Like most photographers, before I try out new equipment on clients, I test it thoroughly. Yeah, right. It's digital so why bother? We can see the picture right off, so let's get shooting! And so it was with this camera. The day after I got it I was booked in the studio all day with sessions, so after a few...
We all know that the professional D-SLR market is dominated by Canon and Nikon. But there are other viable alternatives out there, including the FinePix S5 Pro. It's always good to consider options so, with that in mind, I'm going to give you my impressions garnered from a 30-day field test, including the pros and cons of the camera and some unique features that...
The rapidly changing world of professional photography has photographers scrambling to grasp all the new technology. Some photographers are film based, some use a mix of film and digital, and many (like me) are now 100 percent digital. But all photographers I talk to express the same concern--how can they increase...
GamiLight has been in the business of making light-shaping accessories for small, dedicated flash units like the ones from Nikon, Canon, Metz, etc., and has recently broadened their lineup. I had heard about their products and thought I’d give them a try, so they responded by sending me just about every modifier they make. I received their Square 43 with the Soft Plus 43 adapter, the Box 60, the Spot 2, the Event Pro, and a few mounts. As we go through this review I’ll let you know what these are all about, but my tests were aimed at determining how effectively the units work, how well they are made, how convenient they prove out in the field, and, most importantly, whether I should consider buying them to solve some of my lighting issues.
My strong point has always been natural light. When clients call me about weddings, I tell them I am a "natural light specialist." I love shooting outdoor portraits and have trained myself to "see the light" in the locations that...
Like most photographers, I like to play around and constantly explore Photoshop. But I'm a businessman, too, so I need to be careful about how much time I spend in front of the computer. The more time I spend there, the less I have for taking photos and marketing my services, and that's where I make money. So I've always adopted the philosophy of getting it right...
I've got to confess that when I received the software from Graphic Authority it took me a while to look at it. Why? Because I'm not the most technical guy. I use Photoshop daily but that doesn't mean I'm an expert. I pretty much just do the same thing all the time. If they had sent me one CD with a few things to look at, no problem. But what I received was...
The first time I met Craig La Mere was at an ice cream shop in Brunswick, Maine, at about 11 p.m. Really. It was the night before the Maine Professional Photographers Association conference was going to kick off. I was there as a print judge, La Mere as a speaker. I recognized him from his Moz (his studio name) logo hat, although he didn’t know who this stranger was who was accosting him.
Photographing families and large groups can strike fear into the hearts of many photographers. As for me, there’s nothing I’d rather do. I not only get to meet a lot of great people, but family groups are the most profitable portraits that I take. Everyone wants a copy of a good shot, and many of my family group photos result in the sale of a wall portrait or grouping with frames, plus several smaller prints.
Even though I know I look like 30 something (ahem), I've been at this game for some time. But sometimes having all those years of background (I think some people call that experience) comes in mighty handy for putting things in historical perspective. And while 30 years isn't exactly an eon in terms of the history of photography, I guess you could say I've been...