As artists, we tend to channel our time and energy into becoming better at our craft. We learn more complex lighting setups, take advanced classes in retouching, buy the latest “must-have” gadgets, and try to bring it all together to improve our skills. We do it all because we have a fundamental belief that, “If I am the best, I will be the most successful”. Have you ever found yourself doing that, pouring months, and sometimes years into ameliorating your craft, but you still have not seen the corresponding financial or opportunity growth you expected?

Landscape photography as a genre can be perceived as quite repetitive to some. However, to others, it can be a multifaceted challenge depending on the light, conditions, and locations that we choose to photograph!

Whether hobbyist or professional, photography can be a pursuit that takes up a lot of your time and energy, and when you finally put the camera down, you might not have the desire to pick it up again for a while. That can be a mistake, though, as you possess a special set of skills that put you in a position to document your life and the lives of your family and friends. This great video essay discusses the importance of doing just that.

What are your editing workspace essentials, and how much impact do they have on how efficient and/or comfortable you are when you do post-production? Here are some tools that might give your workflow a boost.

With all of the advances in camera tech these days, it’s easy to get confused when thinking about which camera to buy or which camera to upgrade to! There are a plethora of reviews, videos, and opinions out there on which camera is best for you.

I had the privilege of observing people I greatly admire making a living doing what they love. At the outset of my career, my friend, Dago, who directed tour videos for artists like Madonna, Ricky Martin, Celine Dion, Pink, and many others, noticed my keen interest in pursuing a creative path. He observed me closely, even as I occasionally posed some rather absurd questions.

There are a few things that make life as a photographer much easier. Here are some simple changes I made that you might consider adopting to help you capture the shot.

Both the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 AF and Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary offer Fujifilm X Series users approximately 35mm full frame equivalent focal lengths in tandem with very wide maximum apertures, making them versatile options for a variety of applications. That being said, Fujifilm's new 40-megapixel sensor can be quite demanding. Can these lenses keep up? This excellent video comparison takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect.

Without much fanfare, Canon showed off a prototype consumer 360/180 VR camera shortly after Apple's reveal of its Vision Pro VR headset in June. Now, we have a better idea of what's under the hood.

One of the most frequently discussed topics in any film photography Facebook group is traveling with film. Newbies and old hands alike will share experiences of transiting through various airports, detailing their success rate of asking for hand checks of their film with security staff.

Imagine the moment your computer stops working. It contains thousands of photos and a Lightroom Classic catalog. Imagine if all the work and effort you put into it is gone. The risk can be minimized when you take care of four or five things.

TTArtisan has recently announced a 500mm f/6.3 lens for Sony E Mount, Leica L Mount, Nikon Z Mount, and Canon RF Mount, and it is only $329! So, what is the catch? In this video by Olle Nilsson, he reviews this lens and explains the positives and negatives.

Here are five tips that will spark your creativity.

Color grading is a science, and it can take professionals years to perfect. With so many variables in the mix, is this something that you would want to try for yourself? What if there was a plugin that could take out the time involved in the matching of colors over a series of images using a reference image, and in doing so, allow you to get the results you are seeking without as many hoops to jump through?

Working with professional models can be a fantastic way to really experiment with creative ideas and expand your portfolio. However, working with models is far different than working with normal clients. If you have not worked with them before, check out this helpful video tutorial that introduces you to many of the logistics that come with working with models as well as some of the most common working practices.

Every now and then, the opportunities for creativity can be found right under your nose, or in your own backyard, in this case. I turned my backyard into a photo studio to create wild conceptual images.

IRIX is one of the lesser-known lens manufacturers, but they produce some rather interesting lenses that promise high levels of image quality, particularly suitable for landscape photography. The 15mm f/2.4 Dragonfly offers a fairly wide maximum aperture paired with an ultra-wide focal length, all at a modest price, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Do you love camera gear? Have you recently come into a large sum of money you don't know how to spend? How about the opportunity to own one of the world's most expensive cameras ever sold at auction?

If you roll back the clock to around 300 years ago, America was still in its infancy years. It was a time before the Revolutionary War, and the slave trade was thriving across the world. Across the Atlantic Ocean, in England, a small sapling was beginning to grow which would later become an icon, until now.

The Fujifilm X-H2 mirrorless camera was a major step forward for the company's highly respected X Series, as it was the first body to add a high-resolution sensor, increasing its versatility and making it all the more desirable for photographers and filmmakers. How does it hold up in the long run? This great video review takes a look at the camera's performance and quality after a year of use.

TTArtisan has established themselves as a manufacturer of some of the cheapest lenses on the market, making them a popular option for anyone who wants access to a variety of common options at prices that will not break the bank. One such lens is the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

There are few things in your journey as a budding photography as exciting as landing your first paid shoot, but how to actually go about making that happen is anything but clear. If you are ready to start getting paid for your work but struggling to find a client, check out this helpful video tutorial that offers some actionable advice on how to land your first photoshoot.

When you are a professional photographer, your life is often extremely busy, and it is common for the fact of creating and taking pictures to go from an act of passion to one of work. And that can be a rather sad and even detrimental thing for both your professional work and your satisfaction as a creative. This insightful video essay discusses the issue and why it is so important to keep being a hobbyist photographer, even when you are a professional.

Canon has been quite aggressive in developing and releasing RF mount lenses, and it looks like they intend to keep pressing forward, with over a dozen new patents showing plans for some pretty incredible options.

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 2023, 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.

The iPhone 15 Pro is an amazing phone, but after days of testing, I haven't found it to be a significant upgrade over last year's 14 Pro.

