Behind the Scenes

Visual effects (VFX) are a great way of achieving spectacular results when the budget doesn't allow filming for real or it's too risky for the actors. Up till now, these were achieved mostly by filming on green or blue screens. This new way of filmmaking presents a way for shooting scenes with VFX directly in camera.

Go behind the scenes on this short film's set, as videographer and filmmaker, Armando Ferreira, teams up with Nikon for their "Follow Your Passion" competition to win $25,000.

Robert Ascroft is known worldwide for his celebrity, sports, and fashion photographs. His client list includes Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Showtime, A&E, Puma, Vanity Fair, and Rolex. So, basically his client list includes some of the biggest names in his industries of focus! Not bad, right? Go big or go home I guess! 

The shoot done by photographer Ana Dias is a Playmate of the Month pictorial for Playboy US (Miss March 2019). The model is named Miki Hamano, and she comes from Japan. The whole photoshoot was done in a modern villa in Malibu, California.

The esteemed Italian editorial photographer Paolo Roversi, known for shooting on 8x10 Polaroid, directed the Pirelli's 2020 Calendar. Past calendars have been shot by iconic photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Tim Walker, and Albert Watson.

Today, I’ll take you for an in-depth look at a new extensive project I shot with the Fujifilm GFX 100. It will be a longer essay meant to give you a hands on experience to help decide if the camera is right for you.

Take a peek inside this landscape photographer's backpacking bag to get an idea of the camera and camping gear that you might want to bring on your next adventure. 

Check out this video for advanced event photography tips and tricks. 

I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot this fashion spread for Glamour South Africa back in March while I was in Barcelona. Right before the trip, I did some research and had asked some locals for some location recommendations.

The photo-illustrator of the popular "I Spy" series is interviewed about his process on the creation of the incredibly detailed book series. This includes the styling, behind the scenes, and yes, the cameras he used.

Some behind the scenes videos of shoots you just have to stop what you're doing, and watch.

As a photographer, personal projects are important to always keep trying out new things and practicing one’s craft while helping to maintain the passion in the art.

The beauty of well-lit interior situations is when you can't guess how it was set up or it looks natural, as if the practicals in the room served as light sources. In this lighting tutorial, you will learn how to create a convincing scene of a cozy night interior and a fierce thunderstorm on the outside.

Have you ever wanted to shoot a short film? I've had ideas, which in my opinion, were great ideas, but it's not often that I grab a pencil and paper to start developing a storyboard, until this video. 

It wasn't easy to put a man on the moon. Just ask photographer Christopher Sherman, who recently set out to pay homage to one of humanity's greatest feats, the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong first set foot onto the moon 50 years ago. 

Old school instant cameras have long been a popular alternative to traditional film or digital photography. The film they use and images they produce have a quality unlike any other medium. 

If you’ve been following my recent articles, you’ll know that I’ve been on an umbrella modifier trend. I just love how portable and easy to set up they are.

Have you ever seen an epic image of an action figure, toy series, or diorama scene? In this video you can take a look at some of the behind the scenes aspects that go into making those images possible.

What is the key to making great photography and art? Find out by watching this video featuring Cory Richards. 

Telling a story doesn’t stop at your subject in photography; everything in an image gives the viewer context clues to build a narrative around. One of my favorite ways to facilitate interest and story in photography is incorporating color effect gels into the scene, but what are the best ways to use them and why?

Thinking of purchasing a new Nikon mirrorless camera? Watch this video to see what it's like to shoot with the Nikon Z 6 on location. 

I shot these images for fashion ecommerce store Zilingo when we were doing a recent campaign/catalog shoot. What a fun team to shoot with! They really have a vision for what they want to pull off and are very supportive in terms of getting there. 

Erik Johansson is an award-winning photographer and digital artist, known with his surreal composite images. He recently published the behind the scenes video of his project Stellantis, where he shows the pre-production stages and how he achieves the final look on his composite image.

When you move beyond the technique of capturing people with appropriate lighting, while maintaining a flattering expression and pose for the subject, what should you be adding or recreating in your imagery next?

I’ve always loved the color red and the emotions it invokes. I suppose that's the fun thing about backgrounds, props, and general settings in that a color theme can evoke so many different thoughts and emotions. Needless to say the power of a model is critical but what you can create around the model can go a long way in conveying the feel you’re aiming for.

