You are a passionate photographer. You love taking thousands of shots and the editing part also excites you. Even if you have to go through hundreds of photos to make all the shots look exactly as you want them. It’s your job and your passion.

So far so good. But I know there is something you dislike about this whole process and that is… (drum roll) photo cropping. I know, it’s daunting having to use all those tools and time to get that nasty phone out of that otherwise outstanding portrait or having to crop that girl out of a stock photo because you need to use her for your website banner. Just the thought of all those details (yes, you guessed it, I am referring to all that tiny hair) makes you want to bail.

Before you do, listen to this: the cure to all your cropping struggles has been found. It is called Cut Out 8 Pro and it’s here to help you out whenever you need it.

 

You need Cut Out 8 Pro in your life if you are: 

• A Photoshop artist
• A photographer – beginner or professional
• A designer – beginner or professional
• An advertising agency
• Passionate about photography

Use Cut Out 8 Pro to create: 

• Photography that sells: it can be wedding, portraits, landscape, you name it
• Inspiring montages
• Your photo portfolio
• Website banners
• Social Media content
• Many others

Just download Cut Out 8 Pro and you will see that not only will your photos look better in less time, but that you will also get to enjoy the process because you can get so much done in so little time.

But time is not the only major benefit of using this amazing tool. It’s also creative freedom. If until now, you felt that you were constrained to stick to certain photos or backgrounds, now the sky is the limit. You can crop all you want and use all the backgrounds you can think of.

You open Cut Out 8 Pro. What next? 

• You can select your photos from an album view easily.
• You have quick access to all tools.
• Get to cropping. You can crop even the smallest details like hair or fur.
• You get all the possibilities of layer technology.
• You get to enjoy a shorter computing time even for large images.
• EXTRA: You have access to 100 professional background images.

What’s amazing about Cut Out 8 Pro is that it allows you to edit freely both natural looking photos and fantasy scenarios. You can easily use it to cut something completely out of a wedding photo, for example. But you can also use it to position a girl into a fairy-like scenario.  

Check out the magic tricks you can do:

• Cut out individual objects per segment
• Inside/outside edge matting
• Stroke based matting
• Mask modification
• Lossless scaling
• Optimized automatic Edge Recognition algorithms
• Easily layer and swap between various backgrounds
• Use the enhanced Preview Mode for full control
• Accelerated computing speed
• Three Power-Cropping methods for a wide range of different types of motifs
• One-click image cropping with Chromakey Technology
• File Manager
• Tutorials and quick tips

Cut Out 8 Pro is compatible with: 

• Windows
• Mac

Make sure you have these systems requirements:

WINDOWS

• 10/8.1/8/7/Vista
• 32/64 bit
• Dual-Core Processor
• 2 GB RAM
• 2 GB HDD
• Screen Resolution 1024 x 768 Pixels
• Graphics Card: DirectX8-compatible
• 128 MB
• 24-bit colour depth

MAC

• OS X (10.11 and higher)
• 64 bit
• Intel Processor/G5
• 4 GB RAM
• 2 GB HDD
• Screen Resolution 1280 x 1024 Pixels

Get this photo cropping software that will change your life for good and start playing directly from Photoshop! Oh, did I tell you that you can work directly with RAW formats if you want? 

Don’t go before you put your hands on these must-have free photoshop overlays! You can use them as a background to play around with your new best friend: Cut Out 8 Pro!

We are glad to host an interview with famous landscape photographer Serge Ramelli, an honest, positive, and down-to-earth personality. He talks about his journey from loving art as a child to becoming one of the most successful professional photographers.

The man who shot some of the most incredible cityscapes of the iconic places around the world. Get a sneak-peek into his life before he pursued photography as a profession. Catch the complete interview below to know how Serge Ramelli made it big in the landscape photography genre.

As a child, Serge always wanted to be an artist. Before pursuing photography as a profession he worked as a vice president at his brother’s company but his passion for art never took a backseat.

In this interview, he also shared a little back story of how he got introduced to photoshop. Back in 2005, way before any quality digital camera’s existed, he was on a trip when one of his friends showed him the endless possibilities that could be created with Photoshop and that was the turning point in Serge Ramelli’s life that lead him into this amazing world of photography.

Serge took some of the incredible cityscapes of Paris for 5 years, and now has a huge collection of mesmerizing shots of this beautiful city. His passion for photography can be seen in each of his shots. His work has now been displayed in 100 art galleries across the world and has written 7 books.

This interview has been a heart-to-heart conversation with Serge Ramelli. He shared his fallbacks and rock bottoms and we are sure his story will inspire you in ways you can’t imagine.

