#mustread Stock Photography is a Scam by Illya Ovchar/Fstoppers
📌 "I uploaded a ton of images to a few stock websites back in the day, and having had them up for a number of years, I ended up with zero, zip, zilch, nada. Not because the work was bad, or that I didn’t use a ton of keywords and tags for it, simply because there is already so much of it on stock websites, nobody sees it anymore." [Illya Ovchar/Fstoppers]

🔗 https://fstoppers.com/stock/stock-photography-scam-658226

#stockphotography #stockphotos #stockphotographers #photography #Fstoppers #illyaovchar

No, Grids Do Not Directly Increase Contrast in Photos

#educational #lighting #contrast #control #grids #guides #illyaovchar #ocf #tips

Profoto B1X Review: Tough, Powerful, and Worth Every Penny

#equipment #lighting #reviews #b1x #flash #illyaovchar #monolight #profoto #profotob1x #review

Anything Can Be a Light Modifier for Portraits with a Little Creativity

#equipment #ideas #inspiration #lighting #tips #tutorials #cheap #creativelighting #creativity #diy #doityourself #gobo #illyaovchar #lightmodifier #makeshift #portraits #portraiture #thrifty

Photographers, It’s OK to Not Own the Latest Camera Gear

#educational #inspiration #opinion #tips #cameragear #cameras #equipment #finances #gas #gear #illyaovchar #oped #thoughts #upgrading

Profoto B2 Long-Term Review: A Small Flash That Punches Above Its Weight

The Profoto B2 is a small, seemingly-"underpowered" light that was released back in 2015 and that has been with me for the past two years. Having bought it used and taken it on trips, shot in-studio, and photographed on-location, there are a lot of good things to say about it.

For everything from portraits of politicians, to fashion models, to still life, this light has been on every shoot. The Profoto B2 has delivered time and time again, despite the relatively low power.

You may be wondering why I would purchase a used light, especially given that flash tubes tend to wear out. That's absolutely a valid question -- it can be hit and miss. However, with buying used gear, one big problem is addressed: depreciation. The vast majority of photography equipment will depreciate in value rather instantly if purchased new. Purchased used, the value isn't lost nearly as quickly.

High-end equipment tends to retain price very well on the used market. More often than not, used gear can be sold for no less than 5-10% of the used price it was bought for (if you are done using it within a reasonable time).

When looking at the spec sheet, it may be disappointing to learn that the Profoto B2 can only provide 250W of power across two asymmetrical sockets. Nonetheless, the system is very portable, and having a flash head instead of a monobloc makes handling the whole setup lighter and recycling times faster. When working on location, assistants don’t get as tired, and in the studio, the unit recycles very quickly.

Overall, the Profoto B2 is a capable light that should be considered for purchase.

Design and Build Quality

Profoto is known for its reliable lights. This applies not only to their top-range equipment such as the ProHeads but also to lower-end products such as the B2. The Profoto B2 is a baby pack and head system that performs no worse than the bigger pack and head.

The B2 Head

The heads are lightweight and compact, coming in at 1.5 pounds (700g). They are the standard Profoto mount diameter, measuring 4×3.9×3.9 inches (10.3x10x10cm). It fits inside a camera backpack without a problem.

If the light stand mount is unscrewed from the head, it becomes even more compact. The head itself features an umbrella shaft and can mount all Profoto light shaping tools and accessories, though it is not recommended that you mount anything larger than a 3-foot Octa or 3×4-foot softbox.

It does accept the Umbrella Deep XL without a problem, though. In fact, I boomed the mentioned umbrella without a problem, although it can of course slide. This light can even be used with the large Giant reflectors, though you will lose some light due to the recessed flash tube.

The head is not fan-cooled but it doesn’t need active cooling because of the relatively low power that it produces. The cable is only about 6.6 feet (2m) long (or… short?), which can be a problem if there is a need to use two heads at the same time. A must-have for many photographers using the B2 would be an extension cable.

In terms of build quality, the head is well-made and has survived a few accidents, it feels and acts like a professional workhorse, which it is. The joint which holds the head is also very stable, even with relatively heavy modifiers on booms.

