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.

One Lens for Everything: A Review of the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM Lens

A superzoom lens can be a great way to capture everything you need to without having to drag a ton of heavy lenses along with you. Canon's latest superzoom, the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, covers everything from wide angles to supertelephoto focal lengths, and this excellent video takes a look at how it holds up in a variety of shooting scenarios.

Cinematographer Breaks Down the Lighting in This Moody Ikea Commercial

Sure, the big faceless corporation is just out there to get money out of you, but hidden right in front of you could be a masterclass in lighting, production design, and short story telling. This video takes a look at how Ikea made use out of a highly skilled director and production team to create this simple yet effective advertisement.

What Is the Sharpest 85mm Lens for Canon Mirrorless Cameras?

Canon mirrorless shooters have a wide variety of fantastic lenses to choose from, but many of them are also extremely expensive. Luckily, both Canon and third parties offer more affordable options, and many of them are excellent performers. This great video review takes a look at three of the best 85mm lenses for Canon mirrorless shooters.

A Detailed Review of the Sony a7S III

The Sony a7S III finally made its way to the market this year, and it has been receiving generally good reviews. If you have been considering purchasing the camera for yourself, this excellent video review takes a detailed look at the camera and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

Discover the Power of Lightroom's Radial Filter

An underrated tool in Lightroom's arsenal, the radial filter is a powerful editing feature that can be used to enhance sunsets, mimic reflectors, and draw focus to subjects. Take a look at how using the radial filter could transform your image editing workflow.

Is the End Nigh? Technology Doesn't Mean the End of Photography

In his trademark understated introduction, Ted Forbes acknowledges that technology is a charged conversation for photographers. Photographers are something of a Luddite-like bunch. On the whole, we seem to have a preference for the technology we learned the craft on. Be that a medium format film camera, a digital DSLR and an early version of Photoshop Elements or a more modern mirrorless, we seem to stand up against the tide of change like it's in our DNA. What are we going to do about the rise of machine learning?

Did a Wandering Worm Ruin This 24-Hour Time-Lapse of More Than 3,000 Images?

Time-lapse and hyperlapse photographer Matthew Vandeputte recently shot a 24-hour time-lapse from his London balcony only to discover that a small creature appeared to have done a few laps over his images during shooting, ruining the entire sequence. Was it a worm on his sensor? Can you explain what happened?

Helpful Tips for Getting More Out of Lightroom's Spot Removal Tool

No doubt, Photoshop is the place to go if you want to do the most precise local edits, but a lot of the time, you will just want to finish a photo in Lightroom without going through the time and effort involved with working in Photoshop. One way to do that is to take advantage of Lightroom's Spot Removal tool, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to get more out of it.

Are The Golden Days of Pro Photography Over?

We all hear photographers lamenting about how great things were in the film days before just anyone could easily buy a camera and take a good photo, but are the golden days of this profession really behind us?

A Review of the Nikon Z 6II Mirrorless Camera

The Z 6II, the second iteration of Nikon's original general full frame mirrorless camera is here, and it brings with it a number of improvements over the original model. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

Another Person Dies Taking a Selfie: The Question Is Why?

A 38-year-old woman plunged to her death at a well-known Instagram photo spot in Australia on Saturday. As sad and regrettable as this is, the real question is why do people keep risking life and limb for a photo?

Four Great Single-Light Fashion Photography Setups

Fashion photography often makes use of complex setups with multiple lights, but that does not mean you can't create compelling images using just a single light. This excellent video tutorial will show you four different ways to use a single light for creating fashion imagery.

5 Tips for Organizing Your Photography Business

Running a successful photography business takes a ton of work, and it is important to keep things well organized to make your life easier. This helpful video discusses five tips for organizing your photo business to keep things running as smoothly as possible.

5 Mistakes That Will Keep You From Growing as a Photographer

Growing as a photographer is a tricky thing, as it takes continual development and mastery of numerous technical skills along with simultaneously growing as a creative and finding your voice. If that is something you are struggling with, this excellent video essay discusses five mistakes you might be making that could be holding you back.

Fstoppers Reviews the Moment CineBloom Diffusion Filter

A diffusion filter gives halation with lights, especially in low light scenarios. It also softens skins and harsh textures when shooting portraits. The aim of these filters are to get an organic, dreamy, almost cinematic effect in photography and video production.

A Review of the Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE Lens for Sony E Mount

A wide-aperture 35mm lens is quite versatile, suitable for numerous applications ranging from events coverage to portraiture. The Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE for Sony E mount cameras is one such lens, and it comes in a very small package at quite an affordable price. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in practice.

You've Never Seen a Lens Like This f/0.75 Lens

Bokeh fanatics, you read that right! This lens opens to an insanely wide f/0.75. If you are a fan of backgrounds being blown to smithereens, this might be the ultimate lens. Check out the unique look this 65mm f/0.75 lens creates.

Canon Patents More Innovative Mirrorless Lenses

Canon has created some very innovative and impressive lenses for the RF mount, with optics like the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM pushing the boundaries of lens design and offering photographers new creative opportunities. It seems Canon is showing no signs of stopping, with several further patents for new mirrorless lenses emerging.

The Best Camera of 2020

2020 has seen some remarkably good cameras released and perhaps a dud or two. Which was the best? Here is my pick.

You Need More Than Perfect Conditions for Successful Forest Photography

Because of the pandemic forest photography is more popular than ever. Forest photography is also one of the really hard genres of nature photography to be successful at. Fog and good conditions are usually necessary for success, but they are just not enough.

Why Isn't JPEG Dead and Is HEIF the Solution?

It feels like a bad dream, that just got worse. Just when you thought the nightmares were over, you awake in a cold sweat plagued by the same recurring terrors. Yes, the JPEG really is that bad so why do we keep clinging to it? Isn't it time we killed it off and moved on to something better?

How To Create a Telephoto Hyperlapse Hand-Held

A hyperlapse can revolutionize a video project, or even become one of its own. However, for the best results, a mechanical slider is usually recommended. In this video, find out how to create a great hyperlapse, hand-held.

The Best Cameras for Every Genre and Every Budget in 2020

With more options than ever before, buying your first camera or upgrading to a newer camera can be tricky. The amount of research that will likely go into your acquisition will be vast, so here's a video that may aid in your selection.

A Review of the Canon EOS R6 Camera

The Canon EOS R5 has received a ton of fanfare for its highly impressive features, but its companion, the EOS R6, is also a highly capable camera and costs significantly less than the EOS R5. This excellent video review takes a deep look at the camera and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

What Is Lens Breathing and How Does It Affect Your Work?

Lens breathing is a common problem (particularly in video work), and understanding it can help you to take better control of your work. This excellent video tutorial will show you what lens breathing is and why you should be aware of it, particularly if you shoot video.

6 Signs You May Have Overedited Your Landscape Photos

Most landscape images take a fair amount of editing to produce a finished result, and with all that post-processing, you often run the risk of going a bit too far. If that is something you sometimes struggle with, this excellent video tutorial discusses six signs that you have overedited a landscape image so you can fix them before you export your photo.

Show Your Printer Some Love This Holiday Season

There are a lot of things that go neglected during the pandemic. But while a little undone personal grooming won't harm anyone, leaving your printer unloved for some time can cause some headaches.

10 Tips for Shooting Better Portraits

Knowing how to communicate with models and set up your lighting are crucial to shooting portraits, but what are some more practical tips for creating a striking body of work? This video lists 10 great ideas to get you inspired.