Fstoppers Original Articles

We benefit every time that smartphone in your pocket improves its camera system. Professional or not, we must admit that the quality of the software producing images on our smartphones is brilliant. All this clever tech will hugely impact photography in the future. Here’s why.

Zoner Photo Studio X is a holistic solution to post-processing and file management for photographers, and yet it flies under the radar. Despite the fact its price is a fraction of Adobe's full suite, major updates to improve it are rolled out regularly, and this latest one adds a number of features.

I am a sucker for gadgets, but I am also a skeptic, so when I took the plunge on an inexpensive handheld digital microscope I found for macro photography, I didn’t have high expectations.

The future of art has arrived. And it isn’t pretty.

Have you ever felt stuck as a creative? Have you experienced being out of ideas when you badly needed them?

The Internet can be a cruel and unforgiving place, especially when sharing your art, opinions, or creative endeavors with people worldwide.

Electronic Hub recently posted a study divulging which electronics have the most unreliable reviews on Amazon, with some of our most beloved cameras sitting near the top.

I asked in a Dutch photography community how they feel about black and white photography for landscapes. It seems it's not generally accepted, and many strange reasons are given why black and white shouldn’t be used. I’d like to share a few of those reasons that caught me by surprise.

It should go without saying that everyone reading here at Fstoppers is interested in taking photos. I know that many of you also want to shake things up and make some money doing it. With three new upcoming start dates, it’s worth taking a look at Side Hustle 101, the product of Canon Canada’s new partnership with The Maker’s Collective.

It's something we are all seeking. There is no doubt that some photographers are fantastic at what they do, but even the best won't create a great shot every time. So, is there a secret formula to creating one?

OM Digital Solutions announced an update to their lens road map, and macro photographers will be excited about what's there. Plus, they have a new Linear PCM sound recorder.

Like most photographers, I own more than one camera bag. There is my main bag, my video gear bag, my small kit bag, my rolling bag for airplane travel, and that one, never-been-used, just sitting in the back of the closet, camera bag of unknown origin.

The Hasselblad X1D 50C and X1D II 50C helped to redefine the paradigm of medium format, putting a large sensor inside a sleek, small body. Now, the X2D 100C is here, and not only does it double the resolution of its predecessors, it brings with it a bevy of impressive improvements and new features. In this review, we take a look at the camera and what you can expect.

In order to create great portraits, you need to have a lot of great components: lighting, composition, as well as camera and lens choice. Deciding what focal length to use for portraiture can be difficult, so in this article, I will make a few suggestions on lenses you should use for your next portrait photoshoot.

Have you ever held back on sharing your photos, pitching an idea, or showcasing your art? How many times have you let Impostor Syndrome hold you back?

There's a big mistake some photographers repeat time and again. It can cause more damage to their professional or amateur career than an out-of-focus photograph.

How many times have you been stuck in a photographic rut? If your photo mojo got up, walked out, and slammed the door in your face, then there are things you can do to get it to come back. It has happened to me.

Imagine a world where words can create images. Now imagine what that would do for the art world and photography. Well, it's here and it's not going to go away.

Going into the colder autumn months, we start to spend more time at home, especially in cities with a lot of rainfall, such as Munich or London. Sitting down with a cup of warm tea or mulled wine and enjoying a movie is one of the many things I look forward to each year.

It’s one thing to plan a restaurant shoot or a client brief for a particular project, but how do you go about planning and photographing a much longer project, like a cookbook? In this post, I’m sharing my tips on how to photograph a self-published cookbook, but the advice holds true for a longer project like an e-book too.

Recently, Lewis Capaldi “took his clothes off and traumatized the general public all in the name of shameless self-promotion.” The conclusion was that sex sells. What does this mean for photographers who work in the advertising world? What does this say about the body of work you should have? Read on to find out.

Working in Photoshop with multiple layers and then trying to navigate to those layers to make tweaks to your edits can sometimes be time-consuming and at times also very annoying if you have forgotten to name the layer.

Editing images is no easy task to undertake. Using editing software such as Lightroom or Capture One requires quite a bit of learning and getting used to. However, even if you know how to use editing software, you still need to edit images in such a way that enhances their beauty, rather than destroys it. Essentially, you need to know the why behind the how. Here are some mistakes I made when editing pictures because of not knowing the why.

There is a ton of gear buying advice on the internet. It ranges from people telling you to spend thousands on gear, to people saying all you need is a stick and a brick. I try to be somewhere in between and buy gear based on factors such as return on investment, need versus want, and return on creativity.

As you've learned in a previous article, a great time to photograph cities is during blue hour. But the blue hour often lacks dimension and depth in the sky. If you're lucky, you'll have some clouds that provide structure. But if you have a clear blue sky, it'll often appear flat. In this article, I show you a trick you can use to make such a sky more interesting and improve your blue hour photos.

One of the questions I had when starting out was how to get jobs. How to turn my hobby into money? The advice on the internet was few and far between. So, here is my advice to anyone who wants to take the next step and make some cash from their art.

