Variety is king during a one to three-week landscape photography trip. Visiting a few points of interest per day ensures at least one spot will work out. But to take your photography to the next level, it’s crucial to revisit the same location many, many times — and not just for the weather.
There are several reasons why I am an unabashedly massive fan of SmugMug Films, the docu-series produced by the eponymous SmugMug.
Photographer Magic Owen was offered the opportunity by HUNGER Magazine to set her own brief for a shoot at the gorgeous venue, Castle Ashby. Having been given the chance to shoot in a location that magical with such creative freedom, Owen decided to create a modernized Wonderland style shoot.
I shoot for a clothing boutique and we shoot outside at the same area weekly. To say I have overused the available locations is an understatement. Sometimes I find myself on the side of the road, next to a rundown building I’ve shot at 20 times already, and think to myself, how in the world can I make this different? I’ll bet most of us have been there at some point.
Recently, there has been a push to have photographers keep their shoot locations secret, as park administration and others are asking photographers not to geotag their images. I don’t agree, and think this practice is counterproductive.
You’ve covered your bases for that ever elusive amazing sunset shot: you’ve checked the time for sunset, mapped the exact location of the sun, and have composed a few frames so you know what to do when you get to the location. But what about the location itself?
How many times have you snapped a beautiful scene, only to be disappointed when your images don’t adequately represent the reality? Though the camera’s images sometimes fall short, have no fear, because bracketing is here.
As a landscape photographer I'm always looking for unique locations. Living in Arizona, I seek out ghost towns, abandoned mines, and old airfields, military or civilian.
In this behind the scenes article, see how I set up my studio in the athletics office of my school and shot a series of intense portraits of my college football team.
The holiday season is upon us and dreams of new camera gear are dancing in our heads. Our email boxes are full of offers for deals on lenses, flashes, tripods and of course those new mirrorless cameras. If only we could have it all, our photographs would be so much better.
What’s the best way to explore Iceland as a landscape photographer? Many photographers swear by camper vans: you can drive up to the best location, scout it during midday, then stay overnight to shoot until sunrise.
A chilly September morning. The crispness in the air added weight to the solemn moment. My composition was all figured out. I patiently waited for the final elements to come into place.
It doesn’t always take expensive equipment to make big changes to the mood of a shot. Here are a couple ways I found to improve my portraits with a tool I didn’t so much buy as I found laying in the trash.
You're shooting the landscape, a dense forest rife with fantasy vibes perhaps, but there just isn't the fog you wish there was to complete the scene. Well this video has you covered and can help you get that little extra atmosphere in a pinch.
It's easy to assume that the best portrait locations are tricky to find and awkward to get to, but this short video shows you that some of the best spots might be just around the corner.
A rare sight was captured at the Jersey Shore this week. When photographer Jon Entwhistle saw a peculiar sight, he aimed his camera to the heavens and virality ensued.
We're heading into the realm of storybook fantasy with this week's Lighting Breakdown that blends natural and artificial light.
A rainstorm and a muddy field can make football look great, but if your camera gets soaked, you might miss some great shots. Being inadequately prepared to shoot in inclement weather could be a really expensive mistake.
What’s on your bucket list? It’s not too difficult to tour cultural icons that have shaped history, but what if you want to discover unique landscape locations that aren’t well known?
When photographing commercial interior images, a common issue is an unsightly glare on reflective surfaces. Removing these reflections by compositing image layers significantly improves your images, separating you from the pack of "run-and-gun" real estate and interior photographers.
There never seems to be anything new or exciting to shoot around our hometowns. For me, it seems like I’ve photographed everything at least once if not twice by now. So what should we do? Perhaps taking some advice from a self-proclaimed advance selfie artist might help.
When photographing interiors, flash is your friend, but a friend who needs some management. While flash brightens rooms, reduces glare, and brings out true colors, it can also produce the frustrating issue of ugly shadows.
Do you ever take photos of your favorite live musicians but feel your shots don't do the performers justice? Learn the inside tips from a Leica pro concert photographer on how to perfectly capture the atmosphere and emotions of a live gig.
There’s no shortage of bucket list destinations, but Scotland is a pretty special place. My first photography trip was to Scotland, and my last trip in the UK ended with the Scottish Highlands.
If someone came to you and said you're going traveling and for one reason or another can only bring one lens with you, what lens is the first that comes to mind? How many of you would think of a solid 35mm prime?
Golden hour and blue hour are the best times of day for landscape photography. However, depending on where one lives, it might not be practical to be out shooting at those times during the summer.
Having a perfect background is one of the most overrated factors in photography. Here are several tips for getting amazing shots when your session restricts you to shooting in a boring area.
