Trending Photography News and Reviews

A Photoshoot at the Edge of Space

A number of years ago, while still an ambassador for Hasselblad, I received a fateful phone call from a gentleman asking if he could pick my brain about the newly released Hasselblad X1D. I agreed, and we proceeded to talk about cameras, both past and present, along with the photos we had taken with them. It was a jovial conversation, but it wasn't until we were talking about the Hasselblad 500 that he said the line: "That is the camera I used to photograph the Mir Space Station."

Crazy Cosmic Photoshoot Using Metallic Spandex

Can metallic spandex work in a photoshoot? See how we built an entire photography set using metallic spandex and some of the challenges we faced along the way.
Astro Panel X Pro's Latest Version Should Please Astro and Landscape Photographers

I've taken a look at some earlier iterations of Astro Panel over the years, a plug-in designed for automating and enhancing both astrophotography and landscape photos. I found it a powerful addition to my editing arsenal, and it was easy to use but could do some very sophisticated editing. This new version from photographer Angelo Perrone adds more than 80 new astrophotography and landscape functions, as well as some features to support portrait editing.

Landscape Photography Tips for Mastering Clear Sky Days

Landscape photographers often seek out specific weather conditions, such as dramatic storms or vibrant sunsets, to create impactful images. However, clear sky days, often considered less ideal due to the lack of dramatic light and clouds, can also offer unique opportunities for capturing stunning landscapes. By understanding how to work with the available light and compose effectively, you can create fantastic images.

A Review of the New Hasselblad XCD 28mm f/4 P Lens

The new Hasselblad XCD 28mm f/4 P offers uses a very portable wide angle lens that still brings with it some innovative features and the promise of image quality able to keep up with the demands of 100-megapixel medium format lenses, making it intriguing for a range of applications, particularly street photography. Can it live up to those high demands in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.

iPhone 15 Pro Dynamic Range Test

It's a few days after the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro have been made available, and everyone is sharing their opinions about the phone, the cameras, and the new features that Apple has added in their latest and greatest (yet) iPhone release. Something that has always been difficult to get is the raw details of how well iPhone camera sensors perform. This year, one of the features that was highlighted in the Apple presentation was the phone's ability to connect external media via the USB-C port. This allows you to hig- quality video (using the new Apple Log and ProRes codecs) to an external SSD, or as some have experimented and found out, you can even save files to an SD card via an adapter.

Tips for Photographing Dramatic Seascapes

Photographing a seascape with crashing waves along the shore and the movement of the water can be a challenge for a landscape photographer. This video provides several tips on capturing dramatic images from the seashore with an ultrawide lens.

How Good Is the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Lens?

The Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM is one of the craziest lenses to come along in quite some time, offering an unheard-of zoom range and aperture combination for a full frame lens, making it a unique option for photographers. Nonetheless, it is neither cheap nor small. Is it worth the price and size? This excellent video review takes a look at if its performance and image quality can stand up to two demanding sensors.

Can I Learn Photography on My Own?

I have heard many different questions from those interested in photography, from staples such as "What is the best camera" to more obscure inquiries, such as "Is photography dying?" For some reason, the question in this article's title caught me more off guard than most.
Do You Really Need a 4K Monitor?

Should you get a high-resolution 4K monitor or will a lower-resolution display be sufficient? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as it depends on several factors like your vision, editing needs, and display size. However, this helpful video will help you decide.

From the Archives: Stories From Life Magazine's Greatest Photographers

Life magazine was known for its large format photojournalism. In 1984, filmmaker David Hoffman made this not-to-be-missed television documentary about the history of Life, which included interviews with some of their greatest photojournalists. It's just as interesting today, if not more, than it would have been back then.
The Difficult Decisions in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography can be a bit of a start and stop genre, with hours of waiting punctuated by fleeting moments of opportunity. That can lead to some difficult decisions about how to maximize your chances of coming home with worthwhile shots. This great video follows an experienced landscape photographer as he grapples with such decisions and discusses how he moves forward.

5 Pro Editing Tips To Make Your Photos Instantly Better

There is a lot of various advice on the internet. A large chunk of it is bad or irrelevant. Editing images is an art. It is an art that takes a while to master. Because there is so much bad info online, I decided to share some of my favorite editing techniques I use to get my signature look.

What Happened to Photo Credits?

Back in my college days, when I first started taking photographs, I pursued magazine photography because I loved seeing my name printed in the magazine. Often, I wasn’t being paid for my services and the photo credit was payment enough for me. When I incorporated my business some 20+ years ago, I named my company "photo: John Ricard, LLC" because it resembled a photo credit.

Why Photography Is the Perfect Hobby for Older People

Photography, a hobby often celebrated for its universal appeal, holds a special charm for older individuals. Embracing the art of photography can be a particularly rewarding pursuit for those in their golden years, offering a unique blend of creative expression, mental stimulation, and physical activity, all of which are key components to a fulfilling and balanced lifestyle in later life.

Stock Photography Is a Scam

There is a lot of bad advice online on how to make money as a photographer. Truth be told, I followed much of it and made a big fat zero. This is not because such advice is wrong, but rather because it is out of touch with what the market is in 2024. In this article, I will shed light on one of the worst ways to make money with your work.

