Advanced Camera Techniques & Tips

July 26, 2016

Stepping Up To Medium Format

A bigger platform opens up a world of possibilities

By Michael Clark

Aaron Miller climbing on the Crystal Clear Arete (5.12c) in Diablo Canyon near Santa Fe, New Mexico. This image was shot with an 1,100 Watt seconds strobe mounted high on an adjacent cliff above my shooting position. Shooting Info: Hasselblad H5D 50c WiFi, HCD 24mm lens, F/7.1 at 1/80th second at ISO 800. © Michael Clark Michael Clark is an internationally... Read more

July 21, 2016

The Future Of Wireless Flash

Improvements in wireless flash give photographers an astounding amount of creative freedom

Tom Bol

The year 2003 rocked my world as a photographer. It wasn’t the year I purchased my first digital camera. This was the year Nikon introduced the SB-800, which was the first flash I could trigger off-camera using my D70’s popup flash. Using Nikon’s i-TTL technology, flash exposure was calculated using TTL (through-the-lens) metering just like a... Read more

June 29, 2016

Strobe And Sun

How to bring studio-style lighting to the outdoors

Text & Photography By William Sawalich

A strobe-illuminated subject really pops off of an underexposed ambient background. In this case, a cloudy day and tall tree coverage helped bring the ambient down naturally, making it easier to overpower the daylight with a portable strobe. Just because you’re working outdoors doesn’t mean you can’t take studio-style lighting control with you.... Read more

December 8, 2015

Thomas Boyd: Master Of Technique

Oregonian staffer Thomas Boyd knows that gaining access is key—and the veteran photographer knows how to get it and what gear to use once he has it

Text & Photography By Thomas Boyd

All of the great people photographers have the unique ability of gaining extraordinary access to events and people’s lives. This is doubly true of the best photojournalists, but it goes for everyone, from a portrait photographer to a wedding shooter. It’s this access that sets their images apart. There are two different kinds of access, of course.... Read more

September 14, 2015

DPP solutions: Preflight

The future of drones for professionals is becoming clearer

By The Editors

In February, the FAA issued the much anticipated proposed rules for drones titled "The Overview of Small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking." Prior to the notice, there was a lot of speculation and more than a little apprehension about how the U.S. would handle drone usage. Short of plain outlawing unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace, the biggest... Read more

September 4, 2015

Shoot Your Passion

For Corey Rich, video-ready DSLRs offered more than just a new business opportunity. They made a lifelong dream come true.

By William Sawalich, Photography By Corey Rich

Corey Rich became a professional photographer at an early age. At 16, he got his first job shooting real estate pictures for the local paper. He hadn’t yet mastered all the technical aspects of photography, but he says he’s always known a great picture when he sees one. "I never intended to be a business owner," Rich says. "I... Read more

September 1, 2015

DPP Solutions: Blurring The Lines

A look at the various tools you can use to create bokeh

By The Editors

Until about 10 years ago, the term bokeh was almost unknown. Coined from the Japanese word for blur, photographers began using the term in the late 1990s, but it wasn’t until the mid-aughts that it really took hold. The effect itself has been around as long as photography—shallow depth of field—but as any marketing expert will tell you, it... Read more

January 5, 2015

Raw Processing Fundamentals

Take complete control of the nuances and subtle exposure elements within your image files

By George Jardine

At the beginning of every class or workshop, I always ask the question, "How many of you feel that you completely understand—and are comfortable with—basic RAW concepts and the controls for RAW processing?" In response, I’ll sometimes get one or two volunteers, but more often than not, no one is willing to stick their neck out. And... Read more

December 16, 2014

Past & Presence

Douglas Dubler created a historical and artistic project that was ideally suited to the unique qualities of the legendary Polaroid 20×24 camera

By Richard A. Hood, Photography By Douglas Dubler

Imagine a modern professional photographer involved in a photo project allowing only 25 exposures in an entire day—with film so rare, there’s no room for tests, mistakes or retries. This is the story of a meeting between a great photographer and a historic camera. Among the world’s foremost beauty and fashion photographers, Douglas... Read more

November 19, 2014

Essential Lighting

A look at the must-know lighting techniques used by the pros

Photography By Conan Thai, Martin Wonnacott, Ethan Pines, Joanna Kustra & Seth Olenick

Whether you’re creating a beauty shot, crafting an environmental portrait or setting up a still life, one single photography truth will always remain: Light matters. What separates professional photographers from the crowd is the ability to shape light into a previsualized design appropriate for the subject and client. But when faced with every... Read more

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