Recent Pictures Articles

Film Review: We Owe It to Humanity to Learn About Sebastião Salgado Through 'Salt of the Earth'

Documentary photographers, fashion photographers, businessmen, housewives, househusbands, you, the world – everyone should know the name and works of Sebastião Salgado. His work has moved millions of social workers, doctors, politicians, economists, and photographers alike. His work moves humans because it is human. This might mark the second or third film review on Fstoppers, but it’s rare and extremely fortunate that we should have the ability to engulf the pleasures of what can easily be called the most soul-entrancing art documentary in the world that is “Salt of the Earth.”

creative-wedding-shoot

When I saw this wedding shoot I was stunned into silence for a few moments. I really didn't know what to think of it! In my mind, when I think of wedding photography, I think of a world of immaculate white dresses, expensive shoes, thoughtful furnishings and of course, smiling wedding couples and their guests.

Photographer Ty Foster Tugs at Our Heart Strings in 'Timeout' a Series of Dogs in 'Cones of Shame'

Most dog or cat owners have had to use an Elizabethan collar at one point or another with their pet. “It’s a necessary and beneficial part of the healing process, but to them it’s like being put in timeout,” photographer Ty Foster explained. In this photo series of his, he visually expressed the emotional hardships that our animal brethren have to endure while wearing what he refers to as “the cone of shame.” In the series, Foster goes out of his way to show the trials and tribulations that come along with wearing this shameful collar.

Mother and Photographer Elena Shumilova Shares Tips on Photographing Your Kids

The Russian photographer and mother, Elena Shumilova, is making a big splash again by sharing some great photo advice. In early 2014, her whimsical photos of her children went viral and inspired parents and photographers all around the world. For the first time since she her images exploded on the scene, she allowed cameras into her home and gives some great tips for others to capture images of their children.

Gabe McClintock and the Beauty of Natural Light Boudoir Photography

Gabe McClintock is an internationally known award-winning wedding and boudoir photographer based out of Alberta, Canada. His work carries an incredible amount of intimate nuances with a tonality that shifts towards dark and atmospheric. With so much emphasis out there about his wedding work, I took a bit of time to talk with McClintock in regards to his absolutely beautiful boudoir photography in hopes to better understand his approach and workflow.

Photographer Jason Lanier Is Out to End Discrimination Against Small Business Photographers

Photographer Jason Lanier is on a mission to end discrimination against the small business photographer. As seen in the video above, he and his group were confronted multiple times while attempting to do a shoot. In the first location they are asked to leave the premise altogether. In the second they were asked to "make it look less commercial" by getting rid of a strobe. In both instances they weren't interfering with any event around them nor were they disturbing the public and only had a single portable strobe setup. Lanier notes a growing trend to neglect and discriminate against the small business photographer.

Watch How Photoshop Manufactures Beauty in 90 Seconds

This ingenious video has gone viral as the true level of photoshopping to manufactures 'beauty' is exposed. In this clip, we see 6 hours of photoshopping sped up to fit into a 90 second clip. All of these hours of work has gone into creating just one perfected image of a model.

What You Can Learn From Three Influential Street Photographers

Street photography continues to be a growing area in the industry. More and more people enjoy it and are learning how hard it is to get it right. Here are some tips from distinguished professionals Eric Kim, Yanidel, and Martin Parr on how to improve your own street photography.

Vincent Laforet's AIR Series Stops in Los Angeles Before Crossing the Atlantic for Europe

Vincent Laforet's latest AIR series blankets the City of Angels with a farewell series of shots before the project will head to Europe for the first time starting mid-May. As Laforet continues shifting cities (from the previously covered New York City, Las Vegas, and San Francisco projects), his aesthetic slowly changes in response to the varying challenges and differences between shooting each city. Fstoppers caught up with Laforet to discuss the ever-present surprises in shooting AIR and its transformation as it grows into a larger project supported by G-Technology and pre-orders for Laforet's "AIR" book.

Surprisingly Realistic Tilt-Shift Images of Van Gogh's Most Famous Works

For those who are only familiar with "tilt-shift" as a filter setting on Instagram, tilt-shift refers to the physical tilt and/or shift of the lens plane that can create some dramatic selective focusing. Taking into account the Scheimpflug principle, tilting and shifting the lens plane can dramatically change the depth of field forcing a change of size and perspective in an image. Serena Malyon, a third-year art student applied a Photoshop replication of this technique to some of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous works.

