How Do You Make Unique Photos at Popular Locations?
There are some timeless, popular landscape photography locations that countless photographers visit every year. And while those places are certainly popular for a reason, the downside is that it can be quite difficult to create unique images that stand out from the thousands of others from the same spot. So, how do you go about rising above the crowd? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the issue.
How to Use This Powerful New Lightroom Feature
Lightroom has undergone some major transformation in recent years and has grown into a far more powerful editing platform, making it quite convenient for anyone who also uses the program to catalog their images and who doesn't want to round-trip between other applications. One of its newest features is Point Color, which revamps how the program approaches editing colors by offering far more control. This fantastic video tutorial will show you what Point Color is and how to use it in your own images.
Would You Buy a Retro-Styled Canon Camera?
Retro-styled cameras, one simply an aesthetic attraction, have grown wildly in popularity, with companies like Fujifilm demonstrating that mechanical controls can be highly functional and even preferable to digital options. Canon may be the next company to jump on the train.
Misty Autumn Photography and a Mobile Darkroom
Rising Above the Noise: Why Ignoring Social Media Trolls Is the Best Strategy
In the ever-expanding landscape of social media, where voices echo and opinions clash, trolls have become an unfortunate reality. These internet provocateurs thrive on negative attention, seeking to disrupt, demean, and derail meaningful discussions. However, instead of getting caught in their web of negativity, there are compelling reasons why ignoring social media trolls is not only wise but also empowering. In this article, let's explore why rising above the noise and refusing to engage with trolls can lead to a healthier, more positive online experience.
Trolls Feed on...A Review of the Incredible Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Lens
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens has been turning heads for offering some of the most impressive results from a portrait lens in quite a few years, making it worth a look from portrait and wedding photographers. How good are the results? This fantastic video review takes a look at the sort of performance you can expect from it in practice.
How To Get the Most Out of Lightroom's and Photoshop's Masking Capabilities
Lightroom and Photoshop have taken some massive steps forward with regards to their masking capabilities in the last few iterations, and if you have not taken the time to dive into all the new features yet, you are definitely missing out. This fantastic video tutorial takes a look at some of the best new capabilities and offers a range of tips to help you get the most out of them, making your workflow both easier and more efficient.
How to Create a Timelapse Video
Making a time-lapse video is a blend of photography and videography. While the outcome can be stunning, the process requires preparation and can pose certain challenges. In this article, I will walk you through my workflow and offer a glimpse of some real-life examples I've created.
4 Helpful Tips for Your First Portrait Shoot
Portrait photography is a challenging genre, but within it are numerous creative paths and rewarding adventures if you are willing to put in the time to learn and grow. This fantastic video tutorial offers beginners four helpful tips that will help you tackle your first shoot.
A Review of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8 Lens
The 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is the workhorse of choice for a huge range of creatives and applications, offering a wide maximum aperture in tandem with a very versatile focal length range. Nonetheless, such lenses can often be very expensive, which is what makes the Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8, which costs $1,250, an intriguing option for any photographer looking for an affordable alternative. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
The Difficult Decisions in Landscape Photography
Landscape photography can be a bit of a start and stop genre, with hours of waiting punctuated by fleeting moments of opportunity. That can lead to some difficult decisions about how to maximize your chances of coming home with worthwhile shots. This great video follows an experienced landscape photographer as he grapples with such decisions and discusses how he moves forward.
Helpful Advice for Printing Your Photos
Printing your photos can be a tremendously rewarding exercise, but it is also an expensive venture, and as such, mistakes can quickly add up in cost. If you are new to printing your image, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing a range of useful advice to help ensure you get the best possible results.
More Than Just a Vlogging Tool: We Review the PGYTECH Mantispod Pro Tripod
Having a reliable portable tripod is always great for those just-in-case moments. With hundreds of options on the market, let’s take a look at why this particular tabletop tripod just might be one of the most convenient options around.
How You Can Use AI to Create Portrait Backgrounds
There has been a lot of frustration and uncertainty in the photography world regarding artificial intelligence, but it also has a lot of potential as a legitimate tool for photographers to expand their creative capabilities and make their workflows more efficient. This awesome video tutorial will show you how one photographer is using AI to generate impressive backgrounds for his portraiture work, including how to customize and seamlessly blend them for convincing final images.
Important Advice for Budding Photo Professionals
Making the transition from hobbyist to professional takes a lot more than simply being good with a camera, and it is important to enter it with the right idea of what to prioritize. This great video essay features an experienced commercial photographer discussing some important topic, particularly the balance of technical and creative as a professional, and how to thread the needle to maximize your chances of finding success.
3 Ways To Improve Your Photography Today
Despite what social media may tell you, there is no such thing as a magic path to success. But what are some concrete steps you can take to reach your goal of becoming a successful artist?
