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The Composition Challenge That Will Change the Way You Create Images

I bet that you think that you are pretty good at composing your photos. You’ve been shooting for years, won some awards, nice client list. You got that part figured out. Guess what? Not only are you not “all that” but you really need to work on it. How am I so sure? Check this out.

How to Create Portable V-Flats That Will Fit in Your Car for Less Than $100

The elusive v-flat. Once you know what a v-flat is, the next question is always: “where do I get them?” For years, photographers were sent on scavenger hunts looking for 4X8’ sheets of foam, sheets so large, truck rental was required. They were anything but portable. Until now.

Five Reasons Why Your Photos Suck

It doesn't matter how long you have been a photographer, I guarantee that some of your images will suck. Question is, do you really know why they do?

How to Replace a Sky Using Photoshop

In many, many genres, you'll often take a shot that's great save for a rather bland sky. When that happens, you can turn to a sky replacement in Photoshop. This great video will show you everything you need to know to make it convincing.

Can You Really Get Pro Results From Inexpensive Light Sources in Product Photography?

Earlier this year, I released an in-depth tutorial on product photography with Fstoppers called "The Hero Shot: How to Light and Composite Product Photography." As I started publishing images from this tutorial on Instagram, I found it extremely interesting that the most liked image was the cordless drill. It was the most simple image that I created for the series, and I used very basic inexpensive continuous lighting to create it. So, if I were to have photographed this drill using strobes instead of continuous light, would you have been able to tell the difference? I’ll...

How to Whiten Teeth Using Photoshop

Whether you photograph weddings, portraits, or something else, a lot of the people you'll shoot will benefit from having their teeth whitened a bit. This great tutorial will show you how to easily and convincingly do that using Photoshop.

Don’t Break the Bank: Best Lenses under $300 for Canon and Nikon

Lenses are primordial, yet many photographers tend to attach mediocre entry-level zoom glasses on their camera when there are plenty of affordable quality lenses on the market. Here is a personal selection of some of the best optics that can be found under $300.

Liquifying Your Boudoir Images: Less Is More

When it comes to liquify, less is usually best. Unless you have a model or client who specifically asks for heavy shaping, chances are you are going to have an unhappy client if this tool is overly used.

A Faster Way to Sort Through Large Batches of Raw Images

Culling a large set of raw photos can take a particularly long time as you wait for Lightroom to render previews for all the images, but luckily, there's a faster way to do it. This quick video will introduce you to programs dedicated to exactly this task.

How Photographers Become Successful

In a genre composed of so many different disciplines, there are a couple truths that cross all boundaries.

My Top Five Favorite Photoshop Tips for Workflow

Editing your images can be a love/hate relationship depending on how you feel about post production. Getting tied down in your workflow can be a result of not having the right displays and shortcuts for better visualization of the final result. A few key tricks will lay out your most used tools and displays to get you in and out of Photoshop.

All About the Graduated Filter in Lightroom

Most people think of Photoshop as the place where serious editing takes place, but you might be surprised by just how much you can get done using only Lightroom. This great video will show you how to use one of Lightroom's most useful tools, the graduated filter.

How to Capture Flying Food Photos

Are you looking for a way to add more excitement to your food photography? Well, have you tried making your food float or even go for that exploded-view of the dish coming together or apart in the frame?

Why Shooting Distance Matters in Portrait Photography

When you're new to photography, one of the easiest things to overlook is how working distance affects the final look of your images. This great video will show you how to think about this when you're shooting portraits.

It's Not About the Camera Gear, Except When It Is

I was recently involved in a conversation via Facebook that centered around new camera gear and becoming a better photographer. The saying generally goes: “It’s not about the camera gear at all.” While I generally agree with this way of thinking, it’s not always accurate.

Quick Website Checkup and Security Bar Check: Is Your Site the Way It Should Be?

SSL has become the preferred way for all sites to be displayed as opposed to only being used for shopping carts and pages where you would enter personal data. For some time, there's been a transition from http to https, and it was a choice mostly based on the intended activities of your website viewers.

Improving Your Landscape Photography Isn't About Your Camera

Most people reading this article, going to workshops, and watching YouTube content want to improve their landscape photography. It is the question I get asked the most, and there are many answers and solutions to this. But without doubt, the most important part, but often the hardest, is actually being in the right place at the right time.

