When you’ve photographed every landscape in a 50km radius and your once willing family members scream in despair whenever you bring out the camera, it might be time to venture outside your comfort zone to see what other opportunities are available. So today I’ll give you some tips and tricks for finding photography opportunities to help improve your skills.
It’s a daunting prospect to step out into the world and publicly announce yourself as a photographer to other “real” photographers who are surely much more capable and experienced than you. But thankfully our curiosity and desire to improve usually overcomes our inferiority complex. My first public outing as a self-proclaimed photographer was to join a group of strangers on a beach at night to photograph steel wool spinning. I figured I could remain somewhat reclusive under the cover of darkness which worked, but afterwards I felt like I’d missed out on connecting with others, something I hadn’t realised I needed.
No photographer can improve in a bubble. We need fresh opportunities to learn and the chance to swap stories and techniques with fellow photographers. But I’m going to hazard a guess that there’s more introverts then extroverts in the photographic field, purely because the camera gives us a safety barrier. As someone who is shy and risk averse I wanted to give you some tips to help make the transition into the social side of photography easier.
When first starting out I recommend finding events that offer the chance to work with things you don’t normally have access to, such as models, studio lighting, new techniques or unique locations that are difficult to get permission for otherwise.
Model: Gabby, HMUA: Kreature FX, Studio: Jungle Photo Club
Decide whether you’d prefer regular or one-off social events and attend ones that are within your comfort zone, benefit your specific needs, and are within your price point.
And ALWAYS triple check before you leave the house that you’ve got charged batteries, memory cards and all the gear you require.
So where to begin finding social and learning opportunities?
- Meetup.com – Almost all local workshops and social events can be found on Meetup.com and range from free to mid-priced in many different niches from landscape to studio. Just type ‘photography’ into the search box and see what’s on offer. These opportunities tend to ebb and flow over time so if you don’t find something the first time you search, make sure to check back regularly.
- Local Facebook groups – On Facebook if you search for ‘photography’ plus the name of your local area there’s bound to be a few groups that appear. Try to find ones that organise regular group shoots.
- Photography gear events – Many gear retailers run workshops and tours so get on their mailing list to stay informed.
- Photography studios – Research photography studios for hire in your area as they sometimes organise events. If not, you could always hire their facilities and bring your own subjects along.
- Other photographers – Pinpoint the big name photographers in your area. There will always be a few who run workshops, and keep an eye out for touring photographer workshops as well.
- Photography clubs – Some photographers like to attend clubs that meet regularly and offer talks and competitions. A Google search will let you know if there’s any around.
- Creative collaborations – This is when a creative decides to put together a themed group shoot. These are my favourite type and you’ll generally find these posted in local area Facebook groups. They will call for applications from other creatives (models, photographers, hair and makeup artists, designers, stylists) and choose their favourites to work with so it’s best if you have some experience and an established portfolio on Instagram. These will either be unpaid for everyone involved or may involve a small fee that contributes to the hiring of a location.
Styling: Elanora, Model: Chloe, Headpiece: Husk & Vine, HMUA: Mellissa Johnston
If all of these make you uncomfortable you are not without options. Find a local costume event like a pop culture convention or renaissance fair. My city used to host a Zombie Walk that attracted thousands of zombies, which was wild. Generally people who’ve made the effort of dressing up are usually quite pleased to pose for photographers. There will always be professional photographers who set up at these events so I recommend you observe their process and even have a chat to them for advice if you can.
I have tried all of these over the years but was lucky to find a studio that ran weekly events which aligned with my particular interests in creative photography. I ended up interning with them for 6 months and grew my knowledge, network and portfolio substantially so you never know what opportunities will come your way.
Now, I do have to make a small and unfortunate disclaimer. Photography, like any creative field, comes with fragile egos, so while most photographers are accepting and inclusive, you may occasionally encounter arrogance from some photographers, particularly if you are new. Now that I’ve been in the industry awhile I’ve realised these people are simply covering their own insecurities by exerting themselves to disguise it. Please don’t let them disarm you. If a situation makes you uncomfortable there will always be others and thankfully for every arrogant photographer you will find many more encouraging ones. When you attend a photography learning event, be a sponge and soak up everything you can. Observe, ask questions and don’t be shy or embarrassed by your lack of experience. We’ve all be there.
Now one downside to most of these opportunities is that, if they’re portfolio building events, you’ll end up with similar photographs to all the other participants. This isn’t terrible. Everyone has a different audience and unique viewpoint but if this is a concern, you may wish to work with models directly.
To find models there are a few online portals such as PurplePort and StarNow or you could go to a modelling agency, but I personally prefer to approach models on Instagram or in Facebook groups by asking them directly or posting a callout for models to apply. Choose those who come recommended or have great portfolios and over time you’ll build a list of reliable models.
When you are new to photography you have a couple of options – you can either pay an experienced model or work TFP (which means time or trade for print) where the model works for free in exchange for your images to grow their portfolio. An experienced model will pose themselves and teach you posing in the process so they are worth the investment. But if you don’t have the budget or experience, TFPs are worth considering. Some TFP models are wonderful but this arrangement tends to come with annoyingly common last minute cancellations or models with no experience who expect you to pose and direct them which is a lot to manage if you also have no experience.
Model: Kiara
You also must be confident that you can deliver usable results to the model within a prearranged timeframe. If you still struggle with camera settings and nailing focus then if your results are disappointing, you might be reluctant to share them, meaning the model has given up their time and posed for nothing. This could damage your reputation AND your ego which you definitely do not want.
BUT if a model has good examples on their socials and you are confident you can give them good photos then TFP can have great advantages. Personally, I think TFP works best when you have an experienced model and experienced photographer who collaborate to explore a concept. In all arrangements with models, make sure you get a signed model release.
Now, we do cover posing and working with models more in depth within Creative Photo Folk so if you’re keen to learn more, head to www.creativephotofolk.com.
Congratulations on taking this big step towards improving your photography. It’s onwards and upwards from here!
