Full Transcript for Master Your Camera Settings Fast with Bryan Caporicci

them in your real life photography practice. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:23.719 Use what is shared with you to make a difference and become the photographer that you want to become. 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:30.313 just don't want you to waste your time and just go back to doom scrolling your social feed and watching everybody else get better. 00:02:30.993 --> 00:02:36.463 You can do this for your own creative well being, but you gotta do it. 00:02:37.283 --> 00:02:38.463 You gotta do it for yourself. 00:02:38.973 --> 00:02:42.776 So with that, let's go ahead and get on into today's interview with Brian Capparici. 00:02:43.444 --> 00:02:44.405 A few weeks ago. 00:02:44.587 --> 00:02:48.777 I saw one of your posts on Facebook pop up saying, you know, Hey, who's on Clubhouse? 00:02:48.807 --> 00:02:50.358 This new social media app, right? 00:02:50.877 --> 00:02:55.967 And, you were doing a talk on wedding photography and it was like this hangout for wedding photographers. 00:02:56.367 --> 00:02:59.068 So right away I thought, I gotta get in on this. 00:02:59.068 --> 00:03:01.598 I gotta, join this new social media platform. 00:03:01.907 --> 00:03:04.657 And I have to learn, of course, from the master, Brian Caparici, here. 00:03:05.323 --> 00:03:08.973 And this whole thing, while I was there, just like, blew my mind. 00:03:09.082 --> 00:03:12.043 it was very immersive, and it was very entertaining. 00:03:12.052 --> 00:03:20.212 So for those who, I guess, don't know yet, who haven't heard of it, can you kind of fill them in on what is Clubhouse and why it's so different? 00:03:20.212 --> 00:03:25.002 Because you've totally become an evangelist for this new, app, and I would love to hear your thoughts on this. 00:03:25.957 --> 00:03:26.427 For sure. 00:03:26.427 --> 00:03:27.657 Yeah, it's a ton of fun. 00:03:27.657 --> 00:03:36.307 I mean, I think the timing of clubhouse and we can back up and I can talk about what specifically it is, but like, let's just acknowledge for a moment, the timing of it was perfect. 00:03:36.307 --> 00:03:44.252 I mean, with where we are right now, or where we've come in 2020, where we are in 2021, we as humans are seeking connection. 00:03:44.282 --> 00:03:55.913 Like we're seeking, the ability to collaborate and talk and network and like be together and we, you know, we can't in our industry grant, we can't do it, at WPPI workshops, conventions, like it's just, that doesn't exist. 00:03:55.923 --> 00:03:56.652 So what do we do? 00:03:56.652 --> 00:04:04.627 We all go to Facebook and we chat on Facebook, but it just, there's a certain Something missing, you know, when you just do like this text based communication. 00:04:04.627 --> 00:04:08.548 So clubhouse is basically like being at a convention. 00:04:08.548 --> 00:04:10.627 It's a virtual convention, more or less, right? 00:04:10.627 --> 00:04:22.447 You have this like main hallway, which is like the main, newsfeed, like where you used to do on Facebook, where you just can kind of sort of scroll through the hallway and what you're scrolling through are a bunch of different rooms of all the people that you follow. 00:04:22.447 --> 00:04:25.208 And they're basically in a room having conversations. 00:04:25.218 --> 00:04:30.208 So imagine you're at WPPI, you're walking down the hallway and you see a room and you're like, Oh, that's cool. 00:04:30.208 --> 00:04:31.117 Raymond's in that room. 00:04:31.348 --> 00:04:32.958 And it says that they're talking about marketing. 00:04:32.958 --> 00:04:38.598 So you kind of can, like, you can step into the room and you can just kind of like hang out in the audience and you can listen to these different people. 00:04:38.858 --> 00:04:41.197 10 people on stage who are talking about marketing. 00:04:41.567 --> 00:04:48.298 And if you want to add something to the conversation, you raise your hand, you go up on stage, you can add, and then you go back to the audience. 00:04:48.298 --> 00:04:52.158 Or if you have a question, you raise your hand, ask the question, go back into the audience. 00:04:52.158 --> 00:04:54.348 And that's basically what clubhouse is. 00:04:54.348 --> 00:04:56.108 It's an audio only. 00:04:56.557 --> 00:05:04.997 social media, tool that just allows us to connect, to converse, to have conversations, to teach, to learn, to network. 00:05:05.048 --> 00:05:09.608 it's just, it's a ton of fun and there's so many great conversations happening over there. 00:05:10.132 --> 00:05:20.771 And so many great ways to connect with each other as photographers with other, wedding professionals, or just to like hang out and learn things that you want to learn. 00:05:20.771 --> 00:05:24.958 If you want to go learn about Bitcoin or you want to go like, you know, last night, Tesla was on there. 00:05:24.958 --> 00:05:25.487 You know what I mean? 00:05:25.487 --> 00:05:33.567 Like doing all these, it's just like, you can really do anything, but it's just an opportunity to dive in and to connect in an audio only format. 00:05:33.567 --> 00:05:44.463 So it takes away that Fear that so many people have of like, zoom fatigue or being on video and all that you just kind of put your air pods on and you can listen and connect while you're doing something else. 00:05:45.213 --> 00:05:46.333 that's exactly what I was doing. 00:05:46.333 --> 00:05:47.233 I put in the air pods. 00:05:47.233 --> 00:05:54.002 I went and started walking on the treadmill and I was like, this feels totally different than everything else that we've had before. 00:05:54.233 --> 00:06:03.437 And even like with live, even if you join some sort of live conversation on Facebook, there's this element that you're still watching somebody who is live and that's it. 00:06:03.737 --> 00:06:08.817 And even like, if you leave a comment or whatever, you're still kind of behind this veil of a computer. 00:06:09.218 --> 00:06:12.418 But with clubhouse, like you can actually talk to these people. 00:06:12.827 --> 00:06:19.478 And I

got to say the other day, there was a chat room with Joe Greer who is big into film photography on YouTube. 00:06:19.767 --> 00:06:22.737 And I thought to myself, I was like, Whoa, like, here's Joe Greer. 00:06:22.737 --> 00:06:31.927 Like, imagine if I just, walked into the store and there was Joe Greer, you know, and here he was talking about a film it's a really new platform, obviously, but it's a lot of fun. 00:06:31.927 --> 00:06:35.278 And I had a great time connecting with you and Devin who was there as well. 00:06:35.327 --> 00:06:36.158 so that was a great time. 00:06:36.158 --> 00:06:46.012 And I'm glad to get you back on the show today, obviously, but you know, there's going to be a lot of long time listeners who are going to remember that you, uh, We're back on the show in, uh, it was episode 60. 00:06:46.023 --> 00:06:49.112 So this is like 2017, so it's been a long time. 00:06:49.112 --> 00:06:49.413 Yeah, wow. 00:06:49.502 --> 00:06:50.223 It's been a while. 00:06:50.362 --> 00:06:58.692 it's been a while, but for those who, maybe haven't been listening that long, I'm sure that a few people have maybe just got a camera over the holidays for Christmas. 00:06:58.983 --> 00:07:04.033 Can you reintroduce yourself to them as far as who you are and how photography plays a role in your life? 00:07:04.617 --> 00:07:05.627 Yeah, for sure. 00:07:05.648 --> 00:07:09.665 first of all, congratulations on, I mean, you with your podcast, Raymond. 00:07:09.665 --> 00:07:12.408 It's like running a podcast is a lot of work. 00:07:12.408 --> 00:07:13.838 And I know that because we have a podcast. 00:07:13.838 --> 00:07:14.247 You know that. 00:07:14.398 --> 00:07:14.798 You're up to 00:07:14.798 --> 00:07:16.098 episode 450. 00:07:16.108 --> 00:07:17.127 Like, this is bananas. 00:07:17.197 --> 00:07:18.418 Yeah, I mean, it's cool. 00:07:18.418 --> 00:07:19.497 And it's fun and it's great. 00:07:19.497 --> 00:07:25.427 But like, you know, what maybe a lot of listeners don't know is like getting past episode 20 is a huge milestone. 00:07:25.427 --> 00:07:27.218 And then past 50 is a huge milestone. 00:07:27.218 --> 00:07:31.747 And then past a hundred is a huge milestone, like 1 percent of podcasts make it there. 00:07:31.747 --> 00:07:38.298 So the fact that we, we had a chance to talk back in 2017 on episode 60, and now we're still talking again today. 00:07:38.588 --> 00:07:44.427 I don't know what episode number this is going to be, but, but my quick math says My quick math says it's at least 200. 00:07:44.447 --> 00:07:46.278 So I mean, congratulations to you on that. 00:07:46.307 --> 00:07:46.627 Um, 00:07:47.088 --> 00:07:47.517 anyways, 00:07:47.517 --> 00:07:47.767 yes. 00:07:47.767 --> 00:07:52.088 So, so about me, so I've been a professional wedding and portrait photographer for 15 years. 00:07:52.338 --> 00:07:59.372 I'm here in Niagara, Ontario, Canada, and, I've been full time making a living supporting my family as a sole income provider

