WINTER TERM 2019
THE STORIES BEHIND PHOTOGRAPHY
The Job
Everyone knows the stereotype of the “starving artist.” It is ingrained in our minds that if you choose to pursue a creative career path, you are bound to struggle. Finding a way to sustain yourself by doing what you love takes hard work and dedication, but it is doable. During the month of January, I was welcomed into the studios of three Cleveland-based photographers who have spent years putting in those hours to make their dreams a reality.
To be a professional photographer is to wear many hats. There is far more to making a career in photography than just being able to program in the camera settings and clicking the shutter release. The job titles vary by type of photographer and from person to person. Take for example, Barney Taxel, the photographer I worked with during the first week of my project. He specializes in photographing architecture, food, lifestyle, and still life. But other roles he fills include stylist, collector, and craftsman. Angelo Merendino—the person I shadowed during week two—works primarily in portraits. He is also a storyteller, conversationalist, and life-long learner. Finally, week three allowed me to spend time with Brittany Gidley, a maternity, newborn, baby, child, and family photographer. She does much more than operate a camera. She snuggles and calms fussy little ones, plays games and makes silly faces with not-so-little ones, and passes on knowledge from her time as a NICU nurse to parents.
Sitting area in Angelo Merendino's studio.
Brittany Gidley and lead photographer Emily Jones calming a newborn baby.
Achieving success as a professional photographer seems to demand someone who is responsible, genuine, kind-hearted, and hardworking. Barney, Angelo, and Brittany all have those characteristics. Whether they view themselves as such or not, they are also teachers and role models. Of course, over the course of the weeks I spent in each studio, the role of educator was more prevalent, but even when I sat back and watched how they interacted with others in the space or listened to the stories they told of past experiences, it was clear that they found joy in sharing their knowledge. During the portrait shoot we had done on Thursday of the first week, I recall Barney explaining in detail to the people on the other side of the camera what he was doing and why. He told me, “That’s how it is done!” You have to feel comfortable in the space and with yourself and it will help everyone around you feel the same way.
Sure, being a professional photographer is about capturing great images, but it is more than that. It is about loving what you do and sharing what you love with the world. It is about capturing moments or presenting the passions of others. It is about all aspects of the process: the beginning, middle, and end—the messy, the emotional, and the beautiful.
Being a professional photographer requires a lot of background, behind-the-scenes work. For Barney, Angelo, and Brittany, there is the business side that needs to be attended to as well. Important tasks such as cleaning the studio, sending invoices, updating websites, paying bills, backing up computers onto hard drives, and prepping for shoots need to be done in order to keep the business running smoothly. On my first day working with Angelo, he spoke on a theme that kept coming up throughout the week—ups and downs. Just as in life, there are ups and downs in business. Angelo mentioned the ups: traveling, landing one of his images on Time’s Top 100 photos of 2018 list, and getting married. The downs included struggling to nail down shoots, and the loss of his first wife to breast cancer (the experience which he chronicled in a heartbreaking photo essay). But choosing photography as your career means that you have to roll with the tide and know what to do to pick yourself back up during the lows. You also have to know how to keep the momentum going during the good times. The job requires resilience and passion.
Barney Taxel styling a shoot for Supervos.
The People
Running a photography business requires that you can sell your work to clients, have clients who hire you to produce work for them, or a mix of both. This part seems daunting. One approach is to send batch emails to thousands of people, advertising yourself, your work, and your services, and hoping to receive a handful of responses. That feels a little impersonal though. Which is not to say that it is an ineffective strategy, but Angelo prefers a more individualized approach. His methodology is to build real relationships with the people he works with. On the most basic level, he does this because that is how you connect with others. It is also a matter of respect for Angelo. The way you make a good impression on a client and keep them coming back or referring you to others in their network is by respecting them—being engaged, excited, and thoughtful about what you are doing. The client is trusting you, so you have to reach their expectations, and even exceed them. This means going the extra mile, or as Brittany says, “Under-promise and over-deliver.”
Angelo Merendino posing for me, while I tried to recreate the lighting from a portrait of Emma Gonzalez by Gabrielle Demczuk.
For portrait work, the person in front of the camera is vulnerable. All of the photographers who I shadowed created a form of portraiture during my time spent with them. Being photographed can feel awkward and uncomfortable, but Barney, Angelo, and Brittany were able to ease these undesirable feelings and settle nerves. They did not have any special tricks of the trade to do this. There is not a piece of equipment or number of years of experience that must be reached to achieve this ability. It is a basic human skill. Barney, Angelo, and Brittany presented their genuine, authentic selves and saw the others in the room simply as other people. Each person is unique and was treated as such. The way that these photographers made the people they were photographing feel comfortable in the space was through conversation and creating a pleasant atmosphere and environment. As Angelo told me, the person on the other side of the camera is not a subject—they deserve more respect than to be reduced to an object in front of the lens. They are an important part of the process of creating the image. As Angelo explained to me halfway through my week with him, being a photographer is a social job. Some assignments are wonderful not because of the images that you get, or that you are particularly passionate about the subject matter, but because of the interesting people you meet.
