How Lynn Saville Works The Night Shift

This New York City-based photographer uses patience and knowledge of art history to shed new light on the challenging genre of night photography

By Jill Waterman / Photography Lynn Saville

“This image is from my ‘Acquainted with the Night’ series and is shot in the Roof Garden at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City,” says Saville. “A sculpture by Gaston Lachaise looms against the sky over Central Park.” Growing up in North Carolina during the 1960s, Lynn Saville was more attuned to fashion than photography. “I honestly... Read more

How To Create A Risograph Effect In Photoshop

Emulate this vintage printing technique for fun, funky photos

William Sawalich

The Risograph is a type of print made with a method similar to offset printing in which a halftone screen is used to lay down individual ink colors in separate layers. Risograph printing has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for photographers, it’s particularly suited to making monotone or duotone style prints. This method can be approximated... Read more

How To Photograph Musicians

Whether you travel great distances or just to the next town to see and shoot your favorite bands, use these tips to improve your photos of musicians

Text & Photography by Terry Sullivan

I captured this photo of Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth singing at Nassau Coliseum in 1980 on film using a long telephoto lens that lacked image stabilization on a Minolta SLR. Today’s technology would have allowed me to get a lot more detail and better color accuracy. Yet I accurately captured the right moment, when the singer connected with his... Read more

Camera Mode: Shutter Priority

Help your camera set the right exposure in any situation, based on the shutter speed you choose

William Sawalich

Recently, we explained the way Aperture Priority mode works, so today we’ll look at its counterpart on the automatic exposure spectrum: Shutter Priority exposure mode. Often represented by an S or Sv on the camera mode dial, Shutter Priority mode sees the photographer dialing in a manual shutter speed and leaving the selection of the appropriate aperture... Read more

DIY LED Light Panel

How to affordably build your own continuous key light for photos and video

William Sawalich

Not long ago, we updated the overhead lights in my studio, replacing the fluorescent fixtures with LED light panels. Not only are LED lights much more affordable and convenient than fluorescent tubes or incandescent bulbs, but they’re also much more energy-efficient. As the electrician was prepping one of the units for the ceiling, I took note of... Read more

Planning A Photo Trip To Jordan

Learn how to capture exceptional shots in the Middle Eastern land of Jordan

Text & Photography by Mark Edward Harris

Bedouins with their camels make their way across Wadi Rum. E. Lawrence, known for his heroic actions during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, was immortalized as “Lawrence of Arabia,” the title of an epic 1962 film based on his wartime activities described in his book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. I channeled both... Read more

Camera Mode: Aperture Priority

This auto-enhanced exposure mode provides a great combination of assistance and control

William Sawalich

Some photography snobs cite the capability to shoot in manual mode as a badge of honor, eschewing any other mode as something akin to cheating. But I’m a longtime professional photographer, and while yes, I do like shooting in fully manual mode, I use Aperture Priority mode on a regular basis as well. Typically represented by a capital A (or sometimes... Read more

Five Tips For Getting Amazing Night Photos

Use these techniques to make the most of shooting after dusk and before dawn

Text & Photography by Brian Matiash

While I’ve always found sunrises and sunsets picturesque, what truly fascinates me is when all of that radiant light is gone, and I’m left with a gigantic sky full of stars or the moon. It just fills me with awe, especially when I’m lucky enough to be in an area with little to no light pollution from cities or even a densely populated suburban... Read more

All About Depth Of Field

How to use depth of field deliberately for creative control

William Sawalich

There’s a name for the area of a picture that’s in acceptable focus. It’s called depth of field (often abbreviated as DOF) and it’s one of the central considerations in the taking of a picture. Depth of field is controlled by the aperture (also known as the ƒ-stop) of the lens. A wider aperture—larger opening—is denoted by a smaller number,... Read more

Three Ways to Fight Moiré

In the camera and in the computer, eliminate distracting moiré caused by pattern interference

William Sawalich

Have you ever encountered a strange pattern that seemingly appears out of nowhere and ruins your digital pictures? This is called moiré. It’s the kind of thing that sometimes shows up in intricately woven fabrics or other fine patterns. It appears when two patterns—such as the weaving in a suit jacket and the pixels on a digital SLR’s sensor—don’t... Read more

How Light Works—The Inverse Square Law

Understanding the inverse square law can lead to better lighting in your photos

William Sawalich

Every year in my studio photography class I give a lecture on the Inverse Square Law. With a name like that it doesn’t sound like it would be a laugh-a-minute romp, but in fact, the students are captivated! Well maybe not captivated, but they’re excited once they see how these laws of physics can be quite useful when it comes to lighting a subject—especially... Read more

Travel Photography Guide

Focus on these subjects, tips and techniques to create stunning travel images

Text & Photography By Tom Bol

I shot this incredible sunrise behind a church near Ljubliana, Slovenia. Not long ago, I visited a friend who was ecstatic about his recent trip to Europe. Brimming with excitement, he grabbed his iPad and started quickly flipping through images. Now, I do want to point out that my friend isn’t a professional photographer. He’s just really enthusiastic... Read more

LOGIN