Light Art Performance Photography, (often abbreviated as LAPP) is a unique type of art that was developed and invented by JanLeonardo Wöllert and Jörg Miedza. Unlike different forms of light painting, LAPP is one of the first types of art that uses light as the medium to get widespread attention.

Not only does it require the illumination of existing objects, it requires the photographer to capture and create new subjects based entirely on light. The main reason as to why it differs from other photographic forms such as light writing and light painting is due to the inclusion of a background in the photo.

LAPP is an easy form of art; all you need is a DSLR or a Lomo camera that has a shutter frequency under 5 seconds. Despite the appearance, LAPP does not require the artist to have any Photoshop skills. The additional tools one can use in creating this art form include a source of light e.g (glow sticks, laser beams, poi balls, LED lights), a tripod, flashlight, flash and strobes, lenses and tape.

As simple as it sounds, LAPP requires certain techniques to be followed in order to achieve the best results. However, you are not entirely restricted to solely using them.

Here are some of the techniques you can use for creating perfect Light Art Performance photographs.

Using Different Angles

Using different angles in creating the images is the key towards making your light photography come to life. It helps bring out interesting three dimensional effects to the objects you are photographing. A great example would be when taking the pictures from the ground, hold the beam down low, then pan the light above the ground.

When you are working with different angles don’t let the object stand in between the light and the camera or else the resulting picture will be a silhouette. Other than just presenting light from behind the camera around the object, try painting it from the sides. This could involve illuminating the sides of flat surfaces, which will allow you to bring out the various textures of the surface.

Appropriate Use of Light

Avoid shining the source of light at the camera directly, as this will create a bright spot on the image. Flashlights with red filters are great to use, as they will prevent you from ruining your night vision. They also come in handy when you need light and want to make camera adjustments.

Keep the light moving; the beam should be moved in slow strokes in the areas where less lighting is required. Just like you would paint with a brush, paint with the light; up and down or side to side strokes. Make sure the clothes worn are non-reflective, so as to ensure you don’t appear as a ghost in the picture.

Choosing the Right Surface

This is important when shooting objects on surfaces. Since different surfaces react differently to light, it is good to note the right surface to get the desired result. Surfaces such as wood are believed to require more light because the rougher the surface, the more light is absorbed. For shiny surfaces such as glass or metal, it is quite the opposite as they reflect light at maximum exposure.

Camera Settings

Adjust the following camera settings accordingly:

• Aperture: Make sure the aperture setting is high. This is because you’ll need the lowest amount of light hitting the sensor as it counters the long shutter. Any aperture set above f/8 will work perfectly. It may seem odd to take images at such a high aperture, but you can always decrease or increase the exposure when editing. Photoshop and other photo editing tools can assist in adjusting the image to the right exposure.
• ISO: Photographers report that the lower the ISO setting, the better the shots. You can try out different settings to choose the most suitable in your setup.
• Shutter Speed: Try shutter speeds of a few seconds for the initial LAPP shots and scribble with the flashlight. Then adjust the ISO and the aperture depending on what you want to paint. Once the pictures are starting to appear as you wish and you want more time to draw the images, move towards the bulb setting on the DSLR.

Additional Light Source Techniques

There are three light sources that one can use in light art performance photography. The three most efficient light sources are the on-camera light source, off-camera light source and the kinetic light.

1. On-camera Light: This involves creating the lighted image where the element that is illuminated can be viewed by the camera. This source is appropriate when creating light drawing, graffiti, photo booths and light writings.
2. Off-camera Light: This involves creating the image where the illuminated element is not visible to the camera. This involves having the artist or object behind the camera during long exposures. Light is also projected into the scenery to create the design and required color within the frame ow by using light painting brushes.
3. Kinetic light: This involves the process of leaving the light stationary and moving the camera around to create motion, colors and designs within the frames. A great example of using kinetic light is holding the camera with your hands and opening the camera’s shutter for long exposure while using the moon’s light to create drawings.

If you are ready to experience a unique art form, get innovative and you’ll be surprised with what you can create. You don’t have to follow this guide to the letter, try out something different and discover the possibilities. Create your own mix of composition, color and lighting, and blend them together to invent astonishing pieces of art that stand out in the world of photography. This is what true art entails.

About the author: Melissa is a young and energetic writer, a mom to a sweet little boy, and a fur-mom to two perfect pooches. Before becoming the Associate Content Director for Project Female, she was a journalist specializing in topics related to women in politics and policy affecting women.

Landscape photography is one of the most famous and challenging kinds of photography. Landscape photographs are surprisingly beautiful and eye catching. At one point of time or other, you must have come across really nice landscape photographs and simply exclaimed “wow”.

The amazing captured pictures of skies, clouds, mountains and water seem straightforward to shoot but they are actually not.

If you are a photographer and are looking for some useful tips that can help you with taking breathtaking landscape photographs, you are at the right place. Here are 5 simple tips to help you capture stunning landscape photographs.

Find the Perfect Location

The most important thing in landscape photography is the LOCATION. Do you want to photograph the Grand Canyon or capture the sunset from Sunset Point, California? Whatever the case be, you first have to picture it in your mind and explore the options as to which positions can give you the best pictures ever.

You can choose a top of a cliff or a field of flowers in a village as your subject. This decision will have an impact on the story, style and uniqueness of your landscape photographs.

Don’t limit yourself to the subject and the location. Explore more areas near your decided location. In this manner, you will get more unexpected landscapes to shoot.

And if you are running out of ideas, just pull out Google Maps. It provide so much information about locations that you can easily look for the best options for your landscape photography.

Look for the Best Lighting Time Possible

Landscape photography is nothing without proper lighting. All outdoor photographs require great light that looks so mesmerizing while it highlights all the beautiful elements and brings out the details of landscapes present in frame of your photograph. You get perfect pictures only if you are capturing them with the best lighting available. Therefore, you must schedule your photography shoots early in morning or before the sun sets in the evening. These hours are called golden hours and offer great lighting opportunities for landscape photography. At these times a soft golden light is present in the outdoors which is the best to glamorize the nature photographs.

Prepare your Shot in the Mind

The most favorite thing about landscape photography is that you get time to prepare a shot in your mind. When you are capturing a landscape, you can not only choose which part of the scene you would like to cover, you actually frame the entire shot. There are different angles to play around with.

For perfect photo composition, it is a good practice to take a lot the test shots and then review the images and think about the creative ideas to make the better shots.

Sometimes adding the background makes a picture look more interesting, while some pictures taken from a low angle look absolutely gorgeous and sometimes nature events like a storm that makes the rays of the sun looks more sharp on the sky helps you shoot brilliant images.

Use a Tripod

Tripod is very much important when it comes to landscape photography. If you want to save your pictures from getting blurred, you must use a tripod. Shooting outdoors isn’t that simple. Photographers who cannot carry a tripod for any reason can raise their camera ISO level as an alternative but that would affect your picture quality. If you want to have the finest sharp quality landscape images with best lighting then you must use a good tripod.

Post-process your images to add the finishing touches

Every photographer knows that ultimately the last step in the process is to post-process the images for adding the professional touch. Some photographers like to keep it real and keep the post-editing process as real as possible. They use limited options to enhance the pictures while some photographers process the photographers to the maximum level possible.

