Mandy Lynn Corbell is a portrait photographer in Muskogee. Here are five tips she offers if you would like to become a professional photographer.

1 How do you make a client feel comfortable in front of the camera?

“I find that being genuinely interested in people and getting them to talk about their interests and family helps put them at ease. “

2 What are some of the difficulties you face studio versus on location photography?

“Studio photography requires studio lighting equipment, multiple background choices, set design, and props. Of course, there is overhead with studio rental/ownership and utilities.”

3 What kind of professional training did you have before you began your career?

“I had a darkroom class in high school, and when I was a high school math teacher I did a lot of our yearbook photography with a film camera. Initially, I took community classes, joined a local camera club and read a lot of books on photography. When I decided to make a career of photography, I studied with several professional photographers and joined national and state professional photography organizations. I still study with someone every year, and I believe we should never stop honing our craft.”

4 What is the best advice you had from a colleague?

“That’s a tough question..I’ve had a lot of excellent advice. But someone once said “Don’t ever let up on quality: quality in your work, quality in your photography, quality in your appearance, website, business card, etc. Quality has to reign supreme.”

5 What’s the best advice you can give someone when using a camera phone?

“Always look for quality in light, no matter what kind of camera you are using. When photographing faces, make sure people are not directly under a light to prevent shadows in their eyes: if you are outdoors and it’s sunny, put them under an overhanging edge of a building or tree edge, if you are indoors put them near a window turned slightly toward the light coming in. Always hold your finger on the face on the screen if using a phone to make sure the exposure is correct on the face. If photographing food, try taking the photo with your phone upside down.”

— Ronn Rowland