Modern image files can be large and rather clunky to work with, but Lightroom has a neat feature to make things easier and more versatile: Smart Previews. This awesome video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of Smart Previews, including why they are used and how to take advantage of them for your own work.
Nowadays, most of us have far more devices than we have ports available on our computers, and rather than constantly hooking up and disconnecting different devices, it is far easier to just get a nice hub. One of the best available is the CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 18-in-1 Hub, and this excellent video review takes a look at its capabilities and the performance you can expect from it.
Forget technology updates, larger sensor capacity, and more dynamic range. If you could only choose one camera to shoot with for the rest of your photographic life, what would it be?
Learning to produce technically proficient and creative video is no small feat, but if the sound that goes with it is not up to the same standard, your final product will be lacking. If you would like to improve the quality of the sound in your video, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers six helpful tips that will have you on your way in no time.
Wide-aperture 50mm lenses are quite versatile, able to fill the needs of photographers in a wide variety of scenarios. For Sony shooters, FE 50mm f/1.2 GM offers top-of-the-line design in tandem with a very wide maximum aperture, making it an intriguing option for anyone looking for that narrow depth of field look and great image quality to match. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
The overall layout and the placement of subjects within the frame can make or break your photographs. You may know the rule of thirds and the golden section, but composition goes way beyond that, and most of it is about simple geometry.
Photographers typically have dozens of options when it comes to portrait lenses, with something available to fit just about every budget. Near the top of the mountain is the Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR, a premium portrait lens for Fuji's respected line of medium format mirrorless cameras, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Fuji's XF 56mm f/1.2 lens has been a highly popular portrait lens for quite a while, but Sigma lenses have finally arrived for Fujifilm shooters, with the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN being one of the initial offerings. At a little less than half the price the Fujifilm offering, it should certainly catch the attention of a lot of portrait and wedding photographers. This excellent video review compares both lenses to see if you should drop more money on the original or if you can save a bundle by going with the Sigma.
Is getting criticism necessarily a bad thing? How does it affect who you are as an artist?
Over the past few years, Adobe has made great advances in artificial intelligence through Adobe Sensei. Regular Photoshop users will know how tough it can be to change a longstanding workflow and also how rewarding it can be to make effective use of newer features to save valuable time when editing.
Photography takes the combination of creativity, technical knowledge, and aptitude with a variety of specialized methods, and as such, there are a lot of places where things can go wrong. This excellent video tutorial discusses eight common mistakes both amateur and more advanced photographers make and how to fix them or avoid them in the first place.
This is a brief overview of why you need filters for landscape photography, comparing the different types of systems you may encounter, and breaking down which setup is right for you.
As photographers, we often have a lot of different horses for different courses, and when it comes to traveling, it often seems really, really hard to choose the right one to take with you. If you're struggling with this dilemma, you're not alone. Photographer and YouTuber Omar Gonzalez is right there with you.
Canon has pushed into some new territories with the RF mount, and they are showing no signs of stopping, with some especially interesting lenses now being tested.
If you have considered diving into the world of art festivals, here's a little glimpse of what to expect based on personal experience. Spoiler alert, it's not an easy road to travel.
Few things are more frustrating than taking an image you are especially proud of or excited about, only to check the back of your camera and realize that it is not sharp and the moment has passed. If you find yourself frustrated by soft photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that discusses 12 possible reasons your shots are soft and how to fix them and get those razor-sharp images you are after.
Perhaps no Photoshop feature is more fundamental to taking full advantage of the application than layers. Without them, there would be no way to edit an image without destructively altering the original, nor would it be possible to go back to adjust edits after you initially create them. This excellent video tutorial will show you seven lesser-known tips for working with layers to help you take your edits in Photoshop even further.
Sigma has produced some impressively advanced and innovative lenses in the last few years, and as the mirrorless race continues to heat up, the company seems to be showing no signs of slowing down. A few new patents have emerged, and some of them show some very interesting lenses.
Wanted: Photographers to shoot in exotic, sometimes inaccessible locales. Needed: Photographer to set up shop and work with clients among the icebergs and penguins of Antarctica, the bears and icy tundra of Hudson Bay, the apex predators on the wide-open veldts of the Serengeti or Maasai Mara. If this sounds like something you yearn for, how does the position of photography guide sound?
Can this new hack for variable neutral density filters expand their usability in landscape photography and long exposure?
The histogram is one of the most useful tools available to any photographer, no matter the genre in which they shoot. You can do a lot more with it than simply reading the tonal content of your images, though. This excellent video tutorial will show you three lesser-known aspects of the histogram and how to use them in Lightroom or Camera Raw to get more out of your image edits.
As the artificial intelligence race intensifies among photography software companies, Boris FX is filling a completely different niche with their editing software Optics. With their latest release, Optics users now have access to their powerful Particle Illusion generator, which can create thousands of useful emitters like explosions, smoke, fire, and other particle effects. Today, we take a look at the new Optics 2022 release which is available as a plugin for both Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as a standalone application.
"How much detail can you really get out of 35mm scans?" That is the question that has long been up for debate among film photographers, and I believe we now have an answer.
Medium format lenses are almost always more expensive than comparable full frame or APS-C counterparts, simply because that bigger sensor needs a bigger image circle and thus, more glass. As such, a medium format lens that sits below $1,000 is worth a look. The Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR is one of those rare lenses, and this great video review takes a look at it and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.
