by Skip Cohen
 
If you're new to this series, I like to find a quote that seems to fit our guest "chef." After several phone conversations, followed by the podcast above, there's no question that Teal Garcia loves what she does, and her images clearly meet the definition of "great work."

Over the years, I've looked at hundreds, if not thousands, of online galleries and portfolios. One of the things I've noticed, often recognizable immediately, is the artist's ability to capture emotion. It's not just in the expressions of the subjects, but the composition, use of depth of field and even the exposure. 

One of the industry's most celebrated portrait photographers, Don Blair, used to say, "You have to learn the rules before you're allowed to break them." Teal Garcia has learned them all but chooses to violate them whenever it adds impact to a portrait. In the process, she spends a lot of time listening to her clients, building trust, and then the relationship necessary to capture their personalities in front of the camera.

Being a successful portrait artist isn't as much about the final photograph itself, but creating an experience for the client. It's about sharing your passion for the craft with your subject. It means being so involved in the process of capture, that the only difference between the artist and the client is a few feet.

Click on any of Teal's images below to visit her website. I pulled some of my favorites from her Instagram page as well. Teal Garcia should be on your radar!

by Skip Cohen

Ever feel like time is passing incredibly fast, like the hands on a clock spinning in an old movie? As we share a new "Tamron Recipes" with another "chef," I'm amazed this is now the ninth in the series. Each one has captured the passion of another chef when "cooking" with Tamron. Tamron's outstanding optical quality combined with the skillset of each guest has created a remarkably diverse body of work. 
   
Teal Garcia joins us in the Tamron Kitchen in this new episode. While her lens choice and skillset are obviously part of her success, it's her love for the craft that's a big part of the foundation for everything she does. ​With every Tamron Recipes post, I always go off in search of a quote that seems to fit both our guest "chef" and the image along with the upcoming podcast to be aired.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life,
and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.
And the only way to do great work is love what you do.
Steve Jobs

About "Chef" Teal: For the last year Teal's been based out of Oahu, Hawaii. It's a big change of scenery from previously living in Oklahoma. She's an internationally recognized award-winning portrait photographer, and there's a great line in her bio I want to share:

"I have an obsession with what I do and I love a good adventure."

Teal's husband is in the military and currently based out of Pearl Harbor. Having been around the military world in our own family, I can't help but think all the travel in Teal's life has contributed to her passion for adventure. Plus, think about how she's had to keep her skillset well-developed in order to create beautiful portraits in a wide variety of environments, no matter where she's based!

​Part II of Teal's recipe series is coming next Tuesday. You can be sure we'll be talking about the challenges of relocation; her mind's eye visions when she's working with a client and her absolute love for photography. Her website is just a click away.

Intro by Chamira Young

Not only is it a great idea to challenge ourselves as artists, but it plays a vital role in keeping us sharp for the long-term! For anyone looking for a much-needed creative boost, consider changing things up once and a while and trying something new in your photography practice.

​The good news is that deciding to step outside of your comfort zone doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, one great way is to experiment with a different lens than you're accustomed to in a given situation. In today's post, photographer Don Mammoser does just that!

Prior to heading on vacation to the Southern Caribbean with his family, he decided to switch things up. Instead of using a long lens while site-seeing, he decided to stick with the wide-angle Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8 Di wide-angle lens. It's a fantastic piece of glass, as Tamron never disappoints!

As you will see, getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to have fun and learn in the process! Check out the results he got below.

By Jenn Gidman
Images By Don Mammoser
​

When Don Mammoser and his wife decided to head to Grenada for a 17-day vacation with their 10-month-old daughter, Don decided to pose a challenge for himself: Because he often takes his travel photos with longer lenses, this time around he decided to try to capture the bulk of his images with the Tamron 17-35mm F/2.8 Di wide-angle lens. "I wanted to see what I could come up with if I just left that one lens on my camera most of the time," he says. "I loved capturing the landscapes and island scenery, as well as some of the local flavor, with just the 17-35. Plus, because of its light weight and compact size, I was able to do much of my shooting handheld, which was really convenient when my wife, daughter, and I were just walking around playing tourist."

