Balancing natural light with flash isn’t complicated — once you know the recipe. The key ingredients are softening the natural light with a diffuser, exposing for the background, then adding the right amount of flash to expose the subject. Now that you know the ingredients, here’s the recipe to balance natural light with flash. Use a diffuser to soften direct sunlight Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a remote to control the sun? Sure, we could schedule our shoot early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid direct sunlight but that’s not … [Read more...] about The recipe for balancing natural light with flash
photography
Quick Tip: Use an inexpensive pegboard for a creative portraits
If you’re getting bored shooting on the same background you can create a unique look by using a simple $15 pegboard as a background with a larger light positioned behind it shining through. Change it up by adding different color gels to the light. The key is to experiment, have fun and create great photos. Want to learn more? Check out this article, “Using a Pegboard to Shoot Creative Portraits” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use an inexpensive pegboard for a creative portraits
First impressions of a landscape photographer: Aurora HDR 2019 and single image adjustment
(Editor's note: Aurora HDR 2019 is now available. The links in this article offer savings and free training videos, Looks and LUTs as well.) The release of Aurora HDR 2019, coupled with a backlog of unprocessed landscape images generated in the past year, allowed me to put a pre-release version of the program through its paces in a frenzy of processing. I should preface my comments by pointing out that I have no prior experience with earlier versions of Aurora. Even my experience with HDR is limited to Lightroom. After 3 evenings of … [Read more...] about First impressions of a landscape photographer: Aurora HDR 2019 and single image adjustment
The InFocus Interview Show with Levi Sim | Photofocus Podcast October 26, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-levi-sim-photofocus-podcast-october-26-2018/s-xsxDZ In this special Meet a Photofocus Author edition we catch up with Levi Sim. Levi shares his many contributions to photography as well as work with Photofocus. We like to hear from you! Here's your chance to interact with the team by leaving a follow-up question in the comments section. We do our best to answer all questions in a timely manner. You Can Be the Next Guest Host on Our Podcast Do you have an idea for a topic … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Levi Sim | Photofocus Podcast October 26, 2018
Quick Tip: Use a ring light to create killer catchlights in the eyes
A ring light adds unique lighting to a portrait. You place the lens through the middle of the light, causing the light to come from the same plane as the lens. This produces very few shadows and a unique catch light. There are several different types of ring lights. I used the Angler Circo LED Ring Light to capture this shot. It’s continuous, so what you see is what you get, making it easy to position your subject. To complete the look, I placed two strip boxes on each side of the subject and added a blue gel to one of them. Want to learn … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use a ring light to create killer catchlights in the eyes
Heartening statistics about photography use
I found this infographic heartening because I'm always hearing about the devaluation of photography. But, according to this, it sounds like photos and images are still the most important tool for reaching people with lasting impact. Think about that next time you trip the shutter. The infographic is provided by MDG Advertising. … [Read more...] about Heartening statistics about photography use
The InFocus Interview Show with Kaylee Greer | Photofocus Podcast September 28, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-kaylee-greer-september-28-2018/s-89ZVU In this episode: Dog Photographe Kaylee Greer talks about her new TV series Pupparazzi and shares tips on how to work with pets. Topics: How she got started Building a business from your passion Tips for starting out in pet photography Her new show, Pupparazzi. If you like these Infocus Interviews, please consider supporting our partners and sharing these links with your friends! ThinkTapLearn.com, Luminar by Skylum … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Kaylee Greer | Photofocus Podcast September 28, 2018
The Traveling Photographer — Route 66 meets Aurora 2019
Create amazing HDR photographs with Skylum’s Aurora HDR 2019. Purchase today and save plus get a free bundle of training, LUTs and Looks too! What do Route 66 and Aurora 2019 have in common? Both provide countless opportunities for enthusiastic photographers to explore the realms of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. Why? Because high contrast subjects, such as vintage buildings shot under a mid-day sun, night scenes with neon signs, and magical landscapes photographed during the golden hour are the heart and soul of Route 66 and of … [Read more...] about The Traveling Photographer — Route 66 meets Aurora 2019
Why every photographer should watch Pupparazzi
I smiled so much, my cheeks are still hurting after watching Kaylee Greer’s interaction with dogs on NatGeo's new show Pupparazzi. Watching the show was entertaining and educational. Here's why every photographer should watch Pupparazzi. A quick overview of the show The show starts out with Kaylee and her fiance driving to a shoot for an ad campaign. On the way, they stop to visit an animal shelter filled with rescue dogs from puppy mills. They tour the facility looking for one dog to photograph that will represent the shelter to raise … [Read more...] about Why every photographer should watch Pupparazzi
