Education

Color management is probably amongst the hardest things there is to understand and learn when it comes to retouching and photography. So many elements are to be taken into account to create the perfect final print that it can be extremely complicated and time-consuming. Part of that process is to have a raw converter software able to match your vision and your needs. Capture One is known for its modularity and customizable features. Let’s see how we can use it to help us get the colors we want out of all our raw files.

Jaana and Lorenzö of the studio Cahute have put a spin on the digital age of instant viewing by taking a step back into the past with a classic process of portraits on paper. They created a market for themselves that is so micro-niched they have yet to find another studio specializing solely in this process.

Most photographers who are just starting off have a difficult time discerning what depth of field is and an even more difficult time trying to envision it. In this short tutorial, I'll show how to envision depth of field, and three easy way to manipulate it.

It did not dawn on me until I was watching the first episode of "Top Photographer with Niger Barker" that some photographers do not actually take time to talk to their clients in order to get to know them better. It may seem insignificant, but let me tell you why it matters.

One of the best things about shooting film is that there are so many cameras to choose from! Of course, your wallet may disagree with me. The number of formats, combined with the different brands, form factors, lenses, and options make shooting with film almost impossible to get bored with. If you're at all familiar with my articles on Fstoppers, you know that I tend to focus on film and bringing it to a new audience. To that end, I've created a new video series profiling various film gear, some of it well known, some not so much! In my quest to learn about and use different systems, I hope you'll learn along with me. First up, a medium format rangefinder style camera from Fujifilm: the GF670.

Have you ever wondered how to create portraits with those dreamy watercolor backgrounds? In the following tips, I’ll give you a few tricks on how I achieve this whimsical, ethereal look in my work.

Last week, we covered my all-time favorite tip for creating expressive children’s portraits outdoors this fall. As a follow-up, in this short video, Photoshop master Aaron Nace from Phlearn takes us through simple techniques for editing photos of children in Photoshop. His advice centers on drawing the focus to the eyes and face by adding a vignette, enhancing eyes, and warming skin tones.

Shooting someone's portrait can be a very personal experience. Even in a controlled environment such as a studio, the success of an image often depends on a photographer's ability to establish a rapport with their subject. That is difficult enough at the best of times, but what about those occasions when you don’t control the environment, such as photographing total strangers in the street?

After changing careers from 12 years in the scientific field into the photography industry, I often wondered about merging the two together; science and art. I started shooting underwater photography a few years back in hopes of bringing a new light on the waters with my background. So when I came across the work of Christine Beggs and Brett Stanley I was intrigued to learn about their collaborations. They have created a way to bring critical issues of the oceans to light with their underwater art work.

Andreas H. Bitesnich is one of the world's most renowned fine art nude photographers, with work published and exhibited internationally for the last 25 years. His images carry a signature style and a simple aesthetic that combines beauty and form. Recently, Bitesnich created a photography tutorial that delves into how he achieves his incredible looks. That wealth of knowledge is now available to the Fstoppers community.

There's an Adobe Max every year. The conference will start on the 2nd of November and goes on for two days. The first day will be about the Future of Creativity and Design, and day two will be based on how Community Inspires Community.

Encoding video files can become a crazy technical feat. I don’t blame people for using the preset options, even if they’re usually rubbish. Here’s how to fix three common problems, in unusually clever ways.

Probably the most difficult challenge in photographing children is garnering genuine and happy expressions from them. If you routinely photograph children, chances are you’ve found yourself on a few occasions in the company of a bored or uncooperative little one, with a parent just out of frame screaming: “Smile! Smile! No, not like that!” Every fall, my favorite tactic to virtually guarantee happy expressions is to make use of all those leaves that have fallen to the ground.

Capture One doesn’t need to be introduced anymore. It’s Phase One's professional raw converter, and it has grown into a very compelling Lightroom alternative over the past few years. The software is meant to develop raw files, but it can do much more. Its usage doesn’t have to stop at simple exposure and contrast tweaks. Let’s see how we can unleash its full potential and, as Phase One likes to phrase it, experience the ultimate image quality.

