One Critical Piece of Gear You Probably Don’t Have in Your Wedding Kit

If you’ve been a wedding photographer for any amount of time, you know that you are going to spend a lot of time in loud wedding receptions, and this is my public service announcement to please protect your freaking ears. All wedding photographers and filmmakers need ear protection as part of their kit for the long hours we spend in front of bands and DJ speakers at volume levels unsafe for our hearing, and so, I rounded up a few options for you to consider below.

Can a $148 Full Frame Autofocus Lens Produce Good Images?

It sounds too good to be true, but the TTArtisans AF 32mm f/2.8 lens offers full frame coverage, autofocus, and the promise of good image quality for $148. Can it actually deliver good performance and image quality at such a low price? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect.

AI-Generated Photos: Are They Art or Plagiarism?

The future of photography. Are we photographers in danger of being replaced, or is this just another fad due to pass us by? Who owns the digital rights? How much of a photograph that's generated by AI still belongs to the original artist, or does it belong to no one?

Surprising Ways That Bad Images Improve Your Photography

We all want to take better photos. There are countless ways of learning how to do that. Attending courses and workshops, watching YouTube videos, and reading books and articles such as this are traditional approaches. But there is one unexpected way too: embracing bad photography.

A Review of the Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera

The new Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera has generated the most buzz of any camera in a while, as it brings with it most of the features and capabilities of the powerful Z9 in a more portable and affordable package. Just how impressive is the Z8? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you will be able to expect from it.

How to Deal With Dull Skies in Landscape Photography

One of the trickiest and most frustrating aspects of landscape photography is that you do not get any control over the conditions, and when the weather refuses to cooperate and you get boring skies, it can be challenging to create worthwhile photos. Challenging does not mean impossible, though. If you know how to work with it, a dull sky can still give you great images. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

Unleash the Fun: Must-Have Tools for Pawsome Pet Portrait Sessions

Attention, all pet-loving shutterbugs! If you're a studio portrait photographer with a passion for pup photography, then you've come to the right place. We're about to let you in on a little secret that will have those furry friends wagging their tails with joy during your next pet portrait session. That secret? It's all about the right tools. So, grab your camera and let's dive into the world of pet-tastic props!

A Review of the New Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens

The new Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens offers an extremely versatile focal length at a very reasonable price, making it an attractive option for wide range of applications, particularly sports and wildlife photography. Is it right for you? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you will be able to expect from it in practice.

A Practical and Effective Portrait Lighting Setup

Understanding lighting is crucial to becoming a successful portrait photographer, and few do it as well as Lindsay Adler. In this helpful video tutorial, Adler breaks down one of her most useful lighting setups and shows you how you can recreate it and customize it to your exact needs.

What's Inside a Canon Lens?

While camera bodies get most of the hype when it comes to technological advancements, modern lenses are no slouches. It takes a lot of careful design, engineering, and manufacturing to fit a bevy of electronics, glass, and motors to create la ens that is merely functional, let alone one that reliably produces high-quality images. What all goes into a modern lens? This neat video takes apart a Canon RF lens to show you what is inside.

One Photographer's Failures That Led to Success

It's easy to look at anyone who has had success and see a perfect game, or luck, or a helping hand, but it's often the case that to reach success, you have to stand on many past failures.
A 10-Minute Beginner's Guide to Macro Photography

Macro photography can be a tremendously rewarding pursuit that allows you to see a world that is all around us and yet, invisible to the naked eye. If you are new to the genre and wondering how to get started, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced macro photographer sharing everything you need to know to get underway in just 10 minutes.

A Review of the Nikon 180-600mm Z f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens

Nikon has released some incredible lenses for wildlife photographers and birders over the last couple of years, and the new 180-600mm Z f/5.6-6.3 VR looks to be another one to add to the list. Just like the Sony 200-600mm G Lens, this lens has a short throw and internal zoom, which are huge benefits when compared to Sigma and Tamron. This brilliant video from Jan Wegener discusses the performance of the lens and image quality you can expect.

Saying Goodbye: The Hardest Images I've Ever Taken!

If you're an animal lover with pets, you'll know how hard losing a beloved furry member of your family can be. To some, they are like our children and they are a massive part of our lives for many years. Sadly, I lost two dogs due to old age in quick succession, and I was asked reluctantly to capture some last portraits of them before they crossed the rainbow bridge.

