Looking to improve your photography skills? Learn from a variety of professional photographers about a range of topics. From camera basics to advanced techniques and equipment advice, verified experts like Mike Lewis, Kristy Taylor and Simon Upton answer your photography questions.

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Folkloric and Cultural Fine Art Photographer 

Deborah Sandidge is a professional photographer and Nikon Ambassador specializing in world travel and artistic imagery. As an author and instructor, Deborah encourages others to connect with the fascinating people, beautiful places, and diverse subjects that surround us. 

Surf Photographer Zak Noyle is an island boy with a lifelong love of the sea. His father, seasoned commercial photographer Ric Noyle, introduced Zak to a camera at an early age. By 25, Zak was made senior staff photographer of Surfer Magazine. His contract work has taken him around the world, and his images have been featured in National Geographic, London Times, ESPN, Surfer Magazine and more. He has worked with Chanel, Stussy, RVCA, Billabong, Mastercard and Desillusion Magazine. Zak's images have won numerous awards, including "Best Photo of the Year" by Surfer in 2011. He also shares his passion with fine art collectors through limited edition prints. Zak follows the wind and tide patterns to find the best waves of the day. Being in the water with his camera when the next big swell rolls through is a lifestyle, an art, and a passion.

Fashion & Advertising Photographer
Nikon Ambassador
Www.Dixiedixon.com 
IG @iamdixiedixon
Dixie@dixiedixon.com

Jasin Boland is a renowned global motion picture still photographer whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, billboards and movie posters around the world. He has captured the raw emotion of action franchises such as The Matrix, James Bond and Jason Bourne. As a member of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers, Jasin has photographed the first three Matrix films and the last three 007 Bond films. As he reflects on his achievements, he sees many more highlights in his career yet to come. Jasin is an avid supporter of aspiring photographers, believing that the enthusiasm of the craft is the heart of photography. He owes much of his success to the mentors and professionals who nurtured his love of photography and helped to propel his career.

Mine Kasapodlu is a traveling sports and portrait photographer based in Istanbul, Vienna, and Antalya. She has covered 5 Winter, 4 Summer, and 5 Youth Olympic Games. She specializes in Swimming, Alpine Ski, and Snowboard World Cup races and is a Red Bull photographer. Her photos have been exhibited around Europe, including in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has collaborated with Vogue Turkey and has two books published by the Olympic Museum. She is a brand ambassador for Sony’s Alpha 9. Mine was on the Turkish National Ski and Snowboard teams. Mine was on the Turkish National Ski team from 1993-1994 and the Turkish National Snowboard team from 2006-2010. Having been an athlete herself, she is fascinated by the action and the emotions that take over while competing and training.

Steve Brazill is a music photographer based in Southern California. He is also the host of the Behind the Shot Podcast. Music has been a special force in Steve’s life for as long as he can remember. As a radio host, emcee, and voice actor, he’s been around the music and entertainment industry for many years. You can find him on air at KCAL FM where he also handles their concert photography. Steve is one of the photographers at Toyota Arena where his goal is to combine his love of music and photography and tell viewers a story about the show. 

Charlie Hamilton James is a National Geographic Magazine photographer specializing in issues concerning conservation, natural history, and anthropology. At 16, he worked on David Attenborough's “The Trials of Life”, and has since been commissioned by National Geographic, the BBC's Spring/Autumnwatch, and The Natural World. In 2001, he set up Halcyon Media to focus on wildlife production, and in 2007 produced “An Otter in the Family”. He also made “Halcyon River Diaries”, and “I Bought a Rainforest” in 2014. He moved to Wyoming in 2015 with his three sons. He was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 1991/2 and nominated in three categories for Wildlife Cameraman of the Year in 2007.

Oh man. These are weird times to be starting in photography, the onset of AI tools like DALL-E will forever change the entire creative industry. Some jobs, some jobs aren't exist anymore. But on the flip side, I'm sure a whole host of new jobs are going to be created. That's what history tells us anyway. Either way, it is a difficult time to be an established photographer, let alone a photographer starting off. I would say though, that the best strategy is to embrace these new tools. They're not going to go away. And the creatives that are left standing, I think they're going to be the ones that really understand and embrace this new technology.

It's a difficult time to be starting in photography, but the best strategy is to embrace the new AI tools and technologies that are emerging. This will help you remain competitive and open up new creative opportunities.

What’s the best advice you could give for someone looking to make photography a career?

Embrace new technology: AI's impact on photography careers.

In these unique times for photography, with the rise of AI tools like DALL-E, the creative industry is undergoing significant changes. Some jobs may no longer exist, while new opportunities will likely emerge. It's a challenging period for both established photographers and those starting their careers.

My best advice would be to embrace these new tools rather than resist them. These technologies are here to stay, and the photographers who thrive will be the ones who truly understand and embrace this new technology. Adapting to the changing landscape and incorporating these tools into your work can help you stay relevant and competitive in the industry.

Interesting question. What's my favorite camera brand? Do you guys follow me on Instagram? Full disclosure, I'm a brand ambassador for Sony, Sony Europe Alpha 9 specifically. But really, I can't use anything I don't love. I would never be an ambassador for anything I don't really stand with my own, with my heart. And Sony has changed the game in sports photography by bringing out the first mirrorless designed for sports photography, and it just changed the way I work, and I can get so many more amazing moments with my Sony. So I'm super, super happy with it, and yeah, so there you go.

My favorite camera brand is Sony and I am a brand ambassador for their Alpha 9 series.

