‘Hyper-Vigilant’ Photographer is Robbed of $16K Worth of Camera Gear
A "hyper-vigilant" photographer was robbed of $16,000 worth of camera gear right under his nose.
What a ‘Normal’ Person Sees vs. What a Photographer Sees
Photographer Manny Ortiz loves finding perfect portrait situations in everyday places -- locations most people probably wouldn't think of using for a photo shoot. Here's a short video in which Ortiz compares how "normal" people see the world vs how photographers see it.
A Two-Light Portrait Setup That Gives Consistent and Flattering Results
Well-known portrait photographer and YouTuber Manny Ortiz made this 5.5-minute video in which he shares his go-to beauty lighting setup that guarantees stunning and flattering studio portraits time and time again.
Nikon Z6 II vs Canon R5 vs Sony a7 III Autofocus Comparison
Over the last several years, autofocus technology in cameras – regardless of manufacturer – has gotten incredibly reliable. With that in mind, Manny Ortiz set out to see if there was a notable difference among the big three in this 7.5-minute video.
See Canon’s ‘Dramatically Improved’ Eye Autofocus in Action
Portrait photographer Manny Ortiz recently got the chance to try out Canon's recent autofocus update for the EOS R, and the news is good: according to Ortiz, the update has "dramatically improved" Eye AF performance and totally changed the usability of the EOS R for portraiture.
Watch a Portrait Shooter Try Street Photography for the First Time
Well-known portrait photographer and YouTuber Manny Ortiz recently gave himself a challenge. In an attempt to get out of a creative rut, he decided that he would try street photography for the first time. As those of you who regularly shoot in the street can probably predict, it didn't necessarily go so well.
PSA: Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter May Be Quietly Hurting Your Bokeh
If your camera has an Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter (EFCS) feature and it's turned on, here's something you might want to know: it could be giving you noticeably worse bokeh when you're shooting at faster shutter speeds. Photographer Manny Ortiz shows the difference in the 4.5-minute video above.
Portrait Lens Shootout: 85mm vs. 105mm vs. 135mm vs. 200mm
Here's a 5-minute video showing a portrait lens shootout I recently did at 85mm f/1.4, 105mm f/1.4, 135mm f/1.8, and 200mm f/2.8. If you are looking for a portrait lens, you can't go wrong with any of these focal lengths. Each focal length serves a specific purpose and will give you a slightly different look/perspective.
Flash vs. Natural Light: Two Pro Portrait Photographers Go Head-to-Head
Portrait photographers Manny Ortiz and Jessica Kobeissi just did a shootout that pitted flash against natural light. The two each shot portraits of the same model in a studio, except Ortiz used an off-camera flash as his main light while Kobeissi only used the sunlight bouncing around in the space.
A Look Into the Viewfinder of the Sony a7 III
Want to see what it looks like to stare through the viewfinder of the new Sony a7 III? Photographer Manny Ortiz made this 5-minute video that shows viewfinder views of an urban photo shoot he did.
The $2,000 Sony a7 III vs. the $3,200 Sony a7R III: Here’s the Difference
Portrait photographer Manny Ortiz recently got his hands on the newly-announced Sony a7 III full-frame mirrorless camera, allowing him to compare the $2,000 camera to his $3,200 Sony a7R III. Here's a 6-minute video in which he compares the cameras and discusses the strengths of each one.
How to Take Great Portraits with Only One Studio Light
If you're into shooting high-quality portraits with minimal studio equipment, here's a 6-minute video from photographer Manny Ortiz that explains how you can take great, dramatic portraits with just a single studio light.
Testing the Sony a7R III with the $5,700 Canon 200mm f/2L
Sony's latest mirrorless cameras are much improved when it comes to shooting with adapted lenses from other manufacturers. To test just how well it works, photographer Manny Ortiz got his hands on a $5,700 Canon 200mm f/2.L IS lens and mounted it to his new Sony a7R III camera.
A Full Frame vs. Crop Sensor Shootout: Can You Tell the Difference?
Do you think you can tell the difference between full frame and crop sensor photos of the same scene and subject? Photographer Manny Ortiz did a shootout that you can use to test your eyes.
5 Dos and Don’ts When Shooting With Models
Photographing a human subject successfully has a lot to do with making a connection, making sure your model is feeling comfortable, and being respectful. In this 10-minute video, photographer Manny Ortiz teams up with his wife Diana (who is a model herself) to talk about the do’s and don’ts of working with models.
5 Reasons to Pick a PC Over a MacBook in 2017 for Photo and Video Editing
Photographer and Sony Imaging Ambassador Manny Ortiz made this 6.5-minute video sharing the top 5 reasons he chose a Dell XPS 15 laptop over a MacBook Pro in 2017 for his photo and video editing needs.
Shoot Better Golden Hour Portraits by Harnessing the Sun
The golden hour is popular amongst landscape photographers, but it is definitely worth utilising this for outdoor portraiture. By positioning the sun behind or in front of the subject, the lighting is changed dramatically. It's just like having a giant light on in the studio, but it is golden and delicious in the evening.
How to Take Great Portraits Under the Midday Sun with a Single Flash
Shooting portraits under the midday sun is less-than-ideal because of the harsh shadows it can create. In this quick video, Manny Ortiz shows how to remove those shadows and create beautiful portraits using a single fill light.
Why I’m Returning My Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art Lens
When the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 was announced, I was very excited and eager to get my hands on it. Although I haven't had much success with adapting autofocus lenses to my Sony a7R II in the past, I thought using the official Sigma MC-11 adapter with the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 would bring me better results, since they are optimized to work together.
A Beginner’s Guide to Posing: Start Basic and ‘Build Up’ the Pose
Posing is a tough skill for beginners to wrestle with; it's hard to know where to even start. That's why this video by photographer Manny Ortiz is so helpful. A beginner's guide of sorts, the tutorial simplifies posing into a easy "building up" process.
Sony’s Budget $600 85mm f/1.8 Lens Can Keep Up with $1,200+ Lenses
If you're looking for an 85mm portrait lens for your Sony full-frame e-mount camera, you should seriously consider the 'budget' FE 85mm f/1.8 Sony announced back in February. It might have seemed like an afterthought, but this $600 lens can keep up with glass more than twice its price.
5 Pros and Cons: Honest Review After One Year with Sony Mirrorless
After one full year using the Sony mirrorless system for my professional work, I believe I can give a very honest and helpful review of the system that can help others decide if it's right for them.
Portrait Lens Shootout: Sony 85mm f/1.4 vs 70-200mm f/2.8
What's better for portraits? Is it the versatility of a great 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens, or the bright bokeh-tastic performance of a solid 85mm f/1.4 lens? That's what photographer Manny Ortiz set out to discover this week.
Capturing Gorgeous Portraits in the Snow with the Sony a6500
Tag along with photographer Manuel 'Manny' Ortiz on a recent trip to a snowy park with his favorite portrait subject (his wife), favorite portrait lens (the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM), two speedlights, and the new a6500 mirrorless camera to see what this pint-sized shooter (the camera, not Ortiz) can do!
On-Camera vs Off-Camera Flash Demo: It Makes a Huge Difference
This quick demo is for those of you who can't afford a nice strobe. Don't think that being tethered to a speedlight means you have to keep that light on your hotshoe; getting a remote trigger and moving it off-camera can make a big difference.