This year has seen me be on the other side of the camera on more than one occasion. It has been almost exactly 15 years since I started taking photographs for clients, initially in the wedding industry and then onto the business market. I have worked with some great people over that time, capturing their special days and capturing their personalities to help promote themselves.
This year, it was my turn to be on the other side of the lens. I volunteered to help out the amazing Hannah Couzens as she trained another photographer in portrait photography. I must admit I did take the opportunity to learn a little more while I was there. You never stopped learning.
It suddenly gave me the realisation that there is so much more to ‘portrait’ photography than just “stand, smile, click”. I came away from the session, not only with some great photos that I could use, but also with a whole new bunch of skills that I could then implement into my own client photoshoots. Hannah is a great photographer and an excellent photography coach.
More recently, however, I was on the other side of the camera once more at a networking event hosted by the tour de force that is Mandie Holgate. This is a networking event that I regularly attend and I often take photographs of the other members in the room while they’re talking about themselves and their businesses. This time, however, it was my turn. Suddenly I was there trying to talk about me and then there was a sea of cameras (ok, maybe a puddle would be more realistic) pointing in my direction. It did make me a little uncomfortable, but then again I guess that is how the others must have felt when I was buzzing around the room taking their photographs. I always try to be subtle with my event photography and ‘blend in’, but thats easier said than done in a fixed room with a 135mm Sigma lens pointed at you.
Photography is such an important part of life, and marketing culture, because without a visual record, all we have is words.
I love photography, I always have done. Photography is just a big part of Yellow Gecko as the Web services is. If you are reading this and you would like to book in some headshots or event coverage, I would love to hear from you.
