Is Turning Your Passion for Photography into a Career the Right Move?

Many of us dream of transforming our hobbies into full-time careers, especially when it comes to something as fulfilling as photography. But making the leap can fundamentally change your relationship with your craft, and it’s worth considering whether the tradeoffs align with your goals.

How Wedding Photographers Jump From $3,000 to $10,000 Per Wedding

Understanding what separates a wedding photographer charging $3,000 from one charging $10,000 (or even more) is crucial if you want to elevate your work and income. This difference isn’t just about skill or experience; it’s about strategy, branding, and perception.

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Enter Your Best Dramatic Photos

For our next photography contest, we want to see your best dramatic photos ever taken! The theme is dramatic but the genre of photography can be anything.

Submission Deadline:
November 29th 2024 - 6:00pm
Streamline Your Edits with Adobe Camera Raw's AI Tools

Editing in Adobe Camera Raw has become more powerful with the addition of new AI-driven tools, but these features also introduce complexities that can trip you up. To get the most out of your workflow, you need to understand how these tools interact and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Download These Raw+JPEG Files From Sony's a1 II Flagship Camera

The arrival of a new flagship from a top camera maker inevitably sparks a debate regarding how much sense it makes to upgrade to the latest model. Camera makers boast of the many improvements their new models offer, but each photographer must determine if those improvements are worth the cost of upgrading. How the manufacturers name their latest offering can sometimes offer clues about the extent of the improvements. In 2021, when Sony introduced their newest flagship under the name a1 rather than some variation of the a7 or a9 moniker, there was an expectation that the a1 would stand apart from the brand’s other mirrorless cameras.

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for the Photographer in Your Life

When that special person on your Christmas list spends their day thinking about flash sync speed, focal length, and the latest “glass,” you may find yourself at a bit of an impasse on what to get them. When you Googled “new Canon lens,” you quickly determined that you didn’t like them that much, but you still want to get them something that makes them feel special. While there is one gift you should never give a photographer, there are countless other choices, from budget-friendly gear to office décor, that will make them feel special. Ready to boost your gift-giving cred? Here are some of my favorite gifts to get that special photographer in your life this holiday season.

Overcoming Barriers in Landscape Photography: Insights and Tips

Landscape photography presents unique challenges, but mastering them can lead to stunning results. One of the biggest hurdles isn’t technical—it’s psychological. Many struggle with motivation, making it hard to leave the house and commit to a shoot. Whether it’s the early mornings or the uncertainty of success, the mental barriers often outweigh the physical ones.

Are You Making This Exposure Bracketing Mistake?

As landscape photographers, we know exposure bracketing is our friend when we face a high-dynamic-range scene with bright highlights and dark shadows. But are you making this mistake when you set your camera up for bracketing?

Radiant Photo 2 Arrives, Promising Next-Generation Photo Editing

Just when you thought you'd seen just about every editing tool, Radiant Photo comes along with a solid update to its Radiant Photo Editor that I first took a look at in 2022. Since then there have been many improvements and new tools.

This latest version is packed with features, new tools and improved workflows.

Photographers deserve tools that don’t just meet standards—they raise them. Radiant Photo 2 is designed to do exactly that. By intuitively understanding each photo—its lighting, subject, and background—it delivers results that are both...

Mastering Telephoto Lenses for Landscape Photography

A telephoto lens opens up unique opportunities in landscape photography. Its ability to isolate subjects and create compression makes it an invaluable tool, especially for capturing distant elements with dramatic impact.

Five Ways to Grow as a Landscape Photographer

Exploring landscapes goes beyond simply capturing a beautiful scene. To develop your craft, you need to balance creativity, mindfulness, and experimentation. This process isn’t just about technical skills but about shifting how you interact with your environment and your art.

How to Price Your Food Photography Projects Accurately

Understanding how to price your food photography projects is key to running a sustainable business. It’s not just about the time spent shooting; a lot more goes into each job than you might initially think.

Are You Struggling With Sharp Landscape Photos?

A frequent challenge for landscape photographers is capturing sharp images. There are several nuances to sharp landscape photography photos; there is more to it than just always using an aperture of f/11 or so. This video looks at some of those nuances to help you get sharp images.

Does Shooting on Film Instantly Improve Your Photos?

There's been a lot of (digital) ink spilled about the look and feel of film photos being vastly superior to their digital counterparts, and while that's a question up for debate, there's also something else I've noticed among my fellow film-shooting friends: the propensity to elevate objectively terrible photos as art.