My recommendation is that you must take care of straightening your landscape photos, remove all the marks and spots. The exposure should be balanced and boost the saturation a little.

Adding some contrast and increasing the saturation level will always make your landscape images stand out!

If you enjoyed this post, do share it with the world. : )

Author’s Bio: Stephanie Lewis is a writer and a newborn photographer. She joined Photography Concentrate team in 2017 and since then she has been trying to pursue the best photography and editing practices. Besides photography, she loves having coffee, meeting new people and travelling to exotic places. Read this awesome post about Reasons to get into Photography.

Sometimes, as photographers, we’re afraid to admit that things aren’t working.

Sometimes we’re afraid to confess these things publicly, and sometimes, we’re afraid to admit them even to ourselves.

This article will cover a few of the most common confessions from pro photographers as well as a few tactics to combating them.

I Lied to Get My First Clients

When we are first getting started in our business, so many photographers feel like they have to “fake it until they make it.”

This couldn’t be more wrong. Let your work speak for yourself and if somebody is your first paying client and happens to inquire how long you’ve been doing this, let them know your experience but don’t be afraid to let them know they’re your first paying client. There’s a good chance they’ll be honored.

You don’t have to pretend, on your website or in person, to have a team, a studio, or anything else to get early clients. Let your work and your passion speak for itself. Until you get that first client, here’s a few other ideas on how to make money with your photography.

I Still Only Have a Few Clients

Along the same lines is lying to get your first clients, we feel like we have to lie, claiming that we ever only have a few slots of open or are nearly booked solid.

You’re afraid that potential clients won’t book you because you don’t have any current clients, somewhat like walking into an empty restaurant on a Friday night.

We’ve all been there, trust me.

This is not only unhealthy to you, but consider who you’re really doing it to impress. Is it your potential clients, or is it your peers? So often photographers work extra hard on their websites or their messaging because they want to impress other photographers.

Your ideal clients don’t care how booked up you are so don’t fake any kind of scarcity thinking it will impress them.

I’d Never Pay What I Charge

The first step with this confession is that it’s okay.

Trust me, it’s perfectly fine.

This is because you are not your ideal client.

Not everybody who works at the Bentley dealership drives one, either.

The danger lies in, should you continue believing this, you will sabotage yourself by shooting for free, giving in to unreasonable client demands, and *gasp* heavily discounting your services to a rate that seems more “reasonable” to you.

One of the biggest reasons you would never pay your rates is because you can do it for yourself! Your frame of reference is completely different.

The moment you decide to stop hurting your business by marketing to yourself, instead of your ideal client, your business will start to take off.

I Don’t Have Answers to Good Questions

Clients ask totally reasonable questions all the time. Questions like:

“What kind of camera is that?”

“What lens are you using?”

Sometimes they love photography. Sometimes they’re just curious people.

Instead of getting flustered or offering a cursory answer, direct the conversation back to your love of photography and your style, says a photographer.

Please note, unreasonable questions like “Can I see that?” after every shot, or “Can I get all of the files?” should also be handled with a similar grace, albeit a bit more firmly as these kinds of questions compromise your ability to get great shots.

I’m Bad with Clients

You may have gotten into photography because you like taking photos, not because you like working with people.

But let’s be honest: Most of us are quirky and awkward in one way or another.

Convincing yourself that you can’t be successful because you don’t have the people skills necessary to woo clients and build relationships is just flat out wrong.

Whether communicating via email or in-person, there are a lot of great resources for upping your social game so that it’s on par with the quality of your photography.

In the photography business, we have to wear a lot of hats, so don’t let your shortcomings in one area become part of your mental narrative going forward.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. I read each one of them!

Author’s Bio: Brendan is the founder of Photo MBA, where he teachers photographers how to charge more, land better clients, eliminate business headaches, and bridge the gap between their current reality and photography business goals.

To some, photography as a hobby could just be a pastime, that they do after a rigorous full-time office job. On the contrary, you could actually use your passion of taking photos to earn some money. When you are able to deliver a beautiful photograph, you are ensured that you always have a place in the industry. In this article, we are going to identify the ways to make money with your photography hobby.

Become a freelance photographer for Newspapers & Magazines

While it is not a stable job, you could still earn money by taking photographs for magazines and newspapers. Contact any agent or staff from any of the publications in your locality and inquire about any possible work. Submit eye-catching and print-worthy photographs regularly. This way, you will be able to establish yourself as a credible photographer in their company. Once you have developed a rapport with the publication that you are working with, you can expect more regular work like covering local events for news and featured stories.

Sell your photos through stock photography sites

If you have a vast collection of photos, you can submit them to stock photography sites. You can sell these images or have them licensed when you join sites like Shutterstock, iStockphoto, or Getty Images. These photographs are purchased by website owners of academic blogs, automobile sites for using them on their websites, brochures, print media, etc.

To sell your photos, you have to sign up as a contributor on any of the sites mentioned above. Follow the guidelines of the site and upload your photos. Add metadata, photo descriptions, and relevant keywords. This will help the users in finding the required images easily. Here are some useful tips to become a best-selling photographer on stock photography sites.

Sell your prints

There are various ways on how to sell your prints. Primarily, you can put up your own website and upload your portfolio there. You could also showcase your photos in local coffee shops and restaurants. If customers like your prints, they can very well contact you for purchasing them. You can also approach photography and art galleries in your vicinity and get the chance to display your work.

For better prospects, get your prints framed. You can even consider printing on canvas for a professional look. The possibilities are indeed endless.

You may like to check out online photo printing services.

Join Photography competitions

There are a lot of photography competitions whose prizes are not to be joked about. You can try looking for contests that offer cash prizes. Mostly these are theme based. Capture the theme based photographs for the competition and submit the same. Some competitions might require you to submit your portfolio as a prerequisite for participating. If you photograph regularly, you can easily enter these contests.

Start with searching online for photo competitions. While it does not guarantee you an instant payout, the concept of joining competitions would be thrilling, to say the least. You will learn a lot from this exercise.

Start a YouTube channel or a blog

For about a decade now, vloggers have been using YouTube as an avenue to generate money through their videos. This has been possible due to ads and sponsored content. If you want to share your knowledge in photography and earn good money, you can consider uploading videos online. If you are more of a writer, you can start a photography blog where you can post the galleries of your best photographs categorized by themes / topics / subject matter.

You can also post tips and tricks, review camera gears, or collaborate with other photographers and do photo tutorials. The catch here is that you will need to have a good number of followers so that you can actually make money from your blog.

Final Thoughts

If it pays well, you can eventually turn your hobby into a full-time job. It needs hard work and dedication, but the end result is awesome if your hobby pays off!

About the Author:

This is a guest post by Irina. Irina is a certified advertising specialist, a journalist and an experienced blogger. Her blog is her love, her hobby and her life.

Check out her profile and blog.

Any professional photographer can take bright pictures of the high quality in the place with a good daylight, even if he uses typical SLR camera. But what can a beginner do if he has to take photos in the place with bad light? There is no need to mention that it plays a significant role during the photo sessions. However, most of the beginners think that they need to use advanced and expensive equipment to good lighting pictures.

