Behind the Scenes

Forget "shotgun wedding," Jay Philbrick brings us literal cliff-hanging wedding photos that take more than a little preparation.

Hensel claims that their Cito 500 is the fastest flash in the world with a flash duration of 1/100,000th of a second. This is so fast that it can "freeze" a bullet mid flight. We decided to put this sales pitch to the test and set up a shoot with some live ammunition. 

It takes skill and experience to create compelling documentary films, and just one facet of that process is capturing the footage. Traditional films are usually shot on the ground, perhaps on a tripod or some other mount, and there are plenty of challenges inherent to that process.

While we all might not all be a fan of his on-camera persona or his punchy photography style. I think we can all agree that Jared Polin aka FroKnowsPhoto does a great job of testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest in the Photography industry.

Everybody's favorite rocket engineer and slow-motion video enthusiast, Destin Sandlin, is back with a pair of videos that you'll find interesting if you've ever noticed the effects of a rolling shutter while filming video. Like many of us, Sandlin noticed the weird effect that happens when trying to film engine propellers with his iPhone.

Virtually all photographers' portfolios have some form of studio work in it. The clean white background has been used the world over, from high-fashion shoots to everyday e-commerce. Here's an effective way to give your model or product shoots a touch more class for little to no cost. 

Confession: I love me some Felix Hernandez, and I'm pretty sure the rest of Fstoppers would agree with me. Felix first came onto my radar when we did an article on his piece "The Wardrobe" in June of last year. Then, later that same month, he won "Fstoppers Photographer of the Month" where a variety of his awesome miniature-based photography was featured.

No matter how small I am in the business I always try to watch how the big ones do it. Probably I won't be able to do most of the work those big budget movies do, but I still want to know the principles. Who knows what may come up my way that may need key knowledge I get from videos like these.

Jakob Owens is a visual director based out of Los Angeles, California. He directs music videos, commercials, short films, and manages his YouTube channel TheBuffNerds. Ever since discovering Owens through YouTube, I have used his channel as a constant source of industry information and inspiration.

There is a great abundance of Star Wars fan films and honestly I don't like most of them. Some of them have too fake fight scenes, some are too long, and some are way heavier on VFX. Most of the time it's all about showing the result from a "how to make a light saber in Premiere" tutorial. But this short film is different and I liked it. 

This is a how I did it story. Along with some “why.” Unlike most all folks my age, I am very fond of the WW2 history and even more so WW2 aircraft. My favorite plane of all time is the B-25 mid-range bomber. This concept has been in my mind for years, and I waited to actually implement it until I felt I was able to do it right.

A little handshake can go a long way. 

Shooting product photography can either be a tedious task or it can be a fun and rewarding one. Likewise, looking at product photographs can either be boring or it can enlightening. Using gels to modify the light in your product photographs can be an easy way to add some energy to your images. 

In this detailed series of articles and videos from Matt Porwoll at AbelCine called "Behind the Lens", viewers will get a chance to compare specs and review footage captured using a number of popular zoom lenses. From the nearly $30,000 Fujinon Cabrio 19-90mm to a modest Canon 17-55mm, find out what Matt discovers about each of the lenses he reviews.

Perhaps no single photo is more symbolic of America’s troubles during the Great Depression than Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother.” Depicting an itinerant farm worker, Florence Owens Thompson, and five of her children apparently in the grips of despair on the side of the road, this single image came to surmise an entire era.  Of course, as photographers, we know that a single image can rare

There’s no doubt that flying a camera hundreds of feet above your head is pushing the boundaries of modern photography, but why stop there? Why not take some old school technology into the skies?

Jessica Kobeissi is back once again to challenge some big name Instagrammers to photograph the same model in just five minutes in their signature style. 

Last year, right around this time, Patrick and I booked a flight to Mexico to film Mike Kelley photographing the most expensive house ever sold in Playa Del Carmen. It certainly had the potential to be an incredible trip. The day before we were set to leave I decided to go out kiteboarding and I ended up breaking my tibia internally at my knee.

The one thing we as photographers and videographers do is tell stories. That's the main reason we do it. Whether it's a story of fantasy or a shot documenting a moment in the real world, it's done to make the viewer tell themselves the story they see in the picture. In this video, Mango Street break down how they tell their stories.

Think about some great leaders that you know. Are they kind of an a-hole? Film Director Max Joseph noticed a trend in the industry where it seemed as though the more abrasive and cutthroat someone was, the more successful leader they were.

We all know the pictures on the packaging of food you buy usually is a lie. It's not how it's going to look when you open it, and it's not going to taste as good as your imagination was telling you it would based on the photo of the package. But it surely works to get people interested and buying one product over the other. How do they do it?

The dramatic looks that can be achieved with strobes can very well be accomplished with natural light if utilized correctly. Understanding how to use the sources and the environment will increase the overall image every time. Using pull backs of each shot is a valuable tool in order to truly appreciate and understand how each image was shot.

When any talented individual with a dedicated set of skills finds themselves with a little free time it almost always results in something both creative and amazing. Some of the most interesting creations have come from artists and craftsman in their spare time.

There are times that I’m more happy to be human than others. Thank you Gatorade, for creating one minute and one second of awesome video that excites me to be alive. 

Sara Dietschy is a professional YouTuber and vlogger based out of New York City. She most famously appeared on the scene over a year ago when she knowingly mocked the one and only Casey Neistat with a hilarious video mimicking his style. Her channel has grown in size and so has her professional expertise in the field for both photographers and videographers alike.

