Evolution of the amateur photographer

[big_apple_ken]

So I'm a total amateur just trying to improve my craft and I'm actively recruiting subjects to practice with on a weekly basis. I really like people photography a lot. I started to talk to potential subjects about conceptualizing more creative shoots and I was curious how to really pull that off without a MUA, stylist and proper wardrobe. For the more experienced photos how exactly did you guys go about this?

[Vascilli]

Connections I guess.

Oh and luck never hurt either. Unless it was the bad kind.

[big_apple_ken]

I was thinking more along the lines of contacting MUA/stylists through Craigslist or Model Mayhem for trade. Is that how everyone starts out? How about creating dramatic looking photos (besides the run of the mill headshot/portraits) on a budget?

[Brian Austin]

In my opinion, there are three ways to do this:

1. Fast and easy: pay for it. Everything. Hire quality models that get spruced up by pro MUAs. Both make you look GOOD unless you're just a lousy shooter...and even that takes effort.

2. Fast and lousy: take everything you can get, whenever it's available. Warm bodies are all you need. The rest is a bonus.

3. Slow and hard: search for quality models and MUAs and beg them to shoot TFCD with you. Eventually, even a blind squirrel finds a nut. It works...but it takes a LOT of effort.

Being the lazy type, I'm not into effort so I went with #1. :)

[leninglass]

I tend to get models through friends and myspace! =) Talk to people and ask if they got any hot friends and just model for the hell of it. Creativity will come naturally