When I switched over to film, I could shoot hundreds of images at no additional cost. I quickly grew custom to taking multiple shots of everything, sometimes before even thinking about the composition and reading the light accurately. All my previous constraints of cost and a finite number of images were lifted. I was shooting uninhibited. I was shooting unstructured. When I only had a defined number of shots, I wanted every single shot to be amazing. When I could photograph thousands of images, I no longer cared for each and every one of them. Images became a commodity and I had a lot of it.

I believe I would have grown much more as a photographer if I had put as much effort into every image as I did when I was photographing on film. I want to go back to the photographer I was when I was a film shooter. I want to appreciate every shot and put 100% effort into every image again. I want to spend time, be careful, and invest myself.

In 2013, I want to be that 15 year old who takes the long way home again.

New Orleans was not on my radar until work took me there this December. The trip down to 25C weather was a humid and pleasant break from the flurries of Toronto. I spent the first morning in Lafayette cemetery No. 1. I've always liked photographing cemeteries -  I actually used to live by a cemetery and remember shooting in it often. I like the way the light sets on the rows of tombs, and the feeling of solitude.

You can learn a lot of history in cemeteries. Did you know that rocks placed on top of the tombs mean family has recently visited? Or that there was actually a place called the Society fo Destitute Orphan Boys in New Orleans? Nostalgia washed over I strolled through rows of tombs. It's somewhat daunting standing on the same grounds that people have walked on hundreds of years before. And it got me thinking, what would the world look like 100 years from now?

This year, I arrived at country 30 on my travel list, returned to remote parts of China as part of my long-term fascination with my birth country, and moved to Toronto Canada. As I wrap up another exciting year traveling and photographing amazing destinations around the world, I wanted to share my top 12 travel and photo experiences from 2012. Here's to another year of photographing the world!

1. Fjords, Norway

In June 2012, I spent 10 days in Norway, road tripping through the entire country from Oslo to Bergen and stopping midway in the Fjords. It was such a stunning sight that I couldn’t tear myself away. This experience tops my list and I highly recommend the fjords to anybody considering a trip to Scandinavia.

2. Cuba

I have been dying to  visit Cuba ever since I saw Dirty Dancing Havana Nights. I finally realized that dream in March when I got to spend a week on the Caribbean island. I got to swim around in a cave, go snorkeling with beautiful tropical fish, and fall in love with Havana. In particular, I was struck by the juxtaposition of poverty and pure happiness and joy in Cuba.

3. The Great Wall, China

While I am no stranger to hiking the Great Wall of China, I can’t recall a time when I arrived at the Great Wall to find less than hundred other people there. Even though my plan to avoid other visitors called for waking up at 6am, it was my favourite visit to the Great Wall. The silence in the mountains and the cool breeze of the early morning was perfect for reflecting on the magnificence of this World Wonder.

4. Los Angeles, USA

In January 2012, I embarked on a small road trip with my mother. We drove down the coast of California through Malibu, LA, and all the way down to San Diego. I remember sitting in the car as we drove through Sunset Boulevard, the sky was turned pink and orange from the sunset and I snapped this picture from the passenger seat of the car.

5. Jostedalsbreen, Norway

2012 marked my first time on a glacier, the largest glacier on continental Europe in fact. My 4 hour hike on Jostedalsbreen - Jostedal glacier - gave me a new perspective on mother nature, adventure, and, best of all, beautiful Norway.

6. Musuo Tribe, China

A long time ago, a friend of mine told me about a matriarchal tribe in southern China. It is said that this is the last matriarchal society left in the world. I visited the tribe this summer and I couldn’t believe the stunning settlement they live in, nor the the intriguing family life they lead. This is one of the first times in my travels that I have come across a culture so vastly different from the rest of the world I’ve seen.

7. Copenhagen, Denmark

8. Napa Valley, California, USA

9. Tallinn, Estonia

Unlike a lot of other places on this list, Tallinn wasn’t on my radar originally. But at Alex’s request for me to stop by his birth country, I visited Estonia. The capital combined elements of medieval periods with old Soviet Union. It was an interesting comparison that left me wanting to visit all the other previous Soviet Union countries. 

10. ZhangJiaJie, China

In 2009, a movie about humans invading the Na’vi settlement on the moon Pandora grossed over $370 million dollars in theatres. What most movie goers don’t know is that this animated film was shot in the mountains of China, in a remote national park filled with mountains that - although not floating - stand tall and skinny, filled with greenery. I went to ZhangJiaJie national park to photograph these mountains on my month-long trip in China. I’ve never been more gorgeous mountains than those in ZhangJiaJie. 

11. New Orleans, USA

The city surprised me with its pastel colors, European influences, and fine cuisine. I hadn’t anticipated that I would enjoy my time there as much as I did. For anyone passing through, I highly recommend getting to know the French Quarter and spending some time in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. 

