Making photos look "cinematic" is a big trend these days, often times with various plugins and presets, but this hack brought to us by The Creative Contrast allows us to get photos with the trademark anamorphic bokeh that it hard, if not impossible, to fake in Photoshop.
The holidays are fast approaching, and if you're anything like me, it’s time to scramble for those last-minute gifts. Here are seven gifts that would be great for photographers that you can also simply download online.
New underwater photographers often ask me what my favorite lens is for creating underwater images. And while I have a few different lenses that I shoot with underwater, none get used more than my Tokina AF 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 AF DX Fisheye Zoom Lens. It is lightweight, great for travel, and has a very short focusing distance, which makes it ideal for close focus wide angle underwater photography.
Every now and then, it's nice to be reminded of how spoiled we are and how much information really lives inside our raw files. Whenever we capture a raw image, we have a plethora of information at our disposal. That's all well and good, but this one example really helps bring it home.
In the first article in this series, I discussed themes that would affect freelance photographers most: mixed-message branding, teaming up for video, and the opportunity cost. This second piece focuses on some of the issues that hit us photographers where it hurts most: profitability of video services, client satisfaction, and the sheer embarrassment of moving to the dark side!
The Instagram hustle is real, and it’s here to stay. Everyday photographers are using Instagram to get more coverage and be seen by their potential client pool. But with all the noise on social media, do you actually need a huge following on Instagram? I don’t think so, and here’s why.
It’s a busy week for advancing technologies. If AI being able to create scarily realistic portraits wasn’t enough, a new website allows users to remove the backgrounds of their images entirely free – and in seconds.
There are plenty of retailers online who sell modern day lenses, and it doesn't take a lot of effort to find a trustworthy seller, but how should you go about finding and buying vintage lenses that have been off the market for years?
As the turkey lies heavily in your belly, take a moment to sit back, relax, and read some of the best articles published on Fstoppers over the last year that didn’t quite get the attention they deserved.
Lightroom and Photoshop are programs full of sliders and the like, none of which are naturally suited to a mouse and keyboard. As a dedicated editing console, the Loupedeck+ aims to fix that and save you serious time, and it packs quite the punch. Check out our review!
When you're new to artificial lighting, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to put together successful images using strobes. This helpful video will teach you how to break down light so you can successfully create the images you'd like when you're using flash.
Landscape photographers make use of filters quite a bit to help control and enhance their imagery and to enable certain artistic choices. This helpful video will introduce you to the different types of filters and how they affect your photos.
You've probably read how you can make your own foldable v-flats, but finding high-quality foam can be difficult and you're lazy, so you're never going to get around to it anyway. Luckily, you can buy them prebuilt and have them shipped right to your door.
When switching from Lightroom to Capture One, I hear many users complain about not being able to bring their presets into their new photo editing software of choice. Well, thanks to Picture Instruments, it's now possible!
Joe McNally — the name alone brings up so many thoughts of photography-related topics that could be written about. So, where does one begin when having a coffee with this world-famous photographer and storyteller? This is the thought that kept running through my mind on my 90-minute drive to have coffee with McNally and to talk about his work and life in the photography industry.
The aspect ratio of a video is a subtle parameter that can have a large effect on the final product. This excellent video examines the different things you should consider when choosing an aspect ratio for your work and how they'll affect how your viewer perceives the final product.
We know there isn't a formula for getting clients for filmmaking projects, but someone else's successful way of doing it may work for us. Why don't we try it?
For years, I considered myself purely a stills photographer. I resisted video like the plague. Little did I know that creating a YouTube channel to document an unrelated project would promote my creativity in ways I couldn't predict.
A finished film is the final product of months of meticulous work by a crew of hundreds of creative and technical talents who worked diligently to meet the vision of the director. Shown on the big screen, the film will be seen by audiences as the director intended. But Tom Cruise wants you to know that your ultra-high definition television may be robbing you of some of the magic when you watch the same film in your home.
A new thriller released a few days ago is the first feature-length Hollywood film that was filmed entirely on a full-frame mirrorless camera: the Sony a7S II.
How do you level up your photography skills? The obvious places might be to peruse work by other photographers or watch some YouTube tutorials, but these are actually the least effective ways to learn: your best learning resource is your own library of bad photos!
Photographing a thing for what it is, is the premise of photography — Fox Talbot called it "nature's pencil." It's therefore natural for us to see an object and visually record it. So how do we go about recording something that we can't see?
Running out of funds this season but still want to treat yourself to an additional piece of glass? Have you considered trying low-cost adapters to use vintage lenses on your modern camera body? Find out how to!
