Studio backgrounds can be either expensive, boring, or both. However, with small adjustments you can make them look far more cinematic and interesting.
Michael Sasser sits down for a education filled interview with Victoria Caroline on how she successfully books twelve travel shoot in four nights. They discuss also what is important for copy writing on social media to engage with clients.
We've both heard statements like "I just need a few shots, that's it. I don't need it retouched" and it's frustrating.
V-flats are one of those studio tools that almost every photographer should have, as their price and versatility make them almost indispensable when working with artificial light. This helpful video will show you three separate beauty lighting setups using v-flats.
If you're stuck in a rut or just stuck inside on a rainy day, coming up with new ways to look at ordinary household objects is one way to expand your photographic mind.
One of the central principles we hear over and over in photography is the importance of pre-visualizing shots and planning one's work in advance. And while those are absolutely important, it's also just as beneficial to keep an open mind and to be willing to adjust to the conditions you've been given to come away with the best possible image.
As we've been discovering over the past few months, there are many options and choices when it's time to print your artwork. Today's paper is a rock star when it comes to unique yet subtle texture and really works wonders with your muted color palettes, so let's check it out.
Photography is a wonderful hobby, but for some, a hobby just isn't enough. Some of us get so infected with the craft that we instantly know we want to one day spend all our time on it. So what skills should a hobbyist photographer focus on?
Have you ever needed to shoot jewelry on location, like wedding rings during a wedding? Then you may know about the difficulties of acquiring a good image.
I've owned lots of image de-noisers over the years. I've used external apps, Photoshop/Lightroom plugins, and I've used the noise reductions controls built into Photoshop and Lightroom. They all work to some degree, but you wind up trading noise reduction for details, and I've never found a noise reduction aid that didn't have some rather large trade-offs. Increase the noise reduction and details suffer. Preserve the details and the noise reduction is not effective. Many of you know the drill.
When you talk about landscape photography, chances are, you associate it with wide angle lenses. Telephoto lenses are probably the least used in landscape photography, but they do have some fantastic qualities to them.
Sometimes, depending on your shooting environment, you might not be left with ideal lighting. This fun and educational video tutorial will show you some clever techniques to augment existing lighting to make the scene a bit more cinematic by using Photoshop.
Rules of composition seem to get a lot of flak. Really though, they are simply commonly appreciated methods of composition and certainly have a place in our repertoire. This is especially true while we learn the ropes.
Making the move to being pro is fraught with the anxieties of not having the right equipment. So what equipment do commercial photographers use? Being a commercial photographer is pretty much as vague a job description as being an administrative assistant.
Travel photography is mostly associated with exploration of wild, untouched spaces, but in my experience, most commissioned travel photography takes place in cities. This article provides five tips for getting started in urban photography.
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.
