@canon_photos 2018 Q&A!
In this latest blog, we include as many of the questions you asked us as we could! See if your question was featured ↓
Other than photography skills, I would love to know where and how did you guys get inspirations on adjusting the colour, compositions of photos, e.g the feelings and thoughts you can bring to a picture through colour adjustments?
We get inspiration from the network of photographers we follow from around the world; seeing their work all the time, and experimenting with hues, it is possible to learn one’s unique style and what is popular on Instagram. We have put some popular adjustments into presets, which you can buy - or download for free - on our site.
What are your thoughts about shooting in RAW?
Shooting RAW is a must so that each image file has more data in it. This means there is more potential for editing and adjustments later on. This being said, sometimes shooting jpeg for time lapses is okay!
Hello, my name is Nimisha. Photography is my passion and whenever I touch the camera it gives me a different emotional touch of love with it. I want to learn to be a photographer. If you could give me some ideas on how I can be a better photographer?
Hey Nimisha, thanks for the great question! We get asked this a lot, and our main answer is always the same - believe in your ability and practice. There is no substitute for spending hours out and about shooting with your camera and then spending the time to edit your images.
What inspired you to take such amazing & breathtaking shots and which thing or person has influenced you the most to do better? And one more thing what is the one thing you wish you would knew when you started taking photos?
I suppose at the beginning I wish I knew that every image I took was good for the level I was at and that taking breath taking images takes time; so patience. I think we get inspired by the beautiful world around us, that is particularly what inspired Ian - travelling around beautiful South America wanting to capture the places as best he could.
What are the Northern Lights like?
The Northern Lights are pretty amazing, and if you have the opportunity to see them - take it and see them for yourself!
What were your favourite places from 2017?
You can see lots of places we visited on our XPO Creatives Instagram. Estonia was such a great trip from 2017 - as well as our South Australia trip.
What was your favourite photos from @canon_photos from 2017?
Jordan Robin’s over-under shot and the Santa picture we shared on Christmas day!
You’ve probably already been asked this a lot but, how do you pick which photos to feature? How do people stand out when there is so much content? And, how do you chose who to sponsor?
There are a few ways to get featured. Tag us and use our hashtags is the main way. But also make yourself heard, contact our team directly with an interesting shot and story.
How do you choose what brands to work with?
We are very selective with who we work with and we know what our audience like and why they follow us. Our community is about photography and travel and so the brands we work with must align with these interests. Typically we partner with tourist boards or hotels, aiming to share stunning locations to photograph around the world.
Who is part of the @canon_photos team?
Henry Nathan founded the page. In 2016 Ian Harper joined to create XPO Creatives. In 2017 Piers Nathan came on board and now runs CP Collectives. There is also a small team of people behind the scenes, a business director and a team of content creators.
Hello. My question is regarding aperture levels. When I shoot a landscape, I don’t seem to find a real difference by using different aperture levels, other than the amount of light. When I shoot at f/22 or f/4, the focus of the image doesn’t seem to show a huge difference. What do you think about different aperture levels?
Aperture levels can make a big difference to an image as the depth of field is changed. Shooting on a lower f stop will likely blur the background, whereas shooting at a really high f stop will enable more of the image to be in focus. Check out blogs or youtube videos on the topic to learn more!
When did brands start paying you to travel?
Back in 2015 Henry was presented with paid opportunities to create content and travel. But the focus is now not so much on the pay but more on the where and the why!
Is investing in expensive equipment worth it?
At the start, and you are new to photography, we would suggest getting an entry level DSLR and really understanding how to shoot manual, compose images and edit. If you have done that and wanting to take your photography to the next step then perhaps it is worth spending some more money, but we strongly believe great images come from great photographers, not great equipment.
What mode would you prefer to shoot in? like manual, program AE, etc.
We normally shoot in either Manual or AV (Aperture priority) depending on the conditions.
What is the best way for an up and coming photographer to get his or her content/work into the hands of the right people in order to become a professional photographer?
Practice and refine the skill set or field of photography you want to be known for. Get work experience and network, learn from people who are doing what you think you may want to do.
How can you always maintain inspiration to be creative no matter how you’re feeling?
We shoot as a team so there and so there is always someone to get the rest of us going if someone is feeling uninspired. Also, keeping it fresh! Mix up locations or editing styles to stay engaged in photography.
How did you build up 2 Million Followers?
It took time and work, here is a full video on how we did it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRljZaJcYtE
What made you start @canon_photos? and what gives you the inspiration to continue?
I started canon photos at school whilst I was shooting on a Canon camera. I wanted to see the photos other people were getting on Canon from around the world. Back then Instagram was very different and the account was created our of general curiosity. As the platform grew it became about sharing this platform with great photographers and giving them the stage to share their work to the canon photos community.
What can we expect from 2018? And beyond…
In 2018 our creative team will undertake new and exciting projects around the world and hope to get more and more people involved, both behind the scenes and out with us on projects. There is lots to look forward to with trips planed on every continent already. It will also be a big year for CP Collectives, Horizon Clothing and the other exciting new business developments we have going on.
Have any other questions? Leave a comment below ↓
