Should Your Next Point-and-Shoot Be an Old Smartphone?

I think I've been thinking about old cameras all wrong. At least, this video from James Warner of Snappiness has me rethinking how I look at old smartphone cameras, as he talks about the three best "vintage" smartphones to use exclusively for photography.

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Enter your Best "Dark" or "Low-Key" images

Welcome to the April Critique the Community!  For this contest/critique, we are doing another abstract theme that should allow more photographers to enter. For this month we want to see your most "dark" or "low key" photographs.

5 Lenses That Were Legendary But Are Now Forgotten

The photography industry has a short memory. Every few years, we collectively forget the tools that once defined professional image-making, replacing them with newer technologies that promise greater convenience, better performance, or simply different aesthetics. But buried beneath decades of technological progress lie lenses that didn't just capture images—they created entire visual languages, established technical standards, and enabled photographic possibilities that seemed impossible at their time.

You Don’t Need to Travel to Take Great Photos

Many landscape photographers complain that their local area for photography is uninteresting. While travel for landscape photography can be invigorating, your local area has untapped potential waiting to be discovered. Have you taken the time to explore your local area to find interesting scenes?

Why #VanLife Isn’t Just a Trend: It’s a Photographer’s Power Move

You're standing there overlooking a vast landscape after days of waiting—and boom—there it is: the epicness you were looking for. The light kicks off, the shutter snaps, and you’ve captured something unique, magical, and soulfully yours. These are the moments a campervan can give you.

Which Canon RF Zoom Lens Is Worth Keeping?

Choosing between Canon’s RF 28-70mm f/2.8 and RF 24-105mm f/4 lenses is tougher than it looks. Both offer exceptional quality, but figuring out which fits your needs best can make or break your experience in the field.

Rethink Your Approach to Natural Light for Better Photos

Understanding light isn't just about technical skill; it's about transforming ordinary scenes into standout images. Knowing how to read and use various types of natural light can help you create more interesting and satisfying photos, regardless of weather or conditions.

DJI Power 2000 Review: The Power Station for Drone Pilots (and Everyone Else?)

I’ve relied on power stations for outdoor shoots and location work over the past year because they eliminate battery anxiety and bridge the gap between studio and location setups. With the Power 2000, DJI elevates the power station with a high-capacity unit featuring user-friendly design and tight integration with their ecosystem. Is it worth adding to your gear?

7 Camera Features That Used to Matter But Are Now Irrelevant

Remember when you could spot a "serious" photographer by the motor drive hanging off their Nikon F3? Or when the difference between ISO 800 and ISO 1600 capability could make or break a camera purchase decision? If you're nodding along, you've witnessed some interesting technological shifts in photographic history that completely obliterated features that once defined camera excellence.

The Sony a1 Is Incredible—but There’s a Catch

After four years and over 100,000 photos, photographer and YouTuber Manny Ortiz still considers the Sony A1 a powerhouse. But in a recent video, he reveals a surprising discovery—one that could change how you think about using this flagship camera, especially with certain types of lenses.

Why Modern Photographers Will Never Understand the Anxiety of Having Only 36 Shots

Picture this: You're standing in perfect golden hour light, watching a bride and groom share their first dance as married partners. Your light meter reads perfectly, your Nikon F4 is loaded with fresh Kodak Portra 400, and you've got exactly seven frames left on the roll. Seven. The pressure in your chest isn't just excitement—it's the very real anxiety that defined an entire generation of photographers who learned their craft when every single exposure had tangible, immediate value.

A Smarter Way to Eliminate Glare from Glasses

Removing glare from glasses is a constant challenge when editing portraits, especially if you want a clean, realistic look without losing facial detail. Whether shooting professionally or for fun, glare can detract from your photos, making mastering this skill valuable.

Is Film Photography Still Cool in 2025?

Film photography made a big comeback over the past decade, but where does it stand today, in 2025? The journey of film's revival and its current relevance is something worth understanding, especially if you're considering picking up an analog camera.

Into the Heart of the Storm: Pecos Hank's Incredible Three-Decade Journey Documenting Nature’s Wildest Weather

There's a moment in every storm chaser's career when they realize they're no longer just documenting weather—they're bearing witness to something far more profound. For Hank Schyma, better known as Pecos Hank, that realization came gradually over three decades of pursuing supercells across the Great Plains, but it crystallized into something deeper: an understanding that storms aren't just meteorological phenomena to capture, but windows into the very nature of scientific truth and human humility.

Japanese Art Philosophy Wabi-Sabi Gains Ground as Photographers and Clients Tire of Pixel-Perfect Images

Many shooters spent the last decade collecting faster lenses and bigger sensors, but a counter-movement now ripples through wedding albums, street-photo galleries, and TikTok feeds: pictures that leave the mistakes in. Motion blur, light leaks, camera shake—even a deliberate miss on focus—are suddenly welcome, propelled by a cultural hunger for images that feel honest instead of air-brushed.

Why Fujifilm’s Tiny X half May Be the Perfect Lifestyle Camera

The Fujifilm X half isn’t your typical camera—it prioritizes a unique shooting experience over flashy specs. Its appeal lies in capturing a vibe, making it ideal if you're drawn to creative photography that goes beyond pixels and autofocus points.

Is Sigma’s Superzoom the Only Lens You’ll Ever Need?

The Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary lens promises to be an all-in-one solution for crop-sensor camera users. With its exceptionally broad zoom range, it aims to appeal to users looking for convenience over outright quality.

Galapagos Whale Shark Project: Can Photography Save the World?

Why do we take photographs? Is aesthetic beauty the only value to photography? Can we use our tools and talents to create something with a deeper purpose? Although there are those who may disagree, objectively, our planet is in trouble. Let's consider, then, whether photography can save the world. I'm going to start with our oceans, where I'll specifically consider Galapagos Whale Shark Project and its goals to understand and protect whale sharks. I want to think that photography can help to save the world.

The Death of the Photography Assistant: How Digital Killed Learning

When Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012, it wasn't just the end of an iconic brand—it was the tombstone marking the grave of a centuries-old apprenticeship system that had been the backbone of professional photography education. Today's Instagram-famous photographers may command six-figure day rates, but they've never experienced the foundational learning that came from spending years in the trenches as a photography assistant, and the industry is weaker for it.

Is This Tiny Camera a Retro Gimmick or a Genius Throwback?

At first glance, it seems like a novelty—­a quirky, retro-inspired device that leans heavily into nostalgia, maybe a little too heavily. But dig a little deeper, and you might find that this strange little camera actually has something compelling to offer.

This Lens Outperforms Options Costing $400 More

The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB FE promises professional-grade performance at a lower cost than comparable Sony glass. When you're looking at f/1.2 apertures in the 35mm focal length, you're typically facing eye-watering price tags that put serious wide-aperture photography out of reach for many, but not with this lens.