Tag Archives: advice

Using Speedlites for location glamour photography

Maria was lit by 2 Speedlites, one inside my Photoflex Octodome and the other inside The background  is lit by a 3rd Speedlite.
Maria was lit by 2 Speedlites, one inside my Photoflex Octodome and the other inside The background is lit by a 3rd Speedlite.

I have always admired photographers who specialized in glamour.

They may be men but they are very in tuned to how makeup works on the variety of skin tones, hair color and  facial features of the women they photograph.

Coordinating all that and wardrobe alone is enough to make my head spin.

 

Having a makeup artists on hand is definitely a god sent.

I recently connected with makeup artist and hair stylist Anna Cameron recently so we when we got together, we collaborated to photograph aspiring model Maria Nuñez.

We worked in the basement of Back to the Grind coffeehouse.

Continue reading Using Speedlites for location glamour photography

Match your lifestyle,personality and interest with your photo genre

Every specialty or genre of photography whether it is landscapes, wildlife, fashion, editorial, events, or sports has its very own definite challenges.

If it’s not having to deal with needing specialized equipment, then it’s the logistical problem of getting access or else finding the various elements of the photo shoot and making sure all the components from models, props and equipment arrives on location at a designated time.

In other words, what they all do have in common is really problem-solving once you get past the rudimentary skills of using the camera and equipment.

So before you head down a certain path of specializing and buying a ton of equipment, perhaps you should consider if your current lifestyle will be a good match for your area of interest. Continue reading Match your lifestyle,personality and interest with your photo genre

More Tips for Improving Your Photography

Keep an open mind

I have to remind myself to take my own advice on this on occasion.

Just because I don’t use a certain technique like HDR, it doesn’t mean I should’t learn how to use it.

I usually photograph people and HDR is mostly for subjects that don’t move since you’ll be bracketing.

That’s not to say the next time I’m on vacation, I won’t come across a scene that is so majestic that it begs to be shot with HDR.

Rent a new piece of equipment

lens rental
It’s always good to find new ways to capture our world.

That might mean renting an exotic lens like a super long telephoto or a super wide angle, or even a lighting kit like a battery operated flash.

Rental places like Borrow don’t even need you to leave the house, only when you return the equipment.

Read photo books even older ones

Just because a book is outdated, that doesn’t mean you can’t glean something useful.

In today’s world of fast changing versions of software and digital camera bodies we sometimes loose track of what makes a good picture.

I just bought a Photoshop CS2 book for $7.

It’s ancient in photoshop version years but the shooting tips from the photographer is still relevant because light and the very principles of how the camera record it have remained the same. Continue reading More Tips for Improving Your Photography

Histogram & Exposure Basics

My cat Shiva photographed against her favorite white sheet. On automatic exposure mode the programming for the camera would suggest an exposure that would favor not clipping the highlights on the right side of the histogram. That would surely mean letting in less light so that Shiva would be under-exposed.
The histogram of Shiva’s picture shows clipped highlights on the right represented by the loss of detail in the white sheets she is laying on.

The ‘right’ exposure for any scene is actually quite arbitrary.

And that’s where most folks falter.

The correct, proper or right exposure depends wholly on what your subject is.

Until you, the photographer decides what your subject is, the histogram is just a guide for you to get a best guess to capture the entire scene. Continue reading Histogram & Exposure Basics