It’s that time of year again. A time to look back as we start to look forward.

There are many well-known lessons in photography. However, this enlightening video delves into unconventional wisdom, sharing insightful lessons that challenge standard photography norms.

Venus Optics, recognized for creating distinct and unusual lenses with remarkable capabilities at budget-friendly prices, has long been respected for the unique offerings. The Laowa 90mm f/2.8 APO 2x is one such lens, standing out by providing double the magnification of standard macro lenses without a hefty price tag and being compatible with all major full frame mirrorless camera mounts. In this insightful video review, the lens is thoroughly examined, highlighting the performance and image quality it offers in real-world use.

Sigma continues to grow their line of small, fast, budget-friendly lenses for APS-C cameras. The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN lens is their latest offering, and it does indeed have a lot to offer photographers looking for an excellent and fast wide angle zoom that won't break the budget.

Changing someone's facial expression is not something you will do very often, but it can be a real lifesaver for those occasional group shots where someone didn't smile or the like. This great video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to efficienty and convincingly edit facial expressions using Photoshop.

The Sony a6700 mirrorless camera is a compact powerhouse blending cutting-edge technology and exceptional image quality. Can it give the kind of real-world performance and image quality professionals demand? This excellent video review takes a look.

A snow-covered landscape can be truly breathtaking, exuding a pristine beauty and offering a unique canvas for photography. In this article, I will delve into the considerations one must keep in mind when capturing the allure of such a wondrous white world.

The market is saturated with a wide array of 85mm lenses, ranging in price from a couple hundred to well over $2,000. While one might assume a direct relationship between cost and quality, there are exceptions offering outstanding image quality at a fraction of the price. The Yongnuo 85mm f/1.8S DF DSM is one such lens, and this detailed video review showcases the performance and image quality it offers in use.

The Fujifilm XF 8mm f/3.5 R WR, with its exceptionally wide angle of view, is versatile for numerous uses, making it an intriguing option, particularly alongside an affordable price. In this excellent video review, the lens is explored in depth, showcasing the kind of performance and image quality it delivers in real-world scenarios.

Cold weather landscape photography is one of my favorite times to be out photographing. Familiar landscapes become unfamiliar once again. But you must be prepared and comfortable while out in the elements. Here is my approach to staying warm in the winter.

AI is taking the world by storm, threatening to fundamentally rewrite many paradigms. What if children could actually talk to historical figures through AI, learning through conversations with famous figures? This fun video takes a look at one of the first attempts at that.

Los Angeles, CA: In a bold move defying decades of established practice, local photographer Max Carter has turned the photography world upside down—literally—by opting to hold his camera lens over the top, instead of the traditional support from underneath. This unconventional technique has sparked a mixture of outrage, confusion, and reluctant admiration within the photography community.

Just before I travelled to the Isle of Mull, Scotland for a week, Exascend offered me the opportunity to review their CFexpress Type A card, and I was very excited to give this a shot! Having only ever used SD cards before on my Sony cameras, would I notice a difference?

Just like photos, lighting for video is an essential skill that not only helps you get the right exposure, but sets the mood for the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you four different nighttime lighting setups sure to add a lot intrigue to your shots.

Viltrox has rapidly established itself as a reputable lens manufacturer, known for delivering quality results at very attractive prices. Priced at $158, the AF 20mm f/2.8 continues this trend. This lens, with its compact size and a practical focal length, raises the question: can it achieve professional-quality outcomes despite its budget-friendly price? This insightful video review explores the performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world use.

In my journey as a portrait photographer, I've found foreshortening to be a creative look that you can use to produce some dynamic images. But what is foreshortening, and how can it add some dynamism to your portraits? Let's dive in.

During the festive holiday season, capturing holiday-themed family photographs is a cherished tradition for many. However, photographers, especially those conducting holiday photo sessions, should be wary of certain legal pitfalls. One such issue arises with the use of popular characters like The Grinch in professional photoshoots.

The 15-inch MacBook Air rewrote the paradigm between the Air and Pro models, offering a larger screen in the svelte form factor that first made the model popular. This might leave you wondering if you need the Air or Pro for your needs. This great video discusses why you shouldn't overlook the larger Air model.

When it comes to artificial lighting, small and portable lights can be as valuable as having larger and more powerful light sources. With an option that requires no cables and can be used virtually anywhere, this light from SmallRig definitely has a lot to offer.

Tamron has emerged as a beloved brand in the photography industry, known for producing lenses that combine excellent performance and image quality with appealing prices. Among these is the 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD lens, which offers a very pragmatic design, making it an ideal choice for those interested in landscape and architectural photography. This detailed video review explores the real-world performance and image quality that this lens delivers.

Every winter, plenty of articles appear suggesting cheap gifts for photographers. However, the best presents are those where the giver has carefully considered the wants or needs of the recipient. Furthermore, let’s be honest, they are also where the giver has spent a bit more money.

The last five years have been a real whirlwind for the photo industry. What have been some of the biggest changes? This great video takes a look.

The Seestar S50, a portable smart telescope, is revolutionizing astrophotography by making it accessible and straightforward for everyone. This great video review showcases the S50's capabilities, emphasizing how it simplifies the process of capturing celestial images without requiring prior photography experience.

I spent over $4,000 on the new M3 Max MacBook Pro. It's amazing, but after directly comparing it to my M1 MacBook Pro, I've realized it's probably not worth upgrading.

With lenses like the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM and the RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, Canon has continued their reign as the premier manufacturer for top-level lenses. It looks like the company has no intention of slowing down, with another extreme lens on the radar for the second half of 2024.

It's that time of year when we learn the color of the year for 2024. Which color was chosen, and why does it matter to photographers?

