Canon Rumors for CP+: Updated

Update 2/14: Prices and more item details added. The CP+ Show in Japan is coming February 23rd and it's expected Canon will be announcing products today for the show. With the arrival, there's a handful of Canon rumors and leaked images for what's coming down the line. We'll be getting a refresh with new T7 rebels, a M6 mirrorless, 18-55mm lens, and more. Somewhat oddly, Canon has decided to go from the Ti/Ts name convention to a new 77D for the T6s line of cameras.As a note, no SL2 mentions recently to go with this batch of camera news.  The given rumor was a SL2 release at CP+ last year, then CES, but it went by without a blip. The SL1 while entry level was quite popular and we still get asked about it now. As for the SL line's small size it seems Canon is focusing on the M6 for now.Canon EOS T7i 

• Will be available in the new 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM lens below and the older 18-135mm STM
• Price will run $749 for the body only
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • 6 FPS Burst
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • Full HD Video, 5-axis electronic image stabilization
  • LCD: Type 3 Touch Panel Bali Angle LCD
  • Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Dimensions: 131.0 × 99.9 × 76.2 mm
  • Weight: 532 g

Canon EOS 77d

• 77D will be the replacement to the T6s with a different naming convention
• Prices will run $899 (body only), $1049 with the new 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, and $1499 with the older 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM.
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • AF point: 45 points
  • 6 FPS Burst
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • LCD: Type 3 Touch Panel Bali Angle LCD
  • Built-in Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
  • Dimensions: 131.0 × 99.9 × 76.2 mm
  • Weight: 540 g

Canon EOS M6 Mirrorless

• Coming in black and silver
• Packaged body only, with a 15-45mm kit lens, a 18-150mm kit lens, or a double lens kit
• Also coming, sold separately, with the M6 is a Canon EVF-DC 2 viewfinder attachment
• Body only Price will be $779
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • 49 Point AF
  • 7 FPS (9 if auto focus is fixed)
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • Shutter Speed: 1/4000 - 30
  • Sync Speed: 1/200
  • Video: Full HD, HD, VGA
  • LCD: Type 3 tilt type touch panel
  • Recording medium: SD / SDHC / SDXC card
  • Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Size: 112.0 × 68.0 × 44.5 mm

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

• A new kit lens that will be packaged with the kit lenses and available separately. Something to note is that it's aperture is just slightly slower then the current generation of kit lens.
• Lens construction: 12 elements in 10 groups
• Minimum shooting distance: 0.25 m
• Filter: 58 mm
• Size: 66.5 x 61.8 mm Weight: 215 g

Canon BR-E 1

• A Bluetooth wireless remote, shown below

Canon EH30-CJ

• A body jacket for the announced M6

Rumors and photos via Nokishita, Digicame-Info

Snowfall Shutter Speed

February and March are typically the snowiest month for much of North America - When you are photographing falling snow think about the mood you want to convey and decide which shutter speed is right for you. Your aperture will play a role here too. Large apertures/shallow depth of field will produce bigger out of focus flakes and a smaller aperture/larger depth of field will produce smaller flakes.Shutter Speed can be used to convey motion! I often use a slow shutter speed when photographing rushing water to smooth it all out, creating a peaceful scene. Or you can pan the camera at slower shutter speeds while tracking a subject creating motion blur everywhere except your subject. You can see these techniques and more in my shutter speed video below. In this post I just want to share the effects of shutter speed on falling snow. Depending on the speed and size of the snowflakes your results may vary slightly but experiment and see what works best for your scene and the mood you are trying to convey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LER6RFkkj68  

Canon 24-105 f/4 MK1 vs Canon 24-105 f/4 MK2

Guest Review from Bryant Naro of Slate Roof Films, LLC (be sure to check out their demo reel, at the bottom of this post, they create some awesome content)

Canon 24-105mm: Mark 1 vs Mark 2

To start, I have a specific use for the Canon 24-105mm ƒ4 IS: vérité/handheld video work for documentary/corporate/commercials, so that’s primarily how I’ll frame my thoughts on these lenses. I should also warn you that I shot videos samples of both the MK1 and the MK2 and honestly, it’s nearly impossible to tell a difference. If that’s all you were looking for to help inform any future rental/purchase decisions, you’re good to go—there’s hardly an optical difference! However, I still prefer the MK2 over the MK1.  So here are my long-winded thoughts on both options, and why I now own a Canon 24-105mm MK2.

The Oopsie & The Situation

It was just before the holidays, so everyone was pretty drained on this one particular gig in mid-December. It was a long day, and as we wrapped at one location, ready to move on to the next one, I grabbed our run bag to load in a hodgepodge of gear (enough to get us wrapped as soon as possible). Unfortunately, it wasn’t zipped all the way, and my Canon 24-105mm flew out of the bag, nailing the slick asphalt below. It’s the moment every gear owner fears—The Big Oopsie (well, it could have been bigger, and oopsier, so there’s that).Anyway, as you can imagine, the scene was not good. The zoom was stuck. The focus ring could hardly move. The thing was borked. So I sent it off to Canon to be repaired.If you’ve never sent a piece of gear to Canon, you’ll need to know two things: 1) They’re very professional, and take good care of your equipment. 2) You will pay such an exorbitant price for your repair, you’ll often wonder why you even sent it in the first place. So here I was, praying it was just a $200-300 repair. I was contacted by Canon who notified me that my lens would cost $615 to repair (including shipping, so hey, that’s a bonus!). Which is outrageous to think—you can get this same lens used for an equal or lesser amount than the repair would cost. So now I have a permanent reminder that haste makes very expensive waste.So that’s my special, specific circumstances for why I needed to buy a replacement, and as such, had to look in to what the new Canon 24-105mm had to offer over the first version.