Anyway, neither good camera’s resolution, nor a camera stabilizer, or zoom lens would help you to get pictures of high quality in the condition of bad lighting. The same refers to the splash usage, but here, in this article, the group of professional photographers made up a list of top 5 tips on how to make the best light for taking pictures and avoid bad lighting photos.

ISO

The modern digital camera offers us several methods aimed to cover as much light as possible with a matrix of the camera. And increasing camera’s ISO is one of them. Probably, this is the easiest and quite obvious way to capture a photo. ISO adjustments affects the amount of light which will get on a sensitive sensor.

And here is a trick that you should remember: the higher ISO, the more light you would get in a photo, but, at the same time, it increases the level of the grain or pixel size in your photo. Thus, don’t use an ISO of 3200 or 6400 unless you would like to get a photo with a lot of ‘noise’.

However, it is possible to retouch a slight grain with the help of post processing program devices. Increase in ISO is the most suitable alternative for pictures taken in dark rooms or concert halls. Check out some handy tips about ISO here →

Lens optics and aperture

If you often take bad photos in the rooms with bad lighting, for example, at nightclubs or concert halls, the best decision is to buy a good high-aperture lens. F/1,4 -1,8 lets you take shots with higher quality. Aperture is something like a pupil, so it helps to get more light, while the aperture is opened. If it is possible, you have to open it as much as possible to get better pictures.

The more aperture you open, the less exposure you need for the correct shot. The best way out is to do these settings manually to have an opportunity to get needed shots. While using the maximum aperture, you have to be careful, as there is a risk that bright objects may turn into blurred ones, while the background and the faded object wouldn’t be sharpened enough. So, in this case, you have to be careful, as in the case of increasing the ISO. The aperture can also be used for adding creative effects to the photographs. Check it out here →

Exposure time and a tripod

One more method to make your life easier and a photo a bit lighter is to use long time exposure. However, this method is perfect for shooting motionless objects or landscapes at sunset. Standard time of exposure is from 1 to 10 seconds, and it regulates according to the type of a scene lighting.

Here is one more tip for photographers – you have to head for objects of a middling light while adjusting time exposure. There is no doubt that longtime exposure requires a tripod. It is essential to use a tripod in order to make sure that the picture is not blurred.

Speedlight

Flash is the very last method you should use, but sometimes it is effective enough. Flash usage often gives you awful effects, but today you have an opportunity to use a speedlight. This is a special small portable flash device which you can attach to your camera or stand-alone if activated via remote control.

Black and white filter

If nothing really works, try to apply a black-white filter and decrease the level of contrast. It is not a way out of the situation, but a good alternative solution.

About the author: John Landrum is a Managing Editor of the ‘National Education’ magazine. He was born in Austin, the USA and graduated from the University of California. He is 39 years old, and you can get familiar with his works at https://samedaypapers.com/essay-writing-help.

A big part of being a lifestyle photographer implies knowing how to make your clients look less awkward in front of the camera. To overcome shyness and stiffness, you’ll have to help your non-models feel comfortable, smile naturally and just be themselves. Your attitude plays a major role and knowing the right things to say is half the battle. If you want to surprise your clients with incredibly candid shots, we’ve selected these tips for posing non-models that will show you how to make anyone look better regardless of their posing skills.

1. Establish What You Want to Achieve with Your Photos

   Whether you’re taking photos to improve your skills and your model is a friend or you’re taking photos of clients, you should know what you want to achieve from the start. In some cases, it’s up to you to choose the settings, type of photos and mood. For this, you have to be prepared so you can direct your non-model accordingly. Google some poses before your shoot begins and find some inspiration for various shoots.

   In other cases, however, the clients will request a certain setting like the beach or a forest. You should always talk to your clients before the photo session and establish what they expect from the photos. Make a list of questions and make sure you find out as many details as possible. What mood do they want to convey in the photos? Are they more traditional or more modern? All of these will help you get to know your non-models better and will make them feel more comfortable in front of you.

2. Don’t Force Your Subjects into Certain Poses

   Assuming you’ve done your pre-shooting homework, you have at least a few poses in mind that you will ask your non-models to try. However, you should keep in mind that some poses do not look universally good on everyone. Especially if your subject is uncomfortable, the stiffness will easily become apparent in all of your images.

   Unless you want to end up with dozens of cringey photos, don’t force your subject to do things that don’t come naturally. For instance, you can offer advice and tell your non-model to run her hand through her hair but this can easily go wrong and look awkward. Instead, be more specific with your directions and ask your model to run her right hand through her hair, using her fingertips to make a playful gesture. You will acquire this type of tricks with experience but if you want to speed up the process, you can enroll in a photography workshop that will help you improve both your photography skills and your interaction with clients.

3. Chin Up, Shoulders Down

   You’ve probably heard this piece of advice a million times before, but do you actually know why everybody preaches it? Non-models are bound to be camera-shy, especially in the first few minutes of your photo session. Giving them a few pointers will help them feel less awkward and uncomfortable. You should always encourage your subjects to bring their chin forward to avoid the double chin effect we can notice when people stand normally.

   However, this piece of advice can easily backfire, with some non-models bringing their chin way too high, making their nostrils visible. In this case, you can clarify the request and ask the subject to move their ears forward. In the same vein, tell them to relax their shoulders. When people feel uncomfortable, their whole body gets tense and you can easily spot the tension in their shoulders. Tell your subjects to slightly bring their shoulders down, which will also help them stand straighter, elongating the silhouette.

4. Show Your Non-Models the Photos You’re Taking

   Most photographers will go through an entire session without stopping. Not only is this tiring for them, it can also be tiring for the subjects. Non-models often feel awkward because they don’t think they are photogenic, they don’t feel good in their skin and they probably expect this to come across in the pictures. By taking a couple of minutes to show your non-models the photos you’ve taken, you can relieve their discomfort and show them how good the photos look. This can boost their confidence and make them feel more relaxed.

5. Be Careful with the Waist and Arms

   Everybody expects to look thin in photos, including non-models. And since they are probably unaware of how to achieve this, it’s up to you to make sure you accentuate the waist line accordingly. The waist line will make your subject appear sleek and look good. To make the waist stand out, it should be completely isolated and nothing should be touching it. This includes not only the subject’s arms but also objects behind the model that could elongate the line to our detriment.

   Likewise, you should always be aware of the subject’s hands and offer advice about where to place them. If your subject is resting her arm against her body, the arm will look bigger. If the subject puts her hands on her hips and moves the elbow away from the body, the entire arm will look slender. You can also help your non-model accentuate her waist by asking her to place her hands on the smallest part of the waist, bringing her fingertips close together without touching. This creates the illusion of a super small waist.

About the author: John Stuart works on behalf of londonschoolofphotography.com in outreach and content creation. He creates engaging content that help businesses connect with their audience and stand out from the crowd.

In last couple of years, it appears that one of the trending fashion is to create your own photobook. Over the time it has turned into a great hobby and a prevalent decision for picture takers who wish to keep their works in print.

Assembling your first photo-book can be overwhelming. You have to take a number of decisions that will all contribute in creating a photobook that stands out of the crowd. So ideally these tips will lead you through the basic process of choosing the photos, frames and so on.

