Behind the Scenes of a Natural Light Portrait Shoot in Costa Rica
Why You Should (Not) Upgrade Your Camera in 2023
Recently, some of my gear broke, and as always, it got me pondering if I should upgrade my gear. I ended up finding the same unit online and purchased it to replace the old one. That was a light, but if it were a camera, what would I do? Very likely, the same. Here is why.
Is This the Best Black and White Camera Out There?
Black and white cameras are a bit of a rarity, but those who use them generally swear by the way they render images. The new Leica M11 Monochrom rangefinder offers an impressive range of features paired with a top-of-the-line sensor, and it may just be the best black and white option yet.
How Can Photographers Leverage AI and What Are the Dangers Ahead?
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, whether photographers like it or not. So, what are some ways photographers can leverage it rather than fear it?
Is Your Photography Suffering From the Region-Beta Paradox?
A Spectacular Canon Lens Is on the Way
While Canon has always made some of the world's most impressive lenses, they really kicked it into another gear when the RF mount came along. It seems they have no intention of stopping, with another impressive lens on the way soon.
2 Photographers Go Head-to-Head Shooting With Only Hard Reflectors
An Entry-Level Light for Anyone Starting Out: A Review of the Nanlite FS-60B
If you are a beginner photographer, filmmaker, or content creator in the process of learning about and investing on lighting, quality should be alongside affordability and ease of use. The Nanlite FS-60B might be something worth considering.
How a Photographer Shot an Entire Wedding on Film
Wedding photography is one of the most challenging genres out there, and given the pressure and lack of second chances, most photographers opt for high-end digital equipment to ensure the best chances of getting the shots they need. Given today's client expectations, can you still shoot a wedding on film? This neat video features a photographer taking you through his entire film photography kit for a wedding.
A Look at One of the Strangest Lenses Out There
The AstrHori 85mm f/2.8 Macro & Tilt lens is definitely one of the strangest lenses to come along in a while, and yet, behind that weird design is a highly affordable option that promises to tackle the responsibilities of three or four separate lenses. Can it perform all those functions suitably and offer the performance and image quality professionals demand? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.
The Damage We Inadvertently Do in Photography
I’ve long been a believer that wildlife and landscape photography does a lot of good for wildlife by raising awareness of conservation issues. But there’s a problem that many of us don’t consider. Are you aware of what can you do to ensure your photography is doing more good than harm?
A Beginner's Guide to Prime Versus Zoom Lenses
The most fundamental distinguishing factor of lenses is whether they are primes or zooms. Each type has distinct advantages and disadvantages, and as a beginner, it is crucial to learn the differences so you can make the right choice for your needs and budget. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know about the two types of lenses.
Sony FX3 Gets Major Version 3.00 Firmware Update
The Usability of the Canon EOS R5’s IBIS High Resolution Option
The firmware update version 1.8.1 offered Canon EOS R5 users the ability to capture a stunning 400-megapixel image. You may ask yourself if this has any real benefit over the standard 45-megapixel resolution, but it’s nice to have. How useful is the option in real life? Let’s find out.
Two Big Reasons Amateur Photographers Are Afraid to Become Professionals
Becoming a professional photographer can be a scary thing, especially because, unlike a traditional job, the pathway to sustainable success is much more nebulous and often changing. What are the most common fears people have about becoming a pro? How can you mitigate those fears? This excellent video features an experience professional photographer discussing the topic.
A Review of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera
Canon's EOS R5 mirrorless camera showed the industry that the company was deadly serious about the professional mirrorless market, but alongside it came the EOS R6, which was arguably a more pragmatic option, offering most of the EOS R5's features and capabilities at a much more affordable price. The EOS R6 Mark II brings a nice array of improvements and new features over the original model, and this excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it.
How to Deal With Rejection as a Freelance Photographer
When going freelance in any profession, you will get faced with rejection after rejection. Not getting enough love on social media, emails not being replied to, and inquiries not leading to bookings are frustrating parts of running a self-employed photography business. “Don’t take it personally,” they say. But how?
