BPP 115: Gina Milicia - Connect with Models and Create Authentic Portraits

Gina Milicia has over 25 years of experience in the photography industry and is one of Austrailia’s top celebrity, portrait and lifestyle photographers, she regularly travels the world shooting for some of Austrailia’s top magazines. She is also the co-host of the popular "So you want to be a photographer" podcast which was actually one of the inspirations for me to start the beginner photography podcast. Today she shares how she connects so well with models to create authentic portraits.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

  • How Gina got an unconventional start in photography

  • What others told Gina when she said she wanted to become a artist

  • How sweeping floors and cleaning toilets in a photographers studio set her up for success

  • The hardest thing technically to learn about photography

  • The biggest misconception people think about being a traveling portrait photographer

  • The difference between working with Models and people not use to being in front of the camera

  • How to deal with the pressure to perform when the stakes are high

  • How to connect with your subjects to create authentic portraits

  • Dealing with subjects who have insecurities about their body

  • Gina’s tip to keeping fresh eyes in your subjects

  • Tips for getting couples to interact more authentically with each other for an engagement or wedding day

  • Some of Ginas favorite go to poses to make people look their best

  • An embarrassing moment

Resources:

Memorable Quotes:

  • If you have nothing to do, make yourself useful

  • Gear and portfolio is important, but relationships are more useful

  • 99% of a successful shoot is the connection you make with the person you are photographing

  • My own family thinks I just pick up a camera and point it at people. They don’t understand the pressure.

  • Whatever someone is thinking, their face will show it in their photo

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Did you enjoy this episode? Check out more recent interviews with other great guests!

Full Episode Transcription:

Disclaimer: The transcript was transcribed electronically by Temi.com and may contain errors that do not reflect accurately what the speaker said. Because of this, please do not quote this automated transcript.