Behind the Scenes on a Backyard Studio Shoot

Not everyone has the luxury of having tons of room in their home for a photoshoot or large enough windows for those natural light photographers. Without having to leave the comfort of your home, one option for some would be to take their studio setup outside, weather permitting, of course.

What Camera Do Professional Photographers Really Want?

Camera brands are constantly trying to sell up new technology. But, what do professional photographers really want? We have finally made it through a megapixel race and seemingly into an autofocus and mirrorless arms race.

The Nikon Z 50: Is This Camera a Mistake?

Among all of the major manufacturers currently operating in the photography industry, Nikon seems not to be in the strongest position. The battle for the number one position seems to be taking place between Canon and Sony, with Nikon destined for third place. Is Nikon falling behind because it's been making all the wrong decisions?

Submit Your Best Interpretation of "Wet" Images
Critique the Community

Submit Your Best Interpretation of "Wet" Images

Critique the Community: Wet

What do you think of when you hear the word "wet?" Maybe it's a rain storm. Perhaps it's a seascape. Others might be reminded of a rainy wedding you had to shoot.  In the next Critique the Community, we are asking you to submit your most powerful images that represent the word "wet."

This contest has ended.
How to Build a Cheap Photographic Scrim

I love scrims. I don't actually remember the last time that I did a photoshoot without one. In this video, I go over the different options as well as how I build my own scrims.

12 Weeks of Christmas: 11 Biggest Photo Facts

In this installment of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas, we have the 11 biggest and boldest possible facts in photography. They don't come any bigger than this!

Get More out of Your Tablet When Editing in Photoshop or Lightroom

Are you using a tablet for your Photoshop and Lightroom editing? Yes? But are you getting the most out of your Wacom tablet? Probably not if you are like most photographers. You probably set it up on the first day and haven’t gone back to activate all those remaining features.

Hack Your Camera and Taser Your Subjects, Yes Really

Hacked cameras, tasers, and portrait photography are not elements you'd usually find together, and for very good reason too! This creative programmer is about to combine all these things for some hilarious photographic results.

Why You Should Care That DSLRs Are Dying

I am not a big tech fan; I don’t overly get involved in tech reviews, but the death of the DSLR is something that does concern me, and here is why you should be worried to.

NFL Photographer Knocked Down by Player Who Later Messages Her to Check She's OK

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is being heaped with praise by fans online over the way he handled accidentally knocking a photographer to the ground. In a clip from the game, he is seen helping her up, and later private messaged her through her social pages to check she was OK.

10 Tips for Turning Pro in 2020

If your goal for 2020 is to become a full time professional, make sure that you start doing these things now.

How to Use the Ansel Adams Zone System in the Digital World

Our histogram shows 256 shades of gray. Besides pure black and pure white Ansel Adams used only nine shades to manipulate the contrast in his famous landscape photos. His zone-system can still be used for our modern digital photography.

Ask the Pros: Five Tips for Better Portrait Photography

Portrait photographers know how overwhelming it can feel to create work that depends on collaboration with a complete stranger. With this in mind, I asked five professional photographers in central Texas for their top portrait photography tips.

National Geographic Photographers Explain What It Means to Be a Contributor to the Famous Publication

National Geographic Magazine has been educating people since 1888 about cultures, places, wildlife, and science. While the writing is always well researched and written, it is the photography supporting the essays that has really captured the attention of its readers. Some of its current crop of contributing photographers discuss their roles, photos, and why photography plays an important part of raising awareness in this video.

How Animation Like Toy Story 4 Is Evolving to Replicate Real Filmmaking

To some degree, animation, at least in films, has always attempted to capture that cinematic feel. However, in the last few movies made by Pixar, there has been a real attempt made to replicate camera techniques and lens characteristics that seemingly most of the audience wouldn't notice.

Knowing When to Upgrade Your Camera

Buying a new camera is a big investment and probably something you have been pondering for a while. In this video, I go over my three key decisions on if an upgrade is required or not.

