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Archive for November, 2019

DPReview TV: Ultraviolet (UV) photography with Don Komarechka

30 Nov

Chris and Jordan are joined once again by Don Komarechka – part photographer, part mad scientist – to explore the incredible possibilities of shooting with UV lights. The results are vibrant, unpredictable and other-worldly, and with the right equipment, you can try it at home too.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

  • Introduction
  • UV Lights
  • Fluorescing Minerals
  • UV Macro Techniques
  • UV Filter Comparison
  • UV Droplet Techniques
  • Conclusion

Sample images from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Along These Roads – A Film Exploring the Realities of Being a Travel Photographer

30 Nov

The post Along These Roads – A Film Exploring the Realities of Being a Travel Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Are you a travel photographer or long to be one?

In this film by, Mitchell Kanashkevich, author of the dPS books, Transcending Travel, Natural Light, and Captivating Color, explores what life is like as a travel photographer.

Beautifully shot, with incredible imagery of some epic, and often isolated landscapes, Mitchell explores the inner struggle he has with the need to be on the road doing what he loves and his commitment to family life.

He also explores the effects that being alone in isolated places has on him mentally and his need to revisit the chaos of cities to escape the loneliness of those very isolated landscapes he is drawn to.

Watch this thought-provoking film by talented landscape photographer and filmmaker, Mitchell Kanashevich, and let him take you on a visual and emotional journey.

If you are interested in becoming a travel photographer, be sure to check out Mitchell’s dPS e-book, Transcending Travel.

Also, share your thoughts on the film, or your travel photography adventures in the comments below.

 

You may also like:

  • How to Tell Better Visual Stories with Travel Photography
  • 8 Elementary Travel Photography Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Out
  • Is a Career in Travel Photography Right for You?
  • 5 Tips for Better Travel Photography
  • Carry Less – Photograph More: Elevate Your Travel Photography
  • How to Capture the Essence of a Place – Travel Photography Tips

 

The post Along These Roads – A Film Exploring the Realities of Being a Travel Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


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SLC-0L-03: Joker Cinematographer On Light & Color

30 Nov

Watching the movie Joker, I felt repeatedly that I was watching a film that Greg Heisler could have lit. The use of color was unique, sophisticated and fearless — almost a character unto itself.

In this outstanding 15-minute short produced by Vanity Fair, Joker cinematographer Larry Sher dissects his own use of light and color in the movie. Read more »
Strobist

 
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These are the best mirrorless cameras you can buy in 2019

30 Nov

In this guide we take a look at the best of the current crop of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, with options spanning a range from beginner-friendly to souped up state-of-the-art.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Weekly Photography Challenge – Roads

30 Nov

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Roads appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s photography challenge topic is ROADS!

Image: Roads by Caz Nowaczyk ©.

Roads by Caz Nowaczyk ©.

I’m currently road-tripping and have been seeing plenty of Roads on my journey. I love the open road – it always feels like an adventure awaits. So that is why this week’s challenge is roads!

You can capture roads in cities or countries. The roads can be bitumen, paved, cobble-stoned or dirt. They can be the main focus of your composition or a minor part of another story.

They can be color, or black and white. They can use leading lines, patterns, light trails – the choice is yours.

So, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Image: Photo by Caz Nowaczyk ©

Photo by Caz Nowaczyk ©

Image: Old Montreal. Photo by Mark C. Hughes ©

Old Montreal. Photo by Mark C. Hughes ©

 

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for Shooting ROADS

How to Achieve Cool Urban Cityscapes

How to Create Dynamic Photos of Car Light Trails

7 Tips for Urban Landscape Photography

6 Ways to Plan a Photography Road Trip

6 Tips to Master Panning Photography

28 Wondrous Images of Long and Winding Roads

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSroads to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Roads appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


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These are the best DSLRs you can buy in 2019

30 Nov

We’ve updated our recommendations for the best DSLRs at a range of price points. From entry-level to semi-pro, we’ve highlighted the cream of the crop.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The One and Only Thing That Will Make Your Photography Better

29 Nov

The post The One and Only Thing That Will Make Your Photography Better appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

make-your-photography-better

This is a fantastic time to be getting into photography.

