At the end of the year, when the nights are long, and the days dark and weary, photographing can become less interesting. Some may even lose inspiration during these days. I have some ideas for you to get through the dark winter months in the Northern hemisphere.
Canon was a little slow in the mirrorless game at first, but once the EOS R5 and RF 28-70mm f/2L arrived, the company showed that they had their foot on the gas and had no intention of letting up. It looks like that trend will continue into 2022, with a bevy of new cameras likely to arrive.
We are lucky to live in a time when modern lenses can open to extreme apertures and somehow still produce sharp images that render every in-focus detail in sharp relief. Can a lens actually be too sharp, though? It seems like an absurd question to ask, but this interesting video makes a great argument for why that can sometimes be the case.
When Unmesh Dinda of PiXimperfect says that this is hands down the best automated skin retouching software ever created, you might want to pay attention.
For Northern Hemisphere astrophotographers wanting to try getting into the deep sky (outside our solar system) targets, here are three suggestions to start the Winter season, with the bonus that a stock (unmodified) DSLR or mirrorless camera can be used.
The latest generation of Apple MacBook Pros has taken another huge step forward in performance, offering remarkable capabilities that can duplicate or even exceed those of many desktops, along with all-day battery life. There are two main options from which to choose, the M1 Pro and M1 Max, and this excellent video takes a look at both to help you decide which will best suit your budget and needs.
Prefer traveling with a smartphone only but still want to take perfect shots? With the latest imaging system co-engineered with ZEISS, the vivo X70 Pro+ shoots high-quality videos and fits inside your pocket, so you can easily take pictures of any moment.
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 has become something of a cult classic. Released in March of 2012, the camera was an immediate hit with photographers due to its aesthetics and outstanding image quality. I picked one up used a few years ago, and it quickly became my favorite take-along camera. As it nears one decade on the market, here are 10 reasons to love the X-Pro1 — 10 years later.
The Canon EOS R3 is here, and beyond its impressive photography capabilities, it also houses some powerhouse video features. If you have been considering the EOS R3 for your own work and want to be sure it can tackle your needs, check out this helpful video review that tackles 10 pros and cons about Canon's new powerhouse mirrorless camera.
The Canon EOS R3 and Sony a1 are two of the most powerful consumer cameras ever made, both offering ridiculous 30 fps continuous burst rates, class-leading autofocus, and a range of other highly advanced capabilities. This excellent video comparison takes a look at both cameras and compares their respective designs, autofocus capabilities, and sensor performance to see which edges the other out.
I've always been a fan of personalizing gifts for the special people in my life. It says so much more than a pair of Happy Socks or a gift card. But nothing quite compares to giving the gift of your art.
It has arrived! I've got my hands on a production unit of the new Nikon Z 9 flagship mirrorless camera, and here are my initial thoughts.
Sony’s difficulties as a result of the global chip shortage just became more serious, as the manufacturer has just announced that it is suspending its production of the a7C and the a6600.
It’s a device that can get your hands off the keyboard and mouse. It switches between every application automatically and has presets that you can modify to set you up exactly for how you use your software.
Leica has always tried to maintain a balance between their reverence for the past and their willingness to embrace the future through innovative camera releases that shoot black and white only or cameras that don’t have a rear LCD. I believe their next flagship release, expected to be unveiled on January 13, 2022, will take the bold step of removing all buttons, dials, and switches from the back of the camera in favor of a touchscreen-only interface.
When it comes to 50mm lenses, you can spend anywhere from under $100 to well over $2,000, depending on the sort of performance, image quality, and maximum aperture you want. For Sony shooters looking for the best options, there is the FE 50mm f/1.2 GM, and this excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it.
If you're not already in the loop, December is the month that we learn from Pantone what the color of the year will be for 2022. Ready to start using it everywhere?
A brief story to round out the year and launch us into the next.
There is a lot more room to be creative in product photography than you might initially think, and part of creating compelling imagery is knowing how to add your own stylistic touches in a way that complements the product's purpose. This excellent video tutorial will show you one such example of that by guiding through lighting, shooting, and editing a bold cosmetics product image.
One thing that often discourages photographers from beginning to learn how to work with artificial light is the mistaken idea that it takes complex multi-light setups to create great portraits. In actuality, you can create professional-level portraits with even only a single light, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that using a holiday theme as an example.
Astrophotography has become more popular than ever, in no small part due to the global pandemic, but also due to the availability of inexpensive portable tracking mounts.
Lindsay Adler and Dani Diamond are two very well-known photographers, both lauded for their creative and striking portraiture and fashion photography. So, if you were to pit them against each other in a shoot-off, who do you think would win? This awesome video does just that, and you will learn quite a bit along the way.
Bird photography can be gear-intensive when your small subjects are a long way away. But, what would it be like if you had unparalleled reach? Would it be useful or restricting?
If you are unfamiliar with 3D studio software, it's maybe something worth checking out. Ellixxier software produces a 3D pre-vis studio that hits the mark in terms of time-saving when in the studio, and the software has just received another upgrade, allowing more freedom when planning your shoots.
When it comes to lighting, perhaps the most fundamental parameter every photographer has to gain a mastery of is controlling the softness or hardness of the light. There are several ways to go about this, with one of them being diffusion. This excellent video tutorial will show you what diffusion does and how to use it to take a higher level of control over your lighting and images.