The B2 Pack

The pack is very light, coming in at 2.2 pounds (1.6kg) with the battery, which makes it a perfect on-location solution. In fact, the pack is so light assistants can carry it on their shoulders without any stress. The pack is only 6.3×3.1×6.7 inches (16x8x17cm) large, which enables it to fit in most camera bags without a problem.

The bag that the pack ships with can be used to hang it on a light stand and not worry about kicking the pack. However, even if the pack does get hit, it will probably be okay because of the high build quality that Profoto has.

There are a few dials on the pack that control various functions. The two big dials that control the power output from each socket turn very easily which can be a problem when trying to dial in power precisely. The power sockets have flaps on them which prevent dust and muck from getting in the important bits, but you must know that this pack isn’t water-resistant.

There are three ways to trigger the flash: with the IR socket, a sync cord, and AirTLL. Having used all three, I prefer AirTTL because of the ease of use. Profoto Air is reliable, from my own experience, there haven't been any misfires.

Internals

Air

The pack doesn’t have too many features if you compare it to alternative units. You can pick from 8 Air channels and 5 groups. Each socket can be set do a different group making the pack fully asymmetrical. 250W of power can be distributed in any ratio between the two sockets.

HSS and 2nd Curtain Sync

The ridiculously expensive Profoto Air Remote TTL will enable photographers to enjoy added features such as HSS and 2nd curtain sync. The Profoto HSS is different from the regular HSS other brands offer. Although HSS isn't a reliable or consistent way to produce images, I have used it on several occasions where there was no other choice.

What sets the Profoto HSS apart is that it creates a series of short flash bursts instead of using the long “tail” of the flash output curve. HSS enables using wider apertures, even in broad sunlight. Add TTL to the mix and a very easy-to-use and reliable on-location setup is created.

TTL

When it came out, the photography community went bananas and said that adding TTL to such professional products is a waste of time. I may not be the most professional photographer, but I’ve used Profoto TTL when shooting a secretary of state and it didn’t fail me. It is a convenient way to get good exposure when you only have a few shots.

I mainly use TTL on-location but it does work in the studio too. For me, it is a faster way to get to the fun part of photography, that part isn’t setting light power. Consistency may not be the best with TTL, but that doesn’t worry me too much since I’m not using TTL when I need spot-on consistency.

Light Quality

The B2 provides 250W of power in total. If you are shooting portraits on location, you are likely to only require one head with a medium umbrella. That amount of power is more than enough to light a person in a way that is natural and not “flashy”.

Some photographers seem to be focused on overpowering the sun (possibly to show off what their equipment can do), but that can sometimes look unnatural and can make the resulting image look cheap. If there is a need to get extra power from your B2, add a Magnum reflector, which gives 2 more stops of light, making the B2 the equivalent of a 1000W unit.

In the studio, a single B2 can be used for fill and key. All of the imagery in this article has been shot with the B2 and nothing else.

The B2 is just enough in the studio. If the B2 is used for doing still life, the low power is a benefit as it can be used to control light with precision. The B2 is great as a bounced light too because it provides enough power to fill a medium-sized room. Clearly, one can’t really say that it’s an underpowered light.

Let’s talk about other important properties: consistency, recycle time, and flash duration.

Power-wise, the pack can deliver very consistent results with little power variation from shot to shot. Photographers would have no problem shooting eCommerce with the B2 and expecting the same exposure from shot to shot.

Temperature is fairly consistent from shot to shot but does shift a bit across the whole power range. It will shift approximately 1000K in normal mode and 2000K in Freeze mode. This isn’t great news and Profoto could’ve done a better job at making this pack more consistent.

Recycling times are blazingly fast, only 1.35s at full power. This makes the B2 fit for action shooting.

The battery life is okay, but not great. Unfortunately, buying a few spare batteries will be needed if the B2 is going to be used for shooting on location without a power source nearby. Still, even after years of use, the battery can pump out at least 170-200 full-power flashes.

The modeling lamp isn’t anything special. A little 7W LED is all you have. It is either on or off. It would be great to see a variable and more powerful LED in the pack. It isn't a surprise that the modeling lamp isn't powerful, however, that is expected from a light this small. LEDs have gone a long way now, so the B2 is not up-to-date and would not be good for most video work.

The flash duration on the B2 is simply incredible. It is enough to freeze motion, even at high power. It's actually marginally better than the Profoto B1X.

