From the course: Portrait Photography: Sports Portraits on LinkedIn Learning Shooting additional elements from Portrait Photography: Sports Portraits by Robert Vanelli While we have our actor or athlete on the set, we're also going to have him turn his back so I can snap a photo of his jersey number. I'm doing this because it gives me more options when I'm working inside of Photoshop. So, imagine having a beautiful portrait of him and then—in the background, just faded—is another shot of him with his head down, looking away. It could look … [Read more...] about Don’t Forget to Shoot Extra Portait Elements
photography
Sunday Comics: Baby Props
Once again, thanks to The Shoppe Designs. … [Read more...] about Sunday Comics: Baby Props
Photographer of the Day: Isengardt
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "Mannequins " by Isengardt The power of photography is its ability to make us feel and imagine from nothing more than a two-dimensional collection of dots on a piece of paper or computer screen. "Mannequins", by Isengardt, definitely makes you feel something, the best word I have to describe it is "uncomfortable". This is a "rule breaker" image, and why it works so well. The mannequins have been transformed by the light and composition into something other than the typical figure of glamour we … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Isengardt
A Tale of Two Eclipses: Forced to Go Our Separate Ways
(Editor's note: Marie describes her and her husband's vagaries in the waning hours before they were to photograph Eclipse 2017 that forced them to split up. The second part, "Marie's & Steve's Eclipses" will publish here soon.) Over the month leading up to August 21, 2017, I chronicled for Photofocus readers our preparations for shooting the Great North American Total Solar Eclipse of 2017. (Part 1: Total Solar Eclipse Preparation, Part 2: Eye Protection, Part 3: Photographic Considerations & Part 4: Dress Rehearsal) The natural … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two Eclipses: Forced to Go Our Separate Ways
Photographer of the Day: Nic Taylor
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE" by Nic Taylor Titled simply "Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE", this is one of a series of images Nic Taylor posted to the Photofocus flickr page. The brilliantly colored grid of umbrellas hanging against a drab sky grab both your eye and imagination. While it could have easily become too structured in this grid, this is balanced by capturing a portion of this street art display where the colors were randomly scattered. For what he labeled as simply a test shot, he has captured a … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Nic Taylor
The Oben CTM-2500 Carbon Fiber Monopod
I don’t use a monopod often, but when I do I want it to feel good in my hands. It should provide stability no matter what size lens is attached to my camera, and be convenient to use—easy to open and close. I have tried several monopods through the years. Some unscrewed from a leg of a tripod, some were free standing. I never felt terribly satisfied. A couple of the monopods seemed flimsy. One did not twist open easily. Another was too heavy to carry around for a full day. I sold them all. Finally, I recently found a monopod that works for me, … [Read more...] about The Oben CTM-2500 Carbon Fiber Monopod
Becoming A Better Drone Pilot, Part 2
(Editor's Note: This is a guest post by Chris Anson. See more of his work here) In Part 2 you're going to take the next step in refining your control of the drone. If you haven’t read and practiced Part 1 of this article, I recommend you do that before proceeding. You can find Part 1 here. **Warning** You could crash your drone when practicing these maneuvers. That being said, don’t go into this practice thinking you’ll crash. Go slowly. Take your time. Don’t push faster than you’re able. And don’t let others push you beyond what you … [Read more...] about Becoming A Better Drone Pilot, Part 2
Photographer of the Day: Denis Malciu
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "1" by Denis Malciu The image "1" by Denis Malciu displays a perfect choice of composing in black and white, simplifying what could have otherwise been a very busy photo. As the crowd stands in rapt attention to the dancers' performance, they frame the dancers instead of competing with them. Imagine if instead this photo was presented in color. The dancers could have easily gotten lost against that sea of people and the variety of textures and colors they are wearing. Instead the photographer … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Denis Malciu
Photographing The Scottish Highlands
I just returned from a photo tour of the Highlands of Scotland. The scenery did not disappoint. As we drove past and photographed heather-covered mountains, raging waterfalls and cascades, rugged, steep cliffs, and rocky coastlines, “oooo’s” and “aaaah’s” reverberated throughout our van among the tour participants. Scotland was dazzling. But the Highlands are also a fickle travel destination. The weather can literally change in a minute. We went from calm, sunny days to extreme winds, fog, and rain blowing sideways, with the ground becoming … [Read more...] about Photographing The Scottish Highlands
