Christmas is over and you may want to pack up the decorations for the next year. But before you do it, there’s a simple, cheap DIY project to try out. In this video, Joe Edelman shows you how to make a bokehlicious background for portraits with the stuff you probably already have at home. And even if you don’t, you’ll need about $10 for this build.
15 helpful tips for flying with camera gear
Traveling is wonderful, but it can be stressful if you’re flying with photography gear. You need to transport everything safely, plus avoid any potential misunderstandings at the airport because of the electronics you’re carrying. So, if your photography or video work takes you abroad often, Joe Edelman offers plenty of tips to make your life easier. In this video, he suggests the best bags and gear to carry, as well as packing tips to make your gear safe and make you carefree during a flight.
What fans to use and how to use them for blowing hair in the studio
Using fans to blow hair is one of the most effective ways to add a little life to a portrait or headshot. But it’s not easy. It’s not as simple as just throwing a fan, ramping up the power and hoping for the best – although that’s the method that seems to be most commonly used.
There are potential issues with blowing air at your subject’s head, though. In this video from photographer Joe Edelman, we learn what some of those problems are, and how we can get around them.
Stop asking others for opinion, it doesn’t help your photography
If you post your photos on social media and critique groups asking for opinions: well, you should stop doing that if you want to improve. This is what Joe Edelman argues in his latest video, so let’s see how the opinion of others can slow your progress down instead of improving it.
How to make your own DIY Justin Clamp for half the cost of a real one
Originally made to help Joe McNally solve problems that would occasionally pop up on shoots, the Justin Clamp has become a popular addition to many photographer kit bags.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.
How to use light painting to make your own unique DIY backgrounds in-camera
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.
How to safely clean your camera lenses and filters
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.
A simple technique for faking subtle shallow depth of field in Photoshop
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.
Why this photographer switched to Olympus after shooting Nikon for 42 years
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.
How to choose the best tripod for your photography needs
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.
