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Above: Image by Henri Cartier-Bresson

“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

What kind of photographer are you? When I ask you this question, I don’t mean what genre you shoot, portrait, still life, documentary or landscape. I’m asking about how you execute your images and this is not to be confused with gear or your editing style, that’s your technique.

The way you execute your images will determine what kind of photographer you are and understanding the differences will help you to grow and evolve as a photographer.

There are five different kinds of photographer:

1. The Karaoke photographer This is a great way to learn about great photography by impersonating the subjects, lighting and editing techniques of the photographers that inspire you.

It’s kind of like a painting by numbers approach to taking images. This is how every great artist starts out.

2. The accidental photographer As the name suggests, this kind of photographer will stumble on good images rather than plan for them. Every accidental photographer will get lucky several times in their life because the photography Gods are generous and want all accidental photographers to experience the joy . . .

“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” –Ansel Adams

I’ve combined my four great loves, photography, Sicily, travel and teaching to create the ultimate photography experience.

I’m so excited to show you my beautiful Island of Sicily and share the lighting, posing and post-production techniques I use.

I’ve partnered with the best Sicily tour guide in the world, Carmel Ruggeri of Sicilian Food Tours. We’ve been doing these tours together since 2013 and having a blast!

Carm will take care of us during our stay and take us to authentic Sicilian villages and locations off the beaten track.

Carm is a successful and much-loved restaurateur so we will be privy to some of the best Sicilian food and wine and hospitality.

I can’t wait to work with you!

For more information or to download a brochure head to: https://www.sicilianfoodtours.com/gina-milicia-sicilian-photography-tour-2020

Bookings: info@sicilianfoodtours.com

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” –Joan Miro 

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

Do you daydream about taking amazing photos like the ones you see in magazines, galleries or social media/ The ones that stop you in your tracks and make you gasp in wonder and green with envy at the same time? What do these photographers have that’s missing in your images?

Is it the gear they use? Is it the locations or talent they work with? Is it technical knowledge or postproduction skills?

What if I told you all these photographers have in common has nothing to do with the factors listed above.

What if I were to tell you that technique, talent or gear has very little to do with greatness and that one of the main reasons you have not achieved your goals comes down to one person – Dave. That’s right, I said Dave is the reason you haven’t reached your goals yet.

Who the hell is Dave? I’m glad you asked, let me explain.

Dave has been living with you your entire life, you just didn’t know it. I’m not sure how to say this politely, so I’m . . .

Using Lightroom keyboard shortcuts are a great way to speed up your workflow and give you more time to spend on other important things like taking photos!

Download your cheat sheet via the link and either print it out and display it near your computer or store it on your smartphone and access it anytime.

DOWNLOAD THE SHORTCUT HERE

Above: Image by Gina Milicia

When I was a kid and someone asked me “and what do you want to do when you grow up Gina?” my answer was always the same.

“I’m going to be an artist.”

I always got the same response, a small knowing smile, that I interpreted as “wow, how cool. Everyone should be an artist. It’s like, the best thing ever!”

It wasn’t until I was in my mid-late teens that well-meaning friends and family started to comment on my career choice.

“Yes, but what are you going to do to make money dear? Art isn’t a real job. It’s a hobby.”

Or…

“Don’t become an artist, you’ll end up starving in a garret.” This confused me because I didn’t know what a garret was (it’s small living space, like an attic).

Luckily for me, I’m a rebel by nature and pretty much ignored all the advice I was given. That was over 30 years ago now and I know everyone just had my best interests in mind, but I do wonder how different my life would have . . .

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” 

—Elizabeth Kubler Ross

This simple little tip will make a big impact on how you view your images.

When working in the Develop Module in Lightroom tap “L” on your keyboard once to dim the filmstrip and tool panels around your image.

Lights out mode (Dimmed) removes distractions but still lets you view filmstrip and tools.

Tap on “L” again to completely block out the area around your image.

Blocking out the area around your image removes distractions and makes it much easier to judge brightness, contrast and colour tones.