Joel Nisleit Photography

02/20/2025

RAW vs JPEG: Raw is still king. But now that I have a Z9, especially for sports, at 20 frames per second, I easily wind up with about 4,000 images for a sports tournament. I'm not going to develop 4,000 raw files, and I don't need the bit depth. These are going on the Web for free for parents to download. I dial in the JPEG settings in the camera and shoot JPEG Fine*. Then the editing is just about selection and cropping, as fast as I can. If I need to adjust the color or contrast a bit, it's pretty easy to do it by series. Still have about 20GB of JPEGs from one tournament, but it's better than the about 80GB that I started with. They're easily 10MB-20MB per file from the Z9.

01/09/2025

There’s a lot of areas for AI to go in photography. AF is huge — the ability to really understand a scene and lock on to difficult targets automatically. It’s good now but it will become a superpower.

The applications for editing will be huge — generation and removal. If you’ve seen what NVIDIA can do and stable diffusion, they can generate scenes and variations of scenes quickly. AI will be able to open eyes. Change expressions. Even change the light, or the perspective or DOF.

We say to “get it right in camera” because you can’t fix it later. That may not be true with advanced AI. You may be able to change pretty much any element, including the light, and add/remove lights, photorealistically, with a simple prompt. Probably put retouchers out of a job at some point. AI is doing a lot right now with early tools and models. As the tools and models get better, you’ll still have to start with a good image, but then enhancements will be virtually unlimited and photorealistic.

Ultimately, people will still want to know it’s you. If you just tell stable AI to “make a professional portrait of this person,” it can do it, but then anyone can do that. You’ll still need to have a solution and a style people want to pay for, a brand, message and offer that sells.

11/19/2024

If you don't know how light works, you'll struggle as a photographer. It's like wanting to be a race car driver but you're not interested in learning how to drive. If you want to be a photographer, ya gotta frickin' learn about light until it becomes a second language. Of course beginners don't understand light, but the sad thing is most of them don't avail themselves to the education and prefer to stumble about on their own. Don't do this if you're a beginner. Pick up the education and devour it, and then go out and apply it with discipline. The mere act of doing the work with discipline will help you stand out.

11/04/2024

Not everyone is aware of my photography page so I’ll share a recent business photo makeover I did for Alter Ego Studio in Kewaskum. I do the makeovers at no charge if you know of any businesses that would be interested.

11/03/2024

Just did a business photo makeover for Alter Ego Studio in Kewaskum. Renee and her associate Heather were a blast to work with. 😃 I can't wait to see how they use the images!

Would you like a photo makeover for your business? Take advantage of my FREE offer. I'll create a beautiful set of images for your business free of charge. You buy only the images you want to keep. If you don't like any, you don't pay. If you love all of them -- which you will 😉 -- you can get the whole gallery for one low price. Crazy simple. www.constantexposurephoto.com/makeover-offer

10/26/2024

Are you a Horicon area business that would love a free photo makeover? Did you know there’s a professional photographer right in Horicon who will create beautiful images for your business — for free? That’s right! I put in all the work and time up front, and you’re not required to buy anything. Yes, it’s freakin’ crazy. But I’m confident you’ll love the images and want to buy all of them!

https://www.constantexposurephoto.com/makeover-offer

What is the Business Photo Makeover?
Think of it as a visual brochure for your business. Portraits of you in your environment, products, locations, key people, processes, equipment. This is a great way to get fresh images for your brand and marketing.

Why do it?
Pictures are usually the first impression customers get of your business. Do your images really live up to the value and brand you’re trying to create? Or are they silently pulling it down? Customers usually won’t tell you the images don’t live up, but they’ll be thinking it! Don’t let that happen!

How does it work?
We discuss your project and agree on terms. I create beautiful images for your business, and you get access to an online gallery of previews. You buy only the images you want. If you don’t like them, you pay $0!