Read also : Profoto B10X and B10X Plus Review: A New Bar for Compact Powerful Strobes

A Great Way To Get Into the Profoto Ecosystem

All in all, the Profoto B2 is an affordable, versatile, and compact little flash that is a great way to dip your toes in the Profoto ecosystem of lighting equipment.

Are There Alternatives?

There are alternatives. Just as with every review of Profoto, the alternative is Godox (AKA Flashpoint and PixaPro) or a different unit from Profoto.

Profoto B10X is a more modern alternative for the B2. It will be more expensive, but it will also support AirX, have a shorter flash duration, and be more compact.

The AD200 will give out a little less power (200W), recycle considerably slower (1.8s), and accept very few modifiers if you don’t buy an adapter. But, it will provide 500 full-power flashes on one charge, cost $350, and be considerably smaller.

The AD300 will give a little more power, accept Bowens-mount modifiers, and have a slightly longer battery life (300 flashes). But it will recycle slower (1.5s), have a longer flash duration (1/220s), as well as have worse build quality. It will cost you $500 to purchase.

Overall, the alternatives are worth considering if the photographer is already in a different ecosystem or wants similar light output for less money. It is possible to get several Godox units for the same price as a used Profoto B2 system.

Should You Buy It?

If you are considering making the switch to Profoto, this is a great entry point. The light can be used both in-studio and on-location. It is lightweight, relatively cheap on the used market, and made to the same standard as the big ProHead+ProPack systems. In my opinion, this light is worth purchasing for everyone interested in upgrading their basic light equipment.

The Profoto B2 AirTTL On-Location kit can be purchased for around $700 to $900 in the used market -- just keep your eyes peeled.

#equipment #lighting #reviews #b2 #flash #illyaovchar #longtermreview #profotob2 #review #strobe

Look Beyond the Softbox to Spice Up Your Portrait Lighting

What kind of lighting do you use as a portrait photographer? Softboxes are great and popular, but that also makes them potentially overused and boring. If you want to spice up your portrait lighting, you can look into expanding your toolbox beyond the softbox and into other kinds of lighting.

Why You SHOULD Use a Softbox

First, let's take a look at some reasons why you should choose the trusty softbox for your portrait shoot.

“Good” Light in No Time

Some light shaping tools are definitely fairly easy to use. You really can’t go wrong with putting a softbox on your light and firing away. Especially now, when many brands such as Profoto or Godox have added TTL to their lights. It has become almost effortless these days to get good light quickly.

The reason I say "good light," and not my personal mantra of "no light is good or bad," is because softbox lighting has become synonymous with good. We all like a nice soft-lit portrait -- at least it seems that most photographers and viewers of photos do.

Any beginner who has little to no knowledge of light will be blown away by the difference a front-facing Speedlite and a softbox will have. I know I was when I first put a softbox on a light. Back then, it seemed like the new breakthrough in my work. Yet, doing the usual perfect light setup for portraits soon became boring and I couldn’t stand making the same picture over and over.

After all, I’m not aiming to be a one-hit-wonder like a-ha or Los Del Rio. I’d rather be like David Bowie and reinvent my work from album to album.

Softboxes Are Everywhere

Another reason to use softboxes is a lot more subtle. It's that they are simply everywhere. For example, if you rent a studio, you’re likely to find a softbox on a light. For someone who just came to the studio and knows next-to-nothing about light, it will seem only intuitive to wheel the big light in.

Some might even mistakenly believe that the softbox is a permanently attached part of the light (this is an actual story I heard from someone). In a way, your mindset may be the product of people ubiquitously using softboxes.

Why You Should Consider Looking Beyond the Softbox

Softboxes are great, yet I tend to use a variety of light shaping tools for my work, and softboxes actually come out rather rarely. How come?

Crafting Different Aesthetics

The key to fashion photography these days is to craft an aesthetic rather than execute a setup. Naturally, this implies being able to use any light modifiers and make the light from them fit the brief. Softbox lighting is akin to creating a light setup without giving it too much thought.

I have found that photographers are often scared to go outside of their comfort zone and pick something different up. That is rather perplexing to me, as there is an endless stream of photos out there that have been lit in exactly the same way. In fact, it can be its own genre of work: boring softbox photos.

Thus, the first reason to not use softbox lighting is that it is potentially boring.

