Creating Unusual In-Camera Effects Using Creative Filters

If you're striving to create more interesting and unique shots in-camera, one solution might be to use some of the creative filters on the market today. Here's how one videographer found using some and the results that came of it.

Apple and Facebook Wars: Good or Bad for Photography?

A few social media platforms, especially those owned by Mark Zuckerberg, monopolize the sharing of images online. Those platforms do have controversies, and Apple’s changes to how Facebook handles data is starting to shake up that dominance. But will it be a good thing for photography? Furthermore, should we consider doing something else with our images instead of posting to social media?

A Review of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Camera

Pentax has always maintained a small but fiercely loyal set of followers, and the company is unique in that it continues to plow ahead with DSLRs with no intentions to get into mirrorless. The K-3 Mark III is their latest installment in its highly popular line of APS-C DSLRs. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera's newest features and improvements and how it performs in practice.

The Best 35mm Digital Camera for Commercial Photography

With the recent trends in mirrorless cameras, and the price of medium format coming down to a point where they are actually financially viable for most of us, does the 35mm camera still reign over digital cameras for the best bang for the buck, and if so, which one wins the race?

A Review of the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens

Tamron has become well known for their ability to create lenses that strike intelligent balances between portability, image quality, performance, capabilities, and most importantly, price. The 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD offers an all-in-one solution that covers almost every focal length most photographers need in an impressively small and affordable package. How does it perform in the real world? This excellent video review takes a look.

5 Reasons for Landscape Photographers to Switch to Mirrorless and 5 Reasons to Keep Your DSLR

There is no arguing that the camera industry is quickly transitioning to mirrorless, but that does not mean every photographer has to immediately jettison all their DSLR gear. In fact, many genres really do not need all the benefits of mirrorless cameras. This excellent video essay features a landscape photographer discussing five reasons why a switch to mirrorless would benefit him and five why he might just hang on to his DSLR a little longer.

What Is a Test Shoot?

TFP, Time For Print, Time For Photos; All these terms and initialisms can become a bit daunting and overwhelming. What do they all mean? I definitely can’t pay rent with exposure dollars. So why is everyone always offering exposure for compensation?

The Usefulness of the HSL Panel in Lightroom and How to Edit With It

The HSL panel is a tremendously useful tool for taking finer control over the post-processing your images, both from a technical and a creative standpoint. This excellent video tutorial will show you why the panel is so useful and how to incorporate it into your photo edits.

5 Beginner Tips for Photographing Models

The first time you photograph a model can be extremely daunting. Here are five tips to help you make sure that the first shoot is a success and you and the model get the most out of it.

A Simple Guide To Creative Light Painting in Your Images

Mastering light can mean many things, from the manipulation of natural light through to how to setup multiple strobes for a specific look. However, there are a few more niche techniques that are both incredibly fun and rewarding. One of these is light painting.

Critique the Community Baby/Infant Photography

Congratulations to the Winners!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their baby images for our first critique of 2021! It's been a wild last few months with Lee being back stateside with a newborn of his own and finally becoming a dad.  Because it has been so long since our last critique, we decided to combine this latest baby critique with our last critique with E-Commerce / Hero advertising shots.  Hopefully you don't mind the variety in photos. 

How Does Photography Make You Happy?

If amidst all the challenges of the changing times and around the craft itself, you’re still really passionate about photography, it probably brings you significant joy. But why?

Make Your Indoor Portraits Look Like They Are Outside

Having a strong enough grasp on lighting to control your surroundings — no matter what they may be — can be a powerful tool. Here is a brief tutorial on how to make your indoor portraits look like they were taking outdoors.

We Interview Chi Lau: Digital Infrared Photography

Chi Lau is a London-based photographer who has been experimenting with digital infrared photography since 2011. I was able to chat with him to learn more about the infrared process and learn what tips he has for others wanting to try it for themselves.

Have You Used This Lighting Technique in Your Food Photography?

When working with lights, be they artificial or natural, the tendency when starting out is to light from the front, or at least at 45 degrees. But if you want to create something moodier, using your main light source as a backlight is possibly the quickest way to get something interesting.

The Struggle and Reward of Good Landscape Compositions

Composition is one of the subtlest and trickiest aspects of landscape photography, and it is something we all struggle with at one time or another. If that is something you have trouble with, be sure to watch this great video that follows an experienced photographer as he works through a difficult composition of his own.

Origin: Maintaining Photographic Style Across Genres

Being a creative professional, in my experience, is about harnessing this constant need to create. It’s almost as if there’s a little creature inside which comes up with little ideas and if I don’t act on at least some of them, they’ll bubble over and die — leaving behind awful regret and emptiness.

Is the DSLR Really Dead?

Being a Nikon DSLR landscape photographer who is anticipating the foreseeable demise of said cameras, I have been curious about the Nikon Z 7II. I wanted to see how one of these lighter, smaller mirrorless cameras functioned not only for landscapes but as a travel setup. Here are my initial thoughts.

A Look at the Ridiculous Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR Lens

Medium format lenses generally have narrower apertures than their full frame counterparts, and it is very rare to see one that opens wider than f/2, which is what makes the Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR so intriguing. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens, including its performance and image quality, and also offers some helpful portrait posing tips in the process.