Even if you don’t take into account the wonderful array of options you have for equipment and the like, there is an enormous amount of information available at the click of a button to anyone who wants to learn any kind of photography. There are millions (I’m sure) of written and video tutorials that you can access at a moment’s notice with a device that you keep in your pocket. There is also a huge number of courses, books and real-life photographers offering tuition and workshops all over the world. I do feel this abundance is a great thing for photography as a whole.

However, this abundance comes with a subtle trap. When fallen into, it can hinder your progress and growth as a photographer.

make-your-photography-better

With a wide array of techniques, equipment and possibilities available, now might just be the best time to start learning photography.

The trap

It’s easy to spend time consuming content and learning new things. Some outlets, like Youtube, are designed to keep you consuming for as long as possible – and long after you watched what you intended to in the first place.

The problem is, when you go from tutorial to tutorial consuming information indiscriminately, you are only part-learning it. Sure, the theory is important, but knowing something isn’t the same thing as being able to do it.

It’s also easy to sit and think about photography and what you can do with all of the information that you have accumulated.

Image: You can read about black and white conversions all you want, but until you actually put that...

You can read about black and white conversions all you want, but until you actually put that information into practice, it’s just that: information. It’s not yet a skill.

What isn’t so easy is the most important step. Reading about and thinking about photography is great, but neither one is actually photography. Putting all of that information to use is the difficult part. It’s the one thing I see people struggle with consistently (myself included at times). Boiled down, it’s basically the same thing as lusting after and buying that fancy, expensive lens, but then never using it.

Break the cycle

The cycle goes like this:

Read/watch a tutorial — think about it a bit — read/watch another tutorial — think about it a bit — rinse, lather, and repeat.

When you get stuck in a loop like this, you’re only doing half the job of learning something new. Unless we’re talking about something really easy like where the shutter release is on your camera and how to use it, most things require actual practical experience to learn properly.

Take something like Rembrandt lighting.

Sure, you can read a tutorial and know that your light source should be at a 45-degree angle to the side of your subjects and 45 degrees above and pointed down. However, if you get something like that right on the first try, there’s more luck involved then anything else.

Techniques like this have a lot of nuances that are not very easy to infer without practical experience. Many factors can interfere with getting them right that you might not be able to read about, meaning you have to figure it out for yourself.

make-your-photography-better

In this example, I had a new modifier to figure out. To do so, it was a matter of trying it at various angles and positions to see what it did and didn’t do.

The new cycle I would propose looks a bit like this:

Read/watch a tutorial — think on it — act on it — evaluate — alter — evaluate.

Keep going like this until you feel that you have a complete understanding of whatever it is you are trying to learn.

Going back to the Rembrandt example, if you’ve read a tutorial and took some time to figure out how to implement it, you could then set up a practice session and put what you’ve learned to the test.

Once you’ve tried it, you can evaluate the results.

Let’s say that the triangular highlight that appears on the shadow side of the face with Rembrandt lighting isn’t quite right.

Here you would identify that problem and then try to figure out why it has happened that way. Then you would try the technique again and again until you’ve sorted that out, and you have images with perfect Rembrandt lighting.

Image: Once you’ve figured out one technique, you can now try to break it. Add things flags an...

Once you’ve figured out one technique, you can now try to break it. Add things flags and reflectors and fill lights one step at a time as I did with the same modifier in the previous example.

You shouldn’t stop here though. Continuing with Rembrandt: now you can start to experiment and add to it.

What does the setup look like if you add a reflector?

How does it look if you add a fill light or a hair light?

What does it look like when you have your subject move into a different position?

make-your-photography-better

Taking incremental steps like these will help ensure you learn everything you want to more thoroughly.

Going through questions like these with practical, incremental experience will not only help you to learn faster but will help you to learn more thoroughly. Also, because you have intentionally tried a variety of things that probably don’t work, once those scenarios come up in the real-world application of your new skills, you will be able to identify and fix those problems immediately.

