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Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

On Assignment: Alley Cat

22 Nov

When Indian photographer (and Strobist reader) Nayan Khanolkar first graced the halls of Lighting 101 as a newb in 2010, he hardly could have known what just the next few years would have in store for him.

Fast forward to 2016, when he finds himself setting up his Nikon D7000 and a few speedlights in a local alley in suburban Mumbai to capture one of the apparently free-roaming leopards that frequent the area.

Curiosity piqued? Good. Read on…Read more »
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DIY Photography Hacks and Accessories You Can Make at Home

22 Nov

Everyone loves buying new gear, but not the bills that go with it. So why not try making some of your own accessories? Here are three videos that will give you some ideas for DIY photography hacks you can make at home.

some-diy-photography-hacks-and-accessories-you-can-make-at-home

This first one is from the guys over at COOPH (Cooperative of Photography). They present for you:

9 Easy Tricks and Hacks to Up Your DIY Photography Game

I won’t give it all away, you have to watch the video. But they make some pretty cool stuff including a bokeh wall, a shower curtain diffuser, and a pinhole camera.

6 DIY Filters from Sony

Sony brings us six ways to make DIY filters to soften and shape the light. These are fun!

And finally, . . .

7 Tricks everyone with a camera should know

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How to do Light Painting by Rotating the Camera

22 Nov

Circular lines are a great way to draw your viewer into the photo. The animation artists knew what they were doing with the Looney Tunes design. A similar effect is possible in photography through a process known as kinetic light painting. This technique involves moving the camera around in front of stationary lights, creating a pattern in your photo. If you use camera rotation you can create circular light lines.

rotation-light-painting11

This photograph in Hong Kong has been taken many times now, the use of rotation during the long exposure gives the photo a different aesthetic.

How to take rotation light painting photos

  1. Scout a location which has lots of light, you are looking for tall buildings or big architectural structures.
  2. Set up the camera on a tripod, looking straight up. You can set the camera at an angle between 45 degrees to straight up. The worm’s eye view works very well for this technique.
  3. Choose a wide-angle lens, or even a fish-eye for this photo. A kit lens will work but use the widest focal length.
  4. Now compose your photograph, and focus the image. Use an angle finder or live view to help you do this.
  5. Make a mental note of the position of your camera on the tripod, if your tripod head shows the number of degrees of rotation jot this number down. The aim is to rotate the tripod head, starting and finishing in the same position.
A bridge in Busan is photographed using a fish-eye lens in conjunction with kinetic light painting. A shallower angle was used here, perhaps around 45 degrees.

A bridge in Busan is photographed using a fish-eye lens in conjunction with kinetic light painting. A shallower angle was used here, perhaps around 45 degrees.

A bridge in Busan is photographed using a fish-eye lens in conjunction with kinetic light painting. A shallower angle was used here, perhaps around 45 degrees.

The same scene without the rotation.

The CBD area of Singapore has many locations where a worms eye view looks good. The light rotation adds an extra element to this photo.

The CBD area of Singapore has many locations where a worm’s eye view looks good. The light rotation adds an extra element to this photo.

  1. Set the camera to expose for 30 seconds, and adjust the aperture and ISO to get the correct exposure value in the photo. The exposure value should be 0 or +1, this is because you’ll lose some of the light exposing the buildings during the light painting.
  2. Use the camera’s self-timer to start the exposure, and set it to 10 seconds.
  3. Start to rotate the camera around the axis of the tripod just before the exposure begins. The rotation has to me smooth, and last for between two and five seconds.
  4. Make sure you finish the rotation at the same position where you started by watching the degrees of rotation on your tripod.
  5. The camera then has around 25 seconds to capture the structures in your scene.
Using a more horizontal angle allows you to paint light through the scene, again this is a unique way of capturing the iconic Singapore skyline.

Using a more horizontal angle allows you to paint light through the scene, again this is a unique way of capturing the iconic Singapore skyline.

