advice

There are many genres of photography, which I believe is what makes photography such a unique hobby or profession. The camera simply becomes a tool that facilitates a personal interaction with the wide range of variables in our culture.

In this video and article, we’re going to work through some of the nuances of maternity portraits in regards to lighting and posing. If you’re interested in learning more about how to capture maternity portraits, be sure to check out the full workshop over at SLR Lounge.

If you've ever worked in commercial photography, you know how complicated relationships with brands, agencies, and sub-contractors can be. In this 11.5-minute video, photographer Chris Hau details how he almost got sued as a result of those relationships and what he has learned since.

Photographer Pye Jirsa of SLR Lounge recently put together a video that every budding wedding photographer should watch. It's basically his version of "7 things I wish I'd known when I first started out as a wedding photographer," and it answers some of the most common questions (and dispels some common myths) about this popular genre.

I love looking in detail at another photographer’s work. To immerse yourself in someone else’s creativity—to see what their ideas spark inside of you, what excites you, what makes you sit up and think 'Wow, that’s really cool!'—that’s all great fuel for your own photography.

Capturing cool reflection portraits might seem like a breeze—you just put someone behind some glass and go ham, right? But as photographer Matt Granger explains in this tutorial, even a basic understanding of the "key variables" involved can open up more options for you.

I first became interested in storms when I was a boy growing up in Texas, the only state in the US that experiences tornadoes, hurricane and blizzards on a regular basis. I built a scale model of a supercell thunderstorm inside a clear plexiglass box using cotton and a light bulb for lightning, and won first place in the weather category at our local science fair. Then I got permission from my mother to climb onto our roof and build a weather station.

Professional photographers Daniel and Rachel of Mango Street have published a helpful video that covers the 8 most common mistakes that they see beginner photographers make. In other words: these are the 8 reasons why your photos suck, and how to fix them.

Do you want to switch from Canon to Sony? From Sony to Nikon? From Nikon to Panasonic? From Panasonic to Fujifilm? Well, I’m going to ask you to stop, take a deep breath, and consider doing the most boring thing: absolutely nothing. Instead of switching camera brands, you should probably stick with what you have.

When photographers are just starting out in their careers, they tend to make the same set of mistakes that cost them work and, therefore, money. In this short 4.5-minute video, photographer Scott Choucino cites five mistakes that held his career back and urges you not to make them yourself.

It's autumn again, and I thought I'd share some tips (and possibly inspiration) for your autumn photography.

When shooting portraits on location, choosing the right background is critical, and just like anything in photography, there is no one size that fits all.

As someone who loves to seek out and photograph unique weather events, I’m always excited to see a thunderstorm brewing over New York City, and of course my home, the Jersey Shore! There’s always something exciting to look forward to while you’re out storm chasing, including rainbows, storm clouds, fog, and of course, lightning!

Every week, several people pop into photographer Matthew Vandeputte's DMs or drop into the comments on his YouTube to ask the same question: do I need to worry about my camera's shutter count if I start shooting timelapse. In this video, Vandeputte explains why you probably don't have anything to worry about.

Professional photographer and YouTuber Sean Tucker recently released a video that covers one of the most common (and tricky) questions that enthusiast photographers ask: "should I go pro?" In other words: should I take this thing that I'm passionate about, and turn it into my profession?

When it comes time to up their photo editing game, most photographers reach for a pen tablet like Wacom's Intuos Pro series. But what about pen displays? Wacom, XP-Pen, and Huion all offer displays that let you draw and edit right on the screen without sacrificing any of the features you get from a tablet. They're typically used by artists, but we wanted to know: are they worth it for photo editing?

I originally moved from the UK to New Zealand in search of a place that allows me to spread my artistic wings and really obtain that deeper level of natural landscape beauty. I ended up in Wellington, the national and artistic capital of NZ, where everything and anything goes.

It’s difficult to stay safe right now as a normal human, just trying to get groceries and make a living. It’s more difficult if you’re an event or wedding photographer. As an event photographer or wedding photographer, you might be exposed to crowds of people from all over the country, and in some cases from all over the world.

Commercial photographer and educator Karl Taylor is a working pro with an impressive portfolio to his name and major brands on his CV. So it came as a surprise when he declared recently that he hasn't used a light meter in 15 years... and explained why you shouldn't be using one either.

Composition is one of the most important factors in creating impactful and memorable photos. It doesn’t matter how fascinating the conditions are; images that lack a solid composition are less likely to be remembered.

Our friend Pye Jirsa over at SLR Lounge has put together a great portrait photography tutorial that explains when and why you SHOULD blow out your highlights sometimes. It might seem obvious to seasoned shooters, but a balanced exposure is not always the right choice.

Landscape photographer and YouTuber Mads Peter Iversen has put together a video that's bound to spark some discussion: it's his ode to the 100-400mm lens, which he considers "the best telephoto zoom lens for landscape photography."

The good folks over at PHLEARN have put together a really useful comparison and tutorial that shows you all of the different ways you can sharpen your photos in Adobe Lightroom vs Photoshop.

I was recently asked how to find clients by a new photographer making the leap into professional work during this crazed pandemic. It’s tough any time, but at this time it is even harder.

If you've been thinking of trying your hand at vlogging or starting a YouTube channel, it might surprise you to learn that you can create a nice-looking "YouTube Studio" setup at home for less that $100. In this video, Boston-based videographer Kellan Reck takes you step-by-step through the whole process.

Landscape photographer and YouTuber Mads Peter Iversen is back with a short list of helpful tips that can help you break the mold and improve your landscape photography. These tips will be particularly helpful for beginners who feel their work is already growing stale.

We’re forever taking photos of our children. We want to remember those first experiences, milestones, and adventures. But how many of those photos come out the way you intended, and how many make it onto your walls and into photo books?

Portrait photographer Miguel Quiles is tackling one of the most common beginner questions out there: should I invest in speedlights or strobes? In this video, he covers the pros and cons of both, and which you should go with depending on your needs and shooting style.

Photographer Jamie Gillies recently went down the deep, dark rabbit hole known as "JPEG quality." Now that he's emerged on the other side, he's sharing the knowledge that h'se gained so that you too can understand how JPEG quality works, and what export settings to use for the best possible results.

My name is Andy Chua, and I'm a professional photographer based in Singapore. In this article, I'll share tips for nailing your action shots in sports photography.

So you have spent years packing up your camera and jumping on a plane. Then a pandemic shut down borders killing travel plans overnight and you are not sure where your next story is going to come from. Where do you go for those sweet photos or that glorious content you had been able to churn out as fast as you could make it?

Any event photographer gets tons of requests from people asking for specific photos from an event. Sometimes they will acquiesce, but often not. Don't nag them if they don't get back to you or say no. Here's why.

When you’re very early in your photography career, getting an agent will seem like a mysterious process. Many photographers feel that signing with an agent will offer the key to their fortunes. When they do sign, some photographers will feel they have finally made it.

As an amateur landscape photographer, opportunities to visit epic locations such as Lofoten, Iceland, or the Scottish highlands are limited. When an opportunity for travel arises, an overly ambitious plan is often drafted in an effort to squeeze every last drop of potential from the trip.

Expert wildlife photographer Steve Perry has created an excellent "crash course" in Bird in Flight photography that he's sharing for free with all of us. The video covers 10 techniques/tips that "will give you all the basics you need to start filling your memory card with wall-hangers."