Learn how to take outstanding family Christmas photos without missing out on the fun or interfering with your holiday gathering. We'll teach you how to prepare to get the great photos your family will treasure.
You'll learn how to plan your shot list and involve your family to make it work, how to capture the special moments without interfering with them, and ho you can share your Christmas photos with your family and friends.
The post How to Take Family Christmas Photos appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode
Top-Down Photos are an easy way to be creative, either with or without collaborating with someone else. We'll share some easy ways to light and decorate a simple set for your top-down photos.
You'll learn how to plan your top-down photos and design your set. We'll tell you where we find great resources for our top-down photos, and how you can build your set in layers.
Next, we'll share some simple lighting ideas - using either window light or of-camera flash.
We'll review how to support your camera to get a perfect shot every time, from simple steps to using some gear for support.
The post Top-Down Photography Setup Tips appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode197
Knowing how to decide which lens to use can really improve your composition and storytelling in photography. We'll review lens criteria and share how to make the right choice for your story.
A lens is more than just a focal length. You need to consider the angle of view, the bokeh you may want, how it performs in low light photography and even the kind of distortion it causes.
All of these factors about lenses should be part of your decision making process. We'll talk about some of the creative and realistic issues that can affect your next photo.
The post How to Decide Which Lens to Use appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode196
Photo composition is more than leading lines and rule of thirds. You also have to know what doesn't belong in your photo and what elements shouldn't obstruct each other. We share the photo composition tips no one else talks about.
It helps to understand how people really interact with your photos so that you know how to craft compositions they'll love.
For example, did you know that most people view a photo from the bottom up? How would you change your composition as a result?
What's the best perspective to use with a wide angle lens to show depth? We'll cover all of this and more in this episode.
The post Photo Composition Tips You Should Know appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode195
As a portrait photographer, you want to learn how to improve expression and gesture in your photos. Don't wait for the subject to come up with something interesting. We'll tell you why and how to improve your photos with expression and gesture.
In this episode, we'll share:
Remember, you're not just a photographer when it comes to creating portraits. You're the director and everyone counts on you to make a great photo. There's more to it than just creating a correct exposure.
The post How to Improve Expression and Gesture in Portraits appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode194
Photographers fail more than they succeed. That's why you need to embrace your failures as opportunities to learn. Analyze what went wrong, make some corrections, and try again. We'll help you enjoy the path of incremental improvement in this episode.
You'll learn:
The post Why Photographers Fail More Than They Succeed appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode193
Typography for photographers is a set of tips and advice for photographers who need to use typography for slides, social media and other graphics, but just don't know how to design great looking type. We'll tell you how to get started.
You'll learn why and when to use typography with your photos. Every day issues like:
We'll give you the fundamental rules to make your typography look professional.
Then we'll top it all off with some tips to enhance your typography and enhance your typography.
The post Typography for Photographers appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode192
If you're looking for some photo composition ideas to improve your travel photographer, we have a list of things to help you bring out the character of your destination. Go beyond the usual Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines advice with this episode.
You can learn how to drastically improve your travel photography and get an unfair advantage to create better photos. We'll help you know what to look for and find a way to get photos that other people miss.
The post Photo Composition Ideas for Travel Photographers appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode191
Snapshots are getting a bad rap among photographers. Yet million of people understand the value of personal stories captured in the moment. Be sure to capture your own stories to share with family and friends.
Life's precious moments won't wait for artistic photography. You need to be ready and engaged to capture some snapshots about the events and moments in life. Not just for yourself, but for your family down the line.
We'll give some tips to help you take better snapshots, but the most important message is to concentrate on getting your moments instead of missing them while you reach for perfection.
The post Why Snapshot Photos are Great for Telling Stories appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode190
We answer your questions about off-camera flash in this episode. Everything from when and why you need to use off-camera flash to where you should place the light. If you're just getting started with flash, check out this episode.
Do you know whether to use eTTL or manual mode for your flash? What affects the results you get when using eTTL? We'll answer those questions and more.
Knowing where to put the light or how to blend flash with ambient light are some common questions we'll also address.
The post Answers to Your Questions About Off-Camera Flash appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode189
The best way to begin photography is to avoid the usual pitfalls that suck in most photographers. We'll help you find your purpose, avoid unnecessary expenses and provide the key to creating better photographs.