If you prefer to see how this is done visually, watched the video below:

Why use circular light painting?

Those who like long exposure will know about light painting, though not everyone is familiar with kinetic light painting. Getting great photos requires a bit of experimentation, hence the need to try out new techniques from time to time.

Kinetic light painting is a great way of creating dynamic photos, which have a futuristic feel. The image you take is likely to be from a worm’s eye view, in an urban setting. Therefore using a technique that adds lights and patterns to your scene can look good. You will also find that many people have already taken photos from the most popular locations. So techniques like this allow you to give your photo a different slant.

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The light patterns in this photo have given this scene a lot of energy. A slightly shallower angle than straight up was used here.

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This is a worm’s eye view of the same skyscrapers in Shanghai, without using any light painting.

rotation-light-painting04

Where can I try this technique?

The best place to try this type of technique is near skyscrapers, though if you don’t have any near you then tall apartment buildings can work as well. Any tall architectural structure that’s lit could work for you, as long as you can get underneath it, and it shows in the frame with a wide angle lens.

You don’t live in the city? No problem you can head to your nearest forest and use the trees in place of skyscrapers. If you use trees the shot will be daytime, and you’ll be painting the sunlight shining through the leaf canopy. There may be too much light during the day to make a long exposure; therefore consider using an ND filter to reduce the amount of light coming into the camera.

It's possible to use this technique under, or in this case in a leaf canopy. This is the Jungle at Mulu national park, Malaysia.

It’s possible to use this technique under, or in this case in, a leaf canopy. This is the Jungle at Mulu national park, Malaysia.

Another photo from the super trees in Singapore, this time aiming strait up.

Another photo from the super trees in Singapore, this time aiming straight up.

rotation-light-painting01

Malaysia’s Petronas twin towers, partial rotation.

Get kinetic, and get light painting!

It’s a great idea to experiment with photography. Trying out long exposure techniques such as this one will only improve your work. It can help you to get unique images that other people won’t have seen; therefore you’ll generate a lot more interest in your work. Having a tripod, and access to a city is really a prerequisite of a style like this one. I look forward to seeing your work. If you have any other idea’s of how you can light paint using your camera please share them in the comments section below.

I look forward to seeing your work. If you have any other idea’s of how you can light paint using your camera please share them in the comments section below.

Scene without rotation.

Scene without rotation.

The super trees found in Singapore's garden by the bay make a great subject for kinetic light painting as they have so many lights.

The super trees found in Singapore’s garden by the bay make a great subject for kinetic light painting as they have so many lights.

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27 Structurally Sound Photos of Architecture

16 Nov

Buildings and architecture can tell you a lot about a location. Whether it’s urban or rural, an ancient city, or modern metropolis, and a lot more. It can be full of clean elegant flowing lines, or intricate details.

How you capture architecture in your photography depends on your style and likes. Let’s see how these 27 photographers chose to capture it in their images.

Alexcoitus

By alexcoitus

Pablo Fernández

By Pablo Fernández

Billy Wilson

By Billy Wilson

David McKelvey

By David McKelvey

Premnath Thirumalaisamy

By Premnath Thirumalaisamy

Perceptions (off)

By perceptions (off)

Perceptions (off)

By perceptions (off)

Dave Graham

By dave graham

Perceptions (off)

By perceptions (off)

Jovan J

By Jovan J

Tony Brooks

By Tony Brooks

GorVlad

By GorVlad

Karol Franks

By Karol Franks

Daryl Sawatzky

By Daryl Sawatzky

Jonathan Gill

By Jonathan Gill

Mark Weston

By Mark Weston

Loïc Lagarde

By Loïc Lagarde

Henrik Johansson

By Henrik Johansson

Perceptions (off)

By perceptions (off)

Mike

By Mike

Thomas Hawk

By Thomas Hawk

Daniel Mennerich

By Daniel Mennerich

Hatoriz Kwansiripat

By Hatoriz Kwansiripat

Martin Wölfle

By Martin Wölfle

Sswj

By sswj

Nikos Niotis

By Nikos Niotis

Andrew Moore

By Andrew Moore

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Architecture

16 Nov

Earlier I shared 27 images of architecture. Check them out and then get ready to find some of your own to shoot.