Read on for the backstory on each of the photos here that Don captured in this tropical multi-island paradise in the southern Caribbean:
​

This photo was taken at Hillsborough Beach, on the island of Carriacou. We were staying at a resort just across the road, and we'd walk over to the beach every night when it was getting close to sunset. There are many people known as yachtees who own sailboats and cruise the Caribbean, and you'll often spot boats hanging out offshore from many of these beaches.

On this evening I was looking directly west, where the sun was going down behind those peaks and lighting up the clouds. I stopped down to 1/12th of a second, just to show a bit of the wave action. I also lined the image up so that I could capture the diagonal line of the surf meeting the shore heading up into those hills. Of course, to get that perspective, I had to get down on the ground and into the water a little—but the water was warm, I was wearing shorts and sandals, and my camera stayed dry, so it was all good.
​

My wife, daughter, and I were taking a stroll along the beach at sunset, and I spotted this one well-positioned palm tree. I knew I wanted to make this a silhouette shot, but I decided to add a human element to it. I told my wife to stand out there and play with my daughter. They were just out there having fun, my daughter giggling the entire time.

I underexposed the photo a bit and shot at a fast shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, because obviously they're both in motion a little as my wife lifts her up. I lined it up to make sure the tree had its own space and my family had their own space, so they didn't go up into the branches of the tree with their silhouettes.
​

My wife, daughter, and I were taking a stroll along the beach at sunset, and I spotted this one well-positioned palm tree. I knew I wanted to make this a silhouette shot, but I decided to add a human element to it. I told my wife to stand out there and play with my daughter. They were just out there having fun, my daughter giggling the entire time.

I underexposed the photo a bit and shot at a fast shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, because obviously they're both in motion a little as my wife lifts her up. I lined it up to make sure the tree had its own space and my family had their own space, so they didn't go up into the branches of the tree with their silhouettes.
​

​Be sure to check out Tamron's events schedule. Their team is on the road with great programs/events throughout the entire year!

by Skip Cohen

​If you've followed my posts for the last year or so, then the name Robert Vanelli won't be new to you. Attend just about any convention, and you'll find him walking the trade show, teaching or networking. He's a powerhouse and certainly not new to SCU. We've shared several of his images, and our adventures together have been highlighted in several blog posts.

He's an author, educator, podcaster, filmmaker, photographer and a good friend to so many of us in the industry. He's also one of those people who you meet, and a few months later you can't remember when he WASN'T in your life!  "Vanelli" needs to be on your radar. Click on his image above to link to his website, and if you're looking for his podcasts and articles, they're at Photofocus.com - just a click away.

Recently he was shooting with Tamron's SP 35mm lens. When I saw the image above, I knew it had to be shared on Tamron Tuesday.  He captured the image with a Nikon D810, the Tamron 35mm F/1.8 Di VC US lens. The exposure triad was f6.3 @ 1/50 ISO 800. It was all natural light and shot in aperture priority.
 
The model is Amber Intelisano, photographed at Tank America in Melbourne, Florida.

Tamron never slows down in the quality of their manufacturing and today is making some of the very finest optics in imaging! See the entire product line with a visit to the Tamron dealer nearest you.

Images copyright Voortex Productions. All rights reserved.

“Two or three things I know for sure, and one of them is that to go on living I have to tell stories,
​that stories are the one sure way I know to touch the heart and change the world.”
Dorothy Allison

by Skip Cohen
 
I love starting each Tamron Recipe with a quote that points out some unique characteristic of our "Chef." Well, it only took a few minutes to find a statement that describes Chef Charley Voorhis. He's a passionate storyteller, explorer, and adventurer. He's always focused on finding ways to expand the viewer's understanding of a subject via his filmmaking and still images. And, like the quote above he touches our hearts and changes the world one frame at a time.

A few weeks ago, I was able to sit in on one of Charley's workshops at ClickCon in Chicago. As he talked about the essential elements of a story, I couldn't help but notice that distinctive look you see on an artist's face when they're in the groove. Talking about filmmaking is all part of Charley's persona, and as an educator, he's entirely focused on the importance of the power of a great story when told in a film.

