Creating dramatic headshots using multiple lights doesn't have to be difficult. One of the best ways to become proficient at using a three-light setup is by building it one light at a time. In this article and the accompanying video, I will demonstrate how you can easily create dramatic headshots and portraits using a key light, kicker light, and fill light.

Taking successful photographs take a combination of a wide range of techniques, creative vision, timing, and often, a little bit of luck, and as such, it can take a long time to become consistently successful. If you are feeling a bit discouraged by the slow process, this great video has a message you need to hear.

Have you ever had a great background you want to use for an image but it just isn't big enough? With this combination of techniques, both in-camera and in post-production, you can make it seem as if it was big enough.

Edward Weston began his career making soft, almost out-of-focus images that emphasized patterns and light. After a trip to Mexico in the 1920s, he decided that photography was really about details and realistic depictions of the world. He made a complete turnaround in his work and began making work that was simple and focused on tones and textures. He got so into "straight" photography that he didn’t even believe in cropping his images.

Modern digital cameras are remarkably complex machines, and there are a lot of parameters and settings you can adjust that will improve both the quality of your images and your ability to get the shot you want. This helpful video tutorial will show you seven camera settings (some well known and some not as obvious) you should consider changing to improve your photography experience.

The lens is obviously one of the most fundamental pieces of photography gear along with the camera, but strictly speaking, you do not actually need one to create an image. This interesting video will take you behind the scenes of a neat photography process that lets you take photos without even using a lens and show you the workflow and results.

In most places in the Northern Hemisphere, wedding photography is in the middle of its seasonal dip, giving photographers a chance to catch their breath and focus on other things for a while. So, what can you do to keep your business well oiled and ready for the next season? This excellent video tutorial will give you some ideas.

The reviews on Intel’s 12th Gen Core desktop processors, named Alder Lake, have all come in, and the results are surprising. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your computer or just want to stay up to date on tech trends, you’ve got to see how these chips performed.

2021 was another dramatic year for the camera industry despite logistical issues and ongoing battles with the global pandemic. We have a good idea of specific cameras to be released in 2022, but what else can we expect?

If you are a fan of The Beatles, then two documentaries currently streaming on Disney+ will certainly satiate your thirst. Look closely, and there are important lessons we can learn from these talented musicians that apply to creative photography.

Canon released a unique, incredibly niche lens aimed at VR content creators in the latter half of last year, the RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye 3D VR Lens. How does it stack up against the competition? Is there competition in this space?

What are your favorite three Fujifilm X Mount lenses? As a Fujifilm fanboy, this is a question I have often mulled over — with the answer changing as often as new lenses are released.

There is a bit of an obsession with shooting portraits at extremely wide apertures nowadays, and certainly, that is a popular look for a reason. Nonetheless, always shooting at f/1.4 to blow the background to smithereens can become a bit of a crutch and end up making your work a bit one-dimensional. This awesome video will show you portraits shot at everything from f/1.4 to f/16 to show you the strengths and drawbacks of each aperture.

A new year, a new approach. Another entry from Captain Obvious that is somehow ever so easy to ignore.

If you spend time on YouTube or Instagram, it can seem like professional landscape photographers are incapable of taking a bad photo, and it can be a bit discouraging. If you sometimes feel like that, it is well worth watching this video that takes you behind the scenes with a professional landscape photographer to give you a real look at the the process, including the mistakes along the way and the eventual successes.

At this time of year, many readers of Fstoppers will only have to look out their windows to see snow. So, can you imagine driving 560 miles (900 km) in one day just for a glimpse of the white stuff?

Using hashtags is still one of the best ways to get new eyes on your content regardless of what social media platform you are using. This method will save you time and change how you apply hashtags forever.

Medium format sensors are usually housed in expensive cameras, but with film bodies, you have far more options without having to remortgage. In this video, one film photographer discusses what the best medium format film camera for portraits is.

When was the last time you grabbed your camera and went for a walk or a hike with no particular purpose in mind? It can be more beneficial than you might think, and this great video essay discusses why.

The Sony a7 IV has finally been released, and it is setting the bar for what we can expect from a mirrorless camera. The question is whether it is so much better than what else is out there that it’s worth getting.

2020 and 2021 were anything but normal, and they hit photographers and creatives especially hard. This interesting video features a professional photographer and YouTuber sharing how much money he earned in 2021 down to the cent and breaking down where it all came from.

On November 24th, Trevor Jacob set off and documented a trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to spread the ashes of his friend. However, the trip didn't go as planned.

Alfred Stieglitz’s influence on photography is incomparable. Hailed as the "father of pictorialism," he not only helped define the movement but helped forward photography’s place in a broader art context.

A good macro lens can be one of the most versatile in a photographer's bag, offering fantastic sharpness suitable for things like portraits in addition to its extreme magnification capabilities. The Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO offers even more magnification than normal, and this great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

When it comes to software for editing and general management of your photos, the two major options are Lightroom and Capture One. Both have their pros and cons, and if you are currently wondering which is right for you or considering a switch, this excellent video overview will give you five reasons to consider Capture One over Lightroom.

If you want to be a successful photographer, it takes a lot more than being good with a camera and having creative ideas. All the most successful photographers are there because they understand how to run a proper business. If you are ready to revamp your approach in 2022, this awesome video will show you eight tools that will make you more efficient and productive and give you a better chance of finding success.