Which Top Fujifilm Camera Is Right for You?

Fujifilm makes some fantastic cameras, with the X-T5 and GFX 100S sitting at the top of their APS-C and medium format lines, respectively. So, which is right for you? This helpful video comparison takes a look at both to help you choose the camera for you.

7 Camera Settings You Should Change

Modern cameras are rather intricate machines with a bevy of features and settings, and as such, it is worth getting to know your camera well so you are not unpleasantly surprised by a setting that derails your ability to get the shot you want. This helpful video tutorial discusses seven fundamental settings you should consider changing to ensure you have the best chances of getting the photos you want.

A Review of the Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Lens

The L mount has opened up certain Leica lenses to many photographers and filmmakers, promising the company's legendary image quality in a variety of options. One such lens is the Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f/5-6.3, which offers a versatile focal length for a wide range of applications, such as wildlife and sports photography. 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.

Astro Panel X Pro's Latest Version Should Please Astro and Landscape Photographers

I've taken a look at some earlier iterations of Astro Panel over the years, a plug-in designed for automating and enhancing both astrophotography and landscape photos. I found it a powerful addition to my editing arsenal, and it was easy to use but could do some very sophisticated editing. This new version from photographer Angelo Perrone adds more than 80 new astrophotography and landscape functions, as well as some features to support portrait editing.

A Look at the New ON1 Photo Keyword AI 2023

Coming from the land of "why has no one thought of this before," ON1's latest release, Photo Keyword AI, promises to make organizing your photo far easier and more efficient. It looks awfully nifty, and for anyone who has a large catalog of photos in Lightroom that they need to navigate, it could be an indispensable tool. This great video will show you the tool and how to use it to organize and search your images.

Are You Buying Camera Gear For the Wrong Reasons?

Camera manufacturers excel at tempting us to buy their latest gear, teasing us with headline features like faster autofocus. These are the features that generate a buzz about new gear and get names on pre-order lists, but this video suggests they could also encourage us to buy cameras for the wrong reasons.

How Good Is the New Google Pixel Tablet for Photo and Video Editing?

For Android users, the new Google Pixel tablet offers a lot of performance in addition to some innovative features, making it an intriguing option for photographers and filmmakers looking for a light but capable solution for working on the go. This excellent video review takes a look at the new tablet and the sort of performance you can expect from it for creative tasks.

How to Quickly Improve Your Landscape Photography Compositions

Of all the techniques, philosophies, and approaches that go into making a successful landscape image, perhaps nothing gives new and experienced photographers alike more trouble than composition. If you find yourself often struggling with composition, check out this fantastic video that offers a useful approach to get you on the right track in no time.

Capturing Wellness: Photography and Mental Health

In today's fast-paced and digitized world, finding solace and maintaining good mental health has become crucial. There are many ways one can find an escape from it all, and one of those is the powerful ally of photography. Beyond being a mere hobby or artistic expression, photography can have numerous benefits for mental well-being. Engaging with photography can have a positive impact on a person's state of mind, providing them with a creative outlet, promoting mindfulness, fostering self-expression, and connecting them with their surroundings.

Is This the Perfect Camera for Street Photography?

Micro four thirds is enjoying a bit of resurgence right now, with its lighter and smaller size, lower cost, and array of excellent lenses making it a fantastic choice for a wide number of genres and applications. Is it the ideal system for street photography? This great video makes a case for why that might be so.

3 Reasons Budding Photographers Fail

Finding success as a photographer requires a complex multitude of factors, but regardless of your ultimate goal in the craft or the specific genre in which you are interested, there are some universal truths every budding creative should be aware of. This helpful video essay discusses three common reasons why budding photographers fail to find success.

A Review of the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD Lens

Tamron has become one of the most impressive manufacturers in the photo industry in recent years, creating an array of lenses that offers both practical and affordable designs and that push the boundaries of traditional capabilities. The 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD falls into the former category, offering Fujifilm and Sony shooters an affordable ultra-wide angle f/2.8 zoom, making it appealing for a wide range of applications. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in use.

Small Scenes: The Natural Progression of a Landscape Photographer?

Small scenes landscape photography: the practice of photographing the little details within the grander scene. Is it simply a genre that some landscape photographers gravitate towards? Or is it the natural evolution of a seasoned landscape photographer?