Photographer of the Day: in the streets of vienna
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "lost in white" by in the streets of vienna Simplicity and symmetry are the first two things that grab my attention in the image "lost in white". The moment of the women in mid-stride is perfectly framed by the columns, her black outfit in stark contrast to the white building she walks past. One of the smallest details that adds life to the image is the raised foot and slight bit of motion blur. This creates the sense of movement in the image, bringing her and it to life, a beautiful example of a … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: in the streets of vienna
The Mind Your Own Business Podcast | Photofocus Podcast November 10, 2017
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-mind-your-own-business-podcast-photofocus-podcast-november-10-2017 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 Tamara Lackey about the role that education plays in running a successful photography business. We discuss in detail: The importance of physical interaction in education Thinking on your feet and the ability to interact with people Evolving as a person vs being stagnant (sometimes we become blind … [Read more...] about The Mind Your Own Business Podcast | Photofocus Podcast November 10, 2017
Seeing Differently at the Zoo
Zoos are a great place to practice shooting (not a good word to use but this is a photography site) animals. The thing is, we all have great images of the lions, tigers, and bears (oh my). What about finding the less popular or, even better, the less seen shots? Capturing Details I recently had a couple of hours to wander the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX. It’s a very manageable zoo to walk in a short afternoon. Before I even got there I had an idea in my mind to only shoot details using my Canon 70-300mm lens. Yes, mine is an older … [Read more...] about Seeing Differently at the Zoo
Knowing How To Fly In ATTI Mode Might Save Your Drone
Editor's Note: This is a guest post by Chris Anson. Check out his work right here. Here’s the challenge: Your drone can be flying along and all of a sudden you lose GPS signal or some other reason and your drone app tells you that it has changed to ATTI mode or it tells you that GPS mode is no longer working and tells you to switch to ATTI mode. What do you do? When this happens in an emergency situation and the pilot doesn’t have any experience in flying in ATTI mode, it often leads to crashes. What is ATTI Mode & Why is it … [Read more...] about Knowing How To Fly In ATTI Mode Might Save Your Drone
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
Studio Tip: How to Adjust a Light on a C-Stand
Adjusting a heavy light attached to a c-stand doesn’t have to acquire a lot of strength. Here’s a simple tip to help you move the light up or down without much effort. Stand on the Longest Leg This is a very short and simple tip. When lowering or raising a light on a c-stand, place one foot on the longest leg of the c-stand. This will give you leverage to raise the light and prevent it from falling over. This will also work with conventional lights stands by lightly standing on the bar of the front leg. (Editor's Note: C-Stands made by … [Read more...] about Studio Tip: How to Adjust a Light on a C-Stand
Photographer of the Day: Rafa Velazquez
Category: Street Photography Photograph: "Amigos en Pedraza. Segovia. Spain" by Rafa Velazquez Even if you aren't fluent in Spanish, you probably know that "amigos" means friends. In this image by Rafa Velazquez, titled "Amigos en Pedraza", we see just that. Two young friends, hanging out, having fun together. The beauty of this image is it combines something we can all relate to, with a place we may not be familiar with. Framed in the archway, the light illuminates them just enough that we understand the scene, but leaves them in just … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Rafa Velazquez
Photographer of the Day: P Sterling Images
Category: Street Photography Photograph: Friday night in the City.... by P Sterling Images The two composition concepts that I find appealing and done well in this photo are the use of selective color and motion. In P Sterling's image "Friday night in the City…" the photographer has successfully captured a still photo that presents us with a lively scene full of motion and energy. It perfectly captures the street vibe of a busy Friday night. Selective color is one of those post-processing techniques that has become almost cliché, but when … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: P Sterling Images
What’s the budget? V/S What’s the risk?
If a potential one can't, or more likely, won't answer the "what's the budget?" question; it seems a good possibility that the job isn't real. Often, "What's the budget?" isn't the right question. Price When a project is conceived, there is likely a dollar amount to produce it floating around in someone's mind. A potential client with an idea of an amount of "spend" is worth pursuing. One that says "Give me a price and I'll tell you if it will work" is probably not an opportunity. Time invested in producing a proposal for the former is … [Read more...] about What’s the budget? V/S What’s the risk?
