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Picture Styles and Losing My RAW Religion

Twenty years ago, I was just starting to make some headway as a film-shooting stock photographer. It was a fun time, but the digital age soon dawned. I shot JPEGs on maybe my first day out with a digital camera, and then I was onto RAW.

USB-C is the Biggest Improvement the iPhone Has Ever Seen

Ah, that new iPhone smell is in the air, which means two things. Autumn, probably the best season for photography, is just around the corner. And two, Apple has stoked its hype train's engine and sent it roaring down the tracks, spewing buzzwords and fancy graphics at everyone it passes.

Team Headshots: AI vs. Professional Photographer

Have you Googled “headshot photographers" lately? The results are pretty eye-opening. Right before I sat down to write this, my Google search resulted in 4 sponsored ads, right at the top, for AI headshot generators. If that doesn’t concern you, it should.

A.I. Imagery Is Not Photography, It Never Will Be

We've all seen the images surfacing online of portraits with seven fingers on one hand and two left feet. Recently, the internet has been inundated by imagery coming from prompted artificial intelligence programs such as Midjourney, Jasper, and DALL-E. The world has been captivated by the potential these new neural networks bring to the creative space.

Will AI Destroy the Professional Headshot Industry?

The world is ablaze with talk of ChatGPT, one of the latest AI (artificial intelligence) applications revolutionizing everything from research and copywriting to blog and ad creation to college essays. Noticed or unnoticed, these applications have seeped into nearly every part of our world.

4 Reasons Photographers Should Limit Their Social Media Use

In the process of chasing that magical number one on social media, artists are unfortunately losing the ability to do their craft and no longer focusing on the only thing that will actually shape the next generation of artists.

An Open Letter to the Photography Industry

As an industry, we need to do better. For our craft, for new and experienced photographers alike, for those clients who don’t get the full information.

Why is Shooting with a Smartphone So Deeply Unsatisfying?

The smartphone is perhaps the single most important device in history, wresting the power of news and journalism back into the hands of the everyday person. Data communication is the key enabler, but the camera -- more than anything else -- slakes the thirst for instant visual gratification. So, why is shooting with a smartphone so deeply unsatisfying?

People Have No Idea What a DSLR Actually Is

Even though the heyday of the DSLR is well behind us, it does not seem like we're going to shed the acronym any time soon. A newly-published shopping guide by the New York Post confirms as much: nearly half of its picks for "Best DSLRs" are actually mirrorless cameras.

Why Outsourcing Wedding Photography Editing is a Slippery Slope

In the past few years, we’ve seen the dawn and domination of mirrorless cameras and exponential improvements in software and computing power. Speaking as someone who started shooting on black and white film, moved to digital on a 6-megapixel camera, and now shoots solely only on mirrorless bodies, I can honestly say that it’s never been easier to produce great quality photography.

Photography is Dead! Long Live the Photographer!

The gentleman that I (and countless others) learned photography from is one O.P. Sharma, an internationally recognized, black-and-white film photographer. He is one of the masters of photography. He founded the India International Photography Council and was the driving force behind establishing 19 August as International Photography Day every year.

Is Nikon Caught in a Perfect Storm?

It's no secret that Nikon has been having a tough time financially -- a result of an over-reliance on its Imaging Division -- and has been implementing a medium-term strategy to help balance the books and foster long-term growth. Results from its Imaging Division suggest it is struggling and possibly caught in a perfect storm.

Ricoh Pentax faces a defining moment

Ricoh Pentax: The Beginning of the End or the Start of a Bright Future?

Ricoh seemingly made the significant announcement that it would cease the mass production of digital cameras (which includes the Pentax brand), shifting instead to a direct-to-market model. For now, it only affects its business in Japan, although the ramifications could affect its business more widely. What does this mean for Ricoh (and Pentax) and their future?

Photographers, It’s OK to Not Own the Latest Camera Gear

Photography is a tech-heavy job. Camera companies do a great job of hyping up new gear and creating a fear of missing out. However, very few professionals that I know actually go and splurge on the latest and greatest equipment.

Why 365 Photo Projects Are a Waste of Time

There are 365 ways to waste your time being busy instead of doing useful work. One of those is the popular concept of a 365 photo project. Let’s dive in and see why it is one of the best ways to waste your time.

Fully Loaded: The Complex Connection Between Guns and Cameras

“Why are guns and cameras so closely connected?” This is what I set out to explore and investigate recently through my own experience in film. Between starting the production and finishing it, one major event made this connection a lot darker.

Contracts Are Not the End, or the Beginning, of a Photo Project

Successful professionals -- that is, people who make most of their living as photographers -- have a kind of global view of their career. They behave as though marketing and contract negotiations and digital workflow are all just as important as composition and lighting.

Eye Autofocus Tracking Isn’t Really for Pro Photographers

This article is bound to stir up a little controversy. Still, I believe there is some clarity to be had on the issue of professional photographers and the eye autofocus (Eye AF) technology craze found in the current generation of mirrorless cameras. The truth about who eye autofocus is really for and why many professionals are somewhat ambivalent about it might surprise a few people.

I Made a Mistake and Gave My Photos Away for Free on Unsplash

I’m sure most photographers have heard of Unsplash, the free-to-use stock image website. You upload any of your photographs, then after a short moderation process, they become available in the Unsplash library for anyone to download and use in any way they like.

How Do Pro Photographers Light Their Photographs?

How does renowned portrait photographer Albert Watson light his photos? With a foolproof three-light setup that makes his photos look amazing, of course! Except... he doesn't. In fact, setups are very far from what professional photographers do when they light their work. Here is what mindset photographers have when they light.

Don’t Make the Critical Facebook and Instagram Photography Mistake

I have a good friend that uses Facebook as his photography business’s digital platform. I have multiple friends that use Instagram as their portfolio. This also goes for, yes to a lesser degree, using Behance, Tumbler, Model Mayhem, Imgur, and Flickr as a portfolio destination.

Apple Silicon is Still a Pain to Use with Color Accurate Monitors

If you've been using an Apple Silicon Mac with an external display for photo and video editing, you may have noticed a few issues. Whether it's ultra-wide monitors not displaying correctly, calibration software not working right, or high-end monitors displaying in YCrCb mode instead of RGB, Apple Silicon still has a bunch of issues with color-accurate monitors.

Camera Balance: An Often Overlooked But Important Feature

While the broad strokes of what is wanted on a camera usually revolve around the imaging fundamentals -- resolution, ISO performance, AF, et cetera -- there are some functions of camera design that have a significant impact on creating that often can be overlooked. The aspect that I want to discuss today is that of balance.

Wrong Photos Are a Myth, Bad Technique Isn’t

One of the most common myths in photography and art, in general, is that some things are wrong and others are right. This creates a notion that some art is worse than other art. If this were true, the world would never go beyond a predefined concept of art.

I Am Worried for Live Music Photography Amid COVID-19

Live music and the resumption of public schools have become a flashpoint (1, 2) in the battle about masks and vaccines in the public sector. My son is homeschooled so I cannot speak to that, but I can speak about live music.

Are Photography Awards Worth It At Any Cost?

To an up-and-coming photographer or creative, an award win can feel like a make-or-break point in their career. It could be a chance – or THE chance - to be elevated to the next career level, earn the respect of peers, the attention of agents, and attract new clients, with some free PR to boot.

Is It Time to Redefine Photography in the Name of Art?

When an article critical of excessive photo manipulation (such as replacing the sky or adding fake reflections on water) is posted on photography news websites, it often generates a flood of comments, both in agreement and disagreement.