You Are Dealing With Cheap Photographers Incorrectly
Price-cutting and cheap photographers tend to really get under the skin of many of us, but I am pretty sure that you have been approaching it all wrong. Hopefully, this helps.
Price-cutting and cheap photographers tend to really get under the skin of many of us, but I am pretty sure that you have been approaching it all wrong. Hopefully, this helps.
Minimalism is a word bandied about by some photographers and overlooked by many others. There’s so much more to it than excluding elements from our images, and embracing its wider meaning can transform the way we approach photography.
Most of us do not care to stand in the rain, but you can create dramatic and compelling landscape photos if you are willing to tolerate the elements. This great video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to handle those wet days to make eye-catching photos.
Everyone loves a punchy, rich photo that leaps off the screen and immediately grabs your attention. They are not that hard to create, and if you are newer to editing, this helpful video tutorial will show you how to give your shots that look using Lightoom.
Not all conferences are created equal. While I am a big fan of the large conferences, sharing a room with hundreds of people isn't always the best way to learn. So, if you still want to learn from big names such as Lindsey Adler and Joe McNally, but in a small hands-on environment, then The Photo Creators may be what you are looking for.
Winter is upon us, and if you are anything like me, you will try to avoid going out in the cold whenever possible. The beauty of macro photography is that there are fantastic subjects all around you, meaning you do not necessarily have to trek miles away to get great shots! This excellent video tutorial will show you five fun winter macro photography ideas and offer some tips to help you get the best shots.
There is a different sort of light and weather needed for these three sub-genres of landscape photography. Photographing them all within a few hours only is possible, but it leads to some big obstacles we have to overcome.
If you are someone who likes to travel or go for long hikes, you probably know the pain of carrying a bunch of lenses in one bag. A superzoom lens can alleviate that issue by offering a huge range of focal lengths all in one device. Tamron's first lens for Fujifilm shooters is the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
We've been keeping an eye on Luminar NEO, an upcoming raw editor from Skylum. In my last installment, I was given some preview software that showed three of the new features coming, including a relighting control, removal of wires, dust spots, and power lines.
Being a photographer in the digital age is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we have an endless resource of articles, videos, and experts right at our fingertips. It’s truly a golden age for education, and a motivated person can go from an absolute novice to an expert almost completely on their own. But at the same time, we are more exposed than ever before, and as photographers, posting our work online means opening ourselves up to a sea of criticism — both good and bad.
The arsenal of equipment modern-day photographers and videographers have is large, with gadgets left and right. This does create some difficulties, however, and one irritant is the need to charge everything pre-shoot. Here is how to build a DIY charging station.
If you think that printing is a thing of the past, think again. More and more photographers are adding printing to their service list. This is particularly popular with event and wedding photographers, but wireless printing is actually for everyone, as every photographer should print their work - or at least the work that’s worth printing.
Apple's M1 chip has evolved into the M1 Pro and M1 Max, promising even better performance than the already impressive original and similar super-long battery life. As of now, the M1 Max sits at the top of the lineup, but can it handle all the heavy demands of professional video editing? This excellent battery of tests pits it against two other options to find out.
You might think of Photoshop as the place to do deep color grading work, and that used to be the case, but Lightroom recently added new color grading tools that can also make powerful edits and are arguably more intuitive than those in Photoshop. This great video tutorial will show you how to use them to color grade your photos quickly and easily.
Cleaning up the haloing when creating selections can take some time, and even when your image is complete and you can still see some remaining it can be quite annoying. In this tutorial, I'm going to show you a seldom-used but effective way of cleaning the masks.
Tamron has reinvented itself in recent years, creating lenses that offer a combination of sharp image quality, good performance, and smart compromises to bring them to prices that significantly undercut first-party options. Perhaps their most exciting lens yet is the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, which could potentially replace every lens in some photographers' bags. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it.
You read that title correctly. Tired of your landscape photos looking like every other fantastic photographer's shots? Maybe you should be taking things in the other direction. If you need a laugh (and some good education), check out this great video that will show you how to take just awful landscape photos.
What is the best way to power all your devices on the go? Here’s a quick look at just a handful of the devices that keep my gear energized when I’m on the road.
Half of creating better edits is taking more precise control over where they are applied and how they are blended. One of the most powerful tools for increasing that precision is a luminosity mask, and this excellent video tutorial will show you what they are, how to create them in Photoshop, and how to employ them for better photo edits.
As the world seems to be moving away from an ownership model in favor of renting, is it time we start asking ourselves what is and isn't acceptable for photographers?
A wide-aperture 50mm lens is one of the most versatile a photographer can have in their bag, suitable for everything from low-light events coverage to portraits. Samyang, well known for producing sharp manual focus lenses, has branched into autofocus lenses in recent years, and this great video review takes a look at the new AF 50mm f/1.4 FE II lens and the kind of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
It can be a really frustrating thing. You have the footage in place and you have found the perfect bit of music to bring everything together, except there is one problem: it isn't the right length. Every video editor needs to have some audio editing skills, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you how to put them to use to convincingly edit a piece of music to the right length for a video.
If you are in the market for an adaptable filter system that really is top quality, I would definitely check out the H&Y filter system.
There is something really eye-catching about old-fashioned Hollywood portraits, which had a healthy flare for the dramatic. And while you might not find yourself shooting that style on a regular basis for clients, it can be a fun creative exercise and one that really pushes your lighting and styling abilities to a new level. This awesome video tutorial will take you behind the scenes to learn how to shoot a modern take on the classic Hollywood portrait by using five lights, along with a look at how to complete the look in post-processing.
