Recent Opinion Articles

How I Have My Camera Set Up to Shoot Weddings

The Nikon D750 is one of the most talked about cameras in a long time. It’s a small lightweight body that packs a major feature set and has even lured Nikon D4 shooters to "upgrade." The camera is packed full of customizations, some of which can be pretty hard to understand and even difficult to find. I’m here to explain what I feel to be the best overall setup and why. This article is geared towards the Nikon D750, however the majority of the settings, if not all, are applicable to most cameras.

Watch How People React to a Professional Versus Fake Photographer

Hailing from Seattle, portrait photographer Ben Lucas put together this amusing video pitting his talents as a photographer against those of an actor pretending to be a professional photographer. The lights are set up and the camera is the same, the only thing that changes is the person taking the pictures. How big of a difference can it make?

Victoria's Secret at It Again With Cheeky Photoshop Job

The well-known underwear and lingerie company is at it again with its Photoshopping ways. Victoria's Secret has a long history of Photoshopping their models, but this time, have they gone too far with an editing job that's not just unnecessary, but very poorly executed as well? Check it out for yourself!

Photography Trends We Should’ve Left Behind in 2015

I love trends. But what I love more is making fun of them. Be it a trend in lighting, or a trend in aperture choice, or a trend in post-processing, here are some that we should've moved on from a long time ago.

Has Adobe Creative Cloud Become Bloatware?

Since moving to the Creative Cloud software-as-a-service model, Adobe has been providing several feature updates per year to its software. But these features have come at a cost of ever-increasing system requirements, begging the question: Is it worth it?

Dear Hasselblad: I Like That You’re Widening Your Audience, But Hate How You’re Doing It

The photography industry is so drastically different today than it was just ten years ago that if you’re going to survive, you absolutely have to be dynamic and ready to adapt to the things quickly. You have to find your niche and go for it full force or risk failure. Hasselblad is doing this with their form-over-function Lunar and Stellar. Yet I’m left thinking… Hasselblad, I’m not certain you thought this latest set of moves through. I’m not certain you know what’s happening to your brand. I’m not certain this is where you need to be.

Fstoppers Reviews the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens

Shock, dismay, joy, and envy. These emotions have been running wild since Sigma announced their new 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens. It’s the first lens in our modern age to maintain that open of an aperture through a zoom range and it’s also equipped with auto focus. This type of innovation has been unheard of from Sigma until recently, but now it’s almost expected. The main question I wanted to answer about this lens was: “Is this lens for real, or relying too heavily on the hyped, somewhat gimmicky nature of that innovation?”

Let's Make an End to All Those Pointless Camera Discussions

I keep on wondering about the discussions of photographic enthusiast about camera technology and brands. Some enthusiasts even react very angrily at brands they used to have, or at other people when they mention some sort of shortcomings of their new camera. I would think a camera is just a tool… isn’t it?

This Is the Best Camera You Will Ever Own

Debate among photographers about the best camera will rage unabated until the end is nigh. And there will likely never be universal agreement. Despite that, the best camera you will ever have is not a Canon, a Sony, a Nikon, or even a Hasselblad.

Drones Are Awesome: Don't Buy One

It’s 2018 and drones are flying off the shelves. Before trying to stake your claim in this developing genre of aerial photography, still ripe with unexplored possibilities, listen to these sensible reasons why it might all just be a terrible, terrible idea.

Is Future Proofing Obsolete? Apple Adopts New USB Port

From 3 megapixels to 10 megapixels to 50 megapixels, the world of photography has changed significantly over the last 10 years. With the changes in technology, we're always in battle to keep our work and data on the most current iteration. With the rumors of the next Apple MacBook Air, it seems that the USB port is under attack, making photographers everywhere questions how they can keep their work on the most recent format.

What Is the Best Portrait Lens?

When it comes to portraits, two major factors determine how good a lens is for many photographers and they are focal length and aperture. Generally speaking, many photographers prefer to have a relatively long focal length with a wide aperture as this helps with both the framing of the shot and also the kind of background blur you can achieve.

That’s Not a Lightroom Killer; This Is a Lightroom Killer! We Review ON1 Photo Raw 2022.5

Calling raw handling software a "Lightroom Killer" is a cliche. Nevertheless, this powerful suite of tools is starting to overshadow the Adobe Photographer's Plan. It is now posing a real challenge to Lightroom and Photoshop. ON1 Photo Raw has another update, and now it offers everything most photographers need. It's why I've said goodbye to Lightroom and Photoshop. Will it tempt you too?

