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How to Make a Pro Sci-Fi Short With a Small Budget

Writer and director Ryan Connolly, over at Film Riot, wanted to challenge himself to see if he and his crew could turn out a realistic, action-packed, science fiction short film with no script, three hundred dollars, and a whole lot of help from his friends.

Why Making Bad Work Is Important for Your Development as a Photographer

One of the new year resolutions I wish I had included in my recent list of resolutions for photographers was failing more in 2018. Failure has such a bad stigma attached to it that most of us try to avoid it at all costs. The big problem with that constant strive for perfection is it could be seriously holding you back.

How to Match Video Footage From Different Cameras

Shooting with various cameras is not uncommon in the video world. Most of the time, it's because of budget constraints, but sometimes, it's because different parts of the project require different cameras. In this video, Tom Antos shares his way of matching footage from three camera brands.

Incredible Footage of Soap Bubbles Freezing in Winter Weather and How to Do It Yourself

Photographers all over the world have found something absolutely incredible happens when you blow soap bubbles in the freezing winter temperatures. As these delicate bubbles freeze almost instantly, inside each one a unique universe of patterns and shapes comes to life right in front of your eyes. If you're lucky enough to be enduring the worldwide cold front we're having, give this a shot to make the brutal winter more fun and beautiful.

Fstoppers Reviews the Beautifully Crafted Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary Lens

Sigma continues to amaze with their lineup of lenses ,and at the end of the year, I finally got to try out one for the Micro Four Thirds (M43) and Sony E mount system, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary lens for APS-C cameras. I used this on my Olympus OM-D EM5 II for a week in Florida while art-directing a shoot, and overall, I was pleasantly surprised and might pick it up. The build quality, sharpness, and speed mean it might be worth picking up if you shoot either of these systems.

Free Contest For Photographers of All Skill Levels

The Independent Photographer is holding a free, month-long photography contest for photographers of all ages and skill levels during the month of January! The Berlin-based publication will be accepting submissions through January 31st to be judged by award winning Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey.

The Charleston Snow Photoshoot

Here we are on day five of our 30 for 30 where we are releasing 30 videos to the Fstoppers YouTube Channel the entire month of January. Yesterday Charleston, South Carolina was hit with the biggest snowstorm in over 25 years. I decided to team up with my crazy friend Bryan Young and take ski portraits around town. The resulting images are pretty hilarious and are definitely once in a lifetime photographs.

A Super Simple Trick for Shooting Into the Sun in Landscape Images

You know those tricks that are so brilliant in their simplicity that you smack your head in disbelief when you see them? That was me the first time I saw this. Here's a great way to avoid lens flare and loss of contrast when you're shooting into the sun.

This Flexible LED Panel Is Actually Affordable

Our video lighting of choice has become the Flex lights by Westcott. They are portable and extremely bright, but they certainly aren't cheap. Now, there is a cheaper option, but should you buy it?

A Beginner's Guide to Why You Should Be Shooting Video in Log

If you're just starting out shooting video, you may have heard of log profiles. This great video will give you a practical breakdown of why you should consider shooting with them and what to do if your camera doesn't have them.

Build and Photograph Your Own Miniature Set Using Only Household Items

With the holiday season in full swing during December, I decided to put my camera down and focus on coming up with new ideas and concepts rather than just shooting straight away. Being a big fan of Felix Hernandez Rodriguez and the miniatures he brings to life through his photography, I decided to build my own set and photograph it.

Peter McKinnon's First Video of 2018 Sets the Tone for Success in the New Year

It's 2018. A brand new page. For us creatives, renewed energy, and enthusiastic drive is what it will take to kick the new year off right. And who better to personify said energy than coffee fueled, Toronto-based photographer / cinematographer Peter Mckinnon? In his first "vlogtorial" style video of 2018 Mckinnon takes to the streets of Toronto with friend and sage-like video creator Chris Hau.

Godox Leaks the AD600 Pro: Profoto and Broncolor May Have to Worry [Rumor]

Within a couple of years, Godox has grown from a small Chinese flash manufacturer no one cared about to a brand that most photographers know. Their products are affordable and offer what most of us need. They are far from being in the high-end market and able to rival the Europeans that are Profoto, Broncolor, or Elinchrom, but that may be changing. At least, the leaked page of the AD600 Pro seems to indicate that Godox is learning fast and improving its products.

