London-based product photographer Sean Tucker is releasing a three-part video series on photographing large objects, such as chairs and sofas, in a studio setting. Here in part one, Tucker demonstrates how to set up your lighting and camera in order to achieve a great, clean image that will be easy to cut out in post-production for online product catalogs.
When people walk through my living room studio, they are puzzled that I do not own or rent a permanent studio space. What many do not know is that when I’m contracted for a commercial assignment, about 80% of the time I must travel to a location or shot at the client’s home base. And, in many cases that requires transporting several 9 foot seamless backdrops and a whole lot of equipment. I don’t have a giant bus to haul all of my studio gear, so it’s been a trying experience to find the right tools to efficiently pack and tote my mobile studio.
Readers have enjoyed my past blogs on editing from home, making a better demo reel, and other video-editing articles, so now I’m sharing with you my favorite editing tricks that I find make for better cuts and ultimately make videos easier to watch.
For years I found myself making excuses as to why I wasn't creating the type of images that I so desperately wanted to make. I didn't have the gear, I didn't have a model, I didn't have access to a studio. At the end of the day, it came down to one simple thing, I never tried.
Walking into a bookstore, grabbing a magazine off the shelves, and seeing your name and images in print is nothing short of wonderful! Getting published in a fashion magazine is extremely rewarding, but it is no easy task, especially when getting started. Over the past 5 years I’ve been publishing in magazines ranging from online magazines to large internationally acclaimed publications.
Professional-quality photo printers and paper are expensive. It can be difficult to justify the steep price of the machine and upkeep for most photographers who shoot as a hobbyist or even a starting professional. Outsourcing your printing needs to a pro photo lab alleviates the cost, but there are some inherent complications in not being able to print from home. These four helpful steps will minimize the disconnect when sending out your images to the lab.
As your photography archive grows, so does the need to handle and protect that data. What happens if your computer doesn’t boot, or an image file won’t open? What if your home or studio gets robbed, or worse, catches fire? What if your backup drive fails, or your laptop gets stolen? These are all questions I ask myself when planning my backup strategy.
One of the most versatile and powerful secrets of Photoshop is the luminance mask. Similar to a channel mask that allows you to select very precise parts of your image based on color, the luminance mask allows you to select parts of your image based on tonal range. Using Photoshop to select those tonal ranges for you, you can quickly and effortlessly make very specific color and contrast adjustments to color grade like a pro.
Buying expensive gear and mastering lighting and technique play an important role in photography but ultimately, these things are secondary in achieving a solid portrait when facial expressions are factored in. No matter the genre of photography, whether it's fashion, weddings or family portraits, connecting to the subject is far more important than any other detail in shooting portraits. When portraying a personality or specific mood, there is a necessity to connect and extract emotions and moods.
It was something I’d been thinking about for a while. Casually admiring others and how they went about it so naturally. Watching from afar, admiring the differences between them and me and wondering if there every was going to be a day when I was comfortable enough to do it myself. The more I watched, the more interested I became. Soon, I began visiting websites, looking at the photos and day dreaming what it would be like when I had the nerve to do it myself.
In beauty and portrait retouching, one of the most important goals is to retain skin texture and keep the image from looking soft. We often however face a situation where the existing texture is unflattering and harsh. While we could heal out each pore or patch manually, this often leads to sub-par results and takes a long time. In this video I'll show you a unique, precise and fast way to target a particular texture frequency and offset it in a largely automated way.
Sharpening is a mystery to many, some do it well and others don't. There are quite a few methods to sharpen an image including the use of a High Pass Filter, Unsharp Mask, Smart Sharpen and Camera Shake Removal in Adobe Photoshop CC. However, it’s similar to hearing nails on a chalkboard when I see an image that is over sharpened. I'm no saint, I'm certainly guilty of cranking Unsharp Mask, I just never found the right solution. Until now.
If you are a lifestyle photographer one of your jobs is to make your images look natural- not stiff, not awkward, and definitely not staged. Your audience should see your images as moments that were going to happen regardless of whether or not you were there to capture it. The imagery that Roxy uses in their advertising is a spot-on example of this. Their photographic brand is made up of images of surfer girls living their carefree, summer lifestyle. Each image is a moment.