To be able to work in this way, you need to make your work visible. Some of the ways I saw the photographers that I spent time with do this include keeping a portfolio of recent work, having an updated website or social media account, and showing their work in galleries. Putting the images out there allows everyone else to see what makes your work different. It might be the clean way of styling products, the ability to capture intimate emotions, or the fun environment in the studio. For Brittany, what motivates her galleries is the opportunity to “break the Internet.” She wants to encapsulate the unique and unedited (figuratively, of course) moments: funny, heartwarming, or otherwise. The work these photographers present show who they are and showcase their individual voices. Photographs capture moments, but they also capture experiences, growth, and values. It is all about how the image is taken and the vision of the photographer.
Toma Triplets "breaking the internet" with their hilarious first birthday cake smash.
Barney Taxel talking details of the shoot with the owner of Supervos and the stylist for the shoot.
Using all of the available resources and presenting their best selves in every shoot, Barney, Angelo, and Brittany have reached a point in their businesses where people see who they are and what they do and request to work with them specifically. Their work speaks for itself and people want to be a part of the process. For example, during my time with Barney, he was contacted out-of-the-blue by three different potential clients asking for estimates to see if they could manage to get some high-quality images created by him. Brittany recently got back from a trip to Disney World with her team, where they captured the magical memories being made by a family on their vacation. After posting behind-the-scenes videos and sneak peek images from the gallery, she got an array of requests from other parents who wanted more information about how they could do the same for their family.
Wall of props in Barney Taxel's studio. Some are old things from his childhood, some from his current house that stopped being able to perform their primary purpose, others come as donations, some from flea markets, and some are picked out of the trash from his neighbors.
Wall of props in Barney Taxel's studio. Some are old things from his childhood, some from his current house that stopped being able to perform their primary purpose, others come as donations, some from flea markets, and some are picked out of the trash from his neighbors.
I noticed in each of their respective studios, Barney, Angelo, and Brittany had a variety of things that they invested in. This was mostly due to the kind of work they do. So Barney had a lot of backdrops and mats to serve as the base for his product shoots. On top of that, he had an entire wall (plus some) in his studio dedicated to housing props, dishes, utensils—you name it. Angelo, I noticed, had more variety in his lighting equipment and light modifiers. As for Brittany, she had a number of setups in different corners of the studio (a couch, bed, different floors, seamless backdrops), as well as shelving units full of fuzzy blankets, furs, wraps, head bands, and bows. They each chose to spend money, though, on high-quality items that they would get a lot of use out of and that would last for a long time.
Shelving units in Barney's studio full of dishes,utensils, serving platters, and more.
As for more typical photography equipment, Barney, Angelo, and Brittany differed in what they used as well. Working with Barney, we used 2-3 lights and mirrors and a white board as reflectors as needed. An, for each shoot, he used either a Canon 5D mark II or mark IV and a 70-200mm lens. The camera was tethered to a monitor and was attached to a camera stand, which gave him more flexibility than a tripod. With Angelo, we used one light source with different modifiers and white foam core board to bounce light off of (this had to be adjusted a lot and in small amounts to get it into the perfect position). He also used a 70-200mm lens but kept the camera in his hand to make moving around the set easier. In the Brittany Gidley Photography studio, there was only one big light with a large soft-box that just needed to roughly be in the right spot and not in an exact location to light the babies or families. There, we used a 24-70mm lens, so we could stay close by the baby and get a variety of images, from wide shots to close-up details. There are many methods and accessories that can be used to create great images, it is all just a matter of finding what works for you and your style of photography.
Brittany Gidley taking a posed picture of Sammy and her family. In the top left, you can see the corner of the big light with the large soft-box that they use in the studio.
Angelo Merendino
holding a gray card in front of his face to make setting the white balance in post-production easier.
Learning and growing in photography is a process in itself. There is no need to limit what you think you can do based on the equipment you have or lack thereof. As for me, over the past few months, I have been researching new camera bodies and lenses, and justifying the small sets of photographs I have taken by pointing to my limited number of accessories. But over the course of the month, I learned that I can more than make do with what I have available to me right now. There is no reason to get hung up on what camera equipment I have, because that energy would be better invested in making photographs. What I do have are tools, some more advanced than others, but I have all that I need to make use of in order to better my skills.
