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.

I’ve been a fan of SanDisk’s portable Extreme Pro SSDs for many years. When I travel with my laptop, I take a couple with me so I can back up my photos and videos each day. The ones I’ve been using transfer data up to 2,000 MB/s (sustainable read and write speed). They’re also very durable, with good water and dust resistance (IP65).

How might you take a night photo of an observatory near the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park? We take you behind the scenes to discuss photographing this image for a local magazine and some quick problem-solving. And you'll learn more about how to create photos such as this.

The chemical stains on Samuel McKinney's hands told the story of his profession before he ever opened his mouth. Fine brown flecks of silver nitrate freckled his fingertips; years of handling pyrogallic developer had yellowed his nails. His clothes reeked faintly of sulfur and ether no matter how many times his wife scrubbed them.