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“I feel God calling me into missions photography …” or “I want to be a humanitarian photographer and would like to meet you,” are two things I am hearing almost weekly now. 

To make this dream a reality is to engage your head and your heart in this journey.

Reasons not to become a humanitarian/missions photographer

1. The field is overcrowded. If you live in a major city like Atlanta you are very much aware of traffic jams.  Another great comparison is going to Universal Studios or Disney World.  You are going to stand in a very long line because this is a very popular job. This field is not just crowded, every day more and more people are wanting and trying to become photographers.

 

5. You have to be outstanding and not average. If you watched American Idol then you have a good comparison to this industry, but the numbers are greater.  Everyone owns a camera and many think they can make great photos. American Idol auditions hundreds of thousands to get it down to 25. If you go back to past seasons not all of those 25 finalists are making a living at it. The odds are similar in photography. There are many great photographers, but they didn’t have the complete package to make it.

6. Everyone owns a camera and can make a photo. Think about this for a while. Why pay you to photograph something when they can take it themselves?

7. 95% of your time you are not making pictures. Even the most successful National Geographic Magazine photographers spend only a fraction of their time shooting. Most of the time you are researching a topic or an organization trying to find ways you can help them achieve their goals.

 

8. It’s not about you. If you want to take pictures because you have an interest in something, well unless an audience is willing to pay you to see your work there is no career for you. The most successful photographers today are not focused on telling a story with their camera–they are focused on connecting the subject with the audience to achieve a goal.

Here are some questions you need to answer

1) Why do you want to be a photographer? If your answer is I like to take pictures and meet people, then keep on doing this as a hobby.  If you want to tell the stories of some people you have met, you still need to keep this a hobby.

Humanitarian and missions photographers are goal focused. When I am photographing an orphan I am wanting to help them find a parent. Some who will see my photos may give money to cover their housing and food until they find a parent and this good, but my goal is to move people’s hearts to take this child in.

My goal is not to tell the orphan’s story. Do you see the difference?

3) What are you doing to be the very best photographer? Organizations that want to achieve their goals are not going to let just anyone photograph for them.  Actually they want to keep most photographers away from their projects.  Many photographers will do more harm than good.  Too many photographers are just trying to build a portfolio rather than help.

I am called to be a photographer

a. Business and marketing – You need to understand how to price your work, how to negotiate with a client and most importantly how to find a client.
b. Psychology – You need to be able to work with a variety of people from all walks of life. You need to be able to get to know people in the most intimate way possible in the shortest time possible, because you will be telling their story as an expert on their life.
c. Photography – You need to know how to make your camera do what will work in any situation. You need to be able to not just capture something, but help capture it in a way that sets the mood as well as captures the moments. To do this you will need to master: Aperture; Shutter Speed; Hot Shoe Flashes; Studio Strobes; Available Light; Composition and much more.

Your friends are giving you Christmas ornaments each year.

It was the night before Christmas, and I was sitting in my recliner by the tree. I looked over to enjoy the season, when it hit me that I am a photographer because I have so many ornaments to remind me.

Somewhere on your Christmas tree, you have Santa with a camera.

I was enjoying my coffee in my Nikon mug, and it tastes so much better when I have logos on it. Not just any logos will do, for it is always Nikon and can never be a Canon. 

You have a picture of Santa in a slide mount.

Also, ornaments remind me how long I have been in this career. I have a slide of Santa from another Christmas Eve.

You have a What The Duck Christmas ornament

Today, a cartoon character helps me laugh—really loudly. What the Duck has given me much glee this year, helping me make light of the moments that used to get me all uptight.

You don’t just have Christmas ornaments, but coffee mugs with cameras or manufacturer logos.

Nikon 24-79mm f/2.8 Coffee Mug. If you have one of these, you have it pretty bad.

Merry Christmas!

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I have updated this from a 2008 blog post with today’s latest cameras. 

Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera $379.95

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Digital Camera $369.95

Fujifilm X10 Digital Camera $599.95

Nikon COOLPIX P7100 Digital Camera $499.95

When I speak to groups, someone usually asks me what camera I use. Next, someone else will ask, “Would I take better pictures if I had a better camera… maybe one like you use?”

