The Rainmaker Photography

My Toughest Challenge as a Photographer

Many times I have read the challenges that a photographer has to face to be able to capture “THE” special picture. They often talk about waiting for special lighting conditions, a moment, hiking for hours to get to places nobody’s been before or that moment that comes after many hours of trial and error, when they finally say, this is it! This is the picture I was looking for. Interesting anecdotes to read that we can all learn from and after a while, even relate to. My most difficult challenge however, began way before any important assignments, when I was struggling to run my own business and to make it work.

I was introduced into photography when I was a teenager in high school; in the summer of 2004 when digital photography became useful enough and cheap enough at the consumer level. I never intended to become an artist. Photography was just such a perfect match. It had such a therapeutic effect on me. It became the voice I couldn’t articulate to express my thoughts, my emotions, my feelings… Metaphorically speaking, it developed what was invisible on the inside and projected it on the outside. By this time I always thought of myself working as a photographer sometime in the future.

After graduating from high school I got my first DSLR and pretty soon I began to work as a freelance photographer. I got my first job by word of mouth. A friend of a friend needed a photographer. It was a sweet sixteen. Sometime before the party was over, a guest who had been drinking a little too much that night spilled beer on my camera strap. I was a teenager driving myself sometime about 3 am, hoping I wouldn’t come across a cop because my whole car had the strong odor of beer. It was in that moment when I realized that event photography was not for me. That was my life for a couple of years however and even though I made a living as a photographer I never called myself a professional. I’ve always had a deep respect for the title. As time passed by, year after year, I acquired the experience, the knowhow, the expertise to be called one.  

The most challenging area that I had to deal with as a photographer has been the one in which the boundaries of my personal and my professional life were unclear to others. Family, friends and acquaintances are just a special group of people. It does not matter who you get to become in life; they never seem to forget who you were when they just met you, if not that they used to be the ones responsible to lead your life as a child, a feeling that never fades away to some. They tell you things as they think of them without remorse or the expectation of any replies.

When I began to get a more constant flow of customers and my friends wanted to go out on the weekends, my reply was, I can’t because I have work to do. Not too long after, they began to complain to me about not being there for them. Responsibilities also made me stop being able to do “favors.” Since that happened, my life became very chaotic. You expect friends and acquaintances to value your work. Friends and acquaintances however, expect you to work for them for free and for life. What is even worst is that they don’t have to be your acquaintances for a period of time, sometimes even people you just met expect the same thing of you.

I was beginning to be successful in my career but my personal life seemed to be so out of balance. Before I began working I used to have about 40 friends. After a while, I only had four. Every time I lost one, I felt the same kind of grief that is felt when a loved one dies. I got the same kind of reaction from them over and over. They came to me very excited talking about all the photographs they wanted. That was until I told them, well; do you realize that photography is what I do for living? Many people like you come to talk to me very often expecting me to work for them for free, but if I gave away my work at no cost to every one of them, my business will not be sustainable. I heard it all. After that, they said with a surprised look on their faces, you’re going to charge me? I thought we were friends. You don’t love me anymore. Others even were disrespectful and said, how can you charge me? You’re not even a professional. I used to feel very guilty for just trying my best to do my job. The truth is that people can be very greedy. I was often invited to parties and all kinds of events; not because of me, but because they thought that by inviting me, they’d have all the pictures they wanted for free.

It can be very draining to see your friends, people you love and care for, trying to take advantage of you; maybe without even realizing it. Don’t be discouraged. It’s about setting boundaries. It is hard to set boundaries to people you love. Your emotions get in the way. You think that they’ll get mad at you and will never talk to you again. By experience I tell you, many will be those who do that, but if they do, it only means that they were not your real friends. The key is to be patient and talk to them like you’d talk to yourself. It takes time, but BE VERY PATIENT, because many are those who will be coming to you. Be also very firm in your decisions and don’t be deceived by them. The first thing they’re going to tell you is, it is OK to charge but not to your friends or they’ll say, don’t charge your friends as much.

Advice

My word of advice is, charge what is fair for both of you but don’t let them belittle or undervalue your work. ALWAYS work with a signed contract to back you up. When you talk to your friends, make sure they understand every point because they often won’t listen to you and when the job is done, they’ll say, I thought I was going to get this and that. Make sure everything is clear to them, especially when it comes to payments. Keep a record of them for yourself even if they do not want to accept a receipt. And DO NOT give them your work if they have not made their payments as expected. Some of them are going to try to trick you and tell you things like, oh, I forgot the money, can I pay you later? Don’t trust them, as it is very easy to loose a friend for money. Be nice to them and say, sure, I’ll save your work for you until then.

