As advanced as editing tools have become in recent years, dodging and burning remains as one of the most fundamental and powerful techniques for shaping the light in your images, de-emphasizing blemishes, and drawing attention to your subject in a natural but compelling fashion. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use dodging and burning for editing portraits in Photoshop.
When it comes to learning lighting, we often focus on how to light the subject in a flattering way, but of course, the backdrop deserves attention too. It is about more than just getting the exposure on the background right, however. With a bit of know-how, you can drastically alter the appearance of the background just by how you place your subject and source relative to it. This great video tutorial will show you how to adjust your lighting to take full control of the appearance of your backdrop.
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines now feature M2 chipsets, and as such, they all offer powerful performance in tandem with impressively long battery life. Nonetheless, there are many distinguishing features between them. So, which is right for your needs? This great video comparison pits the M2 MacBook Air against the M2 Pro MacBook Pro to help you decide which to get.
Most cameras are similar in many ways, but they also have unique features that other models lack. Choosing the wrong camera can be an expensive mistake. Here are things to consider before spending your hard-earned cash.
In this video, Glyn Dewis effortlessly explains how he manages to capture the iconic Prince of Wales bridge spanning the border between Wales and England. As a proud Welshman, this was intriguing to me, and as a photographer this is engaging and really shows the potential that mobile technology has to be able to improve the availability and quality of immediate photography.
As a headshot photographer, it's your job to make sure your clients look their best. However, taking the perfect studio headshot isn't just about lighting and composition. It's also about understanding your client's needs and making them feel comfortable in front of the camera.
With 28 days to celebrate Black History Month in February, let's take 28 opportunities to celebrate some talented black photographers who are currently making history with their work.
This review is for you if you’re a Capture One Pro user and are wondering if the iPad version is worth adding to your workflow. It is also for those who don’t yet use Capture One but are looking for a budget-friendly introduction to it and already own an iPad. I will be looking at the application’s features, pros and cons, and comparing them to the desktop version.
Lightroom for lefties? No problem. Adobe's latest update is designed to make Lightroom Mobile more accessible for everyone. Glyn Dewis shows us what to do if you're a left-handed user in Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop.
Do you struggle to get high-quality landscape images when the weather is bad and the light's poor? Here, we look at five important things you can do to get amazing landscape photos in horrible weather conditions.
One of the challenges of wedding photography is that you are on a tight timeline, and if conditions are not flattering or conducive to portraiture, you have no choice but to power through them and still create the best images you can. So, what can you do when the big day presents with harsh, hard light? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer showing you how she handles harsh light to still create flattering, memorable images.
Time to get excited. New Canon cameras and lenses are on the way soon.
Instagram's censoring policies make no sense at all. But the least they could do is not call women prostitutes based on what they are wearing.
Since the release of the EOS R5, EOS R6, and RF 28-70mm f/2L, Canon has been very aggressive in both the designs of their lenses and the timelines of their releases. It seems the company has no intention of slowing down, with another lens likely to be announced later this month.
If you look at the work of top photographers, you might be fooled into thinking that the only way to create professional images is through the use of complex setups with several lights. However, you might be pleased and surprised to discover that you can create compelling portraits with just a single light, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know.
Today, I’ll share a few thoughts on the Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom after getting to try it hands on for a bit of testing.
Our allegiance to the big camera companies is weird, isn't it? Sometimes, it's a real badge of honor. Other times, well, I'm a little "meh" about the whole thing. Nikon reds pitched up against Canon reds, in a technical tug-of-war? Stripped to the waist and battling it out to the death? Side-by-side comparisons and sensor wars? Not for me, my friend. If you think I'm going to type out 300+ words on as painfully contrived a topic as Canon versus Nikon, you're wrong. Kind of.
For Android users, it does not get much better than Samsung's Galaxy Ultra series, and the company's latest flagship, the S23 Ultra, continues to raise the bar. This great video takes a first look at the new phones and just how much you can expect from them.
The term "boudoir photography" brings to mind scenes along the lines of a woman dressed in lingerie, standing near a window, adjusting her attire. Perhaps we imagine a woman who is partially nude lying on a bed. However, this interpretation of boudoir photography does not have to be the only way this genre is defined. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and expand your interpretation of what a boudoir session looks like, you may be able to dramatically increase your clientele and sales.
When it comes to landscape photography, wide angle lenses are the most frequently chosen tools, but they can be particularly challenging to work with. If you are new to landscape photography and wondering how to best handle a wide angle lens, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer sharing useful tips and techniques and a lot of examples images sure to help you improve your photos.
The beauty of macro photography is that you do not have to travel, book a model, or do anything involved to produce fantastic and compelling work. We are literally surrounded by potential subjects everywhere we go, and with a little bit of knowledge and patience, you can capture an entirely different world hidden in plain sight. If you are new to macro photography, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to get started.
ISO can be used as a tool to adjust exposure, and you can even use an automatic ISO setting. I’ll explain how you can use auto ISO in the best possible way.
Landscape photography is a challenging genre that takes a combination of strong camera technique, planning, the ability to predict conditions, good post-processing skills, and often, just a bit of luck. If you are new to landscape photography and looking to improve, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer discussing six common mistakes and how to fix them or avoid them altogether.
Light leaks in your camera can spoil the pictures you make. For just a few dollars and a little bit of time, you can easily replace the seals yourself at home.
