LISTEN TO THE AUDIO INTERVIEW:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Photo by Leonard Smith
After 25 years as a working musician, mother and now grandmother, Dorothy Holford picked up a camera at age fifty, and fell in love with it. An avid outdoors woman hiker and college student; she and her life-partner, Leonard Smith often document events for several campus depts., including the Euphrat Museum of Art. Dorothy and Leonard are docents for the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority and have a passion for sharing nature, history and ecosystems with others; especially underserved communities. It was compassion for all living things that led the couple to incorporate nature photography tours in their list of services.
Today we discuss building relationships in your area with local businesses, working with the gear that you have, and getting your photos as close to correct as possible in camera.
I want to give a huge thank you to Dorothy for taking the time to chat with us! I consider myself as much a student as the listening audience, and appreciate her sharing her extensive knowledge.
“Allow the viewer to interpret your photos in several different ways…and connect their own story to it.” -Dorothy Holmes
Top 3 Tips From the Interview:
1. Build relationships in your area.
Get out and meet local businesses in your area that share your target audience. Provide them a service they need. This can help you get new assignments and projects in the future. Nurturing relationships is a great way to help your business grow.
2. Work with what you have.
This applies to your photography gear, as well as your subject matter. Start practicing with what you have. Only have a cell phone? Start learning with that. Don’t have any gigs lined up yet? Get out in your local area and use your surroundings as your subject matter.
3. Get it right in camera.
While it’s easy to rely on editing software to fix issues with your photos, try to get your image as correct as possible in your camera. This will help you learn the basics, and will also reduce your workload once you get to the post-processing stage.
Dorothy Can Be Found At:
» Kwmartsandtours.com: Dorothy’s photography website.
» Jagthedoc.com: Check out Dorothy’s documentary about Joyce Ann Gaines, the catalyst for the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles.
Dorothy’s Recommended Resources
» PhotoExtremist.com: Take your photography to a whole new level
» Lynda.com: Online courses
» PictureCorrect.com: Photography tips and techniques.
» EarthSky.com: For you nature photographers who want to stay updated on earth, space, and the world.