process

Capturing the Moon in the ‘Crown’ of the Bank of America Headquarters

Charlotte, North Carolina, is nicknamed the Queen City, after Queen Charlotte. I moved to Charlotte from Frankfurt, Germany in July 1992. That was not just the year but also the month that the Bank of America (BofA) building was completed. The 871ft (265m) skyscraper is the tallest building in the Southern United States outside of Atlanta or Texas, with its “royal” crown on the top.

How I Create 200MP Aerial Panoramas with a Tiny DJI Mini 2 Drone

My name is Vlad Moldovean, and I'm a photographer from Brasov, Romania. In this article, I will share how I use my DJI Mini 2 -- a cheap drone that many people dismiss as being a toy for beginners -- to create photos and animations that stand out.

Use ‘The Two-Minute Rule’ To Create More Interesting Photos

Click. Press the playback button. Look at photo. "Mehhhh." We’ve all had it happen -- the photo on the back of our camera does not match the vision or intent we had when we clicked the shutter button. To help myself in these situations, I follow "the two-minute rule" to create more interesting photos.

I’m a TV Show Set Photographer and This is My Process

I get asked all the time about my process: what applications I use, what gear I use, how I do what I do. So I figured, since I'm locked in my apartment by myself because of COVID-19, I might as well write my first blog post about it.

Building an Afghan 8×10 Box Camera for $100

My name is Antoine Loncle, and I'm an independent photographer. I shared my homemade 8x10 box camera on several photography groups and it received a lot of interest. I figured I'd do a little write up for anyone that wanted to know more about the camera as well as see some images of the building process.

Trust the Process: Advice for Anxious Photographers

In my early years of photography, I was very concerned with making "ART." Each time I would pick up a camera I would be filled with anxiety, thinking that I need to bring home that "picture of the century." I have to tell you, I seldom did.

My Journey in Photographing the Northern Lights

In December 2014, I decided that I wanted to practice shooting the night sky in order to expand my photography skills. Of course, I made every possible mistake. My compositions were completely off, I severely underexposed or blew out the sky and the images were not sharp.

Rediscovering the Orotone

The modern orotone can be created in a number of ways, the most popular using a coating of liquid emulsion on a glass plate with a gelatine base. This method produces some excellent results with a minimum of effort.

What it Was Like to be a Photographer in 1865

Back in 1865, if you wanted to be a photographer, you needed to be patient, determined, and a bit crazy (not all that different from today, though for different reasons). As an artist and photographer, exploring new methods and mediums is an important part of the journey.

Building an Off-Camera Flash Portrait: A Step-by-Step Look

When it comes to online educational content, there aren’t many photographers out there willing to share their mistakes when trying to create a photo. I think it’s fair to say that there are easily far more who only share their best work online and for good reason; as educators, you want to create an image of a photographer who makes little to no mistakes at all.

I Shot Ultra-Macro Video of the Wet Plate Collodion Process

Normally I use videos to document my work. This time the video is the main outcome of my work -- I shot an ultra-macro video that shows how the crystals/salts change during the wet plate collodion process.

Making a Platinum Palladium Print That Will Last 1,000 Years

Photographer Tyler Shields recently paid a visit to Hidden Light LLC, a fine art printing business in Arizona. While there, he watched as printer Matt Beaty used the platinum/palladium printing process to turn one of Shields' photos into a black-and-white print that can last 1,000 years or more.

Shooting and Editing Multiple Night Exposures: Moonrise Over Car Trails

My name is Connar L’Ecuyer, and I’m a landscape photographer based in Southern California. A little while ago, I was driving on the highway at night and there is a section where the highway goes up some mountains. The moon was just rising over the highway. I thought to myself “That’s pretty awesome -- I want to get a shot of that!”, and a few weeks later I was able to shoot it!

