Important Business Advice for Budding Photographers

Running a successful photo business is an entirely different prospect than simply being good with a camera, and if that is something you hope to do, it is crucial to understand what goes into it. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced commercial photographer discussing the most important currency you have as a professional.

The Artist's Paradox

In a career where our job is literally to be creative, sometimes the one thing you don’t get to be is… creative.

The Lens Every Photographer Should Own

If there is one lens I think should be in every photographer's camera bag, one that's most universal and a workhorse, it’s the 50mm.
JPEGs: Where Do You Stand?

In digital photography, the type of shoot that you are doing often dictates whether you shoot in JPEG or raw format. Both options have their own set of advantages and drawbacks.

Can Camera Gear Inspire You?

The recurring mantra is that gear is nothing more than a tool, and it is true that even the most expensive camera and lens will not do a thing without a competent creative operating them. However, that does not mean a piece of gear cannot be fun to use or even inspire you. This excellent video essay features an experienced photographer who has used a huge range of equipment discussing how gear can inspire you and how that should factor into your purchasing decisions.

The Truth About Becoming a Good Photographer

Becoming a good photographer is a complicated thing that requires a wide range of factors to come together, and rarely is the journey a straight line. If you find yourself on this journey, check out this fantastic video essay that features an experienced photographer that discusses the truth about growing as a photographer.

We Review the Kandao QooCam 3: Third Time’s the Charm

While 360 cameras haven’t quite entered the mainstream for most photographers, Kandao’s QooCam 3 makes a solid case why they should: Kandao’s third entry into its QooCam lineup is a solid 360 action camera at a bargain price.

Make a Monster Splash With High-Speed Flash Photography

Go behind the scenes with photographer Thierry Kuba to observe how he lights, shoots, and edits this high-speed flash project with water splashes. Learn the techniques he uses, listen to discussion of his mistakes, and take in all of his tips and tricks along the way.

How to Photograph the Bridal Party at a Wedding

The group shots at a wedding are some of the most important, but they can also present some of the most difficult challenges for the photographer. If that is something you struggle with, check out this excellent video tutorial that features an experienced wedding photographer sharing a wealth of practical advice on how to get the best shots.

We Review The Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art: Astrophotographers Will Fall in Love

I've been through a lot of fast and wide lenses for my nighttime photography — cheap bargains, expensive highly touted lenses. But I've never been as happy as I am with the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens. Designed specifically for Milky Way and star field photography, it's by far the best lens I've used and evaluated.
How to Take Great Landscape Photos in Harsh Midday Light

When most people think of landscape photography, they think of images shot during golden hour, with warm, diffuse arcs of light bathing the land. And while those times can certainly make for fantastic photos, they do not mean you should avoid all others times of day. Even the notoriously harsh midday sun can make for compelling landscape images, and this excellent video tutorial will show you what you need to know to get the most from it.

When Do Your Photographic Edits Become a Lie?

Huge advancements in technology have changed the way we approach editing. But maybe before adjusting our photos, we should consider what harm it is doing.

How Good Is This Ridiculously Cheap 35mm f/1.4 Lens?

A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most useful and versatile options a photographer can have in their bag, but such lenses can often be quite expensive, sometimes running north of $2,000. At $129, you probably do not expect much out of the dirt-cheap Pergear 35mm f/1.4 lens, but you might be surprised at the results it can produce. This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from this affordable lens.

A Case for Being a Jack of All Trades Photographer

The traditional advice for photographers is to pick a niche and focus in on it, as this will allow you to distinguish yourself and rise above the many other competing photographers. And while that is excellent advice, there is merit to pursuing a multitude of genres as a photographer. This great video essay makes a case for being a jack of all trades photographer.

How to Go Beyond Photography by Telling Stories

As much as we would like to deny it, the true essence of photography extends beyond the simple act of capturing images. For centuries, photographers have been using photography as a medium to curate stories that evoke emotions, ignite imaginations, or even create a lasting impression of moments and spaces around us. As an experienced photographer for over a decade, I firmly believe that the process of photography involves a lot more than just clicking the shutter button. A complete process of photography also involves a meticulous effort in crafting a series of images that tells stories through a careful process of curation and presentation of images.

