Recent Opinion Articles

The Power of Resilience as a Photographer

I hold these truths to be self-evident. One, things don’t always go the way we’d like them to. And two, how we respond to failure is equally, if not more important than how we deal with success.

Is Every Photograph From Chernobyl a Lie?

Pripyat, once a town of 40,000 people and now a short distance from the world's single most deadly object, stands inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. As I waited to get a coffee at the tiny shop alongside the Zone's checkpoint, I cringed slightly at the array of glow-in-the-dark knickknacks on sale. Chernobyl, the site of the biggest nuclear disaster in history and now a slightly Disney-fied tourist destination, is a reminder that photography's "truth" is always a little suspect.

The Kickstarter Plague: Why You Should Stop Paying for Crowdfunded Photography Gear

In theory, crowdfunding seems like one of the beautiful perks of the Internet: any entrepreneur with an idea and the will to bring it to fruition can receive the financial support of interested patrons from all around the world, and in return, those patrons get early and/or discounted access to an exciting new product. The reality is rarely so rosy, and as a consumer, you need to be aware of that.

Delivering Images and Video for Non-Calibrated Screens

You've probably seen thousands of articles on screen calibration and you may strive to deliver perfect images and videos. Unfortunately, in the end, your client views them on their non-calibrated way-too-blue or way-too-orange screens. Sometimes they say "looks good to me." Other times the response may be "it's too dark," or "it's too blue." They may even edit your photos to make them look "better." How do you handle these situations and is it really critical for you calibrate your monitors?

Camera Predictions for 2018

2018 is coming up fast and Tony Northrup has uploaded his latest video with his camera predictions. Although predictions can very often be wrong, it doesn't stop us from trying. On occasions, many of us, including myself, tend to make predictions based on what we hope to see in the future.

Blurred Lines Between Science and Art in Photography

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between a technically accurate photograph and one that has been modified, enhanced, composited (you pick the word) in order to give it a broader audience appeal. Nature is both stunning and surprising in its raw magnificence which begs the question: why should we mess with it at all in photographs?

Canon's Rumored 6K Cinema Camera: Is Canon the Right Brand for Cinema?

There aren’t many brands that have been so thoroughly lambasted over the past few years as Canon, and for good reason. Despite their reputation as a manufacturer of durable, functional camera tools, they are notoriously tight fisted with their technology. But what has looked like antiquated engineering is starting to look more like a calculated long-term strategy to play the field as it lays. With rumors emerging about a new 6K cinema camera to rival Sony’s Venice, Canon looks like it might be ready to play a new game.

Adobe Releases Final Lightroom Update for Standalone Version

Adobe announced yesterday their 6.14 update for Lightroom is now available. The new update addresses bugs that were introduced in the previous release as well as additional camera raw support and profiles. Good news, right? Well, this will also be the last update released for perpetual customers.

Take a Risk to Live Your Photographic Dream

As the year draws to a close, I'd like to share a personal story of my own journey. While everyone's story is different, I hope that you are able to find some lessons in both my wins and losses that will help you to push forward and make the coming year even better than the last.

Regaining Your Creativity

What do you do when worst-case scenario hits? When even after doing your best to prepare for it, it cripples you, and you feel like you're stuck in a depressive "Groundhog's Day" of going through the motions?

Netflix Personalizes the Images of the Movies You're Browsing

Netflix is using AI to follow viewer habits. The AI then chooses the best image or photograph to present and advertise movies that it thinks you would like. It makes sure the movies put their best foot forward and shows you the best side of it, based on your preferences. If you're an action movie type, it's going to choose photos of the movie that best shows this side of the movie. If you're one for romantic films, it'll show images that portray emotions that you'll experience watching the film.

A Defense of Rooftop Photography

The unfortunate and widely-reported death last week of 26-year-old rooftopper Wu Yongning led to a lot of discussion regarding rooftop photography, personal responsibility, and the blurred boundaries between urban exploration, parkour, and "exposure porn" - i.e., hanging from the edge of buildings or balancing at incredible heights in order to create photos, videos, and short-lived internet fame.