How much are the images?
Remember I’m putting in all the work and time up front. You pay only $35 per high-res image you want to keep. If you love all of them, I cap the full gallery at $750!

Do you cover other areas?
Yes! I cover other areas surrounding Dodge County. Mileage may apply.

I will create a collection of images featuring your business. Then you get access to an online gallery of previews. You then buy whatever images you want, or none at all. Whatever images you buy, you get full-resolution color-corrected files with a commercial use license.

10/14/2024

The kind of landscapes I capture are not for the screen. They're for the wall. But even for me, it's expensive to make large prints. I'm talking a minimum of 24 inches but for the mantle I like to go at least 36 inches. One route is to own the process, which means buying a $2,500+ printer plus canvas materials and ink, but each subsequent print you make is cheaper in the long run. Or, for the few large prints I make, spend $200+ per canvas.

But, I found a shop online that will make high quality, large prints for a lot less. I've been wanting to change prints and have been lining up images from our trips down south. Our family voted for the Forsyth Park fountain in Savannah, GA. Fantastic trip!

10/13/2024

Spent some more time developing my aurora photos. There are lots of ways to edit these and still figuring out the best. These are basic developments. I'll post links to the finished ones on my website when I have them. Could be a good year for more solar storms and auroras.

10/11/2024

Of course I got aurora pictures! Took Ellie out with grandma and grandpa Ron and Beth. Set up the tripod, 10-20 second exposures, 14 bit uncompressed raw, quick processing.

09/21/2024

https://www.constantexposurephoto.com/membership-landing

Monthly photography training from Joel Nisleit, industry professional. Get direct access to my experience and knowledge.

09/14/2024

Announcement:

When I was in business as a full time photographer, I thought that was my dream. And I enjoyed most of it. I'm glad I did it, and I accomplished a lot of what I set out to do. But after a few years, I realized photography wasn't what I desired most for work. My heart was for teaching.

A few years ago I began dreaming of being a photography coach. Part of the hesitation was I thought if I couldn't start big, I didn't want to start at all. But a few years makes a big difference, adds a lot of perspective. Life isn't getting any longer. It's absurd for me to sit on the kind of experience and skill that can boost other people looking to get a foothold or advance in photography, and not share it.

And believe me, the photographers I've talked to, the struggle beginners have is persistent. Despite the same information being available for a long time, people still don't know what settings to use, how to light or pose someone, why their gear isn't working, how to edit, how to get clients, manage a business, and so on and so forth. I see it EVERY DAY.

So, rather than repeat the same answers to a hundred people every day, I'm opening up my knowledge and experience. I've been a photographer for over 30 years, including 12 years earning full-time primary income from photography. My clients have included Widmer's Cheese Cellars, Mandel Development Group, American Family Insurance, City of Horicon, former news anchor Kathy Mykleby and six years photographing for the Mayville News/Dodge County Pionier. I have the heart of a teacher. I LOVE teaching this stuff. And I'm sharing everything I have from my knowledge and experience as a photographer.

What does this sharing look like?

Right now, you can start with my Constant Exposure photography group. https://www.constantexposurephoto.com/group/constant-exposure/about This is a membership group which gives you a 30-minute live virtual session with me once a month, plus access to all previous videos and articles created for the group. Now, since this is new, the videos and articles are currently in progress, BUT remember you get a 30-minute live session. A half hour session with me is easily worth $40 and if you went to a camera shop that's what you'd pay (I used to do sessions at those shops and that's the price).

But for access to the entire group, I'm starting at $9.99/month. Come on. You could pay more for a frozen pizza. If you want to accelerate your photography, it's a no brainer.

Who's this group for? This group is for people who are struggling with the foundations of photography -- exposure, lighting, flash, camera settings and controls, gear selection, editing frustration, inconsistent results, or how to shoot certain events or subjects.

