When it comes to shooting video or still images with constant lights, compact fluorescent lights, (CFLs), give you one of the best lighting options when your project is on a budget! Why Compact Fluorescent Lights? No matter the project, when shooting video, you always have to light your set and usually we use "hot-lights" that have been tungsten based and generate, (as their name suggests), a LOT of heat. While you can always count on those lights, the problem was how to keep your set cool and your talent from sweating under the glare … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Impact Compact Fluorescent Kit 2
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Studio Tip: Use A Shoulder Support Rig For Video
I had a chance to sit down with director and producer Ty Hunt as he reviews the inexpensive Revo SR-1000 Shoulder Support Rig. Ty is used to working on high-budget sets that supply expensive steady cams. The self-produced video project I'm working on doesn't have a budget for such a costly piece of gear so Ty used the Revo. After working with it, I asked Ty his professional opinion. Overall, he feels it's great for: Wedding Photographers that want to add quick video clips. DSLR users, especially those just starting out. Those that … [Read more...] about Studio Tip: Use A Shoulder Support Rig For Video
Creating a Scene with Photoshop, Adobe Fuse and Project Felix
It used to be that, if you wanted to use Photoshop for 3D images you'd need to invest in Photoshop Extended. Now however, 3D capabilities comes as standard but that doesn't mean it's any easier to understand or use straight out the box. To help us 2D people Adobe have made available two great applications, Fuse and Project Felix. https://youtu.be/hprjuA_WuUM In This Video Tutorial In this tutorial I take an image from Adobe Stock and 2 Fuse characters into Project Felix where I add a 3D suitcase. Then its back to … [Read more...] about Creating a Scene with Photoshop, Adobe Fuse and Project Felix
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Switching from Full-Frame to Micro Four-Thirds
For years, I trusted my Nikon D800 kit to produce images for my clients. I knew the system inside and out, and was comfortable with it. But as time wore on, there were some pain points (literally). I regularly shoot corporate events. Oftentimes, these events require a hefty 70-200mm lens — even with my Peak Design Slide strap, this combo gets tiresome. What's more, lugging all my camera gear around was tedious and often unrealistic for what I needed. I was also beginning to realize that my D800 was technologically behind, compared to other … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Switching from Full-Frame to Micro Four-Thirds
Quickly Delete Apple Live Photos in Lightroom
I shoot a lot of images on my iPhone. It’s the camera that’s always with me when I stumble upon something interesting. In 2015 Apple introduced Live Photos at the iPhone 6s release, which creates a video showing the moments right before and right after you take a picture. These “sidecar” video files are 2 seconds in length and are embedded into the photo on your phone. While it was a cool idea, and I was excited for them when they were first released, but they’re become a bother every time I import photos from my iPhone into my Lightroom … [Read more...] about Quickly Delete Apple Live Photos in Lightroom
Easy 3D Text With This Basic Tip
In this video, I take you through how to add a ground plane to a 3D image in Photoshop. This is helpful if you want to add a 3D element into an existing image. Give it a try and share your results on the Photofocus Facebook group. https://youtu.be/iNutyWf6yNc You can find the text version of this tutorial here at TipSquirrel.com. … [Read more...] about Easy 3D Text With This Basic Tip
Lightroom Live: Adobe Spark with Julieanne Kost
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, April 10th 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: Adobe Spark with Julieanne Kost
Lightroom Live: Adobe Spark with Julieanne Kost
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, April 10th 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: Adobe Spark with Julieanne Kost
Live Webinar: Lumix GH5 Launch Event
Lumix's new flagship camera is the Panasonic Lumix GH5, and it begins shipping to customers this Wednesday, March 29th. The waiting list began earlier this year, and photographers and cinematographers alike are anxiously waiting. Don't Miss this Free Webinar B&H Photo is celebrating the shipping launch with this live webinar featuring pros like Jacki Huntington, Griffin Hammond, David Flores, Lok Cheung, and Lumix's own Sean Robinson who will be demonstrating features and showing off the new tools. Here's a link to all the details of the … [Read more...] about Live Webinar: Lumix GH5 Launch Event
First Impressions and Hands-On with Lumix GH5
Lumix's new GH5 is the most talked-about new camera this season, and for good reason. It's a complete redesign of the popular GH4 and it offers loads of new features. Since I'm an ambassador for Lumix, I've had some time with a pre-production unit and I'd like to share with you some first impressions. Now, I'm an ambassador but not an employee of Lumix. They are not paying for this article, and I am not representing their views in any way. I'll tell you my honest impressions. (Spoilers: it's awesome). Excellent for Photographers and … [Read more...] about First Impressions and Hands-On with Lumix GH5
Everything You Need To Know About Micro 4/3 Lenses
