The beauty of portraits is just how accessible they are to photographers. If you have a camera, you can create beautiful portraits. One of the cheapest and easiest ways is using window light.
When you are new to photography, it is not uncommon to be bombarded with a wide variety of (often conflicting) advice on what gear to buy, how to shoot, how to run a business, and more. Some of that advice is genuinely helpful, and some is incorrect or even downright harmful. This helpful video essay discusses five common photography myths heard by beginners and why you should not fall prey to them.
Dramatic portraits that mix the natural light of the sun behind the subject with a strobe to emphasize the model are a popular look and a fantastic way to practice lighting skills and to build your portfolio. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to shoot one such portrait to produce professional results.
I started out today to write a specific camera review but ended up taking a broader view of a brand that I have come to depend on. I haven’t forgotten about the review, but, in today’s article, I thought I would simply share the love.
Use your next five minutes effectively and learn how to create faded, filmic photo edits with nothing more than a few tweaks in Lightroom.
Several years ago, Sony told the world that full frame cameras would be smaller and lighter. Pairing the new Sony a7C with the Samyang/Rokinon 35mm f/1.8 definitely fulfills that promise, so how does this combination perform?
The mouse you use to edit your photography hasn't really changed that much over the years. Is it time to look for a better alternative?
Sony Announced today, the newest addition to the acclaimed G Master full-frame lens line, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM (SEL3514GM)
In this video tutorial watch as I show you how to turn skin pale and hair gray in Photoshop. I have used these two techniques on many images now, and this way is far more adaptable than simply using a desaturate filter.
No doubt, a 35mm lens is one of the most useful a lot of photographers can own, beneficial in a variety of scenarios ranging from events coverage to portraiture. However, with many premium options reaching well past $1,000, they aren't always cheap. This great video review takes a look at a much more affordable 35mm lens, the Yongnuo YN 35mm f/2 S DF DSM.
Both the Sony a7S III and a7C cameras offer some of the company's latest features and designs, and so, you might be wondering which is right for your work. This helpful video comparison looks at both of them to help you decide.
No doubt, 2020 was one of the most difficult years ever for a lot of us, and maintaining a business was a tremendous challenge. This great video features a photographer breaking down his income for the year in exact amounts to give you a good idea of how things have changed since the start of the pandemic.
If you are young and new to photography, you might be wondering how to set yourself on the right track to become successful as you get older. This excellent video gives a lot of helpful advice for younger photographers and is well worth a watch.
Intentional camera movement is taking a photograph with a longer shutter speed and purposefully moving the camera during exposure. Most photographers swear by using a tripod for this technique, but I'm here to show you that you can do it handheld just as easily.
I recently managed to get my hands on the much-coveted Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, and after using it for a couple of weeks, I think it's fair to say this may well be the best lens of its kind. Read on for my review and sample images.
In this video tutorial watch as Abbey Esparza shows you how to create supernatural eyes in Photoshop. This is a great tutorial for anyone who wants to create creepy conceptual images.
Often being successful in any creative field is equal parts talent and knowing how to run your business. Yet for a lot of us, we spend the least amount of time educating ourselves on good business practices. The beginning of the new year is a great time to remedy this.
Aputure is taking a step into the realm of more affordable home studio gear with the release of four new lights. This review checks out the brand new Amaran 100d and 200d, with bi-color versions also available.
There is no shortage of 50mm lenses for Fujifilm shooters, and they cover the entire gamut in terms of design, capabilities, and price. If you are looking for a functional but affordable 50mm lens, check out this great video review of the XF 50mm f/2 R WR.
Whether you've just bought your first camera, or you're decades deep into the craft, you make mistakes — we all do. But what is the most common photography mistake?
There are areas of photography that are revered by many photographers, two of them are medium format and Polaroid. However, combining the two has become tremendously expensive in recent years. Perhaps now there's a solution.
My love for street photography pre-dates my time as a photographer. But one thread that runs between all my favorite street photographers is a characteristically dark and moody aesthetic. Here are my top 10 to follow.
Many presumed Luminar AI to be the big update for Luminar 4. But Skylum surprised everyone when Luminar AI turned out to be a completely different program. Or perhaps it isn’t that different at all?
Half the fun of artificial lighting is the number of different ways you can experiment with strange effects to embrace your creativity. This great video will show you how you can use common objects to create entrancing lighting effects and eye-catching portraits.
Even if you are not a landscape photographer, it can be a fantastic genre to engage in casually simply for the joy of it. If you have been feeling stressed lately, check out why you might want to grab your camera and go for a hike.
One of the things that I like about street photography is that you never really know what you're going to see. You set out with some form of a plan, but that is often interrupted by things you see or things that happen.
