Photography Humor

Photography culture has its quirks — the gear obsessions, the golden hour chasers, the pixel peepers, the endless debates about which camera brand is actually best. This section leans into all of it with humor, satire, and the kind of observations that every photographer recognizes immediately. Sometimes you just need to laugh at the hobby.

Anti-Drone Rifles Could Knock Your 'Copter Out of the Sky

If you're like me and you're sick and tired of the Drone Takeover, this state-of-the-art weaponry is for you. In an effort to defend the airspace around you, the Ohio-based, nonprofit Battelle has created the DroneDefender as a way to keep videographer drones at bay during that next wedding shoot. There will be no more swatting at poor-resolution cameras buzzing about your head; simply pull this bad boy from your quiver and "bang!" Drone down.

The New Holga Digital Vs Polaroid 600, The Ultimate Camera Showdown

A few weeks ago I wrote a post mocking the new Holga Digtal Kickstarter campaign. Holga's PR team caught wind of my post and decided to send me the new Digital Holga. At the same time the Impossible Project sent me a Polaroid 600 camera with Impossible Instant color and BW film. Which is better? Let's find out. 

We Tested the Sony A7RII AGAIN for All the Sony Fanboys

UPDATE:  Results from our reader's poll can be found here! Last week we released our head to head competition review between the Sony A7RII, the Nikon D810, and the Canon 5DsR ultra high megapixel cameras. Our test put all three cameras up against each other and compared their performance in terms of ergonomics, HD video, auto focus, ISO performance, Dynamic range, and overall image quality when used in the studio. Unfortunately a bunch of Sony users complained that our final studio test wasn't up to snuff, so we did what any respectable review site would do and brought back baby turtle. The new results might shock you.

Dealing with Sentient Drones: An Intro to Noise Reduction

I'm not even sure they existed five months ago but since then the prolific crew over at RocketJump Film School have pumped out some really great educational (and often funny) content, quickly becoming one of my personal favorite crews out there. In this humorous short, "Droneward Bound," Ashly and Lauren (both adored) have to chase down a super sexy Inspire 1 drone as it takes on a life of its own. From there, director Kevin Senzaki jumps in on the second video to show us how they went about repairing the audio for the video. Senzaki jumps in on the second video to show us how they went about repairing the audio for the video.

Try Not to Flinch While Watching Rattlesnakes Strike at This GoPro Invading Their Den

YouTuber Michael Delaney found a pit full of rattlesnakes and, despite anyone's best suggestions, didn't turn back. Instead, armed with a GoPro on the end of a stick, Delaney recorded the scene, most of during which the only audible audio was the collective rattling of the bunch. Eventually, repeated strikes from multiple snakes knock the GoPro off of its mount and into the middle of the pit (good luck getting that one back). Put it some headphones, put the video on full screen... I dare you not to flinch at the first good strike...

Hilarious but Accurate Video Offers Tips on How to Take Better Concert Photos, Selfies, and Snapchats

We live in a world of shared experience. It is no longer enough to simply enjoy a moment; it must be documented so that others know you were there and that in fact you did have a good time. This is more so popular with the younger crowd and as a result concerts have become one of the most popular venues to find the selfie and the Snapchat. Filmmaker Woody Roseland has put together a hilarious video to help you achieve a clean, simple, and effective result. That is of course if you'll even bother.

'INPUT/OUTPUT' Is a Fun New Short That Holds Surprises in Every Frame

They say that the ability to still be surprised is the key to happiness. It's growing knowledge of the world around us that informs our expectations of behaviors of all kinds of entities that in turn ruins the surprise in our lives. It's the reason that we're not interested in our boring childhood toys. And it's the reason that it's so easy to stay glued to shorts like the Vimeo Staff Pick, "INPUT/OUTPUT," which juices our bored minds with just enough excitement and surprise to, at the very least, smile on the inside.

Fstoppers Reviews The Canon 5DsR, Sony A7RII, and Nikon D810

If you thought the megapixel war was over years ago then you might shocked by the latest cameras released by Nikon, Sony, and Canon. The D810, A7RII, and 5DsR are the biggest and baddest pieces of artillery on the front line, and today the team at Fstoppers is going to determine once and for all which camera is the best. With enough megapixels to challenge some of the most popular medium format cameras, these compact full frame cameras pack a lot more punch than you would think. Don't believe us? View the full high res images and take the poll yourself!

