Getting to grips with the fundamentals of photography, such as camera and exposure control, composition, and relating a story, is essential. Sadly, there are other factors that get in that cause you to fail. Here’s why it is important to break free of those and become a successful photographer.

Have you fallen behind on keeping up with the tsunami of Photoshop updates and new capabilities? Or have you wanted to master this powerful tool, but you haven't been sure where to start? Well, put on your sweatpants, order in your favorite food, and thank your lucky stars, because next week, you can join Aaron Nace, Kristina Sherk, Ben Willmore and more live from your living room all week. And the best part? It's free. No, my editors did not miss this typo, it's true, and I'm here to tell you all about it.

Long before the RF mount was even a gleam in Canon's collective eye, they had another mirrorless system: the EF-M mount. Though the mount never really caught on like the RF mount did, it was passionately supported by a group of loyal photographers who loved its small size and surprisingly affordable and capable lenses. Unfortunately, the EF-M mount has now left us, but this great video essay takes a look at the history of the system and why photographers loved it.

In the past few years, Lightroom has undergone some major revisions and has emerged with some powerful new tools that make it a far more capable image-editing application than in past years. One of its newest features is Point Color, which gives you far more control for editing the colors in an image, and this excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know about how the tool works and how to use it on your own photos.

The green screen effect (sometimes known as "chroma keying") is a useful tool for making easy composites. However, getting a clean effect takes very careful and precise lighting. If you find yourself struggling to get it just right, check out this helpful video tutorial that will show you how to properly light a green screen along with some common mistakes and how to fix them.

When autumn arrives, it's time to photograph mushrooms. Creating something unique can be challenging, but you don't need to use the most expensive or elaborate equipment, nor do you need a macro lens. I have some nice ideas for you when you go out photographing mushrooms.

A macro lens enables you to capture small subjects at a 1:1 size ratio. This means the subject appears the same size on the sensor. If a mushroom is 2.4 cm in height, it will also be 2.4 cm on the sensor. For example, with a full frame sensor measuring 36 x 24 mm, the mushroom fits perfectly within the...

It is important to start learning artificial light with a single source, as this will allow you to better understand the properties and fundamental behavior of light. Once you have mastered that, though, adding a second light will open up a lot of creative possibilities that simply would not be achievable otherwise. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced studio photographer sharing four effective two-light setups for working with models.

Photography can be a tremendously rewarding hobby or profession, but it is important that you have a realistic understanding of what it is like to be a photographer and what it takes to find success. This important video essay features an experienced photographer discussing six harsh truths that every person should be aware of.

With seven new lenses hitting the market, Canon is updating their CN cinema glass to RF mount. They’re almost identical to the original EF mount lenses that debuted in 2011.

Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, photography is a complicated craft that takes a wide range of skills in order to find success. While we spend a lot of time studying things like exposure settings and editing techniques, there are some other topics that do not get the attention they deserve. This fantastic video essay features an experienced landscape photographer offering a nice range of important advice that will help you improve your images.

It was inevitable considering the evolution of photo editing, so Skylum is adding key AI features to its very popular Luminar Neo editing software. The new features include GenErase, GenExpand, and GenSwap. The new tools will be released one by one throughout October, November, and December, starting with GenErase on October 26, 2023.

Many camera bodies and lenses have come to the forefront since the Nikon D850 was first announced in 2017, but none pair together quite as well as the D850 and Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8E ED VR. Here is why they are still a perfect pairing.

Lighting a wedding reception can be a real challenge, as you are often working in less-than-ideal environments and have to keep responding to dynamically evolving conditions, which can make it a bit intimidating for many photographers. If you would like to improve your images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced wedding photographer sharing five tips that will help you take better control of your reception lighting.

Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, going through a period where you are not feeling creatively inspired can be incredibly frustrating. So, what can you do to break out of that and get back to making photos that make you and your clients happy? Sometimes, the best solution is to become your own customer.

Elinchrom has a pretty wide range of lights on offer, but their newest edition fills a gap in their lineup that users will be happy to see.

While learning artificial lighting can feel a bit daunting, it makes you a far more versatile photographer and frees you up to explore many creative avenues that would not be possible otherwise. You do not need to start with expensive equipment, though; a speedlight and small modifier are a portable and affordable way to learn. This excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to photograph a portrait using a speedlight.

Viltrox has continued to gain a reputation as a manufacturer of lenses with performance and image quality of levels far above what their affordable prices imply. The AF 28mm f/1.8 looks to continue that tradition by offering a versatile focal length in tandem with a wide maximum aperture at a price less than half that of many first-party options, and this great video review takes a look at if it can live up to that promise.

Over the years, I have discovered that having the right equipment for the job is essential. This doesn’t just mean cameras and lenses, but also ancillary equipment like tripods and straps. I decided to give both Peak Design’s excellent Slide and the Slide Lite a try to see which would suit me best.

35mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are highly popular, as they can adeptly handle a huge range of scenarios and creative needs, ranging from weddings to astrophotography and much more. For Sony users who want one of the best options out there, the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM promises spectacular performance and image quality. Can it live up to that in real-world usage? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

The Apple iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 8 are two of the most exciting phones on the market, offering photographers and filmmakers loads of advanced capabilities sure to satisfy the needs of many creatives. Which phone is right for you? This awesome video review takes a look at the two phones to help you choose.

As a commercial artist, your portfolio is your introduction to the world. So what is the best approach to making sure that you are always putting your best foot forward?

Camera technology was in a very different place in 1998, and it was quite an exciting time, as it seemed like every month brought another major leap forward in digital technology. The PowerShot Pro70 was one of the company's first bridge cameras, coming two years before the release of the D30, their first in-house DSLR. How did this extremely early digital camera perform? This neat video review takes a look at the historical camera.