Photography Awards Ebola

The World Photography Organisation has named American photographer John Moore as the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards' Professional Photographer of the Year. Chosen from the winners of the awards' thirteen professional categories, the winning work "Ebola Crisis Overwhelms Liberian Capital" is a hard-hitting series of images that cut to the heart of this human tragedy.

‘Treasures of Zakynthos’ BTS Videos Showcase the Joys and Challenges of Time-Lapse Production

Polish cinematographer Maciej Tomków’s “Treasures of Zakynthos” is a beautiful, award-winning time-lapse that highlights the titled Greek island. Going far beyond only filming for the final project, Tomków also took the time and care to create incredibly well-done behind-the-scenes videos that give a true sense of what production is like shooting epic time-lapses. If you’re passionate about photography or videography, you’re going to love these "Behind the Time-lapse" creations.

Behind the Scenes of Ram Trucks Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

The Dodge Ram has won the unofficial title of America's most American truck. Check out this great behind the scenes video Dodge just released on the making and creation of their 2015 Dodge Ram ad for the 2015 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Editing: Then and Now

We love Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and we're going to guess by you clicking on this story that you feel the same. We've gathered up a few hilarious blasts-from-the-past covers and a few more recent covers and it got us thinking about how things have changed in swimsuit photography over the years.

The Greatest Beard Montage We've Ever Seen

For your viewing pleasure: Sao Paolo-based photographer and art director Adriano Alarcon paused midst shave of his impressive four-month beard to pose for a peculiar series of self-portraits.

Professional Photographer Shares Uncomfortable Truths About the Industry

A professional photographer came forward on Reddit with a real rant about the photography industry. It's causing a stir amongst photographers everywhere - perhaps because he makes some great points! When I read this post I found that I was agreeing with a great deal of what he had to say.

'I Hardly Know Her' Is a Minimalist Flickr Photostream Viewer

With the constant design changes happening on Flickr, do you ever wish you could forgo all of the complexity when viewing or sharing your gallery? With I Hardly Know Her (IHKH), your images take center stage in this extremely minimalist Flickr viewer.

Supreme Court Rules Photographing Neighbors Through Windows is Legal

Is it art? It's an age-old question, but as the centuries pass and technology continues to flourish, the question only seems to get harder to answer. The New York State Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of photographer Arne Svenson who was brought to court by a family who he had photographed in their Tribeca apartment without consent.

Combining Aerial Landscape Photography with Video for Captivating Results

Freelance motion graphics designer and London-based art director T Tagholm created this mesmerizing piece with the help of After Effects. I honestly can say what it is about this video that caught my eye but I found myself transfixed in a way that was reminiscent of the time I watched Koyaanisqatsi (the second time, not the first time when I fell asleep). The undeniably hypnotic 'simulacra' is part of a larger project that is still in the works but in the meantime you can check out T Tagholm earlier released piece, 'Plain Sight'.

A Love for Adapted Lenses Leads One Photographer on a Journey to a Slower Pace

If you're in the photography game, either professionally or passionately, you've undoubtedly been overcome by the tingly, musing desire to buy some new gear that maybe you didn't need. You know, the stuff that clicks and shines and makes you dream of meandering the streets of New Delhi or the Highlands of Scotland on a golden, breezy morning. Michigan-based wedding and portrait photographer Rachel Schomsky is a self-professed "glass addict" who never thought her constant tinkering with vintage and adapted lenses would lead her on path of rediscovery with Lensbaby's new Velvet 56 manual focus lens.
Image Stabilization, F/2.8, and 15-30mm: Tamron Just Brought Us the Best Wide-Angle Zoom You Can Get

The extreme wide-angle focal length is an area that I had long ignored. When I was first starting out, I just wasn’t interested in it. I was interested in people – and that meant 85mm f/1.4, 105mm, 135mm, and 200mm lenses with both great compression and bokeh. Leave it Tamron to bring me back to the wide side with the world’s first ultra-wide-angle zoom with vibration control: the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD.

Eerie Photo Series Highlights Ruins of NASCAR's Very First Racetrack

NASCAR is one sport that has certainly become engrained in the American history books. Known for its speed and pure adrenaline, it continues to drive ticket sales and audiences from all around the world in the thousands. Thanks to one mystery photojournalist, Seph Lawless, we are seeing some historically outstanding photos from the very first and very forgotten beginnings to what NASCAR once was.