Moreover, the tips below may set you on your approach to making your first photobook.

1. Answer the question: “Why am I doing this?”

   Firstly, think about the motive of compiling the photobook. Finding out the reason for creating the photobook will help you a lot in moving in the right direction and assembling a photobook that’s cool and creative.

   There are a couple of questions you can ask yourself:

   • Is it a photo book only for myself or for selling?
   • Is it a part of a project?
   • Does it need to be accompanied by some other works?

2. Think about putting all the photos together

   Secondly, think about a software you use to make the collages or to put the photographs in the appropriate order. For example, Blurb.Com. This site helps you with making professional photobooks. However, you may not only concentrate on this one. Try to use different websites in order to choose the one that works for you. Moreover, you can go to a library or a bookstore to get some inspiration about how other people create the books. You can get creative and try to copy the layouts or fonts the other authors are using.

   

3. Choose the type of Photo Book you want to create

   It is the time to think about the type of photobook you want.

   It mainly depends on:

   • Purpose
   • Content
   • Budget

   It is your decision whether you want to have a hardback or a paperback photobook. In addition, you may feel free to change the size of it and the quantity of photos inside.

4. Pick the best photos, think a theme!

   Your photobook will look better if it consists of the photos that are based on some theme. Say depth of field, shutter speed or time lapse for instance.

   The same style or the shots made at the same time frame will also work great.

   Select the best photos and if you find that one of them is out of the context, simply delete it and switch to another.

   

5. Choose a layout for your Photobook

   Select between a full bleed and a border options. The former implies putting the photographs in a way they fill all the page, while the white blanks have to be left if you want to follow the second option.

   You may even consider sharing the photo stories along with the photographs. Or you can try overlaying text on the images. So can try just about anything… options are many! Let’s get to the next point.

6. Think about whether you want to add some text

   Usually the photographs are put on the right hand side. The left side is used for writing or typing some captions. It’s your photobook, you can experiment with what looks good. You can organize, design and lay it out the way you want.

   If you think that the photo needs a description, feel free to write a couple of words or sentences about it. Although you can write whatever you want, it is recommended to keep it simple and short (KISS).

   If you choose to add text, you will have to careful about the choice of fonts. Make sure it goes well with the mood of the images. For example, use bold fonts for landscape photographs and cursive fonts for female portraits.

   

7. Select a Cover Photo

   This is the most important step in the series — getting the cover photo right! The front image need to present the main idea of your book. It has to be beautiful, interactive and encouraging to inspire people to turn the pages. It has to be awesome and appealing.

These tips will guide you in creating your very first photobook. These ideas will spark your creativity and after making the first one, I’m sure that you will want to create more photobooks. Get creative and put your heart and soul into every step of making this piece of art.

About the author: Lisa Griffin is blogger at payforessays.blogspot.com whose credo is “Be creative and fun! There are two best sides of yours”

This is a guest post by Karen Foley. Karen Foley is a professional freelance photographer who loves sharing the joy of her art with others. See Karen’s work at dreamstime.com. As the holiday season is ready to set on fire, Karen is excited to share her creative shopping ideas for the photographers.

The food has all been eaten, the relatives have gone home and kids have been put to bed. The holiday is over for another year. Now it is time to turn your attention to shopping for the biggest shopping day of the year.

You might be thinking Thanksgiving and Black Friday here, but if you are interested in shooting stock photography, the holiday sales to keep an eye on are the after Halloween bargains!

Stock photography is not all about smiling happy people doing stuff, it’s about capturing universal themes in ways that are easy to visually grasp. How better to do that than with the many props and costumes available inexpensively after the greatest of all dress-up holidays?

Here’s a quick guide of things to look for – other than, or maybe in addition to, the Halloween candy – when sale signs go up at your favorite Halloween supply store.

Start with the costumes

Halloween costumes have evolved over the years from the flimsy firetraps of yesteryears into realistic looking outfits of today. Avoid the naughty nurse genre, and head straight for the uniform sections.

Think about the various scenarios you can use military, first responder, sports or professional uniforms in your images in the upcoming year. Buy for the various size and genders of models you might be able to coerce into them in the coming year – including yourself.

Don’t completely pass by the fantasy section – Steampunk is a genre with many applications, and you just never know when you’ll need that “Big Foot” costume.

Go for the accessories

Don’t forget to add the accessories. Wigs, hats, gloves and stockings will help to set a more realistic scene in your images. Accessories can also be used alone to create a statement – a soldiers hat next to flowers on a grave, or the whimsy of devil’s horns on a piece of chocolate cake can speak volumes.

The Halloween make-up available now is near theatrical quality and not just for zombies and vampires – although those are fun as well.

Stock up on a wide variety of creams, colors and effects to create multiple looks. You will be surprised the number of times you’ll pull them out for a shoot. And grab some of the blood and gore while you’re there – it just might come in handy someday.

Don’t forget lights for dramatic effects

The eerie effects created for Halloween can be re-purposed over and over for different impact. Buy a smoke machine to use in disco settings or spider webs to simulate neglect or age in a scene. Colored lights are great for making light trails, orbs and domes when light painting, and don’t forget the great bokeh effect you can create with them as well.

Props and decoration pieces

Costume props and decoration pieces can be used in a wide variety of applications non-holiday related. Look for classic items that can be re-purposed again and again throughout the year. My poor skeleton guy has been in the closet, grabbing water in the desert, standing in for medical scenes, and the list goes on and on.

Keep an open mind – and watchful eye – as you browse the after holiday sales. Dog and children’s costumes are great for dressing up a teddy bear. Not sure where you can use that skull and cross-bone?

What does it matter at bargain basement prices? Grab a few out of the ordinary objects to help fuel your creativity for the rest of the year. You won’t have another chance to grab these bargains for 365 days!

About the author: Karen Foley is a professional freelance photographer who loves sharing the joy of her art with others. See more of Karen’s work at dreamstime.com.

This is a guest post by Nick Vinken. Nick Vinken is a photographer / videographer based in the Netherlands. On his website photographygearguide.com, he shares valuable advice for starting photographers and filmmakers. He mainly discusses gear considerations, but also publishes tips, tutorials and informational articles.

Depth of field (DoF) can be a difficult concept to grasp, but if one understands a few basic concepts it becomes a lot easier to understand and to control. Knowledge of these concepts will help you in improving your photography skills.

Using a shallow depth of field is a powerful tool that you can use to isolate the subject in your frame (either from the background or the foreground). It is a popular style in portrait photography, macro and wildlife photography (among others). When you use a longer depth of field, a larger part of your image will be in focus. This is more useful in other types of photography, like architecture and landscape.

How do you get started with experimenting with “Depth of Field”?

Your camera’s lens will have some point at which it is perfectly focused. There will be a zone of sharp focus both in front of your subject as well as behind it. The zone in front is typically shallower than the zone behind the focal point. There will be a small amount of foreground not in focus, a larger area of background unfocused. Set your camera at A for aperture or M for manual and take control!

