Life isn't always about working our tails off just so we can turn around and blow our earnings on whatever the industry tells us the next best thing is. It’s time to take a step back from your hard day at work and think about some of the other things your hard earned income could be affording you. Like a six figure side-biz slinging wieners.
Some families head down to their local mall to get their portraits taken. However, if you’re Commercial Photographer Blair Bunting, then NFL superstar and photography enthusiast Larry Fitzgerald is your go-to man for the job. As a pre-Mother’s Day gift, Bunting surprised his mom with an exclusive photoshoot with the Arizona Cardinal’s wide receiver that left her speechless.
Telling a joke to an audience large or small can be a risk. An edgier joke can offend as many people as it amuses. Using humor in photography carries that same risk. Many photos can have a natural humor, but when a professional photographer is tasked with creating a humorous photo from scratch it can be serious business.
We recently released Where Art Meets Architecture 3 with Mike Kelley, our newest tutorial on photographing hotels and resorts. With this new tutorial comes a new behind the scenes series and in Episode 2, Mike reveals a lot of tips and tricks of the trade.
Who knew that you could remember to shoot in raw by throwing eggs on the floor? If you're looking for something to get through your Monday morning, this funny video should help.
An unnamed man living in Wisconsin hired a photographer to catch his sunrise mountaintop proposal, but all did not go to plan.
Just when you think you've seen it all, Skittles comes out with a new ad like this. Skittles has always done some weird commercials but this one is definitely on the top of the list, especially with mothers day right around the corner. I personally do not see how this is a way to advertise Skittles, but hey... who am I to talk? At least the audio is nice and crisp!
One thing to remember in life is that there is always someone cooler than you. Today, it's this guy. He decided his '96 Suzuki needed a little boost to be sold, and I don't think anyone could have done a better job. Even I want to buy that little car now.
Do you feel the need to constantly widen your aperture? Do you feel inadequate until you drop five figures on that medium format body? If so, you may have Gear Acquisiton Syndrome (G.A.S.). Luckily, Noventus is here to cure it.
Quick! Can you tell me why a super high transmittance radially asymmetric flourite element is so important to your images? If you can't, that's probably a good thing, because I just made it up. This web app that mimics the sometimes excessively jargon-laden marketing material of photo companies will give you a good laugh.
Ah, cats. You love them or you hate them. The noisy, little furballs with personality to spare are often the subjects of pet portrait photographers and cat ladies everywhere. A few minutes thumbing through hashtags like #cutekitty, #catlover, and #kitten on Instagram will produce more of that feel-good vibe than I can handle on most days. One pet photographer took cat photos to the next level and created a set of pet portraits that don’t necessarily generate as much of that cute and cuddly feeling as others.
Sometimes as adults we draw our creativity from our children, there is something so innocent and fresh about how they see the world around them. Occasionally a few will include their children in this process and we are usually left with something both clever and adorable at the same time. This is what Stephen Crowley has done with his daughter Hannah, Photoshopping his images to create a story of a mischievous little girl always getting into dangerous situations.
Are you a digital artist and feel like having a laugh at the expense of ‘ole Puti’ himself? If you reside in Russia, you may want to tuck those feelings neatly into your pocket and carry on – unless jail-time is appealing to you.
Alex Cooke wrote a post last week about Pepsi's fiasco of a TV commercial. The ad seemed to offend the majority of people who watched it, causing Pepsi to quickly pull it. On Saturday SNL did their own skit on what they believe it was like on set seconds before they were ready to film.
The New York Times, purveyors of excellent 360-degree video via their The Daily 360 section, inadvertently took the concept of “chimping” to a whole new level.
It’s been posted nearly everywhere by now. The official White House portrait of the first lady, Melania Trump is being criticized all over the web for its 1980’s-esque vibe and overall lack of quality. The image has photographers everywhere claiming that they could have produced better, however, given that it’s highly unlikely that you’ll receive an opportunity to photograph the First Lady in a studio environment, I’m interested in how the community thinks the portrait should look.
