beginner

Camera Metering Modes Explained

One of the many features modern cameras have is a selection of modes for metering exposure. These allow you to choose how the camera measures the brightness of the subject or scene in order to automatically adjust camera settings for optimal exposure.

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How to Set Up Your New Camera: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Getting a new digital camera is an exciting time for photographers and videographers. A world of possibilities and learning lies ahead as well as doors to new adventures and places to visit. But it’s not always smooth sailing when it comes to using a new camera as a beginner. There are lots of complex numbers, letters, and acronyms to wrap your head around, let alone figuring out how to operate the numerous dials, buttons, and switches. But by following the simple steps included in this checklist you should be up and running in no time.

A Beginner’s Guide to Pricing Commercial Photography

A big question every beginning commercial photographer asks themselves is how they should price their work. There is always a wide range of price points in all genres of photography, and they all depend on your level of work. But there is one truth that may apply to most photographers: you can’t apply a simple pricing strategy to your work.

You Only Need These 6 Pieces of Gear to Make Money in Photography

I'm photographer Jay P. Morgan from The Slanted Lens. In this 6.5-minute video and article, we’re going to look at the six pieces of equipment that you need to make money in photography. That’s all you need, six pieces of equipment.

Why I Never Recommend Entry-Level Canon DSLRs to New Portrait Shooters

As a fashion photographer with a degree of online presence, it is only natural to get questions about gear every now and then in Instagram DMs and email. There is a universe of gear to choose from across many different brands. As a Canon shooter, you might think that I would recommend their entry-level cameras to beginners. However, I think the opposite.

7 Pieces of Advice Every New Wedding Photographer Needs to Hear

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 Shot All These Photos from My Yard — Here’s How You Can Do It Too

As recently as the early 1900s, astronomers believed the Milky Way was all that existed in the universe. That view persisted until 1923, when Edwin Hubble used glass plate photographs of the Andromeda galaxy (then still thought to be just a nebula) to discover that the universe was unimaginably larger. His discovery was so significant that NASA’s first space telescope was given his name.

A Beginner’s Guide to Cleaning Your Camera Sensor

Yes, the beginning of this video was meant to be a funny, but shockingly extreme example of sensor dust. And it was removed very easily with the basic sensor cleaning technique described below.

Olympus Unveils OM-D E-M10 Mark IV and 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Lens

As promised by various executives, Olympus isn't done yet. Earlier this morning, the company unveiled the pint-sized OM-D E-M10 Mark IV camera for beginners, and the M. Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f/5-6.3 IS super-telephoto zoom for bird and wildlife photography.

8 Film Photography Tips for Beginners

Film photographer and YouTuber Willem Verbeek has released a helpful video for beginners that covers his 8 favorite film photography hacks and tips. Some are useful, some are obvious, and some are just good sense.

How to Capture a ‘Dramatic’ Food Photo Using Cheap Gear

Food photographer Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot has put together a helpful tutorial that shows you how to capture "dramatic food photography" using an extremely cheap DSLR. Specifically, she picked up a used Canon Rebel T2i with a kit lens for just $200.

Advice for Beginner Photographers in 2020

Seeing that it's a new year and a lot of folks have recently gotten cameras, I thought it might be helpful to put down my thoughts and advice for beginners.

A Helpful Gear Guide for New Event Photographers

Event and wedding photographer Mik Milman has released a handy buying guide that lists all of the gear a beginner needs if they want to get into this niche. From camera bodies, to glass, to flash guns, he covers all the bases so you don't waste money buying stuff you don't actually need.

Back to Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Capturing ‘Moody’ Portraits

Rachel and Daniel of Mango Street—one of the most popular photography channels on YouTube—have put together a great, straight-to-the-point guide to capturing that "moody" style of portrait that's become a popular counter-point to the "dreamy" overexposed look that often dominates lifestyle imagery.

Lessons from My First Photography Trip

I recently took my first ever photography trip to California. My plan was to hit up Mt. Shasta, Lassen Volcanic NP, and Lake Tahoe. I wanted to share some of the things I did right, as well as some of the things I did wrong.

Concise Photography Advice for Friends and Family

"Do you have any advice on how to take good photos?" Because I don't make a secret of my interest in photography, it's not uncommon for people around me to assume that I'm the right person to answer this seemingly innocuous question.

Dear Newbie Wedding Photographer, Here’s Some Honest Advice…

With this article, I don’t want to ruin someone’s life and business or stop them from pursuing their passion, dreams, or whatever they’re after. But I do want to speak about this subject, as my frustrations with unprofessional wedding insiders have been slowly building up in the last few months.

25 Photography Terms Every Beginner Needs to Know

If you're just starting out in photography, seeing all the technical terms being thrown around can be confusing and daunting. Apalapse created this 12-minute video with quick explanations of 25 of the most common terms you'll run into.

5 Post-Processing Mistakes Beginner Photographers Make

Looking back at my early photography, I shake my head in embarrassment. I know I should be proud of the fact that I’ve come a long way since then, but it’s hard not to notice just how poorly processed those images are. I’m sure I’m not alone.

How to Pose Your Friends Like Models

If you've ever asked your friends to pose for a photo shoot before, you may have found that it can be difficult achieving high-quality poses when your subject doesn't have modeling experience. In this 5-minute video, photographer Sheldon Evans shares solid tips for how to overcome this hurdle.

Don’t Go Trendy with Film: Learn Photography Faster with Digital

Are you setting out on your journey of discovery in the wonderful world of photography? Are you wondering whether to go for digital or follow the fad for film? Are you intending to invest in some gear but don’t want to waste your hard earned cash on kit that doesn’t help you to progress? Here’s some advice from a photographer who has seen both sides extensively.

5 Reasons to Shoot in Raw Instead of JPEG

If you're just getting started in digital photography, you may be wondering about the choice between shooting JPEG files and shooting in raw. Here's a quick 2-minute video by B&H in which photographer David Flores explains the benefits of a raw workflow.

How to Easily Use RGB Curves to Tone Your Photos

RGB Curves can be an intimidating photo editing tool that's difficult to wrap your mind around, but they're powerful and worth learning. Photographer Conner Turmon made this helpful 8.5-minute video that explains how tone curves work and how you can use them to create professional-looking photos.