Challenge 17: Architecture
Welcome to week 17 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Architecture As the term suggests, architectural photography is all about photographing buildings and similar structures in an aesthetically pleasing and accurate manner. Because interesting buildings are everywhere, it’s one of the most popular and accessible genres to get into. Also, it’s not limited to capturing the exterior of a building. Showcasing building interiors and their stunning details is also part of architectural photography. Interest or appreciation for stunning architectural structures and impressive [...]
Challenge 16: Panorama
Welcome to week 16 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Panorama Panoramic photography, also sometimes called wide format photography, provides a unique perspective that photographers can use to show a more expansive view of a scene. While the usual image formats represent a small portion of a bigger picture, panoramas serve as a more dramatic way to showcase the beauty of sweeping scenes. It’s also a versatile technique that you can use for various subjects or settings, such landscapes, cityscapes, and architecture. [...]
Photography News April 8, 2024
Photography News April 8, 2024 NEW 3-Day Workshop announced + “Macro” 52-week Challenge Quote: “No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.”– Ansel Adams Techniques and Tutorials: Clearing Up Aperture Confusion Edit Raw Photos & Make Them Pop With Color Grading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvlc70CebkI How To Create A Light Source – Camera Raw or Lightroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4cd8k1MbnE Flower Art Photography General rules composition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsCQj81hByQ How to use the Liquify Tools in Photoshop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pgqdmEa0I0 Photoshop's New "Adjustment Brush" – [...]
Challenge 15: Macro
Welcome to week 15 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Macro Macro photography is all about exploring the world of the small and the realm of details. Think of tiny subjects and objects, interesting textures, and miniature scenes that typically go unnoticed. With this genre, you can get up close to bugs and small critters, showcase the details of plants and flowers, and experiment with unusual subjects like water droplets. You’re only limited by your creativity and curiosity! To create macro [...]
Photography News April 4, 2024
Photography News April 4, 2024 NEW 3-Day Workshop announced + “Black & White” 52-week Challenge Quote: "Nature is a mere pretext for a decorative composition, plus sentiment. It suggests emotion, and I translate that emotion into art.” – Georges Braque Techniques and Tutorials: Using Adobe Photoshop to Create a Solarised Photograph How to do Fine Art Photography | Techniques and Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJHWomuiCfw&t=1s What is Impressionist Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tufmdm89HM&list=PL4Sj4lmnWOvcIyRr47JS5P5tK7rsSNYGq The Beauty of Dance Through Impressionist Photography: Tips and Tricks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkeR10nSL9g&list=PL4Sj4lmnWOvcIyRr47JS5P5tK7rsSNYGq&index=19 Naturalism and Artifice, Thinking About Pictorialism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coa0QYTmh28 Man Ray: Solarization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QITcY3W0mto Thought for the day: Spring flowers are beginning. Beautiful in the [...]
Challenge 14: Black & White
Welcome to week 14 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Black & White Black and white photography is a classic and timeless genre that emphasizes contrast, texture, and composition over color. By removing the distraction of color, black and white images allow the viewer to focus on other elements of the photo, such as light, shadows, shapes, and forms. This type of photography can convey a range of tones and emotions, often resulting in powerful and evocative imagery. For further reading on [...]
Challenge 13: Abstract
Welcome to week 13 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Abstract Abstract photography captures elements of a subject that may not be immediately recognizable, emphasizing shape, form, color, pattern, and texture. It explores surreal and thought-provoking imagery by disregarding traditional representation. Techniques include using macro lenses, playing with light, capturing motion blur, and experimenting with angles. For more insights, check out the many articles and inspiration on Photofocus or check out 5 tips for beginners from depositphotos. The Scoop: Submissions will be [...]
Photography News March 25, 2024
Photography News March 25, 2024 Join our Weekly Webinars + “Abstract” 52-week Challenge Quote: “I know that I am one with beauty and that my comrades are one. Let our souls be mountains, Let our spirits be stars, Let our hearts be worlds.”– Ansel Adams Techniques and Tutorials: How to do Fine Art Photography | Techniques and Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJHWomuiCfw One Great Reason for Doing Black and White https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCx5qSYzUhY 5 Must-Know Tips for ICM Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vam6C1MBIHc ICM: The Top Mistake to Avoid for Successful Artistic Images https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LjWLmqfQ-g Experimenting with Multiple Exposure + ICM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4XiQxRmR4 Guide to Photographic Alternative Processes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckkHW6f3xoI Thought [...]
Photography News March 20, 2024
Photography News March 20, 2024 Join our Weekly Webinars + “Food” 52-week Challenge Quote: “Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships.” — Ansel Adams Techniques and Tutorials: How to edit images into fine art photos! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m55I2-yAYyw&t=16s Color Theory In Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP0OyqECAS4 How to Make a Model Feel Comfortable on Your Photoshoot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T3tgXk43e0 Straight Photography vs. Pictorialism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqYZd3naMY Cyanotype process with your phone! – Making a negative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljTzNlnMuhE Making a Fine Art Photography Print: Anza-Borrego Desert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgMV9phhJgM Thought for the day: Expected Lifetimes for Hard Disk Drive There [...]
Challenge 12: Food
Welcome to week 12 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Food Food photography composition focuses on artfully arranging food to create visually appealing images, emphasizing key principles like focal points, balance with negative space, and applying compositional rules like the rule of thirds or golden ratio. The choice of lens, angle, and color usage also play a significant role in enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the food. For more detailed insights on food photography composition, read 12 Tips for Making Your Food [...]
Challenge 11: Bokeh
Welcome to week 11 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Bokeh Bokeh in photography is the aesthetic quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of an image, creating a soft, visually pleasing effect that highlights the main subject. Achieving bokeh involves using a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field and positioning the subject at an appropriate distance from the background. For more information on bokeh in photography: Photofocus’ article with 5 tips for capturing the magic of Bokeh with [...]
