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.

OM System Announce the New TOUGH TG-7 Adventure Camera

Historically, the Olympus TOUGH cameras were well respected by outdoor adventurers, divers, and those who work in extreme environments. The New OM System TOUGH TG-7 has taken a huge step forward with a host of exciting new features.

Everything You Need to Know About Apple's Exciting Announcements

Apple made a range of exciting announcements, including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, as well as the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Photographers and filmmakers should be particularly excited about the new iPhones, which bring with them some impressive new features sure to please creatives. Here's a nice rundown of everything announced today.
Fujifilm Has Had Its Eyes on Full Frame the Whole Time

With its innovative APS-C and medium format cameras, many have long wondered why Fujifilm has steadfastly refused to enter the full frame market. It turns out they have had their eyes on the full frame market the whole time.

The Perfect Travel Strobe? We Review the Profoto A2

You’d be hard-pressed to find a portable flash at the level of Profoto A2 in terms of build quality, size, weight, power, ease of use, and consistency. It is genuinely a tiny marvel for any photographer. It is almost hilariously simple to set up, and yet, it delivers terrific results. Best of all, if you buy a Profoto A2 between now and October 31, you get a Connect remote for free.

That’s Why Your Camera Settings are Wrong

When we head out into the landscape to capture some epic bangers we should be full of hope and have some expectations about just what type of photos we will get and how we are going to capture them. What settings to use for each scenario can become second nature over time, however, it’s getting to that stage where most will find challenges.

Canon Patents More Interesting Lenses

Canon has produced some mightily innovative and unusual RF mount lenses in the last few years, and it seems they have no intention of stopping. New patents show the company is dreaming up more lenses with extreme designs.

Are Super-Wide-Aperture Lenses Worth It?

Lenses with wide maximum apertures are extremely popular both for working in conditions with low light and for creating images with very narrow depth of field. In recent years, we have seen an explosion of lenses that push well past traditional thresholds like f/1.4 and into extreme apertures like f/1.0 or even f/0.95 and f/0.85. Are these insanely wide lenses worth it? This insightful video discusses the issue.

How to Improve Your Photography

We all want to be better photographers, but the journey to that destination is often anything but straightforward. If you find yourself feeling a bit stuck and unsure of how to move forward, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing some insightful and actionable advice that is sure to put you on the right track.

Breaking the Mold: Ignoring the Rule of Thirds in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a captivating art form that allows us as photographers to capture the beauty of the natural world. Among the many composition techniques employed by landscape photographers, the Rule of Thirds has long been considered a fundamental guideline for creating visually appealing and balanced shots. However, in this article, we will explore a less conventional viewpoint: why you should consider ignoring the Rule of Thirds in landscape photography. We will delve into the limitations of this rule and uncover situations where breaking away from it can lead to more unique, compelling, and creatively satisfying landscape photographs.

Hiking With One Lens for Landscape Photography

Landscape photographers often find themselves hiking longer distances or on routes with significant elevation changes. Decisions about what camera gear to carry can influence the hike's success, both in reaching the destination and photography results. Is there a one lens solution for these hikes?

Daido Moriyama: A Retrospective Comes to The Photographers Gallery This Autumn

Coming to The Photographers’ Gallery in October: the first UK retrospective of one of the world’s most innovative and influential artists and street photographers. If you are interested in documentary or street photography, Daido Moriyama's work is definitely something you should familiarize yourself with.

See a New Macro World With the AstrHori f/8 Probe Lens

The AstrHori 18mm f/8 macro 2:1 lens released a few months ago is the nearest competitor to the Laowa Optics probe lens and at half the price, it is something that should be considered by both macro photographers and videographers.

How Good Is the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens?

Canon has produced some remarkably impressive RF mount lenses, and their latest, the RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, is arguably the most stunning yet. With incredibly versatile capabilities and jaw-dropping image quality, it is the type of lens that makes people like sports and wildlife photographers drool. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in use.

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 is easily one of the most intriguing lenses to hit the market in some time, offering an extremely useful focal range in combination with especially wide maximum apertures, making it a dream lens for people like events photographers, at least on paper. How does it hold up in the real world? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from the Nikon Z mount version.

Why You Should Print Your Photos and How to Get Started

In the digital age, we print our photos less than ever; in fact, some of us never do. And that is a shame, as there is something really special about holding a physical manifestation of your work in your hands and hanging it on a wall where you can pass by it for years to come. If you have not printed your photos before, be sure to check out this excellent video tutorial that will show you why it is such a worthwhile endeavor and offer some helpful tips for doing so.

The Gamble and Reward of Seascape Photography

As a seasoned seascape photographer, I've learned that capturing the beauty of the ocean is a thrilling yet unpredictable pursuit. Each time I venture to one of my favorite locations, Ballycotton Lighthouse, I'm reminded of the gamble that is seascape photography.

The 5 Best Gear Purchases I've Made

After delving into some of the regrettable gear choices I've made, it's time to shift the focus to the gear that has truly excelled in my toolkit. In this article, I'll share the equipment that brings me joy whenever I use it. Be it a camera, or a light stand, or even a keyboard, it's all in here.

Managing Expectations as Your Photography Improves

The more you improve as a photographer, the harder it becomes to take photographs you’re happy with. This is an unfortunate paradox most creatives have to endure as they hone their craft, and the psychology can impede your progress if you don’t re-evaluate and manage your expectations along the way.

