by Skip Cohen

It's Tamron Tuesday, and regardless of whether or not you shoot with Tamron lenses, their newsletter is outstanding. It's always filled with good solid content sharing what other artists are doing to grow their brand, skillset, and creativity.

Depending on the stories they run in each issue, you'll pick up valuable information about shooting with different focal lengths too.

Click on the subscribe banner to the right to sign up - it's free, and Tamron doesn't bury you in spam, just great content.

And, if you're looking for more worthwhile content, check out their YouTube channel. With 346 videos and growing more every week, you'll find topics covering virtually every aspect of photography.

Here are two examples - First, their 60-second tips series, and second, an in-depth profile travel log featuring Luke Stackpoole. He fulfilled a long-cherished dream and traveled for several weeks through one of the most beautiful countries in Africa: Namibia. It's loaded with stunning images and great content. You can learn a lot "traveling" with another artist, even for just a few minutes.  

I love sharing these longer videos because they not only tell the story from the artist's perspective but watch it and think about the production values and how you'd tell your story.

by Skip Cohen

​For me, the fun of Tamron's YouTube channel goes a lot deeper than just great images and "hanging out" with artists from around the world.

​For example:

• Pay attention to the way they tell the story. Sure it's about a lens and getting to know Kenna Klosterman, but it's also a storyboard for how you might tell the story about your own photographs or business.
• The videos Tamron shares are even more fun when I know the artist. I first met Kenna many years ago when I did a two-day Creative Live segment on business and marketing. As one of the directors on the sidelines, she often helped me look better than I deserved. LOL, I refer to that project as "the most fun I don't want to do again." With over 900 slides over two days of marketing/business education, it was a remarkable experience. 
• Never been to Seattle? Kenna's the perfect guide - In just two minutes you'll go from the city to the sea.

Let's not forget the lens itself! The 28-75mm F2.8 is perfect for travel. While you'll often hear people argue that one lens can't do it all, combined with Sony gear, it comes pretty close! Remember, these are screen grabs I'm sharing - so, think about how sharp the original files must be.

Click on any of the three screen grabs to visit Kenna's website and see more of her work!

Check out Tamron's rebate page for great deals on other Tamron lenses. They're manufacturing some of the finest optical glass in the world, and you owe it to yourself to capture the very best images for yourself as well as your clients.

by Skip Cohen

​This could well be my favorite video that Ken has done for Tamron over the years, and what better time to share it than on a Tamron Tuesday?

First, is the video itself. Just trust me on this and grab a cup of coffee and kick back and spend four minutes of your day as Ken wanders along the east coast of New England photographing lighthouses. I don't know if it's the music, the birds, the sound of the ocean, or just Ken's love for what he's doing, but it's incredibly soothing to watch.

​Second, it's not a hard sales pitch - in fact, it couldn't be more soft-sell. And regardless of whether or not you shoot with Tamron, it's got a little educational twist and will leave you wishing you were hanging out along the Maine coast.

Third, special projects are a key to keeping your sanity, especially these days. None of us know what to believe in the world, and stepping away from your direct business and just being out with your camera is the perfect way to get your head back in the game. Special projects stimulate creativity and help you focus your priorities.

Ken's shooting with Tamron's 24-70mm lens. If you'd like more information, just click on the thumbnail to the right. And if you're thinking about some gear, Tamron's got a great program going on right now.

Tamron's making some of the finest glass in imaging, but don't take my word for it. Visit your Tamron dealer. And to my buddy, Ken Hubbard, nicely done and team from Tamron - nicely done!

by Skip Cohen

With all the challenges coming out of the pandemic and travel for many of you limited, David Akoubian shares some terrific insight into how he turned his backyard into a bird sanctuary. David's a phenomenal artist and Tamron Image Master, now with one of his favorite subjects literally on his doorstep every day!

​I love the way Tamron and David have put this video together with a solid "how-to" approach to the sanctuary and great tips on technique and learning the behavior of the birds themselves. But there's a sidebar backstory I appreciate even more - this is about "Personal Projects." Projects like this help keep you stay focused on the passion for why you became a photographer in the first place. Personal projects help save you from being buried under the stress of the day-in-day-out challenges of building your business!

