Using a Less Common Modifier for Single Light Portraits

Portrait photographers normally have a go-to light modifier they prefer from the standard array and might work with two or three lights to completely sculpt the light as they see fit. However, this neat video shows the awesome results you can get by using a lesser-known modifier as your only light source.

The Hidden Treasures in Shooting Plain Landscapes Close to Home

Landscape photography often aims to capture grand scenes full of drama and beauty, but what if you don’t have a convenient mountain just outside your back door? This great video follows a photographer as he shoots storms near his home and deals with the challenge of a flat and generally featureless landscape.

Pocket Powerhouse: A First Look at the Sony RX100 VII

The Sony RX100 VII is the latest iteration of the company’s powerful pocket cameras, and it brings some massive upgrades to the table. Is it the right do-it-all camera for you to take everywhere? This great first look video seeks to answer that exact question.

How Does Climate Change Art?

You might think that when a piece of art is finished, it is done in every sense of the word, now a static object — unchanging, permanent forever. But it’s anything but; in fact, all art is fleeting when you place it on the timescales our planet runs on. Just how do climate and art interact? What can art tell us about climate, particularly as it continues to be at the forefront of discussions of the future of humanity?

These Are the Worst Photographers You Know

Let’s face it: photographers can be a fairly annoying and infuriating bunch. We have all met a photographer who simply annoys the living daylights out of us. This funny and lighthearted pokes fun at the most common types of those photographers.

The Professional-Level Canon Mirrorless Body Is on Its Way

So far, Canon seems to be focusing the majority of their wow factor on the lenses in their mirrorless line, creating some truly unique glass with incredible optical quality. On the other hand, their mirrorless bodies have sat more firmly in the midrange market, but that may be about to change, as a professional-level mirrorless body is likely on its way next year.

How to Remove Noise by Stacking Multiple Photos

As a photographer you are probably confronted every now and then with unacceptably high noise levels. This may occur when using extremely high ISO levels, or perhaps when lifting shadows too much in post processing. You can try to reduce noise by one or two sliders in Photoshop, Lightroom, or similar software, or by stacking a couple of photos.

Now, Where Did I Put That? Famous Lost and Left Behind Cameras and Film

Have you ever run out to a shoot and realized that despite your best laid plans, you left something behind? Packed up, boarded a plane, and realized you left your memory cards or film at home? How far back did you have to go to get it? Imagine realizing that you had to travel 238,900 miles? Or worse, 170 years into the past.

Why Is Sony Giving Us 61 Megapixels When There’s so Much Else That Needs Fixing First?

A few weeks ago, I started drafting a list of everything that Sony needs to fix on the a7 III. Then suddenly, in a move that caught everyone off guard, Sony announced the a7R IV. Have many elements on my list been resolved by this new generation of camera, or has the rush for an insane number of megapixels meant that certain details are being ignored?

Let Your Photograph's Hook Be Your Subject's Eyes

Remember the cliché expression the eyes are the window to the soul? They aren't kidding around with that one, and when you capture a piercing look, you can instantly and easily grab the viewer's attention.

Selling: It's More Than Taking Pretty Pictures

To make a living as a photographer, you have to do more than take great pictures. You have to be a photographer, a supply-chain management expert, an entrepreneur, and, perhaps most importantly, you have to be great at selling — selling both yourself and selling your product.

How to Increase Your Likelihood of Getting the Perfect Photo

Regardless of how long you've been into photography, every so often, you'll wish you had tried a different setting, shot the photo with a narrower or wider composition, or shot a vertical orientation. I have a technique that I employ from time to time to ensure I get the perfect photo.

Can Nature Photography Help Improve Your Images?

More and more, we are seeing headlines about how doctors are prescribing patients time outdoors. Ailments such as obesity, anxiety, and high blood pressure are just some of the issues nature can help with. As photographers, we spend more time than we care to admit in front of screens. This can lead to depression and other issues. A healthy mind and body are essential to every aspect of our lives—including our photography.

How to Know Your Makeup Artist Is the One

If you work as a portrait photographer of any kind, it's useful to work with the same makeup artist (or MUA) every time you shoot. You'll cut down on time spent casting and won't have to learn how to communicate in a way that works for a new collaborator every time. But how do you know that your new MUA is the one? Check these key factors that will make them a collaborator you can depend on, time and time again.

Fstoppers Hands-On First Impressions of the Sony a7R IV

Last week, Sony surprised us all when they announced their latest a7R mirrorless camera. I had the chance to use the new a7R IV shooting a number of different portrait studio sets at the launch event, and in this first-impressions review I offer my opinions on its updated body design and performance.

Watch What Happens When a Photographer and Model Switch Roles

As photographers, we might spend our entire lives behind the camera without ever experiencing what it is really like to be the one in front of it. This fun and interesting video follows a photographer and model as they switch roles to see just how difficult life is on opposite sides of the camera.

