Black and white image of Blacktail Ponds with the Teton Mountains in the background. Grand Teton National Park, WY

I recently returned from the Jackson Hole Arts festival and told my wife that if there was one place in the world I could have a second home, it would be Jackson Hole. It is insanely gorgeous and classic in an American West sort of way. Sure it gets clogged with tourists like you and me, but it still feels wild to some degree.

What really brings me back again and again, however, is Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons rise thousands of feet from the valley floor, piercing the sky with their jagged peaks. They look different from every angle, and it’s amazing how they take on a different character as you drive from one end of the park to the other.

I decided to spend a morning at Blacktail Ponds–a place I had not yet shot from. It was gorgeous and serene, and it felt good to be away from some of the iconic locations that find you tripod to tripod with other shooters.

By this time in the morning, the color in the clouds had become more vanilla, and less strawberry. The contrast in the scene made for a great BW conversion, and I think what you lose in color, you gain in depth.

The one thing that resonates with me about this image is one concept we often overlook. That concept is balance. Most of us know when an image just doesn’t feel right. Sometimes it’s hard to put a finger on…and most often times, it probably means your image is out of balance.

So, what to do? Check the parts of your image that draw the most attention–these are the building blocks of your image. In this image, there are four elements that really define the subject matter: grass, water, mountains and clouds. Of these four, the mountains and water(reflection) draw the most attention while the clouds and grass make for adequate secondary subjects.

You’ll notice how the mountains and reflection overlap to a degree, but for the most part, they have been placed in opposing corners. Additionally, they have been placed in opposing horizontal thirds, with adequate space both above and below them. And what fills that space? Grass and clouds–our secondary subject matter. I’m filling every inch of the frame with stuff that matters, and making sure to exclude everything else.

Proper balance is a matter of both choosing what to include as well as where to include it. It’s a concept that becomes more intuitive with every time you go out and shoot. So, go and shoot–and find that balance!

Commercial imagery photographed for Park City Mountain Resort by AdamBarkerPhotography

I imagine there are many photographers out there who have either turned this corner, or are currently wondering how in the world they will make a legitimate living off an art that has a depreciating perception among most (”I have a camera. I could shoot that”), and an appreciating level of supply (so many amateur photographers producing “adequate” imagery). I’d like to share a couple of things I’ve gleaned in my short time as a photographer IN BUSINESS.

1. Find clients that match your interests and style of shooting. It’s easy to lose the strategic blinders and be pulled in any number of infinite client-based directions. I could shoot this and make a killing, or I could shoot that and do just fine. Or I could even try and start to shoot something like so and so and there’s no doubt I would be filthy rich like those guys. The problem? You’re a climbing photographer trying to shoot dog shows. Or a wedding photographer trying to shoot slacklining. Don’t spend your time trying to match what you shoot, or your style of shooting to potential clients. It never works. Instead, search out clients whose branding, product and general message fit who you are and what you’re able to produce as a photographer. Sure, it may require some fine tuning and tweaking to how and what you shoot, but the message here is that you shouldn’t be reinventing your own creative wheel.

Commercialy imagery photographed for Volkswagen of America by AdamBarkerPhotography

The clients you want to work with are the ones that recognize your own unique ability to produce imagery in line with their own professional exploits. For those of you who are married, think of how many dates you went on before finding your spouse. My guess is it was no small number. For those of you who are single, think about how many crappy dates you’ve been on trying to make yourself into something you’re not so “the hotness” you’re spending time with will reciprocate that generous stream of thought. For those of you who neither married nor dating, I’ll think of another analogy some time soon enough. In the meantime, maybe you should thing about getting out a bit more…

2. Learn the biz. The hardest part of making a living as a photographer is not clicking the shutter. It’s negotiating rates and usage. It’s finding clients who can pay for imagery. It’s sending invoices, and following up–again. And again. And again. It’s understanding when to bend the rules, and when to say “thanks, but no thanks”. It’s understanding when there’s more on the line than just a creative fee and sum total. The hardest part of making a living as a photographer is a crazy combination of suppressing your creative free spirit at times, putting on the proverbial suit and tie and literally, getting down to business. Read blogs. Read books. Ask questions. Make mistakes, and learn from them. Understand what it is you can offer a client, and make that very well known. Make it valuable, and make it sexy. Make sure they know that there may be someone else out there with an index finger, but there’s NO ONE ELSE that can think, see and capture like you can. And then, charge them appropriately. Stick to your guns. Have a plan B, C and D for your client if they are unable to afford plan A. Be willing to do whatever you must to work with them, but know that if you undercut yourself or the industry in which you hope to one day be a prominent figure, you are essentially digging your own professional grave. I know much of this is a gray area, and it will only become more clear with experience. Nobody learns the business of photography overnight.