Portrait photographers generally prefer focal lengths over 50mm. This is because these types of focal lengths help to produce a more flattering look. Personally, I find a 50mm lens to be slightly too wide and an 85mm lens just a tad too long. For this reason, I thought I'd compare two lenses that sit in-between these focal lengths.
When you begin your journey into photography, you feel gated by how small your arsenal of equipment is, despite the elders of the craft telling you it doesn't matter. But, is there a negative correlation between creativity and the amount of gear owned? For me, I suspect there might be.
Here are some helpful tips on camera settings that you should use to capture crisp movement in the studio. I made a detailed video, but here is a breakdown of the settings you need to understand to keep your images sharp.
It seems like a strange thing to say, but many people actually prefer to shoot using their rear LCDs. On the other hand, viewfinders have a lot of advantages over their rear screen counterparts, and if you do not use yours, it is worth reconsidering it, and this great video tutorial will show you many of the benefits you can get from a viewfinder.
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 2022, 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.
The fleet of lenses I use is old. Actually old to the point where I am genuinely surprised how it still works. Nonetheless, the old Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 IS is still a good choice for many photographers. Here is why I will be holding onto my copy of this excellent lens.
Running a photography business is a challenging thing that requires a wide range of skills that go well beyond your ability to work with a camera. Whether you are new to running a photo business or a seasoned professional, this excellent video tutorial will show you seven common mistakes that can derail your business and how to fix them or avoid them altogether in the first place.
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lenses have long been popular among sports, bird, and wildlife photographers for offering a very useful focal length range in tandem with maximum apertures that balance performance, bulk, and price. For Fujifilm shooters, there is the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Along with the umbrella, the softbox is one of the most affordable, versatile, and important light modifiers. Thus, every photographer who is learning to work with artificial light should spend some working with softboxes and learning how to use them to their full potential. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know about them, including shape, size, rendering, and more.
Modern camera lenses are small marvels, absolutely packed with technology and intricate, precise machinery. Rarely do we get a chance to look inside them, however. This neat video takes you inside one of Fujifilm's manufacturing plants to see how they put together one of their newest and most advanced lenses, the XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR.
Pursuing photography in the modern world, whether as an amateur or professional, is a tricky and complex thing full of many pitfalls that can derail your development and success as a creative. This great video essay discusses one of the most common traps photographers fall into, how to recognize it, and what you can do to avoid it or break out of it.
A class action lawsuit has been filed in rhe US against Stability AI and other AI art generators. If they are infringing copyright laws, could it bring an end to AI-generated art? What are the real issues? A lawyer explains in this eye-opening video.
I woke up enlightened, inspired, and in slight disbelief. I had been elevated by Simon Bailey, instructed by Lindsay Adler, photographed by Mark Mann, and chatted up by Peter Hurley. I had watched artificial intelligence write, cull, and edit; and I partied the night away with over 10,000 photographers. Was this every photographer's fantasy dream played out in my sleep? No, it was my first trip to Imaging USA. In this article, I will recount my favorite notes and highlights from Imaging USA. Alas, it's not all glam: I'll also share about the closing keynote which left the crowd shocked. Let's review my first trip to Imaging USA.
You are a professional photographer as soon as you sell a print or get any money for your photography. Excelling at that requires taking on tasks and responsibilities, some of which apply to amateur photographers too. However, there's much more to it than many people imagine.
In recent months, AI has become one of the most widely discussed topics. A lot of creatives, not only photographers, are saying that AI will kill professional photography. However, this cannot be further from the truth. Here is why.
For some photographers, sharpness isn’t that important — and this realization can be liberating.
As someone who makes 100% of their income by taking pictures, I understand how uncertain, and perhaps unstable, this career is. Spending thousands on gear is easier than ever, and with such a low entry point, everyone wants to be a photographer. It is not easy, and here are some rules I have come up with to survive in this industry.
Sometimes, we all need some help up a hill, and this is just the ticket.
Lightroom is beginning to give Photoshop a run for its money as a standalone editing tool. Here, learn 13 essential Lightroom cheat codes you must know if you want your post-production skills to improve.
Almost every genre places a high priority on sharp images, but sharpness is of a particular importance in landscape photography. So, what can you do to ensure that your landscape photos are as sharp as possible? This helpful video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing a lot of helpful advice to make your landscape shots pin-sharp.
Creating a successful black and white image is about a lot more than simply pulling out all the saturation from a color image. If you are new to editing and wondering how to create black and white photos that really capture the eye, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know to create a stunning black and white shot in Lightroom.
Nikon cameras and lenses do not always grab headlines for the extremes of design that the likes of Canon and Sony do, but they are the tool of choice for many professionals for many reasons. This interesting video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing why he has stuck with the brand for two decades for his work.
I had to make a TikTok account for this. I’ve been adamant about not doing so for the longest time. However, this is something worth talking about and sometimes even dangerous. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the world of horrible photography TikToks.
Sigma's new 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is potentially one of the most versatile lenses on the market right now, covering a massive focal length range that should be appealing to bird, sports, and wildlife photographers. Can it still offer the kind of image quality and performance we have come to expect from Sigma despite that extreme design? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the lens.
Thinking about turning your hobby into a jobby? What are the essential points you will need to consider when taking your hard-earned savings and convincing your better half that this will be the new, next chapter in your life? With over 15 years as a professional photographer and more than 25 years being self-employed, here’s what you need to know to make your dream a reality.
