Thoughts on Photography

I like to work with only one light during certain photo shoots, especially on-location and outdoor. Having only one light in such situations (in my case it’s usually the SB-900 speedlight from Nikon) gives me lots of freedom in terms of movement from one location to the other and in terms of space. When I shoot with only one speedlight I also use an umbrella (almost 100%) and of course a light-stand. I used exactly that setup for this quick Forest Nymph shoot.

Continue reading “Shooting with One Light Only – Forest Nymph” »

There is a lot of discussion among professional photographers about both how bad Flickr has become and what great opportunities 500px gives to photographers. I have to admit that I share most of the views on these 2 services. I thought at first when 500px entered the market that would be more complementary to Flickr, however I quickly realized that 500px is actually filling the gap and opportunities that Flickr has missed long time ago.

Continue reading “My thoughts on 500px vs. Flickr” »

I love 2 things about blue jeans as a photographer: their color and their texture. Most jeans are in a really nice blue color spectrum and temperature, which is nice to look at and doesn’t overpower a subject in an image. Add a nice texture to this pleasant blue color and a good-looking model and you’ll have a perfect combination for  a photo shoot (not to mention you’ll also need good light but it’s a different story).

Continue reading “These Jeans Are Made For Wearing” »

I had an indoor photo shoot (in a rented out apartment specifically for it) in Poland. Since I live in Belgium and most of my equipment is there and I was traveling to Poland by airplane, I only had the photo equipment with me which I could put into my carry-on (camera, couple of lenses including 50mm f/1.8, SB-900 speedlight, a light reflector, etc.). Unfortunately, we had to shoot in the evening, which meant no natural light and which meant I had to put up a fight with artificial lights, lamps and white balance.

Continue reading “Putting up a fight with artificial lights, lamps and white balance” »

I’ve recently read a very interesting blog article Less Gear, More Character? by Bert Stephani and I have to credit him for giving me the idea on the following article. I completely agree with Bert’s opinion that gear can stand in a way between a photographer and a subject, especially when too much gear is used or the focus of a photographer is on the gear and not on the subject.

Continue reading “Focus on your subject, not gear” »

If you have just started your adventure as a professional photographer or you plan to do that, probably the most often and important question you ask yourself is on how to have (new) customers. I won’t explain you here on the importance of a good portfolio, an appealing website and using web 2.0 tools (like Facebook or Twitter). However, I would like to point your attention to the importance of networking as a photographer, which some photographers (especially those new professional photographers) tend to forget about. Networking is actually much more important for having customers than anything else. YES! Even your thousands of followers on Twitter and hundreds of ‘friends’ on Facebook won’t give you as much opportunities for new customers as networking and word of mouth.

Continue reading “The Importance of Networking for Photographers” »

I don’t know how many times photographers repeat it to their students but I’m sure that you’re already familiar with it: take your camera anywhere you go (when possible of course). I think it was the very first thing I learned when I was starting my adventure with photography few years ago and so far it’s the easiest thing to remember. Probably because I really can’t move anywhere without my camera anymore. My friend once said that a camera has glued onto my hand.

Continue reading “Always have your camera with you – Weekend Trip to Maastricht” »

A photographer should not only know the rules of photography but he or she should also be able to break those rules and know how to do it in order to create something new, creative and unique. Why you ask? I have recently read a very interesting article titled “Your photography needs to be like Facebook” over at New Media Photographer’s blog, which explains very well how important it is for professional photographers to develop and update their style and photography in order to be able to maintain their position on the market. If you follow the photography market at any parts of the world, you have probably already noticed that it definitely is not enough to shoot good pictures in order to make living out of photography.

Continue reading “Be creative in order to be a successful photographer” »

There are many different ways for photographers to stimulate their creativity, try new techniques or to experiment. Changing a point of view on a subject is one of these ways. A point of view is influenced by the position, direction and height of the camera. Changing a point of view can be a very interesting and powerful technique in presenting your subject in a new and unique way as well as highlighting its features. You are able to change they way a subject is perceived by simply changing your camera’s position.

Continue reading “Point of View in Photography” »

Many aspiring photographers try to find their ways not only on how to enter the photography market, but also on how to effectively and efficiently learn the art of photography. Some of these people find themselves in a rather deadlock – they have the basic knowledge but they can’t progress anywhere from there. Such situations quite often occur when we start by reading lots of articles about photography and learning the theory but we forgot the most important thing about photography: it’s about taking pictures!

Continue reading “Finding the balance between the theory and practice.” »

Being a photographer is not only about knowing the rules of photography and applying them. It’s also about being able to break them and to think outside the box. I think that the latter is particularly important for those who try or want to be creative – without the ability of thinking outside the box will make it very hard to stand out in the crowd!

Continue reading “Thinking outside the box in photography” »

I think every photographer has problems from time to time when it comes to having inspiration and ideas for new photography. I’m no different in this respect! The past month was horrible – I couldn’t find any new inspiration. Quite often, when you’re not inspired and you realize that, your self-confidence as a photographer disappears which can result in prolonged laziness and no photography activity whatsoever.

Continue reading “Finding your photography inspiration again” »