Here’s a quote from this interview that’s worth mentioning.

“Food makes your body go, but as a human being your ambitions and dreams is something that makes your spiritual self grow.”

From struggling to make ends meet to becoming one of the most successful photographers, Serge’s journey is really inspiring.

 

 

Photoshop overlays are an absolute must-have if you want to make your social media posts stand out or add some magic to your photos. They are usually a texture or an image you add to a photo to alter the colors and add a special effect to the photograph itself.

Transparent overlays can make an average image look stunning in just a couple of clicks.

And the best part is that this tool is super easy to use – you don’t have to be a professional photo editor to incorporate transparent overlays and improve an image.

Having transparent overlays makes photo editing way quicker. You are free to move an overlay around as you wish and model it to fit the image without worrying about removing the background. While you can make the transparent overlays yourself, there are already so many of them online you can use right away.

With so many different transparent overlays to choose from these days, you might feel a bit lost. So the best thing you can do is get a collection of transparent overlays that suits you or your brand and start playing with Photoshop. We have selected some of our personal favorites, and you can read more about them below.

4 Elements

Just like its name suggests, these transparent overlays combine colors inspired by the four natural elements. They can completely change the mood of your image, giving it more warm tones where needed. These overlays are suitable for color corrections since they can lighten up the whole photo.

Alchemy

Alchemy is an excellent overlay if you want to make your photos more unique and special. The duo chrome abstract shape will enrich an image and turn it into a magical masterpiece. The transparent background comes in handy here because you can position the swirls anywhere within the photo.

Blue Lights

This incredibly versatile overlay can be used for social media ads, photoshop creations, or making your photos look ethereal. Blue Lights is an overlay with abstract blue smoke that elegantly swirls around. You can model it around a subject or create a whole new different atmosphere within the image.

Dark Magic

If you like Halloween and all things gothic, you have to try Dark Magic transparent overlays. With a self-explanatory name, they are perfect for adding a touch of darkness to your photography. You can make these overlays look like a ghostly demon, or even a black magic spell, depending on your vision and creativity.

Dragon

Do you want dramatic flair mixed with mysticism and legends? The Dragon overlay instantly makes every image look almost supernatural. Besides adding more texture to your photo, you can experiment quite a bit with these overlays to get the desired effect and bring the lighting to a whole new level.

Fairy

Accentuating the mood could be tricky sometimes, but Fairy overlay makes it super easy. The soft light and subtle effects create an atmosphere that is out of this world – just like fairies. Fairy transparent overlays are suitable for use on both outdoor and indoor photographs, depending on your vision and imagination.

Fire

Having a Fire overlay in your arsenal is an absolute must for every graphic designer or photo editor. You can do so much with these classic transparent overlays – from enhancing colors to creating different texture. Gorgeous results are almost guaranteed, depending on the layer blending mode you select.

Galaxy Waves

Even though Galaxy Waves overlay might look too abstract, you will be surprised to discover how versatile it is. It is almost obligatory for anyone interested in digital art since you can use it for various edits, especially for ads and social media. So if you are after a futuristic look, this overlay might be what you need.

Phoenix

Phoenix is the symbol of regeneration, and burning flames are closely associated with it. Whether you want to add some warm tones to your photos, or just fire, these transparent overlays should work well. You can adjust the size and position of the fiery details to suit the theme of an image.

Silky Rainbow

There is nothing better than adding a splash of color to your photos. The Silky Rainbow transparent overlays can give you that while keeping the image as elegant and smooth as possible. This light overlay will enhance your art and make it more noticeable.

Starlight

If you like experimenting in Photoshop and you are also obsessed with space, Starlight transparent overlays can come in handy when making intergalactic edits. The purple shades seamlessly blend with orange to create an otherworldly effect and make your image look like a masterpiece.

Sky overlays add a magical touch to photos which is simply unparalleled. That is the reason; so many photographers like you are constantly on the lookout for sky overlays which will provide a whole new element of charm to your photos.

But the question is which sky overlay to opt for?

Well, there is no clear cut answer to that. There are many captivating sky overlay options to choose from, all of which are enigmatic in their own right.

Accordingly, in this post, we share 11 of the most enthralling sky overlays out there which are sure to add a touch of magic to your photos, ensuring that they stand out in more ways than one.

• Dreamy Overlays

When you are looking for relatively simple yet attractive sky overlays, then dreamy overlays make an excellent choice. Perchance you happen to have images with rather low contrast, these sky replacement overlays would be especially suited. Ultimately, images with a punchiness – which you had always dreamt of, that truly bring images in landscape mode to life, is what you get with dreamy overlays.

