First, let me just preface with the fact that I have been outsourcing my album design for the past four or five years now. While I took the time to learn and use this product myself, I do still believe in outsourcing your non-photography work. But, regardless of whether you outsource your album design or do it yourself, you want to have the best and fastest designer.
This week a new social network has really started promoting itself and seems to have amassed a fairly active user base, very quickly. Candid is an elegantly designed micro-blogging tool designed to focus discussion around specific topics rather than users, with the end goal of keeping everyone anonymous. The big question is, will it last or is it another wannabe network to be ignored? And most importantly, as photographers, is this a network that should be on our radar?
I just got my hands on IKAN’s new Rayden Bi-Color LED kit, and man, it is a huge improvement from their last model! The lights are sturdier, the dials are stronger and easier to use, and the quality of light has improved drastically from the last series.
Not since the Canon 5D Mark II hit the market have we seen a camera series as a technology revolutionary as the Sony Alpha series. I’m speaking specifically about the a7S, a7S II, a7R II and the a6300. Let’s look at the a6300 for example, 4K video output, great low light capability, an awesome autofocus capability, frame rate options and lens options, all for under $1,000. All those options are packed into a camera that weights 14.3 ounces with a battery.
"Directing Stills," a video from Clinton Lubbe, was made in an effort to provide a video lesson on directing models on a shoot or project. He touches on many subjects that are important and powerful tactics to have the best success with models. It seems though that the most important aspect of it all boils down to one simple thing really, and that's communication, whether it's with the models, the makeup artist, or even an on-set assistant. It's important that you communicate in regards to what your goals are with the final images.
With the new reviews of the DJI Mavic Pro, there’s been one popular concern from many of us: the quality wasn’t quite 100 percent and looked a bit blurry, especially when compared with other drones. Then we shared the 4K comparison with the Phantom 4, and even though the camera specs are very close between the two, it was apparent that the Mavic quality was not quite there. The Phantom 4 was the clear winner here, but the size still made the Mavic a viable contender for many of us who would compromise portability over quality and sharpness.
This year I was asked to be one of the judges for the 2016 Red Bull Illume contest. This contest has some of the most impressive sports photos taken each year, and choosing my favorites was not an easy task. Today the winners have officially been announced.
Spending countless hours on your client's gallery to present to them during the reveal means nothing if you cannot show them options to display. Creating the right line that works with your studio and brand to present to the client will increase sales, as well as referrals from that client. It is all about the workflow and how smoothly the process is during your sales session. (Codes for free gift at the end!)
DJI recently announced the new Mavic drone which appeared to be the greatest aerial product ever created. It's extremely portable with all of the incredible features of the Phantom 4. Today though my dreams have been shattered because the footage out of the Mavic looks pretty bad, especially when you compare it to the P4. Update: Wait! There is still hope!
Marketing your business and your creative work can be tough. Doing it in a small market can be even tougher. It can often seem overwhelming, but with some careful analysis and planning, you can maximize your opportunities. Having worked in sales and marketing for the better part of 18 years, I've picked up a few tips and tricks that I believe would help any photographer struggling to establish themselves in any market.
Since the days of film, medium format has been far from reach for many photographers. Even working professionals can have trouble justifying the high price point of these systems: when used, they can be $8,000-10,000. Medium format film bodies, while cheap now, were always several thousand away from even the most exorbitantly priced 35mm bodies. Factor in the inconvenient size of just about every medium format camera ever, and it's easy to put the idea of working with these monsters far from mind.
DJI announced their newest drone to the world this week, and it’s creating quite a buzz. If you haven’t heard about it yet, jump over to our article on the announcement of this new compact drone. At first, I thought the GoPro Karma looked great, then DJI swooped in with their Mavic which looks amazing as well.
The mixing brush tool is one of the most underutilized tools in portrait retouching. When used correctly, the mixing brush tool can be used to blend blotchy skin together, fix makeup in areas where a makeup artist may have missed applying makeup, etc. Here is a quick introduction to using the mixing brush as a portrait photographer.
Sean Lotman photographs the people of Japan's streets and beaches. One of the main reasons he shoots film is because he shares a darkroom with his wife, Ariko Inaoka. For him the advantages of physically printing the images has it's advantages, he can lay them out on the floor, rearrange them and figure out what the project is about and where to take it. You can do the same with the digital photography workflow too, but I must say, it's something I have never done.
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