It's already Tuesday, but if you're like me – always open to sponge up as much learning and information as possible – you'll still be in time to get on with a free course on LinkedIn through their "Week of Learning," available until October 31. Last year, LinkedIn bought educational site, Lynda.com, one of the largest online training and tutorial networks. Even though LinkedIn isn't one of the networks that members of the creative industries are most active on, there's still a lot of useful information, and the workshops and tutorials are actually very well produced.

Have you ever wondered how filmmakers create realism in their films? Whether it's having a character scramble across a ceiling, severing the head of a zombie, making hair seemingly grow before your eyes, or getting a giant to flip a car over, all of these illusions are achieved by seamlessly combining any number of techniques, crafts, and concepts. In this video RocketJump Film School cites examples from Aliens, Wizard of Oz, The Godfather, Lord of the Rings, and other well known movies, to demonstrate how filmmakers use "movie magic" to sell their scenes.

After the hack today that took down some pretty major sites out there that we all use on a daily basis, I wanted to share some helpful information I've come across in the WordPress world. I myself have been hacked twice. Ever since moving my photography business website from a big company, I've finally been able to move on with my life.

As DSLR cameras become more capable in capturing high quality video, there is a temptation to add videography as a service to clients. But the learning curve from photography is videography is a steep one if you attempt to do this on your own, believe me, I tried! Whilst there are many free resources out there to help you grow as a videographer, I have found that by investing in the right subscription based services, your journey to professional filmmaker can be an enjoyable one.

I don’t know about you, but I never planned to become a photographer. It kind of happened by accident. I have always considered myself more of an explorer, traveling the world in search of adventure. Shooting photographs was just my way of telling the story of the places I visited. But pretty soon, people started calling me a photographer, and that was that. Shortly after, I quit my day job and found myself trying to make my way as a full-time travel and portrait photographer. That was six years ago, and although I have learned so much over those years, these are the five things they never told me about becoming a photographer.

Last week, we covered why volunteering for an animal rescue or shelter is a great way to grow your pet photography business. If you do not own or rent a studio, being able to bring a portable lighting setup on location for pet photography is an excellent alternative. When photographing animals in shelters, portable lighting will allow you to achieve a consistent style with your photos. This short video produced by the team at Westcott demonstrates practical tips for simple studio-style portraits of dogs and cats.

Having a recognizable style helps you get hired for the right job. So how do you develop your style? The truth is that it’s not that difficult, but it does require consistency and patience. In this post, we’ll be looking at some practical ways to develop your style.

It happens almost every time I scan some film. I look at my developed film on the computer and think, "That's a pretty cool shot. I wonder what my settings were?" Shooting film is amazing, but sometimes it becomes a pain in the rump to remember what you were doing when you shot a specific photograph, since there are no digital markers to log your work for you. Enter: Photomemo. It's a small, lightweight logbook that's specifically tailored to be a film shooter's friend.

One of the biggest challenges I hear from new boudoir photographers is how to move successfully and fluidly from one pose to the next during a session. Posing should not be stiff and rigid, or the end result will reflect the forced feeling. The last portion of all my boudoir sessions is on the floor. Quite frankly, that is where all the upsale images come from by maximizing the use of one pose into multiple selections.

Remember that first time you've looked at those dream portfolios? How did they happen? You've probably compared your portfolio against those and thought, "How would clients put their trust in me for something as big as that?" The hard truth is, those dream-portfolio photographers had a great website issued by the hospital they were given birth at. Face it, if you don't have your portfolio website printed on your birth certificate, you won't ever have one. Of course that's not true.

Photoshop is an amazing tool for photographers and retouchers alike, but with its numerous features and options, it can quickly become confusing. Everyone knows confusing software is far from being a fast workflow element, but Aaron Nace from Phlearn is always there to help out, and this time, he gives us six tips to improve our productivity.