Fall is one of the most exciting times of year for landscape photographers, with vibrant colors abounding and numerous photo opportunities waiting everywhere you turn. Along with skills behind the camera, it takes a good edit to create a polished fall photo. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing some lesser-known tips and tools for creating compelling fall images that pop off the screen using Lightroom.

Photoshop's Generative Fill feature is one of the program's most powerful capabilities to come along in quite some time, offering the ability to create entirely new editing paradigms and make established procedures far more efficient. Just like any other tool, though, there are some best practices it pays to be aware of. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced Photoshop pro sharing some useful advice that will show you how to get more out of the program's Generative Fill feature.

Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres out there, and though it can be quite challenging, it can also be very rewarding. If you are just starting your portrait photography journey and feeling a bit overwhelmed, check out this fantastic video tutorial that shares everything you need to get started, ranging from technical skills to developing a creative mindset and starting a business.

It’s the time for many of us to see and photograph the auroras. Sadly, that generates a lot of invalid arguments about how the images should or should not look. But here's how you can capture them in all their glory.

The Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens offers a giant range of focal lengths, making it an intriguing option for variety of photographers, particularly wildlife, bird, and sports shooters. Can it offer the performance and image quality needed in those demanding genres? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in usage.

The Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM is one of the craziest lenses to come along in quite some time, offering an unheard-of zoom range and aperture combination for a full frame lens, making it a unique option for photographers. Nonetheless, it is neither cheap nor small. Is it worth the price and size? This excellent video review takes a look at if its performance and image quality can stand up to two demanding sensors.

Winter photography can be a magical yet challenging experience due to the conditions that come with cold weather, snow, sleet, high winds, and limited daylight. As photographers, we can prepare for this in advance to ensure we're insulated and dry enough to keep out the elements that this season throws at us, but what about our equipment?

Full frame cameras are often considered the tool of choice for professional photographers. You rarely find such cameras in articles aimed at beginners. For many photographers, transitioning to a full frame camera is the next logical step in their journey. In this article, we will explore some crucial factors to consider before making the leap to full frame.

A lot of photographers spend much of their time obsessing over the technical quality of their images, and while that certainly matters, there is such a thing as taking it too far, which is something many of us are guilty of. Worrying too much about technical quality can often cause too little focus on creative development and exploration, which can be quite detrimental to one's growth and maturation as a photographer. This excellent video essay features a seasoned photographer discussing the issue and how to fix it.

Being a professional photographer is an extremely challenging career, and it is important to have a realistic idea of what it entails and how best to get there before you make the dive. If you are considering going into professional work, check out this excellent video essay that features an experienced commercial photographer sharing some hard-earned insights into the industry and life as a professional.

For a lot of photographers, the act of traveling is a double-edged sword. We travel to be able to see the world and draw as much inspiration as we can from everything we see and experience. At the same time, the act of traveling often requires pushing out of our comfort zones and leaving behind a lot of the things that allow us to operate with fewer worries and limitations.

The latest lens getting all the attention is the Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, which promises superlative image quality and creamy bokeh. Nonetheless, the portrait lens landscape is perhaps the most competitive of all, and it takes a major achievement to stand at the top. Can the 135mm f/1.8 deliver? This excellent video takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you will be able to expect from the lens in practice.

Landscape photography can be a real trudge sometimes, both literally and metaphorically, with tremendous amounts of effort exerted for just the chance at the photo you are looking for. And with that can often come frustration and a lack of motivation. Nonetheless, the best landscape photographers often have a few traits in common: they repeat shots and they persevere through challenges. This excellent video essay discusses how those qualities can serve you.

Sony has introduced the second iteration of its popular FE 16-35mm G-master lens. While improvements have been made, the most striking change lies in its reduced size and weight. Sony kindly provided me with this lens for an honest and unbiased review.

In the past few years, we have seen a real influx of highly affordable lenses that still offer serviceable to even good results, but even by those standards, the new TTArtisan 500mm f/6.3 is really, really cheap. Can it offer good performance and image quality despite that very low price? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it in usage.

When you are working in a studio, you can have just about whatever lighting you want at your disposal, no matter how complex and cumbersome the setup. However, when you move to on-location shoots, simplicity and portability are the name of the game. This awesome video tutorial will show you an easy, compact, and effective lighting setup for on-location portraits.

Viltrox has continued to establish themselves as one of the leading companies in the industry when it comes to competitively priced lenses that still offer the sort of performance and image quality that pros and advanced hobbyists require. The AF 16mm f/1.8 FE promises to continue that tradition while also offering a range of innovative features in tandem with an ultra-wide focal length and very wide aperture, making it an appealing lens to a wide range of creatives. This great video review takes a look at the how it holds up in practice.

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the photography community is an opinionated bunch, and to make matters worse, there are a lot of people outside of the community who are opinionated about it too! So, let's take the edge off by sharing the worst photography opinions and why they should be condemned to history.

There are numerous applications for soft light, from portraiture to product photography, from macro to fashion. Soft light stands as one of the cornerstones of photographic expertise.

When you think of supertelephoto zoom lenses, you probably think of genres like sports and wildlife photography. No doubt, they are highly useful for such applications, but their value extends far beyond those applications. This great video essay discusses some of the many great ways you can use a supertelephoto zoom in your own work.

If you think digital downloads are enough to supply clients with, think again. USB drives are still the standard, and here is why.

The 23mm f/1.4 Contemporary lens is the latest offering in Sigma’s lineup of fast, compact, prime lenses for Fujifilm X Mount cameras. With a 35mm equivalent focal length, the 23mm is sure to be popular for street photography, portraits, landscapes, and more.