Julie Powell is a photographer, writer and educator, offers unique photographic opportunities and inspirational ideas to help YOU become the photographer you wish to be.
Fear is the dream killer…never let fear stop you from reaching your goals
Try this fun afternoon project — you just need a sheet of white acrylic, placing it on two small stools, I also set up my Nikon SB-910 Speedlight on a small stand underneath….
On a recent outing, I spotted a friend placing these strange bits of glass in front of his camera while photographing butterflies. Ever curious I asked him what they were, what they do and how to use them. I was quickly introduced into the world of fractal prism filters…
This week we are going to look at shooting with minimal colour palettes and finding one beautiful ‘white’ (or neutral) thing…
In my part of the world (Australia) everywhere I go in stores, online, in magazines, etc., the IN colour for home decorating is blue and cream (or off white). Yellow is also making a bold statement…
Dealing with complex still life scenes and compositions can be daunting, but it does not need to be impossible…
Nothing quite makes a dessert like chocolate. But when it comes to food photography, that one substance can be tricky to work with. Here are a few tips that might just save the day…
I am a big fan of using presets in Lightroom Classic to speed up your workflow. I find that you can create a certain look for a series and keep it completely cohesive throughout all the images in that series, without the need to continually compare what was achieved in the previous edit…
Should you be using Manual or Aperture Mode? Or something else?
Some of you may be familiar with using a circular polarizer (also known as CPL) when it comes to landscape photos. They’re great for shooting through water or glass without the annoying reflections. Well, have you ever thought about reflections in a still life scenario?
Let’s go on a treasure hunt
Here is a new take on an old theme, a Treasure Hunt. I used to love these as a kid. So did my kids. And I am betting today’s kids will too. Now, let’s mix it up a little and bring it into the 21st Century…
Where does blurring the line between straight photography and digital art happen? Is it in the styling, the shoot or the edit?
Are you struggling to get your reds, really red? Here is a few tips to try…
Have you ever considered water balloons as a type of child-friendly extreme sport? When you bring some photographic elements into it, it can be. This one is perhaps not for the little ones, but for older kids with a bit of adult supervision.
Here are a few tips for creating better styling for still life and food images…
Take a little look behind the curtain as I feature images taken NOT by me, but people who have attended one (or more) or my still life workshops.
When it comes to flowers what is best to use in still life or macro photography — fresh, dried or artificial? I think there is room for all three, and there are some pros and cons for each. Let’s take a closer look…
One of the biggest fears we face when starting anything new is failing, right? Photography is no different, what if we are no good, what if we just don’t ‘get it’, what if people don’t like our photos, what if we cannot offer anything unique or special? So we fear failing, for some of us it is crippling, so much so we put down the camera. For me the camera is just an extension to myself, I feel lost without it, but it wasn’t always so. …
Looking for some fun photographic ideas for kids this summer? Try melting some Skittles. This is a little more involved than it looks on the surface, but loads of fun for kids of all ages. It can also be an indoor or outdoor activity. Setup can take a bit, but that can be part of the fun as well. There is also a cool science type vibe about it…
Something to consider when styling and composing for a still life photoshoot is whether or not to use height — and I am not referring to standing on a ladder. If all of the items in your scene are fairly flat to the background, how will you place or angle your camera so that the viewer can see all of the items in your image? Let’s look at using varied heights to shoot with…
