I dunno Mike either so I wouldn't know.
Agreed. If this is the start of his own research, then so be it.
I disagree. There are still a few good guys/girls out there. Go get a book on lighting glamour, or lighting for photography in general.
Agreed again. I've never learned much at the shows except who were drunks and who liked to do business. The shows are like frat parties.
All you gotta do is ask man. There is no huge secret to lighting. If you're serious enough, you'll study your pics, and other people's pics. In time you'll start to see differences, and you'll be able to 'see' the lighting setups on a location. From what I've learned and been taught, it's generally best to have a light in front, one or two in the back and (if you got the light) to light the back ground. But that's not the be-all-end-all. Sometimes just a single light will do. It depends on the mood and look you're going for. There is no 'one way' of doing things.
I'm no expert. Not by any means, but that's just what I've learned, and been taught by the mutha' fuckin' masta.
I agree with this as well. I shot for many many... MANY years before I shot a girl. I shot everything from flowers in my yard, to scenics in my town to landscapes in maui. Just shoot everything man. And from time to time, try new things. Experiment with depth of field, start to learn apertures and shutter speeds. Again... there is no magic setting.
Bingo. The single most misunderstood point to shooting content. MARKETING. Paul Markham is by far, hands down the biggest spammer of his own content on GFY. I dunno how he does in sales, but it always seemed like blanket marketing which from my research is the worst kind of marketing.
And now... let me offer you my own advice based on my personal experience.
QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD!
Hear me out...
I got into shooting photos years ago as a hobby. I never thought about shooting models until one the clients I edit for saw my photography. He could see that I knew how to compose and shoot a good photo, and he wanted to see how I'd do with a model. So he set up my first shot and loaned me some lights. (I still use those lights to this day in fact)
Looking back, I was a disaster. I didn't know fuck all about lighting, or how to pose the model. In time I got better but I never felt comfortable shooting for anyone other than this one client. So I'd shoot for this guy only occasionally for the next few years.
Then one day I had a real opportunity to work with a VERY established photographer right here from GFY, bm bradley. I took a chance and went for it. I became his assisstant/videographer.
For the first time I got to see what being a real shooter was all about. And brother.. let me tell ya'.. you won't want any part of it. Hustling around for work, models not showing up, busting ass to get as much content in a certain amount of time, arguing with clients over money, chasing money, getting paid and then going and blowing all the pay on gear or set dressing. And the pay is shit too, no one wants to pay the proper amount of $$$ for custom content these days. It was a nightmare and a disaster.
We parted ways, and since then I've gone back to shooting for the same client I started with, and I took what I learned and I apply it when I can. For the most part, I show up, shoot a few sets in a very calm and relaxed environment, and get my shots. The pay is the same, and they've hired an office accountant so I send an invoice and get paid the next day. They are always more than happy with my work, and I shoot at least once a week when I'm not editing their DVD's.
The bottom line is, the custom content world is more competitive than you could possibly imagine. My advice, find one or two clients and shoot for them at your own pace, or you'll burn out. If shooting is something you LOVE to do, then don't do it as a job, or you'll end up hating it. For me it was a hobby and now that I shoot at my own pace, I enjoy it again. I still feel like it's a hobby to me, because I don't rely on it for income. The pay is like a bonus now. And when I was doing it as a job, I fucking hated it.
Take from this what you can.
In the meantime, here is a few shots I took recently. And I did them at my own pace, again in a relaxed environment, and had a lot of fun with the models. It didn't feel like work at all.
Alice, (sweet Alice)
Andi Anderson
Andi Anderson
And finally Helen.