Why I used the Canon 24-105mm ƒ4 for documentary work

As of writing this—in February 2017—the cine zoom market is just on the verge of being flooded with options. The Canon 18-80mm, the Zeiss 21-100mm, the Angenieux EZ lenses—and those are just the ones that interest me for my work, there are even more on the way. But I have work I need to do now, and investing $5,000 – $13,000 in a lens is something I need to put much thought in to (if I can even afford it!), so I need a trusted solution immediately. More often than not, I shoot in a documentary style, and I do so on the Sony FS7, primarily. I use a metabones speedbooster for most lenses, except for the few APS-C lenses I keep for specific needs (Sigma 18-35mm, Toking 11-16mm). I just prefer the look that the speedbooster gives me. So all of this specific set up leads the Canon 24-105mm to be a great choice: It has a great range, an okay aperture (ƒ4 is too high for video work, but the speedbooster helps), and image stabilization. All for a pretty cheap cost (compared to what cine zooms cost, especially considering this $5-10K cine zoom market is only just now becoming a reality). If you’re not familiar with lenses, you need to know, like everything, it’s a balance. Cost, size, features, etc. The Canon 24-105mm has been the lens for me, for now, because it’s relatively cheap, has good IS (which I don’t believe is the case with the only real competition for this lens, the Sigma 24-105mm), and has a large enough focal range that I don’t need to swap lenses to get on the fly coverage. So for right now, this is what I have to work with, and given enough light, it works out pretty well.

Testing Grounds

I rented the Canon 24-105mm MK2 (from Borrowlenses.com) and mentioned it online. My friend Toby, who runs Photorec.tv, mentioned he could get me a rental of the MK1 to do some testing. So I had a couple days between gigs to try them both out. As always, I wish I had more time, but those rentals go by quick. Everything above and below is not scientific, and completely opinion based—no charts, no graphs, just a tired person ranting about a niche product. So take it all with a grain of salt. But I haven’t found anyone out there discussing these lenses in a perspective for video, which I found surprising. So anyway, if you’re looking for nitty gritty scientific data, or a photographer’s take on this upgraded lens, I suggest one of the following:DXOKen RockwellThe Digital PictureI want to thank these people for creating their very in-depth reviews, it absolutely helped me in understanding what the new lens had to offer. I suggest that everyone check out these reviews to get a better understanding of the changes with the MK2.

What I like about the MK2

BUILD: The build of the 24-105mm mk2 is what sets it apart from its predecessor. The focus ring is smoother, bigger, and overall more reliable for manual focus. This is something that a photographer might not find necessary at all, especially if you’re going to have this lens live on AF. But for video work, we need manual focus. The MK1’s focus ring was always a little small, and a little sticky. It wasn’t awful, but I definitely didn’t get smooth focus racking like I can with the MK2. This is a huge step forward if you’re using this lens like I am.STABILIZATION: The stabilization has been improved…or what I would say, has been changed. The 24-105mm is not only valuable because of it’s range, but because of image stabilization. This is a key element for handheld documentary work. I had been using the MK1 for years, so I know how the IS worked (at least with my copy). I knew what it could and couldn’t do. I knew I could get away with a certain amount of drifting to fake a slider/dolly shot, or that at 24mm I could follow a subject and the IS would do some work to smooth out the offset of my walk. But Canon did something different with the MK2’s IS, which is both good and bad. I found that for static shots, it was markedly improved, taking out micro jitters and just delivering an overall solid image. But for weird moves like orbiting, or quick movements, the IS would freak out a bit, as if it was trying too hard to compensate for the movement. Where the MK1’s IS would just take it in stride, and do what it could. I guess you could relate it to noise reduction—when you get a really good noise pattern, a computer can get in there and make the image look beautiful, because it has so many data points to work with. But when it doesn’t, it starts making bad guesses, and the noise reduction becomes very apparent. The same can be said with the IS in the MK2. When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s rough. But it’s a net gain in my opinion over the previous lens.LOCK: Having a zoom lock at 24mm is great (although I’d prefer to have this throughout the zoom range).OPTICS: Distortion at 24mm seems to be improved, and I did notice a difference with flaring. Ten aperture blades means we get rounder out of focus highlights, which I’m always for! This is completely anecdotal, but I believe the bokeh is better on the MK2.

What I don’t like about the MK2

PRICE: Obviously, cost is an issue. But if you take it for face value, it’s technically only $100 more new than the MK1. No one should be buying the Canon 24-105mm MK1 new, so in a way price isn’t too big of an issue (or so I choose to tell myself). And as we all know, this price will come down with time. So don’t rush out to buy unless you have to (which is unfortunately my situation).OPTICS: Optical improvement is limited. I don’t like that the sharpness in the center has declined. However overall sharpness has improved, which is welcome. Breathing was pretty rough, but it’s not any better on the MK1 (and also, it’s a stills lens, so it’s expected). I guess I was hoping for some optical improvements, but instead it seems Canon looked to perfect the build of there 10+ year old lens. I can’t blame them—they sell a ton of these things, especially being a kit lens.

Which lens I would suggest (and what I’m going with)

Well, spoiler alert: I’ve already placed an order on the MK2. I found the new focus ring to be too valuable of an upgrade to pass up. I think the IS will be helpful as well. And buying new will help me with warranty, which I’m definitely going to pay attention to from now on (and you should too, even on top of insurance). I really struggled with this though, because I found plenty of used copies online. But ultimately it seems the MK2 is right for me (after discussing it, or rather, constantly bugging my business partner and wife about the decision for a few days now).But that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. In fact, I think my purchase is an outlier. If you have the MK1 and it still works, there is really no reason to upgrade. If you’re a photographer, I really don’t know why you’d upgrade at all…ever. If like me you need to buy one because of gear failure, I’d still suggest renting first to check it out. Either way, I can’t see why I photographer would really be interested in the MK2, aside from some extra stops of IS. For video work, it’s definitely worth looking in to, but if your budget is tight, just get a used MK1.

Buy the Canon 24-105 Mark I from B&H Photo | Buy USEDBuy the Canon 24-105 Mark II from B&H PhotoRent the Canon 24-105 from Lens Pro to Go

Hi there! My name is Bryant Naro.

I’m a Cinematographer and Camera Operator based in New England that’s worked on feature films, documentaries, music videos, live events, commercials, and television shows, both nationally and internationally, since 2008. I run a documentary production company called Slate Roof Films, LLC that I co-founded with my business partner (and wife) in 2014. I’m passionate about creating the best images I can to tell a great story.