You must think about some of these factors as reciprocals to understand the depth of field. There are optical explanations, but you need not know them. The factors that can effect depth of field include:

• Lens aperture the size of the hole that passes light through a reciprocal number.
• Lens focal length the measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light.
• Shutter Speed the duration for which the shutter is open to transmit light, a reciprocal number.
• Angle of View the width of the view or the scene that the lens can take in.
• ISO the sensitivity to light of the sensor or film.
• Sensor size how large the light sensitive sensor is (in terms of megapixles).

The Lens Aperture (f-number magic)

By setting the lens aperture to a lower number like ƒ2.8-4.0, producing a larger hole in the lens shutter, one creates a much shorter, more compact depth of field (DoF). The background behind the subject will be blurred. This is useful in emphasizing the subject to the exclusion of its surroundings. Especially useful in nature photography: birds, bugs, reptiles and the like-and in portraiture.

Depending upon the ambient light you may need to reduce shutter speed and/or ISO. Setting your aperture to a higher number, say ƒ/22, will produce a smaller hole in the shutter, and give a long depth of field. This is useful for landscapes and can also be used in a lot of architectural shots.

Focal Length and DoF

The effect of focal length on DoF is less dramatic than aperture, but a longer focal length provides a lower optical power and higher magnification. It also compresses the scene front to back, an effect some find desirable. It reduces the angle of view. Setting your zoom to a lower focal length will be associated with a wider angle of view and less DoF.

Other Settings

One may need to make adjustments in shutter speed and/or camera ISO settings to adjust the amount of light passing through the shutter.

Large aperture = more light, small aperture = less light.

So what can you do if your camera does not have these more advanced features? All may not be lost. Check your camera manual and if it has a scene selection group of settings you can use them. The portrait setting will have a shallower DoF, while the landscape setting will have more depth of field. Try these and see how that works for you.

About the author: Nick Vinken is a photographer / videographer based in the Netherlands. On his website photographygearguide.com, he shares valuable advice for starting photographers and filmmakers. He mainly discusses gear considerations, but also publishes tips, tutorials and informational articles.

This is a guest post by Brian Williams. Brian is a marketing coordinator for Outdoor Photo Gear, a supplier of top quality photography accessories. In his spare time, Brian enjoys blogging and physical fitness, particularly golf and crossfit.

As a photographer, passion is a key ingredient for success. When you’re willing to work so hard that other interests fall on the back-burner, you’re pouring all your love into your craft. Like all areas of photography, outdoor photography requires hard work, dedication and a will to succeed. Unlike other areas, outdoor photography also includes a deep love for nature and the willingness to get dirty. Are you ready to succeed? Here’s a quick guide to help transform your passion for outdoor photography into a powerhouse profession.

How Do I Get Started?

Aside from deep-rooted love for photography, shooting great outdoor photographs involve a love for nature. To be successful in photography, the subject of your art should be something you feel strongly about. A passion for nature and the environment are necessary to start your career; the rest will follow.

Following Your Passion

The joy of getting paid for your passion is unparalleled, but certain benefits already place you ahead of the competition. As a photographer passionate about outdoor work, you’ve already spent more time shooting and spending time outdoors than most. This gives you knowledge and experiences others don’t have — knowledge that’s necessary for success.

Education

The majority of photography careers require a degree in either design or photography. Many colleges and art schools provide these programs, including those specifically for nature or outdoor photography. In addition, try classes related to your favorite photos. If you love shooting animals, for example, taking a class will help you understand how they survive in their natural habitats, which will be advantageous when shooting. Classes on biology, zoology, animal behavior, botany, and geology are all helpful when working in the great outdoors.

Learning at Home

There are books, tutorials, blogs and online videos that can improve both your photographic and nature knowledge, but spending time outdoors and practicing are also necessary. If you love what you do, getting out and working should be an exciting challenge. Practice, practice, practice.

How Do I Get a Job?

Most photographers who specialize in outdoor photos work as freelancers, which provides a great income if you remain dedicated. The passion is already there; a strong work ethic will take you far.

Another option is sending photos to newspapers or magazines, where your work must be of the highest caliber to be accepted. With many highly-skilled photographers regularly sending in work, this can be a competitive field, but it’s worth trying. Getting your work published is a huge step in getting your work seen.

You can also start a personal blog or website, in addition to using photography websites like Pixoto and Flickr.

The Recipe for Success

Research shows that choosing a profession based on passion helps fuel success, but so do talent and hard work. A willingness to take constructive criticism, learn, and improve are highly valued in photography. It takes a lot of commitment and dedication to turn a passion into a successful profession, but with the will to succeed, anything is possible. Passion can be both fun and fruitful.

Getting the Perfect Shot

Unlike human models, you can’t position animals or a landscape scene. You work with what nature provides, and that might mean hours to get the perfect shot.

Being an outdoor photographer requires patience and the ability to adapt to your surroundings, whether that’s an amazon rainforest or your own backyard. The opportunities nature provides are unparalleled in a studio. This is what makes outdoor photography such a unique profession. Take advantage of what nature has to offer. Enjoy it, soak in it, and get that perfect shot.

About the author: This article is contributed by Brian Williams. Brian is a marketing coordinator for Outdoor Photo Gear, a supplier of top quality photography accessories. In his spare time, Brian enjoys blogging and physical fitness, particularly golf and crossfit.

Girish is a India based photographer. He is a self-taught professional photographer who loves to travel the world and shoot all the genres of photography. He is a full time IT Consultant and part time professional cameraman on the weekends.

Currently, he is working as a SAP Technical consultant with Accenture India and alongside nurtures his passion for photography by taking up photography assignments for photographing people, editorials, industrial projects and commercial work.

In this interview, Girish talks about his passion and personal life as a photographer.

Tell us something about yourself.

My name is Girish and I’m a self taught photographer who loves to travel the world. Pune is what I call home. I love shooting everything. For me, it’s about happiness, hope, love, pain, life, style, and real. I’m friendly and warm. I started photography a short while ago, I’m self taught. I have a strong bond with my style and fight fiercely to keep it and perfect it. I shoot people and emotion. I shoot weddings and love. I shoot buildings and lines. I shoot industrial projects and commercial work. I do editorials. I shoot fashion and nightlife. I shoot the world the way I see it when I travel. I am, A PHOTOGRAPHER, and I don’t desire to be called a certain kind of photographer.

Where are you based?

I am based in Pune and I operate in Pune and Mumbai (India).

You started as an IT professional and worked with some big names in the IT industry. How did you transition to photography?

I am working as a SAP Technical consultant with Accenture India. My photography journey started during my college days when I used to trek and keep traveling. I used a point and shoot camera to do photography back then. My hobby later turned into a profession lately in 2007 when I purchased a Nikon DSLR. Since then I have never stopped clicking.

How would you describe your photographic style and how it has developed over the years?

I don’t have any particular photographic style. I shoot everything — right from landscapes, insects, macros to portraits, festivals, weddings etc. And for me everyday is a new learning.

What was your first camera, and what equipment do you shoot with these days?

My first camera was Olympus C760 (point and shoot), which I still own. Then I used a Nikon D60. Currently I use Nikon D7000 and a couple of lenses like Nikkor 18-55mm, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR1, Nikkor 70-300mm MF lens, Nikkor Teleconvertor 2.0x, Raynox DCR-150 & 250 (macro adapters) & some lights.

At what point did you realize that you should take up photography assignments?

