Motorola Has Had Enough of Your Vertical Videos

Smartphones are naturally held in a portrait orientation, which naturally leads to videos being filmed in portrait orientation. Motorola is seeking to change that with their newest phone.

Doing the Vertical Video Thing

Our usual way of looking at scenes and people and all the things in the world is at 120-200° depending upon the different things that we see. We were use to seeing our horizontally. That is until we got into smartphones and further into Instagram stories.

Why Instagram Should Hide Follower Counts and Why It Never Will

Instagram appears to be in the process of rolling out a surprising change to its platform: hiding the number of times that a post has been liked. While the internet giant claims that it’s making the change in to help us focus on the thing we love, the truth is different. If it really wants to improve things, it should go one step further and hide follower counts too. You can be sure, however, that it never will.

The Best Way to Get Into FPV Drones

Drones are great tools for photography and video, but with technology changing at such a rapid pace, racing drones (FPV) are becoming much more popular and in demand for commercial work. It can be a little overwhelming to learn this technology all at once, so I am here to help you with your first setup.

What Can You Accomplish With a $79 Camera?

Photographers love their advanced and expensive gear; it makes our jobs much easier and can produce some absolutely stunning results in the right hands. But what can you accomplish with a $79 camera that's over a decade old? The results might surprise you.

Check Out This Incredible Behind the Scenes Look at Filming a Wedding

Wedding videography is a grueling, difficult job full of all sorts of challenges of both the creative and technical variety, and watching a skilled videography team can be tremendously instructive whether you are new to the field and looking to learn or a seasoned master looking for new tricks and ideas. Check out this incredibly comprehensive behind the scenes look at everything that goes into filming the big day.

The Overlooked Importance of a Focal Point in Photography

It is easy to overlook just how important having a really strong focal point is to making a photograph truly successful. This insightful video discusses the multitude of ways a focal point helps a photo and how you can improve your own.

How Good Is Fujifilm's Budget X-A5 Camera?

The Fujifilm X-A5 is remarkably cheap, coming in at just $499 including a widely respected kit lens, making for inexpensive entry into the popular X Series. But can it hold its own against its more powerful siblings and will it stand up to the demands of a professional photographer? This great review will answer just that question for you.

Published Images that Earned You Money
Critique the Community

Published Images that Earned You Money

Submit your favorite images that have made you money for your chance to win a free Fstoppers tutorial.

When it comes to maintaining a photography business, the images that make you money are the ones that really matter. For the next episode of Critique the Community, we will be providing feedback to only images that have generated income for you. 

This contest has ended.

Critique the Community Automotive

Congratulations to the Winners!

Although Lee and Patrick aren't car experts, they still can discern good photos from poorly executed ones. Listen as they critique 20 images from the Fstoppers Community and let us know if you think they're feedback was on point. 

Getting Paid Multiple Times: What Motivates You?

Recently, a special delivery unexpectedly arrived for me. It was a trophy from the Telly Awards for a Cape Town guide that I filmed for Expedia. Winning awards has never been a motivation for me, but this one felt really good. It made me consider all the different forms of payment we can get from photography.

When Photographers Stop Seeing

On a day-to-day basis, we go through hundreds or even thousands of photographs mainly through social media. Especially for people with many photographer friends, every scroll is a stroll through a usually poorly curated gallery. If you stop and take a close look at most of the photographs, chances are that you will see certain instances where the photographer has "stopped seeing" somewhere in their creative process.

Always Be Patient With Landscapes: Wait for the Right Moment

Everyone who is photographing landscapes knows how important light is. With the right light situations, a boring landscape can transform into something magical. It is not only choosing the golden hour, but also waiting for the right moment. You need to be patient.

These Owls Have Had Enough of This Camera

A common piece of advice given to street photographers is if your subject seems unhappy about the presence of your camera, it's better to simply not take the picture and remove yourself from the situation. It would appear that that advice should extend to owls, as these rather ornery owls took out a camera that was supposed to be secretly observing them, and the resulting video is hilarious.

What Happens When Four Photographers Shoot the Same Model?

The neat thing about photography is how different photographers can have vastly different creative ideas and interpretations of the same subject. This awesome video follows four photographers as they shoot the same model; see what they came up with!

Learn How to Create This Awesome Day and Night Shot in Camera

It is pretty amazing just how much you can accomplish in post-processing software nowadays, but there is something particularly satisfying about creating an image that looks like it took lots of Photoshop work entirely in camera. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to recreate this fascinating day and night image all in camera.

