We all know Mark Mann from the close-up, soul-bearing portraits of what feels like every celebrity, public figure, and president in current times. Prolific seems a fitting word that should be permanently grafted to any discussion of the artist’s work. Today, however, we are getting to know Mark Mann in a way that you never have.
When V-Flat released the new Karl Taylor Light Cone, the comments ranged from dismissive jokes about "the cone of shame" to excitement for a product designed by esteemed commercial photographer Karl Taylor. I decided to take the cones into my product studio and see for myself if this simple tool really delivered the effortless results it boasted.
Once upon a time, Sigma was a brand thought of by many as the compromise lens if you couldn't afford the household names. Times have changed, though, and Sigma has gone beyond offering competitive lenses to making remarkable lenses and even some notable industry firsts. Being a photographer who works heavily in product work, I decided to put the Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro Art lens in a shoot-off against the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro, and the results were... well, read on and find out for yourself!
I woke up enlightened, inspired, and in slight disbelief. I had been elevated by Simon Bailey, instructed by Lindsay Adler, photographed by Mark Mann, and chatted up by Peter Hurley. I had watched artificial intelligence write, cull, and edit; and I partied the night away with over 10,000 photographers. Was this every photographer's fantasy dream played out in my sleep? No, it was my first trip to Imaging USA. In this article, I will recount my favorite notes and highlights from Imaging USA. Alas, it's not all glam: I'll also share about the closing keynote which left the crowd shocked. Let's review my first trip to Imaging USA.
Have you ever seen the camera pan across the photographers during the World Cup and wondered: "How did they get that job? What is that lens they're shooting with?" Well, Fstoppers, I have all the answers for you. I had the privilege to chat with Ammar Hassan, who covered not one, but four World Cup championships, and he was gracious to tell us all about what it's like to photograph the world's most watched sporting event.
With AI being all the rage lately, I thought I would test run a plot generator story of Canon versus Sony. I put in some spicy adjectives and plotted the main storyline: the photographers cross paths at the Imagining USA Nikon booth, and I let AI write a plot that will have you both roaring with laughter and fuming with offense. Grab your popcorn, and enjoy a good laugh.
It's a mystery how this little one-inch wonder remained unknown to me for so long. I finally discovered it when — bemoaning my fate to spend over two thousand on a Canon tilt-shift macro — a colleague suggested trying an extension tube.
The list of monthly subscriptions photographers are pressured to keep up becomes longer every year. From Dropbox to Pixieset, Adobe to Honeybook, and Shootproof to Fundy, photographers' monthly bills multiply annually. Now, Capture One wants a piece of the pie, and its community is not happy about the announcement.
Have you ever seen images and wondered how they create an editorial look that you just can't seem to recreate? It's clean, it's crisp, it may be edgy or sleek... you can't quite put your finger on it, but whatever "it" is, you want it for your work. Here are a few tips, from composition to post-production, that will upgrade your images and give you a more professional look.
We are quickly approaching the three-year mark since the pandemic, and most creatives have found their new normal. Our new "normals" are all unique, but the common thread is a re-evaluation of our goals, priorities, and non-negotiables as working artists. WeTransfer and TRIPTK polled over 6,500 artists from 180 countries about success, fulfillment, and happiness. The 57-page report was released as The 2022 Ideas Report, and I'm here to share the results. First, let's start with a quiz. Grab a pen, and let's see how on target you are with the state of the industry.
If you've ever found yourself posting a photo in which you've masterfully designed your shadows, created asymmetrical balance, and selected a brilliant color palette just to see it wildly out-performed by a reel of a 20-year-old aimlessly walking down a sidewalk and spiraled into complete despair, then this is for you. In this article, I will walk you through how to shoot skillfully crafted images and easily stitch them into a stop-motion. The artist strikes a treaty with the Insta.
When the Rotolight package was delivered to my doorstep, I was apprehensively excited. I was apprehensive because light is everything in photography, and LED lights are notorious for disappointing me. But I was not disappointed. To say I had to rip myself away from playing with it in the studio to type up my review would not be an exaggeration. This light is prodigious.
Passion: I was raised in a generation that was spoon-fed it three square meals a day. My parents' generation, who were raised by the survivors of World War II, had a more tempered outlook. Then came my generation. We were systematically told we could be anything we wanted. The phrases, "live passionately" and "follow your passion" summoned us out of bed with ardor and launch full force into our dreams. My generation flocks by the millions to Burning Man and Tony Robins' conferences hoping to get another hit of zeal to keep going.
Electronic Hub recently posted a study divulging which electronics have the most unreliable reviews on Amazon, with some of our most beloved cameras sitting near the top.
"Collabs" are the new currency between aspirant photographers and content-pressured models. Both parties are looking for scroll-stopping images to gain attention as they rise up in their respective industries. What happens when the images don't measure up to the expectations? Are models expecting too much from growing photographers who are shooting for free, or are photographers hyping up their skills and not delivering?
Have you found yourself frustrated by being nickeled and dimed for your work? Does self-doubt about your skill and imagery creep in as a result of the prices you are asked to shoot at? You’re not the only one.
DALL·E 2 is a new artificial intelligence system that can create realistic images and art from a written description. No more elaborate styling and lighting setups: you can now just pop in a description of what you want, and DALL-E-2 delivers the image. Too good to be true? Too threatening to the forever-taking-hits photography industry? See for yourself with my prerelease test run.
