The sheer volume of photographs being produced has reached unforeseen levels. We take photographs almost without thinking now; any vaguely noteworthy event garners a veritable mass of cameras and cameraphones. But quantity does not necessarily beget quality, nor does it necessarily enable the photographic eye to sharpen itself. In fact, the digital age has (to a degree) destroyed appreciation for process, thereby relegating craft to an anachronism, a relic of a time when the process of making pictures forced a certain deliberateness in their creation.

We hear all the time about how it's not about the gear, it's about the photographer using the gear. And we hear about how you shouldn't focus on the latest and greatest camera equipment. I'm here to tell you that's not always the case.

In this beautiful video brought to you by SmugMug, get an inside look at the mind of street photographer Alan Schaller.

I love photo books but you’ll rarely catch me with my nose inside a book by a photographer. Then there are short bursts of frenetic reading interspersed throughout the literary vacuum. So when I’m trying to desperately get advanced copies of a 700-page book written by a photographer, something weird is going on.

Photographers have to deal with a lot of annoying things, whether from clients, other photographers, online trolls, or others. What is it that annoys you? If you need a bit of catharsis, this video should do you a bit of good.

Orlando recently passed an ordinance that will now require drone users to pay to fly in many public spaces. The ordinance itself is very problematic and shows a serious lack of understanding of drones.

Photography, a hobby often celebrated for its universal appeal, holds a special charm for older individuals. Embracing the art of photography can be a particularly rewarding pursuit for those in their golden years, offering a unique blend of creative expression, mental stimulation, and physical activity, all of which are key components to a fulfilling and balanced lifestyle in later life.

One of the most frequent types of questions I see on social media is about gear or gear recommendations. For the most part, photographers and videographers who are relatively new to the industry tend to ask about what gear they should or shouldn't buy. I think it's always better to ask than spend money on something that may end up being a waste.

There's little to argue about the technical superiority of digital, but a devoted group of photographers still shot film for various reasons. This interesting video essay talks about five reasons why one photographer still opts for the older technology.

Today on the Internet, I watched photographers draw analogies between a retouching technique and using nerve gas in warfare. While I stared, aghast at the immaturity, I began to wonder: "What would a customer think of this?"

Making a photograph can be a painstaking process involving location scouting, test shots, lighting setups, model releases and so much more, depending on your subject. However, some subjects — such as wildlife, children, sporting events, and such — require a photographer to be much more nimble. That's why I try to follow a few simple rules to be ready for when that unexpected magic moment arrives.

I just picked up my Inspire 2 Monday and couldn't be happier to have it. After working with a Phantom 3 Advanced and Professional for about a year and a half, this new drone makes all the difference in the world.

Light can easily make or break a photograph. While there is truly no such thing as bad light, there is a good and bad way to use light.

Lensbaby has announced a new set of filters which attach to a lightweight ring atop your lens via magnets. The new kit allows you to use glass and crystals in order to create novelty blur and bokeh effects hands-free, but is it worth using such novelty items in-camera, given that their rather niche effects are irreversible?

I don't make time-lapses, but as a viewer I frequently happen to find time-lapse videos that I can't or don't watch at all. Here are my tips for all of you out there to make your sequence of images more appealing to any audience.

What does being a photographer mean to you? Do the people around you see you in the same way?

As photographic professionals, we spend a lot of time just getting work done. There are emails, phone calls, retouching, shoots, gear maintenance, backups, portfolio management, and all the other things you've heard listed by anyone giving you the sermon on photography as a business as opposed to photography for the love of the craft. The reality is, for many of us, that some of this stuff just isn't all that inspiring. Below are a few things I recommend if you start feeling that strain.

As a landscape photographer, do you feel frustrated when things don’t quite work out? Maybe the weather wasn’t cooperating or despite your best efforts looking for an engaging composition, you couldn’t find one before the light faded. Learn to enjoy the journey and watch the frustrations fade away.

Let’s face it. Photographers make all the excuses in the world to upgrade their gear. When we do, should there be an evident difference in our photos?

Making decisions about cameras and lenses is always difficult. Most of the time, we have to compromise. Finding out what you love about photography helps you making a better choice regarding your photography gear.

Our next episode of "Critique the Community" will feature headshot photography. This featured images was taken by the master himself, Peter Hurley, and in our next episode Peter will critique 20 random images submitted by our readers. Please post your submissions into this post by Thursday October 22nd at Midnight for your chance to get direct feedback from Hurley and the FS staff.

Social media is something that many photographers rely on regardless if its to showcase their work or to bring in clients or subjects to work with. For many, there are some downsides on how social media is changing how photos are respected, so what is the proper etiquette for Instagram?

In a previous video, Dave Altizer demonstrated the Sharp pre-production 8k camera. What many people really wanted to know was how this performed in low-light situations and its high ISO capabilities.

We’ve long passed the beginning of the end and are now certainly in middle-of-the-end territory with respect to the freedom to fly drones. The latest high-profile drone incident further ensures that drone piloting will remain a privilege and not a right, though rightly so, as some people apparently can’t exercise enough common sense to stay away from populated areas (i.e. Los Angeles) and critical city infrastructure (i.e. power lines).

Recently a number of women have come forward and made some pretty strong accusations against a relatively well-known photographer, Jason Lanier. This has brought the subject of sexual abuse and assault back into many discussions.

For years, photographers old and new would enjoy sharing their favorite work across social media sites such as Instagram. Sharing your images was fun and would create conversation, engagement, and perhaps sales. Nowadays, the situation has changed.

This is an article I've been on the cusp of writing for some time. I was first jolted into this area of discussion when I heard someone refer to the photography of poorer cultures and communities as "white middle-class photography." I say jolted because — perhaps naively — I had drawn no parallels between types of photographer and types of subject before that day. Unlike most criticisms about photography, this comment didn't glide past me; instead, I found myself plunged into an internal debate. Are the loose motivations of "raising awareness for" and "the documentation of" these communities disingenuous and moreover, are they doing more harm than good?

Episode 27 of Critique the Community took one of the most popular genres here on Fstoppers and added a twist. We asked the community to submit any landscape or cityscape shot taken above 50mm.

It's something we are all seeking. There is no doubt that some photographers are fantastic at what they do, but even the best won't create a great shot every time. So, is there a secret formula to creating one?