How to Grow a Large Instagram Following as a Professional Photographer with Very Little Effort

People continue to ask me the same question over and over, "How do I quickly grow my following on Instagram?" I will continue to tell them there is no easy way to go about this, but I have found one way in recent months that has been building my following much faster than I expected. Here are a few ways I am finding great follower growth, as well as a rise in engagement. Trust me, hold tight while I go through a few ways you as a professional can get ahead of some of these young guns with iPhones.

Trying Out an Olympus OM-D: Why Are These Cameras Not That Popular?

I have met a lot of photographers who are using an Olympus camera. They are often very enthusiastic about their gear. A lot of their functions cannot be found in other cameras, which makes Olympus quite unique. If these cameras are so unique, why aren’t these more popular? I tried an Olympus for a few weeks to find out.

We Need More Affordable, Light f/1.8 Lenses

I get it. f/1.4, f/1.2, and even f/0.95 are way more exciting and drool-worthy than f/1.8, but in an era of forever-bloating lens designs, perhaps f/1.8 is exactly what we need more of. Here are some of the reasons why I would love to see more f/1.8 lenses from various manufacturers.

Have We Reached Peak Megapixels?

The ever-increasing megapixel count in digital cameras is a trend that continues to shape the landscape of photography. While higher megapixels offer the potential for greater detail and flexibility in post-processing, they also introduce new challenges and considerations for photographers.

Vogue Magazine Claims You Don't Need a Professional Wedding Photographer

Vogue Magazine recently released a list of 10 things the modern wedding can do without. Along with rings and the first dance, Vogue wants you to say "I don't" to hiring a professional photographer because a wedding is about "true love" and a photographer "detracts from that." Excuse me?

The Best and Worst Cameras and Lenses of 2022

2022 has been quite the year for photo gear, with a huge range of impressive camera and lens releases. What has been your favorite? What failed to impress you? This hilarious video discusses the best and worst camera and lenses of the past year.

Is the DSLR Really Dead?

Being a Nikon DSLR landscape photographer who is anticipating the foreseeable demise of said cameras, I have been curious about the Nikon Z 7II. I wanted to see how one of these lighter, smaller mirrorless cameras functioned not only for landscapes but as a travel setup. Here are my initial thoughts.

Why I Replaced My Camera With an iPhone 14 Pro

I have been very vocal about phones never being able to replace cameras for professional work. But, as photographers, we also indulge in casual photography of things that simply look good. I looked for a camera for such work for the past two years now, and now I found one. It is the unlikely star: iPhone 14 Pro.

What's the Better Choice: Mirrorless or DSLR?

It's the holy war of the photography world: Mirrorless versus DSLR. It's also, these days, a largely irrelevant question, as both technologies are pretty far along and end up doing about the same thing. Photographer David Bergman takes a look at a reader question and offers his thoughts on what's better.

How To Shoot In A Big City And Not Get Hassled By The Man

One of the most trying experiences I've had since becoming a photographer has been coming to terms with the fact that there are places in our county where, quite simply, we are not allowed to take photos. Now, I’m not talking about setting up hundred-person movie sets complete with production vans and craft services tables, nor do I mean shooting on private property, sacred land, and/or Area 51-type secret military bases...

Why I Use Crop-Sensor Cameras in My Professional Photography Career

Full-frame cameras are superior to the crop sensor ones. There's no doubt. Most of the professional photographers out there are making a living with full-frame bodies and thus those cameras are considered professional. What if you shoot with smaller sensor cameras? Let me share my own story.

Canon Is a Brand New Company and I Love It

A few years ago, a lot of photographers were a bit frustrated by Canon's seeming lack of desire to push the technological envelope and often arbitrary handicapping of camera feature sets. Fast-forward to 2020, and suddenly, Canon is an entirely different company.

10 Reasons to Love a 10-Year-Old Fujifilm Camera

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 has become something of a cult classic. Released in March of 2012, the camera was an immediate hit with photographers due to its aesthetics and outstanding image quality. I picked one up used a few years ago, and it quickly became my favorite take-along camera. As it nears one decade on the market, here are 10 reasons to love the X-Pro1 — 10 years later.

