It takes the meeting of several factors to create a good photo, and the absence or poor execution of any one of them can often derail the entire image. Some of these factors are obvious, but some can sneak up on us, often not noticed until we are back at home to examine our shots on our computers. This great video essay discusses one of the tricker factors and what you can do to get it right.  

There are several business management platforms on the market, but few are aimed solely at photographers. Light Blue is a fabulous option, and its unique features set it well ahead of the competition. 

The holy grail of time-lapse videos is smooth day-night transitions. Could it be as simple as a few settings on the right camera?

How do you bring your gear for a hike while keeping yourself comfortable? This is a viable option. 

Modern cameras are incredibly powerful tools, but there are still limitations to what they can do, some imposed by the current state of technology and some forever imposed by the laws of physics. That does not mean you are simply out of luck, though, as there are ways to work around these limitations. Often, this is done via bracketing, and this excellent video tutorial will show you some of the different kinds of bracketing, why they are valuable, and how to use them. 

Rumors about the forthcoming Leica M11 are circulating, and one particular feature stands out: 64 gigabytes of internal memory.

How many times have you gone out after dark, wishing you had your camera with you? Night photography opens up a world of extraordinary images, and with the advanced technologies of our mobile phones today, you can get excellent image quality.

Few lenses are more classic than a wide-aperture 85mm, which is often the preferred choice of portrait photographers. Nonetheless, a good 85mm lens can be awfully expensive. There are some quite affordable options out there as well, with one such example being the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8, and this excellent video review takes a look at the image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice. 

I'm a long-time user of Nik Tools, and the suite of filters and presets has been advancing rapidly since DXO took the software over in 2017. There are tools to create a variety of monochrome looks, perspective corrections, sharpening, HDR renders, analog and film replication effects, color adjustments, noise reduction, and sharpening. Now, DXO is offering version 4.3 with 35 new presets, most useful to landscape photographers.

November’s astronomical events led me to plan for a week-long marathon astrophotography session. The catch was that it had to be around the full Moon, normally a frustratingly unproductive time for astrophotographers.

Some cameras are designed to be pragmatic tools, meant to reliably get the shot without fuss no matter what situation you throw them into. Other cameras put form first, offering stylish designs meant to inspire your creativity. It is a rare camera that does both equally well. This excellent video review takes a look at one such camera and why it will make you want to go out and shoot with it.

Most creative industries are highly competitive and difficult to earn high income. In this video, Lizzie Peirce walks you through her nine income streams and how they work, which may give you inspiration for your own business.

Some discoveries in life are intentional and some are just happy accidents that work out in ways we never anticipated. I rely on the Transform tool in Lightroom to correct lines and perspectives, but I learned that it can completely change the look of an image to add interest and trick the eye of the viewer.

Irix has created a name for themselves by manufacturing manual focus prime lenses that are rugged, affordable, and quite sharp, making them a compelling option for any genre where autofocus is not a requirement. This excellent video review takes a look at one of the company's newer lenses, the 30mm f/1.4 Dragonfly, and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice. 

It is not difficult to get an okay shot as an advanced photographer. The problem is not seeing the things that would bring your photography even up to a world-class level. What if I would tell you that there exists a tiny subgenre in photography that makes not only most of the things you have to improve visible for you but also makes you a better photographer in all genres of photography?

Changing the background of an image convincingly is about a lot more than simply creating a precise mask for your subject and dropping in a new backdrop. It takes the ability to accurately evaluate and match things like lighting, color, perspective, depth of field, and more. If you are wondering how to do all those things, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know to convincingly change the background of an image using Photoshop. 

As all facets of technology take large, confident strides forward, there are many unintended synergies and applications between them. One example of this, which is still relatively new to being viable, is using a projector as a background for photography and videography.

Neither of these looks like a regular photographer’s bag. They are rugged but attractive, and no matter where you go, you'll look stylish while knowing your gear is safe and well protected. 

For many of us, 2021 has been no better a year than 2020. Take a break, and rise above the fog with this incredible video from Michael Shainblum, as he captures long exposures, time-lapses, and film images from high above the clouds in San Francisco. 

Whether hobbyists or professionals, we all became photographers because we enjoy the process of creating images and sharing them with the world. But often, somewhere along the way, things go awry, and we end up unsatisfied and/or unhappy with the pursuit, sometimes turning our back on it altogether. If you find yourself in that place, this awesome video essay discusses how to make yourself a happier photographer. 

After all the excitement we got last year from the comet NEOWISE, it's hard to believe that right now, there's another potential naked-eye-visible comet screaming through the solar system at 158,000 miles per hour.

Welcome to the next—and 6th—episode of our 8-part video tutorial series about long exposure photography and how different filters can produce dramatic results. As a reminder, each time we drop a new video, you have the chance to win some awesome prizes. Follow the instructions included in this post to enter this week's contest.

2021 brought a huge array of excellent gear. Here’s a roundup of the best and worst releases of the year, including a decision for the best stills camera that will take a lot of people by surprise.

The Sandmarc Motion Pro Variable filter can be used for both filming and photography. For me, it excels at one more than the other, not because of quality, but because of ease of use.

One of the challenges of landscape photography is that unlike many other genres, you do not have control of the elements in the scene, only where you position yourself and how you choose your composition. This can often lead to overly busy compositions, but this helpful video tutorial will give you some good advice on how to counteract that and produce stronger, more compelling images.