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You Can’t Fight as a Photographer Without an ‘FU Fund’

This post is by Mike Kelley from PetaPixel


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When it comes to negotiations, as a photographer (or any freelance artist, for that matter) you’ve got to master the art of not being emotionally invested in the outcome — something that is nearly impossible to do. But without it, you’ll never be able to break free of difficult clients and underpaid gigs.

What is an FU Fund?

The “f**k you fund” isn’t something you say to your clients, or tell them that you have. It’s essentially a slush fund of money that you have in your bank account, under a mattress, in Bitcoin, or somewhere, that is enough money

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How to Photograph in a Crowd

This post is by Simon King from PetaPixel


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Whether it’s a wedding, a festival, or a protest, crowds present photographers with some unique challenges. I’ve spent some time working on figuring out the best ways to handle crowded environments in order to produce images that are consistent with my style, while conveying the energy of the crowd in that moment.

Most of my early photography is very minimalistic, closer to illustration or graphic design than the “decisive moment” based work I am now producing. Crowds were always a difficult place to work as I felt my images ended up cluttered and aimless. However, I really enjoy working in

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iPhone Portrait Tips by Magnum Photographer Christopher Anderson

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Want to get creative with shooting portraits using just your smartphone? Apple made this 3-minute video with advice and inspiration for shooting iPhone portraits from award-winning Magnum photographer Christopher Anderson.

“Award-winning photographer and photojournalist Christopher Anderson is known for his magnetic portraiture,” Apple says. “He strives for emotive and timely elements in his compositions. In this feature, Anderson shows us how to advance beyond technical precision to disrupt the portrait.”

The video itself is in vertical orientation — it was shot on an iPhone XS and is best viewed on a smartphone screen.

In addition to noticing light and

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What Shooting Film Taught Me About Black-and-White Photos

This post is by Ellie Cotton from PetaPixel


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Clients often ask whether they can have their photos in black-and-white. My reply is always that I’ll do black-and-white versions in the gallery if they work — if they help the image shout “look at me”.

In the Darkroom

Back in 1986, when I got my first SLR, I only shot black-and-white film. I forget why. Perhaps the color was too difficult to process. But growing up, I was lucky enough to have a darkroom at home, it wasn’t equipped for anything complicated.

When I started, I photographed a lot of trees and landscapes with only the odd portrait here

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7 Unexpected Tips for Better Landscape Photography

This post is by Christian Hoiberg from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Let’s face it. Half the articles sharing “the top tips” for you to capture better landscape images are rather generic. Sure, straightening the horizon and photographing during Golden Hour may have a positive impact on your photos, but will they make you a better photographer?

Instead of looking at those basics, I want to share 7 slightly different but equally important suggestions. These tips aren’t going to instantly improve your photography, but they’re aimed at making you a better photographer. Take the time to learn and try them, and I think you’ll start seeing a difference in the near future.

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How to Be a Good Second Shooter in Wedding Photography

This post is by Andy Dane from PetaPixel


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Whether you’re using it as a route into full-time wedding photography yourself, or just like shooting weddings with less responsibility, being a second shooter can be great fun. But there are responsibilities that come with being a second shooter, especially if you want to be invited back to shoot again!

As a professional wedding photographer, I love having a second shooter I can trust at my weddings, it means that I know I don’t have to worry about the candids so much, I’ll have an assistant for setting up my lighting in the evening or corralling people into the space

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How to Get Over Early Hurdles in Film Photography

This post is by Simon King from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Something about the way photographers acclimatize to shooting with film has intrigued me for some time. I think it’s safe to say that film is very much tried and tested — some of the greatest photography pioneers worked with film and were not limited in their ability to create incredible work, which remains relevant.

Photographers looking to get into film now have the entire history of photography and film photography to work with when making their decisions; what film stock to use, how to expose it, how to develop and print it — and yet somehow there is still a

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This 3D Map Shows Where You Can Hike to in Any Given Amount of Time

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



If you’re a photographer who often hikes in the great outdoors, the mapping service FATMAP has added a new feature that you may find useful. It’s called the Travel Distance layer, and it shows on a 3D map exactly where you’ll be able to hike to in any given amount of time.

The map doesn’t just take into account the straight line distance for its calculations, but the geographical properties (e.g. slope/gradient) of the map as well. Surface properties such as brush, swamps, or crossing rivers aren’t taken into account.

Simply access the Travel Distance Layer within the app’s

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Shooting Water Droplet Refractions for Magical Macro Photos

This post is by Don Komarechka from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Like tiny crystal balls, water droplets can add a magical element to macro photographs. There are a number of moving parts to consider, but the basic concept is simple: a spherical droplet can act like a lens, refracting light from whatever is behind it.

Getting good droplets can be problematic, as most surfaces will cause water to spread out rather than to bead up nicely. Using just plain water (no glycerine or other additives), one of the easiest foreground objects to use is a dandelion seed:

All wildflower seeds with any amount of fluff on them are likely to be

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Microsoft’s ‘Raw Image Extension’ Lets You View Raw Previews in Windows 10

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



If you’re running the latest version of Windows 10 as a photographer, make sure you install Microsoft’s Raw Image Extension. It adds native viewing support for the major raw file formats used by various camera brands.

Windows 10 doesn’t have raw previewing built in by default, so while you can work with raw files in specialized software such as Adobe Lightroom, previews won’t show up for you in Windows File Explorer or the Photos app right out of the box.

