My personal take on the Crew during this time
As I sit here with limited human interaction, other than my family (really just wife now - kids grown and out), I realize how thankful I am to have a group of people to interact with, albeit only online, that share common interests and goals. With photography being both a profession and hobby, it’s nice to know that I can reach out to someone to ask a question or get an opinion. Through the Crew, like many of you, I’ve also made some individual Crew friends that I regularly communicate with as well.
While April will make two years that I’ve been in the Crew, and maybe that’s a short time compared to some others, the amount I’ve learned about creating really great headshots (even though it’s a never-ending journey) has been truly astonishing. While I’ve been shooting for 30+ years, I have to say, I never thought I’d be shooting things that ‘move and breathe’ and actually make money at it - well until now, but this too shall pass.
So to all the new folks here, while you may think you’ve chosen a bad time (through no fault of your own) to join the Crew, or for prospective members that might be reading this on Facebook, fear not! This is a great time, perhaps the best time, to be part of the Crew and to join the Crew if you’ve been on the fence about membership!
8 Comments
That last bit is crucial. Now is a GREAT time to join the crew. This is the time where you can slow down and *really* examine your work (the work of others as well!) , watch all the videos, and set yourself up for success when the world finds its new normal.
If all your gear is trapped in a studio somewhere, find a window and a mirror and just start making funny faces. Look at how the light interacts with every part of your face. Look where shadows are created, where you create lines when you move your head a certain way. All of this will help you the next time you get another human in front of the camera.
i.e. learn to see the light. Great points, Rich!
Great post Patrick and agree with both you and Rich - and want to emphasize the importance of watching the videos as there is a TON of important info there. You can also watch past crew casts and see images critiqued, and train your eye to spot things - and then apply that to your own work. Use family members or yourself, and practice, practice, practice. When you think you’re at a point where you need help/feedback, post here. But do watch the videos first - your learning will accelerate!
There are so many videos to watch -- this is a great time to work your way through them all!! And yes, the past CrewCasts, too. There never seems to be enough time for all that... well, now we have time!
Great post, Patrick!
I really came to appreciate and rely on the Crew during a time when I had to give up much of my life to care for my dad... almost like a quarantine-lite. I couldn't go out and see friends, and I had to cut back on my business... well, I posted a lot about it at the time; many of you have heard this all before. Having the Crew to "hang out with" both at the site and on CrewCasts honestly made a tremendous difference to my mental and emotional state. Then, having had the chance to meet a lot of you in person at Mania 2 -- OMG how lucky are we that we got that in just before all this happened??!! -- I really have a hard time expressing how much it meant/means to me.
You guys are my peers, my mentors, my guides, my gurus, my aspirational figures... and also my friends. Even those who didn't get to Mania, if you're active here, I've gotten a sense of who you are. I feel like I know you a little bit. This is a special place for me.
Thank you, Peter, for creating such a great place, and thank you, all of you here, for being such good buddies. Your support means the world to me.
Is this where we sign up for the 10K free headshots?
There is a form here: https://bit.ly/10000HSC
Thanks. Just signed up.
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