A Beginner's Guide to Core Photoshop Concepts

When you first start using Photoshop, understanding the basics of its interface can set the foundation for everything you’ll do. Photoshop's layout consists of two main views: the Home Screen and the Workspace. Each plays a crucial role in organizing your projects and tools efficiently.

Why Photography Is About the Process, Not Just the Picture

Photography happens in fleeting moments, often shaped by the mood and mindset of the person behind the lens. Stress, boredom, or pressure to perform can influence the results, making even the most beautiful locations feel uninspiring.

Leica Q3 43 Review: A Versatile Focal Length for Street and Portraits

The Leica Q3 43 introduces a 43mm lens designed to balance street photography, portraits, and general versatility. It’s a fresh take for those who found the previous Q series’ 28mm lens either too wide or too limiting, and it's paired with a powerful camera behind it.

Do You Believe That AI Will Ruin Photography? Do You See It Already Happening?

The advent of generative AI images has sent a seismic ripple through the photography world, and the concern extends beyond the obvious issue of competition. The manner in which generative AI cannibalizes and resamples existing images has photographers considering how best to protect their work.

Mastering Light and Lens Choices for Outdoor Portraits

Overcast skies create soft, diffused light that’s great for portraits but often lacks contrast. To overcome this, a smart mix of lighting techniques and gear choices can transform your shots.

How to Manage the Business Side of Fashion Photography

Running a fashion and beauty photography business is about more than capturing stunning images. It involves managing finances, building relationships, and staying organized to ensure smooth operations. Without a solid approach, the chaos of balancing creative work with business demands can quickly become overwhelming.

The Stunning Beauty of Large Format Photography

Photography offers countless ways to explore creativity, and Nick Carver embodies this diversity. Known for his large format photography, Carver captures striking images of both natural landscapes and abandoned office buildings. His work highlights how settings, whether pristine nature or gritty urban spaces, can tell stories about their past and purpose.

How to Transform Your Street Photography in Just One Week

Street photography is more than just pointing your camera and clicking. It’s about capturing the energy, emotion, and complexity of life as it unfolds. Whether you’re struggling with composition, lighting, or storytelling, this video tutorial will help you improve.

In Defense of 'Over-Editing': 3 Reasons I Love It and Reject the Criticism

I woke up with my morning coffee to these thoughts: “Overprocessing images can sometimes compromise the integrity of the image and do more harm than necessary. Here are several reasons why one should refrain from over-editing their images.” I thought to myself, “I need to caffeinate further before finishing this article” and took a big gulp of my coffee.

The Sirui Aurora 85mm f/1.4: A Budget Portrait Lens Worth Considering?

Portrait photography often calls for a lens that can isolate your subject with a shallow depth of field while maintaining sharpness. The Sirui Aurora 85mm f/1.4 lens offers these features at a budget-friendly price. Whether you’re looking to step up your portrait game or experiment with low-light shooting, this lens might be worth a look.

Essential Photoshop Tips for Real Estate Photography

Editing real estate photos can be time-consuming, especially when striving for a clean, professional look. These often-overlooked techniques are essential if you want to deliver polished images quickly.

The Ultimate All-Day Wedding Lens

Getting professional-quality wedding photos requires versatile gear that can handle everything from intimate getting-ready moments to dramatic ceremony shots. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD brings impressive capabilities to help you capture it all.

Techniques for Macro and Woodland Photography

Capturing the finer details in nature through macro photography requires a mix of creativity and technique. With the right approach, you can turn even the smallest subjects into visually compelling stories.

The Three Marketing Tools Every Photographer Needs to Master

Effectively marketing your photography isn’t just about showcasing great images. It’s about understanding the roles of social media, websites, and portfolios, and using them intentionally. Each plays a distinct role in building your visibility, credibility, and appeal to potential clients, and blending their purposes can dilute their impact.

Buy the Best on Black Friday: We Found an Epic Offer From Profoto

The Black Friday buzz is in full swing, and if you’re in the market for premium photography gear, Profoto has just dropped an unmissable offer. Known for their professional-grade lighting equipment, Profoto’s B10X and B10X Plus strobes are now bundled with exciting freebies. Could this deal be worth your hard-earned cash?

Released Today: Peak Design’s Outdoor Backpack

Ever growing and evolving, the Peak Design range has just had a new addition released today. The Outdoor Backpack may be the perfect bag to carry your gear into the great outdoors.

