Find Your Style, Then Try Something New

Robert Cornelius January 23, 2018

As photographers (or artists in general), we're all searching for that elusive "style" phenomenon everyone talks about. We want to have our own "style" with hopes that one day people might look upon our work and say things like, "hey, I like your style...." There is no formula for finding a style; you basically just have to create, A LOT. Keep shooting the things you love to shoot and editing the way you love to edit, try different things, fail, try them again, and your style will sort of naturally grow into a thing. One day it will just be there like a stray dog that falls perfectly into your life like it was always there. You won't even realize it happened. (Disclaimer: You might, however, notice a new dog in your house ... just an observation.) You can't force it (I don't believe anyone who goes out looking for a new stray dog finds one), just work and the style will come. (Disclaimer 2: Maybe this analogy is crap? ... because unlike a "style," if you want a dog, just go to the shelter and get one.)

"The Winds of Summer" featuring Madeline Shayne Photography

Create a Safety Net

Robert Cornelius March 7, 2017

If you're in the gym and trying to lift something heavy, odds are you need a spotter. Even if you fancy yourself to be a big strong macho man (or woman). You may think you can just do it yourself (and maybe you can), but wouldn't it be safer to have an extra set of hands to yank that weight off your chest if you try to bite off more than you can chew? Perhaps you and your silly pride can struggle through it, but odds are you're going to have bad form; the sloppy reps just aren't going to deliver the results you were hoping for. Creating a piece of artwork is no different. Sure, you can do it all by yourself and get something done, but it's always a good idea to find an artwork spotter to have your back.

Take Advantage of Happy Accidents

Robert Cornelius October 11, 2016

We've all had them before, those moments when something goes "wrong" and yet somehow completely right at the same time. These are the things we can't really control and that you probably would never have thought to do, but the universe seems to align and sprinkle a little bit of extra magic onto your project. Well, I had that cosmic-accidental-magic-attack during one of my recent shoots and I couldn't be more excited about it!

Take The Break, Don't Let The Break Take You

Robert Cornelius August 8, 2016

Hey guys it's me! ME ROBERT, remember me? Maybe not ... because this crazy thing happened where I haven't posted a new image in about three months. (I know eww WTF!) Well anyway, I'm here to tell you that I still exist (yay) and I'm still going to be churning out art and blogging about the process! (Extra yay!)

"The Captain's Last Stand" featuring Thomas Willeford

Don't Fall Victim to "What Ifs"

Robert Cornelius March 30, 2016

Recently I was wandering around that Facebook thing because it is the ultimate procrastination tool. I can't say I remember what I was putting off, but I'm so glad I was. Through a series of countless random clicks on god knows what links, I wound up on an event page with an open invitation to a steampunk studio photography weekend at Omni Lens Studios. "Hmm this seems interesting, " (Robert thought to himself). "Oh dang, and it's only half an hour from here..." I clicked the "I'm Interested" option which kept me in the loop without actually committing to anything. Then for the next several weeks I would check back in periodically to quietly stalk the various attendees, photographers, makeup artists, and models - you know, typical internet creepin.

"Swimming Moonlight" featuring Aleah Michele

7 Reasons to Do a Sunrise Photo Shoot

Robert Cornelius March 2, 2016

Ok, can we just agree that our beds are the most wonderfully magical places that we can call our own? Sleeping in, all snuggled beneath a sea of comforters and pillows, being warm and nestled in your happy place is just perfection. I'm now going to ask you to leave that happy place at the butthole of dawn. EWW WHAT!? Yes my friends, get your comfy little butts out of bed and go out in the cold for the sake of art!! (Unless you live somewhere with a more gentle climate year-round, in which case, get your butt out of bed and go out in the warm...)

"The Spell Book" featuring the incredibly talented Marsha Denlinger

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Robert Cornelius February 19, 2016

You know how you can spend years trying to find your photography style? Testing out different techniques and effects hoping that something will eventually evolve into your perfect aesthetic? For a while I was sort of in denial of "my thing." People started taking notice of my studio work and saying things like, "Hey friend, I like your style! You're a great composite photographer." To which my brain went, "No I'm not! Wait what? Am I? ... I have a style?" I was shooting in the studio because it was convenient (I live upstairs ... ), but I hadn't ever really thought of myself as a studio photographer. My photography upbringing had taken place in the woods and on aimless adventures with my mom's camera, so I just assumed my style was going to be found somewhere out in the wilderness. I guess I did take baby step towards "studio work" when I started to steal every light fixture in my parents' house (that wasn't attached to a wall) up to my room to shoot portraits of my friends.

