DXO PureRAW 5 Adds Local Adjustments, Expanded Performance

I have to say that on many days, I find myself using a DxO product—most frequently, their PureRAW software, which looks at my image metadata in my RAW files and gives me a near-perfect image, correcting my sensor/lens combination, sharpening, and removing imperfections like vignettes and ringing. DxO has more than 100,000 camera/lens combinations covering almost any gear. Even both my DJI drones are covered by DxO.

Thinking of Turning Pro? You’ll Get The Worst Advice on YouTube

There are three pieces of really bad “pro advice” that have cropped up more than once on YouTube channels. We need to talk about this to help you avoid wasting time and losing money unnecessarily if you’re thinking about making a living from your camera.

Sony Announces 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Super Telephoto Zoom Lens

Sony has announced the 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS, its longest full frame E-mount lens to date. Designed for birding, wildlife, and sports photography, the lens extends Sony’s mirrorless telephoto capabilities beyond the previous 600mm limit, reaching up to 800mm. It is also compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, pushing its range up to 1,600mm.

A Complete Image Editing Workflow: Start to Finish

If you’ve ever wanted to dive deep into the entire process of editing a photo—from raw files to final stylization—this video is a must-watch. It’s a thorough tutorial that walks you through every step, and trust me, it’s packed with insights.

Sony Announces 16mm f/1.8 G Full Frame Prime Lens

Sony has introduced the 16mm f/1.8 G, an ultra-wide full frame E-mount prime lens designed for both photographers and videographers. The lens offers a combination of compact size, high-resolution optics, fast autofocus, and a bright f/1.8 aperture, making it well-suited for landscape, architectural, and astrophotography applications.

Why and How to Make the Leap From Lightroom to DxO Photolab 8

Switching from Lightroom to another digital asset management and development tool can be daunting for photographers. There are very good reasons to, and DxO PhotoLab 8 is one of the most compelling options. Here’s why and how a Sony Ambassador made the switch.

Flat Light Isn’t Boring—It’s Powerful

Flat, gray skies might seem uninspiring, but they offer a unique advantage. Instead of working around harsh shadows and strong highlights, you control the final image. The light is soft and even, allowing for more creative flexibility, especially in black and white photography.

The Fine Line Between Editing and Doing Too Much

Knowing when to stop editing a photo is one of the biggest challenges in photography. With endless tools at your disposal, it’s easy to push an image too far. Colors become unnatural, skin loses texture, and the final result can feel more artificial than real. Understanding when to stop isn’t just about technical limits—it’s about maintaining authenticity in your images.

Adobe Brings Photoshop to iPhone, Expanding Mobile Editing Capabilities

Adobe has announced the launch of Photoshop on iPhone, bringing its well-known image editing tools to mobile users. The app is designed to provide a streamlined, mobile-first experience while retaining essential Photoshop features such as layering, masking, and Adobe Firefly-powered AI tools. An Android version is expected later in 2025.

Zeiss Announces New Otus ML Lens Line for Mirrorless Cameras

Zeiss has introduced the Otus ML series, a new line of manual focus prime lenses designed for professional photographers and high-end visual creators. The Otus ML family brings Zeiss’s signature optical quality to mirrorless mounts, launching with the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 lenses in 2025.

The Power of Composition

As you may guess, I am not a fan of rules, and the question I often ask is, "Who made the rules, and why do they think they can tell me what to think?" In fact, I may get a T-shirt made that says in large letters, "Screw the rules and screw the horse they came on!" So there, I've said it. And if that sets your teeth on edge... just read on!

Exploring a Feature Rich Environment for Landscape Photography

Some natural environments are filled with interesting and unique compositions for landscape photographers. It can be like being a kid on a playground. How do you make sense of it all and distill the scenes down to images for your portfolio?

Landscape Photography Tips to Take Your Images to the Next Level

Strong landscape photography isn’t just about finding a beautiful location—it’s about how you compose, frame, and time your shots to create something extraordinary. Weather and light can be unpredictable, but knowing how to work with what you have can make all the difference.

Create Natural-Looking Fog in Lightroom With These Simple Steps

Adding atmospheric elements like fog can transform a flat image into something more dramatic and immersive. Lightroom Classic now offers better tools to create and control fog, allowing you to shape the mood of an image without needing perfect weather conditions.

Macro Photography Tips: Choosing the Right Gear for the Best Results

Macro photography opens up a world of detail that often goes unnoticed. Small subjects like fungi, moss, and intricate textures can turn into striking images when framed properly. But working at this level presents its own set of challenges, from finding the right focal length to dealing with distortion in certain lenses.

