As a professional photographer, I'm always on the lookout for tools that punch above their weight, especially when it comes to lighting. When I first got my hands on the Viltrox Vintage Z1, I'll admit, its retro aesthetic did scratch an itch for me, being an insufferable vintage aficionado. It's a remarkably lightweight unit, coming in at just 116 grams, and at a mere $50, my expectations were tempered.

Sarah thought she'd found the perfect wedding photographer. The portfolio looked stunning, the price seemed reasonable, and the photographer's enthusiasm during their initial consultation convinced her they were the right choice. She signed the contract and paid the deposit immediately, excited about the beautiful photos she'd receive.

Landscape photography is crowded with opinions and advice, and sorting out the myths from reality can lead you toward more trouble-free results. Common misconceptions often cause unnecessary limitations in how you approach your photography.

Ultra-reliable memory cards and storage are the most important things for a photographer and filmmaker. If there’s one area where I’m not going to penny-pinch, it’s on a new memory card for my camera. A few months ago, I was approached by a company called Novachips, asking if they could send me their latest memory card and card reader. I’d never heard of them but thought, why not? I’ll take a look.

Adjustments and adjustment layers are tools you'll regularly use in Photoshop to fine-tune brightness, contrast, color, and tone in your images. Knowing how and when to use each method effectively can sharply increase your editing flexibility and efficiency.

Good portrait photography takes more than just choosing a spot and pressing a button. Mastering your control over lighting precisely sets apart average snapshots from truly captivating images.

Learning from mistakes is great, but learning from someone else's mistakes can save you a lot of trouble. If you're starting out in photography or even if you've been at it awhile, paying attention to hard-earned lessons can simplify your creative journey and help you focus better on the right priorities.

Instagram isn't what it used to be, especially if you're sharing your photography. Likes often seem scarce, and the frustration of competing against content like viral cat videos or controversial posts is real.

I can already see it. Many of you are clenching your fists and saying, "Never!" Certainly, there are many cases in which it's not acceptable to use AI-generated images for your photography. First, I'm going to discuss several instances of when it might be okay to use AI-generated images for photography. Then we'll examine the not-so-great applications.

The photography industry has convinced beginners that better equipment equals better photographs. Photography forums buzz with gear recommendations that prioritize technical specifications over learning fundamentals. But this advice, however well-intentioned, is fundamentally wrong.

New camera iterations often offer incremental upgrades that don't always align with specific needs. Yet, some cameras break the mold, igniting a genuine sense of intrigue and the undeniable pull of Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S.). Enter the Sigma BF. This isn't just another camera; its promise of being uniquely good, undeniably quirky, and refreshingly different made it an instant standout.

Although designed for gamers, the 16.1" Arzopa Z1FC Grey display should also be great for photographers and especially videographers with its HDR facility. Here's the result of my deep dive into it.

If you've struggled with editing photos that have excessively bright highlights and deep, dark shadows, Lightroom's Adobe Neutral profile could fundamentally change your approach. This lesser-used tool offers distinct editing advantages, especially in complicated lighting situations.

Adobe Photoshop's June 2025 update is here with powerful new tools that simplify tasks you've probably found tedious in the past. Here's a look.

Grip equipment might not sound exciting, but mastering these essentials can save you headaches and streamline any shoot. Having the right gear is critical—not just to keep your set running, but also to make your work smoother, safer, and more professional.

Mistakes are an unavoidable part of film photography, often teaching lessons far more memorable than successes. You may be all too familiar with the frustration of putting effort into your photos, only to ruin the results later in the development stage through impatience or oversight.

Destin at Smarter Every Day recently released a brutally honest video about attempting and failing to make a simple product in the USA after 4 years. Most people don't understand why it's so hard, and what's wrong with our manufacturing. Let's take a deeper look.

Peak Design has announced three new tripods that they are launching through a Kickstarter campaign. I’ve been lucky enough to play with the prototypes, and what I have seen has impressed me so much that I think the company should win the tripod crown.

Every photographer today carries in their camera bag technologies that would have seemed like science fiction to previous generations. Features we consider basic—automatic exposure, instant image review, face detection—represent decades of engineering breakthroughs that fundamentally transformed how photography works. Understanding the revolutionary nature of these now-mundane features reveals both how far camera technology has advanced and how quickly we adapt to miracle becoming ordinary.

When you're out shooting, nothing is more frustrating than dealing with flat, dull skies. But boring skies shouldn't mean boring photos.

Upgrading lenses can dramatically change your experience, and the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8 DC Art is Sigma's newest ambitious effort to redefine what's possible for APS-C mirrorless systems.

What do you do when you’re out and about and forgot your camera? Well, if for some strange reason you don’t want to use your phone, Five Below has you covered. I checked out the store’s $15 camera offering, the Up-Tech Mini Digital Camera. Is it worth it?

OM System has announced the release of the OM-5 Mark II. It’s an evolution from the Mark I, adding some much sought-after improvements to this popular camera's predecessor.

Wearing glasses while photographing can complicate your shooting experience, but it doesn't need to hold you back. Whether you face issues with smudging, fogging, or trouble seeing through your viewfinder, there are practical ways to make life easier behind the camera.

