The Photo Plus Expo in NYC October 23-26 is a big deal and I know that photographers from all around the world will be visiting this year. Last year Fstoppers threw a massive party with Peter Hurley and this year we are doing it even bigger, plus we'll also be at the expo.
Over a year ago we wrote about Brandon Stanton's project named 'Humans of New York' where he photographs random people in NYC and post the results on his blog (and Facebook). Back then his project was still small and not-so-known, but today he has millions of followers and each one of his photos go viral within seconds of posting. Brandon just released his first book this week featuring his best 'Humans of New York' photos, and to promote it, ABC's 'Nightline' spoke with him about his project - worth watching!
About a week ago we featured the behind the scenes of the groundbreaking film "Gravity". I am a firm believer that the sound of a film is what connects the viewer to the feel and cinematic experience of the story. In this featurette with director Alfonso Cuarón and re-recording mixer Skip Lievsay they explain how sound works in space where there literally isn't a sound to be heard.
So today we have for you a remarkably in depth lighting tutorial from Mr. Karl Taylor. In this video Karl breaks down this high end product shoot step by step, in exquisite detail. Starting from the finalized setup, he walks you through each element of the shot, taking each away to demonstrate it's purpose. Giving you the "behind the camera" perspective, he then rebuilds the set, again explaining the process to achieve the final image.
For the last 25 years, Michael Paul Smith has been building detailed scale models for an imaginary world he calls "Elgin Park." Michael builds eerily identical scaled models of cars 1/24th the size. He carefully picks out real world environments for these cars and builds whatever else is needed to sell the shot. He then uses backgrounds of real environments to make the shot as realistic as possible. Here's the kicker: he's doing all of this on a $200 point and shoot.
National Geographic contributor and wildlife photographer Steve Winter just created what might be one of the most striking photos I can remember seeing in recent memory: A 125 pound mountain lion, staring straight into the camera, with the background illuminated by the lights of downtown Los Angeles.
Most camera bags have a place to fit your tripod. It adds weight to your camera bag, but it keeps the tripod out of the way while being easy to grab if need be. Apparently, MindShiftGear is unaware of this ancient advancement on tripod holding technology, and are now building harnesses for you to awkwardly strap a tripod to your body.
The documentary "MILE... MILE & A HALF" has been featured before, with it's dazzling visuals and informative insight into creating art while on a long backpacking trip. This film took 2 years to produce, and it's finally complete! The creators have shared a clip just for the Fstoppers audience, and they have also answered some questions on the production of their film.
This behind the scenes video hit three for three on elements that I love. Christopher Wahl's portraits, David Bowie's weirdness, and musical astronaut Chris Hadfield. The latter being the first astronaut we've truly celebrated since Neil Armstrong. I wish I could say that this video offers some tremendous insight into how the image was produced, but it doesn't. What it does
We've all seen behind-the-scenes videos before right? Most are quick little tidbits showing how much fun a shoot is and how amazing the life of a photographer is. Some of them even give you some amazing insight into the techniques used by some of the top pros working today. Well, this is NOT that kind of BTS video. This 16 hour (yes, you read that right) marathon of a video is by far the BEST BTS that I've found that really shows you what the elite in the fashion world actually do to make those amazing editorials we all love.
I recently came across this beautiful "IR" time-lapse of an empty Philadelphia city and was instantly mesmerized by the lack of moving things like people or cars. Upon further investigation on the technique, I was surprised on how easy this was to actually do myself in FCP X, which adds considerable value to your time-lapse videos. I followed the comments of this video to Ross Ching, a filmmaker that inspired the creating of this video. I've posted a link to the original website below.
If you’ve ever struggled to put together a video demo reel, or you’re planning to make one in the future, this post is for you. Below, I’ll share some tips that will help you be more efficient in your process to prepare for editing hours of your footage down to a montage of a couple of minutes.
A year ago, I had the pleasure of filming Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia. At that point, the underground Seattle based duo was unheard of by many and confidently rocked the smaller side stage at our local music festival. To put it in perspective, there were a few hundred people there and the majority of the crowd was hearing songs like “Thrift Shop”, “Can’t Hold Us” and “Same Love” for the first time.
