Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres out there, and it brings its own challenges and pitfalls. If you are new to portraiture and would like to improve your work, check out this fantastic video tutorial that details some common mistakes beginners make and what you can do to fix them or avoid them entirely in the first place.
Photographing the busy city doesn’t have to be complicated. If you don’t have filters and other specialized tools for landscape and cityscape photography, here are some tips to do it with ease.
Starting a photography business is about a lot more than simply being good with a camera and finding people to pay you for your skills. If it is something you are interested in but you have no idea how to get started, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced professional photographer discussing some advice he would give up-and-coming pros.
Almost no one enjoys standing in the wind and rain, and I certainly would not blame you if you saw the clouds rolling in and wanted to pack up your equipment and head home. Nonetheless, you might be missing out on fantastic images if you do not stick around for the storm, and this fantastic video will show you just what you might be able to accomplish in those situations.
For the most part, a landscape photo is not finished once you press the shutter, as half of the image-making process is in the direction you decide to take the edit. Sometimes, if you are looking at an image you know has potential but you can't figure out to do with it, you should consider turning it into a black and white photo.
As photographers, we inevitably find ourselves dealing with that one client that causes us to take into serious deliberation the idea of working at the grocery store and throwing our illustrious career to the wind.
There are plenty of ways to get better images, we’ve all seen articles on which new camera to purchase, which new laptop will improve your editing, which courses to purchase, or where in the world you can visit to get stunning images. But what about some truly effective ways to improve your ability to get the shot without spending a penny?
All of us first picked up a camera and started taking photos simply because we enjoyed the magic of the creative process. But after years working in photography, whether professionally or simply as hobbyists sharing our work with the world, that reason we do that can become obfuscated or forgotten entirely. Do you know your purpose in photography?
Lightroom is more powerful than ever, and you can complete quite a few edits in the application without needing to switch to Photoshop. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to edit wedding portraits using a wide variety of techniques, all in Lightroom.
Being self-critical is too easy or too hard, but in both cases, it can be difficult to be effective with it. In this video, Nigel Danson takes you on a shoot and discusses some of the ways he ensures his photography is improving.
Morning red needs some special requirements to appear. Find out how to plan and photograph red sky to get a masterpiece.
Bird photography is not an easy genre in which to find success; it takes a fair amount of both specialized equipment and knowledge (a lot of which is outside photography) along with a lot of time, patience, and effort to find success.
Whether you’re using full auto, aperture priority, shutter speed priority, or manual mode, there’s a setting that could make your life easier. Here’s why it could be useful to almost every photographer out there.
Do you want perfect photos? If so, then maybe you are barking up the wrong tree. In your quest for perfection, you are losing an essential element from your images.
Landscape photography often takes at least a bit of editing to produce a completed image, and as such, you will usually be doing some kind of editing work on the sky. Lightroom's newest version has a wide range of useful tools for doing this, and this excellent video tutorial will show you some of the options for selecting and adjusting a sky and the pros and cons of each.
Lightroom is a more powerful and nuanced application than we sometimes give it credit for, and there are some useful features that are easy to overlook. This awesome video tutorial will show you five hidden features in Lightroom that can make your work life a lot easier and more efficient and even improve the quality of your images.
Wet plate collodion is a photographic process that dates back to the mid-1800s. It involves using antiquated equipment and processes, including toxic chemicals and is difficult to master. So, why would a modern-day successful commercial photographer be interested in pursuing this? And what insights could his journey provide?
While many photographers have probably stitched together a handful of images to create a panorama, this scientist has taken things to a whole other level by using a staggering 8,439 pictures.
The camera industry is quite the well-oiled PR machine, with short update cycles that get photographers drooling over new gear every few months and a lot of hype drummed up over the latest and greatest camera or lens — some deserved and some not so much. This great video essay discusses five things camera companies will not tell you, and it is well worth giving it a listen.
Shooting the night sky, whether by itself or as part of a landscape, can be a magical thing. The problem is that with such low levels of ambient light, any manmade sources can quickly overwhelm the stars and ruin the frame. So, how do you deal with light pollution?
Every photographer starting out with artificial light should work exclusively with a single strobe until they are comfortable with the basics of lighting, but once you feel like you are ready to move on to more advanced setups, the first step, of course, is to add a second light, which opens up a wide range of creative possibilities.
Portrait lighting is about a lot more than simply creating a technically balanced image of your subject; it is your chance to exercise your creativity and show off your subject in a compelling and interesting fashion.
Whether you want to do it professionally, donate your talents to a shelter, or just want to create some nice memories of your favorite pup or kitty, pet photography can be a tremendously fun and rewarding thing to do.
Knowing how to light, pose, and shoot a good portrait is only half of what it takes to produce a compelling final image; you also need to know how to retouch in a tasteful and balanced yet creative manner.
