After spending some time in the photography journey, many shooters find themselves with a number of good to great quality images in their portfolio. Around this time, the aspiring photographer will seek out opportunities to exhibit and sell their work. How long should one wait before showing their work or approaching galleries for inclusion into group exhibitions? How much should […]
A C Stand is a heavy metal stand which holds its roots in early film production. The stands were used to hold lights, modifiers, silks, backgrounds and much more on film sets. Their stability and versatility make them a staple for any studio work. One of the most common questions I get is what is a C Stand, and do […]
We often hear about shooting in RAW versus .jpg, what is the RAW format and why is it better than .jpg? Once you have a RAW file how do you get it back into .jpg format to share it online? Why do RAW files look drab compared to the image displayed on the back of your camera? All good questions, […]
Well Well Well… look where we are today. Many of us are sequestered at home (some voluntarily and some not), in an effort to quell the spread of COVID-19, nearly all of my photographer friends have stopped seeing clients and are spending their time looking for something to do. I have compiled a list of ideas to direct your time […]
Freezing motion when working in the studio can be a bit confusing. Generally (say when we shoot sports) we rely on our shutter speed to freeze action. Understanding how flash duration freezes motion can clear up some misconceptions about relying on shutter speed to freeze motion. Mark Wallace does a great job explaining how older flash technology can have a […]
Cameras, especially DSLRs can be confusing when you are just getting started in photography. Many tell me that an iPhone can snap a decent image regardless of where you take it, why can’t an expensive DSLR do the same? Think about cameras like a musical instrument, and a camera phone like a radio, both will play music – one you […]
Calibrating your monitor is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your image quality. While you can’t control the way an image looks once it gets to your clients or viewers, you can control how it looks when you are editing it. There are several choices available for monitor calibration, I personally use the Datacolor Spyder X. […]
Are you new to photography? Are you looking for the best camera settings to capture a concert, or family gathering? Are you terrified of manual mode but know that mastering manual mode is the only way to be seen as a professional photographer? Let’s talk about it… This topic is perhaps one of the most controversial in photography right now. […]
Disclaimer: First, let me make it absolutely clear that I am not a lawyer, and you should not consider this article as legal advice. These are the common-sense guidelines I personally follow for my work as a photographer when sharing on social media. I have been sharing my photographic work on social media for over a decade, and I have […]
Recently I exhibited a new body of work at one of the galleries in the Santa Fe Art District here in Denver Co. The opening nights are always my favorite because you can be a fly on the wall with the people looking at the displayed art. You can always count on hearing some interesting candid critiques of the work […]
I lurk (and participate) in a lot of internet forums on photography, and one recurring topic I see is that image critiques are not useful after the shoot has been done. This sentiment seems to be especially common from newer photographers. Let’s face it, the internet can be a terrible place, and no matter how good you are at something […]
Teaching yourself to be critical of your work can improve the quality of your work immensely. I often use a failed attempt at an image here to illustrate my workflow and mindset when choosing images for social media or an exhibition. Let’s talk about it.. I often see photographers using the “machine gun” approach when taking a photo, they […]
Are you one of those photographers who have difficulty selecting the one iconic image from a set of good shots? Have you ever taken a portrait, and liked the look on the models face but you missed focus on the eyes and decided to show it anyway? If you have problems identifying flaws in your work, then this article can […]
First, let me say this article is written from the perspective of a photographer (that’s me), but the information contained herein can certainly be applied to either side of the image creating relationship. When a model cancels on your shoot, it can be frustrating, but understanding the process, and your actions that led you to that flaked session can make […]
The vignette in photographic terms is characterized as the loss of brightness around the edge of a photograph. A vignette was often considered an undesirable effect in photography, as it historically highlighted the limitations of a lens. Programs like Adobe Lightroom come preloaded with profiles for most available lenses and easily counter the darkening effect in software. Vignettes have changed […]
I have noticed a trend with many photographers when sharing their images on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Depending on the forum you are posting to, you may include some technical information on the image or maybe just a catchy title. All too often however, photographers just post the image and move on – leaving the viewer to […]
There are more videos and articles comparing battery powered flashes than you can shake a stick at. Anyone researching a portable lighting setup will undoubtedly look at the strobe offerings from Profoto (B10, B1X) and Godox (AD200, AD600PRO etc.) but once you have that shiny new strobe unit, you are going to need to pony up for some light modifiers. […]
I actively participate in many online photography forums, and I have noticed after years you start to see patterns of behavior and the same kinds of people in every forum. Learning how to deal with critiques and comments – both positive and negative can help you grow as a photographer and artist. While this article is geared towards the photographer, […]
This week we explore how objects between and around your flash affect your images. You may have heard of terms like cookie, flag and gobo when referring to lighting, what the heck are these things and will using them benefit your images? Lets talk about it… Cookies Cookies are an object which is placed in front of your light source […]
By numerous reader request, in this week’s Troubleshooting your photography we discuss portraits with Christmas lights. Controlling your ambient light and flash exposure to get Christmas lights that pop while keeping a proper exposure on your subject can be confusing. Let’s talk about it… Using a strobe, whether on-camera or off to light your subject is a straightforward process, but […]
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