Every Sunday Caitlin shares a weekly assignment For the following week.

Below are a few examples

For all of August we are focusing on "Composition" and this week I want to encourage you to study one of your favorite photographers work. Through studying their work and asking yourself the below questions hope you can discover what elements of their compositions you are drawn to and start to incorporate those into your own work.

Each of these questions are based off a principle of composition. Now I want you to keep in mind principles and rules are meant to be broken, experimented with and explored. If you're favorite photographer work doesn't contain all these elements that is a great thing, as they have found as style works for them. 

1. The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that divides an image into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines to create a grid. Are their images using the "Rule of Thirds"? Or are they breaking that common rule photographers use in photography?

2. Do most of their images contain a "Leading Line" to draw your eye through their photos, for example a river that flows from one side of the image to the other?

3. How do they use "Patterns" or "Symmetry" to add balance or interest to their photos?

4. Do they shoot through objects to add different layers and create a "Foreground, Middle Ground, Background" adding depth and interest to an image?

5. Do their images feature "Negative Space" in order to emphasize their subjects? 

6. What kind of "Perspective and Angles" are their normally using? Are they above, below or eye level with their subject? 

7. How does their use "Color and Contrast" impact the image? Do they mainly shoot B&W using light as contrast to add interest to an image?

8. Are the core of their images "Balanced" or intentionally unbalanced to create interest to the viewer?

9. After asking yourself these questions what have you observed about your favorite photographers work? Have you noticed any new elements you may not have noticed before?

It's great to study those whose work you love. Let us know who's work your diving into this week. For me it will be Allen Frame's work! 

I will leave you with this quote from the painter Robert Henri but I find it pertains to photography as well: 

“Good composition is like a suspension bridge – each line adds strength and takes none away. No one is an artist unless he carries his picture in his head before painting it, and is sure of his method and composition.” Robert Henri

Weekly Assignment Example

As wedding photographers, we often find ourselves wearing many hats throughout a wedding day. We are street photographers, landscape photographers, food photographers, documentary photographers and more. When was the last time you dedicated an entire session to exploring just one specific genre? This week I encourage you carve out time for a personal project that lets you dive into something you've never photographed on it's own before.

What is a genre of photography you’ve always been curious about but never fully explored? For example, if you've never shot street photography and have been curious about it I encourage you to go out and try it. Or if you've always wanted to photograph food, make a nice meal and photograph it. If you've never shot landscapes, maybe explore that. Even if you have photographed these themes or subjects on digital before you could try them on film and see what you learn. 

So what is a type of photography you've been wanting to try? 

Weekly Assignment Example

This week's prompt is the last of this month's theme, "lighting". I truly hope that these prompts have helped you see the light around you in new and unique ways.


I want you to create a still life using objects, plants, or flowers you find around your house. No need to purchase anything at all, unless you need an excuse to go to the antique store. From there I want you to set up objects you choose in a few different locations. It can be around your home or outside or anywhere that inspires you! While photographing the still life I encourage you to use natural light and see how the objects look using the available light. The great thing about photographing a still life is you can move the objects around to suit where you want the light to fall. This is a great challenge for you to physically play with how the light shines or doesn't shine on an object.


I find this exercise really refreshing to do if you are burnt out on photographing people. There's complete freedom within photographing still lifes! So I want you to play around and really experiment, you might even find you love photographing details or certain sections of the still life instead of the whole. 


This is also great practice for photographing details on a wedding day. I know some photographers don't always enjoy photographing the little things so this is a great exercise too be able to slow down and to take your time with the objects you photograph. 


We would love to see the photos you take or any behind the scenes as you photograph the still life you create.