Fstoppers Original Articles

Sony a9 Firmware Update 5.0: What I Love and What's Still Missing

Sony just recently released one of the biggest firmware updates I have ever seen from the company. With so many feature additions and upgraded functionality, I wanted to walk through my favorite items. Not only that, but I also want to talk through some things I feel are still missing.

Creating an Ultra Portable Off-Camera Flash Kit

Mention off-camera flash and people often think about C-stands, flash heads, large octaboxes, and V-flats. Hardly what you would call portable. So how do go about assembling one?

Not All Color Calibrators are Created Equal. See Why.

Being a commercial photographer working on ad campaigns, I pay a lot of attention to color. From image capture to the final result, color plays a significant role in my work. The tools I use for color, by all means, determine the quality of the result.

A Guide to Standards in Being the Second Shooter

Surprisingly often, simple courtesy is overlooked by photographers when hired to perform work as a peer. These principles sure seem like common sense, so what could be the problem? Take a look at these basic standards of professionalism.

12 Weeks of Christmas: 8 of the Best Photography Web Apps

No one likes to get caught short, but there are times when you have the image and none of your standard image processing software. Here are eight of the best web apps to help you out in a sticky situation.

How to Photograph the Milky Way in 5 Simple Steps

Learn how to photograph the Milky Way galaxy by choosing the correct equipment, using the right camera settings, and planning ahead with precision to avoid disappointment. You can also use these tips to photograph other astrophotography shots such as meteor showers.

Branding Yourself as a Photographer: It Doesn't Always Hurt

Branding yourself is probably one of the most important things you can do as a photographer. It is important to showcase your work, whether it is your best work at the time, your best work overall, or even some of the work you just like most. I personally put up the images I think are best, but a lot of the time, I can be very picky, and I tend not to like certain photos when other people still really like them. This is something that is 100% up to you. You are the person choosing what you want to show as a reflection of you and what you do.

Finding the True Reason Why You are a Photographer

You are at a crossroads again. Every now and then, you arrive at a point in your photography where you are left uninspired. It’s that moment when you feel like you’re drawing blanks even as the conditions are just right. Stages like these occur every once in a while, no matter your experience in photography. Feeling uninspired can be daunting and seemingly endless. But once you realize that these are the best moments for self-reflection, there’s another opportunity for personal growth. It’s times like these when you ask yourself: “What is your reason for pursuing photography in the first place?”

How I Had My Photos Published in Playboy Magazine

Playboy Magazine is famous for one thing, — okay, maybe two things — but there are no nude women in any of my photos, nor do I have any shots of the late Hugh Hefner. So, how did I do it?

Now That I Have a Nice Photography Portfolio, How Much Should I Charge?

Although you read it on a website related to photography and videography, the information in this article can be applied to many other businesses. What I'm going to share is based on my own experience, not based on marketing books. I will not teach you new psychology tricks on how to sell mediocre products or services, nor will I give you X steps to follow blindly in order to have a successful business. I will try to give you advice to help you correctly estimate your business value and set a price accordingly.

The Ultimate in Family Vacation Gear: 35mm Film

Ah, vacation! As photographers who shoot to put food on the table, it's exceedingly difficult to unplug. The temptation to jump into post-processing as soon as we take a photo can be overwhelming. The image is never done! If we just push this slider or that, tweak this or that, or crop here or there, the image would be so much better. At some point, though, shouldn't we be experiencing our vacation instead of documenting it? Enter the ultimate in quick and dirty memory-making: the 35mm film camera.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (June 2018): Benedict Eric

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 2017, 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.

Could You Creatively Photograph Your Partner Every Week?

We often hear that we, photographers, don't necessarily need to travel the world or spend a lot of money to create beautiful photographs. That's exactly what Kavin Bradner endeavored to do when he began a weekly photographic ode to his girlfriend, calling it #maggiemondays.

Are TFP Photo Shoots Really a Trade or Is Someone Simply Working for Free?

Collaborating with models for trade shoots, often referred to as TFP (Time for Print), provides a wealth of benefits to both parties involved. In this type of collaboration, neither party charges for their services, but both receive valuable assets in the form of high-quality images that can be used to build their respective portfolios.

3 Good Reasons and 3 Bad Reasons to Upgrade Your Camera Gear

A lot of photographers spend a good chunk of time reading about gear and considering if they should pull out their credit card to purchase that fancy new camera or lens. Here are three good reasons to purchase new gear and three bad reasons to do so.

It’s Not About the Camera, It’s About Who’s Pressing the Shutter

I can think of so many times throughout my career where I have drooled over that latest camera release or that most recent lens that my brain convinces me that I simply have to have. Realistically, though, what photographer out there hasn't done that at least once in their career?

Improving Your Photography Workflow for the Best Images Possible With Color Management

No matter if you’re creating your own portfolio or taking photos for paying clients one thing you need to be able to do is create consistent and repeatable results. When looking at images next to one another you will immediately notice if there is a color shift or inconsistent lighting between photographs which can be a detriment to you developing your style or landing the perfect client. Let’s talk about the fastest and easiest way to help elevate your photography and fix those color and exposure issues quickly.

