Editorial Photography

Editorial photography tells stories within constraints — space limitations, tight deadlines, and the need to serve a publication's visual voice rather than your own. This section covers the editorial world from the inside: how assignments work, how to work with photo editors, what makes an image work on a page, and how to build a career in an industry that continues to evolve.

[Editorial] Why The Tamron 24-70mm Matters

When we were told that the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC lens was shipping on April 26, I can't understate how stoked Pat, Lee and myself were. Since we read the press release, we have been itching to get our hands on one. Why? Because this lens fills a void we have been aching for since DSLRs started shooting quality video.

[Editorial] If You Don't Own It, Why Not Rent It?

As a photographer just starting my own wedding photography business, I quickly realized how much pro gear really costs. I don't shoot often enough to afford all of the gear that I need but when I do have a shoot, I like to use professional gear and I like to have backups in case something breaks (especially for weddings). For those of you who are just getting started like me, or those of you who need specialty equipment, you may want to consider renting gear.

[Fstoppers Original] What Is Lens Diffraction And When Does Diffraction Happen?

If you are like me then you might not always get caught up in some of the super technical aspects of photography. One aspect of photography I recently investigated was the loss of sharpness caused by Diffraction. Last night while playing with the new Nikon D800 camera I examined lens diffraction and how diffraction can seriously affect the sharpness of your photography.

[BTS Video] Stefan Ruiz Shoots 4x5 Portraits in the Streets of Mexico

Here's a behind the scenes video featuring editorial and advertising photographer Stefan Ruiz. He traveled to Monterrey, Mexico to document the "Cholombiano" youth street culture. Skip to about the ten minute mark to see the set up and capture. He shoots exclusively on 4x5 film, and is highly influenced by renaissance paintings.

[Editorial] Why Nikon Built the D3200

I have seen a lot of remarks and questions as to why Nikon released a 24 megapixel consumer camera. Why did they pack so many megapixels into a crop sensor? The ISO performance is likely to suffer (though we won’t know for sure until we test it out). The smarter move? Keep the megapixels the same and increase the ISO performance. So why didn’t Nikon do this?

[News] And the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography Goes to...

Massoud Hossaini, who is also the first Afghani to win a Pulitzer Prize. Hossaini's work captures the horrors of violence that occur in Afghanistan on a regular basis. The photo was captured just as a suicide bomber took his own life and that of many others in the vicinity. A girl dressed in green screams as blood runs down her face, and she is surrounded by bodies of the wounded and dead.

[Video] Breathtaking Timelapse of an Insane Asylum

There are some styles of photography which have been beaten into the ground. Take, for example, the trip to an old asylum; it seems like we've all seen a thousand HDR images of the local loony bin. Graffiti-covered walls, derelict operating rooms and spooky wheelchairs ad-nauseum. But every once in awhile, something comes along which makes my jaw drop and revisits what is possible in an ages-old subject. Drew Geraci's Asylum is exactly what I'm talking about.

[Editorial] Can Sony's Digital Imaging Division Restore Profits?

As many of you have probably already read, Sony Corp announced that it is cutting 10,000 jobs, which translates to 6% of its global workforce. Sony has been struggling with negative profits for four straight years, mainly due to its floundering television division. But what does this mean for Sony’s camera division? With the television sector likely getting the main force of the cuts, will Sony rely on growth in their digital imaging division to make up for the numbers?

[Editorial] Hard Drives: What, When, and Where to Buy in a Marked Up Industry

Hard drives are something we all need. But in an industry that advances (i.e. depreciates) so quickly and with increases in price due to flooding in Thailand, how can we be sure we're getting what's right for us? And how can we stay technologically flexible with upcoming releases when we have 'old' hard drives? Do I need Thunderbolt? Do I need more than two hard drives? How can daisy-chaining help me? These are some of the starter questions that lead into an entire breakdown of what you might need in certain situations.

[BTSV] Blast from the Past: Creating a Nat Geo Cover in the Studio

National Geographic recently released this video of the creation of one of their cover shots. While there is no exact date on it, I'd bet that it was shot sometime in the early 2000s or late 1990s guessing from technology being used. Some real ingenuity was at work here, as evidenced by the custom-built pneumatic jaw, the hand-cast Tyrannosaurus skull, and not to mention what appears to be at least ten cameras all triggered at the same time via laser in an effort to capture the decisive moment.

[BTS Video] Abandoned State Mental Hospital Shoot

Photographer, Michael J Moore was granted access to a creepy and abandoned state mental hospital for this fashion shoot. He used a combination of lighting setups but mainly, the Phase One 645DF camera with a Profoto 8A 2400W and various Profoto strobes. With all three different lighting set ups, Michael did a great job at capturing that Vanity Fair-esque look that we all know so well.

