Namibia: Tips for a Photography Road Trip Across Southern Africa
Preparation is key when it comes to planning a trip to Namibia — a true land of extremes that can only be fairly described using hyperbole. As beautiful as Namibia is, to get the most out of your trip, you need to be prepared and well organized. Here are my tips for bringing back the best wildlife and landscape photographs from a trip across Southern Africa.
Here's What Happens When You Post for Two Weeks Straight on Major Platforms
Social media is a necessary evil for a lot of photographers, as it is the place where many potential clients will see your work and first contact you. However, with so many platforms and the need for continued, consistent posting, you might wonder where your time and efforts are best spent. This great video features a filmmaker discussing the results from a two-week experiment of posting to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
How to Customize Your Sony Camera to Fit Your Work
The Red Shoes and The Power and Pitfalls of Artistic Obsession
Today, we will talk about one of the most necessary and the most dangerous ingredients in a creative career.
Nikon Launches Mysterious New Teaser Campaign
This morning, I awoke early to see a new cryptic web page appear on the Nikon website. So, what’s it all about?
A Review of the Fujifilm X-H2 Mirrorless Camera
Fujifilm's X-H2 mirrorless camera brought a high-resolution sensor to the beloved X Series for the first time, along with a wide range of other new features and upgrades, making it an intriguing camera for many users. This great video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
3 Fun and Easy Spring Photography Ideas for Beginners
Spring is here, and it brings with it a veritable plethora of fun and interesting photography opportunities. If you are ready to bust out your camera and shake off the rust from winter, check out this great video tutorial that will show three fun and easy spring photography ideas to get you rolling, along with some helpful advice for improving your images.
We Review the Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Full Frame Camera
The new Canon EOS R8 mirrorless camera can be considered the replacement of the older EOS R and EOS RP cameras. It promises to be a great camera at a reasonable price point. Canon Netherlands sends me this camera for a review. Let's find out how it performs.
A Review of the Affordable 7Artisans 15mm f/4 Lens
7Artisans has gained a reputation for making extremely affordable lenses, and while that sometimes means you may have to take a hit in image quality, the 15mm f/4 produces surprisingly good results without breaking that trend of low cost. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and if its results are right for your needs.
Editing Tips That Can Transform Your Photos
The Secret to Success in Landscape Photography
DJI Announces the Triple-Camera Mavic 3 Pro Drone
The DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone is here, and it brings with some of the company's most impressive technology yet, including a new triple-camera system, long flight times, and Hasselblad optics. Here's what you can expect.
Top Bokeh: A Review of the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Lens
The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR promises users some of the best and most extreme optical design and performance on the platform, including an especially wide aperture, pleasing bokeh, and sharp images. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Something to Think About as AI Infiltrates Photography
While the presence of AI in photography has caused anything from fear to excitement, one thing is for sure: it is here to stay and will have a significant impact on the industry in many ways. The interesting video essay discusses the issue and something important to keep in mind as the industry changes and the role of the photographer evolves.
AI Photography: A Fed-up Tim Tadder Sets the Record Straight
Tim Tadder is widely revered as a bold and visionary photography icon. With numerous accolades to his name and a client list ranging from Amazon to Nike, he is recognized as a leader in advertising photography and beyond. Since late January, though, he has turned into a highly controversial artist in the industry with his work in AI. I sat down to chat with him about the polarizing pieces he has been creating.
What Would You Like to See From the Next Fujifilm X100 Series Camera?
Fujifilm's X100 series of cameras is now in its fifth generation, and it remains one of the most beloved cameras on the market, all but guaranteeing that we will see a sixth version at some point. What would photographers like to see in the next iteration? This interesting video features a photographer discussing his thoughts on the topic.
Don't Overlook This Affordable Gem of a Lens
Canon has some incredible lenses in their lineup, but with all that performance and image quality often come eye-wateringly high price tags. And yet, they also a lens for APS-C cameras that costs only $149, and it far outperforms its very affordable price tag. This great video review takes a look at the lens and if it can keep up with the demands of a modern, high-resolution sensor.
