11 Ideas for Great Holiday Photos

It is the holiday season, and with many of us stuck at home, you might be looking for a creative project to keep the juices flowing. So, why not combine the season with your creativity and shoot some fantastic holiday photos? This excellent video tutorial will give you 11 ideas for fun and creative shots.

3 Type of Microphones for Video Work

No matter how good your video work is, if you do not have solid audio to accompany it, it will not be a successful final product. One of the most important steps for capturing good audio is knowing which type of microphone to use. This excellent video will show you three different types of microphones for use in video work.

The Difference Between a Beauty Dish and an Octabox

The beauty dish and the octabox are two of the most fundamental lighting modifiers out there, but they have properties and ways of rendering your subjects that are appropriate for different circumstances. If you are new to lighting, this fantastic video will show you the differences between the two with a lot of example photos.

Five Steps to Incredible Minimalist Photography

Minimalism is a fascinating genre of photography and one, which can deliver some incredible and powerful photos. This is the genre where “less is more” really shines. Here I share five steps you can take to create incredible minimalist photos.

How To Back Up Your Digital Photos... To Film

Backing up is easy, right? You import your photos from a memory card, then everything is safe and sound on your hard drive. Wrong. Norwegian startup — Piql — believes the answer is to back up your files to film.

Shootout of the 645s: Pentax 645 Versus Mamiya 645

For film photographers looking to getting into medium format, often the first considerations made are 645 cameras. The Mamiya 645 and the Pentax 645 are two of the most popular models.

Lego, Photography, and Robotics, Oh My!

Without doubt, there is a sub-culture of photographers who adore Lego. Count Benjamin Bezine among them. Bezine has used Lego, a Raspberry Pi personal computer, and an integrated LED to create an automated film to digital, erm... contraption, scanner.

First Look at The Westcott FJ80 and FJ200 Strobes

Last year Westcott released the FJ400, a battery/AC powered strobe. If 400watts is overkill for you, Westcott has now released the FJ200 and FJ80 and all three lights work with the same remote system.

How to Use Cheap Mirrors to Create Stunningly Real Sunlight Effects

The look of natural sunlight streaming through a window is a classic and a great way to create both mood and visual interest in a shot. However, a window with sunlight streaming through it is not always available to us. This great video tutorial will show you how to recreate the look using cheap mirrors.

How to Create Better Compositions Using a Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

The majority of the time, we will normally reach for a wide angle lens for landscape photography work, but that does not mean there is not a place for telephoto lenses too, though they definitely require a different approach. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to create better compositions using a telephoto lens for your landscape photos.

Remove Sensor Spots Automatically in Lightroom

Tired of endlessly cloning out every little image sensor spot on your catalog of photos? Use this automated process to remove spots from hundreds of photos at once, and go put your feet up.

Learn How This Night Portrait Was Shot

Nighttime portraits can be a fantastic way to capture a different look and mood than a normal photo, but they present more challenging lighting scenarios simply because you cannot rely on natural light. If you would like to learn how to shoot compelling and well-lit nighttime portraits, check out this fantastic video tutorial that goes behind the scenes of a three-light shot that includes gels.

Should You Buy Canon's RF 600mm f/11 or RF 800mm f/11 Lens?

The Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses both offer extreme reach in portable packages and at very affordable prices, but with so many similarities, you are unlikely to buy both. So, how do you choose between them? This helpful video answers that question.

Shooting Polaroid Film on the Mamiya RB67

Who doesn't love instant film? Who doesn't love shooting medium format? Using a high quality medium format camera to shoot polaroids is getting the best of both worlds.

A Review of the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens

Canon's RF 28-70mm f/2L lens is absolutely spectacular, but it is likely overkill both in terms of size and price for a lot of photographers and videographers, who would rather opt for a more standard 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. Luckily, the company makes that exact lens, the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM, and this great video review takes a look at the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

The Canon EOS R7 Is Likely Coming Next Year

Canon's EOS R5 and R6 cameras have been very popular and well received, while the EOS RP and EOS R help to round out the lower ens of the company's mirrorless lineup. However, besides the upcoming flagship model, one notable absence is an APS-C model, but it now seems likely we will see such a camera next year.

Use Lightroom to Transform Dull Photos

Take those flat, lackluster photos that were destined for the trash and set them free in a flash with these simple Lightroom tweaks.