Standing Out

If you want to make it in the fashion industry, you need to have a way of standing out. Art buyers get thousands of emails a day from various photographers, and when they end up choosing someone, they will inevitably pick someone they remembered. It is unlikely to be an artist whose work looks like everybody else's.

I’m not saying to not have softbox lighting in your portfolio at all -- I’m inviting you to not be afraid to change your light and make it more unique.

Another reason to stay away from softboxes is for educational purposes. There are over hundreds of different light shaping tools that are manufactured specifically for photographers. There are an infinite amount of objects that can influence light. You can take a simple shower curtain and create some unique looks with it. Another one is a water bottle, one more is a fancy window, and of course, let’s not forget about prisms and mirrors just to name a few.

In the grand scheme of things, it is apparent that softboxes are very much the tip of the iceberg when it comes to lighting. How much more can you create if you choose to raid your local rental house and ask for a Hardbox instead of the softbox?

The Profoto Hardbox light shaping tool creates an extremely hard light that mimics direct sunlight.

A portrait captured with the Profoto Hardbox.

Understanding the Raw Nature of Light

Spicing up your light by making a different choice than softboxes will also help you understand not only how individual modifiers work, but also how light works in its raw form. This can be helpful when you start working with scrims, flags, and other modifiers that allow you to sculpt light around the subject.

Sculpting is perhaps the highest form of light shaping, where you are carving out a statue out of raw material. That way, you will be able to pick a light shaping tool that suits you, and if that is a softbox, you will be able to be smarter about using it. Perhaps you will choose to place a grid on your softbox, or perhaps you will angle it in a weird way you hadn't considered before, or maybe you will put a black flag in front of it because that’s what you need.

This knowledge will only accumulate if you choose to be different from most photographers and not be content with only using softboxes.

A mix of soft and hard light. Soft light on the face, and hard light on the heel.

Parting Thoughts

I want to stress that I don’t think softboxes are bad or that you are stupid or incompetent for using them. On the contrary, they are fantastic tools that have a purpose to serve, and that purpose is to create soft diffused light. That light isn't good or bad. It can be appropriate for portraiture or any genre when you make the conscious choice to use such modifiers.

But a softbox is not the right modifier for getting other types of light if that’s what you actually need. The way to be at one with all modifiers is by always keeping an open mind and not being afraid to change sets or rent out a modifier you never tried before. Allow yourself to make lighting mistakes, have mishaps, or even choose the "wrong" modifier at times. If you are unaware of what is not fitting, how can you know what is?

Image credits: All photographs by Illya Ovchar.

#educational #inspiration #lighting #advice #fashion #fashionphotography #ideas #illyaovchar #lightmodifiers #opinion #portrait #portraitphotography #portraiture #softbox #tip

How to Make a DIY Softbox for Free

Almost anything can be used as a light modifier. As long as it interacts with light in one way or another, it can be considered a light modifier. In this article, I will show you how to build a do-it-yourself (DIY) softbox with things you likely already have around at home.

As long as you have these basic ingredients, you should not have to pay any additional cost to make the softbox, which can deliver even and diffused light for your photography. If for some reason you lack something like a light bulb or some aluminum foil, you may have to make a quick trip to the store and spend a little bit of money.

Beginning photographers may feel intimidated by the expensive light modifiers on the market that are often used by professionals, but the goal of the article is to demonstrate that expensive modifiers are not necessary to create high-quality images.

If I were just starting out in photography now, I would not be even looking at investing in Profoto or Broncolor equipment right away. A DIY softbox is more than enough for many types of introductory shoots. Sure, there will be some obvious differences between the results of high-end and DIY gear, especially to a trained eye, but you can still use a DIY softbox for shaping light as long as you know what you’re doing.

What You Will Need to Build a DIY Softbox

Here are the ingredients you will need to gather for this homemade lighting project.

Once you have all the items on the checklist, it's time to build!

Step-by-Step Instructions on Building a DIY Softbox

Step #1. Prepare the Cardboard Box

Take your cardboard box and cut off the lid flaps.

Step #2. Mount a Light to Cardboard

Create a hole in the back of the box so that you can fit your light source through it. In my case, I used a desk lamp and made a hole large enough to fit the base of my light bulb through. There are several ways you can hold your softbox in place. I was able to use the light bulb to hold the softbox in place.

