I'll keep this one quick. Each time you make pictures you are developing your own style. At first, this may be mimicking the look of other photographs you've seen — in fact, it should be mimicking because that's the best way to ensure you make some good pictures. That means that the photos you look at are a huge influence on your personal style. The only way to create your own style is to make more pictures. And I don't think you should be intentional about making your own style. As you shoot you'll find ways to make pictures that get you … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How do you develop a style? Play more
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)
- Webinar on Monday, 12/17: Perfecting portraits & travel photos with Erin Holmstead & Mike Hagen - December 15, 2018
- How to NOT ruin real estate HDR’s - December 13, 2018
- Portrait Tips: Does your picture have the sweetness? - December 12, 2018
Video: Preview of Photoshop’s updated Content Aware Fill
I'm glad to see that Adobe are actively improving a really useful feature in Photoshop. Content Aware Fill has been a really useful tool for me, and if you haven't tried it, you should check it out (here's a video from Rich Harrington to get you up to date on the basics). I use it to remove objects from a scene and to expand my scene when I need to create a different crop or aspect ratio. It looks like the upcoming new interface will offer important controls to help us use it better. It's coming 'soon' and I'll let you know as soon as we have a … [Read more...] about Video: Preview of Photoshop’s updated Content Aware Fill
Portrait Tips: Five keys for candids
Candid portraits are often the first type of portraits photographers learn to make, and they are probably the most often requested by clients. When you view a candid photograph, it feels like you truly see the subject being themselves. Here are five keys to help you consistently make great candid photographs. 1. Acclimatization You need to be known to always have your camera and always be making pictures. At first, it's obvious to anyone that sees you that you have a camera and they notice it everytime you lift it up. But after a short while, … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Five keys for candids
I like you; I just don’t ‘Like’ your page
A Facebook business page seems like business 101 for a photographer these days. You start making pictures for people, then immediately start a business page and load it with pictures and promotions. But there's one thing you must do in order for your page to be successful. Invite friends to Like 'Like' has become such a funny word in the era of Facebook. But you need people to like your business page so that they can see your promotions and know that you're the ideal photographer for their family or business. And just like everything in the … [Read more...] about I like you; I just don’t ‘Like’ your page
Portrait Tips: Four tips for photographing teenage boys
It's time for senior pictures and school portraits and that means facing one of the hardest subjects on the planet: Teenage boys. Now, brides are under stress, two-year-olds can't sit still and executives are in a hurry. Those all pose trouble for you when you're trying to make a portrait and elicit genuine expressions. But unless you do things right, your teenage boys are just going to look bored. I've photographed a ton of teenage boys, and these tips will help you have an easier time getting it done with genuine and engaged … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Four tips for photographing teenage boys
Are you ready to use your custom settings?
Many cameras have a button or menu item called Custom Settings (or something similar), but on the first 24 DSLRs I owned, I never used it. When I did try using it, I used it poorly and I’d bet most of you are like me. Let me show you how I use it now; maybe it’ll help you refine your technique, too. How’s it work? Custom Settings work by saving all the settings you currently have on your camera into a button or dial or menu selection. And I do mean all the settings. White balance, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus mode, focus area, color … [Read more...] about Are you ready to use your custom settings?
