iPhone photography upgrades are here. The tenth anniversary of the iPhone brings three new models, and we're comparing the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X for photographers.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode93

The tenth anniversary of the iPhone brings three new models, and we're comparing the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X for photographers.

Here's What the iPhone Does Well for Photographers

The iPhone is an incredible boon for photographers. Not only does it give us a compact travel camera, it provides a platform to share your photos online and in person.

A Thousand Photos in Your Pocket

Think about it. If the iPod put a thousand songs in your pocket, the iPhone let you put a thousand photos (or more) in your pocket.

It doesn't matter if they're snapshots, family photos, precious memories or examples of your portfolio. The iPhone doesn't just take photos. It displays them on demand. It shares them with the world as long as you have a network connection.

The iPhone started a trend of promoting photography like no other device in the world, paving the way for other smart phones to continue the tradition Apple made possible.

The Best Travel Camera Ever Invented

It doesn't matter if you travel a mile or around the world. The iPhone became the best travel camera ever created. Other phones had cameras, but they did little more than document subjects. The iPhone became a tool for the artists on the go. Again, it paved the way for the smart phones that followed, and the incredible rise of social media.

Thanks to Apple for putting a usable camera in a small form factor that could easily share online, there are now more photos taken annually than in the previous combined history of the world.

In 2000, Kodak announced that we took 80 billion photos. By 2015, we took a trillion photos and the numbers keep growing.

We have a propensity to create new photos. Some are for memories. Others for art. Thanks to Apple, photography is within the grasp of millions of people who never would've spent the money on a “real” camera.

The iPhone isn't Perfect

While Apple keeps enhancing the camera in the iPhone, there are still some things it just doesn't do as well as other cameras.

Reach and Resolution

Scott Diussa is a friend who works for Nikon Professional Services. I noticed something he posted on Facebook comparing the iPhone to the Nikon D850 that just came out – along with a 500mm lens.

Standing on the edge of a tarmac with fighter jets in the distance, he compared the reach of an iPhone with the D850. Yes, it's a bit of a joke, but it goes to show that we aren't planning on giving up the rest of our camera gear just because Apple brought out a new iPhone with an improved camera.

The iPhone shot showed some planes in the distance. Recognizable, but not distinguishable.

The D850 with a 500mm lens filled the frame with a jet. Then Scott took it a step further with a 100% crop showing the cockpit and very sharp lettering outside on the plane. With 46 megapixels, it was incredibly clear and impressive. Despite the advances in miniaturization and improvement in image quality, the iPhone camera just doesn't have that resolution or reach.

Some Photographers Fear the new iPhone Camera

Another post in a Facebook Group grabbed my attention. A photographer asked if we were worried about the new iPhone models. He'd seen a major magazine that shot its cover using an iPhone.

What that tells me is that a photographer can still get work no matter what tool he (or she) uses.

We routinely shoot images on our iPhones for marketing, social media and web graphics. It's nice to know that it can create a magazine cover under the right conditions. When you have good light, even a tiny camera and sensor can deliver great images.

Of course, it can also take a lot of crappy photos. It's the photographer who makes the difference, which is why we don't need to fear losing potential clients to an ...

Color can be your photography subject, or it can influence how someone perceives your subject. We can use color psychology to invoke feelings and emotions. People associate certain colors with a sense of time of place.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode92

Why Photographing for Color Should be Part of Your Creative Playbook

Photographing in color isn't about deciding if your photo should be in color or converted to black & white. Instead, think of photographing for color as a method to influence the viewer's mood when looking at your photo.

Color can be the subject of your photograph, or it can influence how someone perceives your subject. We can use color psychology to invoke feelings and emotions. People associate certain colors with a sense of time of place.

Imagine the warm colors of autumn, or the pastels of spring. Those colors may provide a sense of time. Color combinations may remind of of a place, like the urban colors of asphalt, skyscrapers and yellow cabs.

How to use Color in Your Photography

Color is all around us, but it's often a mess. Distracting colors do more harm than good. Concert photographers occasionally get bitten by unflattering stage lighting on their subject. When the photo is otherwise a good shot, they'll convert it to black and white to eliminate the distraction.

The problem is that a black & white conversion won't save every photo, and most of us don't want to look at black and white photos all of the time. It's up to us as photographers to manage our colors and use them for a purpose.

There are three elements of color that you can use to influence the emotional impact it presents to your viewer.

* Hue – The hue is what most of us think about when we hear the word “color.” Is it a Red or Green hue?

* Saturation – Hues have different levels of tone. We can change them with by adding white (tint) or black tones (shade).

* Brightness (or Luminance) – Changing the brightness of a color is like adjusting its exposure value. That may also impact its hue and saturation.

So how to you use color in a photograph?

Dominant Color

In some scenes, one color just stands out and demands attention. In the example above, the fireman is awash with red. The wall, his shirt, the axe, numbers on his helmet and even a patch of the Canadian flag on his jacket all work together.

It makes sense, given his profession. We're used to Firetruck Red, and the color dominates several aspects of his career. A dominant color can communicate many things, and it's the context used with the color that truly determines its meaning.

