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 2021, 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.

If you love photography, there’s no doubt that you want to know the best ways to improve your photography. There are countless blogs and articles on this subject alone; what I’m going to do is drop five ideas that might help you become better at photography.

Building a robust and strong photography portfolio is something that takes a lot of effort, persistence, and patience, and many of us spend years before we have a decent collection of images we are really proud of. So, how much persistence does it really take? This interesting video features a professional landscape photographer breaking down the numbers of how often he goes out and how many portfolio-worthy images he comes back with in a year.

If you're interested in printing your photography, why not double down on creativity and turn those images into mixed media art. In this video, Irene Rudnyk walks you through how she created some stunning works by combining physical artistic techniques with prints of digital images.

Composition has rules that transcend all visual mediums, but playing to the equipment you're using can still be helpful. In this video, one photographer walks through his favorite techniques for better film photographs.

As the number of lenses available for Canon's RF mount grows, photographers are faced with options and decisions for most focal lengths they would like to buy. Is this Viltrox prime one of the best value 85mm lenses for RF?

As we near the end of another difficult year, we look forward to new beginnings. What will you be doing to ensure that you grow and improve as a photographer in 2022? Here are five ways you can guarantee you are moving in the right direction.

Like it or not, mirrorless is where the majority of the industry is headed (or has already arrived). And while that means you will eventually have to upgrade your camera bodies, the situation with lenses is a bit murkier, particularly since they generally have much longer useful lifespans and there are many adapters available. This interesting video takes a look at an extremely challenging situation for bird photographers, offers some great tips, and shows you how adapted lenses rise to the challenge.

Sony's a7 IV, the long-anticipated successor to the highly popular a7 III, recently arrived, and it brought with it a range of new features and improvements over its already well-balanced and capable predecessor. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera's stills photography capabilities and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it. 

Canon has always had some extreme lens designs, but they really kicked things into high gear when they got serious about the mirrorless world. It seems they have no intentions of slowing down, as another patent for a crazy lens has emerged. 

If you knew for certain that you would succeed, what move would you make in 2022?

If you've ever seen portraits with some wild reflections and funky lighting effects, it's entirely possible that it's not a multiple exposure or post-processed image. Using a cheap prism, you can duplicate some of these effects in camera.

Just like everything in life, Photoshop techniques change or require slight adjustments. What may have been perfect two years ago might not necessarily be perfect now. And so it is with changing colors of objects in Photoshop. Here is the latest on how to do it effortlessly.

The Sony a7S series of cameras is strange. They're described as stills cameras; however, most customers seem to use them for their video features. At best, they're an odd compromise that doesn't fit anywhere properly. For this reason, I'd like to discuss why Sony should get rid of this line completely or at the least, revamp the series. 

There are many ways to light a subject, both complex and simplistic, and while you might be always tempted to go for the most complicated setups, knowing the classics is important too. Classic lighting is classic for a reason and you may find yourself using it more often than you expect.

You may have noticed over the last few years that it is increasingly common for a film or show to have what looks to be unexposed shots. The question is: why?

50mm lenses are a peculiar bunch, as you can spend anywhere from under $100 to well over $2,000 depending on the sort of parameters, performance, and image quality you are looking for. Canon, Nikon, and Sony all make 50mm f/1.2 lenses as their premium options, and this excellent video comparison takes a look at all three to see which comes out on top. 

They hold you down in landscape photography, they bring you to make wrong decisions out in the field, they make you blind for finding compositions, and they even kill your creativity. Knowing about them and avoiding them makes you a better photographer.

If you are new to photography or are wondering whether you ought to take your photography more seriously, you may be debating an upgrade to a higher spec camera. But, when is that the right move?

The Fujifilm GFX range has some stunning cameras in it and in the last few years, several more have been added. However, their two newest additions come at two different price points, so which is right for you?

As photographers, we are always looking for ways to improve our craft and stay ahead of the curve. With new technology emerging every day, it can be difficult to know what is worth investing in and what will become obsolete in a few months. In this short article, we will explore the potential of AI technology and how it could benefit photographers in the future. 

How can you manipulate the color of the sky with simple lighting techniques? In this video, learn how to capture a rich blue sky with just one light.

In a bit of news that is important, though not particularly surprising, Canon has confirmed that the 1D X Mark III will be the company's last flagship DSLR, with forthcoming top-of-the-line models being exclusively mirrorless options. 

Buying new camera gear can be very exciting, but it can also drain your bank account rather quickly if you are not careful about it. If you are a newer photographer and wondering how to find the right gear for yourself without overspending, this helpful video tutorial will run you through the options and their pros and cons. 

Learning photography and trying to create better photographs can be a daunting task when you're just starting. Here are some guidelines I've taught in my workshops to help new photographers create stronger images.