“Your portrait style just isn’t strong enough… we’re looking for photographers with edgier work – but thanks anyway.” This was the 5th time in a row I had been told that my folio sucked. I was absolutely gutted. This last blow was delivered by Dave, an art director from one of Melbourne’s most well known advertising agencies. Back then, I was 25 and had just spent the entire day schlepping my folio around in the hope that I would land my big break and pick up the Coca Cola account – and a couple of other big brands – before lunch. All my appointments that day pretty much went the same way: *flick, flick, flick of the pages of my folio*… silence… followed by… “Thanks” *tight smile*. “Your work is not really what we are looking for… but… “ I can’t remember what else they said but in my head...
When you have the right mentor, you can fast track your photography at a rate of knots. But how you do know what kind of mentor is actually going to help your photography shine – and what kind of mentor you should avoid? Mentors don’t grow on trees. So Gina and Valerie discuss the best way to find a mentor – whether that’s in your own town, one that you admire from afar, or one that can mentor you virtually. But it’s not just about finding a mentor. Once you have one, what’s the best way to get the most out of your mentoring relationship? Remember that it needs to be a two-way street if you want your mentoring relationship to go beyond one cup of coffee. So what do YOU need to do to be a good mentoree and really improve your shooting style? This week’s theme for #ginachallenge...
Gina Milicia is one of the most widely known and respected photographers in Australia. She is the master of capturing that ‘magical moment’... READ MORE