In 2008, one of my photographs was shortlisted by Late Mr. Gautam Rajyadhaksha for the Sakal Reflections Exhibition and this is how I got inspired to take it up professionally.

Tell us about your first break as a commercial photographer (who was your first client and how did you get your first assignment).

My first commercial assignment was a folio shoot for two of my office colleagues who had been trying to get into modelling. My clients approached me after looking at my work on my Flickr & Facebook galleries.

Generally how do you get photography assignments?

Normally I get most of my assignments through my Facebook page (URL: https://www.facebook.com/GirishS.Photography).

What has been the biggest challenge with the commercial side of photography?

The biggest challenge what I see in commercial photography is convincing the client. There is so much of competition that the client wants the work be done in low budget.

What kind of marketing do you do for promoting your photography?

I am very weak at marketing. I normally promote my photography through my Facebook page, Flickr pro account & 500px plus account.

What has changed in the time you have been shooting commercial work? For better and worse?

I don’t think anything has changed. Only the expectations of the clients have changed.

What kind of investment and revenue generation is there in the field of commercial photography?

Equipment is the big investment that one has to put in for commercial photography. Second is the softwares and tools that you use for post processing.

You are working almost all genres like people, landscapes, macros, etc. Which is your favorite genre and why?

My personal passion is for portraits.

I’m very inspired by your it photography. For somebody wanting to get into this area of photography what are your suggestions?

Getting into portraits is easy and at the same time it is difficult. You need to do your homework very well and understand your subject.

What are you thoughts about getting a formal education in photography? Would you recommend against it?

Photography cannot be learned. It is an art that someone carries within. Formal education will not help in any way.

If you could go on assignment anywhere in the world to shoot whatever you wanted; where and what would it be, and why?

India of course. All around India, to experience various cultures and visit heritage sites. You won’t find so many variations and so many things in any other country else than India.

Before you start a commercial shoot, how do you prepare yourself?

Before any commercial assignment, I sit with my team and the model and understand what is the requirement of the assignment and how we gonna execute it. This way the model is also comfortable during the shoot.

Where do you look at yourself 5 years from now.

Traveling around with my camera, shooting for calendars, fashion events, models.

Who is your inspiration?

There are various people who have been my inspiration like Andrea Klarin, Richard Warren, Sue Bryce, Tarun Khiwal, Atul Kasbekar, Nicolaas De Bruin, Ashok Salian & Prabhuda Dasgupta.

A website or blog you visit often.

Flickr.com, 500px.com are the sites that I visit everyday.

What other hobbies do you pursue other than photography?

I love to travel, trek & listen music.

What type of camera, lenses and lighting equipment do you use?

Nikon D60 for a standby, Nikon D7000 and couple of lenses like Nikkor 18-55mm, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR1 , Nikkor 70-300mm MF lens, Nikkor Teleconvertor 2.0x, Raynox DCR-150 & 250 (macro adapters) & some lights.

What has been the most exciting photography assignment.

The ones which I decide within seconds and shoot have been the most exciting ones. One of them is a folio shoot done for a model called Roshani Jain; album name Krasivaya (you can find it on my facebook page). I called up Roshani early morning and went on a drive and shot with whatever clothes she was carrying.

Another one is a recent shoot with Isha Phatak, which was again planned at the last minute. (You can check the pictures on my Facebook Page, album name — Just Clicks)

Does the camera and equipment really matters or is it the artistic side of photography that weighs more?

Obviously, the artistic side.

What’s the best part of being a photographer?

The best part of being a fashion photographer is that the women listen to the photographer. (Laughs ..) I just feel like an ordinary guy when I am with my camera.

Can you present one / two favorite images of yours? What do you like about them?

The following two images are my favorite shots. The first one is my favorite for the obvious reason that this image was shortlisted by Mr Gautam Rajyadhaksha and was displayed in the exhibition.

The second one is special to me because when I planned the Rajasthan Trip, I had already visualized this frame in my mind. And after waiting for a long time, the right time did come and I got what I wanted. It was like a dream come true.

What your post-processing workflow is like? Which editing tool do you find yourself using the most?

I normally process my images in Lightroom 4. I mostly do light corrections. Other tool is Photoshop and Portraiture & Exposure is what I use sometimes for the extra effects.

What has been the happiest moment in your photography life?

The happiest moments in my photography life are when my photographs are sold and printed as cover pages of books.

What advice do you have for photography enthusiasts who want to go professional and take it as a full time job?

It’s a tough path. One should be willing to do their homework everyday and work hard. Decide what you want to click and learn from your bad photos.

How can our readers connect with you?

They can connect with me through my Facebook page here: GirishS.Photography. Or can drop me a mail at: girish.suryawanshi@gmail.com.

With thanks to Girish Suryawanshi for taking the time for this interview.

Photography websites tend to be artistically creative. Beautiful photographs, elegant presentation and creative implementation together act as a driving force to make the difference. These attributes do contribute in making your website distinct, but how much do these really add to the effectiveness of your website?

If your site takes too much of time to load or involves a lot of guesswork for first time visitor to get in touch with you, then you need to re-think…

Re-think about the utility of your website. Is your website helping you to grow your business as expected?

If the answer to the above question is no, you definitely need to work on your website — just a little time and effort can help you in reaping higher benefits on your investment. Here are the immediate things you can do to promote your website and grow your business online:

1. Say “NO” To Flash And Boost Your Potential Online Audience By 25%

   Most the photographers still prefer adding flash intros. If you are amongst them, its time to say no to flash. Flash offers all the goodness to make your website interesting and interactive, but it seriously fails in making your website “inviting” for your potential customers and search engines too. Some of the serious downsides with using the flash for the websites are: slower loading webpage, browser incompatibility (plugin upgrade, etc), negative SEO impact and incompatibility with iPad, iPhone (though there are workarounds, but not 100% successful). All these account for a loss of around 25% of your potential online audience. Are you still willing to use flash content on your website?

2. Keep The Navigation Simple And Elegant

   One of the latest trend with the photography websites is creative navigation ideas. Hidden menus, “Enter Site” button (or links) and unconventional menu styles involve a lot of guesswork on the part of the first time visitor. And instead of contacting you and having a look at your work, your potential client finally ends up closing the site and moving to your competitor’s website.

   

   “Enter” Website Link

3. Stick To The Purpose Of Your Website

   To make the most of your photography website, you have to be thorough with the purpose of your website. Its like setting up a goal and then following it day in and day out.

   If the purpose of your website is to sell your services and grow the client base, you will have to make it easier for the customer to view your work (portfolio) and contact you as soon as he lands on your website. So having your contact info in the header itself or an attractive “Contact Me” (or a “Hire Me” button at the top) and awesome portfolio on the home page will do the trick.

   If the purpose of your site is to sell photography ebook, photo-prints or other photo-products, you need to emphasize on creating the respective galleries and simplify the process of adding the products to the cart. Depending on the purpose of your site, you will need to outline the features and highlight your expertise on the landing page.

4. Showcase Only The Best Work

   Touching upon the portfolio, follow this advice as a sacred text: “Showcase only your best work“. The online platform offers you only 10 seconds to make the first impression. So don’t let your mediocre work harm your business. Showcase the best and mark the impression with your work.

