Blog - Lenspiration

The Toughest Photo Assignment Yet!

by James Staddon | Sep 13, 2019 | Assignments

Heritage Defense, a Texas-based organization dedicated to protecting the biblical family through legal assistance and public policy initiatives, is creating two life-sized posters to be used as part of their trade show booth backdrop display . . . and they have asked the photographers on Lenspiration to shoot the... Read More »

A $745 Mistake

by James Staddon | Sep 7, 2019 | Stories & Expeditions

Bang! Have you ever seen a lens fall off a camera at waist height and land onto a wooden floor? And better yet, a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens? Up until Reece & Stacy’s wedding, I hadn’t either. I’m still impressed with the build quality of that lens. Even from that fall, there was not a crack, not a dent,... Read More »

Why I’m Headed to Georgia

by James Staddon | Aug 30, 2019 | Stories & Expeditions

Most of my summer travels had been planned out before March. A Photography Team in Texas in July. Another one in Michigan in late August. A wedding shoot soon after, but maybe some Photography Field Days in between in random places throughout the Midwest? Historically, attendance at Texas Photography Teams have been... Read More »

On Assignment: Going Telephoto in the Back Yard!

by James Staddon | Aug 16, 2019 | Assignments

I’ve done a lot of outdoor photography, but I’ve done very little with telephoto lenses! Why? Because the longest lens I’ve ever had in the longest time was a 70-200mm. And on a full frame, that just doesn’t reach very far. When I was first getting started in photography, I used my dads old... Read More »

5 Quick Tips for Getting Real Smiles

by Mary Neiman | Aug 9, 2019 | Tips & Tricks

Let’s face it. Real smiles are important for a good portrait. Saying “cheese” usually isn’t enough to help people feel comfortable and really smile in front of the lens. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable to have your portrait taken, so starting with these 5 tips, a good photographer can put their clients at ease and start... Read More »

What I Learned Shooting My First Wedding

by Morgan Giesbrecht | Aug 2, 2019 | Tips & Tricks

This spring I had the opportunity to shoot my first wedding when my cousin got married. I was excited and terrified at the same time as I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into! But, after the wedding was done and I had a chance to reflect on my experience, I decided to develop a Pros & Cons List... Read More »

The Best Way to Bore A Photographer

by James Staddon | Jul 26, 2019 | Perspective

I assume you like to look at beautiful pictures? Maybe that’s one reason you follow photography blogs. Well, what if I were to talk about a beautiful photo this time instead of showing it to you?! Oh, let me tell you! It is amazing. The foliage is so lush, the greens so vibrant! The leafy canopy and cloudy... Read More »

On Assignment: Waiting for a Breakthrough!

by James Staddon | Jul 20, 2019 | Assignments

Ready to shoot the next real-life photo assignment? Well, here it is! My first shot over by the fence didn’t work too well, simply because the sun didn’t come out strongly enough. Looking at it later on the computer here, I decided I did like the composition though. Over by the “path” the sun did come out a little... Read More »

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 2019 Photography Team Group Photos!

by James Staddon | Jul 5, 2019 | Stories & Expeditions

If you think learning photography is not easy, try learning portrait photography, were you have half the amount of time (or is it a quarter the amount of time?) to spend thinking about what settings you’re going to use on your camera while the rest of the time you spend engaging the subject(s) and making it... Read More »

Behind the Shot: Drifting Downstream

by James Staddon | Jun 29, 2019 | Pic of the Month

I usually gravitate toward “epic moment” shots when choosing a photo for a desktop background each month. You know, I’m going to be looking at it every day for a while, it might as well be worth looking at. But this time, I couldn’t help but choose a photo that I have to say is rather random. The subject is not... Read More »