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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!

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!

Photo by Caz Nowaczyk ©

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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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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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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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.

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.

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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News: Tamron Announces E-Mount Prime Lenses for a Great Price

29 Nov

The post News: Tamron Announces E-Mount Prime Lenses for a Great Price appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

News: Tamron Announces E-Mount Prime Lenses for a Great Price

Last month, Tamron announced three Sony E-mount lenses:

The 20mm f/2.8 Di III
The 24mm f/2.8 Di III
The 35mm f/2.8 Di III

These new E-mount lenses expand the range of glass for Sony mirrorless shooters while making the Sony full-frame lens lineup more affordable for those who can’t justify Sony prices.

In other words: If you’re thinking of switching to Sony but don’t want to pay a premium for full-frame E-mount glass, you have a way in. Each of these lenses is debuting for an ultra-low price of $ 349 USD; compare this to some of Sony’s full-frame E-mount lenses, and you’ll understand why these Tamron offerings are so exciting.

Of course, there’s always a question of optical quality. Can a sub-$ 500 USD lens really be equivalent to Sony’s current 24mm and 35mm glass? The answer is undoubtedly “No,” but not everyone requires the sharpest, fastest, most perfect lenses money can buy. And Tamron has proven themselves to be very capable lens manufacturers in the past, making me think that these lenses will be optically satisfying, even if they can’t go toe-to-toe with some of Sony’s fastest primes.

According to Tamron, we should expect “superb high-resolution performance,” and that “these lenses can be used with complete confidence for a wide range of applications from casual family snaps to serious professional photography.”

While these are bold words from Tamron, I wouldn’t dismiss them out of hand. Plus, Tamron has made sure to include some extra features that make these lenses impressively flexible. For instance, the lenses themselves are relatively small, which makes them ideal for walkaround shooting and travel photography. And all three lenses also offer 1:2 close-focusing capabilities. This won’t get you to true macro magnifications, but you’ll be able to capture some gorgeous close-ups, even as you use the lenses for more general wide-angle photography.

Speaking of wide-angle photography:

For me, the main drawback of this announcement is the lack of focal length diversity. While lenses in the 20-35mm focal length range are undoubtedly useful for a broad range of Sony photographers, I’d have liked to see a telephoto in the mix.

Here’s the bottom line:

For hobbyist and enthusiast photographers who like to work with lightweight wide-angle primes but don’t require f/1.2-f/1.8 apertures, these Tamron lenses are definitely worth a look. The 24mm f/2.8 is available for pre-order, while the 35mm f/2.8 has begun to ship. The 20mm f/2.8 should hit the shelves in January.

What do you think of this announcement? Are you interested in these lenses? Would you have preferred different focal lengths? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post News: Tamron Announces E-Mount Prime Lenses for a Great Price appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals

28 Nov

The post Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

It’s that time of the year – if you’re looking for a good deal, then you’re sure to be on alert for the next few days! Here at dPS we save our best deals for our dPS Holiday Deals over 12 days in December. But in the meantime, here’s a great saving on one of our most popular collection of eBooks.

Save 70% on our Black Friday Cyber Monday Portrait Photography Bundle

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals

Tens of thousands of photographers from all around the world have significantly improved their portrait photography with this series by Gina Milicia. This is your chance to own all 5 eBooks plus some great bonuses:

In this bundle you get Gina’s

5 portrait photography eBooks
14 recipes for amazing portraits
67 printable portrait posing guides
12 bonus Lightroom presets

All up it’s worth $ 123 but today it’s yours for just $ 37!

That’s a SAVING of $ 86 (70% Off).

Check out full details on the books and bonuses now

LEARN MORE

More deals from our partners

And some of our trusted partners have deals of their own too, for which we receive an affiliate commission.

Photzy always have great deals and if you’ve previously missed out on their famous Snap Cards you can get them for 87% off and the newer Action Cards set for 88% off right now on their Black Friday Deals page.