The short video below about Charley's company, Voortex Productions, says it all...
                                                             
​                                                             "We believe in the power of stories!"

​Besides his love for imaging and storytelling, another quality immediately comes out in any conversation with Charley - he's a team player. While the videos he shares are deeply rooted in his visions, it's his crew that helps him turn them into reality. Together they've written some of the best stories in imaging!

And check out the entire Tamron family of outstanding glass with a visit to your Authorized USA Dealer. Just click on the banner above to find the dealer nearest you!

While most of the work shared in the Voortex Productions portfolio are video projects and campaigns, their Instagram and Facebook pages show more about their diversity and expertise. I pulled a few of my favorite still images, but check out their videos and pay close attention to the way they tell each client's story! Click on any image below to visit Voortex Productions.

All images copyright Voortex Productions. All rights reserved.

By Chamira Young

There's nothing like upgrading a lens and seeing how it can revolutionize your work. I recall the first time I decided to do my first lens upgrade years ago, and couldn't believe I hadn't done it sooner! The quality of my work instantly skyrocketed, especially as I tested and became familiar with my new equipment.

Speaking of testing and becoming familiar with new glass, today's post is going to demonstrate how versatile and fun Tamron's SP 15-30mm F/2.8 lens is. A great piece of glass is a powerful asset to any photographer's repertoire, and when it comes to high quality glass, Tamron walks the walk. I decided to embark on a journey to see how flexible this lens could be while still maintaining high-level quality. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed in the least! From up close portraits to panoramic shots, this lens is great for a variety of situations.

​Nature

Next, I couldn't resist heading down to my favorite local park, hopping on my kick scooter, and grabbing some fun nature shots. ​I absolutely love the level of both foreground to background sharpness the lens was able to capture.
​

Panoramas

Finally, I wanted to really push the envelope in terms of how large of an object I could capture, so grabbing a shot of a local freighter crawling by was the logical decision. This behemoth felt like it was practically on top of me, and yet the lens allowed me to capture it in its entirety. As for the bridge behind it, I managed to capture a solid chunk of the structure.

"Dream big; work hard; stay focused and surround yourself with good people."
​Author Unknown

In looking for a quote to kick off Part II of our Tamron Recipes with "Chef" Erica Robinson, the quote above hit me as an almost perfect description of her work and her focus. She shares a lot of great insight in this new podcast. She's an incredibly passionate artist with a focus on not just her subject matter but adventure.

Here's my point about Erica - she's an adventurer, loving to travel and capture the stories she's able to tell with her camera. She works hard but never loses sight of the fun aspect of photography, her love for people, and new places. As part of the Tamron team, she's surrounded herself with good people. There's a line on her about page that really describes her love for the craft:

My hope, is that with one little tip or story, it will encourage YOU to explore, dare you to dance with a stranger, or inspire a new challenge in your photography and travel journey.

At a time where so many photographers waste space in their bios talking about their gear, awards, and experience, Erica shares her goal and part of her dream - to inspire us to push the boundaries on creativity and capturing our own stories. 

I hope you'll take the time for a scroll through Erica's galleries. Her images demonstrate her love for travel, people, and creativity. I pulled a few of my favorites for this post, but they don't begin to illustrate the world through Erica's eyes. Click on any image to visit her website and see more of her work.

Erica's working with one of her most favorite lenses, Tamron's SP 85mm F.1.8 Di VC USD lens. Tamron's making some of the finest optics in the world, and their part of their description online says it all:
​
"Just as a painter instinctively reaches for the right brush, a portrait artist reaches for an 85mm lens...The Tamron SP 85mm F/1.8 is the world's first* 85mm fast-aperture lens with image stabilization...What's more, our SP 85mm F/1.8 delivers edge-to-edge viewfinder brightness..."

"Chef" Erica's recipe is a click away if you missed it two weeks ago. Check out the SP 85mm lens with a click on the thumbnail to the right. And, v​isit your Tamron dealer to check this lens out for yourself.