What Happened to the Cinemagraph?

The cinemagraph was introduced over 10 years ago when I was in college. It offered an amazing new set of creative possibilities, and world-class artists were creating mind-blowing moving still images. Where did they go?

Hard Truths Every Landscape Photographer Should Know

Landscape photography is a fairly unique genre, requiring loads of patience and often, a bit of luck. Whether you are new to the genre or a seasoned pro, there are some hard truths we all have to hear from time to time, and this excellent video essay discusses them.

Is the Camera Industry Recovering Post-COVID?

The last year has been pretty dire for the camera industry, as the impact of COVID forced a general shutdown of manufacturing and sales outlets. As parts of the global economy have reopened, we have seen the shoots of revival start to spring up. Will the camera industry return to its 2019 pre-COVID levels?

The One Pivotal Trait That Can Help Determine Your Success

Let's be honest, surviving the dumpster fire of 2020 is a serious badge of honor. Regardless of where you are or what you had to do, you're here. A large part of that is due to a combination of passion and perseverance. There's a word for that.

A Review of the Olympus XA

Few cameras have been able to reach the same level of cult following that the Olympus XA has built up in recent years. Does the camera deserve the hype?

We Review the Laowa Argus CF 33mm f/0.95 APO for APS-C Cameras

Laowa is a company that never stops amazing me with their creative approach to lens design and cornering of a market sector that appreciates their unique designs. Today, we’ll be taking a look at their latest offering for APS-C cameras, the ultra-fast Laowa Argus CF 33mm f/0.95 APO.

Critique the Community E-Commerce

Congratulations to the Winners!

Okay we are finally back! It's been a few months since our last live Critique the Community but we are excited to finally be back checking out incredible images from our readers.  Since it's been so long since this critique wrapped up, we did something a bit different and combined these submissions with another critique we recently announced featuring baby photography.  

Congratulations to Alexandr Balakin for your awesome photo and feel free to pick out a tutorial from the Fstoppers Store as a winning prize.  

A Behind-the-Scenes Tutorial for Baby and Family Photography

Some of the most meaningful photographers most of us will ever take are of families and babies, both our own and those around us. But it's far from an easy niche, so here is a behind-the-scenes demonstration and tutorial.

How To Create Your Own Fog Brush in Photoshop

Atmosphere in images is both important and difficult to attain, particularly when the weather isn't obeying your desires for interesting conditions. Here is a tutorial on how to create your own fog brush for Photoshop and turn a bland image into something more moody.

3 Things Lightroom is Still Missing 14 Years Later

I use Lightroom, in some capacity, for everything I shoot. Without it, my workflow would be entirely different, and probably not for the better. While some of the recent feature updates have been fine, I still can’t believe these three features haven’t made it into the software after all this time.

Let’s Talk About these 200 MP Galaxy S22 Ultra and Olympus Rumors

It seems like the mirrorless/DSLR realm operates in a different dimension to phone cameras. Sony’s new a1 body boasts a 50-megapixel full-frame sensor and is cutting edge, yet Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra claims to have a 108 MP sensor — and now there are some wild rumors about upcoming 200 MP phone sensors.

A Look at the Impressive Fujifilm GFX 100S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

Fuji's medium format mirrorless line has rewritten the market, bringing its price range to the point that it competes with upper-end full frame options and offering photographers an entirely new format to choose without breaking the bank. The latest in the series is the GFX 100S, and this great video review discusses the camera and the sort of image quality you can expect from it.

What Do You Get Out of Landscape Photography?

Landscape photography is hardly of any benefit to society, nature, or the world in general. For most people, the commercial value is quite low as well. So why would you do it?

A Review of the Compact Samyang 24mm f/1.8 AF Lens

The Samyang 24mm f/1.8 AF is a remarkably compact lens at a very reasonable price that still offers impressive image quality for Sony E mount shooters. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

Combining Flash With Continuous Lights for Creative Effect

“I only shoot natural light. I’m a natural light photographer.” I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve heard some variation of this statement. It doesn’t get any less silly each time I hear it, though. Why would anyone want to box themselves into doing only one thing?

How Understanding the Inverse Square Law Will Make You Better at Lighting

The inverse square law is one of the most fundamental and important concepts in lighting, and as such, any photographer working with artificial light should have a good understanding of it. If you are new to it, this helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know, from the way the law works to the practical consequences it has on your photos.

How Do You Get a Photo Pass for Sports Events and Concerts?

Events like concerts and professional sports are some of the most exciting and desirable things to photograph, but they almost always require a specialized pass for access. If you are wondering how to get one, this excellent video essay discusses when you will need one and how to go about obtaining it.

6 Great Tips to Improve the Compositions in Your Portraits

While things like choosing camera settings are fairly objective, composition is a bit more nebulous and is often something that gives photographers a bit of trouble. If you have been struggling with your portrait compositions, this excellent video will give you six helpful tips that will improve your photos.

5 Camera Features You Might Not Be Using That Could Make Your Photos Better

Modern cameras are highly advanced machines, often with dozens of features and customization options to help you get the shot. With so many features, it is easy to overlook some of what you can do. Here are five camera features you might not know about that can help you take better photos.