Purposeful Shooting

More often than not, a professional photographer takes pictures to produce photos for a client. He is paid to do things such as conceptualize a shoot, scout for models, book a location, hire a make-up artist, a hairstylist or a designer who could supply the outfit, dress or costume. He may have to set up big studio lights or compact flash units a la Strobist to light the scene.

Renting specialized lenses, if the photographer doesn’t have it, will surely be part of the budget and hiring a Photoshop “magician” if needed – which is almost always – when dealing with commercial clients. Most probably, directing skills are a must. Acting like a total nutcase is a plus too, to get better reactions from hardy subjects.

Annie Leibovitz, when tasked to take portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, had two sets of equipment and likewise, two teams of assistants. While shooting on the first location, the second team would be setting up the second location and as soon as the first set finished, the first team would then rush on to the third location. And so on.

The professionals would have to do these things because they are being paid. Heck yeah, they enjoy their jobs, but, it is a job nonetheless. They are being paid to do these things.


What do you shoot for?

On the other hand, hobbyists and amateurs, more often than not, do not have the fervent motivation of a fat check after the shoot. A thank-you, yes, a pat on the back, probably. But, moolah? Not really.

Yet, they struggle on. Some take nice pictures. Some win contests. Some capture a keeper. And the large portion of the lot, get by with a mishmash of cliché-ic, boring, metaphorical images.

I would not think it is the lack of passion or skill, but rather, a general lack of direction. Passion may be infectious and skill can certainly be taught. But “direction” is insanely easy to miss. Just hop on the tasteless-sexy-pictorials bus, take the gear-acquisition-syndrome road and do the never-ending-canon-vs-nikon debate while on it and you will have missed “good photography” by a whole continent to say the very least.

Shoot like a pro

And think like one, too. Professional photographers take their work by heart, skill and mind. Obviously, the cerebral part of a pictorial session or a photo essay or a photo exhibit or a photography portfolio is way more important than the actual shoot itself.

It is a process. A thought process. Photography is. You have to listen.

This is a note to self.

Happy shooting!

(For questions and comments regarding this column, please email me at ryanmacalandag@yahoo.com or look me up on Facebook. We are conducting regular basic and advanced photography workshops through Sideroom Workshops. Please visit www.facebook.com/sideroom to inquire.)