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“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.”  Ernst Haas

Above: Image Gina Milicia

Have you ever stopped to calculate how much your photos are worth?

I did a quick calculation of some of my faves over the years and did the maths… divide by four, carry the three, add a zero, equals – priceless. Yep, I know I now sound like I’m full of myself but I believe my best images are priceless.

Most of these images have only been seen by a handful of people. Technically most of these photos suck but I still rate them. Some have been framed so I can look at them every day. The rest are stuck to the fridge or pinned to the wall above my desk. You probably have similar images around your place right? Snapshots of pets and family members or favourite holiday destinations.

Up until the year 2000 I have dozens of photo albums filled with photos, snaps, memories. After 2000 I started shooting digital. I’ve taken more photos in the last 10 years than I’ve shot in my entire life and yet the section on my wall, fridge and photo album that covers 2007 to 2017 is looking rather empty. Life was still happening, moments . . .

Above: Image Gina Milicia

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”

— Aaron Siskind

This week I thought I’d share a real time edit of this image I photographed whilst visiting a laundry in Kochi, India. Click play below to watch the video.

Above: Image Gina Milicia

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” (Vivian Greene, 2006)

So you’ve found the perfect location, organised models and then at the 11th hour you get a call:

“Hi it’s Mother Nature, I’m sorry but Sunny Day has the flu and can’t make it into work today. I can send Storm as a replacement, Torrential Rain is also available, and Drizzle can be there in five.”

Do you cancel the shoot or does the show go on?

How do you make the most of a shoot when Sunshine and Blue Skies call in sick?

Unless you live in Yuma, Arizona, or Aswan, Egypt chances are you will have a location shoot threatened or canceled due to rain or inclement weather. Sometimes it’s okay to raincheck (see what I did there?) but what should you do in situations when the day and time of a shoot can’t be changed? You know, like when you’re photographing a wedding or event or location portrait shoot?

“If Plan A isn’t working, I have Plan B, Plan C, and even Plan D.” – Serena Williams

It’s always a good . . .

“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” – Farrah Gray

Above: Fisherman, Cebu, photographed on Canon 5DMK 111 and 24-105mm lens using off camera speedlight and 50cent plastic modifier.

A good photo gets noticed but will be easily forgotten, a good photo with a great story becomes memorable.

There’s heaps of great advice on the interwebs these days about how to get your images noticed. Getting lots of views and likes is the secret to success right? Well yes, having lots of people looking at your work is great, but it’s not enough and here’s why.

What’s the point of being noticed if nobody remembers your images or who took them?

Great photography stands out. No argument here but there are thousands of award-winning amazing photos posted online each day. How can anyone possibly compete with so much beauty? The short answer is you can’t. If you’re trying to stand out by having the most technically gorgeous photo in the world you are fighting a losing battle. Beauty is forgettable, so is being the best or technically most proficient.

Beauty and talent can make a dazzling impact, just watch a beautiful young woman walk into a party and notice how everyone stops to stare at her or the . . .

“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” Vincent van Gogh

Above: Image Gina Milicia

How to change composition overlays in Lightroom CC

The default crop overlay setting in Lightroom is the rule of thirds which is very handy but did you know you can change the overlay to include:

Above: Fibonacci                                                 Above: Golden Ratio

Above: Golden triangle                                     Above: Grid

Above: Aspect Ratio

To change the overlay

Shortcut  “R” takes you to the crop overlay

Shortcut “O” to toggle through the different crop overlays

Shortcut “Shift O “ to change the orientation of the overlay.

Press play to check out my demo below.

Above: Kochi, India, photographed on my Canon 5DMK111 with 24-105MM Canon L series F4 lens.

I read a lot of emails and social media posts from discouraged newbie photographers about how crowded the photography market is and how hard it is to get a break. Sadly it’s true. It’s jam packed at the entry level.

Everyone and their dog is a photographer these days.

So why the increase? I blame the Oxford dictionary and all the other dictionaries for this new phenomena.

The Oxford dictionary defines a photographer as follows;

Photographer

A person who takes photographs, especially as a job.

This means that anyone who takes photos is a photographer – it doesn’t need to be a job – that’s a bonus.

So anyone with a smartphone that photographs their lunch or takes selfies showing off their six pack #blessed is a photographer right? Well, no wonder there are so many more photographers in the world today. It’s never been easier to become one. Anyone with a camera is a photographer.

Yesterday my dog knocked my phone, and it accidently took a photo. My dog is also a photographer.

The girl I sat next to at . . .