In my opinion, sports photography is definitely one of the most challenging subjects to capture well. Anyone can get a DSLR with a fast enough burst rate and machine gun fire away, but that definitely doesn’t guarantee you a good end result. All at the same time you’re going to have to keep composition in mind, hope and pray your servo mode autofocus doesn’t fail on any of the focus points, and be sure you’re getting a fast or slow enough shutter speed for the style of photo you’re after. Whether you want to take better photos of your kids playing soccer or little league baseball, or you’re shooting stock photography, these 10 tips should point you in the right direction. I’ve picked up these 10 main points in my past sports shoots: Read the rest of this entry »
I got a huge kick out of this funny photoshopped image of a large telephoto Canon L lens mounted to what looks like an M-16 military issue machine gun – it was recently posted by Adorama on their company facebook page wall. In photography, we know that sometimes the machine gun method (automatic bursting) will pan out for you, especially when shooting moving subjects. Also a lot of times as photographers, talking to our friends, might say, “Yeah, I actually am shooting a baby later today” or “I’m planning on shooting some engaged couple later”, only to get a confused reaction from them. Then you have to explain yourself, “Not with a gun, silly… I’m photographing them”. Talking amongst fellow photographers, you don’t get that reaction. It still sounds funny sometimes. I think later I’m going to go shoot my two dogs. LOL with a camera!
This simple image got me thinking once again about photo hunting. Traditional game Hunting and photography can sometimes cross paths, and inter-mingle with one another. Read the rest of this entry »
In Photography there are a lot of “what if’s” and underlying factors that can effect your final image in both a good way, or a bad way. Sometimes these little “happy accidents” as the famous painter, Bob Ross, used to say, can actually add to image. It might even create something unique that would wouldn’t even be able to reproduce if you tried! Even the most seasoned pros of photography will admit that chance or luck sometimes come into play in some of their favorite images. Sometimes you take en educated guess and you will hit your mark. The camera is on your hand, and your finger is on the trigger – it doesn’t cost anything to push the button, so don’t be afraid to. You might just capture something cool.
Hip shots: walking across the street, unaware of my specific camera settings – just snapping as I walk while trekking it through Providence, RI and NYC, New York.
Here are some other random moments caught at the beach in Connecticut (Westbrook Beach) and Rhode Island (Watch Hill Beach in Westerly) that I didn’t exactly “plan” but spotted at a seconds notice.
I’m sure I have many more accidentals, but I can’t think of them at the moment. You’re not always going to “catch” a masterpiece, but you just might grab something you wouldn’t mind sharing with others. I don’t care if what kind of camera you own, whether it’s a DSLR or a basic cell phone camera. The worst image captured is the one that was even never attempted. Have fun, and don’t forget to screw around with your camera once in a while – you just might be pleasantly surprised with what comes out. You just have to be ready!
Do you have some of your own examples you would like to share? By all means, feel free to post them below in the comments section.
Or, you can learn to paint some “happy little clouds” LOL
Celebrities see a lot of cameras in their daily lives. Usually they’re getting chased around by paparazzi or getting blinded by flashes going off at movie premieres, parties and charity events. Ever since I started see Ashton Kutcher in the Nikon TV commercials, it made me wonder which celebrities actually know their way around a dslr?
Which super stars enjoy photography as a hobby? Which prefer getting behind the camera it and not just being in front of it all the time? Here are a list of all the celebrities (who are also photographers) that I could track down.
#1 Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks is not only one of the world’s greatest supermodels and talk show hosts, but she can also handle her own with a Hasselblad! You can see her on her show America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) frequently shooting some of the contestants. Now does she know how to set everything up in the camera settings and lighting? Who knows, and who cares – she probably just has to worry about pointing and shooting. Being around the modeling business for so many years, she has probably absorbed so much photographic knowledge that it just comes naturally to her. Think about it, don’t most actors usually move towards directing later in their careers? It seems to be a common trend in models and actors.
#2 Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Hudgens told MovieFone in an interview that photography is her favorite hobby. “I think it’s a lot of fun … savoring the moment. I get to go to all these beautiful places, so it’s nice being able to take pictures of it.”
#3 Drew Carey
Yes sir, Mr. Price is Right himself also shoots sports! This surprized me a lot. I’ve always liked Drew Carey as an actor/comedian, now I like him even more. Drew shoots for the U.S. National soccer team on occasion, and he sells his images under the pseudonym “Brooks Parkenridge”.
