Advanced Photography Techniques

October 31, 2018

Portrait Lighting With LEDs
Tips for using constant LED lighting in studio as well as mixing it with natural light (indoors and out)
By William Sawalich
With an Astra Bi-Color LED light as the key, I shifted the light’s output to tungsten while maintaining a daylight white balance in the camera. The result is a warm, glowing sunset look—and it was as easy as turning a dial. One of the biggest changes to occur in lighting technology in recent years has been the introduction—and rapid technological... Read more
October 1, 2018

Lighting Separation Anxiety
Keep the reproduction of your images in mind when shooting stock—or any images—for successful sales
Text & Photography By Mark Edward Harris
Lighting Separation Anxiety
I collaborated with photographer Daihezi Ji on a lighting test to show movement yet freeze her in the same frame. I set my camera to rear sync to fire my Profoto B1s at the end of the ½-second exposure with the backdrop/hair light positioned camera right in a silver collapsible beauty dish to provide separation. The keylight, also in a collapsible... Read more
August 27, 2018

As Numerous As The Stars
Take your astrophotography to the next level with these techniques
Text & Photography By Adam Woodworth
As numerous as the stars
With today’s cameras and lenses, it has never been easier to capture the stars and the Milky Way and get sharp, clean results. All it takes is some technical knowledge, patience and a good amount of practice. Before we start, I think it’s important to note that most of these images are the result of blending multiple exposures together in... Read more
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August 7, 2018

Mission: Monochrome
Think and shoot in black-and-white to add depth and beauty to your black-and-white photography
Text & Photography By Anthony Thurston
Mission: Monochrome
Using natural sunlight coming in through a window, and the texture of the wall behind the subject, it’s possible to create a range of tonality and shape, perfect for monochrome photography. In the bright and vibrant digital world, we all find ourselves in today, it can sometimes be an exciting change of pace to choose to explore the world of black-and-white... Read more
July 9, 2018

Essential Flash
Five reasons why you should never leave your flash at home
Text & Photography By Tom Bol
A Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight and orange gel were used to simulate sunlight on the model’s back and shoulders. Nikon D850, AF-S NIKKOR 85mm ƒ/1.8G, 1/3200 sec., ƒ/1.8, ISO 31 In this day and age of going ultra-lightweight, photographers discriminately minimize their photo kits to the bare essentials. After all, who doesn’t like carrying less weight?... Read more
July 2, 2018

The Natural Beauty Of Open Shade
Understanding how to use the natural beauty of open shade will expand your creative options
Text & Photography By Mark Edward Harris
I did environmental portraits and reportage shots using open shade for part of my photo essay on the tequila-making process at the Hacienda del Patrón in the Jalisco highlands of Mexico. Noël Coward’s lyrics, only “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,” can be expanded to include photographers on location who want to increase... Read more
June 25, 2018

Intent To Shoot
How approaching street photography with a clear goal results in better images
Text & Photography By Brian Matiash
Of all the neighborhoods in New York City, Chinatown is one of my favorites. It’s so rich in culture while also offering a lot of visual diversity for photographers. This is doubly true once the sun goes down and the lights flicker on. I’ve long held the idea that one of the most important skills a photographer can gain is learning how to approach... Read more
April 23, 2018

Stacking The Deck
Quickly improve your landscapes with focus-stacking—a simple, but rarely used technique to increase depth of field and fix common imaging problems
Text & Photography By Adam Woodworth
Stacking The Deck
A focus stack of two exposures. The foreground leaves and fence at ƒ/8 for 1/3 sec., the background at ƒ/11 for 0.6 sec., and blended manually in Photoshop. Nikon D810, NIKKOR 24-70mm ƒ/2.8, all shots at 36mm and ISO 80 Are you a landscape photographer suffering from out-of-focus foregrounds or backgrounds even when you shoot at ƒ/11? Or are you... Read more
March 28, 2018

Drones: Eye In The Sky
As tomorrow’s technology matures into today’s staple tool, we look at the latest models for the photographer and videographer
Brian Matiash
Drones: Eye In The Sky
In 2016, it was reported that over 2.5 million drones were sold in the United States alone, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is projecting that figure to exceed 7 million units in 2020. If you’ve ever flown a drone before, you can appreciate the thrill of instantly getting a bird’s-eye view of where you’re standing. Advancements in... Read more
December 26, 2017

Top Photographers Share Their Lighting Techniques
These professionals have mastered the use of light to create exceptional work, from editorial to sports to wedding photography
By The Editors Of Digital Photo Pro Magazine
lighting techniques
These professionals have mastered the use of light to create exceptional work, from editorial to sports to wedding photography. Plus, check out Digital Photo Pro’s Portrait Lighting Essentials Guide. 1. Joe McNally: Master Storyteller The photographer balances creativity with lighting and technical prowess to tell compelling stories with his images.... Read more