If you are currently knocking some doors, searching for opportunities and chasing your dreams as a photographer, you know that it can get tough. You may want to give it all up and just start doing something else. If this is the case, here is some inspiration to keep you going. In this video, Joel Grimes talks about how his first portfolio showing almost caused him to quit. But luckily, he managed to get through the tough times and rejections, and he ended up fulfilling his dream to be a professional photographer. In case you need some encouragement and inspiration right now, this is the story you absolutely must hear.
How to create strong dynamic portraits using only one light and a beauty dish
The whole “one light” thing always seems to be a popular topic. And it’s not really surprising. Every day new people are getting into flash. Buying just a single light and learning to master it is the usual recommendation. And it’s a great way to start. The next logical step before buying more lights is to try out a couple of different modifiers. And what better modifier than a beauty dish?
Photographer Joel Grimes likes working with beauty dishes. So much so that he even put his name on one. The Westcott Rapid Box, designed by Joel, isn’t exactly the cheapest beauty dish out there. But, it does illustrate the principles. And while you won’t get the exact same look, you can get pretty close with any similarly sized beauty dish. In this video, Joel shows us how he likes to use it.
Top advice from Joel Grimes: follow your own path
[editor’s note: Joel Grimes just released a new portrait photography tutorial. We took the opportunity to ask Joel for his best advice and it is outlined below., you can download a sample lesson (#2) down the page here if you want to check it out]
The photographic process can often be a difficult world in which to navigate. There is this “tug of war” that occurs between the technical and creative sides, in which most of us gravitate to one or the other.
In years past, I generally gravitated toward the technical side of things because it was much simpler to quantify. The creative side seemed too nebulous, too subjective, and I often wondered if I was on the right track. I hated the feeling of not knowing if I was doing it right, which, in turn fueled my insecurities. Maybe I wasn’t smart enough? Or talented enough? Do you ever have those thoughts?
This deep 24″ collapsible beauty dish folds down to just 6″
Designed by portrait photographer Joel Grimes, the new 24″ Rapid Box Beauty Dish from Westcott seems to tick all of the boxes when it comes to location photography. It’s small, lightweight, and can also double up as a regular 24″ round softbox by adding the diffuser panel on the front.
Having lightweight and portable kit is important when you’re working on location, especially if you don’t have assistants or other crew with you to help you lug it around. In this video from Joel & Westcott, we’re going to see how this one works and how it can be used on location.
Canon’s Experiment Shows How Obsessed Photographers Are Over The Details
Most people reading this are probably photographers or work closely to some, so I’m sure you’re all aware of just how obsessed photographers can be when it comes to the fine details.
Canon also knows this but to find out just how obsessed professionals photographers can be, they came up with a cool little experiment.
Three people were brought to analyze a photo and eye-tracking technology followed their eye movements, showing where they focused and for how long.
The participants, however, were not randomly selected. In order to allow a proper comparison Canon invited a non-photographer a photography student and the professional photographer who shot the image. The photographer happens to be Joel Grimes, but for the sake of matter it could be any pro photographer.
Watch the video below to hear their comments about the photo and see what interested each of the viewers.
What Makes A Great Photo?
It’s hard not to love Joel Grimes. Not only is he a gifted photographer, but he’s also an outstanding educator and great source of inspiration. In the inspirational video below, Grimes’ down to earth, you-can-do-this personality shines as he talks about what makes a photograph great–and it might not be what you’re expecting to hear.
Sure, we all know proper exposure, interesting composition, and well executed focus are definitely ingredients for a great photo, but as Grimes explains, beauty still lies in the eye of the beholder. In other words, no matter how technically outstanding your work it, not everyone is going to like it. Grimes compares it music. We all have different tastes when it comes to our musical choices. Just because you might not agree with someone else’s taste in music, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. The same can be said of your photography. Just because someone doesn’t like your work, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not good–it just means it wasn’t for that person.[Read More…]
Portrait Lighting Tips: Fine Tune Your Look By Adjusting Light Positioning
When it comes to portrait lighting, Joel Grimes abides by some basic principles to achieve just the look he is going for. But, while those principles are basic, they may not necessarily be obvious. Fortunately, Grimes is a great educator and has made this quick video tutorial to share some of his pro advice and deliver us with a very simple way to get several different lighting looks using just one strobe, a reflector, and an octobox.[Read More…]
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