Here Is How I Light My Images as a Pro Photographer

I love light; it is the foundational component of my photography. I started off with light setups from the internet; however, I soon realized they don’t work for what I was aiming to get. This led me to come up with my own way of lighting photographs. Here is how I do it and how you can learn it.

Important Photo Editing Fundamentals for New Photographers

Creating a successful image is almost always a two-step process: shooting and editing. As you grow comfortable with your camera, you should also work on developing your post-processing skills. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing some of the fundamentals of editing photos and offering some helpful advice sure to put you on the right track.

How to Photograph Wildflowers in Windy Conditions

Wildflowers can make fantastic subjects or complements to the subject of a landscape image, but when they start thrashing about in a stiff breeze, it can be tricky to still get optimal image quality. If you keep finding your plans foiled by the wind, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features a seasoned landscape photographer sharing some helpful tips for photographing wildflowers in such conditions.

Five Annoying Moments in Photography!

We have all been there! Out and about on a photo shoot, trying to photograph a beautiful landscape or during a portrait session, and then something happens, which annoys you to your core. Join me in this article as I discuss some of the frustrations I have experienced.

How to Create Light and Airy Photos Using Lightroom

The light and airy look is a highly popular style with clients, as it evokes a sense of love and lightness. The mistake photographers commonly make with this style, however, is assuming it means just overexposing a portrait. The real trick to the look is a careful editing approach, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you every step you need to take to create it using Lightroom.

Can AI Make Art?

AI is getting a ton of attention right now. Some of that is excitement, with photographers interested in the ways it can make their workflows more efficient and expand their creative range. Others are worried about the impact it will have on the industry and how it could potentially render some photographers irrelevant. Can AI actually create art, though? This interesting video essay discusses the topic.

What Are the Worst Red Flags When Hiring a Photographer?

Whether you're hiring a photographer for your wedding, getting a headshot, or even hiring a second shooter as a photographer yourself, it can be daunting. So, what are the worst red flags you ought to be wary of when hiring a photographer?

11 Ways I Maintain Focus and Productivity as a Professional Photographer

Concentration and focus are among the most crucial skills to master as a freelancer and photographer. Being productive in your workspace is the key to gaining an edge over others when it comes to the basics. In this article, I have collected 11 of my best hacks for maintaining daily productivity.

Which of These Retro Cameras Is Right for You?

Retro cameras have become highly popular in the last few years, with many championing their tactile mechanical designs that encourage the user to be a more active part of the photographic process rather than someone operating a machine. Two leading options are the highly popular Fujifilm X100V and the new Nikon Zf. Which is right for you? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both cameras to help you choose the option for you.

Why I Love a Wood Box for Prints

In the digital age of photography, the imaging process has almost become effortless. Professional photographers can struggle to stand out in the crowded market. Although creating outstanding images is crucial to succeed in this craft of photography, photographers should take into consideration the final step of delivering those printed images.

Really? Is Expensive Gear Actually Even Worth It?

With the market inundated with countless products, it can be overwhelming to choose the right price point for the gear you need. Does the price tag truly reflect the quality and performance of the equipment? Let's dive into this question.

The Ethics of Landscape Photography

Landscape photography may not involve photographing animals or people, but that does not mean it does not come with its own set of ethics that creatives should consider each time they head out with their cameras. This fantastic video essay features an experienced landscape photographer sharing some of the most common ethical considerations creatives should be aware of and some examples of how violating them can have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment.

Are You Properly Organizing Your Images?

Even after just a few years of photography, your Lightroom catalog will likely have ballooned to several thousand images, and as such, it is crucial to put thought, time, and effort into how your images are organized so that you can work with them as needed. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing his system and offering a wealth of useful advice for keeping your Lightroom catalog neat and tidy.

A Photographer's Review of the New iPhone 15

Apple's new iPhone 15 is here, and the latest model provides some serious upgrades for photographers and filmmakers, making it worth a look for many creatives. What can you expect from these upgrades and new features in real-world usage? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the phone in practice.

