Today marks 10 years since I first filed paperwork to start my photography business. It's been quite the roller coaster, and I've learned a lot of things about photography, business, and myself that I didn't expect. Here are some of the highlights from my first 10 years.
Should you avoid shooting popular photography locations? One landscape photographer tries to answer that question while searching for a unique composition at a classic photo spot.
Social media is a weird beast that makes a lot of us at least somewhat uncomfortable, but most of us also acknowledge it's a bit of a necessary evil for the modern creative. This great video talks about being realistic about what social media is, your relationship with it, and what you can expect from it.
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.
What’s on your travel bucket list? Iceland? Norway? New Zealand? Ever considered Siberia? Neither did I, but after this two-minute video, that just might change.
When shooting video or photography, you need gaffer tape. There are some advantages of using it instead of duct tape, and this video shows you all the various uses on and off set.
With recent advances in third-party lens tech and glass quality, Tamron’s new 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD superzoom lens with its small form factor and incredible versatility just might be the best travel and walk around lens for APS-C cameras to date. With a price of $650, this could easily replace two or even three lenses for some users. But who exactly is this lens for?
Later recently released the ability through the API permissions granted by Instagram to automatically post your content without using the push-notification, copy-and-paste method that was all hated but reluctantly accepted as our best option.
Have you ever seen an incredible and compelling black and white image and wondered how you can create the same impact in your photos? In this quick Photoshop tutorial, learn how you can take your black and white photos to the next level by following this simple series of steps.
Michael Shainblum has been creating jaw dropping and memorable time-lapses for years and he has just released a new video centered on the Italian coast of Cinque Terre. Glimpse of Cinque Terre is a beautiful time-lapse that showcases the area and spans several scenes of day moving into night while capturing the surreal coast.
There’s nothing better than capturing great footage in-camera, and not having to go try rescue it in post with LUTs, warp-stabilization, and compositing. In this video there are some simple tips on how to get shots without any additional gear.
At the beginning of 2018, I set a goal to read one book a week to broaden my mind and seek inspiration from new places. So far, I've stuck with it. Lee Morris, Mike Kelley, and I decided to sit down on camera and discuss the experience.
When creating imagery of any night landscape, you are taking your camera and the other equipment you own and pushing them to their limits. With that in mind, should photographers be upset when their favorite imagery is put together in post?
There are a few pieces of gear I think every photographer should own, and near the top of that list is a 5-in-1 reflector. Today only, you can get one (or a few extras) for half off.
While it is tempting to constantly compare ourselves to other photographers, it’s important to remind ourselves of what we already know: the quality of art cannot be measured in numbers.
There're so many stories about big brands and companies approaching photographers in the hope of getting free images to use in exchange for the popular currency that is exposure, but what happens when they exclude the photographer from the equation completely and instead head straight to your client asking for free images?
Lightroom Mobile continues to become a more capable companion to the desktop app. This great video examines the benefits of a mobile workflow and how it can make your life easier when you sit back down at your computer.
We don't all have the luxury of a wide open studio space with 20-foot ceilings that we can fit any modifier into, no matter how massive and unwieldy. This great video will show you how to get big, soft light, even when you're working in small spaces.
Making a short film is quite expensive, they say. However, if you know what to do, you can achieve your goal with very little tools and on a small budget. But let me warn you: it's not a simple task.
Instant film and the nostalgia that goes with it is very popular right now, so popular, in fact, that it's the main source of Fujifilm's profit. Now, Canon is getting into the game with their new miniature mobile photo printer, the IVY.
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.
Working day in and day out as a creative professional, I don't put a lot of stock in inspiration as a source of drive and creativity. Some days, you just have to do your job whether you're inspired or not. For me, staying motivated is far more important!
An image is eye catching when it's extraordinary. So why is it that the ordinary and banal can appear extraordinary? And if that really is the case, how can we go about achieving that?
If you wonder how people who keep only two complementary colors in their images do it, then look no further. You may not know what the Technicolor Two-Strip technique or Process 2 is, but mimicking it in post-production is what you’ve been looking for to achieve this distinctive look.
The term “digital nomad” or "location independent" is becoming more attractive to many, led in part by millennials as the world shrinks due to the connectivity the internet brings. Artists, engineers, and developers alike are ditching the normal routines and instead embracing the constant adventure of the nomadic lifestyle.
Being a landscape photographer means that the most meticulous or sometimes frivolous thing we do is pre-plan. Sometimes, these plans are our way to take the chance of making a mistake or they're so we walk away with what our mind has already created but our camera hasn’t captured. What happens when our planning doesn't work?
