A lot of professional photographers will tell you over and over about the importance of taking on personal projects. Even if you are only a hobbyist, they are a fantastic way to build your skills, expand your creativity, and become a more confident photographer. This fantastic video essay discusses why you should consider picking up a photography project.

Along with shutter speed and ISO, aperture is one of the three most fundamental parameters that every photographer needs to have an absolute mastery of. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know about how aperture works and how to use it for your photos in just two minutes.

Flashguns and strobe lights aren't just for capturing perfectly exposed subjects, they can be valuable as creative assets too.

Of all the accessories that come with photography, your camera strap is probably not one you think about very often (if at all). However, with several pounds hanging off your neck for often hours at a time, it is something you should give a bit of consideration, and there are more options than you might have realized. This great video will show you a variety of straps, what they are useful for, and how they can improve your comfort.

With the rise of social media, photography trends are more prominent than ever. Should you follow them or just photograph what you want? This great video essay discusses the balance between the two.

Converting a photo to black and white is about more than simply pulling all the color out of it; it is a chance to make an entirely new image. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to convert a photo to black and white in Photoshop and turn it into a dramatic, eye-catching piece.

The traditional route for startups to bring great product ideas to market was to fund them directly or find willing venture capitalists to invest. The advent of crowd platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo have dramatically changed the product funding landscape, and this is as true for photography as elsewhere. So, should you buy products from the likes of Kickstarter?

Photography is a passion and a hobby for many and a career for a few. But to truly succeed in this competitive industry, does love for photography stand you in good stead, does it make little difference, or does it work against you?

While most of us own multiple lenses suited for different purposes, sometimes, whether for convenience or necessity, we want one lens that can handle all possible situations. For Sony shooters, there is the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in practice.

A wide-aperture 50mm lens is one of the most commonly owned and versatile options, useful for a wide variety of situations. This great video review compares two options for Sony shooters, the Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA and the Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA.

It is always better to get a narrow depth of field in camera, but sometimes, you end up with a background you would prefer to be blurrier to bring more focus onto your subject. For those cases, you can blur the background using Photoshop, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how it is done.

A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is one of the most versatile and popular options out there, but not everyone needs that f/2.8 aperture or wants to spend that kind of money. A 70-200mm f/4 lens offers the same versatility in a smaller and more affordable package, making it a great alternative for a lot of different photographers and filmmakers. This great video review takes a look at Canon's mirrorless option, the RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens.

There are times where you just don't have enough space, time, or material to cover your entire scene with an infinite backdrop. One workaround that you can do is to use as much as you have, and then extend it across the rest of the image in Photoshop.

Using smoke has been a staple in photography and cinematography for some time, and to great effect. Here is a tutorial on how to create a spiral look to the smoke for an awesome result.

There is probably no other genre where light is at more of a premium than astrophotography, where ultra-wide apertures, high ISOs, and specialized equipment are the name of the game. This fascinating video shows what two professional astrophotographers were able to accomplish when limited to a very slow kit lens for their work.

Traditionally, professional zoom lenses have filled the role of convenience, while primes have taken on more specific needs and creative pursuits. However, in recent years, we have seen some more extreme zoom lens designs that have approached the capabilities and image quality levels of primes, and this great video review takes a look at one of the most impressive of the bunch.

Rawtherapee and Darktable are two advanced editing programs for photographers. The best part is they are free. But which one suits you? Here, you’ll find out.

While smartphone manufacturers seem intent on making smartphone gimbals redundant, there are a number of excellent products on the market, and the AOCHUAN Smart XR from PERGEAR offers stiff competition given its aggressive pricing.

If you study the work of professional portrait photographers, you will probably notice a lot of them use rather complex multi-light setups, but you will also find plenty of fantastic images created with only a single light. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to create eye-catching portraits using no more than a single light.

Lights and modifiers for them can quickly add up in cost, but one of the most useful lighting tools a studio can have is surprisingly cheap and low-tech. This excellent video tutorial will show you why v-flats are so useful and how to incorporate them into your own work.

The Sony a1 is here, and it brings with it what is quite possibly the most impressive set of specs we have ever seen on a camera. Do those impressive numbers and features pan out in practice? This great video review takes a look at 10 good and not so great parts of the Sony a1.

It can be easy to get caught up in the stresses that come with photography or life itself and to forget that photography is actually good for you. It is important to remind yourself every once in a while that photography is supposed to be an enjoyable thing that can do a lot of good for your overall happiness. This fantastic video does just that.

Capturing the moon has been something photographers have tried since it was possible to do. However, it's trickier than most people think, particularly to capture real contrast and detail.

B-roll can feel a bit like a means to an end; a way of linking shots because you have to, but it's an art in itself. Here is a useful comparison of what a beginner might do and what a professional might do when they need the same b-roll.

