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The “Chosen Ones” on Instagram – Do they have an unfair advantage?

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Instagram is one of the key platforms I use for publishing most of my latest works and I have to say, it is a community where I have come across some of the most talented and amazing photographers. Some of them have inspired me too.

However, like other social media platforms, it has its own flaws too but these flaws are more man-made than Instagram algo-made. Instagram is a platform where there are two ways you can grow your following genuinely. One is by promoting your posts by paying Instagram and the other is by having hubs promote your works too. This post will be mainly discussing the latter.

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The 7 commandments for successful photo walks

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In the last year, I’ve walked probably more than 2000 miles with my camera. I love photo walks, because they are so meditative. There is also great excitement when you get home to look at the photos, to see if you caught any great ones. It adds a dimension of extra beauty and flow to your regular long walks. Following, are the seven most important lessons I have learned, when it comes to getting the best possible enjoyment and results from your photo walks.

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Spekular is the light that does it all for photographers

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Spekular is spectacular! Hmmm – a little over the top? Not really. I recently had the opportunity to put this new LED lighting system from Spiffy Gear to the test. Spiffy Gear are the folks that brought us the Light Blaster (buy link).

Spekular is a modular lighting system that can take on all kinds of shapes depending on your needs and this can save you money and the time needed to pack and set-up light modifiers especially when you are working on location. Spekular comes as a kit of 4 LED sections. Each section is built with aluminum and ABS plastic. The sections can be configured using the included hinged connectors or with the accessory extension kit.

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I shot my first wedding and didn’t mess it up – Here are some thoughts

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Non-pro, non-wedding photographer here. Last year I took a few pictures at my sister’s wedding. My cousin, having his own wedding coming up, saw some of my shots on Facebook and asked if I would photograph their wedding. I agreed.

I had 8 full months to prep. My experience and comfort zone consists mainly of landscapes, astrophotography, and some OK candid stuff, though I like to push into new styles and subjects to force myself to learn more.

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How I photographed Jennifer Lawrence

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We all have our dreams, some are simple while others are complex, buried with the overwhelming mountain of hurdles. I began my creative career in the one of the most complex industries; music. The business of music is just like any other business, except it’s competitive and hard to navigate as a poor teenager who lives in their parent’s basement. But, I survived for a few years with the scars to prove it. We toured and recorded albums, yet never seemed to make it where we always dreamed to be. One minute we had a breakthrough, the next we took ten steps back. I often think what was to blame or who was to blame. But, I chock it up to timing. We happened to choose one of the worst times in the history of music to succeed. Free music was the new thing and the sales of compacts discs were crashing at an alarming rate. I often felt like my band was running on a treadmill, covered in sweat, yet never making any big leaps toward fame, fortune and my dream; to be my own boss.

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Hands on review of the new Profoto A1 – Natural beautiful light. Easy to Use. Never miss a shot.

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We all know and love the legendary lighting manufacturer that is Profoto. For decades, they have produced and supported the most durable, powerful, and consistent lighting equipment for professional photographers around the world. In recent years, they have pushed the lighting industry forward with the introduction of the B1 and B2 and their OCF system.

These new lights have changed the way photographers work by allowing for unheard of flexibility and mobility. Ever the innovator, Profoto has given us something we’ve always wanted, but never thought to ask for.

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4 Lessons in Creativity for Photographers

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Creativity in any discipline is about finding new and original ideas. When they strike, creative thoughts seem to appear out of nowhere – light bulb moments. Sometimes it seems like creativity is something intangible that we can’t control. But are there ways you can nurture your own creativity? How can we better create the conditions for those moments of inspiration to strike?

In her TED talk, Julie Burstein, an expert in creative thought, offers insight into how creativity grows out of everyday experiences. Her stories revolve around various creative disciplines, but her key four ‘lessons’ are ones that we can embrace as photographers. Her full TED talk is worth watching, but in this post, we wanted to explore in-depth some of her key points and discuss how these may be applicable for photographers.

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3 tips for the optimal subject distance in street photography

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Do you have to get closer to your subject? Or should you get further away? If you go by Robert Capa’s famous quote, you already have the answer:

“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”

I do agree that getting closer often improves your street photos. If you don’t care about the scenery at all, it’s a pretty great rule of thumb. However, if you love a bit more context, then a bit more distance truly improves the shot.

Let me show you 3 great ways to find the right distance for your street photos.

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Shooting through prisms at home or in the studio

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In this tutorial we will be going over how to create gorgeous in-camera flared effects that can add a lot of depth and interest to a simple portrait image. To do this we will be using a glass prism which can be found on any number of online retail sites. The glass prisms are generally used for school science experiments so they’re readily available and very inexpensive.

25mm x 100mm glass prism on Amazon link here

The prisms are very easy to use out on location as you simply hold them in front of the lens and shoot away. If you’re looking to use them in a studio environment though there are a few key things to bear in mind to maximise the flared effect that creates that signature look.

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