Portrait Tips: Challenge conquers dread
Levi Sim
Dread: That’s the feeling that happens when you know you’re in over your head but you have to perform anyway. Dread started weighing on me and pulling my stomach into
REVIEWS
strobist
Portrait Tips: Don’t fight the light
Levi Sim
If you give a boy a hammer, everything looks like a nail and he will pound it. If you give a photographer a flash, everything looks like it needs to
Portrait Tips: A chance with Patch
Levi Sim
The other day a fellow contacted me about a picture I made nearly ten years ago. He was an assistant to the master woodcarver and I spent a few minutes
Portrait Tips: How to use V-flats to light a group
Levi Sim
When you light a portrait, a good rule of thumb is that your light should be about the same size as your subject. That’s easy for a single individual where
First Look: Lume Cube AIR
Levi Sim
The new Lume Cube AIR is even more compact than the original and with a longer battery life. It has a powerful magnet on the back for mounting to any
Photographic Test Kitchen: 3 Light Setup
Rick Friedman
Work made with 3 speed lights Here’s the equipment used to create this photograph: Nikon D810 Nikon 105mm Macro lens 3 Nissin Di700A speedlights Nissan Carbon Fiber Light Stand Nissan
Portrait Tips: Subtle Spice Not Ketchup
Levi Sim
When people see your picture, they should say, “Wow, that’s a great photograph,” not, “Wow, that’s a well-lit photograph.” Once you start using flashes, it’s like having a hammer in
Skating The Ramps With Platypod Max And MagMod
Bryan Esler
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a photo I selected for Photographer of the Day. It was of a skateboarder at a skate park, doing some tricks. Needless to
Gear Review: Impact Large Clip Clamp with Ball Head Shoe Mount (a.k.a., Justin Clamp)
Levi Sim
The very first lighting tool I ever bought was a Manfrotto Justin Clamp because Joe McNally highly recommended it in his books. I loved it and I’ve used it all
Modifying Speedlights & Magmod
Levi Sim
Making great light is essential to making great portraits. And I mean that: you’ve got to make great light. You can find a good source of available light, but I’ve
Powerful Environmental Portraits Need 3 Things
Levi Sim
Environmental portraits show people in their place, their habitat. The environment sets the mood and the place of the story, and a single look at the photograph can tell you
The Photokina Files – New Siros Monolight from Broncolor
Photofocus Team
I just got back from a week in Cologne Germany at the MASSIVE Photokina photo expo. Now I’m a trade show veteran, but the sheer scale of this 7 day
My “Top 10” Favorite Photography Blogs
Nicole S. Young
I’ve been following a lot of photography blogs and websites for many years. The vast amount of information about photography on the Internet today is one of the main ways