Your quickest way to becoming a better photographer is real world experience from a seasoned photographer. As studio manager for a busy studio servicing the commercial advertising world we have a crew of assistants in multiple cities that we rely on heavily. All of which need to understand the following rules, mores, and tips to get you to become the best assistant in the industry.
Each year Patrick and I work on one extremely large project. Two years ago we created The Art Behind The Headshot with Peter Hurley. Last year we finished our 14 hour tutorial on how to become a wedding photographer. In 2013 we teamed up with Mike Kelley to produce what I believe is the best resource available on How To Photograph Real Estate, Architecture, and Interiors.
You would have to be from Mars not to know who Peter Hurley is at this point. He was one of the first photographers to let Fstoppers into his studio, and together we produced the wildly popular The Art Behind The Headshot tutorial where he shares all of his secrets. Today Peter is publicly sharing perhaps his most important tip for making people look good in front of your camera, and it is appropriately named "squinching."
It's a growing trend in wedding photography these days to do photos with sparklers, and yes, you can blame Pinterest. Whether it's sparkler exits, or long exposure sparkler photos, your brides will expect you to know how to do these and will very likely ask you to do them on the spot! With this system, you'll be able to nail them every time!
Dani Diamond is a talented portrait photographer based out of Connecticut and is also an active member of our Fstoppers Facebook Group. His headshot work is impeccable and eye-catching. Recently Dani has started a personal project coined simply as "The Project." His mission is to find fellow photographers from around the world, take their headshots and challenge his craft under the scrutiny of his talented peers.
Just about every day I read a comment from a photographer complaining about Facebook making their images look terrible. There are hundreds of websites that have done tests and posted results to show what they feel is the best resolution to post your images to Facebook. Rather than run a bunch of tests I am going to keep things simple and tell you exactly what has worked well for me.
When people think of high end commercial automotive photography, they’ll sometimes call to mind images of cars with that distinct light streak down the side. That light streak that so many automotive photographers lust after is actually not a product of black magic, as it seems to be when you’re starting out, but actually incredibly easy to replicate with a technique called light painting.
I have always wanted to shoot editorial work. Getting my work in print has always been my number one goal. In my opinion, it is the mark of having "made it" as a photographer. The problem was that I never knew how to get my work in front of the right people to even be considered for an assignment. I had read articles in industry photo magazines about how to make brilliant and eye-catching marketing materials to nab that client that you are after.
When it comes to interior and architectural photography, there is often much more involved than what meets the eye at first glance. In order to create a photograph that is realistic and enticing, careful planning, staging, lighting and a healthy dose of patience is imperative. In this Fstoppers Original, we dive into a luxury interior shot and see what it takes to construct a mouth-watering interior photo from the ground up.
Chris Crisman is a advertising and editorial photographer who, after a series of missed jobs, set out to add an entirely new branch to his business, lifestyle photography. This video offers a behind the scenes look at his trip, as well as a glimpse at how he shoots and some of his lighting set ups.
Restoring underexposed files can seem like a challenge, but Lightroom has the tools to bring back lost detail without sacrificing quality. A properly exposed image captures more dynamic range, but when that’s not possible, knowing how to recover shadows without ruining the final result is essential.
Self-doubt is a constant in creative work. You might question whether your images are any good or if your work stands out. That uncertainty isn’t unique to you—many struggle with it, even experienced professionals. The challenge is defining what makes a good photographer when taste, style, and subjectivity play such a big role.
If you want to improve your photography, experimenting with new techniques to achieve more creative and interesting results is the way to go. I did just that recently while out doing street photography by playing with a slow shutter speed while shooting handheld.
The Decisive Moment is arguably one of the greatest photography books ever published, featuring photos from Henri Cartier-Bresson that capture the precise instant when all elements in a scene come together perfectly to create a powerful and meaningful image.
If you’re only making quick adjustments with auto settings or exposure sliders, you’re missing out on Lightroom’s most powerful tools. Understanding how to work with tone curves, masks, and color adjustments will push your images to the next level.
Photography is a marathon, not a sprint, and each person's journey is unique. Although your path may evolve, photographers' stages can be similar.
Are you fed up with Instagram’s algorithms and TikTok’s endless videos? You’re not alone. There’s a growing movement in the photography community: people are returning to Flickr, an “old-school” photo-sharing platform, in search of a better experience.
