Make Your Pictures Look Pro By Improving Your Photography Techniques
Talking about digital art would sound kind of fastidious for people who are not familiar with common concepts belonging to technology. Defining digital works as art is also a matter of judging the beauty of creation from a superficial point of view...... Read the rest of this entry »
Webinar with Brian DeMint, On Elements of Design and Warne Noyce, Canon Flash techniques
Dear friends…
two exciting No Bs webinars this week….
Wednesday, Feb 8th, 9:00PM, Warne Noyce with off camera flash techniques using the Canon system.
Register for Warne Noyce HERE
Thursday, Feb9th, 9:00PM, Brian DeMint with Elements of Design. A must attend webinar for anyone who wants to learn to how
raise their images above and beyond.
Photos by Brian DeMint
Register for Brian DeMint HERE
Sign up now and attend some of the best in online webinars available.
Yours in photography,
Robert Provencher
Make Your Photos Look Better By Understanding Lighting For Photography
This topic has been talked about for numerous occasions. Photographers considered the light as a mystical ingredient meant to express myriad of feelings. All eyes moved towards reinterpreting this magnificent element which, added properly, persuaded..... Read the rest of this entry »
Main Types Of Photoshop Tutorials Available On The Internet
Adobe Photoshop is without a doubt a very important, useful and popular piece of software in the world today. It is the leading software program when it comes to graphics design and photography. Due to the fact that it is so useful and widely used, k..... Read the rest of this entry »
Main Reasons For Joining A Photography Forum
The photography forums are a great way to promote your photography business, to give or receive advice and tips, and to interact with people that share the same interest as you. You can also use a photography forum as a source of free advertising by..... Read the rest of this entry »
Looking Through Photography Articles
For all the ones who are into digital photography, there are many photography articles incorporated in photography magazines that are meant to keep them up with the new improvements and appearances on the market in this field. Photography articles ar..... Read the rest of this entry »
Lighting tips and success strategies
“Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at
the same time. It must be a goal that is so appealing, so much in line with your spiritual core, that
you can’t get it out of your mind. If you do not get chills when you set a goal, your not setting big enough goals.” ~Bob Proctor~
There’s been some discussion going on about whether established photographers should be teaching non-photographers their craft.
It is a controversial topic and has some in a tizzy.
Wanna hear my take on it? Here goes. I help everyone. There isn’t much
I hold back unless it is specific information that has to do with my clients, prospects
or procedures that I consider internal and proprietary. Even in those areas I get tempted to reveal all.
I hold back unless it is specific information that has to do with my clients, prospects
or procedures that I consider internal and proprietary. Even in those areas I get tempted to reveal all.
It’s why I started NO Bs Photo Success Inc(TM), and write these newsletters,
and started Profitable Studio, and run the Inferno Workshop (which, by the way
you ought to attend) and on and on…..
and started Profitable Studio, and run the Inferno Workshop (which, by the way
you ought to attend) and on and on…..
Maybe I’m a neurotic nut case. When I think about it, my childhood has
a lot to do with this wacky out behavior, and could explain my willingness
and drive to want to help others.
a lot to do with this wacky out behavior, and could explain my willingness
and drive to want to help others.
There is a major redeeming argument for what I do, which beats all other debates,
but I’ll save that for the end of this article. Wait for it. Keep reading….
but I’ll save that for the end of this article. Wait for it. Keep reading….
Back to my childhood. You see, I was a fairly lost child. I struggled with
finding my way, and was in serious need of direction. I was in trouble with
the law, a lot. I think that was just me looking for “negative male attention” You know,
a father figure. Someone to tell me where to go, what to do. Direction. That’s all.
finding my way, and was in serious need of direction. I was in trouble with
the law, a lot. I think that was just me looking for “negative male attention” You know,
a father figure. Someone to tell me where to go, what to do. Direction. That’s all.
I sought direction. And many, many others do too. There is a bright side, a silver lining,
so to speak. If one takes the plunge and learns to swim. You can figure it out by
reading a quote from one of my favorite teachers, and books….:
so to speak. If one takes the plunge and learns to swim. You can figure it out by
reading a quote from one of my favorite teachers, and books….:
“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.”
