The “Google Camera 8.1” update arrived back in November, and it’s taken a few months for users to notice that Google has quietly taken away functionality for certain models of phone: the ultra-wide lens no longer takes astrophotography images.

In my look at the new features of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2021, I was excited to see the inclusion of color wheels and tone wheels. I first started using this style of editor in video production; it’s a big part of what gives stylized video like Mad Max its distinctive look. When editing photos, however, it’s a great, intuitive way of working with the luminosity and color ranges in your image.

It’s little more than a year since Sony announced the launch of the Sony a9 II, but despite that, we could see its successor unveiled within a matter of weeks. Rumors suggest that the a9 III is on its way, so what does the Japanese manufacturer have lined up?

A few months ago, Tamron released its first E-mount APS-C lens in nine years: the 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD. Its constant fast aperture makes it rather special, but how does it perform on the job? This short video seeks to find out.

The XF 56mm f/1.2 R has long been known as the superlative portrait lens for Fujifilm shooters, but the company recently released the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR, which pushes the boundaries of lens design all the more. This great video review takes a look at the lens and if its performance holds up to its impressive design.

In this video tutorial, watch as Dean Samed shows you how the top three hacks for cutting out hair in Photoshop. Each one is a great way to get those tricky hair cutouts mastered.

Dodging and burning is both a fantastic way to shape the light in an image and to retouch blemishes; in fact, it is the technique preferred by a lot of high-end retouchers over other more common methods. When working with subjects with dark skin tones, you will want to take note of a few differences in technique compared to working with subjects with lighter skin tones, and this excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know.

Teleconverters and speed boosters are two common accessories that can make your lenses more versatile and even save you from having to buy a second lens. This excellent video will show you how they work as well as their pros and cons.

To have a publisher wanting to produce a book of your work is a dream many photographers have. But where do you start? What costs are involved? And is it really worth doing in the first place?

You might not think of landscape photography as a genre that relies on split-second timing, but when you are dealing with dynamic scenes, just a moment's difference can create separate images and tell entirely different stories. This fantastic video discusses why you should consider the timing of your shots and how you can get multiple images from the same scene simply by varying it.

At first glance, the vibrance and saturation sliders might seem like they do the same thing, and while they do operate in similar manners, they are fundamentally different in their functions. This excellent video tutorial will show you the difference between the two so you can take better control of the color in your images.

As Gray Kotzé points out, there are bushels of reviews for entry-level cinema lenses on the web, lenses you might look to pick up on sale maybe. However, most feature films are shot on prohibitively expensive lenses that were always intended to be rented out over their multi-decade lifespans. The cost for these lenses puts them out of reach for most filmmakers who aspire towards ownership, but, if you have a budget and you're looking to shoot feature/cinema quality films, it's important to understand what's available for rent.

From an early age, Bertie Gregory was sailing, surfing, swimming in the ocean. He was always outside, taking in nature. When you spend that amount of time outdoors and in nature, you gain an appreciation for it by osmosis. Even in England, a place not known for wildlife, he was able to appreciate it.

Bag and accessory manufacturer WANDRD recently announced a new range of camera straps, all featuring an ingenious new attachment system that will appeal to anyone who loves minimalism.

One of the greatest advancements in consumer video products in the last decade or so has been the appearance of affordable and portable stabilization devices. Handheld gimbals allow you to get smooth, professional footage in almost any situation, and this fantastic video tutorial will give you five tips to get more out of yours.

Photography, like any artistic pursuit, will see the flow of your creative juices wax and wane, and it can be a real struggle when things are not going well. However, that might actually be the best time to consider your process and how you approach things, and from that, new ideas might grow. This great video discusses the issue and what you can do to overcome it.

In this video tutorial, watch as Abbey Esparza shows you all about Smart Objects in Photoshop and why you need to use them. This is definitely a good tutorial for those who still work destructively.

The Canon R7 has been rumored for a while now, and with some interesting patents acting as evidence, we now may have more information on exactly what role it aims to fill.

Photo edits can often become very complicated, time-intensive things, but they don't always have to be. This great video discusses the common trap of being overly complicated in your image editing.

If 2020 has somehow given you an appreciation of tactile experiences and a slower pace of life, you might want to consider periodically leaving your digital camera at home in in the new year and start capturing the world on film instead. Here are a few good reasons why.

When you are new to photography, it can feel a bit overwhelming trying to understand the wide variety of camera settings and equipment and how to combine them all with your creative side to make compelling and technically sound images. This fantastically comprehensive video tutorial will take you through all the basics with lots of explanations and examples so you can get up and running as soon as possible.

As a year unlike any other slowly rolls into the history books, we near that magic time when we sweep out the old and bring in the new.

I wanted something to control my exposure when shooting videos but I didn't want to sacrifice quality with a variable ND filter. To my surprise, the magnetic system by Freewell has been better than expected and even has features for photography that have replaced my older equipment.

Whether you are looking to get into astrophotography or take your skills to the next level, 2021 has lots of great astronomical events happening all over the world. Planning in advance and being in the right place at the right time is the first step to getting amazing shots.

