Say hello to James Eisele, a ‘project 52’ photographer in Florida.

“While project 52 was challenging, I didn’t feel it was overwhelming, even though it frequently forced me out of my comfort zone with assignments that were different than anything I’d shot previously.

Probably my biggest struggle was time; time to plan, time to gather the resources, time to execute, and time to edit. My imagination could easily conjure up these epic scenes for new assignments, but the reality of having only 1 or 2 weeks forced me to stop visualizing how much I could add to an image and start thinking about how much I could remove and still get the story across. That was a big shift for me – do as much as you can with as little as possible. This has been a huge help in my commercial work as streamlining the workflow from concept to delivery has had a very positive impact on my photography business.

The other rude awakening for me was that coming into project 52 I considered myself a very detail oriented photographer, and it didn’t take long to figure out that I wasn’t nearly detail oriented enough. I learned about details I didn’t even know I should be looking for, and that was something that will stay with me from here on out.

I still wrestle with “my personal style”. I know it when I see it, which is a huge step forward, but I’ve not yet gotten to the point where I can comfortably replicate it on demand. Maybe I’m a touch A.D.D. but I love to experiment with new and different techniques rather than punch out cookie-cutter broad-lit portraits or high key product shots. Trying to be different and innovative while still maintaining consistency is something I’ll probably continue to struggle with going forward.”

More from James and a look at some of his images after the jump.

“This past August I took the plunge and signed on as a partner in a new commercial studio in Hollywood, FL. So far it’s been incredibly rewarding and frighteningly frustrating at the same time. Gold Coast Studio is “in the black” and gaining momentum quickly in the South FL market while more and more established studios are shutting their doors for good. Had I not gone through Project 52 with Don, I doubt I’d have jumped at the opportunity, but more importantly, I don’t know that I’d have had the tools to make a successful go of it (it’s still very early on, but things are looking good). I expect to be able to leave the day job within the next 12 to 18 months if things stay reasonably on track.”

Links:
Website
Website
About Me

Thanks James. I’m proud you are making it work!

Twitter / Facebook / Workshops / About.Me / My Book, Lighting Essentials on Amazon

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