Why Do Cameras All Have Such Stupid Names?

Sorry, Nikon, but why you ever thought that calling hundreds of different camera models COOLPIX would be a good idea will always confuse me. It's not just Nikon, though; camera names and naming conventions are a car crash of branding and lack of foresight. Why are they all so terrible? And which is the worst?

3 Ways to Master Abstract Photography

Abstract nature and landscape photography is a subgenre in its own right. It is a fascinating approach to nature, where the feeling of the photo is usually more important than the subject.

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Scientists Record Incredible Footage of Atoms Bonding

Forget macrophotography. Nanophotography is pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible to record, as scientists have, for the first time, captured incredible footage of previously unseen physical processes.

A First Look at the New Fujifilm X-T200 Camera

The Fujifilm X-T200 is the latest camera body from the company and the newest member of the beloved X Series line of cameras. With some notable features and a very reasonable price, it looks to be like a potential winner for lots of photographers and filmmakers. This great video takes a first look at the camera and what you can expect from it.

Using the New Canon 1D X Mark III to Shoot the NFL Playoffs

The 1D X Mark III is undoubtedly a powerhouse on paper, with specs that are sure to make any photographer drool. But do those specs translate to the sort of real-world performance working pros need? This excellent video discusses how it holds up when put to the test in the challenging environment of the NFL playoffs.

Are Your Photos Interesting Enough?

We all talk about the importance of finding your visual style, but do you really know why you need one? It's more than just being unique; a visual style is key to shooting photos with interest. And it's that interest that keeps people coming back.

Film Isn't Vegan: Why You Should Potentially Reconsider Shooting It if You Care About Animals

Film photography is enjoying a bit of a resurgence at the moment, with many people flocking to it for reasons ranging from the abundance of cheap used equipment, to the enjoyment of the process, or the look of the results. And while film can certainly be both a fun and rewarding way to shoot, it is important to be aware of its downsides as well, one of them being the fact that it is not friendly to animals.

How to Edit a Raw Image in Photoshop

Photoshop is a tremendously capable program full of tons of capabilities, but one of the most fundamental and useful of them is Camera Raw. If you are new to Photoshop, this helpful video will show you just how much you can accomplish using Camera Raw to edit your images.

How to Color Grade Your Images Using the Levels Tool in Photoshop

Color grading is a pivotal step in putting the finishing polishes on an image and developing your own personal style. If you are new to the technique, this great video will show you how you can quickly and effectively color grade an image using the Levels tool in Photoshop.

What Was the First Photo You Took That Got You Hooked on Photography?

If you were anything like me when you first started in photography, you probably took a metric ton of pictures of just about anything you could point your camera at. But what was the first photo you took that got you truly excited about photography? Did it change your path through photography or even life itself?

When Should You Underexpose Your Images?

Underexposing is one of the most common techniques photographers in many different genres use, and it can be quite a beneficial way to shoot, but that does not mean it is always the appropriate way to shoot. This helpful video discusses the benefits of underexposing your images, when it might be right for your workflow, and when you should avoid it.

Top Five Life Rules for Photographers

Photography is a microcosm for the real world, and in many ways, it mirrors it. Here are my top five rules for life that I've transferred to photography.

5 Helpful Tips for Retouching Portraits in Luminar 4

Skylum's Luminar 4 is quite the fascinating application, particularly with its artificial intelligence features that are meant to save you lots of time in post-processing work while still delivering quality results. If you are interested in using Luminar 4 to retouch portraits, this great video will give you five tips to ensure you get the best possible results.

Should Fujifilm Completely Discontinue the X-H1 Series of Cameras?

When the X-H1 was first announced, I wrote an article talking about how it was a disappointing release from Fujifilm. My thoughts about that camera haven't really changed; however, since rumors of the X-T4 started to circulate, I've had a think about the H series and where it sits in the line-up.

Understanding Color Space and How It Affects Your Photos

Do you understand the differences in color spaces? Have you ever exported a photo out of Adobe Photoshop after some editing, and once you upload it online, the colors appear to be completely different? Perhaps the colors now look muted and dull?

Here's Why It's a Great Idea to Invest in Digital Asset Management

When I first started out in photography I didn't have any specific process to manage any of my images and files. This is one of the primary reasons I don't have many of my early images anymore. It's a shame because I was quite proud of some of the images I had produced.