Every aspect of photography

Image: This concept encompasses every aspect of photography. From basic camera craft to lighting and...

This concept encompasses every aspect of photography. From basic camera craft to lighting and to post-processing. Focusing on one skill at a time is the fastest way to learn.

It doesn’t matter if the technique in question is a lighting pattern, using different metering modes, manual focus, or post-processing techniques. The process is the same.

Learn it. Use it. Master it.

One thing at a time

If you want to learn as much as possible in photography, there is no set order in which you do things. I do suggest, however, that you only do one thing at a time.

Early on, things will be easy (like learning where the basic controls of your camera are, how to focus, and using manual mode) and won’t take much time. If you focus on each of these basic skills in isolation, you’ll probably find that they all mesh together a lot easier. Then, before you know it, you will be tackling much more complicated skill-sets and techniques.

That said, the most important thing of all is that you need to do your best to get out and practice.

The post The One and Only Thing That Will Make Your Photography Better appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.


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News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown

29 Nov

The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

olympus denies shutdown rumors

Olympus photographers, look out:

Over the past few weeks, the future of Olympus’s camera business has been the subject of much speculation.

It started when a Personal View admin argued that the Olympus camera division was on the way out, claiming that “closure is near,” and it can “happen in less than 8 months.” The article stated that “it is total instability now in [the Olympus] camera division,” and went on to say that “in various countries, people are running and looking for new positions.” The author also pointed to an Olympus financial report, which revealed that camera revenue has fallen by 17%.

Yet this was rebutted by Olympus; the company quickly released a statement:

Olympus Imaging products play an important role as technology drivers for all Olympus business lines, including the advanced digital technologies used in Olympus’ Medical, Industrial and Scientific businesses. Olympus does indeed plan to continue to develop its imaging produce lines, bringing products to life that embody Olympus’ core benefits, including system compactness and superior lens optics.

For Olympus shooters out there, the relief was short-lived. Because just days later, Bloomberg published an article reporting that the Olympus CEO, Yasuo Takeuchi, “backtracked on some his comments in the past that the camera business was not for sale, saying that may not be the case anymore.” This was followed by Bloomberg reporting that “Olympus plans to regularly reassess its business portfolio to focus on its medical business.”

As expected, this resulted in another swarm of rumors and speculation, which were acknowledged in a recent statement by Olympus:

As announced in our Corporate Strategy, Olympus is further focusing on our Medical business and follows the strong ambition for all of our businesses to be profitable and contribute to our overall business objectives. In that regard, we are continuously evaluating our overall portfolio, as announced in our Corporate Strategy on November 6, 2019.

For Imaging, however, we currently have no plans to sell the business. The task is therefore to stabilize and strengthen its market position. To achieve that, we are actively running marketing activities, and have already established a clear and exciting product roadmap for the coming months and years. We are actively pursuing future technology developments that will enhance photography and video for creators. Furthermore, Imaging is and will continue to be an important technology and innovation driver for our other businesses.

Our Imaging business features a unique product portfolio. Olympus products are compact and lightweight, feature market leading image stabilization and autofocus. Many of our high-end products are also splash-proof. No other product offers customers this level of optical excellence paired with the highest mobility.

Just last month we launched our new OM-D E-M5 Mark III – a light yet feature packed addition to our semi-pro camera portfolio, inheriting pro-features like a high precision AF from our OM-D E-M1 Mark II model. Furthermore, we have announced the development of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO earlier this year to be launched by next year. Customers can follow our break-free campaign on various channels and worldwide.

Out of everything that has been said, I find this statement to be the most reassuring, but I don’t think it puts the speculation entirely to rest. Olympus’s “no plans to sell the business” line doesn’t sound as firm as it could (compare it to a possible “we won’t be selling the business”), and plenty of companies have launched products right up until the end.

What seems most plausible to me is that Olympus is keeping its options open. So while we shouldn’t be surprised if Olympus’s camera division continues to function, it shouldn’t come as a shock if Olympus announces the sale or shutdown of its camera business, either.