Two Effective Portrait Lighting Setups

Good lighting makes all the difference in a portrait, and knowing the different styles appropriate for different applications will make you a more versatile and capable creative. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced portrait photographer sharing two different lighting setups — a beauty setup and a more dramatic option — and sharing a lot of helpful advice on how to optimize both approaches to produce the best possible results.

10 Tips for Editing Portrait Photos

Lighting, posing, and shooting a portrait is challenging enough, but rarely is the job finished the moment you press the shutter. Almost all portrait images will require some degree of editing to produce a final product. If you would like to improve your portrait shots, check out this fantastic video tutorial that shares 10 great tips on how to improve your editing.

Here Comes Another Canon Lens

Canon has been extremely aggressive in their approach to RF mount lenses, producing a variety of boundary-pushing and capable lenses. However, it seems they plan on introducing a lens that was not on our bingo card for 2024.

Sony Kando 2023: Bigger and Better Than Ever

I have been to a good number of photo-related events, both as a journalist and as an educator. And while the really good events usually strive to maintain, Sony Kando simply gets better and better. But what does that mean? Who attends? What is it like, and why is it important? Essentially, what exactly is Sony Kando, and why does it matter?

How Kodak Could Have Ruled the Photography World

It is hard to believe nowadays, but a few decades ago, Kodak was so dominant in the photography industry that the company's name was synonymous with the image itself — the "Kodak moment." So, why is the company a shell of its former self today? This neat video takes a look at some of the major milestones in the company's history and why, despite being at the forefront of the industry at one point, they are almost totally irrelevant today.

A Review of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD Lens for Nikon Z Mirrorless Cameras

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD has been one of the hottest lenses of the last few years, with many creatives clamoring for a tool that can tackle the work of several other lenses in one package, offering unmatched levels of convenience and versatility. How does it hold up in the real world? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

How Are You Doing After COVID?

Thankfully, the worst of COVID seems to be behind us, but its effects are still being felt far and wide in many different ways. If you have had the misfortune to suffer from long-term effects from COVID, it is important to know that you are not alone. This excellent video essay features a landscape photographer discussing his experience with the issue and how he has been coping with it.

A Review of the Sony a7C II Mirrorless Camera

The Sony a7C II mirrorless camera offers a lot of capabilities in a very small body, making it an attractive option for anyone who wants a lot of versatility in a portable package. How does the second generation compare to the first? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice?

Here's Why Your Photos Aren't Sharp Enough

Of the many things that go into making a good photo, sharpness is one of the most fundamental and impactful. There are many factors, both with the camera and post-processing, that affect sharpness in an image. If you would like to improve your shots, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you many of the most common reasons for photos lacking sharpness and how to fix those issues.

An Advanced Two-Light Setup for Wedding Photography

When it comes to wedding photography, time is almost never a luxury, and as such, the photographer generally has to keep the lighting setups relatively simple to keep things moving. Nonetheless, if you are feeling confident in your abilities and ready to step it up to the next level, a two-light off-camera setup can give you a lot more creative flexibility. This awesome video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer sharing her two-light setup for photographing receptions.

Photography When Life Gets in the Way

Photography can be an unforgiving thing. When you are dependent on the light, the time of day, the weather, and more, life getting in the way even in the slightest can derail your plans. What do you do? This great video follows a photographer as he heads out to shoot with his young son in tow and discusses that tricky balance.

The Full Frame Cult Is Getting Tiring

I wish we’d all just move on. The format that used to be a compromise between image quality and price in the film days is nowadays being taken as the sole possibility for a serious photographer, and if you are not part of the gang, you apparently deserve to be ridiculed.

Sold for More Than $500,000: Franklin Expedition Daguerreotypes!

Photographed in 1845, first printed in 1851, and then sitting in storage for 178 years, Richard Beard's daguerreotypes of the Franklin Expedition have been sold at public auction (Sothebys) for £444,500 ($545,677 USD,) more than double the top of the expected range.

2 Mistakes the Best Photographers Never Make

If you want to be the best, you need to refine and perfect your craft. You also need to recognize your errors and eliminate them. Here are two of the most common amateur mistakes that the best photographers never make.