For extra safety, you may want to use a hot glue gun or tape the light to the softbox. Bear in mind you may find it difficult to remove it afterward. If you choose to use my method, make a hole slightly smaller than the light bulb base, that way you will push through the bulb and it will hold in place fairly well.

It is best to use an LED bulb and not a filament one as they tend to get hot and your setup may catch fire.

Step #3. Make Measurements on the Box

Now to make the reflector. As this requires measurements, it will likely be the most difficult step of this tutorial. You need to measure the width and length of your box. In my case, the longer edge was 12.5in/32cm and the shorter edge was 9.5in/24cm.

The next thing you need to measure is the part of the box where the bulb will be. I figured that an opening measuring 3in/8cm long and 2in/5cm wide would be sufficient. It is best to base your measurement on the dimensions of your light. Once you have that, measure the length from the corner of your box to the corner of your light source square.

Step #4. Cut out Trapezoids from Cardboard

You will need to cut out two different trapezoids: one for the longer edge and one for the shorter edge. Take a piece of cardboard that will measure exactly the same as your longer edge and put it inside the softbox. Make a dot where the cardboard meets the edge of the softbox as well as a dot where it meets the light source square.

Then you want to connect the dots and cut out the reflector sides. Make sure that the slanted edges measure the same length.

Step #5. Tape the the Pieces Together

Cut out each side and tape together the four reflector sides and then insert them inside the softbox body. Now make sure to tape together the reflector and the softbox.

Step #6. Add the Aluminum Foil

Now you want to put aluminum foil inside. I recommend not cutting it into shapes as it can be difficult. It is also okay to simply cover the inside of the reflector in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil has to be slightly crumpled so that it catches and reflects light in many directions. Make sure to use plenty of tape to hold the aluminum foil in place.

Step #7. Add Diffusion to the Front

Finally, to diffuse your light source, you can put some baking paper (or any other diffuse material) on top of your softbox. This will even out the light. Remember that diffusion is not the same as soft light.

Voila! The DIY softbox is complete!

Shooting Photos with the DIY Softbox

Once I finished building the DIY softbox, I took my iPhone and shot a few simple images with this setup. Here is a product shot I did with my new softbox:

This is a simple perfume image that could be used for e-commerce. I noticed that the bottle lights up in an interesting way when the light comes through it, so I placed my softbox at the bottom of the frame to bring that out.

An Alternative to a DIY Softbox

If you don’t want to bother with building a softbox and cutting various shapes out of cardboard, you can also go with an alternative method. Frankly, I use this method all the time, both with flash and constant lights, even on large sets with decent budgets.

What I do is use shower curtains.

Frankly, I don’t know why more people don’t do this. A shower curtain is essentially a large diffusion material/fabric that is a lot more affordable than a dedicated scrim. The great thing about shower curtains is that you can set them up quickly and even cut them to create custom light patterns.

There are multiple reasons to use a softbox. If your reason is to create diffused light, then you can opt for a shower curtain and get results that may be just as good. In fact, if you want to create ultra-soft and diffused light, then a shower curtain is a better DIY option. The reason I would use a DIY softbox is when I need to reduce the spill of light to a maximum. Another reason would be if the light source isn’t all that strong.

Parting Thoughts

Almost anything can be a light-shaping tool if you’re creative about how you use it. I encourage you to experiment with everyday objects to find interesting light qualities, and the easiest way to do so is to take a flashlight and shine it through or on things you see.

#doityourself #equipment #lighting #tutorials #build #cheap #diy #free #homemade #howto #illyaovchar #lowcost #makeshift #softbox #stepbystep #thrifty #tutorial

A Photographer’s Guide to Umbrellas

Umbrellas are perhaps the most under-appreciated light shaping tool around. Due to their low price and wide availability, they are considered by some to be only for those who are beginners. This couldn't be further from the truth.

The umbrella is a fantastic modifier that is loved and cherished by pros and beginners alike. Here is a basic photographer's guide to umbrellas.

What is a Photography Umbrella?

As the name suggests, umbrellas are a light modifier that can open and collapse just like the regular umbrella people use on rainy (or sunny) days. An umbrella is one of the easiest ways to create soft and/or diffused light. Depending on the type, an umbrella may reflect, bounce, or diffuse light.

