http://www.adorama.com/alc/category/172 Gear, careers and other advice for photo and video pros <p><span style="font-size: small;">In this week's episode, part two of a special 2-part series, Mark shows you how to design and light a set for use in a photoshoot.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13431 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Posing groups of people is always a challenge. Photographing groups at a wedding is an even bigger challenge because not only can the groups become large but also there are usually time constraints.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13420 <p><span style="font-size: small;">In this week's episode, part one of a special 2-part series, Mark shows you how to plan and build a set for use in a photoshoot </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13424 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Just is there&rsquo;s no best camera for photojournalists, there is also no best lens. But there is a range of lens types that will give you a better chance at getting the shot.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12411 <p><em><span style="font-size: small;">Invest in a good microphone (or two) so your sound quality does justice to your DSLR&rsquo;s HD video</span>. </em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11679 <p><span style="font-size: small;">This episode is part one of our two part interview with photographer and director Chase Jarvis. Tamara met with him in his sleek Seattle studio.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13303 <p><span style="font-size: small;">In this week's episode Mark answers a question he gets asked all the time: How much should I charge my clients? </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13277 <p><span style="font-size: small;">It&rsquo;s Fashion Week in New York City, and that means the city is teeming with models, fashionistas, socialites, editors, buyers, celebrities. And more photographers than the already photographer-saturated city sees on any given day. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13274 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Hong Kong is the latest location for Paris-based fashion photographer Nahoko Spiess to capture couture, this time on assignment for Marie Claire magazine. The globetrotting photographer began her career in fashion not as a lenswoman but as a designer in Tokyo for ELLE Japan.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13265 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Adorama Photography TV presents "How'd They Do That?" featuring Laretta Houston.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12595 <p><span style="font-size: small;">In this week's reDefine, Tamara Lackey interviews PBS TV host Katie Brown about creating success and what she did right to be successful.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13216 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Late last fall, a small Mac Group production crew loaded up a low-riding minivan with the bare essentials for polished-looking video. Among the strategically selected load, creative director Ab Sesay was sure to grab ARC&rsquo;s Kessler CineSlider kit, complete with glide motor, tripod and portable battery.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13177 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Mamiya RZ67 lovers will be glad to know that there is an adapter made by Phase One to use V Mount digital backs with RZ bodies. Adorama Rentals offers the PROII body and Mamiya-Sekor lenses that, with the adaptor, will work with our V Mount P45+ and P65+ digital backs.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13158 <p><span style="font-size: small;">This week, Mark Wallace reviews Photographers Contract Maker, an iPad App that provides important legal paperwork for photographers.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13140 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Adorama Photography TV presents Corbis Contributor Gateway for iPad.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/13022 <p><span style="font-size: small;">When meeting with potential clients for the first time, it can be nerve-wracking. Will they like you? Will you like them?&nbsp; Will they appreciate the value of what you have to offer as a photographer? And the most pressing question: Will you get the job?&nbsp; </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12908 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Los Angeles toy photographer Brian McCarty offers a hands-on look at photographing toy artwork on location in relatively tight quarters. See how Brian was able to create studio-quality results in less than studio-space conditions. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12874 <p><span style="font-size: small;">The end of the year is approaching, and your accountant may have told you that it&rsquo;s time to spend some money on your photography business. Here are eight ideas that will benefit more than just your tax returns.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12835 <p><span style="font-size: small;">AdoramaTV presents wedding photographer, Rachel LaCour Niesen. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12816 <p><span style="font-size: small;">In this episode, Mark talks with Harrison Hurwitz. Harrison has shot fashion, editorial and weddings. He even talks about his passion for taking black and white prints.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12784 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Adorama Photography TV presents "How'd They Do That" featuring Michael Costuros. In this episode, Mark talks with Michael who founded liveBooks in 2004. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12741 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Adorama Photography TV presents "How'd They Do That" featuring Diane Wallace. In this episode, Mark talks with Diane about her latest fashion photo shoot. Diane is joined by wardrobe stylist Erin Markis and they talk about how they came up with the concept start to finish. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12659 <p><span style="font-size: small;">There is no &ldquo;best camera&rdquo; for photojournalists. Or, to put it another way, the best camera for a photojournalist is the one in your hands right now, or when breaking news happens.