We chat to guest photographer Karla Livney about making the transition from corp life to the creative life, playing the long game, the importance of creating your own website, photographing the stuff you love vs the work you think you should be doing, how working for charities is a great way to grow your business, learning to light and developing confidence, saying no to certain gigs is just as important as saying yes, gear and much more.

Above: Old school Yashica edited in Lightroom using a preset from my Black and White preset collection.  There are many bargains available online when buying used camera gear, but always do your research before you part with your hard earned cash so you don’t end up with someone else’s junk. 1. Safety Beware of shonky dealers. Check their online rating and feedback and where possible try and meet them in person. Trust your gut. Ask questions like: What was the camera used for?Where and how was it stored?Are you the first owner?Why are you selling?Any mould, scratches, chips on the lens or sensor? 2. Check under the hood. Ask about how many actuations the camera has (this is a fancy way of saying shutter clicks). The shutter clicks (actuations) on a camera tell you how many times it has been used, much like the kms or miles a car has...