A photograph is such a special thing. You can capture and preserve a moment for all of eternity; express emotions; and communicate complex ideas, all without saying a word.
These days, anyone can take a photograph. Your average smartphone comes with cameras that can take high-resolution images, and some are so advanced they even rival dedicated cameras.
But taking a few photographs doesn’t make you a photographer, —something that we all seem to forget after taking a few decent pictures on our iPhones.
Julius Kahl sees this every day. Unlike us, he doesn’t just take pictures; he’s an actual photographer, and he worries that people have lost respect for the camera.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize how much work and time it takes to create professional videos and photos.”
“Therefore, the profession is sometimes ‘smiled’ at when it comes to the asking price of the photographer. ‘After all, he only makes pictures.”
But photography is more than just having a camera and knowing how to point it. To Julius, photography is a craft. One that takes time to learn and master, and which, like any other craft is deserving of respect and appreciation.
What is Photography?
For Julius, photography has always been about recording life’s moments. His first foray into photography was when he used his parents’ camera to capture vacation memories.
Something struck and held him about the photos he took that day. And after pondering it for a while, he realized what it was.
The people.
Not the beautiful scenery, or the amazing colors, but the people, and their joy at that moment, perfectly preserved on paper.
That moment stayed with him, and later inspired him to buy his camera, which was originally meant for capturing personal moments, but soon triggered an intense love for photography.
A few years have passed since Julius first discovered photography, but it is still all about those split-second life moments for him. That’s why he specializes in portrait and wedding photography. To him, photography is art, and people are his canvas.
The Process
Open camera. Point. Shoot. Repeat.
That’s the extent of the creative effort that we put into taking pictures, and that has given us a false idea of what photographers do.
The real thing is much more complicated.
“Everything starts with an idea… The inspiration comes either freely from me, or other talented photographers.”
Sometimes, it’ll hit you between the eyes. Other times, you must chase it. And many times, you’ll end up with nothing but the air in your hands.
If you’re lucky, and you get a solid idea to work with, the next step is bringing the vision to life. In Julian’s case, that means “getting in touch with people with whom implementation makes the most sense.” This brings its own unique set of challenges, like finding the right subject, or, if you already have a subject in mind, convincing them if they’re unwilling.
Then comes the creative direction, which is probably the trickiest part. For Julian, it’s even more complicated, since he leans toward film and analog photography. All the decisions like cost, subjects, and setting are made at this point, all while keeping the end goal in mind.
The creative direction determines the work process, —a step-by-step breakdown of how the work will be completed and, finally, the execution.
The Skills
Photographers need a range of skills to succeed at their craft. For every picture that you see that makes you go “wow,” there are 3 or more skills that have been harmonized to create that image.
The first set of skills is artistic skills. A photographer must have an eye for beauty. He must be creative and be able to think up fresh ideas. It’s not always about having the best equipment, and sometimes, an old camera might produce the most breath-taking shots.
“you can only throw so much money at a problem before you realize it’s not the equipment but your know-how.”
As much as equipment isn’t everything, it does play a role in creating amazing images, and a good photographer knows how to take advantage of that.
It’s more than just applying a filter. A photographer must be able to adjust for lighting, set apertures, and adjust other technical settings to create the desired image.
The last category of skills is interpersonal skills. Julius finds this incredibly important, considering that he works mainly with people. An uncomfortable subject can ruin the entire project. Photographers must learn to put their subjects at ease and coax the emotions they need out of them so that they can create the best possible image.
Conclusion
It takes a lot of work to create quality pictures and videos. Julian’s one wish is that more people understand that…
“photography and videography are crafts just like any other, and it takes an enormous amount of time to meet one’s demands and those of customers.”
Follow Julius Kahl on his social profiles below:
Instagram
Youtube
