You've got your foreground element, you've got your rule of thirds, and you've got striking light on your subject. Everything is looking good for you to have a terrific landscape photograph that you'll be proud of. But, as has always been the case in photography, your work has just begun: You still need to finish your picture. The first place I take my landscape photo is Perfectly Clear Complete. PCC lets you get the tones looking just right and it does it without adding noise. Here's my original photo. Exposure There is a Landscape … [Read more...] about Perfecting the tones in your landscapes, or step #1 in finishing landscapes
Levi Sim
Levi Sim is passionate about making photographs and helping others make their pictures better, too. He's a full-time photographer making business portraits and marketing and branding pictures for a living. He spends the rest of his time practicing all other kinds of photography. Read more of his articles here. And you can see more of Levi's portfolio here.
Levi is honored to be an ambassador for Lumix cameras, Vanguard tripods and bags and Spider Holster carry systems.
Levi is honored to be an ambassador for Lumix cameras, Vanguard tripods and bags and Spider Holster carry systems.
Latest posts by Levi Sim (see all)
- Perfecting the tones in your landscapes, or step #1 in finishing landscapes - February 14, 2019
- Portrait Tips: Headshot factory - February 13, 2019
- LUMIX releases specs of full-frame S series cameras - February 1, 2019
Portrait Tips: Headshot factory
One of my favorite things to do for corporate clients is to make headshots at their annual meetings. Their employees live all around the country, so this is the only opportunity to make pictures for them all in one place. This is a challenging shoot, but it's a lot of fun — like a headshot factory that quickly turns out good portraits. My setup is simple and adaptive, and something similar could help you make a lot of portraits quickly. The space As you can see, I'm not allotted a whole lot of room. This is in the hallway outside the … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Headshot factory
LUMIX releases specs of full-frame S series cameras
Last fall, LUMIX announced its new full frame cameras, the S1 and S1R, which will feature a new L-Mount lens collaboration between LUMIX, Leica and Sigma. Early this morning, LUMIX came out with more information about both cameras. Let me give you the big details up front, and you can read the entire release below. S1R, 47.3 megapixels Boasting a full 36x24mm sensor, the S1R offers the highest resolution of any full-frame mirrorless camera on the market. Plus, the high-resolution mode — which combines multiple frames into a single raw file — … [Read more...] about LUMIX releases specs of full-frame S series cameras
Portrait Tips: A note for newborns
One of the best experiences you'll have as a portraitist is making pictures with brand new babies. There truly is something special about working with someone so new and pure, and it's a big responsibility to be entrusted with the opportunity. It's really a once-in-a-lifetime shoot, so be ready and take it seriously. And remember that it's not a picture of baskets and props. What is your purpose? We love pictures of babies snuggled into a blanket or wrapped in a peapod costume, and we dream of making that kind of picture, too. Swaddling a … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: A note for newborns
ACDSee’s Mobile Sync is really cool
Transferring pictures between your phone and your computer is troublesome but often necessary. If you're like me, then just because you shot a picture with your phone doesn't mean you don't want to use the best tools available on your computer to finish the photograph — especially as phone cameras get better and better (did you know you can shoot RAW files on your phone?). ACDSee has a terrific solution. Their mobile app, called Mobile Sync, is a free download for Android and iOS and it is simple to use. Let me show you how it works. Connect … [Read more...] about ACDSee’s Mobile Sync is really cool
Portrait Tips: Build a scene with Lume Cubes & holiday lights
Holiday lights are so cool. If the tree didn't dry out and start dropping needles, I think I'd petition my wife to leave them set up all year. They just give such a terrific mood. It's because they have a warm tone and because they are so spread out they make a very soft light. Plus, when they are in the background of the photo, they make really cool bokeh bobbles. I wanted to utilize these lights in the background, so I needed to build the light in the foreground so that it wouldn't overpower the twinkle in the back. Here's how to do it. Use … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Build a scene with Lume Cubes & holiday lights
How to photograph sledding (comprehensive)
Wanna have some fun this winter? Go photograph kids sledding. When your subjects are having fun, you're sure to have fun, too. It's a great excuse to get out and make pictures and keep your eye sharp through the winter. As much fun as it is, there are some surprising challenges you'll need to overcome if you want to make epic sledding pictures. Let's talk about camera settings and shooting techniques so you can get great pictures quickly and focus on having fun. White balance Why is white balance at the top of the list? It's simple, but … [Read more...] about How to photograph sledding (comprehensive)
Perfecting color in landscapes with Perfectly Clear Complete
