Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
Now that Instagram has transformed into a short-form video platform geared towards creators and influencers looking to go viral, where do we hobbyists and enthusiasts share our photos and find other photographers?
It’s not Flickr: the user base isn’t mainstream enough. It’s not Twitter either: that’s mostly topical posts like news and opinion. Discord isn’t really a social network, but a group chat. And Facebook is a joke.
It’s Tumblr. (Wait, hear me out).
The vast majority of us learn photography with the aid of natural light. Whether we started years ago with our parent’s film camera, or whether you found your passion for photography thanks to your smartphone, natural light was most likely the sole source of light in your shots.
For many, making that first step into the world of controlling the light can be a daunting one. Which light should I use and how do I learn to use it? Regardless of whatever light you choose though, one of the simplest first steps, is to use that supplemental light in conjunction with natural light and in this article I aim to show you a simple method of combining your lights with the ever-faithful natural light.
Everybody hates Instagram.
Well, not everybody, but it sure sounded like that this week. You certainly heard two Kardashian sisters, a Change.org petition and high-profile bloggers raising their voices in opposition to Instagram’s shifting to a virtual all-video platform.
It’s all part of the effort for Instagram and sister app Facebook to try and catch onto the success of TikTok, the China based app that has made a huge dent in not just Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, but Google as well.
Finding a publisher to take on your project and print your book may take years, and proposal rejections can feel demoralizing. Suppose you’ve invested a significant amount of time and energy into photographing a project or want to showcase your portfolio without jumping through hoops of submitting to publishers — in that case, self-publishing a photobook is a viable option. [Read More…]
We’ve got some big news: The Nikon Z9 is here and ready to take on the Sony A1 and Canon R3 for the title of ‘Mirrorless Flagship.’ We can argue all day about which camera is the best, but there’s no question that this one is the biggest. Mirrorless cameras have all been lighter and more compact than their DSLR counterparts, but with Z9 and the R3, Nikon and Canon have changed that.
While there were a few notable updates with the Z7 II, it was overall a very similar camera to its predecessor. The Z9, however, is a whole new animal. Nikon has been making a lot of solid well-handling cameras across their various tiers, but this is the first one I’ve personally been excited about.
There are three avenues for publishing a photobook — traditional publishers, independent publishers (also known as indie presses), and self-publishing. This article will take a deep dive into indie presses. They are known for printing highly creative, beautifully crafted books that are as unique in design as the art that comprises their pages. The book becomes an extension of the photographers’ project — an art object in its own right.
[Read More…]
I’ve used poly-boards, bounce-boards, and even white sheets and white walls as lighting modifiers to soften the light in the past, but arguably the quickest and most efficient way to instantly achieve beautifully soft light, is the V-Flat.
What is a V-Flat?
In its simplest form, a V-Flat is 2 large sheets of white board joined together on the long edge. Imagine two regular white doors hinged together at the sides and it’s this resulting ‘V’ shape that allows them to stand by themselves without the need for further stands and supports. Fancy V-Flats are even black on the other side and the ultra-supremo ones are even foldable for storage too!
Large traditional photobook publishers are highly selective in their choices of what photography books they publish. They must carefully consider the artist’s reputation and the project’s marketability while also examining profit margins before publishing a photobook. From the design process to the book’s production, distribution, and marketing, their investment is enormous, involving many people to bring the book to fruition. Publishers like Phaidon, Chronicle Books, Damiani, and Steidl publish successful fine art photographers who have a base of collectors, gallery representation, and museum exhibitions. Traditional publishers assume the financial burden of the book — from design and production to marketing and distribution, with the photographer earning a percentage of royalties on each book sold, thus separating them from other publishing avenues.
The number of photobook publishing companies has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Before 1999, there were approximately 92 presses compared to over 480 operating in 2021. Additionally, a photographer’s desire to publish photobooks has grown — as a means of self-promotion and self-expression. The accessibility to design tools and print-on-demand services has made it so that anyone can publish their work. But should they? This series of four articles will examine the ins and outs of photobook publishing. From traditional publishing houses to independent presses and self-publishing.
I recently returned from tiny Mendocino, California, a coastal town up the road from San Francisco, producing an episode of my PhotowalksTV travel series, and my inbox has been overflooded with questions about the process.
Do I really produce a travel photography series with just mobile cameras? (Mostly.) And how do I go about it? Thanks for asking. Let me tell you about it.
FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!