Commercial imagery photographed for Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort by AdamBarkerPhotography

3. Self promote. You may or may not be the type of person who likes to toot your own horn. I am loud and obnoxious and sociable. But I’ve always hated the whole “look at me” side of photography. It feels shallow and pompous and self-serving. But that’s just it. If you want to be successful, you MUST serve yourself to some extent. You must make your exploits known, and you must be proud of them. There is a big difference between ego-padding, and legitimate self promotion. Those that recognize the difference will appreciate your willingness to put yourself out there. Those that don’t, frankly, don’t matter. This is your job. This is your life. This is what puts food on the table and diapers on your kids. Your ability to produce meaningful imagery is the best thing that ever happened to whomever is willing to listen, and that’s that.

Commercial imagery photographed for Eagle Point Club by AdamBarkerPhotography

4. Be professional. I’m not talking about producing professional grade imagery. I’m talking about the simple things like being punctual. I’m talking about being reachable and returning emails and phone calls in a prompt manner. I’m talking about treating the client as a customer, and we all know the customer is ALWAYS right. These are the simple parts of running a business that have nothing to do with photography, and everything to do with common tasks that may not make too many waves when done correctly, but can sink you in a heartbeat when forgotten or overlooked.

Commercial imagery photographed for Deer Valley Resort by AdamBarkerPhotography

5. Be confident. This is incredibly important. Let’s break it down: if you are confident in your imagery, then you’re confident in your ability to produce for potential clients. If you’re confident in you’re ability to produce, then you’ll be confident in the rates you charge and why you charge them. If you don’t value your work, who will?  That’s why you’re a professional. If you’re confident in your style, then you’ll spend your precious time searching out clients that are likely to give you the time of day, and ultimately give you an opportunity to work for them. You’ll recognize when a client is simply not the right fit, or if your time is better spent courting someone else.  Confidence is like a freight train–it builds and builds, and in the end, you’ll build enough internal momentum to battle through the harshest of critics and the leanest of months.

Commercial imagery photographed for Loon Outdoors by AdamBarkerPhotography

Each of the images in this post were produced for commercial clients in varying fields. I have been a full-time photographer for less than two years and I have much to learn. But what you see above is what has helped me to get to this point. Each day seems to provide a new learning curve of some sort. Some days, it feels like the top of the world. Other days it feels like rock bottom. In the end, however, I have made a career out of my passion. If that isn’t living the dream, I don’t know what is.

Sunset light in the high country at Devil's Castle, Alta Ski Area, UT

It’s late, and I’ve got photography on the brain (what’s new). So hold on for what’s sure to be a semi-coherent rambling on a topic that has been covered by countless photographers the world over.

I posted this image on a well known photography forum the other day. I regularly try to post on several forums to both participate in photo-centric communities (online) and drive a bit of traffic to my website as well. It’s a great opportunity to see good, and sometimes great work, as well as get a feel from the photo public out there as to what they think of my work. In the end, there’s a lot of back patting, ego padding, armchair quarterbacking, pixel peeping and the occasional solid critique with well thought out criticisms and compliments. It must all be taken with a grain of salt, and, depending on who you are, it may have more effect on some than others, as to what they think of their work, and how they approach new imagery in the future.

Which brings me to a question that every photographer asks themselves over and over throughout the course of their career. Do I care what others think of my work??? To say no would be a bold faced lie. To give an outright “yes” would be misleading. My answer? Yes. Sometimes. Kind of. It depends. Perfectly clear, right???

Let me preface the rest of these thoughts by saying this–no matter where you are in your career and how accomplished you are with your imagery, I think you can ALWAYS benefit from critique. Whether it be positive or negative, it is always well worth it to hear what others think of your work. What you do with that critique really depends on who is giving it. Do I care what the amateur photographer thinks of the work I just submitted to “X” magazine? Probably not. Do I care what the editor of that magazine thinks? You’d better believe it.

Do I care what the editor of “X” magazine thinks of the fine art/scenic work I just did? Maybe. Do I care what the amateur photographer enthusiast with a penchant for photo workshops thinks? Yes I do. Do I care what the editor of “X” magazine and the amateur photographer enthusiast think about the edgy personal work I just did? Actually, yes. Because in the end, everything I put out there reflects my ability to perform behind the lens. It is a reflection of me. My brand. We all have a brand, whether you understand it or not.

The key is this: while I care what others think, I will never, NEVER be able to please everyone. And neither will you. And that’s just how it works. Once you have found your personal style and have become comfortable with that, the criticism will sting less and the truly worthy critiques will shine through. It’s important to give ample attention to what others think of your work. It’s even more important to understand when your personal and creative vision trumps the mainstream minds of…the mainstream.

