Lighting Essentials - a Place for Photographers. Learn Lighting, Photography, Fashion and Editorial Portraiture on Location and In Studio. Portable Strobes, Studio Flash and Natural Light Photography

Posted by wizwow on Jan 26, 2012

“Average is Over” or Why Good Enough Sucks

Thomas L Friedman, in a post today at the New York Times, says that “average is over.” And he is right. It is. You can see it in industry and media and design and art. You can see it in nearly every area of business. Apple proved it. And Mercedes. And Braun. And Singapore Airlines. The list is pretty extensive. To get to the top – the vaunted, rare, incredibly beautiful top – takes...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 24, 2012

“Winner Gets Me” Contest Winner is Regina Pagles

We have our winner. Regina Pagles will either be coming to my studio for a 2 day one-on-one or I will be going to hers. http://reginapaglesphotography.com/#/0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/reginapagles/ Regina lives in a very small town, Springdale, Utah: Population 500. It will be a delight to either go to her studio or have her here. Regina was in the top lists of all four judges, and her ranking closely...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 23, 2012

The Myths About Creativity – And The Consequences

Have you ever heard… That creative people are weird? That creativity is best created in a group? That creative people are sloppy, messy and disorganized? That creative people are always coming up with cool, but ultimately silly ideas? That only “creative” people can have creative ideas? Yeah… me too. What a load of crappola on a piece of small, polished wood. Creative People are...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 21, 2012

10 Simple Ideas for Creating a Sustainable Photography Business

It’s one thing to get a shoot now and then, and another to create and sustain a commercial photography business. Here are a couple of thoughts for you to consider. 1. Get a hard edge to criticising your own work and make sure it is living up to your standards. Getting a good critique for your work is one of the more difficult things to do. While it may be a progressive idea that...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 19, 2012

Changing Levels and Why Plateaus Are Dangerous

I started photography a long time ago. Longer than many of you, and not as long as some of you, but it was back when motor drives cost $5K, and we only printed black and white. On Fiber. Much of what I learned then has sustained me for decades, and I loved every moment of the process. It was expensive and took a lot of time and was both exhilarating and brutal all at once. There was a good deal of a...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 18, 2012

Project 52 Photographer Greg Kindred

Meet Greg Kindred. “I found project 52 January 3, 2011 as I read about the project I knew immediately that I would participate. As the assignments were given out I was challenged right away with photographing a stranger. Pros shoot strangers every day, but in my experience, the strangers usually come to the photographer, this was the other way for me. I’m not shy, but that assignment really...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 17, 2012

Project 52 PRO Launched Today. Building a Business in Photography

Project 52 started last year as a way for photographers to get critiques and assignment in a real world setting. In a no BS arena of commercial insight and realistic assignments. On many forums discussions range from what kind of lights do I need to the best prices on batteries. Others feature photographers discussing their 10 day assignments for big tech firms and how difficult it is to get 10 cases of...

Posted by wizwow on Jan 16, 2012

Project 52 Photographer Greg Pastuzyn

Meet Greg Pastuzyn from New Jersey. Greg attended my last New York Workshop, and hosted one of our Wednesday evening chats from his home. Greg has been working with Project 52 for a while now. “I was introduced to Project 52 through Don’s blog Lighting Essentials. At the time I was looking to bring my photography to a new level. Overall the style could have been considered documentary/capturing...