 

• Lightning Overlays

If there is one pictorial aspect that can easily add an element of drama into images, that is lightning. It is for this very reason that lightning overlays are so eagerly sought after by photographers and photo enthusiasts alike.

Fun Fact: While the saying goes that lightning never strikes twice, with lightning overlays, you can have lightning striking innumerable times!

 

• Long Exposure Overlays

The idea behind long exposure sky overlays is to give an element of motion to still photos. Looking at them, one gets the impression that there is simply no end to the sky, with the subject itself being in a constant state of motion. Thus, the aspect of drama alluded to in the previous, ‘lightning overlay’ would apply in this case as well.

Think of long exposure Photoshop overlays as a means to incrementally enhance both the visual appeal as well as the long-term recall value of photos.

 

• Pastel Overlays

Pastel overlays typically add a touch of pink to the skies in your photos, although other similar shades are also an underlying possibility. Over time, as you use this particular sky overlay, you will find it tremendously useful for overexposed images.

Visual receptivity in images with a pastel overlay especially tends to be quite high.

 

• Romantic Overlays

Often, many of us end up scratching our heads, wondering what exactly is it that is missing in our images, only to ultimately discover that it is romance! Yes, that touch of love, that allure of a kiss, that glaze of togetherness…these are things which are often just not there in our photos!

Well, romantic overlays are the perfect solution in all such situations. If you are a wedding photographer, then romantic overlays are a virtual must!

 

• Rainbow Overlays

Why be limited as far as the colors in your photos go, when you can have the entire VIBGYOR spectrum, present in rainbows?

Well, rainbow overlays are Photoshop overlays that proffer a Rainbow in your photos, giving a genuinely magical touch to them. In case you have images amidst rain (especially after it has rained) these overlays are tailor-made for them.

The biggest charm by far with these overlays is the wide range of colors they manage to give to your photos.

 

• Stormy Overlays

Remember the drama we referred to in the case of lightning overlays above? Well, here we are going a step further by bringing in an element of tension into our photos.

As a photographer, you will simply love stormy overlays, especially since the resultant visual appeal is not only dramatic but also very tense (in an exciting way!).

Photographer Tip – All budding photographers may kindly note a tip coming from no less than the pros; rev up the contrast on your stormy overlay sky replacement photos. You will instantly notice a brilliant hue in their texture, while also giving them an unmistakable zeal.

 

• Sunset Overlays

While we all adore sunset photography, capturing such pictures perfectly often proves to be an ordeal even for the best photographers.

That is exactly where sunset overlays come to the rescue providing you with a wealth of Photoshop overlays with the sun gently wafting away.

Not-so-Fun Fact: Most sunset photos do not come out as well as we envision.

Super-Fun Fact: Sunset overlays do their magic brilliantly to ensure that your sunset photos ALWAYS stand out without exception!

 

• Night Sky Overlays

Among the numerous options of sky overlays that we have at our disposition, night sky overlays have a distinctive appeal of their own. This is especially true because they add life into what would otherwise quite likely be a dull image.

Not only that, often, night time photos come with limitations of low light. Night skies overlays help overcome such limitations with remarkable ease.

Disappointed with no stars in the skies? Don’t worry; night sky overlays will magically deliver stars in the skies for you!

 

• Dramatic Overlays

These are a set of sky replacement overlays that add a unique element of drama unlike any other, including lightning overlays mentioned previously.

In many ways, these enigmatic sky overlays combine many of the overlays that we have already covered above, with an extra touch of drama!

For instance, if you are looking for night skies with lightning in them or sunsets with rainbows, then dramatic overlays would be just the way to go.

 

• Northern Light Overlays

The Northern Lights – or Aurora Borealis as they are scientifically known as, are a unique constellation of lights seen in high latitude places such as the Scandinavian countries.

Now, while a lot of us yearn to capture these magical Northern Lights with our lenses, not everyone can easily get there. That is where Northern Light overlays really do their magic, ensuring that your pictures have the backdrop of Aurora Borealis in the skies.

Conclusion

Sky overlays add an unmistakable zest to your pictures which is simply unequaled. Explore this bundle of 1000 unique sky overlays to try your hands on.

Whether you are a novice photographer trying to learn the ropes of quality photography, or a seasoned professional looking to up the ante on your quality of output, sky overlays clearly make a world of difference!

Which of the sky replacement options we shared above, appeals to you the most?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below! 👇

You just captured a fantastic photo, featuring a beautiful composition, and the angle is perfect. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it any better. There is always room for some editing that can bring out the main elements, sharpness, and color of the image.

Nowadays, Adobe Lightroom is one of the easiest and most powerful editing applications.