Mirrorless cameras are wonderful tools, and I'm going to be writing regularly about their attributes. Quick intro to Micro Four Thirds, a.k.a. MFT, M43, Micro 4/3. The key characteristics are that they have interchangeable lenses, they are almost always smaller than DSLR's, they generally cost less than DSLR's for similar features, and they have a sensor that is smaller than DSLR's. The sensor is shaped in a 4x3 ratio, not a 2x3 ratio like DSLR's, which makes a picture that is less wide. One thing that makes Micro 4/3 cameras significantly … [Read more...] about Everything You Need To Know About Micro 4/3 Lenses
How to Plan a Video Project: Production
This post also appears on DPBestflow.org This is Part 3 in our series on planning a project (don't miss Part 2) The production stage is where all your hard work comes together. Every project will have a unique configuration of gear. Special lenses to get the desired shots as well as lighting to create the right look. Multiple cameras may be needed to get proper coverage of an event and to make the editing process run more smoothly. In a large production, the roles listed below will be performed by different people. In a small production, … [Read more...] about How to Plan a Video Project: Production
How to Plan a Video Project: Preproduction
This post also appears on DPBestflow.org This is Part 2 in our series on planning a project (don't miss Part 1) Successful video projects rarely just happen; in fact, they often involve a great deal of planning. Budgets need to be created, contracts drafted, crews booked, and schedules made. A video shoot has many elements: lighting, shot design, locations, audio, directing, and videography—to name a few. All of these require planning and choices to be made before the shoot day. You must plan Many photographers are interested in just … [Read more...] about How to Plan a Video Project: Preproduction
How to Plan a Video Project: The Objectives
This post also appears on DPBestflow.org This is Part 01 in our series on planning a project. If you do not make informed decisions early on in a video project, it may result in an enormous amount of time spent “cleaning-up” or “fixing it in post.” This can compromise the quality and vision of the work or require a redo, often at your own expense. With the proper amount of planning and decision-making, many “could be issues” become non-issues. The goal of planning is to determine what questions to ask and how to proceed with the … [Read more...] about How to Plan a Video Project: The Objectives
GoPro Update Eliminates Off-Brand Batteries & A Huge Surprise
A recent update for the GoPro Hero5 firmware (v01.55) makes the camera unable to use batteries made by other manufacturers. This is troublesome because 3rd party or off-brand batteries are typically much cheaper than a manufacturer's batteries. Of course, the off-brand batteries often don't last as long as the OEM units, but they are still cheaper per use than the OEM. On the other hand, many camera manufacturers include smart technology in their batteries that allow them to communicate status with the camera beyond how much power is left. … [Read more...] about GoPro Update Eliminates Off-Brand Batteries & A Huge Surprise
Photofocus Products Of The Year – Kevin Ames
Editor’s Note: It’s time for something new. In the past, Photofocus has made it a practice of acknowledging a specific camera and/or lens as the “camera/lens” of the year. This year several of us are putting together a list including camera and lens choices along with a few other pieces of gear that we think you’ll like. While it’s not designed specifically as a holiday gift guide, this list does happen to be a resource for photographers (and their friends/family) who want to get the ball rolling on their holiday shopping. A few things … [Read more...] about Photofocus Products Of The Year – Kevin Ames
5 Ways To Use Your Body To Stabilize Video Recording Without A Tripod
The #1 piece of advice I give my students for getting a beautiful fluid stabilized video recording (no shakey parts) is to use a quality tripod with a quality tripod head. But there are times when you find yourself either without a tripod or not allowed to use one (like in a museum or highly trafficked area). Luckily, even though we only have two legs, there are some very simple things we can do to use our body as a tripod. Here are 5 ways to use your body to help improve the stability of your video capture. 1. Make your Body a Tripod … [Read more...] about 5 Ways To Use Your Body To Stabilize Video Recording Without A Tripod
Colorize an area without making a selection
In this video I share a very interesting Photoshop technique that lets you colorize an area of a photo - without making a selection! And it can also work on video clips in Photoshop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D6bUPwWNhU … [Read more...] about Colorize an area without making a selection
Lightroom Live: 2 Minute Miracles with Nicolesy
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 Thursday, September 8th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: 2 Minute Miracles with Nicolesy
Lightroom Live: 2 Minute Miracles with Nicolesy
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 Thursday, September 8th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: 2 Minute Miracles with Nicolesy
New Canon 5D Mark IV: Canon Announces New Features
Canon has announced the new 5D Mark IV, and it's got some terrific new features. Let's first take a look at the official launch video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9089048wk What New Gear Was Announced Here's a list of all the new gear that was announced (it's already on sale too). Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (Body Only) Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera with 24-105mm f/4L II Lens Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera with 24-70mm f/4L Lens Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip for EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM … [Read more...] about New Canon 5D Mark IV: Canon Announces New Features