100mm F2.8 STF G Master with Highest Ever Quality Bokeh for an α Lens

Sony has just announced a new lens - The 100mm F2.8 STF G Master with Highest Ever Quality Bokeh for an α Lens - It's a bit of a mouthful and bokeh quality is subjective in my opinion BUT it's nice to see Sony continue to offer high quality lenses at various focal lengths.  I'd love to see a serious telephoto 300+ and a few more slightly more affordable options like the $600 85mm f/1.8 that is coming soon.[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="13657,13658,13659"] Preorder - More InfoB&H Photo Sony 100mm f/2.8 STF G Master Lens $1498.00B&H Photo Sony 85mm f/1.8 Lens $598.00

PRESS RELEASE

Sony Introduces 100mm F2.8 STF G Master™ with Highest Ever Quality Bokeh for an α LensNew Full-frame 85mm F1.8 Mid-telephoto prime lens and Compact Radio-Controlled Flash announced as wellLAS VEGAS, Feb. 7, 2017 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced two new lenses for their popular line of E-mount interchangeable lens cameras.Sony’s new lenses include one of their flagship G Master Series – an FE 100mm F2.81 STF GM OSS mid- telephoto prime lens (model SEL100F28GM) built to deliver breathtaking bokeh with a unique STF™ (Smooth Trans Focus) design, and a new compact, lightweight FE 85mm F1.8 mid-telephoto prime lens (model SEL85F18) that is a welcome addition to the bag of any hobbyist or enthusiast photographer looking to create amazing portraits.They have also introduced a new powerful, compact flash (model HVL-F45RM) with radio-controlled wireless communication that is ideal for professional shooting with Sony’s lineup of α7 full-frame cameras.FE 100mm F2.81 STF GM OSS Telephoto Prime LensA specially designed mid-telephoto, full-frame prime lens, the new 100mm STF is built to produce truly unique, magnificent and beautiful bokeh while maintaining the exceptional standard of resolution that is showcased by Sony’s entire line of flagship G Master series lenses, making it a powerful photographic tool for any portrait, fashion, nature or wedding photographer.These impressive defocus capabilities are made possible by the lens’ advanced optical structure, as it features a newly designed 11-bladed aperture and a unique optical apodization lens element. Similar to a neutral density filter that increases in density towards the edges, the apodization element creates beautiful transitions of in-focus to out-of-focus areas within an image, making for exceptionally soft, smooth bokeh that adds depth and dimensionality. This allows the subjects to stand out against beautifully defocused elements in both the foreground and background, producing an image that is naturally pleasing to the eye. The design of the lens also ensures that vignetting is kept to an absolute minimum, ensuring optimum image quality.Additionally, the new 100mm lens supports both contrast AF and focal-plane phase detection AF2, and has a high-precision, quiet direct drive SSM (Super Sonic Motor) system that ensures exceptionally fast and accurate AF performance. The SEL100F28GM also offers up to 0.25x close-up capabilities with a built-in macro switching ring, built-in Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization, a customizable focus hold button, AF/MF switch, aperture ring and more. It is dust and moisture resistant as well3.FE 85mm F1.8 Telephoto Prime LensThe new 85mm F1.8 mid-telephoto prime lens offers an extremely versatile, lightweight and compact telephoto prime lens solution for a variety of Sony camera owners ranging from working professionals to emerging enthusiasts that have stepped up to full-frame or APS-C cameras for the first time. With its wide F1.8 aperture, it can produce impressive, exceptionally sharp portraits with soft background defocus that take advantage of its 85mm focal length and wide F1.8 maximum aperture.The new prime lens features a 9-bladed circular aperture mechanism that ensures smooth, natural looking bokeh, and a double linear motor system to allow for fast, precise and quiet focusing. It also has a focus hold button that can be customized and assigned together with functions in the camera body like the popular Eye AF feature. There is a smooth, responsive focus ring and AF/MF switch as well, and the lens is also dust and moisture resistant 3.New Compact Radio-controlled FlashSony’s new HVL-F45RM flash enhances the radio-controlled lighting system capabilities of their growing system, offering a compact professional shooting solution when combined with the currently available wireless remote controller FA-WRC1M and receiver FA-WRR1.The new flash, which is designed to complement the compact bodies of Sony’s E-mount camera lineup including full-frame α7 models, produces a maximum lighting output as expansive as GN45 4. This ensures sufficient illumination even when shooting with bounce lighting or high-speed-sync (HSS) flash. The radio capabilities of the HVL-F45RM allow it to be used as a transmitter or a receiver at up to 30m (approx. 98 feet5), making it an ideal fit for creative lighting with multiple flashes. Additionally, unlike optical flash systems, radio-control flashes do not require a direct line-of-sight between components to function properly, while also minimizing any impact that bright sunlight has on signal transmission and control.The HVL-F45RM flash has an impressive battery life of up to 210 bursts, and can tilt up to 150o vertically, a complete 360o horizontally and up to 8o downward to maximize versatility. Usability has been maximized with a new large, bright and highly visible LCD display, an LED light, dust and moisture resistant design3 and a revamped menu system that mimics those of Sony’s newest camera systems.Pricing and AvailabilityBoth of the new lenses and the new flash unit will ship to authorized dealers throughout North America.The new FE 100mm F2.8 STF OSS GM Telephoto Prime Lens will ship this March for about $1,500 US and $2,050 CA.The new FE 85mm F1.8 Mid-Telephoto Prime Lens will ship this March for about $600 US and $800 CA.Replacement lens hoods for each of the new models will also be available for purchase as well.The new HVL-F45RM flash will ship this May for about $400 US and $550 CA.

