Recent Portraits Articles

[BTS] Timothy White Shoots for "Cowboys and Aliens"

Well, It seems like the video doesn't allow embedding so everybody check it out HERE

This is a great behind the scenes video from Timothy White as he does the promotional photography for Cowboys and Aliens. I'll warn you, there's not much about the technical side of photography, a lot of these shots are done with natural light, but you can see most of his lighting set ups when he does use lights, and he talks at length about environmental portraiture and creating a dramatic image.

[BTS Video] Toronto Maple Leafs Photo Shoot

Here's a great behind-the-scenes time lapse video from photographer Finn O'Hara. It's from a photo shoot he did for the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team. They set up on the ice and it was an 18-hour production. You'll see the ginormous maple leaf backdrop, measuring 55 ft by 85 ft. Fantastic work from our neighbors to the north!

[Video] How To Light A Person For A Video Interview

We get asked to show our lighting for our Fstoppers Original interviews all the time but it seems like we always forget to shoot our lighting schemes. StillMotion just released a killer video that shows how they light interviews with key, fill, hair, and background lights. By using Profoto's new HMI lights with Air remotes, you can easily change the output of each light without moving from behind your camera. Of course all of this still applies to still photography as well.

[Video] Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800

The Canon 5D MkIII and the Nikon D800 are two of the hottest cameras on the market right now. In this video commercial photographer Nathan Elson joins up with The Camera Store's Chris Niccolls to see how these two cameras stack up in the image quality department. Enjoy!

[BTS Video] A Frozen Face Cover Shoot by Finn O'Hara

Here's a behind the scenes video from Toronto photographer Finn O'Hara. It was for a recent cover story about Toronto smokers in a magazine called The Grid. O'Hara explains that the story is "a confessional tale of the stigmas faced by smokers every day in Toronto, and what it takes to finally kick the habit. To illustrate the commitment of a winter smoker, we enlisted a

[BTS] Chris Crisman Shoots Lifestyle Photography In Florida

Chris Crisman is a advertising and editorial photographer who, after a series of missed jobs, set out to add an entirely new branch to his business, lifestyle photography. This video offers a behind the scenes look at his trip, as well as a glimpse at how he shoots and some of his lighting set ups.

SLR Lounge Interviews Headshot Photographer Peter Hurley

Pye Jirsa from SLRLounge.com recently sat down with Peter Hurley for an exclusive interview. Peter talks about his history as a photographer, his DVD, his favorite gear, business techniques, and PH2. Peter is a huge character and as always he makes the interview a pretty entertaining watch.

[BTSV] Drew Gardner Shoots "The Zebra"

I feel like a lot of us would be hesitant to bring an unruly dog to a photoshoot, but London based photographer Drew Gardner has really pushed the envelop with his latest image “The Zebra”, which involves, you guessed it, a zebra! In the video Drew gives us some insight into the planning of the shot, as well as some great footage of the shoot.

[BTS] Tyler Stableford Demos The Canon 1DX And 600-EX-RT Speedlite

Canon Explorer of Light Tyler Stableford is making it into yet another post on Fstoppers. This time, he was out on a shoot testing the capabilities of the new Canon 1DX DSLR and the 600 EX RT (currently available for pre-order) by shooting some action shots of alpinist Steve House working with some ice climbing gear. In this video, Tyler shows us how he is using the Speedlite to get the look he wants, while having some fun with the new 1DX.

[Journalism] World Press Photo's 2012 Multimedia Contest Winner

Remember the World Press Photo contest winners from earlier this year? Well, World Press Photo recently introduced (just last year, actually) a similar contest for multimedia and video entries. The winner is a stark, harrowing, and sobering documentary view into the Kommandokorps in South Africa, an apartheid-era relic that still lingers in the country.

[BTS Video] Monte Isom Shoots Sergio Martinez for HBO

Good friend of Fstoppers and Commercial Photographer, Monte Isom, takes us behind the scenes on his latest shoot with world class boxer, Sergio Martinez. Click through to the video to check out his lighting placement and setups. Enjoy!