So I’d like to know what you think. Do you find Olympus’s statements to be reassuring? Do you think Olympus will continue to manufacture cameras? For the Olympus photographers out there, are you worried? Let me know in the comments!

The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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2019 Black Friday and Cyber Monday camera gear deals

29 Nov

Love it or hate it, the deals weekend of the year is here, at least for our American readers. Between Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (yes, that’s a real thing) and Cyber Monday, there are deals aplenty.

We’ve scoured the web for discounts and have rounded up the best cameras, lenses and major accessories deals we could find. We’re going to try our best to update this article throughout the weekend, but if you see a deal that we’ve missed, paste it into a comment. If you’re posting a non-US deal, that’s great! Just flag it clearly.

Please note that the ‘SAVE’ figures below represent discount from original MSRP and we make no guarantees that the discounts listed will be available across the entire holiday weekend. If a deal has expired, let us know in a comment and we’ll remove it from this list.

We’re focusing on deals from three major US online retailers in this article, and if you choose to shop via the Amazon links below, you’ll be supporting DPReview in a small way.

Happy holidays!


Canon

Canon EOS R Camera Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
$ 1,799, normally $ 2,299 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Canon EOS Rebel T7i Camera Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 150
$ 599, normally $ 749 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Canon EOS Rebel T6 with 18-55mm IS & 75-300mm (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 350
$ 399, normally $ 749 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Canon EOS M100 with 15-45mm and 55-200mm STM (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
$ 549, normally $ 949 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 100
$ 599, normally $ 699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS III USM with Tripod & head SAVE $ 300
$ 1,799, normally $ 2099 (Adorama) B&H also has the lens for $ 1,799, without the tripod.

Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT SAVE $ 100
$ 199, normally $ 299 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Fujifilm

Fujifilm X-Pro2 Body SAVE $ 400
$ 1,299, normally $ 1,699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Fujifilm X-Pro2 with XF 23mm F2, Graphite (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 700
$ 1,599, normally $ 2,299 (Adorama, B&H)

Fujifilm X-T20 with XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 799, normally $ 999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Fujifilm X-E3 Body, Black (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 499, normally $ 699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Fujifilm XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 250
$ 949, normally $ 1,199 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f2.8 R LM WR (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 1,799, normally $ 1,999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 1,699, normally $ 1,899 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Nikon

Nikon D850 Body SAVE $ 500
$ 2,796.95, normally $ 3,296.95 (Adorama [includes Nikon MB-D18 Battery Grip and FP Zoom Li-on X R2 TTL Flash], B&H [includes free accessory kit])

Nikon D750 Body: SAVE $ 700
$ 996.95, normally $ 1,696.95 (Adorama [includes Slik Pro II 4-section tripod and ball-head], B&H [includes free accessory kit])

Nikon D610 (with 50mm F1.8G AF-S Lens, MB-D14 Battery Power Pack, WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter)
$ 1996.95 (Adorama)

Nikon D3500 Body with NIKKOR 18-55mm and 70-300mm (+ accessory kit): SAVE $ 450
$ 396.95, normally $ 846.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Nikon Z50 with 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR & 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR: SAVE $ 150
$ 1,196.95, normally #1,346.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Olympus

Olympus OM-D E-M1X Body SAVE $ 400
$ 2,599, normally $ 2,999 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II SAVE $ 400
$ 1,299, normally $ 1,699 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III SAVE $ 250
$ 399, normally $ 649 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO SAVE $ 200
$ 2,299, normally $ 2,499 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Panasonic

Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 700
$ 1,297.99, normally $ 1,997.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 with 12-60mm OIS & 45-150mm (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 550
$ 697.99, normally $ 1,245.98 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Panasonic Lumix G9 Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
$ 997.99, normally $ 1499.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG 12mm F1.4 ASP (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 300
$ 997.99, normally $ 1,297.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
$ 1,197.99, normally $ 1,597.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Panasonic G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 797.99, normally $ 997.99 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Ricoh

Pentax K-1 Mark II Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 300
$ 1,696.95, normally $ 1,996.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Pentax KP Body (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 500
$ 696.95, normally $ 1,096.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Ricoh WG-60 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 80
$ 196.95, normally $ 276.95 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Sony

