Recently I was in contact with a professional photographer called Phil Steele based in the US who runs a series of effective online video training courses in various aspects of photography and Photoshop that I am sure many of your would find very useful. These are available in high-def or standard-def so you can choose either one depending on your connection speed. Continue reading
The warm skin tones you see in the above image were greatly helped by the use of a folding gold Lastolite reflector, which was used to bounce the bright sunlight back onto the model. Continue reading
If you look around there are clear signs that the days of backing up our images on discs may be rather fewer than many of us had previously imagined. I’ve come to this conclusion after piecing together a few sparate bits of information and wondering what impact this could have on us as photographers in the long term. Regardless of whether you are shooting nudes or landscapes, digital asset management is of vital importance to professional photographers, so this is something we need to be aware of.
Nudes In Simple Daylight
The photograph above is an example of how nudes in daylight can be done with the simplest of props, lighting and equipment. It was shot with nothing more than natural daylight coming in from a frosted window behind the model with the budget priced Canon 50mm F1.8 lens. Continue reading
I recently found a very interesting site run by Bowens who make professional lighting equipment for studio photographers and they produce an online magazine that is free to view with a clear accent on lighting. Too many photographers get very excited about camera equipment but don’t think specifically enough about the lighting itself and how it will affect the mood and feel of the image when shooting glamour and nude photography.
Obviously there is a degree of bias if you can call it that towards Bowens equipment but regardless of what system you use it contains some very useful tips and information, covering everything from nudes and glamour through to still life and portraits.
It’s all a good read and worth checking out. You can go to the site and sign up for free updates so they let you know every time there is a new issue.
Very often I find photographers hankering after the latest and greatest camera equipment; frequently trading in their gear every 12 months or so as each new model is announced, even when there are only very small real differences. Continue reading
The video above is a satirical but rather clever insight into the attitudes of many photographers towards camera gear. It was clearly done as a bit of fun and I have no doubt it will appeal to many photographers who will view this with the lighthearted amusement it merits.
The above nude silhouette image was taken from a shoot I did a few years ago for an Italian cosmetics company to be used as their advertising campaign that year for some body care products. The lighting is essentially very simple because it all comes from behind the model but there are a few tricks and good uses of technique that help to create the perfect nude silhouette effect.
Nude Photography In Movement
The above nude image is was taken as part of a beauty editorial I did in Italy on the coast of Tuscany with a beautiful white sandy beach. The model was a crazy Brazilian girl with a lot of personality and she was great fun. I remember we set out early that morning in a borrowed Alfa Romeo (which later broke down) together with another model from Iceland. Continue reading
Photographed above are a Mamiya 645 medium format camera withe a 31MP Leaf digital back and a Canon 1DsII with a 24-105L zoom. Both cameras have their pros and cons and I think it’s worth looking at what they both have to offer. Continue reading