by Skip Cohen

For years I've repeatedly said, "One of the most fun things about this industry are the friendships that come out of everyone's mutual love for the craft."  Meet Jillian Bell, one of Tamron's tech reps.  Like so many people at Tamron USA, she's passionate about being an artist.

I work with Jillian on Tamron's role here on the SCU site and love her focus (pun intended) on so many different aspects of photography. It goes hand in hand with Tamron's never-ending commitment to education and helping you raise the bar on your skill set. Jillian, along with other members of the Tech Team will be on the road this year as they visit 100 cities. At each program you'll have a chance to test drive their lenses for yourself. As Jillian says at the end of this video,

                                          "Go to the website. Check out our events. Come shoot with me!"

Images copyright Jillian Bell. All rights reserved.

by Skip Cohen

I've always been fascinated by macro photography, especially with the insect world. At this point there are probably a few of you saying, "I'm a people photographer and don't shoot macro!" Here's why you need to kill your case of tunnel vision...pay close attention to Rick Lieder's skill set in this short video. Check out his lighting, composition and exposure. It's all done under some pretty tough conditions.

So here's the segue...as a wedding photographer for example you're doing flower shots, ring shots and the details that help tell the story of the wedding. As a children's photographer you might be doing a closeup shot of a child's hands on a favorite toy. It's all macro and there's so much you can learn in a short educational video like this.

Interested in checking out more of Rick's work, check out his website! He's got some stunning images. You've got to love a macro photographer with a website called BugDreams! And, check out some of his favorite lenses from TamronUSA!

I love these short high impact videos from Tamron, because they give you so much information in a short amount of time. This one with Hernan Rodriquez is a prime example.

In this Tamron Tipcast, hear the advice from professional celebrity photographer Hernan Rodriguez on preparing for lighting and shooting his recent photo session with 5-time World Heavyweight Champion Boxer Evander Holyfield. The motivation for the shoot? Portraying Evander through one of life's passages, for him, becoming a champion in business. That's a long way from the ring, but Hernan nails it and does an outstanding job of taking you through the steps. You'll find more of Hernan's willingness to share in both a podcast and a guest post from last year.  Skip Cohen

by Skip Cohen

Nobody should be able to tell a story better than a photographer. However, just like a classical musician who spends hours practicing a specific piece, you need to develop a mindset that allows you to lay out the story in your "mind's eye" before you start clicking the shutter. In this short video, thanks to photographer and blogger, Kristi Bonney and Tamron USA, you'll pick up some great tips on how to use your camera more effectively and capture more than just great images.

This video is part of trifecta today witha guest post from Kristi and Tamron USA's lens of the month pick. Make sure you check out Kristi's portfolio as well!

by Skip Cohen

It's a video on the basics of outdoor photography, but there's so much good content in just five minutes.  I love Ian Plant's approach. Right off the bat he shares his best advice, "Just go with the flow!" Of all the outdoor photographers I've worked with in my career, the key to so many of their images is to just kick back and enjoy the process. They always have a vision of what they're trying to do, but at the same time, they're just kicking back and letting their creativity flow.

Once again that word "practice" jumps into a video with "Practice, practice and practice" and one of my favorites from Ian is an old quote from the world of hockey, "You miss 100% of the shots you never take!"

by Skip Cohen

I've always been a fan of macro photography. It takes us places our eyes don't normally see. Great macro shots don't happen by accident. In this new addition to the Tamron Theater, David Maynard does a terrific job of taking you through the basics. The next step falls on you - you've got to get the hands-on experience and practice, but remember Roberto Valenzuela's favorite comment: "Practice doesn't make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. What if you're practicing it wrong?" (That explains my golf game!) 

This video is part of a trifecta. So check out David's guest post, "It's the Glass!" and then wander over to Tamron's Lens of the Month for June, the SP 90mm! This is great stuff!  Last stop,check out David's galleries for some stunning images!

Tamron's got three great macro lenses in the family. Here's the link if you'd like to find out more.

by Skip Cohen

I love short videos like these because you can pick up so much information about not only a product like Tamron lenses, but how another photographer works on a shoot. There's a lot packed into just eight minutes in this video!

Here's the link to the SP 24-70 lens if you'd like to find out more!