Fstoppers Original Articles

Fstoppers in 2019 - What Do You Want to Learn?

Next year, we are planning on creating more video content than ever and the vast majority of it will be available for free on the Fstoppers YouTube channel. We want to cater our videos around the aspects of photography and video that you want to learn. Will you help us with some feedback?

What Do You Wish You Had Started Sooner?

Whenever I discover something important or valuable to me, I inevitably wish I'd started it earlier. Areas of photography are no exception. So what do you wish you had started sooner?

Bringing Your Photography to Life with Stop Motion Animation

Stop motion animation is a great technique for creating attention-grabbing content to promote a brand or your own photography, or even just for fun. In this article, I am going to show you how to shoot and assemble a series of still images to create an eye-catching stop motion animation.

Our Long-Term Review of the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS Lens

Hands down, the best zoom lens you can get for the Sony mirrorless system is the 70-200mm f/4 G lens. I’ve been using it professionally for over three yearsm and it lives up to its reputation. Let me tell you why.

What Is a Test Shoot?

TFP, Time For Print, Time For Photos; All these terms and initialisms can become a bit daunting and overwhelming. What do they all mean? I definitely can’t pay rent with exposure dollars. So why is everyone always offering exposure for compensation?

Quick Website Checkup and Security Bar Check: Is Your Site the Way It Should Be?

SSL has become the preferred way for all sites to be displayed as opposed to only being used for shopping carts and pages where you would enter personal data. For some time, there's been a transition from http to https, and it was a choice mostly based on the intended activities of your website viewers.

How To Take Epic Bride Prep Photos at a Wedding

One of the most important parts of any good book is the first few pages which draw in the reader in. That's what getting ready photos are for a wedding day. So let's make them epic.

Your Content Will Continue to Fall Flat Unless You Become a Better Interviewer

If you’re a videographer that runs your own business, you know that you have to be a jack of all trades. You know that your skills can’t be limited to just creating great images. You need to be good with business, networking, and a whole lot more. What you might not realize is that for the vast majority of self-made videographers, you’ll need to be good at conducting interviews.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (August 2021): Kim Silver

The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2021, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

Make It a New Year’s Resolution to Introduce Photography to a Loved One

It’s no secret that the photography industry is struggling right now. People are taking more photos than ever, but not on actual cameras. That’s where the photography community can step in and change things by adopting this new year’s resolution: introduce a loved one to photography this year.

Are You Being Authentic in Your Branding?

The first bit of advice I can recall getting was given to me by my parents. I was about to start school for the first time and I wanted people to like me. There advice was something that we've all been told: “just be yourself.” As professional photographer, I still want people to like me. This article covers why simply being yourself is great advice, especially when it comes to branding.

How You Can Boost Sales by Selling Prints

Printing images is a service that is often in high demand with various clients. While wedding albums may still reign king, it’s never a bad idea to go back to good old fashion silver halide photo prints. These differ from Fine Art Prints, which use a different printing process. Often times “silver halid” is also referred to as “Photographic Prints”, and Zno’s prints in this area offer many options.

Using Photography to Document the End of a Musical Era

Ebru Yildiz is a photographer based in New York. She shoots portraits and live music events and has clients like the New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR, and Pitchfork to name a few. One of the places she's shot a lot of work at has recently closed their doors. The venue, Death By Audio in Williamsburg, has been one of the most vital underground music venues in the NYC community. It occupied a large warehouse on the waterfront from 2005 until 2014 and hosted bands who due to their performances there later enjoyed international acclaim. Bands like A Place to Bury Strangers, Jeff The Brotherhood, and Lightning Bolt and many more graced the stage in this venue.

A One-Stop Audio Solution for (Most) Creators

No video is complete without a soundtrack. Excellent sound and SFX can make or break your production, which is why it is so important to get it right. If you’re looking for a royalty-free platform that offers a one-stop solution for audio, look no further than Artlist.

A to Z of Photography: Yashica and Madame Yevonde

In this article we turn to the society photographer, and fortune teller sounding, Madame Yevonde, but before her another Japanese brand that bit the dust. Yashica were prominent in the post-war photographic world, but when did they cease production?

Are We Having Fun With Photography?

When was the last time you can remember having fun with your photography? Not the joy of landing a photography job or the excitement of nailing that one photo, but rather childlike fun while shooting.

Is a PPA Super One Day Class Worth It?

Twice a year Professional Photographers of America hosts a learning opportunity for any photographer, whether they are a PPA member of not. PPA calls these Super One Days and they are available throughout the country and held by local photographers that give their time and expertise to a diversified set of subjects in many local communities. The options for classes range from different aspects of the business of photography, to shooting many different types of imagery, to post-processing, and even creating with prints and products in mind. The diversity of options available and that it’s many times a local photographer offering a class makes these educational opportunities worthwhile.

The Fstoppers Daily Diary While Quarantined in Puerto Rico

Like much of the world, Lee and I have found ourselves in mandatory lockdown in our home. During this uncertain time, we thought it would be interesting to record our thoughts, experience, and predictions in a daily diary that we can reflect on years from now. We welcome you to our Coronavirus Journal.

