Recent BTS Articles

On The Bright Side - The Iconic Dog Portraits of William Wegman

As Halloween nears, we are all soon to be bombarded with a litany of images in our social media feeds of our friend’s unwilling pets being forced to don cute/embarrassing outfits picked out by their fawning owners. In fact, it’s highly likely that we have perpetrated this subtle canine fashion abuse ourselves at some point and time in our lives. How can you help it? They’re just so darn cute. But what is far less likely is that any of us will have achieved the rakish heights of the world’s foremost purveyor of canine imagery, William Wegman.

Watch This BTS Of An Editorial Photoshoot

Check out a BTS editorial shoot with Brandon Hill. When i first started watching this video I was not expecting a solid finished product, but i quickly ate my own words after seeing the final photos. From looking at the images on the camera to the final product it is evident that Brandon, or a retoucher, did an excellent job in post. It is interesting how adding a different BG color can make the image come alive. It's also apparent that Brandon knows his light ratios very well. These portraits only being done with 2 softboxes is quite impressive. That rim light has just enough kick to separate it, but still have plenty of detail in it, a very delicate ratio.

Photographer Uses Robots to Shoot Commercial Videos

As advanced technology becomes more affordable, we seem to be seeing more and more photographers and videographers using robots to help them create jaw-dropping work, which requires precise movements. These machines are no longer only in the domain of the likes of NASA, Google, or Hollywood — and that's really exciting.

Conducting a Portrait Shoot for Billboard Magazine During COVID-19

Shooting for Billboard Magazine would undoubtedly prove exciting for any photographer, but especially so if it was your first assignment since the global lockdown began. This is the story of how one photographer completed a portrait shoot for the renowned publication, taken in the back garden of the subject’s home.

How to Create an Iron Man Heads-Up Display Effect

The Hitfilm crew, Kirstie Tostevin, Josh Davies, and Simon Jones take over Film Riot to bring you a kick-butt tutorial on how to create an Iron Man heads-up display effect with their free HitFilm 4 Express software.​ This eight-minute video takes us all the way from pre-production to post-production.

Dan Winters Shares the Incredible Story of Capturing the Last Space Shuttle Launch

Capturing the launch of a space shuttle is undoubtedly a tremendous task to take on. Add to that the pressure of capturing the last space shuttle launch and you may have one of the most immense photographic endeavours of your career. In a very passionate and insightful video talk, Dan Winters takes us through the process of accomplishing said task. From his emotional relationship with capturing launches, to diagrams of his camera setups, Winters not only shows us how he captured his incredible photos, but conveys what doing so meant to him as a photographer as well as a human being.

Behind The Scenes With David Honl: A Hilarious Look At A Quirky, Conceptual Photoshoot

David Honl, photojournalist and the mastermind behind the Honl line of lighting gear, put together this hilarious behind the scenes video involving a cavewoman, spaceman, mind-altering drugs, and speedlights (which, besides getting a few chuckles, manages to pack some educational punch as well). This video is for those of us who just couldn't pay attention in those classes full of dry material and boring lecturers. Enjoy!

How To Turn Sunlight Into Moonlight

In this behind the scenes lighting lesson, Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens does something we might not often think to do: he uses the natural sunlight and turns it into moonlight-like light for this 1920's "speakeasy-themed" shoot. Believe it or not, he was able to achieve moonlight all in the camera - no post processing involved. So with a couple of tungsten lights, gels and sunlight, Jay P. has shown us a great idea that can easily be mimicked in your own shoot.

Timothy White Shoots For Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue

Timothy White has always been one of my favorite photographers and in this video he gives us a quick talk about his inspiration for some of the images in this years Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue. It's light on technical details and more interested in the feeling behind each of the images which is something that is rarely touched on in behind the scenes videos. His final shots are cinematic and beautifully lit and have a feel unlike most celebrity portraiture these days. Click through for the video link.

Go Behind the Scenes of a Beauty Test Shoot

For a photographer to continually grow and shape their portfolios, a test shoot is the most ideal way of creating a style. Test shoots ought to happen at every stage of your career if you want to grow, and find new challenges. For those wanting to enter the commercial arena for photography, get into the habit of testing.

Gear for Photographers and Videographers at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show

At this year’s Outdoor Retailer trade show in Denver, Colorado, the biggest names in the outdoor industry came together for one event to show off their latest and greatest to the world. While most of the products at the show were geared more toward outdoor equipment and snow gear, there were brands unveiling products that most photographers and videographers who work in the outdoors will be extremely excited about.

How Do All the Faces of "Grimm" Come to Life?

If you've watched the TV series "Grimm," you may be curious how the mythological creatures from Grimm's fairy tales make it onto screen. Bent Image Lab, the production company behind the cg creations of the show, explains their process of transforming characters into creatures and adding a fantastical element to each episode.

Using a Miniature World With Green Screen

We are in an age where CG dominates today's movies and cartoons. While the effects can be pretty cool, it can be refreshing when people work old-school and create a work based off green screen and creativity.