If you’re running the latest version of Windows 10 (the May 2019 Update, version number 1903 at the time of

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Here’s a Lesser-Known Photoshop Trick for Zooming Around Inside Photos

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



If you’re zoomed into a photo in Photoshop, popular ways to move around include holding the spacebar (and then clicking and dragging) or clicking inside the Navigator panel. But there’s a lesser-known trick that’s just as handy, and the Photoshop Training Channel explains how it works in this 2-minute video.

Basically, you can easily reposition your view within the photo at the same zoom level without having to move your mouse to the Navigator window. Simply hold the ‘H‘ key and then click and hold your left mouse button. This will cause you to temporarily zoom out and

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7 Simple Tips for Better Timelapses

This post is by Christian Mögnum Möhrle from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



In this 3-minute video and article, I want to share 7 tips on how to create better timelapse footage. Those tips are mostly related to your camera and settings.

Here’s a summary of the 7 tips:

1. Use manual camera settings for focus, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get a constant image look.

2. Aperture Priority mode can be used to make day-to-night (also known as holy grail) time-lapses. This is especially useful when you try to

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Concise Photography Advice for Friends and Family

This post is by Dmitri Popov from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



“Do you have any advice on how to take good photos?” Because I don’t make a secret of my interest in photography, it’s not uncommon for people around me to assume that I’m the right person to answer this seemingly innocuous question.

It doesn’t really help when I try to explain embarrassingly that I’m just an amateur and most likely the last person to dispense photography-related morsels of wisdom. So I thought I could just as well distill my meager photography experience into a few simple points I can share with people seeking my advice1.

For most people,

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Wide Angle Lens Fundamentals: The Good and The Bad

This post is by Spencer Cox from PetaPixel


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Wide angle lenses aren’t as easy to use as a lot of photographers think. They shrink the background and give the foreground strange proportions. They include all sorts of distractions from the scene in front of you, plus a lot of negative space. And yet… used right, wide angle lenses are incredible tools. This 7.5-minute video and article explain the ins and outs of using your wide angle for maximum effect.

Negative Space

One of the most important things about wide angle lenses is their potential for extreme negative space in your photo.

The sky, fields, oceans, and so

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The Art of Safari: Tips for Shooting African Wildlife

This post is by Peter Delaney from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Safari, conjures up beautiful imagery, The wilds of Africa. Endless grasslands which are teeming with wildlife, antelope, zebras, giraffe, buffalo, rhino and herds of elephant all share this beautiful world. But they are being watched and observed by fierce African predators, lions, cheetah, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas lie in wait to ambush these creatures, this game of life and death plays out every day and every night.

Watching sunsets as the African red blood sun sets below the horizon signaling to the nocturnal creatures that their part in the African safari has begun, hyenas cackle, jackals cry in unison,

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Shooting Double-Exposure Photos with a Tilt-Shift Lens

This post is by Michael Zhang from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Photographer Eric Floberg made this 10-minute video showing how he creates in-camera double-exposure photos using a tilt-shift lens, a technique he calls his “creative bread and butter.”

“A lot of people do double exposures with a typical lens, but I like doing it with a tilt-shift lens because it kind of distorts reality,” Floberg says.

Here are some photos he has captured using a double-exposure and tilt-shift combination:

You can find more of Floberg’s work on his website and YouTube channel.

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How to Shoot Light, Airy, High-Key, Minimalist Newborn Photos

This post is by Randy Klein from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



That title is a mouthful, but I didn’t know how to better describe the style. Over the years, I’ve been refining and perfecting my newborn photo technique to get the specific light and airy high-key look I want. While every home I visit is different, and some are more challenging than others, these strategies have given me the best and most consistent results.

Note: It’s important to know that I specialize in in-home lifestyle newborn photography, so my technique below is specific to that.

Declutter

While this might seem obvious, it’s easy to skip the step because you are

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How to plan the perfect trip to Barcelona

This post is by Carlos Lorenzo from Barcelona Photoblog


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Barcelona is the perfect holiday location if you want an exciting city break with plenty of sunshine, beautiful beaches and plenty of exciting attractions to enjoy. Millions of tourists enjoy its long golden beaches, stunning architecture, and beautiful parks every year. It’s always best to be prepared before you travel in order to get the most out of your holiday. Take a look at these helpful tips to help you plan the best break possible.

Choose where to stay

Barcelona is a fairly spread out city and where you stay will have a big impact on the kind of trip Continue reading “How to plan the perfect trip to Barcelona”
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How to plan the perfect trip to Barcelona

This post is by Carlos Lorenzo from Barcelona Photoblog


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Barcelona is the perfect holiday location if you want an exciting city break with plenty of sunshine, beautiful beaches and plenty of exciting attractions to enjoy. Millions of tourists enjoy its long golden beaches, stunning architecture, and beautiful parks every year. It’s always best to be prepared before you travel in order to get the most out of your holiday. Take a look at these helpful tips to help you plan the best break possible.

Choose where to stay

Barcelona is a fairly spread out city and where you stay will have a big impact on the kind of trip Continue reading “How to plan the perfect trip to Barcelona”
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7 Useful Things to Pack in a Photo Bag

This post is by Dmitri Popov from PetaPixel


Click here to view on the original site: Original Post



Besides a camera, lenses, and other photographic paraphernalia, I’ve found that there are a few things that may be worth having in your photo bag.

1. Cloth tape usually doesn’t leave any sticky residue, so it can be put to a variety of practical uses: from improvised weather sealing to fixing broken stuff.

2. A foldable backpack or shoulder bag. Something like an AmazonBasics Ultralight Packable Day Pack fits in the palm of your hand when folded and weighs almost nothing. It’s durable and can hold a lot of stuff. It’s also water-repellent so you can use it as a

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