DIY Heart Shaped Bokeh How to for Valentine's Day

Shape bokeh is a fun way to add a creative flare to your DSLR photography. You can create shape bokeh with any DSLR camera and prime lens. Many photographers use a 50mm lens for shape bokeh photography (which is what I used for this post), but don't feel limited this option.For the upcoming Valentine's Day, I'm sharing DIY heart shaped bokeh! The first step is to create a heart bokeh filter for your prime lens. Trace the lens you're going to use on black construction paper or card stock. Cut out the circle. Punch or cut out a heart in the center of the circle. If you're using a paper punch, you may need to fold the edge of the circle to center the punch.I cut the circle small enough that I can fit it right on the lens as you see pictured below. I have always used this method for shape bokeh with no problems. Some photographers create a paper cylinder or paper handles to attach to the bokeh filter, which works well, too.The second step is to gather your supplies. In addition to the heart filter, you'll need Christmas lights or another light source that will create bokeh. You'll also need a light source for your subjects. The ambient room lighting may work just fine. A speedlite works well, too. I have a couple of DIY Lowel EGO lights I use for blog shoots, which were perfect for lighting my subjects. I use daylight bulbs in my Lowel lights. White light is great for many artificial lighting setups, but it was a little harsh for this shoot. So I kept a regular lamp on as well to bring a little warm yellow light to my images.You don't need a dark background to create shape bokeh, but I found it helpful for creating a clean background for my DIY heart shaped bokeh background Valentine's shots. I wrapped my Christmas lights around a piece of black foam board with a chalked finish, which I keep around for blog shoots, and placed my subjects on black card stock. Finally, you'll need a few subjects! I encourage you to start with objects you have on hand at home to get comfortable with your setup and lighting. I've included a list of supplies I used that you may not already have on hand at the end of this post.The third step is to set up your shooting area. You need to allow some distance between your subject and the Christmas lights or other light source so you can create bokeh. I put a little over 5 feet (1.5 m) between my subject and lights. You may need to adjust your distance slightly, depending on your given subject and the exact effect you're trying to achieve. It may also take some trial and error to determine the best placement for your subjects and lighting.The fourth step is to dial in your camera settings. Switch your DSLR camera to manual mode. Open your aperture as wide as possible. I shot with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, so I set my aperture to 1.8. Then I set my shutter speed to 1/80. The subject lighting source you use will determine the best ISO for the particular shot. I used a few different lighting setups, so my ISO is not the same for every shot. In some instances, it's as low as 200 while for other shots, I dialed it up to 400 or 800.Attach your homemade heart bokeh filter to your prime lens. Keep in mind when you shoot in portrait orientation, you'll have to rotate your heart filter accordingly. Otherwise, the hearts will be sideways!You're ready to start creating heart bokeh! I recommend trying a few shots of the bokeh alone to get comfortable with your camera settings. Heart bokeh is beautiful on its own. You may create some photos of it that you really love. Try switching your lens to manual focus and experiment with creating hearts in different sizes.One popular bokeh background technique is to make is look as though the bokeh is coming right out of a glass, jar, or vase. You'll have to position your lights carefully, so the hearts match up with the glass or jar. You can edit a few stray hearts out of the background, but the more you do to position the lights properly, the less editing you'll have to do.I started with a heart mug because it seemed fitting to have the hearts coming out of a heart mug for Valentine's Day.A clear glass or vase also works well because it looks like the hearts are right in the glass. In this first shot, I used a clear stemless wine glass.I absolutely love colored glass and have a number of colored Ball jars and other glass pieces around my house. I used a blue Ball jar for a few shots because I love pairing turquoise and red. Green or purple glass would be so pretty, too.I added a string of fairy lights to the Ball jar to bring a little more light into the shot and get some hearts right in the jar. I purposely made this shot a little fuzzy to get the fairy light hearts to pop and to heighten the whimsical aesthetic.Playing around with my blue Ball jar was so much fun I decided to create a shot with it with a regular red bokeh background. The fun of a bokeh setup is that there are so many possibilities. If you have an idea for a shot, give it a try!I've seen a few similar images to the book image I've shared below and was excited to try this technique myself. I switched up the red Christmas lights for a pastel strand. I tried shooting with a few different books and liked the results best with a larger book because you can see more bokeh IN the heart. Larger pages also make it easier to get some color on the top interior of the hearts, as you see below. My favorite shot worked best as a square crop, but a wider landscape composition is perfect for a heart book shot as well.You may need to tape your pages into place, particularly if you use a book with glossy pages like I did. Painter's tape is ideal because it's less likely to damage the pages than something like packing tape. I would still remove the tape (carefully!) as soon as you're finished with your photography.Over the last couple months, I've bought a few new items for photography shoots, including a set of Scrabble letters. I create a lot of styled shoots for different seasons and holidays for my blog and know that I'm going to use these little letters a lot. I wrapped a red lights strand and a clear lights strand around my black foam core board for this shot.Finally, I created a little wedding setup with a couple Playmobile figures. My husband and I used this set for our wedding cake topper, so I'm a little biased in my preference for this shot. BUT I'm really happy with the overall composition and the lighting on the figures.Again, a DIY heart shaped bokeh background is so versatile. It allows for endless fun possibilities for creative photography. I've included a couple more red non-heart bokeh background examples. The first one features the Canon FD 28mm f/2.8 lens, which I use with a Canon AE-1.The second one features one of my husband's Warhammer figures. You'll have to make up your own story as to why he's riding a tank with a red bokeh background behind him.

DIY heart shaped bokeh supplies:

red Christmas lights | pastel Christmas lights | clear Christmas lights | fairy lights

stemless wine glass | blue Ball jars | Scrabble tiles

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Instagram Winners - White

This week was a color challenge and one of the trickier ones at that focusing on white.  White needs to be white, like I mentioned before exposure and your histogram is key. Otherwise, you end up with gray or blown out photos. For the most part looking through entries, you guys did great. That said there were a few entries that didn't make it due to being quite dull to the point of a gray photo, watch that histogram! White was key this week and beyond a lot of swan entries, we had varied subjects from snow to bubbles, great for a color challenge. As for next week’s challenge, we apologize in advance to the introverts out there as you’ll be trying to go for candid photography. This doesn’t mean you're stuck doing street photography, albeit that’s what most think starting out. Candid photos focus on getting your photo without a posed appearance, catching people in the act, and that’s your challenge this week. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_candid.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCXwtHBp1r/This is a cute, cute, photo! Not super sharp, with focus just starting to hit her face but this is white! The color of the bathtub really makes it stand out.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP81bVQFybf/This is one of those shots where I was like "ooh this could be a little whiter". Still, it's one of those shots that the thumbnail really stood out to me. It could be a touch brighter and the gray in the corner could go but it's still a strong photo.https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-1BW9FBY0/This is one of those easy things to get, a toy or model. The white is a bright right, it's centered and makes for a nice photo.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6IzDlATdA/Lots of white in Yellowstone with this photo. Throwing it black and white helped as the sky doesn’t detract from the overall monochrome look of the land below.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCXwtHBp1r/Honestly, bubbles were not one that came to mind for a white challenge but it does well to frame your daughter in the shot. It’s a fun photo with an honest expression that makes for a cute entry. https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6o26lFL19/A northern shrike in the sky is a great way to get a white photo. Not to mention from a birding standpoint they are one of the harder subjects to shoot without flying away.   