If you recently did our Landscape and Nature Photography course, then definitely check out Johny Spencer’s “Ultimate Lightroom Workflow Bundle”, just $ 37 (save 53%). You’ll get:

80 Lightroom Workflow Presets
10 videos and case studies
Member-only discounts on 3 Colors products
The original RAW files so you can edit along with the videos

Or save 71% on Picture Correct’s Photography Tutorial eBook. An in-depth eBook on how to capture amazing photography anywhere. Over 250 pages of photography tips & tricks from industry insiders.

Looking for Photography Gear Deals?

We took a quick look at what Amazon is offering. We get a commission if you buy anything through our links below, at no extra cost to you.

There is a big sale happening in their Camera, Photo and Video section. Their specials are changing all the time so do check back later to see what else they’ve added. Or take a look at our most popular digital cameras and gear page for some hints as to what others are buying. Many of the cameras listed there are currently on sale at Amazon too.

Also, B&H Photo’s Black Friday Deals can instantly save you $ 600 on a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera Body with Accessory Kit or $ 700 on an Apple 27″ iMac with Retina 5K Display (Mid 2017), plus many more deals!

Happy clicking!

The post Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients

27 Nov

The post How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Marketing yourself as a commercial or editorial photographer means that you need to print a professional portfolio and promotional materials to show clients such as ad agencies, magazines, and major brands that you want to work with.

There seems to be a perception out there that marketing is done solely online these days and that photographers no longer need to print a professional portfolio.

This is not true.

How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients

Some established photographers have a roster of repeat clients that they rely on to keep their businesses afloat. But if you’re looking for new clients, or just entering the industry, you need a printed book to show prospective clients your work.

Yes, a website is an important selling tool, but bringing an iPad to an agency meeting can be perceived as amateurish.

These kinds of top-echelon clients want to see how your work holds up in print, which is far less forgiving than a computer screen. They also enjoy experiencing your work directly through a tangible medium like a printed book.

Maybe you’re not a commercial photographer but shoot consumer, like wedding or portrait photography. In this case, having prints or a printed book to show your clients can also have a positive impact. It can drive your client to buy from you and they are likely to perceive you as a photographer who is head and shoulders above the rest.

how-to-print-a-professional-portfolio

Types of books

Before we dive into the variables around printing your work, let’s talk about the portfolio itself.

As a commercial photographer, your best bet is to purchase a screw-post portfolio where you can add and subtract pages every time you update it with new work.

My portfolio, pictured above, is a bamboo cover screw-post portfolio manufactured by Shrapnel Design. The company is based in Vancouver, Canada, but ship to most countries via FedEx or TNT.

Other companies make similar portfolios for photographers, so do your research and find the best one for you.

The point is that you want to be able to update your portfolio periodically by printing pages of new work and swapping them out.

You can also get a portfolio printed in a photo book. This is a less expensive option, but you’ll need to re-do the whole thing if you want to update your portfolio. Which you should do periodically.

Just be sure to get a high-quality book printed. The design and paper are very important. It needs to be a visual and tactile experience.

A couple of suggestions are the books by Artifact Uprising and Saal Digital.

Get a lay-flat book in landscape orientation and in a large size, such as 14X11.

how-to-print-a-professional-portfolio

Choice of paper

Your choice of paper for your printed book is very important.

The type of paper you choose will really depend on the genre you shoot and which paper will show your work to the best advantage. There are a variety of finishes and weights available.

For my portfolio, I used Smooth Matte Pina Zangaro paper by MOAB. It’s scored and punched for use in all standard format screw-post binders. The paper is archival quality, pH neutral and water-resistant.

Archival quality paper is meant to last. Your prints will not fade and shift quickly when exposed to light.

Some might argue that archival paper is not necessary because you’ll be routinely swapping out your pages if you get a screw-post portfolio. But most good papers are archival quality anyway. Archival paper is more important when you’re selling prints to hang on a wall.

Before you settle on a paper, order some samples from the supplier to check quality or go to the printer you wish to use and take a look at their papers.

Also, make sure that they’ll punch and score the paper for you if it doesn’t already come that way. Otherwise, you can make a mess out of your prints if you don’t know how to do this yourself.

