Mike Hagen
Photofocus
Gig Harbor, WA, United States
Contact Mike
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Past articles by Mike:
Shutter Priority and when to use it
Shutter Priority exposure mode is a fantastic tool for controlling how motion appears in your final image. → Read More
Mobile Mondays: Five keys to printing cell phone photographs
Here are five keys to printing great images from a cell phone. → Read More
Creating visual dissonance in outdoor and travel photography
I refer to the technique of breaking up textures and patterns as visual dissonance. This dissonance is the tension caused in the viewer. → Read More
The advantage of Auto ISO
Using Auto ISO can have advantages when you're out photographing.In photography, ISO is a rating of your camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. → Read More
Landscape photography on overcast days
Overcast light reduces outdoor scenes to uninspiring landscapes. In these situations, I use two techniques that help produce dramatic images. → Read More
Capturing outdoor and travel photographs with the Sony Xperia 1 review
This is part one of my two-part review of the Sony Xperia 1 camera system. Sony’s PR firm sent me a new Xperia 1 to test for about one month. Like many of this year’s new mobile phones, the Xperia 1 comes with three cameras: A ultra-wide, a normal and a telephoto. My goal was to … → Read More
Four creative techniques for photographing fireworks
Fireworks photography is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. The traditional approach for shooting fireworks is to set your camera on a tripod and open the shutter for a few seconds while the fireworks explode. Last year I started experimenting with handheld fireworks photography to see what new looks I could create.… → Read More
Using the texture slider in Lightroom Classic
I use Adobe Lightroom Classic every day in my photo business and rely on it to help me produce images for my clients. The May 2019 software update brought a new tool called the texture slider. I immediately began using the tool for much of my work and it has already found a home in… → Read More
Having fun with the Canon IVY Cliq+ camera and printer
Photography should be fun. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to test out this new Canon IVY Cliq+ camera that is also a printer. Both my daughter and I put it through its paces to see if it meets the “fun” criteria. The answer? Yes! I asked my daughter to take the camera… → Read More
Best organizational practices for Luminar 3 catalogs
In addition to being an excellent image post processing tool, Skylum’s Luminar 3 is also a digital asset management tool. As with any photo organization tool, users should put some thought into the organization of the images on their hard drive before getting too far along with the software. A poorly-organized hard drive can make… → Read More
Integrating Aurora HDR into your photo editing workflow
I use Lightroom Classic for the vast majority of my post-processing work. I like to use the software package as my overall working hub and then shoot images out to other programs as necessary. As long as the images come back into Lightroom then it is easy for me to always find them and organize… → Read More
Decade mini tripod base – how does it compare to the Platypod?
Platypod is the top name in the flat tripod genre and for good reason; they make excellent gear. I wanted to see how their competition stacked up so I purchased a competitor’s product made by a company called Decade. The Decade Mini Tripod Base (Universal Mounting Plate) retails for about $38 on Amazon and is… → Read More
New software bricked my iMac — how my data backup system allowed me to recover
My iMac (Retina 5K 27”) completely crashed after installing DJI Pro Assistant software. Here’s how I recovered from the crash along with three important lessons everyone should take away from my experience. The cause I own a DJI Ronin S gimbal and use it with a variety of cameras for video work. One of my… → Read More
Talking the Travel Backpack 45L and Tech Pouch with Peak Design
My very first purchase of Peak Design gear was in 2011 when I came across its Capture Clip system on Kickstarter. I actually contacted the president of the company, Peter Dering, and asked him if I could take a prototype of the new product up a mountain I was climbing that same week. He said… → Read More
Photo Mechanic details version 6 and 6+, announces catalog feature
The team of developers at Photo Mechanic have two big software announcements for 2019. First, Camera Bits (Photo Mechanic’s parent company) is releasing a new version of their excellent browsing software in March 2019. Second, they are releasing their long-awaited image catalog functionality in April of 2019. I can’t tell you how excited I am… → Read More
A preview of what's to come for Saramonic Pro Audio Equipment
Over the last two years, I’ve been using my mobile phones to produce an increasing amount of video content. Using my iPhone or Samsung Galaxy to make quick videos has proven to be very convenient, but one of my struggles has been finding reliable ways to collect quality audio while still keeping a small-sized kit.… → Read More
First Look: Tether Tools Onsite Power and Case Air Wireless Tethering System
Tether Tools is always working on creating new products aimed at making our photography more efficient. I met up with my Tether Tool friends at the 2019 WPPI show in Las Vegas and asked them show off two of their newest products. Check out our quick video interview below, then read on to learn a… → Read More
Three new bags from Think Tank Photo at WPPI 2019
Think Tank Photo is one of my favorite companies in the photo industry. They produce some of the best gear for carrying your photo equipment and I’ve been using their products since 2005 or 2006. Personally, I own the Airport Security, the Pro Modulus System (AKA Modular Components System) and a bunch of their organizer… → Read More
What is a "normal" lens?
Photographers often talk about using “normal” lenses for their work. What they are referring to is a lens that mimics the field of view of human vision. In general, most photographers agree that a focal length around 50mm on a full-frame camera is regarded as a normal lens. So, what exactly is a normal lens?… → Read More
Macro photography with the Nikon VR 105mm f/2.8 and D850
The Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 IF-ED lens was released in 2006 but continues to be one of the best macro lenses on the market. I love shooting with this lens and regularly use it for my professional work as both a closeup (macro) and portrait lens. Video and field use In the above… → Read More