How I Spent My COVID-19 Vacation

Like most of you, I'm cooped up at home other than occasional forage for groceries. As a landscape photographer in Arizona, there's plenty of landscape, but I'm doing my best to abide by the stay at home rules. So basically, the landscapes are in one place, I'm looking at 4 walls.

10 Things a Motorsports Photographer Couldn't Live Without

This week I spoke with professional motorsports photographer Drew Gibson to find out what 10 things he couldn't live without in his camera bag. With clients such as Aston Martin and Top Gear, Drew certainly knows his way around motorsports photography.

Making the Most out of Your Photography in Harsh Weather Conditions

As photographers, we tend to wander outside when the light and our available landscape are in their optimal conditions for our shooting style. So, what if you were to change it up a little bit and challenge yourself to embrace the nature at its worst?

Is Panasonic Going to Announce the Lumix GH6 in August?

The Panasonic Lumix GH5 has been a solid choice for run-and-gun video shooters, offering 4K 10-bit 4:2:2, and 4K 60p from its micro-four thirds sensor. Three years after its release, the time for its successor might be upon us.

Photo Series Shows How the Media Can Manipulate Reality Using Different Lenses

This photo series reveals how easily it is for the media to manipulate perspective with different lenses, in particular when reporting on social distancing during the current pandemic. By placing images side-by-side, the pictures show how, with the right angles, people respecting the rules can be made to appear as if huddled together.

How to Take a Great Supermoon Photo

The last supermoon of 2020 is on May 7, and it is a great chance to take an entrancing and unique image incorporating it into a landscape or cityscape of your choice. This excellent video will show you how to plan and take a supermoon photo worthy of framing and hanging on your wall.

Versatile and Useful: A Review of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD Lens

A walkaround lens with a decent zoom range, reasonable aperture, good image quality, and an affordable price is something of a unicorn for a lot of photographers. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD lens seems to check all those boxes, making it one of the most intriguing lenses I have seen in a few years. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and what you can expect from it in practice.

'Tiny But Mighty': A Review of the Samyang 75mm f/1.8 Lens

In the last few years, Samyang has added autofocus to their already affordable and sharp lenses, making them all the more useful for any photographer looking for good optical quality that will not break the bank. If you are looking for such a lens, check out this great review of the Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 FE lens for Sony E mount cameras.

Travel Blogger Hikes From Mexico to Canada and Films One Second Each Day

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2653 mile foot path that connects Mexico and Canada via California, Oregon, and Washington. Travel blogger Mac, who runs the website HalfwayAnywhere, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and took one second of film each day to create a 3 minute video montage that shows some of the most incredible landscapes anywhere in the world.

Some Excellent Business Advice and Perspective on Surviving This Period

No doubt, a lot of us are struggling right now and wrestling with uncertain futures, and it can be very helpful to hear a little guidance from an experienced professional. If that is something you could use, this excellent video features a longtime professional discussing the current situation and offering some honest advice on how you can survive this tough difficult time.

How to Shoot Cinematic Drone Footage

Drones are a great way to add some variety to your video footage and reinvigorate your work. This excellent video will give you six helpful tips for shooting cinematic, eye-catching drone video.

How to Present Your Prints as Professionally as Possible

With the current situation leaving many photographers without the ability to continue shooting, you may have started to turn toward selling prints as a way to supplement your income. This excellent video will show you how you can turn your prints into a truly professional product that will seriously impress your customers.

Contract Cancellations During COVID-19: How Are You Handling Them?

What do you do when all of your contracts for the year are canceled in a matter of weeks? Regardless of how well-drafted your contract is, do you consider damage to your reputation when you think about holding clients to dates and payment schedules?

Learn How This Creative, Painterly Portrait Was Shot

You might be surprised by the sort of unique images you can create just by using common objects in a creative manner and adding a bit of unusual technique. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how a photographer combined shutter dragging with a bit of creative prop usage to shoot this fascinating portrait.

Learn How to Mix Natural Light and Gelled Strobes to Create This Great Shot

One of the best tests of a photographer's lighting skill is their ability to use natural light and strobes together in an organic and convincing manner. This fantastic video tutorial will walk you through the method of using gelled strobes and natural light together to create this portrait along with the editing process in Capture One and Photoshop.

Should You Buy a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera in 2020?

Photographers and videographers have more choice in capable gear than ever before, with something out there for everyone. Now that most manufacturers have well-established mirrorless lines, it may be worth asking yourself whether a DSLR or mirrorless setup is right for you in 2020.

Save $300 on the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Lens Today Only

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is the original lens in the highly regarded Art Series and offers a useful focal length paired with a very wide maximum aperture. Today only, you can get the 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art for $300 off.

Two Ways to Change the Color of a Wall in Photoshop

One of the most fundamental and useful things Photoshop can do is change the color of objects in a convincing manner. This excellent video tutorial will show you two different ways you can change the color of walls in Photoshop.

How to Create Effective Overhead Product Lighting

Even if it is not your specialty, product photography is a fantastic way to practice creating precisely crafted lighting. This great video will show you how to create a versatile overhead product lighting setup that you can use on a variety of items and vary to your personal taste.

