If you had asked me a year ago what the best compact camera was, my answer would have been the Fujifilm X100V. I'm a big fan of Fujifilm's fixed lens compact line, having owned one ever since the original X100 was released in 2010. What captivated me about it 13 years ago were the straight-out-of-camera JPGs. The color rendition of the f/2 Fujinon lens was simply gorgeous.
Photography has always been a medium to preserve moments and memories, but for some artists, it serves as a source of inspiration and a window into the past. One such artist is the renowned filmmaker Wes Anderson, known for his distinct and visually captivating cinematic style, which draws upon the work of French photographer Jacques Henri-Lartigue to infuse his films. While the two artists work in different visual mediums, Henri-Lartigue's photographic compositions and Anderson's cinematic worlds share distinct visuals capturing a sense of joy and playfulness.
The true value of photographs comes from the appreciation of them in the long-term, not just for short-term beauty appreciation through digital devices. And the best way to preserve these memories is through the form of print. In today’s age of digital photography, where thousands of images can be viewed within seconds from our devices, it has clearly diminished the way we value photographs, and the act of viewing images through prints has become a forgotten art. Despite all this, I am here to advocate that printing your work is not just another option, but a commitment to your craft and a way to elevate your photography to a whole new level.
Launched five years ago, Peak Design’s Camera Cubes introduced a superb system of organizing and protecting cameras, lenses, and accessories. They have now updated the Camera Cubes with additional protection and new sizes.
The Canon EOS R1 has been in the pipeline for a few years now, and with the standards set by cameras like the Sony a1 and Nikon Z9, many users are excitedly waiting to see what kind of technology Canon will put in its flagship mirrorless camera. Thankfully, it looks like we're inching closer to learning just what the company will offer.
he Camera Cubes from Peak Design have been quite popular with photographers, offering several options for travel with cameras, lenses, drones, and the varied accessories we are all weighed down with.
The beauty of photography lies in the art of discovery, capturing images that are uniquely your own, and avoiding the cliché "downtown Los Angeles" stamp on your work.
Holiday season is officially upon us, and now is the time when we start searching the internet for what to buy your loved ones, friends, and family, or even a cheeky treat for yourself. In this article. I choose five items that I think are ideal for landscape photographers old and new.
Landscape photography is a challenging genre that requires a wide range of technical and creative skills, a lot of perseverance, and often, just a bit of luck. If you would like to improve your landscape work, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographers sharing seven useful tips sure to put you on the track to better photos.
Flash can feel a bit daunting to photographers who have not used it before, particularly when you take it outside and have to learn to balance it with the sun. You will find it a lot easier if you master a few fundamental concepts first, and it will make you a far more versatile portrait photographer. If you are ready to start learning, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.
We have a brand-new photographer shootout video in the works, and we need your help picking the winner. Click the full post and rate the four images from best to worst to decide who wins and who loses in this new "unconventional use of a backdrop" contest!
The Stella Pro Refkex S is a hybrid light that can be both a powerful constant light as well as a strobe-style flash. And with this new update, the Reflex S just got better than ever.
Composition is one of the trickiest parts of photography no matter what genre you shoot, but it can be especially challenging in genres in which you have no control over the placement of the elements in the environment, such as landscape photography. This great video features an experienced landscape photographer discussing some of the difficulties of composition and showing how even minor adjustments can make or break an image.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the Milky Way core season is sadly coming to a close for this year and we will not see it again for another 5 or 6 months. In this fantastic video by Jeroen Linnenkamp, he chooses seven amazing night-time subjects that can keep you shooting throughout those core-less months.
The all-new Bose QuietComfort Headphones really aren't that new at all. They are almost Identical to the QC35 headphones that came out in 2016. They are boring — perfectly boring — and that's why they are my favorite headphones ever.
In this video, Christian Möhrle shows six creative ways to elevate your photos in Lightroom, such as creating a fog or light bleed effect.
Adobe Max is a three-day conference in Los Angeles, CA attended by designers, illustrators, photographers, and social media content creators. Attendees can watch presentations by Adobe representatives and attend educational sessions given by independent creators. This year, Generative AI was mentioned in many presentations. This feature is implemented in unique ways across the programs that make up Adobe’s Creative Cloud, and it often feels to the user that they have more effective communication with programs that have AI enhancement.
Canon has had their foot firmly planted on the gas when it comes to RF lenses, releasing many in a short few years and pushing the boundaries of design with some remarkably capable options. And while 2023 is coming to a close, it seems the company is not yet done, with more lenses likely to come in the next few months.
Being a creative is often anything but easy, and doubt in your abilities can creep in due to all sorts of factors. That can have serious consequences on your ability to produce images, and that can lead to a spiral of reinforcement that hinders your progress. This excellent video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the issue and why a positive mindset can lead you to compelling photos even in poor conditions.
The new Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphone is here, and the company continues to place some pretty neat photography innovations in their devices. This excellent video review takes a look at the new phone, particularly its photo features, and shows the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
At 9mm, the 7artisans Photoelectric 9mm f/5.6 offers the widest focal length available in a full frame rectilinear lens, making it an intriguing choice for landscapes, architecture, and much more. With such an extreme design and a reasonable price ($479), can it still offer the sort of performance and image quality discerning photographers demand? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.
I've long been a fan of Google's Pixel lineup of phones for its photography prowess, but with the release of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, it's clear that photographers are not necessarily the market for what is considered a solid lineup of phone cameras.
Lines play an important role in the art of composition. They serve as guides directing the viewer's attention, emphasizing the subject within the frame. While we often find lines with the prominent features of a landscape, it's crucial not to overlook the lines in the sky.