​Tamron never slows down in support of photographers. In addition to over three-hundred videos on their YouTube channel, you'll find their tech team regularly supporting events around the country to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images.

Check out the links below for information on Tamron's NEW 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD Lens for Sony E Mount cameras, along with their ongoing active schedule of events in your area! If you haven't checked out Tamron lenses lately, they're making some of the finest optics in imaging! 

And check out David's website for information about his workshop schedule, along with his blog and great images in his galleries!

by Skip Cohen

I've worked with the team at Tamron on different projects for many years. While it's their never-ending quest for quality in their products that's made them a leader in optics, the passion and enthusiasm of their staff sets the standard. They never slow down in working to help photographers raise the bar on their skillset.

Check out the short intro on "Tammy Talk" about their new 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD Lens for Sony E Mount cameras in the first video and then watch pro photographer Glynn Lavender in action with the second. And besides the information about the new lens, pay attention to the way they tell the stories - short, sweet, and to the point. While I know it's a lens they're talking about, think about how you'd tell the story of your business, and all in two minutes or less.

Tamron's entire product line continues to grow. Check out the complete lineup of Sony E-mount lenses now available with a click on the banner below.
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Intro by Chamira Young

As our economy opens up across the nation, it's fun to see music concerts come back. There's nothing more thrilling than the vibe and energy of people coming together to unify behind a great musical artist. And if you're the photographer, you get the extra thrill of documenting the event! That's why we get such a kick out of sharing photographer Andrew Dobin's work today. You'll get a glimpse into how he takes stunning concert photos that are downright breathtaking. You'll feel like you've got the best seats in house! 

Using his trio of lenses - the SP 45mm F/1.8 VC prime, SP 70-200mm F/2.8 VC G2, and SP 15-30mm F/2.8 VC G2 wide-angle - he's able to capture crisp, dynamic photos. Click on any of lens images to learn more about them. Check out the post below and learn about his evolution as a visual artist, as well as his creative process. You're sure to be inspired! 

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.
Don't make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing 
and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off of you!
Maya Angelou

by Skip Cohen
 
​While we're all tired of talking about the pandemic and last year's challenges, there are some unique things to come out of the crisis. For example, within the photographic specialties, landscape photography was always accessible while still maintaining social distancing and health restrictions. And now, as we start to get back to normalcy, more photographers are traveling again, and capturing images outdoors and the landscape is more popular than ever. 

Chef Jonny Hill, when he launched his career in imaging, simply loved the outdoors. While there's probably nothing he can't photograph, hiking, camping, and being an explorer, right after his wife and newborn son, are at the very top of his list of passions. Living in Utah, which he describes as a "gateway to the west" in the podcast, has given him a never-ending canvas to capture his artistic visions, especially the night sky.

Check out Jonny's website, Instagram pages, and YouTube channel, and you'll immediately meet an artist who walks the talk with every click of the shutter. Jonny was also very specific over why he chose the 35-150 lens for his first image shared in last week's post. 
 
I made a statement many years ago about loving photography, "You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it!"  Well, Jonny's heart is completely in it, and he's committed to not only raising the bar on his own skills but helping other photographers improve theirs. He needs to be on your radar, and if you've got an interest in becoming a better landscape artist, keep your eye on his website for announcements of workshops next year.

And make it a point to follow Tamron's programs, because they set the standard for commitment to helping photographers raise the bar on the skillset. They're making some of the finest optics in imaging with the quality needed to help raise the bar on your images. Click on the banner below for their special savings program going on through July 4, 2021. 

Click on any image below to visit Chef Jonny's website.