Though the Panasonic Lumix S1R remains a dark-horse contender among its full frame mirrorless competitors, I believe Panasonic made a strong entry into the market that is still worth considering over the more established and up-to-date competition. Check out this article to learn about some interesting features that the S1R has to offer for landscape photographers.

In the last few years, analog photographic processes have been making a big resurgence. After many years of emulating the film look digitally with presets, such as for Lightroom, many photographers are making the full jump into film photography.

Bird photography is a challenging and fun genre that takes a lot of good technique, patience, understanding of animal behavior, and creativity to make compelling images. Whether you are new to the genre or a seasoned pro, this awesome video tutorial will give you five excellent tips that are sure to help you produce better photos.

With an ever-increasing line of new photographic studios popping up, how do you carve out an income for yourself and at the same time create a niche for your business? Have you considered iris photography?

Scotland has some stunning natural beauty, but the islands surrounding it are often neglected. In this video, one landscape photographer goes to the Isle of Harris and Lewis to conduct some stunning, minimalist photography.

Have you ever had a shoot fail to go as planned? How often do you come away with images that you love, but weren't expecting? Check out this video to see how Michael Shainblum makes the best of a sunset shoot that didn't pan out.

More often than not, a photographer's greatest enemy when it comes to improving and growing as a creative is actually themselves. It can be a sneaky thing, though; we do not always notice when we are making our own lives unnecessarily difficult and holding back our work. This great video features a seasoned photographer discussing five common excuses we all need to push past to continue to grow as photographers.

Well, we've made it to the final video in Elia Locardi's eight-part video series on using filters for landscape photography. In this final episode, we will take a look at the new Nisi Black Mist filter set and how it can be used to improve your landscape photos and videos. Make sure you enter the final contest to win a set of your own.

Capturing hundreds of images on a shoot is easy. Culling a large number of images down to a handful of keepers is a time-consuming and often mentally difficult process for an artist. In this video, originally posted by Wired, photographer Steve Winter takes us through his thought process as he reduces 112 images down to one single select.

When it comes to sensor size, the majority of the time, we talk about if it is worth moving from a smaller sensor to a bigger sensor, such as going from full frame to medium format. However, in the last few years, we have seen significant advances in the capabilities of APS-C cameras, both in terms of performance and sensor quality. So, is it worth trading in your gear for a smaller, lighter, and likely more affordable kit? This interesting video features a longtime photographer discussing his thoughts six years after switching.

What exactly is the best type of photographer? And how do you become one?

A new year is here and with it comes the opportunity to reflect and make plans for how you will spend the next 12 months. If you're looking for inspiration on how to improve, here are seven quick tips to change your photography for the better.

Perhaps no genre will put more pressure on you in the moment than wedding photography, which requires you to be at the top of your game and gives you no second chances if something goes awry. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer discussing some important rules that will help to put you on the track to success.

There are good arguments for photographers walking away from full frame/FX and APS-C/DX, instead going for medium format and Micro Four Thirds (MFT). This may be where cameras are heading in the future anyway.

Rain, fog, red sky, hoar frost, and clouds: all these things are predictable with using apps. The only problem is that the probability that forecasts match reality is embarrassing low. I found a much better solution than I have used for some years now. With this, I’m nearly always fantastically prepared for the weather.

Often, I see the term "bokeh" being used when "depth of field" is meant. That’s wrong, simply because it is not the same. Although many will understand the distinction between the two, I will explain the difference for those who do mistake depth of field with bokeh.

Sony's a7 III was one of the most respected hybrid cameras of recent years, and the a7 IV builds on the camera's well-rounded capabilities with a range of new features and improvements that make it an intriguing option for a lot of creatives. This excellent video review takes a look at the video capabilities of the new camera and how they perform in practice.

Good camera bodies and lenses are rarely cheap, and you can easily exceed five figures outfitting an entire kit. That does not mean you can't find equipment at the other end of the spectrum, though it is going to be more of a lottery. If you need a good laugh, here is what $30 gets you on eBay.

There are fads that come into fashion that then become passé and others that become overused clichés. Some things we do are just unethical. Here's what should be abandoned this year, and drone owners won’t be pleased.

Medium format lenses tend to be pricier than their full frame or APS-C counterparts; after all, a bigger sensor requires bigger glass to match it. A sub-$1,000 medium format lens is a rarity; even rarer is a sub-$1,000 zoom lens. Fujifilm's GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR fits the bill, though, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and how it holds up on the GFX 50S II.

The Sony a7 IV has generally been met with positive reviews, with most praising its nice balance of photo and video capabilities. That being said, the a7 III is widely regarded as one of the most impressive hybrid cameras in recent history, particularly at its price point. So, is the a7 IV worth the upgrade, or should you save your money? This great video review takes a look at both cameras to answer that question.

There are many times when you have gone to a location to shoot a landscape and you have not been the only one there. That is fine as everyone is entitled to be there. Every now and again however you have the type of photographer who thinks that they are entitled and who blatantly either stands right next to you to get the same composition without any acknowledgment or a courteous "would you mind if I..."

Medium format used to be something that was reserved only for rental houses and a few lucky photographers, but in the last few years, we have seen some medium format options come down in price quite significantly, though they still sit at the upper end of the price spectrum. So, is it worth shelling out extra for that larger sensor? This interesting video compares a modern full frame and modern medium format camera to find out.

Fujifilm's series of GFX medium format mirrorless cameras took the industry by storm by creating medium format mirrorless cameras with modern features normally reserved for systems will smaller sensors and offering them at highly competitive prices. This excellent video review takes a look at one member of that series, the GFX 50S II, and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.