How Fog Turns Everyday Scenes Into Stunning Photos

Foggy mornings offer an unparalleled opportunity to capture moments that feel otherworldly. The mist transforms everyday scenes into something more mysterious and peaceful, making it the perfect time to head out with your camera.

How to Capture Stunning Macro Shots With a Simple Setup

Macro photography lets you dive deep into nature’s hidden details, capturing the beauty in things most people miss. Whether it's the delicate textures of mushrooms or the subtle play of light, getting the techniques right can make all the difference.

Fstoppers Reviews the Express 1M2: USB4 Reaches the Portable SSD Market

New connection standards like USB4 offer photographers great opportunities to speed up their workflow. OWC has been one of the first to offer USB4 products to photographers and videographers, with products like their excellent Atlas Card Reader. Today, I’ll be taking a look at the storage side of their USB4 portfolio and reviewing the Express 1M2 portable NVMe SSD.

How to Balance Flash and Ambient Light Like a Pro

Understanding how to balance ambient light and flash can transform your photos. With so many types of flashes and varying methods of control, it's essential to grasp the basics and build from there.

Mastering the 50mm Lens: Simple Tips for Better Compositions

The 50mm focal length can feel tricky to use. It’s not wide enough to capture expansive scenes like a 35mm, but it’s also not telephoto enough to isolate subjects like an 85mm. This in-between nature can leave you feeling like it’s neither here nor there. However, with the right approach, the 50mm can produce clean, minimalist images that draw attention to your subject without overwhelming the frame.

Is the TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 the Best Budget Portrait Lens?

If you’ve been on the lookout for a low-cost portrait lens for your Sony or Nikon camera, the TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 could be worth your attention. With its f/2 aperture, it offers a combination of smooth background blur and sharp image quality, perfect for portraits.

We Review the Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens

Sigma’s new 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is the latest addition to the Art lens series. It's a wide angle to medium telephoto lens, making it an ideal choice for a variety of shooting styles and genres. Thanks to its constant f/2.8 aperture, you’ll get consistent brightness no matter how much you zoom, offering both flexibility and great image quality. Whether you’re capturing sweeping landscapes, taking portraits with smooth background blur, or even shooting videos, this lens is built to perform.

Balancing Natural and Flash Light for Perfect Outdoor Portraits

Balancing natural light with flash can be tricky, especially in outdoor settings. Bright sunlight often causes squinting, and shadows may not fall in the most flattering ways. Learning to use a mix of both light sources effectively can elevate your outdoor portraits, making the subject comfortable while still achieving the desired look.

Lightroom's Hidden Tool for Perfect Color Control

The calibration panel in Lightroom Classic is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for color control. If you want more precise control over the colors in your photos, this panel offers unique options that go beyond the typical adjustments like white balance or the hue/saturation/luminance (HSL) sliders.

Portable SSDs That Won't Slow Down? Looking at the ProGrade PG10 Pro SSD Launch

Portable SSDs can offer amazing speed for content creation applications like transferring photo libraries or editing 4K video, but many suffer from a slowdown after prolonged use when their faster cache is depleted or the drive heats up too much. ProGrade has announced a new line of portable SSDs designed to address both of these issues: the PG10 Pro SSD.

Dreamy Pastel Color Grading in Lightroom

Pastel color grading is a subtle yet powerful way to make your photos stand out, and you can achieve it easily with some simple tweaks in Lightroom. If you’ve ever wanted to experiment with color grading but felt overwhelmed, this method offers an approachable way to elevate your work.

Skylum Launches Aperty, a Portrait Editor With AI Offering Fast Results

Skylum, who made quite a splash in the image editing space with Luminar and then Luminar Neo, is setting out to conquer portrait photography editing with Aperty. The company says it's aimed at professionals and serious near-professionals, and it will be available on November 7.

Quick Tips for Balancing Photography With Everyday Life

Finding time for photography can feel impossible when you're juggling work, family, and everything else. You might feel like you're always running out of time for your passion. The good news is, it's not about having more time, it's about using the time you already have better.

