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Enter your Best "Dark" or "Low-Key" images

Welcome to the April Critique the Community!  For this contest/critique, we are doing another abstract theme that should allow more photographers to enter. For this month we want to see your most "dark" or "low key" photographs.

10 Ways to Make Wide Angle Woodland Photography Work in Winter

What do you do when you're planning a shoot in the woodlands during winter, but you live in a region that doesn't see much snow or fog? You walk for hours in this unforgiving environment, trying to find a decent composition, and you end up feeling frustrated that nothing is working.

10 Photography Myths That Refuse to Die

Photography has been around long enough to accumulate a thick layer of conventional wisdom, and much of it is wrong. These myths get passed from forum to forum, YouTube comment to YouTube comment, and camera-store counter to camera-store counter with the confidence of established fact. The problem isn't that they're entirely baseless; most contain a grain of truth buried under decades of misapplication. The problem is that they cost photographers money, waste their time, and actively prevent them from improving. Here are ten of the most persistent offenders.

The Three Tiers of Photographers

The difference between a snapshot and a portfolio image often comes down to one thing: whether you meant to make it. Understanding how instinct and intention work together changes how you approach every shoot.

Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Review: Small Lens, Big Upgrade?

The Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary takes over from the long-running 16mm f/1.4 and tightens the formula in ways that affect how you shoot. If you use an APS-C body and want a bright wide angle that balances well and handles video, this one shifts the conversation.

ZEISS Rounds Out Its Premium Manual Focus Lineup With the Otus ML 35mm f/1.4

ZEISS has announced the ZEISS Otus ML 35mm f/1.4, the third lens in the company's Otus ML series designed for modern mirrorless camera systems. The new 35mm joins the existing ZEISS Otus ML 50mm f/1.4 and ZEISS Otus ML 85mm f/1.4, completing a three-lens set of manual focus f/1.4 primes available in Sony E, Canon RF, and Nikon Z mounts. 

The 3 Most Overlooked Lenses for Night Photography

Most night photographers use ultra-wide angle lenses when night falls. And for good reason. If they are photographing the Milky Way, it arcs over a wide expanse of sky. But night photographers shouldn’t sleep on these three lens categories, which can crank up your creativity.

Why I Went Back to DSLR After a Decade of Mirrorless

I was an early mirrorless adopter. Not in the “influencer early” sense, but back when using mirrorless for professional work still meant explaining yourself. Other photographers said I was crazy, that I was just betting on a passing technology.

Sharpness Is Overrated: The 10 Best Lenses for "Character" in 2026

There's a quiet rebellion happening in photography right now. After a decade of manufacturers racing to produce the sharpest, most clinically corrected glass ever made, a growing number of photographers are deliberately reaching for something else. They want glow. They want swirl. They want the kind of optical rendering that looks like it was pulled from a dream sequence in a 1970s art film. They want character.

Sigma Introduces the 15mm f/1.4 DC | Contemporary for APS-C Creators

Sigma has announced a new fast prime for APS-C shooters, the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DC | Contemporary. The lens joins the company’s growing set of bright-aperture Contemporary primes and continues Sigma’s recent push toward compact, lightweight designs aimed at hybrid creators and will be offered for Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X Mount, and Canon RF Mount at a retail price of $579.

A New Hybrid Workhorse: Sigma AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF Announced

Sigma has announced the Sigma AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF, the second lens in its autofocus-compatible cinema series. The lens is scheduled for release on April 16, 2026, and will be offered in L-Mount and Sony E-mount. Sigma states that the lens is derived from the optical design of its still photography counterpart, the Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN | Art, while incorporating cinema-oriented mechanics and control features.

Sigma Updates Its Classic Prime With the 35mm F1.4 DG II | Art

Sigma has announced the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II | Art, a redesigned version of its established 35mm f/1.4 Art prime. Positioned as the Type II successor to the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art, the new lens focuses on reducing physical size and weight while introducing a revised optical formula and updated autofocus system. The lens will be available for L-Mount and Sony E-mount cameras.

Memory Cards: What No One Tells You and What Actually Matters

If you’re shooting fast-moving sports or wildlife, or you’re a videographer shooting long takes in a raw format and high resolution, the most essential piece of gear you need is a fast reliable memory card. Choosing one, however, can be a nightmare. So what do you do? I would guess you buy one from a reputable brand, right?

The Free Photo Economy Is Ruining Sports Photography

When outlets can fill galleries with “credit-only” submissions, quality drops, prices crater, and working shooters quietly burn out. I’ve been part of the problem. Here’s why I’m done working for free—and how I’m building paid alternatives that serious shooters can copy without burning bridges.

Antigravity A1 Drone Review, Shockingly Good

For the past few weeks, I have been testing the Antigravity A1, the first drone I have ever used with a built in 360 degree camera. I expected a gimmick. What I got was something  genuinely innovative surprisingly fun.

The Best Entry/Beginner Laser Cutter: Falcon A1 Pro

I know nothing about laser cutter/engravers, and when I offered one to review, I was excited to try. Would I be smart enough to learn how to use it? Would I be creative enough to find a use for it?