Portrait Photography
Canon has announced the second generation of its entry-level full frame mirrorless camera, the R8 Mark II. Having spent some time with the camera, we can speak to some of its most apt use cases: portraits, landscapes, street photography, and video.
Canon R8 Mark II
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New York City is often considered the center of the universe, especially for photographers and other creative types. Leaving the Big Apple after you’ve established yourself there can mean “saying goodbye to these chapters of a previous life,” according to today’s guest.
Above Photograph © Nancy Borowick
Derek’s chat with Sony Artisan Nancy Borowick on this week’s podcast is all about looking beyond the environment that launched her professional life and making pivots to balance a successful career with the responsibilities of a growing
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Celebrity portrait photographer Brian Smith shares the lessons he's learned over the past 30 years. He shares his favorite portraits and the stories behind them, along with some tips on how he got the shot.
0:00 - Intro
1:55 - Making a connection with your subject
4:32 - Capturing faces
8:05 - Photographing the X-Factor finalist
10:28 - Camera settings
14:21 - Lenses
29:42 - Getting the better image from big mistakes
42:36 - Storytelling & eye catching
51:07 - Show don't tell - On location
1:03:22 - When clients want to work with you
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When you're getting started in portrait photography, it can be tempting to buy the most expensive gear in order to improve your photos. But what if we told you that all you need is one 100W light? Enter Westcott's FJ100 100Ws Off-Camera Strobe and FJ100 M 100Ws Speedlight. Join Juan as he uses these lights on their own and together.
0:00 - Intro
0:27 - One Strobe Light Setup
3:23 - One Speedlight Setup
4:11 - Minimal Headshot Setup
5:55 - What's the Verdict?
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A powerful portrait doesn’t just capture a face, it creates a sense of depth, space, and emotion. Photographer Francisco Joel Hernandez will show you how to build strong visual depth in your portraits using lighting, lenses, and composition.
0:00 - Intro
3:09 - The flat portrait problem
8:55 - How to add depth
20:50 - Cheat code
27:28 - Off camera flash
35:46 - Lighting systems
39:16 - Technique breakdown
47:52 - Mistakes to avoid
49:14 - Final tips
53:00 - Live demo
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Portrait photographer Mike Foley covers the theory behind portraiture, focusing on how to use shapes and posing to create stronger compositions. Mike also discusses the power of simple lighting and how to achieve professional results with a minimal setup.
0:00 - Intro
2:27 - Classic approach
10:03 - Finding / making a triangle in frame
22:51 - Rembrandt lighting
39:54 - Bringing both methods together
43:26 - Closing
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Natural light is a more affordable and accessible way to light your portraits, but it can be tough to master. Join Juan in this one-take video, as he shares his top 10 tips for mastering natural light and creating more compelling portrait photographs.
0:00 - Directional Lighting
1:13 - Hand Method
1:50 - Building Bounce
2:55 - Background Ideas
3:55 - Harsh Light
4:44 - Stop Posing Your Models
5:34 - Shoot in the Shade
6:20 - Catch Light
6:59 - The Last Tip
Since its inception, the a7R series has been a mainstay of portrait photographers, for whom its high-resolution imagery benefitted large-scale prints in fashion, beauty, and art contexts. With the release of the a7R VI Mirrorless Camera, Sony has introduced speed into the portraitist's toolkit, eliminating the tradeoff between resolution and processing and making the act of portraiture one of agility and discovery.
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“Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!” That single sentence has become a catchphrase for devotees of comedy and popular culture for more than 50 years—generations of fans who willingly turn their attentions from the height of weekend revelry to the televised antics of Saturday Night Live.
Above Photograph © Mary Ellen Matthews
As this illustrious broadcast wraps its 51st season, we’re releasing an encore of our 2025 chat with SNL’s photographer-in-residence Mary Ellen Matthews, while we busy ourselves backstage to bring you some exciting
Who doesn’t want to capture fun and creative portraits of our four-legged friends? We know we love it. In fact, pet photography may just be the most popular form of photography there is. Think of all the smartphone snaps of yawns, big stretches, and funny moments we all take of our cats, dogs, chinchillas, and beyond.
Quick snaps aside, you know what really ups the quality of our pet portraits? Lighting. Just as with any form of portrait, lighting unlocks possibilities that can be impossible without it. But what lighting system should we use?
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You can take portraits with what you have available, even if it's your smartphone and natural light. Composition, angles, and directing have a huge impact on the quality of your photo. However, if you're ready to invest in some gear, Juan shares his camera and lighting recommendations.
0:00 - In This Video
0:34 - Beginner Portrait Photography
4:19 - Mid-Level
8:12 - Professional Portraits 101
12:10 - Outro
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Using RGB lighting can help bring out the story in your image. Visual storyteller and founder of the Know Your Dope agency, Ricky Shoebio, discusses how he uses different colorful lights for more dynamic portraits.
0:00 - Intro
2:12 - About Ricky
4:24 - Purpose & use
7:29 - Color for character
16:05 - Post production
18:59 - Color & accent
25:43 - Ricky's Four Pillars of RGB Lighting
35:24 - Closing
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Paul Mobley and Ian Spanier have much in common: from starting their respective careers in New York City before relocating to the West Coast, to their knack for forging a human bond with portrait subjects, to an unrelenting drive to generate ambitious commercial assignments while being equally dedicated to complex personal projects.
Above Photograph © Ian Spanier
In today’s podcast, Paul and Ian compare notes on their photographic journeys from coast to coast, while discussing their shared inspiration for 20th century portrait masters such as
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Photographer Marina Williams, known for her colorful and creative portraits, had the opportunity to test the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Marina reflects on her creative journey and explains why the EOS R6 Mark III is a worthwhile upgrade for photographers.
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - About Marina
8:40 - Creative direction & styling
13:38 - Get variety & posing
16:03 - Marina's work today
18:39 - Upgrading to the Canon EOS R6 Mk III
20:39 -
Good lighting is essential to creating a strong, visually pleasing image. This is as true for naturally lit outdoor shots as it is for studio portraits. For individual or even couples portraits, many photographers make use of on-camera flash or compact, battery-powered strobes to supplement natural light and fill shadows, but how do we situate these in the scene? What light shaping tools should we use? Groups alone can be tricky for a plethora of reasons. Whether it be getting everyone to smile, getting kids to look at the camera, or the