Advances in cameras and more readily available internet bandwidth have made it possible for almost anyone to set up live streams of events just about anywhere nowadays, bringing us new and interesting windows on the world. Here are 10 of the most interesting live cameras you can watch right now.
Learning the alphabet is the first step to becoming a great writer. Learning basic lighting setups with just one key light is essential for every photographer taking their first steps in portraiture.
There is something truly sublime about a fresh coat of snow. There are few things in nature that are as visually organic as snow-covered trees.
A lot of the work photographers do in modifying and controlling light for portraiture comes down to softening the light to render facial features in a more flattering way. But that does not mean that hard light does not have its place, and this quick and great video discusses three good reasons to try it out along with showing lots of examples.
I've been replacing skies manually in Photoshop for over 15 years now. It's time-consuming and tedious, but I assumed it was the only way. But now, Luminar 4 claims to be able to swap skies with a single click, and it's quite impressive.
Even as we are firmly planted in the digital realm, there is really nothing that can replace the tactile sensation of flipping through a photo book. However, they are not as straightforward to create as you might think, taking an impressive dose of precision and attention to detail to create the final product. This excellent video takes a behind the scenes look at the process.
Photographers need the best batteries in their gear to stay ahead when it comes to making killer work. It's for this reason that it's crucial you know the strengths and weaknesses of the many battery brands out there.
Following up from last’s week’s article about Capture One, today, we’ll take a look at its main rival in the raw processing field, Lightroom. To keep things on a relatively level playing field, I’ll be discussing what is now called “Lightroom Classic,” the desktop version of Lightroom.
What do you think of when you hear the term "composite"? Lots of hours with the Pen tool cutting out elements or fiddling around with the Refine Edge tool?
A whole new decade awaits you and that will likely mean a hell of a lot of photographs to be taken. Make sure your landscapes have the impact you'd hoped for by using Photoshop to give them some extra punch.
After getting familiar with the general interface of your chosen video editing software, and perhaps after your first few simple edits, the next step for most aspiring editors or YouTube creators might be to start learning a few fancy transitions to flex those creative muscles and spice up your new videos. This YouTuber has just made your lives a little easier.
Most photographers are familiar with the content aware fill tool. This features has been part of Photoshop for years and can be a life saver to remove unwanted or distracting elements from an image. Adobe recently implemented this tool in After Effects and this short tutorial shows how to use it.
Earlier this year, Adobe ditched the option to buy Lightroom for a one-off fee, forcing customers to take out annual subscriptions with monthly payments, and annoying a few people along the way. However, this subscription model does present a few opportunities to save money. Check out this simple trick.
When you are working your way up the professional ranks of photography, you might start wondering if you should move into your own studio at some point. This great video examines the idea of whether you really need a studio or if you can continue to work on location.
If you thought editing photos took up a lot of computing resources, just wait until you dive into video. If you are new to video and wondering what you can do to make your post-processing run as fast as possible, this helpful video will give you some tips to optimize both your hardware and your software to keep your editing running as quickly as possible.
Following on from the success of its f/2.8 standard and wide-angle zoom lenses for Sony, Tamron is in the process of launching a selection of primes. I’ve been using the 35m f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 for the last couple of weeks, and it’s proven fun and surprising.
No, this is not yet another article about the rule of thirds. Rather, it's about a simple composition technique I've used consistently over the years to maximize the impact of my images. Best of all, it's easy to duplicate.
Recently Caleb Pike demonstrated an old trick with new tech, and it’s eye opening how much lighting one can cram into a tiny space these days.
The easiest answer to "why do photography?" would be "money." But, if that's not the case, have you ever taken the time to ask yourself if photography is the right thing for you, what you get out of it, and what your reason is for doing it in the first place?
Sometimes, we love our images a little too much. Overconfidence can hinder you becoming a better photographer. Where does this confidence come from? What do we do about it?
One thing to remember when creating composites is that a couple of extra little details can make a huge difference.
The amount of work that goes into a Hollywood production cannot be overstated. These days, it is usually up to a VFX artist studio to finish off what the director had in mind. What happens when you take modern VFX artists and ask them to analyze how old-school special effect artists worked? Praise!
Banksy’s official photographer for a period of 11 years has revealed many of the trials and tribulations the pair faced while the infamous graffiti artist spray-painted his works around the globe. Also working as his agent for a time, he says it was his responsibility to see that Banksy was never arrested. “We were lawless and did just what we wanted,” he says.
