Using a Simple LED Light Setup During a Portrait Session

Remove the complications and long lists of equipment that you think you need to create stunning portraits. Look at what Irene Rudnyk can achieve shooting with this simple LED light set up in her living room.

Leaving Your Comfort Zone: Landscape Photographer Shoots Portraits

As a photographer, my lens has been my window to the world, a conduit through which I've captured the grandeur of nature's landscapes. From the sweeping vistas of mountains to the tranquil embrace of forests, I've dedicated my craft to preserving the beauty of the outdoors. Yet, a whisper of curiosity has tugged at me, urging me to step outside my comfort zone and explore the realm of portrait photography for a long time.

The Importance of Patience in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography can often be a very slow process that requires a lot of preparation followed by a lot of waiting for just the right conditions and right light to develop in front of you. If you are willing to wait, though, you will often be rewarded with worthwhile images. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the importance of patience in the craft.

A Review of the Affordable and Impressive Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 XF Lens

Viltrox has quickly become one of the most competitive manufacturers of lenses, creating options that offer excellent performance and image quality at some of the best prices in the industry. The relatively new AF 75mm f/1.2 offers APS-C users an extremely wide aperture in tandem with a portrait focal length, making it an intriguing option for many photographers, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage.

What Is a Centerfield Split Diopter?

Have you ever wondered how photographers achieved that etherial blurred effect? Well, it can be done in Photoshop, but it turns out there's a filter available to create the same results if not better.
What to Think About When You Want to Photograph in a War-Torn Country

I get questions like these daily, mostly from inexperienced or new photojournalists who want to get into documentary photography. I often repeat the same answers, so I figured it might be useful to put it all into a single article. So, here are the bare basics of high-risk documentary photography.

Is Less Camera Gear Better for Your Landscape Photography?

Do you ever feel like you carry too much camera gear when out practicing landscape photography? A camera bag, a camera body, a trio of lenses, batteries, filters, a tripod, maybe a drone or action cam: it all adds up. This video looks at taking a minimal approach and some of the advantages that it brings.

Think Twice Before You Purchase More Photography Gear

A lot of interesting photography equipment is released almost every week. This could be an upgrade to something you currently are using or something new that you've never considered buying before. However, think twice about spending your hard-earned money on new photography equipment.

A Review of the New Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Lens

Viltrox has continued to establish themselves as a manufacturer of capable lenses that are priced quite competitively, making their options intriguing for a wide range of photographers and filmmakers. Their latest lens, the Viltrox PRO Series AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro, offers Fujifilm users a relatively neutral equivalent focal length of 40mm in tandem with an extremely wide maximum aperture of f/1.2, making it a potential workhorse for many applications. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in use.

A Review of the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 Art Lens

Back in 2017, Sigma released the 14mm f/1.8 Art, a lens which offered the widest maximum aperture seen in a full frame 14mm lens by more than a full stop. Now, they have released the 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, which offers even more light-gathering power and sits as the world's widest f/1.4 full frame lens. Can its performance and image quality match those impressive specs? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

Should You Upgrade Your Camera or Your Lens First?

Photography equipment is not cheap, and as such, it pays to think long and hard about where exactly you are spending your money. And so, when it comes time to upgrade some of your gear, is it better to put your money toward a camera or a lens first? This helpful video tutorial features an experience photographer discussing the topic and offering some great advice to help you ensure you get the equipment that will serve you and your budget best.

How to Use the Power of Negative Space to Improve Your Photos

We often think of photo composition in an additive way, including an increasing numbers of elements in the frame to balance each other out, until the shot feels relatively full and satisfying. However, thinking about how you can leave things out of the image can often be a great way to reduce distractions and bring your viewer's attention back to the subject. This great video tutorial discusses negative space and how to use it in your images.

Funleader x Brightin Star XSLIM-M Lens Review

Over the past few years, there has been a remarkable rise in M and LTM lens manufacturers, throwing in with Leica and Voigtlander in an attempt to carve out some space of their own. Many of these lenses lean towards the more affordable side of the marketplace, with TTArtisan and 7Artisan joined by revived "classics" like Meyer-Optik Görlitz or handmade, artisanal lenses like MS-Optics.

Can Photoshop's Generative Fill Fix Old Photos?

