Why One Person Left an Engineering Job to Become a Photographer

Few things are certain in the career of a photographer, and so, it can seem crazy to leave a relatively stable profession like engineering to pick up a camera instead. However, that is exactly what one photographer did, and this great video essay features him discussing his journey, why he chose to get into photography, and how he went about it.

Would You Cool Down Your Canon R5 With This $165 Fan?

A few months after a $400 modification emerged to cool down your Canon EOS R5, there’s now another solution: a purpose-built fan that attaches to the back of the camera to help dissipate heat.

50mm f/1.0 Versus 56mm f/1.2: Which Fujifilm Lens Is Right for You?

Fujifilm has blessed its users with a couple of options when it comes to fast telephoto primes. This short video puts the 56mm f/1.2 alongside the more recently released 50mm f/1.0 to see how they compare when shooting portraits using natural light. Which one is the better choice?

Apple Clarifies Image Privacy Changes

Recently, Apple announced some new child safety features coming later this year in updates to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey. While the public generally seems pleased that Apple is taking steps to protect children online, there have been concerns about user privacy. In a recent interview, Erik Neuenschwander, head of privacy at Apple, clarifies a few points.

Add Motion to Your Portraits Using Shutter Drag With These 10 Steps

We call this the "environmental shutter drag portrait." A shutter drag portrait is a portrait that uses slow shutter speeds to capture the motion around the subject. This technique is best done in a big grand scene full of action and detail. The eye-catching nature of these shutter drag portraits makes them perfect for impressing clients and serving as the highlight photo for every album and event. Today, I'll be walking through 10 easy steps on how to photograph your own shutter drag portrait.

An Easy and Straightforward Composition Technique for Landscape Photography

Few things are more important to making a successful landscape photograph than a clear and compelling composition. If that is something you struggle with, the great video tutorial will show you a helpful technique to ensure you create a good composition every time you head out with your camera.

A Long-Term Review of the Sony a7C Mirrorless Camera

The Sony a7C was the company's first major design departure from the highly respected a7 series of mirrorless camera, taking a full frame sensor and dropping it into a remarkably small and portable body, albeit with a few compromises. How does it hold up over the long run? This great video review discusses the camera.

Why Is OnlyFans Banning Explicit Images?

This week, it’s been reported from several news outlets that OnlyFans, the popular premium subscription service known mostly for explicit content will be banning explicit content from October 1, 2021 forward. Why would they do this? What are they planning for the future? Could OnlyFans now become a better option for artists and photographers?

A Review of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S Lens

An f/2.8 ultra-wide angle zoom lens can be useful for a wide variety of scenarios ranging from events work to astrophotography and landscapes. For Nikon mirrorless shooters, there is the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, and this great video review takes a look at the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

What a Professional Photographer Wishes He Knew Before He Got Started

Being a successful professional photographer takes the confluence of a wide variety of skills, and it is easy to make some mistakes along the way. It helps to know what you might be facing before you get started. This excellent video essay discusses some things a professional wishes he knew before he got started.

Nikkei Market Share: Bad News for Nikon... Or Is It?

Nikkei recent published a synopsis of Techno System Research's Market Share Survey for 2020, a detailed paywalled survey of camera shipment data from major manufacturers. The headline is a 5.0% drop for Nikon, decreasing its total market share. This isn't great news for Nikon, but is it all it seems?

5 Tips for Creating Stronger Compositions Using Natural Light

Developing your eye for how natural light can shape your composition comes with time. Contemporary landscape photographer Kyle McDougall has put together five excellent nuggets of knowledge to take with you the next time you’re out shooting.

8 Helpful Camera Hacks for Landscape Photographers

Landscape photography often takes a wide variety of accessories to produce a finished image, and it is easy to forget them or get bogged down by the cost of it all. This awesome video tutorial will show you a range of hacks and useful techniques to make it easier to take photos and explore your creativity a bit more.

Why Your Photos Don't Have to Be Pin-Sharp

Focus and sharp images are always at the top of the photographer's priority list. But you shouldn't just toss out a photo because it's not pin-sharp exactly where you want it to be. In fact, there are many reasons why you should covet that soft shot over the others.

How to Create a Hologram Effect in Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is one of the deepest pieces of software in our industry and mastery of it is all but impossible. In this tutorial, learn how to create a convincing hologram effect for some creative edits of your images.

Use Toys to Push Your Creative Photo Editing

As a photojournalist, I often have subconscious blocks against excessive editing that seep even into other genres of photography. That’s why I often try my hand at toy photography when I want to flex my editing muscles.

10 Things Worth Knowing About Focus

There’s more to focusing than half-pressing the shutter release. Focus is one of the three most important technical variables in photography; it can make or break a photograph. Here are ten things, some basic, some more advanced, to help you shoot better photos.

