I’ve never seen advice articles that give good advice at the truly sophisticated level. Either they stress real basics, or they make recommendations which do not apply to a truly skilled artist doing great photography, and which would prevent an upcoming one from succeeding. Editorials and advice articles are contributed by editors and writers who do not have first hand experience doing great photography. Worse, they often consider themselves to be photographers, because rather than contract great photographers, they are able to “take pictures” to satisfy their photo-journalistic needs, and so … feel that they are photographers, when all they are producing are snapshots.
How do these writers research the topic? In the obvious way. They contact and interview a bunch of photographers, usually those most readily found, and then rely on the consensus to be the best advice. So for example, if seven out of eight photographers recommend giving the photographer a shot list of the portrait combinations desired, and one strongly opposes that idea, the writer will come to the conclusion that the right advice is to give the photographer the list.
Gary Rabenko may be reached at gary@rabenko.com. Rabenko Photography & Video Artists is located at 1001 Broadway in Woodmere.