You can’t tell from the comments but the most popular post last week by far was the tiny little post on window light that I put up on the site. This is all stuff that “we” already know but tend to forget about and don’t practice it as time goes by and little TTL flashes creep into the mix and experiments with HDR cram our brains, and, and. I thought it would be useful to every once in a while call a time out for all that and get...
I know – we all know this and we all love our gear and our gadgets but sometimes less is actually more. Not always just sometimes. I thought I would remind everyone out there in photography land that sometimes the simplest approach can be the best. Take lighting for instance. I know it’s all the rage for everyone to get a bunch of small strobes and do all kind of whacky things with them off camera, or to just make sure that you have a bunch of shadow detail...
Remember way back when I was on a kick highlighting all of the stupidest “how to” stuff that certain nameless profit making web personalities post regarding all the “cheap” things you can do with little lights? I won’t go into ranting about how idiotic and NOT cheap this sort of thing is again, I am sure that all of you have heard enough from me on that but I just couldn’t pass criticizing this bit of rubbish. Tell me – does this look like an attractive alternative for a...
I have written more than a couple of times of the ills of using matrix or evaluative metering along with TTL flash. Personally my opinion is that these “innovations” no matter how wondrous are more trouble and more work than they are worth. This has nothing to do with me not understanding how the controls and camera work. Of course they are useful in situations where you really really have to be quick and you have no time to think and you have to get the shot and you’ve...
Hey I know this guy is super duper popular for his introducing the everyman out there to using flash (even though he talks cheap and actually uses expensive things and big lights now or like 12 SB900′s). I have to admit he has done some cool stuff way back but I just have to ask WTF lately? I am a little picky – I admit it. I think 99% of commercial images published today are at best mediocre – formulaic – flat – juiced up in PS. I blame...
This guy has been one of my photographic heros since I was a kid. I sought him out after trying to figure out who the heck shot some of the fashion advertising images in magazines that I was blown away with. When I was a late teenager or in my early twenties I read a biography that was available and instantly knew that I identified with his aesthetic and more than that totally got where he was coming from. He remains on my top list even now through a...
What do I mean ” be careful what you ask for”? Well it maybe exactly opposite of what you want. I teach this concept at my workshops in a variety of different ways but decided that today I would be very direct about it instead taking the long way around it. I have thought about this a lot because I have found that the words and concepts that are sought after by countless photographers in many many cases are exactly opposite of what they are trying to achieve aesthetically....
Yep every once in a while I write a post about photographic lighting. I only do this when I stumble across something that I think my answer a lot of questions really quickly. I much prefer the “hands on approach” that I use in workshops that I do every once in a while. I prefer this because you can learn more in 5 minutes actually relating to the distances/spaces/angles in person than you can in a lifetime of looking at diagrams and descriptions and resulting images. I guess video...
Been really really busy lately so I haven’t had time to complain about Apple and their apparent conspiracy to drive Aperture users completely out of their minds so I thought I would rant a little and maybe even provide a little helpful info for the uninitiated photo manipulator (retoucher/whatever). Yep another Apple announcement and not peep about Aperture. I didn’t really expect one at the music event but it just is another tiny little mile-marker of no Aperture updates. Hey if Apple can put a freaking movie camera in...
Just to test the waters here I thought I would post a basic tutorial on how to get started in “fine art” photography. If there is enough interest I will go into some of the more advanced techniques for both this style and cover some other styles as well. I wanted to start simple as not to intimidate anyone considering this is really serious stuff as the term “fine art” is intimidating enough. Okay let’s dive right in and get right to the meat of it. You can start...