Shooting natural light can be great, but the beauty of flash is the control you have over the power and shape of the light. Sometimes though, a combination of the two is best, and this excellent tutorial will show you exactly how to effectively mix them for a dramatic portrait.
What happens when one photographer wanders through a foggy scene with only a prime lens that we don't typically associate with landscapes? If this was you, do you think you'd be successful or frustrated using this particular prime in this scene?
If you’re especially sensitive to wanderlust, exercise caution before clicking the play button. As if Iceland and the Faroe Islands aren’t already alluring, a little 4K drone footage is the fastest way to convince me to spend a chunk of change on a flight.
This article is for first time visitors to Sydney, Australia. The city and its beaches are riddled with picturesque spots so it will be difficult not to find a unique location. I will include the general areas around the beautiful harbor.
Sometimes, it's more fun and interesting to stop shooting every portrait at f/1.4 and instead find locations that complement or juxtapose with your subject to create more compelling photos. This helpful video will give you 10 location ideas that should be accessible for just about everyone.
What happens when you pack up an entire production crew, a bunch of kids, and a thrifty budget, and drive south for 24 hours to New Orleans to capture images in the Louisiana swamp? Matt Barnes shares a behind-the-scenes video of the production of his personal project, entitled Hell or High Water.
Are you ready to photograph some lavenders? Do you know when and where to go? Here is the answer and everything else you would like to know.
When you're shooting outside of a studio, finding the perfect location can be a bit of a challenge. This great video will show you nine locations with lots of potential that you can likely find somewhere near you.
Recently Jared Polin, better known as “The Fro” visited The City of Lights to add to his portfolio more time-lapse and slow-motion work. Polin takes his viewers along as he journeys through Paris, offering tips along the way.
What’s on your travel bucket list? Iceland? Norway? New Zealand? Ever considered Siberia? Neither did I, but after this two-minute video, that just might change.
Justin Bettman is a portrait and editorial photographer based out of NYC and I first came across his #SetintheStreet project while scrolling through Facebook. I thought it was a fun, creative and unique project that was worth sharing! I love that the art kind of lived on after the shoot itself with him leaving the sets in place for people to engage with. So cool, right!?! With that said, I decided I had to interview him to find out what are his processes in creating these photographs.
One of the trickiest things about being a portrait photographer is being able to come up with a variety of backgrounds in a small area in a short amount of time. Here are five tips to make it easier.
In the new online course from Masters of Photography, street photography icon Joel Meyerowitz discusses his career, his technique, and teaches students how to apply those lessons in becoming a better photographer.
Getting ready for your next landscape photography expedition? If you want to bring back winning shots, you need a variety of great places to shoot. Points of interest are easy to find, but the easy-to-find places are prime targets for hordes of tourists.
Almost regardless of the content in the scene, so much of what makes a great landscape photograph is simply being where you need to be at the right time. Would you rather be a skillful planner or would you accept pure dumb luck if it means you get a great shot?
Let's be honest, how often do we get perfect conditions where everything just simply falls in the right place?
Here in NJ we are lucky enough to have four seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Maybe I shouldn't say "lucky" because it would be nice to have warmer weather year-round but the seasons do make for taking great photos. Though it's the first week of spring, we were just slammed with another big snow-storm and hopefully the last.
When it comes to taking a great photo, many photographers argue that it starts and ends with great composition. I’m not sure I’m so black and white in my outlook, but good composition is hugely important without a doubt. And one of the most overlooked parts of great composition is adding foreground interest. Today I will discuss how foreground interest in your photos can really improve your end results, and what you can do to nail the foreground every time.
One of the iconic events at the Gulf Photo Plus Photo Week is the shootout. Each year, there are three professional photographers who are given a topic and about 20 minutes to think of an idea, execute, and post process it.
As a photographer, becoming a digital nomad empowers you to see the world as a native, not as a tourist. It’s helped me take better photos, boosted my creativity, and given me more time to dedicate to photography outside my day job. You don’t need to wait till you hit the road: you can start becoming a digital nomad now before you ever sell your house.
Concert photography is probably one of the most appealing genres to shoot for any photographer. When I first picked up a camera, the only thing I wanted to photograph was my favorite bands as they played live. Our good friend and Canon Explorer of Light ambassador David Bergman is launching a pretty unique live workshop called Shoot From the Pit that will not only let you work side by side with David himself but also shoot a variety of artists as they perform live.
I have always loved shooting in ugly places such as gas stations and abandoned buildings, but it took me a while to learn how to make these places look magical in my images. You can't just put a beautiful woman in front of these places and expect it to work.
A couple of flowers, some DIY, and basic Photoshop skills along with a strong creative vision in mind is all you need to make a stunning image. If you are starting out in photography and want to get into fashion, beauty, or fine art but have a rather small budget, you should definitely look at this inspiring behind-the-scenes video of Bella Kotak.