for 15 years. 00:07:59.411 --> 00:08:01.201 my wife and I, we have three kids. 00:08:01.502 --> 00:08:06.122 She's a stay at home mom and, The living that we have in the life we have is because the money I made with my camera. 00:08:06.461 --> 00:08:12.221 And, I've always had a passion for the business side of photography, which I think makes me a bit of a weirdo in our space. 00:08:12.221 --> 00:08:14.252 Cause I'm not like the starving artist type. 00:08:14.252 --> 00:08:18.992 You know, I, I actually do like the business side, the marketing, the selling, the pricing, so on and so forth. 00:08:19.382 --> 00:08:24.326 And so I've been teaching business to photographers for about 10 years, but I've written a handful of books. 00:08:24.367 --> 00:08:32.057 the one book that I wrote called pricing for profits actually used in colleges and universities as a textbook, to teach, up and coming photographers how to price themselves. 00:08:32.456 --> 00:08:39.397 So the business side is something I have a huge passion for, and I really love, and I love to help photographers because most photographers get into it. 00:08:39.506 --> 00:08:41.626 Photography because they love photography, 00:08:42.226 --> 00:08:42.397 not 00:08:42.397 --> 00:08:45.197 necessarily because they're like, Oh, I want to be an entrepreneur. 00:08:45.616 --> 00:08:45.856 Um, 00:08:45.866 --> 00:08:47.177 maybe I'll make money with my camera. 00:08:47.476 --> 00:08:48.886 It's like, no, they think of it the other way. 00:08:48.897 --> 00:08:50.636 You know, they just stumble into it. 00:08:51.101 --> 00:08:59.095 So I like to be there to help them to give them guidance to give them advice to give them, strategies that have worked because I've been there and I've done it for 15 years. 00:08:59.514 --> 00:09:05.315 and that all led me about six or seven years ago to start and to be the founder of what's now Sprout Studio. 00:09:05.654 --> 00:09:08.554 So it's a software that helps photographers run their business. 00:09:08.554 --> 00:09:13.825 So we give them the knowledge and the strategies and the insight on the education side. 00:09:13.825 --> 00:09:17.894 But then we also have a tool that they can use to actually execute these things and run their business. 00:09:18.144 --> 00:09:20.715 So that's, that's me in 60 seconds, Raymond. 00:09:22.325 --> 00:09:55.835 Man, yeah, you could go on, so much longer just because of the amount of accomplishments that you have, not only, from your photographic capabilities and the awards that you've won there, but, as you're saying, I think helping out photographers now, it seems has kind of become like your mission, you know, in this past year, I've seen you take a huge step forward in the amount of content that you come out with, and that are the types of content that you come out with specifically geared towards helping Those other photographers, and I know that there's a lot of other, I don't know, systems out there for the business side of

things. 00:09:56.163 --> 00:10:01.214 But yours is obviously focused on photographers and all the content that you come out with is as well. 00:10:01.583 --> 00:10:05.144 And it's great to see your experience, kind of shine through in all of that. 00:10:05.614 --> 00:10:10.336 But before you got to this point to where you are today, was a beginning, right? 00:10:10.366 --> 00:10:14.307 And this, since this is the beginner photography podcast, I want to know more about that. 00:10:14.356 --> 00:10:19.307 What was it that first told you, you know what, I think photography is going to play a large, role in my life here? 00:10:19.437 --> 00:10:20.557 The 00:10:21.336 --> 00:10:30.856 funny thing, and I don't talk about this too much, but the funny thing about my beginning in photography was, I'll back up to, I guess it would have been like 2000, 2005. 00:10:31.267 --> 00:10:32.876 I was in school for computer science. 00:10:32.947 --> 00:10:34.647 I was going to university for computer science. 00:10:34.647 --> 00:10:40.147 And because I was like the computer science guy, of course, like you're the guy that everyone goes to for computer. 00:10:40.461 --> 00:10:43.351 Help and questions and whatever, because you know, everything apparently. 00:10:43.701 --> 00:10:46.871 so I actually got a summer job working for another photographer. 00:10:46.871 --> 00:10:48.072 I didn't know anything about photography. 00:10:48.072 --> 00:10:49.142 I had no interest. 00:10:49.501 --> 00:10:53.581 I got a job working for this other photographer who did like gymnastics events. 00:10:53.902 --> 00:10:54.871 So we would go. 00:10:54.932 --> 00:11:08.302 To different gymnastics events around Ontario, and he would sort of deploy a crew of photographers to photograph the gymnasts on the floors and at the various sort of stations, and then they would all bring it back to me at this like booth that we had set up. 00:11:08.302 --> 00:11:09.741 And because again, I was the computer guy. 00:11:10.386 --> 00:11:12.136 This is early days of digital too, right? 00:11:12.397 --> 00:11:15.287 2005 was, it was a very different day and age than it is now. 00:11:15.616 --> 00:11:16.517 So we would basically, 00:11:16.817 --> 00:11:19.216 Oh, it was, it was insane. 00:11:19.777 --> 00:11:24.496 So back then for reference, for anyone that, you know, we're used to Lightroom and all these things now that didn't even exist. 00:11:24.657 --> 00:11:25.886 Like Lightroom wasn't around then. 00:11:26.187 --> 00:11:29.817 I know it sounds like we actually carved the pictures on pieces of stone. 00:11:30.076 --> 00:11:33.726 Um, so we use a software called, what's it? 00:11:33.917 --> 00:11:34.447 A C. 00:11:35.272 --> 00:11:37.392 ACDC or ACD or OCD. 00:11:37.392 --> 00:11:38.772 It was some software like that. 00:11:38.782 --> 00:11:39.761 The logo was orange. 00:11:39.761 --> 00:11:40.532 I can still picture it. 00:11:40.851 --> 00:11:42.351 anyways, they would all bring them back. 00:11:42.532 --> 00:11:44.532 I would offload them onto the, computers. 00:11:44.532 --> 00:11:50.312 I would do selections and then I would get them ready for a slideshow that the parents could then come back and look at the photos. 00:11:50.631 --> 00:11:53.971 They would pick which ones they wanted and we would print them on site for them right then and there. 00:11:54.292 --> 00:11:57.461 So it was like this onsite event photography thing. 00:11:57.471 --> 00:11:59.961 Again, I was doing the computer side, not the photography side. 00:12:00.322 --> 00:12:05.392 so my entrepreneurial brain got spinning cause I've always been entrepreneurial in my thinking. 00:12:05.851 --> 00:12:09.971 And him and I started a side company called memories in motion. 00:12:10.451 --> 00:12:11.581 And we did what we call them. 00:12:11.581 --> 00:12:12.741 We thought we were fancy back then. 00:12:12.741 --> 00:12:20.461 We called it digital memory preservation, which is like, so like what a, what a mouthful, but again, this is like early days of digital. 00:12:20.471 --> 00:12:28.282 So the fact that we could do these like fancy slideshows or these advanced DVD menus with like buttons that you could click to play the different slideshows. 