Understanding the mechanics of a camera can be comforting. You set things up, press a button, and voilà, you get a photograph. However, there’s more to it than just pressing a button.

In this video walkthrough, watch as Dean Samed shows you all the steps it took to create this evil Santa composite portrait in Photoshop. This is a full walkthrough showing Samed's process from beginning to end.

In today's landscape, the demand for video content has skyrocketed, creating new opportunities for photographers. The ability to capture motion and tell stories through video is no longer just a desirable skill, but rather an essential one for photographers looking to expand their services and reach.

The beauty of being a professional photographer is that you have the freedom to pursue what you love on your own terms. However, with that comes arguably its biggest drawback: the loss of guaranteed steady income and financial security. Every freelance photographer goes through lulls, and it is important to expect them and to know how to get through them. This great video essay features a professional photographer discussing the issue and offering some helpful advice.

Hitting a creative block isn’t just frustrating; it’s inevitable. Whether you take pictures for a living or enjoy it as a hobby, these moments can leave you feeling stuck and uninspired. The good news is, there’s a simple way to reset your creativity and get back to shooting with purpose.

Photographing in snow presents unique challenges. The light is harsh, reflections are intense, and the cold can affect your equipment. But with the right techniques, you can transform a snowy scene into a beautifully lit portrait. This video focuses on using light direction, ambient light, and composition to elevate your snowy portraits, offering practical tips for handling these tricky conditions.

The era we're in can be a bit paralyzing, as it can feel like everything has been done, and anything you create is therefore derivative and unworthy, but that's often simply not true.

The nice folks at TogTools are continuing their Fstoppers series with Lindsey Pantaleo! Giving new and emerging photographers the chance to hear it from the pros on all aspects of the fast growing photography industry, these podcasts are a bevy of information. In addition to Lee Morris and now Lindsey, many of the Fstoppers staff writers and contributers will be interviewed in this series by the wonderful TogTools founders Stephen and Jess Robertson over the next couple months.

Photography can be a rewarding and creative pursuit, but even the most passionate enthusiasts face moments of doubt or disinterest. Addressing this common challenge, one photographer shares personal insights on how to navigate these periods and rediscover excitement in your creative process. His strategies range from shifting perspectives to embracing new tools and projects.

Why is it so hard to move from a stable 9-to-5 job to a full-time photography career? Many people, especially those passionate about turning their creative skills into a living, struggle with this. If you've ever considered making the leap, you're likely familiar with the challenges. It’s a big move that takes more than just skill behind the camera—it requires time, energy, and a bit of financial risk.

Creative blocks and lack of motivation for picking up the camera happen to the best of us. While there are times it is best to just embrace the downtime and wait for inspiration to strike, more frequently, it is better to take active steps to push past the doldrums. It's important to find methods that work best for you, but there are a handful of tricks that I have found to be successful over the years.

Advertising photography isn’t just about taking nice pictures. Every shot needs to sell an experience, blending technical skill with storytelling. That’s why planning and execution are crucial.

Spend any appreciable amount of time on the internet getting feedback on your work and you will likely have some harsh or unpleasant interactions. And yet, the harshest critic you encounter might actually be yourself. Is that the case for you? Check out this excellent video that discusses that issue.

We've all heard before the advice that in order to succeed we should wow our customers by over-delivering through the services we provide, but is it actually worth going above and beyond?

It took some amazing minds to send astronauts to the moon, and of the many ingenious ideas they came up with, one involved some pretty neat optical tricks.

Buying a new camera won’t make you a better photographer. Improvement comes from consistent practice, not from having the latest gear. If you want to capture great photos, you need to put in the time to understand how light, composition, and timing work together.

Taking better travel photos isn't about your camera gear or following the crowd. It's about seeing differently and being ready to capture moments as they unfold.

Creative blocks can be a great cause of anxiety and/or frustration for many of us. And, while a creative rut might seem inescapable when you're on the inside, looking out; actually freeing yourself from this oppressive, suffocating feeling may be a lot easier then you think. So, why do creative blocks happen — at least, in a theoretical sense — and how do we remove these blocks?

Digital photography dominates, offering speed, convenience, and unlimited creative control. But shooting film forces you to slow down, think differently, and embrace an entirely different experience. The appeal isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a unique process that changes how you approach photography.

You’ve probably experienced those moments when the weather changes unexpectedly or you find yourself on the wrong trail. These challenges are all part of the landscape photography journey, but how you handle them can make or break your shot. Preparation, persistence, and a little flexibility can lead to stunning results.

Understanding how to control and manipulate light can transform an ordinary photo into something extraordinary. This is especially important when shooting in challenging conditions or trying to achieve a specific look, where ambient light alone might not suffice.

Capturing compelling seascapes involves more than pointing your camera at pretty waves and waiting for good light. Getting powerful images at the coast comes down to timing, perspective, and understanding how the water interacts with your camera settings.

Adobe Premiere Pro gives you the ability to hide files in the project panel. Now, there are a variety of reasons as to why you might want to use this feature. Perhaps you want to remove distracting folders and focus on a group of specific assets. For instance, if you’re working with several photographs in a large Premiere project, hiding all of the other content such as video, audio, and sequences will help you quickly access your files in the project panel.

The transformative power of analog photography and handcrafted image processing is a captivating journey back to the roots of photographic artistry, offering a tangible connection to the creative process that is often lost in the digital age.

In this video tutorial, watch as Abbey Esparza shows us how to create a surreal honeycomb effect in Photoshop. This can be used in your fantasy works and conceptual images.

Photoshop is a tremendously intricate program with literally hundreds of built-in functions, and each of us use it in different ways with different priorities. As such, you might want to create your own keyboard shortcuts to help you streamline your editing process, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

Hold on to your taste buds, folks, because we're about to embark on a deliciously hilarious journey through the secrets of protein bars! Get ready to discover the five covert tricks that turn these humble snacks into protein-packed wonders that would make even James Bond jealous. So, grab your fork and knife (yes, we take protein bars seriously), put on your best British accent, and let's uncover these delectable secrets and how they can help you overcome the hunger pains that might force you back home and miss that banger shot.

Becoming a successful professional photographer takes a lot more than being good with a camera; you need to have a lot of business sense and a keen understanding of how a career as a creative differs from that of a traditional 9-to-5 job. That latter point often trips up aspiring professionals. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced commercial photographer sharing one such mindset mistake and what you can do to avoid falling prey to it.

Considering your target audience when creating content is one of the most crucial aspects of any marketing strategy. That's why creators need to find out exactly who the majority of their viewers are when making and editing material.

Flat, gray skies might seem uninspiring, but they offer a unique advantage. Instead of working around harsh shadows and strong highlights, you control the final image. The light is soft and even, allowing for more creative flexibility, especially in black and white photography.