Too many beginning photographers get gear happy. We get it. When you aren't sure what to do, buying more gear is fun and a great way to experience. The problem is that great photos don't come from great gear. You have to pull them out of your soul with technique and emotion.
We'll help you forget the idea of buying your way to creating great photos and the results will be much more satisfying.
The post How to Begin Photography in 2020 appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode188
Who should critique your photos? Having a critique can be a valuable experience to learn, but not everyone really knows how to do it well. We'll explain what makes a good photo critique and where to find someone you can trust to do it.
Just as important as a good photo critique, we'll talk about some people who you should avoid when it comes to providing a photo critique. Unsolicited critiques are generally useless, but you also want to watch out for some signs that tell you who can provide a good photo critique and who doesn't have the skills.
Finally, we'll help you understand how to critique other photos and why it's a good exercise to improve your photography.
The post Should You Invite Others to Critique Your Photos? appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode187
Learn how to enhance iPhone photos with Lightroom CC. Editing photos on your mobile phone with Lightroom provides a lot of power and saves time. You can take advantage of advanced photo editing features and share on the go.
We'll help you understand how to correct white balance errors in specific locations using the Mix tools.
There's an order of operations to understand which tool to use, as some tools will affect the impact of others. We'll tell you the step-by-step process to make the best results on your photos.
The post Is a How to Enhance iPhone Photos with Lightroom appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode186
Should every photographer learn Photoshop? Clearly, many don't use Photoshop due to the learning curve that comes with it. We'll discuss the pros and cons of learning Photoshop, as well as some alternatives to Photoshop.
We discuss the difference of capabilities between Lightroom and Photoshop. It mostly comes down to how much you need to enhance your photos, or how much you need to manipulate your photos.
Of course, there are tasks that Lightroom simply can't handle, like creating composites, graphics or even scrapbooks. Photoshop is an outstanding resource when you need to add layers of different elements together.
We also discuss some Photoshop alternatives, like Canva, ON1 Photo RAW and Skylum Luminar so you can decide whether you need Photoshop or not.
First time photography frustrations may make you want to toss your camera in the lake, but there's joy on the other side of the learning curve. We'll discuss some major frustrations at different stages of photography and why you need to press on.
When you think about it, most people don't start photography in order to understand how to use their camera. They want to get beautiful photos and understanding how to use the camera is just part of the process in order to capture great images.
It doesn't stop there, though. We have to learn a number of things:
In this episode, we talk about some of our photography frustrations, and what happens if you just give up. It takes a bit of frustration to get the photos we love, giving truth to the phrase, "You must suffer for your art."
The MagMod system works for small flash and now they're getting into support for strobes. Find out why so many small flash photographers love MagMod and see if it's right for your photography.
I'll be the first to say that the MagMod light modifiers are not inexpensive. However, there are built to last, lightweight and small to fit in your bag, and offer a wide array of options to create beautiful light for your subjects and background.
I've used the MagMod light modifiers for a couple of years, and now I'm trying out their MagBox - they're version of an octabox that works with either small flash or studio strobes.
We'll go over all of the options, the prices, and I hope this helps you understand if the MagMod system is something you should investigate for your photography.
Every photographer needs an off-camera flash system, because there are always times when you need to control part of the light on your scene. We'll discuss what makes a flash system work, and some potential problems that cost money.
Off-camera flash is a wonderful thing. It allows you to be a director with your lighting, even if you're working with wildlife or landscapes. There are times when you just need a punch of light to emphasize part of your photo.
So why do you need a flash system? Isn't it fine to have a flash in your bag and strobes in your studio?
Not aways. Sometimes you need to use lights with different sizes and power capabilities, and it's much easier on you if they work together on the same system.
I'll share some of my convoluted systems used in the past to make my flashes and strobes work together, and how we're now in a place where it's much easier to develop an off-camera flash system that won't break your budget.
Make your subject pop in your photographs. It's one of the best ways to draw people into your photos, and we'll share a number of tips to help your subject stand out in your photos.
The key concept is to find ways to cause some contrast between your subject and everything else in the photograph. You can do things to help before your photo session, as you're taking photos, or in post processing.