Sony Alpha a7 III (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 1798, normally $ 1998 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Sony a7R II with FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS SAVE $ 500
$ 1,498, normally $ 1,998 (Adorama, B&H)

Sony Alpha A6500 (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 200
$ 998, normally $ 1,198 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)

Sony Alpha A6000 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm OSS (+ accessory kit) SAVE $ 400
$ 598, normally $ 998 (Adorama, Amazon, B&H)


Please note, DPReview is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon. We are editorially-independent of our parent company and this article was put together entirely and exclusively by DPReview’s editorial staff.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

29 Nov

The post Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

why-you-should-hire-a-professional-photographer

Photography is more accessible now than ever. Advances in technology – particularly mobile phone cameras – have made it possible for almost anyone to create the type of art that would have been entirely out of reach a decade ago. However, there are still some situations that are best suited by hiring a professional photographer.

It’s like doing a DIY project: you might have a garage full of tools and some experience under your belt, but if you really want to get the job done right, you need to call in a pro.

Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

So why should you hire a professional photographer?

Before getting too far, I want to make sure I don’t give the wrong impression. Most of the time, you probably don’t need to hire a professional photographer to get good pictures. But, there are situations where you and your gear just can’t quite cut it.

Even people who shoot photos for a living need to hire a professional photographer from time to time! There are plenty of reasons for putting your own camera aside and asking a professional to deliver the results you need.

Experience matters

While it’s true that almost any camera today can produce outstanding results, great photos are about more than just a camera. Professionals know this, which is why their websites and social media posts aren’t about what cameras they have or what accessories they use.

A professional photographer understands concepts like lighting, locations, and editing and how to use them to make the types of images that stand head and shoulders above what most people can get.

Image: This isn’t just two kids on a bridge. There’s a lot of education, research, pract...

This isn’t just two kids on a bridge. There’s a lot of education, research, practice, and refinement that made this picture possible.

I recently did a photo shoot at a picturesque location in my town. Even though I had done many sessions at this same park, I made sure to arrive early to ensure I had everything in order. When the clients arrived, one of them really wanted to take pictures at a popular spot. I listened to him and assured him we could get some shots there, but I had another place in mind to start with.

The place he had in mind was virtually unusable due to harsh overhead sunlight. I had preselected another location nearby with great colors and much more even lighting and recommended we start there first.

After we got plenty of shots that I was sure would be winners, we went to the place the client suggested and took some more pictures. Once there, I made sure to put everyone in the shade of a large oak tree to evenly light them.

Then, through careful editing of the RAW files in Lightroom, I achieved some pretty solid photos.

Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

I have seen this happen time and time again with similar results. For most people lighting and composition, not to mention technical settings like aperture size and shutter speed, aren’t really things they notice or even know about.

Professionals are keenly aware of these factors that can add layers of complication to the simple act of taking a picture. They know how to deal with them, how to plan accordingly, and how to improvise when necessary to get the best results.

This type of thought process doesn’t automatically happen with the purchase of a camera. It takes years of experience, including learning from mistakes and failures, to get things right. Anyone can learn these skills but it takes time and dedication. In the meantime, if you’re someone who just wants to get great photos it can be worth it to hire a professional photographer.

Image: I knew right where to stand, what camera settings to use, and how to look for the light in or...

I knew right where to stand, what camera settings to use, and how to look for the light in order to get this picture at an engagement session.

A mobile phone can take good shots on Portrait Mode, but it won’t help you know where to stand to get the best lighting, a pleasing background, and bring out your best smile.

Professionals photographers can do all of this and much more.

One analogy that works well here is cooking. Anyone can look through a cookbook, buy some ingredients, spend a bit of time in the kitchen, and end up with a meal that tastes pretty good.

Professional chefs take the same ingredients and produce culinary creations that delight your taste buds and challenge your notions of consuming food. It’s not a matter of having the ingredients, but knowing just what to do with them in a way that no cookbook or YouTube video can explain.

Experience counts with cooking, and it also matters with photography.