The best answer I’ve ever heard to “The Camera Question” came from Joanna Pinneo, a former colleague of mine. Joanna is an outstanding photographer who has worked for Newsweek and National Geographic. Joanna had just shown an audience some of her photographs when a little old lady asked, “If I had a camera like yours would I take better pictures?”

“Probably not,” Joanna said, “you will take the best photos with a camera that is easy for you to use. When you see something you want to photograph, the less you think about the camera, the better your picture will be.”

Joanna pointed out that professional photographers are so familiar with their cameras that using them is second nature, like driving a car. She told the little lady that unless she planned to study photography, she should find a simple camera and then concentrate on the subject of the photograph she wanted to take.

She was right, of course. Most of your best photographs are taken to capture a moment. You’ll miss the moment if you are switching lenses, fidgeting with a flash, or trying to remember how your camera works. By the time everything is set just right, the shot is gone, and the moment has passed.

On the other hand, if you have a point-and-shoot camera, you can just (pardon this) you can just point-and-shoot and capture the moment. You’ll take a better picture precisely because you did NOT have a “better” camera.

Not long ago, I was photographing the keynote speaker at an event in Atlanta. Beside me was Ambassador Andrew Young with his point-and-shoot camera. He was photographing the speaker as well. Later, he showed me his shot, and it was pretty good.

This was not the only time I’d seen him taking pictures. I’ve worked with him on several occasions, once I asked him about his photography. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small point-and-shoot camera. He said he always carried it with him and loved to take pictures and share them with his friends.

Then Ambassador Young laughed. He told me he even pulled it out of his pocket at his daughter’s wedding. He was officiating the wedding, but he still took a photo during the ceremony at the altar.
 

Point-and-shoot cameras are not just for amateurs.

My good friend Dave Black, who shoots for Sports Illustrated, used one for a job. One of the most outstanding qualities of these point-and-shoots is they make no noise. They are so entire that manufacturers have put a speaker in them and created a clicking noise you can turn on or off to let you know when the shutter fires.

PGA rules will not allow a picture to be taken of a professional golfer during their backswing since the noise might distract the golfer. However, Tiger Woods’s caddy Steve Williams had thrown a few cameras into lakes when people fired away during Tiger’s backswing.

When Dave Black showed the editor from Sports Illustrated at the event the photos of Phil Mickelson in his backswing, you can understand why the editor started to quiver and gasp for air. Dave pulled out the little camera and made a picture or two of the editor. When the editor found that he couldn’t even hear the little quiet camera, he began to breathe normally again.

No one had any photos of golfers in their backswing before Dave, so Sports Illustrated ran the photos big made with a bit of point-and-shoot.

Today’s cameras are so much better than before. Take, for example, the point-and-shoot Nikon P7100. 

 

While the hallmark of a pocket camera is the ability to shoot entirely automatically, Nikon knows you want to do more than that with the P7100. That’s why they gave the camera versatile manual controls. There’s even a front command dial, so you’re fully in charge of operating the camera. Other features, such as an ISO of 3200, bracketing options, and even a virtual horizon, ensure you’ll get the shot you want. Of course, choosing four classic exposure modes (P/S/A/M) is essential to this type of shooting. Add those, as mentioned earlier, in-camera special effects and other features like macro capture and HDR setting, and you’ve got one great little camera that puts the joy back into point-and-shoot photography.

Another camera similar to the Nikon P7100 is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. It is equipped with a Leica lens and is similarly priced to the Nikon P7100. Canon G12 and the Fuji X10 are similar as well. All of these cameras shoot JPEGs and RAW.  They also all have missing controls for many of the other point-and-shoot cameras.

Joanna Pinneo said it so well when she said, “You will take the best photos with a camera that is easy for you to use.”

Guess the adage is true after all. I’ll paraphrase: It would be Stupid, not just to Keep It Simple.

I feel like Lucy from Peanuts is writing this blog. Just like Lucy, I am sharing what works for me.

Everyone knows about the holiday blues. Creative professionals can feel them because we are trained to tap into our emotions to create.

Since you are always trying to communicate to audiences on emotional levels, you might find yourself feeling a little bipolar. I know I go through this a great deal.

