When you upload your image to Facebook or Instagram, are you noticing a loss in image quality? Are you uploading optimized images for social and the web?
I love my DJI Phantom 4. I've gotten some great shots that I could have only dreamed of before. And yet, a recent experience left me angry and surprised.
Don't work with children or animals they say. But, what do they know? Here's my trick for getting our favorite subjects to be a little more camera friendly!
Encoding video files can become a crazy technical feat. I don’t blame people for using the preset options, even if they’re usually rubbish. Here’s how to fix three common problems, in unusually clever ways.
A question to ask yourself before composing your landscape photos is: what's the subject? Having a clear answer to that will help you create good photographs. But there are situations where no matter how you position your camera, some elements in the frame will distract from the main subject. In this article, I share editing techniques you can use to alleviate that problem.
There is a lot of debate within the photo community on the importance of a social media presence. As social media has increasingly evolved as an essential in daily life, it’s time for photographers to stop fighting against the current. No matter your niche, there is value in participating in an online presence. Instagram is a particularly important tool for photographers to generate leads.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: there are probably 1.2 trillion pieces of content about running a business. I’ve read maybe half of them myself, and there’s some outstanding information available, but let’s set a goal to create the top mistakes to avoid when you decide to go from hobbyist to professional.
The cameras in phones aren’t working with much. Between small sensors and simple lenses, it’s impressive they can produce the level of quality that the most recent flagships phones are capable of. But there’s more to an image than just pure image quality. Do you want to know the 5 things cameras could learn from phones?
If I had a nickel for every time I encounter a photographer who is preparing to sell all their gear and jump ship to another camera brand I would actually be able to do so myself. Except I wouldn't. Swapping out camera brands based on some ill-conceived belief that it is the brand of gear you use that is holding you back will do nothing more than lighten your wallet and force you to spend a chunk of time relearning a new interface.
This article delves into my personal experience of spending £1,000 on a secondhand lens, which turned out to be faulty. This cautionary tale will open your eyes to the perils that come with the world of preowned or gray-market camera equipment.
Name brand speedlights — like a lot of things in photography — are absurdly priced, and although they carry the big brand names, they also lack in a number of key areas versus the lower cost, third party alternatives. Take a look at my reasoning for steering clear of the big camera manufactures brand speedlights.
One experience that every photographer shares, regardless of level of experience or style, is the inevitable experience of looking for new gear.
I am a serial procrastinator, I will do it tomorrow is a common theme. However my goal this year is to meet my deadlines! Nothing is more unprofessional than missing a deadline for a client. With Google Calendar and a simple Excel / Google spreadsheet file I am able to schedule a multi-deadline schedule in a few clicks.
A lot of people came to visit when I shared why most of us are not exactly the best at Instagram due to lack of hustle and effort. When someone takes the time to comment or like a few photos I will usually take the few seconds to go see their profile and immediately judge it. We all do it. Sometimes it is a good impression, but often since the majority of us don't plan the posts much, it is not. There are people out there doing it much better than us though. Let me show you some profiles that have a stunning first impression.
Some photographers go their entire career without deliberately photographing people. However, most of us, at some point, will want or need to photograph people in specific situations. If you’re not used to working with models, here’s some helpful advice on how to go about it. Whether you want to learn portraiture or need to shoot a model for a specific job, this guide will be of use.
There aren’t many things photographers unanimously agree on, but the desire to improve post-processing results and reduce the time required to do it is one. With so much of a photographer’s time spent behind a computer, anything that not only expedites but enhances the experience is welcomed with open arms, and using a Wacom pen tablet is one such thing. For Capture One, using a Wacom Tablet can be a real boon, and here’s how.
It turns out that every different kind of paper out there isn't going to be the right choice for every shot that you have. Sometimes, you'll make the wrong choice and the content won't make sense on the type of paper.
I usually use natural light as my go-to for quick group photos or for portraits that need to be done very quickly or with very little gear. That doesn’t mean you can’t shape or control natural light to create studio quality images wherever you are. Here’s three easy ways to shape natural light for your next portrait shoot.
If you don't already follow Gary Randall, I don't think it will take you very long at all to understand why you should be following him. I first ran across Randall's work on 500px back in 2012 when I first joined that site and was looking up landscape photographers to follow. He quickly became one of my all-time favorite landscape photographers and I have been inspired by his work time and time again. I feel lucky that I was able to spend well over an hour on the phone chatting with him, getting to know him a little better, and to learn about his approach to photography.
5G, the fifth generation of cellular wireless technology, is currently in the process of being rolled out, and it promises blazing fast speeds that rival some of the fastest hard-wired connections. And that has me excited, as it could significantly change the way photographers work.
Do you know what the most expensive photography book ever sold was? What would your guess be? How about the most expensive photography books on retail shelves? The rarest or most sought after? Take a few guesses, write them down, and then compare when you get to the end.
I've spent the last 2 weeks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, shooting stills and video in freezing winter conditions. Snow, ice, blisteringly cold wind and more. In this video I share what I found to be best for packing my kit, protecting it in the field, and keeping my eyes from freezing to my viewfinder.
Cameras have become so dumbed down in recent years that pretty much anyone can take great shots with even an iPhone or an entry-level camera. Here’s why you do not need to worry about the explosion of mediocre photography impacting your business.
