We've all heard of saving less than perfect images by turning them black and white, but when should you really do it? Here's how I decide.
The DJI Mavic Air is known with is high pitch propellor noise, and now users have the option to replace those with low-noise props.
If you want to continue to grow as a photographer you need to have honest, real time feedback and yes, criticism. Sure, you can ask a friend maybe see if Mom wants to flip through your portfolio and you might get some feedback but more than likely you’ll get some “wow, that’s a cool shot” or “Honey! This picture is lovely!” but no really push back on your composition or lack of. So, go find a photo editor.
For many of us, marketing ourselves to potential art buyers, publications, and agencies is the stuff of nightmares. Cold calling is certainly one of the most feared.
If you're getting into business headshot photography, have you considered providing a brief list of tips that will not only improve the quality of the images but also make your job easier?
I enjoy taking headshots for people, and I shy away from the commercial, copy-paste, white background styles where the deliverable image is straight out of the camera. However, last month, I combined my preferred style of headshot with the number of subjects you'd typically see with a large corporate, straight-out-of-the-camera shoot. Here's what I learned.
When was the last time you put up the amount you charge for your photography? If the answer is never then you're not alone. Many of us struggle to ask for more money and even those who try are not always successful. The problem is that if you never increase your prices you'll be out of business before you know it. Here's how and when to start charging more.
Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated with photos, diagrams and rich visual communication. When I was at school I struggled massively with English, reading and writing and it was only in my 20s that I found out I was dyslexic. To this day I have only read three novels and that list includes Harry Potter (sorry!). But give me a photo book and I can spend hours looking at it, pondering over the photos, and trying to see why they look so good.
What happens when the sun is setting and you want to get a balanced exposure of the setting sun in the background and your subject? The reality is you can't without the use of a strobe and high speed sync. In this article, I’ll share with you how I was able to get a perfect exposure on my subject and the background using high-speed sync.
Finding new locations to shoot can sometimes be a challenge, especially when you don't live in the area. What can you do to improve your chances of finding those amazing photoshoot locations?
Landscape photography, for most, is an incredibly rewarding pursuit. Those rewards, however, don't typically come without good preparation and use of proper techniques.
Have you ever wanted to create a bright, sunny image, but it was rainy and overcast outside? In this article, see how I recreated the sun when I shot this edgy fashion editorial in my small home living room.
Learn how to use Photoshop to create a shallow depth of field or alter the existing depth of field in just about any image.
Commercial and fine art photographer Jan Gonzales was commissioned by Fujifilm Global to create a series of images using the GF 250mm f/4 telephoto lens for the Fujifilm GFX system.
Instagram has changed a lot in the past year with new algorithms, new content opportunities, stories, and live videos, just to name a few features. Although Instagram’s organic reach isn’t as great as it once was a few years ago, the platform can still be a key component of any photographer’s business. Here are seven tips to help photographers get more exposure on Instagram.
Food photography is a dark art and there seems to be an infinite number of tips and tricks to get the best results. Food photographer Skyler Burt has put together a list of six essential bits of gear that he takes on every single shoot, and some of them might surprise you.
Learn how one photographer edits his wildlife photographs in Lightroom.
You’ve probably seen footage that creates an impossible blend of fast-flowing traffic or streaming clouds combined with someone walking slow motion and there’s some funky editing that goes into making it happen. Time-lapse photographer and filmmaker Matthew Vandeputte has put together a short tutorial on how you can create the same effect.
It's incredibly common to see any marketing campaign talk about how some accessory or lens is "life changing" and will bring your photography to the next level. And then you buy it and inevitably realize that it is your own ability that is holding you back. But there is something you can buy, multiple somethings actually, that will honestly help make you a better photographer.
Coming from SLR Lounge and Pye Jirsa is a great breakdown on how to use a three-point lighting setup to achieve more dramatic fitness or athletic portraits.
Through a matter of circumstance, I found myself working with multiple camera systems to fulfill a variety of assignments over the last month. Here are a few thoughts on why I chose each system and what I learned from the process.
I've written often on the need for more focus on areas outside of the technical photography skills and equipment, but some areas I see a lack of interest in could be significant barriers between you and more clients.
Creating cinematic travel videos can be a rewarding way to share your experience of visiting a new place. Once you've returned from your trip and have all your footage loaded into the video editor, here are five tips to help create your best work.
Auto ISO is a feature that has saved the butts of many photographers since its inception, and also makes life easier when the camera does the work itself. Here's how to get it set up and dialed in, and learn what exactly the setting does.
It has been gone since fall, but the galactic core of the Milky Way is back and rising up in the early morning. Spring is a great time to learn how to photograph the Milky Way in the Northern hemisphere, so you can have your process perfected and be ready when the galactic core reaches peak altitude in July and August.