Why I Can Never Quit Full-Frame DSLRs

I’ve had a long flirtation with mirrorless cameras of all stripes, from the earliest Panasonic to Fujifilm to Olympus. I’m usually quite happy with and shoot them all frequently, but at the end of the day, it’s always a full-frame DSLR that reminds me why none of those have ever become my main squeeze.

Famed Music Producer Caught in Photographer Drama

Last night on the EDM Photographers Facebook group a member posted a tweet from an upset photographer who wasn't properly credited for an image that famed music producer, Diplo, posted on his Instagram feed. The concert photography collective, Visualbass, tweeted their irritation to Diplo about the uncredited photo and was met with a rather unpleasant and public exchange from the artist.

Four of the Biggest Photography Rip-Offs to Avoid

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.

The Best Camera of 2020

2020 has seen some remarkably good cameras released and perhaps a dud or two. Which was the best? Here is my pick.

Pour One out for the MacBook Air: Apple's Workhorse for Photographers Left for Dead

Apple’s MacBook Air isn’t long for this world. When Apple announced its new lineup of MacBook Pros in October, absent from the update party was the MacBook Air. In fact, Apple quietly removed the 11-inch model from the website around the same time, leaving only the 13 inch to soldier on for the time being. It's not a good sign for photographers invested in the Apple ecosystem (that’s a lot of us) looking for a road-warrior laptop.

Dear Wedding Photographers: Get Over It

Spend just a couple days in the online photography community and you'll notice something: Photographers like to complain a lot. When we're not posting photos or arguing about which cameras are better than others, we're complaining. It's an epidemic and it's really hurting the community and ourselves. Many of us have lost focus on what really matters.
Nikon D850 Dynamic Range Tested and Compared

It would seem that the Nikon D850 can do no wrong and with this latest test and comparison from Tony Northrup, the results seem even more positive. The dynamic range was something a lot of photographers were concerned about, especially due to the higher megapixel count. At ISO 64, it's safe to say that the dynamic range of the D850 is a solid improvement over the Nikon D810. As Northrup demonstrates in his video, the D810 suffered from a heavy magenta cast in recovered shadows whereas the D850 has a more neutral and pleasing look to it. At higher ISO, however, the differences between the two Nikon cameras may not be as significant.

Instead of Praising Nikon, We Should Be Asking Why the Industry Has Been So Slow To Replace GPS With GNSS

The recent press about an upcoming Nikon camera — denoted the "N2014" — highlighted a government registration filing that suggests it will be "equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)." This has been a positive media development for Nikon as, if correct, it would make them the first camera manufacturer to integrate GNSS into one of their products. Is the camera industry being disingenuous by their slow adoption of existing technologies?

20 Photographers Growth in Post-Processing

People often forget that all successful photographers started from the bottom. This knowledge should be an aspiring photographer's motivation that fuels every action and re-touch. Each person has the ability to exceed beyond expectations; to set goals and reach them. In the future, you may look back at your work with embarrassment. Remembering where you started from should be a source of pride. The growth of 20 popular photographers in their retouching skills might be the greatest source of inspiration.

Where Are All the Third-Party Lenses for Canon and Nikon?

One of the most compelling reasons for choosing a Sony as your first serious camera is the wealth of third-party lenses available. Why is it that there is still so little glass made by smaller manufacturers for the full frame mirrorless mounts from Canon and Nikon?

The Future of Photography as a Business

This may be appalling to some, or realistic to others, but I think if we don't discuss the state of the profession of photography we will eventually regret it. When it is more than a hobby, how has the industry changed? Is it a good change? Has technology helped or hurt the professional?

Canon Benefits From the Death of the DSLR

Notwithstanding problems with ramping back up production to pre-COVID levels, manufacturers have been generally optimistic about the emerging camera market as consumers start spending money that has been hoarded over periods of lockdown. Canon looks set to be the big beneficiary, but what about the other manufacturers?

Photojournalism Is for White Men, as Revealed by a Stunning New York Times Photograph

There’s no question that the New York Times photo of James Comey during his Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, where he detailed his uncomfortable and suspect dealings with President Donald Trump, is going to be one of the iconic ones of our time. There’s also no question about who overwhelmingly seems to dominate the photojournalism field based on this photo: white men.