A to Z of Photography: Wayne Quilliam and the Queen

In this issue of the A to Z of Photography we turn to possibly the thorniest letter of the alphabet: Q. Fear not as we take you on a journey from an interview with the antipodean photographer Wayne Quilliam, through Elvis, Brahmanandam Kanneganti, Kim Kardashian, Princess Diana, and Donald Trump before finally arriving at the Queen.

Behind the Image: Floe of Life

Every image has a story behind it, and while some can be more obvious than others, a few also provide important insights from which photographers can learn. In this article, which is the first in a series that I’d like to share with the Fstoppers community, I will explore the story behind one of my most recognized images and one of the most basic rules we are taught when we begin our journey into photography. I hope you will enjoy the series and take something away from my experiences.

What to Do If You've Been Sexually Assaulted

Recently a number of women have come forward and made some pretty strong accusations against a relatively well-known photographer, Jason Lanier. This has brought the subject of sexual abuse and assault back into many discussions.

A Feature We Could All Make Use Of

While manufacturers go to war for our attention with cleaner high-ISO files, millions more pixels than any of us will ever need, and stabilization that counters our coffee addictions, some of the most useful features go completely unnoticed. In this video, Jordan Drake and Chris Niccolls take a look at a feature that made the Sony a99 but could really benefit every camera system.

Photography Isn't Always Fun

Photography is supposed to be a fun thing; after all, it is something we all willingly choose to do, as opposed to a career chosen out of necessity. But that doesn't mean it always is; in fact, sometimes, it's downright tedious. This great video follows a landscape photographer as he discusses how the job isn't always as great as we make it out to be and why that's still ok.

A First Look at the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens

Tamron's 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens for Sony mirrorless cameras has been an absolute runaway success, with its combination of portability, image quality, and affordable cost winning over many photographers and videographers. The 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD follows a similar design philosophy, and many people are already excited about the lens. This great video takes a first look at the lens to help you decide if you should add it to your arsenal.

Your First Year as a Professional Photographer: What Can You Expect?

Taking the jump into becoming a professional photographer can be a bit daunting, and you might be wondering if the move is right for you and what you can expect. This great video features a photographer discussing what his first year as a full-time professional was like after leaving a corporate job and offering some great tips and advice for those of you thinking of taking the plunge yourselves.

Fstoppers Reviews Cinetracer: Learn Cinematography by Gaming

Envision flying around with a jet pack creating massive film sets like you are a cinematography superhero. Cinetracer is a realistic cinematography simulator where you play a Director, and your quest is to make an epic movie. The real purpose of this program is to create beautiful storyboards for pitching.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (July 2019): Dasha and Mari K. [NSFW]

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 2019, 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.

What's the Best Travel Tripod Out There?

Travel tripods aren’t just for travel: if you want something lighter to carry around all day or hike with, or you’re just using a lightweight or mirrorless system that doesn’t need a big beefy tripod to support it, they might be right for you.

The Benefits of Photographing the Same Location Multiple Times

It can be tempting to constantly try to find new locations in which to shoot, but that can be both tedious and exhausting. Furthermore, you can get a lot more out of a location than you might think you can, and it can be well worth revisiting the same spot more than once. This great video examines why you might want to start going back to places in which you've already shot.

13 Common Photography Mistakes and Tips to Avoid Making Them

Photography is a combination of technical and artistic technique and decisions, and it can be easy to make a misstep somewhere that derails an entire image. This great video details 13 common mistakes photographers make and provides some helpful tips for avoiding or fixing them.

More Canon Mirrorless Lenses Are on Their Way Soon

Canon's RF line of mirrorless lenses has impressed a lot of photographers with its stunning optical quality and extreme designs. Many photographers are still waiting on the lens lineup to fill out a bit more, but luckily, it looks like that will be happening fairly soon.

Why ND Filters Are so Crucial for Videographers

For photographers, ND filters are generally useful, but rarely a necessity. However, for video shooters, ND filters are absolutely crucial pieces of equipment, especially if you want to shoot at wide apertures in daylight. This great video shows you just why ND filters are so crucial and what they allow you to do.

These Lights Get so Hot That You Can Fry an Egg on Them

Newer LED lights run quite cool, so much so that you can generally touch them without even feeling uncomfortable. On the other hand, older light designs can run quite warm, and some can run downright hot — hot enough to literally cook an egg. Check out this fun video in which a photographer grabs some tungsten lights and does exactly that.