00:12:28.282 --> 00:12:30.292 It was like, it was all the rage back then. 00:12:30.292 --> 00:12:30.532 Right. 00:12:30.532 --> 00:12:31.412 So we did that. 00:12:31.451 --> 00:12:33.264 And, pretty well doing that. 00:12:33.303 --> 00:12:35.433 And him and I just kind of went two different directions. 00:12:35.833 --> 00:12:37.313 but I was loving what we were doing. 00:12:38.033 --> 00:12:39.663 He was always the photography side. 00:12:39.673 --> 00:12:41.053 I was always the tech side. 00:12:41.403 --> 00:12:44.364 And so when we split, I was like, well, I want to keep running this company. 00:12:44.644 --> 00:12:45.844 but I don't know anything about photography. 00:12:45.864 --> 00:12:48.394 So I basically took over the company. 00:12:48.394 --> 00:12:52.453 I had a company called memories in motion and I walked into Henry's a camera store here locally. 00:12:52.803 --> 00:12:55.543 And I said, Hey, so I have a photography business. 00:12:55.844 --> 00:12:58.413 I need to buy a camera because I don't know what I'm doing 00:12:59.063 --> 00:12:59.543 right away. 00:12:59.774 --> 00:13:02.114 So that was like, that was basically, you know, the start. 00:13:02.114 --> 00:13:05.403 And then from there, obviously I fell in love with photography through the discovery of it. 00:13:05.413 --> 00:13:10.624 But for me, I started it as an entrepreneur first because I saw the opportunity. 00:13:10.624 --> 00:13:12.813 I saw the excitement of running my own thing. 00:13:13.188 --> 00:13:15.859 and photography just happened to be the space that I fell into. 00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:23.879 And then over the next 15 years, I've obviously fallen in love with photography and the creative side and the ability to make images and say something

with my camera. 00:13:23.908 --> 00:13:27.701 But, I started as an entrepreneur first and then found photography. 00:13:27.701 --> 00:13:34.076 So it's an interesting dynamic because again, like I said earlier, most photographers, Start in the opposite direction, right? 00:13:34.076 --> 00:13:36.256 Of like loving photography and then wanting to start a business. 00:13:36.797 --> 00:13:37.767 I was the opposite. 00:13:37.807 --> 00:13:39.076 those were kind of like the early days. 00:13:39.076 --> 00:13:49.006 And I think I attribute that to the success that I've been able to achieve and in my own way, as a photographer, because, you know, my first year of shooting weddings, I booked 32 weddings. 00:13:50.032 --> 00:14:30.721 weddings and it's like, and I believe it's not because necessarily I was a better photographer than anyone, even though I think I, I did a pretty good job as a photographer. 00:14:31.011 --> 00:14:39.111 It was my marketing skills, my selling skills, just the fact that I looked at what I did as an entrepreneur, as a business person, that's what got me to where I was. 00:14:39.901 --> 00:14:47.045 So you decided right from the beginning, once you bought that camera, you were like, You had decided to go into weddings at that point, or were you still doing some sports? 00:14:47.045 --> 00:14:48.265 I did, I did two 00:14:48.265 --> 00:14:49.456 seasons of sports. 00:14:49.505 --> 00:14:57.675 I did that and I think I remember one specific time where, so I would do like the team and individual picture where you have like a basketball under your arm and be like cheese. 00:14:58.165 --> 00:15:01.445 And then do that like 5, 000 times, like on a weekend. 00:15:01.445 --> 00:15:06.555 Cause I would do all the local, I did all the local basketball, the local soccer, associations. 00:15:06.555 --> 00:15:06.975 We did. 00:15:07.275 --> 00:15:07.956 We did tennis. 00:15:07.956 --> 00:15:08.895 We did baseball. 00:15:08.956 --> 00:15:09.985 I did everything. 00:15:09.985 --> 00:15:12.485 And then we ended up doing live events and things like that. 00:15:12.855 --> 00:15:13.445 and it was good. 00:15:13.445 --> 00:15:14.045 It was fine. 00:15:14.045 --> 00:15:14.775 I was enjoying it. 00:15:14.775 --> 00:15:21.485 It was able to help me learn photography and build the business and build the systems and build the team and do all those things. 00:15:21.485 --> 00:15:23.375 Again, I was like an 18 year old kid too. 00:15:23.375 --> 00:15:24.956 So here I was like, Holy cow. 00:15:25.346 --> 00:15:26.865 but I just, I was never fulfilled. 00:15:26.865 --> 00:15:30.825 I've never been a sports guy myself and I wasn't really fulfilled creatively doing that because. 00:15:31.285 --> 00:15:33.005 It's assembly line photography. 00:15:33.015 --> 00:15:33.925 There's nothing wrong with it. 00:15:33.925 --> 00:15:36.115 But just for me, I just didn't, I didn't love it. 00:15:36.635 --> 00:15:41.265 So I kind of quickly transitioned, away from that and into weddings after like a year or two type of thing. 00:15:41.265 --> 00:15:44.675 And yeah, that first year of shooting weddings, I booked 32 weddings. 00:15:45.445 --> 00:15:51.671 So let's talk about that progression for you as far as that learning curve, because I would say, I don't want to get these words mixed up. 00:15:52.121 --> 00:15:57.526 As you said, when it comes to like assembly line type photos, once you kind of figure out your settings, it's just, Yeah. 00:15:57.526 --> 00:15:59.166 Rinse and repeat all day long. 00:15:59.616 --> 00:16:01.996 Where as a wedding Entirely different. 00:16:02.016 --> 00:16:03.796 You're constantly changing settings. 00:16:04.076 --> 00:16:07.916 So is there a big learning curve for you there or by the time you had got into weddings? 00:16:07.916 --> 00:16:11.403 Were you already pretty proficient with the camera to where you were able to get in there? 00:16:11.764 --> 00:16:30.703 Yeah, I think it was like the way that I see things and analyze things and break things down and understand them I mean, that's what's gotten me to where I am now with sprout but I even think back then there were signs of that where there was this like, mass production element to like, to the sports photography, but I always looked at it differently. 00:16:30.703 --> 00:16:32.363 I always really looked at it as challenges. 00:16:32.363 --> 00:16:33.754 How can I do things differently? 00:16:33.754 --> 00:16:39.014 I didn't want to do the same kind of work that like, you know, your Jostens was doing or like, those kinds of things. 00:16:39.274 --> 00:16:44.473 So I did always look at it a little bit more creatively than probably others may have at the time. 00:16:44.833 --> 00:16:49.073 and in doing so I did, I did have to learn and figure out lighting and understand settings. 00:16:49.578 --> 00:16:54.668 And then also because we were doing live events, you know, photographing a basketball tournament or a baseball tournament and all that. 00:16:54.998 --> 00:17:03.818 There was this training of being able to catch the right moment and understand settings and learn shutter speeds and how they interact with different things and aperture and what you want to get in focus. 00:17:03.818 --> 00:17:05.389 And so there was an element. 00:17:05.439 --> 00:17:16.679 and back then too, if you, I don't know if like thinking back, what camera would have I had back in the day, the Canon something, I don't know, the Canon 30D, or maybe even the Canon 20D, it's like, you couldn't shoot over ISO. 00:17:17.586 --> 00:17:20.237 800 without like having golf balls everywhere in your picture. 00:17:20.277 --> 00:17:20.527 Right. 00:17:20.537 --> 00:17:28.527 So like, you know, you had to really understand the technical side and because I was very technical in my thinking, I did learn that stuff quickly. 00:17:28.547 --> 00:17:33.447 Now I second shot weddings those first two years as I was doing the sports photography. 00:17:33.447 -->

