Photography—it’s all about commitment, passion, and skill. Ever wondered what a day in the life of a professional photographer is like? Every week, we ask a 500px photographer to document a typical day at work, giving you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at their shooting schedule and techniques in the field.
This week, we’re spending the day with acclaimed photographer, digital artist, and master photo manipulator Adrian Sommeling. You might know him from the whimsical and playful images he takes of his son, often seen making mischief.
Shooting with his Olympus OMD e-m1 and M.Zuiko 12-20 mm lens—his editing chops and eye for storytelling are evident in his body of work.
If you’re curious about how he approaches work and how he shoots, you’re in for a treat. Because who else should be joining him today but the star of his photos—his son. You’ll also get to see how he collaborates in a photo shoot and workshop with other artists and photographers like Renee Robyn, Richard Terborg, Micha Posthumus, Michiel Fischer, and Ronald Koster. Scroll down, and read on!
Adrian Sommeling and son at work, shooting photographers Renee Robyn and Richard Terborg.
A Day in the Life of Adrian Sommeling
7 A.M. Waking up. I always wake up around this time. I never have problems with waking up. My mind starts spinning, and I cannot go back to sleep anymore. Today will be a special day. Today, I’m going to do a shoot with Renee Robyn and Richard Terborg at studio34x.com. I’ve admired the work of Renee already for long time. So when Richard invited her to give some workshops in Holland, I was also invited to attend one. In return, I will give her a mini workshop on my own techniques too. Another friend, Micha Posthumus is joining us too, and will be shooting all our behind-the-scenes pictures. I’m really looking forward to this day.
8 A.M. I take a shower, then I have breakfast. Now it’s time to prepare my gear. I pack only my camera and my laptop. I transfer a background image to my laptop so I can work with it at the workshop. I shot this background image of an old library a few months ago when I was in Prague. Right now, I don’t know what we are gonna put in to it yet, but it must be something magical.
11 A.M. I am driving with my son to the studio in Almere, which is a one-hour drive from home. You might recognize my son from all the pictures I take and create of him. My son loves hanging out at the studio. He isn’t there today to do anything related with photography, but he just likes being around people, playing with his paper airplanes, his iPad, or his Loom things. And when he is there, he doesn’t mind posing for a photo or two if another photographer in the studio asks him.
12 P.M. I arrive at the studio to meet my friend Michiel Fischer. He is also the owner of the studio.
12:45 P.M. Renee and Richard arrive at the studio. We talk about what we are plan to do with this scene, using this background image that I brought along. I want something magical. Renee is wearing a beautiful dress made by one of her friends. This dress really fits into the scene of the old library. Renee’s hair color also works well for this magical themed shoot.
1 P.M. My good friend and fellow photographer Ronald Koster also arrives at the studio, and joins the group. We like to be around a bunch of photographers at the studio. Often, we test lighting set-ups, and play around with the camera.
2 P.M. I am shooting portraits of Renee and Richard. Shooting Renee isn’t so hard, but Richard needs to fly in this shot.
Adrian Sommeling at work, shooting Richard Terborg.
Often, when I shoot someone flying, I put him on some chairs or other furniture to give the illusion of flying. But in this case, we couldn’t really do that for what I had in mind because of the position of the camera, so he had to jump up and down many times. It was really hilarious! Later on, when I checked out the behind-the-scenes shots, I saw how high he really jumped. I am amazed by it. I think that I would’ve already broken my legs and other body parts if I did that.
3 P.M. The photo shoot is done. We move to another part of the studio. This studio is huge—it’s like heaven on earth for a photographer. We bring out our laptops, and start working on the photos we just took. Meanwhile, Ronald is testing some lighting setups with my son.
7 P.M. I am done with the mini workshop. But I haven’t completed my picture yet. I always continue it at home on my Mac where I can see the colors a bit better. Renee has finished her own photo right at the studio. She is such a sweet person, and I love seeing the sparkle in her eyes and her smile when she is feeling good with what she is seeing on her laptop—a true artist. It’s fun to see how you can work on the same project and the same photo shoot, but end up with different results.
Adrian Sommeling’s final shot
Renee Robyn’s final shot
7:30 P.M. We drink and chat with all the people in the studio, and prepare to leave and head home.
8 P.M. I am driving home with my son.
9 P.M. I put my son to bed. Then, I answer all my emails, and reply to questions on social media that I received that day. I don’t always have the time for that, but I try to answer as much questions as possible.
11 P.M. I take a shower, and watch some television. I hardly take the time to relax and watch TV, but when I do, I often watch comedies or Discovery Channel, especially when they air something about the universe.
12:30 A.M. Going to bed after a wonderful day.
We hope you found inspiration in reading about Adrian Sommeling‘s day, and gave you insights into creative and collaborative photography.
Want to see more? Scroll down for a collection of his jaw-dropping images:
You can follow Adrian Sommeling on 500px. You can also visit his official website and Facebook page to connect with him.
Got any questions for Adrian about his photos, his schedule, or his techniques? Leave a comment for him below!
Check back next week for a new installment of A Day In The Life featuring another inspiring 500px photographer.
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