Gearing Up For The Olympics

How sports photographer Paul Kitagaki Jr. captures that unexpected moment

By Mark Edward Harris / Photography By Paul Kitagaki Jr.

Shawn Johnson (U.S.A.) captures the silver medal in the women’s individual all-around competition at the 2008 Olympics on Friday, Aug. 15, 2008, in Beijing, China. Like the athletes they capture, photographers have been gearing up for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Both have to be at the peak of their games to produce the desired outcomes. Paul Kitagaki... Read more

Understanding Focal Length And Angle Of View

What these lens specifications mean and how they impact the pictures we take

William Sawalich

When shopping for a new lens, photographers are likely focusing first and foremost on focal length. But what, exactly, is the focal length of a lens, and how does it impact our pictures? And what about angle of view, does it go hand-in-hand with focal length? Here’s what these technical terms mean and how they impact your pictures. Focal Length The... Read more

Great Lighting Made Simple

Three easy tricks for beautiful lighting without much equipment

William Sawalich

It can be easy for new photographers to feel like they have to have lots of pricey equipment in order to make great pictures. That feeling is exacerbated when it comes to lighting, where the options are abundant and expensive. The feeling is understandable, but it isn’t quite accurate. After all, lighting is free and accessible for all of us courtesy... Read more

Taking It To The Streets

An introduction to the equipment and craft of candid street photography

Text & Photography By Mark Edward Harris

After a long day of photographing life and death along the Ganges in Varanasi, India, I came across a most unusual scene in a fabric shop. When it comes to street photography, Joel Meyerowitz is among the giants. In one of my interviews with him, we talked about his early work in New York. He started his street photography with a 50mm lens on a 35mm... Read more

Setting Image Size And Quality In-Camera

What you need to know to set your camera to the right file type, size and compression level

William Sawalich

Most photographers know that for the maximum in versatility and exposure control, RAW image files are preferable to JPEGs. That said, some photographers like the speed of downloading JPEG files for quick delivery, so for these shooters, we suggest capturing RAW files alongside JPEGs. Still, other photographers insist they ONLY need JPEG files, and while... Read more

Using Flash Outdoors

Three simple steps for mixing flash with available light to make more interesting photographs

William Sawalich

Working with flashes tends to be one of the trickiest topics for young photographers to master. They either over- or under-power the flash so much that everything is blown out or underexposed or they have to rely on automatic TTL flash settings to have any hope of producing an acceptable exposure. But once you get the hang of controlling the flash’s... Read more

Telephoto Strategies For Sports Photography

Tools and techniques to maximize your ability to reach out and fill the frame with sports action

William Sawalich

Pay close attention to the sidelines of your favorite sporting event, and you’ll see the photographers share one thing in common: long lenses. Whether it’s world-class tennis or World Cup soccer, high school football or little league baseball, the professional photographers who cover these events know that when it comes to sports, telephoto reach... Read more

Flash Output Explained

Understanding the output of handheld flashes. (What the heck is a guide number?)

William Sawalich

You’re shopping for a flash and you want something powerful. How can you tell if a flash has a high output? Speedlight-style flashes—the kind that mount to a camera’s hot-shoe—use a somewhat cryptic indicator of output. It’s called the guide number, and while it isn’t as straightforward as a measurement of watts would be, it’s the best... Read more

Making Custom Photoshop Brushes

Easily turn an image of any object into a brush you can paint with

William Sawalich

Photoshop comes with a remarkable variety of custom brush shapes. Whether you’re painting, erasing or using just about any tool that incorporates a brush, you can change the characteristics of that brush to make it more effective. Better still, plenty of designers and photographers have created unique custom brushes that can be purchased or even downloaded... Read more

Sunset Photography Tips

Making the most of autumn’s awesome sunset opportunities

William Sawalich

Back when I got my first job as a photographer, I was told by my boss—himself an accomplished pro with four decades of experience—that autumn produces the best sunsets. It has to do with the angle of the sun and cold, dry air that arrives throughout much of the United States. It’s also helpful that sunsets come earlier at this time of year than... Read more

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