Minimalist Landscape Photography Video

Come along with me on this episode of Photographing Iceland where we cover tips on how to capture minimalist landscape photography. I came to Strandarkirkja, a lone church in Iceland with a preconceived idea of photographing this church in a minimalist fashion, isolating the church as the main subject and letting the rest of the landscape be a part of the frame without overpowering it.

Minimalist Landscape Photography Video

Let’s review the tips from this video and a few additional tips for creating impactful minimalist landscape photography.

Start with Determining Your Composition

Before you pick up your camera, decide on what elements of the scene you want to include in your frame. This could potentially mean switching from shooting in landscape orientation to portrait depending on what you want to conceal vs. reveal.

When I arrived I noticed this wall in front of the building that was distracting the view and immediately thought to capture the scene from a lower angle to hide it.

Choose the appropriate lens for the scene

The choice of lens can greatly influence the composition of your shot. A wide-angle lens captures a broad view, which is beneficial for highlighting the vastness or emptiness of a scene. While telephoto lenses can be used to isolate distant subjects, for most minimalist landscape shots, a medium to wide-angle lens is the best choice.

Changing my perspective and moving closer to the ground required me to choose a lens that would still allow me to keep the scene minimalistic, filling the majority of the frame with sky. Using a wide-angle lens @ 16mm, I was able to capture a greater portion of the sky and used it as negative space to emphasize the church.

Dial in the proper exposure settings

With minimalist landscape photography, there is no objective correct exposure.  Use the exposure that matches your creative vision.  That might be underexposing an image to clip and hide parts of a scene or overexposing an image to blow out and hide other parts of the scene.

Starting at ISO 100 to maximize dynamic range, I bumped up my aperture to f/11 to capture the detail of my foreground. From here I will check my Histogram and dial in the appropriate shutter speed to ensure I don’t blow out the clouds and sky in the scene.

Additional Tips To Consider

In addition to the tips provided above, here are some other considerations to refine your minimalist landscape photography.

Understand the Different Ways to Isolate Your Subject

One of the key elements is ensuring that the subject stands out. This can be achieved by isolating your subject from the surrounding elements, thereby making it the focal point. You can achieve this by utilizing depth of field to blur out the background or foreground.  You can also composing the shot in a way that naturally separates the subject from other elements.

Compose Your Minimalist Landscapes Without Extra Elements

Every element in your frame should have a purpose. Avoid including elements that don’t contribute to the overall message or feeling you’re aiming to convey. This may mean waiting for a moving object to leave your frame or changing your angle to exclude distractions.

Stick to Fewer Colors to Increase the Minimalist Feel of Your Images

Minimalism thrives on simplicity, and that includes a simplified color palette. Images that use a monochromatic or limited color palette can often appear more striking and focused. This doesn’t mean you should avoid color, but rather, be intentional with your choices.

Try the Best Times for Minimalist Landscape Photography

The golden hour – the period shortly after sunrise and just before sunset – provides a soft, diffused light. This light can simplify the landscape by reducing harsh contrasts and shadows, making it ideal for minimalist photography.  These times of the day also provide opportunities for silhouettes.  Combining minimalism with silhouettes during sunrise or sunset can create a mysterious and evocative image.

Use Photo Editing to Finalize Your Photo

Post-processing is essential in achieving the perfect minimalist shot. Techniques like dodging and burning can be used to highlight or downplay certain areas. Cropping can help in removing unwanted elements, while spot removal can erase distractions. Don’t be afraid to manipulate the image to reach your envisioned outcome.

More Information

Minimalist landscape photography is all about capturing the essence of a scene, using simplicity as your guide. By focusing on the essential elements, choosing the right time and equipment, and harnessing the power of post-processing, you can create striking images that leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

Join me on my Youtube landscape photography journey as I travel around the world capturing the beauty Earth has to offer. If you enjoyed this video you can tune into my Photographing Iceland Series which includes 30+ episodes filled with shooting tips, gear recommendations, and travel advice.

1) Charge by the property, room, or sq/ft – NOT hourly.

Real estate photography is a very different business from something like wedding or event photography, where “hours of coverage” are a common thing.
When it comes to real estate clients, they will want to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. If your pricing is by the hour, yet your pace of work seems at all slow to them (even if you’re just taking the necessary time to get truly polished results!), some clients will feel like you’re milking them for more money.

Instead, first make sure that you always work with consistent efficiency, even if you have to take an extra few minutes to get a shot right. Then, once you know how many hours certain jobs will take, convert your desired hourly rate into a more straightforward price, and charge by the property and/or by the image.  You’ll make roughly the same amount of money, and your clients will perceive the pricing to be much more straightforward and fair.

2) Do the math on what you’re actually paying yourself.

Alright, this tip is one that some creative people won’t want to hear, but it’s absolutely critical. So please don’t skip this just because the word “math” made the artist in you panic! Read on…

Tally up all the hours you spend not just shooting and post-producing, but also corresponding with a client, drafting up their contract, driving, even prepping your gear, cleaning your lenses, charging your batteries. It’s ALL part of your overhead time and costs!

If you can do this for all your work hours, and then organize it by job, you’ll discover that maybe for example it takes you 8-10 hours of behind-the-scenes work to deliver a job that “only” took 1-2 hours to shoot. Then, you can factor this info into your overall pricing for that size of a job to ensure that you’re profitable.

In accounting, this is called the “cost method” of pricing.  Below is a sample screenshot of what this might look like.

