Jason Peterson Posted in June 2022
I have been creating a similar style of pictorial photography for over 135 years. Most of my work is created in the darkroom - I research and print myself. I now shoot entirely digitally, which has taught me some tips and tricks to improve my work. Here are a few things I always keep in mind when doing pictorial photography.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Photographing your “finished product”
Plan how you want your image to look long before you start editing it. One of the biggest questions I get asked is how much post-editing I do. People are surprised at how close my in-camera JPG images look to my final edits.
Pro Tip: Always shoot JPG + RAW. Use camera JPG settings to make your JPG images look close to their final look. My JPEG settings are monochrome, +2 contrast, +2 sharpen , -5 highlights.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Slow shot
While everyone else was moving fast, I was moving slowly. Whether it's a concert, sporting event, or a street photography moment, I always try to take things as they come. As the situation unfolds, try to think of the image you want to portray.
For example, the image "Death due us part" (see below) was taken at the end of Kanye's Donda event in Chicago. Amid the chaos—including hundreds of extras, musicians, other photographers, filmmakers, and a large crew—I saw a single woman in a white dress slowly moving among the crowd . I knew this would create a special image. I slowed down, changed to a wide-angle lens , and started looking at the light on the lonely figure. All the other photographers were lined up on one side, but I knew the images would look best on the other side. I moved slowly between the figures and the bright backlight. I took about six photos and knew this painting was exactly what I wanted.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Be your own harshest critic
We are in the age of social media – likes, comments and public criticism. Although, no amount of positive affirmations can make you truly like an image. I always try to push myself and be completely honest. If I don't like a picture, no one else will either. I really struggled with the “perfect image” I wanted in my own head. I know some people say they don't all have to be perfect, but to me the subject really should be. How do I make every image I create better than the last? How can I keep improving?
PRO TIP: I have a folder full of thousands of images that are not good enough to be published.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Memory is cheap
There is nothing worse than running out of room to shoot. Always bring an extra memory card with you when shooting. You'll want to plan ahead and bring plenty of memory cards in most situations.
Pro Tip: Always get the fastest and largest memory card available. These are more expensive, but your work is worth it.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Making natural light look natural
I’ve been studying light – looking at how it hits city streets and seeing how long or dark the shadows are. I have total patience and have been known to wait hours for the light to be just right, or for someone to walk into the right spot.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to the weather forecast and get a sun tracking app. I use a Sun Tracker AR. Knowing where the light is and how it will help plan the perfect image.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Make your mistakes as big as your images
Everyone makes mistakes. Before I start shooting, I have a mental checklist. This is based on all my past mistakes. Is the lens clean? Is the battery charged? Does the lens fit perfectly? Camera memory card? I remember - right after I switched to shooting digital - I had just bought a new Leica camera. I had a private shoot with a major artist - just me and the artist hanging out for an afternoon. In relaxed, perfect natural light, I captured one magical moment after another. After I ran to the studio to edit my images, I turned on the camera and discovered that I had forgotten to insert the memory card.
Photo by Jason Peterson
Emotion trumps composition
A more important quality of an image is to make you feel something - happy, sad, alive, alone... I would sacrifice the most perfect technical image to make Images of you crying. I would rather judge a great image by looking at the face of the viewer rather than looking at the image itself.
Jason Peterson
Jason M. Peterson is an American photographer and creative director. He is a master of black and white street photography. Jason has been honing his craft for over 30 years.
