How Photographers can Improve their Skills during the Coronavirus!

The Coronavirus remains a serious issue and continues to affect photographers everywhere. Many are not working right now and for professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts we may not be out there and shooting like we used to.

Could all this downtime result in a creative plateau, or could our business just plummet to depths too low to recover from?

When we shoot we improve our skills; we spend time figuring out angles, lighting, posing, even how to edit better. 

How can we still improve our skills during this time of social distancing?

How can we “get out there” being stuck at home? 

We can GET ONLINE!

Here are 5 different ways you can improve your skills online during the Coronavirus!

1. YouTube

YouTube is an amazing place for educational videos, tutorials and articles. You can find videos that cover lighting, photography techniques, editing and even the business side of photography. 

A few I follow ;

• Jessica Kobeissi who is a talented fashion photographer shares not only valuable tips but also life experiences that shaped her career;
• Robert Hall has got loads of helpful tips if you want to learn about equipment or get an honest review on gear before making a purchase;
• Manny Ortiz shows you all the details of the what, why and how, he shoots on location so you learn so much and it helps that he is totally relatable;
• John Gress who has worked with the NFL, speaks at national photo conferences and is renowned for having the best lighting knowledge going.

Earlier this year I took a workshop in LA with John Gress. It was an absolute game-changer. In the future, go and attend one of his workshops; you won’t regret it! 

One annoyance with YouTube that can’t be ignored is that finding the best videos can be a hassle. Has this happened to you?

You come across what looks like a great editing video ‘YES!’ 

Something is off, the techniques are not up to par “WHAT?’

Wait just a min, the version of photoshop they’re using seems outdated ‘OOPS’

But then there it is, you finally notice the video is from 2005, ‘BOO!’

Nonetheless, the beauty of YouTube is that there ARE SO MANY creators that are willing to share their knowledge. Check out my recommendations above to help narrow your search, YouTube is still an obvious first step to refining your skills...don’t forget it’s FREE!

2. Fstoppers.com

These guys create amazing content on YouTube but they also do a lot of paid-for content on their website. You can download pretty extensive videos that are jam-packed full of information!

I purchased a video called “Perfecting the Headshot” from 2018 which features Peter Hurley and the depth and level of detail in that series of videos was amazing!

Learning how to communicate with clients effectively, how to improve your retouching, how to get that perfect “look”. With more than 10 hours of instruction, even if you don’t have fancy expensive lights you will be shooting better almost immediately.

If you like a deal, right now they are offering 30% off all videos and up to 60% off multiple videos when you purchase 3 or 4 together. It may not be cheap but the investment is totally worth it. 

3. Headshot Crew

Peter Hurley’s Headshot Crew is an online community of over 15,000 photographers from all over the world. It’s a fantastic place for education, feedback, and critique. Who of us doesn’t need a little feedback?

Getting specific feedback from some of the world's leading headshot photographers definitely helped me up my game. 

Keep in mind that it’s not free, you will have to opt-in for one subscription in the 3 tiers to get the most out of it which are Silver, Gold and Platinum. With the Gold and Platinum levels, you get to submit your work and get feedback and perhaps become an associate of the Headshot Crew.

You will want to check out the videos that cover the behind the scenes of Peter Hurley’s talks at conferences. And do not miss out on the Squinch! Learn how to make your client look and feel confident and how to make that translate into a better shot. Seriously, I cannot say enough about it, it has made a massive impact on my business! The coaching from Peter Hurley and other mentors is next level!

I have been a part of the Headshot Crew for almost 1 year. You can see the difference in my Headshots below from 3 years ago to now!

4. Adobe Tutorials

Where better to learn about Adobe products than from the guys that made them?

Oh, and free videos are always a nice added touch, thanks Adobe! 

I noticed two different levels of instructional videos beginner and experienced.

On an easier level, photoshop users can learn things like how to resize an image. 

On the more advanced level, users can get into techniques for something like selecting hair when making a clipping mask.

You can check out the Photoshop tutorials here: https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/photoshop/tutorials.html

For a headshot/ portrait photographer like myself, it’s all music to my ears. 

No matter what you shoot there is no doubt Adobe tutorials have something for all types of photographers at every level. 

Matti Haapoja is not only a well known YouTuber but also teaches on Skillshare

5. Skillshare

When I hear Skillshare I think of qualified instructors and high-quality videos.

Skillshare is easy to navigate so you can tap into the subject that suits your needs quickly.

Forget weeding through videos from a previous version of Photoshop, as they keep the most up to date videos easy to find.

I am excited to see how Skillshare can help me with my YouTube channel and improve my editing. If you want to build your business, work on illustrating, have an interest in lifestyle or even make your Instagram pop, try Skillshare.

You are gonna love this part...right now they are offering 2 months for free!

We are all pinching pennies right now so this is one of the best places to go to sharpen your skills without breaking the bank.

No doubt as we do our part to flatten the curve we are all facing the very real challenge of not getting to shoot the way we would like to.

Why not spend a little time online and help yourself by working on your craft. I am positive these 5 sites will help any photographer refine their skills during isolation.

Co-Written by Joanna Welch