Fstoppers Original Articles

Cameras have always been at the forefront of technology. They've always pushed the boundaries of what's possible. Perhaps then it is unusual to have such a high tech sector so closely wedded to art. That is what makes photography such a passion for me. And while there will always be those that push the creative elements, with the camera purely a utilitarian device for achieving that, others will take the bleeding edge, create new imaginings, add unusual twists and embellishments, and take that edge even further. Commercially then, it doesn't pay to be second. Be at the edge and take advantage of it.

After receiving yet another email stating that my new camera order is still backordered, it is becoming even more difficult to fight the urge to look at other options.

The photography industry has made one error over and over again. It is expressed in the assumption that since the march of technology makes it possible to achieve something with less effort, photographers will be happy to accept the current standard and pay extra for more convenient ways of achieving it. Instead, photographers have consistently chosen lower quality in exchange for convenience or asked for higher quality while keeping the process much the same.

Posting on social media can be tough. Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing new to share at all. Maybe the problem is you’re not using all the opportunities out there. You might be missing some ways to squeeze more juice out of the content orange.

If you believe the advertisements of smartphone manufacturers, the cameras of those devices are amazing and suitable for professional use. Sometimes (often?) these advertisements turn out to be fake, shot with professional DSLR cameras. But how good are those smartphone cameras really?

Non-photographers often complain about black and white images: they’re dated, they’re just a gimmick, or they’re elitist and boring. These are personal preferences; however, we live in a color world, so you can't discount that black and white images can create a disconnect for modern viewers. To bring history alive, is colorization a solution?

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 2022, 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.

It is October already! Can you believe it? That also means the holidays are around the corner, and I'm sure many of you would love to receive some amazing camera gear or even treat yourself to something nice. In this article, I pick five items that would be ideal for any new or experienced portrait photographer.

I'm sure you have a beautiful portfolio as do most professional wedding photographers, but have you ever stopped to think what may be wrong with showcasing such a filtered representation of your work to potential clients?

People will either inspire or drain you and your creativity. Why not be around those who motivate you?

"Getting ready" is one of the most important sessions in a wedding because it kickstarts the celebrating mood of the ceremony. This post takes a dig into a few tips that would help you get better getting ready shots on the spot.

It was about five years ago that I first tried this out, and it’s crazy to me how camera manufacturers will omit such a great feature.

One of the best ways to continually improve your photography business is to keep educating yourself. If you’re looking for opportunities to educate yourself from home, there are plenty of options available online. Learn more about how you can self-educate in photography right from the comfort of your home.

Some photographers have skills that blow us away. Embedding emotions into images sets some photographers apart, so I knew instantly I had to share Tianna Williams’ work with our readers.

We usually see a photograph as a solitary work, a passing moment in time captured to be examined on its own. However, creating a coherent story through a body of work can lift your photography up to a new level.

The game has changed a lot in 2024. Being a successful photographer is no longer about technical ability but a lot more about aesthetics and vision. In this article, I will tell you the five things you need to stop doing to be a successful photographer in 2024.

One of the struggles I have as a photographer is knowing how much to edit an image. This became increasingly difficult once editing became a major part of my artistic workflow when shooting landscape photography, so how do I know when a photo is finished?

When I heard President Trump was coming to my hometown of Phoenix, I knew I had a unique opportunity to photograph a very special plane — one of the two Boeing VC-25As that use the call sign Air Force One. Of course, with no special access, I had to get pretty creative to get the image I envisioned — here’s how I did it.

We're proud of the community we've built here at Fstoppers. We frequently spend a lot of time perusing your photos, admiring your talent and vision, and finding ways to feature it, whether that be in the Photo of the Day, on the official Fstoppers Instagram, or in other ways. Now, we've decided to honor the best of the best and we need your help!

CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, held each January in Las Vegas, is usually a place where new technologies compete for eyes and wallets, where, in a way, the world of the future is presented to us. We can experience this future first hand on the show floor. We can turn on a TV, or click on news links and YouTube videos. We can also read the glossy, picture-laden pages of electronics magazines, and the somewhat less glossy ones of newspapers. These analog news sources are where one of this year's most talked about photography and film-related invention should feel most at home: Super 8 is back.

Have you always wanted to photograph live concerts, but are anxious about how to start? Were you recently hired for your first concert photography gig, but don't still looking for more ideas on how to capture great moments of the show? Well look no further, and keep reading.

The world of macro photography can look complicated to a beginner but it’s really not and in these five tips for better macro photography I’ll show you how you can improve your macro photography.

When I first started in filmmaking, I didn't want anyone in the world to know how I made my first video because I knew filmmakers usually have expensive tools and expensive software. At that time I didn't have either but I made that video anyway. Today I'm going to share the details with you.

The Zhiyun-Tech Crane is our favorite gimbal for mirrorless cameras but it has one small problem: each time you remove the camera you'll have to balance the gimbal again and again. We've found a way around this by adding our own quick release plate.

I first heard of 52Frames on Reddit and joined a few months later in December, 2022. I liked the concept, but for some reason I didn’t think I could commit to a long-term project. As the New Year approached, I asked myself “Hey, what if...”.

Whether you're an amateur looking to learn how to be better in a specific area of photography or a new professional looking to dominate a market, how do you know which niche you should choose?

If you have ever worked with a model, you’ve probably heard of the concept of model releases. Here is an explanation of when you need them and what kind of language they should contain.