A Review of the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM Lens With Samples

Released back in October 2018, the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM has proven a solid choice for those requiring a fast, wide-angle prime. Christopher Frost puts it through his usual rigorous testing to see how it holds up.

Apple's ‘Misunderstood’ iPhone Child-Protection Features Gets Explained

We recently learned that Apple might be analyzing the images we upload to the iCloud servers. Now the fact is, that they have implemented a checking mechanism, but in this video, Apple’s Software Chief, Craig Federighi, explains what is happening to your images when you use iCloud Libraries.

People In Nature
Critique the Community

People In Nature

With Elia Locardi
Show Us Your Best Photos of People In Nature

We've done plenty of landscape and portrait photography critiques over the years but this time we are combining them. 

This contest has ended.
Photographer Alfie Bowen, Champion Of The Overlooked

Ask 100 photographers what started them to pursue the medium, and you will hear 100 different answers. Follow up that question with what drives each of them to keep pursuing photography, and you again will find 100 different responses.

Are You Missing Out by Staying With Photoshop CS6?

When comparing the two, Photoshop CC and CS6, it's clear that the CS6 users don't want to upgrade because of the rental business model Adobe enforces. But, what are the actual advantages, and, is it possible to be more productive and make more money when you deliver more work because it's easier to do?

We Review the Caldigit Tuff Nano 2TB Portable NVMe SSD

The files we create on set are getting larger and larger. With 8K footage and 50+ megapixel stills becoming more common, we need fast portable drives to get our files from set to workstation and for working on the road. Caldigit have just updated their Tuff Nano NVMe drives to a 2TB Tuff Nano Plus to help alleviate this struggle.

Thinking of Buying Some New Gear? Watch This First

No doubt, almost all of us are tempted by new gear at one time or another; after all, cameras and lenses are exciting technology. However, they are not cheap, and if you planning to invest in new equipment, it is important to ensure that you are doing so for the right reasons. This excellent video essay discusses the topic and offers some important advice in the process.

How to Use HSL to Enhance a Photo

When it comes to landscape photography, being able to control and fine-tune the colors in your images is crucial to creating better edits and adding more of your personal creative identity. One effective and fun way to do that is through the use of the HSL panel, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how it's done.

We Review the Haida Anti-Fog Belt

There is one problem with shooting the night sky for a prolonged amount of time. If the temperature of the lens drops below the dew point, condensation occurs. The new Haida Anti-Fog Belt will prevent this problem.

Why Program Mode Is Great for Beginners

When it comes to camera settings, the common wisdom is that one should always use manual mode or at least a semiautomatic mode. But when you are brand new to photography, perhaps it is better to go fully automatic. This awesome video discusses why it might be best to set your camera to Program mode for just a little while to start.

Why Yelp Is the Worst Place to Advertise for Photographers

Like many small businesses, I decided to use the very popular restaurant recommendation site Yelp to advertise my business after seeing they automatically created a page for me. Here’s how you can avoid the disasters that come with making that same mistake.

How to Make a DIY Overhead Light for Dramatic and Cinematic Scenes

You don't have to spend a fortune to have great-looking lighting in your images and videos, you just need to know what sort of light you want and how to create it. In this video, learn how to put together a DIY overhead light, perfect for dramatic scenes.

How to Set Up Basic but Effective Headshot Lighting

Lighting for portraiture doesn't need to be complicated or involved an arsenal of lights. If you know how to use just one key light effectively and how to control it, you can create excellent, corporate headshots for your friends and for clients.

Have You Ever Tried This With Your Photos?

If you're not exploring all the possibilities that modern digital editing software offers you then you're letting potential earning opportunities pass you by. This article explores how you exploit different markets with single images.

What's the Best 24-105mm for Canon?

While 24-70mm lenses are generally the workhorses of choice for a lot of photographers, many others prefer a 24-105mm for the extra reach, even if it means losing a stop of aperture. Canon shooters have a wide range of options when it comes to 24-105mm lenses, and this excellent video comparison takes a look at three of them, the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM, RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, and the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM.

7 Mistakes in Black and White Landscape Photography

When you think of landscape photography, you probably think of bright and vibrant swathes of color, but black and white images can be dramatic, compelling, and eye-catching. That being said, working in black and white comes with its own challenges and pitfalls beyond those of working in color. This helpful video tutorial discusses seven common mistakes landscape photographers make when working in black and white and how to avoid or fix them.

Add Depth to Your Photos Using Mixed Lighting

If you’re a wedding or event photographer, it’s likely you’ve come across mixed lighting situations, and understanding how to work with or around it is crucial. If done right, mixed lighting can have a flattering effect and can add visual interest and depth to your photos.

We Need To Change How We Measure Experience in Photography

There’s always that one photographer who says they’ve got 40 years of experience, and their photos are at the high school photography level. Truth is, this happens quite often. Assuming they are telling the truth, how come someone’s pictures with so much experience look so much like a beginner's? Let’s dive deep.