Roger Deakins Tells Us How He Chooses Lenses

How do you go about choosing lenses for what you're going to shoot? In this video, Roger Deakins shares his methods. The rules aren't made up by filmmakers. It's about how you want your audience to experience the shot.

How to Use Photoshop's Select and Mask Workspace

Photoshop offers a huge range of ways to make selections for extracting parts of a frame or creating layers masks, each appropriate for different situations. The Select and Mask workspace offers a very straightforward and powerful method for tackling a variety of tricky selection scenarios, and this helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to get the most out of it.

8 Mistakes Beginners Make in Macro Photography

Macro photography has many challenges that are unique to it, but when you can overcome them, you can produce entrancing photos of seemingly mundane things right around you. The learning curve can be a bit steep, though, so if you are new to macro work, be sure to check out this fantastic video tutorial that shows eight mistakes beginners commonly make and how to fix them or avoid them altogether.

Is the New NIK Silver Efex Pro 3 Really Worth the Upgrade?

As a long-time user of Silver Efex, I wanted to answer the question for myself: is the update to the Nik Silver Efex Pro plugin alone worth the upgrade? So, I downloaded the latest version of the Nik plugin suite from the DxO website and gave it a test drive. Here are my initial impressions.

Hands-On With the New Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8

Ultra wide-angle zoom lenses are tricky to manufacture, with a lot of difficulties to overcome. One of Tamron's newest lenses, however, has been getting strong reviews. So, how does it hold up?

Why Does the Nikon Z fc Have an APS-C Sensor?

Nikon's new Z fc has been widely praised for its return to retro styling and — indeed — taking the design cues of the much loved FE/FM series. It's one thing to make a retro camera, but it's quite another thing to sell it. So, who is it targeted at?

Getting the Most out of a Single Location in Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, some locations are just tricky to shoot, even if their photographic potential is plainly obvious. And while it is tempting to just pack it up and move to the next location, before you do that, try returning to the basic principles and working the scene to get as many compositions as possible. This great video tutorial discusses getting the most out of a location.

Don't Rely on Your Camera's Rear Screen

Shooting with the rear LCD screen on your camera may be convenient, but you're also peering through a filter of colors and shades that you may not have been aware are altering the way you perceive your shots.

How to Save Time by Culling With Photo Mechanic

Depending on what genre you shoot in, you can often come home with literally thousands of images from a shoot, and culling them can be a tremendously tedious and annoying process. While you can cull in Lightroom, it is not always the fastest, particularly when it comes to rendering previews. Photo Mechanic is built with one purpose: to make culling large image sets and adding necessary info as efficient as possible. This excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to get the most out of it.

Comparing the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD to the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary Lens

Both Tamron and Sigma have established themselves as creators of high-quality but affordable lenses that significantly undercut the prices of first-party manufacturers. For anyone looking for a super-telephoto zoom lens, the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary and Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD are both affordable and offer impressive performance. This great video review compares the two to help you pick the right one for your work.

21 Different One-Light Portrait Setups for You To Try

A one-light portrait setup may seem simple, but it needn't be. There are so many different ways to manipulate artificial light that even if you limit yourself to just one, you can create a plethora of different, interesting looks. Here are twenty-one different lighting setups for you to try.

Finding Your Style in One Afternoon

We live in a world where most of our images are intended for an audience. In this article, I’ll share some ways to circumvent that way of thinking to create simply to create.

6 Things You Should Ignore if You're a New Photographer

When you're a new photographer, there is an abundance of information to take in, some of it useful, much of it not. The question is, what is white noise? Here are six things that one photographer believes people new to craft ought to ignore.

Fashion Photography on a Harshly Lit Helipad Using Film

One of the best parts of photography, speaking from my own experience, is all the amazing creative people I have had the opportunity to collaborate with and all the great places I’ve been able to experience. In this video, Mike Gray really pushes the envelope by creating fashion images under harsh sunlight on a helipad.

Easy Steps for Printing Your Photographs

Printing professional-quality images can be an intimidating task if you are new to it. However, it doesn't need to be overly complicated. By following a few simple steps you can easily create high-end prints ready for your walls or print sales.

10 Common Astrophotography Questions Answered

Astrophotography is by far one of the most specialized genres out there, requiring quite a bit of specific equipment, software, and technique, but capturing things that are unfathomable distances away can be really rewarding. If you are new to the genre or looking to improve your work, check out this awesome video tutorial that answers 10 of the most common questions people have about astrophotography.

Can Tamron's 35mm f/1.4 Outperform the Canon 35mm f/1.4 at Half the Price?

Canon's 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens is known for being sharp, with a beautiful rendering and strong performance. Nonetheless, like most Canon L lenses, it is rather expensive. Tamron's SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD undercuts the Canon's price significantly. However, can its image quality and performance match the more expensive option? This great video review compares both to see which is the best option for your own work.

Are Leica Cameras and Lenses Worth the Price?

Leica cameras and lenses are rather polarizing, with some seeing them as overpriced niche items that do not do anything special and some absolutely swearing by both the experience and images they offer. So, are they worth the price? This great video essay discusses the topic and why one photographer thinks they are worth their premium cost.

How to Take Better Bird Photos

Bird photography is a very challenging genre that requires a lot of specialized knowledge, top-tier technique, and patience, but when it all comes together, it can reward you with stunning photos. If you are looking to improve your own bird photography, this awesome video tutorial features two seasoned professionals discussing their background and a range of lessons and ways to improve your work.

Is This the Best Lens for New Wildlife Photographers?