Farrukh

By Farrukh

Weekly Photography Challenge – Architecture

If you need some tips for shooting architecture, check out these articles:

  • Tips for Different Approaches to Architecture Photography
  • How to Create Stunning Architecture Photography by Painting with Light
  • 8 Quick Tips to Improve Your Photos of Architectural Details
  • The Most Under-Valued Editing Tool for Architectural Photos
  • 6 Tips to Take Your Architecture Photography to the Next Level
Frank Friedrichs

By Frank Friedrichs

* Polly *

By * Polly *

Miroslav Petrasko

By Miroslav Petrasko

Share your images below:

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. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

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

Jean-François Gornet

By Jean-François Gornet

Marc Cornelis

By marc cornelis

Never House

By Never House

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How to Use DNG Files on Your iPhone With Lightroom Mobile, RAW or ProCam 4

16 Nov

The recent release of iOS 10 saw an important update to the iPhone’s operating system for photographers. If you own an iPhone with a 12-megapixel camera (that is an iPhone 6S/Plus, iPhone 7/Plus, iPhone SE or even an iPad Pro 9.7) the operating system now allows third party camera apps to save photos in the DNG format. That’s excellent news for iPhone photographers as it means that you can now realize the potential of your phone’s camera.

iPhone DNG file

Image quality improvements

The advantage of using DNG (rather than JPEG) as the file format is that you can process the DNG files in Lightroom (or your software of choice). This gives you much greater control over noise reduction and sharpening, as well as color and tonal adjustments. Photos processed by the iPhone and saved in JPEG format often suffer from smearing caused by noise reduction, especially if taken in low light. Using DNG lets you avoid that.

This photo was taken at ISO 125 (fairly high for an iPhone, whose lowest ISO setting is 25) using the JPEG format (all other photos in this article are from DNG files).

iPhone DNG file

This 100% magnification from part of the image shows the smearing caused by the iPhone’s processing. To me, it looks like someone has applied a filter in Photoshop that is meant to make the photo look like a painting.

iPhone DNG file

This photo was taken at ISO 250 using the DNG format. A smartphone camera is not the best tool for shooting in low light, but I wanted to test the camera under these conditions.

iPhone DNG file

This is a 100% magnification. I processed the photo using Lightroom’s default noise reduction settings. There is plenty of noise (exaggerated by the increased Clarity needed to get the best out of iPhone files) but no smearing.

iPhone DNG file

DNG files are also much better for converting to black and white than JPEG files. Black and white shooters will appreciate the ability to process their own Raw files and not rely on the camera’s software to do it.

Here’s a black and white version of the opening photo that I made using Lightroom for conversion.

iPhone DNG file

What you need to know

The important thing you need to know is that, at the time of writing, the iPhone’s native Camera app doesn’t have the ability to save your photos in the Raw format. You need a third-party one. Let’s take a look at some of the choices available.

Lightroom mobile

Lightroom mobile lets you take, save, and process DNG files on your iPhone. This is brilliant if you’re a Lightroom CC subscriber as it lets you take full advantage of all of Lightroom mobile’s features.

The only disadvantage of using Lightroom mobile is that the photos you take are stored within the Lightroom mobile app and not in the Camera Roll. That means you can’t download your DNG files by connecting your iPhone to your computer using the lightning cable.

