behindthescenes

Building an Off-Camera Flash Portrait: A Step-by-Step Look

When it comes to online educational content, there aren’t many photographers out there willing to share their mistakes when trying to create a photo. I think it’s fair to say that there are easily far more who only share their best work online and for good reason; as educators, you want to create an image of a photographer who makes little to no mistakes at all.

Creating a UFO Abduction Photo on a Tabletop

I love the theme of science fiction, so I always have these ideas about flying UFOs and houses in the middle of nowhere that aliens show an interest in as they try to take over a new planet.

Making a Conceptual Photo of the Man Who Controls Day and Night

Swedish photographer and retoucher Erik Johansson has created a new conceptual photo titled "Daybreaker," which shows the man in charge of controlling the transitions between day and night. Johansson is also sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how he put both day and night into one photo.

Making a Splash in Toy Photography

As a toy photographer I am constantly experimenting with new techniques and effects -- primarily practical effects, but I won't hesitate to dive into some digital effects if it helps me tell a story and create the strongest image possible. Some of my more popular images include real liquid splashes, so I thought I'd share some of those images here.

Creating a Century of Portraits in My Living Room

For the last 12 months, I have been working on a personal photo project. The goal of this project was to recreate a portrait from every decade from the 1920s until now. Each picture would highlight the candid life of someone who was living in that era versus what they were really feeling inside. I called this project a "Century of Portraits."

What if He Falls? Shooting the First Free Solo of El Capitan

How do you go about shooting a subject when you know they could die in a split second while your camera is pointed at them? That's the reality filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi faced while creating their documentary Free Solo. The duo followed climber Alex Honnold during his attempt to be the first human to ever climb the 3,000ft El Capitan in Yosemite without safety equipment.

Creating a Photo of Nail Polish Bottles in a Swirling Splash

For a recent project, I was tasked with creating hero images for a cosmetic brand. They commissioned me to work on several different shots for a range of nail polishes they are looking to market. I was put in charge of coming up with the creative angle and had the freedom to explore and execute the final result. The client was open to any suggestions or ideas, and I had fun putting it all together.

How Teenage Photographer John Kraus Shoots Rocket Launches

John Kraus is an 18-year-old photographer living on Florida's Space Coast who has captured dazzling photos of major rocket launches over the past few years. VICE News followed Kraus to a recently SpaceX Falcon 9 launch and aired this short segment showing how the photographer works (it starts at 22m01s).

Long Exposure Photography from the Cockpit of a 747

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how I shoot long-exposure photos from the cockpit of an airliner and how they end up sharp, despite flying at roughly 950kmh/590mph/500kts through the air. I will try to answer that question in more detail, going through the process and challenges step by step. Hopefully it sheds some light (pun intended) on the techniques I use and for the pilot-photographers among us some valuable and easy-to-use tips for your next night-flight.

How this Creative One-Shot Scene Was Done to Show the Passage of Time

The Showtime series Kidding has an episode that introduces a character by seamlessly showing how a single room in her home transformed over a long period of time as she recovers from addiction. It might look like CGI or clever editing, but it was actually done with careful choreography and a single take. The split-screen behind-the-scenes video above shows how it was shot.

‘Turn the Blind Eye’: How I Turned a Concept Photo Idea Into Reality

I’m not an environmental activist. I’m more or less a regular dude who hates taking out biowaste, still drives a diesel because it's cheaper, and recycles plastic because my wife tells me to. I enjoy our Finnish lake views, clean air, and peaceful sunsets, but rarely thought about losing them... until recently.

Lighting a Photo Shoot with 100 Mini LED Lights

We are going to use 100 Lume Cube LED lights to teach you how continuous light can be used on a set. Using continuous light on set for still photography is a great way to learn photographic concepts and getting you comfortable with lighting techniques.

Creating a Football Concussion Photo Illustration

I was commissioned recently to create a photo illustration for Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation’s Annual Report for a story on concussions in high school football players. This is a big issue not just for the NFL but also in youth sports.

These 16 Self-Portraits Were Shot Using Only Home Lighting

Back in February, I created several self-portraits using only lights from around my house. I wanted an exercise in something outside of my current comfort zone and to challenge myself to get back to my photography roots.