Understanding how to use light is one of the most important lessons a photographer needs to learn. Master this easy yet effective setup before your next shoot.

When you get to peek behind the curtain of Martin Schoeller's shoots, it's always worth stopping what you're doing, and taking that peek.

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.

Elia Locardi, famous for taking beautiful landscapes and cityscapes, and refusing to go skydiving, has recently teamed up with Fujifilm, Smugmug, and Flickr to create "Moments in Time", a new webseries following Elia around the world on his photographic journey.

Get a behind the scenes look at photographing mountain landscapes in this video brought to you by Alex Nail Photography, 

If someone said that you could shoot the milky way right out of a plane window, what would your first thoughts be? Would you say given the right time and location it's possible, or would you say no way without a tripod?

White balance is drilled into our head as a particularly technical thing to adjust in our photography and not really something we can use creatively beyond "Warmer or cooler" but there are so many creative possibilities out there.

Coming at you from EpicTV Climbing Daily, here is a great video with loads of indoor climbing photography tips. 

What happens when you fly half way across the world to shoot portraits of a model on an exotic beach, but then realize the light is not as soft or usable as you thought? In this video, learn how you can sculpt the natural light the way you want to create the most flattering results.

Have you ever wondered about what goes into producing images with a large format film camera? Take a look behind the scenes as photographer Willem Verbeeck tries out large format portraiture for the first time. 

What happens when you combine the stars of an award-winning modern-day Western television series, with photography methods that haven't been mainstream since the early 20th century? Check out the video to see what goes into the making of a tintype portfolio.

A lot of my work has light placed in very precise spots, just over the eyes, or the lips, or just on one spot on the face. I often get asked how I do it, and instead of just saying the product, I thought I should go more in depth and talk about the ins and outs of how to get the most out of Cinefoil.

In this video, see behind the scenes of Joey L's shoot with Kerala India, and how he created rich and vibrant portraits for a tourism campaign, with a difference.

Photographers love soft light and the “wrap around” quality that large modifiers can deliver. We contemplate the large parabolic softbox we need to purchase or the huge umbrella that will help us make window light anywhere. For impactful portraits that are just as compelling maybe it’s time you took a look at hard lighting.

In this beautiful video brought to you by SmugMug, get an inside look at the mind of street photographer Alan Schaller. 

When photographer Felix Renaud first discovered photography, a world of possibilities opened to him. With his background of drawing and cinema, he is drawn towards treating his images as if they were drawn from a film or inspired by a painting. He enjoys creating the ambiance and characters for his images.

Do you ever have a crazy, elaborate idea, but don't have the budget to pull it off? In this DIY breakdown look, see how you can create the famous Game of Thrones look on a miniscule budget with just the things lying around your house. 

In this extensive breakdown, go behind the scenes of a 1950s themed shoot and see how I shot, lit, and edited it from start to finish. 

Creativity comes in many forms, but something that all disciplines have in common is that you need to practice — not just your technical skill, but the act of thinking differently. 

This is the first episode in photographer Tommy Reynolds new YouTube series entitled "A Portrait of..." featuring his wonderful and warm friend, Holly-Ann Dennis.

Have you always wanted to photograph live concerts, but are anxious about how to start? Were you recently hired for your first concert photography gig, but don't still looking for more ideas on how to capture great moments of the show? Well look no further, and keep reading. 

Combine sculpture, photography, and a powerful message to bring social change to the world and you get a series of impactful works that can bring awareness to important issues. In the case of this personal photography project, I covered my bathroom with over 3000 ibuprofen tablets to bring attention to the widespread problems with drugs and addiction.

When the original Profoto A1 entered the on-camera flash market, one huge hiccup that many photographers saw was the lack of a Sony option in the speedlight. Now, with a more robust and tweaked flash being released to address that concern and others, how does the new Profoto A1X stack up to its predecessor?

Lighting a scene is usually associated with placing light sources of certain quality, shape, and power on various places to illuminate parts that have to be visible to the camera. There are ways to light a scene not only without any additional light sources, but also without any white or black bounce-boards.

Want to geek out a little bit over the simplicity and attention to detail that goes into the construction of a common piece of photography gear? You're in the right place.