If you are a Lightroom user I'm sure by now you have experimented with most of the newly updated features. One feature, in particular, I was very interested in is the AI-powered Person Mask Option and how it actually performed.
Color depth (also known as bit depth) is one of the properties of photos and video that is discussed less often than marquee features like resolution, but it has a deep impact on the quality and appearance of your work. If you are new to photo and video work, check out this great video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know about color depth.
Composition is one of the trickiest aspects of landscape photography. We get no control over what is in the environment or the way the light behaves, and as such, we have to be clever in our positioning, choice of parameters, and framing in order to create images that are simultaneously orderly and compelling. This excellent video tutorial will show you a compositional mindset that will help you come home with more worthwhile photos.
With the latest update of both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, the editing curve is becoming increasingly smaller for both. Here's how to take better advantage of Lightroom.
When you are shooting in a studio, you have full control over the lighting and content in the frame, but if you are shooting in another environment, particularly outside, you may end up with unwanted shadows distracting from your subject, ruining an otherwise compelling photo. All is not lost, though. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to convincingly remove those shadows using Photoshop.
The AstrHori 85mm f/2.8 Macro & Tilt lens is one of the weirdest options you will come across, and at $329, it is also surprisingly affordable. So, what all can you do with it, and does it offer the performance and image quality needed to make all those strange functions worthwhile? This great video review takes a look at the lens and what you can expect.
ON1 Photo Raw 2023's is reaching a point where we don't need other apps to process our photos. It indeed addressed some of our most significant developing and editing annoyances.
Photographers understand that marketing is essential to attracting new clients and growing their business. However, marketing strategies are constantly evolving, so what worked in the past isn’t always going to work in the present or future. In this article, we will share three photography marketing tricks and hacks that actually work based on our 12-plus years of experience operating a successful multi-shooter studio!
Most of the time, landscape photographers want everything in the image as sharp as possible, from the closest foreground element all the way to the farthest mountain or cloud. Accomplishing that takes more than simply setting your lens aperture to f/32 and shooting away. Focus stacking is one of the most common techniques for achieving this, and this great video tutorial will show you how it is done.
A common misconception surrounding success on YouTube is that it all hinges on the best or right gear for the job. A lot of readers of Fstoppers are here to research cameras and lighting to level up the quality of their videos, and rightfully so. But without the right processes in place, no amount of professional quality gear will matter. I can guarantee you that 99% of where content creators go wrong on YouTube is in the planning stages, before they even press record. Trust me.
It doesn't matter how great your composition is or how spectacular your colors might be, if your image is not crisply focused, then you most likely need to toss it in the trash. Learn how to nail your focus for tack-sharp images every time.
Many people think that Adobe Camera Raw is simply Lightroom's Develop Module inside Photoshop. It is, but it also has its own exclusive features. Have a look at this great new update added to Adobe Camera Raw recently that adds a whole different dimension to selections.
If you dive into flash photography, it is said that manual flash is the only way to go. It offers full control over the amount of light. Although this is true, there are situations when TTL flash measurement is the better choice. I’m talking about on-camera flash photography.
The latest version of Photoshop is here, and it brings with it some pretty nifty features that will both save you time and help you make better, more precise edits. If you are wondering what is new, what it can do, and how to use it, check out this great video that will give you an overview of what to expect and where to find it.
Lightroom Classic just updated to version 12, and there are some wonderful additions. Take a look here to see exactly what's new.
When it comes to landscape photography, we are at the mercy of the elements, and that can be a really frustrating thing, particularly when you have hiked for hours with a bag of gear on your back. So, what can you do when the weather is not great? The truth is that you can create worthwhile photos in any conditions as long as you approach things the right way. This excellent video tutorial will show you how.
Few photographic subjects are iconic than Marilyn Monroe, and even today, decades later, images of her capture viewers' eyes and photographers' imaginations. This awesome video tutorial will take you behind the scenes of a fine art nude portrait inspired by Marilyn Monroe and show you how it was lit, photographed, and edited.
Passion: I was raised in a generation that was spoon-fed it three square meals a day. My parents' generation, who were raised by the survivors of World War II, had a more tempered outlook. Then came my generation. We were systematically told we could be anything we wanted. The phrases, "live passionately" and "follow your passion" summoned us out of bed with ardor and launch full force into our dreams. My generation flocks by the millions to Burning Man and Tony Robins' conferences hoping to get another hit of zeal to keep going.
In today’s article, I’d like to pose a fundamental question. Has the growth of social media been a net positive or negative for the world of photography?
There's a part inside us all that wishes we were getting paid or paid more for our photography work. However, it's often the case that there are some perfectly logical reasons why we're not. Here are some great examples of why you're not getting paid clients.
The more you get into working with artificial lighting, the more you will realize you constantly little gadgets and accessories besides the lights and modifiers themselves. This great video tutorial will show you six things you should have in your bag that will keep your shoots running smoothly and help you tackle any problems that might arise.
In the midst of cancel culture, it's easy to make a misstep as a photographer. Sometimes, a seemingly harmless act could tarnish your reputation. I created this video because following these actions helped me, and I hope that it also serves you.
We are often taught that when it comes to portraits, soft light is the most flattering, while hard light, which introduces stark shadows and emphasizes skin texture, is to be avoided. While it is true that softer light is considered more flattering, that does not mean you should never use hard light; in fact, it can be fantastic for the right look and scenario. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to shoot and edit a portrait shot in hard, direct sunlight.
Knowing how to balance flash and ambient light is one of the most important skills a portrait photographer can have, as it will give you the maximum creative and technical versatility needed to tackle just about any scenario. If you are wondering how to do this, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you four steps to creating a balanced, compelling photo using both flash and ambient light.