As a genre, landscape photography is pretty broad, full of niches and sub-niches that become specializations of their own. In this short video, photographer Brendan van Son attempts to create seven different types of landscape images in as short a period as possible, and just about pulls it off.
Do you feel like street photography is all about jumping in front of strangers and capturing surprise in their faces? Streets have enough material to appeal to everyone, even if you feel shy and lack confidence. Check out these tips for positive street photography shooting sessions!
Knowing how to get a lot of different looks from one light is an integral skill to have as a photographer and this video from The Creative Contrast shows us all four simple setups to quickly get a bunch of different photos to build out a model's portfolio
Using your social media or YouTube account to generate meaningful income seems to be the dream (or at least part of it) for a lot of creatives, but having a large audience seems to be almost a requirement for that to happen. This great video talks about how you can still leverage your Instagram or similar platforms for income even if you don't have a massive audience.
As a professional photographer, I can quickly become disenfranchised by my working life while watching Internet photographers living the Casey Neistat life. Here are eight things I didn't expect.
Nighttime portraits are a great way to shoot some very unique and creative images that can really set your work apart from others. This great video will show you five helpful nighttime portrait lighting tips and techniques.
Lightroom presets are one of the most popular purchases for photographers these days, but is it better to buy a set or to simply make your own? This great video will give you three reasons why you should consider crafting your own customized set of Lightroom presets.
Pricing was the area of professional photography I struggled with the most in the early years. However, it was far too recently that I realized I had a fundamental error in my approach to pricing and value.
Let go of the fear and leave your logo and watermark off your images. You will get more work and recognition because of it.
Since's Instagram's inception, there have been countless arguments by creatives for and against the social media platform. Here are three reasons why you should get off and stay off Instagram.
Let’s face it, hair can be a bitch to work with in postproduction. My clients rarely have hair like you see in a Pantene ad, but of course, I always want it to look that way in the finished product. That’s why this oldie but goodie from Phlearn is worth a revisit.
As photographers we're in a fortunate era where we have more tools at our disposal than ever before. That said, there's one well known one I have used consistently for years, that many photographers neglect.
Not planning on spending any money on new equipment but fancy experimenting with items you can easily find around the house? Here are eight simply camera hacks for you to try out in your next shoot.
One of the most frustrating hurdles we deal with when shooting indoors is the strong color cast that incandescent light emits. I'm going to share with you a quick and easy fix in Lightroom (or Photoshop) to remedy that dreaded "orange glow" when white balance isn't enough.
Everyone's always looking for more pop in their images. And more wow factor. And better light. And crisper colors. But in order to get them, most people tend to overcomplicate things far too much. Learn to use Curves and get everything you need with a minimum of fuss.
We often talk about finding dramatic light in landscape photography that showers the scene in contrast and creates an interplay of light and shadows that generates visual interest. But flat light can be just as effective in its own way, and this great video explores both how and why that's the case.
Every time I go to a theater I can't help but admire the images I see in movie posters, especially those in action and superhero movies. I've wanted to try and take an image in the style of some of my favorite Marvel movie posters but wanted to make sure I could find a model with the right suit to pull off the look. Fortunately, I found just that and more.
Images shot after sunset, using natural light, can be among the trickiest to post-process properly. This guide provides a walkthrough of my post-processing steps for a recent night shot, and introduces a number of techniques I find essential for optimal night photos.
If you, like I, are stuck in less than inspiring locations you might need a little push or kick to actually get out and do what you love: landscape photography.
Nature and wildlife photography can often be a difficult genre of photography to be successful in. But award-winning nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen is an exception. Watch this video to learn about what makes this photographer's work stand out from the rest.
Following the technological progress of recent years, LED panels are becoming ever more popular when it comes to lighting videos and, increasingly, photographs. Getting your head around the various units involved can be confusing so this video can be a useful means of learning what they mean and how they relate to one another.
There is an old saying that "you only find what you are looking for." It's critical for any artist, including we photographers, to know what it is that we are working to create. To have a vision and stay true to it so that it will become a reality. When you go out with the intent of creating images you know what you want, right? You choose the location, the time of day, maybe the lighting, certainly the subject, and of course what gear that you need to bring it all together. We tend to be control freaks to make sure that we get what we want.
At the heart of photography as a medium is a fundamental problem: every photograph is a lie. This slippery instability is often what makes it effective as a tool for communication, but it can also create problems for some of the world’s most respected photographers, including Steve McCurry and, more recently, fine art photographer Tom Hunter.
Have you ever set out to achieve a dream or goal of yours and found yourself not accomplishing what you set out to do? In this quick article, see three things I do to make sure I'm staying on track to achieving my goals.
Whether doing event, wedding, or portrait photography, eventually you are going to find your subject in front of or behind a glass surface. Learning tips to avoid your lighting being reflected on the glass can improve your images and save you time in post-production.