[BTSV] Drew Gardner Shoots "The Zebra"

I feel like a lot of us would be hesitant to bring an unruly dog to a photoshoot, but London based photographer Drew Gardner has really pushed the envelop with his latest image “The Zebra”, which involves, you guessed it, a zebra! In the video Drew gives us some insight into the planning of the shot, as well as some great footage of the shoot.

Joey L Shoots Eric Nally From Foxy Shazam

Joey L has always been a photographer that I've looked up too, he's young, he's very good at what he does and he works with some of the best people in the industry. So, thats why I was excited to see a new video tutorial from his DVD Lara Jade VS Joey L. In this video, Joey shoots the lead singer of the band Foxy Shazam on a rooftop in Brooklyn and walks you through the entire process of shooting it.

How We Created a Virtual Reality Video Using an Electric Ferrari

As Fstoppers' resident virtual reality content creator, I'm excited to share our most recent project we did for AOL. A few weeks back, the Autoblog/Translogic team flew my business partner and I to southern California and rented out a race track so we could film an awesome 1980s Ferrari that was converted to an all-electric high-performance sports car in virtual reality. They also wanted to interview us on what we are doing in the VR field and where we see the technology going. Learn more and see the actual VR film below!

How to Photograph With Glitter

Glitter always sounds conceptually fun, doesn't it? The word "glitter" immediately brings out visualizations of outlandish Disney characters throwing fairy dust into the air! Just me? Fine, just me.

[Video] Behind The Scenes Of The Epic Rope Swing At Corona Arch

How do you set up a 150 foot rope swing and not die? YouTube user Devin Graham went with a group of rock climbers to a huge rock arch in Utah, and put together a fun video showing everyone having a great time cheating death. The making of video shows how a glidecam was used to get smooth shots across rocks where a single misstep would have ended in “splat instant death.”
Behind the Scenes on the New Browns Campaign

Yesterday Fstoppers' writer Christ Knight shared a video in which famed photographer David LaChapelle takes us through his set-centric studio in Los Angeles. Sure they talk about his life and what it's like to be a deity among mortals but I noticed the sets. The elaborate, expansive and expensive creations are a crucial part of his process but they seem so out of reach for the wallet of the average image maker. That is where this video I stumbled onto takes over.

A Journey Into Kodak's Film Factory: Part 3

This is the last of three videos that dive deep into how Kodak makes film for your cameras. In this third video, we get a peek into how the large, wide rolls of light-sensitive film that were made in the previous stages are now cut into narrower strips and packaged for us to use!

Silencing The Critic with Brian Bowen Smith

Brian Bowen Smith speaks at Chicago Ideas Week about utilizing the creative process and relying on your subject to allow your work to reach it's potential. This amazingly successful photographer takes us through the successes and challenges of three different shoots all the while touting the importance of trusting your gut. The common misconception is that great shoots require a great investment. I love the fact that the first shoot he discusses was done for under $500.

Netflix Adds Documentary Depciting War At Its Most Terrible

Now available on Netflix, "Shooting Robert King" goes behind the scenes of what it was like to be a documentary war photographer. You always hear and see images from the war but NEVER about what it's like to be thrown into it as a documentary photographer. At just 24, American photojournalist Robert King began his 15 year journey to follow his passion. Originally he set out to win a Pulitzer prize, but in the end found himself with a life changing experience.

Art Streiber, Or the Art of Being Prepared

I'm taking a second to reflect on the lessons I learned from working with the legendary Art Streiber. Part one in the series is the benefits of preparation.

BTS of an Insane Photoshoot with Rock Climbers

Warning, this video may give you a little bit of vertigo. Stijn Van Hulle posted this BTS video of him photographing rock climbers in Freyr, Belgium. The images were shot to compliment a new guidebook for Freyr - "the most important climbing area in Belgium." It's a harrowing job to be sure, but the payoff is breathtaking - a gorgeous landscape overlooking a castle that dates back to 1378.

Misty Autumn Photography and a Mobile Darkroom

In this behind-the-scenes video, watch a beautiful autumnal shoot take place, first during the blue hour, and then with some incredible morning light through the mist. Then, to top it off, some on-location printing!
The Making Of A Colorado Tourism Video

What do you do when the product you are trying to sell is an entire state? When that state is Colorado, it's not hard to find majestic scenery to showcase the state in it's grandeur. Director Tim Kemple, in collaboration with Forge Motion and Karsh/Hagan, crafted a series of spots for the state of Colorado, all being set to music by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. This making-of video takes you through their process of crafting these ads. Click on the full post for a few of the final commercials.

Photographer Chris Rainier Tells the Inspiring Stories of His World Travels

In this fantastic video from National Geographic Live!, documentary photography Chris Rainier talks about his adventures around the world, the myriad cultures he's encountered and the power of photography to translate an emotional response to the art that exists all around us. Rainer began his career as the last assistant to Ansel Adams - a position he doesn't take lightly and one that helpe define is way of seeing.

Learn How This Golden Hour Portrait Was Shot and Edited

Golden hour is a fantastic time to shoot portraits, using the interplay between the warm and dramatic light and your subject to create visually compelling images. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how this golden hour portrait was lit, shot, and edited so you can try the same ideas and techniques yourself.