Petra Collins is a portrait photographer fairly centered on female subjects or themes. Am I familiar with her work? Probably (I know Gucci), but not familiar with her name. She and I photograph two different ways and subjects. She is also more modern than I tend to research when looking for inspiration.
Review:
Petra Collins gives photography basics, as well as advice for building a toolkit with tips for more affordable options. Unlike with Annie Leibovitz (review here), she does not expect you to know much about photography.
She begins with camera equipment information (model, lens, film). Petra shoots in manual with an slr (not digital) camera. Personally, I have only used digital slr cameras.
Will I be going out and purchasing an slr camera? No. I have had multiple opportunities of owning very nice slr cameras and did not take the leap. I like digital and intend to stay digital for the foreseeable future. She does sometimes use a digital slr.
One major tip/advice in the first sessions is “just learn”. So often I tell people who aspire to be a photographer that my best advice is to put in the hours. Yes, I think that has offended a few, but I would tell my younger self the same thing. You become a better photographer by developing your eye and enhancing your knowledge. That comes by doing. Could not agree more with that advice.
In the second week, she gives details about the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), which is a fundamental photography concept. I like her honesty and candidness in describing how she approached/approaches this with her photography.
Many people online share technical posts or videos describing every step to achieve a particular result of either taking or editing an image. That is wonderful, but so often playing or even erring achieves an unexpected, yet better, photo. Photography is art. Sometimes you break the rules.
Petra is definitely not into “playing by the rules”. I tend to think she does not wish to be confined by the rules. An example is sun flares from direct sunlight. I have been told it is best not to have colorful circles or flares in your images, yet she uses sun flares to create dreamier compositions.
In the third week, she speaks about portrait photography and the power the photographer has when capturing an image of someone. This is exactly why I have found portrait photography so daunting, though few explain it so precisely.
Towards the end, Petra guides how to select one image of many and create a series. This is a skill every photographer needs to hone.
Would I recommend the series?
Yes. If you are beginning photography, Petra gives a lot of helpful advice and you can learn by watching. If you are experienced, Petra shows a joy and creativity that makes you want to play and get creative with photography. Also, I think she is good at telling a story through her images. Many photographers struggle with this, so acquiring the thought behind the process might be beneficial.