Reflections on 2011 (Part 2): Lessons Learned This Year

Hi Again -

As the end of 2011 approaches today, I find it only fitting to end my 2 part reflection blogs with the lessons I have learned this year in both photography and life.

They are as follows:
1. Have confidence.  Have confidence in everything that you do, even if you are nervous or unsure of yourself.  In photography, exuding confidence shows both you and the subjects you are shooting that you know what you are doing and puts everyone at ease.  Remember though confidence does not equal cockiness.

2. Be assertive.  Allow people to give feedback and direction, however ultimately you are in control - of yourself, of your photo shoot.  Do not mistake assertive for bitchiness however.  This is a lesson relevant to all areas of life.

3. Take risks.  So many of my best photos have been because I took risks.  Looked from different angles.  Maybe leaned a little too far off that cliff (just don't be reckless).  Take risks in exploring different forms of photography - of going outside your comfort zone.  If you're a nature photographer, try some photojournalism shots.  If you are a wedding photographer, take a step into nature.  You may be surprised at what you find.

4. Be patient.  I talked a lot about this in my blog post about photographing nature, but I think it is more pervasive throughout photography and life.  Be patient with your subjects.  Be patient with your surroundings.  It's okay to take 300 pictures and only find 3 you like.  My father always taught me that for every roll of film you shoot you should find 1-2 pictures you like.  I keep that rule in mind as I use digital.  For every 360 photos I take there may be only 36 photos that I truly think are worth keeping and personally, I think that's okay.  (Wedding photographers may disagree... but I'm not a wedding photographer :) )

5. Take care of your gear.  Jamming your expensive camera and lenses that you saved up for for over a year into your purse does no good for anyone.  Yes, you may look like a tourist carrying your bag around with you, but hey, that's okay!  If that's not an option just remember to treat your gear kindly - it is your friend.

6. Finally, have fun!  When something you enjoy starts feeling tedious or like work, then you need to take a step back and look at why.  Everything you do has a chance for burnout.  Personally, this is why photography is something I do on the side and leave the burnout for my full time career.

I hope these lessons that I have learned in 2011 are helpful to others as well - whether you are just starting out or if it's just a reminder to those who have been photographers for years.

Have a Happy New Year!  Stay Safe.  Check back tomorrow for the first blog post of 2012 where I detail some new gear I got this holiday season, how I intend to use it, and feedback from those of you out there who have used these new attachments and have tips.

Signing of for 2011 #A. L. Kohlmann

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Also, Please visit my FlickR feed to the right and my website.  Thanks for your support!

2011 Reflections: Working With Human Subjects is Really Difficult....

Happy Holidays everyone!

As we approach the new year I thought I'd do a series of blog posts looking back at 2011 and some of the valuable photography lessons and tips I learned over the year.  With it only being about 2 years since I finally gave into the DSLR from my film SLR, I find that every time I take out my camera I learn something new.

My most recent lesson is... that working with human subjects is really quite difficult!

Back in college I had the opportunity to photograph a wedding.  I had a color film camera and did not have an opportunity to look at where I would be taking photos ahead of time - not that it mattered since I didn't have the proper equipment anyway.  My ceremony photos were dark and grainy because I didn't have a strong enough flash.  My posed photos were much better and in the end I was quite proud of them, but there was plenty room for improvement.  At the reception I didn't know what should be photographed or how long to stay and again had grainy, dark photos.  After this experience I figured I would stick to what I did best - at that time industrial photography.  Since then, my interaction with human subjects has been very limited.  If you take a look at my website you will see that none of my photography includes people.

This year I did two photo shoots involving people.  The first was an outdoor shoot with a good friend of mine.  I had already met her family numerous times and I was very familiar with the park we were shooting at.  What I was not familiar with was a 3 year old and 11/2 year old twins running around that park not giving me any mind with my camera.  While this made for some truly beautiful and candid shots, it also made for some struggles getting those children to stand/sit/just be still for more than 5 seconds.  After this shoot I could barely walk from all the crouching and kneeling I did that day.  Basically I not only realized how difficult it is to keep track of children, especially in open spaces to photograph them, but that I am somewhat out of shape.

Then, last week, I was afforded the opportunity to do a four generation shoot.  Now I was working with adults (and a very small baby). I figured this would be much easier since they would listen to verbal instruction.  Not the case!  One thing I learned from this shoot.... it's hard to get 3 grown men to look forward and SMILE at the same time.

In the end these were excellent learning opportunities and I wouldn't trade them for the world.  The people who commissioned the photos seemed pleased with them and ultimately that is my goal - to bring joy to people through my photography.  It helped me realize however how much work I have left to do and how very much there is to learn.

Thanks for reading.... stay tuned for more reflections on the year...

Baby It's Cold Outside! Photography in the Winter...

Brrrr..... It's cold outside!

It's beginning to seem that the Midwest is a having issues with its seasons.  Warm temperatures went well into fall and unfortunately the beautiful color suffered, and then, overnight, it was winter!  While the temperatures have been well below freezing for a while now, my area only recently saw its first snowfall.  After sitting in my apartment, bundled up in front of the space heater, the last thing on my mind was winter photography.  Then, like a little light bulb coming on, it dawned on me - I rarely think about winter photography!

Why is that?

I can explain exactly why.  The thought of going outside in the freezing cold, fumbling with my camera, slipping around on the ice, terrified of dropping all my equipment, was paralyzing - not to mention the potential damage it could do to my camera itself.  I took a few minutes to peruse some more recent years of photography and came across only a few winter photos - mainly ones taken from car windows or 3 seasons rooms where I could remain warm - and honestly, I think this is a shame.  Winter is a beautiful season that deserves the same attention that we seem to give to summer and fall.

With that said, I am making a pledge to attempt to take more photos this winter and do this season its well deserved justice.  Hold me to that - please!

In the mean time, enjoy some old attempts at winter above and to the right.  Then, visit the New York Institute of Photography's website and read their article about

Digital Photography Tips - Winter Photography

So, with the winter spirit in mind, A.L. Kohlmann Imagery is wishing you all a Happy Holidays and Happy Photographing!

#A.L. Kohlmann   -   Follow @alkohlmannphoto

***Don't forget - the holidays are coming and most prints are in stock for immediate shipping.  If you are interested in any photos on my website or FlickR feed, please fill out the contact form on my webpage and I will be in touch!  www.alkohlmannimagery.com***