How to Use Gels and Hard Light in the Studio
Sony FX-3 Firmware Update Adds Cinema-Line and Popular Alpha Features
A Review of the Leica M11 Rangefinder Camera
Leica's M11 rangefinder represents a notable step forward for the iconic M series, bringing with it a wide range of new features and improvements that are sure to capture the attention of many photographers. How does it hold up in practice, particularly against the reputation of its predecessors? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from the camera.
Who Makes the Best Telephoto Lens for Sony Cameras?
One of the best parts of the Sony system is the vast library of different lenses available, making it easy to find an option that fits both your budget and your needs. In particular, there are many options for supertelephoto zooms, with Sony, Tamron, and Sigma each offering multiple choices. This excellent video comparison takes a look at seven such lenses to help you pick the right one for you.
Battery-powered Wheels Now Possible on Inovativ Carts
Make Your Cart Go has teamed up with Inovativ to make pushing carts around a little easier this summer.
The Oversaturation of Photography: Is Social Media Killing the Photographer's Eye?
Without a doubt, social media has revolutionized the experience, dissemination, and even creation of photographs. Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter have leveled the playing field in a lot of ways, allowing photographers to instantly share their work with hundreds or thousands of followers. Combined with the availability of high-quality cameras in smartphones and social media algorithms, the number of images disseminated to the world has absolutely exploded. Despite this democratization of the craft, has social media actually diminished the value of photography?
How to Light a Portrait Using a Single Speedlight
Portrait lighting can sometimes take complex multi-light setups, but you would be surprised at what you can accomplish with just a single light — even only a speedlight. In fact, you can even create professional images with one, and it is a great place from which to start as a beginner to artificial light. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use a single speedlight to create compelling portrait images.
How to Use a Standard Zoom Lens for Landscape Photography
The standard zoom lens (24-70mm) is one of the most practical and versatile out there, able to tackle a wide range of applications with ease, including landscape photography. This great video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing how he uses a standard zoom for his own work.
How to Earn Extra Money From Your Photography
What if I told you there is a social media platform on which you can earn money whenever somebody likes your content? And it's not owned by a big corporation but is governed by its community. In this article, I share my experience with such a platform that has been around for several years already.
One Photographer's Thoughts After Four Years With the Leica M System
Perhaps no camera system is more iconic and more polarizing than the Leica M system. While some see it as an overly extravagant status symbol for wealthy people, others absolutely swear by both the experience it offers and the images it produces. So, who is the system really for? This fantastic video review features one photographer sharing his thoughts after four years of using Leica M cameras and lenses.
The Limitations of AI Art: Why Hands Often Look Unnatural in Art
AI art generators have made significant strides in recent years, capable of producing stunning pieces of artwork that mimic the styles of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso. However, there is still one area where these AI algorithms struggle to accurately replicate, the human hand.
10 Books Every Photographer Should Read Now
As a photographer, focusing on improving your craft is one of the most important things to do. Money can buy the latest equipment, but it can't buy you knowledge of how to use that equipment.
A Look at How to Make Expressive Landscape Photos
One of the challenges of landscape photography is creating expressive images, as you have little control over what appears in the frame compared to most other genres. If that is something you struggle with, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will share some helpful advice for creating expressive images and how to deal with issues like composition, aspect ratios, and perspective shift.
Thoughts on the Impact of AI on the Photography Industry
AI has been the talk of the town around the photography industry for a few months now, with opinions ranging from it being a fantastic tool that will significantly reduce and streamline photographers' workflows to it being the death knell of many parts of the industry. This interesting video essay features an experienced commercial photographer offering some more pragmatic and balanced thoughts on how AI will change the industry.
What Are the Things That Limit You as a Photographer?
What’s keeping you from being the photographer or even the artist that you hope to be? How much of it is under your control, and what can you do to get past the roadblocks?
