Photography is a powerful medium that allows us to capture moments, emotions, and the beauty of the world around us. Cuatro Tres Producciones, a distinguished photography studio known for its creativity and artistic vision, invites enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to embark on a captivating journey into the world of photography. In its latest endeavor, “Discover the Artistry of Photography: Unveiling Styles from Portraits to Landscapes and Beyond,” Cuatro Tres Producciones showcases its mastery of diverse photography styles, offering inspiration and insight into the art of visual storytelling.

Photography is more than just taking pictures; it is a means of expression and a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions, convey messages, and preserve memories for generations to come. Cuatro Tres Producciones’ work celebrates the limitless possibilities of photography and the artistry that goes into creating compelling images.

“Photography is a universal language that transcends barriers,” says Cuatro Tres Producciones. “In ’Discover the Artistry of Photography,’ we aim to showcase the breadth and depth of this medium, from capturing intimate portraits to breathtaking landscapes and everything in between.”

Key Insights Explored in “Discover the Artistry of Photography”:

1. Portrait Photography: Cuatro Tres Producciones unveils the secrets behind creating captivating portraits that capture the essence and personality of the subject. From traditional studio portraits to candid lifestyle shots, the work explores various techniques and approaches.

2. Landscape Photography: The studio showcases its mastery of capturing the beauty of the natural world through landscape photography. Readers will gain insights into composition, lighting, and storytelling in the context of stunning landscapes.

3. Street and Documentary Photography: Cuatro Tres Producciones delves into the world of street and documentary photography, sharing their experiences in capturing raw, unscripted moments that tell powerful stories.

4. Fashion and Editorial Photography: The work explores the glamorous world of fashion and editorial photography, offering a glimpse into the creative process behind striking fashion images and editorial spreads.

5. Product and Commercial Photography: Cuatro Tres Producciones shares its expertise in product and commercial photography, showcasing how visuals can drive sales and brand recognition.

6. Astrophotography: The studio takes readers on a celestial journey with astrophotography, revealing the techniques used to capture the beauty of the night sky, stars, and celestial events.

7. Digital Editing and Post-Processing: Cuatro Tres Producciones provides insights into the digital editing and post-processing techniques that enhance and refine their images, turning them into true works of art.

8. The Business of Photography: The work discusses the business aspects of photography, including client relations, marketing, and the challenges and opportunities of pursuing a career in photography.

Cuatro Tres Producciones’ passion for photography and commitment to excellence are evident in its work. Their portfolio reflects a deep appreciation for the artistry and technical precision that make each photograph a masterpiece.

As a respected name in the photography industry, Cuatro Tres Producciones is uniquely positioned to inspire and educate photography enthusiasts, from beginners to seasoned professionals. “Discover the Artistry of Photography” not only showcases their stunning work but also provides valuable tips, techniques, and insights that can elevate anyone’s photography skills.

About Cuatro Tres Producciones

In-depth reviews and comparisons of the latest photography equipment and technology for photographers, filmmakers, and creative professionals. Find news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones.

Memory company Crucial makes products for photographers and gamers alike. The company has blended these two audiences with a new article, “The most beautiful video games.”

There are many great photography games to play in 2023, and some are downright beautiful. “First introduced in 2005 with Gran Turismo 4, photo mode has become a staple of gaming. Players spend countless hours getting the perfect Instagram-worthy shot of their characters, vehicles, or in-game environment and landscapes. Gamers are turned into photographers and are always eager to share their best shots on social media with other fans,” Crucial writes.

In its new article, Crucial scoured the video gaming landscape to determine the most popular video games among virtual photographers, including finding out how many Instagram posts about specific games were focused on in-game virtual photography.

Topping the list is Rockstar Games’ 2018 blockbuster, Red Redemption 2, a game known for its beautiful and rich landscapes, exciting characters, and dynamic lighting and weather. More than half a million Instagram posts are focused on photos captured inside Red Dead Redemption 2, topping the charts by a significant margin.

