In this episode of The Slanted Lens, Jay P. Morgan is running around downtown Los Angeles capturing some product photography. He demonstrates how he is able to create interesting compositions and work with natural light to get the most usable shots possible with just a camera and a reflector.
Creating an image that appears “sharp” is something I struggled with for a LONG time. I read countless articles on the topic and invested heavily in gear thinking that was the cure. While gear can certainly help, I believe there are a few key areas to focus on in order to create images that are tack sharp.
Tabletop product images, especially those shot top down, are very popular in recent years. They can give a clean and minimal design esthetic while still clearly showcasing all components of a product. It's no wonder these types of images flood many company social media pages.
Many people have interesting stories of how they started photography; I do not. One of my chief motivators for starting was being a part of a car community in which a few members used to take macro photographs of insects. I was fascinated by the detail and intricacies of things I'd previously ignored, and so, I bought a cheap second-hand DSLR with a kit lens and a macro filter.
When shooting catalog images of product it is very important to have consistency throughout the project. Oftentimes a single product might have several versions and each has to be shot separately. Since we want to ensure a consistent look for our clients we have to make sure the product lines up perfectly from shot to shot across all versions.
Thomas C. Corley, author of Rich Habits, wrote that the the most successful business owners create multiple sources of income. Seasoned photographers have experienced the ebb and flow of the portrait business over the years and know that the best way to stay afloat is to be consistently adaptable. Maintaining multiple baskets for income to be generated is key to surviving a slow season.
If you've recently wrapped watching the 80s throwback "Stranger Things" on Netflix, you are probably filled with plenty of nostalgia by this point.
When I got into wedding photography twelve years ago, I didn't know a single photographer who was shooting macro shots of their clients' rings. Today, these shots have become expected, and hopefully, if you're a wedding photographer, you've got a macro lens in your bag so that you can capture professional-looking shots of the rings.
If you were looking for a tool for tracking your online as well as offline purchases for your business, look no further, because I have personally found the best tool that will end all tools for you: OneReceipt.
Canon and Nikon have been dominating the professional DSLR market for a while now. Photo accessories such as strobes triggers show that well. However, with the increasing popularity of Sony’s mirrorless cameras, flash manufacturers couldn’t stay with only “Canikon” options. Elinchrom apparently understood that with their Skyport HS and is releasing it’s Sony version today.
Kodak made big waves at this year's Cannes Festival announcing 12 features shot on Kodak film. Including Olivier Assayas’s film "Personal Shopper" staring actress Kristen Stewart, where he took home the award for Best Director and was given lengthy five minute standing ovation.
You have to be really into iPhonography if you're going to share your pocket with awkwardly bulgy lenses. Finally, we can thank BLIPS for their micro and macro lenses that are so thin, you can still slide your phone into your pocket after you literally just stick on the lenses.
Underwater housings are infamous for being just about as expensive as the body they’re meant to house. They do an important job — that is, they keep your camera from complete ruin in the water, and they do it reliably (what other way is there when it comes to oceanic saltwater?).
It's been two years since the Leica T was revealed. Touting an undeniably sexy unibody design and a brand new lens mount, the T showed that Leica was serious about staying relevant in a technology-focused climate.
For those of you who don't know who Pratik Naik is, you're missing out on an extremely talented and witty retoucher with immense talent. Known by many as Solstice Retouch, his work is seen around the world in many a marketing campaign and commercial work.
Softpanels LED lights claimed three awards at NAB 2016, and it’s easy to see why, with innovative features such as auto skin tone enhancement and auto balance feature for matching color temperatures.
It isn't often that a t-shirt for photographers comes along that I'd be willing to wear. So many of them talk about how I shoot people, or how I'm going to snap. Not things that I want to declare to the world, thank you.
When SLR Lounge Founding Partner Pye Jirsa, noticed his studio's IT needs had grown to 'beast' levels, he decided they should perform a series of tests to find out which machine was best suited for their needs.