Before we move on, another important bit of math to do is this: how many clients you can actually handle in a given day or week, and what that could add up to? This will be what actually tells you if the business model is truly profitable enough, or if you need to raise your real estate photography pricing. In other words, just because you turned a profit on one job, doesn’t mean you can go full-time and make a career out of it. The weekly/monthly numbers have to add up, too.

3) Always Seek Improvement in Efficiency

Since revenue per client is typically in the hundreds and not the thousands, a profitable real estate photography business, perhaps more so than any other genre of photography, requires an efficient workflow.

Quick turnaround time and attention to detail can be the difference between a client who keeps using you, and one who never calls again. If you promise images in a certain time frame but can’t deliver on schedule, you’re in a lot worse trouble than if the subtle tones or colors of your post-production are slightly off.

Moreover, if you’re taking too long with any aspect of the workflow, you can quickly find yourself making significantly less per hour than you’d like.

Keep efficiency in mind and seek ways to cut time without compromising quality.  For example, many real estate jobs can require you to perform the same bracketed HDR merge repeatedly, and the best way to do that is with an application such as Photomatix Pro.

4) Analyze The Competition

To determine what you should charge, first you should understand where you are in relation to the market and your competitors.  This can be done with a quick “SWOT” analysis, as outlined below:

• Strengths – Create a list of your strengths.  What do you do better than your competition?  Do you have resources or knowledge that your competitors don’t?
• Weaknesses – Next, make a list out all of your weaknesses.  Where can you improve?  What are your competitors doing better than you (currently)?
• Opportunities – List the opportunities in the current environment.  Are there population or demographic changes in your area?  Is there a shift in style preferences?
• Threats – List the external threats to your business in the current environment. Is there more competition?  Are the barriers to entry low, possibly allowing more competition in the future?

After you’ve analyzed your own business, choose a handful of competitors in your area and make a list of their strengths and weaknesses.  In addition, document their real estate photography pricing if it’s available.  Real Estate Photography businesses are often very transparent in their pricing.  In fact, many photographers have their prices and packages right on their websites.

If you feel that you are offering a service, product, and experience at or above your competition, consider matching or pricing above them.  If you feel like your weaknesses outweigh your strengths in comparison, consider pricing at below.

This is not an exact science, however, as each individual has different opportunity costs and income expectations. That being said, this analysis—along with the Cost Method outlined in Tip 2—give you an idea of the range in which you should fall.

5) Understand the Psychology of Pricing

This is another real estate photography pricing 101 tip that every small business owner should understand. You should expect that most of your clients will go for one of your middle packages if you offer three main “packages” or products.

Your bottom package should be the minimum amount you would charge and still be motivated to complete the job and profitable after doing so.  The top package should be the VIP experience with the potential to capture high-end clients with a high budget.

These packages should lead the client into booking the middle package, which should include everything your average client would want and need at a price point within your target market’s budgets.

While you shouldn’t expect every single client to jump at your highest-priced package, it isn’t a good sign if every single client is just barely affording your lowest package. (By the way, if every client is booking your most expensive package, that means you really should consider raising your prices!)

For many photographers, this can require a lot of fine-tuning in order to get it right, so don’t be afraid to adjust over time.

6) Know the Value of Properties in Your Target Market

It would be great if real estate photography pricing could be an exact percentage of the value of the property itself, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.  Still, it’s easy to understand that you can charge more for real estate photography in areas where the property itself is worth a lot more.

If you’ve been doing work in one area where all the properties are roughly in one price range, but you get contacted to shoot a property in a different area where most homes cost ten times as much, you should consider adjusting your prices for the new area.  Of course, you don’t want to seem opportunistic, so your old pricing needs to be unknown to your new clients and/or you need to be able to justify the higher pricing if questioned.

This might result in a few “no thank you’s” from some potential clients, but it can eventually open the door to a whole new price bracket and clientele.

7) Offer Additional Services

As any internet marketing guru will tell you, countless business models these days rely on selling additional services or products above the “in-the-door” price.  Real estate photography is no different. Of course, no customer likes that “upsell” feeling, so make sure you are adding value with everything you offer.  Also, keep it simple, quick, and low-pressure.

A few additional services that some real-estate photography clients might be interested in are:

• Ariel/Drone Photography – Whether this is an essential service or an add on these days is up for debate.
  
• Videography Services – Consider partnering with another business to offer this service if this is beyond your core skillset.
• Rush Turnaround Real Estate Photography Pricing – Even if most clients are OK with you delivering images in 48-72 hours, a few clients here and there may ask you to turnaround images in just 12-24 hours; you can either choose to swallow that cost (no shame in that, by the way) or offer such an immediate turn-around at an additional charge.
• On-Location Proofing/Delivery (Shooting Tethered, Etc.) – Quick turnaround is one thing; some high-end clients may even prefer that you proof the images on-site for them so that they can approve of each shot before you even leave the job. This may require you to shoot tethered to a laptop, and get the images into Lightroom or even do advanced processing immediately, all being services which are certainly worth an added fee.
• Different Shoots at Different Times of Day – Consider offering premium packages that offer photographs at different times of the day.  Some clients may want a sunset/twilight shoot, while others may be fine with a mid-day job.
  However, this idea deserves its own discussion, which we’ll begin below.

8) Remember – There’s Only One Sunset and Twilight Each Day

This may sound like a really odd thing to say among tips about pricing real estate photography, but hear me out. Simply put, exterior shots are gorgeous at twilight. And, unless you (and your client) are willing to wake up for sunrise, you’ll only be able to fit one property into a single day, usually.

