Build Relationships, Not Clients

Some years ago, I got started in photography and started looking to find clients that would pay me for my work. I showed up to client meetings, polite, cordial, and generic - hoping that my portfolio would "wow" them. I was sure that keeping a personal life and business life separate was the way to go, boy was I wrong.

Instagram Releases All New App Called Layout - But Where Does it Fit?

This week Instagram released an all new photo collage app to the masses called Layout. Similar to their last development, Hyperlapse, it's completely separate from the original photo sharing application. Though I am glad Instagram is branching out into new ventures, it feels as though this one might be a complete waste.

[News] Photographer Kills, Rare, Earless, Mutant Rabbit

The Limbach-Oderfrohna Zoo in Eastern Germany was holding a big media event to introduce three-week-old Til. Til was (that's right, I said "was") a rare earless mutant rabbit, that met a tragic end when a photographer took a backward step into the animal’s pen crushing him. Until that moment (ironically) Til was living in a private enclosure for his protection even though there had been requests to put him on show to the public.

[Video] How To Land An RC Airplane With A Camera Safely

These days RC helicopters with video cameras are becoming more and more common because you can control and land them in almost any terrain. Have you ever wondered how you have to land an RC airplane when there are no available runways? Apparently you have to fly them directly at yourself and then snatch them out of the air with your bare hand. Check out this fantastic video which shows the pilot in some pretty incredible locations catching the plane again and again.

Get A Grip: A Product Photographer's Guide To Using A-Clamps

When it comes to studio product photography, we use a lot of tools in the studio. Sure, there’s the obvious: cameras, lenses, and lights. But today I want to talk about one of those little indispensable tools that can really make all the difference on set. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the years of working in a studio environment, it’s that you can never have enough clamps! There’s always something that you need to hold in place, or simply rig.

Behind The Scenes of Snow White And Huntsman

If you haven't seen the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, then you'll want to go see it after watching this video. Filmed with the Red Epic camera, the amount of detail that went into creating the Mirror Man is amazing. The guys over at The Mill Visual Effects Studio did many tests with liquid before deciding to use cloth instead. Cloth provided more control over making the sculpture appear seamlessly out of the mirror.

A Real Guide on How to Win at Instagram, FINALLY!

At first when I saw the title of the document in question "The Photographers Guide to Instagram," I was hesitant and almost blew it off as yet another cliché, small list of tips and tricks that have been passed around for the past 4 years since the inception of the popular photo sharing app. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's much more than that, and a must-read for anyone finding themselves not maximizing Instagram for its full potential.

Should Photographers Have a Blog?

Blogging has always been a sore spot for photographers. After all, we didn’t become photographers to write, but instead, we became photographers to take photos. So why, then, is blogging necessary for a successful photography business?

Do You Use Animoto? Check Out This New Simple Theme

Animoto.com has revolutionized photo slideshow creation. I believe that for my wedding photography business in Charleston, slideshows are the most valuable form of marketing I have. I've always had one problem with Animoto though, most of their themes were really over the top. That was until they let me design my own.

Recreating Vintage Ads to Reverse Gender Roles

What happens when a visual artist overhears his uncles discussing how women "are better off cooking, taking care of the kitchen, and fulfilling their 'womanly duties?'" Eli Rezkallah, who's a photographer and a visual artist currently residing in Beirut, came up with the idea of creating a controversial set of photographs that reverse the traditional gender roles, that had been so strongly embedded within our society through advertisement during the twentieth century.

Are You Making Any of These Photo Storage Mistakes?

Whether you want to speed up your computer, or simply keep your photo archive safe and secure, check to see if you're making any crucial mistakes that you may come to regret further down the road.

Behind the Scenes B-Roll Footage of "Fury" Starring Brad Pitt

In this World War II period piece a steeled tank commander (Brad Pitt) and his crew of five men trek past enemy lines to attack the Germans when they least expect it. Fury was shot on Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 cameras using Panavision lenses. What I do love about this particular b-roll is that they show you what the raw footage looks like on the monitors that the director reviews before any post processing is done to it. You can catch Fury in theaters now.

english bulldog standing on beach at sunset

One of the main reasons why I love photographing dogs outdoors is the challenge of creating beautiful backdrops from the natural surroundings. One of my favorite ways to photograph dogs on location is to use a wide-angle lens to allow the sky to be the dominant background feature. When photographing dogs during the golden hour, incorporating a single speedlight or strobe in your outdoor dog portraits will allow you to effectively use the sun as a backlight and create eye-catching compositions at sunset.

How to Get More Traffic to Your Wedding Photography Blog

One of the most effective ways for wedding photographers to advertise for free is by blogging their work. There’s an old saying that goes something like “you can’t sell what you can’t show,” and it can’t be more true when it comes to our services. If we don’t blog, or show our work, how would a potential client find us? And guess what the best part is? Blogging is absolutely free!

Peak Design Wants to Bring You the Ultimate Camera Clip: Capture

Peak Design, who launched a successful Kickstarter Project back in 2011, wants to improve on their original camera clip design by making it stronger and more versatile. Their solution? The Capture system. What they're planning looks to be a beefed-up version of the popular Spider Holsters. It clips to belts, bags, backpack straps and the like and allows for easy and secure access to your camera with a tripod-like quick release system.

If You Think The Latest Premiere Pro Update Resolves Your Panasonic GH5 Woes, Think Again

Adobe and Panasonic are quickly gaining a reputation as the Simon and Garfunkel of the video industry. They need each other, but they just don’t get on. The latest release of Premiere Pro 2017.1.2 was announced with much fanfare of file handling for the problematic Panasonic GH5 10-bit 4:2:2 video files. Good news right? Think again.

Photographers Who Found Nemo And Photographed It

The Clown Fish wasn't always a famous fish that people recognize or know about, but thanks to Pixar and Disney, it became one of the most popular fish in the world. Visually of course, not on the plate. 'Nemo' is a bright orange fish with 3 white stripes. Easy to recognize, and great to photograph. The Clown Fish spends most of the day hiding in and around sea anemones, which make the photographs look even more epic. Check out these awesome photos of Nemo found on Flickr.

Bringing Quality to the Next Level: a Look at Schneider, Zeiss and Canon Compact Cinema Lenses

It's not easy to determine which lenses to purchase when there are so many options. After all, lenses are a lifetime investment. There's a new camera every season, but the quality and craftsmanship of a good lens will never change. In this article you can compare three brands in particular and look at the abilities of their compact prime cinema lenses.

Cool Use of Stop Motion Photography

You guys know me by now, right? I don't like shooting weddings, or bowls of fruit and definitely not maternity shoots. But when something is creative and unique I'm the last one to thumb my nose at it and that's why I had to share this little stop motion gem. Don't expect great lighting or dynamic photo techniques from this video, just appreciate the cleverness of this simple idea and the dedication it took to make this short video.
How Much of a Threat is CGI to Photographers?

There was a time when this question would have been laughable. Now, if you laugh it off, you're either in a a specific niche that dodges renders or computer generated imagery (CGI), or you don't understand the problem.

How to Take Over-Under Photos In Water

One of the things I love most about photography is the challenge of creating something new and refreshing. In today's behind the scenes video, I thought it would be fun to try to capture some family photos with a split view above and under the water.

Should We Be Paying for Firmware Updates?

Remember when Apple used to charge money to update your iPhone? While we’ve gotten rather used to free mobile updates over the past couple years, the trend is as strong as ever with our cameras. Should this still be the case?