Walid Azami
fstoppers.com
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Contact Walid
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Walid:
Can You Use a Helios Lens for Landscape Photography?
I originally heard about the Helios 44-2 lens when my editor said it might be great for the skin. It took four weeks for the arrival and about 12 months before I had the free time to use it for a full day. In full transparency, I brought the lens to a variety of photoshoots, but it's not a fast lens, and it would get in the way of productivity every time I took it out. Since I → Read More
Do You Use Halation?
If you want a warm film look for your photographs or videos, you might want to consider one of the easiest ways to come closer to a film look. That is halation, or a light bloom, and I'm going to show you how it's done through a diffusion filter. What Is Halation? Halation is a photographic effect that can add a sense of nostalgia and warmth to a photograph or video. It is → Read More
How to Increase Photo Studio Profits
Starting a photography studio can be an exciting and fulfilling endeavor, but it can also be challenging to make it profitable. Here are a few tips to help you create a successful and profitable photography studio. Create an Instagrammable Moment One way to increase your visibility and attract potential clients is to create an "Instagrammable moment" in your studio. This can → Read More
Joshua Tree Through a Diffusion Filter
Have you ever looked at a scene and thought it was just a bit too sharp, almost harsh? It can be overwhelming, right? But, at the same time, you don't want to make your shots blurry in an attempt to soften things up. Well, that's where diffusion filters come in. If you're not familiar with diffusion filters, they are a type of camera filter that can add a dreamy, hazy effect → Read More
Photographing New Male Models
Photographing male models can be a challenging but rewarding experience for a photographer. In order to create stunning and memorable images, it's essential to direct the model and guide them into confident poses that showcase their best features. A good body or a beautiful face is not enough; the model needs to be able to convey emotion and personality in order to truly bring → Read More
The New Photo Studio
TikTok studio rentals are going to be a huge trend in the future for photo studios looking to increase their profitability. With such a competitive market, it can be difficult for photo studios to succeed. By focusing on being the most creative studio around and offering unique and interesting spaces, photo studios can attract clients who are looking for something different → Read More
4 Ways to Book More in 2023
You're going to book more photography clients in 2023 because we're going to uncomplicate things. People are people, and photo clients are the same, whether it's an ad agency, a new mom, a bride-to-be, or the CEO of a startup. The video will help you understand why pricing is about psychology. Getting the potential client to say yes is a strategic move. Sometimes, it's more → Read More
Making Extra Money in Photography
You can make a lot of extra revenue from photography if you think outside of the traditional box. Here are a few ways that you can make additional revenue whether we are in a recession or a great economy. Think outside the box, friend. You’ve got this! Say Hello in the Mail! One way you can make extra photography revenue is simply visiting your old jobs. Think of all the mail → Read More
How to Book More Photo and Video Clients
You can watch endless videos about lens reviews and Instagram for photographers on YouTube. Very few channels offer business advice that moves the needle for photographers. That's why I made a video that speaks on the how behind presenting your pricing for photoshoots. Videographers, you are not exempt from this! Take note, and I hope it serves you as well as it serves my → Read More
Protect Your Photography Business
In the midst of cancel culture, it's easy to make a misstep as a photographer. Sometimes, a seemingly harmless act could tarnish your reputation. I created this video because following these actions helped me, and I hope that it also serves you. List Your Crew The model needs to know who exactly will attend their photoshoot and they need advanc notice to vet everyone. Do not → Read More
What Canon's Bad Move Taught Me
I'm not a fan of Canon's recent decision to ban some third-party manufacturers from selling RF mount lenses. It's a smart short-term financial decision, but the long run is a different story. Because of this decision, I invested in a Sigma lens (24-70mm and adaptor), and while the adaptor is one more piece of gear to lug around, I'd rather vote with my dollar. I don't support → Read More
Say 'No' to Your Clients and Win!
You’ll get many opportunities to photograph someone for free or to offer you work for less. You don’t have to take all of them or even any of them. As a successful photographer, you’ll need to learn to say "no" more often than "yes" and how your career development depends on saying "no" to the wrong people. This blog post will guide you through the different scenarios and how → Read More
Photographing Talent: Some Helpful Tips
Yes, the video says it's for posing women, but it works for everyone. It's for posing, it's for comfort levels, and it will help you run a more successful set. Here are three of my tips for helping models have a more successful photoshoot. 5 Tips to Help You Have a More Successful Photoshoot Less lights, more comfort: I'm a fan of c-stands and lights everywhere. It looks like → Read More
Tips for a Better Photoshoot
Here are four great tips to give you an advantage with your shoots, whether for a job or as a hobby. Talk to the Model Many photographers may waste a lot of time warming up with the model. You can increase your success rate just by taking 10 minutes to speak with a captive audience. That would the model sitting in glam. I ran a photography studio and only the best of the best → Read More
The Big Photography Mistake
Photographers opt for the simple hourly wage, and while it's better than working for free, I still think it's bad for the long-run. I can only imagine the comment section from hourly photographers at the bottom of this blog post! It's important to note that you'll book higher rates if the client feels they're paying for an experience. Package rates can be an experience without → Read More
A Recession Guide for Photographers
You've heard your industry colleagues say it. You've read the news articles and listened to the business pundits. The economy is in a recession, and your photography business is suffering. It's true, but that doesn't mean you can't find delighted clients and grow your business. This video gives six very effective tips that will help your business grow in a recession. I know, → Read More
5 Reasons Why You Should Use Textile Backdrops in Your Photography
Here are five tips that save you money and get you high-quality backdrops. This is important because you must stand out as a successful photographer, and we all know that blending into the crowd isn't exactly the best way to book clients. Here are five reasons why I think purchasing textile backdrops is better than paper. Although, I still use paper backdrops when it's → Read More
How to Charge for the 3 Stages of Beginner Photography
Running a photography business is challenging and earning your first client can be tough. In this article, I will show you how to charge for photography in the three stages of a beginner photographer's career. Let's divide the beginner photographer into three categories. If you consider yourself a beginner, more than likely you will fall into one of these. When you watched my → Read More
How to Get Photo Credit
Millions of photos are uploaded each day, but we don't know who took them, unless they are properly credited. With proper credit, you can actually book more jobs, and it's a remarkable way of expanding your network. Whose fault is it that photographers don't get proper credit? It's yours. It's mine. Take full responsibility of this role, then we also assume full responsibility → Read More
Hourly Photographers Are Like Vending Machines
The title said photographers who charge by the hour are like vending machines of the photography world. There is everything wrong with that, and my quest is to help you earn more money. I'm also aware this could be seen as insulting. To me, it's insulting to undersell your services and position yourself in a way that does not benefit your growth. Look below at some reasons I → Read More