Great 1 on 1 : Mastering the Basics: My Deep Dive into Photography, Editing & Pricing

💭 WHY HE GOT INTO PHOTOGRAPHY

Straight up: I needed a creative outlet.

• I'm currently pursuing my master's degree and juggling school full-time.

• Just moved to Texas — knew nobody, new vibe, new chapter.

• Picked up a camera to explore, stay creative, and meet people.

• Right now, I’m showing up to local events and building my name one shoot at a time.

“I’m not from here, so this is how I’m learning the city and making connections.”

🎒 GEAR CHAT — WHAT I’M USING & THINKING OF UPGRADING

Camera: Sony A7iii
Lens dilemma: 24-70mm zoom vs 50mm prime

The Breakdown:

LensProsCons50mm (1.8 / 1.4)Affordable, great for portraits, beautiful bokehFixed focal length, less versatile24-70mm (2.8)Super versatile, great for events, street, lifestyleMore expensive, heavier

What he said:

“I always prefer the 50mm for portraits — just love that depth. But the 24-70 gives you range when you don’t know what to expect.”
“If you're on a budget, start with the 50mm. But if you got the funds, knock out the 24-70 now — it's a long-term investment.”

🧾 BIGGEST ISSUE I BROUGHT UP: QUALITY DROP AFTER EXPORT

I told him my edited photos were losing quality once uploaded. My workflow:

• Shoot RAW

• Use adapter to transfer files to iPhone

• Edit on Lightroom Mobile

• Upload via Dropbox app

Why that’s a problem:

“Your phone strips file data. You’re not getting the full quality from RAW like you would with a computer.”

FIX:

• Use an SD card reader for your laptop

• Upload files straight to Lightroom Desktop

• Export from there to Dropbox (or even better, use Pixieset)

Bonus gem:

“Phones are good in emergencies — club shoots, sports, fast turnarounds. But for portfolio work? Always go desktop.”

💡 FLASH SETUP: WHAT TO BUY & WHY

Budget: $300–$500
What I currently have: A Godox speedlight

What he recommended:

FlashPriceNotesGodox AD200 ~$300Lightweight, portable, solid power

Godox AD600BM~$500–600Heavier, stronger flash, great for outdoor or studio

Keep the speedlight?✅ “You can’t always bring big flashes inside — that speedlight will save you in tight spots.”

“You can make quick money with that speedlight. Clubs, street portraits, events. Less gear = less stress.”

Extras to add:

• S-bracket

• Beauty dish (12” recommended) or small softbox

• Heavy-duty light stand

Note on beauty dishes vs softboxes:

“If you don’t want to learn feathering and light shaping right now, go softbox. Beauty dish looks great, but takes finesse.”

🎨 EDITING & COLOR GRADING TIPS

This was huge for me — I’ve been stuck trying to get my colors right.

What he said:

“I don’t do anything crazy. I like color to pop — sky, trees, outfits — I boost saturation and tweak skin tones.”

Workflow:

• Uses Lightroom’s default presets (no custom ones)

• Batches by editing one photo, copying/pasting settings to others

• For Photoshop, all retouching is manual — can’t paste skin edits

• Favorite style: clean, vibrant, not overly filtered

Color grading rule of thumb:

“You know what skin is supposed to look like. Not yellow. Not pink. Not orange. Trust your eyes.”

💼 BUSINESS & BRANDING GAME

Studio Access

“My homie was leaving Atlanta and had a studio. I took it over. Now it’s mine, month-to-month. Total blessing.”

Getting Into Venues

“You can get into damn near anywhere with a camera if you move right.”
“Say you’re with the venue. Keep your bag tight. Most clubs don’t even ask questions.”

💸 PRICING STRATEGY FOR BEGINNERS

“I didn’t charge at first. I waited till people wanted to pay.”

Beginner pricing tip:

• Cap your rate at $100 while learning

• Offer free shoots to build portfolio

• Focus on getting tags, reposts, word-of-mouth

• As inquiries go up, raise your prices in steps

His pricing journey:

Stage Rate Just starting : Free – $50

Beginner growth : $100

Established in market : $350–$650

Premium clients Up to $1,000+

“Now my sweet spot is $650 per shoot. Max I charge is $1K. And people book those every semester.”

🔁 Final Advice: Stay Plugged In

“Don’t just hop on a 1-on-1 and bounce. Go apply this, then come back in a month with updates.”

He encouraged me to document my progress, revisit the community, and keep evolving my setup, pricing, editing, and brand presence.

🧠 Personal Takeaways:

• Quality matters — I’m done editing off my phone

• 50mm is probably my best move right now (budget + quality)

• Start small, build value, let my work raise the prices for me

• Texas is a growing photography market — I need to show up, shoot, and hashtag smart

• Just because it’s “simple” advice doesn’t mean it’s not elite