A Photographer's Guide to Protecting Your Business and Client Relationships

Running a photography business is not as easy as you would like to think it is. A very common misconception starting in this industry would be thinking that you will be successful if you are good at taking photographs. While it was probably true decades ago, the steep competition and the change of industry landscape these days pushes the difficulty to the next level. In this article, we will be discussing an ongoing issue about client ghosting that has become increasingly common and continues to bug the industry as a whole.

Hard Truths About Photography in 2023

Photography is a very popular business to get into, but a very difficult one in which to make a stable, successful living. Why is that? What does it take to be a successful professional? This insightful video essay features a seasoned pro discussing what it takes to find success in 2023. 

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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.

A Review of the Incredible Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S Lens

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens offers the promise of being the ultimate portrait lens for Z mount shooters by offering a combination of an extremely wide maximum aperture, top-level image quality, and smooth and buttery bokeh. Can it actually provide those in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in real-world usage. 

Thoughts on Awakening Creativity

Being stuck in a creative rut can be one of the most frustrating things a photographer can experience, and paradoxically, trying to force your way through it can often only make it worse. This fantastic video essay features a photographer sharing his experience with a creative lull, what worked, what did not, and the most important lessons he took away from the experience. 

Adobe Plans to Make You Pay for Photoshop's AI Features, Even if You Have a Subscription

Photoshop's Generative Fill is possibly the single most talked about addition in the history of the program. This AI-powered feature allows users to add elements to a photograph not present in the original capture. Many creators love the feature. But that may be about to change due to a recently announced change in Adobe's pricing structure.

Peakto Announces Luminar Neo Advanced Compatibility

Luminar Neo is one of my top editors, and Peakto is my very favorite cataloging app. Bringing the two together is a win-win for editors because one of the weaknesses of Neo is their catalog/database. It's been improved some, but it certainly can't compete with Lightroom or even Adobe Bridge. 

How to Use This Powerful Lightroom Feature

Recent versions of Lightroom come with an improved and far more powerful masking panel that allows you to make precise and powerful adjustments with ease. While the purpose of some of these masks is clear, the intersection function is a bit trickier to use. It is well worth learning, though, as it will add even more power to your editing tools. This helpful video tutorial will show you what it is and how to use it. 

A Cautionary Tale for Photographers

Do you have insurance? Do you need insurance? Is this something that you've thought about and then just not gone ahead and purchased? Photography is a hobby, so I'll be covered with my home insurance should anything go wrong. Is there something in the small print that won't cover your equipment at home or overseas?

An Important Reminder That The Camera You Have Is Enough

We are absolutely inundated with gear news and discussion every single day from all corners of the internet, and while gear can certainly be a lot of fun, it is important to remember that it is the means, not the end. This important video will show you that you can create fantastic images even with a camera that is 15 years old. 

11 Useful Sony Camera Settings You Didn't Know About!

Cameras have become increasingly more complicated of late, and with that comes a complexity of menus. They can be overwhelming to work through, but hidden inside are many options that can transform your quality of life when shooting.

A Review of the New Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II Lens

A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is the option of choice for countless photographers, as it can handle a huge variety of situations and needs and produce quality images with a high degree of reliability. That being said, such lenses are often quite expensive, easily topping $2,000. If you do not need that wide aperture, a 70-200mm f/4 can be an excellent alternative. The new Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II is one such alternative, and it also brings with it 0.5x macro capabilities, making it an intriguing option. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect from it. 

Photography, CGI, and AI: Can You Tell the Difference? An Interview With Steve Hansen

Which image in the banner is a photograph, and which is computer generated? Can you even tell anymore? With the addition of computer generated imagery (CGI) and artificial intelligence, the process of creating images has provided commercial photographers more tools than ever. I sat down with award-winning food photographer Steve Hansen to discuss this topic and to delve into the question: "Is it enough to just be a photographer these days?"

Using a Nikon Z30 for Landscape Photography

Everyone likes to talk about gear, moving to a full frame camera, getting the newest camera, more megapixels, and so on. It is easy to think that you can’t take good pictures without the right gear. In this video, we see someone move from using their Nikon Z7 to using their Nikon Z30 more often.

Hands-On With the Sigma 23mm f/1.4 for Fujifilm: Is It Any Good?

There are so many lenses on the market it today we're spoiled for choice. However, this is a real positive for affordability and Sigma has positioned themselves well in that regard. One of their popular APS-C lenses is soon to be available for Fujifilm, but is it any good?

Fujifilm Has Just Announced the GFX100 II and We Were There!

Fujifilm’s newest camera and a series of lenses have, after many rumors, finally been unveiled! The successor to the outstanding GFX 100 is finally here, and it packs a punch! What is new? What is better? Is it worth the upgrade?

The Power of Creative Restraints in Photography

Have you ever packed the perfect kit for a trip only to feel weighed down by too many lens options? Or maybe you’re wandering around with a trusty zoom lens and end up missing shots while deciding which focal length to go for? This video succinctly explains why creative restraints – not flexibility – are often the key to achieving creative focus.

A Look at the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens

Macro lenses with short telephoto focal lengths are fantastically useful, capable of offering a glimpse into an amazing world all around us and pulling double duty as razor-sharp portrait options. The Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO offers a particularly high magnification ratio even by macro standards, and this awesome video takes a look at what you can create with it in the field. 

OM System Announce the New TOUGH TG-7 Adventure Camera

Historically, the Olympus TOUGH cameras were well respected by outdoor adventurers, divers, and those who work in extreme environments. The New OM System TOUGH TG-7 has taken a huge step forward with a host of exciting new features.

Everything You Need to Know About Apple's Exciting Announcements

Apple made a range of exciting announcements, including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, as well as the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Photographers and filmmakers should be particularly excited about the new iPhones, which bring with them some impressive new features sure to please creatives. Here's a nice rundown of everything announced today.

Fujifilm Has Had Its Eyes on Full Frame the Whole Time

With its innovative APS-C and medium format cameras, many have long wondered why Fujifilm has steadfastly refused to enter the full frame market. It turns out they have had their eyes on the full frame market the whole time. 

The Perfect Travel Strobe? We Review the Profoto A2

You’d be hard-pressed to find a portable flash at the level of Profoto A2 in terms of build quality, size, weight, power, ease of use, and consistency. It is genuinely a tiny marvel for any photographer. It is almost hilariously simple to set up, and yet, it delivers terrific results. Best of all, if you buy a Profoto A2 between now and October 31, you get a Connect remote for free.

That’s Why Your Camera Settings are Wrong

When we head out into the landscape to capture some epic bangers we should be full of hope and have some expectations about just what type of photos we will get and how we are going to capture them. What settings to use for each scenario can become second nature over time, however, it’s getting to that stage where most will find challenges.