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

Tamron has established themselves as one of the most innovative lens manufacturers in the photo industry, creating a library of lenses that use smart compromises to offer competitive performance and image quality and performance at prices far more affordable than those of most first-party options. The new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 continues that tradition, making it a potential workhorse of choice for many users, and this great video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the lens in usage.

How to Create Perfect Night Photos

A few months ago, I shared how to take stunning night photos. There, I touched on the technical aspects of taking and editing such images. In today's article, I expand on the topic, focusing on creating perfectly noise-free night images.

A Review of the Incredibly Versatile Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Lens

The Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 offers a hugely versatile range of focal lengths in tandem with particularly wide maximum apertures, all at an impressively affordable price, making it attractive for wedding, events, sports, and portrait photographers. How does it perform in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

A First Look at the New Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7R WR Lens

Fujifilm recently announced a range of exciting new equipment, including the GF 55mm f/1.7R WR, which offers medium format shooters a remarkably wide maximum aperture paired with a versatile and relatively neutral focal length, making it attractive for a range of applications from portraiture to events. How does it perform in real-world usage? This great first look video takes a look at the performance and image quality you will be able to expect.

Stuck In a Creative Rut? Stop Taking Photos and Do These 5 Things Instead

Creative ruts happen to every photographer but some are deeper than others. In some cases, switching up your gear, trying a new genre, or changing your approach can lift you out of a slump. You can’t always shoot your way out of a creative rut, though – sometimes, the best thing you can do is put your camera down and try a different approach.

How Do You Get Out of Landscape Photography Ruts?

Landscape photography can take a tremendous commitment of time and effort, and even then, you are not guaranteed to come home with the shot you had hoped for. And so, when that happens, it can be easy to become discouraged and eventually find yourself in a creative rut. What can you do when that happens? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing his thoughts.

A Review of the Tiny Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM Lens

The Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM is a truly small lens, which makes it a fantastic option for any creative who want an affordable lens suitable for multi-hour walks or long trips. Can it pack decent image quality and performance into that tiny footprint? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in real-world usage.

Why Using the Golden Ratio in Your Photos Might Not Be a Good Idea After All

A while ago, someone commented on an article that composition is meaningless and people drawing wiggly lines on a photo were pulling the wool over people’s eyes. Initially, I dismissed that as being a naïve comment. Then, I did a little research and found something surprising.

3 Common Posing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The nice thing about topics like camera settings and lighting is that they are easily quantifiable, which makes learning them easier in some cases. Posing can be a bit trickier and is often one of the last things portrait photographers really master. If you are growing as a portrait photographer and want some useful advice to add to your bag of tools, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced creative sharing three common posing mistakes and how to fix them.

5 Common Printing Mistakes Photographers Make

As much as we view photos on screens nowadays, there really is no replacement for seeing and holding a physical representation of your work. However, printing your photos is a rather delicate process, and mistakes that cause ruined prints can be rather costly. To ensure you get things right the first time, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer discussing five common photo-printing mistakes and what you can do to fix them.

A Photographer's Guide to Protecting Your Business and Client Relationships

Running a photography business is not as easy as you would like to think it is. A very common misconception starting in this industry would be thinking that you will be successful if you are good at taking photographs. While it was probably true decades ago, the steep competition and the change of industry landscape these days pushes the difficulty to the next level. In this article, we will be discussing an ongoing issue about client ghosting that has become increasingly common and continues to bug the industry as a whole.

Hard Truths About Photography in 2023

Photography is a very popular business to get into, but a very difficult one in which to make a stable, successful living. Why is that? What does it take to be a successful professional? This insightful video essay features a seasoned pro discussing what it takes to find success in 2023.

A Review of the Incredible Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S Lens

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens offers the promise of being the ultimate portrait lens for Z mount shooters by offering a combination of an extremely wide maximum aperture, top-level image quality, and smooth and buttery bokeh. Can it actually provide those in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in real-world usage.

Thoughts on Awakening Creativity

Being stuck in a creative rut can be one of the most frustrating things a photographer can experience, and paradoxically, trying to force your way through it can often only make it worse. This fantastic video essay features a photographer sharing his experience with a creative lull, what worked, what did not, and the most important lessons he took away from the experience.

