Photography

Has social media been a benefit or a hindrance for you?

Photographer's Perspective: Social Media's Benefits & Reassurance

Hey Chris, Jason Boland here on Motion Picture still photographer and I'm going to answer your question about whether social media has been a help or a hindrance. Now, social media is an interesting little animal. There's two factors to it. For me, I'll start off with the with the, I didn't know what it what it meant. Now I was told many many years ago by Nick on everyone's going to insta, get your stuff on Insta and I looked at it. And they had the square frame and of course, we're crop. And I'm like, I'm not having a nap. Tell me how to frame my photos. Little did I know that there's with a gram and a bundle of other apps out there and I could have just put my own frame and made it into whatever uncrackable but I didn't. So I didn't get involved. Now, I've only just hit 100K and it is taken forever. And I've had to stay on point all the time. I try not to deviate into personal stuff. I try to keep it just work. So for me it's actually been really beneficial regardless of the lack of people following me because most of my new clients now they just go straight to my insert. They know that the quality is there. It's really like just an IMDb or a resume now because they can flick through it and scroll through your photos and go always work on that that that and that That he's a picture. So I know that photo haven't seen that one before because they know the quality is there. It's not like an issue of quality but it's a reassurance and they're getting to see what you've got. Now, the other thing is that instant, I think is one of those things that at first, I thought people aren't going anywhere, they just scrolling through Instagram to check out places but I think it got people wanting to go travel and made, people want to be a little bit more adventurous in life and and go and experience these places for themselves. So if I'm talking about in start and not just other social media, then it's been great for me. It's been great. Getting actors understanding that photography is important and I'm about out of time as per usual because I talk too much. It's raining. So I'm going to go back on set and I'm going to smash out a few frames and see if I can get something decent out of it, and I'm pretty sure I will because I'm on a pretty red project. The moment, right? Mate. Cheers.

Social media has been a helpful tool for me as a still photographer, helping to gain visibility and create an online portfolio of my work that potential clients can see. Additionally, it has inspired people to be more adventurous and travel the world.

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Social media has been an interesting experience for me as a motion picture still photographer. Initially, I didn't understand its significance. I was hesitant to join platforms like Instagram because I didn't want them dictating how I framed my photos. However, I eventually realized that I could use other apps to customize the framing.

While it took me a while to reach 100K followers, I've found social media to be beneficial. It serves as a portfolio for potential clients who can scroll through my work and assess its quality. It has become like an IMDb or resume, providing reassurance to clients about the kind of work I produce.

Moreover, Instagram has inspired people to travel and be more adventurous. It has created a desire to experience the places they see on the platform. In that sense, social media, particularly Instagram, has been great for me.

Overall, social media has helped me showcase my work and gain recognition. It has also played a role in highlighting the importance of photography to actors and others in the industry. Now, I need to get back to set and capture some great frames for my current project. Cheers!

I am an amateur photographer.  My biggest problem is focus.  To the naked eye, the photos look fine but I know they should be sharper.  Any tips?

Mastering Focus: Expert Photographer Provides Personalized Tips

Hi Cynthia, my name is Jason Boland, I'm Nick on Ambassador and Motion, Picture still photographer. Great question about Focus. There's so many variables in that question, though, I'd be really more than happy for you. To send me a shot on Instagram, just 2 p.m. and or DM whatever you want to call it these days and I can take a look but you know, it's I've got to really see the settings to understand what you're talking about and you know whether you're shooting manual. Whether you're shooting autofocus and what mode you've got it on, what camera is shooting on, what the light and conditions are the iso, the shutter speed? It could be. There's so many variables so you can send a good question directly to me here or you can send me a photograph and and then I'll answer it here for you. Okay, hope that helps. All right, she's

Send me a photo on Instagram at 2PM or DM me and I'll take a look at the settings to understand what you're talking about. I need to know what camera you're shooting on, the light and conditions, ISO, shutter speed, etc.

