Recently I came across a thread on social media proclaiming all cemetery shoots were disrespectful and should be prohibited. Being a.) an artist and b.) someone who likes to debate everything, I was surprised by this stance. I'm endlessly fascinated by the stories in these places, the history, and the artistry of the headstones and statues. So, personally, it had never occurred to me that photography in a cemetery would be a bad thing. But, I understand how others might object, and I do have a personal set of guidelines to follow to make sure I … [Read more...] about Do’s and Don’ts of Photographing Cemeteries and Other Sacred Places
Shooting
The Magic of Venice with Fuji-X
Photographing Venice during Carnival with Fuji-X cameras I recently had the opportunity to attend Chromasia's Venice Carnival photo tour led by my wife Bobbi Lane and our friend David Nightingale. All three of us are part of the Fuji-X team, and we're very passionate about our Fuji cameras! The 2016 tour was a perfect opportunity to put the Fuji-X system to the test! Venice is an amazing city—evermore so during the period of time, just before Lent, known the world over as Carnival. This magical time, in a magical environment, offers splendid … [Read more...] about The Magic of Venice with Fuji-X
Photowalk Tonight @8pm In NYC
Tens of thousands of photographers are descending on New York City from around the world to attend Photo Plus Expo, the largest photography conference, and trade show in the Western Hemisphere. Several of our authors and editors will be there and we’d love to see you for a photowalk Friday evening and maybe a little refreshment afterward. (Register Now! The photo walk is Limited to 50 walkers) This year we’ve got a special opportunity to learn new skills. We’ll learn how to maximize any shooting opportunity by recording video footage along … [Read more...] about Photowalk Tonight @8pm In NYC
How to Transform Your Travel Tripod into a Light Stand for Flashes
Being an outdoor/adventure/"hike all over the place" type of photographer, I love any gear that can do more than one job, without weighing a ton. When you have to backpack everything in, you learn to simplify and use as much multipurpose, lightweight gear as possible. One trick I have learned is to turn my Oben travel tripod into a light stand for flashes or continuous lights. At just a few pounds, it's light enough to hike with, and serves double duty as either a camera or flash support. This versatility means it gets a place in my pack, … [Read more...] about How to Transform Your Travel Tripod into a Light Stand for Flashes
Portrait Tips: Make Clean Profiles
A classic pose you can use to add variety to every shoot is a profile. This is done with the person's face looking 90 degrees to the side of the camera so that you see only the outline of the face. It's a striking picture, and you'll see that some of the best are of people who feel less confident about their nose size--big noses make beautiful profiles and you can help people feel good about it by practicing this kind of photograph. Really Practice It I wouldn't be surprised if the first time you make a profile picture you don't like the way … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Make Clean Profiles
NYC Photowalk With Photofocus, Macphun, & Adobe Stock This Friday @8pm
Tens of thousands of photographers are descending on New York City from around the world to attend Photo Plus Expo, the largest photography conference, and trade show in the Western Hemisphere. Several of our authors and editors will be there and we’d love to see you for a photowalk Friday evening and maybe a little refreshment afterward. (Register Now! The photo walk is Limited to 50 walkers) This year we’ve got a special opportunity to learn new skills. We’ll learn how to maximize any shooting opportunity by recording video footage along … [Read more...] about NYC Photowalk With Photofocus, Macphun, & Adobe Stock This Friday @8pm
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Peaking
I started photography with a K1000 camera which required manual focus and had a cat's eye style focusing screen. It was very apparent when I was focused at the wrong distance because the top and bottom halves of the image were misaligned and fuzzy looking. Digital SLR's, however, don't have this kind of screen and manually focusing them is difficult. Mirrorless cameras have something better: Focus Peaking. I love using Lensbaby lenses, which are all manual focus, and I love that focus peaking lets me get super sharp images even when manually … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Peaking
Learn To Love Lemonade
The thing is, there are stellar celestial events every month and wherever you live you're sure to be able to make a great picture. I've just moved to Nampa, Idaho, and I'm invigorated by a new place and new things to photograph. However, I bet there are plenty of interesting things to see right where you live, too. Most Importantly: Just Do It I know how it is: you're rushing to get your work done on Friday so you can go out and make a picture in the evening or head out on a trip with your family for the weekend, but no matter how focused you … [Read more...] about Learn To Love Lemonade
Avoid These Tripod Trip Ups!