Lab Luminosity Masks
Editor's Note: Lee presents a very powerful way of enhancing color and sharpening an image in this post. The video that concludes this post is an excellent tutorial with step by step instructions and explanations. These are advanced techniques. Here I submit, for your consideration, this step-by-step video on using Lab channels as the source for luminosity masks. This type of masking is all the rage right now, and you can find many tutorials about the general procedure all over the internet. There are even action that automatically generate … [Read more...] about Lab Luminosity Masks
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Three Tips For Making Videos
Video clips are one of the best ways to both record memories and bring a little extra cash. Mirrorless cameras are ideal for making videos, but shooting video is very different from shooting still photographs. If you haven't read Richard Harrington's articles about making videos, then it's time you started doing that (here're a bunch to get you started). But there are three simple things you can do to start making better quality video clips, and good quality video clips can be monetized with Adobe Stock, which is pretty cool. Shutter Speed is … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Three Tips For Making Videos
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!
Problem Solving | Photofocus Podcast | October 2nd, 2017
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/problem-solving-photofocus-podcast-october-2nd-2017 This month we focus on... focus! That is, right after our eclipse wrap-up. Links from the show: Photomatix Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hdrsoft Pepper’s San Francisco Eclipse Photos: www.pepperazzi.photos The story of the epic eclipse photo by Andrew Studer and Ted Hesser is here. Levi Sim links www.levisim.com instagram.com/photolevi Pepper's links. www.panoramanetwork.com instagram.com/rpepper Have suggestions or … [Read more...] about Problem Solving | Photofocus Podcast | October 2nd, 2017
5 Excuses for Not Buying a RAID Backup
Imagine losing every image you have ever taken of your child, your wife, a family member that has passed away, that beautiful sunset in Hawaii, all of your client’s images...you get the point. Are you feeling sick to your stomach, especially knowing it could have been prevented? The good news, it’s not too late. If you have more than 6TB of data, you need to invest in a RAID backup. Here are 5 common excuse people make for not buying a RAID Backup and 5 solutions to help you make the right choice. 1. I Don't Understand Why I Need a RAID … [Read more...] about 5 Excuses for Not Buying a RAID Backup
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?
How to up your social media engagement
After the first couple times, I was asked about how I have such good engagement on social media, I disregarded the questions because I didn’t feel like my social media following was that big of a deal. Many other’s have much more followers and engagement, or so I thought. When one of my friends who runs several Instagram accounts with thousands of followers asked me how my engagement was so high, I literally looked at her confused. I admired her following. Then when my followers started asking me advice on what I do, I actually ignored their … [Read more...] about How to up your social media engagement
Photographer of the Day: Emanuele UbOldi
Category: Street Photography Photograph: Untitled by Emanuele UbOldi You can’t help but be drawn to the face of the child in this untitled image by Emanuele UbOldi. Everything in the scene focuses your attention there, and although small in the frame, this little one becomes the center of attention. There are two subtle but strong concepts at play. First, the child is “sub framed”, with the steps acting as a frame, an effect repeated by the entryway and doors, creating a series of pictures within a picture. The other is color, the … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Emanuele UbOldi
Photographer of the Day: Edouard Ketterer
Category: Street Photography Photograph: L'homme du canal by Edouard Ketterer Minimalist photos are some of the most difficult to execute, but when done well, are some of my favorites. In Edouard Ketterer’s “L'homme du canal” we see the beauty of simplicity and geometry. There are only two triangles, the simplest of shapes in geometry. One person, one texture, and only black and white. But, it's the way these few simple elements have been woven together which creates an exceptional composition. The perfect balance and symmetry of two … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Edouard Ketterer
The Traveling Photographer: Seeing Things
Before leaving on a photography trip I always read a photography book that gets my creative juices flowing and my eyes and mind ready for new and exciting challenges. Joel Meyerowitz’s book “Seeing Things” is such a book. The book is labeled “A Kid’s Guide to Looking at Photographs”. I guess I am still a kid then, because it sure opened my eyes a bit bigger. For those who are not familiar with Joel Meyerowitz, he is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in over 350 exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world. He is … [Read more...] about The Traveling Photographer: Seeing Things
Seeing the Final Shot While Shooting
Do you ever see an image and wonder how the photographer got so lucky as to be in the right place, at the right time, with just the right lighting and just the right moment to capture the perfect image? It's not luck, well maybe once in awhile it is, but usually, it's work, being prepared and ready for that perfect image to happen in front of them, whether it's there, to begin with, or needs a little post processing help. Here are a few tips to help you be lucky and get that shot. Be Aware of Everything It’s impossible to be aware of every … [Read more...] about Seeing the Final Shot While Shooting
Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, September 18th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2 pm in the Virgin Islands. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
