How to Sell Yourself as a Photographer

Of course, it is crucial to continuously work on building your skills with a camera and expanding your creative palette, but to be successful professionally as a photographer, you have to be able to sell yourself to clients and to convince them to place their trust in your vision and capabilities. That is something a lot of us struggle with. If you need a little help with it, this great video tutorial will get you started in the right direction.

The Best Images from GuruShots "Beach Time" Challenge

GuruShots is a photography site that hosts "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” In their latest challenge, they invited participants to submit their best photos of "Beach Time." There was such a great variety of seascapes and ideas incorporated into the challenge set. There were thousands of entires and millions of votes but the winners of the challenge were decided. Check out the three winners as well as hundreds of top rated images below.

Cinematographer Ranks Cameras in a Tier List From Best to Worst

One cinematographer takes the majority of commonly used, video-centric or cinema cameras, and assembles them in a tier list from "God Mode" (of which there is only one), to "The group that shall not be named". Do you agree with the rankings?

Have You Got A Permit For That?

The idea of commercial use permits is ubiquitous in nearly every country. If you want to perform a commercial activity in a public space, you need permission, and probably a fee, to do so.

5 Portrait Lighting Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Lighting for portraits is a nuanced and tricky thing to learn, and it can be easy to make some mistakes along the way. If you are new to working with artificial lighting and looking to improve, check out this great video tutorial that features an experienced photographer discussing five common lighting mistakes portrait photographers make and how to fix them or avoid them entirely.

How I Created the Ultimate Photobooth for My Wedding

A wedding photo booth can be one of the most entertaining and memorable activities at your wedding. They can also be a total dud and waste of money. In this video, I share my top tips for building a successful photo booth for my wedding!

How One Photographer Designed and Built His Own Unique Vlogging Camera

In 2019, a photographer from San Francisco designed, built, and launched one of the most innovative and bizarre cameras of its kind: the Idolcam. While GoPro and DJI rely on sensor stablization and digital wizardry to create smooth footage, Idolcam does something completely different.

How to Clean Up Backgrounds in Photoshop

When you are working in the studio or on a slow-paced shoot, you generally have pretty good control of the background. However, in a lot of situations, you will not have control over the background or the time to fix it. Fortunately, it is not overly difficult or time-consuming to get rid of most background distractions, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you a few ways to do so using Photoshop.

African Wildlife Foundation Photography Awards: Winners

As part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, the African Wildlife Foundation just launched the Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition. The exhibition displays the winners of a worldwide competition that received almost 9,000 entries from 50 different countries. If you're a fan of wildlife photography, this exhibition is worth a look.

Call of Duty Trivializes War Photography

In a few days, Activision will launch the 18th installment of Call of Duty, returning players to the Second World War. To market the game’s new photography mode, two conflict photographers were immersed inside the virtual world and tasked with photographing it. The resulting commercial portrays mankind’s most brutal act of self-destruction as little more than a game of football.

How to Choose Your First Camera

Buying your first camera is one of the most exciting and important things you will do on the road to becoming a photographer, but with so many options out there, it might be a little overwhelming to try to choose the right one for you. If you are wondering where to start, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know to make the right decision.

A Review of the Sony a7 IV Mirrorless Camera for Video

The highly anticipated Sony a7 IV is finally here, and the company's do-it-all camera brings with it a variety of new features and improvements in its fourth iteration that make it a compelling option. This great video review takes a look at the camera from a video perspective and shows off the kind of performance and quality you can expect from it in use.

Is This the Most Versatile Lens You Can Own?

It used to be that lens design was generally a tradeoff between convenience and excelling at a specialized purpose. However, in recent years, we have seen some absolutely remarkable lenses that upend the traditional defining factors that characterize prime and zoom lenses. One such lens is Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

More Info on the Canon EOS R1 Flagship Mirrorless Camera Emerges

With all the excitement about the Nikon Z 9 and how it compares to cameras like the Canon EOS R3 and Sony a1, it can be easy to forget that Canon actually still has another high-level camera coming, the flagship EOS R1. A bit more info has emerged on the camera, including an expected release date.

