Finding your passion-guest photographer

My surprise guest this week is Ilva Beretta from Ilva Beretta Photography!

Have you ever thought about taking photos of food? I've dabbled a bit in it. I love to drool over food photos and I read foodie blogs regularly, and wish that I knew how to cook. Unfortunately, I am not one of those lucky ducks that knows how to cook-good thing my husband can cook!

If you haven't heard of this VERY talented lady, then you need to visit her site. She lives an exciting life creating "art" for magazines-and she lives in Italy. How cool is that?

So, pour yourself a cup of coffee and learn about how she found her way into this type of photography!

My name is Ilva Beretta and my business is simply called Ilva Beretta Photography. I am a Swedish free-lance photographer who lives in Italy since 1994. I work mainly here with both editorial and commercial photography but I also get commissions from abroad and I also sell my photos on stock photo agencies like Fresh Food Images and SucréSale.

Tell us about your passion to do food photography.

Well it started with my food blogs almost six years ago and it soon became an integral part of my life. There are so many factors involved when you shoot food, you need to think about light, texture and colours. There are props involved and you also need to represent the food in an appetizing way which involves food styling as well. (I often do the food styling myself but I love working with food stylists as they are so incredibly professional, at least the ones I work with.) All these factors makes food photography a wonderful creative challenge that I love to embark on and to find the right solutions to!

Are you a self taught photographer or did you have a mentor that showed you the ropes?

I am a self taught photographer, I have never taken classes but I have been using my camera every day and that is important if you want to get better.

I collect photos that I like and study them, the use of light, the composition of the photo and which props are used, but above all I shoot a lot and learn from that.

What do you think is the most important factor in making a good picture?

Light and composition. Apart from the obvious things like focus and good food styling, but to me those factors are the most important. Thinking is also good, I often think about how to make a photo the day before I do it so that I sort of try it out in my mind.

When I work with Art Directors, we often plan the shots we have to make, the mood, the props and the composition and that make a big difference.

What's your best marketing advice that you have found to work?

Sending out regular promotion emails with recent photos works quite well for me, I’m also represented by Wonderful Machine and I am on portals like Production Paradise which has led to jobs but it is through the promotion emails I have found bigger jobs and long-term collaborations so my advice is to first of all concentrate on that, if you don’t show that you exist and that your work is good, how on earth will photo editors and ADs find you?

What is your favorite lens and why?

I’m very fond of my 50 mm prime lens, I use it most of the time actually. It is fast and sharp and you get a great DOF with it. I also use a 100 mm macro lens which is great to shoot food with. Next on my list to buy is a 35mm prime lens, I like prime lenses a lot because there is no noticeable distortion.

How do you balance it all?

The way I work means that it comes and goes in waves, I have very intensive weeks every month when I do editorial work for the food magazines I collaborate with but fortunately I can do it in my own studio here at home which is great. Then I go to Milan almost every month to shoot commercial works but that is almost like a vacation as I have studio assistants, food and prop stylists working for me! Although that kind of work depends a lot on what the clients want and if they have clear ideas and send you the right stuff!

Fortunately I have a very understanding family (I have three children) and a husband with a flexible job so we always manage to balance it between us.

What advice would you give a new photographer who is just starting their own photography business to find their passion, be it people, food, etc.?

Use your camera all the time, practice, practice and practice! Collect and study photos that you like or inspires you. Have fun and try not to imitate other photographers’s styles, you have to find your own way to express yourself in your photos and it is far more important to interpret what you see and like in a photo than imitating it. Be true to yourself and take on every challenge you find but don’t let people use you, you need to realize your own worth and get paid for it (unless is for benefit causes).

Thank you SO much for your input!

Shooting in Manual is Easier Than You Think

Today's guest blogger is Kimberly Gauthier, Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier . When I starting shooting with a Digital SLR camera, I toyed with the idea of shooting in manual (that’s what the pros did) and then I’d talk myself out of it. I was intimated by the settings; most of which I didn’t understand. I didn’t have the time. If I tried, I’d miss the shot. So I learned to shoot in aperture priority mode instead.

Guess what! All of these excuses were valid. Why? Because we’re learning at our own pace and it’s not always easy. Have you tried to understand some of the photography books out there? Shooting in manual, if you’re committed, can be as easy as breathing (sort of).