Camera straps are about as ubiquitous as cameras themselves. If it weren't for the dreadfully uncomfortable ones that come with most cameras, you'd think they're pretty hard to get wrong.
For a few years, the names in the game of digital video technologies have remained pretty constant, especially in the professional or prosumer category. It’s not often you have a company jump onto the scene swinging, promising to release what could be one of the most versatile systems to hit the market in a while; this is exactly what Craft Camera has done.
Some may be dubious of the merits of ENG cameras over their sleek and stylish film counterparts, such as the 8K F65 Cine Alta or Arri Alexa, and they wouldn't be entirely wrong. While ENG cameras have long been pigeonholed for their clunky construction and weight, much of network television depends upon their workhorse-like live sports coverage capabilities.
It's back! There's a huge sale on the ever-popular Nikon D750. Today on eBay, you can purchase it for only $1,299, but you'll need to hurry; there's a limited quantity of these awesome cameras.
"The Daguerreotype Achromat Art Lens is a revival of a lost esthetic that disappeared from photography some 175 years ago. Based on the Charles Chevalier's historical lens model and built using a unique achromat design, you can now create modern images that look like world's earliest photographs bathed in a powerful, alluring veil of light."
Street photographers are a funny breed and have special requirements for their equipment.
For years, videographers shooting in dark situations frequently ran into the issue of a ton of noise in darks and shadows that would oftentimes make some footage difficult or impossible to use.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing Syrp's awesome, affordable, perfectly executed Genie Mini time-lapse device. However, time-lapse photography and videography barely covers the beginning of what can be done with the New Zealand company's awesome devices. The Slanted Lens' Jay P.
Think Tank makes some of the best camera bags on the market period. Their bags are so well designed that I've actually become a bit cynical when someone announces the "next breakthrough camera bag" because, well, there isn't really much more I need other than my Think Tank Airport.
In February, Sony announced their new "G-Master" lineup of full frame zoom lenses, with fast apertures and made specifically for their mirrorless camera options, like the popular the a7rII, or even the recently reviewed a6300. In this video review by Chelsea and Tony Northrup, they got to kick the tires of the new 24-70mm f/2.8 Sony G-Master lens, and were impressed by the results.
Leica T users rejoice! Leica has officially announced a Summilux 50 equivalent for your aluminum wonder that gives you the benefits of autofocus, electronic aperture control, and metadata to go along with the blazing fast glass. I had an absolute pleasure spending some time with the new 'Lux and was able to put to get a good feel for it in the real world.
It was the fall of 2014. I was happily wrapping up wedding season, shooting all week and every weekend with my arsenal of 5D Mark IIIs and L glass. All was right, until one event caused me to turn to the dark side.
I’m here to tell you that Nikon hasn’t really done anything for me. However, I have no intention of turning back!
Helped by great design, marketing, and a superb product to boot, Syrp’s motorized time-lapse aid, the Genie, became incredibly popular with photographers. As the product that launched the company on Kickstarter three years ago, it was a premium offering, though. And sometimes, it’s useful to have something fantastic in a “light” version. Enter the Genie Mini.
After the successful release of the Skyport Transmitter Plus HS that brought Hi-Sync capabilities to the Elinchrom lineup, the Swiss flash manufacturer now introduces the new Skyport Plus System. While many thought the Skyport Plus HS was the replacement of the old Skyport, it was not. The transmitter announced today is the real replacement.
The smaller size, lighter weight, and ability to get a high angle shot has made the monopod a useful tool for many photographers and videographers, especially for subjects like sports, wildlife, and run and gun situations. I got to review the new 3Pod Orbit Monopod to test its features on a couple of different projects to see how it holds up to real world shooting scenarios.
If you're one of the many photographers out there with one of the most popular digital cameras on the entire market, the Nikon D750, you're going to want to grab it and check the serial number to make sure it's not one of the affected units in this new service advisory. Read on to learn if yours is affected and how to send yours in to Nikon for free.