5. Present Yourself As The Most Desirable Photographer To Work With

   After looking at your portfolio, the very next thing a potential customer will be interested in, is to learn more about you — about your career as a photographer, your recognitions, your awards, your clients and your formal training as a photographer. Grab this opportunity by presenting yourself as the most desirable photographer. What better than a “About Me” page that speaks volumes about your recognitions and achievements.

6. Promote Your Identity & Work On Social Media Platforms

   Your website is an excellent medium for promoting yourself and showcasing your work. But don’t overlook the power of social media platforms; be it Facebook, Google+ or Twitter. Most of the photographers are a testament to this fact that most of the clients land on their website & get in touch with them through Twitter and Facebook. If you are not already active on social media sites, its time to pull up your socks and get going with the social flow. Social media integration is the movement in the right direction.

   

   Social Media Is Changing the Business Landscape

7. Get Personal With Your Audience — Share The Client Stories, Your Favorite Gear, Etc.

   Having a photography blog is the next step in the series to make your photography website effective. Share your photographing experience and expertise. As much as it helps you in establishing your authority as a professional photographer, it also makes your website favorable from SEO point of view.

   You can blog about the latest assignments, share your favorite pics, talk about the photography tours, reveal your workflow, offer tips for adding final touches in Lightroom and Photoshop and at times you can also share stories about your valuable possessions — photo-gear, your favorite camera, favorite lens, photoshop actions which you use most of the times. All these things will work in building your image as an authoritative professional and fresh content will attract search engine bots to your website.

8. Regularly Update Your Website With Your Latest Works

   Even if you don’t have time for maintaining a blog, pay keen attention on regularly updating the website content — your portfolio, information about yourself, client testimonials, photo-stories, etc. But having a blog is always a plus point.

9. Minimize The Website Loading Time

   I have deliberately saved this one for the last. This is one of the most important thing you need to do. Google considers webpage loading time as one of the factors for ranking your website in the search results.

   

   Measure Loading Speed

   Assess your webpage loading time (using PageSpeed or SpeedTracer) and take the following steps to minimize the website loading time:

   1. Divorce the slow, unreliable host: Being vigilant in this regards pays you in long term. Slow and unreliable webhost can do a lot of damage to your business and goodwill. If you are facing such issues with your web host, do your research and switch to a better one.
   2. Optimize the Images: At any given point of time, photography sites are overburdened by the images. Uploading only the best images and optimizing the images for the web are the steps in the right direction. Fire up photoshop and save your images for web before uploading them to the website. Optimized JPEGs are the best option for reducing the load of the website.
   3. Avoid flash content: Repeating again, flash content tends to slow down the site. It is advisable to avoid the flash content as much as you can.
   4. Ask your web developer for web performance optimization: Your web developer can take steps like leveraging the browser caching, minifing CSS and looking into other technical issues to minimize the webpage loading time. Here are some helpful links for you: Speeding Up Page Load Times, 15 Tips to Speed Up Your Website.

Pay a little attention to these details and you will be glad to see the difference — an effective photography website that attracts more clients and generates more revenue.

If your website is lagging behind your competitors’ online portfolio, it’s time to be serious about website re-design. Need help? Contact me.

The conventional school of thought promotes that having a photography website is a must for gaining online visibility. In fact investing in a website has become a necessity for a professional photographer to flourish his business online. Be it about showcasing the portfolio or getting in touch with your potential clients, a professional photography website strikes the rhythm well with the online audience.

However, just investing in a professional photography website is not a means to all ends. You have to take it a step further to make it a successful online venture for you — an investment that reaps rewards for you in a relatively shorter span of time.

Most of the photography websites that you see around the web, have a number of things in common — Portfolio (for showcasing the creative works), Blog (for sharing the photography experience, expertise and knowledge), Contact / Hire Me / Book the schedule (for allowing potential online audience to get in touch with you) and About (for connecting with the online audience) and of course social media integration (for promoting yourself and your services all over the web).

Along with the regular photographer’s websites, there is a other side to the story of this online venture called “website” as well. And some of the photographers have already set the examples of how to make the most of it — how to make money with the photography website. Let’s have a look at the killer ideas employed by the fellow photographers to turn their photography website into a profitable venture.

1. Compile & Sell Photo eBooks

   Photography ebooks have become a popular choice among the photography beginners, enthusiasts and hobbyists. Compilation of the photo stories and hand-picked collection of your best photographs with one or two liners becomes the source of inspiration for the beginners and hobbyists alike. Make the most of this opportunity like Mitchell Kanashkevich. All you need is a webpage to showcase all your books and an account with E-junkie for selling your books online.

   

   Mitchell Kanashkevich’s Ebooks

2. Market Your Digital Darkroom Goodies (Photoshop Actions & Lightroom Presets)

   There are a lot of photography professionals who love to experiment and share the Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets. Some offer them for free, others charge for their creative skills. If your Photoshop actions (or Lightroom presets) are extraordinarily superb, you can easily make some money out of them like Color Matte Actions & Design Kit at Florabella Collections or Enlighten Lightroom Presets at MCP actions.

3. Offer Premium Content

   Photography as a hobby or an art is a never ending process. Photography enthusiasts are always ready to learn the finer nuances of the professional photographers. Sharing your photography experiences through your photography blog helps you in establishing your authority as a photographer. And to spice things up you can additionally offer some valuable photography tips and tricks as premium content too. Or you can have a dedicated course with a compilation of lessons and videos and offer it for an affordable price like Michael Zelbel’s initiative called The Productive Photographer.

   

   Michael Zelbel’s Online Course

4. Sell Stock Photographs

   If you are already selling your stock photographs through stock photography websites, it is the time to switch to your own website and offer the quality stock photos directly without any mediator. This gives you creative freedom of offering your best images, at your quoted price and under your own terms and conditions. And the best part of the story is that you keep all that you earn in your own pocket.

5. Allow Digital Downloads

   Stock photographs is just one part of the story. You can allow digital downloads for all the images in your gallery. Or better yet compile your signature collections and allow users to download them for a minimal cost to use them in the desirable way. For a start, you can offer beautiful bokeh, blurred backgrounds, textures and patterns which are highly in demand amongst the web designers community.

   

   Blurred Background for use in Webdesign

6. Offer Your Images As Prints

   This is one of the most common options for photographers — to offer the best of the collection as limited stock prints. For instance, Bruce Percy offers one of his extraordinary works per month as monthly print offer and also offers some special discounts for his subscribers. Don’t worry about the entire process of selling the prints. You can directly integrate Fotomoto on your website and effortlessly sell the prints.

7. Sign Up For Affiliate Programs

   It is not always the case that your online audience will be interested in your photographs. A major part of your online audience also constitutes the photography enthusiasts and hobbyists who are obsessed with photo-gear and equipment. This opens up yet another option for you to gain monetary benefits by recommending your favorite cameras, lenses, kit bags, filters and accessories. Sign up for the affiliate programs at your trusted online store — Amazon, Adorama, B&HPhotoVideo and use the affilate links while recommending the photo-gear. Jeremy Cowart has set up an awesome deals webpage for effectively utilizes the power of affiliate marketing here.