This is How Nikon Tests the Durability of the D850

Nikon Asia released this promo video for the D850 that offers a peek at how the company tests the DSLR for durability in harsh environments, ensuring that it's reliable through things like drops, impacts, vibrations, extreme temperatures, and humidity.

How Camera Film Gets Processed in a Lab

I was recently fortunate enough to get an inside and ‘behind-the-scenes’ look into how film processing works at Richard Photo Lab in Valencia, CA. As the step by step process is very complex, if you’ve ever wondered what the stages of film developing are and look like, come and take this video tour with us!

How I Shot a Nova Terra Cosplay Photo in the Desert

As a photographer, I've never really planned my shoots too much. I kind of look at what I'll be shooting and think of cool-looking images. Then I try my best to match what I'm seeing in my head through photography and sometimes post-production.

Behind the Curtains of a Best Buy Camera Shop

I was hesitant when I first found out that Best Buy had a camera shop in their stores. My experience in the past had been a disappointment, walking through their small camera section was underwhelming and most of the associates avoided that area. I didn’t think too much of it, as cameras were not generally accepted knowledge like it is with computers or TVs. Your average employee would have issues talking about ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and the practical application of these terms.

How I Shot a Light-Painting Levitation Portal Photo

My Name is Swen Cubilette, and I'm a 34-year-old photographer living in the Central Pennsylvania area. I’ve been shooting photos for about 5 years. In this article, I'll share how I shot this levitation portal photo.

Shooting a Sunrise Portrait with a Drone-Mounted Flash

This idea had been rolling around in my head for years. I use flashes a lot in my photography. Whether that is a Speedlight on or off camera or in the studio with some big strobes and modifiers. But this is the first time I have ever used an aerial drone-mounted flash.

Shooting Vintage Car Lifestyle Photos for Self-Promotion

I do a lot of automotive lifestyle personal projects that I use for self-promotion and am constantly on the hunt for new ideas. A friend of mine recently turned me on to Turo, an app for peer-to-peer car rentals. In the past, you had to hire a picture vehicle company to get vintage cars for shoots, and those can be really pricey and are severely limited in terms of how far you can drive the car.

Yes, Nikon Designs Its Own Sensors

Sony has been receiving attention and praise in recent years for the quality of its sensors and the fact that it produces sensors for other heavyweight camera companies, including Nikon. But even though some of Nikon's CMOS sensors may be manufactured in Sony factories, Nikon actually spends a considerable amount of resources designing those high-end sensors.

Shooting Wedding Photos on the ‘Little Troll Tongue’ in Norway

I did it. The photo I have had in my mind for almost two years was finally taken, and I’m proud of the result. Liv Johanne and Rune became (what I believe to be) the first couple to get their wedding photos taken at Himakånå, Norway.

A Tour of the Cartoni Tripod Factory

Johnnie Behiri of cinema5D recently visited the Cartoni tripod factory in Rome, Italy. The 11.5-minute video above is a behind-the-scenes look at how the famous tripods are made by a small team at the family company.

Here’s What You Get When You Shoot Portraits With a 500mm Lens

Portrait photographers generally pick focal lengths somewhere between 80mm and 135mm, which produces a flattened perspective distortion when the subject fills up the frame. Photographer Keydrin Franklin of 924photography recently decided to try his hand with shooting portraits with a 500mm super-telephoto lens.

Recreating the Look of Vintage War Photos

The horrific conflicts and wars of the past have shaped the world we know today. Each era has been documented by generations of photographers, with specific color tones or grain patterns evoking these periods in our minds. The culture surrounding military life has always been highly visual and has been captured in photojournalism, fine art, as well as propaganda.

Shooting Portraits of Sonoma County Wildfire Victims

About six months ago, I created a portrait series titled Ashes Fell Like Snow, photographing people affected by the Northern California wildfires and gathering their stories to share with the world. Creating this collection of portraits required much effort in a short span of time.

Shooting Infrared Photos of Barn Owls at Night

Photographer Will Burrard-Lucas was recently challenged to recreate his photos of African wildlife in the UK. This 3.5-minute video shows how he went about shooting beautiful nighttime infrared photos of barn owls.