How to Export a Video in Premiere Pro Even if You Are a Beginner

You recently got into video and decided to use Adobe Premiere to edit your footage. That’s fantastic. But now, with your first timeline done, you find yourself in an awkward position: what settings do you use to export your sequence in the best way possible? With photography it’s quite easy, but videography is whole different thing. There are tons of options to choose from, and that’s once you’ve gone past the tens of export formats. In this short tutorial, Justin Odisho will show you how to get a great exported file without having to learn all about codecs, bitrates, and other barbarous settings available.

Use Multiple Exposures to Have Some Fun With Those Still-Up Christmas Lights

So it’s January and you still haven’t taken the Christmas tree down yet? Perfect. Now’s a great time to play with one of the little-used but most fun modes of that new camera you got for the holidays. And if you didn’t get a camera, you can use the mode to breathe some new life into your old camera and photograph the things you (or in this case, my son) got as gifts. Friends, I’m talking about multiple exposure mode.

Want to Know a Secret That Will Make You a Better Photographer?

Every photographer wants to be better. What if I told you there is one secret that will unleash your potential and make you exponentially effective in what you do? This video takes a dig at a point that certainly needs to be known by every photographer who wants to make it big.

New Year, New You: Accomplish Your Photography Goals in 2018 With Skillshare

The new year is the perfect time to look back over the past 12 months and celebrate your successes, but more importantly, to start growing from your failures. When you know your weaknesses, you can make goals for overcoming them. One of the best ways to strengthen your work is to learn skills focused specifically on your goals, which is easier than ever with Skillshare. And for a limited time, they’re offering our readers a special New Year offer of three months of Skillshare for just $0.99. Keep reading to find out how Skillshare can help you accomplish your goals this year.

Tips for Photographing Children

Photographing children can be a fun and rewarding experience, or it can be a stressful and daunting one. Ultimately, the type of experience and success you have photographing children is on you. In no particular order, here are a few tips that can help make working with children a little more rewarding.

The Most Useful Free App for Drone Users

A few weeks ago I reviewed the PolarPro filters for the DJI Spark and loved them. But to make full use of my drone and the adequate ND filter, PolarPro has created an app that I’m sure you’ll appreciate too. It’s available for both Android and iOS, and it’ll help you make sure you can fly your drone in the best conditions possible. Here are my thoughts about it and why you should download it too.

The Photographer and the Subject: Two Views in Every Photograph

As photographers, a common rhetoric we hear is about finding our style. We are to consider so many technical aspects like lighting, lenses, color grading, and choice of palette. On some platforms, these aspects have become more important than the content of the images themselves. However, there are so many other aspects of photography, and every genre of photography has its own set of considerations. In this talk for TEDx Chattanooga, Photojournalist Billy Weeks discusses the role of the photographer in an area of photography that is often thought to be objective in nature.

wet plate collodian technique. monochrome photographs. old fashioned photos.

In this video produced by The Guardian, Australian Photographer Adrian Cook shows a reporter how he utilizes a mobile darkroom to produce striking images using the Collodion Wet Plate Process. It’s a short video but it has a wonderful tempo to it, mimicking the excitement one might feel when creating an image using this technique. It starts off slow and thoughtful, but the music builds towards an exciting crescendo while the plate is sensitized and exposed, then settles again as the plate is bathed, magically revealing the beautifully toned scene superimposed on the aluminum sheet.

Photographer Travels to Japan for Surreal Snowy Landscape Photo Series

Chinese Photographer Ying Yin’s was inspired to travel and see snow. While visiting Japan’s northernmost region during the peak of winter, her photo series “Wind of Okhotsk” looks like the end of the earth, with buildings isolated by the intense weather.

The Number One Camera Bag Staple

We all have a different bag setup. Some prefer to travel light and mobile while others go for a more heavy duty option. Some people want a stylish option that shows off some personal flair while others just want something practical. We each like a different layout and store our gear and accessories in a different way or in a different pocket. In spite of our different preferences when it comes to our camera bags, there is one universal truth. One item that, regardless of your specialty, you positively need to have somewhere in your bag. You must keep a few up to date business cards in your bag at all times.