00:17:34.761 So I learned a lot. 00:17:34.832 --> 00:17:38.491 Through that, I was basically working three full time jobs, right? 00:17:38.491 --> 00:17:40.981 Like running the photography business itself. 00:17:41.291 --> 00:17:43.122 I was still a student at the time still. 00:17:43.361 --> 00:17:46.471 And then also every weekend I was second shooting with a local photographer. 00:17:46.471 --> 00:17:54.182 So I was shooting, 20 weddings, every summer learning as a second shooter, as an assistant, just figuring out how things go. 00:17:54.481 --> 00:18:01.501 So by the time I did actually break out and do my own weddings, I had probably 50 weddings under my belt that I had second shot for. 00:18:01.626 --> 00:18:02.876 So learned through that, 00:18:03.386 --> 00:18:04.386 of course, experience. 00:18:04.386 --> 00:18:07.606 Yeah, that's, that's gotta be one of the best ways to learn. 00:18:07.676 --> 00:18:09.436 I think, you know, anybody can attest to that. 00:18:09.446 --> 00:18:19.696 We can read books all day on technicals and settings and whatnot, but it's not until you actually get behind the camera and you do these things that you realize, oh, either this works or this doesn't work. 00:18:20.017 --> 00:18:27.976 So when you had first went to those, few weddings as a second, was there anything that really caught you off guard and you struggled with as far as the photography goes? 00:18:29.109 --> 00:18:34.243 I would say the biggest challenge about weddings and anyone that's photographed weddings, can empathize with this. 00:18:34.614 --> 00:18:38.053 it's just like the fast moving, the fast pace of a wedding. 00:18:38.523 --> 00:18:42.213 that's not only photographically is that constantly changing, right? 00:18:42.213 --> 00:18:46.293 Like you're in a bride's house and you're in your bio window backlit, and then all of a sudden you're front lit. 00:18:46.293 --> 00:18:50.394 And then all of a sudden you're this, and then you turn around and there's a flower girl that looks cute and you need to get that shot. 00:18:50.394 --> 00:18:52.983 And then you go downstairs in the basement and it's pitch dark. 00:18:52.983 --> 00:18:56.033 And then you got to go up here and do it's like, you're constantly changing. 00:18:56.033 --> 00:18:57.803 So not only is there like. 00:18:58.048 --> 00:19:04.499 Continual technical challenges that you have to be able to think about, but it happens like lightning fast, right? 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:15.009 Like it's, and then the pace and then the stress at the wedding and things are getting heated and dad's yelling and this is this and the little girl's crying and like all these things that kind of, for me, that was the biggest thing. 00:19:15.009 --> 00:19:21.469 It's like I could, and I see this even now when photographers, newer photographers, you know, like understanding the technical. 00:19:21.858 --> 00:19:29.858 Is obviously that's the first step like get getting over those things, but then from there, it's like, yeah, but now figure out that technical in a pressure cooker, right? 00:19:29.858 --> 00:19:32.588 Like figure those things out under that stress of it. 00:19:32.858 --> 00:19:42.048 So for me, that was the biggest because I admittedly, I kind of went in feeling really confident in myself as a technical photographer thinking like, Oh, I got this. 00:19:42.048 --> 00:19:42.969 This is no problem. 00:19:42.969 --> 00:19:45.759 Like I know the stuff off the back of my hand because I was technical. 00:19:46.219 --> 00:19:46.808 But then Yeah. 00:19:46.808 --> 00:19:46.837 Yeah. 00:19:47.078 --> 00:19:49.509 Adding the pressure to that, it changes the game. 00:19:49.509 --> 00:19:50.959 So that was probably the biggest change for me. 00:19:51.739 --> 00:19:52.598 I have a similar story. 00:19:52.598 --> 00:19:58.019 I went to film school, so I learned all the technicals of cinematography to learn to light for movies. 00:19:58.019 --> 00:20:03.752 And obviously in a production, you're going to have all the equipment that you need to be able to, light to, to film. 00:20:04.253 --> 00:20:06.563 Technically perfect settings, right? 00:20:07.094 --> 00:20:10.047 So when I transitioned into wedding photography, I thought it was easy. 00:20:10.057 --> 00:20:12.126 Like I've been, I know exactly what to do here. 00:20:12.126 --> 00:20:15.037 I know all the settings that I need to do if it's low light and all this stuff. 00:20:15.507 --> 00:20:28.346 And that first wedding, I still hate to share the story, but, the entire first dance, I shot it at half a second just to make sure, cause I was like, I gotta keep that ISO low, you gotta have, nice, beautiful grain, uh, yeah, they didn't use any of those photos. 00:20:28.366 --> 00:20:33.178 In fact, that couple used a photo of the first dance Another guest took on their cell phone. 00:20:33.178 --> 00:20:33.688 Oh, no. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.038 Yeah. 00:20:34.038 --> 00:20:35.499 Their first answer is their profile picture. 00:20:35.499 --> 00:20:43.838 And I knew at that moment, it was right then at that moment that I realized, Oh, man, settings are nowhere near as important as so many other factors. 00:20:43.838 --> 00:20:44.638 You know, like, Yeah. 00:20:44.828 --> 00:20:46.178 Like, moment, you know? 00:20:46.178 --> 00:20:54.868 So, In a time where new photographers are coming in right now, especially right after the holidays, lots of people get cameras, for the holidays and whatnot. 00:20:55.378 --> 00:21:02.158 There's a lot of things that we can be focusing on and it can be very overwhelming because quickly you realize, oh, this is really more than just pressing a button. 00:21:02.778 --> 00:21:09.811 So for those photographers who are worried, what are some of the things that they should be focusing on right now at this stage to kind of avoid potential overwhelm? 00:21:10.526 --> 00:21:12.846 I would say like take it a step at a time. 00:21:12.846 --> 00:21:17.445 I think that's

probably the biggest mistake that I see photographers make, especially in those early days. 00:21:17.836 --> 00:21:27.425 actually, interestingly enough, anecdotally, I was in a clubhouse room last night, just kind of hanging out with, 60 or 70 other photographers, and there was a conversation that there was a newer photographer. 00:21:27.425 --> 00:21:29.105 She was, you know, I looked at her Instagram. 00:21:29.115 --> 00:21:30.816 Her work was beautiful on her Instagram. 00:21:31.185 --> 00:21:37.635 She was still a student and she was kind of going on about how she had just finished paying for like a styled shoot. 00:21:38.016 --> 00:21:39.975 to like, to participate in the styled shoot. 00:21:39.975 --> 00:21:47.336 And like, I was like, I kind of, I raised my hand and just started asking questions and discussing with her because genuinely, I don't quite understand it. 00:21:47.502 --> 00:21:48.012 get that. 00:21:48.012 --> 00:22:07.192 Like it's a thing, but like my biggest challenge was like, so what are you trying to show off and do it being something like this, because you're in this perfectly styled, expensive setup with zero pressure or timelines or limitations or anything like it doesn't really show off what you can do as a photographer. 00:22:07.192 --> 00:22:11.951 Photographer, it just shows that, you know, how to press the button and what settings to use and that, you know, how to edit a picture. 00:22:12.642 --> 00:22:16.111 that kind of comes back to what we're talking about here in my opinion. 00:22:16.481 --> 00:22:20.531 It's really easy to kind of let our ego. 00:22:20.561 --> 00:22:22.811 And again, I was there, so I I'm speaking from experience. 00:22:22.811 --> 00:22:27.501 I'm not criticizing to let our egos get ahead of us in the sense of like, Oh yeah, I know this stuff. 00:22:27.521 --> 00:22:28.382 Like I'm going to just start. 00:22:28.611 --> 00:22:29.201 It's like. 00:22:29.432 --> 00:22:31.071 You need to walk before you run. 00:22:31.162 --> 00:22:32.811 You need to crawl before you walk. 00:22:32.821 --> 00:22:33.382 You know what I'm saying? 