If you purchase a photo book, Eggshell matte paper, like Mohawk Superfine, is a great choice.

how-to-print-a-professional-portfolio

Where to print

Unless you’re already a printing dynamo and have an awesome printer that you paid at least $ 1K for, get your book printed by a professional printer that caters to photographers.

Do your research and, if you can, ask other photographers you might know in your community for their recommendations.

It’s important that you don’t spare expense. Get the best quality printing that you can. The quality of inks can make a big difference in the portrayal of your work.

There are a lot of great online services, but a professional printer in your community can give you personalized service that will make the difference in how your prints turn out. They can advise on papers and inks and any potential problems.

Make sure that you print one of the spreads as a proof before committing to handing over the whole project.

how-to-print-a-professional-portfolio

Monitor calibration

Before you start designing your portfolio, you have to prepare your images.

It goes without saying that you should be working on a calibrated monitor.

This is a step that a lot of people tend to skip, but unless you’re working on a monitor that is rendering colors correctly, you can end up with tones and colors that are way off base once you print them.

Each device will display colors differently. Calibrating your monitor will make sure what you’re seeing is correct, and that you and your printer are both following a standard that will ensure the same result.

A color calibration device like Color Munki is easy to use. Calibrate your screen regularly and definitely before you print anything or send images to clients. If they complain that the images don’t look right, you’ll know that what you sent them is correct.

How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients

Color management and resolution

You need to prepare your images properly when sending them to a printer.

Always check with your printer before preparing your files. Ask them the format and color space that they need your files in.

This will be dependent on the type of printer they use. If they use a printing press, they will likely require your file in CMYK.

However, if they use large format printers with up to 10-inks, they may require anything from Adobe RGB through to ProPhoto.

Using the TIFF file format is usually better than using the JPG format, as it does not compress the image data. But again, check with your printer.

You’ll also need to send the printer high-resolution images, with at least 300 dpi (dots-per-inch). The more dots, the higher the quality of the print in terms of detail and sharpness.

For more in-depth information on this, read: How to Prepare Images For Publication – Part One

How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients

Conclusion

To print a professional portfolio can be very costly. This is a case where you need to spend money to make money. If you want to attract the clients with the deeper pockets, you’ll need to get in front of them with a professional-looking book that shows your beautiful photography in the best light.

Do you have any other tips on how to print a professional portfolio that you’d like to share? Do so in the comments section!

The post How to Print a Professional Portfolio So You Can Impress Your Clients appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

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8 Tips to Minimize Memory Card Problems

27 Nov

The post 8 Tips to Minimize Memory Card Problems appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Memory cards are a crucial component of digital photography. Here are 8 tips to help minimize memory card problems.

The unfortunate result of a memory card issue

What is a memory card?

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A memory card is a storage accessory that records the image data you make while taking photographs with a digital camera.

Square or rectangular in shape, a memory card slots into your camera and reads/writes each image file you create.

At the end of a shoot, the memory card can be removed from the camera and connected to a computer where images are then transferred for viewing, editing and storage.

There are many different memory cards built to suit different needs, camera models and budgets.

To have an in-depth look at memory card specifications, check out our article here.

Memory cards are no doubt an amazing piece of technology, but they do require care. Fortunately, a bit of research can help minimize memory card problems.

1. Use a good card reader

As I mentioned before, there are various types of memory cards, each with different specifications and levels of quality. There are also card readers of different qualities to match.

Card readers are the devices that transfer data from the memory card to your computer.

While card readers seem like a pretty straight-forward piece of equipment, you don’t want to run the risk of corrupting files as you upload them to the computer.

Investing in a good memory card reader can save a lot of stress down the road.

2. Purchase quality cards

Uh, oh…the result of using a cheap memory card. Unfortunately, this image couldn’t be saved.

Purchasing a good memory card is key to safeguarding your images. While quality cards may be more expensive, a cheap memory card can compromise your photography.

Brands like SanDisk and Lexar are a go-to for professional photographers. Steer away from deals that look ‘too good to be true’ or obscure brands with poor reviews.

3. Eject your memory card from the computer safely

8 Tips to Minimize Memory Card Problems

While it might seem harmless to remove your memory card from the computer without ejecting, you could be putting your next shoot at risk.

