Eight Tips to Speed Up Your Wedding Workflow

A few days ago, I found myself among a group of wedding photographers discussing how far behind they are with their editing. Answers varied, as did attitudes. Some felt they were only eight weeks behind, which was fine. Other photographers seemed anxious, with 17 or 18 weddings in a backlog lasting months. When it was my turn, I gulped. I said: "Two weeks. The wedding I'm delivering today was shot two weeks ago".

Timelapse With Surreal Camera Movements

Jess Dunlap created this masterpiece of a timelapse. What I really enjoyed about it was his very unique camera movements throughout the video, they really add some dimension to each section. I tell myself timelapses are becoming less and less intriguing, then I always end up eating my words when I see work like this. Not sure how he was able to accomplish some of these camera movements, but if anyone has any ideas please feel free to share because I am dying to know.

Healing and Fill Content-Aware Tools on Steroids Using Affinity Photo

Photoshop has been around for quite some time now. It works great and every photographer has gotten used to it. It is a staple in my workflow alongside Capture One and Photo Mechanic. Until a few days ago, I did not think I would hesitate changing my retouching routine. After a few years of trials and errors I am finally somewhere I feel comfortable with my post-production. However, after having installed Affinity I must admit that I might "cheat" on Adobe Photoshop.

Inspiring Videos of Wild Animals Reclaiming The Empty Streets

COVID-19 has certainly turned the world upside down. One of the most unexpected effects, though, has been on the streets in normally bustling cities. Taking advantage of the quiet roads, wildlife is starting to creep back in and reclaim urban areas. Instagram is now just as likely to show us a badger ambling along the road in Florence, Italy, as it is to show us a civet meandering in Kerala, India.

Which Focal Length Is the Best for an Editorial Photoshooot?

Every well-rounded photographer needs to be able to tell a story in three images or less. This is particularly important when shooting editorial content for online publications and in print magazines. On today's assignment, I explore three different focal lengths to capture a well-rounded story of a local musician.

Sony Unveils the a7II & 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G SSM II A-Mount Lens

Sony seems to be stealing the show this week, first with the US release of their new 16-35mm f4 and then the announcement of the world’s first stacked CMOS sensor, they just keep bringing the fire with today’s announcement of the a7II by Sony Japan. The a7II builds upon the already stunning a7 lineup with a plethora of upgrades, most notably its in-body 5-axis image stabilization, the first of its kind in a full frame body.

Using The Phase One System To Shoot a 110 Pound Koran And Other Priceless Relics

James Robinson is photographer at the 114 year John Rylands Library in Manchester, UK. The library is home to thousands of priceless books in every language dating back to 1000 B.C. The library is charged with the task of using the latest technology to turn every word into digital format. To do this, the photography staff uses the Profoto D1 and a variety of Phase camera systems to archive each treasure.

How to Edit Your Comet NEOWISE Astrophotos

Comet NEOWISE has been hanging around in night skies around the world for a little while now, and most photographers who have been blessed with clear skies have captured at least one shot of the comet. Beyond getting a good exposure, how do you process your astro shots for the best effect? In this tutorial, I'll show you how I edit mine.

G-RACK 12: G-Technology Brings Its First Network-Attached Storage Device to NAB 2016

Announced this morning at NAB 2016, the G-RACK 12 is G-Technology's first network-attached storage (NAS) device to the market. Featuring bays for up to 12 hard drives, the G-RACK 12 combines the company's proven direct-attached storage (DAS) reliability and speed with network access over quad 10-gigabit-Ethernet (10 GbE) ports for a super fast networked connection for virtually any small business or studio.

4 Unconventional Locations to Photograph in Bad Weather

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s now coming into the cozier and colder time of year. Fall is great with all its colors, but the dead of winter can leave photographers feeling drab and uninspired. Check out my four spots to photograph when the weather turns inclement to keep you photographing all through the seasons.

The Things I Wish I Knew Before Launching My First Kickstarter Campaign

As I close in on the last eight hours of my very first Kickstarter campaign, I wanted to share some of the knowledge I’ve gained through this amazing experience that might help other people who are thinking of launching a Kickstarter. It’s a daunting experience but one that can hopefully be improved by learning as much as you can before you start.

Gravity: A Detailed Look at the Oscar-Winning Special Effects

Prime Focus World’s Richard Baker and Matthew Bristowe breakdown a scene from Gravity, explaining how they converted the movie from 2D to 3D formats using View-D™ and how the special effects were fully integrated in the process. The videos below show the full breakdown of the special effects used in the film with interviews from director Alfonso Cuarón and more.

'Reverie of Vietnam' Is a Short Video Adventure for the Soul

For over two weeks in late March and early April, digital director and photographer Oliver Astrologo traveled through Vietnam exploring its best treasures. His 1,650 kilometer north-to-south journey takes the form of “Reverie of Vietnam,” a beautiful short video that places you inside the country face-to-face with the residents and the historic and natural wonders that surround you. Read on to learn more about the production as well as see many great images captured during the expedition.