In the podcast we talked about some of the workshops Erica's involved with. Tamron's schedule of local events and trade shows is easily accessible through the banner below. They never slow down in helping photographers raise the bar on the quality of their images, or manufacturing great glass!

by Skip Cohen

Two weeks ago, I shared a Tamron video featuring the work of Erik Stensland. While I usually don't share videos with the same artist so close to one another, after watching this one, it so deserved to be seen by more photographers. 

To start, I love Erik's honesty and the way he talks about burning out in his "previous life," and turning to landscape photography. I've heard so many stories from photographers over the years about how they got started, often making the transition from another career field through their passion for imaging. 

Second, I love the way Tamron has taken the needs artists have for the various features of the SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens and brought them together with Erik's needs while out shooting. 

Tamron is on a never-ending quest to manufacture the finest glass in photography. They're providing artists with great tools to help capture everyone's goal - the search for the ultimate image.

Erik's working with the SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens and with a click of your mouse on the thumbnail to the right you can find out more. And check it out for yourself by visiting your local Tamron retailer or catching up to members of the Tamron team at any of their upcoming events!

The Tamron team is dedicated to helping photographers raise the bar on their skill set and provide them with some of the finest creative tools in photography!

by Skip Cohen

Working together with the team at Tamron USA, Chamira Young and I started this series in January, making this our seventh episode of Tamron Recipes. As I've written in the past, we completely underestimated what we'd learn about and from each featured artist, as well as the fun we'd have in the process. "Fun" is one of those lost words in business today, but each artist has expressed their love for the craft in so many different ways and they're definitely having fun!

There's a quote credited to several people, including Steve Jobs and Confucius: "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life!" Well, each artist is dedicated not only to their specialty but virtually every aspect of imaging. They've shared incredible insight into their growth as artists, and their dedication to telling a story with each image they capture, and always with Tamron lenses. 

A passion for "giving back" has been a common denominator as each chef has opened their heart and shared a wealth of knowledge. They've allowed us to share their recipe for a single image and then expand it to their ingredients for growth in their skill set and business, often going well beyond their photographs. 

With every Tamron Recipes post, we always share a quote about the recipe for success.  I recently found this one by Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker who passed away in 2009. 

Success Recipe
2 cups faith, 2 cups love, 1 cup hard work, 1 cup persistence, 1 tbsp vision and a dash of swagger
Jim Rohn

We're jumping into the Tamron Kitchen today with "Chef" Erica Robinson. While the previous posts started with a phone call or two, today's is a little unique because Chef Erica isn't just a working artist, but also a dedicated member of Tamron's technical support team. I've met Erica many times before and she's no stranger to SCU readers having been featured in previous posts. 

When I found the recipe for success by Jim Rohn, I couldn't help but notice how well it described Erica. She's filled with faith in her skill set and understanding of the craft. She loves photography and has a passion for wearing the Tamron hat and working with other artists - if you've ever seen her at a trade show, you already know what she's like in action. She's persistent in her quest and hard work to capture an image or tell a story, and that little touch of swagger is demonstrated in her pride as an accomplished artist. 

About the images and the SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD lens: The Tamron SP 85mm "is the world's first* fast aperture lens with image stabilization." 

"It's unique design allows us to include our VC (Vibration Compensation) system - without the lens becoming too large or heavy. What's more, our SP 85mm F/1.8 delivers edge-to-edge viewfinder brightness for ease of composition and superior low-light performance. The fast aperture of the F/1.8 also offers the perfect balance of subject sharpness and bokeh, that dreamy blur which separates your portrait subject from the background."

*Among 85mm F/1.8 interchangeable lenses for full-frame DSLR cameras as of January 2016. Data source: Tamron

Click on the banner below to find out more about this outstanding member of Tamron's prime lens family.
 
