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The Best Photography Books of All Time

Over the years I’ve built up quite a collection of photography books and as many of you have asked what my favorites are, I thought I’d put together a list of my favorite inspirational and educational photography books.

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Ocean Pollution Awareness Campaign

As a keen diver, based on the island of Guernsey, ocean pollution is a subject I feel very strongly about. So when I was approached by a local charity to create eye catching photographs for an awareness campaign, I was eager to help. The Karl Taylor Photography team dedicated a weeks’ worth of time to the project, conceptualising and creating images that were made using thousands of pieces of litter collected from just 2km of the coastline over the past month.

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Photographic Backdrops and How to Make Your Own

Photography backgrounds are a key part of any image — they can make or break your photo. Choosing the best backdrop material is crucial, but knowing which one to use can be tricky. To help you make the most of your image, I’ve outlined some key points to think about when selecting a background and included two DIY photography backgrounds that you can easily make.

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Useful Tools and Software for Photographers

Low cost monthly subscriptions offer the perfect opportunity to learn new skills, update or create a website or organise your work, without putting too much strain on your finances. Here’s a list of useful software for photographers you may find useful, including photo editing software, website hosts, marketing tools, general admin and others.

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Visual Education Member Wins Sony World Photography Award

When the World Photography Association announced the 10 category winners for the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards Open competition, Visual Education member Jorge Reynal did not expect his name to be placed alongside those of some of the greatest photographers in the world. But that is exactly what happened. Find out what Jorge had to say about his award.

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Why Image Quality Is About More Than Just Megapixels

When it comes to image quality, there is a big misconception that if you want better quality, you need more megapixels. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) it isn’t that straightforward. To better understand image quality, considering the number of megapixels alone isn’t enough. You also need to look at the size and type of sensor, understand how images are formed, how light is focused onto the sensor, the impact of lens choice and quality, and consider the pixel size to get the full picture.

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Hasselblad Webinar – Interview With Karl Taylor

Karl will be interviewed by Hasselblad in live webinar on Wednesday 16th September. He will be talking about his career and inspirations and sharing some of his favourite images. The event is free to join and you can sign up on Hasselblad’s website.

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The Value of Hiring a Photography Assistant

What many don’t realise is that the benefit of hiring a photographer’s assistant can far outweigh the costs. If you’re serious about improving your work and growing your photography business, hiring an assistant is one of the smartest investments you can make, and I’m going to explain why.

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How to Photograph Fireworks Like a Pro

Bonfire night, the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve — there’s always a few nights a year when we have a chance to photograph these impressive pyrotechnic displays. But photographing fireworks can be somewhat tricky. What shutter speed do you use? Where, and how, do you focus in the dark? And what equipment do you need? I answer all of this below, as well as share my top tips to help you learn how to photograph fireworks like a pro.

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Understanding Metering and Which Metering Modes to Use When

Metering refers to the process where the camera evaluates the amount of reflected light in a scene and calculates what it thinks to be the correct exposure. Different camera makes and models have different metering modes, so I’ve explained the most common ones, how they work and when to use them.

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51 of My Favourite Photographers That Will Inspire You

As photographers, we get inspiration for our photography from all around us. Music, art, experiences… even work by other photographers. There are many great photographers out there and I’m sure I’ve missed several, but here are some of my favourite photographers whose work might inspire you too.

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A Life On Our Planet: What We Can Do to Help

When you think about it, as photographers, many of us rely on the natural beauty of the world through landscapes, nature, wildlife and macro photography. But right now our planet is under attack, it has been and continues to be decimated by us – humans. But what can we do about this

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Hasselblad Interview 2021

In a recent live webinar I chatted to Hasselblad about my life, my work as a commercial photographer and educator, and also how my knowledge and that of other top professionals is presented to members of our education platform.