Self portraits – Shoot yourself to improve skills

I got my eye on you

Self portraits are a great way to improve your photography skills. You want to practice your portraiture but can’t find a model. Your friends are sick of you and your camera, your spouse hides when she sees your gear bag come out: What are you to do? Self-portraits, son.

With self portraits you don’t need to feel rushed as you would with a model or a friend; you only have to worry about numero uno. You can fuss with the lighting, perfect the exposure, and craft your pose, without looking like a total tool.

What can you do with self portraits? Explore the science (and dark art) of lighting. Learn about exposure, depth of field, and composition. It’s a way to experiment. No, taking self-portraits does not make you look like a typical internet teenager – there’s great value in stepping out from behind the lens. You can use the tips and tricks you learn when you photograph real people. If you’re an aspiring strobist, self portraits give you an amazing opportunity to practice new lighting set-ups, perfecting them before bringing in a bored spouse or significant other.

Expanding the boundaries: Photog Kamil Bialous

From last week’s Pacific Island-based Photog Friday we travel to the (currently) frozen expanses of Canada to meet Adventure Photographer Kamil Bialous. He enjoys chopping wood, skiing, recreation plumbing, and has been known to shoot a photo or two. Working as a pro commercial and editorial photographer, Kamil specializes in outdoor adventure and lifestyle photography. How does he do it? What are his secrets? Where’s he headed? Read on and learn more about this gifted tog…

Name: Kamil Bialous

Country of residence: Canada (Toronto)

Brief Bio:
My name is Kamil Bialous. I’m a professional commercial and editorial photographer from Toronto, Ontario. My work focuses primarily around outdoor adventure and lifestyle imagery, as well as travel and documentary photography services.

I enjoy surfing, travel, meeting new people, suffering a little bit, Bill Withers, navigating large ships into small ports, chopping wood, recreational plumbing, having a camera at my side, skiing, good snow, skiing on good snow, finding places that are hard to get to, trying to get to those places, learning languages and then thinking that I am good at them, creating new perspectives, working through problems, and people – curmudgeonly and not – but especially those who have passion.

I am based out of Toronto where I live with two cats, Abraham and Owl, and my fiancee.

How did you first get interested in photography?
My interests in photography didn’t begin until I was about 18 years old, and that is when I took a trip to Malawi, Zambia, and South Africa to volunteer for a summer at the end of high school. I really enjoyed photographing people the most, even though we did get a chance to go on a couple safaris. Upon my return I studied International Development which was quite heavily influenced by my trip. When my studies finished, I knew that I didn’t want a cubicle job, so while being heavily involved in the outdoors, rock climbing in particular, I started shooting it. That led to other adventures, with passionate people always being at the core of my images.

Writer, Editor, Photographer: Carrie Kellenberger

Carrie Kellenberger is a well-known name in travel writing and blogging circles. As a Canadian in Asia, she has launched several websites featuring her own travel tales, tips, and images, as well as showcasing the work of others. This week’s Photog Friday features Carrie Kellenberger: Writer, Editor, and Photographer: A woman of many talents. How does she see the world through the lens? How does she capture moments while traveling the world? Read on…

Name: Carrie Kellenberger

Country of residence: Taiwan

Brief Bio:
I’m a Canadian expat living in Asia since 2003. I work as a writer and editor for a publishing company in Taipei. In my free time, I also find work as a freelance writer and occasionally, as a photographer. Although photography is a hobby for me, I’ve been lucky enough to get a few prints published.

How did you first get interested in photography?
I’ve always loved taking photos, but I didn’t really start getting serious about photography until 2006. I was traveling through Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia that year, and I captured some really great images on my little Canon point and shoot. That was the turning point for me. I bought my first DSLR, a Canon Digital Rebel 400D, in 2007 and was instantly hooked.

What do you like to shoot?
Anything and everything. A cursory look through my photo library, however, reveals my propensity for nature, landscape, and travel photography. Lately, I’ve been focusing on branching out into other areas of photography to increase my range and knowledge.

An artist first: Photographer Ben Lawson

Ben Lawson considers himself an artist first and a photographer second. He bought his first camera a 7 years old and was instantly hooked. His current goal is to bring boudoir photography back to his ultra-conservative community.  What are Ben’s secrets? How does he set up his shots? Read more in today’s Photog Friday.

Name: Ben Lawson

Country of residence: USA

How did you first get interested in photography?
When I was around 7 years old, I bought an old manual twin-lens reflex camera at an auction. Being a kid and a beginner gave me the freedom to experiment. I was hooked as soon as my first prints came back from the lab. It was a sad day when the film it used was discontinued, and I had to retire my beloved first camera!

What do you like to shoot?
I think of myself as an artist first, a photographer second. I shoot subjects and concepts that interest me, or challenge me to expand my skills. I love working with other people, not just clients but models, makeup artists, etc. The experience of collaboration on an art project has always been very rewarding.

What’s your approach to photography, your philosophy?
As I said, I am an artist first. Although I have quite a range of subject matter and themes, they are all intended to create a body of art. Even client work like weddings and portraits are approached with the same goal in mind. I loathe the traditional formal portrait, and strive to have fun and be creative with everything I do. I collaborate with every client and model to convey their unique personality along with my own vision.