Intro by Chamira Young

While it's great to know the technical aspects of your camera, it's just as important to understand how to masterfully execute your vision within your chosen niche as an artist. That's why we're featuring the high key imagery of fine art photographer Lisa Langell today. With every beautiful image she creates, she understands who it's best suited for. Her target market is the home decor buyer who wants to adorn their sunroom, kitchen, or bedroom with tasteful images, and her pieces fall under the category of decorative art. With her craft comes a deep understanding that her perfect client desires softer, more gentle images that intelligently use negative space. Rather than a super-realistic photo, they want an artist's interpretation of that image. Lisa has found her niche, and she's such an inspiration to her fellow creatives! 

Using her Tamron SP 90mm VC Macro and the SP 24-70mm VC G2 zoom lenses, she's able to capture stunning images that will make you want to fill your home's walls. Click on either image below to learn more about these great lenses. We love the constant inspiration the Tamron team brings to the table.

Check out the post below!

​Lisa has a DIY indoor studio she uses for her close-ups, using white studio boxes lit from the outside in as her backdrop. “I light it from three sides and create a diffused light,” she says. “I tend to use less light in front of my subject, so that when I expose my subject, it’s exposed properly and my background gets blown out.”

For her outdoor shoots, Lisa takes advantage of natural light, either with or without a white backdrop. “You want a bright background, and subjects that are much darker than your background,” she says. “You also want a diffused light background, with your subject backlit, so avoid full sun. Hazy, gray sky days are perfect for high-key photography. You don't want any direct light on your subject.”

Intro by Chamira Young

As the economy and world slowly opens up post pandemic, it's important to foster your creativity as an artist. That's why we're excited to share a healthy dose of inspiration that will take you across the globe!

Today we're proud to feature photographer Shawn Ogulu as he traverses the South African terrain using the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD lens for Sony E Mount. This video is truly an adventure as Shawn travels by both foot and kayak to capture breathtaking images from dynamic vantage points. With a flair for the cinematic, you get a taste for this photographer's creativity as well as what this great lens can do.

This ultra wide-angle lens is perfect for both regular use and travel photography because it's light weight and compact. It will truly help you bring your vision to life while maximizing your enjoyment as a photographer. We love the great content the Tamron team constantly brings to the industry. Check out the video below!

by Skip Cohen
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​One of the unique things about the last year with the pandemic is that we all went through it. We all learned to "hunker down," an expression I never used before 2020. We were all dealing with a level of controlled isolation and social distancing, and a lot of us learned to "pivot." There's another word that was only in my vocabulary when talking about basketball.

Chef Taylor Brumfield, while hunkered down, needed to expand her skillset and pivot into product photographer, which included a touch of animation to many of her images. But here's a fun part of Taylor's backstory - she learned to pivot long before the pandemic. She expanded her teaching skills with her retouching classes just after becoming a new Mom and needing to be home with her daughter. And her husband is in the Navy, and she's had to pivot each time they've moved over the years because of relocation.

As a Tamron Image Master, Chef Taylor is shooting with a variety of Tamron lenses. We featured some of her images with the SP24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens in last week's post. Tamron's SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD Macro lens is another favorite, and we've included it in today's gallery. Just click on the banners below for more information about these remarkable pieces of glass! 

Check out her website, galleries, and retouching schedule with a click on any of her images in this post. And if you're headed to IUSA in January, I'm sure Taylor will be involved at what promises to be an outstanding convention.

The pandemic didn't slow Taylor down from capturing and creating beautiful images, and Tamron never slowed down either. They're making some of the finest optics in imaging with the quality needed to help raise the bar on your images. Click on the banner below for their special savings program going on through July 4, 2021. 

Things are easing up, and slowly, we're getting back to normal. So, it's time to get back out there and start rebuilding your business and make it even stronger than it was before the pandemic. 

by Skip Cohen

​For those who never shot with film, the expression "right out of the can" meant everything was done in camera. The "can" referenced a roll of film. According to Google, today, that's "Straight Out Of Camera," simply meaning that an image can be good enough to print straight from the camera without further processing.

