Photograph What You Love
December 3rd, 2009A photographer friend of mine recently came to me very frustrated. He is very good at shooting lifestyle, commercial, weddings and let’s call it commercial fashion. On his website he had all these sections up. He asked for my advice and opinion on what I thought. I told him to narrow down to two – three categories of photography that you really love. Don’t think about how much they pay, or how much they don’t pay, just shoot what you love.
I told him this is something we all go through in the beginning of our careers. He was concerned and insecure because he doesn’t know what he loves the most. Eventually I told him you will know what you love the most. It took me three years to finally know in my heart that I love shooting fashion and beauty. But not just fashion and beauty, fashion and beauty advertising. It all works out. When we first start shooting, we literally have to get to know ourselves again, but this time we have to get to know ourselves as a creative. We go through growing pains, emotional let downs, the highs and the lows. Trust me, every single photographer out there who is working has gone through this process. It’s a friggin roller coaster and you know what ? It sucks ! It really does. I mean come on, can you really say in your heart that you loved your teen years as a kid ? Hell no ! But eventually we grow up, well MOST of us do lol. And we find our way. The path opens up right before our inner eyes and heart. Sometimes it takes a road trip all by yourself and just shoot. Shoot whatever you think is cool, beautiful, weird or whatever ! Just shoot ! Take at least three days and just drive. No destination in mind, no preconceived notions. Just drive and stop when you want to and shoot. If it’s a stupid cactus or a stupid wood fence and you think they look cool, shoot them ! Take your digital camera but also take a film camera. Yes that’s right a film camera. It’s time to grow up ! I can guarantee that when you return from your little trip, you will feel totally different. Will you have found yourself ? I don’t know. But if you don’t, take another road trip.
The voyage of self discovery is something that every creative goes through and listen to this, you will go through ANOTHER voyage of self discovery again in your career and probably another time too ! That’s ok though. As creatives we don’t ever want to get stuck in a rut. We feel stale and useless. I will mention my very good close friend and celebrity fashion photographer Jerry Avenaim who coined the phrase voyage of self discovery. He had his own voyage of self discovery early in his photography career. To this day he still goes through discoveries here and there. I do, my other colleagues do, actors do, you name it. If you are a creative you will always continue to develop.
The reason I am talking about this is that as photographers you MUST shoot what you love. If through your own voyage of self discovery you find that you have changed, then go with it. Never forget this though; clients will hire you because they love your style. It could be your lighting style, the way you pose your models, the emotion you evoke from your models or it could be that they don’t even know. All they do know is that when they look at your portfolio, it grabs them and never lets go ! And that is the photographer they want to shoot their next campaign, look book, catalog or whatever. Your passion for what you shoot does show in the photo. The photo that you produce is in some way an extension of you ! Yes ! It’s true !
So as I leave you with these words of wisdom, don’t make growing up complicated. Trust your own gut. I will be 41 Dec. 6th and I can tell you that my guy has NEVER ONCE been wrong, NEVER !
I want to know your thoughts on this. I want to hear all your voyages of self discovery.
This photo by the way was one of my first photos I ever shot with a real model. It isn’t really fashion but it is by far the most popular photo I have ever taken. It is a photo that gets me very much work because you FEEL when you look at it !
Beautiful Ballerina
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jason Christopher and Jason Christopher , Wendy Cunningham. Wendy Cunningham said: RT @fashion_shooter: Learn something new in #photography http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=801 [...]
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Great post Jason! I do believe you have a soul after all! LOL! Thanks for sharing!
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
well thank you very much Wendy
Come on guys I wanna hear some personal stories. This is a VERY important subject for those who are really serious about their craft and business.
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December 3rd, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by fashion_shooter: Learn soomething new in #photography http://jasonchristopher.com/blog/?p=801 post url…
December 4th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I have a day job so that I am free to shoot ONLY that which I love and want to. If I can figure out how to make money with that later or how it fits commercially somewhere, I’ll be excited to do so, but in the meantime, I’m just making the best work I can and trusting the rest will eventually fall into place. Read Roger Ballen’s story for inspiration. Recognition and success in his 50′s!
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Hey Wesley !
I think what you are doing is great. Shoot what you love and also keep it consistent. Once you have discovered what you really love to photograph, your work must have a consistent look. Put the images on your site and potential clients will eventually recognize you for your particular style. When you shoot a test, shoot at least 4 – 6 solid looks that incorporate a theme/ story.
