Words of Wisdom from Professional Photographers

Photography Tips

Looking for some inspiration? Some folks with Marc Silber went out and interviewed six pros on their biggest tips for aspiring photographers. Their styles are varied, from dogs and families to extreme sports and exotic landscape, which gives the whole four-minute video a nice breadth of experience:

Below are some sample shots from each photographer, as well as the gist of their advice. Some of it may sound obvious, but if you’re in a rut, these may help inspire you onto the right path.

“The camera should become an extension of you. Cameras get in the way of photography. If you’re aware of the camera, not constantly adjusting the camera, you’re not looking intensely enough at your subject.” — Robert Holmes

“Lighting is the foundation of everything photographic, in my opinion. That’s what you have to start with, is learning how to see the world and see what light does….I don’t wait until I’m in the camera room to start learning that. I could be sitting in a restaurant, I could be in a little boutique. I could be sitting in the bathroom at the Howard Johnson’s and I’m looking at the way the light is playing off the faces of the individuals in there.” — Bambi Cantrell

“The most important thing is that I’m in the moment. You want to have a clear head, and really just stop and observe, and don’t over-think it.” — Ana Kuperberg

“A lot of people, I think, spend time chasing something that other folks are doing, saying, ‘Oh, I want my pictures to look like this or like that.’ And I think there’s a certain part of that that’s good, when you’re trying to learn….But when you’re really trying to develop your own personal vision for creating pictures that only you can take, people need to look inside. Because that’s the way they’re going to differentiate their images from someone else’s.” — Chase Jarvis

“It’s really important to get out, meet people, show your work….I think these workshops are great places to connect with the pros. And they can teach you so much, and they’re also a great connection for you.” — Diane Fitzmaurice

“I go, visit the location, and look for some—something that calls my attention. Because in landscape photography, what’s really important, often, is to have some dramatic opening, something that’s really important in the foreground….The combination of light, a dramatic foreground leading into a big open scene.” — Florian Schulz