August 2008 Archives

Vik Orenstein explained to us how she got the perfect lighting (and the perfect moment) in this picture of a boy and his dog.

Vik Orenstein explained how she got this unique shot of a high school senior, and what effects she used on the shot once the photo was taken.

Sometimes children's photos aren't all about smiling pretty and being prim and proper, as this picture of a screaming boy proves quite well. Vik explains what went on behind the scenes of this photo.

This photograph of the boy with the bubble illustrates a few interesting principles of child photography. The boy is clearly enthralled, and the specialty treatment Vik Orenstein uses makes this photo very special.

A senior portrait is a shot that must be perfect. To many, it's one of the most important remembrances of their high school years. Here Vik describes how she made this senior portrait one to remember.

Mothers and photographers don't always see eye to eye, especially when it comes to a picture of a baby sleeping. So what happens when the photographer and mother are one in the same? That's exactly what happened when Vik Orenstein captured this peaceful shot.

Sometimes the best way to master something is to take advice from the experts of that craft, and child photography is no different. Vik Orenstein was willing to share her child photography secrets during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

Oftentimes when people are photographing children, they're intent on getting the entire child or the child's face in the shot. According to Vik Orenstein, and many other wonderful photographers, there are other ways to approach a child's photo.

When you're looking at photos of children, some shots just stand out from the rest. How do you capture the images that really grab the "oohs" and the "ahhs"? Vik Orenstein had some tips to offer during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

One of our listeners had asked how she could capture a photo of a child during a ballet performance. Vik Orenstein had some helpful and insightful advice to offer.

Kids sports photography can be challenging, to say the least. How do you get the great action shots? How do you capture the excitement of the game? Vik Orenstein had some great advice to offer...

When it comes to getting great candid photos at a birthday party, it's one part chance and ten parts experience. Fortunately, Vik Orenstein was willing to provide the experience part of the equation during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

The right lens is crucial to all forms of photography, and photographing children is no different. We asked Vik Orenstein which lens she liked best for child photography. She was more than happy to share that information with our listeners.

When you're taking pictures of a child, how do you keep the subject of your photos engaged and entertained? After all, most children aren't known for their ability to sit in one place for long periods of time. Fortunately, Vik Orenstein had some advice she was willing to share.

When taking kids pictures, location can play an important role. Are indoor shots best, or do outdoor pictures win?

Vik Orenstein shed some light on the topic of shoot location during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

When it comes to photographing children, props can play an important role. The question is, which props work best and which are better left alone? Vik Orenstein was more than happy to share which props she uses most when taking kids pics.

When it comes to a picture of a child, the right attire can make all the difference in the world.

So, how should your child dress? Are prints better than solids? What colors work best? Is there anything you should avoid like the plague?

Vik Orenstein shared the answers to our wardrobe questions during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

When new parents (or grandparents) start to take pictures of children, there are mistakes that they commonly make. Unfortunately, this means most of the shots taken at this time of the child's life aren't nearly as good as they could be.

How can you avoid the biggest children's photography mistake? By turning to the experts. Vik Orenstein was more than willing to share some advice on how to avoid the most common pitfall of taking pictures of children.

If you want to perfect your child photography skills, your best bet is to learn tips and techniques from a master in the field. Fortunately, we have just the master to turn to. Vik Orenstein was kind enough to tackle the top 7 questions about child photography for our listeners.

Uncover which 7 questions Vik provides answers to, how she makes her child photography shots so unique and exciting, where she gets her creative inspiration from and what resources she recommends in this 7 Photography Questions interview.

Taking photographs of children can be quite the challenge. First, there's the matter of cooperation. A fifteen minute photo shoot can seem like an eternity to a child -- and you don't even want to know how ugly it can get after half an hour!

Then, of course, there's the challenge of getting unique and creative shots. The last thing you want is for your pictures to look like duplicates of every other children's photograph out there.

Fortunately, we have expert photographer Vik Orenstein to turn to for some insider tips and tricks. In this 7 Photography Questions interview, Vik shares her knowledge and advice as I ask her the top 7 questions about getting great photographs of children.

I asked Jennifer Wu: what is the most important thing we need to take away from her landscape photography interview? What is the one thing she wants our listeners to remember? Her answer was quite enlightening.

When I spoke with master landscape photographer Jennifer Wu, I knew I had to ask her about some of her photography secrets. To my delight, she was more than happy to share some of her top tips and tricks with our listeners.

How many photographers would love the opportunity to shoot an erupting Hawaiian volcano? That's exactly what Jennifer Wu did. Here she explains how she got this exciting and dramatic shot.

Sometimes you have to find unique places to get great photographs of the nighttime sky -- say a Hawaiian observatory for example. That's exactly where Jennifer Wu went to get this amazing nighttime shot.