Photography as a sector has been affected by shifting technology as much as – if not more than – any other industry. The biggest change is undoubtedly the availability of cameras compared to 50 years ago, with almost every human in the Western world having a camera within arm’s reach every waking second. This is met with nothing but doom and gloom by the commentators on the professional photography industry, but is all that negativity justified?

It's October and this year has been one of my most productive years as a working photographer to date! I finished writing my second book this year (which will launch in August), I'll have taught over 30 workshops by the end of the year, my number of clients has increased exponentially, and my income has also increased as a result of that effort. How? Simply accountability and focused productivity. Over the course of the last year, I've worked on reducing my total "work time" by purposely controlling my productivity. Here are five methods that I've used to become exponentially more productive.

We all know that line: “You’re a photographer. What camera should I get?” It comes with being a professional photographer in any capacity. But my passion lies with being creative, and by my own admission, I'm not the greatest at keeping up with the camera market. Enter Snapsort: the website that for years has helped me find the right camera.

Unless you’re a well established fashion and beauty photographer with the support of an agent or a plethora of business acumen, you probably aren’t going to make much money when you’re first starting out in the business. This is why it’s important to learn how to be scrappy and work with less gear if you’re working on a budget. In these lighting tutorials, I’ll show you three easy-to-replicate fashion and beauty setups that fit almost every budget.

Not since the Canon 5D Mark II hit the market have we seen a camera series as a technology revolutionary as the Sony Alpha series. I’m speaking specifically about the a7S, a7S II, a7R II and the a6300. Let’s look at the a6300 for example, 4K video output, great low light capability, an awesome autofocus capability, frame rate options and lens options, all for under $1,000. All those options are packed into a camera that weights 14.3 ounces with a battery.

"Directing Stills," a video from Clinton Lubbe, was made in an effort to provide a video lesson on directing models on a shoot or project. He touches on many subjects that are important and powerful tactics to have the best success with models. It seems though that the most important aspect of it all boils down to one simple thing really, and that's communication, whether it's with the models, the makeup artist, or even an on-set assistant. It's important that you communicate in regards to what your goals are with the final images.

Marketing your business and your creative work can be tough. Doing it in a small market can be even tougher. It can often seem overwhelming, but with some careful analysis and planning, you can maximize your opportunities. Having worked in sales and marketing for the better part of 18 years, I've picked up a few tips and tricks that I believe would help any photographer struggling to establish themselves in any market.

The mixing brush tool is one of the most underutilized tools in portrait retouching. When used correctly, the mixing brush tool can be used to blend blotchy skin together, fix makeup in areas where a makeup artist may have missed applying makeup, etc. Here is a quick introduction to using the mixing brush as a portrait photographer.

Audi took advantage of Monday night's presidential debates with its "Duel" ad spot. Nearly the entire clip plays in reverse, allowing the chronology of the true story and how the action unfolded to the point at which you began to unravel itself in an action-packed scene. The rewound clip -- fit for a 007 film -- features quite the production, complete with excellent, blockbuster-born sound effects to sell every punch and shattering glass shard. But it doesn't take much studying to see this was hardly as easy as rewinding an otherwise-normal action sequence: it took great audio to create this spectacle.

Photoshop is an amazing tool that most photographers find themselves using on a daily basis. It has countless features, and with the new Photoshop CC, more are added with each update. As a beginner to the program, it can get a little overwhelming on where to start learning all of the complex elements. In this, video you will see 10 of the features you need to know.

I am not a fan of altering the initial colors and setup of photos after the shoot is done. I prefer to look for the perfect matching background or surrounding to complement the subject I photograph beforehand. However, color grading is an essential step in my work, which completes the overall mood I aim to achieve through my photography. Being one of the most important steps in my workflow, the process usually involves a play with the luminosity, saturation, and some slight tonal tweaks. But there are times when we might have a striking color scheme, but not the perfect surroundings to complement the subject.