Do you have Shiny Object Syndrome? Do you conduct self-control litmus tests when the weekly B&H newsletter drops in your inbox? Do you try to rationalize snagging the new Profoto strobe when you know very well that your savings account is plummeting faster the engagement for photos on Instagram? If so, you may want to take a hard pass on this article.
We've all heard of the stereotype of "the starving artist," but a new study from the UK put concrete numbers on this portrayal, showing that graduates with a degree in photography truly do (on average) become starving artists. Adding insult to injury, the study reveals that photographers are not only on the list, they are ranked the worst for post-graduates making low income. Ouch.
The industry has been putting out some really hard-to-resist gear these last few years. Ever since Sony released the a7 mirrorless line, it’s been a tsunami of gear upgrade options that seem too good to pass by. Whether it’s the new tack-sharp, image-stabilized Canon RF lenses, the 61-megapixel Sony a7R IV, or the new "creator-ready" Nikon Z 30, it’s not just a case of “Shiny Object Syndrome”: these developments in technology really do reflect in the quality of the work creatives can produce. That’s where MPB comes in.
It's time to be honest with yourself. It's time to ask some hard questions about your work and answer them straightforwardly, even if you hurt your own feelings. Grab a pen and paper, drop your ego, and tackle these questions.
In our profession, we think of every piece in our gear closet as designed to take pictures. If you were assigned to walk into your gear closet and redesign one piece for the purpose of saving human lives, what would you create? North American company Dranganfly has taken drones and has created gear that is used in new ways for smarter and safer warfare.
How do you get “the shot”? The saliva spewing out, as a fighter gets the decisive knockout blow. The sprinters desperately leaning forward in to gain the winning inch as they cross the finish line. The water tracing the swimmer's face as they come up gasping for air. Sporting events happen so fast, and even if you make the most of your camera's impressive burst rate, it takes a lot more to nail your sports photos. These are three pillars I always lean on to create savage sports imagery.
I have to admit it: I’ve never been on team Lightroom. This may be a bit of a low blow, but Lightroom has always seemed like the sandbox for those who couldn’t play on the big-boy playground: Photoshop, of course.
Do you think you have your finger on the pulse of the photography industry? Who still holds the title for most used cameras: Canon, Nikon, or Sony? What lenses are the top 3 most used lenses? Which specialty of photographers make the most money and which make the least? What genre of photography took the biggest losses during the pandemic?
How acute is your "Photoshop OCD"? Different types of work and styles require different levels of scrutiny on their images. In some cases, it may just be your personality that imposes extreme (and perhaps unnecessary) amounts of attention to detail. #guiltyascharged. Whatever the reason is, if you have Photoshop OCD and are always looking for new tricks to add to your tool box you will totally geek out about this one.
Wontancraft has announced their new Scout camera bag. Known for combining old-school craftsmanship and modern-day functionality, their World War II 50s-style bag is designed for just that. The newest bag in their line boasts an accordion-style opening, YKK waterproof zippers, and water-repellent Cordura fabric. The main compartment is compatible with Wotancraft pocket modules for organizing your gear.
As photographers, we inevitably find ourselves dealing with that one client that causes us to take into serious deliberation the idea of working at the grocery store and throwing our illustrious career to the wind.
I upgraded my camera to the Canon EOS R5 last year and have since been shooting with my adapter ring and the EF lenses. If this sounds like jargon to you: let me catch you up to speed. Canon launched its first mirrorless camera in 2018, and the mount on the mirrorless cameras is different than the ones of the previous DSLRs. As a workaround, you can use an adapter ring to shoot with your older EF lenses on the new mirrorless cameras.
Talk about a publishing faux pas. In an interview for Williams' new venture fund, the NY Times mistakenly used an image of her sister, Venus. Covering Serena’s new $111 million fund, the article also referred to her as "Tennis Star" rather than using her name in its headline. In a tweet on March 2nd, Williams called out the NY Times.
When I watch events, and the cameras swiftly pan by the crowded photographers trying to get the cover shot, I can’t help but scan for women. I do it when the receiver runs full force out-of-bounds and accidentally crashes into the sideline photographers. “Was there a woman in that crew?" Or on CSPAN when the camera pans back to the counsel’s table and you get that quick glimpse of the photographers sitting like sardines on the floor with their cameras. At the Olympics, especially, I’m always eyeing women. I don’t see them as often as I wish.
I’ve been in the game for a little while, and along the way, there have been a few "new" things. New flashes, diffusers, scrims, softboxes, continuous light panels, LED wands, animated photos, cinemagraphs, mirrorless cameras, the list goes on and on, not to mention Photoshop and Lightroom, which update more often than I wash my sheets. But the one "new" I was not expecting to face was a new photography usage that has made me have to think anew about composition: Instagram.
It seems hard light is trending these days. From elaborate food spreads in Bon Appetit to fashion shoots for Burberry, hard light is in. If you've ever wondered how to create this look, this quick and simple tutorial will lay it out for you. I'll share a few concepts, and you can watch the video for a demonstration.
Have you ever seen those bold modern ads that just force you to stop and look? One got me this week. I was driving, and a billboard had a colossal burger, most likely shot with the 16-35mm lens, and a bold, canary yellow background with that primary McDonalds red. "I need that burger! Wait... I'm a gluten-free vegan!" I tipped my hat to the photographer and kept driving.
Have you found yourself cranking up the contrast slider and running a sharpening filter just to end up with a shot that fell short of your initial vision? Here are two editing swaps that you can make that will help your post-production be more precise.
