Celebrating International Women’s Day.

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2018, we here at Blok would like to honor and thank a few female photographers for constantly inspiring us with their amazing creativity, dedication, and vision! 

Annie Leibovitz.

Mary Ellen Mark.

Diane Arbus.

Dorothea Lange.

Vivian Maier.

How To Enhance Portraits Using A Reflector.

In photography, lighting is the single most important tool. As photographers, we constantly chase light and literally cannot survive without it. Both inside and outside of the studio, one of the most important (and often underrated tools) you should have on hand is a reflector. It can be used to diffuse, bounce, or flag natural and artificial light. In this video, Aaron Nace of Phlearn provides tips on the benefits of using reflectors and why this is an especially important tool to have in every photographer's bag.

• Gold Reflector – The gold reflector will bounce a lot of light and give the light a “gold” color. This can be perfect for bouncing light during a sunset, or when you want to add some warmth to a portrait. In our experience, the gold reflector is used less than silver or white.
• Silver Reflector – The silver reflector will bounce a lot of light and keep the light color neutral. This is great when you need more light in a portrait or when your reflector has to be far from your subject. Be careful you don’t blind your subject with light, as the reflection can be quite strong.
• White Reflector – The white reflector will bounce a small amount of light with a neutral color. These reflectors are great because they produce softer light than gold or silver.
• Black Reflector – Black reflectors are used to add “negative fill.” Use the black reflector to reduce the amount of light around your subject. Black reflectors are generally used with portraits on the left and right side of the subject to give them more depth.
• Diffusion – Diffusion panels are meant to diffuse or soften light. Generally, you will shine a light through a diffusion panel and then the light will hit your subject.
  These panels will make the light softer and larger, but they will also reduce the amount of light that hits your subject.

Three Lighting Kits To Consider.

Purchasing a lighting kit can be a daunting task, especially for your first kit ever. Many photographers have to consider the type of work and typical shooting scenarios that the kit would work best for. The overall cost for a lighting kit can be very expensive, but you can definitely find alternatives. 

Photographer and director, Joey L gives an in-depth review of three lighting kits that can be used in the studio or on location. The review covers the brands Paul C. Buff, Profoto, and Broncolor. He also goes over the essential items in each kit. 

This review is a great starting point for anyone looking to purchase or upgrade a current kit. Our Lighting 101 Class covers this topic in-depth. If you're interested in learning more go sign up!

Learn how to be a director with Thomas Ingersoll.

This week our Blok EDU instructor, Thomas Ingersoll, gives some vital information on how to make sure you're an effective director! His post takes you on a step-by-step process from meeting the client(s), to delivering the final images. You can check the entire post HERE! 

Introduction To Shooting Tethered.

If you are a photographer, you have had the experience of taking a photo, looking at it on the back of the camera and being happy that you nailed the shot. But then you get home, upload your images, and realize that it’s a bit out of focus, or simply notice objects in the background that may be distracting. Shooting tethered to a computer can alleviate problems like this, as well as provide other added benefits.

It Could Save Time.

The ability to see exactly what you're getting from your raw image ultimately saves you time. You can confirm when you have the "shot." When shooting tethered, there's a good chance you are taking fewer photos which also less to cull through.

Everyone On The Same Accord.

When working with a team of people tethering is crucial. When I shoot portrait work, I often need a make-up artist, hair stylist, and a wardrobe stylist to produce my vision. Allowing my team to see exactly what's being captured gives everyone the confidence that we are headed in the same direction. This also provides the opportunity for my team to catch things I may have missed ( hair in the face, pieces of a garment that may need to be tucked, touching up the make-up). The model can also see what poses work best and you can give a bit more direction.

3.2″ LCD Screen vs 15″ Retina Screen

The tiny little LCD screen on the back of the camera is about 1 megapixel. Most cameras shoot somewhere between 20-50MP. That’s a lot of detail you aren’t seeing. Sure, it's better than nothing at all, but it gives a minimal view of the overall image. The tonal range of the camera’s LCD screen isn’t incredibly accurate either, especially in the shadows and highlights. The exact balance of light, critical focus, distracting elements, blinking eyes, etc., are all difficult to spot quickly during a fast-paced shoot on the on-camera screen. Add in environmental factors like bright sunlight and it can become a guessing game.

Visit our friends over at TetherTools to get started on tethering!

Why Monitor Calibration Is Important and How To Use It.

If there's one thing that’s certain about photos on the internet, it’s that nobody sees the same thing as you. In general, most monitors are too bright, and the color profiles vary by manufacturer. As the monitor gets old, the colors tend to change also. It’s more of an issue with older bulb light monitors, and less so with LED, but still, these colors change over time. This tool is especially useful when you use multiple monitors or print your work. 