A Review of the Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Camera
The Canon EOS R8 offers an affordable route into the company's full frame mirrorless lineup, making it an appealing choice for a wide array of amateurs and professionals alike. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
Applications Open for Canon's Incubator: Futures (Year Three)
Canon Canada has opened applications for the third cohort of its FUTURES program. Canon's FUTURES is geared to helping emerging storytellers between 20 and 25 years old develop their craft and business acumen. It's heartening to see a major international corporation make a point of nurturing the users of their products. Hurry, applications close on June 30!
How to Use Gels and Hard Light in the Studio
Sony FX-3 Firmware Update Adds Cinema-Line and Popular Alpha Features
A Review of the Leica M11 Rangefinder Camera
Leica's M11 rangefinder represents a notable step forward for the iconic M series, bringing with it a wide range of new features and improvements that are sure to capture the attention of many photographers. How does it hold up in practice, particularly against the reputation of its predecessors? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from the camera.
Who Makes the Best Telephoto Lens for Sony Cameras?
One of the best parts of the Sony system is the vast library of different lenses available, making it easy to find an option that fits both your budget and your needs. In particular, there are many options for supertelephoto zooms, with Sony, Tamron, and Sigma each offering multiple choices. This excellent video comparison takes a look at seven such lenses to help you pick the right one for you.
Battery-powered Wheels Now Possible on Inovativ Carts
Make Your Cart Go has teamed up with Inovativ to make pushing carts around a little easier this summer.
The Oversaturation of Photography: Is Social Media Killing the Photographer's Eye?
Without a doubt, social media has revolutionized the experience, dissemination, and even creation of photographs. Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter have leveled the playing field in a lot of ways, allowing photographers to instantly share their work with hundreds or thousands of followers. Combined with the availability of high-quality cameras in smartphones and social media algorithms, the number of images disseminated to the world has absolutely exploded. Despite this democratization of the craft, has social media actually diminished the value of photography?
How to Light a Portrait Using a Single Speedlight
Portrait lighting can sometimes take complex multi-light setups, but you would be surprised at what you can accomplish with just a single light — even only a speedlight. In fact, you can even create professional images with one, and it is a great place from which to start as a beginner to artificial light. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use a single speedlight to create compelling portrait images.
How to Use a Standard Zoom Lens for Landscape Photography
The standard zoom lens (24-70mm) is one of the most practical and versatile out there, able to tackle a wide range of applications with ease, including landscape photography. This great video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer sharing how he uses a standard zoom for his own work.
How to Earn Extra Money From Your Photography
What if I told you there is a social media platform on which you can earn money whenever somebody likes your content? And it's not owned by a big corporation but is governed by its community. In this article, I share my experience with such a platform that has been around for several years already.
One Photographer's Thoughts After Four Years With the Leica M System
Perhaps no camera system is more iconic and more polarizing than the Leica M system. While some see it as an overly extravagant status symbol for wealthy people, others absolutely swear by both the experience it offers and the images it produces. So, who is the system really for? This fantastic video review features one photographer sharing his thoughts after four years of using Leica M cameras and lenses.
The Limitations of AI Art: Why Hands Often Look Unnatural in Art
AI art generators have made significant strides in recent years, capable of producing stunning pieces of artwork that mimic the styles of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso. However, there is still one area where these AI algorithms struggle to accurately replicate, the human hand.
10 Books Every Photographer Should Read Now
As a photographer, focusing on improving your craft is one of the most important things to do. Money can buy the latest equipment, but it can't buy you knowledge of how to use that equipment.
A Look at How to Make Expressive Landscape Photos
One of the challenges of landscape photography is creating expressive images, as you have little control over what appears in the frame compared to most other genres. If that is something you struggle with, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will share some helpful advice for creating expressive images and how to deal with issues like composition, aspect ratios, and perspective shift.
