Making the Shot, Issue Four: 100 Tips for Photographers

Hello all my long lost blogging friends!!

A few weeks ago, I sent out an email announcing the release of Making the Shot 4, Issue 4: 100 Tips for Photography.

As many of you know, I occasionally write advanced photography lessons called “Making the Shot” as an adjunct to the lessons taught in The Photographers’ Workshop. What you may not know though, is that I’ve been working on and off to complete the latest issue, called “100 Tips for Photographers” for more than six years.

And it’s finally done!!!

It's a compilation of tips and tricks I've learned, applied and refined over nearly two decades of being a photographer:

• Technical tips that help me nail the shot

• Inter-relational tips that help me connect with and encourage my subjects

• Creative tips to guide the flow and feel of candid moments, planned portraits and unexpected compositions

• Plus links, gifts and downloads for your enjoyment and photography

It's more than 100,000 words - the size of two novels - taking the kind of technical writing I shared in The Photographer's Workshop and pairing it with the kind of personal writing I shared on my blog.

 

As usual, this issue of Making the Shot will be offered as a PDF/audio ($55) or as a PDF/audio + 4 week workshop ($135).

By purchasing this lesson, you'll get a 244 page PDF with more than 300 images and 11+ hours of accompanying audio (again, $55 for the PDF/audio only). You can also add access to the four week workshop, where you can ask any and all questions, participate in assignments, receive and share peer evaluations, join weekly live broadcasts, download all of my original, unedited images shared for each tip, and connect with other like-minded photographers for an additional $80 ($135 total for the PDF/audio + 4 week workshop).

The workshop runs from September 4th through October 1st, 2018.

At this time, I do not have plans to teach this workshop a second time.

 

To purchase either, all you need to do is:

1. Go to the 'go shopping' section on my site: http://www.snapshotsofagoodlife.com/index.cgi?p=purchase

2. Add Making the Shot, Issue 4: 100 Tips for Photographers to your shopping cart (from the ‘options’ dropdown menu, select the PDF/audio or PDF/audio + 4 week workshop)

4. Check out through Paypal (you do NOT have to have a Paypal account – you can pay with a credit card via Paypal without having a Paypal account). Please do NOT close-out of the Paypal window until you have been redirected back to my site - this is very important as it has been causing problems with the registration process.

5. Check your email inbox for a confirmation email AND a welcome letter. If you do not receive both, please email me to let me know.

6. Get to reading, learning and enjoying!

7. If you like it, please spread the word about it (thankyousoverymuch).

Here’s a sneak peak for you…

 

 

 

And here are some reviews I've received so far:

Here's a few reviews I've received so far:

“I’m absolutely loving ‘100 tips for photographers!’ It’s an amazing mix of great photography advice, ideas and inspiration. Karen generously includes so much extra information and each of the 100 tips is on its own so valuable. Every time I read a tip, I’m inspired by Karen’s photos, I feel excited to try out her recommendations and ideas and I love hearing her caring voice and all love and wisdom that is also included. I’ve taken Karen’s “The Photographer’s Workshop’ and it taught me a lot about how to use my camera. The ‘100 tips for photographers” is like a beautiful icing on that cake. You’re already familiar with your camera - in fact, most tips can be used for any camera, including smart phone cameras. You get practical ideas on how to improve your photography, how to get subjects to cooperate and how to make a shot spec ial - all that Karen has discovered during her many years of experience. I’m really looking forward to the class in September. I feel so inspired just by reading the PDF (which, by the way, is so far from a boring photography fact book… this one you just want to browse over and over in a cozy corner of your couch). It will be so great to discuss these tips with other students in the class and see the photos everyone shoot. I highly recommend joining!” – Emilia

"My biggest observation - this is a fabulous guide, both to photography and to life. It’s the kind of thing your read, digest, think through, try some new tips, then realize you are thinking through again and again… and not just the tips about photography. You think you are soaking up photography tips when really you are learning things about life, the kinds of things that no one ever talks about and we have to stumble through life to find ourselves. That may be the greatest tip of all here." – Traci

“I had a chance to read through Karen Russell's latest issue of Making the Shot: 100 Tips for Photographers, and I can't tell you how excited I am to participate in her class in September. This document contains the most complete list of practical tips and examples that I have seen for getting the type of beautiful story-telling candid shots that we have seen on Karen's blog, http://www.karenrussell.typepad.com. There are tips on how to evaluate your locale to find the best vantage point, how to interact with your subjects to get the most flattering shot, how to manage the shooting time with your subjects and so much more. For me, the best parts of this issue of Making the Shot are the pictures. Each tip contains at least one photograph with an explanation of how Karen captured the moment. AND Karen is including all of her original RAW and edited files for these photos with the class!” - Susan

“I was blessed to complete the photographer's workshop back in 2014, and I am thrilled to get the chance to participate in the 100 tips MTS workshop. Despite us not having an actual face to face or personal relationship, you have an amazing way of drawing me in with the voice of a dear old friend. I feel as though I just got off a phone call with someone I've known all my life. I belly laughed out loud, teared up, and just had a wonderful time ‘catching up with you.’ Thank you so much for the work you put into making this fun and informative Making the Shot.” – Ashlee

