Pocketshooters

A special joint TWiP + SmugMug episode as we stream live to the SmugMug, Flickr, and TWiP communities for the first time in a combined stream. Join your host Alastair Jolly as he welcomes Frederick Van Johnson and the This Week in Photo podcast to the SmugMug team! We are thrilled that the world's best photo community and the world's favorite photography podcast are now under the same roof. Learn more at: https://www.smugmug.com/community/this-week-in-photo https://youtu.be/I4MYX8kqrXY

Hit photography podcast network This Week in Photo joins the SmugMug family. The most important voice in photo podcasting joins the most influential brand in photography.  MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – (Oct 25, 2022) – SmugMug, the world’s most influential name in photography, has announced two strategic additions to their expanding family of brands: This Week in Photo (TWiP), the beloved photography podcast network and media powerhouse; and its Editor in Chief, professional photographer, and industry influencer Frederick Van Johnson, who joins SmugMug to lead content and new media while continuing to grow and evolve This Week in Photo.  “It’s an ideal match,” says SmugMug+Flickr VP of Marketing Scott Kinzie. “Our purpose at SmugMug is building a better world through the power of photography, and This Week in Photo has been inspiring, educating, and connecting photographers for more than a decade. Naturally, we’re massive fans of [Johnson’s] work.” “Frankly, it’s time for TWiP to evolve,” Johnson adds. “I’ve built a wonderful podcast and community of photographers, but I believe TWiP can reach many more photographers, produce more amazing content, and expand the dialogue around photography — and its impact on our world. I just had to find the right team to work with, and SmugMug is the obvious choice because of its unprecedented brand recognition and reach into the photography industry.’ SmugMug is well known for working tirelessly to increase the influence and impact of photography worldwide. From its acquisition of Flickr in 2018 to its award-winning series SmugMug Films, the brand is showing no signs of slowing down. “We’re among very few truly photographer-centric brands worldwide,” says Kinzie. “We’re always looking for opportunities to support these cornerstones of the photographic community, so when we realized Frederick shared our vision for the future of photography, it became clear that this relationship was great not only for photographers but also for the art of photography itself.”  This Week in Photo, or “TWiP” as it’s known affectionately by fans, is an accessible media powerhouse with regular podcasts, blogs, and an active community covering the many facets of our industry. Since 2008, professional photographer and marketer Frederick Van Johnson has honed the TWiP brand and network, which now boasts weekly photo critiques, interviews, courses, tech reviews, and more. Johnson is uniquely situated to start meaningful conversations in the photography community and has seen a lot of change over the years. From his transformative tour of duty, serving as a decorated combat photojournalist with the United States Air Force, to marketing and product work with industry giants like Adobe, Yahoo!, and Apple.  “A decade ago, it was all about gear and the latest tech,” he says. “They also wanted to know how to build a portfolio or gallery with the tools of the time. People still love their gear, but today we’re increasingly seeing folks get into business, trying to make a go of it as a pro photographer. I've long admired SmugMug's commitment to empowering photographers since signing up in 2004. I’m stoked to join them in their mission of getting more photographers informed, inspired, and entertained—it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.” https://www.smugmug.com/community/this-week-in-photo —------------------ About SmugMug Photographers around the world trust SmugMug with more than just their photos. They trust SmugMug with their memories, their passion, and their businesses.

The End of the Beginning. What a journey this has been. Creating these 12 episodes of Pocketshooters has been fun and educational. The world of mobile photography continues to become increasingly important and interesting and undoubtedly is here to stay. And as we’ve demonstrated over the course of this first season… the phone is quickly becoming a viable tool for professional photography, as well for as consumers looking to create priceless family photographs. The mobile phone camera has all but decimated the point-and-shoot camera market, at least from mainstream usage. And it simultaneously has created thousands of new opportunities for image creation for both still and video based photography. And now that we’re seeing more and more professional-level post-processing software become available, we’re seeing the cycle of “capture-create-share” now happen on a single device. It’s difficult to stress how amazing and liberating this is. The egalitarianism of ubiquitous mobile phone photography has literally changed the world from the standpoint of news gathering, law enforcement, entertainment and more — and it’s showing no signs of slowing. If you’ve taken anything out of this first season, it should be that you have an insanely powerful tool available to you at all times… it’s up you to start using it with your new mindset. See you in season 2! And be sure to follow my season 1 co-host Giulio Sciorio over on his blog! While you’re waiting on season 2, be sure to check out our awesome course on mobile photography. It’s also called Pocketshooters, and is available NOW on the TWiP School. http://school.thisweekinphoto.com/p/pocketshooters