What to Do If You've Been Sexually Assaulted

Recently a number of women have come forward and made some pretty strong accusations against a relatively well-known photographer, Jason Lanier. This has brought the subject of sexual abuse and assault back into many discussions.

We Review The Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Fujifilm

The 23mm f/1.4 Contemporary lens is the latest offering in Sigma’s lineup of fast, compact, prime lenses for Fujifilm X Mount cameras. With a 35mm equivalent focal length, the 23mm is sure to be popular for street photography, portraits, landscapes, and more.

Instagram Threatens Mountain Ecosystem

The latest victim of geotagging and Instafame is Mount Aspiring in New Zealand. Fears of damage to its delicate ecosystem are rising as thousands of people flock to the region in order to take the same photograph.

The Pressures of Social Media on Photographers

For years, photographers old and new would enjoy sharing their favorite work across social media sites such as Instagram. Sharing your images was fun and would create conversation, engagement, and perhaps sales. Nowadays, the situation has changed.

How to Create Multiple Lighting Setups With an RGB LED Light

As high quality RGB Led light panels become cheaper and more compact, more and more photographers and videographers are finding just how useful these little lights can be. In this video, I compare the new Falcon Eyes Pocketlite F7 light to my favorite RGB light panel as we explore a few unique lighting setups any photographer can create on the fly.

Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4: The GFX Mid-Range Zoom

The mid-range zoom is a staple for many working photographers. 24-70mm equivalent is one of those not-so-sexy-but-gets-the-job-done lenses that we all need in our bag from time to time. When it comes to M43, APS-C, or full-frame cameras, there are a plethora of options out there. In the form of the GF 45-100mm f/4, Fujifilm has attempted to address the lack of such a lens in the medium format world. So, how good is it?

[BTS] Ryan Schude Photographs "The Diner"

In this video , Ryan Schude walks us through his incredibly complex image "The Diner". This is an incredibly complex scene which was shot at an old diner in LA and was lit entirely as one scene.

Recreating An Iconic Hollywood Image Using Modern Gear

Guest Writer and photographer Phillip Schmidli wanted to harken back to memories of the movie ET with this stellar shot of the moon. To do so, he placed a model in front of the full moon and shot with a telephoto to recreate that famous scene from the classic film.

A $3 Improvement for Your Vagabond Mini Battery

Paul Buff’s Vagabond Mini is a great portable power source for flashes. I use these little gizmos all the time, and in many different situations. They charge quickly, and they allow for a fast recycle flash time. Here is a $3 improvement on the Vagabond Mini that has made a big difference for me.

Behind The Scenes With Fashion Photographer Mario Testino

Most guys are drawn to fashion photography for the over the top concepts and beautiful women. The issue is that most of these men will never truly gain an interest for fashion and sadly, shooting a pretty girl isn't really "fashion photography" at all. Mario Testino is to many, the top fashion photographer in the world. Testino rarely allows cameras to roll while he shoots but in these three videos we can get a glimpse of what a true fashion photographer is. Check out the full post for the other two videos.
Is the Most Famous Photography of Africa Fueling Stigmas?

This is an article I've been on the cusp of writing for some time. I was first jolted into this area of discussion when I heard someone refer to the photography of poorer cultures and communities as "white middle-class photography." I say jolted because — perhaps naively — I had drawn no parallels between types of photographer and types of subject before that day. Unlike most criticisms about photography, this comment didn't glide past me; instead, I found myself plunged into an internal debate. Are the loose motivations of "raising awareness for" and "the documentation of" these communities disingenuous and moreover, are they doing more harm than good?

Why Polaroids Are Still The Gold Standard For Model Agencies

Our generation has witnessed the death and rebirth of Polaroid Instant Film; yet it is interesting to note that most model agencies have always preferred the format as a staple facet in portfolios. From the model's perspective the idea of a harshly lit and un-editable image is less than ideal. However; standing in the shoes of the photographer or creative director, it is always best to have an idea what you'll really be working with.

Easy Ways to Use Backlighting in Studio Photography

Of the many lighting techniques available to us as portrait photographers, using backlight with a simple reflector is one of the most versatile and least expensive methods you can choose. This method is widely used outdoors, but did you know that you can apply the same strategy to studio portraits?

A Beginners Guide to Speed Ramping

A few weeks back I spoke about one of the advantages of mobile videographer. One of the key features I highlighted was the ability to shoot in slo-motion in 720p on most mobile devices. Let's not forget other DSLR's and video cameras that are able to shoot slo-mo in even higher resolutions.

The biggest question now is how do you go about utilizing the footage you've shot for yourself or a client? There are a variety of techniques we as filmmakers and videographers can use. One of the being speed ramping, which is when you use varying frame rates in a video to bring...