What really goes on behind the scenes at the A-list television awards ceremony? Well, a lot! And from a photographer’s point of view of there are many issues to contend with. Apart from the technical aspects of the right lighting, you also need to understand posing and directing stars while you’re under a lot of pressure. In this episode, Gina and Valerie break down how Gina prepares for this kind of shoot, what gear to bring, how to set it up, and reveal the hacks and techniques you need to understand when you only have mere minutes to capture shots that are going to be featured on the front pages of national newspapers and magazines and following day. #ginachallenge #locationlocation Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher...

Are filters still relevant these days? When so much can be done to images in post-production, what filters do you really need? Gina and Valerie discuss why you still need filters, which ones are ideal for your photograph, and surprising ways that you can use them. You’ll also discover what you can do to MacGyver handy filters in any situation. #ginachallenge #filtered Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Useful links Via Dan Barker EVERYBODY DIES, BUT NOT EVERYBODY LIVES Listener questions Jessica Booten asks: How do you use a tripod when shooting portraits without feeling klutzy? The answer is in the episode. Kari Doyle asks: Hey. My apologies if you have mentioned this in your podcast. I’m a bit late to the party...

On location in Cebu in the Philippines, Gina and Valerie talk about the next part of their adventure and how to photograph in exotic locations. They cover dealing with the camera condensation that’s prevalent in the tropics, handling the harsh light, how to find the good light, shooting total strangers, what “cake bread” really is – and much more. #ginachallenge #tropical Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Shoutouts William Keeler ( True Grit Preset) Rossini Festival, Knoxville, TN. Photo Critique Sunny Izreal Hi all, I generally shoot my kiddos and friends at their various sports activities. This is from last night at martial arts belt testing. The light was dismal as you might imagine and my settings were 1/100, f3.5, ISO400 with my...

With an upcoming shoot at the Logies (the Australian equivalent of the Emmys) on the horizon, Gina and Valerie talk about how to break into celebrity photography. You’ll discover: Gina’s first celebrity shoot, how she got into television photography, and her tips on how you can break into this industry. #ginachallenge #shootingstars Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Shoutouts Lisa McTiernan Dhanwant Singh Seehra (Danny) Kevin Mahoney‎ How to break into celebrity photography Television photography Stills Publicity Marketing Events What are your tips for anyone wanting to break into television photography start shooting stills for student films or amatuer theatre shoot publicity for bloggers shoot celebrity for stock agencies intern for TV networks intern at magazines shoot for PR agencies/direct client shoot for...

We go behind the scenes at Gina’s recent epic photo shoot: including Harley Davidsons, Mustangs, horses, drones, teepees, five models and much more! Gina and Valerie talk about what’s involved in preparing for the shoot, coordinating a huge crew, handling the client and what happens when your main model cancels at the last minute. #ginachallenge #vroom Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Useful link via Sam Webster Phil Collins Reshot All His Original Album Covers for the 2016 Reissues Listener questions From Matt Zahn: “I have been asked to shoot a senior portrait session. The place the girl wants to shoot charges $150 for 1.5 hours. Some of you may have heard about it: Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua NY. Couple of questions. 1....

As photographers, we can find ourselves in sticky positions where conditions are less than ideal. So what happens when you find yourself on a shoot where you don’t have enough gear or lights – but you have to make do with the light that’s available? No point cursing or rescheduling. Instead, you need to look at the available light and see what you can do with what you have got. In this episode, Gina and Valerie focus on the thought processes you should go through to create amazing images when you have no choice but to only use available light. You’ll also find great examples in the show notes that reveal what’s possible in these situations. #ginachallenge #slimpickings Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show...

How do you expose for skin tone correctly? The camera’s light meter doesn’t always get it right especially if you have people with different skin tones all in the same image. In this episode, Gina and Valerie focus on the exact steps you need to take to ensure that everyone’s skin tones come up perfectly. They explain what colour balance is and why you need to understand what it does and how to ensure you have the perfect exposure in your shots regardless of the situation you’re in. #ginachallenge #skintone Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Listener question Follow up question to last week’s question about shooting headshots for a spa. Andrej Valko (UK) asks: “Would it be possible to touch on the...

Light is everything when it comes to photography. But, sometimes, you just don’t have enough of it! We’re not even talking about shooting in a dark room. There are many instances when your lighting isn’t ideal and you could do with a little bit more light to really make your photos pop. So what you can do about it? In this episode, Gina and Valerie focus on simple ideas you can use when you are shooting in a variety of low light situations. #ginachallenge #lowlight Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Useful links No Cameras Allowed is a documentary that follows James Marcus Haney’s journey of breaking into music festivals and inserting himself into the world of some of the biggest names in...

Light metering can be confusing. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, a lot of the mumbo jumbo surrounding lighting and metering is simply unnecessary. In true “Gina-style”, this episode Gina and Valerie focus on simple explanations about light metering that will improve your photography, help you achieve perfect skin tones and provide you with the knowledge you need to really master your metering. You also get to find out why “Hans” loves “50 Shades of Grey”. #ginachallenge #50shadesofgrey Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Following on from last week’s #ginachallenge #cliche, here are a few shoutouts to our Cliche Champions. Listener Question from Jessica Roberts-Booton I just want to say, “Thank you, thank you!” I have learned so much listening to...

We’re all guilty of shooting the odd cliche from time to time. Whether it’s that selfie on Instagram, a photo of your shows, the shot of the hipster couple, the cute guy at the gas station… Cliches have their place and, sometimes, they even work! But what do you need to do to ensure your shots are original, so that they stand out from others and really help your portfolio shine? In this episode, Gina and Valerie discuss how to recognise a photography cliche, which ones to avoid, and how to turn them around so that you bring your own authentic mark to your images. #ginachallenge #cliche Click play to listen to the podcast or find it on iTunes here. If you don’t use iTunes you can get the feed here, or listen to us on Stitcher radio. Show notes Shoutout Michael Goh’s amazing night-time photography. Michael says: Compositionally –...