Here are some things that can trigger these blues:

• Pressure to feel merry – People invite you to parties, and decorations are going up around you. You can get confused when the disparity between what you think others expect you to feel and how you feel. This can be like throwing gasoline on a fire.
• Missing loved ones – This is the time of year we remember our family and friends who are no longer with us. The holidays’ decorations, sounds, and smells are potent triggers for our brains. But, unfortunately, this feeling of loss can spoil even the most extraordinary event.
• Loneliness – If you don’t have a significant other, this can be a challenging time of year.
• Financial Hardship – This is the season of giving, and when you don’t have the finances to give, this can bring depression. You might feel like you are on the outside looking in on the holidays.
• Lack of sunlight – Some people are affected by the lack of daylight. This is a seasonal affective disorder.
• Not much is booked on the calendar – This kind of goes with the financial hardship, but I find this affects me the most.

First, you need to realize you are not the only one who goes through this. Many of us do. Here are some ways I deal with the holidays’ blues and the rest of the year. I can go into a funk and feel depressed.

Jeremy Cowart’s project

• Acknowledge you feel depressed – Sometimes, it is perfectly OK to be bummed out. This is why we appreciate those good times. However, we know life has its ebbs and flows.
• Sunshine helps – Get outside in the sun for about 20 minutes a day. It will release endorphins that can help fight depression.
• Pay it forward – Volunteer in some way to help others. For example, Jeremy Cowart came up with the “Help Portrait Project,” which gives back to those who cannot afford a photograph. I think one of the big reasons it has spread like wildfire is so many photographers seek a way to use their talents, and this helps the photographers as much as those who have a professional photo made.
• Fill your calendar – Put some fun events on your chosen calendar. But, unfortunately, too much time alone will bring you to that familiar depressing spot.

Fill your calendar with fun stuff to do

These are tips you will see many different places. However, the one thing that has helped the most in my life is keeping a journal. Sure my journal has recordings of depressing times in my life, but it also has many good times for me to remember.

Count your Blessings – Even if you don’t have a journal of things to help jog your memory, there are always things to see as positives, no matter how bad it is.

I remember going through the following:

• a divorce;
• being laid off;
• being fired;
• losing family and friends

I also am so very thankful for the following:

• my wife;
• my step-sons and my daughter;
• a lovely home;
• friends;
• my parents;
• my sisters and their families;
• I have jobs and fun on my calendar.

I can honestly tell you that all those blessings have not been enough sometimes for me. The one thing that has sustained me more than anything else has been my God. It is faith that has gotten me through the toughest of times. 

After two days of watching photographers present their work, I was inspired and frustrated. Some presentations were outstanding—thoughtful, well-prepared, and engaging. Others, unfortunately, missed the mark.

For more than twenty years, I’ve helped organize and evaluate photo conferences. Our team often discusses which speakers we’ll invite back. At this recent event, a few of us were in the audience taking notes, not just to learn but to scout. As always, the same issues came up.

Here are some tips I’d give any photographer who’s preparing to speak publicly:

1. Prepare Your Presentation

Don’t wing it. Set aside time to plan what and how you’ll say it carefully.

In the old days, I watched photographers show up with loose slides minutes before presenting. Today, the digital version of that is dumping a folder of images on your desktop and clicking through them with no structure. Organize, edit, and rehearse. Respect your audience’s time.

2. Know Your Goal

What’s the one takeaway you want your audience to leave with?

If you don’t know your core message, your audience won’t either. Boil it down to something that can be shared clearly in your time. Don’t try to cover your entire career—focus on one story, lesson, or insight that genuinely matters.

3. Tell a Story, Not a Resume

Avoid talking too much about yourself or what you plan to do next. Instead, share a real project and what you learned from it.

Maybe it’s the moment you discovered a key storytelling technique, or a mistake you’ll never repeat. Give your audience something authentic and valuable.

4. Give the Audience Something They Don’t Already Know

You were invited to speak because people have already seen your work.

So don’t just replay what’s on your website or portfolio. Add value:

• How did you find the story?
• What obstacles did you face—legal, emotional, or logistical?
• What gear, apps, or workflow choices made the project possible?
• What happened after the story ran?

As Chris Matthews says on his Sunday show, “Tell me something I don’t know.” That’s what keeps people engaged.

5. Use Multimedia Wisely

You’re a visual communicator—so let visuals do the talking.

