Last month's bokeh themed Critique the Community was a huge success! The entries were really beautiful, and the winning images are absolutely stunning!
For this specific contest, first place wins lenses from Lensbaby and second and third take home a free tutorial of their choice. Congratulations to everyone who made the episode and to all the other amazing images that simply weren't chosen. If you want to participate in the next critique, stay tuned to Fstoppers.com/Contest and good luck to everyone who enters!
Rolling Shutter: Why Your Golf Club Looks Bent in Photos
If you've ever photographed a fast-moving propeller and watched it turn into a series of curved boomerangs, or captured a golf swing where the club looks like overcooked spaghetti, you've met rolling shutter. It's one of the most misunderstood phenomena in digital photography, but don't worry, I'm here to teach you what you need to know.
Igniting Wanderlust: The WANDRD FERNWEH 50L Is Designed for Outdoor Photographers
For landscape photographers, one of the most crucial purchasing decisions is not always the camera gear, but the backpack you stow it in. Will the WANDRD FERNWEH 50L tick all the boxes? Or is it just another backpack among thousands of other choices available today? Let's find out.
TerraMaster F4 SSD NAS: Compact, Affordable Storage for Creatives
For most of us, storage is an unavoidable part of the workflow. Many creatives don’t see having a NAS as a luxury, but rather as a necessity. Small studios and teams rely on having a server to be able to access shared files fast and on the go. Having an SSD-powered NAS can be the heart of a small production, but can it handle what is needed from a modern team? I tested it out.
A few weeks ago we wrapped up our Critique the Community contest for September, and you, the community, had some unbelievable submissions. This episode is long but hopefully you enjoy the images and our rants as well.
Below are the top 3 images from this critique. Please private message Lee Morris to claim your prize.
Congrats to each of the winners and we look forward to seeing your best images in our next contest!
Sony a7 V Hands-On: Dynamic Range, Speed, and AI in One Hybrid Body
One of the year’s most awaited cameras is finally here, and it comes with major upgrades that users of the previous generation will love. The Sony a7 V may look almost the same, but the internal hardware and handling have a lot to offer.
The Real-World Pros and Cons of OM System’s 50-200mm f/2.8 Lens
Long wildlife zooms usually force you to choose between reach, speed, and weight, and you often end up sacrificing at least one. The OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8 IS PRO lens is built to pull off a 100–400mm full frame equivalent range while still being something you can actually carry around a bird park for hours.
The Simple Lighting Trick That Balances Background Exposure
Lighting a background with a single light sounds simple until you see the ugly gradient running from one side to the other. If you shoot portraits or products against seamless paper, getting that background clean and even can save time, keep your images consistent, and give you more control over how everything looks in camera.
How to Master Generative Fill in Photoshop
AI editing is no longer a side feature you occasionally test and forget. It is now a core part of how you clean, build, and style images in Photoshop, and it changes how much time you spend behind the computer.
Three All-In-One Zooms, One Sony Body: How to Pick the Right Lens for You
Choosing an all-in-one zoom for a Sony full frame body is a big commitment, because that lens often lives on the camera for trips, family events, and everyday shooting. This video looks at three very different takes on the 20-200mm class and digs into which one is right for you.
Holiday Gift Gear Guide for Night Photographers
As night photographers, we sometimes have different needs than a lot of everyday photographers out there. I thought I’d make a gift guide that has us night photographers squarely in mind.
Stop Crowding Your Landscapes: The Power of Negative Space
You are taught early to fill the frame, pack every corner with mountains, clouds, and texture until nothing feels empty. The video above argues that if you never leave room around your subject, your landscapes can start to feel crowded, noisy and harder for viewers to read at a glance.
Master Landscape Focal Lengths from 14mm to 400mm
The right focal length decides whether a scene feels flat or alive. It is a key choice for photographers who want clear subjects instead of cluttered, distant chaos.
Why You Still Can't Buy a Fujifilm X100VI or Ricoh GR IV: The Real Story Behind the Shortages
If you've tried to buy a Fujifilm X100VI or Ricoh GR IV in the past year, you already know the frustration. These cameras aren't just hard to find; they're nearly impossible to buy at retail price without waiting months or entering lotteries. The X100VI has been plagued by shortages since its launch, and the GR IV, officially launched on August 20, 2025, immediately followed the same pattern despite its significantly higher price tag.
My Favorite Street and Travel Photography Backpack: Think Tank FocusPoint 22L
When I am out and about doing street and urban photography—and even a lot of travel photography—my preference is to have minimal gear with me. So the ideal bag to hold what little I carry is a small shoulder bag. But there are plenty of times when I need something a little larger to carry a second camera or action camera and audio equipment for vlogging.
Why This $1,500 Pocket Camera Still Tempts Photographers
The Ricoh GR series has a strange pull on people who care about having a real camera in their pocket instead of a phone, and the new GR IV pushes that idea further while charging a premium that competes with serious interchangeable-lens bodies. If you care about spontaneous street shots, low-key family moments, or just always having a compact on you, the tradeoffs in this body matter more than the usual spec sheet bragging rights to photographers.
Why Camera Settings Aren’t Your Biggest Portrait Photography Problem
Portrait work feels hard mostly because of people, not because of buttons and menus. If you keep focusing on camera settings while ignoring how clients feel in front of the lens, progress stalls even when you own great gear.
Nikon ZR, Zf, and Z6III: Which 24.5 MP Camera Is Right for You?
I am now the proud owner of a Nikon ZR. But as I’ve put it through some early paces, it’s led to some surprising questions.
10 Crazy Photography Facts You Didn't Know
Photography is full of surprising history, weird technical quirks, and fascinating stories that even experienced photographers might not know. From the mathematical precision behind f-stops to cameras abandoned on the moon, these facts reveal just how wild the world of photography really is.
Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (November 2025): Ric Lewis
The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2025, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.
Wildlife Reach Without the Weight: Why This Two-Lens Kit Just Works
Pushing into serious wildlife and nature work means dealing with long focal lengths, unstable weather, and subjects that do not care about your comfort. Pairing a compact body with the right two-lens kit can be the difference between missing a fleeting bird and walking away with a sharp frame from a safe distance.
The Canon R6 Mark III Sensor: How Far Can You Push It?
The sensor in any modern camera shapes what you can do in low light, fast action, and uneven lighting. Here's a look at what you can expect from the new Canon EOS R6 Mark III.
Hasselblad X2D II 100C Review: An Artist’s Medium Format Tool
The Hasselblad X2D II 100C medium format mirrorless camera is built as a stills-only body for when you want an art tool rather than a hybrid spec sheet trophy. This review focuses on how it actually changes the way you shoot, from waist-level landscapes and cars to tracking subjects that don’t stand still.
Stop Blowing Out Skies: Simple Dynamic Range Fixes for Wildlife Shots
When you come home with a file where the sky is blown out and the shadows are empty, the real culprit is usually dynamic range. Understanding how much brightness your camera can actually record is what lets you keep a bird sitting in both sun and shade looking believable.
Traveling With Your Camera Gear? Let’s Take a Look at the WANDRD Transit Carry-on Roller
Bags used for travel should always offer a lot of flexibility in terms of use, and that’s even more true when photographers use them. Carrying camera gear must mean keeping it protected and, at the same time, efficient with space.