Pro Techniques
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Pro Techniques
Jay Abend Sep 01, 1999 0 comments

One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome for the aspiring studio photographer is the lack of a proper space to shoot. Spare bedrooms, garages, attics, and basements have all been transformed into makeshift studios, and most lack adequate space to...

Pro Techniques
Joseph A. Dickerson Jun 01, 2007 0 comments

Last year I wrote about one of my favorite software programs, Panorama Maker 3. The folks at ArcSoft have unveiled an updated Version 4 ($39.99 new, $24.99 upgrade), so I thought I'd give it a try.

Version 4 is more intuitive than Version 3, and that's really saying something. The first couple of panoramas I tried went together easily, but I noticed that...

Pro Techniques
Barry Tanenbaum Jan 01, 2008 0 comments

John Conn is telling me about the Arnolds.

"They're the ones who look at the photos and say, `I'll be back.' Trust me, they won't." Then there are the pointers. "Pointers never buy," he says, "and buyers never point. If someone points, I don't get up and walk over." Other sure-fire indications...

Pro Techniques
Phillip Andrews Sep 01, 2007 0 comments

There is no doubt that a well-crafted lith print is, to borrow an oft-used phrase from my father-in-law, "a thing of beauty is (therefore) a joy forever." The trick, for the experienced and occasional darkroom users alike, is the production of such a print. I have always had difficulty getting consistency with the production of my prints. Despite this frustration, my...

Lenses, Pro Techniques
David B. Brooks Jan 01, 2006 0 comments

There's one lens that's part of my 35mm/digital SLR system that I have used longest, continuously now for about 40 years. It is a homemade single-element soft-focus lens inspired by the Rodenstock Imagon lens for large format cameras. There are more images in my library of photographs made with this lens than any other. But why in this modern, high-tech world of...

Pro Techniques
Barry Tanenbaum Mar 01, 2007 0 comments

When we heard that David Alan Harvey was doing a book on women, it didn't seem like a surprising subject. A photojournalist with over 30 National Geographic stories to his credit, plus several books, we imagined that in the course of over 30 years of travel and photography he'd have many compelling images from which to choose. Not to mention current assignments that...

Pro Techniques
Barry Tanenbaum Apr 01, 2009 0 comments

The who, what, when, and where of the story are easy.

Commercial and advertising photographer Charles Orrico was commissioned about two years ago by an ad agency to photograph at the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center in Kings Park, New York, on behalf of a holding company that planned to develop the site. Building 93, the main structure in the complex, was of special...

Pro Techniques
Art Rosch Oct 01, 2007 0 comments

The earth rotates tilted on its axis approximately 23Þ. This fact renders most forms of astrophotography maddeningly complex. There is one form of night sky photography that is given to us in relative simplicity by our home planet's relentless spin: star trails. All we need to create gorgeous star trail shots is a camera, a tripod, and a remote or cable release.
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Scott Stulberg Apr 01, 2008 0 comments

Being a photography instructor is very rewarding and has proved to be an inspiration to me. Teaching Digital Photography at UCLA Extension in Los Angeles, I have found the interaction with students benefited me at least as much as them. But what if someone wants to take your class and is halfway around the world? That is where online teaching comes in and I am lucky enough to have...

Pro Techniques
Jay McCabe May 01, 2005 0 comments

You promote the work that has your heart and soul in it, the work you want to keep doing.

The art director for an ad agency is setting up a storyboard presentation for a client's kick-off campaign for an upscale shopping mall. The plan calls for five evocative photographs to be used in print ads and on billboards. The photographs are key: they will set the look...

Pro Techniques
Peter K. Burian Jan 01, 1998 0 comments

Is there a serious photo enthusiast out there who doesn't harbor a desire to see his or her work published? Well, the vast majority I know would love to market their images to books, magazines, and advertising agencies. In fact, the most commonly...

Pro Techniques
Steve Bedell Apr 01, 2011 0 comments

In today’s world, stock photos often sell for pennies, yet there are still photographers out there making a good living selling work for a good price. By talking with stock shooter Bill Bachmann, I found out that I, and most of my portrait/wedding brethren, have been missing the boat big time by not using our client images for stock images. According to Bachmann, we’re sitting on a gold mine and...

Pro Techniques
Barry Tanenbaum Jun 23, 2011 Published: May 01, 2011 0 comments
Well, it’s really only one city—New York—but the assignment called for Jon Ortner to capture images so different in spirit and approach that he might as well have been in two very different cities. There was not only a dual nature to the job itself but also something of a split personality to the building Jon was hired by developer J.D. Carlisle to photograph. Located between 29th and 30th Streets on Sixth Avenue, the 54-story structure in fact has two names and natures: from the street to the 25th floor it’s the Eventi Hotel; at the 26th floor it becomes the Beatrice and rental apartments.
Lighting, Pro Techniques
Joe Farace Oct 01, 2009 1 comments

Much of my portrait and fashion photography is done on location, but living in a place like Colorado the models (and the photographer, too) just aren’t always in the mood to stomp around in the cold weather and snow. That’s when a studio comes in handy. Some photographers just prefer having complete control over the lighting. Instead of the hassle and cost of renting a studio, why not...

Pro Techniques
Barry Tanenbaum Jun 01, 2009 0 comments

Dear Mr. King,
When I saw Chris Alvanas’s HDR (High Dynamic Range) photographs, my first thought was, they could be covers of Stephen King novels. They held mystery and more than a hint of menace; they suggested a story that would keep me turning pages long into the night.

What’s HDR photography? It’s a technique that makes possible...