If you can make a terrific foundation, then you can be free to create. This is especially true regarding color. Great color allows you to make better black and whites and utilize all kinds of creative apps. Let me show you how Perfectly Clear's excellent tools can help you make a sure color foundation to build your photofinishing on. Preset: Landscapes Start by clicking on the Landscapes preset button at the top of the window. This activates the excellent tone and color settings in Perfectly Clear and leaves all the stuff for portraits … [Read more...] about Perfecting color in landscapes with Perfectly Clear Complete
How to use Lightroom’s new Photomerge: HDR Panorama
Making panoramas is a wonderful way to photograph a scene with the best perspective. Shooting brackets for HDR is a wonderful way to get the best exposure for a scene. So why not do both? I've been doing both for several years, but it's always taken a lot of thought and process on the computer to get the pictures all put together. Do you do the HDR first, or stitch the panorama first? Lightroom's Classic's latest update brought the two together, and it's pretty awesome. Lightroom has processed HDR brackets and panoramas separately for several … [Read more...] about How to use Lightroom’s new Photomerge: HDR Panorama
Portrait Tips: How to use V-flats to light a group
When you light a portrait, a good rule of thumb is that your light should be about the same size as your subject. That's easy for a single individual where any softbox will work, but what about lighting a group of people? A light that big is hard to find. V-flats offer an easy way to make a large light that gives soft, even coverage for your group. You can use them to make soft light on the whole group, but you can also move your subjects around for different effects. V-flat as a modifier The V-flat is two large sheets (typically 7 or 8 … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How to use V-flats to light a group
Retouching portraits fast with Perfectly Clear Complete
Making a picture with your camera is the first step in making a portrait, but retouching it on the computer is when you truly finish it. If you're using tools like Photoshop to do your retouching, then it can be a complicated and time-consuming to give your picture the finish it needs. Personally, I like to shoot pictures more than I like to retouch them so I want to get it done as quickly as possible. Let me show you how I use Perfectly Clear Complete to retouch portraits simply and quickly. Brightness, color, eyes and texture The four main … [Read more...] about Retouching portraits fast with Perfectly Clear Complete
Portrait Tips: Retouch portraits in a batch
Batch retouching is the holy grail of portrait finishing. You've shot a lot of good pictures you want to share, but you know your client will only buy a few. How do you prepare all the best pictures without spending hours retouching pictures that won't be chosen? Let me show you how to do some things with Lightroom and then allow Perfectly Clear to finish them off automatically. Batching in Lightroom In Lightroom, you can adjust all the pictures at the same time very easily. Start by adjusting one of the pictures you want to work on. Make any … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Retouch portraits in a batch
Gear Review: Cordskinz solves earbud tangle woes
You probably use headphones often--if nothing else, you use them to listen to the Photofocus podcast when you're on the go, right? I use mine for monitoring sound while shooting videos on my camera, while working on photos on my laptop in cafés, and for talking on the phone hands-free. If you're like me, then your headphones probably get tangled everytime you put them into your pocket. No matter how carefully you coil them, they always end up tangled, and it's a little frustrating to get them sorted out. This is the problem Cordskinz solves and … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Cordskinz solves earbud tangle woes
Live webinar on the hour: Perfecting portraits & travel photos
Welcome to the webinar. We'll be learning how to perfect your portraits and travel images using Perfectly Clear, and we've got some door prizes to share as well. If you'd like to comment, ask questions, and be eligible for prizes, please click here to join us live on YouTube. This webinar is recorded so you can tune in later. We'll be live Monday, December 17 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 a.m. Central, 10:00 a.m. Mountain, 9:00 a.m. Pacific, 12:30 p.m. in Newfoundland and 1:00 p.m. in the V.I. Thanks to Athentech, makers of the marvelous … [Read more...] about Live webinar on the hour: Perfecting portraits & travel photos
Webinar tomorrow, 12/17: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen
This episode has something for everyone. Levi Sim will be joined by two of our other authors, Erin Holmstead and Mike Hagen to help you learn how to make the most of your portraits and your travel photography. They'll teach techniques to make the most of your time shooting and then they'll demonstrate Perfectly Clear Complete to help make the most of your time finishing your photographs, too. There's something for everyone, so be sure to join us right here. We'll have some giveaways for live viewers, so be sure to join us live on … [Read more...] about Webinar tomorrow, 12/17: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen
Webinar on Monday, 12/17: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen
That's right, portraits and travel all in one episode. Levi Sim will be joined by two of our other authors, Erin Holmstead, and Mike Hagen to help you learn how to make the most of your portraits and your travel photography. They'll teach techniques to make the most of your time shooting and then they'll demonstrate Perfectly Clear Complete to help make the most of your time finishing your photographs, too. There's something for everyone, so be sure to join us Monday. We'll have some giveaways for live viewers, so be sure to join us live on … [Read more...] about Webinar on Monday, 12/17: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen
How to NOT ruin real estate HDR’s
I recently bought a house, so I was looking at loads of real estate pictures. Most are simply informative pictures, and most are made with a smartphone. Real estate pictures can be fun to make, however, and when done well they can help sell a house more quickly. HDR is a great tool to make good real estate photos, but if you let your imagination run away you can end up with a picture that belongs more on a movie poster than the MLS. Let me share a few ideas to help you make the most of your HDR's for real estate. Time of day As with all … [Read more...] about How to NOT ruin real estate HDR’s
Portrait Tips: Does your picture have the sweetness?
“Unless some sweetness at the bottom lie, Who cares for all the crinkling of the pie?” This line is from William King's Poem, "The Art of Cookery," and it applies perfectly to portraiture. Today's tip is quick, and it includes the challenge that you should memorize this line of poetry — it'll broaden your horizons ;) Does your portrait emote? I take this line to mean that no matter how good a pie looks if it doesn't taste good then it's a failure. For you and me, that means that no matter how much hairspray you've used, no matter how … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Does your picture have the sweetness?
Webinar: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen, December 17
Yup, this webinar is a doubleheader. Levi Sim will be joined by two of our other authors, Erin Holmstead and Mike Hagen to help you learn how to make the most of your portraits and your travel photography. They'll teach techniques to make the most of your time shooting and then they'll demonstrate Perfectly Clear Complete to help make the most of your time finishing your photographs, too. There's something for everyone, so be sure to join us right here. We'll have some giveaways for live viewers, so be sure to join us live on … [Read more...] about Webinar: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen, December 17
Gear Review: NstaJam Bluetooth speaker
I'm always jealous of those photographers who are also musicians — and there are many of them. Me, I can't carry a tune in a camera bag and I'm practically tone deaf. But the power of music is undeniable and it's a wonderful tool for sculpting the mood while making pictures. Most studios have music going all the time, and people like Matthew Jordan Smith testify that music is an essential part of a great shoot. But what about when you're not in the studio? I've seen people using smartphones with the volume turned all the way up in order to … [Read more...] about Gear Review: NstaJam Bluetooth speaker
Portrait Tips: Have a conversation with your camera in hand
Having a conversation with your camera in hand doesn't mean you should talk to your camera — that's fine to do in private settings, but not recommended in public. I mean that you should have a conversation with your subject while your camera is doing the work. As you converse with your subject you'll discover subjects that bring their eyes to life and positions for their bodies that work best in the light. Here are a few ideas to help you camera-guided discussions. Don't look at the camera When folks are looking at your camera, there's very … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Have a conversation with your camera in hand
Book Review: “Steve McCurry: A Life In Pictures,” by Bonnie McCurry
Normally, I'd read the entire book before writing a review, but this can't wait. I've skipped around and read several sections and the writing is good and engaging — almost as engaging as the photographs. This is a book you should buy for every photographer you know and probably everyone else, too. But you should have it dropped shipped to the recipient because if you get your hands on it, you won't be able to put it down. An actually famous photographer There are almost no famous photographers, especially this century when photographs come … [Read more...] about Book Review: “Steve McCurry: A Life In Pictures,” by Bonnie McCurry
Finishing color photos for perfect tones in black and white
Like many of you, I started photography learning to shoot and process black and white in high school. It was amazing to see a photograph materialize in the chemicals, and it was incredible how much detail I could see in the scenes. Back then I only shot 35mm Tri-X film, but the tones and contrasts were captivating. Now, using tone mapping on a single image I can get similar tones. The details Aurora HDR 2019 can reveal are incredible. I'll use this panorama from Montana to show demonstrate. I shot it with a 200mm lens on my Lumix … [Read more...] about Finishing color photos for perfect tones in black and white
Portrait Tips: How close should the light be to your subject?
