SLR Lounge have created a simple little DIY tutorial that can help you add some creative flare to your portraits… literally. In 2 minutes, photographer Pye Jirsa show you how to make what they call a “flare ring” using some simple crafts supplies.
Tutorial
I love shooting foregrounds in my big vista landscapes but it has taken quite a while to find out the things that work well and what doesn’t. I still don’t think I have mastered it but really enjoy the challenge of going out and finding a powerful foreground. In this article, I wanted to share the things that I believe have the biggest impact on creating great shots like this.
There are a million-and-one ways to add creative flares and effects to your shots in post-production after you’ve taken the image, but nothing beats the look and feel of an image that has used in-camera flares and bokeh effects. The reason for this is simple; light reflects and refracts what’s around it, and if you’re
RGB LEDs are a relatively new piece of technology, and a wonderful addition that photographers should be taking advantage of. Before this technology existed, we were forced to resort to adding gels to our strobes in order to add a pop of color into our images. This worked well (and still does) but having the
Wedding photographer Reggie Ballesteros gets a lot of questions from aspiring wedding photographers, and one of the most common is: how do you use off-camera flash? So he’s created a comprehensive guide that covers his entire process—from the gear he uses, to his thought process during setup, through execution.
Recently I became—as I’m sure many of you already are—utterly sick of the endless chargers and cables in my studio. It’s a mess of wires that always seem to get tangled and it always ends up looking like Medusa on a bad hair day. I’ve tried various things over the years: I’ve tried hiding them
Anyone who has had any exposure to still life photography or studio work will know just how expensive backdrops can be. I have a couple from Kate Backdrops company, one of which I use very often, but I’ve been hankering after a few more.
Oftentimes it’s just little things we never really pay attention to, especially when we’re trying to catch the last bits of daylight, but they’re all easily avoidable. In this video, we’ll show you 5 reasons why your couples portraits might look awkward, and what you can do to avoid them.
t’s Valentine’s Day and a good opportunity to grab some flowers and celebrate our love for photography with another creative project. I didn’t want to miss my chance, so I grabbed some red roses and in today’s post I will share my set-up for a Valentine’s Day ‘Refracted Rose’ photo.
Silhouette images can really pack a punch — they can be very striking and have the ‘wow’ factor. But how do you take them? Follow the tips below to take your own perfect beach silhouette images!
[embedded content] In this short tutorial, well-known portrait and fashion photographer Lindsay Adler will show you how to use “the most inexpensive and under-appreciated” lighting modifier to capture beautiful studio portraits. She’s talking, of course, about the lowly umbrella. “For years and year I hated the entire category of umbrella modifiers, and that’s because I
Today we are going to use skeleton leaves and glycerin for a creative macro project. Skeleton leaves are fascinating and intricate structures that make great subjects for macro photography and creative projects. While collecting such leaves along the river last fall, I noticed how well their skeletons hold on to a thin film of water
Pye Jirsa over at SLR Lounge wants to flip your portrait editing workflow upside down. In his latest tutorial, Jirsa shows off a technique he calls “Dark Mode” that creates a moody, dramatic look in just a couple of very simple steps.
[embedded content] Lightroom and Photoshop are designed to work hand-in-hand, so you can easily pass photos between the two programs while you’re working with them. Photography instructor Phil Steele of Steele Training made this beginner’s 17-minute tutorial on doing “round trips” (and even “nested round trips”) with photos between Lightroom and Photoshop. After selecting a
These days I have a list of 5 distinctly different types of shots that I aim to get. Although these shots have become standard for me, often I am able to turn in images to my client that they did not request, but are ultimately pleased to have.
[embedded content] In the most recent episode of Adobe’s “Photoshop Magic Minute,” Photoshop Product Manager Meredith Stotzner shows you how to create your own custom keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop in just 60 seconds. This might seem overly basic to some of our readers, but it’s a workflow lifesaver for beginners and enthusiast users who have
[embedded content] Professional photographer Karl Taylor has put together a short-but-very-useful tutorial that will show you how you can calibrate your lens autofocus without buying a special calibration chart or tool. All you need are a few household items, your camera, and your tripod. The whole point of the video is to prove that you
The Milky Way is visible throughout the year in most of the areas of our planet, but the most interesting part of our galaxy, the galactic center, is only visible during a few months every year depending on your location.
Light, shadow, and highlight — this is always a great combination for creating portraits from a lighting point of view. This is the interesting part: changing the intensity of the highlight or the tone in the shadows while maintaining the exposure can produce a different feel to an image, from being dramatic to soft and subtle, and that is what is so intriguing about photography.
Want a high-quality lesson on travel and landscape photography without having to spend any money? Popular Canadian photographer Taylor Jackson has released this amazing 3-hour video tutorial that’s completely free (it’s supported by YouTube ads).
[embedded content] If you ever shoot a photo through a chain-link fence (at a zoo, perhaps) and want to erase the fence from the shot, here’s a 15-minute tutorial by PiXimperfect that shows how you can do it in Photoshop in 3 simple steps. The technique is conceptually simple, but it’ll be a bit time-consuming
[embedded content] Posing is one of the most difficult “arts within an art” to master when it comes to photography, but this short video from Eli Infante might help. Eli shares three tips that you can use to liven up your posing and improve your portrait photography in the process. The first, and possibly most
[embedded content] In this 8.5-minute video, we’ll explain the 5 primary key light patterns and the ‘why’ or purpose behind each of them. It’s all about “key” or main light positions and namely, understanding the why or purpose behind each one of these 5 primary lighting patterns. Keep in mind that we can find each
In this article, I’ll share with you the lessons I have gained leading photography tours in Romania with Intrepid Exposures. These are lessons I feel we can all learn from in order to create more powerful photography. Imagine having almost two weeks dedicated only to your visual perceptions, with no other interference. The only thing
[embedded content] Wondering how to make the most of the gear you have on hand? Here is a quick tutorial on how you can use your on-camera flash and a simple 5-in-1 reflector to create the look of an off-camera softbox. Gear You’ll Need for This Technique Now that we’ve discussed the gear we need,
[embedded content] Photographer Dustin Dolby is back with another workflo tutorial that tackles a particularly tricky type of product photography: glassware. Specifically, he uses just two lights to create a “moody,” backlit glassware shot that would be at home in any glossy magazine. As usual, part of the appeal of the tutorial is Dolby’s easy-to-follow,
[embedded content] In this video, we’ll talk you through 3 common misconceptions when it comes to flash. These are easy mistakes any photographer can make so pay attention and see how to correct them with these easy tips! #1: Inverse Square Law In the simplest sense, the inverse law means the further the flash gets
[embedded content] Using Lightroom to remove spots caused by sensor dust is a pretty straight forward process: just click “Visualize Spots” and use the Spot Removal tool, right? Well, photographer Anthony Morganti thinks that he’s discovered a better way, and in the video above he shows you a “hidden” Lightroom trick that makes it easy
[embedded content] Photographers Ian Norman and Diana Southern of Lonely Speck made this helpful video that will teach you the things you need to know to shoot the Milky Way in less than 5 minutes. The topics blazed through in the tutorial include gear, planning, camera settings, and focusing. While the video won’t instantly make
[embedded content] Composition doesn’t make a candid, but a good composition can enhance it. It can amplify what you feel about the subject matter or invoke a reaction all on its own. Today I’m going to share with you 5 tips on composition to enhance your candids. #1. Use a Dutch Angle The Dutch angle,