Photographer Paul Nicklen recently released a two-hundred page ebook titled "Photographing Wild: Techniques of a National Geographic Photographer." Mr. Nicklen has been taking photographs for the magazine for over twenty years now in some of the most remote places on earth. He is also one of my personal favorite photographers out there today, so buying it for myself was an easy decision to make. His underwater images are always fantastic, and just seeing all of his wildlife photos come across my social media feeds is always inspiring to me.

Often, I get asked how a shot was done underwater due to the objects that are with the client. Recently, I started using GoPros to obtain behind the scenes footage to help better explain positioning and lighting on various sessions. "The Archer" was one image that caused most people to ask: "Did she really shoot the arrow at you?"

If like me, you’re tired of those overprocessed portraits shot during golden hour or at sunset that crowd your online portfolios or your Instagram feed, then perhaps you should consider rising early for your portrait session.

Franck Boutonnet is a France-based photographer and has been producing stunning images for his clients for over 15 years. His knowledge, skills, and work are amazing! There is a lot to learn from his pictures, but also from him. In a short video ShotKit created, Boutonnet gives us six tips to help us improve our craft.

When touting the many virtues of film, people frequently mention the power of negatives in the highlights. But what does that mean, exactly, and how does its strength compare to its digital brethren? To find out the differences, I shot a demanding subject with both digital and black and white film, severely over and underexposing. How did they stack up against each other? Read on to find out!

If you're curious to see what a brand new Canon 5D Mark IV looks like on the inside, here is you chance. LensRentals has already done one of their popular teardown articles on the new camera, and taken one apart before most people who preordered it even received it yet. This post obviously won't help your photography in anyway, but it sure is interesting and fun!

As an automotive photographer, one of the most useful tools in our arsenal is the Pen tool. At first, you may not like it, but after learning the tip and tricks on how to make it curve around the object like you want, it becomes a very useful tool. For some, it's just a necessary evil that you just have to deal with. What if there was another way to learn how to use the Pen tool? Would you play a game to learn the basics? Thanks to interactive designer Mark MacKay, there's now a website you can visit to do just that.

Our clients often hear many terms such as "megapixels," "dpi," or "resolution" and wonder what the difference is between them. As photographers, it is our job to educate them on such terms in order to lessen the confusion when they are asking for certain sizes. However, if we do not understand not only the complexity but also the simplicity of what we are talking about, do we truly understand it at all?

If you’re like me and live in a town of 1,300, marketing is the most difficult aspect of business you’ll encounter. Marketing with conventional methods is often extremely difficult or even impossible. In this article I will outline some conventional and non-conventional ways of marketing yourself in a small town.

Self-portraits, unlike selfies, are not always easy to make. They are not a cry for attention or a showcase of your physical beauty. Self-portraits are a learning curve and experimental field for the photographer who is willing to bare his soul in front of his own lens, like Van Gogh and Rembrandt did before for their paintings.

Last week I had the pleasure and honor to be interviewed by Clarke Scott whose podcast, Hack The Creative, is a weekly series that dives into the habits, fears, inner-battles, and keys to success from his guests who are creatives from all over the industry. We discussed a wide array of topics including my backstory and career path; practices I use today to sustain and grow my career, as well as what my aspirations as a creative are going forward. I go completely unfiltered and bare all for all of you to listen to as Scott "hacked" me.

Four years ago we filmed Where Art Meets Architecture: How To Photograph Real Estate, Architecture and Interiors Tutorial, and it has been the most successful tutorial Fstoppers has ever produced. We've teamed up with Mike Kelley again to produce Where Art Meets Architecture 2: How To Photograph Luxury Homes and Advanced Photoshop Techniques, and it's available now.

Photographer Clay Cook recently collaborated with Tether Tools and produced a fantastic photo that is not only inspiring because of the actual final image, but also because of Clay's concept and process that he has explained and laid out for everyone.