How the Ways We Simulate Sex on Screen Are Evolving

It is a strange thing when you think about it: films have long had fight and stunt coordinators to make the simulation of violence and dangerous situations both look realistic on screen and to protect the actors involved in the scenes. Yet, simulating sexual scenes is often done without expertise and often in very inappropriate ways that can and have seriously affected those involved. Here is how that is changing for the better.

You Shouldn't Be Using Lightroom for That

I'm the first to admit I love Lightroom. Sure, it has its issues, like occasionally slow performance on good hardware and an admittedly aging interface, but I'm comfortable with it. There are a number of tasks, though, that you just shouldn't be using Lightroom for. Want to know what they are?

The DJI Osmo Mobile Just Got... Foldable

There are many smartphone gimbals on the market but one of the most well known comes from the company DJI. The Osmo Mobile 3 is the most convenient version yet considering it is able to fold up for transport, and can be operated with just one hand.

Do You Really Need That Fast, Expensive Lens?

We all love to drool over those beautiful, fast (and oh so expensive) f/1.2 and f/1.4 lenses. But do you really need that top shelf glass, or would you be better served by saving your money and investing in a cheaper version? This great video talks about some of the more intangible facets of lenses and why it's about more than just the widest apertures.

Go Behind the Scenes With a Wedding Photographer and Off Camera Flash

Weddings are a nonstop whirlwind of technical and creative challenges, and the more knowledge and tricks you can have for both categories, the better. This awesome video follows a photographer behind the scenes at a wedding and focuses on his use of off camera flash to help you learn how to quickly and effectively turn dull and drab lighting into professional images no matter where you're shooting.

This Will Help You Book More Photography Clients

Booking clients is easy once you understand how you can be their solution. If a potential client made it from a search engine to your "About Me" page, they've somehow pre-qualified themselves as a client.

Fstoppers Reviews the DJI Smart Controller

The smart controller merges a CrystalSky monitor with a regular controller to offer an all-in-one package. This solution is effective and comes with interesting features.

Why Does the Vibrancy Slider Feel So Good!?

What do oversize truck tailpipes, paleolithic sculpture, and the vibrancy slider have in common? And what might they have to do with helping us create more engaging photographs? Why do some abstract paintings move you and others don't? Why should we react to an abstract work of art at all?

The Power of the Pivot

Humans are the greatest adaption machines in the world. We are, by nature, made to adapt.

Paolo Roversi Directs Pirelli’s 2020 Calendar

The esteemed Italian editorial photographer Paolo Roversi, known for shooting on 8x10 Polaroid, directed the Pirelli's 2020 Calendar. Past calendars have been shot by iconic photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Tim Walker, and Albert Watson.

Wildlife and Underwater Photography Webinar With Fstoppers Writers

Photography can be a lonely journey for some. If you are just beginning your foray into wildlife and/or underwater photography, then please join Mike O’Leary and me as we host a free webinar on Saturday, August 24th at 3pm EST. With this webinar, Mike and I hope to answer any questions you may have in relation to starting out in wildlife or underwater photography, as well as how one can use the medium as a positive force.

We Speak to the Photographer Documenting Love Stories of Couples and Families Impacted by the Global Refugee Crisis

One photographer recently travelled to both Turkey and Mexico to document the global refugee crisis in pictures, a series that went on to earn him a win at the World Press Photo Awards. We spoke with the man himself to uncover more details about the inspiring love stories of couples and families who have been forced to flee their native countries in search of a better life.

By Renaming Instagram, Facebook Is Making a Mistake

In a move that makes you want to check the calendar, it’s reported that Facebook is about to change the name of Instagram to “Instagram From Facebook.” Why is Facebook suddenly so keen to remind users of the app who is in control, and is it a mistake?

How to (Almost) Never Miss a Shot

Missing a shot is something that happens to every photographer, but there are ways to make it happen less to you. Here’s how to almost never miss a photo.

Refreshingly Simple Video Editing With ACDSee Video Studio 4

The most common complaint with nearly all video editing software available on the market is the learning curve. Most programs lack a certain degree of intuitiveness, so any attempt to tinker leads to exasperation. That was certainly my number one frustration with past attempts to teach myself to use some of the heftier video editing suites. Enter ACDSee Video Studio 4, the answer to exacting and irritating video editing sessions.

Photojournalist Catches the Truth Behind Trump’s TelePrompter Flub

President Trump stepped up to the podium last Monday to read prepared remarks about the shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. Except that in the final blessings of the speech, he named Toledo instead of Dayton, a different city about 150 miles away.

Want To Grow Your Photography Business? Ask For Help

There will always be paid advertisement, and you can explore that. Do not forget about the possibility of free advertisement from people in your lives. Your friends and family are there to help. Getting a recommendation from your close circle serves as a powerful tool for the new photographer.