Wildlife photography can be a tremendously fun and interesting genre, but it often requires very long focal lengths, and the lenses involved can be very expensive. Canon's RF 600mm f/11 IS STM offers the kind of focal length wildlife photographers need at a very affordable price, albeit with some compromises to get to that price level. Is it still worth it? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

Is This the Best Beginner Studio Flash?

As a long-term pro, it has been a while since I have looked into beginner studio lighting, and boy, has it changed since I purchased my first units! In this video, I look at a great first-time studio light.

Extreme Macro: Pushing Photographic Equipment Beyond Normal Restraints

Original, innovative photography is hard to find. However, Ethan Beckler has excelled. He leads the way in macro photography, pushing camera and lens technology beyond normal limits and creating astounding art at the same time. With great generosity, he shares his techniques with us.

A Review of the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens

Supertelephoto prime lenses are often prohibitively expensive, but in the past few years, we have seen a big influx of much more affordable supertelephoto zoom lenses. For Sony shooters, there is the FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS, and this fantastic video review takes a look at how it performs in practice.

Why Photographers Are Unhappy

Photography is something we all choose to do willingly, and as such, it should be something that makes us happy. Nonetheless, a lot of photographers are not particularly happy, which is a shame. Why is that, though? This insightful video essay discusses some of the possible reasons.

Fstoppers Reviews the Vecnos IQUI: A Tiny 360 Camera for the Masses?

Capturing the world in 360 has been a thing for years. While companies such as Ricoh and Insta360 have made the process far easier than the days of specialized tripod heads and sophisticated software, it’s still not an easily understood process or format. Vecnos aims to change that with its new IQUI 360 camera.

5 Tips for Better Landscape and Nature Photography

You could spend a lifetime out in nature with your camera and still barely scratch the surface of what is out there to photograph. If you would like to improve your landscape and nature photography, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features five helpful tips that will improve your work and expand your creative palette.

How To Fake Color Gel Lighting in Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is such a deep and impressive tool, that most things can be done within the software. While you may (and arguably, should) want to get it right in-camera, sometimes you don't have that option. Here is a great tutorial on how to fake the colored gel look.

Watch This Photographer Turn an Ugly Location Into a Great Photoshoot

If you have a big budget for an editorial shoot or you're lucky enough to live near some beautiful scenery, then finding an ideal location for a portrait or fashion shoot won't be an issue. However, the vast majority of photographers have to work with less than that, so here are some great tips to get creative in ugly environments.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6k Pro LCD Screen White Balance Hack

In this article you will discover how to set the white balance on your Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro’s LCD screen. This will also work on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K models as well.

We Review the New Shimoda Explore V2: A Travel-Ready Backpack for Creators

Shimoda just launched their new backpack lineup, the Explore V2 Series. It’s a travel-ready backpack that comes in three sizes and is built for travel and landscape photographers who spend their time globetrotting with a camera in tow. This feature-rich new bag by a brand specializing in adventure camera bags is definitely worth checking out!

Using the World's 1st Versatile VND Filters With Landscapes

Neutral density filters are generally found in two forms, circular filter systems, and square filter systems. Each of these systems has its respective advantages and disadvantages. However, a company called Freewell seems to have produced a filter system that manages to offer the best of both worlds.

A Comparison of 10 Popular Wildlife Lenses

Nowadays, with companies like Tamron and Sigma putting out impressive, high-quality lenses, photographers have more choices than ever when it comes to wildlife equipment. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the options, this awesome video compares 10 of the best to help you pick the right one for you.

All Fstoppers Tutorials Up to 50% Off

Fstoppers is celebrating July 4th with our biggest sale this year. Buy any tutorial and you'll automatically save 20%. Bundle them together and you'll get up to 50% off everything in our store. This sale will expire next week, so be sure to act fast.

How to Choose Your First Digital Camera

The easiest way to decide on which digital camera is right for you is to consider budget, size, features, and a few more things. Follow this guide on what to look out for and help make a decision for your first digital camera purchase.

The Joy of Shooting With the Mostly Forgotten Medium Format TLR

Most photographers are familiar with three types of cameras: the DSLR, mirrorless, and rangefinder. However, a fourth type, the TLR, offers a completely different and rather fun medium format film shooting experience. Though they have largely been overtaken by other designs, you can still find them on the used market, and this great video shows you the experience of shooting with one.

5 Tips to Improve Your Portraits

Portraiture is a challenging genre that requires sharp skills with the camera, in lighting, post-processing, and your ability to work with and pose a subject. If you have been feeling a little unsure of your work lately and need something to get you back on track, check out this great video tutorial that will give you five helpful tips to improve your portraits.

Aputure Launches New Projection Lens Spotlight Minizoom

Aputure has been one of the most interesting companies in the lighting space over the last few years, with some brilliant and affordable options. This latest projection lens attachment has had me very interested indeed.

Why Hustling Is the Most Dangerous Trend in Photography

A modern trend that is taking over every freelancer is hustling. The mantra is repeated by some of the most popular productivity “gurus.” The more hours you put in, the more outcome you will get. However, following this hours = improvement idea is dangerous for your health, creativity, and ultimately, photography.

Comparing Canon's Impressive RF 50mm f/1.2L to the EF 50mm f/1.2L

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L was one of the company's most well-known and popular lenses, but it was a rather quirky model that was not without flaws in both autofocus performance and image quality. On the other hand, the new RF 50mm f/1.2L USM quickly established that the company had set a new standard for itself when it came to lens design and image quality. Just how much better is the new model? This great video review takes a look at both old and new to answer that question.