In this video tutorial, watch as Dean Samed shows you how to create shadows in Photoshop by showing you three tips and mistakes to avoid.
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S is the company's newest premium mirrorless lens, and it brings with it a variety of great features paired with excellent image quality. This awesome video review takes a look at what you can expect from it.
By leveraging the L mount, Leica fans can gain access to a wide variety of lenses from various manufacturers while still using the company's camera. The SL2-S is a very well balanced hybrid camera, and this great video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in practice.
Cinematography and photography might be separate disciplines in most regards, but there are a lot of crossovers, particularly when it comes to lighting. That's an area each profession can borrow from the other.
Seascapes are a highly popular subject, and they offer a huge range of different looks and moods depending on your location, the light, the weather, and how you choose to photograph them. This fantastic video tutorial will give you five helpful tips for improving your seascape photos.
In last week's article, I went over what qualities and questions you should be answering when choosing a camera. In part two I'll be going over the most important aspects of choosing a lens and tripod when diving into landscape photography.
Do you feel like you are living in a parallel world where time both seemingly stops but also goes at a rate faster than before? Have the constant restrictions paralyzed you and left you unable to foresee picking up your camera anytime soon?
The Nikon Z 7II is the second generation of the company's high-resolution full frame mirrorless camera, and it brings with it a number of improvements over the first generation. If you have been looking at the camera, check out this great video review.
Sunsets can be deceptively difficult to edit, as most of the time, you will want rich, vibrant colors, but it can be tricky to avoid overdoing it and ending up with a gaudy result, plus, these images frequently have extreme dynamic range that can be tough to work with. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to edit sunset photos in Lightroom to produce vibrant, eye-catching results.
When first starting out in photography, it is easy to fall into bad habits or get fixated on a single part of the overall process. Practicing simple and easy steps over and over is a sure way to build the necessary muscle memory needed to make the mechanics of photography second nature so you can spend more effort on interacting with your subject.
Composition is the backbone of the arts, so having a wide and varied arsenal of compositions can revolutionize how you shoot, as well as the quality of your shots.
Canon has three 85mm prime lenses available for its mirrorless full frame cameras, and the f/2 Macro IS STM is by far the cheapest. How well does it perform and how much value does it offer given its price of $599?
Unfortunately, photography is very a much a case of who you know. You could be the best photographer in the world, but if no one knows you, it won't get you very far.
Landscape photography is one of the most popular genres of photography and most of the time, you need to be well prepared for it. Here are three totally different examples that show the difference between time and effort.
The search for the best camera bag is an ongoing saga, but have we finally found the bag to rule all bags with this customizable, modular camera backpack from Wotancraft?
The Canon PowerShot ZOOM is quite the unique camera, designed to be used like a monocular and packing a supertelephoto zoom lens in its small body. How does it hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at what it is like to use and the sort of images and video you can get from it.
It is easy to be paralyzed by the fear of imperfection or of rejection in a pursuit that draws on your creativity, even more so in an age where approval or criticism is nearly instantaneous and often sharp. But you cannot allow yourself to be handcuffed by these things, and this fantastic video discusses how to get through those times.
Becoming a successful photographer takes more than just solid technique and creativity; you also need to have a good grasp of business and marketing. This informative video will show you 15 different ways and places to market your business and get the word out there.
For a lot of beginners — and even for some seasoned photographers — posing your subjects can be one of the most difficult aspects of photographing people. This video from an experienced wedding photographer offers 10 poses that you can try out without breaking into a creative sweat.
Metal-bodied, manual focus third-party lenses have exploded in the last year or two. This review checks out the new 50mm f/1.2 lens from TTArtisan made for Sony APS-C cameras.
Finely tuned preparation is critical to successful wedding photography, particularly if you want to avoid unnecessary stress on the big day. Wedding photographer and Fuji ambassador John Branch IV runs you through how he gets ready for a couple’s big day.
Fujifilm has been quietly dominating the rather niche market of reasonably priced medium format cameras. However, their rumored newest addition is either going to the perfect option in that sector, or it's going to narrowly miss that target.
If you haven’t had a chance to watch Julia Hart’s recent film, I’m Your Woman, make a point to add it to your list. Bryce Fortner’s photography isn’t just eye-candy, it shows what you can do when you use style along with intention.
I’ve lived in many places and every time, as much as I’ve wanted to set up a small studio, most apartments were not conducive to doing so, or I’ve had partners with so much junk that even a free wall was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I’ve finally had the occasion to leave one wall free for that mini portrait setup and I’m glad I did. It’s something every photographer should plan their furniture arrangements around.
