There are a bunch of different ways to make your photos stand out: great light, gorgeous model, amazing locations, idealized retouching, but one that is often overlooked in favor of these less subtle approaches is color. We photographers tend to schedule a shoot, show up, capture what's there, and pat ourselves on the back for our genius, but what goes into the shoot before we schedule it can be just as important to the end result as what we do with our lights or our camera. Let's look at an example from my work for Lifetime. No lights. No reflectors. Just color.

I started my journey in photography back in 2011. Since then, there are only a handful of photographers that I have really paid attention to in terms of actively keeping up with their work. One of those photographers is Commercial Photographer Dave Hill. His work has taken a more drastic turn in just a few years than any photographer that I’ve followed. That’s one of many reasons that I reached out to Hill to chat about his work and photography.

This week I spoke with professional motorsports photographer Drew Gibson to find out what 10 things he couldn't live without in his camera bag. With clients such as Aston Martin and Top Gear, Drew certainly knows his way around motorsports photography.

I'm all about getting the shot that you need in camera as much as possible. If you can achieve an effect in front of your camera and spend less time in Photoshop then the more the better. Sasha Leahovcenco recently shot an ad for Vater Percussion with Mike Johnston. In this behind the scenes video he explains everything that he uses to create the shots, even explaining why he decided to go natural lighting on the main ad shot itself.

Most of the time, when it comes to photography or video of cars, beauty products, cosmetics, and even shoes, it’s made on a computer and not by a photographer. There are several reasons for this, but in this video, Karl Taylor, a renowned product photographer and educator, discusses photography versus 3D CGI and the advantages of each.

Jane Ridely of the New York Post revealed a compelling story of New Yorker Mark Reay, who for years has worked as a High-Fashion Model while living homeless. The rooftop dweller breaks the stereotype of the dirty, lazy, drunk that we tag along side our homeless community. Reay's roles and his look as that of the sophisticated and affluent. On set and walking through the streets of New York, you wouldn't guess that the well-dressed and well-groomed model may just be headed to sneak off to his rooftop sleeping quarters.

During an initial meeting with local publication NFocus Magazine, the Editor-In-Chief asked for a unique aesthetic on Louisville's theater and arts community and wanted a massive group shot, but not your traditional group shot. I threw out the idea to shoot actors and their "characters" from directly overhead on a theater floor, as if they were action figures laid out and organized. Two seconds after I uttered the idea, I realized I had no clue how I would pull it all off.

Most of us reach a stage in our career (usually early on) where we feel a bit lost and like we are on the wrong train. If you are stuck in that rut, here are some great reasons to get out there and start collaborating on test shoots.

Let’s have a look at the many people behind the scenes that help us to create our singular vision.

Starting out in commercial photography is a daunting prospect, especially for those who are more creator than entrepreneur. I was one of these people, and I'd like to share some tips that are very easy to implement that could save you from a lot of headaches down the road.

iPad Photoshoot from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

A professional retoucher does so much more than just pushing pixels about. To say the least there is a lot of artistic interpretation, collaboration, technical understanding and skill involved. Then there are master retouchers like Becci Manson who go even deeper, show us the nonsuperficial side of the industry and help restore pride in a profession that has gotten a bad rap over the years. This video will give you some understanding of what it means to work as a high end retoucher but more importantly it will show you that, being a retoucher doesn’t mean you don’t have a conscience or something important to offer.​

As a professional wedding photographer, I spend a lot of time with people in front of my camera. But because I grew up racing motocross and driving fast cars, I have always been intrigued by automotive photography. So when I was asked by a friend of mine if I wanted to help shoot a 80s-styled cafe racer motorcycle, I jumped at the opportunity. Add to this that the shoot was going to be inside of an arcade filled with old-school machines, and this shoot sounded like one amazing time.

Four years ago we filmed Where Art Meets Architecture: How To Photograph Real Estate, Architecture and Interiors Tutorial, and it has been the most successful tutorial Fstoppers has ever produced. We've teamed up with Mike Kelley again to produce Where Art Meets Architecture 2: How To Photograph Luxury Homes and Advanced Photoshop Techniques, and it's available now.

The challenge: 30 images in 5 days for an international tool company. New York based advertising, fashion, and fine art photographer, João Carlos was the man chosen by Lisbon agency Ivity Brand Corp. to accomplish the mission. A Hasselblad Masters winner with clients like Nike, MTV, Avon and Sandisk, it was clear Carlos had the vision and expertise to turn the agency’s mood boards into an incredible campaign for their client.

In this video Canon Australia challenges singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian and Canon Master photographer Graham Monro to change the story of three different scenes simply by changing between lenses. Specifically the macro Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens, the portrait Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens , the landscape Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens and the sports Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens.

Last week Fstoppers released Mike Kelley's latest photography tutorial called "Where Art Meets Architecture: How To Photograph Hotels, Resorts, and the Business of Commercial Architectural Photography." It is the third installment of Mike's thorough educational series on shooting real estate, architecture, and hotels. Throughout our travels, we never turned off the behind-the-scenes cameras so that you can experience a first-person perspective of what goes into producing one of these tutorials. In episode 1, Mike gets settled into the amazing Mauna Launi Bay Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii and shows just how exhausting photographing complex properties can be.

Last year, we shared Andreas Varro's popular photo series 'The Condom Challenge' here on Fstoppers. Varro has now pushed the limits, or in this case, the deep depths in his latest project. He was called for a commercial shoot for one of Sweden's most exclusive restaurants. How he came to his final composition is something you need to see to believe!

Every well-rounded photographer needs to be able to tell a story in three images or less. This is particularly important when shooting editorial content for online publications and in print magazines. On today's assignment, I explore three different focal lengths to capture a well-rounded story of a local musician.

Earlier in the year, I reported on a photography service that was offering tourists the chance to summon a professional photographer through an app — essentially the photo-equivalent of Uber. Reaction to the concept was mixed, although there's clearly potential in the idea, as 500px has just taken things up a notch with "500px for Business," their newly-announced series of photography on-demand services.

In a move that's sure to stir the pot of an already hot-button topic, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a record $1.9 million fine against a drone company for operating in a "careless or reckless manner so as to endanger lives or property."

These days, there are endless ways to get your images in front of clients, and it is more important than ever to put your best foot forward at all times. A tight and well curated portfolio is absolutely essential; trimming the fat and staying true to your brand. But keeping a consistent brand and level of presentation isn’t the same as duplicating your presentation, and to best reach your intended audience requires consideration of the end-user experience.

When you combine an amazing landscape photographer, a stunningly beautiful location, the brilliance of a strong team of film makers and a luxury brand that is synonymous with craftsmanship and excellence, magic does indeed happen. Welcome to the ‘Defining Moment’ by Audemars Piguet - and a redefining of what it means to "shoot a “commercial".