Tamron Unveils the Next-Gen 90mm f/2.8 Macro Lens for Nikon Z and Sony E Mount

Tamron announced its highly anticipated and newest lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount, the 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD, on October 24, 2024, at $699/$949 CAD. Tamron is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the 90mm macro and building on its performance legacy with cutting-edge technology, inviting you to explore the possibilities in this latest lens.

Can an Online Course Take Your Drone Photography to New Heights?

In the 6 years that I have owned a DJI Spark drone, I have yet to create a photo or video clip that I have deemed worthy of sharing. I am a portrait photographer who loves the simplicity of capturing images with a Leica M. Using a drone to capture scenes has always appeared needlessly complicated. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder, however, if there is an online course I might study to take my drone photography to new heights.

A Review of the Impressive Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is designed for those who need a versatile telephoto lens for wildlife, sports, and more. Its long focal range, coupled with its relatively light weight for a zoom of this size, makes it an attractive choice for anyone looking to capture detailed shots at a distance.

How to Create Painterly Photos in Lightroom

If you want your photos to have that painterly, moody feel, editing is key. It’s possible to achieve stunning results with just a few thoughtful adjustments, even when nature doesn’t provide ideal conditions.

The Complete Pre-Wedding Gear Checklist for Seamless Shooting

Bringing the right gear to a wedding is crucial. It’s not just about your camera or lenses; it’s about having everything you need to get through the day smoothly. Forgetting even one item could create unnecessary stress when you’re on the job. If you’ve ever scrambled to make sure you packed everything, you’re not alone.

Simplify Your Edits With Photoshop’s New Remove Distractions Tool

Removing distractions like power lines and unwanted people from your images can make a huge difference in the final result. One of the latest features in Photoshop’s beta version is a tool that lets you remove wires, cables, and even people with just a few clicks.

We Review the SmallRig RC 60B COB LED Video Light

The use of chip-on-board (COB) LEDs has made it possible to produce small but strong light sources. Almost every light company offers one or more such lights. SmallRig has the RC 60B COB LED video light. It’s small, lightweight, and easy to carry with you. I took a closer look at this light.

Canon vs. Sigma: Which 10-18mm Ultra-Wide Lens Is Right for You?

Whether you're shooting landscapes, architecture, or vlogs, having the right lens can make all the difference. The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary and Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM are two strong contenders for those looking to enhance their Canon APS-C mirrorless setup.

The Yongnuo YN 50mm f/1.8 PRO: A Great Budget Lens for Fujifilm Users

The Yongnuo YN 50mm f/1.8 DA DSM PRO is a lens designed for Fujifilm X mount users who want sharp, premium images without breaking the bank. For less than $300, it combines a solid build with features that set it apart from other lenses in its price range.

Leica Opens Call for Entries for 2025 Leica Women Foto Project

Leica has officially opened submissions for the sixth edition of the Leica Women Foto Project, an annual photography contest aimed at elevating the voices and work of women photographers. The 2025 theme, "Unity Through Diversity," encourages participants to explore and showcase the power of human connection. The project aligns with Leica's mission to push the boundaries of visual storytelling while supporting diversity and amplifying underrepresented voices.

SanDisk's New Serious SD Cards for Extreme Outdoor Photographers

My favorite part about writing for Fstoppers is the chance to try out new and interesting camera gear. Recently, I got the opportunity to try the latest SD cards from SanDisk, the Outdoors series cards. Available in both SD and Micro SD, these are some of the latest tech for strong, durable memory cards. Let’s see how they performed in the field.

Mastering Composition: Tools Beyond the Rule of Thirds

Composition is the backbone of any great image, and while instincts can take you far, truly understanding composition will make your work more intentional and consistent. You already know when something feels right in a photo, but what if you could control that feeling more effectively? This is where knowing how composition works becomes crucial.

