Tog-Talk

Send us Fan Mail Believe it or not, there are more ways to take a photo than by simply leaving the camera switched to AUTO. AUTO mode is great for beginners and those who just want to shoot snaps, but if you want to take control of your camera and unleash your creative potential, you need to come out of AUTO and explore some of the other shooting modes. Common Camera Shooting Modes Depending on yo...

Send us Fan Mail So now we're looking at the third piece of the puzzle, of what is traditionally referred to as the Exposure Triangle. When you combine the three elements of the Exposure Triangle, they interact with each other in what's often referred to as the law of reciprocity.   This reciprocating relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO allows us to take control of the l...

Send us Fan Mail The Aperture Continuing our ten-part mini series for new photographers (Photography Basics), this week we are looking at the Aperture. Whilst most people are familiar with the role of the aperture in terms of controlling the amount of light that enters the camera... perhaps not so many understand the relationship between aperture and the other two elements of the exposure triangle...

Send us Fan Mail The Shutter Last episode we looked at the aperture, now it's the turn of the shutter. From our perspective today, we're going to look at two different types of shutter.  One is mechanical and the other is electronic.    Older DSLR cameras will be mechanical, but the newer, mirrorless cameras (which have effectively taken over from DSLRs) tend to offer both mechanical and...

Send us Fan Mail Of all the questions I regularly get asked, the one about cameras is usually the most common. “What camera should I buy” “What camera would you recommend for someone new to photography” “Which camera is best?” Understandably, most new photographers want to make a good decision about the money they're about to spend. The camera industry has just been through a major shake-up,...

Send us Fan Mail Joined again by Tracey Clarkson, we look at a forthcoming 10-week series for brand new photographers.  These are planned to be shorter than normal Tog-Talks (around 10-15 mins) and are a basic introduction to photography, without getting too complicated. Starting next week the first episode will be looking at digital cameras.  Make sure you click the follow button to ensure you do...

Send us Fan Mail Having shot weddings for the last 12 years, I've kinda lost that sense of terror when I'm asked to shoot another one.  But I remember my first wedding: a combined sense of wonder and an uncontrollable rush of adrenaline.  Excitement and panic, all in one. When you get asked I regularly meet students who have been asked by friends or family to photograph their wedding.  O...

Send us Fan Mail Inner Circle ; the title alone suggests an exclusive group.  An elite, crack-troupe of hand-picked photographers who disciple under my mentorship.    The reality is far more down to earth.  They are in fact a small group of amateur photographers who want something beyond what most traditional photography workshops and course can offer.  They don’t want discussions about the rule o...

Send us Fan Mail Not entirely true… when I became a photographer, many of the things covered in this discussion weren’t even invented.  But for today’s photographers, I know for certain these are really helpful tips because I am constantly finding myself talking to my students about them. Photography can be complex and the learning process can be very hit or miss when you’re self-taught.  Obviousl...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 9: Photography, it’s not all about the gear… is it? I confess, I am a bit of a gear-head.  Over the years I have collected lots of cameras, lenses, filters, accessories and loads and loads of lighting gear.  Prior to the COVID pandemic I would upgrade my camera every time a new model come out, convinced I needed the latest technology to take the best photos. If one good th...

Send us Fan Mail Having Matthew Williams on this episode of Tog Talk was a double whammy for me.  Not only is he a keen wildlife photographer, but he's also the brains behind the Hampshire School of Photography (HSP) website.  Matt talks to me about some of the innovative ideas behind our online photography assessment tool and the new Portfolio Suite for show-casing our students' work. ...

Send us Fan Mail Andy Teo ( otherwise known to many as Photocillin), is a highly talented photographer specialising in fashion style photography and, more recently, has had a great deal of success working with musicians, shooting concerts, backstage and album covers. In this edition of Tog Talk, Andy talks about his experience shooting models and musicians with some great tips for photographers wh...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's Tog Talk I address the subject of how to take tack-sharp photos. One of the most common complaints I hear from new camera owners is that their photos just aren't sharp enough.  You'd think that when someone spends hundreds of pounds (sometimes thousands) on a high quality camera, the resulting photos would at least be nice and sharp.  If only. Avoidin...

Send us Fan Mail Tog Talk this week meets with Trish, a young lady from India who I've been mentoring for the last six months.  She has a great sense of humour and she absolutely loved watching my reaction when she brought in two really great questions. Which type of camera would I recommend to a photographer - a crop frame mirrorless or a full frame DSLR? When planning a concept photograph,...

Send us Fan Mail We sponsored an evening recently with a bunch of photographers who are currently working as professionals, semi-professionals and a few others the were thinking of going pro. In 2020 we are planning to start a one-year course for professionals who want to improve both their photography skills and also their business skills.  The conversations that took place were quite insightful...

Send us Fan Mail Agi was a student who came to me for a year's private mentoring.  These days she works as a professional photographer whilst at the same time being a busy mum of three young children.  She recalls how she stepped out of her comfort zone to embrace her photography and now is reaping the reward shooting families, children and weddings. Agi's website Hampshire School of Pho...

Send us Fan Mail In this session I talk to Masterclass student Jeremy Auton about what choices he should make when taking his camera and lenses overseas on holiday. How much gear should we take with us?  Too much and it could become a burden to carry, too little and we could miss important shots.  To make it more complicated in his case, he was going on two very different holidays which required d...

Send us Fan Mail In this opening episode, I get to talk with one of my longest-suffering students, Steve Myers.  Steve has been on just about every photography workshop I've ever run and his eagerness to learn shows no sign of diminishing. For us, this episode is an experiment with a bit of fun - enabling me in particular, to explore the process of podcast production. Beyond this, a much more...