Photography Basics

The Photography basics category of our site will give you a foundation for your photography education.  While many of these are considered beginner or 101 tips and tutorials, they are essential to your understanding of photography.

How to Take Direct Sunlight Portraits

I used to be terrified to shoot in harsh sunlight. I avoided it like the plague, and as a consequence avoided scheduling sessions in anything other than golden hour or overcast days. I soon found out that a limited availability such as this was a financial burden, and bad for business. That was the deciding ... Read more

20+ Posing Cues for Couples from Professional Photographers

Photographers often hear their clients say, “We’re awkward, but we want to be natural, fun & romantic.” This common challenge underscores the importance of mastering posing, a skill that blends technical knowledge with creative communication. The art of posing is more than just positioning subjects; it’s about crafting authentic, emotive stories through images.  This guide ... Read more
best online album proofing options feature

The Best Online Album Proofing Options for Photographers

The deeper you dive into photography, especially when you start taking on clients and making it a business, the more important it becomes to find and use tools that allow you to streamline your workflow. It doesn’t take long before you start spending less time taking photos and more time managing other aspects of getting ... Read more

How to Use Fresnel Lenses in Photography

Fresnel lenses, originally designed for lighthouses, found their way into photography as powerful tools for shaping light. These lenses focus light effectively while remaining lightweight and portable. Whether you’re a portrait photographer or experimenting with creative lighting, understanding how to use Fresnel lenses can add depth and drama to your work. Fresnel Lenses in Photography: ... Read more

Tips for Going Big with Large Photo Prints

When wall space and budget allows, it’s great to go big with large photo prints. Large prints, which can reach up to 96” wide (that’s eight feet!), allow your clients to preserve their special moments on an epic scale, and they also serve as the ultimate showcase for quality photos. For photographers who’ve made print ... Read more
couple poses for photographer

4 Effective Communication Skills Photographers Need to Succeed

When we think about jumping into photography as a career, we often focus on our hard skills, or the technical aspects of shooting. It’s the part we fall in love with while learning to use our gear and discovering new techniques to capture incredible images. Knowing how to take beautiful photos, however, does not automatically ... Read more

Midday Photography Lighting Tips for Better Portraits

If you head out unprepared to capture portraits under the midday sun, you might find yourself wrestling with harsh shadows and limited creative opportunities. While this time of day has a reputation for providing less than ideal lighting, we can actually use it to our advantage. In this guide, we will walk through practical tips ... Read more

Ruko U11MINI 4K RC3 Review: A Sub-250g Drone That Actually Makes Sense for Beginners

The bottom line: The Ruko U11MINI 4K RC3 delivers usable 4K video, a 3-axis gimbal, and 96 minutes of flight time across three batteries, all under 249g and under $500. It’s not a DJI killer, but it’s a legitimately good first drone for photographers testing aerial content without the regulatory headaches or financial commitment of ... Read more
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Staircase Photoshoot Tips for Beautiful Images

Staircases can serve photographers not only as functional structures, but also stunning backdrops for photoshoots. A well-executed staircase photoshoot can produce breathtaking images. However, capturing such images requires an eye for detail, the right equipment, and proper preparation. In this article, we’ll provide tips and tricks on how to execute the perfect staircase photoshoot. From ... Read more
Why Everyone Knows You’re Not a Professional Product Photographer And How To Change

How to Do Product Photography for Small Business: Photography Tips to Follow

You can have an amazing product and still lose a sale because the photo feels off: the color looks wrong, the shadows are distracting, or the image just doesn’t look like something a real store would publish. The frustrating part is that most of those problems aren’t about having a better camera, but about getting ... Read more
Photography Basics

Photojournalism Tips for Getting the Perfect Candid Shot

Tanya Goodall Smith

I've picked up a lot of photojournalism tips from my fellow photographers through the years. Here's a rundown of the most helpful photojournalism tips I could find on the web.

Photography Tips Photography Basics

5 Surprising Lessons I Learned from Photography 101

Tanya Goodall Smith

When SLR Lounge released the Photography 101 Workshop DVD, I was excited to have a beginning class to recommend to my friends, but didn't really think I had much to learn from a 101 level course. Surprisingly, the entire workshop was full of 'Aha' moments for me. Here are 5 surprising lessons I learned from Photography 101.

Photography Basics

Why Auto-ISO + Manual Mode Is the Best Auto Exposure Mode

Anthony Thurston

Many of you have and do use Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority on a consistent basis. But what if I told you that Auto ISO, when combined with Manual Mode is actually the best auto-exposure mode there is?

Photography Basics

Photographer Attacked, Beaten, and Robbed During Wedding | 5 Tips To Stay Safe

Hanssie

A Baltimore photographer was robbed and beaten at a wedding this past weekend. Also, 5 safety tips for photographers.

Photography Basics

5 More Simple Tips For Taking Great Family Portraits

Michelle Ford

Five more tips to help photographers take family portraits

Photography Basics

Why Are Some People In My Group Portraits So Soft? – Q&A with Matthew Saville

Matthew Saville

Question: What is the best way to get family portraits in focus, without totally sacrificing shallow DOF?  Sometimes people on ...

Photography Basics

Golden Gate Bridge Sunset Panorama – How We Shot It

Matthew Saville

This image was captured from the observation deck / bar of the Bank of America Building in San Francisco. The view from up there is stunning, if you are ever interested in finding this perspective it is available to the public, as long as you are dressed "appropriately" for an elite (and expensive!) bar scene...

Photography Basics

The Milky Way in Rhyolite Ghost Town – How We Shot It

Matthew Saville

Even though my full-time job is wedding photography, my photographic hobby is the polar opposite! I enjoy photographing nightscapes in the desert, the more remote the better! Here is a relatively easy-access location, Rhyolite Ghost Town, which is just outside of Death Valley National Park. I have been photographing this bank's cement skeleton now since 2005, and it never disappoints!

Photography Basics

Android App Highlight: Easy Release

Pye

As a professional photographer on of the things that you really should be doing is getting model releases from anyone that you photograph. In case you do not know, a Model release (in its simplest form) is a legal document that the model and photographer sign that states that the photographer retains the copyright on the images.

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