British comedian Richard Herring's new comedy tour poster needed to have a creepy Halloween theme to it. His new tour's theme was death and what better way to illustrate that than having the comedian climb his way out of a grave. London-based photographer Steve Brown walks us through how he planned for the shoot, built the set and shows a time-lapse on his post-processing. It just shows that a properly planned shoot can have amazing results.
With reflectors being among the most basic of lighting tools in a photographer's arsenal you would think more people would understand how to use them properly. Sadly that doesn't seem to be the case. Rest easy though, Jay P. Morgan is on the case and comes at us again with a very solid explanation of how he set up precise light with nothing but reflectors. Well...and an insane amount of bubbles (which, by the way are not reflectors). More often than not I think photographers
Before you shell out a ton of cash for a new MacBook consider a few DIY options that can drastically increase the performance of your machine. For me, there is nothing more frustrating than having a program take four minutes to open, having programs crash or the spinning beach ball of death. Computers, like most things, need occasional maintenance and tune ups. If you don't address this on a semi regular basis then you are wasting all those duckets you spent on your fancy Macbook Pro.
Devin Graham, better known by his internet alias Devin Supertramp, recently created this video (and BTS piece) that utilized over 50 GoPro cameras to capture dogs jumping and playing as if they were Neo dodging bullets in the blockbuster film The Matrix. If this doesn't make you crack at least a tiny smile, I'm pretty sure you may be Scrooge himself. For a behind-the-scenes look at how this was made, check out the video after the jump.
Magnum photographer Steve McCurry is one of the heavyweights in National Geographic's stable of assignment photographers with more than 13 books to his credit. "Untold: The Stories Behind the Photographs" by Phaidon Press is not a visual feast for the coffee table but an insightful, autobiographic look at 14 of McCurry's select images including the famous Afghani Girl. “Untold: The Stories Behind the Photographs” explores McCurry’s archive including handwritten notes and records and his personal mementos and ephemera from travels abroad.
I don't even know where to begin with Erik Almas. His imagery simply stops you in your tracks and makes you wonder how something can be so perfectly imaginative. For photographers, or me at least, he makes we want to cry in the fetal position. Not because his stuff is so awesome that I get verklempt, but because it will take decades to come even close to where he was ten years ago.
When New York Times photographer/videographer David Frank got assigned to shoot a story about window cleaner Brent Weingard, he knew he will have to find a way to make it stand out. Make it interesting. He decided that if he wants to get the best shots, he will have to be outside with the window cleaner and shoot him from unique angles, hanging 100 foot above the ground. Frank was never a fan of heights, and never did anything like this. But to get the right shot he took the risk - and it was worth it. Check out the BTS above, and the story inside.
The new iPhone 5s sure has left a resounding first impression on consumers since its launch date on September 20th. Now, with the smartphone favorite out of stock and not available for shipping until October people are starting to release photos and video taken with the iPhone 5s. One major upgrade is the new sensor on the iSight camera and its ability to take video clips at 120 frames per second in 720p. Below are the first few glimpses of Apple's new achievement in smartphone technology.
New technology really doesn't do much for me, I have to be honest. Until I see it applied in a creative way, at which point everything changes. When you place new tech in the hands of inspired, creative minds to see what they can come up with, it can produce fascinating results. What you're about to see is probably the most serene and hypnotic journey through the streets of New York City you're ever likely to experience.
Game of Thrones has got to be my favorite series on television right now. Its rich storytelling, amazing character development and stunning cinematography has entranced millions of viewers around the world. Season 4 doesn't premiere until spring of next year, but instead of just catching up with George R.R. Martin's books take a look at this awesome fan-made film centering around Ned Stark's younger brother Benjen who goes missing after the first book.
Peter Lindbergh is one of my all-time favorite photographers. I often refer to his work for inspiration not only for the technique but for the amazing beauty that exudes from his work. Not too long ago I found this little clip of Peter shooting Amber Valletta (a legend in her own right) for Vogue Italia. What I've found interesting about this video is the level of production that goes into a shoot like this, when the final image appears so effortless.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and for people seeking entry into the world of video production, or even studio photography, doing work as a production assistant is a great way to get your feet wet. I've hired lots of assistants, and before that I worked as one myself. I still do for some producers! Here are my tips on what to NOT do if you'd like to keep getting hired and make your way up the chain.