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Selena Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Jason-
This is a very inspiring post! As a new photographer, it is incredibly liberating to hear someone who has been there, done that, tell you to stick with what you love. My true passion is equestrian competition–as a rider, my goal is to capture the beauty I see and understand between a horse and its rider. Beyond horses, I enjoy art and creating–I’m finding that photography requires complete honesty with yourself –there is so much more to say, but before this becomes a novel–thank you~ I posted a link on my FB group for my photography company. If you do any seminars in the desert (Palm Desert) I would love to know about them. Thanks again,
Selena
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Jason Christopher Reply:
January 13th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Hi Selena, thank you for the compliment.
I love horses too ! I actually went through a period of shooting competitions and I must say that it is not easy at all. OMG these people wouldn’t buy any prints if one hoof was out of place or didn’t look perfect as it went over the jump. I finally got honest with myself and stopped shooting equestrian lol.
I am very happy to hear that I have inspired you. And if I schedule any seminars your way I will be sure to let you know !
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December 4th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Jason – Loved your post on this. For me I discovered early on that I loved to shoot beauty and fashion. For me, shooting within that zone is where the creativity flows and the passion is ignited. I have listened to many interviews with seasoned professionals, and heard directly from Jerry Avenaim that if a photographer doesn’t shoot personal projects in the flow of their passion, then shooting can become a job just like any other job. It is the careful nurturing of the passion that keeps the creative flow and the love of the craft alive. Over time, and with the business of running a business we can lose sight of that, and if so, then we need to revisit what you wrote about here and retake what Jerry calls the Voyage of self discovery.
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Hi Gerry !
This is so true. So often we shoot so many paying jobs, which is a great thing of course because I like to eat and buy new RC trucks and race them, but in time I feel like a robot and that can only lead to lack of creativity even when shooting the paying jobs. Thank you for your post !
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Gerry Hanan Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I’m not a massive fan of eating (I just do it because if I don’t, my future looks grim), but when I was growing up my dad had a toy store called Hobbies, and 28 years ago, after a long time saving up I finally purchased (at wholesale of course) my dream – a RC truck. It wasn’t top of the line but I loved it and it came with me from Ireland & its in my garage waiting for another chance to run around the cul-de-sac.
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
That’s awesome ! A kid growing up with a father who owns a toy store ! So you still have the RC truck ? I’ll email you photos of all of mine. I have a Savage monster truck that is indestructible. I also have some street racers. One of them is 1/18th scale and goes about 45mph !!
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December 5th, 2009 at 8:24 am
How did this conversation switch to RC trucks? **Shakes head**
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 5th, 2009 at 8:45 am
LMAO ! Too funny Jerry. You’re right. I’m a little “off” lol !
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December 5th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Very well written blog Jason. I find that I love shooting beauty. I love the simple clean lighting that brings out the natural beauty in someone. I’ve also noticed that when people describe my work, they describe it as clean, crisp and they can see the comfortable connection between the models and myself.
PS… Happy Birthday!
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Hi Jackie !
Thank you for the compliment. If you love shooting beauty then you should shoot it the best you can and continue to study new techniques. Thank you for the Happy Birthday wish !
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December 6th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Thanks Jason, such a reassuring post!
Care to elaborate on what you did to discover where your passions lay?
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi Marc,
Thank you and I am glad this post gives you some assurance. You know I started looking at fashion magazines more and more. When I would go out and about I started to take notice of the many beautiful clothes that women wear, I would go to the department stores and just browse through the woman’s section. Basically I opened my mind to really “see” everything around me.
Then one day my buddy Jerry Avenaim suggested I go and try to find a used Rolleiflex camera. I found one in good condition and paid $250. The quality of the glass is impeccable. Everything is manual, focus,ISO setting, shutter speed etc. There is no meter and no battery ! You hand crank it to get to the next frame. I started shooting with that and was just in love with it ! The film is 6×6 and the prints are beautiful ! After I got used to shooting with it I shot more and more tests and I still shoot with it to keep my chops up.
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Marc Pritchard Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Thanks Jason! Feeling a bit of a creative slump at the moment with little work coming in. Need to get motivated! I have been considering doing some more film work too
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
You’re welcome Marc. Shooting film does bring you back to your roots and causes you to really think about each shot before you press that shutter. What that also does is cause you to slow your mind down and really take in your surroundings and look at your model, I mean REALLY look at your model. Notice the clothes and how the gown flows and moves. You create a connection with your model which equals evocative images. Let me know how your progress is coming along
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December 7th, 2009 at 3:15 am
Well done for this post jas…to the point!
