Photography is more than capturing what’s in front of you. It's about telling a story that resonates. This video explores how the choices you make while shooting and arranging photos can dramatically alter the narrative they tell. Whether it's the raw emotion of a moment or a sense of calm in chaos, these decisions shape the stories your images communicate.

Seeing colors and luminosity correctly is not always easy. You could calibrate your screen and be stuck working at the same place every day, but some people just can’t have a fixed office or studio. And even with a calibrated monitor, adjusting luminosity to your creative vision can get tricky. This is where visual help layers come in, especially one called the five-tone heat map. Blake Rudis from f64 Academy shows you how to use and why it’s so useful.

It turns out that taking quality images of animals is actually quite challenging. Grab a telephoto lens and check out this video for some tips that make getting a strong shot just a tad more reliable.

While we spend a lot of time talking about the choice of key light and how it is used in a portrait, it is often not the only light source present in a shot. The fill light makes a large difference in the final look of your image and deserves just as much attention as the key. This great video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of different fill lights and how they affect the final look of your portrait photos.

Backlighting is a powerful technique that can transform your portraits by adding depth, dimension, and a distinct visual impact. By positioning a light source behind your subject, you can create striking highlights that outline the contours of your subject’s hair and body, making them stand out against the background.

We all know the tricks of the trade, but what actual evidence do we have to prove certain methods or gadgets are up to scratch when it comes to preventing eye strain?

If you’ve heard about the 180-degree rule and aren’t sure how it works — or perhaps you have a vague idea of how it works but would like to know why — check out this short video from filmmaker and educator Mark Bone.

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.

Photography is certainly not a cheap endeavor, and it can be difficult to know where to invest your money to maximize your chances of success. Gear is undoubtedly fun, but there is more to success than just that new camera, and this great video explores where you should consider investing your money beyond just equipment.

Natural light portrait photography demands a nuanced understanding of how light interacts with the environment. By learning to read and work with available light, you can transform challenging conditions into opportunities for creating captivating portraits that stand out from the crowd.

We talk quite a bit about how to add and shape light to sculpt the look of your subjects in your photos. However, the absence of light is just as important to shaping it as is the presence, and this great video will introduce you to one of the most important tools for reducing light selectively.

Understanding how to effectively use lighting is crucial for capturing high-quality images in any setting, especially in small spaces, which is why one-light options are particularly useful.

All too often in our business, we are thrust into a job in which we either have no time for or cannot afford lighting tests. I find that these gigs force me to fall back on my old tricks and techniques. This can lead to the dangerous place of shooting stuff that all looks the same. Sure, you can try out new ideas on personal projects, but sometimes, the job calls for stuff that you don’t own or cannot afford to get. Usually, when planning a shoot, I have great theories and fantastic ideas on how to pull off a look. However, the idea of winging it in front of a client...

Whether hobbyists or professionals, we all became photographers because we enjoy the process of creating images and sharing them with the world. But often, somewhere along the way, things go awry, and we end up unsatisfied and/or unhappy with the pursuit, sometimes turning our back on it altogether. If you find yourself in that place, this awesome video essay discusses how to make yourself a happier photographer.

Of course, knowing how to light and pose a portrait is essential to creating a successful image, but the process does not end there. Having an effective, structured, and efficient post-processing workflow will help ensure that you can create polished shots every time. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced portrait photographer sharing his workflow.

Modern digital cameras are incredibly complex machines, and to really get the most out of their capabilities, you need to understand their underlying menu structure and how to tweak it to your specific needs and style of shooting. Perhaps no menu system is more complex than Sony's, but this fantastically comprehensive video walkthrough will show you everything you need to know to get your a7 IV up and running exactly how you like it.

In this video, Filmmaker Matt Mangham runs down five important traits that every great director of photography should have.​ A director of photography (DP or DOP), also known as a cinematographer, directs the camera crews and is responsible for determining the overall artistic and technical aspects of a film.

When the general public picture photographers, they tend to envision a creative individual who goes out and snaps away at anything and everything that inspires them; architecture, nature, sports, or whatever assignment they've been put on. It's likely that they never think of the hours we spend marketing, writing proposals, editing, doing book-keeping, etc.

Colin Anderson is a composite photographer from Australia whose work is super stylistic and conceptual. He has worked with many large companies including Adobe, the Discovery Channel, and IBM.

I'm a bit of a neat freak when it comes to my gear. Anyone who has bought any of my used gear has usually told me it looks like new, save for maybe by the tripod mount, which I usually attach a plate to while I'm camped out by lighthouses.

High-key photography is a powerful way to create bright, dreamy landscape images with minimal shadows and a soft, low-contrast feel. Winter is the perfect season to experiment with this style, as snowy scenes and overcast skies provide a natural foundation for high-key aesthetics.

Camera gear is not only meant for professional work, it is a ton of fun as well. However, it is quite expensive, and as such, every purchase you make should be carefully considered beforehand. This helpful video tutorial features some good advice on how to choose the right gear for you.

Are your photos beautiful? Consequently, do they attract lots of likes online? If you are serious about your photography, then there are arguments to shun beauty and embrace less appealing aesthetics. But those arguments are flawed. Here's why.

Effectively marketing your photography isn’t just about showcasing great images. It’s about understanding the roles of social media, websites, and portfolios, and using them intentionally. Each plays a distinct role in building your visibility, credibility, and appeal to potential clients, and blending their purposes can dilute their impact.

It is easier than ever to consume literally thousands of photographs with just the swipe of a finger, and that is both a blessing and a curse, as that means we can be easily influenced into chasing trends and popular styles. This excellent video discusses the importance of discovering your own identity and photographing what makes you happy.

Natural light portraits can be stunning with the right setups, and they're simpler than you might think. This excellent video tutorial shows three easy setups that will elevate your portrait images.

Large format film is an entirely different experience from 35mm or even medium format, and it can be a really fun and intriguing process to try out. If you are interested in large format work, this great video will show you three different ways to develop your own film at home.

Capturing those beautiful seaside scenes can be incredibly fun as well as a completely unique challenge. If you are planning on going after some beach compositions of your own, then this video is made just for you.

Hop on Instagram and search for any popular location, and you will find thousands upon thousands of very similar photos, so much so that you might wonder if there is ever a point in spending the time, money, and effort it takes to shoot such places. This thought-provoking video discusses whether it is worth photographing the classic scenes or if you should spend your time and energy trying to be more creative in other places.

When touting the many virtues of film, people frequently mention the power of negatives in the highlights. But what does that mean, exactly, and how does its strength compare to its digital brethren? To find out the differences, I shot a demanding subject with both digital and black and white film, severely over and underexposing. How did they stack up against each other? Read on to find out!