As the film photography world is hurdling forward, increasing in popularity seemingly day by day, the hunt for an affordable medium format camera is getting more and more difficult. This may be the last great option for 645 film photography.

The Canon EOS R5 has proven itself to be one of the most powerful cameras ever released, and that means it is also a rather complex device, with a variety of settings and features that take some tweaking to get the best performance from the camera. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to best set up your EOS R5 for bird photography and similar work.

Creating a good black and white image is about a lot more than simply pulling all the saturation out of a color photo. This fantastic video tutorial will give you a number of tips and techniques for improving the quality of your black and white images when working in Lightroom.

Canon's RF 50mm f/1.2L lens is absolutely fantastic, but at $2,299, it is anything but cheap. On the other hand, the RF 50mm f/1.8 costs less than a tenth that of its f/1.2 cousin. Does it offer usable performance despite its budget price? This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

I promise this is not actually a serious comparison. It is hilarious, however. Sony's new a7S III is the pinnacle of its latest video technology, and it brings with it a plethora of advanced features and capabilities. But let's not forget Sony's once-popular line of Handycam camcorders. This great video takes a look at the two and why the Handycam just might be better.

Beauty dishes are one of the most popular lighting modifiers out there, but they are not all created the same. Mola makes some of the most revered beauty dishes on the market, but with seven different models, you might wonder which is right for you. This excellent video comparison takes a look at three of the most popular versions to help you pick the best for your work.

During the last weeks I took a look at the free and open Software “Darktable”. In this round-up I’ll explain why Darktable is a true and legit alternative – but not suitable for everyone.

Sometimes, we photographers can be a solitary bunch at times but maybe it's also what keeps us back. Have you considered collaborating with a creative from another field to expand your vision?

Take dull, lifeless landscapes and transform them into something captivating in only a few minutes, using this super speedy workflow in ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2021.

The original Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 was a bit of a legend in the DSLR world, and now, Nikon shooters have the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, the mirrorless version of the beloved optic. It brings with it a variety of new features and improvements, and this fantastic video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in practice.

With 2021 on the near horizon, and another 12 months of new gear to be released, what are you hoping to see specifically?

I believe composition is the second most crucial element of photography, light being the obvious first. The composition you choose can make or break the story you're trying to tell with your photograph.

Compositing is one of the most powerful techniques for creating images that would otherwise be dangerous or impossible to get in one shot. And with the proper technique, creating effective composites is not that difficult. This fantastic video tutorial will show you both how to shoot and edit a convincing composite using Photoshop.

Lighting equipment can quickly add up in cost, but you do not always need top-level equipment and multi-light setups with esoteric modifiers to get great results. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to get professional portraits using nothing more than a simple speedlight and an umbrella.

Glasses can be the bane of a photographer's existence, ruining what would otherwise be a great shot with weird splashes of green patterns where your subject's eyes should be. But once you know how to work with them, it is not too hard to make great images that include them, and this helpful video will give you five tips to help you on your way.

Landscape photography is one of the most common genres because of its accessibility. However, this ease of entry has resulted in a saturation of very good, yet somewhat over-photographed landscapes. This video will point you in the direction of something a little more special.

It seems like there is always a video from a major YouTuber about selling his or her gear, and these videos can rack up hundreds of thousands of views. I’m not sure why that is.

If you ended up with oven mitts and no gift receipt instead of the 50mm lens you actually wanted, all hope isn’t lost. Whether you’ve got it easy with an Amazon gift card or are trying to find a way to use store credit to Home Depot, every store has at least something that can come in handy as a photographer.

The graduated filter is one of the most versatile and powerful editing tools in Lightroom, and its usefulness goes far beyond simply making adjustments to exposure. This excellent video tutorial will show you a variety of tips and tricks for getting the most out of the graduated filter.

I’ve always wondered how they do it. The famous directors who craft the events in a movie so perfectly that the viewers feel like they’ve seen everything they’ve needed to see, to be part of, and live through this story.

After a long wait, Nikon’s fast primes for its Z mount are starting to appear and fans now have a choice between the 50mm f/1.8 S and the brand new 50mm f/1.2 S. How good is this meaty f/1.2 beast, and which of these lenses is the right choice for you?

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking the only way you can get worthwhile, compelling images is to travel to photography hotspots with epic features, but that simply is not the case. Worse, you could be missing out on a wealth of unique images that stand out from the crowd. This excellent video essay discusses why you should consider shooting around your own neighborhood more often.

Many of us are still stuck at home to one degree or another, but that does not mean we have to stop being creative. If you are at home with someone else, grab them and try out these five fantastic ideas for portraits.

The best portrait photographers always use the most expensive lighting set ups — right? This great video from photographer Irene Rudnyk shows you how to create stunning results from a single on-camera flash that costs only $50.

Nickelback’s 2005 post-grunge soft-rock hit “Photograph” has always been ripe for parody and now Nickelback themselves have joined in by creating a hilarious new advert to promote Google Photos. Is it my hair or just a ramen bowl?

With social media, it is easier than ever to quickly compare your work to that of dozens or even hundreds of other photographers. Is that always a good thing? Is it always bad? The truth is a bit more nuanced, and it is an important thing to think about to promote healthy development as a photographer, which is what this excellent video essay discusses.