Goodbye Aretha

On August 15th, 2018 I called my long-time client and friend for the last time. The next day, August 16, Aretha Franklin passed away.

For the last 14 years, I have photographed Aretha and shared many wonderful moment along the way. Since October of 2017 we tried several times to arrange a photo shoot for her final CD cover (she was planning on retiring) however, each time the photo session had to be canceled at the last moment.

Over the last year we had a lot of opportunities to speak over the phone and many of those conversations were spent laughing and planning for the day she was strong enough to shoot. In November of 2017, she told me about her schedule to do an Elton John event in New York along with a late night talk show. We discussed doing the shoot while she was in New York but decided it would be too much and opted to wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving but the day before Thanksgiving she was admitted to the hospital. Sadly, our shoot never took place but I am grateful for every second I spent with Ms. Franklin forever.

Goodbye my friend!

Love, Matthew

This week in San Francisco

You just landed that big photo job...now what!

What happens after you land your first big photo assignment? In this weeks episode of the Master Your Lens photography podcast, we take a look at the steps to ensure you keep getting more big assignments. 

<<<CLICK HERE>> 

Have you taken the Smart Photo Quiz?

When was the last time you smiled and had fun as a photographer? The Smart Photo Quiz should definitely put a smile on your face...especially if you get all the answers right.

<<<CLICK HERE>>> to start your quiz.

Since we are on the topic of quizzes, here one to end this post.

Which prime focal length lens was used to create the following image?

1) 24mm

2) 35mm

3) 105mm

Write your answer in the comments section!

Always dream big,

Matthew

P.S. Here's the photography quiz link to pass along to all your friends. www.SmartPhotoQuiz.com 

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES 2018

CES Convention in Vegas

If you're in Las Vegas this week, join me along with a host of other great speakers as we share the joy of photography on the Nikon stage. 

What's your favorite lens?

Recently I’ve been asked this question quite a bit. It seems everyone wants to know what gear other photographers like using. What’s your favorite camera, your favorite lens, your favorite light, these days?

Over the years I’ve had many favorite lenses, but at this very moment, I have one lens that stands out above the rest and it keeps blowing me away every time I use it.  The Nikkor 105 f/1.4 lens is one incredible lens.

Yesterday, I went to Kamakura, Japan for the Yabusame ceremony (horseback archery), which is a traditional Japanese archery where an archer shoots arrows at three wooden targets while riding horseback. It was my first time attending this ceremony and I arrived later than I should have to get a good spot to take pictures. I took my new Nikon D850 camera and my Nikkor 105 f/1.4 lens. Before I left home, I decided to shoot at f/2.8 for the entire day. The bokeh (quality of blur) on this lens is insane and I wanted to test it in this situation.

For this ceremony, archers are dressed in beautiful Samurai attire and compete for the top honor. It is an amazing ceremony to see in person and even better to photograph.

After the event, I looked over my images as I took the train home. With the Nikon SnapBridge app, my images are transferred instantly to my smart-phone so I can share high-quality photographs instantly on social media or send to friends and family. I was blown away by the sharpness I was able to achieve as the archers flew by at lightning speed. The D850 camera and the 105 lens makes for a powerful combination.

For more info on photography check out the webinar this week.

Always dream big,

Matthew

Wish you had more time in the day?

I think we all wish we had more time in the day to do what we love. It seems time goes by faster and faster each year, especially as we work to grow our photography businesses. 

This week, I'm hosting a photography webinar to help you manage your time and get over any fears you may have surrounding pricing your photography. To join me on the webinar, click the link below. You'll have a chance to take part in a LIVE photography lighting exercise and have the opportunity to get in on WEEKLY LIVE TRAINING SESSIONS! 

SIGN ME UP FOR THE WEBINAR!

Photographed with the Nikon D850 and Nikkor 105 f/1.4 lens

You will LOVE this camera!

It's not every day that a camera comes out that blows me away, but the new NIKON D850 is knocking my socks off with all the amazing features it has. This is one incredible camera. 

Photographed with the Nikon D850 and a Nikkor 105 f/1.4 lens

I'm coming to see you!

