Capturing emotion in your commercial portraits

Emotion has a powerful influence over our everyday purchasing decisions, and this year, new research from the research consultancy Brand Keys revealed just how far that influence goes. In 1997, researchers found that rational considerations weighed more heavily than emotional ones when driving brand loyalty. However, that’s changed today, with emotional considerations outpacing rational ones.… Continue reading Capturing emotion in your commercial portraits

Tips for gorgeous fall photos

As the days grow shorter, tree swallows and monarch butterflies begin their migrations. Garden spiders weave their webs, visible in the morning dew. Over warm water, the cool autumn air creates ethereal fog. The green leaves turn to shades of lemon, amber, and mahogany. The quality of the sunlight itself also changes at this time… Continue reading Tips for gorgeous fall photos

12 of the top fine art photographers to follow on 500px

The year was 1902. It was early March, and Alfred Stieglitz had just formed the Photo-Secession, an art movement for photographers. It was snowing in New York City, and Stieglitz and his colleagues were getting ready to open their first exhibition. They were a daring bunch, employing tools like darkroom manipulation and special lenses and… Continue reading 12 of the top fine art photographers to follow on 500px

Landscape photography: 10 ideas to inspire you!

After a rainy summer’s day in Iceland, Daniel Gastager watches the clouds part to reveal a spectacular sunset. While exploring the vast desert in Namibia, Emilie Ristevski spots an enchanting wild oryx in the distance. On Indonesia’s Sumba Island, Daniel Kordan comes face-to-face with the “dancing mangroves”—trees that seem to come alive at sunset. Meanwhile,… Continue reading Landscape photography: 10 ideas to inspire you!

Bookkeeping tips for freelance photographers

The life of a professional photographer is defined, in part, by the once-in-a-lifetime moments: the trips to faraway places, the collaborations with stylists and other artists, and the chance to work with inspiring brands. But behind every exciting moment are countless not-so-exciting moments: the travel logistics, the gear rentals, the invoices, the bills, and perhaps… Continue reading Bookkeeping tips for freelance photographers

Using rental equipment to elevate your commercial photoshoots

Between $3,000 cameras, $1,000 lenses, $500 speedlights, and $300 LED panels, photo studio costs can add up quickly. It can also be a pain to store and transport all your gear, especially when you add 16-pound c-stands and giant octaboxes into the mix. “Not only do photographers have to haul everything from shoot to shoot,… Continue reading Using rental equipment to elevate your commercial photoshoots

Around the World in 7 Quests: Winners Revealed!

In August, we launched a fantastic opportunity for talented photographers to be able to win stand-out gear from our amazing sponsor brands. All that was required was to submit your images to the relevant Quest and you could be in the running to win! Today, thanks to our jury of experienced photographers we’re ready to… Continue reading Around the World in 7 Quests: Winners Revealed!

Tips for photographers on how to tackle pre-shoot anxiety

Consider this: according to research from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, artists experience more stress and anxiety when compared to those in other fields, but they also measure higher in terms of strengths such as hope or ego resilience—or the ability to recover from difficult times. In other words, artists might have more anxiety… Continue reading Tips for photographers on how to tackle pre-shoot anxiety

Spotlight on flat lay photography and how to incorporate it in your commercial portfolio

It’s a trend you’ve seen all over your social media feeds, initially popularized by brands like Sephora, Apple, and Gap and proliferating under hashtags like #flatlay, #flatlays, #flaylaystyle, #flatlaytoday. “Flat lay photography” is exactly what it sounds like: a straight overhead-style shot of objects arranged neatly on a flat surface. The curated Instagram page @flatlays… Continue reading Spotlight on flat lay photography and how to incorporate it in your commercial portfolio