His first harsh reality came at the expense of a photographer who asked Kelby to review his portfolio. The message he gave was a) that nothing interesting can be shot within 10 miles of your home. You have to be willing to get in a plane and go to the interesting places. And b) Those that don't travel to the interesting places aren't willing to do what it takes to work hard to get a solid portfolio.
Mr. Kelby, apparently, you're jaded to the world around you. Everywhere you look, you can find interesting landscapes, people and activities. I grew up in South Dakota and the world around me was diverse. We have rolling hills, lakes and rivers, we have fields of corn, wheat and sunflowers and abundant wildlife. We also have a full range of characters from the wealthy to the poor, from farmers and ranchers to lawyers and military officers. EVERYWHERE you look, you can find great images waiting to be made. The true statement here is to take an image, compose it, expose it, and print it to perfection You will tug an emotional string with your audience if you do. I was appalled that you would suggest that a photographer who doesn't travel (at great expense) to Dubai or Moab or Beijing can't take wonderful, powerful photographs. I'm not sure you realize that not everyone can afford to travel to the next state, let alone get away to the most over-photographed places in the world so that their portfolio matches up and conforms to some pious ideals of beauty and taste.
Mr. Kelby, you have a stage that has thousands of followers who hang on your every word (why I don't know). Your messages on photography hurt the core of our art form. You know, people can aspire to be the next Jay Maisel, or the next Herb Ritts, or the the next Joe McNally and they can achieve those dreams by staying true to their art and what subject matter they are passionate about. Look at Jim Brandenburg and his range of images of the great state of Minnesota. Everything from prairie grass to the wonderful wolf portraits. All within affordable travel distance to him (even his own backyard) and something he in incredibly passionate about. Instead of mocking a young photographer because his portfolio doesn't match up to your expectations, you should be lifting up these photographers and challenge them to shoot with a different eye or giving them direction to help their technique instead of trying to sell them your books and memberships.
It's obvious, that if you want to be a wildlife photographer or a National Geographic photographer, shooting animals at the zoo should not be in your portfolio, you do have to travel to where the wildlife is.
I could go on about the entire show, but rather I'd like to provide the real world realities of our art form.
1) It's incredibly easy to become a working photographer today because of the technology, but it's incredibly difficult to build a reputation and a clientele and stay profitable. The competition is a fierce as it's ever been and it's only going to get more challenging. By knowing your craft, knowing your subject and staying in tune with your market, you will succeed.
2) Have a deep passion for photography. Love it like you would your child or your favourite dog, and never let it go. To deepen your passion, go to gallery shows of photographers you don't know, go to the book store or library and browse through the coffee table books for inspiration. By viewing the work of others, you can open your eyes to a whole new world of subject matter and techniques.
3) A passion for photography isn't the only key to being a photographer. Know your camera inside and out. Learn how to shoot in all different situations and be able to adapt to your surroundings. Photographing a band at an arena with stage lights is a helluva lot different than shooting at a local club. Photographing a wedding in a church is entirely different than shooting on a beach in Jamaica.
In order to learn more, find a mentor. Someone who will treat you with respect and give you honest, open feedback. Find that person who will not only give you feedback but challenge you to do things differently and provide you with new techniques and direction. Commit to an hour a week with the mentor and ask questions. A mentor will only give you what you ask for, so keep asking questions. And when you feel you've learned enough, find a new mentor. Don't let the learning process ever stop.
I also find that when I mentor another photographer, I learn from them. I learn to see through their eyes and discover new challenges. Commit to an hour a week with them as well. Be honest with them and challenge them each week. Also, be sure to ask them questions too. Ask them the why and how questions. They'll appreciate your openness.
4) People will always want to negotiate your fees even request free work. "It's digital, it don't cost nothin' " Don't get angry with them, but take time to educate them on why you charge. It's OK to volunteer your work once in a while, especially when you're starting out, but be wise. Choose a charity or non-profit if you can and develop a relationship. You'll feel good when you do those volunteer events and then get back to work.
5) Every once in a while, shoot like you're shooting film. We get so used to shooting hundreds of images in this digital world and throw out what we don't like. But to keep your eye and mind sharp you need to fight that impulse of putting the camera on 7 frames per second and fire away until your buffer is full.
Depending on your camera resolution, get a 256 meg or 512 meg card. Shoot in RAW, maximum resolution, and shoot until your card is full, and then go home. You'll force yourself to engage with your subject and only take the photograph when you're certain it's at it's peak moment. Those times when I feel like I'm overshooting and getting bored editing, I'll force myself to do this. It's amazing how refreshing it is.
6) Understand light. You can't make a high quality image without a good quality of light. Sometimes, that means throwing strobes on your subject, or using reflectors. Take the time to understand your lighting options and practice in all situations. Shooting a small child at high noon outside at a park will never result in great shots without proper lighting and light modifiers. The better light you have the less editing you'll do later
7) Yes, you will need to edit your images. Even in film days, good photographers used darkroom techniques to enhance their images (Ansel Adams was the best). Don't be afraid of Photoshop or Lightroom, they are your friends. But even your friends can be abused. You don't need to overdue your edits and enlarge the eyes and lips and thin out everything else and remove every pore and line and wrinkle. People are people, they need character. BUT, if you aspire to work for Vogue or Bazaar, you'll need to understand that your images WILL be edited beyond your recognition. For your own artwork and projects, being defiant in the face of Photoshoppers everywhere, you can do images without massive editing and be successful.
8) Sometimes, it is who you know. For years, I fought to shoot arena shows, but the competition is intense. For years, I relished the day I'd get to shoot a big arena show. But I honed my craft in the small clubs, shooting bands I loved, and bands I really didn't understand. But I shot, and I shot and I shot. Finally, I got the chance to shoot in an arena (not an A-list but hey, it's an arena show) and I nailed it. I got the shots I wanted, the bands were happy and I've made relationships that will allow me to shoot more.
Whether it's getting into weddings, or art shows or the model world, you have to make connections and don't burn your bridges. Be respectful and don't be afraid to ask to shoot. All they can do is say no. Or, if the stars align, "Yes!" Keep asking, keep asking, keep asking.
and finally 9) Stay positive! Surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Don't buy into the hate and rage and negativity, especially on the internet. If your passion is indeed photography, and you're willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, it can only happen with positive energy.
The reality of our art form is that it's changing and it's competitive as hell and you need to stay strong.
So, have fun! Shoot the lights out! and stay gold, Pony boy!
Cheers!
~fotodog