How are you making money with your photography website? Share your ideas in the comments below.

Author Intro: Michael Rae is a blogger/photographer for Creative Wedding Photography, a company that offers one of the finest wedding photography in Stockport, Cheshire and Manchester.

So you’ve finally got that big wedding photography assignment you’ve been waiting for. The excitement is building up and you are getting all set to go and take some amazing pictures. This could be the one big event that you can add to your portfolio.

However, there’s always one question that holds you back. What are the ideal lenses you need to carry to take spectacular wedding photos?

One thing you need to keep in mind is that there is no “perfect wedding kit”. In fact, every photographer has his or her own set of lens that they carry for wedding photography.

Wedding photography is a special combination of different types of photography; architectural photography, portrait photography, fashion photography, macro photography and family photography to name just a few. All of these fall in the area of wedding photography.

Still, there are some of the ideal lenses which any and most of the wedding photographers use. Some of the most popular lenses are from Canon and Nikon. Check them out here.

70-200mm f/2.8L Zoom Lens

This is one of the most popular lenses for wedding photography. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens would do great if you are using a Canon SLR camera. In case you are using a Nikon camera then 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens can be used.

Both these lenses are great for those beautiful blur photographs at f2.8. These lenses will enable you to get real close for the special moments without any disruption. The lens are also perfect for candid shots; from tears to laughs at the wedding ceremony.

50mm f/1.4 Lens

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 is ideal for the situation when the lights go dim. The lens allows you to beautifully capture the background and makes you less dependent on the flash. The lens also allows you to create a soft, natural look, for example pictures of the couple, family and friends on the dance floor. You can use the same lens to create some spectacular portraits — the prime lens at its best.

12-24mm f/4G Lens

Nikon has a great set of lens for wide apertures. The Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF Nikkor Zoom Lens is one of the ideal lenses for any wedding photographer. The lens is great for shooting from a distance as well as it takes surprisingly great facial close-up photos.

100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens

The Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro USM lens is perfect for capturing the details even the smallest objects. Naturally, the bride and groom will be looking forward to photos that have captured the smallest beauties like the wedding ring in high quality detail. This lens is capable of producing magazine-like quality. All you need to do is add in your creative touch and a bliss of lighting and you will get some amazing pictures.

15mm f/2.8 Fisheye

The Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens is one of the lens every wedding photographer must have. It is important if you want to capture the special moment with an exceptional perspective. The lens pulls everything to the centre thereby creating an ultra wide, surreal view of the ceremony. If you are using a Nikon camera then 16mm f/2.8 AF Fisheye Nikkor Lens will be ideal for those fisheye shots.

16-35mm f/2.8L

If you want to use an ultra-wide lens then Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens will do a good job. This lens will allow you to capture the surroundings to add contextual story to the shots.

With these lenses in hand, you will surely be able to capture some spectacular pictures of the wedding.

Author Intro: Michael Rae is a blogger/photographer for Creative Wedding Photography, a company that offers one of the finest wedding photography in Stockport, Cheshire and Manchester.

Do photographers need a website? There cannot be a better answer to it then a YES! A website is a must for any business. It is a primary requirement in today’s digital world to own and maintain a website for your business; photography business is no exception to it.

It is but a small window that opens up the world of opportunities — the opportunities to establish online identity, to promote your services, to get more clients and most important — to make money.

Do you still have second thoughts about having a website? Check out this list before making a final decision.

1. To Stand Stiff In The Competition

   For every business, the need of the hour is to stay ahead of its competitors. And in this era of digital promotions and increasing competition for online presence, having a strong functional website is a must to knock down your competitors.

   

   Stay ahead of your competitors

2. For A Professional Web Presence

   Most of you might be thinking that our online identity is flourishing through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and we are earning well from the stock photos hosted at Shutter Stock and iStockPhoto. Do we still need a website? The answer is absolutely a Yes! Even though you already have a strong social presence, it is not building a professional image and branding for your business. All these sources of online presence are casual. To make your brand stand out of the crowd with a professional identity, you definitely need to invest in getting yourself a true gift of online promotion — in  the form of a website for your photography studio — your online address.

3. It’s All About Business Growth and Making Money

   Your website is a perfect online marketing tool. I know you have already heard herds speak of it to sell the web design services. But it is a established fact. Your website is actually a perfect online marketing tool for your business. You can sell exclusive prints, offer high quality Photoshop actions, publish and market your photo-books, host & promote workshops alongside getting more clients through this online venture. However, you will have to work hard on your website’s marketing strategy so that your website can work harder to get you more business. After all, it’s all about making money :)

   

   Plan a successful business strategy to make your website work harder for you

4. To Diversify Your Source Of Income — Get Some Passive Income Home

   Getting more clients is but one way to grow your business. It requires your active participation in the entire process — interacting with clients, arranging the photo-shoot, professionally finishing the photographs and delivering quality work to your clients. But other than that you can invest a little time and effort in some sure shot ways of earning through your website — like offering premium content on the photo-blog, promoting the Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets bundles, selling stock photos and more. All these avenues allow you to reap the benefits for the long time to come. Get the ball rolling so that your website start making some decent money for you.

5. For Selling Stock Photographs And Getting Paid For It In Full

   When you don’t have your own website, you look out to stock photography websites for selling the images. In the process, stock photography websites take away a huge part of the income made by your images and you’re paid just about 30-40% of the earning as a commission. Why face such a loss? Step ahead and invest in a website to direct all your hard earned money to your own pocket. Any good website platform, be it Photoshelter, Pixpa, Wix.com or WordPress.org can help you get started at the earliest. Though I personally think WordPress has its own benefits, the choice is all yours.

   

   Sell your stock photographs

6. For Strengthening Your Social Image

   Your website is an online brochure for you. A simple website with just the mention of your services, an about us page and contact info can also get you to the fore-fronts of the online world. You can actively integrate your Facebook fan page, Twitter tweet board, LinkedIn profile and the Flickr photostream to your website. You can directly broadcast the information and share the images on social media sites directly from your website. Your website armors you with the power of managing your online presence on multiple platforms from one source itself — your website.

   

   Strengthen social image with your website

7. To Promote More, Sell More

   When all the above fall in to the place, you are all set to hit the jackpot! Promote your services, content, photo-products, images, ebooks, albums on social media sites alongside the website. This way you actively promote your business on multiple platforms and generate income without putting in much effort.

8. For A Better Client Interaction

   Your website offers custom solutions to your clients. Facility to connect with you & book the schedule online, ability to view, finalize and proof the photographs of the special events sitting at home, option for ordering prints, etc boasts the client’s confidence in your services.

9. To Gain Visibility Round The World

   The benefits of having a website does not end here. It has more for your business — having a website improves your business and brand’s online visibility. The users can Google you from any corner of the world and learn about you and your services. And thus get you more business from any nook and corner of the world.

   

   Connect with the audience round the world

10. To Give Back To The Community — Share Your Knowledge, Ideas and Talent

    The creative artists learn a lot from the fellow artists. And your website can serve as an appropriate platform to give back to the community, probably by running articles and write-ups on valuable tips, trick and techniques. This step helps in building your authority as the photographer too!

What do you think? Does your photography business need a website?