The software packs a bunch of features that can help you edit your photos with just one click. This is very convenient even when you are new to the world of photo editing and photography in general.

The presets present a big part of the Adobe Lightroom software as they allow you to correct both grades and colors instantly. Thanks to that, what once required hours of editing, now is achieved very fast. Furthermore, Adobe Lightroom Presets can help you organize all of your photo collections.

 

In this article, we will explain what Lightroom preset is, how it works, and how to make the most of it.

 

Lightroom presets 101

By definition, Lightroom preset is an arrangement of settings brought together to achieve a particular style of your photo. With a single click on the preset, photos can be modified in hundreds of preset alterations of grain, contrast, hues, colors, and more.

 

The beauty of working with presets is that they simplify the editing sessions like no other photo editing tool, bring consistency style-wise, and can dramatically speed-up the workflow.

Furthermore, you can apply one preset to a batch of photos while creating your Style. Later on, you can start picking out different photos that you think can use some manual touch. After all, not all photos can benefit from a single preset evenly.

 

All in all, Lightroom presets to create an excellent foundation that ensures that every snap is perfect after making a few adjustments.

Five reasons why you need Lightroom presets

If you ask some of the most loyal Lightroom fans, they will probably give you a dozen or more reasons why you need this piece of software. But almost all of them will agree about these five reasons why they fell in love with Lightroom presets.

#1 Batch Editing

Sometimes even for a single portrait photo session, you may snap hundreds of photos.

Instead of editing photo by photo and spend endless hours of your precious time in the process, one Lightroom preset can largely improve the batch.

Indeed, you will need to work your magic on some individual photos, but that will take even lesser time than editing each photo individually.

 

#2 Great Selection of Free Lightroom presets

There are free, and premium presets. However, you can get free Lightroom presets for portraits, which for a start and edit your photos like a pro. This can be better suitable for starters as you can get perfectly edited photos for zero dollars.

 

#3 Consistency

By using one preset for your batch of photos means that you will have a recognizable style and appearance through all photos.

By doing so, you will tie the batch nicely, featuring the same levels of saturation, sharpness, hue, etc.

 

#4 Customization

Using Lightroom presets doesn’t mean that you get to slap one of them onto a given batch and call it a day. Whether you use free Lightroom presets for portraits, travel, macro, food, or any other category, you can customize each picture and bring it up to your standards.

 

#5 Variety of Options

There is a popular misconception that freebies can never compare to premiums. Well, that might be relevant for some industries, but when it comes to photo editing, the Lightroom presets for portraits are unmatched.

 

Here’s everything you can get from one free batch of Lightroom presets for portraits.

 

Ten must-have free Lightroom presets

1. B&W Portrait preset: This preset is best suitable for individual portraits as it captures the subject’s best features. Apply this preset and make your images timeless.

       

 

2. Wind Portrait preset: It adds certain dynamics and vibrancy to the picture. The preset is not suitable for outdoor portraits as it can distort some of the original colors. The greenish and yellow tones provide a cheerful vibe to the image.

       

 

3. Old Style Portrait preset: Ideally, it is suitable for portraits whose background needs to be softened up a bit. It gives your images a retro charm while enhancing the textures and colors. We recommend using it frequently for close-up shots.

       

 

4. Sun Flare Lightroom preset: It adds a certain degree of warmth to the photos and improves their clarity. You can enhance the photos with sun flares and rich tones of orange, which is quite appealing.

       

 

5. Cinematic Portrait preset: This preset adds a cinematic effect and has a specific nostalgic vibe attached to it. The photographers can add a cinematic feel and achieve the desired outcome.

       

 

6. Brighten Portrait preset: This one is for indoor and outdoor portraits, as it makes the picture warmer and brighter. The preset is perfect if you have been shooting in low sunlight and don’t want to miss tiny details.

       

 

7. Fall Portrait preset: It enhances the colors of the fall and sets a unique tone reminiscent of the fall. So you can add warm temperature, cozy touch, and clarity with this preset.

       

 

8. Color Pop Portrait preset: If you are looking for more vibrant colors and that young vibe strung to your photos, then you can go for this. This preset also helps you get rid of unwanted shadows.

       

 

9. Best Portrait preset: When you are not sure where to start, you can go with the best Portrait preset for some added magic to every Portrait.

     

 

10. Vintage Portrait preset: Add a retro touch to your photos and wash out your photos with colors and elegance. You can make your pictures stylish and classier with just a few clicks.

 

Conclusion

Well, that’s all about Adobe Lightroom, Lightroom presets, and how these two make things easier for a photographer. You can download free Lightroom presets for portraits and apply them to bring your pictures to life. If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments below.

