The Power of Layers in Landscape Photography

A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional scene, and as such, part of the challenge posed to the photographer is recreating a sense of depth in the image. This is particularly important to holding your viewer's attention in landscape photography, and one of the most effective ways to accomplish this is through the use of layers. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to leverage them to create more effective photos.

5 Reasons You Might Not Be Growing as a Photographer

Becoming a successful photographer takes the confluence of technical aptitude, creative thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and more. This requires you to be able to address multiple aspects of your work simultaneously, sometimes making it a bit tricky to figure out why things might not be going well. If you are struggling to grow as a photographer, check out this great video that discusses five reasons why that might be and what you can do to get back on the right track.

This Changed My Photography Forever

Whether you're brand new or have many years experience, printing your work can be the most satisfying part of photography. Something you might not realize is how much your work might change after you make that first print.

How to Precisely Control Soft Light for a Portrait

Soft light is generally the preferred style for portraits, as it is more flattering on the subject. However, soft light produces more gradual transitions and requires relatively larger sources, which can make it more difficult to precisely control where it is falling in the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to create a portrait using soft but carefully controlled light using flags and v-flats.

5 Reasons I Miss My DSLR: A Rant

Like it or not, mirrorless cameras have overtaken DSLRs as the cameras of choice for most photographers. As the major camera brands transition away from developing new DSLRs and focus on mirrorless technologies, there are still advantages to using a DSLR.

Skin Retouching Made Easy With Infinite Guide

Skin retouching can seem a daunting task if you are a beginner. What brush do you use, what layer goes where, and how do you smooth the skin? And on top of that, you have to remember all the steps involved. So, how does Infinite Guide make the whole process simple?

Why It's So Difficult to Be Creative in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a popular yet difficult genre, and while you can learn to create a technically apt photo, finding your creative voice is another issue entirely. Why is it so difficult to be creative in landscape photography? This fantastic video essay looks at the question and offers some useful insights you can apply to your own work.

The Bokeh Machine: A Look at the Leica Noctillux f/1.0

50mm lenses with wide apertures are some of the most popular out there, and you can find options from under $100 to well over $10,000. So, what can you get near the top end of that range? This great video takes a look at the Leica Noctillux f/1.0 to answer that question.

Should You Buy the M2 MacBook Air or M1 Version?

The original M1 MacBook Air was a highly popular model that offered remarkable performance and battery life in the iconic Air chassis. The new M2 model brings with it a new chip, but it also comes with a wide variety of new options and upgrades. So, which is right for you? This excellent video comparison will help you choose.

5 Point and Shoot Film Cameras Fujifilm Should Bring Back

Fujifilm gets a pretty bad rap these days from the film photography community. So, it’s easy to forget that from the 1980s to the early 2000s, Fujifilm produced some of the best cameras ever made: medium format, point and shoots, the extraordinary Xpan, and a sack full of other interesting goodies.

Helpful Tips to Improve Your Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a challenging genre full of nuance, as it requires a combination of technical aptitude and the ability to work through issues out of your control, such as poor weather or hard light. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this excellent video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing a range of helpful tips sure to bring you better shots.

Is the Leica Noctilux f/1.0 One of the Best Lenses Ever Made?

Leica is polarizing by virtue of — and this is almost the entire reason — their prices. Nevertheless, the quality of their products is not in question. One of Leica's most famous creations is the Noctillux f/1.0, but how is it to use?

Guess Which Study Photographers Ranked #1 Worst In

We've all heard of the stereotype of "the starving artist," but a new study from the UK put concrete numbers on this portrayal, showing that graduates with a degree in photography truly do (on average) become starving artists. Adding insult to injury, the study reveals that photographers are not only on the list, they are ranked the worst for post-graduates making low income. Ouch.

There Is No Such Thing as a Good Photo

It sounds a bit strange or even silly at first, but it is advice that will serve you well, especially in an age where we are inundated by images and unsolicited feedback. This great video features some really important advice that is well worth taking the time to listen to.

A Different Approach to Composition in Landscape Photography

Composition is always a tricky and subtle thing, and in a genre where you do not have control of the physical placement of the elements, like landscape photography, it can be particularly difficult. If composition is something you struggle with in your landscape images, check out this helpful video tutorial that will share some useful advice sure to help you improve your photos.

Should You Get a MacBook Air or iPad Pro?

A few years ago, asking whether one should get a laptop or a tablet for professional work would be a ludicrous question. However, with options like external display support and the same chip used in MacBooks, the iPad Pro is an intriguing option and in some ways, it is even a better one. So, which is right for you, the MacBook Air or the iPad Pro? This great video will help you answer that question.

How to Capture Wildlife Photos: A Beginner's Guide

We all have genres that we usually shoot, but sometimes, we want to dabble in photography outside our comfort zone. It is possible to start getting great photos in other areas without them becoming a full-time occupation or costing a fortune in the extra kit. Here's how to do that with wildlife photography.

There are different breeds of wildlife photographers. At the top of the food chain is Photographicus Obsessius. They study individual species, so they know all their behaviors and can call them by their Latin names. They get up at 2 a.m., drive fifty miles or more,...

Kodak’s Magical Film Factory (Part Two of How Film Is Made)

This video is the second part (of three) of Smarter Everyday's in-depth tour of Kodak's film production line in Rochester, New York. In the first video, we saw how the base of the film is made out of pellets, as they're melted down and formed into uniform, thin, clear sheets.

Is This Rechargeable Blower the Solution for Cleaning Your Gear?