Final Thoughts 

It is hard to deal with friends and acquaintances. Some people say, never do business with a friend. As a matter of fact, a vast number of lawsuits among businesses or to business owners have been done by friends or a longtime acquaintance due to a misunderstanding and a lack of a contract. A lot of people are going to come to you and try to trick you. It does not matter how nice you were to them, some of them will still complain about you and talk behind your back. It can be very frustrating to try to make enough money to make all your monthly payments and be able to save enough for your next piece of expensive equipment you’re dreaming of while having someone you care for criticizing you. But remember, the truth is that you cannot please everyone and you cannot make every single person who comes to you to like you, so quit trying. A lot of people might disappoint you but don’t be discouraged. As time goes by you’ll realize who your real friends are. Real friends are few, but they always come back. They often turn out to be the most supportive and understanding people around you. Keep working very hard to accomplish your goals. It takes time, a lot of effort, a lot of discipline, a lot of dedication, but once you get there, you will realize that everything was worth it.

Thank you for reading. Until next time.

The Rainmaker.

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How to deal with criticism, advice for aspiring artists

When I got my first DSLR camera, back when I was in high school, I realized how hard it was to have the perfect timing, perfect exposure, perfect focus, creating a visually pleasing image, while also telling a story every time. While I was learning to use a camera, I used to think my work was so bad that I thought it was such an honor to be asked to take pictures for somebody. Many times I worked for free, even though back then I didn’t see it like that. I used to think I was helping someone with the best thing I could give them while also learning something every time I took a job. I knew very little about editing as well. I did so many mistakes.

After getting tired of taking pictures of the same people at the same place, taking pictures for the yearbook, I decided to go to downtown. That was where my love for landscape and cityscape photography came from. I was hooked by it. Photography became my voice, a projection of my eyes that everyone could see.

About a year after, I had printed my favorite pictures and put together a small portfolio. One day I came a cross some acquaintances; I had my portfolio with me and they asked me what it was. When they saw my work they were surprised to see the photographs I took and I was surprised that they liked them. Then they asked me what I was going to do with them. I told them that I just took them for myself. They said they were very nice, but there was no point in taking nice pictures if nobody was going to see them; that I should really look forward to do something with my work.

I realized they were right, but I didn’t know where to start. I went to the local museum of art to ask for guidance or a word of advice. I spoke with the curator and he told me about a small art gallery that used to rent space of their walls for little money. Within a couple of weeks I was having my first exhibition. It was nice experience, I thought it was a nice place to begin and meet local aspiring artists, but that I didn’t have a chance to grow as an artist since it was such a small place. I kept looking for local art galleries and I was faced with two things, rejection and criticism. What was harder to conceive was that it did not only came from gallery directors or art critics, it came from family, friends, acquaintances and people I did not even know. All of a sudden everyone around me seemed to be against me. If you are going through this, after years of experience, I have some thoughts to share with you.

It was not easy for me; I had it tough since the beginning. The main reason why I thought my work was so bad was because the teacher in charge of making the yearbook never liked my work. He used to say to me in front of the whole class, “I don’t like any of these pictures; I’ll delete all of them”. When I asked him what I did wrong and how could I make it better he competently ignored me. He just kept doing whatever he was working on and pretended I was not even there. He once told me there were very good photographers in our city and that I was never going to be among their group.

I then took it as a challenge. I didn’t say a word to him, but I was challenged to prove him wrong. I read many books, spent hours doing research on the internet and many more hours practicing. Very soon I realized that he was completely ignorant about the subject and that he was just trying to bring me down so he won’t loose control of the situation.

Dealing with self criticism

The first kind of criticism is self criticism. You look at your work and think it is so bad, that you’re such a failure, that you just can’t do things right. Then you compare yourself to others and feel miserable. The first thing you have to do is just STOP. Quit being so hard on yourself. I can assure you, your work WILL get better, it just does not happen instantly. Be patient. Remember that anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried to do something new.

Even though in the beginning, trying to recreate the work of others can be a great learning experience, once you know enough, always look forward to creating your own style. Get ideas from others but don’t compare yourself to them. It can be very frustrating and frustration and creativity don’t work well together.

