I wanted to share a little project that I began with the new year that has been a way to get back to what I really love about photography and it is sharedwith the hope that you might find something useful about it for yourself.

My good friend Chris Grey has done it again. His Studio Lighting Techniques For Photography: Tricks of the Trade for Professional Digital Photographers is nothing short of spectacular. My favorite quote from the book found on page 5 sets the tone for the book: “Failure is a wonderful reference.” Don’t be afraid to play and learn. 

No matter what the niche of photography, lighting and how to measure and capture it is the most important aspect for a photographer to understand, however, being able to control and anticipate its effects is equally as important. One of the best ways to anticipate and view the effects of light is by paying attention to the light present in your everyday surroundings.

As the owner of a small production company, I spend most of my time turning other people's ideas into reality. TV commercials, marketing videos, corporate pieces ... I truly do enjoy the agency and client-direct work I do. After graduating from film school, I deliberately headed to a smaller market because - unlike my friends - I didn't like the idea of being a tiny fish in the huge oceans of N.Y or L.A. To a great extent, that strategy has worked for me.

Early last Saturday afternoon, I was sitting down to lunch with friends, at a local restaurant, when I got a call from a photographer. He asked if I was busy right then, and I told him I was just eating lunch. The caller manages a photo rental studio, and the photographer who had rented the space was a bit overwhelmed, and needed a hand. I told him that I’d be there in 30 minutes. I gobbled down my lunch, apologized to my friends for eating and running, and hustled over to the ...
Read More >>

Over the years I’ve seen some definite trends in the types of shots that clients love. This month I’d like to share six ideas for shots that are proven winners in any assignment.

Challenge your Photoshop knowledge, have fun and learn with Photoshop Super Quiz

Fill in the blank questions for Photoshop words beginning with the letter “K” are separated into three learning levels. Answers are scrambled at the bottom of the quiz if you need to peek. The correct answers in numerical sequence are located further below.

The most forlorn and forgotten panel in the Develop Module has to be Camera Calibration. It’s almost an intimidating part of the program, and left alone for the most part. Still it contains probably the singlemost powerful tool in the Lightroom development pipeline: the profile.