The X100 Collective: 9 International Photographers and Their Visual Stories

Patrice Michellon is a freelance photographer from Paris, France who refers to himself as a passionate pixel breeder. He gave up on clunky DSLR cameras and heavy lenses after health issues and back surgeries back in 2013 / 2014, but he found new desire within Fujifilm’s new x-series of mirrorless cameras. He specifically fell in love with the new x100T which became the main concept for the X100 Collective: one camera and a fixed lens. That's it.

Ever Wondered What Challenges Astronaut Photographers Face?

In the last few years, us earth-bound humans have been blessed with stunning still images and breathtaking timelapses that were taken in outerspace. Veteran astronaut-photographer Don Pettit was at the recent SXSW event, and spoke about the challenges of capturing images in space.

Chris Miele Photographs Beautiful Futuristic Buildings in Detroit, Not the Typical Urbex Ruins

I’m a fan of Detroit. I love its history, its people, and the current fight within the city to bring it back to its former glory. There’s a movement going on in Detroit that’s often left out of the typical conversation. There’s an art scene. There’s music. There’s life. Chris Miele captured one specific part of Detroit that has become convenient to forget about in a time now popular for abandoned building urbexing. He’s an outdoor photographer who focused on the good still left in the city of Detroit, Michigan. Shying away from the usual "rubble porn", Miele showcases the awesome structures within a city's futuristic past.

The Complete Guide To Product Photography and Retouching | RGG EDU

PRO.edu has released its newest tutorial, "The Complete Guide to Product Photography and Retouching." This in-depth tutorial features over 20 hours of content on shooting and retouching, taught by Tony Roslund. The tutorial is currently available and being sold with a $25-off early-bird discount, this week only. Use the promo code 25OFF to recieve the discount at checkout. RGG brings us a curriculum based approach to teaching photography with 55 Pre-production, 11 Photo Shoot, and 11 Retouching tutorial videos.

17 Outstanding Photos from Apple's 'Shot on iPhone 6' World Gallery

We share over 1.8 billion photos per day, and thanks to the ever-growing technology in cameras paired with the expansive world of social media platforms it's become increasingly easy to add the title "photographer" to the resume. Apple has searched high and low for the world's absolute best photographers and their work that spans the planet. The "Shot on iPhone 6" World Gallery features photos from creatives spanning 70 cities in 24 countries, and brings the mobile photography community front and center proving again that the best camera is the one that's with you.

The iPhone's Camera Evolution and Why It Has Revolutionized Photography Forever

We have all seen the comparison from one iPhone to the next as the newest tech is announced and the previous model is shot off as outdated and useless. This time we look at the evolution of mobile shooting and the tech that brings us into a new era of photography. Looking all the way back to the first iPhone and the quality of image versus the newest flagship from Apple, the iPhone 6, it's remarkable how far we have come and it excites me to see where we can go from here.

20 Awe-Inspiring Photos from the US Department of the Interior's Breathtaking Instagram

It's certainly no secret that the United States’ 58 National Parks are home to some of the most incredible landscapes in the world. The sheer number of parks alone is quite impressive, but the vast range of diversity is even more notable. In what is most likely aimed to regain visitors to these often overlooked gems, the United States Department of the Interior runs a very well maintained Instagram account to showcase our national treasures. Here are just 20 of their awe-inspiring images.
Navid Baraty’s Success in Progress: From Electrical Engineering to Photographing for the World’s Largest Company

Perhaps the benchmark of “making it” in this business is to earn an assignment that would cause all but those with the strongest moral character to push both ethical and legal boundaries if an opportunity to supplant the rightful hire were to present itself. Bicoastal photographer Navid Baraty is one such photographer that might draw out said envy from his peers with the most recent addition to his client list.

Vincent Laforet Adds Las Vegas to His New High-Altitude Series Along with Lofty Goals for Social Interaction

After the New York City debut of his new project, Vincent Laforet unveiled photographs of Las Vegas from a helicopter at an altitude of 10,800 feet, 7,500 feet above Sin City. This morning, Fstoppers caught up with Laforet to shed some light on the new project including the gear used to shoot it, technical limitations, and even some interesting goals for the piece.
Shooting the Nikon D5500 Campaign with (Gasp!) a Nikon D5500

Last summer, photographer and director Dixie Dixon was called upon by Nikon to shoot a campaign for their new touch screen DSLR, the D5500. This incredible opportunity had one interesting challenge in store for Dixon, however; All of the material would be photographed and filmed — kit lens, auto settings, and Photoshop-free — using the consumer-level D5500 itself.