Image Credits

Chris Weston is a professional wildlife photographer whose work is exhibited globally, and many private clients around the world enthusiastically collect his fine art prints. Initially starting a career in IT sales, he decided to switch his line of profession completely back in 2001.

Today his commercial clients include the likes of BBC, Daily Telegraph, Guardian and The Independent newspaper, and National Geographic, to name a few. You can also visit The Marylebone Gallery in London to ponder over much of his brilliant work.

According to a recent study by Chron.com, at the moment, nature and wildlife photography has no distinct classifications pointed out as per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the attested median earnings for photographers in 2018 was $36,280 a year or $17.44 per hour.

Nonetheless, we do know that professional photographers can earn a decent amount of salary. In light of this information, let us now review this definitive guide by Chris Weston entitled “Mastering Your Digital Camera”.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is designed to cater to the needs of photographers who are simply beginners and first-time DSLR camera users and any photographer who wants to get off the automatic mode and start shooting better photos.

Unravel the mysteries of digital photography as this course takes you on a journey to discover what your camera can actually do for you in an accessible and easy to understand manner.

If you want to produce professional-quality results consistently, then this course is indeed for you. You will not only cover landscape and architecture photography but also delve into fashion and Chris’ own favorite wildlife photography as well.

Learning Outcomes

The course itself focuses broadly on simple steps that amateurs can learn and acquire professional skills and techniques that can help them in taking great pictures straight away. Instead of confusing terminologies and technical jargon, Chris utilizes a direct approach to learning and offering an in-the-field tuition style that instantly grabs your attention.

He goes on to point out some valuable on-the-button tips and shares with you sample images. Thus providing your mind with the assurance you need to understand the concepts he relays to you throughout the guide.

The approach and angles he takes to explain to you the technology is simple, clear, and to the point with no mumbo-jumbo involved that can make anyone’s head spin. 

Things Covered in the Course

Here is a quick overview of what he covers in detail throughout the course of his video guides and with the aid of written materials.

• Basic Setup

Here beginners would get to understand the basics of how to prepare the camera and its various settings. Chris also informs about the difference between JPEG and RAW files, as well as how they can be used.

• White Balance

The look and the feel of photos can greatly be altered through the use of white balance how neutral colors can be rendered correctly. White balance is a fundamental aspect of image processing and can really help users deliver amazing results with the right adjustments.

• Perfect Exposure Part 1

The first part on the topic of exposure covers hands-on and simple maneuvers that allow users to understand the concept’s principles.

• ISO

ISO can be made to work differently and is very much a useful function of the camera, which is why Chris advises users to deploy it wisely. He also explains how users can avoid ruining their images.

• Perfect Exposure Part 2

The final and second part of the camera exposure delves into additional elements revolving around the topic. This section of the course reveals further aspects to master the exposure and its settings.

• Focus

A photo without a focus may seem like a wasted effort. In this part of the course, Chris reveals the secrets to acquiring pin-point sharpness and detail in pictures every single time a user wants.

• Buying Lenses

Lenses are an essential part of your unit, and they can bring in various augmentations to your already powerful device. However, lenses are expensive, and here Chris’s expertise can help you guide towards more effective lenses while sticking to a predefined budget. 

• Practicing

No one is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. The practice is, therefore, mandatory to achieve finesse in photography. If you don’t put your skills to the test, then they will simply rust with time. Students who have taken this course have also applied for assignment to help UK so that they can give ample time to practice with their new digital devices. 

• Lighting

This is a bonus module and a gift from Chris to the users. Here he tells you about the usage of the right lighting and managing lighting conditions. Visual Flow is of great importance when it comes to photography. You can learn it in this course.

While concluding, I would say that this course offers comprehensive video tutorials and 244 pages of course material, including notes, sample photos, as well as training exercises. As expected of Chris, this is indeed a fine effort on his part to convey valuable and practical knowledge that enthusiasts can start implementing and improve upon their photography skills.

He is an eloquent teacher, and the course is well put together, offering you clear advice and delivering incredible learning all packed into a comprehensive and short space of time. The qualities of the videos are nice, and this makes the overall course really enjoyable.

Not only are the explanations full and complete, but the entire course is profoundly taught and efficiently delivered. 

Want Something More???

Well, Now You Get This Course At $30 Flat!!!!

Check It Out Now!

 

Product Reviewed By Amanda Bennette.

Click here to connect with her.

 

Jonas Hornehoj, a young, wanderlust soul who travels all over the globe capturing exquisite landscapes, wildlife scenes, jaw-dropping drone shots, and more that will make you fall in love with his photography. We were extremely fortunate to get in conversation with Travel photographer Jonas Hornehoj.