Most photographers will tell you that a good tripod is one of the most important equipment investments you can make for your photography. But, just owning one isn't enough to give you better pictures. You have to have the right one to fit your photography, as well as know how to use it properly. For as much time as we spend discussing and dissecting our settings, we often don't think about the physical mechanics of how we take pictures. Over the years of running photo workshops and pursuing my own photos, I have seen many mistakes and … [Read more...] about Avoid These Tripod Trip Ups!
Portrait Tips: Pose The Nose To Contain The Lobe
Anytime you turn your subject's face away from the camera, you run the risk of emphasizing the size of her nose, and in all the pictures I've ever made, no one has ever said, "I wish you'd made my nose look bigger." The most important thing in a portrait is usually the eyes but placing your camera in the wrong position will make the nose distract from the eyes. Beware the Nose Lobe The trouble is that a person's nose may stick out past the profile of the cheek. When it does, it sticks out a little bit, kind of like the way the lobe of the ear … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Pose The Nose To Contain The Lobe
Why Long Exposure Photography?
Editor's Note: This is a guest post by Leanne Cole, an incredible photographer from Melbourne, Australia. See more of her work here, and we hope to see more education from her in the future. Please welcome Leanne to Photofocus. If you look on social media you will find hundreds, thousands of images that are classed as long exposures. Instagram alone has almost 3.5 million images that use the hashtag #longexposure which helps to show how popular it is. There are many reasons why it is as well. What is a Long Exposure? In simple terms, it … [Read more...] about Why Long Exposure Photography?
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Take–Make–Shoot
I suspect that you need to shoot more pictures. I was recently teaching at a dude ranch in Montana (it was a marvelous week--I hope to see you next year) and the one thing each of my students needed to do was to shoot more pictures. People often notice that when I'm talking about the act of recording images with a camera I always say "Let's make a picture." This is 100% intentional. I do my best not to take pictures, but to make them together with the people I'm photographing, or to be intentional and contemplative when photographing … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Take–Make–Shoot
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Tips For Shooting The Milky Way
Photographing the Milky Way is remarkable because what you see on your camera is magnitudes more intricate than what you can visualize with your eyes. I was teaching a workshop in Montana the other day, and we took advantage of the big, clear, dark skies and it was so much fun to see people ooh and ahh over the images appearing on their cameras. With Autumn around the corner, it's a terrific time to take advantage of earlier sunsets and cool clear skies before the winter makes it a lot more difficult to stay out at nighttime. Here are some tips … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Tips For Shooting The Milky Way
Shooting Panoramic Images from a Drone
Image credit – Jag_cz on Adobe Stock. These two videos are from my new class over at LinkedIn Learning... I'll share with you in a six-part article the entire part of the course about aerial panoramic images. You can see the series here as it's released on Photofocus or watch the whole class here. Configuring your drone for panoramic images and essential apps from Learning Aerial Photography with Drones by Richard Harrington and Francis Torres Note: If the video doesn’t show up at first, please reload the page. Shooting strategies … [Read more...] about Shooting Panoramic Images from a Drone
Fog… in a can?
Using a fog machine indoors—especially in a small, unvented room—can be challenging. The fog can sometimes linger too long or move in front of your subject, causing a hazy image. Here’s how to control fog using a neat little product called Atmosphere Aerosol, a.k.a Fog in a Can. What is Atmosphere Aerosol? Atmosphere Aerosol looks like hairspray, but without the choking fumes. It enables photographers to add fog or haze during a shoot. It’s a safe, non-toxic, clear spray that won’t stain gowns, suits, uniforms or garments. How it … [Read more...] about Fog… in a can?