When I looked at Erica's work, it was no easy task to pick one image. I couldn't do it and talked with her about using two from her past trip to Cuba. For so many of us there's still a beautiful mystique to the people, the culture and the country. Although legal travel for Americans started to open up in 1999, "President Obama restored people-to-people travel in 2011." (Source inSightCuba.com)
  
About "Chef" Erica:  One visit to Erica's galleries and you'll immediately see what I meant about her passion for the craft. I love her About-page description of herself, and it's so appropriate to share part of it here:

I won't write this out like a dating profile or write some perfect euphoric poem expressed on every Instagram post you see. But what I will tell you, is my life is in pictures. I travel around the US as a tech rep, and around the world for adventure. I'm proud to pass along my knowledge and experiences in seminars, workshops and now here. All, to others who feel the same travel pull on their heartstrings as I do. My hope is that with one little tip or story, it will encourage YOU to explore, dare you to dance with a stranger, or inspire a new challenge in your photography and travel journey.

​Part II of Erica's recipes is coming next Tuesday with her podcast. We'll be talking a lot about her journey as an artist and especially her adventures in Cuba. You can be sure she'll be sharing some great insight into how she's built so many unique relationships with her subjects, clients, and other photographers in the industry. 

Click on Erica's Tamron Recipe image to view in the SCU Lightbox. And, her website is just a click away, 

This special series is a kick to build and share each month. Join us next Tamron Tuesday when we share 
​Erica's podcast together with more of her images. Things never slow down in the Tamron Kitchen and each "Chef" brings a new recipe for success to the table!

From the beginning of the SCU relationship with Tamron, we've always had a strong appreciation for the content they share - especially on their YouTube channel. Each video is always packed with solid content from some of photography's finest artists.  Regardless of your photographic specialty, you'll find some real nuggets of wisdom from each artist being  featured.

Erik Stensland is out and about with Tamron's 18-400 mm lens, and I love his point about the capabilities of a crop-sensor lens with an 18-400mm range. I grabbed screenshots from the video just for the fun of showing the versatility of this lens.

Intro by Chamira Young

Have you stepped outside of your comfort zone lately? Photographer Douglas Croft did, and discovered a new passion for photographing whales he didn't know he had. You never know where inspiration will come from, and being open to new experiences is a prime opportunity to rejuvenate your photography passion and learn about subjects previously unknown to your own personal "bubble".

It was by deciding to go on a whale-watching tour that photographer Douglas Croft discovered his passion for capturing breathtaking images of the behemoth mammals. And ironically, it was right in his own back yard of Monterey Bay! He's been hooked ever since. By using Tamron's 18-400mm VC HLD zoom lens for his adventures, he's been able to capture his giant subjects whether they surface right next to his boat or hundreds of yards away.

​Check out his work below, as well as the fascinating backstory and process!

"Good things happen when you set your priorities straight!"
Scott Caan

by Skip Cohen

Welcome back to Tamron Recipes and Part II, our conversation with "Chef" Marcie Reif. Marcie shares so much great insight in this conversation. Her passion for the craft, along with her clients, comes out loud and clear. Her goal with each client is to exceed their expectations, and as I've written in the past, make herself habit-forming!

We're having a lot of fun with this series. "Fun" is too often a mystical word that gets lost in business today, buried under the stress of decision making, interruptions, and priority setting. But, the quote by Scott Caan seems to define at least one aspect of Marcie's outlook on life, her priorities.  On her about page, she leads with a description of herself as simply, "wife, mother, artist." That pretty much says it all, establishing those three hats she wears that are a big part of the foundation of who she is.

I'd add one more hat, "friend." With each podcast, both Chamira and I have found the start of new friendships with our guests. Marcie's not just part of the Tamron family, but ours as well and that's one of my most favorite things about this industry - the friendships we all share that come out of everyone's love for the craft.

In wandering through Marcie's galleries, I wanted to pull a variety of my favorite images. You'll notice a universal theme - people! I doubt there's very much Marcie can't photograph, but it's her relationships with her clients that's demonstrated in great expressions in every image. Click on any photograph in this post to visit Marcie's website.

