Beginner photographers often adopt long-standing rules and clichés without questioning them. They accept them as facts—“this is not done” and “this is the right way.” Let’s look at five common photography myths and why they no longer apply.

You can easily create this striking two-tone background in Zoner Studio using simple masking. This technique works well for portrait and product photography and when preparing visual materials or profile photos for your website and social media.  

Hard and soft light are a constant topic of discussion in photography. Yet despite how often they’re talked about, there’s still a lot of confusion around them. You’ll often hear that one type of light is “right” and the other is “wrong.” In this article, we’ll look at how hard and soft light really differ and how to use each one in practice. We’ll also debunk a few common myths along the way.  

We’re always learning as photographers. First, we master the basics. Then we add more techniques. And eventually, we’re able to deliver high-quality results in almost any conditions without overthinking it. That’s what this article is about—how to take flattering portraits of your client, even if they have no posing experience but still want to look good in the final photos.

Using a projector in your photography lets you combine a model with graphics, unique textures, or creative lighting effects. The result is modern, artistic, and often hypnotic. You can project color gradients, geometric shapes, or abstract textures onto both your model and the background, creating a look that would otherwise be difficult to achieve.  

UV, or black light, sits at the far end of the visible light spectrum. In the dark, it makes objects and materials that reflect this part of the spectrum glow. Whites react the strongest, but they’re far from the only ones. UV light is used in many fields, so why not use it for photography and create striking portraits? 

Every photo lives and dies by light. You can have the perfect lens, the perfect expression, and the perfect pose, but if the light doesn’t match your intent, the photo will never have depth or atmosphere. In this article, we don’t discuss the quantity or quality of light, but rather its direction. And in portraits, where it falls on the face.  

Taking photos in the city on a bright day? Learn how to work with hard and soft light, find the best backgrounds, and master photography even in harsh midday sun.

The right amount of sharpness is crucial to all photography. Not every photo can be pin sharp, and sometimes it’s best to get rid of an outright blurry photo. Sharpness can be affected by factors such as lens parameters. As long as the image isn’t completely blurry, it can be sharpened with editing in post-production. This is a skill that will always be useful.

Portraits are one of the most common genres. What photographer hasn’t taken pictures of friends, family, or themselves while traveling or at a party? But to take your photos to the next level, it’s important to understand how to find and work with the perfect lighting. In this article, I focus on working with light outdoors, look at specific real-world situations, and share my tips for getting the best possible light from the scene.