Let's look at some common types of umbrellas.

Common Types of Photography Umbrellas

Shoot-Through Umbrellas

These are the first umbrellas to ever exist. They are made out of translucent diffusion fabric that will diffuse the shadow edges, and depending on the size a shoot-through umbrella will produce light of different softness. The smaller the umbrella the harder the light. A shoot-though umbrella will create a hotspot in the middle as the light source is aimed directly at the subject.

White Umbrellas

A white umbrella will be indirect and will require the light to first hit the umbrella, bounce in the modifier, and exit on the same side. As such, this light source creates an indirect bounced and diffused light. Depending on the size, your light can also be quite soft. The light spread of white umbrellas will be quite large when compared to silver ones. These are a common choice among portrait and fashion photographers for the light they produce.

Silver Umbrellas

These reflect light and have a smaller light spread which creates light with more direction. Because they reflect instead of bouncing a silver umbrella will be more efficient. That is why on-location a silver umbrella is more preferred than a white one. In small sets, it will appear to produce harder light, which is why a silver umbrella is best used will a fill light in smaller studios.

Silver vs White Myth

An important thing to note is that the softness is determined by the size, not by the material. A common myth is that white umbrellas produce softer light than their silver counterparts. In fact, a white umbrella will have a wider light spread, which in small rooms will result in light bouncing everywhere and filling in the shadows. Taken into a field, silver and white umbrellas make the exact same soft light.

Deep vs. Shallow

Nowadays there are two common shapes for umbrellas: deep and shallow. Shallow umbrellas will create a much wider light spread, which is useful when lighting large groups, backgrounds, or even portraits. Deep umbrellas on the other hand will have more direction to them which will result in somewhat increased contrast.

Deep umbrellas have the ability to be focused to some degree. But don’t be misguided when a company claims to have parabolic umbrellas. Those are impossible to create if they are truly parabolic. A deep-looking modifier isn't parabolic, if anything it’s false advertising.

I personally use both deep and shallow umbrellas, almost interchangeably. Shallow ones tend to be cheaper. If you want to experience true parabolic modifiers, rent a Broncolor Para or Briese.

Special Shapes

There is a series of ParaSail umbrellas designed for low-ceiling rooms. These seem to be really interesting, however, I’d suggest trying out regular umbrellas first. The shape of the light source (in the case of a ParaSail rectangular) will determine how the shadow edges look, just as how a 1×6 softbox will make soft light vertically but hard horizontally.

Few people know precise details of how the modifier influences the light, so starting out with a round umbrella is usually the best course of action.

Accessories for Umbrellas

There are many ways to accessorize your umbrella. Here are some common ones.

Diffusion Fabrics

Contrary to popular belief these won’t make the light softer, they will however diffuse the light -- the difference between soft and diffused being a topic for a separate article. A diffuser is great in combination with a silver umbrella as it increases the light spread. Another way to use a diffuser is with a white umbrella if you want to create incredibly soft and diffused light that has a wide spread, and is flattering to the face. Annie Leibovitz has been known to use this very frequently on her portrait shoots.

Backpanel

Translucent umbrellas don’t only pass light through but also bounce some back. This is undesirable as it creates an unnecessary light loss. Therefore, a back panel can be added to a translucent umbrella that will contain and reflect the light going in the wrong direction.

How Does a Photography Umbrella Work?

There is not much to understand about the principle behind umbrellas. A translucent umbrella acts like a scrim, it takes a small light source, increases its size hence making it softer as well as more diffuses and even.

Any other umbrella where the light is shining indirectly will work in a different way: light will first hit the bottom of the umbrella, and then be reflected/bounced around while modifier filling it. If a diffuser has been added, that light will bounce a few more times and exit in a very even, orderly fashion.

Possible Uses for Photography Umbrellas

There are countless ways you can use umbrellas, which is why they are so beloved among photographers of all experience levels. When starting out, my first modifier was indeed an umbrella. Here are some ways photographers can use umbrellas.

Portrait Photography

For this image, I wanted an even light spread and nice reflections. I used a large 65” umbrella with a diffuser to light the scene evenly and create soft flattering light.

