Warning Signs for Becoming a Professional Photographer
[Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 1600, ƒ/18, 1/500] While taking my drive around the Big Island of Hawaii last week, I turn onto the 4 mile scenic route of…
Year: 2016
Lighting Assignment: Combining Studio Strobes with Available Light
Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 2500, ƒ/10, 1/50 This last shooting assignment I have given my class this week is to take a studio strobe out and make a…
Lighting setup 2 assignment for my class: 3:1 Lighting Ratio
Photo by: Maile Powell The first assignment I gave the students this week with one light gave us excellent Rembrandt lighting. The downside to this type of lighting is sometimes you need to fill in…
Seeing Rembrandt lighting and then creating it
Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 2200, ƒ/4, 1/500 This morning, while eating breakfast at Ken's House of Pancakes in Hilo, Hawaii, I noticed what appeared to be a mother…
Success is most often in the nuance of the details
Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 2500, ƒ/6.3, 1/18000 The success of a photo is often in the nuance of the details. For this photo shoot, it was essential…
Why I chose my Nikon D4 over my D750
Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 200, ƒ/4, 1/500 While in Florida at a family reunion, we were suddenly in the backyard watching our kids enjoying Go Karting. I started…
Creating the promotional poster for a theater production
Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 1250, ƒ/8, 1/50 Just the other week, I teased you with some test shots. These are some of the final images from our…
Shooting wireless tethered for headshots
Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 50, ƒ/4.5, 1/160 Yesterday I did headshots for my daughter's theater. I used a straightforward setup that I have shown here before. As I was shooting, you can…
A Director of Photography is your organizations parachute and/or translator
Nikon D3S, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000 You don't jump out of a plane without a parachute unless you want to die. It is pretty self-explanatory as to why…
Make your family photos more valuable for future generations
Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 200, ƒ/6.3, 1/160–Neewer T850, Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel Radio system This past weekend our family flew down to Jupiter, Florida, to surprise…
Think of Social Media as another publication
If you grew up in the industry shooting and writing for a printed newspaper, magazine, or even for a website, you need to see Social Media as another publication. Too many editors, journalists, and photojournalists…
Expression is often the key element to great photos
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250 Key elements of the sports photo often include the ball and the competition. Here you can see…