What is the TGIF Photography Method?

    

TGIF!

    We’ve all been there: a once-in-a-lifetime moment happens right in front of you, but by the time you’ve fumbled with your settings, the shot is gone.

    Having spent over 50 years behind the lens, I know just how daunting learning photography in this world of digital cameras can be. That is why I have created a new and enjoyable method of teaching photography by repurposing the well-known acronym, TGIF and applied it to my photography classes!

What Is the TGIF Learning Method in Photography?

    Everyone is familiar with the meaning of TGIF being "Thank God it's Friday!" However, I have repurposed those letters to mean, "Technique, Gear, Invisibility, and Focus" and have incorporated them in the way I teach photography! These aren't necessarily "steps" that are done in order, but just a fun and easy way for my students and clients to remember what I've taught them!

So, what exactly is my TGIF method of learning photography? Glad you asked! Let's jump right into it!

T - Technique

    Technique is the progressive and fluid foundation of understanding and mastering light, split-second setting decisions, getting to know your subject (animal behavior, how athletes react in specific sports, etc.), timing your shot (not just using the "spray-n-pray" technique), and how to expertly move and shoot in your chosen venue. I will teach you both common techniques and specific techniques to match the particular type(s) of photography you want to learn.

    However, the first thing you really need to do when learning photography is get to know your camera! All it takes is YouTube and some self-discipline! Best part is, it's free! I mean, why pay me for something you can do on your own? Of course I'll teach you if that's the way you learn quickly.

    You need to know how to turn your camera on and off and change the settings without lowering your camera to look. I know that sounds silly, but it is important and you won't believe how many folks can't turn their camera on or off without looking!

    You also need to know what the menu allows you to do with your particular camera. One of the first things I tell all my students and clients - beginner and intermediate alike - is you need to know your camera like the back of your hand. If you don't know what your camera is capable of, then you cannot fully master Technique, the first step in my TGIF method!

    Once you know how to change your settings without looking and know how to navigate your menu, then you are on your way to mastering the techniques you'll learn to capture fantastic photos because your camera is now not only a tool you know how to use, but an appendage!

    And once your camera becomes an extension of your own hand, then you’re ready to stop worrying about buttons and start focusing on the next pillar of my method: Gear.

G - Gear

    Yes, this one seems self-explanatory! Or is it?

    Most photographers think this is the easy part—buy the best gear and the great photos follow, right? Not exactly. The gear you choose can either be a seamless extension of your hand or a frustrating barrier to your creativity. Whether it’s a high-stakes gig or a fun weekend excursion, knowing your tools is the difference between getting the shot and missing the moment.

Different lenses do better at different shoots! A Nikon Z9 & Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 was used on this shot. | Photo: TJ Waller

    For instance, many photographers don't realize their lens has (or doesn't have) toggles like Image Stabilization, or Auto/Manual focus toggles! Or that their camera's menu may have an In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) setting. While knowing your camera like the back of your hand is a must, mastering the rest of your kit is equally vital!

    But I don't limit "Gear" to just the camera and lenses. I've had students who were actually afraid to take my Night Photography classes because they couldn't operate their tripods. They either had the wrong type or didn't understand how to adjust the tripod head. Your gear shouldn't be a crutch, it should be a bridge! So, once I showed them what they needed and how to use it correctly, they weren't just capable—they were in love with night photography!

    I also mention some of the "overlooked" gear, like lens hoods, filters (UV, Neutral Density, etc.), intervalometers, wireless triggers, camera/lens cleaning supplies and accessories, and more!

    And let's not overlook the "small" stuff that makes a big impact:

• Lens hoods and filters (UV, Neutral Density, etc.)

• Intervalometers and wireless triggers

• Cleaning supplies and essential accessories

    In my TGIF Method, Gear isn't about having the most expensive kit; it’s about having the right tools, knowing when to use them, and the skill to make them disappear so you can focus on the art.

I - Invisibility

    Again, your mind probably went straight to the obvious! Everyone knows that "invisibility" means you can't be seen! Right? And in the photographer's world, that common definition does apply. But in photography, invisibility goes much deeper than that! It’s learning the art of being a ghost - blending into the background without disappearing. Sometimes still being seen, yet remaining so unobtrusive that the scene remains completely untouched by your presence.