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Hi Cynthia, I'm Jason Boland, a professional photographer specializing in motion and still photography. It sounds like you're facing a challenge with focus in your photos. To provide you with the best advice, I would need more information about the specific settings and conditions you're working with. If you'd like, you can send me a photo on Instagram through a direct message, and I'll be happy to take a look and offer guidance. Understanding factors like whether you're shooting in manual or autofocus, the camera and lens you're using, and the lighting conditions will help me provide more tailored tips. Feel free to reach out with your question or send me a photo, and I'll be glad to assist you.

Embrace Failure: The Key to Unleashing Success

Okay, Anonymous. So what does failure mean? Well, actually, to me, it means success. You don't have success without failure. It's absolutely 100% true. And there's nothing wrong with failing. You never going to learn if you just go out there and think that you're the greatest, and you can never be beat, or you can never no one can ever get a better photograph in you or whatever. So, yeah, failures, just Another kick in the bat to get you going and, you know, especially with photography, I me go out there and you take a shot and I know that if I get the chance to take that shot again, I'll do 100 percent better, doesn't necessarily mean it was a failure but I've had plenty of failures in. What I do shooting big action on films and I can tell you what, when you have that win and you get that shot, there's no better feeling but it doesn't quite come off your crashed. So you learn from that and you're a fireman. Come back bigger and better. Okay, I hope that helps hope that makes sense to write. Thank you.

Failure is the path to success and an integral part of learning and growth. Without failure, you won't be able to learn and become better at whatever you do. It's a necessary part of any journey towards success.

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To me, failure actually means success. You can't have success without experiencing failure. Failing is a natural part of the learning process. If you go out there thinking you're the best and can never be beaten, you won't grow or improve. Failure is just another push to keep going.

In photography, for example, if I take a shot and have the chance to do it again, I know I can do better. It's not necessarily a failure, but I've had plenty of failures in my work, especially when shooting big action on films. However, when you finally achieve that winning shot, there's no better feeling. But even when things don't go as planned, you learn from those failures and come back stronger.

So, failure is an opportunity for growth and improvement. It's a stepping stone towards success. Embrace it, learn from it, and keep pushing forward.

Capture the Real Deal: How a Still Photographer Documents Authenticity in Film

Haines. Thanks for your question. I time. How do I decide what Stills to shoot? Well, I just treat it. Like I'm a photojournalist in a real happening situation and I go out there and I document it just like any other PJ job. So for me, the environment that I'm shooting in is a real environment. I'm not so Silly to believe it. But I that's how I treat it. So when I'm looking at the actors and I'm looking at the scene then I will like I said I will treat it like that's the real deal. What's happening in front of me is actually happening in the real world and I try and document it like that. I don't shoot a lot of rehearsals because the actors don't give everything. I don't do setups because I find setup suck the life out of an image. Age. I like to get what I call the directors performance, that's when an actor is giving the director, everything they have in their heart and they're laying all their emotion out on the table. And they're never going to give that to the still photographer. They give that to the director. So that's my job to go and grab that. So, yeah, basically, just Whatever, looks good you should and there's no rules. I know that some Studios have a little go to guide of what they want but I don't generally read them, I just go and do my thing. Okay, follow it up, if there's, if I didn't cover anything. Thanks mate. Cheers.

When deciding what stills to shoot, I treat it like a real-life photojournalism job and document it like that. I don't shoot rehearsals or setups because they take the life out of an image; instead, I try to get what I call the director's performance, which is when an actor is giving the director everything they have in their heart. There are no rules; I just go do my thing.

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When deciding what stills to shoot, I approach it like a photojournalist in a real-life situation. I treat the environment as if it's happening in the real world and document it accordingly. I don't shoot a lot of rehearsals because actors don't give their all during those moments. I also avoid setups as they can drain the life out of an image.

Instead, I focus on capturing what I call the director's performance. This is when an actor gives everything they have, pouring their emotions onto the table for the director. It's my job to capture those genuine moments.

