When it comes to taking photos, most people are fairly equipped with mobile devices in their pockets. However, for professional grade images, we’ve got to step up our game. In order to capture quality wildlife photos, it’s essential to use a camera that is fast, has the right features, and a dedicated image rendering system that a pro would use.  DSLR vs Mirrorless Cameras  What type of cameras are professionals using? You’ll have a choice between a professional grade DSLR or mirrorless camera but which is better for wildlife photography? DSLR had been the longstanding camera choice ..read more

Street photography captures a moment’s intimacy in a single image.  The culture of LA Street photography has been rising in popularity since the 1970’s when it gained momentum with photographs taken of Chicano and African American communities of gang members, low riders, and bikers. I recently sat down with street photographer, Brad Mirman at Samy’s Camera to understand what it takes to be a successful street photographer.  Brad Mirman’s iconic street photographs depict life in urban street culture through stylized black and white photographs.  He has spent the majority of ..read more

I met Kristen Ryan at the Creative Seascape workshop she taught for Samy’s Camera & Photo School. I learned that over the past ten years, Kristen has taught workshops and Capture Magic retreats that fill up within minutes of being announced. I wanted to find out more about Kristen’s ultra-popular female-focused photographic workshops and how she balances her life as a mom with her career in landscape art photography. What enticed you to run the capture magic retreats and when did you start the workshops? In 2014, I began teaching landscape photography classes with Click Communit ..read more

Sigma introduced their incredible I series of prime lenses in late 2020, and they quickly became a top choice for landscape, portrait, and street photographers. At Samy’s Camera, we wondered if they would work the same magic of low diffraction, cinematic focus, and a broad range of sharpness in a video application too?  We decided to find out and loaded our video team up for a shoot in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in Santa Margarita California.  We grabbed 6 of their prime lenses to make the test valid starting with Sigma’s newest and smallest, the 20mm F ..read more

Looking for a camera bag or backpack with the winning combination of functionality, style, and durability is no small task. Not being a total expert in the world of camera backpacks/bags, I took on the challenge to find the best options. I found many options in the marketplace, and the choices vary widely depending on your genre.   The Round-up of the Best Camera Bags and Backpacks by Genre Top Choices for Landscape and Adventure Photographers MindShift Gear PhotoCross 15 Backpack Landscape and adventure photographers seek out camera backpacks that are strong, water-resistant, and ..read more

On location in Arizona and Utah with the Canon RF 14-35mm Lens, we experienced an adventure in landscape photography made to match all of its capabilities. Canon’s latest RF is a 35mm ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, which we found to be the perfect complement to the EOS R series mirrorless cameras.   We were eager to get the new RF 14-35mm out on an adventure to experience all the capabilities of this full-range lens. Jumping on board with Samy’s Photo School’s Director of Education, Roui Israel, and Canon project educator, Jeff Leimbach, we began our quest to seek out and capture some of Am ..read more

Someone all Photographers Need to Know! Portrait in Paris I had a fascinating afternoon recently interviewing Daniel Miller, the founder of YourDailyPhotograph.com, and Duncan Miller Gallery.  Miller is internationally recognized for owning one of the largest collections of fine art photographs.  His vast knowledge of both vintage and contemporary photographs was apparent during our conversation, and YourDailyPhotograph has exposed many art photographers to their first sale. What brought you to the world of art photography? It was the late 90s and I owned a music ..read more

Showing our digital camera batteries a little TLC through proper care and nourishment is the key to longer camera battery life.  Have you ever been in the field and about to capture that crucial moment when all of a sudden your camera shuts down due to a dead battery? Worse yet, your backup battery is not charged either. It goes without saying that battery care is critical to photographic and video success. Stay in Charge and Charged up! Ever wonder how many fully charged batteries you should have when on a shooting assignment. Well, here is what many of the professionals recommend ..read more

When one thinks of fine art photography, one has to think of Tierney Gearon. Tierney is known for her colorful, provocative, and art photography images that continue to push the boundaries of contemporary art photography.  She has mastered the art of double exposure in a complex and creative fashion and it’s one of the reasons that she was discovered by Charles Saatchi in London.  Her first exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery “I am Camera” led to international acclaim.  She has consistently exhibited at noteworthy galleries and museums in both Europe and the United St ..read more

Can the Sony Alpha a7R IV Do it All? While most cameras perform quite well for various creative image-making tasks, manufacturers design, develop, and promote many models for specific applications:  sports action, wildlife, low light Astro, landscape, and other niches. Rarely is a camera announced as a ‘do it all’ workhorse camera, and the Sony Alpha a7R IV is no exception.  The ‘a7r IV’ is an evolutionary camera that has been in the lineup since 2019, and newer models have come since. However, the camera is still in high demand due to its large sensor and versatile capabilities. We ..read more