Help! I’m not technical, I hate math and all those dials, numbers and settings really confuse me. Can I still be a photographer? Of course you can. You can be anything you want to be. Right? Now, before people go all crazy on me, let me explain. Photography is technical at its core. You do need to learn what those dials, numbers and settings are and what they do in order to create the image you want. The same as a painter needs to learn which brushes work to create the look they want, or a sculptor learns the different tools he needs to … [Read more...] about The nontechnical photographer
learning
Understanding Luminar 3 in five minutes or less
Luminar 3 is now available! For a limited time, you can receive an additional $10 off, plus a ton of bonuses! Click here to get started, and use the promo code PHOTOFOCUS. Offer ends Dec. 19 at 5 a.m. PT. If you already have Luminar 2018, login to your account at skylum.com to upgrade for free. Learning new software can be challenging and frustrating. This can cause some users not to upgrade or try something new even if it’s better than what they are using. Here's how to understand Luminar 3 in five minutes or less to start processing your … [Read more...] about Understanding Luminar 3 in five minutes or less
Quick Tip: Set aside a time to learn each week
If you really want to up your photography or editing skills, set aside a few hours each week to watch videos or read articles on areas you want to improve on and stick to the schedule. The time you invest will teach you to become proficient, saving you time on photo shoots and editing. Want to learn more? Check out this article, “How to Apply a Little LUCK to Your Photography” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Set aside a time to learn each week
Learn how to get the most from Aurora HDR 2019’s Detail Boost filter
The improved HDR Details Boost filter in Aurora HDR 2019 improves image sharpness without increasing digital noise, creating unnatural ghosting or halos in an image. Here’s how apply this powerful tool to improve the quality of your images. Understanding the HDR Details Boost sliders The HDR Details Boost filter has 5 sliders, Small, Medium, Large, Protect and Masking. Each setting can be used alone or in combination with the others. Fight your first instinct to move all the sliders around and see what happens. Instead, experiment and … [Read more...] about Learn how to get the most from Aurora HDR 2019’s Detail Boost filter
Closing the gap
“Photography makes me feel alive. I never get tired of shooting!” “Oh, this sucks. Didn’t turn out the way I saw it!” “Trying to find my style! Aaarrgghhhhh this is so difficult.” “If I think of my hard drive and all the courses and videos I bought? Embarrassing.” Let’s face it, f-stops will only take us so far After refining technique and learning the magic triangle where most images seem to sink anyway, at the end of the day we’re still unhappy with what we’re doing, and there seems to be no reasonable explanation for that. I mean, … [Read more...] about Closing the gap
Quick Tip: Participate or join a Facebook group to get out of a creative slump
If you find yourself in a creative slump, participate or join a new Facebook group. Look for images that inspire you and chat with the person who created it. This will help you get motivated to try new ideas and get back to being creative. Want to learn more? Download and listen to this podcast: “The InFocus Interview Show with Andrew Kavanagh | Photofocus Podcast June 27, 2018” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Participate or join a Facebook group to get out of a creative slump
The InFocus Interview Show with Andrew Kavanagh | Photofocus Podcast June 27, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-with-andrew-kavanagh-photofocus-podcast-july-27-2018/s-sXS0S In this episode: Photoshop tutor and retoucher Andrew Kavanagh talks about the benefits of joining a Facebook group. Andrew runs one of the most successful Facebook Groups “Photoshop and photography” with over 300K members. Topics: What motivated Andrew to create the group How members learn from top professionals A resource to ask questions and share ideas. Use of Facebook’s new Units section If you … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Andrew Kavanagh | Photofocus Podcast June 27, 2018
How to Apply a Little LUCK to Your Photography
A good friend of mine — but a huge pain in my butt — kind of gave me a backhanded compliment the other day. You know the kind..."I'm a fan of your earlier work" or "Your presentation will be inspiring if people are listening." Hers was in the form of a sentence that basically said she would be great at photography or video editing if she had the network of friends I have. I could hear my mother say, "Robert, keep it positive, I mean it,” so I just smiled. I offered her resources to learn from but, nope, she said she doesn't learn like that, … [Read more...] about How to Apply a Little LUCK to Your Photography
Becoming a Better Drone Videographer: Reducing Jitter in Your Drone Footage
One of the challenges in recording video with a drone can be to create footage without jitter or flicker in it. The places where it shows up the most for me are when I am panning or flying-by stationary subjects especially those with a lot of texture in them. A while back, when I was shooting a video in the Columbia River Gorge of Crown Point/Vista House and the massive cliffs below it, I was getting jitter/flicker in the cliff area, on the fly-by portion. At first, I thought it was a camera or gimbal problem and so I sent a clip to Travis … [Read more...] about Becoming a Better Drone Videographer: Reducing Jitter in Your Drone Footage
Improve Your Photography Skills For $0 – $5 with these Essential Tools
As a beginner photographer, we don't always have a killer budget to invest in education. I found some very useful tools over the years that helped me along the way without breaking the bank. Here are 5 totally FREE options to improve your photography skills! 1) YouTube This is such a powerful one. We have access to thousands of hours of free content right at our fingertips. Everything is in there. I can't tell you how many times I looked for video tutorials and how many times I found the answers in a matter of seconds. There are … [Read more...] about Improve Your Photography Skills For $0 – $5 with these Essential Tools
Becoming a Better Drone Pilot – The Preflight Checklist