Thoughts on the Impact of AI on the Photography Industry
AI has been the talk of the town around the photography industry for a few months now, with opinions ranging from it being a fantastic tool that will significantly reduce and streamline photographers' workflows to it being the death knell of many parts of the industry. This interesting video essay features an experienced commercial photographer offering some more pragmatic and balanced thoughts on how AI will change the industry.
What Are the Things That Limit You as a Photographer?
What’s keeping you from being the photographer or even the artist that you hope to be? How much of it is under your control, and what can you do to get past the roadblocks?
A Versatile and Effective Two-lens Kit for Landscape Photography
The beauty of landscape photography is that there are so many different ways to photograph the same scene. As such, it is nice to have options to cover the full range of scenarios, but that also needs to be balanced by keeping the amount of bulk you are hiking with in check. This excellent video discusses a versatile two-lens kit that will not break the bank or your back.
The Beauty of the Ordinary
There are a lot of iconic locations out there, and it can be wonderful to travel to and photograph them, but there is a lot of beauty in the ordinary and what is around us, and you are missing out if you overlook the places you pass by every day. This great video tutorial discusses the power of the ordinary and why embracing it will make you both a better and more content photographer.
A Review of the Impressive and Affordable 7Artisans 15mm f/4 Lens
7Artisans has become well known for producing some of the most affordable lenses available to photographers. While that sometimes means significant compromises in performance or image quality, their 15mm f/4 lens offers rather impressive results while still coming in at a very low cost. Is it the right lens for you? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it.
Shutterfest 2023: Unlocking the F.U.N.damentals of Photography
Shutterfest stands out as my favorite photography conference to attend each year! As I write this, I am wrapping up day three of the affair. I always look forward to the various workshops, lectures, and unique experiences available throughout this fun-filled event like no other.
3 Ways to Fix Uninspiring Portraits
Have you ever set up your lights, gone through the poses, gotten back to your computer, and realized you have taken some perfectly competent but uninspiring photos? If that is a situation you have recently found yourself in, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced portrait photographer sharing three different ways to reinvigorate your images.
The Seven Essential Elements for Improving Your Photos
There are different opinions about what makes good photography. Many suggest it’s a single ingredient; they are wrong. If we want to grow in our art, it’s by combining seven elements that we have any hope of improving.
Compositing Portraits With AI-Generated Images
How to Add Glow in Photoshop
Luminar Neo Delivers a Stealth Update With Some Powerful Features
Current Luminar Neo users are in for a treat the next time they open the app, which has quietly hit version 1.8.0. Some of the updates are evolutionary, and there's the usual gaggle of bug fixes, but there are some really nice updates here that will please Neo users.
A Long-term Review of the Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera
The 7D line of APS-C DSLRs from Canon were some of the most popular the company ever made, bringing many of the features and capabilities from higher-level full frame cameras like the 5D and 1D series to far more affordable cameras. Now in the mirrorless age, the EOS R7 has picked up that torch and brought along a modernization of the body with a range of upgrades. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera after six months of usage and if it holds up to the needs of professional photographers.
How to Take Better Rainy Landscape Photos
When you step outside and are greeted by rainy weather, it can be tempting to turn around and head right back inside. However, if you are willing to brave those mundane conditions, you might be rewarded with worthwhile landscape images. This helpful video tutorial offers five tips to increase your chances of coming home with compelling shots.
Samyang's New 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Lens Is Creating Buzz
We would be hard-pressed to find a photographer who wasn't familiar with mega-brands Tamron and Sigma offering lower-priced lenses to rival the designs put out by the giants: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and more. This week, there has been buzz in the nerdy sublayers of photography sites about a new lens coming out: the Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8. Let's dive into this.
How to Create Your Own Opportunities as a Photographer
Exactly what does it take to be “lucky?”
Why You're Being Ghosted by Potential Clients
How many times have you had a promising conversation started with a potential client, only for them to simply stop responding to you, never completing a booking? It is a very frustrating but also very common experience. This helpful video tutorial shares some useful advice and techniques to decrease that ghosting rate and land more clients.