If you've been having trouble keeping your photos in an organized yet future-proof way, then check out my thoughts on the issue here.
The striking and desirable visuals of anamorphic lenses in cinema have been largely gated behind a high financial entry point. Is that about to change?
ND filters are one of the most common and useful accessories any landscape photographer can have in their bag. If you are new to the genre, you might be wondering how and when they are used. This great video will give you an introduction to ND filters along with some demonstrations of their usage.
Have you ever gone to the movies and was blown away by the lighting and cinematography of a certain scene and wish you could go home and recreate that look yourself? The problem usually arises that you don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars of lights accessible to you. In this quick video, learn how you can achieve a cinematic lighting scheme on any budget.
In a world looking for more honesty and truth, one element of photography has become more and more pervasive. As the list of companies going "retouching free" grows, we are forced to take a step back and take a look at the practice. Is retouching really the problem it is perceived to be?
We all talk about the importance of finding your visual style, but do you really know why you need one? It's more than just being unique; a visual style is key to shooting photos with interest. And it's that interest that keeps people coming back.
Whenever you travel with your camera gear, there are certain considerations you should make to ensure that you are able to work while you're gone and that all your gear is protected. This excellent video will give you 10 helpful tips to ensure that your next trip is successful as possible.
Photography is expensive, although there are many areas where we can save and cut corners. However, these five items are certainly things that you don't want to skimp on.
When creating composites using various images from multiple photos, each part has its unique color balance. This is where most beginners tend to fail when creating a composite.
One of the most fundamental artificial lighting techniques is the use of fill flash. It is a versatile technique that can quickly and drastically improve your on-location photos. This helpful video will show you the basics of fill flash, both why and how it is used.
When you are new to landscape photography, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to learn how to combine all the technical elements with your creative instincts to produce successful images. This helpful video will go over some of the most useful advice new landscape photographers can hear.
While it would be too early to say that we are in full-fledged film photography revolution, it is clear that the market for film is growing in a great way.
For those of you who haven't heard of Hasselblad, they were one of the first cameras used to shoot from space and are known today to be one of the top medium format companies around. With a recent release of their X1D II and a unique digital back for their v-system, what is it like to shoot with one of these cameras?
Which colors are predicted to dominate 2020 creative campaigns? Take a look at this trend report!
Whether you're shooting landscapes, outdoor portraits, or even architecture, natural lighting conditions can make or break your shoot. But what do you do when the sunlight doesn't cooperate?
If you’ve ever wondered how to assess the sharpness of a lens or perhaps read an MTF chart and been curious as to how it’s made, check out this short video that quickly runs you through the basics.
Pantone, one of the biggest authorities on the subject of color, has just declared its color of the year for 2020. Which did they choose, and why do photographers need to know it?
A successful Hollywood director created what is arguably some of the best snowball fight footage the world has ever seen in a new commercial for Apple.
As we enter the winter photography season for the northern hemisphere it’s the best time to get out to the desert or arid areas to shoot landscapes. Cooler day time temperatures and some interesting areas in the national parks make for a great trip especially in places like Death Valley with its ubiquitous sand dunes, but how do you edit those images to really make them stand out?
Big flat lays are very much in trend both commercially and with social media. Here are three ways that I set up the camera on an overhead rig as well as their pros and cons.
There are loads of articles and online tutorials showing you how to achieve certain looks or perfect a set technique. But more important than this, for me, is showing up.
Have you started to dabble into creating videos simultaneously with your photoshoots? Having the capability and provide your clients with the option to include a slow motion boudoir video along with their photos could help set you apart from the rest. So, where do you begin?
Product photography is a highly intricate and precise genre in which you have to be able to control every last angle and reflection. This helpful video discusses how the table on which you are shooting can affect the results while demonstrating on a wine bottle.
In this video, Mark Wallace explains how to take high-contrast images. He also explains some key terms that you should think about when you shoot this type of portraits.
Today, many transition or expand their career from photography to videography, relying on the advanced technology we already have in our hands. However, most of them aren't aware that they are entering a whole new universe that's vastly unknown by stills photographers.
Retouching portraits in Photoshop is a complicated and nuanced task, and it is important to be proficient with every step in the process to produce a top-quality result. This great video shares five tips and tricks for retouching portraits in Photoshop.
When traveling to new places, you may not have a solid network established to find talent to work with. Perhaps you are just starting and looking to local talent to work with. Where do you search to find potential models for your portfolio?
