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Slideshow: International Landscape Photographer of the Year winners and finalists

02 Mar

Slideshow: International Landscape Photographer of the Year winners and finalists

Nearly 1,000 professional and amateur photographers from around the world submitted over 3,400 images to the 6th annual International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY) competition. From that pool of entries, 101 were recognized as Top Photographs. Oleg Ershov from Moscow, Russia, is the overall winner.

Ershov started out shooting multi-row, HDR, and vertical panoramas. Inspired by prominent landscape photographers he met, including Joe Cornish, David Ward, Rafael Rojas, and Bruce Percy, he began experimenting more. ‘I didn’t try to copy their styles, rather I took from them what I liked the best and then gradually, I felt that my skills were improving and that my work was becoming more serious.’

He now enjoys vertical landscapes, as evidenced in all of his winning photographs of Iceland and England. Ershov’s series impressed the panel of judges the most. ‘My passion for landscape photography is based on a love of nature, especially in places where human intervention is not yet visible. Just being on location at dawn and watching the start of a new day gives me tremendous vitality,’ says Ershov, an amateur photographer whose work at a food distribution company funds his passion.

Competition organizers chose the overall winner based on at least four strong photographs rather than a single image. This way, they could determine if a photographer’s vision and skills were consistent. ‘Each year, the Awards have two main prizes. The Photograph of the Year is awarded to the best single landscape photograph, while to be named International Landscape Photographer of the Year requires a set of four images. This is our main prize, acknowledging the additional skill and artistry required to produce a portfolio of landscape photographs,’ says Pete Eastway – the Chairman of Judges.

All the details of the Top 101 photographs can be viewed by visiting the ILPOTY website and download the free eBook embedded halfway down the main page.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Fleswick Bay, England’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Fleswick Bay, England

About starting out: ‘My interest for photography began in 2007 when I bought my first DSLR camera and signed up for a photo tour to the Southwest USA. I was struck by the tremendous variety of landscapes, colors and textures found in nature. Since then, I spend all my free time improving my skills and knowledge in landscape photography. I usually spend six weeks a year on photo trips, sometimes in groups, often on my own.’

About this photo: A lone pebble sits in the sand along the popular ‘smugglers cove’ in Fleswick Bay.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Bláfellsá, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Bláfellsá, Iceland

About the equipment: ‘I have always used full-frame Canon EOS 5D-series cameras. Currently it is the Canon EOS 5DSR because the high number of megapixels is very important for landscape photography and for me personally.

‘Regarding lenses, I started with the holy trinity of Canon zooms (16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm). They were convenient, universal and generally accepted. Then there was a period when I was fascinated with tilt-shift lenses (Canon’s 17mm and 24mm and Schneider- Kreuznach’s 50mm and 90mm), which required much more time to build a frame, but this was compensated by the sharpness and geometry of the image.

‘Today, I use two Canon zooms (24-70mm and 100-400mm) for versatility and three Zeiss Otus prime lenses (28mm, 55mm and 85 mm) due to their unsurpassed quality. Of course, it can be challenging to carry 1.5 kg lenses, but “good glass is heavy glass”.’

About this photo: Ershov captured the textured patterns of a stream in the Southern region of Iceland.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

About his inspiration: Oleg’s favorite destinations for landscape photography are Iceland, Scotland and the USA’s Southwest. ‘I always return to my favorite places because this allows me to get to know the country better and to find new scenes and places to shoot. When I immerse myself in a familiar environment and slow down the pace, my productivity increases many times over. For example, I have been to Iceland 15 times and it took me 10 years to make my first photo book, but the second book only required two visits in 2019 and it turned out even better than the first!’

About this photo: Mist surrounds this tall mountain located in the Highlands of Iceland.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Háifoss, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Háifoss, Iceland

About his workflow: Oleg says that a photo is only good when it’s on a wall and so his workflow is focused on creating large prints. ‘I make the prints myself on an Epson SC-7000, so megapixels and attention to details are important to me.’

About this photo: Háifoss or ‘high waterfall,’ located in Southern Iceland, is the third tallest on the island.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Second Place: ‘Badain Jaran Desert, China’ by Yang Guang (China)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Badain Jaran Desert, China

About this photo: A single white cloud is the focal point of this photo captured in China’s third largest desert. Guang won second place for a set of four landscape photos captured in this region.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Third Place: ‘Grizzly Lake, Yukon, Canada’ by Blake Randall (Canada)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Yukon, Canada

About this photo: Randall calls this ‘Grizzly’s Fang’ about his photo of his stormy hike in the Tombstone range of Northern Canada.

ILPOTY Photograph of the Year, 2019 — First Place: ‘The Harvest of Road Salt’ by Magali Chesnel (France)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Gruissan, France

About this photo: Chesnel, a self-taught photographer and executive assistant, captured this top-down with a DJI Mavic 2 Pro. ‘I thought it would create an amazing abstract aerial photo, with the white of the salt contrasting against the bright pink colors, thanks to the proliferation of a red alga, the Dunaliella salina. From the ground, this scene doesn’t look glamorous at all, but from a bird’s eye view, it becomes unexpected, beautiful and like a painting.’

ILPOTY Photograph of the Year, 2019 — Second Place: ‘Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean’ by Sander Grefte (Netherlands)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Venezuela

About this photo: Says Grefte of his second place winner: ‘One of the eye-catchers on Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean) is the salty lakes and mountains. When the salt concentration is too high for most bacteria, one survives giving the water a pink color. When composed with a dark blue sky and white ‘mountains’ (17 meters high) you get a surreal landscape.’

ILPOTY, 2019 — The Lone Tree Award: ‘Madeira, Portugal’ by Anke Butawitsch (Germany)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Madeira Natural Park, Portugal

About this photo: Butawitsch focused on a single tree in the vast natural reserve known for its endemic flora and fauna.

ILPOTY, 2019 —The Heavenly Cloud Award: ‘SpaceX rocket exhaust plume, Sierra Nevada, California, USA’ by Brandon Yoshizawa (United States)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Sierra Nevada, California

About this photo: Yoshizawa captured a ‘once in a lifetime kind of shot’ of this exhaust plume, from a Space X rocket launch, that was visible over the Sierra Nevada mountains.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘Page, Arizona’ by Craig Bill (United States)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Page, Arizona

About this photo: ‘I have seen Antelope Canyon several times in the popular daytime – complete with crowds and noise. In fact, this magical slot canyon is well known for its mid-day shafts of light that creatively penetrate through the curvy sandstone. I had always wondered what this place would be like at night. And when I had a last minute chance to go the first time, I jumped! Although the first night was super clouded and windy, I was allowed to try the next night before my time ran out exploring this desert domain around Page, Arizona. I was lucky, however, to find the next night lacking clouds or wind,’ explains Bill on his website.