Another popular game for virtual photographers is Ghost of Tsushima, a game so people with artists that one, Sam Bulleit, has even created real-life cyanotypes using virtual images captured in the video game.

Given that Spider-Man’s Peter Parker is a well-known shutterbug, alongside being an arachnid-infused hero, it is perhaps no surprise that Spider-Man on PlayStation has proven popular with virtual shooters. The game and its newly-released smash hit sequel feature surprisingly in-depth camera mechanics, including remarkable control over lighting that could help real-life photographers hone their skills.

Given that in-game photo modes started with Gran Turismo 4, a racing game, it’s no surprise that racing games still offer excellent photo modes to this day. Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation 5 and Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox and PC both make the top 10 list. Gran Turismo 7 builds upon Gran Turismo Sport’s groundbreaking virtual photography features to give gamers even more ways to flex their creative muscles.

The complete list is available on Crucial’s website. There are many familiar names compared to last year’s list. Will a new game crack 2024’s edition?

Gamers keen to do more than capture images in a photo mode can check out PetaPixel’s guide to the 15 best video games that are about photography.

Most people hear of blue skies in the forecast and get excited for nice weather, but for landscape photographers, it can cause a groan, as it means monotonous compositions that are difficult to work with. Nonetheless, that does not mean you need to pack up your camera and head home, as it is still possible to make great shots, even with those boring skies. This great video tutorial will show you how to do just that. 

Coming to you from Andy Mumford, this helpful video tutorial will show you how to work with clear blue skies in landscape photography. No doubt, these can be quite frustrating, but don’t confuse a challenge with an impossibility. By leveraging numerous techniques, ranging from adjusting your compositions to changing your edits, you can still make compelling shots. It can be something as simple as pointing your camera down a bit to include less of the sky than you normally would or something far more subtle, like adjusting the luminosity of the sky in post. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Mumford.

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!” 

by Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com

One could say the Claremont Courier’s first-ever hardcover, coffee table photography book, Timeless Claremont, literally shows the people and places that made Claremont the destination city it has become. But this book is so much more than that!

This photo-driven, 170-page project has over 200 award-winning images produced by Courier photojournalists over the past 50 years. All together, this one-of-a-kind, stunning collection of images will amaze, delight and make you laugh, and maybe even cry.

Given the Courier’s decades-long reputation for strong photography, publishing a book has been discussed before. The hard part was the time and cost it takes to produce and design over 170 pages. Especially including the demands of producing a weekly newspaper and daily website.

This year however, has been different. The staff now includes not one but two strong designers — Skylar Anderson and Grace Felschundneff — plus two seasoned editors — Steven Felschundneff and Mick Rhodes — to help with photo and copy editing. Not to mention yours truly, who has been wanting to publish this book for over a decade.

What also changed is our nonprofit status. This enabled us to connect with a group of people willing to sponsor the production in advance, offsetting enormous upfront costs. Make no mistake, this is a book self-published by the Claremont Courier, printed by a world-class printer.

The first two pages of Timeless Claremont show members of the Claremont Police Department and friends getting drenched for a good cause.

When it all started

Both Martin and Janis Weinberger had a love affair with photography. Both were experienced photographers, and their work filled Courier pages for years. But, the Courier was growing during the 1970s, and by 1974, Martin knew it was time to hire a staff photographer.

That person was George Rose, the first of many accomplished photojournalists whose work graced Courier pages. After the Courier won several nationwide awards from the National Press Photographers Association in 1976 for its use of photography, representatives from large publications like the Chicago Tribune complained that they could not compete with this little community newspaper near Los Angeles. Soon two circulation categories were established for large and small publications to keep everyone happy.

Gaining national recognition also helped the Courier become a vital career stepping stone for photographers and photo interns. We’ve had seven former staffers and interns jump directly to the Los Angeles Times alone, including myself.