Do You Know What Macro Stacking Is and How it Works?

Macro photography is one of the more niche techniques of the craft, but it has applications in a number of genres, so it's a skill worth having. The question is: do you know how one of its fundamental methods works, and can you do it?
Choosing the Perfect Lens Filters Is Down to Urth

Most self-respecting landscape photographers will have dabbled in the delights of using filters on their lenses. I’ve tried multiple brands with differing results but have always been more pleased with the photos when using Urth filters than any others. This review will guide you through what different filters do and why I rate them so highly.

What Do You Get When Neurotic Gear Nerds and Outdoor Addicts Join Forces? The Innovative Peak Design Outdoor Line

Known as “radical gear for the detail-obsessed,” Peak Design has a reputation for having a specific purpose for every cinch, strap, pocket, loop, and cord. In this line, Peak Design’s outdoor hikers, climbers, and adventurers paired up with the most detail-oriented gear nerds to bring us their revolutionary "Outdoor Bags" line. I had the opportunity to give the gear a test run for about a month. From traveling with the backpacks on photo assignments to grabbing the slings on my way out the door in my city-slicker life, I’m here to report my feedback on Peak Design’s newest line.

How to Create Sharp Long Exposure Photos With Moving Elements

Long exposures are a fantastic way to simplify your scene and draw attention to your subject. But moving objects in the frame, like swaying trees or shifting boats, can blur and distract from the final image. This technique shows you how to manage motion while preserving sharpness, offering a practical approach for challenging conditions.

Simple Ways to Escape a Photography Rut

When your passion for photography wanes, it’s easy to feel stuck and uninspired. Whether it’s from routine, stress, or even just a lack of direction, finding a way to reconnect with your creativity is essential.

Is This the Best Landscape Photography Camera?

What is the best camera for landscape photography? Is there a best landscape photography camera? Typically, one would want a high-megapixel camera with great dynamic range, something easy to use in the field, and something that can handle harsh environments. Is this the best landscape photography camera?

A Beginner's Guide to Solving Common Photography Challenges

Photography can be tricky, especially when your images don't turn out as expected. Common problems like poor exposure, blurry details, or excessive noise can be frustrating. The good news is that many of these issues can be fixed with a straightforward approach.

Techniques for Beautiful Snowy Portraits

Photographing in snow presents unique challenges. The light is harsh, reflections are intense, and the cold can affect your equipment. But with the right techniques, you can transform a snowy scene into a beautifully lit portrait. This video focuses on using light direction, ambient light, and composition to elevate your snowy portraits, offering practical tips for handling these tricky conditions.

Breaking the Rules of Lighting for Stunning Results

Lighting plays a crucial role in shaping a portrait, and sometimes, it’s worth bending the rules to capture a unique shot. When you’re working in a stunning location, balancing ideal lighting techniques with the composition can push you to make creative decisions that break away from the norm.

Ultra-Performance Meets Innovation: A Review of Sony's New a1 II Flagship Camera

Sony's new a1 II mirrorless camera represents the pinnacle of hybrid shooting technology, combining exceptional resolution with blazing-fast performance. The a1 II builds upon its predecessor's foundation while introducing refined features that cater to professionals who demand versatility and reliability in every shooting scenario.

Focus Stacking Tips for Sharp Macro Photography

Focus stacking can take your macro photography to a new level by allowing you to capture every detail of a subject in perfect clarity, even when that subject has considerable depth. It’s especially helpful for macro shots, where your focus plane is often razor-thin. But capturing a sharp, focus-stacked image doesn’t end with taking hundreds of shots in the field; processing them correctly is equally crucial.

Does Gear Matter? One Pro’s Perspective

Someone on social media stated “A pro would never use a Z50!” If you’re not familiar with Nikon, this is their crop sensor entry-level camera, costing $860. I’ve heard similar statements dozens of times—matter-of-fact assertions about what pros do, usually made by photographers who aren’t actually professionals.

Sigma Announces Prices and Availability for Four New APS-C Primes for Canon RF Mount

Sigma has officially announced the pricing and availability of four APS-C format DC DN prime lenses for Canon's RF mount system. The lenses, part of Sigma’s Contemporary line, include the 16mm f/1.4, 23mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4, and 56mm f/1.4, and are designed for photographers and videographers seeking compact, high-performance lenses. These additions expand Sigma’s APS-C lens offerings to six for the RF mount.