10 Camera Settings You Should Always Think About Changing

Modern cameras are remarkably capable machines, and with all those capabilities come a veritable plethora of options, features, and customizations, and it's well worth taking the time to explore them to customize your camera and make it work better for your personal shooting style and needs. This excellent video discusses 10 settings you should consider changing on your camera.

Instagrammers Hospitalized After Jumping Into Poisonous Lake

We often see stories of photographers or social media influencers falling into danger in order to get some shot, and this is just the latest in that trend. Several Instagrammers became seriously ill after jumping into a highly toxic lake in Spain.

Using Drones as an Addition to My Landscape Photography

During my latest trip to the Faroe Islands I noticed how many tourists were flying drones. Drones are very popular, and rules for flying become more strict by the hour. I wonder why people like to fly a drone; is it just to fly, or to make films? I use it for landscape photography.

Are Your Photo Editing Habits Impairing Your Creativity?

Loads of photographers enjoy a little light entertainment during the often monotonous process of editing photos. When you’ve got to bang out edits on a 10-hour wedding or work your way through vacation photos, it’s nice to have something playing in the background. However, recent studies suggest that whether you listen to music or podcasts or binge-watch your favorite shows, you might be hindering your creativity.

All Hope Is Not Lost for Accidentally Deleted Photos

Ever since I bumped into the limits of my memory card at a wedding when I forgot to format it, I’ve been extra cautious about making sure I format before every shoot, which has served me well, except when it didn’t this past week, and I wiped out my children's first trip to Adventureland by accident.

Is Instagram Worthwhile?

"If you’re not on Instagram, you don’t exist." How many times have you heard a statement to that affect? I recently had a discussion with a fellow professional photographer about the value of Instagram. In this article, I’ll explore our conclusions.

How to Shoot a Short Film

Have you ever wanted to shoot a short film? I've had ideas, which in my opinion, were great ideas, but it's not often that I grab a pencil and paper to start developing a storyboard, until this video.

Skylum Is Adding Sky Replacement to Luminar 4

The next version of Luminar, called Luminar 4, will include a one-click sky replacement feature. Other photo editors can get it done, but it usually involves masking, and it often doesn't work very well with foreground objects like trees with a lot of leaves. Adobe demonstrated a one-click sky replacement in 2016, but alas, it never appeared.

Model Accuses Kardashian Photographer Marcus Hyde of Bribing for Nude Photos

Photographer Marcus Hyde, who has worked with such celebrities as Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, has been the subject of several allegations of sexual misconduct in the wake of an Instagram post by a model claiming he attempted to bribe her with a free photoshoot in exchange for nude photos of herself.

How to Add Quality Typography to Your Images in Photoshop

If you have dipped your feet into the movie poster or book cover industry, like me, you will know that one of the most underrated aspects of the poster and the cover industry is typography. The typography you use can make or break an image. Most digital artists, think of it as an afterthought but I guarantee you it is one of the most vital pieces of the puzzle to publisher or distributor.

Behind the Scenes on a Budget Pool Shoot

Not everyone has access to a pool to do portrait shoots in the water, or maybe there are times when the weather isn't ideal or warm enough to do those types of shoots in an outdoor pool. If you do not have a big enough tub, a kiddie pool could work.

Gran Canaria Was so Much Better for Landscape Photography Than I Expected

Gran Canaria is known for parties, booze, and family resort vacations, but this island in the Canary Islands archipelago has some amazing nature worth visiting for any landscape and travel photographer. Not to mention, it is easier to combine this with a family vacation than Iceland, The Faroes, or Norway is.

Are Drones Revolutionizing Photography?

Drones have enhanced viewer experiences in a wide range of media, from documentaries to sports coverage. That they have had a massive impact on the film and photography world is undeniable, but have they revolutionized photography?

'Buy My New Presets' Said Every Targeted Ad From a Sony Shooter

We've all scrolled past a targeted ad on Facebook or Instagram with a caption screaming for us to buy their new Lightroom or Photoshop presets if we want to take better photos. Is it just me, or does it usually seem these ads are often from folks shooting Sony cameras?

Lensbaby Composer Pro II With Edge 35: My First Time Doing Street Photography

Street photography is one type of photography that I'm honestly not brilliant at. It's different from most kinds of photography, because it's somewhat difficult to plan. For architecture, I can control most things, and this is comforting, because I know the kind of results I'm going to be able to produce. Street photography, however, is not quite the same.

One Tip for More Engaging Travel Photography

Travel photography is a popular but exceptionally difficult genre of photography. In this video, Mitchell Kanashkevich covers one of his favorite tips to really engage your viewer with your travel photography.