Octa not used for the image

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Fashion Photography

Umbrellas will be useful when lighting backgrounds or creating dramatic effects. Photographers have used large umbrellas as fill lights in images. For example, in this photograph I used a large umbrella to fill in the dark shadows created by a specular light source placed quite close to the model. Moreover, I used one more to get a gradient on the background.

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Every Other Genre

While portrait and fashion are the most common places to find umbrellas in use, they have been used by sports, still life, headshot, interior, and other photographers. In short, if you want to get started with flash photography in your desired genre, you may want to consider buying an umbrella.

Closing Thoughts

No matter at what point in your career you are, umbrellas are a fantastic tool to add to your arsenal. Listing all the brands, names, etc. is pointless here as there are a lot of good umbrellas on the market. As they are generally priced quite affordably, umbrellas are a great choice for beginners too.

Don’t be fooled by a more professional-looking softbox. Neither is better or worse -- they’re different modifiers serving different purposes.

#educational #equipment #lighting #101 #adviceforbeginners #basics #beginnersguide #guide #illyaovchar #introduction #learn #primer #umbrella

Why 365 Photo Projects Are a Waste of Time

There are 365 ways to waste your time being busy instead of doing useful work. One of those is the popular concept of a 365 photo project. Let’s dive in and see why it is one of the best ways to waste your time.

Note : This article is simply my opinion and that it is geared toward working photographers who are aiming to improve their work and their business -- if you are a hobbyist photographer who is simply passionate about photography and are looking for a project to do in the coming year, a 365 project could be perfectly suited for your needs.

With New Year’s around the corner, it is about time to look back and reflect on the past year and make a few resolutions. For most of us, the first half of 2021 was rather quiet, and we wish we took more pictures.

Depending on your genre, you either had plenty of opportunities (such as in landscape or street) or none at all (if you shoot fashion or sports). Regardless, if your resolution is to take more pictures by doing a 365 photo project, you may want to consider that again. Very carefully.

Take a Picture Every Day, Why?

The purpose of every 365 photo project is to have the impetus to take a picture every day. This is a good habit that can train to see, compose, working quickly. Having the “must take a picture” habit in your head every day can of course be great for producing new work and hopefully improving. Doing a 365 project can give you hands-on experience with understanding and using your camera.

There are other benefits to 365 projects, such as showing your daily commitment to photography… as if it’s an unstable marriage that needs daily reassurance it still exists. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is also a benefit, except there is a good chance the project will push you away from your niche that you would like to grow in. And if you’re a working photographer, you must have a niche. I can go photograph cars and street photos all day, but that won’t get me a single job in fashion though.

Some say that a 365 photo project is a great way to be a part of a community of people like you. That is great and you will inevitably make new friends, but mostly a 365 project will likely end up destroying your creativity as well as make photography boring.

Are You Working a Lot, or Too Much?

The evergreen concept of the "American dream": Anyone who works hard can achieve anything (in the United States). Applied to photography, this becomes: anyone who takes a lot of pictures, wakes up at 5 AM, goes to bed at midnight, and is busy all day will become a professional photographer. Working hard in this way does not afford a photographer the ability to spend free time on anything that isn't busywork.

This is incredibly dangerous. Seeing photographers posting stories of themselves being in the office at 5 AM and leaving at midnight makes me think “What on earth can you do for so long every day? Are you really that inefficient?”. Of course, what they are likely doing is work for the sake of work.

The problem with a 365 photo project is that it also is work, but rather pointless work. As photographers, we need to focus on the things that matter, not on the things that keep us busy. It matters for me to get test-shoots done, at least once or twice a month. The test shoots I do require a lot.

Read also : The Ultimate Guide to Fashion Shoots: From Idea to Magazine Submission

Doing a productive shoot every day for a year is not feasible for any photographer, as they all require preparation. Simply shooting for the sake of pressing the button and increasing the shutter count is about as productive as not touching your camera at all.

What You Should Do Instead

All in all, a 365 photo project is usually an exercise in not improving, beating around the bush, and never progressing. The only way to progress in your photography is by working effectively and doing the things that matter.

If you’re a fashion photographer like me, shoot fashion at least a few times a month, learn to light, market yourself, and do everything that helps you get closer to the dream job. No art director hires a fashion photographer based on their 365 photo project work. I invite you to instead make a resolution to only do the things that matter rather than things that keep you busy.

And if you have extra time, go for a run instead for your mental and physical health.

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