Got a Bad Gift? Here Are 5 Ways to Turn It Into Something Useful

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.

How to Get More From the Graduated Filter in Lightroom

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.

How To Structure Your Story

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.

Don't Overlook the Wealth of Images You Could Be Creating at Home

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.

5 Awesome Portraits Ideas You Can Try at Home

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.

How To Create Stunning Portraits Using a Cheap on-Camera Flash

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.

Is Comparing Your Work to Others Always a Bad Thing?

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.

Has Nikon Turned the Corner on Poor Results?

Nikon had a torrid 2019 and the impact of COVID-19 on manufacturing and sales has simply added to that misery. However, does recent news suggest they are beginning to turn the corner of poor financial results?

How to Make a Moody Fine Art Long Exposure Photograph

When it is all but gray outside, when the leaves have fallen, the temperature is nothing to write home about, and most people would stay inside, it is time to bring out the camera.

It's Okay to Raise Your ISO For Landscape Photography

When you think of exposure settings for landscape photography, you likely think of using your camera's base ISO and nothing else. But when it comes to getting the shot, there is nothing wrong with raising your ISO if needed, and this excellent video discusses why.

The Basics of Choosing Camera Settings for Video

If you are a photographer and you are thinking of diversifying your skills by learning to shoot video, understanding the basic camera settings as they apply to video is one of the first steps. This great video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of setting your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, as well as why an ND filter is an essential piece of gear for video work.

How to Create a Dark and Moody Look in Photoshop

No doubt, the dark and moody look is highly popular nowadays, and it actually is not particularly difficult or time-consuming to achieve in Photoshop. This excellent video tutorial will show you what kind of photos work well for such a style and how to create it.

11 Ways to Improve the Sharpness of Your Images (Part 4)

So much of photography is about capturing a moment, a place, a person, a glance, a tiny slice of history that is impossible to recreate. When we've only got one shot, we want to make sure we get it right. In this series, we’re examining 11 things that can lead to a loss of image sharpness, what causes them, how to recognize them, and what to do about them!

A Review of the Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens

There are very few prime lenses between 50mm and 85mm, so Sigma's new 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary is already an interesting lens from the start. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens, including what it is like shooting with such a unique focal length and the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

It's Finally Here: A First Look at the Unique Zeiss ZX1 Camera With Lightroom Built In

No camera as unique as the Zeiss ZX1 has come along in quite some time, and its fascinating combination of a high-resolution sensor and sharp 35mm lens in tandem with a large internal SSD, a built-in copy of Lightroom, and wireless sharing abilities make it a potential all-in-one solution for shooting, editing, sharing, and even backing up on the go. This great first look takes a look at what it is like to use this crazy camera.

How Good is the New Canon RF 50mm f/1.8?

The 50mm focal length on a full frame camera is a staple in most camera bags. While typically preferred for portraiture, they're also used in other genres, including landscape. The best part, however, is they're cheap. So, how good is Canon's new 50mm for their mirrorless mount?

A History of Bokeh and How It Has Changed Photography

The spelling of “bokeh” to describe out-of-focus areas wasn’t used in relation to photography until as recently as 1997, so how has it come to dominate discussions about the qualities of a lens to the point that manufacturers have to mention it with every new release? This in-depth video explores the use of bokeh over the centuries from 16th-century oil paintings to today’s digital cameras.

The Best DSLR for Beginners is Only $120

If someone wanted to get into photography today, it would be undoubtedly overwhelming. There are far more cameras than ever before, many with price tags that will make your eyes water. But, what if you only needed to spend $120?

Which are the Best EF to RF Adapters for You?

You may be the proud owner of one of Canon's new mirrorless bodies or perhaps one of their preview releases, and want to use some of your old glass. Well, here are the best EF to RF adapters for different price points.

Use Adobe Sensei to Easily Colorize Black and White Photos in Photoshop CC

Did you know that using artificial intelligence wizardry, Adobe Sensei, Photoshop CC can now colorize your black and white photos in just a few clicks? Well, find out how to do it, and how to do a little tweaking to make some realistic colorized images from your black and white photographs.