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.
In his third installment for Adorama TV about his assignment series on Malta, travel photographer and journalist Doug McKinlay gives some great advice on how to cover all your bases and make the most out of your commissioned trip.
Photoshop is a complex program that takes years to master. And even after you've spent countless hours learning the ins and outs, surprising new shortcuts are a pleasure to discover.
Kim Kardashian's personal photographer was in a nearly fatal car accident back in October on the Pacific Coast Highway.
If a picture tells a thousand words, these photographs of Baja 1000 race vehicles created after the race tell tales of blood, sweat, tears, and the epic battles that ensue every year as racers battle it out in Mexico.
Styled photo sessions can be a powerful tool for any wedding photographer’s portfolio. However, if utilized incorrectly, styled photos can arguably hurt the wedding photography industry. Here’s how to properly use styled photo sessions for your portfolio.
Wildlife photographer Simon Dell has made the most of the wildlife inhabiting his garden by assembling a village in which his resident mice can live and play, providing them with such amenities has provided him with the opportunity to snap some closeup portraits.
Today, DJI has released their new portable ground camera, the Pocket Osmo. This sleek, little three-axis gimbal is small enough to carry almost anywhere and gives anyone the opportunity to easily shoot stable footage wherever they go.
If you spend your whole life shooting photo and never trying video, you might never even hear of a T-stop. However, they can tell you some very helpful information about your lenses.
One photographer has discovered an easy hack that allows you to replicate the effect of a light leak using cheap office supplies.
Bejamin Jaworskyj breaks down some of the biggest mistakes he sees photographers making in his workshops.
If you haven’t lived and worked in cold environments, it can be a dramatic mind shift to now travel and shoot in these areas with inclement weather. In this video from Thomas Heaton, we’ll see how he dresses for shooting in the cold while staying warm, comfortable, and safe from the elements.
What would be your reaction if I told you to shoot a short film with a $10,000 cinema lens that has an abundance of optical defects? With a question put like that, it would certainly turn you away. What if I asked you about using an anamorphic lens instead?
Landscape photographers yearn for wide vistas and grand scenes. However, there are times when less is more.
One of the most frequent types of questions I see on social media is about gear or gear recommendations. For the most part, photographers and videographers who are relatively new to the industry tend to ask about what gear they should or shouldn't buy. I think it's always better to ask than spend money on something that may end up being a waste.
Can the Canon R mirrorless perform well enough under the pressure of shooting an NFL football game? There is more to camera performance than the quality of the photographs.
A family photographer who was in the middle of photographing young children in a public park was verbally harassed by a woman who was upset that the photographer was using the park for photo sessions earlier this week.
Peter Hurley is a master of headshot photography with his ability to connect with clients and draw out the most flattering poses from his subjects. This Black Friday, Fstoppers is discounting all of Peter Hurley's tutorials. See the details below or visit the Fstoppers Store to see every deal being offered during the holiday season.
Wedding photography has changed vastly over the years. And as much as there is a growing potential for newcomers, there is also an amassing amount of challenges that one has to encounter. It is wise to have a clear understanding of the industry before taking the plunge.
Recently, Squarespace announced a new partnership with Unsplash via their company blog. Before we dive into why this story is worth discussing, it’d help to explain who Squarespace and Unsplash are and what they do.
Instagram has announced new plans to crack down on fake accounts, likes, and comments. The company claims to have new tools in place identifying those using services and apps to boost their follow count and overall social engagement.
When you're new to lighting, one of the most difficult aspects can be learning to control where the light falls and where it doesn't. Grids are a great way to do this, and this helpful video will give you a quick introduction to how they work.
Color correction and grading are often the most challenging tasks in my video editing workflow, and serious training resources are not very common. The Mastering Color course intends to fill this gap.
Many readers may already be aware of the big changes that came with Adobe's latest release, Photoshop CC 2019, but in this video, Colin Smith shows us some small features that can save you serious time if you work a lot with Photoshop.
Unfortunately, photography is an expensive passion, but what do you really need to spend your money on? In this video, Marc Newton looks at four of the biggest photography rip-offs you should avoid at all costs, and he doesn't hold back.
If you’ve ever had trouble viewing your camera’s LCD screen on a sunny day, or if you’ve ever missed critical focus on a video shoot, then you’ll want to read this. Even if you have previously thought an external monitor recorder was unnecessary in the past, you may be in for a surprise.
Winter is almost upon us, and that also means the opportunity for beautiful photos of falling snow is about to happen.