How Visual Tension Shapes Your Compositions

Visual tension is an often overlooked aspect of composition, but it's one you should be paying attention to. It’s about the spatial relationship between objects within a frame and how those objects relate to the edges of the frame. Ignoring this concept can lead to images that feel off-balance, while mastering it can elevate the quality of your work without extensive cropping or post-editing.

Tips and Tricks for Discreetly Vlogging in Public

Vlogging is often fraught with peril. Whether that's overcoming your own shyness, or overcoming people on the street uncomfortable with someone overcoming their shyness in a vlog, there are techniques and gear to help minimize issues.

Lightroom to Photoshop on iPad: A Simple Roundtrip Workflow

With Lightroom and Photoshop available on the iPad, you can easily switch between the two apps for a seamless mobile workflow. If you haven’t explored how to roundtrip your edits between Lightroom and Photoshop on your tablet, this video offers a clear guide.

Finding Unique Perspectives at The Most Photographed Bridge In The World

As a long-time resident of the Bay Area, I’ve had the privilege of photographing the Golden Gate Bridge for over ten years. Whether it’s capturing the low fog rolling in or watching the golden light of sunrise and sunset cast its warm glow over the bridge, this landmark never ceases to amaze me. The Marin Headlands offer some of the best vantage points, especially when the fog is low, and the atmosphere feels almost otherworldly. It’s a scene that continues to inspire me, even after all this time.

Do You Know All 9 of These Adobe Lightroom Tricks?

Whether you have been using Adobe Lightroom for years or are brand new to it, there are always little efficiency tricks or subtle features you can use to make your editing more efficient. As a long-time Lightroom user, I even found a few of these tricks new to me!

Common Film Photography Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Film photography has its unique charm, but it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the most common hurdles for those who explore this medium is navigating through mistakes, often with no easy fix like in digital photography.

Master Your Craft: Must-Listen Podcasts for Aspiring Photographers

Over the last few years, I have searched for podcasts to listen to while editing photos or hitting the road. Podcasts are an excellent way to pass the time and learn new information. There are many to sift through in the world of podcasting and photography. Here are several of my favorite podcasts to help pass the time and learn something new!

Everything You Need to Know About Light Gels

Gels are one of the most versatile tools in your lighting kit, offering endless creative possibilities when used right. Whether you’re adding color to a scene or adjusting the quality of light, gels give you control over your final image.

Viltrox Shows Off Its Massive $100,000 Medium Format 10x Zoom Lens

Viltrox has outdone itself by producing a 10x zoom lens designed for medium format sensors. With a large 60 mm image circle, this lens can comfortably cover camera sensors such as those found in the GFX 100S II and the Hasselblad X2D. What's even more impressive is that it has a constant aperture of T5.6.

Review of the Haida Greystone Filter System

There is a new filter system on the market, made by Haida. This is the Greystone filter system, which consists of a UV filter, CPL filter, and a set of neutral density filters. I have used these filters for a while to see how they perform.

The Unique Character of Nikon’s NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens

The Nikon 35mm f/1.4 lens has been creating a lot of buzz, especially among those looking for something different from the usual clinical sharpness modern lenses tend to offer. If you’ve been on the lookout for a lens with character, this one might be worth a look.

The Myth of Perfect Camera Settings

Getting the right camera settings can be a challenge, especially if you think there’s always a perfect setting for every situation. But if you’re stuck chasing that ideal combination, it might hold you back from truly understanding how your camera works and how to adapt in the moment.

Elevate Your Portraits With These Essential Tips

Portrait photography can be tricky, especially when it comes to capturing authentic expressions and emotions. It’s not just about your camera settings; it’s also about how you interact with your subject, the environment, and the mood you create. In fact, being able to put your subject at ease and make thoughtful choices in framing and lighting are what separate good portraits from great ones.

Fujifilm GFX100S II: Medium Format Power in a Smaller Package

Medium format cameras are known for their stunning image quality and large sensors, but they often come with a hefty price and bulky bodies. The new Fujifilm GFX 100S II is trying to change that, offering an impressive balance between high-end features and a more compact, affordable design.