How to Freeze Motion With Flash Photography

When it comes to freezing motion, shutter speed is normally the parameter of choice. However, if you are shooting in the studio and you have full control of the light, using flash can actually be the better choice. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to freeze motion using flash.

We Review Nikon’s Z 105mm Macro: Did Nikon Make the Safe Choice?

Announced back in June, Nikon’s first macro lenses for the Z mount appeared to be typical successors to their F mount predecessors, covering 50mm and 100mm focal lengths. The Z 105mm, as before, is a more premium choice, offering a few more features and a more choice designation. I’ve finally gotten my hands on one, and after some thorough testing, I’m ready to share my thoughts on this recent entry to the Z lineup. Whether you’re a macro specialist or Z photographer, you’ll want to check out this review.

How Two Photographers Sold $47,000 of Stock Photos

While very few photographers make a full-time living shooting stock photography, it can be a decent way to supplement your main work and provide some additional financial security by diversifying your income streams. This excellent video goes in depth to show you how two photographers sold $47,000 of their photos on stock services.

A Review of the Versatile Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens

A wide angle zoom lens is one of the most versatile out there, useful for a wide variety of scenarios in both photo and video work. For those who do not need the extra-wide aperture of an f/2.8 lens, an f/4 version can save a lot of bulk and money. Canon's RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM lens features a wider focal length than most such zooms and adds image stabilization, and this great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Comparing the Westcott and Godox 400 Ws Strobes

One of the biggest problems with comparing lighting systems is that there are endless variables to compare. If you are looking for a good strobe for studio or outdoor work, this video has a lot of information to give you a concise look at which one might be best for you.

10 Tips and Inspiration for Photographing Mushrooms

During autumn, mushrooms are appearing everywhere. These fungi are welcome subjects for the nature photographer and it can be a challenging task to photograph mushrooms in an interesting way. I have gathered some tips that can help and for some inspiration.

How to Create the Day Versus Night Portrait Effect In-Camera

In-camera special effects are a great and fun way to emphasize a story in photography. Many of these special effects that seem high production are actually quite easy to accomplish using the tools we already have or are easy to get. Today, I'll be showing you how to create one of my signature portraits, the Day vs. Night.

Testing Every Camera Mod for Astrophotography

If you have been using your digital camera for astrophotography, you’re probably aware that there are special astro variants of some of the more popular cameras. But how exactly are these special variants different, and can you modify yours?

Are You Willing to Be Uncomfortable for Better Landscape Photos?

No one likes being cold and wet, but being out in the elements is part of the package when it comes to landscape photography, and sometimes, the weather is just not that great. So, should you pack it in and head home when the rain starts to fall and the wind starts to blow? Absolutely not! This excellent video discusses why being willing to stick it out can pay off with great images.

Why You Should Consider Adding Video to Your Services

There is no doubt that the demand for video is steadily increasing, but many of us who have shot exclusively stills for a long time may be reluctant to learn another process and add it to our list of services. If you have been considering expanding your capabilities to include video, this excellent video essay discusses why it could be a great choice for your bottom line.

Behind the Scenes of a Medusa Halloween Photoshoot

Halloween might not be my favorite "holiday", but it does bring with it some fantastic photoshoots. In this video, watch as Lindsay Adler creates some stunning Medusa-themed portraits using LEDs.

Should You Use Teleconverters Instead of Longer Lenses or Cropping?

Long telephoto lenses can be some of the most expensive out there, and when you need multiple focal lengths, the cost can quickly become prohibitive. Teleconverters offer a way to get more reach from lenses you already own, but they also come with drawbacks you should be aware of. This excellent, in-depth video discusses teleconverters, their pros and cons, and when they are appropriate to use.

Start to Finish Landscape Edit Using Adobe Lightroom's New Tools

Adobe's updates for Lightroom and Photoshop have been well received, with a lot of positivity surrounding what can now be automated comfortably. In this video, Nigel Danson edits a landscape image from start to finish in Lightroom, making use of some of these new tools.

How to Shoot Clean Glassware on a Black Background With Only Speedlights

Photographing glassware is especially challenging, as controlling the reflections can be particularly difficult. Even if it is not something you normally do, it is fantastic lighting practice, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to photograph clean glassware on a black background with only speedlights.