Sometimes you have to add a little of your own magic if you want the perfect shot, which is exactly how Jennifer Wu captured this image of a bristlecone pine. Here she explains exactly what she did.

Nighttime photography in and of itself is a bit challenging, and capturing something as magnificent as the Milky Way is no easy feat. Jennifer Wu explained how she got this fabulous shot.

Capturing the perfect photo isn't easy, but Jennifer Wu did it beautifully in this image of Muir Beach. Here she explains the technique she used to get this unique shot.

When it comes to getting great flower photographs, timing is everything and this image a field of flowers is the perfect example. Jennifer explains how she was able to capture this beautiful shot.

Sometimes angle and perspective can make all the difference when photographing flowers, as Jennifer Wu illustrated with this shot at Ruby Mountain. Here she explains how she captured it.

Sometimes the elements we're trying to fight can actually provide us with an amazing shot, as is evidenced by Jennifer Wu's photograph at Burney Falls. Jennifer took the time to explain what was so unique about this picture.

Jennifer took the time to explain to us how she captured this dramatic landscape photograph at Denali National Park.

Many times landscape photographs appear flat. It's not until we put a person in the shot that we get any real perspective. I asked Jennifer Wu if she had any other techniques for getting perspective in her landscape photos. Here, she shares some advice.

There are so many landscape shots out there, it can be hard to make your landscape photograph stand out from the rest. How can you create unique and interesting compositions when it seems everything has already been done in the world of landscape photography? Jennifer Wu had some helpful advice to give.

Depth of field is a critical component of great landscape photographs, and many of the pros use hyperfocal distance to perfect their shots. But what is hyperfocal distance and how do you use it? Jennifer Wu shared the answers to these questions during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

A polarizer filter is an important piece of landscape photography equipment, but is it as important as your camera, lens and tripod? Jennifer Wu had some insightful information on this topic.

During the interview, Jennifer brought up two terms (mirror lockup and back focus) that some people just won't be familiar with. I asked her to clarify and shed some light on the topic. She was more than happy to oblige.

Do you need a tripod in order to take landscape photographs? After all, not all niches of photography -- or all photographers, for that matter -- use one. Fortunately, Jennifer Wu was willing to shed some light on the subject during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

When it comes to great landscape photography, the right lens is key. Many of the best landscape photographers turn to a wide angle lens for their photography needs.

Is the wide angle lens really the best in the world of landscape photography, and which wide angle should you invest in? Jennifer Wu had some tips and advice.

You've heard the saying, "Timing is everything," right? It describes landscape photos perfectly.

The right timing can mean the difference between a stunning landscape photograph and a run-of-the-mill snapshot. Jennifer Wu shared some tips on the proper timing of your landscape photos.

Everyone makes mistakes, and people who take landscape photographs are no exception to that rule. That doesn't, however, mean that you shouldn't try to avoid the most common mistakes landscape photographers run into.

Jennifer Wu shared what the most common mistake is in landscape photography and how to avoid it during her 7 Photography Questions interview.

If you're wondering how to take your landscape photography from "nice" to "wow," we've got a treat for you. I'm interviewing master landscape photographer Jennifer Wu as she tackles the top 7 questions about landscape photography.

Find out which 7 questions Jennifer answers, the equipment she invests in, what resources she recommends and the tricks of the landscape photography trade as she provides in-depth answers and photography advice during her 7 Photography Questions Podcast interview.

Landscape photography may look easy on the surface, but when you try capturing those picture-perfect shots you realize just how challenging this type of photography can be. Lighting, composition, exposure -- they all have to be perfect if you want your landscape shots to stand out.

Aspiring landscape photographers have two choices. They can practice, practice and practice some more (hoping to discover the techniques that work) or they can turn to a master of the craft. We opt for the latter.

Expert landscape photographer, Jennifer Wu, is willing to share her knowledge with you as I ask her 7 of the top questions about landscape photography.

I asked action photographer Charlie Borland to shed some light on what he thought was the most important thing for our listeners to remember. The answer was very insightful.

Action photography is one of the hardest types of photography to master. There are so many factors to consider, and experience plays a huge role. I asked Charlie Borland what our listeners could do to improve the results of their adventure and action photography shoots. He provided some great suggestions.

The contrast of this rock climbing photo is amazing and it's proof that lighting is everything, but more isn't always better. Charlie Borland explains how he made this beautiful shot happen.

This camping shot at Joshua Tree is a prime example of how flash can make the magic happen.

When people think of self-portraits, they usually think of boring poses. They most likely don't imagine themselves on something as exciting as an ATV. Well, Charlie Borland did get on an ATV, and this picture proves just how exciting self-portrait shots can be. Charlie shared his interesting self-portrait technique during my interview with him.

Sometimes the shot you get just isn't the shot you want, which is exactly what happened when Charlie Borland took this ice climbing shot. How did he get a so-so shot to look so amazing? He let us in on his secret.