In nearly all of my Hummingbird shots they knew I was there, I was simply a part of the landscape to them. | Photo: TJ Waller

    When you master the art of being seen without being "noticed," you gain a creative superpower. You stop being a photographer simply taking a picture, you become a chronicler to a story that would have changed the second someone or something realized a camera was pointed at them.

    So let's take a "look" at invisibility in some different fields of photography.

Invisibility in Wildlife Photography

    While I teach many aspects of action photography, most of my students are interested in wildlife photography. So I'll start there.

    If you're thinking camouflage!, camouflage!, camouflage!, you are on the right track, but there is so much more to it than just throwing on some Woodland pattern shirt or Realtree outfits! Remember, it's about being seen in a way that the animals don't really see you! So, how do animals see?

    Most animals you'll encounter in nature see in the UV spectrum including deer, birds, and even insects! What many nature photographers don't realize is that even though they may be wearing camouflage clothing, they are glowing blue!

    If you are serious about getting really cool wildlife shots, you need to see what parts of you and your clothing glow! TRUST ME ON THIS! I have deer, raccoons, bobcats, birds and other critters coming right up to me (which is another "technique" from above that I teach in my classes). NOTE: Your teeth and fingernails glow as well!

Pro Tip:

    The first thing to remedy that problem is to buy yourself a UV light in the 365nm range (not 395nm). I got mine from Amazon for 12 bucks (not an Affiliate link). You can Google how to use it properly and plenty of nice YouTube videos will pop up. This video is particularly good (I don't know him, but this is the one I used to get my gear squared away).

A Whitetail deer buck came closer and closer without seeing, smelling, or hearing me | Photo: TJ Waller

    Once you confirm whether you are glowing and take the steps to correct it, you're on your way to capturing some fantastic photos! For my Wildlife Photography classes I come fully decked out in my Nature Ninja rig. It gives my students a good idea of how I get my shots and what they may want to add to their kit.

    Is camouflage 100% necessary? Not at all! But you DO want to make sure whatever you wear does not glow! Good camouflage techniques simply break up the natural pattern of a human. It helps you blend in with the environment in which you are walking or sitting. To completely activate your invisibility superpower, you'll also need to learn how to "stealth walk," "play the wind," and be quiet (don't worry, I teach you how to do all that too!).

Earning the Moment

    One of the most satisfying methods is "ambush" photography. Ambush photography is having the patience required to let the world forget you're there. It's sitting and waiting - sometimes for hours - for the wildlife to come to you, instead of you walking around looking for the wildlife.

After sitting and waiting for over an hour, this female bobcat came within 20 feet of me. | Photo: TJ Waller

Invisibility in "People" Photography

    I call this section "People" Photography, and not "Street" Photography because whether photographing people on the street, in some kind of venue, or at a family reunion, the skill of becoming invisible is pretty much the same.

    Some of the most memorable and beautiful photos of people - strangers, friends or family - come when they don't know you are taking a picture.

This gentleman is a professional boxer at his weigh-in party. He loved this shot I got from across the room of his daughter pulling his hair. | Photo: TJ Waller

This is the boxer's wife ringside. I couldn't help but take this shot! | Photo: TJ Waller

A homeless man in the war-torn streets of Ukraine | Photo: TJ Waller

In a debriefing after an Special Forces operation in Ukraine. Everyone knew I was there, no one knew I took this shot! |

Photo: TJ Waller

    The four "people photos" above illustrate exactly what a photographer of people is trying to accomplish:

    • Natural Body Language: No "camera faces" or stiff posing.

    • Storytelling: Because the subjects aren't "performing" for the lens, their genuine emotions and interactions take center stage.

    • The "Fly on the Wall" Vibe: It feels like we're getting a secret glimpse into a real moment.

    I was able to be "invisible" even with a camera in hand and capture beautiful candid shots. People are more fun and natural when they don't know they are being photographed!

