Studio photography: Low-key lighting variations
Studio photography: Low-key lighting variations
The mood and simplicity of low-key lighting make it especially effective. So when Ulorin Vex appeared out of the dressing room with this black dress, I knew it would work very well with a low-key set-up in the studio. We had set up the darker background for previous outfits, but for this black dress, the simplified lighting - just a Profoto beauty dish (affiliate) - worked especially well. There were two lights behind her to show off the curves against the dark background. The gridded softboxes are exactly the same as shown Read more inside...E-mail scammers targeting photographers
E-mail scammers targeting photographers
Photographers are more and more becoming the target for scammers and con artists. They come in all kinds of ways. Really, it's the Wild West out there! The most prevalent scam is the over-payment scam where the photographer is asked if they are available for a date ... and they just want to throw money at you and book you, without even finding out details. One of the things that reveal them, is the phrasing. For example, if they say "your city", then it is 100% guaranteed to be a scam. Other vague descriptions like that should also start the Read more inside...Photographers – Tips on improving your photography technique
Tips on improving your photography technique
When I posted the article with tips and advice for second-shooters, it generated a lot of conversation in the comments. I want to follow it up with a related article on how to improve your technique as a photographer. It is general advice for any photographer. And it is especially pertinent if you're a second photographer / 2nd shooter. Camera technique can be distilled into a few elements: - composition & framing, including lens choice - timing of the photograph, ie that moment - choice of aperture (for depth of field) - choice Read more inside...photography: how good do your lenses need to be?
photography: how good / sharp do your lenses need to be?
Olena, who I photographed during a recent personal photography workshop in New York. camera settings: 1/320 @ f/3.5 @ 800 ISO (available light) I was trying out the new Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 VC (B&H) for the images I shot during this workshop. (It comes in a Canon version too.) It appears to be a fantastic lens. Build quality is good. The feel of it is good. The zoom ring has a nice throw. And it features stabilization! Nice touch. However, shooting other images at wide open aperture, I wasn't sure I was happy Read more inside...Critique – Photographers’ websites
A general critique of photographer's websites
Your website is most likely the first contact that others have with your work as a photographer. With that in mind, your website is of huge importance in marketing yourself and establishing yourself and your brand. With an ever-proliferating number of websites competing for the attention of any potential visitor, you have a very small opportunity to make an impression and make someone linger a few seconds longer. Looking at the websites of other photographers (and I am even asked sometimes to do that!), I regularly notice specific Read more inside...Using back-button focus (BBF) on your Canon camera
Using back-button focus (BBF) on your Canon camera
There are two ways to initiate (and lock) focus on your Canon DSLR - using the shutter button, and / or - using the AF-ON button on the back of the camera, near your thumb. The AF-ON button can be set to be the only way to initiate focus, disallowing the shutter button from doing so. Depending on how you program your camera, the AF-ON button could allow you to trip your camera's shutter independently of your focusing. Whether this is useful to you, (or perhaps even cause problems for you), depends on: - your style of shooting, Read more inside...Direct off-camera flash as fill-light
Direct off-camera flash as fill-light
I really like using a medium-sized softbox when photographing portraits. A softbox allows me to get soft, directional light pretty much anywhere. The most recent example I showed here, was Lucia and Alvin's wedding in Central Park, New York. I do make it easier for myself when using off-camera flash for photo sessions on location - I pick my battles. I don't try to make everything work. With a photo session where I can control the light and background and setting for my subjects, I can make it easier for myself by not choosing tough lighting Read more inside...Available light photography: Posing into the light
Available light photography: Posing into the light
A topic that we've given more and more attention to here on Tangents, is available light photography - but specifically the idea that in using available light, it isn't just a random way of taking photos, but that consideration has to be given to the direction of light. When you work with someone you want to take a portrait of, it is crucial that you pose someone in flattering light. This often means posing someone into the light, with the one shoulder toward the direction of light. This idea works for even the simplest of cameras - Read more inside...review: Westcott 7′ Parabolic Umbrella
review: Westcott 7' Parabolic Umbrella
Continuing the photo session with Ulorin Vex in the studio, I decided to swap out the big Profoto 4x3 softbox, for an even larger (but very affordable) light modifier - the Westcott 7' Parabolic Umbrella - white (B&H / Amazon). Two things that immediately struck me about the Westcot Parabolic Umbrella ... it's sheer size when folder open. It is 7 feet if measured across the span of the umbrella's arc. And when it is folded up, it is surprisingly compact and light-weight. It collapses to a 43.6" size, and fits snugly Read more inside...- « Previous Page
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