Not ejecting your card may result in corrupted data or card failure. To minimize memory card problems, always eject your card through the computer before removing it.

4. Turn your camera off before removing your memory card

Another simple way to minimize memory card problems is to turn your camera off before removing your card. Removing your memory card while the camera is still on can interrupt the writing process and potentially corrupt your image files.

In addition, avoid shooting while your camera battery is low. If your camera runs out of power while reading/writing it can be detrimental to all the data on your memory card.

5. Don’t completely fill your card with images

It sounds counter-intuitive, if you have the space, why not fill the card…right?

The fact is, just like a maxed-out hard drive, a card nearing capacity under-performs, and this can compromise your images.

To avoid this issue, invest in a large memory card, keep an eye on your image-count, don’t fill your card over 85-90% capacity, and always have a spare card at the ready.

6. Don’t switch devices without formatting

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Switching a memory card into different camera devices risks compatibility issues that can corrupt the data of the whole card.

If you need to change equipment, formatting a card before use or using a new memory card is the safest way to go.

7. Don’t delete files in-camera

If you take a photograph you aren’t too keen on, it’s tempting to erase the image then and there. However, deleting photographs individually in-camera can result in corrupted images.

Going through and deleting images can also soak up valuable shooting time. Wait till you have uploaded your files to the computer before you start deleting content.

8. Format your memory card before using it

8 Tips to Minimize Memory Card Problems

At the start of a new shoot, you want a memory card that is ready to read/write plenty of new data.

To do this properly, it’s a good idea to format your card in-camera first.

Selecting the format option in your camera menu will clear the card, readying it for new image files.

Formatting before a shoot also minimizes the likelihood of scrambling new images with lingering data left on the card from previous shoots.

Conclusion

Memory cards are amazing little pieces of technology. With a few simple steps, you can minimize memory card problems, allowing you to focus your attention on image-making instead!

Do you have any other tips for minimizing memory card problems? Or have you had corrupted cards and lost files? Share with us your tips and stories in the comments.

The post 8 Tips to Minimize Memory Card Problems appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

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Back to Basics: Deciphering Shutter Speed and Motion

27 Nov

The post Back to Basics: Deciphering Shutter Speed and Motion appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

One of the things I love about photography is its simplicity. Now, I know that might be a contested statement in today’s seemingly endless world of digital photography. There are hundreds of cameras, likely thousands of lenses and virtually limitless combinations of the two. Not only that, but there are so many ways we can use our cameras. Landscapes, portraiture, street photography, architectural, abstract, wildlife, nature…the list continues. And yet, for all it’s technological and creative facets, the basics of photography remain alarmingly simple even today.

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The principles of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO constitute something called the “Exposure Triangle” and yes, I know, you’ve probably heard of it before today. The thing is, it is often these most fundamental nuances of photography that present themselves with the most difficulties, especially for beginners (and some pro) in photography.

It’s shutter speed and motion that we will be discussing today in this edition of “Back to Basics”. To be more precise, we’re going to be talking about the ways shutter speed relates to motion so that you will gain a more concrete understanding of how shutter speed affects your photos.

Shutter speed or shutter time?

Many years have passed since then, but I still remember how confused I was the first time I understood that shutter speed had absolutely nothing to do with how fast the shutter of my camera opened and closed.

Up until then, I had intuitively assumed that some cameras were simply made with faster shutters than others. I mean, come on, give me a break! I was new.

Anyway, I finally realized that shutter speed refers to the amount of time the shutter remains open…and not how fast it mechanically opens or shuts. So many concepts about shutter speed seemed to click (pun intended) in my mind.

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One of the greatest epiphanies brought about by this sudden revelation was the direct relationship between the time the shutter is open and how apparent subject motion became within my images. In reality, Einstein was right when he put forth that everything is indeed relative.

So, in a way, there are no slow or fast shutter speeds. There are only longer or shorter shutter times relative to the inherent motion of your camera and subject.

Let’s drill down a little deeper on this.

Shutter speed and the effects of motion

For just a moment, let’s pretend you are the fastest runner in the world – absolutely no other human can beat you in a race. That’s great.