Nearly every day I am hearing about some pseudo-horror story from a model or client about a shoot that went missing because of some technical problem after the photos had been created. Nothing is more frustrating than working hard to create the images that your client wanted only to be unable to deliver on time (or at all) because of some unforeseen technological problem that derails your entire process. As a professional you need to be prepared for these sorts of surprises before they happen so that you can always be ready to pivot and still deliver on your promise.

For me, capturing a sunrise often coincides with a vacation. During the month of February 2015 temperatures were insanely cold. Memories of a fun-filled fall were long forgotten and cabin fever was starting to spread through the household. Worry not though, Groupon came to the rescue with a reasonable two-day pass for an indoor water park about ten minutes away in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The wife bought the deal, and I took Thursday and Friday off work. To Canada we go!

The 5th Annual Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Awards is officially open for entries. Submit your creations for a chance to exhibit your work at the world-renowned Aperture Gallery in New York as well as $3,000 cash to pursue your photography projects.

When I moved to Singapore in 2010, I picked up both scuba diving and underwater photography. As many divers do, I began traveling with my local dive club. It was a great group of Singaporeans and expats and I loved each and every adventure.

It’s the height of tax season, and an odd thing just happened to me. I was at my accountant’s office filing my business taxes for 2018 last week, and she said to me, “Wow. I have a lot of photographers as clients, but most of them aren’t making a living. What are you doing differently?”

I am excited to announce the release of one of the most epic projects Lee and I have been working on this year. As many of you know, Fstoppers teamed up with Landscape Photographer Elia Locardi back in 2014 to produce two separate tutorials on landscape and cityscape photography. This year we caught back up with Elia and followed him around his favorite country and some of our favorite mega cities for "Photographing the World 3." If you have been anxiously waiting for the next installment of PTW, the wait is finally over!

Artistic style is what separates you from other artists of the same medium. But, how do you develop it?

You may have already read about Steven Holleran in a recent Fstoppers article. If not, let me briefly fill you in: Holleran is an extremely talented and accomplished visionary behind the lens. He's been commissioned by companies such as Google and Nike, and was the daring cinematographer for the popular Netflix series Fire Chasers and the award-winning Sundance film "A Boy. A Girl. A Dream." Plus, he's a badass.

As small business owners ourselves, why do we instantly head to the internet when we need new photography gear? You would think we would understand why it is essential to support the local businesses whenever we can, yet most of us don’t. I can already envision the responses to this article, like the internet provides better prices, more prominent selection, easy purchasing, and many more reasons. Some of these may be true, but some aren’t, and there are other reasons to shop at your local photography store.

Ecommerce images represent a product on the web to provide potential customers with an accurate representation of the products. Therefore an efficient workflow that enables you to get an image of a product that is fully in focus is extremely crucial. Check out this article to find out how easy focus stacking might be the answer for you if you find yourself struggling with focusing issues.

Replaces skies in minutes with Photoshop CC's replace sky feature and these useful tips to get perfect results every time.

As the year draws to a close, I'd like to share a personal story of my own journey. While everyone's story is different, I hope that you are able to find some lessons in both my wins and losses that will help you to push forward and make the coming year even better than the last.

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 2016, we'll be featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

Have you ever fantasized about transforming a corner of your home into a professional photography haven? Are you eager to cut costs, minimize stress, and craft remarkable images for your clients, all from the comfort of your own space? If so, this article is for you. As a seasoned headshot and portrait photographer, I've recently transitioned from a sprawling industrial studio in Richmond, Virginia to my cozy, basement-based studio in Atlanta, and I couldn't be more delighted.

Today was a day of much needed motivation, so I decided to grab one of my speedlights and shoot a portrait with an element of motion. In this case, water.

A few days ago, I published a copycat video on my Vimeo account. After the video was first shared by DPReview, the file became viral and got shared hundreds of thousands of times all over Internet. How did I produce this little funny video? How does having 250,000 views per day affect your visibility and social network accounts? And finally, what does this video really mean?

As a photographer, your average day most likely includes at least one blog, social media, or image post. Piggybacking on these posts with additional links is a great way to sell a product, promote a service or grow your following, but as with anything, there is a good, better and best way of doing things. Here are some tips that will help you to maximize the return on your daily posting efforts and generate more business.

In the modern world of photography, it's easy to be lured into the belief that owning the latest and most expensive gear will automatically elevate your skills as a photographer. However, the truth is far from this misconception. While high-quality equipment can undoubtedly enhance certain aspects of your photography, it is essential to understand that gear alone does not make you a better photographer. In this article, let's delve into the reasons why true photographic prowess lies in the photographer's skill, creativity, and vision rather than the equipment they possess.

Learn how to avoid these common portrait retouching mistakes in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to make your image editing look more natural.

One Minnesota photographer is working to dig beneath the pretty surface in an effort to show women the beauty they hold within. In the process, she is building a living legacy for her daughter, one that she only recently began to see in herself.

In the age of selfies and having a camera in your pocket, it seems more and more young people have an endless camera roll of photos that will hardly, if ever, be looked at again. But is there a better way?

A lot of writers and experts in the photography world have been joining the chorus of “photographers should add video to their skill basket.” But, as far as business models are concerned, photography and video can be as different as sushi and gelato. So, before you jump head-on into video, consider my words of caution.