Portrait Photography How To

Does using social media as a marketing tool work for photographers? That’s what we aimed to find out by interviewing five photographers who have successfully used this particular marketing technique in very specific ways. Unlike advertising and direct mail, where you send out your material and wait for a response, and sales calls, which are more time-consuming, social media is a unique technique that can breed success, but only when properly and fully utilized. Many thanks to our photographers for taking the time and attention to share their thoughts and experiences (websites at end of column): Liz Cowie, Clark Dever, David Alan Kogut, Brad Mangin, and Chuck St. John.

What happens when you pack your gear, head out for a portrait session, and your model is a no-show? Well, if you’re a quick thinking photographer and willing to step out of your comfort zone, you find a willing stranger and make some stunning images. And if the stranger happens to be beautiful, consider that a bonus!

Brian Dowling is an American photographer living in Berlin, with a project that would drive many of his peers to envy: He traveled to 20 countries across the globe in search of gorgeous redheads to photograph in all their natural beauty.

Lou Freeman is an acclaimed fashion and lifestyle photographer with a client list that’s second to none. And in the video below, she shows how to create glamorous boudoir photos by using portable, continuous light sources.

Not everyone likes street photography. In fact, oftentimes the unexpecting subjects of street photos hate having their pictures taken in public by a complete stranger.

The tour bus bringing B.B. King to Indianola, Mississippi, for his Homecoming Festival concert was very late, which meant that Ron Modra would have the opportunity for performance photos, but not the portrait session he wanted.

Professor Kenneth Kobré--who teaches photojournalism at San Francisco State University--advises those who are interested in pursuing a career in news photography to "First master your camera, flash and the rest of your equipment."
He suggests that students attend a community college or university with a good photojournalism program: "Each...