A portrait is a portrait. To simply add the modifier of macro doesn’t change the rules of good composition, light, creativity, depth of field, etc. What does change is the way in which the subject is captured. If you use natural light, time of day and angle of the sun still help determine the success of an image. But you have a tremendous advantage making macro portraits over ones of large mammals or people. With just a few modifications, macro portraits can be made mid-day when most photographers nap, clean equipment, download, edit or explore new locations. You need to modify harsh noon light with a reflector or diffuser. Additionally, sunlight can be overridden via the use of flash and dependent...

When it comes to portrait photos, lighting and shooting the image is only half of the process. Knowing how to edit your images with a careful touch while still applying your signature creative look is the other half. This excellent video tutorial will show you how one photographer edits his shots using a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Tamron has established itself as a manufacturer of superbly practical and affordable lenses in the last few years, but they have also started to push the boundaries of lens design to create some impressively extreme lenses. One such lens is the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Today, I’d just like to muse a bit of some lessons I’ve learned over a long career as a professional photographer. Hopefully, some of these concepts will help you as well. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Christopher Malcolm)

Superzoom lenses are often overlooked because their extreme focal length ranges mean inherent compromises in image quality, but in recent years, we have seen some impressive advances that make them viable options for a lot of work. This excellent video features an experienced landscape photographer making a case for using a superzoom lens for landscape work. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Being a photographer is fun. Or is it? The good news is that it can be fun. But you have to know some hard truth that photographers sometimes don’t tell. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Illya Ovchar)

Photo By Masako Metz Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Gorse with the Coastline” by Masako Metz. Location: Oregon. Want to get your images in the running for a Photo of the Day feature? Photo of the Day is chosen from various galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them. The post Photo Of The Day By Masako Metz appeared first on Outdoor Photographer. Original linkOriginal author: Staff

The post 10 Tips for Breathtaking Cityscape Photography (+ Examples) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Richard Schneider. Capturing stunning cityscape photos might seem hard, but it’s actually pretty easy – once you know a few tricks, techniques, and secrets. In this article, I share my best advice for cityscape photography, including: How to keep your images consistently sharp (even in low light)How to deal with pedestrians in your cityscape scenesHow to capture beautiful compositions using foreground elementsHow to get incredible cityscape night photographyMuch, much more! So if you’re ready to capture cityscape images like a pro, then let’s dive right in, starting with: 1. Shoot during the blue hour If you want breathtakingly gorgeous cityscape photography,...

Samyang has long been recognized for creating affordable and sharp manual focus lenses, but in recent years, they have expanded into autofocus options, vastly increasing the versatility of their offerings while maintaining budget prices. One such lens is the AF 135mm f/1.8 FE, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

The beauty of shutter speed and aperture is that they are not just for getting technically correct exposures; they allow you to explore creative renderings as well. One way to do this is through dragging your shutter when shooting photos with motion, and this great video tutorial will show you both how to do it and the sort of results you can create. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

While the 85mm focal length is the classic choice for portrait photography, 135mm is a popular alternative, and there are some real gem lenses to be found there. One such option is the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and the impressive performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Traditionally, portraits are shot with focal lengths between 50mm and 135mm, though there is no reason you can't use a longer focal length. Nonetheless, 400mm f/2.8 lenses are traditionally reserved for professional sports and wildlife photographers who need a lot of reach and the ability to capture as much light as possible. With super-sharp results and a narrow depth of field, they seem like a great (if somewhat impractical) option for portraits, and this fun video shows you what you can expect. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

We all love having a spot to ourselves, but many times, that isn’t possible. There are a few unspoken rules when it comes to shooting in congested areas that every photographer should know. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Armitage)

Perhaps no lens has a wider price range than the 50mm, which can cost anywhere from under $100 to well over $2,000 depending on the sort of performance and image quality you are after. Two options at the top end are the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM and Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM, and this great video review takes a look at both and which edges out the other. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Modern cameras offer a wide variety of settings to change the behavior and customize to your own preferences. There are also a lot of basic settings you choose once and forget about it. Did you know there are settings you can ignore completely? I found eight of those. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Nando Harmsen)

Photo By garynack Today’s Photo Of The Day is “The Great Godafoss” by garynack. Location: Northern Iceland. “Northern Iceland has many, many waterfalls, but none as grand as Godafoss,” says garynack. “No wonder its name in Icelandic means ‘The Waterfall of the Gods’!” Want to get your images in the running for a Photo of the Day feature? Photo of the Day is chosen from various galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them. The post Photo Of The Day By garynack appeared first on Outdoor Photographer. Original linkOriginal author: Staff

Even though it is one of the most fundamental and important aspects of creating a successful photo, composition does not get the kind of attention it deserves when it comes to talking about photography. One aspect of composition that we should often consider is how we create and convey balance for our viewers. This excellent video tutorial examines the topic and offers some helpful advice that will improve your shots. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

The post Candid Portrait Photography: 6 Tips for Beautiful Results appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson. What is candid portrait photography, and how can you capture incredible candid images? In this article, I explain everything you need to know for stunning candid portraits, including: My favorite ways to find candid portrait subjectsHow to capture candid portraiture without intimidating your subjectHow to develop your skills in a fun, easy way So let’s dive right in, starting with the basics: What is candid portrait photography? Candid portraits are images taken when the subject is unaware of the photographer. Note that you don’t have to remain totally invisible to capture candid portraits. As long as the subject...

Irix is known mostly for making manual focus wide angle lenses with rugged build quality and nice image quality, and the new 21mm f/1.4 Dragonfly lens seeks to continue that trend. The lens comes in Canon, Nikon, and Pentax DSLR mounts (and can be easily adapted to mirrorless), and this fantastic video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Of course, we all try to get out photos are close to right as possible in camera, but none of us are perfect, and mistakes will happen. So, if you really miss the mark, what can you do to save an image you really want to use? This excellent video tutorial will show you some helpful tips and techniques for rescuing that shot. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)