A Simple Technique for Creating the Effect of Punching Someone Across the Room

Ryan and Josh Connolly of Film Riot always brings us the coolest do-it-yourself filmmaking and special effects tutorials. In this "rewind" episode (read: old) they show us how to create the killer effect of throwing someone clear across the room. What's doubly cool is how easily this can be done with just a still camera and software that most of us already have (Photoshop and After Effects).

Action Scene From 'Everest' Without Sound Effects Reminds Us of the Importance of Great Sound

While the original source couldn't be independently confirmed, the studio behind the recently released movie, "Everest," apparently sent BBC a clip of the still unreleased film without audio effects. Instead, throughout the entire otherwise hair-raising scene, the actors speak to each other in a tone seemingly more appropriate for a focus group discussion between amateurs trying to solve a Rubik's cube than for a life-threatening situation climbing Mount Everest.

Photographer Gets Creative, Turns Coconut Into Camera

Nope, we're not joking. Photographer Kotama Bouabane is creating photographs using coconuts. While he used the fruit in several different ways to create images, his most interesting method simply involves tape, a coconut, and some photo paper! Read on and check out the video for more!

The New iPhone Fashion Shoot: Bikinis, Foam Core, and Flashlights

Five years ago I filmed the iPhone Fashion Shoot, a 10-minute video in which I take professional looking images with the iPhone 3GS. That video was supposed to inspire photographers who assumed that their work was suffering because their gear wasn't ultra expensive. The video became extremely popular and became very polarizing. The majority of people thought my images looked good because I used fancy lights.

Learn How To Be An 80s Model In This Hilarious Instructional Video

It could be argued that the 80's pushed the experimental envelope further than any other decade before it.  For the first time in history, consumers were able to watch movies in the privacy of their own homes, the camcorder brought home video recording to the masses, and digital technology opened the doors for tons of horrible musical and visual effects.  When you combine home education with the ridiculous fashion of the 80s, you get this: pure comedy gold. 

The Best Joke A Photographer Can Play On Their Subject

When you point a camera at human, 99% of the time that person will strike a pose of some kind. These "poses" are absurd and the longer that these "poses" are held, the more ridiculous and hilarious they get. So why not shoot video and make your subjects wait and wait and wait. 

The Drunk DJI Ronin M Review

We recently received the new DJI Ronin M, an electronic gimbal that is smaller and cheaper than the standard DJI Ronin. To put this stabilizer to the test, we decided to put it through a series of demanding tests... while drunk.

Japanese Wildlife Photographer Travels the Globe to Film Cats of the World

I happened across this serene video of a tiny kitten befriending Japanese wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago as he was filming for his NHK TV series, "Wildlife Photographer Mitsuaki Iwago's World Cats Travelogue". While being lulled by the tranquility of the scene I couldn't help but think how amazing our craft is, that we can make a living doing something so incredibly delightful. Iwago-san is fortunate enough to travel the world filming and photographing cats in the streets.

Hipster Barbie Is Mocking Your Instagram Feed

Going on an adventure this weekend? Maybe a hike or a cool concert? You're probably going to Instagram it too, aren't you? Well, put your iPhone down, because Barbie (yes, the Hasbro toy) is killing it on Instagram better than you ever could.

How to Take Photos Under Various Sun Lit Conditions

Whether it’s high noon, sunset or the magic hour it’s hard to beat photographs taken under the natural light of the sun. But how do you contend with the myriad of conditions it produces? Easy. You watch this video by RocketJump Film School as director of photography Jon Salmon walks you through most of the lighting scenarios you might encounter outside. There are even some helpful DIY tips on modifiers thrown in.

Photoshop This Hilarious Picture Of Mike Kelley And Win His Tutorial

As many of you may know, Mike Kelley has been traveling the world for quite some time, taking photographs of airports (sounds boring but it's cool, I promise). Yesterday he posted a picture of himself on Facebook that is so perfect, I had to make a Photoshop contest with it. 

Watch as 3-year-old "Action Movie Kid" Fends Off a Shark Attack in His Living Room

If you're into video effects (and are half the Calvin and Hobbes fan that I am) then you're really going to dig this fun, lighthearted, imagination fueled video created by Dreamworks animator Daniel Hashimoto. As part of Daniel's absolutely amazing personal project, "Action Movie Kid", son James repels the vicious advances of a great white shark, in an effort to save younger sister Sophia. Daniel promises us a proper behind-the-scenes video in the future but in the mean time offers up a great side-by-side video showing the before-and-after.

10 Easy Do-It-Yourself Photography Hacks

Kai and the crew over at DigitalRev are at their goofy antics again. This time their latest video has them running through ten easy photography hacks you can do using common thing you can find around your home. I have little doubt that most of these won't be new to you but even if you gleam one little helpful nugget from this list, it will be ten minutes well spent.

