Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Friends. I know most of you don’t live in Denver. BUT! For the small, small, small portion of you that do (hi, 47 of you last month according to Google Analytics!) - I have a thing I want to see you at! Hooray.
I’m going to be teaching a Smartphone Photography Class at Share Denver next month. To be precise, it’s on Wednesday, Aug. 5th. Share Denver is an amazing organization in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver where makers of all kinds share their skills with others. From knitting to kimchi making, it’s a lot of fun. In my class, you’ll learn lots of things, but we all prefer clarity so:
- You’ll learn how to take pictures that are frame worthy using nothing more than your smartphone and a few simple accessories and a mix of recommended apps.
- You’ll learn the basics of photography composition, exposure and lighting using a Smartphone as your tool.
- You’ll learn how to use some basic and inexpensive tools that you can pick up to improve your photos should you wish to go the next step.
So, make it happen! Join me! I’d obviously love to have you. You can register for the class here.
I have been hearing this a lot lately: “all your generation cares about is taking selfies.”
The implication? That we’re self-absorbed. Self-obsessed. Selfish.
Maybe. Maybe not. And you know, I’m kind of over it. I’m tired of the selfie hate. And I want to offer a different take on the topic, which some may argue is in and of itself an attempt to redirect attention to myself and therefore proves the narcissism that is so pervasive in our culture is true and real. I get it. But there’s no room for that here. Instead, open your mind and let’s be honest about what this technology has the power to do: It has the power to give us instant access to our memories and moments. It has the power to make us more connected to our present. And most importantly, it has the power to build self-esteem.
I think of my smart phone like this: It’s a tool that gives me visual record of my life. My memories are with me at all times. Constantly updating. Regularly evolving. Cataloguing the past and making the present documentable like a living, digital scrapbook.
Never before in our culture has this been the case. And our technology has allowed for this in a way that has made the outside eye less relevant than ever. Based on our current rhetoric, the addition of an outside actor, or photographer, takes away or reduces the implication of egomania. Somehow, another set of hands pressing the button reduces any possible incrimination that we as humans are self-obsessed.
As a professional image maker, I can tell you this: people’s weird insecurities, quirks, self-hate, self-loathing and general obsessiveness about how oneself looks does not go away because I am the one composing the image. All it does is delay the negative talk and commentary about crow’s feet, hair color and tummy pudge until the moment when I reveal the image to them. Almost always, I spend time lifting people up, helping them see their beauty and generally avoiding negative words that may contribute to a less than positive self-image.
What makes me even sadder is that these notions of ugliness are almost aways coming from the mouths of women. I’ve heard countless speeches from incredible women who loathe the way they look. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous or stunning she is: she sees herself and she sees flaws. She sees herself and thinks: not photogenic.
I always have this thought: She is totally comfortable telling me she hates herself. What terrible things could possibly be going through her head when she turns the camera on herself and I’m not there to buffer?
Big idea: I think selfies could help us overcome these feelings.
Maybe if people took more selfies, they could see what I see when I hold the camera. They could get used to their face. Get used to seeing their past and their present in the image staring back at them. They could appreciate their individual quirks. They could begin to understand how to compose for their most stunning assets. They could start to get used to positive self-image.
This week, I took a bunch of selfies to remember the moments and feelings related to spreading my Papa’s ashes in my hometown. It was a weird thing to do, but I took this picture at the end where I can honestly see his eyes in my eyes. I didn’t look at the picture and see all the things I don’t like about my face: I saw all the things I really needed to see to be connected to my ancestry. Me, acting as photographer and model, could capture the thing that I needed to appreciate in that moment. My editorial awareness made me feel better about it. And there’s nothing narcissistic about it. It’s about my connection to this earth. To the people in my life. And visually, it’s about seeing it when I look at the screen in front of me and feeling it in my soul.
What if we shifted our thinking and stopped suggesting that wanting to understand our visual identity isn’t an attempt to bathe oneself in egomaniacal glory and instead viewed it as a tool for which we can better understand our existence as humans? What if we stopped believing that wanting to see oneself wasn’t born out of narcissism but instead out of a deep need to connect to our being? And what if we challenged ourselves to view the very act of taking selfies as a step towards self love and acceptance?
