How to carry out a geographic magazine assignment – Part 3 – Approaching people

Esther BeatonBehind the Scenes, Landscape Photography, New South Wales, On the Beaton Track, People Photography, Photography Equipment, Photography Lighting, Photography Techniques, Professional PhotographyLeave a Comment

Even when I’m in that high vibrational state, where I feel at one with  the environment and where the art of photography seems like innate intuition, it’s not. It’s like driving a car: you can cruise on auto-pilot but that’s only because you’ve put in many miles of experience behind the wheel. Photography only comes easily after you’ve shot thousands … Read More

How to carry out an assignment for a geographic magazine – Part 2 – Being in the moment

Esther BeatonAustralian Geographic, Behind the Scenes, Bird Images, Environment, Habitats, Nature and Wildlife, Nature Photography, New South Wales, On the Beaton Track, People Photography, Photography Techniques, Professional Photography2 Comments

I started shooting the story on pearl faming in New South Wales before I’d even signed the contract with the magazine. That was because a key event was happening immediately – an event that could not be rescheduled or wait for the convenience of a photographer — seeding the oysters.  On one beautiful warm morning, as the first flush of … Read More

Add More Sparkle to Twilight Shots

Esther BeatonLandscape Images, Nature and Wildlife, Photography Lighting, Photography Techniques, Travel Photography, Workshops & CoursesLeave a Comment

sunset behind the subject

Talking about night time events, well, dusk really, one of the key things a photographer has to prepare for is the need to add light, that is, more light than is available from the sky.  At one of our recent Meetups, we started at The Haven in Terrigal. There were birds, boats, waves and people. The best part was the … Read More

Making great people photos

Esther BeatonAustralian Geographic, Behind the Scenes, New South Wales, People Photography, Photography Lighting, Photography Techniques, Professional Photography, Quick TipsLeave a Comment

mixed lighting opposite colours

There are so many factors that go into good “people” shots. People photos for geographic magazines are a bit different from standard portraits. Sometimes they are raw photojournalism, but usually they fall into a genre called “environmental portraiture”. I’ve done this for so long now that I’ve come to really love it. The essential elements are: a) the lighting, b) … Read More

Ambient “lighting” is easy

Esther BeatonAustralian Geographic, Behind the Scenes, New South Wales, People Photography, Photography Lighting, Photography Techniques, Photoshop and Lightroom, Professional PhotographyLeave a Comment

Sometimes you don’t have to work at creating a background because you are blessed with the colours of nature. Or you’re just smart enough to go out at sunrise or sunset. Both of these pictures are pre-dawn. The colour in the sky at this time is called “afterglow” and I especially like this twilight time for the two-tone effect.  However, … Read More

MightyGoods.com – the great bag interview

Esther BeatonPhotography Equipment, Professional Photography, Travel PhotographyLeave a Comment

Esther Beaton interviewed Mighty Goods website

I love talking about gear. What photographer doesn’t? Last month I got the chance to do a lot of “talking” about it when Mighty Goods website interviewed me. Along with 15 other outdoor photographers, of course. It’s a website devoted to bags of all sorts and they represent some great options for photographers, from lightweight to serious.  I own a … Read More

Keep it Beautiful This Week

Esther BeatonBeautiful Images, Photo CompetitionsLeave a Comment

Did you know it is Keep Australia Beautiful Week? Sometimes ugly things are happening in the world and it’s easy to despair. I wonder how people in London and other cities in England feel upon hearing the “Keep it Beautiful” motto. After the damage and chaos of recent weeks, just cleaning up seems an overwhelming task let alone attempting to … Read More