[Video] 90-Minute Richard Avedon Series

This is a series of videos that make up a fascinating 90-minute documentary about the great Richard Avedon. It's called "Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light," and first aired back in 1995 as part of the American Masters Series. If you're like me, you could spend hours watching things like this.

[Inspiration] ReDefine Talks Celebrity Portraits With Brian Smith

A few weeks ago, Fstoppers caught up with celebrity photographer Brian Smith. If you didn't take the time to read the article, don't worry because ReDefine just published a video interview with Brian from Tamara Lackey's recent interview out in Vegas. What I love about people like Brian is he's quick to point out the real defining element of his work: his relationship to his subject. Male photographers often get caught up in

[Video] Go Behind The Scenes With Mary Ellen Mark

I've always been a fan of documentary photographer, Mary Ellen Mark. Having published over 15 books, she has taken some of the most compelling images and is considered a living legend. In this video, she talks about the state current state of documentary photography and gives helpful advice to those trying to break out in the field. She is shooting on a Mamiya 7 II camera with a 55mm and 65mm lens. She lit her subjects using a Profoto AcuteB 600 Air and an AcuteB Head with a Profoto Zoom Reflector attached. Click to full post to watch her in action.
Fstoppers Reviews The New Pocket Wizard Plus III Radio Triggers

Today, Pocket Wizard has rolled out the newest in their line of wireless flash triggering devices: the long-awaited update to the industry-standard Pocket Wizard Plus II, the Pocket Wizard Plus III. We at Fstoppers have been playing with them for awhile, and we're here to give you all the details, including an exclusive video look at the new Pocket Wizard Plus III. Continue to the full post to see it all. [Pre Order The Pocket Wizard Plus III Here]
[BTS Video] Behind The Scenes with Portrait Photographer Fritz Liedtke

As an owner of a Lensbaby, I'm a big fan of what these lenses can do. In this video, Lensbaby goes behind the scenes to interview commercial and fine art photographer, Fritz Liedtke. Obviously there are other ways to get similar effects that Fritz shows us but by using the Lensbaby Composer Pro and the Edge 80 Optic, he is able to see it instantly and directly in the camera. Fritz is right when he says that having a couple of these lenses allows us to expand the possibilities for our work. Click the full post to watch the video.
[Stock Photography] Yuri Arcurs Explains How To Sell Stock Imaging

We've featured Yuri Arcurs, the worlds most successful micro stock photographer, many times here on Fstoppers. In a time when people complain that the value of photography has gone the way of the buffalo, Yuri has created an empire on images that cost less than $1. In this video Yuri explains exactly what makes a great stock image and what it is specifically [read full story]
[Pics] The Best Fstoppers Facebook Group Photos of January

It's that time again! Time to feature the best photos uploaded to the Fstoppers Facebook Group through the month of January. I truly believe that if you're looking for some inspiration to pull you out of your latest photo rut, the Fstoppers Facebook Group is a great resource. So here they are Fstoppers, check out the Best of January 2012.
[Interview] Pulitzer Winner and Celebrity Photographer Brian Smith

Name a celebrity. Yep, go on. Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Zooey Deschanel, Ben Stiller, Samuel L Jackson. How about an athlete? Serena Williams, Jeff Gordon, Shaquille O’Neal. Brian Smith has worked with them all. I recently sat down with Brian for an Fstoppers exclusive interview and he was glad to share his insight, techniques, and advice with us. Check out the full post for the entire text.
[BTSV] Photographer Brings Marvel's Emma Frost To Life

To keep chugging along through the daily grind, most of us have to make work fun so that it becomes, well, less like work. Darrel from BGS Studios is a fantasy and sci-fan photographer who obviously loves what he does: making the fantasy just a little closer to reality. Click here to watch the BTSV and see the finals from his Marvel-Comics-inspired Emma Frost shoot.
[Video] The Photographers Behind Their Iconic Photos