A Beginner's Guide to Using Lightroom for Organizing and Editing Photos

When you are new to photography, getting a firm grasp of your cataloging software and how to perform basic edits will help to set a strong foundation for future growth. Lightroom is one of the most popular choices for these tasks, and this excellent video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of working with it.

Helpful Tips for Choosing Whether to Edit a Landscape Image in Black and White or Color

When you think of landscape photos, you probably think of rich, vibrant colors that pop off the screen. And while those can be fantastic, a black and white image can be just as compelling. This excellent video tutorial will give you a variety of tips as well as mistakes you will want to avoid when trying to decide whether to edit a landscape image in color or in black and white.

Is This the Best Alternative To the Hasselblad X-Pan?

There's something unique and appealing about shooting panoramic format. The most popular camera for it is the Hasselblad X-Pan, which goes for several thousand dollars these days. Do we finally have an affordable alternative?

The Bokeh Machine: A Review of the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Lens

A 135mm lens is a popular alternative focal length to the classic 85mm when it comes to portraits. Sony's 135mm f/1.8 looks like one of the best of the bunch, and this excellent video review takes a look at the kind of performance you can expect from it in practice.

When Gear Gets in Your Way

No doubt, new gear is a lot of fun to play with, but it is not always a better thing. In fact, new gear, too much, or overly complicated equipment can actually become a hindrance to your work. This excellent video essay discusses how gear can sometimes get in your way and stop you from creating your best work.

How To Mix Candlelight With Flash in the Studio

Candlelight can create some beautifully atmospheric images but using it to light a model can be a challenge given that it’s typically a small and unflattering source that’s not necessarily going to be in the right place to give the desired effect. This video shows you how to mix it with a strobe to get great results.

Clear the Clutter in Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom is full of useful features and tools to help edit your images, but sometimes everything can just get in the way. Here's how to clear the clutter in Lightroom Classic to get a better look at your photos.

Have I Already Found My Dream Camera?

The holiday season, and the rash of sales that goes with it, always inspires a simple question: “what purchases would make an improvement to my photography business?” But, the more pertinent question, far less often asked, is: “do I really need to make any purchases at all?”

Are These the Seven Sharpest 50mm Lenses Ever Made?

Having reviewed more than 35 50mm lenses over the last decade, Christopher Frost can make a strong claim in being able to judge which lens is the sharpest. Here’s his run down of the seven best 50mm lenses, with a few APS-C honorable mentions along the way.

Inexpensive Pieces of Gear That Every Landscape Photographer Should Have

After we've bought all the important pieces of kit we need for landscape photography — a camera and tripod — there are other not so obvious things we pick up along the way when we realize we almost can't do without in certain situations. This video takes a look at some of the cheap and useful things that one of the world's best landscape photographers packs in his bag.

Take $500 Off a Sigma Art Lens Today Only

Sigma's Art series of lenses has matured into a very comprehensive and capable line, allowing the company to also add some more unique offerings, such as the 40mm f/1.4 Art. Today only, you can take $500 off that lens.

Shooting and Printing a Fine Art Photograph

If you are like most of us, you are probably spending the vast majority of your time at home right now, and there is no better time than now to start exploring printing your own images. This excellent video tutorial will take you through the process of shooting, editing, and printing your own fine art photo.

Helpful Composition Advice for Landscape Photography

Composition is a tricky and nuanced art when it comes to landscape photography, and it helps to have a variety of tips and general guidelines in your toolbox. This excellent video tutorial will give you some helpful advice to create better landscape image compositions.

The Fun of Mounting a 360 Camera on a Drone

Drones and 360 cameras are some of the most unique photographic devices out there, and so, it is only natural to want to combine them. Unfortunately, there are not any 360-capable drones out there, but that did not stop this photographer from coming up with a DIY solution of his own to put his 360 camera on top of his drone. Check out this fun video that shows the sort of things you can do with the combination.

Cullai for Mac Is a Good Idea but Has a Way To Go

CullAI is a new Mac app recently on the scene. It's designed to let you point to a folder of images and let the software create a catalog that lets a photographer quickly decide which photos are worthy of further use.