Various scenarios: Balancing flash with ambient light
Various scenarios: Balancing flash with ambient light
Adding flash to ambient light - its's a topic that can appear to be confusing. With advice that ranges from under-exposing the ambient light by a stop or two ... or dialing FEC down for fill-flash, or advice that you should be metering for the background ... it all appears confusing and contradictory. What we do, and the thought-process we step through, depends on the (lighting) situation we find ourselves in. There isn't one blanket do-all method. No single piece of instruction that will fit every occasion. So let's try to Read more inside...Wedding photography – Macro photography: options and alternatives
Wedding photography - Macro photography: options and alternatives
With wedding photography, I mostly use a macro lens just for detail images at the bride's place - rings & jewelry. I do use a macro lens for detail photos of the rings. However, during the early part of the day at the bride's place, I try to bring as little equipment as possible. Then carrying a macro lens for just a few detail images might just add too much bulk to the shoulder bag. Also, if your budget is constrained, then it might seem a bit much to spend that much money for a lens that will see so little use. Read more inside...What else is in your camera bag?
Non-photography goodies in my camera bag
Work as a wedding photographer isn't just about taking photographs of key moments, or about the photo gear. Often enough it is up to you as the wedding photographer to help guide the day's time-line and flow, and also just to help. For me, wedding photography isn't just a passively observed event where I take photographs. And if you shoot with a photo-journalistic style in mind, it doesn't mean you have to remain uninvolved. I'm there to record the day's events, but also to help, if necessary, making it a spectacular day. In the photo Read more inside...I attended a wedding!
Angie & Johan's wedding - One & Only, Cape Town
I attended a wedding! You may well laugh at that, but at 500+ weddings deep, this was the first wedding that I attended as a guest in about 20 years now. Angie, who I've been friends with for more than 20 years, invited me to her wedding in Cape Town. And you know what? It's a huge compliment when a friend invites you to their wedding. With a bit of free time now, and a bit of financial wriggle room, and on top of that, not having visited friends and family in South Africa for 9 years now, I thought it was time. I had to Read more inside...Boudoir photography: Couples boudoir – gesture and connection
Boudoir photography: Couples boudoir - gesture and connection
With portraits of a couple, the way they connect with each other is often the main factor whether the image is compelling. It could be through gesture and touch. The gesture might even be subtle - if a couple snuggles in, they don't have to look at each other - it's entirely possible to give that sense of connectedness, even with a downward glance. As long a it looks like they are concentrating on each other or responding to each other, it works. With the image at the top, Olena and Austin are directly looking at each Read more inside...Hot-air balloon ride
Hot-air balloon ride
During my visit to South Africa, two of my friends, Jerry & Linde, arranged a surprise for me - an early-morning ride in a hot-air balloon in the Magaliesberg area. This was a first time for me - and I have to wonder now why I had never done this before - it is exhilarating! (This must be old news for those who have done this before.) With this entire 2-week visit to South Africa, I decided to forego all the heavier, bulkier camera gear, and only take my Fuji X100s (affiliate). It's a specific decision where I forego the versatility of getting Read more inside...Using interesting available light & White Balance options
Finding interesting available light & White Balance options
It's always a feel-good moment to discover interesting available light while out on a photo shoot. Something unusual to add a new flavor to a different sequence of images. While photographing a model with Tilo Gockel and Mike Silberreis (both from Germany on a visit to NYC), we started off with off-camera flash to help with the strong sunlight. (You might remember Tilo from a recent guest article on product photography on a budget.) Then, while positioning Olena, I saw part of her dress had a patch of bright light Read more inside...Portrait photography: Dramatic lighting with LED Fresnel lights
Portrait photography: Dramatic lighting with LED Fresnel lights
For the portrait session of Jennifer Rozenbaum, I wanted to show her in her "office" - the studio where she shoots boudoir images of her clients. But instead of photographing Jennifer in a boudoir style, I wanted this to be portraits of her, the boudoir photographer, where she works. Her office as such. Still, it needed to be sexy, a little feral, yet sweet, and very much her. Read more inside...Using tele-converters: Extra lens compression for tighter portraits
Using tele-converters: Extra lens compression for tighter portraits
One of the techniques to have your subject really stand out from the background, is to use the longest focal length on your 70-200mm telephoto zoom. One of the first things I do, is to zoom to maximum focal length, and then step backwards to find the composition … and then only zoom wider if necessary. Doing it this way, forces you to use the longest focal length. This compression focuses attention on your subject by creating separation from the background. To extend the range of my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, I always Read more inside...- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- …
- 103
- Next Page »