There are no strict rules or guidelines for what to shoot. While some studios may have preferences, I generally don't pay much attention to them. I trust my instincts and go with what looks good to me.

In summary, I approach still photography with a photojournalistic mindset, capturing authentic moments and emotions.

Grandfather's Wise Advice: Keep Emotions in Check

The single best piece of advice given to me in my life would 100% come from my grandfather. I was ready to embark on my first overseas posting. I was working on newspapers in Australia and then I moved to Hong Kong to work for the South China Morning Post over there. Now as you may or may not know, I'm a motion picture still photographer, so my life has changed quite a lot. But I'm still on the road and I'm still travelling and that piece of advice that my grandfather gave me was, never show an emotion unbecoming to oneself. And he's dead set, right? Keep calm and you'll be fine. Even if you're twisted up inside, don't let it spill out and don't show all your cards to someone else because they'll take advantage of your weakness. So never show an emotion unbecoming to oneself. You can go home and yell in the shower or something like that. Or vent somehow to maybe someone that you trust. But yeah, it doesn't mean keep it inside, just so you know. It just means keep it in check.

Keep calm and never show an emotion unbecoming to oneself.

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The best advice I've received in life came from my grandfather when I was about to start my first overseas job. I had transitioned from working on newspapers in Australia to joining the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong as a motion picture still photographer. While my life has changed since then, I still travel and work on the road.

My grandfather's advice was simple yet profound: Never show an emotion unbecoming to oneself. He emphasized the importance of staying calm and composed, even when feeling turmoil inside. By not revealing all of your emotions or vulnerabilities to others, you avoid giving them an opportunity to take advantage of your weaknesses.

It's essential to note that this advice doesn't mean bottling up emotions entirely. You can find healthy outlets to express and vent, such as confiding in a trusted person or releasing emotions privately. The key is to keep emotions in check and not let them spill out in a way that is unbecoming to oneself.

This advice has stayed with me throughout my journey, reminding me to maintain composure and handle emotions with grace and control.

Instagram says photos are dead, what do you think?

Instagram's Surprising Claim: Photos are Dead, What Now?

Hi, Brett, yes. Oh Instagram saying photos, a date, huh? Which pretty weird because they might be looking at Sony Walkman moment there because they are the ones that were telling us that photos are alive and to get out there and explore. I don't think Instagram and thinking this through, if that's what they're saying, I know people like looking at videos and and reels and stuff like that, but You know, there's nothing like having a photograph to sit there look at and explore, you know, maybe it's time for someone to start up a new app. If Instagram don't want to support photos, I've just wasted the last three years of my life. I'm a bit perplexed about this. Anyway, thanks for the question. I hope that has you even less sure about it read today, I've been out in the sun. Need to put some more sunscreen on. Alright thanks Matt, cheers.

Instagram is weird for saying photos have a date, and maybe it's time for someone to create a new app if Instagram won't support photos.

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Instagram saying that photos are dead? That's pretty strange considering they were the ones encouraging us to share and explore through photos. I don't think Instagram has really thought this through. While videos and reels are popular, there's something special about sitting down and looking at a photograph, taking the time to explore it. Maybe it's time for a new app to emerge if Instagram doesn't want to support photos anymore. It's a bit perplexing, especially for someone like me who has invested time in sharing photos on the platform. Thanks for the question, Brett. I hope my response leaves you even more uncertain about Instagram's stance. By the way, I've been out in the sun and need to apply more sunscreen. Take care!

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Jasin Boland is a renowned global motion picture still photographer whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, billboards and movie posters around the world. He has captured the raw emotion of action franchises such as The Matrix, James Bond and Jason Bourne. As a member of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers, Jasin has photographed the first three Matrix films and the last three 007 Bond films. As he reflects on his achievements, he sees many more highlights in his career yet to come. Jasin is an avid supporter of aspiring photographers, believing that the enthusiasm of the craft is the heart of photography. He owes much of his success to the mentors and professionals who nurtured his love of photography and helped to propel his career.