Julia started her career as an editorial and commercial make-up artist. This gave her a highly creative role with visual images and a growing interest in photography. So much so that she decided to take a photography course. She soon found herself hooked and knew that photography was the area she wanted to pursue as a full time career.
"Of all the work I do, weddings are the most stressful but usually the most satisfying too."
Now a successful editorial and lifestyle photographer, Julia regularly shoots commercial work for big corporate companies, plus weddings and portraits for individual clients. To start with she assisted to get a really good idea of what was required, and thoroughly recommends assisting to anyone else starting out in photography as the best way to learn.
With weddings she explains, 'Brides, and increasingly grooms too, want to look amazing in their photographs. My experience of
© Julia Conway
photographing editorial and fashion based commissions has really helped me to direct my clients and get the best out of them.'
When it comes to offering advice Julia comments, 'Working as a photographer requires more that just creativity behind the camera, a keen business sense is imperative to ensure longevity in this competitive field. I am constantly looking at others photographers' work for inspiration, and attending seminars and exhibitions for my own personal development, which helps me to keep coming up with fresh ideas.'
Find out more at www.jconwayphoto.co.uk.
Events and exhibitions you won't want to miss
© National Portrait Gallery, London
The long awaited Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990-2005, opens at London's National Portrait Gallery on the 16th October. Some 150 photographs covering rarely seen personal photos of her own family and friends, sit alongside famous faces such as: Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, and that iconic image of the then-pregnant Demi Moore. It's a fascinating collection of work and truly inspiring stuff that makes it easy to see why Annie is one of today's leading photographers. Tickets are priced at £11 and the exhibition runs until 25th January 2009.
© Sibylle Bergemann, Kirsten, Hoppenrade, 1976
Do Not Refreeze: Photography Behind the Berlin Wall is a fascinating exhibition currently showing at the Djanogly Art Gallery in Nottingham, until 2nd November. It's a collection of photographs taken by a group of photographers working in East Germany, whilst trying to escape the attention of the secret police for fear of censorship. Their work was literally frozen out by the cold war, making this an illuminating insight into life behind the iron curtain. Admission is free.
Robert Capa: Boy soldier, Hankou, China. Late March 1938 © Cornell Capa, International Center of Photography
Robert Capa's well-known work as a war photographer, covering the Spanish Civil War and World War II, made him one on the leading photographers of the 20th century. This is War! Robert Capa at Work is an exhibition currently on at the Barbican illustrating perfectly what made his work so memorable. It includes many never-seen-before photographs and newly discovered documents, which adds to the appeal. This is certain to make you stop and think about war and its devastating impact on human life. Runs until 25th January 2009.
© Don McPhee, Miners Strike
Since appointing its first staff photographer, Walter Doughty back in 1908, The Guardian has developed an excellent reputation for featuring outstanding photography. To celebrate this The Lowry is hosting, A Long Exposure: 100 Years of Pictures from Guardian Photography in Manchester (1908-2009). The photographs cover some of the most memorable news items over the last 100 years, as well as capturing and commemorating local people and their unique stories. Exhibition is on from 18th October until 1st March.
Here are a few of our favourite things!
The Complete Photography Course by John Garrett & Graeme Harris is designed as an easy to use guide to getting the most of your camera and promises to help you take better photographs in 10 easy lessons. Covering both useful techniques and creative advice, it's full of quick tips and challenging projects to help you on your way to producing professional looking photos, ones which really stand out from the crowd. Published by Collins, it's priced at £14.99.
Not content with just taking great photos, you want to make movies too! If so then you need the new Nikon D90, the world's first digital SLR with movie function. It also boasts 12.3 megapixels, newly-designed DX-format CMOS image sensor, high resolution 3” screen, live view and continuous shooting up to 4.5 frames a second. The D90 is also extremely easy to use, making it both highly efficient and fun. Expect to pay around £699, or £849 with 18-105mm lens.
If you've always admired professional wildlife shots and wanted to be able to capture such magical images for yourself, here's what you need. Get yourself a copy of the recently published Nature Photography: Insider Secrets from the World's Top Digital Photography Professionals. It does exactly what it promises, giving great advice from those in the know. Plus there are plenty of jaw dropping images along the way from the likes of Chris Weston, Art Wolfe and Joe Cornish.
If you're a wedding photographer looking to improve your camera skills, or someone thinking of getting into wedding photography and wanting a better idea of exactly what's involved, then Mark Cleghorn's Confetti & Lace III DVD is a great investment at £77.50. The DVD takes you through an actual wedding with Mark, along with additional commentary and advice. It's full of sound advice from finding creative angles, to organising those tricky group shots, all of which will really help improve your wedding photography work. There's even a short preview clip to try before you buy!
With a digital camera you have the advantage of being able to see if you've nailed your shot there and then. Getting it right first time is still important though, so here are some hints to help.
You've snapped at the right time, trouble is all you can see is a blurred mess. The most obvious reason for this is camera shake caused by a slow shutter speed. If you know you're going to be using a slow shutter speed use a tripod, and if people are included ask them to stand very still. Alternatively, use TV mode and select a faster shutter speed. You may have to select a higher ISO speed to do this, or use flash.
Issue 1: Featured photographer – Annabel Williams
Issue 2: Featured photographer – Clive Nichols
Issue 3: Featured photographer – Karen Parker
Issue 4: Featured photographer – Helena Smith
Issue 5: Featured photographer – Brett Harkness
Issue 6: Featured photographer – Jason de Caires Taylor
Issue 7: Featured photographer – Sarah Wright
Issue 8: Featured photographer – Neil Bygrave
Issue 9: Featured photographer – Adam Lawrence
Issue 10: Featured photographer – Barry Wakelin
Issue 11: Featured photographer – Brian Harte
Issue 12: Featured photographer – Michael Molloy
Issue 13: Featured photographer – Jason Hawkes
Issue 14: Featured photographer – Gavin Gough
Issue 15: Featured photographer – James Cant
Issue 16: Featured photographer – Rachel Whiting
1. Bit of blur
Experiment with slow shutter speeds when taking photos with some movement in them to give an artistic blur.
2. Double take
When the sun is at a right angle to your subject its shadow has the same proportions, so use this symmetry to create fun shots that look like you're seeing double.
3. Deceptively spacious
If you use a really wide angle lenses when shooting interiors shots the rooms will look much bigger.
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Reveal
There's a great range of features, including a facility for setting up Pro Albums, so you can try selling print of your digital photos to the general public for profit.
Digital Camera
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