Photography News March 11, 2024
Photography News March 11, 2024 + “Bokeh” 52-week Challenge Quote: “Start with a dull basic area and then highlight it with a vivid color” – Frank Frazetta Techniques and Tutorials: It's Not All About The Gear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw3tTnPxSAM Want Pro Results but own Budget Gear? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwdWfjmpiNo Gregory Heisler Ilford Lecture: Companion to "50 Portraits" Book and Gallery Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ42PeHtqfo Single Light Portraits: OnSet with Daniel Norton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqjFj5OLX4&t=83s Removing Hair Halos in Photoshop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCyIlapihFE The Ultimate Stripbox Guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpWUk3beXZo Thought for the day: Disk drives are not the only thing you need to worry about. Voltage spikes can kill your computer and [...]
Photography News March 5, 2024
Photography News March 5, 2024 + “Low Light/Night” 52-week Challenge Quote: "Artists (fine ones) don't copy nature, and when they do record quite literally the presentation is such as to arouse connotations quite apart from the subject matter.” – Edward Weston Techniques and Tutorials: Mastering Light and Shadow In Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDml1ISUD_o The Real Deal of Portrait Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGoPGzK3f-I Photographing Sunrises and Sunsets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu2aaozm5eA Blue Hour Portrait Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn_pdmCogYk Simple Set Up With Even Better Results – Glycerin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji9NsGcOydE Get White Right! How the Pros Nail White Balance and White Brightness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba98atu_9ss Thought for the day: Quality of Filters If you spend [...]
Challenge 10: Low Light/Night
Welcome to week 10 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Low Light/Night Low Light or Night Photography focuses on capturing images in environments with minimal lighting, often creating atmospheric and dramatic scenes. This genre requires careful consideration of camera settings, such as using a tripod for stability, choosing a wider aperture, and shooting in RAW format for better post-processing flexibility. For concise and detailed information on low light and night photography, you can explore these resources: Shotkit provides essential tips for low-light [...]
Photography News February 27, 2024,
Photography News February 27, 2024, South Carolina Workshop + “Reflections” 52-week Challenge Quote: “Notebook. No photographer should be without one!” – Ansel Adams Techniques and Tutorials: Photographing Wildlife from a Kayak Photographing a Rocket Launch... Remotely? Can Continuous Lights Replace Studio Strobes? Which Light Modifier Do You Choose for Your Photography Session? Here is why your bird photos aren’t sharper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXy7GbZtdPI Slow Shutter Speeds And Exposure Blending https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sH1KQdsjxc Thought for the day: Ansel Adams says to always use a notebook. Today with EXIF data for every picture and GPS for some cameras, is a notebook still needed? Read some of Ansel’s notebooks. Was he recording just [...]
Challenge 9: Reflections
Welcome to week 9 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: Reflections Reflections in photography involve using reflective surfaces, such as water, mirrors, or glass, to create visually captivating and often symmetrical compositions. This technique can add depth, intrigue, and a unique perspective to photographs. Reflections can transform ordinary scenes into striking images, playing with reality and perception to engage the viewer. For more detailed information on reflections, take a look at these articles: Beginner’s guide on reflection photography from Adobe Shotkit's article: [...]
Photography News February 19, 2024
Photography News February 19, 2024 Video Creators Summit + “High Key” 52-week Challenge Quote: "True artists are strange!" – Hiroshi Sugimoto Techniques and Tutorials: Touch Versus Dials The Biggest Lie Social Media Feeds Photographers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PndV7QfWKTI Simple Color Grading Technique For Portrait Photography In Photoshop + Introduction To Color Harmony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQT0sBsFaxE What the PROS know about CROPPING (that I wish I knew sooner!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmX13ycSzP4 BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY 101: Beginners guide for settings, finding birds, tricks, equipment, and more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvIfXkZyPGQ Thought for the day: Exercise Look at the photos of two great photographers of Yosemite: Carleton Watkins’ and Ansel Adams. Which do you like better? Now go [...]
Challenge 8: High Key
Welcome to week 8 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! Thanks for being on the journey, and being committed to improving your skills. This week’s Challenge is: High Key High-key photography is a style that features predominantly bright and light elements, often characterized by a nearly or completely white background and minimal shadows. This approach results in images with low contrast, conveying a sense of airiness and a positive, ethereal mood. It is commonly used in various genres, from portraiture to landscape, to create a distinctively clean and minimalistic aesthetic. For further information on High Key photography, please see [...]
Photography News February 12, 2024
Photography News February 12, 2024 Quote: "After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on—have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear—what remains? Nature remains.” – Walt Whitman Techniques and Tutorials: Create Depth and Subject Separation with Camera Raw or Lightroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY6vPW0KDRA Real difference: Clarity, Texture + Dehaze in Lightroom + ACR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERS6--hz6cU Are these photographers Cheating? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nsFNUqQpJM Photographers Who Got Caught Cheating https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXAavnORAxg Saturation vs Vibrance in Photography (When to Use Them) The Art of Seeing Patterns: Tips for Mastering Pattern Photography Thought for the day: Workshop followup I went to [...]
Challenge 7: Diagonals
Welcome to week 7 of the 2024 SlickPic 52-week Photo Challenge! This week’s Challenge is: Diagonals Diagonals in photography are a crucial compositional element, characterized by slanted lines that traverse an image. They introduce dynamism and a sense of movement, leading the viewer's eye through the photograph. Diagonals can enhance the depth and add visual interest, breaking the monotony of horizontal and vertical lines. They are often used to direct attention towards the main subject, create tension, and imply action within a still image. For further reading on the use of diagonals in photography, check out these resources: Digital Photography [...]