benjaminjenks

If you love photography and have a blog, then it’s a no-brainer to put them together. I’m betting you can probably take some kick-ass photos too (especially if you follow the tips here. 🙂 When you know how to take photos for your blog, you become more powerful than ever.

Unfortunately, while beautiful photos can get you bunches of “likes” and “pins” and “tweets,” if you want to take your blog to the next level, then your images must also fit the article you’re writing. They have to fit the overall tone of your blog, too.

… Continue reading How to Take Relevant & Pretty Photos for Your Blog

When your photography skills reach a certain level, a family member or friend is going to ask you to shoot their wedding. They might even offer to pay you, which could be your first real gig. Score, right? You’ve made it. 😉

Of course, later when you realize the challenge ahead of you, the pride fades to anxiety, and, googling furiously, you end up at an article like this, looking for answers. If this sounds like you, then here’s some good news: You are normal :).

… Continue reading Tips to Prepare for Your First Wedding Photography Gig

Once called the “Jay-Z of documentary photography,” Martin Parr is known throughout the world for his absurd, colorful, yet tongue-in-cheek photographs of modern life. But if you asked him about his favorite shots, he wouldn’t mention individual photographs, instead he’d point you to photography projects.

And if you want to improve your photo-taking skills, starting a project you love is a great way to do it.

… Continue reading How To Start a Photography Project You’ll Love

Light painting is a photographic technique using a hand-held light source to “paint” on the film or sensor of your camera. Essentially, you’re waving lights in front of your camera, and you never know what you’ve made until you’re done, so trial and error is required. If this sounds like fun, you’ll find five light painting experiments below you can start and finish in about 30 minutes.

This technique was created in the late 19th century by a pair of physicians who were studying movement.

… Continue reading 5 Easy but Amazing Light Painting Experiments for Beginners

Photographs from a fisheye lens look different, which can be a good or not-so-good thing.

This uber-wide angle lens let’s you get super close to your subject, yet still see the background. It’s an unusual perspective you can’t get with any other lens. But there are challenges, too. The edges are distorted, which makes some shots look weird, but below, you’ll see nine shots that work for this oddball lens.

… Continue reading Fisheye Photography: 9 Shots That Work Amazingly Well

It can be scary to start taking street portraits, especially if you’re an introvert. You like being quiet, people are busy and you don’t want to bother anyone.

But you’re a photographer, so you see all of these “decisive moments,” and every time they slip away, it hurts a little.

… Continue reading 5 Street Portrait Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Approaching Strangers