SmallRig Brings Four New Powerful LED Lights to Market, Including the RC 450B COB
SmallRig has upped its game in the lighting department with four new affordable fixtures to take you filmmaking up a notch.
SmallRig has upped its game in the lighting department with four new affordable fixtures to take you filmmaking up a notch.
Olympus is well known for placing innovative and clever technology in their cameras, but that reputation goes back further than you might think. This neat video takes a look at a camera that is six decades old but features a fascinating automatic exposure system that allows it to function without any batteries needed.
Recently, Topaz Labs released Photo AI, which merges DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Gigapixel AI into one program, meant to improve the quality of any image with little to no intervention from the photographer. However, most users probably use it in tandem with another cataloging and editing program like Lightroom. So, what is the best way to go about that? This great video tutorial will show a less common way of using the two in combination that offers some useful benefits.
For decades, color slide film was the industry standard for commercial and editorial work, and the speed of the film was typically 64 or 100. It was standard practice for a portrait photographer to use a high-powered strobe to illuminate the subject. Today, a digital camera can produce clean images at high ISO settings and allows the photographer to forgo strobes and instead illuminate the subject using lower-power continuous light units.
There are expensive cameras, and then, there are really expensive cameras. The Phase One XT camera system definitely falls in the latter category, but with it, you get highly specialized features and superlative image quality. This neat video shows why the camera is tailor-made for landscape photography and some of the images you can create with it.
While the latest generation of cameras features some incredibly capable bodies, many photographers and filmmakers simply do not need all that power. Thankfully, the used market has a ton of options to fit just about every budget and set of needs. This great video discusses some of the best deals you can find on used cameras at the moment.
Landscape photography is a challenging genre that takes a combination of creative vision, strong technique, patience, and cooperative elements to get just right. If you are a budding landscape photographer and looking to improve your work, check out this helpful video tutorial that will give you 10 tips to put you on your way.
There are plenty of difficult lighting scenarios when conventional solutions simply can't deliver. Be it weight, space, or any other limitation, small lights are a must in any photographer's kit. Despite not being the most powerful, they are often most used on sets and locations. Among the sea of small lights, a few stand out. One such one is the Specular KYU-6. Here are my thoughts on this light.
Landscape photography generally requires an above-average amount of post-processing to get to the final results, but the upside of that is that you can take a single image in many different creative directions. One popular style is the painterly look, and this great video tutorial will show you how to create it both Lightroom and Photoshop.
Remote photography can be really useful in a lot of situations, but rarely is it used in landscape photography. Nonetheless, it can be quite useful, and this fun video will show you what you can accomplish with it.
One of my favorite books of all time is a little gem by British advertising legend Paul Arden “It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be.” I read this little book about once a year, it’s funny, insightful, and full of advice and inspiration for creative people.
Dell's XPS line has long been respected as some of the best Windows laptops out there, able to tackle many of the most demanding tasks professional creatives can throw at them. The latest model in the series is the XPS 13 Plus 9320, and this great video review takes a look at the laptop and the sort of performance you can expect from it in practice.
Wildlife photography can be a tremendously rewarding genre, but it can be a bit hard to break into due to the extreme equipment often required and thus, the high cost barrier to entry. Nonetheless, there are more affordable options that can allow you to partake in the genre without breaking the bank. This great video will show you some of the best camera options at every price point.
Camera sensors have become remarkably capable in recent years, able to capture scenes with wide dynamic range that would have been impossible for older models to handle. Nonetheless, there are still scenarios that exceed the abilities of even the best sensors. So, what do you do in those situations? Exposure bracketing is a powerful technique, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how to use it to improve your images.
The Sony a7R V is here, and it brings with it some of the most advanced features and upgrades the company has ever put in a camera, making it quite the intriguing option for a wide variety of photographers and filmmakers. This great video takes a look at the new camera and nine features that make it a fantastic choice for a lot of creatives.