‘Finally, there I was, standing in the dark cracks in the earth with the stars peering in from above – no crowds or sounds at all. It was so different at night compared to the day. Here, star and moonlight ricocheted softly around the Navajo sandstone.

In this adventure of a completely dark area of Upper Antelope slot canyon, I softly light painted strategic areas of the canyon with small red LED lights. The red color of the LEDs forced the camera’s color balance to expose the sky with a vivid blue. Along with experimental multi-positioning, long 15 second exposing and light painting, a surreal image of the night sky revealing itself light years above the canyon walls was created.

Even though I was focused on tweaking the camera’s settings and position, I was warned to watch my standing area and the canyon walls for huge Brown Recluse spiders (as one ran under my tripod). Now this sounds like a place in hell for most people, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the night hikes experience into Antelope Canyon.’

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘North East Greenland National Park, Greenland’ by Craig McGowan (Australia)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: North East Greenland National Park

About this photo: A lone iceberg reflects against the landscape of the world’s largest national park.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘Vestrahorn, Iceland’ by Nico Rinaldi (Italy)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Vestrahorn, Iceland

About this photo: Northern lights illuminate Vestrahorn mountain and the Stokksnes beach shoreline.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How Building a Portfolio Career as a Photographer Can Earn You Money

01 Mar

The post How Building a Portfolio Career as a Photographer Can Earn You Money appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

When you’re starting in business as a photographer, it can be tough to find a reliable income. Often jobs will be unpredictable as to when they come in – and getting paid can be even more of a guessing game! Building a portfolio career is one way that you can counteract the unpredictability of being a freelance photographer.

Diversifying your revenue streams right from the start is a way to build a more predictable income. By having multiple diverse but related sources of income, you can mitigate ups and downs in each revenue stream while having a photographic career that allows you the freedom to shoot several different subjects.

ISO400, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f4, 1/80th sec

Lay the foundation

Start by mind-mapping around the fields of photography that you love.

Try to think of every possible source of photographic income that those fields might have, no matter how big or small. All of these could contribute to building a portfolio career.

Out of everything you’ve written down, highlight all of the income sources that could be done on a regular contract for someone else. The first income stream that you need to provide a solid foundation for is one that is both regular and guaranteed.

Ideally, this regular, but potentially low paid work will cover all of your essential bills. And when I say essential, I mean putting an extra jumper on and eating beans on toast all month.

ISO200, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f4, 1/80th sec

You could consider jobs like real estate photography, nightclub photography, or in-house product photography. None of these options will set your creative soul on fire, but they will still provide a stable foundation for you to start to build your career.

Build the walls

Now you start to do the kind of photography that you want to do. You’re looking for options in your mind-map of ideas that could be regular but might not be quite as reliable as your foundation income.

This might be where you consider incomes like freelance product photography, portraits, or weddings.

All these income streams can be a little unpredictable, at least for the first few years of your career. On top of that, some kinds of photography, like weddings, can be quite seasonal.

Headshots have been a reasonably reliable income for me over the past five or six years. They’re great because I can do them either at home or on location, and I can be available at reasonably short notice!
ISO400, 100mm, f3.5, 1/125th sec, natural window light

Over time, this income can become more regular. You’ll find that clients come back again and again if they love the pictures and the service! Eventually, you’ll be able to drop the initial low-paid but regular work that you sought in favor of this better-paid income stream.

Put the roof on

Between your foundations and the walls, you’ve got the beginnings of a significant portfolio career. Now you want to look at the well-paid occasional jobs that buy the luxuries like foreign holidays or serious gear upgrades.

Look back at your mind-map once again and think about what large, one-off gigs there might be available to you with your current skillset. You might be able to offer portrait photography at a large business conference, for example, or be on a list of photographers who shoot portraits for magazine interviews.

You’re looking for the high-ticket jobs that are sporadic. They can’t provide a reliable income because of the very nature of the work, but they can offer you good-sized cash injections now and again. It could be a yearly job or one that comes up every few months. But the unpredictability means that you shouldn’t count it as part of your regular income.

Each month I try to set a day aside to create unique and creative stock imagery for use on book covers and the like. It doesn’t provide regular sales, but when these images do sell, they pay well!
Both images shot with a beauty dish in the studio.

Business networking meetings can be an excellent place to find these jobs that will help with building a portfolio career. Often you’ll talk to someone and hand over a business card, and you’ll hear nothing for months. But when they do eventually call, it can be for a sizable job, so make sure you have some sample quotes and an idea of what you might charge for different scenarios.

You don’t have to think of every possible situation and make a fantasy quote for it, but have a few that you can adapt with a couple of days notice for the kind of jobs you’d like to do.

Start a nest-egg

Once you’ve established a good income, it’s time to make your photos work harder and build a long-term passive income. You can start to look at options such as stock photography to assist you in building a portfolio career.

For almost the last fifteen years, I’ve been building up collections with various stock libraries. It is a slow process, but worth it when you start to see regular payouts a few years down the line.

You can shoot images specifically for stock libraries if you have some spare time to fill. Many libraries will regularly publish lists of the kind of content that they’re looking to obtain from photographers. If you shoot what’s on the list, you should start to see an income quite quickly. If they’re asking for various subjects, it means that clients are asking for them!

Image: These two images were shot back in 2007 and are amongst my best earners in all that time! The...

These two images were shot back in 2007 and are amongst my best earners in all that time! They consistently make me small but regular sales and have always done so. Both of these images were shot on my Mum’s kitchen table – just showing you can earn anywhere!

You can also reuse images from other shoots that you’ve done, sending them to the stock libraries once you’ve completed the job. Be sure to check your contract, or check with the client if they’re okay with you doing this, but people rarely say no.

An example might be that if you are booked to shoot a fantastic local food market, the client might also allow you to upload these images to stock libraries. You might then look into a specialist food stock agency if you’re shooting this kind of content regularly. In time, you’ll become well-known as a photographer in this field.

Above all, just get started

You can only start your photographic career if you’re willing to put yourself out there and start looking for work. The most important thing is to start somewhere, even if you’re not quite sure where the best place to start is. You can work out the details later.

Try to look for income streams in all of the brackets above. That way, you won’t be putting all of your eggs in one basket. You’ll be protected if one income streams dries up unexpectedly for a while.

ISO200, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2, 1/600th sec

Conclusion

This approach to a photographic portfolio career has enabled me to alternatively increase and scale back my income as and when required. It also helped me to build a solid base that wasn’t tied to any particular location, which means I can work from almost anywhere in the world!

If you’re thinking about building a portfolio career for yourself in photography, tell us about what your specialisms will be in the comments below. We’d love to hear about your plans!