These days it's hard to come by a fashion shoot that's not shot with a digital camera. That's why when Fstoppers discovered on a Facebook Film Shooters group that Indonesian based photographers Wirawan Sanjaya and partner Gaillard Mathieu had convinced the editors at Bazaar Magazine to allow him to shoot the entire editorial on film, we just had to reach out! The stakes were high, but his results were stunning.
When somebody asks how much they should be charging for their service, this is the single best piece of advice I’ve been able to give. It’s hardly unique, but it puts things into a much better perspective. I always suggest justifying your prices, and prevent reduced hours. Here is the problem with charging by the hour, and how I fix it.
This shouldn't come as a big surprise, as Adobe has been sending out warnings for quite a while now. Yet, some photographers have been clinging to the older technology and will need to make changes immediately.
Embracing inclement weather, such as rain, can help add interest to your landscape photographs. Rain can add richness to colors, atmospheric mist, or even dark, moody clouds for grand scenes. But how do you protect your camera gear in these conditions? Here are five tips to help keep your camera safe.
One of many changes and improvements contained in the upcoming iOS 11 update for iPhones and iPads is the ability to add effects to Live Photos. The three effects — Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure — can be applied easily with a quick swipe and a tap in the Photos app. Here’s what you need to know.
As a photographer, you know that having the right gear can sometimes make all the difference, and this includes tripods. With the launch of the Benro Theta, shooting just became more fun and easy. This revolutionary tripod combines portability, stability, and intelligence, making it one of the most essential tools for photographers on the go.
As an educator working in the college sector, I find this topic incredibly interesting. There is so much information out there that we can digest. So, what's the way forward?
I recall reading an interview years ago in which Steve McCurry — a master at assembling powerfully wrought imagery — claimed not to think about composition. I was dumbfounded, even more so when I realized he was telling the truth.
I have set a number of goals for 2024, and one of those goals is to upgrade my camera. It won’t be a mirrorless camera, but it will be a better camera. During the decision-making process, I sat down and wanted to figure out what the right reasons are to upgrade in 2024.
I write a lot of articles about photographers not price cutting you, so I am going to try and approach this from the opposite direction. Here is how photographers are price cutting you.
Once again, a small personal moment has caused me to reflect on a larger picture.
In a recent discussion with a friend over coffee, I was asked how it is that I gain access to photograph so many different people, specifically about the portraits that I have set up for some of my personal projects regarding artists and craftspeople. Some of these images require quite a bit of setup and a significant contribution in time and skill from the subjects of the photographs themselves. The answer to this question was quite simple: I ask.
Are you frustrated with your photographs and wondering why you can’t seem to produce the images you see in your head? Maybe you’re shooting all the time but don’t feel like you see the kind of progress you expected, or you’re beginning to give up the hope of becoming a great photographer because it seems like there is just so much to learn. If this is you, don’t despair, you’re simply in a stage of progress on the ladder of mastery known as “conscious incompetence,” and better work is only one rung away.
Did your university lecturer radiate an aura of excitement while crawling through a damp forest, seeking subjects that most of us would not notice? Every school and college should have a Geraint Radford. His skill and enthusiasm have just made me want to buy a macro lens and try the techniques I learned while interviewing him.
When Generative Fill in Photoshop Beta was announced, it seemed the world had gone crazy. From this time onward, nothing about photography could be trusted anymore, they said. It was the end of photography the way we know it, or so it was believed. But perhaps we’re really scared for nothing.
Being young is something I hope to never let go of. There is a sense of invincibility that can't be taught or explained. You just have to live it. Sometimes a photograph can take you to a point in time, or evoke feelings beyond what your eyes are seeing. Alex Currie is a photographer and director currently living in Los Angeles, California, who knows how to tell a story with a single frame.
I always had a strong love/hate relationship with the New York City subway, never picturing I would be driving again. But now that my work is having me travel more frequently, I find myself in the market, looking for that perfect vehicle. The first thing I did was a search for "Best Vehicles for Professional Photographers" on Google, with no luck. So, after further work, I wanted to share my findings and knowledge with you, so when you start looking for that perfect photo-mobile, you know just where to start!
If you have an ear for music or you're tuned into pop culture, you're likely aware that Kenny Rogers passed away last week. Did you know that he was also an avid photographer? Did you know that Rogers was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum?
With the release of the Z 7II and the specs running so close to those of my beloved D850, it makes sense that it’s the first of Nikon’s mirrorless cameras to really make me consider the switch. But what will happen when I get out of testing mode and put my feet to the fire in the real world?
So, you’re thinking of becoming a street photographer? What are the most important things to get you started? Find out!
The U.K. recently experienced an incredible lunar eclipse by the name of “super blue blood moon.” Here, one professional skyline and cityscape photographer, Michael Tomas, aka London Viewpoints, talks us through photographing the momentous event, as well as his other impressive works.
I’m done with it. Seriously.
Landscape photography is all about patience, preparation, and planning. Here are five simple tips to help make sure your next landscape outing is a success.
I have spent the last four months working on a YouTube channel. Despite two-step authentication, I had my channel stolen. Here is what has happened and how it has been dealt with by Google.
Travel photography is perhaps one of the broadest genres of photography because of how it overlaps with almost every other kind. It encompasses a wide range of shooting styles and shooting scenarios to fulfill a simple goal, which is to illustrate and tell stories about a place. Because a particular place is always made up of various intersecting dimensions, there is no single approach or style that encapsulates travel photography.
Photography isn’t an all-or-nothing venture; you can be a part-time photographer and do quite well for yourself while maintaining a full-time job. Here’s how to do it.