When you look at your work and you’re going to start criticizing yourself for all the things you did wrong, just stop. Instead of criticizing yourself, ask yourself why you took that picture, or whatever kind of artwork you might be interested in, in the first place. Then look at the things you don’t like about it and think of ways of how to correct them. Once you find out how, apply them the next time. The key is having patience and practice. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Just know, that as an artist, you will never be a hundred percent satisfied with your work, you just make fewer mistakes.

Look at your work with respect. Your attitude is the key to lead everyone else to respect it. Before you start working on something, always think of yourself as being smart and creative. However, always try to find the perfect balance. When you see other people that are trying to do the same thing that you are, don’t look at the bad ones and think of how good you are. Look at the good ones, and think of how much more you have to learn.

About that teacher, as I look back, I have no bad feelings. I am very thankful because if it wasn’t for him, I would never have tried so hard to become who I am now.

Dealing with criticism from family

Even though my parents were very supportive, many of my family members were not when they saw that I was taking photography seriously and had chosen it as a career. They told me things like; you should quit wasting your money buying all these toys and get yourself a real job or find something else, you will never make it as a photographer. The truth is that if you do only what you love and love everything you do, you can become very successful. They talk to you like that because they love you, even though it is a strange kind of love that is crippling you. I can assure you that ever since they found out that you were coming to this world, they started to think of all the things they would’ve liked you to accomplish and they wanted you to be. Chances are, up to now, they have thought of themselves as someone who is there to lead your life and to guide you. Becoming an artist might be so strange to them and something they never considered for you, that they think of it as something so hard to accomplish and all they want to do is protect you.

My advice is, do get yourself a typical job to have some sort of income but never quit doing what you love. What is going to happen is that eventually, you will start getting more and better paid jobs until it gets to the point in which you will have to quit your day job to start working on what you love the most.

You might feel frustrated and disappointed with your unsupportive family, but I can assure you that when they see that you have taken it seriously, that you are not giving up, regardless of what they have told you, they will understand you. The truth is that they can’t lead your life and that their dreams are not your dreams. Nobody can live someone else’s life and achieve your dreams but you. Just give them time and I can assure you that one day, if you make it, they will be the proudest people by your side. It will not be easy but remember, if it was that easy then everybody could do it, then why would it be worth it. Work hard and never give up on your dreams.

Dealing with critics

You might think art critics are only experts who approve or disapprove your work. The truth is, anyone can be a critic. If your job is doing something visual, your work might get the attention of a lot of different people. You might get a lot of compliments and a lot of criticism. You might even get so many compliments in a single day, but the only thing you will remember might be that one person who criticized you.

There are mainly three groups of people in this scenario that might come and criticize you. Sometimes the people who criticize you the most are the ones who know the least about the subject. When they see you, they think of what it will be like to be in your shoes and then start telling you all the things that they would do if they were in your place.

The second group of people might be experts or at least people who know what they’re talking about. They might come to you and talk to you with the technicalities of the work and point out everything that they would have done.

The third group of people is just people in general. They say, if you would’ve done this or you should’ve have done that, then I would like it.

So, what should you do? Remember, doing what you love does not mean that everybody is going to love everything you do. When they come and criticize you, don’t try to change their minds so that they like your work. They don’t have to like it. Don’t try to explain yourself to them on why you did things the way you did or why you couldn’t do the things they would have liked to see. If they don’t know what you’re talking about, why would you want to waste your time? If they are experts or people in general, why would you want to try to please everyone, when they are so many people with so many different points of view? The only one who should like your work is you. Do what makes you happy. If somebody else likes what you do, it will be wonderful, but if they don’t, let it still be wonderful, because it made you happy. So when they come and criticize you, just smile, even though that is the last thing you want to do, and say, thank you, I appreciate it, and get away from them. Don’t give them the attention that they want.

Dealing with criticism from friends

Friends criticize you for two main reasons. They either think they are trying to help you or they also wonder what they would do in your position and start telling you about it. However, sometimes we confuse friends with acquaintances. They are that kind of people that you are familiar with but are not close enough to be considered friends. They are also that kind of people who give you negative feedback every time you share something with them; your goals, your dreams, your future projects, your work. You just never seem to make them happy and they always seem to find the negative side of things. If they are always criticizing you for everything you do, you might want to reconsider if they are really your friends. They might also be just negative people in general. Even a family member can be like that. There is only one thing to do. Stay away from them. Don’t share your plans, dreams and goals with them if you already know what they are going to say.

