For years, I’ve photographed with a battery grip on my cameras. It no longer feels “normal” to hold my camera without one! But why do I insist on having a battery grip, and what benefits does it bring? What does a battery grip do? While a battery grip extends your camera, allowing you to add […]
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Are you delivering digital photos and/or selling prints? Then having accurate colors is essential! Make sure to know when your white is really white by using grey cards and calibrating your monitor and camera. What are you talking about? My white IS white, I see it right now on my screen! Yeah, you really think […]
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Looking to fully color correct your footage in Adobe Premiere Pro? The Lumetri effect can do just that. In this ThinkTAP Learn video, instructor Richard Harrington walks you through how to use the Lumetri effect to make basic corrections in Premiere Pro. Want to learn more tips about how to color correct your video footage? […]
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Just what is exposure bracketing? It’s a feature in many DSLR and mirrorless cameras that allows you to take a group of different exposures for the same image. So why is that helpful? In a landscape situation, if the sky is really bright but your foreground is quite dark, it can be difficult to get […]
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I’ve written about so-called “gig services” in the past. You know, those websites that promise to send you leads and photography jobs that will help elevate your portfolio … and make you more money. There are several legit options out there — Thumbtack, Canon’s new Image Connect platform, Upwork, Fiverr and Fash, just to name […]
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Although I do night photography, I usually don’t photograph specific celestial events. But I had never photographed a comet before, and I couldn’t stay away. Planning the location Finding where the comet would be visible was simple since it would be located just under the Big Dipper. It would be visible from approximately 9:30 p.m. […]
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I’ve never done the double exposure effect in Photoshop before, but my client had this idea that she wanted to use one with an upcoming magazine article and she asked me how I would do it. This was also my audition for a new job, so I was super anxious. A philosophy professor wrote the […]
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I saw that Excire Search would help find images, but it is an Lightroom Classic-based plugin. At that point I didn’t give it much thought, as I am an Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw and Photoshop user. I put away any ideas of using this tagging and visual search software, until I was asked to take […]
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Luminar needs administrator rights to install or remove its Photoshop or Lightroom Classic plugin. For Windows users this is simple. Just follow these steps to install Luminar as a Photoshop plugin. This solution has helped to fix the issue in most cases: Make sure Photoshop is closed Right-click the Luminar 4 icon and select Run […]
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In my tests with the Sony a7 III, I tried out a few different lenses, one being the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (B&H | Amazon). This lens has a unique place in the E-mount lineup, as it competes directly with Sony’s 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3, but offers slightly better low-light performance on the wide […]
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I recently wrote a post about the fun you can have playing with Plotaverse software, but there is a serious side as well. In addition to the fun, you can create some really cool, but effective commercial product shoots. Everything is moving to a video platform these days, as it is often much simpler to […]
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Who doesn’t edit their images today? Straight out of camera images are irrelevant! There — I said it because it’s true. There was a time when we used to judge cameras and lenses by straight out of camera images. They were considered the only true measure of a camera or lens’s image quality. Purists scoffed at an […]
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This morning, Sony announced details of the long-awaited a7S Mark III camera. With its focus continuing to be on video, the a7S III features some impressive specs, such as 4K recording at 120p, 10-bit 4:2:2 color depth, a new heat dissipating mechanism, 4K recording of over one hour and more. The camera features an upgraded […]
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Real estate brings its very own set of challenges to making photos to sell a property. Once the photos are captured, another challenge is making the picture look its best without having to have shot brackets for high dynamic range or doing grand and time-consuming work in Photoshop. My favorite tool for making a single […]
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This morning, Adobe announced the addition of the Refine Edge Brush and Rotate Canvas option to version 1.6 of Photoshop on the iPad. Refine Edge Brush The Refine Edge Brush allows photographers to precisely refine the border area of selections and brush over soft areas like hair and fur to add fine details. This lets […]
