Tripods as a concept are simple: they provide a stable foundation to rest your camera on as you work. Despite that simplicity, though, shopping for one can be complicated as there are many options out there. Finding a quality option whenever trying to purchase on a tight budget can also be tricky. Thankfully, you don’t…
High Dynamic Range photography (HDR photography) is a popular technique used to capture a wide range of lights and darks. Essentially, it alters a photograph’s dynamic range. The dynamic range is the complete spectrum of light and dark in a photo. Different types of cameras have different ranges. When the camera can’t accurately capture the…
Photographers everywhere have a difficult relationship with light. Light is necessary to make images, but if there’s too much light, shots with all but the most limited exposure times will appear to be washed out. Neutral density filters bridge the gap between ambient lighting and short exposure times by reducing the overall amount of light…
There aren’t many reliable card manufacturers that make cards and other storage for high-end digital cameras. Of this small field, Lexar and Sandisk are near the top in terms of overall card performance and reliability. Here’s what you should know about the Lexar vs. Sandisk card debate before you go shopping for a new data…
You may be wondering if you need a monopod or a tripod for your photography gear, as using a slower shutter speed works best when the camera is supported and fixed in place. We’ll discuss the monopod vs tripod distinction, provide a few tips, and suggest what works best for situations like hunting and landscape…
Circular polarizing filters are popular among landscape photographers. These glass filters reduce glare and reflection and help you capture deep colors, stunning skies, and transparent bodies of water. Here is what you need to know about how a circular polarizer filter works and how to get the best results when working with light polarization. What…
Let’s talk IPS photography vs. digital sales …advantages, disadvantages and which makes the most sense for YOUR business! IPS photography vs. digital sales is one of those subjects that really shouldn’t be controversial. Let each business owner figure out what’s best for him or her and move on, right? Except it IS controversial. Each side…
Don’t freak out over the photography slow season. We have some ideas! The photography slow season is upon us. After a fast and furious fall season, it can feel good to slow down and enjoy a few weeks off. You can work on your website, get caught up on blogging, or clean your office! But…
Nail exposure and white balance with the inexpensive, practically primitive, gray card Do you struggle setting white balance during sessions? How about nailing exposure with or without a flash? If I told you that I could solve both your problems for less than $25, would you believe me? It’s true. With the help of the…
Online galleries, file-sharing sites or digital files via a device? We’ve some ideas on the best way to deliver digital images to your clients. Establishing a photography business requires about two-thousand decisions right off the bat. Nikon or Canon? Lifestyle or traditional? Wide-angle or telephoto? Digitals or prints? Even if you decide to deliver digital…
Hand strap, cross-body strap or harness? Here’s what you need to know before choosing a camera strap! I never really gave much thought to my camera strap. I left the default yellow and black strap on my Nikon for years. But after really getting bit by the photography bug, I decided a padded strap was…
We have the inspiration you need to increase your photography bookings You’ve launched your business and want to take on clients. But instead of hearing the phone ringing off the hook, you hear…crickets. Or you were swamped earlier and now the calendar is woefully empty. You’re frustrated, confused and maybe a little scared. Why aren’t…
Create a photo storage plan and eliminate your worst nightmare of lost images! Losing an image is hard. Disappointing clients is worse. But telling a client you’ve lost ALL their images is a freaking nightmare. It’s a worst-case scenario that scares photographers to death and keeps us up nights. Would your business survive a photo…
Use monitor calibration for better client images and prints This is how my first journey down the rabbit hole of monitor calibration began. “Were you going for a really warm portrait stylistically? Because your images lately have been really yellow.” This was a Facebook message I got from a pro photographer friend about six years…
Amazon photography should be a thing right? After all, they sell just about anything else you could think of. You’ve taken so many gorgeous photos and now you want to try to make some money from them. So how do you go about selling your photos on Amazon? The short of it is Amazon is…
Zenfolio vs. Smugmug…the heavyweight bout of the ages! Ask 100 photographers their opinion of Zenfolio vs. Smugmug and you’re likely to find half in the Smugmug camp and half in the the Zenfolio camp. A battle of these two photography portfolio heavyweights almost always ends in a draw. The better question might then be Zenfolio vs….