00:22:33.392 --> 00:22:35.932 Like you need to kind of take it bit by bit. 00:22:36.424 --> 00:22:50.295 And I think to try and get into like, you know, the, and even I, I hear these conversations now where photographers who are so early in their career are talking about ideal client and that's not the kind of luxury wedding I want to have and this and that. 00:22:50.295 --> 00:22:53.595 And it's just like, guys, get a handful of seasons under your belt. 00:22:53.595 --> 00:23:08.389 Just like, Shooting weddings first, like you need to understand because not only there's a couple of paths that I see here, number one, like we talked about, you have to learn the technical, you need to be able to understand your camera, the technical, the settings, exposure, you need to get that stuff. 00:23:08.664 --> 00:23:11.894 Like flawlessly off the back of your hand with it. 00:23:11.894 --> 00:23:13.014 It needs to be second nature. 00:23:13.034 --> 00:23:13.855 That's the first part. 00:23:13.855 --> 00:23:16.615 As soon as you get over that, you're in a good place, right? 00:23:16.914 --> 00:23:18.774 Next, add the pressure to it. 00:23:18.774 --> 00:23:19.024 Right? 00:23:19.075 --> 00:23:20.994 now do that in the pressure cooker. 00:23:21.345 --> 00:23:22.654 So that's the next thing. 00:23:23.034 --> 00:23:27.105 And then once you can get over that, so you can show up to a wedding and you can technically. 00:23:27.414 --> 00:23:28.325 Get perfection. 00:23:28.375 --> 00:23:30.345 that is like the next step. 00:23:30.345 --> 00:23:31.454 Now you're into the milestone. 00:23:31.454 --> 00:23:40.384 You're into this next stage of your, growth as an artist, where now you need to stop looking at things as technical problems and start looking at things that have meaning. 00:23:40.805 --> 00:23:43.234 So how do you look, you talked about moment. 00:23:43.454 --> 00:23:44.605 How do you look for moment? 00:23:44.615 --> 00:23:46.214 How do you find nuance? 00:23:46.484 --> 00:23:48.335 How do you piece together details? 00:23:48.394 --> 00:23:51.305 How do you compose in a way that has the impact? 00:23:51.524 --> 00:23:52.754 Like there's all these things. 00:23:52.784 --> 00:23:58.680 those are so far away from the technical capabilities that we have as photographers. 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:01.119 That's where you become a good wedding photographer. 00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:04.809 When you can look at things and go beyond the technical. 00:24:05.049 --> 00:24:08.379 So that would be like the path that I would recommend a photographer going through. 00:24:08.379 --> 00:24:12.980 And that's why I'm not a fan of the styled shoot concept, because I don't think that it teaches any of those things. 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:23.399 It just teaches that, you know, how to press the button and get the right settings, And yes, you need to know that stuff, but that shouldn't be what you're presenting as your ability as a photographer, because that's not reproducible on a wedding day. 00:24:23.670 --> 00:24:29.769 So that would be kind of the path that I would recommend is like, number one, make sure that you get technically confident. 00:24:30.109 --> 00:24:32.980 number two, make sure that you can perform. 00:24:33.204 --> 00:24:37.134 In that technically confident way, under the pressure of a wedding day. 00:24:37.404 --> 00:24:40.224 And then number three, forget about all that stuff. 00:24:40.244 --> 00:24:48.345 As soon as it becomes second nature and it becomes habitual, then you need to just trust your mind and your body and like your muscle memory to do those things. 00:24:48.589 --> 00:24:59.730 And then now you need to be focusing on the things that actually make an impact in the work that we do, which is nuance and moment and storytelling and, cohesion and consistency and, all those kinds of things. 00:24:59.730 -->

00:25:04.009 And then once you figure that out, once you get beyond that, then it's all about, okay, great. 00:25:04.009 --> 00:25:16.180 So now you can tell a story, you can capture a moment, you can see these things, you can predict when like the, when their laugh is going to be the best, you can predict when this moment's going to happen, you can react, you can see, then now you need to take. 00:25:16.629 --> 00:25:28.915 The camera and everything away from it and make sure that you can integrate yourself on a wedding day in a way that is relatable, that you can connect with people, that you can create an environment that elicits real emotion. 00:25:28.925 --> 00:25:31.205 You can make people feel at ease. 00:25:31.516 --> 00:25:39.016 You can make interactions to orchestrate moments sometimes, or you can make interactions where you actually are invisible in the moment. 00:25:39.066 --> 00:25:40.635 So moments can happen without your interest. 00:25:40.645 --> 00:25:43.556 So there's, that's like the next step of growth. 00:25:43.556 --> 00:25:49.005 And I'm not sure what would come next, but like, those are like the few main steps that I would say it's a journey, right? 00:25:49.005 --> 00:25:49.865 Like it's a journey. 00:25:49.915 --> 00:25:51.732 it's a stepping ladder that you need to walk up. 00:25:51.732 --> 00:25:54.393 And so many photographers try and jump to that last rung. 00:25:54.812 --> 00:25:56.252 And it's like, you gotta do the work. 00:25:56.262 --> 00:25:57.853 You got to put the time in, you gotta do the work. 00:25:58.643 --> 00:26:01.613 I want to say to the whole, stylized shoot type deal right there. 00:26:02.093 --> 00:26:06.379 I'm torn on this because in the same sense, like, this is not something that I would do. 00:26:06.389 --> 00:26:09.690 I would never find myself, especially paying for a stylized shoot. 00:26:10.129 --> 00:26:21.444 I could see myself helping out other vendors doing some sort of stylized shoot, obviously with them, but we're talking about the sense of like, It's a new photographer and they're looking to gain experience, build a portfolio by doing this. 00:26:22.055 --> 00:26:31.174 And two things that I hear most from new photographers is that a, they don't have enough time to practice photography and B they don't have anybody to practice with. 00:26:31.914 --> 00:26:35.095 So when it comes to these stylized shoots, like I see where that comes from. 00:26:35.095 --> 00:26:38.595 I see the desire to go to these things, but you're right. 00:26:38.845 --> 00:26:43.694 They're missing like such this big step of, it's not just the technicals. 00:26:43.724 --> 00:26:49.789 It's, being able to replicate this under pressure in a real world environment. 00:26:49.809 --> 00:26:56.170 So for those who, are worried about time for those who are worried about not having the people to photograph. 00:26:56.779 --> 00:26:59.269 if doing, stylized shoots isn't the way to go. 00:26:59.312 --> 00:27:04.779 Is there anything else that you could recommend maybe to build practice and possibly grow their portfolio as well? 00:27:05.450 --> 00:27:06.149 Yeah, for sure. 00:27:06.149 --> 00:27:10.710 I think, this all sits in this foundation of slowing down. 00:27:10.809 --> 00:27:12.299 And again, like, I believe me, I've been there. 00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.039 So I understand. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:21.539 So I'm not criticizing, but I'm more trying to encourage through experience this idea that like, we all want to pick up the camera, we figure out this technical thing. 00:27:21.930 --> 00:27:31.880 And then we want to, again, we want to start running, but it's like, Success in this industry and growth and longevity and sustainability are not going to come overnight. 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:38.211 every overnight success is an overnight success, 10 years in the making, it's never an overnight success. 00:27:38.550 --> 00:27:53.590 and so the pull to want those quick results is so, um, like we can feel it, it's there, but try to pause that feeling and slow yourself down and say, it's okay that it takes time. 00:27:53.755 --> 00:27:54.786 To build these things up. 00:27:54.786 --> 00:27:57.495 It's okay that you don't get this right away. 00:27:57.495 --> 00:28:03.066 It's okay that you can't pay 300, get a perfect portfolio and then book these luxury brides the next day. 00:28:03.066 --> 00:28:04.185 Like that's not going to happen. 