Three Things I Didn't Know I Didn't Know

From Santa Fe’s Ultimate Photography Workshop Attendees
When I read through the list of things each attendee sent me from Santa Fe, I found a few themes visited again and again. With those in mind, I’ve pulled out just a few comments here and included my advice for shooting for a magazine as well as some additional resources you’ll find useful…
** From Gerald W. D. on vertical vs. horizontal and adding people:
“We are so used to taking pictures horizontally, I learned that, if we just turn the camera it could make a major difference.  I also learned that adding people to the photo makes a positive difference.  I used to wait for the people to move out of the way so I could take a picture.”
It’s true.  As our experts always say, if you flip through the pages of any travel magazine you’ll notice that the majority of the photos inside (and on the cover) include people.  And most are vertical.  Your initial instinct may be to hold the camera up to your eye and shoot.  But if you can train yourself to also turn the camera on its side and get a vertical photograph for every horizontal shot, you’ll soon start to notice which pictures are better as verticals and which are better as horizontals.
** From Jackie M. on composition:
“I didn’t know what made up composition in a picture. I could look at a picture and like it, but not know why. Now I start critiquing pictures to look for those things.”
Composition is something we spend a lot of time on at our photography workshops and it’s something you should be thinking about each and every time you go out to take pictures.  Review these issues in our archives before your next shoot and get a leg up on your competition:
>> Simple, Easy-to-Use Tricks to Improve Your Photographs
>> Don’t Just Cut… Chop
>> How to Use Lines to Improve Your Photos Fast
** From Quincy Q. on model releases:
“I didn’t know that photographs shot of people in public places that are news worthy and used for editorial don’t require a model release form.”
That’s right.  Editorial shots don’t require a model release.  Stock shots don’t either if the person in the photograph isn’t identifiable.  See this article.
** From Jackie M. on our workshops:
“I had absolutely no idea how to even start to get my photos out there, and now I have a starting place. Mainly because I knew I didn’t know what really makes for a great photo. I just had the desire and love of photography, but not the education. Now I have many directions to choose from, and that makes me feel confident that I will find what is best for me.” – Jackie M.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.  Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]