Three Essential Composition Tips for Milky Way Photography

For astrophotographers, there is a huge need for finding an important balance between the landscape or foreground, and the amazing interest in the sky. Whether you are photographing the Milky Way, Aurora Borealis, or the Winter Circle, the fundamentals of composition are still just as important as they are in normal landscape photography. In this video by Jeroen Linnenkamp, he provides three tips that will help you improve your compositions.

The 6 Most Valuable Smartphone Apps for Landscape Photographers

In today's digital age, there are numerous apps available that can significantly enhance your landscape photography experience. In this article, I want to take a look at the six apps that have proven invaluable for my own landscape photography.

Are Old Lenses Any Good on Modern Cameras?

One of the greatest aspects of mirrorless cameras is that you can adapt just about any SLR lens to them, making it easy to take full advantage of decades worth of lenses to explore your creativity or find an often much more affordable alternative to modern lenses. Are they worth the cost and effort, though? This great video discusses the issue.

Hands on With the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M

Leica makes some incredible cameras and lenses, and some of their prime lenses in particular are highly sought after. This video shows what two weeks with a Leica 35mm is like and why it recaptured the magic of photography for Alex Barrera.
Wildlife Photography Challenge in London

Despite being an incredibly large and busy city, London has some very interesting and special wildlife, which you can see all year round. In this video from Harry Read and Edwin Towler, the lads have been given a list of twelve species to locate and photograph in one single day!

Planning Versus Spontaneity in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is an art that often balances on the precipice of meticulous planning and spontaneous creativity. As a landscape photographer, I've found myself torn between meticulously planning every detail of a shoot and simply going with the flow, capturing the unexpected. In this article, let's delve into a debate: Is it better to meticulously plan a landscape photography shoot or embrace spontaneity?

5 Unlikely Hero Accessories for Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is an art that requires creativity, patience, and the right equipment. While cameras, lenses, and tripods are essential, there are some unexpected items that can serve as game changers in the world of landscape photography. In this article, we will explore five unconventional tools and accessories that can enhance your landscape photography experience. Plus, unlike your main gear, these won't cost an arm and a leg.

The Importance of Simplification in Photography

Busy scenes are common in many genres of photography, and while that business can often be a nice feature, knowing how to cut through it in order to prioritize your subject is an important skill. This excellent video tutorial discusses a range of ways to simplify images to make them more direct and impactful.

A Hands-On Look at the New Polaroid I-2

Polaroid is an iconic brand in photography and has been since the late 1940s! Now, Polaroid has a new camera released, and it has a lot of pros, but potentially one large con.
How to Photograph Large Wedding Parties

Wedding photography is a challenging genre that requires rock-solid technique, the ability to think on your feet, and a ton of people skills. One of the most difficult aspects of the day is large group portraits. If you are a budding wedding photographer and want to learn how to take those big portraits, check out this awesome video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.

The Perfect Vintage Digicam for Travel

If you’re looking for a vintage digicam for your travels, look no further than 2002’s Casio Exilim EX-S1. With a 1.3-megapixel CCD sensor, this ultra-compact digicam is sure to give your photos that early 2000s vibe. About the size of a credit card (though a little thicker), this is the perfect digicam for travel.

Copying Roger Deakins' Lighting Style in Your Videos

Lighting your videos — or even cinematic-style portraits — can be a complex affair, with so many different lighting setups available to you. One potential solution is to take cues from brilliant cinematographers.
A Review of the New Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary Lens for Fujifilm X Cameras

100-400mm lenses are popular among photographers of many genres ranging from birds to landscapes, as they offer an extremely versatile focal length range suitable for a lot of applications. For Fujifilm X Series users, the new Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary offers that versatility at a relatively affordable price, making it an intriguing option. The excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance image quality you can expect from it in practice.

When Landscape Photography Adventures Go Wrong

As a landscape photographer and van owner myself, I know just how much goes into every shoot that I head out on, plus the ever-present worry that exists in the back of my mind, where I see myself stuck in the middle of nowhere after my trusty steed has broken down. Recently, I had the misfortune of this exact thing happening, and let me tell you, not only does it pull the handbrake on any adventures, it also adds the complexities of where it can be fixed, if it can be fixed, and finally, how much will it cost to be fixed!

What Can Wedding Photographers Do About the Engagement Gap?

Generally, you can expect relative stability in the amount of couples needing wedding photography services, at least across short to medium periods of time. However, the COVID pandemic was an unprecedented hit to the industry that resulted in less couples getting engaged in subsequent years, meaning that a few years later, we are seeing a drop in those couples getting married, placing strain on wedding photographers. What can wedding shooters do to weather the lull? This helpful video tutorial offers a range of great ideas and advice.

Why Revisit Landscape Photography Locations

Are you the type of landscape photographer who visits a location once and then head off to other new locations, never to return? Or are you the type that returns to a location over and over? Revisiting a location presents significant opportunities for the landscape photographer.

The Canon EOS R5 Versus the Nikon Z8 and Z9

The Canon EOS R5 and Nikon Z8 and Z9 are remarkable cameras that can tackle a huge range of genres and needs with ease, making them the workhorses of choice for countless creatives. Which is right for you, though? This great video comparison takes a look at all three cameras, how they perform in a challenging genre, and which is right for you.