The Benefits and Creative Opportunities of Hard Light

A lot of the work photographers do in modifying and controlling light for portraiture comes down to softening the light to render facial features in a more flattering way. But that does not mean that hard light does not have its place, and this quick and great video discusses three good reasons to try it out along with showing lots of examples.

Nikon D780 Rumored Specs and Announcement Date Emerge

There is no doubt that camera companies are increasingly moving into the mirrorless realm, but that does not mean DSLRs are totally done for. Fans of Nikon's DSLRs will be happy to hear that the wildly popular D750 is due to get an update fairly soon.

The Easiest Way to Replace a Sky in a Photo

I've been replacing skies manually in Photoshop for over 15 years now. It's time-consuming and tedious, but I assumed it was the only way. But now, Luminar 4 claims to be able to swap skies with a single click, and it's quite impressive.

An Introduction to VR180 Format

VR180 is a relatively new format used for the interactive and immersive content. Unlike the traditional 360-degree capturing, it only allows you to capture a limited 180-degree field of view, and according to the Google, it will be the new trend for content creators.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (December 2019): Suvi Sievilä

The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2019, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

Cramming a Large Keylight Into a Backpack

Recently Caleb Pike demonstrated an old trick with new tech, and it’s eye opening how much lighting one can cram into a tiny space these days.

7 Tips for Shooting Video With Zero Budget

Sometimes you don't get the budget you were hoping for on jobs or you want to shoot your own project without incurring too much of a financial hit. What can you do?

A Look at the Fascinating Process of Making Photo Books

Even as we are firmly planted in the digital realm, there is really nothing that can replace the tactile sensation of flipping through a photo book. However, they are not as straightforward to create as you might think, taking an impressive dose of precision and attention to detail to create the final product. This excellent video takes a behind the scenes look at the process.

What Photo-Processing Software Is Right for You?

These days, there are numerous options for cataloging and editing your photos, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. This excellent video will give you an overview of the different programs to help you decide which is right for your style and workflow.

How to Turn a White Wall Into a Black Background

When you are new to lighting, you might think you need a black background to take photos with, well, a black background, but you might be surprised to know that with some careful technique, you can make even a white wall into a black background. This great video video will give you a very practical lesson in lighting to show you how it affects the look of your background.

Submit Your Most Unique Photo
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Submit Your Most Unique Photo

Submit Your Most Unique Photo

We've all taken a photo of a pet, a landscape, a flower, or a girl walking on train tracks. We don't want to see any of that, unless of course you've figured out a way to do one of these cliche shots in a different way. We want to see something unique.

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Your Photography Is Worthless: This Is Why!

The concept of working for “credit” is not a new one, nor is it unique to photography. Yet, it is one of the few industries that everyone thinks should work for free.

Hotel Chain Attempts to Trick Photographer Into Granting Rights to Use, Sell and License His Images

A photographer is warning others after an encounter with a Hilton-owned hotel recently, which saw the company try to deceptively obtain the rights to use his images freely, including to sell. The company tried to entice him to allow them to "share" the image, but the fine print revealed it would allow the hotel to use the images for profit any way they wished.

Two Quick and Useful Tips for Using the Radial Filter in Lightroom

Lightroom is full of both global and local adjustment tools for your images, and you might be surprised by just how far you can push an edit without having to jump into Photoshop. This quick and helpful video will show you two great tricks for getting more out of the Radial Filter tool in Lightroom.

A Canon DSLR Mirrorless Hybrid Camera?

Are you a DSLR person, or are you a mirrorless person? What if you could be a DSLR/mirrorless person? Yes, a camera that acts as both a DSLR and a mirrorless. Would this be the best of both worlds or the worst of each system hacked together?

Here Are the 100 Photos That Defined the Past Decade

As photographers, we have the power to change the world through our images. As the decade comes to a close, CNN takes a look back at the 100 photos that defined the last decade in our ever-changing world.

