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Mike O'Leary
Killorglin, KY, IE

Articles written by Mike O'Leary

7 Easy to Follow Tips That Will Improve Your Photography

Continuous improvement should be at the core of every creative person's ethos, be they professional or amateur. While this video might be aimed more at beginner photographers, the tips offered here are relevant to anyone who really wants to improve their photography.

Clean and Crisp Product Photography Made Simple With Some Affordable Equipment

If you're interested in becoming a commercial product photographer but you don't have access to a large studio, powerful strobes, or innumerable backgrounds; don't be dismayed. There are plenty of lighting and compositing tricks you can learn in order to build that killer portfolio that will land you better-paying gigs.

How Photography and Architecture Are Intertwined

Architectural photography is an art form that is intrinsically dependent on the mind of another creator. Without architecture, there would be no architectural photography. Normally, one wouldn't imagine this to be a two-way street, but this insightful video posits a different view.

A Brief History of Photography

As camera technology continues to advance at stomach-churning speed, it might be wise to remind ourselves of just how far we've come, as it's so easy to get caught up in the never-ending lust for the next shiny new toy. Sometimes, our focus on processors and edge-to-edge sharpness make us forget about the art, the craft, and the photographers that came before us, so sit back and enjoy this short hop through the history of photography.

Scouting Landscape Photography Locations With Virtual Reality

For any landscape photographer who prioritizes getting the money shot over serendipitously stumbling on a picturesque scene, using apps to predict the weather and to visualize an image is a foundational aspect of their workflow. While there are some incredibly useful apps out there, there isn't much that could beat being able to virtually travel to a location and time.

Replacing Strobes With Constant LED Lighting

Strobes are at the core of any serious studio photographer's kit, mainly because they're cheap and powerful. However, as you can see from this video, constant LED lights are catching up fast and are now a real option for anyone looking to try something different with their portrait work.

How to Shoot Cinematic Guided Tours for Real Estate

Real estate photography can be a great way of getting started in architectural photography, and depending on where you're located, it could be a lucrative option for someone looking to become a professional. But if you really want to get paid good money for real estate work, then you need to consider offering video packages to your clients too.

6 Tips For Getting Started In Street Photography

Street photography is perhaps one of the most celebrated and ubiquitous forms of the art of photography. Names like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, and William Eggleston pervade any list of "greatest photographers of all time," so if you also want to try your hand at it, what is the best way way to approach it?

Learn How to Create Evenly Lit Portraits With Just One Speedlight

Sometimes, we're hampered by malfunctioning gear or we just can't afford to invest in a second speedlight, so it's imperative that we learn how to make do with what we have. Creating an evenly lit, bright, and airy portrait with just one speedlight might seem like too much to ask, but not if you have a few grips and some reflective material at hand.

Never Shot With a Model Before? Here's How You Should Start

Working with models can open up a plethora of new creative outlets and professional opportunities for any photographer. But, the first shoot with a model can seem like a daunting task for some. This video aims to get you comfortable with choosing and communicating with any experienced model.

Is Blackmagic's Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro Worth the Investment?

Blackmagic's pocket cinema cameras have been a revelation for videographers with a tight budget and high standards. But their latest iteration, the 6K Pro, while boasting some amazing features, falls well short of being the perfect budget cinema camera — according to this professional videographer, at least.

Do You Want To Know How Lindsay Adler Created This 70s Glam Fashion Portrait?

Finding inspiration for your next shoot can be difficult, but going for a vintage vibe can offer so many avenues with all the various eras to choose from. While it's nice to see Gen Z embracing the 90s, we don't often see much love for the 70s in popular media these days, but thankfully this world-famous fashion photographer found just the right props at bargain prices to produce something magical.

How To Plan a YouTube Video From Start To Finish

If you want to create a YouTube video for your photography, and you don't just want a talking-head on the screen for five to ten minutes, then you need to plan it out before you even turn on a camera. These YouTube creators with over 200K subscribers detail how they go about planning each of their videos.

Watch This Photographer Turn an Ugly Location Into a Great Photoshoot

If you have a big budget for an editorial shoot or you're lucky enough to live near some beautiful scenery, then finding an ideal location for a portrait or fashion shoot won't be an issue. However, the vast majority of photographers have to work with less than that, so here are some great tips to get creative in ugly environments.

The How and Why of Making a Travel Photo Essay

Instagram, in particular, is full of high-quality travel photography — there's no end to it. But if you want to tell a personal story from your adventuring or pique the interest of a commercial entity with the hope of landing a new photography client, then you need to be able to produce a cohesive set of images.

These Tips Will Improve the Storytelling of Your Photography

Putting together a cohesive set of images that illustrate a grand narrative is not an easy process, especially for those of us who taken up photography and end up just shooting single shots for a portfolio and/or to sell prints. This video has some great tips for those who want to break out of that mold and start something a bit more substantial.

Do You Really Understand How Reflections Work in Photography?

Controlling reflections on your subject has to be one of the trickier skills to master in photography. It's a deep and nerdy topic to dive into, but this video is specifically about food photography and how simple changes in your shooting angle can dramatically affect the final image.