Portrait Tips: Run Away & Zoom-In
You've got to try this technique for your portraits and you'll find a great impact on your compositions. Zooming-in makes stuff appear closer, and so we usually use it for things that are far away that we can't get closer to, like football players playing a game, or far-off wildlife. But in this case, you should put your subjects far away on purpose and then zoom in. Zooming-In Makes the Background Smaller and Closer Not only does zooming-in make your subject appear closer, it also makes the background appear larger. That means that a small … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Run Away & Zoom-In
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: You Should Shoot More Time-Lapse
From what I can tell by looking at specifications online and from my own experience, it looks like all the mirrorless camera manufacturers have made shooting time-lapse videos pretty simple. I know that all of my Lumix cameras can shoot time-lapse sequences. Time-lapse means that the camera automatically takes a picture at a set interval, like every two seconds, and then you can compile them together into a video using Lightroom or Photoshop or QuickTime or many other applications. The video shows the passage of time much faster than reality … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: You Should Shoot More Time-Lapse
Tips For The Hiking Photographer
Sharing pictures from beautiful places is one of my favorite things to do, especially when I've hiked to get there. However, if I suddenly had to choose between never making a picture for the rest of my life or never hiking for the rest of my life...I choose to give up photography. I'd rather continue seeing marvelous places for myself and never share them in pictures than be able to share ordinary places in pictures but never hike. Plus, hiking is one of my favorite ways to torment my kids. I've learned a lot of techniques for hiking … [Read more...] about Tips For The Hiking Photographer
Mirrorless Maniac: Shoot TeleFlorals
There are many lenses emerging for our mirrorless cameras, including macro lenses. The thing is about macro lenses that they are often a very good portrait length, and they often offer incredible edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast, but they are usually not as fast and bright as similar lenses intended for portraiture. I used to use Nikon's 105mm f/2.8 Micro for everything, and it's a terrific lens, but now I'm used to the shutter speeds I get with the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 Nocticron, and shooting at f/2.8 just seems so slow. Which is the main … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Maniac: Shoot TeleFlorals
Portrait Tips: 3 Ways To Not Shoot Butts
When you take a street photography class with me, I'll probably tell you my one rule: No Butts. If you're photographing butts it means that you've either missed the moment or you're too chicken to photograph people to their face--which can be really intimidating. But even if you're simply making pictures at a family gathering, you should practice waiting for the right moment to make a picture when the action is happening and you can see it on folks' faces. Here are a couple of tips to capture the right moment from the right angle and not end … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: 3 Ways To Not Shoot Butts
Polarizer Filters: They’re Not Just for Landscape Photography
Circular polarizing filters, a.k.a. “polarizers”, are some of the few filters I always have in my pack. Polarizers are important tools in my landscape photography. They can dramatically enhance the look of skies, water and other features of the landscape. Polarizers can remove unappealing glare. They can increase the vibrant color and help the detail of a scene burst through. As with many pieces of photo gear, it's easy to label them as something you use for only a certain type of photography. I once thought of my polarizers as something used … [Read more...] about Polarizer Filters: They’re Not Just for Landscape Photography
Portrait Tips: Everybody LEAN
I've written before that everyone who gets in front of my camera will end up looking at my toes and that this is going to help me capture great looking eyes. Well here's another tip that is sure to help everyone look better in photographs. You should practice it yourself while brushing your teeth each day so you can clearly see the effect it has on the impact of your portraits. Lean Toward the Camera This is so simple but so vital--in fact, when I'm using someone else's phone to make a portrait of them (like at a landmark), I always ask them … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Everybody LEAN
Portrait Tips: Consider the Background