There is arguably no force of nature stronger or more terrifying than an F5 tornado. Years ago, one photographer inadvertently came face to face with one, and he had his camera ready. Here is his incredible story.

Wide angle zoom lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 are often considered the standard for professionals, but there are many genres for which that wide aperture is not really needed, and photographers can take advantage of lighter, more affordable, and more capable lenses if they are willing to use an f/4 lens. One such lens is the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM, and this great video review takes a look at the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

I heard about the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 for Sony cameras almost two years ago, but never took the time to test the lens myself. Now that it's out for Nikon as well, I finally got a copy. After two weeks of shooting both stills and video with this lens, I regret how long I've taken to test it, because I believe It's my favorite lens of all time.

Sony's a9 III is one of the most important cameras to hit the market in a long time, finally bringing to the masses the holy grail of a global shutter in a full frame camera. What do you get from a camera so jam-packed with groundbreaking features? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect.

Tamron is one of the most popular and respected companies in the market, notable for creating a variety of lenses that use pragmatic design principles to offer a lot of the same capabilities and performance of first-party options at far more competitive prices. One such lens is the 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2, and this great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

It's 6 AM, and I find myself gazing through my kitchen window at the dawn breaking over the city, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. The socialist architecture outside casts a gloomy gray hue.

An ongoing exhibition on Long Island shines light on the transformative power of art behind bars. Featuring soul-baring self-portraits from inmates of the Yaphank Correctional Facility, the images emerged from an introspective four-week photography workshop aimed at reawakening dignity in persons serving time for nonviolent offenses.

Sigma's fresh 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens offers a compelling blend of a generous ultra-wide field of view and bright constant aperture, and that makes it an intriguing option for a wide variety of creatives. Can it deliver in practice, though? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you will be able to expect.

Looking for a camera that can serve many purposes, but not sure where to look? The Nikon Z f might be the right place to start.

Have you ever taken an image that looked great on the back of the camera, but upon closer inspection on a larger screen, was found to be slightly out of focus? This is a very frustrating position to be in as a photographer. This tutorial provides options to help reduce blurriness and enhance texture and detail in your images.

Since the introduction of AI-generated headshots, many have been lamenting the inevitable end of our industry, forecasting doom and gloom across every online forum almost on a daily basis. But one photographer isn’t afraid, and in fact, he believes that AI technology is actually good for headshot photographers and ultimately will strengthen our industry.

Fujifilm continues bolstering its medium format arsenal with ever more versatile GF mount options. One of the latest to come through is the GF 55mm f/1.7R WR, offering an unusually bright maximum aperture for the format. This fantastic video review takes a look at if the spec sheet lives up to its tantalizing promises in real-world practice.

The Sony a7CR crams the formidable 61-megapixel full frame sensor from the nearly twice-as-expensive a7R V into a body barely bigger than the original a7C. What can you get out of this tiny powerhouse? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.

Speaking for wildlife and landscape photographers, we all seem to be interested in the fast glass (especially if it's longer than 600mm or wider than 24mm), better battery life, more frames per second, higher resolution, and a weather-sealed robust body that can take a licking. But, when the weather turns cold, there's something we can't shoot without: gloves.

Capturing the spirit of love’s celebrations demands thoughtful artistry behind the lens. In his latest tutorial, seasoned wedding shooter Pye Jirsa demonstrates essential techniques for intentionally crafting evocative engagement portraits through deliberate light shaping. Through five versatile lighting recipes, Jirsa spotlights how to create desired moods and contexts to transform setups into narrative tools.

There are many options out there for printing and presenting your images. In this article, we look at the multitude of benefits of creating a Layflat Photo Book and shed light on why they are fast becoming a favorite amongst professional photographers looking for a budget-minded alternative to Flush Mount Albums.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max could possibly be considered one of the best mobile phone cameras for modern photography and videography. With a sophisticated camera system, and when paired with the Reeflex Pro app, it becomes even more powerful. This app unlocks the full potential of iPhone photography, allowing users to have complete control over their shots.

Many photographers looking to pursue more conceptual portraiture are intimidated by elaborate lighting configurations required to achieve intensely stylized effects. However, this excellent video tutorial makes the case that venturing beyond single-source illumination opens doors for bringing unique creative visions vibrantly to life.

Photographers often hit walls when controlling off-camera lighting on shoots. While TTL flash offers some automation, real mastery means moving to manual settings for predictable, quality results. The excellent video tutorial will put you on the right track.

Shooting interiors can be a daunting task for an unprepared photographer. No matter how big or small the space is, there will be challenges that you need to face and problems you need to solve. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Meta has dismantled its team devoted to developing ethical artificial intelligence, according to an internal memo leaked recently. The Responsible AI group, formed in 2019 to ensure fair and bias-free model training, has been redirected to focus on expanding the company's generative AI capabilities instead.

In the digital age of photography, the imaging process has almost become effortless. Professional photographers can struggle to stand out in the crowded market. Although creating outstanding images is crucial to succeed in this craft of photography, photographers should take into consideration the business side of this profession, especially in increasing revenues. One of the potential ways to increase revenue is through the sale of albums and print sets.

There is nothing quite as misleading in the photography internet as exposure guides, triangles, life hacks, and all that noise of information. There isn’t a topic that is as widely discussed as exposure. In this article, I will describe my method of exposing images, which has not yet failed me.

Aspiring photographers often hit a wall when trying to transition from hobbyist to professional work. It's one thing to take nice photos for fun, but landing those first paid gigs requires a strategic approach and understanding of what a client needs, not just what you like to shoot. The fantastic video tutorial boils down a simple yet effective formula any beginner can follow to start photographing local small businesses and getting paid.