A Versatile and Effective Two-lens Kit for Landscape Photography
The beauty of landscape photography is that there are so many different ways to photograph the same scene. As such, it is nice to have options to cover the full range of scenarios, but that also needs to be balanced by keeping the amount of bulk you are hiking with in check. This excellent video discusses a versatile two-lens kit that will not break the bank or your back.
The Beauty of the Ordinary
There are a lot of iconic locations out there, and it can be wonderful to travel to and photograph them, but there is a lot of beauty in the ordinary and what is around us, and you are missing out if you overlook the places you pass by every day. This great video tutorial discusses the power of the ordinary and why embracing it will make you both a better and more content photographer.
A Review of the Impressive and Affordable 7Artisans 15mm f/4 Lens
7Artisans has become well known for producing some of the most affordable lenses available to photographers. While that sometimes means significant compromises in performance or image quality, their 15mm f/4 lens offers rather impressive results while still coming in at a very low cost. Is it the right lens for you? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it.
Shutterfest 2023: Unlocking the F.U.N.damentals of Photography
Shutterfest stands out as my favorite photography conference to attend each year! As I write this, I am wrapping up day three of the affair. I always look forward to the various workshops, lectures, and unique experiences available throughout this fun-filled event like no other.
3 Ways to Fix Uninspiring Portraits
Have you ever set up your lights, gone through the poses, gotten back to your computer, and realized you have taken some perfectly competent but uninspiring photos? If that is a situation you have recently found yourself in, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced portrait photographer sharing three different ways to reinvigorate your images.
The Seven Essential Elements for Improving Your Photos
There are different opinions about what makes good photography. Many suggest it’s a single ingredient; they are wrong. If we want to grow in our art, it’s by combining seven elements that we have any hope of improving.
Compositing Portraits With AI-Generated Images
How to Add Glow in Photoshop
Luminar Neo Delivers a Stealth Update With Some Powerful Features
Current Luminar Neo users are in for a treat the next time they open the app, which has quietly hit version 1.8.0. Some of the updates are evolutionary, and there's the usual gaggle of bug fixes, but there are some really nice updates here that will please Neo users.
A Long-term Review of the Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera
The 7D line of APS-C DSLRs from Canon were some of the most popular the company ever made, bringing many of the features and capabilities from higher-level full frame cameras like the 5D and 1D series to far more affordable cameras. Now in the mirrorless age, the EOS R7 has picked up that torch and brought along a modernization of the body with a range of upgrades. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera after six months of usage and if it holds up to the needs of professional photographers.
How to Take Better Rainy Landscape Photos
When you step outside and are greeted by rainy weather, it can be tempting to turn around and head right back inside. However, if you are willing to brave those mundane conditions, you might be rewarded with worthwhile landscape images. This helpful video tutorial offers five tips to increase your chances of coming home with compelling shots.
Samyang's New 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Lens Is Creating Buzz
We would be hard-pressed to find a photographer who wasn't familiar with mega-brands Tamron and Sigma offering lower-priced lenses to rival the designs put out by the giants: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and more. This week, there has been buzz in the nerdy sublayers of photography sites about a new lens coming out: the Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8. Let's dive into this.
How to Create Your Own Opportunities as a Photographer
Exactly what does it take to be “lucky?”
Why You're Being Ghosted by Potential Clients
How many times have you had a promising conversation started with a potential client, only for them to simply stop responding to you, never completing a booking? It is a very frustrating but also very common experience. This helpful video tutorial shares some useful advice and techniques to decrease that ghosting rate and land more clients.
A Review of the Affordable Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera
At $679, the Canon EOS R50 offers an affordable entry point into Canon's mirrorless system, though it still brings along an array of enticing features. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Is It Worth Traveling for Photography if AI Can Do It for You?
I recently posed a challenge to DALL-E 2 (or to myself?) to mimic one of my photos using prompts. I didn't think it was actually going to work, until it did. Almost.