Sigma ART 85mm f/1.4 vs Canon 85mm f/1.2

David McKay, Professional photographer and owner of McKay Photography Academy, joins me to test the new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 and compare it to the much loved, very popular Canon 85mm f/1.2 lens. The Canon has long been a revered lens - offering a beautiful quality portrait lens - With Sigma's latest ART series release is the new Sigma 85mm ART as good? Or does it trounce the much more expensive Canon 85mm f/1.2 - We spent a week shooting with both the Sigma and Canon 85mm on the Sony a7RII and the Canon 5D Mark IVhttps://youtu.be/5TuXRgMjwSgDid you find this review helpful?  Support our work and shop the links below.  Would you like personalized photography help? Become a photorec.tv member today and gain access to my Lightroom tutorials, support group and more. Buy the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART - B&H PhotoBuy the Canon 85mm f/1.2 - B&H PhotoBuy the Sigma MC-11 Adapter - B&H Photo What should you do with that extra $700?  - Start saving for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 or Join us on a McKay Trip

 Original Files for Download

Day 7 - Nature Photography Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

A dolphin mom and her calf playing next to our boat. Common dolphins love to surf on wakes and bow waves, really fun to watch! #visitcalifornia #montereybay #seemonterey #dolphins #splendid_animals #animal_captures #igscwildlife #nature_brilliance #water_brilliance #ig_great_pics #getonaboat #prtvwildchallenge #abc7now

A photo posted by Douglas Croft (@douglascroftimages) on Feb 2, 2017 at 8:26am PST

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on Feb 2, 2017 at 5:48pm PST

Even in misty days we can find something interesting =) . . . #prtvwildchallenge #focalmarked #texture #naturephoto #watchthisinstagood #artofvisuals #awesome_earthpix #landscape_captures #rsa_rural #natureaddict #nature_wizards #awesomeearth #naturediversity #ourplanetdaily #earth_deluxe #blackandwhitephotography #amateurs_bnw #bnw_captures #world_bnw #bnw_life #ae_bnw #bnw_society #top_bnw #bnw_demand #superstarz_bw #bnw_planet #portugal_em_fotos #portugalalive #portugal_lovers #unlimitedportugal @focalmark

A photo posted by João Teixeira (@picoteixeira) on Feb 2, 2017 at 1:34pm PST

Sometimes you don't need to travel far and you can find amazing things in your own backyard. Caught this Heron as he dove in and got a 2 for 1 fish catch. Nature photo challenge. #birds #greatblueheron #nature #wildlifephotography #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge #nikon #nikond7100

A photo posted by Oh The Places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on Feb 2, 2017 at 1:31pm PST

Christmas Tree Rock, #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Bryan Reynolds (@bryanjrey) on Feb 2, 2017 at 12:41pm PST

The Red Kites of Bwlch Nant yr Arian 😍. My favourite birds which I only get to see once or twice a year. This photo is one of hundreds I took last year.

A photo posted by Roger Hunt (@rmhphotographic) on Feb 2, 2017 at 9:01am PST

El Calafate, Argentina #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on Feb 2, 2017 at 3:03am PST

Arizona sunset #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Donald Lynskey (@slinky49) on Feb 2, 2017 at 1:32am PST

This is the first time I have ever gotten a good, close shot of a brown pelican. I didn't realize they had any coloring other than brown! (@ritza518, you're never getting your #tamron70200 lens back 😜) • • • • #prtvwildchallenge #prtv #brownpelican #oxnardshores #venturacounty #caligrammers #california_igers #californiacaptures #birdsofinstagram #shorebirds #canon70d

A photo posted by Nancy Francis (@natnee) on Feb 1, 2017 at 6:11pm PST

Day 6 - Nature Photography Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by bob grzembski (@bobbiog_) on Jan 31, 2017 at 5:16pm PST

A butterfly sipping nectar #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Betsy Masterson (@betsymasterson) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:03am PST

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on Feb 1, 2017 at 4:34am PST

Leopard lady lounging on a rock during a Serengeti sunset. Say that 5 times fast! :) She was one of my favorite animals in Tanzania. The big cats possess such a regal, hypnotic aura, it's almost impossible not to be drawn to them. #prtvwildchallenge #sigmalenses #teamcanon #mckaylivetanzania2016 #naturephotography #africa #serengeti #wildlife #thomsonsafaris #getoutside

A photo posted by Becky Bardin Photography (@beckybardinphoto) on Jan 31, 2017 at 6:07pm PST

As part of the #naturechallenge with Photorec.tv I figured I'd post a few of my backlog of photos as it's the thing going around on Instagram with our own additional tag #PRTVwildchallenge. There's still time to join with your own photos! Today's shot is from fall, chilling out, with a posing sandhill crane at Kensington Metropark. ______________________________  @MIMetroparks #getoutandplay #OaklandCounty #prtv #sandhillcrane #crane #birdsofinstagram #naturephotography #wildlifephoto #wildlifeaddicts #michiganphotographer #puremichigan #wanderlust #natureaddict #puremichigan #puredetroit #motorcityshooters  #instabird #your_best_birds #bestbirdshots #nuts_about_birds #nature_seekers #getoutside #hikingadventures #nature_shooters  #instago #roadtrip #miplayground #igersmidwest

A photo posted by Roy McKee III (@roymckeeiii) on Jan 31, 2017 at 6:25pm PST

Hands-on GLOBETROTTER AIR

Overall I am impressed with this small travel tripod that is a lightweight tripod at just 3.2 lbs and a packable tripod at a folded of 12.2"! AND it provides a few features that may be a gimmick but I will let you decide.https://youtu.be/C7zcg54CrXwFollow Steve on his Patagonia/Antarctica AdventureHANDS-ON MEFOTO GLOBETROTTER AIR - This new line of MEFOTO Tripods offers a very packable and lightweight tripod but at what cost? Is this the perfect travel tripod at 3.2 lbs and 12" packable AND it provides a monopod/selfie stick along with a bluetooth remote. Would you use or are they just gimmicks?Buy the MEFOTO GLOBETROTTER AIR

