Weekly Wrap-Up: September 1-7, 2019
Bryan Esler
With summer winding down and the kids going back to school, the team at Photofocus brought some really unique articles this week to get your creativity juices flowing! We hope
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Weekly Wrap-Up: August 11-17, 2019
Kevin Ames
Lots going on during the dog days of summer here at Photofocus. Photoshop becomes more fun with the Logickeyboard in a Levi Sim review. Julie Powell riffs on fractal prism
How to make beautiful backgrounds with v-flats
Jason Hahn
Taking a lesson from my nature photography roots for my studio work, I always try to compose my background first. With wildlife, this is often a split second decision in
How to remove background distractions
Vanelli
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, there are distracting elements in the background of your photos. As photographers, we do our best to fix these distractions while we are
Four ways to photograph a white background
Scott Wyden Kivowitz
Editor’s Note: We welcome Scott Wyden Kivowitz to the Photofocus team. Scott is a father and photographer whose dedication to teaching photographers comes through in a straightforward and no fluff style.
Quick Tip: Use an inexpensive pegboard for a creative portraits
Vanelli
If you’re getting bored shooting on the same background you can create a unique look by using a $15 pegboard as a background and a simple lighting setup.
Portrait Tips: Try color to liven up a shoot
Levi Sim
I know, I know, I’m always saying that the background is just in the back and the important thing is your subject. It kinda drives me crazy when photographers pull
Creating custom backdrops for your photos using stock images
Kevin Ames
To me, the backdrop or background of a photograph is its foundation. The backdrop sets the stage, the tone and reveals or hides things that might add or detract from
How to Remove People From An Image Using Luminar
Vanelli
Amber is a model friend of mine who recently came back from a dream vacation in Iceland. She purchased a Canon Rebel T6 — a nice entry-level DSLR. She doesn’t
Gear Review: Angler Collapsible Backdrop, 5×7′
Levi Sim
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 5×7′ chroma key
Portrait Tips: Fix It Now, Not In Photoshop
Levi Sim
It’s important to keep a shoot moving along, keep your subjects engaged, and keep up appearances that you know what you’re doing, right? We all want to appear to be
Quick Tip: What Makes a Great Photo of a Speaker?
Bryan Esler
One of the things I’m asked to photograph often are speakers at corporate events. These can be boring and uninspiring if not photographed right. So remember this — look at
How to Replace a Portrait Background Easily with Adobe Stock
Kevin Ames
A portrait against a neutral background is great as a headshot. It lacks excitement, concept, and story. Here’s an easy way to turn a simple portrait into a show stopper–change the
Portrait Tips: Include Details
Levi Sim
I’ve said many times that the background in a picture is just a backdrop that’s its job is to not ruin the portrait. Well, this time I’m backpedaling a little.
Portrait Tips: Consider the Background
Levi Sim
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
Background Layering Makes All the Difference
Bryan Esler
Backgrounds are important no matter what you’re photographing, but especially when photographing products. Layering different elements together can help make for an interesting yet non-distracting background, and can lead to
Simplest Way to Get a Great Background Anywhere
Levi Sim
Anytime there is good light, I try to make a portrait. It keeps me sharp, and it’s fun. I often approach strangers when there’s good light and say, “Hi, I’m
Adding Video Background to Keynote Presentations
Eric Renno
I recently attended an Adobe event and saw Rufus Deuchler presenting about mobile apps. As interesting as this talk was I was transfixed by the presentation he was giving because
Extracting From A Green Screen – The LAB Trick
Eric Renno
If youre shooting in a studio for compositing with Photoshop then you may be using a grey or green backdrop. I was spending a long time making masks until I
How to Create the Look – Adding a Background Element
Vanelli
This “How to Create the Look” article focuses on using a background element to balance the frame.
A Tip from Hollywood: Outdoor Portrait
Vanelli
Mike “Hollywood” Kubeisy sent me an image of an outdoor portrait setup when he was on the set of NCIS. I analyzed the image and came up with a few setup tips.