Why You Should Use Presets as a Pro Photographer (I Was Wrong)
My first-ever article on Fstoppers condemned the use of presets and inspired photographers to focus on creating their own color grades and styles. Looking back, I still stand by some of those points, but not all of them. You see, while using presets is bad, creating your own presets might actually be beneficial to your photography and editing workflow.
Improve Your Landscape Photos by Including and Excluding These Things
Creating a successful landscape image takes a variety of factors, including good technique, solid planning, a knowledge of lighting, and more. Composition is one of the most challenging aspects, and it takes a keen knowledge of what to include in the frame, what to exclude, and how to position them all. If that is something you find yourself struggling with, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you some solid advice sure to help you improve.
A Review of the Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro Lens
Fujifilm's X-T5 mirrorless camera was a major step up for the X Series, and along with it came the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens, which offers a normal focal length in tandem with the versatility of a true macro lens, all in a small, lightweight, and affordable package, making it a very interesting option for a wide range of applications. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
Capturing the Beauty of Architecture Through Multiple Exposure Photography
Architecture is an art form that reflects human creativity and engineering ingenuity and is not simply about buildings and structures, and one of the most fascinating ways, for me anyway, to capture the beauty of architecture is through multiple-exposure photography.
The Difference Between Opacity and Fill in Photoshop
Photoshop has a huge array of tools and features, and many of them have a bit of overlap between their purposes and functions. Two of the most fundamental tools in the program are the opacity and fill sliders. If you have tested them out and are not quite sure of the differences between the two, check out this excellent video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know, along with a wide range of helpful examples and exercises.
Is Creativity in Photography Being Destroyed?
Camera technology has advanced at a breakneck pace in the last decade, and now, we are on the doorstep of an AI revolution that will cause a fundamental shift in the way we work with, and in some cases, even in the way we create images. And while many of those tools have made our lives easier, they have arguably also sapped creativity from a lot of the craft. Have we lost the fundamental aim of photography? This fantastic video essay discusses the issue.
Maternity Outfits Must-Haves for Mother’s Day Photoshoots
Mother’s Day is an important day for any mother, but it is even more exciting for the soon-to-be mother.
Why One Photographer's Favorite Portrait Option Is the 35mm Lens
When it comes to portraiture, for the most part, 85mm is the traditional choice, with focal lengths around that number also seen as alternatives, such as 50mm, 100mm, and 135mm. 35mm is often used for portraiture, though it is rarely thought of as a primary option, being just a little wide for closer shots. Nonetheless, one well-known portrait photographer actually prefers 35mm above all other focal lengths, and this great video shares why, along with a wide range of images demonstrating its benefits.
The 85mm Lens: A Super Awkward Focal Length or Your Go-to for Portraiture?
The 85mm prime is a pretty highly regarded focal length for a lot of portrait photographers, with most boasting a deliciously wide maximum aperture. But is it simply too awkward a focal length?
Project Preservation Creates Crowdsourced Database to Document and Preserve Landscapes
10 Helpful Tips for Buying a Camera
Buying a camera is one of the most exciting and important decisions a photographer can make, and as such, it deserves some careful thought. Before you pull out your credit card, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers 10 bits of helpful advice to help ensure you pick the right camera for your needs, wants, and budget.
The Digital Camera for Lovers of Film Photography
Essential Golden Hour Photoshoot Tips for Photographers
Golden hour is a magical time of the day for photography, characterized by warm and soft light that can turn even the most mundane scenes into stunning works of art. This period occurs twice a day, during the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, and is highly sought after by photographers for its dreamy and ethereal qualities.
The Joys of Camping for Landscape Photography
While you can do it at any time of day you wish, landscape photography is often done around sunrise and sunset, and that can often require you to be in position, far from home, at very early and late hours. And because of that, camping for landscape photography can not only be fun, it can be quite practical for getting the shots you want. This fun video follows a landscape photographer as he camps overnight and shows you the experience.
The Self-Inflating Light Photographers Should Consider Getting
Good lights can make all the difference in the quality of work you can produce as a photographer. If you've never heard of a self-inflating light, then today might be the day you add one to your camera bag.
Are the Latest Camera Technologies Bad for Photography?
There have been some magnificent improvements in the abilities of cameras over the last few years, not least in lenses and camera focusing systems. The technical advancements have almost taken camera skills out of our hands. But is this good or bad for photography?
