Tangents

photography tutorials, reviews & workshops

tangents photography blog
learn : discuss : share
  • Tangents
  • Tutorials
    • Flash Photography
    • Wedding Photography
    • Studio Photography
    • Posing People
    • Understanding Your Camera
    • Exposure metering
    • BFT
    • Best Photo Books
  • Reviews
    • Sony
    • Nikon
    • Canon
    • Fuji
    • Profoto
    • lighting gear
  • Workshops
    • Info: Workshops
    • In-person
      tutoring sessions
    • Online
      tutoring sessions
    • Workshops in
      New Jersey (NJ)
    • Workshops in
      New York (NYC)
    • Photo walks in NYC
    • Studio Workshop
    • Video tutorials
    • Workshop results
  • Books
    • On-Camera Flash (revised ed.)
    • Direction & Quality of Light
    • Off-Camera Flash Photography
    • Lighting & Design
    • On-Camera Flash (1st ed.)
  • Projects
    • Two Perspectives
    • B&W Infrared
    • Vintage lenses
    • Time-lapse photography
  • Info
    • About
    • Contact
    • My Photo Gear
    • Books by NvN
    • Join us on Facebook
    • Acclaim
    • Success Stories

Having fun with personal photography, to learn and grow

April 21, 2025 Neil vN Leave a Comment

Having fun with personal photography, to learn and grow

Having fun photographing people and their crazy hats during the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival on 5th Ave, Manhattan. This year I challenged myself in photographing portraits at f/2 only, using the Sony 28-70mm f/2 lens (B&H / Amazon) … and I purposely looking for compositions that worked with the bright overhead sun … still taking care to not lose important elements in the blown highlights. Those constraints did limit who and what I photographed, but I do like the results. I feel that doing this -  Read more inside...

Tips on using a fish-eye lens

April 9, 2023 Neil vN 2 Comments

Tips on using a fish-eye lens

Fisheye lenses are often just gimmicky in their effect, however I think it helped with these street portraits of people taking part in the Easter Parade on 5th Ave in Manhattan, NYC. For me, it works because it enhanced the fun element of the day. It's a quirky lens well suited for quirky subjects. The main things to consider when using a fish-eye lens: Don't over-use it. Because it is such a unique and distinctive look, it can quickly become a gimmick in of itself. A fisheye lens dictates a central composition because of how bendy the edges  Read more inside...

Photographing New York City from the air

January 9, 2022 Neil vN 4 Comments

Photographing New York City from the air

As a treat, I booked 2 spots on a helicopter flight over New York with FlyNYON, for Sara and myself. We took the open-door / doors-off flight at sunset. It was as incredible an experience as I had hoped for. I have been fascinated for a while with the idea of seeing and photographing Manhattan from the air. I took along my Sony A1 camera (B&H / Amazon), and the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM zoom lens (B&H / Amazon). I had debated taking a longer range zoom ... but in the end I wish I had brought along a  Read more inside...

categories

Articles & Tutorials

  • • About myself & this site
    • Books by Neil vN
    • Best photography books
    • Black foamie thing
    • Photographers’ success stories
  • • Flash Photography Techniques
    • Natural looking flash
    • Flash + Ambient light
    • Dragging the shutter
    • Bouncing your flash
    • On-camera flash outdoors
    • Exposure metering
    • Flash exposure compensation
    • Bounce flash examples
    • Which is the best flashgun?
    • Flash brackets
    • Off-camera flash photography
    • Flash photography basics
    • Using video lights
    • Flash photography tips
  • • Photography workshops NJ / NYC
    • Models @ photography workshops
tutorials:
flash photography
Photography
Workshops

All rights reserved. Copyright © Neil van Niekerk 2025 · Customization by The Traveling Designer

Copyright © 2025 · NvN on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in