Pixiq

Every photographer has it's own way, and every one has learned technique and style somehow. For some was art institutes, for some workshops or/and assistant work with a pro, for some... I'll tell you how I learned my photography.

If you read my profile you probably already know it: I am 100% self taught photographer. Not only I never had any real, college-like photography education, I've never attended any workshop/masterclass or watched any real (meaning useful for me) tutorial.

Some time ago, when I found that commercial studio photography is what I want to do, I was trying to find any information about how the real shots are done. By real I mean a creation process of the image I see in hi-end photographer's portfolios, not a crappy tutorial-grade image.
May be because I couldn't find anything useful, or may be because such learning was against my nature (I was never liked to be taught), but very fast I found that the most preferred way for me to learn is to get inspired and then shoot and experiment, day and nights, till I'll get something more or less satisfactory.

So,  here is how my "bookshelf" looks like: a list of photographer's portfolios I like. I am selecting the image which looks like something I've never done before, and trying to guess how it was made. Then I prepare props and gear I think will be needed for the shot, and go for a shoot. It may be a a few hours or up to a week of shooting every day to get what I like.
Time does not matter, only result does.

Usually, at the end I am getting completely different result, and it might be hard to guess what was the "inspirational image". During such learning session I discover many very new to me techniques and ways to get my task done, that the “originated masterpiece” is getting lost among new ideas of how the final image should look like. I may be spending more time to "discover bicycle", but this way I preserve authenticity of style and gain unique experience.

So, this is how I learn. I never ask questions such as “how it was done”. I shoot, I share the result on my blog and the way I did it, and gather priceless information from the feedback, from those who know something which I don’t.

Below is the list of the photographers who inspired me. Whom I am learned from. 10 Best of the best.

Click on the image to open photographer's portfolio

And below is a link to my own achievements:-)

www.koloskov.com

Alex.