A First Look at the New Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon's latest lens, the RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, is here, and it promises some of the most extreme design and optical performance ever seen, making it an especially intriguing option for a wide range of photographers, including sports and wildlife shooters. This excellent video takes a look at the new lens and what you might be able to expect from it.
Can Lightroom's New Denoise AI Replace DxO PureRaw, Topaz DeNoise AI, and ON1 NoNoise AI?
Accessories to Make Packing Light More Attainable for Photographers
Being a photographer permanently changes the way you travel. One sees the world and every destination in a different way that is fueled by curiosity and wonder. At the same time, it also means carrying more stuff around with you.
Can’t Get a Fujifilm X100V? Try This Instead
I've long been a fan of Fujifilm's X100 series of cameras, the "T" model being my gateway drug into the Fuji X system. Fuji's X100V, the latest and greatest in the lineup, launched in 2020, seems near impossible to find even in 2023. So, what's a photographer to do? Try this instead.
6 Lesser-known Landscape Photography Editing Techniques in Lightroom
Lightroom has become impressively capable in the last few years, easily able to edit a wide range of landscape images from start to finish. With all these capabilities and features, it can be easy to overlook some of the options at your disposal. If you would like to expand your abilities, check out this great video tutorial that discusses six useful techniques for editing landscape images.
Sony World Photography Awards 2023 Winners and One Refused Prize
During a special gala ceremony in London, the World Photography Organization announced the winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2023. After the ceremony, German photographer Boris Eldagsen refused his prize, trying to discuss the role of AI in photography.
Have Photo Conferences Fully Recovered From COVID?
It’s no secret that COVID put a bit of a damper on anything in person, especially large group gatherings, like conferences and trade shows. But as time has moved on, has the photo conference world fully recovered?
Creating a Virtual Studio With 3 TVs
You don’t have to spend big bucks to get a virtual wall these days. Bring your studio to life with just three televisions.
Bluetti’s New Expandable Power Stations Help Photographers Go Anywhere
Photographers and videographers that are constantly on the move may require a reliable source of power to keep their equipment charged and ready to go. BLUETTI's new AC60 & B80 power stations provide a flexible and expandable solution for professionals shooting on location.
Dealing With Fear as a Photographer
Photography is a challenging career, particularly since it does not have the sort of well-established stable path that something like a more traditional job does. Fear is a natural thing to arise from that experience, and as such, it is important to be prepared for it and ready to handle it in a healthy manner. This great video essay features an experienced pro discussing the issue and how to cope with fear.
A Look at 10 Effective Wedding Photos and the Camera Settings Behind Them
Wedding photography is a challenging genre that takes rock-solid technique, the ability to think quickly on your feet, and calmness under pressure. If you would like to learn how to become a better wedding photographer, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced wedding professional discussing 10 of her photos and how she chose the camera settings for them.
A Smoke Machine That Fits In Your Pocket - Smoke Genie from PMI Gear
Smoke and haze have been a long-time tool of the trade. But smoke-in-a-can and giant fog machines beware. This pocket-sized fog machine lives up to the name of Smoke Genie.
A Budget Way to Have a 3-Camera Live Stream
10 of the Best Budget Lenses You Can Buy
Modern camera lenses can be extremely expensive, often reaching into multiple thousands of dollars. However, there are some real gems out there at much more affordable prices, some even lower than $100. So, how do you know which of those are diamonds in the rough and which you should avoid? This excellent video review will show you 10 of the best budget options out there.
Spring Clean Your Gear by Selling to MPB
Have you got equipment you don’t use? Do you need to upgrade your gear bag? There are surprising reasons why MPB is the answer to clearing your clutter, bringing in some welcome cash, and enhancing the tools of your visual storytelling craft.
A Review of the New Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 Lens for Fujifilm X Series Cameras
Samyang has long been a favorite brand of budget lens buyers, creating affordable manual focus options that often bunch well above their weight in terms of image quality. The company now includes autofocus in many of their lenses, but prices have remained competitive. The AF 75mm f/1.8 for Fujifilm X Series mirrorless cameras is one such lens, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.