Cameras
Shooting in Black and White
While at times some might question the purpose of black and white shots when one has a full colour spectrum to utilise, there can be no denying the impact that can be created when shooting in this style. In part this can be attributed to the finer details of a photo that are allowed to shine through. In broader consideration however, removing colour is better means to draw attention to focal points. You can take note of these key aspects to make the most of your black and white photography. Select your shots carefully Just like certain settings or lighting conditions favour some type of work, it’s important to ensure your work fits in with a black and white style. The biggest attribute of monochromatic photos is the texture and shape they take on from their appearance. This won’t be appropriate in every situation, particularly instances where you… | Read the full article
Natural Lighting vs Artificial Lighting
It’s an inevitable decision for just about every photographer at some point, particularly portrait photographers – should they use natural lighting, or artificial lighting? Of course, this is often a personal decision and one that photographers would choose for a variety of reasons depending on their circumstances. With that said, what exactly are the differences when shooting with the two different sources of lighting? Natural lighting that offered by way of the sun and the moon, is a readily available, free and accessible source for photographers to work with. There is no requirement to purchase significant gear or equipment. The exception to this might be diffusers and reflectors, which are designed to distort or enhance natural lighting – these are considerably cheaper than actual sources of lighting like strobes, LEDs and the like. Using natural light is also a great starting point for photographers looking to gauge and comprehend… | Read the full article
The Magnetism of Film
Despite being down and out for the best part of more than a decade, film photography and its ardent supporters refuse to roll over and let the format become a footnote in the chapters of history. In fact, we’ve seen a resurgence from the format in recent times, despite the fact film accounts for only a fraction of the market it once occupied. Even some of the industry’s heavyweights have moved to back film again, with the likes of Kodak announcing a return for film to its line-up. Whereas once upon a time film was born out of necessity rather than choice, an emerging trend has been for younger photographers, who never had exposure to the format, to experiment with it and the associated manual processes as a way to adjust their style and spark their creativity. Therefore, with effectively a new target audience, film is finding a foothold… | Read the full article
Common Mistakes Beginner Photographers Make
We’ve all been there before when starting a career in photography, making more mistakes than we thought were even possible. Some beginners however, purchase their camera and automatically assume that it will be easy work from there on in. They soon find out though, that the industry isn’t quite as forgiving. What’s more, many of these mistakes repeat themselves such that they become common within the industry. We take a look at the common mistakes beginner photographers make. Overemphasising the Importance of Gear Beginners often place their blame on the gear they are using. First thing off the bat, new photographers should dismiss this line of thought, as there’s simply little merit associated with it. A photographer’s time is better spent focusing on how they can convey their message through the equipment available to them. Something which is achievable with even the most basic of equipment. Relying on… | Read the full article
Taking Risks with Your Photography
There’s a mantra held by some that in life taking risks results in great rewards. There’s certainly many examples out there to consider, without even including those risks defined as detrimental to one’s health and safety which are NEVER worth attempting. The subtle nuance lies with calculated risks – risks which have been carefully assessed to establish the likely outcome. Rather than taking death-defying risks to land the perfect shot, calculated risks are what can help photographers improve their business. Allow Yourself to Feel Anxious or Uncomfortable When it comes to complacency, we can sometimes be our own worst enemy. As we’ve detailed previously, a feeling of self-doubt or anxiety allows a photographer to analyse their own work in a new light. This feeling also encapsulates insecurity, which prompts us to ask ourselves – what is our rationale for a particular shoot or project? What does it actually mean… | Read the full article
What Emphasis Should New Photographers Place on Their Photography Equipment
We often hear from a lot of new or emerging photographers about some of the barriers they face in turning their passion into a sustainable livelihood. At times, this might be because their prospective client is looking for someone with a broader portfolio of work. In other instances, word of mouth marketing or the sheer level of competition might go against the photographer. And then there is the other argument – that they don’t have the best photography equipment to compete against the best. While the first few of these arguments might hold some merit, the fact of the matter is, the last argument doesn’t keep its head above water. For starters, every other photographer before you, and who has since gone on to make a living out of the profession would have likely contended with equipment that was (technically) limited when they started – compared with their established… | Read the full article
Hands up if You’re Tired of Seeing Camera Phones at Concerts
As professional photographers, it is easy enough to brush aside the role camera phones play in today’s society. While ill equipped for professional use, such devices do allow mainstream audiences and ‘hobbyists’ to take an interest in photography – even if it is just a fleeting interest. In the grand scheme of things, there is a downside to this – forcing many to misconceive how difficult it is to become a successful photographer. On the contrary however, one could also argue that another medium of photography promotes a healthy degree of competition and encourages novices to explore the field further. For these reasons, recent news from Apple, regarding the approval of a patent that could disable iPhone cameras at major events, has the potential to make a ripple on the wider photography industry. If you haven’t heard the news, the technology giant has been granted a patent which would utilise… | Read the full article
Is Society Diminishing the Value of a Photo?
In a world that’s becoming increasingly dominated by the presence of technology and automation, as well as an ever growing uptake in social media, photography hasn’t been spared the effects of such generational changes. In fact, it’s easy to argue that photography has been one of the professions most affected by societal changes involving how we deal with one another, as well as what emphasis we place on the skills of others around us. One only needs to look at the sheer number of amateur photographers taking up work that was once afforded to only those with the highest quality equipment, while at the same time, the sheer volume of photographs has grown exponentially. Whereas once upon a time in the late 90’s the film photography industry was measured in the vicinity of 80 billion photos, the prominence of smart phones and more affordable digital cameras has seen that… | Read the full article
What Will it Take to Break a Perception?
Although the year is barely four months old, we’ve already seen a (disappointing) trend amongst several of the stories we’ve brought to you through our social media outlets – namely, a lack of appreciation and respect for the people who build their lives upon their passion for photography. While this is certainly nothing new – after all, since the dawn of time there have been people who try to depreciate a photographer’s skills – one would expect that in today’s age things would be a lot better. Or is that the problem itself? Today’s age is now so heavily oriented on camera phones, affordable point and shoots, and a gross obsession with the selfie, that people have lost their sense of understanding in what it takes to be a photographer. Even more concerning, this is something the media has (implicitly) perpetuated to the wider masses. Take for example, two leading… | Read the full article
Insuring Your Photography Equipment
Good quality photography equipment is expensive, there’s no two ways around it. You know the impact on your bank account when you purchased it – but what about if you had to replace your photography equipment suddenly – even worse, all of it. Would you be able to? If you were faced with a situation where you needed to replace some or all of that expensive equipment in a hurry, what would you do? If you’re a professional photographer, you can’t afford to wait around and stop taking pictures. Would you settle for a cheaper, poorer quality camera – or would you forget about certain pieces altogether? Okay, take a moment to breathe – your equipment is safe (well, I hope so!), for now at least. Insuring your equipment is definitely something that all professional photographers should consider. This way, should you come into the above situation, you are covered… | Read the full article