00:28:04.185 --> 00:28:07.135 That's not a sustainable way to build a business. 00:28:07.415 --> 00:28:12.645 So my advice would be to get in and almost follow the similar path to what I just talked about with myself, where. 00:28:13.005 --> 00:28:22.145 Get in and figure out the technical, like you don't necessarily need to have a bride in front of your camera or a groom in front of your camera to figure out the technical. 00:28:22.145 --> 00:28:35.154 I mean, go out there and, and just shoot, shoot whatever you can around you, shoot, do self portraits, go out and photograph nature, like do whatever you can just to like, the camera needs to be an extension of your eyes, of your mind, of your vision. 00:28:35.464 --> 00:28:39.964 your hand almost needs to not even, like it needs to be again, like muscle memory. 00:28:40.234 --> 00:28:43.524 So whatever you can do just to like put in the hours, put in the time. 00:28:43.957 --> 00:28:44.738 That's fine. 00:28:45.147 --> 00:28:53.707 beyond that, now you, if you want to start understanding the nuances of applying those skills and applying that muscle memory to people, that's fine. 00:28:53.817 --> 00:29:15.700 Find people to photograph them like it that's that would be I don't think we need to have this like luxury boho bride with this beautiful barn wedding above a blind order for us to practice that because that's not when you want to practice, you want to make mistakes when you're photographing your kids or when you're photographing like the neighbor's kids or when you're

out, you know, whatever you're doing to practice photographing people, that's when you want to make mistakes. 00:29:15.700 --> 00:29:17.490 Not when you're paying 500 to be at this bar. 00:29:17.644 --> 00:29:18.754 perfectly styled shoot. 00:29:19.254 --> 00:29:19.954 so do that. 00:29:19.974 --> 00:29:23.585 and then even once you've gotten that, now you need to start second shooting. 00:29:23.830 --> 00:29:27.260 am such an advocate for like the concept of interning. 00:29:27.610 --> 00:29:31.550 I think it's so important and it's so underutilized in our industry. 00:29:31.770 --> 00:29:35.600 It's almost utilized in a way that like, Hey, I want a second shoot for you so I can build a portfolio. 00:29:35.836 --> 00:29:38.326 No, the whole point of second shooting is not to build a portfolio. 00:29:38.635 --> 00:29:39.605 If you can, great. 00:29:39.625 --> 00:29:41.745 If you can build a relationship with a photographer and do that. 00:29:41.776 --> 00:29:42.435 Wonderful. 00:29:42.715 --> 00:29:54.135 But the point of it is to learn the ropes, to understand what it's like to put in your hours, to put in your hours, who is it that writes about the 10, 000 hour rule in order to get good at something, you've got to put in 10, 000 hours. 00:29:54.605 --> 00:29:56.725 That's what we got to do as photographers. 00:29:56.725 --> 00:30:08.995 If you want to photograph weddings, get out there and photograph weddings, but do it and learn and be humble about it and be hungry for it and be willing to make mistakes and be willing to carry someone else's bags. 00:30:09.316 --> 00:30:11.395 Cause you know that they did that 10 years ago. 00:30:11.395 --> 00:30:13.435 I did that 10 years ago, 15 years ago. 00:30:13.435 --> 00:30:16.715 Like, so you have to put in the time and I think that's the best way to do it. 00:30:16.985 --> 00:30:19.685 Are you going to be able to shoot luxury weddings next year? 00:30:19.685 --> 00:30:20.625 If you go that path? 00:30:20.965 --> 00:30:21.895 Absolutely not. 00:30:22.195 --> 00:30:41.512 But you're going to learn, you're going to get in there and you're going to practice, you're going to know what it's like, you're going to be able to talk with another photographer, you're going to see what you like, you're going to see what you don't like, you're going to have experience practicing with your camera, you're going to have experience engaging with a couple, engaging with family members, understanding the nuances of a wedding day, and you'll be able to go from there. 00:30:41.512 --> 00:30:45.663 It's a slower path, but it's a path that gives you success in the long term. 00:30:46.326 --> 00:30:50.735 I know, photographer Sam Hurd uses, just like posing, it's um, like sketch. 00:30:51.066 --> 00:30:59.605 Sketching dolls, you know, those wooden dolls that you use to practice sketching with to practice, posing and technicals at home, which I think it's a, it's a great tip. 00:30:59.605 --> 00:31:08.935 I wanted to ask because oftentimes photographers, they listen to us as we're just talking, sometimes we talk about gear and we talk about all these nice new things. 00:31:08.935 --> 00:31:16.143 And oftentimes new photographers just don't have the gear or the resources that most professional photographers do. 00:31:16.582 --> 00:31:28.393 Can you tell me maybe early on, in your career, maybe a time where you really just had to make do with what you had to get a job done, even though it wasn't maybe the best, possible way to do it. 00:31:28.482 --> 00:31:29.353 you still made it work. 00:31:30.056 --> 00:31:30.865 A hundred percent. 00:31:30.875 --> 00:31:42.863 So I, I will, say perfectly confidently that whatever gear you have right now to the listener, whatever gear you have is all that you need right now. 00:31:43.202 --> 00:31:52.548 and I say that with such, belief because It's so easy to be chasing the gear and look, I get it. 00:31:52.729 --> 00:31:54.009 I feel it too. 00:31:54.378 --> 00:31:57.048 and quite honestly, I love buying gear. 00:31:57.118 --> 00:31:57.969 I really do. 00:31:58.058 --> 00:32:03.278 But, and I say this with a huge, but huge caveat, I'm able to. 00:32:03.828 --> 00:32:10.182 Because I can afford it because photography and has been my career and my, and my livelihood. 00:32:10.678 --> 00:32:18.888 I've achieved the financial success in my photography business to be able to say, if I want to get that camera, I'm going to get it just because I want to play around. 00:32:18.888 --> 00:32:21.803 Now, as a side note, my passion and obsession is. 00:32:21.805 --> 00:32:31.653 So the cameras are much more affordable to get now, as opposed to buying like the latest Sony or Canada or Nikon or whatever, but, uh, I digress. 00:32:31.953 --> 00:32:43.038 whatever it is that you have, like cameras today, even the most like simple, the most basic of cameras, are so, so much more advanced than anything we had before. 00:32:43.199 --> 00:32:50.715 even top of the line five years ago, like the most, like 600 camera today is better than the 6, 000 camera five years ago. 00:32:51.316 --> 00:32:58.425 And if photographers were successful with like top of the line five years ago, damn well sure you can be successful with bottom line today. 00:32:58.655 --> 00:33:02.530 So I guess I, I say that to say like, Don't chase the gear. 00:33:02.540 --> 00:33:03.880 Don't look for more gear. 00:33:03.931 --> 00:33:05.490 Learn whatever you have. 00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:10.850 It doesn't matter what you have because the camera only does what you tell it to do. 00:33:11.270 --> 00:33:16.830 And so the camera itself is not going to make a difference in the photographs that you make. 00:33:17.080 --> 00:33:24.840 The most important part, and I forget who it was, it may have been Ansel that said this, but the most important part of the camera is the six inches behind it. 00:33:25.945 --> 00:33:26.846 Us, right? 00:33:26.846 --> 00:33:27.255 You. 00:33:27.605 -->