One of Marcie's most favorite tools is Tamron's new 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD lens. But it's not just about the quality of the optics, but the focal length. With a 35-150mm range she can be close to her clients and a director when needed, as well as a journalist's approach and back farther to observe. She talks very openly on her approach and why this lens is ideal for working with families and kids.

"Chef" Marcie's recipe is a click away if you missed it last week. Check out the 35-150mm lens with a click on the thumbnail to the right. And, v​isit your Tamron dealer to check this lens out for yourself and make sure Tamron's schedule of local events and trade shows is on your radar. You'll find their complete schedule below with an almost endless number of workshops, shows and dealer programs all year long.

We're in the Tamron Kitchen today with Marcie Reif. These posts and podcasts always start with a phone call or two. In my first conversation with Marcie, it was obvious she's entirely focused on her love for portraiture. She builds relationships with her clients, never doing anything just halfway. She loves her career choice. Like a world-class chef, she's always looking to be creative and is always looking for the precise moment to capture the personalities of her subjects, and she's part of an incredible team, the Tamron family. 

About the Image and the 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD lens: This new Tamron lens has become one of Marcie's favorites.

The 35-150mm lens "is based on the new concept of allowing you to concentrate on a wide range of portrait compositions without the interruption of pausing to change lenses. The fast F-stop offers F/2.8 at the wide end while maintaining a bright F/4 at the telephoto end."  

To the core I love photographing the joy of kids and families. Creating a strong and authentic portrait of their pure joy has definitely become my style and what people come to expect from me. This lens gives me a lot of room to play with that. Sometimes I need to be close to them to tickle them or sing. Sometimes I need to be farther away and it's their parents that can bring out that joy in them. Either way I can be close or far away with this lens.  M. Reif 
 
Click on the banner below to find out more about this outstanding lens.

About "Chef" Marcie:  Based out of Atlanta, one trip to Marcie's website and she sets the stage for her expertise as a family photographer. From her opening statement about being a "wife, mother and artist," to her description of her style of photography, there's no question of her goal to meet each client's mindset.

​My goal is to deliver you a unique set of images that are artistic, natural, and warm by mixing childhood images with connections to love. My style and heart lead to very natural photographs. I always try to deliver my clients images of their family “being” a family. This may mean singing, dancing, playing together, or maybe just some ginormous hugs! I LOVE to capture kids being themselves because best moments come when you set them up, sit back, and wait. M. Reif

​Stay tuned for Part II of Marcie's recipe coming next Tuesday with her podcast. She'll be sharing a lot of great insight into how she's built her business and reputation. She's a passionate artist with outstanding listening skills allowing her to better define each client's goals and relationships with a solid foundation of trust.

Just click on Marcie's Tamron Recipe image above to visit her website. And, follow her on Instagram and Facebook too.

​What a kick this new series is to build and share each month. Join us next Tamron Tuesday when we share Marcie's podcast together with more of her images. Things never slow down in the Tamron Kitchen!

Last month we shared a podcast packed full with great insight and a series of images by Tamron "Chef," Lisa Langell. The Tamron Recipe series always receives a great response, and today, Lisa's back with one of her recipes for success - how to photograph hummingbirds. The fun of working with Lisa is her attention to detail, combined with her willingness to share just about everything she's learned over the years to help more photographers fine-tune their skill set.

This new guest post is loaded with good solid information, especially Lisa's observations on the importance of "re-imagining nature photography" for today's contemporary clients and the interiors of their homes.​

Lisa's hummingbird images are all captured with Tamron's 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD lens. Just like Lisa's approach to photography, Tamron never slows down in manufacturing some of the very best optics in imaging. And, they're just as focused on helping photographers improve their skill set to help capture the very best photographs.

To find out more about this outstanding lens, click on the thumbnail to the left. The 70-210 lens is also included in Tamron's Spring Rebate program through July 6, 2019 with a $200 instant savings at authorized Tamron dealers.