Beyond Technique Podcast with Christian Vizl | Photofocus Podcast September 19, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-christian-vizl-photofocus-podcast-september-19-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. Today we chat with award-winning underwater photographer Christian Vizl. We discuss in detail: the role of conservation in his body of underwater work how having a higher purpose can drive your photography business forward how he … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Christian Vizl | Photofocus Podcast September 19, 2018
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 Traveling Photographer: Photographing Route 66
I just returned from my dream trip — driving and photographing Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. The trip was not a photography trip, per se. I traveled with two non-photographers. Except for the Grand Canyon, we did not organize our day for sunrises and sunsets. We also did not plan ahead for photographic opportunities. Of course, I still took a ton of photographs. If you haven't been following the saga of my Route 66 adventure, check out my first two articles. The first was on pre-trip planning and the second was about the trip … [Read more...] about The Traveling Photographer: Photographing Route 66
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Scott Bourne | Photofocus Podcast September 14, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-scott-bourne-photofocus-podcast-september-14-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with photographer, author, educator, Olympus visionary and President of Skylum, Scott Bourne about the following topics: Staying cutting edge in your technique, as well as how you run your business Fine-tuning your skillset The importance of education … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Scott Bourne | Photofocus Podcast September 14, 2018
The Traveling Photographer: Driving Route 66, part 2
This summer my two friends and I did it. We drove Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. It took us about two weeks, which isn't much time since we made a detour to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and spent an entire day at the Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert. Due to our limited time, we found it very important to pre-plan our days and set priorities, leaving room for some flexibility. Preparation for the trip While planning the trip I accumulated a small duffel bag filled with guidebooks and maps. The bag came with me … [Read more...] about The Traveling Photographer: Driving Route 66, part 2
Quick Tip: Give a model access to ALL images from a collaborative shoot
When collaborating with a model on a TF shoot— Trading your skills for their skills— let the model have access to all the images. This will enable them to review the images, select their favorites, and analyze them for the mistakes they made. If you’re worried they will post unedited images, place a watermark on the image stating they are proofs or unedited. Want to learn more? Check out this article, “To Give or Not to Give ALL Images—That is the Question” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Give a model access to ALL images from a collaborative shoot
The InFocus Interview Show with Sue Bryce | Photofocus Podcast August 31, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-sue-bryce-photofocus-podcast-august-31-2018/s-h48qP In this episode: Photographer and Educator Sue Bryce shares her insight on The Portrait Masters Conference coming up in September. Topics: Why we need a portrait specific conference How to maximize your experience at any conference Why you should build relationships with vendors Why you should network with other photographers Why portraits are the best business in the world and the best subject Why … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Sue Bryce | Photofocus Podcast August 31, 2018
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
The InFocus Interview Show with Spyros Heniadis | Photofocus Podcast August 24, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-spyros-henratis-august-24-2018/s-3vilX In this episode: Working Photographer and Educator Spyros Heniadis shares his insight on how to organize your digital images. Topics: How to organize your digital images in any digital asset management program Develop a proper naming convention for your images Using Lightroom’s star and flag features to organize images How to use Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic together Understanding the 321 Backup concept If you … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Spyros Heniadis | Photofocus Podcast August 24, 2018
On Nature: How to compose moving wildlife
Every animal has a distinct overall body geometry, but this shape will change dramatically as they move. When you are composing your images, it's important to understand this concept so you are fitting your frame and composition to them, allowing them to be alive in your shot. Confession Time for full a disclosure, my name is Jason and I have a reddish egret addiction. They are just too much fun to photograph! They dance, they canopy, they give dramatic, elegant, and sometimes goofy poses. I have thousands of pictures of them, and I can't … [Read more...] about On Nature: How to compose moving wildlife
Quick Tip: Use a strip box to create an edge light
A strip box is a thin, rectangle softbox that is used to control where the light falls on a subject. This is very important when creating an edge light. For an edge light to be effective, it needs to be precise and light just the edge of the subject. Want to read more? Check out more in the article, “Photography Strip Lighting” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use a strip box to create an edge light
Beyond Technique Podcast with Jamey Price | Photofocus Podcast August 15, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-jamey-price-photofocus-podcast-august-15-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes! Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. Today we chat with motorsports and automotive photographer Jamey Price. We discuss in detail: the power of being able to leverage your network the benefit of being nice to people in the industry the role of … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Jamey Price | Photofocus Podcast August 15, 2018
The Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Jen Rozenbaum | Photofocus Podcast August 10, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-jen-rozenbaum-photofocus-podcast-august-10-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please post a review on iTunes. [Editor's note: A word of caution: There is some strong language and topics in this episode. In an abundance of respect in our listeners, we've chosen to list this one episode as explicit.] In this episode, Skip Cohen and Chamira Young chat with boudoir photographer and educator Jen Rozenbaum. We discuss in detail: How … [Read more...] about The Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Jen Rozenbaum | Photofocus Podcast August 10, 2018
Adobe announces its 2018 Rising Stars of Photography
For the second straight year, Adobe has announced its list of Rising Stars of Photography. A diverse lineup of photographers from across the globe, the list features everything from an Indonesian high schooler to an environmental conservationist in Los Angeles. For the complete story on all of this year's Rising Stars, check out the Adobe Blog or follow the Rising Stars' journeys on the Lightroom Instagram. Here's a first look at this year's Rising Stars. Stay tuned to Photofocus for more. Gabriella Achadinha – Age 26, South … [Read more...] about Adobe announces its 2018 Rising Stars of Photography
The InFocus Interview Show with Roberto Valenzuela | Photofocus Podcast August 3, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-roberto-valenzuela-photofocus-podcast-august-3-2018/s-4Uqkl In this episode: Photographer, Educator, Author and a Canon Explorer of Light, Roberto Valenzuela shares his tips on Lighting to Communicate. Topics: Lighting to Communicate Why you need to Practice YouTube Channel Window Light vs. Reflector vs. Flash Picture Perfect Lighting Workshop Learning to be Proficient If you like these Infocus Interviews, please consider supporting our partners and … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Roberto Valenzuela | Photofocus Podcast August 3, 2018
The InFocus Interview Show with Rick Sammon | Photofocus Podcast July 27, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-with-rick-sammon-photofocus-podcast-july-27-2018 In this episode: Photographer, educator and author Rick Sammon shares how to plan a photo trip. Topics: How his Route 66 book is used as a planner and an onsite reference resource What apps are great to help plan for sun location, tides and viewing location Photographer Ephemeris Photo Sun Dial Photo Pill Tide apps Google Earth How to use Pristine vision as an exercise to get the unique shots … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Rick Sammon | Photofocus Podcast July 27, 2018
Quick Tip: Replace a full hard drive
When a hard drive gets full, it takes longer to read and write the data to and from the disk, slowing your system down. Adding large amounts of photos to a local drive can fill the drive fast, causing poor performance. Additionally, trying to run an operating system and applications while also opening and closing files means your disk is trying to push data in different directions at once. This is one reason why it’s best to keep your photos on a separate hard drive from your operating system and replace a smaller drive with a larger one when … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Replace a full hard drive
Beyond Technique Podcast with Jay Watson | Photofocus Podcast July 18, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-jay-watson-photofocus-podcast-july-18-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. Today we chat with photographer Jay Watson about breaking into lifestyle and editorial photography. We discuss in detail: how Jay got started in photography the art of staying focused finding the right match in clients … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Jay Watson | Photofocus Podcast July 18, 2018
The Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Rudy Guttosch | Photofocus Podcast July 13, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-rudy-guttosch-photofocus-podcast-july-13-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please post a review on iTunes. In this episode, Skip Cohen and Chamira Young chat with Rudy Guttosch from Illuminati Instrument Corp. We discuss in detail: how the process of creating an image is a mix of both art and science the process of launching a physical product the concept of released a minimum viable product the power of utilizing your network … [Read more...] about The Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Rudy Guttosch | Photofocus Podcast July 13, 2018
Hiring a professional photographer: Is it really worth your money?
Nowadays, anyone can take pictures anywhere, anytime. Everybody has a cell phone in their pocket and/or a camera in their bag. It's available, it's convenient and it's cheap. As a business owner or an event organizer, why bother spending big bucks on a professional photographer for something anyone could do? Well, let's talk about it for a minute. A lot of people think they can do the same work because they own a camera. They think it's an easy job, or they've done some photography and they feel qualified enough or they simply aren't aware … [Read more...] about Hiring a professional photographer: Is it really worth your money?
The InFocus Interview Show with Wes Maggio | Photofocus Podcast July 6, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-with-wes-maggio-photofocus-podcast-july-6-2018/s-nVr8l In this episode: Specializing in volume sports portraiture, portrait photographer Weston Maggio shares how he produces Volume Photography and still gets Studio Portraits results. Topics: What is Volume Sports Photography? How long to spend with a subject. What gear is needed. What to expect during a shoot with 50 Plus subjects. The business side of high Volume Photography If you like these Infocus … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Wes Maggio | Photofocus Podcast July 6, 2018