00:33:30.036 And so don't worry about whatever you have. 00:33:30.056 --> 00:33:32.135 If you have a kit lens, perfect. 00:33:32.296 --> 00:33:34.645 If you have a rebel, awesome. 00:33:34.725 --> 00:33:38.415 If you have whatever, whatever you have is perfect. 00:33:38.425 --> 00:33:40.096 If you don't have a flash, no problem. 00:33:40.105 --> 00:33:45.566 Like learn with what you have and it will probably bring you. 00:33:45.931 --> 00:34:05.641 A few years of growth as a creative, once you start to feel the actual limitation of that gear, when you're like, no, no, no, I, I literally couldn't get this without, just next lens or whatever it is, that's when you start to consider, but I'm, almost willing to bet that like, Most of us are not there, even myself. 00:34:05.641 --> 00:34:08.840 Like I'm right now I shoot food quick side note, I shoot Fuji. 00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:12.240 I've got the 56 F one, two, and I've got the 50 F two weather seal. 00:34:12.240 --> 00:34:13.371 And I have both for a reason. 00:34:13.411 --> 00:34:14.581 Cause I use them for different things. 00:34:14.851 --> 00:34:18.751 Now the 50 F one came out and it's like, Ooh, I'm thinking, Oh heck yeah. 00:34:19.001 --> 00:34:20.530 50 F and it's weather sealed. 00:34:20.590 --> 00:34:22.030 I'm all about the 50 F1. 00:34:22.030 --> 00:34:23.050 I'm all about the F1. 00:34:23.050 --> 00:34:23.921 Um, it's weather sealed. 00:34:23.921 --> 00:34:24.490 Beautiful. 00:34:24.490 --> 00:34:25.840 Okay, Boca. 00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:26.141 All right. 00:34:26.141 --> 00:34:31.601 the Boca balls are like point 0.0 0, 0 0 1 millimeters bigger. 00:34:31.601 --> 00:34:37.090 So it looks a little bit more sexy if you do a direct side by side studio comparison, which we never do, by the way. 00:34:37.331 --> 00:34:43.090 So I'm trying to justify whether I just sell both those lenses and get the one and yeah, I mean like that's easy to justify. 00:34:43.090 --> 00:34:43.451 Wow. 00:34:43.451 --> 00:34:45.992 You know, I probably would save a little bit of money and I. 00:34:46.911 --> 00:34:48.490 And then we go through these stories. 00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:49.420 I don't need it. 00:34:49.931 --> 00:34:51.130 I'm not going to make a difference. 00:34:51.130 --> 00:34:51.740 I don't need it. 00:34:52.240 --> 00:34:53.440 Will I do it because I want it? 00:34:53.451 --> 00:34:53.811 Maybe. 00:34:53.811 --> 00:34:55.271 But I'll only do it because I can afford it. 00:34:55.291 --> 00:34:57.670 Not because I, you know, I'm not going to go and get a loan for it. 00:34:57.911 --> 00:35:02.440 I'm not going to go and like, you know, not pay myself this year because, because I need to make that, that move. 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:03.320 And I, and I do see that. 00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:06.030 I see so many photographers that are like, they don't pay themselves. 00:35:06.425 --> 00:35:13.746 Because they just keep spending money on gear and it's like, man, if you look at your chart of accounts at the end of the year, and if you've spent more on care than you've paid yourself, there's something wrong. 00:35:13.746 --> 00:35:18.179 Um, I guess all that just to say, like, Don't worry about the gear, man. 00:35:18.188 --> 00:35:20.469 Like just do whatever you can shoot with whatever you have. 00:35:20.478 --> 00:35:22.298 If you have an iPhone, use that, learn on that. 00:35:22.369 --> 00:35:26.538 you can probably spend a few years mastering the art of photography on just your 00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:27.929 iPhone. 00:35:27.929 --> 00:35:32.148 Now I'm not saying you're going to go shoot a wedding with it, but it's like, we're talking about that, growth, right. 00:35:32.168 --> 00:35:37.369 As an artist, as a creative, and then as an entrepreneur, you can get pretty darn far with like the simplest gear. 00:35:37.369 --> 00:35:38.369 So don't chase gear. 00:35:38.759 --> 00:35:41.958 I was in the same boat as you with the 56 1. 00:35:41.958 --> 00:35:41.978 2. 00:35:41.978 --> 00:36:10.458 And then I realized that just like the size of it I didn't want to use it like around the house and just photograph my kids because it was just kind of big and cumbersome and then I I played this game with myself that was like I could get the two but is it going to be as good you know how much light am I going to be losing but at the end of the day I mean none of that stuff matters it's like it's like what is it it's like two thirds of a stop that you're losing it's not much at all and then it's much smaller and the fact that now I can you. 00:36:11.092 --> 00:36:13.182 I just shoot more with that 50 millimeter F2. 00:36:13.592 --> 00:36:18.652 And even though on paper, 56 1. 00:36:18.782 --> 00:36:19.103 2. 00:36:19.635 --> 00:36:24.186 It enables me to shoot more, which ultimately is what we want as photographers, right? 00:36:24.625 --> 00:36:25.135 A hundred percent. 00:36:25.135 --> 00:36:25.335 As long 00:36:25.335 --> 00:36:27.855 as you got what you need to shoot, that's all that you want. 00:36:28.056 --> 00:36:38.489 Now, I want to get back to this whole film thing that you're doing right now, because as you said, you know, you've been shooting for 15 years, you've been doing this now that you picked up this film camera, I want to know like, Is there a goal to it? 00:36:38.489 --> 00:36:40.739 Is it strictly a creativity thing? 00:36:40.748 --> 00:36:43.969 And if it is, what are you trying to express? 00:36:43.994 --> 00:36:44.972 Does any of this make sense? 00:36:44.992 --> 00:36:48.514 Cause, once again, on paper, there's no reason why we should be photographing 00:36:48.514 --> 00:36:48.769 this. 00:36:48.769 --> 00:36:49.025 Sure. 00:36:49.025 --> 00:36:49.536 No, 100%. 00:36:49.536 --> 00:36:49.793 100%. 00:36:49.793 --> 00:36:51.922 I mean, and this, this is the funny part. 00:36:51.922 --> 00:36:59.722 Is like, my trajectory or the path has, if you follow all of it so far, I mean, I got into it because I wanted to be a business person,

not because I wanted to be a photographer, right? 00:36:59.782 --> 00:37:03.983 Like, if you follow all of it, it's literally like ass backwards from what like you would typically do. 00:37:03.983 --> 00:37:04.337 That's true. 00:37:04.387 --> 00:37:09.807 so I, at the time when I first discovered film, which is about two years ago, I had never shot film before. 00:37:09.858 --> 00:37:10.248 Never. 00:37:10.277 --> 00:37:13.958 Like even, I mean, maybe when I was a kid, I'd grab my parents point and shoot, but it was never like shooting film. 00:37:13.958 --> 00:37:14.268 Never with 00:37:14.268 --> 00:37:14.867 intentional. 00:37:14.998 --> 00:37:15.208 I've 00:37:15.217 --> 00:37:16.307 never shot with film. 00:37:16.307 --> 00:37:25.163 So it's like, yet for at the time, for 13 years, every single time I had shot, every time I'd picked up my camera outside of like just documenting my kids. 00:37:25.692 --> 00:37:26.672 I'm being paid to do it. 00:37:27.222 --> 00:37:30.702 Like I'm being paid to be a photographer and I'm always shooting for other people. 00:37:30.922 --> 00:37:37.003 Now I built my business to a point where I got to shoot what I wanted to shoot and how I wanted to shoot and people paid me handsomely for it. 00:37:37.262 --> 00:37:38.255 So that's great. 00:37:38.295 --> 00:37:46.295 And I'm, and I'm very grateful and thankful for that, but I never had this opportunity to like explore photography for me. 00:37:46.505 --> 00:37:47.646 Never, never. 00:37:47.646 --> 00:37:50.536 I've always been a full time professional photographer. 00:37:50.965 --> 00:37:52.646 The camera is what puts food on the table. 00:37:53.175 --> 00:38:00.625 And so when I first got this like little intrigue of film, I was like, Oh, this is different. 00:38:01.036 --> 00:38:02.025 and then just like. 00:38:02.375 --> 00:38:16.226 having a camera and like being intentional by choosing a film stock and then physically loading it into a camera and just this whole like mechanical process with, winding the film and doing all these things. 00:38:16.246 --> 00:38:17.666 I develop all my film too. 00:38:17.666 --> 00:38:19.405 I do darkroom printing myself too. 00:38:19.666 --> 00:38:20.865 So doing all these things 00:38:21.105 --> 00:38:22.175 dove right in. 00:38:22.335 --> 00:38:23.715 Oh, I mean dove right in. 00:38:23.996 --> 00:38:25.346 Um, but like. 00:38:25.556 --> 00:38:36.266 Being involved in a very tactile way gives me a different way to see, learn, express through photography that I'd never have. 00:38:36.326 --> 00:38:37.496 I'd never had before. 