12. Stockholm Royal Palace, Sweden

Whilst in Stockholm, I photographed the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace. I particularly liked the crisp white uniforms of the marching band and was surprised by the large number of visitors attending the ceremony. Watching the guards brought me back to the much larger changing of the guards at Buckingham palace, and back to memories of 2011 when I lived in Europe. 

1. Show what you want to shoot:  Show the type of work you want to be doing in your portfolio, because clients will ask for what they see. Too many photographers show portraits on their site when they want to shoot fashion, then they wonder why they only get portrait clients. Curate a strong body of images that represent what you want to be shooting.

2. Give yourself the dream assignment: If you haven’t had the chance to photograph the type of work you want to be doing, stop waiting for that ideal client or assignment to come along -  give yourself that dream assignment, because nobody else is going to give it to you.



3. Ambition trumps talent: Bad images will not sell, but good technique alone will not build a successful business either. The photographers on creativeLIVE built their businesses on ambition - so many of them taught themselves how to use the camera, learned to market their products, and when they have failed, they started all over again.

4. Fear is okay: We are all afraid of something: failure, success, judgement, rejection. Even the best of the best have those fears. Starting your own business is scary, changing careers is scary - there is comfort in knowing that it’s okay to feel that way.

5. Simplify: Pricing sheets are complicated. Product selection is confusing. The delivery of images take forever. Why do we make doing business so complicated? Keep pricing sheets simple and products straightforward to understand. This will make you and the clients much happier.

6. Limitations only exist in your mind: Many famous photographers started off with very little: little money, no technical knowledge, no industry contacts, and the slightest idea about running a business. They managed to work through all those limitations and get to where they are today. So don’t get stuck with “I don’t have a studio” or “I don’t know any magazine editors”. You’re only holding yourself back with your attitude - open your mind to a world of possibilities.



7. Be niche: Don’t try to appeal to everyone. You don’t need everyone to be your client. Pick a specialization and become very good with it. Why do we think we can do both portrait and fashion photography? The clients are different, as is the product. And a bride would probably rather go to a wedding photographer who specializes in weddings than go to someone who photographs weddings, seniors, and babies.

8. Charge your worth: It is easy to devalue creative services and worst of all, sometimes we devalue our own services. Value your work because images carry value - charge what you know you’re worth.

9. Create an emotion, don’t sell a picture: Selling is difficult and I hate selling. I also happen to hate that word. No matter who the client is, never sell an image. Instead, tell a story, create an experience, stir up an emotion. And you’ll never have to sell anything again.

10. Never stop learning: Even a seasoned photographer can learn something new. So never stop seeking knowledge. And if you need a place of learning to get you started, try creativeLIVE.

The festivities have already begun for one of my favorite times of the year. One of the things I love about the Holidays are the lights. I love seeing the city all lit up at night. I am not much of an night time photographer but I just couldn't resist capturing Toronto adorned in bright colors.

This week, I'm getting ready to go back home to Vancouver for Christmas. I hope you're also in the Holiday mood, wherever you are.

Cheers!

Although I’d seen Joe McNally speak over video many times, this was my first time watching this great photographer in person. The hour-long lecture passed all too quickly. Joe share a series of his photographs, revealing the stories behind each one. The rare look into Joe’s work was fascinating. I also walked away with a deeper understanding of what makes Joe and other great photographers outstanding:

Be The Best

Photoshop and digital photography has made it possible to make really good images without years of intensive training and experience. But listening to Joe talk about how he made his photographs made me realize that those who have great technical foundations still easily stand out from the rest. Joe is especially famous for his superb lighting skills. Sure, other photographers can also light a photograph well with 1, 2, or 3 light sources. But Joe managed to light an entire island - Ellis Island, NY! Now how many photographers can do that!

Be Different

“The world is much seen. What are we striving for? An element of uniqueness.”

Have Vision

It goes without saying that great photographers also embody a creative vision. We are storytellers with imagery as our medium. From Lord of the Ring influenced campaigns for Nikon to a National Geographics story about Light that took him to the top of New York city, Joe really demonstrated his perspective into assignments. He is not afraid to be provocative, to be bold, to add complexity, or simplicity. Although it was not without challenges, to the viewer, Joe also executed his vision perfectly each time. His visions seem to come from a myriad of experiences, hours of research, and rich exposure to different facets of life.

Have No Fear

Some of the best stories from Joe that day were the behind the scenes to the behind the scenes of his photoshoot, like training his body to take g-force in order to do a story with the Blue Angels, or throwing up in his own space suit so he wouldn’t get vomit all over the photoshoot in 0 gravity. Some of my personal favourites were instances when Joe bit the bullet, neglected the dangerous around him, and held out for the image.

All images from Joe McNally unless otherwise stated.