#9: This is funny ..................

Some of my friends who are wedding photographers lament about their drama with clients and God knows I have had my fair share of demands.

This video sent to me by another photographer (Jide Alakija) sums up a lot of that craziness, its hilarious 

I found some very inspiring words from a very cool photography blog run by Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai who runs PhotoDino blog. All these ring true

• Disregard those who say you “must” do this or “can’t” do that. Art is not about limitations and restrictions.
• If you are frustrated with your work, focus on one area at a time. You can’t climb three mountains at once.
• Ruts are things we fall into when we work habitually rather than consistently. Switch off your auto-pilot.
• Perfectionists: consider printing and signing your work. It forces you to take ownership and eliminates excuses.
• Allow your sessions to breathe. Pauses help you to steer the session organically, and to keep your head clear.
• Walk all the way around your subject and watch how the light changes the scene and mood. Light is a creative tool.
• The common denominator in all your sessions is you. Shoot for you first and your clients will always know what to expect.
• Don’t be so quick to delete and discard failed photos. Study them to learn what to do differently next time.
• Personal space is mental, emotional, and physical. The key to a great portrait is to know how to be invited in.
• Know your technique so that you can forget it. Focusing on the technical robs your subjects of your full attention.
• Overshooting out of fear of missing “the shot” often means “the shot” never happens. Shoot less, engage more.
• Portraits are like short stories; the elements that don’t add to your story will detract. Choose details carefully.
• In portraits, mood/expression is key. Light, comp, backgrounds, post-processing, and contrast must work together to support it.
• Each time you pick up the camera, you hold the raw materials to create a masterpiece. Shoot like you mean it.
• Improving your work requires practice. Musicians don’t play only when they’re on stage.
• Don’t allow yourself to fixate solely on your perceived weaknesses. Own your strengths and be proud of them.
• If the most eye-catching part of your image is the action you ran, it may be time to reassess your work.