Jonathan Thorpe shared the image on Facebook yeterday with the following "how-to" explanation:

Portrait I shot last night of my good friend and talented Daniel Duffin The cool part about this shot it it’s all done in camera! How? It’s actually fairly simple, the background is a Westcott FJ400 in a large parabolic umbrella, gelled with a mix or orange and yellow. The key light was another FJ400 into a beauty dish camera right. The affect you’re seeing is called dragging the shutter. I’m shooting at 1/10 of a second here and also using rear curtain sync. Rear curtain means the flash fires at the end of the shutter movement, not the beginning. So it is exposing, you move the camera, causing the background light to bleed into the image, then right before the exposure is done, the flash fires, freezing the face. Viola! Shot with the Fuji GFX 100 and my Tamron Lenses USA 85/1.8VC

Jonathan Thorpe needs to be on your radar. Check out his website and then follow him on Facebook and Instagram. He's always sharing great content!

by Skip Cohen
 
​When Chamira and I started the Tamron Recipes project, we completely underestimated the diversity of the "Chefs" who would be sharing their journeys with us. The analogy of comparing artists to chefs becomes more and more appropriate with each post and podcast. And just like great chefs, there's always a common denominator in their focus - their love for the craft. 

For May and episode twenty-nine in the series, we're moving to an entirely new cuisine with Chef Taylor Brumfield. Based out of Virginia and a Tamron Image Master, she's a photographer, retoucher, and educator. Passionate about growing her skill set and business, she started her journey in portraiture, fashion, and beauty, but as you'll hear her discuss in the upcoming podcast, the pandemic made it necessary to pivot into product photography and animation.
 
Contact with every Tamron chef always starts with a phone call and a conversation about the project. Talking with Taylor, it was so easy to find a great quote that matches her dedication and love for the craft. 

If you love your work, you'll be out there every day trying to do it the best you possibly can,
​and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you - like a fever.
Sam Walton

I'll admit it's a quote that coming out of a pandemic might seem inappropriate, but after that first conversation with Taylor, her love for the craft, Tamron, and the industry was contagious. She believes in education, expanding her skillset, and helping other photographers to do the same.

​About the Lead Image: I had already been experimenting somewhat with adding active elements to my photography in order to elevate and broaden my client offerings. But those initial experiments were mostly stop motion where the actual product or aspects of the product were in motion or engaging with the environment.

I decided to start playing with the idea of “portals” where I open up pockets of the scene or of the product and introduce a second scene that strengthens the visual concept of the scene but isn’t necessarily something that would or could happen organically without digital manipulation. I think it brings a fantastical element to the scenes and engages the viewers imagination in a way that leaves them wanting to see more and really stretches the possibilities of what I am able to do with my personal work as well as my client work.  

We hope you'll take the time to visit Taylor's website, and if you've got an interest in expanding your skills to retouching, check out her classes.  

By Chamira Young

It's no secret that we're big fans of the work of macro photographer Rhonda Coe, and for good reason. Her photography is as stunning as it is creative! Her body of work draws in the viewer's eye with her technical knowledge, as well as her attention to every detail.

In today's post, we offering a fascinating glimpse into Rhonda's macro world as she describes her creative process during this past spring. Her lens of choice is the Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 VC macro lens, with one of the big reasons being its vibration control feature, which allows her to shoot handheld much of the time.

Read the full post below, and take note of how she seeks to find the unusual no matter where she is. She also describes some challenges she's had to overcome while shooting. So whether you're in your own backyard at home or traveling across the state, remember to look for inspiration everywhere! We love the inspiration the team and Tamron is constantly bringing to the photography industry.

Intro by Chamira Young

One great way to learn more about photography is to listen to in-depth interviews featuring your fellow photographers. There's nothing like taking a deep dive into how they create their images, as well as why they love doing what they do. That's why we're excited to feature a fascinating interview with nature photographer and Tamron ambassador Alyce Bender. David Johnston from Outdoor Photography Guide serves as the gracious host as they discuss how Alyce got her start in photography and developed her passion and technique over time. Personally, I love when they discuss her creative process and how she decides on the type of image she wants to create, and how her various locations effects her decision-making process. David is an outdoor photographer himself, and so he asks fantastic questions!

