There are several reasons why unsightly white fringing appears in photographs. Sometime the cause is a high-contrast scene, like dark trees against a bright sky. These ugly halos may also result from heavy-handed editing, such as too much Sharpening or Clarity.
Shooting a self-portrait is a challenging task, but can be very rewarding. The one person that most photographers probably photograph least is themselves, and this is true even with those who enjoy shooting portraits of others. However, taking self-portraits has several advantages: you'll always have a willing subject...
It's fun to take pictures of our friends and loved ones having a good time. The trick is to have your camera ready—a point-and-shoot camera is ideal for this—and to be quick and spontaneous. Taking pictures of people at play means that you must be prepared to grab some fleeting moments on...
As with an environmental portrait, you can capture revealing images of people by photographing them at work. The idea is to not only portray the individual, but to show what a person does with his/her life. Most occupations have distinctive tools, clothing, or settings that can be interesting to photograph. Some people who would...
To say that Art Wolfe is not your typical portrait photographer is quite the understatement. With a career spanning 40 years, Wolfe brings his travels from every corner of the earth to create stunning portraits in his Human Canvas collection, honoring the traditions of Ethiopian tribal culture.
Jeff Rojas is a successful New York portrait and fashion photographer with a clear message in all his tutorials: “Keep it simple.” In the quick video below, he shows you three techniques for using a single reflective umbrella that deliver great results.
The Killer is Jerry Lee Lewis—if you want the origin story of his nickname, it’s searchable—and on that night in 1975 he was past his rockabilly and rock-and-roll days and into his country music career. Photographer Henry Horenstein was at the Ramada Inn in East Boston on assignment for Country Music magazine to photograph Lewis between sets.
If you’re interested in portrait photography, you’ve likely had to decide whether to shoot your subject with natural window light or artificial light from a flash or strobe. Most photographers will admit that neither is “better” than the other; they’re just different and suited for different subjects, different situations, and different tastes.
When it comes to great portrait and wedding photographers, California pro Bambi Cantrell is near the top of everyone’s list. In the tutorial below, she provides three powerful tips for making stunning photos of your own.
The reality is you can make portraits using any lens but most photographers will tell you the ideal portrait lens has a focal length in the range of 85-135mm. The first dedicated portrait lens was the 150mm f/3.3 Petzval developed in 1840, which had a 30-degree angle of view and was considerably faster than lenses of the period. It was so legendary that Lomography recently produced a new version for Canon EF- and Nikon F-mount cameras that costs $599.
Ask 100 portrait photographers to name the most important facial feature of their subjects, and 95 will likely say the eyes. But according to New York portrait pro Peter Hurley, if you want to make your subjects look their best, “It’s all about the jaw.”
People are among the most popular photo subjects. This month's lesson presents some easy ways to produce better people shots.
1. Don't Just Sit There...
Static portraits—with the subject just slouched there, or stiffly posed, are not terribly appealing. It generally pays to play director as well as photographer when you're photographing people.
Occasionally we all need a creativity boost, and one way to gain inspiration is by studying and emulating the work of a top pro. In the video below, you’ll pick up some great tips from the work of a famous Russian portrait photographer.
Most of us are familiar with the use of out-of-focus, seamless backgrounds by studio photographers, especially those who shoot portraits. Often, these backgrounds are a single color, such as white, black, or gray. In other cases, the backgrounds are a muslin material, adding texture to the background. The sole purpose of these backgrounds is to create a cleaner overall composition, giving the viewer no choice but to look at the man, woman, or child.
Photographer Manny Ortiz and his model wife have great chemistry as is clear from the below video where they discuss the "5 Do’s and Don’ts When Photographing Models."