“There are a few people in my life that hold a special place for me. When they speak, I listen. Karen is one of the few (perhaps the only?) person that I don't actually know that falls into this category. When I received the announcement for this class (in my junk folder, no less), I knew I wanted to be a part of it. My dear husband had to do some pushing because I just began homeschooling our Kindergartener and I start teaching Bible in a few weeks and, well, all of regular life and finding a place for the cost. But ultimately, when Karen speaks, I want to listen and this desire won out. I've started listening to the audio portion of the class on my early morning walks and am only about an hour in. But you will know and feel within the first few seconds how Karen cares for and commits to her students. The content is rich and thorough. The PDF is beautiful. I'm in the middle of tip 5 and am already aware of th ings I'm going to try and change and techniques I'm planning to implement. And she has already done a bit of snort-laughing at herself and used phrases like "increasingly pickle-ish." I'm immensely grateful that this class is available and that I've committed to being part of it.” - Erin

“I feel like an old friend is back! I have loved pouring over the PDF to see some old photos I remember from your blog that I read for so many years, and also some new updates - especially seeing the kids now and reading their thoughts on your photography journey! I am praising God that you are sharing your knowledge with us again and I am in awe of all your pics to this day! You are such a story teller!!! I have missed the blog, so getting to read this is just a huge blessing. Tare so many little tips that would add to the photographers creativity and take them out of a possible rut or guide someone who is new to photography to be creative. If someone has been shooting a while, they may be in a creative rut, and this will inspire them to try something new. The tips are little adjustments that will help us to think of shooting differently and really add creativity to our shots. - Colette

 

To say that the writing of this issue of Making the Shot has been a labor of love (and a whole, whole, WHOLE lotta labor) would be an understatement. I think that's precisely what makes so excited to finally be sharing it.

Much love to all of you.

Comments

[Brianne Sheppard]

Ah, I teared up when I saw you come back up in my Feedly! I don’t know you from Adam, but I read along with your blog from the beginning and I didn’t realize how terribly I missed getting updates. I hope all is well!

[Cindy Mandernach]

How weird. I was just thinking about you the other day...good to see you around again.

[Cheryl]

Karen!!! I swear three days ago I was googling you, just to see if you had moved blogs or were teaching somewhere else...I was using the pen that you had sent out with that huge binder and I missed you. AND HERE YOU ARE!! I'm just thrilled. And now I'm going to go sign up before I forget for two days and there isn't any space left. So many hugs to you and all your crew.

[Amanda @ Click. The Good News]

Miss you so much- it was such a joy to see a little mini-updates on your family and some noew pictures. Hope you are well & would love to have more blog updates.

[Megan Riley]

I have missed you!!! Welcome back. Hugs

[Gabriela]

Man, it's cathartic to read you again! Your posts are like a healing salve to me. I'd missed you so very much. I send you and your motley crew the biggest, warmest, most heartfelt hugs.

[Karen]

💞💞💞💞💞

[Andrea D]

So good to see a post from you.

[Misha]

Obviously you have a lot of folks who still miss you, because I, too, was just googling you last week wondering how you were. We must have had a collective gut feeling you were doing something wonderful! So lovely to see your fun crew and see you all look well. xox

[Evia]

Loved to see a blog post from you! Hope everyone is getting along well and would love to see more posts! We miss you!

[kat-in-texas]

Nellie!!! Oh, how we have missed you, sweet friend. Was looking for an email that got sent to my TRASH folder when I saw yours...WHOOP! Are you back??? So much to catch up on and looking forward to the new class! You and your family have been missed by us all!!! <3 Helga

[marianne b]

So happy to see you! I have missed your blog immensely.

[Valerie]

Hey! So happy to see you’ve dropped in! You’ve been missed so, so much! Very best wishes for on the success of this photography course!

[Jenna]

Can you please please start your blog again?!!

[Krista]

I, like some of the others who posted, just randomly googled you today to see if you had ever come back to your blog. It definitely felt like a little nudge from God or something. Wonderful to see that you are starting to pick your camera up again and to read those sweet little notes from your family about your photography. Always loved following your blog over the years. Prayers for your family and blessings to you all.

[Ruthie]

OH! How I wish I had time in my class schedule to do this! I miss you and I miss your blog.

[Rhonda]

I've checked your blog from time to time to see if you had returned. Yours is one of only a handful that I bookmarked and read consistently. Your pictures, your words, family, all of it is just so down to earth and just like the rest of us. Loving, struggling, making it work, breaking it down, picking it back up. I am so happy to see a post from you.
God bless, prayers for you and your lovely family. See you around

[Tina B.]

Yeah! I always check your blog in hopes that you would return. I took a 1day class of yours and have followed you since. Your posting allowed us to learn about photography but also about the ups and downs of life. You handled all with grace. Thank you.

[Dana F]

It's SO GOOOOD to see a post in this loved little blog!!!!! I miss your writing and the beautiful photos of your family so much.
Congrats on the new project. It looks incredible!

[Michelle]

Oh gosh, Karen. So bummed I missed this. I sure do miss your blog and reading up on what the kids have been up to. I miss your stories about your family. How is everyone?? How can Coley be 18?!! That makes Courtney the same age. I know Ross is pretty close in age to my oldest (she's 30.) How old is Annie now? I really, truly do hope you are doing well.

[Ashley Schultz]

I periodically go to your blog to see if there might be an update and saw this last night. Such a nice surprise. Thinking if you and your family. ♥️