A Review of the Canon Drop-in Filter Mount EF-to-RF Adapter With Built-in Polarizing Filter

Canon's EF-to-RF adapters are already a great way to ease the transition from DSLRs to mirrorless while maintaining good performance. Beyond enabling you to use your EF mount lenses, the higher-end adapters let you use a drop-in variable ND filter or circular polarizing filter, saving the need to carry large filters or step-down rings. This excellent video review takes a look at the circular polarizing filter version.

How to Properly Expose Video

Setting the proper exposure for a video is different than it is for a still image, but of course, it is just as crucial to get it right as it is with a photo. This fantastic video will show you how to properly expose a video consistently no matter the situation.

5 Steps to Evaluate the Quality of Your Photos

Knowing how to objectively evaluate your own work is crucial to growing as a photographer and continuing to offer the best possible images to your clients. This fantastic video will give you a five-step process to evaluating the quality of your photos and understanding where you need to improve.

A Review of the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens

Tamron's 28-75mm f/2.8 lens for Sony E mount has been a huge hit for the company. They eventually filled out the lineup with the 17-28mm f/2.8 and the 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lenses, creating a fantastic alternative for photographers looking for a cheaper f/2.8 zoom trio. This excellent review takes a look at the 70-180mm f/2.8 and if it can stand up to the heavy demands often placed on such lenses.

How to Shoot and Stitch a Panoramic Image

I know a lot of us can't go outside right now to shoot panoramas due to quarantines and self-isolation, but perhaps you have some panoramic shots you took months back on a trip somewhere, buried away on a hard drive in the cupboard. Now's a good time to dust them off and get to work!

Sometimes Less Is More in Landscape Photography

There are so many things to keep in mind doing landscape photography and a complicated scene is often one of them. With a minimalist approach, you bypass a lot of that confusion and end up with often much more attractive photos.

How Much Money Are You Spending on Photography Gear?

Camera equipment is quite expensive, and investing in a new body or lens is no small decision. If that is something you are currently considering, this fantastic video will give you a lot of perspective on both the purchasing process and what we really need as photographers.

5 Tips for Faster Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro

Video editing takes a lot of time and effort, and anywhere you can make your workflow a bit more efficient can really add up in the long run. This great video will give you five helpful tips for editing more quickly in Adobe Premiere.

Compact and Cheap: A Review of the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR

The Fuji XF 35mm f/2 R WR lens is a very compact, lightweight, and affordable lens with a versatile focal length and wide aperture. This great video takes a look at it to help you decide if it deserves a place in your bag.

The Power of Local Adjustments in Lightroom

Most of the time, we think of Lightroom as a place for cataloging and global edits, but it also has some great local adjustment capabilities that can really put the finishing touches on an image. This excellent video will show you how to take advantage of those local adjustment features to improve your landscape images.

7 Ways a 70-200mm Lens Can Improve Your Landscape Photography

When you think of lenses for landscape photography, you likely think of wide focal lengths made for capturing a large amount of a scene in the frame. And while those are certainly useful, a good telephoto zoom can be just as useful. This fantastic video will show you seven different ways a 70-200mm lens can improve your landscape photography.

Three Things I Appreciate About Fujifilm Cameras

Fujifilm makes some of the most interesting and beloved cameras on the market, with a range of unique designs and features. Here are three of my favorite things about Fujifilm cameras.

Fstoppers Reviews the Steelsring Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Smart Autofocus Adapter

For many photographers and videographers, part of the fun of having a mirrorless camera is the wide variety of lenses that can be adapted to the body due to the shorter flange distance made possible by removing the mirror. In this article, we'll be taking a look at one such adapter, the Steelsring Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Smart Autofocus Adapter.

PSA: Don’t Make the Mistake of Lowering Your Prices When Business Resumes

The draw to lower your prices will be just as strong as the economy is weak, but while that may be good for new business volume, here’s why you should stay firm on existing business, even as rescheduling occurs. Don't know how to handle that? I also have a few tips for what to say to your clients to avoid falling into the trap of discounting services to the point of driving yourself further into debt.

Virtual Headshots: Creating a Solution for Clients During the Pandemic

Life as we know it has suddenly changed, and most of our businesses have ground to a near stop. Many of us were left scrambling to figure out how to keep some sort of work coming in. But when you primarily photograph people, yet your state has issued stay-at-home orders, you really have to explore ways to carry on.

The Joy of 6x6 Square Medium Format Film

Back in the days of film, the 6x6 format was highly popular among a lot of photographers. Even today, a lot of photographers would still love to have a square format digital sensor. This great video discusses a wealth of 6x6 film cameras, what they are like to shoot with, and the sort of images you can take with them.

Peak Design Travel Tripod Versus Manfrotto Befree: Which Is Better?

When the Peak Design Travel Tripod was first announced and released, I did scoff at it. I thought it was nothing more than just an overpriced tripod. As someone who currently owns the Manfrotto Befree tripod, I thought this release from Peak Design was silly, to say the least.

Are Telephoto Lenses Creating Fake News of People Ignoring Social Distancing?

With people’s tolerance of confinement starting to strain, the media has been paying close attention to crowds seemingly violating social distancing advice, with photographs taken using telephoto lenses potentially misrepresenting the density of people at certain locations. Deliberate or not, are camera lenses creating fake news?