Above: Image, Gina Milicia When I was a newbie to photography, I imagined opportunity would arrive at my front door, accompanied by an epic movie score, and beautiful lighting. I pictured myself ready, I had all the gear and knew how to use it, and was wearing my best “this is how I get my big break” outfit. The reality could not be further from the truth. In my experiences, there wasn’t a tadaaa or datadatadata moment like you see in the movies. Opportunity didn’t bother knocking; opportunity used the side entrance. There was no movie score, in fact, opportunity often spoke so quietly that I nearly missed the invitation. Opportunity is a master of disguise, the opportunities I met were rarely dressed in flashy gear and neon lights. I got a big break in event photography in the middle of renovating my new studio and moving out of my...
Above: Image, Gina Milicia, Kochi, India There’s one essential item that every photographer needs in their kit. It’s difficult to find and can easily be lost so it’s worth taking special care to protect it. The first time I discovered I had this essential item I had been shooting for about six months. Having this essential item was a game changer. It was my secret weapon, I felt like I could do anything. Over the years I’ve realised that there are a number of factors that influence my ability to keep this essential item accessible. The more experienced I become the easier it has become not to misplace this essential item. I’ve also discovered that it’s important that the dose is correct. If I use too much of this item my images are a complete disaster. This miracle item I speak of is not available on Amazon, you don’t...
Above: Image, Gina Milicia “Creativity itself doesn’t care at all about results – the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
I love this hidden feature in Photoshop. Next time you are retouching an image and want to rotate your canvas temporarily hit “R” on the keyboard. To select tool hit “R” on the keyboard or select the rotate tool (it’s located under the hand tool). Place tool cursor in the image window and click mouse. Move the cursor clockwise (or anticlockwise) to rotate the canvas. Hit ESC to revert back to original view.
Above: Image, Gina Milicia “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten.” – Benjamin Franklin Thanks for sharing this with me Peter Foote!
Above: Image, Gina Milicia Coco Chanel once said, “Before leaving the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory.” This advice can be applied to photography. It’s easy to get caught up in lighting and post-production techniques that end up overpowering an image. Next time you are adding props to a photo, lighting an image or retouching a shot ask yourself WWCD? What would Coco do? Do you need the extra light? If the answer is no, then try applying the Coco protocol and simplifying your image. Too many props? WWCD? One too many Lightroom presets? WWCD? A beautiful image doesn’t need diamond rings, red lipstick and high heels to stand out. Chanel wasn’t the only artist who believed in the importance of simplicity. Next time you are tempted to use the latest editing technique that all the cool kids are using on Instagram you might want to consider...
Above: Image Gina Milicia “If you need a science degree and a membership to Mensa International to use your photography equipment, then chances are you’ll never use it.” There is a room in my house where all my impulse purchases are stored. These are items I convinced myself I needed but no longer use, like the bread machine (made me fat), the ice cream machine (see “bread machine”), and the Ab Cruncher Pro (purchased to undo all the damage caused by the bread and ice cream machines). Along with the everyday stuff, there are dozens of cheap photographic accessories, bought on impulse only to be regretted later. Like the silver umbrella I bought for $10. It fell apart the second time I used it; now, when opened, it covers everyone within a five-mile radius in silver glitter. Or the three cheap remote triggers I bought, because every girl needs three...
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