There are a lot of things remember when you're flying a drone. If you're shooting video and/or photographs, then there are even more things to remember and set. Having a preflight checklist makes this much easier. Here are some of the things to check on the ground, prior to takeoff and immediately after takeoff, while in the air. Note that some of these options depend upon which drone you're flying. Remember that whether you are a recreational pilot or Part 107 commercial pilot, you are responsible for checking and setting up the drone so … [Read more...] about Becoming a Better Drone Pilot – The Preflight Checklist
Be honest and upfront on your work
If you don’t know how to shoot something, don’t do it and expect to be paid. Be honest and upfront. Okay, there’s more to it of course. If you want to learn how to do something, absolutely learn it. However, if you take a paying job and you are in WAY over your head, it's probably not the smartest thing to do. I was inspired by a post that commercial photographer had vented about on social media. Someone had contacted him and wanted a step by step detailed guide on shooting a commissioned piece that this photographer had no business accepting … [Read more...] about Be honest and upfront on your work
Specialty and Style: Why They are Important for Your Photos
In photography, few questions have the power to trip people up as those which seek answers to the concepts of "style" and "specialty". Student: "What is my style? What is your style? Should I specialize? Should I specialize in a style? I would like to style my specialty according to the specialization of the prevalent style, how do I do that?" Instructor: "Ummm… Green?" Style and specialty are frequent topics I'm asked about while teaching photography, and some of the hardest areas to give easy answers. While I have always taken these … [Read more...] about Specialty and Style: Why They are Important for Your Photos
The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast February 21, 2017
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-photofocus-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-february-21-2017-mixdown On today’s show we have: Peter Hurley interviewed by Chamira Young - How he got started taking head shots - What the Head Shot Crew is and how it can benefit you - Developing your portfolio with diversity - How one bad shot in your portfolio can kill your job prospects Kaylee Greer interviewed by Levi Sim - Heroic Dog Photography - Applying Portrait photography techniques to dog photography - How Social … [Read more...] about The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast February 21, 2017
The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast January 21, 2017
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-january-21-2017 This is the PhotoFocus InFocus Interview Show FOR JAN 21ST, 2017. I’m your Host Rod Harlan. We have an all new quick & condensed, all the stuff with none of the fluff format for 2017, so let’s get started. On today’s show we have: Peter Treadway & David Williams interviewed by Levi Sim - Wedding and Travel Photography - how competitive they are with each other - their disagreement about the value of getting your name attached to … [Read more...] about The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast January 21, 2017
The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast December 21, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-photofocus-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-december-21-2016 Editor's Note In remembrance of Jim, we have decided to abandon our usual publication schedule. This podcast honoring Jim will be our only post today. The PhotoFocus InFocus Interview Show FOR DEC 21ST, 2016. I’m your Host Rod Harlan. This month we have a special show honoring the life and wisdom of Master Commercial Advertising and Fine Art Photographer and Abundant Educator Jim DiVitale. Jim sadly passed away … [Read more...] about The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast December 21, 2016
The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast November 21, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-photofocus-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-november-21-2016 The PhotoFocus InFocus Interview Show FOR NOV 21ST, 2016 with your Host Rod Harlan. This month we have a bit of a BRITISH INVASION with 2 Inspiring Interviews with well-known movers and shakers in the Photographic industry from the United Kingdom. We’ll start with Robert Vanelli interviewing Tim Wallace about the business of Photography including the licensing of your images and the importance of building a relationship with each … [Read more...] about The Photofocus InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast November 21, 2016
The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast October 21st, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-october-21-2016 With your Host Rod Harlan. As always we have 3 Inspiring Interviews with well-known movers and shakers in the industry. We’ll start with Chamira Young interviewing Scott Valentine about how Experimentation plays a role in artists finding their own style as well as pushing their own boundaries. Then we’ll move to Levi Sim interviewing Corey Barker about being a designer and running his own business, his visual and design inspiration that … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast October 21st, 2016
The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast September 21th, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-september-21th-2016 The PhotoFocus InFocus Interview Show FOR Sept 21ST, 2016, with your Host Rod Harlan. As always we have 3 Powerful Interviews with well-known movers and shakers in the industry. We’ll start with Robert Vanelli interviewing Frank Doorhof about the importance of using story telling in his photography and his use of Adobe Photoshop as well. Then we’ll move to Scott Bourne interviewing Troy Plota about his many decades of work as … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast September 21th, 2016
Rethinking how to learn
Over the last few months I’ve had a series on conversations that have made me think that perhaps one of my next tutorials should be on how to watch a tutorial – or perhaps how to take best advantage of a tutorial. For example, in a past seminar I showed a technique to make a movie poster. Realistically, not many people in the audience will ever have the need to make a movie poster. But I bet they'll need to extract someone from a background, experiment with filter effects, blend someone into a new background, tweak the lighting to match, … [Read more...] about Rethinking how to learn