5 Fan Favorite Capture One Features (Plus a Bonus)

If you’re reading this, the likelihood is that you’re looking for better software to treat your images. The quest to find the best photo editing software is not necessarily an easy one, but it is a necessary one. While you may change camera bodies, lenses, lights, locations, and styles, the one constant that touches all your images is the software used to develop them.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (October 2021): Alan Brown

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.

How Good Is the Retro Nikon Z fc Mirrorless Camera?

Nikon's Z fc mirrorless camera sees the company make a throwback to their film cameras of yesteryear, dropping some of their most modern technology in a body that looks like it stepped out of the 1980s. The camera offers a small and lightweight design and affordable price in tandem with its unique design, making it an interesting option for a variety of applications, and this excellent video review takes a look at the image quality and performance you can expect from it.

How to Make a Boring Location Look Cinematic

There will come a time — likely more than one — where you have to shoot in a dull location. While this can be disheartening, it's manageable if you know how to make it look more appealing. In this video, see behind-the-scenes of a shoot and how one cinematographer transforms any space.

Is the Sony a7R IV One of the Best Stills Cameras Available?

The Sony a7R IV is the highest resolution full frame camera ever made, and it brings with it a range of advanced features from Sony's other camera lines, making it a versatile option for everything from portraiture to landscape photography and more. This great video review takes a long-term look at the a7R IVA and how it holds up for photo and video work in a range of scenarios.

The Different Kinds of Light in Landscape Photography

Light is crucial in any form of photography, but unlike most other genres, you do not get control of it in landscape work. Thus, it is crucial to be able to read the scene you are presented with to create photos that the light is conducive to, rather than fighting against it. This fantastic video tutorial will show you the different kinds of light you will encounter and how to use them to create the best possible photos.

How Good Is the New Masking Tool in Adobe Lightroom?

Adobe has rolled out some impressive updates to Photoshop and Lightroom, particularly when it comes to automated tools. The new masking tool in Lightroom allows for automatic selections of skies and subjects, but how good is it?

How One Photographer Grew His Business to Six Figures Per Year

While jobs in the creative arts, like photography, are infamously difficult to make good money in, it is possible. In this video, Evan Ranft walks you through how he turned the income from his photography business from low to six figures in 8 years.

Master Manual Exposure Blending With This Foolproof Photoshop Workflow

With modern HDR-blending algorithms making exposure blending so quick and easy, manual exposure blending may seem like an outdated skill for landscape photographers. However, automated software doesn't always produce the cleanest results. In this article, we'll discuss a foolproof workflow for manual exposure blending that will give you total control over your images and ensure results of the highest quality. The good news is that this workflow doesn't require any third-party panels or difficult luminosity masking!

A Beginner's Guide to Removing Objects in Adobe Photoshop

There are a handful of tools and techniques in Photoshop that are utterly essential in my eyes. One of those is the ability to remove even complex objects from your images, whether they are distractions or unwanted features, you will be surprised how often you need to remove something.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark in Your Landscape Photo

Many landscape photographers love the use of high dynamic range techniques in their landscape photos. The lightest parts are reduced in brightness, and dark parts are lifted to become near midtones. Perhaps this is not the best choice to edit a landscape photo.

It's Ok to Put the Camera Down Sometimes

We may not like to admit it in the day-to-day, but when major life events bring things into perspective, we see that as much as we may love photography, it is not the most important thing. And it is important to remember that sometimes, it is ok to put the camera down to practice self-care, be with family, and focus on the more important things.

7 Common Mistakes Beginner Landscape Photographers Make

Landscape photography is a popular genre, and it takes the confluence of technical skills behind the camera, creativity, and solid post-processing capabilities. As such, there are a lot of places where things can go awry. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing seven common mistakes beginner landscape photographers make and how to either fix or avoid them.

How I Got the Shot: Lighting Studio Portrait With Photo Backdrop

We are not always fortunate to have the perfect background that matches the total vision of a shoot. The same goes for having a huge budget to build the set, which leaves a few options. Spend the time with compositions or use a printed backdrop to complete the scene. To save time, at least in my case, I opted to go with a printed backdrop for the shoot since there would be multiple images.