Portrait Tips: How to combine photos for the best expressions using layers in Luminar
Photographing large groups of people is the most challenging assignment you'll get as a portrait photographer. Each person expects you to make them look great in the final portrait, but there's always at least one person with a half blink or a nose tickle and there's definitely one person who is just looking off into space while everyone else has a winning smile. Sigh. The easiest thing way to manage this is to make many pictures and then combine them together into one with everyone's face look great. It's simple to use Luminar to make this … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How to combine photos for the best expressions using layers in Luminar
Seven tips for killer hunting pictures
As a new hunter, I've been devouring so much information available out there about hunting and I realized that I can contribute back by sharing some simple ideas to help hunters make better pictures. There are so many traditions and beautiful landscapes surrounding hunting that you should really take advantage of the opportunity to make pictures and record memories. These tips will help you do it more effectively and more creatively, and they'll actually serve you well anytime you're traveling with others. Get ready You're likely hunting … [Read more...] about Seven tips for killer hunting pictures
How to balance flash with natural light to make pleasing portraits
If you're like most photographers, using a flash to make portraits is intimidating. Using available light is so simple that most photographers never dive into the world of using flash to light their portraits. Unfortunately, that severely limits the hours of the day when you can make pictures and leads to worrying too much about how well your camera performs at high ISO's. Making great balanced light pictures doesn't require the fanciest tools or a full-frame camera. I shot all the pictures here with a cropped micro four-thirds camera. You can … [Read more...] about How to balance flash with natural light to make pleasing portraits
Portrait Tips: The most important tip for street portraits
Making pictures while traveling is the best way to share your experience with others. But the best way to the have the best experience for yourself is to make pictures of the people in the places you visit. In fact, making street portraits in your own town can give you a fresh perspective on the place you live as well as a fun activity. And there's just one thing you need to do to get it done. "Can I make a picture of you?" The only key to making a picture of a complete stranger you meet on the street is to ask permission. It's simple, … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: The most important tip for street portraits
Portrait Tips: Family reunion posing time-lapse
Photographing large family groups is intimidating. There are so many people that you have to help look good and if you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. This is a picture I made at my family reunion the other day. Every time I do this it makes me sweat, and it's tempting to simply have everyone line up and turn toward the center like a high school band picture. But, there's one thing you can do to make it simple to photograph an extended family. Chop it up Instead of thinking of this task of photographing one huge family, … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Family reunion posing time-lapse
Portrait Tips: Use a lint roller for a higher paycheck
If you're like me, you easily get caught up in the moment of making a picture and you may forget some simple things. Fortunately for me, I recently had photographer Carlos Zamora assisting me on a big headshot shoot and he was on top of those small things for me and made sure we didn't skip any important things. He was the perfect assistant and he saved me at least five hours of work retouching pictures — and he did it with a roll of packing tape. Little things x lots of people We had to make 70 headshots and we had fewer than five minutes … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Use a lint roller for a higher paycheck
Save the date: PhotoPlus Expo is coming up
I'm sure looking forward to PhotoPlus Expo, this fall. It's a singular event with educators and vendors from around the globe gathering in one spot. You'll be able to get your hands on all the great new cameras and lenses and tripods and Platypods and lights and software and who knows what else. The most important thing that happens at shows like this, however, is that you get to meet people like yourself who are passionate about photography and trying to learn more. I love getting together with old friends, making new friends, and seeing … [Read more...] about Save the date: PhotoPlus Expo is coming up
Portrait Tips: Go for the tilt
People standing right next to each other seem like they are close, but once you ask them to tilt their heads together you'll see that they were really miles apart. Anytime you photograph two people together, you'll make an infinitely better photo if you just ask them to tilt their heads together. Why tilt? You should do this with friends, coworkers, families, kids, couples, everybody. Now, of course, coworkers standing next to each other probably shouldn't be touching their temples together, but just tilting their heads toward each other … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Go for the tilt