In this interview, he talks to us about his most favorite places and his love for exploring out-of-the-box locations. He also shares some incredible tips on how you can take better travel photographs.

Read along for some candid conversations with Jonas Hornehoj.

We are sure you’ll love reading it as much as we loved conducting it!

 

 

•  Photography as a hobby to a full-time profession. How has your journey been?

That’s definitely a tough question to answer just like that, but if I had to explain in just a few sentences – I would have to say that photography and videography have been my personal gateway to learning more about the world and managing to gain a plethora of experience in many avenues of my life.

I set out to travel 3 years ago with very little knowledge about photography or film making – it is now my full-time profession.

It has been a hell of a ride so far and I can’t wait to see what’s in store moving forward!

 

• You capture incredible drone shots of forests, coral reefs, and beaches. Which has been your most favorite place to shoot to date? 

Another impossible question to answer haha, favorite place to shoot…. I would have to name a couple as each has its own reason.

 
One of them would have to be Palau Padar in Indonesia, simply because this is amongst the top 5 most picturesque places I have ever been. Another one would be the Algarve coast as I managed to find the perfect golden hour light lasting for hours on end when I visited in December.

I could go on and on about naming locations, but if I absolutely had to give 1 single destination which was my favorite place to shoot, however, I think I would have to say the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, and I couldn’t even fly my drone here – so that’s saying something! Petra just boosts a perfect combination of cultural wealth combined with aesthetic mastery, not to mention the incredible natural colors found there.

 

 

• You love exploring hidden gems and not-so-usual destinations. Any reason why you prefer such out-of-the-box locations?

Honestly, I think it’s because the people who I have looked up to the most as creative photographers, and the people who I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from or at times even working with, have all been individuals who blew me away with their unique take on travel photography.

Being a good photographer only takes you to a certain extent in this very developed industry.

There are so many people nowadays who are good enough at photography to be considered professional – also because the gear and equipment available to average retail consumers are at such a high level now that anyone can take a decent photo.

The only way to REALLY stand out as a travel photographer now is to offer a unique take on both editing, framing, and most important locations.

I will be the first to openly say, however, that amongst my peers, I wouldn’t be considered as the person who has been to the most unusual or unexplored places. To someone who doesn’t travel full time of course it appears that way, but there is still so much more to explore! 

 

• Behind every amazing picture, there is a story. Can you share any such story with us? 

The best way to put words to this is probably the story of telling stories. It sounds very oxymoronic of course, but I find that I always try to tell a story with each image.

Whether it is a naturally occurring moment or a staged/framed shot – there is always a reason behind the framing, the pose, the execution of the shot. I find the storytelling aspect to be one of the most important to pique any interest in a viewer from the get-go.

You want every aspect of the image to play a certain role in what the image should depict – and this can be extremely difficult, but with every image, we try!

So yes, behind every image there is a story, but there isn’t one that jumps out at me more than any other, as it is the collection of images that tells the entire story.

 

• How big a role did photography play in your life before you chose it as a profession? 

No role whatsoever haha. Creativity has always been a part of my life, starting with instruments and then moving more into the visually creative expression.

Everything from drawing to spray painting kept me creative from a young age, but as I felt my life filling up with other things that seemed to occupy my time, I eventually found photography which seemed to occupy less of my time when I started, but still provided me with that creative itch. Little did I know at the time that 3-4 years later I would be doing it full time professionally.

 

• When did you start taking photographs?

In 2016 I went to Thailand for a 3-month internship for university, and on that trip, I borrowed my mom’s canon 450d, and it didn’t take me long to love the process of shooting and heading out on adventures with the idea of certain images or locations in mind.

At the same time I was VERY into the idea of flying a drone, so I worked the 3rd job in order to save up to get my first drone.

3 months after I managed to get this drone, I finished university and decided I would set out on a trip to southeast Asia. Starting in the Philippines, my plan was to head around southeast Asia, taking photos and filming along the way – with the hope of getting good enough to cover my travel expenses.

I sold my belongings in Denmark, bought a camera that at the time I was convinced would be a good all-round camera for me which was the Panasonic GH5 – which actually stayed with me as my primary camera until December 2019. It managed to take me from barely being able to call myself an amateur, to shooting for a living

 

• We love your pictures. What inspires you the most to take such amazing shots?

I think my source of inspiration has changed a lot in the process over the last 3 years, as I have developed from a travel enthusiast to now living a lifestyle that keeps me on the road more or less full time, hunting down clients to make a living – so a sense of business has become a very strong part of my inspiration as I always want to improve and out-do myself.