So, some real estate photographers recommend charging a higher price if a client requests a twilight shot for their exterior, while other real estate photographers don’t. What works for you may be one or the other. If all your clients request that a property exterior is shot at sunset, you should just count it in your initial price. However, if more than half your clients don’t care if you photograph an exterior mid-day, then you have room to decide on what works best for your business.

The important thing to remember is that the “golden hour” and “blue hour” time of day does have value. Maybe you have to to do a lot of horrible rush-hour driving, just to shoot a property right around sunset, so you could consider having an added fee for travel and timing, even if it’s just a small fee.

9) Don’t Sell Yourself Short or Under-Charge Just to Gain Access to a Property

This is one common mistake you might make after you’ve photographed a handful of properties, and you get an inquiry about photographing a really nice portfolio-worthy property.  Don’t make the mistake of selling yourself short just to ensure that you get the job!  Or, at the very least, don’t do this more than a few times in your career.

If you find yourself doing a cheap job or even a “freebie” just because you want to photograph a really nice property, then you may need a reality check.  Simply put, if you’re a good enough photographer that a client is even considering letting you photograph a really high-end property, then you’re worth good money, and you should be charging it.  Have confidence in your work and your value.

Charging a fee shows the client that, regardless of your skill level, your time is still valuable, and you should be respected as a fellow professional. To clients, shooting for free can bring with it the stigma that you are just a hobbyist who is desperate to make a few bucks sooner or later (and the client is happy with letting it be “later”).

10) Be Careful with Volume Discounts

For those of you who are just barely starting out, and are considering doing your first job for free or a low fee, be sure that you’re only offering this “introductory real estate photography pricing” for one or two properties at most.  However, avoid committing to multiple properties at a discount. Simply put, if you’re new to the business, you might vastly underestimate how much time it takes you to complete each project.  This will only lead to major frustrations when you wind up making less than minimum wage, and also if the client doesn’t receive their photos in a timely manner.

If at all possible, only offer a volume discount to clients you’ve worked with already; you know their standards, or rather, how picky they are, as well as how much time goes into each job. Even then, a volume discount should be just a relatively small percentage. And remember, don’t even mention any sort of discounts, unless a client brings it up and persists in discussing it.

Bonus Tip! Set a business goal, and hold yourself to it

This final tip is the hardest for many entrepreneurial small business owners to tackle. That is, setting a specific goal and holding yourself to it.

Say, for example, you want your average job to be at $700 within 1 or 2 years, or you want to be grossing $80K per year, by the end of year 1 or 2. Well, how are you going to get there? It’s one thing to set a goal, but it’s an entirely different thing to come up with a plan, a course of action.

So, set small steps for yourself to take, each month or each quarter, with regards to your real estate photography pricing, or your overhead costs and actual profits, or simply your sheer volume of clients. Work towards those smaller targets each week, each month, and see where you stand at the end of the week/month.

If you reach your goal early, you can either set a higher goal next, or you can accelerate your existing plan. However, if you don’t meet your goal, you guessed it – you need to reevaluate your strategy and potentially extend your timetable for the existing goal.

It can be really hard to hold yourself to these goals and adjust course accordingly, but any hard decision you make sooner, is much, much better than realizing you’re 6-12 months down the road and have almost nothing to show for it.

Again, this is just general business advice for all entrepreneurs, but it’s extremely relevant to the start of any photography business, and absolutely pertinent to this particular topic of setting your pricing as a real estate photographer.

Questions or comments?

We hope this article has helped you find the confidence to move forward with a real estate photography business! Please leave comments below if you have any specific questions about pricing for real estate photography.

6 Tips To Capture Creative Candid Family Photography Video

Candid family photos are guaranteed meaningful photos for a client. Sure, clients are typically satisfied with simple posed photos with good lighting, everyone smiling, and nobody blinking, but what if we take it an extra step forward? In the video below, I have 6 tips for you so you can capture creative family photography!

Tip 1: Incorporate Action for Candid Family Photos

When it comes to capturing candid family photos, incorporating action can be a great way to get everyone involved and create natural, organic moments. Rather than just having everyone stand together and smile for the camera, you can engage the whole family in fun little activities that can help bring out their personalities and natural reactions.

For example, you might have the family play a game of catch or tag, jump on a trampoline, or play with a pet. These activities can help everyone feel more relaxed and comfortable, and the genuine laughter and interactions that result can make for some of the most memorable and authentic photos.

You can also incorporate simple actions into your photo composition, such as having family members walk towards the camera, dance together, or hug each other. These actions can create a sense of movement and liveliness in your photos, making them more dynamic and engaging.

Ultimately, incorporating action into your family photo sessions can help you move beyond typical posed photos and capture candid family portraits that truly reflect the unique personality and spirit of your family. So don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun with it!

Examples:

• Have the kids play a game of tag
• Have a posing contest
• Run a small distance together
• Try a jumping shot
• Throw children into the air (and catch them, of course!)

Tip 2: Go With The Flow

Always have your camera up and ready for anything that may happen for spontaneous candid family photos. Be prepared to capture the unexpected. As strange as it may sound, some of our clients’ favorite candid family portraits include those in which their kids are having a meltdown. We try to avoid meltdowns, of course, but they do happen, and the parents appreciate having a record of even these authentic moments.