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12403 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Here are some popular essential gadgets and tools to help you when you're shooting weddings and other event photography.</span><em><br /></em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8078 <p><span style="font-size: small;">With wedding season upon us, it's time to gather ideas and be influenced by some of today's top wedding photographers. I've scoured the web for ten fine examples.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12568 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Mark Wallace describes how he shot like a sports photographer to capture images in India from a moving vehicle. Mark used a Canon 1Ds Mark II and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L lens to document scenes in India.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12551 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Can you rein in the power of social media, such as Facebook, to get more business as a professional photographer? If you have a good plan, the answer may be a big YES.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12486 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Background information about muslin, velour, canvas, and seamless backdrops. (UPDATE)<br /></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8287 <p><span style="font-size: small;">There is one truth in the world of portfolios: Every photographer, regardless of his or her experience level, has a unique opinion about what makes a great portfolio and what should be included.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12440 <p><em><span style="font-size: small;">Truly, the Leica M9 is a camera unlike any other. Is this the rangefinder camera Leica aficionados have been waiting for?</span></em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12011 <p><span style="font-size: small;">If you&rsquo;re a news or sports photographer, you know deadlines are getting tighter as media outlets want to post still and video images to web sites within minutes of events happening.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12389 <p><span style="font-size: small;">OK, so you&rsquo;re not an AP stringer, work for Time, or breathe the rarified air of a Magnum photographer. No worries: There are new and evolving ways online to get your pictures in front of photo editors.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12395 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Let&rsquo;s take a trip in the wayback machine and look at photojournalism technology of the not-too-distant past, and revel in the progress that has been made.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12375 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Breaking into photojournalism isn't easy. In fact, it's arguably more challenging now than ever. But having the right basic equipment will help you get started.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12347 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Like most things in life, there is good news and bad news when it comes to shooting basketball. First, let&rsquo;s talk about the good news. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/12275 <p>Each autumn, the air becomes crisp and the sound of marching bands and cookouts fills the air, and it means football.</p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11962 <p><span style="font-size: small;">With high-end DSLRs producing 15-25MP images and HD videos, those 16GB memory cards that seemed like overkill are filling up fast. What to do? Get portable storage! (Updated for 2009 Holiday Buying Season)<br /></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11757 <p><span style="font-size: small;">The fast-paced, chaotic streets of New York City are the ideal place to quickly find out if a camera is up to street photography...and therefore, just about anything.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11756 <p><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Is this $10 app for the Apple iPhone a wireless remote shutter release killer? Let&rsquo;s touch the screen and find out!</em></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11672 <p>.</p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11524 <p><em>By Grover Sanschagrin</em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11506 <p><span style="font-size: small;">It took a while, but now I get it. Twitter--the deceptively casual social network that's based on messages that are no longer than 140 characters--has gone viral. And it could be a valuable tool in building your photography business or promoting your work.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11232 <p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;">My suspicions began a few years ago, after I had purchased a Canon 20D. My pictures were coming out just a tad dark, even when I used manual metering and went with the &ldquo;sunny 16&rdquo; exposure rule (shutter speed is the same as the ISO at f/16 on a sunny day). </span></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11227 <p><span style="font-size: small;">You're shooting your son's soccer game and it's dark and dreary. At ISO 100, the fastest shutter speed you get is 1/125 second at f/4. Not fast enough. What to do?<br /></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8612 <p><span style="font-size: small;">The geek term for printing one or more books only when you want them is &ldquo;print on demand&rdquo; and <a href="http://www.blurb.com" target="new">Blurb.com</a> is one of the websites that lets you produce your own books in quantities as few as one.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8536 <p><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Self-publishing books, thanks to the Internet and computer technology, has never been easier. But this is no vanity press: If you have professional aspirations, self-publishing is a solid marketing tool.