Articles written by Lee Morris

Are you planning to build your own studio one day? If not, this video probably won't interested you. But, if you do dream of having a studio (like most photographers do) then this video will get you one step closer. The incredibly talented Sam Robles takes you through the step by step process of building a cyc wall from scratch.

How to build a cyclorama wall from Sam Robles on Vimeo.

I just ran across this quick BTS of a Land Rover photoshoot. The video itself isn't that impressive but the photography sure is. It's really interesting to see how Tim Wallace determined his lighting. First he focused on the ambient light for the background and then after he had that locked in he added 3 strobes to fill in the car but keep the sky dark. >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDq8O5ia4Mk<

When I see videos like the one below on TV I usually pay no attention. My initial thought is that some guy on a computer made it. It isn't until I see the BTS that I really appreciate what goes into these creative works of art. View the full post to see the BTS.

Zon "Criatividade" from Nuno Rocha on Vimeo.

It's really interesting working on a site like FS because you never really know who your readers are. If you just looked at our comments you might guess that we only have a couple hundred readers a day. If you check our analytics however, you will find that there are about 60,000 unique visitors to FS every month. So that got me wondering... Are these the same 60,000 people or are they totally new each month? Well, only YOU can help answer this question. How often do you visit Fstoppers? Approximately How Often Do You Visit Fstoppers?customer surveys

Douglas Sonders just sent over this really quick BTS of a photoshoot he just did in a field of sunflowers. I think he does a great job of lighting his model and balancing the harsh sunlight with the strobes. Check out more about this shoot here.

Sunflowers & The Model Photoshoot from Douglas Sonders on Vimeo.

It's to easy to do things in post these days. If you can think it, someone can do it on a computer. To stand out, we are beginning to see a trend in TV commercials where directors do it "the old fashion way". So far on Fstoppers we have posted BTSVs for Old Spice, Lexus, Nissan, and Levi's commercials. Subaru didn't want to be left out so they decided to film an animation in a single take using a perfectly timed car. Check out the finished product in the full post. Keep'em coming! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ROaFrFQvs<

Well not exactly but we can still get kinda close. The Phantom camera costs a staggering $118,000 for the body alone which puts it out of the average Joe's reach. The Canon T2i costs just $699 and it currently has a $400 rebate when you buy it with a Pro9000 printer (I love these "free printer" rebates they are doing). The T2i shoots 60fps but has great manual control. Once you shoot your super sharp 60fps you can use software called Twixtor to bring that framerate to Phantom levels. Twixtor costs about $300 and we have used it in a few of our FS originals. Very cool!

More Super Slow Motion [Water] - 550D from Rickard bengtsson on Vimeo.

We usually don't post good deals on the front page of FS but this is one of the best deals I have seen. Right now, if you buy a Nikon D7000 body (it literally just started shipping a couple days ago) and an Epson R1900 photo printer, you will get a $450 rebate, which is the full cost of the printer. Deals like this do pop up but never with a camera this new. I just got a chance to play with the D7000 at the photo Expo in NYC and the ISO performance is up there with the D3 and it has more mega-pixels and it shoots 1080p video and you get all of that for just $1100. If you needed an excuse to buy this camera, you're welcome. Details at BH here.

Last night I thought I was getting together with a few photographers that I know in NYC to play a friendly game of poker. We sent a few texts out and about 20 photographers showed up including a few big names like Zack Arias and Peter Hurley. Tonight, Friday October 29th at 8:00pm we are meeting at Swift Hibernian Lounge at 34 East 4th Street. If you are considering not coming because you don't know anyone or that you won't fit in; don't worry, this group of core photographers are some of the most welcoming people I've met in NYC. I will personally introduce you to every single person there. If you have questions or any trouble getting there you can contact me, Lee Morris, directly at 843.697.4282. You never know who might show up :) Update: Peter Hurley claims he will come dressed in a full suit of armor and I am heading to the Expo to invite more.