Day 5 - Nature Photography Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Blue heron, salt water, gnarly tree - ingredients for one of my favorite photos! Nothing like some good tree "bones" to get me excited! #teamcanon #naturephotography #prtvwildchallenge #florida #getoutside #wildlife #tree

A photo posted by Becky Bardin Photography (@beckybardinphoto) on Jan 30, 2017 at 10:05pm PST

Central Missouri morning #PRTVwildchallenge #prtv @focalmark #naturephoto #watchthisinstagood #artofvisuals #awesome_earthpix #landscape_captures #rsa_rural #natureaddict #nature_wizards #awesomeearth #naturediversity #ourplanetdaily #earth_deluxe #focalmarked #naturephoto #main_vision #artofvisuals #watchthisinstagood #landscape_captures #awesome_earthpix #natureaddict #rsa_rural #awesomeearth #nature_wizards #ourplanetdaily

A photo posted by Maxim Muir (@anscochrome) on Jan 31, 2017 at 4:24am PST

Good Macro Morning! #snow #snowday #macro_captures #macrophotography #macro_x #macro_freaks #macro_spotlight #creation #answersingenesis #nikonnofilter #sigmamacro #nature #naturephotography #outdoorphotographer #asi_es_macro_ #goodmacromorning #macro_highlight #nikonfallpa #insta180 #theinstagramlab #pawildlife #pennsylvaniaphotographer #teampawild #macrophotographyworld #majestic_macros #prtvwildchallenge #macroaroundworld #pennsylvaniawildlife #jjcommunity Shares welcome to those tagged by me

A photo posted by Tonya Wilhelm (@wilhelmphotography) on Jan 31, 2017 at 6:56am PST

How wild can a snail be? #prtvwildchallenge #day2 #prtv #amsterdamsewaterleidingduinen #nikond7000 #50mmnikkor

A photo posted by Doortje van Helden (@doortjevanhelden) on Jan 31, 2017 at 12:13pm PST

Day 6 of 7 for the nature photo challenge. I was dropped off for a hike and I stumbled on this path to nowhere that was so enticing to go explore #nature #banffnationalpark #alberta #hiking #wildlifephotography #travel #travelphotography #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge #nikon #nikond500 #canada

A photo posted by Oh The Places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on Jan 31, 2017 at 3:29pm PST

Meet the Canadian Wood Duck. Common in these parts of Quebec. Caught this guy at the Biodome this week. Quack! 📷 Canon 7D #duck #ducks #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Arnold Bernardo (@arnoldyvr) on Jan 31, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

Day 4/7 of #PRTVwildchallenge. Remembering Joshua Tree National Park, its wild trails and desert flowers, and the nimble #slackline athletes. . . . . . . #rockclimbing #LF10k #LifeOfAdventure #liveauthentic #letsgosomewhere #optoutside #getoutstayout #naturephotography #landscapephotography #travelphotography #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #travelgram #instago #traveling #trip #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #travelstories

A photo posted by Nick Gracilla (@nick.gracilla) on Jan 30, 2017 at 4:03pm PST

Day 4 - Nature Photography Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Peregrine falcon with Lunch #photography#prtvwildchallenge #nature #nbc4ny #abc7ny #photochallenge #wildplanetphotomag #wildlife #earthexplorer #birdofprey

A photo posted by RONI CHASTAIN (@ronichas) on Jan 29, 2017 at 5:50pm PST

Mama Cheetah in Selenkay Conservancy, Kenya. Just prior to her capturing a baby Thompson's gazelle and giving it to her two cubs. Day 4 #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Lynne Roberts (@roberts.yule) on Jan 30, 2017 at 1:00am PST

Day 5 of the #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Kylee Doyle (@doyle.kylee) on Jan 30, 2017 at 11:54am PST

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Ebeth Ungerleider (@hanglidr) on Jan 29, 2017 at 6:29pm PST

Care to share? . . . #squirrel #animalphotography #wildlife #naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #goldengatepark #urbanpark #sanfrancisco #wildbayarea #canon #teamcanon #prtv #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Justin Lai (@justlai87) on Jan 30, 2017 at 5:41pm PST

Day 5 of 7 for the nature photo challenge. #nature #banffnationalpark #lake #alberta #sunrise #hiking #wildlifephotography #travel #travelphotography #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge #nikon #nikond500 #canada #morainelake

A photo posted by Oh The Places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on Jan 30, 2017 at 5:22pm PST

Instagram Winners - Product

Continuing on our last challenge of flash photography a product Instagram challenge this week really narrows the field. It was up to you which product to shoot but each presents their own challenges in getting a photo to look just right. Especially considering in a lot of tabletop setups you need lighting equipment to get the product lit how you’d like for the shot. There were some nice entries this week from traditional tabletop setups to larger outdoor shots that really showed off some great camera skills. One of the harder challenges to shoot for next week, you'll be shooting white as a color challenge. White can be tricky as any exposure to high and you’ll blow out a photo. Going too low as well ends up with dull colors and a gray photo. Just like in the shooting red article you will have to keep a keen eye on your histogram. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_white.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Frame filling perfectly lit goodness.  Only critique - the fried fish in the bottom is just ever so slightly out of focus and now I am hungry!!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPqbndhBDWc/The lighting here is superb and showcases the guitar beautifully.https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtl_ecA_36/Nice location and the converging clouds really help to lead the viewer to the snowmobile.   I would crop in a little tighter and remove the trail stakes in the background.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Seemingly chaotic scenes can be some of the best for food. Having plates slightly cropped off help fill the frame nicely and give the photo depth. As Toby said the fish is a bit soft but considering the angle and depth of field it still worked out nicely.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPwREZQlvFt/This works great as a food shot using brightly colored spices. Considering they are reflective going with a smaller depth of field played nicely with the highlights. Guessing these are copper but you’ve got an off orange reflection to your left I’d try to tone down with a hue/saturation layer in photoshop. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtbSU8BqdN/Not a big surprise to see our entrepreneur of the group Heather putting up her nice camera straps. A more traditional product shot you used a reflective surface to get that great reflection working down the photo but also included a bit of fill light.

