Is This the New King of Portrait Lenses?
The 85mm focal length is a staple in photography, with many portrait photographers gravitating toward it. Is this new 85mm f/1.2 version the new king of portrait lenses?
How to Fail at Being a Photographer
Nobody wants to fail at photography, do they? Success and failure are both achievable, although the latter is easier. This is how to set about failing and, therefore, succeeding.
The Difference Between Making and Taking Photos
Though the words only differ by a single letter, the difference between making and taking an image could not be more immense. One is a passive approach meant to capture what occurs in front of the camera should something interesting cross its view, while the other is an active engagement in the creative process that draws on the technique, imagination, and foresight of the photographer. This great video takes you behind the scenes of a stunning wildlife image to show you the difference and why it matters.
Auto-Mask Everything at Once: New Tool in Photoshop Is Absolutely Incredible
Have you used this little-known tool in recent versions of Photoshop? Have you even seen it? It makes editing images so much easier. See it in use here.
How to Isolate Your Subject With Moody, Dark Tones Using Lightroom
A creative and well-executed edit can take a modest snapshot and turn it into an eye-catching image. Lightroom's new masking features contain some impressively powerful tools that allow you to quickly and accurately select and edit different parts of your image, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to take advantage of them to create a moody, dark-toned edit that helps your subject pop out from that atmosphere.
DxO Adds Some Powerful New Features to PhotoLab 6.3
DxO PhotoLab is well regarded as one of the finest raw editors available for pro and semi-pro photographers. Although certainly not as well known as the Adobe products like Photoshop and Lightroom, it offers very powerful tools that have gotten a lot of attention.
A Review of the Affordable New Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera
The Canon EOS R50 is here, and it brings with it a lot of Canon's advanced mirrorless camera features at a very affordable price. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.
A Review of the New Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Camera
The Canon EOS R8 is here. Here is what you can expect.
Understanding Instagram's Oversight Board Decision to Allow Nipples
On January 17, 2023, the Oversight Board issued a decision advising Meta to revise its policies on freeing the nipple. Here's what that decision actually says.
How to Use a Fresnel Light for Portrait Photography
Though it fell out of use for a while, the Fresnel lens has regained popularity for portraiture work, where it can provide a sharp and impactful light quality that is still flattering on the subject's facial features. If you have not used a Fresnel before and want to learn how to employ one to create compelling portraits, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.
Surprising Results Using the Fujifilm X-T5 and Sigma Contemporary Lenses
I have quickly become a big fan of the Sigma Contemporary lenses for Fujifilm X Mount. A few months back, I reviewed the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, a lens that delivers superb image quality and performance in an extremely small and well-constructed package. More recently, I had a chance to test the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 and 30mm f/1.4 on the Fujifilm X-T5, and I was once again impressed by the results.
Using the Lightroom Classic Modules No One Talks About
Lightroom is one of the most popular photo-editing programs. We talk a lot about the library module and the develop module. The other available modules are almost never mentioned. What are these modules? But more important, are these useful?
A First Look at the Cameras on the New Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Samsung's latest update to its flagship phone is here, and the Galaxy S23 Ulta brings with it a range of improvements and new features, including new camera modules led by a 200-megapixel wide angle camera. This great video review takes a look at the cameras on the new phone and everything you can expect from them in usage.
This Is Why Photographers Don't Succeed
A couple of weeks ago, I published a piece on the Jack of All Trades Photographer, which covered the plight of the gigging photographer just starting out, doing what he or she can to build portfolio content and generally begin to make a living from it. Imagine my surprise when just a few days later, the topic was covered by straight-talking, commercial super talent and formerly of this parish, Scott Choucino!
Successful Wedding Photographer Shares Marketing Tip That Skyrocketed His Page Views and Client Numbers
It's devilishly simple, but this marketing tip by a renowned wedding photographer absolutely exploded his numbers. I think it's applicable to many types of photography, so to learn what it is and how you can implement it, take a look.
Why You Should Consider Buying an Old Film Camera
Film is enjoying a resurgence right now, and yet, in an age of ever-burgeoning megapixel counts and clinically sharp lenses, it can seem a bit strange to some to purchase an old film camera whose technical image quality could not dream of competing with modern equipment. And yet, that is exactly what you should do, as one photographer argues in this interesting video essay.
Sigma Announces the 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Lens
Sigma's Art line of lenses have long been popular for offering superlative image quality at prices that are often significantly more affordable than first-party options. Today, the series welcomes its newest member, the 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art.
Nikon Launches The Much Anticipated Z 85mm f/1.2 As Well As The Pancake 26mm f/2.8
Professional photographers rejoice. Today, Nikon has finally announced the release of two new lenses, including the highly anticipated NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S and the pint-sized Z 26mm f/2.8.
Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Too Scared to Ask: Headshot and Portrait Photography
Learning how to create good headshots is no easy task. With so much advice on the internet available, it can be hard finding a good place to learn professional headshot photography. This is why we here at Fstoppers created this comprehensive article that answers some of the most frequently asked questions.
A Simple Composition Technique to Improve Your Wide Angle Photography
When you use a wide angle lens, you can fit so many things in the frame, it can be difficult knowing what you should include and what you shouldn't. Here, we take a look at one simple composition technique you can use to enhance your wide angle photography skills.
Some Out-of-the-box Ideas From a Photographer With 100,000 Portraits Under His Belt
There are a lot of common rules about portrait photography, but rules are meant to be broken, and one photographer shares how he does that in a meaningful way after shooting more than 100,000 portraits.
Affordable Lighting for your Home Studio: We Review the SmallRig RC120B
Constant lighting has dropped dramatically in price, with companies like SmallRig making excellent products — along with accessories — that are refreshingly accessible. How good is the SmallRig RC120B, a bicolor packing a decent amount of power and coming in at just $259?
A Review of the Impressive and Affordable Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 XF Lens
In the past couple of years, Viltrox has established themselves as a manufacturer capable of creating lenses at some of the most competitive prices on the market that often outperform their affordable costs. One of their newest offerings, the AF 75mm f/1.2 XF, offers Fujifilm X series users the enticing combination of an ultra-wide aperture, a portrait focal length, and an affordable price. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
A Beginner's Guide to Using Manual Mode
Manual mode can be a bit intimidating to a lot of new photographers, but learning how and when to use it will make you a better shooter and give you far more creative control over your images. This helpful video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of manual mode and how to use it to create technically correct and creatively inspired photos.
How to Increase Photo Studio Profits
Starting a photography studio can be an exciting and fulfilling endeavor, but it can also be challenging to make it profitable. Here are a few tips to help you create a successful and profitable photography studio.