Photographer Tim Mantoani has been working on a 5-year project called “Behind Photographs”, where he has been capturing the artists that were responsible for some of the iconic images that have shaped our culture. In this video he talks about his process a bit more, and shows the rare 20x24 Polaroid camera he used. Very cool historical piece here, it’s an interesting juxtaposition showing the photo with the photographer.
[Photos] These Puddle Portraits By Photographer Ira Fox Are Unbelievable

If you thought Jasper James's City Silhouettes were crazy wait until you see Ira Fox's Puddle Portraits. Using the natural reflections caused by rain puddles, Ira has captured the world in an interesting yet pyschodelic way. The results are one of a kind, and it just goes to show how thinking outside the box can pay off in a big way! [Full Post]
[FS Spotlight] Photographer Antoine Verglas on Lingerie, Swimsuit, and Fashion Photography

Every guy wants to be Antoine Verglas. The esteemed French-born photographer spends his days shooting the world’s most beautiful and charming women in the planet’s most exquisite locales, often while they’re wearing some of the world’s tiniest clothes. Tough life, right? His gorgeous portraits go beyond the obvious, however, exhibiting an unsurpassed aesthetic, powerful sexuality, and undeniable sensitivity appealing to both the sexes. You’ve seen his photographs in Maxim, Sports Illustrated, GQ, Elle, Esquire, and Vogue, so now learn about living the good life from Verglas himself! Check out his full interview with FS Spotlight.
[Free Video] Preview The Art Behind The Headshot With Peter Hurley

The response Peter Hurley's downloadable tutorial The Art Behind The Headshot has been receiving over the last few months has been unbelievable. Peter's technique has changed the way so many photographers approach working with models, and it's apparent by his facebook group that photographers of all skill levels are taking the best headshots in their portfolios. So we have decided to release one free lesson from the DVD for those of you who might still be on the fence. Peter's knowledge is expensive sure, but it's guaranteed to change the way you shoot headshots for the rest of your career. We believe in this so much that if you don't think your headshots are any better after watching 4 hours of Peter's instructions we will give you your money back guaranteed!

[Pics] City Silhouettes: Portraits Made Using Cities, People And Glass

Photographer Jasper James, who usually does advertising and editorial photography, decided to do a personal project he called "City Silhouettes". The concept is very simple - photograph cities through silhouettes of people. Check out this amazing set and read how this project started in the Full Post
[FS Spotlight] Mike Schreiber Shoots Hip Hop's Biggest Stars...With Natural Light

Mike Schreiber is not your average photographer. The renowned hip hop photog shoots natural light, has never assisted, and doesn't give a crap about your fancy digital camera. This badass photographer has shot for Vibe, Spin, Atlantic Records, The Source, XXL, and URB, and his portfolio is filled with incredible images of Erkyah Badu, John Legend, Mos Def, Diddy, MIA, and Nas. Not enough? Schreiber recently released his first book, True Hip Hop. I knew it was going to be a good interview when hip hop photographer Mike Schreiber’s e-mail signed off with the words “Find food. Mate. Don’t get eaten.” Check out our interview, where Schreiber talks about getting the shot, getting to the top, and keeping it real in the digital age.
[Video] 4,748 Self-Portraits And A Very Inspiring Story

Meet Jeff Harris, photographer, who in 1999 decided to start a personal project of taking a self portrait every day, and continues doing it even today. He wanted to make it different than most of the 365 projects, and make it more like a documentary. “I didn’t want 365 images of me sitting on the couch each day," Jeff recently told TIME.com, "There could have been that tendency, especially during the cold dark winter months to stay inside all the time, but this project inspired me to get out there and seek out interesting things”. There is a twist in the story, which makes it even more interesting and inspiring so I recommend watching the whole video and not skip or stop in the middle. Do you know anyone who's doing this kind of a project? share it with us on the bottom. Jeff Harris (via Time via PetaPixel)