Care what others think. You have to care to some degree to see success in this business. But we all know that the path most traveled is worn for a reason. There are times when you must leave the comfort of the well trodden path, buck the unfounded criticisms and venture off into your own photo-topia of sorts. I can remember the first portfolio review I ever received. I took my work to one of my professors (I didn’t study photography in college) who was a former photojournalist. I got ripped apart. Torn to shreds. Can’t recall one positive thing said about my work at that time. And I am now so grateful for an honest eye. I cared then, and I care now. But the extent to which I let the critique of others direct my work has changed to some degree. I know what I want, and I know where it will take me. I know my style, and I know what I want to convey when I shoot an image. This will always serve as my internal creative compass. Let’s hope it points me in the right direction!

If you happen to be in the Salt Lake area, please mark your calendars for August 5. We’ll be having a neighborhood open house showcasing some of my latest prints and gifts. See below for details.

What: Join us! For a sneak preview of Adam Barker’s latest and greatest work to be showcased in numerous exhibits this summer. Fine art limited edition prints ranging in size from 12 x 18 to 24 x 36 will be on display and available for purchase and perusal. Adam will be available for questions and conversation all evening. Receive a free matted 5×7 print just for showing up!
When: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 6-9 pm

Where: 2641 Kenwood St. (1730 E.)

We hope to see you there!

Lupine Wildflowers and sunstar at sunset along the Duchesne Ridge, UT

Simply put, last night was a gift. It was amazing. It was perfect. It was everything you could ever want behind the lens bottled up into four minutes of ridiculous organized chaos and color and mosquitos and sore knees and…wonder.

I wondered if I captured “it”. I wondered how “it” could be so overwhelmingly gorgeous. I wondered if anyone else had seen “it”. I was certain no one else had seen it like I had. It was impossible. In fact, it was UNpossible. There was no way that anyone else in the world had witnessed nature in such harmony as I had.

At least, that’s what I was telling myself. And I believed it.

Instinct is what you rely on when logic leaves your brain. And believe me, when you get conditions like this in front of your lens, logic will depart. In a hurry. You’ll be left with the most beautiful scene anyone on this earth has ever laid eyes on, and you’ll be bumbling around like a teenager in a Victoria’s Secret store.

Take a deep breath. And rely on what you have done so many times before. Which brings me to my point–if you haven’t done it “so many times before”, you’ll not have much to fall back on when things hit the fan in a good way.

Practice really does make perfect. And in the end, it is a simple practice of sorts that will capture moments like this for all of time. The more you shoot, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more capable you are of handling whatever happens to present itself in front of your lens. Interestingly enough, we only think of practice coming in handy when things go bad. But what about when things go…good??? When conditions are best for capturing five-star imagery is when you will feel the most pressure to perform. Because there’s no reason you shouldn’t come home with something spectacular. And really, there’s no excuse if you’ve done your homework and have…practiced.

Shot with Canon 5D MkII, 16-35 2.8 II, Singh Ray 4-stop Reverse ND Grad, Gitzo tripod

A hiker backpacks through the Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness Area, UT

If you follow my blog posts, Facebook posts, or have ever been to one of my seminars or workshops, you know that I use the word “dynamic” like nobody’s business. I talk about creating DYNAMIC images to no end.

What does that mean in layman’s terms? Sure it’s a nice word that sounds legit, but what does it mean to create a dynamic image? Let’s examine this image a bit and see what it is about it that makes it dynamic (IMHO–of course).

1. Light. This image sings with life because of the broken light highlighting both the hiker in the FG and distant rolling hills in the BG.

2. Subject. The hiker is dressed in appropriate clothing for the activity, and most importantly, he’s wearing colors (including the backpack) that help him to stand out and draw the viewer’s attention. It was simply good fortune that the colors on him happen to match the colors in his surroundings to a T, but I’ll take it!

3. Composition. By getting low to the ground, I’m able to include another element of color and shadow adding depth and dimension to the overall scene. I always look for areas of contrast within the frame that will carry the viewer through the image. We see that here with a shadow/highlight/shadow/highlight pattern from FG to BG. Additionally, the subject has been placed in one of the thirds intersects of the frame, giving it aesthetic balance and plenty of context for where the hiker is headed.

4. Exposure. I intentionally underexposed this image by a 1/2 stop or so to give it a bit more drama and to make sure and not overexpose the greens in the flowers. Additionally, this underexposure deepens the shadows and emphasizes the contrast between bright and dark areas of the image.

The next time you’re out shooting, write the word “dynamic” on the back of your hand, and give yourself a little reminder!

Shot with Canon 5D, 70-200 2.8IS, Singh Ray LB Warming Polarizer

1) We start in Luang Prabang which been claimed by the UNESCO as “the
best-preserved city in South East Asia”.  During our time here, we shoot
the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai,
then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of
the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset
and the Mekong River–excellent opportunity for sunset and landscape
shots.

