of others. You need to define and set your own challenge.</p>

[bill_from_new_york_city]

<blockquote>

<p>I'm having trouble getting "over the hump" of what I currently know.<br>

..........<br>

Most of my best work has been in portraiture & nudes with only one light. :(</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think if you talk to any creative person you will find what is happening to you “getting over the hump” or like I say “I hit a wall” happens. Everyone finds someway to deal with it. For me I stop shooting and visit a lot of art museums. Then I find my creative batteries are recharged, the passion for photography is back and I have tons of ideas in my head to shoot. </p>

 

<p >A pro photograph that I follow, he goes on vacation leaves his camera home and take his flute. I could not go on vacation without taking my camera.</p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >So how you are going to deal with it is “getting over the hump” is normal and everyone can give you advice but in the end you will have find your own solution.</p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Looking over you work on MM, any lighting book will be basic intro for you and that is not what you need, maybe a challenge is what you need. </p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >I know I have tap some lighting ideas in Photography Talk forum on MM, it a long one with almost 1,200 posts and plenty of lighting ideas to keep a photographer busy for a few months. Look for a Lighting Setup Tutorials.</p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >Also you should be smiling over your best work because, it certainly far better than I seen from photographers that have been shooting for more years than you have.</p>

<p>Bill</p>

[guk]

<p>Read this:http://fashionfotonotes.blogspot.com/2006/01/fashion-idea.html<br>

theres a slightly different version<br>

Your interested in fashion what you need to think about is a style and a signature<br>

Its to do with the way you see the world in this instance the fashion world<br>

Its certainly very little to do with books on lighting and equipment but more about<br>

how you REALLY feel about fashion portraits and people<br>

Show on the outside how you feel about it inside.<br>

Ask yourself who you are and stick with this for you picture style.<br>

eg as an excercise make a list of you favourite music tracks, favourite films, books, art pictures, food<br>

why do you like these, is there a common thread running through them.<br>

If there is you should photograph all fashion and portraits in that style which could be artstyle,romantic painterly, aggressive, decadent etc etc<br>

Just dont try to photograph in a style thats not you, itll never work.<br>

Dont fall into the trap of waiting for the next issue of POP, IV, Surface to see whats to be done<br>

just check out whats going on in books art exhibitions, film TV peoples feelings about life in general<br>

their needs desires and aspirations.<br>

Then convert that information into your fashion idea remebering theres more to life than trendy editorial<br>

portrait: listen to this audio from PLATON <a href="http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/?s=platon">http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/?s=platon</a><br>

watch this RICHARD AVEDON interview where he talks about paying attention<br>

<a href="http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/3973">http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/3973</a><br>

Steven Shores art pictures <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8kuBc27VO8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo%2Egoogle%2Eco%2Euk%2Fvideosearch%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3DSteven%2520Shore%26um%3D1%26ie%3DUTF%2D8%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwv&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8kuBc27VO8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo%2Egoogle%2Eco%2Euk%2Fvideosearch%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3DSteven%2520Shore%26um%3D1%26ie%3DUTF%2D8%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwv&feature=player_embedded</a><br>

he talks about really looking, a fascination how people live, paying attention<br>

If you take on board these ideas youll see progress in no time<br>

good luck</p>

<p>g</p>

<p> </p>

[helen_tran1]

<p>"Your objective is apparently to come up with a portfolio that doesn't appear derivative. You won't get there by studying lighting books or the styles of others."<br>

It's not that I feel that I will get leagues above everyone else by studying. I just think that my lighting knowledge is very insufficient for some reason. But thank you for the suggestion about design, perhaps I should rediscover my design sense somewhere in all of this.<br>

@Bill - I haven't come across that thread, I'll look for it, thanks!<br>

@George - Thank you! That was very thorough. <br>

Thanks to everyone for the response, I'm going to try looking at other sources to draw more inspiration. I think that's why I'm feeling the way I am.</p>

 

[guk]

<p>Youre welcome<br>

my post to you was based on a quote which I forgot to include<br>

Its by Owen Roizman<br>

He was the cinematographer on French Connection, Taking of Pelham 123 (original)<br>

and The Exorcist.<br>

"Style really comes from taste. If you try something and you dont like it, you'd better abandon it because otherwise you're going to find yourself in a rut that you'll never get out of. If you like it, then you just have to perfect it and make it work for you. You also have to be able to vary it and apply it to the material at hand."<br>

g</p>

[guk]

<p>Youre welcome<br>

my post to you was based on a quote which I forgot to include<br>

Its by Owen Roizman<br>

He was the cinematographer on French Connection, Taking of Pelham 123 (original)<br>

and The Exorcist.<br>

"Style really comes from taste. If you try something and you dont like it, you'd better abandon it because otherwise you're going to find yourself in a rut that you'll never get out of. If you like it, then you just have to perfect it and make it work for you. You also have to be able to vary it and apply it to the material at hand."<br>

g</p>

[charlesheckel]

<p>If your concern is improving your lighting skills, I second the recommendation of "Lighting Science and Magic." I'd particularly suggest you study core lighting, in which the light sources are behind and on either side of your subject, shielded from the camera, and shadow transparency is managed by reflectors at camera position; and clamshell lighting, in which the main source is centered above the camera, and fill is generated by a flat tabletop-type reflector just below the model. Core lighting is significant because it develops volume well and teaches you to manage your shadows, and clamshell because it's so diffuse that fine adjustments are needed to get the tonality you're after.</p>

<p>The significance of your current position is that you can use it to develop the psychological aspects of your work, which is sometimes called vision. You can learn technique and design by imitation--nothing wrong with that--but your work ends up looking derivative unless you're ringing changes you personally find interesting and respond to. Rather than taking technique seriously, take yourself seriously. Spend a little time looking at the work of Mary Cassatt and Suzanne Valadon, and ask yourself what aspect of human individuality is salient to you. Explore it.</p>

[ilanweiss]

<p>read "light science and magic", sounds cheap, but it s the best book (and the only good one) ever writen about lightning. the rest is practice and trying different stuff. try getting pros to work with you, otherwise it will look cheap.</p>

[aubreyp]

<p>Hi Helen,<br>

I think some artists are very technically strong, others have a great creative vision naturally. The lucky ones have both. One thing talked about in The Artist's Way (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Julia-Cameron">http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Julia-Cameron</a>) is about "refilling the well" of creativity. This is often done by doing something unrelated to your art, in order to re-stock your brain with ideas. Sometimes we just get stuck in a rut of looking at the same things, doing the same kind of work, etc.<br>

Your work seems very solid technically, what you need is a passion and direction for a project. Best way to find it, for me, is to stop thinking about it. Read the Artist's Way and do the exercises. I think you'll be well rewarded for it.<br>

-Aubrey</p>