Don't Let the Creative Hustle Make You a Loner

Working as a freelancer or business owner in a creative field often gets a glamorous image attached to it, but the reality (as we all know) is often that it means long hours of grinding away all by ourselves. This video reminds us that there's more to life than just work and the key to happiness is finding balance.

Six Strategies to Help Creative Photographers

I have a question for you: do you ever struggle with new ideas in your photography? Want to be more creative and productive? Maybe it's time to change how you think about ideas and creativity.

Enjoying the Holidays May Mean Putting Down Your Camera and ‘Clocking Out’

For many of us, the holidays are about spending time with family and friends, exchanging gifts, travel, and leisure. If you’re the photographer among your family and friends, chances are it’s expected that you’ll capture the love and joy and all of the genuine smiles with your professional camera, because after all, it’s what you love to do, isn’t it?

Is 'Shot in the Dark' Netflix’s Most Tasteless Show of 2017?

Netflix’s new eight-part documentary “Shot in the Dark” casts focus on three rival Los Angeles-based video journalists as they chase down the “story of the night,” all with the aim to sell their footage to the news outlets for the morning news. But as the city consumes itself through the night, does the slick production fail to address the morality of the journalists altogether in the hunt for a "Grand Theft Auto"-style brand of entertainment?

At Least 'Justice League' Had the Visuals Right

This is not a movie review. While I'm definitely ready to offer some opinions on the film, I'm not here to review the movie. You can find plenty of reviews already out there and there certainly won't be any spoilers found here. Rather, this is an appreciation article for one aspect of the "Justice League" movie (and other DC superhero/Zack Snyder films) that is done very well. Visually, "Justice League" looks pretty damn cool. It looks and feels dark and moody, like the pages of a comic have been brought to life. For everything that they don't get right, the visual mood of the DC superhero movies are stellar.

Why You Should Make a Yearly Year-In-Review Photo Gallery

It’s that time of year again, where your Instagram feed is flooded with everyone’s best nine photos, courtesy of sites like 2017 Best Nine. And while it’s great that there’s an algorithm that can count the likes and spit out the “best” photos, there’s some merit to making a yearly compilation of photos that you like best rather than some software.

The Secret to Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

Sometimes it pays to try and identify the key virtues I have found in others that help them build their career, their life, and make their dreams a reality. Today’s hidden skillset? Taking advantage of opportunities.

How to Structure a Screenplay

With the advent of digital photography, more shutterbugs than ever have taken to calling themselves photographers and many have even gone into business for themselves. Now, with those same digital camera manufacturers offering better and better video options embedded into each iteration of their flagship still cameras, more and more photographers have added the word “filmmaker” to our business cards and taken aim at everything from short films to features. But being a real filmmaker requires more than the ability to just produce stunning images.

Fake Supermoon

OK, I’ll say it: the majority of the supermoon photographs on social media are not very good. When I began working on this article, I was truly looking forward to writing about the “10 Best Supermoon Photographs on Social Media.” But at the intersection of Instagram and Twitter, I took a wrong turn and just kept going... straight into the full-on dumpster fire that is the world of supermoon photographs on the Internet.

I Just Made Three Grown Women Cry

I handed it over and Jennifer just looked at me stunned. Her lower lip trembled and then, overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes welled up before tears rolled down her cheeks and she began to cry. Smiling, she turned to Emma who was sat on her left. She grabbed her hand reassuringly and then also started crying before giving Jennifer a hug. Across the table, next to me, was sitting Lilly - with both Jennifer and Emma now in tears she also welled up and then began to cry too.