Don't Overlook This Affordable 85mm Lens
The world is absolutely overflowing with 85mm lens options, and you can find lenses from anywhere from a few hundred dollars to well over $2,000. You might think that there is a strict correlation between price and quality, but there are a few hidden gems out there that can offer fantastic images at very affordable prices. One such option is the Yongnuo 85mm f/1.8S DF DSM, and this excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it in usage.
A Review of the Canon RF 1200mm f/8 L IS USM Lens
Do you have a spare $20,000 laying around that you are just itching to drop on a new piece of gear? For that price, you can take home your own copy of the Canon RF 1200mm f/8 L IS USM, which offers some of the most extreme capabilities of any lens on the market. This fun video takes a look at just what you can accomplish with a lens that costs the price of a car.
A Review of the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7R WR Lens
Fujifilm's GFX line of medium format cameras and lenses have quickly expanded to become impressively versatile, capable of tackling applications traditionally reserved for full frame and smaller formats. The GF 55mm f/1.7R WR continues that trend by offerings an unusually wide maximum aperture along with a neutral and flexible focal length, making it an attractive option for many different uses. How does it hold up in real-world usage? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.
Win an $18,000 Iceland Voyage and an OM-5 During OM SYSTEM Week
On their second anniversary, from today, the OM Digital Solutions Corporation is celebrating the successful launch of the OM SYSTEM brand with a series of events celebrating that milestone with the beauty of nature. That includes a chance to win an $18,000 voyage around Iceland.
Panasonic, Please Come Back! Lumix GX9 Re-Review
Compact, packs a punch, and relatively cheap. The GX9 is one of the many cameras recently discontinued by Panasonic which has undoubtedly found a well-deserved following. The manufacturer has been unfortunately turning away from smaller cameras, and that is a damn shame. The GX9 is a perfect proof.
How to Handle Boring Skies in Landscape Photography
Most people hear of blue skies in the forecast and get excited for nice weather, but for landscape photographers, it can cause a groan, as it means monotonous compositions that are difficult to work with. Nonetheless, that does not mean you need to pack up your camera and head home, as it is still possible to make great shots, even with those boring skies. This great video tutorial will show you how to do just that.
Helpful Advice for Improving Your Images
Producing compelling photos can be a somewhat nebulous thing, but composition goes a long way in helping you capture the attention of your viewer. While composition is something one can spend a lifetime studying, one of the simplest but most powerful principles is to simplify the frame to draw more attention to your subject. This fantastic video tutorial will show you several effective ways to do that.
The Sweet Spot of Comfortable Travel Gear: The Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L and New Camera Cubes V2
The perfect travel camera bag does not exist. However, having modular options definitely brings us much closer as long as we make the right choices in planning how we carry our gear when we travel.
A Review of the New Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Lens
Viltrox has gained a lot of respect in the last few years for their ability to create quality lenses at prices that significantly undercut those of comparable options. An example of such a lens is the PRO Series AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro, which gives users a 40mm equivalent focal length combined with a particularly wide maximum aperture, making it an intriguing lens for a wide variety of creatives and applications. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
How to Price Your Photo Prints
Pricing is something many photographers struggle with. While things like camera settings can be quantified and are, thus, easier to learn in a way, pricing can be a nebulous and tricky thing to nail down. So, when it comes to selling prints, how do you set your prices? This helpful video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing some useful advice sure to put you on the right track.
How to Light a Group Portrait
It takes a lot of skill and experience to light a portrait of a single person, but lighting groups can be an entirely different challenge. Nonetheless, depending what you shoot, you may be called upon to photograph groups. When that happens, you will want to be ready to transition quickly. This great video tutorial will show you an effective and straightforward approach for producing quality group photos.
Mugshots: Something For Everyone
Crime docs, true crime, crime fiction, they all hold something of a collective fascination. Watching Donald Trump's recent Fulton County mugshot become one of the most circulated photographs of all time raises the question: why are so many of us fascinated by mugshots? As photographers, is there something in these rigidly photographed images that captures our attention?
Is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 the Best Tiny Vlog Setup?
7 New Adobe Photoshop Features Explained
Is the Histogram Still Relevant in Today's Photography?
In an era where technological advancements have revolutionized the way we capture and manipulate images, the question of the histogram's relevance in today's photography is a pertinent one.
7 Tips for Getting Started With Portrait Photography
Portrait photography is a popular but challenging genre, as it requires good technical skills with your camera and lighting, the ability to pose people and make them feel comfortable, and solid capabilities when it comes time to edit the image. If you are new to the genre and looking to improve, check out this helpful video tutorial that offers seven tips sure to put you on the right track.
In a World of Infinite Images, What Makes a Photographer?