Check out more of Lisa's work and her workshop schedule with a visit to her website. Just click on the banner below. While her August workshops are already sold out, with some classes, she maintains a waitlist. Make sure you sign up for her FREE newsletter, so you're always up to date on her workshops, trips, and latest information to help you become a better artist.

by Lisa Langell
​
​Creating wildlife and nature photography that works well into the interior designs of homes, offices and more is a true passion of mine.  Echoing back to my years long ago of working as a floral designer with other interior decorators to transform the indoors, I learned a great deal about people’s palates, tastes, design techniques, and decorating trends. 

Making wildlife photography something people want to hang in trendy, well-decorated and designed homes requires transforming how we perceive what constitutes “nature photography.”   We must go beyond the “rules” and restrictions long-associated with “classic” magazine and calendar-style photography.  It requires re-imagining how we photograph, process, print and display our work so that it is on-trend with the decorative and artistic look of today’s indoor environments. 

The high-key style hummingbird photography I do is just one example of re-imagining nature photography for today’s interiors.  Here is how it is done.
 
Recipe for Hummingbird High Key Setups

1 hummingbird feeder (which inevitably attracts bees and wasps, detested by hummingbirds)

3-4 speedlite flashes positioned about 18-24 inches from the bird, set to Manual, at 1/16th to 1/32nd power.
 
Zoom and aperture settings variable to achieve the light and look you need, depending on the placement of the flashes.

1 white backdrop about 24-36 inches behind the bird

1 flash positioned to illuminate white backdrop set to no higher than 1/8 power

1 camera on a tripod - Set camera to the following settings (slight adjustments made as needed):

• Focus on the hummingbird feeder and then set your camera to Manual Focus so it will not “hunt” with each shot
• Shutter Speed:  1/160th  to 1/200th second
• Aperture:  f/18 to f/25
• ISO:  100 to 200

​1 Tamron 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD lens

1 remote trigger (I do not recommend the type that requires line-of-sight communication)

1 or more stunningly gorgeous hummingbirds
 
Directions:

• Ensure your flashes are set to communicate with each other.  Depending on the brand and model, you may need to utilize the built-in master/slave settings, wireless communication via  via a trigger, by using pocket wizards and PC Sync cords, or other methods.
• Enable your “highlight alert” (a.k.a., “blinkies”) on your camera and ensure that the flash for the backdrop is positioned in such a way as to over-expose the white backdrop. 
• As the birds come in toward the feeder, or pull back from it, trigger the shot.  The flashes being set to 1/16 to 1/32nd power are what stops the high-speed wingbeats of the bird, not your camera’s shutter.  
• This method is “part art and part science,” so you will want to explore your options with positioning the flashes and the settings used.  You may also add flowers to the shot, or replace the feeder entirely with flowers for other effects.

Images copyright Ben Kraushaar. All rights reserved.
​Click on any image to view in the SCU Lightbox

I love this series from Tamron because they pack a lot of good content into each short video, and they always highlight just one lens. And, with this one, in particular, I love the coverage professional photographer Ben Kraushaar shares with his images of fly-fishing in Wyoming.

A few years back, our son got me into fly-fishing. I've spent hours standing in streams in Montana and Georgia, and although the nibbles have been plenty, the actual catches just the opposite. It's an amazing sport, but one that requires patience and an appreciation for simply being outdoors. But I've never been disappointed at any time fishing - it's Zen-like, incredibly peaceful, and if I could stop thinking I need to set the hook I'd find myself more successful. Like any sport it takes practice, but for me, success is in the appreciation for building my skill set.

Ben Kraushaar's tagline on his site says it all - "Benjamin Kraushaar is a scientist, photographer and storyteller of all things outdoors!" His website is just a click away. And, on this excursion, he's wearing his photographer, and storyteller hat with Tamron's 35mm F1.8 lens. He shares some great insight in this short video.

Tamron never slows down in their quest to help photographers raise the bar on the quality of their work and their images. They're manufacturing some of the finest optics in imaging!

Tamron's Spring Savings rebate program is going on right now through July 6. Stop into your Tamron dealer and check out one of the most extensive lens lines in photography!

Intro by Chamira Young

You know you're looking at an amazing maternity portrait when it makes you pause, suck in your breath, and just stare as you soak up the beauty with your eyes. Photographer Casey Dittmer regularly creates such images, which is why it's such a blast to feature her work today.

