Fstoppers Community
Photo of the Day
Editors' Picks
Secrets for Capturing Stunning Photos of Everyday Life

The most valuable skill you can learn in photography might not be what you expect. It’s about taking the ordinary things you see every day and making them stand out visually, transforming the mundane into something striking.

Simple Lightroom Techniques That Transform Your Photos

Efficient editing in Lightroom or Camera Raw can significantly elevate the quality of your landscape photos without overwhelming you with complexity. Learning focused techniques helps you produce professional-level results consistently.

Active Contests
Master Lightroom Exports Like a Pro

The export process in Lightroom Classic helps you efficiently share your images exactly as you envisioned them. However, without the right export approach, even your best edits might not translate well across different platforms or devices.

Top Pitfalls Sabotaging Your Real Estate Photography Business

Real estate photography demands precision because mistakes here don't just affect your immediate project—they shape the entire trajectory of your business. Missteps early on can derail your efforts to build trust and establish a strong professional foundation.

Unlock Powerful Photo Edits Anywhere with Lightroom Mobile

Editing photos effectively on the go has become a necessity, and Lightroom Mobile makes that process both practical and powerful. With professional editing capabilities packed into your phone or tablet, you're no longer confined to your desktop when refining your images.

Sigma’s New 300-600mm Lens Could Replace Your Prime

Sigma recently released the Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports lens, and it has quickly gained attention for good reason. Professional sports and wildlife photography often demands top-tier lenses, usually prime optics around 600mm, but these come with steep price tags. Sigma's newest lens offers substantial savings, priced significantly lower than comparable prime lenses, while providing impressive zoom flexibility and performance.

How To Master Environmental Portrait Photography

I enjoy environmental portraits more than anything else because it’s something you can do anywhere, indoors or outdoors, across many genres of photography. The obvious opportunities arise with travel and street photography. So what exactly is an environmental portrait compared to a normal portrait? And where do you start?

Elevate Your Images With Simple Dodge and Burn Techniques

Dodging and burning can dramatically shape how an image looks, guiding the viewer's eye exactly where you want it. Understanding this skill will elevate your editing, making your subjects pop without relying on overly complex edits.

These 5 Adobe Lightroom Sliders Ruin Your Photos

Adobe Lightroom is a very powerful editing tool for your landscape photos. It is also an easy way to ruin your photos during the editing process if you don’t understand the sliders. This video talks through five sliders in Adobe Lightroom that will destroy your images.

How Netflix's 'Adolescence' Filmed Four One-Shot Episodes

If you haven't seen the new series "Adolescence" on Netflix, it is by far one of the best cinematic experiences of 2025. The four-part drama is being praised not only for its intense subject matter and acting but also because each episode was filmed in a single take with no camera cuts or movie magic transitions. Let's take a look behind the scenes to see how it was filmed.

Don’t Buy a Camera With These Features

Technology has come a long way over the last ten years, and it makes photography easier. There are features beyond the basic exposure settings that every interchangeable lens or bridge camera should have and others that should be consigned to the bin. Here are some considerations to avoid disappointment.

Is It Time for Funtography? Re-Imagining Nintendo’s First Camera Effort

When I was growing up, Nintendo's Game Boy was all the rage. I never did quite understand the appeal then of its Game Boy Camera accessory, a camera that plugged into the cartridge slot to make .014-megapixel black and white images, but the accessory itself has become somewhat of a cult hit.

Essential and Rather Unique Filters: The 135 Series From PolarPro

A circular polarizer (CP) and a mist filter are two filters that, in my opinion, everyone should own. And PolarPro makes some lovely CP and mist filters. I’ve been using their CP for the past couple of years. From travel photography to tabletop food photography in the studio, it’s a great filter. So, with an already great CP and mist filters to their name, why did PolarPro launch new versions?

Don’t Make These Editing Mistakes

In his latest video, Greg Benz shares some surprising raw editing results. The seemingly same setting can have drastically different effects, depending on how you apply it in Camera Raw or Lightroom.

Flash vs. Continuous Lighting: Which is Right for You?

Photographers often debate whether to use flash or continuous lighting, and each option has a direct impact on the appearance and mood of your photographs, as well as affecting the convenience of your workflow.

10 Straightforward Tips for Improving Your Photography

Improving in photography means taking clear-eyed, practical advice seriously. Good photography demands more than just pressing a shutter—it requires honest self-assessment and the willingness to change habits.

Ocean Photographer on a Budget? Get the Joby Sea Pal

As a travel photographer who has spent years chasing waves across the globe, finding the right water housing has always been a challenge. I’ve lugged around massive setups like AquaTech’s housings, which offer great protection but take up a ridiculous amount of space and weight in my bag. When I discovered the Joby Sea Pal, I was skeptical—could a lightweight, budget-friendly water housing really meet the demands of professional ocean photography? After months of testing it in various conditions with my iPhone 11 Pro Max, I can confidently say: yes, it can.

Compact and Capable: A Review of the Canon EOS R50 V

Canon's EOS R50 V mirrorless camera targets video creators who prioritize compact designs with interchangeable lenses. For anyone looking to enhance video quality and flexibility, this camera offers features designed specifically to address common challenges faced when filming.