A Start-to-Finish Edit in Lightroom of a Beautiful Shot in Bali
A Look at How to Break Out of a Creative Rut
Whether you are a new hobbyist or a seasoned professional, creative ruts are something that happens to all of us, and trying to get out of them can be a frustrating exercise that only makes them worse. If you find yourself mired in a creative rut, check out this helpful video that features a photographer sharing what helped him break free and get back to work.
Why the 50mm Focal Length Is Overrated
How to Improve Your Sports Action Photography
When it comes to sports portraits and action photography, employing a bit of artificial light can make a huge difference by giving you the ability to shape the look of the frame and add a lot of drama to the image. If you are ready to get started working with artificial light in your sports action portraiture, check out this excellent video tutorial that will give you a range of helpful tips and advice sure to put you on the right track.
The Magic of a Forgotten Sensor
Camera sensors have evolved at a breakneck pace since the advent of the digital era, but many photographers lament the loss of a sensor from the early days of the technology, often calling its color rendition "magic." Is it nostalgia, or is there really something different in the way it produces images? This awesome video takes a look.
You Are Probably Using Juxtaposition for Your Landscape Photography
Juxtaposition is something you can stumble upon when reading about composition. Although it’s not literally a composition theory, it is a great way to add something extra to your photo. Did you know you’re probably already using it?
Creating a Michael Bay-Level Rig in the Back Garden
Why You Shouldn't Overlook This Fantastic $400 Full Frame Camera
Top-level full frame cameras can easily run north of $3,000 and much higher, and while they are, without a doubt, tremendously capable machines, you may not need all that power. This fantastic video takes a look at a full frame camera that costs only $400 and can still compete with modern options in many ways.
Portrait Beast: We Review the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Lens for Fujifilm
I spent a few weeks testing the new Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 lens for Fujifilm, and in the accompanying article and video, I share my thoughts on one of the most exciting third party lenses on the market today.
A Review of the New Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens
The new Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary lens offers one of the most popular focal lengths in tandem with a modestly wide maximum aperture, all in a very travel-friendly package, making it an appealing lens for quite a few photographers. Can it deliver good performance and image quality to back up those appealing characteristics? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.
Who Makes the Best APS-C Camera: Canon or Fujifilm?
The Canon EOS R7 and Fujifilm X-T5 are two of the most advanced APS-C cameras on the market, sporting high-resolution sensors in tandem with fast burst rates, advanced autofocus systems, and a wide range of other useful features. Which one is right for your needs? This excellent video comparison takes an in-depth look at both cameras to help you decide.
Should You Buy the Godox AD200 Pocket Flash? We Review
The Godox AD200 has been around for a few years now, and in 2019, Godox released the "Pro" version of the AD200. Is this small, lightweight, powerful flash the right choice for you in 2023? Why do so many photographers think so highly of this pocket flash?
The Best Budget Sony E Mount Lenses for Wedding Photographers
It used to be that wedding photographers had to carry expensive top-level optics in order to ensure they could reliably deliver professional shots. However, in recent years, third-party and mid-tier lenses have made remarkable steps forward, and it is now possible to save both your back and your bank account by purchasing more modest options and still be able to deliver excellent images. This excellent video discusses some of the best options out there for Sony users.
A Common Pricing Mistake New Photographers Make
Being competent with your camera and having creative vision is, of course, essential to finding success as a professional, but it also takes a fair amount of business savvy as well. One of the things newer photographers struggle with the most is pricing. This great video tutorial features an experienced pro discussing a common mistake and what you can do to avoid it and increase your chances of success.
GPT-4 Gets Even Smarter With After Effects
A step up in ability makes a huge difference. Suddenly, the future doesn’t seem that far away.
BTS of a Stunning Music Video in a Modest Location
A Review of the New Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN Contemporary Lens
The new Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN Contemporary lens promises nice image quality and a wide focal length in a very light and portable package. Can it deliver on that promise? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from the lens in practice.
Getting More Leads for Your Photography Business
It can be challenging for many photographers to get qualified leads, but there are steps you can take today to enhance your online exposure and lead generation.