Sigma recently announced the 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens, which is billed as the lightest and smallest f/2.8 standard zoom lens available for mirrorless systems. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

A year ago, Røde introduced its Wireless GO microphones which offered fantastic wireless audio performance at a great price. The company has just released an updated version which brings a number of improvements to an already impressive system.

I have made a good amount of mistakes in my career as a landscape photographer. Luckily, I have learned to identify these mistakes and how to avoid them.

When it comes to landscape photography, the focal length of choice is normally a wide angle or even an ultra-wide angle. However, these lenses come with their own set of pitfalls that can adversely affect the quality of your images. This excellent video tutorial discusses some of the problems that come with ultra-wide angle lenses when shooting landscape photographs and how to avoid or fix them.

The standard resolution of camera sensors has skyrocketed in the last few years, and the once niche 50-megapixel level is now very much a standard figure. This excellent video compares the image quality between four of the most respected modern cameras, the Sony a1, Sony a7R IV, Canon R5, and Nikon Z 7II.

The Sony a7C is sort of the odd duck out in the a7 line, with a significantly different design than other cameras such as the a7R IV. That means some good things and some drawbacks, and this great video review takes a look at 10 pros and cons of the camera.

One of the most popular visual effects used in music videos at the moment is a reimagining of one of the more unusual tools in a cinematographer's bag. While you wouldn't be able to create the intended use of it in post, you can mimic the creative version rather easily.

Creating great work on every shoot you arrange is a tall order and the hallmark of an established and experienced photographer. But what areas have the most impact on the shoot's outcome?

A wide-aperture 35mm lens is a great choice for a wide range of genres and scenarios, and Sony's FE 35mm f/1.4 GM offers the company's G Master standard of excellence for photographers and filmmakers looking for high levels of quality and performance. This great video takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it.

Often, the process of shooting is only half of what it takes to create a good landscape photograph. The edit is where you bring the image to life and add your personal touch. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to use the adjustment brushes in Lightroom to sculpt the light in your photos and create dynamic, eye-catching images.

Canon has two amazing lenses for their mirrorless system. This is the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and the RF 800mm f/11 IS STM. Although the aperture is not that wide, these lenses can be very useful. I got a chance to try both for a few weeks and these are my findings.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen or heard just about everything about the Canon EOS R5. However, even with the multitude of videos I've watched and articles I've read, I didn't realize a few things about the R5.

When it comes to portraits, by far one of the most important decisions you will make is the choice of focal length. This fantastic video explores three different focal lengths for portraits, how they render the subject, and the pros and cons of using them.

Photoshop is a tremendously intricate program with literally hundreds of built-in functions, and each of us use it in different ways with different priorities. As such, you might want to create your own keyboard shortcuts to help you streamline your editing process, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

If you use Photoshop, then I'm sure you use brushes in some way on your images. If you only ever utilize Adobe's default brushes, you are seriously missing out.

Today, Sigma has announced the 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN lens, the smallest and lightest f/2.8 standard zoom available for mirrorless systems.

The power of modern phones when it comes to taking images and videos has been growing at an alarming rate. This short film, made for Apple, showcases just how professional a production can look.

It is easier than ever to consume literally thousands of photographs with just the swipe of a finger, and that is both a blessing and a curse, as that means we can be easily influenced into chasing trends and popular styles. This excellent video discusses the importance of discovering your own identity and photographing what makes you happy.

Medium format and street photography are two terms that turn me giddy, so any combination of the two is warmly welcome. Though this is taking the medium format part a bit further than most have!

Few lenses have the reputation of being sharp, fast(ish), small, light, feature the best coatings, and boast quick autofocus. This premium lens with Zeiss glass for less than $1,000 does.

With the release of the Z 7II and the specs running so close to those of my beloved D850, it makes sense that it’s the first of Nikon’s mirrorless cameras to really make me consider the switch. But what will happen when I get out of testing mode and put my feet to the fire in the real world?

Kit lenses often have a bit of a bad reputation as being poor performers with low image quality, but they have improved quite a bit in recent years, and if you are a beginner, you do not necessarily need an expensive lens to learn. This great video tutorial will give you some helpful tips for working with a kit lens and show you how you can get awesome photos even with inexpensive gear.

Sony has just announced a new compact cinema camera featuring a 10-megapixel full frame sensor and more than 15 stops of dynamic range, shooting 10-bit 4:2:2 internally at up to 4K 120p without overheating.

For many years, the Canon 5D series was the camera of choice for a variety of photographers, useful for a wide range of applications and highly reliable. Now that the company has moved on to mirrorless, is the EOS R6 the new 5D? This excellent video review takes a look at the EOS R6 and how it holds up against the venerable 5D Mark III.

I recently filmed a quick dance music video with famous dancer Marquese Scott. Here's how I pulled it off.

Landscape photography is one of the lesser understood genres, particularly when it comes to the business side of things, even though it is highly popular as a hobby. This excellent video discusses 10 lesser understood aspects of being a landscape photographer.