A Look at the New Canon RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM Lens

Canon's latest addition to its lens lineup, the RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM lens, is designed specifically with both video and photo creators in mind. With a notably wide focal length and impressive low-light capabilities, it's worth a look.

How to Rescue Your Worst Photos in Lightroom

Bad photos happen to everyone. Exposure errors, white balance issues, and distracting backgrounds are common challenges, but knowing how to quickly rescue these mistakes can save valuable shots and improve your editing skills.

Turn Photoshop’s Overlooked Tools Into Masking Magic

The smudge and blur tools in Photoshop might seem unnecessary or even damaging at first glance. If you've ever tried using these tools, you've probably noticed they're slow, appear destructive, and generally seem to offer little practical benefit in your workflow.

Master Manual Mode in One Day

If you're new to photography and trying to learn the foundational principles of subjects like exposure, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO, then this is the video for you. The best part is, unlike many other sources, you won't be alone in learning them!

Five Stages of Creativity

Photography is often misunderstood as merely a way to document reality, but in truth, it is an art form as complex and expressive as painting or sculpture. For me, photography is not just a technical process—it is a creative pursuit that requires both artistic vision and craftsmanship.

Color Harmony Essentials: The Key to More Impactful Photography

Choosing the right colors for your shoots can be a significant challenge. Whether you're struggling with gel selection, backdrop choices, or combining colors without creating visual chaos, understanding color harmony is the solution that will transform your approach to creating images.

Layers in Lightroom: The Key to Dramatic Landscape Transformations

Image editing isn't just about adjusting contrast and saturation. The true power of photo editing lies in understanding how to work with layers in your composition. When you approach your landscape photos as distinct zones that need individual attention, you can transform ordinary scenes into extraordinary images.

The Best Camera/Lens For Wildlife Photography Today

I've been a professional photographer for 23 years and I've never been interested in or attempted wildlife photography. All that changed when Sony sent over the a9 III and their brand-new FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens. This gear, and this genre of photography has renewed my love for photography, but it's also got me worried.

Hard Light Photography Tips for Wedding and Portrait Photographers

Most photographers are taught early on that soft light is the go-to for portraits, and hard light should be avoided whenever possible. But the truth is, the “best” lighting for a photo always depends on what the photographer wants to create.

Photography Wisdom: 10 Crucial Lessons From 10 Years of Shooting

Photography is both an art and a skill that takes years to master, yet the journey itself offers invaluable insights. The technical aspects matter far less than developing your creative vision and overcoming the psychological barriers that prevent you from capturing exceptional images.

The Power of Targeted Color Adjustments

Color manipulation can make or break your image editing process. The ability to target specific colors in particular areas of your image provides creative control that basic sliders simply can't match.

A New Approach to Waterfall Photography

Long exposure waterfall photography doesn't always require the heaviest ND filter in your bag. The conventional wisdom of using 10-stop filters for those silky-smooth water effects might be due for reconsideration.

Adobe's Three Lightroom Programs: Which One Is Right for You?

Photography editing software can dramatically impact your workflow and final results. Understanding the differences between Adobe's three distinct Lightroom programs helps you choose the right tool for your specific needs, whether you're shooting in a professional studio or editing on the go.

Finding Inspiration in Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, inspiration can come from many sources. Over the years, I’ve found that studying the work of other photographers—whether through social media, books, or in-person interactions—has been invaluable in refining my own style. But rather than passively consuming images, I approach them critically, dissecting what makes an image stand out and how I can apply similar principles in my own way.

AI in Movies: Tool or Threat?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the filmmaking landscape, prompting both optimism and significant concern. Its growing presence raises important questions about creativity, authenticity, and the future of filmmaking jobs.

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 Just Got a Lot Better

Insta360 has introduced a new set of accessories designed to enhance the Ace Pro 2. If you already own this 8K AI-powered action camera, the Xplorer Bundle offers an upgraded shooting experience. Featuring a dark gray Xplorer Grip Kit, co-developed with Tilta, this bundle is optimized for street photography, travel, and urban exploration. With a sleek modern look and vintage-inspired design, it refines both the functionality and protection for your Ace Pro 2.

Auto ISO: How Much Control Are You Giving Up?

Auto ISO is often misunderstood—especially when photographers claim they're shooting in manual while still using auto ISO. Understanding this difference affects the level of control you have over your images and the creative choices you're making behind the camera.

Canon vs. Sony: Which Has the Better Stabilization?

Camera stabilization directly affects the quality of handheld video footage and images, especially when using telephoto lenses. For videographers and photographers who rely heavily on shooting without a tripod, the effectiveness of built-in camera stabilization is essential.

The Canon RF 24mm f/1.4: Powerful Wide Angle Performance

Canon has released their new RF 24mm f/1.4 L VCM lens, a wide angle prime lens designed specifically for the mirrorless EOS R system. For photographers who appreciate dramatic, wide perspectives and low-light shooting capabilities, this is an exciting lens worth your attention.

How to Use a Variable ND Filter for Photography

VND filters don’t work the same way as typical ND filters, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used for photography and long exposure. Let’s take a deep dive into how they work and how you can use them.