Photographers often grumble about the rise of hobbyist photographers who charge little to no money across all kinds of photographic niches, robbing hard working professionals of clients and flooding the market with subpar results.
Instead of simply being discontent about how the industry has been changing, photographers Geoff Johnson and Kameron Bayne decided to do something about it. They’ve created Fotoseeds, a business that aims to make professional photography a sustainable profession by educating photographers, helping them grow their businesses, and doing away with insecurity and ignorance. Read more…
Photographer Brian Bowen Smith learned his craft at the feet of legendary shooter Herb Ritts; and now, many years and many star-studded photo shoots later, he’s sharing some of his wisdom with the rest of us as part of Chicago Ideas Week.
In the above video, he uses three photo shoots to exemplify the versatility and creativity required to be one of the best. From Hillary Swank in a studio, to Matthew Fox in an airplane hangar, to Gabrielle Union on the beach, each shoot exemplifies a different lesson that Smith hopes you’ll walk away with. Read more…
In this short conclusion to his instructional DVD, Norwegian photographer Erik Almas gives 10 basic “steps” to becoming a photographer that caught our eye. It’s not that they’re groundbreaking; in fact, you’ve probably heard most of these at least once before.
But put all together, and following on the heels of the humorous Onion article on pursuing your dreams, they make for a great set of inspirational steps to follow if you’re trying to go from hobbyist to professional. Read more…
One of the problems photographers face today is explaining to clients why it’s worth it to pay a professional to do a job the client often feels they can do themselves. And while people familiar with photography can immediately give a plethora of reasons why an entry-level DSLR in an layman’s hands is NOT the same as hiring a professional, clients often don’t get it.
That’s why Sudbury, Ontario-based photographer James Hodgins started his witty, “Crappy Vs Snappy” showcase. He either invites clients to tag along on shoots with their own camera or snaps his own crappy images in “P” mode, and then places the results side-by-side with his professional-quality shots. The client rarely needs any more convincing after that. Read more…
I’ve read too many lists online of “traveling photographer tips” that don’t actually appear to be written by actual photographers. Some things work in the real world, others simply do not. Here’s some collected tips shaped from 7 years of travel experience on the road. I don’t think you’ll find most of these anywhere else. Read more…
Winter can be a dull season for macro photographers. Many of the usual subjects are desolate, lifeless or invisible. However, there is one subject that’s often in abundance outdoors (depending on where you live): snowflakes. There have been many strategies for photographing these ice crystals over the past century, but the simple stage of an old mitten is ideal. Read more…
Unsharp Mask: the sharpening filter of choice for photographers everywhere. It’s a fantastic tool that can really take an image to the next level when used correctly and I’m here to tell you that you should never use it again. That’s right, bid it a fond adieu and stop using Unsharp Mask. Forever. Read more…
We are in the midst of sea change — a tidal wave might be more accurate — within the medium of photography. While the lens is still firmly fixed to the camera body, the body itself appears to have imploded. The inner workings — that is, the guts of the camera from Talbot’s days (when cameras were called “mousetraps” by his wife who was always tripping over them) — have changed faster than anyone expected. Read more…
Photography is an expensive hobby as it is, but if you’re interested in astrophotography, you’re looking at adding at least one more item to your camera bag. Well, actually, it won’t fit in your camera bag, because that item is a telescope.
And when it comes to selecting your first astrophotography-worthy telescope, the tips offered in the above video by Mr. Forrest Tanaka are invaluable and very well presented. Read more…