Prism Lens FX Filter Face-off: Lucid Dream FX Versus Moody FX Filters

I’ve been seeing Prism Lens FX filters everywhere and have been curious about what they're actually like to shoot with. There are so many interesting filters available that it’s hard to know which ones are worth the investment. So, here’s a comparison of the Lucid Dream FX Filter and the Moody FX Filter.

LaCie 8 TB D2 Drive Review: Affordable, Fast, Reliable

Storage is one of the most critical necessities for a content creator. After all, without a place to store your work, you can't enjoy the freedom of creating. While it might be fine to store your shoots on your computer initially, you will soon run out of storage space. This is when a product like the LaCie D2 external HDD drive becomes essential.

Which of These Two Supertelephoto Zoom Lenses Is Better?

In the past decade, we have seen an explosion of highly capable supertelephoto zoom lenses, and the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS and Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR are two of the most versatile options. How do they compare? This great video review takes a look at both lenses, their various characteristics, and how they match up with each other.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Essential Tips for Photographers

The life of a professional photographer is often romanticized, but the reality is that it can be a demanding and stressful career path. From the pressure to constantly create to the financial instability that often comes with freelance work, there are many challenges that photographers face. However, there are also ways to find happiness and success in this field.

Awesome Lightroom Technique to Add Atmosphere

In this article, I show you an awesome Lightroom editing technique you can use to add atmosphere to your photos. If you take this method to the extreme, you can even turn a normal day into a foggy scene. It works well for woodland photos.

Which of These Premium 14mm Lenses Is Better?

The announcement of the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens has captured a lot of the photography world's attention, as it is now the widest full frame f/1.4 lens ever made, easily besting out second place, Sigma's own 20mm f/1.4 Art. However, that does not mean it does not have competition. The Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM is a widely respected lens that offers great performance and extreme capabilities as well. So, which is right for you? This excellent video review takes a look at both to help you choose.

Essential Lightroom Masking Techniques for Landscape Photographers

Lightroom masking tools offer quite a lot of control and precision when editing photos. This helpful video tutorial offers 15 masking tips and tricks specifically tailored for landscape photographers, with techniques that refine skies, add ethereal fog, create custom vignetting, and dodge and burn, all while maintaining a natural aesthetic.

How Photoshop's Generative AI Can Help You Edit Portraits

Photoshop's new Generative Fill tool has generated a lot of buzz for its ability to transform images and manufacture ideas with just the click of a button. One genre it has a lot of potential in is portrait photography, and this great video tutorial will show you some of those applications.

Freezing Night Fashion Photography Done Right

This is one of my most favourite test shoots I’ve done to this date, not only based on how we got the shot but also how they turned out. Here’s how we shot it, how it was lit, and everything that came together to make this shot happen.

A Photographer's Guide to Color Theory

Photography, at its core, is a visual language that communicates through light, composition, and color. Understanding color theory and its application in photography can elevate a photographer's work from good to extraordinary, making it crucial for photographers who wish to deepen their connection with their audience and enhance their creative expression.

The 6 Most Valuable Smartphone Apps for Landscape Photographers

In today's digital age, there are numerous apps available that can significantly enhance your landscape photography experience. In this article, I want to take a look at the six apps that have proven invaluable for my own landscape photography.

Key Branding and Marketing Strategies for Photographers: Part 2

In Part 1 of this article, we discussed the competitive landscape that photographers face in today's digital age, where the easily accessible smartphones can challenge even the most skilled professionals to distinguish their work. Now, it's time to take those principles and build up an even stronger branding and marketing strategy.

Dust Anyone? We Review the Nitecore BB21

The cleaning of your equipment is an essential part of your photographic practice. Up until a month ago, I used my blower brush and cleaning pen for this. Now, however, these two items have not seen the light of day since I received my Nitecore BB21 blower. This small, versatile, and compact device has taken over the cleaning of my camera gear and a few other components as well.

Am I Switching From Profoto? An Honest Review of the System

Having been a Profoto user for most of my career, I have experienced pretty much everything they have to offer. I have bought a substantial amount of Profoto equipment myself and use it as my daily driver. Being a huge investment, I wondered if it was worth it. Well, here are my results.

A Review of the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Lens

In recent years, Viltrox has earned considerable acclaim for producing high-quality lenses that are priced much lower than similar models on the market. A prime example is the PRO Series AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro lens. This lens offers a 40mm equivalent focal length along with a notably wide maximum aperture, making it an appealing choice for various creative endeavors and uses. The fantastic video review delves into this lens, examining its real-world performance and the kind of image quality it delivers in various scenarios.

5 Lesser-Known Lightroom Desktop Features

Navigating through Lightroom’s myriad of features and tools can be a daunting task for photographers. This fantastic video shows five hidden functionalities within the software that can significantly enhance one’s editing workflow and improve the overall photographic output.

Why Failure Is the Key to Success in Photography

As photographers, we often seek out advice and inspiration from those who have achieved success in the field. We devour tutorials, attend workshops, and follow the journeys of renowned photographers, hoping to glean insights that will propel us towards our own goals. However, it's crucial to remember that the path to success is rarely linear and is often paved with failures.