But now I want you to picture yourself running next to a cheetah.

Suddenly, your speed doesn’t seem quite so fast, but let’s not stop there. Let’s say that cheetah decides to race the world’s fastest jet plane, and the jet wins every time. Then put that furiously fast jet up against the speed of light, and, well, you get the idea.

The point is, your camera’s shutter speed interacts with motion in the exact same fashion.

Back to Basics: Deciphering Shutter Speed and Motion

A shutter speed (or think shutter time) of 1 second is no problem at all when your camera is mounted securely on a tripod. Take the camera off the tripod and shoot handheld at the same shutter speed, and it becomes difficult not to introduce camera shake into the image.

The same is true for subject movement; we can blur or freeze motion depending on our selected shutter speed.

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Perceivable subject motion is due to the relationship between the amount of time the shutter is open and the speed of the subject itself.

Practical examples

Let’s pick a shutter speed randomly; we’ll say it’s 1/60th of a second. If you’re shooting a still object which has absolutely no motion in relation to your camera, like this switched off ceiling fan, then everything appears calm and still.

Back to Basics: Deciphering Shutter Speed and Motion

For the time being, we’re just going to pretend that you love shooting photos of ceiling fans. So you decide to snap another image with the fan now switched on, and the situation changes.

The blades of the fan are now moving through space much faster than 1/60th of a second shutter speed can capture with the result being perceived blurring of the blades.

At 1/60th of a second, the blades have blurred

This is where Einstein sweeps in to save us. All we have to do to take control of the motion of the blades is to make our shutter speed faster than the speed of those ceiling fan blades. Let’s dial it in.

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At 1/125th of a second, the motion begins to become less pronounced…

Image: …and 1/500th of a second all but completely freezes the motion of the blades. Another s...

…and 1/500th of a second all but completely freezes the motion of the blades. Another stop faster (1/1000th) and the motion would be completed arrested.

The implications of this are absolutely profound for you and your photography. Once you understand that shutter speed is the deciding factor in controlling the amount of perceived subject motion in your images, you can then control how apparent that motion appears in your photo.

How does shutter speed relate to ISO and aperture?

So how exactly does the shutter speed play into the whole Exposure Triangle thing? I’m glad you asked.

All of the pieces of the Triangle: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed; all of them determine the amount and duration of light that enters your camera. Each of these factors complements each other in that you can achieve similar exposure outcomes by adjusting the variables in relation to one another. In our case, since we’re dealing with shutter speed, we’ll be needing to adjust our aperture and/or ISO to compensate for our shutter speed selection.

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Entire articles (and books) here at Digital Photography School have been written on each of these subjects, so I’ll be brief. But be sure to check out this cool cheat sheet on the Exposure Triangle for more info.

Simply put, for every full stop of adjustment in shutter speed you make, you are either doubling or halving the amount of light which enters your camera. This means a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second is twice as fast and lets in half the amount of light as 1/125th of a second.

Alternatively, a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second is approximately twice as slow as 1/125th, and therefore lets in double the amount of light. So, 1/250th of a second is one stop faster than 1/125th of a second with 1/60th of a second being one stop slower.

You still might be saying, “but what does this have to do with aperture and ISO?” We’re about to find out, I promise.

The connection comes into play when you realize that ISO and aperture are also measured in stops, albeit in slightly different ways, but in stops nonetheless. This means that we can directly relate shutter speed to our ISO and aperture by thinking in terms of stops.

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Let’s say we are shooting a moving subject at 1/60th of a second at F/5.6 and ISO 100. The image is exposed correctly, but the subject is blurred. We find that a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second (two stops faster) will freeze the motion, but it also leaves our scene underexposed by two stops since we have effectively decreased the amount of light by a factor of four.

To maintain our exposure, we must somehow compensate for the reduced amount of light from the faster shutter speed by either increasing the ISO by two stops or shoot an aperture that is two stops wider than F/5.6. So to maintain the same exposure, our new exposure settings would be either 1/250th of a second at F/2.8 and ISO 100 or 1/250th of a second at F/5.6 and ISO 400.