This is a great question, but when you're getting going making portraits (and especially when you're buying gear) it often gets overlooked. How close should your light be to your subject? Furthermore, what effect does a different distance have on the photo? Let's start with the impact the distance makes. Feel free to skip to the last section for the quick answer. Closer is softer but more contrasty When you bring a light closer to your subject, you make it bigger in relation to your subject, and a bigger light is softer. For instance, the … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How close should the light be to your subject?
Gear Review: Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack
Peak Design has done it again: The company has broken Kickstarter with its new product. I think these people get together and say, "What can we make that will cause people to lose their minds and buy it with wild abandon?" The company makes quality stuff and designs it very well. The latest offering is the Travel Line, and it I think it'll meet the expectations of all the people who funded the Kickstarter with $5,206,611. Yeah, five-point-two million dollars. The Travel Backpack There's no doubt that this is a well-made backpack. It's got … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack
Portrait Tips: Holiday portraits
Holy cow, it's the holidays. Yeah, crept right up on me. With family and friends getting together, you could have a golden opportunity to make terrific portraits. If you don't blow it. Another picture...? The problem is that these people know you are crazy about making portraits and they've suffered you for years — or maybe only this year if you're new to this marvelous game. They may be a little tired of feeling compelled to participate in your hobby (no matter how much your peers realize it's a passion, it'll always be a hobby to family. … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Holiday portraits
First Look: Lume Cube AIR
The new Lume Cube AIR is even more compact than the original and with a longer battery life. It has a powerful magnet on the back for mounting to any ferrous surface and it includes two diffusions domes (one white and one for tungsten lights (CTO)). You can control all its features from the LumeX app, which is a free download from your mobile device's app store. The video below expounds on how to get started using it. We'll have more reviews and use cases coming soon, but for now, go pick up the new Lume Cube AIR and start creating. It's … [Read more...] about First Look: Lume Cube AIR
Gear Review: Eyeforcer Glasses
I was surprised when I was approached about reviewing this product, but the more I use it, the more I like it. Eyeforcer is a pair of glasses that sense when your head is tilting and activate a light to remind you to lift your head back up. In fact, if you ignore the blinking light by your eye for too long, it'll send you a text message. Is it necessary? I've heard on the news several times over the last few years that people are having neck and back troubles from using their phones and tablets. The problem comes from tilting your head too … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Eyeforcer Glasses
Portrait Tips: Street Portraits
The other day I was in New York City for PhotoPlus Expo and Photofocus hosted its annual photowalk. It's a highlight of my photography year and I hope you can join me next time, or at the next conference (like WPPI). I had the pleasure of making several portraits during our walk, and you might benefit from simple principles for making street portraits while photowalking. 1. It's just a portrait First of all, there's nothing different about street portraits. It's still a picture of a person, and you should do your best to make it a good one. … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Street Portraits
How could I forget the first rule of making a time-lapse?
Making time-lapse videos is fun. They exaggerate the passing of time and reveal a whole different view of the world. I carry my Platypod Ultra everywhere so I'm always ready to set my camera to time-lapse mode and record traffic or clouds or airport work or a wildfire. I was making one the other day while awaiting my flight home from PhotoPlus Expo. And making them is simple, too. Many cameras — and even smartphones — have settings for creating a time-lapse. Look for it under interval shooting in your camera's menu. Then set the exposure … [Read more...] about How could I forget the first rule of making a time-lapse?