The coverage of weddings has grown exponentially with the improvement of technology. Where once wedding videos were a high-end luxury, now they're closer to a staple. So, here are five gimbal moves you can do when shooting a wedding for a polished, pleasing feel.
Photography conferences are an incredible way to build your skills, find new inspiration, and network with like-minded people. The Click Away Conference is one great option if you are seeking ways to expand your photographic experience and business acumen.
Landscape photography is one of the most popular genres of photography, but how do photos of rocks, mountains, waves, and sunsets tell a story?
In today’s market, more and more photography clients are asking for video. Do you have what it takes to shoot quality photo and video work? There is more to it than flipping over to video mode on your camera.
One of the most standard professional lenses for a wide range of genres is the 70-200mm f/2.8, but such lenses are almost always expensive and bulky. In recent years, we have seen a rise in 70-200mm f/4 lenses as alternatives for those who want the versatility of those focal lengths but who do not need the extra stop of aperture. Canon shooters have options in both camps, so which is right for your work? This helpful video comparison takes a look.
The Canon EOS R3 has arrived, building on the wild success of the EOS R5 by taking things to another level and offering professionals who demand the most extreme performance and capabilities an intriguing option. Does it live up to its specs? This fantastic video review takes a look.
If you are thinking about booking a workshop in the coming year, how do you choose what one to book, and what do you hope to get out of the workshop?
Nikon, perhaps copying Tamron's strategy, has released a surprisingly affordable 28-75mm f/2.8 lens.
Anyone who owns a home with trees around it will tell you what a pain cleaning the roof and gutters is; it is probably one of the most universally hated but necessary household chores. Wouldn't it be great if you had a flying leaf blower that could take care of things? It turns out you kind of do — if you own a drone.
In my opinion, the Samsung Portable SSD T7 and Portable SSD T7 Touch are some of the best SSDs available. While that sounds like a bold claim, it is based on using these drives daily for the past month. Let’s see what makes these particular models so great and why you may want to get one for the holidays.
Have you seen this trick for adding a bit more intensity to a portrait's eyes?
When it comes to landscape photography, you can create a multitude of images using an identical composition simply by varying your settings. If you are newer to the genre and wondering how to choose the right shutter speed, aperture, and ISO values for a given image, this fantastic video tutorial will walk you through several real-life examples to help you gain more confidence in your abilities.
Fujifilm has a relationship with its customers that’s a little different from every other camera brand. Having carved a definite niche within the world of photography, what does the manufacturer need to do in order to ensure that it maintains — or even expands — its market share?
Few cameras were more hotly anticipated than the Sony a7 IV, the long-awaited update to the popular and highly respected a7 III. Meant to be equally at home in both photo and video scenarios, the a7 IV brings with it a balanced feature set for hybrid shooters, and this excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from it on both sides of the coin.
If no one takes notice or takes time to engage more deeply with an image, what does it matter?? Getting control over the viewer’s eyes can be a big game-changer for your fine art photography.
Many of us simply use Lightroom in its default state, and given the program's good organization, that generally works just fine for most applications. However, it can be beneficial to tweak the program a bit to better fit your needs and preferred manner of working, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how to go about doing just that.
Fujifilm's GFX series of medium format mirrorless cameras caught the attention of the photography industry by bringing a lot of modern camera features to larger sensors and doing so at impressively modest prices. The GFX 100S epitomizes that by offering a ton of resolution, dynamic range, and image quality, all at a price that sits at the upper end of the full frame spectrum. Is it the ultimate camera for landscape photographers? This excellent video review takes a look.
Entry-level cameras are the best option for beginners, right? Plus, that popular brand must be the right choice, mustn’t it? As the song goes, it ain’t necessarily so. Here’s why you should consider choosing something better.
The photography profession at times can be somewhat outdated in its approach, standards, and business practices. Over the years, I continually hear certain bits of bad advice, so let's look a bit deeper into these.
50mm lenses are some of the most popular out there, and they range from sub-$100 f/1.8 versions to well over $2,000 for professional-level f/1.2 versions. However, Meike makes a 50mm f/1.2 lens for all popular full frame mirrorless mounts that costs less that $400, making it a potentially appealing option for photographers and filmmakers who love bokeh but not the money it often costs. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
When you are ready to move into working in your own studio, you will, of course, have to bring in your own lighting. Lighting can run a huge gamut of price and features, however, and it can be tricky to know what you need to get started. If you are looking for some decent lighting to get you up and running and that will not break the bank, check out this helpful video that will show you some good beginner lighting kits for studio work.
Adapting lenses to different camera mounts isn't something that is new to photographers. This photographer shares some specific DIY steps to adapt cheap projector lenses to a mirrorless camera. The result? Beautiful f/1.2 swirly, bokeh-filled images.
A lot of modern cameras allow you to create multiple exposures. Not many photographers are using this function. At first, I forgot about it, thinking it was just a gimmick. But it turns out to be a very creative tool. Perhaps this article will inspire you to try it out.
Landscape photography is a tough genre that takes a lot of technical knowledge, creative savvy, planning in advance, and a bit of luck. If you are interested in improving your landscape work, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you five different methods you can use to improve your landscape images.
No doubt, modern cameras and editing software have allowed us to push edits to extremes we would never have dreamed of previously, but still, to ensure the best image and video quality and significantly reduce our work at the computer, getting things right in camera is best. That being said, there will be times when things need some work in post. This neat video challenges four colorists to correct severely askew footage and will teach you some great methods in the process.
In the history of visual art, few figures loom as large as Rembrandt. His influence on photography is so great that “Rembrandt lighting” has become a staple method for portraiture. But Rembrandt Lighting is often a poor choice for photographing women, especially when working with corporate clients.