I do think, however, that in the core sense of the word inspiration, what truly inspires me is the feeling that I get when I get up at 4 to go on a sunrise mission and no one else is around. The sense of feeling almost like anyone who isn’t there at the time is missing out on this feeling that I’m lucky enough to have – it makes me appreciate that a camera in hand has become a job.

All the places I have been lucky enough to see, and then create eternal still memories from just because I took photography seriously.

Building a never-ending portfolio of my life, even if my creative business failed and I ended up doing something else – I know that I would forever have this digital scrapbook of all the places I have seen and experienced.

Not to mention the way in which each of the images I have shared online is linked to a distinct memory and connection to people I have met. It’s so hard to put into words but I guess what inspires me the most is knowing just how valuable each new experience is for my development both personally and creatively – but also from a business perspective.

 

• Among your works, which one is your favorite?

Some really tough questions here! I think it would have to be this shot from Egypt for quite a few reasons.

1. Location – I have always been fascinated by Egypt and the Ancient history that you can SEE in Egypt – it’s so evident and there are so many stories to understand there.

2. Conditions – When I went to visit this place, it was on a group trip as I was shooting for a travel company, so I was pretty limited in terms of timing and shooting according to the planned schedule.

We were heading here at around 11 am, which isn’t usually ideal for shooting with soft light. But I lucked out from a photography perspective because there was a sandstorm happening on the day that we visited which helped diffuse the sunlight above AND create the perfect sense of depth between the sphinx and the pyramids – so got very lucky there! 

3. Personal accomplishment – This 14-day trip I was on through Egypt and Jordan was my first ever trip where all expenses were covered, and a small sum was also involved as payment. So it was basically at this time that it became entirely clear to me that I was on the right track and entirely able to turn this into a sustainable living if I kept pushing.

4. AND finally – on this trip, against all odds, I met my partner Emma (@emmanicoleshaw) – she was on the group trip with her friend, and I was on the trip on a job for the travel company.

She was based in London at the time and I was traveling full time, but somehow we got along so well that we actually did long distance for 8-9 months where we saw each other maybe a few days a month, where after she joined me full time.

Now due to COVID, we are apart again for a while but in December we’ll be able to meet up again! So yeah that trip to Egypt and Jordan meant a whole lot to me!

 

 

• Can you tell us about the biggest highlight in your career so far?

There have been a few, one of them being the trip to Egypt and Jordan, but some others include:

– helping my friends Marie & Jake (@mariefeandjakesnow) filming for their fundraiser campaign which took us to South Africa for 2 weeks, where we were filming every day and experiencing things that money can’t buy – it was truly a once in a lifetime.

Another thing that has stood out to me has been working side by side with my friend Jordan Hammond (@jordhammond) on several occasions – before I set out on my adventure, I had followed Jord for a while and he was one of the people I looked up to the most – so working with him on several projects and product development has played a big role for me.

And finally, working with so many different people and meeting so many incredibly talented and friendly open-minded individuals has been the key element for me to continue doing this. I have never done anything else where I meet so many people who are all looking to be better at every aspect of their lives, and it’s incredibly powerful! Working with companies and brands that operate worldwide is pretty crazy too! 

 

•  What are you passionate about besides photography?

Traveling (obviously)

Business development

Physical and mental well-being

Relationships with people

These are all fairly generic answers but going into detail would take hours and hours, so summing them up in bullet point form was the best option.

In all honesty, each of these 4 points in my life has shaped me to become who I am, and focusing on these points have given me more value, and helped me provide value to others – in ways that I hadn’t otherwise experienced

 

 

•  Your top 3 tips for budding travel photographers

My top 3 tips would have to be

1. It’s not about the gear, but rather about the photographer. So KEEP ON PRACTICING. Stop dwelling on what camera and lenses to get before going out to shoot! You will very quickly find out what works for you and what doesn’t, so don’t spend thousands of dollars and gear before you have an ACTUAL need and reason to do so.

2. Offer value to others as they will offer it right back to you – this is true in all aspects of life in my opinion, and photography is by no means an exception to this. If you look up to anyone, offer your services to them as there is a good chance you could learn A LOT from them. If you offer value people are a lot more likely to associate themselves with you, and also offer the value back.

3. MOST IMPORTANTLY – and this one is definitely not for everyone but it is exactly what worked for me – put yourself in a situation where you HAVE to become a master at your craft. I sold everything in Denmark and invested everything 100% into myself and my goal of turning this into a sustainable business.

I didn’t have a job to fall back on, or an apartment, or a network of help. I believe that the only way to REALLY blossom in this industry and space is to force yourself into a position where there is no option not to succeed. Most people will want to do something but put in a half-assed effort if they know they have security in other aspects of life.