An Off-Camera Flash Tutorial for Wedding Photographers

One of the most important skills any wedding photographer needs is the ability to quickly and effectively use artificial light in both a practical and creative way, whether it's to supplement or supply the light for a scene. This great video will show you a few techniques, tips, and tricks for using off-camera flash in wedding scenarios.

The Best Way to Stabilize Your GoPro Hero's Footage

The GoPro Hero 7’s most talked about feature, HyperSmooth, can give gimbal quality stabilization without the need for any external hardware. But if you already own a Hero 5 Black, Hero 5 Session, or Hero 6, a software plugin called ReelSteady GO can bring that feature to your camera.

High Resolution Nikon Z8 in the Works?

Nikon Rumors has recently reported on the potential for, among other things, a 60MP Nikon Z8 with “two CFExpress cards, improved VR”, and a pixel-shift mode. As they point out, this would seem to dovetail with their earlier reporting that Nikon had previously entered into an agreement with Sony to purchase Sony’s new 60MP sensor.

Fujifilm Announces Repair Program for GFX100 Owners

Earlier this year, Fujifilm unleashed the GFX100 unto the world — with 100 megapixels, a sensor between full frame and 645, and... a problem with the shutter lock on the vertical grip for some users. Uh oh.

Are These Photography Techniques Overrated?

Photography is an art full of popular techniques and styles that are used and emulated by millions of photographers worldwide. Are some of those techniques overrated, though? This interesting video examines what one photographer thinks are five of the most overrated photography techniques in use today.

How Nostalgia Can Hurt Your Photography

Nostalgia is an incredibly powerful feeling that often guides the way we express ourselves through our work. But the effect it has isn't always good, and it is important to be aware of how it can change your images in very tangible ways. This interesting video dives deep into the phenomenon and examines how it can impact your own photos.

JPEGmini Now Available as a Plug-in for Capture One

The creators of JPEGmini, the popular photo-resizing application and plug-in for Lightroom and Photoshop, have announced that the plug-in is now available for Capture One as well. This brings the remarkable compression features of JPEGmini directly into the application, making it easier and more efficient for photographers using Capture One to create images at vastly reduced sizes.

Instagram Deletes Dozens of Accounts With Millions of Followers Without Warning

Instagram recently deleted dozens of accounts, some with up to 13 million followers, in a mass purge that focused on meme accounts. The company did not give any explanation for the suspensions beyond "violations of terms of service," but there are several theories as to why the accounts were removed.

Top Five Photography Spots in the Dolomites

There’s no denying that Italy’s Dolomites are stunning. This monumental mountain range in northeastern Italy is an idyllic playground for both outdoor adventurers and those seeking a taste of the region’s cultural heritage.

Opportunities You Might Not Realize Are Available on Viewbug

Have you ever heard of our friends over at Viewbug? You probably should have by now because we've collaborated with them on a couple different photo contests at this point and there's more to the community than just photo contests.

Jet and Ebony Photography Archive Sold, Will Remain in the Public Eye

Johnson Publishing Company, the former publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines, filed for liquidation in April of this year. There was a worry that their image archive would end up being sold to a private collector and that the images, which represent decades of African American culture and history, would disappear.

Here's What Photoshop Was Like in 1988

You might not realize it, but Photoshop has entered its fourth decade of existence, and in those many years, it has had a lot of time to evolve into the highly intricate and powerful application it is today. Ever wonder what it was like to use in its early days? Check out this awesome video that shows what it was like working with a version released in 1988.

Color Wheels for Photoshop, Finally a Reality Thanks to Retouching Toolkit

It still boggles my mind that Adobe hasn't added color wheels to Photoshop in 2019. It's a tool loved by colorists and video editors, yet photographers are forced to rely solely on curves and sliders instead. Fortunately, the guys at Retouching Toolkit fixed Photoshop once again.

Photographers From the Philippines Team up to Raise Funds for Earthquake Devastated Islands

The Batanes group of Islands sit on the northern most tip of the Philippines. The archipelagic province is 408 miles away from the country's capital of Manila and 120 miles south of Taiwan. At 04:16 AM of July 27, 2019, Batanes was hit by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake followed by another 6.4 at 07:38AM. Almost 3000 people, 900 families have been rendered homeless on top of an 8-person death toll.

Time to Say Goodbye to Instagram and Hello to Dayflash

Let's really be honest here, Facebook and Instagram have changed the rules enough times now that it's driven most of the fun out of the social media platforms and it's long been time for a change. Instagram used to be great for photographers but has since become an almost pointless endeavor for anyone that doesn't already have 100,000 followers or more.