Making the transition from amateur to professional photographer can be a challenging process, but with the right mindset and approach, it is definitely achievable. Here are some tips to help you make the transition: 1. Invest in High Quality Equipment Professional-grade cameras and lenses can make a big difference in the quality of your photos. They are designed to deliver high-resolution images with accurate colors and sharpness. However, it’s important to note that expensive equipment alone won’t make you a professional photographer, but it will give you the tools to produce high-quality ima ..read more

Creating images on bright, sunny days is challenging. When there is not a cloud in the sky, it’s ideal for going to the beach, but not perfect for photography. I like to meet this challenge and concentrate on creating different images on clear sunny days. How to Create Images Like This One? Key to an image like this is waiting until the sun has moved from directly overhead to where it lights your subject from the side. This image was taken in the late afternoon on a sunny winter day. My earlier images were dominated by high contrast between light and shadow with the bright sun directly overhe ..read more

Shooting the FIBA World Cup qualifying series at John Cain Arena, Melbourne, Australia was a lot of fun. It was high quality basketball with big crowds. Here are some observations from shooting international basketball. What was the Assignment This assignment was through my business, Melbourne Sports Photography. It involved shooting the games for an international photo agency, and transmitting images to them during the game. I photograph a lot of basketball but it was unique to be shooting international teams with multiple games across 5 days. Observation 1 – The Higher the Standard, the Bett ..read more

I’m returning to Beyond Here having been so busy in my sports photography business over the last 4 months that there hasn’t been time for much else. What a welcome change from the last 2 years where coronavirus restrictions were a major impact. And ironically, right at the moment, I’m writing this while in covid isolation! What to write about? Given my sports focus it seems right to share plenty of tips for action sports photography. Tip 1 – Moments of Crazy Action There are times in sports games when there is so much crazy action it is too much to take in. This is a time to be shooting heavil ..read more

Summer is a super time for shooting outdoor sports and capturing action. Lots of people are enjoying the warm weather, getting exercise, and enjoying social time. Here are some tips for photographing tennis. Tip #1 – Making use of Different Light Conditions In this post I am including images shot in very different lighting conditions – day, evening / twilight, and night. All offer great opportunities to shoot different styles of images. Daytime images will typically offer the brightest lighting conditions Day time images will usually offer the brightest light and will make capturing fast actio ..read more

On a recent shoot, a client shared that her friend had lost all her wedding photos as the photographer had a problem with the memory card. A nightmare scenario for both the bride and the photographer! What a nice reminder to shoot to two cards. Most readers of Beyond Here are professional or semi professional photographers. I hope that for many this is a piece of advice that you don’t need as you routinely shoot to two cards. Canon camera with card slots for CF and SD cardsOlder Digital Cameras Only Have One Card Slot In early generations of digital cameras, the camera typically only has one c ..read more

Here in Melbourne, Australia we are coming out of covid lockdown number 6. Vaccination rates are increasing and it looks like the economy will re-open fully. Photography business opportunities will vary and in the short term it is important to fish where the fish are. What Do You Mean ‘Fish Where the Fish Are’? The economy is opening at different rates with some things bouncing back immediately and others taking time. A good example is sports, and my business is in sports photography. Community sport is beginning with training and a shortened summer season. It will be a little while until comp ..read more

This week I have had an outstanding customer service experience. Let me give you the context, explain what happened, and consider lessons for photography businesses. Context Here in Melbourne, Australia the state government has taken a conservative approach to the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Lock downs’ are the tool of choice to contain and eliminate the virus. We are currently in our sixth lock down. During this time I have started cycling. It’s a terrific way to keep fit, lose weight, and to enjoy the 2 hours of exercise time allowable each day. I have been cycling during Melbourne’s pandemic lo ..read more

Last month I was the guest speaker at the Maroondah Photographic Society meeting. It was fun to share images and talk about ‘action photography’. I particularly enjoyed the discussion and the questions, and while I was the presenter, I also learned a lot. Here are 5 Lessons from Speaking to a Local Camera Club. Lesson 1 – It’s Fun to Talk with Other Photographers My first lesson was more of a reminder than a lesson, and that is – it is fun to talk to other photographers. We share a passion for creating images, and I really enjoyed sharing images and talking with this group. While I mainly sho ..read more

Here in Melbourne, Australia we are in Covid lock down number 4, giving me plenty of time to reconnect with my love-hate relationship with this blog! Prior to lock down it has been a super busy time shooting basketball, football, tennis and hockey. Through the local basketball club I have made a connection with another sports photographer who is looking for some advice on shooting basketball. Check out this post 5 Tips for Photographing Basketball. Below are more tips for photographing basketball. Tip #1 – Include the Ball in Your Shot Basketball – like most ball sports – revolves around the b ..read more