Gear Review: TetherTool’s Case Relay
There is nothing worse than doing an extended shoot and suddenly running out of power in your camera battery. Inevitably, it'll happen right when the mood is perfect and things are finally going exactly as you wanted. In a recent example from my life, I ran out of power while making a timelapse of the complete solar eclipse. I was shooting over the Tetons in Idaho at the very center of the eclipse...and I've got nothing to show for it. Had I been using the Case Relay from TetherTools, that never would have happened. Simple utility The Case … [Read more...] about Gear Review: TetherTool’s Case Relay
Portrait Tips: Beg, borrow or steal — whatever it takes to get catchlights
We talk about posing and connecting with our subjects and all kinds of other stuff when we make portraits, but there's one thing that matters more than that stuff and you've got to do it first. You've got to find a spot that puts catchlights in your subject's eyes. Catchlights let us see that the person is alive and they allow us to focus more on their eyes and see more from the expression. Do this to get catchlights The key to ensuring that your subject has catchlights in their eyes is to make sure that they are facing a bright light … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Beg, borrow or steal — whatever it takes to get catchlights
Gear Review: iForway PowerElf Portable Power Station
If you ever leave your house and spend time away, then this battery may be a good option for you. The PowerElf from iForway is sleek and compact but offers a significant amount of electricity and several good options for charging. I've been using it on a three-week trip. I charged it before I left and used it for phone charges, camera battery charges, and even topping off my laptop and it's still got juice in it. PowerElf features The PowerElf has two USB ports for phones and tablets and whatever else charges off USB. Many cameras' battery … [Read more...] about Gear Review: iForway PowerElf Portable Power Station
Portrait Tips: The sneaky secret of white balance
White balance is always trying to pull a fast one on you and sneak by with the wrong color in your photographs. Here's the case in point, today: It's a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, so you set the white balance to Daylight, which is just what the camera manufacturer advises you to do. But then you end up with a picture like this that has significantly too much blue in the skin tones. What the heck? Shade is sneaky The trouble is that although the subject is standing in the sun, the light shining on her face is actually coming from … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: The sneaky secret of white balance
Medium format vs. full frame
Medium Format digital cameras have sensors that are significantly larger than full frame DSLR's. That also means the lenses are larger and the price tag is usually much larger, as well. Hasselblad has long been one of the top manufacturers of medium format cameras, and this series of videos compares medium format with full frame. The videos are produced by Hasselblad, so I'm sure you can guess which one ends up being better, but they give a fair insight into some of the advantages of medium format. Hasselblad, Fuji, PhaseOne and Pentax … [Read more...] about Medium format vs. full frame
Steve Glynn’s tintype portrait project
Steve Glynn makes portraits using the tintype process (learn more about tintypes in this article) and a large format camera. This combination is striking — it yields a very shallow depth of field and a unique and irreplicable photograph. The picture is recorded directly onto a metal sheet, and I'm struck by the finiteness. This picture cannot be shared instantly on Facebook, but it is a long-lasting medium and the photos will surely outlast Facebook itself. I think you'll enjoy this short film about Glynn's continuing … [Read more...] about Steve Glynn’s tintype portrait project
Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Do you ever feel like Nemo's dad, Marlin, from Finding Nemo? He meets a new group of fish and they say, "Hey, you're a clownfish: Say something funny!" Once people find out you're a photographer, the pressure is on to be able to make a great photo on the spot under any conditions and one of the hardest of those circumstances can be photographing children. But I've found one key that helps me photograph kids, and that's practicing being observant. Readiness from watching Now, don't go get your binoculars and hang out at the park, 'cause that's … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Creating Dynamic Portraits with Sparklers
Happy Independence Day! You've got a terrific opportunity to make some fun portraits with fireworks. Kids love sparklers, and when you show them what you can do with sparklers, flash and a couple of seconds, they will get excited and start creating incredible pictures with you. And if you don't have sparklers handy, try using a flashlight instead like I did below. Here's what you need to do to get started. Second Curtain/Rear Sync Flash You need to go into your camera's flash settings and switch the flash from First Curtain or Front Sync to … [Read more...] about Creating Dynamic Portraits with Sparklers
