Rylan Perry

My photographer this week actually incorporates my “fear” in photography. He is more of a portrait photographer than anything but it is obvious that is not all he is capable of. He does a lot of nude photography that is graphic but it is tastefully done. I see his subjects nudity last when looking at his work. His photographs are well exposed and he seems to challenge the rules of photography. His subjects’ all seem to have a serenity and mystery within their expression or pose. He plays with light and his work over all has this hazy, late late afternoon feel about them. His photos have an almost vintage feel to them. He seems to take a lot of his photographs at dusk while the sun is descending. He definitely inspires me to conquer my own apprehension in nude photography.

10 Rules to a good photograph

1. I think a good photograph comes from the environment and the state of the photographer. The photographer should minimize all distractions. If a photographer puts all of his/her attention into individual photographs it will be a successful experience.

2. Going into a photographing, I think that you should have a concept for the shoot. My most successful photographs have come out of a conceptual shoots rather than wandering around looking for a photo.

3. I think a good photograph is of something that no one really thinks about in a location. Find emotion in each location you shoot. Emotions are not just happy and sad but also think of words like uneasy or awkward . Be purposeful.

4. Expose your photos correctly. I do not mind a darker photo because it can convey more detail but an overblown photograph has no detail to it, can look like a snapshot and even when edited you can only get limited detail. Try your hardest to get it done in camera.

5. Beware of the snapshot. I think it is good to continuously shoot but don’t remember to have be conceptual. It is better to choose from a group of well-exposed and detailed photos rather than choose from the photos that you “got lucky” with.

6. ISO is SO important. If you can, shoot below 800 to get a good quality shot. Adjust shutter speed and aperture to help with lighting.

7. Clichés are boring, overdone and uninspiring. For example, Tree photography; if you are going to take a photo of a tree examine it from all angles.

8. Don’t be afraid to look stupid, you won’t regret it if you get a good photograph. Crouch low, bring a ladder, and get on your back. Experiment.

9. To be honest the rules of photography are just guidelines, I think breaking those rules is what photography is all about.

10. Never copy an artist but use other artist, photographers, and people as inspiration. Keep up on your peers and other photographers. You will explore so many other types of angles, exposures and ideas. Learning about new artists never hurt.

Photograph I have always wanted to take but was too afraid to take

I don’t think I am necessarily afraid to take any photographs. I think that something that could be intimidating and a new experience for me would be nude photography. I am not necessarily scared to shoot it but it would be a more intimate type of photography, which would put me in a different comfort zone. I have not had the opportunity to shoot nude models because frankly I have never asked anyone to pose for me. I think that the nudity in photography can be too cliché and used as shock value. I think that it is a intimidating subject matter because I don’t want to just photograph a naked person. If I were to photograph someone nude I would want it to be original and my own.