Fstoppers » FS Originals

Endearing Animal Portraits By 18 Year Old Photographer Jessica Trinh

Pratik Naik — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:16 +0000

I love animals and many of us do. They’re so expressive and it makes you wonder what they’re thinking of. You see the innocence in their eyes and you know it’s genuine. Let’s not forget to mention their ever ready playful demeanor. When you combine these vibrant attributes with photography, it sets up for some endearing work. Cue in animal photographer, Jessica Trinh. [more]

How to Go Pro Without Going Crazy

James Robertson — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:12 +0000

I’m James Robertson, a new addition to the Fstoppers writer staff and a full time commercial photographer/studio owner for the past year. I’ve joined the team to bring content to the readers who may find themselves either ready to jump into the professional world, or have already and are looking for tips to make life easier. I thought it would be good to start with an article that will give everyone some tips on simplifying the work load that comes with the industry through organization and planning ahead.
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Fstoppers Sits Down with Lara Jade

Chris Knight — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 16:59:19 +0000

A captivating photograph often tells a story. That story is – more often than not –the story of the one taking the picture. Sometimes the story is obvious, and sometimes not so much. It’s in that delayed gratification that we are able to explore the nuances –when we have to reach into the subtleties for meaning behind a photo. Lara Jade is a classic example of this and her images are a vivid interpretation of her life. [more]

Fstoppers First Look: Sigma’s New 18-35 f/1.8

Jaron Schneider — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:32:10 +0000

When we announced the new 18-35mm f/1.8 lens from Sigma, the excited and joy-filled response from you all was nearly instantaneous (which was rather impressive since it was confirmed at just past 1 in the morning eastern time). I too was particularly excited because of what this lens means to the industry and the future of lens design. I want to share with you my first impressions of the lens, which arrived in my studio just a few minutes ago. [more]

Fstoppers Reviews SLRLounge’s Natural Light Couples Photography Workshop DVD

Zach Sutton — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 00:31:54 +0000

I’m a strobist by heart. When I first got into photography, I didn’t even begin shooting portrait work until after I had gotten at least a flash. That purchase, quickly turned into studio strobe after studio strobe until I found that I was completely controlling all light sources during my shoots. So who better to review SLRLounge’s latest DVD, ‘Natural Light Couples Photography Workshop’, right? [more]

Wedding Tutorial: How To Photograph Engagement Sessions

Patrick Hall — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:57:27 +0000

If you’ve been hired to photograph a wedding, there’s a very good chance your clients will also want you to take engagement photos. Recently we released our 14 hour long wedding tutorial How to Become a Professional Commercial Wedding Photographer which covers everything about how to start a wedding business. Lee Morris previously released a sample called How To Light Posed Photos In a Church but today I wanted to share a free excerpt on making the most out of your client’s engagement session. [more]

Einstein 640 & PLM System Review From Paul C. Buff

Aaron Lindberg — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:04:22 +0000

The Einstein E640 strobe from Paul C. Buff is compact, light weight unit capable of shouldering studio work yet portable enough to take on location. The unit weighs in at four pounds and because it is self contained, it does not require a battery pack which cuts down on gear bulk.

I shot around with the Einstein 640 and the 86 inch PLM (parabolic light) umbrella in studio to test the products and see how they stacked up in my work flow. [more]

Interview With Lifestyle Photographer Basil Vargas

Chris Lambeth — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:46:27 +0000

Most people think lifestyle photography is over rated. Just pictures of people hanging out having a good time and thats about it. Technically, yes that is it. However, it’s more than just that. It’s not that easy to just have the shots look like people hanging out. They have to work well with each other, you have to be able to tell a story with the images, show emotions, ect. Basil Vargas is one of the many Life-style photographers I really enjoy looking at. [more]

Video Showing One of Lightroom’s Most Under Utilized Tools

Trevor Dayley — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:20:08 +0000

As a type of person that loves to figure out everything I can about gadgets and software, I am always surprised by how often I meet up with photographers that really only use the powerful programs on their computers for the most basic functions. Typically we get comfortable with a few features and never really explore what else can be done. Maybe we run out of time, maybe we just have no interest. Either way, I hope to share some short, quick, easy to follow along videos over the next few weeks sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks in Lightroom. [more]

Fstoppers Lighting Diagrams- Retro Fashion Shoot

Nick Fancher — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:18:29 +0000

A couple weeks ago I was fortunate to work with Tina Hughes, a talented local clothing designer. Her latest collection blends vintage and modern elements. I thought that my friend’s modernist house would be the perfect location for the shoot. We were limited to doing the shoot during the (bright and sunny) day so I used speedlites, a polarizing filter and orange gels to add a moodiness to the images. [more]