Photographers and filmmakers have never had so many choices of Macs available to them, and as such, it can be a little tricky knowing which one is right for you. If you are looking for a new computer and wondering which Mac is best for your work, check out this helpful video that will take you through the lineup and show you the best models for different applications.
While there are differences between micro four thirds, APS-C, full frame, and medium format, the general shooting experience of all those various sensor sizes is mostly the same. On the other hand, large format photography is an entirely different process and approach, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort to tackle the beast, you will be rewarded with incredible images unlike anything you have even seen before. This awesome video takes a look at the experience and its impact on how you shoot.
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens is making waves for its incredible image quality and bokeh, making it an enticing option for portrait and wedding photographers. Just how good is it in usage? This great video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the lens.
The cleaning of your equipment is an essential part of your photographic practice. Up until a month ago, I used my blower brush and cleaning pen for this. Now, however, these two items have not seen the light of day since I received my Nitecore BB21 blower. This small, versatile, and compact device has taken over the cleaning of my camera gear and a few other components as well.
The new Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S promises wildlife, bird, and sports photographers a ton of reach in tandem with a remarkably portable design sure to please those who are used to carrying around massive supertelephoto primes. How does it hold up in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Prepare to learn new skills! Make the most of color grading using the Blend If sliders to take your color grading further.
Landscape photographers often employ filters for a variety of reasons in order to shape and improve their images. With so many options out there, it can be difficult for a beginner to know which filters are truly useful and which you can probably live without. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing some of the most important filters for the genre.
Picture the scene, you are at a location, camera in hand, ready to capture some epic shots of a landscape that looks the same as it has thousands of years ago! You, however, are not alone, you are in the company of other photographers who feel that a challenge is in order and not any old challenge, an only 400mm challenge.
Tilt-shift lenses were once must-have equipment for certain genres of photography, particularly architecture, as they allowed photographers a high level of control in order to correct geometric issues and produce the highest quality images. Nonetheless, cameras have come a long way in recent years, and modern editing software can produce small miracles. So, do you still need a tilt-shift lens? This interesting video essay discusses the issue.
In landscape photography, just like any other, light can make or break a photo, and as such, one of the most important things a new photographer should do is learn how to read light. This awesome video tutorial features an experienced professional discussing how to read light and how urban environments can help you become a better landscape photographer.
How immersed do you get in your editing and retouching workflow? Perhaps a large color-accurate screen with pen functions might interest you.
When most photographers think of dodging and burning, they think of it being used to sculpt a subject's face and as a high-end retouching technique. But dodging and burning is nothing more than the skillful shaping of light in a frame, and as such, it is an appropriate and useful technique for just about any genre of photography. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to use it to create a dramatic landscape image.
Whether you are new to photography or a seasoned professional, sometimes pre-shoot nerves can feel overwhelming. This article explores why even pro photographers still experience pre-shoot nerves and how to use that feeling in the pit of your stomach to your advantage.
When you think of landscape photography, you likely think of using a wide angle lens to capture a wide swath of a scene in order to encapsulate its grandeur. And while that is an excellent way to use a wide angle lens and one of the primary reasons they are so popular, longer focal lengths have a place in landscape photography as well. This fun video follows some of YouTube's most well-known landscape photographers as they grab their 400mm lenses to see what they can create.
Photographers generally like to focus on objective things: camera settings, lighting ratios, finances, etc. It is only natural to want to put your attention toward easily quantifiable things. However, that is not all it takes to find success as a professional. This fantastic video essay features an experienced pro discussing a subtler but crucially important skill all aspiring professionals need to develop.
I have been searching for a portable power station that can meet my energy needs on the go and power my home office during power outages for some time now. And with the Bluetti AC60, I found a compact solution.
In the beginning, the iPad was mostly an entertainment device meant for content consumption, but it quickly evolved into an incredibly powerful device for content creators, and when combined with Adobe's apps, it is an intriguing option for photographers on the go. This awesome video tutorial will show you how to use the iPad to edit landscape images using both Lightroom and Photoshop.
If you offer portrait services in any way, be it weddings or family portraits, you will have sold a fair few stretched canvases in your time. Other wall products have come and gone over the years, but in this article, we explore why canvas is still that go-to product for photographers to showcase their work to portrait clients and suggest an elevated version to help you stand out from the rest.
Sigma's new 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens offers APS-C shooters a very nice combination of ultra-wide focal lengths in tandem with a wide maximum aperture, making it a nice option for a variety of shooters, including landscape photographers, events shooters, and much more. How does it hold up in practice? This awesome video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
For many photographers, the pursuit of passion is often overshadowed by the looming fear of financial instability. Visions of artistic fulfillment are frequently interrupted by sleepless nights, wondering if next month’s bills will be covered. In a saturated market where every other person with a camera considers themselves a photographer, standing out and making a comfortable living can seem like an elusive dream. But what if amidst these swirling doubts, you came across a story so compelling, it reignites the fire in your belly and renews your faith in the power of persistence and innovation?
Lightroom version 13 is here, and continuing the trend of recent releases, it brings with it some major changes and new features that you will want to be aware of so you can get the most from the program and your image edits. If you have not checked out the latest version yet, check out this excellent video that will show you all the new features and how to use them to work on your images.
It used to be that if you were good at it and could invest the time, you could make a decent living from stock photography, but in recent years, the industry has evolved in what has very much been a race to the bottom in many ways, and it is a far less reliable income source than it used to be. Is it still worth the time and effort in 2023? This great video essay features an experienced commercial photographer discussing his experience with stock work in the past year.
