Workforce Wednesday- What do you need to be a Photographer ?

Hey Guys… as far as I'm concerned, the MOST important thing you need to become a photographer, is a unique personal vision. However, John Ingledew takes it even further in his book " the Creative Photographer " Let's look at a few of the highlights…

Knowledge - Study the medium, know the history, embrace new technologies, familiarize yourself with photography's tools. ( like how to control lighting, focus, contrast and quality )

Vision and Curiosity- Be curious.

Fresh Eyes - Find a FRESH approach to looking at the world. Your pictures should be stamped with your own unique vision and they should be recognizable as your own unique brand.

Creativity and Imagination- Be creative and imaginative. You need to be original and have great ideas.

Risk-taking - Constantly try new things and PUSH your work in new directions.

Passion - Have a passion for your work, for people, society, culture and a passion for the next assignment.

Resourcefulness - Be resourceful and improvise, so you get the results you want, no matter what the circumstances.

Energy and Optimism - Go above and beyond what is asked for and see your ideas through to completion.

Good Communication - Learn to express your ideas in order to involve other people in your projects and practice both good written and verbal communication, to promote your skills.

Luck and Persistence - Be in the right place at the right time with your camera and portfolio and take your opportunities.

Here is a perfect example of a photographer with a unique vision.. check out David LaChapelle. His work crosses over from fashion to photo illustration and even finds it's way into the fine arts. His work shares all of the above attributes and his enthusiasm is evident in everything he does. Check out this FUN image he created a while back for Marilyn Manson.

SO… if you said to me that you wanted to become a FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, the first thing I would tell you, would be to LIVE and BREATH fashion! You also need a great imagination, passion, originality and creativity. Start out with small fashion and style magazines, and become completely ingrained in POP CULTURE! Watch TV, read magazines, attend events, KNOW the popular shows on HBO, Showtime and Cinemax… they ALL  influence fashion and trends! But most importantly, HAVE FUN and make your images your own.. AND learn to work in a group! You are never alone in this genre. ( you will be surrounded by makeup, hair, photo editors, art directors, assistants, etc. )