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.

A Review of the Powerful Fujifilm GFX 100S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm's GFX series brought medium format to the masses, with prices that competed with the upper end of full frame cameras. The GFX 100 took things further, pairing a 102-megapixel medium format sensor with modern features for under $10,000. Now, there is the GFX 100S, which keeps almost all of the GFX 100's features but costs about half as much, and this great video review takes a look at how it performs in the real world.

Are Our Photos and Video Backups Really Archival?

Over the history of mankind, the best way found to archive data was to carve it into stone, then bury it in the sand. Photographically, the most stable form of archiving is probably a black-and-white silver-based image on a glass plate. For digital data storage, there is no perfect permanent storage option. Most digital storage media can’t be confidently recommended to be dependable beyond 5-10 years.

The Canon EOS R3 Is Super Impressive, but Something Even Better Is Coming

When Canon confirmed the EOS R3 recently, it highlighted specs that went toe to toe with Sony's flagship a1: 30 fps continuous burst rate, eye-controlled autofocus, a vertically integrated grip, ultra-weather-resistant body, and a sensor with much faster readout times. As such, it might seem like the EOS R3 is meant to be Canon's flagship, but that's not the case, as something even better is coming.

Canon Patents Another Crazy Lens

Canon has been releasing some mightily impressive lenses ever since they first dipped their toes into the professional mirrorless market, and it looks like they are showing no signs of stopping. The company recently filed patents for three new lenses, with one of them being yet another that pushes the boundaries of design.

So, You Want to Work With Agency Models? Here's How!

Every few years, some brilliant young mind at an ad agency decides that the best way to promote the imaging capabilities of the latest and greatest upcoming smartphone is to create a series of campaign images on the phone. At this point, it’s a convention but proves the point: “This camera is so great that anyone can take great images with it. You know you want to be that person!”

Everything You Need to Know About Sky Replacement in Luminar AI

One of the neatest capabilities of modern editing software is the ability to automatically replace skies in a convincing manner with just a few clicks, something that used to be a rather tedious and involved process. Nonetheless, there is still a lot of creative control over the process and things you can do to improve the final result. If you are using Luminar AI, this excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know.

We Review the MSI Prestige PS341WU 34" 21:9 5K IPS Monitor

There is a lot of new tech showing up in monitors the last few years higher. With higher resolutions, HDR support, multiple color spaces, and ultra-wide panels, it can be difficult to find the monitor that meets your specific needs. If you're looking for productivity and a clean look, the MSI Prestige PS341W 34" WUHD IPS 5K2K might be worth checking out.

3 Things a Landscape Photographer Wishes He Had Learned Sooner

Landscape photography is a genre that rewards patience and perseverance. If you are just getting started or have been struggling with your work a bit lately, this excellent video essay discusses three important lessons a seasoned professional wishes he had learned earlier in his career.

How To Create In-Camera Digital Multiple Exposures

Multiple exposures are a relatively straightforward and fun way to make interesting and unique photographs. While you can easily blend images during the editing process, creating successful multiple exposures in-camera can be a good challenge and a way to flex those creative skills.

A Review of the Affordable Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers fans of the company's micro four thirds cameras the chance to jump into the system at a very affordable price. What kind of features and performance can you expect out of the body? This excellent video review takes a look.

10 Things a Photographer Got Wrong About Photography

We have all made mistakes and assumptions about photography that we have eventually come to realize were wrong, and the sooner we can recognize those and correct them, the better. This excellent video essay features a professional photographer discussing 10 things he got wrong about photography and what he did to fix them.

How Do We Keep the Honeymoon Passion After the Novelty Wears Off?

Early on in our photographic career, it seemed as though every photo we took was a new masterpiece. It was clear that I was meant to be a photographer by the awe-inspiring photos I was taking of the streets of New York. Fast-forward a few years, and you couldn't pay me to admit those photos were mine, much less show them.

5 Techniques That Can Improve Your Landscape Photography

The beauty of landscape photography is there are so many ways to shoot the same scene and to express your creativity. If you have been struggling with your landscape photography a bit, check out this fantastic video that discusses five techniques that can improve your work.

We Photograph the Places We Love the Most

Standing at the edge of Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park I didn’t feel an immediate connection with the iconic tableau. It wasn’t that the scene, El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome, wasn’t spectacular, as it was. It is among the most captivating scenes in the world. In spite of the beauty, my camera remained in its bag. I couldn’t conceive of a shot that felt personally connected to the scene. Instead, I only saw vignettes of Ansel Adams' deep love for the place.