Image: This picture might seem simple, but getting what the clients wanted was no easy task. It requ...

This picture might seem simple, but getting what the clients wanted was no easy task. It required knowledge of lighting, posing, exposure settings, and even a ten-foot ladder.

Professionals have the right gear

There’s a popular saying in photography: The best camera is the one you have with you. That’s true to a certain extent, but if your goal is to get a specific type of photo, there are certain cameras, lenses, flashes, and other gear that are best suited to the task. These often cost thousands of dollars and can be the difference between images that are adequate and awesome.

Consider the 70-200 f/2.8 lens. These are expensive, heavy, and impractical for casual individuals who enjoy snapshots with their phones. And while you could spend the equivalent of a few month’s rent or car payments on one of these lenses, you might be better off forking over a fraction of that amount to a professional instead.

Image: A photo like this is simply not possible with a cell phone or a basic kit lens.

A photo like this is simply not possible with a cell phone or a basic kit lens.

This lens is just one example out of many, but the point is, professional photographers have researched the right gear for the job. It’s similar to how many people have a basic toolset at home. However, a professional mechanic has a garage full of specific sockets and drivers, as well as impact wrenches and other tools that are ideally suited to specific tasks.

Some people can probably do a basic oil change in their driveway, but serious work requires serious knowledge and an expensive set of tools to match.

The same is true for photography. When you want pictures that make you and your loved ones look your best, it sometimes takes expensive high-end gear to make it happen. And professional photographers have just the right camera gear to get it done.

Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

It’s about more than just the photos

There’s a line in the 1999 movie Office Space that really hits home for photographers. It’s during an exchange between Stan, the manager of a restaurant called Tchotchkes and one of his servers.

“People can get a cheeseburger anywhere,” he says. “But they come to Tchotchkes for the atmosphere and the attitude.”

The scene is meant to be somewhat satirical, but Stan’s mantra rings true for photography.

Anyone can take a camera, point it at a subject, press the shutter, and end up with some good pictures. They might even be great pictures. But when you hire a professional photographer, you are not only getting photographs, but an entire experience to go along with it.

It’s about an experience

Photographers create fun, energetic, exciting events that go far beyond simply providing a photo to hang on the wall or share online. I know photographers who have been shooting the same clients for over a decade because their sessions are about creating, not just images, but memories.

Image: I spent an evening doing photos for a family several years ago. When the mother brings it up...

I spent an evening doing photos for a family several years ago. When the mother brings it up now, she talks not just about the pictures, but how much fun they all had during the photo session.

Professional photographers create experiences that clients will share with friends and family. When people talk about photos from a session, wedding, or important event, they talk about the photographer almost as much as the photos!

They share stories of how the photographer made their kids laugh, treated people with respect and kindness, listened to their requests, and made them feel like the most important people in the world.

These are the kind of experiences that get people coming back to professional photographers. Moreover, it’s something that holding a mobile phone on a selfie stick can’t replicate.

On the flip side, when people have a bad experience related to service, they will often share that with others even more than a positive experience. Professional photographers know this, which is why they take great care to pay attention to their clients, create memorable photography sessions, and keep them coming back for years on end.

Image: This young woman wanted to bring her dogs to her senior photo shoot. It was a lot of fun! We...

This young woman wanted to bring her dogs to her senior photo shoot. It was a lot of fun! We all had a good time, even the four-legged furry friends.

Why you should hire a professional photographer: Conclusion

I’ve seen people balk at the price of a professional photography session, and I completely understand that reaction. It can seem impractical or downright silly to spend anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars on a professional photographer.

That money could pay for a lot of camera gear, and even some educational courses to help you learn how to use it! But there’s a reason people pay that kind of money for professional photos, and you will probably be pleasantly surprised at the value you really get for your money.

Image: The same couple from the engagement photo above. They enjoyed the session so much they asked...

The same couple from the engagement photo above. They enjoyed the session so much they asked me to shoot maternity photos two years later.

What about you? What kind of experiences have you had with professional photographers? Hopefully, you walked away from your photo sessions feeling like you got a great value for your money. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

 

The post Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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