Month: April 2020

“Dance Like Nobody’s Watching” Project: Photographer Kyle Adler Launches Quarantine Dance Photo Project

Dancer: Lena Alvino. Photographer: Kyle Adler

Award-winning professional photographer Kyle Adler launched the “Dance Like Nobody’s Watching” Project as a testament to the resilient spirit of the creative community during these trying times. The project adheres to the letter and spirit of the SF Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order while allowing local dancers to create, inspiring others to keep the artistic community strong during our quarantine, raising funds for those most in need, and documenting this surrealistic period in our history. Visit the work-in-process project’s web page at https://www.kadlerphotography.com/Dance-Like-Nobodys-Watching-Project, where you can view the photos so far and learn how participating dancers are creating while sheltering-in-place. Please also consider making a donation from the page: all net proceeds during the quarantine period will be donated to a nonprofit organization serving those most in need in the Bay Area, and you will receive a digital download of one or more images from this ongoing project. Dancers, there’s still time to participate in the project; check out the project web page for more details.

Now Offering Remote Portfolio Reviews for Special Price

Dear Readers,

Do you want to improve your photography skills?  One of the most effective tools for learning is the portfolio review.  Photographers at all levels—from beginners shooting with their phones, to devoted photo enthusiasts, up through seasoned professionals—participate in portfolio reviews to gain in-depth personalized insights from an objective working professional.  Some of my own most significant learnings and career turning points have resulted from having my work reviewed by other pros.

With my busy regular client workload currently disrupted due to the shelter-in-place order in California, I now have the time to offer 30-minute 1:1 portfolio review sessions, delivered by Zoom or telephone, at an exceptionally affordable price of just $50.  How does it work?  You sign up by email (to: kyle.adler.2@gmail.com), we schedule a time and discuss your goals for the session, and you send me a link to your portfolio of 5-10 images.  During the session we can focus on any aspects of photography that are most valuable to you, including but not limited to previsualization, composition, camera settings and capture technique, post-processing, storytelling and visual impact, and the business of photography.  Bring an open mind and be ready to listen to another photographer’s viewpoint about your work.  The method is not for me to criticize your photos, but to meet you where you are in your photographic journey and to explore together where you might go next.  I know from experience on both sides of the process that it takes courage to put your work in front of another person and receive their feedback, but it is an extremely valuable tool for learning.  While I encourage everyone to share a portfolio of their images during the session, it’s fine if you’re not at a point where you feel comfortable doing so; we can instead use the session to chat informally about any photography topics that interest you. 

I’m eager to see your work and to share my insights from a rich and diverse career as an award-winning professional travel, culture, and performing arts photographer.  Take the next step on your photographic journey by signing up for a portfolio review now.  Just email me at kyle.adler.2@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about your photography background, interests, and goals.  We’ll schedule our 30-minute 1:1 session, and you’ll be on your way to upping your photographic game.

Warm regards,

Kyle

Check Out my Patreon Page

Dear Readers,

I just launched a page on Patreon, an online platform that brings together creators and communities who wish to support their work.  Yes, this is partly a response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has made it impossible to earn a living as a full-time professional photographer for the next few months at least.  But even during more normal times, it is an expensive prospect to offer “free” travel photography expertise via a daily blog, a Meetup group, and the other forums in which I create content.  Furthermore, I am working on several long-term passion projects, including the ongoing international award-winning “Human/Machine Dance Project” (Human/Machine Dance Project) and two book projects.  These longer-term creative projects aim to tell the stories of people, places, and cultures that deserve to be shared and that will use the photographic medium to build connections among disparate groups of people around the world.  But unlike most of my work, these projects are not funded by specific paying clients and so do not generate immediate revenue.  Support from residencies, grants, and platforms like Patreon will help make this work possible.

One of the advantages of supporting an artist on Patreon is the availability of membership levels with certain benefits depending on the tier of support.  I’m offering four membership tiers beginning at just $3/month, with these benefits (which vary with the tier of support):

  • High-resolution (4K) downloads of selected favorite images
  • Access to posts sharing new work, exclusive behind-the-scenes info, and insights into how the images are made
  • One signed fine-art print (approx. 8×10″) mailed approximately every six months of membership
  • A 1:1 chat session with me, tailored to your interests, held approximately every six months of membership
  • Most importantly, your membership at any level will provide much-needed support of my creative projects as well as my instructional activities

My goals are broader than just making a living wage from my work: I aim to apply my photography as a tool to build bridges between cultures, shine a light on topics impacting people everywhere, and teach and inspire the next generation of photographers.  Your support will further these efforts, and for that I offer my heartfelt thanks!

You can learn more and, if you’d like, select a membership level, here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=31987692.

Warm regards,

Kyle