The Great Debate: Why Gear Does Make You a Better Photographer
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In the world of photography, the debate over whether gear truly impacts the quality of a photographer's work has been going for years. Some argue that it is the photographer's skill and vision that matter most, while others firmly believe that having the right gear can significantly elevate one's abilities. This article aims to shed light on the argument that gear does make you a better photographer, by exploring how advanced equipment empowers photographers, enhances creative possibilities, and enables the pursuit of excellence.

Important Photography Lessons We Can Learn From 'Tish'
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There is an incredible documentary about one of my photographic heroes, Tish Murtha. Tish was a documentary photographer who grew up in the abject poverty of England’s Northeast. There are important lessons we can all learn from her work.

Return on Investment From TFP Shoots
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If you work with people, whether it be kids, families, seniors, adults, or professional models, male or female, then you have almost certainly shot a TFP (trade for print) shoot before. While the definition of TFP is flexible these days, as most commonly we mean "trade time for digital images" rather than physical prints, these kinds of shoots have and will continue to be an industry staple. The most important aspect of these shoots is the one thing that often gets forgotten: getting a return on your investment of time.

What To Photograph In A $6000 A Night Vancouver Hotel Room
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Photographer Dave Hamilton sent us a fun video he made a few weeks ago and I thought the photos were really interesting. It also reminded me of the time Lee and I shot in a similar hotel room :) So after telling Dave that our readers would really enjoy hearing more about his lighting and the setup, he created a second video outlining the entire day. Shooting in elaborate spaces that you aren't completely familiar with can be daunting and to execute a photo well you need to know how to maximize your light. It would be a shame to have a $6000 or $15,000 a night room and not utilize the space itself! Check out this video of the actual shoot and check out Dave's detailed video in the full post.

Dave Hamilton Photography Vancouver View Fashion Editorial from dave hamilton photography on Vimeo.

Lesser Known Photography Galleries: Seek Them Out
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If you’re into photography and you’re into galleries, I’m confident you’ve heard of New York’s MoMa, Toronto’s AGO, and London’s Tate Modern. But what about some of the lesser known galleries that are often given short shrift in favor of the bigger iconic galleries?

Raw Power 2.0 Update Supercharges Photos on iOS and Mac
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Raw Power is a standalone application, but also includes extensions for both iOS' and macOS' Photos applications that give you more creative editing control over your photos. In short, it's the extension that Apple should have included with Photos. And it just got a big update.

Shoot Bon Jovi With David Bergman For Charity
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A couple years ago Patrick and I were invited to film David Bergman shooting a Bon Jovi concert in New Jersey. The experience was one of the most memorable of my life and if I had to put a price on it I really couldn't, to me it was priceless. The same opportunity is now available to you. David Bergman is auctioning off the ability to shadow him at a Bon Jovi concert.

Fstoppers Reviews: RadLab, an All-in-One Ps-Based Editing Platform
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I hang out with a lot of wedding photographers and have heard them raving about RadLab, the Photoshop-based editing platform from the guys at Totally Rad!, for the last three-or-so years. The thing they love most about RadLab is the ability to visualize the change a setting will make before applying it — no more Command Z. Over the last couple months I've been using RadLab in tandem with my normal Lr and Ps workflow and have, overall, been very pleased with the results.

Impossible Project Announces Their New Instant Film Camera
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Impossible Project, the awesome folks that have been bringing you film for your Polaroid 600 instant cameras and even the ability to make Polaroid prints out of your camera phone images, have just announced their all-new instant film camera and it sounds awesome.

Astro Panel X Pro's Latest Version Should Please Astro and Landscape Photographers
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I've taken a look at some earlier iterations of Astro Panel over the years, a plug-in designed for automating and enhancing both astrophotography and landscape photos. I found it a powerful addition to my editing arsenal, and it was easy to use but could do some very sophisticated editing. This new version from photographer Angelo Perrone adds more than 80 new astrophotography and landscape functions, as well as some features to support portrait editing.