Photography is a strange thing. Almost everyone listens to music, but very few people actually make it. Almost everyone enjoys a painting in a museum, but how many people do you know who own a set of paintbrushes? And yet, almost everyone takes pictures, usually on a daily basis. So, in a world where images flow at a dizzying rate, what actually makes a photographer? This insightful video essay tackles the question.
Some of Photoshop's Most Useful Newer Features for Landscape Photographers
Photoshop remains the gold standard for advanced landscape photo edits, and in recent iterations, we have seen some remarkable steps forward, with some features giving photographers the ability to make drastic edits with just the click of a button. If you are ready to update your toolkit, check out this fantastic video tutorial that explores some of the newest features and shows you how to leverage them in a landscape image edit.
Five Tips for Better Autumn Photos
Now is the time to head out and capture beautiful fall colors, and in this article, I give you five tips on how to do so.
Learn How to Use Flash to Light an Engagement Portrait With This Tutorial
Learning to use off-camera flash can feel quite daunting, especially when you combine it with natural light in an outdoor environment. Once you understand and grow comfortable with a few fundamental principles and techniques, though, you will find the entire process much more intuitive and easier to tackle. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced photographer walking you through an engagement shoot using off-camera flash and natural light to help you learn those crucial fundamentals.
Picture Perfect: Float Frames Make Your Images the Center of Attention
The finish of a float frame cannot be compared to cheap frames and is considered an elevated product. If you print images for clients, you need these.
We Review the V Mount 95 Watt-Hours FJ Dynamics PowerSec 90 Power Supply
There are a lot of portable power supplies on the market, but this offers something different from others I have looked at recently. With 95 watt-hours and 10 amps, this V mount battery is going to have a broad appeal to more than its intended market.
Why Feel Is More Important Than Rules in Landscape Photography
Between the rule of thirds, camera settings, guidelines on focal length, depth of field calculations, and more, landscape photography can be a rather prescriptive genre. And while it can be good to have rules that increase your chances of coming home with a keeper, they can also be overly restrictive. This great video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing why feel is more important than following the rules in the genre.
A Review of the Sirui Night Walker 35mm T1.2 S35 Cine Lens
The Sirui Night Walker 35mm T1.2 S35 Cine lens offers extreme light-gathering power in tandem with a useful focal length, making it a desirable option for filmmakers and photographers alike, and at $349, it will not break the bank either. Can it offer the sort of performance and image quality professionals demand? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.
5 Invaluable Lessons I've Learned as a Landscape Photographer
Embarking on my journey as a landscape photographer has been a thrilling ride filled with exploration, challenges, and countless awe-inspiring moments. Over time, this pursuit has not only honed my technical skills but also imparted invaluable life lessons. In this article, I'm excited to share the five most significant insights I've gained as a landscape photographer, each of which has enriched my craft and my perspective on the world. They may also be applicable to you. Or, perhaps you have more to add?
This $200 Camera Is a Hidden Gem
Why You Should Copy Other Photographers
We are constantly taught the value of originality as creatives and why it is important to explore, expand, and refine our creative voices. And so, it can sound a little strange to recommend you copy other photographers, but the exercise can actually be tremendous beneficial. This fantastic video tutorial discusses some of the reasons why you should try it.
The Wedding Photographer Dilemma: To Share or Not To Share?
In my nine years as a wedding photographer, it was commonplace for other wedding vendors to request access to the entire wedding gallery. They often wanted to use my photos to showcase their work at the wedding. This practice has left me with mixed feelings, and I'm eager to hear your opinions.
A Look at the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7R WR Lens
Fujifilm has continued to expand their GF medium format line, offering more and more versatile cameras and a nice gamut of lens options. The GF 55mm f/1.7R WR offers medium format users an unusually wide maximum aperture in tandem with a versatile and neutral focal length, making it an intriguing option for all sorts of applications, including portraits, events, and much more. How does it hold up in practice? This great video takes a look at the performance image quality you will be able to expect.
Landscape Photography With the Nikon 24-200mm
Last Chance To Enter This Month's Landscape Photography Contest
Which of These 24-70mm Lenses Is Better for You?
Perhaps no lens is more ubiquitous than the 24-70mm f/2.8. A versatile performer, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is equally at home in a huge range of genres, making it a favorite workhorse of many different photographers. However, such lenses can often be rather expensive. So, at $1,100, can the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art compete with the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, which costs more than twice as much? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both.
Beautiful and Powerful: We Review the Nikon Z f
Many have been waiting for it ever since the release of the Z fc. Well, it is finally here and it is not just gorgeous, but surprisingly well-built using high-quality materials and impressive tech. The Nikon Z f is partially a Z6 II, a Z8, and a beautiful FM2 and yet it’s its own unique thing.