How to Clean a Lens
Written by Daven Mathies Our customers come in all the time asking us to show them how to properly clean a lens. That’s when we bunch up the bottom part of our shirtsleeve and… Just kidding! Getting that schmutz off...
Photographer Resources
-
Read now -
DIY Shotgun Mic Spacer
Read nowWritten by Daven Mathies In video production, there are lots of little parts and pieces required to capture video and sound properly. On their own, they don’t seem like much; but if you don’t have them, it can wreak havoc...
-
Color Management 201
Read nowColor Calibration. Why do we need to do it? One would imagine that you could just buy a computer system and it would be perfectly accurate when it comes to color; this is not the case for many reasons. There are...
-
Choosing an Umbrella
They say you're not a true Portlander if you own an umbrella, but I'm pretty sure they weren't talking to photographers when they decided that. Umbrellas are some of the easiest to use and least expensive light modifiers available, a perfect option for photographers just getting into off-camera flash. They are portable, take just seconds to set up, and are very effective at diffusing light from a variety of sources—a speedlight, strobe head, or even a constant light. I have found, however, that people often get confused by the myriad options available. So here's a brief overview of the different types of lighting umbrellas.Read now -
Using external flash
An external flash is a great way to improve the quality of your photographs, and not just those taken indoors or in low light. I think many people shy away from flash because they know how horrible a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera flash is. You know, that blinding point of light that washes out your subject and leaves your background completely black. Luckily, it doesn't have to be this way.Read now -
Profiling Your Monitor
Read nowBack in the good ol' days of film, you could rest assured that your print would look the same no matter who you gave it to. Then digital photography came along and everybody started looking at photographs on their computer screens. The problem with this, is that any two monitors can vary in brightness, color, and contrast, meaning that the same image can look completely different from one monitor to the next. Professional photographers and videographers have known about monitor profiling and calibrating for years, but the importance of maintaining a properly profiled monitor has yet to be adequately explained to the average consumer.
-
Raw vs. JPEG
Read nowIt's not uncommon for a camera shopper to ask what "raw" stands for. It's easy to assume it's an acronym, especially with all the others in the world of digital photography: HDR, CMOS, AVCHD, APS-C... the list goes on. I think it would be neat if "raw" stood for Really Awesome Way of photographing things but, in truth, it is simply a word. As in, raw eggs. A raw file is simply one that has not been processed into a specific image format, such as JPEG. (Oddly, very few people ever ask what JPEG stands for.) Raw offers photographers a level of control over their images that compressed file types do not, but there are times when shooting in JPEG, or raw + JPEG, may be beneficial.
-
Getting Started with Video
If you bought a camera in the past few years, there's a very good chance that it shoots video. In this age of digital photography, it makes sense that we should be able to use the same camera to shoot both still and moving images—something that wasn't exactly an option with film. However, this may lead you to believe that shooting video is no different than shooting stills in terms of how you control exposure and handle the camera. You would be wrong. So here are a few pointers that address the more common mistakes and false assumptions photographers make when making their foray into video. And if you haven't tried shooting video yet, you should! It's fun!Read now -
Tech Tips for Photographic Storytelling
Photography is all about storytelling. Just finding a story can be its own challenge, but choosing how to tell it is even more difficult. How you frame a shot not only determines how viewers will be drawn into your image, it also controls how they connect to the story. Photographic stories need not be complex, nor need they be complete—viewer interpretation is part of the magic. Knowing how to use the tools and techniques at your disposal will help you shape your story.Read now -
Tech Tips for Photographing Motion
One of the defining aspects of photography is its ability to freeze a moment in time, and nowhere is this more readily apparent than in action photography. Photographing a fast-moving subject is both challenging and rewarding. Hopefully, these tips will not only help you, but inspire you to get out there and experiment with your camera.Read now -
Tech Tips for Basic Portrait Photography
We all know the number one reason people take pictures is to share images of what they are eating. But, second to that, one reason photography is as mainstream as it is, is because people want to take pictures of their friends and family. So, whether you are shooting simply for your own memories or creating portraits for someone else, here are some tips to help you rise above the snapshot.Read now -
Tech Tips for Indoor Photographers
From snapping a shot of your meal to taking a family portrait, indoor photography often poses many challenges simply because there isn't enough light. We've put together a few tips to help you achieve good results inside.Read now