Recent BTS Articles

The Age Of Aquarius. BTS With NASA And One World One Ocean.

Join the MacGillivrays of One World One Ocean as they take you under the sea and into 'inner space' to document NASA's NEEMO 16 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations). Aquanauts are sent to Aquarius (the world's only undersea laboratory) to live underwater for two weeks which can simulate living on a space station.

Lenovo's "Seize the Night" Alternate Ending Challenge: "Do"

Lenovo, a worldwide computer company that manufacturers laptops, have gathered fifteen of what they believe are the best college filmmakers for their 'Seize the Night' Alternate Ending challenge. One of the contestants is a graduate of the University of Alabama (now a film student at USC), Xavier Burgin. His entry into the competition is called 'Do'. Shot with a Canon 5D MarkII and a Canon T2i, this is definitely a forerunner in the contest.

Planning and Preparation: B-Roll 101

B-roll is one of the most important parts of visual storytelling, but it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to capturing engaging shots.

Easy and Creative Tips for Filming Yourself

Whether you don't have anyone to help you on a shoot, or you're filming a vlog, sometimes you need to be on the other side of the camera. Here are some tips on how to make that footage the best it can be.

Photo Walkthrough: White and Orange

Shooting in hard natural light can be extremely difficult, especially when you're photographing bright, white clothing. Join me in breaking down how I got the shot, and pick up some tips for shooting a similar image!

2 Photographers Go Head-to-Head Shooting With Only Hard Reflectors

Profoto sets a challenge for photographers, Chris Knight and Lindsay Adler, to orchestrate a portrait shoot with some limitations: the color theme of the shoot is the Pantone Color of the Year and although each photographer can use as many lights as they like, they have to use hard reflectors.
Rubidium Wu's Insights on Directing a Zombie Series

An idea can start small but very quickly grow into something bigger and better. Such was the case with "The Silent City", a web series written and directed by Rubidium Wu. Listen/read as Rubidium talks about how his small 3 person project grew into a full scale production. Another perfect example of how all you really need is creativity, initiative and motivation.

How to Become a Better Filmmaker

There is more demand for video than ever before and by an incredible margin. That demand, in combination with the plethora of new tools and gadgets for creating videos, has led to some of the fundamentals getting lost in the weeds. In this video, one filmmaker discusses how taking things back to basics can benefit your work.

BTS Video Of DesignWork's USA Bobsled Commercial

DesignWorks Media Group is made up of Mike Stog and Lee Barwick. The USA Olympic Boblsed/Skeleton team commissioned them to do a campaign which includes bobsledding fused with everyday activites, i.e. grocery shopping. Mike and Lee kept things pretty easy and minimal as far as lighting goes. They used a lot of the ambient, then supplemented for an extra kick where needed. Lighting diagram and final photo ad included after the jump. Enjoy!

Create Cinematic Lighting With Tube Lights

Lighting equipment can be expensive, confusing, and cumbersome, but it doesn't have to be. Some of the most interesting and enjoyable lights to use are much cheaper than studio strobes and can unlock real creativity.

A Colorful DIY Photoshoot Backdrop Under $25

Sometimes, the simplest ideas can create some really cool images. Here’s how I created a fun and colorful DIY photoshoot backdrop for less than $25.

BTS of a Stunning Music Video in a Modest Location

An incredible location for our shoots is all we want, but with enough creativity and experience, you can transform even a humble place into something special. In this video, YCImaging shows how he shot a cinematic music video without any obscure or expensive locations.
Photographic Virtues Series: Teamwork

In this series, I attempt to identify the key professional virtues I have found to be the most important in building my own career, as well as identifying traits of other successful photographers that are most key to their success. Today’s virtue: teamwork.

It’s Ok to Not Always Feel Ok

The creative industry is a tough one. We are absolutely passionate about what we do, which is different to most jobs out there. I mean, the jobs might be good, be interesting and satisfactory, but the running of your own photography or visual arts business has entrepreneurship, art, traveling, meeting other creative industry types, and the process of making something creative all combined into one job that you consistently spend time on building out, learning, and growing.

Photographing Strangers on Film

Photography as a job and as a hobby are two very different things. For professional photographers, this distinction means consistently working at their practice, rather than at certain points or only if inspiration strikes.

Should You Devote Your Time and Money Into Creating a Spec Ad?

The issue of whether or not photographers should work for free is a polarizing one. Some of us feel we should not haul thousands of dollars worth of lighting and camera gear to a location and spend a full day shooting just to gain a reward that comes in the form of intangible exposure. Others feel doing regular collaborations with like-minded peers to produce new work is valuable in nurturing a photographer’s creative process.

How to Overcome Winter Burnout

If you find yourself struggling during the colder, darker seasons, you're far from alone. In this video, Aidin Robbins goes through how he combats winter burnout and how you can, too.

Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 and CoolPix A Now Available For Pre Order

Fstoppers posted last night that the newest lens from Nikon the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6, their exciting new CoolPix A and a bunch of other compact cameras had been announced. Well, now they're all available for preorder! Follow the links below to pre order one of these exciting new gadgets!

Working With What You Have

As a photographer, you don’t always get a great studio or a perfect location for your shoot. Sometimes, you have to work with what you have. This is a great video to show you just that.
National Geographic Films Fastest Animal In Slow Mo

If you were asked to film the world's fastest animal running in slow motion, what would you do? Director Hans Weise and cinematographer Greg Wilson teamed up with National Geographic to produce some stunning footage of a cheetah running at full speed. After meticulously building a 410 foot dolly to die for, the team propelled a few Canon 1D X cameras and a high speed Phantom along side the cheetah. I can't wait to see the final footage but after watching the behind the scenes video I'm sure it's going to be breathtaking.

UPDATE: Here is the final slow motion footage...

Travel Photography of Korea With Compact Prime Lenses

Travel photography is one of the most enjoyable genres of the craft, and counterintuitively, it can sometimes be improved by limiting the amount of equipment you take with, particularly lenses.