Evolution Of Me - 5 Investments That Changed My Career Forever

I have only been shooting photography for a little over 3 years now. Things have progressed so quickly during that period of time that I haven't really had the chance to look back at the evolution of my photography. I had to think thing long and hard about the investments I have made over the 3 years and the things that really changed the game for me.

I'm a completely self-taught photographer and have had many late-nite knowledge binges on YouTube. I scoured the internet for hours finding the best, most reasonable DIY solutions to build my portfolio. Eventually, I found solitude in purchasing quality gear that wouldn't fall apart. But, right out of the gate I didn't know where to start. Luckily, I had a strong group of colleagues that gave me solid advice when I asked for it. Although I may not have 30 years under my belt, I have spent the last 3 doing nothing but photography. I've been heavily involved in the gear industry and I've seen a lot of things rapidly change. I can only speak from experience and it's those experince points that can back up what I say.

Wireless Radio Triggers

One of the first Items I purchased from my friends at B&H Photo was a Nikon SB-600 speedlight. I was enamored with with artificial flash, but it was still a mystery how photographers captured those dramatic portraits I yearned over night after night. I realized that I could use a TTL cable to get the flash off the hot shoe, but it only left me with a 3 foot distance. My curiosity peaked and on a causal trip to my local camera store, I asked if they had a 30 foot TTL cable. With a look of confusion they answered, "Yes, but why don't you just use wireless radio triggers". At that very moment I probably looked similar to a child to who just been photographed on Santa's lap. Deer in headlights. 

Confused, I asked for an explanation and once explained, everything became clear. With that, I left the camera store with a cheap pair of Promaster radio triggers. Suddenly, everything had changed, I was able to take my flash off camera and place it wherever I wanted. After burning through several brands of cheap radio triggers I finally settled with a set of PocketWizards Plus III's and I never looked back. It took a lot of misfires and cheap repairs to learn that it's important to invest in quality, because if you don't you'll always end up buying the product twice.

A Workshop

In 2011, just 6 months into my photography career, I became heavily involved in the local photography community. Through this group I learned about Brett Jarnigan, who happened to be hosting his "Flashfire Workshops" for a small group of select photographers. At first glance of his portfolio, I was hooked. Brett's use of cross-lighting and light painting was something that I had never seen from any photographer. I knew had to attend, but with all the camera purchases, I was flat broke. Fortunatly, I had spent the first few months of my photography career exploring remote locations and abandoned buildings. So, Brett and I worked a deal. I acted as a tour guide for the workshop and was able to learn as a normal student in the class. I always had a good vision and knew what I wanted, but I just didn’t have the technical knowledge to see it all through. This workshop is what pushed everything through the glass ceiling. Unfortunatly, Brett is no longer hosting workshops, but has really become quite the entrepreneur with the Lightroom Re-Touching Toolkit. 

Those photographers close to me, saw a switch flip. To this day many tell me that is where everything really changed for my photography, I haven't taken a workshop since. I don’t recommend taking workshop after workshop in the endless pursuit of the best knowledge. Just do a fair amount of research beforehand and invest in the best!

Shameless Plug Alert! I’ll be hosting my annual “Masterclass” October in Louisville, Kentucky. The workshop will cover absolutley everything. From my philosophy to lighting to post processing to marketing and back. It’s just so revealing that I can only have this workshop once and year and it’s limited to just 14 photographers, so if you’re interested, then don’t miss out on the opportunity. More information here.

CamRanger

Everyone's knows my history with this device and you may be asking; "How can a tethering device such as the CamRanger change your photography?" Well, not only has CamRanger changed my photography, but it also has changed my business. I am able to capture better images and my team is able to see issues with clothing, hair or makeup without huddling behind my small LCD screen. Therefore I eliminate time in post processing correcting those issues. I can also check for proper exposure, focus, distractions or any sort of in camera errors on a big screen at 100%. You tend to notice imperfections that can easily go unseen on a small 3 inch screen. It’s an absolute must-have when shooting fashion editorial or advertising.

50mm Prime Lens

When I started the venture into photography, I knew I needed good glass. I just didn’t know what type of glass I preferred. I spent hundreds of dollars renting lens after lens to find the right compression, quality and feel. Initially, I loved the look of a wide angle lens. I shot many editorials with a Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8. There was a sense of place and I loved to incorporate the location it into the photograph. But, the more I experimented with other lenses the more I loved the 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens. Although, you have to shoot a fair distance from the subject, I really loved the compression, which always resulted in a creamy bokeh. But, I soon learned that the 50mm f/1.2 was the right lens for me. No distortion, wide aperature; there is just nothing more versatile. The compression is a nice mix between the 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom and the 16-35mm f/2.8 wide angle distant depth of field. I still use my 70-200mm for studio, but if I’m on location, my go-to glass is the 50mm f/1.2.

Wacom Intuos Pro Tablet

Coming from a graphic design background, I had always dabbled with my Wacom Bamboo tablet, but it was never a device I relied on. I had acclimated to using a mouse for everything. But, this year I decided to take the plunge and really invest in re-touching. For many months I had contracted-out all post processing as I felt my skills were simply sub-par. I decided to eliminate a big portion of that spending and dive in. Learning from my friends and fellow Fstoppers writers Pratik Naik and Michael Woloszynowicz I was able to find a completely new workflow that just would not be plausible without the use of a tablet. From the suggestion from my friend Dani Diamond I purchased an Wacom Intous Pro. I completely customize the tablet down to the type of pen tip. Truthfully, It was no easy feat to get used to the tablet, but once I really started working with it, I couldn’t see myself editing another photo with just a mouse. It’s improved my re-touching, compositing and has been an extreme cash saver.

Whether you just picked up a DSLR or you’ve got 30 years under your belt, these are some solid investments. Yes, they might be basic and practical, but they’ve really sent my photography down a better road. This may not be the right evolution for you, but it certainly worked for me.