Recreational diver and amateur photographer Andrea Humphreys recently took a friend into the water who had never seen an octopus before. Not only did they find an octopus, but it also engaged closely with the divers for 40 minutes.
It doesn't always happen like this, but occasionally the photo gods offer up just the thing you need at just the right time. That's what happened Wednesday when a copy of Mark Klett's Revealing Territory dropped into my life out of nowhere.
It would be great if you could take advantage of an epic or picturesque backdrop every time you went out to shoot portraits. But since we don't all live in Iceland, here are a few simple tips that'll help you make the most of a crappy location on your next spontaneous portrait shoot.
Making portraits is something I really love. When there is a model available, you get a lot of freedom regarding the pose, expressions and styling. However, during my travels, when I want to portray people in their authentic environment, I usually don’t get to choose a model, because it is about the people who are really living there.
My mentor was a cranky dude. He liked to put me through my paces every chance he got. Sometimes, when he needed something: “Hey, Greg—fetch that cable for me!” Yes, he said “fetch.” Sometimes, when he just knew better than I did: “Hey, Greg -- get off your a** and come assist me.” Or when I was feeling superior: “Hey, Greg—stop being an idiot.”
Ah, fond memories!
Renowned photojournalist Steve McCurry, the man behind “ …