Adobe Plans to Make You Pay for Photoshop's AI Features, Even if You Have a Subscription

Photoshop's Generative Fill is possibly the single most talked about addition in the history of the program. This AI-powered feature allows users to add elements to a photograph not present in the original capture. Many creators love the feature. But that may be about to change due to a recently announced change in Adobe's pricing structure.

Peakto Announces Luminar Neo Advanced Compatibility

Luminar Neo is one of my top editors, and Peakto is my very favorite cataloging app. Bringing the two together is a win-win for editors because one of the weaknesses of Neo is their catalog/database. It's been improved some, but it certainly can't compete with Lightroom or even Adobe Bridge.

How to Use This Powerful Lightroom Feature

Recent versions of Lightroom come with an improved and far more powerful masking panel that allows you to make precise and powerful adjustments with ease. While the purpose of some of these masks is clear, the intersection function is a bit trickier to use. It is well worth learning, though, as it will add even more power to your editing tools. This helpful video tutorial will show you what it is and how to use it.

A Cautionary Tale for Photographers

Do you have insurance? Do you need insurance? Is this something that you've thought about and then just not gone ahead and purchased? Photography is a hobby, so I'll be covered with my home insurance should anything go wrong. Is there something in the small print that won't cover your equipment at home or overseas?

An Important Reminder That The Camera You Have Is Enough

We are absolutely inundated with gear news and discussion every single day from all corners of the internet, and while gear can certainly be a lot of fun, it is important to remember that it is the means, not the end. This important video will show you that you can create fantastic images even with a camera that is 15 years old.

11 Useful Sony Camera Settings You Didn't Know About!

Cameras have become increasingly more complicated of late, and with that comes a complexity of menus. They can be overwhelming to work through, but hidden inside are many options that can transform your quality of life when shooting.
A Review of the New Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II Lens

A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is the option of choice for countless photographers, as it can handle a huge variety of situations and needs and produce quality images with a high degree of reliability. That being said, such lenses are often quite expensive, easily topping $2,000. If you do not need that wide aperture, a 70-200mm f/4 can be an excellent alternative. The new Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II is one such alternative, and it also brings with it 0.5x macro capabilities, making it an intriguing option. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect from it.

Photography, CGI, and AI: Can You Tell the Difference? An Interview With Steve Hansen

Which image in the banner is a photograph, and which is computer generated? Can you even tell anymore? With the addition of computer generated imagery (CGI) and artificial intelligence, the process of creating images has provided commercial photographers more tools than ever. I sat down with award-winning food photographer Steve Hansen to discuss this topic and to delve into the question: "Is it enough to just be a photographer these days?"

Using a Nikon Z30 for Landscape Photography

Everyone likes to talk about gear, moving to a full frame camera, getting the newest camera, more megapixels, and so on. It is easy to think that you can’t take good pictures without the right gear. In this video, we see someone move from using their Nikon Z7 to using their Nikon Z30 more often.

Hands-On With the Sigma 23mm f/1.4 for Fujifilm: Is It Any Good?

There are so many lenses on the market it today we're spoiled for choice. However, this is a real positive for affordability and Sigma has positioned themselves well in that regard. One of their popular APS-C lenses is soon to be available for Fujifilm, but is it any good?
Fujifilm Has Just Announced the GFX100 II and We Were There!

Fujifilm’s newest camera and a series of lenses have, after many rumors, finally been unveiled! The successor to the outstanding GFX 100 is finally here, and it packs a punch! What is new? What is better? Is it worth the upgrade?

The Power of Creative Restraints in Photography

Have you ever packed the perfect kit for a trip only to feel weighed down by too many lens options? Or maybe you’re wandering around with a trusty zoom lens and end up missing shots while deciding which focal length to go for? This video succinctly explains why creative restraints – not flexibility – are often the key to achieving creative focus.

A Look at the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens

Macro lenses with short telephoto focal lengths are fantastically useful, capable of offering a glimpse into an amazing world all around us and pulling double duty as razor-sharp portrait options. The Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO offers a particularly high magnification ratio even by macro standards, and this awesome video takes a look at what you can create with it in the field.