Sony has an extensive lineup of cameras in its range that cater to many different genres and applications. In this video, Sidney Diongzon goes through his suggestions for which camera is most suitable depending on what you most often shoot.
Adobe released version 11 of Lightroom a little over a month ago and with it came a lot of new features. In this part of the guide, we'll go over the new sky selection tool, how to apply color or luminance masks, and how to use intersections.
Photography tends to breed a lot of strong opinions among those who enjoy the pursuit, some productive and some less so. This interesting video essay features a seasoned photographer sharing five opinions he hears commonly that can be detrimental to photographers.
Christopher Frost is one of the best lens reviewers out there, and in his time, he has tested some pretty incredible and rare lenses that most of us could never dream of getting our hands on. This neat video details some of the craziest lenses he has tested and shares some images from them.
Good news for aspiring photographers and those looking to edit photos and video and create content for the web, print, etc. Adobe has a new offering called Creative Cloud Express. And best of all, it's totally free.
To people unfamiliar with the term, negative space might seem like something bad. On the contrary, using negative space can greatly enhance your compositions and make your subject stand out. Here's what it is and how to use it.
Nikon’s recent lens announcement, the Z 28-75 f/2.8, came as a bit of surprise. Notably absent from the roadmap, with few rumors or speculation in the run-up to its appearance, this lens is an odd duck in more ways than one. Is this a promising development for the Z system or a missed opportunity?
Transitions play a huge role in making a video appealing. Here are three ways to create seamless and dynamic transitions for your video projects.
Being a creative can be frustrating, bringing with it a variety of challenges and sometimes, just plain bad luck. Your attitude and approach can make a huge difference, though. This great video essay discusses why a positive attitude can lead to better images.
Writing can be a powerful tool, even in regards to your photography. Self-critique in the form of written content is a great way to reflect and grow, helping to improve your images.
Over the last few months, we have teamed up with landscape photographer Elia Locardi for a free 8 part video tutorial series on how to improve your landscape photographs using a variety of different NiSi filters. Today we take you behind the scenes on the making of this landscape series and show you some of our favorite gear used in the production. NiSi is also giving away a set of variable ND filters in this week's contest!
Capture One 22 is here, and it brings with a bevy of new features and improvements to the program's already powerful platform. If you want to make sure you get the most out of the new version of the application, check out this great video that will show you what you need to know about the latest features in the program.
When it comes to editing portraits, few things can derail an image more quickly than unnatural skin tones. If you use Lightroom and want to get the skin tones in your portraits just right, check out this great video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know along with a lot of helpful examples.
Have you ever taken a shot that you were completely stoked to post, and when you released it to the world, you didn’t quite get the engagement you were hoping for? It can be discouraging to be excited about a photo and not get the enthusiastic engagement you expected. These days, stopping the scroll seems harder than ever, but animating a portion of your photo is an easy upgrade that can create a major boost of interest to your image.
Cameras are always improving, but it seems like the rate of progress has kicked into another gear in the last few years, with Canon, Sony, Fuji, and Nikon all blazing ahead with remarkably advanced bodies. One photographer recently decided to switch to Sony for his work, and this great video takes a balanced look at his thoughts after three months with the system.
It takes a lot of hard work to become proficient enough with a camera, lighting, and post-processing that you can consistently produce compelling, high-quality images, but translating that to a thriving business is another skill entirely. If you are ready to start bringing in money for your photography skills but are unsure where to start, check out this great video tutorial that will give you some steps in the right direction.
Photographing in a winter wonderland offers us so many advantages, as all the distracting elements on the ground get hidden by snow. But then there comes the photographer, who wants to get out the best possible photograph. And exactly this leads to one of the problems.
It is great whenever you can properly set up lights and systematically work your way to the final image, but that simply is not always an option, especially if you are doing something like shooting weddings. However, that does not mean you simply can't use artificial light; you just might have to be a bit more nimble with it. One of the most popular techniques for this is bounce flash, and this great video tutorial will show you how to use it properly.
Like any specialist occupation, photography is an expensive one. There are big savings that can make it affordable for the professional, some of which can help the amateur too.
Tamron has been one of the most exciting manufacturers in the last few years, establishing itself as a reinvented company that offers pragmatic, versatile lenses that provide great images without breaking the bank. One of those lenses is the impressive 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, which offers an impressively wide maximum aperture paired with a focal length range that covers a wide range of situations. This great video review takes a look at the lens and how it performs in the real world.
Budget smartphone Google Pixel 5a wins the MKBDH annual blind smartphone camera comparison. The test and comparison included more than 3 million votes and the results were presented on the Marques Brownlee YouTube channel. What's surprising is that none of the major flagship smartphones made it past the second round.
I got excited when Canon Netherlands asked me to review the new Canon EOS R3. Together with the camera, I received three lenses and was offered just four days to use them under different circumstances. In this review, I share my first impression and shooting experience.
There is no reason anyone would reasonably sail into a hurricane, but thankfully, nowadays, we have autonomous vehicles that can enter them to collect footage and data for scientific research. The results from the 2021 season were incredible, as this terrifying footage shows.
A good wide-aperture 35mm lens is by far one of the most useful many photographers can have in their bag, and there is no certainly no dearth of options out there. This excellent video review compares two of the best options available, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art, including their autofocus, bokeh, image quality, and more.
This has been a billboard year for camera and equipment releases as all the big players have launched impressive products of some description. What have you bought and what have your favorite purchases been?