This group is NOT for seasoned professionals! I'm not a business teacher. If you're a seasoned pro wanting to take advantage of my 14-day trial to try to help you make an extra five figures this month, not going to happen. My heart is for helping beginners who struggle just like I did when I started over 30 years ago. With the right teaching, there's just no need to struggle!

Not sure if it's worth it? Take the 14-day free trial. That's plenty of time to take advantage of the 30-minute virtual session. Then you'll have your answer!

The best way to learn photography? Constant Exposure to the craft! Each month get a 30-minute live coaching call with me, a new video lesson, plus access to all previous lessons, on topics ranging from exposure to lighting to Lightroom! The best part is I hold nothing back. If I have it, I give it.

08/26/2024

ISO: Horicon area businesses who want a Free Photo Refresh!

If you own a business and would like a collection of professional images showcasing who you are and what you do, this is the perfect opportunity. I'll create your collection for FREE (and it will be fantastic). You'll get a link to the gallery. You choose what to spend. Buy one picture, or buy all of them. If you don't like any of them, it costs you nothing. Click on over to https://www.constantexposurephoto.com/makeover-offer. This will be a limited time offer. Get it while it's available!

At no charge to you, I will create a core set of product/service, people and location images for your business to use on websites, brochures, anywhere. You only pay $30 for each image you want to keep. You get non-exclusive commercial rights to any digital files you buy. If you don't like any of the...

08/26/2024

How can you get a photo makeover of your business? Team members, products, services, processes, locations? Take my $0 Business Makeover offer!

I will create a professional photo collection for your business, capturing the highlights that will showcase who you are and what you do. If you don't like any of the images, you pay $0! Whatever images you want to keep, you pay $30 each, and the entire gallery is capped at $500. This is a LIMITED TIME offer and will not be permanent. Sign up at

At no charge to you, I will create a core set of product/service, people and location images for your business to use on websites, brochures, anywhere. You only pay $30 for each image you want to keep. You get non-exclusive commercial rights to any digital files you buy. If you don't like any of the...

08/24/2024

Did you know? You can learn photography directly from me, and it doesn't have to be a full course. I teach remotely via live video. You can pick any topic and get a one hour session, or as many sessions as you want, and I'll hold nothing back. Head on over to https://www.constantexposurephoto.com/photography-courses and submit your request. Upgrade your photo skills!

08/24/2024

Straight out of camera look at some of the super blue moon photos and settings, August 21, 2024.

08/24/2024

Finally got a good picture of the super blue moon, some juicy, deep negatives that I can pull some good information out of. Monday and Tuesday didn't yield what I wanted. Moon was too low in the sky, too much atmospheric distortion, for sharp pictures. Wednesday I went out later, at 10:30 p.m., letting the moon rise higher and crisper. Those were the pictures I was looking for. I experimented with a variety of exposure settings until I found that I could handhold the shot at ISO 100, though the one pictured is ISO 160, 1/320 @ f/8. Equipment was the Nikon Z7, Nikon 180-600 (shot in crop mode for 900mm effective), photographed in Horicon, WI.

A lot of beginners ask what's the best lens for moon photography. The longer the better. I would use an 800mm in crop mode for 1,200mm effective if I had one. And you can indeed shoot handheld, no fancy tripods, but for a regular full moon I've bumped the ISO up to around 1000.

08/20/2024

People all ask the time, “Should I upgrade to this camera/lens?” “Is this camera a good deal?” “Which camera should I buy?” My simple guideline, in business, is put your money where paying clients’ demand is. I also prefer used gear, and I would never go into debt for gear.

08/18/2024

Demystify how exposure actually works in the camera. Exposure is nothing more than the total amount of light recorded. It's filling the pixels just like you fill a cup. The camera acts just like a faucet for light. That's it. Put the camera in manual mode and adjust these settings individually and you'll see. Then, head on over to www.joelnisleitphotography.com and book 1:1 training!

The sooner you start thinking of the camera as a faucet for light, the easier it will be to master exposure. It may even be days or weeks instead of the year...