How to Photograph Landscapes Outside the Golden Hour

Bright and sunny skies, or bluebird skies, as some call them, are the bane of landscape photographers. Or are they? We’ve all been taught to seek out the “good” light of golden hour or dramatic skies. This video talks about how to walk away with great images even on those sunny, cloudless days.

Mimicking the Look of a High-End Campaign With No Budget

Many of the most expensive shoots spend inordinate amounts of money on incredible locations, models, and photographers. But, if you're willing to accept models that aren't A-list celebrities, you might be able to recreate the same standard without being bankrolled.
Why You Should Perform Focus Stacking in Your Next Product Photoshoot

In my previous article, we talked about the technique and tips for performing focus stacking for e-commerce shoots. In this article, we will further expand into discussing the advantages of using focus stacking techniques, apart from the obvious reasons of getting the entire product to be in focus. There are a few more logical reasons and advantages behind focus stacking.

A Review of the New Fujifilm X-S20 Mirrorless Camera

The Fujifilm X-S20 is the latest entry in the company's highly respected X Series line of mirrorless camera, and it offers a nice balance of price and features, making it a reasonable option for a wide array of photographers and filmmakers. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in usage.

An Important Lesson for All Photographers

No doubt, photography is not a cheap hobby, and the camera gear hype machine is designed to make you continually reach for your credit card to buy the latest and greatest gadget, camera, or lens. Whether you are a new photographer or a seasoned veteran, though, it is important to remember that a compelling image is not made by a great camera, it is made by a great photographer, as this insightful video essay demonstrates.

What Is the Right Skill to Succeed in Photography?

In the world of photography today, it is pretty common that the relationship between creative concept and photography skill is intertwined and very much expected from a photographer. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into this discussion between these two relationships to see how photographers can unleash their artistic potential and bring their work to the next level and how one skill affects the other skill. Everything from the spark of inspiration from the basis of creative concepts to the technical skills required for project execution will be discussed in hopes of achieving balance between creativity and technical skill to push a photographer’s work to a greater height.

A Beginner's Guide to Using Your Camera's Manual Mode

One of the best things you can do as a new photographer is to take your camera out of automatic mode and begin learning how to control it manually. This can be a bit daunting, but once you get the hang of it, you will b glad you made the leap. This helpful video tutorial will get you started on the right foot with using your camera's manual mode.

How to Shoot Vehicle Rollers and Make Vehicles Look Fast

Have you ever tried to sell a vehicle that was a little past its prime? It may not have a lot going for it, but using the “car roller” technique could make that vehicle look as awesome as the day it rolled off the lot.

Fstoppers Reviews the CRM Platform Bloom IO

If you've been running your photography business for any amount of time, you have quickly discovered that being successful requires you to spend an inordinate amount of time doing things that have nothing to do with a camera. Things you probably loathe. Suddenly, you find yourself needing to acquire skills in accounting, web development, project management, copywriting, contract writing, and countless other fields. A newcomer has entered the CRM space: Bloom IO, and they are on a mission to alleviate many of these burdens, allowing you to focus on what you truly enjoy.

What Kind of Photographer Should You Be?

When you become a professional photographers, you can take one of two general paths: a specialist with a focused approach to a single genre and/or style, or a jack of all trades who can competently tackle a wide variety of jobs, if not quite at the level of a specialist in each area. So, which is right for you? This helpful video essay features an experienced commercial photographer discussing the pros and cons of both approaches to help you decide.

5 Common Lightroom Questions and Answers

Lightroom can be a sneakily intricate program, and it is not always obvious how to accomplish something you want. Whether you are still learning the program or a seasoned veteran, this helpful video tutorial discusses five common issues with not-so-obvious solutions that will make your life and workflow a little easier.

How to Take Great Images in Bad Weather

Landscape photography is largely dictated by the weather you experience out in the field. Many times, we don't get the conditions we hoped for, which can be especially challenging after investing time and money into a photography trip. These are five things you can do the next time you're in unfavorable conditions to walk away with great images regardless of the weather.

Learn How This Incredible Portrait Was Lit and Photographed

Generally, you shoot a portrait with either continuous lights or a flash, but not both. What happens when you mix them, though? You enable some pretty incredible creative possibilities. Check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to shoot an eye-catching portrait using a mixture of continuous lights and flash.