Latest From The Phoblographer

How to Get Golden Skin Tones in Your Portrait Photos

Lighting is everything when getting the sunkissed look in your photos.

Fact: most people go about getting those gorgeous golden skin tones using post-production. But what if I told you you didn’t need to. Instead, you can get it by shooting in-camera, and you won’t need post-production. The photos will be perfect right out of the camera. Like a perfect steak, a good portrait shouldn’t be touched at all. And we’re going to talk about how to get those great golden skin-toned portraits.

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A Simple Camera Trick Can Get You the Blade Runner Look You Love

If you’re looking for the Blade Runner look, it’s all about tweaking a simple camera setting.

Of course, it depends on what generation you belong to, but the Blade Runner look is still something often copied. Folks love it! And we too admit it’s entertaining. There are two variations of the look. Arguably, the older and more classic look has defined lots of fantasy. You can surely do it all in post-production, but you’ll spend a lot less time at a computer editing if you just understand how it works in the first place.

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Printing Your Images and Making Them Look Good In Your Home Is Easy

Everybody deserves to see their images printed and hung in their home, and FUJIFILM Wonder Photo Shop can help make that happen affordably.

The digital age has brought the world of photography many wonderful things. The instant gratification of seeing our images on the back of our cameras and being able to share images online in a snap are both great. Unfortunately, though, the digital times have seen us step further away from printing our images, and that’s a huge shame. Honestly, there’s nothing better than seeing your images in physical form. The great news is that now, it’s easier than ever to get your images printed and looking their best in your home, thanks to FUJIFILM Wonder Photo Shop. And we’re here to help you get your images print-ready.

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This Phone Does Street Photography The Justice It’s Needed

Street photography has really needed a more serious smartphone, and the Sony Xperia 1 II is just the item.

Street photography is one of the best ways for people to explore their city. When you’re traveling, it can help you understand what’s going on around you. And the Sony Xperia 1 II does that better than other phones. Sony created the phone from the ground up for the photography experience. Of any that we’ve used on the market, this one has surprised us the most. If you shoot street photography, then pay attention to this.

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3 Helpful Tips on Using a 50mm Lens on an APS-C Camera

The nifty 50 lens is wonderful for so many photographers out there.

The 50mm lens is a place where so many photographers start. They get one and figure out if they want to go wider, longer, or use a zoom. Most folks opt for APS-C cameras for a cost savings benefit. And if you’re going for one of those, then you’ll probably reach for a 50mm lens. So we’ve come up with a few tips to remember when shooting with a 50mm lens on an APS-C camera.

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How to Get Better High ISO Images from Your Camera and Smartphone

If you’re having trouble shooting photos in low light and getting bad high ISO images, then consider the following.

Since the inception of digital photography, manufacturers have turned high ISO capabilities into a war. It’s typically those weird specks, grain, or discolored images that you see. Getting rid of it arguably started many years ago when Canon introduced the Canon 40D and the Canon 5D. Nikon took it further with the Nikon D300, D3, and the D700. Then everyone else jumped into the game. And as megapixel counts have gone up, the problem with high ISO noise has continued. We’ve compiled our expertise from shooting for over a decade into this one blog post to tell you folks really clearly how you can get better high ISO images.

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How to Shoot Photography While Quarantined with the Gear You Have

We’re not going anywhere for a long time, so try these.

We know you’re quarantined for the foreseeable future. But that doesn’t mean you need to put the camera down. Instead, this is a great time to shoot and embrace all the fun you can have with it. Trying something new helps us grow. So we came up with a few photography project ideas on what to do while quarantined. Check this out!

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The Big Mistake Portrait Photographers Make That Could Cost Them

Light stands are essential for photographers, but so too are the support items.

Years ago, I had a roommate that asked me to shoot portraits for him. Typically, this is just fine. He’s a friend. He’s not a bad guy. It’s fine. “Hey Chris, I need a new photo right now,” he said. After I questioned why he explained that a ton of women was on the dating apps at the time. Mind you, it was a few days after Hurricane Sandy ended. It was very windy too. So my roommate and I walked across the street to take a specific photo of him. We chose a wardrobe beforehand, planned it out, and set to work. I didn’t think it would end up costing me a trip to the hospital. Photographers, don’t make the same mistake.

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A Free Class on How to Develop Film At Home Using Dark Beer

All images by Juan Antonio Hoyos. Used with permission.

“At least here in Germany beer is cheaper than coffee and orange juice, so even if you go with a normal process not using chemicals, beer can be cheaper,” explains photographer Juan Antonio Hoyos to us in an interview. To that end, it’s one of the reasons why he’s been developing his black and white film with beer. Juan is a long time veteran of the analog photography community. And now, he’s teaching you how to develop black and white film at home using beer.

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Three Methods You Can Use to Create Photos Instead of Capture Them

Stop simply capturing images and start creating them; this is how you’ll put your unique stamp on your photos.

Everyone always talks about capturing images, but not about creating them. We can create in Photoshop, but so too can anyone else. It’s my firm belief that creating in camera is the best way as it means the photographer took all the methods and steps to create a photo organically rather than by compositing, layering, etc. in post-production which makes a photographer a better photo editor than a photographer. Though this idea could be controversial, these methods aren’t in use much because everyone is afraid of them. So, why not try them?

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A Helpful Guide to Using a Graduated ND Filter with Mirrorless Cameras

The graduated ND filter is one of the best things for landscape photographers to use.

