Have you been feeling the heat this summer? Taking photos out in the sunshine can be a challenge. However, it can be made a lot easier with the right preparation. Here are five of my photography hot weather essentials.
I subscribe to Premiere Pro and own Final Cut X and Da Vinci Resolve. I’ve been weighing up which one to focus on in order to become a better editor and video professional. I’ve considered the ease of use when editing and exporting, the support and community of each, and the market demand.
ACDSee, known for their fast and capable digital asset management software, has announced ACDSee Free, a totally free application that offers a range of features for culling and managing raw files without needing to import any of them. Read on for what you can expect.
Content-Aware fill is one of the most useful innovations in the history of Photoshop, allowing you to convincingly replace a wide variety of things in an image quickly and easily without having to do a lot of manual cloning and blending. It is not perfect, though, but with a bit of know-how, you can get a lot more from it. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know about the Content-Aware tool and how to customize it to your needs.
Reduction of single-use plastic is increasingly on the minds of conscientious consumers, and the practice of shooting with physical film in preference to digital does bring with it considerations in the area. But fear not, Ikigai Film Lab is here to recycle, reuse, and repurpose, to put our anxiety at ease and help us keep shooting with a clearer conscience.
Running a successful portrait session can be a daunting task, especially for photographers who are new to working in a studio. The myriad of options can easily become overwhelming. There are endless choices for light modifiers, backdrops, props, clothing, poses, and all the rest, but I have found that having a consistent plan and process is the key to success.
Knowing how to balance flash and ambient light is one of the most crucial skills a portrait photographer can have, as it will give you the ability to shoot in just about any environment with full creative and technical control. If you are newer to working with artificial lighting and want to learn this skill, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to balance flash and ambient light for better images.
Looking back at my early portraits often makes me cringe. I’m not even afraid to admit it now. It was always a goal of mine to be a competent portrait photographer, but I was incredibly shy and didn’t know how to engage with the people in front of my lens. I was always somehow dissatisfied with my results, as I could never seem to connect with my subjects on a level deep enough for them to let their guard down.
Unless you're filming horror, shaky footage is almost always highly undesirable. Now, however, you have lots of ways you can create dynamic shots and keep the visuals steady, so which is the best one?
When a passion project collides with a good cause, it's a win-win, and photographer and videographer David Zapatka's lighthouse photography project is just that.
Tamron has reinvented themselves in recent years, releasing highly practical and affordable lenses alongside innovative options like the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD. They have now announced the development of another lens in the spirit of the latter group, the 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD, expected to arrive later this year.
Imagine being tasked with photographing press events featuring some of the most famous people in the world, on a regular basis. Are you confident that you can come away with photographs as strong or better than those of your peers? Can you find the small, personal moments taking place in the chaos to create images that are unique? Christy Bowe is a photographer who has successfully accomplished these tasks for the past three decades.
Like it or not, hard light happens a lot outside, and if you are a portrait or wedding photographer, you can't just reschedule the ceremony or session every time you don't have clouds to give you soft light. So, what can you do to still create flattering images? This excellent video tutorial will show you how adding a bit of flash to the scene can be just the solution you are looking for.
Medium format is more affordable than ever, and its resolution, tonality, and dynamic range make it a dream for landscape photographers, who almost always prioritize image quality above anything else in a camera. So, to switch back to full frame from medium format might seem like a strange decision. This interesting video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing why he is considering doing just that anyway.
If someone gave you $1,000 and told you to buy a camera and lens combo, what would you do? Yes, it is hard to get a good kit for relatively little money. Yet, there are some hidden gems that are great to kickstart your career and offer an improvement over existing gear.
Adobe Photoshop is one of the most complex and malleable tools in a photographer's arsenal. With many fatigued from the debate over whether an image is edited or not, perhaps you want to weave in some magic to your shots.
Most newer photographers will begin their editing journey in Lightroom rather than Photoshop, and even as you become more advanced, you will notice that you can still do a lot or even most of your editing in the former, only needing to resort to the latter for truly complex post-processing tasks. If you are a beginner and looking to understand how the various editing functions in Lightroom work, check out this great video tutorial that will have you up and running in no time at all.
One of the most exciting topics for me to cover during my time as a professional newspaper journalist was fires and firefighting, and the potential for great images is there for anyone who approaches the matter with a little preparation and knowledge.
A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional scene, and as such, part of the challenge posed to the photographer is recreating a sense of depth in the image. This is particularly important to holding your viewer's attention in landscape photography, and one of the most effective ways to accomplish this is through the use of layers. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to leverage them to create more effective photos.
Becoming a successful photographer takes the confluence of technical aptitude, creative thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and more. This requires you to be able to address multiple aspects of your work simultaneously, sometimes making it a bit tricky to figure out why things might not be going well. If you are struggling to grow as a photographer, check out this great video that discusses five reasons why that might be and what you can do to get back on the right track.
Whether you're brand new or have many years experience, printing your work can be the most satisfying part of photography. Something you might not realize is how much your work might change after you make that first print.
If you're still not sure exactly how to use masking in Lightroom, this will answer all your questions.
When a lens is sold out, you always know it's a good sign. See what all the fuss is about with the new Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 PZ G lens.
The Nikon Z fc is styled after one of the greatest 35mm cameras of all time, the Nikon FM2. And although the Z fc looks like an FM2, does it live up to the hype?
Those who wish to practice their off-camera flash technique or simply, wish to create a successful concept shoot to boost their portfolio, should strongly consider practicing the arrangement with themselves as the subject.
Soft light is generally the preferred style for portraits, as it is more flattering on the subject. However, soft light produces more gradual transitions and requires relatively larger sources, which can make it more difficult to precisely control where it is falling in the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to create a portrait using soft but carefully controlled light using flags and v-flats.
