In a pivotal moment sixteen years ago, a photographer found himself preferring a digital shot over a film one, challenging his preconceived notions about photography. This experience led him to understand that a photographer's creativity and perspective are what truly make an image special.

Since the introduction of AI-generated headshots, many have been lamenting the inevitable end of our industry, forecasting doom and gloom across every online forum almost on a daily basis. But one photographer isn’t afraid, and in fact, he believes that AI technology is actually good for headshot photographers and ultimately will strengthen our industry.

Post-processing at the computer for hours on end often leaves me feeling nostalgic. Maybe there’s something tangible to film photography that I’m overlooking. After seeing a fellow landscape photographer working his 4x5 near a tree in the local dunes, his approach to our hobby had me contemplating my choice of hardware. There are so many analog-inspired pictures circling the web, that it’s obvious that I’m not the only one. Today, I want to share my thoughts on film photography with you.

Why are photographers obsessed with shallow depth of field? And why I think it can ruin your photography as it almost did with mine. Read on about how it started to affect my photography and what I did about it.

The calendar just turned its pages to 2015. We have tiny and versatile cameras like the GoPro Hero 4 filming 4K video, camera companies making 50-megapixels DSLRs, and artists making mind-blowing stop-motion/hyper-lapse/time-lapse films. So why is it still so hard for artists and big brands to easily connect to collaborate on photo and video projects?

Yesterday, I posted about the most viewed post from this past year. While those posts are great pieces in their own right, there is so much more content for learning on Fstoppers. So this time, I want to show you the absolute best original content posts of this past year. These aren't organized by views, or anything arbitrary like that, these are just some of our favorite posts from this past year.

Apple isn't known for being the most flexible company in the world and some could argue this is one of the reasons for their immense success. Unfortunately, this rigidity which can almost be described as stubbornness can cause a few issues. Linus Tech Tips discuss their frustrations with Apple in a recent video.

If an editor sent a photographer out to get some "weather art" to show a hot summer day, the photo above of a child playing in a sprinkler park would probably make a good image for the newspaper, right?

As photographers, we’re often on the bleeding edge of technology, and these days, the bleeding edge often includes an app for that. However, manufacturers are increasingly relying on apps to control their hardware at the expense of dedicated physical controls — and it’s a practice that must stop.

As photographers, our friends, relatives, and significant others sometimes despair at trying to find what may appeal to us and be within their holiday budgets. We may casually let them know that we are super excited about this new gadget that will "really" improve our photography if we only had that one newfangled gizmo. Whether it’s a brand new piece of kit or something that’s been in our bags sitting from a few years ago, we still need to learn what that "new" tool can do.

The video specs, both software and hardware, of the new iPhone have caused a bit of a stir as we have seen some impressive upgrades. It is clearly gearing more towards, if not professional videographers, then professional quality and features. But, how good is it really?

After a few months of dipping my toes in the water with the Sony a7R II, I finally sold both it and my Canon 5D Mark IV and consolidated with the a7R III recently. It's a top-notch camera that can excel in almost any genre, but it's still lacking in one area: the menu system. This video examines why a lot of pros aren't fond of Sony menus and how they can be improved.

There were lots of preconceived notions I had for being a professional photographer. Some were right, some were wrong, and most were somewhere in-between. But there were aspects that I hadn't even considered.

Recently, there has been a push to have photographers keep their shoot locations secret, as park administration and others are asking photographers not to geotag their images. I don’t agree, and think this practice is counterproductive.

The photography industry and it’s consumers would both benefit from introducing the predominant mobile phone sales model.

Shooting film can completely change how you approach photography. It forces you to slow down, think more deliberately, and accept imperfections as part of the process. Many who started in digital find that switching to film rekindles their love for capturing images. But does film actually make an image better? Or is it just a different way to shoot?

My quest to become the best photographer I can be has encountered many failures, but if I truthfully examined the reasons why I failed each time, some common elements always seemed to appear. Take a look to see if they might apply to you, too.

I have been following and reporting on Vincent Laforet's "AIR" series since its first round was released. I came across an early printing of the book itself in the waiting area of San Francisco's Storehouse startup while I was about to take on another interview. I knew Storehouse and Laforet had a good working relationship, and I knew the images so well. But I didn't have time to look inside -- not that I felt I had to, however, since I knew the work inside and out. So when Laforet offered me a copy of the book to review, I simply had to say, "Of course," even if it was with mixed feelings. What could I, objectively speaking, really get out of it? Hadn't I seen it all?

We live in a world constantly fascinated by technology. We want the TV with the greatest definition. We want the tablet with the shiniest screen. And, as photographers, we always want the most expensive gear and the most elaborate new toys. But the more you grow as an artist, you'll quickly realize it's the man that makes the equipment, not the equipment that makes the man (or woman).

Amid a busy week, I figured I’d share a few brief thoughts on why it’s important to keep moving forward and why it’s just as important to sometimes remain still long enough to see where you stand.

A brief personal recollection of a powerful influence in the world of photography.

Vision and talent are often valued in creative circles as the means to a career in photography. Work on your craft and the jobs will come. This is true to some extent, but it is also a fair bit of rubbish.

BCN Retail sales data offers a snapshot into the state of camera sales in the industry. January sees them release their awards for overall sales in the previous year, and this year is no different. So, who are the winners and losers?

Fstoppers is happy to announce the next round of Critique the Community. We invite everyone to submit your best sports image to be critiqued by the Fstoppers team. The image doesn't have to have any particular style but it must be related to sports and action, incorporating a human element (not just products or sports equipment). Please follow the guidelines for submissions below to ensure eligibility for your image to be chosen. We will be accepting submissions through Sunday night, February 7th and will be offering feedback to a total of 20 pictures.

In a world overwhelmed with photography advice on YouTube, Instagram, or even articles like this one, it can be hard to know whose guidance to trust when building your career. However, chances are, you may be overlooking the most valuable source of input that will always guide you in the right direction.

Sony cameras have done a lot to move forward the industry, but just like any other system, there are things that can be improved. Here are eight things one photographer would change about the Sony cameras he uses.

There are a lot of frustrating moments we all experience as photographers. Things we all know like missing that perfect shot by mere seconds, equipment failing just as the sun drops below the horizon, flashes not firing, memory cards corrupting, not booking that big job we quoted… the list goes on and on. I shoot weddings, so when things go wrong they can feel amplified ten-fold. For a long time I was like a sponge for negativity. It soaked into me, and it got under my skin and rattled me. Murphy’s Law used to kick my ass, and I never felt like I could stop it. Then my son was born, and everything changed.

They say that when you find a career that you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. That’s bull. Well, sort of.

My first-ever article on Fstoppers condemned the use of presets and inspired photographers to focus on creating their own color grades and styles. Looking back, I still stand by some of those points, but not all of them. You see, while using presets is bad, creating your own presets might actually be beneficial to your photography and editing workflow.