A Look at the New iPhone 15 for Photography

The new iPhone 15 is here, and it brings with it some major camera upgrades that should be quite exciting for photographers and filmmakers alike. How do all these improvements and new features perform in practice? This fantastic video takes a look at how the phone performs for photography work.

The Life of a Creative Photographer

The life of a photographer, professional or hobbyist, has a lot of ups and downs. The creative process is a complicated thing that draws on experience, technique, intuition, and more, and understanding its ebbs and flows can be beneficial not only in maximizing your output but weathering the lulls. This fantastic video interview features a pair of experienced landscape photographers discussing a wide range of meaningful wisdom and advice sure to make you a better creative.

Why Cheap Clients Will Bury You: The False Economy of Anything Over Nothing

When you first start monetizing your photography or videography, you may quickly fall into the desperate scramble for jobs, particularly if you're looking to do it full-time. There is an issue that arises if you aren't selective with your work going forward, however, and it can be seriously damaging.
The Power of Telephoto Lenses in Landscape Photography

When you think of landscape photography, does a wide angle lens come to mind as the go-to choice for capturing the vast beauty of nature? While wide angle lenses undoubtedly excel at framing expansive vistas and foreground elements, the importance of having a telephoto lens in your bag for landscape photography should not be underestimated. Let's explore the often-overlooked role of telephoto lenses in landscape photography. You will discover how telephoto lenses can enhance your creative possibilities, capture stunning details, and unlock new perspectives in your landscape images.

Zoner Photo Studio X: Powering Up with Faster and Easier Features

Zoner Photo Studio X (ZPS X) is an all-encompassing post-production suite and file management system that has been quietly growing into something truly impressive. In the latest update, ZPS X has seen some major user experience upgrades, making it faster and easier to use than ever before.

Many Photographers Neglect This Very Important Practice

Photographers focus a lot on the technical aspects surrounding their work, whether it's the gear they are using, finding the perfect settings for their images, or trying to capture every pixel. While those can be important in some situations, it leads to many of us neglecting this very simple practice that will have a larger impact on your final image.
We Review the Lume Cube XL Tube Light

Tube lights are all the rage. So, when a new one comes on the market, it better have some type of stand-out feature to differentiate it from the pack.

A Review of the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 Lens

Tamron has become one of the most respected lens manufacturers in recent years, creating both highly practical and very innovative lenses that both push the boundaries of lens design and that offer affordable alternatives to first-party options. The new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 is one of those pragmatic options, and this excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

A Review of the Fujifilm GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR Lens

Medium format lenses are rarely cheap or portable, but the Fujifilm GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR is both reasonably priced and rather svelte, at least as these larger optics normally go. Can it still keep up with the demands of a modern medium format camera sensor. This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of image quality you can expect from it.

A Review of the Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 Lens for Fujifilm X Series Cameras

Samyang has long been known for creating manual focus lenses that offer fantastic image quality and sharpness in tandem with extremely affordable prices. However, in the last few years, the company has moved into producing autofocus options, though their prices have remained highly affordable. This makes the AF 75mm f/1.8 for Fujifilm X Series mirrorless cameras a particularly exciting option, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Everything You Need To Know When Starting Film Photography

Considering getting into film photography? You have arrived at the appropriate destination. In this concise yet comprehensive video, you will learn all you need to know to get started with the fundamentals of film photography.

How to Fix Perspective in Photoshop

Few things are more frustrating than taking a photo with a ton of potential, only to sit down at your computer and realize that the perspective is off. Luckily, there is a lot you can do in modern post-processing software to fix an image's perspective. This excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to do that in Photoshop.

Is the Camera Market Moving Away From Photographers?

It’s no secret the camera industry is highly volatile, but the bigger story lies behind people still buying and using cameras in 2023. Whether you’re a pro or amateur photographer, the landscape is changing rapidly from year to year. As camera manufacturers increasingly prioritize video users, is the market starting to move away from photographers?

We Review The Automated Blog Generator From Focal

If you’re like me, then writing a blog for your website is probably the last thing on your mind. But content creation doesn't have to be a chore. In fact, it can be downright simple.