Please note: If you’re not a Lightroom CC subscriber, you can still download Lightroom mobile for your iPhone and use it to take Raw photos. However – and this is very important – there is no way to save the Raw files to your Camera Roll or get at them without a CC subscription. I understand that Adobe software engineers are working on a solution to this, and hopefully, it will be implemented in a future version of Lightroom mobile.

iPhone DNG file

How it works

Lightroom mobile uploads photos taken with the camera, to Adobe’s servers. These are then downloaded by Lightroom desktop or Lightroom mobile on another device such as a tablet. You can set Lightroom mobile to sync only over wi-fi networks, so you don’t have to worry about using up data. But, given that DNG files are larger than JPEG files, it does mean that if you take photos in any volume it’s going to take a while for them to synchronize across devices.

Lightroom mobile’s camera app is a little more sophisticated than the iPhone’s camera app and lets you set white balance and exposure compensation.

As we’ve seen, Lightroom mobile works well under the right circumstances. But if you’re not a CC subscriber or you don’t have fast wi-fi, then you may want to look elsewhere for an app that lets you save photo files in the DNG format.

iPhone DNG file

RAW

500px have released a free camera app called RAW that lets you capture DNG files and edit them on your phone. The RAW app lets you create model releases, upload and license your photos on the 500px website, and use filters created by other RAW app users to process your photos.

The app also lets you save DNG files to the Camera Roll. So that you can download them by connecting your iPhone to your computer without having to rely on a wi-fi connection. You can only do this one at a time, though. So it’s a time-consuming process if you shoot a lot of photos. The camera in the app itself is also quite limited – you can tap on the screen to select the focus point but that’s the only control you have over the camera.

iPhone DNG file

VSCO Cam

The VSCO Cam app (also free, AND available for Android users too!) doesn’t support DNG yet but according to a recent press release DNG support is coming in a future update (date unspecified).

I’m looking forward to this, because the VSCO Cam camera app is quite clever and lets you adjust the exposure, white balance, and flash settings, as well as display a grid and a spirit level on the screen. You can download free presets to process your images (or buy others). But the big advantage is that it saves photos automatically to the Camera Roll, so you can download your DNG files directly from your iPhone if you want, without having to rely on a wi-fi connection.

iPhone DNG file

ProCam 4

If you’re looking for a sophisticated iPhone camera app that supports Raw, saves your DNG files to the Camera Roll, and gives you full manual control over the camera, then I recommend the ProCam 4 app.

It costs a few dollars to buy ($ 4.99) but is well worth the expenditure. This app lets you adjust ISO, shutter speed and white balance. It also lets you save the same photo in both JPEG and DNG formats in the Camera Roll.

If you take photos in any volume, then the ProCam 4 app is the best one that I’ve used for the iPhone. All you have to do to transfer your DNG files to your computer is connect the iPhone with the lightning cable and import the files using Lightroom (or the computer’s own software). It’s much quicker and easier than waiting for Lightroom mobile to synchronize files, or using the RAW app and saving your photos to the Camera Roll one by one.

iphone-dng-8

Disadvantages of DNG

Are there any disadvantages to using Raw on an iPhone? The only one that I can think of is that DNG files are larger than JPEGs and require more storage space. If you have an iPhone with 64GB or more storage space I don’t think this will be a problem. But if you have 32GB or less, then space management may become an issue if you have lots of DNGs.

More to come in the future

Before we finish I think that it’s important to note that the ability to save DNG files on an iPhone is such a new feature that developers are still rushing to take advantage of it. Expect the apps mentioned in this article to be updated and improved, and for more apps to take advantage of this new feature in the future.

All photos in this article were taken with an iPhone SE and processed in Lightroom.

Do you have an iPhone that lets you use the DNG format? Which apps do you use to take DNG photos? Let us know in the comments.

Editor’s note: There are several Android phones which can shoot RAW files in the DNG format as well. If you have an Android do a google search to find options for your brand and model.


If you’d like to learn more about processing photos in Lightroom then please check out my Mastering Lightroom ebooks.

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New 2016 Annual dPS Reader Survey – Tell Us More About You

16 Nov

At dPS we value you, our readers, above all else. We want to help you take better pictures.