BlackRapid's Customer Service Team Goes Above and Beyond

In this day and age of social media we hear people rant about terrible customer service they receive all the time. Fortunately there are some good stories still out there, and after hearing about this one I just had to share. The wedding photography team of Easton and Laura Reynolds of LuRey Photography had their camera attached to a popular BlackRapid Strap used by many in the industry. Unfortunately the strap came loose causing Laura's camera to hit the concrete and damage their Nikon 24-70 lens. What happened next deserves to be heard.

Shooting Through a Window? You Can Still Make a Great Image With These Tricks

Whether you’re using your iPhone or regular camera, shooting through windows and transparent surfaces can be one of the trickiest situations you’ll encounter. With just a few simple tricks, you can greatly improve the results next time you try photographing through a window.

If You're Flying a Drone in a National Park Without a Permit, You're Hurting the Industry

The National Park Service in the United States is one of the few organizations to have made clear policies regarding the use of drones, or small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) on their property. Yet some people continue to ignore these rules, and it’s only going to make things harder for the rest of us if this trend continues.

10 Common Questions on Switching to Capture One From Lightroom and Capture One Black Friday Sale!

If you're looking for a raw processor that does more and are not currently using Capture One, it's likely that in your quest for a solution, Capture One has crossed your mind. Making the switch to Capture One from Lightroom, for example, is easier and quicker than you think, and right now, with Capture One's Black Friday sale, it's the perfect time to buy.

How 1995 Saw the Birth of the DSLR but Manufacturers Kept on Making Film Cameras

Bill Clinton was President, John Major was Prime Minister, the 49ers won the Super Bowl, and Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf were Wimbledon champions. It was the year that the Space Shuttle docked with the Mir Space Station, the World Trade Organization was formed, there was a serin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, OJ went on trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing took place, Windows95, Dolly the sheep was cloned, eBay went live, and Braveheart, Toy Story, Babe, and The Usual Suspects were released. But what happened in the photographic world?

Using Lockdown to Improve Your Photography in Five Simple Steps

By now, most of the countries around the world are under full lockdown or about to undergo lockdown. At the time of writing, my country (South Africa) would be one of the latest to undergo lockdown. Tensions seem to increase the day before the actual event, as people question what they'll be doing with themselves while locked in a house for three weeks or longer. Luckily, it doesn't need to be as scary as you think, especially if you're a photographer.

7 Reasons I'll Never Shoot JPEG Again

When I first started taking digital photos I had no idea what the difference between JPEG and raw was, but now I know I'm never going back to shoot JPEG in-camera for these specific seven reasons.

5 Tips for Better Wildlife Photographs

Do you want to become a better wildlife photographer but you aren’t sure where to start? Here are five tips to help you create beautiful animal photographs no matter your skill level.

Here’s What Photographers Should Be Putting on Their Blogs

For photographers, taking pictures comes naturally. Marketing, creating content, and blogging, however, may not flow as easily. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing when creating content for your blog.

The Most Important Thing I Look for in a Camera

As I await the arrival of my new Nikon D850, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time over the past couple of months pouring over specs, B&H user comments, Fstoppers reviews, and YouTube unboxings. I’ve read all there is to read about my new camera, as well as its closest competitors, to get the best advice on the ideal use of my hard-earned money. Of course, one person's answer as to why I definitely should buy a certain camera is the same as another person's answer as to why I definitely should not buy the exact same camera. So which camera is right for me? And at the risk of sounding self-absorbed, the emphasis is on the word “me.”

The Key to Having a Long Career in Photography is All About the Body.


There is no way to stay on top of your creative game if your body is falling apart. The wear and tear of shlepping gear up 4 flights of stairs, down alleys and packing, repacking and packing again takes its toll on our bodies. Here’s a few ideas, tips and tricks to help you work until freelancers get good healthcare….

Six Tips Photographing With a Wide-Angle Zoom

Landscape photography and wide-angle zoom lenses often go hand in hand. If you have ever used one of these lenses, you know there is a bit of the learning curve.

Why Mistakes Are So Important to Your Photography Career

As a society, we have a rather odd predilection against the act of doing something wrong by accident. As photographers, we often feel like even the smallest mistake is reason for self-condemnation. Not only are mistakes inevitable, they are also one of the most powerful tools that you have at your disposal.

Fashion Photography: Is It All Just Pretty Girls in Sexy Clothes?

Browse any amateur fashion photography page, and you will quickly discover that a lot of the work is just pretty girls in average outfits. It almost seems like a lot of this “photography” is not so much about the clothes as it is about the girls. In this article, we will discuss the causes of this phenomenon and answer the question: what is real fashion photography?

First frost of the year on autumn leaves

Students often ask me a rhetorical question: “What is it like to be a professional landscape photographer?” Well, it’s fantastic if you’re into the outdoors, natural landscapes, and of course photography. However, that’s not entirely the point of the question. The real question you want to ask though, is “How do you find a sustainable income to support such a career?” Typically, we all have a preconceived idea of what a landscape photographer does for a living. But that idea seems to stem from a time when there weren't that many people in the business.

Finding Success as a Photographer

If you are like me, and many others, you love photography. It is something you think about constantly and wish it could sustain you full time if at all possible. So you set out to become a photographer and then…

The Biggest Dangers Photographers Face

We all know the dangerous jobs out there: law enforcement, firefighting, the list goes on. But have you ever stopped to think about the risks that come with our profession?