Julie Powell is a photographer, writer and educator, offers unique photographic opportunities and inspirational ideas to help YOU become the photographer you wish to be.
All in Camera Gear
Should you calibrate your lenses for razor-sharp focus? If you have a newer mirrorless the answer is not so clear-cut, here is why
I bought a new lens and I am totally in love. This was not just a happy coincidence. I tried it out, before I bought it.
So what do you do when you need a tripod and forget it? Like shooting in REALLY tricky lighting, where only a tripod will do the trick?
Using a low aperture for getting the shot in tricky light is often a great way to shoot a scene.
I recently photographed a Red Riding Hood inspired portrait session in a redwood forest. Even though it was shot at 10 a.m., it was so dark on the edge of the forest that the only way to capture detail was to use a low aperture, like f/2.8. My Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 workhorse is a fantastic lens for doing just that.
Back in October, I was asked to review the new Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 for my Sony. I loved it so much I bought it, Seriously! Tamron 70-300mm for Sony really is a nature photography gem.
When you’re just starting out using a flash can seem daunting and confusing. There are so many confusing settings and it seems like there is so much to learn and navigate. So let’s break it down.
I love getting out in nature and capturing terrific photos of wildlife. Due to location, distance and travel requirements during Covid-19, that’s not always possible. I find the next best thing is a wildlife sanctuary or zoo.
I was not in my studio, I had to carry and take everything with me, so I had to pack (relatively) light. It really got me thinking about what I really needed to shoot macro while out and about.
This was a recent dilemma I faced. I currently have older Bowens Strobes in the studio and while there is nothing actually wrong with them, the recycle time was too slow and I had found they were continually misfiring with my Sony a7RIII. I also have an older Nikon Speedlight, it was all quite serviceable, but I wanted something that did High-Speed Sync and had a much faster recycle time, and that all worked very well together, but what to get…
Congrats! Getting a new camera is exciting, but there are a few things you should consider setting up first on your new Sony, before you go out to take on the world.
Sale! Sale! Sale! Heart races, the wallet opens, credit card comes out…does this sound like you? Before you get in over your head this year a little pre-sale strategy might be in order. While there are some bargains to be had, don’t get caught up in a shopping frenzy you may regret down the line.
When it comes to portraits, what’s the best focal length to use? That’s a great question, so I set out to test this for myself. So I decided to have a little bit of a length comparison. In part one, I tried a mid-range close up shot. In this article, I am going to stand further away and get a full-body portrait.
When it comes to portraits, what’s the best focal length to use? That’s a great question, some swear by a 50mm, some by an 85mm. So I decided to have a little bit of a length comparison.
Photography is full of technical terms and buzz words, but one that really is a great one to consider is Back Button Focus (or BBF). So what is it and why should you consider using it. By default, many cameras straight out of the box have the auto-focus with the shutter button. You half-press the shutter button and the camera will focus. This has its own pitfalls.
I was recently asked to review the soon to be released Tamron A047 for my Sony A7Riii, being a fan of the Tamron range I jumped at the chance. The A047 is the smallest, most compact and lightweight telephoto zoom lens, currently on the market.
Let's look at how focal lengths affect your subjects and the background of your images. What is lens compression? This is the when you use a telephoto lens and things in the background of the image will appear larger and closer to the foreground.
When I first switched over to my Sony system, I had a basic kit lens which I bought with it. It was great, but had a variable f/3.5-5.6 aperture. I wanted something that would do f/2.8 without breaking the bank.
The Rode smartLav+ is an omnidirectional lapel mic designed specifically for smartphones. It might not be the very latest and greatest, but it certainly offers great quality for the price.
Mobile phones are so great these days — the use and functionality of them are far superior to in the past. Recording video with your smartphone is accessible to everyone, but these five handy hints may help make your videos even better.
When we first get into photography, the temptation to want everything straight off the bat is very real. You may end up buying stuff you don’t really need and waste your money. Or you may compromise and buy stuff that just doesn’t last.
