Photoshoot and Beyond
I’m a snob about lighting, which means I won’t make a picture if the light isn’t good enough. When I have the opportunity to influence the light on my subjects, the one tool I use most frequently is the diffuser, or scrim, from my 5-in-1 reflector kit. It’s extremely inexpensive, and does a fine job…
In this webinar, Scott Bourne will share secrets and practical advice that went into the making of some of his favorite and best-known images. He’ll discuss both shooting and postproduction techniques that make his images stand out above the rest. Scott will also show how he’s using Perfectly Clear to enhance his images to improve…
I’m a full-time people photographer–my living depends on me making portraits of people that represent them in the best way possible. I study lighting and posing techniques to get the best results possible when I’m making the pictures, and I am always practicing seeking the best finishing techniques so my pictures will look their best…
Tony Corbel, a true master of lighting, taught me to practice seeing great light everywhere I go, and the more I look the more I find it. One place I always find a good patch of portrait light is right at the edge of bright sunlight. In this first picture, Brad is facing a large…
Richard Harrington recently shared a picture on social media that looked like a painting, and in the corner it read, “Created with Adobe Paint Can.” I immediately downloaded this free app from the Apple App Store. Although it’s only for iPad and iPhone, if you go buy an iPad for the sole purpose of using…
I often see photographers misusing an important piece of gear, and it’s one of the simplest tools in your bag. Many lenses come with a lens hood, and right now I’ll show you why you have it and why you should be using it. What’s It Do? The lens hood is intended to keep the…
I often say that a tripod is the only bit of kit you can buy that will actually make your pictures better. Well, I spent some time maintaining mine, today and thought you might benefit from my experience. Let’s talk about why your tripod needs maintenance, some tools you’ll probably need, and we’ll get to…
Picking bookmarks is a little adventure for me. My daughter is constantly creating pictures and doodles, so I usually use one of these as a bookmark for whatever book (or books) I’m reading. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to pick a bookmark for Jay Maisel’s Light Gesture & Color. In fact, I didn’t use a bookmark at…
You gotta join us live for our next Google+ Hangout, 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.…
In my previous post, Light Stand Basics Part 1, I gave you some safety tips and jargon to get you started working with light stands. A light stand is one of the only things you can buy that will actually make your photography better. Getting consistent results from your light requires keeping it the same…