[BTS Video] A Frozen Face Cover Shoot by Finn O'Hara

Here's a behind the scenes video from Toronto photographer Finn O'Hara.  It was for a recent cover story about Toronto smokers in a magazine called The Grid. O'Hara explains that the story is "a confessional tale of the stigmas faced by smokers every day in Toronto, and what it takes to finally kick the habit. To illustrate the commitment of a winter smoker, we enlisted a

[BTSV] Photoshoot With Hockey Legend Trevor Linden

Photographer Dave Hamilton takes us behind the scenes on his latest shoot with hockey legend, Trevor Linden. This video is very informative and well produced - including a lighting diagram for each of the different setups. Aiming to get that perfect cover shot for Vancouver View Magazine's April 2012 issue, Dave was able to get some nice shots using his Canon 5D Mark II.

[Journalism] World Press Photo's 2012 Multimedia Contest Winner

Remember the World Press Photo contest winners from earlier this year? Well, World Press Photo recently introduced (just last year, actually) a similar contest for multimedia and video entries. The winner is a stark, harrowing, and sobering documentary view into the Kommandokorps in South Africa, an apartheid-era relic that still lingers in the country.

[BTS Video] Corey Rich Goes Behind The Scenes Of His Nikon D4 WHY Promo Video

Corey Rich was one of the first photographers to demo the new Nikon D4. His extreme athlete documentary "WHY" was one of the best product launch videos I've seen yet. Luckily for all of us, Nikon asked Corey to produce a behind the scenes video on how he and his crew filmed the various athletes for the short film. Watching this BTS video was one of the most inspiring videos I've seen in a good while. Not only am I pumped to have

[Inspiration] ReDefine Talks Celebrity Portraits With Brian Smith

A few weeks ago, Fstoppers caught up with celebrity photographer Brian Smith. If you didn't take the time to read the article, don't worry because ReDefine just published a video interview with Brian from Tamara Lackey's recent interview out in Vegas. What I love about people like Brian is he's quick to point out the real defining element of his work: his relationship to his subject. Male photographers often get caught up in

[Editorial] The Standout Products from WPPI 2012

This past week was one of the major US trade shows for photography: WPPI in Las Vegas. I love trade shows because the gearhead inside of me just itches to see that next great thing. This year, I saw a lot of the same. There were a lot of knock-off products, a lot of rebranded Chinese, and a lot of straight up useless junk.

[BTSV] Fighting G-Forces For An Air & Space Cover

This has to be one of the most awesome opportunities that could be granted to a photographer. Last fall, Ed Darack was asked to shoot a cover for The Smithsonian's Air & Space Magazine, and decided to show the world how he did it.

[BTS Video] Twilight's Kirsten Stewart Shot For Italian Vogue

Photographer Michelangelo Di Battista recently shot actress Kirsten Stewart of Twilight fame for Italian Vogue. The behind the scenes video of the shoot takes the viewer through the set and shows us quite a few different light setups.

Behind The Scenes With Sports Illustrated

Back before I ever picked up a camera, I always enjoyed looking through the pages of Sports Illustrated. I was never the rabid sports fanatic many of my friends were growing up, but I definitely loved the close game, the epic play, the milestone achievement, and of course the human emotion that came with obtaining greatness.

[BTS Video] Photographer Adrien Broom Storybook Themed Shoot

Featured on the Wednesday Rundown before, Photographer Adrien Broom takes us behind the scenes on another whimsical shoot. In this video, she's working with a PocketWizard MiniTT1® [For Nikon/ For Canon] and an AC3 ZoneController [For Nikon/For Canon] to control the power levels of an Elinchrome Digital 2400 and an Einstein™ E640 lights directly from the camera's position.

[Editorial] What Happens to Your Online Photos When You Die?

Social media has become a worn out word in recent years, but there is no denying its penchant for worming its way into most aspects of our lives. Technology has evolved to such a point that we no longer need to be sitting next to our friends in order to bore them with our vacation pictures; we can do it through the power of the internet!

[Opinion] The Best Free & Pay Music Websites For Video Editors

Great music can take a video edit to the next level, but music that doesn’t fit, or is cheesy stock-quality can make even the most awesome video seem like something your uncle put together after a few beers. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite places to get FREE music for low/no-budget video projects, as well as some pay sites.

How China Changed the American Lighting Industry

Why do brands matter to us? When at the grocery store, why do we pick out Heinz instead of Western Family, or Nike instead of Payless? We buy brands because they have earned our trust. Even if we don’t know of a brand, we begin to trust them simply because they have a logo, can afford advertising, and put out a product that seems to work well. For example, think about HTC. A year ago, they pushed for market share in the US because they were a much lesser known brand. In a matter of months they had a massive market share in the smartphone industry. Why? Branding. In the case of HTC, it was not only successful branding, but also a successful product. That is the way it should work.

[BTS Video] 49ers Photographer Michael Zagaris Breaks Down A Game Winning Play

A few days ago we showed you what it's like to be a Sport Illustrated Editor. The NFL Conference Championship games are about kick off in a few hours so it seems fitting to bring you San Francisco 49ers team photographer Michael Zagaris as he talks about capturing the two key plays of the '9ers Division Championship game. Enjoy!