Exactly one week ago we marked the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. As they do every anniversary, The Municipal Art Society of New York created two vertical columns of light ("Tribute In Light") right next to the World Trade Center in remembrance of the Twin Towers using 88 powerful searchlights pointing up to the sky. Every year I photograph the Tribute In Light from a different spot, and this year, for the second time, I decided to photograph it from above. From a helicopter. Here is how and why I did it.
Dani Diamond is a talented portrait photographer based out of Connecticut and is also an active member of our Fstoppers Facebook Group. His headshot work is impeccable and eye-catching. Recently Dani has started a personal project coined simply as "The Project." His mission is to find fellow photographers from around the world, take their headshots and challenge his craft under the scrutiny of his talented peers.
You may have heard the term "Hot Thread" by now, and with regard to Facebook, this is the best way to get more interaction and reach for your posts. This system engages your viewers and their friends so you can use Facebook's algorithms to your advantage.
Since joining Fstoppers I had planned on doing a "behind the scenes" of one of my shoots, so today I've put together a lighting diagram courtesy of Kevin Kertz, and a detailed description of how the finished product was produced. Fair warning, I am a bit of a technique nerd and can get pretty detailed. We've all seen diagrams online, and brief descriptions on what goes where, but it seems there are always details left out that can significantly impact the results. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to leave no stone unturned and give you guys as accurate of a diagram and explanation as possible.
'Whatever it takes to get the shot.' Carlos Ayesta's "whatever" involves rappelling from skyscrapers to get his unusual perspectives of Paris. In this beautifully shot BTS video by Guillaume Bression, we see Ayesta rappelling from various buildings and peeking into peoples living and workspaces.
It's always fascinating to get a glimpse behind the scenes of high-budget productions, and Andrew Kramer of Video Copilot provides us with an absolutely wonderful look into the creation of the title design and introduction scenes for Star Trek Into Darkness. The best part? The plugin used to create many of the effects only costs $150.
Tomer Jacobson and Maxim Golovanov, conceptual photographers based in Israel, recently started a very interesting project together: they take songs they like, and transform them into visual photographs. They analyze each song, and try to understand who are the characters and what is the story behind them. Their most recent song-photoshoot was "Lost In The Flood" by Bruce Springsteen and the E street band. This was a complicated shoot and it involved shooting out in the water with a lot of equipment and many people. Check out the behind the scenes video and the awesome final result inside!
Sam Hon takes fighting to an entirely new level with his campaign for Optical Panecea. Sam's creative vision in this campaign was to make each fighter fight themselves while drawing creativity from each fighters raw character to make each image unique.
Yesterday Fstoppers' writer Christ Knight shared a video in which famed photographer David LaChapelle takes us through his set-centric studio in Los Angeles. Sure they talk about his life and what it's like to be a deity among mortals but I noticed the sets. The elaborate, expansive and expensive creations are a crucial part of his process but they seem so out of reach for the wallet of the average image maker. That is where this video I stumbled onto takes over.
Salience is the name of the five minute short that will probably be remembered as one of the most innovative, experimental (and beautiful) short films of the year. If you do one thing today for your inspiration, please spend the next few minutes checking it out and you'll see what I mean.
Once upon a time at brunch in Santa Monica, I created the biggest, most complex cheeseburger anyone had ever even attempted to ask a chef to make. I basically picked my top 10 things off the menu and asked the chef to put it between ciabatta bread. Then I ate the entire thing. It gave me severe meat sweats and rendered me unconscious afterwards, but it was the most delicious thing I had ever created. It's my single greatest achievement in life. I learned a lot about myself that day and will tell the Epic Burger story to my great great great great grandkids.
I'm one of those photographers that likes to take control, especially of my light. I use grids, snoots, barndoors, and every other contraption you can think of to maintain the maximum amount of control over my lighting. One of the most important light modifiers for my work isn't a soft box or a beauty dish, it's actually a piece of fabric on a metal frame called, a flag.