Photoshop's Generative Fill feature has generated a ton of buzz in the last few months with its ability to drastically edit and alter photos in just a few seconds. One photo task that can often be tedious is restoring old or damaged photos, and a lot of Generative Fill's capabilities seem perfectly tailored to the task. Can it save you a lot of time and effort? This great video takes a look.

An Unusual Approach to Editing a Landscape Photo

One of the neat things about landscape photography is that any one frame can be edited in numerous ways to produce many vastly different but equally compelling results. And while many editing techniques are somewhat ubiquitous across all those different styles, this interesting video tutorial explores an unusual but simple approach to adding more atmosphere to foggy landscape images.

5 Helpful Tips for Improving Your Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a challenging genre that requires the confluence of technical skill, creative vision, careful planning, physical effort, and sometimes, a bit of luck. If you would like to improve your landscape photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers five useful tips sure to put you on the track to better images.

Improve Your Landscape Photography Composition With One Element

Composition can be one of the hardest skills of landscape photography to learn for more pleasing images. The rules can be overwhelming: the rule of thirds, leading lines, golden ratio, and more. This video brings it all down to one element to help master composition and landscape photography.

A Review of the New Hasselblad XCD 28mm f/4 P Lens

The new Hasselblad XCD 28mm f/4 P offers uses a very portable wide angle lens that still brings with it some innovative features and the promise of image quality able to keep up with the demands of 100-megapixel medium format lenses, making it intriguing for a range of applications, particularly street photography. Can it live up to those high demands in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.

Is This the Best Filter System on the Market?

When it comes to different filter systems, they may seem simple, but they can have wildly differing user experiences, with some a breeze to use and others an awkward, fumbling debacle. Is this magnetic system the best on the market?

Should You Be Chasing Photo Trends?

Social media is bigger than ever, and that means more photos are being posted than ever before. With all those images being posted, there can be some powerful trends, and it can be easy to wonder if you should be following them yourself in order to stay relevant. This insightful video essay discusses the issue and offers some thoughts on how closely we should follow the crowd.

Why Framed Canvas Is the Preferred Method of Delivering Photo Prints

In today’s world of photography where we are spoiled with choices, selecting the ideal method for delivering photo prints can be a daunting task. With an array of options available, photographers often find themselves constantly in a dilemma of choosing the perfect print method that is not only capable of showcasing their work in the best physical form but also provides an exceptional experience for their clients.

Ethereal Landscapes With the Hasselblad X2D Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

In the world of photography, the name "Hasselblad" resonates with elegance, precision, and uncompromising quality. Enter the Hasselblad X2D, a piece of technological artistry that has the power to transform mundane moments into breathtaking visual narratives. Thanks to the creative prowess of Gavin Hardcastle, an acclaimed photographer and filmmaker, we are treated to a captivating video that showcases the Hasselblad X2D's capabilities.

From Stuck to Inspired: Breaking Free From Photographer's Block

Photographer's block, also known as creative block, is a common challenge that many photographers encounter during their artistic journey. It is a frustrating and sometimes overwhelming feeling of being stuck, unable to find inspiration or ideas for new photographic projects. Photographer's block can affect photographers of all levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals. However, it is essential to recognize that it is a natural part of the creative process. In this article, we will explore the causes of photographer's block and provide practical strategies to unlock creativity and overcome this creative hurdle.

How Good Is This Affordable 'Cookie' Lens?

Venus Optics is known for making some of the most unique lenses on the market today. Their 10mm f/4 Cookie lens takes the classic pancake design and turns it into a very wide focal length, making it an intriguing option for any photographer looking for a portable (and affordable) walkaround option for things like hikes and travel photography. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

A Review of the New Fujifilm X-S20 Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm's X Series of mirrorless cameras are some of the most beloved options out there, offering a great combination of a traditional and highly functional user experience in tandem with modern features and capabilities. The X-S20 offers a nice balance of features and cost, making it an intriguing option for many photographers. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

A Review of the Nikon 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens

Ultra-wide angle zoom lenses with f/2.8 apertures are popular for everything from weddings and events to landscapes and astrophotography. Nonetheless, such lenses are often rather expensive, frequently costing north of $2,000. And so, at $996, the Nikon 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD is a breath of fresh air. Can it keep up with more expensive competitors? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.

Filmmakers Robbed at Gunpoint: Running The Entire Length of Africa

Over 100 days ago, Russ Cook (aka The Hardest Geezer), who aims to become the first person ever to run the entire length of Africa, set off on this epic 15,000-kilometer journey. Join me in this article as I interview the filmmakers behind this epic adventure and find out what has happened.

