If you’ve ever tried to convert an image to black and white, chances are you’ve ended up with a flat, dull photo with none of the original contrast. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially for photographers who are new to Photoshop. To help you create stunning black and white images, I explain the key things to understand when shooting for …

After spending hours planning and styling your shot, getting the lighting just right and adding the final touches in post production, the next step is to upload your images to your online portfolio or social media. Part of this process is resizing your images for web. Here I answer the most common questions when it comes to resizing images and …

Arguably some of the most valuable tools in Photoshop, burning and dodging refers to darkening or lightening areas of an image. This technique can be used to enhance your imagery by creating three dimensionality and guide the viewer’s eye. This technique, which derives from the days of film and dark room printing, is useful for any genre of photography. As …

Whether you’re a professional product photographer or still practicing your portrait photography, there are a few photography accessories that are useful to have around the studio. These are my top 10 studio photography accessories that I keep around the studio (plus a bonus one at the end), and many of them are more basic than you might expect! I have …

Choosing the right backdrop is an important part of the photographic process. Photographic backdrops and backgrounds are a key part of any image — they can make or break your photo. Choosing the right backdrop is crucial, but knowing which one is the best can be tricky. To help you make the most of your image, I’ve outlined some key …

Here I’ve summarised some of the key points covered in our natural light food photography classes, explaining the planning, preparation, equipment, lighting and techniques used for each. For many photographers just starting out, working from home is common practice. You don’t need a lot of equipment or much space to take great photos. What you will need is just a …

Whether you’re a new photographer just starting out or have a few years of experience to your name, chances are you’ll have found yourself asking similar questions. Each month I do a live Q&A on social media and I’ve found that many photographers are asking the same questions time and time again. I answer the 10 most commonly asked photography …

Lenses are an essential piece of photographic equipment, but with so many options available it can be difficult to know what it all means and how to choose the right one. Here I explain different types of lenses, how to choose the best one for you and why it’s worth considering buying second hand. Put simply, lenses are pieces of …

As someone who’s done it for over 20 years, trust me when I say running a successful photography business requires more than just talent. It requires hard work, dedication and business savvy. Knowing how much to charge for photography is just one of the hurdles you’ll have to overcome if you want to make it, but it can be challenging …

Note: Watch the step-by-step process of how I shot this image in our Product section. I often get asked how I come up with ideas for shoots, but as a commercial photographer I’m often tasked with working to a brief, rather than creating my own concepts. For this Clinique shot, although it wasn’t for a particular project, I went about …

If you’ve never tried splash photography before or if you’re looking for a few useful tips or new ideas, then this is the place to be. I explain the equipment, lighting, important photographic concepts and also share a few creative ideas for you to try. Splash photography is a technique that can add a certain degree of professionalism to your …

This July marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings — a historic moment that had a huge impact on technology, particularly photography, as we know it today. To celebrate this historic occasion we’ll be welcoming a technical expert from Hasselblad for an exclusive live talk show, where you’ll be able to see one of the moon cameras and …

The moon is a beautiful and fascinating subject to photograph, but determining the right exposure and the best compositing can be a challenge. To help you get even better photos, I’ve outlined four simple tips in this blog post. I explain what to consider when it comes to when and where to photograph the moon, what equipment you’ll need, how …

When it comes to portrait photography, you often see results that are really quite similar. Softboxes are a go-to modifier and aim is either Butterfly, Loop or Rembrandt lighting. But with a little creativity (and the right knowledge), the possibilities are endless. In previous articles I’ve shown you how to create great portraits using just one, two and three lights …

From soft, angelic lighting to darker, more contoured lighting, there’s no end to how creative you can be using three lights for portrait photography. If you’re looking for some creative three light portrait ideas, I’ve put together three different setups you can add to your arsenal. These setups use only basic modifiers and show effective techniques that can help add …

In a previous article I discussed three easy portrait lighting setups using just one light, but for those of you who have more equipment, I thought I’d go one step further and show you some more great setups, this time using two lights. When it comes to portrait photography, whether you’re using one light or four, you can get some …

I’ve often heard photographers use the excuse that they don’t have many lights, but when it comes to portrait photography, you can get amazing results using just one studio light. Looking to create a beautiful soft light portrait image? Or perhaps you want something more dramatic and moody? Even if you’ve only got one light, with a little creativity you …

Award winning professional photographer Ben Thomas recently joined me in the studio, where we discussed everything from promoting your work to printing and exhibiting images. Ben also shared his go-to equipment and touched on the post production processes he uses to achieve some of his signature images. Many of our members were particularly interested in what equipment Ben uses and …

There’s an endless range of DSLR cameras on the market at the moment so if you’re trying to decide on which is the best for you, this article will help you cut through some of the chaos and confusion to reach a decision you won’t regret. I often get asked questions like “What is the best camera to buy?”, “Is …

Composite photos, which are defined as two or more images blended together to create a final image, makes the process of compositing sound quite simplistic, but the truth is that it’s far from easy.  The following tips will make creating your own composite image much more straightforward: Compositing takes time, planning,  a keen eye for detail and a good knowledge …

Fashion photos are a popular genre of photography, but for those starting out it can seem daunting — where do you source outfits, how do you pose your model, how do you get the best lighting? In addition to an extensive knowledge of lighting, you’ll need a unique style, creative ideas and the ability to work with a team. To …

Since moving to Melbourne, Australia, photographer Ben Thomas has been using his camera as a tool to explore and deconstruct urban spaces, a journey that, most recently, saw him named a 2018 Hasselblad Master. We caught up with Ben ahead of his live talk show to find out more about his work, his style and why it’s important to push …

When people ask me about product photography, the most common questions I get asked are things like “What is the best camera for product photography?” Or “Which is the best lens for product photography?”. The reality is that the most important thing you can have isn’t the top camera or most expensive lens — it’s a good understanding of light. …