BTS of Getty Photographer Larry Busacca Making the Most of a Small Tent Studio

Larry Busacca of Getty Images was given a very limited time and cramped space to create some of the most memorable images from the Sundance Film Festival. The video showcases Busacca in action, blowing through group shots, pairings, and solos without missing a beat. With some of the most well known faces in Hollywood no less.

What Your Mom Never Taught You About Natural Light

When taking portraits with natural light, often times, there is one key aspect that is overlooked. This facet of naturally lit photos is far more important than things like shooting at a specific time of day. Before diving into what makes a naturally lit photo a spectacular one, it is important to know and understand the difference between artificial lighting and using natural light.

The School Sessions - Photographers Raising Money for Children in Haiti

The School Sessions is a novel idea and concept started by the photography community in an effort to help raise $200,000 on April 12, 2015 for building a school in Mellier, Haiti. The students of this community were greatly affected by the 7.0 earthquake that occurred in 2010. They are asking photographers from all over the world to sign-up and donate their session fee from one or more of their portrait sessions on that day.

Unique Beauty - Lighting On Water

As a photographer, my skill set is constantly put to the test. In most cases, I’m handed an idea on a slab of wood and the mission is to hand that idea translated to a tangible artifact back to my client on a silver platter. It’s never an easy process, but it’s a part of my job.

Rescued Film Project Finds And Develops 31 Rolls Of Film From WW2

In late 2014 at an auction in Ohio, Levi Bettweiser of the Rescued Film Project, stumbled upon one of his greatest finds. Up for bid were 31 rolls of 70 year old undeveloped film from World War 2 shot by an unknown soldier and photographer. The Rescued Film Project is an effort to find and salvage undeveloped film from as early as the 1930's. They strive to recover even those films which are damaged by age or the elements, as in the case of this large find of film from WW2.

Rare Imagery of Flipped Icebergs in Antarctica

While on an expedition in Antarctica, photographer Alex Cornell had the rare opportunity to photograph a recently flipped iceberg. Defining to the old adage "just the tip of the iceberg," it turns out the underside can be illuminated with unbelievable bright blues and striation that reveal visually stunning secrets of these sleeping giants. Witnessing a flip is uncommon, and moreover the surreal texture and colors distort the scale making it a truly incredible encounter.

Preparing and Packing A Portable Studio Efficiently

When people walk through my living room studio, they are puzzled that I do not own or rent a permanent studio space. What many do not know is that when I’m contracted for a commercial assignment, about 80% of the time I must travel to a location or shot at the client’s home base. And, in many cases that requires transporting several 9 foot seamless backdrops and a whole lot of equipment. I don’t have a giant bus to haul all of my studio gear, so it’s been a trying experience to find the right tools to efficiently pack and tote my mobile studio.

Skateboarding as Art - An Interview With Fred Mortagne

Fred Mortagne, or French Fred, is a skateboarder, photographer, and filmmaker living in France. His images have taken skateboard photography to a place where the line between fine art, portraiture and action sports have beautifully dissolved into amazing works of art. As someone who shares a lot of the same passion for actions sports and black and white photography, I decided to get in touch with Fred to ask him a few questions about his work.

UK Taxi Driver Photographs Fleeting Glimpse of Passengers' Lives

As a taxi driver in the United Kingdom, Mike Harvey sees his fair share of characters popping in an out of the back seat of his cab. Being a photographer as well, it only seemed natural to begin making images of his passengers. From “the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the sober and the high,” Harvey decided to document their faces for a photo project he aptly titled “The Taxi.”

Beautiful Japanese Photography Studio Designed to Harness Ambient Light

Have you ever wished that you could simply walk into your studio space and immediately have perfect lighting? Japanese architecture firm FT Architects has created a gorgeous photography studio which uses diffused skylights and windows to harness ambient light and do just that. This beautiful studio located in Kanagawa, Japan seems to be the first of its kind.

Then and Now Photo Series Showcases Tornado Devastation and a Community's Endurance

On Nov. 17, 2013, an EF-4 rated tornado ripped through central Illinois relentlessly damaging and destroying over 1,200 homes, and ultimately killing three people. The Journal Star’s photojournalist team sprung to action after the tornado subsided, taking to the streets and skies of the affected towns to document the ravaged community. One year later, they traced their steps of that tragic day to create this astonishing Then and Now photo series.