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How to make your own DIY Justin Clamp for half the cost of a real one

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Originally made to help Joe McNally solve problems that would occasionally pop up on shoots, the Justin Clamp has become a popular addition to many photographer kit bags. It was created by Bogen/Manfrotto employee Justin Stailey from some standard off the shelf components. It served its function perfectly, so it became known as the Justin Clamp we still have today.

While excellent, they’re not exactly cheap. A handful of these in your bag can set you back a couple of hundred bucks. Another Joe, photographer Joe Edelman, has different solution, though. A DIY option that costs about half of the original Manfrotto (less if you shop around), and it seems to be a very good substitute.

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How to use light painting to make your own unique DIY backgrounds in-camera

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Coming up with unique and interesting backgrounds can be a challenge, especially in the studio. But it can be easier than you think. All it takes is a little light in the darkness. Light painting is typically seen out on location. The wonderful work of photographers like Eric Pare and Zach Smidt shows that off amazingly well. You can use it in the studio, too, though.

In this video, Joe Edelman shows us how we can use light painting to create some pretty cool unique backgrounds in the studio. Joe shoots Olympus cameras, which offer an advantage over other brands when it comes to this kind of thing with the Live Composite feature. It’s not essential to the technique, but it definitely makes life easier.

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How to safely clean your camera lenses and filters

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I used to clean my lenses religiously. Every time before I left the house with the camera, and again when I got back home. These days, my attitude towards it is a little more relaxed. I don’t worry about dust anywhere near as much as I used to. But I still try to avoid cleaning them the wrong way. And yes, there are some wrong ways.

If you struggle to keep your lenses clean or want to minimise the risk of damaging your lens while cleaning them take some pointers from Joe Edelman. In this video, he shows a couple of ways to absolutely not clean your lenses and talks about why. But he also demonstrates his method for cleaning his own lenses safely and effectively.

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A simple technique for faking subtle shallow depth of field in Photoshop

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I’m not a massive fan of faking optical characteristics in post. I prefer to shoot it the way I’d like in the first place. But sometimes it’s not always possible. Sometimes you don’t realise until after you’ve got the image up on the computer that something is a little more in focus than you’d have liked.

Shooting in the studio, for example, you’re often around f/8, to allow your subject some freedom of movement. With a solid background it doesn’t matter if it’s not blurred out. But it can often cause shoulders or other body parts to be a little sharper than you’d hoped. In this video, Joe Edelman walks us through a simple technique to help soften those areas in Photoshop and simulate them being out of focus.

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Why this photographer switched to Olympus after shooting Nikon for 42 years

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Not too long ago, switching brands seemed a silly expense. Bouncing back and forth between Nikon and Canon was just far more cost and hassle than it was worth. Some photographers simply bought into both brands (it worked out cheaper than swapping every couple of years). Others stuck with their brand through thick and thin.

Joe Edelman is one such photographer and stuck with Nikon for 42 years. But as technology developed and more manufacturers came back into the fray, Joe’s needs changed. So, he started playing the field to see what the others had to offer. Now, he’s finally made the switch to Olympus, and in this video, he explains why.

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How to choose the best tripod for your photography needs

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There are many situations where it’s hardly imaginable to take photos without a tripod. But there are several types of them, and you may find it hard to choose the one that best suits your needs. Or you’ve already bought it only to realize it isn’t really ideal for you. This is why photographer Joe Edelman breaks down the types of tripods and their uses, which should make it easier for you to make the decision. He also shares some useful tricks for using them, which will further help you get the best out of your photos.

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How to plan and shoot the perfect self portrait for social media profiles

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These days, social media is a huge part of one’s branding. It needs to represent who you are as a person and a company. There needs to be consistency between Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. It needs to convey who you are, either as an individual or as a company, and your personality.

Photographer and YouTuber, Joe Edelman recently had to update his social media profile photos after acquiring a new pair of glasses. Joe treats this task as he would any headshot shoot for a commercial client. Because that’s essentially what he is. His own commercial portrait client. In this video, Joe walks us through his process, with some great tips, whether you’re shooting for yourself or somebody else.

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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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Continuous LEDs vs strobes: which is the best solution for studio photography?

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If you’re new to studio portraits, there’s just so much to learn about the light. Also, you have a choice between strobes/speedlights and continuous LED lights. If you can’t decide where to start, the latest video from Joe Edelman could be helpful and get you on the right track.

In this video, Joe breaks down the differences between these two types of lighting. You’ll learn their main uses, and also why it’s good to use one or the other in different situations.

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Everything you need to know about paper backdrops with 2 money saving DIYP tips

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Choosing a backdrop for use in the studio largely comes down to personal preference. I rarely shoot in the studio, so I tend to go with cloth backdrops. For those who do it regularly, though, paper is the optimum choice. In terms of cost and ease of use, there’s really nothing out there that beats it. But some people get put off using paper, for one reason or another. Mostly due to a simple lack of knowledge.

In this video, photographer Joe Edelman tells us everything we need to know about working with seamless paper backdrops. Which to buy, how to store them, how to use them, how to make them last longer, and finally a couple of DIY tips to save you some money.

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