[Op-Ed] The Cameras of Tomorrow: Apps For DSLRs

In July 2008, Apple introduced the second-generation iPhone, which gave users the ability to download and install both paid and free native applications. Since then, nearly all new mobile devices have been equipped to support small applications, more commonly known as apps, made by either a third party or the original manufacturer, to add functionality to a device.

[Hot Topic] Models and Anorexia: A Controversial Campaign

This campaign (shown below), in the January issue of Plus Model Magazine, has stirred up plenty of controversy. With the year just beginning, this may be one of the most controversial campaigns on weight we've seen.

[BTS Video] Tips On Combining Reflectors And Strobes

Last time, photographer Jay P Morgan gave us tips on the best way to use a reflector. This time he shows us how he combined a Hensel 1200w Porty Pack with a beauty dish attached and the photoflex 5 in 1 reflectors. If you missed his previous video, click here.

[Pics] Hot Blondes Using Pepper Spray on Cops?

Ok, maybe this didn't happen in real life but this is how editorial Photographer Tyler Shields recreated the image taken of the Occupy U.C Davis protesters. His photo project, titled "Occupied," features two models in their skivvies, giving a bunch of police officers a mouth full of pepper spray. What do you think?

[Controversy] Did FHM Maliciously Degrade Veena Malik's Image?

Now this is an interesting story. Lately there has been a ton of controversy and debate about the role of photoshop in today's advertising market. FHM (For Him Magazine) just published their December issue with Pakistani cover model Veena Malik wearing what appears to be nothing.

[BTS Video] BYU Students Photograph Computer Hackers For FS Contest

Jaren Wilkey is the manager of Brigham Young University's photography department (perhaps he helped on this shoot?). His Behind The Scenes Contest submission idea was to create a photoshoot that played off a news story there at the university. Jaren and his students set out to produce an editorial type image featuring computer hackers.

Shooting the "Deadliest" Crew

This striking image (pun intended) was shot by Blair Bunting for a Deadliest Catch ad for Discovery Channel. Curious to know how he did it? Well, luckily for us, his assistant Paul Morton filmed the whole thing, and Mike Maez was kind enough to edit it down into a digestible and inspiring video.

Not All GoPro Adventures End All Warm And Fuzzy

We've featured tons and tons of extreme videos shot on GoPro Cameras. Usually what makes them exciting is experiencing first hand views of activities you probably won't participate in yourself. This video has gone viral since it was released yesterday and for good reason.

Video Proof That Many War Images Are Staged

We have all read how biased different news organizations can be when it comes to the cold hard facts. We've also pretty much come to expect that a photograph tells a story better than anything else. Documentary film maker Ruben Salvadori recently exposed how some of the most epic images from war torn areas of the world are actually staged...and it's pretty surprising. Ruben recognized how photographers can drastically change the mood of a scene just by being present, so he decided to turn the cameras on the photographers themselves and show just how "dangerous" many of events we see on tv and in print really are. Next time you see an image that appears to be in the thick of the action, step back and ask the question "but how many photographers are standing right off camera?" You can read more here about this video project and let us know what you think in the comments below.

How To Photograph Fighting For ESPN, SI, and the UFC With Ed Mulholland

Since the start of Fstoppers, I have had a dream list of photographers that I think would make for a great FS Original. At the top of that list has been ESPN and fight photographer Ed Mulholland. Unfortunately getting clearance from HBO and UFC have been tougher than going backstage with Bon Jovi (who would have thought).

Capturing The Sorrow And Humor In A Natural Disaster

Photojournalists have always struggled with balancing subject sensitivity with truthful documentation after horrible moments in history. Almost six years ago to the day, the United States was hit by Hurricane Katrina resulting in the most costly natural disaster the country had ever witnessed.

The Best Way To Get Assaulted With Street Photography

Recently Petapixel featured a rather amusing video of photographer Fabio Pires out of London. Fabio is a street photographer who shoots spontaneous photos off the cuff. Unlike the video we featured of Clay Enos's street setup, Fabio's approach is more in your face, candid, and potentially more risky.

Extreme Photography Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

A few weeks ago Reese Moore interviewed Jimmy Chin for her column the Fstoppers Spotlight. Her Fstoppers interview revealed a lot about what makes Mr. Chin put himself in harms way as he climbs, rappels, and base jumps from assignment to assignment. In this behind the scenes video, Jimmy talks about the changing culture taking place within the sport of extreme rock climbing.

Wedding Photography: How Jasmine Star Photographs Preparation Shots

It's no secret that Lee and I started our photography careers as wedding photographers. Regardless of what anyone says, photographing weddings is an excellent way to sharpen your photography skills since there are so many different types of shots you can plan throughout the day (and make a great living doing it).