Barney, Angelo, and Brittany are trusted in what they do. However, it took time to get to that point. They had to work to show their skills and prove that they are reliable. Now clients keep coming back and suggest them to others who are looking for recommendations. Putting in the time to build the relationships and create a welcoming environment pays off. My take is that the good ones don’t put in that kind of time and care as a means to an end, but because that is what they would want if they were on the other side of the process.
Brittany Gidley photographing baby Carter with his big sister Violet, mom, and dad.
The Stuff
A lot of people interested in photography think that you need all of the newest equipment to be able to create good pictures. I too often find myself thinking that I am unable to capture certain images that I envision because I don’t have the right lens, studio lighting, perfect backdrop, or even the newest camera body. Over the course of the month, though, the photographers I worked with showed that even without biggest and best accessories, you can still create powerful images. And there is no one-size-fits-all approach to finding the must-have equipment because everyone has a different style, and they use what works for them.
Barney, Angelo, and Brittany each had their own steps for post-production too. One thing that I heard from all three was how important it is to have an organized filing system, so you don’t spend hours trying to find something and risk losing it. In that same vein, each emphasized the importance of backing up their work. It makes sense, because those images are their livelihood, so losing some exposures and completed pieces would be devastating for them and their clients as well.
Editing is an essential part of the process of creating a good image. There are a number of programs to assist in this effort, including Adobe Bridge, Photoshop, and Lightroom. When talking about how far photographic technology has come, Barney touched on the amazing abilities that digital editing provides. This process allows you to maximize the potential of a photograph through perfecting exposure, directing the viewers’ eyes, pulling out details hidden in the shadows, and so on. It would be a shame not to make proper use of them. Yet the big caveat on this, which I was told to never forget, is that nothing replaces lighting something well. It is so hard to correct for bad lighting in post-production. Barney said that if you have control over lighting and you are not in the zone with it or it is not working well, you have a responsibility to fix it for the sake of the quality of the images. For Angelo, the most important thing to do while editing is to continually step back from the image and look at the photograph to see what is distracting and what you like. Editing is a process. Completing each step will inform how you proceed.
The Passion
What keeps successful professional photographers going during the rough times and what makes them stand out from others in the field is the passion. During my time working with Brittany, we had a couple of tough shoots. In her type of photography, this looks like misbehaved kids, unprepared families, or frustrated parents. At the end of one particularly challenging session, I got a text message from Brittany that read, “The easy days aren’t what make us the best, but rather, the days like today do.” In the morning, she added that getting to capture the beginning of stages of someone’s life, watching them grow and explore, and creating images that have a timeless value is more than enough to make up for the little frustrations. Being a photographer and sharing the gift of your work with others is extremely rewarding. I saw it throughout the month. The face of a young entrepreneur lighting up when she saw a preview of the photos of her products—commissioned from Barney for her website—was intensely gratifying. There was the phone conversation Angelo had with a man looking to buy one of his photos of the city Cleveland, because he said he needs a piece of his hometown with him while he lives abroad in Germany. And then I witnessed the scene of Brittany turning the camera around to give a new mommy and daddy a sneak peek of the pictures of their 7-day-old princess, which prompted a proud embrace between them.
Angelo Merendino posed in front of a window in his studio. This was taken our second day together, experimenting with lighting effects like those in a portrait by Peter Hapak.
Part of this, at least for Barney, Angelo, and Brittany, is giving back to the communities that have allowed them to live out their dreams every day. This might look like teaching younger generations of photographers, donating work to charity auctions, or supporting other local businesses. While I was with Barney, and then again with Brittany, I saw some of this in action. Barney offers to take the staff photos for a non-profit in his building without charge. Giving an organization that supports a good cause something like this allows them to save their funds to put toward more high-impact projects. Brittany makes it her mission to go to Neonatal Intensive Care Units and offer to take pictures of the brave little fighters during this
“The easy days aren’t what make us the best, but rather, the days like today do.”
stage of their lives. It is all a part of the story of their beginning, and parents deserve to have quality images to document the strength of their new babies, she says.
Barney Taxel's 4x5 film camera set up to take four portrait exposures of me on our last day together.
Besides just doing the shoots for clients, as I learned this month, it is important to have personal projects to work on too. These allow you something to do, to improve skills and continue to develop as a photographer. Brittany talked about a new series she is working on called “Babies Eating Lemons,” where babies try the sour citrus for the first time and she captures their reactions. She also has a project where she is turning NICU babies into superheroes. Angelo told me about a number of projects he is working on, including taking a portrait a week to better his skill with lighting, continuing his series called “My Dad’s Chair,” and a series of 52 photos—one from each week of 2019. Barney’s ongoing project is one that I got to participate in. He takes a black-and-white 4x5 portrait of everyone who comes in to work with him, including his interns or students. These are just series that I heard them discussing, but I’m sure there are more in the works. For them, just like for most who do what they love for a living, the job does more than bring in money. It gives them joy.