The New Lumix S1R II Might Be The Best Hybrid Camera Launch of 2025

Panasonic has launched the Lumix S1R II. After sitting through the media briefing, I wondered if I had been daydreaming. On paper, the Lumix S1R II is possibly the best hybrid camera on the market. The specs are simply incredible. Potentially, it’s a creator’s dream come true. Let’s take a look at why.

The Key to Overcoming Fear in Photography

Confidence in photography isn't just about skill—it's about feeling comfortable with your camera, your surroundings, and yourself. Many people struggle with nerves when shooting in public or taking portraits, but overcoming these fears can lead to better work. Understanding how to build confidence can make a significant difference in your photography.

A Look at Sigma's New Lenses and Unique Mirrorless Camera

Sigma just announced several new products, and they aren’t small updates. These are major releases, from a versatile superzoom to a professional-grade telephoto lens to a completely reimagined mirrorless camera. If you’re looking for new gear that pushes boundaries, this announcement is worth paying attention to.

How to Fix Bad Sky Selections in Lightroom and Photoshop

Sky selection is often one of the most important steps in editing landscape and outdoor images. Whether you’re adjusting exposure, enhancing colors, or replacing the sky entirely, getting a clean selection makes all the difference. Automated tools help, but they don’t always get it right, so knowing how to refine a mask is essential.

Coming to you from Matt Kloskowski, this practical video breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of different sky selection methods in Adobe’s raw editors. The Select Sky tool is the first stop in most cases, offering quick and accurate...

How to Turn a Mundane Subject Into a Memorable Photo

Long exposure photography transforms everyday scenes into something surreal. But pulling off the perfect long exposure shot isn’t as simple as setting a long shutter speed. Conditions, composition, and even patience play a huge role in making it work.

How to Reshape Light and Color in Lightroom

Changing the mood of an image doesn’t always require elaborate setups or complex software. A few strategic adjustments in Lightroom can completely transform a photo, shifting colors, reshaping light, and creating a more dramatic effect. This kind of editing isn’t about correcting mistakes—it’s about making the image match your vision.

Why Shooting With a Pinhole Camera Is More Fun Than You Think

Simplicity in photography can be both freeing and frustrating. When you strip away complex tools and techniques, all that’s left is light, time, and a bit of luck. Shooting with a pinhole camera pushes that idea to the extreme. No lens, no moving parts—just a box with a hole, a piece of film, and a whole lot of patience.

Sigma Announces 300-600mm f/4 DG OS | Sports Lens for Sony E and L-Mount

Sigma has announced the 300-600mm f/4 DG OS | Sports, a large-aperture ultra-telephoto zoom lens designed for professional sports, wildlife, and action photography. The lens is built exclusively for full frame mirrorless cameras and will be available for Sony E-mount and L-Mount in April 2025 at a retail price of $5,999.

Sigma Announces the BF, a Minimalist Full Frame Mirrorless Camera

Sigma has officially announced the Sigma BF, a full frame mirrorless camera designed with a minimalist philosophy. The BF strips away traditional camera complexities while retaining high-end imaging capabilities, offering an intuitive user experience.

Confused by Autofocus? Here’s How to Make It Work for You

A legendary and elusive creature in the world of photography, autofocus can feel almost mythical to some. For beginners—and even some intermediate photographers—its modes, functions, and best uses often remain a mystery. Look no further; let’s break it down and explore how to make the most of autofocus.

How a Photographer Captured a Perfect Nighttime Portrait

Shooting in a busy public space at night brings a unique set of challenges. Crowds, moving traffic, mixed lighting, and time constraints all make it difficult to get a clean, well-composed image. Add in a model, reflections, and a three-minute window to capture the perfect shot, and the difficulty level skyrockets.

Leica’s Classic 50mm Summilux-M f/1.4 Has Been Reimagined

Leica first made their Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 in 1959. It’s a classic focal length, arguably an essential lens for most genres of photography. This recent rebirth is based on the optical calculations of the second Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4, produced from 1962 to 2004.

Is This Tiny Camera a Hint of What the Future Holds?

Sales of compact cameras were demolished by smartphones but we might be witnessing something of a renaissance. Is this another short-lived fad, or is 2025 the year that Canon, Nikon, and Sony embrace the point-and-shoot?

Why I Decided to Give My New E-Book Away for Free (and How You Can Get Your Copy!)

