Ken Worley Photography

North Carolina photographer | Oak Island, Southport, Coastal NC

Tips from Both Sides of the Camera # 3

by

I’ve made it three weeks now with these tips

Tip for the photographer behind the camera:
Talk!
This tip is kind of connected to the first tip, not hiding behind the camera, the key to making a great portrait of someone is to help them feel more comfortable in front of the camera. By taking the time to talk your subject it helps to break that awkward wall that is but between the photographer and the subject by the camera. It does not have to be a deep conversation it needs to be a genuine.

Tip for the model in front of the camera:
Talk!
I know this week’s tips are the same for both sides of the camera but I feel that talking is an importing part of photography.

Talking gives both the photographer and the subject a chance to get to know each other, have fun, and maybe even make and new friend. I like to think that everyone I have photographed is a friend by the time the session is over.

Chloe: 2014 Senior!

by

Chloe: 2014 High School Senior

Chloe is a Cherokee High School Senior. She’s told me that she loves to shop, and her favor place to do so is Dress Up Boutique. I think I would have figured that out even if she hadn’t told me, because most of the clothes for her session were from there. Also dance is a life-long hobby/passion of hers and she wanted some cool and unique photos of her dance shoes. But the dance shoes failed to make it to the session.  We still had an awesome session even without the dance shoes. She also said that she is “super girly”, but because she loves dressing up for pictures, I had no problem talking her into posing in a corn field and an old shipping dock once used to unload trains.

Congratulations, Chloe!

 

 

Tips from Both Sides of the Camera #2

by

Welcome back, this is week two of my Tuesday Tips. If you want to know more about its start, check out last weeks post. Hopeful I can keep the tips coming on a weekly basis.

Tip for the photographer behind the camera:
Smile.
There is a saying that the camera looks both ways. If you are smiling as the photographer then that person on the other side of the camera is more likely to smile with you.
Smile!

Tip for the model in front of the camera:
Bring clothes that make you feel confident.
When picking out your outfits for the session make sure you have some that make you feel good about yourself. That better you feel about the more comfortable you will during your photography session.

Holly: 2014 Senior!

by

Holly: 2014 High School Senior

Holly is a Johnson Ferry Christian Academy Senior. I got to know Holly on a Dominican Republic mission trip where she was one of my “family group” members. If you ever want to know what it feels like to be left by your group in a another country, just ask Holly. She went to fill her water bottle and our bus driver left. I’m surprised the whole country didn’t hear me yelling for him to stop because we didn’t have everyone on the bus. There was a language barrier and the driver was following another bus because he didn’t know how to get where we were going, so he didn’t stop. It was a scary time for me and Holly. The good thing is that she was left at the place we were staying, so she was with the leaders of the mission trip.

The really funny thing is the following year they put Holly in my group again. I guess they wanted to see if I could make it through the trip without losing one of my teens. Anyway it allowed us to become good friends. She’s even trying to talk me into going to Peru this year on her senior mission trip.

She also enjoys photography and her cute little dog, as you can probably tell.

Congratulations, Holly!

Tips from Both Sides of the Camera #1

by

I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a Tuesday Tips post and would help both photographers and their subjects/models. But I’ve been to worried about having enough information to make it worth while for my readers. Then it dawned on me that I can count my readers on one hand, so if I’m a little short on information it is not really going upset that many people. And who knows by doing a couple of weekly tips I may increase my readership and I might have to use both hands to count them.

Tip for the photographer behind the camera:
Don’t hide behind you camera.
Your subject doesn’t always want to see just one side of your face of a big camera lens. If that is all they wanted they could just hope into a photo-booth and smile to the machine.
Don't Hide

Tip for the model in front of the camera:
Relax and enjoy watching the crazy person with the camera.
If you really want to drive the photographer crazy sit as stiff as you can for at least three shots. I mean keep you arms straight by your side and your legs together with knees and ankles touching. No seriously take a deep breath and enjoy the session.

Abigail: 2014 Senior!

by

Abigail: 2014 High School Senior!

Abigail is a Pope High School Senior that enjoys shopping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and having fun with friends. We had a blast at her photo session and — look out guys — she knows how to handle a shotgun. I hope she will invite me to go shooting one day and not with a camera.

And wouldn’t that last photograph make a great Toyota ad.

I would say that her personality is a great mix of fun, outgoing, and responsible. This well balanced mixture really stood out when I first met her on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. She was a student leader and handled the job very well. After high school she plans on attending college, she is still deciding between two, but I think she’s leaning toward Auburn University.

Congratulations, Abigail!