Examples:

• Water splashing the family
• Children melting down

Tip 3: Get Every Possible Combination

Be sure to capture the family in all possible group variations. Start with the largest group and remove or add family members as you go. Use cues like “Strike a pose!” and even demonstrate some unique poses yourself to encourage more creative and candid family photos.

Each member of the family has a unique relationship with every other member of the family.  The best candid family photos are often the ones that bring out nuances and interactions between the family members.

Examples of combinations:

• Everyone in
• Grandparents and Kids
• Parents and Kids
• Mom and Kids
• Dad and Kids
• Mom and Dad

Tip 4: Capture Candid In-Between Moments

As I mentioned up top, candid family photos make for the best images with genuine expressions. Simply direct their attention to one another, and capture their natural exchanges and interactions.

Tip 5: Have a Mini Couple Session

Let the kids take a break and get some shots of just the parents. Treat this like an engagement session and shoot both traditional and lifestyle poses.  The parents will appreciate these photos because they will likely have neglected couples photos for a long time.  Being so busy keeping their kids alive and fed, these photos can help them remember and celebrate their love and relationship.

Tip 6: Don’t Be Afraid to Get Silly

Get creative with your candid family photos and throw in some funny faces to help get the family in a lighter mood. Allow the family to goof off and play together, then capture the fun reactions and candid moments.   By allowing your family members to let loose and have some fun, you can create an atmosphere of laughter and joy that will shine through in your photos.

One way to get everyone in a silly mood is to throw in some funny faces or poses. Ask your family members to make their funniest faces or strike a silly pose, and capture the resulting laughter and reactions. You might also suggest that everyone wear goofy hats or glasses, or use props like balloons or bubbles to add a playful element to your photos.

Another way to get silly is to encourage your family members to play and goof off together. Whether it’s tickling each other, playing dress-up, or making funny sounds, allowing your family to act naturally and spontaneously can lead to some truly unique and candid moments.

By getting silly and playful with your family, you can create a relaxed and fun environment that will help you capture candid family photos that are full of laughter and joy. So don’t be afraid to let loose and have some fun!

Conclusion

Family portrait season often peaks in the fall, but in reality, it is always upon us! It is warming up outside here in California, and chances are your clients are looking to grab  creative family portraits for one occasion or another. Although Christmas cards are the most popular reason to gather the family in front of the camera, they’re not the only game in town.

Whether you’re posing one person, a couple, a small family or a family of 27, you need to know exactly what to do and how to do it. If you’d like to dive deeper into your posing repertoire, check out our Complete Posing Workshop.  For more family photography education, see our Family Photography Training System.  In the meantime, we hope you found these 6 tips to capture creative family portraits helpful.

When it comes to being a photographer, our overall mission is to create consistently incredible imagery. But to become a successful photographer, there are four key skills you must acquire. These four skills fall into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. The hard skills are the technical ones that come from being able to use your gear creatively, come up with new ideas, and know how to find and create light, post processing, etc.  The soft skills involve the ability to properly communicate with your clients and understand what they want and need.  If you’ve ever wondered “what skills do you need to be a photographer?” then this article is for you.

Many successful photographers you may come across in the industry aren’t necessarily the best artists, but they have fantastic technical skills. Or you may find some that are incredibly successful because they’ve mastered the soft skills of client relationships and communication, but are not necessarily as technical or artistic.

If you want to become a successful photographer, it’s important to have all four key skills, with a balance between the four.

25% Hard Skills

The hard skills needed to be a photographer can be referred to as internal skills because you can improve on these skills by simply studying and practicing on your own. These are very important but they’re not the sole means to success. Hard skills encompass the technical side and the artistic side, and should make up about 25% of a successful photographer.

1. Technical Hard Skills

As stated above, hard skills are easy to teach and learn. Our numerous workshops cover the many aspects of the technical side. On the technical side, there is camera, composition, and exposure control. This is all Photography 101 course content. Then there’s mastery of lighting and light modification from our Lighting workshops. You’ll need post production skills and for this we’ve created three entire courses on Lightroom editing in the Lightroom Workshop Collection. And then there’s posing, which is one part hard skill, one part soft skill, both of which is taught in the Natural Light Couples Photography Workshop.

2. Artistic Hard Skill

The artistic side covers artistic camera, composition, and exposure control which is, again, discussed in all of the courses listed above. Technical and artistic are two very different hard skills needed to be a photographer. Think about some of the photographers that you know, or even yourself. Would you classify yourself as a technical photographer or as an artistic photographer? There are so many incredible photographers who are absolutely amazing artistically; they can create images that are breathtaking, yet they don’t really know much about the technical components of what they’re doing.

On the flip side, do you know photographers that are incredibly technical? They know their lighting ratios, everything there is to know about aperture, maximum dynamic range, about optimal shutter speeds, etcetera, yet there’s always seems to be something missing from their photographs? These are technical photographers. Generally, most of us are going to have a balance between these two but it might be weighted on one side.

A  photographer strives to have a good balance of the technical and the artistic and this makes up what we call the skilled photographer. It is only a small fraction of what it takes to be a successful photographer. The bulk of comes from the soft skills side.

75% Soft Skills

The soft skills needed to be a photographer are labeled, “external skills” because these need to be practiced with people. These soft skills are a greater part of the process therefore these soft skills are more important and weighted more in the balance of being a successful photographer.