Von Wong recently did a product shoot for ioSafe hard drives where he had to produce two images: one highlighting the hard drives' fireproof abilities and the other its waterproofing. While capturing its toughness, he also had to make that big black box look aesthetically appealing. It's actually a lot easier said than done.
Some people go through life and aren't sure how they can take their photography to the next level of giving back. There are many programs and non-profits such as Help Portrait and Operation: Love ReUnited, but nothing that you can say you did or created. Well these 16-year-old brothers decided they would do just that and create something worth remembering.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Fuji x100s. I absolutely love when pros give it a chance in a working environment rather than confining it to the street like so many do. When Bucharest-based Vali Barbulescu got his hands on one that's exactly what he decided to do. Granted, any camera can shine in a large studio filled with top of the line lighting equipment but that's not really the point I mean to make. Embracing the restrictions of using a 35mm fixed-lens rangefinder when
From time to time, we’re graced with a new product that completely changes our workflow and makes our lives as photographers a hundred times easier than it was before. However, this luxury isn’t always the case, and we’re sometimes graced with some of the most ridiculous products imaginable.
Last year, I decided to pursue a fun portrait series of Luchador fighters from the Chikara Pro Wrestling League, located on the East Coast of the US. I've always been fascinated with this style of fighting and entertainment. These big colorful characters take the ring to pummel each other to the great delight of their dedicated fans. Some may call it "fake" or a performance, but I can tell you first hand that I saw blood drawn during a match on more than one occasion. These fighters are dedicated to their craft and I wanted nothing more than to capture them on camera.
Update: The featured video has been changed per request of the photographer that was featured in it. In summary the video showed the back of a photographer standing up in the middle of the aisle next to the front two rows shooting with a 70-200mm lens aiming at the bridal party. I saw this video (video replaced with dancing dog) posted up in a Facebook group I belong to by the amazing team of videographers over at Motivity Films.
In today's behind the scenes video commercial photographer Mike Pickles takes us through the process behind his recent work for Reebok via the agency Illume Visuals. Before you press the play button let me say this: To figure out his lighting setup you're going to need to pay attention and use some imagination because it's only touched on briefly. However, if you keep reading after the video I'll help break it down a bit. To get you started here are the time-stamps of the individual sections so you can get to the parts you want to see easier:
Umbrellas have been a staple light modifier for decades. But if you’ve ever wondered why there are so many types, or how the light quality from your strobe is affected by the size, lining, fabric or shape of the umbrella, then this post is for you.
Online storage through "the cloud" is one of the best ways to ensure your files are safe and secure from failure, fire, and theft. "The cloud" has also typically been a super expensive place to store a ton of content until now. I stumbled upon a way to store the bulk of my photos online through a website service called Zenfolio, which you've probably heard of.
No matter where you fall in the vast pool of opinions regarding Annie Leibovitz and her skills as a photographer one thing is certain. She and her team consistently produce amazing images. They've knocked another one out of the park with the latest in the Dream Portrait series. In this latest image Jennifer Hudson fills the role of Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.
Last week I posted a gorgeous video from Wolfe Air - their promo reel for aviation cinematography, and explained a bit of the process behind it. This week, I've found and put together a few videos which detail how they equip their planes and helicopters with some of the most advanced camera technologies available, and it's pretty mindblowing. In these videos, Wolfe Air loads up a Learjet with
Sean Madden, creative director from the ad agency Brains On Fire, reached out to me earlier this year and asked if given an arsenal of stunt drivers, the newest high performance BMW's, and a closed race course, could I create a 58 foot long composite print for BMW. My answer? "When can I start?" Watch the video and read the post below to learn how the shoot came together.
One of the reasons I love working for a magazine is that it forces me to be a Jack of all trades. While Automotive Photography and Portraits are my focus, Product Photography, Event Photography, Documentary Photography and any other discipline you can think up will also present itself from time to time and I'll have to adapt. The image above is the perfect example of the daily challenges I face as the Photo Director of RIDES Magazine, we needed something high speed and I had a day to teach myself how to do it. Here's how I did it.