The Canon EOS R5 was one of the most popular camera of the past few years, showing that Canon was taking the mirrorless market seriously by offering features like a 45-megapixel sensor, 8K raw video, advanced autofocus, and fast burst rates. With the EOS R6 Mark II now here and 2.5 years gone since the EOS R5's release, it is time to think about the EOS R5 Mark II. So, what can we expect?
There’s nothing worse than visiting a location prior to shooting, only to miss out on important details. Avoid headaches, and make sure that you’re prepared for the shoot day.
It might seem strange to want to mimic natural window light in studio, but the beauty of having a controlled space is that you can create that light however you want, whenever you want. If you would like to make yourself a more versatile lighting pro, check out this great video tutorial that will show you how to create the look of natural window light in a studio.
Fujifilm revitalized the popularity of medium format with their GFX line of mirrorless cameras, which offer impressive sets of features traditionally not seen in cameras with larger sensors in tandem with highly competitive prices. For GFX users looking for a wide angle zoom, there is the new GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR, and this great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
Canon has demonstrated an aggressive stance on the development and release timing of their RF mount lenses in the last few years. It seems they have no intentions of slowing down, as more interesting designs have emerged.
Since the launch of the X-T1 in 2014 Fujifilm have a range of cameras that appealed to both amateur and professional photographers alike. So with its 40MP APS-C sensor and up to 7 stops of IBIS is the new Fujifilm X-T5 the best in the range and should you consider upgrading?
One of the beautiful things about landscape photography is how many ways you can photograph the same scene, giving you tremendous creative potential no matter where you are or the conditions at hand. This great video tutorial follows a landscape photographer as he shoots landscape images, drone photos, time-lapses, and long exposures and shares some helpful tips and advice along the way.
In the past few updates to the program, Lightroom's masking features have expanded substantially both in precision and capabilities, and if you have not integrated the new panel into your post-processing yet, you are missing the opportunity to vastly improve your workflow. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you to know to take full command of Lightroom's masking tools.
If you are looking to purchase a new camera, you will probably see the terms "native ISO" and "base ISO" thrown around. ISO, being one of the three fundamental exposure parameters, is a term that all photographers should understand. This great video tutorial will explain the differences between native and base ISO and the consequences each have on your photography.
Lenses can run anywhere from under $100 to well over $10,000, and when you enter that very upper echelon of prices, you often get superlative optics that blow the doors off your wildest expectations. One such lens is the Nikon Nikkor Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S, which runs north of $15,000. So, what do you get for that price? This interesting video takes a look.
Topaz Labs, the company behind the wildly popular DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Gigapixel AI, has made a huge change. These apps, once a triad of separate programs to fix your photographs, are now combined into one beefy app that is here to save the day. Meet Topaz Photo AI, your new best post-processing friend. Let me show you how I used it to save my low-light wildlife photographs.
When it comes to photo gear, few things get the attention of more photographers than the promise of extra-smooth bokeh. And while Canon already has plenty of lenses that can offer that, they seem to be investing in taking it even further with several intriguing new lens designs.
Drones have revolutionized many photography genres, making aerial shots that were previously out of reach for anyone except creatives and clients with the largest budgets accessible to just about anyone. Real estate photography is one such genre where a photographer or filmmaker can augment their services with a drone. This excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to take professional real estate footage sure to please your clients.
The superzoom lens is a relatively new option for photographers to add to their arsenal, and although initially scoffed at, many are adopting them as a brilliant all-round option.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you'll probably have noticed that many social media platforms have been heading downhill. Here's how to best prepare for the social media storms ahead.
While you can absolutely create compelling portrait photos using just a single light, moving into using multi-light setups opens a lot of creative and technical options that simply would not be possible otherwise. One of the most useful of these is the hair light, and this great video tutorial will show you how to place one properly to get the best results.
When it comes to landscape photography, few creative decisions have a greater impact on the final image than your choice of crop. And yet, that can be a bit of a nebulous thing to nail down for a lot of photographers. If you would like to improve your crops and your overall images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer offering a lot of helpful advice and insight into what makes a good crop.