#4 Jerry Bruckheimer
We all know Jerry as the fantastic film and tv producer, but he actually started out as a photographer. His interest in film got him to where he is today, but that’s not to say that the art of photography didn’t help him along on his career path.
#5 Brad Pitt
You might be sick of hearing about Brangelina gossip on shows like TMZ and Extra, but here is an interesting tidbit. This dude is so much of a photo geek that it has been said that he drives his wife Angelina Jolie insane with it. Angelina said her hubby Brad Pitt “has become obsessed with photography and ruminates for hours on how to improve his art”. Supposedly Brad really geeks out and studies everything about the art and science of photography and imaging. Hey, I have to give him some credit. He isn’t pulling the “rich doctor” syndrome. You know, when highly wealth people buy a Canon 1ds MkIII even though they have no clue what they’re doing with it. In that case, it’s like they’re walking around with $8000 necklaces. Brad seems like the type that really geeks out, and for that I have to give him props. You can read more about his obsession here.
I highly that Ashton was into photography before Nikon decided to use him as their post child. Hey, I’m not knocking him – I think he’s great as an actor. Heck, one of my dogs is named after his character on That 70s Show. I could be wrong, but I can’t find any evidence that he’s a real life photographer aside from his Nikon commercials.
Did I miss anyone? If you know of any other famous musicians, actors, actresses, athletes, or other celebrities that also love photography, please post them in the comments below! To learn more about top celebs and their other hobbies, check out this great post at NotSoBoringLife
What Should I Shoot?That right there is the million dollar question. Even seasoned stock contributors find themselves asking this at times. The world of stock is a mindset, and even once you’re in it, it’s easy to get to the point where you wonder, “Okay, what should I try and shoot now”? If you really struggle with coming up with ideas on what to shoot, then you need to start opening your eyes to the world around you. I don’t care where you are, what you’re looking at right now – inspiration can be smack dab in the front of your fat head. Sometimes it’s there and we don’t even realize it. Open your eyes, and don’t just see, but try to truly observe. Reflecting on the who what, when, where, why, and how of everything around you is an easy way to come up with stock concepts. Try to write things down when you think of them. This applies in the graphic design world, as well. Rip out that cool magazine ad you saw in the latest issue of your wife’s Elle magazine (I wasn’t looking at it, I swear…I was just sitting next to her on the couch at the time). Save that piece of junk mail with the interesting modeling pose. I tend to note things a lot, but I forget to follow through. Make a little notebook or scrapbook of the things you’d like to try, the things that look are cool, and the things you think would appeal to a buyer, especially.
Tyra Banks is not only one of the world’s greatest supermodels and talk show hosts, but she can also handle her own with a Hasselblad! You can see her on her show America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) frequently shooting some of the contestants. Now does she know how to set everything up in the camera settings and lighting? Who knows, and who cares – she probably just has to worry about pointing and shooting. Being around the modeling business for so many years, she has probably absorbed so much photographic knowledge that it just comes naturally to her. Think about it, don’t most actors usually move towards directing later in their careers? It seems to be a common trend in models and actors.
Vanessa Hudgens told 
Yes sir, Mr. Price is Right himself also shoots sports! This surprized me a lot. I’ve always liked Drew Carey as an actor/comedian, now I like him even more. Drew shoots for the U.S. National soccer team on occasion, and he sells his images under the pseudonym “Brooks Parkenridge”.
We all know Jerry as the fantastic film and tv producer, but he actually started out as a photographer. His interest in film got him to where he is today, but that’s not to say that the art of photography didn’t help him along on his career path.
You might be sick of hearing about Brangelina gossip on shows like TMZ and Extra, but here is an interesting tidbit. This dude is so much of a photo geek that it has been said that he drives his wife Angelina Jolie insane with it. Angelina said her hubby Brad Pitt “has become obsessed with photography and ruminates for hours on how to improve his art”. Supposedly Brad really geeks out and studies everything about the art and science of photography and imaging. Hey, I have to give him some credit. He isn’t pulling the “rich doctor” syndrome. You know, when highly wealth people buy a Canon 1ds MkIII even though they have no clue what they’re doing with it. In that case, it’s like they’re walking around with $8000 necklaces. Brad seems like the type that really geeks out, and for that I have to give him props. You can read more about his obsession 