Which of These Incredible Lenses Is Better?

As a Canon user, perhaps no lens has me more jealous of other camera systems than the 35-150mm f/2-2.8. Arguably one of the most versatile lens designs, such lenses can cover a huge range of needs and applications. Both Tamron and Samyang make 35-150mm f/2-2.8 options with different advantages and prices. Which is right for you? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both to help you decide.

Robert Capa at D-Day: What Was and Could've Been

In the archives of photography, few moments have been as pivotal as Robert Capa's coverage of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Capa stepped onto the beaches of Normandy and captured the raw intensity of one of the most significant events of World War II, and, it can be argued, one of the most significant events in history. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, Capa's work stands as a testament to the power and importance of photojournalism. We've all seen the photos. They are some of the most iconic images captured during war. However, due to a darkroom mishap, many of those moments he captured are gone forever.

How to Light a Fashion and Hair Competition Portrait

Lighting can make or break a portrait, and sometimes, you will be asked by a client to tailor your lighting design to accentuate specific characteristics or features of your subject. In this great video tutorial, you will see a photographer team up with a world-class barber to create images for a hairstyling competition and learn how a combination of lighting and editing came together to create the final images.

Why Sharp Photos Sometimes Don't Look Sharp

It can be a strange experience to take a photo you know is sharp, only for it to look soft despite getting everything right. If you know your technique is solid, but your photos still do not look sharp enough, check out this great video tutorial that discusses some of the reasons technically sharp photos can look soft and what you can do to improve them.

Simple Editing Tricks for Adding Emphasis to Your Landscape Photos

Almost no landscape image is finished when you press the shutter; pretty much every photo you take is going to require some level of editing to produce a finished product. Editing does not have to be complicated, though. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing some useful and straightforward techniques for creating compelling edits of your landscape images.

Macro Gone Mobile: We Review SANDMARC Macro 100mm for iPhone

If you've wanted to try macro photography but didn't want to outlay on all the special equipment necessary, you're in luck. If you're an iPhone user, SANDMARC has a 100mm Macro lens you can screw onto your phone, and I put it through its paces.

Canon Readies More Advanced Camera Sensors

The Canon EOS R3 represented a major step forward for the company, bringing with it the first stacked sensor in a Canon camera, helping them to get back into competition with the likes of Sony. It looks like the company intends to bring that technology to more cameras soon.

A Review of the Pergear 14mm f/2.8 Mark II Lens

14mm f/2.8 lenses are useful for range of applications, particularly landscape and astrophotography. At less than $300, the Pergear 14mm f/2.8 Mark II is on the affordable end of the spectrum, making it an intriguing option. Can it keep up with more expensive lenses? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

What Happened to Photo Credits?

Back in my college days, when I first started taking photographs, I pursued magazine photography because I loved seeing my name printed in the magazine. Often, I wasn’t being paid for my services and the photo credit was payment enough for me. When I incorporated my business some 20+ years ago, I named my company "photo: John Ricard, LLC" because it resembled a photo credit.

Are You Cropping Your Landscape Photos Correctly?

One of the best benefits of digital images with high resolution is that you can crop them to essentially aspect ratio you please, but there is a drawback as well: we often do not put as much thought into the final crop of a photo before we press the shutter as we did in the days of film. This great video tutorial discusses the issue and offers some helpful advice for better crops of your landscape photos.

A Review of the Versatile Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM Lens

In the past few years, we have seen some nice advancements in the quality of superzoom lenses, and there are now several options that offer good results along with the unmatched versatility of a huge range of focal lengths. For Canon shooters, there is the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Is This the Ultimate Wedding Photography Lens?

Wedding photographers place a lot of demands on their lenses: they need wide apertures, great autofocus performance, sharp image quality, and a variety of focal lengths. As such, most wedding photographers carry several lenses, which can be both expensive and a bit of a logistical pain. And so, the thought of a lens that could replace several lenses and do so at a far cheaper price is quite intriguing. Can it offer the sort of performance and image quality wedding photographers need? This great video takes a look.

How to Price Your Photography

There are no hard and fast set of rules for how to price your photography, which can make it difficult to know how to set your prices in order to make a decent profit without driving away too many potential clients. If you are new to the business of photography, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you some fantastic advice on pricing your work.