Together with the EOS R7 Canon released the entry-level EOS R10 mirrorless camera. Although I didn’t expect that camera to be special, it turned out to be a surprisingly capable camera. If you want to step into the Canon EOS mirrorless world, you can’t go wrong with this little gem.
Many photographers have become increasingly disillusioned by Instagram. Where once there was an app that placed top priority on sharing images, making it an invaluable tool for networking and connecting with potential clients, there is now a feed stuffed with videos, ads, and, of course, the dreaded algorithm. This has left many photographers looking for an alternative, with one of the current frontrunners being Vero. Is it worth investing time and effort in it? This photographer used it for 30 days to answer that question.
Iceland is the land of fire and ice, but what happens when there's neither? Travel plans can change at the last minute due to many factors, the weather being a big one, lost luggage another. So, how do you adapt and make even a short trip memorable? Do you push your creative boundaries and try something new, or do you just step back and enjoy experiencing each new adventure?
As a commercial photographer, I have a ton of competition from other photographers. There are a lot of other people who take fashion pictures. There are even more people who claim they take fashion pictures. All in all, it seems like I’m up against the world when it comes to working. If you ever wondered how to beat your competition, here is an approach that always works. Always, without exaggeration.
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.
Historic? Really? Allow me to justify. Despite 2021 being their inaugural year, the Natural Landscape Photography Awards have already earned a reputation among the landscape photography community as a bastion against the powerful influences of social media on the art form.
Every genre has different optimal gear setups, which is why it is important to sit down with your camera and take the time to adjust its settings to fit your subject matter and workflow. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing seven camera settings you should turn off to make your workflow more efficient and to improve that quality of your images.
Landscape photography takes a range of aptitudes to make successful images: technical skills with your camera and equipment, creative vision, the ability to forecast and respond to evolving conditions, and strong post-processing technique. If you would like to improve your landscape work, check out this fantastic video tutorial from an experienced photographer that offers a wide range of helpful advice sure to put you on the right track.
Although depth of field is often discussed in portrait photography, the conversation tends to center around background bokeh. In this article and the accompanying video, however, I would like to address depth of field as it relates to the face itself and attempt to answer the question as to which aperture is best for photographing faces.
The beautiful thing about photography is that no matter how new or advanced you are, there is always something new to learn. This excellent video essay features an experienced photographer offering 10 important bits of advice on a range of topics and will help you become a better and more content creative.
Building a website that helps potential clients choose you over others is not always an intuitive process. Here are six ways that you can upgrade your website.
Recently, Canon banned the production and sales of some third-party lenses for its RF mount cameras. Many photography enthusiasts bemoaned the decision and claimed Canon would lose out because of it. Now that Canon has confirmed the prohibition, what does the future look like for its RF mount cameras and lenses?
In the post-production process, it's very easy to get carried away and go a little too far with our edits. But sometimes, it's hard for us to tell if we've actually overdone things. This under-used Lightroom tool is great for exposing over-edited images.
The pin-up model was one of the most iconic styles of the 20th century, and even today, decades after its heyday, it is still a very recognizable and eye-catching look that makes for great portraits. In this great video tutorial, you will learn how a vintage nude pin-up portrait was conceptualized, lit, and photographed.
We live in a three-dimensional environment, so understanding how the nautical terms of roll, pitch, and yaw work can eliminate glaring errors and elevate our photos. While effects are obvious, others are unexpected. Here's an exercise to hone your skills.
Editing images is no easy task to undertake. Using editing software such as Lightroom or Capture One requires quite a bit of learning and getting used to. However, even if you know how to use editing software, you still need to edit images in such a way that enhances their beauty, rather than destroys it. Essentially, you need to know the why behind the how. Here are some mistakes I made when editing pictures because of not knowing the why.
One of the questions I had when starting out was how to get jobs. How to turn my hobby into money? The advice on the internet was few and far between. So, here is my advice to anyone who wants to take the next step and make some cash from their art.
As a portrait photographer, I often struggle to create new work. To add a new image to my portfolio, I must involve at least one other person who will be photographed by me. Contrast this to a landscape photographer, who can get into her vehicle, drive to a cool shooting location any day she desires, and create new images with relative ease.
Portrait photography is a popular genre that challenges a variety of skills, both with technical skills like your handling your camera and lighting and with more subjective skills like working with subjects. If you would like to improve your portraiture, check out this fantastic video tutorial that discusses three common mistakes and what you can do to fix them or avoid them in the first place.
Working in Photoshop with multiple layers and then trying to navigate to those layers to make tweaks to your edits can sometimes be time-consuming and at times also very annoying if you have forgotten to name the layer.
Datacolor’s new Spyder Checkr Photo is a sized-down version of the original Spyder Checkr professional color reference tool while also being a vast improvement over the previous smaller version, the Spyder Checkr 24.
News recently broke that Viltrox, a brand known for their affordable lenses, has stopped manufacturing for the Canon RF mount after rumors that Canon had asked them to pull their products. Canon recently confirmed that news, and it certainly raises questions about the future of third-party lenses for their mirrorless cameras.
Feeling lost on your photographic journey is common. So are being in a creative rut or having periods of low motivation. At times, we can all struggle to feel inspired to pick up the camera and get out there. A lack of direction, purpose, and reason can be the culprit for these aforementioned photography ailments. So, let’s dig into these questions and uncover the possible “whys” behind your keen need to capture.
Have you ever held back on sharing your photos, pitching an idea, or showcasing your art? How many times have you let Impostor Syndrome hold you back?
Every year, I've had to hear about how a new technology was going to kill the photography industry. I ignored it all, until now.
Composition is a particularly tricky aspect of landscape photography, especially since you have no control over the placement of the elements in the scene. If composition is something you struggle with, check out this awesome video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer offering some great advice sure to help you improve your photos.