Some considerations for shutter speed

Here are a few helpful tips that you should keep in mind when it comes to shutter speed. Some of these are simply good everyday practices, and others might be new to you.

The longer the focal length of your lens (higher zoom), the more apparent subject motion and camera shake will become. So plan accordingly if you are intending to employ longer shutter speeds by making sure you have a sturdy tripod and even a remote shutter release for your camera.
At times there will be situations when you can’t equalize your exposure using your camera settings alone and still achieve the level of motion you want for your final photos. This is where a good quality neutral density filter will truly be worth its weight in gold. I recommend keeping at least one in your bag no matter what sort of photography you shoot.
When shooting long exposures of the night sky, make use of the “600 Rule” to approximate the longest shutter time possible before stars begin to streak based upon your lenses’ focal length. The 600 Rule states that 600 dived by your focal length will give you an approximate maximum shutter speed from which you can base your other exposure factors.
Reduce camera shake when shooting handheld by implementing what’s known as the “Reciprocity Rule”. Simply put, this guideline states that you should not shoot a shutter speed which is slower than 1 over your focal length. This means that with a full-frame sensor and an 85mm lens, you should never shoot slower than 1/85th of a second. If you’re using a crop sensor camera, then the formula would be 1 over (focal length x sensor crop factor). You can find the crop factors for virtually all digital camera sensors with a quick web search.
Use mirror-lockup (if your camera has this feature) when making long exposures. In DSLR/SLR cameras, the mirror mechanism flips out of the way during exposure. This can cause camera shake, especially when using a lightweight camera and lens setup. Mirror-lockup moves the mirror out of the way prior to exposure so that the camera remains as steady as possible.
Cover your viewfinder during extremely long exposures. Much like mirror-lockup, DLSR/SLR cameras make use of an optical viewfinder which means light can creep in through the viewfinder during long exposures. It’s a good idea to cover the viewfinder with tape, a lens cloth, or the dedicated viewfinder cover that comes attached to some camera straps should you be shooting ultra-long exposures (upwards of a minute or more) to ensure stray light doesn’t ruin your exposure. Some older film DSLR cameras actually have a build-in viewfinder cover for this exact reason.

Summing up shutter speed

If you’re just getting into photography, I hope this article on deciphering shutter speed and motion helps to demystify some of the enigma surrounding shutter speed (time) and aids you in becoming a more confident photo maker.

If you’re a seasoned photographer, then hopefully the information here will serve as a gentle refresher course on just how simple it is to control your photos using only the most basic of photographic principles.

Shutter speed is directly related to motion and therefore becomes a relative construct based on the inherent motion in our scene (or camera). Depending on the desired outcome, we can control the perception of this motion using our shutter speed.

Shutter speeds that are relatively slower than the motion in the scene will cause blurring. Shutter speeds relatively faster than the motion within the scene will freeze that motion. That is truly priceless knowledge, and once you learn how shutter speed interacts with aperture and ISO, you will be able to have virtually complete control over your photography. Once you understand the basic fundamentals of photo making, everything else becomes almost secondary.

Do you have any other tips on shutter speed and motion that you would like to share? Please do so in the comments!

The post Back to Basics: Deciphering Shutter Speed and Motion appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

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How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website

26 Nov

The post How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matthew Grahame.

The internet is a very visual medium. You could have the most beautifully written copy, but photos convert customers. In this online shopping era, visitors rely on photos to prove the quality and value of your products. So they can mean the difference between a sale and a pass. To make your products stand out in a sea of e-commerce sites, here’s a guide to taking beautiful product photos like a pro:

What makes beautiful product photos?

The best product photos are clear and detailed, with no distracting backgrounds or features. To make sure the focus is on the products, take your photos against a white background. This not only draws the viewer’s attention to the item they’re thinking about purchasing, but it allows for consistency across your range and website.

How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website

Speaking of consistency, try to photograph your products in the same light. And to help your shoppers better visualize the products, snap them from as many angles as possible. This is the next best thing to seeing the products in person.

By experimenting with different angles, it’ll also give you an idea of which photo should be the main or ‘hero’ image.