3. Communication Soft Skill

Communication is key to building a relationship. Being able to communicate with people and discuss their interests, backgrounds, and anything other than photography is an extremely important soft skill. It involves smiling, being genuine, and being interested in what others have to say. You’d be surprised how much this could do for you. It’s the ability to use positive and reinforcing words as well as provide positive solutions to your client’s sometimes random requests.

When it comes to posing, as we mentioned above, there’s a technical side but much of posing comes down to communication and how you guide and direct your clients. You can have the know-how of what makes a good pose, but you need to have the ability to communicate and guide your clients through it.

4. Understanding Soft Skill

Being able to ask targeted questions is part of communication, but a major component for the soft skill of understanding. While communication is about your words, how you speak them and how you communicate your vision to your clients is critical. And understanding involves talking less, listening more and asking targeted questions so you know what their vision is.

When you seek to understand your clients’ wants, needs, and concerns, as well as having the ability to address and resolve those concerns, it will show that you are present in the moment.

Having the ability to communicate clearly and understand people makes you an empathetic communicator, able to understand their vision and share your own vision effectively.

[REWIND: Tips on Client Satisfaction, Reviews and Testimonials]

External Soft Skills vs. Internal Hard Skills

The combination of skilled photographer and the empathic communicator is what makes a successful photographer.

Throughout the entire process, almost every touchpoint will draw on your external soft skills. From understanding the vision, tailoring expectations, proper planning, and exceeding expectations, communication and understanding are required. Only when you get to the shoot execution do you use those external hard skills, but even then on shoot day, both soft and hard skills are incorporated.

In the process of creating consistently incredible images with every single client, the vast majority of your interaction and the process itself relies on your soft skills and your ability to communicate and understand, versus your technical and artistic ability. You need both sides, and all four skill sets to succeed.

You can learn more on developing and using these skills in part 1 of the Wedding Workshop. Gain access to the workshop and so much more by becoming an SLR Lounge Premium Member here.

Night Portrait Photography Tips Video

Let’s start out our nighttime photography learning with this video tutorial on “Night Portrait Photography Tips.”  Most of the tips in this article are based on those presented in this video.

6 Night Photography Ideas

1. Simple, Soft, Diffused Flash
2. Constant Light
3. Whip Pan
4. Streaks of Light (Shutter Drag)
5. Back Flash (Silhouette)
6. Back Flash (Inner Warmth)

Night Photography Idea 1: Simple, Soft, Diffused Flash

While a single speedlight with a softbox would not be able to compete with the sun during a daytime shoot, that setup provides plenty of power for lighting subjects during the evening.

To figure out an adequate power setting on your flash, start with the inverse of your ISO when shooting wide open (e.g. f/2 or f/2.8). In other words, if you’re shooting with an ISO of 1600, set your flash power to 1/16th. Other factors such as distance of the flash from your subjects and aperture will affect your settings and outcome, but this general rule provides a great place to start.

To capture the image above, we placed the light 45-degrees to camera left. We dialed in our settings in camera to leave the ambient light in the background a little darker so that the subjects would pop out from the scene.

Let’s review one more example of this technique from the same engagement session.

For this photo, we use the same lighting technique as the first image, with a speedlight and a softbox, but we also supplement the lighting with an off camera flash behind the subjects to illuminate the water. Night photography ideas like this give you a beautiful diffused light source which avoids any harsh highlights on the skin.

Night Photography Tip 2: Constant Light

Using a constant LED light, like the Westcott Ice Light for example, is another alternative for illuminating your subjects when photographing in the night. While an OCF with an umbrella or softbox produces more of a diffused light, a constant light is a bit more portable and still gives you a smooth transition from light to shadow. The main issue with using an LED light is that it might not illuminate enough of the body, making it harder to get full body images. You also might face the issue of not having a strong enough source of light compared to an OCF where you can adjust the power.

Idea 3: The Whip Pan

The best part about shooting night photography in the city is having plenty of ambient light available, especially in the dark. Using city lights as your backdrop, there are a plethora of possibilities to be created in-camera that are sure to wow your clients.

The “whip pan” is one of our favorite night photography ideas on the list.  The effect creates interest by panning the camera left and right while the shutter is open to add motion into an image.

Whip Pan Directions: 

• Look for an area where city lights are visible, preferably closer to your subjects than further to increase the emphasis of the effect.
• Set your camera on a tripod and slow your shutter to around 1/2 second.
• Set your flashes to Rear Curtain Sync to ensure that the subjects are flashed as the shutter closes.
• Place your subjects in the darkest area of the frame.
• Instruct your subjects to hold still.
• Position a backlight (a single speedlight on a light stand) directly behind the subjects to create a “rim light” (or outline) around them.
• Loosen your tripod head and press the shutter, then quickly pan in one direction to capture streaks of light.
• Adjust your shutter speed until the light trails are the length you’re looking for.

You may need to create a composite using a plate shot during post-production to get the exact look you want.

Tip 4: Streaks of Light (Shutter Drag)

Long exposures are another easy trick to try for city photography. Capture the motion and movement of downtown cities by simply slowing down your shutter speed and freezing your couples with flash.

Similar to the whip pan, this shot requires a slower shutter speed. The biggest difference here, however, is that the motion will come from the lights on passing cars rather than the movement of the camera. Here’s a quick breakdown of how to capture the above image:

Directions: 

1. Set your camera on a tripod and slow your shutter to around 1-5 seconds.
2. Instruct your subjects to hold still or freeze them with flash.
3. Place your camera on tripod.
4. Position the camera so that the frame can capture passing cars (you do not need to stand—nor should you stand—in a dangerous place to achieve this).
5. Place your subjects into the frame so that you can see the busy movement of the city around them.