This week, the Next Level Photography Workshop tour begins and I'll be teaching everything I've learned about the business of photography including lighting, shooting techniques, business tips and strategies and most important believe it or not, I'm going to teach what I like to call, "beyond the gear!" This is what really makes a difference and gives you a long career in photography. Yes, you are going to learn about all the gear as well and I'm going to teach you a lot about light and you'll be able to shoot as well, so bring your gear, but this workshop is aimed to really make a difference in your photography and in your life.

If you love photography and want to learn how to have a better career, come join me as I travel all over America, Canada, and Europe to teach what I love!

Here is the list of all the cities and dates:

Click here to sign up!

April 28th: Orange County

May 1st: Portland

May 2nd: Seattle

May 4th: Vancouver, Canada

May 8th: Minneapolis, MN

May 10th: Chicago, IL

May 12th: Toronto, Canada

May 15th: Columbus, Ohio

May 16th: Indianapolis, IN

May 17th: St. Louis, Missouri

May 22nd: Washington, D.C.

May 23rd: Philadelphia, PA

May 24th: New York City

May 26th: Boston, MA

May 30th: Charlotte, NC

May 31st: Atlanta, GA

June 1st: Nashville, TN

June 3rd: Orlando, Fl

June 6th: Houston, TX

June 7th: Dallas, TX

June 8th: Austin, TX

June 10th: Phoenix, Az

June 12th: San Francisco, CA

June 14th: Los Angeles, CA

June 19th: London

June 21st: Amsterdam

Click here to sign up for the Next Level Tour!

Spring is here!

This year I'm more in tune with the changing seasons than ever before. It's been a while since I've been able to really enjoy spring and I didn't realize how I missed it. In Japan, the entire country celebrates with Hanami, when friends, family, and co-workers come out to eat and celebrate under the cherry blossoms. 

It's an amazing time to experience. I shot every day with my Nikon D500 and D5. I used two of my favorite lenses, the 35mm 1.4 Nikkor lens and the 85mm 1.4 Nikkor lens. 

Hanami in Tokyo

First Master Class of 2017

It is the start of the 2017 and it is time to take action to if you want to turn your goals into reality. The first Master Class of 2017 will take place this Wednesday and Thursday.

To sign up click here.

I look forward to seeing you soon. It's time to fly!

Dream bigger in 2017

How to take better pictures and make more money in photography

To end 2016, I am hosting TWO LIVE Master Class sessions online and they're totally FREE.

The first MASTER CLASS takes place today starting at 4:00 p.m. PST, but come 15 minutes early for the pre-party and make sure you get the FREE Master Class Workbook.

Register here: Today's Master Class

The second MASTER CLASS takes place on Thursday, starting at 1:00 p.m. PST. 

Register here. THURSDAY MASTER CLASS 

Date: December 15th

Always dream big,

Matthew

FREE 3-Part Photography Training Series

It's back!

The FREE 3-part photography training series launched on Black Friday and will continue through next week. Each video is packed with valuable information to help you achieve more success in photography.

You can watch the first video here: VIDEO 1- THE BENEFITS

Enjoy!

Always Dream Big

Black Friday Photography Deals

 If you live in America, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday, but even if you don't you can still take advantage of the great photo deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

One of my favorite programs, Perfectly Clear is on sale at a great price. If you're not familiar with Perfectly Clear, it's an amazing plug-in that works with Lightroom and Photoshop to save you time with retouching. 

Imagine doing a photo shoot where you shot 1000 images. With Perfectly Clear, you can retouch just one of those pictures in about 5 minutes or less, then apply that retouching to the other 999 images quickly and easily. That's the beauty of Perfectly Clear and over the next few days, you can get it for an insane price.  Click here for the Perfectly Clear deal.

Are you thinking of going to Vegas next February for the 2017 WPPI photo convention? You can get 15% off any WPPI Master Class if you register by Friday night.  Click here to register.

Lastly, today we kick off a FREE 3-Part Photography Training Series starting with VIDEO #1. Over the next week, we will release 3 FREE training videos to help you enhance your photography and start 2017 off right.

Always dream big,

Matthew