We live in the social media era and it is the preferred the marketing channel. Why should we talk about blogs? Here are some thoughts on giving more emphasis on your blog than the social networks.
A video recently surfaced on YouTube showing a police officer pulling and pointing his gun at a man filming his activity. As a photographer, it would be easy to side with the cameraman but let’s try to see what happened and check both sides of the story.
Are you new to photography? Are you feeling overwhelmed with the thousands of gear options available to you? If so, you should watch this.
Ask yourself a pretty simple question: how hard do you work? If your honest answer is that you work pretty darn hard then it's important to come to grips with the idea that social media will never be able to showcase that hard work; you need to be printing your images.
Let’s not lie to ourselves and try to sugarcoat the issue -- in many circumstances, gear matters. There is no shame in admitting that despite all your talent, some shoots can’t be done without the appropriate hardware. Here is why.
Canon is definitely late to the party when it comes to developing a professional mirrorless system, however, being late isn't always a bad thing. There are advantages to being second or even third to market when it comes to new products. Unfortunately for Canon, Sony seems to have anticipated this with the a7 III and competing is not going to be easy.
You’re scrolling through your Instagram feed when you see it: the disembodied hand or indiscernible part of a skyline. It’s not a mistake, you’ve just discovered the Instagram #setofthree.
When shopping for lenses, you may notice that certain lenses are classified or even recommended for a certain genre of photography. You might see sports, travel, wedding, or even wildlife as the typical use of some lenses. What if you are looking to get into or already shoot food photography, what lenses should you be looking at?
Flickr has been acquired by SmugMug, and the official date for the switchover is looming. Here is why now might be the time to back up everything, reach out to all your followers, and maybe think about deleting your account forever.
If you could speak to your camera, your tripod, and drone, what would you say? Would you use this feature? The use of our voices to command our gear is going to become even more important in the future.
Today we've got some industry news roundup via Jared Polin complete with his traditional “sarcasm above all else” approach. As an added bonus, we're treated to the reminder that technology companies out there are steadily working on AI programs that will eventually replace everything creative and useful about us.
As professional photographers, there's no doubt in our minds that making photography into a career should be considered "a real job." However, the path you take to become a professional may make or break your career choice.
There is something to be said about social media for photography. Apps and sites like Instagram, 500px, and Flickr have way of tapping into our innate drive to create work that satisfy others. When treated right, social media can keep you motivated to produce. This week's article is about how keeping up the production rate is no measure for creating from the heart. Photography should, at least in the first place, be for you.
As you read the title of this, you might think that this photographer is crazy, but indeed, he abhors the (almost) universally revered 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for wedding photography. Check out his reasons why in this quick video essay.
No, I don't mean car chases, transforming CG robots, and explosions. I'm talking about small budget videos and films that sometimes require a lot more investment than you or your clients might think.
Photography can be split into two different categories. On the one side, photography is used to document something for your memories, like the photos your parents took of you when you were a baby. On the other, photography is used to document something for the purpose of sharing and for others to see.
When the Fujifilm X-H1 was first released in February this year, I wrote an article about how it was a disappointment. I'm certain many Fuji shooters will disagree with me about this, however, I stand by my points and this latest video from Kinotika describes many of my sentiments.
I think it's safe to assume that the majority of us out there strive to be better people, that is to say, we want to grow and progress as we move through our lives. This video attempts to make the case that landscape photography can help us on that journey.
Ever felt bad for photographing an iconic location? I have been part of the landscape photography community for some years now and I have heard many different opinions; some very strong and even demeaning, such as “photographing iconic locations makes you a bad photographer”.
Anthem is a new company. So we didn’t know what to expect when we sat down with their new LED light that promises to far outlast any HMI while promising the implied savings that could drive down production costs.
Today marks 10 years since I first filed paperwork to start my photography business. It's been quite the roller coaster, and I've learned a lot of things about photography, business, and myself that I didn't expect. Here are some of the highlights from my first 10 years.
A recent trip down memory lane reminded me that sometimes the best place to look for something new, is a to remember something old.
Do you ever feel like you are swimming upstream, trying to keep all of the facets of your busy schedule together as a freelance photographer? There are countless articles, blogs, and books about how to separate your work and free time to improve job satisfaction and productivity, but the secret is not about improving your work-life balance, it’s about ignoring the perception of a work-life balance altogether.
Creative pursuits are inherently two-headed beasts. We are all too familiar with being passionate about photography, so much so that we can sink all of our spare time and a good portion of our money in it. Especially when you travel with photography in mind, landscape photography can start to become a trophy hunt. And I can’t blame you. Travel is expensive enough, so you want to make your shots count, right? In this article, I want to present a new way of looking for meaningful shots that may be more interesting to you in the long run.
I’m going to come right out and say it. Instagram saved my photography life. Today, I’ll show you how Instagram changed everything for me and how it can really help you too.