[Video] Do More with Your DSLR Series (edutainment)
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Vimeo Video School with help from Nikon are turning out a video series called "Do More With Your DSLR", that aims to help educate photographers.
The series does a pretty good job at making, seemingly complicated topics, easy to digest and is visually entertaining to watch. Each video even comes with an in-depth post to help break it all down for you.

Why Less Is More for Portrait Retouching
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I regularly get asked on Instagram how I edit my studio headshots and yet keep them looking natural. In truth I’ve spent years learning the intricacies of Capture One Pro, Photoshop, and the various retouching techniques that are frequently discussed.

Coffee Shops: The Worst Place to Work From as a Creative
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Being a freelancer, I used to love going to coffee shops and working away there. It seemed convenient at first, as there were plenty of like-minded people doing freelancer things. Little did I know that by going to coffee shops, I was actually harming my productivity.

A Timelapse For The Haters
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Typically I am not a fan of timelapses or stop motion videos. However, sometimes I come across one that is done so well that I am left with no choice but to admire the beauty and creativity of it. Christophe Thockler is one of those magical people that have momentarily turned me from a hater of timelapses, to a lover of them. Christophe's 4 minute 33 second video "Degiheugi - Un Jour comme un Autre" consists of more than 35,000 photos, 120 timelapses and 160 hours of shoot time.

Using Apple’s Airpods on Set
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You might think it’s rude, but there’s a time and a place that having a pair of buds in your ear can help you get the shot.

Fstoppers Reviews: Photographing Food E-Book by: Taylor Mathis
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One of the biggest niches in commercial photography today is food photography. We've all had the same experience, walk into a small local restaurant and ask to see their menu. The photos look atrocious and you wonder to yourself, "who took these photos?" You know you can probably do a better job, but how much better can you really do? "Photographing Food" an ebook series by Taylor Mathis helps you take ordinary food photos and makes them extraordinary.

NYC's 'Freelance Isn't Free' Act Goes Live Today!
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Last October, New York City became the place in the country to pass a law protecting the rights of freelance workers. Today the bill known as the Freelance Isn't Free Act, officially went into effect.

Master Your Smartphone Camera by Joao Carlos
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Yes this is a big ad for Sandisk and yes it's an uncut webinar that is an hour long but if you are in post production and want to fill the air with something other than the sound of your teeth grinding and knee bouncing, then there are some great tidbits of information riddled through out this video.

Smartphone cameras are the new master tool for capturing the moment. In this webinar, world-renowned photographer Joao Carlos shares what you need to know

Eerie Photo Series Highlights Ruins of NASCAR's Very First Racetrack
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NASCAR is one sport that has certainly become engrained in the American history books. Known for its speed and pure adrenaline, it continues to drive ticket sales and audiences from all around the world in the thousands. Thanks to one mystery photojournalist, Seph Lawless, we are seeing some historically outstanding photos from the very first and very forgotten beginnings to what NASCAR once was.

The Smithsonian Just Gave You 40,000 Pieces Of Art, Including 400 Photos
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Early last year, the Smithsonian announced that they would be opening up their digital collection for the world to see. The first phase constitutes over 40,000 pieces of art, including over 400 photographs, from the Freer and Sackler Galleries and the Freer Study Collection, all of which focus on the museum’s Asian gallery collections. The collections are available for anyone to download and use for free for non-commercial use under a program they call Open F|S.

Marketing: Understanding Different Photography Client Types
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Photographers are often perplexed by the variety of clients they encounter each day. Even with a target market identified, it seems that no two patrons are the same. Though with time and patience, photographers can begin to categorize clients. By understanding different client types, photographers can not only reflect upon their current marketing strategies, but can understand how to market to a wider range of consumers.

Working With Photography and Videography Clients Who Appreciate Creativity
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I've been shooting real estate for about two years now. Today, I am shooting for my company, Simply Visual Productions, and another company, Jump Visual, which has been around for many years, and because of them, I have learned so much about working in this field. I have shot hundreds of homes and met many new people and worked with them to create photos that sell a home or space. I think it is funny that I do this because when someone thinks photography, I feel like real estate photography is the last thing they would think of. Aside from the photography aspect, I see aerial and video becoming more and more popular, which is one reason I have such an interest in it.