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My Galaxy Note10+ comes with Samsung’s Live Focus feature for the built-in camera. Utilizing two of the phone’s triple camera system to simulate a wide aperture effect, photos taken with Live Focus have a distinct look to a standard phone snap. I use my phone to take day-to-day photos of my kids (said every parent […]
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Fujifilm has announced the launch of the Fujifilm Professional Services (FPS) Program, in order to better assist working professional photographers and videographers with a variety of service and product-related needs. Similar to its European-based program, FPS will offer support to eligible U.S.-based photographers through an annual membership. To be eligible, participants must register at least […]
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Even in this day and age I am hearing from some photographers that the micro four-thirds format is not good enough. I disagree wholeheartedly! My start with micro four-thirds For years I was looking for a camera system where the files would not explode in post-processing. My wife was always complaining that I was bringing […]
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Nearly every photographer has a need for a good tripod. But how do you know which one to go with? Should you go lightweight or heavy-duty? Should you get a custom ballhead? What about a gimbal? In the video above from The Slanted Lens, Jay P. Morgan takes a look at tripods — the pros, […]
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Every Sunday we highlight some of our best finds from across the web for photographers. Here are some of our most notable finds. Think you’ve seen the subway? Not like this you haven’t The New York Times Former M.T.A. photographer Patrick Cashlin is profiled, who talks about his two decades capturing New York City’s subway […]
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“If you want to make good photographs, a camera has to second nature to you. Devoting too much attention to technical decisions can interfere with your creative process.” -Robert Farber Robert Farber, a painter with a camera Robert Farmer was born on Leap Day, February 29, 1944. He always wanted to be a painter. He […]
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This week, Julie Powell kicked things off by answering the question, should you become a professional photographer? Then, Bryan Esler told us what’s next for Olympus users, and Bob Coates introduced us to a great solution to easily change out your wall art. Michele Grenier put the Sony a6400 and a9 head-to-head in a mirrorless […]
The post Weekly Wrap-Up: July 19-25, 2020 appeared first on Photofocus.
I was instant messaging with a night photographer I had known mostly online for a few years when he extended the invitation: “It’s a secret area that only a few of us know. There’s no trails, and we have to hike out really far to some rocky arch formations and very dark skies. We are […]
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The NEOWISE comet was discovered by a space telescope built at Utah State University, where I now work. I think that is so cool. When Comet Hale-Bopp passed by in 1997, I was just getting started in my high school photography class. I remember trying to photograph the comet with my black and white film, […]
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My guest is a California-based photographer who has a distinguished career in Hollywood, working on several number one Hit shows including “NCIS,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “House,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and many more. He’s an educator and has shared his talents with many photographers. Please welcome Mike Kubeisy. Topics include what are the different types of lights, […]
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The digital age has changed the name of the game in the world of professional photography. Photography is now faster and more tech-savvy than before, with professionals embracing this transition and discovering ways to take photography to new heights. The digital revolution in the professional photography industry means prints are now more valuable than ever […]
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André Kuipers is a Dutch astronaut for the European Space Agency (ESA) and has completed two missions to the International Space Station (ISS) to perform scientific experiments. He is also a photographer. During his space missions, André had a view of our planet that few of us will ever experience. He’s using this experience and […]
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Starting today at 1 p.m. ET, we hope you’ll join us for a free, live webinar! Lauri Novak and Scott Wyden Kivowitz are booting up a brand-new webinar series for Photofocus, called The Photographer Show. During this webinar, they’ll explore what you love about photography as well as the how and why behind some of […]
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One of the coolest features in Excire Foto is facial recognition. It works quickly and efficiently and seems to return reliable results. With your photos loaded and analyzed by the program, turn your attention to the icons on the upper right of the screen. Finding by keyword and the Find Faces options are very useful […]
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In this mirrorless face-off, we put to the test the Sony a6400 VS the Sony a9. Is the $4k full-frame really worth buying over the $900 crop-sensor?
