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Portrait Tutorial – Tips on How To Use a Large Umbrella

June 4, 2025 By Morgan

Two smiling photographers with a large umbrella light behind them.

(If you want to watch the video tutorial go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan. Today on the Slanted Lens we’re going to take a look at lighting with a 7-foot umbrella. Not a shoot through umbrella, but an umbrella with a black back on it. So it’s going […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Laws of Light, Lighting Tutorials, Photography & Video Lighting Articles, Photography Tutorial, Portraits

Shade vs Backlight: How to Use Natural Light for Beautiful Portraits

May 20, 2025 By Morgan

Comparison of portrait lighting: shade versus backlight on a smiling woman.

(If you want to watch the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Backlight versus shade. We’re going to take a look at which one of those makes the best portrait. I’ve got Abigail here with me today. So let’s look at backlight versus shade here on The Slanted Lens. So I’m going to […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Camera Settings, Lighting Tutorials, Photography Tutorial, Portraits

Softbox vs Tracing Paper For Portrait Photography

May 7, 2025 By Morgan

Softbox vs Tracing Paper for Portrait Lighting

(If you want to watch the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) I am so excited today because we’re going to compare a 3 foot x 4 foot softbox from Westcott with tracing paper. I love tracing paper. It is a beautiful look. It’s a soft light. It just makes things look so […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Lighting Tutorials, Photography & Video Lighting Articles, Photography Tutorial, Portraits

Make It or Buy It, Homemade Softbox vs Store Bought Softbox

April 22, 2025 By Morgan

Excited woman holding photography softboxes with text "Make It or Buy It".

(If you want to see the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Should I make a softbox or should I buy one? My pieces of foam core from the dollar store cost me $15 to make a softbox. My Westcott softbox cost me $70. Can I get the same quality of portrait from […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Equipment, Photography Tutorial, Portraits, Product Review

Soft Box vs Beauty Dish, Which is Better For Portraits?

March 27, 2025 By wpengine

Two people holding Westcott lighting modifiers: a beauty dish and a softbox.

(If you want to watch the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan. Today on The Slanted Lens we’re going to take a look at a beauty dish versus a softbox. Can you tell the difference? Which one looks better? Which one’s softer? Which one’s going to give […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Lighting Tutorials, Photography Tutorial, Portraits

Outdoor Portrait Reflector vs Strobe Challenge

January 8, 2025 By Morgan

Side-by-side comparison of portrait lighting using reflector and strobe techniques.

(If you want to watch the video tutorial go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) We’re going to compare a $26 reflector with an $800 soft box and strobe combination. Which one do you think is going to look better? I was pretty surprised. Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan. Today on the Slanted Lens […]

Filed Under: Camera Settings, Photography & Video Lighting Articles, Photography Tutorial, Portraits

How To Change Image Perspective vs Zooming Your Lens

December 16, 2024 By Morgan

Portrait of a woman in an outdoor setting with the text 'Changing Perspective'.

(If you want to watch the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) If you think zooming your lens is changing the perspective you’re absolutely wrong. Zooming your lens is just cropping into the image. Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan here from The Slanted Lens. I’ve got Jenly with me. We’re going to […]

Filed Under: Photography Tutorial, Portraits

How To Control Your Lens Remotely With Tamron’s Lens Utility Mobile App 4.0

November 26, 2024 By Morgan

Person using Tamron Lens Utility App 4.0 on a tablet for camera focus control.

(If you want to watch the video go to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Get your lenses under control! The new Tamron Lens Utility Mobile, it’s version 4.0 for Android, Android phones and tablets, allows you to completely control your lens. Everything from firmware updates, to how they focus, to some really great focus pulling features […]

Filed Under: Equipment, Photography Tutorial, Product Review

3 Retro Portrait Lighting Setups Featuring The Tamron 90mm Macro Lens

November 6, 2024 By Morgan

Portrait of a woman in vintage black hat and veil with red lipstick.

(If you want to watch the video to to The Slanted Lens on YouTube!) Does a 90 mm lens make a great portrait lens? I think it makes an incredible portrait lens. We’re going to look at that new lens from Tamron. It’s a 90mm macro. It’s made both for Nikon and for Sony, F/2.8. […]

Filed Under: Beginning Lighting Tutorials, Intermediate Lighting Tutorials, Lens Review, Lighting Tutorials, Photography Tutorial, Portraits, Product Review

9 Tips On How To Use A Teleprompter

October 29, 2024 By Morgan

Woman using a teleprompter setup with a camera and smiling confidently.

(If you want to watch the video go to YouTube.com/@TheSlantedLens) Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan. Today on The Slanted Lens we’re going to take a look at teleprompters, why you need one and how to use them. You know, teleprompters have been used in broadcast forever. It’s been a standard part of that industry. […]

Filed Under: Equipment, Product Review, Videography

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