Check out her beautiful maternity portraits below, as well as the meticulous way she plots each photo shoot for her clients. They will definitely make you stop and have an awe-filled moment. As you'll see, rather than going the traditional maternity image route, she puts her own unique spin on the photo sessions, while emphasizing the comfort and safety of the mothers-to-be.

Whether it's a high school senior portrait, corporate headshot, or maternity photo shoot, every photo session you do should be an experience for your client. I love that Casey acknowledges this, even going so far as to very appropriately call her maternity sessions the "Goddess Experience". And for all of her different photography styles, Casey relies on the two main lenses in her arsenal: the Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 VC G2 and the SP 70-200mm F/2.8 VC G2. ​ And for those who want to know the lens settings she used, we've included those as well.

Get ready to be inspired!

​How maternity shoots differ from many other types of photography is the added effort needed to keep Casey's subjects comfortable and safe. "Sometimes I have these amazing ideas, but then I realize it's not really feasible to do them without some risk of possibly hurting or exhausting the mom-to-be," she says. "We also try to take breaks as often as we can. When we get excited and are in that high-energy shooting mode, we have to stop once in a while and let our subjects sit, relax, and breathe. Our models aren't just models—they're there as moms-to-be, and you have to be mindful of what their needs are."

That element came into play during her beach shoot in Ireland. "It was cold and blowing rain that day, though you can't necessarily tell that from the photo here," she says. "It wasn't fun for anyone involved. Not only did we have to get her out there safely, but we also had to get her out there and back in fairly quickly, for comfort's sake. It took less than half an hour to walk across the sand, get her into position, fire off the photos we needed, and then get her back down." ​

On April 25, Tamron announced "the launch of a new zoom lens, the 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD (Model A043), for full-frame DSLR cameras." There's a new sheriff in town!  The new lens is definitely worth a trip to your Tamron dealer, but there's more behind why I'm posting this.  

I love sharing these short product pieces from Tamron for two reasons. Yes, it's an infomercial for a new product, but the content is short, sweet, to the point and worth watching. Here's a new portrait zoom with great diversity and adding to the list of creative tools to help you capture stunning images.

Second, they do a great job of telling the story. I know it's a lens, but think of how you'd tell your story and be just as direct and to the point. In less than two minutes they hit all the highlights, share one great example after another and very definitely plant a seed suggesting it's time to swing by the camera shop. 

I also like the way every still image in the video is at a different focal length. I pulled the 35mm, 85mm, and 150mm as examples. Add six more portraits, and they've given you everything you need to know about the lens, and all in the shortest amount of time.

Click the banner on the right for more information about this new lens and the location of the dealer nearest you.

​Technology never slows down...what a kick!

Ken and Andre are back in Alaska with Episode 2 of Tamron's Unofficial Field Guide Season 4. Since they started the series a few years ago, we've shared every episode from past seasons as they travel around the country capturing great images while working with some of the best gear in photography, visiting some spectacular locations and working with some of the finest artists in photo.

By the way, that's Charlie Voorhis in the back seat hanging out with them. Charlie is an outstanding filmmaker and also a Tamron Image Master. He's no stranger to SCU and was featured in a post last year.

​Ken and Andre are shooting with the SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens which is a fantastic piece of glass. And, as they mention in the video, using a crop-sensor camera, they're effectively at 900mm! The lens is also part of Tamron's current Instant Rebate program. Just click the banners below for more information.

In the meantime, enjoy this short video below, as the industry's odd couple travel Alaska. And, if you're at a convention/conference when these two are in the Tamron booth, wander over and introduce yourself. They're great guys, terrific photographers and educators and passionate about helping artists raise the bar on their skill set!

In the news this morning is the announcement from Tamron USA about the 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD lens wining a TIPA Award! Tamron's manufacturing some of the finest glass in imaging and as you review other "members in the family," you'll see the TIPA World Awards thumbnail on a number of different lenses. This is Tamron's eighth TIPA in just the last five years!