The post How Building a Portfolio Career as a Photographer Can Earn You Money appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

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Video: Photographer Sean Tucker on recoloring images using Photoshop

22 Feb

Photographer and filmmaker Sean Tucker has published a new video teaching viewers how to accurately recolor their images using Gradient Maps in Adobe Photoshop. The process involves selecting the objects to be recolored using the Pen Tool, then using the Gradient Maps to choose the target colors and transform the selections.

The new tutorial, which is approximately 20 minutes long, joins Tucker’s other videos, which include everything from discussions on ‘law and ethics in street photography’ to tutorials related to street photography, editing portraits in Photoshop, color grading footage and more.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Photographer Alan Schaller offers seven tips for black and white street photography

12 Feb

Cooperative of Photography (COOPH) has published a new video featuring London-based photographer Alan Schaller, who introduces viewers to seven tips for shooting black and white street photography. The video packs the seven tips into five quick minutes.

Schaller’s tips are relatively straightforward, including the recommendation that photographers should go out and shoot in black and white on purpose, should focus on what makes black and white photography interesting and that they should change their perspective.

As well, Schaller recommends that budding black and white street photographers learn to adjust to the lightning situation, ‘make good use of’ their environment, shoot images with a ‘good range of contrast’ and, finally’ to ‘edit wisely.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Slideshow: International Garden Photographer of the Year’s winner and finalists

11 Feb

International Garden Photographer of the Year’s winner and finalists

On February 7th, the winners and finalists for Competition 13 of the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) awards were announced at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Over 20,000 entries were received from amateur and professional photographers all over the world. The winner of £7,500 and the title of Overall Winner is Albert Ceolan of South Tyrol, Italy. “Over the last few years, IGPOTY has been a source of inspiration for me as well as a great pleasure for the eyes and the soul. The thought that one of my images will be shown as overall winner in these mythical gardens fills me with enthusiasm and pride,” said Ceolan when his was given the news.

“Albert has documented a scene which is simultaneously shocking as it is well composed. The photo cleverly shows both the destruction and the remaining trees symbolising hope. IGPOTY introduced the new category ‘Plants & Planet’ for this very reason to stimulate discussion and arouse awareness of changing global weather and our current climate emergency. By running this category – IGPOTY entrants helped to plant 78 new trees via WeForest in the Brazil project, which focuses on reconnecting remaining patches of the Atlantic forest through forest corridors so that wildlife can continue to reproduce and thrive,” said Tyrone McGlinchey, the competitions Head Judge.

This year, IGPOTY introduced a new photo project, ‘Square Crop,’ along with a new main category ‘Plants & Planet.’ Image above is ‘Autumn Fragility’ by Jane Simmonds.

IGPOTY was established in 2007 and is now one of the world’s most renowned photography competitions. Winning entries are exhibited around the United Kingdom, Europe, and the world. As always, it was difficult to choose only 15 photos to display on DPReview. All winners, finalists, and commended entries across the 9 categories and 4 photo projects of this competition can be viewed here.

IGPOTY Overall Winner: ‘The Vaia Storm’ by Albert Ceolan (Italy)

About this photo: This photograph documents the natural destruction of pine forest by storm ‘Vaia’ in late October 2018. Wind speeds peaked at over 120mph, which led to the felling of over 14 million trees and claimed 17 human lives. In the background stands the magnificent Mount Catinaccio, bearing witness to the storm at just under 3,000 metres high.

Location: The Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy

IGPOTY 1st Place, Abstract Views: ‘Fish Pond Fantasy’ by Maggie Lambert (United Kingdom)

About this photo: Scarborough Art Gallery was reflected in the garden’s fish pond, which created an intriguing mix of hard and fluid surfaces and various textures, overlaid by the shapes of pondweed and fishes.

Location: Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

IGPOTY 3rd Place, Abstract Views: ‘Tragopogon porrifolius’ by Viktor Sykora (Czech Republic)

About this photo: I used a scanning electron microscope to produce this detailed abstract view of a Tragopogon porrifolius seed. To gain the abstract element I used advanced filters and applied false colours.

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

IGPOTY 1st Place, Beautiful Gardens: ‘Summer Reverie’ by Jacky Parker (United Kingdom)

About this photo: Echinacea ‘Salsa Red’ were the brilliant red stars of this beautiful summer palette of colours taken at the gardens of the New Forest Lavender Farm. I captured a double exposure to soften the grasses and create an evocative botanical daydream.

Location: New Forest Lavender Farm, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

IGPOTY Commended, Beautiful Gardens: ‘Notes of Tea Garden’ by Ming Li (China)

About this photo: Fujian Province is home to many tea plantations, this one looked even more amazing with its colours and patterns from a bird’s-eye view, which I achieved using my drone.

Location: Fujian Province, China

IGPOTY 1st Place, Breathing Spaces: ‘Larch Basin Dawn’ by Thorsten Scheuermann (United States)

About this photo: The light of dawn on the horizon was enough to make the burnt autumn colour of the Larix (larch) trees in the North Cascades Mountains glow.

Location: North Cascades National Park, Washington, United States

IGPOTY Finalist, Breathing Spaces: ‘Mountain Arrows’ by Mauro Battistelli (Italy)

About this photo: In this vast desert landscape the sharp shards of the mountains contrasted wonderfully with the yellow and green hues of the foliage below.

Location: Salta Province, Argentina

IGPOTY 1st Place, Greening the City: ‘Burst’ by Brandon Yoshizawa (United States)

About this photo: The sunset gave its parting burst over Seattle illuminating the highways and making the intertwined trees and foliage glow across the city.

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

IGPOTY 2nd Place, Plants & Planet: ‘Grass Tree’ by Anne Neiwand (Australia)

About this photo: This amazing individual specimen of Xanthorrhoea (grass tree) is endemic to the harsh conditions in South Australia. I chose to create a panoramic image to incorporate more of the landscape and emphasise the connection between every plant and our planet.

Location: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia, Australia

IGPOTY 2nd Place, The Beauty of Plants: ‘Summertime’ by Danièle Dugré (Germany)

About this photo: I captured this photograph last summer at BUGA (Federal German Garden Show) in Heilbronn.
There was almost 40 hectares of wasteland between the old course of the River Neckar and the canal which have been redesigned using every type of gardening skill.

I was very impressed by these beautiful backlit flowerbeds, interplanted with tactile grasses, that poured out the scent of summer.

Location: Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

IGPOTY 1st Place, Trees, Woods & Forests: ‘Swamp Elder’ by Thorsten Scheuermann (United States)

About this photo: A stately Taxodium distichum (swamp cypress) tree stood at home on a calm, autumn afternoon in the wetlands surrounded by a ring of their characteristic roots or as I like to call them – knees above water.

