While you can definitely shoot great images in the middle of the day, the time of day is a key element of shooting cityscapes. My favorite time is around sunrise or sunset. The light is softer and the city just looks more interesting. What's especially interesting to me is how much the light changes during the transition from day to night (or night to day). In this post, I'm sharing images from the Lakeshore Drive bridge in Chicago, one of my favorite spots in the city. By arriving at least 45 minutes before sunrise, I made sure I would catch … [Read more...] about How to get different moods for cityscapes
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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
How to Create Multiple Stock Photographs Using Only One Model
Creating multiple sets of images from a single photo session is a good strategy. A little planning, lots of props and changing a subject’s mood will produce multiple looks from one model a key to having a successful stock photography session. Planning keeps cost down and yields a higher return on your investment (ROI) for creating photography for sale with Adobe Stock. Here are a few tips for your next shoot. Warm up by covering the basics Before setting up multiple lights or creating a complicated scene, warm up with a few basic shots. These … [Read more...] about How to Create Multiple Stock Photographs Using Only One Model
How to shoot lifestyle and fitness scenes for stock photography and video
While attending the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference in Las Vegas, I had the chance to attend an Adobe Stock workshop at a ghost town near Nelson, Nevada on shooting photographs and video for sale as stock. Participants were split into teams that rotated between six stations—each one teaching a variety of skills. The entire hands-on event was so informative — especially the “How to shoot Lifestyle Fitness Stock Photography and Video” station. Here’s what I learned. Keep the camera from moving Blurry photos or shaky video … [Read more...] about How to shoot lifestyle and fitness scenes for stock photography and video
Portrait Tips: Cut the Rim Light
Making portraits with a rim light is awesome. It gives depth and punch and when you do it really well you'll notice that it looks more natural. Take a close look the next time you're having a conversation anyplace with windows and you'll probably see that the person you're talking with has a rim light illuminating their cheek from one side. That rim light will help you make a lot of people happy with their portraits (which helps you make a lot of money). You should always use a rim light. And you should always turn it off. Simplicity … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Cut the Rim Light
Photographer of the Day: Pierre Pichot
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "Ghost_19" by Pierre Pichot One of the most powerful aspects of photography is its ability elicit emotions in us. But, our emotions can also change how we perceive an image. The first time I saw Pierre Pichot's photo "Ghost_19" I thought, "Cool, that has a great dark mood, it's kinda creepy". The next time, "It seems very melancholy, I wonder who that is and what they are thinking". The next time, "It feels like there is a sense of foreboding, like something bad is about to happen". Each time I … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Pierre Pichot
Coming up with a Great Idea for a Photo
Coming up with a great idea is challenging for me. I only know one person who can come up with a great idea on the spot, and that's Photofocus editor Rich Harrington. Recently, our studio was selected to design a Dream Shoot for LensRentals.com. We could do anything we wanted, a wide-open project, and LensRentals.com would provide all the gear we needed. One of the hardest things for me to do is come up with a good idea. I have ok ideas all the time, but most never amass to anything. Here are a few ways that I come up with a good idea. … [Read more...] about Coming up with a Great Idea for a Photo
