If you’re a wedding or event photographer, it’s likely you’ve come across mixed lighting situations, and understanding how to work with or around it is crucial. If done right, mixed lighting can have a flattering effect and can add visual interest and depth to your photos.
It is the dream of many amateur photographers to be hired for celebrity photo shoots and high-status advertising gigs. What could be more exciting than photographing a famous singer in a large photo studio with stylists, digital techs, and assistants at your beck and call? Imagine how great it would be to see your photographs published on a magazine or album cover. Best of all, commercial jobs can pay well over $10,000 for a single day of work. Surely this is better than just photographing ordinary folk, right? Maybe not.
Lighting isn't just about following tried and true recipes to get standard shots; it's about experimenting to create something unique. This great video shows how experimentation can lead to shots you never anticipated.
As a wedding photographer, it's not always easy to find balance between the style of work you're genuinely passionate about and the type of work that pays the bills. So, how can you shoot personal projects to improve your professional photography work?
Underwater photography is becoming more popular as technology progresses. The use of an underwater housing dates back to the mid-1800s when William Thompson was utilizing a watertight box over his camera to photograph seaweed near Weymouth, England. Since then, underwater photographs have become an incredible way to explore and understand the life under the surface.
Learning how to set your camera and light your subjects often means dealing with objectively measurable quantities, but when it comes to posing, the more nebulous and subjective nature can make it far more difficult to master. Most tutorials focus on posing women, but of course, you will often photograph men as well. This great video tutorial will show you some helpful tips and methods for posing men.
Hard to believe summer has come and gone, eh? Well, at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere. You guys gave summer a smashing farewell, as the images we've seen in the Fstoppers Facebook Group were downright stupendous. With now over 5200 members, we're swimming at the deep end of the talent pool. Here's the best from August!
Photographers who are new to working with artificial light often think that strobes always look distinctly different from natural light. And while it is true that you can shoot creative, highly stylized images that would not be possible with just sunlight, you can use strobes to emulate natural light to make subtle, natural looks. This excellent video tutorial will show you three off-camera flash lighting techniques that will allow you to create effective and compelling portraits.
Clients these days prefer to stare at your work on their phones rather than a framed work of art to pass on for generations. This is where the art of selling prints comes in to play. In just five simple steps learn how to take your print sales to the next level and see why once you start selling prints, you'll never look back.
Island Darkroom presents CEARNS, an exhibition featuring the work of award-winning Isle of Lewis photographer Deljeem Rai. This event marks Deljeem Rai's first solo exhibition and his debut showcase on his home island.
Capturing consistently great group photos during the hectic atmosphere of a wedding day is no small feat. Take a behind the scenes tour of how a veteran photographer of over 27 years and 1,000 worldwide weddings gets it done.
Therukoothu is an ancient folk dance art form, almost 2,000 years old, which originated in South India. Documenting Koothu has always been my dream, and there are so many aspects to it. I wanted to start with the artist, the one who carries the soul of this art.
The best photojournalism is usually produced during the worst times. This photographer has chosen to drive across America during COVID-19 to capture its effects on America from his car.
If anyone knows how to put together an incredible fantasy ensemble, it's creative portrait artist Laura Sheridan. Want to know where you can source amazing pieces like her for fantasy photo shoots? She's got a list for you.
Some time earlier this year, I had this idea to try and find my own approach to portraiture solely for children. It was a multi-faceted idea which came to me pretty much at random. I was reviewing some of my recent portrait work when I realized that I had only ever worked with a couple of children as my subjects throughout my entire running career as a photographer. I figured out a long time ago that family portraits really just weren't something I was interested in, but that didn't really have anything to do with my actual choice of subjects. Just because I didn't want to shoot family portraits didn't necessarily mean that I couldn't work with kids.
Creating imagery that’s “brandable” is part of many working photographer's bag of skills but still takes some know how with lighting, posing, and while creating a human connection to excel at a high level with consistent results. Let’s dive into how we can make our commercial and branding imagery simply while also growing our network and earning new clients in the process.
As photographers and videographers, we have the power to use our cameras to change people's lives for the better. In this video, see how photographer Jordan Matter gives back to the community and captures incredible images of a dancer who struggled with cancer.
Mary Ellen Mark, famed photographer, passed away very recently. It's only fitting that her final project center around rebirth, a term that is synonymous with city – my home – New Orleans. I found these images on CNN.com tailored beautifully with quotes that elegantly express the story that Mary Ellen Mark's images tell. Every image tells a story both literally and figuratively, there is a story included with many of the works that provides insight from those who are themselves players in the tales.
They say there's nothing new under the sun, and perhaps they're right. But with a little innovation, you can certainly create some less old.
It's been going on for decades. Film chemicals that coat the film and react with the various colors coming through the lens weren't made to cope with a diverse set of skin tones.
As much as lighting, posing, composition, and settings matter for creating a good portrait image, they are only half of what it takes to create a successful final result. You also need a strong post-processing workflow. If you are new to portrait work, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a basic editing workflow for creating polished final images.
I've been to a fair amount of conferences and seminars throughout my life. It seems as I was growing up, most offered an amazing getaway that pumped me up for whatever the topic of the weekend focused on. The more conferences I've gone to, though, the more I've felt jaded and unappreciative of the hype they create. That said, I wasn't sure what to expect at this year's annual wedding photography conference in Vegas, WPPI.
Last year, Fstoppers interviewed photographer, and possibly one of the nicest people on the planet, Coty Tarr. Last week, Coty got not only his first cover ever, but THE cover for anyone that photographs anything remotely athletic - Sports Illustrated. What makes this story so great isn't just that it's the cover of SI, it's that Coty grew up just south of Pittsburgh. He's a diehard Pittsburgh sports fan. It wasn't just a cover for him... it was home.
Photography is not only a creative outlet for the photographer, but it also can provide healing to your clients. Most boudoir sessions are sought after in order to gain confidence, many family sessions are there to capture generations for preservation, and even underwater sessions can provide a healing to clients who are in need of the surreal emotions that come with being submerged.
