Behind the Scenes

Last year, my husband and I traveled to Greece. While we were in Athens, we could not avoid crossing paths with the same couple at every sightseeing location we went to. I must have seen the entire wardrobe of the girl during those hours we walked. Her eccentric wardrobe change was not the only thing that caught my attention.

Polaroid is a brand many have forgotten, a true classic of yesteryear, but today they seem to continue to push out new and innovative products that can be used by any type of photographer. Last week I reviewed the Polaroid Snap Touch and today, I am checking out the latest BrightSaber.

Our first Kid’s Photo Walk actually happened, and it was a success! Over 35 people showed up to participate in a nonprofit community event for children which encouraged kids to spend time with nature and whatever camera they have access to.  

Camera sliders are often one of the first accessories that independent filmmakers purchase, just after a tripod and microphone. The simplicity in their design and valuable ability to create subtle motion instantly add production value. Cinevate recently updated its Duzi slider to its fourth version, and I got a chance to review one this past week. 

A while back, while on a shoot for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art here in Northwest Arkansas, I was asked to get a shot of the museum’s executive chef and the Director of Culinary for their members magazine. Time was short, the kitchen was starting to prep for dinner service, and every second I was there I was inconveniencing someone.

While it certainly wasn't my first time using one, a recent shoot I did for TEDx at the Ohio State University made me realize how much easier life is with a light meter. For almost all the time I've spent behind cameras, I've been creating portraits. And for most of that time, I've been using flash.

Shooting a beauty video is not quite the same as shooting beauty portraits. While in still photography there is a single frame, in video you can use the power of the moving image to tell a superior story. Here are three cool techniques that help to create this beauty video clip all in camera. 

If you reside anywhere that’s similar to the sleepy little town I live in, you’re aware that there aren’t many opportunities for children to get hands-on with art; especially photography. In light of this fact, my wife and I decided to create an opportunity for youngsters living in our home town to spend a morning with us expanding their knowledge of photography. 

So many photographers dream of shooting the Pirelli Calendar, but so few make it. German Photographer Peter Lindbergh shot the 2017 edition, and he’s probably someone we can all learn from. There must be a reason as to why he is working with all the big names in the cinema and modeling industry.

Have you ever seen those amazing shots that show a subject holding its place in the frame while the background falls away or becomes extremely compressed?

There are plenty of mistakes beginner photographers make along the road to becoming a seasoned pro. While it's important not to be discouraged by small, correctable mistakes, it's equally as important to acknowledge them.

Imagine if we started selling oxygen as a commodity, as a medicine for a sick and polluted planet. What would that fantasy look like? Benjamin Von Wong explores this in his latest series, and is bringing to light the very real market for oxygen in China. 

As photographers, we're often found shooting familiar subjects in everyday spaces.

In a previous article, I shared some tips on scouting locations for a documentary video shoot where interviews would be captured. The next step is to decide on a frame that complements your talent, topic, and tone. In this video, we discuss background elements we see in potential frames, any why one “look” might work better than another. 

It's not as hard as it looks. If you've ever been intimidated by, or even questioned the idea of shooting portraits on large format film, maybe George and Jack can help. 

When doing a documentary-style video production, an interview or series of interviews is often at the heart of the content. Uncontrollable lighting, background noise, and the size of the space you have to work in all play a significant role in capturing a quality testimonial, so location scouting to check on these is an important facet of our production process.

Apple lovers around the world, including myself, now have some serious reason to leave behind their beloved iPhone they have for the new Google Pixel. Introduced back in October the phone was welcomed with huge praise boasting some incredible specs.

The execution of this photoshoot was one of the more difficult one’s I have dealt with in sometime. Balance had to be achieved between the still and motion aspect of each frame and angular light consistency had to be given up in exchange for drama.  

There is always something going wrong on set. Always. It could be something minor, like the gaffer forgot to tape a section of a stinger or something major, like the talent shows up hours late and then refuses to get out of the car.

If you work in a competitive area for your photo or video work, chances are that you’ve experienced losing a client at some point.

"Rogue One" is the latest addition to the epic space battle in the "Star Wars" universe, and damn, did it impress. From all angles, the film looked to hit on all the cues that made the original 70s and 80s films incredible, yet still filled it with plenty of new and relevant stories to bring it to life in 2016.

For some of us photographing the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a dream that would be a peak in our careers in the world of Motorsports Photography. The images created at this iconic race have been some of the most powerful images in the genre.

The more you photograph people, places, and things, the more you understand how much control the available light has over the outcome of your image. Taking advantage of tools like filters to limit or modify the light coming into your camera is a great way to craft a unique image and even add a dramatic flare that you may not be able to create otherwise.  

Recently, I've gotten into surfing. I'm quite possibly the worst surfer in the world, but through surfing, I met some great, artistic friends. I acted as the DP on a super fun all-women's surf film this summer. I had no idea how to shoot surfers, so it was a huge learning experience.

In this episode of Chase Jarvis RAW, a fired up Jarvis goes off on a thoughtful stream of consciousness and details why so many photographers or filmmakers might not see the engagement they are looking for with their work. To him, it's because they likely stop working once the content has been created and shared, and they don't go on to interact with their community or audience.

If you're not a professional photographer, chances are that you may be under the impression that they do little more than take pictures all day, every day.

Gonzalo Amat brings us through how he started in photography, and grew into a cinematographer for Amazon. Are they the new HBO, free from rules and regulation, and does that make the job more fun?

