Above: Image by Gina Milicia I read a lot of emails and social media posts from discouraged newbie photographers about how crowded the photography market is and how hard it is to get a break. Sadly it’s true. It’s jam-packed at the entry-level. Everyone and their dog is a photographer these days. So why the increase? I blame the Oxford dictionary and all the other dictionaries for this new phenomena. The Oxford dictionary defines a photographer as follows: Photographer A person who takes photographs, especially as a job. This means that anyone who takes photos is a photographer – it doesn’t need to be a job – that’s a bonus. So anyone with a smartphone that photographs their lunch or takes selfies showing off their six-pack #blessed is a photographer, right? Well, no wonder there are so many more photographers in the world today. It’s never been easier to become...

“The greatest fear in the world is the opinion of others, and the moment you are unafraid of the crowd, you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart, the roar of freedom.” —Osho

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” —Jimmy Johnson There was this guy I went to high school with, his name was Tony Facciousa (not his real name). Tony was the kind of guy that when he walked into a room, everybody noticed. There was something about him that made everyone look twice, he had the X-Factor. The X Factor is difficult to define. It’s a combination of lots of little things that gave Tony Facciousa The X Factor. The way he walked, the tone of his voice, the lazy smile, the clothes he wore and the fact that he always had this air of quiet confidence that only someone comfortable in their own skin can pull off. Tony made quite an impression on me, so much so that whenever I shoot a portrait, I like to implement what I now call the ‘Tony protocol’. The Tony...

Above: Image by Gina Milicia “Trust the process. Your time is coming. Just do the work and the results will handle themselves.” –Tony Gaskins There are some things you just don’t notice because they happen so slowly like fingernails growing, the earth spinning or the 6 extra kilos I smuggle home on my thighs every time I travel to Italy. I just wake up one day and notice my nails are long, it’s the next day, or my favourite jeans don’t fit anymore. It always feels like these things just happen overnight, but it’s a slow and gradual process, much like developing your style as an artist. Is your work evolving quickly enough? Many artists I speak to get frustrated by the fact that they feel like their work is not evolving quickly enough, or not at all. The reality is, if you’re doing something towards achieving your goals consistently, there...

Above: Image by Henri Cartier-Bresson “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Above: Image by Gina Milicia What kind of photographer are you? When I ask you this question, I don’t mean what genre you shoot, portrait, still life, documentary or landscape. I’m asking about how you execute your images and this is not to be confused with gear or your editing style, that’s your technique. The way you execute your images will determine what kind of photographer you are and understanding the differences will help you to grow and evolve as a photographer. There are five different kinds of photographer: 1. The Karaoke photographer This is a great way to learn about great photography by impersonating the subjects, lighting and editing techniques of the photographers that inspire you. It’s kind of like a painting by numbers approach to taking images. This is how every great artist starts out. 2. The accidental photographer As the name suggests, this kind of photographer will...

I’ve combined my four great loves, photography, Sicily, travel and teaching to create the ultimate photography experience. I’m so excited to show you my beautiful Island of Sicily and share the lighting, posing and post-production techniques I use. I’ve partnered with the best Sicily tour guide in the world, Carmel Ruggeri of Sicilian Food Tours. We’ve been doing these tours together since 2013 and having a blast! Carm will take care of us during our stay and take us to authentic Sicilian villages and locations off the beaten track. Carm is a successful and much-loved restaurateur so we will be privy to some of the best Sicilian food and wine and hospitality. I can’t wait to work with you! For more information or to download a brochure head to: https://www.sicilianfoodtours.com/gina-milicia-sicilian-photography-tour-2020 Bookings: [email protected]

Above: Image by Gina Milicia “You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” –Joan Miro 

Above: Image by Gina Milicia Do you daydream about taking amazing photos like the ones you see in magazines, galleries or social media/ The ones that stop you in your tracks and make you gasp in wonder and green with envy at the same time? What do these photographers have that’s missing in your images? Is it the gear they use? Is it the locations or talent they work with? Is it technical knowledge or postproduction skills? What if I told you all these photographers have in common has nothing to do with the factors listed above. What if I were to tell you that technique, talent or gear has very little to do with greatness and that one of the main reasons you have not achieved your goals comes down to one person – Dave. That’s right, I said Dave is the reason you haven’t reached your goals yet. Who...

Using Lightroom keyboard shortcuts are a great way to speed up your workflow and give you more time to spend on other important things like taking photos! Download your cheat sheet via the link and either print it out and display it near your computer or store it on your smartphone and access it anytime. DOWNLOAD THE SHORTCUT HERE