What Is a Leica M Camera Good For?

As a film photography enthusiast, I am a firm believer that gear is a long way down the list of important factors in image-making.

Beauty Dish Lighting Made Simple

When I was new to studio portrait photography, for some reason, I found the beauty dish to be one of the more intimidating modifiers to master. Perhaps it had to do with the unique shape and setup, but for whatever reason, I avoided trying one out for a long time. In reality, using a beauty dish is not as challenging as it may seem, and in this article, I will detail three basic ways to use one as well as provide sample images.

Is the Arsenal 2 for Advanced Photographers?

You may remember my 2019 review of the original Arsenal hardware. It was a block box you attached to your DSLR or mirrorless camera and it automated many of the tasks photographers face on a regular basis. The Arsenal sold quite well. While it had some good points that could speed or improve a photographer's workflow, it left a lot of buyers unhappy and it seemed to wind up on a lot of shelves and in a lot of drawers, rather than in camera bags. Now we've got Arsenal 2.

The Best Lenses for Sony E Mount Cameras

Sony users have the blessing of having both a large native lens library and a robust slate of third-party options. With all those choices, it can be a bit difficult to know which is right for you. This helpful video discusses the best lenses for Sony users, including zooms and primes and the full range of focal lengths.

How to Properly Use a Light Meter

Back in the days of film, where there were no image previews and every frame cost money to take, light meters allowed you to ensure that an image would be properly lit and the results would be what you expected. With digital, you can now check the results instantly and make adjustments right away with no penalty. So, while light meters are not necessary anymore, they can still be quite useful. This great video tutorial will show you how to use one properly.

Are Prime or Zoom Lenses Better for Portrait Photography?

One of the most fundamental choices you can make is whether to use a prime or a zoom lens. For portraiture, there are benefits and drawbacks to each option. If you are new to portrait photography and wondering which is right for you, check out this great video tutorial that will show you the pros and cons of both to help you make the right choice.

3 Powerful Editing Tools in Lightroom

It used to be that Lightroom was for cataloging and basic edits and Photoshop was reserved for the more serious work, but in the last few iterations, the former has made some major strides. You can now do some impressively complex edits without ever leaving Lightroom. This helpful video tutorial will show you three advanced tools in Lightroom that will make your edits more efficient and help you create better images.

Can This Lens Replace One of the Best Portrait Lenses Ever?

Canon's 85mm f/1.2L lens is one of the most legendary lenses ever created and has been in the hands of countless portrait photographers for a few decades now. In the meantime, the company has developed some other remarkable lenses that give the 85mm a run for its money. So, can it be dethroned? This great video review compares two of Canon's best lenses to answer that question.

Sony Made a Huge Leap in Technology and No One Is Talking About It

Sony produced what could be described as a game-changer of a camera with its current flagship, the Sony a1. Although this camera offers a plethora of new features that most reviews have raved about. One of its most remarkable features has gone a little under the radar. This feature is the increase in the flash sync speed to 1/400th of a second shutter speed.

A Review of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S Lens

400mm is a tremendously popular focal length for things like wildlife and landscape photography, and you can spend anywhere from under $1,000 to well over $10,000 for such a lens, depending on the image quality and your needs. In the middle of that range is the Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S, 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 practice.

Canon Says the Camera Market Is Looking Up, Shares Plan for DSLRs

It's no secret that the smartphone has decimated the camera industry for the past decade, but according to Canon, the market may have finally bottomed out, and there might now be reason to look up. It turns out even DSLRs aren't dead just yet.

It the TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 Lens Worth It?

The TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 lens is a fully manual, all-metal lens designed for a variety of crop sensor cameras. In this video, I discuss my initial impressions using the lens and also whether or not I think it's worth picking up.

How to Retouch a Portrait Using Frequency Separation in Photoshop

There are many different techniques you can use to retouch a portrait, and one of the more advanced and powerful out there is frequency separation. This helpful video tutorial will show you what frequency separation is and how to use it to edit a photo.

You Don't Need Expensive Gear to Enjoy Landscape Photography

No matter what genre you shoot, you can quickly fall down the hole of spending a ton of money on gear in the pursuit of the perfect shot. However, you can easily create high-quality, compelling images even with basic budget gear. This excellent video is an important reminder that you do not need a lot of pricey gear to create good photos and just as importantly, to enjoy the craft.

ClickASnap: A Photo-sharing Platform That Promises To Pay You to Share Images

A new player in the photography industry, ClickASnap, offers YouTube-like payments for creators who simply upload their images. The business model is simple: take everything that’s good about photo-sharing platforms and make it better by adding features photographers long wanted.

How to Capture Vertically Oriented Photos With a Drone

A drone allows you to take photographs to the next level. There is only one downside for most drones I know of. The camera can’t be tilted for vertical shots. That doesn’t mean you can’t shoot vertical images. The solution is a panorama.