Last week, I had a photographer friend (hobbyist, but very talented) ask me if it was still possible to make a living in photography.
In a recent and popular advertisement, DJI uses Chris Burkard to showcase the new Mavic Air. But when advertisements don't line up with reality and end up costing customers a few hundred, maybe a thousand bucks, what is there to do?
There is nothing quite as heartbreaking as the actual moment when your creativity is quashed. There are lots of culprits that can lead up to that moment, but I find that it's often traceable to a single action (or inaction) by another party.
2018 is certainly well underway. It’s getting toward the time of year where we start to let our goals slip. In the UK, summer has arrived and it's far more appealing to sit in a beer garden than it is to lock yourself away at your desk.
At the beginning of 2018, I set a goal to read one book a week to broaden my mind and seek inspiration from new places. So far, I've stuck with it. Lee Morris, Mike Kelley, and I decided to sit down on camera and discuss the experience.
I take a trip to White Castle once a year, against my better judgment usually. This time, I tried (and Instagrammed) their new “Impossible Slider” which is a burger that isn’t made from animals, but tastes and looks like it came from something that mooed.
While it is tempting to constantly compare ourselves to other photographers, it’s important to remind ourselves of what we already know: the quality of art cannot be measured in numbers.
Making a short film is quite expensive, they say. However, if you know what to do, you can achieve your goal with very little tools and on a small budget. But let me warn you: it's not a simple task.
Sometimes the best lessons in photography can come from sources far from the art world. Last week I saw an image that helped to remind me of one of the best lessons for a successful business and a successful life.
Many of you may reply to the title of this article with an abrupt "No," and prior to using the Canon 5D Mark IV for my own videos, I would have agreed with you. It's easy to judge this camera based on the specs because in all fairness they're not exactly groundbreaking, however, the 5D Mark IV might secretly be a great video camera.
I don't mean hanging out of a car window untethered to get a shot of another moving car (although that sounds kind of fun). What I mean is don't be afraid to take your work in a direction previously unexplored. What's the worst that can happen?
Every few years we go through trends in wedding photography. The latest trend seems to be stylized photo shoots. Though stylized photo shoots are gorgeous and ripe with portfolio-worthy images, could they be hurting the industry?
If you ever feel the weight of the world on top of you, you might want to consider letting loose with your camera. I've found that going outside and having fun with my camera is a fantastic way to combat stress and anxiousness.
If you are a portrait photographer, beginner or professional, the documentary "Darkness and Light" about Richard Avedon should be on the top of your watch list.
Almost regardless of the content in the scene, so much of what makes a great landscape photograph is simply being where you need to be at the right time. Would you rather be a skillful planner or would you accept pure dumb luck if it means you get a great shot?
We generally think of technology and the Internet as a good thing for photography: digital cameras continue to make more things possible at a higher quality than ever, and the Internet makes the dissemination of one's work both easier and vastly more widespread than ever. Nonetheless, it's not all positive, and this interesting interview takes an honest look at how things have changed.
The 2018 wedding season is quickly approaching for many of us. Long days, bridezillas, constantly on the move, all for that amazing shot the couple will look back on decades later to reminisce about their special day.
Have you ever wondered what it took to make your vision come to life? In this personal project, in the last four weeks of my senior year, I captured 365 portraits of my high school class and brought together an entire community through the portraits.
This photo is striking. Skimming through the archives at the Library of Congress, I was immediately drawn to this image. But why?
Steven Spielberg is a legend. He’s directed of the most iconic blockbusters of the past few decades. In this video he talks about the threat of Netflix and how Hollywood is weathering the storm, how escapism is nothing new, and how he’s excited about VR.
Before anything else, this is the one lens every Sony mirrorless shooter should own. And no, it’s not part of their premium and pricey G Master line.
The argument of full-frame versus APS-C seems to be an ever-growing one. There are always discussions happening somewhere online about how one is better than the other for various reasons. This video pits the Sony a7 III against the Fuji X-H1.
There are quite a lot of complaints like: "Canon won't release a 4K video camera." At the end of the day, most photographers and filmmakers publish visuals online, and most viewers watch them on sub-2K mobile devices. Here's how much resolution you truly need.
Let’s face it: a lot of times, when you see a kit of anything, it’s not a good deal. Often, the cost of the kit isn’t worth it. Last week, I talked about Canon’s Advanced Two Lens Kit and how I thought it wasn’t the best deal for those looking to up their photography game. This week, I’m taking a look at Canon’s other kit, the Portrait and Travel Two-lens Kit. Spoiler alert: It’s actually a pretty good deal.
Today I take a trip down memory lane to identify a few of the television commercials that, for me, have exceeded the level of infomercial pitch to touch the mantle of enveloping art. As with any "tops of all time list," these are thoughts are completely subjective, but I'll do my best to explain my thinking behind each choice and hopefully, my list will inspire you to start thinking of your own.