Keep pushing yourself, keep reaching out to other creators, keeping working hard hours. You will start getting better and better, to the point where you can make a living off of your work. I really believe if I can do it, anyone can do it – it all comes down to your mindset and how badly you want it!

You can check out more work from Jonas Hornehoj on his website here. 

In a time where people run behind money & professional success, Josh Katz is a true artist who chases his dreams & truly takes his inspirations seriously. A man who literally goes out of his comfort zone to learn, be inspired, & capture that perfect frame! The world doesn’t make enough of this kind anymore. We are glad to host an interview with this young dreamer & a determined artist, Josh Katz on our blog.

• What made you take up such a creative profession seriously when you were just 9 years old?

I started playing with cameras—making YouTube videos and taking photos—as an innocent hobby. I still like to think of photography as a passion, rather than a ‘creative profession’, to stay inspired. Even as the professional obligations mount, I make an effort to keep certain aspects of photography pure and detached from work. If walking around NYC shooting street photos ever feels like a job, I’m doing something wrong. 

 

 

• You love talking to strangers. Is there anything in particular about these conversations that inspires your creative journey?

I believe it’s the other way around—my creative journey inspires these conversations. I’m deeply interested in meeting new people, having strange conversations, and ending up in places I’d never expect. Photography is my tool to indulge these curiosities. 

Sometimes I see a character on the streets and want to learn their story. Other times, it’s an entire culture I want to explore. While driving through Texas on a solo road trip last year, I decided I wanted to learn about monster truck culture, so I offered a free photoshoot to a professional driver to earn credentials to photograph Monster Jam. After a quick photo shoot, I spent the next six hours roaming the stadium, talking to everyone and taking it all in. 

 

 

• Which is your favorite place to shoot in your city? Any reason why?

Somewhere I’ve never been before. New York City is endless and no matter how well I think I know the city, there’s always another neighborhood with a fascinating enclave that I didn’t know existed.

 

• Which is your favorite place to shoot outside your city? Please share an incident you remember & love, that occurred there.

Anywhere I feel out of my comfort zone, whether it’s a backroads American town or an exotic city. Hanoi completely blew my mind as a street photographer. The city’s population density makes New York feel spacious and the streets are constantly lively. 

I had a fantastic time photographing throughout Israel, too. In Tzfat, I shot a few street photos of a group of middle-school-aged boys. Once they came closer, I gestured asking to shoot portraits of them (since they didn’t speak any English) and we shared some laughs through the process. Then, they beckoned me into an unmarked building with a rickety door. 

I had no idea what I was about to walk into, but they seemed friendly so I leaned in and followed them. It turned out to be their lunchroom, where I’m surrounded by dozens of Orthodox students with all eyes on me as the random American tourist in the room. No one speaks English but they eagerly pose for photos and offer me a sandwich, too.

My camera leads me into the most wonderful, bizarre situations. I end up in places I’d never expect, communicating entirely with body language and laughter, all thanks to photography. 

 

• Do you emphasize on the “right technique” or the “instinct” to get a good shot?

The two go hand in hand. Instinct and curiosity gravitate you toward a certain photo opportunity. The proper technique leads to the successful execution of said photo. I love the photographic flow state when the two come together. 

 

• Can you share with us the process that went into creating The Outdoor Photography Course which is running on PhotoWhoa?

During my senior year of college, while I was getting a business degree, I spent two intensive months filming this nine-hour course. Every video was shot in my living room, which had massive floor-to-ceiling windows. To achieve consistent lighting with a low budget, I built a wall of tin foil to hang up, every single day, to block out all the natural night, essentially turning my entire apartment into a cave for two months. I worked like a maniac to meet an intense production schedule, never taking a day off and constantly writing, filming, or editing. My roommates definitely hated me throughout this process.

 

• Who/what do you draw inspiration from?

I love Instagram because I can follow people’s active creative progression, which feels more helpful and inspiring than only marveling at the greats. All the iconic street photographers—Alex Webb, Winogrand, Frank, Parr, Gilden, etc— are fantastic. The art and culture surrounding skateboarding are also constant sources of inspiration for my creativity and outtake on life. 

 

• Please give our readers aspiring to make it big in this genre of photography, a parting message.

I’m not sure if I’ve ‘made it big’ yet, but I’m grateful to get to work in this space. I’ll remind everyone that being a successful artist requires great work and great compromise. While your favorite artists may portray a flashy lifestyle full of dream projects, there’s often plenty of unglamorous work going on behind the scenes. I always remind myself that Ansel Adams shot commercial work into his 70s—even after he’d achieved international acclaim.

 

You can check out more from the work of Josh Katz here.