I’m not saying that you should not love them or talk to them anymore. Just keep your plans to yourself when they are around. Their negative point of view and criticism can really drown your creativity down.

The main reason why people criticize you is because they are jealous. Because they don’t have the talent that you have; they were so familiar with you and all of a sudden you are becoming successful in what you love to do. They are jealous and unhappy and they criticize you because they are trying to bring you down to their level so they can feel better about themselves. If this is the case, don’t take it to heart. You did nothing wrong. You are not the one who is wrong. It is their problem, not yours. If they leave or you decide to stop talking to them, you might miss them at the beginning and even think that you might not find any new friends in the future. But this is not true at all. Just give yourself some time and move on with your life. I can assure you, you will find new and supportive friends that admire you and love you for who you are. They are just a bit hard to find.

I know this might sound religious even though it is not my intention. But when you think back of those people who left you and you start thinking of how disappointed you are of them, how sad and angry you are because they talked to you the way they did, and because they stopped talking to you; say one thing to yourself, I bless you and I forgive you. Don’t keep any negative feeling inside your heart. They will affect your creativity and your work. Say those words even though you might not feel them. It takes time, but if you do, it will get to the point in which you just remember the things that happened with no negative emotions linked to your memories. You will just see it as something that happened to you along the way.

The good criticism

Not all criticism is bad. You might even ask somebody to take a look at your work and give you a critique. You might find somebody who is sincerely trying to help you. Don’t take their criticism to heart. Listen to what they’re saying and think of why they’re doing it. They might have noticed something they themselves were doing wrong in your work when they had less experience.

When you ask for a critique or a word of advice, always ask somebody who you admire and became successful. If you don’t like their work, and are not successful doing it, why would you want to know what they’re doing if they’re doing it wrong? Sometimes this people might not want to talk to you. They might even tell you something you don’t like. That’s OK, just move on.

Final thoughts

You are an artist. Regardless of what anybody says or wants you to do, you cannot stop being yourself. You cannot stop looking at life the way you do, you cannot stop looking at the world the way you do, and you cannot stop expressing your thoughts the way you do. Nobody can live your life, and nobody can accomplish your dreams but you. Why would you give up on your dreams for the whim of other people? Don’t give up. If you work very hard to accomplish your dreams, just know you’re going to make it somehow.

Thank you for reading. Until next time.

The Rainmaker.

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Is it worth hiring a professional photographer?

So you are looking forward to hire a professional photographer. Maybe you have already looked at different websites, seen different portfolios and you might have picked the one that seems to meet your needs and your budget. However, the vast majority of the time, you might feel a bit overwhelmed when the photographer presents to you his/her rates. The first thing that you might think is, this is a lot more that what I have thought I wanted to spend. You might also have talked to your family, friends and acquaintances, and perhaps one of them told you that he/she is overcharging you, that it is not worth it. Maybe they have even suggested hiring a good photographer that they know of. Now you have those two options.

The question is, what is the difference between a good photographer and a professional?

I think a good photographer is able to capture good images regardless of whether if he/she is using a camera phone, a disposable camera or any other camera. However, the professional’s main goal is to provide quality.

The professional creates technically excellent photographs while also telling a story. They have something that even though you might not know what it is, all you know is that they are so beautiful that you just can’t stop looking at them. So what exactly makes that difference?

Well, it is a number of things. They have learned to use, whether it is ambient or artificial lighting to their favor creating a perfectly exposed images. That is, images that are not either too bright or too dark. They have learned to create visually pleasing images every time. They create images that tell a story; that is, you are able to know what is going on, and even perceive feelings of the image that you are watching.

The second thing is post production. Nobody is perfect, and your professional photographer’s work surely isn’t either. It doesn’t matter how good the photographer might be or how good his/her work is, there is always something left to do to make that image the best it can be. It is time for your photographer or a digital artist, to choose the best images he/she captured. They edit them, enhance them and retouch them, to make them, and make you and your loved ones, look the best you can look. They also prepare every image to be burned in a CD, for website use, for printing etc. This process might take a couple of hours to a couple of days and even weeks.