00:38:37.505 --> 00:38:38.965 I'd never explored that before. 00:38:39.385 --> 00:38:50.875 and then even going beyond that, like the story, like the permanence, the story of shooting on film, you know, this idea that like when, when you press the shutter, this piece of emulsion, Changes forever. 00:38:50.885 --> 00:38:56.956 it forever is impact by the light that exists in this very, split second of a moment. 00:38:56.956 --> 00:38:58.525 It's one 500th of a second. 00:38:58.965 --> 00:39:01.125 This piece of film changes physically. 00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:03.940 Physically changes never to be undone. 00:39:04.101 --> 00:39:18.990 And then you can make something real out of that all the way up to like printing in a dark room and you see this thing appear in front of you and you're like, I made this like free of technology, free of computers and bits and bytes and zeros and ones. 00:39:18.990 --> 00:39:25.280 Like I made this with light with a piece of light and this will never ever be undone. 00:39:25.851 --> 00:39:30.891 Like, that is just a beautiful way of seeing what we do. 00:39:31.141 --> 00:39:32.460 so I'm not doing it for clients. 00:39:32.621 --> 00:39:33.280 I mean, I've done it. 00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:39.250 I've actually had quite a number of clients that have like seen my own exploration of it on the personal side. 00:39:39.250 --> 00:39:41.661 And they're like, yeah, we know, we want you to shoot film for us. 00:39:42.061 --> 00:39:42.880 which is like, cool. 00:39:42.900 --> 00:39:45.630 Cause it's now seeing spill into like my professional work. 00:39:45.880 --> 00:39:48.570 but I'm just doing it for fun and because I really enjoy it. 00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:51.570 and it gives, So many other ways to explore. 00:39:51.570 --> 00:39:56.721 I mean, you can buy cameras for like a couple hundred dollars, like really good film cameras for a couple hundred dollars. 00:39:57.150 --> 00:40:00.170 Um, and they're, they're a freaking blast to play with. 00:40:00.201 --> 00:40:01.791 So like, it's great. 00:40:01.791 --> 00:40:03.630 It fulfills a different side of me. 00:40:03.951 --> 00:40:05.800 that I otherwise just didn't have digitally. 00:40:06.371 --> 00:40:22.101 it's interesting hearing you say that because I hear new photographers speaking about their brand new entry level like digital cameras in that same way like this new creative passion because oftentimes, you know, when you get that camera, you're not coming from a world of creativity, right? 00:40:22.101 --> 00:40:22.760 You have. 00:40:22.840 --> 00:40:26.293 So I love hearing that passion come back into you and that excitement. 00:40:26.554 --> 00:40:28.079 100% That is so much fun. 00:40:28.088 --> 00:40:28.498 That's it 00:40:28.498 --> 00:40:28.858 though, right? 00:40:28.858 --> 00:40:35.759 Raymond is like, it, reignited this fire that I have because I've been a full time professional photographer for 15 years. 00:40:35.768 --> 00:40:42.442 It reignited this fire that like, admittedly after 15 years, like not that I got tired of photography. 00:40:42.442 --> 00:40:46.231 It's not that I felt uninspired because I love what I do. 00:40:46.231 --> 00:40:52.092 And I love to photograph for my clients, but like, For my own, my own creative pursuit. 00:40:52.271 --> 00:40:54.871 It reignited that amateur mindset again in me. 00:40:55.271 --> 00:40:55.431 Yeah.

00:40:55.442 --> 00:40:57.061 And, and I haven't had that in 15 years. 00:40:57.081 --> 00:41:00.898 So it was just, it's been such a joy to continue to explore that. 00:41:01.315 --> 00:41:02.005 Very cool. 00:41:02.016 --> 00:41:03.666 Well, Brian, Oh, side note. 00:41:04.096 --> 00:41:09.445 When I was doing research for this episode, I realized that you're the only Brian who's ever been on the beginner photography podcast. 00:41:09.936 --> 00:41:16.248 So on top of the like this huge list of accolades that you have yourself now you can add that to it as well. 00:41:16.929 --> 00:41:26.340 But before I let you go, can you let those listening right now know where they can find you because as you said, photographer, you also host a podcast 450 episodes. 00:41:26.340 --> 00:41:29.719 Congratulations on that as well as running sprout studio. 00:41:29.719 --> 00:41:33.710 So can you just let people know where they can learn more about you and everything that you do. 00:41:34.090 --> 00:41:34.739 Yeah, for sure. 00:41:34.739 --> 00:41:35.380 Thank you, Raymond. 00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:40.409 a couple places, I guess, if you want to learn more about Sprout, then you can go to get Sprout studio. 00:41:40.610 --> 00:41:41.960 com or just Google Sprout studio. 00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:42.550 You'll find us. 00:41:42.849 --> 00:41:49.239 if you want to dive more into the business education that we have, if you go to that same website, we have a community button at the top of the page. 00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:51.489 You can dive into podcasts. 00:41:51.519 --> 00:41:54.719 We have courses, we have pricing calculators. 00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:59.509 We have hundreds of articles on anything you can think of to do with the business of photography. 00:41:59.509 --> 00:42:00.460 So you can hop in there. 00:42:00.820 --> 00:42:08.889 if you like podcasts, which, uh, you do, you're listening to a podcast right now, um, then you can just find us. 00:42:08.889 --> 00:42:10.139 It's called the business of photography. 00:42:10.139 --> 00:42:12.250 You can find us pretty much wherever you listen to podcasts. 00:42:12.650 --> 00:42:18.090 That's, I guess, mostly if you want to connect on clubhouse, if you're on clubhouse, that's like the coolest and latest obsession. 00:42:18.110 --> 00:42:19.019 So come find me over there. 00:42:20.061 --> 00:42:23.730 All right, huge, huge thank you to Brian for coming on the podcast. 00:42:24.190 --> 00:42:26.780 I want to share one action item with you. 00:42:27.150 --> 00:42:32.371 One thing from today's episode that will get you shooting and become a better photographer. 00:42:32.858 --> 00:42:35.708 So Brian talked a lot about the importance of story, right? 00:42:35.708 --> 00:42:41.188 We all love story, telling a story with an image, I think is one of the major reasons why we get into photography. 00:42:41.461 --> 00:42:43.922 Maybe we saw an image that had a powerful story. 00:42:44.467 --> 00:42:46.826 Or maybe we see stories that we just want to capture. 00:42:47.279 --> 00:42:51.019 So, today's action item is to create a photographic story. 00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:55.179 Don't worry, this isn't going to take like, 6 month project. 00:42:55.230 --> 00:42:56.759 This could take 15, 20 minutes. 00:42:57.449 --> 00:43:00.980 I want you to tell the story of your dog playing with their toy. 00:43:01.420 --> 00:43:03.862 Tell the story of your morning routine. 00:43:03.862 --> 00:43:06.192 Tell the story of you mowing your lawn. 00:43:06.715 --> 00:43:07.655 Don't overthink this. 00:43:08.246 --> 00:43:13.246 Quickly brainstorm like ten photos or so that would tell that story and then go out and shoot it. 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:23.112 Generally afterwards you're gonna have one to two photos that you really love and that is what I want you to share in the free and amazing beginner photography podcast community so that we can talk about it. 00:43:23.724 --> 00:43:27.364 You can join right now for free by heading over to beginnerphotopod. 00:43:27.375 --> 00:43:28.925 com forward slash group. 00:43:29.567 --> 00:43:30.737 And I hope to see your story there. 00:43:31.387 --> 00:43:32.327 So that is it for today. 00:43:32.347 --> 00:43:37.407 Until next week, remember the more that you shoot today, the better of a photographer you will be tomorrow. 00:43:37.947 --> 00:43:38.358 Talk soon.