Charlie Borland has told us quite a few times that lighting is very important when taking dramatic adventure sports pictures, and this AK camping shot is a perfect example of this fact. Charlie explained what he did and how he captured this impressive image.

This picture of a man mountain biking is a perfect example of how Charlie Borland is able to capture speed, movement and excitement in a single photo with the help of flash.

Charlie Borland took some time to discuss how he captured this great shot of a woman snowshoeing.

When it comes to taking adventure and action sports photographs, there are secrets and insider tricks that separate the amateurs from the pros. Getting to the bottom of those secrets can be somewhat of a challenge if you don't know who to turn to.

Fortunately, I was able to ask famous adventure photographer Charlie Borland what his master secrets were and he was kind enough to oblige.

Light is supposed to work to your advantage when shooting outdoor adventures.

Taking photographs of outdoor adventures is one thing, shooting those outdoor adventures in the snow is something completely different. Any outdoor photographer knows that a snowy environment holds unique challenges and concerns. Charlie Borland addressed some of these concerns during my interview with him.

Sometimes outdoor photography takes you into snowy conditions. How do you get great shots while keeping your equipment safe and dry? Charlie Borland has some advice...

A great action photographer doesn't just wait for the amazing shots to occur -- he or she works to make them happen. How does one go about doing this? Charlie Borland had a number of interesting tips to share.

Great adventure photos aren't something that just happen. You have to know how to make the extraordinary shots. Charlie Borland understands how to do just that, and he shared some insider secrets for our listeners.

When I asked Charlie Borland about keeping his camera dry during rafting photography excursions, he was kind enough to share his experiences with Ewa Marine's waterproof equipment. I asked him if there were any other must-have pieces of equipment that rafting photography enthusiasts should invest in. Here is what he had to offer...

When you're photographing near or on the water, as people do with rafting photography, keeping delicate equipment dry can be a challenge. I asked Charlie Borland how he manages to keep his camera safe. He had some helpful pointers to share with us.

Charlie Borland was kind enough to explain where to find models for adventure photos. However, I wanted to take it a step further and find out how our listeners could actually get those models to pose. He had some interesting advice to offer.

Not everyone makes a good action sports model, and people who look at your action sports photos will be able to tell if your models are faking it. So finding models for action sports is sometimes easier said than done. Fortunately, Charlie Borland was willing to share some tips. Here he explains how he finds models for his action photography shoots -- and how you can too.

During the interview, Charlie Borland explained how he gets motion into his action photographs. I asked him to go into further detail about shutter speeds and getting sharp-as-a-tack images. He was more than happy to share his advice.

Not all action photos are created equal. It seems that "frozen action" sports shots are the norm. In other words, most adventure sports photographs are still shots of one moment in time. However, others capture the essence of the action that was happening.

I asked Charlie Borland how he creatively gets a sense of motion into his action photos.

In the world of action photography there's a common mistake that almost everyone makes. I wanted to find out what this mistake was so our listeners could avoid it. Fortunately, Charlie Borland was more than willing to share his expertise in this area.

Have you ever wanted to improve your adventure and action sports photography techniques, but just didn't know where to start? Do you wonder how the pros manage to capture the thrill, excitement and intensity in the photos they shoot?

I interviewed Charlie Borland for these answers (and many more). Charlie was more than willing to answer our listeners' top 7 photography questions and address the challenges that many adventure and sports photographers face.

Join us as Charlie shares his insight, experiences and tips with our listeners...

How do you pack excitement and adventure into your action sports photography photos? How do you get across the energy, excitement and thrill? And how do you find the best people to photograph rafting, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, etc.?

Those are just some of the things I asked expert photographer Charlie Borland during our interview. He was happy to share his tips, experience and advice as I asked him the top 7 questions about adventure and action sports photography.

The right energy can turn ordinary fashion, portrait and wedding photos into stunning works of art. How can you improve the energy of your shots? Bruce Smith has some tips.

While we didn't have time to go over all of Bruce's fashion photography samples during the interview, he did have time to give us an overview of how the rest of these photos were able to convey such emotion and energy.

Sometimes a photo is so much more than a moment in time -- as is the case with this "bride with flower" shot. Sometimes it can actually tell a story or express an emotion. That's exactly what Bruce Smith did with this image.

How did Bruce Smith put the mystery into this shot of the couture bride? Here he sheds some light on the topic for us...

Bruce Smith explains how expressing yourself as a photographer to your model is the best way to get what you want out of the picture, as evidenced by this shot of the woman smiling.

Bruce Smith shared how photography can indeed have a tempo and how he used it to make this shot of Edwardian fashion a memorable one. I truly love his analogy...

Sometimes a picture has a certain energy that you know isn't artificial or "put on", as is the case in this photograph of a swimwear model by Bruce Smith. Bruce explains how he captured the energy on camera.