Growing as a photographer means finding new and more creative ways to shoot. The best way to do this is to challenge how you normally do things and mix it up with small changes, such as shooting at a different time of day.
The new Nikon Z 9 is nearly a perfect camera for my needs. So how could it get even more perfect?
Modern cameras and lenses are so good that they can handle just about anything you can throw at them, and while it is wonderful to have such powerful capabilities at your fingertips, it can also be a bit paralyzing in a way. If you are in a creative rut and unsure of how to get out of it, check out this fantastic video that will show you how adding constraints to your photography can actually jumpstart it.
If you only shoot with one camera, you will never have to deal with the issue of syncing clocks, but if you have ever shot a large event with multiple bodies that were not perfectly in sync, you know the frustration of trying to cull those images. This excellent video tutorial will show you why you need to sync the time between your camera bodies, how to do it, and how to fix a time discrepancy in post if you forget to sync beforehand.
Recently, two photography friends visited the Fstoppers studio on the same day. Of course, this meant I needed to plan a friendly photography competition to see once and for all who is the best photographer in the land! This challenge video comes with lots of twists and turns, but at the core, we ask the question: "can an iPhone beat an expensive $12,000 medium format mirrorless camera?" Today, we find out.
When traveling has been so difficult, videos of distant locations become even more appealing. Watch as a Canon ambassador creates a beautiful short film in northern Norway, battling the elements and the pandemic.
When you are a new photographer, you have a ton to learn and take in all at the same time, and it can be easy to go wrong at different points. If you are new to photography and want to improve, check out this excellent video tutorial that discusses five common mistakes that beginner photographers make and how to fix them or avoid them entirely.
In digital photography, chimping is when you take a photograph, look at the LCD screen, and then adjust your exposure settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed) if they are a bit off. In this article, I will tell you why you shouldn’t be doing this.
Photoshop hasn't always been so powerful when it comes to features. This is how difficult it was to edit photos with no layers, styles, and only one undo back then.
Chances are, everyone in your circle knows you are a photographer. How many of those people have an understanding of what you actually do on a day-to-day basis? This brief, but funny video by Niels Kemp highlights some of the misconceptions he encounters from the people closest to him.
Creating a 360 VR panorama (also referred to as 360x180 degree panorama) has been an interesting side-challenge to take on for photographers, but in the past few years, it has been simplified to the point where phones, such as the Google Pixel series, make taking a VR panorama practically a point-and-shoot affair. But shooting one of the night sky remains a worthy challenge.
Inflation is slowly killing your business, and many photographers haven't seen the big picture yet. Inflation is an on-going process but the past couple of years have really taken a bite out of the small business success story.
Based in Zurich, Maya and Daniele used three separate lights to create white light. It’s not an easy thing to do, and this is a great example.
A good wide angle lens can be tremendously useful for a range of photography genres, and Canon shooters have a few options from which to choose, with varying image quality, specs, and, of course, price. The excellent video comparison takes a look at three such lenses, the RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM, RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM, and RF 16mm f/2.8 STM.
For many photographers and filmmakers, a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is the workhorse of choice for a wide variety of genres and shooting situations. That being said, such lenses can be quite expensive. Samyang's 24-70mm f/2.8 AF Zoom comes in at less than half the price of most such lenses, however, making it an intriguing option for a wide variety of creatives. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
These new camera backpacks from Manfrotto offer more than just a minimalist design.
Photography gear is quite expensive, and filling out your kit can quickly add up in cost. Purchasing used can save you a ton of money, but, of course, you want to make sure the camera or lens you are considering is in good shape and fully functional. This helpful video features an experienced photographer discussing what you should look for and how to evaluate used cameras and lenses before you agree to purchase them.
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 2021, 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.
Seattle, Washington: A local photographer swears final_image_version_8_USE_THIS_ONE_edit_edit_edit_edit_copy.TIFF is the last edit of this image. No really. Promise.
There are some common habits that photographers tend to fall into, some beneficial and some detrimental. If you want to improve your images and continue to grow as a creative, check out this fantastic video tutorial that discusses five common habits photographers need to unlearn.
Leica is a polarizing brand by virtue of their prices and almost nothing else. But, if money was no object, would you shoot with them? Their Noctilux range is on many wishlists, but how good are they really and can they justify the price?
The neat thing about landscape photography is that you can create a wide variety of different photographs of the same frame simply by varying your camera settings. If you are new to the genre and want to know how to set yourself up to create the best possible images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know to prepare your camera to take a shot.
Being a photographer takes the ability to handle a lot of pressure: the need to constantly bring your best abilities to a shoot, to always be able to innovate creatively, to juggle a wide range of skills needed to run a business, and a lot more. At the end of the day, though, are you remembering to enjoy your photography? This great video is a friendly reminder to take time to enjoy yourself.
YouTube can be a lucrative platform if you can break through the huge crowd of very talented creators all jockeying for position on the platform. Of course, that is a huge caveat, but if you are interested in what kind of income a creator can make at the top of the pile, this informative video that features a high-level YouTuber pulling back the curtain will show you just what you need to know.
We are constantly pressured into buying the latest cameras. As the bottom has fallen out of the camera market, maybe it’s time that camera manufacturers had a rethink about what they offer us. Nevertheless, there are good reasons for and against both upgrading and changing your system.
Wedding photography can be one of the more daunting genres. For many people, their wedding day is one of the most important days of their lives. As photographers, it's crucial to capture these moments carefully and as best we can. This is especially important when it comes to the bride.
