Opinion

The Internet experts are at it again, and this time Nikon is in their crosshairs.

This is the long and wonderful story of ending up right back where you started.

Nowadays, it seems that every YouTube photography celebrity has a batch of presets that they want you to buy. This begs the question: is it worth handing over your hard-earned cash when you might be better off investing your time rather than your money?

In the six years that I've been using Lightroom, I've never paid for a preset. In the past, I've downloaded a few free packs, clicked laboriously through every preset and decided that they were all useless: blunt tools creating over-edited results and deploying settings that I could easily have achieved myself had I...

It's difficult to watch a Spielberg film and at the same time try to dissect it from the point of view of a filmmaker or a cinematographer, because you are immersed in the story by the ingenious camera movement and actors' blocking.

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about copying. It is true that almost everything has been invented or someone has already done it one way or another, but I am still having difficulties thinking about copying as a basis for inspiration for work.

We all know that Nikon and Canon are fueling up for a big battle for the mirrorless wars, with Nikon firing the first salvo in the form of the Z6 and Z7. But it just does not interest me.

As with any first-generation product, there's good and bad when it comes to Nikon's new mirrorless cameras, lenses, and accessories. Here's a little more information about some of the features of the Z6 and Z7 cameras and the system as a whole so you can decide if it's right for you.

[Update]: This is not necessarily Nikon's answer to a completely pro-line mirrorless body (scroll down for update).

The new Nikon mirrorless cameras have been announced and with that comes all the opinions on who these cameras are for. Should professionals use these cameras?

Why do we care so much what people think of our photos? Do we shoot for others or do we shoot for ourselves? Does it help us progress by having strangers or even people we know comment on our photos? What about formal reviews by so-called experts?

Are you on Instagram? Yes? Do you want to learn more about good lighting and technology used to create beautiful images? Of course you do. Go follow the ASC.

Sometimes, as photographers, we get a little tied up in having everything about a shoot be as professional and as perfect as we possibly can. But, as Daniel DeArco points out in this great video, it doesn't always have to be that way.

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.

All I’ll say, is that I owned the original a7 and it kinda sucked. Is Nikon going to get it right the “first” time? Or will next week's supposed announcement of the Z-series cameras begin a long cycle of trying to one up themselves while trying to keep up with the major mirrorless players?

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.

Mirrorless cameras may well be the future, but I'm not buying the hype that they're revolutionary. Not yet anyway.

Most of you might be saying: "you're nuts! Haven’t you been sailing? Luxury car driving? Golfing all over the place?" And luckily, I have, and let me tell you, photography is the most expensive sport I have ever practiced.

Have the questions your family ask you like “are we there yet?” been replaced with “how much camera stuff do you really need?” And “why do I have to carry this camera lightbulb thing in my suitcase?” Read on and the following tips just might save your family from a horrible vacation.

Nikon’s reviving an old playbook with its new mirrorless release, focusing on a high-speed model and a high-resolution model in a one-two punch to competitors, at least if rumors are to be believed.

I already wrote an article stating that this camera is the best wedding photography camera you can buy. But like most cameras, it's not perfect. These are eight things holding back the a7 III.

The exposure compensation dial. What's it for, exactly? And who on earth uses this completely useless knob that's taking up precious space on top of so many camera bodies?

I really have to admit it, but not every day do I feel like taking photos for someone else, but most days I feel like going out there and taking photos for myself. Most people see photography as something that just involves grabbing a camera or a mobile device and shooting whatever it is we see out there, but not for me. For me, photography is something else: it is a passion, it is an idea bigger than myself; for me, to be a photographer is to live.

If you are a photographer who is utilizing physical DVDs, USB drives, or even digital solutions like Dropbox to deliver client images, then take note as there is another way.

You may hate heavily post-processed images and videos, but do you hate them the right way? Here's how to properly do it.

Way back when the Canon T3i was the camera to have, I dabbled in video just enough to get frustrated and quit. Years later and after a lot of trial and error, I’ve made the switch almost entirely to creating short films and commercial work. Here are the big takeaways from my experience.

