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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

GVM recently sent me their new 50SM lights, and in this video, I do a quick overview and put them to the test filming a puppy adoption video.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Canon took their merry time about diving into the mirrorless camera space, but now they are fully submerged. Their four mirrorless bodies each come at distinct price points, but how well does the price of these cameras represent their quality?

Doing photography professionally will change the way you shoot and operate. If you are planning to go professional or have recently done so, these might be of help.

We have seen plenty of examples of police challenging or violating citizens' First Amendment right to record their activities in public, but now, they are turning to a new trick to prevent the dissemination of recordings.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Today, a short story about how forcing yourself to look at art from a different perspective can sometimes help you see the whole picture.

Photo gear tends to be quite expensive, and when you are outfitting your camera bag, the costs can add up rather quickly. However, the used market is always bustling, and you can save significant amounts of money by buying what you need there. This helpful video essay discusses what to look for when buying used equipment to make sure you get a good deal on equipment that will last you a long time.

Hand-painted canvas backdrops are a thing of beauty, it is another form of art in itself. With that, there are many canvas backdrops out there that are not very budget-friendly. If you have the time and space, here's how you can make your own.

Have you ever wondered what photography is? Often, we are all busy with figuring out the practicalities of it, and we never stop to ask ourselves what the heck it even is. In this article, I will define photography in the simplest way possible.

Accessories for cameras have improved in both quality and function over the last decade or so, but perhaps not as quickly as other areas of equipment. This new filter system, however, aims to overcome a lot of the irritants around stacking filters.

Certain modifiers do tend to have some more traditional methods of use, especially when using a beauty dish. Sometimes we can get hung up on what is the "right" way to use them and lose out on creativity. Here's a different way you can use a beauty dish when shooting indoors.

Lighting equipment can be expensive, confusing, and cumbersome, but it doesn't have to be. Some of the most interesting and enjoyable lights to use are much cheaper than studio strobes and can unlock real creativity.

When you make the decision to become a professional photographer, it's easy to get wrapped up in all the gear you need, the software, and the technical abilities. However, there's a lot more to a successful career in this industry, and overlooking many of these elements can hold you back.

Say what you will about mobile phones, their cameras have improved faster than anyone could have predicted with the blend of hardware and software upgrades, as well as a lot of innovation. In this video, watch some creative shots that can be taken with just a phone.

When you think of retouching skin, you likely think of using Photoshop over Lightroom, and for deep or intricate work, that is definitely where you should be working. However, Lightroom offers some built-in tools for this, and they can often be all you need to produce a finished photo. This great video tutorial will show you how to use them to produce naturally retouched portraits that still retain detail in the skin.

The Fujifilm X-T30 is a more affordable version of the company's flagship line, but it still comes with an impressive range of features that make it useful for a wide range of photo and video scenarios. This great video discusses five reasons it makes an excellent choice for a lot of users.

I am regularly being asked which cameras people should buy. My reply is always the same: never ask a photographer that question; we always recommend what we own. How many Sony owners would recommend a Canon or Nikon? Here are seven hints to buying the perfect camera for you.

Most of us simply take our photographs, pop the memory card out of the camera, put it in our computer, and download the photos. But many professional studio photographers tether their cameras to their computers, and it can do a lot to improve both your workflow and the quality of your images. This excellent video tutorial discusses 10 reasons why tethering is worth trying in your own work.

Few camera brands have ever been able to achieve the same reputation that Contax film cameras managed to achieve during the height of film. A large part of that reputation came from the Contax G1.

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.

A great way to add variety to the poses during a session is to add a prop. Having an assortment of props can be very beneficial, and some good ones to have are apple boxes. They seem to be a very popular choice in portraits, especially more editorial-styled ones. These are a must-have for any photography studio, at least in my opinion.

A VFX artist has produced a beautiful feature-length film that compiles the work of 2,400 artists around the world.

Nikon’s newest Z-mount camera draws on Nikon’s heritage and the design of the Z fc is heavily influenced by the ultra-classic FE launched back in 1978. Does it feel as good as it looks?

70-300mm lenses offer an alternative to the more standard 70-200mm zoom for photographers who do not need the wider aperture and would prefer a bit more reach on the long end. Sony shooters have a few options, namely the company's own FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS and the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD, and this excellent video review compares the performance of both.

We hear all the time about how camera gear does not matter, and while there is a useful sentiment in that, the truth is far more nuanced than that. This excellent video essay details a lesser-discussed reason why camera gear matters and why you should consider it more often.

The Mac Pro is in a class of its own as far as Apple computers go, but the new M1 Macs have turned the industry on its head, offering frankly ludicrous performance for their price. Can a $900 Mac Mini keep up with a Mac Pro model that goes for over 15 times the price? The results are mightily impressive, and this great video shows you what you can expect.

Photography is quite full of rules on pretty much every topic, and they can be a bit of a double-edged sword in that they can guide you and help you to realize technically apt images, but they can also be creatively restrictive. So, what should your relationship with photography rules be? This excellent video essay discusses the topic and how to incorporate rules into your photography in a beneficial way.

There is considerable buzz around Nikon's latest camera and it's easy to see why. Here is a hands-on look at it, paired with the wide-angle prime you can buy with the body as part of a package.

Hasselblad is and was a photography company with a true pedigree, known for making the cameras NASA chose to use on the moon. But in the early 2010s, they seemed to have lost their way. Nikon seems to be in a similar position. Can they turn it around as Hasselblad did?

Fujifilm's X Series has been highly refined over several generations and is now a powerful system capable of tackling a wide variety of scenarios that still maintains the design and controls that won it praise upon its release. Currently, the X-T4 stands at the top of the line, and this great video review discusses how it holds up in the long-term as well as what would be nice to see in the X-T5.

Landscape photography is a challenging genre that demands a combination of a wide variety of skills to bring a finished photo to fruition. There are a lot of places where a mistake can derail things, and this excellent video tutorial discusses seven such mistakes and what you can do to fix them or avoid them altogether.

Starting out in photography can offer some harsh lessons, but here are six useful insights and hints that will give you a sense of perspective and potentially improve your images.