Then & Now: Miguel Emmanuelli

Miguel Emmanuelli is a wedding a portrait photographer based out of Jacksonville, Florida and is regularly featured on our daily updates. Find out how Miguel used LOOKSLIKEFILM to push and motivate him to become the photographer he is today.

Then

How did you learn photography?

I learned photography in college, or at least the basics. I took a b/w creative photography class back in 2001 and learned everything on a small manual Pentax K1000. Beyond that, everything else is self-taught. When there's interest and passion involved, it's all you need to learn anything.

Now

What year was the "then" picture taken in?

This photo was taken in November 2012. It was my first wedding. I had some ideas, but mostly had no clue how to pose or how to motivate them to show their emotions. I remember feeling frantic, soaked in sweat, and staring at my camera as if it were some foreign object. It was a nightmare. I did manage to get some solid images that day, but this one clearly showcases my lack of skill starting out. The editing is crap and the look on their faces? Well, it says everything. Poor direction reflects poorly in photos.

Now

What did you do to better your photography skills?

I shot a ridiculous amount of photos. I kept shooting till I found my favorite gear and editing style. I also did research on what sort of wedding photographer I wanted to be and just went for it. LOOKSLIKEFILM helped in this regard, it's a one-stop-shop inspirational site and I don't go a day without visiting the train station.

Now

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new photographer to help them excel in their craft?

Slow down, simplify, trust your gut and keep looking through that viewfinder till you find truth. I consider all that one piece ;)

Now

Check out more awesome images from Miguel below.

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Then & Now - Land of White Deer

Dana and George are best friends, travelers, husband and wife and owners of Land of White Deer Photography. They have always been drawn to nature and natural light, which is apparent in their earliest photographs. Self taught, Dana & George immersed themselves into everything photography and learned how to take advantage of the beautiful landscape they are surrounded with. They travel the world in search of beautiful scenery and beautiful people to photograph. Check out how they became such amazing and sought after wedding photographers. 

Then

How did you learn photography?

I've learned photography mostly by myself, usually practicing and watching videos. Reading articles and books has helped too.

Now

What year was your then picture taken in?

September 2013. My first wedding as a primary shooter.

Then

What did you do to better your photography skills?

I followed a lot of international well known wedding photographers and again, practiced a lot.

Now

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new photographer to help them excel in their craft?

I would first encourage them to trust themselves and stop feeling disappointed if something doesn't come out the way they imagined. I think workshops, held by experienced photographers, will help too and of course, a lot of practice. Also you should know how to handle your gear!

Then

Check out more awesome images from Dana & George below.

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Then& Now - Molly Gilholm

Molly Gilholm loves good light, adventure and couples that love to laugh and have fun. Even looking at her "then" photos, you can tell Molly has always been drawn to light. She noticed this early on and really zeroed in on this concept and learned how to use it to perfection.

Then

How did you learn photography? 

I picked up my first camera and started playing around in 2007! I was 14. It was in my backyard. I learned by practicing and reading all I could online. I was really into the Flickr community back in the day, and always loved looking and admiring all the conceptual self-portraits. There are a few photographers who I still follow to this day, who I started out knowing of through Flickr. 

I got my first DSLR in 2010, It was a Nikon D60, and I was in love. I brought it with me every single day to school, taking photos of my friends, flowers, cats, whatever I could. I was always really interested in playing around with different editing techniques, and have always loved photoshop.

I took black and white film photography all through high school, and although I never excelled in the darkroom I really value my time there because it taught me how cameras work. I remember the moment it clicked that the same techniques I used on my film camera (the light meter, ISO, etc) could be applied to my digital camera. Suddenly manual mode was something I felt confident doing, and that raised my photography to the next level.

I was also super lucky to have grown up with a dad who was a videographer, and generally into photography and the latest technology, and an uncle who shot Nikon and pirated me my very first copy of Adobe Lightroom (shhh don't tell).

Now

What year was your then photo taken in?

All these "then" photos were taken in 2011 when I really started going for it! I was a senior in high school.
 

Then

What did you do to better your photography skills?

I looked at insane amounts of other photographers work, and tried to figure out how I could emulate the aspects of the photos I liked. Mostly how other photographers harnessed the power of natural light. I have always been really OCD about how I use natural light, and it's always the first thing I think of when I am taking a photo before posing, styling, etc.

Once I spent enough time lurking other people's work, I wrangled all the friends I could, bought clothes at the Goodwill outlet, dressed them up, and shot away. I have always been equally interested in art direction and styling, so coming up with conceptual ideas was half the fun for me, and still is. I have graduated to working with models from agencies, but the same idea and fun is still there. Buying prime lenses was also a major turning point in the way I shot and the way I looked at a frame.

Now

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new photographer to help them excel in their craft?

The feeling of not being good enough, or not being satisfied with your work is the only thing that's going to make you keep going. The second you sit back and think about how amazing you are and how everything is perfect is the moment you stop being an artist.

Then

What camera and lenses do you use? And what is your favorite preset?

Nikon D750
Sigma 35 Art
Nikon 85 f/1.8
VSCO Portra 160
VSCO Kodak Gold
 

Now

Check out more images from Molly below.

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