One thing you'll notice is that Alyce has plenty of patience when out on the field. Her lens selection is paramount, and she always carefully considers which lens is best to capture what she sees. She typically carries five Tamron lenses in her bag at all times. For landscapes, she generally uses the Tamron 10-24mm lens and the Tamron 18-400mm lens. For wildlife, she favors the Tamron 100-400 lens and the big Tamron 150-600mm zoom lens.

Check out these great lenses below, as well as the full interview!

by Skip Cohen
 
​If you've followed Tamron Recipes for even a short time, you'll notice a common denominator with every "chef," their absolute love for the craft. And the analogy of comparing great photographers to fine chefs keeps getting more and more accurate.

This month we're bringing in a new "cuisine" with Chef Lewis Kemper. Lewis is all about capturing beautiful images outdoors and often shares photographs that simply take our breath away. Although I doubt there's anything he can't photograph, it's landscapes and wildlife that seem to own the biggest piece of real estate in his heart. He's a photographer, educator, fine art printer, and author, plus a good friend to so many people in the industry.
 
The fun of having Lewis join us this month is the history my co-host, Chamira Young, and I both share with him. Chamira had Lewis as her guest on one of her first podcasts, and Lewis and I did an episode of "Why?" on the SCU site in March 2018. Then there's another element that made working with Lewis so much fun; we share so many of the same friends.

New photographers don't realize what a small industry we are. We've all been to many of the same conventions, rubber-chicken dinners, stuck in airports over the years, or just waiting in line for an event. We've worked with many of the same vendors, and when people use the expression, "It takes a village," we're all part of that team. 

Every episode of Tamron Recipes starts with a phone call, and the conversation with Lewis couldn't have been more on point. It was easy to find a quote that fit his love for the craft and how much he wanted to share in the podcast as both an artist and educator.

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass,
but learning to dance in the rain!
Unknown Author

About Chef Lewis: In the upcoming podcast, scheduled to air on April 27, Lewis was very open about the challenges through the pandemic. One of the benefits of focusing on the outdoors is not being restricted by social distancing. He was out every day in his kayak with his camera. That pandemic also gave him time to start working with and developing some new techniques in night photography. He definitely learned to "dance in the rain." 

​About the Image: I have been taking night images for quite some time, but recently have gotten more interested in trying new techniques. In the past, I had done all my images as one exposure, but that is very limiting. Now I am experimenting with stacking images and also with using a star tracker. I am learning new things every day! 

Take the time to visit his website and especially his galleries. And if you've got an interest in outdoor photography, check out his workshops. Between his teaching modules and live workshops, there are already eight programs on the calendar for the rest of 2021 and an extraordinary trip to Kenya in 2022.
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Even through the pandemic, Tamron has never slowed down in their efforts to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images.  Check out their listing of local events, all within the appropriate safety and physical distancing guidelines.

The lens Lewis used for the image above was the  SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2.  Click on the thumbnail to the right for more information, and join us on his podcast next week when he'll talk about the challenges with doing long exposures of the night sky.

He also used Starry Landscape Tracker. Knowing many of you have an interest in the capturing the night skies, here's the link.

While I'm looking forward to the day when I don't feel the need to mention anything about the pandemic, some of you still are missing the point - 

Hunkering down is about your health, NOT about growing as an artist and expanding your skillset. Growth only happens outside your comfort zone. So, stay active in social media and spend time with your camera in your hands every day, capturing images for your most important client...YOU!

There are eight different lenses featured in Tamron's Spring Rebates - going on now through May 2. Click on the banner below for more information.

Intro by Chamira Young

Whether you're a wedding photographer or a wildlife photographer (or anything in between), it's important to get out of your comfort zone once and a while. Not only does it keep you on your creative toes, but the additional skills you learn from experimental projects may actually come in handy when you're out shooting your main subject matter later. Or, it may simply continue to keep your passion for the craft fresh and fun! In any case, it's worth exploring something difference and a while.