Location: Louisiana, United States

IGPOTY 1st Place, Wildflower Landscapes: ‘The Beauty of Spring’ by Zhigang Li (China)

About this photo: The Napahai Nature Reserve, which at an altitude of around 3,300 metres above sea level, is a winter resting spot for tens of thousands of migratory birds as well as a summer pasture for herdsmen.

It was Spring when I captured this pastoral scene full of colourful wildflowers, shapes and textures.

Location: Mountains in Diqing, Yunnan, China

IGPOTY 1st Place, Wildflower Landscapes: ‘Heaven’s Route’ by Mauro Battistelli (Italy)

About this photo: I captured a long exposure on this picturesque coastline, with wild Echium anchored on the clifftop in the foreground, and the sea beyond was foaming around the unique rock formations.

Location: Playa de la Arnía, Cantabria, Spain

IGPOTY 2nd Place, Wildlife in the Garden: ‘The Meeting’ by Henrik Spranz (Croatia)

About this photo: I captured a chance morning meeting between these two Aporia crataegi (black veined white butterflies) as they perched on a flower head of Dianthus carthusianorum subsp. sanguineus.

Location: Pazin, Istria, Croatia

IGPOTY Highly Commended, Wildlife in the Garden: ‘A Spider’s Path’ by Carlo Cinthi (Italy)

About this photo: For such a tiny spider in the garden, every raindrop became a giant obstacle as it continued its journey along this blade of grass.

Location: Milan, Italy

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DIY Lighting and Background Accessories for the Budget-Conscious Photographer

07 Feb

The post DIY Lighting and Background Accessories for the Budget-Conscious Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

diy-lighting-and-background-accessories

Do you want to take your photography to the next level, but don’t have the budget for professional equipment? Just a few dollars and a trip to the stationery shop can do the trick. Keep reading for some DIY lighting and background accessories using paper.

Professional photography studios have multiple lights and accessories to create their images. If you want to learn about them, here’s a great introduction guide.

However, when there’s no budget at hand, it’s time to get creative.

I’ll show you some ideas on how to create DIY lighting and background accessories using paper only. This has the intention of being a starting point to spark your creativity according to your needs and whatever you can find in your area.

diy-lighting-and-background-accessories

DIY lighting and background accessories

DIY diffuser

There are two types of light, hard and soft. Hard light is very bright and usually, a condensed light that casts well defined, intense shadows and contrasting hot points.

It can be natural on very sunny days, or artificial from flash and strobes.

This can be great for certain types of photos, but other times it can be very unflattering for the scene.

Hard light with no diffuser. 0.5 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200

Soft light means that the subject is illuminated more evenly, the shadows become softer, and the entire mood is different.

Professionally, hard light is turned soft by using umbrellas or softboxes.

You can achieve a softbox effect using vellum paper as I did on the image below. In case you can’t find it, any type of tracing paper will do, or even oven paper from your kitchen.

diy-lighting-and-background-accessories-SOft Light DIY diffuser

Hard light turned soft with the use of DIY lighting accessories – vellum paper. You can also use tracing paper or oven paper. 0.5 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200

DIY Reflector

A light reflector bounces the existing light so that you don’t have to add a second source. This is very helpful to fill in shadows or darker areas of the image to bring out more detail.

You can find these in different sizes and colors, but the DIY stationery solution I chose was a foam board. It’s very light, easy to cut, and has a glossy exterior that maximizes the reflection.

1/5 sec. f2.8 ISO 200

In the above example, see how much light I gained just by placing a piece of foam board opposite the flash. It’s so much that I even lost the contrasting effect I wanted. However, I wanted to show you how big the difference is.

If you want less light, you can place it further away or change the angle. It takes some practice to learn how to use reflectors to light your subject, but it’s really worth it. If you need to block the light instead, you need to use flags, which you can achieve with black paper.

Creative uses

DIY Gels

Other DIY lighting and background accessories you can create are gels. Gels are pieces of colored, semi-transparent material that you can use to modify your light. Professional gels are graded to exact colors and density. This is because you can then compensate for the exposure and white balance in your camera and different light sources. However, for creative lighting, you can use simple cellophane paper or plastic index dividers.

1 sec. f. 2.8 ISO 200

Creating bokeh with wrapping paper or foil

Bokeh is an effect created by the lens when you send the background out of focus. You can easily create it by using crumbled metallic wrapping paper or aluminum foil as a background. If you want to create colored bokeh, buy wrapping paper with iridescent designs.

You can create a great bokeh background simply by using crumbled metallic wrapping paper or aluminum foil as a background. 1/10 sec, f/8, ISO 200

Once you place this background, light it from the side with any kind of lamp, flash or even window light. The most important thing though is to keep it out of focus. If you’re not sure how to achieve the shallow depth of field needed, check out this article.

Using paper to create a textured backdrop

Of course, you can make a backdrop with any kind of paper – that’s not news. However, I encourage you to add texture to it and see the difference. This, of course, makes a busier background, so it may not suit all subjects, but it can be a creative solution for many others.

This background was created using crumpled tissue paper. 1/5 sec. f2.8 ISO 200

I found that tissue paper is great because it’s cheap, light, easy to manipulate, and comes in multiple colors. You can just crumble it, cut it into pieces, and form patterns.

In this example, I cut it into squares and then twisted the center to create the ruffles, then pasted it all together with alternating shades of green.

Conclusion

So there you have it – some incredibly simple, and affordable DIY lighting and background accessories that you can buy on a small budget from almost any stationery store. Try these out, and if you have any other tips to add, please share them with us in the comments!

And for more photography DIY ideas, check out the following articles:

How to Make a DIY Lens Hood to Eliminate Lens Flare
How to Use Ordinary Items to Make DIY Photo Filters
DIY Photography: How to Make Your Own DIY Lightstick for Cool Photos!
DIY Photography Backdrops for Still Life and Product Photography
How to Make a DIY Photography Softbox (video)
Try this DIY Neutral Density Filter for Long Exposure Photos
DIY Food Photography Props on a Budget

The post DIY Lighting and Background Accessories for the Budget-Conscious Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Professional Photographer Catherine Hall’s Advice On How to Get The Perfect Shot

06 Feb

In this article, Catherine Hall tells us about what inspired her into photography, and gives us tips and tricks of the industry offering some advice to fellow photographers. What influenced you to photograph people? Over the years, I’ve tried many different types of photography, and at the beginning of my career all I knew was that I loved shooting but Continue Reading

The post Professional Photographer Catherine Hall’s Advice On How to Get The Perfect Shot appeared first on Photodoto.

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How to Find Your Vision as a Photographer

01 Feb

The post How to Find Your Vision as a Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

It’s frustrating to be a good photographer but not know what to do with your skills.

You can know your camera inside and out, be able to compose a good photo and capture a great moment, but without vision, you’ll always feel aimless as a photographer.

You’ll be stuck taking pictures that don’t inspire you and perhaps even running a photography business that brings you down.