Even as the industry has changed and expanded into digital, the Courier’s reputation for fine photojournalism still exists today. This book represents some of our finest work.

We believe this book will become part of Claremont’s long history. Yes, it represents a visual history of the city. But it’s edited to present only our best photography. So it’s not a typical history book. And I guarantee it presents a rare opportunity to own or gift a truly unique treasure. All while supporting the Courier and our local, fact-based journalism.

In honor of Village Venture Saturday, here are two wonderful award-winning images by Steven Felschundneff. There are over 200 images in our book.

How to own a copy

Timeless Claremont will cost $79, including tax. It is currently at the printer going through a long printing process. The book has a cloth hardcover, with the photo indented like a frame. Printed on heavy paper, the book will last a lifetime. It will debut at a party hosted by the Courier and Claremont Graduate University on December 2, to celebrate all the people who made a difference. Mark the date! Everyone is invited!

You can reserve your copy or copies of Timeless Claremont by going to our website’s payment page (QR code is shown below), or by visiting claremont-courier.com/payments-form, by emailing Anna Hoy at anna@claremont-courier.com, or by calling us at (909) 621-4761. All reservations must be paid in advance. Our preferred options are via website or email.

Courier staff will handle all procurement. We will contact you when the book(s) are available for pick up at the Courier office, 114 Olive St., Claremont.

We also hope you will consider making a donation when purchasing your copy (not mandatory). This book represents hundreds of hours of labor, all focused on showing the marvelous ways we live our lives.

Thank you all once again for all your support of the Claremont Courier. We could not have done this without you!

Highlighting the best parts of unique product designs requires exceptional product photography prowess, and that’s difficult to achieve if you don’t have the right equipment and the right environment to snap photos in. Most living environments aren’t exactly as clean as they appear in picture-perfect lifestyle photos, and in order to capture detailed product shots, you’re going to want a pristine and brightly-lit background — showing off every detail, right down to the pixel. If you’re interested in learning product photography for yourself, you’ll want to make sure you have a nice DSLR camera with a wide aperture, which can capture photos in RAW (this allows dynamic range for color correction and other tweaks in post-production).

That said, it’s one thing to vaguely send you off looking for a DSLR camera with no further advice, and it’s another to tell you exactly what you’ll need — right down to the lighting. That’s the purpose of this list, which should point you in the right direction as you shop for your in-home product photography setup. By the way, the best “DSLR camera” you can buy and begin snapping product shots today (if you aren’t already a skilled photographer with an investment in a proper $2,000 DSLR, lenses, and other fancy camera accessories) isn’t actually a DSLR at all; it’s a brand new smartphone, like a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 recommendations for the best tools and accessories you can buy for any home product photography area in 2023.

1. iPhone 15 Pro Max – best smartphone camera for color accuracy

As I mentioned earlier, the best DSLR camera alternative you can buy for product photography is a beefy new smartphone. If it’s time to upgrade anyway, you can’t beat the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s robust integrated software and swanky new camera features — like its 5x telephoto camera. Both the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max grapple for the title of “best smartphone camera of 2023”. The former has a 200 megapixel sensor with 10x optical zoom, which is phenomenal for capturing wide-angle photos and taking shots of faraway points of interest thanks to its vibrant color tone.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera, on the other hand, lacks the same raw horsepower — and for what it’s worth, a few users also had some issues with overheating, which was meant to be resolved in iOS 17.1 — but it takes the cake for capturing the most visually crisp close-up shots that simultaneously deliver the most true-to-life color accuracy. In product photography, you want to be able to reproduce the most realistic color tone, and that’s where the iPhone 15 Pro Max succeeds; meaning it’s the one I personally recommend over the two.