Traveling and Your Photography: Make the Most Out of It

So you've got some upcoming travel plans, maybe to a new destination or maybe to a place you like to visit over and over again. A favorite city maybe, a real home away from home. Obviously you take your camera gear with you with the goal of making the most of your trip. Do you plan ahead of time or will you be flying by the seat of your pants? We're all different, some people want a detailed itinerary while others want to enjoy some spontaneity, but we all want to come home with some great images. Having a plan (even a rough one written on a napkin) can help you to make the most of your travels wherever they may be.

Instagram Freebooting Is Out of Control and the Company Is Letting It Happen

As Instagram evolves, copyright violations don't seem to be an issue for this social media giant. More images mean more views which mean more ad revenue, and there is zero incentive for Instagram to take any serious action against reposters, lost as it is in this huge gray area of what constitutes a breach of intellectual property.

The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Next Idea Is Space Out

When was the last time you stood in a queue or sat on the bus and not taken out your phone to flip down your social feeds, be it Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook? And, if you can't remember or think about a certain time the past year, you need to think about consciously setting up a stage or time of your day where you actually do nothing, and get bored. Why? Because your best ideas come from your mind being free and unfocused, where it can run off to new areas of thought and consciousness and potentially release a new idea or concept for your next shoot or project. This video explains it in more detail. Pay attention to better not pay attention.

Compare and Despair: A Photographer's Guide to Positive Thinking

You’ve just wrapped up a shoot and excitement begins to swell in you as you prepare to review your pictures. You hope that just this once, you can walk away with deep satisfaction at the end result. However, to your dismay, just as you are preparing to review the pictures, you catch wind of a notification to view someone’s new Instagram post. That of which due to how polished it is, makes you look at your own work with despair. The spark you once felt for it is now gone.

National Monument Restructuring Puts Landscape Photography Treasures at Risk

Photographers across social media channels chimed in late this week as leaked documents were made public by the Washington Post on Thursday detailing the proposed size reductions and restructuring of both the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as well as the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Why You Don’t Have to Fear Street Photography

If you have a camera and access to a street, you can play with street photography. Like landscape photography, it’s one of the most accessible forms of the craft. If you’re anything like me, however, it scares the hell out of you. But it doesn't have to.

Never Stop Chasing the White Whale in Your Photography

I've got a simple question for you: is there a photo that you're chasing right now? An image that you're dying to get right? Your white whale (hooray “Moby Dick” references); something that you can see in your mind, you can picture it, almost feel how you want it to look. Whatever the genre, you know exactly what you're looking for in the mood, the vibe, and the scene. The chase and that drive can be something very useful to a photographer. It can inspire and motivate us to keep going, to keep improving, and keep working towards whatever image that we're chasing after.

Three Common Composition Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The composition in photographs is something that could make or break your photo, and sometimes it’s quite overlooked as well as its importance in photographs. Usually starting off in photography, this is one aspect of shooting that many people overlook. Don’t worry, they are some easy to fixes to keep in mind while shooting.

Photographic Virtues Series: Teamwork

In this series, I attempt to identify the key professional virtues I have found to be the most important in building my own career, as well as identifying traits of other successful photographers that are most key to their success. Today’s virtue: teamwork.

The Sigma 85mm 1.4: One Year Later

About this time last year, the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art series lens was released and I went ahead and decided to pull the trigger and invest in the new glass. I had heard great things about other entries in the art lineup and understandably Sigma's new 85mm focal length was getting a solid amount of hype. For the past year, I have been shooting exclusively with Sigma's 85mm. It's been the only lens in my camera bag and the only lens I've used for a straight year. What follows are my impressions after a solid year of use; what I like about the lens and what I don't like.

Five Things Under $20 You Might Need on Set

There are many things we have to remember to have with us while on set for a shoot, sometimes those things can be really questionable until you need them. Some of those things can be as simple as carrying extra screws with you, something you might not need but really helpful when you do.

Why Open Source Is in Just About Everything You Use

It always surprises me in photography that the sector as a whole seems wedded to spending money. Not content with the affliction of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) across amateurs and professionals, the sector likes nothing more than a few extra bags, filters, albums, prints, and yes, software.

