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How to use reflections in sun glasses to enhance your images not distract

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I remember when I was studying photography that the most difficult assignment we were given was photographing shiny objects. I stupidly chose to photograph a pair of orchestral cymbals (ie. shiny all over with multiple angles). The next most difficult thing after that was probably the sunglasses. Those reflections are necessary, you don’t want to remove them altogether, but you do want them to enhance the product, not detract from it. And that’s just product photography! What happens when you’re using artificial light with a person wearing sunglasses? How do you avoid those cartoonish round white blobs?

In this video from Adorama, Gavin Hoey shows you exactly how to use reflections of light sources to your advantage when photographing sunglasses.

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These are the best and worst ways to shoot portraits with on-camera flash

Shooting with a speedlight on camera is not something most of us would choose for portraits. But sometimes there’s no other choice, whether you don’t have the equipment to shoot off-camera or you don’t have enough room. So, Gavin Hoey comes to the rescue. In this video from Adorama, he’ll show you a few solutions for getting flattering light with your speedlight attached to your camera.

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Should you sell your RAW files if a client wants them?

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Do you let your clients have the unedited photos along with the edited ones? Do you think that’s the way to go or it’s a huge no-no? There are different opinions on this topic. In this video from Adorama, David Bergman discusses why you should and shouldn’t sell your RAW files to clients.

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How to get three different looks with a single $5 gold background

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There are plenty of cheap and easily available items that you can add to your shots and raise them to a whole new level. In this video from Adorama, photographer Gavin Hoey takes you to his studio to show you how to get three different portrait looks with a single gold background. He uses a $5 gold emergency blanket, so this is a pretty cheap, yet versatile trick to add some sparkle to your portraits.

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How your phone will make you a better photographer with your camera

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Most of us rely on our DSLR or mirrorless cameras for photoshoots. Some also take them on causal walks, while others rather rely on their phones or these casual shots. But instead of just using your phone to capture quick snapshots, you can use it to hone your skills. In this video from Adorama, Pye Jirsa talks about how taking photos with your phone can make you a better photographer with your camera.

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Turn your male model from Forrest Gump to Jason Statham with these ten posing tips

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There are plenty of tips out there for posing women who aren’t models. However, tips for posing male non-models are still not that common, so we always love when we find some useful ones. Well, this video from Adorama has quite a few of them. Pye Jirsa teams up with Derek Pratt to share ten male posing tips in about ten minutes. Other than having fun watching Derek goof around, you’ll learn some great tricks for turning your model from Forest Gump to Jason Statham.

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Glow has launched a new range of windproof lighting umbrellas

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Umbrellas are probably the most common lighting modifier out there for those who work with speedlights or strobes. They’re lightweight, inexpensive and easy to get hold of. But if you want to get out on location, they all have one pretty fatal flaw. It’s the same flaw that affects umbrellas designed to keep the rain off your head, too. That flaw is wind!

Well, no more. Adorama has developed a line of new Glow windproof lighting umbrellas. Taking advantage of the natural reflectivity of aluminium fabrics, the new umbrellas are available in various shallow, deep and wing-style designs in five sizes from 33″ up to 65″ and use an open weave design to let the wind pass straight through them.

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Follow these five steps to instantly improve your location portraits

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Like every genre, portrait photography comes with a set of challenges. It gets even more challenging when you shoot on location. The background and the lighting may not be perfect, but you may also not be doing enough to make the best of them. In this video from Adorama, Gavin Hoey guides you through five steps that will take your portraits from “meh” to “wow!” He shows you what you can do and achieve amazing results with minimal equipment wherever you are.

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Follow these tips and never miss the decisive moment again

Oftentimes, capturing the perfect moment is what makes a photo special. But as important it is to catch it, it’s equally easy to miss it. In this video from Adorama, David Bergman offers some tips and examples to help you train your eye and never miss “the decisive moment” again.

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Follow these three tips to create dramatic portrait lighting with a single light

Lighting is one of the key elements in photography. It can make it or break it, and it adds a lot to the story you want to tell with your image. In this video, Adorama teams up with Emily Teague who talks about the use of dramatic lighting in portraits. She tells you about how to use it, and gives you a lighting demo to show you her simple setup for dramatic, moody portraits.

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