I’ll show you how to find your vision as a photographer so that you can thrive and create a body of work that you are proud of.

“It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.” – Helen Keller

Even though I’m a family photographer, photos like this do not fit my vision as a photographer. However, I understand that families want a nice portrait like this, so it’s part of what I offer as a family photographer.

What is “vision”?

Vision has to do with seeing, and photographers constantly practice the art of seeing.

Having vision means you know why you’re taking pictures. You know what you want to accomplish. You’re not controlled by what other photographers tell you to do. You know what you’re pursuing and why.

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” – Jonathan Swift

Photos like this, a candid moment, a splash of chaos to break the order, is more in line with my vision.

Who’s vision are you living?

Without a vision of your own, you may be living out another photographer’s vision.

You see everyone else’s style of photography and feel you have to conform to that even though you don’t want to.

Somebody else has told you how to see the possibilities. Your vision isn’t your own.

But how do you find your vision as a photographer?

A photo like this fits my vision perfectly. It was cold and the little one was confused and grumpy and shivering. The only thing that mattered to her was her mom. But this photo is not really about the little one, it’s about her mom. The mom who sacrifices, and comforts. The mom who abandons everything to embrace her little one.

Look back to find your vision

Part of your work as a photographer is to explore. What you explore is completely up to you.

You often don’t realize the significance of your discoveries until you can see some thread that connects them all.

In all your exploration as a creative person, you will see clues to your vision.

Look back on these five things to help find your vision as a photographer.

1. Note your other creative pursuits

You’re probably a creative person and not just a photographer.

Consider what books you love to read.
Take note of what you watch.
What type of music do you listen to?
If you sketch or paint, what is your subject matter?

Now, connect photography with your other creative pursuits.

Here’s what it looks like for me:

I tend to read novels that explore human nature, listen to music with lyrics about the ideal life, enjoy comedy that pokes fun of everyday routines, write on themes of personal growth, and studied the humanities at university.

I love to photograph candid moments (even during headshot sessions) because it lets me explore personality and how people act.

Already, I see a connection between my photography and my other creative pursuits.

“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” – Ansel Adams

In each of these books, I find a clue to my vision as a photographer.

2. Collect the photos you love the most

What sort of photos are you drawn to and what are your favorite photos that you’ve taken?

What do you see in those photos and how do they connect to your other creative pursuits?

From my earliest days as a family photographer, this is one of my favorite photos. Childhood is a theme I love to explore.

Look beyond your own photography to that of others. What prints have you purchased or photography books do you own?

I’m not a photojournalist, though it’s photojournalism that seems to really inspire me as a photographer. This 25-cent yard sale magazine was one of my best purchases this year.

My favorite photographs are gritty, grainy and misfocused, but I love them.

I appreciate photographers who live for the moments and ideas in the photograph.

Moving forward, pay attention to what compels you to grab your camera and take a photo.

3. List your quirks as a person

This is a fun one. The purpose is to discover what is unique and interesting about you as a creative person.

Do you have a strange hobby?
Do you have any funny rituals?
What are you most embarrassed about?

List those quirky things that make you interesting.

If a toddler cries at one of my photo sessions, you can be sure I’ll snap a picture. l also make moms and dads dance together during photo sessions. It’s always so awkward, but that’s interesting to me.

One of my quirks is that I’m afraid to dance. I figure if I’m afraid of something, then other people are too. So I make couples dance at a portrait session. It’s lots of fun and the most awkward couples end up with the most romantic portraits.

4. What are your favorite 3-5 photography quotes?

Your favorite photography quotes will help you find your vision as a photographer.

Here are a few to get you thinking.

“I realize more and more what it takes to be a really good photographer. You go in over your head, not just up to your neck.” — Dorothea Lange

“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” — Marc Riboud

“For me, the camera is a sketchbook, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“I tend to think of the act of photographing, generally speaking, as an adventure. My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.” — Diane Arbus

“Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.” — Diane Arbus

“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” — Steve McCurry

“The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

Do your favorite quotes have anything in common with your creative pursuits, your favorite photos, and your quirks as a person?

One day the bay we live on flooded and took over our yard. I put on my chest waders and followed my son as he paddled around. This is who I am as a photographer. Wandering into unpredictable and unexpected events to explore. I love it when our everyday life is made strange

5. Pay attention to what you say when you’re upset

Sometimes the spontaneous overflow of emotion contains the exact revelation of what your vision is.

How do you react when your photos are criticized? If you’ve never been criticized, just find a community to share your work online. Sooner or later, a person will let you know what they think of your photos. They will insult you relentlessly. Hopefully, they get under your skin, and you lash back. The words you blurt out are an expression of your vision.

I like wading into chaos and making something beautiful out of it. And if there are blemishes in the photo, so much the better. Because where there are smudges and dust and grain – that’s where things got real.

I keep my iPhone 4s to use as a camera. The grain and discoloration in the photos represent what I see in life. It’s one of my favorite cameras.

Ask, what problem does your vision solve?

By now, you should have a clue as to what you’re after as a photographer. Don’t worry, it takes some time to come up with a precise vision.

A final approach is to ask what problem your vision tackles.

I remember the day I realized what photography was all about for me. I was reading a book on the history of journalism and came across this comment:

“The mission of photography is to explain man to man and each man to himself.” — Edward Steichen

My everyday photography and work is permeated with trying to understand ourselves. That is right in line with the books I read, the comedy I laugh at, and the moments I capture.

As I photograph my kids, other people and social events, I come to understand humanity. And I find myself in places I would never get to be unless I was a photographer.

“The camera is an excuse to be someplace you otherwise don’t belong.” — Susan Meiselas

I’ve been there when brides get ready for their wedding day. That would never have happened without the camera. You get insights into a person when you spend their wedding morning with them. You get insight into humanity when you do this repeatedly over time.

Here is a question that drives me as a person and a photographer: who do you become in a crisis?

What do you become like when a session falls apart? Who do you become as a mom when your little one won’t smile pretty for the camera? Who are you when your children need you? Those questions drive me and therefore drive my vision as a photographer.

A moment between a father and son. He’s done something wrong and neither knows quite how to react or what to say. It’s a defining moment in their relationship.

Your vision ought to make you grow

People with vision foresee exactly what they’re after and why. They work toward it, overcoming obstacles and their weaknesses. To find your vision as a photographer:

Explore your creativity.
Ask, what problem does my vision solve?
How does it make life deeper and better?
Who do I need to be(come) in order to bring this vision to life?
What do I have to do consistently in order to bring this vision to life?
Write yourself a tag line and print it, make a mug, a t-shirt, or paint it on the wall.

Do you have anything else you’d like to add to this? If so, please share with us in the comments.