You've probably never used a circular fisheye lens properly, which is to say in the manner it was designed. It's okay, almost no one has.
The lens is probably the most important piece of gear any photographer will carry, having a tremendous impact on the technical and creative qualities of your images.
Shooting off-camera flash outdoors can be tricky, as you need to contend with the brightness of the sun. This means that the flash can get pretty close, especially if you want to get a really soft light on your subject. What if it is in the frame?
When I was first starting out, I got deeply into conversations about style. What is this thing that will get me hired? How do I get it? Recently, I’ve realized that a photographic style isn’t the be-all and end-all magical thing that many beginner photographers think it is.
Using flash for portrait photography is something that scares a lot of photographers, but once you master it, you will wonder how you ever worked without the complete creative and technical control it offers.
When it comes to retouching, or more concretely, the removal of unwanted objects from photos, there are a few things you can do to make the editing a lot easier. In this article, I share three questions you can ask yourself in the field before taking your photos. Those questions will help you to get much better starting material for your retouching.
The Curves adjustment panel is probably one of Adobe Photoshop's most frequently used tools, right alongside Levels. But did you know that there is a tried and tested way to quickly get perfectly color-corrected images every single time? Knowing this basic technique will save you hours of time and effort when learning how to color correct your images in Photoshop.
Seven years ago, I have stopped using photography rules, which massively improved my photography. But there is one rule that makes the difference between an average shot and a masterpiece. And it is something different than you might think.
A lot of new lenses are amazing. Although the quality of the predecessors was already good, the new generations are even better. But with the amazing quality comes a size, weight, and prize. You should ask yourself if these are the lenses you need.
While clear blue skies are often desirable simply for the nice weather they bring, when it comes to landscape photography, they are rather boring and can make it hard to create compelling images. It is not impossible, however; it just takes a bit of adjustment to your technique and creative approach.
Shooting on location can be a stressful time. So, what are some of the questions I ask myself before heading out into the wild?
Two of the most fundamental and important features in Photoshop are layers and masks, and it is rare you will ever edit an image without using one or both of them.
Along with shutter speed and aperture, ISO is one of the three fundamental parameters for determining the correct exposure of your images. ISO is a bit different from aperture and shutter speed, however, as you almost never use it for creative purposes like the other two. So, how do you manage it properly?
Following on from my article about the seven elements of art and how they can perfect your photography, I thought I would share a summary of the principles of art. Knowing how they work can make all the difference to how well your compositions work.
The seven elements I wrote about were line, shape, form, space, color, value, and saturation.
Flat light in an otherwise interesting photo can be a frustrating thing, but with the dynamic range and post-processing latitude of a lot of modern sensors, you can do quite a lot to reshape an image in post and turn it into a compelling photo.
It's taken me years to figure out the myriad reasons why my photos weren't always as sharp as I expected. You can cut out all of that learning time by watching this one video that sums it all up.
Creating a high key background and adding rim lights is a fantastic way to add a really professional touch to your images, but doing so can take three or four extra lights on top of whatever you are already using to light your subject, often making it particularly cumbersome. What if you could add the high key background and rim lights using just a single light?
There are a lot of different facets you have to learn and master when you are starting out as a photographer, and as such, things can go wrong due to a variety of reasons.
Are you feeling a bit stuck creatively lately and unsure of how to break out of the rut? This fantastic video tutorial will show you 100 interesting and creative photoshoot ideas in just six minutes, and it is sure to help you find the inspiration you need.
When it comes to often-neglected topics that deserve a lot more attention than they get, color theory has to be near the top of the list. Understanding how different colors interact and how you use them to complement, balance, or play off each other is a fantastic way to start making more creative, harmonious, and compelling photos.
Landscape photography is a tough genre that requires a lot of factors to all come together in order to produce a successful image, ranging from technical aptitude to creative vision and even a little luck with the conditions. As such, it is important to be aware of common mistakes that can derail you in your pursuits.
Joe DiGiovanna is creating an incredible 30-year time-lapse of New York City; so, if there is anyone to ask about proper file backup strategy, my money would be on him. In this helpful video tutorial, he shares five great tips to ensure you are backing up your files properly and effectively, just in case disaster strikes.
The look of light filtering through a window to light a subject is both quite recognizable, even to the non-photographer, and a fantastic way to give your portraits a natural and elegant look. However, depending on where your studio is and when you are working, you may not always have the luxury of perfect window light.
When it comes to building a successful photography business, the ability to know where and how to find new clients is crucial to long-term survival, as they will not always come to your door.
You are going to learn how to book more photo clients now! It’s easier when you ask the right questions. This blog will guide you through the first client meeting. It's the most important meeting where they decide who to hire and for what budget.
When it comes to dodging and burning, you probably think of using it on portraits, but really, it is a technique that can improve your photos in just about any genre, landscape photography included. If you are wondering how to apply it to your own work, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to do it entirely in Lightroom.