In this video, Aaron Nace of Phlearn examines the topic of color calibration and why this is an especially important issue for photographers.

Why You Should Be Using A Tripod.

Thomas Ingersoll at Blok Studio's Pierce location. 

I'll admit when I started taking photographs I thought tripods were cumbersome. I wanted to move freely while shooting and initially felt tripods would slow down my workflow. Being that photography (Camera, lenses, accessories) can be very expensive, especially when you first start out, I couldn't wrap my mind around spending hundreds of dollars on a tripod. I did what most newbies would do and purchased a cheap tripod that had decent reviews on Amazon. It wasn't long after as my kit grew that I started to realize the importance of having a GOOD tripod. Think about it - you're putting expensive camera gear that you spent your hard earned money on. Outside of making sure you can set your camera up and walk away with confidence, here are a few other benefits for using a tripod. 

Low Light Situations.

Tripods are an absolute necessity in low light situations. When you find yourself in a low light situation, you will need to reduce the shutter speed in order to increase light. Unfortunately, reducing the shutter speed means that your camera will be susceptible to camera shake. To ensure that you avoid the blur that may be introduced by your hand movement, a tripod will be essential.

Landscapes.

Landscape photography is one of the most popular types of photography. However, this type of photography typically requires that you use an aperture of at least f/8 and up to f/16 for most of your shots in order to ensure you achieve a wide depth of field that will put everything into clear focus. When you use these aperture settings, they narrow the amount of light coming in. To correct this, you will need either to increase the ISO or reduce the shutter speed so you can get the right exposure for the shot. Be aware that increasing ISO will introduce noise to the image so a good option will be to reduce the shutter speed. Placing your camera on a tripod will ensure you are getting the sharpest images possible by avoiding camera shake. 

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY.

As a food and cocktail photographer, I often take photos that are in close range, any movement in the camera is amplified and much harder to control when holding in your hand. When using my favorite lens the Canon 100mm 2.8 L the depth of field is very thin at its widest apertures, so it’s helpful to use narrower apertures — meaning your shutter speed goes down. In most cases, a tripod is essential in food photography to keep your image in focus and your aperture closed down enough that the whole subject is sharp.

Why You Should Start Attending Photography Workshops In 2017.

Make New Friends.

Photography is an activity often associated with independent initiative, but the rewards to be gained from participating in a workshop are many. The energy and dynamics created when you bring together a group of like minded individuals with a common goal. There are the many opportunities to share knowledge and experience that may even spark new ideas. A group of people working together to build something special promotes camaraderie. You often leave workshops with a group of new friends. 

Learn from an expert while developing your own style.

A good workshop leader will ensure that every participant gets the level of support they need and will be on hand to offer help as needed. An experienced instructor will help you master technical skills while providing ample time for participants to explore their own vision. With expert guidance, your creative insight becomes keen, allowing you to develop your own personal style.

Get Inspired. Be Inspired. Inspire Others. 

It can be difficult at times to stay motivated and inspired to go out shooting on a regular basis.  However, we need to shoot on a regular basis to improve our photography.  It's a lot like exercise for our bodies.  Getting into, and staying in, some kind of routine is important.  Missing a day or two here and there isn't a big deal, but if a day or two turns into a week or two, then a month or two, we lose a lot of the physical fitness (or photography fitness, as the case may be) that we've worked so hard to build. Workshops can definitely help get the creative juices flowing! That same momentum will inspire you to improve your overall photography skills and create new projects.

You can find all the updates on our workshops and education classes HERE!

WORK-LIFE BALANCE.

In today's busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. Poor work-life balance can result in high levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity. Here are a few tips to help you stay balanced. 

Taking Time for Yourself.

Taking a little time for yourself refreshes and re-energizes you. It allows you to think more clearly and make better decisions. If you take part in something you enjoy during your personal time-out, be sure that you use your time for leisurely activities. Do not push yourself to complete anything. Simply enjoy the time. Other benefits include the ability to sleep better, less anxiety, and less tension overall.

Become self-disciplined.

Self-discipline is the ability to do what you know you should do, whether you feel like it or not. It's the most important quality for any person who is juggling daily task. Without it, we struggle between the forces of doing what is necessary and what is fun. Fortunately, self-discipline is a skill that can be developed. Focus on the task at hand, and avoid multitasking.

REGULARLY COMMUNICATE WHAT’S WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT.

People who are good at staying on task make a conscious choice to continually talk to the important people in their lives about what is working or not, and make decisions to change direction if needed. While life happens and situations change, they avoid ending up in a place they didn’t want to because of their clear intentions. 

MAKE DELIBERATE CHOICES ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE.

People who achieve work-life balance make deliberate choices about what they want from life and how they want to spend their time. It’s critical to have that conversation with the people around you to properly communicate your priorities.