It's easy to take for granted the fact that our camera sensors somehow translate light into digital data that is eventually reconstructed as a viewable image on our monitors when we return to our studios. However, there's some very deep and impressive science behind this feat, and this neat video will introduce you to how it all works.
With all the hectic distractions that come with today's fast-paced lifestyles, it's nice to slow things down sometimes and focus on one thing. That is exactly what long exposure photography offers, and our readers made it hard to pick out the best photo, as there were so many great shots this week.
Many of us love the look of shallow depth of field portraits and strobe lighting, but when you move into the studio, this combo can present some difficulties. This helpful video will show you some good workarounds for shooting such portraits in your studio.
Growing up in Syracuse, New York, Tom Drone was only exposed to the beauty of this city at ground level. As time went on and technology advanced, drones became a popular tool for filming things from a new perspective. After years of work in the drone business, Tom returned to his hometown to film it from the sky.
Three-dimensional models are now widely used in the gaming and movie industries and one of the most common methods for creating them uses computational photography. This, the first of two articles, explains how it works.
One of the most important characteristics of a growing photographer is the ability to accurately assess their current skill level, where they need work, and what sort of jobs they can take on and perform well. This great video examines the importance of being honest about one's abilities.
A little while ago I showed you a fantastic LUTs pack, called Lutify.me, compatible with most photo and video editing including Capture One, Lightroom, Premiere, and Resolve. However, since Lightroom has been updated, it’s now even better than before with much better integration with both the CC and Classic CC versions.
Iceland is one of the more popular locations for landscape photographers due to its huge range of absolutely gorgeous landscapes and unique beauty. From its magnificent black sand beaches, roaring waves, to the auroras and majestic mountains, they all help to make stunning images.
Most of us have our computer equipment hooked up to at least a basic surge protector, but that doesn't protect against fluctuating voltages or power outages. The APC Battery Back-UPS Pro BX1500M protects against both these things and allows you to keep working when the power goes out. Check out our review!
In one of his latest videos, renowned YouTuber Thomas Heaton discusses the gear he utilizes for B-roll while producing videos for his large following. Heaton produces great cinematic work, but I was more taken by a profound statement during the video: the content and story you tell is far more important than the overall video quality you produce.
Almost regardless of the content in the scene, so much of what makes a great landscape photograph is simply being where you need to be at the right time. Would you rather be a skillful planner or would you accept pure dumb luck if it means you get a great shot?
In the new online course from Masters of Photography, street photography icon Joel Meyerowitz discusses his career, his technique, and teaches students how to apply those lessons in becoming a better photographer.
Some of you may already know how big a fan I am of Capture One. Making the change to Capture One as the primary tool for my workflow has sent my productivity into hyperdrive, the photographic equivalent of adding NOS to my tank (or whatever it is they use to make cars fly in "The Fast and The Furious").
Photographing a model lying down can be very interesting, but it comes with a unique set of challenges too. Check out this great video on how to do it.
As it continues to improve its core photography products, Adobe released a new version of its Lightroom products with a concentration on new color profiles, user-interface adjustments, and bug fixes.
The toilet has a humble and immodest history in photography. So, to follow in the footsteps of the greats, I set out to review it's past and recreate my own in the style of Alfred Steiglitz.
Netflix is releasing "Kodachrome" soon. It's about the journey to the last Kodachrome development lab. It's out on April 20, and if this trailer is anything to go by, it's going to be good.
Spring is coming. If you're anything like me, you'd rather be out in the woods pretty much all the time right now. And if I'm out in the woods, chances are I have some kind of camera with me.
The thing about landscape photography is you can have the perfect scenery, everything framed beautifully, and your settings spot on, but if Mother Nature decides to give you the wrong light, the shot won't be there. This great video talks about what good light is and how to recognize it.
So, you’ve been told time and time again that royalty free music is the way to go when it comes to selecting beats for your videos. But part of you can’t help but wonder about the alternatives.
If you are under 30 and looking to step up your photography game, here is your chance: Broncolor is launching this year again its Gen NEXT contest.
Moment is known as one of the best lens manufacturers for smartphones. They are now releasing a couple of new exciting accessories to help you shoot cinematic videos with your smartphone, including a 1.33x anamorphic lens.
Being organized was somewhat of a luxury until I became self-employed; now it's the bedrock of my life. Filmmaker Matti Haapoja walks you through how you can be organized with your work flow.
Having spent years photographing the night sky from the Milky Way to exploding meteors to man-made space junk disintegrating in the atmosphere, I thought I had seen it all. Then I drove as far north into Canada as you can possibly go, and everything changed.