A Beginner's Guide to Aperture in Video

There are certainly a lot of similarities between photo and video, but there are also some fundamental differences you should be aware of to ensure you get the best results. If you are new to video and working on the fundamentals, check out this excellent tutorial that will show you how aperture works in video and how to properly adjust it to get your best results.

A Beginner's Guide to White Balance in Photography

Along with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, white balance is one of the most fundamental settings on your camera and something you will want to consider before you take a photo. So, what is white balance and why does it matter? This excellent video tutorial will introduce you to white balance, what it is, and how to control it for better images.

A Powerful Editing Tool for Landscape Images in Capture One

Rarely is a landscape photograph finished when you press the shutter, as the vast majority of such images will take some amount of post-processing to create a finished result. Capture One is the tool of choice for many professional photographers, and this helpful video tutorial will show you one of its most useful tools for creating compelling final results.

Is Laowa’s 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer a Dream to Use? We Test It To Find Out

Laowa's ever-increasing wide angle lens range is getting larger with the introduction of the 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer for mirrorless cameras. With a fixed f/5.6 aperture throughout the zoom range, an all-metal construction, 15 elements in 11 groups, is this lens a dream to use?

How to Take Sharp Handheld Macro Photos

Although sharpness is important in just about every genre, it is a particularly strong priority in macro photography. However, it is particularly challenging in macro work, especially when you are not working in a studio where you have complete control over the placement or stabilization of your subject. If you want to shoot on the go without setting up a tripod every time, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you some helpful tips for getting sharp images even when shooting handheld.

A Beginner’s Guide to Using Drones

Have you thought about buying a drone but hesitated because you don't know how to fly them? This is exactly what you need.

No-Stress Tips for Photographing Food

If you’ve ever dived into a food photography shoot hoping to wing it, things probably went a little awry because there are so many moving parts to food photography. In this post, I’ll share my best tips for a no-fuss, no-stress food photography shoot to help you achieve the vision in your mind.

How to Properly Back Up Your Photos and Avoid Disaster

One of the most important habits every photographer or filmmaker should develop is a strong backup strategy that guarantees the safety of your files in the event of a hard drive failure or natural disaster. If you have not created yours yet, check out this helpful video tutorial that will show you how to properly ensure the safety of all your files.

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A Portrait Photographer's Basic Editing Workflow

As much as lighting, posing, composition, and settings matter for creating a good portrait image, they are only half of what it takes to create a successful final result. You also need a strong post-processing workflow. If you are new to portrait work, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a basic editing workflow for creating polished final images.

Should You Delete Old Instagram Posts or Hide Like Counts?

Most photographers have had an Instagram account for several years now, and as such, they have each accumulated likely hundreds of even thousands of posts. Most people will simply leave their old posts up, but for professional creatives, there is an argument to be made for removing older entries. So, should you remove those old posts? Should you hide like counts on your images? This interesting video podcast discusses these questions.

A Helpful Tip for Improving Your Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a unique genre that takes a combination of technical skill, creative vision, perseverance, and often, a bit of luck. If you find yourself struggling to create worthwhile images lately, check out this great video tutorial that will give you some helpful advice sure to put you back on the right track.

Can This Ultra-Cheap 85mm Lens Give You the Results You Need?

An 85mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most desirable options out there, especially for portrait photographers, who prize the focal length and narrow depth of field. However, such lenses can easily cost well over $2,000 for a good option. At less than $200, the Meike 85mm f/1.8 is highly intriguing, but can it offer the results you need at such a low price? This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

How Much Money Can You Make With Photography in One Week?

Any photography enthusiast who works a 9-to-5 job has probably wondered what it would be like to walk away from that day job and make all of their income through photography. This can be a scary endeavor, especially if you don’t have a specific plan in place to find clients.

Headshot Photographers: Your Personality Is Everything

One of the most overlooked yet crucial aspects of becoming a successful headshot and portrait photographer is the photographer’s personality. In fact, I would argue that your personality as a photographer can be the determining factor in success when working with clients.

How to Turn a Bland Raw File Into an Interesting Photograph

If you are a new photographer and you just started shooting in raw, you have probably noticed that the files look rather flat and bland, especially compared to JPEG files. Don't worry, though, that is exactly what is supposed to happen. If you are wondering how to turn a raw file into an eye-catching finished image, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to edit a raw file from start to finish using Photoshop.

3 Reasons You Might Be Frustrated With Your Photography

Photography can be a frustrating thing. It takes a combination of technical skills, creative vision, and often, a bit of luck, and any one of them going awry can throw off the entire process and final result. If you are feeling a bit frustrated by the whole thing lately, check out this great video that features an experienced photographer discussing three reasons why you might be experiencing that irritation and what you can do to remedy the situation.

How to Take Long Exposure Landscape Photos

One of the most popular techniques in landscape photography is the long exposure, which allows you to really add your creative take on a scene. However, it takes more than just using a longer shutter speed to create a compelling final result. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to create a long exposure photograph.