Testing the Exposure Latitude of Kodak Portra 160

Arguably the favorite characteristic of film for many film photographers is the way film responds to light when under- or over-exposed. Portra 160 is no different. Ironically, the results really surprised me.

Questions You Must Ask Before Buying Your Next Camera

Deciding on which camera to buy is one of the most important decisions a photographer has to make. With so much on the line, it's vital to ask yourself these questions before you splash the cash.

Godox Launches Their Take on RGB Tube Lights: The Godox TL60

One lighting trend I've found particularly interesting has been the emergence of RGB tube lights. Godox has just launched their TL60 tube light that brings a few unique features to the space. If you're looking for a unique way to light your next photo or video shoot, are these the ones you should pick up?

10 Tips for Getting Even More Out of Layers Masks in Photoshop

Layer masks are by far one of the most important tools in your Photoshop arsenal, and their power and versatility go way beyond simply showing or hiding things. This excellent video tutorial will give newcomers and seasoned pros alike 10 helpful tips for getting more out of layer masks when working in Photoshop.

How Are Stock Photographers Doing in Late 2020?

Without a doubt, 2020 has been brutal on a lot of photographers across all genres, and as the year comes to a close, many of us are still looking for ways to diversify our income streams and increase our financial stability in 2021. This helpful video features a photographer discussing some of his side earnings in stock photography in November of this year and what a variety of stock photo sites are currently paying.

Fstoppers Reviews the CalDigit SOHO Dock

The ubiquitous need for USB hubs while we're in the transition period between legacy ports and the new standard has resulted in thousands of options flooding the market. It can often be hard to distinguish which ones are worth the money, but today, we'll look at one that certainly is: CalDigit's SOHO dock.

Use Lightroom to Save an Overexposed Photo

Ever had an overexposed photo that was destined for the trash? Well, hold up! You may be able to save that thing and turn it into a masterpiece. So before you hit delete, read on for a detailed look at how to save overexposed photographs in Lightroom.

Stop Taking Important Personal Pictures on Your Phone

Smartphones are more prevalent than ever, and the majority of us always have one on hand, meaning they have become our default camera for capturing life's little and big moments. That may be something we come to regret in the years to come, however, and this excellent video essay makes a case for why we should reach for a dedicated camera even for just personal shots.

Memory Card Tips and Best Practices

Memory cards are one thing that all digital cameras have in common. If you think about it, nothing happens if your photos don't get onto the card, and nothing happens if you can't copy them from the card to your computer.

How To Paint Fantasy Skin Tones in Photoshop

In this video tutorial, watch as Abbey Esparza shows you how she creates fantasy skin tones in Photoshop. This is a very versatile trick that can be used on a number of different types of images.

A Look at the Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera

The Canon EOS R5 certainly stole all the camera hype of 2020, but Canon also brought along the EOS R6 at the same time, and it might actually be a more appropriate camera for most professionals and amateurs who do not need or want to pay for the most extreme capabilities. This excellent video review takes a look at the EOS R6 and how it performs in the real world, particularly for video work.

What Are Your 2021 Camera Predictions?

2020 has been quite the year for camera gear, with groundbreaking cameras like the Canon EOS R5 and highly impressive lenses coming to the market. 2021 is shaping up to be another exciting year for gear enthusiasts, and this interesting video discusses what we might see.

E-Commerce
Critique the Community

E-Commerce

Submit Your Best E-Commerce Hero Shots

Welcome to another Critique the Community! For this contest we want to see your best photos that represent high end e-commerce. Sure, you can submit images shot on pure white but we are looking for those hero shots that you'd see on the front of online stores and digital catalogs.

This contest has ended.
The Winner of Our Virgin Islands Shoot-Off Is...

Last week, Lee Morris, Mike Kelley, and I posted our best image taken during our boating trip to the US Virgin Islands. We asked you which image was the best and who shot what. Today, we reveal the results to see who is the "greatest photographer of all time."

LuminarAI​ Is Out: Fstoppers Takes a Look at This New Software

Have you noticed it's been almost impossible to miss all the discussions, arguments, praise, and ads about Skylum's new AI-based software editor, LuminarAI​? It's available for purchase now, and people will get a chance to see how it measures up to their expectations.

A Review of the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM Lens

Canon's RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses raised a few eyebrows when they were announced, but they offer photographers the chance to reach extreme focal lengths at much more affordable prices than more traditional lenses cost. If you are interested in such a lens, this great video review takes a look at the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and the kind of performance you can expect from it.