About 10 years ago, Tamron released a 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens that became wildly popular for offering photographers decent image quality paired with extreme focal lengths, a combination that used to be prohibitively expensive most of the time. Since then, we have seen an explosion of similar lenses, making genres like bird photography far more accessible than they used to be. One such lens is the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Wildlife photography is a challenging genre that often requires strong technique, specialized knowledge and equipment, and a lot of patience. Whether you are a new wildlife photographer or a longtime pro, this excellent video tutorial will give you 21 tips sure to help you create more compelling wildlife photos.
35mm lenses with wide apertures are highly popular because they are so versatile, able to tackle everything from weddings to astrophotography and much more. However, a good 35mm lens can easily run you north of $2,000. So, at $799, the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II looks like quite the intriguing option. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in usage.
If you are new to photography, you might be wondering about fundamental differences between lenses. Many beginners are drawn to fisheye lenses, which offer a different perspective on the world and the ability to get a massive field of view in one frame. So, what is the difference between a fisheye lens and a more standard rectilinear model? This excellent video tutorial will teach you what distinguishes them.
The popularity of toy cameras has waxed and waned over the decades. The novelty factor for plastic cameras like the Diana and the Holga is often in friction with the dependability and overall image quality, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In an age of corner-to-corner perfection, the stray light leak or vignette can provide shooters with a way to stand out from the crowd.
Focus stacking is one of the most useful techniques a landscape photographer can have in their bag of tricks, making it easy to create images that are ultra-sharp across the entire frame. However, it can be a bit tricky when you have moving water in the frame. This great video tutorial will show you how to properly focus stack such a photo to get the best possible results.
Photography and video have some crucial differences between them, but perhaps the most important similarity between them is that good lighting is crucial to getting the best results. If you are new to video and working on building your skills, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a variety of different lighting modifiers and how to use them to create professional-level results.
Did your university lecturer radiate an aura of excitement while crawling through a damp forest, seeking subjects that most of us would not notice? Every school and college should have a Geraint Radford. His skill and enthusiasm have just made me want to buy a macro lens and try the techniques I learned while interviewing him.
As weeks, months, and years go by and your experience and skills in photography continue to expand, it's always nice to get some confirmation that you're actually improving. But, how can you get that feedback? Do this simple test, and you'll immediately see how far you've evolved.
This is the best time of year to find incredible photography deals. Whether you're looking for new gear, a faster or easier way to edit your photos, or a more efficient shooting workflow, there are tools available that will help. This post lists some of our favorite Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials that are worth paying attention to.
The new Fujifilm body is getting some rave reviews and if you're lucky enough to own it, you might want to set aside some time to get it firing on all cylinders. This video will help you with exactly that, walking you through the features and hidden tricks and tips.
Although I've watched videos and read reviews about Topaz products, I had never actually tried them, remaining faithful to my workflow and not venturing farther afield. I do like software and seeing what it can do with my images, but felt safe with what I currently use. So, what could Topaz Photo AI bring to the table that I couldn't already accomplish?
Whether you are shooting landscapes, wildlife, or something else, many photography genres require you to spend a significant amount of times outdoors, sometimes fairly far from civilization. In addition to all your camera gear, there are some tools that can make those treks both easier and safer. This great video makes a case for why an Apple Watch might be an outdoor photographer's best friend.
Few things can more dramatically impact the mood and feel of an image than the color grade. We all have favorite color grades, whether from photos or movies. Thankfully, Photoshop has some nifty built-in tools that allow you to easily copy the color grade from one image and apply it to another, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to do just that.
Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to sensor size in video.
The Fujifilm X-H2 mirrorless camera is a major step forward for the company's highly popular X Series, bringing with it a variety of impressive upgrades and new features, most notable being a 40.2-megapixel high-resolution sensor, all wrapped up in the beloved design the bodies are known for. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Shooting weddings is stressful, mostly because you only have one opportunity to really make your clients happy. That being the case, you need to use gear that you can rely on to get you exactly what you and the client envision. Does the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM lens fit into that category?
Our friends over at SLR Lounge make some of the best photography education content available, along with a range of versatile presets that can help you achieve better results more quickly. There has never been a better time to take advantage of their great tutorials and presets, as both are on sale at significant discounts.