"Create Your Own luck" is an older piece from way back when Past-Bert didn't have a blog....

How to Be a Success

Robert Cornelius October 30, 2015

Success.... What is success anyway? How do we get it? If we do, how do we know that we've achieved it? Well I'm convinced we are all as successful as we decide to be, but also we will never really "make it" either ... kinda ... Wait what? Yes. What I mean to say is that if you ever get to a point where you think, "There, I've done it, I've succeeded! I'm a success. I'm great." Then you fail. No matter how amazing you get (or already are) at something, there is always more you can accomplish. There's never NOT going to be room to grow, learn, refine, reflect, and change for the better.

"The Fall and the Flames"This is actually a fancifully edited outtake from this shoot that I did with Nathan Worden. — "The Fall and the Flames"
This is actually a fancifully edited outtake from this shoot that I did with Nathan Worden.

Just Because Everyone Else Is Doing It ...

Robert Cornelius August 7, 2015

Have you ever noticed a pattern in photography? ... And by a pattern of course I mean the same technique done by tons of photographers? Maybe I'm just living in a bubble, and I only really see images that are in my "niche" (if I have such a thing), but very often I see the same thing done over and over and over again. Just because everyone else is doing something, doesn't mean you have to do it too ... BUT it certainly does not mean that you can't or shouldn't do it!

"Entwined" does in fact feature none other than the Boy Wonder himself ... Joel Robison! This is from the Silver Lake Flickr Gathering I went to last year. You can read more about that grand experience here, and see all the images that eve… — "Entwined" does in fact feature none other than the Boy Wonder himself ... Joel Robison! This is from the Silver Lake Flickr Gathering I went to last year. You can read more about that grand experience here, and see *all* the images that everyone created here.

Not Every Photo Can Be a Unicorn

Robert Cornelius July 27, 2015

Ok let's be honest - your work is awesome, right? Right. You want every piece of your new artwork to top the last and be even more beautiful and well renowned, but they can't all be the best. It's just not possible (because ... science). All of your work can definitely be good or even great; you can love each and every one of your art-babies equally, but no matter what you do you're going to create a real winner every now and then. Sometimes you accidentally create a unicorn (ok not an actual unicorn ... well maybe you're making a picture of a unicorn ... but just stay with me.) - an image that just shines a bit brighter and sticks its head a bit higher out of the ever-filling pool of images flooding the internet these days.

I call this masterpiece "Happy Sparkle Glitter Glitz."

One Year Blogiversary

Robert Cornelius June 16, 2015

That's right people, today marks an entire year of weekly (well weekly-ish ... ) blog posts from this guy. *double thumb points to self* It's crazy to me that I've been doing this for that long. It seem like just yesterday I began to pour my thought, tips, tricks, and gifs out into the vastness of the internet, but alas it's been 365 days of hard work. Many a late night, countless hours of editing, gif making, file sizing, speed edit exporting, writing, re-writing, and re-re-writing all to meet deadlines that ... I make for myself. I love it all.

Fix Your Flaws

Robert Cornelius May 29, 2015

Too many times I've seen people upload pictures and say something like, "Uhhgg I don't even really like this ... the blah blah blah looks a little weird and I just can't seem to get the blah blah to look quite right. Oh well here it is ..." It's as if some photographers think that by pointing out the flaws before the viewer spots them, it makes them okay. Negativity doesn't cancel out flaws, it accentuates them. More than half the time, you're going to be the only person to notice whatever it is that's bothering you anyway. Why tarnish your own hard work by pre-forming your audience's view of the pieces as not being that great? Putting something up and asking for constructive criticism in a Facebook group or something is one thing, but throwing a "finished" piece up in your portfolio and bashing on it just makes me want dole out face slaps.

Always Go With Your Gut

Robert Cornelius May 8, 2015

Go. With. Your. Gut. I know these "brain" things we have are supposed to be the almighty powerhouses of thought - in charge when it comes to decisions and figuring things out. However, I find time and time again that my gut is smarter than my brain. It just knows things. I've given up on fighting it, because my instincts have yet to steer me wrong. There have been many occasions when my brain is really encouraging me to do something, but my gut keeps saying, "Listen Robert, I know your brain is the thinker but I'm the artist, so ignore Mr. Logic and go with what feels right."

You Can Do It

Robert Cornelius January 28, 2015

Over the last several months, as I've been releasing new pictures, I've been noticing a trend. Now I'm not going to name names or point fingers (because it could happen to anyone), but I have been thinking a lot about this and figured it was time to share my thoughts. (Cuz sharing is caring...or so they say..whoever they are.) It's time to put an end to this.....