I really like the team at PLEARN because they consistently come up with great photo shoot concepts, but they don’t just leave it at that. They also show you have to make those images yourself in a casual yet informative manner. This week they show you how to create a composite that takes a woman and puts her in a room that’s just a little too small. [more]
Sigma’s latest addition to their new lens lineup, the 17-70mm f/2.8-4.0, became available for purchase today from B&H. Along with the release, Sigma published a preview of what you can expect from the lens in terms of performance. If it is up to snuff, it will be a great option for those in the market for a wide-angle APS-C lens. [more]
B&H is having a SanDisk 1-day sale that is offering some pretty good prices, like a 64 GB SD card for $41. Also you can grab a refurbished Nikon D600 or D800 for a bargain. Rounding out the product news, Sigma’s new 17-70mm f/2.8-4 lens has arrived in stock for $500. [more]
Ah the ProDot, tied for the win as recipient of the most baffled and confused responses from photographers along side Tiffen’s confusingly expensive flashlight. Many of you laughed aloud when you saw this product hit the market, and even more after you watched the launch video. But is it possible that you might actually like the ProDot? Actually, yes. [more]
Hi, my name is Tam. Most of you don’t know me, but I’ve been with Fstoppers for a few months now. As a system engineer, I’m more or less like a ghost in the machine; I make sure the awesome writers here have a functional server to keep the fresh content coming, and everyone else have their daily Fstoppers fix. The job is simple 90% of the time; the other 10%… you probably don’t want to be near me. [more]
So much is done as computer graphics these days that I’ve grown to really respect photographers who still want to truly make an image. Last week Fstoppers twitter follower Patric Bergkvist asked us to take a look at an image he made, and I’m glad we did. [more]
Sometimes your favorite shot out of a series would be perfect if only one little thing was fixed. For me, that is often shadows obscuring details I really wish were more visible. PHLEARN has released an extensive tutorial on how to get those shadows to reveal details in a way that doesn’t look super fake, which an issue I have with other methods I have seen. [more]
The micro four thirds format has really taken off in the past two years, and now that the market has shown staying power more companies are supporting the hardware. Adding to Sigma’s news announced earlier, Tamron added to the party with their 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 Di-III VC. [more]
Continuing on the internal restructuring found in the Sigma Global Vision, Sigma today announced the release of four new lenses for APS-C format, E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds lenses filed under the “Art” line. The four lenses are the 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM, the 60mm f/2.8 DN, the 19mm f/2.8 DN and the 30mm f/2.8 DN. [more]
Telephoto lenses are a key part in nearly every photographer’s camera bag. Having a solid long telephoto lens in our arsenal lets us be prepared for numerous scenarios without having to switch out our primes and possibly miss the shot. Tamron’s latest lens revamp is the 70-200mm f/2.8 DI VC USD, and it’s a solid option for those looking at this focal length. [more]
Special effects are crazy and if they’re overused, can be off-putting (I’m looking at your Star Wars Episodes 1-3). But used right, and special effects can make a scene and drastically reduce set budgets. Check out these before and after shots of rather notable sets that we stumbled upon, including a pair from everyone’s favorite zombie show, The Walking Dead. [more]
I love the work that the team at PHLEARN does. If you’re lacking in inspiration, these guys can really help get you back on your legs. Today they released a new behind-the-scenes how-to with the purpose of teaching how to master mood using a film noir concept as the catalyst. [more]
Photographing a Cirque Du Soleil show requires a bit of acrobatics from any photographer up to the challenge. Matt Beard is one of the few photographers, hand picked by Cirque, to bring his talent and experience into capturing both live action and beautifully staged shots. He has worked with Cirque for many years, under the wing of master photographer Veronique Vial (as a photographer’s assistant) and had gained first hand experience in the ways of a Cirque shoot. [more]
Market testing happens all the time. It’s not uncommon for brands to test identical products under different names in different markets or cultures. It is rare, however, to see one company brand three competing products against each other in the same industry in the same country/culture. That is what Samyang Optics appears to be doing in the United States with their Bower, Samyang and Rokinon brands. [more]
Our friends over at PHLEARN just released another tutorial, the goal of which was to create two completely different looks using the same model in a short amount of time. In this behind the scenes video you will learn how to set up lighting for a full length portrait as well as a headshot. They focused on creating drama for both shots using backlighting. Backlighting your subject helps to define their shape, but still leaves a lot of detail in shadow. [more]