The ability to make precise selections in photo editing can transform an ordinary image into something extraordinary. While masking tools have evolved significantly, understanding how to combine them strategically is key to achieving professional-grade results.
Making money with photography isn’t as simple as social media makes it seem. The reality is, whether you’re just starting or already running a business, turning creativity into income takes strategy. Finding ways to optimize how you earn—without relying on luck—can help you stay sustainable.
Losing inspiration happens to everyone, and it can make photography feel like a chore rather than a passion. It’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of feeling uninspired, especially when shooting familiar locations. Instead of forcing creativity, sometimes the best approach is to embrace the break and ease back into it when the right moment comes.
Modifiers are essential tools for shaping light, and knowing how to use them can dramatically affect the look and feel of your images. These tools allow you to control the quality, direction, and intensity of light, which is crucial whether you’re shooting portraits, products, or events.
Photographers are increasingly concerned about AI's impact on their art. While huge arguments rage on about AI and copyright theft, artists are adopting two new tools that prevent their work from being scraped. It’s time photographers started employing them, too.
Making digital photos look like film is something many people are interested in, but achieving authentic results can be tricky. One area that often gets overlooked is the appearance of grain. Getting it right can significantly enhance your images by mimicking the subtle imperfections that define film.
Long-exposure photography isn’t just for tripods and perfect lighting conditions. With the right technique, you can create surreal, motion-filled images handheld, even on a rainy day. This can turn an otherwise uninspiring scene into something captivating.
When you think about improving your photography, you might picture buying new gear or chasing perfect light. But some of the biggest improvements come from small adjustments to technique and mindset. Addressing these common challenges can not only improve your photos but also make the process more enjoyable.
White balance plays a critical role in shaping how your photos look and feel. Getting it right can mean the difference between a shot that feels natural and one that seems off. But white balance isn’t just about technical accuracy; it’s also a powerful tool for creative expression.
Editing isn’t just about fixing mistakes; it’s an opportunity to add depth and character to your photos. With a few simple tools in Lightroom and Photoshop, you can create dramatic effects that bring your vision to life.
Hitting a creative block isn’t just frustrating; it’s inevitable. Whether you take pictures for a living or enjoy it as a hobby, these moments can leave you feeling stuck and uninspired. The good news is, there’s a simple way to reset your creativity and get back to shooting with purpose.
Understanding why some landscape photos captivate while others fall flat is a question that goes beyond mere composition. One critical factor that often separates a striking image from an ordinary one is depth. Depth not only gives photos a sense of dimension but also guides the viewer’s eye, making an image more dynamic and engaging.
The impact of a photography workshop doesn’t end with the last official event. If you continue to engage with the lessons and inspiration you gained during your time there, you can allow them to shape your photographic journey in meaningful and lasting ways.
Lighting can make or break your photos. It’s one of the most important elements to get right, yet it’s also one of the most common areas where mistakes happen. By understanding a few key missteps, you can improve your results quickly and avoid some of the pitfalls that hold many people back.
Figuring out how to price your services can feel overwhelming when you’re starting out. Whether you’re handling photography, videography, or broader social media content, knowing what to charge is a skill that can simplify your process and boost your confidence.
Shutter speed plays a huge role in how your images turn out, but it’s easy to fall into default habits like 1/125 of a second. Moving beyond those defaults opens up creative possibilities, whether you’re capturing motion blur or freezing fast action.
Street photography thrives on strong composition and purposeful framing. Creating images that captivate often comes down to how effectively you use the space within your frame.
Natural light portrait photography demands a nuanced understanding of how light interacts with the environment. By learning to read and work with available light, you can transform challenging conditions into opportunities for creating captivating portraits that stand out from the crowd.
Feeling stuck in your photography journey can be frustrating, especially when it's easy to think new gear will solve your problems. Instead of relying on temporary fixes, it’s a good time to rethink your approach and rediscover your creative spark.
You’ve got your new upgraded camera, maybe a new lens, and Santa delivered a cool new magnetic filter kit. Now you’re all set this year to take sharper photos, faster, without reflections. But is this enough to help you become a better photographer in 2025? Spoiler: No. It may actually make you a worse photographer.
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