Giving away a book for free might seem like a strange decision. After all, writing a book takes months of work—planning, researching, writing, editing, and refining. Then there’s the effort that goes into designing the layout, selecting images, and making sure the final product is something worth reading. So why give it away when I could sell it?

The Challenges and Rewards of Large Format Photography

The way people shape the landscape reveals what they fear and value. In places like Southern California, where natural conditions are harsh, you can see clear signs of these priorities. Fireproof landscaping, seismic retrofits, and massive infrastructure projects that bring water and power to Los Angeles all tell a story of control, adaptation, and sometimes exclusion.

Direct Flash: When and How to Use It Effectively

Lighting can make or break a shot, and sometimes, bouncing flash or relying on ambient light isn’t an option. Dark venues, black ceilings, and outdoor night scenes demand a different approach. Knowing how to use direct flash ensures you’re never stuck in a situation where poor lighting ruins your images.

Vermont Student’s Yearbook Photo Rejected Over Firearm, Raising Legal Questions

The rejection of a Mill River High School student’s yearbook photo featuring a firearm has ignited debate over free speech and school safety policies. The controversy has drawn national attention, prompting discussions at school board meetings and online. Advocacy groups and legal experts have weighed in on the issue, raising questions about editorial control and students' rights.

Briese Focus 77: My Favorite Light

I have been secretly switching lighting systems. In fact, I would struggle to pinpoint at which point my lights stopped being predominantly Profoto and became Briese. The point is, it happened, and I am not too sad about it. My light of choice has become the Briese Focus 77 reflector.

How Clothing Choices Impact Your Portraits

The way your subject dresses changes how an image feels and where the viewer’s eye goes. Bright colors, bold patterns, and high-contrast elements all compete for attention, sometimes pulling focus away from where you want it. Understanding how to control this effect can give you more control over your compositions.

Mastering Autofocus: Key Techniques for Sharper Photos

Great autofocus performance isn’t just about pressing a button. While modern cameras are advanced, they still need your help to lock onto a subject quickly and accurately. Small tweaks in your shooting technique can dramatically improve your results, especially when tracking fast-moving subjects.

Why Photography Skills Alone Won’t Make You Money

Being a skilled photographer isn’t enough if no one sees your work. Talent alone won’t bring clients or make a living. If you want to turn photography into a business, you need marketing. Without it, even the best photos won’t generate income.

Which Photoshop Tools Are Becoming Obsolete?

Seven Photoshop tools that were once essential are now facing competition from AI. The latest updates in Photoshop bring powerful automation, making once-manual processes significantly faster. But does AI truly make these classic tools obsolete, or do they still have a place in your workflow?

What I Learned From Intentional Camera Movement Photography

I’ve been practicing intentional camera movement occasionally for some years now. This technique, better known by its abbreviation, ICM, involves deliberately moving the camera during exposure. It turns out to be much more difficult than regular photography. You have to take movement into the equation.

Autofocus Tricks You Need to Know to Get the Hardest Shots

Autofocus has been an unfathomably large jump in user experience for photographers, but it doesn't solve all focus problems. Although it is almost always better than manual focus, it has plenty of problems that mean there is skill to mastering the use of autofocus.
Freefly Ember S2.5K Slow-Motion Camera Review

I recently had the chance to use the Freefly Ember S2.5K, and at $25,000, this is hands down the most expensive camera I’ve ever worked with. But, surprisingly, for what it can do, I actually think it’s a bargain.

What Makes a Photo Stand Out? A Breakdown of Strong Composition

Great composition makes a photo compelling, guiding the viewer’s eye to what matters most. Strong images don’t happen by accident. The best photographers use contrast, color, and balance to create photos that hold attention and tell a story.

The Best Photography Upgrade Doesn’t Cost a Dime

New camera gear can be exciting, but the novelty wears off fast. If you’ve ever bought something new only to feel uninspired after a few weeks, you’re not alone. Better photos don’t come from better gear; they come from better habits. Developing the right habits can improve your work more than any new camera or lens ever will.

Why You Need to Understand This Lighting Technique

Even if you have no interest in lighting theories or filmmaking, you will have a good understanding of how light affects a scene or image's mood. But if you want to control the mood with precision, you need to understand the techniques behind it.
The Secret to Capturing Stunning Wildlife Photos

Finding the right location can be the difference between frustration and incredible shots. Birds and wildlife follow predictable patterns, but if you don’t know where to look, you’ll miss out.