Why Back Button Focus Should Be The Only Way You Use Auto-Focus

Published Monday, February 22nd, 2016

A lot of photographers have subscribed to the theory that, in order to auto focus your camera, you depress the shutter release button down halfway, wait for it to do it’s thing, then press the button down all the way to snap the photo. Yes, it does work and I’d even go so far as […]

Why Your Portraits Are Missing The Mark (And How You Can Fix Them)

Published Monday, February 15th, 2016

Shooting portraits may seem straightforward enough, but as with all types of photography, it often appears easier than it actually is. Even when working with fellow humans who are capable of taking direction–thus, making your job easier–there’s still plenty of things you need to be thinking about. Many of of which can make or break […]

An Explanation of Depth of Field and How To Use It For Creative Control

Published Monday, February 8th, 2016

One of the most powerful elements available to us as photographers, is the ability to control our depth of field in order to draw attention to our subjects. For those of you new to the concept, Depth of Field (DOF) is the distance between the nearest and farthest subjects that appear in focus in your […]

3 Important Tips For Photographing A Music Festival

Published Monday, February 1st, 2016

Music festivals are pretty much the pinnacle when it comes to concert photography. Festivals typically span the length of one to five days, and require a lot more energy and preparation than most new photographers realize. Between multiple stages, unpredictable weather conditions, and overlapping acts it can be very easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve been granted […]

Why You Should Use Catchlights In All Your Portraits

Published Monday, January 25th, 2016

Catchlights, if you have not come across them before, are the gleams of light reflected in a model’s eye in a portrait. They are captured by careful placement of lights and angling of the subject’s face, and can be shaped or controlled by the use of studio lighting tools. You can also create catchlights when shooting outdoors, using the sun or a reflective surface as the source of the light.

5 Tips For Taking Creative Natural Light Portraits

Published Tuesday, January 19th, 2016

The look and feel of a natural light is perfect for shooting warm, glowing portraits. The golden light of the sun complements skin tones and can be used in a different ways to create different looks. Of course, a lot can go wrong when shooting with natural light, too. Exposure can be tricky, and so can finding the perfect location to shoot from.

Shooting during golden hour is ideal, but it’s not the only way! Here are five tips that you can use to take your natural light portraits to the next level and make you a more versatile photographer who’s ready to tackle whatever kind of lighting situation that’s thrown their way.

20 Fun Props for Toddler Photos

Published Monday, January 11th, 2016

If you’re looking for a way to create toddler photos that will be fun and memorable, one option is to make use of props. That are a lot of different possibilities, and the right props can really help to make the session a big success. Some props will even make the session more fun for the toddler, and when they are having fun it’s easy to get great photos.

3 Easy Techniques You Can Use To Take Better Portraits In The Overhead Sun

Published Wednesday, January 6th, 2016

To new photographers, it might seem as though the best time to take photos is when the sun is out and cascading warm, bright light down onto the world. The reality is, trying to take photos in the shining midday sun can actually make it more difficult to take a properly exposed photo–in fact, many photographers prefer to shoot on overcast days! The reason is because the sun, especially when it’s overhead during noon hours, tends to cast shadows which rarely do any favors for a nice composition. Whereas, when it’s overcast and cloudy outside, the light will be softer and more appealing. That makes a huge difference when you’re shooting portraits and don’t want dark shadows falling under your subjects eye (or anywhere on the frame for that matter).

Taking Great Photos In Spite Of These 3 Common Weather Related Roadblocks

Published Monday, December 28th, 2015

When the weather takes a turn for the worse it can be difficult to muster up the motivation to get out there and make photographs. On top of that, when you’re not a fan of the weather forecast in the first place, it can be impossible to even imagine you would find something inspiring to photograph out there even if you were to brave the elements. However, pushing ourselves to do something that falls outside of our comfort zones is what makes us stronger photographers.

7 Ways of Finding Inspiration in Places You See Every Day

Published Monday, December 14th, 2015

For most photographers, whether they are professionals or amateurs, inspiration comes easy once they find themselves in a new location, overwhelmed by stunning new visuals. It seems as if photos come to them automatically. But what can you do if you are stuck in the same place, seeing the same scenery over and over again each day? Not the most inspiring situation for a photographer, but don’t let that prevent you from taking some great shots.

Here are 7 different ways how you can rekindle your creative spark, even if your surroundings leave much to be desired.

How to Get a Genuine Portrait by Relaxing Your Subject

Published Monday, December 7th, 2015

It’s always important to make sure that you get the right result from any portrait session. While many different styles of photography can intersect in this genre, it is a popular choice to try to get the most genuine portrait possible. Many photographers aim to really show the personality of their subject through the image, but this is only possible if you can manage to really relax your subject. Your aim is to have them let down their guard, so you can really see the person behind their eyes.

Black Friday Deals for Photographers

Published Tuesday, November 24th, 2015

If you love amazing deals on great photography-related products Black Friday is probably one of your favorite days of the year. And it’s not just Black Friday, many of the best sales have already started, and some will last through the first week of December! We’ve compiled the best deals here to make it easy on you. You’ll find our own sale, plus offers from many other sites that you are bound to love.

So You Want To Be A Festival Photographer?

Published Monday, November 16th, 2015

If you’re a photographer who loves attending live music, it’s almost certain you’ve thought about what it would be like to be in the photo pit capturing the magic yourself. Beyond getting free admission to massive shows, you’ll also get to watch your favorite artists from closer than anyone else in the crowd.

Why You Should Be Taking More Self Portraits

Published Monday, November 9th, 2015

Self-portraits are getting a bit of a bad rap lately. While selfies are socially acceptable and perfect fodder for social media posts, all of a sudden it seems like the only way to go is to use a smartphone camera and add a few filters. That’s not the only way you can do a self-portrait, however. In fact, putting your DSLR on a timer or investing in a shutter release cable could do you a world of good – by letting you turn the camera on yourself. It’s time to compose, frame, and think like a photographer for your self-portrait. Here’s why you should be doing it this way much more often.

How to Use Smart Collections in Lightroom

Published Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015

Lightroom is extremely useful for processing your digital photos, but it is equally powerful for helping to keep your photos organized. Most of us have thousands of photos on our hard drives, and it is very easy to allow them to get unorganized, which makes it very challenging to find photos when you are looking for them. Lightroom’s library module includes many useful functions that can help you to get your photos organized and maintain that organization going forward.