What Was the Best Lens of 2023?
2023 has been one of wildest and most exciting years in recent memory when it comes to lenses. If you missed out on some of it, check out this awesome video that discusses the best releases of the year.
2023 has been one of wildest and most exciting years in recent memory when it comes to lenses. If you missed out on some of it, check out this awesome video that discusses the best releases of the year.
The Sony World Photography Awards, a recognized platform for emerging talents, has come under scrutiny for its age limit policies within its Student award category. There's a growing concern about the fairness of age limits that exclude mature students, with questions raised about imposing an upper age limit of 30 years for participants in the student category.
A sobering new global report sheds light on the rising death toll of people pursuing risky selfies in popular outdoor destinations across continents. Over 300 casualties occurred in barely a decade - cementing the practice as a legitimate public safety crisis requiring urgent solutions.
Viltrox has quickly grown from a relatively unknown company to a highly respected manufacturer known for creating some of the most affordable lenses out there — lenses that still offer very good performance a lot of the time. At less than $200, the AF 20mm f/2.8 continues that tradition. But can it deliver the results expected of a modern lens? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Here's the thing, they don't really teach SEO in school, do they? You can read about SEO until you're blue in the face, but the real learning? That happens when you're actually in the trenches, optimizing websites, figuring out what clicks and what flops.
One of the more difficult landscape scenes to photograph are woodland environments. Many landscape photographers find these locations challenging to photograph, myself included. This video has several tips on how to improve your woodland landscape photography.
Having a completely portable office with multiple screens will revolutionize how you shoot on location. The good news is that this particular set-up is easy and it doesn't have to break the bank.
Connectivity is something that can't be overlooked in professional photography. A lot of the work that photographers do relies on one form or another of connectivity, whether it's capturing an image tethered or controlling a 6-light setup from your remote. Now there is a better way to control your lights: the Profoto Desktop App.
As New York's landmark Adult Survivors Act nears expiration, former model and actress Caron Bernstein has stepped forward to accuse celebrity photographer Terry Richardson of sexual assault. Filed before the Thanksgiving deadline, Bernstein's lawsuit alleges Richardson exploited a 2003 photo shoot proposal to coerce her into unwanted oral sex acts.
The Sony a9 III is arguably the most important camera release of the last several years, and on paper, it looks incredibly capable. How does it hold up in practice, though? This excellent video takes a look at what you can expect.
The new year is right around the corner. While many are rushing to buy things for Black Friday, I am waiting patiently for January and February. There are two reasons behind this choice: financials and availability. But enough about timing. Here is the gear I will upgrade in 2024.
If you're looking for a gift for your photographer friends, spare them the lens mugs that they probably already have five of. Instead, here's a list of three useful but reasonably priced accessories that will make life a little easier for the shooter in your life.
Blending continuous lighting and strobes may seem technically daunting, but this helpful video tutorial makes the process look smooth, artistic, and accessible. Check out how it was done.
What percentage of your photos do you discard because they are blurry? The most common question I get asked by photographers is why so many of their images are not sharp. There can be a myriad of reasons, and here are the most common issues photographers face.
What transforms an average photographer into one able to land high-paying campaigns? Surprisingly, it has little to do with fancy gear or technical skills. In this great video essay, an experienced pro photographer and educator argues that developing a distinct creative voice and specialty is the key ingredient propelling artistic greats to the top tiers of success.
Getting a new camera can be an exciting experience. With so many buttons and menu options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed trying to set everything up perfectly right out of the box. In this helpful video, an experienced photographer provides her top five tips for getting started with a new camera.
As AI imagery becomes more realistic and the barrier to entry for AI image creation gets lower, the need to authenticate whether an image is real or fake is imperative.
As photographers, we just want to photograph. But if you want to make a living in the world of photography, you need to know how to work the business side of things as well. This often means dealing with clients, understanding marketing concepts, and learning how to create and optimize websites.
In the world of combat photography, there have been countless individuals who have risked their lives to document the harsh realities unfolding in front of them. Among these brave photographers, one name stands out with a unique legacy – Dickey Chapelle. Born Georgette Louise Meyer on March 14, 1919, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and adopting the nickname Dickey from a childhood friend, her remarkable journey not only left behind a trove of iconic images, but also paved the way for generations of photojournalists to follow in her footsteps.
The Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM is an extraordinary telephoto lens from decades past that remains a modern classic. Despite its 35-year-old optical formula, its spectacular performance on high-resolution sensors, rich history, and mythical reputation in the Canon ecosystem still make it relevant for knowledgeable enthusiasts today. Check out what it can do.
As a working photographer, I often receive messages from beginners who need camera-buying advice. While I do write for a photography outlet, I am not as updated with the latest camera tech as you might first assume.
In the relentless pursuit of pixel-peeping perfection, it's easy for photographers to get caught up chasing the latest ultra-sharp lenses engineered to neutral precision. While these impressive modern optics have their place, an increasing number of photographers are finding magic in the flaws and imperfections of vintage glass.
Wide-aperture 50mm lenses are some of the most popular out there, with their versatility making them at home in a huge range of genres and applications. For APS-C shooters, the Brightin Star 35mm f/0.95 offers that classic combination at an extremely affordable price, and it surprises with some impressive results. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
As a professional photographer, I have a love-hate relationship with cameras. I love them because they enable me to pursue my passion, but I also find them frustrating at times. However, amid this complex relationship, I've managed to discover one camera that embodies everything I love about photography while sparing me from the aspects I dislike.
