Although you can simply take any color image and convert it to grayscale, I get the best results if I walk into a shoot knowing the final outcome will be black & white. I allow this to dictate my lighting and color choices, which translate into shades of gray and tonality. It’s crucial to understand what would work better in black & white or color, and this is something that can be mastered with practice.
The bottom line is whether you’re photographing for black & white images or color, learn the difference between an f-stop and a bus stop, print and frame your work, and look at life in shades of gray, not hard and fast rules.
Portrait photography is both fun and exciting. A lot of photographers find studio work to be difficult, mostly because they are intimated by using studio strobes. However, as you will see below, it's not that complicated if you stick to process.
I am excited to announce the new Profoto OCF light shaping tools. Barn doors, grids, gels and snoots made with magnetic attachments are now available for your Profoto B10 lighting system. Now you have the flexibility to expand your lighting system—and your creativity.
I have had the honor of photographing hundreds of weddings across the globe, and along the way learned invaluable lessons about how to approach and prepare for event lighting. Take the pressure out of the fast-paced and ever-changing lighting conditions of the wedding day with these six tips.
I hope my use of light to create unique images has inspired you to try something new. Push yourself and experiment with light in new and creative ways. I promise you, your work will improve dramatically and your clients will be willing to pay for the uniqueness that is solely yours.
I think we are living in exciting times for photography. There are a lot of amazing developments in the photography field. Some of them will help us to do our job easier, but also can transform us into lazy photographers. Competition as pro photographers is going to be bigger and harder. Now more than ever photographers have to be really well-prepared and develop their unique style.
The details of a wedding reception are often the touches that distinguish a wedding and show the unique personality of the bride. From the flowers harvested from her sister's personal greenhouse to the heirloom mismatched china to the handmade, DIY, clock-themed centerpieces... this is her chance to show off her creative side and make the reception unique to her, her family and friends, and her relationship with the groom.
As photographers in today’s world, we have so many options. We have strobes, natural light, constant light, reflectors. We have differing modifiers like octaboxes, softboxes, beauty dishes, strip boxes, umbrellas, gels and so on. There are lighting setups with five, six, seven, eight or more lights. The subject of lighting is endless. With so many possibilities, it can be overwhelming.
Sal said it best and it is the mantra that I have tried to live my young photography life by: “Innovate or die.” Innovation can always come from seeking education from others in our industry, but it must begin with you. Ask yourself a simple question: “What am I consistently struggling with?” Focus on that until you have a grasp on it.