Film vs Digital: Comparing Processes, Results, Pros, and Cons

Photographer Irene Rudnyk often receives questions about film photography, including from people who wonder why it's even worth doing when you can slap a VSCO filter onto digital images these days. To answer these questions, Rudnyk made this 6.5-minute video comparing film vs digital through a portrait shoot.

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.

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.

Creating Surreal Photo-Manipulations That Distort Outdoor Spaces

Photo artist Erik Johansson was commissioned by Clinea, a Swiss company leading in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy, to create something a little different. Johansson shot the images in Prague and Austria this year, creating beautiful photo manipulations that capture the essence of such a company.

Using a Rolleiflex to Make Tintypes and Daguerreotypes

Those who have known me long enough are aware of my passion for Rolleiflex cameras. Back before I got deeper and deeper into alternative photography I used to shoot my TLRs all the time.

Creating a Color Street Photo Using Only Black-and-White Film

My name is Marius Hanzak, and I'm an experimental photography student currently studying at the Cleveland College of Art and Design in the UK. For one of my recent projects, titled RGB Church Street, I experimented with making color photos using black and white film.

My Ever-Evolving Workflow as a Music Photographer on Tour

I've been touring with bands for about 4 years now, and my workflow has changed nearly every tour, allowing me to spend less and less time editing, and ending up with an organized, easy to manage body of work after each tour is done. I think this is crucial to not only the quality of work you can put out on tour, but also your sanity.

A Photographer’s Lightroom Workflow in a Real-Time Walkthrough

If you're just getting started in Lightroom and have an hour to spare, here's a video you might want to watch to learn some handy tips and techniques. Ohio-based portrait and commercial photographer Nick Fancher, author of Studio Anywhere, walks us through his Lightroom workflow in real-time. It's a detailed look at how Fancher culls and color grades his photos after a shoot.

Photography is a Series of Decisions

In its methodology, photography can be reduced to a series of decisions that determine the exact characteristics of each photo. When conducting street photography, in particular, the opportunity to make these decisions is limited.

I Built Myself a 16×20-Inch Camera in 10 Hours

While sitting in a coffee shop last Friday, I really didn’t want to answer any more emails so I went to a bar instead, ordered a pint and sketched out a bit of a doodle for a big camera. I then called my buddy Zach who shares my open schedule and vague ability with power tools, and he stopped by my studio an hour later.

I explained what I wanted to do and showed him my napkin doodle. I think his reaction was something along the lines of “I have no idea what you’re talking about... but sure”. So we went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of wood and some screws. 

Tulips: Shooting a Series of Macro Photos of Mouths

There is an ineffable allure when it comes the human mouth. The lips and tongue (and much more) help emit wonderful language, tell stories through micro-expressions, and experience the joys of how things in the world taste along with presenting another form of touching.

Here's a look at how my recent project titled "Tulips" came about.

Shooting Intimate Portraits of the People of Morocco

Making portraits is something I really love. When there is a model available, you get a lot of freedom regarding the pose, expressions and styling. However, during my travels, when I want to portray people in their authentic environment, I usually don’t get to choose a model, because it is about the people who are really living there.

This Amazing Photo Process is Called Gumoil Printing

Photographer Anna Ostanina of St. Petersburg, Russia, has spent years working with alternative photo printing techniques. Her favorite is one called gumoil printing.

The 2-minute video above shows how Ostanina recently used the process to create a giant print showing the portrait of a girl.

This is the Wet Plate Collodion Process in 6 Seconds

Want to see how wet-plate collodion photography is done but have the attention span of a goldfish? Our buddy Sam Cornwell over at Phogotraphy has created an unusual step-by-step wet plate walkthrough -- everything is crammed into a 6-second Vine video.

Electrophotography: Creating Photos with the Xerox Photocopying Process

Most photocopiers (AKA Xerox machines) these days use a technology called xerography, which is also known as electrophotography. While it's almost always used as a means to create copies of documents, electrophotography can also be used as a photo process for making prints.

Photographer Tom Carpenter is one of the few artists on Earth who works extensively with this process for his images.