Handheld air blowers are the type of accessory literally every photographer and filmmaker should have in their bag, as they allow you to easily get rid of grit or debris on your camera sensor and lenses without physically touching them and risking a scratch. The Nitecore BlowerBaby upgrades the standard handheld blower by adding a powerful motor and rechargeable battery. Is it worth the higher price? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

5 Quotes That Will Change Your Approach to Photography

I love a good quote to put things in perspective when I'm having a crisis of confidence in my creative output, or feeling like a project or goal is taking too long to reach. There are many lessons you, and I, as photographers can learn in these 5 quotes from famous artists, entrepreneurs, and sports stars. Get ready for a boost of inspiration and a mindset shift!

Stabilise Your BMPCC Raw Footage With Gyro Data

A couple of weeks ago, Blackmagic Design released a firmware update for their popular Pocket Cinema Camera lineup, the BMPCC 4K, the BMPCC 6K, and the BMPCC 6K PRO variants. The update has a slew of useful updates to the interface and the camera's functioning, but the biggest feature was a hidden one: these cameras can now record gyro data to their Blackmagic raw files.

A Recession Guide for Photographers

You've heard your industry colleagues say it. You've read the news articles and listened to the business pundits. The economy is in a recession, and your photography business is suffering.

Overheating of the EOS R5 While Photographing and the Solution

Do you have a Canon EOS R5? In that case, you’re probably aware of the overheating issues when filming. It isn’t of any concern if you’ll never use the video function. But what if an overheating warning occurs while photographing? I experienced that situation, and I have the solution.

The Mistake That Cost This Photographer $100,000

$100,000 is a lot of money. Perhaps life-changing for many among us. But that's how much this photographer insists he lost due to a regrettable mistake. Learn what it is so you don't do the same.

The Tools I Use to Work With LUTs

While bringing color to your images is best done manually, LUTs accelerate things. Here’s how I customize LUTs to get the best of both worlds in a pinch.

What Proxy Files Are and Why You Should Be Using Them to Edit Video

While there are definitely some similarities, editing video takes some special considerations and adjustments to your workflow that are not necessary when working with photos. A lot of the focus is on efficiency and managing resources effectively, and one of the most powerful tools for achieving that is proxy files. This excellent video tutorial will introduce you to proxy files and show you how to use them when editing your videos in Premiere Pro.

5 Great Tips That Will Make You a Better Photographer

The beauty of any artistic pursuit is that there is always room to grow creatively, to improve technically, and to learn something new. If you would like to improve your photography, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers five useful tips sure to put you on the track to better images.

The Canon EOS R3 Can Now Shoot an Incredible 195 FPS

The Canon EOS R3 was no slouch to begin with, with the ability to shoot 30 fps continuous bursts. With a new firmware update, however, Canon is blowing the doors off that speed with a new firmware update that allows the EOS R3 to shoot at a whopping 195 fps.

The 30-Year-Old Canon Camera That Introduced Eye Control Focus

Did you know that Canon introduced the world to eye control focus back in 1992? In this retrospective, I will discuss the Canon EOS A2E, the world’s first camera that allowed the user to select a focusing point by simply looking at it.

What Should Your First ND Filter Be?

When it comes to landscape photography, few accessories are more useful than the ND filter, which allows you to extend your shutter speed to introduce creative effects in water and the sky. ND filters come in several variants, however. So, which should you buy as your first option? This excellent video tutorial will show you.

Essential Props for Product Photography

If you’re starting out in product photography and you’re not working with a props stylist, it can feel overwhelming when it comes to building out a props collection. Here are my go-to props for laying the foundations of a versatile collection so that you can save money and space and speed up your workflow.

Are Sneak Peeks Hurting Your Photography Business?

The sneak peek has been an indispensable part of my photography business, providing clients with a few quick photos right after a shoot to "whet their appetite," so to speak. But is it a bad idea overall?

How to Quickly Cull Thousands of Photos

There is honestly no task I hate more than culling large image sets, but if you are a sports, events, wildlife, or wedding photographer, you are probably used to coming home with sets of thousands of images. So, how can you make this tedious task as efficient and painless as possible? This excellent video tutorial will show you a fast and effective workflow.

How to Create Better Photo Prints

I take photos to get them printed to either hang them in my apartment or sell them to customers. And while it's important for me that those prints appear sharp and detailed, it's crucial to get a correct representation of the colors and contrasts. To achieve this, a process called soft proofing should be used during print preparation whenever possible, and in this article, I show you how to do it.

The Fundamentals of Starting a Photography Business

You can spend years working on perfecting your technique and developing your creative voice, and while those are crucial to finding success as a professional, they are not all you need. Understanding the ins and outs of running a business is a requirement of being a professional photographer, and this great video tutorial will run you through some of the things you need to know.

How to Replace a Sky and Reflection Using Photoshop

Programs like Photoshop have gained some pretty impressive automated sky replacement functions in the last few years, making a task that used to be rather tedious and involved far more efficient and easy. Nonetheless, one place where things can get tricky is when there is a body of water reflecting the sky in the frame. This awesome video tutorial will show you how to tackle that situation so you can create a convincing and complete sky replacement in Photoshop.

How to Create Deep, Gorgeous Sunset Tones in Lightroom

Is it just me, or is Lightroom Classic getting more powerful as a standalone editing tool with every update? Learn how to use some of its wonderful tools to create gorgeous, rich sunset tones in your images.

A Review of the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II Lens

A 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is the workhorse of choice for a lot of photographers and filmmakers, useful for a huge range of situations and genres. For Sony shooters, there is the new FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, and this excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Helpful Tips for Better Waterfall Photography

Waterfalls are some of the most popular subjects in landscape photography, able to take an otherwise static scene and add dynamic movement that captures the viewer's attention. It is about more than simply plopping your tripod in front of one, though. This great video tutorial will show you some helpful tips sure to improve your waterfall images.