By doing this survey you will be helping dPS serve you better. By knowing what kinds of things are you struggling with, and the types of articles you want to see we can work toward providing more of what you need to move your photography forward.

We value your time, and you, as our regular reader and always strive to improve – you will help us by completing this form, for which we will be especially grateful.

Click on this link, or the image below to start the survey.

FEAT.-JOHN-SMITH.-CREATIVE-DIRECTOR..png

 

Thank you for your continued support and being a dPS reader. We wish you all the success on your photography journey.

The dPS Management Team

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How to Improve Your Photography by Shooting Behind the Scenes of a Short Film Shoot

15 Nov

For any creative photographer, shooting behind the scenes of a short film sounds like a boring idea. That’s what I thought until my friend called me to shoot for one of his school projects (he is in a film school and had to shoot three sequences). I wasn’t going to refuse so I showed up that day and little did I know, I ended up learning so many things and got to meet a lot of people. The best part is that I took some of the best images since I first picked up my camera.

Article bts short film

Here are some reasons why you should consider shooting behind the scenes images and how it can benefit your photography:

#1 – It’s an opportunity for a photoshoot

During a shoot for a short film, most of the actors are used to modeling and aren’t afraid of a camera. There is a director of photography who works on the lighting, and there is a make-up artist (of course there are more people on set who take care of the sound, costumes, assistant, etc.). A short film is basically a photo shoot but instead of taking images, people act and they are being filmed.

Actors have their costumes, they have had their hair and make-up done, and the director of photography just did the entire lighting for you. You have to see it as an advantage because they spend weeks planning and you’re just here to take beautiful photos with perfect conditions. I took my most beautiful images during short films and I would not have had been able to reproduce the scenes, costumes, and ambience on my own.

Article bts short film1

Article bts short film9

Even if you don’t really like the theme or would rather plan a photoshoot on your own, trying other people’s ideas can also put you out of your comfort zone and help you progress.

#2 – You’re surrounded with creatives

Working with other creatives has helped me so much. The best thing is the shared interest and not wanting to disappoint. Working with people who want to create gives you an extra boost and it pushes you to do your best. Most people on a film crew need these images. Looking at all the work they put into creating their projects, whether it’s for auditions to find the perfect actors, negotiating to borrow super expensive filming equipment, let’s not forget the make-up artists who stay on set all day, and all the detailed planning of the sequences. You can’t really disappoint with average images, so you automatically try to get stunner shots.

Article bts short film12

article-bts-short-film6

It’s quite difficult because you can only take images after the scenes when the actors are briefed by the film director. So they’re not actually posing for you, you just have to walk around without attracting any attention to get some nice images. Do not take any images when the video camera is rolling. The sound of your shutter can throw a whole scene away, and trust me you do not want to be in that situation. Just patiently wait for the director to say cut and then you can start taking your images.

Article bts short film13

When an actor is not included in a scene, you can kindly ask them to pose for you. Most of them need portraits for their website or their portfolios so they will most likely say yes. If they say no, just tell them that if they change their minds, you’re always fine with taking portraits.

Article bts short film3

Article bts short film5

#3 – You may get to work with these people on future projects

A whole day of filming can take up to eight hours or more. You’re going to meet a lot of people (depending on the size of the crew) and you will have a lot of time to get to know everyone. I would highly recommend socializing during the breaks over a cup of coffee and getting to know everyone. Most of them have the same passion as you, whether it’s the assistant or the sound team, you can speak about previous or future projects, have tech discussions about camera gear, you name it.

The actors are the most talkative, especially when they have a few hours without any scenes. Tell them about your photography. If you like their profile ask them if they would like to have a photoshoot with you in the coming weeks. The make-up artists are also great contacts to have, take their business card and contact them for your next photo shoot if you need someone for make-up and hair.

Article bts short film8

One make-up artist I met had a little girl who wanted to start modeling. We met a couple weeks later and I photographed her daughter. I ended up having a solid image that went directly into my portfolio.

