Articles from Nick Pecori

It’s time for something different. Ever have that great idea, but you may just let it fizzle away? Me too. But this one wasn't getting away. 

Some of the highest performing cars, up close and personal. Formula 1 recently released a video to give us a track-side glimpse of what it's like to photograph these cars week-in and week out. Photographer Vladimir Rys was also kind of enough to share some of his images to help illustrate what they capture.

Okay, okay, maybe he did not exactly say that verbatim. But after watching this snippet from an interview from Complex with musician John Mayer and fashion designer Jerry Lorenzo, you'll see immediately that his analogy aligns what we go through as photographers throughout the creative process.

In case you missed it, don't worry, we have compiled some of the best moments of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Since its kickoff on June 14, this has been one of the more memorable World Cups in recent history. There have been so many iconic moments, drama-filled events, and even social barriers overcome. Compiling all these moments into one article can't do it justice.

Every four years during the summer, the sports world pauses to draw its attention to the top echelon of professional football. I decided to put together a World Cup inspired shoot, shoot some concepts I haven't done before, and give you a behind-the-scenes, education glimpse.

Still life photography is usually thought to be simple and easy at first. But you'll quickly find out that arranging and composing your objects properly is crucial to making an image go from mediocre to great. Here are some easy guidelines to follow to get you there.

It's a question that I'm sure has snuck into every photographer's mind, even outside of the landscape and travel genre. It's something I've personally been thinking deeply about, so much so, that I'm working on my own personal original article regarding this topic.

At this point, I’m convinced there are clones of Benjamin Von Wong’s walking this earth. The artist just keeps churning out great projects one after the other. To not only inspire photographers like you and me, but to make a positive difference in today’s world.

Yes, you read that correctly. A two-light setup (one key-light, one back-light) using nothing but natural light. No bounce, no reflectors, nothing. With just you, your subject, and a little knowledge, you can create stunning imagery with even more depth using your surroundings to your advantage. So are you ready? Let's go!

When people come together to help each other, good things happen. This idea is what spurned one of the more popular trends on Instagram called “pods.” Instagram pods are used to help beat the algorithm that so many users despise. I decided to join one and give it a try recently, not only to test it out, but also to share my thoughts regarding this trend and why you should or shouldn’t get involved in one.

Recently, Spiffy Gear had released a very unique-looking light named Spekular. What caught my attention was its ability to combine, shape, and separate one single "light" in so many different ways. From my perspective, having the variety of options for on-the-go shooting held value. I ended up taking the LED light kit for a spin. There were some aspects I liked and some that could use some improvements. Let's dive in.

The times have changed. It isn’t 1980. It isn’t 2008. Even 2012 feels a century ago relative to how the world is changing. Which in my mind renders the question: why are we still submitting to “vanity” magazines for exposure?

You've seen him dive the deep depths and hang off skyscrapers just to get the shot. This time, photographer Benjamin Von Wong takes it a little easy on the daring part of his latest project, but the passion and message are just as strong. Let's take a behind the scenes look at Von Wong's latest shoot, "Toxic Laundry."

One of the biggest challenges society faces today is modern technology. It's a double-edged sword that if not handled properly, can quickly become a problem where human-to-human interaction digresses. Photographer Andreas Varro believes this is a problem that needs attention, and he sought out to bring awareness to this issue the best way he knows how.

The day I’ve been preparing for arrived unexpectedly this past Saturday as I went to my Mac to export photos for a client, just like it was any other day. But I quickly found out it wasn’t going to be like other days when I found my photo and video files had disappeared from my Lightroom catalog.

With its increasing popularity, photographers and videographers alike have begun to entertain LED lighting as a possible option for their shoots. Spiffy Gear believes they now have that solution, and it's called Spekular. Touted as the "Swiss army knife" to a creative's needs, they introduced their new product as the solution to make videographer and photographer's lives easier. 

It's been the nuisance of the modern, technological era: shaky video. Shaky video not only is annoying, but the fix is usually expensive, bulky, and not too practical — until recently. DJI, one of the most innovate companies going right now has the answer to that problem, at a consumer price. It’s called the DJI OSMO.

When Atlanta and their NFL franchise announced that they will be breaking ground to a new stadium, they wanted to shoot for the stars and redefine the benchmark. After nine years of planning and constructing the new stadium, Atlanta last night debuted their first big game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While it's a magnificent piece of architecture, one feature in particular catches the photographer's eye more than others. Let's take a look!

It's all in the fine details. As you gradually learn tricks and tips as you grow as a video editor, you will or have eventually come across value and speed graphs. Now, what are value graphs? And how are they useful?

It is possible. I'm not here writing this to beat you in the head with an “it's not the gear” rant; we can all agree that take is a bit redundant after awhile. But with that said, it still holds very true. What I'm here writing to share is why I decided to use one lens, which one I used, how I use it, and most importantly, how you can too. I built my entire portfolio using one lens and one lens only. Before you read on, can you guess which lens by looking at the photos below?