I selfie so I remember.
I selfie to build confidence.
I selfie so I appreciate myself.
I selfie so I can see my mother’s cheekbones and my father’s hair and my grandpa’s eyes.
I selfie to build my self-esteem.
I selfie with my best friends.
I selfie with my crews.
I selfie in beautiful places.
I selfie for self love.
I selfie when something astonishing happens.
I selfie for the memories.
I selfie because I can.
SO what?
Taking pictures of your pets can be… challenging. And yet, so many people share quick shots of their cats, dogs, hamsters, fish and other cute creatures are all over Instagram. The question is: are they frame worthy pics? If you want to get memorable snaps worthy of framing, here are my favorite tricks:
1. Go where your pets like to go.
This is such an obvious one, but many people miss it entirely. If your pet has a favorite bed, bring the camera near them. If your pet loves to sleep on a specific chair, set up your lighting near it and wait for nap time. It’s important not to force the moment, because everyone (human and pet!) will get frustrated.
2. Get LOW.
We are larger than our animals. Well, most of the common ones anyway. Disregard horses, elephants and very large dogs for this one. Too many people try to get their pet to look up at them, when you should be getting at their level. This often means lying on the ground for a while until you get the perfect snap. But trust me, that eyes in the camera look is worth it.
3. Reduce gear fear.
One of the things my cat really hates is the sound of the flashbulb in my lighting setup. So, I got a continuous light, thus solving a HUGE problem. No additional noise means no additional frights and I get quality lighting on all my shots. Win. Win. Win. Don’t forget about beeping noises on your camera too. If you can disable them, do it. I mentioned in #1 to bring your gear where your pet likes to hang out. This can also reduce gear fear, but BE SURE to move gear when they aren’t in their favorite space. Instead, have it be a happy surprise so they can investigate on their own terms.
4. Be patient.
This is a marathon, not a race. It can take many, many attempts to get even one good shot. I often say: it’s about 100 bad pictures to 1 good one and about 1,000 pictures to 1 GREAT one. If you follow these tips, you will get there eventually.
5. Tricks and treats are always good.
A few treats never hurt any pet. My cat just knows… if she comes down to the studio, I definitely have one of her catnip balls chilling somewhere. As a result, she’ll hang out with me in the studio for hours. If that level of coordination is too tough, I recommend trying this lovely trick from Nick and Schmidt from last week’s episode of New Girl. Maybe avoid the Swuit, though.
What other tricks do you have for getting epic pet pictures?
I remember hearing once that Larry David, the genius behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, has never taken a picture. Not once. To me, that was just insane.
Life is so short. And so full of amazing things. It’s so easy to forget that I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and see some of my favorite geeky things up close. And I’m always so happy I took pictures.
Instagram. Go buy a nice DSLR. Or just invest in a decent mirror-less. Whatever it is, just take a few pictures along the way.
Chic geeks, meet Katherine Lamb (@_misslamb) - a talented photographer, crafty blogger, witty writer for the official blog of the International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club, full-time dreamer, and devoted fashionista.
Take a look at her photography website to find unflinchingly personal and honest portraits of Lamb and others, as well as beautiful photographs of the world through Lamb’s eyes. Hop over to her blog, Miss Lamb, to peek inside her home, whip up some Thai food, or craft a Golden Snitch necklace.
Before you go, though, check out Lamb’s interview with Being Geek Chic! You’ll discover how her photography has changed over the years, which fictional character she’d share a drink with, and her sassy advice to 13-year-old Lamb.
Q: What has led you to your passion?
A: I think my inclination towards the arts has always been a defining characteristic about me. As a child I was more interested in glitter glue than dolls and it’s been a pretty linear path since then. As an introvert who struggled with social anxiety throughout my childhood and teenage years, it’s always been easier for me to express myself in a visual way.
Q: How has your process as an artist evolved over time?
