Five Things I Wish I’d Known as a Beginner Photographer

There’s a lot of doom-and-gloom talk out there about the future of portrait photography. People saying AI is about to make us all obsolete, that soon clients will be able to “shoot” an entire wedding or portrait session with nothing but a few selfies and a prompt. Yeah, the tech is moving fast. But before…

When we think about portrait photography, soft light often comes to mind—big softboxes, diffusers, and all the tools that help us create that flattering, even light. But is soft light always the best choice? In this video, we explore the often-overlooked benefits of hard light and how it can be a powerful tool for storytelling…

If you’ve been struggling to book portrait photography clients you’re not alone. In this video, I’ll walk you through why some photography portfolios fail to bring in paying clients and exactly how to fix it. Join my portrait photography community Free Portrait Photography Quickstart Bundle

Learning any new photography skill can be challenging, but there are strategies you can use to make it easier (and more effective). Here’s a good strategy for mastering new lighting techniques: Set aside time to practice regularly. Experiment with different lighting setups, try new techniques, and see how changes in angle and distance affect your…

Beginner portrait photographers should understand how even small changes in the distance from the light to the subject can have major effects. This video also discusses how to control exposure on the background in basic portrait lighting setups.

As photographers, we all reach a point where it’s not just about mastering the techniques but understanding when to apply them. One question I recently received is about when to use the different traditional portrait lighting setups. You’ve probably practiced broad lighting, short lighting, Rembrandt, butterfly, and split lighting—so when exactly should you use each…