~A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living~
Back to redemption. Here’s the ugly truth. Not too many actually
want to seek advice. Oh sure, they want easy answers. But the truth is,
our journeys can only be revealed by us to us. A mentor, a coach, a teacher
cannot do this for us. That’s up to us. Looking to others is like asking Mommy.
You’re all growed up now. Mommy can’t help.
want to seek advice. Oh sure, they want easy answers. But the truth is,
our journeys can only be revealed by us to us. A mentor, a coach, a teacher
cannot do this for us. That’s up to us. Looking to others is like asking Mommy.
You’re all growed up now. Mommy can’t help.
Here’s another truth, maybe ugly, maybe beautiful. Most folks who want
to be taught will do virtually nothing with what you teach them. Seriously. If someone
wanted to learn photography, lighting, marketing…whatever, they will figure it out,
very fast, on their own. If they want. If they have drive and desire.
to be taught will do virtually nothing with what you teach them. Seriously. If someone
wanted to learn photography, lighting, marketing…whatever, they will figure it out,
very fast, on their own. If they want. If they have drive and desire.
Therein lies the big truth. The one thing you cannot control in another
and it is THE key ingredient to success, is desire. Passion. Motivation.
and it is THE key ingredient to success, is desire. Passion. Motivation.
It’s the ones who will do something, get off their butts, that matter. And when I
meet one of them, I marvel. I don’t feel threatened. There ain’t enough of them
around to be a threat. Besides, I end up learning as much, or more, especially
from the ambitious ones. Assuming I too am teachable. Which is a key by the way. (being teachable, it’s how I got to where I got….think about it)
meet one of them, I marvel. I don’t feel threatened. There ain’t enough of them
around to be a threat. Besides, I end up learning as much, or more, especially
from the ambitious ones. Assuming I too am teachable. Which is a key by the way. (being teachable, it’s how I got to where I got….think about it)
And besides, who really wins when everyone gets better? The clients do! And
that’s good. Good for them, for us, for the market. It raises the bar on quality and
value, and challenges each of us to be good. Or perish.
that’s good. Good for them, for us, for the market. It raises the bar on quality and
value, and challenges each of us to be good. Or perish.
I always say, a rising tide lifts all boats.
So, you might be asking why the picture of the deer? Not random, not mine.
I recently did some copies of some older portraits from the archives of our local
KPMG accounting firm, and the go between was a guy named Jorma. I knew
Jorma from years ago when I was in Rotary. Nice guy, awesome guitar player,
hobby photographer, and retired senior executive from KPMG. I think he may
have been a part owner too.
I recently did some copies of some older portraits from the archives of our local
KPMG accounting firm, and the go between was a guy named Jorma. I knew
Jorma from years ago when I was in Rotary. Nice guy, awesome guitar player,
hobby photographer, and retired senior executive from KPMG. I think he may
have been a part owner too.
Anyhoo, in our emails back and forth, because he loves photography, and does ask
me questions, he also sent me this file. He was, you know, showing me
his work, so to speak….And I couldn’t help myself. I worked on it, sent it back to him, and he had some questions. So, I created a tutorial for him. If you click on the image above, you can watch that tutorial. It’s short.
me questions, he also sent me this file. He was, you know, showing me
his work, so to speak….And I couldn’t help myself. I worked on it, sent it back to him, and he had some questions. So, I created a tutorial for him. If you click on the image above, you can watch that tutorial. It’s short.
Will he do much with what I showed him? My guess, not much. Is he a threat
to me? Naaaawww. Read the last two sentences in the paragraph before the one
before this one.
to me? Naaaawww. Read the last two sentences in the paragraph before the one
before this one.
I simply want to help. When I meet children who seem shy and lost, I feel for them.
The greatest gift I believe I gave my daughter was the gift of confidence. Nothing
much compares to that quality. She can, with knowing, certainty, confidence, and
a strong sense of self, go forth in life and be adaptable, resilient.
The greatest gift I believe I gave my daughter was the gift of confidence. Nothing
much compares to that quality. She can, with knowing, certainty, confidence, and
a strong sense of self, go forth in life and be adaptable, resilient.
These are the gifts that I learned the hard way. But learn em I did. Teach them
I can’t. You gotta do it on your own. Get it?
I can’t. You gotta do it on your own. Get it?