We'll discuss how to use some of the tools and techniques at your disposal to compose your photo to enhance your subject and give it some dimension just a bit stronger than everything else in your photo.
What enhances a woman's face and body? We'll discuss the differences between good makeup and good post-processing, the big difference between reducing vs eliminating and the things photographers shouldn't forget.
We all want our portrait subjects look their best, but what does that mean and how should we go about it?
It turns out that there's a fair amount of things you can do before you click the shutter that not only helps enhance beauty, but also saves you a ton of time in post processing.
Sometimes the camera captures features that you don't notice when you interact with someone in person. Do you eliminate or reduce those features? We'll go over the pros and cons of each possibility.
Finally, we'll point out some of the things that photographers tend to forget during the photo session. You'll want to keep an eye out for these issues, or better yet, have an assistant who watches for some things that may cause a lot of work in post processing.
We hope you love this episode!
Thinking of buying a new camera? Thinking of switching brands? It could be a good idea or maybe just a waste of money. We'll help you understand when it's time to upgrade or switch, or when you should stick with your current camera.
There are plenty of good reasons to buy a new camera. My favorite reason is "because I WANT it."
If that isn't your reason, then you may want to think about what you stand to benefit from making a switch - particularly if you're going to change brands or systems. That can be an expensive proposition.
Two good reasons to avoid buying a new camera are:
1: It's not going to make your photos look any better
2: You could be giving in to hype.
However, maybe it is time and you need to think it through. Check out this episode to hear our reasons for upgrading or switching your photography gear for the better.
Learn how to create a photography portfolio and why you need one.
Your portfolio is a visual resume. It doesn't just show what you can do. Your portfolio shows the kind of work that you want to get hired to do. If you're interested in attracting new business or showing your expertise in a specific part of your photography, we'll help you understand how to build a great portfolio.
The post How to Create a Photography Portfolio appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode178
If you want to know how to be creative when you don't feel like it, it's important to know why you feel that way and who wants you to be creative. We'll share some tips to help you turn on your creativity when you need it.
It's important to know your audience and what they like to get from you. That narrows down your options, which is a good way to find something creative. Serving others has benefits.
One of the biggest thieves of your creativity is stress, burnout and being overworked. We'll help you recognize the patterns that cause stress and help you find ways to alleviate it before you get stressed out.
Finally, we share a list of five tips to be creative by being prepared. Number 4 is one of my favorite tricks, and it's so easy to use.
Check out our tips to be creative when you don't feel like it.
What is truth in photography, and does it matter? We'll explore how photography distorts the truth and how. Everything from your lens choice to your angle of view and even the timing of you photo bends the truth a little bit.
In this episode, we'll explore:
Do people look to photography for truth? We edit photos to make them look more desirable to viewers, but how can you ensure your photos are true, not fake?
Then again, perhaps this is a case where truth is in the eye of the beholder. Listen and decide for yourself.
Your photography direction will change as you gain experience, meaning the kind of photos you enjoy taking when you start aren't likely to be what you enjoy as you gain experience.
Starting photography is a lot like learning how to drive. There are a lot of rules to remember, and a lot of technical issues to master. The subjects you choose when you start are rather forgiving. Just as the roads you drive when you start aren't as challenging as the ones you use later.
As you gain experience, both in photography and in life, you start thinking differently about your photography. it's less about the technical skills and rules, and you concentrate more on your creativity and storytelling.
In this episode, we share how and why we made changes in our photography direction and the subjects we choose. You'll likely encounter something similar, and knowing to expect a change may help you master it in less time.
The post Why Your Photography Direction Will Change appeared first on William Beem Photography.
Visit the show notes at: https://williambeem.com/episode175
One of the most common questions I'm asked about portraiture is where to put the light. Today, we're going to answer that question by sharing five portrait lighting patterns.
To be honest, this is the wrong question to ask. That's because the best place to put your light is to get the result you want. so the real question to ask for portrait lighting is:
What kind of shadows do I want on my subject's face?
There is a time and place for each of the five portrait lighting patterns, and we'll discuss each one and when you want to use them. We'll cover:
Additionally, we'll go over the difference between Broad Lighting and Short Lighting, which allows you to decide how you want to choose the angle you use to photograph your subject.
It's a short episode, but packed with useful information.