I started shooting in manual a year ago. My boyfriend shared what he learned in a forensics photography class. By the end of the day, I was finally creating photographs like a pro! This is what I knew I could do! I want to share with you the steps I took to make the transition to shooting in manual.

Dial over to the M and keep it there. I know it’s tempting to let the camera choose some of the settings, but that’s not what manual is about.

Take your camera everywhere (that’s appropriate). I took my camera to work, to restaurants, and to hang out with friends. I took every opportunity to photograph the most random things; in manual.

It’s okay to miss the shot. It is not the end of the world if you miss a shot. It’s not a wedding, it’s just you and your camera – so take your time, relax, adjust your settings, and shoot away.

Celebrate the crappy shots. With every bad shot I took, I was able to shout “duhhhh” and tell you exactly what I did wrong.

Choose your jumping off settings. These are the settings you set your camera to right before you shut it off for the night. My settings are: Aperture F/4, Shutter Speed 1/25 second, ISO 400, and White Balance is Luminescence. I chose these settings, because I can quickly grab my camera and capture one of my four legged kids doing something adorable without spending too much time making adjustments (while they walk out of the room).

Think about what you want to capture. My boyfriend repeated this all day long. Think about what you want to capture, compose your shots, adjust your settings, and then take the shot. Working with digital cameras means that we can find out if a shot works immediately. So take your time and have fun.

I was shooting solely in manual in less than 2 months and I haven’t looked back.

Check out Kimberly Gauthier's beautiful photography and advice at Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier - Thanks, Kimberly!

Birth Photography

Have you ever considered being a birth photographer? I have. But, then I considered all the responsibilities that are connected with being a birth photographer, and decided against it. The biggest for me is needing to be 'on call' for the birth. I just couldn't do that. So, kudos to all those wonderful birth photographers!

I had the pleasure meeting Scarlett Bowling, who includes birth photography in her services. I wanted to find out about her thoughts about why she does birth photography.

In Scarlett's words:

While I love photographing so many different things for different reasons, photographing a birth has to be at the top of the list for me. There is nothing quite like being there to watch this little miracle take their first breath, to see the look in a parent’s eyes when they meet their baby for the first time.

Here is an excerpt from a birth that was very special to me. I think it sums up...

What an emotional and rewarding experience it is to photograph a birth: There are moments in our life where time seems to stand still. Where seconds seem like hours and you can hear your own heart almost beating out of your chest. Moments that you know you will look back on ten, twenty, thirty years from now and be able to recall every detail as if it were just yesterday. Friday, April 23rd, 2010 was one of those moments.

As I raced down 95 south I prayed that I would make it there in time. We have been there for each other so many times over the past 29 years, I couldn't imagine not being there for her this night, the night she would meet her baby boy. When I rushed into the pitch dark room at 8:30 pm, I realized I had made it….. barely. I gave hugs and reassurance of how proud I was of her (and her amazing husband, he really blew me away with what a great support he was to her), and then started snapping. With every image I captured I knew I was witnessing and documenting something so amazing, a miracle really. Within a few minutes, as the lights from Fenway Park shined in the distance, baby Will was here.

I watched as he took his first breath, heard his first cry, and met his mom and dad for the first time. What a treasure, my heart was so full it felt like it might burst. Aimie and Matt, thank you so much for letting me be there for such an amazing moment in your lives.

Tips for shooting births...

I’ve also been asked to give a few tips when it comes to shooting births. First and foremost, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible, almost as if a fly on the wall. I don’t use any flash when shooting a birth, I just take advantage of all available light and adjust my settings accordingly. I personally shoot a lot pictures at a birth because I don’t want to miss a moment. This means having plenty of memory cards available and being able to switch them quick. Most importantly, I just try to capture every moment of this very important birthday for each family that I work with so that they have these amazing moments to look back on for a lifetime.

Will (one year later)...

So, if you are thinking about adding birth photography to your services, hopefully this photographer's view will help you decide!

Thanks, Scarlett!

Featured Photographer: Laura McPhail

I love to pour over other photographer's sites. I can lost in all the wonderful photos these talented individuals produce. Something I love more is to pick their brains and find out what makes them tick.

One of my favorite photog blogs is Laura McPhail of Chikadeez Photography. So, when I started this blog, I knew she would be one of my first photographers I would ask to interview. If you haven't heard of her, you will fall in love with her work after you see her photos!

So, without further ado, here's Laura!