Buy it now from Apple

2. Foldio360 Smart Dome – best product turntable

The Foldio360 Smart Dome (which Yanko Design covered while it was still in Kickstarter!) is a compact, dome-shaped structure, filled to the brim with LEDs that fill its non-reflective all-white interior with light — completely obliterating soft shadows. Its killer feature is the built-in turntable that uses light to indicate where your product is supposed to sit on top of the turntable surface, and once it’s all set up, it continuously rotates in a 360-degree radius. You can mount your phone onto the front opening with the included mounting kit for stable shooting, and then you can use the foldio360 app to remotely adjust color temperature and turntable speed as needed. This is a really convenient way to get your shots done in a snap, especially when you’re low on time and don’t have a ton of shooting space.

The Smart Dome can hold up to 6 lbs of weight, but if that’s not enough leeway, you can instead buy the sturdier Foldio360 Smart Turntable, which is optimal if the product you’d like to rotate weighs between 6 and 11 lbs. Just make sure you have other light sources and a white or green backdrop on hand.

Buy it now on Amazon

3. eucos 62″ Phone Tripod – best smartphone tripod

There are many smartphone-compatible tripods on the web, but the eucos 62-inch phone tripod has a nice balance of form and function that make it an easy buy at its listing price of $29.99. First of all, its body (which is made of durable nylon) comes in two distinct color schemes that both look stylish: Inferno Mix Carbon Black, and Mineral White.

You can adjust the tripod’s height up to 62 inches, as the name suggests, but reviewers generally report the eucos 62-inch phone tripod remains stable even at such heights thanks to its aluminum locking mechanisms and grippy rubberized feet. It’s compatible with smartphones between 2 and 3.6 inches in width, which means you can use it with basically any modern smartphone. There’s also a cold-shoe expansion port to equip additional fill lighting, and you can use the nifty included Bluetooth remote trigger to capture photos while keeping your phone camera stable.

Buy it now on Amazon

4. Neewer Photography Acrylic Display Boards – best portable display surface

Solid-color acrylic display boards can sit on any surface, immediately turning your desk into an optimal product photography surface without needing to go out and set up an all-white table or all-white desk specifically for shooting product photos with. These 12 x 12 and 24 x 24 acrylic boards come in packs of two — one white board, and one black board. You can switch between the matte or glossy side based on your needs, and reviewers seem to agree that it’s a sturdy and well-designed product overall, albeit with some issues related to scratching on the surface.  That seems to be a common problem with acrylic boards in general, so it’s best to take extra care when handling these.

Buy it now on Amazon

5. Glendan Portable Photo Studio Light Box – best photo tent

This Glendan portable light box is a less expensive alternative to the Foldio360 I mentioned earlier. It surrounds the product with dimmable light from 112 LED light beads and provides an all-white background that’s perfect for taking product photos. It also does away with the strobe other light boxes use, and combined with its built-in light diffuser and internal light reflector, it highlights plenty of detail in soft light. Its portability and ease of setup make it a convenient way to show off a product without investing a ton into a clean or immaculately-designed shooting environment, and can be especially useful if your shooting space is on the smaller side.

Buy it now on Amazon

6. Elgato Collapsible Green Screen – best backdrop

If you want to design a shooting environment with a specific style, it can be easier to set up your space with a green screen. This lets you digitally inject an environment into the background, making for a simple and easy approach to composing your shots. Elgato’s collapsible green screen backdrop is widely rated as the best-designed compact photography green screen thanks to its durable green fabric and its ability to deploy anywhere via a unique pneumatic collapsing mechanism. It only weighs 20.5 lbs when concealed, which makes it a low-profile item to carry around with you, despite its rather large impact on your shooting environment once fully deployed.

Buy it now on Amazon

7. Neewer 43-inch Light Reflector Discs – best bounce lighting reflectors

Getting your environmental light perfect can be challenging, which is why light reflector diffuser discs are an important tool — both for blocking certain light wavelengths, and enhancing others. Neewer’s 43-inch light reflector and diffuser discs are widely rated as the best you can buy for the price, and they come in white, black, gold, silver, and translucent coloring. They’re collapsible as well, making them easy to carry around.