Here's Why the iPhone Is the Best Camera for Beginners

There have been plenty of occasions where someone has asked me which camera they should buy up to a certain price point. My first question almost always is to ask them what smartphone they currently have. The reason for this is because smartphone cameras have come such a long way that they’re now viable tools for photography and video.

PSA: Use Night Sight to Improve Your Photos, Even When It’s Not Night

I’ve always known about Google’s Night Sight mode on Pixel phones as a method to take pictures in near darkness, but it seemed somewhat overkill in daylight. As it turns out, it can actually push your pictures to DSLR-like levels of detail and sharpness if you use it right.

How to Quadruple Your Portrait Profits

Scottsdale, Arizona-based headshot photographer Tony Taafe went from selling $60,000 in his first year of business to $250,000 in his third, and he wants to help other photographers do the same thing.

What Took the Crown as Best Camera of 2019?

As 2019 draws to a close, it's time to start working out which camera should be awarded the best of the year. Mirrorless, DSLR, and medium format all get a mention in this list, but which body manages to take the top spot?

Mind-Blowing Dystopian Aerial Video of Hong Kong

After months of public protest that gathered millions of people in the streets, the situation in Hong Kong is still tense. But despite the ongoing troubles, the former British colony in one of the coolest places on Earth and a talented crew captured the unique vibe of the city in a mind-blowing aerial video.

A Review of the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens

Canon's RF lenses have generally been well received, being noted for their high optical quality, even when compared to some of the company's best EF mount glass. This great video takes a look at the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens from its performance to its image quality.

A Review: Shooting With the Nikon Coolpix P1000

Back in 2018 Nikon released the Coolpix P1000, a super zoom bridge camera with an optical zoom of 125 times. No other camera has this optical zoom range. It could be an alternative for all those part time wildlife shooters. Or perhaps not?

Looking to Take Your Photography Game to the Next Level in 2020? Join the 52 Frames Weekly Photo Challenge

The new decade is just a week away, which marks the start of a new beginning. With anything new, it gives us an opportunity to set goals for ourselves, and take our photography game to the next level. If you're looking to level up your photography in 2020, joining the 52 Frames weekly photo initiative is the perfect way to flex your creative muscles each week, and become a better photographer while you're at it.

Using Photoshop to Give Your Landscapes More Impact

A whole new decade awaits you and that will likely mean a hell of a lot of photographs to be taken. Make sure your landscapes have the impact you'd hoped for by using Photoshop to give them some extra punch.

Do You Return to Images to Correct Your Mistakes?

None of us are perfect, and we all have images in which we wish we could have corrected a mistake or taken a different creative route. This great video examines the idea of taking the time to return to locations to fix past mistakes and to improve your photography.

How to Shoot Amazing Backlit Images in the Snow Using Just One Strobe

Before you drag it to the curb or bury it in the attic, you might want to consider hauling your Christmas tree outside and capturing some great shots using a single speedlight. If that’s not quite your thing, at least check out how this photographer uses snow, fading daylight, and a strobe to create a stunning series of photographs.

What Was the Best Lens of 2019?

2019 has seen a wealth of new glass with some truly amazing lenses coming to market. With new mirrorless systems starting to mature and third party manufacturers starting to make very smart compromises when it comes to keeping down the cost, how do you choose a winner?

Here Are Five Unusual Uses for Photography Umbrellas

A video recently posted by COOPH, “5 Photo Hacks with Your Umbrella,” provides photographers creative inspiration for a tool that is typically seen as single purpose. Chances are, you will finish it feeling inspired.

The Art and Science of Photography: Why Is Photography So Hard? Part I.

Ever felt a little overwhelmed at the prospect of creating a great image? Ever wonder why it seems to happen so rarely? Creating a great photograph that resonates with your audience is really complicated. But in this three-part series, we’re going to try to bring a little bit of order to that chaos!