A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is highly versatile, useful for everything from portraits to landscapes, astrophotography, and more. Such lenses can easily run north of $2,000, which, at $799, is what makes Samyang’s 35mm f/1.4 AF II quite the attractive option. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Soft light is generally the preferred style for portraits, as it is more flattering on the subject. However, soft light produces more gradual transitions and requires relatively larger sources, which can make it more difficult to precisely control where it is falling in the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to create a portrait using soft but carefully controlled light using flags and v-flats.
We photographers love gear. If you’re like me, you probably have a corner (or a basement) filled with modifiers, filters, lenses, lights, and more. The truth is that we don’t need a ton of expensive gear to create dramatic results, and in my latest video, I will show you how to create a Rembrant-style portraits using one off-brand flash in a small modifier.
Do you ever feel challenged by the creative energy of your subjects? The pressure to create something unique when you’re walking amongst giants? I had a chance to talk with renowned music photographer, Denis O’Regan about shooting some of the biggest names in modern music history.
Of course, it would all be great if every portrait photographer could afford their own studio, but that simply is not feasible for most of us. That being said, you would be surprised how little space you need to make creative, compelling, and professional portraits. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to light and shoot portraits in a small hallway.
As a portrait photographer, learning how to work with artificial light will enable far more creative exploration and free you from needing to rely on certain times of day, locations, and conditions. The best place to start is with a single light. This great video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of working with a single speedlight and how to use it to create a professional-level portrait.
I spent a few weeks testing the new Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 lens for Fujifilm, and in the accompanying article and video, I share my thoughts on one of the most exciting third party lenses on the market today.
Golden hour is a fantastic time to shoot portraits, using the interplay between the warm and dramatic light and your subject to create visually compelling images. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how this golden hour portrait was lit, shot, and edited so you can try the same ideas and techniques yourself.