Buy it now on Amazon

8. Fovitec 3-Light Fluorescent Studio Lighting Kit – best fluorescent studio lighting kit

Fluorescent spot lighting is the quickest way to pour light into an underlit scene, and when capturing product photos in larger environments, these are extremely important to have around. Fovitec’s 3-light fluorescent studio lighting kit takes care of a lot of shopping — adjustable stands, boom arms, and a carrying case come included —and the lightboxes themselves, which can push up to 5500K color temps, are rated as some of the best you can buy for the price.

Buy it now on Amazon

9. Neewer Heavy Duty Light Stand with Casters – best all-purpose light stand

If you need to expand your lighting with additional stands, the Neewer heavy duty light stand has a wide range of potential uses. It’s an adjustable stainless steel tripod which can rise up to 10 ft in height. But you can throw pretty much any lighting equipment you want on top; whether you need to add extra lightboxes, ring lights, or even want to hang your light reflectors or diffusers up high. Reviewers love the build quality, calling it the “best industrial heavy duty tripod C stand” and saying they “should have bought this along (sic) time ago”.

Buy it now on Amazon

10. Lume Cube Video Conference Lighting Kit LITE Edition – best budget surface lighting

If you’re shooting product photos on a desk surface and you want an extra light source in a pinch, the $49.99 Lume Cube LITE Edition laptop-friendly ring light is a quick and easy way to add such light to your shooting environment. It plugs into a power source via USB, and can be fully powered through any regular laptop, meaning you can also use it for other purposes — like conference calls. Reviewers love the amount of extra brightness it can add to any space, and it sounds like the build quality make it a winner. It’s dimmable as well, if you only need a certain amount of light in your environment.

Buy it now on Amazon

As a child, Rajiv Roy was out duck hunting with his father in West Bengal, India, when his dad swung his 12-gauge shotgun toward a flock — and Rajiv — and fired. “I ducked, and he was smart enough that he didn’t shoot me, but I did see the shot go by,” Roy recalls. “I remember at that point saying to myself that when I grow up, I won’t go hunting with a gun, but I will go hunting with my camera.”

Roy forgot that promise during his successful career in the U.S. semiconductor industry, but his interest was sparked anew after he spent time photographing the extraordinarily diverse wildlife in the Galápagos Islands in 2014. “I had a camera with a 60x optical zoom, like a point-and-shoot with a bigger lens,” he says. “When you zoomed in, you were totally amazed at what the camera picked up — the beauty and glorious colors that you see in close-ups.”

Back home in his Old Lake Highlands neighborhood bordering White Rock Lake, Roy sought out local bird photographers to learn from them. He kept using his Nikon Coolpix, but after about 18 months, he accepted that he needed better tools and invested in a Sony Alpha camera with 200- and 600-millimeter telephoto lenses.

Now, he regularly shares eye-catching images of birds on Nextdoor and other social media channels, identifying the location and species. Sometimes he includes videos of them singing or preening. The whole idea is to snap a great photo without disturbing the bird. “The greater Dallas area is truly remarkable for birding and bird photography,” Roy says, pointing out that Dallas is on the spring and fall migration paths taken by such colorful birds as Baltimore orioles and painted buntings.

“I thought our neighborhood on Nextdoor needed to know what an incredible gift we have,” he continues. “People who have lived here for years will say, ‘I didn’t know we had scissor-tailed flycatchers in our neighborhood.’ It’s a bright spot in their day, and I’m glad if it brings a little joy.”

It takes a great deal of patience and time to capture images like his bald eagle silhouetted against the moon or a great horned owl preparing to fly, its wings fully stretched. “It wouldn’t be something you take a 3-year-old to [do],” Roy says with a chuckle. “You have to be very still, because birds detect motion … . If you stand still, they ignore you. If you move, they’re off.”

