Beyond the obvious

Colourful beach huts Here's a selection of some the articles on my blog that are the most read and a few of the new ones that I think are worth bringing to your attention again. My blog has been going since 2005 (unbelievable) and I've written 361 posts. I only write when I think I've got something worthwhile to say. Hopefully the quality speaks for itself.  It's thanks to your encouragement that I keep going. So please feel free to leave a comment and your emails are always welcome too. Read on... Why use a professional photographer instead of stock photography. Beware of wide-angle distortion in portrait photography Overcoming creative block and self doubt What makes a real photographer? Making remarkable photographs Don't use your camera on manual settings Is professional photography still a viable career?... How much should you charge for a photo-shoot? 14 professional flash tips How much photographic equipment do you need? There are two types...

Take this to the bank. A good freelance photographer can make all the difference between getting a press release published and having it disappear forever at the click of an editor's delete button. Why? Because the photograph that accompanies a press release often determines whether the story gets published. "A good freelancer is worth his/her weight in gold to a company. When we look at press releases the photograph is often the deciding factor whether we publish a story. We 're always looking for good pictures for the newspaper. That's where it starts. Sometimes a story which is not as strong may be chosen because there's a good picture. And once we have a good image in the library we may use it again for another story at a later date," I was told by the deputy business editor of a large newspaper. And he's the guy that makes that decision. Keep it or delete it. He fails to understand how time and again companies send in press releases ...

Descriptions about what it takes to be a professional photographer are often quite fluffy and insubstantial. So with my best analytical cap on I've decided look at what it takes to be successful professional photographer. Let's first clear a few things up. You don't need to own a camera, any camera at all, you don't need lights, you don't a studio and you don't need official qualifications. You can hire everything you need from cameras to studio managers and digital artists. You certainly need knowledge and skill but not necessarily a diploma to hang on the wall. To be a successful professional photographer you will have to develop four key foundations besides being able to make brilliant photographs and the traditional business skills which apply to everyone running their own company. The foundations are creativity, professionalism, knowledge and skill sets . Although this article is written for advertising and editorial photographers I am sure you will see ho...