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Ever had that photograph you always wanted to capture, but always ran into issues? In the video above, Serge Vanelli takes us to the south of France, where he tells us how he finally got his bucket list shot — the lavender fields. Serge will walk you through how he captures the “classic” photograph, and […]
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Whether controlling a wide range of contrast in a given scene or highlighting the texture details of a specific subject, High Dynamic Range composition can be one of the most powerful tools in your creative kit. In the video above, I’ll explore the selective detail adjustment power of Aurora HDR, and the flexibility of working […]
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Road trips are exciting. The long drives, strange music, late night taco stands, the fascinating conversations. But if you do a little bit of homework, you can take a good road trip and make it epic. You don’t need to plan everything to within an inch of its life either. Allow for fun, spontaneity, and […]
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Getting prints out of your computer and on the wall is a great way to enjoy your photos as art and decorate your home. It is even easier, and less expensive, when you use the Xpozer 4Pack system. I had the opportunity to try out and review Xpozer last October. Check my initial thoughts on […]
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I was recently asked to review Plotagraph Pro, and I was super excited to play with this one. I have seen it before and thought it would be great fun to play with. In a word, it animates your photos. Think Harry Potter-style magic photos, although the people don’t get up and leave! Plotaverse calls […]
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A little over a year ago I wrote an article about limiting yourself in order to learn. Now is the perfect time to revisit this concept as many of us aren’t able to travel to our usual epic locations, new spots or old favorites to take photos. What can you photograph in your house? First […]
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When I first heard the news about Olympus’ intentions to sell its imaging division, I was pretty caught off-guard. Leading up to COVID-19, it was thought that the company was doing better. Olympus had just released the OM-D E-M1 Mark III — one of its flagship cameras — and for the most part I saw […]
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Early this morning, Nikon announced the upcoming Z 5, a full-frame mirrorless camera that’s geared toward those that are looking to break into the Nikon mirrorless system. Featuring a 24.3-megapixel sensor, the Z 5 has in-camera vibration reduction capabilities and an EXPEED 6 processor, Nikon’s fastest processor to date. The camera features an ISO range […]
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You may have noticed that our Photographer of the Day feature has been missing from our feed lately. That’s because we’ve decided to change things up a bit and take this in a different direction. We want to take the opportunity to get to know you, our readers. What you love about photography, and the […]
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When you are planning for a photo or video project, do you wish you had an app that could help you with anything from location scouting to sun placement? There are a multitude of iOS and Android apps that do just that. In this ThinkTAP Learn video, instructor Richard Harrington gives an overview of smartphone […]
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Looking to upgrade your Nikon or Sony camera system? Our friends over at B&H have some amazing deals! Nikon savings Nikon has made some huge savings available on some of its most popular lenses and cameras. Below are a few of our favorites; be sure to check out the rest on B&H! DX NIKKOR 35mm […]
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Perhaps you have been photographing for a while. Regardless of the genre, you’re quite good, everyone around you thinks so (and not just your mom and partner/spouse, they don’t tend to be impartial). Maybe it’s time to take the show on the road and go pro? The question then becomes should you become a professional […]
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This is the second of a two-part interview with Cape Cod-based night photographer Tim Little. Read part one, found here. In this second part, we dive into some technical aspects of his night photography. Determining the length of exposure For photography near the full moon, Tim uses three minute exposures at ISO 200 as his […]
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Every Sunday we highlight some of our best finds from across the web for photographers. Here are some of our most notable finds. Word’s best space photos: 11 shortlisted images for Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Forbes Thirty-five images have been shortlisted for the Royal Observatory’s Insight Investment Authority Photographer of the Year for […]
The post The Sunday Shutter: July 19, 2020 appeared first on Photofocus.
“Changing the images that have been washed on us for hundreds of years is about telling us who we are, our position in the world and our value, You Will Create History.” -Dario Calmese First Black photographer of Vanity Fair cover According to a recent article in The New York Times, until two weeks ago […]
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This week, Ken Lee kicked things off by telling us why DSLRs are still relevant in 2020, while Michele Grenier showed us the power of the SpyderCUBE. Kevin Ames walked us through lux, footcandles and exposure when it comes to lighting, Ken Lee made star trails come alive with Plotagraph Pro and Jeremy Gray showed […]
The post Weekly Wrap-Up: July 12-18, 2020 appeared first on Photofocus.
It’s time to make your voice heard! Each week, we ask a question of our readers so we know what sort of content to produce more of. Your input helps us make Photofocus better. This week, we’ve got a super simple question for you, regarding how you organize your images. Do you add keywords to […]
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Over the past two years, we’ve seen several new mirrorless full-frame cameras released. While a lot of these cameras are similar, there are technologies that make them stand apart from their competitors, too. With so many options to choose from, which camera should you go with? The cameras First, let’s look at the cameras in […]
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I have been going down memory lane and have rediscovered some of my favorite lenses from years gone by — specifically micro four-thirds lenses. I remember being enamored with the small form factors and amazing results I could achieve from such tiny micro four-thirds gear. Everything seemed pint-sized and light as a feather next to […]
The post In the world of value-oriented portrait lenses for micro four-thirds, one stands above them all! appeared first on Photofocus.
Aurora HDR has long been a popular photo editing application for combining bracketed images into beautiful high-dynamic range (HDR) images. However, you don’t need to bracket images to make use of Aurora HDR. In fact, in short order, you can add a lot of life to your RAW images using the software. First steps The […]
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