walkthrough

How to Shoot a NASA Rocket Launch with a Remote Camera

When NASA launched its Insight rocket in the pre-dawn hours of May 5th, 2018, photographer Norman Chan of Tested was on hand with a remote camera setup to shoot his first launch. The 15-minute video above is his record of everything that goes into capturing a NASA rocket launch.

What One Photographer Learned from Failing a Photo Shoot

Late last year, photographer Irene Rudnyk reached out to a model and makeup artist for a photo concept she had in mind that featured a woman illuminated by a lantern at blue hour. Rudnyk shares in the 7-minute video above how, after putting in considerable time and effort into putting the shoot together, she failed at the actual shoot.

How I Photographed the Double Diamond Fuji

As a spiritual symbol of Japan, Mt. Fuji is one of only three sacred mountains of the country and its tallest at 3,776 meters. Its designation as a UNESCO world heritage site further exemplifies its importance to not only the people of Japan but to the world as well.

How to Use Long Exposures to Up Your Photography Game

If you've been itching to try your hand at daytime long exposure photography but aren't sure how to jump in, here's a great simple and straightforward 12-minute tutorial on the subject by photographer Adam Karnacz of First Man Photography.

A Look at Film Washi V, The Handmade Film on Japanese Gampi Paper

Film Washi V is probably the most unusual film announced in 2017, and I had the privilege of being present when Lomig, the founder of Washi Film, introduced it at the Salon de la Photo in Paris last year. Since then I have always wanted to try it and see what it's like to shoot with this very special film.

Experimenting with a Neon Light for a Studio Portrait

In this post, I'll share the story and results of a recent experiment I did with lighting a model with a neon light. I was hanging out with a friend in a local coffee shop when he showed me an awesome album artwork he saw online.

How I Shot the Tesla Roadster in Space from 1 Million Miles Away

Whatever your spin is on the SpaceX launch of the Falcon Heavy and the stunt of Starman and the Tesla Roadster, for a few days (at least) it put on our radar topics such as space and space missions, rockets, interplanetary travel or technological advances.

The Creative Process of Photography: A Case Study

I often hear: “I really like your photos. You must own an amazing and super duper expensive camera!” My reply to these people is: “If you own Tiger Woods' golf club, would you be able to play at his level?” In Woods’ case, it all comes down to years of practice and a healthy dose of raw talent.

How to Create a Droste Effect Photo in a Photo in a Photo

The Droste effect is when a photo recursively appears within itself -- the photo within the photo within the photo, "tunneling" forever. Here's a 12-minute video by photographer and retoucher Antti Karppinen that shows you can create a Droste effect photo for yourself.

Doing a Low-Budget Photo Shoot with DIY Props for Less Than $75

I love DIY props and big scenes in photography that are well designed. Not many of us photographers have the place or money to create our own stages so I wanted to challenge myself to make one in our living room with a very low budget.

3D Printing Your Photo as a Lithophane

Want an interesting idea for turning your digital photo into something tangible that you can hold? Look into the lithophane, the centuries-old technique of carving an image into a piece of translucent material to create a 3D image. Photographer Daniel DeArco recently turned a photo into a lithophane with 3D printing, and he documented the experience in the 4-minute video above.

Shooting Pro Portraits with Window Light in a Tiny Home Studio

If you'd like to shoot studio portraits but don't have access to an actual studio or pricey equipment, you can achieve beautiful results with a minimalist setup in a small room that's bathed in natural window light. Here's a 5-minute video by photographer Irene Rudnyk that shows this type of setup for a recent shoot.

I Took These Photos in My Dining Room

Product photography is something that I've always been interested in, but never saw myself making a career out of. However... when I do get to take product photos, I do enjoy it quite a lot.

Creating a Surreal Photo of a Man on a Ladder Crossing Water and Sky

Erik Johansson is a Swedish photographer who creates surreal scenes with his camera and Photoshop. His latest work is titled All Above the Sky. It shows a man climbing a ladder and poking his head above the sky, only to find himself looking up out of the waters nearby. Above is a 1-minute behind-the-scenes video that shows how it was created.

Finding the Perfect Composition When All Seems Lost

Here's a 20-minute video in which Serge Ramelli shows how he captured some beautiful fine-art photos of hot air balloons at a festival, even though the photo opportunities were initially looking bleak. Faced with a poor foreground full of spectators and bright yellow buses, Ramelli had to think outside the box.

Make Difficult Selections Using Alpha Channels in Photoshop

In this 12-minute tutorial by PiXimperfect, learn how to use alpha channels in Photoshop to make "insanely difficult" selections. An example situation for which you may need to employ this technique could be selecting pieces of the sky from behind a tree on the horizon.

How I Shot Cliff Divers with a Total Solar Eclipse

This is a post about photography plus trigonometry. I remember half joking with my math teachers in high school, asking “why do we need to learn this? I’m never going to use it in life.” Fast forward to 4 months ago when Red Bull Media House calls and wants to shoot a cliff diver eclipse photo.

Composite Photo Breakdown: Mother Earth Always Wins

This composition started as a practice (practice and playing) like most of my composites. I think that's the key of growing and good execution on art: do not think about doing things right but instead focus on having fun with creating.

Transforming a Boring Photo Into a Dramatic One With Photoshop

The mere mention of image manipulation may make some photographers cringe, but there’s no denying that some skill with Photoshop can enable you to completely transform an image. In this 20 minute tutorial, Serge Ramelli walks through the process of manipulating a ‘boring’ image and turning it in to a dramatic one by transforming the lighting and sky in the scene.