los angeles men's fashion and beauty photographer ronald n. tan

This is another quick thoughts on how to get started in photography. I’ve been asked way too many times. I’ll point to my blog about it. Here is an actual excerpt of the kinds of emails I receive in my inbox

I want to do what you are doing, but I am just starting out. Any tips for a budding photographer on how to approach people to model for me?

Buy the best camera with full manual controls and lens that you can afford, full stop! I don’t care if all you could afford is a point-and-shoot. If that P&S camera has full manual controls, you’re good to go.

Intro

The next step is learning to see lighting. Learn the basics of lighting and the internet has a wealth of information on it. If books are your cup of tea, then go to Barnes&Nobles and internalize the knowledge and materials presented.

Invest in Photoshop Elements (the consumer version) or the full-blown professional CS3 version. The current CS4 is a resource hog and you’ll have to have a powerful computer along with a great graphics (GPU) card to work! I recommend getting the previous Photoshop CS3 or CS2.

Let’s face it–the reality of the proliferation of digital cameras–even with the “entry level or prosumer,” everyone can be a “photographer” these days. But…if you don’t know how to process your RAW images in a post-editing software like Photoshop, you don’t stand out from the next “soccer mum” that is trying to be a “photographer.” If you look at any commercial images that appears on TV or in upscale fashion magazines, all the images you see are well-retouched. SORRY, BUT NO IMAGES LOOK LIKE THAT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CAMERA!

Study the Works of Photographers You Admire

There is an adage, “You are judged by the company you keep.” If you want to be a photographer and take marketable professional images, you better breathe, live, and surround yourself with images you aspire to shoot down the line. When I started my self-taught journey in 2007, I had a few photographers that I used as “stepping-stone” inspirations. I will not acknowledge them here because their works are no longer inspiring and they chose not to re-invent themselves.

If you want to shoot womens fashion, go into Vogue or Vanity Fair and look at editorial spreads that inspires you. Take note of the photographers and the stylists. Research information on their past works and study their images–their framing and positioning of models. Pay attention to how the models are cropped? Look at the background and props. How are they placed in relationship to the points of interests and perspective.

Practice, Practice! Repreat Ad Infinitum!

Once you’ve started your studies on lighting and some basic information on composition, go out there and photograph anything that moves or don’t move. Photograph people–your friends, family, pets. Worry about your understanding of your camera and how the settings affect the mood you’re trying communicate with your audience.

Internet Models & Professional Models

Sites like ModelMayhem.com has a great talent pool of models. If a random stranger caught your eye and you want him/her to model for you. It is best that you carry your business cards with you at all times. These days, if you have an iPhone or a similar smart mobile device, you can show the random stranger your image samples. Just like your mum taught you, please be respectful and show graciousness when approaching a random person. If he/she say, “No thanks,” that means no. Full stop! That’s it. In my experience, I approached one guy who worked at the A&F store at the Arden Mall in Sacramento in 2007. I was nervous, but I was also respectful when I decided to approach Alex and asked him if he’d model for me.

That’s it! Questions? Comments? Contact me via the contact page.

Styling by Andy Salmen @ ArtMix Beauty LA | http://artmixbeauty.com

Hair by Francisco Pinto

Make-up Artist Marco Ochoa

My “unofficial” mentor Mr. Jerry Avenaim authored an article at http://blog.avenaim.com/2009/11/19/photographer-fellowship/ encouraging photographers to exemplify camaraderie, rapport, and collaborative spirit. I’d like to re-echo his practical teachings to my entries, hoping that it would cascade this fundamental pedagogy of unifying and strengthening our artistic community.

The concept of “fellowship” isn’t foreign to me because I came from academia. We were drilled and conditioned from the first day of our laboratory courses–the productive collaborative spirit. However, the only individual responsibilities are submitting our lab report. We synthesize our own hypothesis, formulate and arrive at our conclusions. I was glad to read Mr. Avenaim’s thoughts and encourage my blog readers to amplify the spirit of building-up each other.

Anyone in the northern CA/Napa region, please re-cacade the information regarding an event to benefit the student-run free clinics of the UC Davis Medical School. My sister, Cynthia K. Tan drew the cover illustration on this 4×6″ high-gloss flyer. She’ll soon enter her 3rd year full of exploratory rotations and on-calls.

INFORMATION:

http://wineandauction.ucdavis.edu

January 9, 2010 @ 6 – 10 PM.