Eight Tips You Should Try for Better Portraits

When shooting portraits, there are certain things or ways we shoot that help us achieve a better end result. We should all be trying to capture the best portrait possible, so if someone shares advice I usually give it a try to see if it works for me or fits the style of my work.

Star Eater Saga: The Sony a7R III Strikes Back

Despite an early report from photographer Drew Geraci last week, it seems that the Sony a7R III may still be affected by the so called “Star Eater” effect. What is really going on?

Photographic Virtues Series: Standards

In this series, I attempt to identify the key professional virtues I have found to be the most important in building my own career, as well as identifying traits of other successful photographers that are most key to their success. Today's Word of The Week? Standards.

Are Black Female Fashion Photographers Underrepresented?

The fashion industry is home to some of the most dynamic and fluid trends that the world has ever seen. No doubt, the existence of this ever-changing and highly creative environment is mainly as a result of the diversity and creative uniqueness of the individuals that constitute it. However, even with this seemingly all-inclusive and globally encompassing genre, there is a prominent neglect that seems to be growing even further: the underrepresentation of black female photographers.

What Is the Camera's Unsung Hero?

Cameras have always been at the forefront of technology. They've always pushed the boundaries of what's possible. Perhaps then it is unusual to have such a high tech sector so closely wedded to art. That is what makes photography such a passion for me. And while there will always be those that push the creative elements, with the camera purely a utilitarian device for achieving that, others will take the bleeding edge, create new imaginings, add unusual twists and embellishments, and take that edge even further. Commercially then, it doesn't pay to be second. Be at the edge and take advantage of it.

The Disappointments of a Newbie Photographer Nobody Talks About

Photography today is more accessible than ever before because cameras are everywhere: not only shaped as DSLRs, but in phones, tablets, laptops, and in the James Bond ball-point pen. It is easy to press a button a capture something your camera is pointed to. Lots of people are thinking about taking the snapshot game to another level: buying a professional camera and making professional photographs. Most of these purchases end with disappointments, but there's not much talk about them. This article will take a peek behind the scenes of the failures newbies face when they first try using a DSLR.

How Does Your Significant Other Feel When You Work With Models?

If you're a photographer who works with models, your line of work can naturally put you in situations that could easily make a significant other uncomfortable. This interesting video examines how one couple overcame their initial issues with exactly that.

Is Peer-to-Peer Renting the Future of Photography?

Peer-to-peer services have become very common these days with companies like Uber, Airbnb, and even eBay demonstrating how popular and huge those respective markets are. Platforms such as these have become a major part of daily life for many of us and the trend for growth seems very positive. The photography and videography industry is another that has seen immense growth in recent years, due to the number of new individuals joining the profession.

Stop Being a Photographer, Be an Image Maker

Last Tuesday, Adobe hosted an event in London, which was headlined by a keynote speech from Nick Knight OBE, the world-renowned fashion photography visionary. He spoke about his views on the world of photography and innovation in his field, whilst offering some fascinating takeaways for his audience, not least the blending of formats and mediums that has lead to himself retiring the term “photographer” from his CV.

Photographic Virtues Series: Adaptability

In this series, I attempt to identify the key professional virtues I have found to be the most important in building my own career, as well as identifying traits of other successful photographers and business leaders that are most key to their success. Today’s virtue: adaptability.

Post Production Faux Pas

Isn’t Facebook time hop great?! Every day I get to see the last seven to eight years of my photography. Like almost every photographer, I sucked when I started out. My actual composition and use of the camera weren't too bad, but my post-production was horrendous. The best way to describe the post processing is “heavy-handed.”

Impressionism Versus Traditional Art: Thoughts of a Commercial Photographer

Whether you think about conceptual art, impressionism, or high fashion, they are all deviations from the traditional art expressions. Is the emperor naked, or do these forms of art have nothing to do with that well-known story? Is it possible to make more profit from impressionism than from traditional photography?