Advice on Distinguishing Yourself as a Photographer

Imagery is more prevalent than ever, and as capable technology finds its way into more hands and more people become hobbyists and even pros, good imagery is more prevalent than ever too. As such, it's harder than ever to distinguish yourself as a photographer. But it's not impossible. This interview explores how one photographer believes that should be done.

Why Scouting Will Help Your Landscape Photography

Do you scout out locations before you shoot them or do you just photograph as you happen upon them? This helpful video explores why visiting locations before you shoot them can benefit your landscape work.

The Dangers of Sitting to Work: How Too Much Time in Front of the Computer Could Be Putting Photographers' Health at Risk

Yoga balls and standing desks may have become a stereotype of the hipster office space, but there is a legitimate reason for this alteration in traditional office paraphernalia: sitting is bad for you, and photographers should take heed before their health begins to deteriorate. Aside from the musculoskeletal dangers of spending too long sitting at the computer, like neck strain and back problems, other parts of the body may be suffering in silence, such as the heart and pancreas.

Ask Yourself These Questions When You Think It's Time to Buy a New Camera

Given the choice, most of us would probably buy the latest and greatest camera bodies as soon as they came out, because hey, new toys are cool, right? But most of us don't have unlimited budgets, so it's important to know when you really need to upgrade and when it's just a case of gear lust. Here's what to consider when you're wondering if it's time to buy a new camera.

Creative and Authentic Is the New Trend for 2018 Stock Photography

Stock photography companies are tallying their data from the last few years to predict what imagery trends will flourish in 2018, what they've predicted is fantastic news for us all. A mixture of creativity and authenticity are expected to dominate the new year's biggest image trends. It is so important for artists to stay on top of these trends as to not slip through the cracks, it's especially important this year because these trends are very different.

The Usefulness of a Tilt-Shift Lens for Panoramic Landscape Photos

Tilt-shift lenses are some of the more exotic hunks of glass out there, but they enable some very unique capabilities that simply can't be accomplished with normal lenses. This interesting video shows how their shift capabilities can be used to easily create panoramic images.

Do You Prefer a Prime or Zoom Lens for Portraiture?

Traditional advice says that prime lenses are best for portraiture for many reasons, particularly a wider aperture and better sharpness. Nonetheless, modern zoom lenses can offer very high image quality coupled with increased flexibility, and that can cause some photographers to reach for them before a prime lens when doing portrait work. This video explores one photographer's experience with both.

Avoiding Clichés in Landscape Photography

Every genre of photography has its share of clichés, and while that doesn't necessarily mean you should never shoot certain images, it can restrain your creativity by never forcing you to think outside the box and create a shot more representative of who you are as a photographer. This great video examines recognizing and avoiding clichés in landscape photography.

Photography Educator David duChemin Thinks You Should Consider Being Unrealistic

The incredibly prolific David duChemin has managed to squeeze out some more great philosophical and metaphorical nuggets in the latest video of his "Vision is Better" series. Full of his usual optimism and encouragement, he verbally judo-rolls his way through the walls of failure and fear, to prepare you to finally start that large format pet photography business you've been thinking about. Speaking of pets, two words really stand out in this video: Pet. Rock. Greater words of encouragement you will never hear.

How to Rework Old Photos for Adobe Stock

Do you have old photographs just hanging around on your hard drive, taking up space? If you do, then perhaps you should consider uploading them to Adobe Stock. You never really know what sort of image someone out there is looking for - they might just want to use that shot that you currently have buried away in the archives. Sometimes, these old shots may require a little bit more work in order to ensure that they will measure up to stock submission standards, but the opportunity to make revenue on work you've already shot makes it a worthwhile venture. If you have old files you want to breathe new life into, the following guide for prepping and submitting those archived shots is just for you.

The Best Tripod That I've Ever Owned

We all make mistakes when it comes to purchases we make when we're first starting out. As we continue to grow and evolve we continue to make mistakes. Hopefully, our mistakes aren't too financially costly like a camera body or lens that we don't need and never use. When I first bought my camera a couple years ago, I picked up an ultra cheap twenty dollar tripod because the store has one and I thought I would definitely need it. That was a mistake and that tripod was pretty much a piece of junk. I have since rectified that mistake and have found my personal favorite and best tripod I've ever owned.

Four Tips for the First-Time Sports Photographer

So your kid just started playing pee-wee football, or maybe you are a portrait photographer who just landed a sports gig. Maybe you’re shooting your first assignment for the college newspaper. In any case, while sports photography isn’t for the faint of heart, here are four technical tips to get you started on the right path.

Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing a Camera

Buying a new camera is exciting! Yes, it's often a work item for most of us, but it's a fun tech toy as well, and getting to play with all the latest features can be awesome. However, it's easy to make mistakes as a buyer, and this great video outlines pitfalls to watch for when you're getting ready to pull out your wallet.

Photographer Spotlight: Lucas Passmore

I believe that upon our journey in whatever craft you choose, we encounter people who not only inspire, but assist in pushing us to grow more, and photographer Lucas Passmore has been exactly that for me. Initially, from the Midwest, Lucas is a fashion photographer living in Los Angeles. His regards for the history of photography, ability to capture a moment, and willingness to give back to those new to the photography community made him the perfect person to highlight in my first interview.

Some Helpful Tips for Wedding Group Portraits

If there're two things to remember about wedding photography, it's that you have to know your stuff inside and out and second chances don't exist. This helpful video will show you some great tips for posing a large wedding group, lighting them, and picking the proper camera settings.

Six Strategies to Help Creative Photographers

I have a question for you: do you ever struggle with new ideas in your photography? Want to be more creative and productive? Maybe it's time to change how you think about ideas and creativity.

How Autofocus in DSLRs Works and Why It Sometimes Fails

Autofocus is probably the only auto-feature on my cameras that I like to keep turned on. Knowing how autofocus works in detail is not essential, but having a general overview of it is a must. It may affect your next camera purchase and the knowledge can be helpful in controlling situations where the autofocus doesn't kick in. This video explains very simply, without going into much technical details, how your DSLR automatically finds the focal distance and why it fails sometimes.

Regaining Your Creativity

What do you do when worst-case scenario hits? When even after doing your best to prepare for it, it cripples you, and you feel like you're stuck in a depressive "Groundhog's Day" of going through the motions?

Luxury Real Estate Photographer Shares Success Story

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with a photographer I follow who shared his wonderful story with me about how he got where he is today. A lot of us have been told we take great photos somewhere along the way and dreamed of making a living off simply taking good photos. This doesn't really happen in the real world since you actually need a niche of some sort. If you happen to live by some of the most amazing houses in the world, luxury real estate is one of those niches that can make the dream a reality.

Make Your Instagram Photos Pop Using Adjustment Layers in Photoshop

Adjustment Layers are probably one of the most useful, and most used tools in Photoshop. It's one of the best ways to keep a non-destructive editing workflow in place and offers additional features such as blending modes to add exciting effects to your images. With all this in mind, why don't we see how we can use it to make our Instagram images stand out more?

The Invisible Element That's More Important Than Your Camera Gear

Technicality and equipment aren't all there is to becoming a meaningful photographer. In my own work it's actually the least important part. My favorite words to hear clients say are “wow, you captured the real me.” The following are tips to get these reactions out of your subjects. They have nothing to do with your gear, but will guide you to capturing your subjects the way they are when they're completely comfortable, instead of the nervous and self-conscious forms of themselves.

Ten Hacks for Your Camera in Less Than 100 Seconds

Photographers and cinematographers sometimes find themselves in the middle of a shoot wishing they had some piece of equipment to get that shot just right. Whether a gimbal has broken or the light just isn't cooperating, sometimes you just need a creative solution to make the image you visualize in your head. Vlogger and Photographer Hayden Pedersen has put together a video with some clever hacks to help you create the shot you want — video or still — when you might not have exactly the right piece of equipment to accomplish it. And, best of all, you can see them all in less than two minutes.

Shooting Landscape Images With a Telephoto Lens

When you think of landscape photography, you likely think of wide angle lenses that capture large swaths of a scene; after all, those are the most common tools of the trade. However, this great video makes a case for why you might want to consider a longer lens the next time you head out to take some landscape shots.

Photographing and Editing a Heroic Sillhouette

Sometimes when shooting a portrait the drama created by a silhouette can reveal a more powerful sense of character than a more traditional portrait. One major downside of a true silhouette, however, is that it fully blacks out the subject sacrificing any opportunity for expression or detail within said subject. In a recent shoot, I experimented with an alternative to a true silhouette that uses a light source near to the subject to wrap light around them in a way that creates a sense of a heroic silhouette of the style that could be found on film posters or the cover of a book.