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The beginner’s guide to using grids with softboxes

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Every day I see people posting in Facebook groups asking about softboxes and whether or not they should buy one with a grid. Personally, I always advise going for one that comes with a grid. Even if you don’t know why you might need it yet, if you get one without and then find out that you need one, it can often be impossible to source just the right size and shape.

But what exactly do grids do? And do you really need one? That’s what photographer David Bergman looks at in this two-minute video. He goes over what grids are for and when you might choose to use one. I have grids for all of my softboxes and octaboxes. I don’t always use them, but when I do need them, they’re absolutely invaluable.

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Start culling your photos for a more effective portfolio

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One of the most common things I see today, especially from newer photographers is posting far too many images from a session online. We’ve all seen it, and probably all done it at some point. You go to a photographer’s page, look at their photos, and you see 50 images from one shoot, followed by 50 from another, then 50 from another.

While we’re proud of many things we create, this can really dilute our most impressive work. In this two-minute tips video, photographer David Bergman explains why we should edit ourselves and cull our work down to only the very best.

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What it’s like to shoot behind the scenes on tour with Bon Jovi

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Photographing huge gigs like those of acts like Bon Jovi is the dream of just about every would-be concert photographer. To go on tour with them, get exclusive behind the scenes access, and have millions of people see your work? Well, that’s just fantasy. For most of us, at least. But for photographer David Bergman, that’s been his reality for the past seven years.

This video from AdoramaTV profiles David’s journey as a concert photographer. David talks about how he started off his career, and shot for big clients including Sports Illustrated, through to finding himself touring with Bon Jovi.

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How to stop your lenses from fogging up and why you need to

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Lenses fogging up usually isn’t a big problem for me here in the UK. But it is a problem I’ve faced while shooting in warmer climates. You go from a nice cool air conditioned building to the hot and humid outdoors and there it goes. Within 10 seconds, your lens is virtually impossible to see through.

If your lens is weather sealed, it’s just a waiting game for it to clear up. If it’s not, you can face long term consequences. This two minute tips video from David Bergman offers several ways to prevent fog on your lenses when you change environments.

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Learn how to read your histogram and nail exposure in just 2 minutes

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Histograms are handy things. They either confirm that you’ve nailed your exposure or let you instantly see if you need to adjust. But, they can be difficult for newer photographers to understand.

In this Two Minute Tips video, photographer David Bergman shows you everything you need to know about reading your histogram.

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Two quick tips to overcome harsh daylight without lighting tools

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Creating portraits outdoors in harsh sunlight is a pain. It’s why people tell you to not go out and do it during a bright sunny day, and to wait until golden hour. Personally, I love it, although I’m often doing it with flash or reflectors but it can be done without those, too.

In his latest Two Minute Tips video, photographer David Bergman walks us through the process of dealing with the harsh sunlight on location and beating it into submission to get some great portraits.

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Here are a few tips for keeping sand off your sensor while shooting at the beach

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned about shooting on a beach, it’s that sand gets everywhere. No matter what camera bag the gear is in or how well it’s taken care of, sand will inevitably end up everywhere.

Despite this, there’s one place sand should never be, regardless of where else it might magically appear…on a camera’s sensor.[Read More…]

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