The Business of Photography

July 19, 2017

Synology DS916+: It Will Go Full NAS, If You Want
A high-performance NAS for small- to medium-sized studios
DL Byron
NAS storage
The Synology DS916+ set up in my office next to the WiFi and my favorite plant. Following up on my story about storage solutions for small studios, there’s a company called Synology that makes a very high-end NAS, which is great for video-editing outlets and for huge studios. Synology competes with companies like G-Technology (the RAID cited in my... Read more
July 18, 2017

Copyright Monkey Business
How a simian’s selfie might change copyright law
Samuel Lewis
monkey selfie
While this monkey is smiling, photographer David Slater certainly isn’t after a copyright claim threw the ownership of this image into question. Credit: David Slater How does a monkey own a copyright? While this may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, for UK-based photographer David Slater, the question is far from funny. In 2015, Slater and others... Read more
July 14, 2017

Social Media Strategy: Always Be Closing
Don’t chase every social media audience; pick the ones that work to generate jobs
DL Byron
social media strategy
By cultivating a “look” and carefully curating your images, a single social media tool can be incredibly powerful. Photos by DL Byron Get them to sign on the line that’s dotted. In an infamous scene in the movie adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin—while verbally “motivating” a group of real estate salesmen—drills into their... Read more
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July 5, 2017

Storage Solutions For A Small Studio
A good storage and backup strategy takes a lot to set up, but is well worth the time
DL Byron
storage and backup solutions
With a custom 24MP Sony sensor, fast processing times and a huge buffer, a camera like the a9 can shoot 20 fps for up to 362 JPEG or 241 RAW images. Dual slots for UHS-II cards at up to 128 gigs means a photographer can finish an assignment with images of over 10K. All that tech and storage ensures you’ll likely never miss a shot, but you’ll also... Read more
June 28, 2017

Working With Apple
Apple services you may not know about
DL Byron
Apple programs
When Apple announced a Kaby Lake update to the MacBook Pro Touch at WWDC, some reviewers were upset. A popular tech blog even wrote an inflammatory headline about the update and then went on to lambast Apple for not shipping the Kaby Lake processor back in November when the MacBook Pro Touch launched. Not privy to Apple’s supply chain logistics, I... Read more
June 3, 2017

8K Video Ushers In New Still Photo Era
With the world of 4K barely established, the video and cinema markets are boldly headed toward 8K, and some companies, like RED, have already arrived
David Schloss
A portrait captured as a frame grab from the RED Weapon 8K camera. Photo by Vincent Laforet At the RED booth at CineGear, I had the chance to catch up with photographer/videographer Vincent Laforet, who had some of his recent photographic work on display on the walls of the booth. Laforet is a former Canon Explorer of Light, and his early work with... Read more
May 30, 2017

Airline Laptop Ban Guide For Photographers
Concerned about traveling with your laptop and expensive camera gear? Learn about the best ways to handle the ban on laptops in airline carry-ons
Staff
airline laptop ban
Checking your laptop and camera gear on international flights appears likely to become the norm, not the exception. You probably know that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has banned devices larger than a smartphone from airline carry-ons on flights to the U.S. from several airports in the Middle East and Africa. Recent news reports suggest... Read more
April 19, 2017

Luggage That Won’t Break
After a series of recent luggage fails, it was time for an upgrade
DL Byron
photo hardshell cases
Timing-wise, after an unusual run of three luggage pieces failing (my luck was up, I guess), Homeland Security banned large electronics—laptops, cameras, tablets—from 10 specific airports with departures to the U.S. And, that means, if you happened to be traveling, say, on Emirates back from Dubai when this order went in place, then your camera,... Read more
March 20, 2017

Inside Sony’s Thailand Factory
An exclusive look at the Sony factory where the a7-series cameras and lenses are made
David Schloss
A quiet room, full of workers—mostly women—stand at stations on the factory line. Precise motions, quick and skilled, as hands turn and work familiarly over the surface of a new camera. This camera and these lenses we watch them build, the Sony a7R II and E-mount lenses today, are made of a variety of components—some from within Sony’s factory... Read more
December 22, 2016

Social Media: Death Of The Influencer
It’s not the influence that matters, but your work
By DL Byron / Photography By Pei Ketron
social media death of the influencer
While it looks like a simple social media location shot, this was part of a week-long campaign for the airline ANA that was shared on social media and used in print. For this campaign, Pei Ketron was hired by the airline to showcase the many destinations served by ANA. For some photographers trying to make their career on social media, the idea of becoming... Read more