The post How to Find Your Vision as a Photographer appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

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Photo Gallery: Winners of the 2019 Travel Photographer of the Year Awards

25 Jan

Winners of 2019’s Travel Photographer of the Year Awards

During an awards evening at the Fujifilm House of Photography in Covent Garden, London, the winners and runners up were announced for Travel Photography of the Year’s (TPOTY) 2019 competition. Over 20,000 images were submitted from 144 countries. Amateur photographer Katy Gomez Catalina is the first-ever Spanish overall winner and the second-ever female overall winner in the 17-year history of the awards.

TPOTY co-founder Chris Coe said: “Judging these awards, whilst arduous with so many excellent images to choose from, is always a joy and it is both exhilarating and stimulating to see the wealth of creativity evident from around the world. This year’s winning entries are outstanding in all categories, elegant and sometimes thought-provoking and gritty. The portfolio from the overall winner Katy Gomez Catalina is beautiful, sensitive and diverse. Only the second-ever female overall winner of Travel Photographer of the Year, Katy is an amateur photographer and a very, very worthy winner.”

The TPOTY awards were judged by an international panel of photography experts including Panamanian double Pulitzer Prize-winner Essdras M Suarez and Lawrence Jackson, a former official White House photographer under the Obama Administration. Winning images can be viewed at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London from April 7th to May 12th. The exhibition will also appear at the South Transept of Chester Cathedral, in June, and at the Xposure International Photography Festival in Sharjah from September 17th – 20th.

It was incredibly difficult to select 15 images to display on this slideshow. All of the portfolios and individual winning images are nothing short of breathtaking, in this author’s opinion. I highly encourage you to visit TPOTY’s Winner’s Gallery and view them all.

Overall winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019: Katy Gomez Catalina, Spain

Credit: Katy Gomez/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Lake Mutanda, Uganda

Winner’s biography: Born in Ubeda, Spain Katy is an amateur photographer with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Her job is related to official control in public health, with focus on the interaction between human and animal health. A passionate travel photographer, Katy has visited more than 60 countries, and her images have been exhibited throughout Spain and also in France, UK, Germany, India, Iran and Colombia.

“I look at the world, not only to testify what I see, but mainly, to express a personal perspective, a point of view, an interpretation and not just a representation. My subjects are very varied being travel photography a common link in all my work. The camera has become an inseparable companion, I cannot see the world if it is not through the eyes of a camera, with these images I compose my travel story as a writer with his diary. I do not take pictures for others, but for me, for the pure pleasure of photographing. But, if I can also evoke an emotion in those who view them, my satisfaction is multiplied.”

About this photo: In 1991 the Batwa pygmies were expelled from their ancestral forest territories and now live under the yoke of misery, lost in an environment they do not understand and find it difficult to adapt to.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24- 105mm lens, f5.6, 1/160s, ISO 200

Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2019 aged 15-18: Ankit Kumar – India, age 16

Credit: Ankit Kumar/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Danum Valley in Borneo, Malaysia

Winner’s biography: Ankit Kumar began his journey in photography when he got his DSLR in 2015. Over the last four years, he has had the opportunity to travel to interesting locations in Africa and Europe, where he has taken wildlife and landscape pictures. Winning the Young Travel Photographer of the Year award in 2016 was a turning point in his passion for photography. It ignited in him a thirst for recording wildlife and the changing environment, with an eye towards conservation especially of hunted species and their disappearing world.

Since then, Ankit has won the Asian Geographic Youth Photographer of the Year 2017, was twice Highly Honoured by Nature’s Best Photography Asia in 2017, and Highly Honoured by Nature’s Best Photography in 2018. He is inspired by photographers such as Paul Nicken, Brain Skerry, Beverly Joubert and Keith Ladzinski, who care about the protection of animals and habitats. He also puts his photographic skills to use by supporting charities through an initiative that he, along with his sister have founded, called www.wayto.help.

About this photo: The clouds wrap around the trees in Danum Valley, Borneo.

Gear and specs: Sony A9, 100-400mm lens, f/8, 1/640s, ISO 2000

Winner, Art of Travel portfolio: Paul Sansome, UK

Credit: Paul Sansome/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Reykjavik, Iceland

Winner’s biography: Paul Sansome is a professional fine art and travel photographer based in the south of England and in Vietnam. His artistic photography is produced to the highest standards and his work, which is released in strictly limited editions, is intended to provide that special focal point. Paul is also an experienced photography tutor and has been leading photography holidays for over 15 years. Destinations have included Italy, Morocco, Kerala and Rajasthan in India, Iceland, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Paul started out as a landscape photographer but says “One of the compelling facets of photography is the diverse range of genres that we are able to give our attention to. I have always enjoyed the challenge of wildlife photography, particularly attempting to photograph birds in flight. More recently, much of my photography has been travel based and here the challenge is to portray the emotion of the subject or to tell a story. One common thread through these genres is that the timing of the shot is critical – a fleeting moment of light in the landscape, a moment of animal behaviour or the flash of emotion on a person’s face.”

About this photo: The mesmerizing modern architecture of the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. This building provides endless photography opportunities both from inside and outside.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 6D MkII, 15mm F2.8 fisheye lens, f10, 1/60s, ISO 800

Highly Commended, Art of Travel: Ted Lau, Hong Kong

Credit: Ted Lau/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Pyongyang, North Korea

About this photo: Since the Mass Games resumed in 2018, all the school kids get involved. After months of training, most all of them are near- professional gymnasts.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 70-200mm lens, f8, 1/320s, ISO 2000

Special Mention, Art of Travel: Trâ?n Tuâ?n Vi??t, Vietnam

Credit: Trâ?n Tuâ?n Vi??t/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Ung Hoa, Hanoi, Vietnam

About this photo: A female worker collects bundles of incense in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Gear and specs: Canon 1Dx, 24-70mm lens, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 200

Winner, Endangered Planet portfolio: Alain Schroeder, Belgium

Credit: Alain Schroeder/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Sibolangit, SOCP Quarantine Centre – Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Winner’s biography: Alain Schroeder is a Belgian photojournalist. In 1989 he founded Reporters, a well-known photo agency in Belgium. He has illustrated over thirty books dedicated to China, Iran, the Renaissance, Ancient Rome, the Gardens of Europe, Thailand, Tuscany, Crete, Vietnam, Budapest, Venice, the Abbeys of Europe, Natural Sites of Europe, etc. Belgian book titles include Le Carnaval de Binche vu par 30 Photographes, and Processions de Foi, Les Marches de l’Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse.

Publications include National Geographic, Geo, and Paris Match. He has won many international awards including a Nikon Japan award for the Who Will Save the Rohingya series, Travel Photographer of the Year 2017 and a World Press Photo 1st Prize Sport Stories, and participated in numerous exhibitions worldwide.