The third step is really an option. Weather your photographer makes his/her own prints or sends them to a lab, this step is as important as the two previous ones. The quality of the printed images should be so good that it makes worth the time and effort creating and editing each image.

Things to consider:

Look at the photographer’s portfolio. Make sure every image is well exposed (not too bright or too dark), perfectly sharp (in portraits pay close attention to the eyes), and make sure your photographer is able to work under different situations (this includes different lighting situations, indoors and outdoors, and also under pressure). 

Don’t just look at the price. What really makes worth hiring a professional photographer is that you love the images he/she creates. Maybe this means spending a little more than you have thought of, but when all the work is done and you receive the photographs he/she created, you will realize that what you really did was make an investment and that what you paid for was worth it.

Ask for references. Ask the photographer if you can contact any previous clients that might have hired the photographer for a similar job. Among your own questions, inquire if he/she was easy to work with. If his work has the same quality than the work you saw in his portfolio, and if he/she took your own ideas and worked with them to create the images you wanted to see or in case it was not possible, something very similar.

Is a photographer better because he/she owns a studio?

No, there are wonderful photographers who are as creative and talented as those who own their own studio. If you are looking for someone who can give you the results of a professional and you are on a budget, these are the photographers you should look for. Remember, what makes your investment worth it are good quality images that you love. Weather you use the studio or not, part of the photographer’s salary goes to cover the cost of maintaining the studio while also making a profit. If the photographer does not own or rent the studio, the cost might be greatly reduced.

The cost of hiring a professional photographer could be very varied. It depends on the photographer’s experience, the equipment he uses, how many people are going to assist him/her doing the job, and the cost of his/her studio.

Advice

The decision of hiring a professional photographer or not is entirely up to you and to your budget. However, there are two final questions to answer. What if the photographer is not really a professional? Maybe he/she is really a professional, but what if something goes wrong? What if for some reason my photographs are lost or ruined?

Make sure there is always a signed contract. Whether you hired a professional, an acquaintance or someone who was recommended to you, make sure there is a signed contract that in case of an inconvenience is fair to both, the photographer and yourself. It is the only way to prove to a judge, in case you go to court, that what you are saying is the truth.

Thank you for reading. Until next time.

The Rainmaker.

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My top three tips when having portraits taken

Not many of us are used to having portraits taken by a professional, myself included. We might feel uncomfortable in front of a camera. All of a sudden those parts of your body that you don’t feel as comfortable with might seem a lot more apparent than they really are. These tips might help you feel a lot more comfortable with yourself. After all, the main goal is to portray the best of who you are.

Less is more:

Take it easy with the accessories you are going to wear. For women, this also means to take it easy with the makeup. Don’t try to hide who you really are applying too much makeup on. Talk to your professional photographer about the features and skin flaws you might not feel as comfortable with. Use make up to enhance your appearance instead. Trust in your photographer. Remember, if there’s someone interested in making you look your best in your portraits besides yourself is him/her.

Your hair:

Your hair should be fixed or combed according to the clothes you are going to wear and the location where your portraits are going to be taken, so everything matches accordingly. If you are thinking of having a radical makeover some time just before having your portraits taken, hold that thought. Things might not happen according to your plans and you might regret it later. You might what to try this change a couple of weeks before your session, however; so you are already used to your new look. If you are not thinking of such a radical change, here are a few things to consider. Talk to your hairstylist about what works better according to your style, age, facial features, and skin color. The two most common mistakes that I’ve seen are, wearing too much gel, and for women, having their hair dyed in a tone that is almost identical to their skin color. Just be yourself and make your hair be a reflection of who you are.

Clothes:

As I mentioned before, ideally, your clothes should match the location where your session is taking place. If for example, you are having your portraits taken in a park, wear something casual. If you see yourself in a more formal attire, make sure the location matches. Maybe you want to wear something that falls in between. Ask your professional photographer for suggestions of what to wear and where to have your portraits taken. Something to remember however, is that if you don’t feel comfortable with what you are wearing it might be likely to be perceived in your portraits. Don’t wear clothes that are too tight or are too large for you. Wear something that makes you feel like a million dollars. For women, if you decide to wear high heels for your session, and it is going to be outdoors, I recommend that you take a second pair of more comfortable shoes to walk around until you get to the desired location.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this few tips. Remember, just be yourself. I am sure your professional photographer is going to help you look your best in your portraits so you can show it to others. Until next time.

The Rainmaker

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