Gainesville's Next Top Budget Photographer

Let's be honest, it's hard to take photos of your pets. I have a lot of trouble getting my cats to actual do what I want. Every time I think I have a good photo of them, I realize that I don't because they move or jump or try to claw my camera. Here is the single photo I have been able to take of one of my little kitties: Having said that it's much easier to take photos of food and other inanimate objects. The real key to taking photos of these is lighting. Food looks better in soft lighting, it gives the food a glow which actually makes it look better. If it's in harsh, bright lighting, it will look unappetizing. Most food is shot in natural window lighting, so it's is soft, but not too much. You also have to work with angles as well because every dish has a "good side." It's your job as the photographer to find that side. You can apply this to other inanimate objects as well, such as flowers, toys, books, and instruments. Let's tal...

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview UAA photographer Tim Casey at the Florida vs. South Carolina game on October 26th. 

Something I can't stand is when people try to shoot in bad light. Why? Because lighting can make or break a photo. You know those iPhone pictures that come out blurry and low-quality? That's normally due to bad light when taking the photo. When setting up any shot, you want to think about light. Where is it coming from, how can I use it to light my subject, what kind of effect does different lighting have? All of these questions need to be answered before you should take a photo. If they aren't, you might end up getting something that looks pretty bad. I'm going to talk about the basic kinds of light in this post. The first is front lighting. That's when your subject is facing the sun, but your back is toward it. They are completely lit up and it normally creates a nice flat, consistent look throughout the photo. Most of the professional headshots of people are taken in front lighting. Back lighting is the exact opposite. This is lighting behind the subje...

It's hard for me to go out and shoot photos and not share them on all social media platforms. It's just something that I have to do. I want to let people know what I am doing and I also want to get my work out there. Taking the time to set up social media platforms for your work is extremely important. This is because it's almost like a portfolio for all your work that potential employers can access and look at. Since most social media profiles are free to make, it seems strange to not make one and just let people know what you are currently working on. A lot of photographers use Instagram to showcase their work because it is such a visual platform. I follow at least 30+ photographers on Instagram and love seeing their work come up on my feed. It not only allows me to show support for others in the industry, but also to get ideas for any shoots that I might do in the future. I think the first thing any upcoming photographer should do is make an Instagram and post t...

A big element of taking photos is finding subjects to shoot. It can be really daunting to go up to someone and ask to take a photo of them. This was a photo that a girl asked to take of me on the sidelines and I wanted to share the awesome way she did it. First of all, asking politely to take someone's photo is important. If they say no, don't bug them. The girl approached me very sweetly and told me she wanted to take a picture of me to show the people who work the sidelines at Gator games. It's always good to add why you are taking their photo, where it's going and who is going to see it. These are all important in building your credibility. Now, if you want to ask someone to model for you cold turkey, here are some good ways to do it. Give them a little note in class telling them you are a photographer and would love to photograph them. Put your number as well so they can contact you. (This actually worked for my friend multiple times!) Reach out via soc...