Shutter Magazine 57 - Behind the Shutter

14 Easy Fixes for Creating a Stronger Photography Business

Post author:Skip Cohen
Post category:Business Shutter Magazine
Reading time:10 mins read

Since the first issue of Shutter Magazine, I’ve shared one article after another with ideas to help you build a stronger business. I’ve shared ideas about virtually every aspect of your business today—from your website to your blog, marketing, direct mail, education and partnerships. This month I wanted to have some fun with a series of my pet peeves and easy ways to fix them. This list is not all-inclusive. I’m doing a brain dump, and this month’s article is meant to be a free-form collection of ideas all of you can start working on immediately.

Are You Missing Half of Your Image Data? Use the Histogram to Get Cleaner Images

Post author:Scott Detweiler
Post category:Shutter Magazine Uncategorized
Reading time:10 mins read

Because digital cameras are complicated creatures, manufacturers have added a little gizmo so you can see if you are indeed gathering all the data and using the memory efficiently. But most photographers blow off this handy little meter as esoteric and unnecessary. That magical meter is called the histogram, and today we are going to master that bad boy to get cleaner, less noisy images.

Creating Images That Stand Out

Post author:Casey Dittmer
Post category:Maternity Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

You know me: I’m all about stopping the scroll, standing out and using dynamic maternity to build one’s brand and gain the audience’s attention. Changing things up isn’t that hard. It doesn’t require money or new equipment. It’s simply making small adjustments and mostly playing to find new ways to capture amazing images. Here are some great ways to change the game and blaze your own path.

The Pros and Cons of Becoming a Wedding Photographer

Post author:Phillip Blume
Post category:Shutter Magazine Uncategorized
Reading time:14 mins read

So you think you want to become a wedding photographer? Be careful what you wish for. Yes, it’s true what they say: A career in wedding photography can be quite lucrative. For my wife Eileen and I (The Blumes), our decade-long career has allowed us to create a life of travel and comfort we never imagined. On the other hand, the vast majority of photographers who approach weddings as a golden goose get bitten, and there’s good reason for the burnout and high failure rates. This job isn’t for the faint of heart.

The Wedding Photographer’s Gear Guide: 2018 Edition

Post author:Michael Anthony
Post category:Gear Shutter Magazine
Reading time:12 mins read

Photographers are well known for investing money in their toys. In fact, I would be willing to bet that many of us got started on this career path after realizing the cost of their new toys, and that we needed to charge people for pictures in order to just afford them. I am no exception to that. I love cameras, lights and new technology. We have so many options to choose from, but many that we crave are unnecessary. How do you choose the best tools to purchase? In this article, I break down my recommendations.

4 Ways to Avoid Burnout and Put Pep in Your Business Step

Post author:Vanessa Joy
Post category:Business Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

Burnout comes not just from how hard you have to work, but because you’re always trying to find a way not to be bored of what you’re doing every single day. It’s not easy to be a self-starter and conjure up a work ethic that could rival anyone’s. To add creativity on top of it and have to be creative on demand requires a magic formula that very few people figure out. I want you to be successful not just in photography, but in life as well. Here’s what helps me in photography and owning my own business.

Simplify Your Editing & Sharing With Lightroom CC

Post author:Dustin Lucas
Post category:Post Production Shutter Magazine
Reading time:10 mins read

Now that Adobe has launched four patch updates for its latest Lightroom apps, we are seeing the essential Lightroom features pour over from the desktop to the mobile app. Lightroom is supposed to make editing simple, and this is exactly what you get from the mobile Lightroom CC. From your shoot to your sofa, you can edit accurately on an iPad.

How Light Diffusion Can Affect Your Portrait’s Mood

Post author:Nino Batista
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:10 mins read

Emotion in your portrait work comes from your subject almost entirely, for lots of obvious reasons. That said, other elements in your portraits can affect and enhance their overall mood—especially the lighting. Simple decisions about light diffusion can alter or augment the mood you are after. There are differing opinions on what light diffusion does to a portrait’s mood. It’s subjective. But there are some tried and true light diffusion techniques that work consistently to evoke or enhance specific moods in human subjects.

Your Dream Studio: Creating An Annual Plan

Post author:Jeff & Lori Poole
Post category:Business Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

In last month’s Business Corner, we asked you to daydream about your ideal studio and lifestyle. This month, we’re going to take these dreams and turn them into an actionable plan. In order to do so, your vision for your dream studio must be clear. We’re going to start with your end goal, and then build a plan to get you there.

Creating Colored Shadows With Gels

Post author:Blake Aghili
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:5 mins read

There are multiple ways to utilize color gels in your creative process. In this article, our goal is to create colored shadows on the background without painting the models’ face in different colors. To achieve this, we need to first know some basics about color models and color theory, so let’s start from there and work through the making of the image.