Wow I

Last week I spoke with my consultant Jennifer Kleiberg.  I e-mailed her 3 images from 3 different sessions from a new portrait project I'm working on called LA Artists.  They are good images, but they're certainly not great images and that's not good enough.  She aptly said they lacked the WOW factor.  Her critique didn't disturb me because I agreed with her.  She gave me some suggestions and ideas as to how I could develop a or find that WOW factor, but it's ultimately up to me to create it.  This is much easier said then done.  Certainly if it was easy there would be many successful photographers.  That said, the few great or successful ones, have that wow factor in their photographs.  I've struggled with this since I became a photographer, how do I make images that stand way above the crowd.
I intend to now use this blog to document my determination to make a portrait that stands out amongst the rest.  First I would like to name some photographers who when I look at their work I say WOW.  The first is Dan Winters.  I stare at his work and think WOW.  He is without question a modern day master.  There is genius in everyone of his images.  They are sublimely lit in his signature style, perfectly composed, and with a coupe de grace there is always an added element to each image that turns an already great photo into a work of art.  Oh, and let me not forget to mention that the majority of his images are made with a large format camera.  Try having a gesture in your photo with a camera on a tripod.  It ain't easy.