I'm a big believer that the most important thing in the picture should be the people. Many clients want to know where we'll shoot, where is a great background. I'm usually not looking for great backgrounds--I'm usually looking for backgrounds that don't ruin the picture! There are some great backgrounds, but for the most part, as long as it's not so distracting that attention is drawn away from my subject, the background is not a big consideration for most of my work. Of course, there are exceptions, and when there are these tips will help … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Consider the Background
Stories from the Set-CB Friedland’s Sea Caves
Vanelli travels across the country, talking to some of the top photographers in the field as they share their experiences while shooting on set. You'll soon learn that even season professionals encounter roadblocks during photo shoots. By staying calm under pressure, they rely on their skills to overcome these obstacles to capture an amazing shot. Sit back, relax and enjoy a Story from the Set. Travel, Landscape and Sea Cave photographer C.B. Friedland shares a story on how he first learned how to capture unique Sea Cave images. In this … [Read more...] about Stories from the Set-CB Friedland’s Sea Caves
Shooting and Seeing Art in Automobiles
I thought I would build on (pun intended) my last article Seeing Art in Architecture. It’s car show season here in the Midwest and shooting them can be quite fun, yet they pose some unique challenges. Many of the techniques and principles used in photographing architecture can be applied to shooting vehicles. Put Your Camera Down It can be overwhelming when you first walk onto the grounds of a car show, so many cars, so many shiny objects, and so many people. Walk around first and get the lay of the land. Are there groups of certain … [Read more...] about Shooting and Seeing Art in Automobiles
Learning to See: Working Around the Iconic Vacation Shot
A few weeks ago, I spent some time in Ireland with my family. One of the places that was on our list to check out was Kylemore Abbey, a former boarding school and castle in County Galway. There was a lake in front of it, and we had grand ideas of capturing the building with its reflection in the water; the mountains and trees surrounding it in the background. But as we pulled up, we noticed something was different. One of the wings of the building was surrounded by scaffolding. It was under construction. As bummed as we were, I knew … [Read more...] about Learning to See: Working Around the Iconic Vacation Shot
Portrait Tips: Done Is Better Than Good
There's a saying, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right." While it's usually true that if you're going to take the time to do something, you should do your best at it. However, I've also learned that getting something done is often better than doing it well. "Done is better than good" applies to portraiture in an important way. Done Is Better Than Good Whether you're photographing a wedding or family portraits or your own family reunion, there are certain pictures you simply must make but they are not necessarily going to be art. … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Done Is Better Than Good
Stories from the Set-How Jamie MacDonald uses Olympus Technology
Vanelli travels across the country, talking to some of the top photographers in the field as they share their experiences while shooting on set. You'll soon learn that even season professionals encounter roadblocks during photo shoots. By staying calm under pressure, they rely on their skills to overcome these obstacles to capture an amazing shot. Sit back, relax and enjoy a Story from the Set. Olympus Visionary and educator Jamie MacDonald shares a story on how the newest technology from Olympus has influenced his photography. In this … [Read more...] about Stories from the Set-How Jamie MacDonald uses Olympus Technology
The Best Method For Fireworks
The Fourth of July is this coming Tuesday. It's America's biggest party and we love to celebrate with fireworks. Making a good fireworks picture is satisfying and difficult. So here are two tips for making great fireworks photos. f/8, 3 Seconds, ISO 400 on a Tripod Use a tripod for this technique. It doesn't have to be fancy. I used the Platypod Ultra with a Vanguard TBH-50 head for all the pictures in this post. Try those settings (f/8, 3 Seconds, ISO 400) and you can't go wrong. To adjust how bright the fireworks streams are, change the … [Read more...] about The Best Method For Fireworks
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Shoot Black and White
Possibly the greatest feature of mirrorless cameras is that they can show you exactly how your picture will appear before you press the shutter (see this column). You should leverage this unique ability to truly see the world in black and white. Set the camera to Monochrome mode, choose the right settings, and you'll be amazed at what you can learn. Choose Monochrome + Filters Go to your camera's picture style settings, often in a quick menu, and you'll see an option for monochrome. You can use this, but you'll just get gray pictures. … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Shoot Black and White