Pond5 Lets Photographers and Videographers Set Their Own Price for Stock Video, Stills, and More

A number of websites offer multimedia content to content creators for their projects through an easy-to-access online portal. But as well as those sites serve the many that use them, they all have one thing in common: they set the price for all content. Letting photographers, videographers, and musicians set the price for their own work, Pond5 is an exception in a set of businesses between which it is increasingly hard to differentiate.

We Speak to the Photographer Documenting Love Stories of Couples and Families Impacted by the Global Refugee Crisis

One photographer recently travelled to both Turkey and Mexico to document the global refugee crisis in pictures, a series that went on to earn him a win at the World Press Photo Awards. We spoke with the man himself to uncover more details about the inspiring love stories of couples and families who have been forced to flee their native countries in search of a better life.

Behind the Scenes of Photoshop Week at CreativeLive

Every year, CreativeLive hosts an event called Photoshop Week that feature classes from world-renowned experts. These free classes range from beginner level classes to expert level education. While most people only get to see these classes through a computer screen, I got the opportunity to see first hand what goes on behind the scenes.

Do You Really Need Fancy Gear To Shoot Panoramas?

In this article, we examine whether panoramic photos can be created without purchasing expensive gear. In this tutorial, we will stitch high-resolution landscapes using a standard tripod and explain the difference between wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Whether capturing a vast seascape or compressing a distant mountain range, this tutorial will walk you through camera setup, shooting tips, and editing secrets to get the most out of your images.
On Location with NETGEAR M6 Pro: An Essential Tool for Nomad Photographers

For adventure photographers, having reliable internet access in remote locations is a game-changer. Lukas Mann, an adventure photographer based in Vancouver, shared his experiences on how NETGEAR has significantly improved his workflow and client satisfaction. Here's a detailed look at how the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro mobile hotspot is transforming the way outdoor photographers operate.

PortraitPro 24: Redefining Digital Retouching

Retouching has long been a time-consuming process that not many of us photographers enjoy. Yet, it is inevitable to have to retouch your photos. Fortunately, PortraitPro 24 is introducing more advanced features and capabilities that have further cemented the software’s reputation as a must-have tool for portrait photographers. Read on to find out why.

Did Adobe Steal Your Photos to Train Their AI? We Asked Them in Person.

This past year, Adobe rolled out a terms-of-use update that shook the creative community. The way this update was worded made it appear as though you were giving them complete rights to your artwork just by using their services in any way. Users were rightfully scared, and the pitchforks came out. There have been some updates to the situation, and I recently went to Adobe MAX to speak with them directly.

The Art of Digital Imaging

Do you consider this an art form separate from photography, or do you consider this an extension of photography?

COVID-19 Positive: What Happens When You Are Infected While Running a Business

Businesses all over the world are in crisis due to COVID-19. Small companies are scrambling to figure out a way to keep their business open or at least relevant while this pandemic takes over. Studios are shutting their doors and owners prepping before their state gets the shelter in place order. But what happens if you, as the owner, test positive for the virus?

Providing Pre-Shoot Tips to Your Engagement Couples: Part Two

‘Tis the season for wedding bookings! With that in mind, here is part two of an overview of my engagement shoot prep booklet. I provided this information to my couples when I was regularly shooting weddings. I hope that you find this helpful.

Does Having a Part-Time Job Stop You From Being a Pro?

Professional photography is a pretty exclusive club in someways. It is a dream job that many of us are protective of and online this can be seen by those defining what makes you a professional photographer.

Is Natural Light the 'Best Light'?

I've recently heard this statement confidently asserted, mostly by non-photographers, when talking about lighting. I briefly mentioned that it's a little more complicated than that without delving into a whole lesson on light and how it works, but it did leave me pondering the statement longer.

Top 10 WeeklyFstop Photos: Gathering

So apparently "gathering" seemed to scare away some people since we only seemed to gather about 20 percent as many entries as we have last week. Luckily, the quality of the entries was right on par with the previous themes delivering yet another great top 10 list.

Top 10 WeeklyFstop Photos: Snow

We asked for snow and we sure got it. I spent the week enjoying the weather with my family. We alternated between outside time in the yard throwing snowballs, building forts, and warming up by the fireplace with hot chocolate. I was too busy having fun to get any photos, but luckily for all of us, our readers were not. This week's list might make you a bit cold so I suggest grabbing a blanket.

Enjoying the Holidays May Mean Putting Down Your Camera and ‘Clocking Out’

For many of us, the holidays are about spending time with family and friends, exchanging gifts, travel, and leisure. If you’re the photographer among your family and friends, chances are it’s expected that you’ll capture the love and joy and all of the genuine smiles with your professional camera, because after all, it’s what you love to do, isn’t it?

How to Prepare for a Restaurant Photoshoot

You’ve been commissioned to photograph new images for a restaurant, but there’s a lot of spinning plates and moving parts. In this article, I share my essential steps for preparing for and running a photoshoot at a restaurant.

Retouchers Unite to Restore Damaged Photos From Hurricane Harvey

With all the destruction hurricane Harvey left behind from its rampage against the Texas coast, we have a tremendous number of people who affected with enormous lost. While most things can be replaced over time, there are some things that can’t be which many might overlook, like family photos for example.