Night Photography Idea 5: Backflash (Silhouette)

Silhouettes are creative night photography ideas that you can execute to achieve incredible results. Simply place an off-camera flash behind your subjects and face it either toward a textured wall behind them or towards them. Make sure your camera settings allow for just enough ambient light to be seen surrounding your subjects.

To capture the image above, we also used a technique known as shooting “day for night.” In other words, we made the ambient light look darker and cooler (more blue) than it was in reality. We used CTO gels over the flash units to warm the light color coming from the speedlight. We also dialed down the in-camera white balance to cool the overall image without over cooling the light behind the couple.

Night Photography Tip 6: Backflash (Inner Warmth)

There really isn’t a technical term to describe this particular shot but the end result gives meaning to the phrase ‘inner glow’. This shot works best if one of your subjects is wearing white or a light color so that the flash can bounce off their shirt and be diffused. The tight composition and flash to ambient light balance really work together to create a unique and unforgettable image.

Varying the distance between your subjects and the flash can dramatically change the shape and look of the light in the image. To create the “blooming backlight” featured in the image above, we placed a speedlight directly behind our subjects. The speedlight should be aimed toward the chest of one of the subjects, preferably the one wearing the brightest shirt. This will help bounce the light so that it wraps around the subjects.

In order to avoid overexposing the subjects and capturing too bright of highlights under their chins, do the following:

• Pose the subjects so that they’re facing one another (closed pose) with their heads leaning in and their eyes closed.
• Add a grid to the flash to minimize light spill.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed these 6 night photography ideas and put them to good use during your next nighttime photo session. Don’t let the setting sun set limits on what you can do with your photography. Dive deeper into your flash photography education with our complete Flash Photography Training System, which provides everything you’ll need (except the flash gear) to master flash no matter whether you’re shooting day or night.

Having A Team & Going Solo

Having a consistent team will most likely garner more test shoots; some of which may even be paid in the future. In the beginning, however, a team may prove difficult to come by. If you do not have a team, do not fret. An essential lesson to take away from testing is learning to maximize production value with as few resources as possible.

This is not ideal, but it does teach the bare essentials. Rest assured that once you learn to master this by yourself your work only improves. I was a one-person show when I first began and it allows me to jump in wherever needed if someone on my team isn’t available due to a last minute booking. It has also helped me be a better director.

Being able to deliver and elevate a quality basic test shoot is priceless.

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 85mm 1.2L II, Broncolor Siros L 800Ws, Broncolor Beautybox 65 Softbox

Tech Specs: ISO 200, f/10, 1/160th of a second.

Mood Boards & Styling

Mood boards are a key component to model test shoots as they set the mood and expectation. Most agencies will request to see a mood board in the beginning to make sure your vision is in alignment with theirs. It also helps keep everyone on track for the duration of the shoot.

When it comes to styling, the days of having the model scantily clad in a pair of jeans and nothing else are gone. Unless the test is specifically geared toward body images, the more clothing the better. Choose simple and classic items that pervade a tone of timelessness. Inquire if the model has any pieces that will fit this vision.

Black, white and other neutral colors are perfect. For everything else that is still needed, check out vintage stores and other major retailers such as H&M. These are great choices that are easy on the bank account. You may even be able to rent pieces online or borrow from a friend. Make sure to ask the model to bring a pair of nude and/or black heels as well as nude undergarments. Two to three looks are more than sufficient.

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 85mm 1.2L II

Tech Specs: ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/320th of a second.

Hair & Make-Up

As far as hair and makeup are concerned, less is more. Have the model come prepared to wear their hair down as well as up in a loose bun or high ponytail.

Makeup looks great when it appears fresh and natural, so dewy skin paired with a little bit of lipgloss and mascara always works, and the minimal approach provides a youthful vibe which is always a plus for the model. In addition, the clean slate approach will give potential clients a blank canvas to envision several different looks. Keep in mind, you can always add more makeup as the photoshoot progresses if you feel so inclined.

Courtesy

As a common courtesy, ask the booker if they have any specific images that they need and make sure to deliver those requests. Whether the location be a studio on a white or grey seamless, or outdoors, there are three frames that you can’t go wrong with. Always make sure to capture:

• full length
• 3/4
• portrait

Some models have a look that begs to have a beauty image taken while others do not. The other angle that I will always deliver is a straight on horizontal image of shoulders up. The booker always loves this angle and often doesn’t know this until they see it.

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 85mm 1.2L II

Tech Specs: ISO 200, f/4, 1/400th of a second.

Remember Who It’s About

Test shoots are typically about the model, so remember to direct them in a way that captures their whimsical and mischievous moues. Subtle movements seem to prevail over the hard hitting poses, and that is because there is often a disconnect at the beginning until the intimacy sets in and you feed off of each other’s timing. The best images are captured when you are communicating without speaking at all, transfixed in the moment with each other.

Gear

You can get away with photographing an entire test shoot with minimal gear. I photograph the majority of my tests with an 85mm, switching to a 50mm when the situation calls for it. Some tests can be captured using only natural light and a reflector. In the studio, a single light will always do the trick. My lighting consists of a single Broncolor Siros L 800ws with a shoot-through white umbrella and the collapsible beauty box.