Red can convey excitement, power, romance or love. In this case, his profession has moments of excitement and power. Red suits him.

What color describes your next subject?

Color Contrast

Color contrast is the difference between two colors. Those colors at opposite ends of the color wheel are complementary colors, which indicates a high color contrast.

In this image, the red coat offers a contrast against the green trees in the background, and also the head of her umbrella. Red and Green are complementary colors. They help your subject stand apart, separating foreground from background.

High tonal contrast separate dark from light

Splash of Color

It's hard to mis the man in red. He stands out of the neutral background of this photo. It doesn't matter much what color he wears. Choose any fully saturated color on the wheel and he'd still be the center of attention.

Sometimes a finding a neutral background gives you an opportunity to wait for the right actor with high contrast, colorful clothing.

Using a splash of color works in any genre of photography.

The Nikon D850 is a beast of a camera, packing a lot of specs into one package. Is your photography gear in need of an upgrade? If so, this is one tempting camera.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode91

Should the Nikon D850 Be Your Next Camera?

The Nikon D850 is a beast of a camera, packing a lot of specs into one package. A lot of people were waiting to see what Nikon announced and many believe the Nikon D850 raises the bar for the competition.

Can you handle the Nikon D850? More importantly, should you bother with it?

While I think this is an outstanding camera, you need to look on the other side of the specs to understand what it may cost you to own a D850. Let's start with a look at the features.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Key Specifications:

* 45.7MP BSI CMOS sensor

* 7 fps continuous shooting with AE/AF (9 with battery grip and EN-EL18b battery)

* 153-point AF system linked to 180,000-pixel metering system

* UHD 4K video capture at up to 30p from full sensor width

* 1080 video at up to 120p, recorded as roughly 1/4 or 1/5th speed slow-mo

* 4:2:2 8-bit UHD uncompressed output while recording to card

* 1 XQD slot and 1 UHS II-compliant SD slot

* Battery life rated at 1840 shots

* 3.2″ tilting touchscreen with 2.36M-dot (1024×768 pixel) LCD

* Illuminated controls

* 19.4MP DX crop (or 8.6MP at 30fps for up to 3 sec)

* SnapBridge full-time Bluetooth LE connection system with Wi-Fi

* Advanced time-lapse options (including in-camera 4K video creation)

Here's how I translate the other side of some of these features.

45.7MP BSI CMOS sensor

My main camera now is the with a 36 megapixel camera. That's the model I picked after shooting with the Nikon D700 with a 12 megapixel sensor. As you can guess, three times the megapixels means larger files.

That means fewer photos on your memory card, and more space consumed on your hard drive. If you upload to an online service, it takes a bit longer to transmit. It also fills up the buffer in your camera faster than small files would.

More megapixels means more…well, everything that handles megapixels.

There is semi-good news. Apparently you can choose to save your RAW files in a smaller megapixel size. Cool. Now who's going to buy a 46 megapixel camera just to shoot it like a 24 megapixel camera? You may as well get a if that's what you need.

7 fps continuous shooting with AE/AF (9 with battery grip and EN-EL18b battery)

Seven frames per second continuous shooting speed is very impressive for a 46 megapixel camera. Add the battery grip to get nine frames per second and some folks think this may be a good camera for sports photographers.

The Nikon D700 shoots at 5 FPS, up to 8 FPS with the batter grip, and it's only a 12 MP camera. Shooting at 9 FPS is really nice, until you compare it with the at 12 FPS. The Canon 1Dx Mari IV shoots even faster at 14 FPS.

Now those are the cameras you use to shoot sports. They cost more than double, but sports photography is not a cheap endeavor.

Let's say that you decide this is the right camera for your sports photography. Do you need 46 megapixels for those shots? Good thing you can shoot at a lower resolution.

My photography is primarily portrait and travel. These speeds mean nothing to me. During a portrait session, I turn off continuous mode.

When I take travel photos, it's common for me to use bracketing. I'm never really in a hurry, though. The subjects I'm photographing aren't running away from me. It's not like I see a pretty landscape and think that I need to hurry up and get more frames per second or I'll lose the shot.

On the other hand, this could be quite useful for street shooters or concert photo...

Is your photography satisfying? Does your progress as a photographer seem to get stagnant? You know what you know, but you don't know how to jump start the quality of your photos.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode90

Are You Satisfied with Your Photography?

This isn't a topic that I frequently read or hear in other photography discussions, but it's something that comes up in conversation from time to time. It's more of a personal issue than something we discuss publicly. Except from me because, you know, I lack boundaries.

Are you satisfied with your photography?

Are You Satisfied with Your Growth as a Photographer?

There are really two questions here. The first way to interpret the question is whether or not you're satisfied with the photos you're producing. We all start somewhere and learn to grow. As with other things in life, we grow at a different pace. Sometimes it's because of internal motivations. Other times it's because we don't all get to shoot with the same frequency or intensity.

At some point, it seems like you hit a rut.