UC Davis School of Medicine

4610 X Street

Sacramento

Join us for an evening of fine wine, food tastings from local Sacramento restaurants and live music. As we raise funds for the School of Medicine’s Student-Run Free Clinics. Every weekend, UC Davis medical and undergraduate students work  side-by-side with volunteer physicians to provide health care to Sacramento’s underserved. All proceeds will help these clinics in their endeavor to bridge the gap in our community’s health care disparities.

Sponsored by: UC Davis School of Medicine & The Midtown Grid.

EDITED 10/11/2009: I want to add the following disclaimer that I do not profess to be a know-it-all. My replies to some of the discussion topics are from my own experiences that I’ve dealt and learnt **on my own** during my recent two years experiences. IF YOU HAVE knowledgeable insights you’d like to contribute so that even I will benefit and grow, please do share: http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=523840

The purpose of this entry is to scintillate interest and encouraging my fellow photographers to start thinking about the next phase of their careers.

When I frequent the ModelMayhem.com (MM) forums, there is a lot of questions on “how to submit to a magazine”. I consider tear sheets to be like the badges of the boy scouts. The more tear sheets you have, the more you can command presence and appear experiences in front of your prospective clients.

Here is the “secret” to getting published. Are you ready? Copy and paste and memorize like there is no tomorrow!

1) Who/what do you want to shoot for? Be realistic!

2) Visit a specialty magazine store, e.g. Borders, Barnes & Nobles, etc.

3) Go to the magazine isle and go through the publications you want to contribute to.

4) On their mast head, write down the contact address and information of the editor, creative director, etc. Both email and land line.

5) Peruse through the magazine and ask, “Do I have what it takes to assemble a team and repeat these types of photographs?”

6) If yes, go home, prepare a VERY concise email with relevant link(s) to your website and a PDF link of your photographer resume. In case the email address can’t accept attachments.

7) If you first don’t succeed, try try again! Repeat after me: If you first don’t succeed, try try again!

Visit this website and internalize its contents: http://www.editorialphoto.com/

I was reciprocating a message with photographer Mr. Darin Basile of http://www.daflye.net/. His MM can be accessed: http://www.modelmayhem.com/darinb.

He brought up an interesting point “additive rather than subtractive.”

Mr. Basile augmented to the conversation:

I understand leaving “fragments” behind. I’ve been in San Diego for 6 years and I still mix up certain things with the 11 years I spent in Philadelphia. But (I’m guessing) you’re in a new phase of your career. And you well know that the important relationships, friends, loves, etc… you made in LA will remain with you, in part, no matter where you are. Maybe try to think in terms of having brought pieces of them with you rather than having left pieces of you behind. Additive rather than subtractive.

If you’re in the bay area and are available and interested in “Rough Cuts,” please visit this link: http://www.thelab.org/events/407-roughcutsnov09.html

Mr. Basile is amongst the presenters with the screening of his directorial debut of “Dreaming in Circus.”

I was “introduced” to Mr. Calle Eriksson at one of the studio parties hosted by Mr. Brooks Ayola, one of my “unofficial mentors” whom I feel proud and privileged to know. Calle was part of the entourage of my photographer friend, Mr. Kurt Brown. I met the wonderful Mr. Gregory Prescott that evening. These are the photographers that I’ve engaged brief email conversations via ModelMayhem. It was a joy to finally associate their faces and shaking their hands.

Brooks invited me so that I could exercise my social skills. Everyone knows that I take on my leading and directive “photographer personality” behind camera, but when I am not behind my instrument, I am shy as a mouse. I sat next to Calle and did not say anything. I was hoping that Kurt would introduce Calle to me since that’s the protocol I was accustomed to–when you are the guest with company to a group event, normally you introduce your guests to other guests.

After I got home that evening and a few days later, I wrote to Gregory asking about Calle. I also wrote to Kurt and asked his consent if I could ask Calle to model for me. I enjoy being polite, respectful and proper with everyone.

Finally, I was excited and I asked Calle. I first explained to him that we “met” at Brooks’ studio event and that it would be a great experience if I could capture him. He agreed.

Voila!

I finally decided to share my exploratory results. I hope you’ll find them in good taste and class. I want to thank all the male models for permitting me to capture them in the complete truth and honesty exuding the elusive beauty of the male form I find truly beautiful.

http://ronaldntan.com/site.html#/nudes

There images are from my “archive”. These are the images I took when my adventure began and I moved to LA.

12 July 2007

Straight out of LR 3 BETA with adjustments.

Models Ryan Diesel and Piortrek “Peter” Strykowski. Designer / Stylist Austin S. Hess for “Hollywood Hess”.