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Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“There is the mud, and there is the lotus that grows out of the mud. We need the mud in order to make the lotus.” –Thich Nhat Hanh

George A. Tice, Tenth Avenue Diner, December, 1970.

“The thing itself photographed becomes less interesting when you go back to it years later but I think the photograph becomes more important later when the reality has passed.” – George Tice

George A. Tice (1938-) is an American photographer, best known for his meticulously crafted black and white prints in silver gelatin and platinum, as well as his books, which depict a broad range of American life, landscape, and urban environment, mostly photographed in his native New Jersey, where he has lived all his life.

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” –Confucious 

A few years ago, I photographed a woman named Karen Gatt, a busy mother of two toddlers. Karen had gained weight with each pregnancy and had grown depressed by the fact that the extra 150 pounds she was carrying made it difficult to walk. She could barely make it to her letterbox without needing to rest and catch her breath.

Karen knew she needed to exercise more, but how could she do this when she could barely walk?

One morning she made a decision that completely changed her life.

Karen decided to walk to her clothesline and back. Just once.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

The next day Karen walked to the clothesline and back twice.

She continued doing this each day and bit by bit, step by step, Karen moved her body further and further.

Karen lost 150 pounds, gained a ton of energy, and changed her . . .

“Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul — and you answer.” – Terri Guillemets

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“The eyes see only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” — Robertson Davies

Ever had a conversation with someone who was distracted? On the surface they appear to be listening to your amazing story about the dream you had last night. They are nodding in all the right places and saying “oh wow” and “oh no” every so often but there is something that tells you they aren’t 100% present. It’s nothing tangible. It’s a feeling, there is a disconnect.

I often look at portraits and feel that same disconnect. The shot is beautifully lit, posed and composed but when you look into the eyes it’s like the lights are on but nobody’s home.

If you want your portraits to stand out from the pack a great starting point is making sure the lights ARE on, somebody’s home and they welcome you with a big hug, a cup of tea and freshly baked Nutella doughnuts.

Here are my favourite tips to make eyes look amazing in your portraits.

1. Wardrobe

The colours a person is wearing close to their face . . .

“We can’t control the level of talent we’ve been given. We have no control over the nature of our gift. What we can control is our self-motivation, our self-discipline, our self-validation, and our self-reinforcement.

We can control how hard and how smart we work.”

—Steven Pressfield

“Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all”

We’ve had some beautiful feedback from 2019 tour participants!

This has been such a transforming amazing experience. The choice of location was absolutely stunning, Gina a beautiful soul and an incredible inspiration who never tired of answering our questions. The other girls a unique blend of characters who harmonized in a way I never thought possible. To top it all off we were so lucky to got spoiled with fantastic food, drinks and knowledge by the awesome Carmel. I‘ll never forget it.

—Karin (Switzerland)

I put off writing this testimonial for months for fear of not doing the trip justice, as it’s literally been one of the best experiences of my life.

Before moving on to the photography side of things, imagine yourself in the most beautiful, authentic, hidden gems of locations with fantastic faces everywhere and hardly any tourists!

In addition to Gina, you are looked after by an incredible hostess, Carmel Ruggeri. Carm will introduce you to the very best Sicilian food and wine, and people!

Now on . . .

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“IN THE END… We only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.”

You’ve heard the saying “location, location” right? Well, did you know the place you spend the most time in is going to impact how successful you will become as a photographer?

I believe the place you spend the majority of your time will have more of an impact on your ability to succeed than your technical skills. You can be the most technically gifted photographer in the world, but the place you spend the most time may sabotage your progress.

I know this because I’ve lived in this place and getting out wasn’t easy. It’s difficult to leave a place that feels so familiar.

Life here is predictable and comfortable. In fact, the place is called Comfort Zone.

When I’m living in Comfort Zone, there are few disappointments, I know exactly what I’m doing every day and feel 100% competent doing it. Life is predictable.

The problem with this place is . . .

“And if a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up. I know that the accident of my being a photographer has made my life possible.” – Richard Avedon

Above: Old school Yashica edited in Lightroom using a preset from my Black and White preset collection.

There are many bargains available online when buying used camera gear but always do your research before you part with your hard-earned cash so you don’t end up with someone else’s junk.

1. Safety

Beware of shonky dealers.

Check their online rating and feedback and where possible try and meet them in person.

Trust your gut.

Ask questions like:

What was the camera used for? Where and how was it stored? Are you the first owner? Why are you selling? Any mould, scratches, chips on the lens or sensor?

2. Check under the hood

Ask about how many actuations the camera has (this is a fancy way of saying shutter clicks). The shutter clicks (actuation) on a camera tell you how many times it has been used, much like the kms or miles a car has driven. Camera shutters have a lifespan depending on the model and the shutter is the most expensive piece of equipment to replace.

As a general rule:

. . .