Photography myths and misconceptions clutter the online space, complicating straightforward ideas and interfering with your progress as a photographer. Clearing up these myths means spending more energy on the things that actually make a measurable difference in your photos.

Many photographers are likely choosing and buying lenses based on outdated advice. The typical recommendations tend to push you toward a variety of lenses you might hardly ever use.

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro lens is a new option aimed at Sony full frame mirrorless camera users. An affordable, quality 85mm lens has always been an attractive prospect, and this one looks like a winner.

Photography is an artistic pursuit, and yet shares similarities with sports. While fundamentally an individual activity, there is a necessary social component that enhances the experience. How do these two strains interact in our photographic journey?

Photography has always been a mirror of its time, but the digital age has transformed it from a tool of documentation into a weapon of self-delusion. The camera, once used to capture reality, now serves primarily to manufacture it. What we photograph, how we photograph it, and why we photograph it reveals a society that has lost touch with authentic experience, commodified human connection, and replaced genuine accomplishment with the performance of success.

Fujifilm recently introduced the GFX100RF medium format camera, a compact fixed-lens camera that revives a beloved but seldom-explored niche in photography. If you've been waiting for a reasonably sized medium format tool that combines top-tier image quality with genuine portability, this camera might get your attention immediately.

No matter how meticulously you plan a portrait session, something can still go wrong. This article tells the story of a photoshoot that didn’t go to plan, and why I continued instead of canceling.

When choosing a lens, the priorities you might typically have, like sharpness, character, or lens speed, begin to shift dramatically if you have to choose just one. You then start considering versatility above all, searching for a single lens that covers a variety of situations easily.

Photographers often juggle specialized gear for macro photography and wide angle landscape shots, but that's cumbersome and costly. The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Macro lens presents itself as a convenient tool uniquely bridging both worlds, marrying macro capabilities with an ultra-wide perspective in an unusually compact package.

Photography is full of lessons that take years to learn, but what if someone who's already gone through those years shared their insights today?

Some cities promise the perfect image at every turn but prove frustratingly tricky when you actually get there. Knowing which cities pose these challenges and how to overcome them can transform your shots and your mindset when traveling.

One of the best photo labs worldwide, WhiteWall, is expanding its offering with an exclusive partnership with Topaz Labs, making enlarging photos easier than ever when ordering prints. Alongside that, it is launching a Shopify app, making ordering prints easier than ever!

Neewer has released a new contender in their Z series lighting: the Z2 Pro Round Head Flash. Being new to Neewer lighting, once the Nikon-compatible version was released, I grasped the opportunity to put this through its paces in an energetic portrait shoot. Could this be the quality-on-a-budget speedlight I have been looking for?

Maria Santos learned to stop looking at faces.

Color calibration and color checker cards might seem complicated, but they're simpler and less critical than you might think. Getting your color balance right matters, but obsessing over every swatch can often become more trouble than it's worth.

Mastering macro photography opens creative doors beyond traditional outdoor scenes. With controlled techniques and thoughtful setups, even your own living space can transform into a studio, allowing you to produce professional-grade images without elaborate equipment or spacious locations.

For many, photography starts as mastering camera settings, but true artistry emerges when the technical becomes second nature and creativity takes over.

Storytelling in photography can be tricky, often leaving you wondering if you've captured something meaningful or if you're just overthinking the whole idea. Yet, understanding how stories form within an image can significantly improve your photographic approach and ultimately strengthen your pictures.

Exploring familiar surroundings through photography opens opportunities to rediscover overlooked beauty. Even places you've visited repeatedly can offer new visual stories if approached intentionally with a camera.

The bell above the door hadn't stopped ringing for twenty minutes. It was a Saturday afternoon in March 1985, and Harrison Camera on 47th Street was packed with its usual crowd: wedding photographers arguing about lens choices, art students pawing through used equipment bins, tourists asking endless questions about film types, and the regulars who came not to buy anything but simply to belong somewhere that understood their obsession.

The DJI Mini 4 Pro is undeniably a marvel of modern drone technology. It is currently the best compact sub-250 g drone that money can buy. Packed with tons of new features such as omnidirectional obstacle sensing, true vertical shooting, and 4K video recording up to 120 fps, it is clearly designed for creators who demand both performance and portability—and for working professionals like me who prefer a smaller drone for easier flight access in most areas. It's easy to see why it's a popular choice among drone enthusiasts.

Turning your passion for photography into a full-time career can be more realistic than you might think. Success doesn't hinge on talent or gear but on shifting your mindset and actively creating opportunities.

When dealing with intricate details like tree branches against skies, creating precise masks in Lightroom can feel like an uphill battle. Precise masking is essential to control edits effectively, especially when working with scenes involving complex edges, such as foliage or fine structures.

Wide angle portraits are uncommon because most people assume distortion ruins them. But understanding distortion can elevate your photography by giving you deliberate, dynamic control.

The Meike 85mm f/1.8 Pro AF offers photographers a compact and budget-friendly alternative for capturing striking portraits and detailed telephoto shots. Can it keep up with more expensive options?

Mastering color channels is a powerful Photoshop skill, crucial for achieving precise cutouts and unique creative effects. Channels can significantly elevate your editing capabilities, especially for handling images with intricate details or soft edges.