The 85mm prime is a pretty highly regarded focal length for a lot of portrait photographers, with most boasting a deliciously wide maximum aperture. But is it simply too awkward a focal length?
Golden hour is a magical time of the day for photography, characterized by warm and soft light that can turn even the most mundane scenes into stunning works of art. This period occurs twice a day, during the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, and is highly sought after by photographers for its dreamy and ethereal qualities.
It’s no secret that COVID put a bit of a damper on anything in person, especially large group gatherings, like conferences and trade shows. But as time has moved on, has the photo conference world fully recovered?
Have you ever set up your lights, gone through the poses, gotten back to your computer, and realized you have taken some perfectly competent but uninspiring photos? If that is a situation you have recently found yourself in, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced portrait photographer sharing three different ways to reinvigorate your images.
I spent a few weeks testing the new Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 lens for Fujifilm, and in the accompanying article and video, I share my thoughts on one of the most exciting third party lenses on the market today.
We spend a lot of time working on perfecting our retouching technique when it comes to hair, skin, and eyes, but just like those aforementioned aspects, the lips are also a crucial part of the face, and as such, they deserve equal attention in the post-processing phase. This excellent video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of retouching lips in Photoshop to ensure your portraits are in tip-top shape.
Tutorials on using a 1-light setup for portrait photography are commonplace, and rightly so. There are several ways that a single light source can be positioned to create flattering lighting on a subject. You might think that switching to a 2-light setup would be twice as complicated. This isn’t the case. There are several 2-light arrangements that are easy to understand and quick to set up. Using 2 lights can make it easy for you to transition between a clean headshot and a dramatic portrait.
By far, one of the common retouching requests photographers receive when editing portraits is to lighten dark circles under the eyes. Thankfully, it is not an especially difficult problem to address, and this excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to do to lighten those circles in a convincing and high-quality manner.
A lot of portrait photographers are scared of working with artificial lighting, but it is a skill that is well worth learning, as it will make you a more capable and versatile photographer and better enable you to realize all your creative visions (and those of your clients). If you are new to working with flash, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you a simple and highly effective one-light portrait photography setup.
In this article and the accompanying video, I will show you how to create four unique portrait looks using one light and v-flats.
Of all the things that go into making a compelling image, posing is perhaps the thing that photographers struggle with the most. If that is something you have trouble with, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you three easy posing techniques for when your subject is sitting on the ground or floor.
The nice aspect of learning things like camera settings and lighting is that these topics can often be objectively quantified. On the other hand, something like posing is a bit more nebulous and something that many photographers struggle with even when they have mastered other aspects of portrait work. If posing is something you are still working on learning, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to pose a full-body portrait when working with a non-model.
As a landscape and seascape photographer who also shoots surfing, I'm not too embarrassed to say that my understanding of indoor lighting setups is not where I want it to be. This video here is extremely helpful, especially if you'd love to get those gorgeously mysterious rim light shots.
Blurry pictures are a nightmare. When you simply have to recover detail on images you've taken, this is the video to watch. Photographer and author Glyn Dewis goes through three mainstream programs, Luminar Neo, On1 NoNoise AI 2023, and Topaz Sharpen AI, that he uses to evaluate and try to improve his blurry image.
There are myriad ways you can light your subject in portraiture, and whether you're jaded by your go-to setup, or overwhelmed as to where to start, this video can help you add some more styles to your arsenal.
Conventional wisdom in studio portrait photography tells us to avoid shooting portraits wide open. But in this video, I will show you why I shoot portraits wide open all the time, and you should try it too.
You can spend a lot of money on lights and modifiers for portrait photography, and while there are certainly reasons why professionals invest in expensive equipment, you can absolutely create professional-level portraits with the most affordable gear — even a shoot-through umbrella and speedlight. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know.
When you think of portraiture, you might think of large, diffused light. However, there are lots of applications of hard light in portraiture, with beauty being just one genre. In this video, watch as Lindsay Adler creates stunning portraits with harsh lighting.
As a portrait photographer, learning how to work with artificial light will enable far more creative exploration and free you from needing to rely on certain times of day, locations, and conditions. The best place to start is with a single light. This great video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of working with a single speedlight and how to use it to create a professional-level portrait.
Approaching people on the street and asking for a portrait can feel uncomfortable — both for you as a photographer and for the person you’d like to photograph. Watch how one street photographer uses his experience to get some fantastic images.
Studio photographers are often admired for their lighting skills, and for good reason. Creating compelling portrait lighting is not only extremely difficult, but requires lighting gear, backdrops, and a shooting space. Editing can play either a small or large role in the final image. Have you ever wondered how much of what you see was created in camera, as opposed to in the editing room? In this article, I will show you some before and after images from my own studio work and lift the veil on my editing process.
The awesome thing about shooting portraiture in a city is that there are so many options for locations and looks, meaning you can easily create a large volume of worthwhile images in the span of just an afternoon. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the options and wondering what some of the best locations are, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you five of the best spots for your next shoot.
The 85mm focal length is a staple in photography, with many portrait photographers gravitating toward it. Is this new 85mm f/1.2 version the new king of portrait lenses?
Though it fell out of use for a while, the Fresnel lens has regained popularity for portraiture work, where it can provide a sharp and impactful light quality that is still flattering on the subject's facial features. If you have not used a Fresnel before and want to learn how to employ one to create compelling portraits, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.
I have quickly become a big fan of the Sigma Contemporary lenses for Fujifilm X Mount. A few months back, I reviewed the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, a lens that delivers superb image quality and performance in an extremely small and well-constructed package. More recently, I had a chance to test the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 and 30mm f/1.4 on the Fujifilm X-T5, and I was once again impressed by the results.