The favorite plug-in amongst many photographers just got a little better, which is great news! In case you haven't read my last article covering what JPEGmini does and what it's all about, it's both a software and plug-in that cuts the file size of every high-resolution photo in half while still retaining photo size and resolution. Sounds impossible, right? We put it to the test and the results did pleasantly surprise us. With that said, JPEGmini listened to what customers had to say and are finally sharing updates to all. Let's dive into what they've added. 

Never forget where that perfect shooting spot is ever again! If you're like me, location scouting is something that is never an oversight. In previous articles, I've often written that preparation will make or break a photo shoot, it is essential. With that said, this simple and rather obvious hack that I discovered will make the preparation process that much easier! 

It was the go-to question last year when Instagram announced the essentially copy-and-paste integration of Snapchat Stories into their own app. Is this is a classic case of the pioneer being conquered? It’s starting to look like it.

We all work so hard preparing, shooting, retouching, and giving our all to creating our images. After everything is finished and the photos look amazing, we can't wait to share our photos to the world! But how do we know we're uploading the highest quality photos possible? Last year, I shared with you all a preset that I use daily to export photos out of Lightroom for Facebook. In this article, I'll add to my list of recommendations and show you two options that I swear by and have tested over-and-over to make sure I share crisp not only Facebook, but other mediums such as my website; so you can share the same quality!

Maybe it just fell through the cracks for just me, perhaps it did for you as well, but recently through a friend I found out about the Amazon Locker concept. With Amazon Prime's rapid growth, so has the complaints about stolen packages and damaged packages from shipping companies. So to counter-act, Amazon doubled down and introduced this concept as far back as 2011. I gave it a try recently where I am based in Tampa, here's how it went.

If you've been eagerly wanting to get your hands on the unique Snap Spectacles, now you can! Previously the only ways to purchase these elusive sunglasses were to find a pop-up vending machine across the states, or visit the Spectacles store in New York City. They are now available for anyone to purchase on the Spectacles website for $130 (U.S. Only). In light of the recent news, I put together a quick unboxing video to see what you can expect if you decide to purchase a pair.

Instagram is known as the consensus favorite app by photographers in today's age, but even with its name implying posting photos instantly, it's still a pain sometimes to post photos on-the-go at times. For Part Three of my Instagram series, I'll be sharing the absolute fastest method any user can adopt to spend less time posting Instagram photos and more time shooting!

In Part 1 of my Instagram Tips series, three sure-fire tips were shared to grow the right following, the right way on Instagram. One of the methods was to use the correct hashtags for your audience. This week we're diving a little deeper into what specific hashtags will work best for you based on specific genre. Get your notes out and lets go!

Earning the right followers, the right way. In this article I'm excited to share three easy "techniques" that I've used to drive engagement and a stronger following on Instagram. These steps have stood the test of time while trying out different ideas through trial and error. You may know one of these techniques, you may know all of them. Nevertheless, let's get started!

The Christmas Wish Project that has now gone viral and this incredible photography and Photoshop work is being showcased across the world, bringing joy and imagination to her audience. Karen Alsop, the photographer behind the project, was kind enough to exclusively share the behind the scenes of her project.

Do you live tied down? Weighed down by the ball and chain? Feel like you're living with a leash on? No, I'm not talking about your love life, I'm talking about that tether cord attached to your camera. In-studio or on-location tethering has become a necessity, especially if you're working with clients. The thought leader in their cable tethering technology, Tether Tools, has created their latest product, Case Air, to help make photographers live free again. 

Something about taking a simple, ordinary object like a plastic bottle and turning it into an extraordinary idea to send a message to the world is one reason why we love photography. That's exactly what Von Wong sought out to do in his latest viral project. Lets take a look at his work and behind the scenes!

Have you immersed yourself in 360 degree technology? What do you think of 360-degree video and its future? Nikon was eager to find answers to these questions by initiating and conducting a "Nikon Life in 360" national survey. According to Nikon's study, you're more than likely to put your hands on a 360-degree camera soon if you haven't yet. Let's find out! 

If you've kept up with what goes on in the photography world or even in the conservationist realm, chances are that you've come across at least one of Benjamin Von Wong's projects. Von Wong has recently strung together a few transcending projects that focus on conservation, raising awareness on environmental issues, and how we can make the world a better place. One of his most recent projects is focused on raising awareness of plastic pollution in the world. In part one of this video series, he shares his mindset and the preparation that goes into one of his shoots.

Whether it's the glamor of Paris, the captivating shores of Ireland, or the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, it is very easy for a photographer to assume that one must go above and beyond to capture the landscape images that he or she desires. Dennis Ramos, a world-renowned fine-art and landscape photographer, took a completely different approach. He captured the beauty that surrounded him where he resides in Tampa, FL.