Photographing Jackson Hole Wildlife With the Sony a7R IV and 200-600mm

In late September 2019, I joined up with three other wildlife and landscape photographers to take on Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a few days surrounding the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) WildSpeak West symposium. In this video I review my best images taken with my new gear from this short but productive three-day trip to the Tetons.

Is Canon Planning to Release a 5D Mark V?

Many seem fairly certain that the1D X Mark III will be the last flagship full frame sports and wildlife shooter from Canon when it is released next year, but what other DSLRs will reach the market given the pressure of mirrorless? It appears that DSLRs are not dead, as new rumors suggest that a 5D Mark V might be in the pipeline.

Security Expert Warns Against Making V-Sign in Photos, Claims Fingerprints Can Be Lifted From Social Media Pictures

Displaying a “peace” V-sign when having a picture taken has become a staple pose for many in recent years. However, a new Chinese cybersecurity expert is warning that advances in camera phone technologies could mean the public is uploading photos to social media in high enough quality for it to be possible to “extract enough detail to make a perfect copy.”

Felix Hernandez Lands 'Rover' on the Moon

A long-time friend of Fstoppers Felix Hernandez shoots an out of this world cover for Top Gear Magazine. This project is a perfect example of how brands, publications, and artists can collaborate authentically.

Block Working for Photographers

If you haven't already heard, block working is certainly the trendy way of getting things done at the moment. I recently applied it to my working week and it has pretty much freed up one entire day most weeks.

Two Teens Arrested in Connection With Photographer's Death, Admit to Pushing Log off Cliff

The recent mystery of a photographer’s death appears to have been solved after two Ohio teenagers were arrested when one sent text messages to a friend admitting he had “done something serious.” It has also emerged that the photographer died as a result of being struck by a 75-pound log, which hit her as she shot senior portraits in a public park.

How to Use Lightroom's Texture Tool

Lightroom recently added the Texture tool to the Develop module, and it brings with it new capabilities to the program. If you have not had much time to play around with the slider yet, this great video will show you everything you need to know about how to use the slider and where it can be helpful on your own images.

100 Years of Photographic History for Olympus

This past weekend, The Olympus Corporation turned 100 years old. A review of Olympus' history is eye opening. I didn't realize that Olympus was originally a healthcare company, and it remains a leader in certain healthcare fields today.

Art, Ethics, and the Power of a Good Story

Many interesting ethical issues arise across the photographic genres from the perspective of the photographer, their subjects, and their audience. This video on the broader subject of art and ethics, generally, presents a number of questions and thought experiments designed to get us thinking about the roles that art and ethics play in our lives.

Maximizing Social Media Without Doing Anything New

Posting on social media can be tough. Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing new to share at all. Maybe the problem is you’re not using all the opportunities out there. You might be missing some ways to squeeze more juice out of the content orange.

Knowing What to Look for When Hiring an Assistant During the Busy Season

Recently the studio hired a new assistant for the busy holiday season. While the intention was for light assistant work it quickly changed when the applicant mentioned they knew album design, retouching, and much more. Before sitting down with an applicant, have you thought about the possibilities of what more they could do for you?

11 Great Ways to Give Back With Your Photography Skills

Photographers have the special gift of being able to create memorable images that can leave a lasting impact on those who view them. If you are interested in using your skills to make the world a better place, check out this great video that will show you 11 ways you can use your photography to improve the world.

A Comprehensive Review of the Sony a7R IV

The Sony a7R IV brings the company's latest innovations and improvements to the popular line of high-resolution full frame cameras. Along with its new sensor come a bevy of new upgrades and refinements to existing features, making it an interesting choice for a lot of photographers. This comprehensive and thorough review takes a deep look at the camera to help you decide if it is right for you.

A Fascinating Look at How Film Cameras Superimposed Dates on Photos

If you have ever shot with certain film cameras of the past, you have probably noticed that the prints came back to you with the date of capture superimposed on them in the bottom corner. It is a neat and very useful function, and this fun video will show you how cameras of the past made it happen.

Learn Bounce Flash: Quick and Easy Lighting

Soft and beautiful lighting is the quintessential ideal for many portrait photographers, but what do you do when you need to work quickly in multiple locations?