Gear Review: Ruggard Thunderhead 35 Camera Backpack
Everyone needs a camera backpack, and this one from Ruggard is a good choice. It's well made and will protect your gear. It's a medium-sized bag with room for lots of tools. The carry straps and belt are well padded. It'll even carry your laptop. It's not a stylish bag, but it's a straightforward simple design that has proven effective. More specs and details right here. https://youtu.be/eyiHLezwhu4 … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Ruggard Thunderhead 35 Camera Backpack
Gear Review: Vanguard’s Alta Sky 66 Super-Telephoto Pack
Vanguard's Alta Sky 66 is designed to carry super-telephoto lenses, like 400mm or 600mm lenses, spotting scopes and other long stuff. It is well-made, comfortable, and has a lifetime warranty. There are few bags that feel as comfortable carrying heavy stuff as this bag does. It manages sweat very well and is made of durable materials to protect your tools. Highly recommended. More details and specs right here. Photos follow the video. https://youtu.be/UU3x79OYlgY … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Vanguard’s Alta Sky 66 Super-Telephoto Pack
Portrait Tips: A Layered Workflow for Retouching
Retouching the portraits you make can be a lot of fun, and it can be a lot of frustration. I realize that I've retouched thousands of portraits and one thing that makes it more fun than frustration is simply the way you go about it — the workflow. Let me show you how using layers in your retouching allows you freedom and creativity and reproducibility. I'll demonstrate using Luminar, but you can get similar results using any layered app. Basics Start by doing your basic tweaks — adjust the camera profile and white balance, which are in … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: A Layered Workflow for Retouching
Gear Review: Ruggard Hunter Pro 65 DSLR Holster Bag
A holster bag is a terrific addition to your camera bag quiver. In fact, it's a very good choice as a first camera bag. You'll always find uses for it, even when your equipment needs outgrow its size. I have far more gear than will fit in this bag, but I use it as a convenient bag for keeping a camera and lens handy. It sits next to me in the car, it goes inside another duffle bag or backpack and I attach it to the belt of my backpack when hiking. In this video, I show you the 65, but it comes in various sizes, including a larger bag which … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Ruggard Hunter Pro 65 DSLR Holster Bag
How To: Use Colored Filters in Luminar 2018 for Black and White Portraits
There's a simple tool for making your black and white portraits look great with little or no retouching. It's called a color filter. We often retouch things like pimples and redness or uneven skin tones, and these things can take a lot of time on each portrait. But when you make black and whites, you can use a color filter tool to remove uneven skin tones and sculpt beautifully contrasty portraits at the same time. What's more, you can do it in the camera and with software like Luminar. In-Camera Black and White I often recommend setting your … [Read more...] about How To: Use Colored Filters in Luminar 2018 for Black and White Portraits
In Depth Video Gear Review: Vanguard Alta GH300T Tripod Grip Head
The right tripod head makes using a tripod a joy, and the Vanguard Alta GH300T is just such a head. It's a grip head, which means you can make adjustments with a single hand, but unlike other grip heads, it doesn't require you to squeeze a handle. A single lock at the thumb loosens and tightens. It is Arca-Swiss compatible. It also has a trigger built-in which can trigger your shutter with an included cord (includes cords for Canon and Nikon). I like this head very much, and I think you'll enjoy it, too. I'm showing it in this video attached to … [Read more...] about In Depth Video Gear Review: Vanguard Alta GH300T Tripod Grip Head
Gear Review: Angler Collapsible Backdrop, 5×7′
Collapsible backdrops are great for location shooting and small studios — even large studios use them for convenient and inexpensive options for backdrops. The video below shows the 5x7' chroma key backdrop. You can use chroma key backdrops to replace the background in your photo or videos, but Angler also has other colors with the same build quality. This is a well-made backdrop that should last a very long time. Even the carry bag is better made than most others that cost a lot more money. I use this kind of backdrop on location every week. … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Angler Collapsible Backdrop, 5×7′
In Depth Gear Review: Vanguard Alta Sky 51D Backpack For Drones!
Vanguard's Alta Sky 51D is a spacious backpack for camera gear. It'll carry a laptop in addition to cameras, including the largest DSLR's, but its special characteristic is that it can be configured to carry a quad-copter drone, like a DJI Phantom. Even loaded very heavily, it is comfortable to wear and manages sweat well. It's a heavy-duty backpack for carrying and storing your gear, and it has a lifetime warranty. Highly recommended. More specs and details right here. Photos below the video. https://youtu.be/EYulL9MLbDk … [Read more...] about In Depth Gear Review: Vanguard Alta Sky 51D Backpack For Drones!