Like it or not, mirrorless cameras have overtaken DSLRs as the cameras of choice for most photographers. As the major camera brands transition away from developing new DSLRs and focus on mirrorless technologies, there are still advantages to using a DSLR.
Skin retouching can seem a daunting task if you are a beginner. What brush do you use, what layer goes where, and how do you smooth the skin? And on top of that, you have to remember all the steps involved. So, how does Infinite Guide make the whole process simple?
Landscape photography is a popular yet difficult genre, and while you can learn to create a technically apt photo, finding your creative voice is another issue entirely. Why is it so difficult to be creative in landscape photography? This fantastic video essay looks at the question and offers some useful insights you can apply to your own work.
50mm lenses with wide apertures are some of the most popular out there, and you can find options from under $100 to well over $10,000. So, what can you get near the top end of that range? This great video takes a look at the Leica Noctillux f/1.0 to answer that question.
The original M1 MacBook Air was a highly popular model that offered remarkable performance and battery life in the iconic Air chassis. The new M2 model brings with it a new chip, but it also comes with a wide variety of new options and upgrades. So, which is right for you? This excellent video comparison will help you choose.
Fujifilm gets a pretty bad rap these days from the film photography community. So, it’s easy to forget that from the 1980s to the early 2000s, Fujifilm produced some of the best cameras ever made: medium format, point and shoots, the extraordinary Xpan, and a sack full of other interesting goodies.
Landscape photography is a challenging genre full of nuance, as it requires a combination of technical aptitude and the ability to work through issues out of your control, such as poor weather or hard light. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this excellent video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing a range of helpful tips sure to bring you better shots.
Leica is polarizing by virtue of — and this is almost the entire reason — their prices. Nevertheless, the quality of their products is not in question. One of Leica's most famous creations is the Noctillux f/1.0, but how is it to use?
Luminar Neo is getting its release with the HDR extension on Thursday, and I was sent an advance copy to see how it works.
We've all heard of the stereotype of "the starving artist," but a new study from the UK put concrete numbers on this portrayal, showing that graduates with a degree in photography truly do (on average) become starving artists. Adding insult to injury, the study reveals that photographers are not only on the list, they are ranked the worst for post-graduates making low income. Ouch.
It sounds a bit strange or even silly at first, but it is advice that will serve you well, especially in an age where we are inundated by images and unsolicited feedback. This great video features some really important advice that is well worth taking the time to listen to.
Composition is always a tricky and subtle thing, and in a genre where you do not have control of the physical placement of the elements, like landscape photography, it can be particularly difficult. If composition is something you struggle with in your landscape images, check out this helpful video tutorial that will share some useful advice sure to help you improve your photos.
A few years ago, asking whether one should get a laptop or a tablet for professional work would be a ludicrous question. However, with options like external display support and the same chip used in MacBooks, the iPad Pro is an intriguing option and in some ways, it is even a better one. So, which is right for you, the MacBook Air or the iPad Pro? This great video will help you answer that question.
We all have genres that we usually shoot, but sometimes, we want to dabble in photography outside our comfort zone. It is possible to start getting great photos in other areas without them becoming a full-time occupation or costing a fortune in the extra kit. Here's how to do that with wildlife photography.
There are different breeds of wildlife photographers. At the top of the food chain is Photographicus Obsessius. They study individual species, so they know all their behaviors and can call them by their Latin names. They get up at 2 a.m., drive fifty miles or more,...
This video is the second part (of three) of Smarter Everyday's in-depth tour of Kodak's film production line in Rochester, New York. In the first video, we saw how the base of the film is made out of pellets, as they're melted down and formed into uniform, thin, clear sheets.
Handheld air blowers are the type of accessory literally every photographer and filmmaker should have in their bag, as they allow you to easily get rid of grit or debris on your camera sensor and lenses without physically touching them and risking a scratch. The Nitecore BlowerBaby upgrades the standard handheld blower by adding a powerful motor and rechargeable battery. Is it worth the higher price? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.
I love a good quote to put things in perspective when I'm having a crisis of confidence in my creative output, or feeling like a project or goal is taking too long to reach. There are many lessons you, and I, as photographers can learn in these 5 quotes from famous artists, entrepreneurs, and sports stars. Get ready for a boost of inspiration and a mindset shift!
A couple of weeks ago, Blackmagic Design released a firmware update for their popular Pocket Cinema Camera lineup, the BMPCC 4K, the BMPCC 6K, and the BMPCC 6K PRO variants. The update has a slew of useful updates to the interface and the camera's functioning, but the biggest feature was a hidden one: these cameras can now record gyro data to their Blackmagic raw files.
You've heard your industry colleagues say it. You've read the news articles and listened to the business pundits. The economy is in a recession, and your photography business is suffering.
Although upgrading your gear does not automatically make you a better photographer, modern mirrorless cameras like the Canon EOS R line can definitely open up new creative possibilities with their slew of great features and usability.
Some tools are just too powerful to not have in your tool bag as a photographer, and the plate composite technique is one such method.
Do you have a Canon EOS R5? In that case, you’re probably aware of the overheating issues when filming. It isn’t of any concern if you’ll never use the video function. But what if an overheating warning occurs while photographing? I experienced that situation, and I have the solution.
$100,000 is a lot of money. Perhaps life-changing for many among us. But that's how much this photographer insists he lost due to a regrettable mistake. Learn what it is so you don't do the same.
While bringing color to your images is best done manually, LUTs accelerate things. Here’s how I customize LUTs to get the best of both worlds in a pinch.