Get your images ready to show them quickly

One tip I can give is to work on the images as soon as possible. Once these people see your images they will start spreading the word to other people in their school or entourage, share your images on social media, etc. (that is of course if you had good results). You will probably end up being Facebook friends with most of the crew and you can keep in contact that way.

Article bts short film2

Article bts short film11

Most of them will post on Facebook or directly contact you if they need a photographer. Once you do a good job, they will most likely call you back. Their friends will start calling you then you will meet other actors and make-up artists, and increase your contacts even more.

#4 – You will learn a lot of technical things

Most film crews use a lot of advanced equipment. By watching them set up everything, you will learn a lot about cameras, the choice of lenses, framing, lighting, sound, communication with actors, team work, tracking shots, and organization. Even if you’re passive in this process, open your eyes and try to absorb as much information as you can.

Article bts short film7

Article bts short film4

Most directors of photography will use different lighting techniques with some hair light, key light, harsh light, soft light, back-light with different modifiers. Pay attention to their work and try to replicate what you see later at home, you can also take images of the light set up to know exactly how each light is placed on set.

Conclusion

Those are just a few ways you can benefit from shooting behind the scenes on a film set. If you’ve had the experience of doing this, please share your thoughts and images in the comments below.

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Overview and Hands-On Reviews of the New Fuji X-T2 Mirrorless Camera

15 Nov

The newest Fuji camera on the market is the Fuji X-T2 mirrorless camera. It’s been available for a couple months now so there are a few reviews and tests out there already. I personally own and use the X-T1, so I am very interested to hear about its successor. Let’s see what a few sources have to say about the X-T2.

the-new-fuji-x-t2-mirrorless-camera

Check prices on the Fuji X-T2 on Amazon.com or B&H Photo. 

Tony and Chelsea Northrup thoughts

Tony and Chelsea tested out the X-T1 so they have a good comparison between it and the new Fuji X-T2 and talk about what’s new and improved in this video. They also mention a few things they would have liked to see added that weren’t.

Photography Concentrate – Lauren’s thoughts

Fuji loaned them an X-T2 to try out for a couple weeks. This is what Lauren thought of it overall. Some of the things she mentions as being “issues” I personally don’t have any problem with such as:

  • The aperture ring on the lens (I like it!)
  • That the camera gets quite warm on hot days. I have noticed that with the X-T1 also.
  • Play button in an odd place (no biggie you can program custom buttons)
  • Using the Smartphone app that you can’t see the RAW images. How I get around this with my X-T1 is that I process a few select images into JPG on the camera then pull them to my phone or iPad to play with in Snapseed. I haven’t found it an issue.

But overall she gives it a pretty good thumbs up and says she’s considering switching from Canon to use this camera for all her profession work. So that’s a pretty good endorsement.

The Camera Store guys

In this next video, the guys from the Camera Store give the Fuji X-T2 a good field test in New York City. They test both still and video which some of the other reviews don’t cover. Also mentioned in this video is the new Fuji speedlight which can handle high-speed sync.

The highly improve autofocus on the Fuji X-T2 is mentioned and that it’s a bit tricky to set up. There’s a link to the Fuji Guys channel where they’ll help you configure it if you decide to pick up this camera or already have.

Things I’m excited about:

Since I have the predecessor the X-T1, these are a few of the features that I’ve seen (and I’ve had a chance to handle the camera give it a really quick go) which I’m really excited about as improvements over the old design. They include:

  • YAY, you can open the battery compartment now without having to remove the tripod insert!! This is my biggest pet peeve of the X-T1.
  • The dial on top lock and unlock and they move a lot smoother now. Mine on the X-T1 stick and something both the top and bottom ones move together. I know I can send it back to get those fixed but I don’t want to be without the camera for several weeks so I put up with it.
  • Improved autofocus options and faster autofocus. From what I’ve seen the X-T2 is WAY better than the first generation X-T1. According to The Camera Store guys it actually rivals the Sony a6300 for fastest focus on the market currently. Impressive!!
  • Two memory card slots. I like the idea of shooting RAW on one and JPGS using the nice Fuji film profiles on the other.