A graduate ND filter is one of the most challenging types of filters to use. Slotting it into just the right spot can mean a big difference to the landscape photographs you make. Keeping them clean is also crucial to better final images. Landscape and seascape photographers often find these filters very useful. And with the transition from DSLRs to Mirrorless cameras in recent years, there have been significant changes. The addition of the exposure preview feature has changed the way we shoot, and having a graduated ND filter in front of the lens also affects things.

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4 Essential Tutorials Using a 35mm Lens to Shoot Great Portraits

There isn’t a thing a 35mm lens can’t do, and it’s great for portrait photography!

Why are 35mm portrait lenses so good at shooting portraits? There are lots of ways to answer that. They’ve become outstanding over the past few years. It’s arguably hard to take bad photos of people with them. One of the best things about 35mm lenses is that you need to keep a distance. They’re fantastic at shooting someone full-body style or doing an environmental portrait of some sort. And if you need a slower shutter speed, they’re typically easy to handhold. Here are some essential tutorials just for you.

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What to Do With Your 85mm Lens. A Guide for New Photographers

The 85mm lens is more a lot more than just portraits.

Lots of folks think that 85mm lenses can only do one thing. But that’s wrong. It’s not as wide as a 50mm or a 35mm, but they can do a whole lot. However, most people buy 85mm lenses just for portrait photography. Indeed, it’s great for this. It flattens a person’s profile very well and makes them look flattering. The truth is, though, that the 85mm lens is very versatile. And you can do a whole lot with it. We’re going to break those down in our roundup.

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What Photographers Need to Know About Their Beauty Dish

A beauty dish is an excellent tool for photographers who want a soft but punchy look.

We’re pretty sure that the work of most photographers these days is done with a beauty dish of some variant. They are now some of the most popular light modifiers out there. Because of their design, they deliver the best of many worlds. Photographers adore umbrellas for their inefficient light spill. Meanwhile, softboxes are loved for their efficient and soft approach to lighting. But beauty dishes make the best of both worlds. Just like all light modifiers, the bigger they are, the better they can be. So let’s understand a bit more about why they’re so awesome.

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How to Use a Ring Flash: A Tutorial for New Photographers

The ring flash is one of my favorite tools as a photographer, and it can surely become one of yours too.

There used to be a time when I used a ring flash like crazy. I loved it, and to be honest, I still do. It gives the look and feel of the direct flash so many photographers love while adding more pop to the image. It provides a lot more even lighting too. And it’s desirable. I mean, look at how many people love taking selfies with ring lights. Why wouldn’t you like a ring flash? If you think it’s tacky, I’d recommend you give it a shot and embrace it for what it is.

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Learn How to Use Your Mind’s Eye: Creating Fine Art Photography Review

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

You may have heard the term fine art photography before, but what is it that makes this genre stand out? Fine art photography allows us as photographers to create a series of images with artistic impressions. The end goal is to express an idea, emotions, or to convey a message. It doesn’t sound too difficult. However, Sharon Tenenbaum’s $39 ‘How To Create Award-Winning Fine Art Photography‘ video series shows that this photography genre is as much a mental process as it is a creative one. I have to say that taking a deep dive into Sharon’s mind and how it works was eye-opening. If you’re interested in fine art photography, read on.

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Leica, Voigtlander or Zeiss: Answering the Questions You Should Know

Leica, Zeiss, and Voigtlander have long been three companies that really compete with one another.

I’ve been considering writing this article for a long time: I know it’s information that someone will want. In the battle between Zeiss, Leica, and Voigtlander, it can be tough to figure out which is the best option. There are many different parameters, and you can always consider which one is best for you and your needs. Each lens manufacturer makes a variety of options for the market, and each one also makes excellent optics overall. In many circles, they’re seen as overpriced in comparison to the Asian made optics. But after years of testing and owning lenses from all of these brands, I’ll tell you that each of them has something unique to them. The right one for you just depends on your needs.

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Capture One Has Been Our Standard for Years. And It Just Got Better

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

I’d like to preface with a truly important point: Your editing software is the one true constant in your photography workflow. We often use different cameras, from different brands, lenses, filters, lights and so on, but your software touches every photograph you make, and your images deserve the best. This is just part of the reason why we use Capture One.

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Photo Question: Why Would You Use a Flash During the Daytime?

What’s the point of using a flash during the daytime if you can just edit the photo later on?

Though the more experienced photographers may already know the answer, there are lots of folks who don’t understand why you’re supposed to use a flash during the day. I mean, why not just overexpose the image or go into the shadows to shoot the photo? Well, life isn’t always that plain and simple. And if you’re really hellbent on fixing it in post-production, please believe me when I say that using a flash during the day will make it much more manageable. You can probably do this with your on-camera flash, but in most other cases, an off-camera flash will do this the best.

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Capture One 21 Speed Edit – The Fastest Way to Your Best Edits

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

What is Speed Edit? Speed Edit is a unique to Capture One feature, allowing photographers to edit photos without the need to navigate to any editing tools. Keyboard shortcuts hook up to designated adjustment tools and are then simply adjusted by scrolling your mouse or using another input method like your trackpad or Wacom.

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Know Yourself: How to Buy Your First Real Camera

If you’re buying your first real camera, then ask yourself these questions.

How does one buy a camera these days? Do you still even care about megapixels? These are essential questions for any budding photographer. Of course, there are tons of professional features. But most people who buy cameras these days are hobbyists. And those hobbyists care about the things that pros get simply because they want them. They don’t need them. In fact, you don’t even need a real camera–but you buy one because it’s your passion. So if you’re considering buying a new camera, then check out these questions you should ask yourself.

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