Tamron has become one of the industry's most respected lens manufacturers in recent years, creating lenses that push the boundaries of design and others that offer very practical capabilities at competitive prices. One of the latter type is the new 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD, which offers a nice range of focal lengths sure to please landscape photographers. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Mirrorless mounts have allowed the creation of increasingly lens designs, and as such, we have seen more and more rectilinear full frame lenses that push to wider and wider focal lengths, including single-digit focal lengths. One such example is the 7artisans Photoelectric 9mm f/5.6, which offers people like landscape and architectural photographers a unique field of viewer that inspires creativity. Can it offer the performance and image quality to match? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

If you had asked me a year ago what the best compact camera was, my answer would have been the Fujifilm X100V. I'm a big fan of Fujifilm's fixed lens compact line, having owned one ever since the original X100 was released in 2010. What captivated me about it 13 years ago were the straight-out-of-camera JPGs. The color rendition of the f/2 Fujinon lens was simply gorgeous.

Photography has always been a medium to preserve moments and memories, but for some artists, it serves as a source of inspiration and a window into the past. One such artist is the renowned filmmaker Wes Anderson, known for his distinct and visually captivating cinematic style, which draws upon the work of French photographer Jacques Henri-Lartigue to infuse his films. While the two artists work in different visual mediums, Henri-Lartigue's photographic compositions and Anderson's cinematic worlds share distinct visuals capturing a sense of joy and playfulness.

The true value of photographs comes from the appreciation of them in the long-term, not just for short-term beauty appreciation through digital devices. And the best way to preserve these memories is through the form of print. In today’s age of digital photography, where thousands of images can be viewed within seconds from our devices, it has clearly diminished the way we value photographs, and the act of viewing images through prints has become a forgotten art. Despite all this, I am here to advocate that printing your work is not just another option, but a commitment to your craft and a way to elevate your photography to a whole new level.

Launched five years ago, Peak Design’s Camera Cubes introduced a superb system of organizing and protecting cameras, lenses, and accessories. They have now updated the Camera Cubes with additional protection and new sizes.

The Canon EOS R1 has been in the pipeline for a few years now, and with the standards set by cameras like the Sony a1 and Nikon Z9, many users are excitedly waiting to see what kind of technology Canon will put in its flagship mirrorless camera. Thankfully, it looks like we're inching closer to learning just what the company will offer.

he Camera Cubes from Peak Design have been quite popular with photographers, offering several options for travel with cameras, lenses, drones, and the varied accessories we are all weighed down with.

The beauty of photography lies in the art of discovery, capturing images that are uniquely your own, and avoiding the cliché "downtown Los Angeles" stamp on your work.

Holiday season is officially upon us, and now is the time when we start searching the internet for what to buy your loved ones, friends, and family, or even a cheeky treat for yourself. In this article. I choose five items that I think are ideal for landscape photographers old and new.

Landscape photography is a challenging genre that requires a wide range of technical and creative skills, a lot of perseverance, and often, just a bit of luck. If you would like to improve your landscape work, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographers sharing seven useful tips sure to put you on the track to better photos.

Flash can feel a bit daunting to photographers who have not used it before, particularly when you take it outside and have to learn to balance it with the sun. You will find it a lot easier if you master a few fundamental concepts first, and it will make you a far more versatile portrait photographer. If you are ready to start learning, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.

We have a brand-new photographer shootout video in the works, and we need your help picking the winner. Click the full post and rate the four images from best to worst to decide who wins and who loses in this new "unconventional use of a backdrop" contest!

The Stella Pro Refkex S is a hybrid light that can be both a powerful constant light as well as a strobe-style flash. And with this new update, the Reflex S just got better than ever.

Composition is one of the trickiest parts of photography no matter what genre you shoot, but it can be especially challenging in genres in which you have no control over the placement of the elements in the environment, such as landscape photography. This great video features an experienced landscape photographer discussing some of the difficulties of composition and showing how even minor adjustments can make or break an image.

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the Milky Way core season is sadly coming to a close for this year and we will not see it again for another 5 or 6 months. In this fantastic video by Jeroen Linnenkamp, he chooses seven amazing night-time subjects that can keep you shooting throughout those core-less months.

The all-new Bose QuietComfort Headphones really aren't that new at all. They are almost Identical to the QC35 headphones that came out in 2016. They are boring — perfectly boring — and that's why they are my favorite headphones ever.

In this video, Christian Möhrle shows six creative ways to elevate your photos in Lightroom, such as creating a fog or light bleed effect.

Adobe Max is a three-day conference in Los Angeles, CA attended by designers, illustrators, photographers, and social media content creators. Attendees can watch presentations by Adobe representatives and attend educational sessions given by independent creators. This year, Generative AI was mentioned in many presentations. This feature is implemented in unique ways across the programs that make up Adobe’s Creative Cloud, and it often feels to the user that they have more effective communication with programs that have AI enhancement.

Canon has had their foot firmly planted on the gas when it comes to RF lenses, releasing many in a short few years and pushing the boundaries of design with some remarkably capable options. And while 2023 is coming to a close, it seems the company is not yet done, with more lenses likely to come in the next few months.

Being a creative is often anything but easy, and doubt in your abilities can creep in due to all sorts of factors. That can have serious consequences on your ability to produce images, and that can lead to a spiral of reinforcement that hinders your progress. This excellent video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the issue and why a positive mindset can lead you to compelling photos even in poor conditions.

The new Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone is here, and the company continues to place some pretty neat photography innovations in their devices. This excellent video review takes a look at the new phone, particularly its photo features, and shows the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.