There is nothing sacred anymore. The one file format agreed upon and standardized across the industry for its minimally processed data directly from the camera sensor has apparently been the target of a recent investigation headed up by Film Lovers Association of North America. There is evidence that while the raw file format advertises and guarantees lossless capturing, about six years ago it started using compression from time to time. This became a habit, and before Raw knew it, it was staying up until sunrise with known compressors like JPG and GIF. PNG recently released a statement condemning the fellow format's recent actions saying "it is like I don't even know who Raw is anymore."
You can't work in the photography industry for any length of time without developing a few pet peeves; it's only natural. Surround yourself with anything for 8-12 hours per day, and a few things are bound to get on your nerves. So, what is it that drives photographers up the wall? A lot, it seems. A few brave photographers and other industry professionals shared what makes them crazy. Is your personal pet peeve on this list?
Two days after its release on YouTube, "Nerf John Wick" has racked up over two million views and counting. So, I reached out to Corridor Digital to learn more about the people and techniques behind its making.
Kaiman Wong is back at it, showing that a Nikkor 600mm lens can shoot clay pigeons too – just not in the destructive sense. Who will win?
Lincoln, NE: A local photographer is causing a ruckus in his city's Facebook photographers group after he claimed he could shoot a better version of an image another photographer posted.
If you haven't seen this guys work before and you're a fan of ridiculously convincing composites then you're in for a real treat!
Cinematographer Garth De Bruno Austin was recently shooting a film on rhino poaching when one of the rhinos walked right up to him and waited to receive a belly rub, which Austin happily provided.
We live in a world constantly fascinated by technology. We want the TV with the greatest definition. We want the tablet with the shiniest screen. And, as photographers, we always want the most expensive gear and the most elaborate new toys. But the more you grow as an artist, you'll quickly realize it's the man that makes the equipment, not the equipment that makes the man (or woman).
Tampa, Florida: A local photographer canceled a sizable contract from a prominent car magazine after finding out the job would require using the Pen Tool in Photoshop, noting: "I'd rather nail Jell-O to a tree."
So wham! Rumor has it that apparently two years to the date, or at least the same week, we get a sequel to "The Dress." The not so red strawberries.
For those trying to balance their passion with their paycheck, here's a quick word on the joys of taking the leap, and the sweet taste of being unemployed. Well, sort of.
San Francisco, CA: A local man who recently brought his newly acquired DSLR to the Golden Gate Bridge has announced the founding of his photography business.
If you follow world class retoucher and owner of Solstice Retouching, Pratik Naik, you already know he is something of a jokester. Routinely posting quirky comments, mostly photography or retouching related, Pratik could very well be the Ellen DeGeneres of our industry, although I can't say for sure until I see him dance. Pratik's blog often carries over many of his antics.
They say every relationship needs humor in it, and if that's the case, this marriage should last a long time. All it took was a T-rex costume.
As we start filming our newest tutorial, "Photographing the World With Elia Locardi 3," this seems like a timely video. When we see the gorgeous images landscape photographers produce, it's easy to think that landscape photography is an ideal profession for spending all one's time taking images of the most beautiful places on the planet, but the reality isn't always that glamorous.
Us photographers are bizarre creatures. It is as if holding a camera exchanges the focus of your preservation instincts from yourself to the camera and lenses. The camera's tunnel vision sometimes appears to extend to its user and all that matters is what is in that frame. Perhaps we are brave and valiant artists capturing beauty in whichever obscure corner we find it. Then again, perhaps we are idiots seeking notoriety through the capturing of the unique and the rare; the jury's out. Whichever answer -- or anywhere in between -- this common mentality among 'togs yields entertaining anecdotes.
If you've ever assisted, you've probably done something that truly tested your commitment to getting the shot at some point. For this one, that meant the possibility of being turned into a human tumbleweed.
You may recall when a few months back I posted an article comparing the monetary cost of photography gear to, well, not so common things. The intent was to provide a bit of respite from the day to day thought process common amongst photographers. You know, the one that often has us busting our butts for equipment we most likely don't really need to begin with. It's time for part two.
A woman whose photo was taken while eating at a Chipotle in 2006 believes she is entitled to $2.2 billion after it was used without her consent.