Frame Order is a Netherlands-based animation studio that normally creates cartoons. With their latest short film “Golden Oldies,” the team took on the challenge of pixilation using real people. This stop motion technique blends human actors with animated scenes, and this video is the perfect example of the creative potential and fun that can be had with it. 

We’ve all had one of those moments where we were in the middle of watching a video and realized that the pacing just didn’t quite feel right. It’s something that once it catches your attention can ruin the rest of the video for ourselves.

Cinematographer Matt Workman of Cinematography Database has prepared another in depth breakdown. This time he brings into focus the current box office queen, "Wonder Woman" featuring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine. 

So, in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably say right up front that I don't generally like superhero movies. Like, pretty much ever.

As with every new product, Canon sponsors a number of projects to show the capabilities of their upcoming C200 cinema camera. Indeed, it has great features at its price level, but what is a great camera without a good example how it was used? The perfect film marriage is between a beautiful story, captivating visuals, and audio that ties it altogether.

With modern cameras having incredible resolution and dynamic range, we all obsess over sharpness and the tonality of our images and how flexible the raw files are. But when broken down, what really makes a good portrait? Is it the perfect focus on the eye or a subtle transition of highlight to shadow from a massive softbox? As with all things, what defines a good portrait can go out of style.

Last summer, Conceptual Photographer Erik Johansson spent a calm, pleasant evening shooting his charming photo project “Full Moon Service.” Almost instantly going viral as soon as it touched the Internet today, here’s a behind-the-scenes look of how it all came together from hand drawn sketch to fine art print. 

Summer is in full swing and that means there's plenty of blockbuster films to see over the next few months. One that my son and I are looking forward to is the next chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starring Jack Sparrow, aka Johnny Depp, along with returning original cast Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.

In reality, this shouldn't even be a comparison. We all know what the outcome is going to be, yet we still love to see the results. That or we secretly hope that the phone in our pocket can really keep up with a Hollywood workhorse that is used to film some of the most popular movies and television shows that are being released.   

For a western film you may need authentic props. Maybe you need a cool location. Maybe you need an Arri Alexa with anamorphic lenses. Maybe you need a ton of lighting. Maybe you need an expensive software to edit the project. Well, some of these are not that essential.  

Back in 2010, I was commissioned to do a photo of some spices for a family friend. I had never done anything like that, so I wanted to do a good job, and invested in my first off-camera flash setup.

In this short documentary video from TIME, Dutch creative Erik Kessels explains his interest in amateur photography, including where it started and what he sees in it.

The beauty of animal and nature photography has nothing to envy to other genres. The work and patience that goes into creating one single frame are astonishing and sometimes, all the time and efforts don’t even result in a picture. In this video, Michel D'Oultremont describes how he ended up shooting animals and also what he feels when doing what he loves most.

I previously wrote about Benjamin Von Wong's latest project with Sarah Jane in the Blue Mountains of Australia. Benjamin’s portion was just half of the project set up by Karen Alsop.  She invited Benjamin to join in on some friendly competition.

Many boudoir photographers starting out may be green with envy on studio owners with larger square footage. In many cases the ability to move around furniture and props without tripping every step is a welcomed luxury. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Photography is more than just taking a pretty picture. For many, it’s about capturing a moment. This couldn’t be more true for Benjamin Von Wong with his latest project. 

Following up his 2012 viral video hit "Fall," Filmmaker Jamie Scott has only become more focused and experienced as exhibited in his timely new time-lapse titled "Spring." Watch the amazing video and get a behind-the-scenes look at how he pulled it off right here. 

A widescreen aspect? A certain kind of lighting? Maybe shallow depth of field? What do you think makes for a cinematic look?

In this episode of #BehindtheGlass, Albert Ayzenberg sits down with Cinematographer David Klein on the set of "Homeland" to discuss preparation, video gear, and what it's like to join in on an Emmy Award-winning show already in full swing. There's a lot of great insight here on what goes on behind the scenes of filming for television. 

Whether it's a style or a genre, film noir has that signature high contrast look we've seen in many old black and white films. Modern filmmakers also adopted that style of lighting and post-processing in their drama and thriller movies. In this video you'll go behind the scenes of how to achieve that film noir look in camera. 

If you were born in the 70s, 80s, or even the 90s you were likely one of the many who were captivated by the iconic 1984 classic, "The NeverEnding Story." It’s a story that will, well, never end in terms of the memories it reproduces for Gen Y’ers. Go behind the scenes during the creation of the cult classic in this short video. 

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.

We’ve all been there; the studio is set, the model is awkwardly waiting, but the light isn’t quite right and the stress begins to build. With every test shot, the light quality increases and the anxiety level decreases. Finally, like a blast of cool breeze on a hot day, everything clicks into place.

Love it or hate it, social media has taken over many of our lives. And in the case of a photographic life, no social media name reigns more supreme than Instagram. With its photo dependent backbone and emphasis on visuals over verbals, shutterbugs rush to the app either as a means of expression, or a means of impression.

Ever wonder how you can elevate your senior portraits beyond the standard cap and gown pictures? Think about lifestyle photography the next time you book a senior portrait session. 

In case you haven't heard prior to this article of this series, a few years ago, Pennzoil started a brilliant marketing plan to release a series of videos showcasing a car being driven to its absolute limits in a seemingly real-world environment (for the most part), and they are pedal-to-the-metal hardcore action movies from beginning to end.