• Canon 5D Mark III
• Canon 85mm 1.2L II 
• Broncolor Siros L 800Ws
• Broncolor Beautybox 65 Softbox
• Savage 36″ Shoot Through Umbrella 

What Files Agencies Request

In the beginning it is very normal for a model booker to request all unedited images from the shoot. Until that rapport is built, they want to cull and choose the final selects to be edited. This often comes hand in hand with a critique that is brutally honest. Listen to all of it, the good and the bad, and apply it to the next few tests. Once that trust is established, you will only send them final edits of your choosing.

Test shoots are the perfect time to test out new gear, lighting setups and themes. Ensure that you first capture what the agency has requested of you and then have fun. Learn to master the basics and the rest will come. The more tests you crank out, the more people tend to want to collaborate with you. This is when the best relationships are developed and quality teams are built. This is also when some of the best work is created. 

Idea #1: Pano Stitching (AKA Brenizer Method)

Also known as The Brenizer Method, wide aperture panoramic stitching allows you to create a narrow depth of field and focus on your subject while still showing every detail of the environment. Perfect for scenic shots, this is a great way to mix it up when you’ve got an incredible scenic background to show off. Usually created by stitching 9 to 24 (or more) images together, this technique takes some practice and specific settings to pull off.

Panoramic images have such a dynamism about them – they hold the ability to capture an expansive space and compress it into a single image. Create high resolution environmental portraits via the Brenizer Method that showcase your subjects and their surroundings. Wide aperture panoramic stitching works best with lenses that give you a shallow depth of field and greater compression. Watch our full course on conceptualizing & executing the Brenizer method here.

Creative Photography Idea #2: Spray Bottle

A spray bottle is a simple tool that you would never think to use for photography, mostly because we stay clear of all water whenever given the chance.  Essentially, the water droplets on the lens catches light coming into the lens and creates interesting bokeh patterns across your image.  If you’re worried about damaging your lens, try doing this creative photography idea with a lens filter over the lens.

See the full spray bottle tutorial here.

Directions:

• Spray water on desired part of the lens
• Control the size of the foreground bokeh by adjusting your aperture (wider aperture = bigger bokeh)
• Make sure there’s no dirt on your lens, because you can scratch your lens while wiping the water off

Creative Photography Idea #3: Mixed Lighting

Although most shooters tend to stay clear of mixing lighting to avoid discolored skin-tones, the effect can actually increase the interest of your image when done correctly.

The trick is to separate the light sources so the temperatures don’t mix unintentionally or over the subjects’ bodies.  Mixing daylight and tungsten, for example, and then correcting for the skin tones can send your backgrounds into an interesting and moody orange, as you see in the image above.

The opposite is true when you light your couple with a tungsten light during blue hour.  The mixed lighting sends the skies into a deep blue, adding interest, as you see in the image below.

For more information, see our articles on White Balance and Color Temperature.

Creative Photography Idea #4: Long Exposures

A sky full of stars as a backdrop is bound to leave your clients impressed and is quite possibly one of easier tricks as it requires no gimmick, just a little extra time in post production. These shots can either be composited with a starry night sky or if you choose to do a single shot long exposure, you can use Rear Curtain Sync on your off-camera flash.

Creative Photography Idea #5: Free Lensing

This technique requires some DIY-ing but it creates a look that brides are sure to love. Free lensing is a technique that uses broken lens to let light bleed through the edges of the frame, creating different flares and color. We’ve used a broken Canon 50mm f/1.8 for the shot above, holding it off the camera body allowing light to flare through. Aperture doesn’t play a role in the photo considering the lens has been stopped down to a specific number prior to usage and it’s disconnected from the camera body. This gives images a slight tilt-shift effect without the cost of a tilt-shift lens. See how we post-produce these images here.

Idea #6: Tilt Shift

A tilt-shift lens is meant to throw the focus plane off, helping you focus on multiple subjects to create interest or correct perspective. At first, it is difficult to navigate the functionality of a tilt-shift lens, but like any other technique it’s a matter of trial and error. Understanding how the focus plane works is the main hurdle to cross because it is such a non-traditional perspective. The image above was created using a Canon 90mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift lens.

Creative Photography Idea #7: Shoot Throughs

Here is a technique that requires you to think outside the box no matter what location you are in. Shooting through objects can yield you with a variety of unique compositions, flares, and perspectives. We have a full special effects course outlining the various accessories that can be used to create dramatic and uncommon light flares, or even to re-create golden hour.

Idea #8: Atmospheric Aerosol/Fog

A little bit of fog in some places can add a lot of depth and texture to a scene. Fog machines would be the ultimate tool for a trick like this, however, they are often too cumbersome to carry around on shoots, and they do cost a pretty penny. Here’s where Atmosphere Aerosol comes to the rescue: these cans of fog are extremely affordable and allow you to spray the areas you want the fog.  Of the creative photography ideas listed in this article, using this product is one of the easiest and most straightforward.

Directions:

• Fill the scene with the desired amount of fog
• Using a reflector (or any thin, broad object), waft the fog around to control the spread

Idea 9: Whip Pan

Having a lens with built in IS (image stabilization) will create a straighter line going across the image. Watch the full tutorial of the whip pan technique here.

Directions:

• Slow shutter speed to 0.5-1 seconds
• Loosen tripod head
• Press shutter button then quickly pan in one direction
• Use rear curtain sync to freeze subject

Idea #10: Reflections

A prism can be used to add unique reflections, change your composition, or even add a flare. The best part is that it’s portable, and you can bring it to any shoot. See how we created the image above in this behind-the-scenes video!  At around $20, adding a prism to your toolkit will give you an easy way to add creativity to your images.  Like any of these ideas, just be sure to not overuse it, as it can become too identifiable and cheesy if you do.

