The holiday season is one of the busiest, but magical times for any photographer specializing in family portraits. Photoshoots with dozens of families mean creating unforgettable memories for them. But, you also have to deal with the challenges this type of photoshoot entails.

Good portrait, fashion, or glamor photography doesn’t have to be strange or shocking to catch the eye. A nude model fixing a tractor, a half-naked woman holding an old medium format camera, or a secretary on the phone with a plunging neckline and glasses. These are some cliché combinations often found in amateur portrait photography. How can you avoid them?

Many photographers see photography as a lifestyle. Every photographer got their start somewhere. Their skills develop over time and are still evolving. What stage are you in? In this article, we’ll walk you through the different stages and show you where you can go next.

Do you take pictures on your phone and want to improve their quality? Try these tips to make the most of your mobile phone photography. From properly setting up your phone, how to hold your phone, composition, to photo editing – learn how to take sharp, professional-looking, and stunning photos using just your phone.

Getting your photos organized, easily finding the pictures you need, and improving your photography skills—metadata will help you with all this and more. Take a look at what EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata can show you, and how to get the most out of it.

For certain genres of photography, it's a good idea to have a very specific idea of what you want your photo to look like. Sometimes you need to focus on composition, other times on facial expressions, and even other times on the overall feeling of the photo. To get as close as possible to your idea, you can "sketch" the photograph. When is sketching your photo useful and how do you do it?

Your unique photography style is what connects your photos. It's like the signature on your photos. While they may not all have the same theme, your photos have something in common and belong together. A signature look for your photos can attract more attention, especially on social media.

Imagine standing in the same place at the same moment as other photographers. Why won’t your shots be identical? Because each person views the world slightly differently and strives to convey their perspective and thoughts through their photography. A photographer's personality is reflected in their photography.

A photoshoot is like a movie. You need to direct the scene in order to get the best picture possible. Giving good instructions as a photographer takes skill. A photo that’s been properly set up looks good when the subject feels comfortable and beautiful. Generally speaking, people want to look good in photos. And a photographer should know what to say and do to achieve that.

Dynamic range is constantly improving in newer cameras, especially if you use RAW format. It’s amazing how much data can be crammed into a single photo these days. It’s important to use all this data properly by playing around with dynamic range.