Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (November 2019): Juhamatti Vahdersalo

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.

How to Convert a Film Negative to a Digital File Without Using a Scanner

Getting film developed is expensive, and depending on where you send it, it can take more than a few days. If you find yourself with some old negative film strips and you're wondering how they would look today, check out this fun tutorial for developing them in Photoshop.

How to Create High-Contrast Portraits

In this video, Mark Wallace explains how to take high-contrast images. He also explains some key terms that you should think about when you shoot this type of portraits.

How the Table Affects Your Image in Product Photography

Product photography is a highly intricate and precise genre in which you have to be able to control every last angle and reflection. This helpful video discusses how the table on which you are shooting can affect the results while demonstrating on a wine bottle.

A Review of the Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

Sigma's modern design is based around building affordable lenses with high optical quality, with size taking a lower priority to the former two points. One of the lenses that most obviously embodies this is the 40mm f/1.4 Art. This great video review takes a look at this humongous but impressive lens.

A First Look at the Cheap and Portable Nikon Z 50

The Nikon Z 50 is the latest mirrorless camera from the company and the first to offer a DX format (crop) sensor. Along with that smaller size is a smaller price, making it an intriguing option for photographers and videographers looking for a portable camera or a good backup option. This great video takes a first look at the new Z 50.

Creating Hard and Soft Light With the Same Speedlight

You might not think speedlights are that flexible in terms of the quality of light they can output, but with a bit of ingenuity and an understanding of the basics of light, you can get both hard and soft light out of just a single speedlight. This helpful video will show you how it is done.

How to Choose the Right Camera for You

As the holiday deals start to roll in, you may be eyeing a new camera for your kit. But modern cameras are complex, intricate devices, and you might feel a bit overwhelmed in trying to choose the right one for you. This helpful video discusses some great tips and ideas for choosing a camera that you will be happy with.

How to Get Your First Ad Campaign

Photography is a tough profession to get into. Just knowing how to get from A to B can be half of the battle. In this article I go over 3 tips to help get your first ad campaign.

Check out This Nikon D750 for Under $1,000

It’s Black Friday, and while many times, that means camera companies just printing their regular prices in large, black type and calling it a sale, here’s one that’s a legit screamin’ deal: The Nikon D750 is now on sale for $997.

Are Smartphones Really Better Than Some Professional Photographers?

Time-honored English fashion and portrait photographer David Bailey is 81. His prominent heyday was a time that now seems remote — one of a young Mick Jagger and the four Beatles. Now Bailey himself thinks that the day of the star professional photographer is gone forever.

Is JPEG Dead?

We’ve had a great run together, and you served us well, but the time has come that we move on. You didn’t do anything wrong, even though others preached that we, photographers, should always use raw instead of you, JPEG. Those who preached only raw and nothing but raw didn’t understand how you, JPEG, were needed and helped digital photography to explode. Yet all good things must come to an end.

Five Helpful Tips for Retouching Portraits in Photoshop

Retouching portraits in Photoshop is a complicated and nuanced task, and it is important to be proficient with every step in the process to produce a top-quality result. This great video shares five tips and tricks for retouching portraits in Photoshop.

Tiny but Powerful: A Review of the Sony RX100 VII

Sony's RX100 line of cameras has evolved into a powerhouse packed into a tiny body, making it a great option for photographers who would like a camera they can drop in their pocket on the go that will still deliver stellar image quality. This great review takes a look at the latest in the line, the RX100 VII.

When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Camera?

Nowadays, it seems like cameras are released at a breakneck pace, but at the same time, modern cameras are highly capable devices already. As such, you might be wondering when it is the right time to upgrade your camera. If you are in that situation, this great video will give you some guidance on if it is time to upgrade or if you should sit tight with what you already have.

Why Is Instagram’s Explore Tab so Terrible?

Facebook recently published an article on its Artificial Intelligence blog explaining the complex processes that are used to select content for Instagram’s Explore tab. Given the technical genius and intricate programming involved, why is this Explore tab so bad and damaging to content creators?

10 Common Questions on Switching to Capture One From Lightroom and Capture One Black Friday Sale!

If you're looking for a raw processor that does more and are not currently using Capture One, it's likely that in your quest for a solution, Capture One has crossed your mind. Making the switch to Capture One from Lightroom, for example, is easier and quicker than you think, and right now, with Capture One's Black Friday sale, it's the perfect time to buy.

Sibling Rivalry: A Comparison of Kodak's Portra 160, 400, and 800

Kodak’s Portra 400 is arguably the most popular color negative film stock in the world right now and for good reason. For those that don’t already know, Kodak offers two other variants in the Portra family: Portra 160 and Portra 800.

The Technique and Artistry of Long Exposure Photography

One of the first things almost everyone likes to do when they get their first real professional camera is play with taking long exposures. If you are ready to take your long exposures to the next level, this fantastic video will show you how its done and give you some helpful tips for composing better images.

A Beginner's Guide to Lens Hoods

It is not probably a topic that has you glued to the edge of your seat with anticipation, but few accessories can have a more universally positive effect on your image quality than a lens hood. If you are new to photography, this helpful video will explain how they work and why so many photographers use them.

15 Ideas and Tips for Winter Landscape Photography

Like it or not, winter is upon us, and while you may not enjoy the freezing cold temperatures and snow, they do bring with them the opportunity for lots of stunning landscape photography. If you are ready to put on your boots, grab your camera, and head outside into the chilly weather, this helpful video will give you 15 tips and ideas to make the most of it.

4 Marketing Mistakes I Made in Photography

Getting photography clients is never easy and there are a host of videos and articles out there claiming certain strategies to be king. I thought it might be useful to learn from my mistakes instead. Here are 5 marketing mistakes I’ve Made.

SLR Lounge Has Incredible Photography Resources on Sale

We're big fans of SLR Lounge. Alongside our friendly rivalry in photography shoot-offs, we have a huge appreciation for the education and tools they provide to photographers. That's why we think you should pay attention to their Black Friday sale.

12 Weeks of Christmas: 6 of the Greatest Digital Camera Firsts

Digital cameras are so pervasive in photography that it is difficult to remember a time when it was only possible to shoot on film. Yet as pervasive they are with the market is only about 30 years young, what are the six greatest "firsts" that we have seen in that time?

Need Some Inspiration? How to Live for the Story and Create Compelling, Authentic Photographs

If you need a small dose of inspiration to shoot more and immerse yourself in your photography, check out this short video from respected travel photographer Mitchell Kanashkevich. For Kanashkevich, living for the story has meant shaping his life around photography, and he draws on this experience to help you discover creativity and authenticity through your work.

Fall Landscapes and Changing Your Mindset

Landscape photography is just as much about creating a plan as it is about being able to change that plan when what you are hoping for simply won’t work. Here’s a simple reminder to get out of your own way when creating art in the field.

How to Get a Photography Agent

This is a question that I get asked all of the time. Getting a photography agent can really help you career, but getting one can be very tricky and there isn't that much information out there to help.