I'm Laura McPhail, of Chikadeez Photography, I’m a wife, a mom, and a go getter! Chikadeez Photography is located the Greater Metro Atlanta Area, and specializes in natural light photography of children and families.

Tell us what made you become a photographer?
It all started in 2007. I had a 6-month-old little boy that I was completely enamored with, and I was taking thousands of pictures of him. From this grew a great love for all things photography. I nurtured and cultivated that passion, and it eventually became, Chikadeez Photography.

Are you a self taught photographer or did you have a mentor that showed you the ropes?
Its a mixture really. The first year that I had my first DSLR, I never took it off automatic. Then one day, I decided that was it, it was time to get over my fears of learning the camera functions! I asked another local photographer to come out and give me personal lessons. After that, I started researching blogs, websites and publications so I could learn as much as I could. My work started improving as time went on, but it wasn't until after I took some classes at a local photography school that my work/mentality crossed over to professional. Those classes pushed my creativity and the way that I see the world around me. You can teach yourself the technical aspects of photography easily, but the hard part is the creativity. The classes helped a lot with that. The assignments forced you to think outside of your comfort zone. I highly recommend taking any classes you can (at school or online) to give you that little extra something in your work and thought process.

What do you think is the most important factor in making a good picture?
Emotion. Like I said before, anyone can learn the technical side of photography. The hard part is connecting with your subjects on a level that captures who they are. It all stems from a love of what you do. Don't get into photography because you want to make a buck, you must have passion for it. Also, shoot what you love and what you relate to most cause that love will show. I love children, I love the way they play, talk, and the fact that they have no preconceived notions about anything. What you see with kids is who they are, PERFECTION.

How do you decide on locations & poses?
Before a session, I ask the family if they have any ideas in mind, and if not, I can make suggestions based on what they would like. These images will be accents in their homes, so I try to be sure that it will match their personal taste. Most of the parents look to me to tell them what to wear and where to go. I make those decisions based on who they are. I get to know them to find out what they like to do as a family and then go from there. I used to look at other images for inspiration, and would go to a session with all of these ideas. But sometimes what you have pictured in your head just doesn't happen, so you have to be ready to just go with it too. One that that has helped a lot is keeping a journal. I keep a journal near me at all times because session ideas and pose ideas will randomly pop into my head. I quickly jot the ideas in my notebook so that I can reference them later.

What’s your best marketing advice that you have found to work?
Having a PR and marketing background, I would love to say a brilliant ad campaign. However, after spending money on advertising and having little to no return, I have conceded to the fact that word of mouth really is the best thing for this business. I do have quite a few clients that come from Google searches, so when you invest in a website, you need to invest in someone that can help you with your search engine optimization (SEO). Having a blog is a GREAT way to build your SEO.
What is your favorite lens and why?
Hmm . . . I love my 50mm 1.4 because of the sharpness. But . . . I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 70-200mm 2.8, that lens is just sublime and the bokeh is so pretty.
How do you balance it all?
Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that out. I work from home and have two toddlers, so it can get pretty rough. Most of my work occurs after everyone in the house has gone to bed. Lot's of late nights for mommy. :)


What advice would you give a new photographer who is just starting their own photography business?
Take your time, there is a lot of work that goes into starting any business. I you want to truly be successful, you must be firm in your pricing and structure. There are some really great tools out there for people that are starting their first business. A lot of them are free, so do a lot of research and take advantage of the tools that are available. Stacy Reeves' Photographer's Pricing Guide is a spreadsheet that's an asset to any startup business. It will help you figure out how much it will cost to run your business and how much you need to be charging. Wait, it gets better . . . it's completely FREE!!! My dad is a CPA, so I had him look it over to make sure that the calculations were legit. After looking it over, he said that it was GREAT and every business starting out should use something like this!!!
Link to Stacy Reeves' Photographer's Pricing Guide: http://www.stacyreeves.com/photographers-pricing-guide/

On a personal note-When I first started out, I followed so many wonderful photographers. Although I learned so much from them, I found myself constantly comparing myself to them. In the end that hurt me, cause some of them were truly amazing, and I would get down on myself. This profession should be fun, and you should feel free to be yourself and you can't truly be yourself if you are always striving to be as good as someone else. Coming to that realization helped me find out who I am as an artist.

Thanks, Laura-we hope to have you back soon!

Headshot Photo Credit: Paul Johnson http://www.pauljohnsonphoto.com/