If you want to spend the new year with a solid laugh, you can thank Jonathan and Judith for this fun photography excuses generator. As a Denmark-based couple that have honed their skills in photography while appealing to a wide range of clientele around Europe, they have created a great, fun bit by poking fun at their own profession. The generator is simple: clicking refresh allows you to go to the next excuse.
The Golden Ratio? Psh. That's so 2016. If you want to really take your photography to the next level, it's time you step up to the Platinum Ratio.
Even if you're not much for holiday films, chances are you've seen the Will Ferrell movie, "Elf," that came out in 2003. It's a silly but fun tale of Buddy the Elf searching for his real father in New York City. The trailer seen here though, created by Cinefix, would have you believe that Buddy might just be an insane psychopath, spreading Christmas cheer in the form of violently stalking a person he believes to be his dad.
It's not exactly a secret that Casey Neistat loves drones. And so, when you've explored all the glorious facets of flying a drone from the ground, what do you do next? You let the drone fly you, naturally.
In this high-tech, fast-paced world, we all "snap pics." I'm going to go ahead and venture a guess that the majority of us tend to do so from our phones, since we now have these amazing portable devices that can provide a decent exposure for us. What has come out of these great technological advances is a larger-than-ever movement of aspiring photographers... which is great! The internet is now more saturated than ever with some pretty decent amateur work. So my big question for you today is, does this in-fact hurt the Professional Photographer?
Look, accidents happen. Unfortunately, the worst happened to a $30,000 RED Epic while shooting on a bowling alley. A dumb idea? Or was it planned?
We have all heard about drones being used to spy on people. Which is extremely difficult, as most drones don't even have a zoom lens;,unless we invest the money into a drone that can use different lenses or one with a larger resolution to crop the image. After hearing about the GoPro Karma failing to fly, and the awesome new announcements by DJI, this has nothing to do with any type of drone news aside from a little humor.
If you happen to have been on the internet at any point in the past month, you’ll likely be well acquainted with the Mannequin Challenge, a new viral sensation in which participants remain still for the duration of a video recording, usually soundtracked with hip hop music. But now one wedding photographer, Suzanne Delawar, has taken things up a notch by managing to convince an entire wedding party to get involved.
Most photographers have experienced some kind of image theft, or had someone take a little too much inspiration from their work, and just straight up replicate their photo. But in a case I recently discovered through an article on Retouchist, travel photographers Jack Morris and Lauren Bullen have fallen victim to a copycat. The difference being that their apparent number one fan actually travels the globe in order to mimic their images.
You may not realize it, but by now you could have financed your very own all inclusive one week stay in the Caribbean, BBQ'd for over 500 friends, and still had money to spare. Maybe you already have all of the equipment you need, but can't avoid the hype surrounding all of the latest photo-gear. Set your G.A.S. aside for a moment and take a minute to think about how you could spend your hard earned cash on this, or that.
We're all aware of the problems that come from wedding guests with DSLRs or an addiction to selfies, but perhaps never before has the issue been captured so succinctly and hilariously. "Unplugged" simultaneously shows the frustration of the modern wedding photographer and makes a strong case for guests to sit down, put their cameras and phones away, and simply enjoy the ceremony, all while giving us a good chuckle in the process.
There's nothing wrong with saying your opinion when it has sound arguments. It is normal to have different preferences when it comes to photography style, lighting, gear, and post processing. However, many times people don't put themselves in the shoes of the author and don't know if there was a pebble during the photoshoot.
With Halloween just a week away, it seems fitting that I’ve got an article for you today that involves a black metal band. Last week, Wedding Photographer Janet Wheeland was out with a couple for an engagement photo session. While they did have a theme of "Forrest Gump" going in to the day, later that evening things would take a black, leathery, face-painted turn.
The competition for the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is now closed, but you can have a look at the numerous entries which photographers have submitted. And I must warn you, these are photos of the derpiest animals you have ever seen!
Photography and critiques seem to go hand in hand. If you've spent any time on social media you know exactly what I mean. Critiques can provide valuable insight into your work but that of course depends on the source. What if that source was a computer? Meet Keegan, the artificial intelligence photo critic that aims to be your personal photo coach.
