If you ever looked into buying a cinema lens, you might recall your jaw dropping from the price tag. While there are various elements of a cinema lens that differ from photography lenses, there is one spec that should not be undervalued. All cinema lenses are parfocal lenses. What is a parfocal lens? Why are they so expensive? How do they differ from other lenses? We’ll answer all of these questions and more in this article.Continue reading What is a Parfocal Lens — The Advantage of Parfocal Lenses
Choosing to shoot black and white photography is exactly that — a choice. It is a choice that many photographers choose to make when shooting portraits. Why? What is it about a black and white photo that works so well when capturing the face of a person? How can you use black and white photography to create striking portraits that convey both meaning and emotion? Let’s take a look at the process of shooting black and white portrait photography and some tips that will help you achieve powerful portraits. Continue reading Black and White Portrait Photography — Pro-Tips & Techniques
Most people typically think of the more creative side of the production process such as cinematography, directing, or writing. Although these are immensely important, there is a side behind the scenes of a production that must be kept in order for a production to run smoothly. That would be the much less glamorous, but still important administrative side of production. So, what is a production coordinator and what do they do?A production coordinator is an integral part of making sure the administrative side of a production is well kept so that the production faces minimal hiccups. Let’s take a look…
If you are starting a career in photography, you will inevitably be paid to shoot some type of event. Events can differ vastly ranging from weddings to corporate events to concerts. However, we’ve created a list of a few fundamental tips that will help you capture better photos no matter what event you are shooting. In this article, we discuss how to prepare for shooting an event, what gear and settings you will use, and how to capture great photos on the day of the event.Continue reading 11 Event Photography Tips and Tricks for All Photographers
In 2018, Roger Deakins finally won his first Oscar for Best Cinematography for Blade Runner 2049. And the world was not one bit shocked. As one of the most well respected cinematographers in the business, Deakins seems unable to make a less than beautiful film. So we decided to take a look at the tricks and techniques Deakins uses to make average scenes visually stunning. One trick he uses is utilizing water reflections and patterns. In this article, we’ll take a look at how Deakins achieved this water light reflection effect in Blade Runner 2049. We’ll also break down how you…
Among all of the different practices of photography that exist, which provides the most creative freedom? Which practice gives photographers freedom to explore any story or concept that they envision? The answer, most would argue, is editorial photography.Editorial photography is nor restrained by brand image like commercial photography. Nor does it depend on the unpredictable nature of street photography. Editorial photography allows photographers to use every tool at their disposal to create an image that tells a story. In this article, we’ll take a look at the steps you can take to creating your own editorial photography.Continue reading What is…
The best films are ones that create immersive and believable worlds. Worlds that make you forget that you are watching a film, and make you feel like you are participating. There are many filmmaking techniques that aim to elicit this feeling in audiences. When it comes to cinematography and lighting, motivated lighting is perhaps the most fundamental.Understanding the value of a motivated light sources and how to create it will immediately make you a better cinematographer. In this article, we’ll analyze the function of this lighting style in filmmaking as well as what you need to know to create it.Continue…
Light is the heart and soul of capturing a beautiful image. How we manipulate light and expose for it is partly artistic and partly technical. The latter utilizes specific techniques to accurately capture the image we envision. The term foot candle may raise a few questions. What is a foot candle exactly? What is the comparison to other light measurement units like lumens or lux? Let’s demystify the foot candle and take a look at how it applies to real world cinematography and photography.Continue reading What is a Foot Candle — How To Measure Light On Set
With new streaming platforms emerging every year and binge watching becoming an art form, the television industry needs more writers than ever. Unfortunately, there is also more competition than ever. Breaking into the TV industry can be tough, but here are the fundamentals you need to know about becoming a television show writer as well as some actionable tips that will help you get that much closer to writing for television.Continue reading Writing for Television — Format, Genre and Structure
Some say that when the editor does their job well, the audience is not supposed to notice. This does not mean that the editor’s job is unimportant. In fact, the complete opposite is the case. Editor’s are responsible for maintaining the illusion of a film and story by hiding the mechanisms at work. The main tool they have to do this is continuity editing.What is continuity editing in film? What are the techniques used to achieve continuity in film? Is there a place for discontinuity editing? We’ll answer all of these questions and more while highlighting some key examples in…