First Thoughts on Fuji’s new X-T2
Note: I have not seen the camera in person or shot with it. This is just a first impressions post about what I like or dislike about the camera specs. I always recommend renting from a place like LensRentals.com before investing in new gear. Fuji newly-announced X-T2 camera is a major update to the original X-T1, which was released over 2 years ago in early 2014. I’ve been looking at buying a Fuji camera for about 6 months now and I was waiting to hear the specs for this camera before pulling the trigger. Here are some things I’m looking … [Read more...] about First Thoughts on Fuji’s new X-T2
Choosing the Right Camera for Video Shooting
There are a wide variety of digital cameras available than can shoot video. In this section, we’ll primarily explore the options available when shooting DSLR video. However the core technology discussed is also relevant to most video cameras being produced today. Which type of camera will work best for you? It depends to a great extent on the type of work you do. Choosing the Right Camera for Video Shooting Digital still cameras have recently gained a new feature: the ability to shoot high definition video. Still photographers are … [Read more...] about Choosing the Right Camera for Video Shooting
Black Magic Video Assist – First Look
Most cameras you can buy today are capable of good to great video recording. More and more photographers are branching into video - some because their clients demand it - and some because they just want to explore. I have shot my fair share of video using both dedicated video cameras and stills cameras capable of shooting HD video. One thing I have learned is that video is more complicated and you absolutely need more “stuff” to pull it off and pull it off well. Some of the “stuff” you buy ends up getting in the way but one thing I have … [Read more...] about Black Magic Video Assist – First Look
Instant Replay: The Future of Photoshop and Must Know Techniques
Bryan O'Neil Hughes and Howard Pinsky join Melissa Niu and Rich Harrington to discuss the state and future of Photoshop. Bryan, the Senior Product Manager for Photoshop at Adobe, helps us understand how the Photoshop team works, and Rich and Howard demonstrate must know techniques, all hosted by Melissa Niu. Photoshop techniques discussed include: Content Aware Fill tools, Video, Camera RAW as a Smart Filter, and Adaptive Wide Angle Lens correction. https://youtu.be/jjUYF4xLb_g … [Read more...] about Instant Replay: The Future of Photoshop and Must Know Techniques
Lens Review: Lensbaby Twist 60
This new Twist 60 lens from Lensbaby has my full attention right now. There are always new lenses boasting extreme sharpness or wide apertures or super telephoto, but Lensbaby steps aside from the sharper-faster-longer race and makes tools that actually help me be more creative. In short, it's a marvelous hunk of metal and glass, it's affordably priced, and I think you'll love it too. Keep reading for the reasons why. Petzval for the 21st Century Petzval was a scientist in the 1800's who created a new lens design, and it made big … [Read more...] about Lens Review: Lensbaby Twist 60
When it Comes to Video, It’s All About Project Management
Video is a multi-headed beast that’s constantly screaming to be fed and nourished. You’ve got people in front of the lens, people behind the cameras, and even more behind the scenes. Video projects are complex with multiple stages of approval along the way. You need to control things and have a plan (and even another plan for when that one fails). Project Management is not unique to video, but it is a critical skill due to the complex interconnected nature of video projects. Chances are that you may have some project management skills… but … [Read more...] about When it Comes to Video, It’s All About Project Management
TetherTools Case Relay Review and Tips for Lengthy Exposures
A few years ago, I had this crazy idea to shoot a five-hour exposure while I was camping near the Tetons in Wyoming. The major obstacle to making a picture like this is battery power. The whole time a long exposure is recording, the sensor is activated, the shutter is held open, and a DSLR's mirror is held up, all of which require power. What’s more, if you use the built-in 'long exposure noise reduction' setting, the camera will process the photo for the same amount of time that the shutter was open. That means if I started the picture before … [Read more...] about TetherTools Case Relay Review and Tips for Lengthy Exposures
Using Camera RAW to Color Correct Video
Previously Photoshop had two strands, Photoshop and Photoshop Extended. The Extended version had added 3D and video capabilities. Photoshop CC however, by default, comes with video editing capabilities and 3D. As most new DSLRs come with video video capturing more and more photographers are looking to the tools they know to edit their footage, step in Photoshop CC! The video in this tutorial from Fotolia / Adobe Stock The Workspace When you open video in Photoshop a panel called Timeline opens at the bottom of the screen. This is where we … [Read more...] about Using Camera RAW to Color Correct Video
DJI’s Phantom 4: A Photographer’s Take
At least as much as anyone, I'm intrigued by drones. I've always wanted to be a pilot, I'm reading a book on the Wright Brothers right now, I fly every chance I get, and if I ever have a first born son, I'm torn between naming him Bernoulli or Orville. I'm crazy about flying, but I don't own a drone. However, the newest announcement from DJI certainly has me considering it more than I ever. I have three concerns that have kept me back from buying a drone, but the Phantom 4 seems to address them pretty well. 1. The Camera As much as I like … [Read more...] about DJI’s Phantom 4: A Photographer’s Take