Roy, 64, got the bald eagle shot by first envisioning it. He was jogging around White Rock Lake when he noticed a full moon, so he ran home, grabbed his camera and stood near the eagle’s nest for about an hour, waiting for the moon to move into the ideal place.

Then, he lay prone on the shoulder of Buckner Boulevard for about 20 minutes — he acknowledges that was “probably dumb and dangerous” — waiting for an eagle to land on a tree with the moon behind it. “The bald eagle is my favorite shot, but a purist [bird photographer] wouldn’t love that it’s mainly black and white,” he says. “To me, it tells a story. It looks very majestic.” Like his eagle portrait, Roy shares, the best shots are typically made by people who are listening and looking for specific species.

Roy hasn’t linked up with a formal birding group in Dallas, but he feels connected to bird photographers throughout the world via social media and birding applications. “There is a global community of like-minded people who want nothing more than to take great pictures and in the process bring awareness to nature and conservation efforts, and be appreciative of the gift nature has given us and be good stewards of it,” he says.

Roy enjoys the whole process, noting that being out in the fresh air improves his mood and outlook and certainly beats sitting at home. “I go out there in the greenery, intent on listening for birds, and it’s an absolutely wonderful feeling,” he says. “When you start spotting the birds, it’s just miraculous. You take pictures and look at close-ups, and you are in awe of nature.”

As for the childhood hunting episode, Roy says it came back to him when he was telling friends his theory that bird photography is just like hunting, except the trophies are shared on social media instead of on a wall, and there’s no violence.

“All of a sudden, I realized deep down I had told myself that I was going to do bird photography,” he says, “and sure enough, I must have programmed myself.”

The benefits of birdsong

It’s well-documented that being in nature positively impacts mental health and reduces stress, and that includes seeing and hearing birds, according to research published last year in Scientific Reports.

Hearing birdsong elevated feelings of well-being not only in the moment but also hours later, according to a British study. It benefited healthy participants as well as those with depression, and it alleviated feelings of anxiety and paranoia. In North Texas, it’s often possible to hear birds simply by walking outside.

If you want to go deeper, Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab (merlin.allaboutbirds.org) can tell you what birds you are hearing, while eBird by Cornell Lab (ebird.org) is a global online database that records what species have been spotted in specific places worldwide. Both applications are free and are downloadable for Android and iOS.

“The eBird app is truly remarkable because bird-watchers will obsessively log what birds they have seen,” says Dallas bird photographer Rajiv Roy. “It’s a useful tool pretty much anywhere in the world. Last summer, we were in Alaska and we looked up hot spots on eBird, and sure enough, those birds were there.”

The diverse faces of people impacted by breast cancer were spotlighted in Kitchener Thursday evening.

Portraits of breast cancer survivors were on display at Catalyst Common for the unveiling of a series called “I Want You to Know.”

“I Want You to Know” features the stories of 31 breast cancer survivors. (Terry Kelly/CTV Kitchener)

The project, co-produced by a photographer and a breast cancer survivor, both from Waterloo, captures the experiences of 31 survivors ranging in age from 26 to 73.

“What we really realized is a lot of the campaigns were not diverse in nature and were not including everyone in the conversation around breast cancer,” explained photographer Hilary Gauld. “So it was really important to us to open that conversation up to make sure that all people in communities were able to see themselves.”

Those photographed in the campaign say while all their stories are different, they’re united by the common goal of helping others by raising awareness.

“Truly, it’s not about us that are in the photographs, it’s about people – it’s about our kids, our family, our friends,” said cancer survivor Halima Wilson.

“We want to do everything we can to help them advocate for themselves and understand that it can happen to anybody.”

You can see the photographs and read the survivors stories at DenseBreastsCanada.ca

The series was unveiled Thursday, Oct. 26 at Catalyst Commons in Kitchener. (Terry Kelly/CTV Kitchener)