How long do you think it would take to photograph over five million miles of road? Since 2007, Google's Street View teams have been doing just that; capturing panoramic images of millions of miles of roads all over the world.

Shooting the different seasons of the year is great, especially now that winter has officially started. You can shoot the same locations with a completely different mood and look. What happens when you want to shoot snow, but there isn’t any? Perhaps it’s too cold for the wardrobe styling and the subject. You can always fake it, right?

The Christmas Wish Project that has now gone viral and this incredible photography and Photoshop work is being showcased across the world, bringing joy and imagination to her audience. Karen Alsop, the photographer behind the project, was kind enough to exclusively share the behind the scenes of her project. 

Morten Rustad’s a rarity, managing to make time-lapse photography his fulltime gig – and today he’s teamed up with New Zealand based company Syrp to share his expertise and host their latest Filmmaking Guide: “How to Setup a Long-Distance Cable Cam Motion Time-lapse”. 

On today’s winter solstice, for some reason, I thought back to that time a couple of years ago when the Ice Bucket Challenge was floating around the internet. Remember that?

On a recent visit to my hometown, a friend of a friend asked if I would be able to photograph some inventory for her online art business. Most of her products were small to medium sized and she had a considerable backlog that needed to go up as quickly as possible.

When you ever have a creative idea for a photo shoot, what do you do with that idea? When considering my own creative ideas for automotive photography, then tend to go into realm of compositions. Shooting a toy car instead isn’t the first thing that pops into my mind, but that is exactly what photographer Felix Hernandez of Hernandez Dreamphography did.

Fstoppers is happy to announce one final sale for 2016. Enjoy the holidays and dive into some fantastic photography education by getting $50-$100 off our original tutorials. If you've received some extra gift money for photography or want to share valuable knowledge with a loved one, act from now until New Years day to save on Fstoppers products.

About a year and a half ago, I was walking on a local beach and realized that for a few weeks of the year, the sun would set in a perfect line of sight down the beach. I thought it might be a fun photographic challenge to create a super telephoto picture with a body builder "holding" the sun in an Atlas style pose.

Something about taking a simple, ordinary object like a plastic bottle and turning it into an extraordinary idea to send a message to the world is one reason why we love photography. That's exactly what Von Wong sought out to do in his latest viral project. Lets take a look at his work and behind the scenes!

Motivated by a passion for Civil War era photography, photographer Willis Bretz spent nearly two years researching battles and individuals specific to the United States Civil War in order to create a set of portraits that pay homage to those created by war photographers more than 150 years ago. 

Looking to get into portrait photography? Maybe you just want to learn more or perfect your trade. Adorama’s Daniel Norton has teamed up with Joe McNally once again to bring us a series of portrait lighting tutorials for us to learn from and enjoy.

In this episode of The Slanted Lens, Jay P. Morgan is running around downtown Los Angeles capturing some product photography. He demonstrates how he is able to create interesting compositions and work with natural light to get the most usable shots possible with just a camera and a reflector. 

Old and damaged photographs are easy to come by. Most have been stored in boxes in the back of a closet left to dust and wither without a second thought. That is until said person goes to tidy up one day and finds an invaluable treasure trove long forgotten. Bringing old photos back to life takes patience and effort in Photoshop but the results are rewarding.

Yet another challenge for you, gear fans. There is a nice short film shot with an iPhone 7 Plus and a RED Weapon. You watch one of the versions. Can you tell if it's shot with a $50,000 camera or with a sub-$1,000 one?  

When life serves you lemons, make lemonade. At least that’s what I was always told when I was younger. Now as a professional photographer, I’m sometimes dealt lemons in terms of weather conditions. How do you make lemonade out of less than perfect weather so it benefits your set? 

My latest fascination in the photography world has to be toy photography. Not just any toy photography either, I love seeing it mixed with other elements and effects to create a sense of realism to the project. Felix Hernandez of Hernandez Dreamphography is one person in particular that has me in awe. 

I have a confession to make: I’m not a huge "Star Wars" fan. In fact, it’s best that no one ask me any questions about the series because I’d likely embarrass myself. Sebastien Del Grosso on the other hand may be able to provide more insight, or rather, some impressive images that pay tribute to the iconic series known across the globe by so many. 

Can iconic photography be passed from father to son? This was the question that caught my attention at the beginning of this short film. Los Angeles-based street photographer Estevan Oriol’s style is intense. It’s raw and it’s edgy. It depicts a side of street culture that isn’t always positive, yet within the images a captivating reflection of humanity can be witnessed. 

Nikon has teamed up with sports photographer Tom Miles and world champion martial artist Tom "Fire Kid" Duquesnoy for its new #MomentOfImpact campaign – which largely involves epic action photos of the latter smashing watermelons, cakes, and pumpkins. Check out the intense photo series here, and learn more about how it was lit and executed.

If you've kept up with what goes on in the photography world or even in the conservationist realm, chances are that you've come across at least one of Benjamin Von Wong's projects. Von Wong has recently strung together a few transcending projects that focus on conservation, raising awareness on environmental issues, and how we can make the world a better place.

Being a celebrity photographer means you have access to interesting subjects, and you may have the new and cool gear. However, this is not the key to make iconic portraits. A great photographer can get the job done with almost any gear that works properly. What would you say when you see someone shooting with natural light when they have Profoto equipment at hand? 

For those of you familiar with the band OK Go, in addition to their catchy songs, they've also made a name for themselves with their intricately planned out and executed music videos. With their newest video "The One Moment," they sought to literally film the entire video in just one moment.