If you are a photographer, I can guarantee you that somewhere along the line, you will have a client who is unhappy with your work. In fact, I’m sorry to say that there will be more than one, especially if you have a thriving business. When the dreaded “I’m not happy with my photos” email arrives, it can easily suck the joy out of your entire day. But not all is lost, and in this article and accompanying video, I present six tips for dealing with unhappy clients.

Knowing what gear you need versus what gear you want can both save your money and save your sanity. Knowing why you want it can help you to maximize your investment.

Cameras of today are packed with functions and possibilities. Most of us are only using a small part of what’s possible. Still, we often want just one other function that is not available. What function would you like to add to your camera?

Having just seen the new iPhone 14 release, I noted that one of the selling points what the “best camera ever on a phone”. The specs, as well as a new raw file format, look impressive. But, no matter what Apple does to their phones, they will hardly be able to beat a proper camera. Here is why.

A few days ago, I found myself among a group of wedding photographers discussing how far behind they are with their editing. Answers varied, as did attitudes. Some felt they were only eight weeks behind, which was fine. Other photographers seemed anxious, with 17 or 18 weddings in a backlog lasting months. When it was my turn, I gulped. I said: "Two weeks. The wedding I'm delivering today was shot two weeks ago".

"Collabs" are the new currency between aspirant photographers and content-pressured models. Both parties are looking for scroll-stopping images to gain attention as they rise up in their respective industries. What happens when the images don't measure up to the expectations? Are models expecting too much from growing photographers who are shooting for free, or are photographers hyping up their skills and not delivering?

At the risk of enraging loyal Fuji fanboys and fangirls everywhere, I have decided that the best thing to happen to Fuji shooters in a long while is the release of a third-party lens.

Photography is as much about what you show in your photos as it is about what you hide. Too many details can overwhelm the viewer. You can already be selective about what you include in an image when you capture it. There are also several techniques that help you simplify a photo in post-processing. One way to do so is by introducing a darker mood and by shrouding less important areas in darkness.

If you go on YouTube, one of the most common videos you will see is how Vero is beating Instagram. There are a lot of positive things to say about Vero, however, it is unlikely to ever reach the same popularity as Instagram. If anything, Vero’s popularity will die down with the hype.

How many times have you seen article or video headlines professing to provide you the key to reaching your artistic goals in three easy steps? Well, if you don’t want your bubble burst, this might be a good time to stop reading.

One of my favorite tools in the studio is a vacuum cleaner. You may not need one all the time, depending on where you live, but I need one if I’m going to do any kind of macro or product photography at all. If you’re a photographer, it comes as no surprise that items from around your house are essential to your photography.

I was extremely excited to get my hands on the Sony a7 IV last December. It promised to be a camera with a lot to offer and for me, felt like a huge upgrade from my much loved Sony a7 II. As the successor to the successful a7 III, expectations couldn’t be higher, so it certainly had a lot to live up to. 10 months of heavy use later, I couldn’t be happier with it. Here’s five of the many reasons I’m completely obsessed with the Sony a7 IV.

Hasselblad recently announced its latest camera, the X2D 100C, along with several new lenses. What's interesting is that Hasselblad has used certain design features in its latest lenses that are arguably reminiscent of another well-known company on the market, which is, of course, Leica.

I’ve been fortunate present photography workshops over the past 15 years. My focus is usually on lighting for beauty, but I’ve presented on other topics as well including how to pose a subject so they look natural on camera. I’ve also attended many workshops from both well-known photographers and lesser-known names as well. From being on both sides of the lectern, I’ve developed a good understanding of what makes a good photography workshop. Here are 3 tips you might consider should you find yourself tasked with presenting a photography workshop.

There’s no single sure way to being successful as a photographer. However, there are a handful of examples around that definitely teach you what not to do if you want to attain success.

Feeling lost on your photographic journey is common. So are being in a creative rut or having periods of low motivation. At times, we can all struggle to feel inspired to pick up the camera and get out there. A lack of direction, purpose, and reason can be the culprit for these aforementioned photography ailments. So, let’s dig into these questions and uncover the possible “whys” behind your keen need to capture.

Photographing sand dunes can be a very productive photographic endeavor if you find a stretch of desert remote enough that not every inch of it is covered in footprints. In this article, I show you my favorite place to photograph dunes, and I give tips on how to get the most out of this sandy subject matter.

Have you found yourself frustrated by being nickeled and dimed for your work? Does self-doubt about your skill and imagery creep in as a result of the prices you are asked to shoot at? You’re not the only one.

Headshot photography has been making major headlines recently. A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal interviewed headshot guru Peter Hurley about the importance of a professional headshot in a quickly changing business landscape (The Perfect Professional Headshot Is Worth $1,000, and Maybe Even a Job).

While photography definitely isn’t the cheapest business you could get into, you can definitely get started on a budget. Here are my tips for being prudent with your money as you start out.

If you've ever experienced a flare or diagnosis of a chronic illness while being self-employed, you'll understand the overwhelm of navigating your health and your business interests. It can be hard to focus on rest and recovery when you're fearful about the longevity of your business and the cash flow you need to live.

As photographers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. But there’s one disadvantage that almost every photographer has in common.

The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2022, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

Every year, I've had to hear about how a new technology was going to kill the photography industry. I ignored it all, until now.