Advanced Photography Techniques

May 26, 2016

Black & White Conversion
For the most control, try specialized plug-ins like Nik Silver Efex Pro 2
By Theano Nikitas
Black & White Conversion
Black-and-white photography never goes out of style. It’s the core of imaging and what many of us remember fondly starting with the first roll of TRI-X we processed and printed in the darkroom. As digital took over, there were few monochrome options other than, perhaps, desaturating images in software applications, which usually resulted in dull,... Read more
May 6, 2016

Low-Key Black & White Portrait Lighting

How a little light can go a long way to make a dramatic, dark and moody portrait

Text & Photography By William Sawalich
In a lot of commercial portraiture these days, there’s an emphasis on high-production values. Whether from exotic locations or from using a lot of lights, it seems the conventional wisdom is generally “more is better.” But, in fact, when trying to create a moody, dramatic or intimate black-and-white portrait, sometimes less actually is more. With... Read more
March 10, 2016

New Beginnings

Sometimes you need Adobe Photoshop, and sometimes you don’t

By Theano Nikitas
Editor’s Note: We’re proud to have veteran photographer and technology journalist Theano Nikitas helm our new “Workflow” column. Feel free to send suggestions or requests for what you’d like to see covered here—you can reach her on Twitter @TNikitas1_DPP or contact us at [email protected] Most photographers have one or more favorite... Read more
January 18, 2016

The Art Of Seeing Details

Legendary photorealistic illustrator Bert Monroy knows how to pay attention to the little things, a skill all photographers should develop

By Mark Edward Harris, Paintings By Bert Monroy
It’s not often that we profile an illustrator in Digital Photo Pro, but Bert Monroy isn’t your average artist. He’s part painter, part retoucher, and as far as we can tell, part camera. Monroy’s complex, intricate work includes a level of detail that seems impossible for a human to appreciate, let alone duplicate. For decades, Monroy has not... 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 3, 2015

How To Capture Picture from Video

Thanks to the resolution of 4K video, photographers can shoot motion and pull out client-worthy still images

By David Schloss
The moving images we see when we watch videos and movies are really just an optical illusion, a trick played by our brain when it’s shown a certain number of images in a short enough time. At about 30 images per second, the motion caused by this stream of still images becomes indistinguishable from the motion we perceive from actual moving objects.... 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
April 16, 2015

Convert Photos to Black & White

Instead of always taking a one-click solution, learn how to take control over the subtle tones to create richer, more nuanced black-and-white images

Text & Photography By Ming Thein
There’s no denying the classical appeal of black-and-white photography. Whilst a certain style of color, for example, Kodachrome of the ’80s, or the pale washed-out negatives of the ’60s and ’70s, or Velvia of the ’90s, evokes the nostalgia of a certain period in time, the very lack of color has the completely opposite... 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
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