Last week was our first ever NO Bs Photo Success founders fireside chat webinar,
and this question came up. Shawn Von Ins, our main dude in the forum, and
webinar moderator, offered some really, really cool advice on what he suggests
to anyone who asks about getting into photography, and considering taking
a photography college or university course. He tells em not to. Instead, he says,
take a business course. Because that is where you will find success in photography.
and this question came up. Shawn Von Ins, our main dude in the forum, and
webinar moderator, offered some really, really cool advice on what he suggests
to anyone who asks about getting into photography, and considering taking
a photography college or university course. He tells em not to. Instead, he says,
take a business course. Because that is where you will find success in photography.
Wow. Why didn’t I think of that. Genius. Now when someone asks, that’s my advice.
Learn business, and marketing. And read books! Be a great student, no matter what
age you are. The photography will come.
Learn business, and marketing. And read books! Be a great student, no matter what
age you are. The photography will come.
Photography Tips and Lighting.
I love high key portraits. They are one of my favorites and a look that
I use in my studio just about everyday…..Here’s a few samples of what I mean…
I use in my studio just about everyday…..Here’s a few samples of what I mean…
Over the years I’ve invested in props and backgrounds and I always end up using
the high key the most. It’s clean, simple, something about it works for me. So, today I will
explain how I get high key lighting in my studio.
the high key the most. It’s clean, simple, something about it works for me. So, today I will
explain how I get high key lighting in my studio.
Here’s a shot in my studio, from 6 years ago when I first set it up. You can see the cove
wall, which at that time was only 12 feet wide or so (maybe 14 ft). The two lights on top,
umbrellas back then, switched to small softboxes since, are the lights that cover the
background and create a white look.
wall, which at that time was only 12 feet wide or so (maybe 14 ft). The two lights on top,
umbrellas back then, switched to small softboxes since, are the lights that cover the
background and create a white look.
By the way, any light should work. Softbox, unmbrella, small or medium reflectors…matters not! The only thing that matters is a consistent light that covers the area you want
to use. And your exposure. In my studio, I typically set my main at F8. That means
I try to get about one, to one half stop more from these lights. The reading from these
lights will read, ideally, at 11.5, give or take. You need to test, and play, and tweak and
adjust to taste.
to use. And your exposure. In my studio, I typically set my main at F8. That means
I try to get about one, to one half stop more from these lights. The reading from these
lights will read, ideally, at 11.5, give or take. You need to test, and play, and tweak and
adjust to taste.
The floor is mahogany subfloor, somehow braced onto the concrete floor
beneath. (my studio was a garage at one time). The cove??? Don’t ask. I don’t
do carpentry. I hired a, you guessed it, carpenter. He built something called joists
or something like that. I dunno, don’t care. Just get er done! My job is making
money is marketing, shooting photography. Not building things.
beneath. (my studio was a garage at one time). The cove??? Don’t ask. I don’t
do carpentry. I hired a, you guessed it, carpenter. He built something called joists
or something like that. I dunno, don’t care. Just get er done! My job is making
money is marketing, shooting photography. Not building things.
Another angle from camera position, from back when. I’ve since then extended
the width of the cove to cover to entire area, so now it is 16 feet wide. I can shoot,
and have shot up to 26 people:
the width of the cove to cover to entire area, so now it is 16 feet wide. I can shoot,
and have shot up to 26 people:
The exposure may not by perfect for me, since it’s hard to get ideal and smooth
coverage over the entire background, especially when shooting large groups
or chasing a two year old around. But with PhotoShop, aahhh, yes, PhotoShop….
what a lifesaver. If you click here you can watch a quick video on how I
get nice clean high key images from my digital files.
coverage over the entire background, especially when shooting large groups
or chasing a two year old around. But with PhotoShop, aahhh, yes, PhotoShop….
what a lifesaver. If you click here you can watch a quick video on how I
get nice clean high key images from my digital files.
yours in photography,
Robert Provencher
Looking For Wedding Photography Tips
It seems that nowadays more and more people are looking forward to learn wedding photography. Some of them are doing it as a hobby, while others are constantly looking for having a great career in this field. Whether you do it for fun or for money, w..... Read the rest of this entry »
Details HERE