Stop Focusing on Camera Gear

With news of Nikon and Canon finally entering the full-frame mirrorless market, there have been endless discussions regarding stats and expectations. Don't let yourself get lost in all the gear talk, and remember that you don't need something new to make incredible photos.

How to Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients

Raising your prices will not only keep your bank manager happy, but it will also help to accelerate your career. Time to add a few more zeros to your next photography invoice.

How to Remove Dark Bags Under Eyes in Photoshop

Dark bags under your subject’s eyes is a common issue that is usually unattractive and can ruin your client’s perception of an otherwise great picture. Here is the best way to remove these bags in Photoshop.

Remove Surface Glare On Your Interior Photos With This Quick Tip

When photographing commercial interior images, a common issue is an unsightly glare on reflective surfaces. Removing these reflections by compositing image layers significantly improves your images, separating you from the pack of "run-and-gun" real estate and interior photographers.

A Guide to Using Contrast in Photoshop to Create Better Portraits

One of the most important aspects of virtually any image is contrast. However, contrast is not just a single, global property of an image; it has many different forms and usages. This helpful video will show you how to master each of them to create compelling images.

Five In-Camera Tricks Filmmakers Should Know

If you're working with video, you sure know how much time can go into getting each edit just right — time that adds up very quickly. This helpful video will show you five in-camera tricks to get the transition or effect right while filming, cutting down on your post-processing work.

Use Long Exposures to Make the Most of Bad Light

Do you feel frustrated when the weather doesn't cooperate for your landscape shoots? Check out this video on how to make the most of bad lighting to create beautiful long exposure photographs.

Two Different Methods for Creating Long Exposure Photos of Clouds

One great way to give your landscape photos a different look is to create a long exposure that results is wispy, flowing clouds that gracefully stretch across the frame. This helpful tutorial will show you two methods for doing just that.

Does Using a Neutral Density Filter for Time-lapses Make a Difference?

Most photographers are familiar with using a neutral density filter to create dreamy, long exposure photographs, but should you use a neutral density filter when shooting time-lapses too? In today's video, I explore why using a 10-stop ND filter might be perfect for more than just still photography.

Try This Shadow Fix on Your Next Interior Shoot

When photographing interiors, flash is your friend, but a friend who needs some management. While flash brightens rooms, reduces glare, and brings out true colors, it can also produce the frustrating issue of ugly shadows.

Improve Astrophotography Postproduction Using Photoshop's Dust and Scratches

You've spent all the time outside late at night, photographing the stars, and now, you have these images with all the potential and you're about to process them. Before you simply dive into any normal routine for processing astrophotography shots, you'll want to check out this new tutorial by Milky Way Mike concerning how to use the Dust and Scratches tool to improve these shots.

How to Create Captivating Eyes and Catchlights Using Photoshop

Whether you're working in a studio with a bunch of lights or outdoors with natural light, the eyes are probably one of the most important features that can make or break any portrait. This helpful tutorial will show you how to add catchlights and make the eyes shine.

How to Edit a Landscape Image Entirely in Lightroom

You might think that for more involved and nuanced edits, you have to head over to Photoshop. And while you can certainly accomplish more there, you might be surprised by just how much you can get done using Lightroom alone, and this great video will show you how.

What I Learned While Redesigning My Photography Website

Back in March, I got an email saying that my website had been taken down due to malware. Essentially, I got hacked. In the months that followed, I learned some things about being a photographer, about web design, and about myself.

A Cautionary Tale: Why All Photographers Who Charge Money Need to Get Legit Now

A recent anonymous social media post is being spread like wildfire all over many photography groups and pages. In it, a woman claims she has had all of her accounts frozen, has a lien on her home, is being held liable for over $45,000 in delinquent taxes, and might possibly be banned from doing business in her county, because for five years, she has failed to report income she has made from photography.

How to Turn Your Daytime Photos Into Night

Have you taken a photo on-location of a wonderful building and wish you could have stayed longer to capture it at night? Sometimes our schedule can get a bit chaotic or perhaps the location isn't accessible at night, so what can you do?

How Printing Your Work Can Be Priceless

I know that many of us get caught up looking for the next piece of gear to buy or searching for our next portfolio shot, but it's possible the most satisfying thing you can do in photography is to print your own work.

How to Create Smoke Easily in Photoshop

Using smoke in photo shoots has been popular recently, but adding a smoke effect in Photoshop has a longer history, and it is easier than you think.