There’s one simple thing you can do, today, to improve your mobile phone photography. Get something to hold it for you! There are literally hundreds of tripods, mounts, clamps, and other devices floating round that are designed to get your mobile phone out of your hand, and safely stabilized onto any firm surface. Why would you want to do this? Well, your first thought might be that this is the best way for you to get in the photo. And you’d be right. Timer mode was designed for use when you have the camera safely stabilized on a surface. But there are many more instances when you’d want to relieve your hand from the job of holding your phone. For example, when you’d like to capture a nice time-lapse video, or when using apps that allow you to shoot long exposures. Locking your camera down on a tripod removes one crucial variable from your shot… motion. In this episode, we discuss when and where you might want to employ the use of a tripod in your pocketshooting.

Pocketshooters on The Rule of Thirds Remember the old saying “rules were mean’t to be broken”? No truer is that saying than in creative arts. In the world of photography, the established “rules” are more like “suggestions” or guidelines. They are helpful pointers to keep your mind focused on the story you’re attempting to tell in your image. In previous episodes, we’ve covered various components of photographic composition. In this episode we’ll dive into one of the biggest, and most important “suggestions”, it’s called the “rule of thirds”. Basically, the rule states that, generally speaking, if you divide your image into a sort of tic-tac-toe grid, and place your point of interest on one of the line intersections, the result will be a more pleasing photograph than if you simply placed your subject in the center of the frame. In mobile phone photography, utilizing compositional techniques can vastly improve your shots. Considering the inherent restrictions of the medium; no interchangeable lenses, no zoom, etc. (though some mobile phones now have zoom capabilities), using this century old artistic composition technique will help help you get better images, and even improve your photography skills when you pick up a traditional camera. Your Hosts: Frederick Van Johnson Instagram Twitter Facebook Website Giulio Sciorio Instagram Twitter Facebook Website

Have you ever suffered from “analysis paralysis”? Or the syndrome of not doing “anything” because there are so many choices? Maybe you’re afraid to choose the wrong thing? In photography this condition is even more prevalent. There are SO many options, so many tools, and so many things that inspire us, many people shut down and don’t shoot anything. There is a way to cut through the paralyzing storm of choices and get focused, and that’s to consider shooting on a theme. Also considering beginning with the end will help you ignore irrelevant things and focus on the thing you’re trying to create. An example of beginnign with the end in mind would be to: * Think of the final use for the photo you’re creating. Social media? Hanging on the wall? Just for you personally to look at? * Consider the audience for the photo, and keep them in mind while shooting. * Maybe even sketch out your idea and assemble any props or items you might need for the shot. All of these things work together to help you execute your photograph. You want to be in the midset of “making” photos, not just “taking” random snap shots. In this episode we discuss the simple idea of shooting on a theme, and how that simple mindset shift can take your photos from good, to great!

Never has the old adage “less is more” been more appropriate than when it’s applied to the art of photography. People starting in photography tend to think the reverse… the more you cram into a frame, the better the photo will be. Not true. When creating compelling photographs, it’s important to consider and understand what the subject of the photograph is, and “focus” the viewers attention to that thing. For example, in a photograph of a person, obviously that person is the subject of the photograph. However, distracting objects in the background can draw attention away from your subject. Your job, as a photographer is to keep things as simple as possible, while telling the story in a single frame. Keeping your eye on the whole image, minimizing distractions while focusing attention to the subject will go miles in seperating your work from everyone elses. In this episode, we give some quick tips on how you can go minimalist in your photography!

It’s actually kind of amazing how the simple act of varying the angle of your shots, even just a tiny bit can change the entire “feel” of a photograph. And considering the fixed-lens nature of mobile phone photography, using this technique can help you break away from the same compositions that else is doing. In this episode we dive into the why’s and how’s of creating interesting compositions by just moving around a bit.

As you may already be aware, the new iPhone 7 Plus comes with a brand new camera design. A dual lens set-up that lets you zoom in on your subject or composition with near professional level quality results. Zooming as a feature of cameras is not new, though this particular feature is new to mobile phone photography (Pocketshooting). But just because you “can” do a thing, does that mean that you should? The answer isn’t quite that simple when it comes to zooming. In this episode, we discuss zooming as it applies to the Pocketshooter and when (and when not) to use this powerful feature.

In this episode it's all about printing! Should you print? Or should you keep it "digital". It seems like fewer and fewer people are actually taking the time to print their photographs these days. And for good reason - it's far easier (and more efficient) to share photos via social media, texting or email. But consider for a moment how impactful a tactile, physical print would be. With a few tips and tools that we share in this episode you'll see just how easy it is to free your photos from the digital world, and release them to roam freely in the physical world.