Mastering tone curves in Lightroom is a rite of passage for many photo editors. This great video tutorial makes the notoriously tricky technique approachable for beginners and experts alike.
In this video, landscape photographer William Patino takes us behind the scenes of capturing an epic landscape photo in New Zealand. He shares his complete process, including the photo editing in Lightroom.
It's time for great photography savings with some of the biggest deals of the year. If you happen to be looking for new gear, a faster or easier way to edit your photos, or a more efficient shooting workflow, here are offers that will help.
Yet another re-review of a discontinued but still very valid camera. The Fujifilm X-T4 slightly moved away from what made Fujifilm unique, but not in a bad way. It pushed the series into new areas and appealed to the dual creator quite confidently. Is it still worth getting today?
Many photographers seek a versatile "do-it-all" zoom lens to use for the variety of shooting scenarios they face, keeping it mounted to their camera at all times. This type of lens tends to offer a useful zoom range as well as a moderately fast aperture around f/2.8 or f/4. For Fujifilm shooters looking for this kind of walkaround optic, this helpful video review examines the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it practice.
It has been 60 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, and the event remains etched in America's national memory. In this fascinating video, CBS News revisits that fateful day in Dallas through the eyes of photographer Bob Jackson, who was assigned to cover JFK's visit for the Dallas Times Herald and who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work related to the event.
As the scope of your projects grow, so will your team, and it’s important to surround yourself with the best possible team to ensure the best possible end product. But how do you go about choosing the right people?
In 2023, we seem to be bombarded with so many new cameras and tech throughout the year. It seems to kick up a notch every October when new releases intensify. However, just how relevant are all of these latest releases to us as individual users? Will they dramatically change how you take photos or even the results?
I’ve used more than a few camera systems over my career. In the abstract, this can be a positive thing: diversity of equipment means you’ve got a lot of different ways to capture an image or tell a story, but more practically, this means I’ve got a lot of gear that doesn’t typically communicate well with each other. Sooner or later, I find preference in one system over the other, meaning a fair amount of kit ends up collecting dust.
There’s nothing worse than seeing wonderful photographers wasting their efforts by hiding stunning images away on dusty, unseen hard drives.
Retro camera designs can stir nostalgia, but when investing in high-end gear, photographers need more than appearance. Functionality, versatility, and innovation must also be of a high level. So, does Nikon's Zf mirrorless camera deliver substantive performance to match its throwback aesthetic? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.
One of the most difficult yet critical questions for aspiring photography pros is: how do you set your prices the right way? While many have methods based on costs, time, or arbitrary tiers, this great video tutorial outlines a market-driven approach rooted in financial sustainability.
Canon sent me the RF 28mm f/2.8 STM for a review. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from this small pancake lens. However, it grew on me, and I enjoyed using it more than I would like to admit. It has only one downside, and that is its size.
In the realm of photography, images possess a transcendent power. They freeze moments, tell stories, and most importantly, drive change. For environmental activism, this power is not just artistic; it's transformative and essential.
It is a photo almost everyone knows, but do you know the story of where the iconic Windows XP wallpaper, "Bliss," came from? This fantastic video takes a deep dive into the story behind what is arguably the world's most-seen image.
Have you ever wondered what could separate your photography business from the competition, especially in crowded markets like engagement, wedding, and newborn photography? The Fine Art Album from Zno could be your unique selling point to make your business stand out.
As someone who spends more time typing than shooting pictures, I value the keyboard I use quite a lot. Having tried a number of keyboards over the years, I still stick with the Apple Magic Keyboard. Here is why.
We are big fans of SLR Lounge and all they do, especially when it comes to tutorials. If you're not familiar with what they've produced, this week in particular is a great time to take a look as they're offering major discounts with their Black Friday Sale.
While many photographers shy away from hard light, thinking it is unflattering, portraits can benefit from judicious application of hard shadows and contrast. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use hard light to create a dramatic and dynamic portrait.
Tamron has become one of the industry's favorite brands, creating a range of lenses that offer impressive performance and image quality at highly competitive prices. One such lens is the 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD, which offers very practical capabilities that make it a nice option for landscape and architectural photographers. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
When it comes to artificial lighting, while technical skills are critical, even more important is learning to light scenes in service of the narrative rather than conspicuous lighting for its own sake. This great video demonstrates that concept and offers five useful steps to put you on the path to success.
Photography is an art form that combines technical skill with creative vision, and among the fundamental principles that every photographer should master is the art of straightening horizons. Yet, it's a common oversight, often dismissed as a minor detail. It's a pet peeve of mine and is something that is easily avoided. Let's delve into the significance of level horizons in photography, explore the reasons why they often go unnoticed, and provide practical tips on how to break the habit of being a lazy photographer by ensuring your horizons are straight.
Released between 1987 and 2007, the GX680 is most well known for its sheer size and weight. It lives up to its "beast" reputation, with many photographers feeling it was far too large to use outside of a controlled studio environment. However, as demonstrated in this video, the GX680 can in fact be used in the field for select applications like landscape photography.
Over the past decade, the realm of photography has witnessed a rapid transformation driven by rapid technological advancements. Cameras today stand as marvels of innovation, vastly different from their counterparts from just 10 years ago. In this article, let's delve into the technological differences between cameras now and those from the past decade, exploring whether these advancements translate into significantly better image quality and examining how technology has reshaped the landscape of photography.