Invisibility in Studio Photography

    This one may create the most confusion in becoming invisible. People come to a studio to be photographed! They know they are going to be photographed! So how do you activate your invisibility superpower here?

    • Talk - Talking to your clients calms them down. They are probably nervous about being in front of the lens unless they are professional models, and even then, talking always pulls their best out of them!

    • Remote Trigger - Using a remote trigger allows you to take photos of your client without them seeing you behind the camera! While you are talking to them, coaching them and maybe positioning them, you can snap candid shots that usually turn out great making your client extremely happy!

    • Laugh and Joke - Lighten up the mood in the studio with some jokes! Even bad jokes have a calming effect on people causing them to lower their guard and allowing you to grab some more great shots!

    Now that you’ve disappeared into the environment, the silence you’ve created provides the perfect canvas for unwavering Focus.

F - Focus

    While "invisibility" puts you in the front row of the theater, Focus is what decides which part of the play becomes history. Technique is your foundation, Gear is your tool, and Invisibility is your cloak—but Focus is the trigger finger. It is the bridge between seeing a moment and owning it.

    Welcome to the art of the intentional strike! Just because the world is chaotic, it doesn't mean your frame has to be. Most people think Focus is about what you are looking at, but in reality, it’s about everything you’ve finally chosen to ignore.

Let that sink in. Everything you have finally chosen to ignore. Everything you do from here on out.... is intentional.

    Sure, "focus" encompases the the actual work a lens will do either manually or in Autofocus, but the photographer must be focused as well! It is what will remind you to quickly change a setting - like your shutter speed from slow to fast - when you come up on a perched bird. You know it will eventually fly off, but because you are totally focused, your fingers make that slight change in shutter speed to capture it as it launches!

After getting a few static shots of this Eagle with a slower shutter 1/800, I increased it to 1/2000 and waited for the bird to launch | Photo: TJ Waller

    True focus is another superpower. When you as a photographer are focused, you hear everything you need to hear, see everything you need to see, you know everything you need to know to get that shot. You can literally feel yourself in a zone.

    And when you get home to dump your shots onto your computer,   you... will... cry. Yes, cry. You may even ask yourself, "How in the world did I do that? How did I get that shot?"

    

Spotted Whitetail fawn looking back for its mother | Photo: TJ Waller

    Focus is a beautiful thing. It is applicable in anything you set your mind to do. Work, family, friendships. When you master Focus, you will understand why I call it a superpower.

    Let's not forget that the "F" in my TGIF Method should also mean FUN! If you aren't having fun at photography, then your photos will suffer, you'll start to get frustrated, then ultimately quit.

    At the end of the day, the TGIF method isn't just about memorizing settings or buying the latest lens. It’s about changing how you show up in the world so the world doesn't change when you step into it. Whether you're tracking a bobcat through the Florida scrub or capturing a split-second play on the ice, these four pillars are what turn a 'lucky shot' into a masterpiece you planned for. I’ve spent five decades perfecting this dance, and I’d love to help you find your own rhythm behind the lens.

TGIF Photography Method Recap

    Let's just recap all the information I've fed you in the paragraphs above:

    •  Technique: The foundation—understanding light, animal behavior, and the split-second mechanics of the shot.

    •  Gear: The bridge—the tools (long lenses, blinds, weather-sealing) that allow the photographer to reach where the human eye cannot.

    •  Invisibility: The respect—the art of blending into the environment so that the wild remains wild, and the subject remains undisturbed.

    • Focus: The soul—the technical sharpness of the lens combined with a mental clarity of purpose. Focusing your lens on the subject, but focusing yourself on the story and your surroundings.

    If you want photos that look different than what everyone else is getting, then remember: You have to be willing to go where no one else want to go. Do things no one else wants to do! And that will produce the photos no one else can get.

    So, if you're tired of 'spraying and praying' and you’re ready to start earning your moments, let’s get to work. Come join me for a class, and let's turn that camera into an extension of your own hand.

    Take a look at my website to see more of my photos and what you can learn to do after you become a Nature Ninja too! For more information on my personalized photography classes and workshops, shoot me an email!