Check prices on the Fuji X-T2 on Amazon.com or B&H Photo. 

Have you already ordered yours? Are you considering it? Have you had a chance to test drive one? I want to know. Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.

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5 Quick Tips to Help You Make a Fashion Photography Shoot Like a Pro

15 Nov

It might be the fabulous pages of magazines or it might just be that urge to create something chic. Either way, we are now living in this digital era where fashionable shoots are just around the corner. Hashtag #OOTD (outfit of the day). But that’s where the similarity ends. Planning and executing a fashion photography shoot takes more than that.

Fashion shoot photography

I hate to break it to you, but placing all your good looking friends in front of your camera, and purchasing the latest mirrorless technology probably won’t make you the next Guy Bourdin. From my personal story as a fashion photographer for over five years now, your biggest learning experience comes from learning through your own team, fellow creatives, photographers, stylists, models, and make-up artists. So, here are some tips I’ve learned through my years of trials and tribulations on how to produce a fashion shoot like a pro.

1. Inspirations 101

“Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known.” or so the saying goes. Nowadays, let’s challenge the concept of people stating there’s no such thing as originality anymore. Is that true? But truthfully, the best ideas may not be the first ones.

Find Inspiration fashion shoot

Creativity is a limitless concept. You can always start developing your ideas by sourcing inspirations from practically anywhere. When you start noticing the littlest things in your life, it will do wonders as your source of inspiration. This is fundamental because it is the ground work before every shoot. To develop a concept that is strong and authentically yours is the key to the next step of creating the perfect frame in a fashion photo shoot.

Find Inspiration fashion shoot 2

2. Team Work is Everything

Create your perfect squad. When you meet someone you are comfortable working with, continue to develop a great relationship with them. Because at the end of the day, the perfect frame is not just in the hands of the photographer. Everyone needs to be equally involved and the greater the chemistry ultimately leads to the perfect picture.

Make sure you succeed in getting everyone on the team on the same page, from the vision for the shoot to work ethics. A solid team of creatives that gel well together is really ideal because in the end, it’s all about teamwork.

Team Work fashion shoot 02

Team Work fashion shooot

3. The Look

A fashion shoot is never complete without the right model. You need to find a model who has the right look for the concept. Whether it’s height, hair color, skin tone, eye shape, etc. Bonus points if you get to know the model first beforehand. Good chemistry between the photographer and model is also very important to create a comfortable shooting environment.

When you are shooting, there’s only the photographer, the model, and a camera. Putting on a music that’s enjoyable to everyone can also help the model get into character.

result-fashion-shoot

4. Scouting Locations

Outdoors or indoors, it’s crucial to prepare everything beforehand. You don’t want to be stressed out on the big day right? When it comes to studios, the physical environment has to be a positive working environment. Think about how much space you need, equipment, facilities, etc. An outdoor fashion shoot are tad trickier. Always double check if you need to have permission beforehand if it is a private area, and always, always check the weather! The sun can be your best friend or your enemy in this case.

Location Scout fashion shoot

Locations Locations fashion photography

5. Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe

This is where the good team work really shows. I personally think it is important to get everyone on the same page for the vision and mood of the shoot. Also, don’t be afraid to voice your opinion if something can be altered. Such as the hair is too big, the model needs more mascara, the button’s falling off, etc. Don’t be afraid to speak up, it’s team work after all.

Make Up fashion photos

Hair Make Up fashion shoot

Lastly, never forget to have fun! It’s always a blessing to be able to work passionately. Enjoy your ride along the way, stay curious, and bring positive vibes. Good luck.

Please share your fashion photography tips and photos in the comments below.

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