Five Things I Wish I’d Known as a Beginner Photographer

I wanted to talk about something I believe is important for portrait photographers to learn: mastering the use of artificial lighting. While natural light can be beautiful, gaining skills with artificial lighting, especially flash, is what’s really going to make the difference in your work. Here are a few reasons why understanding how to use…

Photographers often ask me about getting into bodyscape, boudoir, or other forms of artistic figure photography. Not just the technical side, but the personal side. The hesitation. The discomfort. The feeling that you are curious about the work, yet unsure whether it fits within your own boundaries or values. In this video, I talk openly…

Here’s a quick how-to for creating your first bodyscape photos. Order the Artistic Nudes & Bodyscapes Bundle here

Think you need a strobe to shoot professional portraits? Think again. In this video, I’m breaking down some common misconceptions about strobes vs speedlights — and why sometimes, using a simple speedlight is actually the better option. Whether you’re upgrading your flash setup or just starting with off-camera lighting, this will help you make smarter…

Speedlights (shoe-mount flash units) or Strobes (larger units not meant to be used “on-camera”) for portrait photography? Each has its own perks and drawbacks. Some things to consider: Note: For no specific reason, I’ll use the term, “speedlight” to refer to shoe-mount flash units. Speedlight is what Canon calls its flash units. SPEEDLIGHTS (SPEEDLITES): Weight…

In this Flash Photography for Portraits crash course (updated for 2025), I go over all the important things you’ll need to know to get started. The course will teach you about flash photography for portraits. Learn about different flash gear options (speedlites and strobes), flash synchronization, lighting modifiers, how to take advantage of TTL and…