Day 3: Nature Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

The Big Sur Adventure Series - The Promised Land: McWay Falls • Nestled into the idyllic oasis of McWay Cove is an isolated beach, where inland water flows down in a stream. This natural waterfall makes up McWay Falls. This photo doesn't even come close to capturing the beauty of this special place. • McWay Falls is a "beauty out of ashes" sort of story. Prior to 1983, the waterfall that makes up McWay Falls ran off directly into the ocean. But, an event in 1983 changed the landscape into what it is now. • More of the story to come in the next post...

A photo posted by Jimmy Arcade (@jimmyarcade) on Jan 29, 2017 at 12:21am PST

&bnsp;

Day 3 #prtvwildchallenge Soft salty waves caressed our feet 🌊 🍦Happy Sunday peeps 🏖 #stiffupperlens #prtv #macro_brilliance #dof_brilliance Nikon D500 Nikon 17-55mm DX lens

A photo posted by Cara D (@cara_devtog) on Jan 28, 2017 at 1:26pm PST

&bnsp;&bnsp;

Day 3 or 7 of the Nature Challenge. This was shot in Guanella Pass outside Georgetown Colorado. #prtvwildchallenge #colorado #outdoorphotography #guanellapass

A photo posted by Colby Pappel (@colbs26) on Jan 29, 2017 at 8:43am PST

&bnsp;

#prtvwildchallenge snow leopard may he Rest In Peace...

A photo posted by Rick Sroka (@ricks.photo) on Jan 29, 2017 at 8:27am PST

&bnsp;

Weird pre tornado light #PRTVwildchallenge #prtv @focalmark #nature_perfection #folkcreative #VisualsOfLife #gearednomad #MoodyGrams #visualambassadors #exklusive_shot #thecreative #peoplescreatives #sombresociety #royalsnappingartists #sombrescapes #focalmarked #naturephoto #watchthisinstagood #artofvisuals #awesome_earthpix #landscape_captures #rsa_rural #natureaddict #nature_wizards #awesomeearth #naturediversity #ourplanetdaily

A photo posted by Maxim Muir (@anscochrome) on Jan 29, 2017 at 7:07am PST

&bnsp;

In Bali. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on Jan 29, 2017 at 6:32am PST

Day 2: Nature Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

It's #FactoryFriday, well not really but here is a shot of #factorybutte taken a few minutes after a crazy colorful sky (which I'll post in the future). #Hanksville #beaUTAHful #igsouthwest #landscape #nature #desert #divine_deserts #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Michael Siemann (@mtmanmike) on Jan 27, 2017 at 9:10am PST

Not shared this one before . . . a very wet Chaffinch ! Birds often take shelter when it's raining, but when there is a good supply of food at a nearby feeder it seems that it takes preference over keeping dry😁#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Roger Hunt (@rmhphotographic) on Jan 27, 2017 at 10:23am PST

Taking a break from the rain #nature #hiking #chipmunk #nikon #nikond500 #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge

A photo posted by Oh The Places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on Jan 27, 2017 at 3:53pm PST

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on Jan 27, 2017 at 6:02pm PST

Nakuru, Kenya. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on Jan 28, 2017 at 4:25am PST

Thievery. A red fox makes off with not one, not two, but three granola bars stolen from an unattended golf cart. #golf #splendid_animals #igscwildlife #igscglobal #nature_brilliance #ig_great_pics #prtvwildchallenge #abc7now #nature_of_our_world #wildlife_vision

A photo posted by Douglas Croft (@douglascroftimages) on Jan 27, 2017 at 1:12pm PST

Are you having fun participating in this 7-day challenge?  Join our Weekly Challenge. More Info

Day 1: Nature Challenge

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Day 1 of a 7 day nature challenge. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Marcus Koehn (@marcuskoehn) on Jan 26, 2017 at 7:33pm PST

Day 1 of the #prtvwildchallenge #lunamoth #moth #hiking #canon #prtv

A photo posted by Heather (@ten8e) on Jan 27, 2017 at 5:15am PST

"Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain." Jack Kerouac #nature #mountain #britishcolumbia #yohonationalpark #clouds #travel #travelphotography #nikon #nikond500 #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge

A photo posted by Oh The places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on Jan 26, 2017 at 6:36pm PST

My first post for the #PRTVwildchallenge - took this when we drove up to the snow a couple weeks ago

A photo posted by Kylee Doyle (@doyle.kylee) on Jan 26, 2017 at 7:44am PST

 Are you having fun participating in this 7-day challenge?  Join our Weekly Challenge. More Info

Tips for Completing a 365 Day Photography Challenge

A 365 day photography challenge is the perfect way to work on your photography skills while documenting more of the little moments in life. Even with the best of intentions, it’s difficult to stick to such a big commitment. As with many long-term challenges and resolutions, most people give up within the first couple weeks. The following tips will help you get the most out of your 365 day photo challenge and complete it successfully.

Carry your camera with you everywhere

The single best way to ensure you take a photo every single day of the year is to carry your camera with you at all times. If you don’t already have a camera bag, invest in a bag so you can carry your camera with you safely.

Pay attention to your everyday surroundings

During a 365 day challenge, you’ll take a lot of photos in places you spend time every day, such as your home and office. The challenge is a perfect excuse to check out new areas of town, but there will be days you only have time for a quick photo in the evening at home before you edit and post the photo and head to bed. Think about photography opportunities in these ordinary settings, such as a great area for lighting in your living room or a funny toy sitting on your desk at work. Some of your photos of seemingly boring objects may end up being your most interesting compositions.

Consider using themes

There are no set rules for completing a daily photography challenge besides taking and editing a photo every single day. You may find it freeing to work through the challenge with no themes, which is completely fine. However, you may find it easier to stay motivated when you use themes or create challenges within the challenge. Photorec.tv has a weekly Instagram challenge, which is perfect for photo challenges. The 52 Week Dogwood Challenge is another great way to find themes for your challenge and connect with other photographers.

