As the world battles with COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of measures continue to be put in place to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Common ones have been social distancing, banning public gatherings, and lockdowns. This is a reality for most people around the world and for now, one of the best things you could do is figure out how to still be productive during this pandemic.
If you are a photographer you have probably been hit pretty hard by the lockdown and social distancing measures; you can’t leave your house to go out and do what you love doing most: taking photos. The outside calls to your soul, you yearn to answer the call, explore your world, capture all those memorable moments but you can’t and it sucks.
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But fret not for it is not all doom and gloom because as unlikely as it might seem, working from home can actually work to your advantage. Photography is a vast field and there is so much more to it you could do beyond taking nice photos.
If you are a photographer in Kenya or beyond and you want to learn how you can use the current work from home situation to your advantage, check out this photographer’s guide to working from home.
1. It’s All In The Theory
Like I said before, photography is a vast technical field with numerous disciplines underneath it. During this period, you can look up the best resources online that you can use to learn more about photography. Popular places you could find them include Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, etc.
Not too long ago, for instance, Nikon announced 10 free photography classes for the month of April. Usually, these courses cost between $10 – $50.
Spare some time to also study photography in Nairobi, from best places for photoshoots and marketing strategies you could leverage in your projects to what’s happening in the art industry, like the government deciding to pay local artists.
Learning all the important things you can about photography will open your mind to new possibilities that you previously were not aware of. When you finally go back outside and practice your craft once more, you will notice a marked improvement in your work
2. Get Technical
As a photographer, you must love your camera because after all, it is your main tool as you practice your craft. But have you ever asked yourself how much you know about your camera? Its ins and outs, its limitations and how to go around them? If the answer is no, then this is the best time to rectify that
You can use your time indoors to learn more about how your camera and how other cameras work. Learning about things like types of lenses and when it would be best to use each of them or how to adjust your camera for different lighting situations can take your skills to the next level.
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3. Fix-It In Post
As much as you are indoors and as a result, you are not able to take new photos, you can still stay occupied and get some work done. I am pretty sure that if you browse your computer storage you will find a backlog of old photos you took and never worked on.
You can use this time to put your post-production skills to work by turning these probably bland photos into gorgeous pieces of art. You can even get creative and turn different elements of these photos into new abstract pieces.
Think about it, the sky is the limit when it comes to post-production, so why not use your time indoors to come up with interesting photos for your portfolio?
4. Get Down With Software
You might be a great photographer but if you are not adept at using any production or editing software, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Taking photos is just a small part of the process; color grading, retouching and compositing are just some of the things you need to do to your photos to make them juicier.
Image Courtesy; Leica Rumors
Since most editing software offers you the tools to do all these things with relative ease, you can see why not taking advantage of these possibilities could actually hurt your work. You can use your time indoors to learn how an editing software of your choice works and explore its limitations. Most of them offer a free trial period on their website and some are even free of charge.
Conclusion
As you take the time to better yourself as a photographer or videographer, just like all of us at Clinet media are doing, remember to follow all the safety measures in place to curb the spread of coronavirus. Wash your hands, practice social distancing and be at home as much as you can. Stay safe
