Recently, I came across some photographs I made nearly 20 years ago. After discussing the assignment with a colleague who knew the job, I went looking for the images in my Lightroom catalog. I was surprised by how well they had stood the test of time. The client was delighted with the results, and it … Read more
I’ve been through a few technological changes in photography. In the late 1980s, I was doing work experience at the Adelaide Advertiser when colour was introduced. Some of the veteran news photographers, who had spent their careers working with black and white film, weren’t particularly interested in changing. Then they were told that front page … Read more
When we think about artificial intelligence in photography and video, it is tempting to focus on its ability to generate images. We are surrounded by demonstrations of what generative AI can create, and increasingly there’s concern about the sheer volume of AI-generated content, and AI slop. But generative AI is only one part of the … Read more
When businesses enquire about corporate photography, one of the questions that often comes up is whether they should also produce video. The answer isn’t always “both”. It depends on what you’re trying to communicate, who your audience is, and where the content will be used. Sometimes photography is exactly what’s needed. Sometimes video tells the … Read more
The story of Noah’s Ark has survived for thousands of years, but one detail has always stood out to me. The voyage began long before the ark touched the water. Before there was a journey, there was planning. Materials had to be gathered, the vessel built and everything needed for the voyage put in place. … Read more
Trust is one of the most valuable currencies in professional photography. Cameras, lighting, and technology will always evolve, but trust remains constant. It is the foundation of long term relationships, the driver of reputation, and often the reason one photographer is chosen over another. Photography is a surprisingly small industry, and not just in Australia. … Read more
Last month I wrote about DNG becoming an ISO standard. Like any ISO standard, there are costs and benefits to adopting it into your workflow. It is up to you, whether you are an individual photographer or running a business, to decide if ISO DNG makes sense for how you work. What is an ISO … Read more
If you had told me in the late 1990s that I would still be talking about raw file formats more than 25 years later, I probably would have laughed. Back then, we were all trying to make sense of digital photography as it found its footing, full of excitement and uncertainty. Color management itself was … Read more
Every so often, a client asks me for TIFF files because “the designer says TIFF is better.” It reminds me of my earlier post on high resolution images, how many long-held beliefs in photography aren’t actually based on best practice, but on assumptions. The JPEG vs TIFF debate falls squarely into that category. Some context … Read more
In 1826, French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce achieved something never done before: he fixed an image permanently using light. His photograph, “Point de vue du Gras”, is the earliest surviving photograph in history. Before then, images produced by light-sensitive materials would fade when exposed to light. Niépce’s breakthrough process, which he called a “Heliograph”, changed … Read more