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Gilly ! My wonderful friend from Malta ! Thank you. Do you have anything to add ?
Matter of fact if anyone has anything to add please feel free to comment.
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December 8th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
It’s funny how I really did a 180° as a photographer. When I was stuck in the music business and sick of it, I had this obsessive hobby involving cameras. I just shot whatever…trees, rocks, napkin holders, you name it. Mostly I was experimenting with obsolete film formats, ancient cameras, and chemical processes that turned the bathroom sink funny colors
But then I learned how to light, and to not fear the strobe. Which is when I discovered that I was meant to shoot people! Those are the images I get most excited about from other photographers, and turns out I was pretty good at shooting them. First family portraits and now adding fashion onto that. Who knew? I was deathly afraid of the idea before I realized I could actually make them (well, most of them) look good. Now I’m hooked, and I got out of that stinkin’ music business (and into a similarly smelly photography business).
Sometimes it only requires the addition of a skill set, or a perspective, or a chance encounter with a new source of inspiration to launch a photographer in the right direction.
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Jason Christopher Reply:
December 12th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Hey Matt ! Good to hear from you. Interesting story you got there. See, that is exactly the point. Just experiment and make mistakes. Eventually you will make what you think is a mistake but after looking at the photo you think it looks amazing ! That is how my signature style using flare happened. It was an accident, broke almost every “rule” of photography but you know what ? Who cares about rules ! If the image looks great and tells a story and or evokes an emotion from the viewer, then I don’t care if even David La Chapelle hates it. Screw him ! I have gotten hired because of my signature flare look I can’t even count how many times.
Thank you for your story Matt !
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December 9th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Well Ana this blog is a great place to start. Do a search on Google for models and photographers networking sites.
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January 22nd, 2010 at 12:55 pm
hi ,
i am trying now to start working with a real fashion photographer as his assistant. i want to be also an fashion photographer and i was also wondering : what if i discover that i don’t like it after all…but reading your post really helped me ..:)..there is still hope .:)..
thanks man! great posts ..:)..
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admin Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Hi Gabriel !
Man that is awesome to hear ! Don’t give up ! You’re going to go through tough times but out of the tough times good times come. Trust me, I have been riding this roller coaster for a long time. It will always be a roller coaster. Just hang on tight !
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January 28th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
[...] need to get to know and find yourself as a photographer and shoot what you love as noted in this post. This will become your signature style in which you will be hired for jobs. My signature [...]
February 1st, 2010 at 9:56 am
Hi,
Your post is precisely where I fidn myself at the moment. I’ve been doing photography for around 4 years now and I have done everything from motor racing to events to jewelery to weddings… all the while not being happy with my images. It’s not that they weren’t good, I actually sold quite a lot of prints but the images just didn’t speak to this need inside me to make something… well, else… something wonderful.
I’ve done a lot of self-reflection and thinking over the last year and one day decided to look through all the images I had taken on all the jobs I had done over the years and what struck me was that the images that sold – the images that I thought were my best – were always of people. I loved photographing people and I didn’t realize it. It really hit me like a brick. I am a shy person, I don’t connect with people easily and yet I find portraiture and fashion photography most appealing.
So this year I have changed direction, I am following my heart and I will start off by doing my own self-funded fashion and editorial shoots until I have enough good work to approach magazines and other industries with.
Not knowing a lot about fashion might mean I will tend more towards the
editorial and/or advertising work, we will see.
Thanks for the great article which has put my mind at ease that I am not going crazy.
Regards
Heinz
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admin Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
That’s a great story Heinz. Very inspirational. Another bit of advice if I may, if you want to do editorial and advertising work you still need to know fashion. Unless you are only talking about shooting product.
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February 10th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Great idea this, i bookmark your site. Thanks
Follow me on Twitter
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December 22nd, 2010 at 1:09 am
GREAT post! I copied your words and will read them over and over again! I went through this same thing when I started. I got into doing portraits and weddings and I was so unhappy that I actually quit my photography business and just did it as a hobby. Now I feel that I have truly found my passion in fashion and am learning as much as I can (thank you for your information). I know I have a long way to go, and sometimes feel like “why did I wait so long to figure this out and pursue it” (I just turned 42). But, I would rather be an unpaid “fashion photographer” and be happy, then make money taking family portraits and be miserable. Like Perou says “photography isn’t a career choice, it’s a compulsion.” Your information has helped me immensely, thank you Jason!
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May 17th, 2011 at 8:09 am
you are estremely good but let me share some of your photo styles.
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