That brings us to today's featured photographer, Frank Kuszaj. A professional real-estate photographer by day, he's a passionate astrophotographer by night. Using his Sony mirrorless camera with the Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD telephoto lens, he takes amazing captures of the night sky that will take your breath away!

Check out the post below, and take note of the practical tips he gives to those who want to try their own hand at astrophotography. We love that Tamron is making some of the finest optics in photography, while at the same time providing fun, educational content that is second to none!

For those who want to try their own hand at astrophotography, Frank suggests first using a star finder app like Star Walk or Stellarium to help you pinpoint where the Milky Way and other celestial objects will be in the sky and at what time. Checking the weather in advance is also crucial, as clouds that roll in right as you’re about to start shooting can ruin the whole night.
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Looking for a place with as little light pollution as possible is also key, perhaps with the help of a dark-sky map. Frank lives in Eureka, a suburb of St. Louis, and he usually heads to a town called Cook Station, about a 2.5-hour drive from home, for his night sky photos. “There’s something called the Bortle Scale, which measures how much light pollution is in different areas, and Cook Station is about a 3 out of 9 (with 9 being the most light pollution, like what you’d find in the middle of a city),” he says. “It’s one of the darkest places in Missouri.”
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Once you’re there and ready to shoot, turn off the image stabilization on your camera. Make sure you have a sturdy tripod, as well as a remote camera release or intervalometer. “You don’t want to be touching your camera, to avoid shake,” he says. “I usually have my camera on an intervalometer so it takes the photos automatically. I also have a star tracker, which slowly moves in unison with the rotation of the Earth, so you can take a much longer exposure than you’d normally be able to. A star tracker is especially important when you’re shooting two-, three-, or four-minute-long exposures of galaxies while doing deep-sky photography.”

Read the rest of the post here.
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By Chamira Young

As visual storytellers, the ability to create high quality video is becoming an increasingly essential skillset to have these days. Whether you're on a Zoom call for a meeting, or taking video footage for your wedding clients, it's essential you know how to leverage this important medium. While most cameras come with the ability to simply flip a switch to record video, there are other components that are also important, such as the lens you choose to use.

That brings us to today's video feature by Tamron Student Ambassador Noah Bullock, titled ​“L O V E”. It's a short film that features his home town of Dubuque, IA and follows a short story of a couple ​on their journey to find each other. Footage shows off the versatile capabilities of Tamron’s advanced standard zoom lens 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III VC RXD on a Sony A7III with drone segments to end their story from above. Among it's many qualities, you'll get a firsthand look at the VC stabilization in the film’s panning footage. 

As you watch the video below, consider the possibilities for your own business! It's also a great way to get a feel for the 17-70mm's capabilities with video. You can check out more of Noah's work at www.noahbullockphoto.com. We love how Tamron is constantly raising the bar on both imaging and video quality, which in turn helps the industry as a whole! 

by Skip Cohen

Eugene Manning joins us in the Tamron kitchen this month. His focus is all on fashion photography. Based out of NYC, he's in one of the most competitive markets in the world for fashion. But as you'll pick up in the podcast, nothing slows down his love for the craft or goal to keep raising the bar on the quality of his images.

Over the last almost two and a half years, we've shared chefs' stories from so many different "cuisines," but Eugene is our first exclusively from the fashion world. He shares a lot of great insight into his craft, especially the importance of relationship building.

Chef Eugene's recipe is a click away, which we shared last week. Eugene was shooting with Tamron's SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD Macro lens. Just click on the banner at the bottom for more information about this remarkable piece of glass! Follow Eugene on his Instagram page; He shares both new images and information about his shooting schedule regularly. 
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As things start to improve, There are so many levels of freedom we're all realizing we took for granted. But the pandemic has also created opportunities to demonstrate leadership and have your work stand out from the crowd. Tamron never slows down making great products with the quality needed to help raise the bar on your images.

Remember, "hunkering down" is about your health, not about your business, skill set, or your creativity!  ​
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Spring Savings! In need of great optics and new gear? Check out Tamron's new Spring savings program going on until May 2, 2021.