As a photographer working with clients and helping other photographers to improve their craft it’s far too easy to forget about what is at times the most important in all of this... YOU.
This craft is amazing. A simple black box of bits and wires (The Camera) can introduce you to some amazing people and open many doors that might stay closed or otherwise undiscovered, But it can kick your ass any day of the week and twice on Sunday if you forget to take care of yourself and if you let it.
We all need down time from work and other things in life, but it can be difficult to remember that in today’s busy world.
For me my down time has been left on the side lines and I needed to do something about it. You might think that picking the camera up would be the exact opposite of down time but you would be wrong.
Personal Work
I Need... #03 #GOYA - Laura...
Some weeks ago I put a post up on social media stating that I am looking for subjects to photograph. I go in to detail about the I Need blog post but to summarise I need to Get Off My Ass and make portraits. #GOYA - This is shoot number 3.
Laura was sent a link to my blog post by a local photographer and friend, thank you Terry.
For this shoot we stuck to the studio. The next ones I am going to push for location to break away from where I am comfortable.
Laura was great to work with, she turned up in a great dress and corset outfit with perfect makeup. My job editing was easy.
The hard part was selecting a final image, I went back and forth between 3 frames and finally settled with the frame above. I love the little details in the edge of the mirror and the stolen moment feeling, but I do feel it could be pushed further. Thank fully the mirror is still at the studio (sorry Sis).
I have no idea where these shoots are going to go or what to do with the images from them, some may end up in the book others will get buried. The long and short of it is I need to keep working. #GOYA
Next up are location images. Your home, shed, car, place of work, that dump behind your house.. anywhere but the studio because I am getting far too dam comfortable in that space.
If you want to sign up to this madness you can do so on this blog post.
Thank You
Rick
#GOYA #GOWORK
I Need #02 #GOYA - Stuart...
About 2 weeks ago I put a post up on social media stating that I am looking for subjects to photograph. I go in to detail about the I Need blog post but to summarise I need to Get Off My Ass and make portraits. #GOYA
This is Stuart. He answered my call for portrait subjects via twitter, thank you Stuart.
Turns out we had met before back in 2012 at Manchester Comic Con and I had also photographed him then as the Punisher, that image landed him a part in a small film which was nice to know. Small world.
I have wanted to work on some portraits with a table for a while, the table in this shot is a horrible but practical white picnic table so it got covered with some black material to eat some light. I love the light in this shot, it's no Dan Winters but I like it.
The idea came from looking at his work, he does it better. Anyway....
These shoots are to get me moving again, thinking again, off my ass and shooting. I don't have an end goal to produce a set of images to build a set or new portfolio. I just need to shoot.
Hopefully something will come out of this process. The first 3 shoots have taken place at my studio which is fine but the next ones will be on location either at homes, a location somewhere, anywhere but my studio. I want to shoot some environmental portraits as well as push myself and most likely my subject. Watch this space.
If you would like to help me out and let me in to your home or drag you on location somewhere you can apply via this blog post >>>> I Need
Thank You for reading.
Rick
I Need...
A few weeks back I posted the above image on Instagram and other social media channels and had a great response, thank you. Also I want to shout out to Zack Arias who give me a virtual kick up the ass when he posted something along these lines himself. #GOYA
Originally I put a pretty short timescale on this but now want open this up to run a little longer to help out where schedules clash.
Let me explain what this is all about.
I love photography and I love photographing people but at times it can be all too easy to get bogged down with the admin, the thinking about photography, the emails and social media, helping others (which I also enjoy). You forget about you.
Please don't misunderstand I am grateful for my clients who I photograph, provide training for and run events for but....
I need to spend some time on me. Me Me Me.
I need to get people in front of my lens and make portraits/shoot new images.
I need to bury all this crap that is building in my head and get to work running the camera and lights. Seriously my focus is like that of a Canon 5D2 at the moment.
I need to stop thinking about photography and get to creating photography.
I need to stop looking at that effin Canon 5Ds / 5D Mark IV because that will not help.
I need to shoot, grow as a photographer...hell as a person.
I need to do this before I lose my shit.
Easy.. Easy.. Stay focused.
To do this I need to find people to photograph and so I ask you fine folk, who want's to let me shoot a portrait of them and help me out?
I am set to shoot either at my studio in Stockport or on location somewhere (your home, work, shed, man cave, girl cave, car.. where ever).. have wheels can travel.
The shoots aren't going to be any huge planned productions or ideas but more a simple portrait session where I will work to get to know you and make some cool (hopefully) portraits/environmental portraits of you. They will possibly include...
- Head Shots.
- Full Length, Half or 3/4 Length Portraits.
- Environmental Portraits. - Really want to shoot some of these
- Seated Portraits.
- A portrait of you doing a hand stand.
- A Portrait of you lying down ( honestly not at dodgy as it sounds )
- Me just trying to find good light, tell a story, show the person in the portrait.
It depends on the subject, what we come up with and where we shoot.
The images will end up on my blog, social media, some will get buried in Lightroom never to be seen and I hope some will make it in to the portfolio folder.
You will also be given a handful of select images from the shoot, please don't ask me how many images because I have no idea. I will also provide you 1 print of your favourite image upto 18x12 in size as a thank you.
I don't know how long this will run for, let's see where it goes. When the doors are closed I will remover the form below and update the top of this post.
Now I don't care if you are shy, confident, young, old, large or small. Any and all welcome.
I hope to clear this noise in my head, meet some cool new people, may be make a friend or two and shoot some good portraits. Here goes... it's time to Get Off My Ass and get to effin work.
If that has not sent you running for the hills then please can you fill the form below in.
Shoot Sign Up Form
This form is to help me get the info needed to arrange a shoot with out the noise and mess that can be social media. Thank you.
Thank You
Rick