S1 – E14 – COVID Creativity

As photographers, we know all about ISO! That’s why living in it is NO EXCUSE for letting your gear gather dust while you sit on your butt eating chips and watching rubbish on TV. Mez and Toby have been inspired by a bunch of inspiring ideas from photographers and film-makers they follow, and they throw out a few other ideas to keep you busy while the lockdown lingers. Take it all in, and let the creative juices flow!!

WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING

Mez and Toby discuss what they’ve been doing to keep busy and creative during this time of lockdown.

Toby made an amazing video of Sydney’s most famous and busiest areas during lockdown – watch below

WHAT OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE DOING

Photographers and flim-makers have been getting extra creative with all this time on their hands.  

Here’s a  look at what some photographers are doing to keep busy in lockdown.

Melanie Edge – The DriveBy Project

Melanie is in Perth and has been taking pictures of her neighbours from a distance in their driveways and front yards:

https://www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/6729126/moments-in-time-mandurah-photographer-captures-life-in-lockdown-with-the-driveby-project/ 

Jim Barker from the UK has been working on a portrait series he has titled “Doortraits”. Check it out here.

UK-based snapper Tim Dunk is using Facetime as his new camera, keeping his portrait business afloat with some “remote” photo sessions:

https://timdunk.com/facetime-photoshoots

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21213184/tim-dunk-facetime-photoshoots-wedding-photography-lockdown

Incidentally, Shoot My Travel, who Toby work with are offering the same type of photoshoots through webcam:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ISlKwFaKE/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Fz06LFM7X/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_EEEz5lgrJ/

Pete Souza, the famous presidential photographer of the Obama era has been doing a series via Instagram IGTV called ‘Chatting the Pics’ where he talks viewers through how he got some of his most famous images:

 https://www.instagram.com/petesouza/channel/

Ted Forbes aka The Art of Photography has start up his photo assignment challenged again. Also check out his channels back catalogue – lots of great reviews, gear, book, photographer interviews – amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/user/theartofphotography/videos 

‘They get us out’ by Andrew Knapp – aka Find Momo. A beautiful ongoing portrait series of locals in his neighbourhood with their dogs. 

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17861759482825356/

This is awesome, from Philipp Klein Herrero!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HrIVWziJ0Y&feature=emb_title

Pete McKinnon has launched a “Photo Assignments” weekly challenge to his followers. He’s a YouTuber with more than 1m subscribers and has asked us all to take part in his themed assignments. He picks his 10 faves each week and showcases them, and provides a new topic for the next week.

https://www.instagram.com/petermckinnon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3DkFux8Iv-aYnTRWzwaiBA

Another one of Toby’s favourite YouTubers, Kai W, was frustrated that he couldn’t get out and do his street photography, so he and a mate just fired up Grand Theft Auto Video on their gaming consoles and presented each other with “extreme street photography challenges” via the game (you get a camera in your tool kit). Geeky, but funny!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaLTwyjsz_Y

WHAT YOU CAN DO DOING

Here’s a list of potential project we can all be doing right now to stay busy and creative.

• Take a course
• Work on post processing skills
• Practice Lighting Set ups
• Book design
• Design a print store
• Educate yourself
• Research Projects
• Gather Ideas
• Listen to a photography Podcast 
• Print your shiitttt
• Watch a photo documentary and movie
• Photo Challenge 
• Back up your photos to the cloud
• Organise your office
• DOWNLOAD YOUR MIND

ONLINE FREE STUFF (who doesn’t love that?!)

Online Learning Resources – UPSKILL

• MOMA NYC Seeing Through Photographs course with Coursea – https://www.coursera.org/learn/photography

• Canon Live – live free webinars – https://www.canon.co.uk/canonlive/ 

• https://www.behance.net/live  aka ADOBE LIVE offering some awesome free webinars from creatives

• Creative Live – 50% off yearly subscription https://www.creativelive.com/creator-pass?via=site-header_0

• Nikon free lessons all month of April – https://www.nikonevents.com/us/live/nikon-school-online/

• Fuji Film Videos and Webinars: https://fujifilm-x.com/en-gb/stories/ 

• Sue Bryce Free Access 20-26th APRIL https://suebryceeducation.com/

• Professional Photographers of America PPA – ALL online learnign is free for two weeks: https://www.ppa.com/education-unlocked

• Stay Home with Leica – free webinars https://us.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/Leica-Events/About-Leica-Events/Local/North-America/2020/StayHomeWithLeica

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGULT5–2wVGeS9C9y6VI3A

• Free museum tours: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner 

Free or Discounted Software: 

• Final Cut Pro x free for 90 days – https://petapixel.com/2020/03/27/apple-just-made-final-cut-pro-x-free-for-90-days/

• Adobe – 2 months creative cloud – https://petapixel.com/2020/03/18/adobe-is-giving-everyone-2-months-of-free-creative-cloud-heres-how-to-get-it/

• Affinity software free for 90 days – https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/

• Capture One – 25% discount on Capture One Pro perpetual licenses and subscriptions.  Use Code: SPRING25