2) Still in Luang Prabang, we start with a shoot of the city’s oldest
temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs
sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian
architecture.  We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River,
which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as
well as explore the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with
thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes
left by pilgrims.  This a great opportunity to shoot landscape and people
shots.

3) A morning cruise on Halong Bay for sunrise.  The Bay is a World
Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994, with thousands limestone islets
and offers a great chance for landscape work as we weave between the
limestone islets.

4) Near Sapa we have the terraced paddy fields, small waterfalls and
pinewoods.  This is an awesome location to capture the terraced fields and other
landscape opportunities of this ancient area.

5)  Visit and capture the vitality of the weekly market of the hill tribes
living around Sapa.  The Can Cau market, Bac Ha market or Coc Ly market or
we’ll enjoy the market of Black H’Mong and Dzay people.  This is a
opportunity to capture shots where hundreds of people from the tribes of
the H’Mong, Tay, Dzay, Dzao, Kinh gather for meeting, shopping and
exchanging their goods, especially fabrics and handicrafts weekly.

6) The iconic Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom complex along with the Banteay
Srey Temple which means “Citadel of Women”, made of pink sandstone and
presents the most graceful carvings in stone we might ever see in our
life.

The famous Snake River Overlook in Grand Teton National Park, WY.

Icons–love em’ or hate em’, they are there. Impressive, gorgeous, familiar and…overdone??? There’s a general sentiment among photographers that typically frowns upon showing up to “the same old place” and shooting “the same old photo”. There was a time when I subscribed to this school of thought as well to a degree. But I must say I’ve changed my stance in recent months.

Just because it’s been seen countless times before and photographed by countless photographers, does that make it any less special to the one clicking the shutter? I’d certainly argue it doesn’t. Because for every photographer that sees Snake River Overlook for the first time, it still causes wonder and awe and a desire to showcase it in all its beauty.

I have photographed this location many times before, and just happened to have an evening here once again while teaching a workshop this past weekend in GTNP. There are times when I show up to iconic locations and search desperately for a different take on the “same old”. What I realized this time around, is that sometimes the “same old” is simply the best. Has our idea of beauty changed much in the 50 or so years since Ansel Adams shot from this exact location? Absolutely not. Were I to have been the first set of eyes to this location, I’d like to think I would have captured the same view that we all now know from the dramatic image of Adams. Surely it would have looked different than his, with different light, and different skies, and different…vision. That being said, the location for shooting likely would not have varied much, because there is simply no better view offering the complete experience.

On this particular visit, I was hellbent on finding something different. I spent the better part of a half hour walking the rim above the Snake River Valley as my student set up at “the spot”. Inevitably, I wandered back to the place that I, and so many others had photographed from so many times before. It was, without question, the most complete and satisfactory spot from which to shoot this grand vista. So what if it had been done a million times. So what if I had shot it numerous times to date. Had I shot it at this time? In this light? With those clouds? And this lens? And this frame of mind? No. And once again, I was enthused about creating something special.

Nobody has ever discounted a tennis player’s triumph when winning at Wimbledon on the same grass court, nor has any student ever felt less than satisfied after completing the same difficult math problem tackled by so many before. Regardless of the result or destination, we all do things to arrive there just a bit differently. You’d be hard pressed to find a medium that displays this thought process any better than photography.

Subtle nuances make all the difference in whether an image has impact or not. Just the slightest camera movement will remove a distracting object, or include an instrumental element. Place may be uniform, but vision is entirely unique to the creative mind at work. Don’t shy away from these iconic places. You’d be doing yourself a disservice both as a general observer, and even more so as a photographer. They are gorgeous and fulfilling. If you must, use what you have already seen countless times before as more of an influence and less of a template. In the end, the results may be just slightly different, but the most important part is that it is your image. Your capture. Your masterpiece. What are your thoughts on shooting icons???

This image is the newest addition to my Selenium Series. It will be printed in an extremely limited run of just three prints, and sold at a premium to collectors with a taste for the exceptional. Come check it out at either of the arts festivals I’ll be participating at this summer (Park City Aug. 6-8 or Jackson Hole Aug. 20-22).

Shot with a Canon 5D MkII, 16-35 2.8II, Singh Ray 4-stop Reverse ND Grad, Gitzo Tripod

If he’s a flyfisher, I sure think so!

It’s not too late to order one and get it in your hands for Father’s Day. I have four left in my current inventory. Three 5 x 7 prints are double matted and framed in an elegant dark wood molding, making for an intimate gift for the fly fishing dad in your life. Pricing is $195.00. I’m willing to give the next two orders 10% off, saving an additional $20.00. Please send an email to adam(at)adambarkerphotography.com to order.