How New Zealand's Strange Magnetic Field Almost Destroyed Our Drone, P.T.W. BTS Ep 6

Photographing The World BTS episode 6 is finally here and this is the one many of you have been waiting for. At this point in the series I had flown this drone in 7 different countries in snow and rain, and I even crashed it into the side of an ice cave but it kept on working. The streak finally ends in New Zealand when I have my first and only serious crash.

Website Turns Any Photograph Into an Emoji Mosaic

Sometimes, the web does some weird things and we are blessed with a time-sucking gift from the Internet gods. Today's miracle comes from Web Developer Eric Andrew Lewis, who works for the New York Times. Eric's tool was made in his spare time and allows you to upload any photo you want and within seconds, spits out a pretty decent rendering of an emoji mosaic of the same image.

B&H: "What's in Your Bag?" with Headshot Photographer Peter Hurley

We love photography. We love gear. And we love this guy: New York City-based headshot photographer Peter "Shabang" Hurley. So when B&H put out this episode of, "What's in Your Bag?", featuring Peter and his kit, of course we were going to watch and post it with all the same excitement and exuberance that Peter himself puts into everything. Watch as Peter tears through his bag to reveal his set-up while running down what gear he uses and why.

Filmmaker Blows Our Minds and Our Faces with Epic Slow-Mo Video

You may remember filmmaker Scott Winn from his awesome "Fruit Ninja in Real Life" video from a few years back, or from last year's undeniably catchy "Stormtrooper Twerk." Well he's back with something he captions "the worst family BBQ ever."

The GoPro Was Invented To Capture This Fish Biting A Man's Nipple

The GoPro Hero 4 is a Marvel of human engineering. Waterproof, ultra wide angle, and incredible 4k footage all built into an amazingly small package. I would hate to live in a world without the GoPro; we would be without this amazing footage of a fish jumping out of the water just to bite some guys nipple. 

Fstoppers Visits New Zealand, Is Attacked By "Wingless Bird" P.T.W. BTS Ep 5

Photographing The World Behind The Scenes Episode 5 is here. In last weeks episode (episode 4) we spent our last day in Iceland, and our photography guide went on a rant about photographers that is so hilarious, his rant has more views than the entire episode. In episode 5 we leave Siggy behind and fly to the opposite side of the world, New Zealand. 

Canon Created A Hilarious Ad Campaign To Inspire You To Print Again

Here at Fstoppers, we all know Canon makes some pretty cool cameras, but you may have forgotten they also make really nice photo and document printers. Canon realized that, in this digital age of Facbeook, Instagram, RFID devices, and Apple Pay on your iPhone, many of us have dramatically decreased or stopped printing things out. You know, things like photographs, tickets, business documents, and maps. Thus, in response, they started the "Never Again" campaign and made this hilarious series of videos to promote their PIXMA printers. Read below to watch them all. 

Disgruntled Fisherman Hooks a Drone While The Love-Hate Debate Over Drone Use Rages On

While capturing footage of a San Diego pier, photographer Tice Ledbetter drew the attention of a seemingly annoyed fisherman who then cast his line into the drone's prop. Not knowing what had occurred, Ledbetter flew the drone for half a mile before landing and didn't know how the fishing line got entangled until after he watched the footage.

Was This Planned? Time Magazine Shares Memes Of Bad Cover Image

Yesterday Time Magazine released a screenshot of its newest cover. The cover instantly started trending around the internet because the majority of people find it hilarious/just plain bad. Now, Time Magazine has actually joined in the fun and is sharing the hilarious memes created from that cover themselves. 

This Time Magazine Cover Is So Bad I Feel Sad And Inspired At Once

I've always considered Time Magazine to be a pretty high quality publication. Getting your photograph featured on the cover would be a lifetime accomplishment for most photographers. That's why the current cover with Oculus Rift inventor Palmer Luckey is particularly shocking. 

Icelandic Tour Guide Goes On Hilarious Rant About Photographers

This week we released episode 4 of our behind the scenes series that covers our travel around the world. Siggy, our photography guide in Iceland, has become everyones favorite character in these videos and at the end of episode 4 he goes on a rant that is so hilarious that we decided it deserved its own video. 

Why The DMV Screws Up Your License Photo (On Purpose)

We've all had horrible pictures taken of ourselves for our ID, passport, or drivers license. You might think your portrait turned out poorly because of the cheap camera, poor lighting, or you simply weren't ready. Well the truth is revealed in this hilarious video. 