Post your photos publicly

Posting your photos publicly keeps you accountable for the duration of the challenge. It’s scary to put yourself out there creatively, but it’s also exciting to share your photography and get feedback on it. Posting your photos publicly allows you to connect with other photographers who are completing 365 day challenges. If you post your photos on a social media account, use relevant hashtags, such as #365daychallenge or #365dayphotochallenge to boost your exposure.

Brainstorm ideas for future photos

Some weeks of your year-long photo challenge will go smoothly because you’ll be out and about every day, and you’ll have tons of ideas for photos. Other weeks you may find yourself in a total rut. Brainstorming ideas regularly will help you get through the tougher weeks. Keep a small notebook with you or create a document or note on your phone to record ideas. You don’t have to use all the ideas you brainstorm. Having an ongoing list ensures you’ll always have the next idea in mind.

Keep up with your editing and posting

Get into a habit of shooting, editing, and posting a photo every single day. It may be tempting to wait and post-process an entire week’s worth of images at once. Before you know it, a week turns into a month, and you haven’t posted a photo online in weeks. Then you have a whole pile of photos to edit, which may get overwhelming. Editing and posting a single photo takes a few minutes. Set aside time for this task every evening so you don’t get behind.

Don’t expect perfection

Not every photo you take during the 365 day challenge is going to be amazing. There will be days that you get really discouraged and want to give up. Stick it out through the tougher days with mediocre photos, knowing that over the course of the year, you will get a few truly amazing photos that make you really proud.

Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a few days

Inevitably, there will be a day or two during the year that you simply forget about the challenge or have such a crazy day that getting a photo in just doesn’t happen. Don’t get discouraged when this happens. When you miss a day, you can skip over it and keep going or you can make up for it by taking two photos the next day. Either option is completely fine. The important thing is to keep going! Don’t let a missed day stop you from finishing the challenge.Have you completed a 365 day photography challenge? Do you have any additional tips? Leave your insight in the comments!

Instagram Winners - Flash

Some brighter subjects this week thanks to lighting with the #PRTV_flash Instagram Challenge.  Something you'll discover early on taking photos is you need more light. Either you get a faster lens so the sensor receives more light or you make more light of your own. The latter we focused on this week making a bit of creative lighting for great portraits, catching the action with a 2nd curtain, or even one that took things a bit too literally in a good way.Compounding on this week's challenge will flow into next week with a product Instagram challenge. Pretend you're shooting for a magazine and do a full spread of food lit by a softbox. Or aim big doing automotive photography, shooting a car at sunset, something from my background.  Any product, anyway, anyhow, and it's your choice which way you would like to approach the challenge.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_product.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPWlSbchdgT/Jane has a great photo with dead on exposure in a creative way making a neat story.  Flashes can be props for lighting effects or hidden in a photo easily to make on the spot lighting. In this case, you used that to your advantage creatively making a shot of reading a book turn a bit more magical and a shot to stand out.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfZjrMBr0-/Krystal shooting a bit of a classic portrait with a twist makes for a nice shot of her daughter for this week's challenge. Bringing lighting closer to your subject can create a vignette for your photos used to great effect in this photo. It gives quite the contrast to the wood grain background going black as it will light your subject up nicely to stand out.https://www.instagram.com/p/BPdqfADDxov/Alternatively, unlike Krystal's photo, you can get quite creative with multi light setups for portraits. Eileen has a neat shot this week using lighting to soften the face but harder light contrasting in the back as a hair light with a blue gel accounting for the color temperature difference. Professionally setups like these would be kept in a "look book" so you'll have your recipes down when you need them and samples to show your customers.

The New Sigma 85mm ART lens is SHARP

I have been testing this lens on a Mckay Photography Academy trip this past week and have found it to be an exceptionally sharp lens!   And it stays sharp wide open at f/1.4! Here are some sample shots with the 85mm f/1.4 at or near f/1.4. Click each to see large or scroll down to the dropbox link!Order your copy of the Sigma 85mm ART from B&H Photo $1,199.00Follow me on Instagram to see more images from this trip and the 85mm f/1.8  Download/View images at 100% Size Order your copy of the Sigma 85mm ART from B&H Photo $1,199.00  

Instagram Winners - Textures

This week you went small with textures, something requested quite a bit when we called for ideas for the scheduled challenges. Like with the horse I reposted on Instagram sometimes people forget the details and often they can be the most important, or at least your best shot of the day. You guys had some great shots this week, I like that you went large as well as macro capturing texture of buildings as well as the small things.Your challenge for next week is flash, use your lighting equipment such as speedlight or strobes for photos specifically. Adding a bit of light on your subject always helps and it’s a good practice for your skills. Speedlights are not limited to people, you can use them for product shots or even wildlife so it’s up to you how you want to approach this challenge. Test your skills this week and share on Instagram with #PRTV_Flash.A bit lost or starting out? Checkout this video on Mastering your Flash- The Basics on YouTubeTo enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_flash.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPLZO7bhm4i/This is texture that tells a story- I love this still life shot that just happens to have so much texture, so much history in that texture - from the weathered wood to the rusty metal -fantastic shot!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNrZkQlhqCC/Part of me want’s to hold my breath while I look at this photo - there is such subtle, fragile texture here- Love this macro! https://www.instagram.com/p/BPIrNAfjawf/This isn’t texture as I usually think of it but the detail and lighting here make this a very tactile photo and I can practically feel the fleshy orange through it all.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO6-O5KDo93/When it comes to shooting texture going to those macro levels can pay off for a photo. Prerana has a great shot of a jute rope that is bundled loose enough it has a lot of nice strands coming loose for detail. Shooting sidelit in this case helped a lot as it puts a lot of contrast on the subject.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPNnJiRh938/The favored angles of one of my friends when it comes to trees this is always a great angle for getting that texture of the bark or moss with a nice bokeh. Keeping your focus point nice and close works great as it pushes the bokeh further giving your photo a long transition to the background. https://www.instagram.com/p/BNrZkQlhqCC/Being the season for it the weather makes a good time for shooting frost and snowflakes like this great shot from Tonya. Getting down to super macro levels you can get the detail in snowflakes getting to that point you can see the formation and texture of the crystals.