Sony's Alpha 9: Changing the Game in Sports Photography

Interesting question! My favorite camera brand is Sony. I am actually a brand ambassador for Sony Europe Alpha 9, so I may be a bit biased. However, I genuinely love using Sony cameras and would never endorse a brand that I don't truly believe in. Sony has revolutionized sports photography with their mirrorless cameras designed specifically for this purpose. It has completely changed the way I work and allows me to capture incredible moments. I am extremely happy with my Sony camera and the results it helps me achieve. So, there you have it!

Hi, it's the marketing team on a movie who decide what the post is going to be? Sometimes they get me to do a studio shoot with the actors. According to the concepts, they have another times like on this on Lion they used a couple of steals a couple of photographs I shot during the making of the movie to form the poster because they decided that was the best way to tell the story and attract the largest number of people to watch it. Thank you.

The marketing team of a movie decide what the post is going to be and sometimes they get a studio shoot with the actors. They also use photos taken during the making of the movie to form the poster if it better conveys the story and attracts more viewers.

How did you decide on the cover photo for the movie Lion?

Captivating Cover Photo Selection Secrets

The decision for the cover photo of the movie Lion was made by the marketing team. In some cases, they would have me do a studio shoot with the actors based on their concepts. However, for Lion, they chose to use a couple of stills from the movie that I had taken during the production. They believed that using these photographs would effectively tell the story and attract a larger audience to watch the film. Thank you.

Zoom or prime lens? I would go with the prime lens every day. Every single day. There's something about the prime lenses. They're so much more cinematic, especially with say a 1.4 aperture. And I just love the bokeh and the quality that you get from the prime lenses, and the sharpness. So I actually only own primes and I will rent zooms when I need them for say documentary type projects, like runway events, and fashion photography events that are going to be super fast and I got to have that zoom. But otherwise, if I have full control of the production and the fashion shoot, I always choose primes. Some of my favorite primes are the 105 millimeter Nikkor, the 1.4. Gosh, I love the 200 f/2. Oh, such a great lens. And the 85, the 50, the 35. I have them all. So yeah, I definitely recommend the primes. And if you're just starting out in fashion photography, my go-to would probably be the 105 millimeter, if you could just choose one lens. So hope that helps. Peace out.

Prime lenses are much more cinematic, with a 1.4 aperture and beautiful bokeh and sharpness. If starting out in fashion photography, the 105 millimeter is a great lens to invest in.

Do you prefer a Zoom- or a Prime-Lense and why?

Prime lenses reign supreme: why they're a must-have for fashion photography

When it comes to choosing between a zoom lens and a prime lens, I would always prefer a prime lens. There's something about prime lenses that gives a more cinematic feel, especially when shooting at a wide aperture like 1.4. I love the bokeh and the overall quality and sharpness that prime lenses offer. In fact, I exclusively own prime lenses and only rent zooms when necessary for specific projects like documentaries or fast-paced fashion events.

Some of my favorite prime lenses include the 105mm Nikkor 1.4, the 200mm f/2, and the 85mm, 50mm, and 35mm lenses. I find that using primes gives me more control over the production and fashion shoots. If I had to recommend one lens for someone starting out in fashion photography, it would probably be the 105mm.

So, in conclusion, I highly recommend prime lenses for their cinematic feel and overall quality. Peace out!

Instagram says that photos are dead. But that may be true for Instagram. I don't believe that photos are dead in any way, shape, or form. I think platforms change. We think about Google Plus and how many people that were so involved in that. And then it went away. But photos are still here. So I wouldn't worry too much about the platform. The different platforms are going to change. But photography stills are as rich and beautiful and engaging as ever. So don't worry about the platform. Just keep shooting.

Photos are not dead, just the platforms that display them may change. Keep taking pictures regardless of the platform.

Instagram says photos are dead, what do you think?

The demise of Instagram photos? Not so fast. Photography remains timeless.

Instagram may claim that photos are dead, but I disagree. While this statement may hold true for Instagram itself, I firmly believe that photos are far from dead. Platforms come and go, like the example of Google Plus, which had a significant user base but eventually disappeared. However, photography as an art form and means of expression remains vibrant and captivating.

The beauty and engagement that photos offer are timeless. So, rather than worrying about the fate of a specific platform, I encourage photographers to focus on their craft and keep capturing moments through their lens. Photography will continue to thrive regardless of the ever-changing landscape of social media platforms.

Hi, Lane. Thanks for your question. I'm assuming that you're referring to how long does my battery last because my camera is still going. It's a RED Dragon, and I've had that for over 10 years. And it's a great piece of equipment. But when I'm swimming out in the water, I generally take my big batteries, which are about 240 watt-hours. And they will last me between three and four hours, depending on how much I'm recording at the time. I hope that helps.

My RED Dragon camera requires 240 watt-hour batteries, which will last me between three and four hours when I'm recording.

How long does one of your underwater cameras typically last you?

Dive into the longevity of underwater cameras: 10-year lifespan and up to 4-hour battery life!

Hi, Lane. Thanks for asking about the lifespan of my underwater camera. I assume you're referring to the battery life, as my camera itself is still functioning well. I use a RED Dragon camera, which I've had for over 10 years, and it's been a fantastic piece of equipment.

When I'm out swimming in the water, I typically bring my larger batteries, which have a capacity of around 240 watt-hours. These batteries usually last me between three to four hours, depending on how much recording I'm doing during that time.

I hope this information is helpful to you.