Maybe now, ironically, is the best time of all to be a DSLR user.

As children we’re taught that sharing is the way to go, but too often it feels like photographers forget that basic lesson. It’s a common debate that comes up: do you share your settings and locations?

Sometimes the lessons learned as a child are the most useful as an adult. Even if they were lessons to forget.

Ever since I first picked up a camera, I had questions that wouldn't be easily answered by reading a book or watching an edited YouTube series. I wanted real and unedited conversations, something you might have at a bar or coffee shop.

Photographer Juergen Teller is under fire for his recent images of pop singer Rihanna created for Vogue magazine. Teller has been accused of appropriating the work of Mickalene Thomas, a staple in black female art.

Saying "I do" to a business partnership with your spouse or partner can be enticing. You love your spouse or partner, but does that mean you should be business partners? Is it worth risking the personal relationship for the business relationship?

If you want to have better videos, move the camera, they say. However, there are times when movement doesn't fit at all for a scene. This informative video will teach you the basics of motivated camera movement.

Don't lie, most of us are guilty of not bothering to pick up our camera and photograph what's close to our hearts and homes. But why should we push ourselves to do it more, even if there's no immediate reward?

Some of my favorite photos are starting to feel old to me after looking at them so many times. Don't forget this is only a personal perception and often not shared by your audience.

As someone who shoots multiple camera systems, it’s easy to see that nothing out there is perfect. But while I’ve often thought about selling off one system entirely in favor of another, there’s always a lens or two for each system that is just about perfect and keeps me with a foot in many brands.

Has photography in the widest cultural sense morphed in to something that isn't photography? Renowned director and photographer Wim Wenders takes aim at the smartphone.

Just when you think we’re making huge progress towards equality, a stark reminder of how far we’ve yet to go emerges. Despite 126 years of publication at a rate of 12 issues per year, not one Vogue cover has been shot by a black photographer. If the rumors are true, Beyonce could be about to change that.

There was a time in my life that weddings were my main source of income. After being laid off from my job as a scientist, my hobby soon turned into a career. When I was first starting out, I took any and every gig I could to make ends meet. However, I held a secret during that time that I would never had admitted until now. I hated weddings.

Sometimes there are lessons that can affect both new photographers and veterans alike.

Tony Northrup made a mistake. In this new video he explains why now he believes the Canon 6D Mark II is the best vlogging camera of all time.

Innovative camera manufacturer Leica is investing heavily in Light, a startup company developing a proprietary camera system for self-driving cars. The big question: will Light’s new camera system fix the bugs that plagued their notorious L16 camera which tanked because of image processing issues?

Purists say they don't edit their photographs at all and they don't have to if the right camera settings were used. I'm fine with that philosophy if cheap old low-end cameras are used and they only can shoot in JPEG mode. Otherwise this approach is a complete waste of money on expensive cameras.

Rapidly advancing photo and video technology gives us a seemingly endless glut of new ways to create our visions. As creatives, it's tempting to explore every advancement in pursuit of our ultimate vision. The question is, should you?

Godox has been disrupting the lighting industry for several years now with their budget-friendly options for studio strobes and on location lighting. The Godox system is growing even larger with the addition of their newest on-location light, but does this new light make sense to those budget-conscious photographers that have adopted the system?

The New York Daily News, once called “New York’s Picture Newspaper,” has nobody left on staff to take pictures after its parent company, Chicago-based Tronc, cut the editorial staff in half on Monday.

Time for a completely non-scientific, wholly subjective, not even remotely precise, but undeniably fun thought experiment for all to participate in.

Building a skilled team is a sure way to up the production value of your shoot and improve the quality of your work, but if you’re collaborating with other artists, you’d better give them what they need.

Jared Polin uploaded his latest video, “The Harsh Truth About Photography, Business, Success, and Life.” The video details a conversation he had with a film student in Philadelphia.

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.

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

Today, I state the obvious. But sometimes even the most obvious things can be easy to forget.