 

4 Wildly Fun and Educational Videos to Teach You How to Film Films with Filmmaking

Writer, director, and presenter Ryan Connolly, best known for his internet television shows Film Riot and Film State, has teamed up with CanonUSA to teach us the basics of film production. There is an amazing amount of information compressed into each short video but what's more amazing is how easily digestible and concise it all is. Factor in the entertainment value (I chuckled through every episode) and you will find these slapstick-styled gems beyond fun and educational. Even if you aren't interested in making films you will enjoy these videos and may even change your mind by the end.

Madman Chris Pratt Opens a Photoshop Can of Worms

It is nothing new for celebrities to call on their fans to have a little fun with Photoshop. Our own Lee Morris challenged all of you a few months back with his many stages of beardedness. But when you are movie star Chris Pratt and you are known for your quirky, fast, often in-your-face style of humor, you should probably expect the internet to get a little weird with your request.

Husband Starts Amazing Photo Series after Wife Leaves Him with Nothing but the Dog

Going through a breakup can be hard. Especially when your significant other leaves you nothing but the dog. That’s exactly what happened to Rafael Mantesso. On his 30th birthday, his wife walked out leaving him with nothing else besides their bull terrier, Jimmy, whom the wife named after her favorite shoe designer, Jimmy Choo.

Photographer Creates Greatest Baby Announcement Video with the Help of a Drone

It takes a special talent and something truly different to capture the attention of the world these days. In fact, creating something that seizes a moment in time and brings attention to the simple things in life in an extraordinary way far outweighs creating just another pretty picture. That moment here is the birth announcement for designer and photographer Dirk Dallas as he brings a drone and a very well executed plan together for an outstanding video with his family.

Instagrammers Fight Censorship by Photoshopping Male Nipples [NSFW?]

It's no secret that Instagram, and its parent company, Facebook, have some pretty old-school ToS in terms of censorship. Their policy, inconsistently policed at best, has given the boot to many otherwise tasteful images including, notably, an image by artist Ruki Kaur of a woman on her period. Now a trend is taking Instagram by storm wherein people are photoshopping male nipples over a females' nipples to stick it to the man and hopefully result in a meaningful dialog on Internet censorship.

Australian Couple's Silent Protest for Marriage Equality

In a silent protest for same sex marriage equality, Australian couple, Abbey and Mitchell Johnston held their hands to their ears during the compulsory matrimony words, "marriage is between a man and woman." They were quickly joined by their bridal party, friends, and family in what was a simple but strong visual statement of their strong personal beliefs on the subject. Luckily, Thomas Stewart Weddings was on the scene to capture all of these photos!

Casey Neistat Axes Canon 70D... Literally

If you haven't been keeping up with Casey Neistat's daily vlogs, then you absolutely need to start. They're a great source of creative inspiration, lots of running cut-scenes, and the occasional viral video. In this particular vlog, Neistat tells a story on the importance of not quitting and, while filming, experiences an error with his Canon 70D. You may not believe how he solves it.

LensRentals Crew Finds Fly Inside of Weather Sealed Lens

If you thought getting dust inside of your lens was annoying, imagine how terrible a fly would be. That may sound like a joke, but it’s exactly what LensRentals founder Roger Cicala found inside a weather sealed Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS recently when returned to their shipping center.

How One Rugby Player Ruined a $94,000 Camera Lens with a Black Pen

Professional Kenyan rugby star Collins Injera scored his 200th try in the World Seven Series this week and celebrated in what seems to be one of the most bizarre ways possible: by signing a camera lens. Having obviously prepared to score, he had placed a black pen in his sock during the entire game to be ready for such celebration. Here is the hilarious result that ended in ruining a $94,000 camera lens.

Why This Is The Most Creative Wedding Shoot You've Never Seen

When I saw this wedding shoot I was stunned into silence for a few moments. I really didn't know what to think of it! In my mind, when I think of wedding photography, I think of a world of immaculate white dresses, expensive shoes, thoughtful furnishings and of course, smiling wedding couples and their guests.

Photographer Ty Foster Tugs at Our Heart Strings in 'Timeout' a Series of Dogs in 'Cones of Shame'

Most dog or cat owners have had to use an Elizabethan collar at one point or another with their pet. “It’s a necessary and beneficial part of the healing process, but to them it’s like being put in timeout,” photographer Ty Foster explained. In this photo series of his, he visually expressed the emotional hardships that our animal brethren have to endure while wearing what he refers to as “the cone of shame.” In the series, Foster goes out of his way to show the trials and tribulations that come along with wearing this shameful collar.