Brittany Gidley working with four of the models during the One Stylish Party Valentine's Day shoot on Friday 1/25. It is clear that she loves what she is doing.
On the last day I spent working with Angelo, we went out to lunch to debrief about the experience and discuss the future. He imparted some words of wisdom—advice that he has tried to remember throughout his own journey. “A lot of people settle because they feel like they won’t be able to make money doing what they love, but just know that if you apply yourself, work hard, push through, and you are organized and responsible, that you can do anything that you put your mind to.” Angelo reminded me that personal happiness is important too and should always be taken into consideration when making decisions. Before I left, he told me that even though his life has had its peaks and valleys, if someone told him that by tomorrow it would all be over, he would be at peace with it, because he has loved how the moments he has had up to this point have been spent. On my way out, he concluded with a suggestion that I have heard before, but one that I saw the benefits of throughout this month: Love what you do.
The Experience
The goal of my project was to learn more about photography, what it means to be a professional photographer, and how photographers in different fields approach their work. Throughout the project, I took the time every day to write out what I did, learned, and took away from the conversations and experiences. That document is 23 pages in length. I gained so much knowledge over the course of the month, from the use of different light modifiers to what to look for when working with food in photography, and from how to retouch skin without getting rid of its texture to effective ways to burning and dodging tools in Photoshop to direct the viewers’ eyes where you want them. During my time spent with these photographers, I learned how to use a whole new editing software, Lightroom, and from a course online, how to create compelling photo stories. Mostly, I learned that there is not just one way to be a successful photographer or to run a photography business. There is no typical life for an individual professional photographer. The job changes drastically from week to week, and from day to day.
I learned that I just need to get out there, and not let anything hold me back. Moving forward, I need to always have my camera with me. But more than that, I need to actually take it out and make more pictures throughout the week. Photography warrants my time and dedication. I want to get better and produce interesting work. There is no way to get better, and to capture great images, if I never practice the skill and if I don’t keep my equipment with me to try. During the whole first semester of college, I didn’t take out my camera once. Maybe it was because I had nothing in mind to take pictures of, nothing that I was excited to shoot. Now I want to—and feel like I have to—develop a project to bring with me back to school. I need something to work on, so I don’t repeat my mistake of last semester, when I didn’t take a single picture for myself. Next, I
Studio set up for a product shoot with Barney Taxel.
want to experiment more with lighting and camera settings. I feel like I know the basics about what my camera is capable of, but I am not using my equipment to its full potential by relying on that knowledge. As Angelo told me at lunch, I need to explore, learn, and create more. Each one of those things lends itself to the others. I just need to start doing it in order to improve overall.
And if I can take nothing else away from this experience, I have learned how to properly pose a baby for newborn shoots. This knowledge is bound to plague me, as it has everyone who is part of Brittany’s business, because apparently many don’t know this information. I was warned that now every time I scroll through Instagram or see baby pictures on Facebook, my eye will go directly to the mistakes. I’m determined to see the bright side, though. Maybe I can frame those little bouts of annoyance as a reminder of the amazing opportunity I had to do this project and meet inspiring photographers. Plus I’ll be looking at babies. Babies are always cute.
Baby Hadley posing on the bed in Brittany Gidley's studio during her 6-month photo shoot.
When looking at pieces from other photographers for inspiration, I should engage more in the images. By this, I mean that I will test myself when looking at other works in order to try to figure out how they were lit so I can improve my own lighting skills and so on. I will be sure to look at everything in the image and see what it adds and what its purpose is. Something that I often forget to do when taking pictures is to consider everything that is in the frame. One day when I was working with Brittany, we had a shoot with One Stylish Party. Tara Berger, the founder of that small business, was styling a set and told me about something she takes to heart during every shoot she sets up. She told me that if it doesn’t add something, it takes away. I will keep that in mind going forward, so that my viewers aren’t distracted by unnecessary items in the frame and know where I want their eyes to land.
No matter where this path takes me and where it ends up, I need to set goals for myself and work hard to reach them. I saw what happens when someone is passionate and works hard throughout their journey and I want that for myself. I will also follow Angelo’s advice to keep my priorities in check and to take my happiness into consideration too. It is clear that Barney, Angelo, and Brittany do what they love and they each show that it is possible to be successful while chasing your dreams.