FREE Photography Tips
Build sales without selling?
You may have gone into photography partly because you wanted to stay away from sales. And now you have... [Read More]
Adapting to junk photography: your new competition
Having too many studios in town is no longer your big problem. Neither are the national companies that... [Read More]
Is it worth the trouble to sell your photos online?
In the interest of full disclosure: Our company sells the online store set ups and hosts the services;... [Read More]
Tips from … the photographer of the year 2010
John Farrar of Brighton, England does beautiful and creative work but he also has mastered the details... [Read More]
See more FREE Photography tipsBonus Photo Lessons - From our Forum
Using Bogen Monospots
Studio lighting doesn’t have to be complicated to get great results. This is a simple 1 light... [Read More]
Posing Basics: Head Positions
In this section we will take a look at proper head positioning. The two basic head positions are the... [Read More]
Adding Movement to Your Image
In the world of “I’ll do it in Photoshop” many new photographers are not learning many... [Read More]
Glamour Head Shot Techniques
The difference between shooting a typical head shot an creating a glamour portrait are really obvious. The... [Read More]
See more bonus photo lessonsPreview a few of our Photography Training Videos- Get them all for one low price
Fashion Photography with John Farrar
Ever wanted to know the thought process behind some of John’s amazing images? Join us as the John explains his thought process, tips and techniques for creating his award-winning images. . . . a session with the 2010 Photographer of the Year You may not do wildly creative work, but everyone who owns a camera has got to see what John Farrar... [Read more]
On Location Lighting: Junkyard Shoot
Are You Having Problems With On-Location Lighting? Do you want to take images like these? StudioStyles’ video tutorials show you how! Go behind the scenes and learn how to capture images like these. Your master instructor, Mike Luter, gives you insider tips on planning your on-location shoot. You will learn lighting metering tips to capturing... [Read more]
Pin-up Lighting Techniques
Want to learn how to capture images like these? We can show you how to do it! When you become a StudioStyles subscriber we give you step-by-step instructions on how to get the images you will be proud of, and ones your customers will love – and, pay for! You will see behind the scenes set-ups . . . and receive insider lighting and posing... [Read more]
Sell Photos Online…Here’s How!
This is a recent webinar we did showing you the latest way to sell your photos online. Desktop Digital Lab, a sister company to StudioStyles, and PhotoStock Plus, a leading online storefront designer, have teamed up to give you a online storefront that’s easy to set up and easy to use with loads of state-of-the-art marketing tools that will... [Read more]
Location Lighting Techniques: Finding the Light
Are You Having Problems With On-Location Lighting? Finding and creating the right light while on location is a skill every professional photographer needs to know. In this video we will be demonstrating several on location lighting techniques. We will be working with natural light and Speedlites to get the best possible quality of light. You will... [Read more]
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Using Bogen Monospots
Studio lighting doesn't have to be complicated to get great results. This is a simple 1 light set-up using a Bogen MonoSpot aimed directly at her. Check out the pull-back shot below to see my exact lighting set-up. I was sitting on the stool in the bottom left of the frame. I started right next to the light and then rolled around getting different angles. I liked this one the best. ============================== You can find all kinds of photo tips on studio lighting and posing techniques in our Forum. It is a valuable resource. It is a place where you go for answers, ...
Posing Basics: Head Positions
In this section we will take a look at proper head positioning. The two basic head positions are the masculine and feminine head positions. Masculine Pose The masculine head position is accomplished by turning subjects head toward either shoulder, tilting top of the head away from the lead shoulder. This position can work for both male and female subjects. Feminine Pose The feminine head pose is shown in images below. This is accomplished by tipping the head towards the lead shoulder. This pose works well on females. Although some males may fall into this poses when sitting in front of the camera, it looks ...
Adding Movement to Your Image
In the world of "I'll do it in Photoshop" many new photographers are not learning many of the basic techniques used in the good ole film days to be able to create effects in camera. Now, don't get me wrong....applying movement in Phototshop does have some advantages. For example, you can control how much of the image gets the motion effect, as well as the direction and strength of the blur. However, when deciding if I should to create an effect in Photoshop or in camera, here's the way I approach the matter. I simply do whichever one will be the ...
Glamour Head Shot Techniques
The difference between shooting a typical head shot an creating a glamour portrait are really obvious. The lighting must be flattering, the filters soft and the make-up truly professional. It’s the execution of these principles that will set your work apart. Our studio technique involves a few simple steps that give us the “Hollywood” look, as demonstrated in the accompanying photo. For the primary light , we used a Photogenic MonoLight that has been placed into a Halo Light Modifier. The halo gives a soft, low contrast lighting and a quality that sets the mood. The main light is placed on a boom ...
Add Impact To Your Photos
Most portraits are shot in the standard vertical orientation (which is where the term portrait comes from). However, to add impact to your portraits don't be afraid to crop the image in a horizontal format. Try shooting some images horizontally in your next session. For this image not only did I crop the image in the horizontal format, the model is placed in the in the far right of the frame. What would this shot look, like if she was placed dead center in the frame? Static - no impact. AND I cropped off the top of her head - all in ...
Building a Studio Background Tip
You don't have to have expensive sets and backgrounds in order to get a stylish, trendy look. This background was made with the siding material that you can buy from your local Home Depot. Since this was the first time we ever used it, we simply clamped it to our background stands. As you can see, it produced some great looking images. After a couple sessions we decided to make it a permanent background at the studio and it has proved to be very popular. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="455" caption="Online Photography Training: Making a Stylish, Trendy but Cheap Background"][/caption] Since we decided ...
Studio Lighting with Photogenic Mini-Spots
This set-up was done using 5 tungsten continuous light sources. The lights used for this set up are Photogenic Mini-spots. These lights are a lot of fun to work with, and provide a will you can only achieve with his style of lighting. We use these lights a lot for Hollywood style glamour and when doing character studies. A couple things to consider when using tungsten continuous lights are: 1. Make sure you get lights that have focusing capability. 2. It it is also important to be able to control the output of the lights. For this particular light we had to ...
Using Posing Stools Correctly
At first glimpse talking about posing stool height may seem silly to you. Although that couldn't be further from the truth. Correct posing stool height is very important to maintaining your subjects proper posture. The correct height for the posing stool is slightly above the knee. At that height it forces the subject to sit properly producing a slight L shade between the body torso and the upper part of legs. The subjects feet should just reached the floor.
Basic Posing Tips
Basically, your job as a professional photographer is to make your client look good (or better than they actually do) in their portraits. The first thing I typically do is a quick facial analysis to determine if the subject has one side that is better than the other. Many times this is very obvious, especially if they have a scar or blemish, but often times you need to make a point of doing a quick facial analysis before starting the session. Here are a few common things to look for: One eye smaller than the other - by putting the smaller eye ...