My 3 Favorite Tips for Photographing Models

Photographers: if you're looking to have a smoother shoot, you might want to try these few tips that really contribute to my photography sessions. Remember, it's how you manage a shoot that really contributes to someone's opinion of you, assuming the photography is already done well.

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Your Photography: Hahnemühle's Green Papers

Optical printing is a dirty and time-consuming process. The chemicals involved in printing are bad for you and bad for the environment. Digital printing hasn’t changed much of this impact for the better. The chemicals used to treat photographic printer paper aren’t great for the environment. The paper itself uses a significant amount of resources to cultivate. Do you ever wonder if there is a better alternative?

5 Great Pieces of Photography Advice I Have Received

I have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of some great advice over the years. In this article, I go over the five bits that have resonated the most with me and that I think of on every shoot.

How Useful Is Sky Replacement in Luminar 4 and Should You Use It?

With the release of Luminar 4, it has become amazingly easy to replace a boring sky with something more appealing. You only need to pick the sky of your choice, and the artificial intelligence part of the program does an amazing job in masking out the sky and changing it into something else. But should you use it?

6 Helpful Tips for Better Wide-Angle Portraits

Traditionally, portrait lenses fall somewhere around 85-135mm, perhaps a little wider at times. But that does not mean you should totally discount ultra-wide angle lenses; in fact, in certain situations, they can be just the right piece of gear to help you create something more unique than the standard shot. Nonetheless, they require some special considerations. This great video will give you six tips to ensure you can get the best wide angle portraits possible.

A Review of the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens

We would all love to have the absolutely astounding supertelephoto primes that the pros use, but with prices well into five figures, they are simply not in the cards for most of us. Luckily, in the last few years, companies have been releasing better and better long zooms at more affordable prices. This great review takes a look at the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens.

An Easy Way to Work With Hyperfocal Distance

Hyperfocal distance is one of the most convenient techniques in landscape photography, as it allows you to maximize the amount of your image that is in focus without resorting to more involved techniques such as focus stacking. If you do not want to deal with mental math or looking up values in a table, this great video will give you a quick and easy method for employing hyperfocal distance in your own work.

When Does Gear Matter in Photography?

We often hear the refrain that gear does not matter and a talented photographer should be able to create good images no matter what they are using. And while the advice is well intentioned, it is incomplete at best, and it is important to consider the situations in which gear actually does matter and how carefully thinking about your needs and budget can lead to better images. This excellent video examines that exact issue.

Unlimited Backgrounds Using Just Your TV

Finding backgrounds for indoor portraiture can be a pain after a while. You can get mileage out of proper backdrops and different lighting setups, but there's an option for punchy portraits with for all intents and purposes, unlimited variations.

My Week With a Hasselblad

I recently got the chance to use the new Hasselblad X1D II for a week. It was my first experience with medium format and required a bit of adapting on a learning curve. Here are my first impressions about the body, design, lenses, and general usability of the camera.

How I Got the Shot: Precise Light and Green Wash

I absolutely adore the precise placement of light, and recently, during a model test, I decided to play around with it, utilizing a new tool, ending up with my first portfolio shot of 2020.

The Rule of Thirds Is Overrated

The rule of thirds is completely overrated. There, I said it. Nope, I am not going to take it back.

5 Different Looks You Can Create Using V-Flats in Studio

V-flats are some of the most flexible and useful accessories a studio photographer can have. This great video will show you five different portrait lighting setups you can create using v-flats in studio.

edelkrone Releases New Motorized Portable Camera Jib

Continuous static shots in videos can get stale pretty fast. Adding clean, smooth motion pans into your video work has gotten even easier with the latest camera jib release from edelkrone.

An Introduction to Studio Strobe Lights

If you are not proficient in artificial lighting, it can see a bit like its own world with its own language. Never fear, though, this great video will get you up to speed on what studio strobes are, how they work, and how to integrate them into your personal workflow.

How to Use Photoshop to Remove Distracting Objects From an Image

One of the most fundamental and useful capabilities of Photoshop is the ability to remove distracting elements convincingly and efficiently, something that can improve or even save a wide range of photos. If you are new to Photoshop, this helpful video will show you how to use a combination of the Spot Healing Brush and Clone Stamp tools to remove distractions from your images.

A Free Fashion Photography Tutorial Using the Fujifilm GFX 100

Recently I got my hands on the new Fujifilm GFX 100 medium format camera and thought it would be fun to create a free fashion photography tutorial showing my entire workflow. The goal of this shoot was to create a bunch of different looking styled shoots using natural light in combination with a few strobes.