Your progress as a photographer seems to get stagnant. You know what you know, but you don't know how to jump start the quality of your photos. It happens. For some of us, the rut can last longer than it does for others.

Are You Satisfied with Your Experience as a Photographer?

The second way to interpret the question is whether you enjoy the experience of being a photographer or not. Is photography something that you're excited to do, or has it become a bit of a drag lately?

Does the thought of loading up your gear and going someplace to get photos seem like a burden? Maybe you're interested in photography, but you really don't know what you want to shoot. Instead of going out to photograph something specific, you're going out looking for something worthy of a photograph.

Maybe you enjoy photography when you do it, but you just let your gear sit for long periods of time. It's something you only do on vacation or in the right circumstances.

Dissatisfaction is a Sign of Growth as a Photographer

Here's the good news. Dissatisfaction doesn't mean you should give up photography. Instead, it means you're ready for growth as a photographer. You're tired of doing the same old thing. Unfortunately, you may not know what you're supposed to do next. You may not even know that it's time to move ahead.

Photography is a creative process. Like all creative processes, there is opportunity for change or advancement. If you're feeling dissatisfied with your photography, maybe you're ready to move on to a greater challenge.

So are you satisfied with your photography, or are do you want an opportunity to create something better than you ever have before?

How to Make Sure Photography Satisfies You

If you think I'm going to encourage you to learn a new skill, I'm actually going in a different direction. Rather than learning a new trick, you need a new sense of purpose.

Photography for the sake of photography will only get you so far. Without an unselfish purpose for your photography, you probably won't grow to your full potential.

If you want to challenge yourself as a photographer, then create photos that serve another purpose than art.

Create something that needs photography, and then create photos to serve that need. You can also serve some other person or publication that needs photos. The basic idea is to get out of the practice of taking photos for the sake of taking photos.

Instead, take photos that have to communicate something. You can shoot photos that have to fit within a certain style or format.

Photography takes on an entirely different perspective when you have to think about the end result before you approach your subject. It changes the way you compose your photo. You may find that the lighting needs to change. Mostly, it causes you to think about how you will solve a problem to fill a need.

Now that's how having a higher purpose will create a greater challenge for your photography.

You may completely change your style, but you don't have to be any less artistic.

Avoid photography clichés. Two of the most common tips new photographers get to improve photographic composition are the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines. Have you ever noticed that they contradict each other.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode89

5 Easy Tips to Improve Photographic Composition

Two of the most common tips new photographers get to improve photographic composition are the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines. While not bad suggestions, have you ever noticed that they contradict each other.

The rule of thirds teaches us to avoid placing your subject in the center of the photo, yet leading lines generally direct your eye to the center of the photo. It's like some kind of banal plot.

The biggest problem with these rules is that people treat them as laws. Commandments. They're more like guidelines. Feel free to break them.

Here are my recommendations, in no particular order.

1: Who Says You Can't Center Your Subject?

Yes, I placed the Lincoln Memorial right in the center of the frame. Sue me.

There's a reason I went with this composition. Placing your subject in the center of the frame indicates power and dominance. The Lincoln Memorial is a massive tribute to Abraham Lincoln, who also sits dead center in my frame.

While I was at the site, I walked around and searched other compositions that worked within the rule of thirds. The problem is that those compositions didn't suit the Lincoln Memorial or tell the story I wanted to share.

The reason you treat the rule of thirds like guidelines is because it's more important to serve your subject and your story than to obey some rule.

2: Balance and Symmetry are Your Friends

Balance is easy to understand. When both sides have equal visual weight, you're in balance. Symmetry is related, but with a bit more detail. You have symmetry when equal parts are facing each other or are surrounding an axis.

The photo above is a great example of columns facing each other. Oddly enough, the photo also uses leading lines directing your eye to the center of the frame.

It's that banal plot again!

I'm not worried about adhering to the rule of thirds here, yet the composition works.

3: A Pattern Interrupted Catches the Eye

The human eye loves patterns. They make us feel comfortable. The columns above easily form a pattern to direct your eye to the center, and we don't mind. Even if there were a gaping maw of the Kraken waiting to devour us, we'd blissfully follow the pattern.

If you want to catch someone's attention, interrupt that pattern.

We see that happening in the photo of the Lincoln Memorial, in more ways than one:

* The two center columns have a different color background than the other columns

* The statue of Lincoln sits between the very center columns

* A lone man sits at the top of the stairs, between a pair of columns

My subject has balance and symmetry, but small changes interrupt the pattern and add a bit of tension and interest to the photo.

4: Give Your Subjects Breathing Room

There are some parts of your subject that you can push to the edge. Then there are parts that just need some empty space. This boxer is a good example.

The important thing here is direction. His eyes and fists are facing the left of the frame. You need to give the viewer some room on the edge where we anticipate forward motion, even in a still frame.

I can crop the top of his head or his left shoulder without any worry. We don't expect him to move in those directions. We expect him to move forward. Your composition needs to allow the viewer to imagine that motion taking place.

5: Too Much Negative Space Diminishes Your Subject

Here's a prime example of how I screwed up a shot by using too much breathing room.