Phase One released its new camera body last year, the XF. However, it was not clear if it would ever be compatible with the Leaf Credo backs. It was first said that it would be, and then, months later, the support told everyone who'd ask about it that they could not give any answer. Well, today we finally have one: Leaf Credo backs are compatible with the XF body.
In the retouching world, graphics tablets are pretty much a standard. I don’t know of many retouchers that only use their mouse to get the job done. Graphics tablets allow for a more precise, and thus refined, work. They also used to cost a fair amount of money, but that was until Huion came along.
While most professionals may have overlooked the latest DSLR to come out from Canon, the 80D, there are a few new features that are important to note.
Just behind Nikon's announcement of the D5, Canon comes with their own anxiously-awaited update to their flagship DSLR: the new EOS-1D X Mark II. Building on the experience of both the 1D X and the 1D C, the 1D X Mark II features a modest increase in resolution to 20 megapixels, instead counting its improvements mostly in the areas of image quality, autofocus, and speed.
Flash meters are often seen as archaic and of no use anymore. However, good flash meters such as the L-478DR can make photographers and assistants lives much easier. Even more so with the two new products Sekonic releases today.
The Westcott Ice Light has been around for awhile, and a number of photographers in the community on our site have shown it to be a part of their kits. Whether they're being used to light cars for an automotive shoot, or for food or small product photography, one thing that's been noted more than a few times is the steep price.
Last month we wrote about Sigma's announcement of their new ceramic filters which promise to add an extra level of protection for your front element over traditional glass filters, among a few other benefits. Well now there is a video to accompany those claims which goes to show just how much extra protection you can expect, and it looks very promising!
I’ve always been a fan of big lights. There are certainly situations where they aren’t appropriate, but a lot of my work is centered around big, soft light. What has always drawn me to large sources of light is their versatility. Almost every subject looks good with soft light.
It’s safe to say that this camera doesn’t suck, and in the hands of someone like Tim Kemple, who’s at the top of their game, the results are pretty incredible. I got the chance to chat with Tim about his thoughts on using the new Phase One XF 100MP camera, including what happened when he flew it on a drone over a waterfall.
Ever tried to photograph a subject, only to find out that you don’t have enough depth-of-field to get the whole thing in focus? Typically our first reaction is to stop down to increase our DOF. Unfortunately that doesn’t always give us the results we expect.
When Nikon's new flagship DSLR, the D5, was announced this week, the fact that it achieves a maximum ISO of 3,280,000 seems to have grabbed all the attention. That is until now, with a released video showing the 12 fps shooting power in all its glory.
Leica certainly has their share of both rabid fans and harsh critics, but no matter what side of the fence you may fall on, there are two undeniable facts tied to the red dot. The first is that they are priced into the stratosphere. The second is that their lenses are almost universally the best in the world.
Sony's 50-megapixel sensor found in the latest 645 medium format digital CMOS bodies brought such cameras down in price considerably for the first time while extending ISO usability to the more DSLR-normal ISO 6,400. Today's announcement brings a new iteration of that technology in the form of the IQ3 100MP, also in a CMOS flavor.
Product photography is a great way to experiment with lighting and editing techniques. For me, it’s a chance to shoot in a relaxed environment where I have complete control over the subject, lighting, and camera. I can set up something small in the living room and find solutions that can be applied to my portrait work or professional product photography. It also requires a lot of creativity.
Photographer Tony Northrup got his hands on the new Osmo from DJI, which records a 4K image on a gimbal stabilizer through its built-in camera. The whole thing fits into an incredibly small, handheld package and sells for around $625. Is it up to par with competing products, and is it as awesome as the hype has led us to believe? Northrup answers those questions and more.
In case you missed it, Tim Cook and company opened their doors (well, some of their doors) to Apple and gave 60 Minutes' Charlie Rose an inside glimpse of their world. They talked about how they operate, what the future holds, and of course, the late Steve Jobs, among other things. But one interesting segment they shared was how their iPhone’s camera is designed and tested.