</em></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8535 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Most photographers dream of accomplishing two things in the publishing world: Having their work appear in <em>National Geographic</em> or other magazines and showcasing their photography in a coffee table book. I can&rsquo;t help you with the first one but can with the second.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8534 <p><span style="font-size: small;">One of the most common questions asked by photographers is, &ldquo;Which working space profile should I choose when converting RAW files, when scanning, or whensetting up my digital camera?&rdquo;</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8054 <p><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Layers is one of the most powerful features of Photoshop and I use them in every image. Here's one reason why.</em><br /></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8489 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Those of us who don&rsquo;t lug view cameras around get perspective distortion in our subjects whenever we point the camera up or down (even slightly) or diagonally towards a flat surface.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8425 <p><span style="font-size: small;">When photographing people I've never been 100 percent comfortable using studio flash units. They are a necessary evil for making portraits when available light isn't available. An alternative is hot lights, or continuous lighting.<br /></span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8217 <p><span style="font-size: small;">When setting up a photo studio, you get to choose: Monolights, Power Pack kits, or Hot Lights. Let's look at what a monolight is and if it's right for you.</span><em><br /></em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8105 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Over the years, the wedding business has really boomed. People are spending more and more time and money to create their dream weddings. Part of that dream often includes fabulous photographs for the couple and their family to commemorate this monumental occasion. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8075 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Caution: Before you attempt the technique described in this article at a real, live wedding, make sure you've shot all the standard wedding pictures--or that somebody else has that covered. It's important to make sure you've taken the pictures that are expected of you before you do the unexpected.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8076 <p><span style="font-size: small;">What design elements go into making a site successful and visit two more case studies of well-known photographers' web sites?</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8099 <p><span style="font-size: small;">If you don't already have one, creating a web site should be at the top of a marketing plan for you and your photography business. In the case of most creatives, looking at the web for photographers' work first, has virtually replaced the 'cattle call' of portfolio dropoffs.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8109 <p><span style="font-size: small;">You've made the decision: You're ready to show your photographs. Now what?</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8131 <p><span style="font-size: small;">One of the best ways to add sparkle to your portraits is by using a hair light. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8182 <p><span style="font-size: small;">No matter how you look at it, wedding photographers are dependent on electronic flash. </span><em><br /></em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8209 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Light-actuated slaves are the smallest, least expensive, and most bulletproof of all slave units. With no moving parts, and, in most instances no power source or sync cords required, they are often encased in a hard clear resin and can be run over by a truck (but not a steamroller) and still work. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8183 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Here&rsquo;s why pros prefer radio slaves, and how you can choose between the top two systems on the market.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8065 <p><span style="font-size: small;">While a flash on your camera is the easiest, most compact way to insure getting sharp, properly exposed, photographs when shooting moving subjects in dark rooms (sounds like a wedding!), it is also true that the quality of the lighting this type of setup creates leaves much to be desired. </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8224 <p><em>The multiple exposure approach</em></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8227 <p><span style="font-size: small;">I remember it like it was yesterday; it was a frigid day in February and I was sweating. Not the kind of good sweat hard work creates; it was a bad, nervous sweat. There I was, perspiration glistening on my forehead, sitting at a red light while snow mixed with sleet, occasionally pushed aside by my wipers, pounded on my windshield.</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8230 <p><span style="font-size: small;">There was a time when wedding photographers shot two kinds of bridal portraits: full length and bust length. The reasons for this were technical, physical, and economic. The resulting photos are often beautiful, but after seeing a bunch of them, another descriptive word might also come to mind&hellip;boring! </span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8235 <p><span style="font-size: small;">It's strange but true: You can be the best wedding photographer in the world, but if you miss the shot of the bride and her dad walking down the aisle many brides will feel you blew the assignment!</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8232 <p><span style="font-size: small;">Here's how I came to be a day late and a flash unit short:</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8251 <p><span style="font-size: small;">First off, some bank light basics: Unlike umbrellas, bank lights are bulky (even when collapsed!), a pain to set-up, and equally frustrating to break down!</span></p> http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/8253