About this photo: Fahzren the orangutan is undergoing a routine medical check. Fahzren is 30 years old and comes from a zoo in Malaysia where he has lived since he was a baby. His medical condition is fine but he does not have the skills to survive in the wild.

Gear and specs: Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm lens, f3.2, 1/140s, ISO 1600

Winner, People & Cultures portfolio: Trevor Cole, Ireland

Credit: Trevor Cole/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Mundari, Terekeka county, South Sudan

Winner’s biography: Trevor Cole was born in the city of Derry, Ireland, but has lived most of his life outside the bounds of Ireland; in England, Singapore, Togo, Italy, Ethiopia, and Brazil. He returned to Ireland (Donegal) in 2012.

“My photography, together with travel, have become two of my life’s passions. My photography focuses predominantly on culture and landscapes; images which reflect a spatial and temporal journey through life and which try to convey a need to live in a more sustainable world. I seek the moment and the light in whatever context I find myself and endeavour to use my photographic acumen to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Capturing inimitable moments today to reflect upon tomorrow. My own ‘take’ as a geographer photographer!”

About this photo: Mundari Camaraderie. The bond between the tribesmen and their animals is reflected in the tribal bond itself. The smoke, fires and dust create a scene which is almost biblical. The symbiotic bond between man and the cattle is a scene to behold.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 70-200mm lens, f3.5, 1/125s, ISO 3200

Winner, Best Single Image in a People & Cultures portfolio: Debdatta Chakraborty, India

Credit: Debdatta Chakraborty/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Kolkata, India

About this photo: On the day of Chhath festival in India, Hindus, mainly the women, perform Dondi, a kind of penance to appease the divinity and thereby praying for a happier future.

Gear and specs: Nikon D750, 24-120mm lens, f5.6, 1/500s, ISO 800

Winner, Thrills & Adventures portfolio: Brian Clopp, USA

Credit: Brian Clopp/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Dugway Proving Ground – Utah, USA

Winner’s biography: Brian Clopp spent his birthday week in 2019 living amongst the Onaqui wild horses in harsh desert conditions, capturing these stunning images. On recent travels, his hard drive containing a year’s worth of photography was stolen when thieves hacked his rental car, but becoming a TPOTY finalist encouraged him to continue his art.

His portraiture photography subjects include President Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, Jessie Jackson, James Earl Jones, and more. His work has often been featured as CNN’s Travel Photo of the Day. He is a ‘purist’ photographer who doesn’t edit his shots, striving to capture every setting perfectly.

Brian co-produced the Golden Globe nominated film ‘First They Killed My Father’ directed by Angelina Jolie. He recently completed his directorial debut on a short film about Penelope Stout, the first surviving settler of New Jersey, and the Lenape natives who save her life during a time of war. An Eagle Scout, Brian’s project instilled a collection drive in his small farm town of Cranbury NJ that continues to this day, collecting tens of thousands of winter clothes, hygiene items, and art supplies for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Now, Brian is co-launching The Giving Herb, a wellness CBD company that gives half to charity.

About this photo: To get this shot, I lived amongst the wild Onaqui herd for a week, camping out in a dusty desert environment. Here wild stallions battle dramatically for hierarchy, sending young foals scattering from the melee.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 600mm lens, f8, 1/3200s, ISO 640

Winner, Best Single Image in a Thrills & Adventures portfolio: Quanhou Lu, China

Credit: Quanhou Lu/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Xingjiang, China

About this photo: Transferring animals between pastures can take them on an adventurous route.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS-1DX Mk IIO, 24-70mm lens, f4, 1/320s, ISO 100

Winner, Dusk to Dawn: Sumit Dua, USA/UK

Credit: Sumit Dua/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Havana, Cuba

Winner’s biography: Sumit Dua is an amateur photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. By profession he is a doctor, and started photography during medical school. Initially his photography was done on a primitive digital camera borrowed from his uncle. “Photography helps me observe the world and find moments that I would otherwise miss. My passion for photography started with an impromptu trip through many regions of India and it still remains my favorite destination to photograph with its vibrant colors and old textures. My other hobby includes magic.”

About this photo: Walking around the streets of Havana after sunset I came across this ordinary scene where two neighbours were chatting. The. Lighting and colours reminded me of the ‘old master’ paintings.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mk III, 70-200mm lens, f2.8, 1/100s, ISO 3200

Commended, Dusk to Dawn: Lance McMillan, Canada

Credit: Lance McMillan/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Blue Pond, Biei – Hokkaido, Japan

About this photo: The larch and silver birch trees within the pond were once living, but are no more – the pond itself was artificially formed years ago as a result of the creation of a dam to protect from the effects of the nearby volcano at Mt. Tokachi. The site is illuminated at night, and the quietness on this chilly evening allowed me time to take in, and photograph, the beauty of the pond.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 35mm lens, 2.8, 2.5 sec, ISO 800

Winner, Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Lakes: Ignacio Palacios, Australia/Spain

Credit: Ignacio Palacios/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Parque Nacional dos Lenc?o?is Maranhenses, Brazil

Winner’s biography: When it comes to photography and travel, few can rival Ignacio Palacios’ experience, skill, and passion. A third-generation photographer, Ignacio has been honoured with over 100 prestigious photography prizes and awards from around the world and has travelled to over 90 countries in his 22 years career. Born in Spain, Ignacio now calls Sydney Australia home – through his unmistakable Spanish spirit continues to influence his work and define his signature style.

Combining his love of travel and photography has proved a powerful combination, and today Ignacio leads photography tours to incredible destinations around the world. As an AIPP double Master of Photography, Ignacio shares his insight, experience, and technique with his clients to help them find their own success and joy on their photographic journey. Ignacio’s distinct, award-winning style can be defined by his mastery of composition, colour, and light. With his minimalistic style and unique ability to connect with his audience through storytelling. Through his images, Ignacio invites his audience to experience the subject not as how he captured, but how he experienced it, evoking an emotional connection between the viewer, subject and artist. Photography and travel will always be Ignacio’s passion, and he is dedicated to helping others ignite their passion too.

About this photo: A lonely tree survives the elements among the sand dunes. This image was shot from a light plane with the doors off.

Gear and specs: D850, Nikon 70-200mm, f8, 1/1250, 400

People’s Choice award and Winner, Street Life: Robin Young, Malaysia

Credit: Robin Young/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Old Havana, Cuba

Winner’s biography: Robin Yong is a multi-award-winning travel and commercial photographer, trained by the famous American photographer Jim Zuckerman, the world famous Venetian Masks Florine Houee and Danielle Massart, and legendary Hollywood photographer Greg Gorman. He enjoys traveling to exotic destinations to befriend and photograph the locals. He is best known for his work on the Omo Valley tribes in Ethiopia, the Venetian Masked models in Venice, the Bokator boxers of Cambodia and the Maikos of Kyoto. He calls these works his Travel Portraits, his Art of Travel Medicine. For most of his works, he does not use flash, reflectors or artificial lighting, depending solely on natural lighting alone. The photos are often dramatic, colourful and extremely beautiful. For Robin, every photo must look like a movie poster.