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Practical tips and techniques for product photography

1. Use the right gear

If you have a choice between a smartphone and a mirrorless or DSLR camera, reach for the dedicated camera. As sophisticated as smartphones are these days, a professional camera will help you to do your product justice.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a camera. All modern mirrorless and DSLR cameras capture high-quality photos and are fitted out with manual features that you can play around with for your shoot (more on this in a minute).

To improve your e-commerce site, consider investing in these accessories, too:

Suitable camera lens

Depending on your camera, you may be able to switch out the lenses as needed. If you’re photographing products close-up, a macro lens will help you to showcase the finer details. On the other hand, prime lenses are capable of shallower depths of field, so they’re brilliant for highlighting specific parts of your product. They also separate the foreground from the background for crisper photos.

Avoid wide lenses (like the ones you might use for landscape photography), because they’ll distort your products.

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Tripod

A sturdy tripod will leave you with sharp, blur-free photos and allow you to comfortably shoot from all angles. A standard tripod with a three-way head should do the trick. If you’re setting up a product photography table, a mini tabletop tripod is a cheaper option.

White background

As we mentioned, a plain white background is the best starting point for professional product photography. You can purchase a high-quality background. Alternatively, if you’re going down the DIY route, a roll of white paper from your local art store will work just as well.

Set up the paper as a sweep, and use strong tape to hang your makeshift background. The major benefit of a sweep is that if it gets dirty, you can just cut off the dirty part and roll a new piece down.

How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website

Lighting

Whether you’re using natural light or artificial lighting, to get the best shot, you’ll need to eliminate harsh shadows. A reflector or bounce card is an inexpensive and effective way to direct light in your favor and minimize shadows.

If you choose artificial lighting, try to avoid the built-in camera flash – it may produce dark shadows. Instead, go for external lighting options, such as a camera-mounted flashgun, LED lights, or a larger studio lighting setup.

The goal is soft, even lighting, so experiment with fill-light and bounce to find what works for you and your products.

Pro Tip: Think about your workspace. You’ll need a table to display your products on. We suggest positioning it in front of a wall and preferably by a window to make the most of the natural light.

2. Adjust your shooting style for product photography

Now that you’re all set up, it’s time to start shooting! If you’re new to photography, or attempting product photography for the first time, patience is key. Like any type of photography, it can take a while to get the hang of it – but these tips should help.

Switch on Manual Mode

Many of us are used to letting the camera do the work for us, but shooting in manual is a valuable skill.

By tweaking the settings, you’re more likely to end up with photos that suit your desired style. If you’re familiar with manual settings, start by changing your f/stop to a higher number (for the greatest depth of field), and adjust your exposure until you’re happy with the preview image.

If you’re not completely comfortable with manual mode, try using Aperture Priority. With this setting, all you have to do is set the aperture – and your camera does the rest. Again, a smaller aperture will keep your products crisp and in focus.

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Snap lots of photos

The more options you have at the end of the day, the better! For a photographer, there’s nothing worse than flipping through your photos later on, only to realize that your hero shot isn’t as good as you thought it was, or you’ve forgotten to shoot from a certain angle.

Step outside for some lifestyle photos

Seal the deal with a few photos of your product in action. These are called ‘lifestyle’ or ‘in-context’ images, and they’re great for reminding viewers why they clicked through to your site in the first place. They add life to your products, and you could probably do with the air by now anyway!

Make sure the backdrop matches the products. For example, whimsical summer clothes work well with natural landscapes, while suitcases might suit a busy city setting.

3. Spend time on post-production

Post-production is crucial for putting the finishing touches on your images. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Once you’ve chosen a set of images you’re happy with, edit them for polish. This could mean tweaking the exposure, correcting the color, or removing flaws or mannequins.

To begin, learn the post-production basics, including levels and curves. When you’re ready, consider enrolling in an editing course.

Pro Tip: For uniformity, choose a size to crop and output your images at, and stick with that across your website.

How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website

Take product photos like a pro

Entice your customers to click ‘add to cart’ with beautiful product photos. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating beautiful product photos – and save money in the process!

The post How to Take Beautiful Product Photos for Your E-Commerce Website appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matthew Grahame.

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