Show a 2–5 minute edited multimedia piece with audio and narration. Let it tell the story first, then use your speaking time to explain how it came together. Short, well-produced examples are far more effective than a long, unedited slideshow.

6. Don’t Depend on the Internet

Never assume the Wi-Fi will work. Streamed videos that stutter or fail will derail your presentation fast.

Bring everything on your computer, ready to run locally. Better yet, have a backup plan—a jump drive, an external hard drive, or a second computer.

7. Respect the Clock

Going long doesn’t make you essential; it makes you inconsiderate.

If you have 30 minutes, plan for 25 and leave 5 for questions. Running over your time hurts the conference schedule and your reputation. Demonstrating professionalism means finishing strong and on time.

(For conference organizers: don’t hesitate to cut off a speaker who goes over—trust me, the audience will silently thank you.)

8. Plan for Questions

Audience questions are a gift. They clarify your message and show where your content hit home.
Leave at least 5 minutes for this. Often, the best connections happen in that exchange.

9. Know Your Audience

Adjust your talk to who’s in the room. Students, pros, and editors all need different takeaways. The same presentation doesn’t fit every crowd.

10. Practice, Don’t Memorize

Run through your talk several times—out loud. Practice transitions between slides and make sure your visuals align with your points. Don’t memorize word for word; aim to sound conversational and natural.

11. Manage Your Nerves

Even seasoned speakers get nervous. Arrive early, test your setup, and breathe. Once you start, focus on connecting with your audience, not performing for them.

12. Always Have a Backup

Digital gremlins love to appear at showtime.

Keep a full copy of your presentation backed up on:

• A USB flash drive
• An external hard drive
• A cloud folder you can access offline

Final Thought

The best presenters leave their audience wanting more, not wishing it had ended sooner.

Like good storytelling, good speaking is about clarity, connection, and care for your audience. If you apply the same thought and preparation to your talk that you do to your photography, your presentation will shine.

I have three friends I have talked with in the past couple of days who are driving into the seminar today. All of us combined have more than 100+ years of experience, so why go to something like this when you have so much experience?

This years faculty

Some of the workshops intrigued me. For example, I was interested in hearing from Deb Pang Davis on “Branding Strategies & Marketing Yourself.”

While I even teach regularly on this topic, I am interested in how others are seeing the industry and places for growth. With the economy so upside down and my industry taking a major hit these past years, many of the traditional avenues for income are not just down but gone. I hope to hear about how some photographers are remaking themselves and finding income.

I am not interested in copying their path, but how they discovered the new niche may give me insights into where some potential growth for my work could lie.

I find that everyone sees things much differently and that I grow and learn something new when I am open and listen. So I then try to see how to incorporate some of these perspectives into my life.

Tom Kennedy

The other workshop, “Understanding the Changing Media Landscape,” led by Tom Kennedy, appealed to me.

Kennedy is on the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications faculty at Syracuse University as the endowed Alexia Foundation chair in the multimedia, photography, and design department.

I first met Kennedy when he was the director of photography at National Geographic. I remember showing him my work, and he commented that he didn’t see any surprises. My last blog can read more about this: “To break the rules, you must first know the rules.”

As co-president of the ASMP Atlanta Chapter, we invited Kennedy to speak. He packed so much in on this topic back then that I just about got carpal tunnel syndrome from that talk. So I am looking forward to hearing him.

If you come to the seminar, you will see more than the four old guys sitting in the room listening to some of these young folks. You will see more of us because we understand that you stop learning and growing.

Keep yourself vibrant and growing by attending a seminar or workshop. Then, come to the workshop. For example, if you are in Atlanta on December 2nd and 3rd.

By the way, Simon Bruty:: Sports Illustrated speaks on Saturday at 9:25 a.m. This presentation is free and open to the public, courtesy of Canon’s Explorers of Light program.

If you are an amateur, you are welcome to attend as much as any professional or student.

While the speakers on the program are outstanding, I can tell you from my 30+ years of experience going to these events that those in attendance sometimes are on the same level and sometimes better known than the speakers.

Come and hang out with us. My daughter calls these events that Daddy goes to “Nerd Fests.”

There will be Nikon and Canon gear to see and other vendors.

Hope to see you there. If you are there, come and say hello to me.