Directions:

• Bring the prism up to your lens, twist and turn until you find your desired composition
• Keep note of which photos you like and how you held the prism, so you can easily re-create the look later

#11 – Double Exposure

I’ve always been fascinated with double exposures. Whether you create them in-camera (which is challenging but a lot of fun) or later in post production software like Photoshop, you can create some cool effects and communicate surreal and conceptual ideas. The possibilities are endless with this one. Read more about how to create double exposures in-camera and in Photoshop in these two articles:

Idea 12 – Composites & overlays

It’s fun to get creative in Photoshop with overlays and composite elements. Whether you add a simple cloud overlay to add interest to the sky, a texture overlay to bring some life and feeling into your images or elements that are difficult or impossible to capture live (like smoke, lighting, fire, water splashes, etc.) overlays and composite elements can help take your images from regular to extraordinary photo illustrations.  Read my tutorial for creating the above composite here:

Conclusion

Having a few of these creative photography ideas up your sleeve can help you distinguish yourself from other photographers.  They can help you transform average or boring scenes into interesting ones.  And, of course, they’re fun to try and practice.   So get out there and try them!

8 Reasons Why Your Photos Are Blurry

If you’ve ever wondered, “why are my pictures blurry,” then review these 8 common reasons.

Camera Shake with Slow Shutter Speed

Camera shake occurs when the photographer doesn’t hold still enough when the shutter is open and doesn’t use a high enough shutter speed for the focal length. In short, if the photographer moves when taking a picture, especially at lower shutter speeds, your images could come out blurry.  To help avoid this, use a shutter speed that is at least the reciprocal of your focal length.  So, for example, if you are using a 200mm focal length, ensure that your shutter speed is at least 1/200th. This general rule of thumb is known as the reciprocal rule.

Motion Blur

Motion blur happens when elements in the scene are moving while the picture is being taken. This can be intentional, as in showing the movement in water or traffic in creative photography. Or it can be unintentional, when the shutter speed is too low and you see movement in your subject.  The faster the subject is moving, the faster your shutter speed needs to be in order to capture it without blur.

Shallow Depth of Field

Parts of a photo can be blurry with a shallow depth of field. This effect is typically intentional, with the subject of the photo in focus and the background or foreground out of focus.

Missed Focus

Sometimes a photographer simply misses focus, which happens more often in scenes with moving subjects. Some cameras and lenses simply have bad autofocus performance. With each improvement in camera and lens technology, missed focus is less and less of a problem. However, a photographer still needs to train his or her instincts, use the right focus modes, and use the right techniques to prevent the issue.

Air Quality

On a foggy day, a polluted day, or a humid day, particles in the air can affect the sharpness of a photo.  Hazy or dusty conditions can lead to a lack of sharpness and reduced contrast in your images. This can lead to an artistic, dreamy effect if used intentionally.

Subject Too Far Away

In general, the further the subject is from the camera, the higher your chance of getting blurry photos. Chances of air particles interfering, camera shake, missed focus all increase.

Light Quality

Lighting plays a critical role in photography, and poor lighting conditions can lead to blurry photos. Understanding how to work with natural and artificial light sources, and employing techniques like using a flash or reflectors, will ensure your subjects are well-illuminated and sharp.

Misaligned Focusing System

Sometimes your camera or your lens needs to be recalibrated.  For more information, see this article on how to recalibrate your lenses.

Tips to Avoid Blurry Photos

Use the appropriate shutter speed – Though many factors go into this decision, a good rule of thumb is to stick to the reciprocal of your focal length.  This is called the reciprocal rule.  So if you’re shooting at 200mm, keep your shutter speed at 1/200th or up.

Use a Tripod – If you need to drop to lower shutter speeds, use a tripod or monopod.  In fact, you can get creative with slow shutter speeds and tripods by intentionally capturing movement.

Take Multiple Photos – Take multiple photos of the same scene or moment so that you can choose the sharpest photo later in post production.

Increase Your Aperture – For wide angle photos or photos where your subject is further away from the camera, consider increasing your aperture.

Use Blur/Focus Correction Software – If you don’t have a sharp photo of critical moment, try fixing it in post production.  There are tools in Lightroom and Photoshop that can help, like the sharpen tool.  However, you may also want to explore software dedicated to fixing blurry photos.  Click here for more information on how to unblur a picture.  You might also check out software like Topaz Photo AI.

Upgrade your camera – New camera and lens technology will generally result in better image quality and better auto focus.  Many new mirrorless cameras also have Image Stabilization built into the camera, letting you drop your shutter speeds even lower without any camera shake.  If blurry photos is consistency a problem, consider upgrading.

Conclusion

Getting blurry photos can be a frustrating aspect of photography, but hopefully these tips can help you achieve the sharpness you desire in your photos.  By understanding the various reasons behind blurry photos and implementing the appropriate solutions, you can elevate the quality of your photography to new heights. Whether it’s overcoming camera shake, improving focusing accuracy, or adapting to environmental challenges, mastering these techniques will enable you to consistently produce sharp, stunning images that capture the essence of your subjects. Embrace these tips, and watch your photography soar to new levels of excellence. If you have a blurry photo that you’d like to fix, you might also be interested in our article on Apps and Software to Fix Blurry Photos.