Nikonians Articles

Reviewing the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens. With detailed examples, and sample shots, you'll have the picture painted – clearly. Read more...

A few Sundays ago, both mother nature and I were under the weather. It had been raining straight for weeks. Autumn had reared the ugly side of its head and brought cold temps. All the leaves had dropped, ushering in what we in Vermont refer to as "stick season," when all of the hills are drab brown. Needless to say, I was having a tough time finding anything I felt excited about shooting. Read more...

Doesn't matter if you've just began with photography, or if you are more serious, defining a project in your mind before even picking up the camera will help you focus on what to shoot. In this article, Josh Larkin talks about how to choose and plan your own personal project and even lists five of the most common project themes. Read more...

For years I've had a standard response to the question "Can I take your photo." It's essentially, "Nope, I'm a photographer so I like to stay on the side of the lens that I like better!" And while I do still try my best to stay out of other people's photographs, I've recently come to appreciate the self portrait. The thing of it is, making self portraits is a great exercise in creativity that offers us, as photographers, lots of learning opportunities. Read more...

First off, I'm not blessed with some high-degree of confidence that allows me to walk up to anybody, anytime, anywhere and ask them if I can take their picture. Chances are, neither are you. But it hasn't stopped me from taking some wonderful street portraits, and it shouldn't stop you either. Read more...

There are a couple of standard rules of engagement that you should follow when shooting musicians. How to get good shots even without flash? Which lens to choose? What settings to use? Josh Larkin answers all these questions. Read more...

First off, I'm not a travel photographer. I don't have the resources to travel to exotic places for extended periods of time just to make photos. Second off, when I do wind up visiting some place new, it's typically for a visit with family or a non-photography, work-related event. Either way, time is often limited when I travel. That was the case last week when my wife and I flew 2,699 miles across the U.S. to Washington to visit with family. Read more...

Your eyes can still see perfectly, but your camera can't keep up with you. Shooting at twilight can be challenging, but if done properly, you will be rewarded with beautiful sky colors in the background. How to work with lighting to get the right exposure for your photographs? Read more...

I've got an understanding of apparent light size. I know what happens when I change the distance between my light source, my subject and my background. And I've moved through diffuse and direct reflections. Now it's time to get into some of the practical aspects of flash photography, and there's no place better to start than balancing ambient light with flash. Read more...

In my last post I started looking more closely at diffuse and direct reflections and how both reveal the form and surface texture of a subject in a photograph. Through my exercises, I was able to exert better control over the placement and look of direct reflections, or specular highlights, and now I want to apply that knowledge to a subject where this has a dramatic impact on the end result: metal. Read more...

Newer camera models might make it easier to take good photos, but it is still about your will to learn the equipment to find its strengths and weaknesses. Read more...

In my quest to better my own lighting techniques by going back and working through lessons in various books and on websites, I've looked at apparent light size and the inverse square law. Both of these topics and exercises gave me a better handle on the three aspects of light as it relates to a subject: the lit portion, the shadow portion and the transition areas that fall in between. Read more...

Learning how to light and photograph a subject in comparison to the distance. Read more...

Despite what you may have heard, size matters. Of course, I'm talking about the size of your light source here, which is what you were thinking, right? Portrait photographers often use large modifiers -- think 50" softboxes, 43" umbrellas, etc. -- to soften the light hitting the subject. And that's what we want most of the time (film noir shooters excluded), nice soft light that transitions slowly from highlights to shadows. Read more...

If you've had your photo taken for your driver's license recently, or a mug shot, you've probably noticed the result wasn't the most flattering image you've seen of yourself. Why is that? Read more...

Going from making horrific mugshots, at best usable for driving licenses, to beautifully lit photographs. Read more...

"Too bad it's such a bad day for taking pictures." I'd just gotten my tripod set up and the camera locked in when she rode by on her bicycle. "Well, I suppose that depends on what you're taking pictures of," I replied. Read more...