Over the past few years, Robin has quickly become one of the most popular and influential photographers at the Venice Carnevale and within the past few months, Flowers of Ethiopia alone has gathered numerous awards, finalist status and honourable mentions in many International photography competitions, including Alfred Fried Awards, Antu Sente Cup, Australia’s Top Emerging Photographers, International Photography Awards, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), Istanbul Photo Awards, Moscow International Foto Awards, One Eyeland Awards. The Prix de la Photographie Paris, Sienna International Photo Awards, Tokyo International Foto Awards, Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) Awards, Xposure Awards etc. In just slightly more than two years, Robin’s travel photos have gathered more than 700 awards worldwide.

About this photo: A street scene in Old Havana, Cuba…the contrast of the young and the old, the rebellious and the wise…

Gear and specs: Canon 5DM3, 50mm lens, f/3.2, 1/80s, ISO 100

Winner, TAPSA: Kiran Ridley, UK

Credit: Kiran Ridley/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Admiralty, Hong Kong

Winner’s biography: Kiran Ridley is an award-winning photographer based in Paris and working throughout Europe and Asia. Most of his work concentrates on news, social political topics and the human experience. Fascinated by people and naturally curious by the human condition, Kiran, is passionate in documenting ongoing situations throughout the world, capturing the human dynamic, seizing the unique moments that humans create, whether in our hopes and dreams, fears or our anger.

After picking up a camera for the first time at the age of 16, he was enthralled at the ability to capture and bear witness to history in the making and to tell the stories of the people within it. There started a journey of learning and discovery, embracing cultures and environments wherever he is, allowing him to blend in and become accepted, capturing distinct and intimate moments of those around him.

Now, his work is published throughout the world including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Times and The Financial Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro, Le Point, Die Welt, El Pais, Forbes, Observer and Guardian newspapers, Time, Spiegel, Economist Magazine, GQ and Conde Nast amongst many others.

About this photo: A pro-democracy protestor throws a molotov cocktail towards police, setting fire to other protestors during anti-government demonstrations.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS1DX Mark II, 24-70mm lens, f7.1, 1/640s, ISO 1600

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Make a Unified Instagram Feed as a Photographer to Help Support Your Brand

15 Jan

The post How to Make a Unified Instagram Feed as a Photographer to Help Support Your Brand appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

Social media has such a strong presence in our world, both in a personal and professional sense. Gone are the days of searching for a photographer via Google. Many are turning to the social media platform, Instagram. Instagram has become a powerful tool for photographers and content creators alike. It is an engagement-oriented online portfolio so-to-speak.

But with thousands of accounts active on Instagram in any given second, how do you stand out from the rest and still attract photography clients? By having a feed that is more aesthetically pleasing than the rest!

Here is our guide on how to make a unified Instagram feed as a photographer.

What does a unified Instagram feed even mean?

This feed by singer Jessica Abari, shows unification by color tonality. She uses blues and pinks to unify her Instagram feed.

Humans naturally gravitate to cohesiveness, especially those with a certain sensitivity to aesthetic.

A unified Instagram is one in which each image, viewed in totality with one another, look like a piece of a great puzzle. Each one appears to belong and in some way, shape, or form unites with another surrounding it.

It’s the difference between a feed that looks cluttered and disconnected and one that looks like it is a part of a strategically and effortlessly tailored brand.

Having unity in your work not only pushes your brand further, but can attract a slew of eyes on your product (the beautiful images!). Not only is it a trend to have something a bit more cohesive, it has been shown to really aid in acquiring new clients who are attracted to the style your showcasing.

An example of my varied feed – when you have many areas of specialization, it can be difficult to maintain complete cohesiveness.

This isn’t a tried and true method for all photography businesses. For example, I am a multi-faceted photographer and to have an overly-cohesive feed is just not possible for me. However, my fellow industry mates have very beautifully tailored and structured feeds that work brilliantly for them! Their clients know exactly what to expect and hire them based on their look.

The real secret?

This is an example of my thematic feed of female portraits with animals.

So, what’s the real secret? For the most part, it’s utilizing the same editing mechanism over and over again. Create a preset or a general direction for your editing, and replicate this across your full board. This already creates a look of cohesiveness with minimal effort.

I suggest not using Instagram’s preset filters as these tend to lower the quality of your images. Instead, create your own Presets or Actions in Lightroom or Photoshop. You can even automate these to play on the batch of images you select for posting.

If you find that preset editing really isn’t you, unite your feed by topic or theme. This also allows you an opportunity to really solidify your niche as a photographer and attract the right demographic to your work. Figure out what kind of photographer you are and who or what your most common subjects tend to be, and post images that fit within that scope.

In this feed from Goldilocks and the Wolf, there is unification by the fairytale theme and the winter landscapes.

Creating a unified feed based on a color palette is also an excellent idea.

Colors are a major way to keep everything looking tailored and express who you are as a creator.

Color theory is a complex topic that can be taught for hours, but the general idea is that certain hues and color combinations attract a specific reaction. Tying marketing into Instagram, find a color palette that tends to attract your customers (and potential customers).

Look at what your followers gravitate towards, and feed into that wanting. It’s okay to break up your feed with text that engages your audience base, and keep everything still looking together.

Bonus tip: create a posting calendar for the month. Preview these images in a mockup of your Instagram feed and see how it all looks together. This provides a lot of insight on the final outcome!

If you make a unified feed and then want to change the theme, what then?

This feed by singer Jessica Abari, shows unification in sets of 3 (with editing style and images from the same photo shoot), but also overall because Jessica herself is the theme.

I think a daunting aspect of this is all is permanence.

If you spend the time making your images cohesive with one another and then change your mind, has all of your effort been wasted?

Not at all! It’s quite simple to change your theme. You can choose to gradually shift to your new aesthetic or go bold and post three images in the new style right off the bat and go with that.

Final thoughts

Rachel Lauren’s Instagram Feed. Her feed is unified in both her editing style and theme with the portraits with animals.

Remember that while in the pursuit of unity, don’t lose yourself or who you are as a photographer.

There is a fine line to walk between solely appeasing the masses and ensuring that your individual photography voice is heard. Where that balance is, rests entirely on your own opinion.

As well as this, be wary about appearing too repetitive and monotonous – try to post images that have different compositions or express something new. Being cohesive doesn’t mean being boring.

When you make a unified Instagram feed as a photographer, put your best imaging foot forward first!

The post How to Make a Unified Instagram Feed as a Photographer to Help Support Your Brand appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

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